Something, Something, Business Deals [Sasha]

[Darth Carnifex]

A new day dawned for the people of Canthar, but many were up and about even before the first visages of light began to crest over the distance horizon and illuminate the jungle treetops bordering the great city. Even as the blazing sun began to rise up, there were still many sections of the jungle-city that remained shrouded in darkness, parts of the jungle co-existing with the sprawling city save for the great temple that lied at the city's center. In ancient times the temple was a place of worship, and the home of the Godly seers that had advised the great chieftains of old. Now it served as the city's administrative center, and today it was particular bustling with activity as the Emperor himself had come down from his mountain keep to grace citizens of every caste with his presence.

He was here today to meet a representative of the Santhe/Sienar corporation in relations to the plans to construct foundries and shipyards all throughout the Pacanth Reach. He was dressed in his finest silk and leather, with his ornate obsidian crown with ruby gems resting gently atop his head. He was accompanied by his two most trusted guards, the Lord-Praetorian Xander and Baleric, whom had served him faithfully ever since he had hand-picked them to lead the HYDRA organization so many years ago. They wore ceremonial golden plate-mail, and were armed with gilded lightsaber pikes that remained unlit for now. A coif of golden ringmail covered both of their heads, leaving the face exposed so that all may gaze upon their grim expressions.

They both stood rigid as statues as the Emperor waited patiently in one of the temple's many meeting rooms for the Santhe/Siener representative to arrive.

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

[member="Darth Vornskr"] would always, simply, be Kaine to Sasha Santhe. She remembered him from her days in the empire and resented that he called on her now. She was leaving behind the Empire and the old ways and returning to a life of normalcy before she was sold into service of the sith like a commodity to keep her company loyal. Yes she resented the call, but also was intrigued. The two had worked well enough at her research station at Styx. Her ship gently glided down to the surface of the planet where she was met by an honor guard and sent directly to the meeting. "I have been summoned?" she said upon entering the room prepared for the meeting. It was everything she expected of Kaine, which was to say it was dark and dreary like something out of a horror poem.

Another poet came to mind at that moment;


My bow is curved like your slender form,
Bending your bow alongside mine in battle,
Facing our foes to save our love and clan.
If we do not fight we lose our selves;
Enemies burn our deeds and love from this world,
And we die in anonymity.


The words of the poem filled her mind. The first Epicanthix king had written it. He was a lover of war, poetry, and apparently slender women. She had learned this when researching Kaine before their first meeting. The poem had stuck. "I am a busy woman, and we have worked well together in the past. It is for that past that I am here now."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Kaine rose to meet Sasha as she entered the chamber, exchanging a respectful bow and a clasping of arms to signify that the meeting was now underway. "And I am thankful that you have come all of this way to meet with me, Lady Santhe." He gestured towards the table, and took his seat while Sasha would take her own. Doors on both sides of the chamber would open, and several servants carrying trays of food and drink would emerge to offer both participants whatever they desired. It would be noted that all of the servants were non-Epicanthix, and the marks of slaves branded onto their flesh. That was life in the Reach, the Epicanthix were treated with the utmost respect, and other races were enslaved to serve them. Kaine plucked a goblet of dark wine from one of the trays, and a bowl of native fruit from another.

He took a deep drink of the wine, and plopped one of the fruit in his mouth, chewing and devouring it quickly before he talked again. "I am to presume that you have been informed of my previous dealings with another Santhe/Siener representative before this meeting, yes?"

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha sighed. This wasn’t exactly the same Kaine she had known. “There is no need to stand on ceremony with me. We are old acquaintances and perhaps, dare I say it, friends?” She was being sweeter than normal. Although it was true and they had been known to one another of old and even worked together friend may be a stretch. It was better when establishing relations like this however to just assume friendship. Still it was good enough company, slaves brought food and drink which Sasha graciously accepted. Normally when around someone like Kaine she would be wary of poison, but he had ways of killing her other than that, and besides he needed her for something. More appropriately he needed Santhe Corporation, and she was Santhe Corporation. “[member="Jared Ovmar"] informed me of his dealings with you. I am here to finalize arrangements. To see exactly what you need and what we can do for you.”

