Private Lady of the Tower

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

A few days have passed since the Sith Empire and the Eternal Empire re-allied with each other. Ingrid could finally be here in Tower Vandiir wearing her uniform and not have to worry about being seen by someone she shouldn’t. Of course, she could have explained earlier that she was present because of the affairs of the HPI Consortium, as her company was also interested in Dromund Kaas, as was Vexillium, which is one of its subsidiaries. But she was here legally now, she didn't have to spy for her Emperor either.

Not to mention that she was now the fiancée of AMCO . Of course, it’s all a political marriage between two noble houses, it’s just an extra side thing that both of them feel more towards each other. But if she hadn’t felt that way, it would still have been the right move to secure her own and the House L’lerim’s future. Getting married to a member of one of the most influential noble House of the planet Serrano, even if one does it for purely political reasons, always pays off.

It was fortunate for her to have made mostly allies and friends in the course of her double agent duties instead of her actual duty. One did, AMCO , although he was in an awkward situation right now because of his moves under the siege of Bastion, the other such influential person she won for herself was Telis Taharin-Zambrano . There was another, Darth Prazutis , though she was unaware of this, as was the fact that even Ellie Mors had acknowledged her actions. In addition to these, her deeds and aspirations may have led to a peace negotiation at all.

If she hadn’t fought for months, risking her life for the Sith Empire, if she hadn’t given up almost twice her life, she would never have gotten here. She just did what was her duty and of course protected the man she loved. Although she was not a Sith, Ingrid respected the Sith Empire and, of course, did her best to keep the Eternal Empire alive, along with her own family and Noble House. It was damn hard, but in the course of her double agent work, she didn’t betray either party. It wasn't easy, but she solved it. And soon she has to go home, who knows how long.

She still sat in her usual place in Tower Vandiir, close to the Passion Club. The situation was as familiar as when she first met Telis Taharin-Zambrano . Only now, instead of an elegant dress, she was in her Eternal Empire’s uniform, on which no rank insignia was visible. During her official appearance, Ingrid was never ostentatious, only in situations where uniforms or dress uniform were not allowed on the part of a woman i.e. on the balls and parties. She wasn't waiting for Adrian now, she was just coming down for coffee, taking a sip into her cup from time to time. On top of that, she enjoyed a little solitude and read the news on Holo Net.

​

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa’s return to Dromund Kaas after the conflict on Bastion was sensible. The outcome of the battle had been strenuous to say the least and Vanessa had at least initially considered simply returning to Darth Carnifex in order to determine what her next moves were to be, Vanessa had decided to follow up on her previous experiences with the resulting treachery of her wayward apprentice - Inanna Harth and her merry coterie had caused the Triumvir a tremendous amount of frustration, but what was most intriguing were the two key pieces of information: that of the replica of Adrian’s yacht, and the talisman Vanessa currently possessed. On Vanessa currently along with the talisman were three data chips, containing copies of the data on Inanna’s courier, on the yacht(including the cloned codes), and a full copy of the memory from the memory banks of Inanna’s human replica droid. The original memory still remained with his personality in the portable core she had given to Inanna prior to exiling her from Nathema - he would not be forgetting much of anything.

And of course she had duplicates.

So it was that she entered the tower, a crate in tow floating behind her containing the broken remains of the HRD and ashes of the two guards who were killed. It was just a shell now, but it was a physical sign of what Vanessa had to deal with. She would travel through the first floor of the building, her Dark Side presence and simmering frustration still quite visible as she would pass Ingrid L'lerim and her location of choice...

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

Since Ingrid was usually watching her surroundings, and it was no different now, she immediately felt the dark aura enter the tower. The fact that she felt a strong Dark Side disturbance was not too surprising to her, after all, she was in the new capital of the Sith Empire and in a place where two Dark Council members also lived. Dark Side disturbance was commonplace here. Rather, it was the power that caught the red-haired woman’s attention that she had never felt this aura before.

However, she was discreet enough, turning to the unknown aura only when it came close. Even then, not too conspicuously, she was a professional spy, she was able to easily do this without appearing to others. Ingrid could finally see who the person was. She had never met the woman before, but of course she recognized her immediately. She memorized everyone who belonged to the highest circles of the Sith Empire. That, too, was part of her job.

