[ Archais Authority ] True Sovereignty

[Zeradias Mant]

Zeradias sat. In front of him was the length of a rectangular table made of a spectacular hard wood, with a decorative candleset in the center. There was a pitcher of both wine and water around it, along with a small stack of glass cups for those who chose to partake. Zera was one of them, taking a sip of wine from the goblet before him. This would be where his Small Council would meet, to govern the realm and advise the king.

Him and his partner turned Hand, [member="Haedric Forgrin"], had taken advantage of the turmoil in the wake of the mysterious disappearances and sought to impose order on the ecumenopolitan world. There was still much to be done. The Authority had yet to truly dig its roots in, secure it's place in the galaxy - and that is what they would do now.

"The galaxy does not yet know us, Forgrin. We must strengthen and structure ourselves, but we must also seek recognition on the galactic stage.", Zera said, taking another sip from his wine, looking to the elder man.

[member="Rohlan Verd"]​

 

[Zef Halo]

Haedric Forgrin, Lord of House Forgrin, sat up straight on his chair enjoying the rich taste of the wine. Around him the Small Council and the King had gathered to discuss and plan the future of the Archais Authority. The future of Alsakan. A planet forgotten by the galaxy but a planet that was at the epicenter of the shaping of civilization as it is known now. The galaxy was thrown into chaos with factions grabbing at each other's throats constantly which resulted in massive collateral damage to planets not even remotely part of the decision making processes of the factions.

The goal was Alsakan not to turn into a graveyard. With Zeradias the Mant's leadership and the formation of the Archais Authority as the governing body of the Alsakan system, there was a chance for more.

An opportunity.

"Our unknown reputation and lack of acknowledgement may very well be our opportunity to grow and rise, your Highness." Haedric tilted his head at the King. "While they war with each other we truly must strengthen ourselves. Time is, unfortunately, running low. The powers are shifting and the tides are turning. Soon we may very well be in the midst of the turmoil."

[member="Zeradias Mant"]

 

[Zeradias Mant]

It was good to hear that there were others that shared Zera's sentiment. With the galaxy largely focusing on the One Sith's catastrophic defeat on Coruscant, it presented an opportunity. The One Sith focused on regrouping and strategizing their next move, though defection and desertion was becoming increasingly common. The fighting on the former One Sith capital left much destruction and much need for repair, and the Galactic Alliance was still tasked out with this. The Mandalorians just underwent a major reform, with a Mand'alor coming forward for the first time in a long while.

Opportunity was knocking at their door, and the heads of Archais would be foolish to not answer it.

"Do we set our sights on the galaxy so that others may recognize Archais? Or do we turn our focus within and let the galaxy come to us?"

[member="Rohlan Verd"]​

 

[Zef Halo]

The King asked a good question. One that needed careful treading and planning to execute right. If the Archais Authority was to prosper and grow as they wanted it to, they had to think it through thoroughly. They needed information. Going with the first alternative, there was a high chance they would paint a target on themselves while on the second it meant that their lack of voice would simply regard them as nobody. That was certainly not what the Five Ruling Houses desired. Alsakan had been on the rise once again after centuries upon centuries of decline. The Alsakan Conflicts had long finished and they had long ago lost that war.

Now was the time to think of the present. Of the future.

"I suggest both. The galaxy will sooner or later knock on our doorstep and I would wager that would be sooner rather than later considering all things happening. Pick those that we visit as emissaries and pick those that will likely contact us on their own. Within this political turbulence, new will rise and old will burn." Haedric finished his sentence by sliding his wine glass on the table for a refill. His eyes met Zeradias'.

"What would you rather do?"

[member="Zeradias Mant"]

 

[Zeradias Mant]

The Hand's advice was as cryptic as it was wise. Zeradias looked down to his drink as he began swirling it subtly, thinking.

"We should seek out allies, those who might share our vision, so we might further our influence and learn from others. Given all the unrest, if it comes to our doorstep, we should be prepared.", Zeradias said, lifting his gaze to Haedric.

Alsakan needed fortification, also. Military bases needed expansion, castles needed decoration, and cityscapes needed advancement. It was a massive undertaking, but time was on their side.

"I propose we invite an emissary from a foreign government to Alsakan. In the meanwhile, we can focus on building up.", Zeradias said. "The question is who? Who should we invite? The Galactic Alliance is the most obvious choice, having recently taken over our neighbor Coruscant. The One Sith is an option, though aligning with the Sith might alienate us from other prospective relationships. There's stories of a Black Empire on Panatha...they're rather dark, but could prove to be valuable allies should war come to our doorstep. The Mandalorians are also near, though it might be difficult to arrange an alliance given the lack of centralization of their forces and governance.", he thought aloud. Looking to his trusted friend and advisor, he asked the most important question.

"What do you think?"

[member="Rohlan Verd"]​

 

[Zef Halo]

The wine was carefully refilled and given back to the hands of the Lord of House Forgrin. The tall and slender man carefully listened to the words of the King and his proposals for what the Authority is to do next. Both men on this table shared the same sentiments and so did the rest of the Ruling Houses. They had taken the reigns of Alsakan as their ancestors had so long ago and risen from the ashes of the past. The system thrived without foreign control, the Houses bolstered their strength and rejuvenated the system as a whole.

They only had to keep doing that.

"The One Sith is a crumbling pile of disarray, their reign is over, their clutch of the galaxy is yielding. Divided and spread between numerous splinter factions." Haedric waved his hand in the air. "The Galactic Alliance, truly your Highness, may be the more predictable power that neighbors us. The Mandalorians are on a crusade and we must be wary of their movements at all times. Dangers and opportunities lie ahead of us, King Zeradias. As of the Black Empire, your Highness, I've had no information. Panatha is also a planet very, very far from here." Lord Forgrin cleared his throat before finishing his suggestion.

"Considering the Galactic Alliance's proximity, perhaps we should enter diplomatic discussions with them first."

[member="Zeradias Mant"]​

 

[Zeradias Mant]

Zeradias nodded. The Galactic Alliance was the most prominent faction to parlay with, but also the most sensible. The Galactic Alliance would likely welcome a dialogue with local the local populace, and Zera hadn't been aware of the Galactic Alliance sponsoring any forced regime changes. He thought it unlikely that he would be one of them.

Looking to Haedric, he gave his first command to his Hand. "Send a message to the Galactic Alliance, invite them to Alsakan. We are a sovereign authority and we will continue to be so - we need only make them aware. I'm interested what the prospect of mutual cooperation might bring us also."

[member="Haedric Forgrin"]​

 

[Zef Halo]

Haedric nodded at the order and slowly stood from his chair.

"My King." The slender man nodded with respect at the King of Archais dismissing himself. "I will attempt to arrange a meeting between us and a diplomatic party of theirs in a fortnight."

The Lord of House Forgrin turned his back and ventured forth out of the meeting chamber, his escort following him the moment he took a step passing the threshold of the room. Getting his comlink from his pocket, he notified his aide to immediately contact the leadership of the Galactic Alliance and arrange a meeting between both sovereignties.

[member="Zeradias Mant"] [member="Astarii Saren"] [member="Liliane Lancaster"]


[[OOC: New thread inbound]]