Faction Land of Hope and Glory | First Order

[Renata Westaway]

The city of Avalonia was alive in a way that it hadn't been since before the second Sack of Dosuun. For a long time now, people had been out and about -- rebuilding, resettling, re-establishing the patterns and normalcies of life -- but there had been none of the old pomp and ceremony, none of the great civic events on a grand scale. Not until tonight. Across the city, streets had been blocked off to allow residents to mingle and walk. Festivities were focused in the great, green spaces of the city and its civic monuments, primarily the plaza surrounding the Reclamation Arch that memorialized the rebirth of the city of Avalonia and by extension the First Order itself.

A large band was gathered under the arch, with speakers piping their music -- old, traditional First Order patriotic hymns and marches, lively glitz and pop -- throughout the streets. The music was occasionally interrupted by announcements and speeches congratulating the people of the city on their resilience and courage. Avalonians had suffered more than the average galactic citizen; their homeworld had been sacked not once but twice by saurian invaders. No amount short of an enormous, prohibitively expensive, overwhelming force of military materiel could have prevented it. They had suffered, and many had died, in defense of their homes. Now, those who had kept faith with Avalonia over the last few long, hard years were being celebrated. Those who were taking the chance to settle here, to help rebuild a grand and growing economy were, too.

There were food kiosks and trucks, literal fountains of drinks (both soft and hard), games, raffles, shops and stalls. A jubilant mood hung over the city -- not enough to dispel the memories of their recent tragedies, but somehow made sweeter by them. People knew what there was to lose, and how much they had to be thankful for. The Ssi-Ruuk were gone. The Dosuun Hegemony was gone. The Provisional Council had been dissolved, with a new Moff Council and Charter taking its place, guaranteeing the freedom of every citizen, the opportunity to prosper for all, and the safety of every family. It was a good day to be in Avalonia, or any of the other cities celebrating tonight.

Still, Renata Westaway felt uneasy. Perhaps it was being under a broad, open sky. Perhaps it was being able to so closely observe the day and night cycle. She had developed erratic sleeping habits down in the tunnels, and an unease about the outdoors that some days bordered on the agoraphobic. And now that Ariel Yvarro was missing, inexplicably, and it was down to Arador Terrix and herself to represent the Moff Council, she was beginning to develop an acute fear of public speaking, too. Things had been so much simpler down in the tunnels. Awful, yes, but simpler, too.

She took a rum-and-cola from the tray of a passing waiter droid and made her way towards a row of food trucks. It was 1700 by now, she realized, and she hadn't eaten since breakfast. Maybe a snack would help to ease her troubled stomach. Certainly she could eat before she drank the cocktail, or her tenure as a First Order Moff would likely be a short one.

 

[Extari Kanos]

The stars on his dress uniform itched. He didn't understand how, considering they were metal, nor did he understand why. Perhaps it was a figment of his imagination or perhaps not. He didn't know and right about now, he shouldn't have cared. The long awaited return of the First Order was met with a celebration, and here he was itching his stars.

The Dosuun Hegemony was grinded into dust as were the last remenats of the Ssi-Ruuvi Imperium. With that, there was of course the problem with the Armed Forces. Every branch of the military, save for the FOSB who would manage as they always did, was more or less a splinter of a shadow of thier former selves. It had to be changed.

Whatever it took, he would make sure it was done. Even if it meant begging the Moff Council for more money which they didn't exactly have at the moment. Speaking of the Moff Council, Extari was rather worried for the woman who made the dream of the new Order possible. That woman was painstakingly missing and he couldn't do anything about it because he couldn't spare the man power.

"Moff Westaway, a pleasure" How did he run into a Moff at a food truck, he didn't know but now was as good a time as any to make himself known.

