Past & Future[TRE Dominion of Yavin IV & Gromas]

[Vrak Nashar]

Gromas
The Tyrant [8/20]
[member="Tai Fa"]

"My Lord."

Vrak suddenly turned as another one of his Lieutenants grasped his attention. Things had gotten busy since the Senator had left, the bridge was now bustling with activity and people were beginning to swarm all over the place. The Pureblood turned.

"Yes Lieutenant." The Pureblood asked, turning to the man.

"There has been an occurrence on Yavin."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Dealings, sir."

"Ah." There always were. "Bring them to me."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Gromas​

[member="Vrak Nashar"]​

​

A few weeks passed since that meeting with Judah Dashiell.

The accountants and lawyers had gone through the papers, offers were thrown out, new ones were offered and in the end - after days of renegotiation - they had finally landed on a deal that was fair, mutually beneficial and above all... ensured that there was a proper system in place. Tai disliked it when anarchy reigned and the first thing on his mind was the Remnant Empire on the doorstep of the Gordian Reach. Conquering an entire sector was not an easy task, but eventually they would succeed... simply because their focus was not split.

Whereas the Dominion was trying to tackle about ten sectors in months, this empire was taking its time.

A respectable endeavor and the Thirriken enjoyed a certain sense of caution from possible associates.

In the end Tai had send a missive to this Empire with a request for an audience concerning the Yavin system and its status. It had taken some time to get back to him, until the large bureaucratic apparatus singled out one Vrak Nashar as the Sith to discuss this with. A shuttle to Gromas had been dispatched and the soft ticks of the Thirriken's talons already scrapped past the durasteel floor on the way to the bridge of the Pureblood's warship.

Eventually... the Thirriken reached this bridge and an inclination of the beak followed suit, in a sign of respect.

Tai knew of Vrak, of course.

Maleagant had been quite detailed. But it was one thing to hear about a sentient, a whole other thing to actually come face-to-face with him and try to negotiate a deal to be put in place.

"Lord Nashar, greetings.​

Pleasure. My name is Tai Fa.​

I came to discuss."​

​

"Yavin and the Greater Reach."​

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Gromas Orbit - Unmarked Frigate

[1/20]

"We have assessed the world in question, sir."

Catalys stood at the forefront of the bridge, looking out upon the world's shadow through the viewport. "We'll need to appoint a sector chief, license the operation as R&D blacklist. Class five clearance only." If Kuat Drive Yards was going to expand its presence into Sith space, then it would need to be done quietly. The visible leadership of the company had established Kuat as a member of the Free World Coalition.

Sith associations were to be... Frowned upon. "Done. We have authorization, shall we bring in the ships now?" Catalys turned back to face the KDY officer. "Do it."

Orders sent out summoned a small civil fleet, with the means of installing a facility on the planet below. Gromas had resources to its name. Some quite obvious, and others not so much. All of which prove useful to the further development of Kuat Drive Yards. Catalys' frigate continued to orbit the world in relative silence, its onboard systems actively thwarting sensor pings and avoiding most means of detection.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Vrak Nashar"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Gromas
The Tyrant [9/20]
[member="Tai Fa"]

Vrak slowly raised an eyebrow as the odd bird creature began to speak, his ears prickling at the odd squawking that came from the creatures mouth. His manner of speech wasn't difficult to interpret, but it was rather...roundabout. The Pureblood bristled for a moment, considering saying something until he finally decided against it.

Tai Fa, as his name had been given, wasn't human, and that already landed him within Vrak's better graces. Perhaps his prejudice was becoming somewhat of a hindrance, but in truth Vrak didn't find himself caring all that much. "Greetings."

He answered finally.

"What of the Reach?" He asked simply. "Of Yavin?"

Negotiations often started with both parties wanting something, only in this case Vrak didn't want anything. As far as he was concerned the Empire held all the cards, there was no reason to deal with anyone or anything in the moment, though that didn't mean he would reject anything out of hand.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Location: Gromas
Allies: Mandalorians and Sith
Enemies: Fake Mandos
Objective: All your mines are belong to me
Post: 2/20

A Mandalorian clansmen approached the marching group of Vilaz and his faithful warriors and was preached about the Aka'liit, inviting the clansmen to join their ranks to bring glory and fame to the name Mandalorian that they all wore. Unfortunately, the man refused to join such sect which meant only one thing for the man.

