Into Darkness We Quietly Tread ((Ashin/Fringe/Black Sun))

[Domino]

Far out in the reaches of the Annaj system, Capital of the fringe lords, a lone Pallaeon mark-II made the transition from lightspeed. Alone it would be able to do more than flail against the inner system defenses as it died to their fire, but it was soon joined by many many more ships. Phoenix destoyers, Panther carriers, Nimix cruisers, even a few aging but modernized Imperial-II's. Pocket carriers, attack ships, and corvettes soon filled in the gaps between the capital ships in one large fleet that represented very nearly the full remaining fleet strength of the Black Suns. Also represented were a few of the Sith designs the Syndicate had gotten their hands on.

As threatening as the fleet's sudden appearance was however, their weapons stayed powered down and they made no move to approach. Instead they sent a transmission along the old diplomatic channels for the coalition. "Greetings Lady Varanin, at Barab you invoked an old treaty to come to our aid when none of our other allies would. We have now come to honor that bravery." The holographic projection of Domino extended her hand in invitation. "I would appreciate it if you would join with me and my officers for a private dinner this evening aboard our flagship 'Thus Unto Tyrants.' I believe you will find that we have much to discuss." Invitation sent, Domino's hologram faded away. There wasn't much left that the Syndicate could do these days, but by the goddess they would do right by their allies.

 

[Fab'ul'ous]

@[member="Domino"]

Wendy looked at her master and let out a breathe as she listened. There wasn't many to turn to and with the empire being theit allies and falling away it seemed they didn't have many choices of where to go. She was only hoping her master had a plan or if not a plan then a goal in mind for what they would and should do. She would follow the woman anywhere but she didn't know what to do in the long run of their goals... Or mission statement? If that was what it was called.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Domino"]

The Pellaeon Mark Two was a familiar design to Ashin's eyes. She'd commanded the earliest stages of her expansion from a ship much like the Thus Unto Tyrants, at least before the Chimaera was built.

As the Peregrine settled into the Star Destroyer's hold, Ashin rose from the thronelike command chair -- recently repaired -- and exited. She wore something better and more formal than the spacer's gear that made up her uniform of sorts.

One wore nice things to a formal dinner.

As she entered the dining hall, gently glowing Bando Gora-blue eyes sought out Domino and took the measure of her associates.

"Lady Domino, a pleasure. It's been a long time since Ithor."

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien had received word of the arrival of the black suns. He normally hated Criminals but they were more than just criminals and the republic and it's cronies were karking them over a barrel. He would be attending this dinner as a member of the fringes ruling council. He selected one of the many formal dinner suits that resided in his closet.

His Yacht approached the Black Sun flag ship. The pilot opened communication with the ships bridge, and upon waiting for authorization it pulled into the hanger landing next to Lady Varanin's own ship. Lucien rose from his chair pulling a bottle of vintage wine from a cooler. He walked calmly from the ship completely alone.

Arriving in the dining room he noted that Ashin had already arrived, He gave her a curt nod "Good evening My Lady" He said as he passed. He approached Domino offering her the wine "You are most gracious Lady Domino"

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Vex had arrived earlier in the evening. He needed a night of celebration the suns had fallen on hard times and it was good to see they still had allies. He walked into the dining room from the kitchen. He moved along to stand by domino's side and offered the sith lord a quick greeting and took possession of his gift. Then he moved along snatching two glasses from a passing waiter and pouring as he walked toward Ashin Varanin, His mother had always said he made a good bar man granted she was normally lay with her head in a toilet basin at the time. He moved over to Ashin offering her a glass "You have my personal thanks for sticking by us." He said offering a bow

 

[Domino]

"Indeed it has, an unfortunately long time." Domino replied to Ashin from the far side of the large hexagonal table. She had been about to accept the wine from Lucien when the Vigo took it and made his way into the conversation. It was just as well though, this was supposed to be a meeting for all the officers or titled people of their respective groups. "Thank you Lord Cordel, but there's no need for anyone to call me lady. I gave up my only title to nobility long ago." And even then she'd only been the Baroness of Cloud City, a title the floating city's Chief Administrator got along with their position. And even then that had been half a melinia ago.