Renata Westaway | Arador Terrix | The First Order ​

 

[Resurgent Narrative]

Captain Vir Aetos smiled when he saw the now-Moff Westaway take a rum and cola from a droid. It'd been a while since he had the luxury of being able to speak with her. Whether that was because she had scurried away as part of the then provisional government, or because he was busy extinguishing the last of the Ssi-Ruuvi. Still, tonight was fortunate that he was afforded leave and that she was here and with the backdrop of Reclamation Archway to boot. ​

​

Had two years really come and gone so quickly? Aetos supposed it was less than that since it had been late 860 when he and his men came across Director Renata Westaway in those tunnels. He took a simple fizzy pop beverage as offered by one of the many wandering droid waiters. Unfortunately, a man unrecognizable to him had approached the woman. So, Captain Aetos did what any man would and cleared this throat, "excuse me, sir, I must steal the Moff away for some business."​

​

Aetos looked at the man a moment longer, "I don't recognize your uniform sir, are you here on behalf of someone else?"​

​

Renata Westaway | Extari Kanos ​

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

This was not something Kurayami had foreseen, him on Dosuun for a social event. Coming in to blow the everloving hell out of some bugs that had assaulted the planet was one thing, but to be invited back for something like this...it just seemed odd to him. He didn't often work with Imperial factions, probably a holdover from his days working with the GA and Republic long ago from a time when both of those stood for something other than expansionist regimes. In many ways it seemed most factional divides were simply ideological or based on who should be on the frontlines or some other equally meaningless chit.

He sighed as he took a sip from his flask. He wasn't looking to get drunk. At least not this early as it was only 1730 and the party just seemed to be starting. He knew his name and contributions to driving back the Ssi-Ruuk would not be memorialized here in Avalonia, and the Corellian could do little more than smirk. So many mercs were all about glory and creds. Him? Nah, he was about a good fight, the higher the odds the more he wanted to be in the fight. One could never get better if they didn't test themselves after all and dying against a superior foe was fine with him as long as it was an honorable fight.

In his wandering he found himself near the Reclamation Archway, seeming no more than a spacer who had heard about the gathering, his old squadron's jacket covering the upper portion of his flightsuit the bottom portion covered by plain trousers with first-class bloodstripes running down the sides. He stood silently, thinking back to the liberation of this planet, what he had done and seen during that time and the innumerable times before then. Though there were others around he seemed to take no note of them at the moment, lost in his own thoughts.

 

[Extari Kanos]

"You mean the jacket?" He asked the Captain before he removed the vintage Imperial Officer's jacked off of his body revealing his actual uniform. The bland black uniform was only adorned on either side by the symbol of the First Order in gray.

"My name is Vice Admiral Extari Talon. Now stand aside, Captain" he motioned to his left, not far from where the Moff was standing but away enough so that the Admiral could speak to the former Director.

"Moff Westaway, it's nice to meet you. I have to say, you are the most unusual Moff I have ever met"

Resurgent Narrative | Renata Westaway | People Who Wish to "Interact" ​

 

[Arador Terrix]

Moff Terrix couldn't help but smile as he walked the plaza in Avalonia. He was proud to see his homeworld standing tall and proud once again, releasing itself from the oppressive clutches of the Ssi-Ruuk and the Hegemony. He sipped from a glass of brandy, waving and shaking hands as he moved to meet up with Moff Westaway. FOSB agents, in their white uniforms, trailed behind the Moff, eyes always sharp on the lookout for any wannabe assassins. As was to be expected, Terrix himself was dressed in his fine black uniform, adorned with a knee-length armorweave-lined black cloak.

He saw Renata through the crowd, but also a man with her. As he came closer, Terrix realized he recognized the man. So-called 'Vice Admiral Talon'. Terrix remembered how Talon had barged into the meeting in Prosperia uninvited. And then Captain Aetos approached her as well. Moff Terrix stood before the group assembled by the vendors, examining Extari and the way in which he addressed captain. "I see your manners have not improved since we last met, Admiral Talon," Terrix said, eyebrow raised, taking a moment to sip his brandy. "Are you enjoying the festivities?" He asked, gesturing around them with his free hand to the lively celebration enveloping the city.

