Junction THE TRINITY AFFAIR | TSC & THR Junction of Commenor and New Plympto

[Lorn Reingard]

Tags: Acier Moonbound​

The blade didn't bite. Instead of the smell of melting alloy, Lorn met the screech of lightsaber energy skidding off beskar. His heart sank as the sparks illuminated the leather of Acier's glove. Fething Mandalorians, Lorn thought, a bitter edge of frustration cutting through his focus.

The boy's smile was the worst part. It was thin and cold on a face that should have still known peace. Acier backhanded Lorn's blade away with the armored limb, the sheer physical force of the displacement opening Lorn's guard.

The fist came for his jaw like a hammer. Lorn snapped his head back, feeling the wind of the punch graze his chin, but the primary blade was already sweeping low for his thigh. He twisted mid-air, a desperate, reflexive contortion of the Force, and felt the heat of the blue plasma char the fabric of his trousers. He didn't wait for a third strike. Lorn kicked off the floor, putting several meters of distance between them.

They stood in the sudden quiet of the hallway, breathing hard. Acier settled into a relaxed, arrogant stance, the twin blades humming low. He looked ready to walk away, and Lorn knew he wouldn't be able to stop him alone without hurting him. He's too far gone, Lorn realized. He's not just fighting; he's performing.

The heavy thud of combat boots echoed from the far end of the corridor. Two Republic soldiers rounded the corner, rifles snapped into their shoulders. "Drop the weapons!" one shouted, the red targeting lasers dancing across Acier's chest.

Lorn's stomach twisted. These men were dead. Acier wouldn't surrender, and he wouldn't hesitate to cut through them to make his exit. The boy's eyes began to flick toward the new threat, and Lorn saw his opening. He didn't think about form or personal injury. He just moved.

He lunged forward in a reckless, blurring charge. He didn't lead with his lightsaber. Instead, he threw his entire weight into a low tackle, aiming to take Acier off his feet before the boy could turn his malice on the soldiers. Lorn slammed into him, the impact jarring his shoulder, focused entirely on scattering those deadly blades across the deck plating.

 

[Arris Windrun]

Aurelian Veruna​

Yeah, it was hard to forget. She still remembered that call - when her vigo was under attack. But when she remembered it now, the associated feelings were different. The conflicted guilt was replaced by a sobering certainty that she'd made the right choice. But did it matter anymore? She thought not.

There was no smirk on her lips when he drilled into the Covenant's motivations. Run the table was the only answer he'd get.

However, when he suggested that someone would come along and wipe them out? There the smirk was again.

"Here's hoping," she quipped dryly.

As to whether it'd last? "Nothing does."

At least, she felt, that was something the Sith were honest about. They gave people a chance to burn up or burn out. The quick, brutal pace was a favor, not a detriment. If it didn't work? Someone would come along and find another way.

The small talk was starting to bore her, until finally, Aurelian found a way to spice up their conversation (not that Arris, in particular, was helping).

"So what - you'd pay us to depart the Core?" She pointed at herself. "Or, just me?" Arris chuckled.

"I'm curious, what does the King of Naboo have that we aren't already taking from the Core? You've piqued my curiosity, truly, but..."

And Arris circled their little space, coming awfully close to the ray shields. She noticed Lysander von Ascania and the Chancellor having what seemed a rousing conversation. When he looked her way, she already knew he was up to something.

She looked over her shoulder, "Do you consider yourself pragmatic, ambitious? Are you good-natured? Do you believe in the Jedi? Do you actually value being a King? What the hell does that even mean?" She turned to him in the middle of slinging her questions.

"When we first met, you seemed willing to get shit done in a league above your type. Far different than that idealistic Senator from Druckenwell."

 

[Ghruna]

Zaiya Ceti

"It was supposed to be mean!" Ghruna snapped, but the colorful little jedi just kept on talking.

"…also," Zaiya continued absently, "if I were trying to trick you, I feel like I would be doing something more elaborate. Possibly involving snacks."

"Snacks?" Ghruna frowned. She had never tried to frown someone to death before.

Her hands balled into tighter fists until a drip of blood fell to the floor.

She couldn't think of anyone who had irritated her quite like this. Hidden in amongst the chatter were some concepts that grated up against her beliefs but Ghruna didn't want to hear them. She certainly didn't want to hear the incessant talk.

"I will rip out your throat!" Ghruna called, throwing her weight forwards.

There was a brief flash of light. Ghruna was heavy. Her body fell to the floor with a loud thud. Smoke drifted up slowly from her back.

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Ghruna

Zaiya's mouth had just begun to form a reply that snacks could be VERY distracting, only to give a jolt and a slight "eep!" as Ghruna lunged, her spots flashing light yellow alarm streaked with sharp pulses of grey confusion as the shield gave a THUMPBUZZZTH!

