Private Inspection of Sacrifice

[Arianna Belasko]

Touring: Aximand Sicarus

Ship to be toured: Shield of Sacrifice

Wearing: Diplomatic Gown

Armed with: Nothing.

007 hours earlier...

Countess Arianna Belasko sat across the luxurious table from Laertia Io , also known as Darth Xiphos, Matriarch of House Io. They were both aboard an old XQ1 Platform owned by Arianna's Moonlighter Company, converted by Arianna on the inside to be a luxurious private manor in space over a star in the unknown regions.

"Are you enjoying the food?" Arianna asked, pale skin and blue eyes topped by golden hair in a silver white gown, with exposed shoulders. Draped around her neck was a necklace Xiphos had made for her, a chain of black steel with a single green Kyber in the middle. In terms of economic value it was the equivalent of wearing cardboard. Yet Arianna valued it because her daughter had given it to her.

Laertia Io might well have been one of the few people in the Galaxy Arianna actually loved. Nothing else could have persuaded her to fund Xiphos's crusades, so it meant that of those few she loved, it was Laertia she loved the most.

"I am, Mother." Xiphos replied truthfully, her voice barely a whisper without the vocal chord enhancers. She was in a dark blue kimono, her cybernetic eye and arm removed. Arianna had, in what would have been an inconceivable display towards nearly anyone else, personally cooked dinner for Laertia. She had made her favorite: Pig Liver and Onions.

"Panatha got you down?"

"Yes. A lot..."

Arianna took a bite of her pasta.

"It wasn't a total loss...we gained invaluable experience of Mandalorian combat tactics, and we'll be ready the next time..." Arianna said.

"It's not just Panatha. I've been thinking about Rhand a lot."

"Ah..."

Arianna rose up went to the luxurious white sofa covered in satin from Korriban.

Arianna patted the seat next to her.

Xiphos rose and sat down, than twisted, and reclined her head into Arianna's lap. The Countess ran her fingers gently through raven black strands of hair.

"And what about Rhand?" Arianna asked.

"What if they're right?" Xiphos asked. "What if I did go too far, Mother? Destroying the world ship?"

"The Maw went too far first when they destroyed Csilla..." The Countess surmised. "And it wasn't your fault the CIS planned the operation against it so poorly. Arguably, if you hadn't destroyed it, and forced an immediate evacuation of the CIS ground forces, there would have been even more personnel of theirs still on the ground when the Maw fired the super laser."

"I find myself wishing I could have done it differently."

"This regret is rather unlike you..." Arianna noted, stroking Xiphos's head. "Why the sudden introspection?"

"It'd be insane not to have doubts..." Xiphos admitted.

"Doubts are understandable. But it does you no favors to second guess your actions at Rhand. It could paralyze your ability to see clearly what needs to be done..." Arianna said gently.

"What would you have done at Rhand, Mother?"

"It doesn't matter, because I wasn't there. You were..." Arianna replied, fingers twirling a lock of Xiphos's black hair around her finger, letting it uncoil smoothly. "You made the decision no one else would have made. You'll have to live with the slaves you killed, but that is unavoidable. Sometimes the death of innocents are unavoidable..."

"That's just the thing Mother. I'll never know whether it was unavoidable, because no other answer occured to me at the time..."

"It's the reality of war...in war, there are only two options. Win or Lose. Honestly, Rhand was an excellent way to demonstrate your resolve. You have shown the Maw you are willing to kill their meat shields, if necessary..." Arianna explained to her daughter, running a thumb over one of Xiphos's cheekbones lovingly. "Make no mistake, my lovely daughter, who I adore above all: House Io needs your level of ruthlessness."

Xiphos smiled. "Thank you, Mother."

"It always pleases me to ease your heart..." Arianna said sincerely...

A half hour later...

"So the Admiral, when will he arrive?" Arianna asked, gently clasping her daughter's hand as she sat in the luxury chair in front of a mirror, Xiphos softly brushing her blond hair. Soon the massive Prototype starship would arrive and ferry them both to the Admiral's rendezvous point deep in Eternal Empire space. House Io had valiantly defended the Power Generator in Panatha alongside the Ultranauts, so Xiphos figured now was as good a time as any to demonstrate to the EE military the capabilities of their new ship, and show them the design power of the House itself. Arianna would act as the face for much of the tour as the Countess was also House Io's Chief Diplomat.

"Sicarus was contacted via private channels and asked to meet us at a predesignated point in space just inside Kalidan's system. Since the area is so thick with EE military ships, the location was chosen so the Admiral would feel in control of the situation, being at the very heart of EE territory for the tour itself." Xiphos answered, brushing Arianna's hair.

"He will be shown every courtesy..." Arianna replied. "Will we be building any more ships for them?"

"Panatha, as you have so rightfully pointed out, brought us invaluable data. Plans are afoot for more heavily armored ships, which can link together to form a space station..."

"Schematics? I have to see if the budget will allow for it..." Arianna requested.

Xiphos handed her a datapad. The Countess glanced over it.

"Hate to break it to you, but adding a Hyperwave Inertial Momentum Sustainer is still too expensive for Mass Production. That is why we try and limit them to custom warships. I'd only be able to approve it for limited production, I'm afraid, in its current state."

"I'll inform the engineers. Anything else I should lose?"

"Substitute Impervium for Durasteel and it will help me sleep better..." Arianna answered. "Impervium is expensive, even for us, and should be relegated to Battle Cruisers only."

Xiphos nodded as Arianna handed the datapad back.

"You keep me grounded, Mother. Thank you."

