You're Only Smoke And Planets (Tegaea/Halen)

[Josh Dragovalor]

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"] (That is difficult to spell XDDD)

Halen sighed as he collapsed into a chair in the meeting place. He had spent the entire night awake studying this incident, and even if he wasn't, the stress would have kept the Vice Chancellor awake regardless. Chancellor Aleidis Ijet had asked for him to meet with Tegaea from Omega Pyre, and whoever else, to discuss the incident with the demolishing of two planets on their borders... And Halen just hoped that there was no malice on either side.

But what if Omega blamed the Republic? Or the Sith? This meeting could be either a bridge for them to join hands again... Or it could be a bridge for all out war... Halen didn't want to think of the consequences if things did not go well here, but he relaxed himself and hoped for the best. He took a breath as he waited for whoever was to be in the meeting. He knew about Teg, but not much else.

Peace was so close... Just within their fingertips... Could this incident break that peace before it could even begin? The question weighed heavily on Halen's mind...

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Philip J. Halen"]

Fondor was in mourning for the dead. Even those who could not spell Rhommamool (and there were many) knew of the disaster. In an instant millions of lives had been extinguished. Republic and Protectorate lives alike.

As she waited for the Vice Chancellor to arrive, Tegaea took a deep, steadying breath. It was said that there were five stages to loss or grief. Tegaea had broadly experienced them before, and however much she didn’t like emotions being deconstructed like that, she had seen truth in it.
At first she had doubted the reports, she had told Anya to recheck, even though the Eldorai was thorough to a fault. Finally she had to accept the double blow of Cira’s departure and the tragedy.
Next, inevitably, had come anger. She had worked her entire adult life to control her sometimes furious temper. On that day it had failed her and she had hurled a datapad across the room so it smashed to fragments. Some of the anger was self-pity and doubt for herself of course, and that selfish attitude had not improved her temper.
Realisation reached her at that point. Surely this was something that she could work with. Maybe if she found out who had done this she could…no. There would be no bargains. She had nothing she was willing to give, and nothing that could get it back.
Soon after her anger had left her and she had cried for the first time in years. She’d not known anyone on that planet, and she could not feel the Force, but the loss of so many people was deeply upsetting nonetheless.
That had been in private, in the few hours she was able to rest that night. By the next morning she was more resolute, more accepting of what had happened. She couldn’t change it. She was the Lady Protector now, and she had a job to do. Those responsible would be destroyed, and the tragedy could be used for the Protectorate’s gain, as horrible as that might be.

And so as the Vice Chancellor entered she stepped forward and offered her hand. In her ear, @[member="Moira Skaldi"] had a direct line into an earpiece. In deference to the fact that Tegaea wasn’t stupid, she had a mute system built into it.
One might get…ideas…listening to Skaldi for too long!

“Welcome, Mr Halen. Please take a seat. I’m glad you’ve come, I’d like to get all the cards on the table as soon as possible. I will be frank, this disaster has been one of the worst things I have seen in all my years. I would like to express our condolences to all those on Osarian and their families and friends off world. I would like to hear your thoughts on who is responsible, and let me assure you we do not and have not considered the Republic responsible. If someone is trying to forment a war, they will fail.”

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Halen had experienced loss before. He had lost his profession, his wife and two young children had died when their speeder had been fired on, everything he had ever accomplished or worked for prior to joining the Senate had been wasted to ashes. But this was a different kind of loss.... It wasn't a personal one for him. But to know that those two planets, one being a Republic planet... All those millions of innocent lives lost... It effected him like nothing else. The endless studying was more for something to do during the night last night... As Halen knew there would be no sleep for the Vice Chancellor.

His eyes showed the obvious weariness and tiredness from the sleep that this incident had taken from Halen, though he still walked with purpose as he came in, smiling as he extended his hand and shook the hand of Tegahea.

And afterword, he took a seat as he listened to her first words since he had entered the office.

"I thank you, Lady Protector. My condolences go to your loss as well. I will admit... I.. Haven't exactly been at ease or slept much since the incident. If I do trail off or seem out of it, my apologies come in advance, and I will give the same courtesy if the same does happen with you" he began.

"I don't believe Omega Pyre would be so daft as to attack one of their own planets, and one of the Republic's to boot... So that worry can leave you, I assure you. As for who was responsible... What are our options? That's two planets, wiped out in an instant. It would need to be something with massive firepower. Something that can afford to fund something so destructive, and then execute it to boot"

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

It was at this moment that Tegaea would hear the familiar cold monotone of Moira through her earpiece. Either the Republic is keeping its cards close to discern what we know first, or Republic Intelligence has not yet pinpointed Velok's involvement in the calamity. Or even that of Sith magicks. In his senate appearance Master Je'gan Olra'en speculated along similar lines that we face a Sidious-style threat, but knowledge gives us a tactical advantage. Suspicious characters might question why we know when they do not, but frankness might show our good intentions. Velok's phantom network of is transgalactic, probably decentralised. Possible connection to anti-Treaty Sith. Velok was on Dagobah during the Dark Harvest Crisis, someone as canny as him would find...use of the Blackwing Virus, perhaps even perfecting it.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Moira Skaldi"] @[member="Philip J. Halen"]

Tegaea listened to both the Vice-Chancellor and the ghostly voice in her ear. Either the VC was exceptionally good at controlling what he knew, or the Republic didn’t have as good a lead on this as the Protectorate did. Either way there was no point in keeping needlessly silent. The Republic would want revenge as well, and help from them was better than hoarding information.

