Private Thank You For Being A Friend || Imperator / Chancellor

[Adhira Chandra]

​

Adhira was walking so quickly up the long metal corridor that she would hear the train of her robe whipping violently behind her as she stormed toward her office. She had left the command center in such a rush that her entourage had been unable to pack up and follow her with any due haste. That left the Chancellor, alone, racing up the hall giving momentary cardiac episodes to every Chancellery worker that wandered into her path. Two Senate guards snapped to attention on either side of her office door and her aide jumped to his feet when she finally rounded the corner into the Chancellor's Office.​

Her advance was wordless, but her furrowed brow and bright red frown seemed to be doing picking up the slack left by her thorny silence. "Madam Chancellor, is everything alright?" Sullastan chirped in her wake. The nicety went entirely unanswered. Instead, Adhira grasped her skirts and ascended the dais that housed her desk - the one used for ceremonial occasions and official meetings. Her fingers worked deftly at the controls on the arm of her chair after she'd taken her seat.​

The cadre of political operatives that made up her advisory staff soon followed into the office as the aide wheeled around helplessly in time to see them hurry past. They began talking all at once, which always annoyed Adhira, but she understood their panic given that she had just announced she was going to contact Irveric Tavlar, the Imperator of the New Imperial Order before marching out of the room to do it. Some of them pleaded with her to wait, others were trying to offer as much diplomatic advice as possible before-​

Suddenly, the holoprojector in front of her desk erupted with blue light and the room fell silent as her staff shrank out of view of the tidy young man who had appeared before them. He was wearing a uniform - the color was unclear, but the insignia was unmistakably from the NIO. The steely-eyed leader of the Alliance allowed the boy time to realize what was happening. It took longer than she expected, but the sudden widening of the soldier's eyes told her he was aware of who she was. He opened his mouth to speak, but her raspy voice cut him off.​

"I wish to speak to the Sovereign Imperator," she said as she crossed her hands on top of her desk, "please." The addition at the end sounded more threatening than polite, but she gave him a small smile all the same.​

"I-He-Um-" the man's eyes kept darting into the distance over Adhira's head, "I'm sorry ma'am - er - Chancellor Chandra, but the- the Imperator is currently attending to pressing matters of state and otherwise indisposed."​

The smile disappeared and her nostrils flared as she strove for composure. "Ah, I see, well - I was just popping over to Yincchor and thought he might like to join me," she smirked, "but I will be happy to wait for him to attend to those pressing matters of state. Do go tell him for me, won't you?" There seemed to be a momentary panic both in the man's eyes and those of the staff that stood in the corner of Adhira's office, but it seemed to have the effect she was hoping for.​

"One moment please." The hologram morphed into a floating NIO insignia and patriotic music played softly. Her entire staff looked like they were about to collapse as the tension left their shoulders. Adhira sank back against the metal of her chair and waited patiently for her dear friend to join her on call.​

Irveric Tavlar​

 

[Irveric Tavlar]

I M P E R A T O R
NEW IMPERIAL ORDER
THANK YOU FOR A BEING FRIEND
RAVELIN | BASTION
Adhira Chandra
F A L L S

“They’re skeptical...as you’d initially assumed, Imperator." The muffled and baritone deep voice of the Kel Dor admiral spoke through a shimmering electronic haze of his holographic projection, true gaze of the alien seen beyond his rebreather, currently planetside on his native Dorin.

“And were they sure to specify why that might be?” Irveric inquired to the Kel Dor in return. He could assume very well.

“Kyber Dark. They fear the Order turning on the Baran Do all the same. On a whim.” The Kel Dor Admiral iterated.

“Not going to happen. Kyber Dark was a pre-emptive measure more than anything else. It is in the nature of the Sith to betray. It is in the nature of the Baran Do to serve the Kel Dor, you are well aware of the New Order's view on them else you'd not be among our ranks. Remind them of that, let them know that the Baran Do are as integrated into the society of Dorin and the Kel Dor as anything else. If they are going to see a passage toward the ruling doctrines of Empire, it is not without their oversight. Be sure they are aware of this." Tavlar states to which the Kel Dor nods in reply.

"Understood, Imperator. I will relay more when I am able to." Var Koon states and the hologram snaps into nothingness only for the administrative assistant to enter the otherwise empty conference room, standing at attention with his hand raised in salute to be addressed by the Imperator.

"Speak freely."

"Sir, there is a transmission awaiting your answer. Holo call." He iterated.

"And who is it?" Irveric replied in inquiry.

"Chancellor Adhira Chandra...of the Galactic Alliance." Tavlar immediately wanted to press 'why' and 'why now' but in the end, if she was committed to pressing through this transmission now then he wouldn't be so brazen as to refuse.

There was little spared in contemplation or hesitation before he offered a nod, the cold fluorescence of the room dimmed and the holoprojection of the newly elected Federalist appeared before him.

