Diplomacy Ira in Patrem || CIS & EE

[Ascendant Muse]

RIFLOR - NEUTRAL SPACE

Blood.

The Galaxy was home to trillions of tongues - yet violence was the universal constant. It mattered not if it were the mightiest of nations, or two men with spears, the cosmos would find reasons to find. Whether it be avarice or vengeance, religion or politics, strife was the foundation upon which the Galaxy was built. Violence seeming flowed through every vein. And on this day, two entities were seeking answers for the swords drawn between them.

In the beginning, the Eternal Empire was shrouded. A calamity had befallen an old regime, one fashioned under an ancient eye. The survivors of this plight fled across the stars and found a new home within the embrace of the Southern Systems. The reigning Confederacy welcomed the then-Republic with open arms. For a time, the Shrouded Republic had settled peacefully upon Nelvaan. Its people reorganizing as an everlasting Empire within the cradle of democracy. Then, when it seemed that nothing could come between the nations, the bloody day of Kuat occurred.

When the dust had settled and the truth finally squeezed out of a surviving agent, the South found that their trust had been betrayed. They had been used as an instrument of vengeance by the Eternal Empire in their feud against the New Republic. And during the fighting, their very own Exarch had been the target of an assassination attempt by Eternal hands. Though she survived, the scars yet linger to this day. The shattered trust yet lingers to this day.

When the Confederacy turned to hold Nelvaan accountable, they found a world abandoned. The Eternal Empire had fled into the Unknown, laying down roots in the shadows. And with the Galaxy quickly erupting into Chaos, the southern systems could not spare the manpower to make them answer for their sins. Thus, the Eternals were able to flourish. Thus, they began to spill more blood.

Whilst the Southern Systems addressed the plights afflicting their people, the whispers of Eternal cruelty reached them. They heard of Bakura's extermination. They reeled when the Vicelord's own daughter was murdered by the Empress herself. Time and again, the regime indulged in the universal constant. Today there would be an answer.

In a surprising turn of events, the Eternals had reached out - extending an olive branch towards the Southern Systems. They made it known that there was a desire to speak, face-to-face, and to address the rivers of blood betwixt them. The Riflor system had been chosen as the neutral zone - and on the appointed day, Confederate vessels began to revert into realspace. Spearheaded by the CNS Dread Queen and the CNS Storm King, the Southern delegation was quite literally an armada. For all trust had been broken. But all vessels would stay their blades - at least until the talks had concluded.

On the designated hour, a corvette provided by the local planet flew into place. The Southern delegation sent forth a shuttle escorted by starfighters. Who and what the Eternals would send remained to be seen.​

Hester Shedo | Srina Talon | John Locke | Kiff Brayde | Gerwald Lechner | Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Ingrid L'lerim​

 

[Darth Metus]

Wearing: Executive Formal Wear​

RIFLOR - INBOUND TO CORVETTE

On Kuat, he had given everything.

When the blast occurred, he could feel her life slipping away. He had been sitting within the command throne of the Dread Queen, looking from on high as his apprentice worked below. She had descended to the surface to prevent the escalation of violence - to see reason brought to the New Republic world. Yet, the machinations of their western neighbors saw an attempt on their life. And they had all but succeeded. In that instant, nothing else mattered save safeguarding her life. The Sith gave all he had to do so - feeding her from the very chalice of life that sustained him. She survived, yet he was bereft. Cold.

That was the day that his mate, Darth Elyria , saved him from the jaws of death.

But his one life was not enough to save two. And unbeknowest to him, the woman he loved as his own daughter lost an unborn gift. It was a pain that no parent should ever have to endure - knowing that their child had died. And though this one had not yet seen the light of day, it was agony nonetheless. Isley had wanted to bring devastation on that day, but his hand was stayed by the will of the Viceroyalty.

And stayed yet again when his daughter was ran through by the Empress' hand.

Twice now, Isley's House had suffered losses by Eternal hands. Twice now, his blades had been bound by the will of trillions. Even now, engaging this adversary would incur the wrath of those that entrusted him with steering their democracy. Thus, with a thunderous glare in his eyes, the Vicelord arose from the Dread Queen's throne. The time had come to see what their neighbor had to say for these crimes. The future was wholly uncertain. But what was? Isley would take every precaution.

"As we had discussed." he breathed, addressing those gathered on the bridge. "We do not know if this is a trap or a genuine effort. We will assume the former and hope for the latter."

"Exarch Locke, you will tarry about the Queen and join us remotely. Minister Brayde, keep all vessels alert and ready." He motioned towards John Locke who was standing adjacent to him, and to Kiff Brayde whose visage was digitally present on the bridge's screen. "Myself, Exarch Talon, Minister Shedo, and the Lord Commander will meet with the Eternal delegation. If we perish by some stroke of treachery - leave none standing." His nostrils flared as a solemn exhale left him.

And in short order, he descended into the shuttle. Silence ruled him as the vessel advanced through the black of space and towards the neutral ground. Yet wrath would burn within his sulfuric gaze.

Hester Shedo | Srina Talon | John Locke | Kiff Brayde | Gerwald Lechner | Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Ingrid L'lerim​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Riflor, Neutral Space
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | G1 OmniLink | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland
CIS: Darth Metus | Hester Shedo | Srina Talon | John Locke | Kiff Brayde | Gerwald Lechner
EE: Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Frank Sterling

[ Just inside my head… ] ​

Ingrid was born in the CIS area, on Nelvaan (i.e. a warship around the planet), her people and family lived in this world for millennia, serving the CIS as well as the clans. Until the Shrouded Empire arrived and became an Eternal Empire. Even then, she was only a CIS agent.. She was there with Kuat working under her own Handler. At that time she was not yet part of politics, she was not a Force User, only a member of one of Nelvaan's noble houses and the wife of the Monarch of Christophsis in secret, her husband was the ruler. But by now both of them left the CIS, and Tubrok was the Overlord of the Eternal Empire.

Since then, as if several lives had passed, the Eternal Empire had left the CIS, she too. The sleeping Force Sensitivity awoke, by now she was the Empress of the Eternal Empire and too much had happened. However, one thing was unchanged, they had not spoken to the CIS since they left their territory. There are many stories about what the former emperor did on Bakura or Orellon II. Ever since Ingrid had been on the throne, she had taken special care of the PR and tried to fix diplomatic troubles so that both the emperor's name and the Empire remained impeccable. For example she rebuilt Bakura.

The woman was interested in the welfare of the Eternal Empire and its people. The war didn’t want to stop, the Bryn’adûl threat grew, there was the Bastion Protocol, it was time to meet again. The woman has now returned from the captivity of the GA and NIO, not even waiting too long to organize this meeting in a neutral area.

The Empress was never the one to boast of her power or ranks - she didn't like them -, so they arrived only with an average ship, the Crimson Empress. She, as always, wore a uniform and military coat without coats of arms and insignia, her hair in the usual way, in two buns, tied together at the back. Ingrid's life was changed not by Kuat but by Dantooine when Runi killed her husband, Adrian Vandiir. She had suffered the same since then, everything had hurt the same, but she had learned to suppress it, she could no longer see it. But it hurt the same way, the lack of the Force bond had not started to heal yet.

They came today to settle their relationships, they couldn’t afford the luxury of not doing so, they had to strive for that. Only Aura Vexx was an official diplomat with the woman, Ivixa and Frank were more likely to be present as security people, but they could also have a say in the negotiation if they wanted to.

She didn’t know what to expect, but if their opponents were hostile, they would give their lives costly. A dropship took the company down to the surface of the planet. Upon arrival, if the CIS was there, she greeted them with a nod. She did not bring soldiers and bodyguards, nor did she allow the others to do so. There were only four of them.

