Private Future Discoveries

[Liin Terallo]

The celebration is turning out rather well. With such a variety of guests, there had been no hint of violence nor even a threat of it. I can only guess that it is due to the security measures that are in place. Some had worried that agents of the Dark Empire would arrive, but there had been no hint of that either.

Everyone was preoccupied. Some of the guests had even left. And for the most part I had been left on my own. It was a strange thing; for once the handover of governance was completed, I had become as visable as a shadow in the dark. I had not even been asked to dance. Perhaps it is my age or the absence of leadership over New Cov.

I take a glass of wine from the tray of a passing staff member and find my gaze settling on the youngest guests at this event. They all have their lives in front of them where anything can happen. Provided their paths were not already laid out for them.

Not wanting my gaze to linger for too long on them, I take a sip of my wine and walk over to the nearest balcony overlooking the city. Fortunately it is otherwise empty. Now I can take a small breather, as it were.

There is much for me to do soon after this event. There is a new domed city being built, complete with new labs, a new headquarters and everything for my new division under N&Z. Events such as these will not be the norm for me. I will be able to focus more on my experiments and discoveries. I can continue to bury myself into my work. That was far better than my newfound invisibility.

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

The party had begun to wind down, and Thel was left feeling glum. Not only had he lost Liin Terallo, the Alderaanian senator had scolded him for his lack of charity and his Aunt Meleena had likewise called him too aggressive.

Rather than let himself appear chastened, the boy stood tall with his usual defiant scowl. He was more determined than ever to salvage this night. So help him, he was going to track down Liin Terallo and—

He spotted her standing alone on the balcony, a glass of wine in hand. No sooner had his eyes locked on target, he found his mind drawing a blank. Every other time he’d seen her tonight, she had been talking to someone else. She had to be exhausted. But if he didn’t act now, when else would he have the chance?

Before he approached her, he needed a plan of attack. Clearly making small talk wasn’t enough to hold her attention, nor would it get him the information he wanted. At the same time he could not be too direct lest she catch on that he was a spy for Omri. Perhaps he could try to be as honest as possible. I come to you on behalf of Lord Omri. He is concerned about the merger. Could you offer something, anything that would reassure him?

Maybe not quite that honest. Besides, he didn’t know if she was the compassionate sort. He didn’t know much about her at all, really. The goal of this meeting should be getting to know her. Only then did he stand a chance of learning the truth about the merger.

At any rate, there was nothing to it but to do it. Taking a deep breath, Thel followed her onto the balcony. A gentle breeze, cool but not too chilly, ruffled his hair as he stepped outside. No wonder she had come out here to get away from the party. It was nice.

He pretended not to notice her at first, enjoying the weather and the quiet. Then he turned his head, his gaze landing on her. “Miss Terallo,” he said. “I, uh… I didn’t expect to find you out here.”

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

Even as I was out on my own, I kept my posture poised and perfect. I know that some would choose to lean on the railing or to slouch. But not I. A perfect posture is second nature for me. Even now as the party still lingers on and at any moment eyes could be upon me.

The sudden voice startled me, however. But not too much to frighten me. I just was not expecting anyone to happen by, least of all one of the young men.

I give myself permission to relax, removing the sudden stiffness in my muscles for he surely posed no threat to me. With a small smile I bow my head to him. "Yes well, I thought that a little break was warranted. And what about you? How are you finding the evening? I must say that for the most part it has been quite uneventful. Which believe it or not is actually a good thing." I am not quite sure of what he would have expected at an event like this. Yet the fact that there was no hint of violence was a major achievement given the state of the rest of the galaxy at large.

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

"Yes well, I thought that a little break was warranted. And what about you? How are you finding the evening? I must say that for the most part it has been quite uneventful. Which believe it or not is actually a good thing."

Thel didn't catch the true meaning of her words. Instead he thought back to his brief encounter with Prince Caelan, and nearly winced. "That's a good way of looking at it," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Uneventful."

Nothing had come of their meeting, despite his hopes. With a sigh, Thel continued, "I feel out of place here. I'm not... I mean, I wasn't born into all this." He gestured vaguely, then fell briefly silent before revealing, "Lord Omri invited me to the party."