It was Onrai , she was the current Triumvir of Power, in the rank where Adrian used to be. And the woman looked angry, pretty angry, it felt perfect through the Force as well. It was an interesting contrast to the blonde-haired woman against Ingrid, from whom, however, not the slightest emotion was felt. The Overlord of the Eternal Empire, or regent, looked through the woman and the floating chests or creates.

So far, she knew that her fiancé didn’t have much in common cases - it was still weird to think of her lover that way - with the woman. She may not have been spying, but the Nite’s files have proven to be very useful in a significant number of cases when she needed information. And she knew the woman had nothing to do with Lord Telis either. In any case, with a little comment, she can learn quite a lot.

”If you are looking for Darth Prospero, you must be disappointed, Lady Vantai, because he is not in the building. He left a few hours ago and then only comes back late at night.”

When he comes back, after all, who knows who AMCO will run into in the night and where, with whom he will spend it. If the other Sith Lord was not looking for Adrian, it is still possible that Ingrid will know the woman's intentions. One way or another, but she will win with it. After all, she was a spy, getting information was essential for her…

​

 

[Onrai]

It was a woman with bright reddish hair who commented to her as she passed through the hallway, clarifying to the Sith Lord that the master of the premises was no longer here. Vanessa sighed, the crate following her as she came over to speak to the woman in question, her frustration now increased by the lack of the individual she had initially come here to see. "If he had picked up my call when the incident was going on, perhaps things would have been resolved more smoothly during the incident I came here to discuss." She sighed - it was never going to end, was it?

She paused for a moment, realizing she had not the faintest idea who the woman in front of her was. "You obviously know who I am. Who might you be, miss?" Perhaps she was someone who could assist Vanessa.

Ingrid L'lerim

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

As soon as Ingrid said Adrian was not in the building, she immediately felt frustration at the woman. From this, she already knew that she was really looking for her lover. So this whole thing started to take an increasingly interesting turn. This was heightened by everything the blond-haired woman said as she turned to the red-haired. An incident that also affects Vantai and AMCO ?

~ Adrian, what problem are you getting into again? ~ she thought, deeply, that no one could not accidentally feel this.

This was her first thought about the man, as she knew him so well that she knew he could always get into big trouble. Sometimes even to something that goes beyond him. Apparently Vantai had no idea who she was. For a few moments she couldn't decide if it was an insult or just a flattery. In the end, however, she decided not to deal with it.

The approach to the question was interesting even then, in most cases she would have lied at any time about her identity, but she couldn’t really do that anymore. Especially not in this place. On the one hand, it wasn’t necessary because they were allies again, and on the other hand, because she didn’t want to put Adrian in an awkward situation. So she decided to introduce herself properly.

She stood up from her chair, with an infinitely elegant and graceful motion, in which, alongside them, there was both military rigidity and the threat of assassins. If anyone could read from body language, it could draw a perfect parallel between the most dangerous predators and the red-haired woman. Elegance, nobility, danger and death, the perfect predator. Now she did not hide her true being – at least the rigid and cold part – if her perfectly controlled feelings and emotions could not be felt, her body language told them instead of who she was. Ingrid held out her hand to Vanessa.

”Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal, the Overlord, or the Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire.” she said in a cold, military voice. ”We haven’t had a chance to meet before, I’m glad to meet you, Lady Vantai.”

​

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa took the hand and gave a smile as she shook it, not too delicately, but not too forcefully. “A pleasure to meet you.” She said. “I presume you have an association with Lord Vandiir, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” Well, she was spot on with that at least. “I might as well explain what precisely happened.”

Vanessa sat the crate down where they were sitting as the top panel popped open. “Recently an apprentice of mine, Inanna Hoole, decided to betray me. She did this through working in concert with this droid.” She pointed inside the crate at Ayreon’s broken chassis. “Along with a group of followers including a shapeshifter.” She said. “A shapeshifter who arrived on a starship similar to Adrian’s own and who had this talisman.” She opened her hand to reveal the amulet that had been taken from around the neck of that Shi’ido co-conspirator. “He was able to perfectly mimic Adrian in appearance, if not in action. I attempted to get in touch with him though a communique in order to determine whether the person in my hangar was real or not. What ended up happening was that I wasted time talking to a preprogrammed brain in a jar that was incapable of telling me whether the imposter was in fact an imposter, which gave them an opportunity to nearly escape.”

