Populate Foundation Day | Populate of Kor Vett & Almas

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Dominique Vexx

She nodded in agreement to several of the conversation parts while walking and looking around. "Well, it is better then I expected but for a time like this. Pulling out all of the stops is important. Last time I was here Feena Mason became queen and that was quite the party." She said it with a little memory. "Ah good times then though now there is a lot more food." SHe said it and the somewhat nostalgia of the republic was... there if only because she got to do a few of the things that.... helped more people. "Which is why I came, helping Denon is important... helping this fledgling Republic will be good and I still have plenty of years in me to do something."

She said it while walking with a chance. "I'll have to check but worse case scenario, I'll just propose marriage to you so that I can properly help." She said it more as a joke, an old age tradition of a spouse taking a position if something should happen until a special election could be held might be symbolic. "It will also help for later to unite Denon's districts in case the jedi do push for reforms on worlds. We have the academy on Denon but I don't think they have knowledge of that as of yet." Ayumi held a hand out as she paid for some food and was eating a meat skewer the grease there for a moment as she wiped it with a finger.

"So Senator, who are the major players I should know about?"

 

[Koda Fett]

His job was to stand there, breathe an air of danger - it came naturally.

Easy credits, too. Too easy. Then again, Raz had quite the price on his head. Fett humoured the idea of pursuing it in a fit of idle boredom, knowing that the fight Raz would put out wouldn't be enough. But earning the ire of the Black Sun just wasn't worth it. Too vast, the influence spreading like shadowy tendrils beneath the board. The galactic underworld truly belonged to them, and a sizeable chunk of it was Razmir Tezhyn's.

Still as a statue, he let his gaze sit on Annasari and never leave.

Annasari - Razmir Tezhyn

 

[Solenne Abraxas]

​

Location: Shiraya Sanctuary
Tag: Aiden Porte Lorn Reingard Briana Sal-Soren Brandyn Sal-Soren Blaire Sal-Soren Dreidi Xeraic Eerie Omera Kas Larsen Michael Angellus Phillip Slate Pari Sylune
__________________________​

Solenne smiled at Aiden's greeting, soundless, but warm beyond measure. It wasn't that she wasn't pleased to see him, but because it wasn't time for conversation. She said nothing of her own arrival on Naboo, or the sleepless nights she had spent watching over him in silence. There would be time later for that. As it were, councilors or not, it could be difficult to cajole an entire group into silence and stillness for long and she didn't want to make the ceremony stretch on more than it needed to. There was something pristine about keeping it succinct. Formal.

It was important to her, to keep that tone, to impress that it was not only a joyous occasion but one fraught with responsibility. It was a choice, and like every decision, it had untold consequences. She did find herself in agreement with the boisterous Sal-Soren, however:

It was time.

Oceanic orbs swept low while friends and associates came forward to support the Jedi of the hour with kind words and camaraderie. The Force felt…Calm, for that. There would always be issues in the galaxy that required attention but this was the only time that Aiden Porte would be recognized formally moving from Padawan to Knight. She didn't look up until Briana Sal-Soren went silent but gave Aiden a moment to come to terms with the memento his father had left for him.

When he seemed settled and the final words of reflection passed, she reached behind her back for her lightsaber. It was simple, elegant, and felt at home in her grasp. With a soft snap-hiss, a beam of cerulean light, ignited, humming low and steady. Its luminosity filled the sanctity of the hall…Not a weapon in that moment, but a symbol. She regarded Aiden Porte with a look that held neither pride nor pity—But understanding, quiet and absolute.

"Kneel…", she spoke softly, waiting for him to comply. Her blade raised and she brought it slowly down to hover above his bowed head. It was an exercise in trust to have someone hold such a dangerous thing so close, with just the right amount of distance, to keep from injury or harm. "In the name of the Light…"

Words that had been spoken many, many times before. The saber dipped to hover above his right shoulder, painting the side of his face in holy blue.

"I charge you to defend the innocent. In the name of the Force…I charge you to protect the balance."

The saber moved in an elegant arc from his right shoulder to his left.

"In the name of Ashla, let no shadow claim you."

It was in that moment that she pulled her lightsaber back and the light fell away. Traditionally, she would have removed his Padawan braid, but he had long since forgone the symbol. It was a new age, certainly, a different generation, and not all customs were observed. Her expression remained calm when she withdrew to the line of assembled Councilors and Masters.

"Rise, Aiden Porte. No longer my young student…But a Jedi Knight."

Simple words, a simple ending, for a colossal moment. It was one of the few rituals Jedi from all sects seemed to cling to in some way. They all had their history, their unique ideas, but this was a ceremony that she had observed from one end of the verse to the other.

One thing was for sure…It never failed to inspire.

 

[Kyric]

Kyric's focus shifted from Lorn's slowly relaxing fist to his solemn gaze. A complex web lingered there, too much for the kiffar to take in under the effects of the ceremony. He considered the Sword's words, instead. They were haunted by the spirits of Katabasis. And Kyric existed as a stark reminder of what Lorn lost that day. An ally, for certain. A friend, undoubtedly. But the question lingered in the young Jedi's mind. Was Ala Quin something more to Lorn than a fellow servant of the Force?

Thankfully, the ceremony provided a moment to digest. Kyric felt no anger from the man. Only a carefully maintained distance. Familiar. Unlike the events playing out before them.

