Back in Business | First Order Dominion of Halm Hex

[Asharad Graush]

Post Ten.
[member="Vitor Avendahl"]

The Sith Lord centred his gaze upon the Acolyte.

He sought to ask many questions. Too many, in fact. They were beginning to unnerve him. Not imposing was the acolyte, but he had the sort of presence that got under your skin... Annoying.

Though, in regards to his question, A'sharad merely shrugged his shoulders casually. There was an answer, though not one that he would've given. Why, did he only seek to wage war? Because he raised to, all throughout the Eternal War of the One Sith and the Galactic Republic. His father had been a Sith Lord who had fought in many of those conflicts, and he had raised his firstborn to fight, to kill, to be his personal shadow and to strike out at unsuspecting enemies. Obvious, or otherwise.

That came to an end when the One Sith Empire collapsed, and A'sharad killed him.

"Because I want to."

 

[Zef Halo]

Eleven​

​

A tool.

Avendahl had come to the conclusion shortly. A pawn of war. Was it a masterly orchestrated deception ? Maybe. Vitor doubted it but he could not take everything as a fact, merely as an assumption. If his conclusion was right then Graush could be useful but not at a position that his associates found themselves in. The acolyte did not know nor did he care how had Asharad Graush become who he is. Only the now mattered.

The High Marshal's laconic reply meant that the conversation had to move elsewhere.

"It interests me what Corondex can do for the Order, or perhaps House Graush." Vitor, after a brief silence between the two, changed the subject. He remembered that Asharad had spoken of House Graush at the Sith meeting.

​

[member="Asharad Graush"]​

 

[Progflaw99]

--- --- ---​

Location: En Route to The Desert Empress, Halm​

Objective: I​

Post: 8​

--- --- ---​

​

The shock of red hair against the backdrop of the quickly fading sunlight caught his attention, a signature grin crossing his muddied features. He was about to respond but as he stood there with caked mud crumbling off his boots one of the steward waltzed across his path on a cut directly towards the rather attractive redhead who'd cracked a joke at his appearance. Not wishing to intrude, Archer chuckled under his breath and gave the woman a lingering gaze as she walked off with the steward. That was someone he'd have to keep his eye out for later. With a shake of he head and a few more strange looks he headed towards his high end luxury cabin.

Entering, his first steps weren't towards the shower, but were instead to the small in-cabin liquor cabinet, Brandt-Volcata hadn't skimped on the luxuries, with an organization as well funded as the First Order backing several of your research and production projects one could afford the finest. Pouring himself a quick tumbler of whiskey he set his dirty helmet down on the desk. Tipping the short glass back Archer felt the tension in his shoulders relax marginally as the amber liquid burned the back of his throat. *Pretty good, for a cruise ship* thought the man to himself. Setting the glass down gently next to his helmet, his footsteps wandered over to the in-unit refresher, turning on the water. That was one luxury about most modernized cruise vessels, instantaneous hot water, all they had to do was run the water past the boiler - viola!

Quickly doffing his protective suit and leaving it in a pile on the small bathroom floor, he stepped into the shower - the hot water beginning to wash away the dirt and grime of the desert, thick grains of sand and dried mud collecting momentarily in the floor drain before being washed away, steam rising. With a sigh of relief the man proceeded to continue cleaning himself of the grit. Enjoying the speed and wide open spaces in the desert of Halm had its consequences and Archer began to realize just how taxed he'd been, cruising through the dunes - he'd worked up a hunger, and a tension that would need more than just a warm shower to shake. Perhaps once he was finished he could go for a spa visit, why not? The entire goal of this business venture was to relax on the job right?

[member="Madlyn Sol"] | [member="Aurelia Volcata"] | [member="Ardgal Raxis"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"]​

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Objective 4
Post 5

"Ahh," Ashin breathed. "So that's what you are."

She move out from under the frigate's shadow. The sun baked sweat out of her uniform and a hot wind dried her eyes. Maybe thirty yards from the ship and fifty or sixty from the drilling rig, she bent and placed her palm against the sand. The dune shivered, pebbles rolling.

Long heartbeats passed. A pair of rough shapes rasped against her palm. Behind her, Ithorian footprints plodded closer. She slipped one little rock into her pocket as she turned and held up the other.