Renata Westaway | Resurgent Narrative | Extari Kanos ​

 

[Renata Westaway]

Renata had just had a confection of fried dough and some kind of sweetener and pleasant spice dusted across it when she was approached by Extari Kanos , who she did not recognize. Instantly she wondered how he knew her name before remembering that she was a Moff now, and her name and face appeared in the newspapers and on broadcasts with what, in her previous existence, would have been alarming frequency. "Hello," she said pleasantly, smiling briefly as she moved past him. But it didn't end there.

Aetos -- Captian Aetos -- approached, visible over Talon's shoulder. It had been ages since she'd seen him. "Captian," she said with a broader smile. "How -- " She fell silent as there was an apparent altercation between the two officers, with Talon -- an Admiral, who knew? -- trying to pull rank. "You can stand down," she told Extari Kanos before brushing past him to shake hands with Aetos. One of her Moff Council colleagues approached. Arador Terrix . "Moff Terrix," she said collegially, reaching out for a handshake. "Have you met Captain Aetos?"

She gestured towards Aetos. "The Captain was instrumental in pulling me and my people out of the Underground. I can't thank you enough. Are you on duty, or can I buy you a drink?"

Resurgent Narrative

 

[Resurgent Narrative]

Aetos was about to say something when Moff Arador Terrix and Renata Westaway addressed the so-called Vice Admiral instead. "A pleasure to meet you Moff Terrix," Captain Aetos acknowledged with a smile. Aetos shifted his position so that Moff Westaway had a more accessible position to Terrix. "It was my honor, finding you and your people brought a renewed hope to the men and women under my command, and to Avalonia as a whole."​

​

"Your resilience and impeccable leadership are to thank here, Moff Westaway," Aetos praised, as he noted the FOSB Agents. It was unusual for them to be out in the open, but then he supposed a personal detachment for a Moff might warrant it. Although who was he to judge, he was just a lowly Captain in the Army. Westaway then offered to buy him a drink, Aetos quickly set the one he had in his hand on a floating tray and offered up his arm, "that sounds wonderful."​

​

Not too far away from where the Moffs were gathered. A couple of familiar faces had arrived, among them Ryssa Yvarro current Chief Executive Officer of Primo Victorian Shipwright, her beau Djonas Vile , and Valessia Brentioch former Minister of Foreign Affairs with the First Order. She had arrived with her daughter Alessandra Creed , and still, a member of the Moff Council remained absent. There had been another arrival at the Charter Day festivities, a mysterious one at that as Kassandra Distorith now walked the streets of Avalonia.​

​

 

[Arador Terrix]

"Moff Westaway, it's a pleasure." Terrix said with a smile, shaking Renata's hand before turning his attention to Aetos, and in turn offering him a handshake. "I cannot say I've had the delight before, it's nice to meet you Captain Aetos. If Moff Westaway vouches for you, I have no doubt you are an excellent soldier. I look forward to hearing great things about you." He took a sip of brandy, turning his attention back to Renata. "Just as I look forward to working with you, Moff Westaway. But I won't keep you for too long, today is a day to rejoice." Terrix raised his glass of brandy in a toast with a grin. "To the First Order!"

Resurgent Narrative | Renata Westaway​

 

[Drexel Quinn]

Baron Drexel Quinn had the biggest grin on his face, standing in the plaza surrounded by jubilation and the allure of intoxication. The First Order was back, baby! A nice dark pair of aviators shielded his eyes, and over his normal uniform Quinn wore a black leather jacket emblazoned with the First Order's sigil and 'D. Quinn' on a label over his left breast. Not exactly regulation, but Quinn figured it could probably slide on a day like today. He walked through the plaza, armed with a full glass of Corellian spiced ale and a welcoming smile.

Looking through the crowd he saw a man standing near the Archway who looked very much like a fellow pilot, wearing a flight jacket, flight suit, and trousers adorned with first-class bloodstripes, gripping a flask. Approaching Kurayami Bloodborn , Quinn beamed. "What a day, right?! It's about time we gave those scalies the boot! But where are my manners," he chuckled, switched the glass to his non-dominant hand, took a sip, and offered the now empty hand to the man. "Baron Drexel Quinn." If Kurayami was the type to remember voices, he'd probably recognize Quinn's as one of the pilots who had commed him in the battle over Victoria.

