Ask Petty Is as Petty Does

[Jin Vaisra]

Jin strode through the brightly lit corridors of ‘The Preserver,’ the same Redemption-class medical frigate he’d rode on his voyage to Firrerre in the aftermath of the Sith’s bombardment. It had become a personal favorite ship of his, a sign of Fondor’s wealth and his many accomplishments since being elected as its senator. Of course, there was still a long way for him to go—enemies to destroy, wars to win, rivals to run into the ground. If he intended to make Fondor the new powerhouse of the Core, he could leave no room for failure.

Which was why he was here today, in orbit around Uivuy Exen, and soon to be in the company of a certain, laughably dumb Chancellor. Venka, per usual, trailed after him in a sparkling jade green suit, bulletproof and rigged with a healthy assortment of knives. She whispered to him from over his shoulder, “Please Jin, for once in your life, play nice. You can’t keep making enemies left and right when the political climate is this delicate.”

“Come on. You can hardly call Emil an enemy. The man’s been run through by the Consortium, the Prime Minister, twenty tabloid reporters and a pigpen. He’s more like a fly on the wall, begging to be swatted.” Just as those words left his lips, Jin spotted the man in the cargo hold, surrounded by his personal security and advisers, preparing to board the sleek transport that would take them down to the planet’s surface. He didn’t bother with pleasantries or familiar introductions. Senator Vaisra only gave a curt bow, a lackluster handshake, and a trademark smile.

“There he is,” he said. “The poster child for the New Republic’s foster care system. How have you been, Chancellor Ro? Still searching for a father figure that thinks you’re worth his time?”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

“And there he is—” Emil said, smoothing the lapels of his jacket as he paused outside of the diplomatic vessel and faced the senator in the cargo bay of his bleak-looking frigate. “I was going to say ‘Mommy’s favorite errand boy,’ but, let’s be real, Vaisra. You’re not your mother’s favorite anything, are you?”

Seeing Jin Vaisra now dredged up emotions Emil had long thought buried. The last time he had seen Vaisra outside of Senate sessions was before the lout had gone and nominated him as Chancellor. At the time, he’d thought it was the best moment of his political career. But more-and-more he was growing to resent Vaisra for that. Emil had aged in the few months since he had taken office. The weight of galactic politics and war were heavier than he could have ever imagined. Firrerre, Denon, followed by his grilling at the latest Republic Senate assembly—but he trucked on nevertheless. At this point, spite was driving him, and he would ride it all the way into a lost election or the grave.

Whichever came first.

Emil boarded the shuttle, expecting Jin to creep after him like the leech he was, and it was not long before they were rocketing down into Uivuy Exen’s stratosphere. But in the cramped ship’s cabin, he was not finished thrashing the man just yet.

“I can only guess that Brentaal’s defection is the reason you called me out here,” Emil continued. “Few other things could make you crawl out of your roach’s nest and actually do the job you were appointed to do. But before you regale me with the details of your scheme, answer me this: Why Uviuy Exen? Surely there’s a planet with an easier name to pronounce you could’ve dragged me to? Arkania, perhaps?” @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

“You’re not wrong. Queen Leyti doesn’t have favorites, I’m afraid, but she does have least favorites—and after your latest political disaster of the week, you have fallen swimmingly down her list.” A tiny smile curled his lip. Jin couldn’t resist bashing Emil at every opportunity he could, the man made it too easy. “Fortunately for you, I am here to help clean up your mess, just like I did on Firrerre.” He snorted. “Blood doesn’t scrub out easy, and I ruined a perfectly good suit that day. For your sake, hope it doesn’t happen again, else I’m forwarding you the bill.”

Jin stared out of the window slits in the sides of the transport, hands clasped behind his back, studying their descent into the planet’s atmosphere. Uviuy Exen. Quite the tongue twister, he had to admit, and one that would require some serious polishing before it could be presented to the wider galaxy, but he had high hopes for its future. The secession of Brentaal—a fault he would have liked to blame on Emil despite knowing Sibyl would have inevitably left anyway—had led to a domino effect on the Republic stock market. To keep the Core from falling into disarray, they would have to act swiftly.

“The reason I’ve chosen this ugly rock is solely because of its location. Brentaal served as a gateway to the Core, but now that it’s out of the equation, we need a proper substitute. That’s where Uviuy Exen comes in. It’s situated neatly on the Hydian Way, with the benefit of the Shwuy Exchange route, and it’s close enough to Brentaal to pull away its many trade guilds and corporate influence.” The shuttle touched down with a slight rattle. As the doors opened, Jin turned to Emil and cast him a cold smile.

