Ask Et ex Necessitates Multas

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

A stillness washed over the surrounding ship yard, baring for the sound of wind whipping through the dry Dock scaffolds and the idle humm of the plant and equipment in close proximity. There was as almost eerie silence within what was currently one of the planet's busiest and presently fastesr growing sectors. Paying little heed to the glaring bright lights that focused down onto the impromptu stage and podium, the petite figure of the Planetary Governor slowly paced her way to the centre of the stage, in the back drop was one of the Bakuran Defence Fleet's latest acquisitions, an older model Marauder Class corvette that had just finished its refit and recommissioning before its formal entry into service was declared. Coming to a standstill behind the Podium, the blonde set her note cards down on the lecturn and proceeded to look up and meet the gaze of the cameras and journalists that had assembled.

"Good Morning, Today we mark the activation of another asset to the Bakuran Defensive fleet, following an exceptional turn around, the workmen and women of these ship yards have competed the swift refit of this Corvette, which will soon join active service ensuring the safety of our trade and merchant fleets as they pass through ours and our neighboursing allied sectors" Alyse spoke, her soft well spoken tone being amplified by the microphones and speakers that had been set up ahead of the Governor's Arrival.

"We have not ignored the concerns of the representatives of our various industries, with the growing prevalence of Pirate raids on our shipping convoys. This morning I have signed a bill that will allow for the release of funding for the Bakura Shipyards to commence design and development of new ships for use by our defensive fleets, along with what would be the first of three new Bakura Class flagships. This will not only give growth to our terrestrial economy and industry, but will serve as my commitment to you, the people of Bakura that in my late father's stead, I will ensure that Bakura will once again prosper and grow" The blonde continued after a brief silence as she flicked her cue card over to the other side. Once she had finished with her address, the governor allowed for the Applause from the gathered crowd and the odd approving Journalist to simmer down before stepping off to the side to approach the Dock master who handed her a glass bottle that was tethered to a rope, before proceeding to quietly instruct the politician on where best to aim.

"It is with great pleasure that I commission this ship. The B.D.S. Prytis. Long may she protect and safeguard our skies" Alyse announced before releasing the tethered bottle and allowing it to swing towards the hull of the ship. After the sound of shattering glass could be heard and the explosion of its contained liquid against the outer grey hued hull, cheers and applause once again broke out, this time accompanied by the sounds of Klaxons, horns and any other manner of loud artificial noise that could be made.

Taking little need for rushing, the Governor, mingled with the various trade representatives that were present. Shaking hands, making brief conversation before turning her attention back to the side of the stage as the deligation started to file towards the boarding ramp that was extending out to the newly commissioned ship. The Sith Lords gaze meeting with the veiled Jedi, as she left the stage. A light grin flashing over her features as she approached the Jedi Master that had recently became one of her Aides, in a manner of Speaking.

"We have been invited aboard for the inaugural flight" Alyse explained before gesturing for Kori to join her, even though she, like the Jedi had made countless journeys through space, there was something about being aboard the maiden voyage of the Fleets latest assets that held quite the alure - even if it was more to take a moment and get out of the view of the cameras, especially given that it was a military ship where the Journalists were not allowed on board. As the representatives started to file on board, followed by the Governor's security detail, Alyse turned her head to the side slightly to quietly utter to the Jedi Master, just as they stepped on board "Truth be told it was this, or return to the Senate and paperwork"

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Social events were almost never Nykoria's strongest suit. Especially aboard spaceships. Her last such trip resulted in a pirate raid and capture by the Sith, and—a silver lining—an unexpected stint as the governor's aide on Bakrua. But when Governor Ti'Varnus invited her to attend the first official flight of Bakura's new old corvette, the Zeltron just couldn't say "No" to that. The news was simply too good, so Kori didn't have second thoughts about going to the ceremony.

The event itself was rather formal. The note cards and the Governor's neat speech only added to that impression. And then there was the tethered bottle scene; it made Nykoria glad that she had chosen her usual grey outfit with a hood and a veil. That way, nobody in the crowd could see the Zeltron's wide grin. How funny is it? Nobody here knows that the petite blonde could hurl that bottle dead on target without even touching it. The fact that Nykoria had learned it herself not too long before only made the Jedi wonder if there were more Sith out there, ruling planets covertly.

