Jaws of the Viper

[Andraste]

She loved the effect she had. She loved the way people shrank away and whispered as she stepped out of her luxury speeder. She loved the way people recoiled and the fear she could smell like a stench despite the polite smiles they tried to give her. Andraste enjoyed every bit of it as she made her way up the steps, catching several people doing double takes to catch that yes, this was the Empress, making her way towards where their new Chancellor was located.

And he knew she was coming.

Things had grown more strained as the wars on multiple fronts loomed. The Republic was rearming itself, and it was inevitable where that would lead. The Hutts and Republic were playing a little dance around going to outright war, but everyone knew it was only a matter of time. Andraste was surprised the new Chancellor was willing to meet her in person. Normally she didn’t travel for anyone, but his bravery amused her enough for her to actually come out here into Republic space. In fact, it was also a testament to how fearless she was in coming here.

Andraste stepped into the building, anyone before her scrambling to ensure she was well taken care of and easily led to where she needed to go. Fear accompanied every little gesture, and she relished it. Andraste made her way over towards the office where the Admiral worked. She was adorned in a black dress that hugged her curves, her hair put in a beautiful updo. She cut an imposing figure despite how small she was.

The Chancellor had an aide that stepped into his room before he opened the door wider for her to enter. Andraste stepped into the office, her yellow eyes gleaming as she gazed at him, “Good afternoon, Chancellor,” She addressed him, “I am delighted you are willing to meet me in person. It speaks volumes of you above your predecessor.”


OOC: Everyone relax, this is death/PVP/capture/shenanigans disabled.

@Malon

 

[Vincent Deryck]

Supreme Chancellor Vincent Deryck was already beginning to comprehend the gravity of the political situation he had inherited from Valorum. The Senate now voted on a plan to deal with the Hutt influence on Alderaan; the Hutts were currently bleeding Makeb dry of resources; and the Sith Empire grew more imposing by the day. So far, the Sith had chosen to leave the Republic to its own devices—and he prayed it continued to remain that way—but they were almost certainly nearing war-level tensions with the Hutt Clan over recent revelations on not just Alderaan, but Brentaal as well.

The new Chancellor was overseeing a recent report from Makeb when his secretary paged him and informed him of the Sith Empress's arrival. This would be his first meeting with the woman called "Andraste." He knew her only by reputation: one which had recently become more gruesome, if the reports from the Holy City on Jedha were to be believed. But the former admiral had a job to do. As much as his heart bled for the families caught in the wake of that tragedy, it was no his job to prevent the same thing from happening to Republic worlds. It was a job he took very seriously.

When the Sith Empress stepped into the room, the Supreme Chancellor felt no fear, but there was certainly an atmospheric shift in the room that even his non-Force-sensitive mind could detect. She had a commanding presence, and he respected what she was capable of doing. He bowed respectfully to her and offered a diplomatic smile. Now was not the time for military bluster. Now was the time for a measured head and diplomacy.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Highness," he replied. He gestured for a comfortable couch adjacent his desk. "Please, make yourself at home. Might I offer you a refreshment? I confess that I am short on Alderaanian wines at the moment, but I am sure I can find something to your liking." He came to a stop just behind his desk, but he would not sit until she had indicated what she desired. When she was taken care of, he sat, clasping his hands in front of him atop his desk. Outside, a storm began to take shape, and small raindrops began to tap at the window behind him. "I'll not waste anymore of your time. If your job is anything like mine, I can imagine you are quite busy these days. What can I do for you today?" @Sreeya

 

[Andraste]

She took a seat across from him, her keen eyes surveying him quietly for a moment. He didn’t have the same hint of anxiety she sensed in Mori, but she knew he also wasn’t foolish enough not to take the situation seriously. Andraste smiled at him, “A glass of your finest Corellian wine then,” She had to admit that she missed the beverages now that she spent significantly less time in Republic space.

Andraste thought about her words carefully. He may have heard about her actions on Jedha, but she doubted he knew that it was poor diplomacy that led to it. She wondered if he had the skills to go toe to toe with her in the field of diplomacy. Between the two of them, she held a few more cards than he did, and he would have to dance this dance well if he wanted things to remain as quiet as they have been from the Sith.

