Last time: Sasha is being overwhelmed by the presence and hurt Cien.

Now: Cien gets to go to the conference.

Chapter 33- The Conference

Cien was sitting at the table idly playing with the little plastic badge she had been given upon entering the conference. It denoted her as a presenter, and the keynote about the Sith Temple Expedition was due to start soon, to share their findings. She sighed, and glanced up in the crowd. Kyr was sitting in the front row, and soon other conference goers would be taking their seats. Op, Kait, and supposedly Sasha and Viran were going to be there in support of her. She was nervous, she'd never been in front of a crowd like this. She looked back down at her badge. The white plastic contrasted with the dark robes she was wearing after both Viran and Kyr had assured her she should go ahead and wear them. This was the first time she was in front of a crowd like this. She had faced down the most terrifying Sith Lord of all time without hesitation. She had gone into battle against hundreds of foes, faced Jedi, faced Sith, faced armies, and she hadn't felt a hint of the discomfort she felt now sitting in front of a room that would soon be filled with eager people wanting to hear the keynote on the incredible finds Dr. Jhaq'sun and Mariss - Dr. Metscrur would be presenting. Cien would have to correct herself now that her friend had completed her doctorate. She sighed again, maybe she should work on a doctorate or something, she'd do well in archeology classes since she herself was an artifact.

"You okay?" Mariss asked, smirking at her. "You don't have to be nervous. You'll do great."

"I've never done something like this before." Cien said quietly. She reached for her glass of water and took a sip, looking at the veritable sea of chairs before them. Kyr was looking through the bag she had gotten that had a bunch of flimsies and schedules in it.

"You've never talked before a crowd before? Well," Mariss looked out to the gathering crowd, "it's not for everyone, but I've seen you lead a battlefield. You should be able to easily handle this. Just imagine it like you are commanding your troops." She said, giggling.

"It's not the same," Cien groused. "They'll get mad if I pull my saber out." She mumbled. She straightened the wrinkles out of her costume robes and was annoyed she was wearing them. She would find something else to wear tomorrow and never touch these things again.

Mariss chuckled. "They might be. Or they'd be in awe at an actual Sith Lightsaber. I guess it'll depend on the audience member," she said. She glanced at the robes. "You look nice, by the way. Very fitting of the role."

"Thank you." Cien said, absently.

"You're welcome," Mariss said.

The doors opened at the appointed time and conference attendees started filing in. Everyone was dressed in nice clothes, and the crowd was very subdued. An entire convention of archeologists and historians that were far more comfortable with musty old books and scrolls and dead bodies than they were being in a crowd like this talking about those things. Cien smiled slightly, realizing, in a way she was among kindred spirits. She watched as Op and Kait came in and sat down next to Kyr, but deflated when she didn't see Sasha there. She blinked, looking downward and trying to hide a grimace.

"Is that your family?" Mariss asked lightly, gesturing to Oppie and Kait. "And I didn't realize your husband had a twin." She blinked at that. "And is that your… sister? I think you said that once."

"No, well…" Cien wasn't sure how to answer. "Yes, they're twins. That is my brother in law Oppie, and his girlfriend Kait." She answered.

"Ah that makes sense," Mariss nodded. "So is your sister here? I was hoping to meet her and the rest of your family after you talked so highly of them."

"I…" Cien looked at the empty chairs and then away, "I'm not sure if she will be able to attend today."

"Oh… well… if it makes you feel any better, we are recording this panel. So maybe you can show her later," Mariss suggested in a gentle and kind tone.

"Thank you." Cien said, taking another sip of water.

Mariss nodded and gave her a smile. As the crowd settled, Dr. Jhaq'sun rose from his seat and approached the podium. He tapped the microphone connected to the stand a couple times to catch the attention of the attendees. The crowd quieted down to a hushed silence. He cleared his throat.

"Good day, ladies and gentlemen," Jhaq'sun started. "My name is Dr. Danyir Jhaq'sun and I would like to thank you all for attending today's keynote. Over the years, my team and I have been performing research into the lives and history of the Sith. Why? Because the Sith were always known to be the enemy of the Jedi and the Old Republic, but what did we really know about them? We searched to find the truth and learn more about their culture. Their way of life. And during the years, we found a lot of fascinating l information, but there were still holes in the stories." He cleared his throat. "A few months ago, we were looking into a string of Sith Temples and we were on a path to a breakthrough. However, after several run-ins with a group of raiders who destroyed the temples, causing many other groups in our search to halt their research due to the destruction of the temples. But even through the hardships, we still managed to reach our goal.

