The Politics of Persuasion

[Isla Ashen]

Isla’s tall form was curled awkwardly in the co-pilot’s seat, her dark cloak wrapped around the sleeping woman, keeping her quite cozy. It was a long journey from the Citadel on Dosuun, the home of the Knights of Ren. Isla and a fellow disciple were on a mission, sent to a world far outside the reaches of the First Order. It was a planet called Commenor, and there they would find a political figure by the name of Lady Kay. Isla was still very new to the fold of the Ren, as was her companion, and this mission would be a test of their new skills. They would need their wits, strength, and powerful displays of discipline in order to succeed here.

As their shuttle dropped from hyperspace, Isla stirred slightly, waking as her head bobbed to the side. Eyelids blinked slowly, revealing flashes of her striking green eyes. She probably should have spent her time getting to know Von Ren, but she disliked flying, and had taken to sleep in order to keep herself sane. But now, as she woke there was anxiety in her white-knuckled grip upon the armrests. Perhaps it was a bit silly for a member of the Ren to be so frightened of something like traveling in space crafts, but she was not worldly. Not yet, but she was slowly becoming accustomed to the ways of the traveler.

“Have we arrived?” She asked, her voice low and gravelly.

She gazed out of the viewport next to her, where she could see the planet below, and she could also see her own reflection. She pulled down her hood; lengths of wild red hair fell from beneath the fabric. Yes, you are now Ashen Ren, no longer Isla... she reminded herself silently. The young woman had given up the simple life on Skye, and she had also given up her name when she joined her sisters and brothers. She had been called Isla for many years now, and she was finding it strange to no longer carry the name with her.

As their shuttle began its descent towards the planet, she closed her eyes again, breathing deep to remain calm. The two young learners would be arriving in the darkness of night on the planet, and they would use it to their advantage.

“I will follow your lead, Von Ren.” She said simply, looking towards the man next to her in the pilot’s chair. “But, is there a plan?” Planning was not Isla's strongest suit, for she liked to run forward with only instinct to guide her... but that was not always the best way.

[member="Von Ren"], [member="Lady Kay"]

Spoiler

Lady Kay - hope you don't mind that I'm tagging along! You just keep getting mixed up with the FO, don't you? This is Hyori's writer... with another FO character

 

[Von Ren]

Von Ren rubbed his eyes. He had trouble sleeping on the trip here, only catching a slight snooze here and there. He always found it difficult to sleep away from the Citadel, especially when on a mission. It was especially difficult now, since he was essentially alone with only an inexperienced newcomer as his ally. He had to be the vigilant one, or so he felt.

"Have we arrived?"

He couldn't tell his eyes almost fluttered to sleep until she said that. Standing up and uncrossing his arms, he walked into the cockpit where she sat on the captain's chair with a cape draped over her figure.

"Yes," Von replied, watching as the autopilot slowly brought the ship down to the planet below, "We're entering the atmosphere. Won't be long."

Taking a brief glance at the navicomputer, Von noted that their docking destination was set for a spaceport in Anteluma. It only took minutes for them to reach the city at the speed the ship was going.

"I will follow your lead, Von Ren, but is there a plan?"

Von replied, "Master Exa wants Lady Kay convinced to join the First Order. She's holding a rally in the stadium right here in Anteluma. We need to find a way to get to her so we can talk. Beyond that, I don't know." He nudged her shoulder, and pointed back toward the cargo bay, which held the exit ramp. "Come on."

Exiting the cockpit chamber, Von grabbed his cape from one of the crates and draped it over his shoulders. He also took his vibrosword, which was up against the wall and sheathed it. As the shuttle sat down, the landing pad dropped. Von led them out into the hangar bay, where they were soon confronted by three spaceport officers.

The captain placed his hands behind his back as Von approached, extending his hand only to halt them.

"Halt. Your ship doesn't appear on our records. Identify yourselves, please."

"My name is Von Ren," Von announced, "This is Ashen Ren. We are with the First Order delegation."

"Odd," replied the captain, "We received of no notification of this. I ask that you come with me. Please surrender any weapons on your person."
[member="Isla Ashen"]
[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

The captain and his officers would make no move until the weapons were surrendered. At least the visible ones.

