4th post
GRAND MEETING HALL, WARDEN QUARTER,
TOR VALUM, KESTRI (AUTUMN OF 877 ABY)
'Made you jump a little there, didn't I?'
With pistol briefly aimed at Erskine before it had trained towards Ignacious with an altogether more venomous intent, the Lord-Regent ended up in another wheezing fit of laughter, barely able to contain it enough to respond
,'You're a fething idiot, Brax! But fortunately for you, it just so happens you're the best sor-', cackling like a madman with the barrel of his Fragarach still digging into Karollic's temple at the time. However, instead of losing further control over the situation, Barran knew to wave it off as yet another poorly-timed (though perceived as all the more hilarious for it) joke between friends, and though they were set firmly on opposite sides of the Galaxy's political divide, the Lord-Regent knew that he could have conceded the proverbial floor to much worse in comparison.
'My fellow delegates… have any of you ever heard the story of the Fathier and the Nexu?'
A bit left-field, but I see where he's going with this. Better than the others at least.
We are, right now, caught in a situation where everybody wants to kill each other. We all have weapons, soldiers, starships, all those things for a grand ol' time of beating the snot out of each other. But why did we all come here today? Let us iron out the truth of the matter first. I wish to ensure the safety of my investments in both Enclave and Imperial space as a businessman… but I also believe that peace is good for both sides. Lord Barran will certainly agree with me there.'
With game face reobtained, Erskine slowly and showingly nodded his agreement, fighting back severe dizziness and the bloody vomit rising from his gut in the process, though still making a dominant effort of the process as his eyes stopped rolling and found their lucidity along with it. Retching though he was, Barran was fortunate that the heave itself was still dry, and though a couple extra gulps of air would do well in making sure things stayed that way, the old Woad knew he was teetering on the very precipice of looking quite foolhardy in sight of the others. However, even in the folly of his exertions, the Lord-Regent was quite aware of how tense the situation was becoming, though decades of desensitizing to such things and worse were no doubt a hindrance to Lord Erskine's ability to sooth said tensions outright.
However, the Steward of Imperium was an entirely different animal, he often worked well without any need to soothe irritations on one side or the other.
'But, mister Korvan and Vethres, what is it you came here for? A justification for war? A chance to stab your friends in the back? What we all should have come here for, is the opportunity to hammer out an agreement and acquire peace. Now, my dear delegates, what price are you all willing to pay for peace?'
Suddenly intrigued, Lord Erskine cut in, drawling
,'Good point, though Lord Ignacious also knows nothing of this.... Speaking of which though-', with eyes going ice-cold once more as his stare turned on the brave COMPNOR delegate, surely on the verge of buckling under the pressure by then. Still holding the Fragarach to Vethres' skull at the time, Barran would make full use of his subordinate's stress levels in consideration for the risks incurred, quiet enough that he was almost whispering,
'Well? What does Lord Karollic II have to say for himself? Who is behind the infiltration farce?', taking the safety off and chambering a plasma shot in his pistol in clear sight of the others.
'I can assure the Lord-Regent that COMPNOR held no knowledge of this scheme and will promptly move to investigate immediately. Although the list of suspects can be narrowed down to the only person who has enough high enough clearance to order such an operation beyond the Commissioners in the Director of the Imperial Security Bureau.'
The Lord-Regent's finger slowly abandoned trigger-discipline, clearly seen by the Commissioner as the index curled with calm, deliberate effect, as if his breathing and demeanour were set to adopt marksmanship behaviours for the task; but Karollic was strong-willed, brave enough to hold his ground, even in the face of what looked to be certain death. Although he doubtlessly knew of Barran's history, the pause certainly baited the right response to make in sight of one like the old Woad in particular, ever one to go against the grain in his own unorthodox outlooks on everything in life and war alike, and ever one to keep everyone else on their toes. But sticking true to form in a way that none could possibly have expected, Lord Erskine's demeanour went from icy cold to warm and receptive almost instantaneously, and with little more than a wink and a courteous removal of the pistol from the Commissioner's temple.
'Fine, but from now on - you're my new liaison to COMPNOR! Time to apply my leash on our clandestine elements once an' for all.... Welcome aboard, for now at leas-'
<"Director! There's an Imp Knight with her troopers coming at the door. The Mando Elites have engaged and the rest of us are standing by as well.">
'Oh, greeeeaaaat.... More fething complications, lucky me.'