"On Abbiados, we met someone who gave us the key to finding what we needed and that missing piece in our research. She goes by the name of Spirit3000 on many of the archeological boards I know many of us follow or contribute to. She actually came to our aid with the New Republic's 19th Tactical Response Wing to protect us from the raiders. However, myself and Dr. Metscrur were quite shocked when we learned that she was actually a Sith who once visited those temples we were going through back while they were in use." The crowd gave a mixed reaction at that, most sounded skeptical. "I know what you are thinking, but believe me when I say it is all true. And she has given us the pleasure of being here today to speak with all of you about who she is and why she is so important to all of the research we found. May I present, Mrs. Cien Xiv," Jhaq'sun concluded as he started a round of applause and gestured for Cien to take to the podium.

Cien stood up and went to the podium, passing Dr. Jhaq'sun along the way. She stepped tentatively to the microphone as she put her datapad down on the stand. "Good afternoon." She said, deeply annoyed with herself about how nervous she sounded and felt. Her eyes invariably went to her family, to Kyr and Op and Kait. And the empty seats next to them where Sasha and Viran should be with Lana. She swallowed, glancing away, then back, where Kyr was giving her an encouraging smile, as were Oppie and Kait. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment. She could do this. She had faced death, armies, Sith Lords and Jedi Masters. She had fought in numerous battles, she had defeated opponents one on one and by the hundreds. She was a Sith Lord. A knight, apparently. She breathed out, opening her eyes, and looking up at the crowd.

"Thank you, Doctor Jhaq'sun, for that introduction." She began glancing at him and Mariss and back out to the crowd, gaining some confidence. "As Doctor Jahq'sun said, I was a Sith Acolyte about three thousand years ago. As a child I was brought into the order and trained in the ways of the Sith. During that time I visited the temples that Doctor Jahq'sun and Doctor Metscrur's team were excavating to conduct my own research, though at the time I did not realize I would be revisiting them under such vastly different circumstances."

A hand went up about five rows back as the majority of the crowd mumbled skeptically at her.

Cien blinked at the hand. "Yes?" She asked, a little confused and annoyed.

An older Pantoran gentlemen stood up and addressed her with a bemused look. "Apologies for my interruption. But, miss, you must understand how utterly ludicrous this all sounds. If you are really a Sith, I think a little proof is needed. Can you demonstrate something for us?" He asked.

"Such as?" Cien asked, a little testily.

"Well, Sith are said to carry red lightsabers compared to the Jedis' typical blues and greens. But it is also said that they are able to do very interesting and intimidating things with the Force like… shoot lightning out of their hands for example," he listed off. "I feel like that might be enough proof for us to believe you're a Sith. But a three thousand year old one might take more convincing."

She stared at the Pantoran for a few seconds. "Are you volunteering for this demonstration?" She asked.

He smirked at that. "Sure. I guess I am."

That got a few gasps and mumbles for the crowd that made it seem like even they wouldn't test a Sith, real or fake.

Cien stared him down, her annoyance growing, though she tried to keep it in check. She glanced down and saw Kyr was trying to hide a smirk, Kait was looking on curiously, and Oppie was sinking into his seat a little with his hand up over his mouth, and she couldn't tell if he was smirking like Kyr or grimacing. Her glance went back to the heckler in the audience. She extended her arm outward, and her saber flew into her open hand from where it had been at her side. She ignited in, the blood colored blade igniting with a snap hiss. "I would be glad to demonstrate Sith Lightning if you wish me to." She said in a somewhat harsh tone, harsher than she had meant since it was colored by her pent up frustration from what had happened over the last few days.

The man turned pale as he stared in horror. He was just trying to get a rise out of her and it more than worked. However, what he didn't expect was her to react like this. He gulped and shook his head. "I… I think you proved your point," he stammered. "I'm sorry f-for saying otherwise."

Cien extinguished her saber and clipped it back on her belt, taking her time to recompose herself and let her annoyance abate a little. "Whatever stories you know, many of them are true, especially the ones that seem the most outlandish." Cien said, looking back up at the crowd, and going a little off of her pre-planned script. "The Sith were empowered by the Darkside, which feeds off of pain, hatred, anger; emotions that smolder within and darken a soul. The Darkside itself has a poisoning effect on someone, and the power it enables is… addictive." She said, "and the life of a Sith was one to enrobe oneself in those dark emotions, to cause them to fester and grow stronger.

