Ask The Real Power in the Shadows

[Arla]

Arla nodded along and then pondered on what he said. They would have no small amount of work going forward, but at least for the moment they had time. Even if there was a power struggle, such an attack would take time as well.

We can hole up here for the time being. Make it our base of operations, she said. They'd taken the territory, they might as well make use of it.

Meeting probably won't be until at least tomorrow or the next day, we should use the time to recoup, make sure no one muscles in. I'll send back word to ISB, she said.

Lanben Fercast is the CEO of Capstone, a large and influential capital firm who also owns his own PMC. He's an opportunist, but someone I'm not sure will be willing to bend the knee for anyone, she said.

Rim Bricktet is another wealthy businessman, very diversified. He seems to be the most legitimate of the Five and seems the type uninterested in getting into conflict. "Conflict is bad for business" and all that, she said went on.

They're both human. The next is a Falleen. Former Black Sun, but cut ties... or so they say. He is the most ruthless as you might be able to imagine and has plenty of skeletons in the closet, she said. She could already see the writing on the wall that he was going to need to be "removed" from the equation.

And finally we have Professor Mortan. Part time professor and part time businessman. Cunning and ruthless. A Pantoran, I believe, she said.

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”I like that idea. If the other Four end up being like the Hutt, we will need to rethink how we plan to bring Columex to the Empire.” Caerllion said, already thinking about the possibility of their plan derailing again. While Arla proved to be resourceful and very capable in a fight, the Acolyte wasn’t sure if diplomacy was her turf. He would need to see how she fare when talking with the others, but if it ended being the same they needed to be prepared.

While she told him who the other Four were, Caerllion thought about who they should approach first. He had immediately considered that the Falleen should be the last one. With his past ties to the Black Sun, he probably dealt with a situation like that before. The Annfyn explained this opinion to her.

“While the Falleen seems to be easy to blackmail, I believe that with his past he would be prepared to deal with it. It makes him dangerous and more similar to the Hutt. One of the two humans seems to be good for us to talk next.” perhaps one of they would want to accept the Sith in exchange of Garlon’s possessions.

“If you excuse me, I have a suggestion.” Caerllion turned to look at Olathar, who had returned with some droids that were going to clean the room. Both his vomit and the Hutt’s body. “See, since you were the two that killed Garlon, perhaps one of you or both would like to take over his business here.”

“It wasn’t uncommon to have these changes in power happening this way here in Columex. Garlon became one of the Five by killing his antecessor and taking over her territory. It would give you two direct influence over the affairs of the planet, rather than giving it to someone else and risking being stabbed by them.” while he talked, Olathar was constantly gesturing. The Annfyn noticed that he did it all the time when saying something to them. He wondered if it was nervousness. “I could even act as your representative when you were off planet.”

Caerllion turned to look at Arla, expecting her answer. She was his superior, this decision should come from her. Although, the idea of settling a powerbase on another planet was attractive. “What do you think? Would you be interested in doing it with me?”

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla nodded her agreement, deciding that Caer had a point. She hadn't expected Olathar to join the conversation again, and while she had wanted him to stay away so they could discuss in peace, his suggestion seemed good. She would be foolish to shut down good advice, and she liked to think that she wasn't a fool normally.

I think you're probably right. Yeah, we'll likely be setting up operations here for the time being, she said. She turned to Olathar, those same piercing silver eyes that she had inherited from her father staring him down in deadly seriousness.

I'm good to those who are faithful to me. I trust you won't make me regret the faith I'm putting in you, she said. It wasn't a threat per se, so much as a warning. While she didn't actually have anyone under her currently, she had watched how her mother had ruled at least on Dathomir. In the Sith things might have been a bit different, but nevertheless, if he remained true to her, she would reward that.

It appears the three of us have an alliance of sorts, she said. Columex was an unusual world for it to begin on compared with Dathomir, but like all things, it must start somewhere. And Columex was a major trade world with excellent profits and even some undeveloped forest regions still. Yes, she could think of much worse things.