As the governor mingled, the newly-appointed silent aide remained aloof. Talks with politicians never went well for her; it would be a while before Nykoria could settle into her unlikely job. But soon people started moving, and it wasn't long before Alyse approached.

The news about the flight invitation wasn't unexpected. Nykoria smirked under her veil again: she couldn't be there for the launch of the Jedi Order's corvette, so the Force offered her something different in return. The Zeltron simply nodded to the Governor's remark, following the blonde towards the ship. "The burdens of leadership," she tried to encourage Alyse, with just a nudge of sarcasm to spice the comment up. "But some bills do need to be signed."

As if to illustrate Kori's point, the duo and their escorts were making the way through the Marauder's main point of interest: a spacious hangar that could give even some cruisers a run for their credits. Able to house a couple of squadrons and a few larger ships, it could solve the pirate problem. "It won't protect Bakura from a fleet, but it's a step in the right direction."

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

A light smile curled on the Sith lips as she sighed, in feigned resignation at her aides comment regarding that there would still be bills for her to sign. "I'm sure they can wait" she retorted with a slight grin, as they headed through the pristine and glossy halls of the corvette's inner Hull. The Sith's gaze intently taking in the sights, and following the direction of the lead engineer as he talked over the changes that had been made and the new systems installed. Though even though the Governor conveyed an expression of keen interest in the man's explanation, she would readily confess that most of the technical if not all was lost on her - but what was genuine was the appreciation towards the pride being displayed by the Engineer.

Entering the hanger, Alyse took in the rather spacious form, her chestnut hued gaze panning over the ships and the ranked up compliment of Bakuran Defence force personell, standing at attention as the group of dignitaries approached. Her gaze shifting over to Kori for a moment as she commented about it not protecting Bakura from a fleet, a slight nod being offered in initial response. "True, though for the time being it should suffice, should the pirates and raiders elect to escalate, then we will ensure that threat is met appropriately" Alyse offered in response, before nodding to the lead engineer to carry on with the tour.

As the group started to move deeper into the Hull of the ship, the dull humm of engines powering up could be heard and felt along the deck playing, signalling that the marauder was starting preparing to take off. It would be in time with the group entering the bridge that, the shuddering started to ease off, as the corvette started to ascend further into the upper atmosphere of the planet - offering the guests a brief view of the outer planet horizon, before the viewport was engulfed with the near infinite reaches of black space.

A polite round of applause was offered, as the ships captain confirmed that they had now left the planet's orbit and that all systems were operatating within the correct parameters. It seemed for the best part to be proceeding as if it were perfectly scripted, not that it was ever likely that the crew would admit to there being a fault, when the bridge was full of those that ultimately controlled the purse strings. That was until one of the near by stations suddenly started to flash red. Accompanied by the sound of chatter and a rush of attention to what had suddenly flashed up on the readouts. Before the Governor could question what was happening the captain approached. "Ma'am, we have an unknown transport ship on an rapid course for Bakura, they are un responsive to our comma" the captain explained, before swiftly proceeding to return back to his station "plot an intercept course and lock weapons, as soon as they are in range engage tractor beams" the captain ordered to the crew., who responded with a simple aye sir to their respective commands. The Blonde's lips pursed in thought as she folded her arms across her chest, as she stared out of the view port, looking at the small but growing spec of the errant transport. "Well this is unexpected" Alyse muttered.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Just as Alyse, Nykoria knew almost nothing about the technicalities. But unlike the Governor, her aide didn't even have to express interest. Mainly because the engineer's focus was on the Governor, and Kori's own face was mostly concealed. Still, the Zeltron allowed herself to get carried away by the overall enthusiasm... Even if it was mixed with a heavy dose of anxiety for the successful outcome of the test flight. The relief from the prior "mild turbulence" made the round of applause on the bridge even more sincere.

But apart from that, everything seemed to be in order. If anything, Kori had it the easiest. The crew needed to worry about things running smoothly; the dignitaries—at least some of them—were strangers to space flights. Even the Governor seemed partly affected by the promise of paperwork after the trip. The resident Jedi Master, however, was used to traveling and didn't have a specific job to do.

If anything, she could take in the view, and listen in on conversations to figure out how things worked on Bakura. And to the Zeltron's surprise, so far it was far from what one would expect from "a world under the iron heel of the Sith". Of course, it could all be smoke and mirrors; after all, a lot of what Nykoria was seeing was determined by Governor Ti'Varnus. But for the moment, it was too soon to make conclusions or even acquaintances.