“I respect former Senator Lassiter and her decision to leave, but we can’t have her smearing the Republic’s image and economy without consequences, can we? She believes she can leverage the Core, but the only reason Brentaal thrives is because of its history of trade with the Core. So, if she wants to be free of the Republic, then she can be free of the burden of serving as its gatekeeper.” He nodded to the bevy of guards waiting in the back of the shuttle. “Let’s go. Time to meet the neighbors.”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil mulled over Vaisra’s plan. He should have known the senator was dragging him into another of his schemes. Vengeance, not politics, was the man’s trade. A byproduct of an upbringing that saw him unloved and used by the parents he so desperately wanted the approval of. Not that Emil minded. It was one of the few traits about the man he admired, if he was honest. Jin fought for his own place in the galaxy. But sooner or later, his ambition and spite would run him afoul of the wrong person. Emil could only guess at what would happen then.

“Not that I don’t love being petty,” he said as they walked. “But surely you are aware there are easier ways to accomplish your goal. Brentaal is surrounded by Republic space. We could simply refuse to do business with the many trade guilds who base themselves there, or even refuse to use the planet for trade entirely. Their economy would collapse overnight.”

And there was the political smokescreen to boot. President Thorne would not take open hostility to one of his worlds lightly. But refusing to do business on Brentaal wasn’t an act of aggression. It was simply respecting the good Senator Lassiter’s wishes. The Republic and Consortium would continue trading as they always had—only Brentaal would suffer the consequences of its actions. Still, there was room in this model for Jin’s plan. The Republic would need a new Hydian trade hub. Uviuy Exen could fill that role. If the price was right.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be too much to ask to put changing the planet’s name in whatever treaty comes out of this, would it?” he said snidely. “Much like yours, I find it unpleasant to repeat, and if I’m going to have to sell the Senate on this deal, I don’t want to sound like I just got a root canal while I do it.” @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

As they stepped out of the transport and strode across the landing pad, slick with the previous day’s rainfall, Jin stood close by Emil, as if escorting him alongside his security detail. “Do watch your step, Chancellor Ro. The ground’s quite slippery. Last thing we need is for you to trip and fracture another hip bone. By the way, how goes the search for a retirement home? I understand they don’t typically admit war criminals, but I’m sure you’ll find someone desperate enough for cash to let you in.”

“Also, you bring up an excellent point, Chancellor Ro. Why don’t we initiate another blockade against a former ally? I’m sure that would pan out well to the rest of the galactic community, just like the last time you tried it.” Sarcasm dripped from his tongue like venom, but Jin knew Emil wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Yes, we could publicly refuse to do business on Brentaal, but we cannot stop individual worlds in the Core from sticking to the status quo regardless of what we say. We need to give them a replacement. Sell them a new, shiny substitute that will not only make them cast Brentaal aside, but make them forget they even existed in the first place.”

“As for the name problem, it shouldn’t be too hard. We need something that won’t leave its speaker with a bitter taste in their mouth, like you were saying, so a name along the lines of ‘Balmorra’ is out of the question.” Jin tapped the bottom of his chin. “You know, we could just rebrand the planet as ‘New Brentaal.’ Talk about rubbing salt in the wound.” He let out a short laugh. It was petty, but so was he. And now that his and Sibyl’s pact had been flushed down the drain with her secession, Jin didn’t particularly care what she thought of him anymore.

Although the landing platform was terribly long, it was checkered with elaborately dressed guards from the local government, and ahead, across a narrow bridge that led into the capitol building, a pageantry of ministers and officials waited eagerly for their arrival. Excitement ran through Jin like a shot of adrenaline. “I hope you’ve been rehearsing your introduction lines in the mirror, Emil. I know it’s been a while since you’ve last spoken to anyone beyond the dark corner you lurk in.”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil grinned. Certainly, Jin Vaisra had unloaded a volley of ammunition on him; but the Chancellor could see them for the defense mechanism they were. Vaisra was so used to being in control of a situation, to being able to manipulate his subjects to his will. In Emil, he found the one person he had met so far with whom this was not true. For all his follies, Emil bowed to no man. He surrendered to no man. And he wore a smug smirk to remind his foes of this—including Vaisra.

He eyed the ministers on the other side of the narrow bridge. Still out of hearing distance. Good. “That ‘dark corner’ happens to be the Office of the Supreme Chancellor, where I speak to men and women more influential than you’ll ever be—though that’s hardly a tough bar to clear. I have aides more connected and respected than Fondor’s illustrious errand boy.”

