Private The Imperial Cabal chapter III | The Moff, The Witch and the Imperial Stronghold

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

NYRIAAN
Imperial Headquarters

​

The pure devotion to the Imperialist ideology made Moff Braxiatel do the unthinkable: he would, although very roughly, try to politic with the Moff aberration known as Onrai. He had seen her in action during Warlord Sularen's rescue, and she was quite efficient in destroying the terrorists. The magic aberration intrigued Braxiatel so much, in fact, that he searched for her information by both official and unofficial means. He, more than others, was aware of the ISB's capacity of getting information no other Imperial could, after all. Moff Onrai controlled something conjecturally called the "Anti-Force", which was apparently the Force's opposite. It was something too interesting, with too much potential for the Soldier-Moff to ignore, even if it forced him to talk with the Witch.

His Caçadore-Class Corvette docked in Ord Mantel. The ship's platform opened, revealing the heavy-armored Moff, with no more weapons than the pistol he held so dear, in pristine conditions even after decades of use. Behind him, two commandos were to secure his shuttle rather than follow him. The Moff didn't want to pass the wrong impression to Moff Onrai -this was the reason he left his carbine in the Shuttle. The Moff would make his way to Onrai's offices, without waiting for any reception committee. If he would have to wait for her presence, then so be it. The Soldier was no different than any other, and he had great patience to sustain this kind of bureaucracy.

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

Moff Evner Braxiatel

Routed quickly through the offices of Ord Mantell, Moff Braxiatel would be soon rooted to the office in question he intended to visit. Sitting behind her desk was Vanessa Vantai, the blonde, simply-robed form her preferred option of choice when interacting with newcomers. Certainly ones who were neither friend nor foe yet. She smiled, offering him a hand to shake before motioning for him to sit down. "Moff Braxiatel, is it? Vanessa Vantai. I run this world - on behalf of the most beneficent Onrai, of course. What, might I ask, has brought you all the way out to my humble little corner of the Empire?"

Visitations were few and far between for the former Sith. Though her world was the exemplar of Imperial efficiency, a bastion of industry and agriculture, and the home of her own corporate endeavors, it was sparsely visited by anyone, the celebration sometime back notwithstanding. No, the Moff wanted something. She knew that much, but it was best to let him admit it.

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

ORD MANTELL
Onrai's Office

​

An emissary, was it? Where was the aberration Braxiatel had seen when rescuing Warlord Sularen? He never particularly cared for Ord Mantell, but the Witch apparently made it a beacon for the populace to sanctify her. The more time he passed in this planet, no matter how much advanced it seemed, it disgusted him. Better be blunt and harsh, force the Witch to reveal herself, whatever she is. With a cold voice hiding his oh, so bad impression of the unholy planet, the Moff said, erect, hands behind his back: "What do you know of the Anti-Force?"

It was clear, the Soldier thought, the only reason he was in Ord Mantell was because of necessity. No, he wouldn't bother to visit the planet otherwise, and he knew both the Aberration and 'Vanessa Vantai' had that in mind while welcoming him. That at least encouraged the Moff: no cordiality was apparently needed, no veils hiding the truth of his interests. Unfortunately the conversation, he thinks, will be very confusing even without it.

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

Moff Evner Braxiatel

"The Anti-Force?" Vanessa said, raising her eyebrow at him before sitting back down. "The energy field that surrounds, penetrates, and binds the pocket dimension of Otherspace together." A simple enough reply to the Moff in question. "Not something exclusive to those with midichlorians, and a tool, not anything with mystical influence over its domain, for better or for worse." She pondered a bit more. Why exactly would an Imperial Moff come out of his way to travel to this to ask about the source of Onrai's power? Perhaps he sought to access it or otherwise us it for himself. That would be an interesting consideration, certainly.

"Why do you ask? Did you come to learn about it? Or perhaps how to use it?"

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

ORD MANTELL
Onrai's Office

​

"I want your goddess' blood", a fan of objectivity, the Moff knew this phrase would not only peak the Aberration's interest -at such a point that it would reveal itself-, or at worse cut the show of appearances in this forsaken planet. Every second the soldier passed in Ord Mantell, the simple smell of wizardry in the air, the pictures of saints and profets, made his inner self boil in anger. There was no God, no entity to determine the faith of the galaxy. No being worth of that much praise. The only thing that must be sovereign throghout the whole galaxy is but the Empire's Will, exterminating everything undesirable to shape a new hegemony. And if the so-called Force tries to stop it, then it must be destroyed just like the other dissidents.

This is why the "Force" should die in him. No rulers, no masters to decide his own fate but himself and the Imperialist Ideals so keen to him. If the Witch could give that to him, in the form of blood, then so be it.

​

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

“The blood of the goddess Onrai?”

An eyebrow raised, a look of almost incredulous curiosity given to the man, Vanessa eyed him. “I doubt she’ll give you that literally. She has no blood. But perhaps you’re talking allegorically as opposed to literally. So tell me, what exactly is it that you are wanting?” Perhaps if the Moff clarified what exactly he meant, it would ensure the governor could assist. Vanessa was only human - or near-human as it were - so the more he elaborated on what he wanted, the more she could assist him.