 

[Ryssa Yvarro]

Ryssa arrived with Djonas Vile in tow, fresh from her trip to Balmorra where she had the opportunity to meet with and make a deal with Adhira Chandra . While Ryssa was all but certain she could reassert Primo Victorian's business here on Dosuun, it was always best to speak with the government about such things. Unfortunately, or fortunately - Ryssa's younger sister Ariel seemed notably absent. ​

​

"Not like her to be late, especially from an event like this, she talked my ear off for two weeks about it," Ryssa said in a quiet yet concerned tone to Djonas. The Galidraani woman did want to introduce Djonas to her sister, a litmus test to see how well he would do when it came to meet with the rest of her family. Namely her mother, and her mother's wife Taeli.​

​

"Well at the very least I have you, and a wonderful atmosphere," she smiled but the concern hadn't quite faded, "where should we go first? Food, drink?"​

 

[Renata Westaway]

"To the First Order," Renata agreed, raising her glass in a toast. "I'll catch up with you later, I hope, Moff Terrix. There is a matter of our wayward colleague I wish to discuss... privately," she added delicately. "But it is not a pressing concern. Perhaps after our speeches are over? At any rate, you have my frequency." After exchanging departing pleasantries, the Moffs parted ways, with Renata and Aetos strolling north towards the Reclamation Arch.

"What have you been up to since you pulled us out of the ground?" Renata asked conversationally as they meandered up the street. She reached into her jacket pocket with her free hand and drew a brass cigarette case, which she flipped open and, using a dextrous maneuver, she managed to flip a cigarette up to let her nip it between her lips quickly, making a questioning noise as she offered the case to him. "Can I tempt you?" she asked awkwardly around the cigarette as it dangled from her bottom lip.

 

[Resurgent Narrative]

It had been quite a long time since Captain Aetos had the privilege of speaking with Moff Westaway privately. He quietly stood to the side while she spoke with Moff Terrix. When their pleasantries had been exchanged, Aetos walked side by side with Moff Wes- Renata as he knew her. They headed north and she broke the silence that hadn't a moment to itself. "After rescuing you and your people from the tunnels, my men and I were tasked by Moff Yvarro to exterminate what remained of the Ssi-Ruuvi."​

​

A task that he relished in, "she had seen my work, both from rescuing you and in-person on Mustafar. After our work in Victoria, we pushed toward Laurentia and finished the scaled-back bastards at Suthrig." Aetos spoke matter-of-factly, he watched as Moff Westaway reached into her jacket pocket and withdrew a brass cigarette case. "Beyond that, we've been working with the Corps of Imperial Engineers in rebuilding, and continue on with our recovery missions." Although, many of those did not have the same happy outcome as the case was with Renata. Who then offered up a cigarette, "you most certainly can." Aetos gave her a wink and searched his person for a lighter while taking the offered cigarette from Renata. "Ah, here we are, got this when I graduated from the Academy."​

​

He had, in fact, graduated from Victoria the year before the Ssi-Ruuvi had descended upon the planet. "May I?" He offered to light her cigarette. Once the cigarettes were lit, Aetos exhaled and watch the smoke leave his body. He looked at the lighter once more, it was made of stainless durasteel with the old Victorian Military Academy crest emblazoned upon it. Aetos tucked it away and looked up toward the Reclamation Arch. "It is a wonderful sight, don't you agree?"​

​

Renata Westaway ​

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

It seemed there were more people gathering relatively nearby, many of whom he could not say he recognized. Taking another swig from the flask, he lowered the container and turned to look at the man who spoke to him. His eyes narrowed in thought as he listened to Drexel Quinn address him, asking about the celebration...there was something familiar. Nodding in agreeance with the Baron it clicked suddenly as he returned the smile and shook his hand.