They were nearing the end now. A few more paces and they would be within earshot of the ministers who had gathered to welcome them to Uivuy Exon. Emil could see the hunger on their faces. Not real hunger, but hunger for influence. For power. Not once in the history of the New Republic had a Chancellor visited this world—and for good reason. The people here were not going to waste what could be a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Emil would use that to get what he wanted. Vaisra might be a loose cannon at times, but Emil did admire when his schemes involved revenge. They certainly were never dull.

“Oh, and one more thing, Vaisra,” he said just before their retinue could hear them. He had carefully timed his riposte. Too soon for the ministers to hear, much too late for Vaisra to retort. Good—he wanted the senator off-guard. “When we get over there, don’t make any jokes, okay? Because with your face, when you try to look charming, it really does come across rather like a child predator.”

He turned without missing a beat and stepped into range of the ministers, who surged forth to meet them where the bridge terminated. Emil wore his practiced politician smile, bowing, nodding, and shaking hands wherever he could. This language, at least, was universal. Let Vaisra do the heavy lifting. Emil was here to profit off his plan, not play into his hand. @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Jin already had a retort armed and ready, but it was too late. The ministers were within earshot and, in order to portray the very picture of grace, he had to bite his tongue and restrain himself from smacking the Chancellor into the next century. His mask of formality was on in an instant as he greeted the ministers, each of whom seemed way too giddy for his liking. But if that made negotiations and construction easier, then Jin was happy too. At least that’d give him more time to insult Emil on the side, a hobby he’d sorely missed in their time apart.

As he dispensed with pleasantries—and without once rolling his eyes into the back of his skull—Jin walked with the ministry into the main government hall. Many of them were wealthy merchants, bureaucrats and social climbers, each desperately looking to get in the good graces of the Republic. Uviuy Exen was already a heavily populated world, so it was not without its own dockyards and easily exploitative work force, all it needed was a government sponsorship and a load of construction.

He intended to see them signed in by the day’s end.

“It is such an honor to host you both, Chancellor Ro and Senator Vaisra. We understand you have been terribly busy these last several weeks, given the fragile political state of things,” said Minister Rihun, a wizened old man with more wrinkles than wit. Before he could finish, Jin interjected, “Fragile, yes, but fixable. Which is why we’ve come all this way to meet with you, as I am sure you already understand. Now that Brentaal has left the New Republic, the Senate has taken a deep interest with your world, and what you have to offer.”

A woman, Minister Tera, nodded sagely. “And we do have much to offer, Senator. We at the Silver Ministry have helped to bring Uviuy Exen into a new age of prosperity, and with your aid, that is a dream we can make a reality.” Jin smiled. The ministers were practically groveling at his feet. They had this in the bag.

At least until another man, Minister Lito, cleared his throat and added, “Unfortunately, there is a small problem we have been struggling with lately…”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Of course there was.

Nothing could ever just go right from the beginning. The Jedi said the Force had a will. It must also have a sense of spite, because every time Emil was presented with a solution to his problems, the fix came with fine print. No doubt, Vaisra was already aware of Minister Lito's concern too. The knobby stub of a man always did his research. Always combed a situation for ways to twist it to his advantage or benefit. Today would be no different.

He wondered too at Jin's motives. The Fondorian did nothing without purpose. Likewise, he never involved Emil in his schemes unless he had to. Sharing glory wasn't exactly a Vaisra quality. If there had been a way for him to bring this planet into the New Republic without alerting Emil, he would have done it. Which meant Vaisra needed him for something—something a mere senator couldn't do. And that meant there was still a way for Emil to take control of this situation and twist it for his own benefit.

He just needed to see it before Vaisra could enact his scheme.

"As it happens, Minister Lito," Emil said, eyes cutting across the crowd to Jin. "I have a rather small problem of my own. Or, I suppose 'short' would be the proper term. Dwarflike, even." Satisfied with himself, the Chancellor returned his attention to the minister. "The Senator and I are of course happy to help with whatever problems you are having. But why don't we discuss this matter further indoors? The air is refreshing and gardens out here are beautiful, but you know what they say about spiders in the garden."

Emil couldn't trust that Vaisra hadn't planted the press around here somewhere, after all. And even if he hadn't, the press was still a problem. Particularly the tabloids. After the whole harem fiasco, the cameras liked to record whenever he was seen with another man—especially Jin. It wouldn't do to have their negotiations revealed before they were ready. @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

So Emil was skeptical. Jin was hardly surprised. The press and latest string of tabloids had been nothing short of a publicity disaster for him, and the last thing either of them needed was another plastered article about their negotiations on Uviuy Exen and the cost the Republic would take in ensuring the planet rose into Brentaal’s former station.

