Faction |TIC| Imperial Unity Gala

[Siv Kryze]

.​

NEW ALDERAAN​

Siv moved through the gathering with the quiet assurance of a warrior who'd stood in far more dangerous rooms than this. His armor, bearing the subtle marks of real use rather than parade-ground polish, caught the ambient light as he joined their conversation.

"Moff Selrik Lorcas ," he acknowledged with a slight tilt of his helmet - respectful but not deferential. "Your reputation for efficient governance precedes you. The Outer Rim could use more administrators who understand how to actually get things done." The compliment was genuine, though carefully non-specific.

Turning smoothly to the Neimoidian, his modulated voice remained professional. "Trade Monarch Lodd Grimmin , Siv Kryze, Warden of Concordia"

"Concordia's mining operations are expanding," he continued, his tone pragmatic. "We're evaluating potential trade partners who understand long-term investments over quick profits." The unspoken message was clear: Mandalorians weren't desperate, but they were open to serious discussions.

"What sectors is the Trade Federation currently prioritizing?" The question was posed neutrally, leaving room for either genuine negotiation or polite disengagement depending on their response.

His stance remained balanced - not aggressive, but immovable as bedrock. This wasn't a merchant seeking buyers; it was a Warden assessing whether these men were worth more of his time. The ball was in their court now.

 

[Narantuyaa Asther]

Delsin Shaw +Open

"Hmm a personal assistant then. One that can operate outside the rules to help expedite things along. Something to help your Mandalore achieve his goals far faster. Not to mention the plausible deniability that comes with being somewhat independent of the chain of command. And the flexibility of such a useful tool is bound to be advantangeous in any sort of situation."

Not like Narantuyaa would deny the ISS has done something similar if need be. There are advantages of using outside help to further Imperial goals. As long as that outside help did not turn to bite at their handler's hands. But with any rabid animal, they are to be put down swiftly. Nor did Narantuyaa object to the notion that her duty to the Imperial Confederation was a sort of contract. In its base form yes, it was. A contract between her and the government she served.

Narantuyaa raised an eyebrow at Delsin when the conversation turned to her, him asking what does she do for the Confederation.
"An officer is sharp. They hold the lives of the men and women under their command in their hands. Only the uneducated would view them as sacrifical pawns. An officer must be able to adapt quickly to a changing battlefield. To turn the tide in their favor. The Officer Academy makes your mind sharp.
Wit.."

Narantuyaa clicked her tongue. "It can be taught but not everyone can do it. Some are born with this talent, others are not. But all this to say that I am just a healthcare provider for the Confederation. A healthy nation, is a strong nation. Something I think you might agree with me on. Can't have sickness affecting your warriors yes? Otherwise it becomes a full blown pandemic, which can cripple any faction."

​

 

[Aether Verd]

Assets: Beskar'gam | Basilisk
Darksaber | Resolute Dawn​

NEW ALDERAAN

Aether’s expression didn’t shift much at first, but at Vanessa’s words, something flickered behind his eyes. A softening. Not surprise, but something near to appreciation.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, voice even but earnest. “It’s a hope I carry as well. Not for my sake. Not to outshine my father or any who came before. But for Mandalore.”

There was a pause, not for effect but thought, before he continued.

“We’re stable,” he said, answering her question with measured confidence. “There’s work ahead, always. But the most grievous wounds, those have begun to heal. We are no longer rebuilding in desperation. We are building with purpose.”

As a server passed, Aether reached out with a quiet motion, trading his empty glass for a fresh one. He gave a silent nod of thanks to the attendant before returning his gaze to Onrai.

“Loyalty is the foundation. I won’t dispute that. Nor the notion that the vision of one, when tempered by wisdom and held accountable by those they lead, can guide a people better than the whims of a thousand divided voices.” He swirled the drink once, considering.

“I appreciate your answer,” he said at last, eyes steady on hers. “You didn’t owe me one. But the fact that you offered it, in full, speaks volumes. About your experience. Your character. And what you’ve lived through.”

Just then, a shift in the air...small, but noticeable. Aether’s gaze tracked to the side as a new presence approached. Unfamiliar. Quietly potent.

