Private Negotiating The Future

[Dominique Vexx]

Red Fangs Spaceport, Mon Gazza

Mandalorians. Well-known for being accomplished Bounty Hunters. Warriors for Hire, provided you didn't offend their sense of honor. Trained in countless martial techniques and weaponry they could stand toe-to-toe with a Force User and survive.

More importantly, this particular gathering of Clans known as The Enclave had prior dealings with the Alliance. When they were still forming, then-Chancellor Tithe himself had attended the negotiations. Set this far out on the Rim, the Mandalorians were in need of supplies and allies. Their self-proclaimed desire to bring order to the lawless worlds was not without the need to provide for those people... to ween them off old habits.

It was a connection that Dominique Vexx thought to... explore further. The Senator of Denon had sent word to The Enclave ahead of time. She'd offered to bolster the supply of goods, services, and material that such a formidable force required to maintain the civility back home, and the war effort abroad.

The Alliance was no doubt content the Mandalorians seemed to fight on "their side" of conflicts in recent years, but that was because it benefited them to do so. Dominique was aware of their connections to the New Imperial Order -- now The Empire. The right promises, the right exchanges... who was to say the Mandalorians remain on the Alliance's side? What held them there? Their honor was not about being champions for good, but warriors. You could be an accomplished warrior fighting for an Empire.

Yes, there were two aspirations Dominique had in reaching out to them. Securing Denon's future was foremost of importance, but that future was indirectly reliant upon the Alliance itself. Anyone that sought to crush the larger collective would undoubtedly seek to claim the territory -- either en route to Coruscant, or after the fact. Most, Dominique could see Denon fitting in without issue. Most. Twisted gatherings like those of the Brotherhood -- or previously the Bryn'adul -- were of concern. One did not convince a rabid dog not to bite in exchange for food.

Which led them to today. Now. Mon Gazza, specifically. Dominique Vexx strode along the corridors of one of the port's enclosures. Her high heels glided across the carpeted upper level. A glance spared for those that milled about in the two levels below. Plenty of space for merchants -- reputable and otherwise -- to barter and exchange goods. It was surprisingly clean given the history of Mon Gazza, but then this particular structure was relatively new. Perhaps in a decade or two it would look like most other attended, but too expansive to properly maintain constructs strewn throughout the galaxy.

Dominique wondered what those... passing through thought of its existence on the border of The Enclave's claimed space. Perhaps she could see to the needs of these people and put in a word with the judicial zealots that threatened to spill over onto this world. Mitigate the damage to the local economy. The day was young.

Shai Maji | Enclave, Open​

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Mon Gazza | Red Fangs Space Port, Meeting Room
Tags: Shai Maji | Dominique Vexx

​

Scum and villainy, stretched as far as the unaugmented eye could see.

That’s what he bore-witness, with his own eyes no less; the local populace of the rust-red planet, Mon Gazza, taken hostage by the numerous and powerful spice barons and criminal syndicates alike, profiteering off of misery. Such was the nature of many worlds in the far fringes of the galaxy, particularly in the confines of Wild Space.

But they were a beacon of light in a place dark and vile. Their war against crime was necessary to ensure internal stability. Through smarts, sweat and blood combined they had mostly routed out criminal influences in planets under their rule, which were once considered hotspots for underworld activity in times before the emergence of The Enclave in Wild Space.

But as successful as their ongoing conflict to maintain internal stability was, it was nothing short of costly. Almost every new planet that swore allegiance to The Enclave, appeared rife with crime more than those preceded them. Every new world that joined into the fold, meant an investment to arm, equip, and train a planetary defense force for peace keeping operations, for starters. The safety of the people that sought their protection was necessary during the integration process of the planet into their borders and economy.

All the while dealing with their enemies without.

The machinations of their enemies numerous ceased not for even a moment; for all the military might of The Enclave and the victories they had carved out in battlefields spanning from the far fringes of Wild Space, all the way to Tython and beyond, they too were not immune to the economical consequences war brought in its wake.

