Commen Council

[Onrai]

Senate Hall, Chasin City, Commenor

A blonde woman stepped forward towards the doors of the Senate hall. It was fortunate that the negotiations with Krest had been successful, otherwise she might not have been able to acquire this opportunity. Vanessa Vantai was here because she had been offered something that few could dare match - influence. Influence over a woman who had previously struggled with the darkness, unknown to her, and was winning​. How disgusting. The now-Darth Ferus had been able to connect her with an opportunity to gain an audience with this woman - an opportunity she would try to use to worm her way into the lady's heart, to begin the process of corrupting her, subverting her... raising the darkness within her to the surface.

For now, she chose to shroud her presence in the Force, using the arcane Sith techniques she had learned a long time ago. She didn't want to give everything away all at once, did she?

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay wasn't sure about this meeting. Krest had set up and she owed him a favour for a past deed. It had been some time since she had heard from the man last. The mention of such a meeting didn't come as a request, but more so as a statement. And that gave her some cause of concern. But then again, his actions weren't always with ill intent behind them.

Wearing a gown with the Commenori colours of grey and blue, she met [member="Vanessa Vantai"] at the front doors of the Senate Hall with a few of her guards flanking her. As always, Kay's Force signature was shrunk down to that of a small tree nut. She gave the woman a slight bow of her head and smiled. "Welcome to Commenor. You are Vanessa Vantai, are you not? Please deposit any weaponry with my guards. We have tight security here, as you can imagine. You're weapons will be returned to you when you leave the building." There had been past attacks on the Hall before, so extra measures were put forth to better ensure everyone's safety.

 

[Onrai]

"I took the precaution of leaving my weapons within my shuttle." She smiled. So far, things had gone off without a hitch. "Indeed. You must be Lady Kay. Our... mutual associate who set up this meeting told me a reasonable amount about you." Well, that part was a lie. Krest merely said she was the Queen of Commenor, and it had been up to Vanessa herself to look through the information regarding the woman. There honestly wasn't much -aside from her having taken the reigns a tad forcefully, from what she could tell, she was quite the enigma, though Vanessa was sure she would learn more down the line. Besides, she did have enough power in the Force to deal with any potential threats were this to turn hostile.

"I've come to discuss perhaps furthering relations. I do after all have a company that manufactures vehicles, starships, technology, and other weapons of war. I believe we could strike satisfactory arrangements - ones that would prove beneficial for the growth of my company and the protection of your territory." She smiled. "I'm also interested in learning more about you."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay blinked a little in surprise. Well, that was good of [member="Vanessa Vantai"] to leave her weapons. Not many could do without them on their person. It was funny how reluctant most were.

Vanessa spoke further about Krest. Just what sort of information did he relay to her? The man knew a little of her secrets, yet she wasn't sure how much of that he would reveal. Did they know eachother well? She wasn't certain.

But then came the mention of business, leading Kay to relax her stance a little. Now that was going to be easy. A little contract here and that'll be that. Should be simple enough. "Protection is key. We're not in the habit of going to war, but with our territory growing, so too do our defences need to keep up." She gestured for Vanessa to follow her. "Let's go to my office, shall we?" Kay turned and led the way, her guards waiting for Vanessa to do the same. She raised a brow slightly at her final remark. "Learn more about me? Whatever for? Most find politicians to be dull and boring."

 

[Onrai]

"I can name many who weren't." She smiled as they stepped into Kay's office. "So from what I can tell based on your words, the ships that would suit you and your forces best are slower ships capable of playing a defensive war." She thought for a moment as to what products she could currently offer for such a conflict. "We do have a line of artillery ships, as well as former Sith and Omega Protectorate vessels. Available at low prices, and effective for a defensive war, should you choose to engage in one. We are also currently working on the development of beam weaponry - some of our newer prototypes are still under development, but we should have a small beam cannon released to the public soon. More powerful than numerous turbolaser batteries." She said.

