Last time: Kyr made it clear to Oppie how he felt about all of this as he went to go search for clues.

Now: Cien comes to talk to Sasha about something important.

Chapter 9- Altered the Deal

There was a knock at Sasha's door the morning after her escape, and her ensuing conversation with Cien. The first time during her stay that anyone had knocked, and not simply entered. Sasha was sitting on the couch, finishing a small breakfast. She looked up to the door with a raised brow.

"Enter," she said, a little unsure of who could have knocked.

A guard, one of two visible outside, opened the door, and Cien walked in, along with one other person who looked around nervously, and had a cachet of tools with him. He immediately looked over at the lightsaber damaged control panel for the door and started repairing it.

Cien walked over to the couch and stood there uncomfortably for a few seconds. "I am sorry, Sasha, for what I have done." She finally said, probably the first time she could remember apologizing to someone, "I am going to be making arrangements to return you to your home, but it will take several days since it is still dangerous for us to enter Republic territory." She paused, and looked away. "Until that time you are to be my guest here, and you will be allowed free access as such. There will be no guards, unless you wish them for your own safety, and there will be an attendant available to you, if you wish for a guide through the palace grounds or the city."

Sasha was at a loss for words. She had gone speechless. After a moment to recover, she spoke up. "I… I don't know what to say except… why?" She asked, still surprised.

"I..." Cien stopped, her gaze at the ground. "I saw you as an enemy when I took you. And I thought I could carry through with this plan, but I can't." She paused, and looked out the window. "Our conversations these past weeks have been very enlightening. I don't want to be a monster, I don't want to be Dracul." She finished, looking Sasha in the eye. "I can't do that to someone I consider a friend." She said quietly, and then looked away.

Sasha's eyebrows shot up. "You still think of me as a friend?" She asked as a smile came to her face. "Cien… I… thank you."

"You are welcome." Cien responded uncomfortably, and she turned to leave.

"Wait, Cien," Sasha said. She took a moment before speaking up again. Cien had just told her she was going home and offered her this olive branch of peace that Sasha suddenly felt like she had to let Cien know she wanted that too by showing her a hand of friendship. "Would you like to stay for a while? We can talk. Maybe play a round of Sabacc. If you're interested. I understand if you're not and would rather return to your work."

"I…" Cien stopped. "I don't know how to play." She said, "and I have duties to attend to, today. But the palace has gardens, I can meet you there after my day is over if you would still want to talk." She swallowed.

"That sounds nice," Sasha said smiling. The thought of getting out of this room and smelling fresh air sounded wonderful. And the fact she was going home sounded like music to her ears. "I think I will head there first then. Fresh air sounds amazing."

Cien nodded and started to walk for the door, and stopped, and looked back. "There is a section of the gardens devoted to a sort of crystal they grow in this region. The magistrate of this planet, the one who used to rule this region, often visits there. She is interesting to talk to."

"Alright, thank you for the tip," Sasha said with a nod.

Cien nodded, and passed the technician that was in the process of replacing and repairing the controls. Cien left, and the guards went with her. Cien made her way through the corridors of the palace, away from the apartment suites and to the more functional areas, towards her daily brief. She felt uncomfortable with what she had done, she knew it was something she shouldn't have done as a Sith. But at her core she felt good about the decision, and it was her prerogative to do. She was the Empress of this small nation. And she was the most powerful Sith in the galaxy. She was the master of her own destiny now, not having to answer to anyone.

Her confidence grew as she strode down the hallways, and entered the daily brief. She was late, but no one would dare point that out, as she came to her spot at the head of the table. Through the meeting she listened to the reports. The affairs of state. Updates on the progress of the ship yards. Updates about the impending campaign in the rimward reaches. Updates about pirate activity that was on her coreward border. At the end of the meeting, she had her own addition to Mendax.

"We are returning the Jedi to her home, General. She is no longer our prisoner. Make preparations for another expedition into the Republic. And bring me an update on where the two Jedi and the Mandalorian are." Her intelligence network, the early warning spies she had along the path from the Republic, had sent them reports of Sasha's family looking for her. She would need to somehow communicate to them to call off their search and return home.

