A Meeting of Peoples

[Abelain Narv'uk]

One could get lost in the gentle whirring noise that echoed throughout the hallways around the engineering stations of the vessel. It continued without pause, a constant shift of machinery rebounding against its casing as it provided thrust for those aboard. Occasionally, there were minor changes in volume, a shift in power from one engine to another, a break in the monotonous ringing as the warship turned to and fro to avoid some cosmic danger, but for the most part, everything remained consistent.

How long had it been since the Paladin had tasted the airless void of space? How long since it had become acquainted once more with its starry companions? How long since its hull had grown frozen and chilled with the vacuum, since it had been surrounded entirely by such a complete absence. How long had its guns grown silent and cold, unable to locate an enemy to annihilate, or for its engines to have rested silently without provocation nor motivation.

The answer was blaring: Too long.

It had taken effort to man the ship after its long reprieve from the struggles of the galaxy, especially after many of those aboard had started new lives, away from the murderous and violent adventures they had once partaken in on a regular basis. Abelain couldn't blame for their refusal to join him on another gallivant throughout the stars. It was far too easy to see soldiers as simple extensions of one's will, as nothing more than manifest will made flesh. They had lives to live now, families to raise, spouses to adore, homes to build, crops to harvest. They had traded struggle for peace, adventure for quiet, solitude behind the faceless masks of an empire for community among others who cared for them.

The Arue'tii still recalled the events that had led up to their situation. He could still think back to when the One Sith had been a mighty powerhouse, a covetous and wicked neighbor who had scrounged through the finer portions of the galaxy and taken whatever they desired for themselves. At the time, the explorer had served under them, had learned their ways, and been granted some measure of armament from their stores so that he might achieve their will. He had been as loyal to them as he could muster, but, at the end, when their towers crumbled to dust, and their fleets became debris, and their priestly misers were tossed from their pulpits, the foreigner had abandoned them and returned with those loyal to him to his home.

Soldiers who had spent their entire lives training to serve under an empire suddenly find themselves without direction. Some turned to the other factions of the universe, deciding that they would simply serve under other flags, that they would bend the knee to new tyrants, dictators, and democracies. The supersoldiers aboard the Paladin who had fought so fiercely for an organization they had lost faith in suddenly found themselves without purpose, and so they had followed eagerly to see what lay in store for them.

The rulers of Ghul, the council who managed all of that swampy world had at first been somewhat reluctant to allow entry to so many outsiders. Their paranoia was not without reason; the last time that foreigners had been accepted to join them on their world in such great numbers, they had suffered greatly at the hands of the Gulag Plague, and their numbers had been greatly reduced by that disaster. War had swept the land, and for all the power of a single Arue'tii when compared with the other races of the galaxy, it did not seem likely that they would be capable of surviving another negative incident.

Yet, they had reluctantly accepted at the behest of Abelain who pulled many favors with others within the Order of Hazarin, and who began to teach them the many facets of the Force that he had learned on his adventures. Soon, the Order had begun to initiate those descendants of Sarith into training similar to what had been seen in the One Sith, albeit without the unnecessary death that typically accompanied such meetings. The societies of Ghul had developed rapidly, and a city had been erected to house the nearly six thousand crewmen who had chosen to join him. Soon afterwards, a pair of corvettes had joined the civilization, having scouted the ordeal from afar.

Technology and knowledge was traded between the two peoples. The Arue'tii and the indigenous peoples of Ghul providing knowledge of how to survive their new home, and offering assistance in gathering materials and constructing settlements for the newcomers, and the Ghullen: The name attributed to those crew who lived upon the world had granted electronics and fantastic devices to their more primitive allies, teaching them how to operate machines on a galactic standard.

All was well, but, even though times were peaceful, the council of Ghul still looked to the stars, casting out more and more explorers to investigate the growing tension of the galaxy. The encroaching borders of the Iron Empire caused great distrust and suspicion among the people, and it was determined that arrangements needed to be put into place to facilitate an evacuation of the world should it be necessary so that they might survive elsewhere in exile for a time.

A messenger had been dispatched to a foreign power, a human soldier dressed in the garb of the One Sith.

That was why they were here now, Abelain concluded as he marched down the corridors of the warship, nodding to those crewmen who had decided to rejoin their commanding officer for the sake of their new world. They had donned their armor of old, decorated with the insignia of a fallen civilization, and their had taken up arms which had laid dormant for nearly a year. Accompanying the crew was a detachment of nearly two dozen members of the Order of Hazarin who were under strict orders to observe and obtain as much knowledge as possible, and a further dozen of the planet's militant force had joined them, wielding weapons of strange make and model, all for the sake of protecting the most important individual aboard: A member of the Council.

There was a gentle jolt of kinetic force as the ship rocked itself back into real space, its speed slowly substantially as the Vanguard-Class ship came to a halt just off of the planet's orbit. The crackle and buzz of static broke the silence as a channel was opened with the surrounding defensive fleets.

