Subside.

[Nyxie]

Over a week had passed since the incursion incident between the Ri'essi Union and Levantine Sanctum. Things were slowly beginning to calm down. Occasional skirmish attempts had cropped up here and there, but ever since the first incident, a small Imperial battlegroup consisting of a missile gunboat cruiser and several cruisers and frigates remained in occupation of Crystalsong for the sake of its own defense. Kikhveakkaz had lost the million or so credits in his savings account and been forced out of retirement early, so it made little difference to him; in fact, he welcomed it, as Crystalsong was a great place to catch some 'R&R.' Overall, the incident was slowly being forgotten. People simply didn't hold the power or interest to change it.
A single written message was forwarded to AEI, no doubt passed down across [member="Rave Merrill"]'s desk - if she even had a desk - along the line.

Hello Ms. Merrill,

I am the 'ruler' of the Crystalsong Commonwealth. You shall earn the right to my name when first we meet. I would like to extend my apology on behalf of the Commonwealth - but I will not do so behind the veil of the HoloNet. Please arrange for a meeting with me, in person, at your leisure.

I deeply look forward to it.

Oh, and there is something I'd like you to see.

All the best,
G.S.M. II

There was no telling what the woman would make of it, but if she ever wanted to see anything out of it, she'd arrange the meeting.

 

[Velok the Younger]

[member="Aless Mnaya"]

For about a second and a half, Rave considered digging in her heels and requesting a neutral meeting point. For about five seconds, she considered bringing a corporate fleet that could make the entire Commonwealth, and all its allies put together, weep. By timestamp 00:00:07, she realized she didn't care, and hopped in the Lethewalker.

Dear Leader,

My frigate will be visiting Crystalsong territory in two days. Please transmit a set of landing coordinates.

Merrill

 

[Nyxie]

[member="Rave Merrill"] was sent coordinates to Crystalsong's newest XQ1 Customs Station. There were no traps, no fleets, nor clever plots. Crystalsong's conqueror - not a particularly accurate word but valid by definition - was a whole new breed of individual the likes of which very few had met and even fewer had left to speak of.
"<<Servant droid! Release the akks!>>" shouted the woman, amidst fields of emerald grass and deep azure skies.
She quickly brandished a spinning pistol from her hip and huddled forward, awaiting the first charging beast.
"Come at me, swine!" she roared.
It leapt forth and attempted to sack her, but as it did, she caught it by the nape scales with her stone-hard claws and butted the muzzle of the pistol right into the underside of its jaw. With a quick roll, it's own momentum was used against it as she flipped it over upon its back. A single heaving kick to the face was all it took to make the poor beast unconscious... and a few teeth poorer.
The remaining two ran the moment she turned to face them. Her fangs and claws erect were bigger.
"<<I think I may have overdone things....>>" she finally stated, scratching the back of her head quizzically. "<<C'mon now, big guy. Let's get you to an infirmary.>>"
The lone woman picked up the akk and flung it over her shoulder, drool and a bit of blood just barely missing her skin and clothes - the few she had.
"Why - I never! When are you going to stop beating these poor, innocent creatures," the old ambassador droid assisting the Grand Scion said; that was before he caught a glance at the monstrosity, changing his expression to one much more chilly, repulsed. "O-oh. Dear, me."
The woman would simply give the droid a few quick pats on the shoulder as she passed.
"<<I'o'no, maybe when we finally replace you,>>" she jested.

 

[Velok the Younger]

[member="Aless Mnaya"]

By way of the Perlemian, then the Mara and Death Wind Corridors, and finally through barely-charted Wild Space, the frigate Lethewalker approached Crystalsong. In due course it reached Commonwealth territory, then the old-model customs station. The Lethewalker, a modified Mandalorian ship with a handful of guns, moved like a bulk freighter, nothing especially capable or vicious. It was Rave's mobile command post and laboratory.

