Private Kindred humanitarian spirits

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Isla's private Hotel suite on Alderaan near
Objective: relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Wearing: This
Tag: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Isla sat in her suite, she had taken her military overcoat off and it hung on a door nearby and she wore a comfortable Atrisian designed dress a and her favourite boots. What a party? She was still on shock at the behaviour of that Dobson woman, but she wouldn't dwell on it any longer.

Isla was pleased the Senator had agreed to meet more privately with her to discuss humanitarian plans, she looked at the decanter of brandy expectantly sat on the table with two glasses. She should be along shortly, she rocked her head back and looked up at the ceiling just relaxing, enjoying a moment of quiet which was all to uncommon at the moment, and the very reason she moved her home to Lur. A cool breeze drifted in from the open door leading to the balcony, the music had finished and all she could hear was the wind and the odd night time creature flying past.

The hotel room was well appointed, with a large lounge area with a comfortable sofa and open planned kitchen space next to two large bedrooms. One of the bedrooms was still set out from the maids as Isla had attended alone. Outside through a sliding door was a large private balcony overlooking a wonderful view of the forest. The night before she had enjoyed a solo hot tub on the balcony with nothing but her, the stars, a large bottle of champagne and some locally grown fruits. She was here to do good work, but she intended to make a holiday out of it too.

 

[Kalie Alverez]

(oopsie!)

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Isla's Private Hotel Suite on Alderaan
Objective: Relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana

Tiresh felt a sigh of relief as she pulled the door shut to her bedroom inside her own suite. To be alone… even for a moment… felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

She was looking forward to her more tranquil connection with Isla Draellix-Kobitana , a woman who was truly a welcome surprise for the young idealistic senator. She had been immediately surprised by their like-heartedness and seemingly instant social connection.

And while such connections were certainly possible, the seasoned agent within her could not help but raise a big red flag of warning. She personally had played the role of intrigued noble many times in order to gain a private audience with her desired target.

Was she getting played?

"Access SIA database. Code Alpha Gamma Niner Niner Beta Alpha Three Four Seven One One." Her data pad beeped as it confirmed connection to the secure SIA Database Channels. "Search for Isla. Draellix. Ashlan Crusade." Her eyes scanned trough the priority records related to the woman, confirming her identity… confirming that the woman she had just met was in fact the Minister of Defense… and it appeared that she carried many other titles as well…

But nothing appeared out of place.

"Excellent!" She said to herself with a sigh of relief as she threw herself back onto the bed and closed her eyes. She breathed in… breathed out… enjoying the moment of peace and quiet.

Finally she pulled herself up and got herself dressed into something more casual. After checking herself in the bathroom mirror to make sure she was still presentable, she blinked with satisfaction and walked out into the living room, where her guard detail was lounging.

"I'm going out to meet with someone." She said as they looked up in response to her presence, "I should be back within a few hours… I will keep you updated."

"Yes mam." They said, relaxing again as the Senator made her way out to her ride which would transport her to Isla's Private suite.


______________________________


Tiresh popped her head out of the open door, reaching her hand up to be escorted out of the vehicle by the hotel receptionist.

"Tiresh Kobitana, here to see Isla Draellix…" she informed. The receptionist nodded, motioning towards the elevators. As Tiresh ascended through the levels, she admired the elegance of the hotel. It was rather nice indeed. Finally she stepped out of the elevator and walked up to the Minister of Defense's hotel suite, ringing the door bell and holding her hands interlinked together in front of her as she looked out the window at the majestic skyline.

The possibilities of this meeting were quite significant, with the possibility of impacting millions of lives throughout the galaxy. Tiresh remained optimistic and hopeful, believing their connection was more than sheer coincidence.

