The Frozen Chains of War | Adron Malvern + Invited

[Caesar Kenway]

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[SIZE=13.5pt]Location: Zaadja[/SIZE]​

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[SIZE=13.5pt]Weather: Blizzard[/SIZE]​

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[SIZE=13.5pt]Time: 1200 Hours[/SIZE]​

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[SIZE=13.5pt]Wearing: Warm Clothes[/SIZE]​

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[SIZE=11pt]Pretender[/SIZE]​

It was not uncommon for a snowstorm to wreak havoc upon the planet of Zaadja, especially during the afternoon hours in the dawning hours of the planet's harsh, freezing winter. It was not ideal weather for the surprise visit to Fort Ares by Exarch [member=Adron Malvern]. To be frank, it was not ideal weather for much at all. The troops were just barely not freezing to death, thanks to the warmth of the heated interior of the base. The wall guards did not get treated to such luxuries unfortunately, forced to stand out by the wall, and patrol the perimeter in the blizzard that crushed dreams.

However, above all of this, the Minister of War himself sat in his office, looking out the window. Minister Kenway was not uncomfortable in the freezing cold, for his office was heated, perhaps to the most of all. Yet this did not alter his longing to return to Geonosis, to the warm sands of the old Ministry Headquarters, and get off the rock they were stuck on. The place was barren for miles upon miles all around. Hundreds of thousands of miles of unused, barren, and desolate snowy fields that swallowed you up to your waist. And should you be unlucky enough, trap you in a hole, left to freeze to death.

The Minister had received a transmission from the office of the Exarch himself. It was choppy, and several hours off, the snowstorm put to blame. The transmission, meant to happen close to ten hours prior to the Exarch's estimated arrival time, had been cut so slim, it was a mere two hour gap. The Minister, not one to panic, set orders for flame droids to begin clearing the snow off the landing pad. The Minister himself made his way out of his office, and down a few floors, to where his residency was, taking out a thick flannel jacket of checkered red with white accents, a dark brown shirt, and a pure white singlet. He also a pair of thick, pale blue pants, and insulated boots, with thick woollen socks, and stripped off his suit, swapping it out for the warmer clothes.

The Minister then stepped out, and pulled a thick, pale red, woollen beanie on, and wrapped a warm, but comfortable woollen, pale blue scarf around his neck. He then pulled on a pair of brown, fur-lined leather gloves. He then took confident steps to the elevator, and pressed the button for the bottom floor. The elevator began it's slow descent, allowing the Minister time to ponder on the reasoning behind the Exarch's surprise visit. Perhaps an inspection to make sure the base was operating at peak-efficiency? A special briefing for the special forces based at the base, or perhaps more confidential matters? It was not the Minister's business to know for now, as the elevator landed at the ground floor, opening it's frozen metal outer doors.

The cold rushed in and hit the Minister full force, causing him to shiver, grabbing onto his elbows, crossing his arms as he stepped out, into the lobby. Walking out till he reached the entrance to the main tower, and opened the door with cautious steps and slow movements. When he stepped out, the blizzard blew him sideways a few steps, stumbling him. Thank the gods his ankle had healed. He walked along the path towards the landing pad, flocked by two Praetorian-Class Battledroid, who's shining metal bodies were quickly covered with a thin layer of snow. The Minister halted at the steps, rubbing his hands together, and breathing a cold cloud of frozen air into them, in a futile attempt to warm himself.

 

[Adron Malvern]

Location: Zaadja {FT. Ares}​

Wearing: This​

Tags: [member="Caesar Kenway"]​

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The Inquisitor broke through the thick mass of snow-white clouds that covered Zaadja. The freighter had been wrapped in a cloaking field, making it all but invisible to both the naked eye and a myriad of sensors.

The moment the freighter had breached the atmosphere, the ship began to bleed into reality as it's cloaking device was deactivated. Of course FT. Ares would read the intrusion and likely prepare to scramble a proper resistance to such a bold maneuver. However, in the next moment a transmission would be sent from the ship.

"FT. Ares this is The Inquisitor, prepare to receive Exarch Malvern immediately at your main landing pad, transmitting priority clearance codes now." ​

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The metallic droid voice was curt, but the codes that came with it allowed such shortness. The Exarch did not like to wait, he did not like to waste time, and often there were prices to pay if such a thing occurred. The freighter came in low, the cutting winds doing nothing to hinder it's mission. When it finally did touch down on the landing pad, there was a silence that fell over the ship and seemingly the planet around it. The winds were quiet and the snows slowed for to a moment of pause. The pause was brief, as in the next moment the ship's ramp was lowered down onto the cold metal surface below. The ship hissed as it released it's compliment of oxygen and the darkness from within was finally pierced.

