Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor 
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474 
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Feb 24, 2014 6:22:05 GMT -8
"Not really, I'm rambling to fill the silence because I have this strange suspicion that if we were sitting in a room and not talking you'd figure something was wrong. Our friendship is built around blowing off steam and drinking heavily, but we never see each other in our natural habitats so to speak. I feel a little like I have to entertain you and I have no idea how to do it."
She chuckled a little at the situation, picking up her glass and taking a sip of her stash of Whyren's Reserve.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 6:44:18 GMT -8
"Ha. One the guys that worked under me had a story that suits the situation," Eralam said. Upon an ominous rumble from an empty stomach, he decided to get a bowl of stew and sit down before eating. "Anyway, a woman is trying to do something special for her husband, so she plans out this perfect evening at home. The kids are off with her parents, she cooks his favorite meal, there's booze and candlelight, the works. Well, she's laying on the charm, and he's just not getting into it. He won't talk but to answer questions, staring off into space, wringing his hands all frustrated-like. It's pretty clear he'd rather be somewhere else, but he sits it out anyway. End of the day, they're laying in bed, woman bawling her eyes out as quietly as she can. 'He doesn't love me anymore,' she thinks. 'There's another woman,' she thinks. Meanwhile, all he can think is 'goddamn speeder won't start."
The former Shard took a bite of the stew, chewing thoughtfully. The recipe was more or less winged. He figured it could do with a pinch more salt and a dash of bourbon.
"They all thought it was funny. I didn't understand at the time, but I think I get it, sort of. The male and female brains of most species seem to be wired differently. The differences vary wildly, but they all have one thing in common: anyone who thinks they've figured out the mind of the opposite sex before a certain age is probably an idiot. After that certain age, five gets you ten that they're still an idiot. Seems to me that the easiest way to avoid the problems inherent in that is to admit I'm clueless and keep assumptions to a bare minimum."
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Feb 24, 2014 9:27:33 GMT -8
“Deal.” A flash of eyebrows as she nodded her agreement, she keyed an access code into a security panel on the wall to her right, a door sliding open to her private office beyond. A large desk with a plush leather high backed chair sat facing the door, perpendicular to a bank of windows looking out at the stars. A couple of smaller upholstered chairs sat in front of the brushed metal desk, the walls lined with bookcases containing ancient tomes and artifacts. Some of them gave off a ghastly aura of unease, welcoming Sinistra into a space dominated by the pull of the Darkside.
She set the glass down, taking a seat to read her reports and return a few calls while Eralam ate. The first one was an intelligence briefing from Lianna detailing the transition to an Imperial world and that mostly the populace was receptive to their new place in the galactic order. There were pockets of personnel in government and Sienar that were definitely loyal to Taung but they were accessed to be of no real threat. She made a note to put down any rebellion quickly and quietly.
Pulling up the trace on the comlink, she contemplated her message to the Major before she composed it and sent it on in text format. Sinistra wanted the dramatic flair that came from receiving an official response from her office. Routing contained the imperial date stamp of Kuat and bore her formal seal and styling.
From the desk of Her Imperial Majesty Sinistra, Emperor of the Galactic Empire.
My dear Major,
We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. Between flying bullets, and your sudden disappearance from a certain establishment in Breehara, I was getting the distinct impression that you disapproved of my presence. Any yet, here I have a missed transmission on my personal comlink that has been traced back to Shili which sits firmly in your delicate hands. I am forced to conclude that perhaps my earlier assumptions may have been incorrect. To what pleasure do I owe this unexpected but welcome correspondence?
Message sent, she turned her attention back to damage reports from Balmorra and Korriban, making some notes to herself to schedule visits to both worlds. A door chime sounded and she glanced at the camera that covered hallway outside her office. Gorja. She released the door mechanism, allowing the tall, Sith pureblood Kissai entrance to her dark office. She barely looked up from her terminal as he bowed before her desk.
“I trust everything is taken care of for Dresden’s visit.”
“Completely, Lord.”
She let him stand in silence a moment before she leaned back in her chair, her fingers knitted in her lap.
“Something else?”
