Private The Art of Science

[Adron Malvern]

PROGRESSION​

Tags: Cali Ziiva ​

Illyria ~ Dragonne Palace ~ Meeting Hall
​

The King had long-since noticed the small pink Zeltron that Xobos Yakieer kept in her company. He paid the woman little mind as she seemed to be a point of motivation for one of his best Knights. Illyria had been recently shaken due to a number of factors, the largest one being the official withdrawal from all Confederate charters and programs. The decision had been a harsh one for the King to make, yet following his divorce of his wife and a number of political mishaps, he'd decided Illyria's participation in The Confederacy of Independent Systems must come to an end.

This meant the financial pleasures they had enjoyed due to the King and former Queen's high ranking positions were now defunct. Although the planet's economy had been stabilized with the revival of the mining districts, formation of commerce, and entering the galactic trade scene there was now a noticeable difference. Cuts had to be made and finances could not be overlooked. Now, it was up to the planet to fend for itself and show the galaxy the strength it is so capable of.

It was time for a new focus. The economy and military would need exacting support if they were to maintain their readiness. Both of these required a certain scientific pillar behind them. Illyria had no great scientists to lead this endeavor. The shipwrights and engineers from recent ventures were a pleasant boost to the scientific community, however the planet needed far more than that.

It needed Cali Ziiva .

The King approached the meeting hall with a somewhat exasperated sigh. Although he did not know the Zeltron personally he had seen and heard of her...boisterous nature. It was something that normally would draw a headache to the man, however it was not outright disrespectful or malicious so it was usually easy to overlook.

A duo of the Royal Guard had been assigned to bring the pink scientist to the King. As Adron opened the door to the meeting hall he found a number of wonderful meals prepared for the two and their meeting. He approached the table, taking his seat as he awaited the Zeltrons arrival in silence. ​

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Attire: White & Black Formal

"This?" It wasn't that. Cali didn't understand why. Xobos Yakieer just kept saying 'No' when asked. The cute Miraluka was so mischievous.

A nice, sleek, form-fitting white outfit with a jacket that swept in under the breasts, but with a near-black purple undershirt. With gold accents, of course. It barely showed off any of her gorgeous body though! Like, where was the fun in that? Still, it was a meeting with Big King Malvern and he seemed like such a prim and proper sort. In public. In private? Well, in private he was probably a monster and not in a Zeltron's way. But his wife had to see a different private King M because it couldn't be the one Cali's Xoxo went on about.

Sith Lord Malvern and Just a Dude Malvern? Yeah. Cali wondered what Just a Dude did. Cause whenever she saw him he always seemed to be King Malvern or Sith Lord Malvern. She'd seen him smile -- like proper smile, not smile with the shadow of death behind it -- at parties to his family; but like that was all. Just a smile from Dude Malvern. It was kinda scary.

Cali was just finishing up making sure her hair was perfect...ly messy by the time her escort showed up. Just because she was wearing fancy clothes didn't mean she was going to cake her hair down with product, cross her hands before her hips, and bat her eyes bashfully at the King. Still, there was an art to delightfully messy hair. It was sculpted chaos.

The Zeltron strode out the door with a bounce to her step and a broad smile spread over her lips. She tried exchanging names with the guards, but they didn't seem overly conversational. Kind of a bummer. All duty and no play... probably kept them alive, but that didn't mean it was fun.

Cradled in her lap during the trip was a lacquered mahogany wood box. Cali had let the guards inspect its contents, of course. Even given the object inside a good shake and offered to let them hold it. 'Completely harmless,' she'd said. You know, foregoing the long technical breakdown where it was totally not harmless and could be quite dangerous, but you'd have to be super neglectful or malicious to cause that... and Cali was neither, so nothing to worry about!

As they drew near the place of business, the Zeltron strode with a carefully measured step, head high, and her golden eyes straight ahead on the destination. The guards didn't need to go running after her or need to convince her to move along despite anything else going on. They had an appointment, right? One which Xobos would feel super embarrassed if Cali messed up.

She waited as the doors were parted. The Zeltron wonder if they were going to, like, formally announce her or something. Never had anyone do that before. Like, not as just Her Inestimable and Glorious Cuteness Cali Ziiva before. Usually a plus one for the cute Miralukan Sieur.