"Certainly can't disagree with you on it being a good day, and certainly can't disagree about getting rid of the reptilian creatures either."

He took a moment to respond with his name in kind.

"Kurayami Bloodborn. You were the one who welcomed me to the battle. Good to see you made it through. Only wish those Ssi-Ruuvi had put up a bit more of a fight. Hell, I managed to turn some old tech into unguided missiles and kill a nice chunk of 'em with rubber ducks. Best part is that they quacked right before exploding."

 

[Jaivant]

He had never witnessed the golden age of the First Order, he'd never seen its steady rise and he certainly never saw the moment it had reached its peak. Much as he had no recollection of his father, Jaivant had little to intimate himself with regarding the First Order. The man, fresh out of boyhood, had not come all this way to try to piece together a life that he had been deprived of, but rather to quietly observe what sprang from its ashes. A glass cup pressed firmly to his lips, the man sipped the mixed beverage with an expression that somehow always managed to come across as decidedly unapproachable - like a man who appeared perpetually angry, though he might not be.

The music, the air, it was light - enjoyable even - and he wondered if perhaps it was a sign of what was to come. It would be a pleasant departure from the conflicts and unrest broiling elsewhere among the stars, conflicts he wanted to shy away from until he was in a position to care for and take part in them. Half of him - the half he'd assumed he got from his father - wanted to go and throw himself in harms way, but the better half of him, the side he's inherited from his mother - or perhaps it had been drilled into his thick skull over the years before he'd found himself in this paradox - told him to make friends and allies, to stay on the side of politics for now and grow rather than face needless danger.

 

[Kassandra Distorith]

Give me fuel, give me fire, give me that which I desire…

It had been a difficult decision to leave Sith Imperial space, where she had been welcomed with open arms, but it was ever her way to wander. From the Moross Crusade when she’d first awakened, to the Lords of the Fringe, to her principled avoidance of the One Sith, her self imposed exile on Dantooine, and most recently, her brief tenure with the Sith Empire.

Coalitions, empires, and the like came and went with a predictable alacrity, Kassandra noted, fingers plucking a delicate glass of wine from a trundling service bot. What one needed to do was realize that without having wasted time and energy fighting the inevitable. An impossible task, at best, but a worthy goal nonetheless.

She sipped at the wine, letting the oaken, fruit-laden tones stroll across her tongue. Though she survived on the energy of other sentient beings, there was something to be said for a beautifully crafted wine that could sate her other appetites. A smile curled her lips, and the Lordess was careful to keep her fangs retracted. It would not do to frighten people so early in her association with the First Order.

Kassandra could unleash the horror she held at bay at a more opportune and entertaining moment. For now, she would behave herself and simply spend her time becoming acquainted with the resurgent Order she found herself a part of.

While the first incarnation of it had not escaped her notice, it had not been an entity she had wished to be associated with. There were tenets and trials that were beyond the pale even for someone like her, a near millennium old Sith Lord who had committed a cornucopia of atrocities in her time. But even she had lines she wouldn’t cross.

She breathed deeply and savored another sip of her wine before her wandering steps brought her to the presence of someone who echoed within the Force. The Lordess canted her head to the side, and cast her glowing crimson gaze across the gentleman before speaking, quite in spite of his expression.

“A rare thing, these days, a celebration such as this. How did you find yourself in attendance?” she purred softly, a dark brow lofting with the query.

Jaivant​

 

[Djonas Vile]

Djonas walked at Ryssa's side, where he felt the most comfortable as he walked among the citizens of the First Order. He had not been among their people before this. Only rumors of serial narcissism was his knowledge of them. So, he did his best to keep to himself and focus solely on Ryssa. She had come for business. He had hoped to sway her towards pleasure afterwards. Maybe, he could extend his business ventures here as well, but that was unlikely. He could not see the First Order endorsing his ideals.

"Maybe something came up. Things happen. I'm sure she'll show up." he said to comfort her. "I could go for a drink. Something to wake me up. Didn't sleep so well last night."

