Ask Overdue Meetings

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc didn’t attend every Senate session anymore. He had put in his time and he sought to delegate more. Most of the duties were divided amidst his executive council, chiefly Carrick and Galek. The half Sephi was reviewing policies he would have to sign into law a few weeks from now when he decided to take a break. As a fitness nut, he took every opportunity to get some workouts done. He had planned for a day hike through one of the trails on Thyferra that led to an elaborate cave system on a mountain. His assistant Ayla mentioned that an Alliance Senator wanted to meet with him, but he had no intention of rescheduling his hike. Instead he offered to let her join him on the adventure or wait a few months till his schedule cleared up next.

He was standing at the beginning of the trail early in the morning, his tall frame adorned in casual hiking gear. Even then, it was obvious he was dressed in slick brand name clothing, his hair styled and a sporty chrono on his wrist. As usual, he also wore a rich and earthy cologne and he sported some boots. At least at this juncture, he was accompanied by two Blackwell droids serving as his bodyguards.

The air was cool and it would get colder as they progressed which suited Emryc just fine. For now, he checked his chrono and waited. He would give it about fifteen more minutes before he started his hike and went about his day as planned. At this point, others fit into his schedule, not the other way around.

Whenever the Senator arrived, she would notice that droids would be there to accompany her and lead her up a more secluded path to get to Emryc. The President had an obsessive fanclub and it meant that civilians were always attempting to spot him and upload his picture or information to the Thornewatch app. Any meetings with him meant the other person also had to remain discreet and be specially escorted. The entire trail had been closed off so he could navigate it without being stormed.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste had publicly expressed it in their meeting on Ruusan and she surely intended to keep her promise. The FWA would reach out to other factions and start negotiating and the ISC was the first focal. However, she had soon realized -although this was no surpise at all- that the president of the Independent System Consortium had a very packed and tight schedule, and in order to fit their meeting inside this schedule, he had selected a rather unusual rendezvous point.

She was supposed to meet and accompany him on a hike on Thyferra today and while the blonde senator absolutely loved hiking, she was, however, not fully sure whether such an important conversation could be held on a trail, but on the other hand, such an informal meeting was perhaps even beneficial for a relaxed setting necessary for hopefully bringing the ISC and the FWA closer together again.

Since she was joining the influential ISC president on a hike, she had chosen a rather sporty outfit instead of something formal one and she was hoping that he had done the same. She had matched white trainers and a pair of tight fitting black leggins with a white shirt that wasn't as tight to cover the slightest, still barely visible outline of her 10 weeks pregnant baby bump and once she reached the had reached the coordinates she had been given, she was immediately welcomed by droids who were sent to escort her to the president.

After a short exchange of words she followed them up a secluded path until she could spot the president from a distance. She had never met him in person or even seen him in real life, but she had to admit that there was indeed a certain authority paired with a certain charm that was radiating from him.

Perhaps she would find out today why there was even an obsessive fan club of him and whether this hype was real...or perhaps she would find out whether those tabloid news had been real. The latter thought amused her a little, as the Celebrity Catch statement had been hilarious, but this also reminded her of the latest holonet broadcast of the revelation of her own background. She was curious whether he would mention it, but she was almost convinced he would.

When she approached him she flashed him a political, yet warm smile. She was neither nervous nor too excited, but she was indeed looking forward to their conversation as she was immensely interested in their important talks. "President Thorne, what a pleasure to meet you. Thank you kindly for your invite to this beautiful place and unique opportunity". As she greeted him, her tone was soft and friendly, and there was a certain geuinity in what she expressed. She really wanted that this would work and that they would find a common ground as her new visions for the FWA were ambitious.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was known to be tall, but it was entirely something else to be in his direct physical presence. At almost 7 ft tall, he towered over almost anyone he ever came across. On top of that, his broad shoulders and vague resemblance to a professional bodybuilder was apparent at once. Most striking were his piercing, silver eyes that looked almost unnatural in their hues. They had the faintest traces of gold in them from his corruption of the Dark Side, but the general public had no reason to suspect anything. As someone that had strict command of the Force, he gave little clues about his connection to it.

The President turned to regard Celeste when she arrived, silvers meeting blues. He gave her a pleasant smile before extending a hand to shake hers. His rich baritone resounded like smooth velvet when he finally spoke, “Thank you for adjusting to a slightly unorthodox medium of meeting,” He studied her quietly. It was a testament to his self control that his gaze didn’t flick down towards her abdomen where he could sense a pulse in the Force. He had been around two separate women that carried his children to know what a life created of the Force felt like. The half Sephi made a mental note to tone down the planned pace of the hike.

Emryc also clearly recognized her from the Sith party, but he had been doing this long enough to avoid any slip ups.

“This path leads up towards an intricate and ancient cave system near the summit,” Emryc explained as he began to walk the trail. The droids were left behind, posed as sentries for anyone else that attempted to enter the trail.

“Congratulations on your appointment as Senator of Rattatak,” Emryc said as he walked, “That planet is not so quick to embrace democracy on account of the neverending resurgence of warlords,” He was skeptical of how long she would be able to keep it tamed, but she seemed capable so far, “What did you wish to discuss? It’s not often that Alliance Senators seek to meet with the Consortium.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

The closer she got, the taller and broader he appeared. So... someone clearly sticked to his fitness. It was truly interesting to meet such an influential person in real life, especially because she had started mingling with the galactical politics not such a long time ago.

She was positively surprised at how politely he was greeting her without mentioning the recent events yet. She gracefully took his hand to shake it, before her smile widened softly. "There's nothing to thank me for. I do like hiking a lot and Rattatak is clearly not the place for it. The venue you've chosen is extraordinarily beautiful and i already thank you for your time", she replied politely and she was indeed completely honest.

As he began walking, she immediately followed while she curiosly listened to his explanation. "An ancient cave system you say? So we do not only get to experience the beauties of nature but well also get the chance to explore something ancient...magnificent. I'm looking forward to it" she remarked in genuine delight that was mirrored in her smile.

