Ziost - Crown of the Sith Empire

Xyll had found her way to the central area of the ship. She was still suffering the effects of an inssuficient amount of sleep, but trying to catch up on it on the way to their destination didn't seem like it'd help matters much. Besides, she might as well make use of the time to do some reading up on things. Mostly her own studies, but if there was something relevant to the situation at hand she'd come across, she wouldn't mind.

"Good, you're already here." Jo'ren appeared and activated the ship-wide communicator. "Let's meet up and discuss the op."

Shaisha slumped down in a seat, and offered a stimstick to Xyll as she could tell the woman was rather fatigued.

"So, what's the sitch," she said as she looked to Jo'ren, awaiting his briefing.

Lucinia came forward, easing herself into one of the provided seats. She sat with perfect posture, spine straight, chil tilted ever so slightly upward.

A frown, then a nod to Jo'ren, content to let him begin.

She waved off the offer of a stim, but did sit up straighter now that everyone was here; and put away her datapad.

"I wasn't told much," she said with a nod to Shaisha's words, and Xyll too looked toward Jo'ren.

"Okay then." Jo'ren called up a star chart and zoomed in to the system they were heading to. It zoomed in further to a has giant. "Thanks to Lucinia's research we learned about this place. It's an old Rakatan facility in orbit around the gas giant. The closest known remnant of their technology from Ziost."

"So... do we know the current condition the facility is in, and what sort of resistance we're likely to encounter?" Shaisha asked, thinking of the first questions that come to mind.

"What sort of research are we talking about?" she looked between Jo'ren and Lucinia. "Are we just aimlessly going to wander about a massive space station hoping we'll find something of interest? Or is there a particular reason we're going?"

"The space station may not be in the best of shape." Lucinia spoke up. "It is in a decaying orbit. Eventually, it will break up in the atmosphere, and pieces of it will crash into the planet. This might be taken as evidence that it is, at best, ill-maintained."

She turned to Xyll, green eyes narrowing. "As for the purpose of the mission, surveilance has detected Rakatan technology on the station. There are some specific items we have in mind, but Rakatan technology has innate value."

"Yeah, it's old but functional. A pirate gang called the Nova Blades hangs out there. They call it Nova Station. I've paid them off to leave us alone. They pretend they don't have Imperial ties but they're off the books associates of Darth Hoshi."

He gave Xyll a serious nod. "As much as we ever do chasing ancient power. It's a Rakatan Station so I'm betting there are areas the pirates and other detritus didn't ever find. There is an item I need on board, and I'm hoping it'll probe more generally lucrative all around."

"What manner of item are you after?" she asked, smiling as sweetly as a Sith could manage. "And what makes you think these pirates, or Darth Hoshi, haven't gotten to it first? Luck only takes you so far."

Lord Rath shrugged. "Darth Hoshi keeps them at arms length. Pirates wouldn't know what it is, and it's not much to use to anyone but me."

"Did the Force tell you you would find what you're seeking is here, Lord Rath?" she inquired.

"Only useful to you? Certainly sounds as if you've got some interesting projects going," she said, maintaining that smile.

"Not in the way it shows you things. But it gives me a feeling. I also undertook some separate research that indicates it will be there."

He smiled at Nyx. "That I do. The best projects."

Looking around at the others he added. "I've already paid out plenty for this, and Lucinia has contributed too. Like I said, I'm hopeful there will be plenty that is worth our time."

"I would certainly hope so," she said. "One doesn't mind cooperating and spending one's time of course, but few Sith act entirely with pure generosity in mind."

She nodded, trusting in Jo'ren's guidance from the Force.

"If anything, this excursion will provide more interesting than today's events on Dromund Kaas, I expect. Though, I believe at least you and I will have to call in and apologise to a certain couple today to explain why we're not there for their wedding, Jo'ren," Shaisha spoke with a light and slightly amused tone.

One of Lucinia's eyebrows went up. "Oh, you must mean the Steel Valkyrie's wedding; we'll be in time for the other. How do you know the presumably happy couple?"

"Known them since childhood. Lord Rath since our time at the Academy," she explained simply.

"My assistant will be there in my place, but I still want to contact them."

He nodded. "Yeah, my timing sucks but..." Big shoulders shrugged. Jo'ren gotta do what Jo'ren gotta do.

"Sorry to drag you away. They like you." He vaguely wondered what they were up to, other than running for council and dealing with a plague. "Our paths didn't cross all that much. Serasi's an impressive warrior and Torsin can talk the wings off a mynock."