The kiffar hadn't experienced a knighting ceremony of such significance before. He belonged to a generation of Jedi who celebrated their knighthood around the fire, buried away in the dunes of some unsung planet along the Outer Rim. Still, Kyric lost himself in the moment. His contemplations forgotten in the face of an ageless tradition.

Near its completion, when Aiden's Master declared him a Jedi Knight and ordered him to rise anew, Kyric felt his thoughts slip away from him. Into an echo of another's memory. A distant place—a station of some kind, bathed in light. Two men knelt in place, a saber not dissimilar from Master Abraxas' hovering nearby. The Jedi Master holding it moved through the very same motions, sheering away the padawan braid of one jacket-clad Jedi, while the other, fair of skin and white of hair, lacked the traditional marker of tutelage.

They rose together. Knights of another age. Connected across the ages by a tradition larger than any one Jedi.

Kyric blinked, returning to the present, his brow furrowed. This memory wasn't familiar to him even in passing. Ever-burdened with more questions than answers, he shook his head weakly and waited for the ceremony to conclude in full.

When Aiden stood to his full height, Kyric turned to Lorn.

"Thanks," Kyric offered weakly, his voice low. "I can tell you with certainty: I never thought I'd find myself standin' up here. With anyone. Least of all a group of folks I've such a short history."

The kiffar's thoughts drifted back to his first encounter with Briana Sal-Soren and Vizion Trozky and shook his head. "S'ppose you could say I was star struck."

---

Tags: Lorn Reingard

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

Aurelian Veruna ​

At first, Sibylla was quiet, the silence resonating between them as the sounds of revelry continued outside the lavish and decorated streets of Theed City.

Their former Queen Kalantha , now High Chancellor, was likely by now making her way to the grounds where she would give her acceptance speech and send waves of cheer and joy throughout the High Republic.

But here and now, within the quiet hush of the suite, a heavy silence settled between them; thick, expectant, and brimming with the weight of all that had been revealed. But the silence between them was not the kind of silence meant to punish. No, this was the stillness that came when something real had been laid bare, and all pretense had fallen away.

And even after Aurelian stepped away, Sibylla could still feel the lingering brush of his fingers, hear the faint echo of inevitability that clung to his last words.

Because the truth was... Aurelian wasn't wrong.

She had seen it. Felt it in the Assembly's hesitant debates. In the hollowed looks of refugee leaders from the Southern Systems. In the sheer scale of rebuilding since the Convergence fractured half the stars on the maps.

And the Mandalorians…her time with them had taught her more than diplomacy. It had taught her what preparation looked like. Their children could hold a blade before they could write their name. Every citizen was trained, ready, bound not just by creed, but by necessity.

Would Naboo survive the same trial?

She could not say.

Not yet.

After another second, Sibyla lifted her gaze to meet his fully. Her expression was not judgmental, but rather a reflection that what she was to say next had been considered carefully.

"There is no easy way to confess what you've just said. I cannot imagine it was an easy truth to carry." She paused, then added with quiet sincerity, "Thank you...for not keeping it from me."

She turned her face to the high-arched window, where the music of the revelers swelled beneath the domed sky. Fireworks streaked across Theed's horizon. Ever so slowly, she moved towards the archway, letting the breeze kiss her cheeks. She let the silence stretch before speaking again, her voice a low murmur layered with sincerity.

"You are not wrong about the threats we face. In the Assembly or in the border worlds with the Black Sun's rise, the criminal insurgency in the Mid Rim, or the fraying of the Blackwall...Even the Confederacy's bones twitch with unrest."

She looked down the archway towards the busy streets where revelers chanted and waved their banners high in celebration.

"As more worlds join the High Republic, the more Naboo's resources are scattered across expansion efforts and refugee relief. The more it grows, the more ground we risk losing, because we are not prepared to hold it....and what is a government, Aurelian, if it cannot promise its people stability? If it cannot protect the prosperity it claims to offer? As our capital, we cannot leave Naboo vulnerable. Not again."

She took a breath, letting that settle between them before returning her attention back him.

"But you are wrong," she said gently, "about one thing."

"You've cast yourself as a monster. As the necessary villain in some brutal equation of sacrifice. But Aurelian, Naboo has always had monsters. They wear crowns. They smile for holocams. They wield charm like poison but choose to only line their pockets and glorify their name."

Her eyes would pan to the artful tapestries along the walls that wove legend into artistic artwork, depicting each allegorical deity such as the Goddess of Safety, Justice, and onward until it settled on the figures of Shiraya, the Moon Goddess, and Aditya, God of the Sun -- whose true story had been purposely hidden in time.

The true story of Vere and Set.

And what had really befallen them.

"And yet… in our oldest stories, the creature in the cave was never the threat. Not truly. Like Set, that creature more often than not was made into a monster, twisted by fear, or pain, or by being told they were nothing else."

Her hazel eyes swept over him, at the perfectly still coiled storm of silk, strategy, burden, and resolve.

"You are not that monster. Not yet," she wasn't blind to the knowledge that there was a potential of what he could be if left unchecked.

She took a breath, her shoulders rising as she let that inhale fill her lungs, her expression becoming one of growing assurity.

"And you," she added, "cannot carry this alone."

"You will not be able to continue this course on strength alone. Nor by fury. Nor by isolation." She told him, taking a step forward towards him, her voice strengthening with each step.

