In A World Where the Kings Are Employers (First Order Dominion of Thakwaa Hex)

[Cameron Centurion]

Post 5/20
[member="Natasi Fortan"]

Once the connection had been terminated, Cameron turned casually and retreated towards the bridge's exit. In his wake he left the Commodore and a handful of other officers steeling themselves for the less-than-tactically-ideal the Sith Lord had just ordered them into. The moment Cameron was gone from the bridge, a flurry of orders were distributed to assume an optimum position for both defense and urgent departure. The Adjudicator was designed so keenly to be a weapons platform, that it would take the hyperdrive roughly thirty minutes to spool up for another transit. Fortunately...they had more than that amount of time.

The Daisya Infiltrator departed the Adjudicator less than five minutes after Cameron had departed the bridge. The Sith Lord was the sole occupant of the vessel, engaging the vessel's suite of stealth systems the moment it emerged from the Adjudicator. The transit to Thakwaa proper was uneventful as the Sith Lord entered the planet's orbit and transited to the dark side of the world before initiating re-entry procedures.

Despite whatever stealth measures were being employed, the Infiltrator lit up the night sky during the re-entry process before passing from view once more. Racing through the various peaks associated with the mountain range closest to the provided coordinates, the Sith Lord's silver-green eyes darted from the world outside to the sensor readouts surrounding him. Thanks to the vessel's thrust dampening, his approach around the side of the mountain and just over the top of the adjoining forest was mostly quiet until he was practically on top of the coordinates.

Deactivating the stealth measures, Cameron piloted the vessel into a high-energy, last minute flare to abruptly drop off horizontal velocity. Manipulating the repulsors at the same time to keep his altitude from increasing, the predatory-looking Daisya Infiltrator descended smoothly to the ground, landing struts making contact with the earth just as the vessel's nose lowered to the horizon and its horizontal velocity ticked down to zero.

Though a loading ramp extended rather swiftly amidst the soft-murmur of engines spooling down, the lone figure of Darth Ashmedai did not appear for another several moments - having had to walk from the vessel's cockpit. A brief breeze caught the folds of his dark blue and gray overcoat which he, naturally, wore over an otherwise-exposed upper body and simple pair of black trousers. Silver-green eyes immediately swept the surroundings, resting casually on the vessel he presumed to be carrying Natasi Fortan.

A thin smile of pleasure touched his features as he advanced slowly towards the vessel's location, hands clasped behind his back. The Sith Lord had elected to leave both his sword and lightsaber on board the Infiltrator.

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Location: Over Thakwaa
Allies: First Order
Enemies: Thakwaa natives
Post: 7/20

"Dementor to Sable Squadron, status report"

"Dementor, this is Sable 12. Is it possible to make electronic cigarettes with damotite? Or hookahs? It appears that liquid damotite is a drug that the Thakwaash consume inhaled"

"Hookahs? Are you crazy, Sable 12? The closest hookahs are on Lipsec; I'm not even sure we can afford to use the Lanteeb-made hookahs for this operation. We don't know for sure how they react to hookahs as a means of consuming"

"This is how I intend to reduce the local casualties to a minimum and, upon my return, I will drive the truck with a team to take away the Thakwaash specimens for us to study; liquid damotite is our only lead towards controlling the Thakwaash we currently have"

"While we could order damotite, the hookahs will come from your personal funds"

Lanteeb manufactured upscale hookahs, which were made out of fine woods and wrought pewter, whereas Lipsec sticks with mostly titanium instead. But there was no damotite to be found on Lipsec, whereas Lanteeb was the galaxy's premier damotite manufacturing center. Anyhow, Lanteeb could be reached within the range of one hyperspace jump with the supply ship and supplies of ordnance will be loaded back upon return. An AT-AT barge capable of hyperspace jumps was a great boon for stuff of that kind, which she would readily fly without problems. As the commanding officer of the Dementor placed an order for 60 containers filled with damotite, laid out in the supply ship in a 6x5 grid, for two rows of containers. Thank the Force that Dunames knew how the damotite needed to be encased for her to, please excuse the expression, safely breach the regulations. By now she was being herded into the supply ship by the stormtroopers onboard the Dementor... this time around she was the only pilot onboard and stormtroopers would also escort on her way to Lanteeb. Once in the cockpit of the supply ship...

"Commence pre-flight sequence" Dunames ordered the stormtroopers detailed onboard.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ludolf Vaas"]

5/20

"Aye, sir," said Vastor, which wasn't precisely First Order naval protocol in hindsight but got the job done. He unclipped from the pilot's seat. "Lieutenant Marstan, you have the helm."

His comms officer was flight-rated, and for now they weren't going anywhere. As General Vaas left the stormtrooper transport, Vastor took the comm seat personally.