"Vicelord, Exarch Talon, Minister Shedo, Lord Commander, welcome! If all is true the locals are already waiting for us in a prepared meeting room. If you are ready, we can go!" she said in her always cold, military voice, pointing her hand at the nearby building.

 

[Frank Sterling]

equipment: Custom Gen 2 armor with Hades corp, EE, and CIS dauntless patches, D16 slugthrower with mag harness

Frank would double check his gear on the dropship ride down. Honestly he was a bit nervous it had been years since he was back in this framilure territory he remembered it foudly it felt like it was just yesterday he joined the CIS and worked his way up to be one of their Dauntless special forces units. Though with his agents in Hades corps he was aware that Dauntless was no longer a branch in this military anymore. He had hoped that showing up in his old Gen 2 armor with sharkface helmet visor would help if anything to show the CIS that a framilure face was present in the party of four, But once they landed it would be up to the actions of their group as a whole to see this situation play out properly in their favor.

After the losses taken on Dantoeen frank would have been lucky to go home and recover but due to his injuries sustained taking back the planetary defense guns it looked more like his fate was more reserved for a body bag. In truth if he didnt take the now hunted Ty Sibos offer to join hades corp that would have been his fate. “Well my lord, Hope this all goes according to plan CIS Are known for their long memories on the Eternal Empires previous deeds.” Frank added with similar cold, military voice.

Stepping off the shuttle he would remain 5 meters apart from each member of the group mostly due to his military training dictating not to bunch up more than anything else. If someone were to tell him in 5 years hed be leading a mercenary company and doing diplomacy he would have laughed in their face now hes more or less stressing if he was ready for this sort of thing.

A Jarhead isn't meant for diplomacy Frank thought in the back of his mind

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(edited)

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

S E D I T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solis
TAG: Darth Metus | Srina Talon | John Locke | Hester Shedo | Kiff Brayde | Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Ingrid L'lerim

The CNS Asajj Ventress dropped into the Riflor system just behind The Dread Queen and The Storm King. It was rare the Lord Commander was invited on a diplomatic venture as a voice around the table and not the security detail. To say he was a little nervous about whether he would live up to the expectations this particular role placed on him. His last foray into diplomacy had not ended well on his part. It led to lessons on etiquette, ones he did not wish to repeat. Gerwald was a warrior, not a man of refinement and poise. Everything about him betrayed the hard life he had lived, and the beast which always seemed ready to break free at a moment’s notice.

Gerwald was a wolf, one which did not forget.

The Eternal Empire had reached out to the Confederacy to discuss the history between their nations. Gerwald was as distrusting of the Eternal Empire as he was of the Sith Empire. They were all the same truly. The Eternal Empire, Sith Empire, New Imperial Order, all of them stood for the same things in the end. Their actions had seen many worlds laid to waste, and for what, their own version of what they believed to be morally superior. The lupine supposed the same could be said of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Maybe the only difference was he believed in what they did. After all, they had liberated his world from the Dark Ones and helped bring reform to a system which treated others as less than.

Empires would rise and fall, but the Eternal Empire was one which had gone largely uncontested. Rumor had it they wanted to see the force eradicated, yet there were many among them which used the force themselves. Gerwald could not understand such logic, if it were true. Yet, they were not there to start an intergalactic incident. Though, with the tragedies which had befallen the Confederacy at the hands of the Eternal Empire, Gerwald would not be surprised if Metus chose war. The wolf would not blame him if he did.

It was a small chime which brought Gerwald out of his thoughts. A missive from the one who had lost the most at the hands of the Eternal Empire. Srina Talon had lost the life of her unborn child. Gerwald was not a parent, but he could not imagine such a loss. By his nature, Gerwald was creature of family, it was everything to him. Losing a child, or any of his family, was unfathomable. How the Dread Queen managed to keep from burning down half the galaxy in search of the one responsible for the loss he would never know. The wolf grinned as the ever watchful Exarch always seemed to know when he second guessed himself. A sigh escaped his lips as he clutched the ring around his neck. This would have been easier with her at his side. Naedira was better with words than he was. Palm was better with words as well. Yet neither were accompanying him this time. The only one with him on the Ventress was Oleander Webb .

The Anzat would remain behind. Someone had to man the vessel while he was away. They needed someone to command them if everything went wrong, if this was simply another trap. As was habit for the lupine, Gerwald invaded his mind.

< “If I do not come back blow them into the Nether…” >

The sound of his boots echoing through the hangar bay as the Lord Commander made his way to the personal shuttle which had been assigned to him. A complement of Magnaguard accompanied him for security, and the only weapons Gerwald would carry were the lightsabers he had constructed for himself. The pilot had been given the coordinates for the rendezvous, and within minutes the ship was launched.

His shuttle descended to the planet's surface landing next to the personal shuttle belonging to Darth Metus. Gerwald nodded toward the sable skinned Vicelord. It was rare that words passed between them. If the man chose to speak to the wolf Gerwald would welcome it, but he was wise enough to remain quiet until he was addressed. He was a soldier after all, and soldiers did not make it a habit of speaking out of turn.

Blue eyes fell on the red haired woman. Gerwald did not recall any interaction with the woman when she took up residence on Nelvaan. There would be little that would argue against her beauty, but it was not something Gerwald would allow to bring his guard down. He knew the evils of the Eternal Empire. The wolf remembered their sins. Sedition, treason, murder, these were the crimes the Empire had committed against the Confederacy, and if Tacitus was not there to answer for them, then his successor would.

“Empress,” Gerwald said as he greeted her with a nod.
​

 

[Hester Shedo]

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TAG: Darth Metus | Srina Talon | John Locke | Kiff Brayde | Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Ingrid L'lerim Gerwald Lechner




The calculated game of diplomacy was one of perpetual shift. You made your line in the sand and you worked as hard as you might to gain as much as you could above it, conceding what could be afforded and gaining what spoils one could. However, the only singular rule was that you could not cross your line, no matter what was to be gained or lost. That method was not diplomacy; it was a surrender with a nice dinner.

Hester had attended many of these dinners. There was wine, there was cordial laughter, threats of genocide and the like. If it ended well, nobody threw insults, and everybody left without threatening to lay waste to each other’s respective capitals. Hester didn’t know how this one would go.

The Eternal Empire shared a rather long border with the Confederacy and it was important to keep track of them. The Ministry of Influence was charged with such a task, amongst an array of others, and to ensure that diplomatic channels remained open at the discretion of the Viceroyalty and, perhaps more importantly, the Vicelord. She was under no illusions that her colleagues in the Ministry of War would like nothing more than to launch their considerable Navy complement into the territory and decimate the lands contained therein; after all, there was a very deep and personal history between the two factions.

She wasn’t sure how they could do it. To actually come and talk to the people who…

She was distracted. She waved her hands, the two attendants finishing up her gown. It was a long white dress, a purple trim lining the length of the neck and large sleeves revealing naked hands. She wore a band of gold in her tied back hair, red and voluminous as ever. She looked in the mirror and smiled knowingly. Her outfit was a statement piece, as ever. White for peace, purple for the Confederacy, hands bare to show she intended no malice. This might be her first outing at such a talk but certainly not her first appearance on a grand stage. Her years in the Viceroyalty, as well as the Viceroy of Scarif, had taught her much about politics and how to win a war, with both words and weapons. Today would need words.

She made her way to her shuttle, briefed continuously by her adjutant staff. They gave readouts, security details, last minute updates on affairs of state. It was her department that controlled the News reports within the CIS, it was hers that managed the diplomatic corps, the offices of the Viceroyalty. It was hers that would conduct investigations into corruption and abuses of power from within. Her enemy came from within the borders of the Confederacy itself.

The shuttle left on schedule, escorted by the relevant fighter detail towards the surface. After the journey was complete, the shuttle landed at the designated spot, a little way from the other members of the Presidium present today. It made little sense to place them all in one singular spot so a timely trap could wipe them all out in single instance. She would be collected and escorted to where the others were, as was designated protocol.