Rim Bricktet seems like he will be the most approachable. More reasonable and a real businessman rather than... she glanced back at the dead Hutt who was being wheeled out by the droids ...being like some others.

Let's both get some rest. Join me for dinner in a few hours? We can sort out the rest of the details, she suggested. She could sense that he still looked a bit nauseous, and it would give her time to retrieve the rest of their equipment as well. Not to mention, her curiosity about him had been piqued now.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”I understand, ma’am. I’ll serve you and the Sith faithfully. To Be honest, I hated working for the Hutt. He was repulsive.” Olathar briefly looked at Garlon’s corpse, before shuddering. He would not miss working with this repulsive creature. “If it wasn’t for the good salary, I would never have accepted. Since my wife died, I need to take care of my children alone and briging them to live in Columex is so expensive!” then he noticed that the Sith didn’t care about his personal problems. “Sorry, got carried away. Anyway, I’ll prepare your accommodations, excuse me.”

Now that they were alone, Caerllion felt more comfortable to discuss their next steps. “Yes. With Bricket avoiding conflicts, there are great chances of him siding with us. Even more if we offer more benefits for his business in Imperial territory.” perhaps this time they would be more successful and no one would end up dead.

“It’ll be a pleasure to have dinner with you.” Caerllion smiled, happy for having the offer. The Acolyte was curious to know more about Arla. While she seemed to lack diplomatic abilities, the Champion proved to be a good warrior. it would be a good opportunity for them to share knowledge.

And, of course, it was always good to have some time with an attractive person.

Olathar returned some time later. The Twi’lek had prepared two of the guest rooms for them to stay and had certified that these weren’t used by the Hutt. The room wasn’t so bad, but it was less impressive than his one in the Cyfnos palace. It would be enough for Caerllion to spend the nights that they would remain in Columex.

After he took a shower and brushed his teeth, Caerllion walked toward the dining room. Olathar had prepared the dinner for them and pointed the direction of the room for him. He wasn’t only excited to have some more time to talk with Arla, but also with the idea of having something more to eat. Since he vomited so much, his stomach was totally empty.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Somewhat surprisingly, Arla actually listened to what the man said. What she had told him was true: if he was loyal, he would find his input and thoughts were listened to far more than with his former boss.

Not at all, she said as he apologized and scampered away. Yes, she would be keeping a close eye on him, but she had hopes. Her impression in the Shadow was that he would be a loyal follower at least so long as he remained in a position of comfort and at least moderate power. That was about as much as one could hope for in the Sith.

They split off to their own rooms, and Arla spent the time first retrieving their gear and then meditating. She wrote in her growing grimoire, trying to work out new spells to use in the days to come. She knew spells revolving around mind control existed and even key members of the Galactic Senate had been influenced by her mother, but that was a skill she had never actually tried on someone... yet. It may be that this was the time and place to do so. She ran through the ritual in her mind for the fifth time, recommitting it to memory as the minutes ticked by.

Her eyes flicked over to the chrono and she pushed herself to her feet and headed down to the dining area. The Hutt had - of course - had his own personal chef, and Arla knew that she could easily get used to this.

She slid into one of the chairs near Caerllion. Quite a first day we had, she said. I agree with what you said about Bricket. And the others who are unwilling to comply, I may have a solution to that as well, she said, but didn't elaborate yet.

She paused a moment, weighing out a question that had been on her mind since shortly after they had met.

I don't mean to be rude... she began, knowing that it might be rude to ask anyway. She was at least trying to be more polite with him than she was with others who she had to practice "diplomacy" with because she felt he had earned it. ...but why are you still an Acolyte? she asked. From what I've seen you don't lack for competence. Was there somewhere that he fell short that she hadn't seen? A lack of control over the Shadow?

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”Indeed. Hopefully there won't be more problems.” Caerllion said, while taking a seat next to the Champion. So far their mission had taken an unexpected path. He had thought that they would be doing simple diplomacy, but now it had evolved into causing imbalance in the internal politics of Columex.

While Arla didn’t gave many details about how she was going to convince them to comply, it was already enough to spark the Annfyn’s curiosity. He wondered if she would use one of the methods that he told her, or something else. Perhaps it could be something related to the power that she used to make them escape from the dungeon.

