Private The Calm before the Storm - Nirauan Talks

[Aurelian Sigismund]

Aurelian Sigismund,
High Imperator, Shield of Vandemar, Grandmaster of the Legions
✠ Objective: Networking
✠ Location: Orbit over Nirauan
✠ Gear: Mantle of the Griffin of Zakuul, Urizen (sheathed at his side), Lancer-blaster, golden laurel wreath
✠ Assets: Agema Retinue
✠ Tag(s): Lucien Dooku

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The shuttle shut out of hyperspace, its silver and golden wings reflecting the sunlight and shining brightly. The two pilots immediately send codes to identify the vessel and who was on board, security protocols are one of the stable procedures in the galaxy the Vandemarians really like and use without getting them whirled up in senseless bureaucracy. They quickly accepted therefore the New Imperial system and added it to their daily routine.

The pilots were Legionnaires, Agema to be specific, the personal guard of the High Imperator. Their armor as shiny and golden as it gets, equalling the suit of the High Imperator himself, designed in his honour. They were a bit more than seven feet tall, muscular and as all Legionnaires, drilled and trained to be exemplary soldiers. The Agema though was created to protect and guard the life of the Vandemarian ruler. Their numbers were little but their skill and experience was the pinnacle of what a Legionnaire could become. Five of these warriors accompanied the figure in the back of the shuttle.

Aurelian Sigismund sat with his elbows on his knees and looked at the metal floor of the ship. His sea-green eyes were open and he seemed to be deep in thoughts, far away from the actual events and happenings around him. He was a special speciman of the human race, not originally from the world he governed, but from Zakuul, yet bred and raised among the Knights of Zakuul and becoming an Exarch. His physical abilities, even without the Force, reached far further than many mortals could imagine. Even than what he could have imagined. After extensive testing to his body to reveal the Zakuulan engineering secrets showed technology far beyond what the Vandemarians were able to recreate. The Legionnaires are strong, nearly flawless warriors, but just a shadow of his own.

Their mission today was to find possible new allies in the New Imperial Order. The ruler of Serenno and Nirauan seemed reasonable and of a same political ideology, in the farest sense.

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[Lucien Dooku]

DOCKING BAY 12 // NIV MYRMIDON // IN ORBIT OF NIRAUAN
Vibes | Aurelian Sigismund
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Alliances between warlords were not a rare occurrence at all within the Empire. The assumption was that most of the Imperial Warlords were feuding amongst each other when they were not committing resources to the vast number of conflicts the Empire was involved in, but cooperation amongst themselves was a necessary fact of life. Be it as a means of political maneuvering, or to ensure the economic growth of the planets under one's control, further isolation within the Iron Curtain would only lead one's people to live destitute at best. Not every world was self-sustainable, after all, with most being heavily dependent on the trade that came from neighboring systems.

Nirauan was chief among those worlds, for example. What some may have called a vanity project of the former Jedi Lord, unchecked immigration combined with massive subsidies from Lucien's administration meant that growth across the planet had astronomically skyrocketed in the years since he took over. What was once a planet covered in nothing but jungle, teeming with wildlife and sparse outposts, was now the home to millions of souls, and dozens of cities to house them. New Carannia being chief among them, the jewel of the Dominion, it was the vanity project, an ostensible representation of the Warlord's ambitions. Yet without the resources to keep the growth going, its citizens would become just as poverty-stricken as some of the irradiated worlds along the Braxant Run.

The Iron Curtain would've ensured this was so, if not for the Dominion's influence upon its region of space. The many trade agreements it held with the surrounding planets, and even with those further into the Core, had been maintained in part to its location on the far western border. With international trade down the Braxant no longer a possibility, Dominion-aligned vessels used these fringe worlds to their advantage.

Skirting through the frontier, smaller trade lanes were utilized to reach the frontier worlds, or leapfrog their way down to the Hydian Way. It was an effective chip to bring to the bargaining table, albeit done in direct defiance of his brother's foreign policy. Bu with one planet rapidly growing, and another bogged down in reconstruction, the Dominion would do what it must to not just survive but to thrive.​

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Within the frigid walls of Docking Bay Twelve, Lucien awaited his guest after receiving word of its exit from hyperspace. It was a rarity for another Warlord to arrange a visit to the Dominion; most Warlords tended to cooperate through intermediaries, preferring to keep their ties stable, yet distanced enough to not upset their political allies. It was realpolitik at its finest, and Lucien was no exception to these types of agreements either. He'd made a few hard choices, the kind that could ruin him if they were to get out, but to ensure the prosperity of the many, he did what he must.

