Private Fighting Fire with Fire

[Rackham]

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F I G H T I N G_F I R E_W I T H_F I R E

FINAL DAWN
ZELOS II, MID RIM

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When the Confederacy of Independent Systems collapsed, many sought to fill the void left behind by the Confederates with various organizations already moving in to claim territory ranging from Criminal Organizations, to Independent Warlords and Splinter Groups to even Intergalactic Powerhouses such as the Galactic Alliance, the Eternal Empire and just recently the rising Rimward Trade League. It had been a while since the Confederacy had collapsed yet this massive powergrab was still ongoing with hundreads of worlds still left unclaimed. One of the organizations that had involved itself in the ongoing partition of the former Confederate Territories was a Neo-Imperial Junta that operated from the Unknown Regions by the name of the Final Dawn. In fact, it was one of the first Factions that had sought to expand it's sphere of influence in the region, providing assistance to a Mawite-sponsored Gungan Uprising on Naboo and later proceeded to absorb a growing Splinter Group by the name of the Imperial Concordat and expand within the Seswenna Sector. However times were changing and the initial efforts of the Final Dawn to expand in the area lacked cohesion and were further undermined with the rise of the Rimward Trade League and the emergence of a new collective of Imperial Warlords in the area, both whom refused to negotiate or collaborate with the Final Dawn.

Marlon Sularen, who had just risen to the position of High Regent of the Final Dawn, had long sought to establish a support network of comprised of various organizations whom could help fuel the Final Dawn's War Efforts against the Galactic Alliance while simultaneously serving as Proxies against the Final Dawn's enemies in the Outer Rim such as the Rimward Trade League and the so-called United Warlords of the South, as well as providing the Final Dawn with a possible escape route should the Maw ever collapse in the face of continued opposition from it's foes in the Galactic Alliance, Eternal Empire and the Empire. However in order to establish such a network, the Final Dawn required a single organization, one that could serve as the Core of the support network and could be easily kept under control. After a lengthy search, the Politorate (The Final Dawn's Official intelligence Agency), had come across a single world that had some potential for it's future plans, Zelos II.

An unremarkable world in the Mid Rim, Zelos II was under a Military Dictatorship led by a certain Metars Vyx who bore the title of the "Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos". According to what intel the Politorate had gathered, Vyx had grown wary of the rise of Vandar Tarkin's United Warlords especially considered that it was sponsored by the Empire itself. This gave the Final Dawn the perfect opportunity as not only did Vyx's Zelosian Regime and the Final Dawn shared a common enemy, but Zelos II itself was located in close proximity to the Formos Industrial Sector, another region in which the Final Dawn had set it's eyes upon for it's support network. As such contact was made with Zelos II and a meeting was arranged between the Final Dawn and Zelosian Junta with Director-Admiral Dorian Sevenar, the head of the Final Dawn's Politorate representing the Final Dawn for such a meeting. If the Final Dawn was lucky enough, Zelos II could serve as the Core of Sularen's planned support network and allow for a proper resurgence of the Final Dawn's influence and power in the Mid Rim and Outer Rim.

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The FDS Hand of Judgement emerged from hyperspace arriving in orbit of Zelos II. Considering that the Final Dawn had already made arrangements for a meeting, the presence of such a warship would not be so threatening for the Zelosian Regime as it's had been notified of it's impending arrival as it would be carrying the designated representative for the Final Dawn during the planned meeting between the Final Dawn and the Zelosian Junta. As such, with reassurance that no hostilities would be undertaken against the Final Dawn, a single Shuttle would emerge from the ventral Hangar of the FDS Hand of Judgement escorted by two pairs of TIE/fd Space Superiority Fighters headed straight towards the surface of Zelos II where it would soon arrive at the Capital City of Kryndyn, eventually coming to rest at a private landing platform connected to the residential palace of the Ruler of Zelos II, Metars Vyx upon receiving permission to land from the Mandated Commander himself.

