Private A Growing Parasite

[Marlon Sularen]

OLD IMPERIAL CITADEL , BYSS
1 Week after the Events of A Meeting Long Overdue

For Five Years , Sularen had attempted to carve his name in the stars attempting to gain prominence many times each of these attempts having failed due to deception , lies and betrayal. He had been treated as Corrupt and Delusional , had been disgraced and Humiliated and now again this Cycle was about to repeat itself in the Galactic Alliance just as Sularen made plans to rise above those who had brought him down and forced him into Exile all those years ago. But Sularen wasn’t going to give up that easily. At Least not this time.

After meeting with one of the Leaders of the Brotherhood of the Maw in the Unknown Regions , the Lord-Imperator of Byss had embarked on an ambitious journey to create a Political Faction in the Alliance dubbed the Purist Bloc to fuel his ambitions and further challenge Chancellor Chandra head on. Sularen was going to Show the Galaxy that he was beyond reckoning and that his will was undeniable and the Lord-Imperator was already almost halfway to completing his objective.

Already Sularen had Byss and Sanjin included in his envisioned Purist Bloc and now had plans to include Carida in his Bloc. Already through the Politorate and Director-Admiral Dorian Sevenar himself a native Caridan , Sularen had forged a Nationalistic Political Faction on Carida dubbed the Caridan Restoration Front except that Sularen needed a Figurehead for the CRF. Someone who could lead the CRF into seizing power on Carida and Sularen knew exactly who to turn to. Vinis Rimen.

Vinis Rimen was an Exiled Noble from Chandrila , his Family having been brutally murdered by a Rival Family in exception for his Niece. Now the Last Members of the House of Rimen were in Exile with Vinis slowly building up his power and wealth for revenge and this is exactly what Sularen wanted. By exploiting Rimen’s Desire for Revenge Sularen could easily convince him to join his Bloc having the resources to make him ten times as powerful then he currently was and the means to finally get revenge on the Olen Family.

Thus Sularen sent a Transmission to Rimen , extending an offer to the Revanchist Noble and inviting him to Byss to talk about this Offer. If these talks were successful , then Sularen would gain an additional member for his Purist Bloc and would be one step closer to establishing a foothold in the Alliance Senate. His will was undeniable and soon the entire Core Worlds would see that. And thus Marlon Sularen awaited the arrival of his guest ready to further expand his Secret Purist Bloc.

Vinis Rimen ​

 

[Vinis Rimen]

Location: Byss' Orbit, Ulterior Motive.

There was very little physical warning in the space surrounding Byss that spoke of the Ulterior Motive's arrival; one moment there was nothing, and the next the ancient Gladiator appeared from hyperspace. The lethargic cruiser moved through realspace with all the urgency of a molluscs, perhaps a damning representation of her ageing Captain.

It rotated, positioning itself so that its bottom was facing Byss. A series of rapid communique flashed from the diminutive cruiser and those customs and defence platforms nearest. Proof of Marque and access codes were sent out as rapidly as the bridge crew could manage, even as the Ulterior Motive drifted closer to one of the customs stations (Naturally, lowering into the upper atmosphere of a fortress world like Byss was a recipe for disaster). As the ship went through the motions of authorization, a single luxury shuttle and a pair of fighters disengaged from the frontal hangar bay, listing towards the planet's surface.

Inside the shuttle, with his usually dour expression and aristocratic uniform, sat Vinis Rimen; last of House Rimen and ageing merchant. For the last couple of decades, he had gone from job to job in a hopeless attempt to accumulate wealth. What little he could spare was funnelled into the task of re-establishing the disgraced Rimen name on Chandrilla, but time had weakened his resolve. Vinis had come to accept that he would never accumulate enough capital to retake his family's rightful place on Chandrilla, nor would his estranged niece. The last few years had seen Vinis fall deeper and deeper in spirallng apathy, interrupted only by the occasional brazen success or a financial windfall. Victory was a fair-weather friend, unfortunately, and the ageing Gladiator cruiser he called his own was slowly draining his finances. Vinis had little hope and even fewer expectations. So, when he was called by a mysterious benefactor, Vinis did not expect anything to come of the offer.