That's why the Zeltron didn't get involved in conversations with the crew or VIPs; instead she just listened and tried to get the feel of the place. That's when she caught the anomaly: a slight disturbance in the mood a person or two. Not too long after, the captain announced the source of the disturbance, before proceeding to carry out his duties. Alyse didn't seem to interfere; if so, it wasn't Nykoria's place either. She simply stood by the Governor's side, observing the incoming vessel.

It was a usual sight for a spacer. Just another ship passing by. Quiet too, but that could be explained by a damaged comm system. Even if those were pirates, the Marauder corvette was more than well-equipped for dealing with those. Yet there was the air of abnormality around the bridge, and even some of the VIPs seemed to have caught it. "Having a bad feeling about this?" she addressed Alyse quietly, trying not to draw too much attention.

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

The blondes features remained an expression of stoic cold calculation as she gazed out of the view port watching as the small spec of a ship formed into a tangible and more recognisable object. Her brow furrowing as the Jedi master beside her quietly inquired what must seem like one of the most standard of Jedi questions and responses for a situation that was unfolding. Her chestnut hued eyes shifting to regard Kori through her periphery, for a moment before falling forwards once again. "Possibly" Alyse commented in a soft tone, as she brought a hand up to her face to pensively rub at her chin. "Call it a hunch, but the atmospherics don't seem right" she added, somewhat cryptically, before subtly nodding towards the approaching ship - moments before its advance was brought to a halt as a shimmering barely visible blue light ensnared the craft.

Despite the hive of activity amongst the ships crew, with some contending with a few errant dignitaries that had either gotten in the way or were clearly becoming too much of a distraction - whom were swiftly guided out of the command deck and into the neighbouring briefing room. Leaving the rest of the bridge crew to speak among themselves and carry out the relayed orders being given by the Corvettes captain. Words such as Tractor lock, target lock being reiterated one to many an occasion. The governor stood and remained silent as she stared out of the view port. Observing. Calculation and processing everything that her senses were relaying to her. Ears perking up as she heard the captain give the order for the boarding shuttle to be launched.

A light sigh escaped the Sith's lips as she exhaled, before her eyes tacked to the side to see a smaller craft come into view from behind them, decked out in the Bakuran Defence fleet livery and marking being illuminated by the Corvette's spotlights as it maneuverer down towards the transport ship and saddled up beside it. A few silent and tense moments passed where it seemed like nothing was happening, as the boarding teams shuttle docked with the transport and prepared to breach the airlock.

The tense silence was broken when the radio link was patched through one of the comm's consoles speakers so that the bridge crew, the Governor and her aide's could listen to the live reports that were being relayed from the boarding team, along with a rather static ridden holoimage feed from one of the helmet cameras of the boarding team. ##We are proceeding along the main arterial corridor of the transport, so far no sign of any crew or passengers on board, slight signs of a possible struggle, blood marks and carbon scoring on the bulkhead plates## the disembodied voice crackled in, giving pause for a moment that allowed some of the Bridge crew and those gathered to pass shooting glances at each other. The silence being broken by the sound of soft footsteps as the Governor moved away from her position of staring out of the view port towards the centre of the command deck to regard the images being cast over the holo imager.

## It looks like there had been a raid on board, one body found heavily mutilated.... some signs of blaster marks but it also looks like the flesh as been torn at, like its been mauled by a kaff hound## the voice reported in, as the grainy image of a mutilated body flashed up on the screen for a brief moment, the sight in itself looked like it was beyond an act of barbarism, it was almost primal in a way. The images whilst causing a few of the deck hands to look pretty squeamish did not visibly affect the Sith lord, whom continued to remain holding a stoic and calm expression on her features, even though her mind was perhaps running several marathons at once processing and calculating everything that she was witnessing.

The stoic expression however soon was broken, and a look of grave concern crossed the blonde's features as the voice over the comms static came back into life ##Shots Fired! Shots Fired! There's too many of them..... *Screaming*.... There's too many.... they won't stop... *heavy Blaster fire* .... Weapons fire not affecting them.... they won't die.....## were the last few broken pieces of the transmission that could be heard before a rather visceral sounding scream could be heard over the channel before it fell back into static. The last lingering image from the holo imager feed displaying the image of what looked like a walking corpse lunging towards the screen.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Nykoria's predicament was complicated. Being the Governor's aide effectively made her one of the many dignitaries. And a few of those had been escorted off the bridge already. Kori only remained for two reasons: because she had not said a word, and essentially was Alyse's shadow at that point. The Sith too played her part rather well; only her composure gave away the fact that there was more to the petite Governor than people knew. Perhaps it was also the reason why the captain didn't ask her off the bridge.

