Chapter Four: Brandishing the Gauntlet

"So you understand, Dania Laquila was a most interesting character, so many people had already begun to manipulate her, and she had not even arrived at Court. In case you are wondering how I know this information; the Intelligence network had begun to plant holocameras around the palace; during my time as Dania's right hand I made certain I used all the privileges available to me."

Dsai'llyana had relaxed back into her chair, sinking low, into a slouched position, curling in on herself. She had a stab of painful nostalgia, of a time when she had been smaller than she was now, and a Star Destroyer had been her entire universe.

Back when her family was still alive and together, her parents leading the united Empire forward against the pretenders leading the so-called New Republic. Back when it had been safe and easy, when she hadn't been so alone. Memories overwhelmed her, and before continuing the datapads' entry, she closed her eyes to embrace them.

There had been an argument between her mother and her guardian again, she had been too young to understand it at the time. Staliae had patience, but even that wore thin after months of contradictory ranting from a woman she was trying to protect.

Terrified, Dsai'llyana had escaped the room, recalling the way to the private Command Centre used by her father, following some unknown guide to lead her to her destination. It had been forbidden for her to go to the Command Decks; it was far too dangerous for a child, never minding her blindness, to be there. She rigidly obeyed her fathers' rules, but this once, it hadn't even occurred to her that she was disobeying him…

A tightly muscled hand pressed on her shoulder, she had squealed…to find the strange bodyguard that stalked her father rasping something at her. She had been about 9 months old, strong enough to walk and run, but still unable to talk and understand properly. The Chiss and Human ageing had clashed very badly, it seemed; it had taken her twice as long as an average Chiss to learn to speak and comprehend what she was hearing.

The Basic Rukh spoke made no sense to her; she was too tuned to the Cheunh spoken by her father and her guardian to understand anything but the most well spoken of Basic.

The stumpy alien propelled her forwards into a distinctly warmer room; she extended her hands, feeling no walls, trying to avoid obstacles. She had called out in Cheunh for her father, feeling petrified and lost, confused at all that had occurred. Tears fell, for the first time in her life, and one of the only times, she had cried without restraint.

Voices exclaimed in Basic, the intonation of the one who frequently spoke to her father whilst he was on duty, and the cool reply of her fathers flawless Basic, and arms carefully hoisted her up into a strong, warm embrace. Footsteps indicated the departure of the officer, and Dsai'llyana had felt a hand in her hair, calmly stroking the thick inky black strands.

What is wrong, child? What has made you disobey my rules? softly masculine, the voice of her father soothed her; Dsai'llyana felt her tears dry. There was something subtly strong in Cheunh, something utterly beautiful and terrible all in the same instance. Its alright, you're perfectly safe here with me.

Staliae and mother arguing, I was afraid. It was not nice, I do not like it, I do not understand Her Cheunh words were incredibly simple, her knowledge of creating complicated sentences still unfulfilled, but her meaning was clear. She was held there, pressed into her fathers' jacket, a softly stroking hand still supporting her head.

Tender moments shared with her father and herself had been few and far between, which made them all the more precious and worthwhile. It was not something that had bothered her a lot at the time, Staliae also had the same emotional detachment, but Dsai'llyana had never questioned the love and loyalty of her guardian.

How different would her life have been if he had survived that disastrous attack on Bilbringi? In her darkest moments, she had often daydreamt of the life that had been taken from her, never telling anyone of what she thought, fearing the repercussions. Chiss were always calm and collected; they suppressed their feelings so they would not affect their judgement…

But she was only half-Chiss, and too often strong emotion overcame her. Reading this datapad was testing her, it was not the prize for growing up and solving the riddle, it had to be a final test of her integrity.

Exhaling, she focussed again, wiping her mind of all except calm, breathing deeply to slow her heart and the flood of emotion. Yes, feelings were important, but she needed to pay attention, to assimilate every detail. With one last inhale, she taped the datapad to begin again.

Dania sat, her hands clasped in her lap, eyes glazed over as she listened intently to the approaching strangers, Roganda's eloquent voice recognisable but indistinctive. Carefully seated in the tea room, dressed in her daywear, the glasses and bottles meticulously set out before her, two empty chairs before her. Butterflies chased sunrays in her stomach as she waited.

Minutes ago, Roganda had entered her room with a smug smile, informing Dania of the arrival of her first client, and warned her against failing again. There was something not quite right about the smile, Roganda's eyes a little too bright, the smile too false. Something cruel was being woven around her, and she had not idea what it was.

The handle was pressed down, and three people entered; Roganda at the rear, a barely suppressed smile on her face, and two officers of the Imperial Navy. Dania's stomach fell away as she realised exactly why Roganda was so smug. Quickly standing and dipping into an elegant curtsey, Dania looked into the faces of the two, hiding the dread she felt grip her. Roganda really did hate her.

"This is Dania Laquila, the newest Doll to be given to us. She's young and well educated, though inexperienced in matters of Court. I am hoping she will make her debut with an officer of distinction, to give her the attention one of her talent deserves." Roganda said, the smile now turned into one of courtesy. "Unfortunately she is the only remaining unclaimed Doll, but a good choice. I shall leave you to your negotiations." Roganda bowed and took her leave of the room, though surely only to spy on them.

