Mission 3: House Malvern

[Sarla Malvern]

The lords and ladies of House Malvern have been summoned, by the head of the household. They have been to discuss the pirate threat, Sarla Malvern has been in two fights with them, but there have been others as well. The house was being targeted by pirates, why they did not know, but they had to stop it. The meeting was about finding out how to stop them, as why could come later. They may find out later, they may not, but as long as they were no longer under attack, that was what really mattered in the end.

She was dressed in black, with her house cape around her. The cape was similar to all the others that house Malvern wore, it was black with a white fur trimming. She had seat at the table, as a member of this household. There were a few other honoured guests, some form house Demici their main allies, and @Hask Jen a sith pureblood from the empire, as well as @Aurelie Fleury who proved an excellent pilot. The table was prepared for the meeting, there was food and drink and waiters for each person on the table, so they could eat drink and debate what the hell to do about these pirate attacks.

She entered the room, along with everyone else. She waited for the head household to say his piece, and then she then can take her place and take turns in talking. They need a plan, as without one, they were fethed.

@KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees @Korvo

 

[Hask Jen]

Of all the jobs Hask could take, it had to be this. He expected to go off fighting a bunch of pirates, not dining with a bunch of nobles. He was also definitely not dressed at all for the occasion, with his heavy durasteel armour, torn up poncho and overall resemblance of a mercenary...sadly that's basically what he is so he can't exactly complain.

Maybe it's just his inner Pureblood, but he always preferred dealing with warriors, scavvers, soldiers and the not-so-upper class people. But in any case, here he was. Hired by House Malvern to quell their pirate issue. At least he was not alone in this mess.

His co-pilot, Aurelie, was standing right next to him. At least he had backup if these nobles decided to start throwing their silver spoons around. He Didn't exactly trust the lady Malvern all that much, seeing as she's not only a sith herself but the fact that she is one of these people didn't sit all that well.

Whatever the case may be, as long as he gets paid he'll eat, drink and dine with these people as long as needed. They probably needed his experience, anyway.

He stood behind his seat at the table, to Sarla's right, awaiting Head of their House to arrive, greet and allow them to sit.

Definitely not going to fit in well.

@Pyrenees @Sabrina @Korvo

 

[Aurelie Fleury]

Oh, how Aurelie loved these larger gatherings of the noble and the affluent. While their degree of generosity tended to vary, they all liked to adorn themselves with fancy jewelry and carry enough credits to deal with any emergency. But, this time, the thief had to keep her hands to herself as she was here as an invited guest and the risk of not getting payed outweighed the potential goods she could acquire by far. She had learned how to fit in during these types of gatherings a few years ago. With a proud posture and a deliberate Upper-city Coruscant accent, she could easily be mistaken for someone with a greater amount of personal wealth. Add her neatly braided hair and an elegant and fashionable maroon dress and she was good to go.

While her part in the fight was over, it seemed like Hask's was just about to begin as she noticed how her captain seemed to be better prepared for combat than lengthier sessions of strategizing. Still, she was very happy to see him and gladly claimed the seat next to him. Leaning over to him, she whispered "Even if you manage to upset every attendee in this hall, surely you can weather the storm in that armour of yours" Her voice was teasing and playful, but she had still managed to keep the sophisticated accent.

Turning to Sarla, she eloquently bowed her head slightly "It was an honour to fight by your side Lady Malvern. Not all nobles choose to lead from the front." Her comment was not intended to slight any other lord, but rather to praise Sarla whom she had come to respect.

It didn't take long before the room started to quiet down - a sign that someone important was about to speak, or that the main course for the night would be presented. In either case, Aurelie felt that it would be prudent to conform to the group and made an effort to end her conversations sooner rather than later.

@KinkyPrawn @Sabrina @Korvo

 

[The Storyteller]

When the head of House Malvern entered into the main hall, the hushed chattering was lulled into a silence. By this point, there were many of House Malvern that were in attendance, dressed in black robes with white fur adorning the collar and trimmings. But this man was different, the air about him, the elevation of his head as he walked, the sternness of his face, and even his lack of attention to those in his hall, save for the ones sitting at the table. His hair was gray with dimmed shades of pepper-black, uniformly complimented by his own silver-blue eyes. He was Thraen, Lord of House Malvern.

"So you've arrived? And on time, no less", the man said, taking his seat at one of the chairs at the table. His own black attire was similar to the other of House Malvern, but appeared somewhat heavier, more adorned. It wouldn't have been unexpected, however; after all, this was every bit a business dealing, and to appear any less than his best was not the way the family handled their affairs. "Before we begin, House Malvern extends its welcome to House Demici and our fellow bannermen, and to the invited guests of Lady Sarla."