Once the Shuttle came to rest the escorting TIEs would disperse and return towards the FDS Hand of Judgement while Director-Admiral Dorian Sevenar would proceed to emerge from the Shuttle escorted by a small detachment of a few Elite Raptor Commandos acting as his personal guard for this meeting. Upon setting foot on the platform itself, the Director-Admiral was greeted by a Zelosian Officer who would soon proceed to lead him towards the designated meeting area where the Director-Admiral was expected to meet with the Mandated Commander of Zelos II himself. Hopefully this meeting would not end up like Eriadu and Zelos II would be more welcoming then Eriadu had ever been, as the High Regent's plans in the region depended on the very outcome of this meeting.

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Tags | Metars Vyx ​

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[Metars Vyx]

Location: Zelos II | Kryndyn | Palace of the Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos
Tags: Rackham

The planet of Zelos II has been under military rule since just after the reign of Palpatine. The title of Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos has been handed down to the next in line ever since. From Galleros Null it was to a subordinate officer. Sometimes it was passed to a family member. At some point around 600 ABY the title became the calling card of the Vyx family. And now Metars Vyx was staring into the very real possibility that his family’s dynasty was coming to an end. With that looking to be more and more the case, Metars was looking to the stars and a new legacy that would cement his name amongst all Zelosians, but before he could do that the Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos had to ensure that his home planet was secure.

That security was being threatened for the first time in many long years. The military of Zelos II was made to keep the peace amongst the people and remove any insurgence like the long ago Imperials in the Valley of Umbra. In the modern era of the galaxy Zelosians had chosen a highly authoritarian isolation from the politics of the galaxy. They didn’t get involved and intended to be left alone, but a new organization was forming. Too similar to the specters of the past. Too close to be ignored. A confederation of planets with the backing of the Empire. Its roots were taking hold in Eriadu, very close to Zelos. Before Metars Vyx could make history in the stars he needed to keep these would be Imperials from interrupting the peace his family had formed on Zelos.

While the Zelosian Home Defense Force was capable of keeping the peace, and possibly subverting a small invasion, the planet had no defenses against planetary bombardment and would likely not be able to withstand a well coordinated siege of the planet. Metars had brought in a few ships to serve as a patrol force. Other than his own flagship, a prototype carrier however, this patrol force would be little more than blockade runners to try to bring supplies to a Zelos under siege.

With all those things combined Metars took a meeting that he ordinarily would not have taken. The threat of these new Imperials meant speaking with the Final Dawn. He wasn’t sure what they would ask in return for giving aid, but Metars had it under good authority that Final Dawn was not in league with the new Imperials of the Mid Rim. In fact if intel is correct Final Dawn was ejected from the initial gathering of the group. That being the case Final Dawn might be the best chance to avoid Imperial salvos and to remain an independent government.

Metars stood as Director-Admiral Dorian Sevanar was led into his meeting room. It was not a big room and Metars was alone. Though there were plenty of eyes watching and defenses armed within the room should things get adversarial. “Welcome Director-Admiral Sevanar,” Metars Vyx smiled and waved to the table that was made ready for the meeting. “I’m Metars Vyx, Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos. Please call me Metars or simply Vyx will work in this company. The title is quite the mouthful, but the Zelosian people respect it.” Metars waited for his guest to enter and be seated before he did so as well. “I was surprised by your organization's request for a meeting. I do hope that we will be able to find common ground. Though I must say I’m not sure what Zelos has to offer Final Dawn.”

 

[Rackham]

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F I G H T I N G_F I R E_W I T H_F I R E

FINAL DAWN
ZELOS II, MID RIM

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Upon arriving at the meeting room, Sevenar was greeted by Metars Vyx who proceeded to introduce himself to the Director-Admiral with the following statement.

“Welcome Director-Admiral Sevanar, I’m Metars Vyx, Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos. Please call me Metars or simply Vyx will work in this company. The title is quite the mouthful, but the Zelosian people respect it. I was surprised by your organization's request for a meeting. I do hope that we will be able to find common ground. Though I must say I’m not sure what Zelos has to offer Final Dawn.”