"I thought I saw something," she said with satisfaction, tossing the Adegan crystal to Professor Bortuthis. The Ithorian snagged it deftly out of the air.

"My, my. A lovely specimen, Captain Karrde. Your instincts serve you well."

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Objective 1
Post 18

"You can keep trying," Natasi said with a chuckle. She was momentarily distracted by the figure of a tall, dark-skinned fellow approaching over Claire's shoulder. Could it really be [member="Cameron Centurion"]? But he was -- what? Dead? Married? Retired? She turned her attention back to [member="Claire Organa"], her eyebrows furrowing in recognition of the conversation turning to a more serious subject. The war, indeed. Claire broached the subject of representing Alderaan to the First Order, and inclined her head. "Of course, I'd be delighted to working with you as ambassador."

She cleared her throat and took another sip of her champagne. "When you say Alderaan, do you mean -- only Her Majesty's government?" she asked. "I ask because I understand Alderaan is becoming the seat of a new power on the galactic stage -- the Free Worlds Coalition. We haven't yet selected an ambassador to the Coalition although I would like to. Perhaps if you could help us with that? We aren't sure how a diplomatic delegation would be received. In the old days, we wouldn't have a concern but -- well, Kaeshana taught us a valuable lesson: not everyone appreciates peaceful missions the way we do."

She half-turned and saw that, indeed, it was [member="Cameron Centurion"]. She looked on in obvious surprise and pleasure. "Can it be you?" she demanded. "Come and meet Claire."

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Location: Marzoon
Objective: 3
Allies: [member="Stardust Raxis"] [member="Torian Pierce"] [member="Skylar Walker"] [member="Jaina Ventor"] [member="Jacques"] [member="Zmej Ren"]

Neutral: [member="Arisa Yune"]

Kyrel glared at Zmej with an icy stare, he had always disliked her from the very beginning and knew one of these days a fight would occur between the two, but as far as the mechanical monstrosity was aware of he was in charge of the mission weather she liked it or not. As she brushed past him he turned over to looking at her form all the way half way up the steps, he said to her coldly. "That maybe the case, but you forget Sister you are not a Knight yet, and as far as i'm concerned this is my responsibility, go in and secure the Academy, if negotiations breakdown kill everyone in your path. I shall wait for our Jedi guest here." He said turning on his heel as she went inside, he stood waiting for the enemy to appear as he carefully watched in the distance. He could also sense a familiar precense as he said to himself "Apprentice." He could sense Skylar's presence approach the planet, and wondered curiously why she had come here, but that didn't bother him in the slightest. He stood there patiently with Stardust and the Stormtroopers waiting for the jedi to arrive, he eagerly awaited how the negotiations would go knowing they would go south, but that didn't matter as he would face a true Jedi at last.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Objective 1
Post 19

"I did wonder, after all, if I hadn't given you the wrong signals," Lydia said. "But I suppose if you thought I was married, a gentleman and an officer would wait for me to make the first move. Or -- knowing you -- probably write me off." She chuckled and turned back towards the railing. The movement caused a breeze, and as she watched the sun fully disappeared behind the dunes on the opposite bank. As the ship sailed along, the reporter watched the signs of modern civilization fall away. Soon, they were replaced by signs of ancient the ancient civilization that had come before -- ruined temples; fallen cities; massive structures in the distance that, if she recalled correctly, served as tombs for ancient monarchs.

"What a place," Liddy murmured, bracing herself against the railing with one hand while the other lifted her glass to her lips for a sip.

"Sure," she answered his proposal about coffee. "I know a place in the Garden District, if you're ever on the capital." She again turned towards him and pushed away from the railing. "I suppose you'll be busy on the voyage, glad-handing and making deals with all these executives," Lydia replied, tapping her fingernails on the railing, a half-smile crossing her lips. "Too bad. I think you could stand an hour on the massage table. I was browsing their brochure earlier and they specialize in straight-laced officers."