She was also looking forward to that bottle of brandy.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Isla's private Hotel suite on Alderaan near
Objective: relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Wearing: This
Tag: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Isla stood and answered the door to her suite, the face of Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix was on the security monitor so she opened the door. "Good evening Senator, thank you for accepting my invitation, it is good to see you." She nodded her head in a dignified way, no sense in giving potential crass onlooker unnecessary reasons to gossip. Showing the woman in, Isla noted her change in outfit, she still looked every bit the powerful woman, but more relaxed now. "I see you changed, I just had to whip my coat off and I had this on underneath. laughing sarcastically "I do hope noone took objection to my outfit tonight."

She shut the door behind her and took her guest's coat. Gesturing for her to take a seat on one of the sofa's the mood in the air was relaxed, she liked this. In politics classes she was always taught that some of the best deals you ever make will be over a good drink with a friend. Isla typically valued transparency and Tiresh wasn't a friend quite yet, bit she hoped it would ring true.

She poured a large glass of the brandy for each of them and spoke "My mother often brings me back a bottle of this when she visits home, I enjoy it, but find it is best shared." she raised her glass and tapped it against that of Tiresh. "I assumed you did a little digging and wasn't put off coming tonight by my military record? That is good, some people see the Ashlan Crest and it puts them off, they can't see past the more militant aspects of our culture to the fact that we are here to do the work of the light." Isla had done a little digging herself too and hadn't found anything off putting about her guest, she had a good feeling about tonight and she sat with a smile on her face as they spoke.

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Isla's Private Hotel Suite on Alderaan
Objective: Relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Attire: Casual
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana

She beamed as Isla opened the door, walking inside and taking a look around at the exquisite suite. She let out a hearty laugh at Isla's comment regarding hoping her outfit had been appropriate during the fundraiser, "Oh, my dear! You looked fantastic! Don't even think of letting that ridiculous woman's comments get into your head!"

She let Isla take her jacket and took a seat on the sofa, letting out a grateful sigh and the relaxed atmosphere, stretching her legs out and crossing them in front of her as she continued to admire the suite.

"I like your mother already." Tiresh smiled and clinked her glass against Isla's, then took a sip. "Yes, you are an impressive woman! I am more aware than most as to how appearances can be deceiving… we are more than we appear, are we not?" Tiresh smiled, and internally regretted that she herself was much more than she appeared as well. But such was her life... the life of an SIA agent. And she was not in the least bit trying to pull the wool over Isla's eyes... She genuinely believed in the work she was doing as Tiresh. In many ways, she was being drawn more and more away from the agent side of things, felling like she could do more good in the galaxy as Tiresh Kobitana than she could as Kalie Alverez.

"I would assume that it is your first hand experience in war which has birthed your compassion for those that it affects, would that be accurate?"

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Isla's private Hotel suite on Alderaan near
Objective: relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Wearing: This
Tag: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

"I like your mother already."

"She is a wonderful mother, strict when I was growing up, but she wanted all this for me, and now i have it she is a good friend to me. Do you have much family?" a little small talk was a nice way to relax and get to know someone better, not enough people just asked who you really ere in their line of work. She was pleased to see that her guest looked like she was relaxing and felt at ease. She would would obviously need to watch herself getting too comfortable, from her dealings with other politicians, there was often much more going on. She smiled as Tiresh confirmed this, almost a warning perhaps?

"I would assume that it is your first hand experience in war which has birthed your compassion for those that it affects, would that be accurate?

"I suppose yes, but not in the way you might assume, I have been lucky not to have been on the receiving end of a huge amount of warfare." she sighed, a few dealing with Sith raiders when she was younger, but nothing to really create the person she was.

"War is too easy, for instance, elements of the third fleet are currently in negotiations above world near the edge of Ashlan space. With a single message I could command this ships to open fire on the world and they would obey, so with a single thought I coils kill billions of people, ten thousand light years away. Protecting that many people is much harder, and a benevolent peace where people are safe and healthiest is harder still. And ultimately that should be our goal shouldn't it?"

She shrugged in slight resignation. She would do everything she could to bring her personal tally in to balance as much as Ashla would allow. "Can I ask what brought you into this yourself? Inherited interest or personal experience?"

