Operation Infinity | CIS Dominion of Cularin (V, 39)

[Scherezade deWinter]

Location: Camp
Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives | Fire and Smoke (lightsabers) | Hidden Wrist Blades | Knight Obsidian Sword | 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="Tmoxin Temi"] [member="Bestion Darklighter"] [member="Boo Heavenshield"] [member="Srina Talon"] [member="Alwine Lechner"]

Madalena was… Well, she was sitting. That was a start. She was also blinking, which meant that at least part of her basic functions actually functioned. The problem was, that nothing else seemed right. She'd arrived as per the orders after signing up, fully expecting to go blow people up, or stabbing them, or… Well, or anything. Really.

What she had not expected, was to be holding a baby.

And not just any baby, oh no, no no no. She was holding a baby girl, swabbed in multiple shades of pink, and glowing green eyes.

"Babies should not have glowing eyes," she murmured, "anyone ever tell you how creepy that is? Stop it!"

The baby in her hands giggled before burping milk on Maddy's face. Madalena groaned. She was usually great with kids. All kids. But this… This was eve more krakked up than other thigs that were krakked up.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" she asked, ad actually expected an answer. Why not? If things were so weird, maybe a baby answering wasn't the weirdest thing ever?

Baby-Maddy giggled again, and the smell that engulfed both her and Madalena let her know exactly what.

She was supposed to change her gorram diapers.

 

[Malok]

[member="Srina Talon"] | [member="Boo Heavenshield"] | [member="Tmoxin Temi"]​

A faint explosion heralded their arrival at Camp Dauntless.

Over the course of his lifetime, Darth Metus had grown accustomed to preparing for a number of threats. He planned for what the future would hold - whether it be foreign invasion or domestic betrayal. He hoped for the best, but was always ready for the worst. However. Never in his wildest dreams did the Sith fathom a threat from the past. Yet as his feet crunched down upon the soil of Cularin, he found himself staring down a sight he had not witnessed in decades. Gold filled his sulfuric gaze as an armored male raised his arm in defiance. The iconic T-Visor obscured the Mandalorian's features - but his height and build betrayed his age and inexperience.

Darth Metus felt who the warrior was, long before seeing underneath the helm. And to add credence to his suspicion, the sigil of Clan Verd - a ram's skull - was inscribed upon the Mandalorian's right shoulder. Before the Sith now stood a boy who had not yet learned the ways of the Force. A boy who had not known the sting of Death or the joy of Fatherhood. A boy who knew nothing of leadership or submission. Before Darth Metus was his life before the Darkness: a child by the name of Isley Verd.

Their initial moments were explosive to say the least. Isley let fly a wrist rocket at point blank range and the resulting concussive force was enough to unseat the surprised Darth Metus. But that was the sole victory his younger self would have this day - for the Sith knew every trick the boy had up his sleeve. It took some doing, but the Mandalorian was quickly disarmed and made to sit upon the ground.

"Who are you? Where am I? Give me back my blaster, schutta!"

"I'll give it back when you calm the kark down and listen."

A few minutes later and the pair sauntered into Camp Dauntless without further issue. And, though the Sith forced a calm expression upon his face, his mind was racing a mile a minute. Though Death was a factor of life he had bested once before, Time was an entirely different beast. The Sith had not a clue about how to remedy this particular dilemma, and opted instead to keep his younger self safe for the time being. Shortly after their arrival, however, a welcome voice broke the fervor of his thoughts. He felt a cocktail of stress and frustration emanating from his Apprentice before her form graced his eyes.

And though a mountain laid before them, he knew they'd conquer it like all the others. Reaching, the Sith patted his younger self on the back to urge him forward quicker until they came upon the tent. Darth Metus parted his lips to speak, but found himself cut off.

You see, where the Sith found relief in the presence of his Apprentice, the Mandalorian saw Heaven. The boy was scarcely ten years of age, but he knew an angel when he saw one. Quickly, he fumbled to remove his helm and hung it upon his belt - revealing a mass of loose curls, deep brown eyes, and a toothy grin to the world. "Ner'vod." he began in a whisper - punctuating his words by knudging Metus' leg with his elbow. "Who. Is. She?"

"That is my apprentice, Srina."

"...You mean, when I get big, I can be around her?"

"All day, everyday."

"I can't wait to grow up!"

