Dominion Gran Entrance | GA Dominion of Kinyen

[Tallara]

Jaqu'n Boiv Val Pellian Isobel Nakano ​

"Good to meet you all. Does anyone have any experience with veterinary science with a specialty in avian health?"

"I do," she said, before- "uh- don't. I don't."

Tallara held a professional demeanour, but internally she found herself puzzled. She'd never worked with birds before. Not as far as she could remember. Of course, that had never been much. She didn't even know how many years of her life she'd forgotten. There was something there; yet some embarrassment or hesitance kept her from pursuing the matter further.

She shut herself up as the shuttle slowed to land. The pilot set them down on the foothills of the mountain range, towards the range's western edge. It was a lot of ground to cover, but they'd only be actively searching a much smaller portion of the mountains -- though the falcons ranged far and wide across Kinyen, they always returned to nest high up in the mountains where the trees started to thin out.

Tallara got up and stretched as she walked to the lowering ramp. The air had a lingering warmth of summer, but a biting wind spoke of the coming fall, though the leaves on the trees nearby did not yet betray any hint of changing colour. It was a clear day; she could see all the way up to the snow-capped peaks above.

The speeders emerged from a separate compartment in the shuttle, and she went over to check hers out. It was a sleek speederbike, though with a bit of girth hidden by the sharpness of the frame. Packed on the back were additional supplies. She gave them a once over; medical supplies, ration bars, emergency equipment, a few other knick-knacks.

"It's been a while since I've driven, so I might be a bit slow," she admitted to the others. She mounted up and started to familiarize herself with the controls. As Crane had mentioned, the sensor suite was decked out. Tallara wasn't exactly a technical genius, but there were more kinds of readings here than she recognized.

"The falcons aren't that small -- should be easy to pick up," she tapped the sensor console, "but... I don't know. With all the reports of pirates and raiders, I don't think it's a stretch to suspect foul play." Just a hunch. Otherwise M wouldn't have sent such a well-equipped group. "I say we take it slow."

 

[Rulonom Laborr]

Ruto Tane​

​

The answer to his simple question was given quickly and efficiently by Senator Stark. In his own opinion the summit was interesting to say the least and the motion to establish a committee on the Vice-Chancellorship had passed. Laborr certainly had private doubts about the extent the senate was willing to go in order to host a session without consent of the elected chancellor and away from the Senate Chambers on Coruscant where the public could watch the procedures.

Laborr understood the sly implications coming from Stark. It was a golden opportunity for them to slip in an cadniate that would be willing to work for certain benefactors while still protecting the alliance from undue influence from outside parties. There was an entire list of senators to choose from but most of them would be against both the Corporatist Party and the Populist Party.

"Finding a candidate suitable for the vice-chancellorship amongst the den of wolves that is the senate is not an easy task as you might know. We need to find someone who is willing to give considerations to our unique concerns." Laborr said bringing a hand to adjust his pressure filter on his suit. Finding a person within the senate was tricky enough but one not already corrupted by undue influences would be impossible at this current time.

"Since you have a better insight into the senate, what are you proposing."

 

[Val Pellian]

Isobel Nakano | IVI | Tallara | Jaqu'n Boiv

And this was his team.

It still felt odd to have a team that wasn't filled with Imperials.

Isobel had never been a card-carrying Imperial fanatic. It was why they got along so well. He was able to do the unorthodox things she didn't want to do, but didn't spend the rest of the mission judging him for going off-book. It worked perfectly. But Val needed to remind himself that this wasn't the FOSB or anything close to it.

"You are all correct." Val nodded after climbing onto his own speeder. "Bunch of birds that have been key to this planet's culture for generations suddenly disappearing and growing sick?"

He shrugged and winked at Isobel.

"I ain't a betting man, but if I was I'd say the odds it's some Darkside, Pirating, Sabotaging bullchit. Take ya pick o' the cards which it is." They wouldn't know until they were right on top of it. That was Val's concern. If it was just pirates or maybe former Imperial elements trying to kark with the Alliance's ability to expand its allies? Sure, they could handle it. If it was some magic voodoo Darksider stuff? That would make this a far more complicated affair by a lot.

Then a slow glance to Isobel, grinning knowingly.

"But if they just 'suck' as my esteemed colleague says? Well, drinks are on me and we can let the animal doctors figure out the rest."

He turned on his speeder. They could sit here all day and discuss. It was time to actually do something. It wasn't difficult to sync the speeder's systems with the route. First time being here Val had no idea how long the trip would be. Not until the speeder buzzed and showed him the map. << Switch to Channel Aleph, folks. And see you on the ridge. >>

Then Val took off.

It was a speedy fifteen minute ride. It should have been half an hour, but Val drove like a suicidal maniac. He felt positively alive however as they approached the mountain ridge.

Which ought to contain the breeding grounds of the birds.

 

[Arage Bao]

Arage had her.

She saw it and it pleased her immensely. If the Director saw the potential in it, then she had been on the right track all along. Some people had been skeptics. Echoing exactly the sort of talk that M was facing internally. Blasphemy, heresy, the potential of angering some mystical gods or even the Force itself in seizing the power for themselves.

