Private Call Me Little Sunshine [Dominique Vexx]

[Darth Carnifex]

The sleek, hawk-like shuttle came to a gentle rest on the gilded landing platform. Pressurized air hissed as the boarding ramp languidly descended to touch the ground, red light spilling out from the cabin interior. Four ceremonial guards in gleaming black armor over ribbed padding emerged from amidst the sanguine light, trudging down the ramp in two parallel columns. When they reached the bottom, they divided to flank both sides and stood to rigid attention.

Darth Carnifex, resplendent in dark maroon and crimson robes, followed shortly thereafter. He wore no battle armor nor the trappings of any office, but nonetheless carried Himself with deadly regality. His towering presence eclipsed even that of His guards, who He stood more than a full head taller. Chasing after Him at a brisk, but measured, pace was a woman of little distinction other than her rich crimson officer's uniform; freshly pressed and meticulously groomed. In her hands she carried a datapad and stylus, while a set of minimalist but still fashionable half-rim glasses sat perched upon the brim of her nose.

The Dark Lord led the way, while the secretary and the four guards fell in line with His shadow. Awaiting them was a small detachment of cleanly dressed Ghorman, some of who wore badges depicting various Sith iconography and symbolism. They gushed with meaningless platitudes as the Dark Lord approached, professing about what a great honor it was that a being of His magnificence had blessed their world with His grace. Carnifex cared little for such naked fawning, leeches and sycophants that they were. There would always be endless worms to take their place, and so Carnifex barely even acknowledged them as He passed them by.

True to their nature, the Ghorman followed meekly behind all the same. The Ghorman city of Palmos opened up before the Dark Lord, the rich history woven in the winding and crowded streets below. Across from the landing platform was Palmos' main civic center, where the local government held offices and meeting chambers. It would be in one of these that the Dark Lord met with the leader of a foreign nation, one that was just as much spiritually opposed to the Sith Empire as it was politically.

Dominique Vexx, Chancellor of the High Republic.

Just a half standard month ago, representatives of the High Republic and Jedi Order had been ambushed on Moorja by the Sith. Many had been killed, many more had gone missing entirely. Those that escaped did so at great cost, and in their flight the world of Moorja was swallowed up by the Blackwall. Since then, the Sith had made neither declaration or demand regarding the incident on Moorja. Any inquiry from the Republic had gone unanswered as well, the Sith silent behind their impenetrable Blackwall.

That all changed when a message was received from the secretariat of Darth Carnifex, requesting a personal audience with the Chancellor on a neutral system. A stipulation of the meeting, offered up by the Sith Lord, was that He would only bring a small handful of personal guards and His own secretary, while the Chancellor could bring any amount of personnel she deemed necessary; including Jedi. The message also stated its intent in clear black and white, to open a direct dialogue with the Republic regarding the incident on Moorja.

The message also made it clear that Carnifex would meet with no one else besides the Chancellor, and that a second offering of mediation would not be forthwith if this current offer was spurned. When the Dark Lord received the Chancellor's reply, He provided the world of Ghorman to act as their meeting ground and made all preparation to travel there. He was the first to arrive, setting into the assigned meeting space with His guards and secretary. It would not be long before Chancellor Vexx arrived with her staff, and they could finally meet face to face.

Sith and Republic.

Dark and Light.

Dominique Vexx ​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Three armored transports dropped into the atmosphere of Ghorman from Venator Cruiser Mark III capital ship. The opportunity was enticing, but the High Republic Strategic Command wasn't about to let their Chancellor get herself killed. Every reasonable effort was made to obfuscate when and where their ship would arrive, how many there would be, and on which one the High Chancellor occupied in transit. Regional resources had even been used to survey the area before time for signs of a snare.

To say the High Republic had a lack of trust would be a generous assessment. After the events on Moorja and its aftermath, expectations for peaceful coexistence with the Sith were at an all-time low. The Core Sanctions and Access Denial Act could very easily become amendment to include the Sith Order itself given sufficient time; and even if it wasn't, enough leeway was inherent to it that it could be leveraged as-is.

Nevertheless, despite the very vocal opposition to her accepting the offer, Dominique accepted Darth Carnifex's 'limited-time offer.' She did, however, insist as to the timing with various excuses made. Not all of them were untrue either. Convincing her own security to relent had taken time. However, if Carnifex were genuine in his desire to meet, it was only reasonable that he not expect the High Republic to act in haste; he had already insisted on them making a very sudden, very crucial decision in accepting the offer at all. A little delay would go a long way showing his sincerity.