"Good evening. I believe we have an appointment."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Given the tension elsewhere in the Galaxy, and the hint of an imminent attack by the Mandalorians, the sudden arrival of the warship did come at a surprise to the Orbital Traffic Control. Yes they were aware that a VIP was set to arrive soon, but what type of vessel that the VIP would be arriving in was unknown to them. A quick scan of the Vanguard-Class warship indicated that the weapons were offline and shields were at normal capacity. That in itself was a good sign. Still, the officers working on board the orbital station were a bit on edge. At least one pair of eyes was monitoring the viewports at all times, looking for anything coming out of hyperspace that could be cloaked from their sensors.

~Evening, sir. This is the Orbital Traffic Control. You are expected. Co-ordinates will be sent for you to land your shuttle. Keep in mind that there is a weapon's check at the entrance to the Palace. So it'd be advisable if your weapons are left behind. Standard procedures. Have a good evening. OTC out.~

As promised, the co-ordinates for the Palace's landing pad was sent once the transmission had ended.

Kay on the otherhand, had just arrived back to the Palace herself. Not long ago she had given birth to twins and was supposed to spend her days with them in their private Estate in a secret location. But when word was sent to her about [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] requesting a meeting, she figured that she was the better choice at handling it personally. Her instincts told her as much.

Sapir tea was brewing in her office, with her special Monarch Tea Cups ready in waiting. Although they were decorative, the cups had a special property to give her a head's up if the Force was being used without her knowledge. Kay was Force Sensitive herself, but as always when around strangers, she kept her own Force signature down to the size of a small tree nut. It was the ace up her sleeve. Afterall, politics and Force Users didn't quite go hand in hand. There was always a trust issue.

Kay stood just outside of the landing pad, wearing a long, thick coat to keep the night chill at bay. A handful of uniformed guards flanked her position, providing a secure but not imposing presence. It was customary for her to greet her guests outside when she could. Her eyes were drawn upwards as she heard a vessel approach from above.

Hopefully it'll be a very productive meeting.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

There were several long moments when it seemed quite possible that they might be turned away from the planet by the local defensive fleets. Alternatively, the fleets might have perceived the sudden; albeit announced, arrival of a warship to be a threat to their sovereignty, and they could outright decide to annihilate it. The Arue'tii did not fool himself with the thought that they would be able to take on the orbital defenses of an entire planet with only a single ship, especially only a heavy cruiser such as the Paladin, and so he waited, hand raised high over the button which would signal an evacuation of the vessel.

Thankfully, it seemed as though the Orbital Traffic Control had been made aware of their impending presence, and had been instructed to fulfill his duty without cause for alarm. Abelain listened carefully to the instructions, nodding to the navigation officers as they began to bring the ship into a closer orbit over the world. There was a brief mention from the traffic controller that there would be a weapons check, and that it was advisable not to bring any weapons upon their diplomatic mission. He acknowledged that it would be better for facilitating peaceful discussion if they abandoned any arms they possessed, but he was also quite aware that the Councilor would likely want to ensure that he had at least some security during his travel.

The Arue'tii turned upon a heel, his crimson cloak; the only piece of clothing he ever truly wore, swaying around his chitinous form, the edges gently scraping against the ground for a fraction of a second before arising. He looked upon the form of the Councilor, the man possessing a similar form to his own, albeit one covered in far more scars and marks than his own. The Councilor wore long black hair which stretched down to the middle of his back, his chitinous armor marred with assorted gashes and indentations where he had been wounded in the past. His elbow blades had been sharpened recently in order to appear pristine, and Abelain briefly questioned whether or not the elder had it in him to fight should some problem arise.

"They wish for us to land without weapons, Councilor Atarr." He spoke respectively in Arutiise, gesturing towards the view port at the planet below.

Atarr responded with a loud scoff, and a quick shake of his head, a minor betrayal of nervousness indicated by the anxious energy with which he moved. "And surrender ourselves into their hands? Ridiculous."

Abelain nodded rapidly at the command, but quickly retorted, "We are but a single ship, and they a fleet. If they desired our deaths, it would be done. Perhaps we may make compromise with them."

"What would you suggest, Explorer."

The Arue'tii winced gently at the expression of his rank, a subtle reminder that he was not in control of the situation, even though he was the more experienced of the pair in galactic politics, and even if he were the commander of the Paladin. There had been a short period after he had returned when he had earnestly considered rallying together the exiled servants of Vandel along with his own loyalists, and overthrowing the government of the Council, but he knew that such civil war would spell disaster for his people, and so he bid his time.

"Let us leave the majority of our force, and their weapons here, and take only some of those who are trained in fighting without arms."

Atarr shuddered his eyes briefly at that thought, opening them after a few moments of consideration and gazing out at the alien planet before them, his pupils quickly shifting between the assorted ships he could see flying in the space between.

"Very well." Abelain nodded agreeably, and spun upon his heel to deliver the order, but he was stopped by the Councilor. "You wish to bring along a pair of your acolytes, do you not?"

"I have taught them many things, but that does not make them my acolytes, Councilor. Regardless, they are talented in both combat and in the ways of the Fo-"

"No. The descendants of Sarith make up a minuscule part of our population. Let us not give them undue honor for their bloodline."

