Private A Dying Breed

[FN-999]

The Baron's Estate, undisclosed location, Borosk

In the mid-morning sun, the Baron tended to his garden.​

All was calm and pleasant on the estate. The only noises were the rustling of the leaves in the wind and the pitter-patter of water from the watering can hitting the soil in which a variety of plants stood. Numerous variations of roses, violets, daffodils, tulips, and other species were neatly segregated by color, shape, and size. All the Baron's plants were healthy, being well-watered and in quality soil.

With gentle footsteps, the Baron lost himself in his gardening. He was completely unarmored, his isolation from society the scents of nature banishing his long-held insecurities. He savored the sensation of the cool plastic handle in his hands as well as the slight wetness coming from sloshing water inside. He savored the gentle breeze against his exposed arms and down his gloved hands, the pleasantly warm sun above, and the sounds of small animals scurrying through the woods.

A rumbling noise came from above, quiet at first but rapidly growing to drown out every other noise. At first, the Baron suspected a freak thunderstorm and turned to move inside. However, as he turned up, he realized that the only thing in the sky was the gray underbelly of a shuttle.

His guest had arrived.

Placing his watering can down on the ground, the Baron left the garden behind and unlocked the mudroom door, stepping inside to remove his dirt-caked leather gloves and get a clean pair. Then, he left and locked the mudroom before walking around the house and towards the backyard. The Baron arrived in front of the fields just in time to witness the shuttle land in the field closest to the estate. He stood between the shuttle and the estate, his arms folded as he awaited the arrival of his guest.

Moments later, the man emerged from inside the shuttle.

The Baron's guest was Andrew Holt, captain of the Second Company of the famed TodHusar Corps. One of the few surviving veterans of the Third Imperial Civil War, Captain Holt was undoubtedly an intelligent and capable man. The Baron looked forward to their conversation.

"Welcome to my estate, Captain Holt." introduced the Baron. "Come, join me for a cup of tea."

Damien Vourc'h ​

 

[Damien Vourc'h]

A Dying Breed
The Seveners

---

BOOK ONE, PACING UP AND DOWN THE GALAXY
› An Ashamed Title, I ‹

«Tea without milk is so uncivilized.» — Colin 'The Forger' Blythe​

900 ABY, The Baron's Estate, Borosk
FN-999

Andrew Holt, Captain of the Seveners's 2nd Company, stood in the cockpit of his personal shuttle, the famous 'Ventôse'. Just as many ships which belonged to the 7th Regiment, its architecture was old, and unseen in what seemed to be centuries, but was probably decades in reality. Alongside him was his second-in-command; Aure Sarrus, a young lady who wore the 1st-Leftenant stripes. The officer had reached her rank two years ago, right after the Seveners had settled near the Imperial-Chiss frontier, and had been keeping through time. She was so brilliant Andrew had to admit that he felt a sort of admiration towards her. Leaning to the transparisteel glass in front of her, Sarrus was looking at the landscapes of Borosk. In the distance, Andrew could see the rendezvous point: the Baron's estate. The location was coming closer and closer, and the Captain knew that the time had come to prepare themselves to get out the shuttle.

«Aure, would ya follow me? We'll be at the Baron's in a minute,» he declared.

«We better not be late, eh?» she quickly answered. With a nod, Andrew pointed the vessel's stern, where the two Hussars would find the hatch. He gave a look at his bowcaster in the left rack. Today wasn't a good day to use it and the Captain knew the consequences if he had to. Even with the Empire's collapse, Nines remained one of the most esteemed Imperial aristocrat, and he had a role to play in the Great Imperial Plan. That was probably why Damien had asked him to come on Borosk; because the man could convinced a lot of old and newer bucketheads to follow them in their crusade. Even twenty years later, the war wasn't over, and there still was this dream of an undying order, borne by a undying defiance.

«Don't talk if he doesn't ask you to.»​

A moment later, the hatch was open, and the two Hussars could now get out from the shuttle. Ten meters away stood the Baron. Nines. Standing in front of such a legend was something rare, and Andrew could feel it. «Welcome to my estate, Captain Holt. Come, join me for a cup of tea,» the Baron declared after a short of silence. Nodding to his counterpart, Andrew followed the man to the Tea Table, where he and Aure sat down to Nines's face.

