Sic transit gloria mundi
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Codify a character established in rp.
Image Credit: Here.
Role: Bharria is a Qadiri noblewoman and the commanding general of the Ironfire Division, a Firemane droid unit that serves as a garrisoning and construction force as well as rear echelon security. She is also a personal acquaintance of Vaena Cadalthor.
Permissions: ARGH gear available to Firemane per this thread.
Links: Choir of Angels.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
Age: 65
Force Sensitivity: Non-Force User
Species: Qadiri.
Appearance: Bharria is of average height for a Qadiri female and is slender and shapely. Regal, stately and beautiful, she radiates elegance and poise, but also practicality. She has hazel eyes and the typical pointed ears of her race. Bharria keeps her dark hair short. Branching bramble or leaf tattoos intertwine over her face. She is fond of wearing a turquoise uniform of a Sarhang (colonel equivalent) of her royal guard. Her uniform is always crisply pressed and maintained. Sometimes she will wear a human-style business suit, though she will also don a traditional sari. As a symbol of her rank, she carries a sword in a bejewelled scabbard.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Name: Bharria Jai Ahquala.
Rank and Titles:
- Nawab of Maran
- Protector of Surani
- Lieutenant General.
- General Officer Commanding Ironfire Division.
Wealth: High. Bharria was already a noblewoman before the coming of the sky people, holding the title of Nawab and serving one of the petty Queens of the Qadiri. Now she is one of Firemane's general officers, commanding one of the divisions of their army. She has used her influence to bring foreign investment, economic and technological development to her lands. She has become a partner or sponsor of a variety of Qadiri economic enterprises. Of course, there is still a disparity in wealth between a feudal lady on a backwater planet and a galactic leader, but her business dealings and the income from her holdings have made her wealthy. Her eventual retirement will be a very comfortable one.
Notable Possessions: Owns an HK Assassin Droid that acts as her 'Metal Herald'. Bharria has realised that droids are machines, not 'metal demons', and is a bit of a technophile. The Metal Herald helps facilitate communications and protects its mistress. Bharria is fascinated by droids and keeps a 3PO-Series Protocol Droid with the designation N-3PO. She does not even find it annoying when it rambles. She was gifted a Sarix for her services to Firemane. It also serves as a mark of her rank. as she is a general officer. Carries an U20 Field Wrist Link, which is one of the many gadgets she has collected. She owns a collection of blaster and slugthrower pistols. She has an apartment on the Arx Aeternae, the 'city of the Sky Queen', and owns large estates on Tygara and Arkas. Carries a Shatterpistol. She owns a personal starship comparable to the Tantive. It has lavish furnishings meant to accommodate guests.
Skills: Bharria is a highly skilled organiser, logistician and builder. She is thorough and had a good eye for detail. Moreover, she is quite knowledgeable about weapons' and droid design. Her present role in Firemane consists of commanding a garrisoning force, overseeing the creation of outposts as well as larger-scale construction projects. In short, she is a typical rear echelon general. This is less glamorous than frontline command, but vital. Troops fighting on the frontlines need secure supply lines, otherwise they will run out of ammunition and fuel and starve. Moreover, ground that has been won by allied forces needs to be garrisoned in order to achieve lasting gains. She has a good knowledge of engineering, which recommends her for construction projects. Bharria is a good pistol shot and a solid duellist with a blade. Bharria speaks Zandri, Basic and Eldarai. Her command of the foreign languages is accented, but good. She also understands some Binary. She is trained as a pilot and vehicle driver. Someone of her rank obviously has a chauffeur, but this means she can take controls in the case of an emergency. It is also a way to show off a bit.
Personality: When an Eldorai and Firemane delegation led by Host Leader Vaena Askari visited the distant Qadiri city of Surani, Bharria greeted them at the gates. She welcomed them in the name of her Queen and enquired about their business. To help break the ice, Vaena gave her a slugthrower pistol as a gift. Bharria was immediately enthusted by it. The Nawab took the weapon, handing off her blade to a servant. She examined the weapon closely. She took aim, pulled the trigger at some distant tree. The gun clicked. “We have experimented with multiple shot weapons, but they were not effective. I see this is different.” She detached the magazine after a moment and examined the rounds inside. “This is a mighty slug,” she commented, examining the bullet. “But it would not fit out of the barrel, and there is no powder. The powder…inside the brass shell. Like a cannon cartridge. This means this slide here allows you to extract the casing!” She reattached the magazine and pulled the slide, loading it.
