Heartlines & Landmines [Naboo Aftermath | Protectorate]

[Loxa Visl]

OOC Faction thread for info on this thread and sign-up for the missions: http://starwarsrp.net/topic/40153-faction-thread-naboo-aftermath/

Naboo - Lake Country - Home

Ysanae Vela greeted the morning sunrise with eyes wide and awake, just as she did every morning. Facing the rolling, verte landscape of the east, stormy-hued eyes followed the progress of the sun in the infantile moments of dawn. Before her the great lake upon which her new home sat in quiet, secluded peace, the forming glow cast everything in a gentle golden-pink.

This wasn't the mountainous jungles of Dathomir by any stretch of the imagination - the quiet here was all-encompassing and resolute, broken only by distant birdsong or the splash of a fish disturbing the lake's surface. Sounds of waves lapping steadily along the shore were the heartbeat to the lake country. Though Naboo was home to beautiful forested hillsides, they would never compare to the realm of the Witches, a place Ysanae had come to miss deeply.

Bare feet padding quietly across a cobble patio towards the waters below, traipsing next through soft grasses. A wisp of fur brushed along the skin of bare legs, and soon two feet were joined by four paws. Witch and blood wolf walked together to bring in the new day, just like they always did.

~

She spoke to her in lilting pacean, though she knew it was better to practice Basic. There was something about using a foreign language to connect to something so wild as the wolf that seemed wrong. Her native tongue was fluid, song-like, and carried the full weight of meaning and emotion. With it she found a way to reconnect to her heritage, even if it was through a creature completely unrelated. She understood her this way, or so she liked to believe.

A raw bantha haunch was served as today's meal and entertainment for Ashai. A parting gift of sorts, given when Ysan took her leave and left the beast on its own. She would be away for a few days this time, helping the royalty in Theed to assess and rebuild in the wake of the ASA's invasion of Naboo.

This would mark Ysan's test of both her lessons in speech and propriety, so it was with guarded nerves that she dressed, prepared, and departed.


Theed - Palace - Royal Dining Hall

She'd arrived just before the serving of the morning meal, and moved to join the young Princess [member="Andromeda Versai"], trying with good effort to conceal her nerves. Ysan was not accustomed to discomfort in such a way - she'd faced raging storms, endless deserts, angry Clan Mothers, wrathful Nightsisters, wild rancors, krayt dragons, and all manner of Dathomiri nightmares, but very few could provide to her the sensation of dread quite like the proposition of today.

So it was with a stomach she felt made of stone that she sat down at the table to await the arrival of the royal family after receiving the itinerary via a holopad.

The Windtalker fumbled with the device, much like she always did, and peered down to slowly read the list. There were some words there that she did not understand, but this was nothing new. The written word far escaped her abilities to understand the spoken language. Reading and writing, though she was quite capable of such things in pacean, were not something she was often pressed to do in her travels across Dathomir.

 

[Feena]

For the Queen of Naboo, the day was never dull. Not now. Not ever again. She had been awake well before the dawn and had not yet seen the morning sunshine. The curtains were thick and heavy around every window in her office, not letting in a single beam of light. She preferred it this way when she worked. No distractions. Not even her handmaidens had risen yet. She'd dressed herself, as she did more often than not, makeup and all. There was no time to wait on assistance. After the invasion, there was more to do than ever. More to do and less time to do it.

"Your Majesty?"

Queen Feenarah looked up from her desk, blinking sleepily as her handmaiden, Marea, appeared in the doorway.

"O-oh. Yes. Of course. It's time, yes?" The Queen glanced at the chrono, resisting the urge to rub her eyes and smear the thick white makeup, "Right, right. Of course. I look... reasonably presentable, yes?"

"...Reasonably so, Majesty," Marea looked the Queen up and down quickly as she stood up from her desk, looking slightly doubtful, "Presentable enough, I should think. Err... Perhaps I may brush your hair? Style it for you?"

"Is there time?" she replied, glancing at her reflection in the smooth mirror-like surface of her desk. Messy curls stuck up in odd places on the side of her head, her makeup was slightly smudged around the lips from her pursing her lips in concentration. Hardly noticeable, but not up to the usual standards for a Queen. The fact was, there was something more important than her image at the moment.

"To be honest, you majesty, no. There really isn't. But if you prefer..."

"No. No. Best not keep our guests waiting," she replied right away, pausing to suppress a yawn before walking ahead.