Folding his hands onto the table, "This summon has occurred to discuss a growing threat that needs to be dealt with in an immediate fashion. Lady Sarla?", Thraen said, turning his gaze to her. "You have first-hand experience in these events. Would you be so kind as to explain the situation to those in attendance here?"

@Sabrina @KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Sarla Malvern]

As Count Thraen sat down at the table, she sat as well as all the other member House Malvern and House Demici. Sarla Malvern listened to Count Thraen intently, as the leader of house Malvern he spoke no one interrupted him and she kept her eyes on him. Then he asked her to explain the situation, she was honoured to address her house. She got up to address the table, of house members and allies. We have been attacked and targeted by Pirates, on more than one occasion. They seem to want to target us and weaken our house, maybe this part larger strategy of one of our enemies. The rationale, for attacks, is secondary to stopping the attacks. As we may not ever know why they choose to target us, or if we are being targeted. Though we do need to figure a way of stopping them and stopping it for good. She then took her seat and waited for the others to speak, as this was a planning meeting, they wanted a plan to stop the pirates, for once and for all.

@KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees @Korvo

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask sat at the same time as everyone else. He placed his helmet on the table in front of him so he could speak with the nobles face to face. How they would be reacting to seeing a Pureblood would be a different question...

He placed his hands on the table as he listened to the nobles speak. Sarla had a point, but what good is a plan like that without a reason. He cleared his throat to get everyone's attention and rose from his seat.

"I'd say we first have to figure out why they are here in the first place. Pirates are not mercenaries. They won't take out contract work and attack any random person just because someone asked them nicely and gave them a pretty amount of credits. They are selfish and cowardly. They only target easy prey for minimum effort."

"Pause for effect."

"My best guess without any extra intel is that you have something they want and they know you guys are not very well defended at all. If any of you have some extra info to clarify the situation that might change but so far that's how it looks to me." he said, once again taking a seat.

He had no intel, preparation or anything. He was asked to kill pirates, not form a battle strategy. Sure he could do that, but with no proper intel to work off of, it wasn't going to be easy.

@Sabrina @Korvo @Pyrenees

 

[Aurelie Fleury]

Just as she did during the recent space battle, Aurelie kept her eyes on Sarla here too, feeling like the lady would be well aware of any codes which needed to be followed. As soon as Sarla started taking he seat, the young woman made sure to follow suit. She gazed upon the Thraen as he spoke, quite impressed by how the man carried himself - he exuded an aura of power and competence, not only in the way he dressed, but also in the way he talked and moved. The girl made a valiant effort in looking as interested as she could in the things they said. The effort needed, however, was not of any larger magnitudes as they did indeed cover a rather interesting topic. Still, it didn't have much to do with her, instead, Aurelie's primary motivating factor was the credits she'd receive and the contacts she could make.

Sarla rose up to speak about the need for action and set out the frame from which the discussions would be held. Not long after the noble sat down again, Hask rose to his feet and explained the importance of understanding what motivated their enemies and urged anyone with information to come forth. Her friends had already covered many important areas of what could be said in the context, but if the young woman truly wanted the nobles' respect, a facade wouldn't do. Feeling the pressure of saying something, Aurelie stood up.

The room was silent as the young woman gazed over the attendees. From the outside, Aurelie might've seemed calm and collected as she waited to gain the rooms full attention. On the inside, however, she was scrambling to figure out what to say. A deep breath later, she spoke up "What Lady Sarla said is right, we do need to stop the pirates, and I can only agree with this gentleman" she said while pointing to Hask "that a key to defeating a foe is to comprehend their drive and motivation." Her voice was soft yet dignified and echoed out in the hall for everyone to hear. "I have faced our attackers together with your fellow noble, Sarla Malvern - they are tough. But know this: They are not Mandalorian, not Deucalian and most definitely not Sith." Aurelie's tone went from sincere as she mentioned Sarla to grave, as it steadily rose while she listed the potential attackers. And with a sudden drop, the elegantly dressed woman continued "No, they are pirates. Vultures praying on the civilized societies of our Galaxy" She took a deep breath before continuing as she exhaled "My father, a very wise man, used to tell me that pirates: that pirates attack where their prey are far wealthier than their defenses are strong. And as we all know: There are few people who don't know of the wealth that can be found on Serenno"

Once again, Aurelie paused to gaze out over what she'd now consider her audience. It was hard to see everyone in the hall, but she certainly hoped that the attendees had been captivated by her speech. When she thought that they'd been given enough time to reach the conclusion she aimed for, she continued "So, what say you? Shall the people of Serenno become so poor, that pirates won't even bother to plunder them?" her rhetorical question was designed to provoke the audience into saying, grumbling, or at least thinking 'no'. With a lowered voice, she sympathetically finished "Of course not. It is time to show them the resilience of the people of Serenno and to show them strength!" Satisfied with having said her piece, the young woman simply sat down. If the nobles needed to wake up from their slumber, her short speech would hopefully be the bell which did the trick.