It took up a loose orbit of a Lagrange point near the station, and broadcast its telesponder data, including its AEI registration.

 

[Nyxie]

There she was, the infamous [member="Rave Merrill"], right within the reaches of the Shadow Empire's stationed cruisers. If it were anyone else, the ship would have been hit with dozens of assault concussion missiles simultaneously and from all angles after being pulled into a gravity trap. The Grand Sciion wasn't just somebody else, however, and kept true to her word always. It didn't take long for word of the woman's arrival to reach Aless. Her 'warm welcoming' was a simple holomessage. She'd thought about simply annihilating her guest, but she was just that; her guest.
"Ah, Miss Merrill, you have arrived!" The woman's basic wasn't great but it was odd in more of a 'sexy accent' kind of way. "Now that you're here and my warships as well as those of my friends can confirm this, you can simply land on the planet now." Aless ended with a mischievous giggle.
It didn't take but one peek out of a window to see the rows and patrols of warships, some Commonwealth, some not, practically ready to jump down someone's throat ever since the last incident.
Once again, coordinates were forwarded to Rave. Fortunately, what was on the surface was quite the valuable find indeed. Aless wasn't like Countess Xyhn and didn't have or want her own castle, so the Narran interim by the north worked fine.

 

[Velok the Younger]

[member="Aless Mnaya"]

Rave, being straight, didn't find the accent sexy so much as affected. She surveyed the assembled cruisers.

"Wishing we'd brought the battleships, ma'am?"

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Take us in."

The frigate slipped down the gravity well and towards the designated landing point. It touched down, and Rave disembarked, clad in golden leather with the sword Entropy at her hip. A pair of qo'saarai honour guards, head and shoulders taller than the petite alchemist, walked behind her.

 

[Nyxie]

Rave's landing point was by a local (and mostly legitimate) club house, with a short walk between the mountainside facility and the series of landing pads that webbed of from its central hub. Once by the door, one would hear music and live emceeing blasting from within its hollow halls and open dance floor. The bouncers at the front entrance were easily the largest and toughest in the land - and likely actually Narran. Lots of the people in that area of Crystalsong were warrior castes, species and tribes who knew only how to fight and fight well.
Flashy lights and holoprojectors were everywhere. Inside would be the presence of a seven foot tall Mnenchei maiden of glistening gray skin, swept white hair, saber-like fangs, blackened claws that made Togorians look like kittens in comparison and three elegantly striped tails. Aless wore little more than a sporty bikini set and pleasantly frilled pareo - her usual casual attire. She wasn't concerned with how she presented herself, as she was not human and there was not Coruscant. Things were different there. Two Adjudicator-Class SBD's backed the woman but she was quick to dismiss them.
"Welcome, Miss Merrill. Come. We have much to discuss. I even have a little gift for you which suits your particular tastes." she'd invitingly announce.

[member="Rave Merrill"]​

 

[Velok the Younger]

[member="Aless Mnaya"]

Rave, being Dathomiri and a citizen of the wilder part of Wild Space, wouldn't know a pareo if it bit her tail. (Tail in the colloquial sense.) Her interest in the nightclub scene, regardless of world, approached nil, but she and the qo'saarai acquired and maintained a low-level awareness of nearby minds' quote-unquote activity. Mnaya was over a foot and a half taller than Rave, which put the compact alchemist's eyes at an annoying level.

If this was Crystalsong's leader...

"Thank you," she said neutrally, following Mnaya. "And it's Master Merrill, your excellency."

