Ziost - Crown of the Sith Empire

There was apprehension as she approached the audience chambers. She was the Emperor's Witness now, but what game the Emperor had been playing when he named her such, she did not know. Nor did she know a great many *other* things involving him. And she was seeking answers to some of those mysteries. Seking answers from an immortal being far more powerful than oneself was a dangerous business to be engaging in...

...but also necessary.

If she only had the guile of her old master. Or the foresight of her new one. She might get those answers without risking the truth. If only she was what she had been. If only... if only this, and that. No, there was only now, and things yet to come.

She pressed on; and announced her presence outside the chambers.

“I am Servant Nine, look at me.”

She added, “Witness of the Emperor, court is not in session, what brings you into his dark presence?”

Xyll did indeed look at servant nine, not as a proper person, but much as one might look at any tool or instrument.

"I wish to speak with him," she said.

"Why?" she asked after staring at Xyll for nearly thirty seconds.

She wondered, through the silence, whether or not he was watching through Servant Nine's eyes.

"I have questions," she said, after a moment of silence of her own, "and only the Immortal Emperor has the answers I seek."

“He is aware of your interest in Old Ziost, Witness,” she said in reply.

“I am Servant Nine, look at me; you are loyal to his will.”

She narrowed her eyes.

"I have more than one question, and many interests," she said, "but that *is* one of them, yes."

She cocked her head slightly to the left and then back very slowly and said, “You may proceed.”

She nodded, and then went inside.

"Witness," he said from under his hood.

"You have been skulking in dark places."

She approached and gave a bow.

"Immortal Emperor," she said, "I tried to, yes."

He responded, “Then why are you here?”

He rested his chin on his hand as he waited for the reply. His small frame commanded the chamber as he focused his unseen eyes on Xyll.

"Well, I had hoped for your permission to investigate that particular site my research had uncovered. The guards there were very adamant I should get your permission," she said, an apologetic smile on her face.

"And, well... I was curious about something else too..."

Honesty. He seemed to value it before, did he not?

"...why did you have the archives cleansed of information on the Exile who studied under Darth Traya?"

“They warned you away, as I commanded,” he said leaning back.

“Why are you digging into this matter?”

"Because," she said, sticking to the truth again,"the Exile was cut off from the Force, and yet somehow restored her connection. I seek to repeat that accomplishment."

“You already possess the Force, Witness,” he replied from under his hood.

"But not as I once did," she said. "If one can be cut off from it completely, and yet return to it, then it must also be possible to restore oneself if they failed to cut one off so entirely. To restore the power, the knowledge, all that was taken."

“Knowledge lost can only be relearned, but the Force cannot simply be reclaimed, just as one cannot force a being to be sensitive to the flows of the Force, Witness. It is or it is not,” he said with a grin from under his hood.

“Continue your quest, but it will not change my command.”

There were times to be bold. Perhaps this was one of them. She had not liked the answer she'd received, but at least there seemed to be some room for interpretation on the other matter. But she would have to establish just *how much* room.

"How am I to interpret what might be contradiction, immortal emperor? Am I to exercise my own judgement?"

He commanded them to warn me away. He did not command *me* to stay away, and told me to continue. Is that his intent? Is it a trap? A test?

If only things were clear.

“You are to do as you are told, loyalty is rewarded,” he said with malice.

“That is my command.”