The buy out

[King Iedolas Solidor]

This was a strange life. In the past, he went to that planet, but he never actually saw the world by anything besides the people. But now, there he was again, watching calmly through a window, standing tall and still, waiting for better or worse in this meeting that would occur. But, with no set mind in that, Iedolas kepted himself watching out of that window, not looking for his contact, but looking at the jungle.

All that green, wild, untamed life. A untouched world, that his elzeri ancestors would have died to see and feel again, when roaming through the galaxy in search of a world to settle. They didn’t had any wild forests like those in Kaikielius, he thought privately to himself, they had thick woods, with big and sturdy oaks, gushy rivers and deadly wildlife, but nothing that big. “Ain’t life strange?”, he almost could smile by his own remark, for after all, he was descended of a wood people, a kind that lived and died in woods before losing their homeworld, wherever it was.

“Bring me a drink, if you be so kind.”, he murmured to his aide. And the serving droid rushed to do what was asked of him, serving in a golden goblet with his personal casket of wine. Delivering the cup in his hand with a small reverence to his royal being. Iedolas rose the goblet slowly to his lips, barely touching the wine and sipping a small amount of the red delicacy.

 

[thegraywatcher]

Ah monarchies and aristocracies. How Auberon put so little of an opinion one way or the other into them. His father married his mother because of her youth and looks, his brothers saw fit to do everything shy of outright disowning him once his father died without informing him of the event either, and now he found himself engaged to a woman he had never met before just to have a home in the future. It was all moving so wonderfully well for him right now. Who would not envy the homeless nobleman from an ancient house displaced and ruled over by a foreign species?

Speaking of the ruling foreign species, Auberon's soon to be father-in-law had sent a request for him to be traverse to a planet he had never heard of for a purpose that was never specified. It was all rather vague with expectations placed on him related to his "duties to the crown." Reminded him very much of his days in the naval intelligence. Amazing how flexible and diverse of an excuse to get another to do something for you without reward the concept of duty was. He certainly would need to learn the secrets of it for himself one of these days. Maybe then he could enjoy himself for once and not have to be slowly killed by boredom helping others.

Finding a ride to the planet was not difficult but it was a little expensive. Auberon's coffers were not as vast as they should be. His brothers had seen to that. Carrion beasts the both of them. Did they fear he would consume more of the rotting flesh than they that was the corpse of House Vahali? Pathetic. They slunk in the shadows while he was busy serving the Protectorate and dismantling everything their father did to care for his least favorite son. The only reason Auberon had anything in the will was because of how much pleasure the old man had gotten out of his mother's plump bosom and behind. Praise the gods or the force or utterly random chance there was something his brothers couldn't scheme away from his measly share of things....

Now was not the time to dwell on grudges and loathing. Now was the time to focus on making sure Auberon would have a roof over his head in the future by prostituting himself out to the whims of his King and eventual father-in-law. Auberon began to walk towards the coordinates provided to him. His attire was a set of sturdy traveling clothes that still spoke of his status as a proud nobleman. Well perhaps not proud to be a nobleman but proud because he was one. It was much better to be that way. He would at least have the excuse of ignorance and upbringing to fall back on to justify his most terrible behavior. He was rather happy though as he had a new walking cane and a reason to use it right now. Sadly however it was a fleeting joy as he saw from the corner of his eye another ship land in the private ports with the insignia of House Vahali on it. Seemed one or both of his brothers was here as well. Splendid....

[member="Primarch Iedolas"]

 

[King Iedolas Solidor]

How he despised to do business with other nobles. Those that were beneath him, always liked a good scrubbing and those that were at his level never liked to compromise. Humans were a shame for the galaxy, most of them were simple fools capable of vicious acts such as slavery and similar actions, only in rare circumstances would humans show true actions of kindness.