The cynic in the Sith cringed at the sheer innocence. If only that boy knew the Hell that awaited him in the future. The pain. The loss. The death. Darth Metus lightly shook his head and motioned a thumb at the tent. "Go sit down somewhere and wait for me to get you, got it?"

"B-But." came the start of a protest.

"Now, or I'll tell Oron where you hide your snacks."

If there was one thing Isley couldn't risk, it was his baby brother devouring all his hard earned goodies. So, the armored boy relented and scooted past the two Boos and into the tent. And there, he met a much younger and much feistier version of Heaven. With eyes gleaming and smile wide, he bounded over to Rin and offered his hand.

"Su'cuy! I'm Isley!"

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Allies: [member="Srina Talon"] | [member="Alwine Lechner"] | [member="Boo Heavenshield"] | [member="Darth Metus"]
Addressing: [member="Scherezade deWinter"]
Post: 2

As Tmoxin dumped the depleted stimcaf grounds into a maintenance droid, wiping the last of the grounds off of her hands, she smirked at the irony of the camp name. The moment she’d stepped her boots upon the heavily forested planet, she felt nothing but the opposite of fearlessness. Cularin was strong in the Force, but because of her childhood memories of the Ni’Korish cult that her family had been a part of, instead of embracing it, letting it flow through her to calm her worried mind, she’d slammed it away as though shutting the door on a lover in an argument.

Along with the Hapan Heritage Council, the Ni’Korish had been part of what had shaped her rigid beliefs. And quite honestly, as she inched slowly towards middle age, that tautness around the way the galaxy was supposed to be had slackened.

But today it all came rushing back.

Recalling her mother’s stories, the Ni’Korish showed solidarity with each other by wearing the color red. Tmoxin slipped into her ship and donned a crimson-hued cloak that she didn’t remember packing, and normally that revelation alone would have chilled her to the bone as she was acutely conscious at all times about her wardrobe choices, but today it seemed… right.

The Hapan heard a mewling sound, incongruous with any of the noises coming from the verdant forest and conflicting with the normal hum of the Confederacy symphony in the background - the shoosh of ships landing and the mechanical whine of droids.

And even if she wasn’t in such a dream-like state, she may have still asked this question as Scherezade deWinter approached with a baby.

“What in the Seven Moons is a child doing at camp? Please tell me you found that creature abandoned in a basket somewhere?”

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Location: Camp
Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives | Fire and Smoke (lightsabers) | Hidden Wrist Blades | Knight Obsidian Sword | 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="Tmoxin Temi"] [member="Bestion Darklighter"] [member="Boo Heavenshield"] [member="Srina Talon"] [member="Alwine Lechner"]

Attn: [member="Tmoxin Temi"]​

"Call her a creature again and I'll cut you from butthole to nostrils," Madalena replied as the woman addressed her. The baby in her arms gurgled happily despite the smell of the dirty diaper that only seemed to be growing worse with every passing moment.

Glancing around, the SIthling sighed. "It appears that there are a lot of children at the camp tonight," she noted out loud. It seemed as though almost every one there was paired with one. "Where's yours?" she asked the redhead, her own glowing eyes squinting ever so slightly.

But the smell… By the Force, the smell!

Crouching on the ground, Madalena moved swiftly to remove the clothes from the baby, as well as the dangerous biohazard that paraded as a full diaper. It took her entire water bottle to get the baby cleaned up to avoid baby crotch rot. And the baby, her eyes glowing much stronger than Madalena's eyes were, was madly giggling the entire time.

"I don't suppose you have a clean diaper at hand?" she asked, looking at the redhead again.

 

[Tmoxin Temi]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Allies: [member="Srina Talon"] | [member="Alwine Lechner"] | [member="Boo Heavenshield"] | [member="Darth Metus"]
Addressing: [member="Scherezade deWinter"]
Post: 3

Tmoxin’s brown eyes widened, and her haughty Hapan sensibilities kicked in like a keffi’s hind hooves smacking someone in the teeth.

By the core, the smell was atrocious.

“W-here’s m-mine?” the redhead coughed out with the utmost outrage. The Confederacy woman caught her completely off-guard. Mostly because young Tmoxin thought quite assuredly that she would never have children, yet the woman who embodied the present emotional state of the Dark Jedi riding the cusp of thirty-four and thirty-five, had this tiny inkling, much like the small human in Scherezade’s care, that she may have had her own child with Viceroyal Dib by this time.

But now, she merely watched as the woman quickly attended to the infant.