He descended down the ramp with a keen expression. A mixture of amusement and interest that seemed to come over his features as his amethyst eyes pierced through the shadows of the ships inner workings. Adron Malvern was in such contrast to the wintry planet surrounding him. He wore a suit to fit the occasion, yet instead of blinding white, he wore a dark shade of slate with a black coat. His hair matched his coat, jet black and spotless. Even as the slow flurry came down to the planet below he remained untouched. Darkness in a world of light, he remained untouched. Following behind him were a number of men, clad in crimson cloaks reminiscent of the old Empire. No they were not just shadows of the Guard who once protected the monarch of the Galactic Empire, they were the very same men. Their blood-like robes were hemmed short, barely falling down to the small of their backs. Their faces were exposed, most of them hosting a number of scars that showed the years of combat they had endured for the Empire. Now, they were no more than the Exarch's guard.

"Minister Kenway." His voice was like a silver dagger, drenched in wine and polished to perfection. Beautiful, but no less deadly. In odd fashion, the Exarch bent his head in a bow of respect to Kenway. It was not the fact that before Kenway, Adron had held the position of Minister of War and he had a respect for it's duties, or maybe it was Kenway's demeanor and impeccable record of duty. Perhaps these things helped, but no.

It was that ruthless cunning. The need and will to do what must be done. That was what Adron appreciated in the Minister of War. For the Confederacy he would drench worlds in blood and death. For a brighter future, would he have a limit? The Exarch surely hoped not. Adron set a hand upon the man's cold shoulder, giving him an eye of uncertainty. "Come Minister, let us move inside and leave the cold to it's own." Without leave or guide, the Exarch turned to the entrance of the Fort where the Minister had entered. The Guardsmen behind him, passed Kenway without word or thought, only a mind to keep their charge safe.

Once Kenway finally caught up the Exarch looked to him with an expecting look. "I'd like to see your records. Immediately. I want to see the personal service records of every command and staff officer you have selected for the past....let's say six months. You will also provide me a detailed file of all orders you have dispatched to the many outposts we have in Confederate territory. We will review them together. Also, I'd like something to drink, whiskey I think will work." Adron too, was a man of business and war.

 

[Caesar Kenway]

Location: Zaadja
Weather: Blizzard
Time: 1200 Hours
Wearing: Warm Clothes

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[member=Adron Malvern]​

The Minister let a shiver run down his spine as the ship landed before him, and watched as the ramp hissed, disembarking it's compliment of ten men shrouded in royal red robes. Led by a man in a coat blacker than the starts themselves, the man he knew to be the Exarch Malvern, a cunning leader, and one who held his position before him. The Minister raised his hand to his head, straightening himself, and touched his knuckles to his forehead, saluting the Vicelord's second, only equalled by Exarch Talon who he, admittedly, had not had any interactions with. Now, Exarch Malvern he had a numbered interactions with, setting up the Viceroyalty chambers for the conference on a syndicate run by the criminals of the Confederacy, an idea that got shot out of the sky by the Exarch, only to go through months later under a different name, that operated on a basis of honour.

The Minister's droids straightened themselves up, not swaying an inch, waiting for the order of at'ease.

"As you say, Exarch Malvern."

The Minister lowered his hand from his forehead, and followed after the Exarch, hastening his pace to catch up, his droids flocked in behind the Red Guard of the Exarch, as the Minister marched side-by-side with the Exarch, the silence only broken by the howling winds, and sounds of boots and metal hitting stone. Then it was pierced by the smooth voice of the Minister, that was influenced barely by his military service. He then broke off, going down a separate path from the one leading to the entrance of the tower, his droids broke off aswell, and followed him, jogging through the snow to catch up with the Minister, as he raised a hand to beckon the Exarch and his guards to follow, to the bunker.

"This way, Exarch Malvern. The database is kept within the bunker, the only thing you will find in the tower is the communications control system, and the offices of the command at the Fort."

As he continued down the path, at a slowed pace, allowing for the Exarch to adjust his path, he heard out the rest of the Exarch's request, for whiskey, and the orders he had dispatched across Confederate space to their numerous outposts, bases, forts, fleets, and the likes. As he approached a Tactical Droid, hoping to further his trivial rank by meeting with the Exarch, that was heading towards the landing pad, he signalled for it to stop.

"TX-5886, go to my office and fetch two bottles of whiskey, you will then bring them to the data center of the bunker."

The droid saluted, and headed into the tower, muttering something about a trivial rank, one that the droid had all but earned, doing nothing but lounging around on it's shiny metal ass in the bunker. The droid, of course, had only earned itself the rank of Lieutenant, doing nothing but assisting the Super Tactical Droid that oversaw the database, a job he performed to standards less than acceptable, especially for a T-Series Droid. The Minister picked up his pace, heading into the bowels of the base, the inner workings, the Bunker, the first bulkhead, meant for humanoids, hissing open as he entered, then, he remained still, as the first bulkhead closed, and his droid detachment and himself were decontaminated, the second bulkhead then opened, closing afterwards, and the third bulkhead opened with a final hiss, allowing the Minister entry to the heated metal halls of the Bunker. He stood to the side, providing space for the Exarch, waiting for him to enter.