"Oh, give yourself a little more credit, Daughter. After all, I wasn't in most of your battles. But being in charge of a smuggling operation masquerading as a cargo hauling firm has given me a keen insight into what is economic for ship design. Having all this Feth-You Money is not a reason to get frivolous...investments must have returns, after all." Arianna said, closing her eyes as her hair was brushed. This was a very private display of affection from Xiphos, and Arianna often did the same for her.

"I understand...Countess, would you kindly abdicate a moment?"

The instant the ingrained code phrase was spoken, Arianna's fake mind was put on pause, vanishing momentarily as her flesh bubbled and melted and reset everywhere on her body, reforming into the person actually in charge of the body, an elderly red headed woman with beige skin,not the frosty pale of the one she had murdered years ago and imitated daly.

Arianna didn't know she was a fake persona. The real one had been nearly as homicidal and sadistic as The Amalgam herself. The "Arianna" people encountered nowadays was a greatly watered down, sanitized version of the original.

Vivian opened brown eyes, and spun in her seat to face Xiphos.

"Whatever is the matter, Daughter?" Vivian asked. All the genuine love Arianna had for Xiphos came from Vivian.

"I've been worried about you these past few months, Mother. You have been Arianna more and more, and yourself less and less."

"Being the Witch is high maintenance. House Io needs the Countess."

"House Io needs you, or there is no Countess..." Xiphos said. "I'm so sorry about what happened to the school children you were with at Naboo. I know the rage you must have felt."

Vivian nodded. "I suppose you would, yes..."

"After you give the Admiral this tour, I want you to take a few days off, get away from Arianna for a bit. You've earned a rest. You're more than what you provide the House..." Xiphos said, hugging her. "You deserve to be you..."

"It...it is difficult, to stop being her..." Vivian admitted, looking away a moment. "Sometimes, I can't help but wonder who killed and absorbed who that day..."

"The Battalion tells me it can be pretty complicated on her end sometimes also..." Xiphos replied.

"She's right..." Vivian replied, looking downward.

"I hate being Arianna. But she gets more done than I ever could. Makes decisions I never could. I could never have taught the Nuetralizers the way she did. I could never have stomached teaching them half of what she taught. Yet if I hadn't been her, we would have none of this. That messes with me sometimes."

"That is why you should take a break, Mother. How about I set up a school? Space station like this, just for you to teach in when you get ready?"

"Math classes only take one so far. It's nice of you to offer, though, thank you." Vivian said.

Xiphos nodded. "House Io lives because of you, Mother. All that is good and worthy in Arianna comes from you. Never forget that."

Xiphos went back to brushing Vivian's hair.

"By the way, Daughter, arw you going to kill Starlin Rand finally?"

Xiphos glowered. "He made me watch my parents die and he's the student of the one who did it. Syd's got the same death sentence on her that Phyre does."

"Xiphos, he's a boy. He doesn't even have the means to touch you without an entire army being sicced on him. Is it not enough that he lives in fear of you? That you have driven him to drink? That you have forced his own mother into hiding along with that Nimdok fellow?"

Xiphos was silent, considering it.

"Starlin's small fish at this point. Kill Syd if you must, but killing the boy is just being petty..." Vivian argued, genuinely making a go to try and save Starlin's life.

It was a sign of just how much Xiphos genuinely loved Vivian that she began to consider her Mother's words.

"I'll give it some thought, I promise."

"Killing him would lower you as it is, sweetie...I think he has reached the end of his ability to inconvenience you."

(Cutaway of J Jonah Jameson laughing Uncontrollably)

(J Jonah Jameson: stops laughing.)

(J Jonah Jameson: You're serious?)

"I suppose a lot of amusement can be derived from the sheer paranoia of thinking you're being actively stalked when you aren't..." Xiphos mused.

"See? Sometimes Paranoia and Stress can do far more damage over time than simply killing a Motherfether." Vivian said.

"I guess..." Xiphos conceded, still thinking it over.

"Oh, one more thing...might I take Percival? He would do well to watch high level diplomacy in action. And I do adore him."

"I was planning on teaching him Lightsaber combat, but given his duties, and the invaluable opportunity...I guess..." Xiphos replied. She had really been looking forward to teaching him the Lightsaber, but Arianna could show him stuff she simply had no ear for. Diplomacy was a continuous struggle for Xiphos to learn and employ on a personal level.

Xiphos then nodded. Yes, this trip would be invaluable for Percival Io ...she wanted her son to be able to do what she could not, so he could be successful in life.

"He'll be yours for the day..." Xiphos confirmed.

Vivian smiled. "He'll be in the best of hands."

Xiphos smiled back. "I love you, Mother."

"Likewise..." Vivian smiled. "I suppose we should prepare for the ship's arrival..."

"Alright then. Countess, would you kindly cease your abdication?"

Vivian's body shuddered and warped disgustingly, like rats were beneath her flesh as the mind and form of Arianna returned, who blinked once again blue eyes as her flesh reset.

"What were we talking about, dear Julia?"

"Your grandson Percival will be accompanying you."

"Delightful. He really is an absolute darling when you get to know him. I'll have my tailors run up something special for him to wear, we can't have him looking like he leads a desert band of freedom fighters."

"No chit..." Xiphos replied.

Present...

The ENS Shield of Sacrifice had docked with her space manor and both Arianna and Xiphos had come aboard, after waiting for Percival Io to make a hyperspace jump to her location in his own ship. Once that happened, the massive, ten kilometer long crimson ship had made the immediate departure for the heart of EE space, having given the military of Ingrid L'lerim plenty of heads up as to where it would arrive through encrypted communication.

Once it arrived at the rendezvous point, all that would be left was await Aximand's arrival.

