Private A Heretic Once Vanquished | Darth Strosius

[Elane II of Kuat]

Objective: Engage in Secretive Dealings above Unnipar
Tags: Darth Strosius

Elane's eye narrowed in frustration as she received a continuous stream of reports on the official SIBC holonet. Merchants were voicing their grievances regarding the Blackwall surrounding Sith Space, which severely restricted the movement of goods to and from the Capital and the newly acquired territory of Woostri.

How could she possibly justify the economic instability resulting from the Sith's risky financial decisions to a group of irate merchants who played a crucial role in maintaining order by providing jobs and wages to the populace? Additionally, the Galactic Sundering caused significant alterations to key systems, disrupting hyperspace routes near trade hubs and rendering hyperspace travel increasingly perilous due to faulty navigational computers.

At times, the weight of these challenges felt overwhelming for her; however, as a Kuati noble and the heir to Kuat's monarchy, she understood the necessity of persevering through these difficulties.

She looked at the invitation she held, which featured a holographic representation of Darth Strosius . This individual had perished during a Kaggath due to heresy but had returned, becoming a significant source of trouble once again.

However, it was necessary to make concessions to maintain the integrity of the Order, even if it required an alliance with someone so fundamentally at odds with traditional values. Besides he would be much easier to have a conversation with compared to the troublemaker Serina Calis and her wild ideas of finance.

"Lord Strosius, we are honored by your presence here on board the SIBC Arage." Elane performed a gentle bow as a sign of respect, though it stemmed solely from acknowledgment rather than reverence. She was entirely devoted to the Sith-Imperial ideology and adhered to the principles of the 10th Sith Empire.

 

[Darth Strosius]

The SIBC normally wasn't an organization that would be of concern to a Sith such as Darth Strosius, none of His operations hinged on any real sources of commerce and His followers tended to be fairly self-sufficient. Especially given His rather tenuous relationship with the wider Order as it were, there simply wasn't much need to brush elbows with any member of the Banking Clans. But of course matters weren't so simple anymore. Which necessitated a meeting such as this one, even if it was far out of His comfort zone.

"The honor is mine." He offered a deep nod in return to her bow, His hands clasped together as His hidden gaze idly swept over her office for a moment. "I must extend my gratitude for accepting my audience this day, I have no doubt that you must be very occupied as of late." The galaxy itself shifting and unwinding at its seams only to reform in a semi-recognizable state had kept everyone quite occupied indeed. Those in the business of trading and commerce more so than most perhaps.

His few idle steps into her office were heavy, trailed with the dragging of His robes as He seemed to glance Kuat's Heir up and down for a moment before He continued. "I trust that it is somewhat clear why I've sought this meeting with one such as yourself, but I believe that I can aid the SIBC in turn with this most recent...crisis that we all face. So long as it can aid me in turn of course. For the good of us all."

Darth Strosius was under no delusions that He'd be negotiating from a position of strength but He did possess a handful of advantages over most that would seek a helping hand from the Banking Clans. Not the least of which was His own tenacity of course.

Elane II of Kuat

 

[Elane II of Kuat]

Objective: Engage in Secretive Dealings above Unnipar
Tags: Darth Strosius

"Occupied of late....very much indeed for whom am I to stall the Administrator of Samovar planned expansion of forest management." Elane said with a small grimace and slight dismissive gesture.

She understood that Darth Strosius need not concern himself with offending the various Guildmasters by refusing their requests for permits to enlarge their residences or to challenge their appointed governors, given the mutual animosity among them. While she felt a twinge of envy, she recognized that commerce offered its own rewards, despite the inherent flaws and corruption that accompanied it.

Ultimately, such matters were subject to the judgment of the Dark Council and the Emperor himself, to whom she owed her loyalty. However, this broad notion of loyalty could be easily manipulated.

Therefore, she took a seat in the office chair, her remaining good eye carefully examining the man from head to toe for any indication of a weapon that could potentially be used against her. She found none, so she was willing to listen as the Lord explained how they could aid the SIBC in managing the crisis.

By offering this assistance, he would also advance his own goals. Elane recognized the allure of the proposal, and she would contemplate it amid their ongoing discussions.

"A sound proposal and one that has merits though, what can you provide from an economic perspective. Perhaps your wisdom within the force could conjure a clear picture of the Blackwall's limitations. A...successful monetary system cannot exist within a closed-market as each planet within our holdings don't require the same things nor can the same materials being fabricated in mass-production." She sought to determine whether the Sith Lord, despite his considerable power, had discovered a means to bypass the Blackwall.

Her aim was to restore the financial foundation of the Sith Order and achieve the Clan's objective of amassing wealth and dominating credit lending in neutral territories.

 

[Darth Strosius]

"I would think that the officials of Samovar would be more concerned with material output than forests." Darth Strosius mused in kind, a subtle hint of amusement laced into His words for a brief moment. Raw material extraction and industrial production alike would need to be at the forefront of many minds given the severing and reordering of hyperlanes. Entire factory worlds had been rendered irrelevant and new ones would have to arise to take their place, out of both necessity and greed.

Naturally the Heir of Kuat wanted specifics for His offer and He was more than willing to provide. He was never one to approach a bargain empty handed or devoid of leverage after all, no proper Sith ever did. His gloved fingers slid into His robes and retrieved a holopad from them, holding it out towards the seated woman and tapping a button on its edge to project the image of a small station.

