Unholy Alliance

[Nicolás Cormond]

There were many different types of Senators. The kind that lazed around in their lofty apartments and positions or drank from fine wine with a pinky raised while talking about the ritzy cake in the corner of the party. The kind that planned and plotted against their rivals, or just about every other politician within a mile radius, while feeding off their own egos and self-admiration. The kind that actually believed themselves to be “good,” like they were actually contributing to society with their good works or guiding the Republic through the mess of corruption with their moral compass. But Akane Shirukomo, Senator of Atrisia, did not fall into any of those categories. She was different. Stronger, smarter. And Nicolás wasn’t sure whether to be intrigued or intimidated.

It was why he decided to meet with the woman himself and experience her firsthand. There was no telling what she was capable of, or if she already knew enough about him to avoid him, but like he— could she really afford to pass up an opportunity of an alliance? The Senate was, like the Republic, grand. And every individual vote could shape the future of the galaxy, and every little alliance could mean the lives, or the deaths, of millions. Perhaps Akane was looking for another friend to look to in the Senate chambers. Maybe she was looking for a connection, someone to trade one favor for another with. Whatever she wanted, Nicolás didn’t care so long as he left for what he came for: a contact.

He might be new to the Senate and virtually cut off from his own homeworld, but that didn’t mean he was going to sit around and do nothing about it. If he wanted to regain his position back on Brentaal, if he wanted to build himself a new foundation within the Republic, he would need friends.

Then again, as Nicolás slipped into where he was told he might find Akane, he was instantly hesitant. This was no typical, opulent charity ball or gala. It was neither a shoddy nightclub for him to laze around or drink. Instead, it looked to be more of a training complex. Somewhere for someone like the Judicial Forces to drill or season in. While the man had been trained to stand on his own, and he knew a thing or two about the Force coursing within him, that didn’t mean he was some kind of soldier or Jedi. He much preferred the art of diplomacy, manipulation— drinking. And if Akane was doing what he thought she was doing, then this meeting was about to get a lot more interesting.

There was nothing like a power play than to beat the shit out of a cadet while talking with a potential rival or ally. If anything, Nicolás was already mentally preparing himself to be tossed into the ring. He knew Akane was a skilled fighter, and she was going to challenge him to some bloody fight to prove his worth, then by the Force, he would—

Nicolás quickly spotted the Senator in the center of a platform, a training blade in her hand and an armored man before her. He smiled, but internally sighed. This was going to be quite the encounter.

@Arclight

 

[Akane Shirukomo]

"HYAAAAAAAAH!" The battle-cry bellowed from Akane's throat as she stepped forward, suddenly raising and lashing forward with her training blade to strike at her opponent's collarbone. The cadet and the politician both wore an identical set of training armor, and practiced with wooden training blades that were designed to move and feel very similar to a real sword.

CRACK!

Wood striking wood echoed through the chamber as her opponent brought his own blade up to block, stepping back as he did so, narrowly avoiding the blow.

But Akane was no mere trainee. She had been tutored in the blade since she was a little girl.

"HYAAAAAAH!" Once more her voice echoed off the walls in concert with her stroke, causing a visible flinch in her opponent as his mind had swiftly been conditioned to associate the sound with the need to defend himself. Stepping left and in, Akane's blade withdrew with a swiftness before once again lashing out, passing around the cadet's guard to strike at his ribs.

THWACK!

The sound echoing off the training hall was audibly different, the sound of wood striking padded armor. And just like that the sparring round was over. Lowering their blades and bowing respectfully, Akane handed hers off to an aide who rushed over before ripping her helmet free from her head and handing it off as well.

"Good! You're improving, you lasted almost a full minute that round. Keep it up and maybe one day you'll last two!" Laughing freely, Akane accepted a towel from her aide and wiped the sweat from her face. Even though the sparring rounds were short, exerting oneself so swiftly while wearing armor and swinging a weight of wood around would make even the most fit individual break into a sweat. Turning from the ring as she began to unbuckle the training armor, she spotted a fresh face in the training facility.