Vanessa’s frustration with the Sith Lord was enough that Ingrid would clearly feel it, the tension having further built up. “In here are the ashes of some of the co-conspirators. Inanna and the survivors are no longer in the Nathema sector. I require Adrian’s assistance in ensuring they no longer cause the Sith trouble.”

the information she had would hopefully be beneficial in the long term.

Ingrid L'lerim

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

She didn’t really see the connection between the two things as logical. Why should she have been keeping in touch with Adrian to be here in the tower? A lot of rich or upscale people rented or bought flats and suites here. And Ingrid was not only a ruler already, but also an influential businesswoman with an interest in the Sith Empire.

Regardless of the previous war. So, if she hadn't known the man, she could have been here as well. By the way, it was quite well known that AMCO and she were lovers, since they had been together for many months, the story only got more juicy when the war broke out and they continued to show up together, albeit in a neutral area. The latest news hasn’t spread yet, but it was only a matter of days before that happened.

”Basically, I shouldn’t even know him, because I could be here for many other reasons, including the fact that the Eternal Empire and the Sith Empire made peace again and settled their previous differences. But in this case, you are not mistaken, I am indeed in a relationship with him in several ways, Darth Prospero is my fiancé under the peace treaty.”

Here in the tower, everyone had already heard and information had leaked to several places. And in a few days, it will be officially announced along with the peace treaty. It was also information that it wouldn’t hurt to find out. It's an open secret anyway. She nodded gratefully that Vanessa was initiating her as well, so they sat back down. When the woman opened the chest, Ingrid immediately recognized Ayreon. Because of her work, she learned perfectly well to remember faces and names.

That's why the name Inanna Harth was familiar to her. She saved both of them from the biot on Zeltos. At the time, the woman was an employee of Adrian, she knew no more about her, only that she was one of the leaders of Club Euphoria. After the assassination, which by the way ruined her date, she told Adrian at home what had happened. Seeing her lover recognize Inanna's name, she asked who the woman was. The man then told her that the woman had stolen from the Sith Lord and tried to seduce him. So she wasn't unknown to her, not even that they never spoke a word, they just saw each other for a few moments.

They were Sith, so the fact of betrayal did not surprise her as much as she knew it was customary for their kind. She nodded at Vanessa's words, working with the shape-shifters was perfectly normal, not unknown to Ingrid either. The pendant was already interesting, though it didn't show on her. The resemblance of the yacht was not strange either, she also had the same yacht, and if someone had enough money everyone could buy it. Back to the talisman; the first emotion that was visible on her face was that she raised her eyebrows to the fact that one of the shape-shifters used that amulet to take Adrian’s look.

”Yet why would a shapeshifter need such a talisman?”

In any case, this development was quite disturbing. In a telepathic connection with AMCO , she immediately notified her fiancé about this and told him everything Vanessa had now told her.

”It turned out why they wanted to involve Lord Vandiir in this? Though I think it’s because of undermining his power, or just because he ranks above you and you can’t question his actions. In any case, I know that this was a fairly high level of crime under the Sith Imperial Laws…”

She only remarked this carefully, nodding again that the woman needed Adrian's help. Ingrid knew her lover thoroughly in this area. So she knew perfectly well it wasn't going to be cheap for Vanessa.

”Why don’t you put them on the bounty list or why didn’t you kill them? Wouldn't that have been the most appropriate step?”

​

 

[Onrai]

The truth of the matter was that in this instance, Vanessa had not done her homework on the woman. Up until recently, after all, they were enemies, and Vanessa had not even bothered to research AMCO himself until Inanna’s memories had revealed such a situation to her. Such was why until Ingrid L'lerim spoke, Vanessa knew nothing about who she was, nor had she gone through the trouble to determine her relationship to the Sith Lord whose domain she was now in. Vanessa’s interest further piqued when she inquired about the talisman.

“This Talisman allowed the mimicker to complete his deception by projecting a Dark Side aura. I’m not certain how similar it was to Adrian’s own, but it was present and strong. Strong enough to feel as though the genuine article was at my station.” She said. Vanessa was unsure, but such was her understanding.

