Private Everybody Knows

[Antipater]

DIADOCHRON - JAEMUS
PRIME CONTROL ZIGGURAT​

It was raining in Diadochron: a faint drizzle, just enough to make the cold air feel worse than it was. Antipater watched from the landing pad as towers of smog rose from the distant industrial district. Even balanced on the precipice, the furnaces were fed, the assembly lines rolled on, and the work continued in earnest.

Jaemus did not hold its breath. Anxiety in the face of the inevitable was a useless expression. When Muunilinst fell and access to the Braxant was cut off, Antipater had ruled out any meaningful Imperial reprieves. He was now politically on his own.

All that remained was to make a deal. There would be no insurgency, no bitter last stands, no pitched battles afield or in orbit. Jaemus had seen enough of that these past decades. The continuation of the Directory's project was all that mattered. Perhaps the fact that Dantooine's governor (or was it lord now?) was going insane would make the Diarchy more amenable to a... Peaceful transition.

Quiet. Simple. No theatrics.

Antipater waited with a retinue of Directory officials: a small collection of rather grim and sallow intelligence directors, generals, engineers, and other bureaucrats. The men and women who had won the war, so to speak, each affixed with their own panoply of cybernetics.

One could scarcely imagine a more grim welcome committee. An honor guard of shining novatroopers added slightly more gravity to the reception. They all waited in silence for the Diarch's shuttle to land.

Diarch Reign​

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Diadochron | Jaemus
Tags: Antipater

---

The Diarch’s shuttle came in for a landing on through the cloudy skies of Jaemus.

The request for a meeting had come as a surprise to the Diarch. The droid moff had seemed an area of substantial resistance that the Diarchy would need to face in short order, but it appeared that may not be the case.

As the shuttle landed, The Myrmidons of the Diarch exited first. Flanking the sides of the ramp and forming an imposing line to either side. Their black armor and golden capes created an intimidating presence for the organic present.

As the man himself exited the shuttle, his clothing mirrored that of his men in color. Black Officers tunic and pants with gold accents. With a long hooded dark cape overtop. Blending the Diarch’s militaristic quality with that of the esoteric force users of the brotherhood.

Reign eyes the delegation as he approached. No bows or smiles now, he was dealing with what he saw as an enemy.

“Antipator. To what do I owe this honor? Your request to meet came as quite a shock to us on Bastion.”

 

[Antipater]

The Myrmidons descended first. These were supposedly survivors of the host the Diarch led against Detritus Ren. Alumni of Muunilinst, if nothing else. Opportunities to distinguish themselves further would doubtlessly be forthcoming. Antipater could only hope he would be far and away when such opportunities unfolded. When at last the Diarch himself approached, Antipater remained rigid, hands folded politely in front of him. Antipater's own Imperial uniform was perfectly tailored - lacking so much as a thread out of place. Its only ornamentation was his rank plant insignia.

Antipater's faceplate only reflected Reign's image back to him. Inscrutable as always. "Is it such a shock? Muunilinst has fallen. One imagines Dantooine is to follow shortly. The likelihood of this system being left alone is quickly diminishing."

Far away, camera droids hovered silently over the landing pad. Careful analyses had revealed that Directory press releases were more widely circulated when they included pictures. Organics loved visual displays.

"If Jaemus is to be part of your Diarchy, then I would prefer it come to be so by diplomacy rather than conquest," the droid-Moff canted his head slightly to one side, appearing to regard Reign. "As I am sure you do as well."

Diarch Reign​

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Diadochron | Jaemus
Tags: Antipater

---

The Diarch eyed the droid as he spoke. The fact of the matter was he always struggled with droids. No way to sense them in the force, to tell whether what they were saying was part of some immense calculation or not.

“Muunilinst has joined our fold yes, although the security holos tell of your exploits there. It was not won lightly I must say. Dantooine however, is soon to be fully integrated. With any holdouts falling shortly.”

He knew of course that Jaemus would have had to fall in line not long after, having an agent of the Dark Empire so close to striking distance of Bastion would not have been palatable.

“You are correct of course, Jaemus too would have been in our sights. It would not have done to keep you here uncontested.

