Windspeaks

[Lucien Dooku]

[HIGHS TO LOWS]
NEW CARANNIA, NIRAUAN - Auteme

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The capitol of Nirauan was a beautiful sight in his eyes. Born out of the chaos of the New Imperial's rise to the galaxy, the former capitol of the Order had been a chaotic mass of refugees, immigrants and natives, wrapped around the military and administrative infrastructure that was needed to support the Order's war effort elsewhere. It wasn't until the transfer of the capitol to Bastion did full control over the province switch into the hands of its nascent Warlord, and with it the expansion of that amalgation into something resembling an actual capitol city. And with it came a city that was born out of the ideals of that naive Warlord- an exiled Prince with no lands to his name, but a cautiously optimistic dream of seeing Imperialism in a light different from his peers. Under his leadership, the planet became the opposite of the worlds controlled by his more staunch Imperialist rivals within the assembly. It was a true bastion of the Unknown regions; one that shined brighter than all others.

New Carannia.

Settled around the Hand of Thrawn, the city sprawled out in every direction, yet the redesigned fortress at the city's core would remain the heart and soul of the bustling metropolis. It was from the Hand of Thrawn that Lucien and his closest advisors guided the influence of Nirauan throughout the region, redirecting immigrants where they needed and ensuring that as many of those misfortunates would find their way to his world. It was here too that Auteme would find herself first after their casual arrival to the city's spaceport. The flood of diverse refugees and immigrants around them might've been a shock to the Coreward Jedi. The stigma had always been that Imperial worlds were far too, well, Imperial for anyone in their right mind to immigrate to them. She'd be right in assuming that, regarding a large number of Worlds within their space. But there were those who truly sought to rule differently, and Nirauan found itself in the spotlight in that regard.

With its outspoken Warlord being a constant thorn to the hardliners within the Assembly, Nirauan had enjoyed a level of autonomy and protection away from the hounds of Compnor, and those who sought to oppress them. Freedom and prosperity were promised, and while the latter was a work-in-progress, the former could truly be found in abundance, especially within New Carannia itself. The city had never been one which slept, and the melting pot it had become had all but guaranteed the development of a unique culture, separate from the Imperials elsewhere within the Order. Whether it was their values or ideologies, without the interference of Compnor, the people were left to their own devices in that regard. Whatever would become of New Carannia's people was up to them; Luc would only shepherd them away from outside interference, remaining the beacon of their shared desire to live, and live free.

Luckily for Auteme, Luc wasn't that into the fanfare of publicity outside of the realm of politics within the Order. Their arrival was marked by no sort of motorcade or escort, and instead the two would simply blend in with the crowds of people shuffling in and out of the New Carannian spaceport. It was only once the two had exited the spaceport and left to wander the streets of the city that eventually an unmarked vehicle pulled up to their location. Their escort had been sent by none other than Luc's closest retainer, an elder Imperial by the name of Valerian who, despite his station, had sought little influence on Nirauan itself. His loyalty kept him close to Luc, and in response the man had kept his job as the de-facto second to Luc on the administration of Nirauan.

The drive which followed brought the two through the heart of the city, passing through dozens upon dozens of recently-constructed housing blocks before they reached the plethora of brightly lit towers dotted across the city's center. The trip would end at the Hand of Thrawn itself, each of its five towers reaching up to the sky with the grace of an outreached fist attempting to grasp as the heavens itself. Luc appreciated the analogy, given the circumstances. It was from here that he fought back against the more dangerous ideologies of Imperialism. Nirauan would rise or fall on his shoulders, and from the fortress at the heart of its capitol, Luc would ensure it was the former.

Their vehicle came to a stop once it reached the center of the massive landing beneath the fortress itself. Unlike its contemporary counterpart, the fortress had been restructured and modernized in abundance since its occupation by his administration. Luc pushed open his door, making his way off to the opposite side in order to reach for Auteme's door before she had reached for it. "And we're here- the Hand of Thrawn, or New Carannia-- or both actually."

He shrugged and let out a yawn, both his eyes and ears somehow managing to ignore the large influx of military and administrative personnel that scurried about in their duties and tasks. "I wouldn't worry much about your identity and all that while you're here. I've ensured that Compnor will forever have a hell of a time attempting to spread their influence here. The sky's the limit, if you wanted to check out the city--" Luc shifted his eyes to his right as a single man approached them, a hand outstretched to hand the Warlord a communication device. Luc put it to his ear, his expression shifting to one of annoyance as the individual on the other end berated him for a minute straight. At the end of the outburst he tossed the comm device back to the man and sighed, settling his sights back onto Auteme with a grin. "Apparently my advisor's a bit pissed about my unannounced vacation to the Core. I'll tell 'em I brought a Jedi guest later- he'll probably find that amusing too, eh?" ​

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[Auteme]

Lucien Dooku ​

Auteme liked to say she was a good listener, but it'd be a lie if she told Lucien she'd heard a word he'd said since they'd arrived. Part of her mind was occupied by the creeping doubts she had about what might happen during the trip. Another part was occupied by how Loske Treicolt might make fun of her for coming here. But mostly? She was overjoyed to finally see Nirauan.

