Populate Outbound Flight: Terms and Conditions [THR Populate of Emberlene]

[Dault Grimmin]

Dault sat quietly in his chair, chewing on a roasted bird leg as Senator Verity Stuyveris took the lead on negotiations. She pointed out the application process for membership within the Republic and was kind enough to offer her own support to push the application through. While also mentioning that the collective security clause would enable them to be protected without a permanent fleet presence.

He continued to wine and dine, watching the room as Master Briana Sal-Soren walked in. She was a well-known Jedi with a formidable reputation as a defender of the peace and had a seat on the High Council. She answered the question of Jedi involvement.

He raised his nonexistent brow as Captain Keppler Danvier spoke up next, taking a rather hostile tone. The Captain complained about the cost and the logistics as expected, but Dault find such hostility counterproductive to securing an agreement.

He was soon backed into a corner as the Councilor Vaesh mentioned his earlier comment about instant membership. Dault wiped his mouth with a napkin and leaned forward. It was impossible to just hand out membership on the spot without a Senate vote, but the threat from the Imperium might force the Chancellor's hand.

"While my colleague is correct that the Senate must ratify full membership, the Chancellor's emergency powers could certainly be leveraged to fast-track your status in the face of the Imperium," Dault said simply, letting his eyes sweep over the three councilors. If the Republic wouldn't foot the bill for their defense, he saw a chance for profit.

"And if financing your own defense is a concern, I would be more than willing to arrange a private loan to fund a brand new shipyard right here around Farreach, along with local defense cruisers." Anything that benefited the Trade Federation was a win in his book. He leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of wine as he turned to see how the rest of the delegation would react.​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity's face was impassive, her pale blue gaze lingering on each councilor as they spoke, darting sidelong toward the Jedi and Captain Keppler and Senator Grimmin in turn. Her gaze turned back to the Council and she offered what she hoped was a diplomatic half-smile. "I... should have been more clear," she said slowly. Senator Dault was no help; there was no indication that the Chancellor could waive requirements and instantly induct Farreach into the Republic by virtue of her emergency powers -- or that she would be inclined to do so if she could. What was he doing?

Not that she had done any better, she chided herself. Giving the Council of Three an unrealistic expectation was a bad move diplomatically.

"At this time, given your distance from the High Republic's borders, there is no meaningful way for Farreach to immediately become a member of the High Republic. What I meant to communicate was that at the appropriate time I would be very pleased to sponsor your world's membership. In the meantime, there are other avenues to pursue. A reciprocal embassy, perhaps, or a consular agreement. That would allow your government and the Republic to keep in contact regarding resolving the disposition of the artefact."

Her fingers twirled her datapad stylus as she thought through matters. Of course the Trade Federation's representative was looking to monetize. She wished he would have run it past the others first so that he could have been made to understand what a grotesque moral blunder it would have been for a Republic member world to benefit from a situation created by the Republic without Farreach's agreement.

Then she remembered she was thinking about a Neimoidian. Trying to explain morality to one would be, Verity suspected based on her experience hitherto, explaining gravity to a chicken.

"I feel strongly," she said, hoping to reassure the Council, "that it will be the sense of the Senate that we would not wish to see you incur expenses to deal with a problem that you did not cause." She leaned forward, inclining her head toward the Aqualish councilor. "This was our problem," Verity indicated just her side of the table. "But I don't wish to see it become your problem, but rather a problem we can address together."

Keppler Danvier | Dault Grimmin | Briana Sal-Soren​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana looked across at Elionwy Tlestri . "Shortly after contact. Reports were sparse concerning its effect on others at the time. I believe is was limited to the two of us being in contact with the machine."

When Luke Montann collapsed, Elionwy moved toward him swiftly. She reminded Tatiana of Cora.

Connel Vanagor then joined Elionwy at Luke's side. He responded to the other Jedi's call for medical support.

"On the contrary," Tatiana interjected, "the clock is ticking. The 'Engineer' should tell us everything they are experiencing." Connel wanted the man to remain silent and wait for support. If the device followed a pattern then they should only expect it to ramp up in activity from here on out; which meant any delay would make exchange of information come too late to be effective.

