Chapter 39
Voices fill the central meeting room as small groups of officers discuss various topics awaiting the start of the meeting. For the most part, placement of the personnel were grouped by Republic or Sith. On the edge of the room, Athin and Joash stood watching, engaged in a mild conversation where Athin recounts the prior evening’s events with Anhiel. Joash’s expression betrays a hint of worry, “I am glad she was able to rest. But I am concerned about the stress she is under. While tapping into the darkside is not abnormal for her, the level you described seeing while she was on Korriban is worrying.” The Miraluka nods, adding in a hushed voice “Mirr said a pair of Sith confronted them on their way back to the shuttle and were less than respectful regarding Darth Vyrrid. Her response was…harsh and extended.” As Joash moved to respond, Rend, Anhiel and Sun entered the room and all gathered jumped to attention. All eyes followed the High Admiral as she made her way to the end of the table where to everyone’s surprise, she moved the seat over slightly and pulled a second alongside of it. She beckoned to Rend to stand next to her and he obeyed. They both faced forward and once Sun took the open seat closest to her master, Anhiel stated, “At ease.” The clatter of moving chairs permeates the space for several seconds until Anhiel is the only one left standing, save for those standing on the fringes of the room.
While her eyes scan the room, the High Admiral begins, “Thank you all for assembling on relatively short notice. It is my understanding that integration activities have gone relatively smoothly, all things considered. However, there are some decisions to make in order to complete these activities so we may begin planning our next steps.” Her eyes scan the room as she takes a moment, then continues “With the addition of the newly acquired Sith forces, our fleet is large enough to form two distinct task force groups.” Anhiel leans down slightly and makes a few keystrokes on the control panel embedded into the table, which brings up a list of vessels and descriptions separated into two groups, “I shall command one force with the Shadow Redeemer as my flagship. The other shall be commanded by General Vega, with the Nephilim serving as his flagship.” There is light murmuring in response to the statement but it quickly stops as Anhiel’s gaze turns towards the speakers. She continues, “There shall be changes to current command structures as a result. Vice Admiral Virkaen…” The middle aged admiral rises quickly and responds, “Yes ma’am.”
“Effective immediately, you shall serve as my second in command aboard the Shadow Redeemer. Darth Vyrrid’s notes indicated that you have proven to excel at tactics.” She gazes at the man, awaiting a response to her statements, which he provides after a few moments, “Yes ma’am. It has been the focus of my career and I continue to expand my knowledge on the subject.” Anhiel’s face remains unchanged and she responds in a flat tone after a few seconds, “Then you should do well here as you will learn much beyond traditional tactics.” Vice Admiral Virkaen inclines his head, “I look forward to it, Ma’am.” then takes his seat once more. Anhiel continues, “Now, General Vega shall announce his selections for his own core command structures. Should any changes be needed as a result of his choices, they will be addressed shortly after the meeting.” With that, she sits, giving the floor to Rend who stands, adopting a confident stance and expression that masks the moderate anxiety that radiated through the Force. He clears his throat before starting, “Effective immediately, the following officers shall serve upon the Nephilim. Further details of command shall be determined at a later time. Commander Veruna, chief science officer. Commander Brekk, fleet readiness.” The older Commander from the Shadow Redeemer lifts an eyebrow at the choice, mildly confused at the choice while also unsure about serving the young General he had questioned before. Although he saw the reaction and felt it through the Force, Rend continued as though nothing happened “Commodore Jov’aine, Operations.” Rend continues for several minutes, announcing the key officers that will form the spine of his command structure, including several Sith officers such as the chief engineer of the Nephelim. Once complete, he looks around for a moment before closing, “We shall discuss further details tomorrow morning. Thank you all.” Relieved, he sits down and gives the floor back to Anhiel.