Arianna waited alone in the hangar bay that was to receive him. House Io Citizens in Dark Blue Armor served as an honor guard. Percival was to observe, and if questioned answer carefully. But every respect possible was to be shown the Admiral, Xiphos would be sequestered away in a conference room, her Force Bond with Arianna allowing her to pick up on what Arianna saw and heard, in deep meditation...

 

[Percival Io]

Aboard the Absolution of Loste
Hours earlier

“Would you like some tea?”

Percival looked up from his plate. Rebecca looked back at him, a kettle in her hand.

“Sure,” he replied.

She poured him a cup. Percival gingerly picked it up, sensors registering the heat of the liquid even as he saw steam rising from the cup. Raising it to his lips, he took a sip.

Rebecca watched him curiously. “Have you ever had Samovaran tea before?” she asked.

“I have never drunk tea,” he admitted, licking a few stray drops from his lips. “I do not need to drink or eat to survive.”

“Really? I thought, since you were bio-organic…”

“I must consume a nutrient paste in order to keep my organic parts in working order,” he explained, cutting a piece of fish on his plate. “Most Neutralizers of my type can eat for pleasure. We are given a sense of taste as part of our recreational programming.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Nutrient paste doesn’t sound very tasty.”

“It has no taste.” Putting a mouthful of fish in his mouth, he chewed self-consciously. He could tell it was fully cooked, as well as the individual makeup of the spices used in the cooking, but he had no algorithms for analyzing flavor.

He had agreed to have lunch with Rebecca out of respect for the social significance of dining together. So far he found the whole affair rather strange, though not in a tedious or tiresome way. There were plenty of new experiences to take in.

Much of the data he gathered was related to Rebecca herself. He had spent more time observing her during the meal than he had the food, the setting of the table, or any other background details. While he couldn’t appreciate the taste of the food in the same way a human could, he suspected, based on a slightly sour quirk of her lips, that Rebecca thought she had used just a little too much zest. Better luck next time.

“So, you have recreational programming?” she asked. “What does that entail?”

“Mother believes her children should be able to adapt and grow like mortals do. Playing a game, for example, can be as much a learning opportunity as reading a manual or performing a task.” He nudged a cooked vegetable across the plate with his fork. “We are also encouraged to develop personal preferences, hobbies and interests, such as wearing a certain type of clothing or playing a musical instrument.”

“Could you develop your own opinions about people?” she asked. “Or are you programmed to love House Io and ignore everyone else?”

“I can never betray House Io,” he replied. “And I love my creator. But I have learned, through interactions with others, who among Mother’s allies can and cannot be trusted.”

Rebecca pursed her lips—a sign that she wanted to say something, ask another question perhaps, but was reluctant to speak her mind. “Can you… uh, I mean… Are you capable of…?”

Percival cocked his head. Her stammering speech and the slight flush of her cheeks indicated the topic she was trying to broach was of an embarrassing nature. But before he could attempt a guess, he received a message from the Countess.

“Excuse me,” he said, standing up. “I just received a summons from Countess Belasko. I am to leave at once for the Shield of Sacrifice.”

Rebecca stood up as well, grimacing as she rested a hand on her lower back. “I’ll walk you to the hangar.”

“That will not be necessary,” he began, but she was already headed for the door, moving at impressive speed for a pregnant woman.

“I need the exercise anyway. Can’t stay cooped up in a ship like this. Come on.”

The color in her face had not faded, though it could easily be written off as the result of hormonal fluctuations. Puzzled by her behavior, Percival nonetheless followed her out.

***​

Aboard the Shield of Sacrifice
Present

A legion of Neutralizer attendants were waiting for him in the hangar bay of the Sacrifice, herding him away from his starfighter and into a private suite.

“The Countess has asked that you wear tailored garments for the occasion,” one of them said. Working in tandem, they removed his customary gray robes, scanned him with a garment-fabricator, then put the machine to work fashioning a new bespoke outfit. Though all of the Neutralizers were female (and some appeared to be quite fascinated by the fact that he was not), Percival lacked the capacity to worry about modesty. He patiently stood by as they fawned and fretted over him, deigning to smirk a little as one hapless handmaiden tried to run a comb through his unruly curls…

Some time later, he was once again in the hangar, standing with his hands behind his back. Now clad in a black uniform suit and with his dark hair slicked back, he looked rather dashing.

The Countess had instructed him as to his purpose. He was here mainly to observe, speaking only when spoken to, and show the visiting admiral the utmost respect. The assignment seemed easy enough, though he did not fully understand why he had been chosen out of all the other Chaplain Neutralizers. He could only hope it meant he was in the Countess’ good graces, and the occasion marked a special opportunity for personal growth…

Arianna Belasko Aximand Sicarus Alessandra Io​

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Hangar Bay, ENS Shield of Sacrifice - Velestria System, Unknown Regions
Attire: Magenta and White Kimono
Theme: Thank You
Tags: Percival Io Arianna Belasko Aximand Sicarus

While House Io had Bio-Organic Nuetralizer models programmed and designed for diplomatic functions, the Chaplains were capable of fulfilling such duties in a tertiary capacity. However, the thing that made them especially dangerous as diplomats was the fact that they possessed a startling amount of firepower in an inconspicuous package that at a glance, was visually similar to a typical human, if their eerie grace and striking physical symmetry did not give them away. Naked, a Chaplain was capable of bringing down targets the size of a rancor, wielding destructive power rivaling that of an entire infantry squad, which was especially dangerous at close range.

For the purposes of diplomacy, that level of destructive capability was rarely useful, especially in the context of meetings with allies. It was why Alessandra was taken by surprise to receive a summons from Countess Belasko, requiring her attendance at a meeting with a Rear Admiral of the Eternal Navy, Aximand Sicarus, who was a man of powerful reputation if his nickname, the Axe of Orellon II, was any indication.