Mendax looked taken off guard by that, but Ikari was the one to respond. "What?" She asked incredulously. "My lady, but why? What about the child? I thought we were going to keep it and kill the Jedi once it was born?"

Cien's gaze, with all the weight of her office and her power in the Force turned to look at her acolyte. "I am curious, Acolyte, what you think will happen if you ever question my orders like that again." She said with venom in her voice, as much to cow her for speaking out of turn as for the other members of her council still in the room.

Ikari just stood there with her jaw slack before slamming it close and showing just a touch of frustration on her face. Mendax turned to Cien.

"I will… gather the reports for you, my lady," he said, still trying to take it all in. "And I will have a ship ready to depart when they are found."

"Very well." Cien said her gaze never left Ikari, though. With that she turned and made for the exit as the meeting was dismissed by her leave.

Ikari had stormed down the halls to her room and slammed the door so loudly it echoed. She was fuming after that meeting with the Empress. She needed to hit something. She wanted to hit something. Lashing out with the Force, Ikari turned the small living room of her suite upside down in pure rage. The place looked like a robbery had taken place when a soft knock came from the door. She could sense who it was and she stormed over to the door. Yanking the door open, she glared up at Mendax who gave her his usual brand of a stone cold expression.

"The hell do you want?" She hissed at him through clenched teeth.

"We need to talk," Mendax said sternly to her.

Ikari glared at him for a moment before stepping aside, allowing him entry into her room. Mendax moved past her and stood in the center of the room. As soon as he was in, Ikari closed the door and locked it. She could tell by his tone that this was a conversation best had without wandering ears or any interruptions. She hit the do not disturb button on the wall control panel next to the door to alert all who passed to leave her alone. Once she was done with that, she turned to Mendax.

"This is about the Empress's change of plans, isn't it?" Ikari asked, her voice low.

Mendax nodded. "Yes." He then looked about the room. "And I see you are taking it well."

Ikari growled and ran her fingers through her hair. "What the hell does she think she is doing? Letting the girl go? Letting the child get away? Ever since we kidnapped that weak little Jedi, the Empress has been nothing but soft toward her," she said as she stomped her foot down. "Make sure she gets whatever she needs. Have the medical droid check on her. Don't put her in any stress. Don't put her in a cell." Ikari then said in a very mocking tone. She dropped the intentionally horrible Cien impression and sighed. "She may think I worship the ground she walks on, but she is wrong. I joined her initially because I saw power in her. I saw what I wanted to be that I could never achieve as an inquisitor of Vader. But I cannot take this charade anymore, Darnius." She finished, using his first name. Something she never did in front of anyone.

Mendax nodded slowly. "I agree she has become weaker since the girl arrived. But to be fair, I have never considered her strong by any means. The mere fact that she is still alive and Lord Dracul is gone is laughable. He should still be here ruling, not her," he explained, venom obvious in his tone.

He then approached Ikari and did something that they only ever did in private and never in front of any other living being. Mendax wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him. And instead of resisting like she would in public if anyone tried to lay a hand on her, she melted into his arms.

This was the biggest secret in this entire Empire that they served under. Ikari and Darnius Mendax were actually in love. But it wasn't always like this. When they first met, they despised each other. They always ignored each other and when they did talk, it was never kind words about the other. That is until one day, Varden and Empress Cien sent them both on a scouting mission. During that trip, they discovered a lot about each other. A lot of common traits, ideals, and even goals. That had led to something more between them. Something powerful, strong, and passionate. But they knew that if the others knew, it would ruin everything for what they wanted in life.

So they lied. They continued to argue and fight and bicker in public. But behind closed doors without any cameras or wandering eyes, they were talking of their true plans and showing each other their love. This ruse has been going on for a few years now. And it was going to have to continue until the time was right to reveal it. To reveal the power couple that they are.

"You know what we must do," she said after a long moment.

"Yes, I know," he said in agreement. "We have been planning for this for years. It's time to see the rise of a proper Empire."

Ikari smiled up at him. "Exactly. And with you by my side, we will be the strongest in the galaxy. And I know just how we are going to do it."

Mendax smiled at her with a villainous grin.

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