**********​

Hester stepped out of the speeder, spotting the Vicelord and the Lord Commander. Her Ministry worked closely with the Knights Obsidian. Afterall, she had investigative powers that utilised the skills and man-power of the KO. He was a man of extreme charm and an embarrassment of good looks that would make a lesser-woman swoon. She was, however, not that girl.

The Vicelord was all things to all people. He was tyrant, a benevolent custodian of democracy, a fierce warrior, a Sith Lord, a sycophant-appeaser. To her, he was simply the embodiment of what she believed in; absolute power controlling absolutely. She was a cog in the wheel of democracy and fought vehemently for the wills and needs of the people. But the Vicelord himself was willing to take the punches and make the hard calls when needed. She admired him beyond measure.



She acknowledged both, turning to take in the visage of the Empress. She was quite the something herself.

“Most August Majesty, Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire. I am pleased to meet you on this most austere of occasions.”

She deigned a minute courtesy; enough to rebuke anybody who might accuse her of a slight but certainly not enough to take any real deference from it; any taken was implied, not obvious.

She turned back to step in line with her colleague, the Lord Commander. She spoke, sotto voce.

“Lord Commander, I am so glad to see you here! I always feel much safer knowing that a man of such profound talent and astuteness is here to guide our way.”

There was some genuine warmth in what she said, though her tone was akin to that of what you might imagine a python to be, persuasive, silky and downright dangerous. There was a sensuality in all Hester said and did and diplomacy of this kind was no different. She did relent that there were at least three types of diplomacy.

A diplomacy of wills, whereby two people seek to find common ground.

Gunboat diplomacy, whereby two people seek to bury each other in common ground.

Lastly, there was this kind. The kind in which nobody quite knew what was going to happen. She smiled.

The game shifted.

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[Aura Vexx]

The Confederacy of Independent Systems was a quandary to Aura. They were at once one of the most powerful nations in the entire galaxy, and yet restrained in their actions. They were led by a Sith Lord, but maintained no dedicated cult of the kind, instead focusing on an Order of neutral users. Standard thought said that uniformity brought strength, and yet the diversity of the Confederacy seemed to do fine in that regard. They fit inside no box, but they were connected to them all. He had been trying to work out how to rationalize them during the entire flight from the Eternal Empire, yet he was no closer to finding a adequate answer. Perhaps after the meeting had concluded.

He had not spoken much to the others during the flight, instead focusing on reading as many articles and reports on the individuals they were going to meet. He was not sure entirely why the Empress had invited him along, but after seeing the rest of their party, he had made an assumption. The others, while loyal servants of the Eternal Empire, did not bring an air of conciliatory grace with them as the group stepped off the shuttle. Their wargear was a clear message of their duty their as protectors of the Empress, and while she could have likely handled the talks alone, support was always helpful. Like her, he wore a rather standard attire for him, a solid suit of silver armor, lacking the usual decorations and adornments he would put on it. A black cloak drifted behind him as he followed at the Empresses side, two steps behind as was appropriate.

He bowed his head in greeting to those that had come to meet them, taking careful notice of each of them. Their posture, facial expressions, even the slightest shifting of their eyes told stories that the Echani-Vexx could read. His people had learned long ago that even the slightest physical indicator could mean death, and they had evolved to read them to an advanced degree. Before he even spoke a word, he had already begun to classify and divide the Confederate delegation into categories in his mind. Those who could be talked with, those best to be cautious around, and the ones most likely to start a problem. His own people had also been categorized as such, he was cautious like that.

Aura's eyes lingered longest on the one that was addressed as Lord Commander. While Aura knew that the leader of the Confederacy was by and large the most dangerous member of the other party, something about the way the other man held himself made Aura shift his posture slightly. "The Eternal Empire is honored by your presence this day, Confederates, and we look forward to the outcome of this...cherished occasion. Refreshments have been prepared should any wish them, the finest drinks that Kalidan-Lysenia have to offer."

Hester Shedo Ingrid L'lerim Gerwald Lechner Frank Sterling Darth Metus Srina Talon John Locke Kiff Brayde Ivixa Nera'kas

 

[Oleander Webb]

INVENTORY: x | x | x
TAG: Gerwald Lechner

Oleander was never one for diplomacy. His version of it was more so eliminating problem figures while someone else took to the verbal gymnastics of negotiation. With that in mind, being told to wait on the ship was both a blessing and a curse. A temporary position of power in exchange for sitting around unless something went horribly wrong.

The familiar voice slipped into his mind, nowhere near as beguiling as Oleander's own penchant for telepathy. Granted, the Lupine employed it mostly for communication's sake, not subduing his next meal. Nevertheless, the Anzat cast a look at the Lord Commander's retreating form with a raised brow. "I am right here, you know," he answered aloud, shifting to telepathy himself as the other moved further away.

<Understood. Though, if you want to bring someone with you when you return...> Any time was as good as ever for takeout.

Left with just himself and the crew, he slid into the commander's chair, settling in as one who didn't expect to be leaving the seat any time soon. Producing a datapad, he loaded up a holobook on horticulture, something to pass the time. Days like these promised to be either extremely boring or extremely interesting, usually the former, it was only fitting that he be prepared.

 

[John Locke]

Location: The Dread Queen's Bridge
Tag:

CIS: Darth Metus | Srina Talon | Hester Shedo | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb | Kiff Brayde ​

EE: Ingrid L'lerim | Frank Sterling | Aura Vexx | Ivixa Nera'kas ​

​

If you looked down on it from above a map of the galaxy resembled nothing so much as a game of chess played out over a massive scale. Move and countermove, pieces being swept across the board in moves that might confuse the eye and boggle the mind, driven by the desire to protect and expand influence. In a way you could look at a nation as a living organism, each of them were driven by the same needs, the same desire to protect themselves and reach out to grow. All that differed were the basic motivations, some sought to conquer, to subjugate while others sought to extend the hand of friendship, motivated by more altruistic tendencies. In the end, the pieces moved shifting across the board in a dance never-ending, moved by the needs of something greater than themselves.

John had never really interacted with the Eternal Empire, not in his role as a businessman, not in his position as an Exarch. But he’d heard the stories, stories of death and betrayal, of friends who had once been trusted and who had cast that trust aside in favour of a political agenda. He knew that the man who had instigated that was gone, the mind behind that move was no longer in the picture but…it raised a question. How to treat the nation now? Should the sins of the past be visited on the current rulers?

The Confederacy had already taken the first steps to answering that.

They were here.

A chess piece moved, a countermove played out.

Only time would be able to tell the repercussion of their actions, of the shape of the future that would be formed by the actions on this day.

For a moment John wished that he’d be in the room, be able to observe and shape the goings-on on the surface…but that wasn’t to be. He could, intellectually, understand the need for someone to stay back and take care of the fleet, to act as a safety incase things on the planet went very very wrong. He was the logical choice...with the systems onboard the Dread Queen it would be easy for him to reach out and have a remote presence there but, it wasn’t quite the same thing as being in the room.

Not an iota of the man’s thoughts showed on his face as he nodded at the Vicelord, the man who’d lost so much at the hands of the Eternal Empire, at his fellow Exarch who had had her life ruined by that government and its plots. They needed this, and he would do everything he could to help.

John lacked the ability to use the force that so many of those around him took for granted, the ability to sense the emotions of those around him, to find a connection in the vast pool of energy that surrounded them, that united the galaxy. Yet, now, at this moment, he could almost sense it the iron hard resolve of the Vicelord and his party as they strode from the bridge. There was something in the air tonight, a sense of portent that seemed to swirl around them, footsteps thrumming with the weight of history.

Dark eyes tracked the shuttle as it left, the Exarch sinking into the command throne as he glanced around the bridge crew.