Might as well gauge how she reacted to that news before he went any further with this.

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

He is a rather curious lad. It seems as though he was expecting something to come from the evening. Perhaps a dance with a young lady or even to gamble or drink when he is easily seen to be too young for such things. Or perhaps he was looking for something else. Mayhaps to gain some clients for his father's business. This was certainly the place to at least gain some contacts.

I sip my wine as he commented on feeling out of place. I follow that with a bit of a smile. Oh if only he knew how common it was for people to feel out of place in these events! Most especially when one was not on their home world.

And just as I was about to express as much to him, the young man revealed a simple fact. Lord Omri had invited him. At first I was not sure of how to respond; afterall Lord Omri and I did not exactly see eye to eye on things. There had to be some purpose for such a thing. Perhaps he means to invite competition into New Cov as a means to undermine the Board's decision. Or there could be something else up his sleeve that I have yet to discover.

"Lord Omri is not really the type to attend parties himself. He usually sends his son. But perhaps he is otherwise occupied. So who are you to him? A nephew or grand nephew?"

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

Liin visibly stiffened at the revelation, unsure of how to respond. Thel kept his gaze fixed on her, watching her every microexpression for any sign of suspicion.

"Lord Omri is not really the type to attend parties himself. He usually sends his son. But perhaps he is otherwise occupied. So who are you to him? A nephew or grand nephew?"

"No, we're not related." Thel quirked one corner of his mouth upward, preparing a lie with a kernel of truth at its heart. "I've just begun to get into business for Bacta Works. He's been a sort of mentor to me, giving me advice and guidance. I suppose sending me here where all these other people are was supposed to be a learning opportunity."

He leaned his back against the balcony railing, almost facing Liin directly. "From the way he talks and how you look right now, I get the impression there's some... tension between the two of you. I don't mean to pry, but I can't help wondering why." Hopefully she would be willing to shed some more light on what was really going on inside NCBC.

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

My brows raise in a bit of surprise for it seems as though Lord Omri has quite the plan up his sleeve. Why was he mentoring the young man from Bacta Works if they were not related? Surely he must be doing someone a favor. Or there was something more sinister in mind.

I take another much needed sip of my wine as the young man watches me closely. He was so much at ease in his approach that I cannot help but to visualize him as he would be at adulthood. With Lord Omri to guide him he is sure to go far.

But that does not mean that I am fond of his strategy. Afterall there is so much that he could be doing with it and neither of them could be beneficial to me.

Straight off the bat, the young Mister Hahn dives right into crux of the situation between Lord Omri and I. And so I offer up the simplest explanation without going into detail. "It is but a rivalry between families. No matter what my family does within the Board, it hardly garners his approval. I do not know how it started, but it certainly has not ended." I cannot help but to let out a sigh of discontent. "Every leading family wishes for power, but he has failed at garnering enough votes for himself every time." I am almost surprised that has not yet sent his son out to try to court me into marriage in a bid to gain power that way. I'm sure that that was enough to make both of our skin crawl. Yet now with power divided between myself and the newly elected Prime Minister; all that Lord Omri had sought was slipping right through his wrinkly old fingers.

"I hope that that was enough to satisfy your curiosity."

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

"It is but a rivalry between families. No matter what my family does within the Board, it hardly garners his approval. I do not know how it started, but it certainly has not ended. Every leading family wishes for power, but he has failed at garnering enough votes for himself every time."

Thel had detected bitterness in Omri during their initial meeting. The way he spoke about the Terallos, the blind frustration he held toward them and the merger... It was all beginning to form a picture in his head, growing clearer as he learned more about what went on behind the scenes.

Though it still wasn't clear enough.

"I hope that that was enough to satisfy your curiosity."

"More or less." He chewed on his lower lip thoughtfully, then asked, "Is there any hope of reconciliation between your family and his?" Maybe not between them and Omri, but some other member of his family that didn't hold as much of a grudge.

