Private Manifest and Intentions

[Ra'a'mah]

Relief efforts lived or died by logistics, something Ra'a'mah understood considerably better than most. The freighter settling onto the landing pad carried little that was glamorous, but plenty that was useful: preserved food, medical supplies, portable shelters, sanitation equipment, replacement power cells, and other necessities that could be stored until they were needed again. Where that might be wasn't for Ra to decide. The people receiving the shipment were the ones who would eventually carry those supplies to whatever world or community needed their aid.

Once the ramp lowered, her crew began preparing the pallets for transfer while Ra waited nearby with the manifest in hand. She had elected to accompany the delivery rather than simply send a freighter, as the shipment offered a good opportunity to introduce herself. The Protectorate had resources to spare, and she saw little reason not to place some of them in the hands of people already doing the work.

When someone approached to receive the shipment, Ra offered the datapad with a small smile. "Ra'a'mah Numare, United Protectorate of Sovereign Systems. Food, medicine, shelter supplies, and a few other necessities for your future relief efforts. There's a complete inventory there." She glanced toward the waiting cargo before adding, "No conditions attached. We heard what your people have been doing and thought we could help make certain you have something to work with the next time someone needs you."

Matthew of Valendale

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

Tags: Ra'a'mah ​

A towering, broad-framed figure had come to receive the shipment destined for Refuge personally, accompanied by two of his young squires: the eldest and youngest of the group respectively.

Matthew of Valendale stood an imposing seven feet tall, broad through the shoulders beneath the fine cut of his dark attire. Long snowy white hair fell behind him, in long cascading waves framing an angular, almost aristocratic countenance and held a veil of snowy bangs which framed eyes of an icy blue. He was trailed by a pair of great prismatic-white wings at his back which caught stray light in shifting shades as he moved, their breadth lending still more presence to an already considerable figure.

At his side walked Raphael, a young man of twenty-one winters and nearly Matthew's equal in stature at six feet eight in height. Long, blush frosted golden blond hair fell about his shoulders, seemingly almost irreverent beside the polished dignity of his bearing. Dark ocean blue eyes regarded their surroundings attentively, while broad silvery wings folded behind him. He carried himself with the practiced posture of someone accustomed to being the eldest among younger charges, trying to set a good example.

Elias made for a considerably smaller silhouette upon Matthew's other side finishing up the small entourage.

At sixteen he stood at five feet seven, the Little Lion was small by Divinarie standards, particularly beside the two towering figures accompanying him. Dark hair framed youthful features and clear bright blue eyes, while golden, hawk-like wings folded neatly behind him. There was nothing frail about him, however; his smaller stature merely made the contrast between the three rather difficult to miss.

Matthew had made a point of receiving the shipment personally.

There were grander gifts governments might have sent: weapons, vessels, precious metals, or even promises wrapped in ceremony. Yet this genuine offer of aid had caught his attention.

Useful and Necessary things that were considerate after all was said and done.

He offered their guest a pleasant smile accompanied by a cordial bow of his head. "Lady Numare, you've my gratitude twice over: once for the supplies, and again for having the good sense not to bury generosity beneath twenty pages of conditions.

We have been trying to build something capable of answering precisely this sort of need. You have my sincere thanks for remembering that beneath ships, territories, and borders, there are still people."

His hand settled lightly against his chest as he inclined his head.

"Forgive me... where are my manners... I'm Matthew of Valendale. Lord Protector of Centerra, and Presiding Steward of the Farworlds Alliance."

The formal introduction softened beneath an easier expression seemingly pleasantly surprised by her presence.

"Allow me to be the first to welcome you to Refuge. I hope you will permit me to receive your generosity personally… and perhaps steal a little of your time while our people see to the cargo?

I confess I know considerably less of the United Protectorate than I should. Considering you have arrived bearing half the contents of a respectable relief depot, this seems as good an opportunity as any to remedy that. "

 

[Ra'a'mah]

Ra returned Matthew's bow with a respectful inclination of her head, though her eyes briefly traveled upward before meeting his. She was accustomed to unusual people after so many years wandering the galaxy, but Matthew and his two companions made an impressive trio nonetheless. "Ra will do just fine," she replied with a small smile. "And you're quite welcome. I've always found that aid becomes considerably less helpful when someone attaches enough conditions to make accepting it more troublesome than whatever problem it was meant to solve." His observation about the people beneath all the politics earned a more thoughtful nod. "Those are generally the ones who end up paying for our decisions. Remembering them seems the least we can do."

She glanced toward the unloading before returning her attention to Matthew. "And thank you for the welcome. I'd be happy to surrender a little of my time. Truthfully, I was hoping I might have the opportunity to meet you while I was here." There was little reason to pretend the decision to accompany a shipment that could easily have been entrusted to one of her employees had been a coincidence. "I've heard enough about what you've been building here to become curious, and curiosity has led me considerably farther from home than Refuge."

His admission concerning the Protectorate drew a quiet chuckle from her. "Then perhaps we can remedy both of our ignorance at once. I suspect I know less about the Farworlds Alliance than I ought to as well." Ra left her crew to finish the transfer and fell easily into step with Matthew, content to let him decide where their conversation would take them. "The Protectorate is actually rather simple at its heart. Independent worlds helping one another without asking them to stop being independent in exchange. The details become considerably more complicated, as governments have an unfortunate habit of doing." Her smile returned as she glanced toward him. "I imagine we'll have plenty to talk about."

Matthew of Valendale

 

[Matthew of Valendale]

Tags: Ra'a'mah ​

"I believe when that happens, it's no longer called 'aid,' but 'leverage.'" Matthew offered the mild comment as if the truth of the observation made it humorous in its own way.

"It sounds like your vision is not dissimilar to our own," Matthew offered softly.

Matthew led her over to one of the small community gathering places: a cantina, though a newly constructed one that served food and came across more like a diner than anything else, truthfully. With so many Mandalorians and war veterans around, it seemed drink was rather important when it came time for folks to take the edge off and relax with friends.

Matthew fetched the door for her and gestured for her to step ahead of him.

"After you, my Lady. "

 

[Ra'a'mah]

"Leverage," Ra repeated with a quiet chuckle. "Yes, that's exactly what it becomes. I've spent enough of my life negotiating contracts to recognize when generosity has simply been given a more attractive name." There was a reason she preferred clear terms when something truly was a transaction. At least then everyone involved knew where they stood. Aid should be different, particularly when the people receiving it were in no position to bargain fairly in the first place.

Matthew's observation earned a more thoughtful look as she followed him toward the newly constructed cantina. "That's part of what made me curious enough to come along with the shipment myself. What little I'd learned suggested there might be some similarities between what you're building and what we've built in the Protectorate." Similarity was not the same thing as agreement, of course, and Ra had lived long enough to know that two groups could arrive at nearly identical principles while disagreeing considerably over how to put them into practice. Finding out where those similarities began and ended was precisely why meeting Matthew interested her. "I'd rather learn what those similarities actually are than make assumptions from a distance."

When he opened the door for her, Ra inclined her head with an appreciative smile and stepped inside. "Thank you." Her gaze moved briefly over the cantina as she entered, taking in the new construction and the people gathered within before she looked back toward Matthew. "You've heard the simplest version of the Protectorate from me. I'd like to hear yours now. What are you hoping the Farworlds Alliance becomes?"

Matthew of Valendale