[member="Darth Vornskr"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Ah, yes. Mister Ovmar." He said before taking another drink of his wine, the dark liquid caressing his tongue before pouring down his throat to fill his belly. "It was a shame that my talks with him had to come to an abrupt end, but it delights me to continue them with you." Kaine didn't reply to the comment about them possibly being friend. He didn't make friends, he made allies and enemies, and sometimes he even made minions and pawns of those that he knew. However; luckily for Sasha, he wasn't looking to sour his current relations with Santhe/Sienar, but rather become better acquainted with them over time. This proposition of newly built factories and shipyards would serve as an excellent first step in their relationship.

"Since my meeting with Mister Ovmar, I have compiled a list of possible building locations all across the Pacanth Reach. These plans also included a shipyard around each major world of the Reach, that includes this planet, Panatha, as well as Bunduki, Fornow, Ravaath, and Sorimow. The largest shipyard will be constructed around Panatha, while Fornow will house more factories than the other planets. The Graug Horde that I have governing Fornow will aid Santhe/Sienar in construction the factories that I require, and they have been notified of Santhe/Sienar eventually visiting their world." As he talked, he gently slid the datapad with all of the information Sasha would require across the table over to her.

"I pray that this is well within your ability to execute?"

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

[member="Darth Vornskr"]

Sasha stopped and thought for a moment rolling her tongue around her teeth. It was her way when considering things and there was a lot here to consider. That would be a lot of new shipyards, and she was sure she could convince Kaine to help financially and provide tax incentives. She knew she could negotiate that. The problem arose with the scope of the project.

“That is a lot of shipyards.” Shipyards were large endeavors. “A lot of risk. But more importantly, most space vessels don’t need large space docks to be constructed. It is cheaper, and more efficient to make factories on the ground.” And on top of that it would be a lot of eggs in a single basket if she were devote her resources to those shipyards. Factories, on the other hand, she could do. And with a few new business deals about to go through she’d need them. “Better to have factories, we can make more of them and increase output. Higher profit margin, and quicker tangible benefits to your people.”

 

[Darth Carnifex]

It wasn't exactly what Kaine wanted to hear, but he did heed the wisdom in her words and nodded accordingly. "Your words are sound, Lady Santhe. Although I am disappointed that my vision could not be fully realized, this is a fair compromise and my realm will benefit from it all the same. Either way the Graug Horde of Fornow is ready at the drop of a hat to organize their slave-workers to aid you in constructing these factories across the Reach. They just await my word, and yours." He smiled that damnable wicked smile before taking another drink of his wine, which if you haven't noticed by now was his favorite. It was always relaxing to him to drink when talking business, and he hardly ever felt the negative effects of inebriation like other would. Perhaps it was the Force that flowed through his body that counteracted such effects, but he hardly cared about getting drunk. He just liked the taste.

"Is there anything else you would like to negotiate while you're here?"

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

[member="Darth Vornskr"]

Sasha smiled, "There is a lot we could discuss now. Labor distribution for what, tax benefits, and things of that nature. But the bigger question at hand is what can you offer? Are you able to negotiate in any way for contracts? Do you want to purchase fighters, and ships? Tanks and guns? What do you want here besides your own little army?"

Friend indeed. On their last meeting they had something of a tiff and Kaine had threatened to kill her or some such nonsense. Things like that happened so often. "What is your true plan here Kaine? I know you, you slaughter innocents and are one of the more devious beings I've ever encountered. To what end is all this truely? I believe I have a right to know."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Kaine stared at Sasha for a moment or two before he threw his head back lightly and let loose a quick chuckle of amusement, "Innocent is such a strong world, because no one in this world is innocent. There is a darkness in every being, Sasha. That innate hunger to murder, to rape, to give into our most bestial instincts that time and progress has forced us to bury deep within us. Every man, woman, and child has the opportunity to become something monstrous, but most manage to reign in their darkness and try to suppress it, while others are utterly consumed by it. Then there are people like me, who have mastered that darkness within them, and harness it's vast powers against everyone and everything." He clenched both hands in a gesturing fashion towards his chest, but after another moment he cleared his throat and returned his hands to how they were previously.

