Buying Loyalties
He smiled and buried his hands into a bowl of kesher nuts on a nearby table. He cracked them in his meaty hands, crumbs falling over his white dress tunic which bulged, buttons growing tight as he moved. No matter how often he had the tailors alter this, the tunic remained perpetually uncomfortable. He pulled at the high necked collar trying to loosen it around his jowls. He exhaled impatiently and looked back towards the door of the room - nothing. He sighed and lounged deeper into the couch.
He wasn't entirely sure who he was meeting. Whoever it was clearly had enough clout to navigate his myriad of aides and assistants and had been deemed important enough to merit a private audience. Zsinj considered himself somewhat of a power in the galaxy. No one had ever really filled the void created after the death of Tarkin. There were a series of Moffs, Governors, and Admirals who had acquired a degree of power but with the Iron Fist as his flagship and the Crimson Fleet, a collection of fifty or so Victory-Class Star Destroyers, he was by far the most equipped and outfitted power in the galaxy. Given his considerable power and influence, he very rarely had to wait on people, which made this entire experience unnerving.
The door hissed open and Zsinj rocked himself to his feet, dusting the crumbs and broken shell pieces from his tunic. One of his aides, Losa Mills, who he loved to look at in her slender skirt and black Imperial dress blouse strode into the room. She looked troubled but was clearly making an effort to be confident in front of him.
"Sir, may I present Prince Cregan Hawke, Lawful King of the Cassandran Monarchy and Lord of Korhal," she said. He smiled slightly and made a mental note to privately congratulate her for taking the time to learn the proper heraldry. He appreciated that in his assistants, amongst other things.
A man hobbled into the room behind her. Despite his efforts to walk straight, Zsinj could clearly see the man relied heavily on his prosthetic limbs. The advances in medical sciences were monumental but nothing could supplement the real thing. He was wearing black dress pants, similar to the cut and quality of an Imperial dress uniform from COMPNOR or Intelligence but without the red banding down the side. His tunic was of the Cassandran style, double-breasted jacket with the exception of the toggles and braiding being black as well as the tunic. Cassandrans were usually quite gaudy, in Zsinj's opinion with their embellishments so this was an odd choice, especially given his status as reigning Monarch. He noticed that in addition to the clearly prosthetic leg and arms the man had a string of metal patches and circuitry running up behind his ears. One of his eyes, although prosthetic, was coloured to resemble the ice-blue of his natural eye colour. Zsinj noted that if the man hadn't scowled so much than he actually could be considered quite handsome, for those who dallied in that sort of thing of course.
Zsinj executed a perfect bow, to the standard and style of the Imperial Courts and then motioned to the seating nearby.
"Your Highness, welcome to the Iron Fist. I am Grand Moff Zsinj, Admiral of the Crimson Fleet and your gracious host for today," he said cordially. Cregen sniffed incredulously and lumbered over to the chairs. He eased himself onto it and the couch squealed in protest under the weight. Zsinj figured that given the man's already muscular frame and height the added cybernetics likely put him at three hundred pounds if not more. A lesser man may be intimidated by such a man, but not Zsinj. He settled himself on the opposing couch, lounging in such a way as to appear comfortable but not disrespectful and motioned to the Prince.
"I would be remiss if I did not congratulate you on your most recent ascension to the throne. Although I will say, it is terrible what happened to your father and brother but hyperspace can be a dangerous place," Zsinj said, feigning sincerity. It was widely known that Cregen's father and older brother had been killed along with their entire entourage of retainers when their ship went off course during a hyperspace jump in system. The ship was incinerated when a uncommon failure in the navicomputer sent them careening through an asteroid field at lightspeed.
"Your sentiment is noted Warlord," Cregen said. This caught Zsinj off guard. The dalliances of politics were subtle but just as deadly, if not more so, than that of combat. This brash disregard for the game was uncharacteristic for the nobility. Zsinj adopted a more poised form, difficult on the soft couches but he made due, and steepled his fingers with his elbows on his knees.
"Well then, to business. What do you want Prince?" he asked. Cregen smiled, it was a cold smile and sent shivers down Zsinj spine.