A smile appeared on his lips when he heard her question. “Well, I think that I still have much to learn.” he opened his right hand, revealing his palm to Arla. Then, a serpent made of red flames appeared and started to move through it. “I barely learned everything that Korriban magick can do. There is still much more.”

After he said that, the serpent became a fireball that was replaced by a blue Tarisian rose. He had teleported it from the floral arrangement that was in his bedroom. For some reason it made him remember her. “I only know how to teleport small things, my Master seems to have ditched me, so I need to learn it alone.” at least Vex gave him some grimories to help in his studies. “It’s for you, a small token showing my gratitude for you saving me from that pit early.” he smiled, offering the flower to her. The Annfyn would not mind if she didn’t accept, not everyone liked that type of gift.

“You are a Dathomirian, right? I recognized your facial marks from stories that my father told me about their culture.” Caerllion never visited the planet, but its culture was intriguing. “If you don’t mind me asking, how is your life here? I like to know more about other worlds, mainly those that I’ll probably never visit.”

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

His answer was somewhat obscure, but she had asked him a question that wasn't exactly normal. Still, she wondered if he really needed to remain an Acolyte. She supposed it wasn't her place to make that decision for him, and - at least for the moment - contented herself with that.

She watched his display, the red power that flowed through him and followed his molding before turning to a flower. She took it and held it to her nose a moment before setting it down. If she was offended or put off by the gift, there was no sign of it at all.

You performed admirably, she said in response to his comment about the pit. She was quite happy that he had managed to slay the Hutt, and she seemed unconcerned with the ripples that it may have. For her, the chaos caused in the wake of his death was an opportunity for them to capitalize on. If everything really went the worst, then the Five would be weakened and the planet would be open for a proper military invasion. She didn't think it would come to that, but it was a final card in their pockets.

I am, she said as he asked if she was Dathmoirian. Or at least part, she said, referring to the race itself before pointing to her ears to indicate she was not a full-blood Dathomirian.

I'm surprised your father knew anything of our culture, she said. I believe the common saying among spacers is that there's nothing there but 'fog and witches,' she recounted, face sneering for the briefest moment at the use of the word. It was a phrase she'd heard used by pirates and their ilk before. Like her mother, she hated that term, though there were many who didn't feel the same.

It's very different than everywhere else. We live in harmony with our planet. We're a part of it and vice versa. An extension of the world, she said. The Empress... she said, mentally catching herself instead of saying "mother" ...introduced some technology to the planet that extended beyond tradition, but we are largely backwater by most people's standards, she said.

Tell me more about your magick. It's similar but different. Where do you draw from and how? she asked. It wasn't Sith magic, that much she knew. It was quite similar to her own Nightsister magick, but still different. It had a different tune.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

When he heard Arla praise his actions early, the Acolyte felt his cheeks getting hot and his ears twitch. It wasn’t unusual for him to receive praise. His father and tutors would always say such things when he did something right. However, it was the first time that his skills and knowledge were praised by an attractive person.

“Thank you.” it was the only thing that he could say. His voice sounded a bit sheepish. Caerllion knew that he was probably looking like an idiot in front of Arla. He was grateful that the Champion decided to talk about something else.

“My father was a diplomat for a century and traveled across many worlds. He had met some Dathomirians during this time, but only visited the planet one time when his ship ended needing to stop here for an emergency. They landed close to a village of males.” he wasn’t going to mention that the Nightbrothers attacked his father like barbarians as soon as they saw the shuttle landing. It could offend Arla and he didn’t want that.

“The Dathomirian females ended up being cooperative and allowed him to fix the ship and leave in peace.” according to him, they seemed to be more civilized and stopped their male counterparts from killing everyone.

“Interesting. Then your people aren’t so different from mine. The Annfyn have a similar vision about our homeworld, Annwfyn. We live in harmony with it, seeking to never cause any damage. Our farms are located in space stations and we learned how to make buildings inside trees without damaging them.” since outsiders weren’t allowed to land on its surface, rarely would someone see how his species took care of their planet.