She regarded Connel with her blue eyes in silence as he said no one else should 'attempt' contact. That was too cautious in Tatiana's opinion, but then she remain intrigued by the artifact and wanted to learn more about it.

"Images? Reports of hallucinations were of a disturbing nature. Often personnel or a twisted version of personal circumstance. You could describe that as 'ordinary life,' but not concerning this vessel." Tatiana didn't recall anyone mentioning an in-depth understanding of this place the first time they'd been there. "Our exposure was limited. Perhaps the EVA suits worn by the original team had some sort of protective effect." Could the device not have properly registered them because they were enclosed in suits? Only through direct contact had it registered, or reacted?

"Crew?" That was a possibility, but, "Limited data makes speculation difficult at this junction."

Then Luke had more to say despite Connel's sentiment. Tatiana turned to look at the man that had never been particular keen about the chamber.

"Destroy it?" Tatiana echoed. "It remains too early to destroy it. Until we understand its source of power and function anything we do could carry catastrophic consequences. For us and the planet it orbits." As before, she wouldn't easily allow anyone to destroy the artifact. There was still so much they could learn about it. From it. "Tell us where the control interface is. Let us study it." Should she be more concerned about his physical or mental well-being? Yes, but in times like these her nature exerted itself above the empathetic lessons she'd learned while among human-like lifeforms.

 

[Devi Jyn-tal]

REPUBLIC VANGUARD // ACTIVE FIELD RECORD
DEVI JYN-TAL​

LOCATION THE HUNT ⟡ OBJECTIVE HECKLE​

"Sassy snack?" Devi echoed as she gave Vornak a sidelong look, one brow arching as her pale tendrils shifted toward the rustling foliage.

"I believe I preferred it when you were volunteering yourself, Master Vornak." Although, watching the enormous Besalisk move with surprising quiet earned a small, amused snort.

"Oh, look. You can tiptoe." There was little time to enjoy that particular victory before Isla spoke up. Devi glanced toward the younger Padawan, her golden eyes brightening with approval.

"Excellent observation, Reingard. Both about Master Vornak being eaten first and the other thing." The Mikkian's humor faded slightly as she considered what Isla had sensed. The Force swelled as the maternal protective sense registered. Well, that certainly explained a few things.

"Then perhaps we should stop threatening her children with three glowing sticks." The Jedi Vanguard lowered her yellow blade, though she kept it ignited and ready. Her tendrils angled toward the undergrowth, picking up the faint movements beyond the leaves as she slowly shifted to give the Nexu more room.

"Master Sei always said that knowing when not to fight was just as important as knowing how." A low growl from the Nexu answered her. The beast emerged another step from the foliage, quills raised, but rather than advancing it positioned itself squarely between the Jedi and the deeper jungle.

Devi tilted her head and gave a cluck of her tongue.

"See? She is asking us to leave." She gestured with a cant of her head, "Rather rudely, but I suppose we did arrive uninvited."

Those golden eyes turned their attention to Isla, but still keeping awareness of the Nexu's proximity and intent.

"Reingard, since Master Vornak has decided this is a lesson, what do you think we should do? Back away slowly, or see whether you can convince her through the Force that we mean no harm?"

Another glance toward the Besalisk as she continued with a comical deadpan expression.

"And preferably before our esteemed General decides to demonstrate how many teeth four arms can accommodate."

// ITEMS • SABER • SHIP •MIKKIAN //
INTERACTING WITH | Vornak Isla Reingard ​

 

[Vornak]

VORNAK

Devi Jyn-tal Isla Reingard

"Keep the compliment, Master Jyn-tal, I have no intention of finding out how I taste." Vornak tilted his blade down and aside, out of the beast's eyeline and disengaged the blade. He eased half a step back.

The animal had planted itself square between them and the deep jungle, with the den behind them.

"That answers the question of what she is guarding. What it doesn't answer is how we make this place safer for the settlers only a mile behind us."

 

[Luke Montann]

⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Locations⠀ The Ark
Objectives⠀ Explore, Pontificate
Tags⠀ Tatiana Sah l Connel Vanagor l Elionwy Tlestri


⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀LUKE MONTANN.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Engineer.
"The galaxy is vast, and holds dark secrets."
Follow the stars..

