Private Let's Just Say... I'm Invested in Your Future

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
​

The last time she had traveled to Echnos, in person, the planet had been in the process of rebuilding under the auspices of its new governor. At that time, she had merely been a bystander while Kaila Irons, or Darth Anathemous, picked the brain of her wife on how best to defend her world. In the time since, the younger Darth had been at the heart of a potential conflict that had been defused by the Empress and had seemed to have attached herself to Quinn Varanin in some manner.

With Quinn as one of her students, that had brought renewed attention on Darth Anathemous from the Lady of Secrets. She had freed herself of attachments to the major factions at play within the Empire, at least at the moment, and that was an impressive feat in and of itself. Kaine was never one to relinquish someone easily from his web, but when they did, they deserved attention for it. It also brought respect with him, to show strength enough to break free of his chains, although the intervention of others meant further study was needed to see if the governor of Echnos was worthy of that respect.

So, the request for a meeting had come, although such a request from a Dark Councilor was typically never just a request. There were consequences for refusing, but she did not have to worry about that as her shuttle touched down within the domed city that was the capital of the planet. Today, the young Darth was either going to learn something, and in turn Taeli would too, and perhaps even earn some investment from the Lady of Secrets.

It would remain to be seen, as the docking ramp lowered and she descended, what form that would be.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

Darth Arcanix was the third Dark Councilor to personally visit since Anathemous' field promotion.

Ironically, The lady of secrets was the only one to announce herself first.

And so Darth Anathemous stood at the docking bay, one of the few open portions of the city. Even in this toxic, nitrogen filled air, the young Darth had come wearing a breath mask to personally greet Arcanix upon arrival, flanked on either side by an escort of commando droids, each wearing the red markings of an organization their master had long outlived, standing at attention in neat columns.

"Lady Arcanix." she inclined her chin in greeting when at last the sun revealed the lady of secrets.

Cool desert wind tousled the young Darth's golden curls and black silks as she stood there, watching Arcanix descend upon her world like the morning fog, unsure whether it heralded doom, boon, or perhaps even both.

It was so hard to tell with the council.

"Welcome again to Echnos City. To what do we owe the honor of the Dark Council's presence on our humble frontier?"

Though her voice was partially muffled by the breath mask, Anathemous' tone was no less audibly curious as it was cordial, the young woman having learned a little better the value of statecraft and flowery language, even if the witchblade preferred directness and honesty. Unfortunately, she'd not spoken enough to Lady Raaf to determine her preferences on the matter.

"Shall I call ahead and have tea prepared for us, my lady? I've taken a liking to Haneli brew myself, soothes the throat quite well after breathing such stale air as in these masks."

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
​

"Governor Irons, or do you prefer Darth Anathemous," she would reply, her voice clear as she appeared without a breath mask into the strained atmosphere that was Echnos. She had learned long ago the ability to control and preserve the air within her lungs for as long as necessary, nor did a small dosage of subconscious Art of the Small use to change the nitrogen around her into breathable atmosphere hurt either. It was a subtle gesture of power, as was the fact Taeli had arrived with no retinue or guards.

"And my thanks for accepting my request for a meeting, but a slight correction. I am not here on Dark Council business. I am here for my own purposes, and a discussion of what those are over tea would be delightful. I do prefer the Bastion Black blend over Haneli though. Never truly been a fan of flowery teas, not as rich in my opinion."

She would make a small gesture for the governor to lead the way to more suitable accommodations for their meeting. Landing pads were all well and good for dramatic entrances or a thrilling back and forth in holodramas, but for matters of state and the future, something involving a chair or two were more appropriate. Still, she appreciated that Kaila seemed to have learned some measure of statecraft since the incident that put her planet on the map.

"Perhaps you can regale me of how Echnos has developed since the last time I was here?"

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

"You know, you may be the first to ever ask, instead of assume." Anathemous chuckled softly.

"Darth Anathemous. It's a name I took for myself, in a way, something that's mine. Irons was less of a name and more of a moniker, a given thing, not of my choosing."

It was such a small token of perhaps basic respect, and yet it meant something to the young Darth who, until very recently, had gone so long without any such thing.