"I haven't seen you around here before, have you come to step into the ring?" A grin on her face, Akane wondered who the man was. He certainly wasn't dressed for a training session. In fact the longer that Akane observed him the more she began to think he might be a fellow Senator, among whom so few shared her interest in martial inclinations. With the adrenaline from the fight wearing off now, Akane silently chagrined herself for letting her usual poise and grace slip from her in front of a fellow politician. Wiping the sweat from her hand off on the gambeson of her training armor, Akane held it out to the man in a neutral position, unsure whether he would clasp it for a shake or kiss it as a gentleman. "Forgive me, after all the excitement i seem to have forgotten my manners. I am Senator Shirukomo, how may i help you?"

@Deviant

 

[Nicolás Cormond]

There she was. Akane Shirukomo. Despite all the rumors he heard, despite having seen the young woman within the Senate chambers on various different occasions, she seemed to tower above everything he had expected before entering the room. Clad in training armor, a wooden blade tight in her hand, her voice thundering as she fought with one of the other padded men. He knew she was a skilled warrior, but watching her move with both ferocity and finesse still surprised him, a blend hard to find on any battlefield, let alone in the very Republic Senate. Nevertheless, he held his head high, his eyes forward, and kept his jaw from dropping to the floor. If the woman was looking to intimidate him, he wouldn’t let it show— even if it really had.

As she ripped her helmet free from her head, Nicolás got a good look at the Senator. Olive skin, streaks of ink black hair cascading past her shoulders, brown eyes. Eyes that soon gravitated into his direction. The curl of her lips was inviting, enough to tempt the young man to step ever closer, but her words and her heavy presence stalled him. For a moment, he thought Akane was seriously coaxing him to step into the ring until she unbuckled her remaining armor, wiped the sweat from her temple, and reached that same hand for a handshake or a kiss. While Nicolás did enjoy a good first impression, he was not too keen to kissing her hand. A hand covered in sweat, battered knuckles and, as strange as it sounded, muscle. The woman seemed more experienced than he had expected too.

Already, Nicolás had underestimated the other Senator, and he knew a streak of those mistakes would leave him in a bad position when he left this chamber. If I ever leave, a worried thought echoed from the back of his mind. Regardless, the young man made sure not to ignore her pleasantries, as much as he wanted to. Hand extended, he shook her hand firmly. But unsurprisingly, her grip was only harder, and already, Nicolás was the first to retract. Of course, he maintained that same smile, attempting to hide his breaking pride and masculinity. “Forgiveness not needed, Senator, and no need to apologize. If anything, I should apologize for approaching you at such a strange time. But as I’m sure you know, desperate times do call for desperate measures— and meetings.” He nodded sagely.

“But I am Senator Cormond of Brentaal, though you can call me Nicolás. Seeing as we’re not under the roof of the Senate rotunda, formalities are not needed either.” He smiled again, and glanced down to the rather stiff appearance of the young woman. “But I see you already understand.” A quick jest, a little nudge. While he meant no offense, Nicolás was always quite to the point. Perhaps the woman would come to appreciate that, or like some others, come to hate it. Either way, the Senator was intent on leaving with this woman on his side. “Alderaan is under investigation. Balmorra is under siege. The Cartel grows bolder with every passing day. And here I am, trying to find my way through the chaos.” He inclined his head to the side, playing dumb. “Yet there are a lot of things you could help me with, Senator Shirukomo. Or Akane, if you don’t mind.”

Regardless of answer, he would only continue, slowly veering the subject back onto her. “But how about you, Senator? How can I help you?” The question seemed to be thrown out of nowhere, but the message was clear. By now, she should have known why he was here: for an alliance.

@Arclight

 

[Akane Shirukomo]

Gripping the mans hand tightly, Akane took his measure. That he was another Senator was soon confirmed, and his hands had the feel of one not too used to labor. Not that Akane's hands were much different, as she made a conscious effort to lessen the callousing and dryness that were caused by training, a strict regimen of moisturizing and other methods to present the hands of a politician. Which only worked half as well as she would hope. Releasing the Senator's hand and returning his smile, Akane nodded in agreement to his assessment of the times. "Not at all. While i must admit i had hoped to keep my little training bouts from becoming the subject of today's rumors, i understand the need for urgency in these trying times."