It wasn't at all what she was expecting. Eight hundred years ago this was simply the location of the five-towered fortress named the Hand of Thrawn; a base of operations for the enigmatic Grand Admiral in his conquest and unification of this section of the Unknown Regions with the Galactic Empire of the time. Her own interest in the world had sprouted largely from just that -- Grand Admiral Thrawn was a figure she found fascinating. There were a great many people in the galaxy's history, but of all of them she would've wished to meet him the most.

Still, she supposed the establishment of a city wasn't that distant an idea. Jagged Fel had been born on Nirauan and doubtless that had brought prestige to the world. The power of the Hand of Thrawn itself and its near-mythical status was enough to draw many Imperials at the time, and there was an amount of strategic importance when it came to controlling several sectors within the Unknown Regions. Auteme thought they needed to change the name of the region. With how long the Chiss had been in the galactic community and their well-documented exploration of it, it was odd to consider the place unknown. Then again, the mystery as to why it was so much more difficult to navigate was indeed still an unknown.

Auteme wished she'd visited sooner. The city struck her as vibrant and multicultural; much like Coruscant, only without the almost snobbish nature that came with being on the top levels of the most important world in the galaxy. She would've loved to spend a few weeks here. A few days in the city, then some time exploring the jungles and caves and canyons. The Qom Jha and Qom Qae were supposedly fascinating to speak to, and she didn't even need to learn a new language -- the Force would help them communicate.

For now she settled on staring up at the Hand of Thrawn itself. Pictures and holograms didn't do it justice, especially given the changes that'd come with the rule of the New Imperial Order.

There were so many things to be curious about. "Let's go for a walk," she decided, taking up his offer. She started off in a random direction, but soon allowed Lucien to lead the way.

"So... you're a Warlord," she began after a short while. "You rule the planet, right? What does that entail? How much power do you have, and how much do you defer to the Imperator? Do New Imperial policies affect your people?"

He might as well get used to it now -- she had many more questions to ask.

 

[Lucien Dooku]

[THE POWER]
NEW CARANNIA, NIRAUAN - Auteme

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"So... you're a Warlord," she began after a short while.[/COLOR]

"...Yeah, I am. But sayin' it like that makes me sound more like an iron-fisted tyrant, than somebody out to do right by others, now that I think about it."

He smiled, following the Jedi's lead as she wandered off in a random direction. It didn't take long for her to cede the lead to him; Luc obliged of course, switching their course to one which led them away from the military infrastructure that encompassed the lower levels of its interior. As the administrative center of all of Nirauan, there were vast sections of the fortress that were purely tailored for the civilian populace of the planet. Residents and visitors to the world alike were free to visit the unrestricted sections freely.

Flora and Fauna, imported from far flung worlds from the Core and the Rim itself, lined the walkways in abundance. They were drastic improvements from the dreary state that the New Imperials had acquired the derelict fortress in at the beginning of its creation. Even in the evening hours of the day, a fair amount of civilians could be seen enjoying the setting and scenery the view provided. The sun set behind the plethora of beautiful skyscrapers that surrounded the fortress, gleaming from every direction one could look.

"You rule the planet, right? What does that entail? How much power do you have, and how much do you defer to the Imperator? Do New Imperial policies affect your people?"

Truthfully he didn't mind her questions at all, yet at the same time he couldn't help but feel a bit out of place in receiving them. Despite the titles and influence he'd acquired, Luc had never really been in a position to explain it to another person. He'd shared some of his feelings with Lyra 'Sybila' Voikryt a long time past, but the intricacies of Imperial politics were a topic he purposefully shunted to the side. A pause followed her question as a result. The Warlord of Nirauan was still a kid when compared to the majority of his peers. Yet a planet remained firmly under his control, and his influence spread far enough that his rivals could not touch him as of yet. People and far and wide appealed to him with their needs and concerns, and in response he did his best to accommodate those who fell under his jurisdiction. It was a far-cry from the life of a wandering space cowboy that he'd lived before. Those were beautiful days, indeed.

"Well.. let's see." He mused, tapping a finger on his chin as he strolled slowly, maintaining a lazy enough pace as to remain next to Auteme. "First question-- yes, the province of Nirauan is under my domain, along with any settled moons, infrastructure and otherwise that inhabit the system. I also serve as the guardian of Erebos, given there were some concerns over their leader's loyalty to the Empire after the system entered our control." Granted he hadn't been to Erebos for quite some time, but his agents on the world had also not reported anything serious either.