"I hope our appearance didn't cause too much alarm." She said to the group at large. "We'd been planning this for quite some time but due to the 'closeness' of our neighbors we couldn't risk sending a transmission. We even took the long way around to avoid passing through the perimeter sensors of the Confederacy and Protectorate."

@[member="Lucien Cordel"] @[member="Ashin Varanin"] @[member="Wendy La Fey"] @Vex Tythion

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Domino"] @Vex Tythion

Ashin murmured diplomatic niceties to Vex and the others who greeted her, then turned her attention back to Domino.

"Not at all," she said. "We, too, have perimeter sensors - our main enemies aren't the powers of the galaxy, but the raiders and monsters of the Unknown Regions. When we extrapolated your approach vector, we had a fairly good idea of who was coming to say hello -- either you or the Moross Crusade."

She took a seat at the table and steepled her hands, resting her fingertips against her chin and her lips. "I've admired your naval forces for some time, Domino. I'm pleased to see them in person. May I assume you've decided to rest here a while? We can't promise perfect safety, but so long as your people don't start a war for us, this end of space should be fairly quiet."

 

[Domino]

'Monsters of the Unknown Regions,' that managed to pull a genuine smile of humor out of Domino. This meeting was starting to bring back more memories than she was necessarily comfortable with. Instead of facing them, she took a seat at a right angle to Ashin's, leaving the one across from her for Vex as he was the Sun's Vigo now. "No sense in skirting around he edge of the matter I suppose. As much as I'd like to I can't take you up on your offer. My curse seems to be that I can't abandon my duties which pull me elsewhere. But at the same time this fleet and its crew and officers are another responsibility that I refuse to ignore. One we refuse to ignore." She corrected looking to Vex to include him in her statement. "We're looking at capitulation, the near-total dissolution of the Suns as they are. Loyal to a fault, our crews would be looking at persecution should the Republic take over as ex-naval men, possibly worse for the officers." She knew she was asking for a lot with this next bit, but she had to push forward. "Which is why I'm asking you to please take them and their families in, give them a home and let them continue to serve. And this fleet and all our schematics will be yours."
@[member="Ashin Varanin"] @Vex Tythion @[member="Lucien Cordel"] @[member="Wendy La Fey"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Domino"]

Ashin sat back in her chair.

"An experienced armada, in return for facing the burden of keeping them legally and functionally safe from prosecution or grudges -- and knowing that the Republic won't look kindly on us for giving safe harbor to their enemies."

Steel entered her eyes. "But you were my allies before they crossed you at Contruum and forced your hand at Nar Shaddaa. I'll honor that, whatever the cost. I'll find stations and homes for your ships, your troops, their families. Crews will have to be shaken up somewhat -- transfers, diffusion -- but I'll make it clear that such reassignments need to be carefully and sensitively handled."

 

[Seris Vant]

@[member="Ashin Varanin"] @[member="Domino"]

"You've no need to worry about us starting any more wars Miss Varanin". Rayl strode in to the dining hall. The man looked tired. A few months of war took their toll on the commander. Some R&R was due soon. He took his seat on their side of the table, lowering himself instead of just falling in for a more comfortable landing. "I'll be willing to lend my services in integrating the fleet. After all, I did put it together. I know them best". Rayl leaned forward and grabbed a bottle of chilled wine, pouring a glass for himself to savor as he awaited reply.

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Lucien took a seat next to this Vigo, a short man who was clearly in love with Liquor. He listened quietly to Domino's request that the fringe protect her people and after waiting for Ashin's reply he added himself "I can certainly have some of your people ... Arrested" He said accompanying the statement with inverted commas "That way the republic has no excuse to take them and they can take up new jobs in the fringe"
Lucien hated the republic with a passion, when he was younger he had hated them because that was the 'In' thing for sith to do. Now however he had a reason they were Pius bullies, who thought that because they shouted loudly about morality they could stomp around the galaxy taking what they wanted. He poured himself a drink and continued to Listen.