The droid was pragmatic, he would need to give him that. The cost of this conquest would have been dear, and Reign had lost more men lately than he’d like to think about.

“I do not care to shed blood where none needs to be. If a peaceful transition is possible, I owe it to my citizens to pursue that route. But tell me, what do you require for this to happen?”

 

[Antipater]

"I have no recollection of being present for that battle. I am told jousting was involved," was the droid's cool reply.

Antipater had no intention of ever admitting to having been there. It would jeopardize future arrangements with the Trade Federation and Banking Clan. There were many dark troopers at the Empire's disposal, and Sossi Hallisk would not be available to testify otherwise any time soon.

But he wouldn't insult Reign's intelligence with a complete denial, either.

"I require very little: a legal guarantee of autonomy, deference to the Directory's laws, ordinances, and regulations, such as they are." His political project on Jaemus was far from complete, and it would be better to avoid as much disruption as possible. "In return, the industrial base of Jaemus will be at your disposal, as well as our droids and technology. The Directory will also raise a stormtrooper legion to fight alongside your armed forces."

Diarch Reign​

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Diadochron | Jaemus
Tags: Antipater

---

The Diarch did not trust the droid. Such as it was, Antipator had only extended the hand to prevent it's own destruction. But, as it was, this "Agreement" would save the Diarchy's armed forces from even more death.

"You are free to run your sector as you see fit, however, I would implore you to maintain a measure of respect to the Laws of the Diarchy as well. The People of Jaemus would effectively become citizens of the Diarchy, and would be afforded all rights therewithin."

The Diarch often tried not to take a heavy hand in the planetary governance of each sector but he would be sure to note that the citizens of the Diarchy and their wellbeing were paramount to him.

"My concern with this, lies within your ties to the Dark Empire, what assurances do I have, that were I to leave you here, as governor of this planet, that you would not betray me and strike from my rear as soon as it was advantageous?"

There were other concerns, however, this would be the most pressing. Should the Droid prove trustworthy though, the Diarch had other ideas for him as well.

 

[Antipater]

"Of course," Antipater replied. "I will inspect the relevant legal codes and bring my sector into... Compliance."

It was to be expected. Disloyal or disobedient vassals made the sovereign look weak. Flouting the Diarchy's authority would only force their hand - something that Antipater was already working to avoid.

At Reign's question, the droid momentarily looked skyward. A few small droplets accumulated on his faceplate. Abruptly, the heavy blast doors leading into the Prime Control Ziggurat shuddered and began to peel open. A bleak, grey interior slowly revealed itself. Antipater looked back to the Diarch. "Shall we?"

Antipater turned and led him inside, leaving his retinue still standing on the landing pad. They were only a welcoming committee, after all. Past the hangar, the inside of the Prime Control Ziggurat was a maze of stark-white, polished hallways. The signs of Antipater's coup had long-been repaired and painted over, but faint echoes remained: toxins leaking through air vents, droids marching lockstep, shouting storm troopers, functionaries fleeing in fear, confusion, dread...

Now, this place was utterly empty. It was so quiet the soft hum of the fluorescent lighting fixtures could be heard.

The droid answered while they walked. "Perhaps the foremost assurance I can give is that I possess nothing to strike you with. And now, naturally, there are none I would seek to betray you to. Our Lord-Regent holds open court with malcontent Sith, allowing the Empire to backslide into the same profligacy that already failed it once. Intelligence reports which I have obtained indicate the Deep Core is already lost. That impending fiasco will weaken an already tenuous regime. There is nothing to be gained from such a maneuver. Only lost."

Diarch Reign​

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Diadochron | Jaemus
Tags: Antipater

---

The Droid again impressed the Diarch with it's pragmatism, yet that same trait that was impressive, was also worrying. If the tides were to turn against the Diarchy, would the moff be as receptive to their replacement as it was being to the Diarch now?

Only time would tell.

As the Droid turned to walk, the Diarch followed, the stark white of the facility bearing the signs of being recently repaired.

"Violence has happened here"
The Diarch said softly to himself, feeling the echoes of the chaos within the force.