This small anecdote says quite a bit about her character. Bharria is an enthusiastic inventor and organiser. She is a rather forward-thinking and enthusiastic about learning new things. The noblewoman was fascinated by the sky people's toys, but recognised that they were just extremely advanced versions of the machines the Qadiri and their Xioquo enemies already had, rather than magic. As a result, she has resolved to align herself with them.
However, she has not been content with simply trading resources for modern tech. She does not simply want to own the toys of the humans. Instead she wants to know how they work and build her own. Thus she has visited factories and shipyards. Likewise, she has dispatched delegations of retainers to hire foreign specialists and learn about modern technology. Once they return home, they are to put their knowledge to good use to improve the realm. She has poured a lot of money into education, industrial development and agriculture. Obtaining firsthand knowledge of advanced industrial and agricultural techniques has been an important priority for her.
Moreover, she has provided capital for a number of startups. Bharria is quite fascinated by droids and likes to thinker with them in her spare time. She also made herself a name for her patronage of architecture. Bharria has a lot of energy and is usually a pleasant person to be around. She particularly enjoys conversing with scientists, engineers and the like. Her children are being educated in modern schools. Bharria is religiously observant, but not zealous. Knowledge, as she likes to say, is the bounty of the Goddess and each new inspiration is her gift to her children. She dislikes close-minded clerics who reject new discoveries as heresy.
Slavery has been a part of daily life for the Qadiri. Bharria's stance on it is a curious one. She was never a radical abolitionist, but unethusiastic about the practice. When she offered the foreign delegation a batch of slaves for their personal entertainment, she was quick to notice that they disapproved. “It is my suspicion, and I may be quite wrong, that you do not approve of enslavement for some reason? It is a natural state for the Qadiri, and for the Xioquo, but I have heard that the Vashyada of the far south practice it only rarely. Perhaps your people from the stars do not use it as you have machines. Your Qadiri is free, though I think she was once a slave, perhaps freed by you. If this is the civilised way of doing things, then they are all freed right now…though they will still perform their duties obediently and diligently.” It was a start, even if she did not quite understand that freeing someone gave them choices about what to do. The great emancipator she was not, but she seemed so curious to learn that she would accept instruction on the matter. Bharria was quick to free her household slaves, and has done away with chattel slavery since the introduction of machines makes it uneconomical.
Her enthusiasm for building and organising things has made her a good fit for the Ironfire Division. Her job is less glamorous than that of a frontline commander, as it is mainly a garrisoning force, but it gives her machines to play with and plenty of things to organise. Moreover, it also provides ample opportunities to educate her vassals about the modern way of doing things. Putting a forward-thinking Qadiri in charge is also good marketing. Being a general, she is able to tour the various outposts. Bharria has brought many of her retainers with her. Thus the force has also become a way for Qadiri from her homeland to learn about modern tech and become knowledgeable in using it. Her work benefits Firemane, but also herself personally.
Bharria has connections to some leading members of the Eldorai Matriarchy, such as Vaena. Her old acquaintance is now an Eldorai Duchess. Vaena is probably a bit disappointed about the Qadiri entering Firemane's services. However, both women have similar views about self-strengthening and Bharria has provided Vaena with some Qadiri servants and guards. These tend to be emancipated slaves who used to work in her household. Bharria gets on fairly well with Siobhan, who sees her as an example of a non-superstitious Qadiri who has embraced the modern age. However, Firemane's leader also views her friendship with Vaena with some suspicion, as she is poorly disposed towards the Eldorai noble's family. Bharria has recognised that Firemane has more power than the Matriarchy, so she might as well cut out the middleman and deal with the humans directly.
COMBAT INFORMATION
Weapon of Choice: Bharria is a general and a noble, so her primary weapons are minions. When pressed into combat, she can defend herself with blade, pistol and rifle.
Combat Function: Bharria is not someone who is expected to participate in a lot of personal combat. For one, she is a general. A flag officer spending her time leading her troops on the frontlines like a junior or field officer instead of sitting in a war room and working on plans might seem more heroic, but is also often irresponsible.
Battles hinge on minute-by-minute decisions, which requires the commanding general to be informed continuously and coordinate with their staff. If they are on the front, they will be difficult to reach and inform about the situation, not to mention have trouble issuing orders. Moreover, her troops are not frontline combat units. The Ironfire Division's primary function is a defensive one.
