Private Incognito Nuns

[Maeve Linahan]

"Try not to mess this up."

Maeve walked along the narrow path uphill, dressed in plain robes, hair pulled back in a tight braid. Amani's Padawan, Eloise, whom she'd met weeks back during a particularly festive party and snowball fight, trailed behind her.

"I've brought you along only as a favor to Amani, as I understand you may benefit from some… additional experience in the field. But there can be no room for mistakes. We must be careful and convincing."

Of course, Eloise was no fool. The Jedi Padawan had endured her fair share of battles and missions, which made her perfectly suitable for this task, but stealth? That was something any Jedi could use more of, and Maeve intended to show the girl how it was done.

Starting with infiltrating a convent as a pair of nuns.

The mission was quite simple. A religious sanctuary on Pashvi was rumored to house an ancient artifact, one that traced its history back to the wastes of Korriban. The convent had no idea what they were in possession of, and the Jedi Council couldn't risk the Sith getting their hands on the relic first.

So, it was Maeve's job to destroy it, as any Jedi Shadow would.

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

Upon learning they would be going undercover as nuns, Eloise uttered a single word: "Based."

She was less enthusiastic about the costume. Her usual clothing had been replaced by coarseweave robes. All of her precious jewelry was gone; even her combat boots had been taken away in favor of shoes that were just a little too tight, making the climb up the hill uncomfortable. She counted herself lucky that they hadn't made her remove the purple dye from her hair, instead merely covering it up with a veil.

"I've brought you along only as a favor to Amani, as I understand you may benefit from some… additional experience in the field. But there can be no room for mistakes. We must be careful and convincing."

"Careful and convincing are my specialty," Eloise muttered, wincing as she stumbled on a loose rock.

As far as she knew, the relic they were here for was also considered a relic by the nuns of the convent. Meaning, it was carefully guarded as a sacred object. That would make taking it more complicated, but hardly impossible with the Force.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"Sure."

Maeve gave her a judgmental side-eye as Eloise stumbled over the rock. The girl had plenty experience, but she doubted "careful" was a quality they shared.

No matter. The task she'd given Eloise was easy enough—play the role of a young and inexperienced novitiate—which was perfect, since she already was one. Long as she didn't wave her lightsaber about or anger the sisters of the convent, they could be in and out by nightfall. What could possibly go wrong?

As they reached the end of the path, Maeve climbed some old steps carved into the hillside leading up to the convent. She felt herself already tiring after such a long hike, but it didn't take long to reach the top, where an older woman stood amid a wide courtyard, dressed in a plain, black pinafore and headdress.

The older woman clapped once. "Ah, our new sisters! Finally, you are here. Welcome, welcome!" She glimpsed Eloise and smiled warmly. "Why, look at you! What a lovely face! What is your name, blessed girl?"

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

Eloise didn’t need the Force to see that Maeve doubted her. After all, the Padawan was far from subtle. But there was more to her than meets the eye, and she was tired of being underestimated.

For starters, she knew for a fact that most of the Padawans who went on these types of missions whined the whole time. Especially the girls. Those skanks complained about everything, whether they were tired and sore from exercises, or they were bored during meditation, or they weren’t getting the master they wanted or the boyfriend/girlfriend(s) they liked or the attention they thought they deserved. Well, Eloise wouldn’t say one mumble-fething word about her pinched feet or scratchy robes or not being able to express herself. Not because she was better than the hoes back home, but because she was a damn Jedi and that was what Jedi did. Besides, she doubted Maeve would appreciate her bitching.

Upon reaching the convent, they were greeted by an older woman. She was very friendly, and kind of reminded Eloise of her grandmother. The young novitiate meekly bowed. “Thank you, sister. I am called Griselda,” she answered, keeping her eyes downcast and her hands, encased in the long sleeves of her robes, clasped demurely in front of her.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"And I am Magdalene," Maeve said, offering her own version of a bow.

The old woman's smile never faded. "Well, Sister Griselda and Sister Magdalene, many blessings to you both. I am Abbess Adah, and I am the head of our humble convent. I am sure you both have come a long way to join us, so please, allow me to offer you a tour of the grounds and a meal. You must be starved and eager after such long travels, I'm sure."

Adah turned and shambled back towards the convent's doors. The old woman had a limp and walked with a rustic cane, but she seemed spry enough to make it inside without having to be carried, so Maeve kept her impatience in check.

Yes, she was eager, for only one thing: the artifact.

"Keep your eyes out," she whispered to Eloise. "See anything suspicious or sense even the smallest ripple in the Force, let me know."

