Populate Operation Arbiter | The Tion Necessity

[Orik Dakari]

Operation Arbiter
Temporarily attached to TASK FORCE DOOKU, 303rd Forward Security Battalion, 1st Company, 1st Platoon, Section 1
Location: COMMERCIAL DISTRICT - CITY INTERIOR, AMBARIL
Objective: CLEAR THE STREET
​

"You have command of this platoon until the crowd is disposed of." called FN-999 to the MPs. "If you want to come along, go ahead. However, I wouldn't recommend it."

Orik nodded.

"I'll clear this place up. And scan for outstanding warrants."

The MPs dispersed, assisting the Stormtroopers in moving the wounded to the medical transports that only just showed up. Several identified felons were bundled up and escorted to another transport.

"What a mess," one of the drivers commented, poking his head and arm out of his open window.

Jes walked up with a resident of the area handcuffed and pulled along, her head bandaged.

"Sarge, check this, caught a big-name distributor with an outstanding warrant."

Orik nodded. "In with the rest, and ride with them as an escort. Don't want them shiving each other before they spill."

The private nodded and moved away, prisoner in tow. Orik spotted Diel kicking discarded improvised weapons into a pile.

"Burn it?" he asked simply, as Orik walked up.

"Middle of the street. Make sure they all see that no weapons are allowed."

"What about the, uhh, Barran's posse?"

Orik frowned. He really, really wanted to arrest the biggest culprits and the most violent ones. But that stormtrooper was defusing things with the Colonel, and it might be unwise to do that now. But then, he did dismiss them like they were nothing once the troopers showed up.

"Corporal," he called to one of the stormtroopers.

"Helmet cams recorded the whole thing, right?" the Stormtrooper nodded.

"Arrest those with a firearm or assaulted another with a weapon. Bring them back to my outpost, our brigs can cool them off for a day or so. The rest... I'll deal with the paperwork." The Stormtrooper nodded and he called to his men, who fanned out in small groups through the dispersed crowd.

"What do you mean the rest, Sarge?"

"Blanket reprimand for the district. We'll be back here tomorrow to post up the notices... might even get the detained ones to do it. Remind me to get in touch with OccupAdmin to reprogram the holo-screens too."

Diel stared at Orik, who continued to look around at the street's public holo-screens, gauging their distances.

"Am I forgetting anything?"

"Sergeant, I... I don't mean to sound insubordinate-"

"Then don't?"

"-but what the hell are neighbourhood notices going to do? They're only paperwork and admin poodoo. Maybe the Barran had it right."

Spat, the Stormtrooper sergeant, strode up to the pair, signalling Orik that he wanted to talk privately.

"No offense intended, but, sergeant to sergeant," he whispered as they stepped to the side. "Maybe you've been in the office trenches for too long if violence ain't... look, I don't think your idea is gonna change anything."

Orik recoiled in annoyance and turned to Diel, speaking loud enough for both he and Spat to hear.

"'Paperwork and admin poodoo' is the bedrock of order. You may not like the sound of it, but Empire's order is built on stability and rules, and an official reprimand and citation is as much a weapon of the Empire as a gun or fists." He turned to Spat.

"Understand this: I will use any tool at my disposal, be it a gun, billboard or mascot doing a funny dance down the road. Notices and public announcements, while 'frivolous', do change something: they are tangible, real physical proof of the Empire and its laws, and that both are here to stay and act. That Barran was not right. How will Chandaar respect the law or see the Empire as any different if their encounter of an 'Imp' is a brute leading thugs to rampage the streets?"

An awkward silence stretched for a few seconds.

"You got a point, MP, but you gotta admit, busting heads has some good," Spat finally said.

Orik looked out at the broken street and buildings, looking like a great wind had ripped through, no better than the next street that had seen fighting in the civil war.

"Yeah, alright."

