Private Corporate Diplomacy

[Tertius C. Nargath]

It has been quite some time since Tertius in his capacity of both the Marquis of Valkan and Chairman of the Board of Directors to the N&Z Umbrella Corporation, had made any sort of political or diplomatic move. For the better part of two years he had been content with letting others run the N&Z, expand it and fortify its galactic position, but even he could not ignore the elephant in the room: The Sith Order.

With its expansion, the Sith order had effectively taken hold of the Seswenna Sector, not to mention Tertius' own homeworld and the original center of the N&Z's corporate activities in the form of the industrial world Eriadu. Its importance to the company was understated and the weight on the shoulders of those running the company was immense, when the isolationist practices of the Sith Order effectively turned the company's seswenna activities and assets into costly posts where losses were guaranteed and stability was not.

While this had led to a quick reorganization, with the company's temporary headquarters being located on Mygeeto, while a large effort was made to expand their core operations to systems like Bescane and Corvus, Tertius knew that as long as the Sith Order wasn't properly addressed and an accord or understanding reached, even if for the most minimal and basic level of activity in the territorial assets within the Sith Order, the N&Z's expansionist ideology would be hampered greatly.

It was to this end that he held council with several of his division chiefs, non-aligned boardmembers and his legal representatives. In the end, it was agreed that direct negotiation with the Sith Order's primary authority in the form of the Dark Council was to be initiated in the hopes of allowing a better business precedent for the N&Z and to reaffirm the massive corporation's distinctly neutral stance in the political spectrum of the galaxy. With this recommendation in mind, Tertius had already sent a request for an audience through the proper channels to the Dark Council and hoped to receive an affirmation or answer to this request, as he knew that just showing up unanounced might be seen as a nuissance rather than something to look forward to. Not to mention the fact that each of the members of the Dark Council was no doubt busy in their own sphere of power, their own domains and territories, meaning getting them all at the table at once would most likely require some logistical effort.

Still, Tertius was fairly certain that a request coming from a corporation of such a magnitude as the N&Z couldn't just be handily ignored, not even by those who held the highest court in arguably the current most powerful faction in the galaxy. yet, despite his beliefs and his confidence, all he could do was wait for a reply to his request, an affirmation or a rejection...

TAG: Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf | Srina Talon

 

[Darth Caedes]

C O R P O R A T E
D I P L O M A C Y​

Outer Rim Territories
Planet: Mirial
Safe Zone Aurek
From orbit, the planet's scars were nigh unmistakable. Great swathes of the once vibrant Mirial remained barren and gray to this day, replete with frostbitten and jagged deserts, whereupon whistling winds dragged fog and other obscure debris across the ground. Broken cities lay half-buried in the sand and ice, their skeletal towers jutting up like the snapped bones of some long-dead titan.

The descending shuttle broke through Mirial's pale atmosphere and pushed through its cloud layer with a powerful, thrumming engine-shriek, its polished hull glowing faintly against the cold light of a distant sun. Even from this high up in the sky, movement could sometimes be seen down there on the surface. Slow, erratic hoards shambled across the wastes in numbers too vast to count. Zodou Shades, they were once called, though now they were merely known as the walking dead, or "ghouls," or the un-living; the single most disturbing legacy of a worldwide genocide.

Caedes had seen many worlds ravaged like this before, such as Odacer-Faustin, yet always they felt disturbing to observe. They were eerie and foreboding to him, as if to land there was to flirt with the possibility of finally joining with the shambling hoards himself. How many Sith Lords had thought themselves immune or superior to the undead, only to be claimed by their unyielding masses and gnashing teeth. Despite this, he had countless times committed the crime of afflicting similar fates onto unsuspecting planetary holdings, and watched as cities fell before the relentless dead of his own making. During the Caldera Crisis, and preceding the fall of the Galactic Alliance, he had littered moons and planets with diverse strains of contagious undeath; watched as armies and innocents were unmade and then remade into members of their own, new stinking hoards. On Brosi, his Jen'ari had swept across the world and fed on the few, unlikely survivors of an apocalyptic plague. On Korriban, they had risen to consume the Ashlan Crusaders who thought to hold the Sith's most ancient home world. Now, beneath the auspices of his Kingdom, those very same dead were revered as honored servants and unyielding laborers, shepherded and corralled by the Dread Lords and necromancers of the Sepulchral Black Gate. Oh yes, he had grown familiar with undeath in recent years. Nevertheless, desecrated worlds like this caused the hairs to stand along the back of his neck, for they were lawless and chaotic places, and their hunger for destruction seemed to beckon for him in the Force, inviting him nearer, closer, closer...

High above it all, concealed by thick and gliding clouds, hung the New Hirona. The massive orbital city dominated the heavens along the planet's Western hemisphere, its appearance like that of a massive moon—a refuge and monument to the Mirialan's survival. For them, it was proof that their culture could endure even when their sacred world had been taken from them.

The shuttle banked low and leveled out, its noise echoing against frozen dunes, causing the dead to stir and gape upwards, grasping for and sprinting after the speeding vessel. Ahead and in the fast-approaching distance, rising up from the tundra with barely visible spires and towers of its own, stood the planetary safe zone: Aurek.

Walls of black patchwork alloy encircled the settlement in a wide defensive ring, thick and steeply sloped like fortress ramparts. Watchtowers punctuated the perimeter at measured intervals, their silhouettes seeming stark and severe against the moody sky beyond. Light defensive batteries, and anti-infantry weaponry, protruded from exterior bastions along the wall's outer edge, a promise of firepower to push back the wilds lurking beneath sturdy armor plating. Within the walls, the safe zone city thrived. Resilient pink and green vegetation spilled over terraces and rooftops in the expanding residential districts. Gardens flourished along elevated walkways connecting one tower to another. Wind turbines spun lazily, capitalizing on the planet's near constant droning gusts. Habitation structures had been carved into stone and finished with interiors of polished wood, their curved architecture echoing traditional Mirialan aesthetics more than the harsh geometries Caedes had come to expect from the Order's more urban metropolis worlds.

Solar arrays had been erected to stand between orchards and farmland, though to what degree of usefulness Caedes could not say. Artificial water channels threaded through plazas filled with native trees. The pathways followed organic curves instead of rigid grids. It was a simulacrum of old Mirialan life, cultivated carefully to make a dead world feel more welcoming to its people. Yet woven through that serenity were unmistakable signs of industry. Along the western quarter of the safe zone rose the skeletal frameworks of factories and fabrication yards. Massive assembly gantries and conveyor systems loomed large above where transports and walkers stood half-complete beneath suspended cranes.

At the southern edge of the city, where the defensive wall rose highest, lay a menacing fortress, somewhat at odds with the charming habitations below it. The structure had been built directly into the ramparts themselves; part castle, part command citadel. Dark durasteel battlements crowned its upper levels, their jagged silhouettes reminiscent of ancient strongholds from a more primitive age. Sensor spires and shield emitters rose from its towers like so many horns. As if frowning, the behemoth structure overlooked both the city within its walls and the wasteland beyond, where roamed the dead.

The shuttle descended toward a landing platform within the city's innermost district, its repulsors kicking up spirals of dust and frost as it settled with a deep mechanical sigh. Hydraulic struts extended beneath the hull as the engines powered down, the lingering whine of cooling turbines echoing across the platform. Steam hissed along the landing ramp as the vessel's hatch opened, thick and white, and made to creep along the platform and persist at ankle height, clinging to boot and the fabric of cloaks.

Presently, figures emerged through the drifting vapor. They came cloaked against the cold, silhouettes partially obscured by the lingering haze of hydraulic discharge. The first seemed to glide down the ramp's slope, clad in simple dark robes which fell loosely around him. Darth Caedes, King of Korriban and member of the Order's Dark Council had a decidedly serpentine aspect, with striking features and angular cheekbones. His hair was dark and unruly in the wind, though he quickly pulled a hood up to guard against the cold. His gate seemed unhurried, almost contemplative, as he regarded the city rising around him and beyond the platform. The golden glow of his gaze was visible even from afar, even in the pale daylight which yet lingered. Behind him descended a second figure whose bearing was unmistakably regal. Blue skin marked the man as Chiss, though his attire elevated that recognition to one Ufsa'ynth'aris himself, the Voice of the Dark Lord, Darth Caedes. Layers of elegant regalia hung from his shoulders in structured folds, the fabrics dyed in deep blues and golds, and adorned with badges and jewelry, suggesting equal parts authority and vanity. He followed a pace behind Caedes without speaking. Other cloaked members of the Dark Lord's entourage emerged from the shuttle thereafter, their identities obscured beneath layered robes and shadowed hoods.

Along the outskirts of the city, where habitation slowly gave way to signs of industry, eye-catching spiraling constructs rose some thirty or forty feet towards the sky, their dark surfaces carved with alien runes which seemed to glow like blown upon coals. They rose from the ground or from along wall emplacements in the form of great twisting obsidian columns coiling 'round one another. Some were seemingly completed structures while others were yet skeletal frameworks, surrounded by scaffolding and construction equipment; though all were obviously arcane and unnatural, at odds with the otherwise charming safe zone city. Far off engineers and lab coats moved carefully around the unfinished structures, pointing and typing notes into datapads as segments were lifted into place along the towering spirals. Caedes' gaze seemed to catch and linger on these oddities, lips forming a momentarily lopsided grin, before he continued down the ramp and towards his destination ahead.

At the edge of the landing platform, connected by a winding walkway festooned with evergreen plant life, stood a stone tower, built deliberately apart from the main administrative districts. Unlike the fortress dominating the southern wall, and despite its comparatively larger make than those structures adjacent to it, this building carried an almost disarming charm. Its architecture followed Mirialan tradition: arched stone supports, leafy vines woven along its outer lattice, and tall windows allowing natural light to spill across polished wooden interiors. A place, it would appear, for hospitality. Subtle defensive emplacements were well hidden within its design; surveillance nodes nestled among the greenery, hidden compartments, armored shutters concealed behind decorative panels, and the almost imperceptible hum of a shield generator buried somewhere deep beneath the tower's foundation. The building had been prepared for a meeting. A neutral ground of sorts, baring iconography from neither the Sith Order nor any other competing power.