═ Man's Gotta Earn a Living⠀═

Luke turned his head and stared at the android-esque Jedi who spoke. He approached her, his magnetic boots clinking on the ground with each step.

"You don't fucking get it." A finger went up to point in her face. "Fuck the politics. Fuck the Jedi. Fuck this whole place. It's alive and it wants to turn on.." His head twitched again, his eyes squeezing shut. Rapid images, a flurry of sounds in his mind. Like a screeching train passing with each image burned into his brain. Hundreds of visions of workers moving, each the same in their task, but different in their person. A thousand lives, a thousand tasks, all doing the same thing. Turning it on. Power generators. Coils, fuel.

His head snapped back down to the Jedi. The machine whirred. Like something taking a deep breath, waking up.

"For MONTHS I have been watching the Jedi on Outbound Flight and in the Republic get us into SHIT AFTER SHIT!" He said, storming down a little further on the hallway. He walked a little further, standing in front of a sealed, massive bulkhead door. He walked up to the wall- placed his hand on a specific slot, and a panel opened up. His head craned like it did before. He saw the sequence over and over in his mind. The runes and symbols on the device became familiar to him, numbers he knew like the back of his hand. Into Aurebesh.

With six button presses, the door opened, slowly opening. Luke reached up and wiped sweat away from his face, rubbing it off on his forearm. He turned to the Jedi, stomping back towards them.

"This way."

 

[Fiona Tierney]

"I don't think strumpets care about what circle of galactic society they are acceptable in. I would imagine in most they are not - difference you know between your world and theirs."

Fiona was instantly amused at the fact Xandyr Carrick distinguished himself from a common worker-of-the-evening by declaring what circles of the 'verse his work was acceptable. Personally she did not care. Far more things in the galaxy she tended to worry about and this wasn't even a blip on her radar.

As they moved deeper into the jungle, her comm went off. An alert from the Jedi to stop hunting. Why it was sent something akin to an alert one would receive for weather or an abducted child was well beyond her. The Jedi had zero authority over herself, nor did she recongize their authority. The redhead did not follow their religion and thus was not bound to their rules.

"Hey Carrick, got an alert the Jedi want us to cancel the hunt. You trollops got to listen to their authority? I can't imagine many frequent your services. Too uptight. If you do though, go back to the lodge. I'll continue on my own."

 

[Isla Reingard]

The Mikkian knight possessed an eccentric streak that strained Isla's patience, especially with her bizarre little clicking noises and unsolicited references to some unknown Master Sei. Between the chatter and the theatrics, Isla found herself leaning toward the quiet reliability of Vornak.

Glancing back toward the trail, she noticed the local tracking guides had already drifted off into the foliage, abandoning them to their own devices. How fun.

Then Devi spoke.

Of course they had to turn a potential mauling into a curriculum. Escaping was the only sensible choice, preferably while the beast was busy gnawing on the Besalisk. Instead, Isla stepped past the safety line, taking a slow breath as she reached out through the Force to bridge the gap between human and predator.

"Okay..." Isla murmured, masking her rising panic behind a neutral mask.

Centering her erratic pulse, she tried projecting a steady wave of calm and reassurance toward the quivering feline.

"I don't suppose we could just ask her to move her den further into the jungle?" Isla muttered rhetorically under her breath.

Her attempt at diplomacy hit a wall when the Nexu surged forward, closing the distance in a heartbeat. Warm, stinky breath washed over her face as the massive predator pressed directly against her, rumbling a low growl while sniffing aggressively at her collar. Every instinct screamed to run, and despite her best efforts to project peace, a violent tremor shook her hands.

Vornak | Devi Jyn-tal​

 

[Devi Jyn-tal]

REPUBLIC VANGUARD // ACTIVE FIELD RECORD
DEVI JYN-TAL​

LOCATION THE HUNT ⟡ OBJECTIVE BE SASSY​

"Oh, that is much closer than I intended." She uttered, the Mikkian moving instinctively as her pale tendrils snapped at the sudden movement, one hand lifting toward the Nexu, ready to catch it with the Force if those jaws opened. Yet she stopped short of interfering because the beast was sniffing Isla, not attacking her.