She had no difficulties in keeping up with him now as the trail wasn't steep yet, but she noticed that he walked a little slower than she had expected from someone like him. As he went on he began rather straightforward, but she appreciated that as she had often experienced diplomatic talks that were just artificially and unnecessarily stretched. "Thank you, President. My endeavor wasn't easy as Rattatak had been indeed a wild and hostile planet, but I've made the experience that even savage tribes can be approached with diplomacy. There's still a bumpy road ahead of us, but step by step we are approaching a peaceful era".

She had quickly scanned the path in front of them before she shifted her gaze back up to him. "As for why I'm here, I think it's best if we don't beat about the bush. Those diplomatic discussions on Ruusan were extremely insightful for me and I thought that before I meet up with various ISC Govenors, I'd rather head for the President himself. There are still so many ongoing tensions in the galaxy and I think it is in our all interest to stop them. The ISC and FWA are not exactly close, but I intend to change that". If he was being direct, so would she.

"Before I've taken my position, I know that you have met with the former Prime Minister. After that, the FWA hasn't actually reached out to the ISC again, which is quite unfortunate. I'm convinced we could all profit if we would just step closer to one another and if we could talk about possible existing tensions and how we might manage to overcome them". She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in but also giving him the chance to share his thoughts on all of that.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

The path began to slowly incline up and Emryc kept the same pace, though he would glance back to ensure she had no trouble. The path curved and the left side overlooked a valley far below, offering a stunning cliffside view. The half Sephi took it all in, always appreciating every sight and scenery he could now. Sometimes he still reflected on his time as a blind man and the darkness he lived in for over a year. He was mildly surprised when Celeste implied she was excited to explore the ancient caverns. Either she was telling him what he wanted to hear or she genuinely appreciated old sites. He was fine with both of those options - he took people at face value these days and didn’t speculate too much beyond that.

“I tend to make myself accessible whenever foreign dignitaries reach out, though it may sometimes include meeting me on a hike or a swoop racing track,” Emryc flashed her a half grin. It was no secret that racing was a hobby of his and he had actually won a championship or two on Ryloth. He was still working up towards the Tatooine Cup.

Emryc nodded in response after she finished speaking, “Senator Belasi was an excellent leader and I have quite a bit of respect for her,” The incline got a bit sharper and he adjusted his pace accordingly, “I understand. You want us to all get along. That’s an idealistic notion that’s shared both by several Alliance members and Republic the same. The reason it seldom comes to fruition is because there is always an expectation of the Consortium to take actions at the expense of its people's best interests.”

There was a particularly large step and he climbed up easily enough. Emryc turned back and extended a hand to help her up, his piercing eyes gazing at hers, “So I look forward to you sharing with me something I have not heard before.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Itnwas definitely a good thing that her stamina was not yet affected by her early pregnancy, however thanks to all the diplomatic meetings, political debates and all the work on Rattatak that usually kept her busy each and every day she hadn't had much free time and so it had actually been a while since she had gotten to enjoy a hike. For now, it still wasn't hard to keep up but she was assuming that Emryc's fitness routine allowed him to outmatch her sooner or later.

Once he mentioned the hikes and the race track she smirked back up to him. "Like I said. That's oddly pleasant even. I'm not such a huge fan of strict office settings and I love hiking anyway, so that was indeed a delightful surpise. I wouldn't have said 'no' to the race tracks either. Even though I've never done it myself, I'd love to do it some time". If there wouldn't be the thing with the pregnancy, she would have loved to do it right away, but for now she was more than pleased with such a scenic hike.

The views were stunning, but it seemed like the conversation was already getting intense. "It's a shame i haven't met her in person, but from what I've heard you're right. I also agree with you there. I can promise you that I am not here to express that I expect you or the ISC to take any actions in particular. The notion of everyone getting along well might indeed sound idealistic, but I'm trying to remain realistic. Our galaxy is constantly changing and it's about time we open dialogues to discuss and reconsider existing tensions again. As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't say the ISC and the FWA are on tense terms with each other, and yet we do have our differences" she began softly before she thankfully accepted his hand with a warm smile. So far, he was indeed extremely courteous and attentive, and she appreciated that the atmosphere between them was rather pleasant.

Once up the step, she went on. "I admire you for your neutral stance. There are no tensions between the ISC and the Empire and this is something I'm trying to accomplish as well, even though i can only speak for the planet I'm representing right now. The galaxy had seen enough bloodshed and since many of our systems are quite close, I was even thinking about going a step further. All we both want is to act in the name of what's best for our people, so I was, of course, also considering how we could benefit from one another. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there haven't been too many trade agreements between our factions so far, correct?". She placed her words carefully at first, even though she was still being rather direct. She could have also started talking about possible defensive pacts, but one step at a time. She was well aware that the ISC president wouldn't agree to anything that would threaten the Consortium in any way and this was not her attention at all, butbshe needed to test the waters at first. She was not only curious to learn about his views on the FWA but especially what he made out of her complicated background story, as those aspects were extremely interesting when it came to the Jedi and the Sith who were involved in many existing conflicts.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc politely let her finish before he chose to respond. By now the hike certainly kicked up in physical strain and the trail grew progressively more inclined. The half Sephi didn’t even break a sweat or change his breathing. It was obvious he was breezing through this and could jog up the entire mountain with weights on him. Instead he took a leisurely stroll, his height giving him the benefit of easily stepping up along the elevated rocks. Each time he reached back to assist Celeste anywhere she needed help in climbing.

“The Alliance and ISC have been on tense terms,” Emryc corrected her, glancing back to look at her briefly, “This was before your time, but I had made a public address about the consistent stream of disrespect the ISC experienced at every turn from a multitude of Alliance Senators. Whether it’s Senators belittling the war and casualties we faced with the Syndicates or instances like the Senator of Kashyyyk openly disrespecting ISCRA when they showed up to assist during the Sith attack,” Though the topic was thorny, Emryc’s tone remained completely cordial, “I would even go as far as to say there is open hostility between the two governments. The sentiment thus far has been for Alliance to criticize the Consortium for not solving their economical and defense issues all while the loudest voices refused to open any dialogue with us,” The Wookiee Senator had countless opportunities to speak with them but instead continued making ridiculous and off base color commentary each Senate session.