The Arue'tii grunted softly, but bowed his head and abandoned the room. It took him only a few minutes to locate a pair of Arue'tii who had been trained properly enough to warrant accompaniment, and only a couple more to bring the Councilor over to the shuttle which had been designated to take them down to the planet. It felt strange for the hangar not to be bustling busily with activity, with pilots fawning over their ships as technicians dutifully ensured that they were up to specification. The hangar was certainly not lacking in fighters, bombers, nor even gunships, but there were far fewer skilled aces among the crew of the Vanguard than their had once been, an issue that would need to be addressed at some point in the future.

It was only a short ride down to the surface of the planet, the slight rocking and swaying of the shuttle craft as it broke atmosphere reminding the Arue'tii fondly of the many battles that he had partaken in throughout his time as a knight of the One Sith. The cabin shifted a final time as they made landfall, and the metallic hiss of the hydraulics in the door accompanied it as it began to unwind from its resting place, revealing the pristine grounds to those within.

A pair of One Sith soldiers, large, muscular, and bulky; supersoldiers created by a serum long since last to the ages, stepped to the sides of the cabin, allowing the delegation of four Arue'tii to exit the craft before reforming at the apex of the shuttle, standing guard to ensure that no one would even consider entering the craft. Abelain briefly recalled one such soldier tearing a man in half, and another quite literally decapitating someone with their hands, and he sincerely wished a speedy demise on any who decided to agitate the men to violence.

Of the delegation, only he wore the crimson cloak, marking him as an Explorer of the Order of Hazarin. The Councilor wore a fanciful diadem engraved with shining jewels and diamonds which marked his station. The two guards accompanying them wore only whatever personal accouterments they deemed reasonable; one a gem ring, the other a pair of vambraces carved directly from the thigh bones of some monumental beast.

The delegation came to a stop several feet away from the Queen, recognizing her immediately for who they would be meeting. It was not a matter of having seen her before; none of the delegation had browsed through the images of the Queen, but rather, they could scent her blood flowing through her veins, could nearly taste the iron delicacy of healthy and pampered crimson. People seldom acknowledged, or even realized it, but the quality of items they put into their bodies affected the quality of their natural systems as well.

The Councilor spoke, his voice pleasant, but clearly reserved. Abelain strode at his side, pressed his arm across his chest in a sign of respect to the Queen, and promptly translated.

"Councilor Atarr greets you, and thanks you for agreeing to meet with us on such short notice." He paused briefly, before continuing, "I trust my messenger is safe?"


[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay's eyes followed the shuttle as it made it's way down, landing perfectly centered on the landing pad and with such gentle ease, it was as though the craft had very little weight to it. The sign of a pilot that knew the temperment of the craft very well. Moments later the ramp was lowered. Kay's eyes widened ever so slightly to the sight of the two One Sith guards that stepped forth. She had seen them in person only once while on Atrisia. There were many Sith there among the politicians, yet she had safe passage to try to convince the government to side with the Galactic Republic, instead of the One Sith. Unfortunately she failed in that mission. But still, the respect that she had earned had given her a proper place as an honoured guest by it's King. And she would have it again once he reclaimed his throne.

Four others stepped down the ramp. And these were the delegation that Kay was sure had come to meet with her. No weapons were visable, but that didn't mean that they weren't dangerous. Still, both herself and her officers carried no weapons either. They were meant to be a shield.

She studied their attire, each of them different, yet the same. That gave her a bit of an insight into their character. Although sometimes first impressions were wrong. Kay wasn't about to judge them just yet. They were strangers and their exact reasons for this visit were for the moment unknown to her. Yet that would change in time.

The Councellor spoke first, using a language that she was unfamiliar with. Kay never broke eye contact while he spoke, keeping a small smile on her face. Only when [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] spoke did she break that eye contact to return the bow and hear the translation.

Her smile broadened as she spoke up in turn. "Welcome to Commenor, Councellor Attar. I can assure you that your people are safe here. You all are my guests and I am very honoured to welcome you into my home. So please, let us go inside." Kay did a quarter turn and gestered for the Councellor and his translator to accompany her. A pair of her guards walked out in front while the other pair remained behind to follow in behind them. Now was the time for small talk. "I trust that your journey here was well? And do either of you like tea? I have some Sapir tea brewing in my office. Of course if you'd like something stronger, then I do have some Commenori brandy as well."

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

It had been quite some time since Abelain had been able to carefully consider any feats of brilliant architecture. That wasn’t to say that his own home didn’t possess anything of structural interest, but rather, the comparison between what his people were currently able to fabricate, and the buildings and palaces so beauteously defined by a subservient and adoring population were far different in quality. The Arue’tii gazed curiously at the assorted flora scattered throughout the area, observing as the local winds gently buffeted against the plants, moving them to and fro with a sway reminiscent of some archaic dance, one known only by nature and its constituents.