 

[Nyxie]

"Excellency? I'm a leader, not a ruler."
The women and their escorts were lead to a VIP room in the back. Club guards at the ward's entrance flagged the guards down as they'd try to approach; only the Grand Scion and her guest were allowed in the area. Fortunately, all of the other rooms were locked and the whole ward reserved for Aless' arrival. There was no way for an assailant to reach either without first going through the front hall where both the guards and both women's escorts inevitable lie waiting.
"Oh. Don't worry about it. There's only one way in, one way out, and it'll just be the two of us."
The Mnenchei maiden turned forth to walk into the VIP area, taking a seat at the large banquet table within. The chairs were crystalline wood native to the Crystalline forests and the decor throughout the room was reminiscent of vintage Atrisian or ancient Je'daii. The music was much less loud in the area and the lights did not reach so far out, leaving a calm but lively atmosphere. She hoped her guest would follow.
An elegantly dressed waiter quickly came by and bowed respectfully at the duo.
"Miss [member="Rave Merrill"]. Surely you must be thirsty from such a long voyage. This place has everything you could possibly desire, and more."
Aless wasted no time in placing two particular holocrons on the end of the table. One was quite familiar to Rave.
"This is just - how do you say - the tip of the iceberg."

 

[Velok the Younger]

[member="Aless Mnaya"]

She took the seat but declined to order refreshment. Woman could not live by bread alone.

"You made a wise decision," she said, as the holocron of Velok rotated above her hand. "Of the treasures stolen from me, the most valuable were marked with my blood. This was the greatest of them.". Her alchemist's senses probed the holocron, verifying whether anything unpleasant had been applied to it; then she did the same with expert Vongsense.

" I picked up the specific blood trail again when it turned up at auction. I've felt my property call to me since I entered the system. This was a wise decision on your part. To get this back, I would have sterilized your world."

The holocron continued to rotate as she analyzed it without touch.

 

[Nyxie]

Aless let off a slight frown. She did so hate drinking alone.
"Now, now, Miss Merrill, spare us your threats. You are amongst friends. Besides, I still have the crystal."
The waiter was waved off and would come back with a private bottle of NN-182.
"You should probably know that Warden Kurah Rrusho has retired... and she has left that other little trinket behind for us. It's creators were wise; it can only be opened by the two and will not be fooled by illusions. We've both agreed you are free to spend as much time as you need inspecting it here."
She leaned back slightly and lifted the glass she was served to her lips carefully. Saberteeth were always such a nuisance to the Mnenchei's civil drinking efforts. So long as she was slow and steady about it, the efforts would never fail.
"Now onto the real reason why we're here. The Ri'essi Union's recent actions pursuing you so... openly... were unwise, yes. However, the recent incursions by random forces into our space has me a little concerned."
Aless giggled.
"Our ordinance expenses have raised through the roof!"
"I have since bought out the company known as Ri'essI Union Manufacturing and rebuilt the Union itself under new regime. These recent bounties of yours, they are a hazard to my people and my planet. Falling debris and stray lasers have already struck the surface. It's a matter of time before someone is actually injured," she continued.
The glass in her hands was now bone-dry. Aless spun it full-circle through her fingers before placing it firmly on the table by its base.
"On behalf of the Crystalsong Commonwealth, I apologize for... trying to incarcerate you, if you will. All charges, bounties and capture orders on our end have been terminated. We would all greatly appreciate if you lifted the bounty on Ri'ess Regal Drives and Ri'essi Union Manufacturing staff in turn. The only things these achieve are the deaths of innocent bystanders who've done nothing to you and yours. I will personally pay your losses to see the price on the head of the girl removed as well."
"Oh, and before I forget, there is one more little gift for you waiting in the lot just outside. I insist that you keep it."
A live Narran stuck in its true form and infected with the Technovirus lie chained outside. Whether it could be proven or not, the point was that [member="Rave Merrill"] knew that she was responsible. Only an identifiable handful of individuals throughout the galaxy could do such a thing. Whatever the case, it was too great a danger to society and also stood as a statement that Aless was fully aware of the sometimes-inhumane acts that AEI had performed under the table.