After the entry was made open for her to pass, Cali strode in with the said gait and a smile on her lips. Hopefully they wouldn't set her at the other end of an unnecessarily long table. "King Malvern of Illyria, Lord of of the Royal House Malvern, it is an honor to meet you," Cali declared in the hopes of demonstrating that when it came to business, Cali could 'behave.' There was a reason the Zeltron wasn't penniless and it wasn't because she was siphoning Xobos' credits.

Tag: Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

ILLYRIA​

Tags: Cali Ziiva ​

As the door's to the hall parted to allow the small, pink Zeltron access, the King's eyes rose to see the woman before him. She was certainly an interesting creature. With her pink skin and exceptionally messy hair she was not something common in the halls of Dragonne palace, yet her attire was admittedly proper for the meeting. As she approached and bid a welcome the King placed a single knuckle against his chin while a knowing smile came to his face. "Please, Ms. Ziiva have a seat." He gestured to the seat nearest to him.

"I do not normally take any interest in the paramours of my Knights, however Lady Yakieer speaks quite highly of you and your...spirit." He said before looking to a nearby palace servant and gesturing to the table. The woman approached the table, setting down two fine wine flutes and filling them at equal amounts with a golden liquid. "You will join me for a drink?" The question was posed as more than a statement, though the tone behind it was warm enough. With the drinks poured the King began to speak, gesturing to the glasses with an almost amused expression. "Tradition." He said.

"It is tradition for a lord to greet a guest with a drink. The drink is a symbol of an agreement, an agreement that no blood will be spilled during the meeting and both parties will leave as they came." He explained.

"During the Hundreds Year War nothing was considered off limits. All of the nobles murdered and killed one another with no remorse. To ensure any amount of trust, the tradition of the first drink was founded. In the old times if a noble greeted you with a drink then it meant you were guaranteed safety. If he did not greet you with one....well often by that point you did not live to tell the tale." He said, taking hold of the glass and raising in to Cali.

"To the future." He said, before drinking down a good sip of the golden liquid. He exhaled in pleasure before setting the glass down on the table. "The traditions are honored, the atmosphere is set, and now we may move on to business." The man clasped his hands together, his amethyst eyes gazing over to the woman.

"Xobos tells me you would be invaluable to the Crown and it would be in my best interest to utilize your services." He said.

"So tell me why I should?" He asked the woman with an inquisitive tone.​

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Cali, of course, smiled and accepted the King's kind offer to sit with him. She set the box carefully down on the table to one side of any dishes that may be there. Her attention quickly returned to the man in time to hear his next words.

Cutey spoke of Cali to the King? Like, socially? Not like rack and torture kind of inquisition? Not a side of their relationship Cali thought existed, but it made sense there was some reason the Sith Apprentice hadn't completely flipped out before the Miraluka and Zeltron met. Of course, after meeting it was only natural Xobos didn't fly off the handle. Though there was a black lining to that seeing how she only managed to suffer more at his hands... really the whole Dark Side inspired training regimen just was so antithetical to a Zeltron's mindset.

"I would love that." Nothing wrong sharing a drink. Why, if you shared a drink with someone you were either in good company, or the other party had a twisted sense of propriety. Cali had met those kind before. 'Never let a man die without having first tasted a real drink.' Messed up. Usually wasn't time for Cali to help them see how messed up.

Silence reigned -- which Malvern might have heard was atypical of the bubbly one -- while she listened to the King's story. Listening was also a natural Zeltron skill. You couldn't make people happy if you didn't understand them, and you never understood someone without talking to them. Yes, the Echani could dance in a duel to 'talk,' but in the end words still mattered.

Her fingers took hold of her own glass to lift it to meet Malvern's toast. "The future."

Strange thing about this tradition, though. And it was an effort for her not to point this out... If anything went, wouldn't you poison the other person's drink? Probably one of those 'and that person was massacred by everyone else because something had to have meaning in the madness' things.

Cali enjoyed an equal amount of the drink herself so the King didn't feel like she was weighing any judgment. Plus, who didn't like a good drink? A parched throat in the middle of a conversation wouldn't help either.