Curious eyes followed Arcanix as she departed the ship, darting back moments later in expectance of company, only to discover no such thing. It was a bold move to arrive in such a place without guards, but one she suspected the Dark Councilor could back up easily. The fact that the air hadn't already killed her was a feat in of itself.

"Bastion black blend? I'll call ahead, have some prepared for our arrival."

She gestured for the droids to follow, most forming columns on either side of the dark ladies, though one was evidently on holo-call with Anathemous' kitchen staff. Thankfully she'd had all her guards programmed with a database to order teas for her and the guests long ago.

The young Darth strode past, taking the lead as beckoned and immediately removing her mask from the moment they entered the oxygenated lift.

"I am admittedly curious as to your interest, if not council business."

Kaila took a good, deep breath of mostly less stale air before continuing.

"As for my city, we're managing well enough I suppose. We've begun supplying the Second Legion and so won a powerful ally in The Wolf, even if it works our forgemasters to the bone. The money we bring in from this and our other industrial endeavors keeps food imports on time, thought to be frank, if the Alliance had the guts to blockade this moon with a sizable fleet, it wouldn't be pretty. I'll have to get us a bio-dome constructed somehow, turn that wasteland outside into farmable land."

The lift door opened into one of a few million corridors, flanked by blast doors and additional lifts at every turn. The entire city was more like one singular building, a hive city of surprising scale on the outside, but claustrophobic labyrinth in it's interior. These upper levels were fairly clean, though the occasional stairs and lifts towards the lower levels were marked by graffiti and the iconography of gangs loyal to Anathemous. Most who lived here however were but workers returning to and from shifts in the many factories, though they were surprisingly healthy and some even clean compared to the workers of many brutalist sith worlds. Most bowed their heads to the passing sith.

Even so, a few "ungrateful souls", as Anathemous would have called them, gave the droid escorts suspicious looks.

"They fear automation." she explained.

"Or rather, being replaced by it. They're not foolish enough to act on such irrationality, however."

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
​

"Knowing my colleagues, I am unsurprised," she would reply, amusement coloring her voice as Kaila revealed that she was likely the first to actually ask what she preferred to be called. The names one chose for themselves could be every bit as important as the names they started with, her own background reinforcing this to her. "And thank you, my dear, that would be quite appreciated."

She noted the staleness of the air, though breathable, it suggested that the atmospheric processors within the dome were starting to struggle if the refresh rate on the air was lowering in quality.

She would listen quietly and politely as the governor explained how her world was developing, the connections she was forging, the issues she was facing. She already some ideas on how, from a purely economic standpoint, she could assist the young Darth in easing the situation for the people underneath her. Eyes would scan the halls and lifts as they walked through the domed structure, identifying the odd graffiti and the attitude of some of the people they crossed paths with. Darth Anathemous seemed to be respected by most, although the reaction to her droids and the suspicion looks... she would quietly open herself to those minds, probing them quietly to sense deeper thoughts. The population was wary, and those who disliked the droids were stewing quietly.

"Change can be disquieting to many," she would respond, watching the retreating backs of the workers. "And disquiet can breed even within foolishness a desire to... act out. I would assume, and correct me if I am wrong, but the droids are used due to a manpower shortage for keeping the peace?"

If that were the case, and she was using them for peacekeeping duties, she could understand why the workers might be fearful that their positions might be next. Empyrean had constructed the Empire in such a way to keep the poor constrained in their roles, and any efforts to change that could have disastrous consequences for them and their families. It was something she fundamentally disagreed with, and worlds and facilities within her own sway did not subscribe to such policies. She would pause for a moment to look more carefully at the droids, and their obvious influence from ancient Clone Wars models.

"Enarc Trade League origin, yes?" she would ask, studying the markings for a moment as they waited for another group of workers to pass by. "One of Saryn's models. They always have an... attachment to ancient Clone Wars designed that I've never quite understood."

The workers would pass and they would continue the tour of the dome to the governor's residence.

"To address your question, what my ultimate interests are here are dependent on you, but I'll explain that more once we are in proper environments."

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

The undefended minds Taeli probed offered a wealth of information.