Without need for ceremony, Caedes stepped away from the landing ramp and crossed the platform toward the structure. Those who emerged to offer their greetings to the Dark Lord were summarily waved away—bowing, and dismissed to scurry back from whence they came. With a wave of his hand, the doors to the parlay hall opened and he entered. Inside, tables and scattered chairs made up a scene of luxury and comfort. Standing bars with exotic liquors and ice chests held crystal goblets and decanters. Holo-projection units created viewing rooms or substituted chairs 'round a table for purposes of remote diplomacy. Dioramas covered display surfaces, suggesting the expansion intended for the safe zone city in coming years, or else depicting the likeness of other safe zone cities around the world. Climate control air conditioning kept the air within warm, eliciting sighs of relief as Caedes' entourage dispersed around him.

Gerwald Lechner Lirka Ka Quinn Varanin Taeli Raaf
Srina Talon Madrona A’Mia Lodd Grimmin

​

 

[Lirka Ka]

TAGS: Darth Caedes Gerwald Lechner Taeli Raaf Quinn Varanin Srina Talon Tertius C. Nargath

So oft politics was a dreary thing. Lirka was thankful for the choice of decor, the wounded misery of Mirial warmed her cold dead heart. She had made something of a hobby of visiting worlds that had been scarred by the forces of Darkness - holy sites, if one possessed the vision to see it. But alas this was work, not pilgrimage. She had little opportunity to explore versus gathering with her fellows to hear out an outsider bold enough to summon the Council. The bravado of the thing was respectable in its own way, certainly.

Many of the Lords and Ladies of the Empire carried themselves with a similarly loud bravado - it was the nature of Sithdom after all. More often than not, Lirka joined such displays though the arrival of the Empire’s oddest Councillor was a rather drab affair. Her vessel, a craft of abyssal blackness gleaming like an oil spill arrived on silently humming engines. Setting down with the rest of the gathered ferries that had arrived upon this neutral holding.

She understood the reasoning for stepping outside the wall - it was safer to keep potential threats outside the wall rather than let anything in. But there was a certain homely that was lost stepping so far away from the bleakly suffocating architecture of a place like Jutrand: she rather enjoyed the impression it gave. She posited that perhaps this little beacon of life on the world would be plenty to show Sith might.

And with the thumping of metal footfalls she descended from the craft. She came with no great entourage, only the bristling body of herself - the suit still bore the minor blemishes of Brosi, but the worst of the damage yet to be melded away hid beneath a half-cape of billowing crimson that fluttered from her side as she walked. Clawed hands clasped behind her back as her powersuit whirred with each heavy step she took - it was a silent show of force and utterly unnecessary. But when forces gathered mighty enough to bend the Galaxy, it paid to present the sort of brutal violence Lirka had acquired a reputation for.

Certainly in terms of reputation Tertius C. Nargath represented an unknown variable to her. And Lirka brought a certain careful razor’s edge to all unknown variables - a corporate representative, war profiteer judging by the product she had been able to gleam. An interesting prospect - though corporate war profiteering was something she felt oh so wonderfully aware of despite his status of an unknown after the myriad of schemes Darth Nefaron Helix and herself had been brewing for the poor sods outside the Wall.

As the monstrous Once-Sephi pressed deeper into the meeting chamber, the warmth of the place put a small frown on her face beneath the marred visage of her helmet. She did have quite the enjoyment of vague discomforts after all, silent and negligible sufferings to sharpened the mind: but she’d make no comment save for a silent complaint in her own head. Following in after the King of Korriban Lirka kept a healthy distance from Darth Caedes and his entourage - it would have been bad decorum to interrupt a procession, after all. Once the Korribanites entered, Lirka’s own rumbling form soon followed.

Slit lensed eyes glazing over the meeting hall, wordlessly and all but unrecognizably on the lookout for any form of assassin that may have lurked in the shadows of the Council-Gathered - habit, ultimately. She knew no one would be foolish enough to try.

And now, the waiting game till the fun of jabbing words and twirling negotiation began.

​

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: This
WEAPONS: Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
SHIP: Vigfjall
TAG: Srina Talon | Quinn Varanin | Lirka Ka | Taeli Raaf | Darth Caedes | Tertius C. Nargath

Mirial revealed its scars long before the shuttle touched the ground. Through the viewport the ruined world unfolded beneath the descending craft, frozen deserts and shattered cities stretching across the horizon like the remains of something that had once been alive and powerful. Movement still existed across the wasteland, though it belonged to things that no longer counted among the living. Even from orbit the wandering shapes of the dead could be seen drifting through broken streets and half buried towers, a reminder that destruction rarely ended when the battle itself was finished.

There were Sith who admired such worlds.

The Dread Wolf understood the sentiment even if admiration was not the word he would have chosen. Ruin was simply another stage of history. Every empire eventually left it behind somewhere.

The shuttle angled toward the lights of Safe Zone Aurek as the settlement came into view beneath them. The city rose behind sloped alloy walls that carried the quiet authority of careful engineering and disciplined defense. Life had returned here with intention rather than optimism. Gardens and Mirialan architecture softened the skyline, though the presence of fabrication yards and defensive batteries made the truth obvious to anyone who cared to look closely. This was not a healed world. It was a controlled one.

His attention lingered briefly on the spiraling constructs rising beyond the outer districts, their presence pressing against the Force in ways that were impossible to ignore. Darth Caedes had never been subtle about the foundations of his domains. The structures radiated an ancient hostility that stood at odds with the cultivated greenery surrounding them. The Dark Councilor allowed the faintest hint of dry amusement to pass through his thoughts before the shuttle descended the final distance toward the landing platform.

The vessel settled onto the durasteel with a controlled mechanical sigh and the ramp lowered into Mirial’s cold wind. The Lord Commander of the Second Legion stepped down dressed in dark layered cloth and the restrained precision of Valka engineering. The armor he wore did not announce itself loudly. Most of the system remained dormant, suspended within the control gauntlet at his wrist where the nanite assembly waited for command. Only the fitted plates across his chest and shoulders had formed into place, their obsidian surfaces edged by narrow seams of crimson light that glowed softly against the pale sky.

He did not wear the helmet.

Cold air moved through dark hair as he paused at the base of the ramp and studied the settlement ahead. Several other vessels occupied the landing field. The Council was arriving one by one, drawn together by a request that most in the galaxy would never have dared to send.

High above Mirial, far beyond the thin atmosphere, the flagship of the Second Legion remained in orbit. The rest of his command had remained aboard it. Apprentices understood well enough that this was not the sort of gathering where numbers mattered. A Dark Council meeting was not a battlefield, and not every conversation required the presence of those still learning how power truly moved through the galaxy. They would remain with the fleet until their master returned.

Measured steps carried the Dread Wolf away from the shuttle and toward the tower prepared for the meeting. The structure stood apart from the city’s administrative districts and had been built deliberately to appear welcoming. Mirialan stonework framed tall windows while vines crept along the walls, though the faint hum of concealed defensive systems beneath the structure suggested the hospitality had limits.

Neutral ground.

That decision alone said much about the tone Caedes intended for the gathering.

The request that had summoned the Council had arrived with a name that was not unfamiliar.

Tertius C. Nargath

Their paths had crossed in another era when the Confederacy of Independent Systems still attempted to shape the direction of the galaxy through industry and calculated war. Men like Tertius had prospered in those years. Empires required fleets and armies, but fleets and armies required something quieter to sustain them. Industry. Logistics. The long machinery of conflict that continued to move long after the speeches had ended.

The galaxy had changed since then.

So had the balance of power.

The Trade Imperium Coalition had spent the better part of the last campaign testing that balance against Brosi and discovering that ambition alone did not win wars. Twice they had come. Twice they had failed. Coalitions confident in their position rarely sought conversation with the Dark Council of the Sith Order.

That fact alone made the meeting worth attending.

The entrance to the tower came into view just as another figure disappeared through the doors ahead of him. The armored silhouette and heavy cadence of mechanical movement made the identity clear without needing to see the face beneath the helmet.

Lirka Ka

The doors opened as the Dark Councilor approached and warm air pushed back against the Mirial wind when he stepped inside. The chamber had been arranged for diplomacy rather than confrontation. Tables and chairs had been placed with deliberate comfort while holoprojectors and viewing stations waited for remote participants who might join the discussion. Crystal decanters and glasses stood along the bar for those inclined toward drink while negotiations unfolded.

The Dread Wolf paused just inside the entrance, gold eyes moving calmly across the room while taking note of those who had already arrived and which seats remained empty. Caedes had chosen the location well. It carried enough authority to remind visitors where they stood while maintaining the appearance of hospitality.

This was the sort of conversation where Naedira Darcrath and her instincts would have been useful.

She had never cared much for politics as a game, yet she possessed an uncommon ability to read the intentions that hid beneath polite words. More than once her observations had revealed motives others missed entirely, and for a moment the Lord Commander considered how easily she would have dissected the purpose behind Tertius’ request.

The thought passed without further attention and the Dread Wolf moved deeper into the chamber.

Soon enough the man who had summoned the Dark Council would arrive to explain himself.

Whatever business Tertius believed he had with the Sith Order would be heard...

...and judged.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Darth Caedes Gerwald Lechner Lirka Ka Quinn Varanin Srina Talon
​

Outer Rim Territories
Mirial
Safe Zone Aurek

Mirial had been a world that had long suffered in the modern age of the galaxy. Whether it be from the marauding Primeval zealots of the 840s that had unleashed undeath upon the world or the Silver Jedi igniting a firestorm with a Wall of Light that had done significant damage to its already depleted infrastructure, the Mirialans had suffered. The Tenth Sith Empire had attempted to provide some relief to the planet, such as relocating the surviving populace to New Hirona in orbit or fighting the undead, but efforts had been slow and then became non-existent when that Empire collapsed, and the Ashlan Crusaders moved into the region.

Taeli had expected the Ashlans to actually help the people, and while they had built a medical facility on the world, they had simply ignored the undead and the pain of past decades, choosing to believe that everything was okay. Their collapse had only once again revealed the unhealed scars of the planet, and she had determined there was something to be done about it. It had led to an interesting partnership and first major project with another of her current colleagues since his ascension to the Dark Council, and even now, as the others arrived on the world for the meeting that had been requested of them, she continued to review reports and progress on the project and the safe zone she and Caedes had invested in developing. The old Ashlan hospital facility was forming the heart of a new safe zone, with Spaarti and Aurora personnel revamping the facility for use in the continued research on the undead on world and protecting the populace.

The meeting place was a bit ostentatious for her personal tastes, but it had the highest quality holodisplays and refreshments. Her head would turn as she heard the doors opening, Caedes and his entourage flowing in, followed closely by Lirka and Gerwald. She assumed Quinn would not be far behind, and once they were all gathered... Their guest was already in the antechamber of the tower, no doubt awaiting word if he would be allowed into the chamber or not.