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

I take in a breath and let it out slowly while I allow my thoughts to wander on the question that the young man posed. I let my gaze drift from him and to the city beyond. It was not an easy question for me to answer. The situation between the two families was almost like some generational feud. But no, it was a lot more than that.

"In simplest terms? I do not believe so. His son Lord Neville despises my father and I am afraid that the feeling is mutual. I do my best to work with them, I truly do. However their hatred blinds him away from other perspectives. Even moreso than Lord Omri." And if either of them were to become NCBC's new Director, I know that I would be finished. This was why I took steps to ensure that I would continue to maintain a Director position. The Brood ensured it, and so has N&Z. I am not at risk of losing everything. At least not yet.

"The business world can be very cutthroat indeed, Mister Hahn. If you are to succeed within it, you must safeguard back up plans for yourself."

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

"In simplest terms? I do not believe so. His son Lord Neville despises my father and I am afraid that the feeling is mutual. I do my best to work with them, I truly do. However their hatred blinds him away from other perspectives. Even moreso than Lord Omri."

Omri's son was the source of the rivalry? Thel's eyebrows rose. That was... interesting. Omri hadn't even mentioned his son during their meeting, though Liin seemed to imply that much of his actions were motivated by a desire to prop up Neville.

"And you don't know why they hate each other," Thel muttered. It was a statement of fact, reiterating what had already been said. "Sounds like they're just squabbling over power."

If that was the case, Thel might need to rethink his involvement in all this. Omri had promised a lucrative business deal for Bacta-Works, though the gains might be outweighed by the difficulties such a complicated rivalry entailed. Regardless, he was still learning more about the situation. As long as he was just gathering data, he should be okay...

"The business world can be very cutthroat indeed, Mister Hahn. If you are to succeed within it, you must safeguard back up plans for yourself."

"So I've heard." Thel ran a hand through his shaggy hair. "I can understand what that's like, you know. My mother was... changed by someone, in a bad way. The man who loved her and who was like a father to me, he was consumed by hatred for the people responsible. It destroyed him." Thel bit his lip, tamping down on the feelings of grief that rose up in him. The wound was still fresh.

But he wasn't supposed to be talking about his personal life. He was supposed to be questioning her about the merger. Taking a deep breath, he tried to get away from the subject he had inadvertently brought up. "Omri told me you planned to merge NCBC with another company called N&Z. What do you stand to gain from that?"

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

I give the young man a small smile. The struggle for power is what most people fight over, is it not? That is of course what the very basis of war is. Although thankfully the power struggles on New Cov have never gone that far.

However my smile soon fades as he speaks about his own family. It made me wonder of the kind of man his mother had married; not that I had any expertise at all in the matter. For I have yet to encounter any available suitors. Yet one can be sure that I would not allow myself to be changed by them. Oh no, I am far too stubborn for that! However it sounded as though he was quite devoted to her, yet unfortunately the actions of another had destroyed them both.

"I am sorry for your loss. I could not at all imagine what that is like. But I hope that you have other family to look out for you." To his other question, it gave me a bit of a pause, for now it seemed as though I was being interviewed by a journalist. Just what did Lord Omri hope to use this young man for specifically? I will need to discover that out soon. "Progress is what one always hopes for with a merger. Progress, expansion, innovation and profit. Those are always the goal. What did Lord Omri tell you that it was about?"

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

Liin expressed her condolences. Thel muttered a "Thanks" but didn't say much more about it. Almost as soon as he brought it up, he was eager to get away from the subject again. He hadn't expected to feel the pain so deeply, even here and now.

"I am sorry for your loss. I could not at all imagine what that is like. But I hope that you have other family to look out for you."

"The Bloodscrawls are doing a decent job," the boy remarked, referring to his adoptive family. "Though they can be a little... eccentric. It's nothing I haven't dealt with before." And their "eccentricities" were far milder than those of his birth family.

"Progress is what one always hopes for with a merger. Progress, expansion, innovation and profit. Those are always the goal. What did Lord Omri tell you that it was about?"