Gorja didn’t need to look behind him to know that the visitor was in the private quarters of the Emperor, it had been the buzz of the ship since they had returned. He rolled his shoulders back, switching his speech to a language he figured Dresden could not speak.
“There are concerns that your new companion will unsettle the balance of power with the Sith Lords on Kuat.”
Pulling open a drawer, she removed a decanter and refilled her glass as she answered him in Basic.
“There is no need to worry there. He is more powerful than all of them and should they act like petulant children, I will treat them accordingly. It is time to be decisive. The lords must come to terms that they no longer serve Dark Tide or the fragile ideals of Iniquitous. This is my Empire, they serve me and if they do not, they are useless to me. They are suited and serve my causes well, but I will not hesitate to replace them if I must.”
|
|
The Major
Member
Also known as Sailor Titan
Posts: 5,959
Affiliation: Fallanassi
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by The Major on Feb 24, 2014 9:38:33 GMT -8
Considering that Eralam had mostly been off the grid for, like, days on end, and there were certain elements which more or less wanted to hear his voice directly rather than leave a message, it was no small wonder when his own comlink beeped in whatever was its usual tone. Should the self proclaimed Robot Space Ninja which was really more of a Robot Space Cowboy check, he would note that the encryption and channel were part of a special set, and one reserved to the highest ranking, in this case most reliable, Shard operatives scattered across the galaxy. Obviously, it wasn't a normal call. Otherwise the operator would just send it normally in case Mr. Shard was twirling his guns.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 9:48:32 GMT -8
The commlink buzzed. Since Sin was handling Empire stuff, and it was an extraordinarily high priority code, he answered.
Go scrambled. Authenticate: Echo Romeo Alpha Tree Niner Fife
The phonetic pronunciation of the numbers was a bit odd, but it was a good way to weed out pretenders.
|
|
The Major
Member
Also known as Sailor Titan
Posts: 5,959
Affiliation: Fallanassi
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by The Major on Feb 24, 2014 10:29:11 GMT -8
There was no pause in response from the other side of the channel, but there was something in the way it was spoken. There was an emotional detachment present, and since this probably was a Shard taking, monotone was to be expected.
::Kilo Oscar Kilo Niner Tree Niner...
:: Dad. Where have you been?::
Koko could probably be asked the same question herself.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 10:36:05 GMT -8
It took a lot of effort to clamp down on the conflicting emotions. Curiosity: where had she been. Anger: she had sent him and the Major into a death trap. Guilt: he hadn't scoured the galaxy trying to find her when her locator was out and her Force signature gone.
Hospital, then spread across the room in tiny chunks, followed by the bunker and now a ship. Where the hell have you been?
|
|
The Major
Member
Also known as Sailor Titan
Posts: 5,959
Affiliation: Fallanassi
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by The Major on Feb 24, 2014 10:47:57 GMT -8
No stranger to inflicting pain whenever her spiritual father gave an answer out much like he did now, Kokoanamos decides to give to him raw, bluntly to the point, and technically in a true way. What could she say? She learned it from him.
:: Dead. Then alive. Then shopping for the strangest list of things that are allegedly supposed to be a gift Chisame was preparing for you. Then looking for you. Then trying to make amends of a mess caused by your coalition forces. What the Hell did you do? Nobody is where they are supposed to be. Where's Chisame? If you two going are going to run off, at least let me know::
Which meant she, or indeed most of anyone, didn't know.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 11:14:46 GMT -8
We split. She's on Shili probably, and I'm... Not.
Eralam swallowed, trying to force down the lump in his throat. Scrambled communications were kept short by necessity. That he didn't blink as she mentioned dead was a testament to the perpetual weirdness of their little family. Whatever had happened, she was alive now, and that's what mattered. They could sort out the details later. Right now, he needed to give her a concise summary of events.
She bailed, snuck out a bathroom window and left planet. I took that as a sign that she was done with me. Anyway, a recall order is in the pipe for the troops embedded with hers. They are to break contact and withdraw in the event of an incident, and doing so will trigger the general recall. Until that happens or we are informed otherwise, I'm going to assume any joint ventures are still on.
So much to cover, so little time.
