Droids A La Carte [Siobhan Kerrigan]

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Mon Cal, Firemane Industries HQ​

​

The dominion of Yag'Dhul had been a bitter Alliance victory, with many Givin falling casualties to the Architects. The sentient droids had abducted a huge portion of the population, encapsulating them in harvest ships. Their current whereabouts were unknown to the Alliance, despite constant efforts to track communication across subspace. The technology Architects possessed was stellar, if not from another time. Their fleet could easily match that of the One Sith and Techno Union combined. Additionally, they were efficiency driven, with no place for human error. The Alliance leaders had proclaimed them invincible. Thanewulf was one of a few rare people who rejected such a hypothesis. Artificial intelligence did not just occur naturally, it had to be programmed. And why abduct the Givin, who were galaxy's finest mathematicians? Surely, there was an intricate connection that escaped most Jedi and non-Jedi alike.

In her endeavor to salvage some Architect technology, Tionne had asked the Firemane industries for assistance, given their fruitful collaboration with the Alliance. A good portion of GA weaponry was forged by Mon Cal based company, often at discount prices. Without the wordless endorsement of [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] the Alliance would have fewer ships and greater budget deficit.

"Tionne Thanewulf to see Lady Kerrigan." the ginger-haired Jedi announced to the receptionist, whilst leaning over the counter at main entrance of Firemane Industries building. She then straightened out her dark gray Jedi robes and eyed the metallic crate she dragged half way across the galaxy. Inside, the scraps of a future project, if Kerrigan was to accept the offer.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


Two redheads in a room. Normally this meant things either went extremely well or badly!


The receptionist, a pretty blonde-haired space elf, gave the Jedi Knight a look after she introduced herself, then pressed a button on her comm. "Wait a moment, Lady Jedi," she said politely while she waited for the call to contact. "Lady Mistress Kerrigan, your 12 o'clock appointment is here to see you. A Lady Thanewulf."


"Thank you, Elassa. Send her up."


Cutting the connection, the assistant looked back at Tionne. "The Lady is expecting you in the conference room. A guard will take you there...and can help you with the crate if you need it." Of course, Jedi had all sorts of space magic to transport heavy objects, but it was polite to offer nonetheless! Presumably the crate had been scanned and its contents ruled as safe. In any case, a rather amazonian Firemane soldier would show Tionne the way and escort her to the aforementioned meeting room.


Once Tionne was presumably led to the room, the mighty door opened as if by an invisible hand, granting her entrance. As one would expect, the conference room of a Tier V corporation was suitably baroque to show power and influence yet sufficiently practical to prevent it from being cluttered. This was convenient since otherwise the crate would not have any room! The table inside the room was a bit unusual. At one end, with their backs to the endless, beautiful waters of Dac, were two large leather seats were the Directors sat. Only one chair would occupied since [member="Tegaea Alcori"] was not present. Before them and curving in a U shape around them was seating for many other guests.


Siobhan had been reading a magazine of some sort, but put it aside upon seeing the Jedi and arose from her comfy chair. A mostly finished cup of Atrisian tea, which by now was fairly lukewarm, stood before her on the table along with a few datapads. "Jedi Thanewulf, a pleasure to meet you," she said warmly and extended her hand. The corporate executive was wearing an elegant purple skirtsuit, her legs were dressed in stockings and she wore a pair of earrings. Her long firemane fell down her shoulders, framing a scarred but still beautiful face. A lightsabre was strapped to a silver belt. Her eyes swept over Tionne and, well, yes, she was obviously giving the Jedi an appreciative one-over.


"I hope your trip was pleasant. Can I offer you anything to drink?" After all, it was important to be a good hostess. "Please have a seat. I take it the tech I was told about is in there," she gestured towards the crate.

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Tionne sniffled lightly when the scent of Atrisian tea reached her nostrils, reminding her of mornings spent in bed with Lord Mythos on his home planet. She hoped to never taste the beverage again, for it envoked a very specific set of memories she was actively trying to eliminate from her mind. Every now and then a detail provoked them; today's it was Lady Kerrigan's tea. The Jedi woman waved her hand dismissively as she slumped into the chair opposite of Siobhan.