"Captain Vastor to CAG Remembrance. We're in for the long haul." Aurek and Besh squadrons were on overwatch now, with Cresh in reserve; he needed to maintain that two-to-one ratio, rotating flights to keep the air support fresh and fuelled. The CAG was an old TIE jockey who knew his business. Their conversation was perfunctory. In short order, a competent fighter screen became a competent permanent fighter screen.

 

[Darth Veles]

[1/20]​

​

“To you, Corvus. Wherever you are.”

Everything had gone to the Void when Corvus had vanished, a cruel promise of things to come.

Raising a glass filled with Corellian whiskey in honour of his favourite Jedi Grandmaster, the amphibious Sith Lord devoted a short moment to the powerful woman’s memory before taking a sip, rolling the golden liquid over his tongue. The wooden, spicy flavour remained in his mouth even after he let the strong alcoholic beverage travel down his throat and set the glass down on a desk in front of him, webbed hand immediately reaching for another object. Lasedri’s Little Black Book, a parting gift from Veles‘ one time lover. Words printed on paper reflected in the Sith’s big eyes as he casually skimmed through, anything just to keep his mind occupied for a bit until the elegant Phasma-class infiltrator serving as his preferred arrived to its destination.

Another page, yet he hardly noticed, resting his head in one hand. It’s been hard for him to focus lately. The calm facade he wore masked a man boiling with rage, as if the Dark Side itself wanted to burst through his veins.

The short affair ended with Lasedri’s disappearance after her coup, tossing a wrench into Veles’ plan of providing the Republic with his assistance in return for receiving their support in wiping out the Black Rose and its twisted perversions and, more importantly, manipulating the unscrupulous Prime Minister. Not that any of that mattered in the end. Not all things had gone badly though. Devastatingly underestimating the Black Rose’s leaders’ own incompetence, the Sith Lord ended up with no need for the violent coup he had originally planned. His little robot army constructed for that specific purpose continued to remain unused, though there was little doubt it’d stay that way for long. Escaping the Black Rose shipwreck before it dragged him down with it and laying low for some time, he has found himself in search of a new apprentice once again. With his beloved Zarrah out of the picture for the time being and no real successor, the Sith Lord desperately needed to make a few new allies. Regret threatened to poison his mind, yet he firmly banished the dangerous train of thought.

The paper in his hands rustled, a signal declaring this page no longer held anything interesting.

Ironically enough, thanks to Corvus Raaf’s visit during his time in capture, Veles had an idea where to start looking for just that. The Grandmaster’s mention of the Knights of Ren proved to be the piece he needed. After pulling a few strings and calling some favours, the Sith had a solid idea where to look for this mysterious group. Their allegiance to the First Order, another self-proclaimed successor to Palpatine’s regime as far as Veles understood it, worked in his favour. Being an Imperial himself certainly did improve his chances at getting close to them. Their plans, their ideology – completely irrelevant as of right now given assisting them was not Veles’ end goal, but he’d do whatever was necessary to learn everything he could from this new group of Force users. There were times he would have helped them based solely on their Imperial heritage, now he found himself drawn by the possibility of discovering new secrets of the Dark Side.

And he still needed a new student, after all.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Darth Veles"]
(1)


The First Order was a nation Archangel liked. At least as much as the machine cult could approve of any organic entity. But the neo-Imperialist group was fascist, disciplined and, well, orderly. Lame pun is fully intended. Thus they maintained friendly relations with the First Order and had decided to support its latest expansionary venture. Thakwaa was inhabited by dangerous xenos who needed to be subjugated under the Imperialist jackboot for their own good. It brought back memories of the time when Moira Skaldi had worked so profitably with the Atrisian Empire. Shame it had gone under.


A dropship pierced through the atmosphere and descended towards the planet. Aboard it were several HRDs and one organic. Enyo Typhos was quiet and stoic when the transport ship made its approach. Outwardly, she looked just as stoic as the death machines accompanying. But deep inside, she was less calm. Only a few days had passed since her quest on Nar Shaddaa. A mission on which she'd impersonated her 'sister'. Siobhan Kerrigan. Physically, Enyo was her mirror's spitting image, though she lacked her scars. Of course, if you read her aura you would see past appearances and their mannerisms were completely different.


She yearned to pull her mirror from from her pedestal and crush her and her delusions of being a demigoddess, but she had a long way to go. Nar Shaddaa had shown her the power of her rage...if she could control it. This was something the young clone still needed to learn. Truly, the clone still knew very little of the outside world, for she'd been raised in a sterile Archangel lab. Her every step had been monitored by her mechanical caretakers, who never let her out of their sight for long, though she was grateful to them for saving her from a terrible fate. She pushed these thoughts away from her mind as she focused on their task, running through a weapons' and ammo check in the few moments before the transport landed.

