Sh'rip Sh'pa "Sudden Death"

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

LOCATION: Garqi

Nom Anor was directing the small vessel Striking Blade down to the surface of Garqi. The planet was used to grow and breed Chazrach slaves and Lotva Shai, a mere executer at that time, had some overlooking job. It would be interesting to meet her as such.
He pondered what task he would give her, his age and look would allow him to claim to be Prefect, he had this rank anyway.
The vessel sat down on the landing spaces near the settlement.
A group of warriors was already awaiting him when he walked out of the Yorik-Vec.
“Prefect Kshatra Vang, I want to see Executor Lotva Domain Shai. Immediately!”
The warriors snapped to attention as he told them his rank, “Belek tiu. Follow us”
He nodded and let one of the warriors lead him to the command krashal, a tall building in the centre of the grown settlement. He was brought into a small chamber and told to wait there for Executor Lotva Shai.
Nom Anor did as told.

[lotvashai]

Situated inside the damutek of the Intendants, Lotva Shai pored over the details of a recent influx in death among the humanoid slaves here on Garqi. The qahsa she held between her two sinewous hands shimmered and redistributed the nodes upon it's animorphous front, to tell her what she needed to know. This was her first posting in this galaxy, and it was something that she would like to get right. With correct application of technique, came advancement, and that was everything.

Fresh from the embrace of pain, mere moments earlier, she glanced back over her shoulder at the creature as it waited, looming in the corner quiescently, like a shadow. She would return when she was able, but for now this needed her attention.

It came as a surprise then, when a warrior pushed abruptly through the ichor-coated membrane to the chamber, and stomped his foot appropriately before saluting. Lotva Shai returned the gesture, and inclined her head, signalling for him to speak what it was he had obviously come for.

"Prefect Kshatra Vang has arrived, Executor...he is on his way here now."

The Intendant's face showed a mixture of confusion and befuddlement, no one had told her that she was to be visited here, she had expected word from the small fleet in orbit, had that been the case. But she could hardly refuse a Prefect.
Whatever this was, it had to be important....but so important that Shedao Shai would have not informed her?

Perhaps he seeks to test me? - She wondered, but nodded anyway.

"By all means, bid him enter, subaltern." She responded evenly, placing the qahsa down to one side, and adopting the correct submissional position on the floor in anticipation.

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

Nom Anor had to wait only a couple minutes before he was brought before Executor Lotva Shai. He entered the chamber that served her as office and waited for the membrane to close with a slurp.
“Greetings Executor Lotva Shai,” he said, clasping his hands - it was a brilliant idea to replace the missing limb with a new one. He regarded the chamber for a second and then turned his attention back to the younger version of his future lover.
“I came here since I need for my work a damutek and this planet offers lots of space and resources for that. I also need a shaper team, lead by Quando Kwaad.”
He wondered if she would listen or make a fuss like her older self. She liked to question everything and this young version for sure would not look kindly on his a bit out of standard behaviour. But this had brought him the position he was in. This allowed her domain to rise above Lah’s now. Of course she didn’t know that. And she would never know at all.
“Is it possible for you to arrange that?” he challenged her.

[lotvashai]

Straightening, she took the greetings as they came, inclining her head in a mark of respect to the prefect, who's name she had not heard of until a few seconds ago. True to form, he was who he said he was, bearing the mark of domain Vang upon his forehead, and the appropriate robes of office. Thought something was not quite right, she noted. He was wearing a masquer.

She had been among her caste long enough to spot when others did this, it was a favoured trick of the Praetorite vong above all others, who hid their true features in respect to Yun-Harla, as such it was not an uncommon sight among the Yuuzhan Vong, and in this case, she certainly thought nothing of it.

His request on the other hand, came as something of a surprise, why had she not been told about this? That question kept repeating over and over in her mind like a mantra, something about this just felt inexorably....off.
Keeping her expression as neutral as she could possibly manage, she smoothed down the disheavaled folds of her robeskin as she rose.