“I will get to the point,” She took the glass when it would be offered, taking a sip quietly before she continued, “I am hearing a lot about the Jedi and Republic getting rather friendly and working together. I have been given intel on not only joint operations but some rumors about there being interest in Jedi producing some assets within Republic space,” The smile was beginning to go away now, her expression much more serious, “I was rather clear with what I had presented as the NAP, and that involved the Republic staying out of both Jedi and Sith affairs. I’m seeing efforts to forge an alliance in all but an officially signed agreement, and that very much violates what I envisioned. Can you explain to me what the intentions are and if we are considering voiding the NAP?” She casually tossed the question out, and there wasn’t even the hint of discomfort at the notion. He would know then that she was very well prepared to breach it, and she was very much all right with the idea of war if that was what he intended. Her expression was difficult to read, and she calmly waited for his response as she sipped from her wine, her animalistic eyes bearing into him and waiting for him to make a mistake.

@Malon

 

[Vincent Deryck]

The Chancellor motioned for an aide to bring Andraste the drink she requested. When the aide had done so, he dismissed her so that the two leaders could be alone and discuss this matter privately. "I will do my bet to alleviate your fears."

Could he, though? This was certainly something you weren't taught in the military academy on Cardia. How did you give an answer to a woman who may order the deaths of trillions if your answer was the wrong one? Every word had to be carefully selected. The tone had to be perfectly pitched. It was the job of a politician, but now that job fell to him. And he took it very seriously. He said, "It is not the Republic's intent to void the non-aggression pact you signed with my predecessor. My understanding of the terms were that we were precluded from taking sides in your war with the Jedi and vice-versa. In return, your war would not come to our space."

"To my knowledge, those terms have been upheld. We have required the Jedi to withdraw from their holdings on Devaron, and we have ordered that they not construct a military base on our soil or amongst our stars." Every word he said was truthful, at least, as far as he knew. "That said, there is no denying that the Jedi have extended our government offers of aid. As you might be aware, evidence of corruption by the Hutt Clan has been recently uncovered on both Alderaan and Brentaal. The Jedi graciously offered to aid our investigation there, and, as a result, saved lives." He took a moment to pause. "Including the life of my predecessor."

"But the truth is, we would have accepted that aid from your government, had it been offered, as well." He leaned forward over his desk and steepled his fingers. Never once did he break her eye-contact. "It is not my wish to bring war and death to Republic Space, Your Highness. But I must obey the will of the Senate and do what is in the best interest of my people. I am told you have a family? And I have no doubt, you would do everything in your considerable power to protect them from all harm. When I was elected, the entire Republic was made my family, and I must uphold that same standard with them. The Hutt Clan knowingly influenced the election of the monarch on Alderaan, and assassinated their rightful ruler, and now the whole planet sits on the brink of civil war. If the Jedi wish to aid us in liberating the planet, and in doing so prevent the unnecessary deaths of millions, I won't turn them down — but it will not void our agreement with you. They will have no bases in our Space and we will not take sides in their war with your empire."

But that wasn't all she intended to know. She had hinted that she knew what the Jedi were up to on Corellia. How she came by this information, he wasn't sure, but it was in his best interest not to dodge that question. So, he addressed that too. "As to their business on Corellia, the shipbuilding companies there are all privately owned. We purchase vessels from them, but we can do nothing to regulate who else they do business with. Why, they could do business with your empire, as well, if they so chose." He swallowed. "It is my understanding, though, that the Jedi were merely called in to resolve a hostage and terrorist situation as requested by the Prime Minister of Corellia. To my knowledge, no asset-building agreements have been struck or are even on the table." @Sreeya

 

[Andraste]

Andraste listened as he spoke, and he could tell immediately he was very skilled in this art. For a while, she thought he was going to dodge her question and circle around it. However, he came back around to address it. After he was done speaking, Andraste leaned back slightly in her seat with her wine, swirling the drink around for a moment before she took a sip. She especially loved the part about mentioning family. Now that she had a child, she caught others using that as a point of reference here and there. Was it a reminder to her that she too had a weakness? She found it amusing for now, choosing not to address it.