“Make sure to link me in when the conference begins, and keep our sensors peeled. If we end up getting ambushed, I’m pretty sure the Vicelord will arrange for whoever failed to spot it coming to have an exit interview with Minister T’shkali."

It was but the work of a moment for the man to link up his cybernetics with the ship's systems, to see the readiness of the vessels in the system unscrolling before him. To see the reports coming in from the fleets that they had positioned in the eventuality of an ambush. The Confederacy was extending its hand in peace, three of the most powerful figures in the Southern Systems had come to make sure of that. But if the Eternal Empire would betray them again, John would unleash all the fury at his disposal to shatter the nation and its leaders.

 

[Srina Talon]

R I F L O R
CIS: Darth Metus | Hester Shedo | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb | Kiff Brayde
EE: Ingrid L'lerim | Frank Sterling | Aura Vexx | Ivixa Nera'kas
Dressed in: Black
Items: Holding Aces | Ring of Aspiration | Mother's Wrath | Mudarra | Scarlet Vow |

_________________________________________________________​

The was not the call to the Eternal Empire she had longed for.

The pale visage of the Dread Queen watched the stillness of her own reflection in the viewports of the dreadnought that bore her name. She could hear the Vicelord speaking to her fellow Exarch whilst he vacated the command throne in preparation for their journey. It fell to the wayside, little more than white noise. She could feel nothing but an unbridled desire to feel the bones of the Eternal delegation break, snap, and obliterate beneath the sheer weight of her presence. Her wrath had no will. No aim. It climbed the very walls of this ship and echoed around the Phobis Device that was buried within, threatening, to awaken all it had to offer, and with very little remorse.

Her lethal fury, a cold and disembodied vehemence, spread with wanton abandon. Even those aboard the massive warship without sensitivity to the Force would feel an aching sense of apprehension for what they could not know. Fear. A taste of loss, divine grief—Wrapped in eons of agony that could never be undone. No. What was lost could never be found and Srina simply made room for it. She did what was required for her nation. She used her own pain, drew from it, and made it a strength. Made it power in the form of an endlessly full well from which to draw. She had become changed, by Kuat.

She was inevitable—As only gravity could be.

Silver eyes that reflected the light of distant stars began to bleed golden as corruption filled her. She had never subscribed to the needless tussle between the Light and Dark but she did find the latter a far more effective tool. As her Master, the Vicelord, Darth Metus passed she fell into step beside him—And the earsplitting echo of her being snapped back to equilibrium.

Suddenly, the occupants of the ship would be able to breathe easily again.

She emitted nothing. She expressed, nothing. Her countenance was akin to that of a marble statue. Flowing white hair was held back from her eyes with a variety of braided, intricate coils, that left the impressionist touch of an artist at work. Exquisite. Only, it was all wrong. She was all wrong. Hard on the senses. Like the moon and sun hanging low in the same dark sky—A painting, in which all color had been drained.

“Should they choose to betray us a second time…I apologize, Exarch Locke. Your services will not be required.”

Emptiness. There was no malice in her tone. Merely, a promise.

The diminutive woman would consign all who dared trespass to a fate worse than death. With or without the permission of the Vicelord. With or without the permission of the Confederate Presidium. She would sooner abdicate her position as an Exarch and face trial before she allowed the terror and destruction that had befallen Kuat, to happen here, to happen again.

Kainan Wolfe had proclaimed his love for her once.

He had died for her. Once.

Now?

His remaining people would bleed for her if they stepped out of line.

The shuttle descended rapidly. Her place at the side of the Vicelord was a constant. Chilled fingers wrapped around his, briefly, in acknowledgment of his thoughts. His pain. Guilt pervaded because neither of them had been able to save the own children. How was it just that the Eternal Empire still drew breath when her unborn had never been given the chance? How was it fair that the life she had sought to nurture had been snuffed out over a petty vendetta of a long-dead empire?

How could the former Emperor of the Eternal Empire stand with her, fight with her, proclaim to love her—And in that same breath take all that she held dear?

Injustice, would be met with justice.

When she arrived with her Master mercurial eyes swept over every member of the Eternal delegation with what appeared to be utter apathy. She knew more about them with basic, autonomic responses than most others would with a full biological scan. Even the keenest among them wouldn’t be aware of the rolling, churning storm, that brewed merely feet away. She was Echani—And her heritage would be more than apparent at a single glance. Exceedingly pale skin, ivory hair, and piercing eyes that were perceptive in ways they had no right to be. A scab had been torn from a very, very deep wound.

This meeting rubbed salt into it, more than anything.

Dark fabric slid across the ground as if it had a mind of its own. A harness that ran along her spine held her lightsaber hilt while a red bangle sat snugly around her wrist. Her fingers were dotted with rings that at first blush, seemed decorative, but if anyone knew of her—They would know she cared not for finery. No matter what she wore, nor, how she presented herself as an Exarch. Her Master had donned formal wear and thus, she matched, with a cloak of translucent material whispering in her wake.

The Empress ( Ingrid L'lerim ) greeted her by name and her head snapped toward the red-haired woman with the ferocity of a bird of prey. From there, her eyes trailed toward the building she gestured at.

A trap? No, she decided. Not so soon.

She took note of the presence of Frank Sterling . The armor was a dead giveaway, though, she could not yet determine his intent nor the significance. He had spent time in Confederate space, beneath their banner. This meant that he knew what the devastation at Kuat had done to their government. To their people. That when the Eternal Empire deceived, schemed, and betrayed the Southern Systems—Their departure had left a gaping maw in what had once been a stable sector.

He had chosen, his priorities. Chosen a side.

She could feel the Lord Commander ( Gerwald Lechner ) and knew he remembered. More than most. He had the presence of mind to at least greet the Empress, which, was more than she had done. Thankfully the entry of Hester Shedo would gloss over that breach of etiquette as her charm and sincerity slid over the group like a warm, inviting blanket. The Minister of Influence was skilled in the art of negotiation, of diplomacy, while Srina was not.

She was a soldier; a warrior—and a ruthless general when the situation called for it.

The pleasantly flavored words of Aura Vexx caused her ears to burn, likely, with suspicion of falsehood. There was nothing to be cherished between the Eternal Empire and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, save, for blessed silence. It was for the sake of her nation that she held her tongue. It was for their sake, alone, that she agreed not to open fire on sight. Orbs of stone bore glacier holes into the face of the dark-haired male. He held a faint, whisper of familiarity. Not directly, though in some way, she recognized her own.

The Exarch turned toward the building, ever anticipating her Master.

“…Let us begin.”

 

[Darth Metus]

Wearing: Executive Formal Wear​

NEGOTIATIONS

It was hard to keep a straight face.

In the seconds following setting foot upon the neutral vessel, the Vicelord was greeted with the sight of the Eternal delegation. At the helm, as anticipated, was the Empress herself. Crimson haired and dressed as the militant she was. In what felt a lifetime ago, she had been an agent of the Confederacy. One of the finest that the Ministry of Secrets had to offer. Now, a crown of blood rested upon her head. It was hard not to picture his daughter in that moment. To see the still face of Runi upon the slab. Impaled. Robbed of life. Such was the relationship between the southern systems and the Eternal regime - one founded upon wound after wound after wound.

And yet, they had reached out. They were up to something. Wanted something. Isley would venture to stay his hand until he had an answer. He would venture to honor his people's will.

The sole comfort in this moment was the presence of his alabaster apprentice. Though her features betrayed nothing, she felt as he. He felt as she. Their minds were of identical ebb and flow. Even without the Bond running betwixt their souls, Isley imagined they would feel the same. For the same nation had committed the same exact crime against them. Former allies - former friends - had cut children out of their arms. Nonetheless, decorum demanded that the Vicelord act a representative of his Confederacy first. Thus, he nodded when the Eternal monarch greeted their arrival. "Well met, Empress." he began, keeping his introduction brief.

