Private An Empire of Trade | Lysander & Verity

[Lodd Grimmin]

Verity Stuyveris Lysander von Ascania

The Trade Federation of Planets held the title of the largest corporation in the galaxy in terms of commercial value, being tasked with the transportation of goods and resources from the Outer Rim to the Unknown Region via their vast Merchant Fleet, which consisted of lucrehulks and various smaller freighter classes.

Despite their efforts, they were in the process of recuperating from the financial setback caused by the Death Star Mark III over Atrisia, which was a result of an unexpected Galactic Coalition and the disintegration of the Galactic Empire within the Core.

The Directorate had deemed such a scenario impossible, as the might of Darth Solipsis was sufficiently powerful to confront even the most seasoned Dark Lords of the Sith. Nevertheless, the empire ultimately collapsed due to the endeavors of the Sith Covenant, a seemingly savage alliance of Sith and independent raiders intent on the total annihilation of their subjugated territories.

This looming threat compelled Lodd to accelerate the production of advanced technology to safeguard the Purse-Worlds from attacks and avert a repeat of the Tapani Sector incident.

Though that would never be enough to completely protect themselves against a Major Galactic Power, which was why an invitation had been sent to the Covenant's premier dignitary in the form of Lysander von Ascania and the High Republic Representative Verity Stuyveris . Both powers were nearby and both would need the large economic boost that the Purse-Worlds could provide.

He would meet them in a secure location in the form of his Summer Palace, a statue of the fallen Senator Monaray Dod looming overhead as a reminder that even Neimoidians were not safe from the destructive force wars happening around the galaxy.

Lodd was resting on a mechno-chair adorned with intricate designs, and perched on his other arm, was a magnificent Neimoidian pylat bird who preened its vibrant feathers but remained still, its sharp beak on alert for potential food. He had no access to the force or a great military behind him, but there was one thing for certain.

Lodd was still the Ruler of a Trade Empire.

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

As a member of the nobility of Druckenwell's elite, Verity Stuyveris was used to opulence and privilege.

But this? Druckenwell wasn't a patch on it. And that was probably for the best. The Nemoidian sensibility on interior decor was... maximalist, Verity decided, deploying the kind of diplomatic approach she was perhaps best known for. She straightened her blazer as she followed the guide through the Summer Palace, trying to look appreciably awed but not over-awed. Perhaps looking sensibly impressed would give her an in with the Federation's leadership.

She rather doubted it, but one could dream.

Verity was introduced to the Lodd Grimmin in the shadow of Senator Dod's statue. These Nemoidians really know how to do mourning, Verity thought wryly as she offered him a respectful and dignified nod. "Your Excellency," she said pleasantly. "Verity Stuyveris, Senator for Druckenwell. Allow me to preface this by saying that I am not authorized to bind the Republic to any form of agreement. But I am happy to have a frank and productive conversation with you about the many benefits of doing business with the High Republic."

Lodd Grimmin | Lysander von Ascania


​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Lodd Grimmin Verity Stuyveris​

Doors parted and Lysander stepped through; black suited him the way a shadow suits a blade, lines immaculate, broken only by the hint of a gold signet upon a finger, one that once belonged to his father. A long black coat lay over a high collared shirt, trousers tailored in the old Axillan style, boots polished. A datapad was set into the coat’s lining.

Opulence washed over the Sith in a single sweep of an emerald gaze. He had grown up in halls not unlike these, wealth so ancient their origins were lost to time. But now, he also understood the fragility of it all, having witnessed nearly all noble houses in the Tapani Sector crumble overnight. Entire bloodlines and legacies wiped away.

If anything were to hold his attention a second longer, it would have been the bird, perched like a living sigil. He wondered if this was a custom, or something more. Lysander believed himself to be a simpler young man, simpler than those around him might suspect. Perhaps that was why he arrived as the Covenant’s Point Emissary, somehow embodying their judgement in a purer and quieter form.

Languidly, arms at his side, he pressed forward with another step, only to let his elbows bend and palms rise in an honest show of intent. Amid a scarred galaxy full of never-ending conflict, such a promise might serve well to remove any suspicion, given that violence trailed their kind wherever they chose to traverse.

The woman’s voice reached him mid sentence. A performance in the very cadence he was once taught. She was good. But she was playing an old game he had outgrown.

His own words, as they began leaving parted lips, felt older still.

“Sovereign of Trade,” Lysander offered.

His head tilted just so toward the Neimoidian, but he would not slip into formal submission. Then his gaze moved to the other, where a small, natural smile lived in the space between breaths.

