Dominion Crossroads | GA Dominion of Kuat

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant, dressed in his sunday best of raggedy pajamas, sneezed - wiping away cheesy dust from his fingers as he glanced around.​

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"Someone's talking about me...", he said quietly to himself.​

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Then he got dragged back into yet another infomercial, his phone at the ready to buy yet another product he didn't need.​

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Salamander │ Adhira Chandra​

 

[Gat Tambor]

// SKAKOAN TECHNO GUILD PATRIARCH //
// OBJECTIVE // Backing a coup
// YE TRACK // Gorgeous
// FOCUS //

Spoiler: TAG LIST

Emmen Tagge
Julius Loghain
Arage Bao
Dash'iell Cosmos - Empress Teta
Vonar Ardinn - Byss
Sssar Taszzn - Eclipse
Ido Bastra - Coruscant
Gat Tambor - Skako
Adhira Chandra - Balmorra
Maou - Corellia

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In as perilous position as the Skakoan Senate seat was (vacant after its previous holder, Fat Jambor, died of a medical condition while holding office) - it could not go on without proper representation in such a communion of power. Thus it elected to send two of its more prominent Techno Guild patriarchs to participate in the talks surrounding the Kuati coup.

Gat Tambor.

Blat Slambor.

It was the only selection that not only appeased the boiling tensions welling up within the Skakoan political arena ( a venue which had largely been uniform in its conformity to ancient traditions and technocratic dogma until meteoric rise of the newly unified Galactic Alliance.) while also providing a genuine means of Skakoan representation within Galactic City. The two managed a polite decorum as soon as they'd entered the Senate building, the pair of them each embarking out in the Skakoan customary hover and link of spread fingertips in which the gesture could only be rationalized as a projection of power or intellect to any foreigners.

Just as the two planted their banners on nearly every opposing issue, they had done so here. Blat, ever in favor of the time tested system of Democracy endorsed a free and open election among the Kuati to decide their respresentation. Gat Tambor's view had already been displayed in the Senate Chamber by his closest confidant and pupil in Shute Gunray . The indomitable and corpulent Neimoidian mass had been one of Gat Tambor's constant advisors on all matters legal and as such Gat Tambor all but uplifted 'Huttaburger' into a Galactic fast food empire in return.

Politics is economics, by other means. The Kuat Driveyards all but had a millenia strong stranglehold over the planet's manufacturing base. It would be not only nigh impossible to tangle with the legacy. That would be...for everyone but Gat Tambor. The Skakoan had long admired the wedge shaped stone grey masterpieces of ship building which the planet had laid claim to over generations.

Thus, he emulated them to a tee as Foreman of the Technoid Manufactorum though largely a stylistic choice in his immensely large commission of the New Imperial Order's armada, a contract which proved to be by far his most profitable and influential as while these Senators debated, millions of credits worth of Technoid product was thrust into the fray, only to be destroyed from the fires of war and of course, replaced. Perhaps this all could be used...strategically. With Kuati contracts parceled and thin between the Galactic powers and the recent revokation of the Core Imperial mandate to nationalize KDY done by order of THE Julius Loghain himself meant one thing. The means of production, were liable to be seized. If Gat threw his hat into the right corner of the ring, he could very well see his manufacturing titan hosted in part within the driveyards. The play HAD to be made.

Taking the floor, Gat Tambor spoke. Seemingly overriding whatever attempt Blat would make to speak in Skako's stead, Tambor would run the show, poll numbers be damned.

"OWEEEREREREREWEWEEWEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRERERERTEERWEWEWHREGTTREWEEE- Apologies for my tardiness, Senators. The Techno Guild of Skako have indeed elected to back Lord Regent Loghain's claim over the throne. As per the commentary offered by Ido Bastra forcing any referendum unto the planet and its people would be a disastrous oversight of executive power on part of the Galactic Alliance." Gat Tambor said, adjusting his vocoder before speaking again.

"The sovereignty of the Galactic Alliance's member worlds must be respected as overreaching gentrification of the Core Worlds is more often than not what has led to the fall of Republics and Alliances, as shown in the first iteration of the Confederacy of Independent Systems." Gat Tambor said, reminiscing on the DREAM of what could be while reviling the NIGHTMARE of what was unfortunately a dark reality.

"The perspective of the member worlds must be respected, what matters is not the system but the results. Good Sir Julius Loghain's actions in his short time time as Lord Regent have shown a man who is capable and decisive. In spite of instability among the planet's elites, Kuat retains law and order and has gone on the route of lifting archaic doctrine which have led to the stagnation of the planet's economic potential. Julius Loghain has earned the right to prove himself further." Tambor concluded.

 

[Ryv]

// PARAGON // SWORD OF THE JEDI //
// KUAT // KUAT CITY //
// INVESTIGATE AND ELIMINATE //
// FOCUS // Allyson Locke //

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With each step they took down the street, Ryv felt the discomfort growing within him. A gloved hand dropped to his side to carefully press into his ribs. Pain shot through his core, only to spread both up and down his form. He released a weak groan. From there, the Sword of the Jedi allowed a bit more weight on his left leg, the one grabbed by the gen'dai who introduced him to the Kuati clothing store, only to regret the outcome immediately. With both a twisted ankle and some cracked ribs, he made a mental note to thank his handler at a later point. Instead, he took the stim Allyson handed off to him and slammed it against his right breast. The bacta surged into his body, offering a wave of adrenaline alongside the numbing effects of some other pain medications he couldn't be bothered to consider. Now feeling a bit more comfortable, Ryv managed more of his body weight to relieve Allyson as they walked.​