Taking a seat at the opposite side of the conference table, directly facing the Mandated Commander of Zelos, Sevenar proceeded to respond speaking in his usual calm and restrained tone. "Thank you for receiving me, Vyx. I too hope that we can find common ground especially with the growing Imperial menace from Eriadu. As for what Zelos II has to offer to the Final Dawn, it's quite simple actually. I've heard that your Regime has been quite wary of the recently Imperial Federation formed by the Self-proclaimed High Moff of Eriadu, Vandar Tarkin, an Ambitious and Expansionist Warlord who has begun to expand the size of his domian from simply the Eriadu System to the entirety of the Seswenna Sector." Sevenar began.

"The Final Dawn on the other hand hasn't been on friendly terms with Tarkin's Federation lately, our High Regent was humiliated by him and some Ambassador from the Empire and Tarkin threatens our Corporate holdings in the Seswenna System having threatened outright war if we make any moves within the Seswenna Sector. The Reason for why we've taken an interest in Zelos II is because we seek to contain the growing threat that Tarkin poses with the creation of a special network of allies which will keep the Rogue Imperial Warlord in check for the time being. If Tarkin isn't stopped in time, he will eventually come to threaten your world sooner or later, and that is something the both of us are unwilling to allow."

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Tags | Metars Vyx ​

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[Metars Vyx]

Location: Zelos II | Kryndyn | Palace of the Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos
Tags: Rackham

Metars listened to the statement given by the Admiral-Director. He found it pleasing that Sevanar chose to address him as Vyx. Most who came to converse with the Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos chose to ignore his preference of casual speech and kept up formal titles. The statement contained much of what Metars expected to hear. Tarkin was close by and building a network of like-minded warlords. This was not news to Metars. Final Dawn’s presence and expulsion from the group’s initial meeting was also not news. That Zelos II would be a place to start opposition to Tarkin’s group was a bit of a surprise. Zelos had very rarely actually participated in galactic politics. But perhaps this was the opportunity Metars needed to secure his planet and retire to other things.

“I can assure you Sevanar,” Metars started his response. “You don’t mind that I address you by name do you? I will stick to rank if you prefer. As I was saying I can assure you that the only way Tarkin would expand through Zelos II would be by use of force. I’m sure that your scans suggest that the Zelosians would not put up a great fight. But we are a strong people with wide held military responsibility. If Tarkin is not prepared to destroy Zelos he will never be able to hold it. These scans would also tell you much to my own dismay that Zelos has virtually no navy to take the fight to Tarkin.”

Hands folded in on each other as he considered what to say next. “If it is truly a partnership that you come offering and not a hostile takeover in the form of a laurel of peace, I would be open to finding terms that will keep Tarkin and his warlords at bay. We have four moons that can be used strategically, and our own diplomat Gavyn Anres has been making the rounds of the Mid Rim. He may have some information of other systems that are also wary of Tarkin’s movements. I might be able to get you audiences with other leaders and possibly form a confederation to match Tarkin. Though I would need a navy to make a true show of force and if you could facilitate the purchase of orbital shipyards to build more ships, that would go a long way in showing you mean well in this partnership.”

 

[Rackham]

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F I G H T I N G_F I R E_W I T H_F I R E

FINAL DAWN
ZELOS II, MID RIM

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“I can assure you Sevanar, You don’t mind that I address you by name do you? I will stick to rank if you prefer."

"I don't mind if you address me by name, yes. After all we are in the process of finding common ground against a common enemy." Sevenar said with a smile. It was important that he gained Vyx's trust and respect as soon as possible as to ensure that other individuals such as Julius Haskler would not be able to turn him against the Final Dawn in the future. Upon finishing, the Mandated Commander continued to speak, talking about the situation of Zelos II from his perspective which confirmed the Politorate's earlier estimations in regards to Zelos II's Military Strength and Capabilities.

