Kuat - Persuasion of the Nobles

[Numenius Pax]

Theme​

"Of all the people I could have been paired with for this discussion... why did it have to be you?"

Numenius wasn't usually the kind of person who would say that to someone's face but he reasoned that Moor and himself had that kind of relationship. The kind where they both didn't like each other, both of them knew it but both of them accepted that the other was skilled at what they did.

There was respect for the person and their skills... at the same time as annoyance over the person and their standpoint on key issues.

He sighed a little bit as he finished his caff and moved towards the building they were set to meet the nobles of Kuat in. They had arrived early and even now they were going in early but with nobles? Well you could never show enough 'respect' for them.

Dressed in his suit, Numenius adjusted his tie and gave Moor a little smirk as they stepped into the lift,

"So... feeling like another wager?"

@Aberforth

 

[Moor Todan]

Unlike many worlds in the Republic, Kuat's shipyard, one of the largest in the galaxy, was not operated by a privately-owned corporation. The government was Kuat Drive Yards. Moor's carefree approach would therefore have to be adjusted. His ordinarily casual attire had been casted aside in favor of a more traditional suit.

The Nubian's partner on this adventure would be none other than the Senator of Corulag. Their partnerships were becoming a little too frequent for Moor's liking, but he resolved to address the situation with humour. "My dear Numenius, I've been told that you requested my presence here. Am I to understand that I was misinformed?" If so, you see me deeply distraught. I thought what we had was special."

"I love playtime just as much as the next person, but are you sure it is appropriate? Besides Kuati generally prefer playing their own games." Truth be told, the Nubian was reluctant to owe Senator Pax another favour until he had called in the first one. Who knew what went on in his deprived mind? Moor half-expected Numenius to request him to pledge his support to one of his derisory so-called pro-peace proposal, no doubt aimed at destabilizing the newly reconstituted Grand Army of the Republic.

"I have arranged a dinner with the head of state's attaché. You are welcomed to join us, unless you have other plans" It was more of a politeness and Moor hoped that he would turn him down.

@Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

Kuati Noble's were often an odd lot, and the pair the Senators would meet today would not exactly buck that trend. But a luncheon had been prepared, and the kitchen staff working their fingers to the bone to offer the guests today only the finest in Kuati hospitality, as Lord Depon had requested.

Only, the Senators would not be meeting with Lord Depon at all.

They were to meet in the estate of House Depon, from the outside a dark structure of wrought metal and humming lights, with more than enough security to keep the riffraff out. Already now, standing outside it, a horn blared out even during the Senators conversation, announcing their arrival, with guards checking papers and their booking, before ushering them quietly inside.

And as the Senators were brought inside the lofty and imposing House Depon tower, they were greeted to a rather immediate change of dynamic. The interior was furnished top to tail like the grandest of ancient family mansions, all hardwood and gilded frames, rosewood furniture and garish light fixtures. And as if from nowhere, a pair entered. Young, wealthy, well-groomed, they glided down the stairs with more than a little stifled laughter,

"Stop it Cecily"

"No you stop it Margery" they both giggled cheekily before noticing the Senators,

"Oh yes, it's you"

"You two"

"Quite"

"I'm afraid yes, papa cannot be meeting with you today, something urgent about pension funds or something a rather..." His voice trailed off, clearly not one to worry about such trivialities,

"The point is-"

"That he's sent us"

"His children"

"Favourite children"

"Best children"

"To meet with you instead. Won't that be something?" Cecily added with a coquettish smile, clearly ready to enjoy this game of diplomacy. Especially given they were in the position of power here.

"Yes, cake, conversation, and compensation. What could be better?" Margery let out with a squeal.

It was time to play the game. But these Noble's seemed somewhat unconcerned with such trivialities and talks. What ever could the Senators say to bring them round?