His fellows attempted to keep their eyes at least mostly attached to the Queen and her guards, but the Explorer caught the subtle glances at the local area, the slight twitches of fingers nervously as they gazed up at the palace. Even the ground itself was something unfamiliar to those who had never ventured from beyond their home world. If he had been allowed to bring the pair of Explorers he had in mind for the protection of the delegation, they would not have had to deal with the shock currently captivating the pair of guards.

He listened intently to the words of the Queen, attempting to discern any glimpse of treachery that might paint her words, though she gave him no reason to suspect her. For all intents and purposes, she was regarded as a fairly good monarch, and he doubted sincerely that a good monarch would sentence someone to execution for the crime of organizing a meeting between two sovereign peoples. He paused for only a few instances after she had spoken to determine the best way to translate her words, and promptly delivered the message to the Councilor, exempting the part about the soldier being alright. In truth, he had slipped that interrogative past his superior who lacked proper understanding of the native language. It was important to him that his soldier be treated well, and any suffering inflicted against him would be taken as a personal slight to the Explorer.

They were invited inside, and the Arue’tii quickly translated the invitation, along with the pleasantries indicated by the Queen. It seemed rather blatant to him that she was not truly honored by their presence; after all, it seemed quite likely that she was entirely unsure of whom the delegation had been sent to represent. Even barring the highly probable ignorance, Ghul was a minor planet located on the fringes of the galaxy. It was neither an economic nor military power, and it certainly had nothing of extreme value to add to any group other than a basic staging point for future operations. The cost of setting up infrastructure alone to guarantee smooth operations, however, would likely be so tremendous that Abelain couldn’t fathom any factions other than those totalitarian or humanitarian states ever being inclined to waste resources on the swampy world.

The delegation followed dutifully behind the Queen, maintaining a few feet of distance from her so as not to cause undue tension between themselves and the local guards. The Arue’tii towered over their humanoid counterparts, and Abelain observed one of the delegation guards staring downwards with curiosity at the smaller and more compact being at his side, as though he were still astonished that people could be so densely packed and yet still possess all the materiel necessary to facilitate life.

“Our journey went well.” He translated as the Councilor began to speak in their native tongue, gesticulating close to his hip as though he were intentionally restraining his movements so as not to provoke the guards.

“She offers you tea, Councilor.” He spoke in Arutiise, keeping his voice low despite the fact that none of those around other than their own people could likely understand anything they spoke in their alien tongue.

“Tea? What form of substance is that?”

“It is a drink. Many persons drink it at meals, or to excite themselves for a day’s work. It is an herbal drink, not harmful.”

The Councilor nodded his acceptance of this, and the Arue’tii relocated his attention back to the Queen.
“Most kind of you. We will take two cups, Majesty.”

 

[Kay-Larr]

The Royal Palace had many styles of Commenori architecture for them to admire. Kay was rather fond of it herself. On every planet that she visited, she had often gazed at the scope of their structures. They tended to give her a hint of what the society was like, whether they were well looked after, or tended to cut corners.

As they walked, she caught their glances, as well as their subltle movements. They were being extra cautious, yet it was hard for her to tell if they were doing it for their own sakes or for hers. Regardless, she felt like a child compared to them and it had nothing to do with age, but moreso to do with their difference in height. Kay felt the same way when she was among her Herglic friend [member="Ghorua the Shark"] . It made her glad that most of the ceilings in the Palace were very high, and the doorways. There wasn't much ducking required.

Kay made sure that she appeared relaxed as they walked through the hallways, giving those that passed them by a small bow of her head. Their destination was her office. Hopefully such a room didn't seem too personal, but she preferred the openness to it, as opposed to one of the meeting rooms. As soon as the double doors were opened, the smell of freshly brewed Sapir tea touched their noses. Kay stopped for a moment, just shy of the inside of the room. "Please take a seat, or stand if you wish. Whatever is more comfortable." The two guards that were in front stood sentry on either side of the door, while the other two took their positions out in the hallway.

Meanwhile there was tea to be had. To the side table Kay retreated to, pouring three servings in the amber coloured cups. Taking two of them, she approached [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] and the Councilor wherever they stood or sat and offered it to them. "Here you are.They are already steeped, so you needn't have to wait to drink it." She then walked back to the side table and took her own cup before taking a seat on one of the big comfy chairs, her eyes fully on her guests. "What brings you to Commenor?" She didn't feel as though they came to merely do some sight seeing. They had scheduled a meeting. She had a feeling that it could be for economic purposes, but she could be wrong.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

The Arue’tii took brief notice of the way that the Queen would occasionally glance back to gaze at her guests, and he began to wonder just how much she actually knew about them. Could she see through their polite guises, their subtle movements, and tell that each of them had been born to be vicious and dreadful combatants. Did she know that her guards were of no use should they decide to assail her, and that the only reason for their caution was so as not to provoke hostilities lest they be forced to annihilate everyone in the structure? True, such an act would sound a death knell for his people, but would not the removal of the monarch spell their own as well? She seemed so calm, not at all reserved, nor frivolous with her feelings, and that made it all the more difficult to decide.