These were things the Lord Admiral firmly reject.

If they had the opportunity? They had the obligation to act.

It was that simple.

"The sort of side effects you might anticipate." Arage walked out of this room and led M to the next one. This one had no viewport. No, instead there were several medical chairs to sit in. Injection zones. But right now there weren't any scientists lying in wait. Instead it meant they'd be alone for the time being.

"We are giving fully formed adults the power to handle the Force without the sort of preparation Jedi and Sith receive for decades." Arage elaborated there as she picked out a dossier and walked on over to the Chiss. Without worry she offered it to her. It had most of the side effects and symptoms experienced throughout the trials.

"If they aren't mentally strong enough they might break from the power. The sudden realization they are approaching the realm of the divine. If they aren't physically strong enough they might wear out their bodies. Six months is about enough to figure out if they have what it takes, mentally and physically, to use the implant for keeps." She shrugged. "Then there are more concrete side effects. Headaches, increase in all your senses to the extent that you require to be sealed off in an isolation chamber for a day or two."

All of these talked about lack of experience.

"But I think you aren't asking me the right question..." And then? Arage leaned in and her lips brushed the Director's ear... whispering her real name oh so sotto voice.

IVI

 

[Ruto Tane]

​

A decrepit smile slowly began to form on Iago's face. There were a great many questions that remained unanswered from the emergency session at Jakku, questions that had kept certain corporatists and independents from supporting the initial proposal but now that it was passed perhaps they'd reconsider their hostility towards it. And realize it represented a golden opportunity.

Iago had long been a skeptic of the divide between the Populist and Corporatist blocs, so much so that he chose to caucus with neither, choosing instead to remain on good terms with both, cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship with political activists and corporations back home. But this was an opportunity he could ill afford to ignore, even if it required him to be more selfless than usual.

He turned his attention back to Rulonom Laborr . "Imagine if the Corporatists and Populists united behind a single candidate" The grin turned into a full blown smile as his thoughts were laid bare. "I know both blocs have their differences but if you and I could convince each side to line up behind a single nominee…"

He paused. "We have the opportunity. We'd have the votes" Another pause. "We'd have the power. All we need is a name."

Rulonom Laborr​

​

 

[IVI]

THE DIRECTOR
BYOO | Humbarine Reach | That's no moon
Arage Bao

​

Her name.

Her true name.

Vertebrae by vertebrae chilled, like a physical sensation, as if her blood had actually congealed. It had been years since M had heard that name. Hearing it again, feeling it against the shell of her ear almost made her flinch.

Almost.

But M prided herself on her composure. So she remained listless, but she did grunt of a ‘Hmm..’ of consideration. It rose from the pits of her throat, and almost sounded like a growl. And she stopped flipping through the dossier — one page remained unturned and pressed against her thumb.

It remained poised that way for an extended pause, and then M flipped the page. It was the noisiest thing in the room.

All the contents of the dossier outlined that which Arage had summarized.

M was not like these experiments — she knew what it meant to train with The Force. She knew what it meant to have The Force, and, she suspected with the crystal, she knew what it felt to be exploited for The Force. Arage would know this. That was the last time the Chiss with M’s real name had existed.

"Then you remember that I'm not like these subjects. It may dilute your data." She handed the dossier back to Arage. "Have you tried it yourself, Admiral?"

---

---

SPECIAL AGENT HYSIO PAVAN
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
O P E R A T I O N_LAXAMENTUM //: MISSION_PALX

When the agents arrived at the cliffside, Hysio figured now was as good a time as ever to insert himself into channel Aelph. He'd been here all the while, but, statistically speaking, teams tended to perform with more efficiency after the basic exchanges of introductions were completed. He'd gotten a coffee during that time, but kept them in his ear.

<A new theory has been processed.> The Givin introduced himself with no fanfare, or proper introduction really. Just his voice in each agent's ear.

<Considering the limited information available, this option has the highest likelihood of being accurate. The potential outcomes for the Tayan Falcons being subjects of a protest for joining the Alliance range from five to eight.

The information collected at the cliffside can serve to identify the responsible party, whether an individual or organization, seeking to counteract the Grans' official decision. Data obtained will be continuously analyzed and updated, enabling informed decision-making for you all to enact.>

What Hysio could not see, was below on the cliffsides, in the abandoned nests, were some careless clues. Around small areas, pea-sized droplets, the branches of the nests had mutated and curled in on one another. On one nest, far off to the left and on a steep edge, there was a glimmer.

The liquid had yet to dry.

Perfect for sampling.

---

Isobel Nakano | Tallara | Jaqu'n Boiv | Val Pellian ​

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Kaion the very injured Padawan was disturbed, ironically, at how collected and immaculate Vera Mina was as she tended to his wounds while Nathan described his plan. Really, she seemed almost amused at the whole scenario as the strange, black garbed man coldly described his intention to have the signal jammer utterly destroyed in a massive explosion to draw as many of the guards here as possible, so Nathan could bark out orders while disguised as the hooded apprentice. This was after Nathan "pacified" the prisoner by using using a tranquilizer dart from a confiscated military gauntlet to render him unconscious, putting on his clothes while modifying his comlink to mimic the man's voice in ad-hoc voiceprint system, diving through previous recordings of his voice in various messages on a nearby terminal. The Master to this man was likely on his way back, unable to communicate directly due to the jammer, but more than likely sensing his apprentice's stress levels.