As they entered, Maeve was met with a large cloister, a walled courtyard with a huge, ancient tree in the middle. A network of thick, gnarled branches rose up to the sky, heavy with white blossoms and flowers. Beautiful, almost. If Maeve actually cared.

"This is our central garden," Adah said as she waved in greeting to several other passing nuns. "Here, we tend to what few crops we grow and gather for morning prayer." The old woman looked to Eloise. "You pray often, do you not? To the Great One, the Patriarch?"

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

With the promise of a tour and a meal, they followed the Abbess inside. Eloise looked around, her ears catching Maeve’s whisper as she smiled and nodded to the other nuns they passed.

“What did you say it was? A picnic basket?” she whispered back. Supposedly it generated an endless supply of food. Probably evil food, given its Sith origins. The kind that never made you feel full, like bad Atrisian takeout. Smile and nod, smile and nod…

In the middle of the beautiful courtyard, Eloise’s gaze was drawn to a pair of nuns unfolding a blanket upon the grass beneath the ancient tree. She blinked, and suddenly the blanket was laden with food. A whole lot of food. Was it a picnic blanket?

"You pray often, do you not? To the Great One, the Patriarch?"

Eloise’s head swiveled, her wide eyes making the grin frozen on her face look borderline psychotic, before she snapped out of it. “Uh, yes! Of course. All the time—as often as I can.”

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"A picnic basket?" Maeve resisted the urge to groan. "Oh, Force help me…"

Had Eloise even been listening? By the look on her face after the abbess had asked her question, Maeve seemed to seriously doubt it. Still, the old woman didn't seem to notice Eloise's surprise or bizarre expression. Adah was probably half-blind, for all they knew.

"How devout you are!" Adah exclaimed at Eloise's response. "That pleases me to hear. The Great One has been with us for generations. He has done a great many things, and will continue to do so long after we wither and return to the dirt. Prayer and worship is the least we can do in honoring His name."

Adah crossed the cloister and reached a set of double doors already swung open, revealing a large chapel with several rows of pews, each leading up to an altar where a massive, hooded statue stood surrounded by candles.

"We pray once every hour, you see, and in the evenings, we host mass here. Hymns are sung, incense lit. We are very devoted, you see." Adah smiled weakly, and nodded. "Ah, yes, and your chambers, of course… they are in the east wing, but one of the other ladies may lead you there later. How about a meal, hm? Are you hungry, Sisters?"

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

“What?” Eloise hissed out the corner of her mouth, not understanding why Maeve seemed so annoyed. She’d done everything right so far, hadn’t she?

Adah thankfully didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, and Eloise continued to nod along piously as they were led into the chapel. It was magnificent, as beautiful as the cathedrals back on Chaldea. Well, Chaldea before it was destroyed by dragons. It was a long story…

"How about a meal, hm? Are you hungry, Sisters?"

“Afraid so,” Eloise replied. “But perhaps we shall say a prayer in this lovely chapel first?” It would potentially give them an opportunity to investigate.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"What a fine idea! Come, come, let us pray," Adah said.

Maeve cocked an eyebrow at Eloise, surprised by her enthusiasm. She would've preferred a chance at a hot meal, but some prayer would offer a chance to study the chapel more closely and to seek out the artifact. Perhaps they could find what they were looking for and, if all went well, they could even be gone before supper.

Abbess Adah led them into the chapel, past row after row of pews until stopping just shy before the altar. Candlelight flickered, and as the old woman smoothed out her robes and knelt to the carpeted floor, she gestured them to follow suit.

Begrudgingly, Maeve obeyed. Settling on her knees, she looked up at the looming statue of their supposed 'Patriarch,' hooded and carved from stone. Before she could start looking around or comment, however, Adah turned to Eloise and smiled warmly.

"Sister Griselda, I understand you are eager to give thanks to our Almighty. Why don't you begin by leading us into prayer?"

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

The abbess agreed, and Eloise resisted the urge to cackle victoriously. This was gonna be a walk in the park compared to some of her other missions…

"Sister Griselda, I understand you are eager to give thanks to our Almighty. Why don't you begin by leading us into prayer?"

Eloise’s eyes widened perceptibly. Was she expecting her to recite a memorized prayer? Chit. She didn’t know any of the ones specific to this religion. Well, time to improvise.

“Dear Patriarch,” she began, clearing her throat. “We come here today to give thanks… For all of our blessings. Like food and water and shelter, and clothes. Things that we need. Other people aren’t so fortunate to have those, you know. Er, we thank you for this beautiful chapel… For these kind people… For the opportunity to be here, in this place and at this time. We owe everything to you. We can only hope that our devotion is satisfactory, and in us you are well pleased.”