 

[FN-999]

N I N E S​

Operation: Arbiter
Location: City Interior - Western Residential District
Unit: 908th Stormtrooper Legion - 6th Stormtrooper Platoon
Interacting With: Michael Barran | Open to others

FN-999 sat down to the immediate right of Michael, wordlessly accepting the drink sent his way.
​

'Always let it breathe.... Whether it's whiskey, Tihaar, Mantellska-brand paint-thinner vodka, hooch or any other strong Galactic spirit for that matter. You always let it breathe.', as he set the cork back into the bottle-top's opening, subtly making his point in a veiled metaphor that he was sure the others would find easy to comprehend.

The choice of a metaphor directed his way briefly startled the legion commander. It was just noticeable enough to be understood, but subtle enough not to make the conversation seem awkward or overly formal.

That was when he remembered that Michael was as much a politician as he was a commander.

The Barran family was currently among the most influential in the Empire, and from what he had heard from his higher-ups, they were very active in the disputes of Imperial doctrine. Even if his uncouth manner surpassed even that of his father, Michael was likely far from stupid.

Based on that assessment, FN-999 eased his judgement just slightly.

'For starters - you do realise we'll have to clear the rest of the strip ourselves now, right?', lifting his busted hands and showing off the broken knuckles to drive his point home.

"That shouldn't be a difficult task." replied FN-999. "I have an entire legion scattered throughout the city, and reinforcements can be allocated wherever they are needed. If anything, we should be worrying about whether or not there are enough Knights to handle the more sinister forces around here."

"What I really take issue with..." continued FN-999, "...is your method of peacekeeping."

He took a brief break to reach down to his drink, taking a sip of the thick liquid.

Corellian? For some nonsensical reason, the drink reminded him of home, despite the fact that he had no memory of his life prior to the age of seven. FN-999 shook off the odd sensation, focusing instead on controlling the sensation of excitement and adrenaline that came with the drink.

"When I was brought into the Empire, the one of the first things I was taught was that Imperial morals were superior to all others." continued FN-999. "The anarchy of the Jedi, the petty partisanship of the Alliance, the sadism of the Sith and the insanity of the Maw all bring only ruin with them. In contrast, we are an Empire of order, stability, security, and progress, founded on purely rational principles."

"If rioters move to strike us, it is rational to strike back. If insurrectionists try to shoot us dead, it is rational to shoot them dead."

"What is not rational is for agents of the Empire to create riots. I was a riot trooper in the First Order, so I know that nothing good comes out of a riot. They're unpredictable, grow like wildfire, are expensive to put down, and cost civilian lives."

"In order to end the disorder in this district, we must be at least a little more cautious."

 

[Dorian Sicarrio]

Kase Vass
​

Dorian paused at the distant blast. A plume of smoke rose a few seconds later, but he couldn't tell how serious it was from where he was. First day back at work, and already...

He shook his head in response. "We have our orders. Let's keep going."

The knight straightened, suddenly aware of the eyes on them. The commercial district was safer than much of the city, but the people still had a distrust of the Imperials. To Dorian, that just meant they had something to prove. Was it worse to not address a crisis in full force, or appear so desperately afraid of a problem as to immediately drop everything and rush to the scene?

They passed a family of four, the parents both giving a suspicious look at the two knights -- though, keeping their distance, given the massive akk dog. No one was actually dumb enough to pick a fight with the Imperials. The Empire was reaching out instead.

He didn't know if it was the right choice. But, he found his discipline telling him to stick to his orders; he felt the specter of an old mentor telling him to be calm, stay focused.

"We're not in a rush," he said. "Let's just... normalize our presence."

He adjusted his posture to be a little more open, and put on the beginnings of a welcoming smile.

 

[Kase Vass]

Dorian Sicarrio

Kase inclined his head, plastering a more open, genial expression on his face accordingly. He mentally nudged Rhogo to put a smile on, prompting his familiar to glance at Kase, then Dorian, then snort loudly. Kase chuckled at the akk dog's antics.

With that said, they began to make their way through the Spaceport District, making small talk about Bastion, it's amenities, sights to visit, and restaurants. Along the way, Kase observed how the level of order in the city degraded the closer they got to the district, and the level of hostility directed at the Knights began to increase in direct proportion. He kept a smile plastered on his face.