“And we have made trade deals and gone beyond that in the rare instance where an Alliance Senator actually bothered to open some dialogue. We have trade agreements with Belasco and Tanaab, the latter being a very collaborative joint venture,” There were natural steps leading up the path next and Emryc began to scale them, a massive drop on the left side. This meant they would have to stay real close to the other side and the mountain.

“At this point the citizens within the Consortium have grown jaded and incensed with the Alliance’s behavior,” Emryc explained after a moment, “The door will always be open to individual planetary trade agreements focused on economy, but any defensive initiatives are not going to be on the table anytime soon,” He had been in this game long enough to know that was her ultimate intent. He could even go as far as considering it for individual planets, but he wouldn’t contribute to any joint pacts or fleets.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste was indeed more than positively surpised at how polite he was. He appeared much more grunded and approachable despite inhabiting such a prestigious, influential position which was not at all natural. On holonet broadcast the impressively tall and broad shouldered man had appeared charming, yet reserved and sometimes maybe even a little aloof, but it didn't feel like she was discussing such important issues with a faction leader, but indeed more like she was sharing a beautiful, casual hike with an even courteous friend, which was oddly pleasant.

Whenever he helped her, she thanked him kindly, but soon he outlined his view on the situation and she patiently let him finish while she listened attentively, before she started with her answer. "I see that our meeting has already been worth it. I've spent the first view months on Rattatak rather cut off from the galaxy so I have indeed missed quite a view important events, yet I have intended to bring in fresh wind and open-heartedness and open-mindedness into the FWA, so I purposely did not let myself be influenced by preexisting opinions within our factions. The other senators have informed me of a few events, yet I have made the experience that it seemed like apart from a little bickering, we weren't on such bad terms, but I appreciate the enlightenment" she replied sincerely, but a grateful smile was still on her lips. There were always two sides to each story and she was more than pleased to have him share his impressions and first hand experiences.

"Of course I have noted that my honorable fellow senator of Kashyyyk sees things differently, but his countless years of political service have led to entrenched views in certain regards. Don't get me wrong. We get along rather well as we share common interests at our cores. I would even say he is a close confidant and we have agreed on mutually beneficial solutions for our planet, yet we definitely disagree on a few aspects. I was never a fan of bias or overgeneralizations. I can assure you that I have already invested quite a bit in establishing economic and defensive independence, but of course there's still a long road ahead of us". In this regard, Rattatak and the FWA were quite similar. She had started to build a foundation that was supposed to be fertile, but cornerstones weren't enough. "I can completely understand your opinion though. Why would you fully neglect the Consortium's needs to help fix our problems. There is finally change on its way and it seems like we are all ambitiously working in a new direction". Those were no empty words. There was indeed change on the horizon, change for good. Not just within the FWA, but hopefully also within the galaxy.

Celeste watched her steps as the steep path with scattered, natural steps led to the drop on their left. She had absolutely no intention of tripping now and so she rather paid attention, however when her gaze went down she could feel this annoying morning sickness announce itself once more. It was still subtle, but she also had no intentions in sharing the news with anyone yet, so she was dearly hoping it would stay this way. She continued listening to him before she glanced back up, her light blue eyes meeting his rare silver. "It is more than understandable that they are not exactly pleased with what had been. I can also understand that you would never anything that would get into conflict with their current resentment. We cannot undo mistakes of the past, but we can certainly work on them in the near future. Even if senator Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl had not been exactly open to negotiations in the past, would you ever consider trying again? I know that after all he is also just looking for peace and perhaps justice. I know justice is quite subjective, yet I wonder whether there wouldn't be a possibility to mediate...". She glared at him almost hopefully. Celeste was surely not naive, even if her visions sometimes sounded rather idealistic, but in case of the Wookie senator she was convinced that it wouldn't be hard to convince him to open a dialogue again. It was no secret that the senator of Kashyyyk had perhaps the strongest opinion against the ISC.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc eyed her with mild curiosity as she asked his thoughts on being open to negotiations with the Senator of Kashyyyk, “That door was always open,” He said calmly, “As long as he can behave appropriately, as I said, all avenues within reason are open,” He paused the hike, noting how she suddenly looked queasy. He said nothing about it to draw attention to it, but he stopped for a moment just the same, “You haven’t yet presented me with any kind of proposal, Senator Stythani. Are you here to pitch an idea or test the waters to see if I would be willing to meet with Senator Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl?” Emryc stared at her, “Because it’s a very long way to have come for the latter and it further proves the point that he himself is incapable of taking that step without someone else mediating for him.”

The half Sephi wondered why she was dancing around the topic instead of getting right to the point. He was a man that appreciated directness and quite frankly he wanted to focus more on the hike and the cave. She had come with an agenda and it was time to lay it out. More than anything, he was curious about what she wanted.

“You do not speak for the entirety of the Alliance,” Emryc said quietly, “No one does. So what it is that you wish of me?”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Of course Celeste immediately wondered whether he would notice but as she was extremely good at overpaying such things she doubted it - unless he was force sensitive and it felt like nowadays you could never truly tell, but she kept doing her best to not let any signs of her sickness shine through and so far the ISC President did not react. "That's good to know. The truth is, he hasn't sent me forward or anything, but I was curious myself. I could volunteer as a mediator but I maybe it would be better if this conflict is settled between four eyes....but you're right. The senator of Kashyyyk is not the reason why I've come here". Of course it had been in her interest to finally meet the president in person, but her overall goal was to establish an olive branch again, because the existing tensions were not helping anyone.

