TKR: Building Ties

[Lyanna Drast]

Lyanna was of the opinion that if you wanted someone to work for you, fight for you, then you needed to be something more to them than some distant figure.

You needed to either know them on a personal level or you needed to be larger than life - something, someone, so much their greater that they felt there was no other way for them but to obey and adore you.

It was the first part that brought her here today - she was here to speak to a figure within the Imperial Republica who needed to be met in person. Reports said that they were a mover, a shaker, and Lyanna found herself in need of people of such skills.

Kuat was still devastated but through sheer effort, sheer willpower, one woman seemed to have pulled her family together and was ready and willing to do the same thing with the entire planet, the entire system. It was something that Lyanna could respect as a Sith, a woman and as a politician.

But there was slightly more to her visit to Saorise Kallig's family home than just touching base with the other woman - she was here to personally promote the woman and that would likely do wonders to break the ice.

@Nightfall
@Saorise Kallig

 

[Darth Inheris]

Word spread rapidly of recent events in the capital, and the noble houses of Kuat could be a gossipy bunch when they weren't planning some form of economic warfare against the other. Not that there was any way a soul in the Empire wouldn't have heard about their new Empress. Saorise couldn't deny she was intrigued, even more so when the call came in that Empress Lyanna would be visiting here personally. A great boon for the House as part of the game no doubt, but Saorise knew that this could mean far more for herself, depending on how things went. She didn't mean to let things go poorly then.

Clearly a woman of talents, the young Empress just a few years her junior, Saorise was ready to speak openly and frankly, no doubt that anything else would have been identified in a moment. Even it wasn't, better to assume so, just in case. Partnerships could be sought, alliances firmed, but nothing held such things together than a real relationship, even it was one merely perceived, rather than necessarily shared. It was yet too early to tell which way this particular one might go.

It was with this in mind that when the Empress shuttle touched down at House Dalaigh's landing bay, Saorise, besides a few attendants, stood alone to greet her,

"Empress" Saorise greeted with a smile, and a polite but light bow as she disembarked "Welcome to Kuat" she drew her head up, and gestured broadly to the surroundings, the view from the estate could be quite lovely this time of year, when the sun was right, and with just herself and the Empress there to greet it, there would be much more space to view it, and the lack of pomp and circumstance meant they might more easily transition to more personable conversation,

"And more importantly, congratulations, your majesty. With Kuat on the mend since the attack, we look forward to a renewed partnership between ourselves and the throne with you leadin it" Saorise said, guiding her guest across to the House entrance. Though she desired greatly to sit and begin whatever discussion the Empress had come for, she was still Lord of House Dalaigh, and that meant when the Empress arrived one had to act with a certain decorum and protocol, though in her heart she detested much of it. What the Empress thought of it, she didn't know, but she more than hoped to find out.

@Nefieslab

 

[Lyanna Drast]

It seemed that Saorise wasn't going to waste anyone's time in meeting her and Lyanna could respect that - they were both busy women after all and sometimes there was precious little time to be wasted with the formalities. Most of them would likely be dispensed with, although they were both likely aware that some could never be removed.

Perhaps that was for the best though - if they dispensed with all of the pleasantries then they would likely be no better than savages in reality.

Smiling widely, Lyanna was flanked by two guards and followed by four more. While she didn't feel threatened by Saorise - it seemed that her head of security did not feel that was enough of a reason to leave her alone. Still, she was able to greet the Kuati noblewoman with a bright smile regardless.

"I thank you Lady Kallig - this is my first official visit to the planet." she admitted with a nod before chuckling politely, "Congratulations all round seems appropriate. I understand you very recently became the head of your House? Well played Lady Kallig."

Imperial Intelligence had logged the change.

As they stepped into the house, two of her guards broke off to search the area. It was entirely by protocol so she didn't hold it against them. Instead she smiled, a touch embarrassed, and whispered to Saorise.

"Sorry about my security detail... they're very... zealous."

She would wait for Saorise to lead them to the room they would be speaking in.

@Nightfall
@Saorise Kallig

 

[Darth Inheris]

"Understandably so I should imagine. But you've no enemies while your in my House Empress, I promise you that much" Saorise replied, glancing over the guards as they proceeded to search her premises. Anyone elses security doing that without her assent and she'd have had to step in, few would be granted that authority so easily. But when one's guest was the Empress, such exceptions would be made. Hopefully the House staff had kept the place in good order, she'd commanded them so as to do so, but one could not always hope things got done on their own,


"Just through here, if you wouldn't mind" Soarise brought the Empress onto a sunlit balcony that provided a good view of the grounds as well as the planet beyond. Separate enough from the household that they might speak in private, but relaxed enough to hopefully keep things a little more 'off the record' than they might have been. The balcony itself was one Saorise herself had been making great use of recently. Even the Sith needed for meditation, centering oneself. Something she had learnt long ago, that one could take it in, breath, and in doing so assert ones place in the Force, make come to her, focusing it and her into something capable of the things she needed to do. And, if her many plans were to achieve fruition, there would be much to do yet,

"Now, we can talk" she offered with a contended smile, as if coming her put herself at ease as well, hopefully it would do her guest too. This was her first contact with the ruling family, better it was on good terms,

"Flattered as I might be, I'm sure you've not come all this way to Kuat to offer your congratulations"

@Nefieslab

 

[Lyanna Drast]

Ah a balcony.