They would have to work quickly, as there was just no telling when he would arrive.

Vera's role was to be simple. After Nathan ordered most of the camp guard to search outside the perimeter. Vera was to get Kaion into one of the gunships and seal it tight. Nathan would then serve as a distraction for the pirates searching outside the perimeter while Vera picked off the stragglers left behind. For some reason the "Lawyer" had an X-8 Night Sniper in her expensive, gem encrusted handbag. He told her to set it to stun. It would make the GADF a lot more agreeable if they came upon them early.

"Are you sure you can pull this off?" Kaion asked.

"No." Nathan answered bluntly, and said nothing else to even mildly reassure the injured Padawan as he grabbed Kaion's Lightsaber and hiding it up his sleeve, grabbing a thermal detonator and walking out of the door, where he promptly walked to the recently repaired Jammer.

Vera smiled. "Such an unabashed Alpha, isn't he?" she joked to Kaion as he dropped the detonator in through a panel he ripped open. Kaion, who looked at her like she was a psycho, (She is a psycho, just so we are clear) said nothing.

He got clear of the large fireball that erupted and contained itself, but completely destroyed the jammer.

Groups of pirates came running and Nathan kept the hood up, doing his best to mimic the posture and gestures of the apprentice in the few moments he had watched him speak and remain idle.

He played the voice print synthesizer Vera had created from his comlink (Yet another questionable bit of knowledge for a lawyer to have, but he figured she must have picked up a few things prosecuting murderers who had utilized similar methods) and the wireless strip she had attached to his throat began sending signals to the modified comlink.

"Fools!" Nathan snarled in the apprentice's voice, the fires spread from the explosion spreading slowly. "We have an infiltration! He's barely left the camp! Get as many as you can to search and follow me!"

The Pirates all nodded and he began leading them out of the perimeter, leaving only a few to guard all the prisoners in cages. Vera worked with disturbing efficiency when she watched Nathan the last of all the ones that had followed outside, and escorted the boy out quickly to the nearby gunship, slightly scorched from the explosion.

"Wait here. I'll be back..." Vera said in a disturbingly playful voice as she left the Padawan, hips swaying as though it were simply a mall she walked through.

The first lone guard, guarding a set of cages filled with farmers of the three eyed gran species, spotted Vera too late as she came behind from cover, hitting him directly in the face with a silenced stun bolt before he could shout.

Her enhanced hearing and powerful optics concealed in her eyes allowed her to spot the next few guards and she began patiently making her way towards them at a casual walking pace, brain calculating trajectories as she opened fire...

Meanwhile, The pirates had barely cleared the perimeter of the camp fully, berating them using the apprentice's voice, when Nathan decided to turn on them, flashing on Kaion's Lightsaber it's green blade hissing in his hand.

Nathan had had his entire original career in the Gulag Era to understand the value of stealth. But he also knew when to go loud.

The Pirates, caught off guard, having been ordered to stick close to each other, were fish in a barrel as Nathan descended on them, his weapon passing through rifles and hands in the Form 1 style, sloppy and choppy, but otherwise well suited to multiple opponents due to the wide sweeping attacks along target zones in the style. He was forced to bat away just as many blaster bolts, and managed to surprise them all when he teleported to their left flank and resumed his assault.

By the time he was done he had a significant shoulder wound from a blaster, but not one pirate was left standing. They were alive certainly, but missing arms or legs. The pain had been enough to make them black out. The pain in his shoulder however, meant Nathan could barely focus as he staggered back to the camp, and knew he was in no condition to face the Dark Jedi Master that even he was starting to feel approach.

He saw Vera, still looking immaculate binding one of the last guards in the camp. She turned, raised an eyebrow, and casually strutted towards him.

"I see there were a few hiccups." Vera noted glibly.

"Eh, go to hell..." Nathan grumbled. "That Dark Jedi will be here in minutes..."

"Well, then this will be a very interesting end to the day..." Vera replied.

"Get everyone aboard the gunship. Now. Go and get the GADF. And help me get that Jedi Master aboard..."

007 Minutes Later.

The Sentinel Class Shuttle landed outside the camp and the Dark Jedi, a pale, sickly, almost emaciated man in the burnt looking remains of an NJO Jumpsuit. His brown hair was prematurely grayed on the sides as he stepped out, wielding a single red Lightsaber. He snorted as he spotted his incapacitated but still alive underlings. He would kill them for their failures later.

He spotted Nathan, arm still weak despite Vera having applied a healing Stim.

"So you are the one I sensed. Have a little bit of a taste for deception, I see..." The Dark Jedi noted.

"And you have a taste for killing." Nathan replied as the Dark Jedi walked into what was left of the camp. "Who are you? Why waste your power on butchering farmers?"