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Isla's Private Hotel Suite on Alderaan
Objective: Relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Attire: Casual
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana


Tiresh took a sip and looked up at the ceiling for a moment, in deep thought as she mused upon @IslaDraellix ’s question regarding her family.

“My mother regrettably passed away when I was young. She was a beautiful woman… dedicated… fierce…. My father is a good man. I would consider myself a daddy’s girl… We are very close.” She smiled, taking another sip, “I tend to believe that I got my politics from my mother and my compassion from my father.”

She was pleasantly intrigued that Isla seemed genuinely interested in her story. Tiresh was accustomed to inquiring and listening to the stories of others. It was rare to find someone in the political spheres who did not love to talk about themselves and their own interests after all.

"War is too easy, for instance, elements of the third fleet are currently in negotiations above world near the edge of Ashlan space. With a single message I could command this ships to open fire on the world and they would obey, so with a single thought I coils kill billions of people, ten thousand light years away. Protecting that many people is much harder, and a benevolent peace where people are safe and healthiest is harder still. And ultimately that should be our goal shouldn't it?"

Tiresh silently sipped from her glass, feeling the weight of Isla’s words. Then she shifted her posture slightly and spoke, “That is a heavy weight to carry. I am always relieved to discover those with such power who desire peace above war. It is… unfortunately… rare. War is easy, you are right. It is easy to hate, to blame, to accuse. It is much harder to reconcile… to forgive... And that is why we must work all that much harder in order to achieve it.” Her eyes looked down with a tinge of sadness for a moment, then back up as Isla. “All of this to say… I am grateful we met.”

Tiresh swirled the glass gently in front of her as she cleared her throat in order to answer Islas inquiry regarding how she had gotten involved with all of this, “My father, mostly. He was a rags to riches kind of man… a brilliant businessman who took his own fathers humble shipyard and turned it into an entrepreneurial empire. As he grew in wealth, he grew in stature, and he began to be introduced to the upper class of Coruscant…. Haha… he didn’t fit in at all... but that’s what made him so unique… so special… he is brilliant, and he recognized that he could use his wealth and relationships within those spheres to make a real difference in the galaxy. So that’s what birthed the Kobitana Foundation… and I grew up going to fundraisers… meeting with politicians and nobles… it was my life. And the one thing that marked me in all of it was how… honest… and real… my father was… in the midst of all the phoniness and politics and charades put on by those around him. But he never lost focus on why he was there and what he was working towards…” Her eyes started to fill up with tears, her throat suddenly caught in a deep emotion for a moment. Tiresh quickly blinked the tears away and cleared her throat, looking hesitantly at Isla, feeling like she was now sharing more that what the Grand Admiral had asked for. “My apologies… anyways… my father had deep connections with the noble families on Lujo, which meant that I did as well… one thing lead to another, and I was elected as the Senator of Lujo. It’s a small planet… unknown to most of the galaxy… but I see that everything in my life has lead me to this. And it’s so much bigger than one system… We could truly change the galaxy… we could truly make a difference. I believe that with all my heart.” She offered an embarrassed smile, quickly taking a bigger sip of the brandy.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Isla's private Hotel suite on Alderaan near
Objective: relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Wearing: This
Tag: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Isla listened intently to Tiresh speaking, she was genuinely interested in hearing more about her. It would help her to know how quickly she wanted to go all in on this venture, these things often involved personal commitment as well as professional, so knowing the other people was essential.

“All of this to say… I am grateful we met.”

"Me too, maybe Ashla herself sent that woman to taunt us to bring us together," She laughed, "not that I was ever one of 'those girls' growing up, but nothing seems to bring women together like a bit of mutual disliking."

Tiresh continued to speak and seemed to be pouring her heart out to Isla, it was a showing of trust perhaps, but what if it was a trick for Isla to lower her guard further. Damn Draellix, she thought to herself, had her military career and dealings with the Ashlans made her so cynical?

