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When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Sechel standing on the other side. For the most part, the sycophantic Sith had avoided him for the last three years, partly out of fear and partly because Nyriss had forbidden him from seeking vengeance for the brutal interrogation that had left him scarred for life.

There had been occasions where they had been forced to work together on some task or mission for Nyriss, but the innate mistrust all Sith had of one another had escalated between them to the point that it actually impacted their ability to work effectively together. It hadn’t taken long for Nyriss to realize their talents were put to better use independently.

“Why are you here?” Scourge asked.

“I have news you will be interested in,” Sechel replied, smiling in a way that made Scourge want to strangle him.

“Did Nyriss send you?”

“I am here of my own volition.”

“What is this about?” Scourge demanded.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“No.”

Sechel shrugged. “I was only trying to show some discretion. For your sake.”

“Get to the point,” Scourge said through gritted teeth.

“A woman came to me today. Human. She’s looking for you.”

“A human? Why?”

“She didn’t say. She didn’t offer her name, and given her reluctance to discuss the matter I didn’t ask.”

“If she found you, then she already knows where to find me,” Scourge said.

Sechel shook his head. “We crossed paths quite by accident. She has no idea you and I know each other at all. She simply hired me to find you.”

“Maybe you’d better come in and tell me the whole story,” Scourge said, relenting and stepping aside.

“On second thought, I think I’ll stay out here,” the other Sith replied. “I get the feeling you don’t like the answers I’m giving you.”

“Do you think I need to get you alone to inflict pain?” Scourge asked, casually reaching out with the Force to give Sechel’s windpipe a quick squeeze.

Sechel gasped and threw his hands up to his throat, his eyes wide with fear. “Nyriss will have your head if you harm me again!” he blustered.

“That won’t bring you back if you’re dead,” Scourge pointed out. “Now stop playing games and tell me exactly what happened.”

“This woman was referred to me by a business associate,” Sechel explained. “She offered me a substantial sum to track down the man in her holoimage.”

“A holoimage?”

“Apparently she doesn’t even know your name. But she has an excellent image of your face, and she’s willing to pay a substantial sum to meet with you.”

“And you have no idea why?”

“I can speculate.”

“Please do,” Scourge said grimly.

“Think of how many lives you have ended. How many assassinations you’ve performed. Isn’t it possible that on one of these missions your face was captured by a security cam?”

Scourge was always careful on his missions, but nobody was perfect. “It’s possible,” he admitted grudgingly.

“Now imagine someone who knew the victim finds the footage. Maybe a wife, or a daughter. Driven by her lust for revenge, she could search the whole Empire for the one who wronged her.”

“You think she wants to kill me?”

“Probably. Most people do. But she insisted on meeting you in person.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Scourge asked abruptly.

“I have a reputation to protect. She paid me to do a job; I don’t want rumors to spread that I cheated a client. It’s bad for business.”

“Does Nyriss know about your so-called business?”

“She allows me to freelance as long as it doesn’t interfere with my work on her behalf. And in this case, it may actually benefit her. And you,” he added. “If this woman intends you harm, she must be dealt with appropriately. That is why I think you should meet with her.”

“And there’s always a chance she might actually succeed, isn’t there?”

“Doubtful,” Sechel said. “Just to be on the safe side, though, I wouldn’t suggest you go to meet her alone.”

“You want to come with me?”

“Not in the least,” Sechel assured him. “This seems more like a job for Murtog and his crew.”

Scourge didn’t speak right away.