"Perhaps."

She just smiles.

Back to Coruscant with them, then.

Back to Coruscant.

Occlus retreats to the cabin to meditate with the door closed, and is still in there when they arrive.

She gets the ship docked, figures Occlus probably noticed the drop out of hyperspace, and lingers for only a short time waiting for her to emerge.

She comes out a little while after they've docked.

"Meditation go well?"

"Well enough." If she has to ask, then she wasn't leaking. Good. "Shall we?"

"Sure."

And onward into the city; Ani's thoughts turn a bit idly to how she needs to find Leia and update her on Thrawn's movements (her daughter is - not the most receptive to mental communication), but at least some of her awareness tuned to Occlus as well.

Occlus is as inscrutable as ever.

Though perhaps faint tinge of... melancholy? clings to her.

...Should she ask...

"Is everything alright?"

"I am fine."

"...Okay."

"It is kind of you to ask, though."

She nods. "If you do want to talk ever, I'm available."

"I appreciate that."

She smiles.

"This is my stop. Until next time."

"Alright. I'll see you later."

And she goes to track down her daughter and get her information on Thrawn relayed.

And, after - time to investigate Occlus's holocron.

The holocron is a triangular pyramid, with the tips capped in metal sharp enough to cut. The tracery on the sides is glyphic writing in the language of the ancient Sith. She knows enough to recognize it, even if Sidious never cared to teach her.

As a Jedi, she was taught that holocrons opened for you after you established a connection to one through the Force. In the less-widely circulated reading material, there were hints that Sith holocrons would respond to an offering of blood.

Blood is moderately annoying, given how all of her limbs are prosthetics and much of the rest of her skin is badly scarred or synthetic. Still, she can draw a small amount from somewhere not covered in synth skin or thick scars, and reach out with the Force in conjunction with offering the blood.

The holocron rises into the air and the tips rotate and split off as the holocron opens to project a miniature image of Occlus.

"A supplicant. It has been quite some time. I am the holocron of Darth Occlus. For what knowledge have you come to me?"

"Quite a bit."

She does have questions - she's talked to Occlus about her work, of course, and the Force, and history, and she prefers talking directly to the woman herself... Most of what she's curious about for now are the parts it's harder to get Occlus to ramble on about, or the tedious and advanced bits they don't always have time for.

(She is really curious about Occlus's personal life and history.)

The holocron is unwilling or unable to give many details about Occlus's personal story, except insofar as it interacts with and shapes the broader history of the Sith. She was first trained on Korriban, beginning at age eleven, three years after the Treaty of Coruscant. Six years later she was apprenticed to Zash. Eight years after that she was titled Lord of the Sith, and Zash died. Four years after that she defeated Darth Thanaton in the rite of Kaggath and claimed his title. She and her apprentice were instrumental in the defeat of the false Emperor. She also orchestrated the downfall of the Dread Masters. When she at last grew tired of the foolishness of those who lead the Empire with her, she retreated into seclusion to await a more propitious time.

She doesn't push on personal details, then, but is interested in the minutiae of history in general.

Still, she doesn't let her curiosity consume her. She keeps attending to her responsibilities as Luke's teacher (and Leia's, in spare moments), and she easily resumes her habit of visiting Occlus after work for dinner.