Despite the best efforts of their governor, most passersby were loyal out of fear more than gratitude. Even before Anathemous' promotion, Srina Talon's use of the phobis device had shocked this city to it's core, and many here had either lost someone to the madness or lived with the shame of cutting lives short when they'd lost control, be they neighbors, or even their own children. Anathemous had taken pity on them, they knew, and lived in the ruins of her own manor for months while diverting all funding to rebuilding parts of the city broken by the Alliance invasion and by the Sith both. The quality of living had increased greatly under her governance, but many scars remained unseen.

Then when she'd launched her coup against the Kainites with the supposed support of the Tsis'kaar, who'd since also been expelled from these shores just the same, the slow erosion of faith in their governor and protectors had begun.

It was subtle, but many hear lived in fear of their future. Fears made worse by the lingering vestiges of the device.

"Change can be disquieting to many," she would respond, watching the retreating backs of the workers. "And disquiet can breed even within foolishness a desire to... act out. I would assume, and correct me if I am wrong, but the droids are used due to a manpower shortage for keeping the peace?"

"They are, yes." Anathemous answered.

"Most able bodies work in the factories, and a portion of our original PDF were given to the Second Legion."

The young Darth was well aware that some of these sentiments were her own fault, even if only a fraction of the PDF had been replaced by droids thus far. Even so, it did little for her image.

"Enarc Trade League origin, yes?" she would ask, studying the markings for a moment as they waited for another group of workers to pass by. "One of Saryn's models. They always have an... attachment to ancient Clone Wars designed that I've never quite understood."

"Ah?" she wasn't used to sith recognizing that old Kainite connection.

"A gift from Saryn, though this was long ago. I do admit the obsession is quaint, but they've served me well."
Anathemous spoke wistfully of the memory, a kind of regret that was old and distant, even if it still left a hollow feeling in her chest.

So she chose to focus on the positives instead.

"SB-13 for example, my guard captain, has served me since long before I was made a Darth."

She gestured towards the battle worn yet stylishly caped droid who answered with a typical "Roger roger" and near-lifelike incline of it's metallic chin.

All the while, the group passed by new hospitals which had been built or expanded after the siege and even excavation equipment bound for the lower levels. For every evil Anathemous had dealt this city, she'd paid her penance the best she could. Some in the order had called her soft for it, but Anathemous always wondered if they'd have rebelled otherwise.

"To address your question, what my ultimate interests are here are dependent on you, but I'll explain that more once we are in proper environments."

"That's our stop up ahead," Anathemous pointed to a large set of blast doors on the opposite end of the large gathering hall as they passed into it, a sort of "town square", or close enough in such claustrophobic confines.

SB-13 spoke some code into the console, and the group was allowed passage by a pair of human PDF who were more used to the droids than the civilians.

The interior was flanked by stone pillars which predated Anathemous' tenure, some which had been shattered during the siege and simply thrown out or recycled for raw materials rather than waste expenses on repairing such decorative things.

"Home sweet home."

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
​

"I see," would be her reply as the young governor explained what the droids were and a little of their history. She caught the wistfulness in her voice, the regret of a connection perhaps severed. It was not something she would pry into, and it was perhaps something best left in the past, although the fact that the droids had been kept was an interesting sign to her. Manpower shortages in the defense force, plus making sure the majority of able-bodied beings were in the factories... the situation could be delicate if not handled properly.

The medical facilities were a nice outreach to the population, and Kaila didn't need to worry about how her act of benevolence might look towards the Lady of Secrets. There were other ways that Taeli might view someone as soft within the Sith, but Kaila had yet to demonstrate any of those ways to her. What she saw was a pragmatic approach to trying to gain the favor of the people she ruled, even if she couldn't erase the memories of the battle raged on the world.

The arrival at Kaila's residence, such as it was for a governor, brought her observations of the domed city to a close for the moment. The defense forces seemed more acclimated to the droids at least, although if parts of the force had been replaced by the droids as they had been sent to serve under Gerwald, seeds of discord could even be found there. Something to keep an eye on for the future for the young Darth as well.

"I must say the design of the habitat is interesting with everything condensed into this hive-like structure," she remarked.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

"Yes, a bit like a jellybee's nest." Anathemous chuckled as they passed through.

"It is cramped of course, but quite efficient I think."