Unlike flesh and blood soldiers, droids do not get tired or bored. They also cannot be bought. They work day and night, do not have romances, get pregnant or demand vacations. Or need to get paid. All these traits make them great at guarding outposts, supply depots, buildings and general sentry duty. Thus she is a rear echelon general, though her troops can see action against insurgents, enemy troops located in the rear operational zone or be dispatched to the front to free up organic soldiers. With a force composed of battle droids and integrated heavy armour support, she does have a lot of firepower at her disposal. However, the droids have limited intelligence, which means they are commanded by organic officers.
Bharria's role is that of an organiser and builder. When she has to lead troops into battle, she will lead them from the rear where she can control the battlefield. Bharria can defend herself with blasters, slugthrowers and blades. She is a good shot with firearms and solid with a blade. However, she does not have the conditioning of a frontline warrior and will probably be outmatched by heavily armoured opponents or trained Force-Users. She will, however, normally have bodyguards around to protect her. These tend to be a mix of combat droids and Qadiri members of her household guard.
Strengths:
- She is good with a blade and guns, especially blaster and slugthrower pistols.
- Very good organiser and logistician.
- Skilled in driving and piloting. Her instinctual navigation works well with these skills.
- Bharria lacks Force abilities, cybernetics or any special racial strengths that give her preternatural abilities. She can defend herself, but is an ordinary mortal.
- She is good at her job, but better on the strategic than the tactical level. Her skills are more suited to organisation and logistics than frontline tactical command. This is also because she is a bit of a micromanager. Moreover, most of her troops are battle droids. They are well-made ones, but do not innovate.
- While a good duellist, she is more agile than strong. This means she cannot overwhelm an opponent through sheer physical presence and has to rely on finesse rather than brute force.
Bharria was born in a time of change and transition. For centuries Tygara had been isolated from the rest of the Galaxy. The origins of the three races that inhabited it, the Xioquo, Qadiri and Vashyada, had faded into the realm of myths. Rather than be ruled by one government, the planet was a hodgepodge of monarchies, principalities, theocracies and city-states. The Empire of Amikaron, a Qadiri realm on the continent of Zhukathis, was the largest state. But even the Qadiri were chronically divided. At the same time, technological development was proceeding apace.
Bows and arrows were gradually being replaced by rifles and gunpowder cannons were revolutionising siege warfare. The Xioquo, the perennial enemies of the Qadiri, had built ironclads and steam-powered tanks and flying machines. And in time people from outer space would visit Tygara and its natives would be thrust onto a far greater stage than she could have possibly imagined. Bharria would be one of those leaders who tried to embrace change and harness it to advance themselves. She was born far from Amikaron, on the continent of Zhukathis.
Though connected by bonds of culture and trade, the Qadiri of this continent had evolved largely independently from their sistren and brethren. They had their own language, customs and rulers. Khajwar, the region of the continent she grew up in, was divided into various Qadiri city-states. There were also Vashyada tribes that dwelt in the forests, though they were not very numerous. Moreover, the Marthari dwelt in the mountains. They were Qadiri, but regarded as barbarians by the city-dwellers. whom they frequently raided. Bharria's family was from Surani, one of the larger Qadiri states in the region. It was a world of strict class disparities. Slavery was a fact of life among all nations of Tygara. The endless squabbles between the Qadiri states and the agrarian economy provided a great amount of slaves. They were warriors, labourers and servants. The nobles needed them, yet also lived in fear of revolt.
This was the world Bharria grew up in. However, she was born as one of the unfortunate people who had to toil and live in fear of the mistress' whip, for she was of noble birth. This meant she grew up in a wealthy situation. Her mother was the Nawab, an autonomous noble ruler and vassal of the Queen of Surani. However, she was a noble among many. The highborn were always jockeying for positions in order to advance their personal ambitions and the interests of their families. Byzantine intrigues were part of daily life at the royal court and a meteoric rise was often followed by a just as sudden fall. Bharria had a younger sister and brother named Harshita and Darius respectively.
Qadiri follow enactic-cognatic succession. This means that a female will inherit before a male sibling, but the latter will not be passed over beyond that. Indeed, in many ways the Qadiri are more progressive than humans at the same level. As the eldest daughter, Bharria was raised to be the heir of her mother. Her education was put into the hands of several tutors. From an early age, Bharria displayed an intense curiosity. She was a prodigious consumer of knowledge, with a keen interest in science, technology and warfare. She underwent martial training, but while she was decent with a blade, she was not brilliant. She was also a poor Yazgid rider, which was a source of embarrassment as the ability to tame and master one of the lizard mounts was the mark of a Cataphract.