"You say Naboo needs survival more than hope. But the truth is… it needs both. And not at different times. It needs fire and restraint. Action and wisdom. Force and conscience."

Siyblla's words were firm now, conveying a sense of conviction from the young woman after she had carefully measured what stood in front of her, seen and unseen, and what that meant -- for Aurelian, for herself, for her House, and for Naboo.

"Do not mistake my prudence for weakness. I want Naboo to flourish, not simply survive, and certainly not to be swallowed by the High Republic's sprawling ambition without a voice and fist strong enough to protect it," she continued, moving forward not in defiance, but in solidarity, until she finally stood in front of him, tipping her head back to see him.

"If you believe war is coming...then I will fight for what comes after...but only if you let yourself be more than what infamy has named of you."

Her voice gentled into a hush against the storm he'd summoned in the room.

"Let me be your temperance. Your accountability. So that this fire doesn't consume the reason we lit it to begin with."

Another breath and she searched his amber gaze.

"Do so... and I'll support your candidacy as Naboo's future King."

What she was offering was not said lightly. He would know it. She was showing her proverbial hand. Not as a politician. Not as a rival. But as Sibylla, who still dared to think that hope had a place beside war, if only someone fought for it.

 

[Annasari]

THEED - BYOO
A LITTLE SPICE OF MALICE

Razmir Tezhyn | Koda Fett

An excuse made for the overkill of what she was sure now was a bodyguard or enforcer, and the businessman lacked the grace of a snake. Something was askew. A career in politics meant you came to know a liar - but usually, they did a better job of covering. This one was either out of practice, or whatever power he held chased the fear of corruption away. Annasari looked him and his companion up and down again, making no effort to hide the skepticism.

“Were Corellians always so direct, or did your friend rub off on you?”

When offered, she took the data pad with narrowed eyes, stealing her attentions away from the celebration. The names were not unfamiliar - the companies held a sphere of influence no bigger than a planet each, but some brushed up against her own markets now and again. With a flick she locked the screen and tucked it away in the pocket of her dress. It was champagne and smiles again.

“I’m not wholly opposed to it. It will not be easy, though. There’s already a lack of love for the giants favoring their businesses, and I’m still growing my influence within the Republic. I could rally - but what makes the trouble worth my time?”

The offshoot held her breath with lips upturned. The only experience she’d had with mandalorians was being hunted by one, and watching the Alliance become blinded by their culture. If this one was here for coercion, she was about to find out.

 

[Kalantha]

FOUNDATION DAY
… A High Republic Story

​

Foundation Day.

It was not a name that Kalantha coined, but she liked it nonetheless. It had a nice ring to it, despite being the second day commemorating the establishment of a new order under her guiding hand. Many politicians would have floated into the painted skies above from the air in their egotistical heads, but the new-elected Chancellor of the High Republic felt nothing but piercing humility.

She smiled and waved as the procession carried her through the streets of Theed. Somehow, this was even more nerve-wracking than the chancellery debate itself. Perhaps it was the fact that she could not hide away now that she'd won. There was no shadow of obscurity, no quiet retirement. She was here, present and public, praised and scrutinized in the same breath - a breath that came from the lungs of billions of beings across the Mid and Outer Rim.

In moments like these, when her blood ran cold from anxiety, Kalantha imagined that her friend Aiden Porte were there beside her, or out in the crowd cheering her on. His smile always grounded her, and while she wished more than anything that she could be at his knighting, the thought of his grand accomplishment and the brotherhood he would be enjoying this afternoon with the Jedi was enough to keep the Queen Emeritus content.

The procession's terminus was the spacious palatial courtyard, where the largest congregation of citizens were gathered. The air was filled with bits of colored paper in shades of gold and crimson, the colors of the Royal House of Naboo - fitting, as today was not only the birthday of the High Republic and the inauguration of its new chancellor, but a moment for the monarchial candidates to shine before the masses. Kalantha had many things to worry about, but for once, the throne was not among them. She sighed in relief.

Being queen was equally taxing as it was honorable.

Soon, the parade came to a halt. It had followed the eastern side of the courtyard and stopped on the north end, in front of the marble steps of the Royal palace. It was here that Kalantha, dressed in a stately dress befitting her new role, rose elegantly before her people. She stepped down from the repulsor craft that had delivered her and approached a podium that was waiting for her.

"What a glorious day this is!" Kalantha began with a grin that spread from ear to ear. "The birth of the High Republic is a monumental event indeed, but it has only come to pass because of your trust in our shared dream of a nation where justice, peace, and brotherhood reign supreme." Her arms were outstretched, open as if she were welcoming the entirety of the Republic into an embrace.

"It is with great honor as the first Chancellor of the High Republic that I wish you all a wonderful Foundation Day!"

Tags: Whoeva​

 

[Lorn Reingard]

​

Lorn didn't shift when Solenne's saber hissed to life, but something deep inside him did. That sound, the hum of a Jedi blade igniting in peace, was like the tolling of a bell in the cathedral of his bones. It was a reminder, a call, a reckoning. Not one for war or defense or ceremony, but for memory; for everything that had been lost in the pursuit of moments like this. It was beautiful, which only meant it hurt.

