Baras was fuming. Lusiel knew her master well enough to appreciate his state of agitation, mask or no. Oh, perhaps she should have returned to the barracks faster. Although she didn't even mull over that outrageous consideration. Honestly, if she hadn't taken the time to wash and get something to eat after the gods-awful time she had so far endured on Balmorra, she might have been unable to stop herself from telling Baras what she really thought of him. Right there in front of Quinn, no less.

Of course, looking at Quinn standing there provided her something to indulge in, too. Even if he was tense when she came into the room. No wonder, considering Baras' rotund holographic self looming like that over the holoterminal. Quinn might have turned it off and pretended some strange machine malfunction when Baras complained. Hell, Quinn would probably get away with it, even.

Quinn was addressing Baras as she strolled up behind him. "But it's not my place, my lord. I leave that to your apprentice to convey." At least that saved Quinn from Baras' continued attention. Lusiel smiled tightly when Baras shifted his gaze towards her.

Baras spoke, his tone censorious. "How nice you managed to join us. Quinn refuses to update me, insisting that only you be the one to tell me what's happened. I will assume the Jedi investigator has been stopped."

Lusiel raised her chin, "Quinn killed her transmission, and I killed her. It's finished."

"You were careless, rather. That's the only reason for scrambling to repair the situation. But … since you quelled it, we can move on," Baras waved one of his pudgy hands through the air and Lusiel felt her breaths moving slowly again. Her people were safe, she thought. She didn't even glance at either Vette or Quinn, only then realizing she was thinking of Quinn as her own. Soft happiness bubbled inside of her, made her heedless and less than circumspect. In later years, she would wonder if things might have worked so much different if she did not paint some a mark on Quinn's back in the moments that followed.

But then she always reminded herself, that the tremendous challenge also won her the greatest prize. Nothing worth having came freely, always carried a high price. And if she had done anything else, Baras never would have offered Quinn up to her then. For everything she regretted, she was glad she won so much over her fat tub of a master.

"So tell me, then. How you would asses Quinn's contribution?" Baras queried her, intentfully watching her.

She would have realized, should have realized. But she spoke truly, "Lieutenant Quinn is an exceptional officer. I couldn't have done it without him." She looked over at Quinn, watching as he accepted the praise with solemn dignity. Lord, she truly liked the man.

Lusiel's feelings were raw and bare, rather than obscured by her ordinary disrespect for her master. The truth was she was exhausted, practically wilting there in front of the holoterminal. Combined with the powerful pleasure she'd enjoyed from Quinn's support against the Jedi, Lusiel simply lacked the ability to blur her inclinations towards the officer.

Baras stirred, considering them both carefully. Oh, Quinn's earlier desires had been interesting enough. But this? That Lusiel shared the attraction, that the man appealed to her so strongly was truly extraordinary. Baras never hesitated when such valuable potential was made clear. His mind swirled with the plans he intended to put into action. Very quickly, he thought as he eyed the pair. "High praise, indeed. Quinn, I believe you have sufficiently repaid the debt owed to me. I'm putting you up for a captaincy and transmitting an executive order allowing you to station wherever you choose. You are dismissed," Baras said.

Quinn breathed solidly, "Thank you, Lord Baras. Although I would have acted as I did regardless of our past association, as well." Quinn looked at Lusiel, his pleasure obvious. "My lord, before I depart, it's been an extreme honor to serve you. You are the epitome of everything the Empire stands for."

Lusiel smiled at the officer. "You've impressed me as well, Quinn. Trust me."

"I'm glad, and I will hope to cross paths with you again, my lord." After saluting the two Sith one last time, Quinn withdrew from the room.

Poor me, thought Lusiel, watching Quinn's backside as he left. Now there was nothing left to really enjoy in the moment. She sighed, sensing Vette's amusement before the girl returned to her carefully orchestrated nonchalance behind her. They were quickly becoming practiced at the scenario when dealing with Baras' nonsense, Lusiel thought.

Baras clucked his tongue towards the departing Quinn. "He will have his hands full. There are powerful Imperials determined to keep him down." Lusiel wondered at the intransience of the Fates. If only she could destroy the people who truly deserved it, like whatever outrageous Imperial would try to ruin such an officer. His value to the Empire was patently obvious, after all. "Still, if Quinn can overcome them and rise to the station he deserves, there is great hope for our Imperial allies."

Lusiel eyed Baras. It finally occurred to her the man was plotting and that the plots he was hatching in that metal head of his involved Quinn. Baras appreciated moving people he could control into key positions. She wondered how many Imperials were as devoted to Baras as Commander Rylon had been. She wished better for Quinn than that man's end. "If given the chance, Quinn will excel," she told Baras.

"No matter, it's not worth worrying about. Quinn's affairs are a speck compared to what we face. Your time on Balmorra is done. Return to your ship as soon as you're ready to leave. I'll contact you once you're there."

The image of Baras abruptly faded and both Lusiel and Vette breathed a sigh of relief, nearly in accord. "Well, my lord, that's all done. We're out of here, right? Hey, wanna grab another one of those fruit drinks from the cantina before we jump planet?"

"Maybe we should just commandeer the bartender. There's plenty of room on the Black Wing, after all. That, and Toovee's cooking remains abysmal."

"Ah, my lord, it's truly inspiring to see your natural talents towards domination and discipline exercised in such positive ways."