It was part of the tradition of Qadiri knighthood that was heavily interwoven with the Qadiri religion and nobility. Her brother, ironically, fit the image of a Cataphract a lot better, for he grew into a master swordsman and daring knight. Instead, Bharria was interested in machines. Navigational tools, firearms and cannons intrigued her. She was fascinated by compasses and astrolabes. Mathematics, fortification, and navigation were of particular interest to the little noble lady. One of her cherished toys was a mechanical watch. Young Bharria can be described as hyperactive. She hated standing still. Instead she needed to be doing things, whether it consisted of learning something new or trying out a new toy in the field. The ceremonies of court held little appeal for her, and she tried to escape them as much as possible. Instead she was drawn to the company of merchants, explorers, and soldiers. She did not just want fancy toys, she wanted to understand how they worked and learn everything about them.
Her mother, a Cataphract of significant skill, was disappointed by Bharria's lack of prowess as a Yazgid rider. However, she let her play with soldiers. A model fortress was built for Bharria's amusement, and she organized her first “play” company, drilling her friends and lighting the fuse of her own cannon. If she could not be a great cavalry officer, she would learn how to use infantry properly. She called them the Silver Helms, as the toy soldiers wore armour and carried weapons so polished and new they looked like they were wearing silver. Many of the early members of her play company were of obscure origins. Much to her delight, the household troops of her family soon started saluting her as 'little Bombardier'. Mother and daughter shared an interest in building things, for the Nawab was a patron of architecture.
Bharria found an important servant and companion when she acquired a Xioquo slave. The drows are usually portrayed as the hereditary enemies of the Qadiri, but things were more complex than that. While it is true that the Xioquo raided the Qadiri cities of Khajwar to acquire slaves and booty, these incursions were far less common than in Amikaron. Thus the native Qadiri never really developed a crusader mentality against the Xioquo or saw their conflict with them as a holy war. This meant that a Xioquo slave was a curiosity rather than necessarily a hated enemy. Bharria was curious when she learned a batch of Xioquo slaves had arrived after a successful campaign. She heard about this strange race from her acquaintances. A sellsword she mingled with had fought them and told her tales about their dark magic. A mixture of curiosity and pity motivated Bharria to intercede when she saw a family member beating a Xioquo.
Using her authority as daughter of the Nawab, she confiscated the slave, whose name was Xirv. It soon transpired that Xirv was no ordinary raider, but an accomplished engineer. She risked punishment when she critiqued the Qadiri's muskets and cannons, but Bharria was intrigued. Eventually she came to appreciate the Xio, who adopted the surname Aqala. Bharria was fascinated by the drow. Of course, she was no abolitionist and so she did not set the Xioquo free, but she treated her well. Aqala was eventually inducted into the bombardier unit of Bharria's toy company. There she made several improvements in drill and equipment.
However, Bharria's carefree childhood came to an end when she was still very young. She was thrust onto the political stage before her education as an heiress was complete. Her mother perished due to shoddy construction of a new sailship. Bharria was inconsolable with grief. She was also frightened, for the death of her mother made her the new Nawab. At the time she was still a child by Qadiri standards, which meant that a regency council would govern her fief in her name until she came of age. Thus a council of five regents took the reins. Bharria was tutored, but kept away from governance. One of the regents was her aunt Varsha. On the surface she seemed understanding and kind. But in truth the regents were self-serving and greedy. While Bharria was playing with her 'Silver Helms', her regents' policies sparked a peasant uprising. The tax burden on the common people had already been onerous under Bharria's mother, but she had been respected and feared.
The regents, on the other hand, were hated. The uprising was brutal. Mansions were set ablaze and nobles were butchered. Varsha gave her niece reassuring briefings, but also told that the peasants would murder her and her siblings and that she should stay in the palace and let her regents handle everything. However, Bharria grew sceptical. Xirv had seen more than a few power plays of this nature and encouraged her to develop her own views.
This was partly out of pragmatism, as Bharria was her protector. With the help of her brother, who was serving in the army, Bharria secretly met a captive peasant leader. He claimed that they were not rebelling against their rightful liege, but against her bad advisors, who were imposing unjust taxes and had trampled on her mother's laws. Of course, this only the truth from a certain point of view, but it was the typical way for rebels to present themselves as loyal by appealing to their overlord. The captive was able to point them to some hoarded taxes.