As she spoke, she found that she was growing distracted from the mission, getting caught up in the moment. It was all an act, of course, and yet she did feel something stirring in her as she led the prayer. What it was, she didn’t know—but she was no longer scanning the altar for signs of the Sith artifact.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve tried not to cringe at Eloise's attempt at a prayer.

Well, at least she tried, she thought. Better than what Maeve probably would've come up with, to be fair, and it seemed to be enough for the abbess, who hummed and nodded in agreement once she was finished speaking.

"A wonderful prayer, Sister Griselda." Adah clasped her hands together and smiled, before bowing again to the statue. "As for me, I thank you as well, Great One. I thank you for guiding these women to our sanctuary, for sustaining us with a good harvest, for stability…"

As the old woman prattled on, Maeve glanced up at the hooded statue. There was something strange about it, a familiar look to the Patriarch that made her wonder. Just what was it?

"Oh, Great One, bless these women with your wisdom and strength, and continue to lead them to your truth," Adah continued. "All our fears, we give to you. All our worship, we offer to you. All your plans, we submit to you. We thank you for yesterday, and today, and for tomorrow. For yours is the kingdom and glory forever…"

Maeve squinted at the statue. Slowly, recognition dawned on her, and an uneasy shudder climbed her back. She knew that face from anywhere.

"In your holy name, Lord Carnifex, amen."

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

Great. Just great. Right when it seemed she may have found religion, touched by a feeling she had never known before, it was revealed that the Patriarch these nuns were worshiping was none other than Lord Carnifex. Eloise nearly died of cringe.

“Can we kill them now?” she whispered to Maeve.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve was still struggling to comprehend what she was seeing, what she was hearing, when she caught Eloise's whisper from over her shoulder.

A muscle in her jaw twitched. Eloise wasn't wrong. Every fiber of Maeve's being was demanding that she smack Adah over the side of the head and burn this unholy place to the ground. She'd let herself get wrapped up in a prayer to none other than Darth Carnifex, one of the most vile Sith Lords in galactic history. The day was not going at all how she expected.

But she stayed her hand. Maeve couldn't attack now. They couldn't.

She shut her eyes as Adah finished up her prayer and slowly rose from the altar. "No," she told Eloise. "We can't. We need to find the artifact first. Just… just stay calm."

The words were for herself as much as it was for Eloise. Never had Maeve thought she'd willingly enter a Sith sanctuary disguised as one of their own. How had Jedi intelligence missed this? She'd assumed this convent was just like any other harmless Outer Rim religious sanctuary, not a den of the Dark Side.

Or maybe something else is going on here, Maeve thought.

Before she could string the thought into words, Abbess Adah gestured her and Eloise away from the altar. "Okay, sisters, I think that is enough for this morning. Let me show you to our dining hall and get you a warm meal, hm?"

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

"No. We can't. We need to find the artifact first. Just… just stay calm."

Eloise suppressed a grimace, but stayed her hand. Her lightsaber remained hidden in the folds of her habit, and she succeeded in hiding any outward signs of her shock and revulsion.

It helped that Maeve seemed equally stunned by this revelation—or maybe it didn’t help. If even her superior had been blindsided by this, what did that mean for the Jedi? Somebody was probably gonna get fired for not catching this. Unless it was intentionally kept from them—some sort of test?

Adah ushered them into the dining hall for a warm meal. Eloise’s appetite had utterly vanished by this point, but she still said “Yes, thank you,” and followed her. Their mission hadn't changed. They still needed to find the artifact, although her disposition toward the nuns had cooled considerably.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

The abbess led them to a small dining hall, where several other robed nuns sat quietly with their meals. One of the sisters offered them two bowls of steaming broth, splinters of bone floating on the surface, and Maeve accepted one reluctantly. The abbess gestured them to sit at a nearby table.

"Eat up, Sisters! You have traveled long to be with us, and there is no reason to starve in the Patriarch's name. Another time, perhaps."

"I have a few extra duties to attend to, so I suppose this concludes our tour," Adah added. "As you both will be sharing a room, you will find your quarters in the convent's left wing, at the end of the hall to the left. Everything has already been prepared for you, so please, take a moment to rest and pray. You may join us for evening mass later."

"Of course, Abbess," Maeve said. "Thank you."

Adah smiled, bowed, and then she was gone, drifting out of the dining hall like the snake she was. A worshipper of Darth Carnifex? Maeve still found it difficult to believe, but the thought made her shudder with disgust.

Taking a seat at the far end of the table, just across from Eloise, she glowered at the Padawan. "Well, this mission is clearly not proceeding as intended."