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Location: Over Thakwaa
Allies: First Order
Enemies: Thakwaa natives
Post: 8/20

"Once on Lanteeb, buy as many hookahs as we can get: we will bill it to the First Order. But we have a very short amount of time to do so: we have one hour or two to buy these hookahs"

"Pre-flight sequence complete, captain"

"Lightspeed to Lanteeb!"

"How can we explain to the First Order that we 1) left for Lanteeb in the middle of a battle and 2) shopping on Lanteeb"

"Procurement of supplies that are used for subjugating local populations. We have to return to Thakwaash once the supplies arrive, or else!"

Stormtroopers were not used to speed shopping, but that was precisely what they were sentback to Lanteeb for. For what they knew, hookahs were just sitting in a warehouse somewhere in the spaceport, unsold, so that might prove to be the salvation of whoever manufactured those hookahs, unless the manufacturer already went under. But resupply missions were often risky from a troop count standpoint because they always carried the risk of desertion. They will probably buy as many hookahs in the spaceside zone of the spaceport as they can get but the short amount of time allotted will not allow them to venture outside the spaceside zone, due to security checks upon leaving and re-entering the spaceside zone. And the lineup at security check can be pretty long at times, especially in the dead of night.

 

[Darth Veles]

[2/20]​

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

[SIZE=9pt]Sharp, loud. The ship’s computer screamed through the internal speakers and alerted him Your Deathbed’s emergence out of hyperspace was imminent. Out of his hands went the infamous book, finding rest in the table’s drawer like some shameful secret to be hidden away in darkness. The amphibian himself slowly limped into the cockpit with a tap click tap, a strange rhythm dominated by the sound of his cane periodically kissing the metal floors. Once engaged, the sleek vessel’s stealth systems covered his approach to Thakwaa. This would be his first date with this particular Imperial group, also the first opportunity to witness the famous efficiency in action. How better to judge their abilities than to see their takeover of a planet?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Needless to say, the Mon Calamari did not like the lush green orb’s natives, having done his research before setting course to Thakwaa, a truly beautiful place that would make a fine jewel in the First Order’s crown if not for the Thakwaash flaw. The troubling matter with their multiple personalities immediately rang an alarm bell in Veles’ head, dangerously reminding him of the numerous Sith he had worked with in the past. And one female Sith in particular. Unpredictable. Unable to see reason. Preferring chaos over order. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Impossible to control.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]"You f*cking insane queen," [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]the Sith swore absent-mindedly, another surge of hatred washing over his body and clashing with self-control. It was extremely uncommon for him to use such words, but frustration had its way of making people go against their better judgement.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Those maniacs have been nothing but liabilities. Possibly the main reason Veles had decided to search for a student outside of the current Sith organisations, given that finding a solid apprentice among the Sith presented the same likelihood as finding diamonds in Coruscant’s sewers. In fact, the Thakwaash promised to be the same, annoyingly painful complications craving for attention. Maybe not literally insane, but definitely strongly leaning towards being problems for the First Order’s efforts rather than useful assets. And that simply would not do! What cannot be controlled has to be destroyed – not before exhausting several less drastic measures though. Veles might have been a Sith, one wily and slippery bastard, but far from insane. Or so he firmly believed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Obey and reap the benefits or die. A surprisingly simple cure, yet fully capable of teaching all the personalities of an average Thakwaash to fall in line. For this very reason, a very large crate shied away in Your Deathbed’s cargo bay, collecting dust and eagerly awaiting first customers. A sworn enemy of all rebellions, ready to be gifted to Avreet’s new allies. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]First he’d see if his new friends had any plan of dealing with the natives before suggesting his own solution though. These things… these things took time. He wasn’t an official part of the First Order yet either, merely an observer. As the cloaked ship speared the atmosphere and passed over to a suitable landing spot, touching the still ground, Veles hummed one of the many catchy melodies coming from long-dead composers from more civilized times. Not a single thought about meeting some old friends had crossed his mind as his booted feet purposely marched down the ramp – as well as decisive marching goes when one walks with a limp, anyway. Unknown to him, the galaxy was once again willing to prove to be a very small place.[/SIZE]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Darth Veles"]
(2)


The dropship gracefully descended upon the ground and came to a halt, throwing up dust and smoke into the air along the way. The landing ramp was lowered with a hiss and the group of HRDs fanned out. They moved like a well-oiled machine, securing the LZ with e-webs and other heavy weapons. Further transports would be arriving in time, but for the time being it was up to the vanguard to scout out the area and make the initial move.