His abrupt stop unsettled her, but she did not comment on it yet as she took a moment to admire the scenery before she looked curiously looked back at him as he went on. Normally talking distracted her from the nausea, so she was hoping it would help again. "President Thorne, I have no problem at all with being direct and honest. I'm used to those...political discussions that are usually so packed with sometimes truly unnecessary courtesies and vague formulations, so yes. I've been testing the waters carefully at first, especially because I'm not talking to a fellow FWA senator, but to the president if the Independent System Consortium, so I was holding back out of politeness and perhaps even a little because your presence can be...slightly intimidating. And believe me: I'm not intimidated easily" she admitted with a soft smirk as she glared up at him. "I'm openly proposing a very important thing, an affair of the heart even, because even though I do only administrate one planet's affairs, I think it is a very important step into the direction of intergalactic peace: I would politely request a meeting in a bigger circle. Perhaps it will give us the chance to put aside the majority of the existing differences between the ISC and the FWA and ease those tensions". Even if he had met the formed Prime Minister, it was about time that their governments openly discussed their tensions. She surely knew how busy he was, especially now that he was also owning MorataCorp, but it must have also been in his interest to smoothed the waves.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

The half Sephi calmly stared at Celeste as she spoke, his icy silver gaze as piercing as ever. He always had the ability to make anyone feel as if they were standing naked in a spotlight while they addressed him and his daunting height certainly didn’t help. Now that they weren’t walking, Celeste had his full undivided attention. There was just the slightest twitch at the corner of his lips towards a grin when she admitted that he had an intimidating presence. By comparison, she came across as incredibly empathetic, if not slightly idealistic. Her kind rarely survived long in the vicious world of politics, but he knew she was proving to be an exception if she managed to tame a planet like Rattatak.

“An affair of the heart,” Emryc repeated her words after a moment, staring rather blankly at her, “What topics will be discussed at this ‘meeting of the hearts’, Senator?” He asked, his baritone voice gliding like smooth marble, “At this point, I would expect the Alliance to step up and tell me what it can do for me. The time for us all to come together and 'talk about our feelings' is over. The Alliance has been useless to me and the ISC. I will not waste my time with any joint summit unless you give me a planned agenda of tangible and executable items the Alliance is putting forth in an effort to bridge the rift between our two governments. The ISC has done its share and has been slandered at every turn, so it now lies with the Alliance to bring something to the table.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

His gaze was indeed intense...it was as if he was staring right through her and since the topic wasn't exactly easy, she had to control herself not to loose her calmness and coolness. She knew she had to place her words carefully if she would want to manage the establishment of an olive branch after all those years.

The truth was that she was well aware of the fact that the FWA needed more help. The ISC stood strong and everything seemed to work rather well from them, apart from the fact that there had been some issues with crime in the past. Still, everything seemed rather stable right now.

However, she had naturally made her mind about what to 'offer' him and she was used to being professional. He might have been the toughest nut she ever encountered, but she was optimistic and confident as always. "Fine, no talks about feelings" she repeated, the softness slightly fading because now came the business part. "I can understand your attitude and your demands. I'll bluntly explain what I had in mind and since we've just recently had a meeting with the FWA senators, most items on the agenda were already discussed, so I'm not just representing Rattatak now" she began, her light blue eyes not leaving his icy orbs for a second.

"Let's start with the ongoing war. I have always wanted to resolve those existing conflicts between the FWA and the Empire and I was open for any kinds of discussions, but others weren't. However now the whole body of the FWA finally acknowledges that notion as well. With the remaining galactical threat of the Killiks, even stubborn representatives have agreed that we should all fight our common enemy right now. I see that as an amazing opportunity for long lasting peace. Right now starting with a ceasefire would be an excellent step in the right direction. Perhaps this could also be something the ISC might assist with. After all, you're relationship with the Empire is much better..." that last thing was obviously no demand. He would probably know that if would positively affect the ISC's standing if they would broker peace. So it was rather a chance for them to possibly act as a neutral mediator and they would surely profit from that position in the aftermath.

She inhaled some fresh air again, giving him a short break to ponder on what she had just outlined before she went on. "As for economic measures, I'm sure there are quite a few things we could negotiate. Since our FWA member planets and systems are so scattered, we do not only have access to rare materials and valuable resources, but we also control many important hyperlanes. We could definitely discuss more favorable trade deals and perhaps agree on something that would protect the hyperlanes and civilian transports" she explained, laying her cards completely open.

"I've been also meaning to ask you about your recovery from the war with the Syndicates. Is everything going well? I hope you haven't had to register any severe losses..." she then added emphatically, completely genuine with her intentions. If she despised one thing, it was crime. The Syndicates were always a problem and crime would ways exist, yet she did still did believe that Ruusan and the imminent aftermath had shown all of them that collaboration was possible, even for the FWA and the Empire, and of course the Sith and the Jedi. She had brought forward strong words and she was also aware of the fact that the ISC and the FWA hadn't had any real talks after Kashyyyk. Perhaps there was indeed finally a silver lining...and perhaps the Killiks were -funnily enough- the reason for that.


@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

The tenderness began to slip from her tone. Good. Emryc fully turned to face her fully then, hearing her out. The half Sephi quirked a brow after the initial pitch about a ceasefire with the FWA and the Sith, “Senator, that yet again sounds like you asking a favor from the ISC instead of the Alliance doing anything worthwhile for us. Despite the mishaps on Ruusan, it was clear that the Sith and the Alliance are capable of engaging in cordial dialogue provided the Alliance Senators can keep their prejudices at bay,” His gaze lingered on hers for a long moment when he said that. There were many Alliance Senators that sounded like buffoons when it came to the Sith, “And I remind you that the Consortium and the Sith are neutral. We do not have any kind of ‘relationship’ for you to leverage as you suggest. You have a very simple solution by declaring yourselves neutral towards Jedi instead of continued alliance with them and yet none of you seem to consider that option. The Alliance doesn’t even have to declare the Jedi their enemies and it would still likely resolve the conflict.”

He paused for a moment, “Tell me, Senator. Do the citizens within Alliance space accept the reality that their planetary leaders would rather keep the Jedi, a tiny religious group, as friends than prioritize the safety of its trillions of men, women and children? Any Alliance Senator can talk big about how they won’t cater to Sith threats, but what matters more? Egos or the very real lives of your citizens? The ISC prides itself in putting its citizens first, so attempting to broker on behalf of a governing body that does not is not in its best interest, Senator Stythani.”