It was difficult to discern exactly how anyone ever felt about a matter, and whilst he had taken great efforts to better understand the psychology of the beings who inhabited the greater galaxy, he had yet to accurately determine how anyone felt at any specific moment without extreme and obvious reactions, and those could rather blatantly be faked, or else possess ulterior meanings. A smile could be happy, or it could be sadistic, a frown frustration, or sadness, or else mild disappointment.

They were led into a room which had quite clearly been designed to be a workspace or an office, though he couldn’t imagine that much work was actually done within by the Queen. After all, figureheads seldom needed to deal with the bureaucratic elements of their assorted civilizations; there were persons who could be hired to manage and oversee such matters for them, and then provide reports on the effectiveness of differing policies enacted by the supreme rulers.

The Arue’tii gestured towards the pair of guards who had accompanied them, and directed them to remain outside with a flicker of two digits, receiving a nod and a shift of position to the other end of the hallway so that they could gaze towards the door at all times, almost certainly ignoring the smaller soldiers. They had the advantage of being able to scent the blood of all beings within the room at all times, and there was little doubt that they would be able to identify if the blood of any of the delegation or the Queen was spilled from her form. Whereas the humanoid species relied more heavily upon their technological advancements, the Arue’tii relied upon their natural abilities and instincts to ensure survival.

The pair of delegates took seats opposite of the Queen, accepting the warm liquid from her hands. He raised a brief index finger towards the Councilor, hovering his hand over the cup, and allowing the Force to flow through him in a way that he hadn’t allowed in quite some time. The energy flowed from his core, arching through his nervous system until it left through the outstretched digit, swirling the liquid of the drink and annihilating any poisons left within it with a simple thought.

He took no such precautions for himself, raising the drink to his mouth, and taking a quick sip from it. He could eliminate any poisons whilst they were present in his system, but he was uncertain of whether he would have been able to do the same while a contaminant was within the form of the Councilor. He seemed rather intrigued by the drink, looking into it for several seconds before glancing up for confirmation from Abelain who gave an encouraging nod.

He translated the words of the Queen to him as he drank deeply of the tea, apparently finding the taste to be delightful. The Councilor replied in short bursts of conversation in between sips of the drink, before finally gulping down the last of it and placing it on the corner of the nearest table.

“We thank you for your hospitality. Allow us to identify ourselves first before we move to business. We are the Arue’tii of Ghul.” The Councilor nodded towards Abelain in signal, and the Arue’tii promptly telekinetically grasped hold of a nearby galactic map, yanking it towards himself and catching it easily within his hand. He rapt a finger against the sector of space where their world could be located, and then returned the map to its original place, all without having moved an inch from his seat. “We have taken notice of the recent incursions of the Iron Empire into space near our home, and fea- are anxious of the possibility that they may attempt to force sovereignty over us as they have with other worlds on the basis that we are a ‘savage’ people.”

The Councilor gestured upwards towards the ceiling, his eyes never leaving the Queen as he continued to speak in an aggravated tone. “’Savage’, and yet we have flown through the stars as all others.” He calmed and continued in a more formal voice. “We have not come to stir tension, however. We simply wish to be prepared. To that end, the Council of Ghul have decided that it is best to open up our first attempts at trade beyond our world. We are aware that Commenor lays upon the trade winds of the heavens…” Abelain paused, considering the awkward phrasing for a moment before clarifying, “That is, it has several trade routes running through it, which make it a prime partner for economic ventures.”

“We will admit that we have little to give in the way of machinery or advanced goods, but our world is possessed of raw material, and of fantastic beasts should either be desirable to you.”

 

[Kay-Larr]

The moment that [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] began to summon the Force and use it to erradicate poisons that weren't present at all, the blue Tartarine crystals decorating parts of the tea cups began to glow with a soft light. It was subtle, unless someone was looking for it. Much like she was.

Of course there was never any poisons. Kay wasn't the sort to use such horrible tactics. She wanted to be trusted and respected. She couldn't exactly gain that if she was killing off her guests. The worst that could happen would be if either if them had burnt their tongue, or perhaps if one of them was allergic to Sapir. But even then, the effect shouldn't be enough to kill. Hopefully that would never happen. She'd feel just awful about it if it did.

The Councilor introduced themselves, but not in the way that others have. Instead of giving names, they only labelled their species and homeworld, both of which she hadn't heard of. Yet with such a vast Galaxy, it was easy to not have heard of every single one of them. She didn't have a memory like a droid, afterall. She was only human.

The map flew through the air towards Abelain's hand, giving Kay a bit of a shock that she did her best to hide, but the sudden movement had caught her by surprise. Once again the Tartarine crystals gave off that faint glow.

Kay sipped her tea as she looked to the spot that was indicated, nodding her head a little as she had visited the nearby system before. Her brows furrowed as he spoke of their species being regarded as savage, merely because it was different. The very idea that the Iron Empire might try to take over a world based on those reasons felt very untrue to her. But she couldn't be certain. It was her hope that the Iron Empire didn't operate in that way.