However, the regents got wind of what she was doing behind her back, and made plans to send Bharria away for 'her own protection', as the rebels were closing in. It is said that one night a friend of Bharria woke her up and offered her a card with a cage on one side and a bird flying freely on the other. Regardless, Bharria got the message and fled. She was able to reach a small monastery, where her Silver Helms to assembled. Her brother joined her there as well. Then Bharria ordered the household troops to report to her as well. They could hardly refuse a direct order from the Nawab. She also commanded the peasants to lay down their weapons and beg forgiveness. Then she would pardon them and hear their grievances. When she first heard of this, Varsha waved it aside, declaring her niece had gone mad.
She set out to confront her, but the road was blocked by Bharria's 'toy' soldiers, who fired muskets and cannons. Then she was commanded to disband her troops and step down. Varsha was outraged by this and ordered the courier to be beheaded, but no executioner could be found. This in itself was a sign of her disintegrating authority. Instead she tried to rally soldiers and courtiers. She also reached out to Harshita and Darius, reminding them of all she had done for them. But Darius had gone over to Bharria. Harshita, on the other hand, had not joined her at the monastery. Perhaps she had been hedging her bets. But now she proclaimed her loyalty.
Varsha and the other regents were arrested. The peasants demanded their heads. Bharria had two of them beheaded. Varsha was forced to renounce her lands and titles and confined in a monastery, where she was kept under guard. One regent was sent into exile, and the last one was put in irons and enslaved. With this coup, Bharria assumed direct control over her fief. But there was a plenty of work to be done. However justified, the peasant incursion had caused grave damage. They had butchered highborn and their families, plundered and destroyed property. Her leniency was a necessity, but not without its critics. Moreover, even though they had ostensibly not been rebelling against their liege lady, they were rebels and their actions had undermined the nobility's authority, which in the end meant hers.
Bharria confiscated the lands of the 'treasonous' nobles and awarded them to loyal supporters. She also promised tax relief to ameloriate the burden on the peasants' shoulders. Revenue had suffered due to the disruptions. Some of her courtiers' ill-gotten gains could never be found, even though they were put to the question, so she was forced to borrow money. Ruling her fief was very different from her adventures with her play regiment, but she threw into herself into the work. Her mother had died due to shoddiness and poor planning, and she would not allow that to happen again.
Now that she was in power, she had present herself to her Queen. At the court of Surani she was just one noble among many, all vying for the favour of their overlord. Moreover, her fief was far from the wealthiest. Indeed, she had to curb expenses at her own court. Bharria managed to be recognised by the Queen, which allowed her to focus her energies on internal improvements in her fief. She toured her realm to get an idea of what conditions on the ground were. Her treatment by the regents had endowed her with a strong distrust of official reports. She imposed a flat tax on agricultural and industrial output, while eliminating tax exemptions.
Bharria started off in a relatively obscure position. However, her clear ingenuity and practical mind were noticed. They were put to use with engineering and fortifications. Bharria had an interest in building things. Moreover, the conflict with Multan, a rival Qadiri state, was heating up again and Marthari raids were intensifying. Indeed, the hill dwellers had taken advantage of the power struggle in her fied to raid villages that paid tribute to Bharria's family. One of her family's mansions was also burnt down and plundered. Angered and seeing a chance to distinguish herself, Bharria set to work constructing a fortification. Other parts of Surani had suffered from raids as well.
Bharria was advised by her Xioquo slave and brought in experts. She was no genius and obviously learning on the job, but had an eye for detail and picking the right people. Bharria had a punishing schedule, but also a work ethic that matched it. She did not just read reports and give commands; she toured the construction sites, talked with the engineers responsible and gave orders on site. To raise morale, she even toiled herself. New cannons were brought up to protect the fort. Xirv helped out by providing consultation on how to position the artillery and which cannons to use. She knew how Xioquo fortresses were set up and could make improvements here. Bharria did not only consider the construction of new border fortification. She also promoted destroying poor fortifications and giving up poorly defensible territory. This, in her view, would establish a poor coherent border, though it was not a popular suggestion. It is fair to note that her construction programme required the conscription of large numbers of unpaid workers and slaves.