@Nefieslab @Aberforth

 

[Numenius Pax]

Numenius was already a little bit annoyed that Moor was even here but the man's attempts at humour were just a little bit worse than if the man had started yammering on about re-arming the Republic again. At least when he was on his high horse about rearmament he wouldn't have to be polite and pretend to give a damn about what he had to say.

Huh... that was a bit of a cutting thought. Did Moor Todan really get under his skin that much?

"Forgive me, Senator Todan, but if I wanted the company of someone such as yourself... I'd see about hiring a performing circus Jawa to follow me around." he replied with a small smirk, "A jest surely. To be certain Senator Todan; you certainly are special to me."

Numenius was happy enough to not wager to be honest - he was in a position of power over Todan (he had the high ground as it were) and he was loathe to even chance losing that edge. He would probably need it in the end to make sure that the senator didn't attempt to snipe his proposals in the Senate for awhile.

Or at least for one motion.

"Well, aren't you pro-active?" he tilted his head to the side slightly, "Why Senator Todan... I feel as though I must attend! What would they say if you showed up alone? It would be terribly disappointing for them."

But whatever - they were here now and the interior was very far removed from what he had expected based on the exterior. He couldn't say he disapproved however since the inside was much more tasteful in his eyes. Their papers were checked and they were rushed through. Spotting two people coming down the stairs, Numenius resisted the urge to throttle Todan.

Either the infuriating man couldn't even count... or things were taking an interesting turn.

He recovered as quickly as he could and made towards the pair. Numenius shook the man's hand firmly and delicately placed a kiss on the back of the woman's hand,

"Lovely to meet you both - though we expected your father, this is an unexpected, but not unwelcome, treat I assure you!" he told them with a bright smile, "I expect this to be a lovely meeting - perhaps one truly unique from the droll affairs we usually endure, perhaps, Senator Todan?"

If he had to engage with the terrible twosome then so did Todan!

He still wasn't convinced this wasn't Todan's fault somehow.

@Aberforth @Nightfall096

 

[Moor Todan]

Moor chose to ignore Numenius' petty remarks. How undignified, he thought. Exactly what I would expect from him. Let's hope he will be able to behave in front of our guests.

When they entered the Depon estate, it became apparent that plans had changed. Moor meticulously planned evening had been discarded in favor of a meeting with the head of state's children. Perhaps to way to the man's head was through his heart.

The entrance of the two siblings however deeply unsettled Moor. The pair's odd habit to build off one another sentence was something we would have expected to find in a space fare. Couldn't their father have done anything to discourage that sort of behavior? Unless it was his twisted ways to tell unwanted guess that he was not interested in what they had to say to him.

"Truly honored to make your acquaintance, Lady Depon," he said orchestrating a courteous neck bow. She was one of the most exquisite women the Nubian senator had ever had the pleasure to lay the eyes on. Moor's personal experience with heiresses, however, reminded him to tread with caution.

"I am delighted to meet you, Lord Depon," he added repeating the same polite gesture that had accompanied his previous greeting.

"I had a meeting arranged with your father's attaché unfortunately, but I insist that my colleague accompanies you for 'cake, conversation, and compensation'. I can assure you that my company will not be missed," he would let Numenius entertain the siblings while he ensured the success of their mission. Besides, wasting his time was definitely his rival's area of expertise.

 

[The Storyteller]

If the look on Cecily's face was anything to go by, he wasn't exactly pleased by the rather zealous introductions the Senator's now gave to his sister. Indeed, he usually wasn't pleased when any prospective suitors brought themselves before her, nor was he now. A short, sharp scowl fell on his lips as he watched Senator Pax kiss the back of his sisters hand. How very forward, he thought. It wasn't a great first impression to him

But Margery, for her own part, very much enjoyed the introductions, giggling away at herself as the two dashing, strapping fellows offered their greetings. A different sort to those sons and daughters of the other Kauti families, perhaps that was made it so much fun for her. Either way she fluttered her eyes back at both of them before turning to her brother, who seemed to have composed himself as Senator Todan offered his greetings. Good, he thought, at least someone was paying attention to him,