The rest of the manor was unremarkable with the exception of a makeshift command center that was beginning to look less makeshift with each day, and an oddly placed pillar with seemingly new ceiling around it. A ceiling which once bore an oddly Jedi shaped hole thanks to the battle between Judah Lesan and Srina Talon here, and since been covered by that very pillar. Otherwise it was devoid of any markings or signs of life besides the guards and PDF officers at work here, not even paintings or expensive furniture, a far cry from the decedent corruption of her predecessor.

Then after a short ride in the lift, they arrived before the office doors, at which point the droid escort saluted and split off to guard the other living quarters on this level.

The office itself was similar humble, with simple furniture and monochrome walls. Instead it had been decorated with a wide variety of plant life, including a few dathomiri variety, and a great many shelves containing holobooks and flimsiplast scrolls. A few books were even parchment. All seemed to contain bites of history, lore surrounding the force, especially, but not limited to, ancient sith.

It was also home to one of very few windows and sources of natural sunlight in the entire city.

Anathemous sat behind the long desk at the room's end, where a chair had already been pulled out for the dark councilor and their tea laid ready in duraporcelain cups, still steaming in fact, Bastion black blend as requested.

She did not speak until the doors had shut, the telltale click of hydraulic locks announcing their privacy.

"So, what can Echnos do for you, lady Arcanix?"

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
OOC: Phone post from work
​

The scarcity of adornments in the rest of the mansion, besides the practical layout of a command center said something about the young Darth as much as ostentatious decorations would. It told her that she was focused on practicality and utility rather than frivolous displays of wealth. She had likely spent what income the world created on rebuilding it and maintaining what she could.

Good.

The office continued that motif although the bookshelves and plant life showed she wasn't above some purchases or acquisitions for herself. She recognized some of the species from Dathomir and many of the tomes she recognized as well, many of them nestled in her own library.

She wouldn't immediately sit down, the cup of tea on offering floating to her hand as she browsed the books on display.

"That's not quite the right question," she would remark, taking a small sip of the tea. "You've become attached to a student of mine in more ways than one it would seem and I take an interest in those in her life. I would want to see her protected even as she grows into her full power and to do that, it also requires you to become stronger in position, your skills improved and expanded, and your world a bastion. So the better question, my dear, is how can I assist you and Echnos?"

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

Kaila went quiet for a time.

Quinn had told her some things about Darth Arcanix, not that there was much one could know about the lady of secrets. It was enough to believe that she was on Quinn's side, and by extension, someone she needed on her side as well. But she was still sith, and Kaila had always distrusted her own kind, even to a fault.

She was getting better at navigating it though, bit by bit.

"I wasn't aware that anyone knew of our... attachments." she said at last, sipping her tea.

"But I suppose you were given that name for a reason."


Arcanix had raised an excellent question however, one that Kaila had never asked herself. This had always been her burden to bear alone, and though her dealings with The Wolf had made her world risky to attack outright, there were many domestic issues that an alliance with The Second Legion had not solved.

To say nothing of her failed political endeavors.

"My allies on Karfeddion and Denab have turned traitor, ending our alliance of border lords, allies I need to replace. Food is a constant concern, one I had planned to solve through an agricultural dome using technology from the Trade Federation, however the Blackwall has made this difficult."

"Then there is the matter of my own forces. An old friend seeks to simply flood them with droids."

"But with the locals, well, I'd have better luck with the undead honestly."


Hardly a glorifying presentation, she knew. There were ways around each of these troubles and Kaila had ideas of her own, but those were the most pressing concerns, and she didn't even begin to know how she was to make herself more politically important as of yet.

"As for my personal position, I planned on making a name for myself fighting in the legion."

She drummed her fingers against the desk.

"...do you disapprove of her choice in me, my lady? You'd not be the first."


More importantly, what was the catch?

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
​

She would offer her a smile and an ever so slight twinkle of amusement in her eye. On Woostri, she had been at the center of the shatterpoint ritual and had been able to see everyone and the connections that hung between them. That had included the tangle of lines wrapped around Quinn and Kaila, but she would keep how she had known to herself. There was something to be said about keeping her reputation and mysterious ways intact.