 

[Lucien Cordel]

Vex grumbled a little as Ashin brushed him off and waddled to the table. He took a seat next to Ashin and listened as domino explained the reason for their arrival, nodding silently in agreement. It was polite of domino to include him in discussion and give him credit he had done very little. He breathed a sigh of relief as Ashin agreed to take Sun Personnel under their protection. He only had to think of himself and his workers now.
He lent back "You have our Thanks Mrs. Varanin, I may be a useless drunk but I do care for my people ... it is regrettable that we had to resort to this" He said softly swilling his glass. The Fringe officer next to him. He looked very stuck up, Vex was not sure whether he could be trusted but what choice did they have.

 

[Domino]

"I doubt they'd do much to you for this. They are soldiers and have committed no crime besides wanting to protect their homes. It is from those who would be appointed by Republic favor that I want to protect them from least they think such would gain them more favor. Or bribes, or someone to blame and take their frustrations out on. This will also spare them the indignity of living under an enemy's thumb." And to Lucien, "As long as my people are treated honorably Lord Cordel. In fact I would prefer you to treat them preciously as your own people." Fore they were indeed her people. It had been her initiatives before she became Vigo that had seen the Sun's budding navy stick to the loyalist side when Excon rebelled. And after she had tended to them, always a priority for her as she grew them into the force they were today. Beaten yes, but not from any loss they had suffered. Still Domino kept her counsel to herself. If this 'johnny-come-lately,' was seeking a position and thought this was the best way then she wouldn't step in his way. Today was about finding homes for people and he deserved one too. He'd certainty served well enough since his promotion after Nar Shaddaa.
@[member="Ashin Varanin"] @[member="Rayl Wilded"] @Vex Tythion @[member="Lucien Cordel"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Rayl Wilded"]@[member="Lucien Cordel"]@Vex Tythion@[member="Domino"]

"Mr. Wilded, your services would be useful. Vigo Tythion, it's my honor. And Domino...don't worry. We'll take it from here. Lord Cordel, I think it would be best to save formalized arrests for another moment. No need to stir any confusion among our new brothers and sisters in the rank and file. My thought would be to simply announce that a relative handful of their officers were arrested and drafted. Don't actually do it, but it should dovetail nicely with the basic reassignments I mentioned earlier.

"Yes, I think we can make this work for your people, Domino. With luck, this all goes away."

 

[Seris Vant]

@[member="Ashin Varanin"]

"I believe it should. The Republic will be glad they no longer have any incursions from Black Sun on the south sectors. Will give them more resources to finish kicking in the Sith's teeth. Sad as I am to see our allies fall, The Republic has become mighty. I sailed to Dac to aid Emperor Kaine, he'd already lost when I got their though. The Empire is hanging by a thread now, it won't hold with so much momentum against them". Rayl leaned back in his chair, stretching out his legs. "Do you think they may turn their attention westward once the Sith are crippled. They are allies with The Protectorate"? A worrying possibility, there were many in the Fringe who followed the ways of the Sith teachings, they may not end their crusade in the traditional territory of their enemies.

 

[Domino]

"If they do they'll have a rather nasty surprise waiting for them, but I don't think it's too likely. They know there's all manner of nasty on just the other side of known space just waiting to come knocking. Not something they'll want to deal with on a daily basis." Of course that might not be something the Republic's more war-mongering leaders took into consideration. When all one cared for was a fight you never knew when they would do something incredibly stupid. "Besides, they'll have sith survivors grabbing up remnants of the fleet to worry about as each tries to turn the chaos into a ladder to power. In the meantime the Black Suns have quietly disappeared, each system we once controlled left in order and capable of surviving without a unified government holding them together to support one another, pre-arranged treaties in place. They would be hard-pressed to justify a third invasion to their own, especially against a so far peaceful people. No," she shook head, "the Fringe will be alright and the Suns will do what they do best, what we should have been doing during this whole affair, making large piles of credits." A bit grandoise, but then Domino hoped that such a speech would draw Rayl's thoughts away from war and towards the more practical. Though he wasn't hers anymore was he?
@Ashin Varanin @Rayl Wilded @Vex Tythion @Lucien Cordel