At last, the transport carrying the Chancellor touched down on a landing pad apart from where Darth Carnifex had disembarked. One of the escorts peeled off to deposit a few special forces personnel elsewhere before the ship took up a patrol around the area. Meanwhile, the other escort would monitor the Chancellor's movements until she reached the main civic center of Palmos.

Four commandos in white armor and two assistants accompanied the High Chancellor in her brief stroll toward the building. Her own, pristine white uniform was no made of unyielding plates of armor, but appeared to be that of a Naval Commander best suited for the bridge of a starship. Stiffer shoulder pads with a splash of purple gave contrast and life to the otherwise military-inspired outfit. She was a politician, but not one shackled to their desk eager to issue sternly worded letters of rebuke.

At long last, the doors to the meeting chamber would opened and Dominique strode through them at an even gait. Her golden eyes were concealed behind opaque lilac glareshades, and unlike most meetings of this nature she did not wear a lofty smile born of expectation. She stopped just far enough inside the room -- barring obvious signs of betrayal -- for the doors to close behind her and those that had accompanied her.

"Dark Lord."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Chancellor," the Dark Lord's sultry bass reverberated around the chamber, vibrating deep down to bone. He was still standing when she entered the room, so He had no need to rise to greet her. Rather, He made a simple gesture of inclining His upper body in her direction. The disparity between the two was evident even at a glance, the Dark Lord standing two feet taller than Dominique, and His complimentary maroon and red robes contrasting her bright white and rich purple uniform.

He gestured idly to the table, with a place reserved for Himself at one end and her at the other. Other seats had been supplied for those that the Chancellor brought with her, Carnifex's secretary sitting next to His own seat. She'd placed her datapad on the table, reconfigured to enable rapid typing. Even now, she transcribed every word spoken and every physical action taken. The four guards stood at attention on the wall at Carnifex's back, their faceless masks forming a wall of silent scrutiny.

"Sit and make yourself comfortable, Chancellor." Taking His own advice, the Dark Lord slipped into His seat. Steepling His hands on the table, the Dark Lord fixed Dominique with an icy stare; the innate thrum of the Dark Side filling the room with a bone-biting frigidity. "It pleases me that you have accepted my offer to meet, there were some among my colleagues who did not believe you would take the chance. It will no doubt vex them to see their confident assertions proven incorrect."

Darth Carnifex slowly interlocked the fingers of each hand, resting them flat against the table after a moment's pause. "I assume you have many questions, Chancellor. As a show of good faith, I will answer any query you pose me, and I will do so without falsehood." The way in which the Dark Lord bared His teeth in a poor imitation of a smile gave little confidence that His words were sincere, but there was little else to do but accept some measure of His words as truth.

Time would tell if that was wise.

Dominique Vexx ​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

The Chancellor stood at the threshold for a second longer before she turned to stroll to the other end of the table prepared for their encounter. After she pulled the chair out and settled into it, the two aides took a seat on either side with the troopers behind. It was then that Carnifex and Dominique took the opportunity to gaze into the other's eyes.

And to instill an atmosphere appropriate for the moment. Dominique extended her right hand forward and lay her forearm upon the table with the left crossed before her. Both were freely shown, and while the shoulder pads presented a square pose the position of her arms was meant to express a certain ease otherwise not visible. Perhaps a Dark Lord could simply know what one felt, but Dominique didn't care what a Force User thought they knew. Far as she was concerned, the galaxy still ran on optics and haptics -- what people could see, hear, and touch.

As to the matter of Carnifex's colleagues, they were smarter than people gave them credit. Rationally she shouldn't be there. It was beyond risky. The value was questionable. The outcome hazy at best. But that worked both ways.

There was a second's pause after the man's invitation. Any query, was it? How would he like if she asked how to bring down the Blackwall in its entirety? Or, perhaps, the size and disposition of the Sith Order's fleet? No. Carnifex might even answer, but who could tell if a word of it would be true?

"Did the Sith Order knowingly, willfully, or deliberately coax, manipulate, or command the government of Moorja to draw the High Republic into a trap, and to what end?" Simple query. Even timely. One that Dominique could weigh whether the man's response held so much as a kernel of truth to it.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"A potent query, Chancellor."