"I am honoured, my good sirs. " Dania inclined her head again, deciding to be the first to break the silence. "Would you care for some refreshment?" She swept her hand over the table, her eyes flicking between the two.

"Thank you." They both sat down in unison. Reaching forward, she selected the lightest drink she knew to be in the room, and carefully poured the elegant glasses full, half-filling her own. She needed her wits about her for this meeting. She could feel their eyes scald her, so intent on her appearance.

Both men looked at her with interest, taking in every detail of her appearance, possibly even admiring what she wore so well. The first was readable, a human captain, the rank insignia clipped straight and proud. His eyes of blue-grey did not rest on one place for longer; as soon as he had finished his analysis of her, he glanced suspiciously around the room, looking for a hidden threat only he seemed to fear. He did not agree with the House of Dolls; either with their influence or their very existence.

The second seemed to look through her with eyes of glowing red, piercing through her skull and into her mind. His intensity made her feel naked, his gaze taking in everything about her, and carefully scrutinising it in his head. She did not hazard a guess what he thought.

Whether her approved or not was not apparent, but Dania still watched his face for movement, for any indication of what he felt. She found herself distracted further by the deep blue of his skin.

"I am the Vice-Admiral Thrawn, and this is Captain Voss Parck." The alien spoke without an accent, his Basic perfectly formed. Sitting straight backed, he seemed the very personification of good mannerisms, neither leering at her nor showing disinterest. His companion did not seem very comfortable in the room, still nervously lancing around. She considered what to talk about.

"Your reputation is known to me, Vice-Admiral. If you have returned to us, your pacification of the Pakuuni system must have been successful?" She smiled as Parck looked surprised. "Captain Voss Parck, I hear your name often mentioned amongst the other geisha; your work in the Outer Rims has been a great assurance to us who live here in the Core."

"I only follow orders, Laquila. Order is required in the Outer Rim; though we claim them as territory, they are in fact still of dubious alliance." Parck answered rather stiffly, as if unsure of how much to tell her. She would manipulate that.

"What are the plans you both have for the future? Now your orders are over, what do you believe will be the next assignment?" Her eyes flicked between the two, wondering who would reply, and with what. Neither spoke. She baited them again. "NL-1 was a great success, Vice-Admiral, perhaps it is Imperial Research and Development which will engage you in the future?"

They didn't bite.

"You seem well informed for a newcomer, Laquila." Parck spoke, a harsh tone present in his syllables. Dania noticed this, and wondered further into why he was so uncomfortable. There was only really one way for her to reply to him.

"Not so well informed, Captain. I merely pay attention to the information the geisha share. And please." She lifted the glass to her lips, glancing over the top at the duo. Perhaps now they were on more of an even footing. "Feel free to call me Dania"

Her light eyes flicked at them, her smile confident. Too often, the House of Dolls was deemed a whorehouse, Officers were too quick to dismiss the amount of knowledge that had been gathered; these two were astute, that was clear, but her own personal ability needed to be proven.

"Very well, Dania. Perhaps we should just get to the purpose of our presence?" She nodded at his question. "We have received an invitation to the Mid-Winter Festival, and are required to take a Doll with us. It will be an ideal opportunity for this debut you require, if you are willing." He watched her reaction, those red eyes never leaving her. Was he attempting to make her uncomfortable? She avoided looking into them, her hair standing on end in response to his unblinking stare.

"A debut is indeed what I would like, but surely you yourself would appreciate a geisha of more experience than I. The atmosphere is explosive at the moment, and you would only further enflame the situation with your presence. I have an understanding, but no supporters or contacts. You will likely be thrown from Court again, but be permanently crippled."

"Do you say this because of a prejudice against non-humans? Or because you are genuinely concerned?" Thrawn asked; no accusation in his tone. She thought for a moment; why had she said that?

She glanced over him again; yes, there was something distinctly unnerving about that stare and the colour of his skin, but aside from that…she had been taken aback, certainly. But there was nothing negative she held against him. It was selfishness, self-preservation, which made her want to remain safe.

"I say this with no ill will intended. I do not care what race you are, what past crimes you may have committed. But COMPNOR supporters are determined to spill blood, and it is your uniform which will bear the stains. Court politics demands that those associated, however indirectly, with those defeated at Court, be punished as well. By being escorted by you, even this once, I will be remembered for making my debut appearance with you. I will fall with you." She sighed. "It would honour me to make my appearance with you; if your reputation is correct, you are a man of honour and integrity, but you are also a non-human. I cannot take the risk."

Silence hung between them for a few moments, as both sides considered what had been said. Thrawn knew he was being lied to; the painted smile of the geisha that had led him to Dania was as phoney as her cheerful attitude. By a long shot, Dania was not the only remaining geisha. But she was the only unallied one. And that was what he needed above all else.

Whispers had reached him of the interest shown towards Dania, especially from the Grand Admiral Tigellinus; it was a dangerous gamble, in stealing her away from him, but it would have the effect he desired, if it succeeded.