He watched as Solenne moved through her words, her voice steady, the blade a breath from Aiden's skin. It was the same rhythm, the same ritual he'd witnessed countless times before, some bright, others shadowed by the weight of unready hearts and hollow vows. But this one rang true. Aiden wasn't a boy pretending to be brave, nor was he a tool polished for war. He was a Jedi. Lorn had known it long before today, yet it still meant something profound to see it spoken aloud. And Solenne, her presence shook something loose in his chest again, a pang for Ala, and he hated that the ache came rushing back the moment peace tried to settle in. He could feel Ala's absence like a fracture in the Force, a broken note in a perfect chord.

He took a slow, deliberate breath, forcing it out between clenched teeth. If Aiden could stand here whole after what the Netherworld had taken from him, Lorn could do the same. At least for this moment.

The saber extinguished, the words were spoken, and the moment was sealed. "Rise, Aiden Porte." The lad stood taller now, something palpably shifted in his spine, his stance, his gaze. It wasn't pride or show, but something quieter, firmer, like a foundation finally finished after years of weathering storms. Lorn felt his throat tighten, just a little.

He turned his head when Kyric spoke again, the Kiffar's voice low, honest, not self-pitying, just raw. "Thanks. I can tell you with certainty: I never thought I'd find myself standing up here. With anyone. Least of all a group of folks I've such a short history." He paused, a wry twist to his lips. "Suppose you could say I was starstruck." Lorn snorted, barely audible, then with a sideways glance that was more assessment than affection, he murmured back, "Try not to let it go to your head. Stars burn out." There was no bite in his tone, just the gruff realism that sounded like it came from someone who'd seen too many flames die out too soon. He paused, letting the moment breathe, then added, quieter, almost grudgingly, "But you're standing here. That's more than most. Whatever got you here, don't forget it. The galaxy will try to make you."

His gaze slid back to Aiden, now fully standing among the Council, a true knight. Lorn's jaw tightened again, but not with grief this time, but with resolve. He would find a way to help Ala. And he would make damn sure she stood beside him the next time a Jedi earned their place. Because if the galaxy thought it could keep tearing people like her away and still ask men like him to smile through ceremonies and pretend it was all okay... well, then it didn't know Lorn. Not yet. He folded his arms across his chest, and this time, he allowed himself the smallest smile. Just enough. Let the Force take its breath. This moment belonged to Aiden.

Kyric​

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Aurelian didn't speak, not immediately. He watched her like a man bracing himself for an approaching storm, not out of fear, but anticipation. Sibylla's words carried no plea or threat, they held something far more dangerous: conviction. And conviction, had always proven harder to kill than kings.

Sunlight outside cast long shadows into the suite, one stretching like a phantom scar across his face. He said nothing, simply studied her with a hunter's stillness. When her words finally ceased, hanging in the air between them like a last, lingering note, he exhaled. Slow. Controlled.

Then, with the practiced grace of a man who understood theater to his very bones, Aurelian stepped into her space again. He moved close enough for the tension to bloom in the shared breath between them. "You'd support my candidacy?" he said softly, as if testing the words on his tongue, seeing if they fit. "Just like that?" A pause stretched between them, then a dry, humorless smile touched his lips. "Not the outcome I expected from a conversation that started with 'why did you save me?'"

He turned his face slightly, as if sharing a private joke with the air itself, before tilting his head back to regard her fully. That signature smile flickered again, not dangerous this time, but something far stranger: admiring, curious. "And they say I'm the reckless one."

He stepped around her slowly, orbiting her like a predator circling a star he might be foolish enough to fall into. His voice followed, smooth and deliberate. "You come here dressed in silk and steel, asking for the truth. I give it to you. You answer with poetry, prophecy, and terms I didn't think you were willing to consider. And now…" He stopped behind her, his breath ghosting near the edge of her shoulder. "Now you offer me the throne." Aurelian didn't touch her, but the palpable absence of his touch felt louder than any contact.

"You surprise me, Sibylla Abrantes," his tone dipping low, amused and full of smoke. "You always have. I don't know whether to thank you for understanding or suspect you've finally learned to lie as well as I do." He circled back into view, his gaze sharp and glittering like a blade unsheathed in candlelight. "But you're wrong," he said with maddening softness. "This fire isn't mine alone. You lit it too."

He stepped closer again, until he was just shy of brushing against her. "You want the new Naboo, Sibylla. You just want to build it in daylight." Then, finally, he touched her again. One gloved hand lifted, slow and reverent, brushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear with maddening gentleness. The touch was feather-light, as if he were handling something sacred or supremely breakable. "But I…" His voice was a whisper now, the edge of a confession. "I was born in the dark."

Their eyes locked again, a volatile mix of heat, tension, and something else, something precarious. "You want to be my temperance," he said. "My conscience. My hope." A faint, incredulous smile curved his lips. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that makes you?" His thumb ghosted just under her jaw for a moment, reading the pulse there like a sentence he didn't quite believe. "I've killed for less," he added, his tone too soft to be a joke. Then, barely audible, he murmured, "And died for even less than that."

But the intensity didn't break. He held her gaze, breath to breath, inch to inch. Then, with the same maddening calm, he stepped back, as if the storm had passed through him and finally gone quiet. The playboy prince, the broken boy, the would-be king, all masks worn at once. "Very well," he said, straightening his cuffs. "Let it be written, then."

He turned toward the archway, the waiting crowd, the celebration, and the myth they were both walking into like a mouth of flame. "But know this," his voice hardened, becoming something older, sharper. "If you stand beside me, you stand with me. No hesitation. No doubt. No betrayal."

