Private Storm and Lightning Come Together

[Aurelian Sigismund]

Argilac​

ANOBIS | HAZAARIA NORD |
HINTERLANDS OF DESH | STORM'S END

A simple imperial-built shuttle, older than two generations and barely holding all parts together judging by the looks. Barely much paint left, rust sat into several places and the wings as well as landing gears gave protesting squeaks as they were told to get into place. Was it a good cover? Difficult to judge, but it would at least not let people assume that the person coming with it had any wealth or power and that was the intention.

Vandemar and Zakuul had both and Aurelian was more than eager to unleash it once more. Hence why he was on a mission to connect with various imperial remnant factions and warlord states, with any. This one was located on Anobis, on the doorstep of Alliance space and was headed by a former Imperial Knight who maintained a small but sizeable imperial presence on the world, defying the approaching shadow of freedom and democracy.

Not dressed as usual, Aurelian did not wear his imposing armour nor his weapons. He was dressed in a relatively simple tunic, a long coat above it and high boots, looking relatively wild for his and Vandemarian standards and certainly not like an imperial Moff. His bright white hair was scruffy and shaggy, the only part of him which was as usual. Hard, stone grey eyes looking ahead as he had to duck when leaving the shuttle, hoping for a not too massive welcoming party or none at all so that he could proceed.

​

 

[Argilac]

STORM AND LIGHTING COME TOGETHER
ANOBIS - 900 ABY

OUTFIT: Stormcloak Knight armor with jaguar skin cloak
ENTOURAGE: Capt. Haddar Veraxes, Lt. Legion Commander Elena Rakic, Ingrid Straghov
TAG: Aurelian Sigismund

​

STORM'S END, HINTERLANDS OF DESH, HAZARIA, ANOBIS, BRIGHT JEWEL SECTOR, MID RIM

Aurelian Sigismund. That's a name I haven't heard for quite a while. The last stand in Bastion has driven us, brethren of the Empire, further and further into isolation. Buying our time to strike, so we said. I've maintained contact with some closer worlds; mainly Ord Mantell, Archais, and Borosk, under the guise of Hazaria City-State, pulling the strings from behind while gathering resources and training men for the inevitable war. But not Aurelian. The Griffin of Zakuul has been radio silent ever since that day, at least within the proximity of old Imperial space, at least that I know of. Not that I've ever been really familiar with the guy. An Imperator that doesn't exactly fit in with the standard Imperial suits, like me, but in every opposite way possible.

For Aurelian to make his way here from Vandemar, to fly so close to the Alliance space, it must be something of the utmost importance. If reputation is to be trusted, the Imperator hates toward the galactic superpower is second to none. For what reason, maybe something to be learnt today. Yet another difference between us. I've never actually hated the Alliance. Dislike, sure, they are a threat to the Empire, and their system is a corrupt and complacent one. But hate, hate is a strong word. Nevertheless, Aurelian is here today, draped in an unusual outfit, a disguise to visit this hidden Imperial facility. Meanwhile, I dressed myself in my usual Stormcloak Grandmaster gear, a show of strength and devotion. With me is the Captain of the 3rd Storm Commando Battalion and the Lieutenant General of 703rd Stormtrooper Legion, dressed in their officer outfit, and special counsel Ingrid Straghov in her semi-formal dress. Nothing too fancy, just my closest confidants welcoming the Imperator and walking him to the meeting room in Storm's End.

"Our pleasure to welcome you here, Aurelian." The Imperial facilities here might look rusty and outdated, and to some extent, it is. However, it is mostly a cover. We are operating right by the Alliance's doorstep. We don't have the luxury of flexing our wealth and capabilities. Moreover, most of the wealth we made are reinvested for manpower training and development of training infrastructures, underneath the ground. Infrastructure evaluation, it's not what Aurelian is here for today. I offered him a seat at the table, eager to hear what he has in mind. I'm pretty sure it's going to be some variation of reuniting the warlord, making a joint effort to retake our lost territories, nothing I haven't heard of the past few years, yet it's the information and details that I'm intrigued by. "Shall we get straight to the meat?"​

 

[Aurelian Sigismund]

Argilac​

ANOBIS | HAZAARIA NORD |
HINTERLANDS OF DESH | STORM'S END

Aurelian walked to the four, overshadowing them all with his stature and offered a gentle nod. His Exarch-grown body, mostly hidden by the coat he was wearing, still showed the absolute perfection in shape and form below, something only an artificially crafted object could achieve. And it did not show a trace of his age. The wonders of a long forgotten time.

"The pleasure is mine, Argilac. Many years have passed since Bastion." It was a blink of an eye.

The Zakuulan glanced at the imperial facility and noticed it made use of the same cover as his rusty ship made, the disguise of decay and memory. It was too easy to show strength and power, but much more difficult and challenging to hide it, especially from a distrusting and expansionist enemy who would just look for an opportunity. The remnants of the Empire were scattered far and wide, they were even less of what once were the warlords of the post-Endor phase. Many more existed. And many were virtually single entity holdouts. Old fortresses, venerable legion names, forgotten chapter houses, what was left of the New Imperial Order still tried to embrace the word defiance at all costs.