“Senator.”

He honored the space they shared.

“It is refreshing to hear clarity regarding authority. The Covenant prefers to know the limits of a conversation before we determine its value. Markets, much like power, thrive on certainty. Principles.. versus outcomes.”

 

[Lodd Grimmin]

Verity Stuyveris Lysander von Ascania

Lodd said nothing for the moment even as his hand pressed a button on the mechno-chair to actually face the pair standing before him. Senator Verity Stuyveris had a balanced character in both her way of speaking and manner of dress, carefully crafted to convey the High Republic's wishes during this small conference.

Emissary Lysander von Ascania on the other hand was a person who understood what he wanted and how to obtain it. His manner of speaking was without a doubt crude and unfocused when dealing with a member of the galaxy's elite who did not need fancy titles to convey power and authority. Being a Neimoidian was power, otherwise he would have not made it past adulthood in the hives or survived the Galactic Alliance as the Minister for the conglomerate.

He didn't expect either of them to understand, nor did he want them to for this was his playground and they were soon to be eating out of his hand. "Do not fear, Senator Stuyveris. The Trade Federation is well-aware of the finer points of diplomacy and can understand the Republic's gesture of goodwill by the mere fact that you have showed up at my invitation." If the Republic wasn't serious about securing the economic backing of the Purse-Worlds they wouldn't have bothered to show up here which indicated to him that they were making some major plays that required large funding.

"As for you Emissary Von Ascania, the Covenant is surely the most preeminent power in the galaxy due to destroying the Galactic Empire and Darth Solipsis's ilk. The Federation would not dare dictate terms to such a great power, nor expect unlimited favor from the Triumvirs that governed it. Though I hope you are convinced of our potential uses in terms of resources." His tone held no ill-will but it was clear that Lodd was a seasoned politician from the ground up, with every statement chosen carefully to display submission in one sentence and a hook in the other. He gestured for them both to sit at a nearby table overlooking the other hanging-cities of Cato Neimoidia.

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

The hair on the back of Verity's neck stood up moments before she heard the footsteps of another joining the meeting. She half-turned to see Lysander von Ascania approaching. Grimmin, you absolute snake. She might have been impressed in another reality, had he pulled the trick on someone else. She kept her face and emotions tightly controlled, smoothly stepping to the side -- not a retreat from the Sith, but a polite and diplomatic gesture that allowed the trio to form a natural triangulation.

Verity listened to von Ascania's remarks, face impassive, and she folded her arms around her midsection, emphasizing the razor-sharp tailoring of her suit. Her blue eyes didn't stray from Grimmin.

"I'm perfectly capable of making the High Republic's case without the Covenant's assistance, but the representative's candor is refreshing. For a Sith," Verity added with a subtle wryness in her voice. "Markets do thrive on certainty. Predictability. Stability. None of which the Covenant offers, or is even capable of offering. Apparently they were not satisfied with unspeakable barbarity in the Tapani Sector in which countless people -- that is no exaggeration, Your Excellency, I mean so many that they don't yet have a firm number -- were killed, to say nothing of the commercial and financial infrastructure damaged and destroyed. Was that sort of bloodthirst -- or carelessness, if you're feeling charitable... or naive -- a fluke? Was it heck as like. We're still getting counts from Coruscant, where the Federal District -- not exactly an area known to be insignificant to galactic trade and commerce -- was devastated by their invasion."

Verity shook her head subtly; her hair was so strictly pinned that the movement didn't dislodge a single lock. She unfolded her arms, settled them behind her back instead, posture reminiscent of an old-world naval officer. She took a step toward Grimmin, lowering her voice to give the impression of a kind of confidential honesty -- an affect, naturally, for von Ascania would still be able to hear her clearly. "Whatever they tell you today, Your Excellency, they will do it to you. If they think it will benefit them. If they think hurting the Trade Federation advances their interests. If they get bored. Probably even if this one," Verity said, cocking her head toward Lysander briefly for illustration, "has a rival who thinks they can bloody his nose by playing skeet shoot with your fleet and your employees, your cargo and your property. Do you imagine they will stop to think about shareholder value, or property rights, or restitution, or the laws of contracts? They haven't even stopped to think about the laws of nature."

Verity took a shallow breath and then exhaled softly. "I could speak until I'm blue in the face about humanitarian values and the morality of using your trade empire to do the bidding of savages. I won't do you the disservice of thinking you don't understand or care about those stakes merely because you excel in business. But that's just one angle to consider. Coming, as I do, from an industrial world and an industrial family, I can imagine the tradeoffs that would be necessary to overcome those concerns." Verity paused a moment, her face solemn. Truth be told, she didn't know whether Grimmin had a moment's thought for humanitarian values and morality, but a woman could hope. "But you won't get them. Not for long, if at all."

