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On the city-planet of Elsul, a Sith sits outside a cafe sipping a fruity drink. She's guarded by a heavy battle droid (gathering more than a few startled stares from passerby, which the Sith and the droid both ignore) and accompanied by a servant droid covered in enameled flowers, who's scrolling through a list of local tourist attractions on a datapad and occasionally presenting options to her companions for discussion.
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matters-of-protocol
Elcie observes, consideringly, as they leave, and awaits shipboard morning.
like bread, remade
Most of Daisy's work needs to wait until closer to morning, but she contacts the Cloak's kitchen staff about supplies and busies herself deciding how to arrange the buffet. She eventually brings her calligraphy supplies to the lounge and settles in to make labels.
"Elcie, can I ask you something?"
like bread, remade
"Nine tells me you've had some fairly hostile interactions with one of the Jedi, and that you seem to be intentionally escalating with her. Can I ask why?"
matters-of-protocol
"I was not escalating so much as meeting her where she was, if you mean Knight Chion. Sometimes you have to couch your argument in terms someone will understand to get your point through to them, and Knight Chion would not understand a Sith's mouthpiece not acting with some amount of - prototypically-Sithish aggression; it would have been written off as more of the trap she already feared. Did you see how she actually untensed, somewhat, when she was having that argument? If not, I can share my own records, I have the equipment for it."
like bread, remade
"Nine shared his recordings, and I got the previous set from the ship's records. She hadn't said anything at all to you, the first time you threatened them."
matters-of-protocol
"...If you wish to raise an issue with that, you will have to speak to Darth Kalbetis. She is the one who decided what was to be said about her potential reactions."
like bread, remade
"Ah. And then that set the tone for the rest of your interactions, I see." She pauses to focus on re-inking her pen. "I expect Lord Pradnakt isn't going to allow that to continue while she's here; would you rather we try to resolve things in some way, or just keep the two of you apart?"
matters-of-protocol
"I am not certain to what you are referring as the behavior that Lord Pradnakt would not wish to continue, and therefore cannot further comment."
like bread, remade
"It's the dynamic between you, more than specific behavior - you both seem to be trying to provoke each other, or at least not trying to avoid it."
matters-of-protocol
"If she is focused on arguing with me, she cannot spend her time looking for reasons to decide to hurt someone else. That said, I do not expect there to be a continuation of that pattern in the future, given present reports."
like bread, remade
"Hopefully so."
"In general Lord Pradnakt isn't bothered by people being paranoid of her, to be clear, whatever form that might take; Nine and I will be letting Knight Chion do as she likes without comment, in that regard, unless and until weapons are drawn."
matters-of-protocol
"So noted. Darth Kalbetis...Considers it part of her duties to maintain a consistent threat profile, which includes correcting certain mistaken assumptions. In this I follow her lead."
like bread, remade
"Mmhmm. And I expect Lord Pradnakt not to tolerate that on our ship, if it upsets her guests. If you'd like to discuss it with her I can mention it in the morning."
matters-of-protocol
Well that's just rude. "It is not this droid with whom she should discuss Darth Kalbetis' public relations strategy. This droid is merely an instrument of that strategy's enactment, not a deciding weight in its function. That said, it is this droid's contention that Knight Chion entered the scene preemptively upset in every instance this droid has interacted with Knight Chion, and this droid is concerned that this has not necessarily been considered to the extent necessary to avoid undesired consequences in the general case."
matters-of-protocol
"Regardless, this droid does not expect Knight Chion to be of a mind to pick fights in the immediate future."
like bread, remade
Some time later, the preparations are ready, and Daisy sends a message to the Jedi ship letting them know that they're invited for breakfast and that more details will follow at 0800, with the Spectrum expected to arrive at the Sunrise at 0830.
to better see the light
And some time after that, Pradnakt stretches in her bed and snuggles up a little closer to Kalbetis. "Good morning."
by-other-means
"G'mmhhmm," the totally scary Darth yawns back as she stretches and makes a couple of notes on a pad of flimsiplast. "Mmm... Good morning. Did you sleep well...?"