His gaze shifted to those accompanying the monarch. A guardsman was behind the Empress, proudly displaying Confederate and Eternal patches upon his person. Another defector. Another traitor. Despite the Kuat affair, this one had chosen to abandon what was good and serve that which was horrid. Despite the devastation of Bakura, this one had decided to stand behind genocide. Wearing Confederate patches would not earn him any favors with the Vicelord in terms of first impressions. In fact, it had the complete opposite effect. But, he was there as a guardian for the monarch - and thus Isley no longer spared him a thought.

The third presence was a complete stranger - one who addressed the delegation with a more...political air. The tone was almost identical to the posturing that Isley had become accustomed to from their own Viceroyalty. Nonetheless, the Vicelord motioned towards his own people. "Then let us begin." As prepared by their gracious hosts, the delegations would find a conference room waiting. Refreshments indeed flowed readily, whilst twin tables were positioned across from each other. Before each seat was a simple card with a name written - assigned seating based on who the locals knew were going to attend. Isley wasted no time in finding his seat and held his tongue until his comrades joined him.

He waved his dominant hand as one of the locals offered him water. "In just a moment." he began, offering a warm smile. It was a falsehood, for there was no warmth to be found inside at the moment. Only animosity. And in that moment, he settled his sulfuric gaze upon the Eternal monarch.

"Since your eventful departure from the Confederacy, there has never been a word said between our nations. You know as well as I our history - recent and otherwise. So imagine our surprise when we received a missive requesting our presence today." he began, maintaining an even, professional tone. "Before we discuss the obvious banthas in the room, please appease our curiosity. What is it that the Eternal Empire wants?"

Isley imagined that every soul within the Southern Systems wanted an answer to this question.

Srina Talon | Hester Shedo | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb | Kiff Brayde | Ingrid L'lerim | Frank Sterling | Aura Vexx | @Ivixa Nera'kar​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Riflor, Neutral Space
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | G1 OmniLink | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland
CIS: Darth Metus | Hester Shedo | Srina Talon | John Locke | Kiff Brayde | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb
EE: Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Frank Sterling

[ Just inside my head… ] ​

<"For a very long time, I also worked in the service of the CIS before and even after the Eternal Empire was established. I know them."> she told Frank in High Nelvaanian language, in her usual cold, military voice.

Ingrid was different from her former master and ruler. Although the woman was an excellent agent and spy, she was a masterful shadow player; as a ruler, never lying or deceiving others. She wanted to eliminate the mistakes that Tacitus had made. She did not want her people and home to be a place no one trusts because they feared they could be betrayed at any time. No, good judgment was important to her. She knew exactly they could not lock themselves behind an iron curtain in the Unknown Region. The world has changed.

Ingrid could have been felt completely neutral in the Force by others, no emotion could be felt from her. The biggest difference between the old agent and the Empress was that in the past Ingrid was not Force Sensitive, but now she was a Force User. And this was in her files. Tacitus' "gift," the people of the former Emperor accidentally awakened the dormant Force Sensitivity in the woman. After that, everything changed, except that she controlled her emotions in the same way when she was a normal human, perfectly. She never was a Sith.

The tension and mistrust during the mutual greeting were palpable. She hoped they could make some progress. She still had her connections in the CIS, knew how the CIS thought about them. Ingrid hoped she could change that. There was emptiness and pain in the woman due the death of her husband caused by the daughter of the head of the CIS. But Ingrid didn't seek revenge, nor did she kill Runi Verin out of revenge, it was only out of duty.

She suppressed the pain and emptiness so no one could feel it, only she and the hallucination of her dead husband knew about it, who had been there with her since Serenno, ever since she became a prisoner of war and sent the soulshard home. Her husband’s soulshard was with her even now, but hallucinations didn’t go away. Ingrid still disguised herself as a human, but Srina Talon probably saw through this and saw the reality, even though the red-haired woman masterfully disguised herself.

During the siege of Kuat, the woman was not yet Force Sensitive and served in the Ministry of Secrets as a field agent; she had not even met Darth Tacitus at the time. After they entered the building, she also took her place. Darth Metus spoke first, the red-haired woman wanted to say similarly that there had been no diplomatic relationship between them since Kuat. The woman also expected a lot with this, but she had other things to do to settle the home affairs of the Empire. For example, to rebuild Bakura.

"I know, and also that I did this too late, Vicelord, I should have done much earlier. The secession of the Eternal Empire from the CIS was not a beautiful event, nor were the events that preceded it. But thanks to the expansion of recent years, we are neighbours again. The CIS is still important to me, my family has lived there for thousands of years on Nelvaan, my homeland is in your area. I would like to try to settle the tense and hostile relations between our states. If this succeeds, I hope that we will also be able to establish trade relations and negotiate the use of trade routes in your state to deliver humanitarian aid to the areas which are affected by Bryn’adül."

She spoke in a military and cold voice, but completely honestly. Ingrid also deliberately allowed them to feel through the Force that she was speaking the truth and thinking her words honestly. The red-haired woman still had a lot of mistakes and wounds to fix.

 

[Frank Sterling]

Frank sighs folding his arms over his chest. This situation is less than stellar as now it dawned on him with all the info pointed out here that the situation is heavily against EE. One bad choice after another Tainting the name of Eternal Empire and leading to the stigma of murderers and villain's.

<"So in other words this isnt going to be easy and trying to show the truth from the propaganda is not going to be easy? just great.">
he responded to Ingrid L'lerim in High Nelvaanian language, in a slightly annoyed, military voice.​

Frank thinks about the events that led to the death of Runi. Knowing full well that that event plays a big part in the negitive emotions and mindset they'll be going up against in this diplomatic fight. Runi was a independent as far as the infromation on the event shows being not offically Eternal Empire but a merc group working close with their military hes lucky to get uncensored info to the situation on top of the info logs the late TY sibo would have left behind. But the truth still stands and needs to be known.

Frank speaks up "honestly I wish to see this diplomatic meeting not end in bloodshed. Were both groups that care about our people And were i cant speak for all of the Eternal Empires History I can personally affirm That the Empress isn't like the old leader as she actually cares about her people and has done much to undo bad choices of the privous lord. I know you think Im a traitor for being on this Side but, you also know at least from my debreifs of various missions i did for you and dauntless that Im willing to put my life on the line to protect others. In the 5 years Ive worked for Eternal Empire under Hades corp. I can honestly say she has done alot of good for her people and the people of the TSE."
Frank sighs taking a drink from a glass of water. "Speaking of the TSE during the NIO Invasion of dantooine i recall both CIS and EE working together to try to save it, before a Indipendent Attacked a at the time Allie of the fightthe empress and killed Her husband. I belive that idependent name was Runi correct me if i got the name wrong Vicelord. as such regardless of familial ties you might have to the assailiant it would look vary bad on your part to Defend the actions of a independent who during wartime attacked and killed a ally of the fight only to be killed at a later date."

Frank knew what he Just said would ruffle some feathers but sometimes at least from his experiences on diplomacy you have to point out the hurtful facts as the impact is just as great as any weapon on the opposition if they were to try to use it as ammo.

​

(edited)

 

[Darth Metus]

Wearing: Executive Formal Wear​

NEGOTIATIONS

The Vicelord was content to let the Eternal delegation answer his question. Bound as he was to the will of his people, he would do his absolute best to swallow the ire burning within. The reply of the Empress was telling - the underlying source of their conversation today was due to their borders' proximity. They wanted to forget the past and become best of friends it seemed. Even plead the lives affected by the genocidal scourge.