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

Despite all the bullchit they had just witnessed, Eloise had expected to at least be served some decent food. After all, Sith were all about hedonism and enjoying yourself at the expense of others, right? Her hopes were swiftly dashed when she was handed a bowl of choke-inducing broth. While she sat down and wafted her spoon through the chunks of bone floating on the surface, Adah announced that she had other duties to attend to, and left them with directions to their quarters for the night.

"Well, this mission is clearly not proceeding as intended."

“Oh, tell me about it,” Eloise muttered. She lifted a spoonful of broth in the air, then let it trickle back into the bowl. “Do you think these nuns are... fairly harmless? Or should we be concerned about finding ritual sacrifices in the cellar?” If that were the case, they might as well just nuke the abbey from orbit.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

"That depends," Maeve replied quietly.

Spoon in hand, she let her broth swirl, no longer hungry. Even though she sensed no poison in the bowl, she wasn't sure whether to believe anything about this place anymore. She had come here for a simple Dark Side artifact, and instead had unwittingly stumbled into a refuge for Carnifex worshippers.

She should've just razed the entire convent to the ground.

The thought stewed in the back of her mind, but Maeve knew there was something more to this, an explanation perhaps. She was determined to find it.

"For a Dark Side sanctuary, strangely, I haven't sensed much corruption. This place doesn't reek the way most Sith temples do." Her fingers drummed against the table. "Either the women are only recent converts, or they're actively hiding themselves in the Force."

"It doesn't matter. Let's not worry about the nuns right now. Our duty is the artifact. We can contemplate carpet bombing the convent after." Maeve stood up from the table. "I hope you're not actually hungry. I would prefer we have our own little tour."

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

Both Jedi were on edge, as was to be expected when one finds themselves in the belly of the beast, but Maeve was contemplative, brooding over her broth. Her silence only made Eloise even more agitated. Jiggling her leg underneath the table, she awaited a command or a plan from the Knight.

"For a Dark Side sanctuary, strangely, I haven't sensed much corruption. This place doesn't reek the way most Sith temples do. Either the women are only recent converts, or they're actively hiding themselves in the Force."

“Maybe they’ve confused Carnifex with someone else,” Eloise muttered. She realized she had forgotten a spot of purple polish on her little finger and began picking at it. “Could be a mistranslation or misunderstanding. A different person with the same name...” Somehow she didn't think Carnifex was all that common a moniker. But then what did she know about galactic naming conventions?

Maeve stood up, and Eloise followed her like a duckling trailing behind its mother. Out of all the older Jedi she had encountered thus far, she liked Maeve the most. Most people would probably say she was crazy for thinking that, but the elven woman was everything Eloise strove to be—tough and uncompromising, with a take-no-prisoners attitude. Eloise knew that the reason they weren’t firebombing the abbey was because of rationality, not misplaced mercy. They needed to find the artifact, and figure out what exactly was going on here before they plunged headlong into taking down the Sith.

Maeve Linahan​

 

[Maeve Linahan]

Maeve considered Eloise's ideas, but shook her head. "No. We receive news that there is a Dark Side artifact here, and the convent just so happens to also be worshipping someone by the name of Lord Carnifex? It must be related."

Besides, when 'Carnifex' was uttered, there was no room for confusion. The name bore weight. Death. It wasn't like someone would name their newborn child after Palpatine without knowing the implications, would they?

"They refer to him as their Patriarch, and there is only one man in this galaxy who boasts the title of Eternal Father. It's him. Just pray that he's not here with us." Because if he was, neither of them would probably leave the convent alive.

Maeve left the dining hall, stepping back out into the cool, fresh air of the cloister. Evening mass wouldn't be too far now, so they needed to be quick and discreet. The abbess would expect them to be resting in their quarters, too, so avoiding her was also a must.

Maeve adjusted the veil on her head, as if that alone would help cover her face. "Tell me, Padawan. Have you ever fought a Sith before?"

Eloise Dinn​

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[Eloise Dinn]

Maeve was quick to dispute Eloise’s theory. The Padawan thought about it, then shrugged. “Eh, I guess you’re right.” There was no way it was all some big misunderstanding. At best, a case could be made for brainwashing, but the nuns were still worshiping a figure of terrible evil.

"Tell me, Padawan. Have you ever fought a Sith before?"

“Oh, yeah,” Eloise muttered casually, only to hesitate. The mock duels in which she had sparred against her parents during training probably didn’t count. “I’ve fought… one. With my master’s help.” And her brother’s and little sister’s too. But really, her father had dealt the final killing blow to Eshara, ripping out her heart. Eloise had spent the majority of the fight writhing in pain on the floor after being electrocuted and stabbed.

"It sucked."

Maeve Linahan​