As [member="Von Ren"] and [member="Isla Ashen"] were directed towards the stadium, they could overhear the end of Kay's speech. "...I am reminded of a quote, spoken here on Commenor by one of the Galaxy's greatest leaders, Padmé Amidala. She said: "Warfare is the product of cowardice; it takes bravery to forego easy answers and find peaceful resolutions."

Now isn't that wisdom? Too many conflicts rage all over the Galaxy. Too many have little value over life. Credits run their lives and gives them purpose. With you and with other governments, I will help to get to the bottom of each dispute and try to get it resolved without weapons and without violence. War is meant to be a last resort. Not the first. Commenor has stuck to those ideals and it is because of them that we have survived tyranny and prospered.

I ask you to vote for whomever you feel is right for the job. If you choose me, then I will serve you to the best of my abilities. But if you don't choose me, then I will still serve under the next President and still call you friends.

Have a great rest of your day. I'm sure that you have more plans than just listening to me speak all day. I'll see you all on voting day."

Kay bowed her head, smiled and waved before leaving the stage to the back. As she stepped down the stairs and into the back room to relax and eat, one of her security detail informed her of a delegation from the First Order. That can't be good. Especially over the mishap on the mining platform on Bespin. But she couldn't deny them either.

She shrunk down her Force signature to that of a small tree nut and asked for the delegation to be brought in. While she waited, she started to brew some sapir tea and checked that her small blaster was still inside of her satchel, which it was. Good. She didn't plan on using it and it was always set to stun, but still, she wasn't exactly sure what motivated them to come and see her.

 

[Isla Ashen]

Ashen Ren listened quietly as Von explained the mission, and this time, she let his words sink in. She remained seated until she felt him nudge her shoulder and green eyes watched as his hand pointed towards the exit. A slight bow of her head was the only acknowledgement she gave, but Isla rose from the chair and moved silently behind him. She was still getting used to the strange clothing that the Ren wore, but she did rather like the way her cloak billowed behind her. Just as the pair stepped out of the ship, they were greeted by three officers.

One of the men asked that they turn over their weapons. Isla’s eyes narrowed dangerously – a bubble of anger, she was sure that Von Ren would feel it. She did not like it when things were taken from her, and she liked it even less when it made her feel like an animal backed into a corner. And just like a threatened animal, she felt the need to defend herself. Her hand twitched noticeably, had she not been paying attention to her new lessons, she would have reached for her saber in an instant. But reason won over her more feral instincts, and she kept that eager hand glued to her side.

“We shall do as they say, won’t we?” Her voice came out low, though she really wasn’t speaking to her companion, but more to herself.

She reached reluctantly into the folds of her cloak, pulled out a blaster and a primitive hunting knife... it was something she kept for sentimental reasons. Isla offered these items in her open palms, eyes watching to see if they would accept only these –for there was still the hilt of a saber attached to her belt, but well hidden from sight. Isla was still learning the basics of saber fighting, and she was probably more a danger to herself than anyone else at this point.

She kept quiet as they were escorted into the stadium, and she listened to the words that were in the air. Isla figured that these were the words of [member="Lady Kay"], the woman that they had come to meet with. She spoke with a tone that held conviction, but was still on the lighter side, a voice that made you feel welcome. But Isla got the impression that this woman was one of those peaceful types, not that it was necessarily a bad thing... but the young Knight of Ren was not one of those types herself.

And soon they were at the door, and Isla stood to the side to let [member="Von Ren"] enter first... she would let him do the talking.

 

[Von Ren]

As the guard more or less demanded their weapons, Von glanced at Isla briefly. She didn't seem to like it, nor did he, but he took it a bit better than her. He could easily sense her anger. That was probably the one power that really came easy to him upon learning of his Force sensitivity, because in a way, he always possessed it.

"We shall do as they say, won't we?" Ahsen asked quietly.

"Yes," Von replied in a whisper, and glanced back to the guards.

He first removed was the holdout pistol in the holster under his cape, and then unsheathed his sword. Pausing for a moment, he held it in front of him a moment and ran his finger along the dirty, scarred black before handing it to the captain, who in turn pawned it off to one unlucky officer stuck carrying all their weapons. The carrier left the other two security officers to escort the two Knights of Ren to the stadium.

