Oluk'ra
Milky Way Galaxy

Oluk'ra was not one of Navar's more favoured worlds. She found the humidity and heat stifling, it clung to her, an almost omnipresent, uncomfortable sensation, even inside Terrin's pyramid. The darker, red tinged light of its star was unsettling, throwing off her vision, distorting colours and shadows, even the gravity was different, lower than she was accustomed too, while the atmosphere felt as if it was pushing down on her, the ground seemed to be pushing upward, each step rebounding, her muscles overexerting themselves for the amount of effort needed. Truth be told, she had a dislike for any world that wasn't her own, its bracing chill, the crisp air, the ice that made her who she was. If she thought the wider Clan would accept it, she'd have moved their capital world there. A spell out on the ice would toughen up the rest of the Fourth, but alas, leadership involved sacrifices, upon occasion, and hers was to spend less time on Salqu, and more on worlds such as this. As she suppressed her discomfort at her surroundings, Navar could not supress her smirk as the com device cut out, a fitting insult to the fool who claimed to be First.

Terrin was right, there was no point in continuing the discussion, some of the Seconds believed in living life the Lucian way, and some believed in being meek, cowering before the Tau'ri, willing to give up the traditions that had formed the backbone of Alliance life for generations. She was certainly one of the former, steadfastly leading the Fourth Clan the way Kiva had, lost across the universe with the hated Tau'ri. She planned to find out exactly what had happened to her cousin once she and her men were standing on Earth's ground, once this war was successfully over. Perhaps they will be a little more forthcoming after a bit of orbital bombardment…

Or she could always make use of her new Langaran plaything, once her forces had succeeded in securing its Chappa'ai she'd have the means to dial the Ancient ship herself, perhaps even bring her cousin home.

For now though, she brought her attention back to the room. While all present were united in their hatred of Odai Ventrell, their bonds when it came to other issues were less secure. She ostensibly found herself as one of Terrin's closest allies, her forces leading the attack on Langara and the attack against the Tau'ri shipyard that had been important parts of the strategy thus far. Despite that, she didn't think of herself as especially close to him, indeed, she had determined it important to show some distance, not least with Terrin wasting strength, men and ships on an unsuccessful attack against Earth. While she could see logic in his explanation, and she was certainly willing to give a public show of support in front of the First and his lackeys, they were, after all, Lucians, perhaps the only true Lucians left. They had invested in Terrin as the leader of their cause and he had failed. That hung in the air of the room, a tension, something unspoken, but that they all knew was there. If they were so committed to the old ways, one of them really should set about slitting his throat and be done with it.

It wasn't so simple, of course. Terrin wielded true power, the Second clan's fleet was the largest, and the most advanced. He'd been smart enough to ensure many of his more potent weapons were usable only at his command, and there was no guarantee whomever that would take his place wouldn't simply turn on them, rather than join the fight against the First.

No, better to leave Terrin where he was, he was the focal point, sooner or later, whether it was the Tau'ri, or the First, someone would come seeking a head in payment for all that had been done. Better it not be her own.

"What of the Tau'ri?" It was likely everyone was thinking it, she thought, Serrac of the Fourteenth was the one to say it aloud, breaking the silence that had hung in the room.

They were split into two groups, sat on smaller, less elaborate seats to either side of Terrin's throne, a show for visual effect designed to antagonise Ventrell as much as anything else. Their erstwhile 'leader' rose from it, stepping down the 3 steps to the floor smoothly, before walking out into the room, again, carefully, before turning to face the group. Perhaps he was being smart enough to appear somewhat contrite, acknowledging his position of weakness without appearing too weak…

"We have sown terror and fear upon their world. Though we may not have succeeded in damaging it as much as we may have hoped. The people of the Tau'ri will be in a panic. Their mighty fleet will be recalled to defend their home. We shall have free reign, to raid and pillage, their friends, their allies, their protected planets. When they see that Earth will choose to defend itself rather than save them, the galaxy will be ours for the taking."

She couldn't help but allow a grin to spread across her face, he was making sense, surprisingly. Terrin was no fool, but such a measured, reasoned response when directly under attack was unexpected. It certainly had a positive effect, no doubt the thought of riches and territory to come was passing through every mind in the room.

There was, however, the other, yet unspoken, issue.

"And the other Clans?" Navar decided it may as well be her to bring it up.

"What Lucian could stand by and watch as our Clans reap the benefit of my strategy? They will join us, or they will be left behind."

More smirks and grins.

Her own amused expression was tempered as she noticed more of Terrin's things shuffling into the room. They repulsed her, their scarred skin, haphazard metal implants, the way they moved, those eerie, milky white eyes. They were carrying trays with some sort of drinks on them, slowly, but robotically, they made their way around the group, each taking a glass. As one them reached Navar, she reluctantly took it, doing her best to avoid making eye contact with its blank, vacant expression.

She was no stranger to dolling out torture, but even she balked at assigning such a fate.

"Friends, a toast, to our victories to come." Terrin's voice was oddly, flat? For someone making some sort of rousing gesture, but something alcoholic was welcome, especially now those things had left the room.

"To Odai Ventrell!" Navar grinned. The assembled seconds downed their drinks in celebration.