Populate Cried Wolf - [TIC Populate of Empty Hex]

[Ella Nova]

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New Alderaan, Outer Rim Territories;
The Establishment for the Commission of Civilian Interests, C.O.M.E.C.I.

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"As I left the Exarch's office I knew my time was drawing to a close. That it was only a matter of time until he put it all together. Everything that I have done. Until that day I will continue the work. I have Thandon back in my sights again."

– Excerpts of Her thoughts as she left the offices of the C.O.M.E.C.I after 'All you need to do, is knock.'

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It is a time of political turmoil in the nascent Imperial Confederation.

The reign of the Imperial Empress LIRAETH DESCHART has come to an end.

Following an emergency session convened within the hall of the Commission of Civilian Interests [C.O.M.E.C.I], Imperial Exarch, Karl Von Strauss , enacted SPECIAL MEASURE 'EX-42A' to depose the sitting, defacto Head-of-State and nominated as monarch at the behest of the Second Imperial Occupation of the Outer Rim Territories. Uncertainty, combined with speculation of a coup d'état, have been rampant ever since, complicated by the announcement of an investigation into von Strauss by the Imperial Corrections Directorate and the emergency powers that were used to remove Deschart from power!

Confidence must now be restored in the Imperial people before anarchy and disorder return to the former lands of the Empire of the Lost.

The enigmatic Warden Primus of the I.C.D is set to host a speech in New Aldera to announce her findings after concluding the investigation into the special measure that was used to dethrone Empress Deschart. A new session has been called by the C.O.M.E.C.I to hear what the elusive Her has discovered about the Imperial Exarch and the reasoning behind his decision to enact 'EX-42A'. After meeting with von Strauss, secured in the knowledge that Project Tion is set to continue, and an incursion back into the Thandon Star Nebulae now an inevitability, will Her back the Imperial Exarch's decision to remove Deschart from power and subsequently exonerate him in the public sphere? Or has she discovered evidence of the corruption implied and alleged against the Imperial Exarch when the I.C.D investigation was launched in the first place?

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OBJECTIVE I

THE COMISSION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CIVILIAN INTERESTS
[C.O.M.E.C.I]

​

New Aldera is rife with speculation and uncertainty. The Imperial people require order to be instilled before the sins of the past threaten to boil over into the present day. Outside of the offices for the Commission for the Establishment of Civilian Interests [C.O.M.E.C.I] a speech is set to be held and distributed across the Imperial Confederation as the Warden Primus delivers the findings of the Imperial Correction Directorate's investigation into SPECIAL MEASURE 'EX-42A' that was used to dispose of the Imperial Empress LIRAETH DESCHART!

When the speech draws to a close a new session is set to be held by the commission that will determine the Imperial Confederation's future. It is a rainy day in the city, and dignitaries from across the four Imperial remnants– previously banded together under Deschart's rule– have arrived planet side to discover what the next era holds in store for them and their people as they are set to enter a new era unbesmirched by a sycophantic monarch, backed by her tedious subjects from the so-called Risen Empire, while the rest of the galaxy watches on.

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OBJECTIVE II

THE RISEN IMPERIALS

​

As part of their negotiations into joining with the other Imperial remnants, who went on to form the Imperial Confederation with them, the RISEN EMPIRE demanded that LIRAETH DESCHART– reigning monarch of the defacto Risen-Imperial bloc– be installed as sitting IMPERIAL EMPRESS at the beginning of the Second Imperial Occupation of the Outer Rim Systems as the former lands of the Empire of the Lost were retaken by a resurgent presence brought about by the newly formed nascent Imperial government.

After the Battle of Brosi (following the enacting of 'EX-42A') Empress Deschart was dethroned and subsequently placed under house arrest by Imperial Exarch, Karl Von Strauss . This has caused unrest and backlash from the Risen-Imperials who now find themselves leaderless in the Imperial Confederation!

They must be dealt with. Just as their superiors were.

SELRIK LORCAS, the former Grand Imperial Moff, was consequentially exiled from the Imperial Confederation after its loss at Brosi. Others are now set to join him. Arrest warrants delivered by the Imperial Corrections Directorate have called for the immediate detainment of all Risen-Imperial officers and personnel found in the capital of New Aldera– in concert with security forces deployed by the Imperial Sector Authority, Empire Reborn and Mahporeem Imperial Remnant– to bring order and a smooth transition of power on New Alderaan.

As one era ends another is set to dawn under cast iron grey skies.

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[Ella Nova]

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New Alderaan, Outer Rim Territories;
The Establishment for the Commission of Civilian Interests, C.O.M.E.C.I.
Tags: Lur Kri'fula | Nolle Tron | Aurelian Veruna | Nora Laan | Allyson Locke | Karl Von Strauss | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Marlon Sularen

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OBJECTIVE I
' The Commission for the Establishment of Civilian Interests '

Why does it feel like all the walls are closing in around me?

Fog was forecast for New Aldera bringing with it a smell of pollution that made your eyes water and left a taste in the mouth. This city used to be lovely once. The Alderaanians certainly knew something about class which was distinctly the opposite to their Imperial occupiers. Sometimes, as you travelled through the streets, you could see the remnants of that past where architecture had been melded with art in a design that gave off the feeling of tranquillity and peace. You couldn't say that about this place now. Not when one false step could get years taken away from you for the most minor of infractions and where peace, or order, were kept by the end of a blaster held by men that wouldn't think twice about putting you down. Agitators, they called them.

At the beginning of the second Imperial occupation of New Alderaan the top brass negotiated a series of agreements which had seen to the establishment of several organisations dotted across the nascent Imperial Confederation. It was by the design of the Imperial Exarch, Karl Von Strauss , that the affairs of the military and their civilian subjects were to be separated at a state level with intervention brought by the former upon the latter when it became absolutely necessary. He went onto call this civilian oversight as 'The Commission for the Establishment of Civilian Interests', or, as it was known by it's military codename: C.O.M.E.C.I.