Returning his attention to the droid as it spoke, the Diarch answered

"The old ways must be put down, the Sith, the Jedi, you must have run the numbers by now, as practical as you are. You know that if the cycle continues, none will survive. For the Galaxy to succeed, the existing powers must fall"

He spoke it not as his usual sermon, but as a computational fact, none of the zeal and fire, but speaking as one might have spoken of a shipment of tibanna gas.

 

[Antipater]

"There are few places in this galaxy that have been spared violence," Antipater dryly commented. "But you are correct, of course."

Perhaps that was their common ground after all: the necessity of violence in assuming power.

They made another few turnings throughout the building. It truly was akin to a maze - there were few landmarks and even fewer signs. Most of those who worked here now were augmented. They either remembered themselves, or their cybernetic attachments guided the way.

But eventually they arrived at the room Antipater sought. The doors peeled open to reveal only a rather simple diplomatic reception room. It was decorated in the Chandrilan style: sensible, elegant, comfortable, but not opulent. There were several chairs and sofas, normally fit to accommodate a small fireteam of diplomats and attaches…

…But it was only the Diarch and the Moff here. The droid entered first, adjusting the cuffs of his uniform idly.

"In my own analyses, the cycle you describe is only entropy. Systems stagnate and decay, then are recycled. Whether the ways of those systems are old or new has little bearing on their inevitable failure." He gestured for the diarch to sit wherever he liked. Only then did the droid seat himself, albeit rigidly. "I have yet to conceive a system which transcends this natural process. Have you?"

Diarch Reign​

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Diadochron | Jaemus
Tags: Antipater

---

The Diarch wasn't surprised the droid had heard him, even though it was a private thought, he chucked slightly to himself.
Following the droid through the maze-like facility, he tried to memorize the path, if he had to come back, he wanted to be able to find his way.

As they entered the diplomatic reception area, the Diarch continued to observe his surroundings. He felt a jolt of amusement at the decor, Chandrilan, as if the droid knew that the Diarch's wife hailed from the planet.

At the moff's invitation, Reign took a seat at one of the more comfortable looking chairs in the room his right leg crossed over his left in a way that proclaimed ease. Even though internally Reign was calculating each movement that was made.

"I can't say I disagree with your assessment. As I'm sure you would agree, allowing the same systems to rise over and over again, is part of the folly of organics. A reset is needed, a purge of the system"

He again rued that he could not sense the droid in the force, the moff was hard to read.

 

[Antipater]

"One could argue the system was already 'purged' utterly. The Gulag Plague wiped the slate clean," Antipater said. "Four hundred years of sustained planetary isolation... And yet the same traditions rose again, stronger than ever before."

And why not? They were familiar. Tested. Convincing. Even the ways of the Sith were of great comfort to the depraved, the merciless, and the antisocial. It offered justification for their actions, meaning and purpose to otherwise aimless cruelty. Perhaps the same could be said of Imperialism writ large...

"I do not hold it as folly so much as determination. It is the nature of thinking beings to persist, adopt, and iterate. Do you truly believe that the wars you intend to wage against Carlac, Fondor, and Jutrand will produce a 'reset' sufficient to improve the state of the galaxy?"

Diarch Reign​

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Diadochron | Jaemus
Tags: Antipater

---

The droid made a remarkable point, the same systems Rose again and again. The false peace of the Jedi and unbridled chaos of the Sith. It was glorified through the lenses of the past. Because the galaxy believed there was no other way.

“Four hundred years, with only dramatized stories and false history to cling to. The Sith and the Jedi, The Galactic Alliance, or Republic, and the Empire. Sources of “strength” to cling to in desperate times. Romanticized beliefs that have plunged the galaxy into countless war.”

He paused then, giving some thought to the droids next question.

“I believe because I must. I believe that if the galaxy is granted a third option, a firm but compassionate guiding hand, a strength founded not on the foundations of false histories and claims of “succession” they will follow. And there will be peace”

The Diarch kept his tone even, yet if the droid paid attention to the man’s eyes, he would see the fire of his conviction burning bright.