However, her talks of trade and hyperlane access certainly caught his attention. Emryc paused for a moment, considering his options, “We would welcome more unrestricted access into Alliance planets with resources,” He nodded, “If it can be assured there would be no problems at checkpoints if ISC ships were to enter the systems, that sounds like an agreeable trade.”

Emryc began to slowly walk again to continue the hike. The path curved to where a stunning waterfall could be seen in the distance, “The war hit us badly,” He admitted as he continued to walk, always extending a hand if Celeste needed any assistance with an incline. He always had to remember people far smaller than him had a tougher time scaling the same things he did, “We never asked for aid because we knew the Alliance and the New Republic had their own wars to deal with. Help was never proactively offered back then either. With several Core worlds joining the Consortium, we’ve slowly begun to heal, but any further assistance will always be welcome. ISCRA needs help in the form of more space to house displaced refugees, for instance.”

As they arrived near the waterfall, the half Sephi stared at it for a long moment. He could feel the cool mist against his face. He said nothing for a while before finally speaking, “There was a period of time where I was blind and had no sight. A full year, in fact,” He said without looking at her, “I regained it slowly over time but it made me appreciate what I see so much more. From the most mundane and trivial things to the most breathtaking,” The half Sephi kept his gaze on the waterfall for a long moment.

“If you need to vomit,” He said without looking at her still, having seen the shift and changes in her face and the sudden goosebumps that came with morning sickness. He lifted a finger and pointed to a corner off to the side, “That’s an appropriate place.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

This conversation was surely one of the most stressful once she had during her political career. A lot what at stake after all...she really wanted to this to work. She wanted to start bridging the distance between the ISC and the FWA even if the odds weren't the best. She had talked to Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl about that. There was not much they could offer to befriend the ISC, yet she wouldn't stop trying.

"I don't want to disagree with you, yet I have a different view on that matter. I see the benefits for the ISC. The war isn't good for the Empire, and the war isn't good for the FWA. Sure, the war industry and the weapon and ship manufacturers profit, but apart from that there is plenty of economic damage on all sides. Even the Empire would profit from long lasting piece and if the ISC could prove itself as a catalyst, this would surely affect your standing withing the galaxy even more positively". She was indeed not trying to correct him but rather open up a different perspective. Whether or not he was understanding this perspective, was questionable though. If he wanted to insist on his opinion, than so be it."I don't want to ask you for this favor, I just wanted to explain the possibility. The ISC doesn't need to be a part of that" she clarified, ending with a polite smile before.

His next words were blunt and even hard, yet she was somehow mentally prepared to that. His aura might have been slightly intimidating, yet he hadn't come unprepared at all. She had not just made her mind up about what terms to present him, but had also been expecting to be confronted like this as she had heard many stories about the president of the ISC. "I'm afraid it's not that easy. But yes, we are working on it. There is not official contract that binds us to the Jedi, yet they had helped defending our planets from ruthless invasions. She paused for a second, her stare intensifying as well. Her words were still completely honest and open, yet it seemed like he was simplifying the matter right now. "This is no matter of Egos. Of course protecting our citizen is also our main concern. I'm not sure whether declaring neutrality would fix the issue though and the FWA planets would not ban Jedi from their territory like the NR. I'm afraid once we start official negotiations with the Empire, there will surely be a few possible outcomes". Fostering dialogues with the Empire was surely one of the main objectives on her agenda, yet getting started would definitely be a problem, as it was probably not the best idea to go herself. With the new Empress, she had literally no idea what they said about her quitting...She had considering requesting an audience in order to speak about their standing with the FWA, yet she was convinced that her personal background would be an issue that would come up sooner or later.

She was definitely happy as she showed interest in the mentioned trace agreements, not because they were approaching an easier and even more pleasant topic with it, but also because this could be a stepping stone. "Perfect. Unfortunately, I can not always speak for each and every planet, but since we are establishing an Executive Council I will soon be able to contact you with direct updates. I will directly bring that into our senate, but I'm sure those terms are surely agreeable for all member planets.". He then started walking again and so did she, gratefully accepting this hand when the steps became to high again. With all those intense conversations she hadn't paid much attention to the wonderful scenery, but now that the mood was lightening a bit, she could barely take her eyes of it, especially once the waterfall slowly came into sight. "I'm sorry to hear that. War is always ugly. I am, however, glad to inform you that we are currently rebuilding our humanitarian sector. Kashyyyk for example, can harbor refugees, and I don't see a reason why the ISCRA shouldn't transport refugees over. It is true, the FWA has not been very proactive, but this is also something I intent to change. Rattatak's metaphorical doors stand always open as well and I can surely offer help in terms of transports and trained medics, yet the atmosphere on my planet is unfortunately not exactly hospitable and the resource situation is not the best, so that I assume it wouldn't be the best place and Kashyyyk might be more fit". Yes, she would have to talk to Aezzairrfhowrrhudrrl, but they already had this conversation about a resettlement program on Kashyyyk and he had already declared that he was open to hosting refugees.

As he mentioned his blindness, she glanced back up to the tall man, had slightly tilted to the side and an eyebrow raised in curiosity and surpise. "Oh...I had no idea" she began softly, her voice rather quiet in sympathy before she nodded. "But I can imagine that quite well. We often tend to oversee such things. They say hardships always make us stronger, yet I'm sorry that you had to endure that" she then replied empathetically before she redirected her gaze back onto the beautiful waterfall, simply taking in that view for a moment. "That view is absolutely stunning indeed" she finally added with a smile, however the smile quickly vanished as his next remark throw her off her guard. "Vomit?" she repeated in disbelief, however after the word had left her mouth her attention was immediately brought back to that. Yes, she was still feeling queasy. Especially with that light exercise. She had somehow blocked it out as long as her mind was busy with their conversation, however now she finally realized how bad she actually felt. Yes, she was nauseous and almost slightly light-headed, so it was rather obvious that the color had left her face a while ago. "Oh I'm fine" she lied quite convincingly, even though lying to someone like him felt bad. It would be especially embarrassing if she would have to vomit sooner or later, but now that they had stopped again, it was steadily getting better. "If I'm looking slightly pale that might be because I haven't been super active after what happened on Ruusan for a bit. I had to recover from that severe concussion..." Yes, the concussion. That was logical, wasn't it? With a slightly apologetic smile she decided that blaming it on that made sense anyway, however she found it remarkable how attentive he was after all. "Unrelated question, yet I couldn't help but to wonder: This...slightly obsessive fan club of yours. Do they often hinder you in your everyday life? I was just remembering that I have recently met a huge fan and I was severely worried about her extent of dedication". After all those intense talks, she was hoping that the mood would be further lightened by more casual conversations and she was indeed interested in that answer.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc had heard the word ‘peace’ more times than he could count in every single Senate session. He let Celeste finish speaking before he offered his responses. Celeste would learn quickly he was a measured and practiced man. He took his time analyzing and assessing every word and phrase before he offered his thoughts. The half Sephi tilted his head to look at her, finally gazing away from the waterfall.