Whatever that cost might be, however, left Jin considering the worst. The rise of a criminal overlord from the Syndicates? An outbreak of the pandemic? Such a ‘small problem’ was bound to blow up their face like a pack of thermal detonators. Fortunately, neither had to do with the ministry’s worry.

It was far worse than that.

Once they entered the main palace, a marvel of the planet’s wealth and engineering, fashioned with halls of gilded light and flowing water, only then did Minister Tera continue, “You see, Chancellor Ro, not all of our ministers are present today, and not all of them are as fond of the Republic as we are. There is one among them, Minister Demeter, who does not believe in the good you bring. After what’s happened with Brentaal, I’m afraid, she has been mustering support in the government, building a movement to… secede.”

Jin should have known establishing a stronghold on a Colonies world like Uivuy Exen would come with its challenges. He should have known this meeting wouldn’t be as easy as he’d hoped, that he could just sit on the sidelines and spend the day insulting Emil. Now, he had to deal with a real problem on his hands, and all Jin could do was scoff. “You’re joking. Don’t tell me they intend to enlist with the Consortium?”

A sheen of sweat began to form on Minister Rihun’s forehead. “No, in fact,” he said nervously. “She has been advocating to join with the Sith Empire.”

Jin cast a long look to Emil and sighed. “For fuck’s sake.”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil quietly shared Vaisra's disgust—or distress. With Vaisra, it was hard to tell what emotion he was currently experiencing. But he didn't immediately jump to despair. "This is just one minister causing the problem, is it not? She hardly possesses the power to overrule you all."

"Respectfully, Chancellor, that is not the problem." This from a large, slug of a man who had, until now remained silent. "Minister Chin, at your service. The problem, Your Excellency, is that Demeter is attracting a sizable following. Her arguments lack substance, but she's charismatic. And there are frankly enough people on Uivuy Exen who see what is happening with the Republic's trade and economy and agree with her that breaking away would better secure our future."

"Then the solution, to me, seems simple." Emil was surprised by how calm he suddenly felt. Perhaps it was that he dealt with charismatic politicians for a living. They were villains he could easily out-maneuver. "If the problem is that this Minister Demeter is charismatic and popular, she needs to be discredited. She must be made to look as though she is exploiting the people and their struggles. Only then will they turn on her and see reason."

"Easier said than done, Your Excellency. She has run a remarkably clean campaign with the public. If she had anything we cold seize upon, we would have already done it."

Emil almost laughed. Did these ministers really believe politics was so honorable an arena? If your opponent had no discernible weaknesses to exploit, you made one up. That was how successful political campaigns were run. These people just needed a dose of Coruscanti wisdom.

The Chancellor smiled patiently. "Leave the finer details to myself and the Senator, Minister." Then, he returned his focus to Tera. "Tell me more about this Demeter. Everything you know. No detail is unworthy of note." @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Tera nodded respectfully to Emil as they strode on through the palace. “Minister Demeter is new to the scene, but she is no outsider. She was born and raised on Uviuy Exen to the noble August family, groomed to join the Ministry by her father, former Minister Tarcquet. He passed unfortunately six months ago due to natural causes, and his daughter rose to take his place. We had always known her to be a quiet, loyal girl, but when she ascended into the Ministry, she began sermonizing to the public, upholding the Empire as the galaxy’s savior.”

Minister Rihun snorted. “Indeed, and that is not even the worst of it. Her speeches are abundant with religious fervor and fanaticism, backed by false miracles and parlor tricks.”

“Quite convincing parlor tricks, however,” whispered Minister Lito, much to the chagrin of his companions. Jin raised a curious brow. Religious zeal, mysterious illusions—the whole thing stank of Sith involvement. He glanced over to Emil, expecting him to realize what this might mean as well, before adding with a practiced laugh, “What kind of miracles are we talking about, here? Giving Miralukans sight? Turning water into spotchka?”

“Close,” said Minister Tera. “There has been an outbreak of plague—not the AMS pandemic, I assure you—but a disease our scientists have struggled to study and contain. Minister Demeter, however, has gone around visiting homes and centers struck hardest by this new outbreak, curing those infected and calling it ‘a gift of the Nihil,’ whatever that is.”