As he continued, Akane realized how silly she must look compared to her usual elegant kimono's and elaborate hairdos. Long black hair flowing freely, no doubt in part plastered to her forehead by slowly drying sweat. Padded clothes meant for under a set of armor, not state meetings. She was woefully under-dressed for the occasion compared to her compatriot. A fact that he was quick to point out as he glanced down at her garb, though the man moved on from the subject quickly. "Troubling times indeed, and of course, no need for formalities here Nicolás." Looking down at her state of dress, Akane smirked, "After all i'm hardly dressed for a formal meeting."

"Walk with me." Gesturing for Nicolás to walk by her side, Akane used the time to examine his question. Clearly the man had an agenda for being here, one rarely made an unannounced social call in the Senate. Walking in a measured pace, heading for the exit of the sparring room, Akane continued speaking. "And you come to me as a calm place in the center of such a storm, how flattering, though i fear we are all adrift in a sea of circumstances out of our control that we can merely make the best of." Exiting the training room and proceeding down an empty hallway, Akane turned an appraising eye to the Senator from Brentaal IV. "And how can you help me? Well you could buy me lunch, for starters. I always find myself famished after a training session." Deflecting the need for immediate political discourse, Akane came to a stop by a women's locker room. "If you don't mind waiting for me to freshen up a bit that is."

Not giving him time to answer, Akane ducked into the doorway with a coy parting smile. Not wishing to keep the man waiting for too long, though the thought did occur to her to put him on edge by taking forever, she immediately stepped into the sonic shower, which made quick work of the sweat and grime leftover by the days training. Emerging from the locker room a few minutes later, wearing a simple black and gold dress, her hair done up in a bun held together by a pair of ornate dragon shaped hair sticks, and a thin layer of make-up, and most importantly her ever present pair of ceremonial Yovshin blades belted to her left hip. Akane calmly stepped back into the political arena on more even footing, offering her right arm to the Senator of Brentaal IV. "I believe we were getting lunch."

@Deviant

 

[Nicolás Cormond]

She understood. Senator Shirukomo seemed a lot more casual than he first expected. Nicolás, in fact, anticipated a woman with a ruthless approach, inelegant poise and a blunt attitude. Instead, despite the ferocity she showed in the ring, the young woman had exceeded his expectations once again. She was shrewd, quick, and neither rude enough to make the man twitch with anger, unlike Senator Adasca who he had met with a week prior. In reality, Akane was almost everything he looked for in a fellow bureaucrat. Better yet, she was quick to the point. Needless pleasantries were clearly not her style, and she soon skipped straight to the details, compelling him to walk with her to the locker room to beckoning him to buy lunch.

Typically, he would be a little fazed, but that was quite the contrary. Not even a minute into meeting, and she gained his respect. That was a feat not many have accomplished with the likes of Nicolás. And if their impending meeting and inevitable discussion went well, he could imagine Akane earning his admiration too. Something unsaid of with the Senator, even to his own knowledge.

“Lunch, of course, will be on me. I wouldn’t have expected otherwise.” He smiled, head held high like a gentleman but his tone almost conceding to the woman. Nicolás didn’t want to show himself as submissive, but neither did he want to remain snobbish and defiant. There was a fine line he liked to maintain. And how long he would stay there depended purely on how willing Akane was with their encounter. Having him wait for her to dress, especially just outside the locker room, also made him mildly impatient, annoyingly curious, and unsurprisingly anxious. But all that sentiment was instantly blown away and replaced with surprise as the young woman emerged a few minutes later.