“On the contrary, Senator Stythani, the war is excellent for the Empire,” He said flatly, “War has allowed the Empire to expand and exploit the resources they otherwise would not have to offset the defense funding it fuels into its fleets and war machines. Without any real allies, an enemy that doesn't strike back, and thanks to sanctions that the Alliance has placed, it’s actually in the best interest of the Empire to continue its war. Especially when it’s wealthy enough to avoid any deficits at opportunity costs. The economical benefits actually outweigh the hits. It is, however, not remotely beneficial for the Alliance,” Emryc had been in this game long enough to know that war was not exactly a ‘bad’ thing for everyone. Only victims of war saw things that way and he could see how an Alliance Senator could view it as such. From where he was sitting as a neutral and powerful party, he saw things very differently and far more objectively.

“Say you get your way,” Emryc said after a moment, “A large portion of Imperial planets were won through diplomacy. Is the Alliance prepared to sit back and watch the Empire expand across the galaxy through those means? Gaining extra resources, further means to bolster their fleets, soldier barracks and cutting edge technology. After all, there are huge swaths of the galaxy consisting of independent planets. Will the Alliance also sit back if the Empire wages war on these planets which lie outside of their borders?”

He paused for a moment as he recalled her points about the Jedi, nodding in return, “You’re not sure whether declaring neutrality will solve it. Yet have you tried? No. Try it first before you declare the outcome. The Jedi are not banned from Consortium space, they simply can’t start building temples within our borders. We have never been hit by the Sith,” He shrugged his shoulders a bit at her, his blank expression speaking volumes. Alliance Senators could make every excuse in the book about why they couldn't be neutral to Jedi and none of them would convince Emryc.

Emryc said nothing about housing refugees on Kashyyyk. If he were like most people, he would savor the sweet satisfaction of forcing refugees on the planet of a Senator that hated ISC and ISCRA with every fiber of his being. However, the half Sephi was always cool headed by nature and he had a neutral outlook on it.

The half Sephi’s ears twitched the very slightest bit as she mentioned the fan club. Emryc shook his head and looked back at the waterfall, “I have taken great measures to maintain my privacy,” He explained. Truthfully, the attention didn’t bother him anymore, “Sometimes it’s curious to see my name across Holonet or the fan obsession while knowing there was a time I drove around Senators like yourself as a speeder taxi driver.”

There was a long moment of silence as he took in sight of everything ahead of him before he finally looked at her again, “If you have a more prepared agenda, I would be willing to attend a summit. I simply request respect and decorum from your peers.”

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Admittedly, that tough nut was indeed hard to crack. Or perhaps even impossible to soften. He was truly adamant and seemed absolutely rigid in his beliefs, but in his defense it sounded like he did not only have lots of experience when it came to his career, but apparently he had also gone through a lot.

She listened to his blunt outlines and did not even wince the tiniest bit. She was not sharing all of his strong beliefs to that extent, yet he made a few solid points. "I would surely agree to some extent, yet when I was still with the Empire I've also experienced the ugly faces of war on their side. Planets that were contested territory before still need to be build up and this can get expensive. Also, those planets won through violence are not exactly known for their...loyalty" she replied calmly, howevervknowing that he was a man that stayed true to what he believed in.

As he went on, however, the conversation got even more interesting again and he was also making fair points yet another time. "If the Empire diplomatically expands, I wouldn't consider interfering. All government can do that. I only condemn invasions and other violent measures and the Alliance would definitely step in if worlds were being attacked. We wouldn't necessarily interfere with our own military and just bite back, but we would not hesitate to reach out with humanitarian aid. If there is not war between our factions, I would still wonder why the Empire would still want to remain that power-hungry...Expansion is not everything. Stability is" she wasn't directly criticizing the Empire, yet she was slightly hinting at an issue. She had made her experience on a few diplomatic missions: Some planets were not exactly pleased with the Empire and its course and a few issues were often overlooked because the Empire always had a strong focus on expansion.

In terms of what he said about the neutrality with the Order she opened her mouth to chime in a first, not quite sure where that sudden impulsiveness came from, but she blamed it on the hormones. She kept herself under control, patiently listened and nodded in the end. "True. We haven't tried that yet and even if I do believe that we might face some heated discussions in our senate, it is definitely worth a try" she concluded, a warm smile landing on her lips again as his outline had somehow been...insightful after all. Even if he had been very blunt and direct about it again. All this talking had at least distracted her from her queasiness.

His direct taxi driver revelation surpised her yet again and she curiosly raised a brow. "Oh I believe you. I've received more and more attention in the media after I officially joined the FWA...and especially after the events of Ruusan" immediately, the images of the tabloid broadcast went back into her head, "but it does sound you've really worked your way up" she finally added with a smile, a decent amount of admiration in her voice. She had always admired ambitious people that did not shy away from any situation and that were driven...and he certainly was.