Some of the rebellious peasants had been conscripted. This was obviously risky, but it also separated them from their fellow renegades. Moreover, the Marthari pillaged and bunt their homes as well. An important component of the defence forces were slave-soldiers called mamluks. Needless to say Bharria was not an abolitionist, though the peasant revolt had made her realise that those beneath her could easily destabilise her reign. The mamluks remained slaves, but she sought to improve conditions for them to keep them loyal. She also deployed her Silver Helms because she wanted to try them out. Their size had been increased by recruiting peasants from areas that had been devastated by the Marthari . The new fortress was a bastion fort, allowing defensive batteries of cannons to command interlocking fields of fire. A canal was dug to transport materials.
Her efforts were not in vain. The Marthari had not been idle. Indeed, they had acquired engineers and cannons of their own, contrary to their reputation as barbarians. Now they tested their might against the city-dwellers. A fierce battle was fought at the wall. However, the Qadiri were able to repulse them and the Marthari suffered severe casualties. Bharria was present at the battle. She lit the fulse of one of the cannons, though tactical command of the troops was left to a military professional. However, her engineering efforts had played a major role in repulsing the assault. She celebrated victory, handed out promotions to her 'play' soldiers, who had graduated to becoming serious fighters, and manumitted some mamluks who had distinguished themselves. But the Mahtari managed to regroup. Sadly, a joint offensive launched by Multan and Surani against them failed. Bharria grumbled about the poor state of her people's military supply system, or what humans would have called logistics. The Mahtari were far more mobile than the regular Qadiri armies, whose supply lines were vulnerable and who could be worn down with hit-and-fade tactics if the raiders avoided a set-piece battle.
As Bharria worked her way up she became an enthusiastic supporter of the latest equipment. Her researchers experimented with multi-shot rifles. These tests did not go well, but she remained enthusiastic and even tried to build a primitive steam vehicle based on plans from her Xioquo designer. However, her efforts drew the ire of senior and junior officers alike who felt she was mucking with tradition overly. When a test she had promoted with great fanfare went poorly, the conservative officer corps had a pretext to sideline her. It was quite an embarrasment for Bharria. This also earned her the disapproval of the Queen, and so Bharria was shunted into a Quartermaster role.
Bharria grumbled about being sidelined, but she found a new calling as a Quartermaster. She had plenty of toys to play with and things to organise, though she was no longer part of the Queen's council. Bharria managed to regain some favour when the conflict between Surani and Multan heated up again. Both states were perennial rivals, though their borders had changed little. One of the Queen's generals sought Bharria's counsel. She was just supposed to organise supplies, but de facto played an important role in prosecuting a siege against a tributary of Multan. Her 'toy' unit was among the troops that stormed the gates. Her brother Darius led the vanguard and fought bravely in the melee. With typical fanfare, he presented her with the sword of an enemy general. But the world of the Qadiri had undergone great changes. Strange outsiders had arrived in sky-ships. Khajwar was far from the settlements the humans and Eldorai constructed, but the natives were not blind to what was happening. They watched events from afar with a mixture of anticipation and concern. Bharria was recalled to command just in time for an Eldorai delegation to arrive in Surani.
Countess Selene Tarai had been dispatched by the Star Queen of the Eldorai to build ties with the Qadiri of distant Khajwar. Her first stop was Multan, where the native rulers tried to convince her to support a campaign against Surani. Selene played along while remaining noncommittal. Kaida Taldir, an Angelii officer, was put in charge of whipping the poorly led 'Grand Division' of Multan's army into shape. Meanwhile, she assigned Vaena Askari to investigate the 'dastardly' Surani. Initial first contact was awkward, as the Eldorai arrived in a gunship and the Surani understandably feared an attack. Fortunately, the party included Sahal Jai Azal, a Qadiri warrior from Amikaron, who was able to convey to them that the sky people wished to parlay. Bharria greeted the delegation at the gates of Surani. She was curious about them and enthusiastic about the firearm Vaena gave her as a gift. The two hit off well, and Vaena was granted an audience by the Queen.
However, Bharria did not lose sight of her political interests. She sensed opportunity. Vaena spent some time in Surani and Bharria tried to find out all she could about the 'sky people' and their ways. Bharria quickly figured out that the visitors seemed to detest slavery. She surmised that they did not need it because they had machines. Vaena let her inspect and ride in the gunship that had brought them here. Bharria brought Aqala'Xirv with her. The Xioquo designer was able to draw comparisons to the steam-powered gyrocopters her people used, but it was far more advanced. She also showed the Eldorai around. Among other things, she showed them a new canal that had just been built.