"I'm fine, thank you. Let's get down to business, I'd hate to waste too much of your precious time, Lady Kerrigan. You must be a busy woman." the redhead retorted, before letting herself behold Kerrigan in her full form. Thanewulf was warned of Firemane owner who was as much of a trickster as she was, but also had en equisite taste for beautiful women. If Kerrigan was a male, Tionne would've employed a radicall different tactic in negotiation; the fact that she was a woman made the Hapan more relaxed and Siobhan more trustworthy. The Jedi woman cracked a brief smile, letting her fingers intertwine before her. The crate was leveled onto the table with the aid of the Force, a single press of a button exposing its contents. Inside, a piece of metallic wreckage with coils and cords protruding out of what seemed like a fried motherboard. Charred metallic tentacles dropped out of the box, limp and lifeless. Kerrigan could probably assume Tionne had brought some droid for inspection. Yet, the contents of the crate were so much more.

"Lady Kerrigan, you must be familar with Yag'Dhul. The Alliance only recently extended their jurisdiction over the planet, albeit at a great cost." stated the Hapan and leaned back into the chair, crossing her legs underneath the table.

"Hundreds of thousands of Givin were abducted on board harvest ships, which seemingly disappeared into thin air before we even stood a chance of launching a rescue mission."
The Architects were a force to be reckoned with, Alliance's fleet unable to match such firepower, precision and effectiveness.
"I've managed to scavange a deceased Architect, which cost me several lives of our men and women. With the help of a Givin mathematician and my own xenobiological expertise, we managed to find their source code. You do understand what this means?"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


Siobhan's first thought when she saw Tionne sniffle was her perfume might be a bit too strong for the Jedi! Perhaps a bit self-centred a thought, but then Siobhan sort of was. Or maybe she did not like the tea. Alas, she was in the dark about what had transpired on Atrisia.


She was momentarily taken aback by Tionne's tone, but then gave her a smile, "Straight to business then, excellent. But I'm never too busy to entertain a beautiful lady. Especially a redhead." However, then her she turned her attention to the metal crate after it was levitated onto the table and opened, exposing its contents. Inside a charred motherboard was revealed, along with metallic tentacles. The latter looked very familiar to her. Looking up, she gave the redhead a nod. "Yes, I'm familiar with Yag'Dhul. I was there fighting on the ground as part of SSC's task force. The Architects are nasty buggers. Gives me flashbacks to when OMNI took Fondor."



The Coalition had sent a small fleet, but though the Architects' armada had taken casualties, it had been unable to stop the machines from leaving the system with a massive number of Givin on their harvest ships. She took a sip from her tea, finishing it."So you scavenged a dead Architect and got their source code. That's impressive. You'll have to tell me the story in more detail when there's time. You're the first Jedi I've met with skill in xenobiology. I imagine having the code would enable you to reprogram one or potentially make new, hopefully controllable ones. I understand you want to reverse-engineer some of their tech to create counters?"

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

"You understand correctly, Lady Kerrigan." the ginger-haired Hapan replied and flashed Sio a satisfied smile. Kerrigan was no engineer, but was intelligent enough to put two and two together quite fast. Running a galaxy-wide business required an excess of brains and the ability to think divergently without losing focus on one's personal goals. Thanewulf rocked back in her chair, her eyes idly resting on Firemane. The Jedi robes Tionne wore were no barrier for Sio; her compliment pierced right through the facade, as expected.

"You know what would be even more impressive?"
A ginger brow was raised as her lips stretched in a lop-sided smile. She too could play this game, if it was required.
"If the Firemane industries endorsed this idea and lent us engineers to create a working prototype that would mimick the AI of the Architects."

The business offer was now on the table. No turning back. Thanewulf continued her exposition, her voice growing warmer with every word she uttered.

"If we are to succeed, SSC and Alliance can share the fruits of our labor. What I am essentially proposing is a joint project...sort of."
And now the uneasy part - finances. Tionne cupped her chin with the palm of her hand, gently rubbing it. Her trademark Force Persuasion could not be used against Kerrigan, but there were other ways how the redhead could be swayed. If the rumours were correct, that is.