Internally, the Grandmaster exudes pride with her Padawan, now knight and she rises once more. “Based on General Vega’s selections, I hereby appoint Ca’ JoasichuBana’kaeda to the rank of Special Commander reporting directly to me. He will replace Commodore Jov’aine and oversee ground operations.” The look of surprise on Joash’s face brought great joy to the woman, but she maintained her composure, “All officers shall provide readiness reports for their areas and vessels in the next solar day. We shall reconvene to decide on our next course of action once assignment details are finalized. Dismissed.” Everyone begins to rise and file slowly from the room and Joash takes the opportunity to stride up to Anhiel and asks in a hushed voice, “Are you crazy? I don’t remember signing up for military service.” Unperturbed, Anhiel turns to face the older man and gives him a neutral expression, “Last I checked you were a member of this enclave. Does your Grandmaster not possess the authority to appoint you to a station for which you are more than qualified?” Joash glares in response and Anhiel continues, “We require a Jedi integrated into ground missions. Would you prefer I overrule Rend and place Sun in the position?” His continued silence was answer enough, prompting Anhiel to add, “I thought as much. Besides, if I intend to appoint someone who is not a member of the enclave to an official station, I cannot hope to succeed if a member is not held to the same standard.” Now thoroughly confused, Joash merely grumbles and bows before dismissing himself.
Anhiel exhales and looks towards Athin now that the room is mostly empty, “Thank you, for breakfast and getting my outfit ready.” The Miraluka smiles in response, “It was nothing. Although, I was wondering. Every other Jedi has a fancy job. What is my role?” With a sly grin, Anhiel responds in a joking manner Athin had not heard before, “Your role is the most important of all and you are the only one who is able to…satisfy it.” Before he can respond, Anhiel rolls up on the balls of her feet and places a light kiss on his cheek before stating, “I need to visit Thea. But afterwards…can we have a meal together?” Smiling, Athin nods, “Of course. I’ll see what I can find and see you in your quarters.” Reluctantly, the pair depart, heading separate ways for now.
Light blue vapor wafts up from a basic pot as Silous sits on the counter in the back of the mess, staring at the bubbling liquid. Thea sits nearby, scrolling through the recipe on her datapad with her head propped up on her right hand lazily. The evening meal had wrapped up nearly an hour prior, clean up was complete, and meals for the night crew were prepared as well as a special option for those tied up with the important meeting. While scrolling, Thea’s eyebrow raises and she looks up, having sensed an unexpected presence approaching. Ice blue eyes meet the dark irises of the Alchemist and she rises quickly, although the reason why was not clear in her mind. On the back foot, Thea asks as Anhiel remains silent, “Did you…need something from me, uuh, Ma’am?” The other woman was feeling quite tired despite her long rest over the previous night but she does her best to adopt a softer expression, “I have two items to discuss with you, Miss Tragonus. One is official, the other is personal in nature.” Anhiel steps forward, her footsteps still heavy despite the newer armor being lighter than her previous set. Once she makes it to the table, she withdraws the dark box retrieved from Vyrrid’s chambers on Korriban and sets it down in the center of the table. Thea looks down at the box then back up to meet Anhiel’s gaze as she waits expectantly. “I would like to ask you to examine the piece within. It was acquired during the time spent on Korriban. I believe it was fashioned using Sith Alchemy. However, I have very little knowledge of those arts.”
With Thea’s interest piqued, she leans forward and pulls the box closer and lifts the lid, exposing the intricate piece within. Looking back up at Anhiel, the other woman gives a knowing look but keeps the associated thoughts to herself for the time being. “You are correct that this was made using Sith Alchemy but I will need to review some writings before I can pinpoint exactly how.” Anhiel inclines her head gently, “Thank you, Miss Tragonus.” Answering with a slight smile, Thea asked, “You said you had another topic to discuss?” The Admiral nods once and her features become more serious, falling back into the leader persona she presents most often “You have been with us for some time now and not only am I appreciative of your efforts here, all of our personnel speak very highly of you. But, I believe it is time for you to take on an official role.” Thea’s posture and expression immediately become reserved but she elects to only listen before formulating a response. Anhiel continues, “I believe you had mentioned before you were not particularly keen to act as a healer but you have shown you are quite adept at it.” This statement moves the other woman to respond reflexively but Anhiel lifts her hand somewhat, stopping the response, “I only ask that you hear all that I have to say before you respond, Miss Tragonus.” With a frown, Thea nods once and folds her arms, allowing Anhiel to continue, “There has been a reorganization of command structures with the acquisition of the Sith fleet and I require a chief medical officer for the Shadow Redeemer.”