Malvern was certainly a disciplined traditionalist, Cali noted. Suppose that was why he had so many Apprentices. Of course all the traditions weren't really her thing. A lot of time doing certain things at certain times in certain ways when there was chaotic revelry to be enjoyed. Still, if it was what brought the man enjoyment Cali would be the last one to deprive him of it.

Then it was Cali's turn to talk. Hopefully the King had braced himself.

She reached out to pick up the ornately crafted box. Slowly she opened the lid before it was extended in his direction and set upon the table for his eyes to behold the contents. A deep purple pillow was in the bottom half with a small cylinder that glowed with a golden hue. Wisps of smoke or gas seemed to ever so slowly move within the transparent cylinder. "Extra Dimensional Induction Field. X.D. for short. There are a lot of energy sources in the galaxy, but most of them have one of two things in common: the fuel is hard to get or in someone else's firm control, or it isn't powerful enough. After a little run-in with a strange phenomena, I discovered a way to generate X.D. It could be quite useful for Illyria. Powerful with minimal risk to the environment."

"Of course, that's just an example of what I can do. I'm extraordinarily good at breaking down technology without actually disassembling it. I learned quite a lot about holocrons by studying a few of yours. Really interesting how some of the designs changed over time and the measures taken to preserve their knowledge." Cali paused to smile again. "Having sold all sorts of unusual means of destruction for Whimsy in the past, I also knew quite a bit about small arms, large arms, and explosives. I've created a few unique additions of my own. They're super cute, and effective when you need something other than engulfing a city in fire."

Her head tilted ever so slightly to the right. "But, really, it comes down to what you and Illyria need, my Lord."

Tag: Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

PINK​

Tags: Cali Ziiva ​

As the woman took hold of the box on the table, the King could see his Guards visibly tense, yet he offered a subtle wave of his hand towards them. If this woman was an assassin then the King had earned that death, because he felt no malice or killing intent coming from her. He assumed she had no martial skill to speak of to begin with. When Cali slid the box over to the King he arched a brow before taking it into his hands, glancing down within.

When his eyes beheld the disk he did not reach out to touch the device, yet he did regard it with genuine interest. The man leaned back in his seat, his hand coming up in a smooth motion. The cylinder suddenly floated up from the box, spinning slowly between the two as he listened to the woman's explanation of what the device did. He chuckled softly to himself as he gazed at the piece of technology. "Alternative energy. Something I've certainly considered..." He said, before arching a brow towards the Zeltron. "You are aware of Illyria's unique placement in the galaxy. We are far from a central location." He explained.

"Our shipping costs are ridiculously high because of this. So when we import energy sources and things like Tibanna we end up paying a premium. Although thanks to Mya Jesel we have been introduced to the Trade League who provides us Tibanna for an affordable amount."

"It is not that we cannot afford it. Our shipments of Phrik and Trade agreements with Geminidae have certainly raised our purse." His hand rested back against the table as the small cylinder descended back into its box. "But progression requires a surplus of credits, not merely cutting even."

"Illyria must be able to maintain its economic strength on its own purse. The problem with this is we have precious few experts in the proper fields. We have the credits, we have the resources, but hundreds of years of dark ages make it so the common person can hardly utilize a datapad let alone one of these." He said, gesturing to the device.

When the woman spoke of studying the King's holocrons he remained silent before nodding with a small smile. She spoke of war and the tools she could craft to aid that endeavor and the King nodded once more. "My uncle owns Dynetech industries who is Illyria's primary defense contractor. While I believe we could use your services there as well I am less worried." He gestured to the box with a point of his finger. "We need sustainment. Energy, tools, machines, droids, we need things to stimulate the economy and empower the work force. Under our best projections Illyria as a world is sixty percent behind the Galactic Standard of technology. Aside from a few trade ships and our space station we have little in advanced technology. The larger cities are expanding and have finally been brought into the new era, however there are hundreds of rural territories to account for."

"My point is I need you for more than a few trinkets." He said.

"My advisors tell me I need to appoint a Chief Manufacturing Consultant to help streamline the technological advancements that must be done. Of course I would prefer it to be one of my own people, but even the best are behind what you are capable of."