@Korvo @Sabrina @KinkyPrawn

 

[The Storyteller]

Thraen dispassionately looked to Sarla, then to her allies, one after the other, as they spoke. There was always a lingering curiosity as to who they were, not only as individuals but as to what kind of people they were. The male left little to the imagination; there were almost no accounts of Sith belonging to the species not originating from their people's dominion, either the Old Empire and Imperial Republica, or the Sith Empire of old and reborn.

"They are pirates", Thraen said sharply, albeit without any change to his indifferent facial expression. "Uncomplicated, motivated by simple avarice and opportunity. They attack because they see the risk as being lesser than the gain. As far as I'm concerned, that is all that matters of their motivation."

It was the simplest way for Thraen to approach the matter. To him, it didn't matter what culture they belonged to, nor was it a mystery as to why they were being attacked; they were ill-defended. Ever since the galactic war began, lawlessness had spiked across the galaxy. The increase in piracy was but a symptom of the times, even to worlds once considered bastions in the Empire.

"To that end, I do believe that the woman accompanying you is right, Lady Sarla", Thraen said to Sarla, in reference to Fleury, before addressing the others present. "As our lady and her allies have proclaimed, some degenerates have chosen to declare war upon House Malvern, seizing what we own for themselves. I believe the proper course of action to take is the firm hand over words, but we are left with the obvious limitation; we know not from where they strike. We need to establish a plan going forward to acquire this information, and proceed from there. To those with the experience, do you have any suggestions on where or how to begin?"

@Sabrina @KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Sarla Malvern]

She listened to other the speakers, they made sense. They needed a plan to stop them, which what was agreed. She decides to offer an idea, it was not well defined yet, though it was an idea. She spoke her voice was clear and as eloquent, as she could make it. We need a way of intercepting them on the ground so that we can ambush them. Hopefully, take a ship from them, and some prisoners. This may help provide us some intel, on where they coming from. Then we attack them, and hopefully stop these vultures, form attacking us, for good. She looked about the table, and see what others thought, possibly add more meat to bones of the plan. She was not a strategist yet, but she was learning. She was not quite nervous, over possible issues with her idea, but she was a little bit nervous.

@Korvo @KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask nodded in agreement. Sarla was right, they needed to ambush them on the ground and find a way of retracing the pirates' steps back to their origins. "Ambush could work, but without a location or solid means of setting a trap an ambush would fall flat. So, is there any noteworthy locations on Malvern soil that will draw the pirates in? Safehouse, treasury, anything that has enough riches to draw them in? If we have that, setting up an ambush will go by quickly. What kind of ships did these pirates use on their raids on your house? Simple freighters or more complex craft?"

Hask had a plan, but without any context his plan would run a great risk of collapsing. This is the last time he would be discussing plans with inexperienced highborns. Definitely not what he signed up for.

@Pyrenees @Sabrina @Korvo

 

[Aurelie Fleury]

Hask asked a few well pointed questions but the room laid in silence, only some coughing from a few of the more experienced members of the house could be heard echoing throughout the chambers. Aurelie sat calmly in her chair, reflecting over what had been said and how to proceed. Thraen seemed to value some sense of directness without too many words wasted at petty formalities and seeing as the noble appeared to be the power factor, the young woman had all intentions of adapting. "During the recent raid on the shipment which I participated in defending myself, they sent about 27-33 fighters and their pilots weren't lacking in skill. With the resources to get those fighters, our foes must surely also have been able to acquire shuttles." she said without any hint of hesitation in her voice. "The idea of defeating then on the ground is sound - these pirates, and pirates in general for that matter, tend to prefer attacking where the risk is the lowest, which happens to be space most of the times. Whatever bait we decide to use, it is important that it takes a short enough while to load onto the ship for the pirates to dare to take, but long enough for us to stop them in the act." Her tone was elegantly calm and she did her best to give the audience a collected and formidable impression.