"Oh, Senator, Senator, Senator" Margery proffered through a little laugh "Cecily it seems he's a tad confused" she said to her brother knowingly,

"Doesn't he" Cecily shot back cheekily "Senator Todan that's what I was trying to tell you. You did have a meeting with the attache yes, but now, it's with us" he finished, looking back to his sister, a look on his face saying 'won't this be fun' to her, before looking back at their guests,

"It'll be good, yes? Come, things were already prepared for your arrival, we're just... taking their place, is all"

"Exactly, follow me gentleman, to the parlour"

"Well, a parlour"

"This is true" they prattled off while continuing their inane, haughty laughter, transitioning to a small sitting room. On a stand before them was a high tea set, along with caf and tea for refreshment. Taking their seats, Cecily took a ever so rushed look through the diplomatic notes that had been set out by their farther before scurrying them away beneath the seat. He was much more prepared to keep an eye on them for his sister than he was for making trade deals,

"Now, talks, talks, talks, that's what this is about"

"About guns"

"And ships"

"So you can make the balance shift. Tell us then, we of House Depon are doing just fine-" she gestured to the opulent surrounds in a way that suggested something like 'can't you tell?'

"With the shipyards off as they are. Why ever would I want to go through all that work to set them up again?" And so, rather flippantly, the talks began.


@Nefieslab @Aberforth

 

[Numenius Pax]

Oh for the love of... had Todan really believed that the son and daughter of such an important family had come to meet them just because they wanted a bit of a laugh? By the Force... no. Just no. He wanted to smack the other senator but he knew better than to attempt something like that.

No instead he would stick to subtly mocking the hell out out of the other senator at another time. The guy deserved it - he had tried to leave Numenius to deal with the terrible twosome on his own! That was just cruel and he could tell that even though he hadn't actually spent that much time with the twins yet. He managed to keep his smile as easy and unstrained but it was a near thing he would freely admit.

These siblings were beginning to creep him out a bit.

The brother wasn't bad on the eyes though.

"Now why..." he joked with a smirk as he followed the two of them through, "Do I feel reminded of that old poem? “Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly..."

He winked at the sister slyly,

"This isn't your attempt to let you just eat us up is it?" he teased with a smirk before humming as he looked around the parlour, "And it IS a very lovely parlour too..."

Sitting down, Numenius kept on smiling,

"Well you do seem to be doing very well for yourselves but remember... there is always more." he told them with a grin, "You could be content with what you have now but why limit yourselves? Government money for work that's going to put even more money in your bank accounts? Makes sense to me."

@Aberforth @Nightfall096

 

[Moor Todan]

Wealth, love, sex and power. Those were the four reasons why anyone did anything.

Numenius had thought he could appeal to the twins' sense of greed. Typical. That was generally what people were opting for when negotiating trade agreements. Reasonably so, for it yielded results in most situation. However, Moor had an inkling that it wouldn't work: House Depon had already amassed more credits than its members could ever hope to spend for generations.

As for love and sex, his intuition told Moor that the twins might have already been getting quite enough of those, and maybe even from each other. They were definitely weird enough to be the type. Anyhow, they didn't have time to play sentimental games.

It would have to be power. Moor would exploit the twin's hubristic nature.

"Kuat is seen as weak. And so is House Depon by association." That statement was intended to shock his interlocutors. A risky strategy to be sure, but the Senator of Nubia did not care for games.

"We are offering you a chance to change that, without crippling your family fortune," he continued before the twins had a chance to have the guards escort them off the property. "Kuat was once hailed as one of the most efficient shipyards in the galaxy, and its defenses were formidable. Even the Jedi Exiles did not dare to attack it during the last war." While numerous battles had taken place on Corellia, its rival had remained safe for over a hundred years. Only minor incidents had been reported on its surface.

"Reconditioning the shipyard for military production would provide Kuat, and by extension House Depon, with more protection and influence than any amount of credits could ever buy. We are giving you back what the Chancellor took from you; your status in the wider galaxy."