​

"If they ate me, I'd of just burst out of their stomach like some kinda cartoon character, you nut," Ryv chuckled weakly. "You can bust my balls all you want, Allyson, but the Admiral Tsao's chicken from Gung Pao Wak is easily the best goddamn thing on the menu. Fried nerf rice and spare nerf ribs? Goddamn masterpiece lemme tell you," his limp still troubled him, but the joy in the Kiffar's voice did not abate. Throughout the walk back, the Jedi Knight regaled Allyson with tales on the various board of director meetings he had to sit through for the Technoid Manufactorum, and all the delicious food Shute Gunray brought to the table. As they finally made it to the hotel room, Ryv was halfway through a story about once instance where Strappa The Thicka shifted his weight northward, and a transparisteel window lining the wall shattered in response.​

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"Yeah, I don't know how the hell that happened. That wingless Geonosian makes Carnifex look like the little queen he pretends not to be," Ryv allowed himself another laugh, though, this one appeared to cause a bit of pain. With Allyson's help, he managed to take a seat in a chair beside one of the two beds. "I'm good. Once our transport comes to snag us up, I'll spend the trip in the med-bay. By the time we're back to Coruscant, a couple of days of bed rest will see me well and good. And niiiiice, takeout is the bomb, dude."​

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Ryv's mirth immediately vanished at her final sentiment.​

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"No. Absolutely not."​

 

[Allyson Locke]

Objective: Capture the Gen'dai
Location: Kuat City, Kuat
Tags: Ryv

WIth him on his bed, Allyson moved to the larger medical kits and pulled out bacta sprays and more stimulant packs. He wasn't in the best shape and was probably going to end up needing several pain relievers to at least sleep through the night. Allyson figured she wasn't going to be doing much sleep, and she wanted to make sure he was alright and able to rest without worry. Wandering over, she listened to him talk about the ride back with him in the med bay. Allyson nodded and continued to mend him better with the bacta gel and to set the stimulant injector on the dresser by the bed. He answered her about her suggestion and her eyes instantly shot up to him; it was apparent she was not a huge fan of his answer.

"What do you mean, no, absolutely not? Look at you? You look like a bantha chewed you up and spat you out because you tasted bad." The Corellian was hot-blooded, and she was already not extremely happy about what just happened. Her guilt weighed on her, especially after her statement. It was a reminder of what had happened and that she could have been going home with him in a box. The bacta spray misted over some of his exposed injuries as she bit her lower lip, trying to keep herself from blurting anything else out. Yet, she was a woman, with someone she cared about, he was her partner, and she could have gotten him killed. "Ryv. You know how useful I am. If I were out there at least flanking that mob, you wouldn't have ended up like this."

She stood and folded her arms. "Where else are you hurting?" Her voice shook slightly as she fought back her frustrations, they were working, and she couldn't let what happened to him affect her. Being in his shoes once before, she knew the risk, and she still would rather it be her on the ground or at least be with him since he was stubborn. "What are the reasons why you don't want me out there? You know what I'm capable of, Ryv."

 

[Sebastian Santelli]

| Alias: | Jallo Ismaren - Member of Elane Kuat's security detail.
| Location: | Kuat City, Kuat - Her Royal Majesty's Estate
| Tags: | Loske Treicolt

The journey back up the stairs was a slower one. A trip filled with a steadier dance of footsteps, surveying glances, and a dark cloud trailing the sole being in the stairwell. So many dots to connect on this ever-growing, discombobulated mass of people and information. Thinking about it really wasn't his best option. A nice pen and a half-crumpled piece of flimsi with random notes jotted down soothed his mind far better, yet this was all he could do.

Holian? He was as chipper as he was clueless - like the sort of character you made with full stack strength and constitution and no points in intelligence. How long did it take for him to rush down the stairs behind Jallo? A few seconds? Maybe a minute or two? The death of Iella didn't appear too surprising to him in the slightest, though it was common for men in this profession to see lifeless bodies. Eyes glazed over - only they knew the truth.

Jallo sighed inwardly, half-thumbing for the empty pocket on his chest. No nicotine.

He'd expected the sixth floor to be emptier than a church on a Tuesday. He was wrong.

Everyone he didn't want around suddenly appeared. Lady Elane with some of her team, including a rather dashing lass snooping around where she shouldn't have been. Leave it to everyone else to contaminate evidence. Jallo took several uninspired steps forward, working that royal guard angle as best as he could. Then the dame ran off, leaving the Lady breathless in her pleas for her to remain. Urgency crept into Jallo as he watched the woman sprint off.

She knew something.

"Ma'am, we'll take it from here," he reported curtly. With that, he eased past Lady Elane and the rest of her troupe, stepping inside the small office. The nighttime air remained in motion, unfurling curtains and sending flimsi flying. Shattered fractals of glass crunched underfoot as Jallo gingerly tip-toed behind the desk.

The computer was still on. He smiled.

 

[Loske Treicolt]

Kuat // Kuat City // Royal Estate
Sebastian Santelli ​

For all the displeasure she felt, the Lady of Kuat would not raise her voice. She watched while the heels of the Jedi got further away - quickly distracted by the incoming of her royal guard. Yes, they'd take care of it. Good.

"Thank you." She offered, folding her hands in front of her with a curt nod and taking steps away from this dreaded room while some of her company assured her it was best to return to the floor below, and give the team the appropriate space. Frank, the astromech of the Jedi, remained rolling with the estate owner's crew.