"Reingard, do not move." The Knight's tone lowered an octave, quieter now, the earlier humor giving way to the calm she had learned during her years with Master Sei.

"Keep breathing. She is curious. Let her be curious." Devi slowly lowered her hand, although her golden eyes never left the Nexu.

"And whatever you do, do not mistake your fear for hers. You can be afraid and still show her you mean no harm," she advised. And while she didn't dare glance over to the Besalisk, the Mikkian added:

"Master, perhaps our settlers might benefit from knowing there is a den here before deciding the entire jungle needs clearing?" she suggested, noting Isla's trembling hands.

"Now, Reingard. Slowly extend your hand -- let her decide whether she wishes to approach it," she advised, adding, "Reach out with the Force; you can connect with her with it to help her know you mean no harm."

// ITEMS • SABER • SHIP •MIKKIAN //
INTERACTING WITH | Vornak Isla Reingard ​

 

[Elionwy Tlestri]

Elionwy stared at the revealed entrance for a long moment, then at Luke, her expression tightening with irritation. The desire to know about the Ark was intense, but even more so was the desire the investigation would be on their terms. It was entirely unsatisfactory that some other entity would control any element of this expedition.

"Connel, record the symbols, the sequence he entered, and the exact position of the mechanism," she said, her words clipped with scholarly precision. "And be ready..."

Her attention settled fully upon Luke. "Luke, step away from the controls and remain where you are. You may describe everything you know. You may direct our attention toward anything you recognise. You will not touch another mechanism until we have established what or who is feeding you this information, and for what purpose."

Uncouth as it was, Elionwy reached for the blaster sidearm they had been obligated to bring with them. Unclipping it from her thigh holster, she pulled the weapon forth, and set it to stun.

"Luke Montann, any further attempt to activate or otherwise operate this artefact will result in your immediate removal from this facility."

Tatiana Sah Connel Vanagor Luke Montann​

 

[Connel Vanagor]

Raiders of the Not so lost Ark
Farreach Orbit
Ark

Companions/Droids Every Day Gear Locations

• COMPANIONS / DROIDS
  
  • Wife ("Lira Vanagor")
  • Gallinorese Mountain Aak Dog ("Buster")
  • BB4-80 ("Brad")
  • B5-55
  [Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]
• 
  Rides
  
  • "Enterprise" Station Ship
  • "Jedi Defender" Corvette
  • X-wing
  • Speeder
  • Speederbike
  • Iron Psalm
  Gear
  
  • When in Regular Robes/Gear
    • Lightsaber
    • 5 Throwing Lightknives
  • Headset Microphone Comm-Link
  SURGICAL - CRYBERNETIC IMPLANTS
  
  • Repli Implants that would be for the limbs
  • Bonemer enhancements to strengthen structure of the body
  • Muscle enhancements.
  • Hemo enhancements for blood flow
  • Hawkeye implants for eyes
  • Advanced Medical Implant
  • Scentzy
  • Injected Nanotech upgrades
  
  
  
• Shadow Sanctuary - Enterprise

Enough.

Connel’s voice carried without becoming a shout. He stepped into the space beside Luke, leaving the opened doorway in view. His eyes moved from the engineer to the blaster in Elionwy’s hand, then to Tatiana. Elionwy, hold your fire. Luke, leave the controls alone for a moment. Tatiana, we’re going to study it.

The machinery continued somewhere beneath their feet.

Connel listened to it while bringing his datapad up. We have an injured man receiving instructions from something that has just locked our exit. We also have a machine we don’t understand above an inhabited planet. Those are our immediate problems.

His gaze settled on Luke. You said it wants you to turn it on. You want to destroy it. We need to establish whether the route it gave you helps you—or helps it.

He did not reach for the man. After watching Luke swat away assistance, Connel kept his hands where they could be seen. I believe you know something you didn’t know when we arrived. Help us check it.

A few movements across the datapad opened his connection to SERAPHIM. Seraphim. Are you receiving?

Her voice answered through the speaker. “Receiving. Your surroundings have become considerably less welcoming.”

Sending the drone survey, our encounter recordings, and the observations Tatiana provided. Start with the panel Luke just operated. Compare the symbols he selected with the markings we’ve recorded elsewhere.

