Star Wars: The Last Qymaili | ✔

33 | Red on White

She shuddered and allowed herself to sink down against the wall for a time, lost in memory. The smell of sweat and the thick, powerful influence of pheromones still rested within the crevices of the bone.

Closing her eyes, she thought back to the endless singing of the bard-soldiers in the kolkpravis as they trekked far from home. The flag of Kalee snapped in her mind with the delicate tang of her soaps from back home, still fresh in the mask.

Qymaen would take off her mask the next time she would forsake it.

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After a while, she walked up to the desk. The flat screen inlaid to the wooden desk was not password-protected. A strange notion, but someone like Dooku probably didn't get many visitors in this lonely keep.

Many scrambled Basic codes blazed in her vision, most of which either were mixed piles of gibberish or used such advanced language that they were impossible for her to decrypt. If she chose the wrong one, would Dooku know?

No, she told herself. He's not expecting people to barge in.

She chose the first one, the most recent—accessed the same day that she'd entered this room. Abruptly, an audio message came through.

Dooku: "You have neglected your responsibilities, my dear."

A woman's voice, speaking with a heavy Kaleesh accent: "I have done no such thing." (The sound of her voice was muffled, and it was impossible to tell who the speaker was; Ronderu could only deduce the gender.) "I am a mother now, just as you promised me."

Dooku: "You have not succeeded in the elimination of Kummar."

The woman: "Nonsense. There are nothing but silly rumors about her being alive or reincarnated. But Khetsuu's worked himself into a frenzy over it."

Dooku: "How did he stumble upon this information?"

The woman: "One of my sister-wives. She came home on the wildest day, claimed that Kummar had swooped in and rescued her from cannibals."

Dooku: "I have honored my end of the commitment. I regret to say differently for you."

The woman: (Her voice shook.) "He is lonely, and almost completely off the edge. Yet I will honor my end of the deal we made. Do you know where Kummar is?"

Dooku: "She is on Mandalore."

The woman: "But I cannot leave Kalee, and Khetsuu will need concrete proof that she is dead before he believes it."

Dooku: "He appears convinced to me. My concern is with eliminating her as a threat before she finds him and tampers with him further. He is perfect for my plan as he is now."

The woman: "This will not involve harming him, will it?"

Dooku: "He will live and be strong. Isn't that what I promised you?" (But it was so obviously a lie that the woman must have a very empty head.)

The woman: "Of course. But why not kill her yourself?"

Dooku: "That would end our agreement, my dear. I doubt you want that."

(A sigh.) The woman: "Very well. Why has she not returned to Kalee yet?"

Dooku: "She was allowed temporary stay—some sort of health issue from surviving Jenuwaa."

The woman: "And when will she return? I have a busy life. Surely you know that."

Dooku: "I am aware, my dear. She will return in six months at the latest."