Having been among the contingent of House Io forces tasked with holding the shield generators during that fateful, disastrous day on Panatha, Alessandra wondered if her perspective, as a Nuetralizer who had fought on the ground against the Mandalorians, would be required during the talks.

If not, the Chaplain was content to watch and learn from her more eloquent, outspoken brother.

Her TIE Vendetta entered the hangar in a gust of artificial air, landing just as her brother entered, clad in a sharp-looking suit that was more fitting for the occasion than his usual gray robe, not that it wasn’t a useful outfit, at times. Alessandra had quickly realized that the humble vestments aided her brother in conveying his message to the poor, downtrodden crowds he often preached to. While Alessandra still preferred her kimonos, she could not deny the effect his image had on a crowd.

For she had witnessed it with her own photoreceptors.

The short-statured Nuetralizer levitated down from her TIE as the technicians attended to the craft in her wake, zori-clad feet gracefully touching down ground next to her grandmother. Glancing over to her brother, Alessandra acknowledged his presence with a respectful nod, before shifting her attention back to the Countess.

“I apologize for my tardiness, Grandmother.” Alessandra said softly. “I hope I am in order.”

 

[Aximand Sicarus]

TAG: Arianna Belasko Percival Io Alessandra Io
LOCATION: Aboard the ENS Vikarion, traversing at lightspeed to the Kalidan System | Approximately 1 hour from emergence

In an unusual fashion, Aximand would not be found within the CIC of his bridge aboard his flagship. For starters, he wasn't even aboard his flagship. He sat in repose within the office requisitioned for him aboard the ENS Vikarion, an Eternal-class Star Destroyer under his command within the 20th Heavy Attack Line. He reflected over the happenings of the past few weeks, namely the Empire's humiliating 'defeat' on Panatha at the hands of the Mandalorian Enclave, and their famed military commander Vemric Keldra. 'Defeat. Heh...'

Aximand wasn't defeated in the sense of losing his entire fleet, or even losing his ship to the enemy. But he was defeated by the simple fact he could not accomplish his objective in time; namely, to rescue the people of Panatha from both themselves and those who sought their destruction from without. He couldn't push through the blockade in time to prevent the bombardment of the capital city - the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians at the hands of the Epicanthix rebels, the bloodthirsty Mandalorian savages, and traitors to the Confederacy. Their objective was not to occupy the world, or to wrest it from Imperial control - if it was, the Empire would undoubtedly have been successful in pushing them back from the sheer weight of force at their disposal. No, their objective was to humiliate the Empire, and to purge the Sith from the planet.

In a way, the Enclave's victory was also a victory for the Empire. The Epicanthix were hurt easily as badly, if not moreso, as the Empire. This invasion gave the Empire the pretext it needed to crack down on the world once and for all, and restore the order it so desperately needed. Be that as it may, calling Panatha a 'victory' in any form of the word felt exceedingly hollow, as if Aximand were a petulant school child making excuses about why a girl punched him in the nose and he fell to the ground. This raid exposed a flaw within the Empire - hubris. Having this flaw brought into the light for all to see stung almost as harshly as the defeat itself. As if to add insult to injury, while not being destroyed, Aximand's flagship was docked for repairs from the levels of damage it had suffered during the battle. It had given the Admiral pause, as it was not within him to keep himself from the front-line. Within usual engagements, the Callides-class was well enough armored and shielded to be able to resist succumbing to damage, but the technological superiority of the ships used by the Enclave Coalition had proven to be a match for the Callides' defenses. Given his rank & stature within the Eternal Fleet, it was Aximand's prerogative to choose his own flagship, and his failure at Panatha had set him upon the path of considering a replacement to his long-lived flagship.

He had been contemplating the requisition of a Regency-type battlecruiser, which was a more heavy hitting vessel with vastly superior staying power as opposed to the Callides. As much as he appreciated the flexibility afforded by the Callides in most situations, Aximand had to appreciate the fact it was not in him to lead from the back of the line, and he needed a ship built to last under even the most extreme of punishment. Plus, it was high time that his executive officer be given a command of his own. Aximand couldn't think of a better officer than Varys Praxxis to command such a ship as the Retribution in his absence. But that wasa decision for another time. As of now, the Admiral was en-route to meet with representatives of the mysterious House Io, a newfound ally to the Eternal Empire in its recent struggles against threats both foreign and domestic. It was only until recently that Aximand had been entrusted with the security clearance necessary to have any real knowledge of the enigmatic ally of the Empire. Formerly of the Jedi Order, and more recently the CIS; House Io was considered an outcast and fringe terrorist organization due to the actions of Laertia Io during the invasion of Rhand, involving the deaths of thousands of innocents.

It perplexed Aximand that his Empress had permitted such an ally to the Empire, for she had made it a point to actively prohibit and prosecute the extreme use of force against even external enemies of the Empire, save for extreme cases such as the Bryn'adul or the Ssi-Ruuk. They were also rumored to be practitioners of the Dark Side of the force, which lent credence to the Enclave's casus belli to justify their attack on Panatha. All of that being said, Aximand could not dispute their value as an ally. They fought admirably on Danuta, and again on Panatha. Had it not been for their stalwart support of the Empire during both of those conflicts, it was entirely likely their defeat would be ten-fold as traumatic. Although it was altogether likely he was chosen for this inspection of both House Io's ship designs and their inner workings due to the notion his superiors lacked the desire to do so themselves, Aximand felt it was the least he could do to express the Empire's appreciation for the aid of this unlikely ally. At the very least, it would distract his mind from ruminating over his defeat for the next few hours.