Death.

May you never find peace, dar'manda.

Proving their loyalty to their Sole Ruler, the Aka'liit warriors killed the man where he stood which was all out in the open where everyone could see. Vilaz and his loyal subjects were untouched of their actions, but the ones that stood in shock and disbelief was the clan that the deceased thug belonged to. But then they overcame their mixed feelings and alerted their chief.

"Kill on sight, if there are any survivors after this, round them up and we'll see who wants to redeem themselves or die as a disgraced Mandalorian," he ordered his men and obeyed the orders of Mand'alor. They then raced for the entrance of the mine, killing the guards, and then spreading out within its interior.

[member="Soeht"]

 

[Soeht]

The Slave Mines

​

[member="Vilaz Munin"]’s Mandalorian warriors rushed into the mine. Kill on sight were their orders and they performed without question.

The alien slave managed to duck into a corner before being spotted. A firefight ensued inside the mines.

Many died.

Slaves that avoided death were rounded up one by one. By force, if necessary.

The alien slave checked her surroundings – attempting to take note of where Munin’s warriors were.

An opening presented itself – or at least, the alien slave thought there was an opening. She leaped out of her corner and made a dash toward the mouth of the cave…

 

[Connor Harrison]

Location: Yavin IV
Objective: Secure the temple
Allies: [member="Yidhra"] |[member="Sorvae Sunfell"] | [member="Kala Maedrin"] | [member="Kuraii"] | [member="Vraukt"] | [member="Neesa"] | The Yavin IV Squad
--
Joon was late to the party – events on Midvinter and Ziost had proved taxing at best, but she was here and ready to do what she could for the Empire.

”Drop me at the temple,” she barked to the transport ship coming in over the jungle of Yavin IV.

She gripped the hand-rail above and watched the planet flourish below her as they zipped along to the temple in the distance, rising high and standing like a jewel to be claimed by the Empire for their own. The wind danced through her hair and her eyes narrowed against the speed it blew on on.

She pushed all emotion to the back of her mind, of her time with [member="Mysa Snowstrider"] and what the future held for them, and with the emergence of [member="Stephanie Brown"] eager to be something great. The vigilante would be useful to join them the next time the Empire made a move.

The transport went down, and Joon said nothing as she jumped onto the soft ground. Her fur-lined robe discarded for this jungle expedition, her black and tan leather vest and rugged trousers clung tight and bore much skin she didn’t care for, like an Amazonian warrior of the past. She glanced up at the peak of the temple and held her com-link to her lips.

”Joon outside the temple, ready to help you, my allies.”

She clicked off. The thought still buzzed around in her head – allies. Where they all allies, or some a little more than that?

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Gromas Orbit - Unmarked Frigate

[2/20]

A facility ship exits hyperspace, its signature low key but far from hidden on sensors.

"Deploying on your command," the captain's voice is transmitted to Catalys. Due to the jamming systems aboard the frigate, such transmissions carried an annoying static. Although possible to be selective about signals--a dangerous choice in the field--it had its faults. "Deploy," the Umbaran retorts.

With his command the facility ship fires its main engines and makes way towards one of Gromas' material rich moons. In all the vessel was the facility itself, mostly, attached to the underbelly of the ship where it could then be deployed to any surface below. Once detached the facility runs off its own solar generator and can serve as both a headquarters and multi-purpose outpost. Mining, research, even paramilitary... The only limitations were power draw and size.

As it circles around in defiance of gravitational pull, it slowly descends lower and lower towards deployment altitude.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Gromas​

[member="Vrak Nashar"]​

Clear cut and crisp the Sith's responses were.

There was little diplomacy to be found there and if the Thirriken saw it right, this Nashar had little interest in dialogue. The Sith probably figured that all the cards were in his favor and that there was no need to negotiate - this was correct to a degree. But only to that slim degree, because the act of building an empire could not simply be done by throwing ships and other things into the fray and hope that it would all turn out alright.

