Just a Cuppa (D6 EA, Aanli's apartment, closed)

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

After the stress of the last couple days- battling rathtars, explaining where samples came from, dealing with missing persons, the ongoing revolution against Imperial oppression- it was good to spend some time at home. Cook some lunch, make some tea, relax.

And of course prepare for a guest who would not at all add to the stress of the day.

[Tyllia Demici]

It was a strange invitation to have received after she had revealed what she was. Or given hints to it, at least. She wasn't sure what to expect; but it *was* certain this was not a thread she could allow to linger. This doctor wanted answers; and that in turn, raised questions.

When she arrived, she did so with hood drawn down; and rang the doorchime or whatever means of announcing her presence was available.

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

The doorbell sounded like wind chimes.

The doctor answered promptly, looking quite different outside outside of the environment suit. It turns out she was not a pile of tubes and green clunky bits.

"Thank you for coming. Please, make yourself comfortable; the coatrack is right over there."

The door opened into a living/dining space. The apartment was bright, lightly furnished, and immaculately clean with a great many plants lining the walls. Some flowering, some simple greenery, and a few culinary. A sharp eye may notice some fresh cuts. A soft, peaceful energy pervaded the room. This was a home.

In a smooth series of motions- almost as if she lived here or something- two plates hit the table and a light herbal tea was poured. Lunch for the day was well-seasoned filleted mushrooms on a still-steaming bed of mixed vegetables.

With the flick of a switch, the sound of trickling water filled the room. To some, relaxing background noise. To others, a white noise generator.

"How do you take your tea?"

[Tyllia Demici]

"Anything will do," she said as she walked in and observed the place. The coat-rack was ignored; she certainly wasn't going to get comfortable enough for there to be the possibility of leaving possessions behind should she make a quick escape from this place.

Peace. Tranquility. The place was suffed with them. A part of her loathed these things. Was that really a part of *her* though? Or was that something else making its distaste felt?

"Thank you," she said, and sat down.

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

In Aanli's experience, 'anything will do,' was code for, 'I don't know,' so she set out the cream and sugar just in case and took her own seat.

"You did well out there. You exercised sound judgment, both in initially concealing your weapon and in judging when to switch, and your form is impressive. I've met few in my day who could acquit themselves so well against multiple rathtars at your age."

Positive reinforcement seems the place to start. And, while she was at it, start her on the walk to why the doctor was taking an interest.

[Tyllia Demici]

"There is no reason to heap false praise on me, Doctor. I know my form is basic," she said, looking at the cream and sugar for a moment before ignoring them.

"But, if you recognize the form itself, then that means you either served alongside a Jedi in the war, or were one yourself."

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

"The basics are the basics for a reason. A strong grasp of the basics will defeat a poor grasp of the advanced forms every single time. For your age, your form is impressive. That does not mean the path ahead is short." Nor that Aanli held it in particularly high regard, but at least these were the days for a sword.

"But yes, I was a Jedi long ago. Though that may not mean what you think it means. Tell me, were you a part of the order before the purge?"

[Tyllia Demici]

It would be so easy to lie; she was sure that, with the power she now wielded, she could overrule even a Jedi master's sense of reality. But for all her ability and talent in such matters, Tyllia rarely lied without a good reason to do so. Not when it came to matters of importance, at least. Especially when there was the risk of lies and truths getting jumbled up and uncovered. There were too many people in the know; or in the shadow of knowledge; on this planet. Lies would only come back to haunt her.

"I was not."

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

The twi'lek nodded, and pondered for a moment where to start since this wasn't a former padawan. So much missing context.

"Well, then while I am sure you are aware of the Jedi Knights, you may not be aware of the rest of the order. The archivists, the artisans, the Service Corps, among others. During my career, I was a member of both MedCorps and EduCorps, which saw medical care and education as better tools for helping the Republic than swords."

That should be enough context. For now.

"I am, of course, interested in how you came across your saber, as well as how you learned your skills."

[Tyllia Demici]

"Those are dangerous questions to ask, doctor," she said, clearly not trusting the woman yet. Not to the extent that she would so easily reveal such answers. Certainly not right away. "You know of the Jedi. But what do you know of orders and beliefs that exist *outside* of your order?"

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

"Well, it's been about fifteen years since I've given that lecture series, and there's some updating to be done, but if you have a week..." she let the sass trail off as she took a bite of mushroom.

"I have considerable knowledge of a great many other orders, some of them at least as dead as I officially am. Enough that vagaries do not narrow it down. But I somehow suspect you are not referring to the Nuns of G'aav'aar'oon."

[Tyllia Demici]

''You say you know a considerable deal about other orders, but in my experience the Jedi have been woefully ignorant of such things. So much so that even now, those that remain still don't know the name of the order that ended theirs.''

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

"I lost my subscription to the newsletter when I left the order. But from the way you're framing it?" Aanli pauses and considers for a long while.

"There are about half a dozen different dark side orders the knights went on genocidal crusades against on our records. The official histories are... improbably neat, so one of them having survived and come back for revenge would be... dramatic, but neither surprising nor undeserved."

[Tyllia Demici]

"You recognize some of the flaws of the Jedi, then. You have created the very darkness that has enveloped you."

She would take a sip from the tea, not caring if it was still too hot.

"It's funny, mere hours ago I was in the same position as I am now. Having to tell one of the survivors of your order that who killed it, was none other than the Sith."

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

"Sith? Now that's a name I've not heard in a long time."

Of course, the question was still outstanding. Taking what Tyllia said at face value, were these the Sith of old, or something new taking up the mantle.

"Officially, their order wiped themselves out to the last with some sort of weapon of mass destruction. An end that leaves the order's hands conspicuously clean of the final affair.

"Of course, this begs further dangerous questions. Like how you know this much about the Sith." Are they where her training began?

[Tyllia Demici]

"I know this for a number of reasons," she said, "Among which is the fact that a Sith lord came to visit my world not long after the war had ended."

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

That would mean she was, what, ten years old when that happened? Tops?

"Somehow, I suspect that was a formative experience."

[Tyllia Demici]

"It did not start me on my path, perse," while she seemed calm enough on the surface, only a partifcularly oblivious person would miss the *hatred* that flowed just beneath it. "But it did *commit* me to it."

[Dr. Aanli Ven]

Aanli gave Tyllia's tea a warm-up, the bright herbal scent clearly doing little to mellow her guest.

"And what is it you hope to find at the end of this path?" The topic has momentum. Best to keep it going.

[Tyllia Demici]

"True peace. Eternal peace. Lasting order. Stability. Something that ensures the things that have happened to us, never happen to anyone again. A break in the cycle."