[member="Rolf Amsel"]

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Objective 1
Post 3

As Cameron closed to within earshot of [member="Natasi Fortan"] and [member="Claire Organa"], he allowed himself a somewhat uncharacteristically warm smile. It was undoubtedly a first in many months, indicative of the fact it was indeed good to see Natasi after such a long time. Out of respect for the hosting organization of the event and, more importantly, Natasi' position within such, the large Sith Lord offered a polite half-bow as he slowed to a stop near the pair. "Well if it isn't, let us allow the dream to linger a while longer." Cameron's smile eased into a more characteristic thin smile as he turned his head to regard Claire with a subtle nod of the head. "Claire, a pleasure. I am Cameron."

If the Sith Lord knew that Claire was in fact an Organa, he probably would have permitted himself a subtle expression of increased interest. How long ago had it been that he'd interacted with Rianna? The answer was...very long ago, yet hardly long enough to forget. The pleasure of manipulations long since past.

Cameron's stance and attention shifted to regard both women equally though his final words were to Natasi alone. "It has been too long in any right, Natasi." Motioning to the larger event that had settled upon this particular room and the cruise at large, Cameron smirked slightly. "Though I see you continue to thrive in the halls of power as always."

 

[Zmej Ren]

Location: Marzoon
Objective: 3
Post: 4
[member="Torian Pierce"] [member="Kyrel Ren"] [member="Jaina Ventor"] [member="Skylar Walker"] [member="Arisa Yune"] [member="Stardust Raxis"]

Darkness itself descended upon the academy as Zmej marched in, tailed by stormtroopers. Assisting the disciplined and experienced men and women wearing their signature white armour was a true pleasure – when one paired deadly soldiers with a Ren, it always made a particularly deadly cocktail none could challenge and hope for survival. As expected, the entry made quite an impression, planting fear into numerous hearts that witnessed the First Order storm and secure the first hall without firing a single shot. Once the perfectly choreographed wave washed over the protesting students, detaining them within seconds and forcing others to comply under the threat of lethal force, the academy’s spine broke and more and more trainees arrived with hands behind their heads, worried that doing otherwise would result in a massive slaughter. Many remained hidden still, building pathetic barricades in hopes of slowing down the relentless advance. All signs of resistance would be dealt with later – for now, lined up, some on their knees and others pinned to the floor; the detained students awaited their judgement.

Retracting, the visor covering her face exposed Zmej’s features. Just as her sickly yellow gaze met the surrounding mass of people, all heads turned her way in absolute silence, giving her all the attention in the world. Terror bound their actions in the same manner ropes tightened hands together – fear kept them in line, obedient sheep too scared to make a sound. Perfect, just the way she liked it. Taking a deep breath, inhaling the powerful sensations in the air, Zmej spoke up, voice loud and commanding, delivering an announcement for all to hear.

“By the order of the Supreme Leader,…”

“Asenath?” cried out one of the voices, and the addressed Ren sharply turned on her heel, facing a young man who radiated defiance. Even his unyielding posture spoke of readiness to fight for his freedom, automatically branding him the prime target to be crushed. Worse yet – in his appearance, she recognized an old colleague and a traitor to the First Order. Did he even realize that speaking up in a situation like this equalled signing his own death sentence?

“Malcor.” She spat in a hateful hiss.

He had fancied her not too long ago, back when both disciples trained side by side at the academy. But Zmej Ren had zero time for fleeting teenage romances and Malcor was a weakling who never finished his training. Loyalty and devotion both were foreign concepts for him and instead of facing termination or re-education, the boy ran away. It was his worthlessness that ironically spared his life – deemed too insignificant to chase after. In fact, even though she would love to crumple Malcor’s lungs like paper and watch him suffer, the disciple of Ren desired to make his death particularly inglorious, an example to deter others from facing the same fate.

“The First Order has no business in here. Your Supreme Leader has no business in here. If you think we’ll join your regime, you are wrong.” Malcor informed decisively, looking over others in hopes of gathering more voices to join his own. Murmurs erupted here and there, though immediately fell silent when the dark disciple’s glare found the perpetrators in the crowd and let them taste her wrath through the Force.

“Then I’ll make a good point,” declared the Supreme Leader’s elite agent, looking at a soldier at her right, “Shoot him.”

Reduced to a worthless sack of meat, the traitor fell dead, a smoking crater dug in his chest. His shocked expression starkly contrasted the gleeful satisfaction laughing in Zmej’s eyes and she knew none would dare to interrupt her now.