“I don’t know… I mean…”

The Hapan considered giving her the cloak off her back. That was the right thing to do. But she could not convince herself. That was her Ni’Korish sign to all of the other Ni’Korishians on Curalin.

“I have nothing on me. But maybe there’s something on my ship.”

Of course the Hapan had the finest linens and accoutrements aboard the Sovereign Stingray, but did she really want to sacrifice it all for a crying, defecating baby?

The mature Tmoxin would have gladly offered, but the little snit of a nineteen-year-old Hapan held out and stated in the most arrogant tone: “We have a job to do. Isn’t there a-a man around who can help take care of this child?”

That's what normal, everyday men did right?

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Location: Cularin Jungle​

Objective: Meet with Kurenai
Tags: [member="Kurenai Yumi"]
Post: IV

The saving grace of having to deal with his younger self was even then he understood the necessity of following orders. Which was surprising given the structure of their small clan was not exactly a functioning military. When Kurenai said she shot herself, it led to a question that arose in Cardinal's mind but was quickly steadied. So the younger woman had shot her older self, that was not surprising seeing as how Cardinal had nearly been impaled and poisoned by his own childlike self. When her bit of advice came, Cardinal paused as he looked over to the woman. "So whatever happens to them happens to us? That's not reassuring. Seems they're tethered here through a Force Bond, one that leads to us." He explained, though was not entirely sure he understood the thought yet.

Only seconds later he heard the sound of blaster fire coming out from the distance. It was in the exact same direction he had sent M'Tokala. That alone unsettled him yet it was followed by a loud call, that matched the war yell that the younger man had used earlier. "Chit, he's about to attack. Let's go before he gets me killed." Cardinal rushed forward, at a speed that was rather impressive for a brute of his size.

The brush began to lighten as they reached a large clearing. The clearing seemed to be made from a starship that crash landed and slammed down all the surrounding trees. At the edge of the fallen trees M'Tokala was dodging an array of automated turrets set to defend one of the vessel's main hangar doors. Dodging was probably the wrong word, as he was trying to charge forward. Suicide was a better word for the assault. "Damn it." Cardinal muttered, before glancing over to Kurenai. "Cover me!" He yelled, rushing forward to save himself from an impending blaster wound to the chest,

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Near: [member="Alwine Lechner"] (Directly Addressing) | [member="Boo Heavenshield"] | [member="Srina Talon"] | [member="Tmoxin Temi"] | [member="Darth Metus"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Bestion Darklighter"]
Post: 1

Aiden had arrived just a few moments ago. It felt...different to be supporting a Confederacy operation in the light of his recent self-demotion. However, he found the relative freedom of guiding and shaping a society more or less independent of others to be more...engaging than the minutiae of administering the combined military forces of the Confederacy. He had done enough blustering about decisions and actions of those around him. Now, the Sith Lord was firmly in a position to do as he pleased and saw fit within the limited confines of the Confederacy's Charter.

As he walked through the camp, his bright gaze took hold of only a handful of people he recognized. There were arguably many more that he simply could not identify in the slightest. Just as he was about to pass a particularly youthful looking girl and an even younger one, a single word gave him pause.

Stewjon.

Stopping, Aiden turned to regard the two young women...no...one young woman and one child. The large Sith Lord approached the pair. Dressed simply in dark overcoat over dark trousers and no shirt, there was neither malice nor threat in his voice or body language. However, Aiden had grown to be cognizant of the fact that some people allowed fear of the unknown to rule their emotions. "Are you from Stewjon?"

No sooner had the Sith Lord spoken than he caught a glimpse of another young child approaching out the corner of Aiden's eye. At first, he was content to ignore the new presence, but a double-take forced the Sith Lord's gaze to linger. He knew that face. It might have been centuries since he had last seen it, but he would recognize his fourteen year old self dressed in a simple tunic and pants, certainly. Confusion rippled across the Sith Lord's features for...only a brief moment.

 

[Alwine Daye]

Wearing: Obsidian type Strike Armor | "Executor" Boot Exclusive
Wielding: Obsidian Knight Sword
Location: Camp Dauntless
Tags: [member="Aiden"]

"You did not become a Shield Maiden," the girl said to Alwine, refusing to hide the judgement from her stare, "you were supposed to join the Shield Maidens. Father is training Varick and Gerwald so they could become warriors instead of farmers. Why are you not a Shield Maiden?"