She would incline her head at the other Councilors, closing down the diagram she had been studying onto her datapad for continued perusal on a side screen as she pulled up general information on their guest and his corporation. Not that she needed it as much as some of the others, having met Tertius during the TiG meetings, but it was best to have more current information on hand.

 

[Srina Talon]

TAG: Tertius C. Nargath | Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf
LOCATION: Safe Zone Aurek

____________________________________________________

For a long while, the "neutral" nature of the structure held.

The main chamber seemed to have settled with the arrival of several of her Dark Councilors into a quiet that was neither comfortable nor tense. It was simply the natural stillness that followed the arrival of powerful people who had nothing to prove by filling the silence with unnecessary prattle and noise. The soft hum of environmental systems threaded through the stonework of the tower, leaving an ever-present hum. Beyond arching windows lay the pitiable sight of Mirial.

War-torn and ruined by the Jedi and Sith of old.

It had never healed, not truly, and every sin that had been visited upon its surface reeked of consequence. This was the result of individuals fighting that had no control or care for how they utilized the boons the Force provided. Many sorcerers had come and gone trying to remove the leftover blight and miasma that made it so easy to raise the undead on this world—But to no avail.

It was and perhaps would forever be a necromancer's paradise.

Srina arrived quietly.

One moment, the far edge of the hall held nothing but gentle shade that was cast by arching supports. The next…The shadows deepened. It was subtle, almost delicate, but the darkness pooled slightly further along the floor than it had before. Thin metaphysical fingers brushed the edges of the structure as though the very composition had suddenly been altered. It was no longer full of inanimate objects—But touchable, alive, with a singular breath caught on hold. Frozen. The temperature fell, and the weight of the air changed all at once as the Force responded to an invisible anchor.

There was the sensation of gravity shifting and coalescing into a singular point, overwhelming, until the veil shifted and the Empress stepped through the fold in space. She exhaled…And her surroundings unfroze, returning to motion, exhaling with her. Breathing.

White-gold hair seemed to glow beneath fluorescent lighting, pouring down her back, with several thin Echani styled war-braids woven into it. When she fell into motion silk moved first and then the armor beneath it. Her garments were layered in a way that revealed themselves as she walked with dark fabrics parting just enough to expose the inherent danger beneath them. The outermost layer was black spider-silk, matte, and fluid, that fell from her shoulders like a cloak of night. Fine alchemical runes had been pressed into the threads themselves, barely visible, unless the light struck them at a certain angle.

Silver-black plates of armor weave hugged her slender frame to a narrow sharpness that was as ethereal as it was menacing. It created sculpted lines across her ribs and shoulders, the material light enough to move like clothing, but strong enough to stop a blade. It had been designed with the quiet efficiency of someone who expected violence at any moment…Which lately? She had.

The Faithless had made certain of that.

Srina did not boast an entourage nor any obvious weaponry, but she was not unarmed…For she was the weapon most flatscan NFU's wished they could be. They always had to reach for their weapon. She did not. Her gaze slipped by the assembly of Dark Councilors, and the Force seemed to bend around her passage to make room. Golden eyes, cold and cruel, found it interesting that a simple invitation by a corporation warranted the attendance of the highest echelon of Sith that the Order had to offer. They all had their reasons, she was certain, but her presence had one interest only:

Nargath.
​

Srina—Was not stupid.

She knew that name regardless the efforts that had been taken to bury the connection. It was quite the quandary how people thought to hide from her when they'd already made themselves known and this was a tie that bound. She valued industry and if there was one thing she had learned from Darth Empyrean and all his experience with the Inter-Galactic Banking Clan…It was to follow the credits.

The truth would come in time but corporations rarely sought diplomacy without calculating the price of war. It was of note that this merchant would reach out after the Imperial Confederation was repelled for the SECOND time and not before. Especially, not if there were pre-existing ties to the Order.

The reason?

Greed and duplicity were at the top of her list…Distrustful (and rightly so) through and through.

"It has been quite some time."

…Since she had last been in the same room with Gerwald Lechner , Darth Caedes , Taeli Raaf , and Lirka Ka . There was no introduction required. Surely, they would forgive her considering her actions were generally televised and focused on punishing those who thought to invade their sovereignty. Some of them would have felt her seething fury on Brosi and though it had seemingly cooled, in truth, it only burned deeper. There was a common misconception among most Sith that Srina could not feel, that, she was made of ice and stone. She let the notion perpetuate because it suited her…

But she felt extremely deeply.

Every wound to her children on Brosi, she felt twice over. Every cry from Psilofyr…Burned like a thousand lashes. The pale Echani merely lacked appropriate means of expression.

To those who knew her best?

Her wrath was equal to her love for her people…And Srina? Srina, was furious.

She would love them oh so well.​

Imperious and metallic orbs shifted from the few people in the galaxy she had enough respect for to allow this absurdity to exist. It was not because N & Z held some sort of diabolical strength in the corporate world and could not be ignored. She was the Empress of the Sith Order by right, claim, and had proven herself time and time again—Even dying, for the slightest chance to remove the Faithless from Coruscant once and for all. To pay them back for using the sham of Atrisia, to hit the Black Wall. Her eyes were hawkish when they fell on the Tertius C. Nargath with all the force of a falling star.

She had given up everything.
​

Family. Husband. Life. Home—Everything.

She could ignore anything she damn well pleased and none could tell her otherwise. The only thing that kept carnage from spilling from her like rain from the sky was curiosity. Simple, pure, curiosity.

"I have been thinking of Tion…"

Her words were for the Dark Councilors…Though she didn't speak to any of them individually. It would plant the seeds of where her thoughts had gone, anticipating, the next crusade. She brushed delicately past the one of the few Sepulchral who didn't summarily loathe her existence and her empty expression would relay nothing. Darth Caedes would have felt differently, however, perhaps, even sensed through the painted mask that left her serene.

"I have been thinking…Of how it might have missed me...It would be cruel of me to deny it much longer."

A pause.

"Do you not agree?"​

Gerwald Lechner was another capable of reading between the lines. Lirka Ka had fought with her several times during their rise in the Confederacy, while Taeli Raaf , had more than enough knowledge to put the pieces together. She didn't take a seat but rather moved toward one of the windows to take in one of many frozen wastes. The ruined horizon stretched outward in pale silence with the remains of distant cities, both broken and reforged, jutting out from the ground like teeth.

Now…Where was her daughter?

im currently sick AF sorry if this blows

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: CT-312 (Mentioned with Permission) //:
//: The Vagrant's Pride //:
​

Where was Srina's Daughter?

She was late… very, very late.

Standing in front of the mirror of the room aboard the Vagrant's Pride, Quinn spun slightly, trying to catch the right light for the fabric she was wearing. Behind her, a helmeted clone trooper had become almost a staple at her side. CT-312 had become head of the young Queen's security team, having been one of the ones to escort her during the coronation on Eshan.

Though today, bodyguarding also includes an opinionated fashionista.

"What do you think?" Quinn asked, her eyes trailing towards the mirror'd angle where she could see CT-312. The Trooper only gave a thumbs-up, completely unaware of what Quinn wanted.

"Hmm, too much white I think, blows out my skin…" She made the answer for CT-312 and then disappeared into the large closet. Rummaging echoed in the bedroom as Quinn emerged in another outfit. This one is a bit more business casual, the blazer giving her a shape she typically didn't wear, but was official in style. Quinn spun again and looked towards the Trooper.

"This one?"

Once again, the Trooper gave a thumbs-up. Quinn turned back to the 180° mirror and frowned. "No, you're right, too casual."

Once more, Quinn disappeared, and after a few moments, returned, her hands pulling at the slightly cropped dress shirt. She was about to settle on it, especially after another thumbs up from 312 — until she felt the chill in the Force.

Srina was here, and Quinn looked back towards the mirror and raised her arms. The shirt rode high, stopping just below her ribs.

"Too much skin, especially with Mother here." Quinn quickly darted into the closet, and after a few moments, she emerged. Her figure was fully covered, but the shape left little to the imagination. Despite everything, Quinn was still going to dress how she did. But at least now she didn't have to see the horrified, probably disappointed look on her Mother's face.

"What time is it, 312?"

The Trooper held up a few fingers to represent numbers, and Quinn turned her head. "What?!"

---

//: Srina Talon //: Taeli Raaf //: Lirka Ka //: Gerwald Lechner //: Darth Caedes //:
//: Tertius C. Nargath //:
//: Safe Zone Aurek //:
//: Attire //:

Quinn was late. She had spent too much time trying to figure out what to wear. It was her first official meeting with the others. Too often, Srina had made an appearance for the young Councilor, and Taeli had done what any caring Master would do and sent Quinn the minutes and other notable moments. Quinn was thankfully kept up to date, but today she would participate.

She had a lot on her plate; hopefully, the others understood.

In her hand, she read up on the individual who had summoned them. It was quite annoying to be summoned by someone she had never heard of. The company name was vaguely familiar, and she remembered hearing it a bit when she had once tried to have relations with the Imperials. They were too quick to want to slit her throat than actually talk like civilians, though she did hope the small naval officer she had first talked to survived the war.

The woman was kind.

She shoved the data pad into the Trooper's hands as they finally made it to the elevator, led to the conference room, wherever this entire thing was happening. Quinn used 312's visor to reapply the crimson lipstick; she pouted her lips to make sure everything was in place, and she smirked.

Quickly, before 312 could move — she planted a little smudge of a kiss on the corner of her visor. "Thanks, just keep an eye on things out here."

She entered, and the silence and the tension were thick in the air among the councilors. Each and every one of them was a powerhouse in their own right, each with a name that carried weight. Quinn, on the other hand, felt small, like an imposter. Her name carried her parents' legacy and Srina's power, and at times Quinn wondered if she could live up to the reputations that came before her.

A small smile, and the diplomatic one of the group, began to figure out where she could sit. She wanted to sit beside her Master, but would that be seen as something negative? Sitting next to Gerwald would also make the same impression. Lirka was a heroine, and Caedes was a God-King to his people. Quinn chewed on the inside of her cheek as she glanced towards her Mother…

What would you do…? She thought quietly.

Quinn knew the answer, Srina wouldn't care, and sit where she wished. Today, it seemed she'd rather look at the decay this world had become. Taking the seat between both Gerwald and Taeli, Quinn settled in, hands running down the fabric of her skirt, making sure no skin showed.

Again, Srina's face, seeing how she dressed at the nightclub, lingered briefly in the back of her mind.

"Is there anything we need to discuss before we let him in?"