“Ah, er— yes. I believe so.” He managed to answer, eying the Senator up and down with disguised awe. She had turned from a skilled warrior and fighter into a well-dressed aristocrat within the span of six minutes. For a moment, Nicolás thought she was a whole different person, up until her caught the strength in her voice and the ceremonial daggers on her waist. Given a moment of wallowing in his brief confusion, the Senator quickly took the beautiful young woman by the arm and escorted her from the building. Outside on a nearby landing platform, a lavish speeder would be waiting, prepared to ferry the pair out to one of the finer restaurants in upper Coruscant. It was the least she deserved, he knew.

Opening the speeder door for Akane, Nicolás gestured her inside. “M'lady,” he said, inviting and, surprisingly, well-mannered.

@Arclight

 

[Akane Shirukomo]

Akane feigned ignorance to the unconcealed wandering of Nicolás' eyes. She knew how she looked, and his break from the picturesque gentleman he presented himself as amused her. Flicking open a paper fan with her left hand to hover in front of the smile that threatened to break through her composure, Akane's eyes twinkled with laughter as Nicolás sputtered, his tongue tripping over itself. "Lead the way Nicolás."

Quietly letting Nicolás guide her to the landing platform, fan fluttering idly to produce a gentle breeze upon her face. Akane used the brief silence to search her mind for any information she might have on the man and his world, little as that may be. Arriving at the landing platform where a luxury speeder awaited, Akane smiled as Nicolás opened the door for her, as any gentleman would. Entering the back cab of the speeder, Akane waited for Nicolás to enter as well, crossing her legs demurely, fan still held in front of her lower face. As soon as the door closed and Nicolás was seated, Akane spoke. "Aren't you the perfect gentleman, they raise them well on Brentaal IV it seems." Snapping her fan closed to briefly touch her lips with the end. She quietly wondered if the Senator from Brentaal IV was familiar with the courtly Atrisian language of the fan that came almost as second nature to her.

"Tell me, how does your homeworld fare? Does Brentaal still bear the scars of the Exile's occupation? It was so long ago i must have been a small girl when the news reached Atrisia." Akane's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she appraised the man before her, trying to ascertain any signs of his age. Smooth, tanned skin. A curly mop of dirty brown hair that framed a handsome face, lacking any telltale grey. A well trimmed beard that no doubt often tickled the necks of young maidens. If Akane's judgement was correct she would place herself as a few years Nicolás senior. Letting the fan wander from her lips to hover in front of her right cheek, Akane smiled. "You must have been young, i'm sure you don't even remember the invasion."

The casual conversation was not without meaning. Akane knew that the avoidance of political discussion could not last forever, but now the thought of the Exiles ravaging of his home planet would be a fresh thought in the Senator's mind. Even if he hadn't been old enough to remember when the war had made landfall on his homeworld, he surely had grown up with the scars of the war surrounding him. The luxury speeder whirred and the air in the cabin shifted slightly as it smoothly departed from the landing pad. Briefly turning her head to glance out over the cityscape, she again turned her attention back to Nicolás, flicking open the fan once more. "Would you like to tell me where it is we are going, or is it to be a surprise?"

@Deviant

 

[Nicolás Cormond]

He was raised well indeed. Since first introduced to the courts of Brentaal by his father, Nicolás was primed and groomed to be the perfect gentleman, the picturesque politician and aristocrat. Manners and style and custom were ingratiated into him like a tattoo on the back of his hand. Although his veiled banishment from Brentaal and his lengthy stay on Coruscant had somewhat eroded such mannerisms, he still knew enough as a Senator to remember them all. Especially as he sought to forge new alliances, those quirks continued to prove useful in winning both the heart and trust of other skeptical bureaucrats. He hoped Senator Shirukomo would make yet another fine addition to that list, even if she was more of a sword-wielder than a pencil-pusher and desk jockey.

“Why, thank you.” He answered to her first remark, a flattered smile plastered across his face before he slipped into the ritzy speeder too. Settled in his own cushioned seat, he exchanged looks with Akane, following her eyes as they roamed around his inviting features. Now, he was really flattered. “Brentaal fares well, though. It’s been sometime since I last visited, but from reports I’ve received, it continues to prosper, especially since the end of the Exile’s occupation.” He paused, turning his attention away from the young woman to reflect for but a moment. “I was fresh out of infancy during their occupation, but the scars were not as deep as you might believe. In the end, we emerged stronger and smarter than before. Not that I condone the actions of the Exiles. There is no forgiving what they did.”