"I'm Captain Ahzled, by the way," the captain announced as they walked, "I'm the chief of security around here. The two boys that came with me were part of the spaceport security, Zare and Caln. Say, we don't get many of you First Order folk in the rim worlds too often. What brings you here?"

"We were planning to speak with Lady Kay," Von noted, "Surely there was some notification to your staff."

Ahzled shook his head. "Can't say there was. Still, she may accept a surprise visit, though I don't know how happy she'll be. I'll need to validate your ship's ID beforehand, which may take some time. She's having a rally in gravball stadium. Maybe you'd be interested in checking that out."

Von nodded. "That could work for us. Thank you, Captain."

"Oh, no problem. It's my job."

As Captain Ahzled left them in the stadium, things increasingly got quiet between Von and Ashlen. Von definitely wasn't a conversationalist. He didn't quite know how to start small talk. What use would a Knight of Ren have for that? They were a defender of the Supreme Leader's will, not chit-chatters. Thus, they're brief pause was met only with the awkward whistling from Von Ren's lips.

When Lady Kay finally took the stage and spoke, Von lost count of how many times he rolled his eyes. He never cared for politics, and what this woman said was unbelievably transparent, in his eyes at least.

"Warfare is the product of cowardice."

What does that even mean? Von thought.

War isn't easy. He should know. He's trained his whole life fighting. Luckily, though, he also learned how to hold his tongue, so no matter how bad he wanted to, he couldn't really throw it back in Kay's face.

When the rally was finally over, Von and Ashlen exited the arena and were approached by two officers, one a black haired flat-topped individual who seemed to be the mouthpiece for the both of them.

"Captain Ahzled has verified your ship's identification code and your meeting with Lady Kay has been authorized," the officer reported, "We'll escort you there."

The officer took them to Kay's office building, and escorted them to the office, though leaving them privacy just short of walking in with them. Von knocked, but didn't bother to way for acknowledgement as the door slid open before him. Glancing behind him just to make sure Ashlen was still there--she'd been as quiet as a mouse--he looked behind the desk to see the humble, but professional Lady Kay behind her desk, sipping a pleasant-smelling brew of tea.

"Madam Kay," Von greeted, placing a hand over his chest and bowing lightly. "My name is Von Ren, and this is Ashlen Ren. We're the representatives sent by the First Order. I hope you don't mind if we skip the formalities and get down to the business that brought us here."

[member="Isla Ashen"]
[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

As they entered, Kay got to her feet, placing her tea down on her desk. She bowed her head to them. They were Knights of Ren! They had to be, given the names that they had given her. She was glad that her Force signature was shrunk down, but still, there were two of them. Why didn't the First Order just sent Agent [member="Hyori Tal"] ? At least they knew eachother. Or even her Father? No, this was probably beneath him. Still she had to find out what they wanted.

"Von Ren, Ashlen Ren, good to meet you. What is it that has brought you here? If it's about the election, I have no plans of dropping out." She studied the two for a moment with her gaze. "Would either of you care for some tea? Formalities may be set aside, but there's no reason for me to not offer." Stay polite and keep calm. That was the best way to handle this. It could be as simple as them wanting business contracts, or to set up a trade route through Commenor, or...well it could be a hundred different things. At least it wasn't an assassination attempt. Her security should have seen to their weapons being removed. Yet Knights of Ren were said to be Force users. Everything in her office could be used as a weapon against her, including herself. So she had to proceed with caution.

[member="Von Ren"] [member="Isla Ashen"]

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla did not like being escorted here and there; it made her feel very much like a farm animal – just something to be herded. But she cooperated nonetheless; it would be foolish to act out here, though the urge was still very present. Her lips were pressed together lightly, and she entered the room after Von. Green eyes began to study the woman called Kay; she had a friendly and unassuming appearance, not at all the type of person that Isla had been envisioning at the podium. She sniffed the air; the scent of tea leaves reminded her of home.