Perplexed, Thea’s thought is voiced unintentionally, “But I am not a physician.” Plainly, and with a hint of irritation at having to repeat herself, “And I am not a typical Jedi. Nor am I a typical Admiral. I would think that would be apparent by now.” She exhales deeply before continuing, “You would, of course, have a team of qualified physicians that would manage traditional treatments. But I believe the most effective forms of treatment blend traditional medicine and Force healing, thus I need a qualified Force user to oversee operations. Your knowledge and skill with alchemy will set it apart.” The atmosphere seems to freeze in place as the pair stare at each other with Thea eventually breaking eye contact to look down and to the left. After a dozen more moments of thinking, the Alchemist responds quietly, “May I think about it?” Back to a softer demeanor, Anhiel responds, ‘Of course. All I ask is that you give it serious consideration. Your purpose and worth in this universe are greater than preparing meals and I hope to help you realize that.” An inexplicable sensation comes over Thea and she nods. Anhiel smiles lightly, “Thank you, Miss Tragonus. I shall leave you to your work now. I look forward to hearing your answer.” With that, the Admiral departed the room, heading to her quarters.
A minute later, Athin enters, having stopped off to check on Joash prior to locating a meal. He looks around warily until Thea enters the main room, “Can I help you find something, Athin?” The Miraluka looks over and smiles awkwardly, “I'm trying to see what I can scrounge up to eat for the Admiral and I.” Thea beckons for him to follow as she returns to the other room, “I believe I can help with that.”
She grabs a tray from a tall stack then places two platters on it which she begins to fill with items from a warming tray: Spiced Cannok Canapes, assorted veggies, a light brown gravy and toasted bread. Thea covers each platter after plating the food then fills a pitcher with a red juice. She adds a ladle of the blue liquid that had been simmering, causing the color to shift to purple. Before Athin could voice his curiosity, Thea described the drink, “I have brewed a new recipe that is supposed to increase energy and focus moderately. It is not as significant as what Joash took when we met, but I believe it will be beneficial to the soldiers, and Anhiel.” With his Miraluka sight, Athin examines the beverage for a few moments before adding, “She puts on a strong face, but despite having a decent rest for once last night she is still exhausted. Thank you, Miss Tragonus.” The Alchemist smiles softly, picking up the tray and handing it to the man, “Enjoy, and please let me know how the potion works.” Athin nods before leaving the mess, walking carefully to not spill anything on the tray.
A couple minutes later, Athin enters Anhiel’s room and immediately notes the sound of the refresher running. He moves deeper into the room and sets the tray down on the table before removing his outer robe, hanging it over the back of one of the chairs. After grabbing some utensils, Athin takes his seat and leans back, turning his head slightly as the refresher stops. A few minutes later the door slides open and Anhiel exits. Her usual thin silver robe is tied tight around her frame and her hair is wrapped in a snug bun positioned high on the back of her head. She joins her partner at the table, sitting gently as Athin addresses her, “Thea was kind enough to put some things together for us.” He leans forward, moving a covered tray in front of Anhiel as well as one of the cups before doing the same for himself. As they start to eat, Athin queries casually, “What did you need to discuss with Thea? If I am authorized to know, that is.” Anhiel finishes chewing a bite before responding, “I feel it is time she takes on an official role within the fleet and subsequently the enclave.” The Miraluka’s head tilts slightly as he thinks back to just a couple hours prior, “So that is what you were referring to when you mentioned a non-member to Joash.” Anhiel nods, taking a drink of the purple liquid in her cup. After swallowing she looks at it quizzically, “What is this drink?” Athin shrugged somewhat, “Thea said it was a new recipe that boosts energy to a degree.” She takes another swig before setting down the cup and begins to cut another bite of the Cannok dish. Athin asks another question, “What role do you intend for her to fill? I know she has settled in quite well with the kitchen staff.”