In return, so too did the iron gaze of the Sovereign Imperator donning his black and crimson military uniform, his chest stamped with the six over two silver bars displaying his rank unmistakably upon the military uniform.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure, Chancellor. Must I also congratulate you and your faction on its sweeping victory in the Alliance elections. Tagge was nothing but a forthright man in our talks...from the nature of this abrupt communication, I can only assume you will do the same. So then, what circumstances demand our 'first official contact'?" Tavlar inquired outright, awaiting a response with a frigid gaze, ever the man of unbreakable resolve as his placid expression painted amidst a face of long healed jagged scars and burns marring his face.

 

[Adhira Chandra]

​

The Chancellor relaxed into the chair as she waited for the Imperator to respond to the call. It was not a question of if, but rather when. At the mention of Yinchorr the military aide likely knew, immediately that the jig was up and the only potential remedy was a conversation with Irveric himself. Which was precisely why Adhira decided to mention the distant planet, to the chagrin of her staff. Her clean white nails began to strum one by one upon the metal armrest as one minute turned into several. Though it felt something akin to a lifetime for her counterpart to answer, however, it only took a few minutes before the pitiless face of Imperator Irveric Tavlar appeared, looming over her in a haze of icy blue.​

"Imperator Tavlar," she said in greeting, "I am so pleased to see that you were indeed available to speak with me." Adhira leaned forward on her elbows, bringing her hands together closely together under her pointed chin which rested tactfully upon her knuckles. She was certain that her own call had been as surprising as it was that she had actually received an answer. However, she gave a cool smile all the same.​

Adhira's dark brown eyes darted briefly to the corner of the room that Irveric could not see projected before him - the staff. In one of the far corners, a group of individuals was huddled together, strategizing in between the words that Adhira spoke. In all likelihood they were trying to brainstorm ways to reduce whatever diplomatic damage the Chancellor was currently doing, however, she had full faith that everything would proceed... as planned, in the least.​

The elder woman could not help but scoff at the sudden mention of her predecessor. Certainly, Emmen Tagge had been a vital part of the formation of the Alliance, but Adhira was not making a social call. Still, she nodded graciously at the comment. "Yes, we will all miss the forthrightness that Chancellor Tagge brought to his office," she nodded in deference to the former leader of the Alliance as if he were in the room with them.​

"But, no, actually, I was hoping that this time you would be the forthcoming party," the old Balmorran shook her hand vigorously to push her silver bracelet further down her arm before tenting her fingers again. The look she gave Irveric at that moment could only be described as severe. "We have been monitoring what our intelligence analysts describe as 'imperialist readiness activity' just beyond the borders of the Alliance... and those briefings have been getting longer with each passing day."​

"I am sure it goes without saying that the... friendship our two people share has been an invaluable part of maintaining peace in this part of the galaxy. I trust nothing has changed?" Adhira did not smile this time. Her face was expressionless as she peered up at the hologram. Her words were diplomatic, careful, and calculated, but they belied a deeper purpose. The Chancellor studied Irveric's face for any sign of a reaction.

Irveric Tavlar

 

[Irveric Tavlar]

I M P E R A T O R
NEW IMPERIAL ORDER
THANK YOU FOR A BEING FRIEND
RAVELIN | BASTION
Adhira Chandra
F A L L S

If Adhira was searching for any semblance of an uprising in his expression, a feign in his coldness or a failure to rule the posturing that came with his stoic gaze. She would be sorely disappointed. He'd stared down the lightsaber of the Bloody Handed Bastard fresh from his distorted resurrection and riled with the anger of being denied a peaceful end. He'd stared down the commander of the Sith Imperial military Kor Vexen as a mere Major General with threats of his life if he didn't obey his commands to bring upon the end of innocents. So too did he stare down the Emperor, his Dark Council and the rest of the Brotherhood of the Sith when behind a holographic sheen no different than now he regarded them all as parasites, wastes that did not deserve the Empire that the Imperial had built for them.

Adhira was a forthright and integral politician, a more than fitting Chancellor to the Galactic Alliance. But there was nothing she could do to waver him. Whatever she was searching for in his expression, she'd only find his unmoving gaze.

"I'm afraid you'll have to enlighten me of what 'Imperial Readiness Activity' your intelligence is finding, Chancellor. And why you'd find such a vague descriptor as valid enough reason to try and interrogate me over it." Tavlar states.

"You should know better than any that the New Imperial Order's interests lie in the upholding of law and order. Peace. Such is the reasoning we fight the Sith Empire...such is the reasoning of Operation Kyber Dark. The New Imperial Order acts in the interests of its people as just as you act in yours. There's no reason the pact between our two nations has to degrade lest you seem to deem it neccessary that it does." The Imperator iterates.

"Though I do find it intriguing that you see fit to inquire of 'Imperial Readiness' when the Galactic Alliance Defense Force acting in force beyond its borders should be eyes good enough to tell you all you need to know, Chancellor." He retorts.