Hearts and minds.

By time they reached the Spaceport District, it was abundantly clear the briefings were spot-on: the civil war had clearly taken a toll on this part of the city. Walls were pock-marked with blaster bolts- where there were walls still standing. One would think the District would be bustling with merchants and off-worlders; however, it was eerily quiet, with shops shuttered.

However, As they rounded the corner, the humanitarian station came within eye-shot. Throngs of people were mobbing the Mission, jostling and pushing one another as they begged for aid. As they got closer, they could hear a man- a father of three, judging by the children imploring him to calm down- raising his voice with another man. Then he drew a blaster, causing the crowd to panic.

"We have been in line for over twelve hours. I don't care who you are- my wife needs her medicine, and I will walk over you to get it."

 

[Rakaan Horne]

COMMERCIAL DISTRICT:-
Sahar

From behind the waves of mismatched heads and eyes, Rakaan watched her bid to stay afloat; watch as Sahar tried to tread the water, and the small smirk that tugged in the edge of his mouth began to fade into a frown once it seemed she was about to begin drowning instead.

A gloved hand reached out from the crowd and latched onto her forearm, pulling her in.

“Not a people person, eh?” He said with a smile.

 

[Michael Barran]

6th post

CAIRN_ONE

THE HIGHLAND BROTHERHOOD

TAGS

Lucien Dooku Tish Cowen Aoki-Barran Mira

Simon Meinrad Orik Dakari FN-999

HEARTS AND MINDS: A WOAD'S KINDNESSES - PART 6

Western Residential District, City Outskirts,
Ambaril, Chandaar (Spring of 877 ABY)

'That shouldn't be a difficult task.'​

Raising eyebrows purely on what was being perceived as over-confidence, the Lord-Colonel then smirked with ears very much paying attention to whatever would be said next as the Lt. Legion-Commander admitted,'I have an entire legion scattered throughout the city, and reinforcements can be allocated wherever they are needed. If anything, we should be worrying about whether or not there are enough Knights to handle the more sinister forces around here.', revealing intentions that rang much to the chagrin of the Woad behind the bar. Barran wasn't impressed, as despite how wild his behaviours had appeared before, Lord Michael was sure the revealed behaviour of Nines' subordinates would ring as a complete extreme in contrasting comparison.

'What I really take issue with...'

With eyeballs scowling, almost daring the Imperial hero to continue at his own risk, the Druid remained silent.

Deathly silent.

'...is your method of peacekeeping.'

Really? Is that all?​

Another change washed over the Wanderer in an instant, but swinging the momentum of his scrutiny back to something akin to nonplussed scrutiny and beyond, closer to an expression of light disbelief as Lord Michael brought out two bacta patches, leaving them to one side as he topped up the drinks again. Then as he stopped at acceptable levels on both glasses for a second time, Nines revealed,'When I was brought into the Empire, the one of the first things I was taught was that Imperial morals were superior to all others.', in the spirit of an absolute candour Barran could see with ease. Then after another short silence for them both to enjoy another drink of whiskey, the Lt. Legion commander continued,'The anarchy of the Jedi, the petty partisanship of the Alliance, the sadism of the Sith and the insanity of the Maw all bring only ruin with them. In contrast, we are an Empire of order, stability, security, and progress, founded on purely rational principles.', steadily getting to the crux of the matter as the Lord-Colonel continued to listen intently in turn.

'If rioters move to strike us, it is rational to strike back. If insurrectionists try to shoot us dead, it is rational to shoot them dead.'

Not here though, lad. What the-?​

What seemed to be heading in an innocuous direction for a short while, as much as the Druid didn't want it to be so, was quickly heading in a dark direction quick, such that Lord Michael wouldn't abide for a moment, such that he couldn't afford to abide either. Not with King Lucien considered, and certainly not with future generations of Imperials in mind either, and the Wanderer was determined to keep the Triumvirate's adherents on amiable terms with the Empire's own shadow-government, even if it meant letting saner heads prevail until the Pellaeonist government were required to rise in place of their predecessors.