 

[Perth Levov]

Post: 7

Perth returned to the gang leader’s dwelling given she had nowhere better to go right now - and arrived in the early hours of the morning.

She circled the house, occasionally chinning herself on the windowsills to peer inside. In a rear room the man that was clearly the leader was asleep on an uncomfortable bed, covered by a net that was clearly meant to keep nocturnal insects from feasting on him. He was fully clothed, snoring lightly, clearly drunk. A half-emptied bottle of some spirit or another sat on a small table alongside his bed.

So Perth let herself in through the unlocked door and scanned the front room. There were few possessions to see, and even these few were arranged in a messy fashion. His dwelling was as chaotic as his life probably was. The confined space smelled of spoiled food. And spiders had woven perfect webs in all four corners of the room.

She then searched for his personal computer and located it in the bedroom. It was a portable device, not much longer than a human hand. She used the Force to call the machine to her and returned to the main room before activating it. The display screen came to life and a menu presented itself.

The computer was demanding to see the man’s fingerprints.

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Location: Marzoon
Objective: 3
Allies: [member="Kyrel Ren"] [member="Torian Pierce"] [member="Skylar Walker"] [member="Jaina Ventor"] Jacques [member="Zmej Ren"]

Neutral: [member="Arisa Yune"]

She glanced between the two, on the outside it looked like a bored interest watching the two argue back and forth, on the inside her face was a frown as she kept herself back from intervening on the two. Stardust guessed it was just how she was taught and such that made her want to do so, as the lady passed she stood by kyrel for a few silent minutes before she spoke in a calm voice

infighting and distrust is what causes empires to fall Lord kyrel....its happened to the one sith and republic and many many before them

She said as she looked forward again quiet for a few seconds before looking at him again

I do not mean to offend you with that...simple observations is all

She said as she sighed out and rolled her shoulders impatiently waiting for this jedi to arrive, she heard blaster fire behind her as she glanced back and ignored it, whatever was happening was for peace, this is what happened to those that didn't stop peacefully and surrender

 

[Ria Misrani]

Objective 4
Post 3.

Orentho had seen better establishments he had to admit, but as the Chiss combed his black hair back and looked around. "Thank you," he said looking down at a man that seemed to be bleeding from his ears. Working a little slicer magic the agent pulled up a schematics of the building. Just your run of the mill warehouse situation he was sure. "Now then if you could be a good chap and lend me a hand." The blue-skinned agent grabbed the dead man's body and lifted him up, taking a hand to the biometric scanner so he could gain access to another set of blue prints. This one with details of a vault, "outstanding, simply outstanding you've out done yourself. Rest easy now, mhmm?"

Setting the man's body back down, Orentho stepped over him and headed for the door. Cerea had a criminal problem and who better to take advantage of the situation than the currently off-duty FOSB agent and sometimes criminal merchant Zethim Orentho. He'd send some of the schematics from the vault back to the First Order and taken anything else for himself. Schematics to a particular design he was sure they'd find interesting. Or so his last intel run on the site told him, he could be wrong and there could be nothing of value to the First Order. Either way he was sure that the night would be fun.

 

[Asharad Graush]

Post Eleven.
[member="Vitor Avendahl"]

And so back to business.

"Take out your DataPad." He said, there was a tone that entered his voice now, one filled with steel and held the tone of business. The Sith Lord didn't even bother to check if he did have one, if he didn't, he would have a limited space of time to get one for, Graush wasn't of the mind to offer his own.

"Show me what Corondex delivers to the Auxiliary."

 

[Zef Halo]

Twelve​

​

The datapad went out of his back pocket the same moment Graush had ordered it. The screen lit on and with a quick few taps on the screen a blank holoprojection appeared.

Another few taps on the screen and the holoprojection split into to two projections.

One revealed the Hailstorm.

The other the under-barrel tensor canon.

"These are what the Auxiliary would be using from Corondex when they enter combat." Vitor said and then added. "But it certainly is not our only portfolio. Corondex specializes in tailoring products on their customers' requests. We make what we are told to make in most cases."