"However, the Alliance can't spare credits to fund research at this time. With our sudden expansion, we are stretched thin when it comes to credits. I can't ask of you to invest your own money into it, given the risk. But the potential payoff... we could change the course of the war." the Hapan explained. Negotiations could continue, if Kerrigan was interested in what the Jedi woman had to offer.
"Perhaps we can discuss ways to compensate if you choose to invest...over dinner?"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


Siobhan did indeed have a weakness for alluring woman. Especially if they were redheads! However, she was still a businesswoman who presided over her own little queendom, and thus had to keep her corporation's interests in mind. Many jobs depended on it. She looked intrigued as Tionne spoke, but her brow knitted together when the Jedi elaborated on how the Galactic Alliance was in dire financial straits.


This perplexed Siobhan a bit. "Given the economically affluent worlds it annexed lately - Fondor, Thyferra, among others - I'm a bit surprised the Alliance is experiencing such difficulties," she commented. A younger, less experienced Siobhan might've gotten suspicious or pushed tactlessly, but this one was a bit wiser and had a better sense of etiquette.


"I'm very interested in the project, it sounds promising and like a good challenge for my people. I'm also sympathetic to helping eradicate the thread the Architects pose. But I'm sure you understand that I need some concrete assurances Firemane'll profit from this, since research of that type requires a metric ton of credits. So I'd like to have the patent and the right to sell the tech to the Alliance and to chosen allies. Firemane doesn't do business with any of the nations yours is hostile to - Sith of any sort are considered enemies - so you can be assured it won't end up being used against you." If they reached agreement, dinner was on the cards.

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Apparently, Kerrigan needed a lesson on how different Alliance was from both the Republic and SSC when it came to governing the planets that fell under their dominion. Yet, Tionne would be gentle, not wanting to hurt the chances of two of them reaching an agreement.

"You forged that the Alliance is merely an overarching institution, not the actual government. We never meddle in planetary finances, no matter how affluent the world we oversee. Our war efforts are funded at voluntary basis at best." the Jedi woman explained. GA was an organization based on libertarian principles, with as few opressive interventions as possible. This included claiming a part of taxes respective governments collected from their citizens.

"Maybe given time... Fondor and others will contribute financially to our cause. Right now - our vault is empty."
Feeding the troops came first, repairing starships came second, while everything else had to wait.

"Of course, the patent is yours. Together with monopolistic profits that come with it. To whom you'll sell the final product is entirely up to you. In my eyes, your allegiance to our cause is more than evident." stated the redhead with an affirmative nod, her plump lips stretching into a half-smile - "I trust you."

"As for the assurances..." the Hapan continued confidently, slightly leaning towards the edge of the table - "I am here to make sure the project is nothing but a success. With your engineers and my preseverance as a scientist, triumph is guaranteed."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


SSC was actually a very decentralised confederation. In some ways, including the sorts of Force-users in its ranks, it might be more libertarian than the Alliance. It still had a treasury and while it did not meddle in its member states' internal affairs, it presumably taxed them to a degree. Moreover, the Alliance's mission statement was to stomp the Sith, which would presumably require the financial means require the ability to raise taxes, fund fleets and such.


"I see. That's interesting. I do hope the coffers are filled soon since waging war against OS'll be very costly," Siobhan commented dryly. However, Tionne's further words seemed to improve her mood and keep her from getting unnecessarily argumentative, which would've probably derailed things and made the conversation take an unproductive turn. Moreover, she'd gotten what she wanted.


Besides, those plump lips were very cute! What words left them did a very good job of buttering Siobhan up. As the Hapan leaned towards the edge of the table, Sio's eyes might've been briefly drawn towards her chest. "But let's leave politics aside, I believe we can do business. Thank you for your trust. We might've gotten off on the wrong foot at the start, but I think perhaps we should discuss this further at dinner, don't you agree? We can talk more about the project there and get to know each other better," she flashed the Jedi a bright smile.

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

The Alliance did not start the war, but was certainly aiming to end it. A part of her wondered where Kerrigan's comment came from; it was quite ironic really, given the fact that Firemane's profits soared during conflict. She needed the war more than the Alliance, purely for the sake of product placement. Many great inventions, after all, were first conjured for military purposes. Apparently, the warmongering nature of men served as effective motivator of entrepreneural spirit. Besides, she stood more chances seeing herself paid from the Alliance than the One Sith. Contrary to the popular saying, a Sith never pays his debts.

