Private Hands Across the Void: Unholy Bonds

[Kirki Alcademon]

The Starseeker's hull slides through the vastness of the engulfing space. Kirki Alcademon stood by the transparesteel window of the stern palace-like cabin. The bronze-framed window allowed her the view of the majestic space beyond the artificial atmosphere that was casted by the life support onboard the ship. "So far from home" she thought to herself. And although she did know that this was the closest se had gotten for the past year, it was to her all too clear she would not see Athys for a long while still. Her mission was to the stars. There was so much yet to be done in the Far Void, returning would only delay the inevitable.

"Lady" the man spoke, standing at the cabin's depth, by the door. His powerarmor allowed little detail of his body, while his long black hair was wrapped over his pale face in a spine-like tail. An Edikar, he was; Part of the ship's garrison, should the foe chose to board. He held his round helmet stored under his arm, nodding owards the woman. "We are approaching the randevouz coordinates"

Kirki Alcademon nods back at him. Her scarred face giving a slight smile. It wasn't natural. Barely an etiquette she had enforced onto herself. And now, what she needed most was etiquette. For it was no coincidence where she sailed her ship in...

Several days ago, a transmission was exchanged between the Star Seeker and the Elysium Empire, to set that randevouz. Deep in unknown territory, for Kirki. But she had a habit of venturing to the unknown for awhile now. This time, however, it was different. It was no ordinary meeting, nor was it yet another trade negotiation... But something far, far more important. "A matter most delicate" she specifically warned the Imperials, while setting the meeting.


Now, all she could do was wait... See, whether or not Heath Valhoun , King of Elysium Empire would answer her call...

And so, the Starseeker hovered in the endless void; Her engines silent, while her hull slided ever slower in the sea of dark matter....

 

[Heath Valhoun]

Post: 1
Tag: Kirki Alcademon

Heath Valhoun sat in his old Imperial shuttle, thinking on the meeting that was to come. He was further from Sularen's Shadow Triumvirate now than ever before, and he needed an ally to fill that gap. However he was meeting someone that was truthfully no better than The Triumvirate, and was in fact further from The Elysium Empire's Ideology than most: The Athysian League.

But he would try to enter the negotiations with an optimistic and open mind.

As for his demands, or his goals rather, he hoped to secure an ally that could help him if absolutely necessary, and hopefully a new trade partner that could supply The Empire with credits, weapons, and most importantly, metals of all kinds.

Finally the shuttle exited hyperspace, where a massive ship loomed over them. Heath could only hope this wasn't a trap because there was no chance of defeating the ship if it was. "That is them. Hail them." The captain nodded, doing as she was asked. Meanwhile Heath waited for the reply....​

 

[Kirki Alcademon]

A holotransmission would soon reach the imperial shuttle. Upon connecting, the figure of a rather thin silhuette would emerge in the holoprojection. A woman. Barely after her 20s, or so it seemed. And yet, time had clearly taken a toll. Her pale skin soft, stained by deep scars that formed clearly ritualistic tattoos all across her face, while the fabric dress buttoned up, denying almost any skin to be revealed further down the throat. Alas, her thin body was stroked by the heavy crimson fabric, decorated by a plethora of gold, yellow and black symbols and patterns. A noble's outfit, for sure. The woman's black hair was wrapped over her neck, with a long crystal nail passed through to hold them steady. A small fabric hanged from each of the sides. Yellow.

The female spends few seconds of silence, before speaking. Her cold posture further enhanced by her red eyes. Her head tall, looking down at Heath Valhoun through the holo.

"I am Kirki, of the Alcademon Hegenika"

Her calm voice sounded through the projection.

"Disable your weapons. My hangar is ready to accept your shuttle. Such meetings cannot be conducted without an eye's gaze"

The woman seemed rather sharp, laconic in her words. Regardless her youth, it was clear she was more than akin to such dealings. Although she did not seem hostile, her culture's aggressive nature felt almost unable to ignore...