"He didn't tell me much. I got the impression he disapproved and thought there was something underhanded about it, but that's it." Thel raised an eyebrow. "I hear business folks talking about 'progress' a lot, that's true. But they don't usually mention what they're progressing toward. Though, maybe transparency isn't valued highly in the corporate world." In his opinion, that ought to change. Shadowy corporations keeping secrets had hardly done them any favors in the past.

It also wasn't doing him any favors. He was determined to get some answers out of Liin—but much like Omri, she seemed tight-lipped about the whole affair. What was the big deal? Why was everyone so reluctant to discuss the merger, when it presented such a major shift not only for NCBC but for the entire planet of New Cov?

... Oh. Duh. At some point Thel had forgotten that NCBC used to be a planetary government. These were state secrets he was prying into, technically speaking.

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

Not all families are perfect. I came to understand that while growing up. My parents didn't coddle me so much as they did guide me. There was some affection yes, but not as much as a lot of other families experienced, I am certain. It is probably why I find it difficult to show affection towards others. Yet I do dream of it sometimes and those are quite pleasant dreams to have. However I am well aware that dreams are more often than not a far cry from reality. So I do not put a lot of stock in them.

To his comments on Lord Omri's stance, I give the young man a nod of my head. "He does disapprove, yes. And his concerns were taken into account as the voting process was under way. Lord Omri just sees things that are not there." Or at the very least, evidence of his accusations had not been brought forth to me. This was not some hostile takeover, or otherwise. We are still our own entity while under the N&Z banner.

"Progress for NCBC is to be able to expand our market, yet maintain our dominance of that market. It keeps the economy of New Cov thriving and provides us with less risk." We are lucky to have such a unique resource. I am so grateful for that. It provides us with little to no competition.

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

"He does disapprove, yes. And his concerns were taken into account as the voting process was under way. Lord Omri just sees things that are not there."

Thel's expression faltered. He was essentially being told Omri had sent him on a wild goose chase. That there was nothing to any of his accusations about the merger but an old man's paranoia. The boy pursed his lips in an irritated smirk. Great. Just great.

Did he believe Liin? She could be lying, trying to throw him off her trail. Maybe he was being too direct in his line of questioning. Or maybe she just didn't know what was going on. But if anyone at NCBC knew the truth, it would be her. She was the Director, after all.

This just wasn't adding up. Either Omri needed a reality check, or Liin was lying. Thel sighed quietly. If he returned to Omri with nothing to report, he'd lose out on their deal. But if there was nothing to report, the deal was worthless anyway. Maybe other businessmen would've concocted a story in order to get exclusive access to biomolecules, but not Thel. He held truth in higher esteem.

He did have one last important question for Liin. "Would you consider Lord Omri to be a threat?" he asked. "I mean, does he have a history of violence or... criminal behavior? Could he hurt you, your family, or others?" His tone was very careful, his gaze searching hers. If Omri was this paranoid, there was no telling how far his instability might go. He could be crazy, violent even. Thel had confidence in his skills, and he knew Meleena Bloodscrawl would protect him as well, but he wanted to know what he had gotten himself into, and how difficult it would be to get out of it.

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

Something about the young man's mannerisms seemed a little off. It took a bit longer than it should for me to realize what he was doing. Perhaps if he was older, then I would have picked up on it a lot sooner. But instead I allowed his innocence to distract me from more rational thought. The young man was fishing me for information. And no doubt it was what Lord Omri told him to do. If I was anyone else, then I would have played into his game. I could even had a lot of fun with it. But no, that would only make a fool out of this young man and I did not want to have that on my conscience. I may have been a politician, but I was never that kind of politician. My parents brought me up better than that.

Yet my thoughts came to a screeching halt at the young man's latest question. My stomach dropped at the thought, and while I caught his gaze searching mine, my mind could only draw itself blank. "I......" Could he really? Lord Omri had a temper that he was not afraid to show, that much was clear. But would he do so much as to act upon it? "...I do not think so. At least I hope not. I am certain that if he was the type, that he would have done so already. How he behaves beyond closed doors is beyond me, but the same could be said for everyone. No attacks on New Cov have been made in recent memory except for one, and I doubt very much that he was behind it." His son on the other hand; that was a different matter. Although he has done nothing yet but reveal his own temper during the board meetings, there is something in his mannerisms that suggests that he could act upon that aggression. I can only hope that it is his father that is keeping him restrained.

