Building For Our Future

[Janira Fenni]

Their drive yards were starting to become, to put it mildly, overwhelmed. The future of their existence was in the hands of advancing their military capabilities. The acquisition of Ord Mantell for the Compact had opened up avenue's to a plethora of old materials that could very easily be repurposed for creating more advanced shipyards. Problem was, they didn't have the specifications for such an endeavor. That meant it was a necessity that they go and seek out information, and the best way to do that was to visit the shipyards of their allies. Because they knew that they had vessels of substantial size, they opted for the Republic.

Janira boarded a single IFAS cruiser, Dawn's Light, with several other Echani of import. Once the ship was loaded, she sent a tight beam transmission to Coruscant, alerting them that they would be heading to their shipyards, and requesting the opportunity to speak with whomever was in charge of the construction of their fleet forces, as well as the manager of their yards. It was critical that this be done, and it was critical that it be done quickly, because the knowledge of such shipyards would help them advance their fleet forces.

With the transmission sent, the ship departed into hyperspace.

 

[Sars Sarad]

The opportunity to tour, survey more specifically, the shipyards of the Republic was something that few in the Echani Compact, or anywhere else for that matter, would have passed up which is what lead to this moment. Khem Val-Maar was not an Echani however he did serve the Compact and with a blindfold, dark in color, covering his eyes and partially hinting towards his Miraluka heritage he waited on the bridge of the IFAS Cruiser while it went into hyperspace. Despite the alliance between the Echani and the Republic he had his doubts they would freely allow them to see shipyards in their entirety due to various secrets the Alliance might be forced to reveal if this were to occur however with careful prodding and specifically chosen words he believed the Echani Compact could make headway here today.

"Hence we travel forth into the belly of the beast."

...Khem had said to himself as the cruiser entered hyperspace. Despite the blindfold he wore Khem actually didn't have any eyes, Miraluka were born without them, but he saw just as well if not better than those around him. The Force Sight that he used to suppliment natural vision, where other races were concerned, allowed him to peer and see everything around him in a different light. Beyond what normal vision allowed Khem could see through walls and on the other side of doors, he knew who was coming before they entered the room, which made it seem as though he had a certain amount of precognition. Aside from that he could even see through a persons flesh as though it were translucent giving him access to watch the organs beneath the flesh and all the rest. Sight was a marvel for the Miraluka.

As the ship had gone into hyperspace the High Protector would remain mostly silent while he waited to hear if the Republic would send a return transmission. Displaying a stoic patience he said little however his senses were alert and he remained of what happened around him; every nuance was important. Letting his hands shift behind himself Khem would clasp his right hand to his left wrist and take a practiced stance which made him look contemplative but receptive to those around him.

 

[Janira Fenni]

"Do you find enjoyment in leading troops, High Protector?"

Her voice was undoubtedly unmistakeable as she spoke from behind Khem. She barely knew him, but she knew the Miraluka were rather incredible. They saw through the Force. She didn't have the Force, but the Rogues did and she often conversed with their leader. It wasn't that fascinating to her, the Force, but she found it interesting that a race without eyes could see with the Force.

The Miraluka had not disappointed her to this point. They were just as capable as the Echani were. And they could learn. She moved up to stand beside him, one hand holding her cane while the other was resting across her back. They continued to wait for the transmission from the Republic. Mostly they just wanted to speak with some people. She'd brought some of their engineers along. Perhaps they could converse with Republic engineers. That would be most helpful.

 

[Sars Sarad]

@[member="Janira Fenni"]

"Grand Overseer."

...was initially all he had said after hearing the voice of Janira coming from behind him. When she moved up to stand beside him Khem would have turned his head as though he were looking at her though this seemed impossible due to the blindfold covering his eyes as well as the fact that he had no eyes at all. Yet his head still tilted towards her as though he were regarding the Grand Overseer quietly before his head turned away and he was looking ahead once again quietly.

Force Sight allowed him to learn many things. He could actually tell that Janira was not force sensitive herself and he had even noticed her cane. Looking beyond her flesh Khem may have even seen how fast her heart beat and might have discerned how healthy she was at that particular moment though he didn't mention it. At least not outright.

"Leadership is a burden Grand Overseer. I might pose the same question to you in a different context."

...his voice seemed almost cryptic when he chose to respond to her before he continued...

"I enjoy that the men I command believe in my leadership. If they did not I would be unable to lead. It lessens the burden."

...such a nondescript answer and one that could be analyzed for some time though Janira would be forced to analyze it as Khem quite often spoke with such hidden meanings and cryptic answers that one was left with no choice but to self reflect. Arguably it gave him pleasure though in another sense he spoke as such because he realized the need for such reflection in other questions otherwise they could not hope to expand themselves. Not that Janira needed expanding but habits were sometimes difficult to break.

As of yet Khem still stood straight and with both hands behind his back, right hand on left wrist, while he waited. Allowing a silence to pass between them briefly like the air they both breathed he would eventually said...

"Do you expect the Republic will be forthright with us? We are allies but at the moment I would dare say they see the Compact as more of a subsidiary of themselves."