The Athysians were a renown breed, afterall. Warrior-race, with many worlds having suffered the wrath of their Raider Fleets. "War-mongering corsairs" they were called by many. It was not mistaken. Most who knew of the Athysians said that they were as cryptic in their ways as they are brutally direct. They are hard to trick; Their rationale usually has them as true to their dealings as they are treacherous. A devil's deal, yet their capabilities, should their respect is earned, could yield impossible outcomes.

 

[Heath Valhoun]

Post: 2
Tag: Kirki Alcademon

Heath nodded, "Alright, approaching the hangar now."

The weapons were already disabled, as if it mattered against a ship that size. Slowly, The Imperial Lambda Class Shuttle entered the hangar, its' engines humming lower and lower as the ship slowed down. Finally, it touched the ground and came to a complete stop.

Heath didn't bother looking through the window to observe the ship, instead he was preparing himself. He had a heavy blaster at his side, covered by a fading Navy Blue trench coat that he often wore. Again it was a useless defense given the circumstances, and he could only hope that he hadn't been invited as part of an assassination attempt.

With his blaster equipped, he walked to the ramp and waited for it to finish its' descent. Once it was done he expected he would be greeted by a welcoming party, as usual...

 

[Kirki Alcademon]

The ramp lowers, as the eyes of the man waiting remain piercing at the cabin. He was waiting for the figure of Heath Valhoun to emerge. He wore no shirt. His long black hair held down over the spine, while his torso and arms covered by deep scar tattoos of a similar fashion the woman had. The man's palm rested on the pommel of the curved blade sheathed by his belt.

He gestures with a hand mogion for the King to follow, wasting no time on words or any form of formalities. The few surrounding figures of the Athysian crew were different. Although none wore a full armor, they had different weapons and postures around the hangar, in an ill-formed guard one could guess. A statement of their people's pride, almost taunting with their behavior the imperials boarding.

The corsair leads the imperial through the rather luxuriously decorated corridors of the warship. A little palace in the void, she was. A strange whisper occasionally echoes in the diatance, as the two reach the back of the ship's upper levels. It was far too obvious that the Dark Side had a strong presence onboard. And yet, the very source was unknown.

The corsair finally opens the obsidian gate, leading to a high-ceiling cabin. In it, the furnature was clearly of noble nature. Wooden, crafted by the finest carpenters with complex designs and decorated with several colours. The corsair stood by the doorframe, as he gestured the man in. At the other side, by the large gold-framed windows of the cabin, stood the crimson-dressed figure of the woman from the holo. Her small, black-gloved palm resting against the transparesteel, which itself carried several drawing-like shapes carved onto and into the glass. She did not turn to look at her guest. Her corsair's eyes were always locked on him, however, as he kept his grip around the sword handle, ready if needed...

"It feels like destiny, does it not? Looking into it, one can see stars so deep in the Far Void and never reach... I used to stare at it as a child... Its mesmerising imensity always fueled my imagination..."

The woman intoned, with her voice deeply lost in her thoughts.

 

[Heath Valhoun]

Post: 3

The King followed the man as promoted. However he was uneasy, he was alone, surrounded by what seemed to be savages. There wasn't a formal greeting. The military resembled a militia, with no real form, and the only greeting party he got was a shirtless man and a scarred woman. It was very different from anything he had attended and the whole thing felt like a trap.

But he had no choice, he could not leave now. His only option was to go through with the meeting and hope for the best.

At last they reached their destination. Inside the room was a woman dressed in crimson. He couldn't tell if it was the woman from the holo image until she spoke, confirming that it was her. She had met him with a question, something else that was unorthodox for important meetings. She also refused to look at him, a rude gesture that implied she couldn't be bothered to look at him.

But again he was in no position to complain. The feeling of unease was much worse as the shirtless man rested his hand on his blade constantly, and never took his eyes off The King. Heath knew he was simply guarding the woman, but it didn't make the feeling dissipate. He hated being watched. But he knew that he needed to relax, or he was bound to make a terrible decision in the negotiations to come.