That's as close to a sitrep as I can give right now.
|
|
The Major
Member
Also known as Sailor Titan
Posts: 5,959
Affiliation: Fallanassi
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by The Major on Feb 24, 2014 12:00:32 GMT -8
An annoyed huff pierces the receiver in the form of raspy static. Once it clears after a moment, she's speaking at a more frantic pace.
:: No. Split? That makes no sense, after what she did? Why would she make me get...
:: What did you do? What did you say? I know you did something. Where are you? What do you do?!::
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 12:24:17 GMT -8
I haven't a clue. She walked in on Vera deactivating the coma failsafe.
Eralam knew Koko knew about the failsafe; it was her idea. And if she hadn't figured out who "Vera" was, the former Shard would eat his shoe. However, he dared not use Sin's name over comms, not yet. The scrambling would take years to crack, but there were two possibilities that could not be ignored: Koko might not be making this call of her own free will, or she might not be making it at all.
That was how I got spread across the room. Tried to stop her from starting a fight, but all I got for my trouble was enough blaster bolts to get vaporized. Skip forward a few hours, we're all at a bar with Starkiller, she's giving me the cold shoulder, so I leave her the hell alone. Vera and I end up playing pool, since she was doing her best impression of a deafmute, and next thing I know, she's gone. Not a word, not a note, just gone.
He sighed in frustration. He wanted to tell her more, but there just wasn't time. They'd have to close the call in less than a minute, and he wasn't about to discuss Sin without Koko sitting right the hell in front of him, alive and unharmed.
Can't say where I am now, but if the next 36 hours go well, I'll set up a rendezvous.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Feb 24, 2014 12:53:48 GMT -8
To say that Gorja was skeptical of Dresden was a gross understatement of epic proportions. He looked like a unkempt, disposable runaway that Sinistra picked up in a back alley with a promise of a hot meal and a bag of spice. As her personal Kissai, he took his position seriously and it gave him room to question her on moral choices. Sith still had a code of honor, especially given his proximity to the ancient bloodlines of a once proud and conquering people. He slipped back into the Sith tongue as he questioned her further on why there was a tall, lanky gunslinger in the next room.
"May I ask what you are doing, my Lord?"
A furrowed brow capping a glare should have been all the answer he needed, but Sinistra's voice snarled back at him in fluent unbroken Sith.
"Hosting a close friend for a visit at my estate. Of all people in my employ, you should know best of all that looks are deceiving."
"Is this a move on Dressel?"
"No," she continued in Sith, taking a sip of the whiskey as her hackles were raised and her blood coursed a little quicker in her veins. "his presence is as a confidant. One who has gained a wide insight into the workings of governmental politics on worlds that are no friend to the Republic. Is that what this is, Gorja? Your insecurity spoken aloud?"
"You have recently risen to a power that none have claimed in years. Sychopants will come from the shadows, flocking to your side to curry favor with the new order. How are you sure this Dresden isn't such a person?"
The absurdity of Gorja's fear struck Sinistra so hilarious that she burst into laughter. Unfortunately, she had been drinking a sip of whiskey and it came out of her nose, burning her sinuses and causing her to erupt in a coughing/choking fit as she tried to regain composure.
|
|
The Major
Member
Also known as Sailor Titan
Posts: 5,959
Affiliation: Fallanassi
Traffic Light: Blue
|
Post by The Major on Feb 24, 2014 13:11:56 GMT -8
:: Silent treatment? How does that even matter? I was right behind her when you blew up. Don't know if you know this, but humans kind of get traumatized when they watch their loved ones explode and splatter their innards all over their faces. It kind of fucks with them when they don't expect it, Dad.
:: Look, it all sounds like another stupid argument over a bruised ego. Plus, she's weird. Like, creepy weird. Watch, when I show you what she picked out you'll know what I mean. But until then, please don't do something stupid, Dad. Please? Okay. See you soon. Love you.::
And then the connection dies. Interference made this all complicated at best, and Eralam's prediction about the line dropping proved true.
Meanwhile, back on Sinistra's own version of a communications suite, a message pops up, cleared and checked for harmful malware, and confirmed as belonging to the mysterious holonet address used to call the Empress about a day ago. It's brief, but it clearly declares intentions -at least, why Major was calling her.
