House Troubles (Ongoing Story)

Ragious leaned against the doorway to Qel'rend's office, drink in hand, and smiled at her, "I found the girl. Shara, you trained her I believe?"

Qel's smile reflected a fondness that was common when asked about one of her 'special' girls, and she nodded. "I did. I hand-picked her for Kiabe."

"She said that Kiabe did something very out of character. She would never have berated her servant in the way that she did Shara, nor left her locked in a room. I can only assume that some kind of outside source was either impersonating, or controlling my wife. Sound familiar?"

She listened thoughtfully. "You think the datacron affected her the way it affected me?"

"The datacron, or something else." He moved from the doorway to where Qel was sitting, taking the seat beside her. "Shara didn't mention my sister visiting Kiabe though, so I can't be certain of anything other than it seemed very familiar."

"I do not think I was possessed in the traditional sense. I was overwhelmed by immense rage and hatred, certainly, but I was aware, and I can recall the entire experience."

"That's exactly what Shara seemed to be describing, Kiabe consumed by rage and hatred."

She nodded, once again thoughtful. "Perhaps that is the datacron's effect on those who are not of your bloodline."

"How would the datacron have affected her on Nar Shaddaa though. I don't know how long it was
buried in that...tree."

"If it was buried in the tree."

Ragious nodded, every new answer seeming to only bring more questions, "Have you had any further luck with tracking my sister or my wife. Shara didn't know where either were."

Qel shook her head. "Nothing new. Though I have reports of both Decidion and Agonar on Nar Shaddaa recently."

"That only makes me believe we were on the right track for finding them on that world. Though with Agonar you never know, he was never bound to my wife's side like I prefer my apprentices. Do you know what he was doing on the moon?"

"Yes, he did tend to wander. There is surveillance footage of him with a bounty hunter that was under the employ of House Arren until recently." She leaned forward to call up the footage on the holo-projector on the coffee table.

In the surveillance feed, Agonar could be seen talking to - and then kissing - a redhead they were both familiar with named Riukii Talsyn.

"That's...not like Agonar."

"No, it isn't. And local port authority has logged his ship leaving a few minutes after this was recorded."

"And just brings up another question. He would never take a lover unless he was instructed to do so by my wife."

Qel'rend inclined her head in agreement, though if she had any further insights, she kept them to herself. "I suggest you question them."

"One more person on my list. Though perhaps Agonar will respond to a holo."

"I will contact him. You're not exactly his favorite person." She gave him a knowing smile.

"Yes, I was going to suggest that, I have no doubt he would answer your call. And he only hates me because I have everything he does not."

Chuckling, she leaned forward again to deactivate the holo-recording and signal Agonar's frequency.

It took several minutes, but Agonar finally answered, his holo image appearing completely nude, "I hope this is important because I was busy..." He saw Ragious's image next to Qel'rend's. "Oh for kriffs sake, both of you?"

Qel gave Agonar's image a warm, polite smile, her eyes tipping southward appreciatively, knowing it would feed his ego and hoping that would keep him on the call despite Ragious's presence. "Forgive the interruption, Lord Agonar, but I have a problem that I was hoping you might be able to help me with."

"For you. He can go die." Agonar turned so his holo image was facing only Qel, completely ignoring Ragious. Ragious in turn just rolled his eyes and moved closer. "If this is about the accounts I cleaned out, he can't have them back."

Qel's smile became one of amusement - something that was reflected in her voice as well - as though she was addressing a beloved, but belligerent child. "Consider it remuneration for your assistance. I am searching for the Ladies Kiabe and Jocelyn. Do you have any information that could assist in that endeavor?"

"This is a joke right? Some weird taunt he put you up to?" Agonar seemed suddenly angry, where before he was at least polite with Qel, his visage took on a degree of danger, "He's the powerful Darth Ragious, and he knows damn well his wife is dead."

Her smile evaporated, and she passed a concerned look back toward Ragious before responding to Agonar. Her voice was grave, carrying a note of honest sympathy. "No, Agonar. He doesn't know. When and how did this happen, and why didn't you report it?"

The words are almost a physical blow to Ragious, his fist slamming down on the holoterminal, his control fading as he stared daggers at Agonar, "If Kiabe was dead, I would have felt it. You are obviously the one playing some kind of sick game."

Qel put a hand on Ragious's shoulder.

Agonar completely ignored Ragious, continuing to speak only to Qel, "I don't know how, I only know I was able to feel her death halfway across the galaxy, one moment she was there, like she always is, in the back of my mind, the next, it was like a part of me had died. Do you really think if she was still alive I would have cleaned out all of her personal accounts, and took off with Riukii?"

She frowned. "I wasn't aware that you had accessed Kiabe's accounts until you just mentioned it. Does Captain Talsyn have any information that can help us sort out what happened?"

"I don't know, she's rather tied up for the time being, when she isn't I will see if she wishes to speak to you." With that, Agonar disconnected the holocall.

Qel sat back, stunned. "Shall I have his location traced?" she asked quietly.

Ragious was still fuming, but within it, Qel could see the pain he was experiencing, "Don't bother. I know Riukii Talsyn, she will never run with him forever, she has her cantina and casino to run."

"He could be wrong."

"He's not." Ragious knew the truth when he heard it, and when he finally sat down again, he looked defeated, "I never thought she would die first, you know?"

Qel'rend put a comforting hand on his back. "She was too tenacious to die at all," she observed quietly.

"That she was. Whoever killed her..." He just shook his head, "I have to tell Thala and Khyran, Khor too when he turns back up."

Qel nodded solemnly. "Anything that I can do, you simply need to name it, my lord."

"Tell me why Agonar was able to feel her death and I wasn't. Figure out what is interfering with my ability to feel those closest to me."

"I will begin working on that right away."