Up until now, as the Confederation expanded it's star empire, which had seen to the discovery and subsequent absorption of a fourth Imperial remnant colloquially known as Mahporeem, the arrangement between the military and this civilian oversight had worked out well with the likes of Sularen (and others like him) given free reign to run military matters without being disturbed by matters pertaining to the state and subsequent running of the six star sectors that were initially taken after the Empire Reborn, Imperial Sector Authority and Risen Empire merged to create the Imperial Confederation.

Nobody could have predicted the fallout after Brosi.

It had begun with the immediate expulsion and subsequent exile of the former Grand Moff: Selrik Lorcas. Then, weeks later, a special session hosted within the assembly hall of the C.O.M.E.C.I where the Imperial Exarch announced the enactment of a special measure to remove the Imperial Empress from power. No explanations had been offered by von Strauss as he closed the session leaving the smell of a cover-up and rumours, particularly among the Risen-Imperials, that a coup d'état had taken place had become rife and bothersome. As it looked like these events were set to dissipate into superstition and rumour a branch of the civilian oversight announced that they were set to investigate the Imperial Exarch and his decision to remove Liraeth Deschart from her throne as the Imperial Empress. Finally, everyone would have answers.

With their investigation complete, in compliance with the directives and regulations put in place by the Exarch himself, the Imperial Corrections Directorate were ready to share their findings with the Imperial people. It was a time of uncertainty which required clarification, and, according to an analysis conducted by Vūm, the subsequent revelations made by the I.C.D investigation into special measure 'EX-42A' would expedite hostilities between the nascent Imperial Confederation and the Eleventh Sith Empire that the former had attacked at the Battle of Brosi...

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[Mu'awiya ben Barca]

OBJ II. THE RISEN IMPERIALS

"You know, I never thought I'd be fighting Imperials again," Sergeant Major Harkas said. "Thought those days were behind us for good."
Captain Weber scoffed. "What, you haven't been watching the news the past decade? INN bandwidth might be bad, but it's not that bad. You know-- despite the censoring and all."
Basra caught Major Desyk's narrowed eyes on Weber, but the man said nothing. Harkas jerked his chin toward the pile of cards between them. "Yeah. But I mean like this." The cards lay scattered across the IFV's armor plating. Most Wanted Risen Imperials repurposed into a sabacc deck.

The Barran-class IFV rumbled forward with the rest of the battalion, rolling into New Aldera from the southwest. Rice pattered against the hull. Cheers echoed off the buildings. Civilians flooded the street, hands raised, voices breaking into jubilation. But there were equally as many faces looming from behind windows, expressionless. Whatever fiery words the Warden Primus may have uttered to win hearts and minds, not all sentients were inclined for change; change always demanded a price, and not all sentients were willing to pay it.

Basra wanted to want to bask in the jubilation of the locals, but his own heart and mind were elsewhere. A holo-message flickered at the edge of his thoughts - 'When are you coming home, dad?' 'I don't know when, son, but we'll get together then.' His boy had learned to walk while Basra was away. Learned to talk while he was away. A hundred thousand light-years away.

This had to end.

From out of nowhere, blaster fire slashed past his head. The IFV lurched as the driver slammed the brakes. Basra pitched forward, hit the ground hard, and rolled. His helmet skittered away across the plating.

"Contact!" he shouted and hurried for the cover of a nearby building.

A missile screamed in. The IFV vanished in a white-hot flash. Shrapnel tore through the air. Cards burst upward like a flock of birds, spinning, burning, raining down with scraps of armor. He dove through a doorway as debris hammered the street behind him.

"I thought this sector was combed, damn it, Sion" he growled.
"Reports coming in now, sir," his XO said. "Tunnels found beneath multiple buildings."
"Get the IFVs off the main street. Start clearing structures. Now."
"Affirmative, sir."
Weber leaned in. "Hey, Colonel."
Basra turned. "What?"
"There're two cards under your boots. You mind telling me what they are?"
"Are you out of your mind, Aldous?"

Aldous didn't bulge and neither did Harkas. Basra looked down. Two cards lay half-crushed in the dust. He bent, picked them up, and flipped them toward his staff. "Idiot's Array."

Noshe Rubin.
Biron Leteo.
Manakhem Lapad.

Three faces of the Risen Imperials' Most Wanted.

"I want them cuffed or dead by tonight."

 

[FN-999 (restored)]

OBJECTIVE II
Tags: Open

Sadly, FN-999 was all too familiar with Imperials fighting Imperials.
​

It was how the New Imperial Order had collapsed twenty-seven years ago, destroying not only the strongest empire in the galaxy but also marking the demise of the Barran clan that had once led them to greatness. The scars of Imperial infighting then had been so deep that it had taken nearly two decades before the warlords of the former NIO could put aside their differences to form the Empire of the Lost. It would take another eight years afterwards for the Lost Empire, Imperial Sector Authority, and Risen Empire to meet and negotiate a mutually agreeable treaty to confederate, at last restoring a strong central authority to most of former New Imperial space.

Now, the arrogance of the Risen Imperials threatened to pull the Empire back into another decades-long calamity, taking its greatest leaders along with it.

FN-999 would not allow the Empire to fall again.

The full might of the Seventh Army’s 23rd Regiment was deployed on New Aldera, composed of young stormtroopers from all four Imperial remnants of the Confederation. They had recently proven their worth in the war games on Dac, defeating the Diarchy’s legions after a long and hard-fought battle through the tropical jungle. The 23rd now faced a different kind of jungle - the urban jungle of the Imperial Confederation’s capital.