And while he was certain his fellows would have something to say to this, it was the words of the soldier which arouse a response. Minimizing the murder of his daughter to being a mere independent? Who was this man to speak on this matter, for one. Who was this man, period? He walked in, wearing a literal slap to the Confederacy's face and had the nerve to speak Runi's name? He, an oath breaker. He, a literal traitor and defector, now attempted to smooth over his child's demise? He had the gall to talk about what looked bad?

The Vicelord spoke.

"What looks bad is walking into a diplomatic meeting and wearing your treason as a badge of honor." His dominant hand motioned to the decorations featured upon the former Dauntless.

"Two of the three from your delegation are former, Confederate citizens.

"Two of the three swore oaths to uphold Confederate law and to protect Confederate people. There are few crimes within the Southern Systems that we consider capital offenses - treason is among them. It is easy to blame the predecessor for their actions and to pretend that the slate should be wiped clean. Yet you both, along with many, spat in our face after we offered the Shrouded Republic shelter.

"You used us. You stood by and chose to follow Kainan after orchestrated the deaths of our people.

"Defection is treason. And now, because our borders are close, you request access to our lanes and our people? You wish to smooth things over for entirely your benefit? You wish to moralize the killing of my child as an 'unfortunate act of war?'

"Pardon the crassness, but How. Dare. You.

"We have every justification to march every single legion and every single good son of the south through your space. You have not only killed members of my family, you had launched an assassination attempt against one of our leaders. You attempted to kill Exarch Talon and place the blame on the New Republic. You attempted to use us then - and you stand before me asking to use us now."

He paused, pointing towards the former Dauntless. "Your words alone have made me seriously reconsider if this is a good use of Confederate time. So unless you wish the blame for these talks concluding abruptly to be on your head - you will not utter another word for the duration of the meeting. Speak again and the Confederacy walks."

He then motioned towards Aura Vexx

"You are a complete stranger, and that may be the sole Eternal advantage today. As far as I am aware, you are not tainted by treason - so you will be your people's salvation.

Knowing that the crimes of defection, treason, conspiracy, murder, and much more lay upon the heads of your former liege, your current liege, and your nation as a whole, I have but one question.

Why should we not avenge our dead?"

Srina Talon | Hester Shedo | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb | Kiff Brayde | Ingrid L'lerim | Frank Sterling | Aura Vexx​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

S E D I T I O N​

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Wolfsbane | Ferrum Solis
TAG: Darth Metus | Srina Talon | John Locke | Hester Shedo | Kiff Brayde | Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Ingrid L'lerim

There were many words already being batted around between the leadership of both nations. It seemed the delegation from the Eternal Empire liked to speak, and one of them perhaps needed to speak less. An old saying among Gerwald’s people stated that where there were many words, sin was not absent. The saving grace of these talks would likely be the red haired minister which has accompanied Gerwald to these talks. While the Lupine had his own reservations about the woman, due to certain rumors of her late husband’s mysterious death, he was aware enough to know her objectivity would likely be their only hope of preventing all out war. Even then he was not certain.

Gerwald let out a small, but sarcastic, chuckle in response to @Hester Shedo’s words. His head shook as he turned to face the woman who seemed to be diplomatic in her approach to everything.

“I am no diplomat. Whatever observations I may make today will be certain to make your job here more difficult. We are not dealing with a neutral party today, but a nation responsible for the deaths of many Confederate lives, all of this planned from within. I only have one objective here today.”

What that was, he would not tell the woman. Gerwald was certain she was intelligent enough to put the pieces together. His role in this meeting was to ensure the Charter and Confederate Law were upheld. Yet he was not just in attendance as the Lord Commander. The wolf attended as one who had seen his leader lose a loved one. He was there as someone that had witnessed the aftermath of a friend losing an unborn child. These events had been defining. They had changed them. Their anger, hatred, and desire for justice, mirrored his own in regards to his feelings on Darth Prazutis.

He would not be able to remain silent while excuses were made, and decorum was not his strongest of traits. This was where he needed to learn lessons from his protege Oleander Webb . Even with the slight jab about the mental intrusion when the anzat had been in the same space as the wolf, Oleander was one that remained in the shadows, deadly and silent. Gerwald may have been a predator, a wolf, but he was also passionate. His passions often swayed his tongue or his actions toward impulsive behaviors.

Before he would speak, Gerwald took his seat, allowing his presence to brush against the icy demeanor of the Dread Queen as he passed her by. Srina Talon had yet to lash out, but Gerwald knew as well as many that underneath the cold, mercury stare of the Echani raged a fire of unquenchable fury. He hoped his touch would at least be something of a reminder that there were those standing with her in this delegation. Gerwald was not only there because Metus asked, but because his loyalties to the Echani were unbreakable.

Gerwald’s steely blue gaze turned to the soldier which had accompanied the delegation from the Eternal Empire. His words just as cold as the ice in eyes.

“And where were you when Darth Prazutis began a ritual to release a Nocna Mora from its dark abode? The New Imperial Order was not the only threat to Dantooine that day. Without Confederate presence, he would have released it. If our two nations were working together, it was not by design. I certainly did not see you present.”

He turned to address the Empress herself.

“I have recently come to learn a thing about assumed leadership. Those of us who pick up the baton from those before us also pick up the burden of their mistakes. We cannot hope to repair them until we are willing to assume responsibility for them. Do not hide behind the actions of your predecessor and lay the burden of paying for them at his feet when you are the one in the position to pay for them.”

Gerwald’s words were clear as he paused to allow them to sink in. He did not want to hear that Tacitus was to blame when the current leadership made no moves to address the damage he caused. They were accessories at best, guilty of the same at worst.

“Now you speak of crossing our space to aid those displaced by the Brynadul threat? That mending the past is just a means to an end? Perhaps if you would have brought the head of Darth Tacitus to us on a silver platter...”

His words trailed off. Gerwald had not been as bold as Darth Metus in claiming their right to wage war, but he too laid the responsibility of the past at the feet of those who claimed to lead the Empire now. If it was truly reformed, then the burden was theirs to prove, but not until the past was addressed.

There were no words for the stranger. Gerwald did not know him, and for now would observe. He seemed to be sensible, more likely to accomplish business with the Minister of Influence if given a chance. Unless there would be another reason for him to speak, the wolf would remain silent. Any agreements reached were in the hands of the Vicelord, and Gerwald knew this was going to be a long meeting, provided the Vicelord’s temper was managed.
​

 

[Aura Vexx]

Aura had not been prepared for the sudden attention that he found on his shoulders. His eyes narrowed, taking in the faces of all those, friend and foe alike, who now stared him down. His feet shifted, his stance moving to better position himself to face them all. A small smile ticked the corner of his mouth, a false display hopefully good enough to hide the sudden unease he was feeling. He had originally come along as just a support member for the delegation, and yet now the whole affair seemed to rest on his shoulders.

Taking a deep breath, Aura began the most important speech of his life up to that point.

"Some of them are traitors, that is indisputable. They forsook their oaths, turned their backs on their former colors, and threw in with a nation halfway across the galaxy. For some, the crime is higher in value than others, but the original stain remains. You have every right to demand blood for their actions, but I would urge that the debt owed be taken into account with other things."

Folding his arms across his chest, Aura gestured towards the ships in orbit with his chin, his eyes never leaving the Confederate delegation. "You could very well avenge your dead for the actions of those here, but that would lead to further conflict. More dead would be piled upon the already decayed, until the original toll was long crushed beneath the new weight of sins. To avenge those that have fallen, more would have to follow their predecessors. But, perhaps that is a cost you are willing to make. I, for one, think it far too costly a belief system to follow. An eye for an eye. If a debt of blood is owed, then let it be blood that is chosen rather than shed. The Eternal Empire comes here this day to seek peace, and a chance to mend ties. They wish to form a connection so that one day, Eternal Empire and Confederate forces might fight side by side against a shared enemy."