“The power that I used early is called Korriban magick, my Master taught it to me.” Caerllion wondered where Vex was right now. He still wanted to learn more from her. “As the name says, I draw it from Korriban itself. Regarding the way that I do it, there are some rituals that you need to do before being capable of using it.” he still remembers how painful his baptism was in the ichors of the planet.

“They can be mortal if there wasn’t someone to guide you there.” he made a pause, before having an idea. “Maybe when I’m strong enough with it, we can go to Korriban and you can make the rituals. I can guide you through it.” Caerllion was unsure if she would want to learn it, since she already had the Dathomirian one. However, he left it clear that he would be here to help.

"I heard things about Dathomirian magick and it seems to be similar in some ways to the Korriban one." he controled himself to not ask her details about her power. He knew how the Dathomirian maintained it as a secret. However, his curiosity would be visible by the slight twitch in his left ear. "Do you use it since you was a child?"

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

She listened to his story about Dathomir, apparently failing to notice how flustered he was about what she had said.

He's lucky they didn't kill him, she said. Our people don't take kindly to outsiders or trespassers, she said. She had no qualms with what her people did. She'd heard stories about her mother killing Jedi on world before not for being Jedi, but for trespassing and refusing to leave when told to do so. Many people over the millennia had been executed in brutal manners by the various Clans across the planet. They were the planet's immune system, wiping out foreign bacteria: an extension of the planet itself.

Maybe I should visit Annwfyn someday, she said. It sounded like her kind of place and perhaps she even had some Annfyn in her for all she knew. She certainly had the ears for it.

She listened with rapt attention as he described the Korriban magick, sitting up a little straighter to listen to what he said. It was... interesting and different. Not unlike her own, but also not precisely the same. When he offered to take her there, she smiled.

I appreciate the offer, but I cannot make fealty to any planet other than Dathomir, she said. Her bond to her homeworld was her power. It was something she had been born and baptized into, and she wouldn't betray it for any other power. Even most Sith magic didn't require such a commitment to another.

She could tell he was curious about her powers, and while she certainly protected her people's secrets with her life, there were still some things she could say.

Yes, I was trained up in my Clan to be one of it's Shaman and to inherit my Clan's knowledge. That comes with it extensive training, she said.

You want to become an arcanist then? Study the secrets of the Force?

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion chuckled at Arla’s comment about his father’s survival being due to luck. “Well, it also helped that he was carrying boxes full of the golden apples of Annwfyn. It seemed that not only the Dathomirian females, but also the males appreciated its sweet taste. He told me that they became calmer after eating twelve boxes, the other six were taken as hostages by the females. Of course, they only accepted after he showed that they weren’t poisonous.”

While he could have died that day, his father was a good diplomat and very capable of convincing others to hear what he had to say. “In the end my father not only was allowed to leave, but ended up making a trade deal to import these apples to said Clan. We used to do it until the Empire took direct control of the planet.” perhaps they were the first to sell food for Dathomir. “Maybe I could try to return it, but it would need to be in secret because of the FWA.”

“Oh, I would love to show it to you. While officially outsiders are forbidden from landing on the planet's surface, I helped the Empire make a secret base here. You could visit my family’s farm in the space station of Tír na nÓg and then we could secretly travel from here.” for some reason, the Acolyte was excited with the possibility of showing her it. “You can also taste the golden apples and every type of sweet that is made from them.”

“I see. However, I would still like to train with you. Since our magicks are similar, perhaps we could practice with each other.” since Vex didn’t contact him for some time, the Acolyte thought that having someone with similar abilities would be a good training companion. “I’ll understand if you don't want to.”

“So you are going to be its Mother?” Caerllion had heard that the female leaders and shamans of Dathomir were called Mothers. He wondered if this term continued being applied. “I’ll inherit the leadership of House of Cyfnos from my father and maybe the title of King of Annwfyn. The latter depends if my Grandaunt will choose me over my cousin.” even Arla would be able to notice his annoyance when saying it.