To lighten the mood a bit, I offer up a small smile as well as a little quip that I suspect could cause him to blush. "Are you worried for my safety, Mister Hahn?"

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

"I..."

Her hesitation was telling. Thel awaited her answer, though he was already drawing conclusions in his own mind.

"...I do not think so. At least I hope not. I am certain that if he was the type, that he would have done so already. How he behaves beyond closed doors is beyond me, but the same could be said for everyone. No attacks on New Cov have been made in recent memory except for one, and I doubt very much that he was behind it."

"What attack was that?" the boy inquired, one eyebrow raised. He thought for a moment, then added, "Oh, are you referring to that Sith attack?" He may have read about an invasion or skirmish on New Cov by Sith forces, though it didn't seem to be backed by a major faction.

"Are you worried for my safety, Mister Hahn?"

Thel didn't blush. "No, ma'am," he said, shaking his head. "I'm concerned about me and mine." If Omri or his son were capable of acting on their aggressions and frustrations, that might spell trouble for Bacta-Works. "I think I'm due to have a... difficult conversation with Lord Omri. You've given me a lot to think about, Miss Terallo."

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

It came at no surprise that the young man had heard of the attack on my city. But what exactly was spread about it, I do not know. The Sith that led the attack made every effort to point the blame for it solely upon me. Yet he was only partly right. I only shudder to think of what would have happened if he had caught me. More than likely I would not be alive today if he had. Afterall I am not a Force wizard. I am no one special.

What did surprise me however was in the young man's worry for his own safety. And from Lord Omri, no less. "I do not believe that you are in danger by him, Mister Hahn. There are far worse threats out there than anything that a Covie could do. It is more than likely that he is merely giving you a lesson of sorts. And perhaps even sharing the lesson with myself as well." That is the best that I could think of. For despite our differences, Lord Omri was highly loyal to New Cov.

And that was when it hit me. "He believes that I am selling us out--" I give voice to my thoughts quietly, without even realizing it at first, but upon that realization; I merely continue. "No matter the reassurances that I give; he just cannot believe anything else. Perhaps in time he will see."

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl

 

[Thel Bloodscrawl]

"I do not believe that you are in danger by him, Mister Hahn. There are far worse threats out there than anything that a Covie could do. It is more than likely that he is merely giving you a lesson of sorts. And perhaps even sharing the lesson with myself as well."

"Even so." Thel shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather not cause an incident, of any kind."

While she had denied any knowledge of Omri's motives before, Liin seemed to have a sudden revelation. Thel eyed her, wishing she had been more forthcoming from the outset. But he supposed this was better than nothing.

"He believes that I am selling us out--" I give voice to my thoughts quietly, without even realizing it at first, but upon that realization; I merely continue. "No matter the reassurances that I give; he just cannot believe anything else. Perhaps in time he will see."

"If I may be honest with you, Miss Terallo, it seems to me that neither party has a clue why they do the things they do," Thel said. "I asked you why you supported the merger, and you gave a vague answer that frankly didn't tell me much. Lord Omri doesn't seem to know why he opposes it, either. The motive for all this uncertainty isn't clear to me. Maybe you have your reasons for keeping your cards close to your chest. After all, I'm an outsider to your feud. And as an outsider, I think it's best that I avoid getting involved." Standing up straight, he gave her a nod. "It was nice meeting you."

Liin Terallo​

 

[Liin Terallo]

The young man is smart, however he has much to learn as well. But that is not something out of the ordinary. At the very least I am grateful that he did not wish to be the cause of some turmoil.

While he continued to speak I could not help but smile. I bow my head to him, as his words indicating his coming departure. "You will find that in politics and in business, most of the successful ones keep their cards very close. If one is to be an open book, then that puts them in a lot of danger. It was nice to meet you as well, Mister Hahn."

Tag: Thel Bloodscrawl