The economical support of the Galactic Alliance that was ensured under Chancellor Tithe’s administration, although not crucial, was certainly non-negligible in these trying times. The idea of further expansion of the trade deal with the Alliance did pique interest in the upper echelons of the government.

And that’s why he was here; to oversee such negotiations, with the rest of the representatives and liaisons, no less.

Occasionally he took a drag of smoke from his cigarra, as the giant of a Mandalorian gazed somewhat absentmindedly at the busy, poverty stricken streets of the city as he stood tall by a window; scars of countless battles and skirmishes adorned the giant’s clean-shaven features. Despite his age, and what many would rightfully deem as a “stressful” line of work, his hair remained jet black as ever without a single spot of gray, akin to the color of his armor he wore.

Within the confines of a meeting room situated in the upper floors of the newly built space port, he patiently waited for the arrival of the Galactic Alliance Senator, and the rest of The Enclave representatives and liaisons.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai knew the name. She didn't know the person it belonged to, but she knew the name... as well as who that name worked for. Dominique Vexx, senator of Denon and lapdog of the Corpos. At one point she worked for them, a bloodhound chasing Denon's local terrorists to lock them up or put them down. It was only after a solid number of arrests that Shai realized what was going on.

She tried to make things right, but the damage was done. She helped a few to escape at least, a small semblance of redemption for her mistakes.

The thought was quickly shaken away as Shai marched through the streets towards the meeting point. Apparently Vexx wanted to negotiate some kind of deal. The reward was a healthy source of materials and goods that the Enclave can always need. What had her worried was the true intentions of Vexx. What the hell did a corpo want with the Enclave? She had a number of suspicions, but things were never as they seemed when it came to their kind. Sure as Mandalorians were mass murderers, Corpos spoke words so crooked that they could swallow nails and spit out corkscrews.

The Shistavanen finally arrived at the meeting point, however she paused for a good few moments when she realized who was looking over the stricken streets of Mon Gazza. "Kran?" She muttered. For a moment the hard and professional exterior melted away as she crashed into the giant, pulling him into a tight hug. Her forehead gently met his before Shai pulled away to look at him.

She hadn't seen him in a good amount of time. Couple months? A year? More? Time had been blurry for her with everything going on. What could she say to greet him properly?

"You getting fat?"

She tapped his sides with a frown behind her visor. "You are! Holy kriff, those love handles are sitting tight, Kran! What the hell?!" She spoke up, taking a step back to look at him.

While they waited for the senator, at least they could catch up a little... hopefully with minimal injuries.

Kranak Vizsla Dominique Vexx

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Shai Maji | Dominique Vexx

​

"Kran?"

The number of individuals who could ever refer to him with the amicable abbreviation of his name was quite thin on the ground. And no less, the voice synthesized through the annunciator of a helmet, belonged to none other than the Wardog herself, his best friend and years long sister-in-arms.

He stubbed out the almost finished cigarra on an ashtray in front of him on the window sill, and turned around. At the sight of her, Kranak offered Shai a warm, greeting smile; although his scarred visage was bereft of a surprised expression, in complete contrast to the mild hint of bewilderment apparent in the intonation of the Wardog’s voice. Prior to his arrival to Mon Gazza, he was informed she would be present for the negotiations that were scheduled to take place here between the Alliance and The Enclave representatives.

It was wonderful to see a familiar face again.

But before he could even begin to express such feelings, Shai had closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, and crashed into him. As she tightly wrapped him in an embrace, the faint grunt that involuntarily escaped his lips would be quick to turn into a hearty chuckle, as the giant of a Mandalorian wrapped his arms around her, as tightly as hers in response to her gesture. “It’s been too long,” Kranak said smilingly, his remark followed in the wake of reciprocating the Mandalorian way of greeting she offered him, meeting the Wardog’s armored dome with his bare own in the middle.

Pulling back from her warm and greeting embrace, the giant produced a pair of cigarras from one of his pockets while the Wardog offered him a rather peculiar remark.