"As for what that entails? Uhhh-" Good question., he thought to himself. "I was appointed the Warlord of Nirauan not long after the Civil War started. This planet was officially the capitol of the New Imperial Order when it happened. My position was mostly just a title back then- a test by the Imperator on one hand, and a reward I guess, for my service. I've been fightin' the Sith since the beginning. That being said, I never actually did much of anything, y'know? Barely any respect, given the circumstances, and not much influence to make things happen. But like I said, it wasn't somethin' I asked for, so I didn't do much with it."

Simpler times would always come to end. No longer could he afford to be as lazy as he use to be; the demands of the people, and the development of a growing world, would not allow it. "Nowadays I take part in the settling and expansion of Nirauan, but I've got a bigger hand in New Carannia. You kinda learn to delegate as much as you can to those who know what they're doing, if you want things to go smoothly." The administrative apparatus that preceded the move to Bastion was also a bonus. "Plus-- I enjoy my free time."

But of course the questions couldn't remain too easy for him to just glide by on their little stroll. The last couple of questions were a bit more nuanced than he liked to admit, considering he wasn't even sure himself how far he could push the extents of his power. In any case, she received his honest thoughts, fresh off the press of his mind. "I suppose the power of each Warlord and Moff is dependent on, well, themselves. At the risk of overestimating my own influence, I believe I wield enough power to be considered near the upper echelons of the assembly. Of course there are plenty of factors to consider, and the Imperator technically has final word on anything that's decided in our Empire. I say technically, because it's his right."

Luc peered off into the distance. "But he has a habit of not interfering with the affairs of the Warlords and Moffs, given we've been entrusted the right to administrate how we see fit. Some worlds are better off than others- I can't do nothin' directly about those outside of my control. I can only do my best for the ones that are."


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[Auteme]

Lucien Dooku
​

Auteme nodded. Warlord was a title she associated less with being a planetary ruler and more with Imperial military leaders who had squabbled and fought with the New Republic so long ago. Even now there were independent leaders who claimed such titles; she didn't see them as people with the capacity to rule. But they had to be charismatic -- Lucien seemed to fit the bill well enough. "I mean, there are worse names to have. We've got the Confederacy of Independent Systems, First Order, Eternal Empire... Sith, Jedi, Galactic Alliance even," she said, a slight frown crossing her face. "Not about the title, of course. It's about who holds it."

She didn't interrupt him any further, taking the time instead to appreciate her surroundings. It wasn't as if she'd been expecting some dystopian city. Given how Lucien had introduced himself, she had expected something more like Corellia. Spacers, bars, the like. The more she walked through New Carannia, the more people she saw. The more people she saw, the more she felt like she was walking through Coruscant. No crazy skylanes or absolutely enormous buildings. But the city had an energy about it. It was made better that people didn't recognize her; there were some days when she was worried to step outside the Coruscant Jedi Temple lest she be assailed by reporters. She was surprised Lucien didn't have a security team -- and that no one stopped him in the street, if only due to a vague recognition from the citizens. Then again he didn't strike her as someone who addressed his people often.

Maybe she was becoming too accustomed to the Senate.

"You, um... surprised me. When I first saw you I didn't think you were the, ah, leader type," she said. "I mean, obviously, that was just an assumption, 'cause- well, it seems like you are. You need to be wise to pick the right people to help you. And if you hadn't, I don't think this city would be the way it is."

She watched a group of friends sitting outside a cafe, laughing about something. Children walking home from school. An energy. A Force. She smiled and kept walking beside him, staying quiet for a little while longer.

But the deeper question still tugged at her mind. "I take it you weren't part of the Sith Empire, before the schism. What made you decide to become an Imperial? To serve the Imperator? Or is it more a means to an end than an ideal?"

 

[Lucien Dooku]

[THE POWER]
NEW CARANNIA // NIRAUAN
Auteme

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On one hand, she was right. There were worse things than being referred to as a Warlord of the New Imperial Order. Worst fates to have too; it was the realization that he'd reached a position where his opinion had mattered, which drove him to focus on the betterment of the people under his charge. Nirauan could've been just another world tainted by the chaos fueled by the mass immigration of citizens to the world, courtesy of the Sith-Imperial and Bryn'adul atrocities that took place over the years. No sense of order could have been present, either. It could have been a world ruled with the iron fist of a veritable dictator, where the fires of Imperialism were indoctrinated into its residents.