He didn’t stare. Didn’t posture. Simply turned slightly to make room in their circle, ever the host. A polite nod was offered, neither guarded nor overly warm, just enough to acknowledge the stranger’s arrival with the respect due to anyone brave enough to step into such a conversation.​

Onrai , Her + Open

 

[Delsin Shaw]

Personal assistant? I guess one could say that. However, I was not nearly at his beck and call. It was a very heavily downplayed tone of what I did. At the very least, felt slightly disingenuous. However, I would not let it affect me. Just lightly smiling as she continued in her expulsion of what I did. Moreover, the plausible deniability I lend by being a glorified Mercenary Advisor. She clearly understood what it meant now that it had been explained. However, what caught me up, was her continuing.

Officers were held to a higher standard. Absolutely. Mentioning that the soldiers underneath her were not pawns to be lost because they were pawns, but to use them as they were intended. As vital pieces on the board of any game in warfare. It made sense. As much as it could be. However, what I did not expect was her proclaiming to be a Healthcare provider. No official title, no MOS no nothing. Just a short description of what it was. Very short and to the point. A slight tilt of the head as she finished. Making note of a healthy nation is a strong one.

"True. Any plague can be the death of such. Naturally, this health care, what kind of care is it? A mental plague? Virulent? Systemic?"

Quinn Varanin | Aether Verd | Nolle Tron | Squesha | Taregh Garon | Valery Noble | Allyson Locke | Onrai | Siv Kryze | Ze'bast Verd | Adean Castor

 

[Onrai]

Speaking with: Aether Verd Her Open
Tags: Narantuyaa Asther Taregh Garon Aether of the Iron Order Adean Castor Ze'bast Verd Delsin Shaw Siv Kryze Quinn Varanin Allyson Locke Valery Noble Nolle Tron Selrik Lorcas Lor'Vekka Lodd Grimmin Marlon Sularen

As the masked Anti-Force entity listened to the Mandalore's response, appreciating his demeanor - it had been years since she had experienced a peaceful conversation with one that lacked the underlying elements of hostility - a familiar sense yet again raised itself. Vanessa observed a familiar face. It was the one who yet reminded her of her former apprentice from decades past, one who seemed more than surprised that she was still around.

"Good to see you again." She said to the conversation's new arrival. "I will say there's no need for old tricks, let alone that they would even work. Unity is the focus here, not scheming against each other. It's best all under the Imperial banner remember that." A sliver of the greater consciousness within the manifestation that was Vanessa grew somewhat higher on alert. Perhaps she expected another blade through the belly, though it would only give a laugh instead of a much more catastrophic set of circumstances.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow in response to the statement of Aether that rebuilding efforts were proceeding. "Perhaps I can be of assistance to you insofar as rebuilding your capital world goes." She said. "I have previously restored three devastated worlds into agro-industrial paradises, as well as an entire star system. I would be more than willing to do such for you - to both restore Mandalore, climate and capacity, as well as aid you in exploiting the bounties of the other eight worlds and seventy-two moons in your system."

She listened carefully to Aether's response, smiling once he concluded. "My experience and character have varied in many ways over the years. I have lost and gained so much - and developed from the naivete I once possessed as a young darksider so many decades ago. As it stands, positive relationships between our powers would certainly be of mutual benefit - and admittedly of benefit to my own agendas."

Silently, she wondered what his thoughts were on the ancient history of his people.

 

[Her]

---

---

"...At some point before the Omega War, the mysterious Dark Lord of the Sith (who had formed the One Sith) was betrayed and subsequently killed by one of his followers. Many Sith launched their bid to take the vacant title and fill in the vacuum of power. Pandeima was one of these figures, but before she can make a bid to take the mantle, Ayra betrayed her and stabbed her master in the back. With Pandeima's death Ayra took her place as the Sith Master and claimed the honorific of Darth. As a consequence of betraying Pandeima she was later exiled from the One Sith which resulted in Ayra disappearing from public life. Her disappearance, coupled with the wealth she had accumulated with the firesale of Imperial assets, may have been a contributing factor into the liquidation of her stock on Chandrila..."
-- Excerpts from the historical information of The Order of the Sith Lords.