“And what would you like me to do with the ancient machine?”

Observe it through our equipment. No connection to its systems. No commands.

“A refreshing departure from your usual relationship with locked doors.”

Enjoy it.

The UAD shifted under his direction, taking a clear view of the exposed panel before turning toward the passage beyond. Connel kept it short of the threshold. Record the mechanism, the door, and anything visible inside. Preserve the sequence Luke entered.

He enlarged the developing image on his datapad and angled it so the others could see. Luke. Show us what you recognize on this. Where the passage leads, which six doors you meant, and what you expect beyond them. If a memory comes with it, tell us that too. We’ll keep your recollection separate from anything the survey confirms.

His attention moved to Tatiana. You’ve felt its draw before. Help me compare that activation with what’s happening now. Timing, sound, what changed around you. If you have observations we haven’t discussed yet, we need them.

Then Elionwy. Please keep working on the inscriptions. Especially anything repeated around access points. Seraphim can sort the patterns; you can judge whether her comparisons make sense.

Connel opened another view of the survey.

And I’ll examine the door and the machinery we can reach without operating it. Starting with a way back out. He crouched beside the opened mechanism, studying its visible construction while keeping his hands clear.

There had been six presses. A sequence Luke apparently knew.

That demonstrated access. It told them very little about permission, purpose, or what the next sequence might do. Connel knew enough engineering to distrust a working control panel more than a broken one. A broken panel announced its limitations. A working one could let a man make a very precise mistake. Seraphim, compare the recorded mechanical activity against each button press. Flag anything that began before the door moved or continued afterward. Tell me where the data runs out.

“Analysis underway. I will require time.”

Use it. He looked up at Luke.

“Opening that door gives us something we can verify. Let’s start there.[/COLOR] The passage waited beyond them.

Connel rose, his expression firm but his voice quieter. We can investigate without feeding it power. We can prepare to stop it without guessing where to strike. And we can listen to Luke without letting whatever reached him set our pace.

His eyes returned to the doorway. First, we find out what that sequence actually did.

Elionwy Tlestri • Luke Montann • Tatiana Sah
[Text in Brackets is spoken on Comm-link] ~Like this is through the Force~​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana didn't draw back as Luke Montann aggressively waved a finger in her face. Politics? The Jedi she understood as there were three of them present, but she wasn't sure how politics factored into the present circumstances. Her actions were guided entirely by logic. And the fact the device wished to activate was not -- as Luke implied with his impassioned cry -- detrimental to their purpose so far as Tatiana was concerned.

Perhaps, then, the truth emerged as Luke went on to describe what Tatiana would consider growing resentment of operational activities. Specifically related to Jedi conduct. Yet, again, she wasn't sure how that pertained to herself. 'Politics' after all were the least of her priorities. Tatiana was there to study the galaxy as a representative of her People. Not that she was officially there as some sort of Ambassador, of course. Entirely an unofficial, impartial observer still perplexed by humanoid behavior at times.

Elionwy and Connel seemed to be of similar, but differing minds on recent events. Tatiana's bright blue eyes shifted from one to the other. Neither suggested anything that would impede the mission, however.

"With respect," Tatiana's decided calm voice intoned, "Master Elionwy Tlestri is correct. Engineer Montann, you are under the influence of a non-Republic influence. Please answer Master Connel Vanagor 's questions, but take no further action, or I will be forced to take you into custody." Perhaps the man had received some manner of instruction that would be useful, but even Tatiana -- eager to activate the device -- did not trust Luke to perform the necessary steps. What if he were in full control and allowed to decide its fate? His obvious hostile relationship with the device and the Jedi would lead Tatiana to a singular conclusion that given the chance he would destroy the vessel. This was not acceptable.

"Master Tlestri," Tatiana called out without turning her attention away from Luke, "you or I must examine the device for a sequence of circular symbols." The Master might not accept Connel's instructions and so Tatiana would leave it open for the task to be delegated to herself, provided Elionwy chose to watch Luke instead. Connel's work on the panel presumed Luke would cooperate and not interact any further with the controls; Tatiana was not so confident in that regard and had meant what she had said earlier.

