A Beautiful Death (Kaine)

[Darth Immortus]

So regal and ornately decorated was Aretine Palace that it was difficult to tell, just by the structure itself, whether it was a ceremonial day or simply routine as usual. In fact, whenever the Emperor came to visit, the palaces of Serenno would hoist the great black and red Imperial banner high above the ramparts on the castles. Here, atop the highest wall of Aretine Palace, the Sith colors billowed in the early morning breeze.

There wouldn't be much fanfare for the Emperor's arrival today, though. Of course, he would be greeted with the usual pleasantries and doting attention of Count Aretine's footmen, and the Count himself would spare no expense for the Emperor's accomodation, as was Serennoan tradition. But there was business to discuss, and it was business to which Aretine preferred not to draw much attention. The Counts of Serenno by and large accepted Sith Imperial rule, if not for the simple fact that it wasn't the Republic, to which this lonely, isolated world was always somewhat averse. The Counts were private people, preferring to focus on their own art, their own traditions, their own comfortable way of life, and amass their own fortunes, away from the general concerns of the galaxy at large. But although they were united in their acceptance of Sith hegemony, this didn't stop the ancient feuds between Houses - something that would probably never go away. Aretine knew that being a Sith Lord himself, eyes would be on him; the other Houses were just waiting for him to make his move, and were no doubt plotting behind his back to ensure that Aretine's stock wouldn't grow too high, as well as to ensure their own survival.

They had better.

Count Aretine waited on the landing platform of his palace for the Emperor's ship. His personal guard, along with a cadre of Sith Imperial soldiers, stood on either side, while another Imperial banner floated directly overhead. The soldiers were just a formality, nothing more. Emperor Zambrano would more than likely be carrying his own personal guard in tow, which Aretine would of course accomodate as well.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

From the sky came forth a beast of steel and fire, flanked by two Aleph-Class Sith Starfighters acting as a personal escort for the royal shuttle. The banked away as the shuttle neared the landing pad, which landed gracefully upon the durasteel surface. The boarding ramp lowered and extended, and the Emperor himself flanked by two Blackblade Praetorian Guards strolled out from the belly of the shuttle to stand on the platform before all of the assembled Serenno troopers and the Count. Kaine quickly closed the gap between himself and Count Aretine with a few strides, and he extended his hand for Aretine to shake as part of the formal greeting. "Ah, Count Aretine. It's been a long time, how fairs Serenno since last I saw it?" Behind Kaine the two Praetorian Guards stood rigid as statues, their saberlances unlit, but at a moment's notice they can activate those deadly beams of plasma and wield them with vicious efficiency and skill.

@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

The young Count lowered his head to the Emperor as he approached. There was only one person in the galaxy who could cause the lofty Counts of Serenno to bend the knee, and Emperor Zambrano was that man. Aretine met the Emperor with a smile across his olive face. He was one of the youngest holders of the comital title here on Serenno, and his youth showed through on his facial features, although they kept hidden his dark power underneath.

"Welcome to Serenno, my Emperor," He said, and peeled back his shoulder to lead the way inside the palace. The guards and soldiers would follow. "Serenno fares as well as can be expected during these times. The wars have left us largely unscathed. Our day-to-day life is quite normal here. Remaining far-removed from the strife of the galaxy is a byproduct of our culture. Although I daresay, while the Counts accept you as our ruler, many of them remain largely apathetic to the cause of the Sith."

"Daro, be sure that the stimcaf is prepared for us in the dining hall," Aretine said to one of his servants, who ran ahead.
@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Kaine followed the Count into the Palace, followed by his two silent protectors. "A shame, but it is to be expected. The Counts of Serenno are a proud and noble caste, and we never did expect them to bend easily to the cause of the Sith. However; they have proved loyal enough for us not to take action against them, and so long as they remain loyal and recognize where they stand in the Empire, we will continue to treat them for what they are. Noble Counts." Kaine had clasped his hands behind his back as he walked alongside Count Aretine, with their entourage of soldiers and guardsmen trailing behind them a respectable distance. "Hopefully they will realize where they stand on the Imperial-Mandalorian front, and pledge themselves fully to the Sith war-cause. I would hate for the Mandalorians to ruin such a beautiful world with their barbaric ways, raping and pillaging all who could be raped and pillaged. A terrible thought truly."

@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

"House Aretine will always be a loyal supporter of the Empire," The Count assured Kaine. "Of course, I cannot speak for the degree of enthusiasm of the other Great Houses for war, but I shall do what I can to ensure that they are loyal. As you know, the Counts of Serenno do not bend the knee so easily."