The silence that followed wasn't inconvenient - quite the contrary, she even appreciated the quiet moment to just take in that stunning scenery - but once he spoke again, she turned her head to look up again. "I'll work on that and I will inform the other senators" she finally promised, the smile on her lips widening as it felt like he had just taken pressure off her shoulder with those words. It seemed like she had achieved what she had wanted and she had additionally gained some very important insights. "I'm definitely ready to explore the ancient cave system now" she added with a hint of genuine excitement in her voice after another while of silence. They hadn't just come here for the summit, but he had promised caves and she was definitely eager to start a small adventure.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc quirked a brow after she finished speaking, “The Consortium also expands through diplomacy,” He had an almost amused look on his face, “Do you consider me power hungry, Senator Stythani?” In truth, he didn’t give a rat’s ass about her opinion on the subject. He was a titan and he knew it. She knew it. The whole galaxy knew it. He could announce to the Consortium that he was a Sith Lord, and they would still celebrate him and the prosperity he brought his planets, “For many outer rim and independent planets, a governing body brings stability and additional trade. The Alliance ought to consider doing the same to invite more planets to join it.”

However, that was a debate that could continue till the end of time, and he didn’t care enough about it. He nodded at her suggestion about the cave and he picked up the pace. The path led upwards and wrapped around past the waterfall towards where the caverns were. The half Sephi didn’t even break a sweat as he hiked up, though given that he had his own fitness routine it wasn’t too much of a shock.

After a bit of walking, the mouth of a cave began to appear ahead in the distance. Emryc stared at it for a moment before he continued. He pointed out some of the holes dotting the mountain, “This is rumored to be an ancient Killik mound,” Emryc explained. If there were any remnants of Killik in there, they would be fossilized. Since it was so ancient, it likely had many other inhabitants since then.

The half Sephi had to hunch quite a bit to enter the cave and he still couldn’t come up to his full height when he walked in. However, this seldom stopped him from exploring ancient tombs or sites, “I do not know the terrain in here too well, so watch your step,” He cautioned as he navigated his way through the initial chamber.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

There was still tension in the air, although probably not for him. This intimidatingly strong energy he radiated was truly fascinating in a way as well, even though she was slightly worried he had misunderstood her."Oh no, this is not what I meant. The Free World Alliance does that too, but our both governments seem eager to act in the best interest of the citizen. The Empire tries to do that too, although it's focus had always been on expanding its power". A daring claim, yet it was true. She had made those experiences herself and the countless invasions had proven it."I totally agree with you there. We do not force planets to join us, yet we negotiate and offer beneficial trade agreements, safety and stability, like the ISC, although admittedly your government is definitely a few steps ahead" she politely admitted, since it was nothing but thr truth. The ISC was also much further when it came to humanitarian aid, and that was something the FWA still had to achieve.

His pace made her soon realized that he was not necessarily interested in keeping up discussions that might not necessarily lead anywhere and discussions that were especially not benefitting him. She followed with a smirk, keeping up as best as she could although some steeper steps and slopes were still challenging. As they were approaching the entrance, her eyes widened at his remark with all those memories of Ruusan immediately coming back up. "Killiks you say?" she repeated in slight disbelief, however trying to overplay that aversion. She glanced back, realizing once again that it were just the two of them."Even if it's ancient...I do hope they haven't decided to come back" she then added, immediately starting to move forward again.

She had always had those adventurous tendencies and this was no exception. She was excited to explore the cave system, yet she couldn't fully deny that she was hoping they wouldn't encounter trouble as this had happened way too often within the last months. She nodded at his polite remark about watching her step and she was indeed quite focused right now. She felt slightly unprepared without any kits or weapons, but it was also admittedly thrilling. "Now I'm curious. If you do that on a regular base, what was the most interesting you've ever discovered?". She was indeed curious about it, yet she was also hoping a casual conversation would distract her enough not to worry.

Regardless of his reply, she reached out with the Force to stay alerted as they started to venture deeper. He was still in front of her and seeing him slightly crouch like that made her feel bad...yes, being tall was not always an advantage after all as she had no difficulties to move around freely. After a few turns they reached a slight crossroad that required them to choose a path, however both just offered a very narrow opening. The one on the left would not even allow her to crouch through unscathed and so she nodded to the one on the right. "I hope you can fit" she playfully teased, not to taunt him, but to actually refer to the fact that it would be slightly more difficult to squeeze through with his impressive frame.

She brushed past him and approached the opening that was a horizontal slit inbetween the rocks, briefly measuring the gap but it seemed to be alright even for him, so she climbed up and started crawling through on all fours. Once inside, she noticed that it was a natural tunnel of no more than 10 feet and so he would definitely be able to follow her through. However after reaching the end of the passage, there was a slight drop of a few feet ahead, so before dropping down out of the gap, she coiled the Force around her to ease the jump before preparing to do the same for him if he would accept that help.

Once they had both safely made it to the other side, they would notice that there was luckily still enough natural light coming from the stone ceiling that was spangled with countless, natural stalactites and that the next chamber was fairly vast, with a small creek even running through it. "That's...stunning" she remarked in actual amazement, however the words had barely left her mouth until a deep rumbling echoed through the cave. She instinctively moved back from the nearest wall, grabbing him by the arm to yank him away if he hadn't yet managed to move aside himself as the cave wall started to crumble in front of their very eyes.

The tunnel from which they had just entered started to collapse, or at least it was safe to say that the ceiling of it had imploded, leaving the gap unusable now. She hadn't been worried by a few misplaced pebbles, but it really looked as though this way out was now blocked. "Looks like we've got to find another way out" she muttered in disbelief, realizing that if they had still been within the tunnel, things would have gotten even more problematic after all, but that was when another huge piece of stone came rolling down from above, heading directly in their direction. She immediately reached out with the Force to redirect it mid air, letting the heavy boulder crush down a few feet away from that. She gasped at the sudden suprise, relieved that she had at least seen it coming, however knowing that this had been rather close. "We should better get going...something is messing with the structures". She skeptically glanced upmat him, trying to keep her cool even though she was already freaked out by that. Even worse, now that she was reaching out with the Force again, there was something even more worrisome: Still a decent distance away, however somewhere in this system was a fuzzy, faint presence within the Force perceivable. "And we're not alone...".

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

“The Killik? No,” He reassured her, “But that doesn’t mean something else can’t linger there,” Emryc remained calm about it regardless. He wasn’t the type to get riled easily, and he largely remained silent as Celeste mused about the cave. Emryc walked with her, his eyes slowly adjusting to the low lighting. Unlike usual Sephi, he wasn’t born with the best sight and his eyes were still in recovery from his temporary blindness. However, he knew when and how to use Force Sight, having relied on it exclusively for an entire year before.