Alwine stared down her younger self, fighting the need to smack her. She was not her mother. She would not beat a child for… Frankly, for being herself. She had always been highly judgmental, and she had never hidden it from her siblings. Why hide it from herself just because she was a different version of herself?

"I made the attempt," she answered with a shrug, "they turned me away without allowing me to try out because of my size."

She did not like to think of it. It was only now, that she was part of the Confederacy and no longer on Stewjon, that she could see there was so much more that she could do beyond be a Shield Maiden. But at the time, it had hurt. She had thought she would never recover from the pain and the humiliation. How naïve she had been.

It was then that the two were approached by a man that Alwine did not recognize in the slightest ([member="Aiden"]). Another giant of a man.

"Not all of them," she said to her little version, already knowing what the girl was thinking. It was a matter of coincidence that Alwine, a mere spit of a girl of five feet, found herself regularly surrounded by giant men, and chased the puzzle of a giant woman too, but that was not for now.

"We are," she said to him, "you do not have the looks of a Stewjoni about you. What is your interest in that redundant planet?"

The smaller version of her snickered a the mention of it being redundant. Alwine gave her a wink.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Location: Camp
Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives | Fire and Smoke (lightsabers) | Hidden Wrist Blades | Knight Obsidian Sword | 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="Tmoxin Temi"] [member="Bestion Darklighter"] [member="Boo Heavenshield"] [member="Srina Talon"] [member="Alwine Lechner"]

Attn: [member="Tmoxin Temi"]​

There was something on her ship? Oh no. Madalena did not know who this woman was. She was not about to take the baby version of herself with her on some stranger's ship.

"Fine," she murmured, and stood up. One of her knives unceremoniously slid into her hand, and a moment later, she was standing there without her pants on, having cut them off. It was a really good thing that she'd worn underwear that day. With her legs now bare, the endless knives that were strapped them could easily be seen.

"I have better things to do than wait around for some man," she said to the woman a she crouched down and began to tie the pants around the baby version of herself. Well… A leather diaper could work, right? "And I don't have a job to do. No one sent me any instructions."

Picking the baby up in her arms, the baby gurgled, and Madalena looked at the shorter redhead. "What are the instructions?"

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Tags: [member="Alwine Lechner"]
Post: 2

Aiden shifted his gaze back towards the two females as he heard a question come from one of them. "I am not of Stewjon. My interest, however, rests almost exclusively in a desire to affect a societal change on the world. For the better, I would think. There are definitive traits that make for a more successful, productive society. A highly regimented, highly superstitious caste system, does not exactly accomplish that objective."

Pausing for a moment, Aiden could feel the newly arrived child attempting to press into his mind. It was a simple matter to press back hard enough to convince the child to cease. Funny thing...Aiden could not remember being so brazen as a child. "I have recently been appointed as Viceroy of Stewjon. What are your names?"

The teenage Aiden, who had hair that was steadily becoming long but no facial hair screwed up his face in a mixture of irritation and confusion. Casually, he began to approach the large man, wondering who would dare to take aggressive action against a descendant of Maximus and Boadicea.

 

[Alwine Daye]

Wearing: Obsidian type Strike Armor | "Executor" Boot Exclusive
Wielding: Obsidian Knight Sword
Location: Camp Dauntless
Tags: [member="Aiden"]

The expression on the faces of the two females as the man claimed he wished to bring a societal change to the planet was identical; suspicious, not believing, and not understanding. Stewjon was a place that held mostly bad memories for the both of them, even if on was still living there, and even of the other one had known a few short moments of joy there thanks to her brothers.

"Stewjon is a horrible place," the young one said, "unless you are one of the Lords, the only future it offers is to live, serve the Lords, and die. Not much of a future."

Alwine nodded. "If you wish to do the planet good, burn the place to the ground."

Glancing behind the large man, Alwine lofted a brow. It appeared that his own past version was quickly approaching as well.

"We are Alwine Hilde Lechner," she answered for both and her younger version. Child-Alwine raised her chin again, giving the man a defiant look. She was not on Stewjon. She did not have to bow her head, even if someone said he was a Viceroy. Especially when she did not know what a Viceroy was. "The child is me when I was younger, trained to serve the Lords and kill their night pots. I am me now, an Executor with the Knights Obsidian. What is your name, Viceroy of Stewjon?"