"To explain myself, I was a Sith Acolyte aboard a dreadnought that was trapped near the event horizon of a blackhole for many thousands of years, even though it was only a few months from our perspective. I came out into this time about a dozen years ago. It has been an eventful decade, but that is not the topic for today." She said, swallowing. "I have had the opportunity over the last few years," she continued, going back towards her notes, "to see the other side of the conflict which dominated the first part of my life. Three thousand years ago was a different time than today, but not so much as you might expect. Looking through the records from the New Republic of their information on the Sith it was mostly accurate, though painted with shades of propaganda and outright misunderstanding. Some of that I found quite humorous at times, other times very informative. But all of it lacking in an understanding of what it was like to truly be a Sith. The struggles, the teachings, the why of being a Sith. I will make this clear now, though. I am of the Lightside now, thanks to being rescued from that lifetime of darkness by those that reached out to me from the light." She glanced over to her family, to Kyr and Op and Kait, and tried to hide a grimace from the two empty chairs next to them.

"The Sith order shrouded me in darkness through my life," she continued after a moment, "and I have no love for my fellow Sith. That is not unique, though. All Sith detested or outright hated each other. To be among the Sith was to be among the power hungry, the snakes, the egotistic and self interested. Sith only worked together because they saw each other as tools to empower themselves. And only allowed people into their lives if it gave them some advantage, however small or great." She unintentionally stated in a rather harsh tone before continuing with less venom in her voice.

"I have always been interested in history, however. My abilities with the Force gave me reason to visit the Sith temples that Doctor Jhaq'sun and Doctor Metscrur's team to conduct my own research, when they were still active Sith Temples back in my time. Through my research then, I looked up histories, learned Ancient Sith and a little of other, obscure dialects. I did not, however, expect to become an artifact myself." She paused for a second and glanced up at the room, where all of the archeologists were looking at her in stunned silence.

A rousing start, her first joke ended up falling quite flat. She cleared her throat "I was, however, glad that one piece of information about the Sith was able to be recovered intact and unscathed that survived the ages." She looked up at the crowd. "Something that my brother and sister," she glanced at the empty chair again and faltered only slightly, "have had to help me with to truly understand, since it involves a skill for which I was not trained properly in by the Sith. I speak of course of Doctor Childe's translations of Sith Cookery, which included many recipes I enjoyed during my upbringing."

There was a slight pause as Cien waited for some kind of reaction and fell slightly as the crowd continued to be so flat. She fully understood the term tough crowd, now.

"See?" A woman's voice piped up somewhere in the audience, "it was worthwhile translating that! In your face, Doctor Marcus!"

At that a chuckle moved through the crowd and the room like a wave as the audience reacted to the outburst. And Cien relaxed a little.

"Doctor Childe?" Cien asked, "I will need to speak with you later about what a good substitute for daranim spice might be." Cien said with a slight smile. And that got a laugh out of the crowd. "As I said, however." Cien continued, a little more relaxed, "I have always been interested in research and history…" She said, continuing through her notes.

Kyr genuinely smiled seeing her up at the podium, seeing her relax, and banter with the crowd when they realized she actually was trying to be humorous. It suddenly struck Kyr that for as fierce a warrior as his wife was, for what a terrible force she was on the battlefield, she was, at her heart, an academic, a researcher, a historian. And she was just as introverted as any of the people in this room seemed to be from what he had observed of them already. This was the first time that Cien was among a group of people like her, she was in her element, and he was happy for her. And for as timid as she had been at the start, she carried the crowd now like an expert. And she glowed, in her own way, as she interacted with them. He smiled seeing her up at the podium, and he had to admit she looked very, very cute up there.

"Viran, where are we going?" Sasha asked, confused as the taxi took the two of them and Lana somewhere on Coruscant.

"It's a surprise," Viran said, smiling at her as he grabbed her hand. "But what I can say is that the hotel recommends this place for a nice picnic and peaceful view of the city."

Sasha shot him an even more confused look at that. There was nowhere on Coruscant that fit any of those descriptions that wasn't in the Jedi Temple. And after yesterday's 'excitement' at the temple it was probably for the best that they stay away for now as strange as that sounded to them. Especially as a Jedi. Viran just grinned at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

Turning her gaze out the window, Sasha watched the cityscape go by as the taxi flew past. Wherever they were going it was in the opposite direction of the Jedi Temple and the Senate. And opposite of the conference. Sasha frowned as she stared off into space thinking about the conversation with Cien last night. Just thinking back to it made her visibly grimace. Then this morning, Sasha woke up to find that the rest of the family had already left for the day. Thankfully, it sounded like Viran had been up and about before they left and talked with Kyr and Cien this morning too. She assumed about last night, but she wasn't a hundred percent sure and Viran wasn't telling her anything either. All he said when she did get up was that he told them that depending how she was feeling they would try and make the conference. That made her feel a little better knowing that they weren't too upset with her, but she still felt uncomfortable with the idea of confronting Cien after everything she said yesterday to her. So Viran came up with this mystery idea instead.

The taxi pulled up to a business building about fifteen minutes later, leaving Sasha even more puzzled at what Viran had planned.