"So I suppose this was more of an interview than a simple pitch." He said simply. "The position would come with its perks of course. A substantial salary, oversight of the Court of Iron, a residence within the city, per diem, and you would hold some prominence in my Courts as an advisor." He explained. ​

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Far from a central location? Illyria? Planet on the edge of the galaxy and well outside of the borders of the Confederacy with the nearest hyperspace lane being several systems away? A world so far removed from everything that the only reason she got people to party aboard her ship in orbit was because they started somewhere else, jumped here, and ended up somewhere completely different like it was some interstellar cruise? That Illyria?

Yeah, Cali was aware.

The Zeltron smiled as Adron spoke. Adron had her full attention, something he probably noticed given the infrequency of the pink woman blinking. Some of this she was already aware of given her, uh, hobby. But you know what they said, the more perspectives you got on something the closer to the truth you were! Not because everyone deliberately misrepresented things. Just kind of happened. A little embellishment here. A little downplaying there. A mistaken recollection could ruin just about anything.

Her eyes slid toward the cylinder he briefly gestured toward, but her attention popped right back up to the King. Yeah, with her time among Xobos' townsfolk, Cali got the impression Illyria wasn't exactly Coruscant. So, really, what the Miralukan had asked in getting her Pink One to move out here had been quite a lot. Hardly a central location. Not exactly somewhere you invited business partners. Industry was booming, but not quite modernized. And the people weren't exactly sold on fancy gadgets. Like, if there was a doubt in that cute head about whether the Zeltron cared, moving to Illyria should have settled it.

Still, it was far from a hopeless planet. Actually it just meant there was tons and tons of room to grow. Maybe even do things right from the start. Well, first they'd need a little reset and then do things right from the start. Quite a bit of inefficiency in how things operated. Factories could use massive upgrades. Environment needed some tender loving care...

And you know, Cali was a little surprised. Delighted, but surprised. She'd dangled 'make things go boom' and Adron didn't seize upon it with all haste. Not that a cute Zeltron like her would mind supplying them -- she'd done it with Whimsy and now her own Party Favors -- provided it was to defend their selves. Given the whole 'ship crashed in Xobos' town center' Illyria could use a little defense too. Nevertheless, Adron didn't take the shiny option alone. Maybe it'd come up, but first they needed a solid foundation. Figured some a level headed man would start with a rational option.

A curious offer was on the table then. Quite the opportunity for someone on Illyria. Not exactly a seat at the New Intergalactic Order, but then Cali didn't have time to be a member of a shadowy, conspiratorial group like that anyway. And while the King did list out some nice local perks, Cali also knew of some unstated facets of the position that Adron no doubt had considered as well. Oversight of the Court of Iron? Prominence in Adron's Courts as an Advisor? A residence in the city? All things that could keep a Pink Woman like her close by. Whether to keep an eye on her, or for more politically minded purposes -- and politics didn't stop at the Courts.

That said, the opportunity would present more options than merely being a humble Advisor suggested. Even if your position was seen as little more than a joke at first, and no one gave you any time at all, all it took was the right actions at the right time with the right audience before gradually they started to rely on you. Played right they couldn't imagine going on without you -- or your position if you groomed a replacement right.

"That is a generous offer, my Lord," Cali replied calmly after a second or two had passed. No need to come off as desperate by being too eager. "May I also continue residing at my current residence in addition to staying in the city, duties permitting?" Wouldn't want to leave Xobos alone, after all. Though Xobos could always come stay with her in the city too -- but she had her own town to run. Hm, perhaps Cali would need to prioritize rapid mass transit. If she could just work out that one problem with spatial folding she'd have instantaneous transportation licked! Just required inventing a new form of maths first. "I would love to make my services available to the Illyrian people. I think we can accomplish great things together." What was a little residence bouncing compared to that, right?

Tag: Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

FUTURE​

Tags: Cali Ziiva ​

When the young woman spoke again the King laid a single finger on his cheek in thought of her words. Of course he was well aware of the young woman's reason for staying at her current residence and the man nodded in agreeance. "Of course. The residence will be for you to come and go as you wish and I'll make sure there is plenty room for Xobos as well." He said with a slight tone of amusement.