"Freedom is never free." retorted the Jedi sagely, then rose from her chair. As far as she was concerned, the formal part of the meeting was over. Everything two women needed to agree upon were...details.

"It would be my honor to take Lady Kerrigan to dinner."
Yes, Tionne insisted to take the lead, which made her more confident. Flashing Siobhan a mysterious smile, the Hapan offered her a court bow, placing one hand over her chest where her heart was.

"How about Manu? I've heard they serve best seafood in the galaxy." Tionne suggested, referring to one of the best restaurants on Dac, if holorating were to be believed. The Jedi woman had clearly done her homework, selecting a restaurant who served their customers under a duraglass dome on the ocean bed. Vistas were remarkable, the reviewers said, Grand Reefs teeming with bioluminescent life-forms. Tionne had to mind-trick several people to reserve a table, not too proud for using her trademark ability for such a superficial task
"Tomorrow at eight then?" Thanewulf finally asked, hopeful Siobhan would wholeheartedly accept.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


Ironically, Siobhan was well-known for having spent most of her life fighting Sith and hating them with a burning passion. To a point where Firemane refused to do business with them and had a shoot Sith on sight policy. The scars on her face had been earned on many a battlefield.


She was a bit surprised by the Jedi taking the lead and inviting her out, but she would not look a gift horse in the mouth! Upon reflection that might have not been the most apt metaphor. The brief political debate was over and done with, far as she was concerned. Moreover, the Jedi intrigued her for a number of reasons, beyond her beauty. Very few Jedi were scientists as well.


Red lip closs covered lips curved into a smile at this unexpected, but to her rather pleasing turn of events and she likewise arose from her chair. Tionne might have noticed that the Countess walked with a bit of a limp. "I definitely won't refuse such a delightful offer from a beautiful, talented lady like you. The Manu is a lovely place and tomorrow sounds good. And please, call me Siobhan. I don't think we need to be so formal anymore." Briefly her hand brushed against the Hapan's.

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

"Very well...Siobhan." the Hapan said, uttering Firemane's name for the first time - "Until tommorow then. I must return to my ship immediately. You'll have to excuse me for now."
She patted Kerrigan's hand reassuringly, then greeted her with a playful salute as she left the meeting room, giving Siobhan another glance before disappearing into the lobby. Once she was out of sight, Thanewulf cracked a wide smile, like she just won the lottery. If the two of them were to have dinner, a proper dress was in order. Once Tionne exited the building, she turned around the corner and headed to a nearest mall to find something decent to wear. Spending the last fifty credits on an evening attire were credits well spent.

Several hours of searching had paid off, with Thanewulf finding the exact thing she was looking for; a simple, emerald green long dress, void of any embroidery or ornaments. The gown complemented Tionne's lithe form and russet hair, creating an interesting contrast between titian locks and her pale complexion. She wore almost no makeup, finding it unnecessary to impress Siobhan with pretense of beauty. Instead, she wore her freckles proudly, together with deeply set, cat like eyes. There was a strange symmetry in Tionne's facial features, more akin to that of space-elves rather than humans, her mother's Hapan heritage completely overtaking her genome. The only thing she truly inherited from her father was sarcasm as dry as the deserts of Rattatak.

Tionne had arrived to the restaurant a bit early, merely to study the wine chart whilst comfortably seated at their table. The prices were perposteorus, but the view was majestic, with Mon Calamari sea life in full display. The only thing more majestic was the view of Siobhan Kerrigan who appeared at entrance of Manu, the staff greeting her merrily as she made way to the table. Apparently, she was a regular guest here.

"Of course." Jedi woman muttered to herself, rising in her seat to greet Lady Kerrigan.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


Siobhan looked like the cat who'd gotten the cream as Tionne departed. It was probably no surprise that her eyes were on the Hapan's butt! Then she turned away and made a call to the Science Department. Undoubtedly [member="Elanil Saedaris"] would love to get her paws on the wreck of the Architect and tinker with it!