"We also have a variety of droids and ordnance. Please, feel free to check out the catalog I brought with me." She handed a datapad to the Queen, her demeanor still calm and relaxed.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay's office was no different than those help by the representatives of other planets and governments, except for one thing. Hers had secret panels that gave way to hidden passages for an escape in case of a siege.

She listened to [member="Vanessa Vantai"] describe what she figured were the types of vessels best suited for her defences. Currently her Minister and Deputy Minister that handled such things were off world, so it was up to Kay to look after it for the time being. "I'm afraid that my knowledge on the various types of ships and their attributes isn't as strong as most of my counterparts..." She took the catalogue in hand and glanced over the extensive lists that were displayed there. "I hope to not fill up our fleets with just slow vessels. Our borders are quite far and expanding as time goes on. We'll need good ships to actively patrol and to be able to out maneuver some potential adversaries. If we lean too fat to one type of defence, it could easily be thwarted."

 

[Onrai]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Vanessa nodded. "Oh, certainly, we can provide ships that can quickly respond to attack as they come." She smiled. "But if we're talking about playing a mostly defensive game, having slower, more heavily armed ships will likely be key. You also want ships capable of engaging enemies from longer range - we can provide that." She answered. "There's also more we can provide with regards to technology - droids and the sort. After all, there's no reason to needlessly risk the lives of sentient beings when droids work just as well." She said. "we have some droids for sale right now, albeit not an incredulous amount. I would also be more than willing to design equipment for you and provide you with specialized gear." She was very fortunate to be in this position.


"I'm surprised at how successfully neutral you've managed to keep the Commenor systems. Rarely can such neutrality be effectively enforced."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay sat down in her chair at her desk with her brows furrowed as she listened to [member="Vanessa Vantai"] 's advice from a business perspective. It wasn't as though her fleets were starting from scratch. But the woman didn't know of what she had or didn't have. Actually Kay didn't quite know either. It wasn't her job to know the specifics. That was for her Ministers to handle. And if she had known of what this meeting was about, she might have sent for them.

"Long range weapons would be good. As for droids...They aren't necessary." She knew a few sentient droids and it would be wrong of her to treat their kind in such a manner. They weren't slaves to her. And most of her people preferred to be employed. They were proud of their jobs and they made good money for it.

Kay smirked at the mention of her governments sustained neutrality. "Our neutrality is quite simple, really. We're small and unnoticed. We don't have anything outside of our trade routes. No rare or unique items, nothing of high value that can't be found elsewhere. And we've made no enemies."

 

[Onrai]

"Very well. " Vanessa responded. "I suppose it's understandable, to use manpower rather than droids. As for your neutrality... I must say, it takes very high amounts of skill to successfully maintain such neutrality in the face of such a galactic conflict. The Jedi and Sith, the Galactic Alliance and First Order... I'm impressed." She smiled. "Though I know deep down that what is important about neutrality is having many friends, not necessarily having few enemies." She continued to ponder over the situation. "You seem like a very suitable leader for your people, I must say."

The more flattery she could use, the better - she doubted this woman got to regularly hear it.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was glad that [member="Vanessa Vantai"] didn't press the issue any further in regards to what she was trying to sell. It wasn't quite her area of expertise and thry had plenty of companies already contracted to them that provided a lot for them. The trick was in finding those unique items that made each company different from the rest.

She blinked as Vanessa started complimenting her on her efforts. Normally people told her how futile her stance was and that she'd lose everything one day. But Kay did her best to hold that off. Each day in peace, each day without war was a success over what the others were doing.

"Thank you. I do the best that I can. And you're right, it is better to have many friends, which is why we have trade agreements with most. Some have tried to get us to fight in the front lines of their wars, don't get me wrong. But my people are needed here. And we cannot exactly fight against our allies that have caused no harm to us. That would be a huge mistake and would only bring war to our front door."