When Cali agreed the King set a hand upon the table and nodded at her words. So it was done. "Then as of now you are the Chief Manufacturing Consultant. The Court of Iron, which I'm sure you've gathered is the planetary department of manufacturing, will be at your disposal. I expect great things from you." He explained to her before rising from his seat and holding a hand out to her. Once the young Zeltron rose from her seat the King gestured down to the main door to the hall. "Come on a walk with me and I will appraise you of our situation." He said. Almost immediately he began to lead the woman out of the room and into the beautifully designed interior halls of the palace. "Illyria has three main Cities. Azurine, which is our most advanced and populated. As of this year Azurine City can be considered to be on the Galactic Standard of technology. However the other cities are not so well off."

"Jassin City used to be the trade center for the planet and was a rival to Azurine for prominence. However, it was mostly abandoned after the wars. City-wide renovations are occurring but it could be another three years before the City is made anything worth note. Finally there is Cheshire City. Cheshire City was actually the most advanced and peaceful city on the planet. It was so far removed from all the other Houses that their Lords, House Rayne were able to maintain a stable economy and infrastructure."

"I want to create more scientific and engineering academies in Cheshire City while finishing the renovations to Jassin city. For this to happen we need advanced equipment, especially construction droids. Are you capable of heading such a project first?" He asked the woman.​

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Adron was wrong about one thing. Cali was not just The Chief Manufacturing Consultant. She was the Cutest Chief Manufacturing Consultant!

Also, she was pretty sure she could do more than just oversee Illyria's manufacturing ambitions. Maybe she wouldn't be the Chief in the other areas -- time would tell -- but she was certain she could play a good part in promoting the planet for tourism and feeding them galactic information. Not to mention trade deals on the choicest chocolates.

"You don't need to worry, Lord Malvern, I have so many ideas the only reason other governments haven't tried to silence me is because I'm not even aware of what all of them are yet." Whether the Pink One was deliberately vague or obtuse was something Adron would come to decipher in time. Just because the Zeltron was in Serious Pink mode didn't mean she lost all of her charm.

When Adron offered his hand, Cali accepted it kindly and rose with a smile on her lips. Naturally she'd join him for a walk. Who didn't like company? And they really did have a lot to discuss. She'd just been put in charge of helping an entire planet, which was kind of a big deal. Dealing with one sale at a time or one party at a time was easy. The players changed, but the game remained the same. This position demanded figuring out how to change the game around the same players. Cuse let's face it, sometimes the rules didn't work to your advantage. So, change the rules.

As they walked the King gave Cali a quick run down on the three major cities, which she listened to attentively. General plan being to lift the three up and grow out into the rest of the world from there. Good idea having distribution centers of power and influence. You could cover more of the populace than if all you had was a single distribution point.

"Construction droids?" A quick, broad smile surfaced. "Certainly. Enhanced some of the Mine's Haulers not long ago. I'll make sure we get all the equipment needed to construct these academies as efficiently as possible, so the educators you have in mind can get to work as soon as possible. That being the case, the equipment will still be running mostly off existing fuel sources. Mass production of X.D. would delay building the droids," Cali explained. Still, she could probably get certain models using the alternative energy source. Every initiative started somewhere.

"Speaking of academies, I hope there'll be a chance for me to be a guest speaker or something. Learning formulas and how things work is important, but it's equally as important people learn how to be creative and not afraid to think outside of the box. Maybe constructing a fifty foot tall mechanical duck isn't efficient, but in doing so there are engineering challenges you have to overcome that you can use in other projects." No, Cali hadn't stumbled or hesitated in bringing up such a massive mechanical duck as one of her creations. There was nothing to be embarrassed about when it came to her more.... novel ideas. Just because it hadn't gone beyond a Proof of Concept design didn't mean the effort had been a waste. Sometimes inventions didn't go anywhere as-built, but you always learned something. If nothing else you learned that particular idea wasn't terribly helpful, and so you moved on.

Tag: Adron Malvern

 

[Adron Malvern]

FUTURE​

Tags: Cali Ziiva ​

When the topic came to energy sources and droids the King held a knuckle to his lips in silent contemplation. Finally he spoke what had come to his mind. "Focusing on an alternative energy source will benefit the entire economy as a whole in the long run and save us on shipping and importing. As Chief Consultant the decision is yours, however I would like our focus to be on that which will help us the best over a period of time." He explained to her before lofting a brow at her mention of the academies. He listened to her words before shaking his head. "Once taking your position I am sure many academies will reach out to you, after all having the Chief Consultant speak at their assemblies would be a considerable honor." He said.