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

Some sort of lounge, a waiting room, that's where the Marquis of Valkan found himself in at the moment. While there seemed to be little issue with the Sith that he had brought his own guards, the impressively competent Valkan Guards were only a handful at this given moment, with the rest of his usual contingent remaining aboard the large luxury yacht he had arrived on. Tertius knew that he'd have to do it all without the support of even these handful of magnificent warriors when push came to shove. After all, the Dark Council most likely wouldn't allow soldiers that held no official affiliation to them in their midst, even if by all standards, each and every single member of this council was less likely to be threatened by a Valkan Guard than they were by a mosquito in their bedchambers.

He had hardly looked at the structures surrounding him, the planet's rather bleak and desparate appearance, that all did not matter a great deal after all. With his left hand rubbing his forehead, the Chairman of the N&Z umbrella corporation seemed smaller than ever when he sat his one of the chairs set up in the waiting room, his breathing irregular as a sharp, continuous pain plagued him.

"Not exactly the best of times to have a migraine," The marquis muttered under his breathe, noticing the Valkan guards shifting their weight ever so slightly when his voice broke through the silence. "I've dealt with imperials, high-strung republicans, arrogant and selfrighteous jedi... but Sith, sith tend to be a different breed alltogether."

The words hung coldly in the air, the realization that this audience was perhaps more dangerous than a diplomatic mission to Mandalor began to weigh on all those present. The man sighed as he clasped his gloved hands together, almost as if he were praying. "Aunt Gussy would've laughed in the face of any sort of adversity like this, My father, may his soul rest in the embrace of the force... would've probably sent someone else to handle such matters, my grandfather would've probably locked himself up in his chambers in pure horror... and my great uncle... well, quite frankly I don't know much about what he'd have done in a situation like this."

"Milord," One of the Valkan Guards took a step closer to the Marquis, placing their armored hand upon his shoulder. "You have turned a dying, decaying company into an industrial powerhouse. You have brokered deals with the mighty and the mundane. Fear is a natural feeling when facing a combination of people who by their very nature alone could turn the very galaxy unton its head. Hold your head high, Milord, for you are the Marquis of Valkan, you have faced terrible odds before and you did not buckle then, you will not buckle now."

Tertius looked up at the armored man, his hand gently tapping upon the Valkan Guard's supportive gesture. "You have my thanks, Perfidus... and you are right, I will have to face this alone, I will have to stand tall and with courage before the combined might of the great Sith and their empress... come what may, I will know I have done my utmost for both the people of Eriadu and the countless employees of the company."

For a moment, both of the men shuddered when a knock came on the metallic sliding door, which opened effortlessly and with a silent 'woosh', revealing a sith trooper who clearly didn't care about those they were meeting. "You have been summoned."

There was no waste of words, no platitudes or honorifics, just a pure and simple message the Marquis was expected to abide by. It was in a way commendable that the Sith had such logically thinking, straightfoward soldiers under their command, yet it also reflected the very nature of the Sith Order, the cold, ruthless and emotionally void image they upheld.

Tertius let out a sigh and stood up, straightening his vest and pulling at the back of his gloves as he began to follow the soldier, his Valkan guards following until they were halted in front of a pair of massive double doors. "The subject will proceed in a solitary fashion, you must remain here."

The marquis nodded towards his guards, taking in a deep breathe to compose himself, reaching deep within himself to summon the courage, the strength and the resilience of those whose house he now represented before the Dark Council. As the doors opened and he was let inside, the very moment he stepped passed the treshold into the large chamber, a sudden pain, deep and acute, without warning, struck behind his left eye, instinctively he wanted to grab for his face, but held himself back, gritting his teeth and wincing ever so slightly as he squinted his eye a bit.

Still, he continued to walk, until he had reached what he believed to be the designated place for him to stand, a place where all could see him, while his own vision was slightly obscured, making this ordeal feel less like an audience and more like a trial... and the worst of it, was that Tertius knew that there was little he could do besides talk... feeling like a fish trapped in a net.

"Esteemed members of the Dark Council, allow me to introduce myself," He straightened himself, despite the pain coarsing through his head, his chin held high, not in defiance but in pride and firm belief. "My name is Tertius Nargath and I represent the N&Z Umbrella Corporation."

​

Not titles or positions would be mentioned by his own voice, no references or powerful positions, for Tertius knew there was no point in those, not in front of people who with a mere flick of their wrist could end his life and snuff out his very existence with but a thought. While he wasn't entirely familiar with the way the sith conducted themselves, he decided not to voice his grievances, his requests or his opinions just yet. He was a guest in their midst...or an accused, either of which merited the approval from those who sat before him to actually open his mouth beyond the initial greeting and introduction.

TAG: Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf | Srina Talon

 

[Darth Caedes]

C O R P O R A T E
D I P L O M A C Y​

Outer Rim Territories
Planet: Mirial
Safe Zone Aurek
The Dark Lord drifted across the chamber's polished floors, almost gliding with a spectral soundlessness, hands folded loosely within the overlong sleeves of his robe. Though the room had been prepared with comfort in mind, Caedes, for his part, seemed entirely uninterested in the arranged luxuries. Instead, he gave his attention to the gathering Councilors, golden eyes sliding from one to the next, assessing each of them with a shrewd and opaque judgement.

He greeted Lirka Ka with a slight inclination of his head, eyeing her armor. To Gerwald Lechner he offered a similarly simplistic gesture of recognition, the two of them having thus far thrived on a relationship built upon action and few words. Theirs was the bond of warriors, tied together in loyalty by merit of their mutual association with the Empress. Nearby, Taeli Raaf dispelled the quiet glow of her datapad, closing reports and schematic diagrams in a deliberate shift of focus. Indeed, Mirial's reclamation (and the subsequent expansion of Aurek and its sibling safe zone settlements) had been as much a product of her vision and budget as it was his own, and in recent years the two had discovered an amicable, albeit strictly professional, working relationship. To his right and across the chamber, Srina Talon moved to occupy the empty space of a far seeing window, Mirial's cold light shaping her into silhouette, and casting her gaze out to behold the icy wilds beyond.

"It has been quite some time," she mused aloud, breaking the room's silence and collecting the attentions of those gathered.​

Caedes suppressed a grin, ever amused by the woman's interpretation of royal etiquette.

"Indeed," he acquiesced, momentarily distracted by the entrance of Quinn Varanin and her subsequent search for exactly the right seating arrangement.​

"I have been thinking of Tion," Srina continued, her sweet tone somewhat undercut by the statement's implications.​

Caedes made a study of the room's other inhabitants; the hesitations of their Princess, and the way her gaze seemed inexorably drawn to the Lady Talon for guidance and approval.

"I have been thinking… of how it might have missed me," she said, wintry in her performance of serenity.​

Caedes let one wry brow levitate up and out of place.

"It would be cruel of me to deny it much longer," she proposed.​

"Do you not agree?"​

"Most cruel," he quipped, equally sardonic.​

At last, Quinn decided upon a seat, electing to perch between the Dread Wolf and the Lady Arcanix, primly self aware and smoothing out the wrinkles of her skirt.

"Is there anything we need to discuss before we let him in?" she asked.​

Caedes shook his head.

"Now that we're all here... we welcome you to Mirial," he said, gesturing to include Taeli, then directing an abruptly hawkish gaze to fall upon the sliding door opposite him on the chamber's far side.​

"I believe you will appreciate the results of our work here," he announced, appearing again distracted, as if listening to something far off.​

"Alas, the time for collusion has passed. Our... guest… awaits an audience with the Dark Council."​

Gradually, as he spoke, that grin became something sinister, stretching grey lips apart until the sharp edges of pointed teeth showed forth from underneath.

Moments later, the door's mechanisms engaged. Large alloy panels split apart with a low mechanical sigh, retreating gracefully into the wall and revealing the corridor beyond. A lone figure stepped forward into the chamber's light, flanked by halted Valkan guards and Aurek's own security personnel.

Tertius C. Nargath entered the room in a curious fashion, blinking away the effects of some acute and sudden pain, gritting his teeth. Caedes' eyes narrowed further, studying the man's wincing body language.

"Esteemed members of the Dark Council, allow me to introduce myself," he beseeched.​

"My name is Tertius Nargath, and I represent the N&Z Umbrella Corporation."​

Tertius C. Nargath, Caedes recalled from the man's recent letter. Marquis of Valkan and chairman of the board.

"We know who you are," he replied, curtly.​

Caedes beckoned the man in, wrestling his scowl back into an expression more closely resembling stern neutrality.

"And I credit you with the knowledge of who we are, in turn."​

Briefly, he eyed the assembled members of the Dark Council.

"Let us dispense with the pleasantries," Caedes instructed.​

"It is uncommon that we gather, all of us, in one place, chairman. You would do well not to waste our time when we do. What business do you bring before the Council?"​

Spectating: Lodd Grimmin


​

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

As soon as he had introduced himself, it seemed the hall in which he stood had grown tenfold, clearing his throat, the man attempted to push the pain of the migraine he was suffering from to the background. He straightened his posture, allowing himself to come over stronger, healthier and more confident in his own abilities. He knew the risk of having requested a meeting not with just one of the members of the dark council, but all of them... including the empress herself.

Tertius was well aware of who was who in this group of the most powerful people, the highest authority bar none within the Sith Order. While he did not know the 'true' names of each of them persay, he knew enough, he knew most of them had a history with the N&Z, either directly or indirectly. He knew that some of them did not hold a warm heart for his family and his house due to the actions by one of his forebearers.

"Honored Empress, Esteemed members of the council," The man made a formal bow, something quite different already from a specific forebearer in his House, who would have never deigned himself to stand lower than even the empress herself. As he straightened his back again, he nodded towards Darth Caedes in order to affirm that he was indeed aware who was who and that he was quite assuredly was aware of the inconventional situation this was. "His Holiness, the high king of Korriban speaks truth, any dilly dallying from my part would be most ungrateful and most disrespectful...thus allow me to go straight to the core of my request."

As if he was swallowing every word stuck in his throat which his mind had deemed unnecessary, too risky to be uttered or detrimental to his cause, the Marquis of Valkan attempted to carefully word and phrase his request in such a manner he hoped to be least offensive, least insinuating and most like what he was attempting to do: an honest plea.