Except, there was. In truth, Nicolás could not have given any less of a damn about the Exiles. So long as they stayed out of his way, and the way of Brentaal, he was satisfied. Because, as he said, the Exiles’ had inadvertently swept aside the world’s former government, giving way to a shrewd and powerful trade guild that had evolved under their reign. Out with the old, in with the new. That was how House Cormond also rose into power: by employment with the Exiles, by kissing their ass to avoid destruction and profiting all the same from their endless war. Not that the Republic ever figured that out, though. To them, to everyone else, House Cormond was just one of the many houses to have lucked out from the Exiles’ murderous campaign.

Still, Nicolás saw what Akane was trying to get at, because he had done it multiple times before with other Senators. She had to be trying to evaluate his political position, or trying to plot a course on their inevitable discussion. Of course, he didn’t resist. They were bound to have spoken about it anyway. Fortunately, before anything grew too deep, the subject quickly shifted onto what Nicolás himself had planned. As the city flashed past them, he only answered. “I’m a man full of surprises, Senator. As I’m sure you’ll come to understand.” He smirked, the innuendo tucked somewhere in his words. And a moment after, the speeder was already descending from the traffic, landing outside a seemingly shabby establishment. Exiting, he opened the door for Akane once again, motioning her to follow him inside.

Unlike its outward appearance, the establishment interior was completely different. A whole new world. To call it grand or posh would be a gross understatement. The whole building was, in reality, an underworld casino reserved for only the wealthiest, the influential, the potentially powerful. And Nicolás was all three. He hadn’t come to gamble away his savings, but he had come to introduce the other Senator to a business almost unheard of, as well as the source of some of the best drinks he had ever had in his life. Glancing over to her, he offered up his arm to lead her on. “Shall we?”

@Arclight

 

[Akane Shirukomo]

Akane listened passively as Nicolás elaborated on the effects of the Exile's occupation of Brentaal IV. She nodded approvingly, her respect for the people of Brentaal growing slightly. While she only had the Senator's word, a people growing through adversity was highly commendable. But then the conversation turned back to the present, as Nicolás words playfully implied that there was more mystery to him, and that she would perhaps get a glimpse behind the mask of composure that he wore, or perhaps not. "Perhaps, though you might find i am not so easily astonished." A small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips as she once more looked out the window, fan fluttering slowly to the side of her face, once more hiding the smirk from view.

The cab descended onto a landing platform, which played host to an establishment that appeared just on the right side of shady. Bemused, Akane had half a mind to protest, before deciding to see how things played out. The Senator from Brentaal IV might be a mysterious man with dubious intentions, but he also seemed a man of class and sophistication, as was further displayed by him opening the door for her, though he was quick to motion her to follow. Eyes flickering to the shadows as she gracefully accepted his hand to rise out of the speeder, Akane couldn't help but wonder what his play was. For now all she could do was follow.

And immediately regret doubting her fellow Senator as the shabby exterior seemed to undergo a complete transformation the moment they stepped through the doors. Glitz and glamour abound, the gambling establishment's design and decor doing the utmost to dazzle newcomers with its lavish opulence. Akane idly wondered if she could even afford an ante at one of the gambling tables. As a Senator of Atrisia she never needed for credits, but neither was possessing of wealth grand enough to justify her presence in such a place. Snapping out of her musings, Akane accepted Nicolás arm, wrapping her own arm through it even as the other hand snapped the fan closed to hold gently cradled between her palm and her escort's bicep. "You certainly do know how to impress a lady, however i find myself suddenly feeling under-dressed for the occasion." Her eyes following a pair of women dressed in the most extravagant gowns cut in the height of fashion.