His eyes burned with promise and a stark warning. "Because the next war doesn't wait for the High Republic to finish its pageantry. It's already here. And if you falter, even once, Sibylla…" Aurelian turned fully, offering a slow, mocking bow that felt too sincere to dismiss and too cruel to trust. "…they'll bury us together in the same legend." He straightened. "Are you ready for that, my lady?"

There was no smile now, just truth. And the sound of the kingdom, calling them both.

Sibylla Abrantes​

 

[Dominique Vexx]

"Helping the Republic is helping Denon. At least for the time being," Dominique replied evenly and with a smile. After all, she would have said the same about the Alliance right up until the dogged "investigations" into the corporate ownership and activities by the Senate and their Jedi. "For profit's sake, hopefully the foreseeable future." Just to make it clear the Senator wasn't anxious to break free of a partnership she had overseen. Well, part of it had been to cement her position with the Board. Another part was to keep the Alliance from reclaiming its authority with renewed vigor. Something good had come of that Planeshift -- hyperspace disruptions aside.

"Oh?" The golden eyes behind their lilac shades turned toward Ayumi Pallopides . "Well, you would be quite the catch, Ayumi." Not that Dominique was easily wooed, but it was all in good humor. "I don't think it'd be necessary to go to such lengths. Every world is free to govern itself within the expectations of the Republic charter, and there's nothing to say more representation would be frowned upon." Not that Dominique was prepared to surrender authority, but it wouldn't hurt to have someone to work with. Ayumi was a curious variable to the equations at that -- someone prone to go even further than Dominique herself in terms of benefiting the people of Denon. Someone the Board would not find nearly as tolerable despite her efforts to make money. After all, many of her proposals required significant financial contribution. Finance that some thought should be diverted to their personal accounts or those of their friends.

"Together we should be able to manage something to keep the Jedi at bay. And if they suddenly get too bold, I've learned a thing or two from my time with the Alliance. I doubt these Jedi would appreciate those measures any more than those of the Alliance." And unlike the Alliance, if pressed, Dominique would hammer restriction after restriction in place on the well-meaning but troublesome Jedi... but only if they forced her to take drastic action. There was no real reason they could all work together. Unless they prioritized zealotry over sense.

A quiet bark of laughter escaped the Senator as Ayumi retrieved her food purchase. The Academy. Reminded her of the time she'd nearly offered to build those Jedi a Temple to appease them -- keep your enemies closer, as they said.

"Well," a smile spread across her lips, "there's the Chancellor, Kalantha , formerly the Queen of Naboo that'd backed Denon's entrance into the Republic. Intelligent and capable woman. I am chair of the Economic Development Board for the Republic, after all." Both completely true, and humorous at the same time. "She has made no attempt to curtail Denon's prosperity, nor even raised a public objection to some of our Director's continued... activities. Perhaps only a matter of time, however, should political pressures mount; which is why I fully intend for the two of us to get ahead of all that to defang our opponents."

" Sibylla Abrantes is an ambitious woman. She started as an aid to Senator Sarn, and later managed to set herself up to be the Ambassador to the Mandalorian Empire. Quite the achievement for a woman of her age, though I dare say there would be better assignments for someone of her skills." Mandalorians were hardly social butterflies, after all. Useful and capable as they were, Sibylla was hardly a gun-totting, battlefield-hardened woman eager to crawl in the mud. "I fully expect she'll strive for higher with Naboo in need of a Queen, and Sibylla the head of a Royal Family."

" Aurelian Veruna , meanwhile, is a cunning serpent. He spends his time being a loud mouth instigator in the Senate, which seems to distract people from his true nature. All it takes is a little digging and you'l find his actions carry far more weight than his words. Nonetheless, the man would be a capable ruler if such things came about. Unlikely as it would appear as Naboo has always had a Queen."

" Keep an eye on Bastila Sal-Soren and her House as well. They're a well-known staple among Royals. Some history with their Family, but the young women have no intention of stymying their efforts for restoration. Briana was even part of the Jedi Order until recently. Curious twist, that, with her potentially striving to claim the role of Queen." Dominique cradled her chin with a lone finger tapping her cheek. "Admittedly I haven't had a lot of direct interaction with Briana to know if she would be ally or foe of corporate interests. Never a wise idea to presume much of Jedi."

There were others Dominique would note, but those in the midst of claiming power had to be spoken of sooner than later. They would have the greatest immediate impact. Others, such as Cassian Abrantes , Aiden Porte , Lorn Reingard , and many more could certainly be of service to their interests, but were not as much of a wildcard in terms of their intentions or what they were willing to do to see them done.

Speaking of which, Kalantha's voice boomed across all those gathered with a welcome to the birth of the High Republic. The speech was surprisingly short and devoid of endless accolades to her own contribution to this monumental event. Well, humility could be quite endearing at times.

​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Dominique Vexx

She listened to her describe the people to know and remained neutral at the mention of the jedi or their influence. She'd tell her later maybe for now well she looked at the Chancellor announcing the foundation of the High Republic. "She's cute." She said it looking at Kalantha for the moment as her speech was fairly.... humble. She was thinking ab out some of the others and doing what they could to improve Denon was the goal.. better yet making it something far superior to other worlds that might be considered larger then it. Dominique knew more of the corporations... She just knew the revitalization efforts and technologies that they might be needing.