So, imagine his surprise, when the communication came from the office of one Marlon Sularen of the Galactic Alliance. This revelation was followed closely by a sense of foreboding, a feeling Vinis usually used to avoid trouble. He knew the name Marlon Sularen; the man was spoken as both a great source of business and a titanic threat in the mercenary world. Vinis was hardly ready to admit he had been disconnected from the greater political web of the galaxy ever since his flight from Chandrilla, but he knew little of the man himself. Little, beyond that he commanded great power within the more Jingoistic and Imperialistic factions within the GA. What such a man wanted with Vinis Rimen, an ageing Captain and fallen minor nobleman, remained to be seen, but Vinis - for the first time in years - gave a silent prayer to the gods that he was not making a horrible mistake.

Vinis's shuttle crossed into the lower atmosphere and passed beyond the lowest cover of clouds, approaching the designated landing pad on the Imperial Citadel.

 

[Marlon Sularen]

As Vinis Rimen's Shuttle approached the landing pad and landed , a Squad of Beshqek Constitutional Guards arrived to escort him towards the Lord-Imperator's Office where Marlon Sularen awaited the arrival of the Exiled Chandrillan Noble. There was alot to discuss especially and Sularen was excited to bring the man into his plans. This along with an earlier meeting with Heath Valhoun would further increase the count of members in his Purist Bloc to 4 which was close to Sularen's intended Minimum of 6 Purists he needed to challenge Chancellor Chandra in the Senate.

Sularen knew this meeting would be short given at how Rimen's Desire for Revenge was high and how easy it would be to exploit that by offering him enough resources to build up a new powerbase on Carida to get his revenge on his enemies on Chandrila. As the Constitutional Guards escorted Vinis towards Sularen's Office , the Lord-Imperator quickly took out a his datepad and began scrolling a list of potential members of his Purist Movement which included Kryo Adab , Zeradias Mant and Saro Nakaioma. These individuals along with others like Heath Valhoun and Vinis Rimen would make fine additions to Sularen's Plans and would only ensure his success when Challenging the Chancellor Chandra.

And then finally , Vinis Rimen entered Sularen's Office. And as the Exiled Noble arrived , Sularen tucked away his secret datapad in his drawers and welcomed the Exiled Chandrillan as usual."Welcome Vinis Rimen to the Old Imperial Citadel. It is a pleasure to finally met you. Come and sit down , we have alot of things to discuss about." Sularen said motioning the Exiled Chandrillan to take a seat. This was going to be a quick and deceivise meeting and by the end of it , Vinis would become a proud members of the Purist Movement.

Vinis Rimen ​

 

[Vinis Rimen]

Vinis eyed the younger man with the barest hint of suspicion, but he had long since learned that voicing such was a recipe for disaster. With a respectful nod, for he was in this man's station, Vinis claimed one of the fine, padded seats. A sharp hiss escaped his lips; Vinis' knees cried out at the sudden movement and his back was sore as ever. Age and a lifetime of activity again punished him, but Vinis kept his face as stoic as was expected from someone of his class.

Situated and as comfortable as he was going to get, Vinis took an extra moment to regard Marlon Sularen . Finally meeting him in person, Vinis could say with certainty that he was not the sort of man one could expect to serve the Galactic Alliance. Maybe it was the Imperial uniform, or perhaps it was the fact that his favoured station was referred to as "Old Imperial Citadel" and was located on Byss. Whatever the reason this mysterious man managed to gain his position, Vinis was hardly the type of Captain to turn down gainful employment.

"I must admit, Lord-Imperator," Vinis' tone was dulcet and soft - a skill he had trained over the decades to come across as more disarming - and displayed very little of his own unease, "Of all the galaxy's gentry and higher powers, I can safely say you were the last I expected to contact a man such as myself."

The ageing gentleman steepled his fingers over his lap, take the half-moment of movement to formulate what he would say next.

"I find myself most interested in what you and I have to discuss."

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Sularen was glad that Vinis Rimen had shown interest in this meeting. Hopefully unlike his previous meeting with Health Valhoun it would be more easier to convince Vinis Rimen to join Sularen's Shadow Triumvirate especially when Sularen had plans to elevate Rimen to a position of power in which would restore glory to his Family Name. Rimen was just like him. A Man disgraced from his homeworld and forced into exile a shadow of his former self and Sularen was here to make him an offer , one he could not refuse.

"Thank you coming Rimen , this means more to me then you think. I've heard about what happened to your family , it might have happened years ago , but i do understand your current situation. Just like you , i lost my family to my enemies and was forced into exile from Corellia a few years ago. I attempted to return to my homeworld and re-establish myself but was forced into exile a second time after being betrayed by the same man who promised me control over the Corellian Bloc and the neighbouring Kuat. A Jedi Lord by the name of Cedric Grayson."