Lodd Grimmin | Lysander von Ascania​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Lodd Grimmin | Verity Stuyveris​

Stillness suited Lysander well; this was the closest thing he ever had to neutrality. Words would fall in their chosen order, with the Neimodian addressing the Senator first, and as expected, turning the performance toward him. Clarity came quickly as to why the bird held his attention moments ago, for this was possibly the only other creature in the room capable of reacting honestly.

A peculiar term resurfaced, drawn from recent hours spent in Jutrand's archives with Srina Talon .

“The faithless are always tolerated by none for long. I assure you the Core’s longevity will improve as they find their place elsewhere.”

Elsewhere meaning the Nether.. the abyss to which most were consigned in the aftermath of multiple cleansing campaigns.

Lysander paused at the chair for a second, as a rather lengthy indictment from the Senator began. The descent was slow. Hands folded loosely in a way that suggested he was contemplative, which in truth, he always was.

He disliked being used as a rhetorical weapon; years earlier, he might have leapt to defend himself or strike back with equal fervor. Had it only been the two of them, he would have welcomed the opportunity for a verbal spar, with the same fire that so often flooded him in battle.

The Dark had taken much, but Ukatisan etiquette remained. As he sat in this moment, there was only a coldness coursing through his veins, a numbness that silenced the tongue.

At least.. until she was done.

Years in the Mid Rim had shown him that Jedi and nobles shared more with Sith than they ever cared to admit.

“Everyone becomes a saint when the sins in question are not their own.”

A glance returned to her, a frosty glaze spreading over glass, contrasting the warmth that gently touched the corners of his mouth. A smile that did not need to keep secrets.

“This isn’t a debate hall, Senator. It is a negotiation. Loyalty to the Republic is admirable, but it does narrow the lens.”

If that offered anything, it was the chance for her to find her place. Or a seat like the rest.

“Instability is not our doctrine. It’s your memory of us.”

Now he could finish what had been left unspoken earlier. His line of sight returned to the Sovereign.

“Preeminence is a matter of perspective. I did not come here to measure the Covenant against the Federation. The Triumvirate is not far from this room at all. Their will is present, even now. I'd rather discover where our interests overlap.”

He leaned forward on a soft exhale through the nose.

“The Covenant’s markets aren’t built the way the Republic built theirs. We don’t put up structures just to say they’re there. If something works, then we let it work. If it fails, it corrects itself. Disorder turns a profit; order costs you. But, we know how to use both. Worlds that stand with us aren’t buried with oversight. They’re left to breathe.. and run themselves. We take what’s owed and reward what is loyal. We won’t pretend stability needs mountains of paperwork. History suggests The Core never liked that model, but it is more efficient than anything they tolerated until now.”

Of course, he knew the system from within; Lysander owned a business as well.

“Your clients see a company. Not the Covenant. Just business. Our structure will protect your interest just as much as ours.”

 

[Lodd Grimmin]

Verity Stuyveris Lysander von Ascania

Lodd had known that inviting both the Sith Covenant and the High Republic to the same conference would lead to an unproductive outcome. To describe their relationship has simply frosty would be a gross misrepresentation of the current situation which was by all means comparable to an active volcano about to erupt within the grounds of this very palace.

Eyes shifted slightly over to Senator Verity Stuyveris as she explained in no uncertain terms that the Trade Federation would lose a substantial amount of money if they made an agreement with the Sith Barbarians, the agitation on her face quite visible to him even if they were hidden behind polite musing. Things were much the same in the Dark Empire and the Galactic Empire after it, Emperor's promising great power and wealth but delivering nothing but setback after setback.

"I see the point you are trying to make, Senator Stuyveris. The Trade Federation would have a lot to lose should the Triumvirate of the Covenant decide that the Purse-Worlds are to much of a hassle to manage properly. War and destruction would follow, sending an influx of potential refugees flooding towards the High Republic at even higher rate." He wanted to appear agreeable to the concern about the destruction that seems to follow the Covenant wherever they go from the Noble Households of the Tapani Sector to the gleaming towers of Coruscant. The Trade Federation could easily be bullied into submission should a potential agreement not materialize in an appropriate timeframe.

Such thoughts were not carved into his features as Lysander von Ascania made his own statements on the present unprompted debate. His viewpoint was that the Core Worlds were merely under new management and were allowed to breathe so long as tribute was paid, though he did adopt a smirk at the suggestion that the Triumvirs will was here amongst them.

