Aggressive Negotiations

[Darth Kravos]

Planet: Redacted. Somewhere in the Outer Rim.​

Looks could be so positively deceiving. It was a lesson that Darth Kravos had had to learn a long time ago. Take this planet, for instance. It was beautiful with beaches and sites that could rival any resort world, yet, it was uninhabited. Its looks were deceiving and it was actually home to some of the fiercest, most territorial creatures in the galaxy. It had been deemed "unfit for settlement" by multiple large resort companies because of the danger associated with bringing people on and off world.

Then take Andraste. The Empress had an incredible drive and power that didn't match either her age or appearance. And yet, she was quickly becoming one of the most powerful and influential individuals in the galaxy. Looks were deceiving.

On the other hand, the Dark Lord of the Sith standing in his armor and robes alone on a beach with no one else in sight was precisely what he looked like. He was the man who went to convince people to do things that were otherwise against their best interests, and that was precisely what he was here to do.

But of course, looks were deceiving and he wasn't actually alone. The frigate Unparalleled hung in the sky overhead and several handpicked Shock Troopers were spread out in the jungle around the woods just to ensure the "local wildlife" didn't give them any trouble. Not one of them was visible and not one of them would give Kravos's guest any trouble. In fact, they were there almost as much for his protection as Kravos's. His shuttle that had carried them to the surface was hidden in the jungle as well. At the edge of the jungle was a device that would jam any recording or surveillance equipment as well. The Dark Lord liked his privacy.

So, the Dark Lord waited on the beach, seemingly alone, for the (presumable) freighter of his contact to arrive.

By request, this is death/PvP disabled @Insalius

 

[Christopher Harlow]

Christopher Harlow didn't smuggle anything, so he had no need of a freighter. Besides, that had been part of a previous life, when he was with the Hutt Cartel. Now, though, he had his Z3D Armed Pinnace for his versatile needs. He didn't need a gunner for this particular visit, so he was coming alone. Knowing Kal Vox from his father's memoirs, Chris was near certain the man wasn't going to be alone. The Frigate in orbit was one indication, though with how...thorough, or perhaps paranoid, the man seemed to be he figured that there would be troops on the ground as well. As the Pinnace landed and he stepped out, Chris looked around for any of them. None were in visible eyeshot, so with the amount of distance one would need to be to cover that vast an area, it was safe to assume it was an entire strike team. All of this was well within the calculations that Chris had made. He wasn't looking for a fight, though, so it was something he just kept in the back of his mind for now.

Just like Kal, or rather, Darth Kravos, Chris was wearing his full armor and complement of weaponry. His new personalized armor was draconic in aesthetic, the silver blastsword that was perfectly weighted for his hand resting in it's place on his back. His lightsaber was hidden on his left arm, a surprise trump card, and the grenades he carried were also hidden in pockets of the armor. The blaster was visible on his side, though, yet it was just a common thing. He would have to upgrade that later. He stopped when he was at the appropriate distance from the Sith Lord, crossing his arms as he gazed at the man for the first time through his helmet. "I hope the trek out here wasn't difficult. This close to the Unknown Regions, navigation can get spotty. To what do I owe this honor of being called by a Dark Lord of the Sith?" He'd almost said Exile. It was a habit he'd probably never get rid of.

@Phoenix

 

[Darth Kravos]

The Dark Lord watched the ship streak in from the sky and the frigate and her fighter escort didn't bother stopping them. The Sith Lord found himself musing on whether he, himself, could have pulled the ship from the sky. Even the thought of it sent waves through the Force around him and he could feel it rippling along his fingers. It was a tantalizing thought but one that would have been entirely wasted on the circumstance, and waste was something that Darth Kravos could not abide.

Sand kicked up from the repulsor engine and blew the robes draped over the Dark Lord, sending grains of sand pelting the visor of his helmet, but he didn't flinch. The psuedo-droid known as Christopher Harlow disembarked and approached as expected and Kravos could honestly say he was slightly surprised by the fact that he hadn't even bothered to bring a single other person with him. It was curious, but then, to each his own. What would bringing one man do anyway? Perhaps Christopher couldn't stand waste either. Nevertheless, he was sensible enough to bring his armor and weapons... after all, that was just prudent when conducting a meeting like this.

Such is the nature of privacy, he stated. It was no accident that he had chosen this world: he wanted somewhere where they wouldn't be interrupted. It was, ultimately, a form of neutral ground.

But then, the pleasantries were mostly ended and Christopher jumped right into business. Kravos didn't object and would, in fact, much prefer it that way to having to do "pleasantries."

I'd like to ask you a question. A very personal question, he stated bluntly, as was his way. He made no apologies for it and any who knew him or knew of him should not have been surprised. He was well known for being silent and never using five words when three would do. I want to know what you want most in this galaxy.

 

[Christopher Harlow]

A dangerous question. Information was one of the most powerful tools that one could have in war and knowing what was most important to another was one of the ways to break a man or turn them against their allies. Chris knew that Kal would already know the answer to that question, though. His abilities in this body were untested, his name unknown...Except to the FTG. The only way Kal could have found out was if someone had given him, or the Sith, their roster. They had a spy, though, that was still within the realm of Chris' calculations. With how fast they were growing, a spy would only be natural. He'd have to do a sweep of their personnel later. That meant, though, that Kal would know of Chris' children, who were also listed on the roster as being family.