"I doubt Tarkin will be in any position to harm Zelos II with outright destruction, although i do have a solution that could resolve the issue regarding your lack of any considerable Naval Strength. I hear that your Regime possesses it's own shipyards located in orbit of one of Zelos II's moons. I can arrange for the transfer of engineers and technicians from Final Dawn-aligned Corporations to your Shipyards to help design and produce new warships for your Regime as to create a standing Navy. In addition i find the idea of forming a Confederation to rival Tarkin's United Warlords very appealing as any information we can get on those who share your concerns in regards to Tarkin's Imperial Federation is vital to ensure that we can remain one step ahead." Sevenar began.

"Also i would reassure you that we have no plans for a hostile takeover of Zelos II. The Logistics of maintaining direct rule on an Inner Rim world without any secure supply lines would be a nightmare and would only serve to benefit Tarkin and his Imperial Allies and it would even give them the opportunity to sway more worlds to their side by further demonizing the Final Dawn and portraying it as an existential threat to the future prosperity of the territories they aim to absorb into their territories."

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Tags | Metars Vyx ​

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[Imella Flyve]

Wrong accout!!

 

[Imella Flyve]

Grrr. Really. Nothing to see here!!!

 

[Metars Vyx]

Location: Zelos II | Kryndyn | Palace of the Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos
Tags: Rackham

The offer sounded too good to be true. Engineers to aid in getting the orbital shipyards I had purchased up and running and actually producing something more than a squad of fighters and a couple patrol ships in exchange for friendship and help in establishing the Final Dawn’s own Confederation to oppose the rise of Tarkin’s. It was probably not as large a price as Metars thought for the Final Dawn, but it would be an incredible aid to his own missions, to complete security of his home in these increasingly hostile times in the galaxy as well as a means to start a colonizing force to increase Zelosian presence in the galaxy.

“It seems your offer is too good for me to refuse,” Vyx responded flatly. “I am curious what the Zelosian role in your Confederation would be. We have been in isolation for quite some time. Before that period we were always aligned with the Republic or Alliance of the time. Why should Zelos choose to align ourselves with you when we could always seek aid from the Gallactic Alliance against Tarkin? They are having their own problems with the Empire. I would think that the Alliance would be more than happy to stop Tarkin from extending his influence towards the Core.”

It was a good question and one that would tell Metars just how much he could trust the Final Dawn. The military rule of Zelos II had always been strict, but it was always for the betterment of the people. To keep them secure. Being helped to create a Navy only to have the organization who built the ships take control and use them to bring the planet under their control was not something Metars would do. However, he had seen enough of the galactic politics to know that the Galactic Alliance was not the shining light of goodness that many thought it was. The deal Final Dawn offered was quite good. Perhaps another question would help in making their motivations known.

“I will tell you something Sevanar that I have not even told my own wife, or my most trusted advisors,” Metars started placing his hands on the table and taking in a deep breath. “My heart is not in ruling this planet. I have wanderlust and wish to expand our influence. I am looking for a successor since my daughter has made it obvious this is a job she will never take. What should I look for in the next Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos that will make this confederation of yours most successful.”

 

[Rackham]

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F I G H T I N G_F I R E_W I T H_F I R E

FINAL DAWN
ZELOS II, MID RIM

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Sevenar raised an eyebrow as the Mandated Commander spoke about the possibility of Zelos reaching out to the Galactic Alliance, the Politorate had never considered that the Alliance would even take an interest in the Seswenna Sector due to it's focus on the War with the Brotherhood of the Maw and growing Cold War with the Empire. Already it's resources were stretched thin dealing with both galactic powers and turning their attention towards Tarkin and his allies would only make such a situation even worse. Nevertheless it wouldn't be so hard to dissuade Zelos II from turning to the Galactic Alliance, who couldn't care less about their concerns. "Tarkin is a smart man. He will not antagonize the Galactic Alliance or seek to give them any reason to move against him. Plus the Alliance is already busy with the Maw and the Empire to divert any additional resources into a Sector far out in the Outer Rim."