"As you are all well aware, the Blackwall separates the N&Z's assets within the Sith Order from those outside of the Sith Order," He took a deep breath, pausing for a moment as he realized he was already regaling them with information which was just utterly useless....they enforced the act of the Blackwall, ofcourse they would be aware. Still, he had committed to it, now he couldn't stop, he had to present an image of strength and integrity before this council, even if the latter of the qualities wasn't by any means a priority among the sith. "This has put a strain on our activities within the Sith Order and has thus forced the N&Z to focus mainly on its operations outside of the Sith Order's domain. We do not dispute your methods, your apprehension towards my family or the legacy we bear, but I must remind you, that by having Eriadu and the entire Seswenna sector in your territory, the House Nargath is by default a part of your empire. As such, I in my position as Chairman of the N&Z Umbrella Corporation, humbly request for the Dark Council to approve a charter for the N&Z to operate once more from its home on Eriadu."

TAG: Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf | Srina Talon

 

[Lirka Ka]

TAGS: Srina Talon Gerwald Lechner Quinn Varanin Taeli Raaf Tertius C. Nargath Darth Caedes

It was quite a rarity to see them all gathered together - the beating heart of the Sith Empire, the mighty who forged the path forward to whatever chagrin of their fellows. Lirka avoided her equals when possible, and in regard to Srina Talon her better, Lirka gave an even wider berth. To be the oddest of Councillor, the most savage of Councillor, the one who had offered the hand for the murderous blow to strike upon Fivinue to take place where Sith killed Sith.

So when she crawled out whatever dark and dank hole she found herself in pondering the esoteric nature of the universe: well, she needed to be sure to impress and remind her fellows why Lirka Ka was dubbed Councillor.

It only took the notion of the next-war from their Empress to put a grin most wide across the Once-Sephi’s rancid features hidden beneath the helm. She understood through the history that Tion had been something of a spectacle of destruction - well before her time among Sith, and gladly would she bring her cruelty down upon the world.

“Certainly, it has been some time since the Tion Cluster was graced with the glory of Sith presence. Perhaps it is time to indulge in…historical reenactment?”

The specifics alluded her. But cycles were something of a holy prospect to one such as her - the Primordial Darkness was as infinitely complex as it was grossly simplistic, history repeated itself time and time again so that the weak could be weeded out from the worthy who deserved to live on another day.

Where Tertius C. Nargath fell within that? Lirka would certainly see.could taste, fear, ambition, and dreams in the air. Sickly and sweet. By first glance, she was grossly unimpressed but she knew that the corporate types rarely were. She had yet to find one that impressive by anything but wealth.

For now, she listened. The silent sentinel of dark metal plate that glared down upon the chairman from her seat at the assembly with uncaring mechanical coldness. A clawed finger rapping against the table before her.

Click.

Click.

Click.

She could see pride, she could see the dreams. But Lirka had dubbed herself a Dream-Eater now - and it did not take any grand amount of time for them to cross reference to the situation that had happened upon Brosi with the Imperial curs.

When she finally spoke, it was with a razor’s edge. Eagerly aggressive as ever.

“Activities such as arming those that would seek to bleed our Empire, chairman? A horrible strain it must be, that you believed it right to provide tools of war to feed the Imperial arrogance that sought to strike our worlds not once, but twice.”

The Blackwall gave them many advantages, one of them being that they were allowed to be remarkably particular about using home-grown weapons of war. Some felt stronger about Brosi than herself - Lirka coveted conflict, but she knew well to fan the flames of her fellows. Many still bore the wounds of the conflict, indeed a careful eye could note the sections of her own war plate that needed to have been repatched with new metal.

“Your reminder is well noted chairman…indeed what a wretched thing it is that a House we have graced within the fold of the Blackwall had decided to commit a crime so heinous. Why, it sounds rather treasonous wouldn’t you say?”

It had not been that long since Lirka had walked the halls of the Sith-Imperial Ministry of Order and its murderous lawmen. The law twisted and bent as it needed to, and reaped great punishment upon those caught within its sights. There was a certain callousness that came with her many professions, and dancing kindly around those that had thought to aid their enemies certainly not within the description.

​

​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Srina Talon Gerwald Lechner Lirka Ka Quinn Varanin Darth Caedes Tertius C. Nargath
​

She certainly understood the subtle context for the Empress' desires and commands. Even the vague mention of Tion and her thoughts bending in that direction would unleash a cavalcade of actions to make her vision come to fruition. If Srina wanted to wage war and repay the Confederation tenfold for what they had done to Brosi and the Holy Worlds, the Dark Council would see to it that her desire for vengeance would be accomplished. Although, if sources were correct, the strain was catching up to the Imperials. Any collapse would make it easier to conquer, but would lessen the satisfaction for the Empress and her fellow Sith. A topic for discussion after this meeting to go with their progress on Mirial.

"The Tion Cluster would be all the better for your return," she replied to Srina's musings, already aligning herself with that unspoken command to bring the region under their banner.

Her attention was drawn to the arrival, almost as if summoned by Srina's question about where her daughter was, of Quinn. It was satisfying for her Master to see the younger woman fully embracing her role on the Dark Council for the first time, even if she had very nearly been late for one of their purposes in meeting. She seemed to dither for a moment on which seat to take before settling on between herself and Gerwald, at once showing her connections to Taeli as her Master and her connections to Gerwald and the Second Legion. Good, she already understood that it was best to balance appearances here. The N&Z Chairman was allowed in, but before full attention was needed, a whisper would slip into Quinn's mind, colored by sheer amusement and some approval as she asked, 'How many outfits did you go through before settling on your current attire, dear?'

Outwardly, her focus would seem completely upon the man who had requested this audience. Seeing him now, she could see the resemblance to the man named Credius she had encountered on Brosi. A definite blood relation, although she was unsure of his direct lineage. Not that it mattered currently, but it was another piece of the emerging puzzle. His greeting was formal, of course, and at least it didn't attempt to strain their ability to research who might wish to seek an audience with them.

Caedes, bless him, decided that there was no need for empty platitudes or meaningless small talk. It was straight to business, and she was curious about what sort of proposal that Tertius had brought before them. Well, maybe there were some platitudes left to give out as Tertius continued, giving them a respectful bow and esteem. Flattery came next, though slightly veiled, towards Caedes as Tertius invoked his title and rulership of Korriban and his agreement that to delay would be an insult to the Council and the Empress. And then the request came, at least the initial request, for N&Z to once again re-establish full operations on Eriadu and thus within the Sith Order.

At least he understood there was reticence about such a proposal, considering the recent activities of his kin and the company he oversaw and how deeply they were entwined with a faction of the galaxy that had actively attacked the Sith Empire... twice.

Lirka, as she had observed, leaned into the attack at once, stating the first issue that Tertius might encounter in this meeting directly... and then following it up by adding how it lent an air of treason if they were now trying to use their prior connections to the Sith Empire after N&Z had armed the Confederation.

"Councilor Ka does raise an excellent point, colorful though it may be," she said. "You can understand why we may be... reluctant to acquiesce to such a request immediately after we've encountered arms and ships provided by N&Z being used so prolifically among Confederation forces." She understood that business was business, and she personally didn't fault him for providing weapons to a faction willing to buy them. The corporations under her purview did much the same, selling and designing for whoever might be interested in purchasing them.

But a difference began to form when a corporation became so entwined, discarding neutrality in a way, that association with an enemy colored that corporation as one as well.

"I, for one, am interested to hear what exactly the offer is for such permission, but also, perhaps you can answer on the length and breadth of the relationship between N&Z and the Confederation and your... kin's actions?"

She would emphasize the last portion, clearly conveying she now understood there was some connection between Tertius and the man she had begun to identify as one of the puppeteers for the Imperials. Ella had retreated, although she knew it was not in her nature, or her Master's, to remain hidden for long.

 

[Srina Talon]

TAG: Tertius C. Nargath | Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf
LOCATION: Safe Zone Aurek

____________________________________________________

It pleased her that the Dark Council seemed to understand her frame of mind despite her less-than forthcoming expression. It was her way, her nature, to walk and speak softly despite the very real possibility that she could switch gears faster than most could follow. One never truly knew when she was calm or raging, because it was always quiet, calculating. For all of her might, she was never a reckless creature, nor did she overestimate the reach of her very, very long arm. It was a pity for the rest of the galaxy that her children, angry murder moppets, were learning.

Darth Caedes was kind enough not to call her on her lack of subtlety, but the raised eyebrow was enough for wintry eyes to feign innocence, as if, she didn't have a thoroughly documented plan to either destroy or annex a source of Faithless Imperialism from the galaxy. It wasn't a matter of rage or revenge…It was the simple fact that the TIC kept popping up like force-forsaken radioactive weeds. Such a thing may have pleased @Madrona A'mia were it not a bland simile…but the Empress was rather shrewd. A cold fish. She was capable of forgiveness…

She just chose not to.

Not every sin could be forgiven, nor was she obligated to show mercy for those who had consistently been a thorn in her side. Her gaze gave nothing away when Lirka Ka doubled down on her sentiment and Taeli Raaf offered her own words of affirmation. Could it be that for the first time in Sith Order history, the court approved of the stance their monarch had intractably taken?

Traditionally…They were capable of warring with each other over anything. Whether it was the razing of a planet or which jelly to serve with toast, someone could lose a generation or two. But in this?

They were lockstep.

"For history then…I am nothing if not benevolent."

The resolution of the "Tion Question" would need to be pushed aside for the practicality of current business, much to her disdain. She was not a merchant or a diplomat. She was a conqueror and ill-suited for a discussion of business outside of what she might require to fill the hands of the Sith Order with weapons to level against their enemies. Her attention was pulled from the surface of Mirial by the presence of her eldest daughter, who found a seat at the table. She was…Beautiful. Not a possession, but something most cherished. It took all of her strength to remind herself that this young woman was also a gifted Dark Councilor and, thus, crossing the room to kiss the crown of her head was not an option.

Srina frowned.

She would not tarnish or diminish Quinn Varanin by deliberately treating her like a child…Even if her daughter seemed to prefer it when she doted. Even when it caused her pain, not to.

Srina breathed and broke the stillness, which ruined the idea that she was made of smooth porcelain rather than flesh and bone. At some point, they would likely need to have a discussion over attire, though, not the discussion her child might have envisioned. They were leaders in a galaxy that was still, for the most part, ruled by men, who would inherently use their femininity against them. Cast them as the weaker sex by default, challenge them, simply for the randomness of birth. Srina would not give them any avenue to make their small-minded prejudice easier. Palatable.

"You look well, pitya min."

Anything else she might have wanted to say was cut off by Tertius C. Nargath , and the reason he had pleaded for this impromptu summit. True to form…She listened. Curious. Intrigued by the sheer audacity that House Nargath claimed to be a default "part" of the Order due to territory, when they were openly engaged in acts of selling their wares to enemy nations.