"The same as you. Family." The words were enough to convey what he wanted. He knew that Andraste had multiple husbands, Cregan being only one of them. He guessed Siris was also one, based on her reaction to his near-death experience at the hand of Parvis. Historically, it would make sense that Kal would be one as well considering how they had interacted back when Alphonse knew them and wrote about them. It didn't take much to deduce that truth, though it did take information that only he had access to. Still, he wouldn't reveal himself or the truth of himself yet. He had answered truthfully to a question Kal already knew the answer to. Now would be time for...probably threats, of some kind.

@Phoenix

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kravos shook his head at the answer. It wasn't that he was wrong about Kal putting Andraste above everything or wrong about his own answer, it merely didn't get at the heart of the question. No, you already have family, he said, though it was an educated guess. If he didn't, he likely wouldn't have named family as the most important thing to him.

What do you want? he asked again, placing emphasis on the word in question. If all you wanted was family, you would have retired already. You must want something for your family, what is it? A clean start? To live in riches? To wield power? To live in peace? he asked, listing a few common choices. It was the crux of the issues he was getting at and Christopher might begin to see where this question was heading.

There were no threats here. Kravos had a carrot and a stick. Everyone knew about the stick; it had slain some of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy, but often times the carrot was far, far more enticing. After all, it was nice to be able to speak softly and carry a big stick.

 

[Christopher Harlow]

"I've worked with the Sith before, I've worked with your proxies the Hutts before as well. I know that nothing of value comes freely. What would you ask of me? To be clear, the answer to your question is protection. Would you fault any parent for doing anything to protect their children?" Kal hadn't been surprised by his answer, which in turned answered another question of his. There was indeed a spy in the FTG. A spy that could very easily turn into an assassin if so ordered. Chris knew what he had to do when he returned, yet he also knew that for the moment, listening to Kal's offer would be the most important thing. Kal was paranoid, but that paranoia made him consider things from more angles than a normal person. He wouldn't be surprised if the man already had a plan in place for this. When Chris spoke, it was in a normal tone, not seeming like he was upset or flustered at the man. It was still business at this point. Any fears were unsubstantiated at best. The best course of action was to stay the course, so he would hear what Kravos would have to say. Again, he hadn't given up any information that one couldn't have already deduced for themselves. Provided they had a brain, at least.

@Phoenix

 

[Darth Kravos]

No, I wouldn't, he said as Christopher asked if he would fault a parent for wanting their children to live in peace. Kravos wanted his family to live in peace as well, but for him, that meant tearing down a lot of enemies and causing a lot of upset. Something told Kravos that the other individual was not particularly enjoying their meeting, but he didn't bother pointing it out. He opted not to go for the outright aggressive approach either.

Everything has a cost. Deals. Partnerships. Even family, he said. What I want to buy is expensive, but security is something I can offer your family in return. Security is one thing I have in abundance and anonymity is something I'm no stranger to producing, he said. The life of a Jedi Shadow before he was Dark Lord had taught him more than his share about creating identities and disappearing from the world. And as Dark Lord, he had the means to summon more guards than anyone could ever need.

The Jedi are backing House Harlow for taking over Alderaan. Everyone knows it. I want you to make sure it doesn't happen. Whatever means you want to use to accomplish that are up to you, but the payoff would be significant, I can assure you, he said. And he was straightforward. He wasn't going to lie or sugar coat what he was asking. He was upfront and they would go from there. Of course, he didn't expect him to be very receptive to the idea, but Kravos could hope.

 

[Christopher Harlow]

And there it was. It was a heart-rending decision, as both House Harlow AND his children were his family. Now he had to choose between the two. He thought on this for a long few moments, mulling over the options and calculations. He pondered scenarios and possible futures at a speed untrained minds would find baffling. They all came down to one answer, one response that he had to give. A weary resignation fell over his soul, though he didn't let any of it taint the resolve he had found ever since moving to this body. He was also a bit amused that Kal hadn't figured out who he truly was, yet. Would that have changed the conversation? He'd never know, and now it was futile to dwell on what could have been. "You can tell by my last name that I'm also a Harlow...Though when presented with this choice, there's only one real option. I'll go speak to the Jedi, I'll do what I can to prevent them from getting involved with House Harlow on Alderaan. There's too many factors involved to be able to guarantee success, yet I'm not without my means and connections. Will that be enough, or do you require something more for proof? I'm unsure what else I can provide, to be honest."

@Phoenix

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kravos listened to what Christopher had to say. He wondered if he would be successful in what Kravos was asking of him and what he might want out of it in return. The time would no doubt come, but it would be worth it if he got what he wanted now.

The means by which you ensure they don't come to power is up to you, but I'm sure a strategist can figure it out, he said. The tools in the arsenal were extensive, though he knew some wouldn't be on the table: things like assassination Christopher wouldn't do.

I never forget anything, he said, mirroring the words he'd said to Leviticus. It was one part promise and one part threat. He knew how to help those who had helped him, and would hold up his end of the deal to ensure Christopher's children were safe if that was what he wanted, but likewise, he didn't forget betrayals or failures. Time ticked by and only those who learned from the past managed to survive.

Thank you for your time, Mr. Harlow, he said with a nod. I'll be eagerly watching, and I'm sure I'll hear from you again, he said. There were a surprisingly low number of overt threats required for this little meeting, and Kravos hoped that it would mean things actually unfolded as he hoped. If not, he would have to reevaluate in the future. For now, he would watch and wait.

//Thread