“I’m not sure. While I want to increase my knowledge about the Korriban magick, I’m unsure about going deeper in things like Sith Alchemy.” he knew how it could damage someone's appearance. If he wanted to be a King, hiding a hideous face could be difficult. “Maybe I would seek other types of Force magick.”

Suddenly, Olathar entered the room. “Sorry for disturbing your dinner, but there is someone wanting to see you two. Himral Zunsuj is requesting an audience with you two at the main hall. I tried to say that you were going to contact him, but he brought some guards.” the Annfyn turned to look at Arla. This Zunsuj was the Falleen that was one of the Four.

If he already knew that the Hutt was dead, then news in Columex flew faster than he expected. “Do you think that we should talk with him?” the Acolyte asked Arla, while wondering what the Falleen wanted with them.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla actually laughed as he told the story about the apples. She wasn't familiar with them, but she knew that even the Nightsisters could be suckers for luxury. Provided whoever was doing the bribing wasn't trying to harm Dathomir, of course.

Very clever... and practical, she said. Better to give up your goods than be executed, after all.

Kriffing FWA, she said. They just existed to ruin things. While she didn't inherently hate any of the planets, she'd inherited her mother's distaste for the larger government itself. It was an inevitability when one was part of the Empire.

Really? she asked, head tilting to the side. She knew nothing about the planet, but her curiosity was piqued. She was going to ask him about it, but it would have to wait as he moved to speaking about her magick.

Maybe, she said. She didn't know him well enough to truly teach him, but there were no doubt areas of similarity that they could call upon. It wasn't a "no" but it also wasn't a "yes."

Someday, yes, she said, not mentioning that her scope would be much further than just her Clan. Someday she may well be the Queen of Dathomir. She listened with great interest as he spoke about his own inheritance and responsibilities. She didn't tell him outright the responsibility she would hold, but there was a hint below the surface of her response. Sometimes an inheritance can be a trap itself. Do you want to be King?

Before they would be able to continue further, Olathar entered, and things became more interesting. She felt her heart skip a beat for just a moment as a surge of adrenaline kicked in. A fight may well be coming their way.

Caer asked her if they should talk to him, and she looked over at him for a moment, weighing their options.

Speaking with him on our home turf gives us the advantage. No ISB support isn't great. I say we invite him to join us for dinner. Alone, she said. If Caer didn't object, she'd nod to Olathar to allow him to invite the Falleen in.

Suggestions for how to handle him? I'm not going to grovel for anyone, she said. They only had a minute or so to strategize, but she would at least attempt to listen to what Caer said, and likely even encourage him to take the lead in the discussion.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

When Arla laughed, Caerllion’s smile grew. Since they had met early that day, the Annfyn didn’t see many reactions coming from her. He felt that her laugh was a type of victory, beyond it making her look even prettier. Maybe she could do it more times, showing emotions was something amazing and made others know that they were sentient beings.

He stopped to think about her question. After his mother’s death, Caerllion understood that he had the right to become king. Taking control of Annwfyn was the Cyfnos’ plan for centuries. However, he wanted to rule in honor of the memory of his mother. “Yes, I want to. My mother was the original heir before her death, I’ll not allow my parasitic cousin to take what was her rightful place.”

If Olathar hadn't come to announce that Zunsuj was waiting for them, Caerllion would have elaborated his thoughts about his possible future kingship with more details. However, now they need to focus on other things. Such as the Falleen intention with this visit without being invited.

“I agree. While this situation isn’t ideal, having him talking in our place is better than having to deal with him somewhere else.” with his agreement, Olathar left to talk with the Falleen. He turned to look at Arla, also thinking about how they should act with the Falleen. “We should hear what he had to say first.” if it ends being something absurd, they would need to deal with him.

“Perhaps we can solve it with diplomacy. Would you allow me to start talking this time?” since she was his superior, the Annfyn felt the necessity of asking her permission to do it. If he was capable of convincing the Falleen to support them, this would avoid another bloodshed from happening.