Letting Nicolás lead as she took in the sights, Akane hoped he remembered his promise of lunch. She hadn't been lying when she said that training made her work up an appetite and was beginning to feel famished. Not wanting to admit weakness in front of her fellow Senator however, she remained quiet on that particular subject. Instead returning to an earlier conversation. "It is good to hear that Brentaal emerged from the war stronger than before. 'Only through conflict do we evolve', an old Atrisian proverb that perhaps your people have embraced. A shame the Republic seems to have only regressed, rather than advance and become stronger through its adversity." If anything the Republic seemed weaker than ever, having abandoned any gains made during the war and even pushing multitudes of systems out of its governance rather than help them rebuild from the war. Utterly shameful in Akane's eyes. However that was neither her nor there, and she was eager to move on to a more appetizing part of the afternoon. "So tell me Nicolás, what other surprises do you have in store for us, or am i to remain in the dark?"

@Deviant

 

[Nicolás Cormond]

“Under-dressed? Don’t be ridiculous. You’re absolutely stunning.” He enjoyed her unexpected sense of humility, a rarity to find among the Senate. But compared to the opulence and luxury of the underworld casino and its patrons, he could see why she felt so out of place. Still, she was too modest, and as Nicolás watched her eyes follow a pair of young women wrapped in the finest silk and embellished with the brightest jewels, he could not help but chuckle. “Don’t compare yourself to these people. What really matters here is power, not money. And as a Senator of Atrisia, you outclass almost anyone in this whole casino. That, and you’re easily the most beautiful.” He nudged over to the women he caught her looking at. “Those women are only trying to compensate for their lack of looks and grace. Which, I’m sure, you never have to worry about.”

“But, yes. The Republic has met a fork in the road. Or really, smacked into a brick wall. If they ever wish to prosper as they did before, if the Senate ever cares enough about the safety and security of the Republic, then I’m sure new leadership and new alliances must be made. The Senate needs to be reigned in, they need to be guided forward. As I’m also sure you well know.” He glanced over to Senator Shirukomo. His words were obvious in its intent. Once again, it was more of a subtle request to what Nicolás wanted from her: an alliance. Because together, they could just lead the Republic from the pitfall it had so willingly threw itself into.

Nicolás led the female Senator forward, deflecting intrigued stares from passing women to envious glares from older men. It seemed the limelight was now on them, and the patrons surrounding them were neither blissfully ignorant to their arrival. They knew who the pair were. They knew the power each held at their fingertips as Senators of the Republic. Why? Because it was real power. Not the type that could be easily bought and sold like cattle. But the type to be earned, and therefore, respected. Already, the pair made their way beyond each gambling stake, low to high stakes, as Nicolás guided Akane to the lavish VIP section of the casino. It was there that, perhaps, the finest food on Coruscant was served. Fine wine from the Core, rare herbs from the Colonies, exotic meals hunted and pulled from the Outer-Rim. Nicolás was sure she would love it as much as he did.

“Like I said, Akane. I am a man of many surprises. This is only the start.” He smiled and gestured around to the extremely lush restaurant. Waiters and waitresses moved like phantoms between each table, all fashioned of mahogany with chairs that could rival the throne of a king. Everything was extra as hell. But for the Senator, it was worth it. As a female host immediately recognized Nicolás, she led the pair to their table in the far corner, where a waiter and a bottle of expensive Chandrilan wine awaited them. Opening Akane’s seat for her, Nicolás allowed her to settle in before he did himself. Once he did, the waiter stepped forward, bowed to each one, and offered up the wine. “Welcome to the Per Se, Senators. May I interest in you with our aged Château Chandrilan wine?”

Nicolás nodded. “Please.” The waiter obliged, and depending on Akane’s answer, would do the same. Of course, the young man was not one for such pleasantries. He was sure the woman was famished, and he quickly moved to order. Barely glancing at the menu before them, he drummed up what he wanted. “Calamari frittata, almas caviar on the side, if you could.” The waiter nodded. “And whatever this fine young lady wants.” He turned to Akane. “Absolutely anything.”

@Arclight