Meanwhile, Loske had decided to go ahead with her charge, and she slid past a corner she was meant to take. Having to back pedal, she chided herself on the inefficiency of blind running. In that instant, she honed in more on her senses. Like a hunter, The Force stretched beyond her immediate proximity, poking and weaving through those in the area. Contentedness, displacement, opportunity, panic, unease -- all of these sensations fed back to her. The Padawan elected that the latter trio of emotions, coming from a corridor up ahead and to the left, was likely the best bet.

The beacon of distress beckoned her. Perhaps it was the murderer -- or a witness? She'd have to look at their boots.

A pair of workers passed by the Jedi in the hallway, talking amongst themselves and entirely oblivious to the nefarious activities that were going on around them. Their ignorance distracted Loske for but a moment, before she continued pressing down toward the corridor, unsure where that would lead.

 

[Ryv]

// PARAGON // SWORD OF THE JEDI //
// KUAT // KUAT CITY //
// INSPIRE CHANGE //
// FOCUS // Allyson Locke //

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Ryv met Allyson's gaze from across the room, slowly leaning forward to avoid aggravating his wounds. His forearms rested on his knees as his hands clasped together. Rather than the typical visage of Ryv Karis staring back at her, his form painted the image of a far more stern force of personality. He maintained eye contact for several heartbeats, each second dragging on an uncomfortable length of time. Finally, he released a sigh and shook his head.​

​

"None of you get it. That's the problem, Allyson. That's why you aren't going to join me next time," Ryv reached down to his pack beside the bed. He dug around inside for a moment, pulling a few articles of clothing aside before eventually revealing a small lockbox. He reached inside his jacket next, pulling out a tiny key from somewhere within. The Kiffar inserted it into the lockbox, turned it slowly, and watched the rusted container pop open. His stern persona cracked momentarily, pain bleeding into his gaze. Just as quickly as it appeared, he forced it back down into whatever cage the young Jedi Knight built around it. Ryv reached inside the lockbox, only to pull out what seemed to be a set of rusted, bloody dog-tags. He tossed them across to her, brow furrowing. When Allyson stopped to study the object, a single name greeted the woman.​

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VYRIN KARIS​

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"If you want to know why, Allyson, read that. Run your hands over it every day of your life for six years as you cry yourself to sleep, wishing he could come back to you. I hated him because of what he did. My father threw his life away because of the Jedi Code. He left behind my mother and I. You know what happened to her when he wasn't here to protect us? I watched the Sith drag her away. Never saw her after that," he took a deep breath, steadying his growing emotions. Subconsciously, the Jedi Knight unhooked the Blade of Ruusan and began rolling it between his hands. The effect was immediate as a wave of calm crashed over the young man, beating back the surge of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him seconds before.​

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"I know you've felt loss, Allyson. Maynard has too. I have. It's why all of us rush headlong into danger to do the right thing, even if it means we're gonna die bloody and screaming. Don't you think that's weird? I've always thought that was super odd," he ran a hand along a purple and black bruise along his forearm, wincing from the slight contact. "You know what I always found even weirder than that? No one gives a shit. The Alliance, the SJO, the Republic, the Jedi Order, the innocents we protect, the people who want us all dead. None of them give a damn if we die for their sins. Our lives mean nothing to these people. We're expendable. Meant to die in the place of those too cowardly to pick up a blaster and fight for themselves," he forced himself to his feet, gritting his teeth as nothing but pain gripped every fiber of his being. Silently, Ryv limped across the room to the window and looked beyond their small haven. His gaze was drawn across the city to a distant light outside of the former Kuat's palace. Even from where he was, miles away, the Jedi Knight could feel the tension in those gathered as they both protested and celebrated the shift in power on the planet.​

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"And you know what? I'm tired of it. No more of this shit. The Jedi aren't expendable. Just because we're born with a power they can't comprehend doesn't mean we'll live out short lives, prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice," Ryv turned back to face her, leaning against the wall for support. "It's one thing to make a sacrifice you know is right. It's another for someone else to make that choice for you. I'm not going to let that happen anymore. I'm going to fix this. You, Maynard, Loske, and me. We were all trained to believe subconsciously we're just an expendable cog in the machine. And you know what? It all starts within us. Your skills make you the best damn eye in the sky the Jedi have, Allyson. The best you can do for us is to make sure you're watching our backs and making sure we get out of there alive. Maynard? He's a goddamn general in disguise. He'll be a leader of men, one who inspires change and brings peace through his actions."​

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Ryv shifted where he stood, working to find a more comfortable position for himself. The pain continued to assault his senses, but he suffered through it as he spoke.​

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"I'm going to help you all see the truth of who you are. I'm going to inspire you to do more than just see the future, Allyson. I'm going to help you all be the future. The Jedi need leaders. They need guidance from those of us who've been chewed up and spit back out by this system, so it doesn't happen to them. I need you to take a step back and look at the big picture beside me. I can't do this alone, and I can't do this if we're bickering over how useful you are. I know damn well how useful you are. I'm the guy who's gonna get beaten into a bloody pulp, again and again, so you guys don't have to. And in turn? You're all gonna change this galaxy for the better. I just need you to trust me."​

 

[Allyson Locke]

Kuat City, Kuat
Promises
Tags: Ryv

"What?!" Allyson responded quickly as she heard him state what she would be doing the next time. The Corellian immediately felt her temper rise, he might have the one to summon her, and he might be the one who was her superior in their ranking - but how dare he tell her what she wasn't going to be doing. Before Allyson could give him a piece of her mind, the dog tags tossed her way. Catching them, she brought them to read and saw the name. She examined the dog tags and realized from his words who they belonged to and what he went through with them. Her mood changed as she held onto the tags; she felt where he was going - what he had seen and how he felt. She had lost her parents as well, she wasn't there to experience, and she didn't have to see it - but she understood his pain. The urge to wrap him up in her arms and tell him its okay weighed on her, but she knew he needed to get this out. The Corellian wouldn't deny him that - she didn't have that right. Her eyes watched him as their bond strained and tugged with his emotions. Despite her best attempts, she couldn't comfort him, and she was thankful for the blade that he held in his hands.