They finally came to an intersection in the hall where the King paused. "Illyria will become the gem of the galaxy, however it will take time and dedication." As he spoke a member of the Royal Guard approached them, holding a piece of parchment out to the King. The man rolled the parchment into a scroll without caring to look at it. Immediately after he pulled a small metallic device from his pocket, stamping it with a wax seal. The snarling wolf of House Malvern was there, proud and vigilant, sealing the paper from any who wished to gain entrance.

"Normally one of my Royal Messengers would see this delivered, but I think it more appropriate that you have the honors. Deliver this to Lady Yakieer in Garde Noire. It is important she gets it." He told her. The Knight stepped forward as if to escort the pink Zeltron. Adron nodded at the man before holding his arms behind his back. "An office will be prepared for you within the Royal Palace. I will send for you once all is ready." He inclined his head to the woman before turning her back to her. "I anticipate great things from you Chief Ziiva." He said as he turned from the young woman. ​

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Adron was really leaving a lot in her hands, it seemed. Cali didn't mind, but often times people in his position were like dogs and bones -- once they had a particular idea they didn't really see anything else. One track minds. 'Focused' to put it politely. Despite the King being a ruthless Dark Side Master, however, he seemed open to different options. There wasn't a lot of micro-management involved so much as a Goal which he expected those beneath him to be efficiently and effectively carrying out their duties to reach as soon as cutely possible.

Equally good news was the King stating academies would be interested in her speaking at them. That meant being the Chief Manufacturing Consultant wasn't just a feel-good role. Cali already knew how should could convince people to take it seriously too. So that was a relief. A little less work would be needed to help build Illyria up -- because if it'd been nothing but a facade of a position then Cali would have had tons of work to do.

And as if it wasn't already clear, Adron then outright said his Goal was to make Illyria remarkable on the galactic stage. The Zeltron nodded with a smile at such an aspiration. It was something a PInk thing like her could totally support. No 'I want to rule the galaxy' just 'I want Illyria to be more than it is today' which could totally benefit everyone.

Well, not everyone. Lots of criminal types that might get slighted, and some other planets probably would want Adron to fail. Oh well.

Then a most curious thing transpired. A man walked up with a parchment, which Adron rolled up and sealed with wax. Parchment? Wax seals? That was really weird. Like, that was so easy to intercept and-- wait, how easy would it be to lift the seal without showing signs of tampering it? Is that why they used it because everyone expected to hack or intercept holonet-based or similar missives? Had to admit, this... low-tech solution probably did help even if it was just some kind of tradition they refused to let go of.

That being the case, Cali would totally need to investigate tampering with such seals. Could be useful! Not to mention she might be able to improve the seals so important things weren't tampered by those already familiar with the practice. Like the Noble Houses of Illyria, no doubt.

"Of course, my Lord. You can be certain I will," Cali replied without unique flair given the seriousness of the request. She extended both hands to accept the scroll certain not to let anyone else handle it.

What if it was bad news? Well that'd kind of mess with the day's mood and momentum in building up Illyria wouldn't it? So, Cali assumed it must be good news of some kind. Or a mission -- which might not be great news given how grueling those missions could be. Hopefully it wasn't a mission.

A blink followed Adron's parting announcement of an Office being setup in the palace for her as well. An Office? Really? Like, not even just a residence, but a formal place to summon people or holding meetings? Well this was all new to the Zeltron. Repairing things off the books to selling weapons to designing tech for Locke & Key and now to being a government official with their own office and high expectations by the planetary ruler. An interesting course through life all because she'd ventured to the stars in order to return a 'forgotten' lightsaber.

"Disappointment isn't in the Zeltron vocabulary," she replied with a subdued rather than loud or boistrous, yet playful tone. She really did have a lot of ideas. The challenge was organizing them in accordance with available resources, and pursuing additional resources to hasten along development. Seemed like she had a good amount of work to do! And a message to deliver to Xobos Yakieer .

Tag: Adron Malvern