"Synth Crystals don't grow on trees. Armor doesn't repair itself. Starships don't buy their own fuel...take your pick..." The Dark Jedi snorted. "Besides...farmers don't fight back often. And if they do, they suck at it."

"I mean why did you turn to the Dark Side?" Nathan asked.

The Dark Jedi narrowed poisoned yellow eyes.

"Please. Must we?" The Dark Jedi asked back. "Do I look like I care what made you break into this camp, BTFO my apprentice, turn my underlings into kebabs and free all my hostages? Can't a man just turn because he wants to, because he feels like it?"

"Doing it just because you can doesn't make you some kinda free spirit. It just makes you a jackass." Nathan grumbled. "You've ruined a lot of lives by what you did."

Nathan suppressed the internal wince because of what he had done to Elaine Tear.

"Believe me, I would know. All it took was one act of spite. It blew up in my face."

"That's you. Your problem. Not mine."

"You've made your problems everyone else's..." Nathan said, internally wincing as he himself had done the same thing selling Elaine out to The Cult of The Brain Demon.

How many had died for that decision, like the farmers around him? How many families like his own died for his moment of satisfaction? Just because he had been dead a week later was no absolution.

Would his own daughter have been completely corrupted, unsalvageable, if there had been no corrupted Elaine to seduce her further?

It troubled him that he would never know the answers, and more that such questions would haunt him to his dying breath, whenever that came again.

"That's where you're wrong, interloper..." The Dark Jedi replied with a grin, brandishing his red Lightsaber. "I haven't made my problems the problems of everyone else...I've made my solutions the problems of everyone else..."

Nathan went into guard as the Dark Jedi pointed his blade at him.

"And right now...my solution to this little conundrum we find ourselves in...is definitely your problem..."

Nathan only grimaced.

"Then come and get me you overcooked-looking feth."

"With pleasure..."

The Dark Jedi gave off a Force Scream and leapt through the air in a corkscrew dive for Nathan, who barely blocked the first furious set of strikes from the Dark Jedi's Djem So style, executing a falling avalanche series of overhead blows with his Blade that it took all of Nathan's remaining strength to fend off, but he was continually being forced back, and his physical exhaustion was rapidly catching up with him. If he didn't end this in the next few minutes he was probably a dead man again.

He rolled out of the way of a slash that chopped down a tree...and barely ducked as the Dark Jedi used Telekinesis to hurl the large trunk at him. It likely would have completely shattered his ribs on impact.

"I was expecting someone with a little more power..." The Dark Jedi remarked.

"You can talk that kinda crap after I'm dead." Nathan snarled.

The Dark Jedi Force Jumped for him again and Nathan on instinct managed to do something for the first time that very few Bloodscrawls were capable of.

He Force Jumped, backflipped out of the way of a heavy downward slash. He Forced Jumped again to evade the follow up horizontal slash, went into a guard, shocked he had managed that. Almost no Bloodscrawl in the family history could use body enhancing Force Powers unless they were drawn directly from the Light...or Dark, in his daughter's case.

"How come I'm not dead, Dark Sider?" Nathan asked. "I think your 'solution' so far is inefficient. Y'know what else I think?"

The Dark Jedi held the blade with both hands out to Nathan.

"No but I assume you're going to tell me."

"I think you're a lazy coward." Nathan sneered. "I think farmers are all you're good for. Your a parasite at the bottom of the barrel...not good enough for even an established Dark Side Cult to pay any attention to. But good enough to bully around these lowlifes I cut up."

The Dark Jedi grimaced.

"And what makes your life so much better. I can feel the guilt in you. The failure. I suspect your hands are no more free of blood than my own. At least I do as I please. Such emptiness in you...are you sure you're even alive?"

"Being empty is better than what you've chosen to do with the breath in your lungs." Nathan growled.

"You may not feel that way after the Galaxy turns you into it's personal chew-toy..." The Dark Jedi sneered.

"Already there, buddy." Nathan replied. "Already there..."

The Dark Jedi sprinted towards him with a slash, his swiftness aided by the Force.

Nathan leaped out of the way of the slash, no longer having the strength to parry him blade to blade. The Dark Jedi was relentless, and Nathan's blade was finally knocked free from his hands via a power slash. Nathan ducked a telekinetic Lightsaber throw from his opponent, who then snarled and clenched his fist.

Nathan found himself choking, lifted into the air.

"I don't think my solution is that inefficient...do you?" The Dark Jedi asked mockingly. Holding out his hand and telekinetically pulling Kaion's Lightsaber towards him, the blade activating as it sailed through the air, redirecting it towards Nathan as it spun violently.

Nathan, on the verge of blacking out, saw the spun saber and stretched out his hand to a piece of debris from the destroyed Jammer teleporting it above his opponent's head.

It landed with a loud crack on the skull that sent the Dark Jedi stumbling about causing the thrown Lightsaber to go wild of its target as Nathan dropped to the floor, coughing as the Dark Jedi clutched at his head, snarling in fury as he saw Nathan rise.

"Die." The Dark Jedi hissed in absolute hatred. "Die! DIEEEEEEEEE!"