“I presume more because of his history with my wayward apprentice.” Vanessa’s dissection of the otherwise complete memory-base of Ayreon had yet to divine a reason, only that such had been chosen. “His position within the Empire was presumably another.” Internally, Vanessa laughed at Ingrid’s presumption that Vanessa would not question Adrian’s actions by his rank - she had little proof other than a suspicion after the conversation with the brain in a jar that was his receptionist that the Adrian she had encountered was false. She fully realized threatening a Dark Councilor, even after he had talked trash about her teaching methods to her then-apprentice, was a risky move, though she knew the Emperor would prevent the consequences of such an action from being life-threatening. However, such had been the only way to determine if he had been fraudulent. The real Vandiir, she presumed, would not have been so easily cowed into his yacht.

“Most involved were simple hire-ons that I have already punished.” She said. A reasonably truthful statement. “The prime shapeshifter who imitated Vandiir is ashes.” She motioned to the urn. “And the droid responsible for masterminding what he described as a ‘rescue attempt’ lies shattered in this box.” A technical truth. “As for Inanna... She was able to get away with her courier while her coterie of misguided friends interfered. On the topic of bounties, as someone who has had such placed upon her many times over the decades, I know full well there is a slim to none chance something will happen.”

The situation truly did incense Vanessa. At least this incident had allowed her to meet another interesting woman within the Empire.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

Ingrid listened intently to the other woman as she spoke of the talisman. It wasn’t that complicated in the field of alchemy and sorcery, so she really understood exactly what the other was saying. So it was already clear why the shapeshifter needed it. Well, not everyone could be as perfect as her bodyguard or her sister, the two Sithspawns created by Ingrid’s aunt and they could perfectly imitate the aura, or Force pattern.

She continued to listen to the explanation emotionlessly - at least it felt and looked outside - nothing could be read from her face. The amulet was still interesting, in fact, perhaps more and more interesting. She nodded at Vanessa's explanation.

”Can I look at the amulet for a moment?”

She asked in a still military voice. She didn't even need to touch it, it was enough to see it. Then she reached out to the Force to examine it. She could feel the aura emanating from it, which was far from perfect. For someone who didn’t know Adrian, it might have been very similar, but for Ingrid? It couldn't even awaken any doubt in her, she knew exactly her lover's Force pattern so she couldn't be fooled by something like that. In her eyes, it was a shoddy imitation.

”Their history?” she asked.

Of course, she knew the whole story, but from the woman's mouth, it sounded as if the whole story was much more than what reality was. Since the other woman was a Sith, Ingrid could reasonably assume that the other wanted to arouse doubt in her. She was an agent, a low level of paranoia job description for her. But she nodded again at the other remark, also listened intently to the following explanation, but Vanessa made a mistake. Lied.

Ingrid thought if the other woman knew who she was, she wouldn't have done it, but she didn't. However, lying to the head of the Intelligence and Secret Police was a mistake. Someone whose job it is to figure out when they are lying to her knows well enough to tell when they are trying to deceive her. And now that's what happened. When she was even a simple agent, her life depended on that fact to realize this, even more so later. However, she still did not show that she realized this. Reached out calmly for her coffee and took a sip. She let Vanessa go through what she wanted. After that, she just put down the cup and spoke.

”Oh, I get it. You want to wash away your shame here with the help of Darth Prospero. Because you're lying. That ash is not the person who used the shape of Darth Prospero. If it were, you wouldn't be here. So you want to say, Lady Vantai, that a bunch of picked people were able to evade and avoid you and escape from the Nathema space complex? That should mean that Inanna Harth is far better than you, but we both know that’s not the case. This leaves the possibility that you and your men are unfit for the position you are occupying if some of them are able to circumvent that system. I am not surprised that you want to keep this humiliation and shame in a secret and try to clarify yourself.”

Others might have said these with a corrosive mockery, but Ingrid's voice was still cold, military, as if she were just listing facts. Neither her body language, nor her voice, nor her gaze revealed what she might actually think. She continued to control these perfectly. The red-hair woman wanted to take care of Adrian in every way possible, and she wanted to put the Sith Lord in a winning position before he even met Vanessa at all. Provided they meet.

”If you continue like this, Lady Vantai, you will never get there to talk with Darth Prospero.”

​

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa shrugged as Ingrid examined the amulet, soon returning it to the pocketed fold of her robes. “I’ll probably put it on a shelf, presuming Vandiir doesn’t want it.” She shrugged. It was of no value to her as a powerful Darksider. Perhaps she could trade it to someone down the line.