He expected that this Aurelian Sigismund was not one of those who he'd deal with at an arms-length, at least off the bat. Though he had no reputation within the Imperial Assembly, it was reassuring to see that Vandemar had not aligned with the Tarkinists just yet. It was for this reason alone that he even agreed to meet with the newcomer, intending to feel out the man's character first, before the rhetoric of the extremists managed to come his way.

And so the meeting was arranged above the skies of Nirauan, high in orbit where his fleet lay in wait.

No ceremonial guard would be present to greet them, as that simply wasn't his style. Nor would there be a single official or soldier in sight, only Valerian would be by his side, the old man serving as the Chief Administrator of the Dominion, and also his long-time advisor. Exchanging his fine clothing for his trademarked spacer outfit, it would be apparent that their meeting was not a broadcasted affair, both inside the Dominion and out. Even if this Aurelian did happen to be a man of good character, there were far too many snakes within the Imperial Assembly who were just looking for an opening to strike at the Pellaeonist cause.

Politics within the Empire was precarious at the best of times, and harmful to the lives of millions at worst.​

 

[Aurelian Sigismund]

Aurelian Sigismund,
High Imperator, Shield of Vandemar, Grandmaster of the Legions

✠ Objective: Networking

✠ Location: Orbit over Nirauan

✠ Gear: Mantle of the Griffin of Zakuul, Urizen (sheathed at his side), Lancer-blaster, golden laurel wreath

✠ Assets: Agema Retinue

✠ Tag(s): Lucien Dooku

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A metalic clank echoed through the shuttle as it set down in the hangar bay. Hydraulics and suspension were working to smooth the landing procedure, a maneouvre done a thousand times. The two bulky pilots were passing on the information that there were no soldiers, no guards and just two of the locals, including their ruler.

Aurelian had seen the empty bay through the HUDs of the pilots. A meeting alone. Curious. Either the amount of trust shown was because of trust or confidence, either way, it was not common. The man had been a Jedi and now is the ruler of a busy industrious hub, he has fought a long time alongside the Imperials, but never supported the ultra-centrism. He was the center of Pellaeonism in the realm and would for sure attempt to sway Vandemar to his side. Good.

With a precise movement, the High Imperator removed his helmet, a slight sound of decompression can be heard before he puts the crested protection on the seat next to himself. Servos whir as he rises to not exactly his full height, the shuttle not allowing him to stand fully straight. Even though the vessel was planned to hold a dozen of passengers, with Sigismund standing in the middle of the cabin, it seemed like there would noone else fit in.

A short hand gesture signaled his bodyguards to remain in the vehicle while he would head out. No word has been spoken yet, not a single voice heard since they entered the system. But it would soon change.

Heavy, armored steps would come down the ramp, carrying forth a giant in golden armor with a stern face and short cut blonde hair. The eyes nearly seem to shine with confidence and calmness, difficult to judge if carried by arrogance or intelligence. The Zakuulan was towering tall, nearly two feet taller than the Serenno noble but did not seem too broad and beefy, but in perfect physical condition. The golden armor with the red tabard was giving the strong impression of a warrior, just as the weapons at his side. Everything appeared to be neat, masterly crafted and in place where it should be, in harmony with his calm and long steps as well as his unwavering expression and look.

As Aurelian arrived in front of the other Warlord he offered a gentle but accurate bow of his head in greeting.

"My honor to meet you, King Dooku. I am Aurelian Sigismund, High Imperator of the Vandemarian Principality."

The voice resembled his appearance, strong, stern and it did not seem to carry too much humor in it, but it left no second thought about its possible usage on a battlefield. It was authoritarian and used to give commands, to lead and rule. For individuals who are very skilled in reading accents, one would hear an extremely distant sounding Zakuulan accent, but also a minor strange one, resembling High Galactic.

"I am glad that we could arrange a meeting. War does not often leave possibilities for matters of state, nor does it grant us freedom of our schedule."

His eyes briefly dart to the Chief Administrator, a man called Valerian as the data said, advisor and statesman, but would go back to the noble ruler right away.

"Vandemar searches for its place in the New Imperial Order and entering closer relations with your domain are our first step to do so."
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