In his opinion, most alien races were at the same level as humans. A race soon to be extinct in his own planet, as the elzeri population grew, with the Vahla and Miraluka not far behind. Many were the races in Kaikielius that had no business or love for humans. The Vahali were a old family from the early days of Kaikielius, that descended from the first human colonists in this planet. Defeated by the Praji long ago, the Vahali fled the planet not long after Operation Shadow Hand and regained their power and wealth in Denon, having business in the planet but keeping their true power in Kyrell, a planet of the Inner Rim.

Lucky they were in those days, despite being driven to poverty, not long after the Praji became tyrants in Kaikielius, the elzeri and vahla rose in rebellion. Driving the Praji into extinction and making themselves rulers of that planets, spreading their faith, culture and customs all across the Inner Rim and Tapani Sector. Humans were seem as obsolete and old fashioned, while the elzeri were easier to mix their bloodlines with those human nobles from foreign planets, to soon take hold of those houses and planets, reshaping, expanding and controlling.

“Send word to lord Auberon and escort him here alongside his brothers.”, Iedolas said to a service droid in his control. The meeting with the hybrids father and two brothers went well enough, the Vahali hated the Solidor and all other elvish houses from Kaikielius, for the resentment they felt to see how different the planet of their ancestors had become. Long ago he had done a deal with Barrin, the noble deceased Duke Vahali, but the man was a craven and a degenerate, with no real control of his sons. His son, Baerhloew, instead of marrying his daughter, went on and married who he liked, and when Iedolas tried to make his second son pay for the deal, the damn boy named Cerin did the same. Now he had to talk with them about marriage with a bastard named Auberon, to make this alliance whole again and try to make up the offense made with the Solidor name.

[member="Auberon Vahali"]

 

[thegraywatcher]

It did not take long for the servants to find Baerhloew and Cerin. They were taken to meet with [member="Primarch Iedolas"] right away. It was a different story for Auberon though. The servants didn't know where he was at. They could look all around the nobles' private port all they want, but it would be in vain. He was still walking down the road from the commoner port towards the meeting place.

The older Vahali brothers, Baerhloew and Cerin, arrived quickly before Iedolas. They were dressed in the finest clothing baring the House Vahali colors and crest. They looked every part the members of an ancient noble house they were. But they had barely veiled looks of raw loathing on their faces. It would be respectful and customary to look a fellow noble, and current head of the Protectorate at that, in the eyes. They refused to. Where they looked was always just around his eyes but never at them directly. They did not speak first or offer their names or a greeting. Instead they waited for the Primarch to introduce himself first as in their eyes he was below their station. Perhaps not the smartest or wisest of first impressions to make, but the older Vahali brothers were known for their arrogance and stubbornness instead.

Auberon just continued to leisurely stroll down the path from the commoners' port towards the meeting location. His desire to meet with his brothers and the Primarch was rather lacking at the moment, especially the three all at once. No, he was just enjoying the moment and the nice day. If his cane had a little loop at the top of it he would be twirling it too. It did not so instead he had to just settle for walking in tune with the humming he had started up. A fine little ditty he had learned while working on the patrol ships. It took him a bit of time, but soon enough he arrived at the meeting location.

Ignoring his brothers' scowls directed his way, Auberon took a sharp military stance and just seemed to shift into a friendly smile easily. He gave the Primarch a crisp salute and said in an almost singing tone, " Lord Auberon of House Vahali. A pleasure Primarch. I do apologize for my delay but it seems my credentials at the noble port were denied. How such a thing could happen is a mystery and I do hope it does not reflect poorly upon my brothers who were suppose to take care of the matter." A lie as he never attempted to land in the nobles' port. While a lie, it was true his brother Cerin was suppose to oversee such arrangements of the family while Baerhloew handled all of the head of the House duties. As far as they were concerned he was not a member of the House and so they were not responsible for him. Auberon knew that but also knew it was unlikely others would see things the same way. They hadn't and couldn't disown him after all so as far things on paper were concerned he was as much a member of the House as they. And his time serving as an Intelligence officer had taught him that what concerned paper was all that mattered at the end of the day.