“Well, isn’t that convenient. Fortunately, I understand Chancellor Ro is quite an expert in that area of history,” said Jin, rolling his eyes over to Emil. They had since passed the main hall and into a grand conservatory, similar to that of the royal palace on Fondor, decorated with apricot trees and ponds chock full of water lilies and exotic fish. The planet was host to a wealth of culture, an added bonus, another reason for the Republic to make Uvuiy Exen their new trade world. There could be no backing down. “Tell me, where is Minister Demeter at this moment?”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil held up a hand to belay the question and ask one of his own. "No need to seek her out, Vaisra. Not when we can make her come to us. I have my hunches about this whole situation, but it is going to require a little bit of research to confirm."

Minister Chin frowned. "Research, Your Excellency? I'm not sure what that could accomplish."

"None of us here are warriors. If Demeter has Sith support, we would be martially outgunned. But there is more than one way to destroy an enemy." Emil crossed his arms as the pieces of the puzzle came together. They were simple pieces. A new plague suddenly appeared, and shortly after a woman miraculously capable of healing it, who also conveniently had Sith backing. The implications were rather obvious, but he didn't need them to be true. He just needed this planet's populace to believe they were. "I would very much like to know the financials of this Minister Demeter. A pious woman likely would not subsist on her own income, so let's see who's feeding her."

The Chancellor then turned to Jin. "Be a good man, would you, Vaisra? Reach out to the press anonymously and leak a 'tip' that the Sith are behind the introduction of this plague. Leak, also, that the Chancellor's team, with the assistance of the Fondor delegation, are investigating these claims seriously."

"I fail to see what that would accomplish, either, Chancellor."

"That's your problem, Minister," Emil said. "A failure of understanding. This rogue minister of yours is manipulating the people's fears and then endearing herself to them by healing their affliction. We shall plant the seeds of doubt. If the good people of this planet begin to suspect that it was their savior that helped bring the plague upon them, they will turn on her—she knows this. She will not be able to resist coming to us, where we will be waiting for her on our own terms."

"And when she arrives? What exactly do you propose we do to her? We don't have any proof she had anything to do with the plague, or that the Sith are backing her."

"It's the first rule of politics. We don't need proof, Minister. We'll rattle the cage hard enough for the roaches to come crawling out. And even if they don't, we still might be able to provoke her into saying something... unfortunate. As to what to do with her when that happens—" Emil swiveled and looked skeptically at Vaisra. "Any ideas, Senator?" @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

For all his glaring faults, including a mop for hair, Jin could appreciate Emil’s intelligence in situations like these. He’d connected the dots faster than expected, and came up with a solution that would have Minister Demeter crawling toward them instead of the other way around. It was a sound plan. Nothing wrong he could think of, besides the problem of how to expose her and what they might do to her after. Jin had his own ideas of disposal, but none too kind for the public. He would have to play this safe.

“Oh, be careful what you ask for, Chancellor Ro. My solutions tend to be much more thorough and decisive than what you might be used to,” Jin replied, flashing an all-too knowing grin. “Unfortunately, we are limited in this case. If she’s gathered an ample religious following in the public, we can’t risk making her a saint or martyr, so suffocating her with a pillow in the dead of night is out of the question. Instead, I might suggest imprisonment. A public confession? We could always exile her to the Unknown Regions.”

They could always cut out her tongue and leave her to wander the streets as a mute beggar, but he figured that idea might be a little too dark for the Ministry’s liking. They couldn’t kill Demeter, but neither could they too publicly strip her of power else risk undermining the Ministry’s hold on the government. Gods, Jin thought. This would be so much easier if he was just dealing with a tyrannical despot. Real politics and bureaucracy was always such a pain to maneuver through, like a field of landmines.

“Whatever the end result may be, we should plan for her arrival as soon as possible. I’ll deal with the local media and press. Just make sure you have a contingent of your soldiers on standby, in case the darling Minister Demeter decides to bring any friends with her to the palace. Be discreet, of course.” Jin nodded to the circle of minsters, as if to curtsy but clearly not in the mood to try. “That is all, ministers. Thank you for your hospitality. I believe the Chancellor and I can handle the rest.”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

A retinue of ministers that had appeared hopeful when they had first arrived left the room looking frazzled and withered. Emil wondered if the gravity of their political system was finally setting in on them. Or perhaps it was the way Jin Vaisra had so causally considered smothering one of their own with a pillow that had jarred them. Out loud, as a matter of fact. The Chancellor wasn't sure if reincarnation was compatible with the Force, but, if it was, Vaisra was definitely a genocidal warlord in a past life. Perhaps it was he—not the Chancellor himself, as the press liked to imagine—that was the rebirth of Palpatine himself.