"You getting fat?"

She tapped his sides with a frown behind her visor. "You are! Holy kriff, those love handles are sitting tight, Kran! What the hell?!" She spoke up, taking a step back to look at him.

His chuckle escalated into a genuine cackle in response to her remark, and her hands tapping and caressing his sides. “It appears old age has begun deteriorating your abilities of perception, old girl,” the giant of a man quipped back at her without skipping a beat once his cackle died down, with a deliberate emphasis on his amicable and affectionate moniker he’d refer to her. One unfamiliar with her demeanor could make the mistake of assuming her remark to be derogatory, but the reality would be far from it; a boisterous banterer in nature, it was her own unique way of greeting him.

She hadn’t changed at all.

“So, what have you been up to while I was gone?” He placed a cigarra at the corner of his smiling lips as he asked her. Gently extending his hand towards the Wardog, the man offered her a cigarra. Should she choose to accept the smoke, he’d reach for a lighter and light up her cigarra for her, before lighting his own. “We should find ourselves a cantina here once the negotiations conclude,” he added to his initial inquiry with his remark. “You know, get something to drink and catch up. If you’ve got the time, of course,” the giant took a puff from his cigarra, exhaling a plume of smoke with a shallow sigh, away from the Wardog’s visage.

It really was good to see her again.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

The bodyguards that accompanied the Senator were there to keep the 'enterprising' criminal element from thinking her an easy ransom. If the Mandalorians suddenly became hostile... well, Dominique paid her security well in every assignment. If you returned alive, you were well off. If you did not... you did not. Professional hazard. The Mandalorians would agree.

So, once they approached the meeting area, the squad of four peeled off to take station nearby. A calculated risk to presume the Enclave hadn't somehow silently turned against them already. That was a risk that could rear its head any day. She doubted they'd swallow being hired assassins there to bait a Senator into a trap. Anything of the sort would be shaming beyond measure. Dominique could handle herself, if things came down to that, but a group of Mandalorians? Hardly. Not a kill worthy of song.

Darkwire would disagree, but they disagreed about everything including the color of the night sky.

An assistant accompanied the lilac-haired woman as she strolled calmly into the room. Golden eyes slid over those in attendance.

"Mandalorians." Dominique paused briefly after her greeting. Hardly seemed appropriate to use the tried-and-true 'ladies and gentlemen' opener with these hardened folk. "I am Senator Dominique Vexx of Denon," in case they actually weren't aware and thought some eccentrically-dressed woman had wandered in, "and it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Provided they didn't shoot her, Dominique glided into the room toward the chairs about the table. "My intentions are simple: bolster trade between Denon and the Enclave. There's very little Denon cannot provide, positioned along the hyperspace lane that extends into your territory, far closer than those comfortably on Coruscant. Shall we begin with describing what each of us desires most from this engagement?"

Normally, Dominique would have spent more time warming up to the negotiators. Word play. Subterfuge. Eventually getting around to what was desired without trying to let anyone know it was what she was after. Mandalorians were a different sort of customer. Dominique had studied reports about prior negotiations with them; even the Intelligence briefings about those they'd had with the Empire. None of them had benefitted from trying to strong arm the Mandalorians, nor dance around them with overly flowery language. They were blunt. Straight-forward. Mistakenly thought "simple" as a result, but they were anything but simple. In fact, their complexities were all the more challenging because of just how different they were compared to everyone else.

Kranak Vizsla | Shai Maji​

 

[Shai Maji]

"Yeah right, you're the cripple between the two of us, chubby. I'd know." Shai remarked with a smug grin as she pulled off her helmet. She really missed the big guy. He went on to ask what she had been up to, earning a shrug from the Wardog. "Eh. Not much. Managing the business, chilling with the hubby... adopting a kid... the usual." Her exceptionally casual answer was met with a smug, sidelong grin as she looked up at Kranak.

He needed to meet Yuri sometime.