But when the time came for the Surani and Multani to do battle, the Eldorai refused to fight their comrades. This was forced an uneasy, fragile peace, as both realms wanted to enjoy the benefits of outsider tech. Plenty at court were annoyed about being tricked. Bharria saw an opportunity to move onto a greater stage. When the Eldorai delegation departed, she made sure they gave her a 'talking machine' so that she could remain in contact with them. She tried to use her new connections to attract foreign experts, especially technicians, engineers and officers.
The Nawab made the decision to inspect their cities herself. She left Darius back home to keep order. Accompanied by a delegation of officers and technical experts, she set sail. The expedition began on an inauspicious note, as the ship was hit by a storm, but it managed to weather it. Bharria visited New Santaissa, the capital of the Eldorai, and several other settlements. She visited educational institutions, as well as factories and power plants. Sadly, not all Eldorai were welcoming. Indeed, many of them at court were racist. It became apparent to Bharria that a great many of them regarded their Qadiri 'cousins' as 'sand babies'. However, she refused to balk at the challenge. She also had a reunion with Vaena. The Angelii was assigned to her as a guard and guide, which suited both well. Despite her fear, Bharia accepted the offer to be taken to space. There she saw the great fortresses of metal the sky people had built in the void.
The political gains of the delegation were modest, as she failed to obtain an alliance. But what she saw convinced her that modernisation was not just a luxury, it was a necessity. Bharria ordered her companions to learn, and she did not exclude herself from this. She entered what one might call an apprenticeship, to learn all about astrogation, modern firearms and vehicles. She was particularly intrigued by droids. Ironically, in that regard she was more progressive than some of her hosts, as conservative Eldorai considered the machines to be metal demons.
When she ran into some of the 'iron golems' on the Tirathana Skyport, she was intrigued and immediately bought a protocol droid on a whim. Its endless rambling did not bother her. It was a machine that talked and controlled itself, and it had so much to say about the world beyond Tygara. She also met humans from a group called Firemane. It did not escape Bharria that even though Santaissa was an Eldorai city, the humans seemed to be wield more power. There were human advisors, and many of the machines were based on humans designs. Bharria was introduced to Siobhan Kerrigan aboard the Arx. Sahal, the Eldorai delegation's Qadiri guide, served Siobhan, not the Matriarchy. She had given her mistress a report on the situation. Siobhan saw a way to extend her influence. The recently constructed Arx was an enormous station, dwarfing any city Bharria had seen. At first Bharria was so muttered that she muttered 'truly this is where the Goddess lives'. She then 'mistook' Siobhan for an avatar of Kashara. It was a case of subtle flattery, but it appealed to the Fire-Maned Lady's ego, and Bharria pledged loyalty to her personally.
However, Bharria's apprenticeship was interrupted by a coup attempt back home. A group of disgruntled nobles, backed by conservative officers, had attempted to coup her. They rescued Varsha from her imprisonment. The rebels claimed that the sky people had abducted Bharria to stir up the peasants, and used the grievances of the old soldiers to their advantage. The Queen of Surani granted them her support. However, Darius was able to smuggle out a transmitter, and Bharria returned. When her aunt claimed that she was an impostor, she ordered her loyal soldiers to battle, remembering all their names. Then she appealed to the people to ignore the lies of the usurpers and return to her. Enraged, her aunt and her retainers attacked and tried to kill Bharria. However, Darius rallied her followers and fought them, blocking a blade strike directed towards his sister. Her brother was in the thick of the fighting, bravely holding the gate until reinforcements arrived. He slew many enemies, but was mortally wounded. The crowd wants to lynch the aunt, but Bharria produces a blaster pistol given to her by Vaena and performs the execution in public. Bharria had lost a beloved sibling and loyal ally. She was stricken with grief and anger. The surviving leaders of the uprising were interrogated severely. Several participants were executed.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the Queen had supplied arms and promises to the rebels. Firemane deposed her, and offered the crown to Bharria. However, Bharria shrewdly turned down the role and instead asked Firemane to take over the rulership as regent until the Queen's daughter was of age - in about fifteen years time. This both freed her up for other duties and made Firemane like her a lot. Bharria picked the child's tutors and the senior officers of the realm.