There were plenty of worlds already which functioned like this within the Order. COMPNOR's presence on most worlds ensured the indoctrination of its citizens, be they natural-born or immigrated. To his knowledge, Nirauan was the only settled world within the Empire without as much as a field office, to their name. The people were mostly left to their own devices as a result, free to come to their own conclusions about Imperialism, about the galaxy at large, and even on their loyalties to the Order.

At least while the two were on Nirauan, they wouldn't have to worry about all the politics that came with the upper echelons of Imperialism. They were free to walk the streets as much as they pleased, and for the most part the two would remain unbothered by the civilians they came across on the streets. Sure there were people who recognized who he was, but Lucien had never pressed his position over the heads of those who just wanted to live their lives unbothered. Here he was just another soul among millions, content enough with the fact that he was able to explore the city with someone else next to him for once. His advisors never made for good company, given their mixture of ideologies, age and disposition. Considering they were his usual company, that meant he was pretty much stuck to wander the city on his own in his free time.

It felt pretty good to break that cycle for once.

Luc shifted a glance her way once she chimed in again, a laugh exiting his lips towards the first half of the comment. He shook his head, but still smiled all the same. "I don't think i'm much of a leader-- or uh, I never use to be one." He wasn't going to hype himself up, when truthfully leadership was something he never asked for in the first place. "But no, officially I was never apart of the Sith Empire. I belonged to the royal court of Serenno, and as such it was my....fate to serve the Sith Order after the completion of my training. My grandfather decided to hit me with this right as I got back from being off-world for a couple of years, and uhhh' yeah, I didn't take it all too well."

His mother called his decision an overreaction. His father simply didn't speak to him ever again, for one reason or another. The decision was his own to make, but could they truly have blamed him for just wanting to live his own life?

He shrugged, still grinning all the same at the Jedi in his company. "To make a long story short-- I left before the Sith could indoctrinate me, or take me anywhere for that matter. My grandfather officially exiled me from my home, the court and all that good stuff. I suppose there are worse fates, but it hit me pretty hard at the time. I mostly wandered around the galaxy after that, just a kid with a starship and nowhere to really go. Fell into the underworld, for a bit, and bounced around from crew to crew. It wasn't until I settled onto the Infinity's Free that I found something close to another home."

His head dipped to the side, thoughts flooding his mind of those simpler times where he truly felt happy. "Then those bastards had to go and blockade the Pabol Hutta, right around the time I was near the system on a job. They slagged civilians right in front of me. Bodies-- some just chunks, floated through the void, killed for doing nothing but trying to escape the Bryn'adul. All the Sith wanted was to capture these unfortunates, turn 'em into slaves. Truly showed me how evil those bastards were. I did what I could to fight that day. Blew up an Interdictor, and later realized that the galaxy seemed content to let the Sith get away with their evil. Welp-- I decided to throw my lot in with the only group out there who were willing to take the fight right to the Sith. Not very noble of me-- I know. But its the truth of the how things went. I was just a kid when I signed up with the NIO. Hell, most of my peers just think of me as a kid even now."

He stepped ahead, shifting around to face her while casually walking backwards. "...And then I fought the Sith and earned my stripes. Got awarded some commendation here and there, fought the Sith some more, and eventually Tavlar decided to put some more responsibility on my shoulders. I suppose I owe all of this to that old man, but I'll be damned if he ever hears that from me."
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[Auteme]

Lucien Dooku
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"That must've been difficult," she said, knowing that that word probably couldn't encompass even a fraction of what Lucien felt about it.

"I, ah... I've spent most of my life traveling, so I don't really know what it's like to be forced out of 'home'. But big changes when you're young, I guess- well, that's messed up." She tilted her head, her gaze on the sidewalk. "I mean -- I don't know everything you've been through, but for me, sometimes I feel like the galaxy moves pretty fast. Life moves pretty fast. I feel like I'm in a holo, or a book, and the author's got a stack of things ready to throw at me."

She paused, then grinned. "Then again, more likely that I'm a side character."

Lucien talked a lot, and Auteme listened just as much. He might deny it, but there was a strength in defiance -- perhaps that was why he fit in with the New Imperial Order. The Will of Defiance. Had he really stood up to his grandfather by fleeing? And now, a fight far from Serenno. She could tell it still bounced around in his mind from time to time. The decision, the people he'd left behind.

But further still the choice to fight the Sith. The determination when he saw people dying to not let it happen. It reminded her of Ryv, only... more stable.

"So, it seems to me- correct me if I'm wrong- that you've mostly just gone with the flow. You're not dead-set on the Imperial ideal, Iron Sun, all that; but circumstance has put you in a position of power and you've made use of it. Do you think the people of Nirauan would elect you, to whatever office, if it were to transition to a democracy? And if so, do you think that'd be the right choice?"