Their generation had felt so much loss, they were orphans, and he was right - no one cared. The militaries of the Galaxy just needed able bodies, and they were the ones to volunteer because they were the ones that needed to find meaning for their existence. Her eyes fell from him as she looked back down at the dog tags. She wished she could say something, do something to make this pain go away. To make both of their pain go away, but she couldn't. Allyson quickly remembered what she was taught in the SIS; she was a cog - she was expendable, and it was drilled into her head that if she got in too deep, she would be left behind, and her existence denied. All of their positions their governments would pretend like they didn't exist. Moving closer, she listened to him; he turned and faced her. Stopping in her tracks, she stared back at him, his words hitting hard home and her eyes welling with tears. This man, before her, wanted to change the way the whole Galaxy saw them. He wanted to be the one to bear the cross for all of them. The thought made her heartache, she cared for him too much for him to do this alone, but he was determined.

She cried. Tears fell from her face as she held the dog tags tightly. The woman wasn't Kiffar, but she felt a sudden new pain having a feeling that there might be a day where she was going to be standing at his funeral, holding his dog tags wishing that he was still there and wanting him to come home to come back to her. The small revelation brought her the greatest sadness she had ever felt since she lost her parents. The pain she felt just from the thought was worst than any physical pain she could even imagine. Her footsteps were quick, and her brunette head leaned closer to him but stopped remembering the injuries he had sustained. It killed her, but she kept her distance from him and looked at him, with a mascara tear-stained face. "I will." She spoke quietly, Allyson knew he was right - everything was more significant than they were. "I'll watch your back, and I'll watch everyone's back, Maynards, Loske's - everyone's." She hiccuped and covered her mouth before speaking, "Ryv, you have to be apart of that future too. I don't want this future without you. I trust you with everything that I am, but I can't have this future with...." She felt a flood of tears fall from her emerald eyes, "I can't without you. I just can't. I was scared today."

 

[Maou]

This situation really was interesting. He could smell the foul play a mile away, though he was sure most of his senatorial counterparts could as well. But it was all about the performance. The other nearby Core Worlds were watching them now, still undecided as to if they would join the fledgling Alliance or not. Kaito could have cared less who ran Kuat, as long as the system was aligned with the Galactic Alliance. This business between the New Imperial Order and the Sith Empire that they'd gotten themselves stuck in the middle of, due in no small part to his own vote for the war, would only be completed swiftly if they had the facilities to keep up with the war machine that was the Sith Empire. And with trouble brewing just outside of their borders with the CIS and other nefarious groups like the shadowy "Darkwire", the barbaric Mandalorian exiles known as "The Network", the Agents of Chaos, and the destructive Bryn'adul....Well they'd need all the factories they could get.

'And more factories means more shipments and more shipments means my market grows.' The thought caught him off-guard. Typically he kept those darker impulses and thoughts of his...extracurricular activities for private hours in his senate office or apartment in the senate district. On the Senate floor he needed to be thinking about his 'Day Job' and that meant he should be enacting the will, for lack of a better term, of the current Diktat, part of which was to bring Balmorra back into the fold. Elections could be rigged. Kaito enjoyed what he saw in the Kuati man standing before them and had a feeling he would be someone useful in the future, and so he cast his vote.

"The Delegation from Corellia votes to stand with the Delegation from Balmorra. Install Regent Loghain as interim ruler until such a time a democratic election can be held."

Adhira Chandra Emmen Tagge Julius Loghain Sssar Taszzn

 

[Adhira Chandra]

Location: Grand Convocation Chamber
Objective: Consider the merits of the issue
Focus: Julius Loghain l Emmen Tagge l Maou l Sssar Taszzn l Salamander

Spoiler: Senator Tags

Dash'iell Cosmos - Empress Teta
Vonar Ardinn - Byss
Sssar Taszzn - Eclipse
Ido Bastra - Coruscant
Gat Tambor - Skako
Adhira Chandra - Balmorra
Maou - Corellia
Shute Gunray - Caamas

Adhira was in a sitting position, her aides were scrambling for some procedural motion she could use to stall the proceedings, perhaps even long enough to force the Chancellor to call for a recess. Meanwhile, the elder Senator, somewhat regretting her fiery rhetoric - SOMEWHAT - had her attention pulled away by an alert on her own datapad. It was a message from the Jedi Master Casimir Heliobas, a name she was perhaps distantly familiar with, but she assumed based on the content of the message that he had been called upon to aid in the investigation on Kuat in some capacity. "Sithspit..." she cursed a bit louder than she'd intended.​

​

The Balmorran got the attention of her entourage and with a swipe of her hand shared the message to their datapads. The excitement at this new development was palpable, but Adhira was still trying to puzzle out why the message had been sent to her specifically. Perhaps the Jedi knew where she stood already and sought to put the information in willing hands. 'Never look a gift tauntaun in the mouth,' she thought.​

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"Ma'am, you need to withdraw your motion."​