 

[Soleil Ishtar]

​

Theed - Palace - Royal Dining Hall​

​

​

Violet kohl lined eyes of the Princess of Theed would quietly study the first series of reports of the damage done to Theed. Her thin shoulders would set, her artfully painted visage pale against the bright magenta flowers of the perfectly coiffed hairpiece over the crown of her head. Naboo royalty, while gained by popular vote, did not deter from their traditions of colorful regalia. The Princess of Theed would be no different.

Her gown was pale white, with silver embroidery that would reflect the garnets and crimson tourmaline gemstones that adorned the hem and bodice. Large silver vines crafted by silversmiths would assemble a crown on top of her head reminiscent to that of the branches of a cherry tree, complete with vibrant blooms. A layer of the purest white would line her face, twin dots of color upon her cheeks, while only the tiniest dab of crimson would layer the middle of the fullness of her lower lip.

A deep breath would lift her chest, the daunting task of rebuilding and more importantly, relaying a sense of security and safety to the city would weigh heavily upon her.

There was so much to be done, would come her internal muse before the presence of another would be announced. Andromeda's head would lift, and a hint of a smile would brush against the fifteen year old's expression. Throughout these months, [member="Ysanae Vela"] had been a welcomed guest, bringing forth a most interesting outside perspective seldom seen within the legislative body.

An incline of her head would relay greetings, as well as a good morn as the Windtalker slid into her seat. None the less, the slight tightening at the corner of Andromeda's eyes indicated that this was a serious matter all together.

"Good morning, Ambassador Vela. I hope you slept well."

 

[Loxa Visl]

"Thank you, I slept very well, yes. I pray you did too," Ysan replied, speaking slowly and carefully, stormy-blue eyes content for a reprieve from reading today's itinerary. They settled on the Princess' ornate clothing, looking over the details with a quiet wonder. All that decoration, all that beauty - it was something a Dathomiri witch did not experience except, perhaps, on that of their Day of Joining to a mate. Even then, the garb was vastly different. Minimal, as always. Dathomir's jungles were terribly unforgiving in both heat and humidity.

Ysan's hands reflexively went to the far plainer yet still fine material she wore. Hand-dyed silk the colors of an expressionist painting, decorated only by tasteful swaths of gold embroidery. The pale mesh sleeves helped to cover scars and tribal tattoos and the length of the skirt was light and free-flowing, nonrestrictive. The Ambassador's hair, made the same way it always was, pulled back lengths of blond streaked umber brown into multiple wrapped knots, leaving the length to fall as it may towards her waist. Deeply tanned skin bore no hint of makeup, jewelry or other adornments of any kind. Sarge had insisted that the Naboo royal family likely wouldn't take warmly to the collection of animal bone or leather braids she'd worn before, so they'd been packed away with the rest of her heritage.

"Princess, I have read this, I do not understand this word. What is Dig-ne-tarry? It is the name of someone we will meet?"

The first order of business did mention a meeting at the library, but the Windtalker had yet to figure who it was she and the Royal Family would be meeting. Already the difficulties started and she had yet to eat breakfast.

[member="Andromeda Versai"]

 

[Feena]

The Queen was dressed a good bit less impressively than the young Princess of Theed. Truthfully, it was something the handmaiden Marea fussed about quite often. She was supposed to be the Queen, elected to serve and protect her people, but she should be pampered as well. Should be cared for. The irritating thing was, Queen Feenarah couldn't stand to sit still and let herself be taken care of. If she wasn't working on something 'productive', then she wasn't doing 'what she was elected to do', or so she would say. The result was almost always the same, a super simplified version of the ensemble her handmaidens had chosen for her the day before.

Today was hardly an exception, although as she walked, Marea did what she could to fix the Queens hair into a gold headdress- a difficult task while she was almost tripping over herself to keep pace. Her Queen did not dawdle, that was for certain. A wonder, truly a wonder that she was able to keep up such speed in such a long set of robes. How was it that she was able to speed along so without absolutely falling over herself? The handmaiden was certain she would never know.

"Majesty, shall I announce you before you enter?"

The Queen glanced over her shoulder, dark lined eyes narrowing. She did look older when she did that. Not wrinkled. Not yet, but those eyes held such a weariness behind them, like they had already seen centuries pass.

"Just what would that accomplish? You would think that who I am should be quite obvious by now."