Massive AT-TLs towered over the massed stormtroopers and Gladius repulsortanks below, all marching in unison through the city streets of New Aldera. The capital was on total lockdown for the duration of the Risen Empire’s insurrection, its streets empty except for the advancing 23rd. Near the front of the formation, stormtroopers atop repulsortanks carried loudspeakers that blared out into the buildings and roads around them.

{All citizens, shelter in place. This is a lockdown. This is not a drill. Do not give aid to strangers or let them enter your home.}

The message repeated every few seconds, spoken by several different troopers at different points in the formation.

High above the advancing formation atop one of the AT-TLs, FN-999 stood behind the pilot’s seat.

His unit had fought well in the war games on Mon Calamari, but this was a conflict of a whole different intensity. The unity of the Imperial Confederation lay on the line. FN-999 could not afford to be as cautious as he was in the war games, not when failure to subdue the Risen Imperial uprising could end the Confederation itself. Furthermore, FN-999 had intimate knowledge of his enemy. Unlike the ancient Laphisto on Mon Calamari, the top brass of the Risen Imperials were well-known humans of FN-999’s age or younger. Like FN-999, they had once been Imperial warlords, and they now once more behaved as if there was no central authority to stop them.

That misconception would be their undoing.

FN-999 reached for the walker’s comms to the right of the pilots to address his unit.

[All units, this is FN-999. We are facing an insurrection of so-called Risen Imperials. Do not spare them any sympathy. If possible however, aim to stun the rank and file troopers. They are not guilty of the conspiracy of their superiors. For the officers and ex-warlords that have led this conspiracy, I have only one message.]

[Surrender, or die.]
​

 

[Nora Laan]

Objective: One

Power struggles. They persist throughout the Galaxy like planets rotating around a star. Their cycle is neverending. History has proven that; as has the present. The future will only continue that trend. Some struggles were bigger than others. And for a former leader of a planet exiled as the foreign occupiers took over; Nora found herself curious as to how others handled it. Perhaps it would provide a bit of a learning opportunity.

The hall had not yet settled. Conversations overlapped in low currents as attendees found their places, the air thick with anticipation rather than revelation. Nora stood among them, one more figure in tailored attire, listening without appearing to listen. This was the part of gatherings she found most instructive; before official words smoothed rough truths into something presentable.

“It’ll be framed as a necessity,” someone murmured nearby. “Order had to be restored.”

“They’ll never call it a coup outright,” came the reply. “Not if they want legitimacy.”

Nora let the words pass, committing them to memory. She had heard the same arguments before, spoken with the same confidence, on New Cov. Power rarely introduced itself as conquest. It arrived draped in process, in reassurances that this time would be different.

A cluster of elites laughed softly a few steps away, trading predictions on how far the investigation would truly go, who would be named, and who would be carefully omitted. Nora’s gaze lingered there a moment longer than politeness demanded. These were the people who understood the mechanics, how an empire corrected itself publicly while preserving what mattered behind closed doors.

She shifted her stance, neither retreating nor pressing forward, making herself available to conversation without demanding it. If this speech was meant to explain how an Empress fell, then the room itself already explained how power survived. Nora intended to learn which of those present merely observed such moments; and which quietly shaped what came after.

Tags: OPEN

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

OBJ 1
TAG: Aurelian Veruna | Nora Laan

The reality had hit Amalia hard, she was first and foremost a spy, an agent to the will of the Lord of Hunger, secondary an assistant to ease the work of the Marquis of Valkan. She was always better in the work as a soldier, a commander or as a logistics operative, not in a position or function which demanded diplomacy and long talks. Still, it was demanded from her to take the forefront, to no longer remain in the background and to show the expertise she had build up over the decades in unyielding service to House Nargath.

the conversations where rife with tension, the words uttered silent and understatedly stressed, there were enough people who were doubting the current course of action, who feared that the Confederation had managed to outgrow its current system and was dangerously close to imploding. Yet, there were also those who saw this as an opportunity, as a way to gain favor from those who'd be left standing when the rubble was cleared, who believed this was not a civil war nor a battle, but a surgical amputation of the confederation's rotten flesh in order to allow the rest to flourish. Both assumptions had merrit, both beliefs had a ground of truth.

Amalia in the meantime could only watch it all happen, the Warden Primus giving her speech, delivering it as if she were in charge, a figure of absolute power and authority, declaring the end of an empire, the end of a bloodline, the dismissal of one of the Confederation's oldest remnant allies. She didn't clap, she didn't applaud or cheer to this news, because to her, it wasn't news, but old, rehashed words that lingered in the air like a bad aftertaste, the odor of sweat lingering within the lockers of the workers of the mines on Corvus.

Calmly she raised a glass filled with Corellian Whiskey into the air, taking a sip from it before she let out a sigh. "Shattering the perception of the old in order to herald in the new... bit cliché, no?"​

 

[Ronhar Tane]

CAPTAIN RONHAR TANE, TK-3301
OBJECTIVE II: THE RISEN IMPERIALS
NEW ALDERAAN

"Lock and load, Reclaimer Squad! We've got a job to do!", Ronhar shouted over the drone of the Night Reaver's engines as Salvage Team Six deployed their forces all across New Alderaan in the hunt for the so called "Risen Empire" Imperials. Ever since its failure to secure Brosi, the Imperial Confederation had been looking for someone to take the blame, whether that be as a scapegoat or because their actions caused the invasion to fail. It didn't really matter to Ronhar, because he had his orders:

Arrest the traitors, and kill them if necessary.