A soft rap upon the door of his office could be heard, to which Aximand responded with a monotone: "Enter." A fresh-faced lieutenant opened the door softly and peered into the office, his back a little straighter and his countenance a bit more rigid than normal. He gave the Rear Admiral a sharp salute, to which Aximand returned with one of his own. It was only after the brief exchange that the officer spoke:

"Sir, we will be exiting lightspeed in less than an hour. Preparations are being made for your shuttle to depart at your pleasure thereafter."

"Thank you Lieutenant... Iriel, yes?"

"Yes sir."

The young man carried himself with poise and discipline, despite the faint traces of nervousness apparent on his features and within the tone of his voice. Aximand smirked almost imperceptibly, and arose from his seat. He strode over to a mirror in the corner as he said: "Please inform the shuttle crew I will be down to meet them within the hour. Have my typical retinue on standby." Lieutenant Iriel nodded and gave another salute, to which Aximand nodded to dismiss him so as to comply with his orders. Ever since becoming an Admiral, he had a 'retinue' now in the form of an adjutant, and bodyguards. It chagrined him that as he arose to a level of increased responsibility, he had less mandate over how he traveled. But, he was able to stamp some of the impact when he selected Lt. Commander Aierka as his adjutant. If he had chosen the woman for this assignment a few years prior, she may well have balked at the notion of being forced to be little more than an attache' to the Admiral.

But over the years, they had formed a special... bond, which equated to them actually enjoying one another's company. As he thought on that, he... wasn't quite sure why it was so hard to accept and admit the fact that they were dating. You'd think it would have been easier that first night they had spent together. But instead, it seemed to only complicate the matter evermore. His executive officer seemed to turn a blind eye to the matter at first, and even to a certain degree appeared to approve of the relationship. It carried on in secret in the beginning, given the fact Aximand was technically Lt. Commander Aierka's superior officer's superior officer. To any other man in Varys' position, such a dalliance would be too compromising to stomach. But the friendship which existed between Varys and Aximand, along with the professionalism both Aximand and Janine were able to comport themselves with, precluded any real issues from developing. When Aximand ascended to the rank of Rear Admiral, promoting Janine to his adjutant removed the situation entirely, allowing for their relationship to be a bit more open as it developed. It was... nice to be able to travel with her, to learn upon another person when he felt alone. They had argued only a few times over the past year or so of their relationship becoming more than just a fling. He honestly couldn't imagine doing what he did now without her in his life. That probably wasn't a good thing - considering any commander worth his salt needed to be able to make tough choices with everyone under his command.

But Janine was different. He couldn't order her to do anything other than perform her duty, otherwise she'd do it anyway. At least now, her duty equated to making sure he was organized and punctual as opposed to defending him with her life. He allowed for his thoughts to loop around that topic for the next several minutes as he changed into his formal uniform for the impending inspection. After doing so, he gave himself a once over one last time before strapping on his longsword on his left hip, and his sidearm on his right. Then, he left - making his way to the hangar bay as the Vikarion neared translation out of lightspeed...

 

[Arianna Belasko]

Arianna smiled warmly as she spotted both Percival Io and Alessandra Io finally arriving.

"Grandchildren. It always gladdens my heart to see the both of you..." She said happily.

"You both look so dashing! Selfie Time!"

The Countess whipped out one of those outrageously priced integrated phone comlinks (She'd studded hers with fething 24 karat Diamonds) and immediately got behind them and took one with them.

"Now all that remains is waiting for the Admiral to arrive... remember, best behavior... hopefully we will, without question, prove our House's value to the EE."

There was an alert on a separate, encrypted comlink.

"Countess, ENS Vikarion detected..." the Ship A.I. reported.

"Ah...right on time..." Arianna said...

Meanwhile...

The Shield of Sacrifice was The Galaxy's very first Super Star Healer ever built.

It did not have some of the features that were later put into it's Sister Vessel, The CNS Flesh Memory: The Shield of Sacrifice used more conventional, proven technologies in many cases, as the ship had been designed as a Proof of Concept for what would follow afterward.

It was STILL one of the most well defended Hospital Vessels in the entire Galaxy, and was much more stable as a design.

The ten Kilometer ship was crimson in color, with smooth lines, similar to something the Mon Calamari might build, with a massive, integrated Hyperdrive Ring.

As soon as the Vikarion came into range, the massive vessel sent out a message.

"Welcome, ENS Vikarion. Host awaits VIP in Hangar 007."

Countess Belasko would be awaiting Aximand Sicarus as soon as whatever ship he used arrived. Arms folded in front of her, immaculate, pale beauty concealing something not human, flanked by her Grandchildren.

"Admiral Sicarus, welcome aboard The Shield of Sacrifice. I am Countess Arianna Belasko, CFO of House Io. This ship you are on is one of the most heavily defended Hospital Vessels in the Galaxy, capable of treating thousands of the Eternal Empire's personnel at once, or a populace of a large city, and it is an honor to give you a tour of its capabilities..." Arianna said silkenly, turning on the charm.

"Would you care to begin the tour immediately, or would you care for some minor refreshments like water or tea first? We're in no rush, and I would like to afford you the time to take in the vessel at your own pace..."

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Hangar Bay, ENS Shield of Sacrifice - Velestria System, Unknown Regions
Attire: Magenta and White Kimono
Tags: Percival Io Arianna Belasko Aximand Sicarus

House Io was a family and no amount of defeat could sour the joy that Alessandra felt when she saw the smile borne across her grandmother’s aged, yet comely features. She certainly had a taste for diamonds, the studded jewels on her phone comlink sparkling in the light as the short-statured Chaplain positioned herself in front of her grandmother and brother for the selfie. Once it was snapped, Alessandra offered her grandmother her full attention as she explained their tasking. The Shield of Sacrifice was by any standard an impressive vessel, possessing a robust defense package that was almost unprecedented for a ship of its class. Unfortunately, in recent years, hospital ships had increasingly come under fire by malicious actors, necessitating the development of a new class of ship which was designed to absorb punishment from capital-grade weapons and yet more.