She knew she had a point. It wasn't typical for the Queen to enter the room without being announced to foreign dignitaries, but the Queen was never one to waste time when it was not needed. She could announce herself. She had spent hours in battle meditation to defend her people. She was pretty certain she could handle a simple introduction, at the very least. She was not elected so she could sit around an be taken care of. She was elected to stand tall and work for the people.

She brushed past a set of guards who bowed as she passed, but not nearly fast enough. By the time they had bent, the Queen had already swept past them, bowing her head to each. The handmaiden was stumbling along beside her, carefully trying to clear the smudge around her upper lip and clean up the crisp red streak down her lower lip. It would be so much easier if she would just pause a moment. What was the hurry? She could arrive anywhere at any time she wanted. But Marea had served Feenarah Mason for long enough to understand her dislike for tardiness- especially when it was her own.

The doors to the royal dining hall slid open as she approached and at last she slowed her pace to a dignified crawl. The Handmaiden, cheeks now flushed, nearly panting for breath, slowed until she was a good three steps behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched the ground, careful to avoid stepping on the Queens long scarlet silk robes. That was just what she needed now. To trip her Queen. She could only imagine.

The two guards who had been standing next to the door bowed stiffly as she passed. The Queen, ever careful to acknowledge everyone, even those who were meant to serve, bowed her head to each in turn.

"A Dignitary," she said out loud, "To answer your question, by definition is an individual who possesses rank or holds a position of honor. Please excuse me for intruding on your conversation. I find it difficult at times to contain myself when I hear a question that wants answering."

She smiled to emphasis that she was not being entirely serious, then bowed her head, first to the honorable Princess [member="Andromeda Versai"], then to the one known as [member="Ysanae Vela"]. Although she wore a smile at the moment, it was fairly clear that it was quite forced.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

Theed Streets
Spooking the Locals

Sarge had worn his new armor readily into the battle for Theed; it was no secret the Feds had a few Dark Siders stashed away in a sock somewhere. But, now that the battle was over and won, he wasn't willing to walk around in something like that just yet. Following the battle, all pict-captures and recordings of his armor had been destroyed to help keep any definitive information out of the enemies' hands.

Word of mouth was as far as this was going to go, so much as he was concerned.

So he'd donned something in his armor's stead. Something he'd not sported since last he'd been here on Naboo. He imagined someone, somewhere, would recognize him - likely from the nobility. When the world had come to compliance he'd shown himself just long enough to let the world know to behave; that the Protectorate was watching. Even now, moving through the crowd as he was, he was still watching.

His fatigues, old but workable, were hidden beneath the camo cloak that had come to define him for so long. Black eyes dropped, settling on the pistol holstered on his chest, just above his heart. He could recall the last time he'd sported one of these. Cira had taken the gun from the holster, pointed it at Patches. He'd been particularly dumb at that point in his life; the safety had been off.

Might have saved her life if the man had turned out to be one of Omni's drones, but that was neither here nor there. Combat boots, well worn but cared for, sounded quietly down the stone steps of the library. Cater would be around here somewhere, and wherever he was... well, Sarge wouldn't be too far behind.

 

[Ayden Cater]

Ayden stood on the balcony of his room with his hands behind him. Having just woken up, his chest was bare and his usual hat was left hanging on a chair. He enjoyed standing there in Naboo's sunlight with such a crisp morning air surrounding him. It made him forget, even if for only a moment, the pain that hung heavy on his heart. When he did not keep himself busy he often heard his daughter's laugh, or a scent would bring to mind Elara smiling face. They had died so long ago and yet he continued to carry that emotional weight with him. It was what drove him to such sleepless nights, alongside the stress and knowledge of how many souls depended on his decisions.

He looked outward and saw that there were still signs of the invasion that had so recently befallen the planet. It had been a pitched fight. There were times during the fight when some had questioned whether they could hold our or not. However, thanks to the efforts of men like Captain Jorus Merrill and Colonel Potteiger (though he very much doubted that Sarge had used his name at any point while on the planet) Theed had held fast while the Protectorate's forces in space forced a withdrawal. At the time they had believed the attack to have been perpetrated by the Confederacy, but hours after the last ship had left they would learn that the Confederacy had been remade as the Systems Authority. A new government and their first act was an invasion.