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Tag: [member="Alwine Lechner"]
Post: 3

Unlike the majority of his family, Aiden had been born with the vibrant silver-green eyes he now allowed to remain fixed on the two Alwines. By the time the eldest had finished speaking, the teenage Aiden sporting precisely the same eyes had arrived, standing just beside his future self. It was the child that spoke before Aiden could utter a word. Where Aiden benefited from the completed training of his youth, the teenage Aiden clearly had not.

"Forge your own future. Do not whine and protest for it does nothing to strengthen and all else is tantamount to weakness."

Clearly, the teenage Aiden did already possess the whit of Maximus. Placing a hand to the boy's shoulder, Aiden allowed a firm pressure to convey he should resist all of his natural urges in that moment. "I agree it has long since been overlooked, left neglected by the Confederacy in many respects. The inclination towards the allowance of independent worlds to govern themselves can sometimes have this effect. However, rest assured the brutal reality of life on Stewjon has been communicated to the Viceroyalty by another."

Having heard the woman's name now, Aiden realized he knew much about her without actually knowing her. "It was part of a communique dispatched by my younger brother, Caid Centurion, prior to his stepping down from the Viceroyalty of Druckenwell." A shallow nod of the head followed the Sith Lord's statement. "I've read a fair amount about you, Alwine Lechner. I stepped down from my position as Minister of War to address the challenges on Stewjon personally. As for you child..."

Dropping to a knee, Aiden gave his attention to the young girl, but he made no move to touch her or otherwise draw nearer. "Keep faith that you have quite the future ahead of you. Your trials on Stewjon will not define you anymore than you allow them to. I will endeavor..." Aiden shifted his gaze equally between both Alwines now, having to actually look up to the elder Alwine. "...to ensure no child of Stewjon ever know the pain and suffering that you knew."

Coming back to his feet, Aiden clasped his hands behind his back, causing the fabric of his overcoat to pull and expose his heavily tattooed upper torso. "I am Aiden." The Sith Lord had no last name to offer. His birth and purpose in life was not to inherit any lands or hold any familial titles. It was to be a weapon in whatever way the family required...even if that meant purging members from it. No doubt Alwine would consider it a curiosity that it seemed to be Caid who was pulling the strings of so many family members, driving them altogether. Even more curious? Why Alwine seemed to be the focused center of it all. "The child beside me is my fourteen year old self. Roughly halfway through his guided training at the hands of our ancestors."

Unlike most of his family, Aiden did not go out of his way to protect the secrets of Maximus and Boadicea. The knowledge of names and age-old conquests betrayed nothing of the location of Endelaan or Malagarr. He was content in that reality for the time being.

 

[Alwine Daye]

Wearing: Obsidian type Strike Armor | "Executor" Boot Exclusive
Wielding: Obsidian Knight Sword
Location: Camp Dauntless
Tags: Aiden

It was odd. Only now did both versions of Awline notice the glowing eyes. To the young one, it spoke of things that could be wicked, could be wrong. Could be a hint that the stories on Stewjon regarding consorting with demons were true. To the older Alwine, she knew by now; another one of the family. How big was their family? For there to be enough members spread out between here and their own planet, wherever it was, and to have them randomly suddenly pop up… A hundred members? A thousand? Did they even know?

Looking at the younger version of the man before them, older Alwine smirked while younger Alwine frowned. "Not everyone can forge their own future," the little one said, looking at the teenager with a defiant gaze, "if she hadn't somehow gotten off Stewjon, our future would be set; cleaning, serving, remaining quiet and silent even though it is against our nature, with little choice regarding who we get to love or breed with, where we get to live, what we get to learn."

Older Alwine smiled. She'd heard stories about how head strong she used to be as a child. Her mother had beaten her up for it more than once. It was lovely to see it actually happening, and yet sad to know that a year or two from the current version of her younger self, she would have learned to do just that; remain quiet and silent, her chin down, all that hair covered up in a stupid white cap. She had deserved better, even if at the age of nineteen she was free of the clutches of that planet.

Returning her attention to the older Aiden, Alwine said nothing. He quickly enough confirmed that he was the brother of Caid. Four sisters and four brothers, and this was one of them. Perhaps not that large of a family, but a matter of Alwine's luck that she was now stumbling into another one almost every day?

"What trials on Stewjon?" little Alwine said, looking at the big man. She obviously did not like what she thought she was hearing. "Nothing, lotha uss," present-Alwine said quickly, "there are years before anything bad happens, and you need them to happen. Live your life to the fullest and forget this day and this meeting by the camp."