Diplomacy, connections and influence, they could all smooth the transition and ensure that the way forward was open for further expansion, instead of being bogged down by insurrections and rebellion in the new territories.

"Much to talk about.​

Tai is a simple merchant.​

But he bought Yavin."​

​

"I have some wishes.​

Cooperation is one.​

Is this possible?"​

​

"Misjudgement quite viable."​

First, Lord Fa needed to hear that there was a possibility of co-existence between his corporation and this new Empire. If the talks of tariffs and taxes in return for continued operations were true, then they could further discuss the greater region of the Gordian Reach, but if it had been an advertisement to simply take the merchants and business owners off guard?

Then things suddenly got far more complicated.

---​

​

Yavin IV​

[member="Kuraii"]​

Brows furrowed in concern as she pushed herself off the floor and ran quickly to Kuraii.

There, she started to fuss on her a little bit, careful little hands exploring the scuffing of her head. It took her a few moments, but once she was satisfied that it was just the fur singed and nothing more Kala breathed out in relief. Didn't even notice that she was holding her breath, until it was let go and sweet oxygen started to come in again.

"I am sorry." She responded quietly, before carefully scratching Kuraii around her favorite spot as a little gesture of appeasement. It would have been difficult to warn her sooner?

But that still didn't mean Kala was happy or comfortable with what had happened.

After that the Devaronian followed her friend towards the blackening hole. The sudden emergence of the torch caused her to shield her eyes as the light source lit up and caused the entire scene to be covered in hues of blues.

"​Perhaps a way to separate the strong from the weak?"

It was then that Kala noticed the blood covering the stairway descending down. She poked her friend in the side and pointed with something of worry filling her eyes again.

She wondered if the beast might have scored a few hits, before the owner of the blood managed to close off the temple's inner sanctum.

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Gromas Orbit - Unmarked Frigate

[3/20]

The facility ship shadowed the surface below it, that shadow growing smaller and smaller as it neared its destination. Now only meters between it and the rock below, hatches gave way and released the pre-fabricated facility that pressed into the ground. Automated procedures began immediately: Anchor systems jammed into the foundation, creating a stable foothold and leveling out the structure.

The vessel returned to space, leaving behind its gift to Gromas. "Facility deployed, commander," the news came once more over comms. "Activate automated security, once personnel arrive they'll need to present identification cards. Anyone who tries to enter without them will be slaughtered." Catalys warned in return.

The facility itself sported no KDY designations, but instead the name 'Blackwell Industrial.' A fabricated identity used, and even the personnel hired were not KDY employees but contractors acquired through other connections and lines of communication.

"Bring us around," the frigate adjusts its speed ever-so-slightly and propels itself to the other side of the moon.

 

[Neesa]

Location: Yavin IV
Objective: Secure the temple
Allies: [member="Yidhra"] | [member="Sorvae Sunfell"] | [member="Kala Maedrin"] | [member="Kuraii"] | [member="Vraukt"] | [member="Joon"] | The Yavin IV Squad
--

Neesa raised a finger to her earpiece when she heard Joon's voice. The massassi were busy crashing through the undergrowth to find the entrance to the temple, but it seemed Joon had come in from the air.

"I'll be where you are shortly," Neesa replied, checking their relative positions on a screen mounted to the inside of her wrist. With a bow she excused herself from the sorceress and her bodyguard. She pushed through the line of massassi, scowling at one that raised it's gaze towards her for what felt like too long.

The last time she'd met Joon they'd crossed paths looking for remnants of Kyber on Jedha. Neti had boxed them in deep below the ground forcing them to fight. She was an exceptionally capable warrior it had turned out.

Neesa approached, now she was mottled green cloaks rather than her usual greys. The massassi in their party fanned out and started looking for entrances to the temple. Some found a passage that seemed to lead beneath the temple.

Neesa gave a subtle tilt of the head. "Good to see you again. We've come with several who..." She was interrupted by a cry. The ground shuddered and Neesa turned to see a red skinned warrior hurtled through the air back into the trees. There was a sickening crunch as it struck something solid within the foliage.