Enyo was one of the first out of the ship. Perhaps this was one trait she shared with her mirror. Indeed, they were probably similar in many ways, though both of would reject such a comparison. For one, both of them were firmly convinced that they were on the side of right and seldom stopped to pause and reflect. Self-righteousness was a characteristic of someone who led others to their deaths.


Bolter firmly held in her grasp, she gazed across the landscape of the lush green planet. It was unfortunate that the aliens inhabiting it were so...unpredictable. Moira Skaldi had briefed her about them. The natives' multiple personalities made them impossible to control and disorderly. Enyo could not quite understand how a being could exist with such a...fractured, chaotic mind. She could not quite resist the conclusion that decimation might be a mercy for them. This probably said a lot about the clone and the twisted form of morality Archangel had taught her!


"Secure the LZ and deploy the Wasps for recon. I want them to scout for enemy positions and settlements," Enyo spoke softly. The Stecher Wasp Drones were tiny mechanical scouts that due to their small size were ideal for reconnaissance. Alternatively, they could be equipped with a stinger and inject targets with a powerful toxin or sedative. For now, Archangel would use them to gather information, since intelligence indicated a xenos settlement was nearby. Ideally, some Thakwaa could be captured for experimentation. Beyond that, they had more militant options to subjugate the natives. Hence battle droids and other fun toys.


"Wasps are being deployed. We have a live connection to them," one of the HRDs said dispassionately. She went by the name of Vess and was a statuesque blonde kitted out full combat gear. She was there to make sure that the clone did not get herself killed, since she was a valuable investment. "Is something wrong, Enyo?" she asked in a softer, more humane tone when she noticed the human was distracted.


"No, but I sense a presence nearby. It is very faint, but I feel it's a Force-user," she said thoughtfully. Little did she know that it was a certain Mon Cal who was acquainted with her mirror since the Battle of Contruum. Perhaps this was a sign that the Cosmos had a sense of humour.

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Location: AT-AT barge, over Lanteeb
Allies: First Order
Enemies: N/A
Post: 9/20

"Remember, once we arrive, you will buy as many hookahs as we can get without getting through the security checkpoints! We only have until the damotite is loaded"

"Roger" a stormtrooper told Dunames.

"Sable 12, cleared to land, docking bay 125" the traffic controller with callsign Lantibba Approach told Dunames on the comm.

"Roger, Lantibba Approach"

A frantic operation of speed shopping awaited the stormtroopers. While Dunames stayed near the AT-AT barge to oversee the loading of the damotite, with the damotite being loaded in sixty containers to the tune of one every fifteen seconds using sled droids designed for containerized payloads, time is short for the stormtroopers. They effectively purchased any and all hookahs they could get their hands on, using the carts to move around the planet's main spaceport as if they were looking for an enemy agent in the spaceport: they were simply in a shopping frenzy as ordered by their commanding officer. As a mercenary ensign, the lowest rank at which mercenary pilots could be hired, she outranked all the stormtroopers assigned to guard over the ship during that resupply mission: not trained to shop, they simply used military credit cards, fully loading them since they were to be used for a military mission. Upon returning to the AT-AT barge, the eight stormtroopers return with their carts full of hookahs, alongside bills for said hookahs, and she was handed the invoice for the damotite, as ordered by the commanding officer of the Dementor.

"Give me the bills, soldiers: I have one common reimbursement claim to make for Logistical Command to process: if they deny the claim, I will pay the entire thing from my own pocket since we bought these under orders"

"Commander, we bought for over 70,000 credits of hookahs: I hope the Thakwaash will actually get their drugs done right"

"I hope this mission is worth it, commander, it's almost as bad as sanitation duty"

Dunames was looking at a million credits for this sortie on Lanteeb, with fuel, landing fees, damotite and hookahs in the claim she is about to make to Logistical Command. And back to Thakwaa they go. For 70,000 credits, the soldiers obtained nearly 200 hookahs, which they had to keep in their own quarters while 99-5-FM is returning inside the spaceport terminal picking up their TKFC order for a bucket of 18 chicken pieces, alongside with two family-sized fries and a case of beer, to be eaten on their return flight to Thakwaa. Once they are herded back on their ship, the stormtroopers and the pilot of the AT-AT barge hastily initiate takeoff sequence for their flight back, even though the stormtroopers are more interested in eating than they are in the preflight checklist. But who were they to actually run such things? They left Dunames to execute the pre-flight sequence on her own. They ate in the crew quarters while Dunames was alone in the cockpit, left with two pieces of chicken, a share of fries and two bottles of beer. But because this was the graveyard shift at the Bant'ena Fhernan Starport, serving Lantibba City, the one controller Dunames calls Lantibba Approach is the only one on duty to handle the whole thing: departures and arrivals, as well as clearance delivery, taxi.