Down below, several STR - "Rancors" rumbled along the city streets, occasionally stopping to deploy ARC Troopers and Storm Commandos into buildings suspected of harboring the terrorists and traitors. Though FN-999 (restored) had been rather clear in his orders of trying to spare the rank and fire troopers when possible, so far they weren't really giving Ronhar and his men much of an option to do so. Several times already the Night Reaver had been targeted by missile fire, and Ronhar could see streaks of blaster fire slamming into the Rancors as they returned fire with their heavy laser cannons, though they made a deliberate effort not to use their missile launchers for fear of causing collateral damage.

Hopefully, the civilian population was either sheltering in place or had already evacuated, but Salvage Team Six had to be ready for anything, as minimizing civilian casualties was a top priority for Ronhar. He didn't doubt that they would be a problem, and he wouldn't be surprised if the enemy decided to use them as bait, hostages or even human shields. That meant that each building would have to be cleared by hand and each room individually searched. After all, if their were civilians inside, Ronhar would make sure that they managed to get out alive.

After a few more minutes, the Night Reaver touched down, followed by Ronhar and his ARC Troopers and Storm Commandos. At least two of his ARC Troopers were equipped with the latest generation of Wampa-Pattern Industrial Exoskeleton, which Ronhar hoped would provide his men the advantage that they needed to take down the enemy forces. All around him, the situation was chaotic: a number of Medic Troopers had set up a makeshift field hospital, treating injured soldiers and civilians alike. Nearby, a pair of Wookiee Troopers and other civilians were clearing rubble from a collapsed building in an attempt to rescue those still trapped inside. Further down, a squadron of Jumpmasters were getting ready to assault a multi-story apartment building, using their Jetpacks to rapidly ascend to the upper levels.

The situation was still rather fluid, and Ronhar hoped to change that. He began broadcasting over Imperial comms on an encrypted channel:

"This is Captain Ronhar Tane of Salvage Team Six. We have arrived to reassert control over this city and the whole planet. Stay sharp and stay alive. May the galaxy be with us."

Ronhar cocked the charging handle of his EGR-16 as he and his men made their way toward the nearest building, ready to clear it of any and all hostiles that might be hiding inside...

TAGS:
FN-999 (restored)
Mu'awiya ben Barca
OPEN

 

[Nolle Tron]

CRIED WOLF

​

Objective: 1 - COMECI
Location: Offices of Prefect Nolle Tron
Outfit:Imperial Prefect Uniform
Entourage: Dayna Rhyss | Prystill Oasay
Tags: Her | Karl Von Strauss | Nora Laan | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

Prefect Nolle Tron sat at the desk insider her offices. The holoprojector was tuned to the upcoming announcement from the Warden Primus. On the couch nearby sat her two most trusted advisors. Supervisor Dayna Rhyss and Tron's assistant Prystill. All three were curious how power was going to be wielded after the Empress had been removed from office. Supervisor Rhyss was particularly interested as she had received a warrant of her own from the Warden Primus.

"The meeting with the Mandalorians?" Nolle asked Dayna who had listened silently as the mentioned meeting had gone off the rails. Nolle had requested Dayna to be present in her place as the last meeting with the Mandalorians Nolle had allowed the military folk to take the lead. She was hoping that the more military minded Supervisor would have more to add to this new meeting, but it had devolved rather quickly.

"Never had a chance Prefect," Dayna responded with a sigh. "Both sides were very concerned with other potential alliances in place. Semantic arguments resulting in little productive discussion and an interruption of the joint TIC/Mando facilities, by the order of the Warden Primus."

Tron nodded her head. Another problem for another day. She had thought that these facilities would be mostly military and that the Mahporeem, military establishment and the Mandalorians would have things handled. Perhaps she should have pushed for more oversight. And independent council to ensure fair and consistent use was being maintained. It was too late to do more on that subject now. "I hear that Captain Ronhar Tane is on planet for security mission. Perhaps Prystill can meet with him before he leaves and get the Mahporeem perspective. And where we might go with the Mandos from here." Prystill blushed slightly at the mention of Captain Tane, but she gave a subtle nod that she would do just that.

"Today however, my focus is on how the Confederation citizens will be ruled," Nolle stated leaning back in her chair awaiting the beginning of the conference that would lead into the meeting of COMECI. "The lack of an Empress has not really been an issue. She had veto powers but the disappearance of the Grand Moff has had more affect on the people than the Empress' ouster. We don't need an Empress to be Imperial. It does however change how power is distributed. To some there is a gap in power. Someone will likely move to fill that gap. Will the Ruling Council allow COMECI to take on some of that burden? What plans does the Warden Primus have? It seems she may be reaching out for power herself."

 

[Lur Kri'fula]

Objective: 1 - COMECI
Location: In front of the COMECI offices
Tags: Her | Karl Von Strauss | Nora Laan | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

New Alderaan, a setting that Lur never imagined herself being involved with. For quite some time the area had been connected to humancentric philosophies and most recently connected with authoritarian "Imperial" ideals. That almost never was something that Lur covered unless they took to genocide, which this group had seemed to avoid.

Lur had separated from HNN for quite some time now. Getting caught up in network politics was not something she was good at. And her show was not a particular ratings grabber. Her viewpoint was in the minority of the galaxy. Whether you followed a tyrannical authority favoring the darkness of the galaxy, or an open free government trying to shine light upon the same galaxy, the angry voice of a Bothan complaining about the crimes Humans committed on a daily basis against Non-humans was a narrow viewership. As a result, Lur had gone independent.

"What the heck are we even doing here?" Lur huffed into her headset as she waited for the conference to begin. Her staff was on the Visionary's Herald in low orbit preparing to broadcast her hovercam feed to her viewers. "No one who listens to me will care about one human confronting another human about their role in jailing a third human. The Imperial Confederation is of no consequence to me or my viewers."