"What if I could promise you that I will not fall? That you will not suffer in Court?" His voice still remained level, the words appealing to her. He could see the cogs in her mind; despite the makeup, her expressions were still vivid, despite her effort to hide them behind an inch of rouge. Anyone in this kind of life craved the easy way out, a safety net, a Sponsor to protect them from the rest of the world. She eyed him cautiously; she was clearly tempted, but detected a trap.

"You cannot make such a promise." She said finally, taking another sip, never taking her eyes from him. She wanted to believe his words were true, but she did not dare to. Disappoint was not a taste she enjoyed.

"If I could? Would you appear at the celebration with my company and I?" He pressed his words deeper, wielding them like a weapon, carefully driving it deeper. She ignored his stare, and return one of her own, fixing him in place with a look that belied none of her uncertainness.

"If I could leave this world of secrecy and deception, I would give anything. If I could remain secure, protected by a Sponsor, I'd take it, even if it was offered by a Sith." She sighed, inclining her head slightly. Voss Parck glanced at Thrawn, who nodded. She was in a corner, and now the fight was over.

"I need a Doll for this appearance, Dania; you need a debut. We both have something the other wants. You fear the effects of my fall, and I do not want to disobey the Emperor by arriving without a Doll. What if I compensated you for your efforts, in return for your indulgence?" She looked up at this, interest in her eyes, intrigued.

"Go on." Dania asked, willing to listen to his offer.

"You have proven tonight that you have an ear for useful information; if I take you to Court, I will expect all information of relevance to be passed onto one of my associates or myself. In return I will support you if and when I fall. Depending on how well you perform at the Mid-Winter Festival, I will consider becoming your Sponsor."

"That's all you want? Information?" She asked tentatively, not daring to believe that was truly all that he wanted. There had to be a catch somewhere inside his words, something she had not noticed. She was dumbstruck; it was hardly the deal she was expecting. Forget disappointment, this might be her chance to escape the enslavement to the House of Dolls.

"You were expecting something else?" His gaze remained fixed on her, measuring her reactions. Those eyes got easier to meet when you got used to them, Dania considered, realising that she didn't shrink away from them as much as she originally had.

"I was expecting…personal requests." She phrased it delicately, not wishing to offend. She was certain even this alien had an ego, and insulting it would certainly not put her in a favourable position. Fucking anyone full stop disgusted her, even for advancement in Court, for protection…

"I do not desire an intimate relationship, meaningful or otherwise, with you. As you suggested, it leaves you in too much danger, and I have no interest in physical pleasure." He explained. No more was said on the subject, and so Dania merely nodded. "I will contact you before the celebration, so that we can all sit down in a less formal setting and make arrangements."

They both stood up to leave, Dania shadowing them.

"It has been a pleasure speaking to you; I hope it will set a trend for the remainder of our encounters."

They both swept out, leaving Dania alone to consider all that had happened, and how drastically everything had changed in one small meeting. Voss Parck had not liked her; Thrawn seemed indifferent. She sighed, wondering what exactly she was letting herself in for.

"She seems adequate, don't you think? Her sources, at least, are accurate." Walking through the corridors of Imperial Palace was similar to navigating a maze, and Voss Parck's habit of switching on his commlink hadn't quite been broken by several years away traversing the depths of space. People had gotten lost and died in Imperial Palace, and Parck did not intend to join them.

"I still do not see how having a whore can help you survive Court." Parck said dismissively. Generally, he could figure out what Thrawn was scheming, but in this instant, nothing made sense. There was something missing from the puzzle. He looked to Thrawn for the answer, and found the alien wearing a small smile.

"She is not just a random Doll; she is Tigellinus' next conquest. Or rather, she was." He said simply. Everything fell into place; the insistence that only one Doll remained, her connection to Tigellinus…Already, someone was attempting to destroy Thrawn, and he had not even officially arrived at Court! Sunlight flooded inside, shafts of bright illumination breaking the shadows of the palace, offering a respite from the darkness within.

"But why fall into their hands so easily? Why such blatant tactics?" Parck questioned, not understanding the need for Thrawn to play along with such an outright attack on Imperial Court's strongest member, who would surely destroy the alien for considering Dania. It was not Thrawn's style to be so obvious, so why abandon subtlety when it would serve him faithfully here?

"If I open with a bold move, it will take a bolder move to counteract it and return the advantage to him. It will be his turn to move. I will show that I am not willing to just bow down to their pressure again. However, that is not my main concern at present."

"What is your main concern?" Parck inquired, wondering what could possibly be more important than protecting ones career and life.

"Keeping my promise to Dania; she reminds me strongly of…" Thrawn paused for a moment, as if realising what he was saying, and corrected himself. "I met someone like her a long time ago, the first time I encountered the Empire. I was unwilling to destroy her naïveté, so I lied to her as well."

"With just cause. Do you think she is aware of Tigellinus' interest?"

"Most certainly; did you notice the comb in her hair-the white and gold flower? It's a common gift he sends out. She may not be aware of actually who he is, which would explain why she did not mention a name. With Tigellinus' rage will come a divide, we will know very soon who are potential allies, and who are certain enemies."

Dear All

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