"As for Zelos II's role in this Confederation, our intent is to make Zelos II the heart of our Confederation just like Eriadu acts as the Heart of Tarkin's own Confederation. Unlike Eriadu, Zelos II has little strategic importance and thus few will even suspect that it is serving as the core of a growing union to challenge Tarkin's own Union. You'll be hiding in plain sight against an enemy who will eventually come after you." Sevenar proclaimed. He kept Vyx's remarks in note, incase other planetary governments in the area that opposed Tarkin would harbor the same idea that collaborating with the Alliance would be more viable then collaboration with the Final Dawn. It was critical that no other rival power gained any further power in the Seswenna Sector, and Sevenar sought to ensure that such thing would never happen.

Then the Mandated Commander spoke about another detail that caught Sevenar off-guard. He mentioned that he had little interest in ruling the world any further and that his daughter was ineligible for the position of Mandated Commander of Zelos II, for what reasons exactly, Sevenar had no idea. This represented an opportunity to create a puppet government on Zelos II although finding a replacement for Metars Vyx would be somewhat difficult and Sevenar was not willing to further exhaust the resources of the Final Dawn via yet another costly direct takeover. However fortunally there were a few individuals whom the Politorate could utilize as a suitable replacement for Metars, although whether he would be onboard with such a plan, was still unclear to the Director-Admiral.

"Most likely an individual with Military Experience and some experience in Stewardship. Someone who like Tarkin could serve as the guiding hand of the very Confederation designed to bring the Rogue Eriaduan Warlord down. My Organization, the Politorate could begin searching for a suitable replacement, as we would like to maintain friendly ties with the Zelosian Regime while not trying to overreach, again trying to maintain a partnership as equals and not as some overlord and his puppet."

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Tags | Metars Vyx ​

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[Metars Vyx]

Location: Zelos II | Kryndyn | Palace of the Mandated Commander of the People of Zelos
Tags: Rackham

Metars smirked at the response to the question of the Galactic Alliance. Everything that the Director-Admiral had said was true. The Mandated Commander had heard it himself from the diplomat that he had sent to feel out the Alliance's ability and desire to help Zelos II should aggressive factors in the galaxy become focused on the planet. Gavyn Anres had brought back this news, evidence of a short tryst with an Alliance Senator and little more to look forward to regarding help from the GA.

A bit of a frown formed on Metars face when Sevenar stated that Zelos didn’t hold strategic importance, but if that weren’t the truth it would not have remained isolated and neutral for as long as it had so Vyx didn’t feel the need to argue a point that he didn’t believe just out of pride. “I would be glad to make Zelos the heart of a new thriving Confederation. Especially one that opposes the Imperial rule of Tarkin and Eriadu. What other governments will you be targeting to join? The Dugs? Umgul? Perhaps Trevi IV? Surely not Naboo. The Galactic Alliance might not say anything as you collect planets of little strategic importance to your cause. But with the history of Naboo and your organization’s connection to less desirables they would certainly pounce on you then.”

A hand moved to Mertas’ chin and he rubbed in thought. “Who has joined Eriadu?” he questioned. “I’ve heard the Pantorans were present. No one with actual political sway as I understand it. Several other former Imperials, but I’m not sure any of them have claim to territory. How much of this visit is to counter and how much is to jump ahead of Tarkin and Haskler?”

Metars nodded along with Sevenar’s words regarding the next leader of Zelos. “I remind you that Zelosians cannot procreate with just anyone, so a hybrid family will be very difficult to form. And while we look human we have many differences. My people are ones wrapped in tradition. I suggest that you allow a Zelosian to take over my title and arrange for a mentor of sorts to aid him in forming this Confederation to oppose the Empire. My diplomat Gavyn Anres has a military background as all Zelosians do to some degree. He has commanded troops and has represented this planet abroad. He would be my choice for Mandated Commander. But he is young, needs molding.” Metars gave a nod. “As a show of faith I suggest this molding be done as a joint venture.”