"And my ambitions with these foundries and shipyards has always been for the defense of my realm, and of my people. Before I had returned to my homeworld, my people were divided and weak, hardly worth of being called warriors like they were in ages past. So I asserted my dominance upon them, and united the former holdings of the Epicanthix into one singular body of government with me as its undisputed ruler. But I had no way to manufacture cutting edge technology for my people to utilize for themselves, and despite the caches of weapons I had brought over from the Empire, it was not enough to arm every world. With these new factories I will be able to make my people strong, and we will prosper like never before."

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

[member="Darth Vornskr"]

Sasha smirked a little superior smirk at the mans comment. It was one that many would see in Sasha but few would understand. Kaine might just understand. Controlling his own darkness, making a slave of his id. What nonsense. It wasn't true, not entirely. She knew it, and somewhere deep inside Kaine knew it too. One could only use their darker self and lose themselves within it harnessing and directing the power. Direct control wasn't possible, that was the way of the Jedi; suppression and control. "You shall have your shipyards Kaine," she said bowing a little in his presence. "Your people will be defended, and your ambitions will be satisfied." A little chuckle escaped her lips, "for now..."

And so they began. Materials were assembled and Sasha brought a team with her from Lianna. Construction was starting on the shipyards in earnest. But trouble was always nearby, and why not? Slave labor had its uses in agriculture but in industry wasn't nearly as effective.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Kaine easily noticed the smirk that Sasha gave after his little speech, but for now he would ignore any insolence the girl may have considering his beliefs. At least until the job was done, at least. He didn't want to sour his good relations with Santhe/Sienar by backhanding one of their representatives through several walls made of sturdy metal and stone. Instead he shifted his attention to her next words, and found a smile of his own creeping across his face. "Indeed? I am pleased. I see a bright future for both my people, and yours." With that their initial meeting concluded and both Sasha and Kaine would depart from the temple to go about their own goals for now, until the time came when they would meet against a few weeks later as the construction of the factories and shipyards began in earnest.

Kaine would convene with Sasha on one of the overseer vessels that was supervising the construction of the shipyards orbiting Panatha, and he would come seeking answers to a minor problem that had sprung up sometime after construction began.

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

And meet they did. Sasha arrived back in system to all the pomp and fanfare she would expect. Which was to say none. She arrived at the planet from space and could see the yards being constructed. There was a few different slips, many small, connecting to a single massive slip. Once it was completely the largest slip would be able to accommodate a star destroyer sized vessel and capable of building a vessel of that size in a little over a months time assuming the workers and droids were kept on task. It would be an impressive feat. The smaller slips would be for vessels anywhere from smaller 100 meter sloops to larger corvette sized ships. The truth was though that even those vessels could be made more cost effective in massive factories on the surface of a planet. Technologies were available for take off of massive ships from the surface and corporations would be a fool not to use them.

"Kaine, I see everything seems to be progressing as planned." Sasha said looking at the window. "But I have heard reports that all is not well."

[member="Darth Vornskr"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

This time the Emperor was dressed in a light leather tunic, over which was a silver and gold cuirass fastened across his torso, and metal plating affixed to both of his forearms as well. His hands were gloved, and one of them would occasionally lightly rub against the hilt of his lightsaber, which was securely fastened to his left hip. He wore his crown today as well, for in times of such a minor crisis he had to remind those around him that it was he who held absolute control, and not them. Luckily for Kaine, most of his subordinates and minions were well aware of that fact, and needed no more reminders or encouraging. However; the people causing today's problems needed to be reminded of that fact painfully as possible, and Kaine was ready to doll out some pain upon these fools himself. He turned to Sasha with a amused smile upon his lips and a dark twinkle in his eyes, and spoke to her in a calming, but straight to the fact manner.

"Why, lady Santhe, we are dealing with a slave revolt."