«Thank ya for welcomin' us in such a great place, Baron. This is such an honour t'finally meet ya on Borosk.» He turned his gaze towards Aure, «Lemme introduce my XO -- here's 1st-Leftenant Sarrus, from my company. She hadn't had the gift t'know ya before the Imperial Debacle... But I had. We almost fought shoulder to shoulder on Iridonia, durin' the Chiss Crisis. I was under Nukth Kelga'an's orders an' helped holding the siege.» He took a gulp of his tea before adding:

«Do ya know the story of the Seveners?»​

​

 

[FN-999]

The Baron led the guest and his acquaintance to the Tea Table, where three insulated tea kettles were situated.
​

Each kettle contained hot tea: darjeeling in the right kettle, matcha in the center kettle, and silver needle in the left kettle. Each kettle had a spout through which the tea could be poured into one of many teacups encircling the center of the table. The umbrella was raised, enveloping the table in cool shade in contrast to the rising heat around it. The Baron let his guests take their seats first, and only once they had both taken a seat did he take a chair across from Captain Holt. He reached for the kettle containing matcha and a teacup, gently pouring the green liquid into the cup until it was nearly full. Then, his attention returned to his guests.

«Thank ya for welcomin' us in such a great place, Baron. This is such an honour t'finally meet ya on Borosk.»

“Thank you for making it out here in these trying times.” replied the Baron.

«Lemme introduce my XO -- here's 1st-Leftenant Sarrus, from my company. She hadn't had the gift t'know ya before the Imperial Debacle... But I had. We almost fought shoulder to shoulder on Iridonia, durin' the Chiss Crisis. I was under Nukth Kelga'an's orders an' helped holding the siege.»

Finally, the acquaintance had been named.

“Great to meet you, Lieutenant Sarrus.” introduced the Baron. “Feel free to join us."

«Do ya know the story of the Seveners?»

“I’m afraid I do not."

Damien Vourc'h ​

 

[Damien Vourc'h]

A Dying Breed
The Seveners

---

BOOK ONE, PACING UP AND DOWN THE GALAXY
› An Ashamed Title, II ‹​

900 ABY, The Baron's Estate, Borosk
FN-999

«I'm afraid I do not,» the Baron simply replied.​

While the Captain explained the reasons why he and Aure were here, she reached for the right kettle -- meant for Darjeeling tea. As he was talking, Andrew saw her doing her things in the corner of his field of vision. The Yinchorri-born Captain nodded quite imperceptibly to her moves, as he was gaining momentum in his argument. He noticed his final words had seemed to wake up the Baron's interest, probably understanding why his figure reminded him of someone. Actually, Nines was probably confusing Andrew's cousin -- Milo -- and the man in front of him; during his younger years, Kelga'an himself was disconcerted by the likeness between the two Hussars.

But here wasn't the main point. Andrew had to tell the Baron his story and his people's, so he could understand their motivations. The Seveners needed soldiers; many soldiers. And Damien was pretty sure Nines could bring them troops. That was why he had asked him to come and see Borosk.

«Sir,» he started, «I was pretty sure the Seveners's trials were well-known stories on the planets within the Imperial Space. But maybe it's not the sort of stories that are told on Borosk.» He took a breath before going on with his stuff: «Pardon me, Baron, I didn't mean to insult ya people o' ya planet. I mean, I know what dangers ya must have faced since we were forced to debacle. An' I respect that.» He shared a quick glance with his second-in-command and then started to tell the stories he had been teasing for five minutes or so now: «Our story begins right after the Imperial 'defeat' at Exegol. Were ya here? I assume ya were but not sure I can recall correctly. Actually, that ain't a defeat, cuz we weren't defendin' anythin'; but it was for the Seveners. At the time, Damien Vourc'h, son of Jonas Vourc'h, commander of the TodHusars Corps, was in charge of the first two regiments from the 2nd Anaxsi Brigade. I was there; I can now tell ya the whole truth, but we had been engaged under Jonas's direct orders, so we could execute 'em quietly. We conducted war crimes on behalf of our commander. But then he decided to ban us. In a nutshell, he was scared about his son takin' his throne cuz of his skills. We flew to the Northern Frontier, where we gathered with our remnants. Two decades later, we here; askin' fo' ya help, Baron.»

