Private Diplomacy: House Io

[Laertia Io]

Wearing: Kimono

Armed with: De Lifte Crystal (Dark Saber Hilt)

Objective: Negotiate and persuade Darth Strosius as to the benefits of an Alliance

Aboard: House Io Star Destroyer (KNV RED ABSOLUTION)

Earlier...

"Are you sure this is wise?" Maple Harte asked of Darth Xiphos as they walked through the technogothic passageway of the House Io Star Destroyer called the Red Absolution.

"Why are you always asking that?" Xiphos asked.

"You expect me not to after Rhand?" Maple retorted.

"The CIS has collapsed. The Brotherhood of The Maw is rushing in to take their territory, turning everywhere they inhabit into a hell hole. If we don't draw him into our fold, they likely will, and if he will not worship the three Avatars they will torture him until he does or kill him." Xiphos replied. "If anyone is going to be the friendly face it should be us..."

Xiphos had reached out through various channels to get a meeting with Alisteri Haxim. The House was in need of allies, and so was Haxim. Haxim needed so many things for his followers. Food, Weapons, repair parts, ships. All stuff House Io was ready to supply in exchange for Haxim and his followers gathering intel and providing friendly outposts to the House where they settle.

Xiphos, clad in a black Kimono, her glossy, Obsidian black Dark Saber hilt installed with the enchanted De Lifte Crystal clipped to her waist, turned to the slim, athletic sniper.

"He is coming here today."

"This guy is still a Sith. Remember that. Take care that you do not empower a future enemy." Maple warned.

"Every caution will be shown." Xiphos promised. "Might as well get a feel for this guy...he arrives today..."

"Alert Matriarch...signal detected..." One of the ship's A.I.'s announced.

Xiphos paused. "He's here. I'll meet him in the hangar."

"If it doesn't go well?"

"Well, we let him go. If only to remind him of the fact we are the only ones who would let him go so easily after refusing us."

"Your call..." Maple grunted. "Don't try to lean too heavily on idealism. Focus on concrete benefits for the most part..." Maple advised.

Xiphos nodded. "I'll remember to emphasize all the cool chit we got, don't worry."

"You're always a source for worry, Laertia..." Maple replied glumly, walking off.

Ten minutes later...

Xiphos waited in a hangar for whatever ship Alisteri would arrive in. A number of Model 1 units lined the deck as an honor guard to receive him.

Xiphos wasn't sure what to expect...

The Red Absolution tight beamed an encrypted message to Haxim's vessel.

"WELCOME. PLEASE RENDEZVOUS AT INCOMING COORDINATES..."

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Arriving on the House Io Star Destroyer
Objective: Parley with Laertia Io
Equipment: Lightsaber, Usual Garments and Red Cloak
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Alisteri had grown used to many things in his time as a Sith. Fighting in war, the feeling of the Force, the sight of death, the paranoia of your fellow Sith plotting, and the ever present fear of the Jedi discovering your location. None of them however, were comparable to the message that he received seemingly out of nowhere.

It was not often, if ever, that he was sent a message regarding assistance for him and his cult.

He had his suspicions of course, but a quick search through the databanks at his disposal revealed that evidently the sender of the message had been of some help to the Sith Empire before its collapse. It was enough to intrigue him into a meeting with this "Darth Xiphos."

The masked Sith's gaze moved from the large ship before him to the console of his shuttle, answering the transmission and quickly maneuvering his ship towards the designated rendezvous. His small shuttle soon flew into the hangar and landed, the rear ramp lowering as the engines were powered off. Clad in his best red cloak and with a cleaned mask, Alisteri stepped down the ramp with as much circumstance as an Acolyte could muster.

He traveled alone, still not trusting this meeting enough to bring any of his followers. As he made his way into the hangar, he idly noted the droids awaiting him before his gaze landed on their master.

"Darth Xiphos, I presume?"

 

[Laertia Io]

"You presume correctly..." Xiphos answered back to Darth Strosius . "Welcome aboard the Red Absolution. It's one of our newly constructed Destroyers. I am glad you showed. You're a busy man, so I'll cut right to the chase. My House is in need of allies. Your Order is in need of supplies, ships, weapons, and liquid currency. Stuff of which I am capable of supplying you. I'm not sure if you recall it easily, but an associate of mine, The Battalion visited you a while back, bringing repair parts and other supplies. This is something I wish to continue on a larger scale..."

The snow pale, scarred woman in her black kimono took a few steps forward...

"I would like to stress this is not an attempt to buy your loyalty. I am not so foolish as to believe mere material gains could secure that. What I am attempting is to make mutual cooperation viable between us. I don't want your loyalty unless you choose to give it of your own free will. I merely want a few hiding spots, friendly outposts, reserved for us wherever you settle, as well as passing along the occasional useful bit of intel for now. In exchange, I am prepared to supply you and your followers with moderate amounts of weapons and a fair number of supplies, as well as ships. All of which I know you are in great need of." Xiphos said. "I am of course willing to negotiate on the finer details of any mutual pact we end up making, as well as address any concerns you have."

 

[Darth Strosius]

As his host spoke, the masked Sith took a moment to glance around the hangar curiously. It had been...well just about never since he had last stepped onto a ship as large as this one. Shuttles and frigates were familiar, but the sheer size of this ship alone was almost dazzling. If it had a comparable armament to the Star Destroyers fielded by the fallen Sith Empire, then it was a beast of war as well as splendor. Finally his gaze snapped back to Laertia Io and gave a small nod in response at the mention of The Battalion. Ah, so that's why these droids seem familiar...

"I see." That was his only reply for almost a minute, seemingly contemplating her words behind his mask's emotionless gaze. "My followers and I would greatly appreciate any help that you could provide, and in exchange I'd be more than happy to pass along some information and docking rights...but I do wonder something, Darth Xiphos,"

Alisteri took a couple steps forward himself, slowly and carefully as if he expected a trap to spring. "The rationale and reasoning behind this meeting eludes me. Whatever I can offer I'm sure you could take for yourself, what with...well." He idly gestured to the ship around them and the droids. "So I must ask as to why you've decided to parley with me at all? Not that I don't appreciate the gesture of course, and I mean no offence, but what is it that you really want from me? If not my loyalty...then?"