As a Jedi, she could distinctively feel something being off. But other than that, she was in the dark as much as the bridge crew monitoring the boarding party's progress. Every step and revelation brought more reasons for concern. For all the things the Jedi Master had experienced, she had never seen walking corpses. But some Jedi had—including Kori's closest friends and colleagues Nara Allam and Izel Thral.

Kori remembered hearing something about an outbreak on Nar Shaddaa, and probably some earlier cases. The news about AMS outbreaks all over the galaxy also reached her after she had woken up on Bakura. But seeing it for the first time, hearing the dying screams of the boarding crew, even catching some of their fear from across the ships... It was unnerving. Once again Kori praised the Force for wearing a veil that concealed her uncomfortable scowl.

The away team on that ship needed help; assuming anyone there was even still alive, that is. The ship also had to be put under quarantine until scanners and well-armed military teams could go through it, compartment by compartment. But so far, the captain didn't seem to be in need of Alyse's opinion; therefore, Kori's opinion was wanted even less so. A part of the Zeltron wanted to get involved somehow; perhaps her abilities could help? But then she had to remind herself that to those people, she wasn't a Jedi; just a civilian, and a less important one than governor Ti'Varnus.

For now, all she could do was let the things unfold.

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

A tense and somewhat shocked silence fell over the bridge, one that was palpable enough that the faint reverberations of the engines at the rear of the ship could be heard. The ships captain, expressing a deeply contemplative look as his gaze remained on the lingering holo image, contemplating his next orders - should he dispatch another boarding team? Should he bring the transport into the Corvette, so that they could attempt to secure and investigate the ship, once the un-living inhabitants had been dealt with - something that would allow for the crew to recover the bodies of their fallen colleagues and to interrogate the ships data core for more information on the source and origins of the transport ship. "Muster all military personnel to the hanger bay, inform the quarter master that all weapons stores are to be unlocked" the captain instructed to the nearest officer.

The blonde's eyes lit up, as if a sudden spark of fire erupted within her. Her gaze directing towards the captain and the attending officer beside him who had received the order. "No" Alyse spoke out, sharply and simply but the tone was dripping with a stern authority. "Whomever or whatever is aboard that ship should not be given the opportunity to make it's way onto this ship" Alyse countered, as she folded her arms over her chest, her hands wrapping around the tips of her elbows - the odd finger pensively tapping in thought. "We know little of where that ship has originated, nor do we know whether those onboard are affected by this AMS plague that has emerged from the old Hutt Sectors, or whether that ship harbours some other unknown abomination" the Governor continued as she took a step back from the central console that had been displaying the holo image feed.

Her gaze moving away from the captain's before briefly lingering over and meeting that of the Jedi Master beside her. The Sith lord's brow furrowing in thought for a moment, before she lightly bit on her tongue. "Regardless of whatever is on that ship, we cannot allow for it to have the faintest chance of being introduced to Bakura" She added after a few minutes of silence, racking through her mind over all the potential threats that could be aboard the transport, as well as the ramifications that it could present to the world that she ruled.

"I would order that all facing cannons be trained on that ship and preparations are made to vaporise that ship" Alyse spoke, as she pointed towards the viewport of the bridge, in the direction of where the ship remained within the grasp of the Prytis' tractor arrays. "Unless" she swiftly added before any orders or comments could be made, and as she trained her attention onto the Jedi beside her. "My Military advisor would have any alternative suggestions?"

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

It took a conscious effort for Nykoria not to fall into the same uncertainty as the ship captain. Her gaze shifted between the Captain and the Governor; apparently, both of them had radically different ideas what needed to be done. And suddenly, the "military advisor" was in the middle of it all. The choice was indeed a tough one.

"You're right that we can't let that thing reach Bakura our our vessel," the masked woman replied after some hesitation. Even if Kori was reluctant to just blow it up, the Sith had a point. But what if... "Survivors," the advisor mumbled to herself, eyes closed. Her senses reached out, trying to pierce through the void and metal separating her from the deadly mystery floating in front of the viewport.