'What is not rational is for agents of the Empire to create riots. I was a riot trooper in the First Order, so I know that nothing good comes out of a riot. They're unpredictable, grow like wildfire, are expensive to put down, and cost civilian lives.'

But it was very difficult for the Woad to comprehend the magnitude of the dangers FN-999 was presenting to the delicate situation they were in already, and if it had not have been for the fact the Lt. Legion-Commander was turning the Lord-Colonel a frightened shade of pale, there may not have been any urge for Lord Michael to intervene for his new acquaintance's sake. Point-blank refusal wouldn't work, nor would any lesser-protestations for that matter, and only tact, a new strategy and an opinion-changing insight could dissuade Nines from the great error he was on the verge of making.

'In order to end the disorder in this district, we must be at least a little more cautious.'

A sharp, loud inhalation of fearful confusion follow, with Lord Michael dropping his gaze and posture to the point his head was leaning on the bar-counter as his hands balled into fists, with soft, kindly exhalation breaking the frustration before Barran finally responded,'Cautious? What?! You must be joking, mate.', cursing under his breath for a moment or two before he straightened his posture to a proper standing position again. Looking back at the Lt. Legion Commander in genuine dismay, the Lord-Colonel could do nothing to keep himself from shaking his head as he continued,'You don't know how close you're getting to being the cause of said insurrection, do you? Honestly, nothing all that sinister going on except for our damn presence here! Please, Nines. You need to hear me out on this one, as it might keep both our heads off the chopping-block.', steadily calming his approach for Nines' sake.

'This is serious, Nines. This wasn't riot-incitement, this was planned with specific reasons in mind.... Alright, granted, my methods appear unorthodox at face-value - but I need assurance you'll hear me out. Can you promise me that?'

 

[Bex Tarring]

CHANDAAR
***
BRAMBER DIVISION
***
FOURTH BRIGADE (Armoured)
***
Battalions 1, 2 & 3​

The deployment of select elements of the Bramber Division had been a last-minute one, something to occupy and flex the latest military arm of Galidraan as it extended and grew. After years of service, and proving himself in numerous theatres of war, the recently elevated Lord-Major General Tarring had returned home a hero, the people of southern Galidraan all too pleased to answer the call to expand their standing army in service of The Empire.

With the swift reorganisation and consolidation of the forces drawn from the Bramber and Thames regions came the need for a commanding officer to lead it, one who had a keen understanding of oversight, effective strategy and a steely determination that personified the troopers from the planet, though not as famous as their northern counterparts. Bex had proven to be that person to take the mantle as the first commanding officer of the new Division.

Comprising four Brigades, each containing three battalions, the fourth Brigade was dedicated to the Cataphract tank and the mechanised infantry companies that accompanied them. Highly mobile, well-trained and fully experienced, these were the toughest of the Brambers, the oldest and most senior of the new force. These had seen conflict on Tython, on Galidraan III, and on numerous worlds and battlefields.

Today was their chance for a rest. The decision to bring a large armoured element to a planet where ‘hearts and minds’ was the objective was a smart one. It would certainly remind the mind not to be too foolish about whether it was going to listen to the heart; planetary occupations never sat too well with those who did not want them there in the first place.

Bramber Division, 4th Brigade, 1st Armored Battalion, First Company HQ

Bex stood discussing forward operations logistics with the other senior staff of the Battalion in the shadow of the colossal ship that had brought the twelve companies of troopers that totalled the complement of Cataphract tanks and supporting troop transports and supply trucks to where they needed to go. Various Colonels, Majors and Captains stood, debating the merits of placement outside of the nearest settlement. They were trying not to be a nuisance but they were going to upset some of the locals, which was in direct contravention of the primary order of the day.

His new uniform was still weather-beaten; he preferred it as such. He liked to command his troops from the front and enemy soldiers in a more dangerous theatre of war would spot the shiniest, most clean-looking uniforms and hit them first. He made sure his senior staff were a little more discrete. The dress uniform was reserved for parties and parades; this was an active operation and they walked around with a big ol’ target on their heads.