Was it a bold claim to citizenry or just openly admitting to treason?

That seemed foolish.

The belief that a company could stand in the narrow space between enemies and call it neutral ground was a strongly worded request for annihilation. War was not a market in her eyes where allegiance could be a matter of favorable terms. The equipment that N & Z proliferated had not been the deciding factor in the assaults on Brosi, but they had been there. In the hands of Imperial scum who had most literally burned her world and wholesale cleared the verdant land with the equivalent of nuclear warfare. Brosi was home to Psilofyr, something rare, and this attack had pricked hate in her heart.

Did they think that because N & Z was not "directly" the hand that struck, that they were not responsible for the wound? It was not a chance of fate…They knew with whom they climbed into bed.

It must have been such comforting fiction.

She pulled away from the window while Darth Caedes , Lirka Ka , and Taeli Raaf began to tackle the monologue as if their thoughts were entwined. Rather than interrupt, she chose the mundane task of standing before one of many refreshment tables, for now, pulling free several cups. Srina was not an attaché, and the only negotiation she knew ended in oblivion…But she could do this.

She could listen, make tea, and temper herself with a familiar ritual so heads didn't roll. The wintry woman did not act without cause, and she never reacted with emotion over logic...Even if her wrath simmered just beneath the surface. None would know.

The Dark Council did not need her for this.

Not yet.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: This
WEAPONS: Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
SHIP: Vigfjall
TAG: Tertius C. Nargath | Srina Talon | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf | Quinn Varanin | Lirka Ka

The Dread Wolf did not answer immediately, and in the quiet that followed his attention remained fixed on Tertius rather than the words that had been offered. The strain behind the man's composure was evident to a trained eye, held in place by will rather than comfort, and though it might have drawn the curiosity of others, it did not draw comment from him. It was noted, measured, and set aside with the same discipline that defined everything else about him.

As the silence stretched, his posture shifted with quiet purpose, and the gauntlet at his wrist gave a faint pulse of crimson light that vanished as quickly as it came. The signal carried outward beyond the chamber to where the Second Legion waited in orbit, and no glance followed it, nor did any part of his expression betray that anything had been done at all. Preparation had never required acknowledgment, and it certainly did not require it now.

When his focus settled fully once more, it did not waver.

"Eriadu. We have both stood on that world before."

The words were spoken evenly, grounded in a shared past that required no embellishment. Eriadu was not an abstraction to either of them, and there was no effort made to reduce it to one.

"You speak of it as if it defines your place within the Empire. It does not."

He stepped forward then with measured intent, not to command the room but to stand where he chose, and the faint crimson seams of his armor remained steady as he came to rest. There was no urgency in the movement and no excess in it either, only the quiet certainty of someone who understood exactly how much was required and nothing more.

"In the Confederacy, you were given position, access, and influence, and you used them to work against the charter that held it together. That was a choice. Brosi did not change that. You armed those who came against us, twice, and when it mattered, you were not on that line."

His tone did not rise or sharpen as he spoke, and the absence of force did nothing to lessen the weight of what was being said. It allowed the words to stand as fact rather than accusation, which made them far more difficult to dismiss.

"Neutrality is a convenient word. It allows a man to believe he stands apart from the consequences of his decisions. It does not make it so."

The air in the chamber seemed to settle around him as he continued, shaped less by pressure than by the steadiness of his presence. He did not seek to dominate the space, and in doing so he occupied it more completely.

"You ask to return to Eriadu, to operate within territory now held by the Sith Order, on the basis that you already belong within it."

His gaze remained fixed on Tertius, unhurried and unwavering, not searching for reaction and not requiring it.

"Your family and company was once part of the Confederacy, Tertius. You chose to work against it."

The words carried forward without pause, leaving no space for abstraction or reinterpretation.

"I will not pretend this is a question of uncertainty. We have already seen the outcome."

There was no shift in tone, no rise in volume, only a quiet certainty that settled over the chamber with far more weight than force ever could.

"If we allow this, we are not granting you entry. We are placing you back into a position you have already used against those who gave it to you."

The Dread Wolf stepped forward with measured intent, not to press, but to ensure the point landed exactly where it was meant to.

"Eriadu is not a foothold you get to return to. It is a world now held by the Sith Order, and what you are asking for is access to it, not because you have earned it, but because you believe proximity is the same as belonging."

A brief pause followed, controlled and deliberate.

"It is not."

His gaze did not waver.

"Your history does not support your request. It argues against it."

The final words came without emphasis, without ornament.

"And I see no reason to repeat it."

The Dread Wolf did not look to the others for agreement, nor did he move to claim the space his words had created. He remained where he stood, his presence unchanged, allowing the weight of what had been said to settle across the chamber in its own time, where it no longer required his voice to carry it.

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

“Activities such as arming those that would seek to bleed our Empire, chairman? A horrible strain it must be, that you believed it right to provide tools of war to feed the Imperial arrogance that sought to strike our worlds not once, but twice.”

Straightening his back, lifting his chin and doing probably the unthinkable despite the clear discomfort he was experiencing, Tertius held his head high when Lirka Ka was the first to directly address and challenge his desire to reach an accord with the Sith Order. yet his demeanor, despite the clear insinuations didn't change, the Marquis of Valkan knew he was on the backfoot and the actions of those he could not control nor hold back did weigh in heavy upon his plea.

"These tools of war have been bought, fair and square by a nation who was willing to pay for our wares... we have never barred the Sith Order from doing the same," It was somewhat sly to mention it, but not incorrect. The N&Z had not barred the Sith Order from doing exactly the same, their policy had remained intact. However, there were again factors outside his own control which contributed to the clear disdain the Sith Order had towards the company, even prior to the whole debacle with the Imperial Confederation. "We did not have the authority to overrule the decisions of the political and military leadership within the Imperial Confederation, we have not been informed about the first invasion and we have protested the second invasion attempt at the strongest possible terms."

“Your reminder is well noted chairman…indeed what a wretched thing it is that a House we have graced within the fold of the Blackwall had decided to commit a crime so heinous. Why, it sounds rather treasonous wouldn’t you say?”

The man squinted his eyes, this was not a remark he could just allow uncontested, a slight towards his house, his family was uncalled for. Especially when this very House did not rebel or deny the legitimacy of the Sith Order in the slightest. They simply didn't care who officially ruled the planet they called home, as long as they could continue their business. "The crime we have committed is to conduct business fair and square, honored Councilmember Ka. May I remind you that the Sith Order has been in a Trade Federation stranglehold which made doing business for companies such as the N&Z which did not get a charter or had the backing of one of your own rather difficult. We were as such practically forced to look for potential clients elsewhere... we do not possess your immeassurable abilities and power, thus we could not foresee the future nor act upon it. "

"Councilor Ka does raise an excellent point, colorful though it may be," she said. "You can understand why we may be... reluctant to acquiesce to such a request immediately after we've encountered arms and ships provided by N&Z being used so prolifically among Confederation forces."

"Honored Lady Raaf," The Marquis turned his head ever so slightly, giving a slight nod in respect towards the next Councilmember to raise their points in this negotiation. "Again, I understand wholeheartedly the reservation and reluctance you all may hold towards the N&Z, perception I admit is key to this. However, if that might be the point, why has the Trade Federation never been scrutinized? Did they not deliver products and material to the Galactic Alliance during your years of war? I will reiterate that we have never barred the Sith Order from placing orders with us, in fact we would have absolutely not been opposed to it, but your economical isolationist system is simply not in line with our company policy of selling to all who pay."

"I, for one, am interested to hear what exactly the offer is for such permission, but also, perhaps you can answer on the length and breadth of the relationship between N&Z and the Confederation and your... kin's actions?"

This seemed to confuse Tertius a bit, his face momentarily overtaken with an expression which showed confusion and concern, but not a deeprooted concern, more one which betrayed that the later part of Taeli Raaf 's question was a bit strange in his opinion. "Our relationship with the Imperial Confederation was one of give and take. In exchange for the earlier suppliments of necessary products, we were allowed to set up an industrial heartland within their territory, controlling a planetary system within our perview and tarif-free exchange of goods and material within this planetary system granted to us."

Taking in a deep breath, the man's hand slowly raised upwards, combing through his hair and by doing so...cementing the astonishingly striking resemblance the current Marquis had with He who held this title over four decades prior. "My kin's actions you say? I do not see how my aunt Augustina is of any value to the Sith Empire. Surely, she has been a Commodore within the Eriadu self defense forces and had a brief stint under the Eternal Empire. Apart from her, most of my siblings and other direct and distant family members of my generation should all be seen as inconsequential to this matter. Besides my aunt, none of the previous generations remain."

He wasn't lying, for all the power they had at their disposal, for all the foresight and insight they had, it would be hard to think the man was lying. His tone of voice, the lack of hesitation. It was as if he was asked the reason of life, as if he'd been given a question the answer couldn't be given to, because there simply was no answer to be had from someone who did not know.

Still, when the Dread Wolf finally spoke up after their silence, Tertius could feel the man's presence and pressure fall upon him like a wave of trouble. There was no hidden agenda it seemed, no veiled threats or flowered words. No, Gerwald Lechner was direct, devoid of any euphemisms and almost brutally on point.

"Esteemed Councilmember Lechner," Tertius winced slightly, turning perhaps even paler than he could've been moments earlier. It was clear that he was having trouble breathing, but he knew he couldn't buckle, he couldn't falter, not when he had this once in a lifetime opportunity to address ALL of the members of the infamous Dark Council, not to mention the very empress herself...who seemed more preoccupied with what biscuits she'd choose to go along with her tea. "I am not requesting for control over my homeplanet, that would be absurd from my part given the circumstances. I understand that House Nargath under previous stewardship hasn't been the most compliant nor cooperative subject to any overarching government. I know that in the past, one of our own has stirred some significant trouble and you are right to call us out on this matter. However, I am a descendant of Willhuf Nargath, the younger brother to the man you despised, the senior member of our house who desired nothing but peace and de-escalation of the tension which had been caused by the devious and treacherous nature of his kin. My father Pelagius, son of Willhuf Nargath, was a kind man, a dutiful man."