She listened as Von Ren provided the necessary introduction, and she bowed her head in greeting. It was a good thing that her fellow Knight of Ren was direct and to the point, for she cared little for beating around the bush. But then again, Isla was the sort that preferred throwing fists to diplomatic conversations. Isla did notice that Lady Kay was calm, and she let it wash over her, keeping her from slipping to her less delicate side. Little did she know that she was in the presence of a true master of the force...

“Tea,” Isla spoke quietly, “Yes, please.”

She even remembered to use her manners. Isla figured that she could sip tea, for Von Ren was the one that needed to have words with Kay. Isla was here more or less for the experience, and to help... where she could.

[member="Lady Kay"], [member="Von Ren"]

 

[Von Ren]

"No, thank you."

He didn't really want any tea, truthfully, partly due to a desire to jump into the business. However, there was a more twisted reason. He had a subconscious paranoia conditioned by the Knights. When he was younger, the taskmaster Exa Ren would do good things for him that would end up harming him (such as giving him a poisoned confection). Thus, he greets most good things with a level of skepticism. And because of that, he wasn't too happy with Ashen excepting the tea, but he didn't protest as not to cause a scene.

Von came prepared before departing for his mission. He studied Commenor a bit, and learned about the geography and politics. Apparently, the planet was tied up along the border worlds of the Republic and the Sith. It would certainly be a predicament that would take center stage in the campaign season, and one the Knights could exploit. Luckily, Von had some rudimentary manipulation skills via schmoozing, which he was forced to develop to please his overlords. Perhaps that may come in handy here? Politicians, of course, were masters of that art, but would they recognize it when it's used against them?

"We, of course, would never ask you to drop out," Ren replied, "It would be a crime to deny the Commenori people a worthy candidate. No, what we come here for is more over talks of cooperation."

Von clasped his hands behind his back and began to place.

"We attended your rally just earlier. In your speech, you spoke of...peace. Your people, I'm sure, understand the fear of war on their doorstep more than anyone, do they not? Well, in a galaxy at war, the only way to peace may be deterrence. The First Order is one of the strongest powers in the galaxy in terms of military power. We can protect you, ensure order and peace, and thensome."

[member="Isla Ashen"]
[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay poured [member="Isla Ashen"] a cup of tea. She would never dream of poisoning anyone. The only harm that it could do was burn the tongue, or make someone sick if they happened to be allergic to Sapir leaves. She handed her the cup and nodded as [member="Von Ren"] denied the refreshment. The tea would have a soothing taste, not too strong, or too sweet or too bitter. It'd be just right.

She returned to her seat and cradled the mug in her hands. Kay leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of her tea as Von spoke of a cooperation. His further explanation caused her to raise a brow. She had to be very careful with this. The devil was in the details and she had been arrested and struck by the First Order before. She knew some of how they operated.

"Commenor has seen war many times. But yes, there are threats on our doorstep. Recently other planets in this sector was attacked by a crime syndicate hired by Mandalorians. It was the Republic that came to their aid. We were spared from the attack but were prepared for it.

So how exactly would the First Order protect us? You say that you'll ensure order and peace...and thensome. What does all of that entail and what would it cost us?"

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla had not researched Commenor like Von Ren, but she had seen it on the map. As she recalled, it was a place nestled between the bosoms of the One Sith and the Republic. It was far from the protective arms of the First Order, but that did not mean that protection could not be provided. However, she guessed that it would come more subtly. Matters of political positioning were not Ashen Ren’s strong suit, so she would defer to the powers that had better judgement than she did. After all, she was a Knight of Ren, not a governor or ambassador.

She nodded thanks to Lady Kay as her tea was poured, and her slender hands lifted the mug to her nose. Isla took in the scent of the brewed leaves, she couldn’t quite determine what type of tea it was, but the smell was appealing nonetheless. A small sip revealed that the warm liquid was pleasant, a hint of sweetness, but not too much. She held the mug between her hands as she listened to Von Ren, and she had to admit that he had a nice way of speaking. He was far more eloquent than she could ever hope to be.
Lady Kay had raised some good questions, and Isla could not pretend to know the answers.

“Even just to stand alongside the First Order is an honor.” Isla spoke up after a moment, “To serve in name of the Supreme Leader is a privilege.”

It was a simple concept, spoken by a simple woman. But was there anything else that mattered? In Isla’s mind, there was not.