"Last time a Republic had a chancellor that didn't make grand speeches the first thing we did was get thrown into war against the Black Sun on Nar Shadda... different one then now but their leader Domino was well known." She said it with a look while eating and going over the others in her mind. the former jedi Bastila Sal-Soren was interesting enough. "Former jedi imagine that." Another bite but there was a grin on her face all the while as she moved. She held the skewer for the moment though and took another bite. "It shouldn't be anything that hasn't been seen before. I had to operate with a hutt manipulating it all... this might be a lot easier."

It helped as she went over it that at least for now they seemed to have their ideals and goals... if they got that they might want more and likely eventually the jedi might come to Denon but that was if they let things get out of hand. "We'll just have to stay two or three steps ahead in the game and manage the possible problems on Denon before they bleed out for the others to notice." She knew corpos and some of the boards would be dangerous if they let it be. "We'll have to get a few things done still. I have a number of things I am looking to bring to the Upcity itself... our district is getting a lot of revitalization."

 

[Niki Priddy]

Weapons: Right Wristwear
Equipment: Attire - See Right | Left Wristwear | L&R Middle-Finger Rings | Belt | Keyring | Dasmi's Pendant | Coal Nail Polish | Transition Glasses | Glasses Charm
On Person: Yellow Vipers
Augmentation: "Amber Eyes"
Tags: Annasari | Razmir Tezhyn | Koda Fett

It wasn't a difficult thing to tell even from afar what kind of business was happening between someone she vaguely recognized and those new faces around her. It certainly didn't help their otherwise private conversation happened within sight of her augmented eyes.

Body language suggesting mild distress. The typical drawl of a Correllian that made it a beeeze to lip read. The silent but threatening presence of a fully armored Mandalorian that was awfully familiar to her know that she looked closer. Potential coercion disguised as a private meeting between new business partners.

All of these details broken down, thought over, and acted upon in microseconds. Most likely to Tyrell's distress, by none other than one of the corporate entities the man was complaining about.

The Kagath came to mind, and the fight with Kyric that Koda had participated in.

The yellow glow of her augmentation highlighting the red lenses she wore as deliberately crossed into their view. Fixated on the armored body of Koda Fett no doubt paid to look intimidating and act as such, with Tyrell the business man looking to scam.

And finally on the woman she could only claim to know from memory.

"Senator Annasari–" Niki gave the woman a respectful nod before addressing the other two separately. "Mister Tyrell– Olarom Koda Fett; Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur. You really should invest in discretionary tech. Especially after the Kagath."

Flitting between standard and Mandao like it was a natural tongue before activating a disruption bubble generator.

"At least when attempting to have discussions in somewhat public areas. You never know when an agent of chaos could strike." Her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

 

[Aiden Porte]

"Kneel…"

"In the name of the Light…"

"I charge you to defend the innocent. In the name of the Force…I charge you to protect the balance."

"In the name of Ashla, let no shadow claim you."

"Rise, Aiden Porte. No longer my young student…But a Jedi Knight."

The Jedi took a deep breath as he did as instructed, kneeling to the ground, one kneed as he looked up towards Solenne Abraxas and the other Council members that stood before him. He didn't smile, as he didn't think the situation called for it, yet he stood with a proud and determined look on his face. His eyes never left hers as she issued each charge before him, and as lightsaber moved from one place to the next.

Aiden fully understood what this meant, and he wasn't taking the command lightly. It was important to each of them, as well as the innocents and those that suffered across the galaxy.

He then rose, not as a Padawan.

But as a Jedi Knight of the High Republic.

It was then a smile graced his face as he bowed his head, towards those before him.

"Thank you, Masters. Once more, your trust in my is not displaced. I will bring honor to the Order and the High Republic."

Solenne Abraxas Lorn Reingard Briana Sal-Soren Brandyn Sal-Soren

 

[Razmir Tezhyn]

THEED - BYOO
A LITTLE SPICE OF MALICE

Annasari Koda Fett Niki Priddy

An excuse made for the overkill of what she was sure now was a bodyguard or enforcer, and the businessman lacked the grace of a snake. Something was askew. A career in politics meant you came to know a liar - but usually, they did a better job of covering. This one was either out of practice, or whatever power he held chased the fear of corruption away. Annasari looked him and his companion up and down again, making no effort to hide the skepticism.

“Were Corellians always so direct, or did your friend rub off on you?”

Razmir simply smiled in response, cordial, giving her the time to look over the files he'd presented. Those were merely the hook. He intended to convince her another way.

When offered, she took the data pad with narrowed eyes, stealing her attentions away from the celebration. The names were not unfamiliar - the companies held a sphere of influence no bigger than a planet each, but some brushed up against her own markets now and again. With a flick she locked the screen and tucked it away in the pocket of her dress. It was champagne and smiles again.

“I’m not wholly opposed to it. It will not be easy, though. There’s already a lack of love for the giants favoring their businesses, and I’m still growing my influence within the Republic. I could rally - but what makes the trouble worth my time?”

The offshoot held her breath with lips upturned. The only experience she’d had with mandalorians was being hunted by one, and watching the Alliance become blinded by their culture. If this one was here for coercion, she was about to find out.

"Prosperity begets prosperity. I'm not here simply because I need you to sign off on a corporate shakedown.

"I value your time, so I prepared this strategy specifically for both our benefit. You'll find many of the companies create a significant cashflow to parties that oppose your vision for Tatooine. It would be a shame if your rivals found themselves suddenly in the red, wouldn't it?

