Ask Dromund Kaas Resistance is Character-Forming

[Astrid al-Bahir]

For nearly two decades Dromund Kaas had produced starfighters, gunships, and repulsortanks for the Sith Empire. Intentionally separate from the larger shipyards and specialized in mass production of precise vehicle design, it'd been the backbone of military material despite the visibility of massive star destroyers. When the Empire splintered, the core Sith worlds split, dealing with their own internal civil wars or other issues.

After the ISC conflict, Imperial resources were drained. They needed the resources and ships the Dromund system provided, especially given the destruction or loss of other shipyards. Gone were the days of relying on swarms of fragile fighters backed by flying artillery platforms. Even Storm Squadron had largely remained part of the Empire and ISB owing to their imperialist bent.

Astrid suggested upwards to attempt a diplomatic retaking of Dromund Kaas. A military intervention risked huge losses to the fleet and ground forces against a suddenly coordinated force using the very craft they'd come to rely upon. Of course, Imperial diplomacy wasn't just talking. Blackmail was just as likely. So while Astrid would arrive as a representative, standing in for both former Sith and Imperial-aligned sides, the agent with her was there for more covert 'tweaking' of the facts.

She had an appointment in two hours. In the meantime, she went to a local teashop she'd frequented as an acolyte and waited for the ISB agent's arrival.

@Phoenix

 

[Cipher Three]

C3 had been surprised when Kaas had left the Empire. He understood it from a purely short-term point of view, but this galaxy wasn't kind to the short-sighted. The fact was that the Empire was the best thing that ever happened to Kaas even if they thought otherwise in the short term.

The fact that C3 had been assigned to the operation with one of these new IKs was an interesting development. He'd only had fleeting interactions with the Sith when they'd been around, and although on paper he understood the distinction, he wondered if it had actually changed in execution. Most of the scuttlebutt said that it was a lot different with IKs acting simply as an arm of the military. C3 wasn't entirely sure he cared so long as it wasn't going to lead to some sort of blows.

He'd traveled to the teashop, doubling back on himself to make sure that he wasn't followed and taking the long route before finally arriving, his eyes falling only for a moment on the woman he was supposed to meet before sweeping across the other occupants of the room. He made his way over to the counter and picked up a bottle water, paid with several credit chits, and continued looking over the room as he waited for the teller.

Only when all of that was finished did he finally make his way over to the IK. He'd have preferred a less public place for the first meeting and if there was something untoward to be done, he'd have preferred not being seen in public with the diplomat, but he was fairly certain they were not being watched at the moment.

He was surprised a Force-user had been picked as the diplomat.

He cracked the seal on the water and took a drink, sitting with his back to the wall and facing the door so he could see all those who came and went.

Who'd you piss off to get this assignment? he asked as he slid into the seat. At least his side of the operation was interesting... or at least it could be. With only two hours, he had no doubt that the real magic would start after the preliminary meeting when they had an idea of what made their target tick.

 

[Astrid al-Bahir]

The more public meeting place was something of a requirement by the higher-ups; Astrid wasn't sure exactly why, but she also wasn't really a spy. With her skillset on paper, one might even assume she was a typical Jedi. Diplomacy and negotiation, combat, military command and operations. She suspected that's why she was suggested for this. Her background fit what the people and government of Drommund Kaas respected.

And she represented a Sith who'd chosen to remain Imperial. Ah, but the agent had arrived and her thoughts were getting tangent-like. Astrid sipped her tea. "I volunteered," she replied evenly as she turned to look over at the man sitting across from her. Her expression was unmoving and difficult to read. "But someone, I'm sure." There was still distrust from the Imperial side of things toward the Knights and Force-users in general.

Justified. Astrid however paid it no mind. Whether someone liked her or not wasn't her concern. She passed a local news print sent out just that morning across the table. It had stories of local Kaas City happenings, political concerns, business ads, comics, the usual. Nothing about an Imperial delegation, despite the largely political bent of many stories regarding many different politicians and palace intrigue. The Knight gave her companion a meaningful look.

@Phoenix

 

[Cipher Three]

Interesting that she volunteered. A move for power? Or just a patriot? He supposed it could have been either one and there probably wasn't any point in him worrying about it at the moment.

Well okay then, he said, taking the news pieces that she pushed across the table. He started flipping through them, not entirely sure what he was supposed to be getting out of it exactly.

As much as I like to stay up on current events, maybe you'd care to tell me what you're wanting me to get out of this. To speed things along, he said.

It didn't seem that they wanted the appearance of the Empire to be public knowledge, but that wasn't really surprising. They weren't exactly overtly present either. Did that mean they were planning to kill the delegates to cover it up? Probably not, but it was part of his job to be paranoid.

You looking to get leverage on the people you're meeting with? Doesn't look like you'll get anything out of this about who you're meeting either, he said. He had to assume that if he'd been sent here then they were going to be doing something underhanded.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Astrid al-Bahir]

Astrid sipped her tea, enjoying the warm beverage that reminded her of simpler academy days. "On Drommund Kaas, palace intrigue is front page news. Politics is the national pastime. No matter how minor, such things appear in at least a half-dozen news reports." She gestured toward the newsprint. "Not even the suggestion of foreign envoys? Highly unusual."

Under normal circumstances, at least. Centuries of Sith-inspired politics also made the local rulers clever and cunning. Astrid didn't trust them. "My arrival must be intentionally suppressed, which is a clue to their mindset. Their mindset is what I need to know." A neatly folded flimsiplast sheet was pulled out from her flawlessly wrinkle-free jacket, on which she wrote several notes in flowing aurebesh script. "Leverage- and what any representatives care about most. Politics here is a game of spies and blackmail as much as debate. We're at a disadvantage; we must mitigate." She handed the Imperial operative her notes.

They consisted of things she'd like to know. Guard detail, political stances, names and addresses, family, economic stresses, business ties, prejudices, etc. "I will help where I can."

@Phoenix

 

[Cipher Three]

C3 looked across at the information that she had handed to him and started flipping through the pages, glancing up from time to time to affirm that no one was paying attention to him or what he was looking at.

Politics wasn't his specialty per se, but he was a quick study, and he had a lot of skills that could easily be applied to politics.

This one: Governor Teflor, he said, handing the information back across the table.

He's already narrowly skated a couple of convictions. Some poking around and I can guarantee we'll find something on him for some blackmail, he said.

I can get inside his estate, he said.

 

[Astrid al-Bahir]

She nodded and finished her tea before raising her hand to check a simple, but well-cared-for wrist chrono. "There's time for a surprise visit." Differing from the sorts of highly-scheduled politics in the Core, arriving, even unannounced, at the manor of representatives on Drommund Kaas was all part of the game.

Astrid stood and quickly paid for their drinks, neatly pushing her seat back in. Suddenly towering over Cipher Three, she offered him her hand to stand and would push his chair back in unprompted. "I trust you'll make it on your own." Arriving in the same speeder would, obviously, be suspicious.

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The tall half-Tiefling stepped from her speeder and straightened her fine attire before having the driver press the intercom and announce her presence. Doing otherwise would be... Well, scandalous by local norms. Meanwhile she hoped the Imperial would find his way inside. The game was afoot.

@Phoenix