"Like me you seek to return to your home and restore the prestige of your family , and this is why i invited you here. To make you an offer. For Months now i've been assembling a Clandestine Organization known as the Shadow Triumvirate. It's primary goal is to overthrow the Galactic Alliance and re-organize it into something new , a New Autocratic Government where people like us won't get stomped on by the upper echelons of society. Your Family may have been Nobles but they were still annihilated by more powerful rivals without remorse or mercy and for too long the Galactic Alliance has favored those people at the expense of people like us."

"What i'm offering is simple , join my Shadow Triumvirate and i can provide you the tools needed to regain prominence on your homeworld , perhaps even secure complete control of Chandrila and it's lucrative Nadari Dockyards. I can help you restore the prestige of your family name and make the House of Rimen even greater then what it once was before it was nearly rendered extinct by it's enemies. A perfect opportunity for Retribution , and all you need is to join forces with my Shadow Triumvirate. So what do you say Mr.Rimen?"

Vinis Rimen ​

 

[Vinis Rimen]

Sularen's speech was met with silence, only the distant hum of starship engines interrupting the tranquillity. Vinis let out a soft breath through his nose, glancing down at the refreshment in his hand. It was rippling, were the starships so close that they could make this fortress shutter?

No, Vinis realized, It is not the building shaking, but my hand.

Vinis was tired, so very tired... It had been years since he had even entertained the idea of reclaiming the former Rimen status. It had been a pipe dream, some far off desire that could never be claimed with a single cruiser and a crew of exhausted armsmen. A decade ago, Vinis would have accepted the offer of Marlon Sularen in a heartbeat, but much can change in that time. Vinis knew Sularen's type, hell, he had been much the same in his youth. They burned bright, burned hot, but in time they would burn out. Vinis had signed on with his type before and had been scorched by their self-destructive tendencies. Reorganizing the GA into an Empire - for what else would "Autocratic Government" mean - was a fool's wish. The peoples' will was not so fickle, and the government of the GA was not so weak. It was a fool's wish, and only a fool would follow it.

Vinis could feel the vagaries of time and stress in his bones, could see it in his face and his ship. He had another solid decade before the mercenary work simply became too much for him to handle, and where would that leave his niece? Bankrupt, left with a failed Uncle's ancient flagship, nary a pittance, and a crew of rapidly ageing men and women? Would he leave a legacy of failure, to allow the Rimen family to fall into obscurity and then from history entirely?

No, Vinis sighed, No, I won't.

Only a fool would follow Sularen, and Vinis Rimen was the greatest fool of them all. It was better to burn brightly and go out in a blaze of glory than to fall away with a whimper. If - or perhaps when - Sularen's plot failed, and Vinis found himself on the firing line for the final time, perhaps his niece would finally have the advantages she needed to flourish.

Vinis closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, his decision had been made the moment he heard Sularen's offer. It was with a self-deprecating sense of humour that Vinis came to realize this, but that did not mean he needed to fold so easily.

He was a businessman after all.

"I have seen my fair share of plots, Lord-Imperator," Vinis finally spoke, his voice betraying little of internal debate as he finally met the eyes of Sularen, "It would be fair to say I've played my part in the lion's share of them, but I am a man out for my own hide. I am old, Lord-Imperator, and so I have become cautious - it comes with the territory, you see. What is it you would expect of me within this... cabal of yours?"

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Sularen listened carefully to Vinis Rimen's Response. From what it said it seemed he doubted Sularen's Plans for Dominance in the Core Worlds , but nevertheless Sularen had forseen everything and knew exactly where all the pieces would be once the Alliance had been demolished and rebuilt into a Pure Order. Sularen had envisioned Rimen's Role within his Pure Order as one of the few Grand Overseers who would govern large portions of territory within his Pure Order with Limited Autonomy , it was the perfect set-up to restore the former glory of the House of Rimen as one of the most powerful Noble Houses in the Core Worlds. Not only would this benefit Rimen but it would also benefit his niece and her descendants.

"Well like i said earlier i plan to provide you with Political Power , Power far surpassing that of what your family used to wield before it's annihilation, Power in which you can use to restore the former glory of your family. Power that can benefit you , your niece and your descendants for centuries to come. What i need from you is to take on the mantle of Prime Minister of Carida. Already i have many allies on the Planet including the Planet's Nobility , large portions of the Caridan Military and various Local Militas. They will accept you into their World as long as they know it is per my Will and with your position you can restore the former glory of the House of Rimen on Carida so that one day it might return to Chandrilla in strength and power and destroy those who had nearly rendered the House of Rimen Extinct."