He snapped to one of his minions, who quickly sprung into action and brought up holo-vid playbacks of events that had transpired earlier today, showing quite the outbreak of slave disobedience. "I do believe that these curs were spurred into action by one of the newer slaves we had imported from other systems, a Kaleesh that had previously been enslaved by Darth Vulcanus, but had been set free after the latter's death sometime earlier this year. From what my reports tell me, my Graug had picked him up with many of his comrades and brought them here to work. Now he's united the slaves in open rebellion against me." He laughed harshly, as if this was all a game to him, which it could be considered that, as Kaine had dealt with plenty of revolts and rebellions since claiming the throne, but this one was horrifically minor compared to ones like the Stavros Rebellion.

"This will be fun, don't you think?"

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

[member="Darth Vornskr"] irritated Sasha in that moment. He couldn't control his people and so she was there to clean up the mess. This all came at a time when people were looking for dirt on her and her company. She would have to again dawn a mask and hide her identity and take care. Not that she didn't trust Kaine, but who knew what person might be lurking and try to use this event to their advantage through abusive, nefarious and dubious methods.

"Slave revolt?" Sasha said with a bit of irritation in her voice. They should known their place under Kaine's boot clearly. "You should discipline the overseers since they were clearly not properly doing their job." Letting out a little sigh she added, "So we go in, find the leader, and kill him. Cut the mouth and stop the rebellion? Or has it gone beyond that?"

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Calm yourself, Lady Santhe. This is but a minor irritation, and one I tend to rip out root and stem." He lightly clenched his right hand for added emphasis to his words, and with a tap of his finger he brought up a high-definition holo of the central dissenter who started this entire ordeal. He looked like any Kaleesh that Sasha might have ever seen, although he was taller and had more muscle mass than the average Kaleesh, and he was covered from head to toe in tribal brands and tattoos. This holo had been taken earlier this day, and it was clear that the Kaleesh had armed himself with the armor and weapons of fallen guardsman, along with unique trophies that had been taken from the corpses of those he had slain. Kaine didn't care much for what happened to the guardsman, because if they allowed themselves to be butchered by this ingrate, then they obviously had no place in Kaine's service.

"The cretin's name is Haliq Nibban, self-proclaimed Warlord of the Kaleesh, and breaker of chains." He then brought up a detailed overlook of the slave pits where Haliq had made his fortress, which was nothing more than a rag-tag assembly of barricades. "That is where he has chosen to hide, and that is where we shall bring him to ruin."

[member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Nyra Mazul]

Nyra watched from the corner, obediant to her master. This woman before her, Sasha Santhe, was powerful in her own right and yet insignificant in her own view. The Sith assassin stepped froward her face changing and tattoos forming. "My master," she said kneeling before Darth Vornskr, "please allow me to accompany you, together we shall crush these disgusting cretins and bring order to the construction site once more." Facedancer, assassin, she was a deadly little minx. Nyra owed much to Kaine, having been found by him and taken from the filth of a slave pit herself. She was forced to fight in arena's pretty women being devoured for the amusement of fetish obsessed men.

Biting her lower lip she stood and looked at the younger woman, Sasha Santhe. She knew the reputation. "We do not need this outsider. We can handle our own affairs."

It was not for her to talk, and she suspected that Kaine woudl discipline her for it but didn't care and continued to stare down Sasha Santhe.

 

[Sasha Santhe]

[member="Darth Vornskr"]
Sasha stared the woman down, knowing she could end her at any moment. There was hatred here, instant hatred. Jealousy perhaps? Sasha was a knight and the woman across from her despite an increased age was only an acolyte. Let her play around on the ground. "I can get into a gunship and provide support." Sasha did love to fly, "I'll let you guys take them on."

Let them run around in the muck, "You pick targets and I'll make strafing runs." She looked over at an S90 MAAT docked in the hangar. She got into the craft. It was littered with weapons and speedy to boot. "C'mon, lets get going."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Kaine's mouth curled into an amused smirk as he witnessed Nyra express what could be considered jealousy towards the lovely Lady Santhe, "Now, now my dears, there's enough of me to go around." He suppressed a harsh, mocking chuckle at his own words, and instead moved away from both of them towards the section of the building that would lead them down towards what could be considered the battle zone. He motioned for Nyra to follow him, and called out to Sasha; "Go to your gunship, and be prepared to engage on my mark." With that, Kaine would leave with Nyra and would take the lift down to the lower levels of the structure, where a mass contingent of guards would be stationed fighting off small groups of slaves that were brave or foolish enough to rush the barricades. Kaine would brandish his lightsaber, and would stand atop the barricade and overlook the growing rebel slave force in the distance, amassing for an attack on the barricades, and that is where Kaine would meet them and break them.