The Dark Lord's smile diminished somewhat, though the sharp glint of His teeth could still be seen behind His lightly parted lips. "It will come as no surprise to you that the Sith Empire has been in contact with every known neutral systems beyond the margins of the Blackwall. On every world, and in every planetary government, we have found men and women more than willing to listen. Moorja was no different. A clique of officials and military officers were eager to throw all of Moorja in line with the Sith Empire. Another faction was not so eager, they still held admirable but ultimately outdated notions of loyalty to an idea of justice and morality that has since gone extinct in the galaxy."

"Unable to stomach their compatriot's lack of vision, this clique decided to take matters into their own hands. The coup was neither silent nor bloodless, but nonetheless effective. We were contacted soon after, and eager to prove their fidelity to the Sith, they orchestrated to invite the Republic under false pretenses." The Dark Lord spread His hands in an almost conciliatory gesture, "What happened is well known. Many dead, many captured, many unknown."

"The Sith Empire did not instigate Moorja, but it did take advantage of an offered opportunity. The Moorjans wanted to prove how far they were willing to go, who were we to deny them their tribute?" It was said so matter of factly, as if the Moorjan's decision didn't lead to dozens and dozens of dead butchered in a horrendous ambush. The Dark Lord's delivery didn't help either, He seemed utterly disinterested in the facts of the whole affair. It didn't help that He was there as well, and had taken a direct hand in the killing.

"Moorja will most likely not be the last either, Chancellor. Blood's in the water." He laughed, short and cruel, but not necessarily mocking. "Might I introduce you to someone, Chancellor? A representative of a government newly reorganized."

Dominique Vexx ​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

The Chancellor didn't move except to blink and to breathe as Carnifex spoke. What he said and how he said it were not offensive. This was a Board Room negotiation like any other and sometimes your opposition was a right ass. Not that the Dark Lord sought to be combative, argumentative, or even demeaning in any way. Nor did she take him as such.

That was the Director and Chancellor, of course. Personally, "The people being offered the tribute." Her tone was as banal as Carnifex's had been about the how rote or otherwise common-place the events had been. Who were they to deny an ambushed of the High Republic and its people, indeed. There were more thoughts, of course, but she would save them until a moment arrived when they would serve a purpose other than amusement.

"Before the introduction, Dark Lord," Dominique's hand overlapped atop one another on the table before her, "I have a thought for consideration. Toward the future." A shadow of a mirthless smile graced the Denonite's lips. She wouldn't bother asking permission to express herself, she simply would. "There are times when the blood in the water is from the chum." The corners of her lips spread outward and higher by degrees. The Sith Empire should have a care not to get bitten.

"Pray tell, who would this personage be that the Dark Lord Carnifex would introduce to the High Chancellor?" There was an obvious government in mind, but that said little about whom the man meant. She was not opposed to meeting their representative either, but the hopes of negotiating an understanding had diminished. They were lower than when that government first announced themselves to the galaxy, in fact, which would be impressive in any other circumstance. Nonetheless, there was still a chance. Unlikely as it might be.

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

His smile subtly widened at the Chancellor's words, and not in a jovial manner. Everything about the Dark Lord was unsettling. From His mannerisms to the way in which He carried Himself, even His expressions didn't seem wholly natural. He was truly a predator wearing the guise of a man, a beast hidden by the thinnest veil of civilization's decorum. Embodied in Him, the Dark Side was at its strongest and most primal.

The Dark Lord raised up one hand and snapped His fingers. A door adjacent to the meeting room opened with a sliding hiss, and a single man walked through. His rich baby blue uniform was freshly pressed, gold piping and trim framing sharp symmetrical angles and meticulously aligned badges and crests. He immediately removed his cap and saluted in a single smooth motion.

"Vice Admiral Darius Virell, Commander of Frontier Stabilization Task Force - Aurek. I have the distinct pleasure of serving as an official representative of the Reorganized Federal Government of the Galactic Alliance for this meeting, Madame Chancellor. His Supreme Excellency requested my attendance."

Darius Virell would have been known to anyone with a passing knowledge of the Galactic Alliance's military structure, though before the Alliance fell he'd only held the rank of Commodore. As the Battle of Atrisia ended, Virell had been in command of one of the last remaining intact escort groups protecting refugee convoys and supply traffic near the Sith frontier. When central authority collapsed, he'd found himself and his subordinates trapped amidst rising warlordism and a newly emboldened Sith Empire.