Then, Olathar returned with Zunsuj. While the Falleen could have abandoned the Black Sun, he was dressed exactly like a member of it. It made the Acolyte wonder if such information was true. He took note of this fact and decided that they needed to be more careful around him.

“When I heard that old Garlon was dead, I thought that I should come to pay a visit to his successors. It’s a pleasure to meet you two.” Zunsuj said, something in his voice sounding off. He seemed to be more annoyed than happy with this meeting.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

She was quite interested in the snippets of information she heard about his family and its drama, almost relieved to hear someone else had the same problems she did. Perhaps she had found a kindred spirit in the Annfyn. She wanted to continue asking him about it, but there wasn't any time.

As he asked if he could begin the conversation, she nodded. You're probably better equipped for that anyway, she said. She wasn't always eager to admit her shortcomings, but she also knew being practical was key to surviving in Sith society.

A pleasure to meet you as well, she said with a smile that wasn't entirely friendly but not outright hostile either.

News certainly travels quickly on Columex, I see. "Old Garlon's" not even been dead more than a few hours, she said, her mind quietly mulling over which of the mercs and servants was secretly on his payroll. No doubt there were bribes paid on all sides.

Sith showing up on-world is something that will catch everyone's attention. Killing one of the major players will bring down everyone on your head, he warned, though whether it was more of a warning or a threat was up for debate. It was veiled enough not to cause an immediate reaction from her, but she was no fool.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Like Arla, Caerllion had also noticed the suspicious way that the Falleen had given them his “warning”. The Annfyn had dealt with a good share of politicians to notice a veiled threat. This one seemed to be exactly that. Perhaps they would need to use violence again. He wondered if anyone on this planet knew how to do diplomacy.

“Garlon’s death was unfortunate. We seek diplomacy, rather than violence.” hearing the Annfyn talk made Zunsuj turn to look at him. “We hope that it was an isolated incident and our next interactions with other important individuals of Collumex are going to be less violent. Of course, we also hope that you all are going to cooperate for this.” now was his time to leave hints of veiled warnings.

“We came here with hopes of making an alliance with Collumex. We believe that an union between your planet and the Empire would be beneficial for both sides.” Caerllion was prepared to tell the Falleen all the benefits that the world would receive from it. “Our cooperation will bring wealth and development to all those involved.”

“I think that it’ll be difficult for us to cooperate. See, you two ended up killing my closest partner. It’s something that I can’t forgive.” if it was the case, Caerllion contemplated if the Falleen was here to avenge the Hutt’s death. He didn’t expect that, having thought that the others presence here was because he already wanted to take control of the territory that was left vacant.

“See, me and Garlon had some ongoing business together. We were going to put them in practice soon, but now all that went to hell.” the Falleen said, his annoyance growing. “I had invested so much resources on that, for everything to end with your interference. I’m here to demand an indemnity.”

After the Falleen said that, Caerllion turned to look at Arla. He was going to let her answer this one. Something on him made the Acolyte think that they were probably going to have another moment like that with Garlon early. Perhaps this time would be different and she would want to at least hear what Zunsuj wanted as indemnity.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla had lost most of her appetite at this point, but she took another bite of her steak anyway simply because she wanted to appear relaxed. At least the cut was incredibly tender, which made it all the easier to continue eating. She washed it down with a sip of wine and then took a bite of her asparagus. Dathomirians were largely carnivores, but apparently Sephi were not, and her own heritage had given her quite a taste for vegetables of all different kinds. She must have gotten that from her father because she wasn't sure she'd ever seen her mother touch anything green that wasn't the Waters of Life.

She felt her gut drop just a little bit as she listened to the Falleen, and she knew there was a good chance of how this was going to go.

At least you have your lightsaber this time, she thought to herself. Her let out a quiet sigh, but one that almost sounded amused rather than angry. Not that she was particularly amused. This was turning into a wild pit of bantha poodoo.

Mr. Zunsuj, Garlon had his men raise weapons against us. That's something that I'm sure a man with your experience and... "connections" understands I cannot allow, she said with a shake of her head. No one in the Black Sun would have allowed that disrespect, and the thing these people seemed to be forgetting is that the Empire was far more powerful than Black Sun, and it's "made men" were the Sith. Raising a weapon against them was a death sentence.