"The Imperial Confederation is one of the first 'Imperial' governments that does not have a strict xenophobic stance," came the garbled voice of her Mon Cal director. The truth was he convinced her to come and cover the government that oversaw his homeplanet. He wanted to know if these Imperials were worthy of commanding his people or if there was room to start to rail against TIC and create public discord by using their platform. "They've also recently had talks with the Diarchy and the Mandalorians. Two groups that are historically friendly to all species. We can look for an angle there. We also need to pay bills and I have a network lined up to pay for our coverage."

"Fine. I suppose it doesn't hurt to hear what these silly humans have to say for their actions."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: OBJ I
Tags: Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

Aurelian hadn't planned on coming. That alone should have warned him something was wrong with his judgment. Curiosity had teeth tonight. After Her, after Sularen, after watching an entire Imperial Confederation bare its throat to Mandalore on a broadcast meant to look like strength, he'd found himself on New Aldera with rain on his collar and the taste of metal in the air. No banners. No titles. Just a few guards who knew when not to be seen.

The speech rolled on behind him, words smoothed flat for public consumption. Findings. Necessity. Stability. He listened with half an ear and found nothing he hadn't already expected. The truth was never the point. Control was. He felt it before he saw it. Someone beside him lifting a glass, unconcerned with the performance. Whiskey, by the smell. Corellian. Expensive.

Interesting.

Aurelian shifted closer, boots quiet against stone. "Bold choice," he said lightly, eyes forward. "Drinking through history." He glanced at her then, properly. Composed. Still. Watching the room instead of the stage.

"What do you make of it?" he asked.

Internally, he smiled. He liked moments like this. When people forgot to guard their reactions because the galaxy was supposedly being explained to them. Rain traced thin lines down the transparisteel above. Applause rippled and died too quickly. Aurelian noted who clapped late, who didn't bother, who was already whispering again. The future was arranging itself in small, ugly gestures.

Aurelian looked back to the woman with the whiskey. "I can't decide," he said, voice dry, "if they just ended an era or opened a market."

His grin came easily, dangerous and amused. "Either way, it seems rude not to comment."

​

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

OBJ 1
TAG: Aurelian Veruna | Nora Laan

For just a mere moment, a flicker of a faint smile could be seen on Amalia's face, before it went back to the usual neutral, apathetic and somewhat bored expression she usually seemed to carry. Still, when this stranger mentioned "drinking through history", the first thing she did was raise a hand, so one of the many servers running around could take her order.

"Give me another one of these," She calmly wiggled with her glass, letting the liquor swirl within its glass container. Looking at the man besides her she seemed to smile rather softly again, nodding while letting out a sigh when the server managed to come back with a glass which he mistakenly offered to her, but again, she nodded, making it clear the glass wasn't for her, but for the stranger. "See, now we both can drink through this mockery of history."

Amalia sighed again, letting her head tilt backwards a bit as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"I can't decide," he said, voice dry, "if they just ended an era or opened a market."

"I'd reckon the platitudes sound familiar?" She was fishing, since the man hadn't introduced himself, she didn't bother doing so either. That didn't mean she wasn't interested in his position though. After all, she was still a multifaceted person herself, a lab-grown child, a freak, a science project, a bodyguard, a spy, an assistant, a governor, a chief executive, an assassin... she was and had been many things, but even now social interactions weren't her strong suit. "If you'd ask me... neither, they just closed a market, threw all their employees on the street and now proclaim it as part of a rebranding. That's how it all feels... an illusion, a eufemism hiding a bitter reality. While the people live in ignorant bliss, people like me are so much more aware of what's to come and let me tell you, the future is never as bright as so many would wish it to be."

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: OBJ I
Tags: Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

Aurelian accepted the glass without ceremony. Corellian whiskey burned clean, honest about what it was. He liked that. He took a measured sip and let her words settle.

Familiar. Yes. Too familiar.

He glanced sideways at her, curiosity sharpening. Pessimism this close to the center took either courage or insulation. Possibly both. Most people here were already rehearsing the version of events they would repeat once the doors closed.

"You're not wrong," he said quietly. "I've heard the same speech dressed in different uniforms. Rebranding is cheaper than reform."

He drank again, slower this time. Around them, the noise had shifted. Less applause, more calculation. He felt it like pressure behind the eyes. The future pressing forward, impatient.

Internally, he found himself amused despite it all. He had expected zealots, opportunists, cowards. He had not expected someone this blunt, this close. That alone made the night worth it. He studied her. Controlled. Watching everything. Dangerous in the quiet way.

"Still," he added, "I'm surprised to hear it said out loud. Especially here. Most people this close to the fire convince themselves they're warm."

Another sip. He let the silence work for him before speaking again.

"So," he said, turning slightly toward her now, grin faint but real, "if this is a closed market and a pretty lie, who do you think walks out holding the deed?"

His eyes flicked briefly toward the hall doors, where dignitaries were already peeling away in clusters. Deals being born in hallways. Futures mortgaged over drinks much like this one.

"I don't buy chaos," he went on. "Someone always benefits. Someone always planned for the fall."

He raised his glass in a small salute. "I'm curious who you think that is."

​

 

[Mu'awiya ben Barca]

Ronhar Tane

Another missile struck nearby and the building shuddered. Dust and debris rained down, peppering Rohlan’s armor and skin. Fear trickled down his limbs. That same fear telling you ‘never get used to this’. Same fear keeping you alive. He moved deeper into the building.

Sion followed close behind. “We’re being jammed,” he said. “Some transmissions are still getting through and Salvage Team Six has just deployed in the city.”

Rohlan asked for a line to the special forces and a comms officer provided it.