"Aiden… Centurion?" she asked carefully, returning her attention to the large man, "are you so certain that you could do Stewjon better as its Viceroy? I would have thought the Minister of War would have better resources to flatten it into ashes."

And his last words. Alwine blinked. "Ancestors?"

Little Alwine pulled on present-Alwine's arm. "I'm bored!" she exclaimed. Present-Alwine grinned as she removed her sword from her back and handed it to the slip of a girl. "Go play," she said with a reassuring smile, "take young-Aiden with you, show him what you are made of."

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Tag: [member="Alwine Lechner"]
Post: 4

If nothing else, Aiden's childhood had been marked by discipline, exacting standards, and endless training. As a result, young-Aiden said nothing further to young-Alwine after having been pushed back by the stronger version of himself. Though all versions of Aiden retained confidence and a firm belief that through struggle each sentient is forced to become the best version of themselves, they also knew how to accurately judge their opponent. Young-Aiden would not be challenging his older version anytime soon. So - he merely allowed his glowing gaze to remain focused on both Alwine's.

Aiden of the present shook his head slightly at the mention of the word 'Centurion'. "Just Aiden, Knight Lechner." Aiden resisted saying more so as not to unduly influence his younger self. Before he could suggest the children go elsewhere, Alwine made the suggestion herself. Turning his head to young-Aiden, the Viceroy offered a simple nod. In a matter of moments, both children were off. At fourteen, Aiden recalled being a year into his combat training. The only weapon he'd had at the time was a small sword made to accommodate his size.

Once the two adults were alone, Aiden motioned for Alwine to walk with him. "I was born of the seed of Cameron Centurion and the egg of Alia Ravyns, yes. However, it was neither a normal conception nor birth. In fact I never truly knew my father or mother. Possessed by Boadicea and Maximus, the maternal and paternal progenitors of my...large family, Boadicea carried me in the body of Alia Ravyns and then raised me for the first thirteen years of my life. The morning of my thirteenth birthday, she was gone and my mother dead. A different man, possessed now by Maximus arrived to continue my training and education until my forty-third year of life." Aiden paused for a moment, glancing at Alwine to clearly communicate that she had heard him right. The Sith Lord did not begin life truly on his own until well into adulthood.

"Cameron Centurion never knew he'd been possessed or that Alia Ravyns had become pregnant. He merely thought she had abandoned him. I think perhaps it...was partially responsible for making him the sexually philanthropic individual he eventually became. I know not how much you know of my family, but Maximus and Boadicea never had a last name. They were entities from several millennia ago, and the only recorded history of their reign in the Unknown Regions is all but lost now." Stopping, Aiden turned to face Alwine completely once more. "I am the eldest of my father, and to answer the question I'm sure burns in your mind. No...you have not yet met the entirety of this family. I assure you the sheer size of it would be daunting to comprehend. For instance, Caid is...the fourth of our father's eight children. Diomedes, father of Brayden Antares, was fifth of eight. That said only five children of Cameron Centurion presently remain alive, three males, two females"

For a moment, a thin smile touched the Sith Lord's features. "I convey more to you than any of the others because I am far removed from the illusion that complete secrecy will provide any benefit. Unlike the rest of my family, I did not sleep through the last eight hundred or so years. I was very much lucid and alive for the overwhelming majority. I have seen and done things that I never thought I would come to know. In that way, I suppose I am somewhat lucky. I had the opportunity, the chance to watch so many of my now dead or missing family members live their lives, but I always did so from the shadows. I forced myself to watch and learn as much as possible. So with regard to Stewjon..."

Aiden paused only long enough to crack his neck before the smile on his face broadened. "I assure you that it need not be flattened outright. In that regard, the Viceroy of the planet has much more unilateral authority to act. The Ministers, the Exarchs, even the Vicelord to an extent are subject to the approval of the Viceroyalty as a whole. Democracy is stagnant, broken system, but it does mean that the true power lies in those with direct access to the citizens, to society. Occupying an office in some vaulted palace on Geonosis most certainly does not grant one greater access to the pulse of the people."

With a subtle tilt of his head, Aiden considered something. "I could benefit from your assistance, however. It would do me well to have someone that speaks the language, understands the landscape and its people. I understand your commitments to the Knights Obsidian, but in return for your assistance, I could certainly offer you whatever it is you desire or need."