Now here he was, promoted and serving on behalf of a newly reorganized Alliance government. In his mind, the RFGGA was the only thing standing in the way of total regional chaos. Their treaty with the Sith Empire allowed them to continue rebuilding efforts without the threat of invasion.

It had been the only way forward.

"Allow me the courtesy of saying it is an exquisite honor to meet you, Madame Chancellor, and to thank you for accepting the Supreme Excellency's invitation. In these dark and trying times, we must all strive to enforce peace and order where we can."

Dominique Vexx ​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Admittedly, the one that entered was not the sort Dominique had expected. Though that wasn't to say it was terribly shocking either. It did little to break the granite facade she wore in Darth Carnifex's presence either. To think he would do something so obvious. No, not necessarily predictable and certainly not overtly offensive, but a Chancellor -- or any leader of the Republic -- could see this for what it was. A message. A demonstration. An 'offer' of what magnanimous life might await those that simply... surrendered.

Or not. As a Sith, and one with quite the bloody history, Dominique expected he wanted them to capitulate only at the very end. After he'd had his fun. Once the players grew stale or were dead. Then they could roll over, and beg for scraps of what one might call freedom.

The last vestiges of the Galactic Alliance molded into the Reorganized Government of the Galactic Alliance.

It would be easy to hold the Vice Admiral to task for his role in this charade. Dominique wouldn't claim to be above it, but neither could she indulge in any sense of revulsion she might share. No, the High Chancellor would meet the man's eyes and tip her head in acknowledging his presence. It was the very least she could do. Carnifex, no doubt, ignored his existence all too often. Not deliberately, but because it was beneath notice most of the time.

Having once been the Senator of Denon beneath the Corporate Authorities of Denon -- a body that'd done as it pleased in mangling the response to Darkwire -- Dominique understood where Darius Virell stood in the grand scheme of things. Unlike Dominique, however, the former Commodore hadn't gone into seclusion, rebuilt his forces, and made a resurgent and grand return not to form, but to even higher heights than before. Then again, she hadn't been trapped inside of a literal war zone with Sith on every corner either.

And so it began. Peace, he had said. Order. Yes, she understood all too well what neither man had said thus far.

"Vice Admiral Virell, a pleasure. I hope you will forgive these inhospitable circumstances. I was unaware there would be a guest. Perhaps we could have arranged for drinks to pass the time conversing in how the people fare, and the inner workings of the newly re-established government."

Darth Carnifex​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord traded in subtlety and misdirection when the situation was necessary, though paradoxically He was loathe to intentionally tell lies. This, however, was a moment that required neither subtext or insinuation. This was a bold and provocative statement, a gesture where nothing could be misinterpreted. What Vice Admiral Virell represented, above all else, was the bitter truth that now etched itself across so many worlds that had once been protected from the Sith.

The Galactic Alliance was dead, and the Sith Empire was puppeting its corpse. In death, the Alliance had become something it hated more than anything. A vessel for darkness.

Virell smiled, the genuineness of his expression constrained by the tightness he felt in his chest by just being near the Dark Lord of the Sith. "Refreshments would be wonderful, if my Lord agrees?" By comparison, the Dark Lord's faint grin was anything but genuine; inhuman and wrong. "Of course, of course. By all means, Vice-Admiral. The greatest hospitality must be afforded for such esteemed guests." He didn't even need to snap His fingers or gesture this time, the door opening as a pair of servants entered carrying trays of various beverages.

Upon closer inspection, it was clear that these servants were anything but ordinary. Their uniforms were typical, austere and dim in terms of color, but pretty average for people intended to neither be seen or heard by their masters. What was truly bizarre was their heads, or what was left of it. Everything above the upper lip was gone, flesh terminating against a metallic simulacrum of a Human face. The chassis had been molded in frightening lifelike detail, but was a brilliant gold with gunmetal trim. A depression in the shape of the Sith Empire's emblem dominated their forehead.

Virell took a drink for himself without batting an eye at the strange nature of the servants, having evidently become used to their presence already. "The people of the great Galactic Alliance have known nothing but strife for decades, Madame Chancellor. With the magnanimous aid of the Sith Empire, we've begun a process of rebuilding and consolidation. Stability is at least returning to systems bereft of it. The Galactic Empire is a thing of the past, and Coruscant again shines as a beacon of freedom and democracy, free from the influence of those who have so often led us astray into countless forever wars."