Only then did she speak—or rather, think—outloud: "The data from the ship's systems might not be worth the risk. It is unlikely that there are any survivors. But I'd scan the ship for life signs all the same. The more data we have before making a decision, the better." Then something else crossed Kori's mind: "A droid boarding squad could be perfect for the mission. If it's AMS we're dealing with, a ship floating in space is a contained environment..."

The implications were plenty, and Nykoria became silent for a few moments. But after some consideration, the Zeltron could summarize her thoughts decisively: "Being ready to vaporize it is a good call. Maybe even vaporizing it right now, without giving it too much thought." Of course, there was a but.

"But I'd scan the ship for life signs. Then knock out its engines to be sure, and tow it to orbit the nearby star. Declare the area off limits too. That way, we determine the urgency of the problem, and leave the door open for solutions that aren't irreversible. If it's AMS we're dealing with, you get an isolated environment with the afflicted. A rare occasion, I reckon. If droids could contain them and secure the ship, this could be a way to research a cure safely enough."

Of course, there was always a chance it wasn't AMS. But... "In the worst case, we vaporize the ship and let the debris be consumed by the star." Nykoria found herself shifting the gaze between the governor and the captain, wondering what both had to say on the matter. To Kori, the suggestion seemed like the best of both worlds. Its only drawback was delaying the solution, and the unlikely chance of something escaping the ship in the future.

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

As the Jedi master offered her initial confirmation and agreement that the ship should not be allowed to reach Bakura, or even brought into the hanger of the Prytis, the Governor nodded slightly before an inquisitive arch raised on her eyebrow at the muttered mention of survivors. More likely was that it was the beliefs and view points of the Jedi order talking, where Alyse and her Sith like views had been quick to dismiss the errant ship as being lost, along with the willingness to forego any attempt of a further rescue mission or continued contact with either the infected inhabitants or what ever those things were onboard. Taking the more pragmatic view of sacrificing who or what ever may have survived for the sake of protecting the rest of the populace, the Jedi always seem to hang onto the faint glimmer of hope that there would be a chance of rescuing any unfortunate soul that may be trapped onboard.

The Governor's lips pursed in thought as the Jedi master continued, outlining her thoughts and possible suggestions on how to deal with the craft, her eyes narrowing at the mention of a droid boarding party. Whilst in many and if not all respects, that would have been a sound suggestion, there was unfortunately one underlying issue with it - Bakura held a long running distrust of any and all robotic sentience. So much so, that droids were widely outlawed throughout the planet, the only tolerances being for the crews of off world ships that were only permitted to operate within the confines of the docking bay. Yet that was not to say that there were no droids on Bakura, special allowances have been made for senatorial staff for the use of protocol droids, however their movements were heavily regulated and to an extent so was their functionality.

Before she had the chance to comment or even continue to deliberate with the suggestions aired by Kori, Alyse's attention was brought swiftly to the ship's captain as he slammed his hands down onto the console. "What nonsense is this!" the man barked, his pudgy features flushing red with the brewing anger and frustration. "Unless you've forgotten Droids are outlawed" he added, as he flashed an irritated glance towards the hooded Zeltron, eyeing her with suspicion. "Typical of an off world ...."

The captain went to continue in his tirade before falling deathly silent, as his gaze fell upon that of the Governor. His eyes meeting the stern expression that was plastered over the Sith Lord's features, the glare from the blonde was enough to silence the high ranking military official - was something that ran within the Ti'Varnus household, whether it was hereditary or a trait that was learnt and used as part of their political arsenal. After all it was far more effective in silencing a contentious issue or even discourse within a meeting, than resorting to raised voices and arguments. The look alone being enough of a warning to either tread carefully or to signify that someone's career was about to be cut short. A handy ability in the Sith's eyes as it often allowed her to bring a semblance of order to proceedings without having to use Force manipulations.

A tense silence fell over bridge, lingering for a few minutes - allowing only the sound of the ship's engine reverberation to be heard through the decking plates almost eerily. With a slight inhale of breath, the blonde cast a cautionary glance over Kori for a moment, before focusing her attention towards the captain. "Firstly, regardless of whether my Aide is an off worlder or not" Alyse spoke, calmly and without the faintest hint of emotion, her hands resting onto the side of the console as she leaned forwards. "You will remember that all of my Aides are an extension of my Office and they will be shown the same respect as you would show me" the blonde continued, before easing herself back from the edge of the console and folding her arms back over her chest.