Clearing his throat, Rohlan opened the channel to Team Six. <<”Captain Tane, this is Colonel Basra—First Battalion, Iron Will. My comms officer is pushing you a data package with probable jamming sources. Triangulate the signals and you should find the origin. We need clear comms ASAP.”>>

 

[Karl Von Strauss]

OBJECTIVE 1

​

Karl sat rigidly in a chair near where the Warden Primus would soon render judgment: exoneration or incarceration. His hands rested in his lap, his head tilted slightly skyward, eyes fixed outward but unfocused. To any observer, he would seem unshakable, calm as a marble statue. Not a crease of worry touched his elder features. Beside him, his son Augustus sat quietly, alert but composed, while his attendant, Lt. Thif, paced in measured loops before them.


Moira's anxiety seemed to fill the room enough for both von Strauss's.
Behind Karl's calm facade, however, his heart beat loud and fast enough to be the beat of an Imperial March. He was worried, not only about what the Warden would say, but what would come after. There were many variables in play, and not all of them would move in tandem; some waited while others reacted, while others acted. Everything could come crumbling down, everything could stay the same, or everything would progress as it needed to.


A faint hum from the chamber's overhead systems punctuated the silence, and Karl allowed himself the smallest shift of posture, a subtle tightening of his fingers on his lap. He would face whatever came next with composure, but beneath the surface, the gears of strategy and foresight continued to turn relentlessly.

TAGS:
Aurelian Veruna | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Lur Kri'fula | Nolle Tron | Nora Laan | Her​

Small post to keep the ball rolling

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

OBJ 1
TAG: Aurelian Veruna | Nora Laan

"I'm surprised to hear it said out loud. Especially here. Most people this close to the fire convince themselves they're warm."

A chuckle escaped through the woman's thin lips, a somewhat forced smile appearing on her face for but a moment, before her expression turned entirely neutral again. His words weren't all that bad, thoughtful, not rehearsed.

"So," he said, turning slightly toward her now, grin faint but real, "if this is a closed market and a pretty lie, who do you think walks out holding the deed?"

Again the woman let out a chuckle, yet this time she glanced at Aurelian Veruna with a curious look in her eyes, a bit playful maybe, yet also slightly dangerous, like as if she was an apex predator who only just realized she was in fact toying with a potential prey. Raising her glass to her lips, the liquid, warn and burning, slid into her mouth until the glass was completely empty.

"I don't buy chaos," he went on. "Someone always benefits. Someone always planned for the fall."

"Someone always benefits from someone else's mistakes," Amalia raised her glass, having one of the servers coming towards her and taking the empty glass, to which she only responded with three fingers held together before forming a 'V' with her fingers. As the server nodded and moved away, the woman seemed to straighten herself a bit, her back becoming more upright, her chest seemingly puffing forwards as she held her chin up with an unmistaken triumphant grin on her face. "And as it should be, it is the smart, silent ones who win at the behest of the loud one's mistakes."

He raised his glass in a small salute. "I'm curious who you think that is."

As the server returned, he had with him two glasses again, seemingly waiting for Aurelian to hand him his glass as well in order to replace it with a second glass filled with "three finger's" worth of liquor. Raising her glass, the woman retained her triumphant grin, her eyes narrowing as they glistened with glee. "They are always planning for their own fall, always creating contingencies, filling blanks with structures and protocols... but in the end, the ones planning for a fall, the ones prepared for it and coming out on top..."

The triumphant smile retained on her face, she turned her face towards Aurelian, a mysterious twinge of red hue in her cold eyes, the grin becoming thinner, more stretched, more pronounced...yet...more twisted in the process. "No...in the end the N&Z wins, the company that holds the cards, the company that stands behind the curtains and has its strings intertwined through so many players from the core all the way to the outer rim. So...I guess the ones who benefits...Is me."

 

[Ella Nova]

---

---

New Alderaan, Outer Rim Territories;
The Establishment for the Commission of Civilian Interests, C.O.M.E.C.I.
Tags: Lur Kri'fula | Nolle Tron | Aurelian Veruna | Nora Laan | Karl Von Strauss | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Marlon Sularen

---

OBJECTIVE I
' The Commission for the Establishment of Civilian Interests '

"Order!"

A male, in his late 40s-- Human and distinctly Liann-- stood by the podium overlooking the hall as he called for order. They are one of the Imperial Prefects with this particular man known to the Exarch as a friend to the Warden Primus. Recent disputes over an education bill, being passed along and debated by the brass, were held up by this particular individual and some others who were forming a lobby within the C.O.M.E.C.I that have been opposed to almost every policy, political argument or debate that von Strauss had raised during his tenure as the Imperial Exarch. A closer inspection, with a dossier produced by the Imperial Secret Service, which had been passed along to Karl, that provided a link to a non-profit organisation who shared headquarters with the N&Z Umbrella and Santhe Corporations in Lianna City.

Vūm, they were calling it.

"This session is now called to order," the Prefect explained as he spoke into the intercom. Below him were dignitaries and delegates from across the Imperial Confederation. Others invited guests hand selected by the Warden Primus to maximize the intended outcome of her work as she shared the findings of the Imperial Correction Directorates investigation with not just the crowd but by proxy the other institutions which held interest in the circumstances surrounding the decision to remove the Imperial Empress from power.

"Under the articles written into legislation by this august body, specifically, articles twelve and thirteen, stating the right to request statement, and grounds for invocation, I call for the Warden Primus to take the stand to speak to the commission today," the Prefect said as he continued his explanation to the crowd below. Sounds of conversation, clapping and any mood for celebration or outrage quietly died down into a muted dim which took the assembly hall of the commission. Turning, the male Prefect stood aside, and out of the corner of the hall, Her climbed the steps which led up to the podium so that she could deliver their speech.