...an odd way to put it maybe however he would expand on the sentiment...

"They are a Bureaucracy after all."

...nothing needed to be said that that. Khem actually expected an extremely political meeting between the High Overseer and the Republics representative however knowing this he decided not to say it as well. No doubt Janira had her own expectations of the meaning but Khem merely hoped that the Compact would be able to come away with a little knowledge that could be put to good use in the creation of their own shipyards.

 

[Janira Fenni]

"No, I do not. They will likely be put off a bit, standoffish. We're visiting one of their most secretive places. I'm sure they'll dictate where and what we see."

This man was wise, but cryptic. She found his way of speaking intriguing, and also a bit nauseating. Chiefly because she had a hard time understanding what it was that he was saying. Still, she did what she could and made sense of what she could. It was all intriguing. She continued to stand there and look out the viewport at the whiteness of hyperspace, leaning on the cane. She really only carried it just in case. And to throw off opponents.

She shifted her weight and took a glass of water from a crew member that had brought it to her. She took a sip before turning her eyes back towards the man standing beside her. After a moment she looked away again.

"I expect all of those who serve under me to do so with respect for their soldiers as well as their commanders. We are a large military force with many vessels at our disposal, and we're working on more, but we need to upgrade our yards first. Your people are staunch allies and I welcome you greatly. But I hold you to the same level as an Echani, Null, Ord Mantellian, or the humans of Anobis."

Now she turned and focused steadily on him.

"That, I'm assuming, is understood. So I have one more question for you: how well do you fight?"

@[member="Khem Val-Maar"]

 

[Sars Sarad]

@[member="Janira Fenni"]

A Shipyard being a secretive location for any faction was no surprise. Without the vessels created and developed at any shipyard the power of a faction might be lessened which meant that anything we did see would be guarded. Both Khem and Janira seemed to have a deep understanding of that. When Janira spoke it seemed to Khem as though she were speaking plainly which he could appreciate and rest assure that even though his head was facing ahead he still regarded her.

Declining the offer of water after Janira had taken her own from the crew member Khem would have stood there until she made her expectations clear at which point his head would turn in her direction once more...

"Understood, Grand Overseer."

...when he spoke the affirmative to her it all seemed very formal which is how it ought to sound considering that she was of higher rank then him however when Janira turned and focused more steadily on him Khem would have done likewise...

"Not so well with a blaster."

...Khem had started to answer as he turned to face Janira squarely now. His shoulders weren't exceptionally broad however Khem was physically able which he could prove if it was ever required of him. Allowing his last sentiment to hang in the air he would have continued before long...

"My way of seeing doesn't bode well with shooting I'm afraid."

...though he would add after taking a well timed breath...

"I fight well enough with my hands and a sword though."

...which was a humble estimation according to some considering that Khem was well acquainted with several different fighting styles and arts of swordsmanship however he'd also learned that arrogance was not a boon. Consequently there are some that might think his admittance of being poor with a Blaster was a liability however Khem had his own way to supplement his weaknesses in a firefight. On the left side of his belt was a small device, a personal energy shield, which operated via rechargeable energy cells and offered a degree of protection; Khem also wore armorweave when he was expecting combat. Light and durable.

 

[Sars Sarad]

@[member="Janira Fenni"], @[member="Darren Brunswick"]

Intriguing. Most Governments wouldn't have expected an individual with Force Sight and thus the proper modifications wouldn't have been made to their vehicles however it appeared as though the Republic did expect as much. Khem pondered this. The Republic was in league with the Jedi and they certainly wouldn't have ever been giving the Sith a tour of their shipyards, even the public ones, which meant that they may have been preparing for a possibility that seemed almost unfathomable. Despite his silence as the durasteel shutters covered the windows of the Air Shuttle Khem's mouth had twitched and the smallest of smiles settled across the corners of his mouth.

As the Air Shuttle proceeded through the last segments of its journey towards the shipyards Khem remained quiet, silent, composed and thoughtful while he listened to Senator Brunswick when he spoke until it was time to exit the Air Shuttle. Tilting his head down Khem's force sight pierced the steel beneath his feet, looking into the floor of the Air Shuttle, and if the metal there had not been properly adjusted he would have eventually peeled back the layers to look beneath his own feet almost as though he were hovering, carried on the back of the wind. He knew when the Air Shuttle had started to come to a stop. He could feel the momentum slowing naturally but that was only a secondary sense that kept him aware of his environment.

Turning his head when Senator Brunswick bade them to exit the shuttle Khem shifted in his seat before rising to his full height. He would let Janira exit the shuttle ahead of him, deferring to her station as usual, before following behind her at a casual pace. As he moved Khem would once again shift his hands behind his back so that the right was holding onto the wrist of the left...

"Impressive."

...he echoed Janira's sentiment though he imagined he saw things slightly different than she did before adding...

"What is the primary function of this shipyard, Senator?"

...his feet had set firmly on the ground after he moved off of the ramp and though he was impressed by what he saw, via Force Sight, occurring around him Khem also was curious. This was a public shipyard, as Senator Brunswick had already stated, so Khem was curious to know how much the Senator would reveal to them.