Nathan grimaced as the enraged Dark Jedi hurled a mass of debris at him, and he was not fast enough to evade a piece of shrapnel burying itself in his arm and thigh. He fell down, pulling himself away to a tree as the Dark Jedi lurched towards him with a sick grin, intending to make his death slow and painful.

"Hmmm... you're about to be both dead AND empty!" The Dark Jedi chuckled.

"I've been dead before..." Nathan answered.

The Dark Jedi roared and raised his saber overhead in an act of dominance .

Nathan raised his good arm as if to protect himself...while his injured arm snapped into position.

A silvery cylinder flew out, a yellow blade activating into the Dark Jedi's chest. The Dark Jedi's mouth dropped in horror as he fell to his knees. Nathan had not just taken the Lightsaber of the Padawan, but also the master.

"...but for you...it'll be the first time..." Nathan added as the Dark Jedi fell over, dead, Lightsaber tumbling from his hand.

Nathan pulled himself up, and began heading to the cabin by the small river where Kaion and his Master had been imprisoned.

He was forced to do self surgery to remove the shrapnel with a pilfered medkit.

Then he was leaving the camp, leaving the Lightsabers behind. He staggered back through the trails, exhausted, back to his starfighter, silent, grim faced.

Nathan left Kinyen without fanfare, his fighter leaping into hyperspace. By the time the GADF arrived twenty minutes later, unable to send a team until now, led by Vera and the injured Padawan, they found only the dead Dark Jedi...

 

[Rulonom Laborr]

Ruto Tane​

​

The insightful words from Senator Stark on the need to unite both the Corporatists and the Populists made his mind wonder if only for a brief second. If they could manage to swing the voting blocs to a particular candidate then they would have the power within the alliance. But there were not many senators currently within the alliance that could make the corporatist bloc happy even with private assurances from the Trade Federation to provide compensation. The only organization within the senate that gave him some nerve would be the Commerce Guild and their Honorable Delegate Caulder Dune who was immensely opposed to the committee.

"If we need a suitable candidate, might I suggest Senator Brama Tagge? The Tagge Family used to be quite influential until they threw their lot in with the Galactic Empire centuries ago." WOOHOOOOAH. "And we might be able to use said name to garner support from the Imperial Bloc as well," Laborr explained adjusting his pressure suit. The Tagge name might garner support from the Imperial Bloc.

 

[Jaqu'n Boiv]

IVI | Tallara | Val Pellian | Isobel Nakano
​

Jaqu'n wasted not a moment to inspect the speeder assigned to the team before the drop. In the time he spent studying the vehicle before their departure on mission, he found it was something that Dark Ops might've used. It didn't take him long to get acquainted with the interface and its functions, and in conjunction with the controls of the speeder bike itself. Every little bit of knowledge played a greater part into your performance, after all.

The supplies on the bike were modified in some parts. Knowing the likelihood of a firefight breaking out, or much more, the ration bars were reduced in favor of room for extra fraggers and earpoppers. Dark Ops' innovations on the standard fragmentation and flashbang grenades, they packed a slightly better kick. In addition, their fuse delays had a variable window of adjustment, and each grenade can be rigged to another for simultaneous weapon deployment. The fancy options had the downside of being electronic, but the simple delivery of tossing after pulling the spoon was still an option if it came down to it. Sometimes it had.

The Dark Operator's bucket had already done the work of keying into the Aelph comm frequency before he was darting off the ramp. As the muffled noise from the outside raced past his external speakers, he'd listen to the probabilities and approach to what came after finding the clues that were needed. Typical procedure, though the No Fail mission statement meant that time was of the essence. The faster you scanned everything completely, the faster you were in following your mark.

Throughout the fifteen minute ride of avoiding obstacles and changing altitudes he didn't utter a word. Wasn't really much need to, nothing came into view that called for the immediate attention of the team. Nor was he much of a commenter on things like weird critters or amazing vistas beyond what you could imagine. Even as the speeders stopped and everyone began to dismount, he was already off with rifle in hand scanning for threats.

This is where Sable's expertise came into play. Dark Ops gave you the training and tools necessary to perform various kinds of missions, like what he was on now. But first and foremost within Dark Ops, you were an operator. A killer. To not only fight your enemy, but think and sometimes act like them as well. In a wide galaxy the enemy could be as numerous and dangerous as your imagination, and in most if not all cases, they hardly ever fought fair. So why should you?

Death never gives second chances.

"Neither should I," he muttered into his bucket. A mantra that always came in the calm of his mind before the galaxy stormed all over. If he were on the opposite side of this, he would've set an ambush here. Cut off the tail before they got too close and there'd be no problems with the pursuers reduced to a total team kill. The other angle that no doubt crossed his mind is the fact they were a four man team. One incapacitation could lead to mission failure, and one step closer to being dusted altogether. He obviously wasn't going to allow that to happen.

When he spoke next, his modulated voice projected into the comm. The external vox wasn't all that intense to begin with, but hearing the modulation over the comm was unbelievably crisper than that. Like you were actually listening to a specter who had taken to become a professional operator than ghastly form of some child's nightmares. Which one was truer than the other could be up for debate, though it was obvious which one was the actual reality.