Then came the accusation. There was no change in anything - Vanessa’s mood, Force presence, mental thoughts, and entire being changed in no way. It was true that the ashes were not of Jacen Nimdok - in fact they were of the two guards he had foolishly let engage the Darktroopers - but Vanessa knew there was no physical way for Ingrid to tell. The ashes had unironically been run through the incinerator and probably had clinker in them. Vanessa was not going to let such a simple challenge go... well, unchallenged.

“Ingrid, I have lived for decades. I have watched as faction after faction that I have been a part of in this grand galactic conflict has collapsed. The Fringe. The Horde. The old Confederacy of Independent Systems. Even the last iteration of the Sith Empire. I have had my company reduced to ashes three times, been stabbed in the back by my first apprentice in front of a convocation of the Dark Lords of the Sith, and was once roasted alive in an over by Mandalorians after being gassed with a Forcebreaker Grenade during negotiations. The Emperor may be unable to feel emotion, but I am unable to feel shame.” She replied, not in a hostile tone, but just matter of factly. The one thing Vanessa knew she had over Ingrid, whose connection with AMCO did give her a degree of leverage, was experience.

“I know what you’re attempting to do. You’re attempting to try and use the shock of such an accusation to try and get some sort of reaction to verify a suspicion I am lying to you. Such has to be the case given bodies run through the incinerator are by their nature ashes. If such has raised some sort of suspicion, then I regret not simply throwing the remains into the molecular furnace.” At least then she could have gotten something out of it.

“The co-conspirators in the event were punished appropriately and released with a mandate to not show up in the Nathema sector again, lest they be executed. I saw no reason to do something so useless as to execute them when from my interrogations they were as unaware the droid had masterminded this plan as I was.” She replied. “Claiming I let them all escape suggests I had no power. That said, it was surprising to find how many of them appeared to have some sort of tie to this... what was the name one of them used... Messala, that was it.” She said.

“As for Inanna... I have truly never invested as much time and energy into an apprentice as I have with her. I have wrung her through the harshest of trials and trained her with an immense amount of effort and resources. That, combined with her native creativity and what at the time was loyalty to me, perhaps... touched sentimentalities.” Truthfully, Vanessa had grown fond of her apprentice. Similarly to the now long deceased Darth Ayra, who perished with the rest of Vyrassu’s heretics years ago after Vanessa had identified her cooperation with them to the Emperor, Vanessa had invested so much time and effort into her prized pupil that the thought of simply snuffing out her life and rendering such a waste of time was anathema to her. Perhaps one day Inanna would come around to the Sith way of thinking, either as an aftereffect of her own tutelage or, she shuddered, under another’s. But why salt the earth when the seeds had already been down? There was still a possibility of their bearing fruit.

“The only way one circumvents the system is by being raised within the system. As I have iterated, the only one to ‘escape’ was Inanna herself. The rest were incarcerated, interrogated, and forcibly transported out of the sector with an understanding they will be executed should they ever return. Again, I am no longer able to feel shame or humiliation, as far worse has happened to me historically.” The last statement of Ingrid’s did make her smile, though.

“Then I will have been in no different a position than when I truly did need a point of contact with him. Albeit the go-between is far more attractive and intelligent, not a brain in a jar.”

@Ingrid L’lerim

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

”I have no idea if he’ll want to or not, but I have to say it’s a pretty lousy imitation.”

That was the truth, of course a person like Vanessa would have easily played out, or anyone else who had never met AMCO , but really any aura would have been perfectly good for that. At least that's what Ingrid thought. It soon became apparent that the woman loved to show off her power. Ingrid didn't need physical proof that what she said was true.

The woman's reaction in words was more eloquent than any evidence. Ingrid wasn’t the kind of person to brag about her accomplishments, which is why she wasn’t even prepared to talk about Lady Vantai talking to a ruler without knowing decency. She was actually beginning to understand why the NIO even thought TSE could be an easy opponent. If the leading circle was also unable to show minimal strength, or just proper decency, then what could be expected from the others? Nothing. And that was very unfortunate in the eyes of the red-haired woman.

However, she was not rude, did not shrug, and continued to behave the same as before.

”Should this impress me? If I honour you by calling you Lady Vantai, I expect the same. Or perhaps you have not learned any respect and good manners over the decades?”