The moment they were alone, Emil whirled on Jin. "I threw you a political bone to make you look less like an unmasked slasher-holo villain, and you took it and threaten to smother one of this planet's ministers with her own pillow? I know you enjoy watching the press burn me in effigy, but for the sake of all the dead cows of Alderaan, Vaisra, I'm begging you to learn some subtlety!"

Getting all that off his chest felt good. Vaisra's machinations had haunted him pretty much from the moment the man nominated him for Chancellor. In this particularly instance, he wasn't exactly blameless himself; but he had advocated political destruction of an enemy: something the public might turn their noses up against, but they would allow it to happen.

The Chancellor huffed. "Nevermind that. Though it turns my stomach to admit it, I should probably thank you for bringing this backwater shitheap to my attention. The situation is ripe for manipulation if we play our cards right. There's more than enough ammo here to neuter this saintly minister before she becomes a nuisance, but none of that is going to matter if the Sith really are involved."

As it happened, Emil doubted the Sith were interested. The New Republic was too far from their Empire, and taking a planet in the galactic center would expose them to all sorts of espionage. The new Empress was bold, but she wasn't stupid. She would only expand into Republic territory if the Free Worlds' Alliance fell, and that didn't look too likely—yet.

Still, they needed to be sure.

"Your family has a bug up the ass of every banker from Coruscant to Ord Mantell," Emil continued. "Think you can find out if the minister is getting some strange looking contributions that might be the Sith trying to hide their wirings to her? Regardless of what lie we end up spinning about her, we need to make sure we won't have lightsabers at our throats when we make our move." @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

“Let’s not speak of subtlety, Chancellor. Not after all the fodder you’ve been spoon-feeding to the press. Visiting a nightclub with a Firrerreo lover in the aftermath of their species’ genocide, and with only a hood as your disguise? Yeah, about as subtle as a flying brick with your signature on the side.” Jin raised a dismissive hand, but by then, the argument was already dead in the crib. There would be no point of them fighting now, as much as he’d like to see it happen. Long as the press wasn’t around to see it.

“And yes, in fact, you should be thanking me. Imagine what a victory like this would do for your reputation, which we both know could use some serious work.” Jin folded his arms over his chest. The Chancellor’s image would require a whole facelift at this point, but it was not impossible. Even a corpse could be brought back from the dead. He just had to take another page from Palpatine. The old croak had nearly taken over the galaxy twice—and with a face like that? Emil could easily accomplish the same—if only he actually cared.

“But I’ll look into Minister Demeter,” Jin continued. “See if I can dig up information on her and her late family. In the meantime, I would suggest you warm up to our hosts. Like Minister Double Chin was saying, she’s gathered a sizable following, and chances are, that may include other members of the ministry. If we want to tear out this weed, it’s going to have to be by root and stem.”

Rather than turn and walk off, as was typical for this moment, for some reason Jin lingered. His gaze wandered around the gardens, between the rose bushes and bubbling fountains and the sunlight pouring through the glass ceiling. There was something he wanted to say to Emil, but couldn’t quite spit out the words. He chewed the inside of his cheek and gave himself an internal shake.

“You know, an interesting thought just came to me,” he began. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you in the light of day, Chancellor Ro. And here I was worried you might catch fire or shrivel up into a dried prune. Glad to see I was wrong.” Jin supposed he would have to settle for another weak, parting jab. There were much better things to attend to than keeping company with a man like Emil. So, with a bob of his head, he turned and left the conservatory, plotting for their next move.

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil and Jin didn't see each other much over the next three days. Both of them had their jobs and Emil couldn't spend all day and night firing live rounds into Vaisra when there was a planet to conquer. He spent his days in the company of their host, regaling them with horror stories about Balmorra and tales of his political victories. But he also took some time to listen. He needed to at least appear like he was going to take Uviuy Exen's many issues back to the Senate with him. He couldn't risk another Brentaal.

When he and Jin convened next, it was at a private dinner on the balcony of the suite he had been given for his stay. Emil had spent the afternoon ensuring the room wasn't bugged. The ministers were too air-headed for such a scheme, and Vaisra, though he didn't like Emil, wouldn't risk torching their mission for political espionage. But there were other forces at work on the planet that might, and he needed to ensure he and Jin had the ability to speak freely.