Ryssa Yvarro ​

 

[Ryssa Yvarro]

"Maybe you're right," Ryssa conceded in private to Djonas, perhaps something had come up and Ariel was simply distracted. Djonas then mentioned wanting to go for a drink, and there were plenty of opportunities to do so. "Well, then you are in luck because Avalonians do love a good drink." From the Ales and Lagers to the fruitier concoctions that promised to get one wasted within five seconds, and the elegant champagnes and wines. To more creative endeavors, it was all on display from kiosk to food trucks.​

​

A warm memory came to mind as she walked side by side hand in hand with Djonas, "Although being here does take me back to when I was younger, in the rare moments when my cousin actually had time to spare. She'd take myself and Ariel out for dinner, or maybe lunch, we'd then walk around one of the parks. So very glad they kept the parks," Ryssa remarked as they headed toward the Garden District. As they headed toward the Garden District the aroma of fried desserts wafted through the air. "Oh- okay, whatever that is I want it."​

​

Djonas Vile ​

 

[Madelyn Lowe]

The light of an afternoon sun reflected glaringly off of the sleek silvered hull of the Tau-Class shuttle, as the vessel folded its wings and descended quietly onto the landing pads in the Avalonian spaceport. Madelyn Lowe, rising from her seat with a yawn, strolled down the gangway and was ushered without fuss into a dark, unmarked speeder, which ferried the official to the site of the festivities, zipping through the familiar-yet-not Avalonian streets before arriving at the Reclamation Arch, where the festival was well underway.

Madelyn had opted for sublety for this occasion. She was dressed in a dark coat and business attire, her hair neatly done up, her rank pins on her lapel marking her status as a Governor and head of the Prefsbelt Imperial Authority, but not her position among the Sith. Likewise, the Grand Moff's entourage, usually comprising dozens of officials and guards, consisted simply of two agents: a grim-faced, scarred woman, and a dark-haired woman sporting a lightsaber and a bored expression. Like Madelyn, the two agents bore PIA uniforms, foregoing the rank pins and accoutrements of their Sith-Imperial positions.

Looking around the festival in admiration, Madelyn could not hide her smile as she saw how far Dosuun had come in a few short years. That there was even anything worth celebrating was a small wonder considering the state the system had been in. It brought her back, seeing the banners unfurled from windows, the people walking through the narrow streets. It was like stepping back through time, back to a life that had been taken from her years ago.

Leaving the speeder behind, Madelyn strolled through the plaza, relaxing and taking in the sights and smell of the newly-restored First Imperial world. She had not yet seen any familiar faces, but she'd been told to expect some of the Order's leaders to be in attendance. Craning her neck, she turned back to Yves, one of her escorts.

"Is the gift ready?" She asked, her bright green eyes looking back at the woman's dark granite ones.

"Yes, Governor Lowe." Came the reply.

Madelyn nodded, looking back over the plaza and assembled crowd and giving a contented sigh.

"Good." She said. "Let's see if we can't find someone we know, hmm?"

 

[Arador Terrix]

Terrix nodded to Renata. "Of course, I'll leave you to it. And it was a pleasure to meet you, Captain Aetos." After they said their parting words, he took a sip of his brandy and looked around, scanning the crowd for familiar faces. Through the crowds of revelers, he spotted Madelyn Lowe and began making his way through the festivities to meet her. He was happy to see another familiar face, and one that he would've been working with in another world. Terrix nearly joined the Sith Empire with their offer of the PIA, but he found his heart remained with the First Order and so here he remained. Through the crowd at last, he approached Madelyn and her entourage, arms wide in welcome.

"Greetings, Governor Lowe, welcome to the new Dosuun! I'm glad you could join us on this momentous day," he said, offering Madelyn a smile and his hand. "How goes life in the Authority?" Terrix had not had the chance to visit again since the initial invitation, but he had little doubt that things had progressed well with Madelyn at the reins. Perhaps he would have to take a trip there one of these days. "I hope all is well."