Lyanna had to admit that after being stuck on the ship on the journey here, she was clear to stretch her legs under an actual sky - there was just something that had to be said for being able to just breathe in fresh air. Taking just such a deep breath, she smiled a little bit as she looked up at the sky.

It was true what they said however - you could see the rings of the shipyards from the ground and they were truly beautiful in their own way.

If slightly smaller than they should be.

"Of course not - you'd be the wrong kind of person for anything I want done if you were content with just that." she acknowledged brightly, smiling a little bit, "As you no doubt expect, I'm here to ask something of you."

She turned to look at Saorise and her smile was gone.

"Where is your heart, Saorise?" She pushed firmly, "Is it in Kuat? Or the Empire as a whole?"

@Nightfall

 

[Darth Inheris]

She shared the Empress' gaze over the floating Drive Yards, breathing deep as the pair took a moment to adjust and settle into their seats. As pleasant company as the Empress was offering, it seemed as though it would be somehwta short lived. Unsurprising, really.

A busy woman, a driven woman, there was a purpose, they'd both known it. Pleasantries could only last so long. And she was as curious to hear them anyhow. So when it took Saorise a moment to process the question, it took her by surprise.

Her eyes remained locked on the horizon, taking in the full extent of their view of Kuat's flats and mesas, a shallow breeze running over it all that brushed at her hair, made it woft ever so gently. It was as good a question as any, and it prompted a bit of reflection that Saorise had not anticipated. Her mouth had been ready to agree to any request, when the Empress instead offered her a moment of pause, she was struck, though her face wouldn't show it, still stoic as it looked to the sun,

"Kuat..." she paused again trying to find the words. Part of her wanted to explain her thoughts to her, but somewhere in herself she knew it was not what either of them need from this meeting.

Her return here was not one of sentimentality, but of pure pragmatism. If she meant to make a name and make an impact on this Empire, a strong foundation was needed. If she wanted to make change, resources had to be found. It was only luck of her birth that had left her in such close proximity to this opportunity. So, she'd taken it. That her being was tied here was a chance, a roll of the dice. It wasn't her,

"My heart lies with the Greater Good, your majesty"

@Nefieslab

 

[Lyanna Drast]

The Greater Good?

Now why did she get the impression that those words were said with a capital letter? It was rather amusing in a way but she knew better than to voice it aloud. The answer was, in it's own way, proof of her character and Lyanna didn't exactly find the other woman wanting it had to be said. Smiling a little bit, she nodded simply as she looked back out at Kuat rather than at the other woman. It took her a moment before she spoke again.

"And how, my dear Crusader, would you like to be at the forefront of our Empire's efforts?" she asked, suddenly her smile gone and her entire demeanour serious, "Can I count on you to become my instrument in the field? The scalpal that will cut through our enemies with precision and care?"

She tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Or have the deaths in your family hollowed you out?" She suggested with a raised eyebrow, "No one would blame you, you know, if you called it quits. If you gave up."

The test.

@Nightfall

 

[Darth Inheris]

Nothing escaped the Empress’s attention it seemed, her questions pointed and direct.

Good.

Good, Saorise thought. Better one who knows more than less, after Elix. Though still Saorise has her secrets, she wondered how much the Empress really knew? If she played the game quite so well as it appeared she did? Or if she just had the confidence that made it seem like that was a possibility.

For the most part Saorise has avoided the question of her family. Her mind was scarred from it, there was no doubt, thoughts of them still flickered in her head so long now after. Perhaps that was for the best. Better she felt any emotions, knew them in full, in person, than deny them altogether. What sort of Sith would she be then? A dead one probably, face down in the sands of Korriban.

And it was precisely that reminder that kept her focused on still moving ahead,

“I couldn’t give it up, my Empress” she replied “it is for now what I live on” offering a confident reply as she shared the view with her companion,

“If anything, their deaths have only strengthened my resolve. Another fateful reminder of how momentary it might be when it finally does slip away” Saorise words would hopefully ring true. To some extent it was true, What she’d say next even more so,

“And I have no intent of letting it do so. Not yet, anyhow” she closed, her reflections done for now,

“Which is why I’m more than ready to take the fight to them, just as you say, your majesty. We’ve been defensive and reactionary for long enough” she spoke more confidently “time to make some progress. And I’m ready with whatever resources I have available to do so”

Did she pass? Or was she just coming across a sycophant? If anything pressed weight on to her mind now, it was no more a serious question than that. But one that felt ever so important, given the context.