Bex looked at his adjutant, Lieutenant Colonel Horsham, and gave him a glare that said “Help me.”

Horsham smiled and stepped forward, handing Bex various datapads.

“List of the Imperial elements already deployed in the region and the command structure, sir. Dooku, sir.”

Bex nodded at the assembled officers, dismissing them. He would deal with them in a little while.

“Thank you, Horsham. Let’s see who we can get hold of.”

He looked out as one after another of the mighty Cataphract tanks descended down the gangway of the transport ship.

One Hundred and Sixty-Eight of them. Just over two thousand men in total.

They’d try to do some good here.




TAG Lucien Dooku Michael Barran et al.
OOC: I am open to any contact/meet up.

 

[FN-999]

N I N E S​

Operation: Arbiter
Location: City Interior - Western Residential District
Unit: 908th Stormtrooper Legion - 6th Stormtrooper Platoon
Interacting With: Michael Barran | Open to others

​

'Cautious? What?! You must be joking, mate.', cursing under his breath for a moment or two before he straightened his posture to a proper standing position again. Looking back at the Lt. Legion Commander in genuine dismay, the Lord-Colonel could do nothing to keep himself from shaking his head as he continued,'You don't know how close you're getting to being the cause of said insurrection, do you? Honestly, nothing all that sinister going on except for our damn presence here!

The cause of Colonel Barran's anxiety confused FN-999.
​

His claim that the Imperial presence on the planet was the main cause of unrest greatly perplexed the lieutenant colonel. For decades, he had been conditioned to believe that the only way to end rebellion was by burning it to the ground with overwhelming force. That way, no rebel cell would dare rise up again lest they risk facing the fate of their predecessors. It was a simple and relatively quick solution, with the added benefit of reassuring loyal citizens that insurrectionists would be punished. Still, Colonel Barran's objection to that basic idea intrigued FN-999.

Please, Nines. You need to hear me out on this one, as it might keep both our heads off the chopping-block.', steadily calming his approach for Nines' sake.

'This is serious, Nines. This wasn't riot-incitement, this was planned with specific reasons in mind.... Alright, granted, my methods appear unorthodox at face-value - but I need assurance you'll hear me out. Can you promise me that?'

Despite their clear ideological divide, FN-999 appreciated the gesture of diplomacy.

"Okay, I promise." replied the lieutenant colonel. "I admit, I'm unfamiliar with your ideology, and there's probably a lot we'll disagree about. But for now, I'll listen."

 

[Michael Barran]

7th post

CAIRN_ONE

THE HIGHLAND BROTHERHOOD

TAGS

Lucien Dooku Tish Cowen Aoki-Barran Mira

Simon Meinrad Orik Dakari FN-999 Bex Tarring

HEARTS AND MINDS: A WOAD'S KINDNESSES - PART 7

Western Residential District, City Outskirts,
Ambaril, Chandaar (Spring of 877 ABY)

'Okay, I promise.'​

Sighing with relief, then giving a friendly nod of thanks, the Lord-Colonel started applying the recently-found bacta patches to his own hands as the Lt. Legion-Commander continued,'I admit, I'm unfamiliar with your ideology, and there's probably a lot we'll disagree about. But for now, I'll listen.', slightly bemusing Barran but only in a lightly confusing sense, but understanding it as the sort of misconceptions that follow people of renown like the Barrans. Further adding to the confusion was the fact that Nines would not have known much of the current happenings between their political parties, though fortunately for the Tarkinist, the Pellaeonist was more than willing to bring a colleague across the proverbial political-aisle up to speed on such matters.

'Thank you for understanding, an' believe it or not, I was once of a mind with yourself politically.... Yeah, I was a proponent of the Galidraani Free-State until about eight years ago, lad. But I still know enough to guarantee both remaining Imperial parties are working in quiet accordance now, so its up to folks like you an' I to make sure our superiors don't look like fools for doing so - an' such accords are surely going to be put to the test in the next year or so, but I would have success here.'