"The south of this compound is used for training purposes, beyond that is wilderness, but a damutek could be placed there within a ket, should you wish it." She responded, after taking care to appear as though she was debating this seriously...

Eyeing him curiously, she dared take a step closer, contemplative as ever, "There are few shapers in system, but Quando Kwaad...I have heard of them. You may choose to order me to my death for asking, Prefect, but what is the nature of this project?"

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

He had a fairly good idea what was going on in the head of the young version of Lotva domain Shai. He had spent much time with the older one, knowing her trial of thoughts and how they have to be. She wondered for sure about the masquer, and about his request.
“Executor, it is not of your concern what the nature of the project is.
Yes I wish that there is grown a damutek.
Do you have a problem with this request of the shaper? Quando Kwaad is very talented.”
He looked at her, the Plaeryin bol concealed by the masquer. She was slightly taller than himself, it was kind of unsettling to have to look up at subordinates, it always had been. His size had been a problem among the Yuuzhan Vong who usually were tall. Then it was the ideal size for infiltrating the infidels. So all had its advantages and disadvantages.
“The time period of a ket is acceptable, set them to work.”

[lotvashai]

His chastisement of her curiosity had been correct, she knew, but it still made her bristle inwardly, she was ambitious and with ambition came just a hint of hubris. But she wasn't so foolish to believe that the odd curious glance here and there wouldn't lead her to ruin, should she continue to let it go unchecked.

"Belek tiu, it was not my intention to pry, I was not expecting your arrival." She apologized, genuine as she could manage, "I will punish the attendants who failed to notify me, of course."

She continued to look him over with a critical, yet wisely pious, eye, he was older than she was, not young for his station but just the right age...and that was what made her suspicious. Why would a Prefect be requiring that the shapers embark on secretive work here...on this world of all places.
Why, why why? - the words circled her mind constantly.

"Of course not, master Shaper Quando Kwaad is revered among the shaper caste as one of the few remaining masters not to have dabbled in-" Her voice took on a scathing tone, "the heresy."

By that term she meant the large ammount of shapers that had recently been found out as heretics, dabbling in protocols that were not to be found in the plentiful and blessed qang qahsa. Their heresy often saw whole damuteks and even domains slaughtered or shamed for their efforts. If found out.

At his request she turned sharply towards the small choir of villips sitting on a nearby plinth, stroking several of them to life, one after the other, and then uttering an order to the recipients of her message, to do just what the Prefect had asked of her. The resources would be stretched at present, but who was she to question a superior? Besides, if things went awry, the scrupulous records she kept would speak volumes for her.

When she was done, she let the villips fall silent, and paced back the short distance to face the Prefect again.

"It is done, honoured one, a Ket and Master Kwaad will have their damutek." The Consul bowed appropriately, then straightened.

"May I speak freely?"

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

He looked at her, unimpressed, “How would it be possible to expect my arrival when it was not announced? Of course you can punish attendants for failing to inform you, they will still not have been informed beforehand.” He had to hide his amusement, there had been nothing to announce, nobody had known he would come here, how would anyone knew something like that? He didn’t answer to anyone being present in this time, not that he would in the time he came from.
Now his task was to work on a way back, making the yorik-vec to a vessel that would allow him to go back to his time.
Of course the young version of Lotva was cautions about heretical work. He would have to be careful of what she saw and heard. Maybe it was his influence here that she became a bit more acceptable on what is necessary?
He watched her as she made the villip connection to organize everything.
“Thank you, Executor Lotva domain Shai.”
He looked curious at her when she requested to speak openly with him. “Please do so, when you are sure nobody is eavesdropping here.”

[lotvashai]

His unimpressed expression said it all really, and she almost cringed in apology- almost. The Shai were a very proud domain, honoured for all the right reasons, revered and widely feared for their strangest of traits, in particular the over-use of the embrace of pain, which so many of Lotva Shai's domain seemed to endure as if it were nothing, some said they had grown to enjoy pain. Perhaps they were right.