As my colleague said, we're here to do business, preferably with you, she said, this time leaving off the 'but if need be, with someone else' that she'd added to Garlon. He was smart enough to pick up on it.

But you're in no positions to make demands of me, she stated bluntly, continuing before he could object.

You're a businessman so I'm sure you've already run the numbers. The Empire's resources are - for the intents and purposes of this conversation - limitless. Yours are not. You could kill me or my associate, and half a dozen more would take our place. The Empire will absorb Columex, it's just a matter of whether or not you're on our good side when we do. I, for one, would much rather see both of us thrive than spill more blood, she said. It was a mostly-truthful statement, though a part of her wondered if she'd have to kill him someday anyway. He seemed like the type to try to undermine her, but perhaps not.

But if he had come here for fighting, he wouldn't have left his guards outside. There was a whisper of thought in the back of her mind that said to just kill him now. Get it out of the way and deal with the others, but she suppressed it. He may give her reason all the same depending on his response.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Both Caerllion and Zunsuj remained in silence while Arla gave an answer to the Falleen. Different from their talk with the now dead Hutt, the Champion seemed to be more calm. There still were some visible threats in what she was seeing, but at least she didn’t attack the businessman.

“When Collumex inevitably joins the Empire, our allies on the planet are going to be well rewarded for their support. It would be a shame if someone like you isn't one of them.” the Annfyn complemented the Champion’s speech, wanting to leave very clear the fact that they would deal with him if the Falleen ended up staying against them.

Zunsuj remained in silence for some time, thinking about everything that the two Sith told him. While the Falleen thought, Caerllion started to eat the dinner. Since he had at this table, the Annfyn didn’t eat anything and after having thrown up everything that he had in his stomach hours early, the Acolyte really needed to put something back here. While he peacefully chewed the food, he concluded that both the meat and the vegetables were good.

After some time reflecting, Zunsuj seemed to have finally made a decision. “Everything that you said seems to be interesting. I really believe that the Sith are going to add Collumex to their map chart and I’ll be an idiot if I refuse to be part of it.” such answer seemed to be promising, but Caerllion thought that there would be a “however” coming soon after that.

“However, to add my support to your cause, I still want my indemnity for Garlon’s death.” the Falleen said, not surprising the Acolyte. “See, me and the old Hutt had been planning to dispose of the other members of the Five, this way we are going to split Collumex between us.”

“I had invested much in this business, but everything was lost after his death. Unless you two want to help me with that.” Caerllion raised an eyebrow with surprise, but didn’t stop eating. “What do you think we work together to bring them down? You could use all the resources that Garlon had. We could split Collumex between us and easily allow the Empire to annex it.”

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Caerllion seemed like a good ying to her yang. He was able to balance out the rough edges of her threats, the carrot to her stick. It seemed to be working. Zunsuj seemed willing to consider the suggestion based on his initial statement, but she could also hear the 'but' that was coming.

His talk of indemnities again wasn't making her ecstatic, but as he continued to speak and lay out his plan, things became more clear to her. She was glad she hadn't snapped at him, and she thought that perhaps there really was a chance for mutual benefit here. In her mind, it was better to solidify power into a single person anyway, so if he wanted to be that person, that was all the better. She only hoped that he wouldn't prove to be too stubborn to control.

She, too, continued eating as he spoke, her appetite returning just a bit as she listened.

Now that is an interesting proposal, she said with a nod. And not so incredibly different from options we had already considered, she stated. It was tipping her hand just a bit, but not so much that it would be a problem. Once again, he'd have been a fool not to consider that they'd already pondered such a thing. In fact, she wondered to herself if he'd actually been telling the truth about all of this, which led to her next question.