Drinking from his own glass before starting to wrap up his left hand, Michael paused in his amble to let the gist of his suggestion register properly in Nines' mind, the Lord-Colonel smirked to think how he was going to sound for the next part, sniggering under his breath and shaking his head at himself and the necessity that gave rise to such a plan to begin with. Then after applying one bacta patch, the other would be brought out to wrap the other hand as Barran continued,'For starters, the show of force should not have been enacted for the quiet majority, not when they see the Empire in the same light you an' I do already.... In their shoes, you would be none too fond either - but that's not to say nothing can be done though. Hearts and Minds doctrine can be old-timey too, ya know?', sliding the bottle toward the Lt. Legion-Commander so he could fill the glasses next.

'The locals should be looking to us as a the saviours, their friends in a world beset by enemies from within their own ranks.... With that level of confidence in us, the people of Ambaril could find confidence enough in their own strength of will as a result. The sort that pull up their boots by the straps and chase out the criminal caste on their own - and I know exactly how we can achieve it.'

<"McBain to Cairn One! We got incoming, seems to me its the boys from Bramber Division. How do we proceed?">

<"Under other circumstances, I'd be fuming, but I have something of an idea, so I can patch through an' make arrangements with that lot in any case.... For now though, I'll need ye t'send me oor brutes, one-hundred in total, an' to form them up outside my current position - armed with riot-shields and batons! Cairn One out!">​

Lighting a cigarra in the silence, the Wanderer would smoke in silence before turning to Nines, making sure he had the Lt. Legion-Commander's attention when he concluded,'And that same order goes for yourself - exactly one-hundred of your meanest mugs, ready to go with riot-shields an' batons at the double.... The rest will quarantine and surround the district, manning the checkpoints an' lookout towers an' the like, as this is exactly what friendlies would do in such circumstances', before silently offering a cigarra to Nines in the spirit of politeness. Then, with a simple gesture of holding index finger up for a moment of quiet, the Wanderer smirked as changed the frequencies on his comm-device, knowing exactly who he needed to speak to as he clicked the receiver into action.

<"Good afternoon, Bramber One. Lord Michael Barran speaking.... We ought to meet, sending coordinates now. Also, pull your tanks back and send me a hundred of your biggest bruisers instead. It would also serve them well to bring riot-shields and batons - the old-fashioned song an' dance our people know so well. Sound like a plan, Lord Bex?">​

 

[Dorian Sicarrio]

Kase Vass
​

Talking about home felt odd -- it struck him very suddenly how familiar he'd become with his little corner of Ravelin. His time spent on Bastion lately was probably the longest he'd ever spent in one place. His vacations were to stay at a hotel on the other side of the planet, visiting whatever sights were recommended on the HoloNet. What he looked for in these streets were far from what he once did. He found he was looking like a civilian. Not in attire, but in his own sight; his eyes wandered to nearby grocery store, and he wondered what to get for dinner, until he remembered it'd be rations.

Civilian life had changed him, mellowed him. Bastion was safe. He was privileged enough to live close to the center of Imperial power, never worry a moment about instability or danger. The stress put on the people of Chandaar made their 'civilian' lives far different.

"Hey! HEY." He gave a crisp clap, catching the attention of the closest in the crowd -- the ones who were the most afraid of the man waving around a blaster pistol. Combined with his voice, it was enough to shock the man into noticing his surroundings. Tunnel vision hit hard, especially when fighting for a loved one. But surrounded by his own children...

It still wasn't perfect. The man swung around, pointing the weapon shakily at the knights and the akk dog. "I- I..."

"Dad-" "Dad, please!"

Some part his brain understood what would happen if he shot. Dorian was standing neutrally, but there was still his armor, his stature, and the lightsaber at his belt.

"Put down the blaster." He found a note of command, reminiscent of the voice of Rurik Fel, though not nearly as powerful. He held out a hand. "You know you should."

The blaster steadied a touch. "Give- give me that medicine. We've been here for twelve hours."