Zaiya froze, her opal-blue going wide as her bioluminescence dimmed for a heartbeat before flickering cautiously back to life in soft, uncertain ombres of disbelief.

"…oh."

The colorful Lovalla blinked once. Twice. Then slowly leaned to the side, peering at the now very still, very large warrior sprawled on the floor, faint curls of smoke rising lazily from her back like a badly behaved campfire. She let the Force stretch out before giving a sigh of relief. Ok, so the woman wasn't dead.

"…well," she said gently, her spots shifting into faint cyan wryness, "that does make the throat ripping plan significantly less achievable."

She crouched slightly, hands resting on her knees as she studied Ghruna with quiet curiosity.

"…also I feel like the shield had a very strong opinion about that decision." Well, this saved her from having to think of ways to hopefully incapacitate Ghruna. She let the Force flow over the woman, trying to discern if she was really unconscious or just pretending.

Either way, Zaiya happily kept talking!

"How would you like to come with me hmm? I have a few people who would love to chat with you. Aris likes to spar too. He's an Epicanthix you know. They prize all sorts of fighting techniques. "

And just like that, a wide beaming smile grew over the Lovalla Padawan's colorful visage.

"I think you'd like that."

And maybe, Zaiya thought, find a different perspective that you could take as your own.

 

[Delvin jeth]

Corazona von Ascania

Delvin looked at her as the shield dropped. "Good i had no wish to fight you either miss von ascania" he said as he hooked the fallen lords lightsaber to his belt. Looking at Lysander von Ascania and the counselor "I do believe he is family of yours or are the last names just a coincidence" he said looking between the two von ascanias.

Then he looked at corazona "if you ever end up on my table miss von ascania trust me it will be by your own choice and no Influence by me or those in my employ and I will promise you only the best if care" he said honestly standing there he was a man of his word. "Getting off this ship for starters would be the primary goal of our arrangement then we go our own ways miss von ascania" he offered standing there looking at her calmly.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

"I applaud your appreciation for the finer elements in negotiation, but I must admit it isn't quite as intriguing as I would like." Dominique paused to smile for a moment. "After all, it's a distinction taken from the Sith Order's own." Though one could argue the High Republic designed it on their own without inference of a nearby potential, hostile force. It seemed more meaningful to ascribe adopting it in response to the Sith's own actions, however. A sort of... poetic justice. Moorja was an 'unfortunate' incident much like this little encounter was a 'happy' accident. Amusing to think such violent and oppressive regimes would bother feigning a care for the moral high ground.

The smile didn't wilt, though Dominique did feel somewhat disappointed she couldn't get Lysander to release the exiled Chandrila.

"That would be unfortunate. To disturb the waters while we seek to cross them would be foolish," she responded calmly. "Much like if the Covenant were to take a sudden interest in Alderaan. I'm certain the Envoy is aware that the government of this artisan world with little military value has been offered and accepted membership into the High Republic. Marlon Sularen once sought to lay claim to a world much like Alderaan; and while he could have claimed its military value as justification, he was consumed by personal interests over Corellia instead."

"Perhaps, Envoy, we could reach some form of mutual understanding in these matters?" Would they be forced to abandon this ship and its exiled government? Unless High Republic forces could give her a viable alternative -- a means to secure those people, or contain the Sith forces -- there may be no choice. If that were true, Dominique could only try to leverage the moment for another world's benefit instead; it would at least make their sacrifice meaningful.

Lysander von Ascania
FYI Liana Organa | Gram Arranda​

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Dominique Vexx​

The remark drew a smile from Lysander’s lips. Perhaps, briefly, they were drinking from the same well of pragmatism. Even so, no further offer was made after the Chancellor’s point landed. Maintaining a boundary between the Order and the Covenant was paramount as it stood.

“Unfortunate is one word for it.” Fingers tapped against the table once before lacing together in front of him, posture still leaning forward. “I am familiar with his miscalculations.” Twice the Imperials turned their sights on Brosi, and regardless of the outcome, he watched that planet burn. Before their second attempt, The Imperial Confederation had even slipped through the Thandon Star Cluster to infiltrate the headquarters of his own business. Calling it a miscalculation was generous.

“His biggest defeat was not in battle. It was blindness." Lysander's voice then shifted to a more thoughtful murmur, meant for the table alone, rather than bellowed through the chamber.

“Even if the galaxy were conspiring against me and my failure was nine-five percent the fault of external occurrences and others, I would still ask myself what did I do that wasn’t as good as it could have been. Where I failed to look so that the probability of my failure became higher.”

A pinch tightened the line of his emerald gaze. “Now, to ask that question, you have to want the answer. That's another difference.”