"Lantibba Approach, this is Sable 12, requesting clearance for departure to Thakwaa"

"Sable 12, you're cleared for departure to Thakwaa"

 

[Darth Veles]

[3/20]​

​

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

[SIZE=9pt]Sneaking through the vegetation was out of the question. The Sith Lord's crippling injury permanently reminding him of his last battle did not allow for that, thus the Sith Lord casually strolled through the forest that gracefully enveloped him - after bending light around himself and vanishing, that is. Without the ability to do that... Avreet rather did not think about the possibility and focused on the task at hand. Hiding his presence in the Force while simultaneously reaching out with his senses to feel nearby sentients, using great care not to reveal himself to the possible trained Force user or two, the Mon Cal Sith soon caught a faint presence nearby. Knights of Ren, possibly? Their signature appeared positively Dark-sided, confirming Corvus‘ words and further supporting the possibility of Ren. Excitement and simple curiosity led his steps towards this disturbance, only to stop abruptly, standing still. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Once again, the amphibian’s cybernetic enhancements proved their superiority over flesh. It sounded like a soft buzz at first, yet this noise that would easily get lost among the natural ambience possessed a metallic quality to it. Enhanced sense of hearing worked in conjunction with the prosthetic eye, swiftly turning in the right direction and identifying a small insect as the source of the disturbing noise. One zoom in – such a useful feature to have, really – and Veles recognized the little spy’s robotic nature. Hopefully it did not see him, whoever its masters were; hopefully it could not see him, wearing the cloak of invisibility he had mastered over the years as a Sith. Only after the drone moved away Veles dared to move, this time improving the little trick by completely silencing all noise produced by his footsteps and breathing, as well as the cane’s rhythmical clicks that played when its tip his a rock half-buried in the ground. Despite the discovery of the tiny droid, his direction witnessed no change, still moving towards the disturbance. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Instead of spying on the infamous white armour worn by stormtroopers, the Sith Lord’s gaze fell upon the group. One of them seemed all too familiar. His leg provided a sudden ache as if offering agreement. Contruum. He had faced this woman, or someone very similar to her. The memory was not a pleasant one, although his defeat led to meeting Lasedri in person. As for the others, Veles did not identify any, yet the suspicious lack of equipment seen on ordinary First Order’s soldiers crossed out that particular option. They all appeared human or near-human, too, which strongly played against them being with the native species. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Scanning them with the cybernetic eye of his more closely brought about the revelation – their weapons, gunship, advanced equipment, the way they moved – Veles had the pleasure of meeting the Archangel’s high quality products once more. Wonderful, truly. Veles let out a hearty laugh, muffled by his powers to the point it never existed in the first place.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]The easiest way to find out their purpose was to ask.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]His form nonchalantly materialized right in front of them, calmly leaning against the cane, one hand concealed under the heavy cloak draped around his body.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]“That is a very impressive group you have, Dark Jedi,” the Sith stated in a unique combination of smooth yet flat delivery, merely noticeable grin passing crossing over his features as amber eyes focused on his old ‘friend’, “We haven’t been properly introduced yet. Please, call me Avreet.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]He remembered her trigger-happy reaction from Contruum and stood ready this time in case she let guns do the talking again.[/SIZE]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Darth Veles"]
(3)

And so the Mon Cal Sith Lord had a long overdue reunion with Lady Siobhan Kerrigan...except it was not really her! Physically she was her spitting image, though Enyo's hair was brunette as opposed to red since she did not dye it. She had no time for such vanity. Her stance was more rigid and her face expressionless. Moreover, her Force aura was a lot less powerful. Siobhan was power. To stare into her aura was like perceiving a white hot reactor. Enyo was not like that. What her aura showed was potential.


The clone had felt that something was amiss. However, it had been a sixth sense, nothing precise. She was not a Master of the Force, so she had obviously been unable to see through Veles' bent light illusion. HRDs levelled their weapons at the intruder when he suddenly manifested. Bolters were nasty weapons, as he'd himself learned on Contruum. A purely electronic transmission passed from Unit Vess to the other droids and they held their fire.


"I don't like being snuck up on," Enyo said bluntly. Well, bluntness seemed to be a trait both original and clone shared. Her hand had been on her bolter, but a look passed between her and Vess and she lowered it, though it was ready to be raised. The brunette seemed on edge, but not immediately hostile, more curious.