Dorian paused, then opened himself up slightly. "You know what, I get it. If my wife needed medicine, I'd probably beat the shit out of anyone who got in my way so I could get it for her." He started forward. "But if everyone does that, well -- you'd need a lot more bacta."

He -- a touch dramatically -- lowered his gaze to the children huddled by their father, who now stood frozen. "And you don't need to fire a shot to hurt someone."

He stopped a few feet away from the man and held out his hand. Trembling, he threw the blaster to Dorian, and fell to his knees by his children.

 

[FN-999]

N I N E S​

Operation: Arbiter
Location: City Interior - Western Residential District
Unit: 908th Stormtrooper Legion - 6th Stormtrooper Platoon
Interacting With: Michael Barran | Open to others

​

'Thank you for understanding, an' believe it or not, I was once of a mind with yourself politically.... Yeah, I was a proponent of the Galidraani Free-State until about eight years ago, lad. But I still know enough to guarantee both remaining Imperial parties are working in quiet accordance now, so its up to folks like you an' I to make sure our superiors don't look like fools for doing so - an' such accords are surely going to be put to the test in the next year or so, but I would have success here.'

'Galidraani Free State'? What is that?
​

FN-999 almost spoke the question aloud, but held his tongue at the last moment to avoid any accusations of ignorance or tarnishing of Colonel Barran's pride. He was vaguely aware that the Galidraani system was loyal to the Empire and that it was the ancestral home of the Barrans, but was completely clueless about its political machinations. For over twenty years of his life, FN-999 had been trained as a soldier, instructed only in how to best kill his enemies and command his subordinates. Up until the past two years, he had virtually no knowledge of politics behind the basic unifying values of the First Order and Empire respectively. According to Colonel Barran, there were two major Imperial political parties that were making "accords" with each other, and the operation within this city would be key to that.

For the moment, the lieutenant colonel decided to continue trusting the Lord-Regent's son.

'For starters, the show of force should not have been enacted for the quiet majority, not when they see the Empire in the same light you an' I do already.... In their shoes, you would be none too fond either - but that's not to say nothing can be done though. Hearts and Minds doctrine can be old-timey too, ya know?', sliding the bottle toward the Lt. Legion-Commander so he could fill the glasses next.

'The locals should be looking to us as the saviours, their friends in a world beset by enemies from within their own ranks.... With that level of confidence in us, the people of Ambaril could find confidence enough in their own strength of will as a result. The sort that pull up their boots by the straps and chase out the criminal caste on their own - and I know exactly how we can achieve it.'

Again, FN-999 took a moment to absorb Colonel Barran's words as he refilled the pair's glasses. He seemed to be suggesting that the locals be given some degree of autonomy in their security, allowing them to purge their own disloyal and boost Imperial sympathies without significant outside interference. It was an interesting concept, one which the lieutenant colonel had never previously considered. He had always assumed that a stronger central government meant a more secure nation, and flooding unruly areas with stormtroopers was a net positive. FN-999 had been taught the narrative that the Empire and the First Order before it used its overwhelming authority to liberate innocent civilians bound by corrupt authorities and crime syndicates, enforcing the newly won order and liberation with force no terrorists could match.

Lighting a cigarra in the silence, the Wanderer would smoke in silence before turning to Nines, making sure he had the Lt. Legion-Commander's attention when he concluded,'And that same order goes for yourself - exactly one-hundred of your meanest mugs, ready to go with riot-shields an' batons at the double.... The rest will quarantine and surround the district, manning the checkpoints an' lookout towers an' the like, as this is exactly what friendlies would do in such circumstances

"As you wish, Colonel Barran." replied FN-999. "I think I may have judged you unfairly, and I apologize for that. I hope that next time we meet, it will be under friendlier circumstances. Perhaps next time I'm on leave, I'll come visit the Free State myself. I'll keep you updated. Ave Rurik."

With his closing remark, the pair split off, contacting their respective subordinates on their comms.

Now sincerely humbled, FN-999 patiently awaited reinforcements from Lieutenant Bigfoot.