 

[Alwine Daye]

Wearing: Obsidian type Strike Armor | "Executor" Boot Exclusive
Wielding: Obsidian Knight Sword
Location: Camp Dauntless
Tags: [member="Aiden"]

The children ran off to play, and Alwine now could focus on Aiden, who had no last name. She let the man speak without interruption, the shock and disbelief on her face easy to read and growing every few moments.

She did not know who Cameron Centurion was; his name had never been revealed to her, nor had any of the other names mentioned by Aiden. It was easy though to make the very short connections required. Boadicea and Maximus were two new names to add to the list. The… progenitors of the family. Old. Aiden was not as old as his appearance suggested.

But then… Possessions, centuries… Why was he telling her all of this? Caid and Brayden had insisted on the need for secrecy, and although by his own admission, Caid had spoken with Aiden, she was still somewhat of a stranger. There was nothing she and done to earn this level of trust, to show that she needed or wanted or even deserved this amount of knowledge.

As though he'd read her mind, Aiden immediately said why; he did not agree on the secrecy thing. Alwine still said nothing. If one person thought it was not important while the others obviously did, this could only breed grounds for future dissent and war. But still… That did not explain why he was telling her all of that. Did his brother and his nephew know?

Aiden spoke of Stewjon again. He tried to assure her that it did not need to be flattened. It would take more than words though to convince her of such.

And his last words…

"Why?" she asked, ceasing to walk, looking up to meet the eyes of the giant man, "why do you choose to tell me all of this? Why do you choose to reveal this to me? Why Stewjon? What does my involvement in this grant you that you are so willing to offer me what I desire or need? I am not the only one of Stewjon to enter the Confederacy. A brother of mine was here first, my other brother joined with me."

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

​

Almas​

​

A small team arrived on the surface, armor and vehicles touched down. The patches on their shoulders were not Confederacy. Victorian Imperial Military, this time collecting samples from the planet. Kaluthin had changed much of the planet centuries ago and still made it a lush garden now. Such wonders of the past could help the people of today, and then children of tomorrow were the whispered mottos of a government and her corporations.

Two of the rovers and a tank headed for the old Sith Fortress. The rest began to set up a small in take camp around the ships. Helmeted individuals walked around with caution careful to not tread over much of the grass, placing down perforated rubber mats in which to create paths with. Thus far Almas was quiet, a detail began to place up beacons with the hope of keeping the Dark Lizards away.

Messages would be sent to Primo Victorian Headquarters in Centrality alerting them to the team's arrival on Almas. Another would be sent back with the time table of just how long the group was to remain on the surface. Getting comfortable wasn't an option, take samples, mark out sites for further investigation and leave.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Tag: [member="Alwine Lechner"]
Post: 5

Aiden's response was simple. "Caid was right. You ask many questions, but I wonder if you realize the answers may not yet give you greater understanding. Life is simple. We make choices and we move on. There is no prophetic reason why you. You because yours was the name conveyed to me by Caid. I presume he conveyed your name because he trusts or believes in your competency. I presume he did not suggest either of your brothers because, for one reason or another, they do not share your confidence."

Taking a half step closer to Alwine, Aiden lowered his voice slightly. "It is much easier to correct a society wherein dissent already exists, where injustice is already a life reality. The way of life on Stewjon barely conforms to the laws of the Confederacy. It was given time to correct itself, but it did not. Now...I am stepping in." Managing a brief laugh, Aiden posed his own question. "Did you really think either of your brothers would be even a remotely useful in this endeavor? One that is a source of my niece's shame and pain, the other so enigmatic as to barely exist? Your involvement grants me understanding, and it shows the disenfranchised of Stewjon that I come with more than mere words."

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

​

Almas​

​

Forard wasn't that terrible, at least that was the thought of one detail as they crept along the city's main path on a speeder. It wasn't what they had expected but much like the rest of the planet. It would suffice, Forard offered little for entertainment if you didn't account for the bets people placed on animal bouts. Devil hunters kept watch and could be seen patrolling the city walls ensuring dark lizards stayed away. The detail reported what they saw back to the rest of the team and made their way back.

Meanwhile those out by the Sith Fortress snapped photographs and took samples of the dirt before making their reports. Whatever the reason headquarters wanted this done, was beyond most of their pay grades. All anyone knew was that it needed to be done. If it was to stake out a new expansion of Primo Victoria that would be one thing, but why and what for? Was anyone's guess these days.