"Now all that remains is waiting for the Admiral to arrive... remember, best behavior... hopefully we will, without question, prove our House's value to the EE."

“Yes, Grandmother.” The dutiful granddaughter answered. “I will comport myself with all due grace and consideration.” She stated simply.

There was a small retinue of Diplomatic Nuetralizers surrounding the trio, clad in patterned kimonos and gowns as they set about making the final arrangements for the Rear Admiral’s arrival.

Before long, his vessel phased through the force field leading into the hangar and touched down in a billow of smoke. The Nuetralizer gave a facsimile of a deep intake of air as the Rear Admiral stepped down the ramp, flanked by his retinue as he took his first steps onto the new Super Star Healer…

 

[Aximand Sicarus]

TAG: Arianna Belasko Alessandra Io Percival Io
LOCATION: ENS Shield of Sacrifice - Hangar Bay

The ENS Vikarian emerged from lightspeed, the Eternal-class Star Destroyer accompanied by a light escort of (1) Demeton Heavy Cruiser and (2) Ashkelon Escort Frigates. Shortly after said emergence, the Vikarian's comms officer coordinated the arrival of the Admiral via a single Styx-class Assault Dropship, escorted by a pair of Lancer 1A fighters. Aximand, in part, felt the whole 'pomp and ceremony' of his arrival a needless misuse of the Eternal Fleet's resources. Yet, despite the Eternal Empire's culture of parting ways with hereditary aristocracy in favor of a military meritocracy, it seemed such bravado merely transitioned to those who seemingly 'earned' such accolades. Despite Aximand's hesitancy to subject himself fully to it, there were many within the Imperial armed forces who saw him as a war hero, even after his defeat at Panatha. His ascention to the rank of Rear Admiral only exacerbated the issue, all the way down to the manner in which he was transported into the Shield of Sacrifice's hangar bay.

Shortly after the dropship touched down within the safety of the shielded compartment, the sounds of controlled air decompression hissed throughout the spartan cabin of the vessel. Hydraulic steam hissed as the access door opened and a loading ramp emerged and set itself atop the durasteel floor paneling. The first figures to emerge from the craft were the first troopers among the squad who formed his personal guard attache' from the Vikarian. They held their blaster rifles loosely, pointed to the side and down towards the ground in a non-threatening manner, but their helmet heads turned to and fro as they inspected the immediate area. After a few moment's pause, the Rear Admiral himself proceeded down the ramp, with his adjutant Lt. Commander Aierka accompanying him. Even in uniform, the blonde haired woman named 'Janine Aierka' struck a striking appearance next to the Admiral. Where he was craggy and foreboding in appearance, she carried a certain elegant beauty even within the drab of what some would consider unflattering military attire. She carried a datapad clutched under one arm, with her other hand clasped atop the other in front of her in an official posture.

The Rear Admiral himself was adorned in his dress uniform, with several of his decorations pinned on his breast, and a rather prestine looking eyepatch over his right eye. His hair was creased back into a neatly maintained style, a salt & pepper beard neatly trimmed within regulation standards. To the observers within the hangar bay, he looked every inch the representative of the Eternal Fleet many regarded him as. Reserved, composed, but dangerous - likely due to the mildly feral look his overall demeanor possessed. One other officer accompanied the two more well known officers, bearing the markings of a security officer who seemed intent on remaining by the Admiral's side as he moved in lock-step with the other two VIPs.

The trio closed the distance between the dropship and the entourage waiting to receive them, and stopped about five feet away from the Countess and her retinue as she began to speak. Aximand's eyes met Arianna's as she made her introduction, remaining silent until she finished. Thereafter, he responded flatly: "Indeed." His lone eye scanned the surrounding hangar bay, his head inclining slightly as he seemed to inspect the compartment with a level of scrutiny only a man who belonged in the void could possess. During their approach to the Shield of Sacrifice, Aximand noted the sheer size of the ship and how it dwarfed those he came in upon, rivaling the super star destroyers currently in development within the Eternal Empire's most restricted of shipyards. It appeared as though the Countess's boast wasn't entirely without merit, particularly with the size of this hangar bay.

After a pause lasting a few moments, Aximand finally spoke again: "Thank you for receiving us so hospitably, Countess. This is my adjutant, Lt. Commander Janine Aierka, and this is our security attache' Lieutenant Daev. We look forward to seeing for ourselves the reputation your house has established for itself with regard to its engineering expertise." Aximand gave the Countess a slight, polite bow at the waist, to which the rest of his retinue mirrored in kind. The Rear Admiral's face was hard to read, a stony mask of professional indifference that expertly hid the inner workings of his mind. Those who knew him, whether at parties or other functions both official and otherwise, knew Aximand to be a genteel enough man when interacting with others. By and large, his fearsome reputation primarily applied to the field of battle, but that didn't stop most who first met him of viewing him with a level of both suspicion and reticence. Thankfully, he did not sense either of those emotions within the group that stood before him - namely the Countess herself, a young woman, and an equally young - if not moreso - looking young man.

He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about them struck him as slightly... different. Perhaps it was simply the effects of his journey thus far, or differences in countenance by virtue of their different cultures. Aximand remained silent as he regarded the other two individuals accompanying the Countess, as if he expected them to be introduced - or introduce themselves.