< <{ Sable prioritizing external site security. }> >

 

[Ruto Tane]

Iago seemed to grimace at the mention of Bramma Tagge. There are a number of reasons why Iago couldn't support her, none of them having to do with her qualifications. It was a purely political move. And she most certainly did not align with his particular brand of politics. No, last he heard she was a Federalist, an Ideology so toxic back home on Alsakan they barely were able to scrape together 10% of the vote in elections - eve during Chandra's heyday.

"The Corporatists don't trust her, the Populists can't stand her" He explained, "Federalism is a toxic trait. Even if she were handsomely rewarded to support our cause, I'd lose valuable political capital back home" Iago had come to appreciate Laborr's honesty and decided to repay it in kind. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Iago was not willing to sacrifice his own political career for power, and Laborr was a genius.

"A great nominee would be Aerarii Tithe " He mused. "He was, after all, popular. Though I suspect he has no interest in reentering electoral politics but lucky for us there is someone else in the ranks of the Trade Federation" Once again that devious smile appeared upon his smug face.

"You're predecessor. Gat Tambor "

Rulonom Laborr​

 

[Caulder Dune]

JAKKU
THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

"Of course. Our lovely Galactic Alliance is built on hope anyway, isn't it?" He replied, only lightly sarcastic, "I'll have the Guild's functionaries reach out and..."​

​

It was fortunate she was looking through the macrobinoculars - otherwise she would have seen the expression on Caulder's face when he was presented with that rifle. It was only an instant: an arch-grimace that conveyed upset sensibilities and complete bewilderment all at once.​

​

These hands? On that weapon? Who did you take him for? Whatever. When on Jakku, do as the Jakkuvians...​

​

He gave his forehead one more cursory wipe before gingerly, skeptically accepting the rifle, almost as if expecting it to go off unprompted. "And what model is this?"​

​

A far cry from Nakaikoma's rail weapons to be sure. Caulder shouldered the weapon anyway, squinting down the sights. Eyes lit up a soft blue glow. Cybernetics. After a certain age they were essentially a requirement... And if you needed them anyway, why not get something fancy?​

​

"I confess I have never been much of a huntsman."​

Annasari​

 

[Rulonom Laborr]

Ruto Tane ​

​

Senator Stark was less than thrilled over his selection of Senator Bramma Tagge due in part to a valid concern about him being vulnerable back on his planet. The support from the Imperial Bloc would garner additional clout for their candidate, but the fact of the matter put plainly enough was that the woman was a federalist and both the corporatist party and the populist party would reject such a proposal regardless of any method employed to persuade them.

The counterproposal from Stark was two candidates each with their own merits, Former Chancellor of the Alliance Aerarii Tithe and his predecessor Gat Tambor. Gears were slowly turning within his head pondering who would bring the most benefit as Vice-Chancellor of the Alliance and closest to the Chancellor Auteme. Tithe was unlikely to re-enter politics so that left them with a single option, The Director of the Trade Federation Gat Tambor.

"Gat Tambor, an interesting choice. But I have some concerns that his known affiliation with the New Imperial Order turned empire would cause quite a scandal amongst the senate. That is a risk that I am not willing to make unless compensation is made." Laborr explained with slight hesitation, bringing such a candidate to the senate floor would open him up to considerable risk.

 

[Corin Trenor]

​

Distractions were easily found, albeit difficult to make stick.

The vast cityscape of Denon was hurriedly traded for the verdant fields of Kinyen, rich with crops and space rather than the compact concrete jungles. There was an end to the bathing in an endless wave of neon lights, exchanged for the blissful star-filled skies and the perimeter lights that marked the beginning and end of the farming properties. For weeks, Corin had only shared a scarce few words with droids and fragments of artificial intelligence, those that roamed and worked on these farms while the local Gran hid themselves away from encroaching pirates.

Corin was granted the role of a peacekeeper, someone to ward off pirates, to negotiate beneficial deals for all parties involved. He settled into something closer to a farmhand, though. He spent his days smelling of manure, coated and caked in the dirt and grime found in hard labour. The beads of sweat dripped from his brow and clung his strands of dark hair onto his forehead. The pangs of concern for Denon rose, though quelled with time. There was no helping that system anymore, no matter what kind of dearness hides in the bottom of his heart for it.

Though his nights were bliss, quiet. His tired legs carried him out into the fields, as they had for the past few weeks, with music ringing in his ears and a cold brew clutched in his palm. He clambered up an erected stone, flat and smooth, where he lay. The brights stars bore down over the flat landscape, with streaks of starships painting the skies with the remains of their thrusters. The only downside was being left alone with his thoughts, of which Corin had too many. A worrier by trade, there was no end to it.

What became of Dagon, the very question left Corin awake most nights. To embark on some crusade in the far reaches of known space, left to drift off into the unknown. Did it claim him, his mission? Corin wondered as to whether the only man to place undying faith in him was dead and gone, unable to rely on Corin to come save him. Hiding out on Denon, continuing their mission, was that some misplaced attempt to fulfill what Dagon may have wanted? He avoided what ties he had to his old life, as if that would ever help him. Avoiding Yula, afraid to come to terms with it all. The recent weeks opened his eyes, to let him see. There were people all over the galaxy that needed help, no matter what it was, and those of Denon are so few in the grander scope. Dagon would never wish for Corin to remain so narrow-minded.

