An Empire Built on Slavery

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene stalked through the halls of a massive corporate building on Karazak, her heels clicking loudly as she lithely moved through the white marble decorated halls. Light shone down onto her and Evelynn, bright florescent that would blind anyone that looked directly into them.

A finely dressed slave scurried out in front of them, leading them to the nearest conference hall, where the leaders of the Karazak Slaver's Cooperative would be waiting.

There was a slight twinge of a smile on Nemene's face, an off setting grin that told of how pleased she was. This was her first foray into the galaxy since her return to proper term, since her rise back to the proper place she was due. Now that she was back in her place, it was time to carry out plans she had had before her...delay. She smiled slightly as the slave reached the double doors leading to the conference chamber. The man knocked once, then opened the doors.

Sweeping into the room the Queens of Rattatak clicked their heels slightly, stopping shortly before the massive wooden conference table. Around it was gathered a group of twelve men and women.

The Central Coordinating Committee, the leaders of the Karazak Slaver's Cooperative.

“Good Evening your Maje-”

The man who spoke first was cut off by the commanding voice of Nemene Talith. “Councilors, we come here today as long time members and participants within the Cooperative. We come here today, with a proposal.”

The room remained silent as Nemene spoke, dread appeared on several faces.

 

[Louise]

Misery followed her sister with a confidence in her step that wasn't truly hers, neck craned upwards and head pitched high Evelynn had the airs of a Queen, the regal sneer. Perhaps if a talented empath looked closely enough they would have seen the strings the held the blonde woman upright, that affected her every step, her every movement, even the way she drew in breathe.

You are a Queen, now act like it.

The clicking of the woman's heels echoed throughout the marble halls as the mute remained a few paces behind her sister Nemene.

Like a living doll she had been dressed by her sister, told what role she would be playing today and then sent off the live the lie. Of course, she pulled it off with perfection. Her body was truly no longer her own.

When her sister interrupted the the committee, Evelynn reinforced the point by folding those malnourished arms across that meagre chest. Like the lackey the woman did not speak, leaving Nemene to do all of the business, make all of the demands.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

Nemene watched the faces of the board members twist from confidence, to fear, then back to hollow confidence. They each tried to put on a strong face against the two Queens, but she could feel their fear in the force, could feel terror seize their hearts. A smile quirked across her face, and slowly she began to speak.

“As I said before. We are long time members of the Cooperative, for nearly a decade now we have purchased nearly 37% of your slaves annually.” It was true, Rattatak bought up a massive amount of slaves from the Cooperative and other sources, the Cauldron required numbers into the Hundreds of Thousands and over the years the demand had only increased. “We believe its time for us to have a greater hand in this business.”

She could see the fear grow as she spoke, faces growing pale.

“We will be buying into the Kazarak Slave Cooperative.” It was not a question, it was a statement of intent.

“Y-your Majesty. I assure you that is not needed. Our relationship has been more than profi-”

“Yes. Yes it has. Do not misunderstand me gentlemen, we intend to keep the business compliant with current means, but we wish to...expand our own horizons.” She could see some of the realize what was going on, it dawned on them what it all meant. She smiled at them kindly, her eyes darting from face to face. “You will be compensated, and I guarantee that business will not only continue, but expand.”

Doubt reigned on some of their faces, but Nemene simply smiled.

 

[Louise]

Evelynn's input was not necessary, her voice not needed, her task was simply to show face.

After all, people talk. If one sister was to be suspiciously absent from public affairs then whispers would spread. Rumours, rumours that would breed weakness for the vultures of the galaxy to prey on. If they knew that times were turbulent between the Sister Queens...

Well, what was there to stop some sly seducer to sneak in, try to manipulate the situation for their own gain. It wasn't acceptable, it wasn't smart.

So their strife was kept hidden behind closed doors.

Nemene made her demands, and Evelynn lurked behind her, catching the gazes of the board members that decided to look away from the brunette. The granite gaze striking ice into their hearts and heads. The creepiest lackey around.

 

[Lira Dajenn]

The board remained quiet, waiting for Nemene to continue her speech.

“Its quite simple. You will remain defacto leaders of the Cooperative, day to day operations will remain in your hands, but we become your partners.” She paused for a few moments, looking at Evelynn and then back to the people around the table. “Silent partners.”

The members of the board sat in place completely silent. They realized this had been coming from the start, but seemingly none of them really wanted to believe it. Indeed their faces seemed as though they could not get any whiter if they tried. To their credit however, none of them outright burst out with anger.

“A-and if we refuse?”

“Then you lose a third of your business, as well as your lives.” There was no mistaking what the Sister Queens intended. Nemene and Evelynn wanted into the slave trade, and they would get their way. Whether they did it by taking the Cooperative, or by slaughtering the organization and taking over another, it did not matter. They would have their way.

The Board members did not breath, but stared at one another.

 

[Louise]

The silence hung in the air for a few moments.

“No!”

Finally the silence was broken by one of the bolder members of the board, the man suddenly standing, almost knocking his chair backwards in the process. He looked to his fellow members of the board, trying to rally them, so that they could object to the sisters' demands as a unit.

“I refuse to be bullied by these harl-”

His words were cut off, naturally, as Evelynn finally did something other than standing around like a plank. The frail woman's hand had already shot out, fingers curling into a vicious fist and instantly crushing the objector's throat with such swift brutality that his head could scarcely keep connected. A jet stream of blood spurted across the room.

Now, are there any objections?

 

[Lira Dajenn]

There were none.

Nemene simply smiled as the man crippled and died on the table before the other board members. He lay there dead, and the other seemed to understand the warning. They shook slightly, terrified by the power of the two sisters before them. They knew what was about to happen, and they had no way to stop it.

“Now then.” She said the words with a smile, moving over to the head of the table and signaling Evelynn to follow her.

The two men who sat at the head of the table quickly evacuated their seat, rushing to get out of the way of the two Sister Queens. Nemene sat down, smoothly shifting one leg over the other and relaxing herself, she had won once again.

“What is the first order of business?” Her smile was almost too smug.