 

[Adron Malvern]

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[member="Caesar Kenway"]​

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The Exarch was quick to adjust his path when he found himself turned around. He approached the Minister with a single nod as they made their way down the hall. There was something curious on the man's mind. The Minister had been unimpressive to the Exarch, for the most part. Yet, he was an older man who had all the tells of a fine politician. Once he had served as the Viceroy of Ord Pardron, yet there was not much else to know of the man. At least nothing that Adron had deemed notable.

"So tell me. Why did you wish to rise to the station of Minister of War?" The Exarch asked, turning his eyes towards the Minister. "Most find Ministry positions to be too...glamour less. It can't be the pay. A Minister's pay is barely more than a Viceroy's and with the command of a planetary defense force there is some control of the military there. So why take on such a rigorous position?" He asked his successor. They passed through a number of metallic bulkheads, leading towards the Forts inner workings. A bunker. It was not uncanny to see a base of this size with such a thing, in fact it was to be expected. In the event that the main base came under heavy destruction or infiltration, the bunker would provide safety to at least a percentage of the base's population, or keep pertinent information safe from harm.

"Did you design the layout of this fort yourself?" He asked, passing by the Minister to enter the bunker.

 

[Caesar Kenway]

Location: Fort Ares, Zaadja
Weather: Blizzard
Time: 1230
Wearing: Suit

Adron Malvern​

As the Minister stepped to the side, a butler droid was waiting, and took the Minister's coat, leaving him in just his suit. It then saluted the Exarch with some uncertainty of it's own actions, and offered to take the Exarch's coat aswell. Once the Exarch and Minister came to pass, it turned back to the wall, it's gaze distant and inhuman, awaiting the return of the men.

The Minister met the Exarch's gaze, and began walking, turning his head to the front, leading the way through the halls of the base he had learnt so thoroughly. He lead the way down a hall into a spacious elevator clearly designed for transporting large quantities of humanoids. One of his guard then pressed the button for floor eighteen on a board of twenty buttons, and the elevator began the smooth and moderate speeded descent. The Minister's tone was nothing if not confident and patient, as if he had an answer for every question the Exarch could ask.

"Well, it was not so much a goal of mine as it was an opportunity for change, and a personal challenge. I will keep it short, as I am sure you do not wish to hear my life's story, nor do I wish to tell it. I have, in the past ten years, made a effort to change the course of my life, the first major change was my election to the position of Viceroy, in more recent years, and I am sure that if you were to be handed a report detailing all the changes and advances, and all of the good that has come to Ord Pardron since my election, you would agree with me that Ord Pardron has only benefited from my election." The Minister paused his explanation for a brief moment to catch his breath, and allow for additional questions or interjections, then continued.

"When I was advised that the Vicelord had nominated me to the position, I considered the opportunity to do good for more than just a planet, and personally sent the notice that I accepted the nomination. As you can see, a majority of the Viceroyalty voted in my favour. Exarch Malvern, I should make this clear now. How much I earn at the end of the day does not concern me. I am the King of Ord Pardron by blood, I own several companies, I do not lack in money or glamour. The power I have over armies only concerns me if it means I will, either directly or indirectly, cause harm to the undeserving with no benefit."

The Minister paused again as he once again stepped out of the elevator first, into a hallway, and past a door that hissed open, granting the politicians entry into the large database of Fort Ares. The room was, by comparison, as large as two Hangar Bays, and atleast 450 feet below ground. In the center of the room was a large computer with a single console, obviously the hub for all the information stored in the database. The rest of the room was occupied in a fashion similar to a digital library.

"As for your question, no, I did not design the layout of the Fort myself. It has existed for well over six centuries, and was most notably used during the Clone Wars by the Galactic Republic and it's Clone Army as a military installation. However, I oversaw the upgrade. It now hosts thirty Isotope-5 generations in the floors below us. Of course, there is a distance of atleast fifty feet between the top of Floor 19, and the ground we stand on now. Those floors are shielded by a ten foot thick layer of Chromium, with a Phrik lining. Perfectly safe. Levels four through to seven house organic personnel, both combatants and non, Levels eight and nine are occupied by a detachment of the 117th Dauntless. Levels two and three house droid storage and charging areas. The base holds little less than it's own army, and of course, has it's own Planetary Defense Fleet, governed by the planet's government, aswell as the Fleet that accompanies the C.N.S. Hell Hound."

The Minister walked further into the room, service droids had assembled comfortable chairs and a table, if necessary. The Tactical Droid that the Minister had sent to retrieve the whiskey had arrived ahead of them by use of smaller elevators, and began to pour the drinks out for the politicians as the Minister sat down in his chair.