She continued to ask in a cold, distant voice. For a moment she would have been very happy to hit the mocking emphasis, but she was more polite and better educated. On the other hand, it would not have been accepted by the military either. And she doubted the Sith Lord couldn’t feel ashamed. If she suppresses that one thing, but here too the insult brought her. Not necessarily because of Inanna Harth , it may have been caused by Adrian not answering her call. The blue eyes didn't flinch at the charges.

”You know people very badly. I had no such intention, if I had, you would never have realized it. Or you’re just too paranoid, which, if we look that you are a Sith and what position you occupy, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

She replied calmly, if only because with the “threat” of how much more the woman had lived, she had already received passive-aggressive defence and attack. Ingrid didn't expect less from that reaction. She nodded measuredly at the following. Messala, the name was familiar to her. Suddenly she didn't know where it was coming from, so she called the Force for help to refresh her memory, after that she was. It was from the Nite files, Messala was also one of the Achon of the Primyn Group.

She knew that Adrian was the First Archon and also that there were other Archons in the Inner Council of Nite, but she also knew that not everyone within the Primyn Group knew about Nite. So she had no idea if her fiancé knew or not. So this whole thing seemed like such a stab in the back, which could have been unsettling. She gave no other answer beyond the nod, yet. And the next one was very talkative.

Another piece of evidence that the woman was offended, not to mention the way she continued to speak, might have preferred Adrian to be her committed because the warn that the people of Messala might take action against him later. All of this will have to be followed by Ingrid as well. And she has to emphasize again that she can’t feel these, as if the woman is proving them to herself. And with that, she contradicts the fact that she liked her disciple. She told much more about herself than she wanted. She might not have seen it, but Ingrid could read well between the lines.

”You misunderstood something Lady Vantai. I'm not his secretary. By the way, did I say it in a single word, or did I just mentioned that Darth Prospero will known, you were here?”

She waited a few moments and then continued. Enough time that if the other woman wanted to answer her words, she could do it.

”Then why are you actually here? Based on what you have heard, you do not personally want to take action against your former student. You should be able to handle this whole matter with the utmost secrecy. Or do you hope to get some kind of favor from Darth Prospero for warning him?”

​

 

[Onrai]

“I do wonder admittedly where it initially came from.” She replied. Presumably Jacen Nimdok had purloined it from a Dathomiri nightsister. Of what clan was the most important question - there were few Vanessa knew of with individuals who were competent in such artificing to create such a mimicking device.

“My apologies.” She replied. “Please, just call me Vanessa. The formality of titles is not necessarily important in a conversation of a casual nature, and truthfully wasn’t of import during my exile in the Unknown Regions.” There everyone was essentially known by their first name - those that survived, at least. By the time Vanessa’s then-flagship had made its way back to Sith space, it looked as though it had been a derelict hastily jury-rigged to operational status.

“I am what some would say paranoid.” She replied. “After the backstabbings by people at every level of power across multiple galactic powers, it’s hard not to be. Admittedly one of the reasons I more often than not just remain in my sector of space and work on what I need to work on. Still, I have to admit the circumstances that occurred with Inanna were... not foreseen.” It was true - she had a tremendous amount of hope in Inanna. Such was the last time she would ever believe in an apprentice the way she had.

“I never presumed you were.” She replied. “However going over the information in question to a brain in a jar is to say the least a circumstance I would prefer not to have to run through again given those constructs have an inability to think and act outside their original ‘programming.’ Reminds me of a smarter version of Darth Voracitos and his flesh golems.” She shrugged. “If he does, he does, I guess. I came here to provide him with information relating to who impersonated him and how it was done, given the tremendous security risk of a Dark Councilor’s identity being stolen and given the individual I received contact with was less than helpful when the situation was going on.” She shrugged. “I guess I’ve really done what I can.”

@Ingrid L’lerim

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

”Isn't it possible that it was made by a shape-shifter? Provided he is also a Force User. If not, I would think of that Messala in the light of information.”

This seemed quite logical to the woman in light of the fact that Messala was a member of the Primyn Group, meaning he could meet AMCO during his lifetime. Fortunately, she was able to find out immediately, as she could ask the Tsudakyr about this. And she didn’t have to wait until she could connect to HoloNet and retrieve the appropriate Nite files.