"Secondly, you are now relieved of Duty and confined to quarters" Alyse spoke, this time however her voice carried a stern authoritative tone to her words, iterating the finality of her statement and that it was not open to any further debate or argument. Yet despite this the Captain looked as if he was about to air his protest to the sudden change in his command, but before he had the opportunity to do so, he took sight of those around him noticing that the Governors Security detail were now standing ready to intervene - seeing that there was no chance that the Governor was going to concede, or even that he had any choice in the matter the man growled under his breath before with one final act of a spoilt child slammed his fists down onto the console before storming off.

Waiting until the man was now safely off the bridge, the Governor held her stern expression before it softened back to it's neutral state as she directed her attention to those that were still gathered around the console. "My Apologies" Alyse offered briefly and mostly directed towards the Jedi Master. "Unfortunately, the use of droids would not be a viable option" she continued, this time commenting on the draw back in a more diplomatic and civil way as opposed to the Captain's outburst "However, that is not to say that we cannot invite other parties who have droids to carry out the onboard investigations" the blonde added, before biting on her lip in thought for a moment, more as to her making a mental note. "Commander, can you execute and hold a containment perimeter for that ship? If not what resources would you need to achieve a quarantine zone?" Alyse inquired as her gaze shifted towards the next ranking officer, but before he could comment to the request, the Governor turned her attention to those around her. "Additionally should we now be screening all incoming ships?"

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The sudden shift in the mood when Kori mentioned droids was almost palpable. The captain's outburst caught the Nykoria off-guard. So much so that the Zeltron barely managed to pull her pheromones together. Blood coming to her cheeks, she was about to give the officer a lecture along the lines of "You're welcome to sacrifice more of your people or vaporize their bodies unretrieved" or "You clearly need an off-worlder's perspective if you aren't willing to consider viable options".

The governor's unexpected stare and another shift in the captain's mood did avert an argument. The blonde—normally soft-spoken—demonstrated the unusual sternness. Another reminder that covert or not, Kori was dealing with a Sith. But once the upset captain was escorted off the bridge, Nykoria found herself talking to the "civil" Alyse again. Her question was a complex one, so all Kori could react with was: "Tough call. I need a minute to think it over."

That provided the commander the necessary time to interject. Eager to prove himself—and partly intimidated by the governor's show of strength—the young man straightened up. His posture struck the right balance between standing at attention and at ease; after all, overdoing it could be a bad idea either. "Ma'am, we have two squadrons on board. They can secure the area from passing vessels or raiders... As long as the Prytis is in the vicinity to resupply the squadrons. Right now, our very presence does what you ask. But it prevents us from going elsewhere."

Not too long after that, the masked Zeltron stepped into the conversation again: "A shame. At first I thought that screening all incoming ships would be a good advice. I mean, if we don't want AMS on Bakura, we might as well set up planet-wide blockade, set up an automated quarantine station in orbit, and route all goods and passengers through that bottleneck," despite the plan being thought through, it was clear from the tone that Nykoria wasn't considering her own suggestion viable. If anything, it was her being sarcastic about her own first thought. Even if they could repurpose orbital cargo terminals for that, it would probably be a heavy blow to trade, industry, and public opinion.

"We won't have enough ships and personnel to check everything and everyone," the Jedi shrugged lightly, a trace of helpless disappointment in her voice. "It would slow down traffic, cause discontent, and encourage people to seek less legal ways on and off world." The Governor of Bakura probably didn't have any failure-proof way to keep the infection from slipping through the net and onto the planet. But what could be done?

"If we strengthen security around spaceports... Make it harder for random visitors to leave the ports... Be more vigilant about telltale signs of AMS in those areas... Pay extra attention to the ships that attempt landing away from spaceports..." At that point, Kori was clearly making it up as she went, taking a few seconds inbetween each unfinished suggestion. "That could keep Bakura a little safer without upsetting the populace too much."

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Fortunately it seemed now that the disruptive element had been removed from the equation, questions could be met with answers, deliberation now resulted in answers and overall progress could be made. The defacto Captain now clearly keen to either prove his worth, or least not incur the same removal of his station had chipped in, providing an indication of what the Corvette's capabilities were with its onboard squadrons as well as the ramifications and impact that it would have on the Corvette's operational functionality. Pursing her lips thoughtfully the Sith lord, nodded at the explanation that the Commander had offered before her attention was drawn to her Aide.