Strolling through the massive pillared foyer of Vanco Aretine's palace, the pair finally arrived at the dining hall. On the elongated rectangular wooden table that housed at least two dozen ornately carved chairs, an array of pastries and cakes had been set out on at least half, more than enough to feed the Emperor and an entourage of at least ten men. Meanwhile, footmen had set out stimcaf with sweet breadsticks in each small cup. It was the traditional Serennoan breakfast.

"Please, do help yourself. We have spared no expense for your arrival," Aretine gestured towards the table. "And your men are welcome as well. While you enjoy my breakfast, my Lord may of course entertain me with his proposition when it pleases him, for I assume you did not visit my palace here to simply take in the warm air and blue skies of Serenno, lovely as they are, and though you are most welcome."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"I am pleased by House Aretine's loyality, Count. I may have something to give you in return for your house's continued loyalty." Kaine said in response to Aretine's reassurance of loyalty to the throne, although whether or not Aretine realized Kaine's veiled threat had yet to be seen. At last they had reached the dining hall, which was just as exquisite as any of Kaine's personal castles or estates he had owned in the past. Kaine could appreciate that, having a home to reflect your wealth was an acceptable part of nobility, and what Kaine saw now spoke volumes of Aretine's taste. "My guards do not require food, but sit with me Count Aretine, and I will tell you why I have come." With that Kaine took a seat at the head of the table, allowing a servant to serve him one of the stimcafs with breadsticks.

For a few moments he munched on the food his host had graciously laid out before him, and then he got onto the business at hand. "If you may or may not have heard, Count Aretine, I have returned the age old tradition of slavery back into Imperial society. I have decreed certain species living within Imperial space to be enslaved by my forces, and relocated to camps all over Imperial space before either being sent off to work somewhere in the Empire, or killed. These enslaved are the absolute bottom of Imperial society, and deserve far worse than what I have planned for them, however; I have plans to build a camp here on Serenno. Which is why I have come to speak with you on this construction, as no doubt there will be Counts that would speak against having a camp built on their world. I suspected a Count trained in the Sith Arts, a Master of those Arts no less, would cooperate with me better than the others would."

@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

Aretine twirled his sweetstick around in the stimcaf glass he was holding before taking a sip. Slavery was no foreign concept to Serenno, and although the Counts did not own slaves outright, the feudal serfs operating the royal estates could sometimes be considered just as equivalent. There was a very clear hierarchy on this plantary system, one which enticed it to autocratic rule such as that found within the Empire.

"Of course I am aware, and it was a long overdue decree, if I may speak boldly," The Count replied and set his stimcaf cup down. "The prospect of a camp on Serenno, however, will be met with far less enthusiasm from the Great Houses, I assure you. It would of course require more information. To what purpose will this camp on Serenno function? And what shall be the process of selecting inhabitants for the camp? I have not yet been made aware of the specifics of the Empire's new racial hierarchy."

@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Mongrels, Count Aretine, the camps are designed to house the mongrel races of the Empire. The recently subjugated Togorians, the Kalee, the Elom, you catch my meaning here, no?" Kaine said in a matter-of-fact tone as he took another sip of his stimcaf before continuing, "They taint the purity of the Empire's racial structure, and must be purged from the ranks. However; in order to house such numbers we need to build quite a number of camps, so you can see why I sought out Serenno as a prime location. It's forests are expansive, and it would be relatively simple to construct a camp in the center of one of the forests, far from the delicate eyes of the noblemen and woman who might get... offended."

@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

"My Emperor, the matter of moral offense will not pose a problem," Vanco replied as he picked up his stimcaf cup again. He had already drained his first cup and was now pouring a second from the silver kettle in his other hand. "Rather, the Houses will take issue with other matters. And I cannot say I wholly disagree with them. First, we of Serenno are reluctant to be importing off-worlders en masse to our planet. We like to keep our society as homogenous as possible, surely you understand."

Aretine paused to take a sip from his cup.

"Secondly," He said frankly, "We must address the security risk. You see, my Emperor, Serenno is home to many valuable works of art and human achievement. Should the Republic or Mandalorians choose to liberate our slaves, Serenno will become a prime target... and I doubt the barbaric Mandalorians will authorize any discretion on our ancient structures and artistry, should they penetrate our planet. If we are to proceed then I believe there must be extra allocation of defenses for Serenno."