Unfortunately their chatter was cut short with the arrival of a few bodyguards and finally the main harpy herself. Clipping her helmet to her belt, Shai faced the woman with hands casually resting on the grips of her pistols. Her crimson gaze glared coldly at the Corpo and her personal slave for a good few moments as Dominique introduced herself.

"Your parents didn't really love you, huh? With a name like that?" She commented as she accepted the cigarra from Kranak and lit it with her flamethrower's ignition.

She had no doubts that Dominique likely knew of her previous contract with Denon's Corpos, however brief it was. Those types usually had a habit of knowing more than they needed to.

She luckily kept quiet for the rest of Dominique's introduction as she stepped back to smoke her cigarra. Kranak needed to take the lead on this one for once. Out of all their years of working together, this was one time she felt that he'd be able to do a better job. After what she did in her short stint on Denon, her appetite towards the Corporate big wigs had steadily and quickly declined.

<"You take point on this one, Kran. I'll tear this harpy to shreds if she keeps jawing all that bantha crap."> She spoke clearly in Mando'a, keeping her eyes on the striking features of the Senator.

Kranak Vizsla Dominique Vexx

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Shai Maji | Dominique Vexx

​

"Yeah right, you're the cripple between the two of us, chubby. I'd know."

The Shistavanen’s smug remark earned her a light jab at her shoulder. “Chakaar,” he muttered to her with a chuckle.

With the strike of the spark wheel of the lighter in his grasp, the giant brought the small dancing flame to the tip of the cigarra between his lips while she began giving him a quick recap of what she had been up to; the casual mention of having adopted a child had his eyes widen. ”The usual?” the giant of a man repeated her remark in mild bewilderment at the revelation, after puffing a plume of smoke away from her in the wake of a drag from his cigarra.

His lips parted to continue, to ask of the young one’s name, where she had gotten the child, among several other questions, but he’d be spared not the opportunity to voice such topics to his friend; it was shortly after his mildly bewildered remark they’d hear footfalls from the hallway outside. With each step they drew nearer.

Time for banter and chatter had come to an end.

“They’re here,” he muttered to her after he blew another plume of smoke in the wake of a drag. ”We will continue later,” he muttered to her just before the Galactic Alliance representative and her small retinue of guards emerged from the doorway.

"Mandalorians." Dominique paused briefly after her greeting. "I am Senator Dominique Vexx of Denon," in case they actually weren't aware and thought some eccentrically-dressed woman had wandered in, "and it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance."

But before the giant could begin and address the Senator in a manner well within the boundaries of etiquette, he couldn’t help but realize the mere sight of the lilac-haired woman stirred up the Wardog standing beside him. The Wardog offered the Senator an angry glower he was used to seeing spared only to the enemies of their people from her.

Strange. Undoubtedly, the two of them shared some form of history between each other, but he knew not exactly. Perhaps one of the old girl’s acquaintances of the unsavory kind from her gun running days?

But, knowing of her boisterous and wholly blunt nature, the giant of a man offered her a rather stiff nudge of his elbow to her side before she could offer the Senator a snide remark. This meeting called for some form of mannerism, and there was really hardly a room for such callousness, lest they risk causing straining in their relations with their allies. ”Temper, temper.” he whispered at a tone loud enough for only the Wardog to hear as he kept his gaze on the Senator, while he got a measure of the well-dressed woman and her posse.

<"You take point on this one, Kran. I'll tear this harpy to shreds if she keeps jawing all that bantha crap."> She spoke clearly in Mando'a, keeping her eyes on the striking features of the Senator.

||”I hear you,”|| He switched to Mando’a for just a moment, to speak to his friend. ||”But all I ask of you is some form of restraint, dear friend.||” he added as he offered the Wardog a grin, before he’d begin to address the Senator of Denon, following the Senator’s explanation of her intentions.

"My intentions are simple: bolster trade between Denon and the Enclave. There's very little Denon cannot provide, positioned along the hyperspace lane that extends into your territory, far closer than those comfortably on Coruscant. Shall we begin with describing what each of us desires most from this engagement?"