Harshita administered the estates at home, and acted as an 'advisor' to the Firemane regent of Surani. Bharria brought in foreign specialists to teach her people about modern agricultural and industrial techniques. She also founded a royal school of engineers, and ordered the construction of roads and factories. As the realm was being developed, slavery was phased out. Bharria had already freed her personal slaves, now the rest followed. Firedawn, Firemane's freedman bureau, set up an enclave to monitor the process and provide aid to emancipated slaves. Xirv had already been freed shortly before the Eldorai's arrival, but chose to stay as one of Bharria's aides.
Bharria's actions during the uprising had put Firemane slightly in her debt. She did not just want to rule a petty queendom with the backing of the sky people she wanted to join them. So she leveraged the new situation for a generalship. Bharria had to deal with racism. General Haverley, for instance, called the idea of a 'sand baby' commanding Firemane troops absurd. The Qadiri were too backward to be considered the equals of humans. However, Siobhan had taken a liking to her. Promoting a progressive Qadiri was good for public relations and in line with her policy of Tygaran integration. Bharria had an enthusiasm for machines and building things, so Siobhan gave her the rank of Lieutenant General and put her in charge of the newly formed Ironfire Division. Some wondered whether this was some sort of joke on Siobhan's part, since it was a droid force. Siobhan could be mercurial, after all.
In some ways it was a sinecure position, as the Ironfire Division was primarily a garrisoning force and thus less likely to participate in frontline combat. This made it good for a political appointee. However, Bharria was very enthusiastic about her new job. She got to play with machines, organise and build things. She quickly added construction to the Division's portfolio. It was at her initiative that construction droids were assigned to the division. In addition, she brought several of her Qadiri retainers with her so that they would get the chance to learn about the humans' tech.
She acquired an HK Droid to serve as a bodyguard for her. Vaena was a bit unhappy about Bharria's alliance with the humans, but the two remained close. Indeed, Bharria taught her a bit about noble life after the Angelii was unexpectedly ennobled. There were also changed in Bharria's personal life. While serving in her new role, she struck up a friendship with a Qadiri male called Martak Jal Qaron. Martak was of low birth and had served as a scribe to an alchemist before joining Firemane. He went through some technical courses assigned to her. Bharria came to appreciate his competence and dry wit.
The two bonded over tech and the new reality. He became her aide-de-camp and the two started an affair. Eventually she decided to marry him. It was a love match that offered her no dynastic advantages, as Martak did not possess any noble blood. Indeed, he liked to joke that his ancestors were gravediggers, handymen and scullery maids. However, he was affectionate and honest. As was typical for Qadiri, he took her last name. Bharria was soon with child, giving birth to a daughter. Siobhan became the infant's godmother. However, though her position in Firemane's power structure is secure, stormclouds are gathering.
Bharria had a good relationship with Siobhan, and was able to use this to her benefit and that of her people. However, her patron is in coma and Firemane's deals are becoming more and more exploitative. The megacorp exploits native workers, who face sweatshop conditions that amount to forced labour in Firemane company towns. Mining operations have been carried out without regard to environmental consequences and health risks for the natives. Logging operations pursued by Firemane contractors caused flooding and soil erosion. At first, Bharria was hesitant to act on such reports. Her own royal power had been strengthened by the alliance with Firemane and she believed it was necessary to advance her realm. If a few eggs had to be broken in the process, that was unfortunate, but an inevitable consequence.
However, she started to change her stance when a gas leak from a pesticide plant killed over four thousand people, and caused significant morbidity and premature death for thousands more. Firemane paid compensation after coming under pressure, but the amount was so small it amounted to a slap on the wrist. Bharria accepted this because she believed sacrifices needed to be made. Royal troops had to be deployed by her to suppress riots and protests. Then a Firemane pipeline resulted in mass displacements and impoverishment of tens of thousands of villagers, who had been intimidated into giving up their land and trapped in exploitative contracts. Her city was rocked by protests when the impoverished peasants came to plead their case.
When the Nawab visited the improvised tent city they had set up, she was deeply troubled by what she heard and saw...and by how she had failed her people. The young queen of Surani has not reached her age of majority yet, but it hasn't escaped the Nawab's attention that already people are clamouring for her to be freed from her 'evil regent'. The irony is not lost on her. At the same time, High Admiral Jacanda Fleischer, Firemane's new military chief, made it clear to her that she had to decide where her loyalties lay...and fast. Firemane had given her much, and could take it all away. Bharria now faces somes very tough choices. Whatever course she embarks upon could lead her realm to greatness, or to ruin. Secretly, she has begun to reach out to other Khajwari, even the mountain tribes, Vashyada clans and rebellious mamluks who were so often a thorn in her side.
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