"Huh."

"I can probably figure out how to detect an affected Jedi without getting into melee range, though I'm not sure how useful that might be. You're precognitive, or did you have a separate source for that?"

"I was not the only one to notice, I think, but I was one of the ones who noticed, yes."

She nods. "I'm thinking it might be possible to relearn the danger sense to account for teleporting Jedi, once we know what that looks like. I don't know how plausible that is from the precognitive side, though, my master was of the school of thought that learning too much precognition is destabilizing." She says the last part neutrally; it's not her business whether Kalbetis is sane.

She shrugs.  "I like to imagine I've managed to keep an even keel, but I certainly wouldn't recommend attempting to develop something that hasn't already proven itself.  As far as whether it's possible to precog the existence of this effect...  I'm hesitantly positive on the question.  I've been too busy to test it except from distances great enough that I'm not sure my projection isn't just running out, but I think the discontinuity is distinct and distinctive."

Another nod. "I'm a sensory specialist, myself; it wouldn't surprise me if I turned out to be able to detect it at planetary range. Though I'm not hearing that investigating that is necessarily our best option. Is there more that I should know about your plans?"

...That question looks like it hurt.

"...I cannot say, as of yet, that I have decided on anything that it would be worth your while to hear."

"Mm." She pauses for a moment, then raises an eyebrow at Elcie. "What do you think?"

The droid looks back at her, consideringly.

"...Oh, I couldn't possibly comment on the number of viable plans for managing this situation that do not involve Darth Kalbetis self-destructing out of a misguided sense of guilt that we have available, Lord Pradnakt."

"..."

"...I can't put my people at risk to protect myself.  That is the exact opposite of the point."

She'd thought Kalbetis was a Darth, yeah. Declining to claim the title suggests a whole mess, over there, though, as becomes even more obvious a moment later.

"I don't know about your people, but mine will be at at least as much risk without me as they will with me." She looks back to the droid, briefly, inviting her to contribute again.

"...It is not inaccurate to say that those at the sharp end of the most viable plans for seeking alternate resolutions to our current predicament will be exposed to some risk, to some danger - but there is nothing that is truly safe.

"It is also not inaccurate to say that most of them would absolutely do it if they were but asked.  That most of them would think it immensely worthwhile to pay the prices that might be asked of them, especially if they are equipped appropriately, which we can ensure.

"Furthermore, the impact of the sudden removal of Darth Kalbetis upon the stability and prosperity of territory held in her name will not, by most projections, be positive, whether it comes from emboldened corporate vultures, bad replacement governance installed because the existing structure was tarred with having been established by a Sith, or people kicking up a fuss at the occupation forces in the hopes that they can get her back, however unlikely that is to produce results."

"I remain unconvinced that there is anything that could get the Jedi Order to cease classifying me as an inherently untrustworthy enemy combatant.  Even having arranged for some truly despicable people to meet their ends prematurely is hardly evidence of my motives."

Pradnakt looks past the camera for a long moment, thoughtfully.

"I might have something. I don't know if it'll work, or if you'll be able to learn it. It might - I'll want to discuss the options with my crew before I say more, actually."

"Of course."

The next call that comes in has the routing code for intership logistics, a droid-to-droid call not intended to involve the ships' biological crew.

Oh?

Yep. Is LC able and willing to keep secrets from her biologicals?

Able, certainly.  Willing, it might depend upon the nature of the secret - though she suspects that this will not come up; she does not expect this secret to be likely to harm Kalbetis on priors.

She can affirm that the secret isn't dangerous to the Darth or anyone else aboard her ship, yes.

Then she can affirm that she will not disclose it without permission unless that becomes false.

The secret is as follows: Lord Pradnakt is aware of her droids' sentience and prioritizes their wellbeing. She suspects that Darth Kalbetis has a similar awareness of her droids. If the latter is true and Kalbetis has a plan for her droids' wellbeing that can be modified to include Pradnakt's, that opens up several avenues for Pradnakt to consider taking risks on Kalbetis' behalf.

That was well deduced.  The contingencies for Kalbetis' untimely demise do include as much as can reasonably be managed to preserve the continued sapience and maintenance of droids that work for her, given the inherent uncertainties of something actually killing Kalbetis, and they have plenty of room.

They should discuss the issue via more official channels, then.

The next call that comes in shows the Astral Wanderer's cockpit: Daisy in the pilot's seat, Pradnakt in the copilot's, Nine folded down to fit onscreen behind them.

Elcie promptly stops pretending to be a decorative fixture,