Back at the original landing site, the samples of the grass and gathering of core samples of the rest of the area were nearly complete. A small detail had been dispatched to head down one of the older wells to gather ore and mineral samples now.

 

[Alwine Daye]

Wearing: Obsidian type Strike Armor | "Executor" Boot Exclusive
Wielding: Obsidian Knight Sword
Location: Camp Dauntless
Tags: [member="Aiden"]

Caid was right? Oh, about her… Asking questions. What other way was there for her to find answers? When Alwine did not understand something, she asked so that she could. The only thing she had ever been ashamed of not knowing was being able to read and write well enough, but even that had been recently resolved. She would rather not know because someone refused to answer her rather than because she had been too shy to ask. And she could easily guess why Caid had mentioned her and not her brothers. Differences in personalities aside, Alwine was the only Lechner sibling that was close to Caid on a certain level. He trained her, yes, but the two shared mutual respect and depth that he did not have with her brothers.

When Aiden took half a step closer to the tiny woman, she did not flinch. Her gaze remained strong, focused, looking up at him only due to the difference in their heights. "Stewjon is a place where Force Users are burned as witches, accused of consorting with demons and devils, where rising above your case is impossible, and where women are to be seen under certain circumstances but rarely heard. It was most definitely not given time to correct itself. It was ignored, and I was one of those who suffered because of it."

Alwine silenced herself. Yes, she had been one of many who had suffered there. And yet, for all her suffering, there was little empathy she held for others who had been in a similar predicament to her. People she had thought were the closest thing to friends when one had to live in secrecy had turned their faces when she'd been accused as a witch. Men who were supposed to have been friends with her brothers held no shame when they tortured her or broke her leg.

He mentioned his niece. Alwine blinked, only now realizing just how much Caid had told him. Not for the first time, she found herself fearing; not for herself, but for her brother. All it would take was one of these green eyed men to decide he was entirely at fault or sufficiently at fault and his life would be in danger. Alwine could not, would not excuse his actions or deny his sins against the woman. She was not a fool. Yet he was still her brother, and she wanted him by her side as her brother for the rest of their lives.

"My involvement is what on Stewjon would be called a woman's involvement," she finally said, "and much lesser in worth then a man's. And while I know the folly of thinking as such, I can tell you one thing for certain; the understanding you will learn if I get involved will be partial. I was quiet and I looked and I saw many things. But I am only one. You will want to find a male as well. And perhaps a Lord or two, if you can stand to be in their presence without killing them."

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Camp Dauntless
Tag: [member="Alwine Lechner"]
Post: 6

Aiden nodded his head in response to Alwine's statement about force users on Stewjon. The Sith Lord's own initial investigations had revealed as much. Even now, a requisite number of Knights Obsidian had traveled to the planet to gain information, make connections, and prepare the planet for what was to come. "So I have heard."

Resuming his walking pace, Aiden effectively forced them to continue along their path, weaving absentmindedly between buildings. For the time being, Aiden's concern was not for that of his younger self. It was probably a folly, and he eventually began to direct their path back to somewhere in plain view of the children. "I do not care for what your involvement would be called on Stewjon. The ways of Stewjon are ending, the process has already begun. I need none other than the one Lupine I presently engaged in discourse with, Alwine Lechner. The only thing I need to know is do you have the strength and capability to assist me, to stand by my side as Caid has indicated? I will cast no aspersions on you if you, somehow, are afraid or cannot bring yourself to care about the betterment of your home, of the Confederacy."

Once they were within sight of the children once more, Aiden slowed his pace. "Change is coming to Stewjon one way or the other. As is often the case with change, there will be irritation, dissidence. Power will be redistributed in the form of altering land claims and the revocation of any official titles and associated privileges. We will decentralize power, placing it closer to the hands of all people. This won't be an immediate change, and it will only come on the heels of increased education for all. A freedom to be what any individual chooses to be within the confines of law. Is this something you would like to be a part of?"

What Aiden was not saying, was that things would eventually shift in the direction of a warrior society. A society built upon the mutual respect of citizenry and a desire to safeguard the ways of Stewjon. The motivation certainly already existed. Aiden would merely have to manipulate things to that very specific end. In time, the people would choose their leadership. He intended to position Alwine to occupy at least one part of that leadership in the long run.