Congratulations on your decisive victory at Kuat. The strength and conviction exemplified by your supporters and generals as they crushed the Mando horde's attack is news buzzing around the galaxy. Some of it is praiseworthy, some is laced with fear and contempt. As such, the balance of power has been tipped, and a new era, a new golden age, draws upon all of us. My reasons for contacting you extend from that little discussion on Dressel. It is my wish to rally and join your flag, to further solidify the might of your new empire.
Come to the resort town of Saarlan on Shili at your soonest opportunity, where we can discuss the matter in detail. Accommodations for both you and your personal guard will be made in honor of the occasion, and feel most encouraged to explore the town -I assure you it offers quite a unique feel to the galaxy.
Looking forward to your visit, Komrade.
---R.V Shepardt, Maj, 3rd Fallschrimjäger Kampfgruppe.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Feb 24, 2014 16:03:40 GMT -8
She couldn't see Eralam having a tense conversation in hushed tones in the other room, but as she sat having a strange conversation herself, the coms signaled an arriving message from the Major. Her coughing fit watered her eyes, tissues pressed to her nose as she breathed deeply through the fire in her mucus membranes. With her right hand, she pecked out an order to Demarus, her voice hoarse as she looked up to Gorja, her language back to Basic.
"Do you have anything else to add to this discussion?"
"No, my Lord."
"Demarus will be here momentarily. We have another matter to discuss."
"As you wish."
|
|
|
|
Post by Demarus on Feb 24, 2014 16:39:10 GMT -8
The white furred, leonine captain came as quickly as he could when he was summoned, checking his chronometer when he reached her office door. Barely five minutes elapsed from the chirping that alerted him to his pause in front of the door. He pressed the bell and waited until the door slid open to reveal his Master, looking stricken as she tried to recover from what looked like an accident judging by the spray of whiskey across her desk. He stopped next to Gorja, his hands folded behind his back, and a stiff bow to Her Imperial Majesty. He was slightly taller than Gorja, broad chested and attired in a neatly pressed black naval uniform.
"You summoned me, my Lord?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 24, 2014 17:30:19 GMT -8
Eralam sat stock still for several long moments, trying to resist the urge to throw the commlink at the wall, just to see what it felt like. It was fortunate for the ship that he didn't; the former Shard had one hell of a throwing arm, and the link was far more durable than it had any right to be. It probably wouldn't breach the hull, but it would pop out a viewport in a Coruscanti minute. That would be a very bad thing, especially here in hyperspace.
Instead, he opted for a technique that, while blatantly wasteful, would certainly be a release.
The first step involved levitating himself in a clear part of the room. Legs were crossed, eyes closed. Next, he created a bubble barrier around him. It was weak at first, but he ramped up the power until it could have withstood a direct from a small tactical nuke. He had to be careful during this part. If he built too quickly or failed to contain his power correctly, there would be leakage, which, in Force terms, would be something akin to flicking on a halogen spotlight in a lightless cave. If he did it right, barely a whisper of power would leak out.
Now for the fun part. The barrier was now self sustaining, mostly. It would fizzle out after about fifteen seconds without supervision, but that was plenty long enough for the fallen Whill to focus all of his frustrations into a single blast of Force energy powerful enough to topple skyscrapers. The wall held, though it resonated through the Force in an odd sort of way. Similar to a very high pitched noise at the edge of human hearing, it might be possible to detect that something was going on, but identifying it was much trickier.
Slowly, Eralam allowed the energy to bleed back into the cosmos, never more than a trickle at a time, left anyone find themselves unduly alarmed. He settled back on the floor, utterly exhausted, but with a clear head.
There were too many variables to the situation, too many unknowns, and way the hell too few definitive facts. Fact: Koko was alive, and had apparently been on some sort of mission for the Major. Fact two: there had apparently been an incident with one of the joint expeditions. Fact three: whatever had caused Major to leave, she hasn't even warned Koko. Fact four: whatever the reason it had been, things had changed. Whether or not everyone made the right choices remained yet to be seen, but they would have to live with them regardless. Fact five: all of this could wait.