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

ORD MANTELL
Onrai's Office

​

"The existance of the Force requires something called the Anti-Force to emerge. Therefore, the existance of the Midichlorian requires something like the Anti-Midichlorian to exist. I want they both to destroy each other in one's body, achieving what we call force death. I want something that kills Midichlorians, Vanessa, and I think you have the perfect thing for me." The Moff's eyes were adamant, burning with determination. He wouldn't take a no for an answer, and was certainly joyous that he could explain his little scheme to someone. If it lives, it bleeds. Braxiatel was certain of that, and the "blood" of Onrai would bring him freedom
​

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

"What you're asking for is something based around a lack of understanding of how the Force and Anti-Force react. Force death is typically something those who are Force-Sensitive end up inflicting on themselves." She said, slowly standing up from the far side of the table. She was aware that this Moff, whose personal views were particularly antagonistic to the dominance of Darksiders within the faction, was coming to her with a request that almost certainly related to furthering the goals of whatever cabal he had established, something antagonistic to the Sith status quo within the Dark Empire. Stepping around her table, she turned to observe Moff Braxiatel, taking a seat on the side opposite her desk, a space usually reserved for the second of multiple petitioners.

"There is, however, a potential alternative. Somewhat arcane, somewhat technological, but it could provide you would something somewhat comparative." She said, a finger idly tapping at a console on her desk. "Tell me, Moff Braxiatel, are you perhaps familiar with the history of the Reborn?"

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

ORD MANTELL
Onrai's Office

​

The Witch's assistant may be right, but the Moff simply didn't care enough about the so-called Anti-Force to be interested in it. "No, Governor. I want to purge the midichlorians out of my body, just like the Yuuzhan Vong of the past. If this so-called Reborn can give this to me, then so be it. Call it a favor." , it was simple, Braxiatel figured. It would serve to rid the conversation of the prosaic, boring rythm it was bond to have. No, the Moff was a fan of fast talking. He didn't have the time to hear all of the esoteric details while his plans weren't even near completion. He was certain he appeared as an angry, blind man to the governor in front of him, but that too he wouldn't care about. His blindness was only the gate of which he pushed his actions through. It was not blindness, but initiative.

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa gave the Moff a somewhat annoyed look in response to his curt cutoff. "Alright. What can you offer in exchange for this... unusual task?" This would be an intriguing thing - to drain the potential for the Force out of someone, rather than simply consuming their Force energy.

What he offered had to be worth it.

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

ORD MANTELL
Onrai's Office

​

Finally, they were talking. Of course, the Governor seemed very annoyed by it, but it was necessary. He knew of the Aberration's powers, and doubted most of the High-Ranking Imperials were as powerful as she. Even if it pains him, she was a force to be considered in the great battle that would follow. Braxiatel took a more comfortable stance, his face almost acquiring a grin of confidence. "I'd offer the free shipping of Madilon to anyone. But you aren't interested in that, are you?"

"The Children of the Tempest are a bunch of inbred Sith devoted to a sleeping Darth of thousands of years old, in a stasis of sorts. Their faith -and specially their inbred- made them, according to my scientists, very much attached to wizardry. We've captured the Darth during the Nyriaan terraforming campaign. If Onrai impersonates him, the same way she impersonates all those false gods, they will follow her to their grave."

"What do you say?"

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

Onrai thought for a bit.

"A counteroffer. If you have said Sith in stasis, deliver him here. Onrai can then consume him, and instead of impersonating him, she can become him. A simple enough means of claiming whatever he knew - though admittedly it will take time to get them acclimated and to get their genetic deficiencies dealt with." She sighed.

"Thoughts?"

Moff Evner Braxiatel

 

[Moff Evner Braxiatel]

ORD MANTELL
Onrai's Office

​

A great offer, nonetheless. It would be ridding of two great problems with just one stone. Truly, something that serves both interests in a balanced manner. The Moff, of course, seemed to think about it for a moment as a show of strength. Just a minute later, he gets up and, with the impeccable posture he's known for, looked directly into the Governor's eyes once again. "Deal. But you'll do it first. A week from now, the stasis will be delivered on this planet, and your Onrai will have clearance in visiting Nyriaan to get all the Acolades off the planet." , while it brought the Moff no joy, he had the courtesy of raising his right hand for a handshake, to seal the deal. Getting the Lord himself would be more dificult than what he originally planned, but a risk worth taking.

Onrai ​

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa nodded and shook his hand. "Follow me." Standing up from her own side, she let go of his hand and, as she began to walk out of the room, motioned to the Moff to follow. The two would walk through a number of different hallways and travel up and down a seemingly random assortment of elevators before arriving at another doorway. Opening it, beyond the doorway seemed to be something out of a completely different dimension - and in fact it was, as a dimensional rift had been opened leading to such. The structure on the other side had an ever-perpetual sense of wrongness, something about the geometry of the place gnawing at the senses. On passing through, the Moff would notice that Vanessa had, evidently, disappeared.

"So, you were sent here." Another similar voice said, the shaded construct of Onrai manifesting from the shadows of the twisted room. "Don't say a word, I already know what deal was made. If your mind survives our little journey to the place we'll be conducting this, then you will go back to where your came from."

With that, like her predecessor, the shade of Onrai motioned for the Moff to follow her on a journey through this ever more bizarre and disturbing complex.

Moff Evner Braxiatel