And then this post utilised the time and tested literary device called the time skip so that we can fast forward to Siobhan making her grand entrance into the Manu. Majestic was certainly a good way to describe it. Despite her limp, Siobhan had a way of projecting an aura of confidence and power that gave the impression she owned the place as she strode in, chin held high. Probably a bit pompous, but then vanity was Sio's middle name. The Countess was wearing a magnificient black dress that, as cheesy as this sounds, hugged her curvaceous body in all the right places. It was flattering to her figure and contrasted beautifully with her firemane. A silver necklace graced her neck, and she wore nice earrings, though her makeup was rather subdued. There were many scars upon her face, but she saw no reason to hide them. After all, they showed how she had gotten where she was.


The staff greeted her merrily and with the fawning you'd expect when an aristocrat came to visit, and she responded politely, but soon her eyes fell upon Tionne once she saw the woman. To put it plainly, the woman looked stunning in her emerald gown. Coincidentally, her slightly elf-like features were a big advantage for the lithe woman since Siobhan had a weakness for space elves!


"Hey, Tionne, you look gourgeous. I love your dress," Siobhan said happily, after she had crossed the distance between them. Leaning forward, she gave the woman a kiss on the cheek. It was a brief one and could just be taken as a friend's kiss, depending on how you wanted to look at it. "Nice place you found us." After all, the view of the Mon Calamari sea was majestic.

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

Siobhan's kiss was met with a peck on both cheeks, the kind exchanged between close friends. Two women took seats opposite of each other, so both could behold the majestic view of Dac's sea life. The reef itself teemed with animals and plants alike, many species developing bioluminescence in the most striking of colors to provide light in murky ocean waters of Mon Cal. The subtle interplay of colors and shadows reminded of a ballet perfomance in Coruscant opera, only this play was directed by nature alone. No wonder Kerrigan appreciated the view.

"You look stunning as well." she mirrored the compliment and added a light smile - "I should've figured you are a regular around here, a person of infalliable taste such as yourself."

Leaning back in her chair, Tionne let her smile distill into a cryptic half-smile.
"It was about time the Alliance bought you dinner, after everything you did for us." the Hapan admitted, then motioned for Daruvvian champagne the waitor brought to be set aside. Tionne then rose from her seat and poured the fizzy amber liquid into two tall glasses, extending one to Siobhan while keeping the other for herself.

"Tell me, why do you help us?" the redhead asked curiously upon returning to her seat and setting the glass on the table for the time being. Lady Kerrigan would have a chance at proposing a toast in a short while.
"I took the liberty of browsing through contracts between the Alliance and your company... The prices you charge us are well below market value of your products. Firemane is one of our largerst benefactors, your discounts surpassing highest donations by the magnitude of hundred, if not more."
Slate colored orbs narrowed a tiny bit, as Thanewulf aimed to understand Siobhan's angle. Did she hate the Sith so much?
"Given everything, I simply had to meet you. I do admit, the Architects project was a most welcome excuse."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


The reef was indeed a beautiful sight to behold. The interplay of colours and sights was magnificient, the animals and plants so varied. It was definitely a view Siobhan could appreciate, though not the only one. Not when a beautiful, but also enigmatic redhead was seated before her.


"Oh, you're too kind, my dear," Siobhan said cheerfully. Perhaps Tionne had done her research and realised that a good way to butter Siobhan up was to flatter her a lot. After all, the Countess was rather vain. Taking the glass of exquisite champagne in her hand, she put it on the table.


Tionne's question gave Siobhan pause though, since it had caught her a bit off-guard. Brown eyes swept across the ballet-like dance in the lovely ocean waters of Dac before focusing on the shapely face and slate coloured orbs of Tionne. Light from the candles illuminated Siobhan's tanned skin.


"I'm a bit surprised and, if I may, flattered to discover I was of such interest to you," she said with a slight chuckle. Humility from Siobhan? Well, probably not. "Firemane's benefiting rather well from our past business arrangements and I play the long game." That was the standard, official answer. Light danced across her face, for a few moments it seemed like her hair was wreathed in flames, a true firemane.


"The truth is, I hate Sith. My use of the Force doesn't follow Jedi orthodoxy and I suppose the New Jedi Order would consider me a darksider," tone and expression conveyed amusement at that label, "but I've spent most of my life fighting Sith, even back when OS's Dark Lord was not even a blip on the radar. Sith will come and go, no victory will be final, but GA seems like it could drive their current incarnation back, and restoring a measure of order along the way. What about you? Why are you with the Alliance?"

