Blue Bucket of Gold

[Setzi Lunelle]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erqpdc9W8F8​

Darth Azurea came through the front entrance of the small domed shaped house that she and Darth Pyrrhus shared on Glee Anselm. She had not been back on the planet for very long, but already she was back in planning mode, preparing for the new arrival that would grace their home... their too small home. She had just returned from meeting with a Nautolan architect on building a large underwater palace with lots of rooms and high security. And if to illustrate her frustration, she bumped into the one of the end tables as soon as she made it through the hissing door. As she tossed her keycard onto the sofa, she noticed the sound of someone moving around in one of the bedrooms. Darth Azurea was quite sure that Pyrrhus was behind her, traveling in another aquatic speeder, on his way home as well. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end and every sense prickled.

With her hand hovering over her lightsaber, the Sith Lord crept to the back of the dwelling, just listening at first. She heard... singing. A female voice, husky and low singing in... was that Cheuhn? You've got to be kidding me, thought Darth Azurea, knowing exactly who the voice belonged to. But theoretically this individual should have been on Csilla carrying out an open ended assignment to spy on Lady Fantana of House Chaf. Yet somehow she was back!

Still Darth Azurea had to see for herself so she peeked around the corner of her bedroom and found Acolyte Celvina lounging in her bed as nonchalant as can be, even smoking a death stick. By the maker she was gone for a couple months and already Darth Pyrrhus had brought back the slave she had gotten rid of when she first took up residence with him.

"Put that out," commanded Darth Azurea. "Get up and dressed. You are leaving right now."

But the blue-skinned girl didn't budge; she merely stared back with glassy, spice-addled eyes and gave a soft chuckle, waving the smoke away with her long-nailed hands.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Pyrrhus arrived shortly after Azurea. He came from his less known underwater base, after another round of research. Less and less time was spent administrating the slave camp. It wasn't required. He was learning to let go of his pet projects, and delegate. They were handed over to the hands of capable and trained individuals. Individuals who would answer to him should he fail. Even for the Academy he had other plans. His time was precious, and he was finding more and more on it spent on his studies, always hunting for the secrets of the Dark Side. He was powerful, but there was always more.

The dark robed Togruta entered, only to find Azurea and Bella together. In the same room. At the same time. This was gonna turn into a mess. With a sigh, he made his presence known and stepped in through the door. "I see you two have gotten re-acquainted."

As if eager to change subjects, he turned his focus to Azurea and asked "How did the meeting with the architect go? Are things progressing as planned?"


[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Darth Pyrrhus entered quietly and was now behind Azurea, his powers of stealth still unrivaled. Either that or she was so focused on the sight of Bellatrix mussing up the sheets in their bed, that she didn’t hear anything but her own jealousy pounding in her ear like a clattering drumbeat. His expression was impassive. As usual, nothing was etched on his face that signaled concern or dismay.

Her yellow eyes flashed angrily at first, but Darth Azurea quickly smiled and hooked her soft hand in the crook of the large Togruta's arm, beginning to lead him to the living quarters. Talking as she strolled with him, she said, “Yes, the meeting went well, although I’m tired,” she said, changing the subject as he wanted to. Azurea could play this game too, biding her time until the moment was right. She was fairly close to term now, and the strain of the pregnancy was starting to take its toll through dark circles and fatigue which had her in the bed more often than not. The same bed that Bellatrix now lay in.

“Safety is the biggest concern. The architect is refurbishing an old structure, so everything needs to be wired and fitted for security and evacuation if necessary. But the Nautolans are extremely capable in this respect.”

When she first got to Glee Anselm, Azurea used to internally fret about living so far underwater – what if there was a crack in the structure? What if their home were struck by an orbital bombardment? But Nautolans were underwater engineers to the highest degree. She had grown complacent, although working with the Nautolan design firm made her realize how precarious it was to build under high pressure conditions.

“But about Bella…” Azurea started. She sighed, trying to keep her outrage to the bare minimum. “Why is she back here? What happened to House Chaf? Did she get in trouble? Was it the spice?”

She halted the rapid fire questioning momentarily, and then finally asked with pleading eyes, “Does she have to stay here?”