[member="Asharad Graush"]​

 

[Asharad Graush]

12.
[member="Vitor Avendahl"]

The Sith Lord eyed the projections as they came out of the piece of equipment. What would he even have to do with a underbarrel cannon?

"I see," he said, message enough to say that he had seen enough.

"Are you capable of manufacturing a weapon, unique to the Auxiliary?" The First Order's military already sported blasters, sonic weapons, but very few slugs. The auxiliary would be able to fill in that gap if necessary. "Armour piercing slugthrower rifles?"

 

[Zef Halo]

Thirteen​

​

Avendahl switched off the projections and turned his gaze from the datapad to Asharad.

Slugs.

Corondex did have the expertise to make such weapons considering their first product ever was an armor piercing slugthrower rifle.

"Sure. Our first product used the concept of a bowcaster - coating slugs with thermal energy - to produce as maximum kinetic impact as possible." Vitor explained and then asked. "Is it only that you need ? Perhaps more specifics on that you need?"

[member="Asharad Graush"]​

 

[Asharad Graush]

13.
[member="Vitor Avendahl"]

There was a nod of his head.

"Maximum kinetic impact," he said. The term was something that A'sharad was familiar with, he had to be as the leading figure of the First Order's Army, though he was still unsure as to how to proceed. He had his own Company of course, he knew what he wanted for that but he didn't know what he wanted for the First Order's weapons. He used a lightsabre, and other weapons that would be considered exotic to the common soldier. It was difficult to prioritize in truth.

"A weapon balanced between a decent rate of fire and armour piercing rounds," he said.

 

[Eugen Aker]

11/38

She found something adorable about the exchange between Natasi and Hector, a charming specimen she recognized from a previous social gathering hosted by Claire. Even without the benefit of the Force or aurgmented senses, their chemistry was clear. Love and romance was something hard to find and maintain for people in Natasi's or Suravi's position, having to walk that fine line between personal life and duty. In that moment, the widower experienced a twinge of jealousy, never having found that same spark in anyone after the death of her beloved Dresden.

"The privlidge is all mine," she replied with an outstreached hand. "I think Natasi's honor may be yet be saved. I'll be presenting some new Republic projects later this weekend. I welcome you both to attend."

During her sojourn to the Deep Core, Suravi hadn't rested on her laurels, using the break in action to resume old projects left dormat since the time she had began serving the Republic as a Senator. The First Order, still very much a fresh power in a state of development, presented her with an opportunity to implement some of her tech on a mass scale, something much harder to do with the more established Core with more mature infastructure difficult to uproot.

"Now, I'll wish you both adieu. Have fun." She gave Natasi a light pat on the shoulder as she broke off from the pair to head up to the lounge to mingle with the incoming waves of VIPs.

[member="Natasi Fortan"] [member="Fiolette Yvarro"]

 

[Zef Halo]

Fourteen​

​

Say no more fam.

Vitor had only to bring these two terms to Gad Ignashic, Corondex's director of operations and co-founder, and the First Order would be getting what they signed up for.

"Excellent. I will pass this one back to HQ as soon as I get my hands on a hyperwave transceiver." The acolyte nodded and put his datapad back in his back pocket. "Is that all that you actually need, High Marshall?"

The change of volume, tone and manner of speaking was due to the fact that it was getting much more crowded by the minute.

[member="Asharad Graush"]​

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

Objective 1
Post 4

Fiolette's gaze continued to survey most of the participants here. Turning back toward the bartender she gave the gentleman a tight smile, "what's the special on the Martini's today?"

"The Desert Twist, we've imported a few of the Yalaran Pears and paired it up with some of Avalonia's finest gin." He explains while mixing up a glass for the Admiral. "Would you like to try it?" The bartender offers and Fiolette nodded in acnknowledgment. Her glass of the Yusan Sunrise was nearly done, and the blonde figured the Martini would be the last of her drinks after all the summit had yet to truly begin.

She watched as [member="Suravi Teigra"] departed her niece's company, it was here she eyed the man on Natasi's arm. Reserving her judgment she turned and thanked the bartender, slipping him a credstick before taking her martini and heading toward the Republic leader. "General Teigra?" She addressed her plainly, "Fleet Admiral Yvarro, First Order Navy. Mind if I steal you for a moment?"