"What are we doing here?" Sasha asked as Viran climbed out of the taxi. "Applying for a job?"

Viran chuckled. "No," he said as he grabbed Lana from the mobile speeder seat they brought with them. "Now get out and stop asking questions. I told you it's a surprise."

"Fine," Sasha groaned as she grabbed the booster seat and climbed out next.

Once they were out on the landing pad and finished unloading everything they brought with them, which wasn't much. It was only Lana's booster seat, her stroller, and a bag that only Viran seemed to know what was inside. Viran paid the driver and the taxi zoomed away a moment later.

"So, now what?" Sasha asked as she put the seat into the back of the stroller where Viran had already strapped in the toddler.

"Follow me," Viran said as he shouldered the bag.

He headed for the doors of the building. Inside, they entered into a rather plain looking lobby that had a few individuals roaming around.

"Excuse me," The droid behind the desk addressed them as they passed towards the lifts, "but you have to check in if you are to visit any of the offices in our facility," the droid said.

"Oh, sorry. We are here for the roof. We were told to just go through the lobby and up to the top floor," Viran responded as he slowed to a stop.

Sasha shot him a strange glance. "The roof?"

He didn't answer her as the droid continued. "Ah I see. Well, you still have to sign in."

"Alright, fine," Viran said as he came over to the desk.

The droid held up a datapad that had a sign in ledger on it. Viran quickly signed their names and the date. The droid moved the datapad back and looked up at Viran.

"You may proceed," it said.

"Thanks," Viran said as he walked back over to where Sasha and Lana were waiting.

He led them to the lifts and once inside, Sasha looked at him curiously.

"The roof? Why didn't the taxi just drop us off there?" Sasha asked.

"Because even though we could access it that way, it is still owned by this building. And according to the hotel, if you are to access the roof here you have to go through the lobby," Viran explained.

"Because we had to sign in in order to use the roof?" Sasha asked almost sarcastically.

"I guess so," Viran shrugged.

"Okay." She wanted to ask what was so special about a rooftop, but decided to finally wait for what Viran had in store for them.

Soon the lift reached the top floor and opened to a small area with only a singular door in it. Viran walked forward and stopped before the door.

"Okay, close your eyes," he said, smiling.

"Fine," Sasha shrugged as she stepped off the lift and then did as he said.

She sensed him come around her and helped her guide the stroller forward. She heard the door open as if a gust of wind opened it. Probably Viran using the Force on it. She then heard the sound of the outside traffic followed by the smell of… flowers? Sasha scrunched her face in confusion at why she suddenly smelt flowers.

"Open your eyes," Viran said next to her.

Sasha opened her eyes and gasped. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. They were standing in the middle of an actual grassy garden grown on the top of a building. There were wild flowers from all corners of the galaxy blooming around them that filled the air with a beautiful aroma. Between the flowers and the grass was a stone paved path with a couple of benches here and there for sitting upon. Further down the path were two people dressed in what looked like company uniforms enjoying lunch. So they weren't entirely alone, but it didn't matter as this place was so unique and beautiful. And the view was even more incredible. This building had a perfect view of the Coruscant skyline with the Jed Temple visible to one side and the Senate visible between the buildings. It almost looked like they were kilometers away from everything, but yet so close that it was all just a few minutes away by speeder to get here. She looked around in bewilderment at the sight.

"What is this?" She asked.

"The hotel mentioned there was this large roof top garden that was a popular eating area, date spot, and had wonderful views of the city," Viran explained as he set the bag onto the grass.

"I had no idea a place like this existed," Sasha said as she looked around in awe. "Especially here on Coruscant."

"Well I thought we could use a nice peaceful outing," he said as he knelt down on the grass. He opened the bag and started pulling out a blanket, which he laid out, then food. He had packed a small picnic into the bag. "Now come take a seat and relax."

Sasha smirked at him. She got Lana out of her stroller and sat the both of them down onto the blanket. Viran settled down next to them and handed her two sandwiches. One was a small one that was meant for Lana. The other was for her. He then pulled out one for himself. They all started silently eating as Sasha and Viran stared out at the view.

"This is wonderful, but are you sure we are okay missing the conference?" Sasha asked after a while. "I feel like at least one of us needed to be there."

"Yes," Viran assured her. "I'm sure it's recorded and I didn't want to leave you alone right now. So I thought instead of doing something fun just the three of us to take your mind off things. Now relax, hun. Enjoy yourself for a little bit."

"Alright," Sasha said, almost begrudgingly as she bit into her sandwich. Then after another long pause she added. "Should we tell Op about this place? I think this might be a really romantic spot for him and Kait to check out."

Viran laughed at that. "Oh definitely. I'll bring it up with him later."

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