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

"We are indeed peas in a pod then." Thanewulf retorted with a quirked brow, quite aware of Siobhan's true allegiance. She was not flawless like Jedi liked to paint themselves. Goal justified the means. A philosophy Tionne was all to familar with. The Jedi woman sat back in her chair, letting the beverage warm a bit. Unlike other fizzy forms of wine, Daruvvian champagne was best when slightly below room temperature.

"The New Jedi Order scrutinizes everyone, myself included. They may not approve my methods, but it gets the job done in the end. We may have different means, but the goal is the same - to cast out the darkness settling in the Core."
The question Kerrigan posed was complicated to answer in a few sentences, so the redhead let out a long-winded sigh before laying out her philosophy infront of Firemane.

"The Force is one. No light, no dark side." she said, her words considered to be heresy by most Jedi. A disciple of the Unifying Force has no place in Jedi Order, regardless of faction.
"As a scientist, I know this for a fact. The Force pervades all living matter, binding the universe into a syncronous web spanning across space and time. Both birth and death and decay are natural parts of it, perpetuated in the eternal circle of life. Morals are nothing but the ideological glasses the observer wears. We choose our goals and use the Force to achieve them, which paints it either light or dark. Our will commands the Force, not the other way around. The Force is an instrument, not a master. Many Sith and Jedi alike are not aware causality runs the other way around."

Thanewulf paused for a second, her eyes settled on Kerrigan's comely form. She was a ripe woman in her prime, wearing her scars proudly. This alone was sufficient for utmost admiration.

"Your question is difficult to address. My relationship with the Sith is not so personal. The battles I fought were chosen for me. Do I breed hate for the One Sith? The answer is no. I wish to study them, their motivation and then perhaps prevent them from multiplying exponentially. The Alliance, unlike other, allowed me to pursue such a philosophy. The Republic would've seen me expelled from the Jedi Order." the Hapan concluded then leaned in just a notch -
"To be quite frank with you, as a woman to a woman, main problem of Jedi is only biological. As you might know, Force sensitivity is a natural genetic mutation. Force sensitive parents always produce Force sensitive children, passing on the gene. As a rule, Jedi refrain from procreation. In the old days, the Order relied on Republic resources to scan the galaxy in search of Force sensitive children - the only way how Jedi replicated. According to my simulations, one needs to kill about two thirds of all Jedi and the Order never recovers again when stripped of Republic's resources. In essence, that is how Palpatine executed Order 66."

A slight frown furrowed Tionne's ginger brow.
"What actually worries me... the Sith are now dominant in the Core, where population density is the largest, leaving them with a vast pool of naturally occuring Force sensitives. Together with their inherent need to copulate with just about anyone and anything, Jedi will go extinct by sheer forces of evolution, if nothing else. Let's say I am here to prevent this."

Shaking her head, Thanewulf extended her hand towards the glass, lifting it up in the air -
"I'm sorry, I really talk a lot." she apologized, then raised the glass towards Siobhan and proposed a toast - "Here is to redheads!"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


Siobhan blinked for a moment when Thanewulf unleashed a hailstorm of words, describing her philosophy and beliefs. Truth be told, the Countess was not the philosophical type. Though she had some intellectual interests, these were quite narrow.


However, she still found herself fascinated by what Tionne had to say. Though Siobhan was not, as has been said, an intellectual, she had a thing for sciencey types. Despite their differences Tionne seemed far closer to her than most Jedi. The fact that her beliefs seemed more grounded in science than mysticism probably contributed to this.


"Please don't apologise, dear. I like hearing what you have to say," she said brightly but sincerely when she managed to get a word in. Truly, Tionne getting so passionate was kind of cute. "Here is to beautiful, strong redheads," she joined in the toast and their glasses clinked nicely together. Then she took a sip from her wine, savouring the taste. "Most exquisite."


Was she talking about the wine or Tionne? Probably both! Putting the glass down, she casually flipped her hair. "With me it is personal. Because of my past, because of how they hurt me and those I care about, fighting Sith wherever I found them used to be my life. Firemane doesn't do business with them. The fight's stopped being the focus of my life though." Marriage and motherhood had settled Siobhan and probably mellowed her a bit.