She noted that the woman appeared to be getting upset and Isla leaned over and touched her arm in a gesture of comforting. "I am sorry of I have brought up something sensitive, you have no need to apologise, having emotional connections is the reason we care about people we know nothing about. I suppose it is one of the reason I am glad I work with the Ashlans, trying to keep the Jedi a little grounded." she should probably shut up now, claiming the part of some Ashlan conscience was not the humble role she wished to play.

"Have you eaten? I know it's late, but I could have some food brought up, I never like to eat too much at official functions."

She looked up a little information via SAINT about Lujo, only the basics as she didn't want to be overloaded and wanted to remain 'in the room' with her guest. "I must be honest and say I had not heard of Lujo before meeting yourself, I have made my home on a planet called Lur, its a barely habitable ice world, but is so beautiful and unspoilt." maybe she should get down to actually making arrangements, she grinned to herself. But there seemed to be little at the moment so why rush a lovely evening.

"I just want to say, on a personal level, you have my backing for the foundation, we can hammer out more formal arrangements over our drinks." and she topped them both up.

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Isla's Private Hotel Suite on Alderaan
Objective: Relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Attire: Casual
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana


Tiresh raised her glass to offer an amusing cheers with Isla, "Heres to Ms. Dobson, for bringing us together through mutual dislike!" She smiled as they clinked their glasses together.

Tiresh nodded at the proposal of food, "I honestly haven't eaten much all day, that sounds lovely." She would need to brush up on the history of the Ashlan Crusade she mused as she reflected upon what Isla had said.

"I must be honest and say I had not heard of Lujo before meeting yourself, I have made my home on a planet called Lur, its a barely habitable ice world, but is so beautiful and unspoiled."

Tiresh blinked with an understanding expression, "Yes, that is understandable. We are not widely known for much of anything except for our exquisite mountain ranges and oceans… Lujo is absolutely stunning, you must come to visit us someday, You would be my honored guest! It is not nearly as densely populated as some other planets... we carry a strong value for nature and the balance of all living things. All that to say, it would be an excellent planet for you to vacation at! Besides... if we are to establish a working relationship together, it would be a worthwhile trip for you to come and see the beginnings of our humanitarian forces with your own eyes!"

Tiresh tilted her head, imagining the ice planet and what it might be like. It sounded so very different than Lujo, "In climate, they seem very different, however, in other regards… very similar. I can imagine it is very beautiful, albeit I might need to bring my jacket." She laughed.

Tiresh was overjoyed to hear that, at least personally, Isla was willing to back the foundation and their humanitarian efforts. She offered a big smiled and nodded gracefully as her drink was refilled.

"Thank you, Grand Admiral. I feel that, with your backing, our combined reach and effectiveness will be very significant indeed. I know that there is much to work out, but I am confident that we will be able to come to a mutually beneficial arrangement that will help us to expand our reach within the Galactic Alliance, as well as to realize your own hopes within the Ashlan Crusade. Together, we stand." She raised her glass.

"Perhaps it would be helpful for us to list our assets that we are able to contribute… whether relational, material, or financial… as well as determine our goals and vision for this venture. Do you feel that to be an appropriate place to begin?" Tiresh continued to sip on her brandy as she pulled out her data pad and set it on the table in front of her, ready to begin taking notes if needed. Her mind was already beginning to race with the possibilities of how this humble meeting might ultimately become a significant catalyst for true change throughout the galaxy.

She could hardly wait to begin.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Isla's private Hotel suite on Alderaan near
Objective: relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Wearing: This
Tag: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix


A food order was placed, a mixture of different alderaani dishes, a few that Isla had been looking forward to try on this trip, it would be a little wait seeing as most of the dignitaries would likely be in a similar hungry mood.