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Pyrrhus watched the anger flare up in her. Before it was expressed, she seized it and moulded it into something else. She was far more likely to achieve what she wanted this way. Was it manipulation, or simply her checking herself? Would it matter? They strolled together towards the living room, leaving a drugged up Bellatrix behind. Unbeknownst to Azurea, she had likely saved the blue girl from a lot of trouble. Pyrrhus was starting to get into the habit of spontaneously attacking her when she was on drugs, as if to make it painfully clear to her how weak and exposed they left her. Still she returned. Still she chose to be a slave, and not a Sith. He would treat her accordingly.

"They are capable. And they know the penalty for failure." to dissuade those who opposed his reign, he had ensured that retaliation was to be expected not only towards the individual, but their families as well. Some may have been willing to become martyrs, but very few willingly put their loved to the sword. "I'm sure the end result will look marvellous. A pearl within an ocean of treasures" he said in a comforting, reassuring tone. Worst case scenario, people got hurt. In no scenario was there ever any threat to them, or he was not a Sith. With that knowledge, Pyrrhus expressed not the slightest hint of concern.

Pyrrhus eyed her carefully, trying not to let any smiles or smirks showing. He had a feeling she would bring that up again. Yet he did not hesitant to answer, he kept no secrets from her. "She discovered a plot. The Chiss are working together with the Galactic Alliance. Supplying them. Plotting rebellion" he revealed in a tone that was as calm as the depths of ocean just outside. Of course, as she well knew, within the darkness of the sea was where the beasts hid. "She has learned what she can from them. Keeping her there serves little purpose. We have other agents better suited to what comes next." at no point did he mention concern for keeping her there, at risk to her own life. Had he seen some use in doing so, she likely would've been back in Chiss Space now. "All things considered, they do not deserve our gifts."

He saw the way she looked at him when she asked that final question, but he had no answer that would likely satisfy her. "She is my apprentice, remember? She stays" he said, kind but final.

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

"She stays," he said.

Of course she does, thought Azurea! Her thoughts turned black and self-damning: Ultimately you deserve this, don’t you? Darth Pyrrhus has no reason to make the half-Chiss leave any longer. Especially the way you cavorted around on Ragoon VI, proving yourself to be disloyal and deceitful. Why you have even less say in this matter than the pathetic hybrid in the other room!

Her lip curled momentarily in displeasure, but she regained her composure and sat down on the sofa, her hand resting on her round stomach. The slave’s involvement in this plot widened her influence beyond the round walls of their home. This is bigger than you, Setzi. Know that she cannot be turned away now or she will be in danger. And so will Glee and the Academy and the baby inside you.

“I understand,” she said after a long pause, which illustrated her umbrage as much as any lingering scowl.

“She is not fit to be your apprentice,” Darth Azurea said knowingly, a derisive snort barely hidden. “Her spice use. Her weaknesses. I can tell just from sitting here, that she is not strong. She will not succeed upon this path as we have.” While Azurea didn’t admit this, she knew that Bellatix was most likely his plaything, which was the only reason he kept her around. Darth Pyrrhus was not one to drag along a liability like some decrepit, barnacled anchor! Azurea could feel her outrage swelling again but stifled it by clearing her throat. “Admit this to me, my love. Or counter my argument and tell me how this Acolyte will rise to become a powerful Sith Lord someday.” She finally smiled at the thought of that. Surely he did not… could not picture Acolyte Celvina, the blue-skinned temptress who languished in their bed right now, as an unrivaled warrior.

“And then I will tell you what I think we should do with her,” she added.

She needed to hear the truth from Darth Pyrrhus, but she suspected that he knew the girl was as useless as she continually proved.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

Undoubtedly, Azurea had objections. However she did not voice them, at least not yet. She probably knew to tread carefully, considering the counter-arguments he could produce. Recent activities had left her negotiating position weaker, at least in this particular case. However, she found another way. The way she phrased and articulated herself made him smile. Deception was a tool of the Dark Side. Azurea was acting like a Sith. She knew she could not have her dismissed because of personal reasons, so she instead pointed out Bella's failures as a Sith. It was an effective line of reasoning. Was it pride he felt? He was proud of her.

This was the way to deal with a rival. She could of course challenge Bella to a fight to prove her point, but their difference in rank hardly left Azurea with anything to gain. There was no prestige in that. Every day that passed, her understanding of their Code and the way of the Dark Side increased. And Pyrrhus could not let it go unchallenged, though in truth, he agreed with the case Azurea made.

