There's also a brief on Orrisid Group. They've stayed mostly under the radar thus far, preferring to use the Hutts as intermediaries to deal with governments. The founder is a reclusive Bith; hasn't been publicly seen in almost five years.

Ah huh. Useful information. He'll keep it in mind.

And that's everything in the files.

Then it's just waiting for the next day.

Which arrives soon enough, and so do they.

They meet a man in a white Imperial uniform, with an impressive number of colored rank tabs across his left breast. "Lord Occlus. Good to see you."

"Moff Pyron. A pleasure. I don't believe you met my apprentice."

"Rafa. It is an honour."

"Of course. I do hope you share your master's... practicality."

"I certainly hope so, as well."

"Good. This Empire needs more forward-thinking Sith."

"Darth Thanaton is too enmeshed with concern for the appearance of traditionality in his role with the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge. He does not recognize that it is possible to respect the past without becoming blinded to modern innovations."

Yeah he'll stay here and look pretty and pay a lot of attention to what's going on.

There's a bit of talking around the point, but it turns out that Moff Pyron wants access to the CN-12 for a weapons research project he's invested in and he'll support Occlus if she gets it to him.

How droll. Does Occlus want his support?

Seems like it.

Oh good, is there any way he can actually help or should he just look smart and pay attention?

Not right now, but it sounds like Occlus is going to be arranging a meeting with Orrishid Group. One way or another.

...he'll see if he can make that way be as bloodless as possible.

The meeting wraps up amicably.

"Thoughts?"

"He seems to pretty straightforwardly agree with you that Darth Thanaton should be gone and that you might be a good way to get that, and I think he mostly cares about the weapon because he's got his rep invested in it, are my main ones."

"I agree. But I think it's worth pursuing. What did you learn about the Orrishid Group?"

"Seem very secretive. Their founder—a Bith—hasn't been seen in five years, and they mostly deal with governments through Hutts."

"And what does that suggest to you?"

"...about what? It's—weird—that they'd go through the Hutts unless they're, like, only serving as suppliers for stuff the governments don't want known but..."

"Or they could be indentured or enthralled in some fashion."