"Before I address your needs as a governor, I will say I don't disapprove of you and Quinn. You are both consenting adults and able to make your own choices on who you give your hearts to," she would say, taking another sip of her tea. "You both quite clearly love each other from what I glimpsed in the currents and that is what is most important. All I will say on the matter is she's been through enough heartbreak in her life, and I would prefer she did not suffer another. The consequences for the one that does so may be quite severe."

It was stated matter-of-factly, but between Taeli, Srina, and Quinn's actual parents... well the warning hardly needed to be said aloud.

"But as for everything else," she would continue, finally taking her seat across from Kaila, "it honestly fascinates me how it seems this younger generation of Sith seem to have issues creating lasting alliances, although it is no fault of your own that the two turned traitor. Perhaps it's a combination of impatience and lack of diplomacy skills in the education curriculum. Something for me to think about I suppose. Regardless, the issues Echnos faces are something I can assist you with."

Another sip of her tea.

"For the food supply issue and the agricultural biodome, I could make introductions to you to some associates of mine that specialize in their development within the corporate sphere. Makai Dashiell and his company Aina Holdings specialize in mining and agriculture and he does enjoy the challenge. Danger Arceneau and her conglomerate ATC have a subsidiary that also specializes in humanitarian aid and terraforming. As a Dark Councilor, I can approve their ability to pass through the Blackwall to help develop Echnos if you are not opposed to private corporations.

"As for the matter of your own forces, it would seem to me droids would be counterproductive and merely accelerate any tensions simmering as you pointed out. Undead would likely have a similar effect as I've found people find them disquieting at best, outright terrifying at worst. No, what you need to solve that is twofold. A population increase and a diversification in your industries, something I would be willing to assist with as well through my own companies and an initiative to encourage emigration."

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

Kaila smiled.

Thin and subdued as it was, Arcanix had drawn it out through her description of what she and Quinn shared. In the end she hid her expression in a tea cup, though it did nothing to hide the rosy hue which spread through her freckled skin.

At least, until the matter of heartbreak entered the equation.

"If there should come a day that I break the heart of Quinn Varanin , I am already lost."

The young knight spoke every bit as factually as Darth Arcanix, believing wholeheartedly in her convictions, her loyalty to the princess who had breathed life into her soul where everything else seemed to determined to see it rot. She would rather face death than to see her hurt by her own hand.

She watched as the Dark Councilor took her seat, nodding along to the assessment like a child quietly confessing to some rule they'd broken. It was true that she and some of her peers seemed to struggle with their alliances, and Kaila had an idea as to why...

"I fear that in leaving Lord Carnifex's... curriculum... I've cut my training short. Statecraft and diplomacy elude me, long term, at least. I was trained to raid tombs and decipher books, or to wage war, not this."

"I am sure The Empress had her reasons for raising me to this station, I just wish I'd been better prepared."

Kaila sighed quietly, letting her gaze settle on the window whilst listening an contemplating.

Darth Arcanix continued to raise excellent points. Much as she clung to the nostalgia of Saryn's droids, mostly out of guilt, there were too many risks. Replacing them all with undead was unfeasible, domestically at least. Increasing her population would solve many of these issues, especially if she organized a system by which enlistment granted citizenship, though it meant she'd need to expand some and certainly face the challenge of agriculture.

The Dark Councilor's influence would be a great boon in both regards.

"I believe I've heard of ATC, once." hummed Kaila as she turned to face Arcanix.

"This ' Makai Dashiell ' would sew seeds in soil terraformed by Danger Arceneau then? A clever solution. We could build a much larger dome than I'd planned, sturdier too, I imagine."

"Yes, I think I shall commission them both."

Kaila glanced at her plants for a moment, imagining how wonderful it would be to take up gardening in her free time, picturing small a section of the dome she could dedicate entirely to Dathomiri flora, bring a bit of home all the way out here. Though as she began to think more logistically, a question began to nag from the back of her mind.

"I would owe you quite a lot, I imagine? Much as I'd like to believe you are merely supporting an ally of the Princess, I am aware that such support rarely comes free."