"You are correct, of course." She admonished, his reason was sound enough, but the cause was as yet unseen...whatever work was undertaken on the worlds she administered, she was responsible for, and this was no exception to the rule. It would have been nice to know this higher power under which the Prefect worked - if not simply 'the gods'.

"Master Quando Kwaad would need to submit to a compulsive aptitude test, as I am certain you are aware, their current premises would also need to be scoured for...uhh, certain items of the heretical nature." She explained, it was common practice in this current climate, several shapers had been getting out of hand lately, delusions of grandeur kept them safe in their own minds, but Shimrra's will was ruthless.

The overlord had sought out heretics among the shaper caste and had quietly disposed of them one by one, each in significantly increasing humiliation. As a result of the increase in found heresy cases, there had been a compulsory search of all shaper damuteks, with regular follow up checks by the warrior and Intendant castes soon thereafter. With Kshatra Vang being of Prefect rank, he would be allowed to carry out the checks himself. But Lotva Shai couldn't help but feel in her gut that this would be something of a mistake, so with that in mind, she left the sentence open to interpretation - just one of the little nuances she had been taught in the creche.

At his behest that she speak freely, she grasped at that opportunity with both clawed hands.

"There is no risk of eaves dropping here...those who did would die at my hand personally. I assure you of that." She said with a slight tilt of her head "Were you ever stationed aboard the Banuu Korr?"

The worldship she spoke of, was fairly newly grown, just recently from the ruins of sernpidal, one of many to be born into this galaxy.

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

Nom Anor gazed at her. Lotva Shai tried to hide her feelings. Though as the proud woman she was she was easy to look through. Additionally she was too curious for her own good. He had known she would be a challenge and till now she had not disappoint. His reasoning would be heretic for her, his doings traitorous in her eyes. It was not really her business.
He nods slightly, “Of course if you wish such aptitude test it shall be done. Then please make the necessary arrangements for it as well so it can take place.” He had no problem at all to load even more work on her shoulders, she did that to herself after all. If she keeps up that behaviour, she soon would not know when to do what.
“I see you are able to keep your room clear, that is a good skill.” He had to hide a smile as she asked about the Banuu Korr, it had been a good ship in his time but didn’t exist anymore in the future. He knew it well.
“I had not yet the pleasure to be onboard the new vessel.”

[lotvashai]

As she turned to note the necessary arrangements into her personal qahsa, his noticing how tidy the damutek actually was, or rather his tone of voice when he had said it, piqued her interest a little, and she turned, canting her head to one side ever so slightly. It wasn't her place to question a Prefect, but she couldn't help be curious, however unsavoury a notion.

When she was done with the Qahsa, she turned to face him fully, and bowed respectfully as she informed him of what she had done.

"Master Quando Kwaad will need to report to the barracks just short of the old administration built-thing that the infidels left behind, it is currently being utilized as slave quarters. We find the built things unsettle them less, but their close proximity to the shaper barracks allows the shapers to ensure that the coral growths they recieve from the slave seeds, are properly maintained. " She explained, going into a little more detail than she really needed to.

"Will the Master shaper be participating in such projects? Or is he or she simply here under private orders?"

She reached back behind her, careful not to lean on the deskplinth in an unworthy sign on laziness as she did so, procuring the biot without looking at it, and holding it poised as if to take note. She had been listening to what he had said about the Baanu korr though - funny, he had seemed oddly familiar to her, though she could not explain why. The only Prefect she had ever answered to, was Nia Shul, and high Prefect Yoog Skell indirectly.
His face wasn't one she recognized at all, though he was adorned with the type of ooglith masquers preferred by the praetorite vong intendants.

"I see," she said nonchalantly, nodding once as she did so, "It is a marvelous worldship to behold, the shapers who tend it inform us that it will be sent back into the endless void to acquire those who cannot make the journey, the infidels are as yet unwise to this."