---

New Alderaan, Ash Worlds, Outer Rim Territories;
New Aldera, The Imperial Citadel, Grand Ballroom.
Tags: Onrai | Taregh Garon | Narantuyaa Asther | Aether Verd | Ze'bast Verd | Siv Kryze | Delsin Shaw

---

Crimson eyes concealed beneath the dark rims of a pair of shades eyed MAND'ALOR THE IRON for a moment. The upper lip curled momentarily revealing perfect incisors which were unnaturally white in the faint luminescence of light as they stood in the ambience of the ballroom. Her smiled to the mask-- to the indomitable visard of the best warriors in the galaxy. Despite there differences Her could agree with Onrai on this: the acquisition of an alliance with the Mandalorians was a desirable outcome. After all they shared mutual enemies and while it was Imperial officers who may have lit up their territory and fired the guns which made martyrs out of their warriors there is a distinct difference in this IMPERIAL CONFEDERATION in that there were no Sith pulling on their strings anymore.

Or so they thought.

"Good to see you again... I will say there's no need for old tricks, let alone that they would even work. Unity is the focus here, not scheming against each other. It's best all under the Imperial banner remember that."

The smile disappeared as Her finished her admiration of MANA'DLOR'S helmet to look upon the face of a woman who died half-a-century ago. As they met each others gaze Her could almost hear the smashing of glasteel beneath the veneer of a shriek and the raised voices of lesser beings whom called themselves One Sith as they vied for control over an empire that would capitulate to in-fighting in just a few short years since the annexation of the Old Republic.

As Vanessa returned to her conversation with Aether, Her did not reply to what the ghost had said to her in greeting. Beneath the hat that she wore and behind the pair of shades she was content to listen. Underneath that sombre expression, as the conversation continued around them, Her found herself looking between the other assortment of characters who had been brought here to this venue. When there was a lull among the talking did Her introduce herself to them all:

"I am the Warden. A pleasure to meet you all," Her lied through her teeth.

---

 

[Narantuyaa Asther]

Delsin Shaw +Open

"Must every healthcare professional be a specialist?" Narantuyaa asked in an amused tone. "But to satisfy your curious nature, Advisor Shaw, I am more of a general practitioner. Whether the plague affects the mind or the body, I am there to help ensure everyone affected will make a speedy and full recovery. Maintaining the health of my Confederation is a great honor, and a vital one if that. No matter infection may try to plague our people, I am there to ensure its defeat."

Narantuyaa continued on in a neutral tone. "I do apologize if you were hoping for something more extravagant. That you were somehow speaking with the Hand of the Empress herself, or even the right hand to a Grand Moff. I am officer yes, but I have been to so many of these galas and parties, that the etiquette has rubbed off on me. I have rubbed elbows with the elites of the Imperial Confederation many times."

​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: dress

Valery's smile deepened with the kind of warmth she rarely showed in rooms like this. Allyson's touch lingered like a memory. Or maybe a challenge, and for just a moment, the rest of the gala faded. Her wife looked stunning, infuriatingly so, and Valery didn't miss the way that disheveled charm made it hard to focus.

"I should be the one telling you that," she murmured, her voice dipping just enough to make the words personal. "If we weren't here on business, I'd be making that a problem." Still, when Allyson delivered the line about being a hopelessly in-love married couple, Valery's brow arched.

She rolled her eyes. "Please." A beat. Then a quieter, reluctant smile. "...Fine. Maybe you're not completely wrong."

With a nudge of her shoulder against Allyson's, Valery allowed herself the briefest indulgence before the veil of poise returned. They turned together, the practiced rhythm of their movement smooth and unhurried as they approached Sularen and his aide. Her eyes flicked up to scan him, polished, rigid, reeking of ambition, and her smile stayed polite.

Then came the interruption.

She clocked the towering figure the moment he began his approach. Inquisitor. Not one she knew, but the bearing was unmistakable. Valery's body eased into readiness, her posture still elegant, but just a shade more alert. The moment he asked her to come with him, her smile thinned. Not in hostility, but in resistance.