“A temple underwater,” Emryc answered her, “There were traps and puzzles and it almost killed me. But the treasure was worth it,” The half Sephi explained right as she brushed past him. He didn’t say any more on the topic, hearing her quip about the tunnel and her remark about him fitting, “A comment I get rather often,” He said right back, his voice smooth as ever and his expression stoic to where it would be unclear whether he was making a very dirty joke or just making conversation. Emryc tilted to the side and barely managed to shift along the tunnel. Thankfully he wasn’t the least bit claustrophobic.

His height offered some benefits, and he leaped down, landing with a surprising amount of grace for someone his size. He landed in a crouch, but he stood up shortly after, his silver gaze panning over the clearing. While she remarked on its beauty, he noticed the cracks and foundations, “And unstable,” He added curtly.

Emryc’s sensitive Sephi ears began to pick up the noise even before Celeste did. He could already tell what was going to happen and he glanced at the wall beginning to collapse. When she attempted to grab him and yank him away, she would realize that almost 300 lbs of solid muscle didn’t budge that easily. Emryc simply gave her a curious look before glancing back to slam his other fist into a chunk of debris that came their way, sending it flying back after it shattered into pieces. He didn’t even need to use the Force for it, counting on his reflexes.

The half Sephi finally turned and followed Celeste, sensing the panic from her. However, she would feel nothing but an icy calm from him even with chaos erupting. He was powerful enough in the Force to sense what was waiting to meet them, and it would certainly complicate things. He was largely silent as Celeste used the Force to hold the debris back.

“There is no way out but that,” He pointed towards where she could sense the Force pulsating. He began to move that way, ducking past the low ceilings and towards where he knew the creature was lurking. He heard it before she did, “Conserve your strength,” He said almost casually, “You will need it,” Emryc kept walking as a putrid stench filled the air. It smelled like a thousand rotting corpses, but the half Sephi appeared unbothered.

A low growl erupted as Celeste would feel the pulse of the Dark Side in its most raw and vile form. In some ways this worked out in his favor as he could get away with using the Force without Celeste realizing, but in others it meant this thing would be a challenge. After a low growl, there was a big thunk as the profile of the beast lurking at the end of the tunnel was visible. Emryc said nothing about it, but he knew it was crafted from the most heinous form of alchemy. It was a sithspawn. Even he was clueless as to how it found itself in this cave that had been a Killik mound.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

His response wasn't exactly reassuring, because such an ancient cave system could be occupied by literally anything, but for now there was at least no direct need to worry. She kept it in the back of her mind though and her muscles were slightly more tense with her whole mind on guard. She would keep reaching out with the Force to ensure there was nothing lurking in the darker tunnels, yet it didn't feel great not to be in possession of any other weapon besides the Force.

She was thrilled and excited to explore, yet she couldn't rid her mind of one thought: What if something did live inside and what if it was hostile? Regardless of how buffed the ISC President was, knowing that she had to defend him in worst case scenarios where pure strength wouldn't help anymore felt like quite a task. He knew she had been a Sith, but he seemed confident to venture the trip anyway. Would he had dared to enter with just any senator? Perhaps...Pure calm confidence radiated from the rather frosty business man and it seemed like nothing could make him loose composure.

She was impressed by his quick reflexes, yet the realization that this mountain of a man didn't move easily shouldn't have come as a surprise. She suppressed a slightly embarrassed chuckle, but smirked nonetheless, just really relieved he had found a way to help himself. "Oh wow...that sounds exciting" she remarked at his reply, immediately wondering what the treasure had been, but it sounded like he didn't want to share those details and so she let it slide. However, what immediately worried her were the pulses of dark energy she perceived ahead. She wondered how much she should tell him about what she felt in order not to freak him out, but then again she doubted that this was possible at all. "Something really dark lurks inside...and it's strong" she disclosed and even though she tried to place ger words calmly, he would easily notice her genuine concern. "I could try to clear the path if- she offered, but he was already moving forward with an unshaken confidence, apparently insisting to head even deeper inside.

It was not his icy demeanor that made her shiver...it was what laid ahead. The closer they got, the more dreadful that aura. The sinister presence soon mingled with a terrible stench that immediately intensified the nausea and it was only the adrenaline that started to pump through her veins that probably kept her from vomiting already. "We shouldn't continue...there must be another way out" she interjected, her voice already lowered in order not to alert whatever radiated that vile, raw dark energy as she did try to grab him again, but the pile of muscles was unable to be stopped and than an ear-piercing growl rumbled through the cave.

She gasped, immediately stopping as her gaze fell upon the Gargantuan Sithspawn Worm . So apparently it was indeed already too late to turn back. The stench was almost unbearable so she held her breath for a moment, praying that it hadn't noticed them yet, but then again a few questions hit her: How the kark had it gotten inside and who had crafted it? What was it doing in this cave and what where they supposed to do? She doubted that sneaking out was an option and so she just stared at it in horror for a moment.

This raw darkness it radiated was horrifying and whoever its creator was, it didn't seem like he or she was around, so the only thing she could think of was that this thing better met his demise before it could swarm out and hurt someone. Would they make it out of there to call on reinforcements in time though, or was this thing already well aware of their presence? She reached for her com-device, however immediately noticing that the signal didn't even get through, probably due to the thick cavern walls, which made it even worse. She carefully rushed passed him, bringing herself inbetween that abomination and him, as hilarious as it might have looked how her lithe, short frame tried to cover the massive man, but she had to do at least something...Her body language signaled 'stay back and she was hoping he wouldn't ignore that warning as she stealthily moved a bit closer. Perhaps she could let this part of the caves implode and bury that terrible thing beneath? Her heart was already unrelentlessly pounding in her chest as she tried to assess that situation. She usually had no issues herself with staying calm, but that was something she had never seen before. This threat was indeed a whole different level and whatever they would do, it would be a challenge.

@Sreeya