 

[Percival Io]

A TIE Vendetta landed in the hangar as Percival was arriving. The hatch opened, and to his dismay, none other than his sister Alessandra descended from the cockpit. Endeavoring not to show any outward signs of emotion, he avoided looking at her directly, facing forward as she approached.

Ever since a particular incident that had occurred on the Scar Worlds, a slight friction had developed between himself and Alessandra, the result of their clashing approaches to the problems faced by House Io. He was—what was the term she had used? A firebrand preacher, while she was a gentle confessor.

The Countess was waiting for them, greeting them warmly in her usual way. She cooed in delight over their outfits and insisted upon taking a picture together. Then, like an elegant dance instructor, she clapped her hands and Laertia Io’s living dolls assumed their positions, ready to meet the admiral.

He was an intimidating figure, tall, broad-shouldered, with a handsome face marred by a patchwork of scars. An eyepatch covered his right eye, while his left was icy blue. That pale eye took in everything around him with the cool stoicism of a general devising tactics on a battlefield. He was accompanied by armed guards, a security attache called Lieutenant Daev, as well as an elegant blonde woman, Commander Aierka.

Admiral Sicarus seemed eager to begin the tour, though he paused to glance at either of the two Neutralizers standing so close to the Countess. Grandmother had not yet introduced them. Percival had been ordered not to speak except to answer questions, so he didn’t say a word. He just stood there, hands behind his back and feet together. Only his eyes moved, following the admiral as he surveyed them.

Arianna Belasko Aximand Sicarus Alessandra Io​

 

[Arianna Belasko]

"You and your staff are most welcome aboard. These two beside me are Percival and Alessandra, my Grand Children. They serve as something of community leaders within our Organization."

Arianna then swept her hand across the area behind her.

"The Shield of Sacrifice contain multiple SSD-Grade Defenses but is classed as it's own type of new vessel, a Super Star Healer. This is because this vessel has been fitted with a heavily upscaled healing field generator capable of healing even the most serious injuries over the course of four hours. But the real advantage the vessel possesses is a reactor. A method of fueling unlike any other ship in your fleet. This vessel, you see, Admiral Sicarus, runs entirely on Solar Power. You'll never need to burn through Hypermatter with the Ship. As a matter of fact, The Bioreactors of this Vessel are the very first place I would like to show you. Our ship designers are quite proud of those in particular. Please Admiral, follow us..." Arianna gestured, starting to head out of the hangar bay.

"This Vessel also comes with Stealth Devices...we can hide our patients as well as treat them, Admiral..."

Arianna began to lead Aximand Sicarus , his staff, and her Grand Children to the Engineering Deck.

"Power Levels optimal on All Decks. Bacta Shipment requested on Deck 007..." The BRT Supercomputer A.I. announced as Arianna led them through sparse passages, which had an odd, technogothic aesthetic. Not so much that it compromised functionality and practicality, but enough that it was noticable.

"Our ship relies on powerful forms of Automation...we require what would be less than a skeleton crew on other, similarly sized vessels..." Arianna mentioned as she led them into a turbolift, which took them all down to the Engineering Deck.

The deck itself had a much more noticeable Gothic Aesthetic, but the golden Bioreactors, glowing softly as engineers scurried about had this aesthetic in very noticeable ways.

"The Vessel can remain active for up to two and a half years with all systems before it needs to absorb energy from a star..." Arianna explained to the Admiral...

Percival Io

Alessandra Io

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Hangar Bay, ENS Shield of Sacrifice - Velestria System, Unknown Regions
Attire: Magenta and White Kimono
Tags: Percival Io Arianna Belasko Aximand Sicarus

This was just as much a tour for the Admiral as it was for her. Indeed, Alessandra knew very little of the Shield of Sacrifice before coming aboard, though she had downloaded its schematics and deck plan into her mind, at least to help out in the event that she got lost. Nevertheless, much of what her grandmother said was relatively new to the Chaplain, with the mention of automation being an additional surprise for the Chaplain’s auditory sensors.

Taking in the technogothic architecture in the halls, Alessandra watched a small column of B1 droid marines march past. These were not House Io units, but rather units manufactured to serve the Eternal Empire directly, on the Shield of Sacrifice. Had this been a House Io ship, the cheap B1s would have been replaced by far more advanced Droidekas, EG Droids, and her brother Nuetralizers. While the Shield of Sacrifice was advanced in its own right, Alessandra knew that House Io had refrained from giving the Empire its most state-of-the-art technologies.

In such a turbulent, unpredictable galaxy, today’s allies could become tomorrow’s enemies.

Before long, the group reached the engineering deck. Examining the massive, golden bioreactors that powered the vessel, which were also massively-upscaled versions of the bioreactor that powered her own chassis, Alessandra wondered how they would familiarize the Empire’s engineers with the intricacies of Vong-derivative technology.

Fortunately, a General Purpose Nuetralizer approached and began to answer that question.

“Good afternoon, welcome to the engineering bay, honored guests.” The engineer began, doing so with a polite bow towards the Admiral. “As our grandmother has already said, the Shield utilizes a solar recovery system which allows us to refuel by absorbing energy from a star. However, I will also note that this vessel makes extensive use of Vong-derivative technology. What you see before you are essentially Vong bioreactors, albeit with various modernizations and systems modified to integrate with the Shield. In order to ease the transfer of the Shield to the Empire’s command, a team of my sisters will remain onboard for a limited time to train your engineers in operating this technology. Schematics and training manuals will be made available, as well. We anticipate that this will be a smooth process, but in the event that more is required, House Io will be prepared to lend further assistance.”