"Now while you might somewhat skeptical such a bold and daring plan to install you as the ruler of Carida , in order for my plan to work , my plan to re-organize the Galactic Alliance into something new , i will require Political Support and alot of it. Already i've faced alot of political opposition lately though i've managed to assemble a coalition of Politicians capable of turning the tide and ensuring that the Senate can't move further against us. Nevertheless if you accept this offer you will be provided with the wealth and resources needed to begin the Resurgence of the House of Rimen and finally get your rightful revenge on those who murdered your family."

"This is a monumental opportunity that i've bestowed upon you , Vinis Rimen. Whether you accept it or not , is your decision but choose wisely for whatever you say will affect the fate of the House of Rimen , whether it rises back to Prominence or fades away in obscurity."

Vinis Rimen ​

 

[Vinis Rimen]

"Political Power" was just a fancy way of saying "Unguaranteed Profit". Even if he achieved the mantle of Senator - much less Prime Minister or whatever extreme position Vularen expected to have Vinis in - Vinis would be in the position of the puppet. The ageing Rimen would be the first to admit that his understanding of politics and political dealings was limited to what little he learned as a boy. In the years since he had been a businessman and commander. He was hardly cut out for the cut-throat and Byzantine world of Galactic Alliance politics... Yet... A small part of him called out to the prospect.

For many years, Vinis had been little more than an emotionless husk of his former self. His nihilism often translated into perceivable boredom and exhaustion regarding subordinates, work, and everything between. Even his beloved niece barely tolerated her Uncle, who she openly referred to as a pathetic shell. Despite this, an old fire of yearning and drive was rekindled in the depths of his tired heart. "Prime Minister", "Carida", "Corellia", oh how those names gave him hope once again. Vinis knew the ploy, of course, he was as much a means to an end for Sularen as Sularen was for Vinis, but in this instance, they would be allies.

Vinis had few illusions about the nature of his position, or how tenuous it would be. He knew that achieving an unshakable position would be an uphill battle, but he would be damned if he let a chance like this escape. The driving embers of his youth might not yet be blazing again, but they were stoked.

The shake vanished from Vinis' hand as his mind was set. In an instant, it seemed as if he had regained a few years as his dull eyes focused once more. A pale shadow of his former self perhaps, but Vinis Rimen was not yet dead.

"You are a man of grand plans, Lord-Imperator," Rimen's cultured voice seemed to have regained some of its edge, joined by the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the table that separated the men, "Your plot involves many variables, numerous of which are independent and outside your control, but I can foresee great fortune for us both should it succeed. You have convinced me, how do we move forwards?"

Marlon Sularen ​

 

[Marlon Sularen]

Sularen was glad , Vinis Rimen had joined him , as this would further increase the size of his planned Political Bloc which would allow Sularen to further expand his influence and power and directly challenge Chancellor Chandra. Now there just a few more people left to recruit and then Sularen would organize a large summit so that they could discuss what to do after the Galactic Alliance had been reorganize into Sularen's envisioned Pure Order. After all Taking over a Nation was one thing , controlling/holding it was another. If Sularen was to succeed he would need to have a plan in motion for both the takeover and the aftermath.

"My plan moving forward includes Four Phases : The Consolidation , Preparation , Execution and Aftermath. Currently we are in the Consolidation Phase with me currently in the process of recruiting individuals into the Shadow Triumvirate so that we can move our plans forwards. Once i have recruited enough people and consolidated our collective assets into a singular force we'll move on to the Preparation Phase which would focus on Slowly gaining Power and further expanding in preparation for the Third Phase which would be the Execution of our Takeover including a Vote of No Confidence against Chancellor Chandra and Securing Control of the Alliance via Elections or a Coup and finally the Aftermath which will deal with how we move forwards once we have secured the Alliance."

"My plan is very complex especially as we'll move forwards hence why i've begun making plans for a Summit between all individuals involved which will focus on collectively making plans for how we'll Prepare and Execute our Takeover and elaborate on how to reorganize the Alliance after it's reorganization. There is still of things to do , to be discussed at a later date. Your installment as Prime Minister will occur within the Consolidation Phase as part of my plan to consolidate our assets into a singular force. As long as everything goes as planned , we should be able to complete our objectives within the years to come. Other then that do you have any other questions?"

Vinis Rimen ​