With thoughts turning to business and the unpleasantries of war, Ayden signed regretfully and left the balcony to begin putting on his attire. He had a meeting with the Queen and her council to determine the extent of the damage and what else was needed to rebuild and repair Naboo, as well as take what steps they could to better prepare for a second invasion. They would only be caught with their pants down once. Never again. Dressed simply in a well-pressed jacket of Corellian design, Ayden put on his signature hat and began to head for the dining hall. If his memory still served him well, the Queen and her council would still be in there for breakfast before moving the conversation elsewhere.

When he got to the hall, Ayden paused by the entryway and simply stood there. He did not wish to intrude in the Queen's affairs. Even if he technically held power and station above her own, Ayden had always respected local authority and that meant the Queen's word was law. She would eventually notice him and invite him in or would politely tell him to excuse them for a while longer. Either way, Ayden simply waited.

[member="Feena Mason"], [member="Ysanae Vela"], [member="Andromeda Versai"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Arriving at palace
[member="Ayden Cater"], [member="Feena Mason"], [member="Ysanae Vela"], [member="Andromeda Versai"]


"Palace Control. We are inbound for landing and have Countess Kerrigan onboard. Requesting docking permission. Transmitting clearance codes."


"Your codes are accepted. Please head to landing pad 03. An escort will be waiting."


Naboo had always been a beautiful planet. The lakes and the city of Theed were almost picture-esque, though now after the recent failed ASA invasion war had left scars upon the planet that could not be so easily healed, though the invaders had been repulsed. Nabo was a world that brought back many memories for Siobhan Kerrigan, both painful and joyful. So it was only natural that she could not help reminiscing about the old days as her shuttle descended from the heavens and swept across Theed, with the city stretched out before her eyes as the transport vessel accelerated and headed towards the palace.


"Been almost a decade since I cam here the first time. The first skirmish with the Bando Gora. Diplomatic mission that turned explosive, what a surprise," she said almost to herself as she enjoyed the view. Back in the day she had accompanied Cira, then Lady Protector, and Tegaea, Exarch, then Sio's wife and Lady Protector herself, to the planet during their negotiations with the Queen for Naboo's entrance into the still young Protectorate. In retrospect it should probably not surprise her that things had soon turned violent when they were ambushed by Bando Gora cultists. It had been the first battle with the Chaos worshippers and scores had fallen before her blade before she helped her bosses uncover a dastardly plot by one of the Queen's handmaidens to replace her on the throne.


"The crusade to wipe them out started here. Led from Theed across the southern rim to Gehenna," she continued. In many ways it had been her crusade. Of course, she had not done herself. The thousands of Omegan soldiers who had perished during the hellish battle on Gehenna were a testament to that. Nonetheless, she had crushed the Bando Gora's Gods and razed their city during her time as Exarch in the great exterminatus. Albeit at a staggering cost, for hell was not glorious, it was hell. She turned her mind to less martial thoughts. "Hell, I sort of ruled the sector for a while. Back when two Exarchs were enough and they ruled more than a planet. Think the building where Tegs and I got married is just a few blocks away," a smile graced her lips as she remembered that moment.


"Yes, yes. And you had a fun, so not kiddie-friendly honeymoon in Lake County. That's more fun to talk about!" Freya Solveig, a blonde, very well-built and muscular woman who wore a blue Firemane dress uniform, Cylix bolter pistol at her side, snarked. "You're not gonna wax nostalgic all the fething day, are you?" she added, emphasising her lack of respect for authority by giving Siobhan's tight butt a good, possessive grope as they waited for the shuttle to land.


"Hey, Miss Handsy!" Siobhan reprimanded her lightly. Not that she minded much, since they were not in public and all that, but it was not nice to interrupt her holding monologues about the old days. "I have a right to wax nostalgic. Nice to see the planet's was kept out of the Feds' hands. I'm fond of it."


The blonde Sergeant just looked amused. "'The Kerrigan' has a soft spot for a planet of pacifists? It's hilarious, but I think you just like the handmaidens.


The landing pad of the palace came into view and the shuttle moved to descend. "You may think that, I could not possibly comment on it. Right, try to look sharp and professional," Siobhan said, checking herself in a small compact mirror before she put it away as the ship landed.


"If you are done, we are about to land. As surprising as might appear, this day may involve actual work," her prim and proper Eldorai assistant, who had the hot librarian look going with her glasses, commented. Siobhan was inclined to make a snarky comment, but then restrained herself.