A single finger was raised subtly in his direction, a signet ring marked with the personal standard of Darth Carnifex to get the boy to understand that the Neimoidian was not powerless in any sense of the word, having a formidable patron behind him, one far older and more powerful.

"The Trade Federation certainly admires a commitment to free-standing enterprise and lack of regulation on its activities but the question becomes, Emissary Von Ascania. How can you guarantee that profits can be made in the Core Worlds without subject to the personal whim of Warlords within. It would be difficult for us to supply local inhabitants with resources if said resources are being misdirected towards military buildup." A simple question to redirect focus away from his signet ring to the matter at hand. Any nation can establish commercial freedom, but could they actually enforce said freedom without competing interests clawing away at the commercial activities happening inside.

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

"Anything is a debate hall if you've got the stomach for it," Verity replied to the Covenant's ambassador, eyebrow arching slightly as if in challenge. He was much more civilized than the holofeeds would lead one to believe the Sith Covenant could be, but that only told her that they were more dangerous than she thought, not less. "If you can defend your position, that is. And frankly, I don't care a fig about loyalty to the Republic as far as the Trade Federation is concerned. I'm as capitalist as they are. I know what loyalty means from a corporation: a system that keeps the lights on, that protects the means of production, and doesn't take too much in tax. Or tribute. This? This is broader than loyalty to any one government. It is about the repudiation of the vandalism that you and your band of brigands have already inflicted on the galaxy, and which you seek to continue to inflict. Because in addition to being bad for business -- which it is -- it is reprehensible to anyone who cares about civilization which, incidentally, ought to includes capitalists."

Her attention turned back to the Trade Monarch. Eyes narrowing in on his raised finger, the signet ring with the unusual crest.

"You are very -- charitable -- to use the word 'if' when we both know that 'when' is the more likely one," the Senator said. "And that is the preferable outcome, isn't it? When compared to what is likely to happen: the Sith Covenant use your business interests as leverage in their own deranged games. From what my sources tell me they couldn't even hold their alliance together long enough to capture Coruscant before -- personalities, shall we say? -- fractured things. These were ideological brethren and their own avarice and invidiousness shattered them within hours. Can you imagine that they would keep their word to you? Even if you purported to buy their protection, how much tribute, in blood and credits, can the Trade Federation really afford?"

She half-turned toward von Ascania, lowering her chin in what might have been a nod.

"Bureaucracy -- certainly a sin of many a government. Paperwork is one way to look at it, Your Excellency." Her glacial gaze returned to the Nemoidian. "Another is accountability. If the High Republic confiscated one of your vehicles unduly -- if, heaven forfend, it accidentally destroyed one -- the courts would see restitution made. It is a slow process, perhaps, slower than I would like certainly. But it is accountability. You will not get that from the Sith Covenant."

"The Covenant representative is wrong about one other thing," Verity said pleasantly, turning her head to cordially include von Ascania in her explanation. "This may not be a debate hall, but it is certainly not a negotiation either. I am not here to make offers and deals. That avenue may yet be open to us. But today, I am simply here to let you know what options are available, and the consequences that will result from each." She flexed her hands behind her back, one hand tugging the wrist of the other, as if stretching.

"For instance, I am curious how you envision your market share faring if you were to align yourself with the Covenant," Verity said, and her voice had turned conversational, as if she were merely one industrialist talking to another at a trade conference. "Given that that would cut you off to a significant portion of the galactic consumer market, not to mention trade corridors, financing, insurers -- all the things that make businesses go -- for a significant chunk of the galaxy. And a wealthy one, that that. One with plenty of disposable income and many more consumers with credits to spend than the Covenant can boast."

Verity glanced back at von Ascania briefly, as if assessing, before her gaze turned back to Grimmin. "Certainly, the Covenant hold Coruscant -- for now -- but everything else they've touched has turned into a charnel house, so I don't expect the trillions of beings who live there being in a rush to open their wallets to you. Not exactly a thriving market for your goods and services. Oh, a war economy will tide you over... for a time. But that war will end. If you stand with the Sith and they win, you are in no better a position in the long term than if they lost. You are still insecure, because Sith respect nothing -- not life, not property, not agreements -- and that is if they have permitted your existence thus far. I wouldn't bet on that. Or, if you back them and they lose, the galaxy has a long memory when it comes to collaborators."

Her lips flattened, blue eyes earnest. "A very long memory, Your Excellency."

Lodd Grimmin | Lysander von Ascania
​