The giant couldn’t help but like the fact that she had gotten straight to the point instead of beating around the bush, getting right down into business. ”Kranak Vizsla, Commander of the Si’kahya, and Chief of House Vizsla; pleased to make your acquaintance, Senator,” he quickly introduced himself to the Senator, concluding his part of the pleasantries. ”Discussing the use of your civilian factories on Denon for a certain period of time in exchange for our mercenary services would be a good start,” he got to the point, squandering not a single moment after his introduction of himself, the giant had offered his terms alongside stating what the state was in need of.

Although he would be somewhat reluctant to provide any further compromise at that moment, that could possibly be remedied as the negotiations escalated further, but that was very much dependent on what the Senator of Denon could compromise in return.

Economical after effects of the Fireflash outbreak that had swept over the Enclave space like the wild fire it was, lingered ever still. Making use of their civilian factories to aid them in the effort to rebuild, used as a supplement next to their own capabilities, would be a decent start going forward.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique maintained her smile with all the patience of someone practiced in the art. Her golden eyes shifted slightly from Kranak to Shai and back again as the two had a brief 'moment.' If the Senator recognized the Shistavanen -- and it was hard not to -- she gave no outward sign. Did she have a tell? Well, not one of a novice negotiator that was for certain. Raised eyebrows were for when you wanted the other party to know you were on to them. A shared inside joke as it were.

Perhaps this was a joke between the two of them. If Shai were assuming the lead, perhaps Dominique would have indulged. Or perhaps she would have refrained as she did now. Did she know? Didn't she? What did she know? Yes, uncertainty played well during negotiations -- at least in the beginning. Kept people off balance. Just because Dominique was straight forward for the Mandalorians' sake didn't mean she'd thrown the entire book of diplomatic decorum out the window.

"My thoughts exactly. Shall we?" Dominique gestured to the seats around the table. Before they went too far, it was only proper to make sure she was welcome at the table in the first place.

After they'd settled in, Dominique regarded Kranak once more. "Denon has a large number of factories versed in the production of many products. Weapons. Armor. Medical Supplies. Ship components. There's very little we could not provide or supplement what your own factories can produce." The Enclave wasn't as helpless as some might think. Their Forges worked overtime to fulfill traditional needs. Some more 'common place' needs as well. Still, they were not a merchantile people and their worlds were still quite young as a collective, in galactic terms.

"In return, Denon might have need of the Enclave's services." Now Dominique did spare a glance at Shai again. "I trust in Mandalorian honor in what is discussed here will remain in confidence. What I am asking in return -- the nature and quantity of which yet to be determined -- is your protection of the Denon itself. I am not here on behalf of the DireX Board and the Corporate Authorities; I am the Senator of Denon, not of its Corporations. There is much turmoil of late, and I expect it will visit our shores sooner than I would have liked. Strong, capable, and cunning warriors such as yourselves could help maintain the peace. Would you be open to such an arrangement?" It was a risk to say too much in front of Shai, but it would make this entire endeavor fruitless if Dominique didn't so much as try. She hoped the other woman would give some indication what transpired here wouldn't be sold or gifted to either faction back home.

Their service as a people might not be all she asked, depending on how much of the factories Kranak desired, but it was of interest to acquire it.

Kranak Vizsla | Shai Maji​

 

[Shai Maji]

Before she could even get a word out, Kranak's elbow drove into her side, forcing a grunt out of the Wardog. She shot him an annoyed glare, but she quickly calmed down again. He was right. She couldn't let her own bias mess things up before they even had a chance to hear what the Senator had to say. She chose to stand as Kranak took a seat, though she made sure to stand behind him with crimson eyes watching the guards in the room.

However, her stalwart stature fractured a little at the mention of providing mercenary services for the lilac-haired harpy. Her lips parted, but shut almost immediately as she held her tongue for the moment. She missed that part of the briefing entirely. Probably one of the Enclave's "need to know basis" things she was no longer privy to. Her gaze shifted to Vexx as she elaborated on the whole situation a bit more. Once again she had an arsenal of tasteless remarks to launch at the senator, but she chose to ignore it all. There was something far easier to focus on.