For the occasion Siobhan was wearing an elegant and authoritative black, women's business suit, complete with a nice skirt while her feet were tucked into expensive looking, polished black leather boots. Her long dark brown mane, usually allowed to fall freely over her shoulders except in battle since it would get in the way then, was elegantly done up. Likewise she wore small earrings and a pendant her neck. Over her suit she wore the so-called Kerrigan Coat, made out of the leather of Lotek'k, the Terror from Beyond, and with a nice frim the fur of a Jakobeast. Both because the coat was shiny and for the simple fact that she had helped kill the Cthulhu who had given its leather for it. Tearing off one of its massive tentacles and driving it through Lotek'k own skull until the beast was impaled had been good times. Obviously the fear-inducing aspect of the coat had been switched off since it would be a bit awkward otherwise.


With Maerys - no relation to a certain demagogue called Maerys Cadalthor who was known for being the co-host of 'Battle for Democracy' alongside former Protectorate Foreign Minister Linna Beorht and now spread fair and unbiased news through Freedom Blog - and Freya in tow Siobhan descended down the landing ramp of the vessel, seeing that a few Royal Guards were already waiting on the landing pad. All playfulness vanished from her features as she walked down, back straight and chin held high, carrying herself with the air of someone who was like a queen in her mind. Some of the faces of the guardsmen seemed familiar to her, certainly the older ones. Some might have served alongside her on the far-flung battlefields Omega's armies had fought on. There was the soft breeze of a wind and her leather coat billowed in a dramatic manner behind her.


If you were a former military despot, you best make an entrance in style. A blonde female lieutenant with slightly tanned skin approached her, dressed in an impeccable guards' uniform. She gave the Countess a crisp salute, which Siobhan responded with one of her own with bone-cracking efficiency. "Lady Kerrigan, Lieutenant Natia Shaw. Welcome to Naboo. The meeting is about to begin. I will escort you there. I must ask you and your entourage to relinquish any weapons. They will be returned upon departure."


"Thanks for the welcome. And, of course, that's no problem," Siobhan spoke, gesturing to her minions to submit their weapons. Freya groaned slightly but then handed over her ridiculously and equally ridiculously brutal bolt pistol. "I was never one for glowsticks anyway if you get my drift," Siobhan commented as she handed over her lightsabre. In the event that against all logic and plot integrity things went to hell she could always tear down the roof with her mind alone. She frowned slightly as she pondered the name of the officer, feeling a sense of familiarity. "Any relation to Sergeant Major Cara Shaw, 2nd Company, 1st Battalion Omega Pyre?" she asked.


The lieutenant nodded, apparently pleased that she was recognised. "Yes, ma'am. She's my sister. Died on Gehenna fighting the monsters that tried to enslave our world. Following in her footsteps, you might say," she responded.


Siobhan gave the woman a nod. "She was a good soldier. Very brave. Did good work at Roche, Eriadu, Metalorn...I was to hear she did not make it at Gehenna. She beat me at pazaak all the time."


The lieutenant looked solemn for a moment, then laughed. "Yes, she liked to brag about that. Said you had a terrible poker face and got distracted easily...ahem, respectfully, Lady!"


The Lady Kerrigan just chuckled in response. "It's alright! Sure you're doing her proud. Lead the way, Lieutenant," and so the Butcher of Roche was led into the halls of the Theed palace.

 

[Soleil Ishtar]

Theed - Palace - Royal Dining Hall​

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Ayden Cater"] | [member="Feena Mason"] | [member="Ysanae Vela"]​

​

Andromeda would start to explain, only to be interrupted by the arrival of the Queen. All would rise from their seats, respectfully bowing or giving a small curtsy in greeting and respect.

"Your highness, no trouble at all" the young Princess would say, inclining her head, the silver filigree jingling with a melodic sound. An expression of encouragement would turn towards Ysanae. "Her majesty is correct." she confirmed, only to further elaborate, "In essence, a guest of honor from a visiting country or planet. Much like the Windtalker position you hold, Ysanae -- or a visiting Clan Elder." The exchange of a information of a new culture went both ways with Andromeda and the Dathomiri. Late night conversations would reveal the wonder of the witch's culture, and while primitive, certainly conveyed distinct similarities like that of Naboo.

Off to the right, a young guard would approach. After giving a small bow in greeting, would relay the following. "Your Majesty, the Lord Protector has arrived." he'd say, awaiting the Queen's orders.

Meanwhile, Andromeda would turn to Ysanae, the younger girl shining her with an encouraging smile to sit anew as if to say well this will be interesting.