«What is needed is troops,» Sarrus completed. «Actually, we've got enough ships an' crewmen so we can have a fleet for a new Imperial State in the heart of the former Imperial Space. But we need your soldiers; an' your support so we can be credible in front of our old allies. I mean, Director Voikryt is interested as well; why not you?» she finally asked with a thin smile.​

 

[FN-999]

The Baron set down his matcha cup as he attentively listened to the captain.
​

«Sir,» he started, «I was pretty sure the Seveners's trials were well-known stories on the planets within the Imperial Space. But maybe it's not the sort of stories that are told on Borosk.» He took a breath before going on with his stuff: «Pardon me, Baron, I didn't mean to insult ya people o' ya planet. I mean, I know what dangers ya must have faced since we were forced to debacle. An' I respect that.»

“It’s okay.” replied the Baron. “Even now, I have barely been among them for long enough to call them my people. Yet, as I am growing to understand, their loyalty is just as valuable as that of my Reborn."

«Our story begins right after the Imperial 'defeat' at Exegol. Were ya here? I assume ya were but not sure I can recall correctly. Actually, that ain't a defeat, cuz we weren't defendin' anythin'; but it was for the Seveners. At the time, Damien Vourc'h, son of Jonas Vourc'h, commander of the TodHusars Corps, was in charge of the first two regiments from the 2nd Anaxsi Brigade. I was there; I can now tell ya the whole truth, but we had been engaged under Jonas's direct orders, so we could execute 'em quietly. We conducted war crimes on behalf of our commander. But then he decided to ban us. In a nutshell, he was scared about his son takin' his throne cuz of his skills. We flew to the Northern Frontier, where we gathered with our remnants. Two decades later, we here; askin' fo' ya help, Baron.»

A fresh wave of guilt struck the Baron.

He had not been at Exegol, his entire legion deployed on the Alliance frontier to shore up the line amidst rising tensions in the area. If he had been there, if his Reborn could have played a part, would things have gone differently?

What the Baron was going to say next pained him. He could not lie his way out of it, for he had never been a liar and it would be of little benefit in the long run. He would have to openly admit to it, openly admit to his failure to be there where he was needed most. As Lamaty had told him time and time again, only once he recognized a wound existed could he give it the treatment it needed. To deny its existence would only drain away at him, slowly but surely.

“I was not at Exegol.” admitted the Baron somberly. “The Reborn-we were deployed elsewhere. The moment I heard about what happened, I begged High Command to redeploy us to Exegol. But it was too late."

“I cannot pretend to empathize with your plight, to understand the suffering and betrayal you faced as if it were my own. What I can offer you is my honest sympathy and whatever meager support I can provide. You deserved better. We all deserved better."

«What is needed is troops,» Sarrus completed. «Actually, we've got enough ships an' crewmen so we can have a fleet for a new Imperial State in the heart of the former Imperial Space. But we need your soldiers; an' your support so we can be credible in front of our old allies. I mean, Director Voikryt is interested as well; why not you?» she finally asked with a thin smile.

“I thought Lyra died on Borosk…” muttered the Baron under his breath.

Ever since the Imperial collapse, he had always assumed that he had been part of a dying breed, the last of the old leaders. But if Lyra was still alive, that raised the possibility of more Imperial elites thought dead simply biding their time in the shadows. Given time, perhaps they could even reassemble into a military alliance between their scattered holdings.

“Very well.” replied the Baron, turning to address both of his guests. “The Seveners have my support. And they shall have as many veterans as I can convince Calkon to part ways with. I just have one condition."

“When you meet with your allies, when you meet with Lyra and the survivors of the Barran clan and all the others who remain, I want you to make a proposal before them. A proposal, you may add, with the full backing of the Baron of Borosk and the support of all the forces under his command."

“I would like you to propose the creation of an Imperial military protectorate."

Damien Vourc'h ​