"And I've never been a Jedi." She was perhaps interpreting him greeting her as a Dark Jedi a bit too literally. She cocked her head slightly. It was a tick she'd picked up from Moira Skaldi, alias Nalia Alderana. "We haven't met, but Director Alderana mentioned you. I am Enyo Typhos. Are you here on business with the First Order?" Last time Avreet had done business with Archangel, he'd been one of the leaders of the Black Rose. That rather bizarre Sith cult had since gone under after turning its capital's population into Sithspawn for no logical reason.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Post 10/20
Allies: First Order
Enemies: Thakwaash
Secret Rendezvous Partner: [member="Ashmedai"]

Natasi appeared at the base of the ramp after the other ship landed, and she strode alone out to meet [member="Ashmedai"]. She was unarmed, of course, but also unescorted -- if you didn't count the division of stormtroopers forming a perimeter and a flight of TIE Fighters roaring overhead as "escorts." She approached with a smile and offered a courtly bow. "I hope you'll forgive all the security. They barely let me leave the office without a squadron these days," she said with an apologetic and self-deprecating smirk. Ever since the fall of Herevan Hold, the security of Moff Fortan had been off the charts, sometimes to the point of absurdity. She gestured towards her ship. "Would you like to come aboard? We can play by standard diplomats' rules. But if you prefer, we can have a table set-up out here in the clearing."

Once the details were settled, the Moff studied the man she once knew as Cameron Centurion. "Well it's certainly been a long time," Natasi said after a few moments. "I was very surprised to see you -- pleased, of course, but surprised. Should I be concerned about meeting you? Was there anything in your departure that might make you a persona non-grata with the Supreme Leader?" She wasn't aware of everything, but the Moff was still getting her history lessons straight after returning following the inquiry. "Not that that will have an impact on our discussion here -- galactic politics often makes strange bedfellows, I find."

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Post 6/20
[member="Natasi Fortan"]

Silver-green eyes lingered over the uniformed appearance of the Moff as she approached. Respectfully, the Sith Lord returned the extended courtesy with a bow of his own. As Natasi launched into an explanation for all of the security, Cameron allowed his thin smile to broaden ever so slightly. In all honesty, he hadn't kept up with the precise affairs happening in Natasi's life. He did recall a brief absence during his time with the First Order, but his duties had kept him sufficiently focused on the affairs of the Order of Ren.

"Would you like to come aboard? We can play by standard diplomats' rules. But if you prefer, we can have a table set-up out here in the clearing."

The Sith Lord stepped forward as he raised his right hand slightly as if to suggest there was no real option. "You know our interactions are best saved for privacy." Cameron was fully aware that being onboard her vessel did not necessarily mean private. Once they'd settled, Cameron took a moment to answer Natasi's query. "Too long indeed...but alas I am an enigma to most everyone I've ever interacted with in my past." The Sith Lord paused for a moment, considering the most accurate way to address the lingering concern that Moff Fortan had raised. "I doubt he would have true cause to take exception to our meeting." Sieger Ren... Cameron had met him and was somewhat less than impressed. Sure, the man had built the First Order out of effectively nothing and that was admirable. However, he felt the man's approach to administering the rapidly growing government left a little to be desired.

By that same token, he was not a member of the Supreme Leader's inner circle. There was no trust truly extended between them and, as a result, no actual love lost. "I should tell you. I do not technically have the authority to negotiate on behalf of the Sith Triumvirate at this precise point. The Triumvirs rather recently passed into the void of the Force during the defense of Ruusan. The Sith Triumvirate, however, was successful. Myself and a few others have worked...rather aggressively to block the typical culture of Sith fighting for power among them. A democratic process is underway, you could say."

Were this meeting being taken with someone he did not trust, Cameron naturally would not have said so much...even if all he had said was quite public by now.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Post 11/20

Natasi settled in for the talk, looking across at [member="Ashmedai"]. When he had explained the situation, the Moff favored him with a good-natured smile of warning. "Oh, it is very well and good to give people their democracy, if you can get away with it. For my part, I'd rather they didn't get any ideas about choosing what they want -- not until we've told them what that is they actually, anyway," she added with a smirk before turning her attention to the matter at hand. "If you can combat or control the ambitious nature of the Sith, well, I applaud your success, truly. The havoc wrought in an unstable society -- unstable because its own leaders were tearing it apart in the pursuit of power, treating its citizens like pawns rather than people -- is the reason I left the One Sith. I thought it was... inherent in their nature," she admitted, her dark eyes studying [member="Ashmedai"] for a few moments. "But I must confess to being impressed by what the Sith Triumvirate has achieved. If it can continue without the Triumvirs..."

She lofted her eyebrows and looked away for a moment, the rest of the sentence left unsaid.

"Our two governments seem like they would be a natural fit as far as an common ideology would go," Natasi offered, her dark eyes probing the Triumvirate's unofficial envoy for a reaction.

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Location: AT-AT barge, over Thakwaa
Allies: First Order
Enemies: N/A
Post: 10/20

"Lightspeed to Thakwaa!" Dunames shouted into the cockpit once the takeoff sequence was completed.