~ Did Darth Prospero ever meet a certain Sith Lord named Messala in person? He is also a member of the Primyn Group. Also share this question and the result with Darth Prospero's men, it can be helpful for them in the investigation. ~

Ingrid nodded at her apology. It also showed how different society and circles they both came from. Ingrid had been expected to be polite in all circumstances since she was a toddler, plus she had inherited this rigidity from her father, which made her unable to deviate very much from it. Anyway, if anyone could see her, she was just as cold and distant in the presence of others, with whom she would otherwise be directly in a private situation, such as Tubrok or Adrian.

”Cultural differences.” she said. ”Thank you, but I hope you forgive me, but I'm not going to call you Vanessa, Lady Vantai. I grew up in strict social customs, and my rank doesn’t allow it all either. If others can see me, I even call my parents, my husband, or even my fiancé based on their rank and not in a more direct way.”

Yes, she also referred to Adrian several times as Darth Prospero and not as Adrian. This is also information that anyone can find out about her, it was no secret. She nodded again that the woman admitted to being paranoid. Honest, very honest, she thought this was true, she had no doubt that it was so. And the further explanation was perfectly understandable and there really was no reason to doubt that what the other said was true.

”If I interpret your words correctly, this whole action that affects Miss Hoole has hit you completely unexpectedly. This is a little surprising to me.”

It seemed to Ingrid that the woman was completely trusted in Inanna Harth . And then came the telepathic response that Messala and Adrian had never met. It just made it all the more interesting. The woman again revealed a lot about herself in the way she put it, it was very eloquent. So Ingrid learned one more thing about what she is proficient at. She would have chosen the virus, but she did not have such expertise as the manipulation of electricity or the Mechuer deru. The virus may not be as sophisticated, but it is effective.

”Well, but at least the machines think logically and don’t lie. Even if it may be difficult to obtain information from them. All right, since you were honest enough now Lady Vantai, I'm not going to stop the meeting. Now it’s up to Darth Prospero to decide if he wants to meet you or not.”

​

 

[Onrai]

"Any shapeshifters in the group did not have a Force presence, even after this amulet was recovered." She replied. "I'd be surprised if one was able to successfully create such without significant skill in the Dark Side." A firm statement, as Vanessa knew the effort and power that would be needed to create such an artifact. "Regardless there's no reason for me to hold onto it as I gain nothing from its maintained presence." She said.

Vanessa frowned at the realization Ingrid was not just unable to speak informally, but additionally did such of her own volition in order to maintain the traditions she had been raised in. "You were raised as a highborn as I was a slave. I suppose such is an appropriate reflection, ultimately, of who and what we came from." She figured such was worth stating at least. "And yes, this was surprising. I had the utmost faith in Inanna, I truly did. I had hope that she was going to be the best apprentice I had brought into the world. I see that sadly I was horribly, terribly mistaken." Her fingers tensed around the amulet, visible signs of frustration evident.

Vanessa shrugged in response to the final statement of Ingrid. "So should I wait here with my things, or..." She was curious as to what to do next.

Ingrid L'lerim

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

Ingrid nodded again, though her practice may not have been great in the field of alchemy yet and she only made small things, she knew the theory. Even she knew it couldn’t be easy to create. However, during the opportunity, Messala had already dropped out of the line of opportunity that he created the relic because he had never met AMCO .

However, she did not want to reveal to her what she was capable of, so she could not take an opportunity. Because of this, there was no opportunity to find out where the subject came from. Ingrid could not use the Psychometry ability. However, since Vanessa didn't know the answer either, the woman didn't know that ability. She hoped one of Adrian's men would ask Vanessa for the amulet, even if the man wouldn't want to see the woman.

She would have preferred to ask for the amulet, but in light of facts she was not sure Adrian wanted to see the woman, that would not have been appropriate. She found it amusing what Vanessa thought. Wrong. But she nodded appreciatively at how much Vanessa had carried over the decades. She always acknowledged and valued the hard work. However, she made sure, as always, to reveal only information about herself that was well known.

”I was not raised as an aristocrat, I come from a warrior, militaristic society. Since it is well known that I was an agent and a spy before the Eternal Empire was founded, I would rather say Lady Vantai that I was trained as a person who can blend into any social class. From slave to aristocrat. But respect was expected of me from the moment I learned to walk and speak. And you have risen from a bad fate, and that deserves respect, not to mention how much older you are than me.”