Taking a deep breath, allowing both his mind and body to relax ever so slightly, all the while managing to keep himself composed and straight, Tertius looked the Dread Wolf straight in the eyes, despite the discomfort and pain he was experiencing, his eyes belied the strength hidden within this physically weaker man, not defiance or denial, but understanding and pride, pride in the pragmatism and reason his family have now stood for in three generations. "War is business and business is war, it is a saying in the corporate community. Whenever a company becomes entangled in the business of war, they have a choice: they either commit to their clients or they have no clients at all. All I ask is for the Sith Order to acknowledge the Local assets of the N&Z, I do not care if this requires Sith oversight, as this is a term I am more than comfortable with. If this requires these specific assets to solely operate for the benefit of the Sith Order, I am again wholly on board. While I agree to this hearing to be conducted and the result being determined based on the conduct of the N&Z and its clientele, I must in the strongest terms refuse to be compared to a monster and villified solely on the actions of a distant relative who by my knowledge has died at least four decades ago."

It was then that the reality suddenly hit him, the idea that if these beings of supreme power could have lived for so long, practically without any outward change or decay...Tertius had known about Srina Talon and her name was practically plastered throughout a large and long piece of history, despite the fact she didn't seem to look much different from the other Councilmember Quinn Varanin , there was no mistaking who the empress was... then could not the same apply to the member of his house to whom at least two have hinted.

"My apologies for asking more than I should..." Confusion, but a hint of fear seemed to dawn upon the man's face. "Are you implying that my greatuncle still lives, even after all this time? How is such a thing even possible?"

TAG: Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf | Srina Talon

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Tertius C. Nargath //:
//: Srina Talon //: Darth Caedes //: Gerwald Lechner //: Lirka Ka //: Taeli Raaf //:

Quinn listened.

There was a part of her that empathized with the man. To be displaced without cause from a world that was considered home. She could understand the desire to return to it, to return to the life that was once lived.

Having been in the same position, she could understand and allow her heart to be swayed. Yet, to come requesting to return home to those who denied access, felt…

Weak.

Quinn would never grovel at the feet of the Alliance or any Jedi. She made do with the hand that was dealt for her by the Mandalorians and the Alliance. Even now, as they handed the world back to her, seated a rightful heir upon Eshan's throne… she still hated them. While she forgave, she would never forget.

She never begged.

Her lips parted as Gerwald finished, a hand raised so slightly to respond. While it wouldn't be in full support, it would have been on the man's side. Her empathy and diplomatic nature would take center stage.

Yet, she was curtly… cut… off…

While Quinn was considerably and purposely the weakest in the room (due to her own defenses), there were reasons beyond her station as Princess that earned her the seat she sat upon. She had earned her place at this grand table, and she wasn't going to allow a boy begging to go home to silence her.

The empathy dissipated from the youngest Councilor as she stared at the man as he tried to explain his way around the others and their words. Each vowel and consonant that escaped his lips annoyed her, fraying her patience further.

It wasn't until he finished that the question arose of how one could live for decades.

"You sound as clueless as you look with that question," Quinn spoke, her tone flat as she looked at the back of her hand, admiring the manicure she had received only a day prior.

"Haven't you heard of the Force, and how it works in mysterious ways? Several Sith, Jedi, and others have lived for millennia because of it and its manipulations." Her eyes finally settled on the man, and despite how much he wanted to hide the pain of his little headache, she could see the twitches in his features as they tried to hide the strain.

The body was a language that the Echani knew better than the spoken word.

"If you want us to take you seriously, then I ask that you also act the part. Your business has thrived without the Eriadu headquarters; you've found suppliers and consumers for your products — there's no reason for you to want to return to Eriadu."

She shook her head, her hands now finding their place in her lap. The young Councilor smiled, her vocal timbre rising to be more cheerful.

"So, like my colleagues have hinted at, others have more directly. Why do you wish to return? Several other planets would suffice. Why now do you wish to draw upon the 'forgotten' citizenship of the Sith Order?"

Quinn tilted her head as she mused, "Is it because after two failed attacks by your consumer, one of your main cash banthas, is now bellying up? Showing the lack of quality in your company's work?"

A hand waved as she sighed, empathy returning, "I do feel for you, but this isn't a prodigal return…" The Princess regarded him for a moment too long, something knowing in her softening expression.

"You don't feel like someone who wants to come home… You feel like someone with nowhere else to land."

Her lips curled into a faint smile, almost kind, as a hand gently brushed back strands of her white-blonde hair.

"I suppose that makes this less of a desire to return and more of a desperation?"

She continued to watch, to examine, her eyes never leaving his face as she sighed gently, almost out of amusement.

"People are always at their most honest when they run out of options? Will this be the case for you?"

Another smile, her nose wrinkling slightly as she did so.

 

[Darth Caedes]

C O R P O R A T E
D I P L O M A C Y​

Outer Rim Territories
Planet: Mirial
Safe Zone Aurek
As each Councilor took their turn carving away at the man in their midst, Tertius began to feel less like a guest and instead more like a specimen under close examination. An insect with its wings pinned down and its thorax nailed into place.

Darth Caedes remained at the periphery, unmoving and implacable, his cards yet held close to the chest. Golden eyes drifted slowly across the room, listening and observing each speaker in turn, studying his peers one after the other, a slight scowl causing the edges of his lips to fall. Of them all, Lirka Ka seemed most at home in conflict, her words scathing and inflammatory, aiming to knock her opponent off guard in order that she might take the advantage. Elmindra Xitaar preferred similar tactics in her own dealings, he reminisced, approaching diplomacy as she would a lightsaber duel. Yet so often those very same dealings devolved into bloodshed and the creation of long-lasting enemies. Caedes, for his part, had always preferred a more subtle approach. Taeli Raaf evaluated the matter as might a business woman with a contract in hand: measured, just skeptical enough, de-escalating, yet unmistakably curious about the plea's potential exchange value. By stark contrast, Gerwald Lechner reduced the conversation to bare-bones-principle, simplifying and stripping away any clever rhetoric until only a kind of righteous judgment remained. It was Quinn Varanin who surprised him most, however, dismantling their specimen's convenient "returning home" narrative for what it was: desperation in the wake of repeated failures. He eyed her, face implacable, then shifted to observe Srina Talon with a mildly approving expression.

Then, almost idly, his gaze returned to the petitioner. Tertius C. Nargath performed a level of confidence he did not truly possess. That much was obvious to a shrewd observer, and all the more clear in the way the Force positively trembled around him. Performative efforts notwithstanding, the body betrayed what his admittedly smooth oration meant to conceal; a wincing, milky-blind eye, tension in the jaw, all the subtle imbalances indicative of a man in distress and under pressure.

It was that eye which drew Caedes' attention most, that singular fracture in the man's symmetry. And not merely because of the physical oddity it represented (though it was odd as far as such blemishes went), but because of how the Force seemed to move through it and around it; as if, almost, it were its own unique entity, altogether detached from the feeble man. Interestingly, he could be sure that this Tertius was one of the more deprived and wretched individuals he'd ever encountered with regards to Force sensitivity, altogether. Truly, few were as disconnected and utterly cut off as this man before him. Yet that eye held secrets within it, catching his attention with a heady sense of familiarity. Where had he seen such an eye before?

Odacer-Faustin, it occurred to him. In the infected, in the eyes of the dead which roamed there. Abruptly, Caedes felt the fog of Déjà vu overcome him. The light headed and skin tingling extra awareness which seemed always to precede an oncoming vision. The Force beckoned and, powerless before it, the world seemed to slip out from under him. Caedes surrendered to it, let the flow take him into its current.

The chamber of Mirial unraveled before him, like fingers pulling apart a spider-web, revealing some sterile place. Bright, florescent light cut across polished metal and glass surfaces. The scent of antiseptic and ozone momentarily replaced that of the Mirialan chamber's whiskey and wood. Rows of large containment cylinders lined the walls, each looming vat filled with vaguely humanoid shapes, curled in upon themselves, suspended in an off-white amniotic fluid. Before him, his back turned to Caedes, stood a figure alone. A hulking man encased in the folds of a satin cape, with silver-grey hair. A sick man, Caedes intuited. The The Lord of Hunger he'd faced on Brosi, only now made smaller for his lack of armor and humanized features. Credius. The thought came to him, unbidden. Credius Nargath.

Projected in hologram around the man was a scrolling star chart, densely annotated, with certain systems highlighted and their relevant hyperspace routes marked and calculated for use. Searching for something, for someone. Further, realization dawned upon Caedes as he studied the systems under scrutiny; Ninn, Cadomai, Ruuria, Mirial. He was searching the galaxy's North-Eastern reaches, near the Holy Worlds, nearby to where the Diarchy's collapsing territory now decayed and cannibalized.

Then, just as quickly as it had come on, the vision fell away. Caedes stood once more in the Mirialan chamber, surrounded by his peers, the Empress, and the apparent grand-nephew of the very much alive Credius Nargath. Caedes' posture remained unchanged, expression serene in its portrayal of a mild and distracted dissatisfaction. No tensing nor jolt betrayed his revelation, no catching breath nor clenching fingers. Nothing save for the faintest trickle of new understanding betwixt himself and the Lady Talon, an almost unconscious application of the telepathic connection they'd established over time.

Tertius Nargath was not alone within himself. Not possessed either, not exactly, nor controlled in the direct or immediate sense. Yet unmistakably altered by the will and work of a far greater being, as evidenced in that hazey, dead eye.

Presently, the princess leaned into a smile, brushing back locks of her hair in an almost sardonic gesture of mock civility.

"People are always at their most honest when they run out of options," she said.​

"Will this be the case for you?"​

Caedes' hand raised as if to dismiss the young Varanin's rhetorical question.

"He lives," Caedes confirmed, simply.​

"Your great uncle, Credius Nargath," he explained.​

"Though as for the how, I'm sure your guess is as good as mine."​

Glancing first at his Empress, Caedes stepped forward to address their little specimen.

"You ask to return," he said, voice like dry leaves crushed beneath the boot.​

"You ask to reclaim what you have lost. You beg of us information. You admit your history with troublesome non-compliance. You speak of war as business, yet you cannot seem to win against us. You champion a grandfather and a father, yet they are not here. Are you then not, by your own telling, an unwise investment?"​

He gestured off-handedly to Quinn.

"To Councilor Varanin's point, your plea before us today reeks of desperation; and this as the Imperial Conglomerate and the Diarchy's late Empire, your clientele, lay wasting in their death throes."​

Caedes raised an outstretched finger before his face, head cocking to one side.