"I don't see the Force as some sort of mystical power that guides us. Nor do I separate it in Light and Dark. Jedi have committed atrocities, some 'darksiders' have been just. I see the Force as any tool. It's a genetic mutation that gives a tiny minority of organic beings an advantage over others. You can use a blaster to protect someone or as an instrument of murder. Either way it's a gun and what matters is how someone employs it. Same applies here."


Siobhan's philsophy in a nutshell. Probably not the most complex one, but she was a practical woman at heart. "I do find your scientific perspective rather fascinating. I haven't thought about matters in such a biological manner. Then again, most Jedi I knew during my brief time with them were blindly wedded to the Code and used it as a crutch, always thinking every answer could be found in the past. It's like they believe evolution doesn't exist for them and the Old Jedi Order was the be-and-end-all. If you ask me, it was the pinnacle of stagnation. You can't be anything else if you've had a monopoly for a thousand years. Out of touch with the populace, arrogantly certain in their belief that the Sith were gone and the Jedi would always be unopposed."


She chuckled a bit and took another sip. "I do have some strong views. If I rant too much, do tell me."

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

"I see you are familiar with galactic history." the ginger-haired woman voiced in a semi-surprised tone, seeing that Kerrigan knew well of events that unfolded over the course of past millenia, with the same pattern of near-extinction of Jedi repeating itself in endless incarnations. Somehow, Jedi always lost the war when they were most numerous, usually by a masterfully orchestrated illusion of a single-digit number of Sith. Whenever Tionne spoke of this fact, she was considered a heretic. The Hapan was glad her musings were not only her own.

"We have to adapt...or we will perish." Tionne continued, not too sure she could speak for the entirety of the Jedi Order. Siobhan was right; in principle, very few things changed over the course of time. Thousands of years of peace breeded overconfidence, best seen in long-winded sessions that took whenever Jedi from different factions congregated. Tionne's eyes narrowed slightly in the dim light. She paused to take another sip of the wine, before returning the glass to the table.

"If we are to win this war, we will need unlikely allies. There are many very powerful people in the world of business who have dealings with the Sith. You do not, but ten others do."
The waitor finally arrived, handing them both the datapad with the menu. Thanewulf lay her menu on the table, not even giving it a fleeting glance. Food was secondary.

"I've had an economist analyze data on profits, economic growth and technological progress over the last five thousand years, using the most extensive commercial database we have. He came to some startling conclusions after running models and simulations; war is only good for the galaxy in the short run. Maybe Firemane has higher expected profits in the next quarter when you announce a new delivery of equipment for the Galactic Alliance, but in the long run...this cannot be anybody's business strategy. War is good for lifting the economy out of a recession, but not to fuel economic growth. His calculations were so immaculate he definitely had me convinced."

She paused, ready to conclude her argument.

"What I am essentially trying to portray is the following - to have One Sith rule the galaxy is suboptimal, from an economic standpoint. For business to prosper in the long run, in the lifetime of our children, you need democracy, stability, inclusiveness and protection of property rights. The Sith have no regard for civil liberties, nor do they build institutions that assure civil liberties for all. In a societal sense, they are nothing more than a tribe, with leader-pack mentality. Nothing prevents the Sith from taking companies and factories of those with whom they cooperate. In a sense, they are at their mercy. I just do not understand how other businessmen do not see this. Are they so short-sighted?"

Glancing towards Kerrigan, the Hapan woman smiled warmly. It seemed two women understood each other on multiple levels.
"I'll let you choose something for the both of us. I'm not picky." she added, beckoning her to select the dish the two would dine.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


It was quite likely that if Tionne had met Siobhan perhaps five years earlier, the latter would not have been able to keep up with her or follow her train of thought. But things had changed quite a bit since then. Though she could not be considered an intellectual, taking a more active role in running Firemane had forced the former battering ram to expand her horizons.


So she gave Tionne a nod. Oh, and Siobhan would definitely agree with the ginger's assessment about long-winded Jedi conclaves. In Sio's experience, any time Jedi from different orders congegrated, nothing came out of it except lots of speechifying and platitudes. This was why she stuck with lifting Muuntur stones. "And people wonder why I don't do business with Sith. Well, aside from the fact I hate them and all that. More than one business moghul has accused me of lacking business sense. Not to my face, of course." Presumably that wouldn't have gone well.