"I thoroughly believe that actions speak louder than words," he gave Fett a brief glance.

Razmir smiled.

"And I intend-"

The yellow glow of her augmentation highlighting the red lenses she wore as deliberately crossed into their view. Fixated on the armored body of Koda Fett no doubt paid to look intimidating and act as such, with Tyrell the business man looking to scam.

And finally on the woman she could only claim to know from memory.

"Senator Annasari–" Niki gave the woman a respectful nod before addressing the other two separately. "Mister Tyrell– Olarom Koda Fett; Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur. You really should invest in discretionary tech. Especially after the Kagath."

Flitting between standard and Mandao like it was a natural tongue before activating a disruption bubble generator.

"At least when attempting to have discussions in somewhat public areas. You never know when an agent of chaos could strike." Her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Razmir gave the newcomer a full smile, hands crossed behind his back.

He'd prepared for this meeting with the Senator with an extensive dossier. The veiled message referencing what seemed to be old history that connected them didn't escape his notice. Nor did the sudden quiet that surrounded them.

"This sonic disruption is rather handy. Though, it puts me at a disadvantage on two counts, Miss...?" Razmir glanced from the newcomer to Annasari , a quiet prompt for the senator to make the introduction.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique looked over at Ayumi with a smirk. Kalantha was cute was she? Well, she was certain that physically. Politically the woman was shrewder than appearances might suggest.

Dominique turned to regard her companion, "Upcity's advancements are certainly breathtaking. Denon is a large world and it will take time, and there will be resistance, but if we can bring even a little of that revitalization elsewhere... A district here or there to act as a regional representation of a brighter future. Not just to placate Jedi, but to bolster the work force, which would increase productivity." Not everyone was going to get their own private island as Ayumi had made for herself, but that was hardly what most people wanted. A good home, stable work, and healthcare... they could make these things possible. In time.

"In any event, I'm not concerned about the Republic suddenly meddling in our affairs. I think they can see efforts are being made. I certainly haven't been demanding they furnish our redevelopment, so what can they complain about?" Dominique chuckled to herself. The moment people started complaining, she'd start telling them to put money down -- it was easy to complain in session, not so easy when you actually had to contribute.

"Actually," her golden eyes narrowed for just a moment, "if we could have celebrations like this more often, especially in the less... prosperous Districts it might improve morale. A momentary investment, but a demonstration they aren't forgotten. What do you think, Ayumi?"

Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Dominique Vexx

She gave a nod of her head to that offering just a tight lipped smirk. "We can do that." She said it and Dominique made it sound reasonable... it was and they could do plenty with it. "We have nothing but potential Dom." She said the shortened name and rolled it around in her mouth... mostly looking to see if she didn't mind it or didn't like it. "We just need to do better then I did when the Republic fell... I retreated to my district as everything went down around me.... the people I know and worked with abandoning more."SHe thought about it for a moment but turned back with her smile returning. "But there are two of us now and if there is anything I do know... two women is good but three is better and seven is best."

She still moved while listening to the rest and the mention of a festival.. She swayed at that talk... a party for all of the other districts well... That sparked more and more ideas in her mind of what they might be able to do or have. The holographic displays, hardlight models and all of the food being brought out for the people. Yes that could do a lot for convincing the people... better if they could really improve it and convince several districts to start using the technologies that they were using for the Upcity. Then they would really be able to improve more of Denon in ways she might have only Dreamed of.

"Though if there is a party, I would need a new dress.... and having a beautiful woman on my arm wouldn't be so bad." She raised her eyebrows for a moment. "Does that new chancellor have anyone? She held her hands out more teasingly as she didn't expect any chance to catch the chancellors attention... but one shouldn't limit themselves.

 

[Vizion Trozky]

SHIRAYA'S SANCTUARY
GALLO MOUNTAINS ☛ NABOO

​

Knighting ceremonies always made him think of his own, and all that had occurred following it, but only this time the memory wasn’t so bittersweet, not with the long kind of closure and unexpected renewal that had marked his life for over a year. Vizion Trozky, High Pathfinder, was standing at the head of the gathering with the rest of the council, following the conversations amongst its members and remaining quiet himself. Always listening, observing.

Keeping his eyes - and thoughts - where they needed to be. The most interesting part of this all was the presence of Aiden’s master, who many of them had only met this very day, here at the right place and time. She accorded the well-deserved rank of Knight on Aiden, with simple words that seemed fittingly solem to him, given what the honoured, new Knight had to endure.

As they all did, one way or another, on the journey from one marker to the next in a Jedi’s life. When Aiden rose and bowed, Vizion tipped his head in response, as the room filled with applause, and he thought of what to say.

"Thank you, Masters. Once more, your trust in my is not displaced. I will bring honor to the Order and the High Republic."

“Of that I have no doubt. And though you are now a Knight, there is still so much to learn. You will be tested as never before, but I know you will rise to the challenge,” Vizion gave a small smile, “and we will be right along with you. Congratulations, Knight Aiden Porte.”

The galaxy was coming to be under siege, once again, and where Councillor Trozky was coming from, with his own experience? Tested was a heavy understatement.

Aiden Porte • Blaire Sal-Soren • Brandyn Sal-Soren
Briana Sal-Soren • Kyric • Lorn Reingard • Solenne Abraxas​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

Aurelian Veruna
​

There was a kind of irony in it, wasn't there?