Isla sat back down and stretched out again. "So Assets, where to begin. Relational, I am nominally the second in command of the Ashlan Crusade and have the ear of our leader, he supports my humanitarian operations, and I have been using elements of the fourth fleet routinely to provide relief to planet's near our border, but on a less formal basis. I also have a few connections with the Eternal Emress and her own foundation."

Pausing, she flipped through a few files, checking that there was nothing secure of confidential that she should inadvertently share. She handed Tiresh the pad, "This details some of the fourth fleet that I have been using, and would continue to do so, should we make future arrangements." The sub force was led by a Dragoon Class Battle Carriers and a pair of Templars, but was primarily made up of Dominion frigates and Knave transport ships. "There is a few ships not listed on here as we are currently in negotiations to aquire purpose built medical vessels but those details are not yet public."

Isla smiled, feeling at ease discussing a topic close to her heart, she had to take care regards clearance levels at this point but SAINT was very helpful in this bit automatically flagging sensitive information for her.

"As far as goals go, either establishing a new partnership, or integrating my assets into your foundation would be the first goal. There is need all over the galaxy, so working out some way of prioritising assistance would be important to make sure we are as efficient as possible."

 

[Kalie Alverez]

Location: Isla's Private Hotel Suite on Alderaan
Objective: Relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Attire: Casual
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana


Tiresh jotted down notes on her datapad as the Grand Admiral spoke, occasionally taking a sip of brandy.

"What are your thoughts on your fourth fleet in regards to standard combat operations? Do you feel comfortable with separating some grouping of vessels to function as a dedicated humanitarian fleet? I wonder if it might be difficult for us to have our assets providing both militarized and humanitarian functions, however you have much more military and fleet experience than myself, so I am curious on your perspective regarding this facet. The Fourth fleet is… very impressive." Tiresh said as she did an overview of the files on Isla's datapad, then handed it back to the Grand Admiral.

"Regarding assets of our foundation, we currently have 4.6 trillion credits at our disposal… from GA grants, business partnerships, political donations, and pure profit from our lucrative business venture of humanly harvesting Ashmaarian Perls… which are exclusive to Lujo, and one of our primary sources of income at the moment. We also have Kobitana Industries, which functions as the business and developmental arm of the Kobitana Foundation. We have hired some of the brightest minds in the GA and are currently developing starships, star fighters, armor, weapons, and other assets which are designed specifically for our humanitarian efforts. Much of the war machines on the market today are geared towards offensive combat… We hope to bring some much needed technological advancement when it comes to humanitarian aid throughout the galaxy. Here are a few items that we are currently developing. Such assets as these are intended to augment existing fleets and humanitarian forces…" She handed Isla her datapad, which showed the recently employed Guardian armor as well as the "Defender" starfighter they were currently developing.

"I agree with your goals entirely. And so, my question for you is…" Tiresh leaned forward, putting her datapad down on the table and placing her arms on her knees, looking intently at Isla, "What is best for this venture? A new para-organization which could possibly be led by a council of representatives… such as you and myself… along with other strategic partners? Or perhaps the Kobitana Foundation is an effective enough platform that can expand to meet our goals as it is, and we simply bring you in as an equal partner and develop a council within… with you possibly forming and heading up a second branch of the foundation within Ashlan territories? My concern above all else is to bring the greatest possible impact to the galaxy… not to expand my name. I would love to hear your opinions on this matter?"

"Also, I wonder, if we develop a council, if it could effectively prioritize assistance... with representatives of each territory bringing the needs of their locations to the council?"

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Isla's private Hotel suite on Alderaan near
Objective: relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Wearing: This
Tag: Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix

Isla mulled it over for a moment as she ate, the option of setting up a new organisation would allow Isla to get in at the ground level and build it in an image she liked but it seemed like Tiresh already had so much set up.

"What you have in place seems great, a lot of work has been done and it would seem a waste to give that, and the connections you have made already. how much could she push for? She had no intention of being a silent partner or simply a donor, it would be nice to contribute her own thoughts and ideas into making a shared legacy.