“As you know, the Hutt and the Sith have an alliance. I have made no secret of this, and I have told the Hutt that I would not participate in their war if that meant violating the NAP,” She drummed her fingers lightly on the table, “However, if Alderaan is to withdraw from the Republic somehow and my allies call me in for aid, you very well may face a war with us. I would advise thinking several times before taking the next step regarding Alderaan. If the planet falls outside of Republic jurisdiction, it becomes exempt from the rules of the NAP,” She chuckled softly at his words regarding the humanitarian aids Jedi had offered, “I believe you are forgetting it was I who first came forth with aid to Balmorra. I know all about that process."

She next chose to address the Corellia business. The truth was that she had ears everywhere, and very little happened without her knowing about it. The fact that she knew exactly what she was referring to would suggest to the Chancellor she knew a lot more than she let on, “Oh? They can do business with my Empire?” Andraste drew out a datapad and slid it over to him for him to read over, “The former Senator of Kuat had arranged for ships to be sent over to us as soon as the Kuati shipyard began production. However, this process was caught up with bureaucracy and hindered. If you are allowing the Jedi to supposedly construct assets within your borders, surely you will extend me the same courtesy and allow me access to the ships I was promised. The only reason I had not acted on it was because I was under the impression it was not feasible, but now that I am seeing Jedi doing whatever they please within your borders…” She let the sentence hang, meeting his gaze sternly. This was a dance, and there was no way around it. At any point she could simply decide to declare war and it would throw a lot of things into motion at once. Or she would keep playing this game and get what she had already arranged previously. It all depended on how the Chancellor played the game.

@Malon

 

[Vincent Deryck]

Kark, he needed a drink. He was not trained to be a politician. He would much prefer to speak plainly with her—to tell her how things were, as his military training had often inclined him to do—but that would get himself and others killed. Still, he didn't allow his frustrations or anxieties to be seen. He remain calm, his voice soothing, but firm, and his eyes locked with hers. He hoped she would see it as the sign of respect he intended it to be.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," he said with a slight smile, "I forget nothing. I am most grateful for your aid on Balmorra. The Hutts continue their occupation of the city, of course—" Another point of contention between the Cartel and the Republic "—but we are still working on a peaceful resolution there." He paused and swallowed, suddenly aware that his mouth was becoming dryer by the moment. "As to Alderaan, you must understand that considerable evidence has been presented before the Senate that the Hutts not only had a hand on assassinating the rightful queen, but rigging the election of the current one. They have even dispatched Hutt agents to bolster the queen's forces. Under the laws of our Republic, such an election is illegitimate. If the people of Alderaan wish to leave the Republic, I will do nothing to stop them... but I would prefer they make that decision with a legitimate leader at the helm, hence the dilemma."

He leaned back in his chair. Outside, the storm was growing in strength. The rain was now pounding on his office window and thunder could be heard rumbling in the distance. "Rest assured," he continued, "that my administration will examine all options before any decision regarding Alderaan is made. But the final decision, you must know, goes to the Senate. I am only an executor of their will, as they are the executors of the will of their people."

That should have been the end of it, but there was still Corellia to deal with. Corellia, and, now, apparently, Kuat. He needed to be careful here. More careful than with Alderaan. "As it happens," he steepled his fingers in front of him now and cross his legs, "I am aware of your deal with the former Kuati senator. But the hang up there has nothing to do with the business on Corellia." He reached for his keypad in front of him and brought up two holographic displays: one displaying the planetary government information of Kuat, the other of Corellia. "Kuat, you see, is run by Kuat Drive Yards, the manufacturer of the ships the former senator had promised you. The company is Kuat's government. Therefore, if the Republic allowed that deal to proceed, we would have been violating the terms of our agreement with you by directly supporting your arm's race with our own assets." He motioned to the second screen. "Corellia, on the other hand, is a constitutional monarchy. The government and the shipbuilders are not linked and therefore, there is no violation if you chose to purchase from them." He leaned forward again to address the last part of her statement. "As you can see, I am doing everything in my power to ensure the terms of our agreement are obeyed to the letter. The Jedi are allowed to come and go through our space, just as you have been allowed to move freely. And so long as neither of you bring war to our doorstep, I will see that it remains as such." @Sreeya

 

[Andraste]

Andraste mentioned nothing more on the topic of Alderaan. She wanted to plant a seed there, and she had done that. She knew it would keep him up and he would consider a thousand times before making his decision on the planet. Andraste knew there would be a tremendous amount of chaos involved, and it could very well be the tipping point that launched a war.