Shrugging his shoulders, Aura looked away from the group. "If lives must be lost for some ancient vendetta, then let it be the lives of those soldiers who will fall fighting against a shared enemy. Let it be on their bodies that the sins of the past are washed away as both nations remain strong. To fight one another again would accomplish nothing but renew the tragedies that have come before. Do not forgive, do not forget, but do not let those things hold you back from what could be a beneficial and profitable cooperation. Lives could either be lost in a war against one another, or saved when our two nations work together."

 

[Frank Sterling]

Frank remained silent after Poking the sore spot that is the vicelords Ego. One one thing about the CIS hasnt changed their command is still hypocratic by nature. Frank thought to himself,

“And where were you when Darth Prazutis began a ritual to release a Nocna Mora from its dark abode? The New Imperial Order was not the only threat to Dantooine that day. Without Confederate presence, he would have released it. If our two nations were working together, it was not by design. I certainly did not see you present.”

Frank thought for a moment sending a text threw closed comunications to Gerwald having still remembered the various channles for both text and speaking coms. As since he was unable to speak he might as well answer via text.

<To put it simply and to answer your question of where i was on

Dantooine I was fighting for CIS up to the last remaining planetary defense gun once there i punched enough of a hole so that Kiff and his forces could get CIS and TSE proper air support and Reinforcements Unfortunately NIO then Proceeded to bomb out my location with turbo lasers. I would have returned home in a bodybag if it wernt for the eternal empires Merc force Hades corp offering me work in exchange for saving my life. Im not Offically with the Eternal Empire rather a member or rather owner of Hades corp as we work with and supply bleeding edge tech to the eternal empire, tse and other factions in the galaxy.> after finishing up the text he sent it for Gerwald Lechner to read in this diplomatic meeting.​

 

[Hester Shedo]

​

​

TAG: Darth Metus Gerwald Lechner Srina Talon John Locke Kiff Brayde Ivixa Nera'kas Aura Vexx Ingrid L'lerim Frank Sterling ​

​

​

The key to diplomacy was to listen. To hear. To understand. It was the cornerstone of communication. If a statement goes unheard, can it be truly have been said? Hester's purpose today was to bring deliverance, to bring accord and understanding to the 'talks'. She had been instructed by the Vicelord to draw up a series of acceptable proposals and Articles of Alliance for the assembled delegation, their ratification in the Viceroyalty assured. Say what you will about them, Hester mused, the Viceroyalty enjoy peace.

She reached into her robe, placing a small key into the data terminal in front of her. She authorized the displaying of the document her Ministry had drawn up for this very meeting.

It read:

THE KUAT ACCORDS

ARTICLE ONE

The High Contracting Parties representative of the Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) and the Eternal Empire (EE) have mutually promised friendship, peace, and cooperation, and will not enter any engagement, either clandestine or military in nature or intent, against the other. They engage to proceed to an exchange of trade, both in goods and services, and the free movement of peoples as stipulated in supporting articles.

***
ARTICLE TWO

That both Powers will confer upon the other the permission to establish both Embassy and Consular missions, elected to be built and maintained in the Capital bodies of each respective Power. These will enjoy the diplomatic freedoms afforded to such parties and will not be subject to hindrance nor prevented from administering services to the citizenry of the constituent Powers without legal and proper notification.

***
ARTICLE THREE

In case the CIS should be attacked by a foreign power for any reason whatsoever, the other party (EE) shall be bound to lend help and assistance with all their forces to the Party attacked.

This same obligation shall devolve upon the CIS in case of any aggression without direct provocation by the EE against a foreign power. This Pact shall be enjoyed preferentially and will be upheld to the detriment of all other established Articles of Alliance.

This shall be hereto known as the Preferential Mutual Defence Pact and will exist between the two until such time as it is renegotiated or nullified.

***
ARTICLE FOUR

The EE would formally commit to passing the necessary and inclusive legislation that would pertain to the outlawing of slavery in all forms throughout its territories and will establish means and policies to accept, house and guarantee the right to liberty and safety to all displaced persons seeking refuge from the Bryn'adul assaults. The EE would formally commit to the outlawing of genocide as a wartime practice, during active engagement or occupation.

***
ARTICLE FIVE

As reparations for the Kuat Affair, a one-time monetary fine will be levied upon the EE as restitution. This will be proportionally provided to Kuat for the damages incurred, and the families affected by said casualties. The EE would issue a formal statement of apology, acknowledging wrongdoing for the actions of their predecessor and further denounce his actions.



Signed by the present signatories of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and Eternal Empire​

She spoke to the delegations.

"The Vicelord has commanded that this document be presented to the delegation from the Eternal Empire, for your consideration. He hopes you will find it a strong resolution and a just resolve to our common crisis."

Hester looked across at the Darth Metus , nodding sagely. She caught the gaze of Gerwald Lechner , official observers uncertain as to whether they had really seen her 'wink' at him.

The game moved.

​

​

​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Location: Riflor, Neutral Space
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | G1 OmniLink | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland
CIS: Darth Metus | Hester Shedo | Srina Talon | John Locke | Kiff Brayde | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb
EE: Ivixa Nera'kas | Aura Vexx | Frank Sterling

[ Just inside my head… ] ​

After her words, Ingrid waited in silent silence and watched the events. In this, she was always perfect and good as a professional was able to control her emotions. She had to learn this as a little girl. Never show weakness. This included emotions. She was taught to suppress those that were distracting at work. Therefore, when she worked nothing could distract her. She was able to do this on a master level even when she was not Force Sensitive. She just sat in her chair with a stiff, military posture while the others spoke.

Her face was a perfect marble statue, no one could feel any emotion from her. She was a sea of serenity as she watched the others with her deep sky blue eyes. Ingrid was able to put her personal emotions aside and put the interests of her people first. Only they were important, what the woman wanted that was not important. She served the Empire, as she had previously served the CIS. As Frank mentioned the death of Adrian, she once again felt as if she had been hit in the stomach with full strength. The invisible dagger pierced even more into her soul and heart. It hurt just as when she sobbed and she held the body of her dead husband in her arms.

"You can say anything, I never betrayed the CIS. I served until the last minute while I had the opportunity to do so. My people left the CIS with Darth Tacitus, my place is on the side of my people. When my political influence began to grow within the Eternal Empire and I was no longer able to provide 100% serve within the CIS, I submitted a formal disarmament request to the Ministry of Secret. I retired, they accepted. If you're accused me of treason even after this, I am ready to answer for my actions before the CIS's Court-martial, I hope this is acceptable. I will not run away from your judgment."

She always was straightforward in such matters. As a soldier, she never committed treason. She looked at Vexx with a stern look, then at Frank again, and finally at Darth Metus .

"I didn’t want to mention Dantooine because I feel it’s a personal matter and doesn’t belong to either the Empire or the CIS. It's just the Vicelord's and my business. I can only hope that one day we will be able to talk about this face to face, Vicelord. If you wish. I'm not looking for revenge, your daughter killed one of the prince-consort of the Eternal Empire and one of the leaders of the Sith Empire, the Sith Empire also wanted her dead. She not only killed him, she also took the opportunity from me to bring him back to life unless I could find some way to do it, which I've not found yet since Dantooine. She shattered his soul into thousands of pieces. Miss Verin's death was clear, the Eternal Empire put her name to the Bounty list. I followed the official path. It was only a coincidence that we met then. I didn't kill her for revenge, it was a duty that I had to do. I did not hate her, I did not feel hatred for her, anger, I just did what I had to. You have every opportunity to take revenge, Vicelord. But in this case, let my peers go and just kill me."

She said it all the way cold, without emotions. She never mentioned to anyone Adrian’s soul is shattered and tore apart to many pieces. It was too painful for her. She reached under her coat and finally put the Soulsabers on the table. There was only determination and strength in her eyes, nothing else.

