To Live or Die Together

[Akio Kahoshi]

The Galaxy was at war, something the Empire had already tasted at Atrisia. There was still a lot of anger over that, but the Emperor was pragmatic. He knew there were greater threats, those that both the Fringe and the Empire had to fear. They had been allies not so long ago, and while the mistaken actions of a few individuals had broken that perhaps for survival the two could once again come to terms.

There was also a third player that had drawn Akio's attention though. A newly founded group of barbarians known as the Horde. While normally Akio would rather avoid dealing with such individuals, he foresaw how they could be useful. As long as their goals matched his own.

It was for those reasons that Akio had secretly invited the leaders of these two groups to meet in a neutral space. A safe house set up just for this meeting. Outside Emperor's Own dressed in plain clothes kept an eye out, while inside Imperial Guard stood silent watch to keep the leaders safe. Now the Emperor waited for the arrival of his guests.

@[member="High Prophet Dredge"]
@[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Dredge]

Barbarian was almost insulting, it was more along the lines of religious zealot wanting to burn down the republic and everything they stood for on a holy quest for vengeance. But barbarian would suffice for now, the horde had all but popped up overnight starting off as just the Yuuzhan Vong, but as more races and beings joined their cause they had change. Now they were the horde, and they wanted to expand. But sadly they could not do it alone, they needed help to defend themselves against the republic while they were still weak. But the gods are good to the horde, the galactic emperor himself reached out to dredge for talks something grand. This would be interesting to say the least, dredge would come, he was the high prophet and supreme overlord of the Vong and horde after all.

Touching down on the planet the leader of the horde exited his personal shuttle with his body guards surrounding him. Waving his hand he would trust these people. The gods had told him that he could, "I shall not be long. Be patent my brethren." walking down the ramp he went towards the safe house where the meeting would be held. He had no intention to threaten these people, his fight was with the republic and the death that they had caused to his people all those hundreds of years ago. Walking into the safe house he took his seat at the table. He looked rather menacing with his many face tattoos and black robes. But he was not a savage, dredge was highly educated and looked to bring his people into the light to become stronger. @[member="Akio Kahoshi"] @[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

She had considered sending an envoy as a reminder of certain things. In the end, though, the discussion offered opportunities too practical to pass up -- though trusting Akio Kahoshi after the Battle of Atrisia didn't exactly scream practicality. But as one of the Fringe leaders who'd called for the withdrawal in exchange for reasonable territorial concessions, she could only hope that Akio would be as good to his word as his carefully manicured reputation claimed him to be.

Besides. She could sense ysalamiri null-bubbles, there were none in this little remote house, and without a ysalamir there was nearly nothing in the universe she couldn't survive, at least not that would fit into a building this size. So she entered unarmed and unescorted, wearing the spacer's vest and ragged trousers that had been her uniform since her first days as Grand Admiral Shira Karrde.

She closed the door behind her and tossed a glance at the Imperial Guard. "Kahoshi, Dredge," she said neutrally, taking a seat. "How are we today? How's that eastern storm front looking?" A half-veiled reference to the common threat -- the Republic.

 

[Akio Kahoshi]

As each of them entered, Akio stood. That by itself was a large gesture, as it was a sign that the Emperor considered his visitors equals. There were not many individuals in teh Galaxy the Emperor would rise to meet. "I welcome you both, and thank you for coming. I know it was a lot to ask you to come."

Taking his seat, he grimaced at Ashin's question. "The clouds are rather dark I'm afraid," he said plainly. Then he brought up GalaxyTube and began playing a video. "This is Manaan, and that is Alto City being sunk by the Republic. I happen to know the individual who recorded this, apparently the Sith forces were in retreat at the time yet still the Republic felt that city needed to be cleaned' of the Sith presence. This does not bode well for any nation that has gained the ire of the Republic.

 

[Dredge]

Dredge smiled at the video playing of the republic killing their own, he only wished it was his doing. But the emperor was right, the republic were a bunch of war crazed idiots hiding behind a farce of a democracy. At least Dredge was honest about what he was going to do. "Dead Pubs and Sith are never a bad thing" Commenting on the video the religious zealot was not the type to care about the republic and their fights against the dying sith empire. What he had in mind was making sure he was ready when the republic finished the sith off and turned their never ending witch hunt to the outer rim and outer core worlds. It was something that would catch their attention.

"So Emperor Kahoshi, why have you requested Ashin and I here to watch pubs kill their own?" The space Asian needed to make a point and soon if dredge was to stay and listen, the holy path was calling his name and he needed to get back to it unless the emperor had something good in mind. He was taking a lot of risks coming out from Belgaroth. But for now he would sit and listen to the other leaders in the room. He was still but a leaf in the wind to them and he would not show disrespect. @[member="Ashin Varanin"] @[member="Akio Kahoshi"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

@[member="Akio Kahoshi"]@[member="High Prophet Dredge"]

Ashin's pale blue eyes never left Akio's.

"He wants to make sure we understand the lengths the Republic will go to against any nation they consider to be evil. Believing that any nation is better than any other -- now that is a gateway to evil, right there. So. What's your proposal, Kahoshi? Mutual defense pact? Or are you planning something more proactive?"