It was time to move on.

Corin sighed with his acceptance. A toast to a missing, dead man. A sip to swallow the truth.

It was time to move on, to return to the mission of the Jedi.

 

[Arage Bao]

IVI

Arage smiled there at the lack of response.

But she knew she had her. She felt it in the stillness of the Director's shoulders, the way her breath forced itself to stay in the same slow rhythmic cadence that purposefully said control and the way M kept leafing through the dossier. It was delightful. Almost worth the effort spent on tracking down the Director's real name and the history attached to it.

There were holes still, of course, the Chiss was nothing if not thorough.

"Then luck has it I do not consider you a subject." Arage responded slyly and slick. As if the response had been expected and carefully arranged (Arage'ed perhaps).

"I may have." The curl of satisfaction betrayed her mouth right after those words were uttered. She extended a hand and- a cup flew into her hand. It wasn't the first time Arage had done it. Not by a long-shot. But here? M would see it. The flush on her cheeks, the eyes burning bright and the absolutely smugness of her smirk.

"The first time I opened myself to it... it was like the universe unfolded in front of me." Baited breath. M had never seen Arage like this.

In fact?

None had. Ever.

"How strong you must be, Director..." Not using her real name now. No, it would lose its meaning if it was repeated too often between them. "...to possess such a thing... for it to be ripped away from you... and for you to continue on without it."

She put the cup down and her unclenched her hand all the same. Some of the tension let go of Arage's shoulders as the Force uncoiled again, flowing back to its natural currents, rather than the forcibly and unnatural grasp Arage had it in. "Allow me to give it back to you. My gift... to you. To represent all our work and dare I say... unconventional friendship we have shared."

 

[IVI]

THE DIRECTOR
BYOO | Humbarine Reach | That's no moon
Arage Bao

​

Power was a currency that everyone in the galaxy sought. Those that were richest, were usually Force adepts. The bankrupt were oft’ the unblessed. M had been rich once, and the moment she’d been stricken with poverty, she’d been cast aside to a tawdry existence and had to claw her way back to the almost-top.

But even there, at the pinnacle of her ascension, there was a Jedi trying to breathe down her neck — and it had taken her half the time. Because she was wealthy within the unseen.

Arage’s cool words that snaked betwixt their space reminded her of the cruelty and the dichotomy of expectation and rewards reaped versus sowed.

M was quiet, pensive, through Arage’s simple demonstration. M had been known to be silent when she leaned into her thoughts, facts, and strategies through their entire existence together as unlikely friends. It was a fact of the universe. Like stars and water.

The Admiral also understood that simple words would not do, the promise of ‘of course I’ve tried it’ would not suffice. It was actively flowing through her veins now. The simple gesture of the empty cup was enough for M’s ruby eyes to gleam.

“I shouldn't be, but I’m surprised that you’ve partaken.” M admitted. Arage's lust for control overpowered her hate for the indoctrinated cults of Forcers. She was glad Arage had taken the initial dabble. Seeing someone who’d been so against The Force, who’d never been trained with it, to use it so readily and willy-nilly. On something as small as a cup.

An almost jealous energy stirred in her belly.

If it had been anyone else but the Admiral of Humbarine, M would have rejected the invitation purely out of spite.

She realized then that it was not jealousy that coiled itself through her anatomy. It was fear; the fear of perpetuating the punishment she’d felt for so long. The loss of that which she’d had, and not taking the chance to revisit the insatiable appetite of the empyrean.

“Very well.” She acquiesced, and folded her hands in front of her, giving a glance and a head tilt to one of the chairs. The fear was already turning into its younger relative; excitement. “There?”

 

[Arage Bao]

A thin smile that held no warmth blossomed after IVI admitted she was surprised.

"Our enemies do not decline their naturally-gifted weapons, Director, neither shall I." Sotto voiced there as she explained the point of view. Whereas the Jedi and the Sith's were naturally gifted in the Force, Arage was gifted in pure karking grit. An orphan girl on the streets of a big city-planet. She should have died many times over. If not on the streets then in the Academy where she didn't belong and faked her way through. If not in the Academy then on the battlefield.

Every breath Arage took was in spite of everything.

She walked on over to the chair M indicated and tapped the surface gently.

"Indeed. It won't hurt.... much." Arage added with an apologetic smile that was more genuine in nature. "But that can't be helped. Every time we do something that changes the world hurt follows."

If it didn't hurt... was it worth doing?

Was it real?

Or was it just a cheap shortcut that didn't grasp at true greatness.

 

[IVI]

THE DIRECTOR
BYOO | Humbarine Reach | That's no moon
Arage Bao

​

Yes, it hurt. But the reconnection was not as painful as the initial loss.