It was only a matter of time now...

[member="Nyra Mazul"] [member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Nyra Mazul]

[member="Darth Vornskr"]

Sasha loaded up with her security personnel. Nyra grimaced. The sleek little gunship lifted off. It was super fast and deadly as could be but lacked maneuverability of proper fighters.It took off into the air, turrets swiveling a bit to prove they were ready. Nyra walked over to Kaine and smirked a little. "Now my master I shall show that brat my worth."

Brandishing her lightwhip the woman made her way to a small shuttle. It would be a short trip to the factories site. They were in the air in no time and working their way toward the site. Laser fire from defensive emplacements started to lance up at the sky. Nyra frowned as Sasha's gunship swooped in and fired taking a few of them and punching a hole for Nyra to land.

The little craft landed and Nyra stepped out. Her warpaint was on now, the face she used when in battle as a sith lord. She wasn't very good with the majority of the force yet, but has a natural sort of aptitude for changing her face.

Like a bird flitting in the morn she danced across the field. Two slaves with blasters ran toward her and she lashed out with her whip halving each of them in turn, A sickly sweet smile passed over her face.

"Ten little bullets on my hand,"
She skipped across the field felling another slave,
"Ten little chances to be free,
One for the King of this great land
Two for the aristocracy"

Two more soldiers jumped in at the woman and fired rapidly. A whip wasn't a good weapon to block blaster bolts with but she managed as best she could. Then again many of the bolts wouldn't have hit the target regardless the men firing them having no formal training. Another two fell under ministrations.

"Three for the priest and the clergymen
four for the prefect of police."

Skipping she diced up another guard, and another slowly losing herself to the Darkside. No longer was she the passive slave she had been. No longer was she the agent of Kaine, and no longer was she the trained infiltrator and agent. Now she was something else.

"Now's your chance, I'll say when
Trust Serket, count to ten!"

Darth Serket, the little berzerker was loose now.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

~The Emperor held a whip in his left hand, and a cudgel in his right.

With his whip he would cull the infidels of his land from afar on wings of fire and brimstone.

With his cudgel he would smite heretics wherever he found them.

His left hand would be clean, and white.

His right hand would be blackened, and caked with the blood of heathens.

And those that stood before his wrath would tremble, and despair.

Doom had come for them all.~


Emperor Zambrano watched as his viper, Serket, rushed off to carve up slaves like the butcher she was at heart. The Emperor only smirked as his agent began to mete out his punishment across the battlefield, and watched from atop the barricades as his ally, the good lady Santhe, obliterated whole scores of slaves with her gunship. He enjoyed the carnage for a moment longer, before he took one step off of the barricade and lunged down onto the bloodsoaked field below. Already there were scores of vermin scurrying towards him, any one of them hoping to be the one that delivers the fatal blow to the God-King of the Epicanthix, and become a slayer of Gods. However; the Emperor was garbed in heavy plate, and none of their clumsy and uneducated attacks could pierce his armor, and with his bladed sword, "Derriphan", he began his harvest of souls.

A single swing of his mighty blade could cleave a dozen slaves in twine, their bodies twitching and squirming as their blood caked the ground, and their souls were swallowed up by the demonic blade the Emperor wielded. His face was one of joyous anger, a curious combination of emotions, but his mouth was split into a wicked smile and the anger that flowed from his body was quite literally palpable as he manifested it forth as mighty waves of telekinetic energy to knock entire hordes of slaves onto their backs, or as a snaking bolt of electricity that jumped from person to person with death-dealing efficiency. Whether or not he would cross his apprentice's path during the carnage was unknown, but what was clear is that both master and apprentice were making their way towards the rebel leader's makeshift compound.

And what a furious approach it would be.

[member="Sasha Santhe"] [member="Nyra Mazul"]