1...E5: Second Step

[Ellie Mors]

Only an hour had passed since Lily had departed the towering walls of the Iron Citadel, leaving behind a holochex board that only had two movements made. The first was the standard play to E4... and the second was its direct and most effective counter. The foundation of the Interstellar organization she was helping to found was still in its nebulous period, where things could fall perfectly into place or crumble into dust. It was to her benefit regardless of the outcome, as the rise of an united core would see to the stabilization of the core without a single drop of Tetan blood - and its failure would spur the rise of the Krath and a subjugated core. It would be the participation of her neighboring systems that would be the deciding factor in whether she would allow the core to remain wholly independent or whether she would take the role of benevolent despot.

Preparing for both scenarios was, of course, the only correct way to move forwards from her meeting with the other leaders of the core worlds. Building up Tetan military and its resources was something that would be necessary in any case, as she would no doubt be relied upon heavily by the remainder of the core due to the way the collapse of the Alliance had negatively effected the other worlds and systems, and was the reason for why she found herself a planet away on Keres II. The woman that had arranged the meeting was one [member="Vanessa Vantai"], who had offered to assist in building the Tetan naval strength through sale of starships. While Lily, herself, owned and operated the illustrious Koros Spaceworks, the shipwright corporation that was now intimately entwined with the Tetan monarchy, it never hurt to buy from third parties.

The meeting between the two materialized in a small office tucked away in a carbonite mining facility that the monarchy controlled, with Lily already sitting at one end of a small rectangular table while waiting for Vanessa's arrival.

-

"Please, have a seat." She said as the other woman stepped into frame.

 

[Onrai]

Family.

It was something that Vanessa had never really had at any point during her lifetime. Perhaps it was just deliberate isolationism, or perhaps Vanessa was perpetually unlucky in losing the things she held close. Regardless, now was an opportunity that certainly deserved to be exploited. Her half-sister - at least in this body - was the Empress of Teta. And apparently, she was attempting to make a power play in the Core now that the Galactic Alliance was no more. Vanessa saw this as an opportunity to perhaps form new relationships, to nurture the new seed of darkness slowly beginning to grow within the heart of the former Alliance territory.

"A pleasure as always, sister." She sat down across from Lily at the table, laying a holographic projector down. This projector was a little larger than most, not due to its projecting capabilities - but due to the vast number of starship holograms stored within. "Long story short, I want to help you. I believe that your desire to spread the influence of the Dark Side within the Core, whether through political manipulation or military force, is noble, and I wish to see you succeed at making the Krath a true player within this now-wild region of space. I have starships, weapons, vehicles, and essentially anything you would otherwise need or require in order to advance your military agenda through the Core. I would even be willing to offer you a small amount of Imperial military personnel to assist in training your forces to a higher standard than those of your rivals."

Thus was the initial offer made.

[member="Lily Kuhn"]