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"What? Can I even do that?" One of her aides hastily dropped a memo onto her datapad screen with the correct parliamentary verbiage, but Adhira continued to hesitate. Then, the voice of one Kaito Kiyoshi, echoed throughout the chamber. She could already hear another weak defense of the dictatorship on Kuat, the traditions and beliefs and on and on... So one could imagine the Senator's surprise when her Corellian colleague voiced his support for her plan. Maybe he wasn't so bad, after all.​

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"Senator, with Eclipse that puts us within spitting distance of winning this vote. You must speak now."​

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Adhira stood and with the push of a button sent her repulsorpod following after Kaito. "Chancellor, forgive me. I must commend the honorable Senator from Corellia for his wise endorsement of this compromise. In light of new information received by my office, I must respectfully withdraw my motion to end debate and move to a vote." The Balmorran was sure to take a moment to nod her appreciation at Kaito.​

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"Just moments ago, I received communication from a member of the Jedi Order, designated the rank of Master, who believes he has pertinent information to these proceedings, particularly where they concern the claims against Lady Elane by her half-brother. We would be remiss not to consider his testimony in our deliberations."​

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Adhira was careful to withhold as much information as possible about the nature of the information, but with a few taps on her repulsorpod's control panel sent the most compelling excerpts of the message to Emmen Tagge and his staff beneath the Chancellor's podium, Sssar Taszzn and his staff, and a few other unknown centrist senators one must assume were somewhere in the wings.​

​

It was a tricky play, but just because Adhira did not particularly enjoy being a politician did not mean she was not good at it. At the very least the people she hired were. Any of her savvy colleagues would be able to guess at her current trajectory. She either had enough information to make it impossible for them to support Loghain without taking a substantial hit to their credibility, or she would seek to prolong the process until she had such compelling evidence. Maybe compromise would look more appealing now.​

 

[Ryv]

​

// PARAGON // SWORD OF THE JEDI //
// KUAT // KUAT CITY //
// INSPIRE CHANGE //
// FOCUS // Allyson Locke

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"Yeah, yeah, I know," Ryv muttered while clearing the short distance between them. He embraced her and gently patted the back of her head. It was a brief embrace, as he felt his wounds becoming too much for him to continue ignoring. His arms fell to his sides as he limped back across the room to the chair he initially occupied. Slowly, the Jedi Knight worked his way back down to a comfortable enough position and enjoyed the lack of weight on his slightly trembling leg. "I already told you I don't intend on dying anytime soon, Allyson. Someones gotta teach all of you what it means to be a Jedi. I couldn't entrust all this to you guys if you're running around, accepting every suicide run, or failing to understand the point of all this responsibility," he ran a hand through his hair, pushing away loose strands that fell during his brief moment of passion.​

​

"And yeah, I know you'll watch their backs, Allyson. You've been where we are now, before. Anyone with a shred of empathy wouldn't let what happened to you happen to their friends," Ryv took a deep breath, willing away the pain as his body once more began its natural process of channeling the force to protect him. "These are the sorta things you never have to reassure me of," the Jedi Knight spoke with confidence, wholeheartedly believing every word. a hand slowly rose to tap the center of his chest gently. "I also have an unfair advantage. I can peek past the curtain you put up to keep all the rest of us out, you know? I wouldn't ask you to look out for my family if I didn't trust you to do the finest job in the galaxy," he looked back towards the window, almost as if he sought something out in the darkness. A moment passed before Ryv's amber gaze fell shifted back to Allyson, the Jedi content with whatever the momentary change in attention provided him.​

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"I can't blame you for being scared. If it wasn't fo the Blade of Ruusan," Ryv lifted the weapon, noticeably keeping a vice-like grip on the lightsaber's hilt. "I'd of been scared too. Those things are scary on their own. Imagine throwing in a virus that auto-kills their conscious thought and makes em even stronger? Yeah, man, I'm good," he chuckled, though his body stiffened as pain shot through his right side. He sat up a bit, compensating for the pain. "Might be the worst mission I've ever gotten, but you know how it is. At the end of the day, I wasn't alone, so," he met her verdant gaze and flashed his typical smile. "Thank you for coming to help me, Allyson. I know I gave you a hard time just now. I'm sorry about that, I just uh- hmm, I feel like my point of view makes sense. Because you knew where I was and could see it all, you knew exactly when to get involved. What if we'd been separated in the field early on, pushed two different directions? Those things would probably be rampaging through the city."​

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Ryv went silent as he considered what was probably the worst-case scenario for Kuat and visibly shivered. The Kuati people had more than enough on their plate already. One less, undead gen'dai sized issue would go a long way. He held up a closed fist, reaching out for their first-ever fist bump.​

​

"Good work out there. I couldn't have done it without you."​

 

[Allyson Locke]

Kuat City, Kuat
Reason
Tag: Ryv

The embrace comforted her more than she would admit. Just a small reminder that he was still alive and that despite missions being difficult he planned on always coming home. As he pulled away, she could feel that his injuries were giving him trouble. Her hand lingered on him as he pulled away from her and she pulled it back. Allyson lifted the bottom of her shirt slightly to wipe her face free of the tears. He had done his best to comfort her and it was enough for the Corellian. A lot had happened during their mission and she had been doubting her performance. Just the thought of her failing and causing him to perish was difficult to fathom.

As he mentioned their bond, Allyson couldn't help but smile as she sat at the end of the bed. Her hands rested in her lap while he continued. "That's good to know, I'm not used to people being able to see the real me. I've always kept up this curtain, but it comes with the job you know." She waved her hand as she tried to brush it off, but they both knew the truth. Allyson kept the cloak of mystery about her to keep people from getting close. If people got too close to her it meant that they were always in danger. It was what scared her about her bond with Ryv. That connect could be used against them, strained till one of them broke, it was dangerous. She didn't voice the concern, Ryv more than likely could feel her thoughts.