He followed the man while his thoughts wandered around. Aurelian did not know Argilac very well back in the day nor know for a matter of fact, but he maintained his network of information gathering and his probes were sharing plenty of information. Other than the petty farce of democracy next door - he knew where to look and find. Of course it was made easier by the fact that he was an imperial Moff, but nevertheless, his loyalties were always to the goal, to the end, not to the means of how to get there. For a moment his thoughts jumped to the one who showed him his path so many years ago.

With a brief glance at the chair, he tried to evaluate its structural integrity to hold him and placed himself, the chair offering major protest of squeaking and even bending. Luckily he did not wear his armour.

"Agreed. The Galaxy keeps turning and so should we. I am pretty sure behind this rust and dirty panels I will find a well organised and structured imperial formation. My first question - do you need anything? The obvious aside, I am talking about literally anything in regards to supplies, weapons, engineers, droids, ships. Vandemar is more than capable of providing a plethora of goods and we can ship them."

​

 

[Argilac]

STORM AND LIGHTING COME TOGETHER
ANOBIS - 900 ABY

OUTFIT: Stormcloak Knight armor with jaguar skin cloak
ENTOURAGE: Capt. Haddar Veraxes, Lt. Legion Commander Elena Rakic, Ingrid Straghov
TAG: Aurelian Sigismund

​

STORM'S END, HINTERLANDS OF DESH, HAZARIA, ANOBIS, BRIGHT JEWEL SECTOR, MID RIM

The sight of Aurelian struggling to fit his chair is surely an amusing one. The man is huge, much larger than most people I've ever met, in and out of the Empire. Nothing short of dozens of genetic modifications and experiments, if I have to guess. Vandemar is such a unique place amongst the Empire. It's dim gold aesthetic, it's ultra dedication to science and technological research, it's lack of respect for the force, despite being led by a Force-User. It's safe to say that we are on the furthest sides of the opposing spectrum within the Empire. Which his question perfectly encapsulated.

So practical, to the hyperrationale degree. "Needs. If you ask me, is there anything that Vandemar and Zakuul could provide that would help our cause? Yes, absolutely." I wouldn't deny Vandemar's technological superiority, it would definitely help us, and every other up-and-running Imperial remnant cells. It is something that we should consider, considering the situation that's been brewing up in our former territories; Galidraan, Serenno, Mandalorian space, and Bastion. "Wouldn't the distance make it a logistical nightmare, though? Between Ord Mantell and Archais, we're pretty good on supply." Another thing to take into account. Vandemar's isolated position does pose a challenge, with the looming threat of the Galactic Alliance between our worlds.

"Obviously we have to avoid looking mighty and all, staying under the radar. A hostile front with the GA is the worst possible thing given the situation we are all in at the moment." I tried to study Aurelian's face. There's definitely something else, he's not visiting Anobis on a charity tour. "But, I'll have to ask the same question. Do you need anything, my friend?" Although I doubt it, at least not in the same way we do. Perhaps, he has been talking to the others. Perhaps it's time we plan something on a much, grander scene. Perhaps, we, moffs and warlords of the Empire need a meeting in the shadows. ​

 

[Aurelian Sigismund]

Argilac​

ANOBIS | HAZAARIA NORD |
HINTERLANDS OF DESH | STORM'S END

Aurelian nodded, his gestures and expressions are as calculated and precise as the words he used, leaving little for interpretation or speculation. He was a man of facts and truth and he appreciated the openness of his counterpart. The Stormborn could prove, despite obvious differences, to be valuable and close allies for the Griffin.

"A large train and continous shipments would, yes, but singled out and provided through multiple sources over a period of time, much less so. I am not talking about provisioning an army at the front, but singled out needs and requirements which you might find elementary in your current situation. We have means to acquire it and to ship it."

The distance aside, Vandemarian ships were fast, that was the most elementary part of their strategic approach, swiftness and they were mobile and independent. The Moff had thought about the possibilities of supplying imperials near the Alliance or even in Alliance space already and could do both either completely fleet based from empty space or from Zakuul.

"The Alliance will only take note if the intensity is large or expanding, we are not on their radar. And with the Sith expanding in the Stygian Caldera and the Mandalorians once more pushing in the Outer Rim, their primary focus will be with them."

What did Sigismund need? A functioning Empire which could finally get him where he wanted to be? Zakuul was waiting and he would need to increase his spending in the coming years to make it ready for ascension, but right now, that is his project, not the Empire's. Yet. He was far more interested to accumulate the means to do it and to act freely.

"Two things which could be for the benefit of both of us and are relatively close related to each other. The first, presence. To prepare the imperial factions and remnants to unite eventually and to make sure that they are on the same side when doing so and not struggling against each other for acres of land - I want to offer you and would like the same in return, a presence on Vandemar. An outpost, an embassy if you will. For an ease of communication and planning. The same here in Storm's End for us."

"The second, more personalised to this place. Investment opportunities. I want to offer construction and infrastructure programs for Hazaaria, boosting local development and living standards. A initial project so to speak for the benefit of the many, to show that our Techwrights are not only warsmiths but actually can improve quality of life through superior technology."

​