It would be the first time Andromeda would also meet with the Head of State of the Protectorate as well.

 

[Feena]

The eyes of the Queen were focused on the witch girl, [member="Ysanae Vela"]. Fascinating culture, even if Feenarah herself had grown a dislike for a good few witches in her younger years. It was something she had been forced to simply 'get over'. It would never do for her to hold a grudge in her heart, not against an entire people. She was older now, wiser. She knew better.

She was about to say something to her specifically, greet her properly, but just as she took another step forward, she was made aware of the presence of the Lord Protector. Not by the young Princess though. No. She was aware the moment he set foot inside the room with them. How could she not? She owed him for more than he would ever know. He was the reason she was here at all. He was the reason she was able to come home. When she was at her lowest after Druckenwell, he was the one to pull her up again. And it was his army that protected Naboo from the invaders.

When she turned to look over her shoulder at the figure standing in the door way, an honest smile found her lips, the first one in weeks. Even if he didn't already outrank her, he had more than earned her respect.

"Ah! Lord Protector," she greeted turning around and nearly collapsing into a low bow, "You honor us with your presence."

[member="Andromeda Versai"]/[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]/[member="Ayden Cater"]/[member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Loxa Visl]

Ysan had attempted, in every way she knew how, to remain as respectable towards the Queen as she possibly could. However, there was only so much respect one could force into an expression of blatant non-comprehension. Slowly, the young Windtalker shared a glance with the Princess, to which the younger girl did comply with further, slower explanation.

"Ah," said Ysan finally, "thank you -"

"Lord Protector, you honor us with your presence."

"Lor' Pro-tek-torr..." Ysan said slowly under her breath with a subtle glance down at her datapad. Oh yes, he was the leader, which was strange for her to grasp considering he was a man. The galaxy was a strange place indeed.

[member="Ayden Cater"] [member="Feena Mason"] [member="Andromeda Versai"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Feena Mason"], [member="Andromeda Versai"], [member="Ayden Cater"], [member="Ysanae Vela"]


Siobhan would agree with Ysanae that the Galaxy was a strange place. After all, she happened to be a card-carrying femnazi and thus was very happy about living on Kaeshana, where the ultrafeminist elves held sway. In any event by now Siobhan and her small entourage should have reached the hall where everyone else was.


As she moved to enter she saw that it was already a full house. Feena Siobhan did not know personally, but obviously knew that she had been Archon of the CIS before defecting and then become Queen of Naboo. That brought back memories of Druckenwell, where Siobhan had been one of those trying to prevent the calamity and chucked a chunk of a shipyard away from the population centres, though it had not been enough to prevent the inferno. As for Ayden, for a variety of reasons Siobhan did not like him.


In any case the Lieutenant who had been escorting them bowed as was appropriate when entering the royal presence of the Queen, then stepped aside for Siobhan to enter. "Your Majesty, Countess Kerrigan, Exarch emeritus, has arrived." There were plenty of other titles that could be listed up but let's not be more pompous than Siobhan is anyway. Butcher of Roche was probably not a title to mention in polite company anyway. Nor was 'Chaos Goddess'. For hert part Siobhan gave a polite bow to the Queen, as was proper. She had spent enough time around Eldorai nobility and her friend Anya was their Queen now, so even though she still did not know which fork to use she knew how to act.

 

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Feena Mason"], [member="Andromeda Versai"], [member="Ysanae Vela"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

Ayden gave a simple bow and made his way to his chair. His was not the place to conduct the meeting in any regard. Here, on Naboo, the Queen reigned. She would be the one to ask the questions. If any were to be directed at him, he would answer. This was how Ayden had ruled in his tenure as Lord Protector; leave the systems their autonomy in as many places as possible. Small taxes were needed to fund the Protectorate's military, and there were of course Protectorate military bases and stations in virtually every system. However, they were not there to subjugate, but to protect. If the Queen had no questions of him, and he need not speak to any of the others, Ayden would not consider it a wasted meeting and would take no offense. He was there simply to help in whatever way was needed.

 

[Soleil Ishtar]

[member="Ayden Cater"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Ysanae Vela"] | [member="Feena Mason"]​

​

The dining room was steadily becoming full with the arrivals of their guests and military attaches. Princess Versai would go through the cordial greetings anew, with an incline of her head and subsequent spoken 'We welcome you to Theed.'