"There is a new power in the galaxy. One that even your Emperor cannot surpass," Cregan said. Zsinj frowned and noted the use of "your" in the man's words. The Cassandran Worlds were a collection of a hundred or so planets. Although remote, they were still loyal to the Empire and provided a considerable amount of conscripts to the Imperial Navy and Army.
"Is there now? And how does that concern me?" he asked loftily. He notioned with the idea that this may just be a loyalty test from Palpatine. The Emperor wasn't very trusting and it wasn't uncommon for him to try and force dissention to prove disloyalty in certain circumstances.
"My Master is unlike his brethren in that he sees value in surrounding himself with capable individuals," Cregan said. Zsinj processed those words quickly and then raised his eyebrows.
"Another Sith?" he said with legitimate shock. "Well that's interesting". On paper the Sith were extinct. Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine's ability to use the Force was something that weren't spoken of. Zsinj knew of a secret training facility on the world of Byss where Palpatine trained his "Inquisitors" however they were never overtly called Sith. It was understood that the Emperor held the monopoly on force-sensitives in the galaxy. A rogue Sith would present a new variable to the game. Cregen just nodded in response.
"I presume you've come to ask for my loyalty then? You must understand. There are nearly five hundred thousand people under my command and they would not all defect. Notwithstanding that I have no interesting in defecting. Right now I have a Cassandran Royal in front of me touting about some veiled force of power in the galaxy and demanding my loyalty. I have yet to see what I can gain from this," he said simply. Cregen glared at him and then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small datapad and keyed a series of keystrokes on it. He rested it on the table and the projector sputtered to life. Zsinj waved a hand and the lights to the room dimmed in reply. A star map was suspended in front of him with a series of images and data displaying alongside of it. Zsinj frowned at the figures and then he realized what he was staring at. He looked at Cregan with a look of shock on his face.
"There's no way you could accomplish that," he stammered. "The resources alone would be astronomical," he said. Zsinj say back and ran his hand through his thinning hair. He kept running the scenario in his head. Theoretically, if it was accomplished it would place them in complete control of the Core Worlds. There were so many gaps though. Considerable assumptions and exorbitant extrapolations based off those assumptions. Unless...
"You've found something haven't you? Something that can make it all work," Zsinj said, the anticipation heavy in his voice. Cregen nodded slowly, flashing another cold smile, and then stood up, the lights brightened slightly on cue.
"We will be in touch Admiral," Cregan said as he strode from the room. Zsinj stood there, staring at the star map still hovering above the table. After a moment he keyed his comlink.
"Losa, summon the Captains of the Corrupter and the Virulence to me immediately. Tell them to prepare their ships for action. I have a mission for them".
The door hissed open and Zsinj rocked himself to his feet, dusting the crumbs and broken shell pieces from his tunic. One of his aides, Losa Mills, who he loved to look at in her slender skirt and black Imperial dress blouse strode into the room. She looked troubled but was clearly making an effort to be confident in front of him.
"Sir, may I present Prince Cregan Hawke, Lawful King of the Cassandran Monarchy and Lord of Korhal," she said. He smiled slightly and made a mental note to privately congratulate her for taking the time to learn the proper heraldry. He appreciated that in his assistants, amongst other things.
A man hobbled into the room behind her. Despite his efforts to walk straight, Zsinj could clearly see the man relied heavily on his prosthetic limbs. The advances in medical sciences were monumental but nothing could supplement the real thing. He was wearing black dress pants, similar to the cut and quality of an Imperial dress uniform from COMPNOR or Intelligence but without the red banding down the side. His tunic was of the Cassandran style, double-breasted jacket with the exception of the toggles and braiding being black as well as the tunic. Cassandrans were usually quite gaudy, in Zsinj's opinion with their embellishments so this was an odd choice, especially given his status as reigning Monarch. He noticed that in addition to the clearly prosthetic leg and arms the man had a string of metal patches and circuitry running up behind his ears. One of his eyes, although prosthetic, was coloured to resemble the ice-blue of his natural eye colour. Zsinj noted that if the man hadn't scowled so much than he actually could be considered quite handsome, for those who dallied in that sort of thing of course.
Zsinj executed a perfect bow, to the standard and style of the Imperial Courts and then motioned to the seating nearby.