@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Indeed, Count. With the Mandalorians forgetting their place and becoming increasingly hostile, many of the border worlds have become reinforced dramatically. Serenno will get the same treatment if the Houses are afraid of barbarians running rampant across the planet, and a fleet will reinforce the defenses already in orbit around the planet. To your concern with the slaves being transported here for the camps, you will not have to worry about them tainting your society. Obviously no slave will be allowed to leave the camps, and if you agree to the camp's construction, the entire staff and security forces placed there will be from Serenno's own armed forces. Of course I will have to deploy some of my own soldiers to personally oversee the camps while I am elsewhere, but it will be a small percentage compared to the native soldiers put there."

He took another sip from his stimcaf, "Will that be suitable, Count?"


@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

The Count smiled from behind his stimcaf cup.

"That is suitable."

If he could be perfectly frank, Aretine could do without getting Serenno embroiled in the whole business of slavery. Not so much on principle, but due to the potential dangers and social ramifications that it threatened to cause. But the choice was not his, and the Count would make the best of the situation. He would make it work for Serenno, and if possible, this could prove to be the gift he was waiting for to elevate House Aretine into control of the planet.

"Now, a few more specifics, if you please," He continued. "Which alien races in particular will be sent to Serenno? Or will it merely be a hodgepodge of all the under-races?"

@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"We will pull races subjugated by the Empire from the nearby systems, and place them in the camp we intend to build. Species such as the Tiss'Shar will be moved here, there are a race of sentient Therapods, but they must be put to the sword. No doubt we will also move some of the Elom here along with them, and with what else we can fit in." Kaine finished off his first stimcaf, and moved to acquire another. "Just as well, I want to appoint you as Overseer of this particular Camp, Count Aretine. You will have control on what these slaves will do before they die, or you can kill them outright in droves. I am merely giving you the opportunity to lord over these wretches fate."

@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

"Curiosity sparks me. I wonder, what have these Therapods done to invoke the ire of my Emperor?" The Count said with a smirk behind his cup. The question was meant in all sincerity, however.

Aretine was glad to hear that he would have full control over the operation. Even as a Sith, the Count was still a nobleman, and thus, he was not without scruples. Aretine was not about to put entire races to death for the simple offense of being inferior. To be inferior was their nature; much better it was then to take these aliens for what they were, and use them to their best possible abilities. A comfortable, productive slave was of far more use to the Empire than vaporized ashes.

@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"They have their uses, Count. Do with them what you please, I gave the other overseers free reign on what happens to the prisoners in the other camps. All of this is happening for a reason, but you do not need to know that exact reason just yet. Just know that what you do now benefits the Sith Order, and the fruits of your cooperation and their labor will become apparent soon enough." He took another sip of his stimcaf, he hadn't expected the Count to go inquisitive on him. The other Overseers had accepted their positions with glee, but Aretine was proving to be interesting. Kaine knew that he was picking the right man to be overseer of this particular camp.

@[member="Count Aretine"]

 

[Darth Immortus]

"I would of course not question my Emperor's judgment," Aretine smiled amicably. "You will have the full support of Serenno on this matter. I will see to it that the slaves will be dealt with appropriately and your will shall be carried out."

The Count was satisfied with the arrangement and this was everything he wanted to hear. He would have had second thoughts if the plan was to simply wantonly exterminate the prisoners without discretion, but Aretine was glad to hear that this was not the case. Emperor Zambrano was wise to leave this decision in the hands of the officials in charge of overseeing the operation - although Vanco wondered privately if the other men of the Empire would exercise such care in this matter. Many of his Sith brethren, he was loathe to admit, were not so logical in their judgment to overlook careless destruction.

"There is only one matter that stands in the way," The Count continued. "House Borgin. As ancestral enemies of House Aretine they will inevitably stand in the way of our plan. They will do all they can to prevent the ascendancy of House Aretine. I think it is time that I, with Imperial support if able, move against the Borgin and deal with them in an appropriate manner."

@[member="Kaine Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Kaine laughed, "Should House Borgin give you any difficulty in relation to the camp, then end them. Show Serenno the might of House Aretine, and remind them that they live under Imperial rule, whether or not they chose to remember it or not. They will regret any and all objectives they have." Kaine finished off his stimcaf, but made no move to acquire more. He instead rose up from his chair, "Should my host find it adequate, I believe that this concludes our meeting. There are troubling matters in the southern territory that requires my immediate attention, but I shall hold it to you to continue out my will and uphold the might of the Empire on Serenno after I depart."

@[member="Count Aretine"]