Despite everything around him being less than lethal in the Lord-Regent's estimation, Erskine still couldn't doubt for a second that the walls of the ever-dreaded war-crimes tribunal were closing in faster, and with every passing day of bitter conflict in the Galaxy, those same Mandalorians he valued would draw towards clapping the shackles of justice on his wrists eventually. With every transgression, every execution, every battle on foreign soil and every other warcrime for which he was responsible in many differing levels of culpability, that eventual day drew ever closer.
'You might want to point those big irons at the door, Marshall Rook.'
But none would be daring to cuff the old man this time, not if the old man himself had any magic left to have a say in the matter.
“While I can understand why this looks... very compelling to you all... have you considered that perhaps this is a well orchestrated ploy to disrupt our attempts to meet together? Surely, my reputation would demonstrate that I would not be so daft as to organize a series of operations during a political summit!”
However, the magic would be needed in abundance this time if he had any hope of getting out, made all the more present when the Warmaster suddenly ordered
,'Barr the doors.', revealing the rather-daunting mountain that Barran needed to climb, especially if he wanted to escape with the entire Imperial delegation's assured freedoms safely intact. Saxon had no intention of making it easy for the Imperials, evidenced in the way he stood with a defiance of his own as he continued
,'No Imperial shall leave nor enter this hall while I draw breath.', playing his hand altogether too abruptly for the old Woad's liking. And yet, much to the further-entrenchment of Lord Erskine's chagrin, Romul was all too happy to continue making a scene in front of everyone in attendance, opting to increase tensions instead of lessening them.
'Your actions betray you. We show the Empire hospitality, and in return, you dare attack us over our own skies? And you, Barran. How do we not know this is some plot behind which you are its chief culprit? Do not think a show of outrage will spare you the consequences of this slight.'
<"Mandalorians of the Enclave, this is the Akaan'alor. All Imperial Forces are to be detained or killed if they resist. No entry to any facility is to be permitted, I repeat, no entry to any facility is to be permitted.">
Aye, now I'm absolutely sure of it.... He's glaikit - dumbed down to the bone.
The Enclave need t'get their act the-gither, man.
These peace talks were in severe danger, and with the Warmaster in play, this was set to spiral even farther towards unnecessary hostilities, and the custody of authorities who would not have thought twice about extraditing the Lord-Regent to Coruscant for tribunal. In other settings, Barran would have found it funny enough to wheeze and cackle as he had before, especially in the accusations thrown his way, but there were real risks of capture and firing-squad execution to consider by that point of the encounter. Though it wasn't just the old Woad who was picking up on the ever-increasing dangers, made clear in Vethres' sudden outburst of
,'If anyone wants to live, let us go.', put to rest with a brief, though no-less icy scowl from the one who had previously held a Fragarach to his temple.
'We carry ourselves with more bravery than that, Vethres. Sharpen up for all our sakes, will ya?'
'Have you lost your wits?', Kuryida suddenly spoke out, making her presence felt as a calm voice of reason in a sea of confusion, gaining a fair amount of respect from Barran in the moment he realised the barbed, rhetorical question was directed at Saxon in a strangely-agreeable twist of fate. Nothing was splitting her apart from her own, but speaking out in such a fashion was certainly needed by then, and as Runi continued
,'Have you mistaken Kestri for Siskeen? Those that come in peace should depart in peace.', Lord Erskine knew he was wise to let the young woman speak her mind.
'Interesting....'
And especially so if the Lord-Regent knew she was speaking with a sincerity of which the talks seemed to be lacking the entire time.
However, when Runi's attention turned to the nearest Death-Trooper to say
,'For every Mandalorian civilian you kill, ten of you,', it was clear to Erskine by then that there was more to the one who was previously speaking out in the spirit of amnesty, especially in the way she coldly concluded
,'The Mandokarla will cut down. Take your leadership to their ships, but I will not tolerate 'mistakes' in designating combatants.', but it had also given the old Woad an idea. Barran couldn't even pretend the idea would go over well with his subordinates, knowing they'd see it as insane at best, but he was the Steward of Imperium, and the anointed custodian would gift none any say on the matter - not even the Mandalorians locked in the standoff with them.
'First off - if any civilians are murdered, rest assured I'll have the culprits shot promptly. Collateral damage is not our doctrine.... Secondly - you might be onto something with the,"Leadership to their ships", comment.... Korvan can call off the Imperial fleet from his ISD, and Vethres can call off the infiltrations from his..... An' you know what? I'm just gonna stay right here until we come to a resolution.'
The old man's foot was down, and there were few living who could lay claim to such stalwart obstinance, as the very meaning of defiance had found perfection within the Empire's borders, and Barran was in no mood to hand such prestige off to lesser movements.
'Sound like a plan t'you, Brax?'