She paused there, walking a few paces away with an apologetic posture, as if she had forgotten something - and she had - returning with a small gelatinous creature that had obviously not yet spent enough time growing to become fully formed.

"Appologies, this villip is fresh from the paddies, but there are no others, it is linked with those of my villip choir here, the slaves efforts have been less than proficient, but they will learn fast or they will die....I am certain they do not prefer the latter."

The Consul stepped forth, handing him the villip carefully with both hands. As the backs of her hands brushed against his palms, her gaze flickered up suddenly, and once again she couldn't help but wonder who, precisely, he was - not that he couldn't be who he claimed to be, but this encounter was...something else.

And she couldn't place a finger on it. Shoving that thought aside, she deposited the creature and waited, finding the sudden closeness somewhat awkward.

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

He watched her with interest as she worked on her notes. She was rather thorough to not miss something in the end. The young Lotva was so much the older one already.
Nom Anor nodded, “You will make sure he finds his way there with a guide, I do not want him to stumble through this place without guide. We can’t have a Master Shaper appearing aimless. It will be fine that he is close to that I suppose. He will have his own working chamber!” he demanded.
“The Master Shaper will not busy himself with slave seeds. Every adept is capable of handling such,” he said rather derogatory. “Master Quando Kwaad will be doing research for a higher purpose, orders coming from the Dread one himself. You don’t need to know more.”
His eye was on her as she reached back, carefully observing her if she would retrieve some weapon.
But it wasn’t one.
“I am sure it is a fine ship. And it will bring glory to the Yuuzhan Vong of that I am sure.”
Lotva turned to get something else. Again he watched her suspecting but she returned only with a villip which she handed him. He took it with his new hand and arm, “Thanks. It will be sufficient.
The slaves will either do their job or die, that is right, and do their job and die anyway.”
Electrified he pulled his arm away as she brushed against it. That was dangerous. Would a young Lotva be as willing as her old self?
She for sure had felt something ...
He stepped back to get his distance to her.
“Thank you for your effort. I need quarters as well.” Best as far away from yours as possible.

[lotvashai]

His demands of her were hardly surprising, though the sharpness at which they were uttered did cause her to start ever so slightly, a fact that almost elicited a growl of irritation from her at having been caught off guard, it was a favoured tactic of superiors, to let their subordinates know in the most subtle of ways who was really in charge here.

"This will be arranged." She stated promptly, giving no pause for him to repremand her over again.

But the strangest event came when she had handed him that villip, his already seemingly tense nature had evoked something of a curious response from him, and he had quite literally jerked his hand away from hers.

A light seemed to flicker to life in Lotva Shai's eyes, flaring like a flame under source of ignition, then dying down as it depleted as if depleting it's oxygen, she quelled it quickly, not wishing to draw his attention to his own actions anymore than he would have thought he had. She was adept at concealing her true intentions, but still learning the ropes, particularly in regards to administrating to a whole world.

To add to things, he seemed in a particular hurry to leave, almost as flustered as he had arrived. Yes, she found herself considering, she would be watching that project from afar with a keen interest. But whilst he was still awaiting her to organize things for the moment, she might as well make the most of it, covertely of course.

"Of course, Prefect. Though I must inform you that due to the relative new status of this..." she gestured all around them then, "...uncleansed world, there are no grashals suitable for one of your status. Many young warriors are sent here for training, pitted against the groups of slaves sent into the fields - most of our caste have taken up private quarters here."

And by here she meant this very damutek, it wasn't like he could contest her suggestion when it was the truth...unless he meant to directly go to the Commanders himself and request they turn some of their own castemates out so that he, an Intendant, would get a good evenings rest. This, was going to be amusing.