She caught the brief flicker of non-comprehension over Ysanae's exotic face, utilizing the datapad to astertain a measure of clarity of who the Lord Protector and all the subsequent attendees were. There were still much to be learned and discovered, more so to understand the translation of words and culture between that of the Dathomiri and Naboo.

"If we are all ready, please I welcome you to your seats." while there was a dire pressing need to discuss the aftereffects of the most recent attempt of an invasion by the Systems Authority, it would be best to do so after a full stomach. A full stomach, afterall, had an ability to allow reason to the fore than one that was empty.

 

[Feena]

Personally, the Queen preffered to get right down to business. She'd missed meals before. Many. It was nothing new, but she did have to remind herself that not everybody could do the same. She had guests in the Palace. Thank the Force for Princess Andromeda, or else she may have forgotten her manners.

"Ah! Yes. Of course. Thank you all for coming today. Please be seated and enjoy. There will be plenty of time for business after."

She took her place at the long, polished wood table, smiling and waiting for their guests to do the same.Yes, they would eat first, but there was always room for... light meal time discussion. A warm up, one could call it. She never did like a silent meal.

[member="Andromeda Versai"], [member="Ayden Cater"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Ysanae Vela"], [member="Sarge Potteiger"]http://starwarsrp.net/user/163-sarge-potteiger/

 

[Loxa Visl]

Ysan quietly re-took her seat as the guests did, eyes lingering slowly over the faces of [member="Ayden Cater"] and [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] before quickly flickering to the datapad on the table beside her plate. It was a book of important Protectorate Faces, with clear pictures, titles, and general information. Truly a wonder of man-kind for someone such as herself in these foreign waters. As luck had it, too, she was also seated directly to the right of the Princess on this day, which made for easier subtle, aside questions - or comments, as the case may be.

The servants filtered in and soon empty plates and glasses were filled with delectibles of Naboo. It was nice to share these things with these people, Ysanae thought as she helped herself to more fresh fruit, but the silence did also concern her as it concerned Queen [member="Feena Mason"].

It may have been above her station to say anything aloud, and by no means did the Ambassador wish to step on any toes, but perhaps a gentle suggestion to the Princess might be enough?

She leaned over, "Where I come from," the Windtalker began in a low, polite tone, "when we talk of great things together, we eat," all major discussions with Clan Elders and between Clan Mothers were held at feasts, even if private. There was something about the solidarity of a meal that allowed people to come together more, to think clearer, to be more engaged, to be less distracted by other trivialities. Interruptions were also made more difficult by the fact that the only person whose mouth wasn't full at any given time was the one whose turn it was to speak.

Ysan offered the young Princess an expression indicitive of suggestion to the others, "we are all here, are we not?"

[member="Andromeda Versai"]

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

They were, in fact, all there. Including the barely there whisper of a shade off to one corner, camo cloak wrapped tightly around broad shoulders and hood pulled up to shield his face and head from view. He'd found Cater, alright. Not that there were too many places for him to be given the reasons they were here today. With a bit of a smirk on his face, his eyes drifted to where Ysan sat near the Princess, seemingly having taken to her new job quite readily.

Perhaps he had done a bit of right by her.... perhaps.

He was a little surprised to find Kerrigan here, but he probably shouldn't have been. His mind told him it would be a good time to snort at that bit of information, but he didn't feel the need to make the noise. He'd somewhat missed being able to creep about like this - may as well not ruin it yet.

[member="Feena Mason"] [member="Ysanae Vela"] [member="Ayden Cater"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Andromeda Versai"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Sarge Potteiger"], [member="Ysanae Vela"], [member="Ayden Cater"], [member="Andromeda Versai"], [member="Feena Mason"]


Apparently they had a full house. Or dining room as the case may be. Personally Siobhan would have been fine with getting to business right now. Or starting with it while eating. But the Queen made the rules here, so she was fine with dining. Not like she was on a tight schedule.


"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said politely and sat down at the table and began to help herself to the meal and some drink, after having taken off her shiny leather coat. The Kerrigan Coat, made out of the leather of this Galaxy's equivalent of Cthulhu - killing the Lotek'k had been fun. Fortunately Siobhan had managed to acquire decent table manners in the past [insert number of years] since leaving the Jedi Order although she still did not know which fork to use.


This writer is quite deliberately keeping the number of years vague because everyone seems to have a different idea about how much time has passed. This one's personal timeline says that ten years have passed since Siobhan joined Omega Pyre, but that's just one interpretation.