"You seem, to me, proficient in the arts of begging and self sacrificing compromise," Caedes said, showing his teeth.​

"You have asked for what the Order might grant you," he explained.​

"What you have not yet offered to us..." gaze alternating between Tertius' left and right eyes, "... is why we should."​

All information divined in this post was the result of conversation
and the subsequent permission of Tertius C. Nargath

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

"You sound as clueless as you look with that question,"

A snappy, unexpected response coming from Quinn Varanin drew the Marquis' attention, especially since he hadn't even expected her to say much, or because he had deemed her to be more of the observant type of person given how she seemed to remain detached from the entire discussion up until that point. Yet when she did make her presence verbally known, her first words seemed to miss their mark, as the Marquis' reaction was almost non-existant besides a momentary slow blinking of his eyelids.

"Haven't you heard of the Force, and how it works in mysterious ways? Several Sith, Jedi, and others have lived for millennia because of it and its manipulations."

This very attitude showed the complete lack of common sense many of these so-called powerful force sensitives had. They were in a constant connection to the force, constantly surrounded by study of and in the subject. Yet the normal, non-force sensitive people like Tertius, even though they were frequently confronted with the miracles and horrors brought into existence by this phenomenon, simply usually lacked the understanding or even the drive to know more about the force than the standard stuff.

"He lives," Caedes confirmed, simply."Your great uncle, Credius Nargath," he explained."Though as for the how, I'm sure your guess is as good as mine."

Not given much time to absorb Councilmember Varanin's words, her sharp and sneering comments, the High king of Korriban once again took center stage, revealing one tidbit of information which perhaps hit the man at the center harder than any of the threats and insults he had endured so far. To all those present, this might've been just some piece of random information, something they might have known for a while now, but Tertius could only guess, could only doubt and contemplate. Being confronted in the most blatant and straightforward terms with a confirmation that the former head of House Nargath was somehow still alive, was not just a tidbit of information for him, but a larger problem. It dawned on the man that it was highly likely that if the former head of House Nargath was still alive, his own actions would be linked and tied to those of someone who he had no control over simply because they shared blood and name.

"You ask to return," he said, voice like dry leaves crushed beneath the boot."You ask to reclaim what you have lost. You beg of us information. You admit your history with troublesome non-compliance. You speak of war as business, yet you cannot seem to win against us. You champion a grandfather and a father, yet they are not here. Are you then not, by your own telling, an unwise investment?"

"To Councilor Varanin's point, your plea before us today reeks of desperation; and this as the Imperial Conglomerate and the Diarchy's late Empire, your clientele, lay wasting in their death throes."

"You seem, to me, proficient in the arts of begging and self sacrificing compromise," Caedes said, showing his teeth."You have asked for what the Order might grant you," he explained."What you have not yet offered to us..." gaze alternating between Tertius' left and right eyes, "... is why we should."

Tertius slowly nodded his head, closing his eyes and letting out a deep and long sigh. He didn't tremble anymore, he didn't wince or clench his jaw. A mixture of disappointment, pity and perhaps even a hint of anger could be found in his strangely neutral expression when he opened his eyes again. his gaze slowly went through the crowd before him, the different faces and expressions they wore. He could understand their anger and their doubt, but their words, their insults and threats showed him just as much as they hoped to rattle out of him.

"You talk as if I haven't set foot on Eriadu for years...but I have just come from there," This was perhaps the time to start pushing back a bit. he had been humble and honest, he had opened himself to their scrutiny and their doubts, hoping to give them as much assurance of his own part as well as that of his company, but Darth Caedes ' revalation had made it clear to him, they were not the ones he needed to fear. They could kill him, incarcerate him or worse, but even that 'worse' would never even in the slightest compare to what his forebearer could do to him. ever since he had been a child, tertius was compared to the brilliance of Credius, the brightest star the House had known in eons, but also the most dangerous individual to have nearly destroyed the family. "You tell me it was my company which lost the war and you insult its laborers and engineers by claiming their technology must be shoddy for them to lose. But that is simply hogwash, their products did not contribute to the Imperial Confederation losing, the confederation's own ineptitude and inability to learn did that. It was our ships which broke the Galactic Empire's attack on atrisia, it were our weapons, our machines and our technology which allowed for the Imperial Confederation and the Diarchy to even be considered major governments within this galaxy."

Tilting his head slightly backwards, for the first time since he came into this meeting, tertius' back was straighter, his shoulders balanced and strong, his expression one of defiance and passionate strength. He was done grovelling to these beings of immeassurable power, if they wanted to drag him out of his cage so dearly, he'd grant them not the sight of a man dropping to his knees and begging for forgiveness, but a man who took their information, their opinions, their threats and insults and who'd throw all of it back into their faces with logic and facts. he did not hate them for the way they treated him, nor for the harshness of their words. They too were simply thinking about the benefit of their own kin and kind, but they were also blinded by rumours, grudges and a lack of experience to see beyond the limitations they seemed to have brought upon themselves.

"I do not reclaim anything which is lost... you have not taken anything from me and I do not intend to take away from you," He knew these were the words which could come over as the harshest, as albeit indirectly, through their sales of weapons and technology, the N&Z was still responsible for a great many resources. However, in truth, the N&Z should not and could not be held accountable for such things, because it would show just how biased and belligerent the Dark Council would be, as they themselves had warred for many years with the Galactic Alliance, which just like them had a heavy reliance on the Trade Federation, the company on whose model Tertius had mirrored his own reorganizations. "I do not demand nor claim anything. All I request is to be allowed to fully utilize the assets located within your territory, assets which have been either running on their lowest capacity or have been dormant for the better part of two years."

Raising his hands, Tertius eyes once again seemed to go over each face within the council, taking in a deep breath as he was working towards the crescendo of his return, his retort towards their threats and insults, their doubts and tribulations.

"You ask what the N&Z could possibly offer to the Sith Order," His left hand clenched into a fist, while his right hand was used to gesture, to move with precision, two fingers lightly stretched and meant to point at the councilmembers, yet seemingly not pointing at them entirely, a clear gesture which gave greater emphasis and gravitas to his words. "Imagine... technology which could threaten you in the hands of incompetent opposition, now in your hands. the N&Z had and has the means to improve the Blackwall...which despite all its imposing strength and aggressiveness, is a flawed and quite clearly ineffective means of isolation and control. We can give you the means to transport goods and resources over the entire span of your empire without needing to chart routes or watch for the opportune times. Hyperdrives and path engines rivaling and even surpassing the HPI's products, electronics and droids which have been tested and proven to be effective and reliable, powerplants which do not require you to stripmine entire moons and planets for resources as they themselves grant not only power in abundance, but also have a zero waste management built-in to provide an alternative fuel source."

Lowering his hands again, the marquis reached the final piece of his speech, the final words which he hoped would draw not the councilmembers ire or disdain, but perhaps for the first time their attention. "I am offering you oversight, a strong position within the board, a factional representative to oversee the production within the Sith Order, to oversee the exclusivity of designs and creations when requested. The assets within the Sith Order's territory would solely operate to the benefit of the N&Z and the Sith Order. THAT is what I offer, work to your people, technology built within the Empire FOR the empire, valuta from outside your enclosed system to strengthen you finances rather than allowing them to stagnate. What I offer you is not the desperate murmerings of a corporation in need, but an honest and straightforward deal, a means to show you that the N&Z itself does not bear any ill will towards the Sith and wishes to do what it has always done: bring the best products to any and all who simply desire to have it."

TAG: Lirka Ka | Gerwald Lechner | Quinn Varanin | Darth Caedes | Taeli Raaf | Srina Talon

 

[Lirka Ka]

TAGS: Tertius C. Nargath Darth Caedes Taeli Raaf Quinn Varanin Gerwald Lechner Srina Talon

For all the endless twirling and twisting of politics. Underhanded backstabbing and shadowed dealings - Lirka Ka had a fairly simplistic view of the universe when one broke it down. You might even call it animalistic when its savage scope was viewed in totality. Strength stood at the crux, power was the path to survival beneath a suffocating Primordial Darkness: to that end, when Tertius C. Nargath spoke in defiance of her jabbing accusations the Once-Sephi allowed a brief moment of still silence before leaning back in her seat, satisfied enough.

She’d give the boy that modicum of respect for not balking in the face of evil. In the grand scheme of it all, she did not fault them for war-profiteering even if appearances did demand a degree of repulsion at the funding of the enemy. Business was business, conflict was conflict when push came to shove. When all was said and done, Lirka understood what this was. It was a sales pitch - well, she deserved to have a bit of fun with it after flying all the way to neutral space. She’d let the others posit and consider what might become of this most-bold-corpo.

Certainly, the portents did not glean brightly. Beneath her helm she found herself smirking at the biting remarks of young Quinn Varanin the girl certainly had her way with words and Lirka could always respect that. Cut through the fat and get straight down to the core of this little gathering. She did at times find herself enjoying the back-and-forth game of politics and negotiation. Even if this game was building to be far less bloody than the ones she liked.

For now at least.

Flippantly the Once-Sephi waved a clawed hand. It was like starring at a Holo-Ad and she hadn’t needed to do that in years.

“The craftsman shall always speak highly of their work.”

She spoke plainly, and to no one in particular. Another mantra to spout off from her endless calculus of the Galaxy. But some people in this Galaxy were a tough sell.

“Though, I simply must posit that if you are the backbone that allowed our Imperial foe to even possess a modicum of a chance and enabled their capability to become nuisance, as you do so claim. We made the right choice allowing your holdings within the wall to be but a whisper.”

Lirka had heard it all before and she’d hear it all again in

“Though certainly I am glad my compatriots have been able to assist you here with your…family dramatics.”

Lirka kept a rather flat tone when she was lucid, but it took no great master of social cues to judge just how little the Councillor was moved by the information presented to her.

“Your sales pitch is quaint, Chairman Nagarth. But consider Lirka Ka to be woefully unconvinced. You prattle on about the Wall, acting as if the Galaxy that lays outside what we have built is the same as what has been forged by bloodied Sith hands. You besmirch what has been made, speaking to the clarity of our failures and yet…I see nothing. You stand before the mightiest coalition of Sith this Galaxy has yet known, an Empire unfaltering and triumphant in the wake of all who have dared to oppose. You offer nothing that we lack, and wrap it as if it necessity.”

Her moods were a flippant thing, and while preciously the knife’s edge had been ever present in her hope for bloodletting. This was mere cold dismissal.

“The Sith are a creative bunch. Industry churns on for the endless march of our rightful dominance. Technology built the Empire, for the Empire, by the great minds of the Empire. Rather than an outsider preaching the honeyed words of the toys and trinkets that bled our worlds. If you wish to join the menagerie of those who build for this great nation, so be it. But you shall find no welcome from this seat.”

Today had become a day for bluntness it seemed.

​

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