"Currently the fourth fleet is our reserve fleet but both in and the third are underutilised at the moment since the Sith Empire collapsed. I could see the possibility of moving some of the more offensive ships into a seperate reserve and having the fourth become a dedicated humanitarian fleet. It would be a significant fleet and I would have to authorise costs, but on humanitarian missions I would likely run skeleton crews with reduces costs and allows more supplies to be carried." so she had made her offer, now her request? "What sort of role in internal governance would you be willing to share with me, I don't wish to steal your baby or dilute your legacy, but oversight of my assets would be important to getting the funding approved."

That was a mouthful, she smiled and relaxed, reaching down to unlace her leather boots and take them off, she stretched and sank her toes into the carpet. This was an important diplomatic negotiation, but it was also a drink with a woman that seemed very pleasant, someone that Isla could see as a friend long term. She listened more to what Tiresh said.

"An equal partner would be a lot to offer someone who is a relative unknown to you, it would be an honor to set up an branch in Ashlan territory, I can think of a couple of locations from when I was scouting for military bases, plenty of space and room to build with limited environmental impact, we ashlans seem to have a lot of dusty rocks at the moment." she laughed and handed the floor back to Tiresh.

 

[Tiresh Kobitana-Draellix]

Location: Isla's Private Hotel Suite on Alderaan
Objective: Relax from a stressful party and discuss humanitarian aims
Attire: Casual
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana


Tiresh picked away at some bits of the dish in front of them as she listened to Isla's response, typing out a couple of things on her data pad with one hand as she ate with the other. She felt very positive about the Grand Admiral's proposal for the dedicated fourth fleet as a humanitarian force. She nodded in agreement as she took another bite.

She locked her gaze with the Grand Admiral as she inquired as to her own role in all of this. Despite the relatively new relationship, Tiresh felt generally positive about the possibility of working together. It seemed on the surface like it would be a good fit. She knew that further vetting was necessary, but she wanted to make sure the Grand Admiral felt fully invited into the process. They could flesh out the details later, of course.

"While I am very grateful for your consideration of my personal legacy, I feel that we could accomplish much more together than apart. With that in mind, I am quite open to both of our legacies being strengthened." She smiled as she mused further upon what Isla had said, "I truly am a protective mother in that regard, so I will acknowledge that I would not place my 'baby' in the hands of just anyone… that much is very true."

She took another sip of brandy. She was very impressed with this woman… she was brilliant, that much was apparent. It was so refreshing to find someone who was truly powerful, while also intelligent and prone towards mercy and compassion. What a rare find!

"I understand, and of coarse… you are right. I do want you to feel a true invitation on my behalf and an open hand in all of this, I think that was my hope in what I said. I love the idea of you setting up a branch within Ashlan Territory… and of coarse, I feel like you should be in full control of your fleet and assets. I wonder if we might establish a guiding mandate as well as engagement protocols that all Fleets and forces must abide by. That way there can be diversity within our fleets and within how they might be structured internally, but with a unifying memorandum of understanding that helps to make sure that any partnerships or fleets we obtain do not diverge from their intended purpose." She slowly swished her glass in a circular fashion as an idea came to mind, "...And regarding your role, I propose we form a council… you and myself being the first members, along with my father… and I also have some other relationships that might fit well on such a council… perhaps you do as well…. But anyways, I could reside as the chairman, and... after a probationary period… if everything feels right and we both want to move forward in true partnership… you could be brought on as co-chairman alongside me. And this is why I am pushing for you to be an equal partner…"

She leaned forward, pointing her glass in Isla's direction, "I feel that you carry critical experience in certain skillsets that I do not, and I would not be equipped to correctly assume such a position without such a skilled Admiral by my side with a strong voice to help guide all of us. I have extensive experience in the business and political spheres, while you have extensive experience in military and Fleet oversight, the day-to-day operations of them... along with your vast leadership and political experience. And so... we could have an 8 month probationary period, and see how it goes after that?"