"I'd say even comparing the Sith to a pack of animals does them too much credit. Animals don't eat their own or gourge themselves. Sith just follow whichever pack leader is the 'strongest' at the moment, take what they want, squeeze their subjects dry until there's nothing left. The only thing that makes the One Sith more cohesive than most Sith is their grotesque personality cult for their so called 'Dark Lord'," Of course, One Sith propaganda insisted that all their subjects were shiny and happy, though Siobhan, who had experienced Sith occupation first hand during her childhood, doubted that. Presumably the people were kept docile through terror and propaganda about the 'omnipotent' Dark Lord.


"Having seen the chaos that's the Republic first hand, I wouldn't subscribe to democracy being the cure for all, but there has to be a certain rule of law, a sense of accountability, not the rule of the jungle." Of course, Sio's idea of what constituted rule of law might be quite different. After all, her favourite government was the Eldorai Matriarchy.


A waiter came to take their orders. Glancing over the menu, Siobhan gave Tionne a smile. "The fried sweet shrimp with asparagus and carrots is exquisite." It also came with a nice sauce. "Let's have that."

 

[Zonia Kalranoos]

A court nod confirmed the order, with the waitor scampering off to the kitchen to place it. Tionne lifted the glass and poured about half of it into her mouth in a single go. The topic required alcohol. Kerrigan and her were on the right track mentally. Some things were understood without being spoken. Brilliant.

"The Dark Lord is a myth, a well kept secret and a tool of subjugation among the Sith. They rely on folklore to keep a semblance of order in their ranks. Imagine what would happen if all the apprentices and Knights, who outnumber Masters ten to one, turn against those who rule. One Sith would crumble from inside." Thanewulf mused out loud, surprising even herself at the revelations Siobhan instigated within her mind. Her eyes widened somewhat, idly staring at a single candle illuminating Firemane's face.

"Perhaps it is their only weakness, the chain of faith that keeps the warmachine churning. How would be use this against them?"
Finally, someone asked the right kind of questions. One Sith had very few weaknesses, no fissures that could be exploited. Tionne just discovered one; time would tell if it could be used against them.

The question remained unanswered for the time being, with the Hapan moving to address another topic Siobhan had touched upon.
"Democracy might not be the best system. Elective monarchy may also be second best, akin to Naboo. Or simply let every world decide for themselves and have a supporting, overarching authority, like the Alliance." she offered, then frowned a bit, as Siobhan would certainly not approve of her covert reference to SSC - "However, I wouldn't let Jedi oversee an ant farm, let alone a planet. For the obvious reasons."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tionne Thanewulf"]


"I imagine that's a dig at SSC," Siobhan commented, though she did not sound offended. "It's done well for itself, but then it lets every planet rule itself within certain guidelines and an overarching framework. There's a council, though my personal inclination is that there's too many Jedi on it to actually administrate things. I consider several personal friends of my family, but fortunately they don't involve themselves much in actual governing because it takes more than being able to swing a lightsabre and having romantic notions about how the world should be. I should know; it took me years to get the hang of running Firemane."


She remembered how Jedi 'diplomacy' had almost caused a war on Tygara. She was very grateful for the support Coci Heavenshield and others had given the Eldorai during the exodus from Kaeshana, but that did not mean she was wholly uncritical. Her estimate of Jedi as political leaders was rather low.


"Hence why I don't tolerate Jedi meddling on Tygara. Developing the elf planet is a delicate task. Firemane does so in concert with the Eldorai Queen and the local rulers. We're bringing change, even getting rid of slavery amongst the natives, but in a sustainable manner that doesn't leave them destitute. It's easy to play the holovid hero, far more difficult and tedious to actually build something lasting. That said, at least there aren't any militant Jedi running around who may suddenly conclude they've got the right to arrest me because they arbitrarily decided my use of the Force is too 'dark'." That was possibly a dig at the New Jedi Order's official position on all 'darksiders', but then she chuckled.


"You know, I've long thought the so-called Dark Lord was just a fraud. A story the Darths who actually hold the power spread to keep their subjects in line. Far more plausible than him being the 'dark god' they make him out to be."