Eralam stood back up and went back to the viewport, determined to watch the swirls and whorls until the folks in Sin's office either cleared out or he was invited in. Whatever the case may be in private, when others were around, she was the Emperor and he the guest. To show too much familiarity too early might be perceived as a sign of weakness on her part. Let the bastards warm up a bit before breaking their tiny little brains, he thought to himself.
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Feb 24, 2014 18:01:16 GMT -8
She looked up at the pair of them, rising to fetch herself a drink of water. She could feel the tug of power, like the pull of a small child on a shirt hem. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him floating him in a sphere above her floor. If she could feel it, Gorja would be too but she hit the door controls to seal off her office and give him privacy. Her boots clicked on the metal floor as she stopped back at her desk, the water in her hand as she sat on the edge of the desk.
"Once we get back to Kuat, I need a restock and we go back out. Get me Col. Raith, and have the Black Caisson ready for a trip to Shili. I've been contacted by the Major. She wishes to join the Empire. We will humor her request for a trip to Shili. I do not wish to antagonize this contact. I've asked Monet to prepare me an intelligence brief on R.V Shepardt, Maj, 3rd Fallschrimjäger Kampfgruppe. Monet will be on the trip. I have no decided who else will accompany me. Dresden will be a guest of the Estate while I am gone. Gorja, you will remain on Kuat. Cater to his whims, within reason. He has no say on Imperial affairs, but if he wants hookers and spice on the hangar floor, keep him happy. Questions?"
Gorja had nothing he wished to bring up, but the analogy that he would want hookers and blow wasn't doing anything to set his mind at ease in regards to the visitor. Demarus was silent as she stood up and went back to the door, opening it up to her quarters, Eralam staring back out at space.
"Would you join me for a moment?"
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2014 8:50:55 GMT -8
If he hasn't promised himself that he wasn't going to start trouble, Eralam would have tweaked Gorja's nose. It wasn't that he generally went out of his way to annoy overly serious underlings, or that he couldn't behave himself. It was the aura of smug superiority from a being that the fallen Whill could pound into the ground like a post that set his nerves of edge. It was probably a good thing that he had taken the time to vent.
He settled for a jaunty wink towards to Sith pureblood, and then pretending he didn't exist.
"A moment is an awfully imprecise measure of time, but for you, I can stay for two."
|
|
Lord Sinistra
Retired High Councilor
VE Human Capital Management & Talent Acquisition
Posts: 1,474
Affiliation: The Vegemite Enclave
Traffic Light: Green
|
Post by Lord Sinistra on Feb 25, 2014 9:59:16 GMT -8
Oh this was just going to be perfect. Gorja was being smug, Eralam was instigating and she was leaving them alone together on Kuat. She might not have an Estate left to return to from Shili. She got on with the more formal introductions.
"Dresden," she began, reserving his whill identity and former name as something only for her. "This is Captain Demarus, my personal pilot. Whatever ship I find myself on, he's the one behind the yoke. And this is Gorja, my personal kissai and the Master of the Estate. During your stay, he will be the liaison for anything you require. Ships, speeders, range time at the barracks, food, a credit line at the casino in Kuat City, you name it, he's your man. Gentleman, this is Dresden, former head of state of Dressel. Treat him like a god, my orders. Dismissed."
Both men bowed respectfully at her then turned and headed out into the hallway from the door in her office. She went back to sopping up the whiskey she inadvertently spit all over her desk, pulling out some cleaning cloths from a drawer.
"Get some bad news? You looked upset earlier when I shut the door."
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2014 10:27:53 GMT -8
Eralam deflated a bit as the others left. Keeping up appearances for the troops was one thing, but Sin deserved better.
"Bad news? Not really. Koko checked in. She's alive, though that apparently wasn't the case at some point. It's just..."
He struggled to find the words.
"Explaining all this isn't going to easy. She's a smart, pragmatic woman, but explaining how things escalated so quickly..."
He sighed and pulled out his pipe. He didn't light it, just chewed on the stem thoughtfully.
"Looking at things logically, this whole situation is a clear progression of events within the bounds of causality. Everything that happened did so for a reason. It's easy enough to see the why in most parts, too. But the minute you add emotion into the mix, things get...muddled. I have no idea how Koko is going to react to all this."
|
|