@Nightfall096 @Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

"Oh there's always time for a snack Senator!" Margery called playfully back to Senator Pax (@Nefieslab) as they entered the parlour. She wasn't one to say no to a bit of back and forth.

But, as the Senators began to play the right game it seemed, though not necessarily for the reasons they had imagined. The twins looked at eachother as the pair began to make their suggestions, before looking back at them. The offers were both intriguing, though the pair had their own ideas why.

Cecily, for his part, held a very, very high standard for any future engagement his sister would be entering into, perhaps even more so than their father. And that meant he devoted a great deal of effort to ensuring only the best of them became even would-be suitors of hers. Moor's (@Aberforth) talk of influence, of strength, certainly played on his mind. A great house could afford a great dowry, and a great dowry encouraged influence and interest from those up, up, up the ziggurat. If they, as the youngest of the Depon's, could secure such deals, then well, who would their father be to have any say in their choice of partners. Cecily could ensure Margery only ended up with someone deserving. And that was a high bar. Yes, this seemed a good idea. And as he looked between his sister and Senator Todan another option seemed to come to mind, yes. One that could secure an even more... interesting alliance.

Margery herself enjoyed enough the game of it, and the efforts of the Senators to offer to her was just all part of such fun, she had little stake in the outcome herself it seemed. At least, not on any business level. No, she was not her fathers daughter, but her brothers' sister, and as such shared similar ambitions. To marry up, and marry out, was an altogethr appealing notion that the pairs suggestions of wealth and power seemed only to assist. But, looking to her brother, she knew there was something else in mind,

"Senator Todan, Pax, or Moor, Numenius, if I may" he offered the pair with a wide grin,

"All this talk of status-"

"Money-"

"influence-"

"It's fascinating, intriguing we must admit. Such things could assist in securing alliances for many years for House Depon, something that father dearest has been struggling"

"Struggling greatly-"

"To do. But there is another option we have in mind" Cecily offered one look to his sister to affirm they were on the same wavelength. They were. They always were.

"Nothing secures an alliance like a marriage"

"And the houses of Kuat, there all so... so like us"

"Weak, like you said"

"Quite. But, there are some who are strong. Like, those who represent the Republic" he let the words hang a bit, to be sure the Senators knew what was coming. But if they wanted these ships, how could they say no?

"A Senator would make quite the suitor"

"Quite" she offered with a smile

"If this alliance is to be secured, the shipyards of Depon restarted... would either of you gentleman affirm that alliance?" the tables had turned, and the game was now in the Senators court. How would they take the offer? If so, who? They would have to play this carefully. Though of course there was the obvious answer, there may be other ways to ensure this goes ahead as planned. Such an offworld alliance would put Depon ahead on this little planet, and the twins knew that all too well.

 

[Numenius Pax]

Flirting wasn't something that Numenius would call his "best skill" but it seemed that the daughter, Margery, had some fun leading him along with it. Did it really count as leading him along considering he didn't actually want anything that she could offer him? He was rather happy with the man he's set his sights on already after all, thank you very much.

Todan seemed to think that influence was a bigger factor than money...

Numenius could see that.

Credits, influence and power - they were all that mattered when you got onto a Galactic scale and Kuat was, by it's very nature, on a Galactic scale. So he listened carefully as they outlined their proposal before blinking once at the end.

And then blinking again.

"Well I know that Senator Todan is unmarried." he announced, quick to jump onto this one before it could be pushed onto himself, "He is a rising star within the Senate in many ways and conducts himself well on a wide variety of missions."

He placed a hand on his chest and just told the truth,

"I'm afraid I would be rather limiting in terms of a political marriage as I am homosexual."

After all - political marriages were based on the idea that children of both lines would strengthen both Houses. While he might be a good choice politically, he wasn't actually able to give the twins what they would actually want from him in the long run.