Allyson watched him, she could tell the pain was getting worse. Standing, she sensed someone coming to the door. Luckily for Ryv, it was his take out. Handing the man credits at the door, she got the food and brought it over to him. "Do I have to feed you?" She chuckled and started to open up the containers for him and waited for him to tell her what he wanted. "Yeah, the mission was a bit rough, but you did a pretty stellar job. Sometimes it's needed you know." She referred to his comment about a hard time. "You have to be able to tell me like it is, its the only way we're going to be able to work together. If you can't tell me straight - it's going to get us both killed."

Ryv had quite the imagination for worst-case situations. The last thing the Corellian wanted to do was listen to how much worst this mission could have gone. "Hey, let's not think about the worst that could happen. I'd like to not think about you getting eaten by a pack of Gen'dai - I already had that thought haunt me." Shaking her head she grabbed more of the medicine to hopefully relive his pain. "You going to eat? You need it to take the pain meds." Pausing, Allyson sat again beside him.

"I believe in what you believe in Ryv. I really do. You know what's happened to me, I don't need to bring that backup." She made herself a plate once the Kiffar had enough to eat. "Being a tool isn't something I want to be anymore. I didn't exist until I met you. My records, my missions, everything - poof" She annunciated the poof with her fingers spreading and making the sound with her mouth. "So yeah, I believe in you - I want that future that you want us to create." Eating the spicy noodles that had come, she smiled and relaxed. "Okay you win, take out is delicious."

 

[Ye Hyonu]

While Auteme was reading over the data and making her notes, Hyonu had wandered over to his little alchemy set up. Using the metal scientific lighter over the bunsen burner, the flame shot up. His nimble fingers wrapped around the dial, adjusting the fire till it was a low burn, placing a beaker full of water over the flame he waited with a bag of tea. Looking towards the girl, he processed her question and nodded from time to time. A hand-rubbed the bottom of his chin, "So far, we can tell that the strain was manipulated by someone, but not in a sense that it was recent. It had some time to manifest itself in the Gen'dai." The water was starting to simmer, and the Doctor showed his first sight of an emotion. A small smirk spread across his face as he began to dip the tea bag in and out of the small beaker.

The excellent Doctor smiled towards the girl and tilted his head. She was so adorable, thinking that she was entirely safe from the virus. Turning off the heat, Hyonu let the tea steep in the water for a few more minutes. "The strand is airborne but seems only to infect those with Gen'dai genetic makeup." He slowly stirred in some cream to his tea and sighed. "It's mutating faster than we can study it, so we need to get to work. So far, it hasn't infected anyone else. The plan is to see if it infects only Gen'dai or Gen'dai hybrids. After that, we can decide on a better course of action. Please ensure that you've signed the waiver and get suited up." He continued sipped his tea and then wandered to the entryway to the biodome; a sudden spray of disinfected covered the man before he suited up.

He waited for Auteme to come through as well. His face pressed against the biohazard suit window, which in turn pressed against the bubble screen. "Come, please."

Auteme

 

[Auteme]

K U A T
Tag: Ye Hyonu ​

---

WHAT.

"IT'S AIRBORNE?!?!?!" Auteme's eyes widened and she started to freak out. That was the worst case scenario. Why wasn't everybody freaking out? This was terrible! She followed quickly into the biodome, getting her disinfectant spray-down, then suiting up in her biohazard suit. Not that it'd do anything for her, if this strand of the Blackwing Virus was indeed airborne. Their respirators and filters wouldn't be able to defend against it.

"I'm sorry, just... has the leak been contained? Has the Gen'Dai population been moved offworld yet? What about antisepsis fields, are we using those?" The padawan followed Doctor Ye into the secured dome, tapping her fingers together nervously. Antisepsis fields hadn't been tested against the Blackwing Virus, but they were meant to destroy any and all bacteria, fungi, and other small organic matter very quickly. Maybe that'd work, though deploying it in a city would be extremely problematic. She assumed that the initial leak that had caused the virus to become airborne had been contained, but the idea that it had been stored by someone worried her.

It got worse -- if it was indeed airborne, the entire Kuati Gen'Dai population could be transformed depending on the wind currents and the incubation period. And if the virus was semi-sentient, as the original Sickness was...

Well, she was worried about Ryv and all the people fighting on the front lines against this virus. Auteme was a lot safer in this biodome, but it still stressed her out. "We can't exactly cure someone once they've been infected... so I think quarantines and removal of infected people is probably the best way to go about this," she said, wincing slightly at the morbid thought. Still, it meant that the research they did here would be less urgent, assuming the government was quick to react to the virus.

Bit of a stretch.