"The Enclave's already got deals with the Alliance. Whether or not the Enclave needs anything ain't the issue here. The issue is what you got going on with your corporations' little playground. You don't have the power to just cut Alliance ties with the Enclave, so what do you think gives you the right to claim that the Alliance is negotiating here. You can barely take care of a couple freedom fighters on your planet..." Her tone was cold, but firm and calm. She was trying, for once, to not just say whatever flowed over her tongue.

At least for a little bit.

"Why do you want Mando backup? You wanna raid bars, businesses and houses again? Baker's Row execution special, round two?" Venom dripped from each and every word as her eyes narrowed. The embers of her cigarra burned brightly as she inhaled a deep plume of smoke, blowing it all through her nostrils like a beast from the Nether as she glared at Vexx.

Kranak Vizsla Dominique Vexx

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

Tags: Shai Maji | Dominique Vexx

​

At the Senator’s kind gesture of her hand towards the seat right across from her’s at the table, the giant of a man spared her a brief nod of his head as he grasped the vacuum tray by the window sill. He set the tray beside his helmet on the table as he sat down; it wasn’t long after he quickly settled down at his seat the Senator began her statement.

"Denon has a large number of factories versed in the production of many products. Weapons. Armor. Medical Supplies. Ship components. There's very little we could not provide or supplement what your own factories can produce."

In patience the giant retained his silence, his gaze remained on her features as she spoke; production of the aforementioned list of products, ship materials in particular, was what interested him the most, aside from using their production facilities to help speed up the rebuilding effort of their damaged infrastructure; with the use of their factories for a little over half a year, after the initial production deficits following in the wake of necessary factory reconfigurations were remedied, they could potentially make a proper recovery from the damage they had sustained over the years, from both the criminal elements operating within their borders, as well as the after effects of Fireflash.

"In return, Denon might have need of the Enclave's services." Now Dominique did spare a glance at Shai again.

Of course, in exchange for the Senator’s compromise, they would also have to give a certain level of compromise of their own.

"I trust in Mandalorian honor in what is discussed here will remain in confidence. What I am asking in return -- the nature and quantity of which yet to be determined -- is your protection of the Denon itself. I am not here on behalf of the DireX Board and the Corporate Authorities; I am the Senator of Denon, not of its Corporations. There is much turmoil of late, and I expect it will visit our shores sooner than I would have liked. Strong, capable, and cunning warriors such as yourselves could help maintain the peace. Would you be open to such an arrangement?"

Her mention of Denon’s protection, although piqued the giant’s interest, his intrigue did not emerge from his rugged features for neither Shai or the Senator to pick up on. On top of it, he did not exactly buy her words at a mere face value. He retained a certain amount of skepticism at the back of his mind as she continued; defending Denon could inherently mean defending its Corporate entities for all he knew.

The aforementioned Corporate entities usually possessed their own assets to draw on for their defense, against armed activists and terrorists, or anybody or any entity that endangered their profits and interests. Said assets were usually in the form of private military companies of their own, or they would hire such entities as mercenaries for their protection.

And if the threat posed such a significant danger to the inhabitants of the planet in general, what was the reason she seeked a remedy to the problem outside of the official channels she possessed as a Senator? Did the Alliance not possess tools to eradicate such threats within their borders, particularly named the SIA?

Though regardless of her reasoning that had brought her here to get their help, he was not so reluctant to come to a resolution and provide the Senator with The Enclave’s mercenary services, for the sake of the latter’s benefit. But, he did not exactly enjoy the idea of meddling with what could be considered an internal affair of the state entity the planet fell into, from a political standpoint. Now if that were to occur, it had the very real potential to harm their relationship with the Alliance, if it were to escalate to such an extent.

The giant’s skepticism would only be further reinforced at the Wardog’s word; his chin rested against his clasped hands as he turned his head to the side, and hearkened to her words as she spoke.