 

[Aximand Sicarus]

TAG: Alessandra Io Arianna Belasko Percival Io
LOCATION: ENS Shield of Sacrifice - Hangar Bay

The Admiral regarded the stately woman who greeted his retinue, and gave the other two figures alongside of her a polite nod of regard. The young man attracted the Admiral's attention moreso than the woman, for he seemed... oddly out of place given the others surrounding them. The boy appeared to carry itself with a reservation and dignity bespeaking an air of nobility, which wasn't odd on its own given the obvious implication he was a member of House Io. Before the tour got started, the Admiral strolled over to the young man, the naval officer appraising him with an air of authority before he eventually extended a hand for him to shake. He would then in turn approach the other woman, identified as Alessandra Io , and offer her the same courtesy. Assuming they both accepted his hand, he would then follow as the tour commenced. He entered the ship with a sense of what to expect, for he had heard rumors of the marvels of engineering surrounding Confederacy ships, namely with their levels of automation. The Eternal Fleet employed some variants of their tech, but the CIS was still known as the preeminent naval power of the galaxy for a reason.

Even with such thoughts in mind, he couldn't help but be impressed by the level of detail and optimization the ship was constructed with. At the mention of being able to operate on full power for over two years prior to having to reenergize, his jaw almost dropped in near-disbelief. It was only his stoic professionalism which had spared such an indignity. Shortly after the Countess finished her brief introduction of the engineering deck, another droid approached as if to reinforce her commence by drawing attention to the reactors - Vong bioreactors. Aximand felt his muscles tensing as he gazed upon them, the massive golden bioreactors gleaming back at him. The Rear Admiral had never faced the Yuuzan Vong in combat before, but he heard the stories; he had studied the battles in the academy. If memory served, not only was their technology leaps and bounds above that of the Imperial Remnant & New Republic combined, but they were also organically based. There were even rumors that this organic technology carried the genome of the Yuuzan Vong themselves, and their long destroyed planet. Although he was no expert in Xenology, he felt an odd disquiet at being within such close proximity to such foreign technology.

His face did well to mask his discomfort, and he soon spoke up to try and gain more knowledge - half curious on its own merit, and half trying to expel the nervous energy building up within him: "Although I find it hard to believe this ship would have to operate under such conditions, how long would it take for her to completely recharge her capacitor banks in the event of full power consumption?" He would wait for the answer to be given before nodding along at whatever was told. There was really no right or wrong answer he was looking for - the ship was what she was, if anything he just needed to know. He would soon follow up with the real question he hoped to gain more clarity on: "While we are on the subject of power requirements - how stable are these Vong Bioreactors? What risks do we run having such... fringe technology in such close proximity?" His tone was even and cold, carrying little by way of intent or implied agenda. The wolfish demeanor he was known for had returned, as if searching the expressions of the women and young man assembled before him; aiming to come to a better understanding of what exact type of pandora's box they had given him.

 

[Arianna Belasko]

The Countess smiled at the question.

"In the unlikely event it is near totally drained of power, you will have to be above a star. It's powerful Solar Collection Arrays will absorb the solar rays in a process that requires seven days. I recommend trying to schedule a month or two ahead of that deadline. It'll still take about seven days, but you wouldn't be cutting it so close..." Arianna answered, striding towards one of the Bioreactors.

"We made these Vong Reactors as stable as the limits of our Technology could allow for..." she explained. "As with any technology however, there are flaws. Since it's Organic Tech, it requires biotech toolkits, nutrients, all of which are produced aboard this vessel via our Molecular Furnace systems. Alpha Red and baffer pollen can damage both external and internal structures in these reactors, cause power fluctuations, power failure, but nothing that can't be repaired quickly if you get to it fast. However there is one flaw in the design...it's main weakness in fact. The time it is collecting energy is when it is most vulnerable. It's solar arrays when exposing themselves are quite sensitive. Any serious damage they suffer while collecting energy will cause serious malfunctioning that will cascade down to the reactor and cause potentially catastrophic damage to it. That's why we equipped the ship with stealth systems, so you could get the best chance at not only hiding large numbers of patients you need treated, but to reach stars in secrecy to refuel as well as hide from enemies while near a world..."

Arianna put her hand on the reactor, felt warmth.

"Other than that, it's perfectly safe to be around. The energy is clean. It may be fringe now but mark my words Admiral. Reactors like this will be in nearly every ship someday. The old designs of course, will always be around. They'll have their uses in emergencies. The old designs may yet reign a few centuries more. But they will be supplanted. This is a glimpse of the future you are seeing in this room. Old tech and bio tech combined to make something greater than they were separate."

Arianna turned back to Aximand Sicarus .

"Technology in the end is about how you use and control it. In that sense, Bio tech is like any other... understanding it is the key to wielding it properly, especially when it conveys multiple benefits. With these reactors, you'll never need to shell out for hypermatter. Ever. And since it's near entirely self sufficient, you'll rarely ever need to go to Drydock, because most of the time you'll just be treating patients. It'll pay practically for itself... especially when taking the Hyperdrive into consideration. As a matter of fact, I would like to show you that next..."

Arianna began leading them down a passage way directly to the large custom Hyperdrive unit. It was cylindrical, with a strange bronze metal covering it's surface, it's Maintenance Console occasionally feeding reports about power usage. She swept an introductory hand over it

"The ship, since it has no weapons to speak of is able to turn and maneuver much faster than nearly any other vessel in its size, but it's 0.1 Hyperdrive unit can take it almost anywhere extremely fast. It can be on call, able to relieve a planet, or even a system at a relative moments notice. You could treat everyone in an entire city in any territory the Empire controls. Your soldiers or citizens, or anyone you want to help could see this vessel and associate it's power with The Empire and the Empress. It's a vessel for the Empire to use to help it win the trust of others it wants as allies, while still being able to withstand even the most vicious of enemies."

Percival Io

Alessandra Io