 

[Briana Sal-Soren]

“Perhaps a broader responsibility should be discussed. Should we be assured of the Jedi living up to the legendary reputation.”

Her dark brows narrowed at the peculiar response, feeling a prick of something at the back of her mind. But before she could comment, the same attendant from earlier slipped in, whispered something to Nahl. By the time the attendant withdrew, one of the senators had already resumed speaking, and Briana decided to hold her questions and continue taking notes, until the space to speak opened and she possessed a clearer sense of where the councillor was leading them.

While the deliberations continued, the same prickly feeling from earlier touched her mind again. Briana’s stylus slowed halfway through a word, catching the faintest resonance of another presence in the Force. Still listening to Verity, she glanced across the table, letting her gaze pass over each of the councillors in turn, but keeping her expression impassive to convey the idea that she was merely following along with what was being said. None gave her any obvious reason to linger, and the harder she tried to isolate the presence, the more elusive it seemed to become.

Finishing the last of her sentence, she lifted up her mental shields, drawing an invisible boundary around her mind as Vizion had taught her. That much came almost reflexively now, though she would rather not have had Brandyn to thank for all her recent hours of practice. Extending the same protection toward Keppler and the senators took more care, and much more effort than she was used to, but she stretched out the mental barriers as far as she was able, gently working to close off the avenues through which any suggestions or ideas might try and be slipped into the minds of her fellow delegates.

The faint vibration of her datapad drew her attention downward again, nearly breaking that line of concentration, once she'd read the contents of the field report.

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

Her tongue slid over her teeth, and her jaw lightly set. For several seconds, Briana said nothing, turning over Vaesh's last remarks. She gave a quiet, hmmm, to herself.

So that was the game.

The thought left a distinctly unpleasant taste in her mouth, and she tried to stifle the fire rising rapidly in her belly. There were Padawans out there, and more besides, navigating unfamiliar terrain and dangerous predators. What were they thinking?

“I’d like you to answer something for me, Councilor. Earlier you mentioned wanting to discuss a broader responsibility of the Jedi… which I would have been more than happy to discuss with you, but I've just received word that your hunters have been instructed to withdraw from the field."

Her voice remained courteous, though the shift in her tone was noticeably cooler.

“If an emergency has called them elsewhere, I can certainly understand that. But our people should have been informed before the withdrawal, so they could make the necessary adjustments safely. However, if this was intended as some measure of the Jedi's abilities, I have to question what you hope to accomplish by it? Our willingness to help Farreach has already been demonstrated by the people we've committed to your settlements, and I don't believe their safety should be made contingent upon proving something further. A lasting arrangement requires a measure of trust and cooperation from both sides, Councilor. How can I reasonably commit Jedi to Farreach if the commitments that were already agreed on, can be withdrawn without so much as a warning?”

TAG: Keppler Danvier , Verity Stuyveris , Dault Grimmin

​

 

[Xandyr Carrick]

XANDYR

Farreach
The Frontier - Deeper Into the Trees

Fiona Tierney

"Trollop." He stopped walking for a moment and looked at her as if he was composing a formal grievance.

"Strumpets and now trollops. I am keeping a list, Fiona. By the end of this hunt I intend to have collected the full lexicon and will have it published in the guild journal black list with your name."

"No, I am not bound to Jedi authority. There is certainly no relationship between the Guild and in any case I'm just here on my own."

Xandyr pushed the chamber free of his rifle. He gave it a little spin, making sure all six disrupted rounds were loaded. He clicked it back into place and resumed walking.

"And I will thank you not to suggest I trot back to the lodge while you walk into a predator's territory alone."

He walked alongside her, watching the trees.

"I'm not letting you go on ahead alone. You get the first shot. This thing will absolutely ruin a pelt."

 

[Pillar of Freedom]

​

Vaesh considered Senator Stuyveris's proposal, his long fingers steepled before him. "A permanent Republic representative would be welcome, Senator, at least while the Ark remains. Your researchers will surely require naval protection, which would serve our interests as well...surely you will protect your own?"

Omm gave a low, gravelly rumble of agreement, although his attention had settled upon Senator Grimmin.