"I know of the Iron Empire. We are allied with them in the respect that neither chooses to act with aggression towards the other. If there comes a time when they seek to try to add Ghul to their territory, please let me know and perhaps I can help to ensure a good outcome for you." Her eyes went from one to the other while she spoke. Kay wasn't a fan of war and conflict, not unless it was a last resort. She preferred looking for a compromise and in most cases one could be found. "A trade agreement between Commenor and Ghul would be ideal. However I wouldn't want to take any of your beasts away from their home. Perhaps some of your fruits or vegetables would be suffice, as well as a cultural exchange. There is nothing that we know of your people, and I'm sure that the same could be said about you when it comes to ours. We have universities here, even a Praxeum for Force studies. I'm sure that there's much that we could learn from eachother. We also have many goods to offer." She got up from her chair and set her cup down on the coffee table, before heading off to the side of her office. A few chests lay there, mid sized wooden boxes that weren't too heavy. She carried one over to them and placed it on the coffee table, opening it up. Inside of it was various colours of rich fabrics, as well as a pouch of unpolished and uncut chrysopaz gemstones. At the bottom lay a couple of bottles of Commenori brandy. "A gift for you to take home with you. Should you want it, of course."

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

In truth, Abelain had never expected for there to be any sort of poison or otherwise malignant substance hidden within the tea. It stood to reason given the benevolent reputation of the Queen that she would not resort to such underhanded methods, and beyond that it would have been a ridiculous notion given that their two peoples were neither enemies nor rivals nor particularly well-known to one another. Nevertheless, it was safer to be cautious in such matters, or at least to give the impression of overt caution, especially in the company of the Councilor. He hoped that such protective gestures would curry favor with Atarr should he ever require a majority vote on a future prospect to accomplish some unseen goal.

The Arue’tii had not initially noticed the faint glow of the tea cups when he had first cleansed the drink, but after his telekinetic trick with the map, the gentlest echoes of light drew his attention, and he observed it until it had faded away into obscurity. Curious, he allowed a faint and nearly imperceptible spark of electricity to play on his hand, keeping the appendage below his form on the pretense of ‘relaxing into the chair’, and took note that the cup would begin to shimmer once more with a blueish glow not altogether different from the tint of his flesh.

They had spoken on the subject of the Iron Empire, because it was an encroaching galactic power, and because whilst he had quickly retracted his statement of fear, perhaps it was the most realistic word for the fervent emotion that had swept over the world at the mention of the militant force. Little was truly known on the subject of the Empire, but even its name seemed to resonate with the strength common of tyrannies, and the Ghullen had brought many stories of empires old and new who might present potential issue. The fact that the Iron Empire seemed to have been made up of a remnant of the old One Sith was no comfort to Abelain; he had seen the atrocities that those people had been willing to commit for the sake of changing territorial boundaries, and he was certainly unwilling to fight with any organization that might exhibit similar behavior. In the end, the attitude of the Iron Empire was speculated to be cruel and totalitarian, because it had been made up from parts that were cruel and totalitarian.

He continued in his duties as translator, speaking for the Councilor, shifting the words of his native language into the alien tongue that was used by the majority of the galaxy.

“We thank you for your offer of assistance should such dark times come… we are not a people to be subjugated.” That line was spoken with a sort of vicious resolve, a sentiment that he shared. It was the common impression of the Arue’tii that they had been chosen to help in reuniting the galaxy into a singular form as it had been before the Separation. The idea of lesser beings holding dominion over them was anathema, and their tenants made them generally unafraid of the prospects of death… after all, glorious demise meant they would be reunited with the One Escalation.

There was a gentle chuckle of laughter shared by the pair of Arue’tii at the mention of removing beasts from their world. The monstrous creatures that inhabited Ghul were certainly not friends of the civilized peoples, and the idea of holding sympathy towards them seemed strange. Nevertheless, they could certainly understand wanting to keep the abominations away from their homes… they would too if it were at all possible to resist them completely.

“As you wish. We shall bring samples of each of the plants that we are capable of harvesting in greater number, and a few others for the sake of scientific examination.” There was a brief pause of conversation on the part of the Arue’tii as the subject of a cultural exchange was raised.

“She raises a fascinating prospect.”
“She does, and we would have nothing to lose from taking her offer. There are no secrets hidden upon Ghul. More than that though, it would be good to have their people on our world.”
“You would be so open to outsiders, Councilor?”
“I am always open for shielding our people. If the Iron Empire and the Commenorians are allied, and we have citizens of Commenor upon our world, then they will be unable to use any vastly destructive capabilities without risking aggravation of that sovereign government.”
“A fascinating prospect. The only thing that it would cost us would be a few Explorers of the Order.”
“For once, I agree with you. Whomever we send must be experienced… which is why you’ll be going.”
“Councilor, I am far more useful at home.”
“You’ve taught all of you know to the other descendants of Sarith haven’t you?”
“I’ve taught them much, but there is still much to lea-“
“It is enough. You will go.”
“What of the Paladin?”