"I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more specific," she said, her tone perfectly civil but cool beneath the surface. "Security issues tend to affect both of us." Her eyes didn't waver from his. "What's the problem?"

She didn't move.

Not until she had an answer.

Allyson Locke Marlon Sularen Taregh Garon ​

 

[Selrik Lorcas]

​

It was always unwise to assume that people knew everything on a galaxy as vast as theirs. At least the Trade Monarch was wise enough to keep his feelings on Selrik's lack of recognition to himself. Selrik had no history with the organizations that the Trade Federation had worked with. The Risen Empire had remained largely in the shadows for quite a long time since the Imperial Remnant had been destroyed by the Sith. To his knowledge, they hadn't worked with the Trade Federation either. Thus, expecting him to know every Neimoidian there was, well, just didn't make sense if one knew him.

That said, it did surprise him how many knew him, considering he'd only made a few public broadcasts himself.

"Yes, the Confederation could certainly use some advancement in the industrial sector," he said, his eyes drifting to the approaching Mandalorian as he continued to speak to the Neimoidian. "I know the Instrop sector would certainly welcome some development in that area. We've an armory and a deep space shipyard that could use some modernizing."

The Mandalorian completed their approach and offered a dip of the head. Selrik just watched them. He was still uneasy about their presence. There was a long history between Mandalorian's and the Empire. Some of it was good, some of it was bad. He viewed them with distrust in large part because of their history of violent conquest. Rapid, violent conquest for the sake of conquest was far from something he found intriguing. If anything, he viewed it as a threat to Imperial sovereignty. Thus, all Mandalorian's were viewed with some modicum of suspicion, especially so when they were operating using the name Empire.

"Your flattery is noted but won't get you far with me. I don't care to be touted up for my own sake and I don't care for people who do. Additionally, this area of space is referred to as The Slice, not the Outer Rim. You'll have to go further south, closer to Sith territory to find that sector of space."

The distinct feeling of wrongness washed over him. Not the kind that came through the Force, because he wasn't affected by such things thanks to the old voidstone dust tattoo he had. No, more like his ears picking up something and a feeling in his gut that told him he needed to keep his eyes open for something that was about to happen. Potentially. Not with the two he was talking to, but somewhere else. His body became more rigid as he straightened and lowered his glass, eyes scanning the vicinity.

OUTFIT: Moff Standard | GEAR: Blaster Pistol | COMPANIONS: Imperial Sentinels x4
TAGS: Lodd Grimmin | Siv Kryze | Valery Noble | Allyson Locke | Taregh Garon ​

 

[Taregh Garon]

---

He'd thought she would be reluctant to accompany him. This wasn't unexpected. No one wanted to be lead away by an Inquisitor, even if they returned it could raise certain questions.

While her tone remained civil he could feel the coolness that accompanied it, their eyes had locked as though contest of wills that neither would relinquish outright. Despite the imposing figure that he cut he remained neutral, she'd asked a valid question and given the Gala occurring around them Taregh understood how an overreaction could be perceived negatively for the Empire. Every problem had a solution though.

A stillness existed between them then he replied...

"An anomaly with your biometrics scans. Probably nothing but considering the function of this event and those in attendance it is the preference of security to take no chances."

...his words were accompanied by a thin smile, one might say a forced one which made him seem all the more intimidating to a regular onlooker.

A Gala, in the grand ballroom of the imperial citadel. It wasn't beyond reasonable to think that security precautions such as the ones that he'd spoken about had been taken. Even Marlon Sularen , Supreme Commander of the Imperial Confederation or Selrik Lorcas , the Grand Moff might not know every measure the Imperial Secret Service had taken. Only the head of the ISS would know without a doubt.

Shi'ido, Clawdites, etc. Infiltrators or assassins could be anywhere, anyone.

Likewise there was the fact that with such concerns levied to brush them off could create more suspicion on the one doing so.

Waiting for her response his eyes swayed over towards Allyson Locke , Tai Corde briefly with a gaze that seemed to assess her. Once that was done his gaze returned to Valery Noble , Sera Corde