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

He observed her and noticed the subtle note of irritation. It reflected his own. He tired to control his features, to control his emotions. Lotva Shai was the irritation of his life. As her older self as well as her young self, then her younger self beat her old by lengths.
“Be sure there are no mistakes,” he knew that this was totally useless to tell her, there would be none.
She had noticed his reaction, the electricity, the tension.
Of course she had noticed it, he had jerked his arm away from her as would she were a contact poison. Lotva Shai had a lot of implants and additions to her body that would contain contact poison if she intends to kill her opponent but that was not the reason. He knew that she knew this.
Nom Anor noticed the flicker of change, something came to life within her. Her older self would have his hide would she suddenly remember having an affair with him in the past when it was not his past self.
He felt a slight headache growing, this was beginning to get complicated.
“The quarters will be sufficient,” he simply said. He didn’t care where he slept, as long as it would be dry.

[lotvashai]

He seemed suddenly weary, which was fair enough considering the distance he would have had to travel to reach this world, it was a little out of the way, but useful nevertheless. She hoped that in time she would be able to go with the others, closer to the core, rather than relinquishing out here as she had. Her own crechefather had perished not long ago, on a neighbouring world fallen at the hands of a Jeedai, who thanks to a strange series of unexplainable events, had almost managed to lure one of her crechemates into an untimely trap over the world, Ithor. The world had been destroyed before that had ever come to pass, much to the disappointment of domain Lah.

Back to the fore of things, she smiled warmly at the Prefect, though her curiosity remained in check, what was going on inside her head was another thing entirely.

"Then it is arranged," she stated plaintively, "I will show you the way."

She had little better to do at this hour, and the shapers would take some time to set up, he would be at a loss himself, and if he was not, that was more cause for curiosity - and of that she had in plentiful ammounts. Gesturing him back, deeper into the damutek, she passed several tightly closed oqa membranes, each sealing off a private chamber or sleeping quarters.

"Has there been word from the invasion corridor?" she asked, though he was not obliged to answer her, she had heard no word for some time now, and perhaps was starting to question their progress. Particularly since it was still very much in the hands of Tsavong Lah...though Shedao Shai had moved up in status since the success of Ithor, Lah wasn't about to let their domain have another inch on the proverbial heirachial ladder.

She came to a halt outside one of the membranous doorways, and placed a hand against the sensory nerve bundle at it's side. The creature that was the membrane snapped open, and she stepped through into the darkened chamber beyond. It was as basic as they came, with a storage ganadote of moderate size and a nestbunk to one side, and a niche for villips and other small biots. It would do, but it was hardly befitting of one who was used to lavish vorruk carpets and dovin basal elavated cushions. Still...he had said it would do.

"We are here, will there be anything else?"

[Prefect Drag'Kuhl]

“I am tired, show me those quarters,” he tried to distract her, interrupting her trail of thoughts. He was surprised that she didn’t send one of her underlings to do the job of showing the nosy Prefect around but did play guide to him now.
He followed her quietly as she led him through the damutek, passing countless oqa membranes.
On their way, he came to enjoy the silence, she suddenly asked after the invasion corridor. He wondered if word has reached already about Ithor.
“I have heard your domain had a major win at Ithor, they destroyed the world and therefore the source of the bafforr pollen. Domain Lah for sure has not taken that lightly. Infidels are gathered in some group called peeze brigade, they hunt Jeedai and think that this will please the Yuuzhan Vong. There was a major victory at Obroa-skai, and the invasion is fully spreading across over the galaxy now.”
He had said enough, how should he know what is happening now? He couldn’t see into the future, not really anyway.
Finally they reached the doorway and she opened it and stepped into the chamber. He followed her with a shrug. She had to come in, hadn’t she? She had to pregnate the air inside with her scent that was so alluring, distracting and bewitching. He didn’t pay attention to the room as he stepped through the membrane, he closed it behind him. It snapped shut with a slurp.
The room was furnished with the basic needs, but it was still more luxurious then the nestbunk he had when he was with the shamed ones.
In his mind he saw her already pressed against a wall, taken by surprise, his lips on hers. His thoughts were racing away with him.
Before she noticed he snapped back to the now and here and said, “No that is all. I don’t need anything else.”