Another sip, "I of course mean the Jedi, Madame Chancellor. An unaccountable cult who's intolerance pit us at war with every galactic power who did not share their archaic moralistic view. Chancellor Loghain understood what had gone wrong with the Alliance, and we've taken great strides in our efforts to rectify it. I understand my words may seem harsh and unfair, Madame Chancellor, for your High Republic harbors many of the same Jedi who abandoned the Alliance in our greatest hour. I do not fault you for allowing them safe harbor, but I do urge caution. Their kind only brings about ruin."

Dominique Vexx ​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

They had come prepared. How thoughtful of them. Which begged the question just how prepared Carnifex was for this little tête-à-tête.

Dominique swung her head slowly to the side to regard the door as it opened. The guards were tense; the Chancellor was merely observant. Though her features chiseled in granite might be seen in whatever light shone best on the moment. Fortunately, the glareshades concealed the slight movement at the sight of these 'servants' that brought hospitality.

It wasn't the appearance alone that registered. People on Denon augmented themselves in countless ways. Some by choice. Others necessity. She believed, however, that Carnifex was not a man to indulge in cyber-augmentation. How far did this cranial work go? What remain? Were they even still human? Had they ever been? A slew of questions even if unimportant in the grand scheme of things. He no doubt found them useful. Dominique, however, was not a proponent of mindless drones despite her support in augmentation to those that sought it.

After drinks were served, Dominique held hers fro a moment as a few sensors registered its contents invisible to the naked eye. One could not be too careful in Carnifex's presence. Just because one were powerful did not mean it was the only way they could inflict pain or death.

Virell, fortunately, took advantage of the moment to dispense propaganda. Well, one could learn a lot by the propaganda one spoke, and that their handlers believed -- or would have people believe they believed.

Admittedly, Dominique spent some time regarding Carnifex's countenance even as Virell spoke. For good reason. Though there was a shift in her attention over to the Vice Admiral when he called Coruscant the 'beacon of freedom and democracy' once more. Dominique sought to discern if the man managed to say all that with a perfectly straight face. Had he practiced it? Did he believe it?

Or could the High Republic's understanding of the Sith Covenant -- nay, the Sith Empire? -- be wrong?

Dominique was yet to question their impressions. The Covenant hadn't been subtle in their introduction. Their tactics were hardly nuanced or discrete. At least of those Lords that purportedly held the greatest sway. Though she began to wonder how much sway Carnifex held to be so freely waving his own banner in their territory.

"Truly?" she asked as if a revelatory statement had been made when Virell called to task the Jedi as the cause of countless wars.

The Jedi only brought about ruin. What a polite way of framing a threat couched in concern for their safety. A needless call to attention. Dominique -- and likely the entire galaxy -- was well aware of the High Republic's place as being one of the few bastions of freedom and democracy. The Diarchy could make their claim and Dominique was hardly one to downplay it. The Confederation might also try to claim it, but as someone of Denon Dominique knew better. And with some Jedi gathering in their borders that only draw the attention of... Darker elements to their humble quadrant of the galaxy.

As the drink was clear of 'additives,' Dominique took Virell's end as an opportunity to sample the drink calmly. It afforded a moment of reflection.

"The High Republic has always been one that seeks peace and prosperity for all," the Chancellor replied after the glass fell from her lips. "While it is true a Jedi Order does happen to reside within our borders, we are not mindlessly opposed to the very existence of their philosophical rivals. Our charter does enshrine certain qualities that may put is politically and even socially at odds, but that does not preclude diplomatic exploration and exchange."

Dominique paused for a second. "That is why I am here, after all. Not to presume to know you, but to hear where you stand by your own word. To know where you seek to go, and what priorities you hold in favor. To gauge whether we can find a means of economic and social ties to avoid needless wars."

"Is the Sith Empire, then, equally open to such exploration? To put aside arguments steeped in the Force, and to find the means to co-exist? To learn from one another, and build a galaxy where all our people can live freely." The Chancellor's attention was directed at Darth Carnifex by the end. The Vice-Admiral was a valiant mouthpiece, but what did the man behind the curtain truly think?

Darth Carnifex​