The young woman took a sip from her glass of water before moving on "If you want to attack them directly after having gathered the intelligence, I suggest sending a highly skilled team in regards to combat - if not, we run the risk of having them discover the attack. Giving them an opportunity to leave would hardly be good for anyone but the pirates themselves. It should be noted that I agree that attacking the pirates directly should be the best course of action: It is cheaper than continued raids whilst Serenno is building up a stronger defense and we stand the chance of retaking some of the goods which our foes plundered. The risks may be grave, but with the right people, it should be well within the realms of what we can realistically expect accomplish." with this said, she felt like her part was done for now. Aurelie placed her hand on the wine glass whilst looking to Thraen, prepared to have some of the red liquid of Thraen gave her the impression that the discussions were over.

@Korvo @KinkyPrawn @Sabrina

 

[The Storyteller]

Count Thraen internally sneered at the progression of the conversation. It was not a disdain directed at any individual, for he held no such contempt for anyone there. However, he could not help but silently, without revealing a single notion through the expressions of his face or tone of voice, detest the circumstances he found his House in.

Everything relied on chance, on hope, on playing the odds rather than building on certainties. Perhaps it was simply the businessman in his blood that was repulsed by playing the odds when so many factors were unknowns, as opposed to knowing all parameters in the equation. Inhaling deeply, Thraen listened intently, but could not help feeling like a man stumbling in the dark, blind, deaf even, unable to see the way out of his predicament without taking on risks; the very kind he would never have agreed to in any other circumstance. But then, these were extraordinary circumstances, and with them came the necessity of hard choices.

"Then we take the path that will ideally yield the greatest results", Thraen said, looking first to Sarla. "However present they may be as marauders on foot, piracy has always been a ship-based menace. As you have said, so too do I agree; finding a way to capture one of their vessels is the fastest route to discovering where to strike back at them, and end these incursions, once and for all."

At that, Count Thraen broke from eye contact with Sarla, briefly addressing the others in attendance. "But this is not to be an operation in which the many rely upon the few. Whatever actions are decided here, I expect the full support of those who have sworn it, and the cooperation by those of whom House Malvern has earned it."

Inaction, born from opulence and over-reliance on a system that has by now proven itself to be far too fragile a thing to be wholly dependent on, would no longer be tolerated. Finally, Count Thraen turned his eyes to Hask and Aurelie. "Yes, I've examined the reports made regarding your latest encounters. Before I speak further, I once again extend to you, all of you, House Malvern's undying gratitude in what you have done for us. Suffice to say, however, these acts of banditry are based on reliable intelligence they seem to have on us... I believe that can be used to our advantage in setting a trap for them."

Immediately, Count Thraen snapped his fingers as he glanced behind to his right, beckoning one of his attendants to hurry over with a datapad. It was a simple device, if adorned and extravagant looking, but it was the specific information stored within it that was of true value.

"One of the few shipments that has recently made its way through our shipping lanes is now in our possession, shipment... DX-298/2A", Thraen said, extending the datapad to Sarla so that she could see it for herself. "Quadranium ore, refined to second-degree industrial-grade quality, fully processed, catalogued and imprinted with an scan-marker for tracking purposes. The pirates may have missed it once, but I doubt we would be so fortunate again, as this shipment is actually bound for the Core Worlds... Kuat, I believe. Highly valuable, easy to move, and without the imprint on the storage and shipping containers, is impossible to trace."

Count Thraen then extended his gaze to include Hask and Aurelie, as well as Sarla. "If bait is what you seek, there is none better on this world, as it stands. I'll have it moved to wherever you decide, and you may use it as you see fit, if you agree that it would be effective in drawing these thieves from their hiding places. Do you, any of you, have any place in mind as being ideal?"[/glow]

@Sabrina @KinkyPrawn @Pyrenees

 

[Hask Jen]

Hask was getting more and more bored by the second. He didn't show it, but internally he just wanted to get up and leave already. This was getting way too drawn out for him. The Count thanked him and Aurie, and in return he flashed a kind smile and gave a small nod. He once again zoned out as he stared at the Count, but when he snapped his fingers and started talking about fully processed, industrial grade Quadranium, the Pureblood lit up and his attention was fully restored.

"Quadranium you say? That we can certainly work with. I can already think of something, but it's going to require a specific spot. Somewhere close enough to your property to add some risk for the pirates but far enough for you to not be able to react immediately. If you have such a place we can store it all in that place to draw them in...as for the ambush itself, that will all depend on the armament and other 'assets' in your possession." ask spoke with enthusiasm to the Count.

The gears were turning in his head and he grew more anxious for the mission to start. Finally things were getting a move on.