That after all their maneuvering, their rivaled campaigns, their poised debates behind veiled civility, this was the moment that felt most real. Not the Assembly. Not the banners. Not the curated public scripts they had both performed with expert precision.

Was it reckless? Likely so; and perhaps her father and for certain Cassian Abrantes would believe so. Perhaps even her House and those whom her father had leveraged in alliances for their vote.

However, after countless nights of thinking it over. Of going over every angle, pros and cons, and options, it was the only one that fit.

Sibylla knew her strengths. She also thought she knew her weaknesses, or at least enough that even though she genuinely believed she could do well on the throne and serve her people, she would not be able to serve them to the full extent that they would need in the immediate future.

She'd seen how the wheels and cogs were turning. Could sense it in the tides and whispers among the Alliance, within their own Republic, with the Black Sun and the Imperials.

And that was the truth of the matter. Not the truth of her survival, or his confession, but something deeper. That they might actually be standing on the same side of history, not because fate demanded it, but because they had chosen it. Because the storm was coming, and neither of them wanted to face it alone.

He called her dangerous. He might have meant it as a warning, perhaps even a threat, but the words landed differently for her. That knowing that if she stepped into this role, if she became what he named her, there would be no safe distance left between them. And while the weight of his gaze seemed to test her, Sibylla's mind was already on the choice she'd made. On Naboo. That she had stepped into this moment of her own accord.

So she met Aurelian's gaze and didn't look away. Not when he spoke of killing, of dying, not even when the shadows in his voice hinted at how easily he might make good on either.

Both of their lives were held at a knife's edge just because they came from Royal Houses. To ignore the undercurrent that went with that, and what each House would do -- has done -- to sway things in their favor would be a fallacy.

Even her own House wasn't wholly innocent. Not in its entirety.

Ultimately, she hadn't come here to be convinced. She hadn't been maneuvered into this. She was here because, for all his flaws and the sharp edges of his methods, Sibylla believed standing beside Aurelian was the path that would best serve her people.

So she let his warning stand, let the intensity between them settle into her bones, but she did not shrink from it. The choice before her wasn't one she approached lightly. It was simply one she had already made.

"If I stand with you, it will be because I choose to," she said quietly, her voice threading between them like something private, meant for him alone. "Not because it is the easier path, and certainly not because it is safe. But because Naboo is worth it."

She turned to look past the archway, at the ongoing celebration. And while she had had her doubts, had wondered if this is what she wanted, ultimately, she knew, that she did want the best for her people -- and seeing exactly where the cracks in the illusion most held about the Republic start to grow and lengthened meant that actions had to be taken if they were to protect those who trusted them to defend them.

"I know what this will demand of me," she continued, for she had been sacrificing and placing Naboo and her House first all of her life. She knew no other way.

Not yet.

She might be grown now, but her youth had been anything but ordinary. The dazzling chaos and reckless freedom most teenagers tasted had never been hers to lose. Instead, Sibylla had been shaped, polished, and tempered into the flawless image of Naboo's future queen; every movement rehearsed, every word measured, every detail perfected, from the weight of jeweled headdresses to the precise sweep of kohl along her lashes.

Perhaps that was why Aurelian said that she wanted to build Naboo in the light, why he saw her as Naboo's future. Naboo's Hope. Possibly, even, he saw her as the personification of what he imagined a utopian Naboo to be.

But she wasn't perfect, far from it. But at least, Sibylla genuinely cared and wanted what was best for Naboo and for her people.

Maybe that was enough.

"And I will not falter. Not when our people's future depends on us both."

And despite his cruel, mocking bow he gave her, Sibylla chose to step forward and murmur in a quiet, but assured tone as she took her step beside him.

"So yes, Aurelian. I am ready."

The noise of the celebration swelled beyond the archway, but she didn't look toward them yet. Her focus stayed here, where the choice had been made.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique paused to look over at Ayumi with a slight ripple to her eyebrows at the shortened name. It hadn't been expected. Especially not from someone from Denon. Those of Naboo had the excuse of not having any proper awareness of what an Executive Director was or what a hard world the galaxy truly was, and the countless "crimes" of CorpSec and what "Corpos" were capable of doing. Ayumi, however, knew all of this and yet still felt close enough to be comfortable. That wasn't necessarily bad just... different.

"What a curious saying," she replied after Ayumi spoke of seven women being best. "Why seven?"

Then they spoke of a festival on Denon, which had both of them reflecting on the possibilities. Which brought Ayumi to contemplate a new dress and companionship. "The Chancellor?" A quick chuckle behind closed lips followed. "Why, I think she just might be available. If you can find the opportunity to catch her alone. It's harder than you think." A soft, sharp exhale of breath shot through her nostrils. "Even when matters of the Republic's economic future are on the line." Not that Dominique regretted the woman's ascension. She was simply preoccupied. A matter Dominique would not cease attempting to address to ensure the right proposals got her attention.

"Speaking of which, have you explored some of the local clothing stalls? They aren't Denon high fashion, but they have a charm all their own. Were that I had more opportunities to wear something so relaxed." Not that she really lamented how busy she was. Just the price of prestige and authority. It didn't hurt to appreciate the differences in culture and priorities even if she had no desire to change her lifestyle.

Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Kael Varnok]

(question would I be ok to join this rp? I don't wanna invade, I'm newer to this stuff, if not I can go and let yall be)