The underground passage burst open as the Underlurker emerged.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Location: Gromas
Allies: Mandos and Sith
Enemies: Fake Mandos™
Objective: All your mines are belong to me
Post: 3/20

The resistance that Vilaz faced was...puny. These so called Mandalorians were weak. The plague of peace and harmony tainted their veins, and made them into a whole new character that was disfigured than what they originally were. Not to mention they were traitors to their own culture as they did not wish to follow their Sole Ruler on the path of reclamation.

The sound of fighting began to diminish at a short pace as the Munin and his elite warriors were killing any dar'manda hostiles. Suddenly, someone sprinted for the mouth of the cave, but they were not dressed in armor. It appeared to be some sort of labor worker that mined the phrik from this bountiful moon.

"Not so fast," the Sole Ruler said under his breath and fired a blaster bolt at the slave, specifically at it's lower regions as it was a quick draw with his WESTAR 34 pistols.

[member="Soeht"]

 

[Soeht]

The Slave Mines

​

[member="Vilaz Munin"] struck the slave in the upper right leg with his pistol. She fell forward and struck the ground with a loud thud. She attempted to back on her feet. Her right leg would not move, though. She could not stand up.

The smell of burnt flesh coated the air new the slave. She flipped herself around. Beady eyes stared at Vilaz. The slave trembled.

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Moon - Mining Facility

[4/20]

With the frigate now on the other side of the moon, Catalys made his way to the hangar.

"Shuttle's prepped for launch, sir." The dock officer had awaited his arrival.

"Once I depart, the bridge is yours captain." Catalys alerted the promising human officer. The stealth shuttle's engines fired to life, and it quickly departed the hangar at breakneck speeds, making towards its eventual destination: The newly established mining facility. "All systems online. Facility operations normalized.... Life support responding."

"Bring us in." The agent stood near the ramp, eager to escape the metal coffin. The shuttle circled around the facility once before touching down a short distance away from the main entrance. Hydraulics hissed and the ramp dropped, Catalys marched forth with an escort of two armoured guards. Once inside the facility he presented his identification, disabling the security protocols that would've cooked the trio alive should he not have.

"Alright, the location is secure. Nothing seems out of place." Catalys had done his job. With all checks in place, the facility was now ready to be manned.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Gromas
The Tyrant [10/20]
[member="Tai Fa"]

This was going to get very annoying.

Vrak was well aware that some species simply didn't understand or have the capacity to learn basic Galactic Speech. He knew that certain tongues simply didn't form to create proper words within Basic, that much he could forgive. He didn't expect a Wookiee to use proper words, they were just savages. He didn't expect a Hutt to speak in Basic, they were just disgusting slugs, but this...thing, whatever was standing before him was apparently more than capable of speaking basic.

So then why was it speaking like an idiot. Annoyance flashed across his features, and not for the first itme today he was glad the mask covered his face. The Sith Lord said nothing for a few moments, mostly because he was afraid of strangling the bird.

"The Empire holds nothing against you." He said finally. "Nor any Corporation seeking to do business among us."

He gestured to a holo-table nearby, his finger curling just slightly to initialize it. A map flickered into being a moment later. "Several of our worlds are already served by Corporations, Telos among them. As long as you breed no sedition within our territory and pay what is owed, there will be no problem."

That was really it.

The Resurgent Empire expected cooperation, paying of taxes and tariffs, and a lack of sedition from corporations within the Empire. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Catalys Maijora]

Moon - Mining Facility

[5/20]

It wasn't soon after that a shuttle of personnel was arranged to arrive at the facility.

Catalys left a few members of his personal security to watch over the facility until the officials had arrived, and departed shortly after his second inspection had been complete. The agent wasn't known to be cautious but in Sith space he felt prudent to be so. "Alright, let's go." The ship took off with a roar of engine fire and departed the moon.

Back in space it drifted towards the hidden frigate and landed within its hangar, greeted by the maintenance crew and escort.

"Take us out of here, Captain." Catalys orders over comms.

The only sign that they had ever been there was the blip of a jump to hyperspace.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Location: Gromas
Allies: Legit Mandos
Enemies: Fake Mandos
Objective: All your mines are belonged to me
Post: 4/20

The warrior walked menacingly towards the slave that he had gunned down, and he could see the fear coming from the slave. People like this would have the same emotions. Out of hope, fear, and the afraid for the loss of their life.