@Aberforth @Nightfall096

 

[Moor Todan]

The proposal had come as a shock. Had it been so difficult for Garland Depon II to find suitable matches for his children? House Depon's situation must have been direr than he had anticipated. Perhaps the internal rivalry it cultivated with House Andrim had put it at odds with the other noble families of Kuat.

Moor was not privy to his colleague's personal life and could therefore not know whether Numenius was telling the truth, or merely using romantic and sexual attractions as an excuse to get out of a tricky situation. Anyhow, he had never thought the Senator of Corulag capable of sacrificing his personal comfort for the greater good of the galaxy, so his deflection did not surprise him.

"I have no land, no name, no titles, and though it is satisfying to hear my comrade sing my praises, my function was merely entrusted to me by the good people of Nubia." It was better to be honest. If House Depon hoped to improve his status by uniting their daughter's life to his, they risked being thoroughly disappointed.

"Nevertheless, if taking one of your own as my wife is all it takes to protect the Republic, I will oblige." He was half-convinced that the twins were bluffing, but his devotion to the Republic was absolutely and the idealistic ideas he had entertained about romance had been crushed by the death of his first wife a year into their marriage.

 

[The Storyteller]

No name?

No land?

No title?

Just who did they let be Senators these days? Perhaps, Cecily thought, and Margery too, they had thoroughly misunderstood the nature of their Republican administrators. Things did not work in the rest of the Republic as they did on Kuat. As barbarous as the thought was to both of them.

The pair let out a shared audible sigh. Such a marriage would not work for either of them. Nor would Senator Pax's particular constitution. A pang of disappointment hit both their hearts,

"A rich cousin, perhaps?"

"A noble friend in need of a love?"

"A wealthy businessman for whom courting is just too much hassle?" The pair offered the Senatorial ambassadors. Though they were unlikely to either have the perfect suitor just sitting in their back pockets, just as unlikely as it was they'd be perfect themselves. And Cecily wasn't about to let her go for anything less than that, even if Margery had felt otherwise. She did not though. As worried about status and ladder climbing as her brother, she was just generally the more playful of the two.

Still, their was the chance of higher houses seeking them out, as the Senators had suggested. That perhaps, would be enough. A higher quality of suitor, if nothing else,

"Senators, we shall open the shipyards. We'll speak to father personally" Cecily offered, his voice cracking a little. It had been a short conversation perhaps, but one for the pair filled with higher hopes and lower lows than the two felt most days. They should need to steady themselves after this. A bath perhaps, maybe two.

"But, if you do happen to come across a nice little inheritance-"

"Packet of land-"

"Unexpected investment-"

"Sudden ennoblement-"

"Well, you know how to say hello" Margery finished with a wink. The Senators had done their job well it seemed.


@Nefieslab @Aberforth

 

[Numenius Pax]

This wasn't politics... this wasn't even a debate!

There was no real thread or cohesion here. This entire thing had been nothing but an event that this twins had hijacked for their own ends and then, for no reason other than their own whims. And while the end objective had been achieved... Numenius felt like this entire exercise had been rather strange.

And rather pointless.

The twins were going to start the shipyards back up again and that was the important thing though. With that in mind, his smile never wavered as he stood from the chair,

"I might not know of anyone but my parents are still very wealthy and very influential on Corulag." he bowed his head, "I will enquire about who they have within the high society of Corulag who might be worthy of your consideration and pass their contact information onto you."

His parents would love that.

He kissed the back of Margery's hand again and gave Cecily a strong handshake before taking his leave at their grace. Once he and Todan were away from the twins and safely in the lift on their way back down, Numenius turned his head slightly to Todan,

"Not your type?" he joked simply before shaking his head, "No matter. Through hook, crook or some kind of divine providence, it appears we have been successful once again. Take this the right way Senator Todan... but I do hope this doesn't give the senate ideas about pairing us up in the future. Good day."

With that, he stepped out of the lift and strode off to his shuttle.

/Exit Thread
@Aberforth @Nightfall096