"Perhaps not." he replied, thinking of Azurea's comment on how she did not believe Bella would succeed. "If you are right, then she will die. And that will be the end of it." it was a simple answer, but to him it was that simple. "Her addiction is a weakness she will have to overcome in order to survive. But for all her failings, there is potential." he watched her carefully as he said that, half-expecting her to take offence to that notion.

Bella could become a powerful Sith one day. At least Pyrrhus wanted to believe that, and he tried to tell himself it was not just because of the appeal of her appearance. She had been his first apprentice. There was power there, but more often than not she frustrated him. It was as if his lessons wasn't going through, and she was set on doing things her way. It felt like Bella wasn't only occasionally defiant towards him, but towards learning as well. Perhaps, like with Azurea, he had gone too easy on her.

"We will simply have to test her then." he concluded, after a brief pause. It was another way of saying 'let's try to kill her'. "I am open to suggestions" he said, considering she had mentioned thoughts on what to do with her. Though Pyrrhus imagined they were more dismissive and final than this. "I can ask Kregan to try to kill her. We will see if she lives" it was one thought out of many, and the suggestion was far from final.

He did not appear too bothered by the possibility of Bella dying. Weakness was not to be tolerated. Further, she did not share the same kind of bond he had with Azurea. That being said, he could not keep it hidden to himself that the preferred outcome would be Bella's survival.

[member="Darth Azurea"]

 

[Setzi Lunelle]

Darth Azurea did not want to admit this, but she had doubts that Bellatrix would be vanquished as easily as the Togruta Lord described. Despite being a clear disappointment as an Acolyte, the half-Chiss had a scrappy nature – she had survived this long among, not only the Sith but a band of dangerous pirates - and any attempt to kill her or break her down would probably serve to embolden the half-breed alien into acting out more to establish her place in the pecking order of their living arrangement.

Furthermore if she attempted to make the hybrid an anathema to Darth Pyrrhus, this may also backfire as it was clear he was bewitched by her in some way shape or form.

“Ha!” exclaimed Azurea. “She would most likely have Kregan eating out of the palm of her lazy, blue hand as soon as she said “Ritot.” But that doesn’t mean we can’t assign him to watch her. May keep her out of trouble."

The brunette Sith Lord lowered her voice, leaned over to Darth Pyrrhus and said, “Bellatrix is mild and relatively good natured.” It was a guess at best, but she’d never witnessed the half-Chiss strike anymore or even take up arms. “I would like for her to be the childminder for us,” said Azurea. “This way she earns her place in our household, rather than just skating by on her... charms."

Although she was fairly certain, he would have no problem with this arrangement as it let him keep Bellatrix to some extent, she wanted him to weigh in, and at best, his verbal agreement. It was both of their decision after all. Darth Azurea was no more or less a mother than Pyrrhus was a father. Was it the right arrangement for the three of them? That remained to be seen, but in the meantime, she inspected the Togruta’s face to see just how deep the affinity towards Acolyte Celvina ran.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

[member="Darth Azurea"]

“If she were to conquer Kregan in such a way, I’d say that would speak in her favour. The Dark Side has many tools.” he noted, and with a smirk that showed hints of wicked playfulness, he added “It would seem you see some potential in her after all” he teased.

When Azurea called Bella mild and relatively good natured, Pyrrhus wondered if they were talking about the same person. Though in an effort to drive out the worst of her and transform it into power, it was possible she had those sides to her, and he had simply neglected to see them.

Azurea managed to completely rip him off that train of thought with what she had proposed next. He had not seen that coming at all. He had thought she wanted to see her sent far, far away, not hire her to look after their child. The shock of it all had the way she said ‘charm’ completely slip past him.

“Is that wise?” he asked hesitantly, trying to picture Bella in that role. It was a challenge to say the least. How would she be with children? “If she imparts any of her less savoury habits onto our child, or in any way instils them with the wrong attitude…” the next was left unspoken. She was his apprentice, sure, but amidst the potential, he recognized her flaws. Bella was unrefined.

From his tone, it was quite clear that he would do more than simply kill her… Death would be a mercy unknown to the blue creature if she made him an enemy in this way. Pyrrhus wondered if this was part of Azurea’s plan… Assigning her to a position she knew she would fail, resulting in her subsequent punishment from Pyrrhus herself - entirely removing Azurea from the process.