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Kaila Irons
​

"Statecraft and diplomacy come with experience and patience," she would reply, smiling over the rim of her cup. "And ultimately we are never prepared, not really, for the responsibilities that leadership of a world or a nation can bring." She could understand the desire to escape Kaine's tutelage, and Kaila had done so quite well, as she knew how brutal it could be. Still, there were reasons he had been able to maintain his power and influence in the galaxy, even as many thought of him as a monster.

Her smile would widen further as Kaila seemed intrigued by the proposal to get Makai and Danger involved in developing her world. She was also cautious of what the price such introductions and assistance might have attached to it. Given her history, it was likely to be expected. Two major factions had once staked their claims to her and no doubt she wanted to avoid any binding chains.

Luckily, that was not how the Lady of Secrets operated.

"You are right to be wary of such easily offered assistance, something I think you've learned in your other dealings within the Sith and out Empire," she would remark, taking a final sip. "So, you give yourself less credit than you deserve for not knowing some statecraft. I would certainly be happy to make the introductions and provide the assistance offered just to assist Quinn's paramour, but you are right to wonder what the price might be.

"I won't be demanding any sort of vow of fealty or servitude to my views or power base. When you've been at this game as long as I have been, I've found such demands only foster a sense of resentment or misguided desperation to eventually escape such an arrangement. I also won't be demanding you support any and all initiatives that might come through the Assembly. You may support what I might propose as you like or vote against it if you feel it conflicts with your position or desires."

Her finger would run along the rim of her cup in thought.

"How you handle the negotiations with Makai Dashiell and Danger Arceneau are up to you, but I'll arrange the introductions and provide you any material support to build up Echnos for these conditions: Number one, if you encounter any specimens, dead or alive, you think I might find interesting, you hand them over to me. Number two, if you come across any interesting assets or resources you think I or my faction might find interesting in the course of your work with the Second Legion, you inform me, and I will develop them and share them with you. Number three... you take Quinn out to dinner somewhere nice, nicer than some place in Sith space."

The last one was a slight joke, but also, she wanted to see the two younger Sith enjoying themselves.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Wearing: Dress
Tag: Taeli Raaf

Kaila nodded solemnly, knowing that Taeli had read her like a holobook.

It was true that she'd learned this mindset from the empire, particularly her training among Kainites. It was difficult for a feral beast to develop lasting alliances, but too many had tried taking a bite out of her to be domesticated. Even still, Quinn Varanin had somehow leashed her new attack dog with a gentler hand, and it seemed as though she may yet find her pack in Gerwald Lechner .

She was learning to trust again, even if it came slowly, and that is why she would accept Lady Raaf's terms.

"I'll arrange the introductions and provide you any material support to build up Echnos for these conditions: Number one, if you encounter any specimens, dead or alive, you think I might find interesting, you hand them over to me. Number two, if you come across any interesting assets or resources you think I or my faction might find interesting in the course of your work with the Second Legion, you inform me, and I will develop them and share them with you. Number three... you take Quinn out to dinner somewhere nice, nicer than some place in Sith space."

The knight smiled, an uncontrollable and toothy curl in the corner of her lips.

"Mm. I think our last proper outing was Naboo, just before the republic expanded. I probably owe her another anyway."

She stifled a chuckle, taking the moment to control herself and take another sip of her tea.

"Anyway. I find your terms acceptable, so long as they do not require me to betray Lord Lechner. Our alliance appears to be one of mutual respect and I'd like to keep it that way."

"And between you and I..." she leaned forward a moment.

"...I would like to be known for more than a traitor."

The young knight peered into the last of her tea, afraid that this may indeed be the reputation she carried. Kainite, Tsis'kaar, even a friend or two, there were few factions left she'd not yet betrayed, Kaila suspected.

"Otherwise, I am sure I'll find something of interest in time. I was one of Lord Carnifex's seekers in the old empire."

"Though, on the subject of seeking knowledge," she polished off the remaining tea before continuing.

"If I might ask a personal question? I understand that you teach our dear princess. How did you come by this arrangement? Are you both part of this faction you speak of?"

The young Darth folded her hands together in her lap, looking to the dark councilor with an almost childlike curiosity, a simple desire to know things for the sake of knowing, befitting her old line of work.

She'd keep the Lady of Secrets here all day, if not reigned in.

​