 

[Ryv]

​

// PARAGON // SWORD OF THE JEDI //
// KUAT // KUAT CITY //
// INSPIRE CHANGE //
// FOCUS // Allyson Locke

---

---

"Letting people know you, is a pretty easy way not to be alone, gotta be honest," Ryv responded to her first sentiment, sinking a bit deeper into the chair. The takeout's arrival brightened the Jedi Knight's mood considerably, so much so he almost hopped up out of the chair to pay the delivery man himself, but Allyson managed to beat him to the punch. Probably for the better. He forced himself back up to a straightened position, mostly annoyed with himself for doing otherwise. "Feed me? What?" the Kiffar's brow furrowed in response. "If I ever get to a point where I need people to feed me to keep living, you can go ahead and just pull the plug. The idea of living that sorta life makes what we do now seem like a cakewalk," Ryv mused, taking his meal from the bag before setting it atop his lap.​

​

"I like to try and keep everything clear cut out in the field," Ryv pulled open the container, which housed his food. "Makes things a lot easier if everyone is on the same page. No one can complain about misunderstandings and the like. Though, if you're saying I need to be better about asking for help? I can work on that, though, typically I'm gonna be okay. I've seen worse than gen'dai and lived. I considered something like this, even though it might've been one of the more painful experiences, child's play," he shoveled a fork full of cooked nerf and rice into his mouth, hungrily taking it down before carefully wiping at his bruised jaw. Reminded of the pain medication he most assuredly required, Ryv dug around in his bag once more, eventually snagging the pill bottle out. He emptied two into his hands before popping them in his mouth and swallowing them.​

​

"Worse case scenarios are never fun at the moment. In hindsight, though? I tend to get a kick out of em," Ryv took a sip from his favorite beverage, Mountainous Mist, and looked back to Allyson. "That's kinda morbid though, isn't it?" his question was followed by a short pause, one that left the young Jedi wondering if all the games and shows he watched left some kinda mark on his humor. When topics switched to something a tad more serious, Ryv went silent once more, considering the conversation as a whole. The only person who he ever outright told why he did these things was Loske. Sure, it might've happened the most awkward way possible, during an out of place admission of love, but it happened nonetheless. Others claimed to find inspiration in his actions. Perhaps it was time to take said words to a larger stage.​

​

"Aside from Loske, you're the only person to know about all this, you know? I'm sure other people suspect it, but I've only ever mentioned it piecemeal. To be fair, it's also come to me bit by bit: Lanik's kidnapping, my kidnapping, Bernard's disappearance, Maynard's past. I've seen so much shit, I'm just tired of it," Ryv fell silent once more, enjoying a portion of his meal as he allowed everything to sink in. "The more people who see the truth behind my actions, the better. I'm just not sure how to go about that yet, but it doesn't matter right now," he looked down at the food, chuckling at her final comment. "Yeah, it is pretty good, huh?"​

 

[Alejandro Chadian]

Location // Grand Convocation Chamber // Galactic City // Courscant Objective: Issue Thoughts
Focus // Emmen Tagge // Adhira Chandra // Gat Tambor // Darth Empyrean // Julius Loghain // @Argae Bao // Raona Cadera

The Senator and Grand Legislator of Aargau sat quietly in his repulser pod as many of his colleagues stood and voiced thier opinions. He looked to his aides and they simply nodded. Now was the time.

"Recognition" he spoke into his mike. His voice was hard and weathered espically considering his age. "Chancellor, Vice Chair and my fellow delagtes. Why are we debating this? This issue of a new reigme has created divisions amongst us. Even now many of you are attempting to find viable reasoning and evidence to support your claim. Enough" the replusor pod at thus point entered the void of space between the Chancellors podium and the rest of the Senate.

"The Bank of Aargau supports Lord Regent Loghain. But, many of you believe his takeover was unwarranted or at the very least "illegal". May I remind you that the actions of the Rebel Alliance were illegal. Those actions freed the galaxy from an eternity of submission. Lord Regent Loghain simply rid his people of evil." Alejandro's hands both raised above his head in an arch albeit untouching.

"I believe that for now, Lord Regent Loghain should remain in office until a general election is held. It is my opinion that this election should be carried out in six months and overseen by a Special Senate Commute in turn Chaired by the Vice Chancellor"

 

[Emmen Tagge]

​

Location: Grand Convocation Chamber
Objective: Moderate the Session
Tags: Julius Loghain Arage Bao

Spoiler: Senator Tags

Dash'iell Cosmos - Empress Teta
Vonar Ardinn - Byss
Sssar Taszzn - Eclipse
Ido Bastra - Coruscant
Gat Tambor - Skako
Adhira Chandra - Balmorra
Maou - Corellia
Shute Gunray - Caamas

The Chancellor looks to his viewscreen as the Senator of Byss forwards him the information she'd apparently received. He wasn't familiar with the Jedi Master who'd authored it, but their Order was still quite disorganized in its current state. He takes a half-step back and turns his head to the Vice Chair at his side, his expression one of concern and uncertainty.

"I fear that corruption runs deep on all sides of this situation, Lisza," he speaks quietly, away from his microphone.

With a sigh, Emmen steps forward once more to address those present in the rotunda from the podium, "Honourable members of the Senate; let it be known that this administration supports the proposal offered by the Senator of Byss. Action must be taken in Kuat, this we all agree, but we must exercise caution. The Office of the Chancellor will endorse the suggestion to temporarily support the Lord-Regents claim in order to stabilize the planet. Should this motion pass, a committee will be established to further investigate the matter in private."

He turns his attention the repulsorpod of Adhira directly for a moment, "However, I would recommend an amendment to this proposition with a contingency." Emmen's eyes then shift to the shapes of Julius Loghain and Arage Bao among the rows, "While your story can be backed to some degree, there is a distinct lack of evidence capable of supporting your claim beyond reasonable doubt. With this considered, and with the information that my Office has just received, the Office of the Chancellor would require the safe release of Lady Elane into our custody for questioning should the Senate motion in favour of temporary support."

 

[Salamander]

A female Falleen, her skin colored a warm orange, was waiting for Heliobas long before he set foot in the building. She rushed forward, blocking his path.