@Nefieslab

 

[Lyanna Drast]

Interesting.

It seemed that Saorise Kallig still had some fight left in her - she liked that. Lyanna smiled a little bit before chuckling slightly and looking back out across the countryside of Kuat. She took a deep breath and released it, enjoying the fresh air. After being on a ship it was like breathing had become 'tastier' or something equally as droll.

She was not, it seemed, much of a poet.

"Well said, Saorise." she replied at length before smirking ever so slightly, "Well said indeed. My own deaths and imprisonments within the family have shaken me - but I remain unbroken. Unbowed. It is good to see someone else within my Empire who has suffered likewise but knows not to bend. Who knows that steel in the spine is the only way to continue."

Lyanna tapped the edge of the balcony with a fingernail.

"I am going to do something rather large." she admitted to Saorise, "If I succeed it will be a boon to the Empire. If I lose it will be the end of me. I don't believe in being timid when it comes to the future of my Empire - however, I also do not believe in not stacking the desk. In not having a plan b."

She looked at Saorise before smiling.

"Tell me Saorise... what do you know about rebellion?"

@Nightfall

 

[Darth Inheris]

Saorise listened as the Empress noted her own past trauma, passing references but ones that were a welcome sound to Saorise. Good to know they shared a language there, though how far it would extend she would be yet to find out. And as Lyanna teased some upcoming action, something... bold, from the wya her words danced around it, Saorise's eyes narrowed slightly, weighing up the possibilities for what it might mean. A tantalising prospect it was to have the confidence of the queen, so she wouldn't push to know it. Though Saorise stowed away the thought of having her ear for another time. If things continued, perhaps there would be another meeting after all, and it seemed they were soon getting to the meat of it all,

"It all depends on perspective, your majesty. To the common man the idea of rebellion can be a tantalising one, a dream where they have influence and power, but never have to break from their common morality to feel as if they've won. For a Sith, well, in a sense rebellion is what we do daily, carving new paths" she ended this phrase with a quiet smile to herself, as she took a sip of her drink before continuing, the cup landing with the smallest 'ting' on the table,

"To an Empire, it's something that must be stamped out as soon as possible, if its within its own borders. And if it flairs beyond them? Then a rebellion is an opportunity, if their cards are played right" Saorise concluded, somewhat slyly. Talk of such things in within the Empires lands and beyond extended daily, even some within the Old Empire whisper it from what she understood. What the Empress meant, well, she could sense she'd soon understand.

@Nefieslab

 

[Lyanna Drast]

Saorise had gotten her meaning.

Lyanna smiled a little bit and handed the other woman a small datachip with data that the Imperial Intelligence Services had been gathering. None of it was massive but it was enough to be worthwhile in the hands of someone who intended to actually do some damage with it. Smiling a little bit, she hummed a little bit upon releasing the datachip from her grip and returning to sipping at her own drink.

"In my experience, Rebellion comes from two camps, in general." She admitted, continuing, "The first is a camp that is dangerous to us; the idealists. Those who believe that their rebellion is, by default, righteous in some way and will excuse any and all wrong doing in the pursuit of their goals as neccessary evils. This type of rebellion you must be willing to put down."

Her eyes like ice, she stared at Saorise.

"Hard."

Her smile returned and she added.

"And the other? Born of pride." she hummed a little bit as she finished her drink and set the glass back down on the table, "And pride is something we can predict. Something we can work with, as Sith."

Nodding to Saorise and the datachip, Lyanna smiled bright and wide.

"I hope you enjoy it Saorise - I found it to be a dry, albeit, informative read. Good evening."

@Nightfall

 

[Darth Inheris]

It had dawned on Saorise as soon as the notice had come through alerting her of the empress’ arrival that this meeting would end a certain way, and as she took the datapad from the Empress and began to skim over it, she was able to finally close that question in her mind as to exactly what this was going to be. For Empress and Empire.

The information was interesting. And telling, for that matter, the conversation had taken them to a place where there was only one response to the data before her, one she hadn’t initially expected,

“Opportunities do show themselves in the strangest places” Saorise replied, scrolling through datapad, her mind formulating plans yet to come. No doubt they would be put into effect sooner rather than later, given Lyanna’s warnings of her fate. Whether this was to be some dead mans switch, or a bargaining chip later down the road, whatever she made of the information she meant it to send a message.

She’d have her intelligence officers comb it for all its worth, her officers assemble to plan, prepare. This was a chance, Saorise Kallig, Lord of House Dalaigh, to prove her worth in the eyes of the Empire. And she meant to show it,

“Your will be done, Empress”

@Nefieslab

Spoiler: OOC

/EndThread? Let me know :)but it felt like an ending!