I assume you have a plan in place to deal with them, then? If you've invested so much. I'm sure our resources will make that plan easier to execute, she said. It was a test, of course, but at least a veiled one because it was a valid question. If he had a plan, it was better to get it out in the open now before they got too much further in wasted planning.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

While Zunsuj explained what he wanted as indemnity, a smile appeared at Caerllion’s lips. These secret maneuvers, plotting and conspiracy reminded him from how politics used to work in his homeworld. Different from what they liked to paint themselves to the common people, the nobles were constantly working to achieve what was more beneficial for them. Even conspiring against each other.

He nodded at Arla’s question and decided to give some more input. “Yes. If you want the help of the Empire, we need to know what these plans are. This way we can have the knowledge to work properly.” only an idiot would jump in such a conspiracy without any clear image of what they need to do. He wondered if Zunsuj thought that they would be too ambitious to accept helping him without having more information about his plans.

“Well, I think that it’s only fair. For months me and Garlon had been undermining the other Three by bringing their allies to our side. We also have several spies and agents infiltrated among their numbers. Soon there will be a meeting of all the Five and it would be the moment that we were going to dispose of the others, while our infiltrated agents took control of their properties.” Caerllion thought that this plan seemed to be short and simple. Perhaps because not everyone could play the long game like an Annfyn could.

The Acolyte wondered what Arla would think of all that. While the plan seemed to be too simple for his tastes, the Champion could still see some potential in it. “What do you think? Would it be good for us to continue with this operation in the place of Garlon?” he asked her, curious to know what the other Sith thought of all that.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla wasn't exactly blown away by the level of depth he presented, but it was... something. She still wasn't convinced he wasn't at least partially making this up, but time would tell. Her primary issue was how vague it was. If he really had converted their allies and top men and had spies in the enemy organization then that was doubtlessly valuable. If not... then she wasn't overwhelmed by the progress.

She reached out with her senses, relying on the Shadow rather than her own ability to read people. She didn't sense a lie in him, which was encouraging. Hopefully it would prove to be true and their investment wasn't a waste.

I'm sure you're familiar with Olathar, she said, motioning toward the majordomo who stepped forward, somewhat surprised by her bringing him up.

He's assuming Garlon's portion of this business and assets. With our support, of course, she said.

He'll travel with you to the meeting, and my associate and I will be able to dispose of the others, she said. I trust you've accounted for entities like Capstone. Even if you dispose of its CEO, I don't fancy a war with a PMC in our backyard, she said.

She turned to Caerllion. Would you like to attend the meeting directly or play a more... unseen role? she asked him. For her part, she didn't intend to be visible at the meeting until it was necessary, but he was more the diplomat than her and may want to make an appearance.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

His answer came as Arla talked with the Falleen. Leaving Olathar to be responsible for leading Garlon's side of the plan was risky. The Twi’lek couldn't have all the knowledge about what he should do, but at least a familiar presence could make the other Three more comfortable and let their guards down. This thought formed a devious idea in the Acolyte's mind.

"This time I'll help you in the sidelines, my presence can intimidate the others during the meeting." Caerllion said to Arla, also wanting to help with other aspects of their plan rather than staying only with diplomacy. While he considered it his preferred battlefield, the Annfyn knew that what the Champion was going to do was also important. Who knows if she wouldn't need help?

"Excellent! I'll prepare everything for my part of the plan. The meeting will be in three weeks." Zunsuj got up from his chair, already prepared to leave. "If you excuse me, I have much to do." the Falleen said before walking toward the door. Olathar went after him, leaving the two Sith alone in the room.

When the Falleen should already be in good distance, Caerllion turned to Arla. "Do you think that the Sith agents would be there before this meeting? I had an idea that could give us Collumex without the necessity of sharing it with Zunsuj.

"What do you think if we sent some of these agents undercover in this meeting? If the opportunity arises, they could kill Zunsuj and the other three, leaving only Olathar. His death could be considered as a side effect of the coup that went wrong." he didn’t tryst the Falleen, thinking that he could backstab them eventually.

"Then, we turn Olathar in the only ruler of Collumex. Of course, he would be only the Empire puppet. What do you think?" this change in the plan could help them avoid so much headache in the future. "We would need to purge others that are loyal to Zunsuj, but I think that the long term benefits of this new plan would be better for the Empire."

@Phoenix