"Your Highness, welcome to the Iron Fist. I am Grand Moff Zsinj, Admiral of the Crimson Fleet and your gracious host for today," he said cordially. Cregen sniffed incredulously and lumbered over to the chairs. He eased himself onto it and the couch squealed in protest under the weight. Zsinj figured that given the man's already muscular frame and height the added cybernetics likely put him at three hundred pounds if not more. A lesser man may be intimidated by such a man, but not Zsinj. He settled himself on the opposing couch, lounging in such a way as to appear comfortable but not disrespectful and motioned to the Prince.
"I would be remiss if I did not congratulate you on your most recent ascension to the throne. Although I will say, it is terrible what happened to your father and brother but hyperspace can be a dangerous place," Zsinj said, feigning sincerity. It was widely known that Cregen's father and older brother had been killed along with their entire entourage of retainers when their ship went off course during a hyperspace jump in system. The ship was incinerated when a uncommon failure in the navicomputer sent them careening through an asteroid field at lightspeed.
"Your sentiment is noted Warlord," Cregen said. This caught Zsinj off guard. The dalliances of politics were subtle but just as deadly, if not more so, than that of combat. This brash disregard for the game was uncharacteristic for the nobility. Zsinj adopted a more poised form, difficult on the soft couches but he made due, and steepled his fingers with his elbows on his knees.
"Well then, to business. What do you want Prince?" he asked. Cregen smiled, it was a cold smile and sent shivers down Zsinj spine.
"There is a new power in the galaxy. One that even your Emperor cannot surpass," Cregan said. Zsinj frowned and noted the use of "your" in the man's words. The Cassandran Worlds were a collection of a hundred or so planets. Although remote, they were still loyal to the Empire and provided a considerable amount of conscripts to the Imperial Navy and Army.
"Is there now? And how does that concern me?" he asked loftily. He notioned with the idea that this may just be a loyalty test from Palpatine. The Emperor wasn't very trusting and it wasn't uncommon for him to try and force dissention to prove disloyalty in certain circumstances.
"My Master is unlike his brethren in that he sees value in surrounding himself with capable individuals," Cregan said. Zsinj processed those words quickly and then raised his eyebrows.
"Another Sith?" he said with legitimate shock. "Well that's interesting". On paper the Sith were extinct. Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine's ability to use the Force was something that weren't spoken of. Zsinj knew of a secret training facility on the world of Byss where Palpatine trained his "Inquisitors" however they were never overtly called Sith. It was understood that the Emperor held the monopoly on force-sensitives in the galaxy. A rogue Sith would present a new variable to the game. Cregen just nodded in response.
"I presume you've come to ask for my loyalty then? You must understand. There are nearly five hundred thousand people under my command and they would not all defect. Notwithstanding that I have no interesting in defecting. Right now I have a Cassandran Royal in front of me touting about some veiled force of power in the galaxy and demanding my loyalty. I have yet to see what I can gain from this," he said simply. Cregen glared at him and then reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small datapad and keyed a series of keystrokes on it. He rested it on the table and the projector sputtered to life. Zsinj waved a hand and the lights to the room dimmed in reply. A star map was suspended in front of him with a series of images and data displaying alongside of it. Zsinj frowned at the figures and then he realized what he was staring at. He looked at Cregan with a look of shock on his face.
"There's no way you could accomplish that," he stammered. "The resources alone would be astronomical," he said. Zsinj say back and ran his hand through his thinning hair. He kept running the scenario in his head. Theoretically, if it was accomplished it would place them in complete control of the Core Worlds. There were so many gaps though. Considerable assumptions and exorbitant extrapolations based off those assumptions. Unless...
"You've found something haven't you? Something that can make it all work," Zsinj said, the anticipation heavy in his voice. Cregen nodded slowly, flashing another cold smile, and then stood up, the lights brightened slightly on cue.
"We will be in touch Admiral," Cregan said as he strode from the room. Zsinj stood there, staring at the star map still hovering above the table. After a moment he keyed his comlink.
"Losa, summon the Captains of the Corrupter and the Virulence to me immediately. Tell them to prepare their ships for action. I have a mission for them".
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