The Jedi Master spoke, though rather tentatively over the procedures and man power required to establish a quarantine and vetting point for all incoming shipping traffic, and of course the potential ramifications it would have on the planet's populace. A slight hint of a smirk creeping onto the edge of the blonde's lips as she continued to listen to the Jedi master, reading and picking up on the various changes in tone, the somewhat adhoc nature of the Kori's deliberation and almost shooting from the hip of her thoughts and rationalisations. The suggestions and analysis being offered by the Jedi master were valid, but the delivery gave all enough of a indicator that the Zeltron had certainly been put on the spot - and possibly pushed outside of her comfort zone.

A slight sigh escaped the Governors lips as the deliberation came to a close, allowing for a silence to fall over the command deck for a moment as the blonde seemed to mull and contemplate all the information that had been relayed to her. Taking a moment, the Sith reached a hand over to the command console and tapped at a few buttons, that in turn changed the holo projection finally away from the morbid image that had been lingering in the foreground and onto a localised star chart for Bakura and the neighbouring sectors, beside the central orb that was clearly Bakura was the ping signal for the Prytis and the unknown transport sitting beside it. The Sith's eyes narrowing as she regarded the unknown nature of the ship, as ignorant as she may be to the ins and outs of space faring, there was one thing she had known with relative certainty was all ships had a transponder encoded with the ship's designation - this ship containing what was suspected to be AMS infected personnel carried no identifiers, something that had raised the Blonde's suspicions. Though for the time being, the clandestine nature of the transport would wait for a later time.

With a few more key presses, the sector map zoomed out to incorporate the neighbouring Rattatak region, indicating two additional ship pings baring the B.D.S. titles, the Braad and the D'aarmont, like the Prytis the fleet carrier ships bore the monikers of key points of interest of Bakura's various continents. "Commander, for the time being, the Prytis will tow the Quarantined ship, to this grid sector" Alyse spoke out, as her hand motioned towards a small section of the Bakuran system that was far enough away from the both incoming trade route and the orbit of Bakura. "Then set up a containment perimeter, the use of lethal force is permitted against any unauthorised access" she contined, as her gaze moved over from the commander to Kori for a moment.

"Establishing a testing centre may be difficult given the limited resources available" The governor spoke, before pursing her lips for a moment, inwardly wishing that she had brought her tabbac sticks with her - but then again none of this was planned for was it even anticipated that they would be onboard the newly christened ship for this long. "But we do have a way of controlling the flow of ships through this sector, to make sure that no unwanted traffic passes through these regions" she continued, before gesturing over towards the Rattatak sector and the two ships that were stationed there to help stabilise the region. "Order the D'aarmont, to fall back to Timora once they are in position both the D'aarmont and the Braad will shut down the hyperspace beacons for both the Bakura Trace and Shiritoku Way trade routes" she concluded with a resigned sigh, not something that she had wanted to resort to such an extreme measure, but needs as they say must.

"Removing the ability for hyperspace travel through this region whilst is not ideal, it will allow for us to establish checkpoints and traffic controls, allowing only for essential trade traffic to pass through the region at Sub-light transit speed, but act as a deterrent for any opportunistic raiders and those who would look to circumvent any checks and measures by the patrolling ships in this region." Alyse resumed, offering an explanation to the rationale behind her thoughts. "Extreme a measure as it is, it allows for us to establish control over the traffic through this region, whilst preventing spreading our limited fleet resources too thin"
she added, before turning her gaze over those beside her, to see if there were any thoughts against or even in concurrence with her thoughts.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The acting captain nodded in agreement and proceeded to give the orders to the bridge crew. After all, the Governor's instructions were pretty simple and reasonable. So much so, that even a Jedi didn't have objections. Even if she wanted to find fault with the Sith governor.

Lethal force authorized? Yes, it made sense. How else would you keep people from interfering with something that dangerous? Not to mention people who could be seeking samples of AMS virus for their nefarious ends. Shutting down hyperspace traffic? As oppressive as it sounded, it also allowed to screen more traffic. A smart idea that Nykoria couldn't have come up with herself. It was a non-violent application of "divide and conquer" that lowered the chances of the disease reaching Bakura.