Her was quiet for a moment. Trepidation continued to be built serving as the foundation for heresy or truth. She took a moment to scan the crowd ahead as if to look for someone. There Her found him. The King of Naboo, Aurelian Veruna-- former interim Chancellor to the High Republic-- conversed quietly with the current CEO of Umbrella Corp. Her had made recent inroads with the man to create a discreet political alliance in the Mid Rim systems with the promise of delivering an Imperial intervention to the Black Sun-Republic crisis. Her intended to deliver, and today was the first step towards that path.

Indeed, as the N&Z's interests were severed by her machinations in Mandalorian space, Her was inspired to create new ones with the High Republic. A security subsidiary on Enarc was a path forward to retain Umbrella's support and backing when it came to working together, Her foresaw. With citizenship procured through the naturalization scheme, passed into Republic law through Joa Lodi's bill, Her envisioned a new home for the Tarsai Vigil by the end of the next quarter as interest in the Five Veils Project declined. One that would serve to steady the proverbial ship which was recently rocked by the interference of the Imperial Corrections Directorate into the affairs of House Nargath and their corporate interests.

"Thank you," Her said as she broke the silence. She eyed the Prefect briefly to acknowledge him, and then turned to find von Strauss-- the war hero, a devout to the Imperial cause, and staunch defender of not one but two regimes that had come to power in the Ash Worlds to the Tion Hegemony. History can be unkind, however. Will they remember poor Karl and his deeds, at the end, when Her was finished with him?

"Today I am ready to deliver the findings of the directorates investigation into the special measure that was used, under the scope of Imperial law, to depose Liraeth Deschart from the position of monarch, and defacto head-of-state of the Imperial Confederation," Her explained as she averted their crimson gaze away from von Strauss and back to the crowd before her.

"The Imperial Corrections Directorate has been fully compliant with the regulations that were put in place onto our investigation by the Imperial Exarch. A copy of our full report has already been disclosed to Supreme Commander Sularen and to the Exarch who has joined me today as I share the discoveries that I have made with the Imperial Corrections Directorate!"

But von Strauss had already learned that what Her said was not always what they meant. Yes, a full copy had been disclosed already to Karl which provided him with the outcome of the investigation, and an idea of what the Warden Primus intended to say to the C.O.M.E.C.I today. Otherwise, if the report had been damning, then no such speech would ever have been granted the permission to take place. That was the difference between the Imperial Confederation and the High Republic, Veruna would soon learn.

Yet, von Strauss still remained nervous, in spite of what the I.C.D had already disclosed, because he knew that Her was in prime position to say something else that the report had not included. Such was the level of her duplicity and thereby extended to the organisations that she was involved with as cameras from across Imperial space and beyond were now focused this report. Was von Strauss' career about to be ruined by a woman he knew to be a liar, and a manipulator?

"The Imperial Confederation was formed, by treaty, which saw to three remnants of the Dark Empire, Empire of the Lost, and the Galactic Empire uniting together under the rule of Empress Deschart," Her explained as she begun delivering her report. "These remnants were classified as new states of the Confederation with star systems, and territory, allocated to each of them during the second Imperial occupation of the Outer Rim systems."

"It is in our findings that one of these states has betrayed their oaths and can now be consequentially linked to a seditionist cell that was responsible for the economic collapse of the Empire of the Lost..."

---

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Location: OBJ I
Tags: Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory

Aurelian froze for half a breath.

Me.

The word lingered between them, sharp and clean. He kept his expression easy as he handed his empty glass to the server, then took the fresh one without breaking eye contact. Inside, something clicked into place. N&Z. Umbrella. Curtains and strings. Of course.

"Well," he said softly, lifting the glass in return, "that's one way to introduce yourself."

He drank, slower now. Measuring. He had walked into this expecting theater. He had not expected a player to lean over the rail and wave from backstage. That earned her a point. Maybe two. Before he could reply, the call for order rippled through the hall. Aurelian turned with the rest, instinctively cataloguing the Prefect, the posture, the allies nearby. Then Her stepped forward.

Ah. There you are.

He felt her eyes before he saw them. The pause. The scan. When she found him, something tightened behind his smile. He inclined his head a fraction, polite enough to pass as coincidence. As Her spoke, his attention sharpened. Sedition. Betrayal. One state singled out. He didn't miss the timing, or the way certain faces drained of color. This was not an exoneration. This was a pivot.

Internally, he laughed once, humorless. So this is how they do it. Burn a piece to save the board.

He leaned closer to Amalia, voice barely audible. "Seems your company's timing is impeccable," he murmured. "Or catastrophic. Hard to tell which yet." His gaze stayed forward, fixed on Her as she continued. Alliances were being redrawn in real time. He could feel the floor shifting under old assumptions.
Interesting night after all.

Aurelian took another sip, eyes bright now, dangerous. "What did this Empress do to deserve this?" he asked quietly.

​

 

[Marlon Sularen]

C R I E D_W O L F

IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION
NEW ALDERAAN, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

​

Sularen sat quietly as the Warden Primus gave her first statements as she prepared to share the findings of the Imperial Corrections Directorate. To say that Sularen was uninterested was an understatement. He had dedicated himself to the advancement of the Imperial agenda, making full use of his status as Supreme Commander to wield the resources of the Imperial Armed Forces and Imperial Security Service as he saw fit to ensure the continued survival of the Confederation in the face of many growing threats.

As such, Sularen did not involve himself too much into politics unless the political situation proved to be extremely unstable to the point that it would compromise the integrity of the Confederation. He had silently watched as Grand Moff Lorcas was expelled and exiled, as the Exarch placed the Empress under house arrest and as the Warden Primus launched her investigation on the Exarch. These events had shaken the Confederation but were simply minor shakeups in the upper-echelons of the Imperial hierarchy that posed no serious threats to it's longevity.