For a response to the woman's question, Heath merely said "Indeed." A short answer, but an answer nonetheless. The Woman's next words would likely begin the actual negotiations, if that was truly why he was summoned here....

 

[Kirki Alcademon]

"Do not be deceived, King" the woman intoned then. "Our ways are far different" she continued, turning to face the man as she brought her gloved palms to her belly, holding onto one another. "But our goals, are not". The woman smiles. A cold smile, clearly practiced. "Reality cannot be ignored any longer. Csila was barely the beginning. The Heathen Priests have barely begun their dark crusade. The Unknown Regions shall soon follow. So will others... You alone have no ships, nor troops to oppose them. Most haven't. The Arch-Hegemon wished me to offer you this pact as a sign of good will. A choice, in times where such is a luxury. Not all of us seek destruction. Benefiting from it, is only a positive outcome. But stability must be maintained. Otherwise, we all sail to an inevitable end. The Arch-Hegemon offers his protection, should you see this vision mutual and accept an alliance with the League. Your ships will have free passage to sail the Unknown Regions and establish headquarters. Our Raider Fleets shall be there, should you call... Given yours will, should we call. The Brotherhood shall not turn against a friend of the League. There will be nothing to fear in our territories, so long you remain true to our pact."
The woman spent no moments or words in formalities. In her very first words, formally towards Heath Valhoun she unfolded a brutally direct offer... A proposal, could it be? Or an indirect blackmail? It was up to anyone's guess. Her red eyes looked straight onto his' without blinking or turning away. She then fell into silence, awaiting for the reaction of the man. It was now obvious that, regardless her young age, the woman was skilled in this art. Be it as aggressive as one could expect from such a renown culture, she did not flicker or grinded her words.

 

[Heath Valhoun]

Post: 4

Heath took a deep breath, thinking on the words of the woman. She appeared to be offering him protection form what she saw as the inevitable rise of The Maw. Or at least that's how he understood her words. Though he did not understand why she was offering this. It wasn't from fear of The Elysium Empire, so why give him the choice of safety?

"Why?" He started with a simple question, hoping to discover the motive behind this proposal.

The King wasn't inclined to accept. Sularen was allied with The Maw, and so was this woman. They were no different. At least Sularen was an Imperial, not a barbarian like the people surrounding Heath at this time. In truth, if he had his way, he would leave the entire region alone at this point. He had Mandalorians that he could call on if absolutely necessary, and soon he expected to align the largest corporate powers to his vision.

Once that happened, there would be no stopping The Elysium Empire. Unlimited funds, the strongest warriors, and a stream of new ships constantly being constructed...the perfect recipe for The Second Galactic Empire....

 

[Kirki Alcademon]

The woman's emotionless gaze was fixed on the man, as her red eyes felt serene. Somehow, regardless the darknes surrounding the ship, the chamber, them two; She was at peace with it.
"Is it not obvious?" She spoke. Her small, gloved palms bind together before her delicate dress, as she lifts her head tall, turning her side to face the view of the endless void... Her eyes wander for few seconds to pass. She inhales.
"Because of what is coming. The Eyereas have seen it. So has the Arch-Hegemon. A great darkness, spawned from the ruination of Csila. The Core will burn, young King. The galaxy is changing. What was once, may never be again. A threat sooner or later, we shall all be called to face. Waiting for the inevitable is a fool's plan. A doomed; plan."

She walks afew steps towards the nearby furnature. There, from a complex-crafted glass bottle she purs blood-red wine in two glasses. "We Athysians share little in common with your people, in the Far Void. I have spent years studying these differences. Some I embraced; I learned to use, to achieve my tasks while dealing with foreigners..." the woman continued, as she turned, holding the small swan-carve glass goblets with her palms, taking few soft steps towards the man. "You can say it is by choice, that I do not often follow them."

Kirki Alcademon smiles slightly to the man. Once again, a clearly practiced smile, only meant to cause an illusion of comfort to the participant, rather than express an actual emotion.