@Sabrina @Pyrenees @Korvo

 

[Sarla Malvern]

She listened to the head of the household, laid out a possible plan. The ore was worth a lot of money, so it would be worth attacking. They only need to know when they were about to attack, and that would only require a scout to message them. @Hask Jen was the first to speak, she listened with interest in what he had to say. She then added to it, We have troops, and a cannon we could use to try and disable their ships, and then put a fair few to bed. I think we have a workable plan, my lord. Her eyes then turned to @Aurelie Fleury the pilot who helped, and was invaluable to her in the last raid, for input on this. They had bait, they had a ship they could use as a scout for this. Does she think this was a workable plan as well?

@Pyrenees @KinkyPrawn

 

[Aurelie Fleury]

The Count kept talking for a good long while, and seemed to a good idea of what he was saying. An experienced man used to leading no doubt. Aurelie looked back at the man as he turned to Hask and herself - he was thanking them. The young woman desperately wanted to speak, but the floor belonged to Thraen and he was not about to stop. Instead, she responded with a gracious smile and bowed her head deeply.

The conversation soon entered the area of details and specifics - none of which Aurelie had any particular knowledge in. Methodically, she went through the different parts of the plan in her mind:

• There was little doubt in her mind that the Count had a good idea of what shipment he was talking about and it seemed highly unlikely that there would be any problems with that.
• The ambush Hask had in mind was sensible - besides, she would trust her captain regardless and didn't doubt his plan for a moment.
• Sarla fleshed Hask's plan out with details. Very important details as they added just what the Sith was asking for.

They had talked about the matter for quite some time now, and this was the best plan they could hope for given the harsh circumstances. Aurelie gazed out over the hall, seeing many of the Malavern nobles and other attendants getting anxious to leave. Whether they wanted to escape their duties of supporting the efforts which Thraen talked about or if they were simply bored, having a massive route didn't seem optimal at this time. She looked Sarla in the eyes "Yes, lady Sarla, I believe we do have a plan" she said with confidence.

Something needed to be done about the other nobles - their morale needed to be boosted. Aurelie soon rose to her feet, making sure to catch the attention of her audience. "I do, believe that we have a plan" she said, repeating herself loud enough for the each and every attendant to hear her clearly. "..a plan, which will be able to rid Serenno of this menace once and for all." The crowd didn't look too impressed, not all that eager to engage themselves and their resources in neither the planning nor the fighting. The nobles weren't all the same, some seemed willing enough, but the apathy of the many was truly a disgusting sight in the eyes of the young speaker. "I know, a lost shipment here and there, it can be replaced. The poor might have a hard time, but they're tough!" she spoke, telling it from the perspective of those who simply didn't care enough. "But in the long run, the piracy will damage this fair and beautiful world. How will the rest of the galaxy view a planet which can't even defend itself from pirates? How will the poor, how will you, cope with lost shipments when they rise above a few dozen and starts climbing into the hundreds?" Her questions were rhetorical, everybody already knew the answers - prestige would be lost and their own economies would suffer.

Merciless in her onslaught, Aurelie continued, head turned down the table as her voice became more emotional "To protect this world, brave men and women have fallen, they still had way too many years still ahead of them. Red One, Red Eleven... and Red Three, Wilbour Malvern.." the young woman looked up as she mentioned the fellow Malvern's name and paused. The room was dead silent until she resumed "..are just a few of the names of those who have given their all to fend the pirates off." she finished solemnly. Her voice remained low as she begun the next sentence, but rose with every phrase There is no room for hesitation now. We know how to stop this, we know when to stop this and we have the means to stop this!" The nobles who had before openly shown doubt were now fully on their side, with cheers and applause audible throughout the room.

With this, Aurelie sat down again. She threw a nervous glance at Thraen, not sure if she had overstepped her boundaries or not.

@Korvo @KinkyPrawn @Sabrina

 

[The Storyteller]

Count Thraen was not what one would call a 'simple man' by any means. If anything, one could accuse him of being more the opposite. But through all his years, he was never one for inspiring speeches or passionate deliveries. Numbers, facts, objectives and problem-solving, these were things he would delve into. Once done, what more was there left to be said, left to be done, except depart?

"Then we have our plan. Sarla Malvern will lead our efforts, accompanied by others per her discretion.", Thraen said, standing upright from his place at the table. "House Malvern have been victims for long enough. Now, the hour is ours."

At that, Count Thraen walked away, as did others present there as well. The meeting, however brief, was over. Now was the time for action... and retribution.

FIN THREAD​

@Sabrina @Pyrenees @KinkyPrawn[/exsize]