That elicited a pause. As much as the Council of Ghul would have desired to have the mighty warship completely under their control, they knew that it could not be theirs alone. There were simply not enough Arue’tii who understand the complexities of the systems within to properly run the warship, nor the numbers to operate it even if they could manage the technical aspect. That left only the Ghullen to operate the vessel, and those almost to a man owed allegiance more to their Sith Knight than to the ruling party of Ghul. They were subservient only so long as he bent the knee to the Council, and he only so long as his planet remained too weak to manage a coup.

“It will remain with you for the most part, but we will use it to transport trade goods when necessary.”

The entire situation was at least nominally frustrating to the Arue’tii, but he nodded along agreeably, handing out a generic statement of thanks at the offered gift. The Councilor gestured to the outside of the office, and promptly barked an order. Immediately one of the Arue’tii guards stepped forward, standing just outside of the boundary of the doorway. Abelain telekinetically took hold of the bone vambraces he wore, removing them from him and sliding them through the air until they lay upon the table of the Queen.

“A gift from us. This comes from a mighty beast. These are but two of its bones. We agree to your proposal for a cultural exchange, and are prepared to leave behind three of our Explorers; those tasked with learning of the galaxy in exchange for three of your own people. In addition, I shall be one of those who remain. In addition, so long as it does not interfere with the prospects of Ghul, the Paladin and I shall assist in your sovereign endeavors until the exchange has concluded. Are these terms reasonable to you?”

 

[Kay-Larr]

Subjugated. That was an interesting word to use. It was as though they had figured that the Iron Empire would dominate them into a life of slavery and servitude. As far as she was aware, that wasn't their way. But then again she could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time that she was. More than likely it wouldn't be the last either. But lessons can be learned from it at least.

Both the Councilor and @AbelainNarv'uk began speaking in their own tongue. It didn't sound as though they were bickering in any way. More so that they were discussing something. The impression that she was given was that they were contemplating her proposal. Their body language indicated that they seemed to be pleased with the idea.

Kay picked up her tea and took a sip, having already sat down after she presented them with the gift. She glanced down and noticed that the crystals weren't glowing. That was a good sign. There wasn't any manipulation being done between them. Perhaps the Force was only being used sparingly and for more.. practical purposes. Hopefully.

She sat up straighter once one of the guards came in and the vambraces were removed, floating in the air to the table in front of her. The crystals once again glowed softly, the light fading after the Force was no longer being used.

Kay looked up to her guests once basic was being used once again. She listened to the terms. Three will remain while three of her own will go. In some ways, this was a task for her Minister of Foreign Affairs, [member="Silfe Sosuri"] to be one tasked to go. But who knows how long that would be? Kay couldn't risk it. This would be a trip for others to take, a scholar, a soldier and a student. There was a language barrier however. Hopefully that was an easily resolved issue. Kay wondered what her husband [member="Veiere Arenais"] would think. He'd probably be curious, maybe even intrigued. "Your terms are reasonable. However I must ask, are there others among your people that speak basic? If there isn't then perhaps we'll need to arrange for a droid to learn your language quickly to serve as a translator." Understanding others was a great way to avoid conflicts. Sometimes the deadliest of wars was caused by a mere misunderstanding, which was very unfortunate. Her own system had been threatened by war for as much. Yet so far that threat seemed to be just an act of posturing. Hopefully it would remain that way.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

Both the Councilor and Abelain had done well to keep their emotions concealed, at least, below the surface. True, their alien physiology likely lent itself well towards not accidentally forming any facial twitch or gesture that might reveal how they truly felt about matters. The Councilor would have appeared pleased if his expressions could be read, happy that the meeting had progressed so easily without any worry, and satisfied that his people would soon be receiving much needed trade because of his efforts.

His translator on the other hand felt terribly frustrated at the entire ordeal. He had decided to offer his ship as transport for the Council at their request, but now it seemed as though they were ordering him hither and thither without regard for his personal wishes. Admittedly, he could understand that the Council could not make every single person happy, but it seemed almost like a political move to strand him away from the home world. The most frightening part about the entire incident was that he recognized he would not be able to directly assist the Ghullen nor act as their representative with the native Arue’tii nor the ruling Council. The Ghullen were tough, battle-hardened, veterans, but his own race were natural predators, drinkers of blood, and all knew that slaying a man for their fix of crimson was far easier than hunting down and killing any of the beasts of Ghul.

The Arue’tii observed as the Queen straightened her posture, putting on a somewhat more regal pose at the entry of the guard and the subsequent removal of his vambraces. It was curious that she had taken such a motion, but he assumed that it had something to do with putting on appearances. After all, any leader, especially those ruling by monarchy, needed to display at least some semblance of elegance and regality lest their subjects find them to be too common or peon-like to warrant leading them.

Whereas the Queen would need to search for persons in job divisions; a soldier here, a scholar there, the people of Ghul need only select the three most prime candidates of the Order of Hazarin. The Order took the role of all three occupations, acting as both elite soldiers and lawbringers in times of distress, brave and valiant explorers of the unknown who learned all that they were able, and finally, teachers of such vital truths, having such prestige that they even influenced the decisions of the Council with their revelations about the outside world. They were few in number, but then, so was the entire species, and there is no doubt that despite their relatively small size they were easily the most prominent organization of the swamp world.