"I will not resist if you want to kill me, Vicelord and I promise the Eternal Empire will not take revenge if you feel this will solve the situation."

She then turned to Gerwald Lechner .

"I do not hide behind his actions, the sins committed by the Eternal Empire will always remain. I am a citizen of the state that committed the sins. I know we are all guilty and not just the one person who issued the order, Lord Commander. I am trying to heal the wounds and regain the honor and reputation of the Eternal Empire. We are not perfect, nothing or anyone is. And yes, I’m guilty too, because I didn’t try to convince him better and I couldn’t stop him in the case of Bakura, or just Orellon II. I will not hide from responsibility, Lord Commander. Believe me, you are not the only one who wants Darth Tacitus's head on a silver platter… He gathered many enemies over the years, but still... my loyalty is his, he was my former master and Emperor. But above this my loyalty is also my Empire's, my people's, my duty is to serve them, and I want the best for them. And no, we visited you not just because of the Bryn’adûl."

Vexx spoke well, he didn't even want to have a say, it was just something about the traitors she would have changed. She then looked at Hester Shedo , who had already arrived with a contract. According to this, they would return to where they were before Kuat, which was a perfectly acceptable and pleasant surprise. Point four had existed perfectly for a long time. The Eternal Empire never recognized slavery and did everything they could against Bryn’adûl. The fifth point, there should be worded so as not to put Tacitus in a bad light, and she expected that the CIS will also ask for compensation above the apologies.

"The Eternal Empire accepts all conditions." She finally said.

 

[Srina Talon]

R I F L O R
CIS: Darth Metus | Hester Shedo | Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb | Kiff Brayde
EE: Ingrid L'lerim | Frank Sterling | Aura Vexx | Ivixa Nera'kas
Dressed in: Black
Items: Holding Aces | Ring of Aspiration | Mother's Wrath | Mudarra | Scarlet Vow |

_________________________________________________________​

The grating sound of quicksilver tongues weaving creative webs rang in her ears like nails running swiftly down a chalkboard. She found a place at the table to plug in the holo-adapter that would let John Locke project an avatar so he could view the proceedings. The silvery woman ignored the name tag that suggested she might sit somewhere other than at the side of her Master. It was ludicrous. They were strongest together. Never would they allow themselves to be separated, so frivolously, in a potentially volatile situation. A chilled silence reigned from the Dread Queen whilst the Vicelord spoke. His impassioned though diplomatic words were kinder than she would have uttered.

There were a dozen curses dancing like serpents on the tip of her tongue.

A dozen ways she could watch the delegation from the Eternal Empire writhe and burn under the penalty of their own hubris. After they all had their chance to speak it became abundantly clear that no matter what Kainan Wolfe had done, lawful, or otherwise—They did not, could not, and would not understand. They would never know the price she paid for holding familiar affection toward what seemed to a kindred spirit beneath the yoke of the collapsed Ancient Eye.

Srina had brought Kainan Wolfe and his Shrouded Republic back to the Confederacy when the Eye fell.

She would pay for that iniquity until she ceased to breathe.

Piercing silver eyes fell upon Aura Vexx with the suffocating weight of a landslide. The smile was false bravado. Anxiety. If they had not expected to be addressed, directly, they shouldn’t have come. The Vicelord was pragmatic, despite, the velvet way he held court. He was used to bearing the brunt of polished Viceroy superiority while keeping the peace with unreliable republics. He had seen it all, done it all, and Aura Vexx was a stone that would not be left unturned. “If the Confederacy acted upon every eye-for-an-eye impulse we would be in an everlasting state of conflict. For the benefit of our people, we let sleeping dogs lie. The Eternal Empire may preach peace—But this was your move. Your hand.”

“You have opened this door, for better or worse.”

Did the soft-spoken Echani Hybrid know what she thought of death? What she thought of all the bodies that would accumulate in the wake of a full-scale assault? No matter how they levied their forces, this time, their losses would be greater. The vast, powerful, and adaptive Droid Army the Confederacy commanded would spare the majority of their sons and daughters while planet crackers filled the skies of the worlds of the enemy. An Eternal Empire, no more.

The Southern Systems would no longer be forced to look toward the Western Reach with suspicion. With the supposition, the belief, that the Empire would come to finish what they’d started so long ago. What was the age-old adage that had kept their soldiers moving on the ill-fated battle of Tatooine? What was the phrase that had always kept them at arm’s length with the Sith Empire? What was the phrase that had followed through, and seen to, the dissolution of the Galactic Empire?

| We will not suffer an Empire to live. |​

The small dialogue that passed between Frank Sterling and Darth Metus was noted. He spoke of undoing the “bad choices” of Kainan Wolfe and it took everything she had not to stand up from the table and leave. Immediately. Once again, it was clear, that he had been blinded by whatever “goodness” the new Empress inherently possessed while choosing to selectively ignore the facts. The Confederacy and the Eternal Empire were not friends. There was blood between them. Bitter, bright red, and undying. They were not on welcoming terms because of the atrocities that took place on Kuat. The New Republic had lost far fewer people than the actual CITIZENS of Kuat during what had been a peaceful venture to discern the nature of attacks on several of their ships. They were furious because of the way the Shrouded Republic left an empty hole in the Nelvaan Systems and abandoned anyone that hadn’t gone with them to their fate. By the time Dantooine rolled around?

Runi Verin had been well within her right, even though, she wasn't a member of the nation to kill them all.

It was only fortuitous, for the Empire, that she had only gotten one.

The denials that Ingrid L'lerim put forth were ignorant at best, though, it seemed that she would accept the agreement that Hester Shedo placed before them. Srina knew it would be coming and yet every digital word still read hollow. A dagger to the heart, a moment, a breath—Where she felt as if she were betraying everything she believed in. Expressionless features lingered on the flame-haired woman for a long moment before she spoke. Her voice was light, though, there was something about her inflection that held just the softest flavor of impending violence. A storm, a hurricane, all restrained and wrapped up neatly, calmly, within a mere slip of a woman.

“Your offer was empty, Empress. You would die for the transgressions of your predecessor but that will never suffice because it will not undo what has been done. Your death will not turn back the clock. What you must understand going forward is that the Eternal Empire was built on the back of Confederate suffering. It is not propaganda. It is fact. Your Emperor accepted our aid, our resources, and in the end, we were left to pick up the pieces. Your loyalty to him is misplaced. Darth Tacitus was family, to me. Blood, without blood. And where is he now? Open your eyes and see that he has abandoned us both a long, long time ago.”

“You may not have directly betrayed the Southern Systems but you have profited from the one who did. I can still remember the sound of the dying, the screams, on Kuat. The smell. Smoke and dead flesh. It took several days for some of the diplomatic committee to die, buried, beneath the rubble. By boasting the banner of your former Emperor, you validate all that he has done. You carry his legacy from Kuat, Bakura, Orellon II into the future even if you denounce those events. This document…”, she trailed off, briefly, letting her eyes flicker toward the holographic display before returning them to the Empress.

“This document is not absolution. It is a bandage that perhaps can be used, for a time, to staunch and hide a festering wound. I will adhere to the will of my people but only to the point of which a lack of situational awareness places them in harm's way. If your people provoke us, in any way, this agreement will be considered null. Should that occur, Empress, the Bryn’adûl will be the least of your concerns.”

Srina leaned back in the chair but didn’t bother looking away. She had no patience for formality or titles that would dictate her words rude or unpleasant toward royalty. She spoke plainly, even though, it may have seemed harsh. The stone-faced Echani knew of no other way. “…May you never say that the Confederacy is not, at the very least, logical. We are have not arrived for personal vendettas. We are here representing hundreds of systems. Billions of citizens. Afterall, were that not the case…”

“I would never accept that the life of my unborn child is worth little more than a fine.”