The worst part about that loss, had been its gradualness. A winnowing away and shutting down. A sense of something that had been taken, bit by bit, and in its stead, emerged experience, cunning and foreknowledge. Nothing she sought, but everything she needed to survive without benefit. It had stolen from her and changed her and helped make her into something else entirely.

At first,the reconnection was just as gradual as its preceding rescission. It was like a cast-off interference, a swell of the things that caused differences to the way her perception took in the room, took in herself. A kind of shadow or smudge. Nothing clear.

A little longer, and there was a feeling that resurfaced, like the one she’d felt when she had been young. Shocked into creation, she gasped.

Colours became more saturated, movements more predictable, shapes clearer, sounds sharper — and all of it fuelled from that deep, deep, deeply rooted passion and anger. The darkside had much to gorge on within the disciplined director.

Her breaths became steadier as time passed. When she felt sturdy, solid, unbreakable, she looked to Arage with an indescribable expression, but her eyes were narrow, calculating and sharp.

“It’s been so long I forgot what this felt like.” She said at last, and stood. But not so long that she wasn't aware of it not being entirely unique. There was something there, deep at the corners of the connection, that wasn't wholly hers.

“This feels…better than my youth. More dangerous.” Was it darkside that made it feel more dangerous, or all the experience she’d collected up until now, that made knowing how to use it clearer.

She looked to the testing grounds, where the soldiers had been training. Her chin pointed to a pair blasting one another with invisible affronts. She was not a woman of combat. Never had been. All her fighting went on behind the scenes.

"Have you done any thing to weaponize the telepathic nature of The Force, or only telekineses?" And if it hadn't been done yet, M would happily be the first to foray into that dark, dark territory.

 

[Arage Bao]

IVI

Arage hummed quietly and allowed the Director her moments to get her bearings.

It was overwhelming to say the least.

How would it feel to be without the Force for so long. Only for it to return with such an onslaught? Had M lost hope she'd ever be reconnected to this brilliant web of life? "And now you have it back, Director, I hope you are pleased." Arage murmured smoothly as she stepped out of the shadows once more and joined M at the table.

Between them there were no gauche sentiments like 'you owe me now' or 'you will pay me back'.

There was no need.

"We have not." Shaking her head there, but clearly studying M with interest. "We believed it prudent to stick towards abilities that have clear and direct tangible effects. While we have little evidence to suggest the Force we touch is different from what a natural connection provides... we did not want to risk it immediately."

But that was a while ago and Arage smiled, leaning in once more.

As close as when she had whispered M's true name to her.

"Go ahead. Seize the power and use it. What we have accomplished is short of a miracle and what we will accomplish in the future will be even grander."

 

[IVI]

THE DIRECTOR
BYOO | Humbarine Reach | That's no moon
Arage Bao

​

Thunderclapped where her temples were, and M grimaced.

Avoiding the mentalism realm was a good call as far as science went. There was more proof in the visible; and instituting untrained, untouched soldiers to the traumatic undoings of mentalists in tune with the darkside. She nodded, but felt the gesture was as superfluous as the word she uttered: "Understandable." —— it was as if she could already feel the mutual comprehension shared between themselves.

While M had always found Arage to share many pages with her from the book of morality and power, she'd never felt that understanding the way she seemed to now. It was like a glow that bloomed in lieu of the thunderclap above her temples.

Her countenance darkened, unsure what to do with the information yet.

M like to collect information, review it, understand it, and then make decisions.

This was a little more off-the-cuff than she preferred.

She felt the understanding in the same way she felt the prediction of Arage's motions. Like warm ripples that turned surprise into expectation. A shadow of the Humbarine Admiral motioned through the spectrum of time in M's eyes before she even arrived. By the time Arage was nearly whispering in her ear, goading her with silken murmurs of encouragement, M felt the words before she heard them.

With a swift adjustment, M stood and lazily flexed her fingers. It was a basic, baby motion of telekinesis, that conjured up the folder she'd flipped through earlier, and the cup. They quivered, lifted, and set down easily. They were inantimate objectives. Always easily manipulated. Muscle memory by now.

Memories she'd thought she'd lost, but...they came back easily. Would her clarity with The Force aid the progression of that presence she felt on the edges of her awareness? The very presence she coiled the Force's invisible hand around, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and with a gentle tug, returned the favour of closed distances. But she took no steps of her own.

At first, she said nothing. It had been too long to just start tapping into the mental muscles she'd exercised less frequency with her tenure as an ozyly-esehembo on a diplomatic mission. After a few seconds? maybe? Maybe less—(M was surprised at how easily and almost connected her target felt) — In a timespan not too long from the physical gesture, Arage'd feel something less tangible, less explicable. A brush against her mind in the shape of the syllable she'd said earlier. Something that felt like agreement and greed: We.

Ruby red eyes snapped open again, and so did her mouth into a toothsome, genuine grin.

The ache that came with the honest, ear-to-ear smile was as foreign as the reconnection to The Force — each had been lost on her last day with the ozyly-esehembo program. And now, in a facility somewhere within Humbarine Reach, they were found again.

That too, Arage would feel without explanation. And M would be able to help her deeper understand that general whisper along the threads that M had followed to her mind. The threads of something far more permanent than a one-way experiment.