"The Enclave's already got deals with the Alliance. Whether or not the Enclave needs anything ain't the issue here. The issue is what you got going on with your corporations' little playground. You don't have the power to just cut Alliance ties with the Enclave, so what do you think gives you the right to claim that the Alliance is negotiating here. You can barely take care of a couple freedom fighters on your planet..."

"Why do you want Mando backup? You wanna raid bars, businesses and houses again? Baker's Row execution special, round two?"

In silence, he commended her effort of some form of restraint as she spoke, but her finishing remark was spat at the Senator in quite the noticeable anger and hatred. But nevertheless, he would not at all stop her from speaking her mind in that instant. Although resentment underlied each and every word the Wardog snarled at the Senator, he would not make the mistake of discrediting or disregarding the Shistavanen's apparent experience she possessed, more than likely from her previous dealings and meddling on Denon.

The giant greatlyvalued experience, and it appeared the Wardog possessed an overabundance of it regarding this subject of disputation.

”Perhaps,” the giant began; his visage shifted back onto the Senator’s features, his visage bereft of the inherent intrigue from Shai's last remark. ”The Senator could shed some light on the nature of the threat that looms over her planet.” he continued, as his clasped hands unfurled to raise his cigarra to his lips and took a hefty drag. ”I am particularly interested to know what exactly our assets would be dealing with, and thus, to what capacity their services would be utilized, if they were to be dispatched for the protection of your planet, Senator,” he said, as he gently flicked the creeping ash of his cigarra into the vacuum tray.

Perhaps, if the Senator cared to reveal the nature of the issue, it could help them reach a resolution that both parties here desired.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

As the Shistavanen launched into a restrained, if scarcely amicable, tirade, Dominique lowered her chin so her golden eyes could shine over the tops of her dark glasses at the woman. If Shai wanted hostility, Vexx would gladly throw away the facade of humble negotiator.

Kranak stepped in after the accusations had been thrown, of course. The unrestrained, hostile participant and the level-headed negotiator. Whether it was a cunning ploy or mere happenstance, it was a circumstance Dominique was more than acquainted with. Somehow, she doubted the Mandalorians were trying to be clever in how they 'handled' her.

"At present, no one is on Denon's side. The Alliance?" Dominique smirked. "They were debating whether they should invade a member world and forcibly replace that world's government. And who would get to decide the replacements? Whom would you trust in the Alliance? Which of them are the philanthropic souls of gold every rebel at heart yearns for, but never finds?" She would certainly never claim to be altruistic. Well, she might claim it, but she'd never believe it. Hardly precluded her from doing something most would mistake for altruism, however. So many heroes existed because of misconceptions in a person's motives.

"No. This is Denon's problem. The People of Denon will resolve it. I won't stand for our collective Pride to be put on display as a spectacle for the amusement of others. Perhaps if others had felt the same they might have been more inclined to working with me. Instead, they have all but assured the DireX Board will continue their," Dominique paused and rolled her wrist in the air, "what did you call it -- Baker's Row execution special? Each side spitting in the eye of the other, trampling the rest of the planet under their feet. The survivors will be left dining on ashes when one or both sides are finally ended."

Dominique's attention turned back to Kranak specifically. "The People of Denon -- its citizens -- need the protection of the Jedi and Mandalorian under the guidance of someone they can recognize as a lawful authority. Someone to provide stability not merely by an eloquent speech, but in demonstrable gain. Protection against execution squads and destabilizing forces. A force to allow for a sliver of hope to return; that there can be another way."

A small frown turned the corners of Vexx's lips downward for a moment as her gaze slid back to Shai briefly. "I would gladly tell you specifics, but I require assurances. Vows. Contracts. Whatever you wish to give, but there are factions on Denon that would oppose this alliance if they were made aware of its existence. People lashing out in blind hatred, having become too accustomed to that being the only solution. It is my responsibility to ensure Denon's well-being, and it has become clear if I do not do something then millions will suffer and die."

Kranak Vizsla | Shai Maji​