"Anchor Outpost stations are a design and product of my followers, although the small size and armament means that these are rarely used by the wider Sith Order despite their utility." Darth Strosius, primarily during His tenure as Lord Inquisitor, had overseen and presented various assets to the Sith in the form of ships and equipment but few had been embraced wholesale in favor of older and more famous models from the powers that be. But what for most would be something of a disappointment in this instance became a great boon indeed.

"Housed within each of their frames is an integrated Hyperspace Beacon. We designed these stations specifically to forge temporary hyperlanes in order to flank and outmaneuver enemy forces, ideally to be used against the Galactic Alliance with their expansive border. With the onset of the Blackwall however, they quickly became useful in another sense." Another press of the button revealed a vague map of Sith space and the Wild Space beyond its eastern boundaries, with thick lines that represented what had once been well traveled hyperlanes.

More importantly however, the map displayed red blinking lines that led from deep within Sith space all the way into Wild Space in unusual paths that no formal hyperlane would make. "I've been bypassing the Blackwall since its inception with these stations, bringing in assets and resources from beyond our borders in order to strengthen the Sith against our foes. The Anchors have countermeasures that ensure only ships with transmitters keyed to specific frequencies can access them and thus can travel their little hyperlanes."

He clicked the pad again to dismiss the visual before offer it towards Elane with a small flourish of His wrist. "I offer not only a stockpile of a few dozen Anchors to bolster your trading operations and reestablish lost routes between worlds, but also limited access to my existing and future Anchor networks for the purpose of ensuring that commerce and trade goods can still enter and exit Sith space despite the Blackwall's barrier." He cocked His head to the side, dipping His chin slightly so that His visor reflected the woman's face.

"Interested in my offer?"

Elane II of Kuat

 

[Elane II of Kuat]

Objective: Engage in Secretive Dealings above Unnipar
Tags: Darth Strosius

"Indeed, My Lord," Elane replied, a slight smile gracing her lips as her gaze lingered on the holopad for a moment longer, even after the image had vanished. Her mind was already wandering beyond the limits of the office they occupied.

The proposal was remarkably bold, perhaps even reckless, yet this was part of the Dark Lord's allure and his...different personality, which was always striving to reclaim the power lost during the downfall of the Sith Triumvirate and the rise of the Eleventh Sith Empire.

However, the discussion at hand was not about the Heirs of Marr and the Tsis'Kaar but rather about business, and this agreement certainly possessed significance. In the realm of the SIBC, value was the primary currency, surpassing even the maintenance of the Sith's economic stability and the funding of their ventures across the galactic frontier.

She reclined slightly in her chair, fingers tented before her, the motion deliberate. The image of the Anchor Outposts, utilitarian and unassuming, concealed a great many implications.

If his claims held true, the Sith economy could be jump started with targeted trade flowing through secure corridors, far from the probing eyes of foreign intelligence services and insulated from the stasis imposed by the Blackwall. "Your ingenuity is… not lost on me," she said, the cadence of her voice pensive.

"A network like this, concealed, discrete, weaponized in both commerce and war would be invaluable." She reached forward and took the holopad at last, examining it briefly before setting it down beside her.

"Though what is the catch...surely this is all good for my side of things but what do you gain from our accounts?" Elane said.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Naturally she was suspicious as she had every right to be, He had promised quite a bit. A method to restore not just the Sith Order's fragile economic balance but perhaps even improve it and with some measure of exclusivity involved so that the Banking Clans in particular could reap the most benefit from the whole affair. It was a deal that on the surface was simply too good to be true and especially so coming from a Sith. But of course it wasn't as though Darth Strosius was offering it out of the kindness of His heart.

"Believe it or not but I do have a vested interest in seeing the Sith Order maintain some level of stability and prosperity." Something that was sorely lacking throughout Sith space even before the galaxy had shifted and all trade routes had snapped like webs. "However, I am offering my assistance for an exchange of services you might say. Nothing too grandiose nor drastic I assure you, I wouldn't dare make such requests in this time of scarcity and strife."

The masked man folded His hands together and straightened His posture a bit as He continued. "I wish to establish a contract between the Banking Clans and my own assets. We happen to be in the business of outfitting armies with everything from blasters to warships but we have decidedly few factories or areas of operation within Sith space as it stands now. I would like an agreement that the Banking Clans will aid in the purchasing of land with which to expand my enterprises as well as favorable treatment when outfitting your own or recommending equipment to forces within the Sith Order."

Darth Strosius spoke evenly and almost clinically in a sense, laying out His desires in plain terms that left just enough room for discussion while at the same time providing a clear boundary on what He was willing to relent with. "In exchange the Banking Clans will have access to our Anchor network, albeit somewhat limited so that not all of our hyperlanes are splayed open wide, and as such will not only be able to slip past the Blackwall in your operations but will also enable you to expedite existing and establish new trade routes all throughout Sith space and beyond."

He paused and nodded towards the holopad laying on the desk. "It of course goes without saying that certain organizations such as the Dark Council and the like are kept unaware of this arrangement and how the Banking Clans can pass through the Blackwall if such facts ever come to light." It was the closest thing to a threat that He had made since His arrival, something of an achievement really.

Elane II of Kuat