Once the jump to hyperspace was initiated, Dunames could join the stormtrooper detail in their meal in the main crew lounge. 94-3-FM was joined by TZ-634 while their commander, Sergeant 99-5-FM, sorted the contents of the bucket of fried chicken ordered on Lanteeb while 94-3-FM prepared the beer bottles, and Dunames brought her portion while the ship is on autopilot. But without Merrily to take over the controls while she is away from the cockpit, or a RX-series pilot droid, Dunames feels uneasy, even though she regularly flew AT-AT barges while in business. In fact, Star Tours is one of the few civilian operators of AT-AT barges: Bespin Direct serves their Coruscant flights with Kamek-class modified AT-AT barges, using a similar configuration to Star Tours', also with 525 passengers in a 60/465 split between first-class and economy-class. As their communal meal begins, they begin to ask all kinds of questions about ordnance and damotite, as well as why they were sent to buy hookahs in the first place.

"Tell me, commander, how you found out that the Thakwaash could use damotite as an inhaled drug" 94-3-FM asked.

"Yeah, I don't quite understand why we were made to shop for hookahs or sent us back for more damotite" TZ-634 asked after 94-3-FM did.

"I just dropped the first heavy Tearstunner in an operational setting, which had a damotite payload: it exploded, and the only way they could consume it in the first place, after one such bomb exploded, would be as an inhaled drug. They appeared to be suffering from the effects of drug withdrawal when I came back"

"Heavy Tearstunners?" 99-5-FM asked, dazed and confused.

"Try to fit a 4-meter proton bomb casing underneath a TIE fighter; that's what a heavy Tearstunner is: a heavy proton bomb outfitted for crowd control. Other bombers dropped medium and heavy proton bombs instead: standard proton bombs are deemed light under this scheme"

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Post 7/20
[member="Natasi Fortan"]

Cameron permitted himself a soft laugh at Natasi's...take on democracy. In truth, democracy was the most terrible of government systems. In all his years, the Sith Lord had yet to see any society with the requisite make-up of intelligent, level-headed people capable of collecting governing themselves. Sure...in the beginning, the ideal candidates were always chosen because they were typically known, heavily involved in the construction of said society. Over time, however, the well of candidates became diluted by lethargic individuals that either lucked or bought their way into a relative position of power. It became about who could produce the greatest celebrity status rather than who was the best leader.

The conversation eventually shifted to the nature of the Sith. It was a funny thing really...until Dark Jedi were introduced into the scheme of things, the Sith as a species co-existed quite peacefully, powerful in their own right. Ajunta Pall and his ilk had simply created and then fostered an environment wherein the most powerful among them had most if not all of the control. Since those days, the philosophy had never really worked. Cameron wasn't even totally convinced that it could work this time around. For the time being, however, the Sith Lord was resolved to control what he could. "Leaders will rise and fall just as sure as the sun. It's the core identity of a group and its ideals that must stand the sands of time. The Triumvirs will be replaced and undoubtedly not for the first time. I expect the Sith membership of the Triumvirate to have made its selections in due time."

Clasping his hands in his lap, the Sith Lord straightened ever so slightly. "As for a...relationship between our two respective factions, I must agree that we do seem to be natural allies. It is a belief upheld by not just myself, by the way. I wonder if the remainder of your government might feel as you?"

 

[Coffeeccubus]

Location: In Thakwaa's Sky
Allies: The First Order
Enemies: Thakwaash savage scum
Post: 2/20

Charlotte begun to fly into the general vicinity of the planet, entering it's atmosphere. She slowly begun to drive her ship and slowly begun to lower it where she emerged from a spot in the Thakwaash planet due to it running low on fuel. She begun to speak into the intercom but that was no good, as it just made static. "Forward Command, come in." she said as she waited. But only static emerged. She shook her head and begun to slowly make a rough landing on the planet. With her saber ready to emerge just incase if she gets attacked by hostile Thakwaash, she had her hand close to her saber. When it was time, she quickly jumped out and ignited her saber. The red crimson blade of her saber was prepared to cut down anyone whom would try to attack her. When she saw a few Thakwaash, she held out her hand and force pushed them, though it was not as strong as she used to remember it. She remembered to, that she was not only here to help the first order, but to help herself, and try to get her Witch power back. She forgot how to use much aspects of the force, and she just needs a teacher once more. However, not all of it, for she knew how to fight with a saber, especially with Form I and II. She could fend for herself, but eventually, she would need help from someone. She swung her red saber at the enemies until they were dead, and begun to take the long road back to base, hoping some TIE-fighter or someone notices her and helps her back to base.