 

[Velok the Younger]

" I will remove the bounties in your government and the corporations," she said. "Your apology is accepted." When her comprehensive mindscan found nothing amiss about the holocrons or the wine or glass, she stowed the former and finally allowed the waiter to pour her a little, a rare concession to good manners. In Mnaya's mind, she caught a glimpse of what the tall young woman was talking about.

"That sad creature outside should be in a medical ward, girl, not chained in the yard. I'll gladly take custody." Rather than drink, she stared into the glass, ostensibly lost in thought.

"I had blood trails on many of the things I lost when my ship was raided," she said at last. "I've been tracking them down one by one. If you have anything else you believe to be mine, and from your comment on icebergs I have to assume it's a possibility, you have my thanks for their immediate return."


[member="Aless Mnaya"]

 

[Nyxie]

With the greater portion of the work now out of the way with the alchemist's given word, Aless gestured for the crystal matching the second to be brought. A reinforced durasteel suitcase lined with nullification resin and embedded with one of Kurah's taozin nodules was placed on the edge of the table, opened through a complex crystalline locking system, and the crystal exposed. The second to be revealed was a Lamebent crystal - likely one of the few artifacts of the Vong to be compatible with the Force. It was the Apocrypha Lambent, which without, rendered the Apocrypha Holocron inert and useless beyond a conventional paperweight. The woman had no qualms about leaving Rave to it for the remainder of their stay; the Gatekeeper was instructed only to reveal to Rave information in the presence of Crystalsong and its nexus, and there was no known way to reprogram a holocron that didn't destroy it.
"If that will be all, I thank you for visiting me in person. Perhaps you may do so again some day. I will inform you if I am able to acquire anything else that may be yours. As for the 'creature,' the Narran do not often feel in the way you or I do, and they are no creature but in fact sentient beings. He was one of our best. I pray he finds renewed purpose. You'll find a chip worth a million credits delivered to your ship. It is my hope it will help ease his troubles. I hope to see you soon, Miss Merrill, and safe journeys."
The Whyren's Reserve NN-182 was left by the table in case Rave would choose to take it.
With their business seemingly concluded, the Mnenchei had the waiter pull her seat back and rose to a stand.
"If you'll excuse me, there are other pressing matters I now must tend to."
She bowed before departing, heading to the shuttle that would take her to Nàrdanhect where she claimed a decent plot of land to bring her newly owned corporation's base of operations closer to home.

Spoiler

Do not leave planet with second holocron pl0x. We need it. Ty. :3

(EDIT) Edited as agreed. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[member="Rave Merrill"]​

 

[Velok the Younger]

[member="Aless Mnaya"]

She gave serious thought to stealing the Apocrypha of the Horde, by one means or another, but there was no reason to earn the Commonwealth's puny ire a second time, not when she was this busy. And being paid a million credits to study a holocron, drop a bounty, and forget that the Commonwealth had possessed her stolen property -- well she was not altogether without mercy.

She had worked for Great Leap Forward, the galaxy's experts in holocron technology; she'd even acquired the ability to learn from them while accelerating a verbal conversation, in a Darzu-derived technometric Rakata-fuelled bond of sorts. Frankly, she didn't have much in the way of words to describe the process, whose closest parallel was direct access to another sentient's memories. The process, closely linked to creation and maintenance of holocrons, allowed her a closer understanding of the Apocrypha's construction and nature as she forcibly delved its entire contents, intuiting the best directions of inquiry. The Force ebbed and flowed around her as she and the holocron exchanged rapid-fire sentence fragments, quarter-second image flashes, accelerated recordings. Her hunger to know was unparalleled just about now, drawing from the Blackguard legacy and the Selabite calling.

She had no doubt that they were watching or listening, and that they might get some idea of her capabilities; the holocron could not have responded like this to anyone short of Valik, Dissero or Disciple.

Eventually she sat back, left the holocron and its lambent sitting by the wine bottle, and left the planet with Velok's holocron firmly in hand. On her way out of the system, she cancelled the bounties on RRDI and RUM.