 

[Onrai]

"Unfortunately, it sometimes seems that having many friends can be a problem - given the fact that you have to serve as a moderator for people who utterly loathe each other and would slaughter one another given the chance." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I have a feeling that one day you may be forced to pick between one option or the other. I can only hope that whenever that day comes, whoever it may be, that the right choice is made." She considered how next to proceed with the situation. "Admittedly, I suppose I should be trying to build bridges for myself as well as my company. I know you're likely exceedingly busy... but perhaps you would be interested in maybe getting a bite to eat?"

After all, that was usually the go-to way to build bridges - over a decent meal.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay slowly shook her head in response to some of what [member="Vanessa Vantai"] had said. "We are not a moderator for either of the sides. Whenever there's a big meeting with the Galactic powers, our voices are not heard by any of them. And in regards to having to make a choice? We've already made it. We choose ourselves." Every choice she made was for the best interest of her people. It might not always be the right choice for her, but that didn't really matter.

She blinked at the request for a meal. Well that was a bit unusual. But certainly not unwelcomed. Normally Kay had tea and snacks on hand, but she was at the Senate Hall and not at her home. She got to her feet. "There's a cafeteria downstairs. We can find something down there." Kay moved around her desk and started towards the door. "The food's pretty good. And so is the tea."

 

[Onrai]

“Choosing yourselves over the greater good? I’d say the Jedi wouldn’t approve, but I wouldn’t know whet they think.” She got a subtle jab in against the Jedi - arguably this implied a sort of collective egoism, a desire to do what was the best for the Queen and her people, the rest of the galaxy be damned. Inside, Vanessa was shocked at the revelation - it was such a prideful response. In fact, some would say it was almost...

Almost Sithy.

Vanessa responded to the cafeteria notification with great fervor. “So, how does a lovely woman like you end up acquiring such a position of power? That’s has to be a tale in and of itself.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay had to roll her eyes at [member="Vanessa Vantai"] 's statement of the 'greater good'. How many times had she heard that argument? Too many. "I've seen Jedi do evil and Sith do good. The lines between what's good and what's evil is so blurred...Right now I don't think that either side is correct."

She led the way into the Hall and started to the lift. That flattery that Vanessa kept tossing her way was very much a salesman tactic that she was familiar with. One doesn't deal with multiple companies without hearing it at least a few times. "I was elected by the Commenori to lead them and keep them save during the Mandalorian Crusades. The Elders were the true leaders of the planet. They were quite old, yet I looked up to them, learned from them. After they died, I was set to replace them. But I didn't want to hide away like they did. So I was given a different role and title. It's all public knowledge." Which was true. Of course there was much that wasn't public knowledge at all.

 

[Onrai]

“It’s interesting to watch the dichotomy of the Jedi and Sith in action on an individual level.” She said. “Each person interprets their order’s codes differently, so such variation does occur. I would certainly be interested in hearing about these ‘Jedi doing evil’ and ‘Sith doing good.’ Perhaps it’s a shift in how they choose to characterize themselves.” She pondered for a moment.

“Ah Yes... the Mandalorians.” Venessa visibly twitched for s moment, remembering her ordeal with them when Gilamar Skirata was Mandalore. “The one thing I disliked about Mandalorians is how easily manipulated to barbarism they could be.” She was speaking from personal experience given that her she was effectively roasted alive. The story she told actually seemed almost too simple to be true.

“Well, I can’t say i’m Displeased with the atmosphere.” She said, as they headed down the lift.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay was certain that most had heard about the famous battle of Atrisia, with Jedi and Sith on opposite sides of what they should be. She clasped her hands in front of her as they rode the lift down. "The Jedi have been too militant for a while now. I understand their reasoning, but that doesn't make it right. Most of the Sith that I've encountered have been quite reasonable. Perhaps they don't see me as a threat, so they drop their guards and take a chance to listen and know that they'd be heard in return."