Instead Sularen remained focused on the upcoming renewed offensive against the Sith in the Thandon Star Cluster as well as the growing threat posed by hostile factions such as the Black Sun Syndicate, the Wild Space Rebellion and the Mandalorian Empire. There were so many upstarts to crush, so many worlds to tame and with the Confederation already backed into a corner, involving himself in politics seemed like a waste of time and resources especially when the future of the faction he had dedicated himself too was at stake.

Nevertheless the Supreme Commander would still find himself seated near the Exarch as he patiently awaited for the Warden Primus to reveal who had betrayed the Confederation, which he already knew the answer too. Even then it was still important that he made such symbolic public appearances even when they were unnecessary.

All Sularen could do now was wait and hope that today's event would conclude quickly to allow him to retreat back to the comfort of his headquarters where he could continue plotting the future moves of the Armed Forces and ISS.

Tags | Her | Karl Von Strauss | Aurelian Veruna | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Nora Laan | Nolle Tron | Lur Kri'fula ​

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

OBJ 1
TAG: Aurelian Veruna | Nora Laan

As soon as she noticed the eyes of the Warden primus falling upon herself and apparently the one who she was conversing with, a momentary shift happened upon Amalia's face, as her expression for a moment seemed to turn slightly devellish, with a thin, yet noticeable grin appearing on her face as she defiantly looked at Her . It was a reminder to the Warden Primus, that she was watching, but more importantly that HE was watching as well, and Amalia was quite certain that the Warden was very much aware how dangerous her last moves had been. After all, while the N&Z did still try to retain its contact with the mandalorian empire, the Warden's actions had forced Him to change his tactics, to be more direct in his own operations in regards to the Mandalorians.

"You really are a troublemaker," The woman whispered with a little bit of anger rushing through her subdued voice. yet, when the Warden Primus continued her speech again, Amalia turned back towards Aurelian Veruna tilting her head a bit as if she was curious why the Warden Primus had been looking at him as well. Not that it was THAT difficult to know. Though she personally considered him a stranger due to not having had any personal interaction with the man prior to this moment, one had to have been living under a rock not to know about Aurelian Veruna when it came to the High Republic's affairs.

"Seems your company's timing is impeccable," he murmured. "Or catastrophic. Hard to tell which yet."

A chuckle escaped the CEO's mouth, her lips curling slightly upwards into a devious smile, soft...yet with a clear arrogance within it, a smile that DID reach her eyes, but at the same time would make it so one would have wished it didn't. "I'd call it persistance and...maybe a bit of luck, but let's face it... the N&Z doesn't suffer any losses in this matter, so that should be considered a win, no?"

"What did this Empress do to deserve this?"

Again, that same chuckle sounded, while Amalia looked at her glass, swirled the liquor within it around and took a swig, letting the burning alcoholic sensation run down her throat before letting out a soft sigh as she looked Aurelian straight in the eye. "Once someone who has been given luxury and leisure thinks that these gifts warrant undermining authority and subverting the law... does it not give the state the mandate and the duty to remind such individuals of what their position is? Lireath has been warned that her function was mainly ceremonial and constitutional, a glorified position to maintain public relations, act as a prominent figurehead to a government more Imperial in the political sense rather than actually falling under the absolutist rule of one holding the position correlated with the embodiment of imperialism. She overstepped her bounds by a wide margin, citing insurection against the ruling council and thus incentivizing radical wing extremists to take up arms and commit atrocities in her name."

 

[Ronhar Tane]

CAPTAIN RONHAR TANE, TK-3301
OBJECTIVE II: THE RISEN IMPERIALS
NEW ALDERAAN

"I'm just glad I got to see your face one more time. Don't worry about me Pry, I promise you I'll be safe. Once all this 'unpleasantness' has been properly taken care of, I'll come and visit you again. Until then, stay safe my love."

With that, the holographic form of Prystill Oasay disappeared as Ronhar powered down his pocket Holotransmitter, placing the device back into the storage pockets on his Blast Vest. Ever since he and Pry had become a couple, Ronhar had taken to talking to her over his Holotransmitter whenever he could, especially since their respective jobs meant that the pair often spent long periods of time away from each other. He had meant what he said about visiting Pry, as he had applied for leave right before he went on the mission. He just wished he was able to see her much more than he was currently able to.

Still, thoughts of spending time alone with Pry would have to wait, as Ronhar and his team had a mission to do. They had received an emergency transmission from Colonel Mu'awiya ben Barca , asking Reclaimer Squad for some assistance in clearing the source of a jamming transmission. Though the signal had come in rather weakly, Ronhar was able to get the general gist of the idea:

"Captain Tane, this is Colonel Basra—First Battalion, Iron Will. My comms officer is pushing you a data package with probable jamming sources. Triangulate the signals and you should find the origin. We need clear comms ASAP."

"Acknowledged, Colonel Basra. Reclaimer Squad will get the job done. Over and out."

Ronhar's HUD updated itself, displaying likely sources of where the jamming was coming from. Most of them were relatively nearby to his and his men's location, though all of them appeared to be originating from inside the many buildings that made up New Alderaan's winding streets. That meant that Ronhar and Reclaimer Squad would have to clear every building by hand, going room to room until they found the source of the jamming.

That was going to complicate things mightily.

But what choice did Ronhar have? Destroying the city was unacceptable, and putting any civilian lives in danger, even if they were traitorous scum, could endanger those innocent of committing the uprising against the Imperial Confederation. Of course, as the battle wore on and Reclaimer Squad begun to take casualties, Ronhar might have to reevaluate his stance on the way that he was conducting his operation. But for now, he decided to stick to the plan, even if it made things much more difficult for him to carry out.

With weapons raised and fingers on the triggers, Ronhar and Reclaimer squad made their way towards the first probable jamming location, determined to clear out the building of any hostiles and any over resistance...

TAGS:
FN-999 (restored)
Mu'awiya ben Barca
OPEN