The local press had eaten up Jin's rumors over the past few days. Stories were running all over the HoloNet about a potential Sith plot to sicken an entire planet. A priestess, and also a local government minister, who might be attempting to capitalize on their suffering for her gain. Minister Demeter had made several public denouncements of these rumors since then, each more defensive than the last. Emil could tell she was getting ready to take the bait.

But he wasn't ready to spring the trap just yet.

"Our plan has borne fruit," he told Vaisra as he casually carved into a fish that had been cooked to his liking. "The ministers who were sympathetic to Demeter have put distance between themselves and her with the news cycle increasingly becoming more hostile. They smell blood in the water. But a bloodied animal is more dangerous than a healthy one." He took a bite, chewed, swallowed, and glared up at Jin. "Let's hope you are a better private investigator than you are a Senator, else we're right fucked. What have you found out about her financial connections?"

Emil once more found himself doubting a Sith presence, but the past few days had heightened his suspicion that Demeter was not alone in her acts. This 'plague' wasn't natural. It wasn't coming from off-world, and it didn't match any historical diseases that had srpung up on this planet previously. The whole thing reeked of a bio-weapon. But who was behind it? And why? Right now, only Vaisra could provide clues or an answer; because none of the ministers Emil had dealt with knew a thing. @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

The days blurred together like a fever dream. After Jin’s leak to the local tabloids, which had cycled through to the public since the day of their arrival, Demeter had responded harshly, and her sermons to the public had grown increasingly hostile. She was thrashing out, but not completely. Not like a cornered animal. Jin had watched several clips of her speeches, and in spite of the accusations levied against her, she seemed calmer than she should, continuing her very public miracles.

Even if the media and the ministry had turned on her, the people still appeared to be on her side. Typical.

But it would only be a matter of time before they realized how much of a fraud Minister Demeter truly was, before flocking back into the Republic’s arms like the sheep they were. All Jin and Emil had to do was work more of their magic on the local bureaucracy and presto, they could have the woman sent away on a shuttle to the nearest sun. Of course, that would require meeting with said bureaucrats, just like tonight.

Jin sat across from Emil at the curtained table, candles and platters of fish and macarons set between them. He steepled his fingers and smiled. “Look at you, Chancellor Ro. I’d say you look rather dashing this evening, but I think the phrase I’m looking for would be ‘less ugly than usual.’ Keep this up, and the media back in the Core might actually stop calling you all those awful nicknames.” His grin widened. As to what those nicknames were, he’d rather leave the man guessing.

“As for your question,Venka and I found nothing on the Minister. Like the others said, she’s clean. No outstanding contributions. All of her donations were locally made, aside from what she gathered from her family vault.” Jin slid Emil a datapad from across the table, listing the minister’s secret monetary records. His voice dropped to a low murmur. “As you can see, she’s dipped quite a bit into her trust funds. We’re talking hundreds of thousands of credits. Which is strange, considering she doesn’t have to campaign for reelection or anything.”

“Whatever it is she’s investing in, it’s something big.”

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil took a moment to chew over this information even as he chewed over his food. His eyes scanned Vaisra's datapad. All was as he said it was. But there might be something there Vaisra wasn't seeing. After all, it wasn't like the Sith—or whoever was masquerading as them—would dump money into her account under the name "Sith Empire." Small public donations, the kind that would fly under the radar, would be their chosen attack vector. Unfortunately, trying to prove that would be too difficult.

They needed another strategy.

"The Sith aren't involved," Emil proclaimed between bites. "At least, not the kind we're fighting. But those Sith have followers. Worshipers in all the dark corners of the galaxy, just like all religions." Here, he drew out a dataphone and sat it between them on the table. A few taps produced a grainy holographic projection of Minister Demeter at a recent public appearance. "So, I started paying less attention to her miracles and better attention to her words."

He hit 'Play.' The woman minister was spreading her arms out, the exaggerated yawn her sleeves giving her the appearance of a bat about to take flight. "As this new plague spreads, it can be easy to submit to our fears of death. The AMS pandemic elsewhere in the galaxy has taught us that even that vast innovation of our brightest medical corporations can't stand against Nature when she's determined to wipe us out. But even Nature cannot escape the Rule. Just as Death and Life form a duo, with one subservient over the other, Nature has her master as well. And to those of us who acknowledge it, the chains of Death cannot hold onto us."