"The Hemstagon fleets have been achieving great deeds on the side of the Brotherhood. Deeds that would make our gods proud. And yet, these deeds bring harm to Athys. The Hemstagons have been using thousands of pirate recruits to man their fleets; Their wolf packs; These... corsair sqaudrons, have been causing increasing problems in the colonies. The League is only walking further to a state of chaos. Just like the rest of the cluster and the Far Void. If there was only enough willpower to forge a strong bond in the cluster, capable of depriving them of what was earned, it would bring fortune to Athys. The Hemstagons are no kin of ours. They are pirates; Treacherous in their ways, twisted in their pacts. It is my belief that, in time, they shall bring the forces of the defiler Maw to the gates of Bassilicor. And if that happens... There will be little to stop the catastrophe."

The woman felt cold, as she shared the grave developments with Heath Valhoun . Her words carrying no remorse; No fear. A strange, pragmatic haste in their nature...

 

[Heath Valhoun]

Post: 5

Heath listened to the woman explain in more detail why she wanted an alliance of sorts with him. It seemed she feared another power within The Maw...The Hemstagons. This revelation did little to reassure The King. He would be leaving Sularen, an Imperial, for a barbarian group that admitted it feared the other members of The Maw. He didn't like it.

However, the more he thought about what to say, the more he realized his situation. The Bryn'adul were unstoppable, and now The Maw was closing in on the galaxy from the other side. The woman was not wrong...there was no way to stop the fall of the galaxy. It was inevitable. Soon the Bryn would be in the core, and The Maw would be quick to follow. If Heath could secure safety for his people from just one of these two evils, it needed to be done.

But he wasn't happy nor comfortable about it. Just like his alliance with Sularen, this was a betrayal of his peoples' trust. Beyond that, he did not trust the barbarians that stood before him. They were disorganized, like pirates. What was to stop them from breaking the deal and stabbing him in the back? But again, he found that he had no choice. If he declined, they may kill him here and now. He was a hostage, at least in his mind, and if this was true or notm he didn't want to find out.

"Very well. I have little choice but to accept this arrangement. I do not know your culture, but I trust that you are an honorable people. In accepting your offers, we have an alliance. You are not to attack my people, and I will not attack yours. We are allies, but this can not be public. It must be kept a secret at all costs. Do you accept these terms?"

 

[Kirki Alcademon]

To his words, Kirki Alcademon saw the clear mistrust and sense of cornering to the man. She understood his position. Alas, it was due to this very element, her liege tasked her to reach out... She was the one to speak to the Far Void. While he, would be the one to clear the corruption that plagued Athys. That much, she knew; Although his plans, not always could be comperhended by a mind such as her's. Complex, cryptic, constantly changing according to the unfolding of time.

The woman shook her head slightly. Her red eyes focused on his'. "Declaring such a pact would put Bassilicor as an enemy of both the Maw, and the League. There is a reason we speak of this here, instead of a palace hall, young King. What is to be said here, is not to be repeated elsewhere"

She offers one of the two glasses to Heath Valhoun , nodding kindly. "We are no Hemstagons ourselves. In time, I am certain you will be able to tell the difference. We Athysians keep our affairs to ourselves. But rest assured... What we both wish... Is the best for our peoples."

She taps her thin gloed finger on the transparent glass as she held it with her delicately gloved fingers, hardly touching the palm itself. "Are we in agreement, then?"

 

[Heath Valhoun]

Post: 6

She agreed to his terms, it seemed. That was good, though Heath did not fully trust her, or even remotely trust her. Respect had to be earned, not given, and she had done nothing to earn it yet. She would earn it in time, or this would be a short alliance...

Heath took the glass, "We are."

He would barely sip from the cup. There was too much risk. However he would make it look convincing, hopefully she would not notice. Once concluded he would either leave immediately or the woman would try to continue the conversation. He would follow her lead, this was her home, he was the foreigner here. However, he wanted to leave as soon as possible, he was incredibly uncomfortable...