But Vilaz had no intentions of killing the slave right away. Oh, no, he was not zealous in any fashion.

The Munin towered the alien in all his might and glory, and asked the slave one simple question.

"Do you wish to live and be remembered, or would you like to die as a nobody?"

[member="Soeht"]

 

[Ao Xian]

Kuraii patiently waiting while [member="Kala Maedrin"] fussed over her ears, only flicking them once the girl relented.

"Apology accepted," Kuraii rumbled. "It was an accident."

And it was forgotten as easily as that.

She bumped her head against Kala's hand and stood, shadowing the girl toward the entrance of the temple proper. She smelled the blood before she was poked. Nodding, she crouched down again, nostrils flaring slightly.

"Mammal," she confirmed. "Fairly fresh, it is still tacky in the middle, see?"

That meant that someone was down there. Possibly dead, possibly very much alive. The Trianii frowned, a low growl settling deep in her chest.

"A wounded animal is the most dangerous kind, regardless of the species," she murmured, looking over at Kala. "How badly does Chains want what is down there?"

​She didn't ask out of fear. The stillness of her tail, except for the flick flick flicking of the very tip, betrayed the waiting hunter. She simply wanted to know.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Gromas​

[member="Vrak Nashar"]​

The annoyance was palpable in the air and to a degree it amused Tai.

He wondered how this one had been able to rise so high, when so little was capable of pulling a reaction from him. Oh, he controlled himself quite handsomely, but there was still that sliver of emotions, the coiling of the undercurrent within the Force that was bleeding through and infected with irritation. This was exactly the kind of behavior that Tai beat out of his apprentices - not literally, he was no savage - but Lord Nashar was not a misguided apprentice. In fact, he was the prime gatekeeper for any further interaction with the Remnant Empire for Tai.

That was one of the few reasons why the Thirriken did not push the envelope by wrapping his haikus in even more difficult to understand ambiguity. Necessity demanded from him moderation and the display of a certain amount of respect.

"This is pleasant news.​

Thank you for confirming it.​

The old Thirrikens."​

​

"Have you heard of them?"​

​

Yavin IV​

[member="Kuraii"]​

​

Kala thought back to Dromund Kaas and Chains' voice filling her ears days before they arrived on Yavin proper.

There was no sense of urgency in his voice, but there never was. It had seemed almost impossible to disturb or worry the older Sith, so it was difficult to gauge just how important this expedition was for him.

Only it really wasn't.

If there was one stabilizing and guiding line in their interaction it was that Chains immensely disliked wasting time. It was not only his own time he valued, but time in general and that bled over in his every interaction. The truth was that the Miraluka wouldn't have send them here, if he did not find this lesson or whatever it was imperative for their development.

"He would be annoyed if didn't go through with it." Kala responded from her crouching position. She was studying the blood - it had never disturbed her before, before studying the walls.

There.

A bloody print of a hand where the sentient had clutched to the wall in support.

"Definitely humanoid." It wasn't clear if that was a good or a bad thing yet, but there was little sense in waiting around here. They had come this far and they would need to go a while longer, before they could consider their job a success.

"It might be a good idea if we extinguish the torch, so we don't tip off... whoever this is, if they are still alive?"

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Gromas
The Tyrant [11/20]
[member="Tai Fa"]

"No." He answered simply.

Though he knew a great many things, even the most learned scholar couldn't grasp every scrap of knowledge in the galaxy. There was no shame in admitting you were ignorant of something, even if it was a subject that should have been common knowledge. Since his rise to prominence Vrak had found there were many things that he simply did not know, things that to even a commoner on Coruscant would have been taught growing up.

A few times Seraphina had had to educate him on these matters, though her words had always come with a bite or two, something he always found retribution for later.

Still, there was much for him yet to learn.

"Enlighten me." He told the bird.

His gaze flicked briefly towards a nearby screen for a moment, watching as one of the ensigns shied away to give The Pureblood a better view. He watched several messages scrolls over the holo-table, nodding his head for a moment at the short reports of Gromas slowly capitulating to the Sith.