For several moments the woman chews quietly, looking off to the side until she swallows the bite. “I have asked her to fill the now vacant Chief Medical Officer position. I wish to combine Force healing and traditional medicine and despite what she has said, she has far more experience with both than she lets on. Combined with her proven skills in alchemy, she is an obvious choice.” Athin smiles widely in response, gazing at his companion for an extended period, causing her to look at him and ask with a hint of shyness, “What?” The Miraluka chuckles, “I was just thinking back to one of our many conversations from years ago. Both of us standing at that world map in the temple as we often did. I always found the tactical way you thought to be attractive. But seeing it in play first hand has been even more stimulating. I am truly blessed.” Warmth begins to rise in the woman’s cheeks and she looks away once more, taking a long drink from her cup to attempt to cover her face. The pair continued to eat and converse for more than a half hour until their plates were empty, as was Anhiel’s cup.
A peculiar shift in her aura intrigued her Miraluka partner as the woman leaned back in her seat. She had seemed to perk up a bit over the course of the meal and she now bit her bottom lip, gazing at Athin as if she was still hungry. Suddenly, Athin’s chair with him in it slides back a few meters until the back contacts the edge of the bed that was behind him. Very much surprised, he looks up to see Anhiel walking towards him. With a tug, the tie of her robe is released and it opens up revealing she is not wearing her typical undergarments. Instead, she wears a matching set with intricate lace design with deep red and purple colors. She closed the gap in a few strides and lifts her left leg over Athin’s lap and straddles him, wrapping her arms behind his head. Her face is now only a few centimeters away and her eyes pierce through the man as she looks at him with a deep seated desire which was the source of the aura shift the Miraluka did not recognize.
Slender fingers slide between the locks of Athins now decently long dark hair and they grip tightly. Anhiel’s hips grind forward against her partner as she closes the small gap to lock lips, using the hand that gripped the back of Athin’s head to pull him closer as well. Although still unsure what has come over the woman, Athin pushes forward into the kiss, his hands moving inside the loose robe to slide it off Anhiel’s shoulders. She releases her grip to let the garment fall to the ground, leaving her skin fully exposed to the air. It is surprisingly smooth, save for the several scars that adorn her body. The Miraluka’s hands move to her hips, feeling the well trained hip flexors as his thumbs slide over the lowest abdominal muscles that stand rigid. Now fully engaged, Athin rises in a single motion lifting Anhiel easily, he spins to face the bed then lays Anhiel down. He rises, looking down at the woman before him. Her form is exquisite to his sight and in sync, they both remove what clothing remains. Athin crawls over his partner, kissing her once more before pushing his hips down and entering her. Her legs wrap around him with the initial thrust and she claws at his back while moaning.
Two hours later, Anhiel lies on her stomach wrapped in the covers, sleeping soundly. Athin sits at the table, typing on his datapad. He glances up as the woman stirs somewhat. With a grin, he hits send on the message then rises from the table and joins her in the bed. In her own quarters, Thea picks up her datapad as a message flashed on the screen. It was from Athin and she read intently, “Miss Tragonus, I promised a report on the effects of the potion you made. Anhiel consumed the entirety of her cup over the course of the meal. To say she experienced a boost in energy and focus would be a gross understatement and it appears to have had a significant effect on libido and stamina. I will spare you the details but suffice it to say I am exhausted and I consumed the same amount of the potion. Anhiel seems pleased though and is resting quietly now. Thank you again for the meal, Miss Tragonus. -Athin”
Thea leans back and sets down the datapad. She looks upwards as she ponders the message, her thoughts expressed vocally to Silous who looks on patiently, “They consumed the same amount but Anhiel became…voracious in her desire. I wonder if the difference in reaction is due to gender or species. Perhaps a bit of both?” She exhales and leans forward again, making several notes on the datapad before heading to bed.