“Master Heliobas, yes? I recognize you from your file. I am Tzipporah, one of Senator Chandra’s aides. I will be introducing you to her shortly. But first, a few questions…”

Despite her attempts to slow him down, Heliobas kept walking. She managed to reroute and keep up with him without breaking her stride.

“We are taking this investigation very seriously. You’ll be asked to provide a more detailed testimony as soon as everything has been prepared. Until then, would you please—”

They had reached a lift. Heliobas entered it and turned around to face her; up close and personal, Tzipporah suddenly realized that the Jedi Master was angry. Furious, in fact.

“Tell Senator Chandra that I will not answer any questions posed by one of her aides,” he growled through his teeth. “Nor will I be providing my testimony so that she may twist my words in favor of the Lady Elane.”

The Falleen blinked in surprise, then quickly recovered her composure. “Master Heliobas, that was going to be my first question: Why did you send your message to Senator Chandra?”

“To change her mind,” he snapped. “I believed that once she heard new information which indicated Lady Elane was not so innocent of the charges made against her, she would realize the mistake she was making in supporting that trollop. Yes, she may have been victimized by Mr. Harper, but what sort of leader does a victim make? Either her flesh is weak, or her mind is.”

“Are you implying that a woman who has been sexually exploited can’t be in a position of power?”

Heliobas glared at her. “I am implying that Mr. Harper is either tied to the Sith, was tied to the Sith, or is a Sith—and if I am right, then he could have simply reached inside Lady Elane’s mind and puppeteered her into his bed like a marionette. But it is more likely that she went with him willingly. All of this hinges on whether or not she was aware of what he was. I suggest you investigate that.”

“Lady Elane will be questioned, the order has already been given,” Tzipporah replied. As the lift doors opened and Heliobas started forward, she hurried after him. “But you have yet to prove your credibility as a witness!”

This made Heliobas slow down, allowing her to catch up. He glanced at her impatiently, clearly waiting for the questions.

“First of all, what Order are you a member of?” she asked breathlessly. “And second of all—what happened to all your records? I couldn't find much on you no matter how hard I looked.”

“I am a member of no Order,” he replied. “My records were lost in the Netherworld Crisis.”

Her brow furrowed. “The Netherworld Crisis didn’t affect digital files.”

“No, but the chaos that ensued in the aftermath led to many things being lost and forgotten.” He sighed. “If I cannot prove to you that I am who I say I am, rest assured, I can prove that I was there when the Bryn’adul attacked Kuat. I saw Lord Javrin die with my own eyes, and while the other Jedi battled the Bryn, I did what I could to save those nobles who survived the initial assault.”

He stabbed his finger in the air for emphasis. “You newcomers who were brought in to speak for both sides may think you understand, but you do not. You were not there. You did not watch this planet’s leader die while his sister was busy getting screwed by a possible Sith. You are used to moving from world to world once your work is done, never having to deal with the consequences of your actions—but I, for one, have had enough of people not facing the music!"

With that, he turned and headed on his way, leaving Senator Chandra’s aide standing with her skin now pale as a sheet.

Adhira Chandra Emmen Tagge Julius Loghain Arage Bao Gat Tambor Darth Empyrean

 

[Adhira Chandra]

Location: Grand Convocation Chamber
Objective: Consider the merits of the issue
Focus: Julius Loghain l Emmen Tagge l Maou l Sssar Taszzn l Salamander

Spoiler: Senator Tags

Dash'iell Cosmos - Empress Teta
Vonar Ardinn - Byss
Sssar Taszzn - Eclipse
Ido Bastra - Coruscant
Gat Tambor - Skako
Adhira Chandra - Balmorra
Maou - Corellia
Shute Gunray - Caamas

Adhira watched the Chancellor warily as he consulted with his deputy before rising to address the Senate. The aides behind her were causing a commotion, apparently discussing an interaction one of her secretaries was having with the would-be witness. He was far less cooperative than she had hoped, but it was no matter. She had no intention of letting Casimir Heliobas testify. Bringing up his name had done precisely what she wanted for the situation at hand. She would have to remember to get in touch with her newfound ally Darth Empyrean about this new information. Dorian Harper would almost certainly be interested in knowing who was going around flaunting his secret identity.​

​

"Chancellor Tagge, Balmorra accepts your recommendation to temporarily install Loghain as leader of Kuat," she smirked at Julius Loghain from across the rotunda, "and I look forward to the follow-up reports this new... committee will give on his progress of upholding sentient rights and Galactic Law on the planet. I'm sure they will be very thorough."​

​

It seemed most logical that Emmen would ask her to lead the commission to Kuat and her words would be heard for what they were by anyone savvy enough to decipher political banter: a direct threat. If Loghain put a single toe out of line, she would ensure a swift end to his reign. The elder stateswoman pressed a button on her repulsorpod and it glided gracefully back into place. Her work done, satisfied the vote would now pass, Adhira returned to her seat and waited for the final tally.​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

While Maliphant's stories went to commercial, his mind wandered between if Vi Kai La would actually marry Dun Dun or murder his father for the inheritance she was secretly owed. Tis the way of '7 Days to Marriage: The Overcomplicated Expose on Nar Shaadaa Psuedo Royalty', or as Maliphant often referred to it - "What the fuck am I watching."​

​

There was toxicity in what he saw, but something so engrossing about it...​

​

And yet, he sneezed once more. Someone continued to talk about him. That upset him.​

​

"There's trouble a foot.", he said as he picked up his phone to get another bread bowl of pasta delivered to his apartment.​

​

Adhira Chandra │ Salamander​