[member="Von Ren"], [member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Von Ren]

"Commenor has seen war many times," the candidate replied, "But yes, there are threats on our doorstep. Recently other planets in this sector was attacked by a crime syndicate hired by Mandalorians. It was the Republic that came to their aid. We were spared from the attack but were prepared for it.

So how exactly would the First Order protect us? You say that you'll ensure order and peace...and thensome. What does all of that entail and what would it cost us?"

Isla was quick to respond, much to Von's surprise. Her simple explanation was just enough in her eyes, and while Von agreed with it, he knew that outsiders didn't quite understand their commitment to the cause. They needed a nudge, so to speak.

"You mentioned the Republic, Madam Kay?" Von inquired, though rhetorically, "The Republic came to the defense of their interests, my lady, not out of generosity. Besides, you must know that there had to have been devastating costs before the Republic took notice. Why wait for the enemy to come to your doorstep and hope for an intervention? The First Order can guarantee that no attack will ever happen. All we ask in return is your planet's membership into our borders. Beyond that, the planet will remain relatively autonomous."

[member="Lady Kay"]
[member="Isla Ashen"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked to [member="Isla Ashen"] as she spoke. Supreme Leader? Who carried that title? She wouldn't consider it an honour or a privilege to serve under the name of anyone that was cruel or unjust. But she didn't express her thoughts, she merely sipped her tea.

And then her attention was drawn to [member="Von Ren"] as he spoke. Kay raised a brow slightly. Coming to the defences of their interests, did he say? Surely the same could be said about the First Order and other large governments. It was a bit of the pot calling the kettle...well...black. And then it was revealed, or at least partly so. The First Order wanted to beat the others to the punch and claim Commenor for it's own. She wasn't so sure how she felt about that yet.

"The Republic was already there when the attacks came. It is my understanding that reinforcements were called in. But I ask again....How would the First Order protect us? How would the First Order ensure that we are never attacked? With all due respect, I need details if I am to make a decision, not blank statements. Many other governments could say the same thing, but each would have a different meaning." Was she pressing too hard? Possibly. But she needed to know.

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla continued to sip her tea, her green eyes narrowing over the top of her cup. She listened to Von and to Kay, but it seemed that their conversation was beginning to round back on itself. Von spoke with confidence, his words would likely be convincing to the average person. But Kay did not appear to be average. The presidential candidate was cautious, and Isla could not blame her. After all, planets that came into the fold of the First Order would need to bend to their will, even if they were left with the illusion of autonomy.

However, it did not seem that Kay wanted to make enemies with them – she treaded lightly through their conversation, while still trying to get the answers she desired. Isla let the darkness begin to surround her, and she reached out with the force, attempting to brush against Kay’s mind. She was not trying to impose her own will on the other woman, but merely testing the waters. Unlike most people, she was unable to glean much. It was...curious.

“I do not wish to speak for Von,” Isla started, “Attacks come, whether or not we are ready. But the power and might of the Supreme Leader are unmatched.”

She took another slow sip of tea, green eyes shifting between her two companions.

“Perhaps, Miss Kay needs time to think it over.”

[member="Von Ren"], [member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Von Ren]

"She speaks truth, my lady. The Supreme Leader is wise and he commands a powerful force. Our troopers are among the best trained in the galaxy and our Star Destroyers are modeled after the iconic flagships of the Old Empire.

Piracy? Smugglers? Even a fleet of their warships would be obliterated by the turbolasers of a Star Destroyer the minute they entered the system. As for foreign powers, they fear the First Order. They will be deterred from attack, and if not, obliterated by our superior force. No war would touch your world."

Von's initial explanations turned to a passionate speech quickly. He was clearly a patriot. The question, however, whether there was some validity behind his devotion.

"Perhaps Miss Kay need time to think it over," Isla noted.

Von glanced at her and nodded. "Agreed. Surely this is not something to be decided after a moment of mulling. Thank you for allowing us to speak. We'll leave you to think on it, Madam Kay. Just remember, the spoils are there for the taking."

He gave a graceful bow and, with the swish of his cape, he turned and led them out the door, where the officer stood there, standing guard as he should be. He gestured toward the exit, from whence they entered. As they reached the outside toward the police speeder, the officer waited until they were in before he got into the driver's seat and took off.