“You know, it's painful to encounter an impediment in the form of someone else's opinion that might show you where you're blind and ignorant, or willfully blind even. But the advantage to that is simple. You can rectify the errors and then as you move forward.. you're stronger. The Imperials never had that.”

For all its length, Lysander figured that may be enough to set some concerns aside.

"Chancellor, mutual understanding is within reach, but only if it is rooted in truth."

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Ghruna

"Oh, so you are unconscious!"

The Lovalla chirped out with surprise but also a bit of concern. Well, at least from what she was able to discern, the big woman wasn't hurt.

Now came the time to see how to get out of here.

It was then that the Lovalla proceeded to continue her inspection of the shields.

"I wonder..." she mused to herself, only to get an idea. She had been practicing manipulating electronics and droids with the Force. She had been testing it earlier when Ghruna had been trying to convince Zaiya to bring down the shields to spar.

But now she could fully focus on it.

Maybe this way she could find others and help them as well.

After making sure Ghruna didn't hurt herself, of course!

~ Exiting thread with Ghruna with writer's permission!

 

[Aurelian Veruna]

Tags: Arris Windrun

Aurelian let out a quiet breath through his nose, shaking his head once. "No, no," he said. "I suspect there isn't enough credits in the galaxy to satisfy your… deviants."

His gaze stayed on her as she moved, circling like she had somewhere better to be. "But I don't need to pay all of you," he continued. "Just the one who matters." A slight tilt of his head. "Leave them behind," he said. "Let whatever this is burn out without you holding it together."

He watched her reaction closely. "I can offer you something better than this cycle," he went on. "Protection. Clean records. Distance from every mess you've ever been part of." A faint smile crept in. "If you're feeling particularly ambitious, I could even marry you into a noble house. Generations of safety."

Imagine that, he thought. From chaos to dinner parties and inheritance disputes. A real tragedy.

His expression sharpened just slightly. "I made a similar offer to Mauve," he added. "Still waiting to see if she remembers how to follow through."

His eyes flicked briefly across the room, catching the quiet exchange between Lysander and the Chancellor. Talking, of course. Always talking.

He looked back at Arris. Her questions came fast. "Me?" he said. "I'm exactly as good as they say. Better, on a generous day."

There was no hesitation in it. No modesty either. He stepped a little closer again, stopping just short of the barrier's edge. "But you're asking the wrong question," he said. "It doesn't matter what I believe. Or what I value." His eyes held hers. "What matters is that I'm still here. Still standing. Still relevant. Still making offers you're actually considering."

The smile returned, sharper now. "And don't compare me to that Senator from Druckenwell," he added.

Aurelian tilted his head slightly. "I stood my ground against Mauve," he said. "I'm standing here now. And I'm offering you a way out." His voice lowered just a fraction. "So the real question is… are you pragmatic enough to take it?"

​

 

[Arris Windrun]

Aurelian Veruna

There was a shift in her body language when he mentioned Mauve, the kind of rigidness that came only from disbelief or surprise. In this case, she was experiencing both.

Arris wondered if this was a trick, or a joke, or some underhanded means of denting her confidence. But why? Why Mauve specifically? That woman was dead.

Thankfully, his offer was ridiculous enough to have softened the delivery of that news. Arris Windrun - noblewoman? Of all the angles to play...

She laughed it off.

"Me, a noblewoman?"

Mercy already played that one off as something between a joke and a punishment, naming her Princess of Empress Teta. And unlike her, Aurelian wasn't a complicated friend who could get away with it.

"Aw... Well, that's an offer..." She still couldn't quite believe it.

But no. "No. I suppose I'm not pragmatic enough." She shrugged, her face a picture of feigned sympathy.

"We really don't have any problems with the Republic... It's all just been a bit of business. But, it's hard to trust an institution that's in bed with those pesky Jedi, y'know? That idealism gets in the way of everything. I don't suppose there's a way the Republic would distance themselves from the Jedi to work with a more amenable partner?"

 

[Anet Raine]

Jorryn Fordyce

There was a certain thrill to being this close to the Republic's hierarchy as a Sith. Especially when one, such as Anet Raine, happened to be a senator in that very Republic. Mask-adorned, she fell in behind Jorryn Fordyce - whom she had only seen once before, long ago on Desevro, when Anet was an acolyte who dreamed of Sith power. But they had never interacted, until now.

"I doubt they were ever prepared for this," Anet returned. Her eyes drifted down to the dead officer.

The half-pantoran stepped over him and continued down the hall beside her. She had heard of this woman through rumor and reputation. The word inquisitor struck her with much interest.

"If I may," questions bounced around that pale blue head of hers, "what brings you to our little corner of the galaxy, My Lady?"

It was Sith small talk, really. She wanted to ask Jorryn about her past. Her experiences as a Sith. And most of all, her skills as an inquisitor. But for now, a simple question that demanded little in the way of answers.