“Thank you, Vice Chancellor. Your words are some comfort for me. I strongly suspect a deeper plot is at work here than we imagine.” She left her thoughts out of it for the moment.
“We have however made some important breaks. We have reliable evidence that the catastrophe was the result of a Rogue Sith named Velok. I do not understand the Force, but I have it on good authority that he used some sort of ‘power’ to detonate the Osarian Star…with results as we can see.”
She had delivered what she knew as a token of friendship, though not how she knew it. That could come later.
“We are putting all our efforts into finding…and eliminating…this murderer. I am sure the Republic would also like to join the hunt, especially as he is no longer affiliated with the Sith Empire.”

Tegaea pushed some of her red hair from her eyes. “Vice Chancellor, I should also take this opportunity to point out the obvious; the Lady Protector is…missing. It is suspected she was near, or on, Rhommamool at the time of the tragedy. All efforts to find her have proved vain. Thus, I have been elected to take her place. In the wake of this tragedy our previous disputes seem much smaller, but I am prepared to act in my own authority as Lady Protector to resolve any outstanding issues we may have.”

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Halen considered everything she was saying, raising an eyebrow as she revealed her leads led to a Rogue Sith....

"This is disturbing news indeed" he said, shaking his head. "A Rogue Sith Knight with the power to detonate two planets like that? If what you say is correct, Lady Protector, then we have quite the problem on our hands"

"If it is agreed on by the Republic, this information will be relayed from myself to Supreme Chancellor Aleidis Ijet, I can promise you" he said seriously. Halen didn't entirely trust the Lady Protector.... With everything that had happened with Omega Pyre, that was to be expected. But considering one of their planets was blown up along with one of the Republic's.... This was definitely a matter worth investigating.

He took a breath as he fixed up his hair a bit absentmindedly, his eyes never leaving those of the Lady Protector. "I congratulate you on your promotion, Lady Protector... As well as offer both the Republic's and my own personal condolences for Cira going missing. I hope she may be found, I've seen her once or twice and she isn't an asset I would want to lose" he said calmly.

"In terms of settling any standing issues.... Well, I look forward to working with you in future as we try and get this thing all settled" he said with a slight charming smile.

"Once the information has been relayed, I will leave it to Chancellor Ijet to take further action" he promised.

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Once again the ghost voice saw the need to speak up. The dull monotone had nothing to do with the tech, it was how Moira always talked. "Sith Master , former Dark Councillor actually, but I digress. We have particles they can anaylse, with residue of darkside energy. How we know it was him is still a useful card. One might note that Exarch Kerrigan's hero status is of use. She single-handedly duelled Velok and a tank unit on Metalorn and suffered serious injury, almost killing him and forcing him to retreat. Her deeds have won her respect and her elevation shows how committed we are. Assuredly she will want to lead the hunt."

Moira saying positive things about Siobhan had nothing to do with both characters having the same writer. Indeed they could not stand and if left alone would probably kill each other. Rather Moira calculated her martial deeds would be useful. "We are dealing with mystical terrorism through Sith artefacts. As deluded as they are, the Jedi have experts with mystical expertise that we presently lack, such as Master Alince."

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

@[member="Philip J. Halen"] @[member="Moira Skaldi"]

Tegaea listened to the ghost voice before speaking, though didn't make it obvious.
"Indeed, I hope she is found. As you may also have heard, Colonel Kerrigan has been elected the new Exarch to take my position. As you know, she very nearly slew the very same Velok on Metalorn. She will be leading the hunt for this mass-murderer, and I'm sure she'd be happy to liaise with the Republic. I understand for instance that you have Jedi who are expert in such...powers...and may be able to help with the investigation. And of course, to confirm our findings."
She didn't mention Phylis' name, mainly because she personally didn't know the woman.

"What more need we discuss now, Vice Chancellor? Surely you did not come this whole way just for this?"

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Halen nodded as he listened. He noticed that her pauses seemed to have a pattern to them... Strange. But considering her position, it wouldn't be a shock if she was taking advice from someone either mentally or via a hidden comlink. Of course, Halen didn't mind.., he'd done it himself before when he was getting started and climbing the ranks, so many years ago.

So instead, Halen smiled. "This is certainly an.. Interesting bit of information" he admitted. "Do send the new Exarth my regards, Lady Protector, and let her know I will be happy to work with her in the future" he said. "Again, I will have this information brought to the proper people, and hopefully I can bring it up with Miss Ijet in order to have further action taken" he said. "She would be in charge of bringing this matter to the Jedi Order as well" he said.

Halen took a breath as he relaxed, a little more comfortable now that he had settled in, despite the tension and his tiredness. "I was sent here to committee with Omega Pyre, discuss our standing issues as well as this incident with the Rogue Sith" he said gently, with a slight smile. "By the looks of it, our issues will be put aside for now, unless leaders on either side have sudden second thoughts, to make time to deal with this... Murderer who seems to be trying to drive a wedge between us with the swift and cruel hand of death" he added.

"With that, that seems to be all I have for you for now, though I do look forward to future communication" Halen said, giving a heartwarming handsome smile to the Lady Protector.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

The ghost voice did not take long to respond. "It gets tedious to remind them of the name change. 'For now' - practical, but not a return to the status quo ante Polis Massa. They are putting it ad acta for now because we're useful to them. Once Velok is dead, this could easily change. However, rabid Fringe expansionism is knocking on our doorstep. So far we have been offered little concrete except assurances of joint action against a terrorist, but then we are talking with a deputy."