The Queen asked her question, and Abelain cast a brief glance over at the Councilor, a thought flickering to fruition for a moment before he turned and responded without consultation. “All those of the Order of Hazarin speak Basic. Beyond that, there are a great host of humans and others living upon our world now who are familiar with the language. I would not personally recommend bringing along anything as advanced as a droid unless you can fit it for swamp travel, the terrain is treacherous and liable to require nigh constant maintenance upon your equipment.” He glanced at his side, recognizing that the Councilor would be staring into him even before he had completed the turn of his head.

“I am a liaison now, am I not? It was a simple question.” He uttered in Arutiise, causing the Councilor to grimace, but eventually return his gaze to the Queen. He spoke, and Abelain dutifully translated.

“When would your people be ready to be moved?”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay could feel the slight tension between [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] and the Councilor. Maybe it was the way that they sat or how they looked at eachother, but it was there. Not quite thick enough to cut with a knife, but it was enough to be noticeable. Yet she did her best to pretend to not notice. Her eyes told the truth however.

Abelain spoke up about the lack of needing a droid or translater. Well that was good news. The mention of the swampy terrain was also noted. She had been to swamps before, but nothing that was too bad. So the people that'll go on this mission would have to be well prepared.

"I can have them ready in just a couple of hours if you are in a hurry to get back." She set down her tea and got up from the chair, heading over to her desk to fetch her datapad. On her way back she turned it on, retaking her seat while she typed out a quick message and sent it out.

"Is there anything that you'd like to see or do while you wait? Tour the grounds perhaps?" She shoved her datapad between herself and her chair. Eyeing the vambraces, Kay lifted one of them from the table and started to examine it. Of course it was much to large for her to wear on her own wrists. But the sentiment was nice.

 

[Abelain Narv'uk]

He had been a predator for far too long not to take notice of the subtlest changes, to not notice the shift of weight in a foot print, or the gentle change of an eye as it became acutely aware of something that it had avoided upon earlier analysis. The Arue'tii knew that the Queen had sensed the tension between himself and the Councilor, had managed to ascertain that there was some measure of conflict arising between the pair, and whilst he also recognized she would be unable to understand why, he sincerely doubted that she would be completely without a clue as to what their brief argument had been based.

The desire to display solidarity in the face of foreigners was perhaps the only reason that the pair had not gotten more argumentative in their conversation, and had managed to maintain at least a relatively polite discussion over the subject of his stay. It was an entirely frustrating development, but Abelain recognized that there would be a time and a place to display his frustrations, and it was certainly not directly in front of a sovereign ruler who had already agreed to begin trading with them. What would it say of their culture if their first contact with the royals of Commenor was tainted with strife?

He observed as she spun around and stepped to her desk, typing out a brief message, likely alerting her staff to the agreement she had made, and he raised a hand quickly at her offer to have the trio of explorers ready within two hours. He smiled as he spoke, his voice calm, "There's no need for such rush. Please, take your time. We will leave when you are ready."

The Arue'tii observed as the Councilor shifted position somewhat in his chair, and he briefly wondered whether he was fidgeting out of nervousness or anxiety, because so much of their future rode upon meetings such as this one, or whether he was simply uncomfortable. Either way, an opportunity presented itself for them to be excused, and for the Sith to brief those brave Ghullen who had accompanied him back on how they would be required upon the vessel for a far longer duration than they had originally imagined. He could only imagine the heartache that being told they were needed might cause in some who had already begun to long for their new home, but he supposed others among them would feel invigorated at finally being needed once more.

"We appreciate the offer greatly, Your Majesty, but I believe we must politely decline your offer. I would no doubt be intrigued at a future tour, as it seems I may be staying for a while yet, but the Councilor must be returned to the ship so that he may make contact with our fellows, and the crew of the Paladin must be informed as well. I trust that is acceptable to you?" He smiled once more, and, at her leave, would depart from the room.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay picked up her datapad after setting down the vambrace and typed in another message. It was good that [member="Abelain Narv'uk"] and his Councilor weren't in a huge rush. But still, she didn't want them to wait for too long either. More than likely some of them were eager to go home.

She got to her feet as her offer was declined. That was fine too. She wasn't offended by it. Her datapad was left on her chair as she chose to escort them to her office door. "Yes, that's just fine. We each have much to do. It's been a pleasure to have this opportunity to enrich both our people in many ways." It also lessens the risk that they'd become enemies. Knowledge and understanding are useful tools in preventing war. Whether or not others would care to do so with them was another story. Some people were too easily intimidated by the unknown. Kay was at fault for that too, but that was more so for the unknown in situations, rather than of people.

Her attention turned to Abelain before he departed. "Let me know when you are ready and I'll have you and the others shown to their quarters for those times when they'd want to be out of the ship." Cabin fever didn't treat everyone well, afterall.