 

[Davin Jusik]

Post 4/20 (Blaze it$$$$$)
Location: Newly Cleared LZ
Objective Alpha
Allies: [member="Dunames Lopez"] [member="OK-3103"] [member="Fenix la Fortune"] [member="Tanomas Graf"]
Enemies: Terminated
https://youtu.be/eHJ7An2CMB4

As the troopers began to set up a perimeter defense at the edge of the now cleared field, Amin moved between them, checking on his men personally instead of through coms. Alien blood was smeared partially over a good portion of the troops armor. Pretty much everyone who had a bayonet. That little portion they tended to leave out of Recruiting Propaganda Galaxy wide, regardless of whose allegiance the departments held. Turned out the truth about guts in warfare wasn't appealing to every starry eyed recruit who waltzed into an office. Filled with the naivety and inviciblility of the ignorant youth.

Luckily no one had been wounded in this engagement. A few Privates were shaken and had suddenly realized the hard truth of combat, but no physical damage. The com rattled as a light wind drove it's way across the plains, taking some of the smell of smoke and blood with it. Command incoming.

Amin located his smoke grenades from his kit and found an appropriate spot to toss them. [member="Adalric Vastor"] would see it on entry. The Platoon Leader waited patiently for [member="Ludolf Vaas"] 's arrival. The General would want a rundown and from what Amin had heard, would definitely want in on the fight as they pushed towards the Native city a couple klicks off.

 

[Darth Veles]

[4/20]​

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

Her comment about Jedi cast a wide smile on the Sith Lord’s face, followed by him breaking the eye contact and gazing around as if his eyes held some information he intended to keep secret. At least the woman had a name now – but what interest did the Archangel have in this planet? Why lie about never meeting him? The Dark Jedi had just enough forces under her command to cause substantial trouble to anyone standing in her way, their exact purpose and intentions still shrouded in mystery. Immediately after Enyo presented him with a question, the Sith Lord’s head turned back to face her, wearing a much calmer expression now.

“Pleasure to meet you, miss. Please, give the director my best regards,” he said with a courtly nod, raising his voice slightly to feign its importance, “I hope she is doing well.”

Without waiting for a reply to the rhetorical pleasantries, the Sith continued, the other hand finally slipping from under the cloak and joining the other in wielding the cane supporting the Sith Lord’s stability. He was awfully unconcerned for a man standing surrounded by deadly droid forces.

“I am here to learn more about the First Order and Knights of Ren. Purely out of my academic interest as a Sith, truly. The various philosophies of different sects resolving around the Force are quite fascinating – and collecting all that knowledge is an adventure of its own. What kind of Sith would ever pass up the opportunity to learn more about the Force and gain more power? I can only think of the One Sith. They must be particularly wise and powerful if they reject knowledge with such ferocity.”

The smug poison seeping into his words mysteriously vanished along with his grin when the Mon Cal slowly cut his distance from Enyo with a characteristic hobble. Now he stood close enough to strike had he wanted to, yet nothing from his posture indicated such act to happen in the foreseeable future. Again, both of his hands rested on the walking cane, safe from the temptation of going for a weapon. Only the whiskers on his chin quivered as he spoke again in that smooth voice of his.

“And what might your mission here be, lady Typhos? Your force seems to be very well-equipped.” Veles questioned carefully, arrogance dripping from his little joke about the 0S replaced with humility and overall calmness that reflected the strangely quiet nature around them. The calm before the storm.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

(4)
[member="Darth Veles"]


A deeper scan of Enyo's aura would probably indicate that she was...very different from the beskar-armoured berseker Veles had encountered on Contruum. The disparity in power was probably a giveaway, too. Kerrigan radiated confidence and power, Enyo was still finding her way.


"The One Sith are on the way out and rightly so. They were truly wise to bend a knee to their 'omnipotent' Dark Lord and consort with Vong brutes." There was a note of disdain in her tone. Archangel had taught her to have a low opinion of this particular Sith cult. "Their only value right now is keeping the sanctimonious Jedi occupied while others build," she cocked her head slightly, as if pondering how much to reveal to the Sith.


"Archangel's here to assist with the subjugation of the natives. I've heard they're a troublesome lot. Multiple personalities. Chaotic, volatile: It reminds me of many Force-users on both sides of the spectrum, though their abilities are interesting. I'd like to capture a few and study them beforehand though to see whether they can be pacified and controlled. That strikes me as better than just charging in guns blazing and slaughtering all."


Archangel had taught her how to kill, but only when needed. She looked towards the horizon, then back at the Mon Cal. It had not escaped her attention that the amphibian was acting as if he knew her. This was actually true in a manner of speaking. "You and I haven't met...but I believe you know my sister." Her voice dripped with venom.