The lift door opened. Already the smell of a variety of foods arose from the kitchens. Kay stepped out, letting [member="Vanessa Vantai"] walk along side her. "Some Mandalorians are easily manipulated. But others aren't. There are some that have resisted the Crusades as well. Not everyone agrees with the leadership." Much like she didn't. Kay didn't follow the lead of her adopted Clan. She had to remain here to look after her people.

Kay was guided over to a booth, not exactly private, but she prefered it that way. She slid herself into a seat and smiled to the server. "I'll have my usual. Tea, soup and biscuits."

"Yes of course, My Lady. And you, Miss?"

 

[Onrai]

“It’s not all that surprising.” Vanessa chose to point out. Traditionally the Jedi are like some sort of Phoenix. They continually deviate further from their original path until it leads to their destruction, only for the order to eventually find itself reborn after someone stumbles upon their manuscripts.” She sighed. “And of course the Jedi feed the Sith as well. Yet I suppose the Sith are arguably better for the galaxy than the Jedi. As for not seeing you as a threat - I suppose they just want to be polite given they’re on your world and one Sith alone cannot stop the entire army of several systems.”

When they stepped out, she continued the discussion. “The Mandalorians have been infighting for centuries. And disagreements with the orthodoxy is how such groups as the disturbingly pacifist New Mandalorians ended up arising. I must say, the concept of the Supercommando Codex does seem more rational an option than the rest of the galaxy putting down Mandalorian attempts at conquest on regular occasions.”

Once in the booth, she looked st the waiter. “Tea, please, along with a club sandwich and some soup.”

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay didn't feel as though the Sith were better for the Galaxy. It was a Sith Lord that killed her first husband. And it was a Sith Lord that abducted her and tortured her for months on end, making her into something that was just a shell of herself. But it was her friends and her latest husband that had pulled her from the brink and brought her old self back after many months. Thankfully.

The server had left them to get their order. Something that [member="Vanessa Vantai"] had said made her quite curious. "Supercommander Codex? Can't say that I've heard of that one. Nor have I heard of pacifist New Mandalorians." Well she sort of did, but just in conversation with an old friend. Still it was just a discussion of ideas. Not of anything that was real.

 

[Onrai]

"Old Mandalorian subgroups." Vanessa said, recalling the history she had studied. "The Supercommando Codex was a document written by a Mandalorian named Jaster Mereel. Apparently he got sick and tired of watching the Mandalorians get crushed time and time again - so instead of trying to perpetuate the claim that the Mandalorians were a raiding band of brigands that desired to carve out an empire, they were instead honorable, highly-paid mercenaries. Apparently the Death Watch formed as a response to that. From my understanding, the New Mandalorians were a group that believed conflict itself needed to be rejected, turning the skilled warrior clans into pacifists. Apparently they died out after the Death Watch killed their leader. No surprise there." She shrugged.

"I could never understood why someone would refuse to defend themselves when the alternative was death. It's a part of our nature to do such, and yet they rejected it, choosing to be slaughtered to the last and forgotten by Mandalore."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay's brows furrowed as she listened to [member="Vanessa Vantai"] relay what the recent history of the Mandalorians were. "Death Watch?" News of what went on elsewhere in the Galaxy didn't come to her so easily. She was far too busy as it was to worry about every government group rising to power. Most don't last long and she had many friends that would keep them at bay. Death Watch sounded like the type of name that Ra would have chosen. Thankfully his threat to her government was just a bark, perhaps merely a bid to see what her government would do. There had been no word from them ever since.

"Being neutral and not wanting to travel the Galaxy to fight in wars far from home makes us a pacifist government too. But we wouldn't just sit by and let others attack our territory without doing anything about it. We will fight to defend our own." Kay did what she could to ensure that her people had what they needed to keep them safe. Whether or not it was enough depended on how large of a force was thrust upon them.