"Much money to be had." His broken Basic gave each word an unpleasant weight. "Who profits? Your Republic brings this thing to our world, and now someone wishes to make money from our misfortune?"

"Councilor Varell raises a concern which I believe deserves consideration," Vaesh interjected, each word carefully chosen. "We are not opposed to commercial partnerships, Senator, but nor are we inclined to place our people's security in the hands of those whose principal interest may be the returns upon their investment. We would require considerable assurances before entertaining any such proposal."

Saeva, the Chiss, remained silent, her intense gaze shifting from Keppler to Verity, and finally to Briana. The faint disturbance in the Force that had accompanied her scrutiny seemed to diminish, almost like she was hiding it, as she regarded the Jedi with quiet suspicion.

The Muun turned towards the Jedi.

"As for the matter of our hunters, Master Sal-Soren, I believe you misunderstand the nature of our request. You have offered us the services of an Order whose reputation precedes it by centuries. We are grateful for that generosity, naturally, but we must also determine whether such assistance is sufficient to protect our settlements."

"Your Jedi wish to protect our people," Omm interjected, leaning forward. "Then let them show us they can."

Vaesh raised a hand, though whether to moderate his colleague's words or merely reclaim the conversation was unclear.

"The Republic is in no position to make demands of Farreach, Master Sal-Soren. Should we decide the Ark must be removed, even at the cost of its destruction, that decision will be ours. I trust we can avoid such an outcome."

Omm settled back into his seat with a satisfied grunt. "Words not enough. Jedi want protect our people? Then prove they can. We test. We decide."

Dault Grimmin Verity Stuyveris Briana Sal-Soren

​

 

[Vornak]

Isla Reingard Devi Jyn-tal

VORNAK

"You can ask her to move, Reingard, though I have never known a nexu to honour a lease negotiation. If you talk one into agreeing I will have the paperwork drawn up by nightfall."

The blade shrank away under his thumb as he spoke, the light going without a snap.

"Don't worry, we've got you," he added.

He had drifted a stride nearer while the animal was occupied with the girl, slow enough that the movement never amounted to a threat.

He settled there with the dead hilt in one fist and the three more riding his belt, within reach of whichever hand proved useful.

"No argument from me on the settlers, Knight Jyn-tal. The den goes on the map and off the clearing roster. The only difficulty is these creatures can have a broad territory."

His eyes never left the flank of the nexu as he spoke, the rest of him still as stone.

 

[Dault Grimmin]

Dault watched with silent amusement as Senator Stuyveris scrambled to reassure the Council that the Republic had no intention of profiting off their predicament. He took a slow sip of his wine while she nervously pitched consular agreements and reciprocal embassies, viewing the soft-line posturing as a complete waste of leverage.

"Of course not, Councilor. Merely interested in seeing your planet is well defended," Dault replied, his eyes wandering just as Master Briana Sal-Soren confronted the leaders about pulling their local hunters from the frontier without warning. Dault leaned back and grabbed another pastry, watching the local delegates try to disguise a blatant power play as a loyalty test for the Jedi.

When Councilor Vaesh leaned forward and threatened to destroy the Ark if things did not go their way, Dault let out a quiet breath of disbelief. Destroying a moon-sized ancient construct out of spite was the kind of empty threat only provincial rulers made when they realized they held no real cards, and he intended to exploit that precise weakness.

"The Republic has been nothing but courteous throughout this exchange, so I am quite surprised by the emergent hostility," Dault said, waving a hand to ease some of the tension before leaning in closer. "And we certainly cannot prevent you from destroying the Ark on your own world, seeing as you are not yet a member state and therefore not subject to our jurisdiction." He left the unstated warning hanging in the air, making sure they understood that while the Republic wouldn't stop them, destroying their bargaining chip would destroy any chance of financial or military aid.

"Though on the subject of agreements, I believe there is no harm in the Republic walking away from the table entirely, especially since your recent actions have placed our Jedi defenders in a precarious position and compromised our security." Dault offered a polite, empty smile and gestured toward Verity Stuyveris , happily dumping the burden of the final call squarely on her shoulders to see whether she would choose to endure further humiliation or abandon the stubborn world to its fate.​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

"Thank you, Senator Grimmin," Verity said pleasantly. "I believe we are all well aware of the extreme bounds of our options here."