She listed the reasons, but the Overlord didn’t go into the genetic details, it wasn’t the kind of information she told anyone, Ingrid only told Adrian months later. Based on the reactions, she really didn’t foresee the betrayal, which is surprising. She means the reaction, since it's not something that is expected of a Sith to betray its own master? In the old days it was, now she didn't know. And as for herself, she did not share her confidence for a reason, not as if it had gone so easily.

”Unfortunately, I don’t know too much about Sith training, but what I’ve seen at the academy in the last few months… isn’t the usual assumption that a disciple betrays its own master?”

She asked curiously, this time not with intrigue or anything like that. Adrian and Aren were not specimens of specifically Sith education, so she had nothing to compare this to. And Ingrid definitely received no Sith training from either Tacitus or Scherezade. So that was really curious on her part. She answered the following question.

”Well, since Lord Prospero is really out of the house, so you have to wait until he returns. In the meantime, if you think you could tell me about the Sith teaching methods, Lady Vantai. I am very interested in this topic.”

​

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa nodded. "Not that much." She replied. "After the collapse of the last Sith Empire, I ruled over what essentially was the remnant of that organization after Krag - Darth Vulcanus - essentially destroyed it. Once that failed I associated with the One Sith, where my belief that the "Dark Lord" there was a bunch of nonsense led to me getting stabbed in the back by my then-apprentice, Darth Ayra. She's the one who attempted to help Vyrassu with his heresy, and I ensured she is no longer among the living. That, anyways, led to me taking my flagship, along with most of my loyal personnel, to the Unknown Regions, where I spent around twenty years in exile while the galaxy went on and passed me by. That's about as unrespectable as a Sith Lord can really get."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "It can be, but truthfully it's not beneficial to the overarching order for such to be the case. Sith backstabbing is why we constantly collapse. Cooperation with one another in order to further our dark rituals, creations, and conquest is far more suitable, I must say." Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "You sound like someone who is perhaps interested in receiving training as a Sith."

The last comments surprised her and she moved the crate out of the way before moving to take a seat across from Ingrid. She would explain the intricacies of the basic means by which a Sith Master would find themselves an apprentice, training them until they themselves were of the power of a Sith Master and perpetuating the cycle. She elaborated on the different ways this was done across various Sith orders - the traditional way, the Rule of Two way, and the One Sith way - along with the intricacies of different training techniques, including those she used to break Inanna Harth down and reforge her into a skilled telekinetic.

Perhaps AMCO would show up down the line.

Ingrid L'lerim

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Tower Vandiir, Dromund Kaas
Equipment: Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Onrai

She listened intently through the woman's story, nodding in agreement several times. She had quite an interesting life and journey and the story of the Sith also told a lot. Ingrid didn't have that much trouble, at least not among Force Users, because neither the Clan Wars nor the Assassin War she had experienced was too pleasant. There was quite a difficult fate between the two of them, though Ingrid was perhaps a third as old as Vanessa or even younger.

The first emotion appeared on the woman's face when she allowed herself a predatory smile for a moment, as the Sith woman mentioned that she would be interested in Sith studies. But that didn't take more than a few moments. If that would be the case, in addition to sorcery and alchemy knowledge, he would have asked AMCO to teach her to the Sith methods.

”I have no aspirations in this direction, for I would not succeed neither my instructor, Lady Vantai. Neither Darth Tacitus nor Scherezade deWinter were successful. My Emperor therefore developed a unique method for my teaching. That is, he experimented with it, so to speak. That's why I'm not a Sith, just a Force Adept.”

It was also well known that she received special mental training during her agent training. Although the nature of this was not detailed, it was quite telling how stiff and cold she was that no feeling could be felt from her unless she wanted others to feel it. As Taeli Raaf had previously said or thought, Ingrid’s lack of emotion and discipline was very telltale. The woman was actually right, but she was wrong. If necessary, the red-haired woman played anything and tricked almost anyone. Few could feel or see her true emotions.

”That’s why I’m more just interested in the topic and open to different philosophical views as well. Theological debates can always be interesting. What I saw after leaving the academy... Almost every Sith teaching method is different anyway. So everyone develops in a different direction after that, depending on their master's knowledge. I'm not mistaken, am I?”

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