Yes, Kori's thoughts now dwelled on one specific planet planet. The last few months had taught the Zeltron the benefits of narrow focus. A Jedi couldn't make the entire galaxy a better and safer place. Yet the Order strived to help, one planet at a time. In a way, Bakura was akin many relief missions that the Jedi had run in the past. Except that the world was better off than most, and Kori didn't have much choice in the matter.

"I concur," the masked Zeltron added quietly after some deliberation. "While AMS remains a threat, it's a necessary safety measure." Some of the remaining dignitaries clearly didn't share the sentiment, but nobody dared to oppose the Governor after what happened to the captain of the Prytis.

Only the acting captain of the Prytis raised an eyebrow at the decision. There was a drawback to it that hasn't been brought to the governor's attention and was overlooked even by her "military" advisor. "The raiders will be eager to capitalize on a chain of transports with no means to escape to hyperspace. We'll definitely see an increase in pirate activity."

If Kori's face wasn't covered by a veil, the bridge would've seen a blushing Zeltron. How could she be so dense and not take it into account when agreeing with the governor? The decision was saving Bakura from the AMS, but also literally invited pirates to raid a new trade route with slow-moving ships. "That's valid too," she turned her face to Alyse briefly, trying to figure out if there were any ways to tackle that. "Might be a good idea to set one specific approach path for traders, but leave it well-protected... If we can afford it."

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

A pensive expression crossed the Govenor's features as the defacto captain and her military aide continued their assessment of the proposed suggestion and the orders just given. Her hands tighenting into fists as she propped herself against the console, more just as a change of posture and to ease a building ache on the palms of her hands - rather than any response of irritation and anger. The Sith's eyes narrowing as she studied the star charts looking at the proposed new sub light transit corridors, scrutinising the options that were available to them with what resources they had at their disposal.

Turning her head slightly to look at the Jedi beside her, the Sith quietly studied the Zeltron for a few silent moments, her mind picking over what she knew of the Jedi Master. "You come from Coruscant" Alyse spoke out, her tone carrying her words as both a question and a statement of fact. "The procedures that the security forces take, when routing goods of high value or dangerous cargo through the Undercity tunnels" she continued as she gestured towards the highlighted routes, before her fingers motioned towards where the capital ships would be stationed. "Do they not muster the cargo haulers at a holding point, and then provide escort through the tunnels?" she added, offering an quizzical expression.

"We have three mustering points, provided by the Pritys, D'aarmont and the Braad. They can safe guard the check points" she explained after a moment of silence. "Could they not also act as way stations for escort squadrons? We can pool both the stationed squadrons on the ships, as well draft two squadrons from those based on Bakura and rotate them, each of the three capital ships can refuel and re-arm the incoming escorting fighters before their next escort"

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

It seemed like the Sith had the answer for anything. Step one: bottleneck the trade traffic into predetermined paths protected by military convoys. Step two: screen incoming ships for the infected while en route. Step three: keep the patrols supplied. Even the expenses spent on this arrangement wouldn't be too high. After all, the other corvettes were already traversing the area anyway. Now they'd just focus on a few specific routes, and will have to work harder and longer. If anything, extra security could even encourage more trade.

"Then it looks like you've got a plan ready for execution," Nykoria added plainly. Any enthusiasm not stifled by her unusual position—Kori's military experience was rather limited after all—was carefully concealed by the Jedi's discipline and her veil. There was only one last issue: the fact that the Prytis would be unavailable while guarding that ghost ship they had just found. Pfft, she'll just have those outsiders take care of security. Or just blow up that ship. Trade routes and planetary security are more important.

It felt strange: agreeing that a Sith had a point, or even finding common ground with one. Especially after their Order had massacred defenseless Padawans on Ajan Kloss. Especially after that very same Sith had almost choked another Padawan back on Ontotho in front of Kori's eyes.

Yet the more Kori recalled those memories, the more she realized that they didn't have the same impact as before. The years have softened the memories of Ontotho. Ajan Kloss was still a fresh wound, but one that the Jedi Master managed to recover from. Nykoria's new chores on Bakura—clearly needed, as little impact as they had—kept the Zeltron focused on the there and then. At times, she even forgot that she was working with a Sith.

The day made her wonder whether Alyse was in power because she had taken it, or because she could make life on Bakura better. And if so, surely it didn't matter how the Governor styled herself? Only time would tell...