As for the rest of it, however, Andraste’s eyes narrowed. She looked over the government information for each planet, and she said nothing for a long moment. Silence hung, interrupted only by the splatter of rain against the windows. Andraste took another long sip from her wine, her posture still casual. If she were nervous at all, he would never be able to tell. She swirled the drink in her glass for a while before she looked at him again. The yellow eyes were always haunting, and they seemingly tore through him and caused a chill down his spine every time.

“The first time I came to speak to the Chancellor here, my credibility was doubted and right fully so. I barely spoke for all Exiles, and I was a new and upcoming figure. I had to come to Chancellor Mori trying hard to convince her that I was very much not like my predecessors. I would be taking steps to right the wrongs of the past, I would make reparations and I make up for the mistakes of those before me. I did it with Balmorra and multiple other instances where I have come to aid the people to finally erase the dark mark of the past,” She leaned forth slightly in her seat, “As you know, that was before I truly anyone. While those times may have changed, I do hope that those sentiments have not. The Kuati deal was presented to me by an official of your government, and it was a promise that was made to me. At the end of the day, I did not get what I asked for and what I had arranged, signed and paid for. I am hoping you will honor the same values your predecessor demanded of me and make reparations for this. I expect this in the form of the ships I wanted going forward – be it from Corellia or what have you- but a full yield of what I desired. I am not a monster, Chancellor, I can be talked into looking the other way as you keep playing friends with Jedi. But I will not be made to jump through extra hoops for assets I have already claimed simply because you can show me some document on how each planetary government works. I know you can shift things around just as well as I can, and it would behoove you not to choose this as the hill to die on,” She offered him a smile then, tilting her glass towards him in cheers before taking a sip.

@Malon

 

[Vincent Deryck]

For a long moment, there was no sound in the office but the pounding of the rain against the transparisteel window. The new Supreme Chancellor was not Mori. Though Andraste's sickly yellow eyes indeed made him shiver, as they appeared to him colder than the rain that presently fell outside, his expression did not waver, nor did his eye contact with hers. This, indeed, was, his military training. Any crack in the wall, any sign of weakness, and she would eat him alive. He did not have the Force, as she did. But he did have fortitude. He intended to use it.

"I mean no disrespect to you, Your Majesty," he said carefully. "You have been kind and gracious in your dealings with my predecessor; and you have been more than kind in our meeting up until now. I have no reason to think you a monster." Only, he did. He had heard of Jedha. Only a monster would level a city of millions to kill a few hundred Jedi. But he kept that thought tucked away at the back of his mind. The safety of the Republic was at stake, as was his integrity as its leader. "That being said, there is no hill to die on. I am merely honoring the agreement you placed before my predecessor by ensuring the deal from Kuat does not go through. Were you the Jedi Grand Master, in a similar scenario, I would tell you the same thing. A promise from a single Senator, without a majority vote, is not a promise from the Senate or my office."

He paused a moment. He realized that answer might not please her, but he had told the truth. And he had more to add. "I can order the Kuati government to refund your money. You can then invest that money in a private shipyard, such as the ones on Corellia or any of a dozen other worlds, and I will do nothing to hinder you." He swallowed again. "You came here to inquire about my seriousness in upholding the non-aggression pact our two governments signed. You have also come here to ensure my government is not favoring the Jedi Order over yours. With words, I told you that I would uphold that agreement. Now, my actions have proven it."

Another pause. A flash of lightning illuminated the office, followed by a rattling blast of thunder. "I am a man of my word, Your Highness. If a treaty precludes me from doing a thing, I do not do it, regardless of who it is that asks me to do otherwise." He inhaled slightly. "If a Senator had promised the Jedi a similar deal, I would have told the Jedi the same thing. Our deal stands, because I care about the trillions of lives that would be at risk if it were ever broken." He looked at her, for once, with hopes for a genuine understanding. "As a leader whose people look to you for protection, and expect you to uphold your word, as well, I hope that you will understand." @Sreeya

 

[Andraste]

Andraste couldn’t help but smile as he reminded her of her own NAP, the rules she laid down. The fact that he knew she could destroy him and still remained unflinching about not allowing the deal to pass through convinced her that he wouldn’t make any overt moves with the Jedi. She also wasn’t going to be happy with him if he simply left it at that. He took it further by assuring her that she would be repaid in full, which sounded well and all except..