The recording ended. The image hovering above Emil's phone stopped, leaving Demeter's face frozen in a euphoric grin. "Good, isn't she? She'd make a fine Senator. Note her language. 'Rules.' 'Duos.' And then there was that bit at the end. 'The Chains of Death cannot hold onto us.' I thought that sounded curious, so I did a little digging. They're the words of Marka Ragnos, an ancient Dark Lord of the Sith. Rather charismatic one too. Out of all the old, rotting, dead Sith Lords, Ragnos has the most cults. More than that witch of an Empress, Andraste, even." He tapped on his phone a few times, zooming in and sharpening the image. Demeter was wearing a necklace with a peculiar symbol hanging from it. "I know they didn't put much logical programming into that brain of yours in whatever factory on Fondor they made you in, but, what do you get when you put all these pieces together?"

For Emil, it was fairly obvious. The speech, the miracles, the hex charm hanging around Demeter's neck. They weren't dealing with the Sith Empire here on Uviuy Exen. They were dealing with a cult. One who wanted to sacrifice the good people of this world as a price of entry, desperate for the real Sith's attention. @Feng Mian

 

[Jin Vaisra]

Jin observed the recording with a bemused expression. Minister Demeter was a fine orator and played an excellent impression of a crazed religious zealot, but her speech slid off him like oil to water. She loved waving elaborate phrases like ‘the Rule’ and ‘the chains of Death’ as if they made up the very foundation of the galaxy. It was how most believers in the Force worked, and why Jin had never been fond of the Jedi or the Sith. To him, there was only what was tangible, and the nonexistent.

Which was why he broke out into a fit of laughter when Emil was finished making his case.

“Forgive me, but wow—you’re an even bigger Sith history crackpot than I originally thought. Imagine what the press would say.” Jin plucked out a slice of salmon with his fork and popped it into his mouth. “And while I feel like I should be concerned that you’ve done so much reading on this ‘Markus Ragnarok’—or whatever his name is—to be able to piece this together, just this once, I will give you the benefit of the doubt.”

He flushed down the rest of his champagne and set aside the glass. “Say you are right. Say that our dear Minister Demeter really does intend to sacrifice the people of Uviuy Exen in some bizarre worldwide ritual, either to raise the Sith Lord from the dead or to join him. What then? Do you really think that nonsense is possible? I’m afraid I am not as much of an expert in Sith doctrine and theology as you are, Chancellor Ro, so you will have to enlighten me on how she proposes to make this happen with just cheap charisma and a hex charm.”

It might have been a silly question to ask. Jin had heard old legends of the Force as a child, of how it once fueled powerful weapons that sucked whole planets dry of breath and life, but he’d always taken them for myths. Exaggerated stories. Like the Death Star, that was a weapon built by science and ingenuity, not some bizarre mystical power he could neither touch nor see. With Minister Demeter, he found it hard to believe her intentions to be more sinister than a corrupt politician grasping for planetary power.

@Mockingjay

 

[Emil Ro]

Emil had a thought then. A dark thought, borne in the black places of his mind. Ever since he learned that he had the Force, he had been trying to learn to control it. The Jedi refused to train him. And while he was sure he could find a Sith to jump at the prospect, the idea revolted him. But the Jedi and the Sith were not the only ones who could teach a man to use the Force. The New Republic had possession of the Imperial Palace and its archives—the old Jedi Archives.

Emil had poured over those records. It had taken some time, and most of the philosophical bullshit was lost on him, but he had picked up a few tricks. Like the one he was about to show Vaisra. "Once, I didn't know what was possible. I thought like you. The Jedi and Sith can do extraordinary things, but how much of it is real power and what were palar tricks?" He leaned in, curling his fingers even as he stretched his mind across the space between them. He used the Force to put pressure on Vaisra's windpipe. Not enough to strangle him, but enough to make him uncomfortable. To an onlooker, it would simply appear that he was having trouble swallowing a bite. "Turns out," he said, squeezing for emphasis. "All kinds of things are possible."

Then he let the man go and withdrew his hand.

"Besides, whether or not the ritual is possible is beyond the point. The Minister thinks its possible, which means she's willing to try. If we can expose her efforts, this planet will dance to our tune and Brentaal's loss will be a thing of the past." He tapped his fingers on the table, suddenly uninterested in his food. "She has to be getting this 'plague' from somewhere. That is your next task, Senator. Find out where she is producing that shit, and I'll even let you take the credit."

A grin curled across Emil's face. The rush of adrenaline he felt from using the Force, from revealing himself to his greatest political rival, was still fresh. As was the revelation that he was in control of this little game they were playing. Vaisra had sharp words, he sneaky tricks, and the wealth of a royal dynasty behind him. But Emil? He had the power that bound the universe at his beck and call. And he was only just beginning to learn how to use it. @Feng Mian