Bold of him to whine about 'emergent hostility' when he was one of the primary factors causing it. Druckenwell's Senator straightened and leaned forward to engage the Council of Three. "Esteemed Councilors, I would ask you not to be hasty in reaching a conclusion. Destroying the Ark is an option, but consider what we know about it -- and what we don't. Something that size would not necessarily fully burn up in Farreach's atmosphere. You could well be raining debris across your homes if you destroy it."

She paused briefly to look at each in turn. "And I would also hasten to add that neither Republic researchers, nor your own, have come to a conclusion as to what it is, how it works, and what technology is at play. Introducing these unknowns into your atmosphere may well prove catastrophic. The last thing the Republic would want to see is not the destruction of the Ark, but potential ecological damage and loss of life here on Farreach as a result of it. If destroying it is what you choose, once you do it, there is no turning back from it. I ask you, please, to allow time to fully understand the risks before you make a final decision."

She didn't point out that if they chose -- against all advice and every warning offered to them -- to destroy it, the Republic's responsibility for whatever followed would look much different from where it stood now. That was something better left unsaid until it needed to be.

Verity glanced at Briana; she was not, perhaps, a natural diplomat -- but she was acquitting herself well here. Her eyes cut back to the Council. "I would not presume to speak for the Jedi Order, Jedi Sal-Soren, and please tell me if my reach is exceeding my grasp here, but -- Councilors -- is this an equitable course of action? The Jedi have the willingness and the ability to assist in the protection of your people, but they are new to your world. The beasts that threaten your people are not known to them. It is all very well to ask them to demonstrate their willingness in practice, but withdrawing your hunters robs them of sources of information that could make their work more efficient and less risky, both to themselves and to the population of Farreach. Your hunters are equipped for and knowledgeable about the species of your world. It behooves us all, I think, to empower the Jedi with their knowledge, and to reinforce their expertise with Jedi talents."

She paused and folded her hands over her datapad. "I would therefore ask, as a gesture of goodwill matching the Jedi's offer, that you rescind your order. And as a demonstration of our goodwill, I will commit to you that I will not support any settlement that Farreach will not be required, as the price of resolving the Ark crisis, to enter predatory financing arrangements or surrender commercial concessions to private interests."

Keppler Danvier | Dault Grimmin | Briana Sal-Soren​

 

[Keppler Danvier]

There was something distasteful about watching tens of thousands of lives being used as bargaining chips, even if the actual people at risk were not openly discussed. Keppler, for his part, was entirely open to just telling the council to go sniff a bantha's arse. Perhaps that is why he chose to let the diplomats talk.

He had to admit that Senator Grimmin had surprised him. The Neimoidian's earlier enthusiastic profiteering had not been overly endearing. There was, though, a certain affirmation in watching Grimmin take Keppler's most likely tactic in calling the Council's bluff. It demonstrated a nerve under pressure that brought a reluctant smile of appreciation to the corner of his mouth.

The indignation with which Briana reacted to the withdrawal of the hunters was an all too familiar emotion. One a commander understood all too well, especially when the people under your command were put in unnecessary danger. Even more so when it was by people who never had to take those same risks themselves. In Sal-Soren, he saw someone that did not simply know the pressures of leadership, but embraced them as her life of choice.

Senator Stuyveris, meanwhile, continued to demonstrate a reassuring appreciation for the practical consequences of their predicament. Her assessment of the dangers surrounding the Ark's destruction was sound, and Keppler was grateful that someone had thought to articulate them before the conversation descended into a contest of increasingly reckless threats.

His attention returned to the Council of Three, and he found himself considering their demands from a different perspective.

They were frightened.

Farreach was isolated, thrust into unfamiliar dangers by the planeshift, and he suspected the Ssi-Ruuk had already given them reason to fear for their future. Now they were gambling on an ancient structure they barely understood, demanding every guarantee of protection they could extract from the Republic.

Keppler understood their desperation, but feared it might outweigh good judgement.

Things were a whole lot easier when he had some ships to shoot at.

Dault Grimmin Verity Stuyveris Briana Sal-Soren​

 

[Keppler Danvier]

oops