As they rode, a voice ran through the officer's comlink.

"Mother hen to baby chick, are the eggs in the basket. Over."

The officer grabbed it from the dashboard and responded, "Negative. Don't worry, Mother Hen. We'll be having omelettes for breakfast soon. Over."

[member="Lady Kay"]
[member="Isla Ashen"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay felt a cold tingle touching her mind. Her eyes went first to [member="Isla Ashen"] and then to [member="Von Ren"] . Were they trying to read her thoughts? Her focus was still on keeping her Force signature small, while her mind was on Commenor's safety. She looked to Ashen as she spoke of the Supreme Leader's superiority. Again it gave Kay more questions than answers.

She looked to Von as she spoke next. Kay knew full well of the training among Troopers. She had seen it on Bespin. His choice of wording once again gave her pause. Spoils are there for the taking?That alone could have a whole bunch of different meanings.

Kay bowed her head to him as they had decided to give her time. But what she really needed was more answers, more information to go on than the same kind of rhetoric that is spouted during elections. "Thank you for coming. I look forward to learning more on your next visit."

But would there be another visit by these two? She wasn't sure. Kay leaned back in her chair and sipped her tea, glad that the visit was cordial. She was lucky and she knew that. The Knights of Ren were not normally known for being so nice. There had to be a reason for that. She just needed to discover what that was.

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla had stood to her feet a moment after [member="Von Ren"], and she offered a nod of her head instead of a bow. The Hem of her dark cloak swept the floor as she followed her fellow Ren out of the room. For whatever reason, she had a feeling that this would not be the last time they would set eyes on [member="Lady Kay"]. Their security escort was present when they entered the hall, and they brought them towards the speeder, where she had a seat next to Von.

Isla’s eyes narrowed slightly as the officer spoke into his comm. She knew that they were not actually making arrangements to break their fast together, there was something amiss here. The flame-haired woman felt unease creeping into her chest, were they truly being brought back to their ship? Now she was not so sure... but what would motivate the forces here to keep them? They had done no wrong.

Perhaps it was merely a precaution, based on the tales of the Ren that had been spoken here. Whatever the case, she would remain cautious.

Spoiler

So sorry for the delay!

 

[Von Ren]

Von glanced over at Isla, sensing her uneasiness. He had to admit too that he too was feeling that this was getting awfully shady. They couldn't really do anything right now, though, short of hopping right out of the speeder to the abyss below. No, they were going along for a ride.

As the speeder finally began to settle into the grimy undercity, the two Knights of Ren found themselves flanked to their right by four paramilitary-looking fellows, all dressed in black. Three of them wore black trench coats with silver gas mask-like helmets. The other one, who seemed to be their leader, did not wear a helmet. He was a lavender-skinned Sakiyan with black tattoos on his face, and contrary to his comrades, his outfit consisted of a short-sleeve shirt, black gloves, and calf-high boots.

The officer turned back to the passengers, now with a blaster pistol in his hand aimed at the two unarmed Knights. Realizing the dupe, Von put his hands up and hoped Ashen would follow his lead. They were clearly outmatched.

"Out," the officer ordered.

[member="Isla Ashen"]
[member="Lady Kay"]

Spoiler

It's no issue. It was majorly my fault for a slow response time.

Also, I'd assume in this situation, you could go ahead and continue posting. After all, Kay's not in this scenario.

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla’s lips pressed tightly together when the officer pointed the blaster in her direction. Her shoulders grew tight, and her hands began to close into fists. When the man ordered them out of the speeder, Isla looked defiantly at him for a moment. But she followed Von out, but unlike her fellow Ren, she did not put her hands up. However, her hands were now clear and visible at her sides – palms and fingers stretched out.

She turned her head slightly, to see Von out of the corner of her green eyes. Yes, indeed they were outnumbered... but they were of the Ren. They could take them. Though they did not have weapons, they could still take these men by surprise – for they still had use of the force. She let her brows begin to lift, silently questioning Von, and to see if he was thinking what she was... but she had a feeling that he was not so eager to get into a fight as she.

[member="Von Ren"]