“But they wouldn’t be Kuati ships,” She muttered, drumming her fingers on the table again. There was a full thunderstorm taking place outside. Andraste thought for a long moment, thinking about the kind of fleet she already possessed, the men and women that were ready to go to war on a whim. The Sith Empire was a well oiled and prepared war machine, and it was begging to have a go at someone. The Republic was a feast waiting before a starved wolf, and she had been holding onto the leash. This latest little snag caused her to want to loosen her grip just a bit and allow a bit more slack.

Andraste rose from her seat, walking over to the window. She kept her glass in her hand and gazed out at the storm outside, “Those trillions of lives depend on how I feel, Chancellor, and right now I am feeling less than pleased. I am not going to start an effort from scratch to obtain what I considered mine. I am in a position where I no longer need to ask for things,” She tilted her head to look at him, “I can simply take. I am not going to simply take my money and start from the ground up with establishing new connections and working from nowhere to get ships I was led to believe I would obtain.”

She walked towards him again, “I will leave Kuat be and turn my sights to Nubia. I want you to remove any obstacles in my path and ensure that I can easily just funnel the same money in without any red tape in the way. I want my ships to safely make it out of your space and into mine without any snags hitting the way. You can have full transparency into everything, but I fully intend to operate out of there. I don’t care if the Senate needs to vote on it and I don’t care if you tap some under the table resource to get this done, but it will be done. I will have the ships I was promised,” She leaned in slightly closer towards him, “Remember, the Republic is your family. Surely you will do whatever it takes to keep protecting your family and this is the last time I will ask you to meet me halfway," Her tone made it clear this was the last exchange she would offer before it went to war.

 

[Vincent Deryck]

There was no audible sigh of relief, but there was certainly one in his mind. He relaxed considerably and, for once, a genuine smile appeared on the Chancellor's face. "Fortunately, it would seem, that request does not conflict with our existing agreement, Your Highness. Nubia's shipyards, as I understand, are privately owned and, therefore, I have no say in who they do business with. If you decide to funnel your credits there, then there will be no red tape from either myself or the Senate."

He leaned back in his chair. "Your ships should make it safely out of our space. The Hutts are your allies, and I doubt they'd cross you by pirating your ships." He paused as if a thought had occurred to him, then leaned forward again, as if to tell her a secret. "But there is something you should know. I'll pass along this intel as a symbol of my continued commitment to our agreement and to peace between our two peoples. There is a rather large cartel growing out there: a group of smugglers and pirates calling themselves the Free Trade Guild. We can mostly keep our own assets safe from their grasps, so you need not worry about your shipments being in danger while in Republic Space..." His eyes flicked up at her's. "But, you should probably keep an eye on things once you are beyond our space."

He hoped that his ploy would work. He needed her off his back, her sights off of the Republic. The most sensible thing to do, then, was to give him another punching bag. Whether she focused on the Jedi or the Free Trade Guild, he didn't quite care. He was willing to do and say anything so long as the Republic and its people were safe. "Now," he said after a moment. "Is there anything more I can do for you, Your Highness?" @Sreeya

 

[Andraste]

This wasn’t the first time she heard about the Free Trade Guild. There were rumors and whispers about this group, but she never found them to be of any kind of interest. However, the fact that the Chancellor himself was bringing them up was more than enough to have her thinking about it. Andraste finished her wine and backed up from where she had been leaning down towards him.

“They would be foolish enough to toy with my assets?” Andraste quirked an eyebrow, wondering exactly what he was trying to imply here. Were these smugglers truly a problem and she had been allowing it to grow? His little tactic worked, as it certainly took her mind off the thoughts of war she had moments prior. Andraste eyed him curiously for a moment before her expression softened, “I have what I need from here. I hope to see your end of the bargain hold up with nothing getting in the way of my holdings on Nubia. And I will be monitoring the Jedi ties you are keeping. I have confidence you will not breach the NAP – at least I hope not without informing me first.”

She grabbed her datapad and stashed it away, “I have nothing more to discuss, and I believe I have made you nervous enough for one sitting to drink the rest of your reserves,” She chuckled softly to herself, “Have a good day, Chancellor, may your family continue to remain safe as they do today,” Without another word, she turned and left his office, her thoughts far removed from the NAP and onto her next course of action.

/Exit

@Malon