 

[Soleil Ishtar]

[member="Feena Mason"] [member="Ysanae Vela"] [member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]​

​

​

"Indeed, we all are Ysanae," Andromeda would confirm, and with that all would have taken their seats. She would take her own, smoothing the line of her gown as she did so. Around her, the various attendants would commence in pouring glasses of water for all. Those who desired other beverages such as namana nectar or muja juice would soon find a glass filled for them.

The aroma of freshly brewed Star Caf would go wafting past an inconspicuous Sarge, the attendant carrying a tray of black caf with an assortment of creamers and sweeteners for those who'd enjoy a cup.

"I hope you enjoy the meal," she'd say, giving a small cordial smile of encouragement as steaming plates would be set down in front of all, the cover tray pulled to reveal their breakfast. Panna cakes, Vakiir eggs, Iktotch toast, breakfast fruit, and freshly baked biscuits. For those with a hearty desire for cooked protein, Quor'sav-fried steak, Smoked terafin lion, and nerf sausages would be an option to also enjoy.

"Lord Protector, " the princess would direct her attention to Ayden, "While I understand this may be to bold, perhaps while we eat, you may be able to update us on the full brunt of the Protectorate's tally of the damages to Theed and the outlying cities?"

 

[Ayden Cater]

[member="Andromeda Versai"], [member="Ysanae Vela"], [member="Feena Mason"], [member="Sarge Potteiger"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

OOC: This is what happens when I'm not tagged. *glare*

Ayden blinked and had a mild start as he had been lost in thought. Was it still morning? It felt as if weeks had past. He looked over at the princess and gave a small smile before nodding. "Of course, Princess." Pulling out a pad, he connected it to the room's holoprojector. "I'll start with our losses in orbit. They utilized some sort of super ion cannon to punch a hole in our orbital defenses. One trinary cluster, one Uldyr and two Doaba defense platforms, was instantly knocked out. A few casualties there, but none serious. Most of their electronics were fried though. They're already fully repaired, but it is a disturbing revelation nonetheless that the Confederacy, or the Systems Authority whatever they're called, has a weapon that powerful in their arsenal."

His face grew more somber as he moved on. "We lost eighteen ships, include the Steadfast, Guiding Light, and Refuge. Some of those are salvageable, but most are scrap or worse now. In addition, we lost almost eighty thousand men. Another hundred and fifty thousand suffered serious injuries, some permanent." Nearly a fifth of their fleet... Still, the debris cloud had considerably more Confederate blood in it than Protectorate. "They had brought in numerous junkyard ships to cover their initial attack. Including these in their total forces, their fleet numbered two hundred forty-nine; they outnumbered us more than three to one. We estimate their fleet casualties to have been at around fifty percent, including their sacrificial ships."

His voice took a slightly optimistic upturn as he moved on. "We were fortunate that our orbital defenses held. Our estimates put their losses before landfall at around fifty thousand. On the ground, even with the harassment and bombardments we inflicted on their positions, the Confederates managed to land nearly ninety thousand troops outside of Theed." The projection switched to the fields just outside of the city, as well as a model of the affected half of the city. "They breached the walls in two locations, though we managed to secure one. They landed a secondary group out near the outskirts and attempted to move into the city by river. As well, they attempted to bring down the cliffside beneath the palace."

He gave them all a moment to process what he said before continuing. While he had no doubt Siobhan and Sarge would comprehend the scope and full meaning of it all, he wasn't so sure about the others. "We managed to force their withdraw before they could get too deep or too entrenched in the city. Even so, our losses were fairly significant; we lost a full fifteen thousand battle droids and nearly five thousand soldiers. At least twenty thousand suffered direct combat injuries of some sort. The damage to the edge of the city here was fairly extensive. Mercifully, thanks to our near uncontested control of the skies above the city, the did little damage to the interior of the city."

After a moment, Ayden brought the projection back to orbit and left it there for a while. "My assessment of the situation... is that we we fortunate to suffer only the losses that we did." His expression was rather grim now as he looked around the table. "Their forces were uncoordinated and eager to spill blood. Much of their fleet logistics were destroyed over Druckenwell, and that limited their ability to field heavier capital ships. If they had been able to directly engage our fleet and hold the line, if they had been able to establish proper beachheads and launch fighters to contest Naboo airspace, they would have been able to land their full invasion force... and perhaps more."