Author's Note: Its at the start for a change...Have you guys got a treat!
Plots, Twists, Turns, Backstabbing...We have it all this chapter...
Chapter Six: Face the Music
The Star Destroyer hung in place, carefully orbiting a world without a name, the warship dwarfed in comparison, an uncanny, untrustworthy stillness about the system they entered. Everyone was tense, Dsai'llyana could taste it, even on the filtered air, clogging the minds of all those aboard. The Remnant was tired of war; and she would be the one to bring the peace the galaxy had long been denied. It was what had been educated to her since her childhood; and what she would achieve as an adult.
She stood on the Command Deck of the Chimaera, appearing to stare out at the stars. Of course, this was a pointless exercise for her. With her back to the crew, she tentatively opened her mind, allowing herself to relax as she focussed on those around her, even as Staliae stepped towards her, the ysalamir in her arms breaking the connection.
"You seem very quiet, Illyana." Dsai'llyana did not bother to turn towards the direction of the voice; few addressed her by her Core name, and even fewer addressed her so frankly. It was clear to her that it would be her tutor. A few minutes ago, she had put down the datapad, bringing a pause to her father's long-dead voice, to have a break, to attempt to reconnect with the present. It was all well and good learning all she could, but even her mind required time to consider what had been learned.
"Would you like to tell me what the Grand Admiral Pellaeon told you that has made you so thoughtful?"
There was disdain in her voice, her disapproval quite apparent; but Dsai'llyana was an adult now by Chiss standards and her tutor could do little more than look on, helpless where once she may have had influence. It had been Staliae who had looked after her, who had taken on the responsibility of protecting her as a child when her mother had been incapable, after the death of her father. An odd sort of love existed between them, but Dsai'llyana ever doubted she would ever love the Chiss.
Memories of harsh lessons and worse punishments as a child plagued her; her emotions the weak link in her chain. Chiss infants did not have the problems human children did with dealing with emotion, some higher part of their mind evolved to a stage where emotions were effectively restricted, and were therefore able to learn and develop faster mentally because of this. Dsai'llyana had, at first, found it very difficult to keep up with the expectations of those around her; no allowances were permitted because of her half-Chiss status.
"He has enabled me to translate this." Dsai'llyana held up the old datapad. Staliae's eyes widened, indicating shock. "I've been listening to my father's voice for the first time in a decade." She whispered, feeling oddly emotional. It was a hard task, being the child of Mitth'raw'nuroudo; his reputation was known, and feared, even now, a decade since his death. Unfairly, she was compared, contrasted and criticised next to his model, despite their differences; but she had listened and grown from what had been said, turning it to her advantage and surpassing the goal.
She remembered the tears, the endless loneliness that had isolated her from the other children, Chiss and otherwise; more than just blindness kept her away from them. It had been hard, incredibly so, for her. But she had risen to the challenge and achieved all that had been expected of her, and more.
"You should not be so quick to believe the Imperial Supreme Commander; he knows of your father's skills, and he knows that you too will possess them. The remnant needs a ruler like you; don't simply throw yourself at them." The woman hissed at her, a few subtle undertones of venom concealed in her words.
Staliae disapproved immensely with her feelings towards revealing herself to the Imperial Remnant; it was better, in her governess's opinion, for her to remain as leader of the Empire of the Hand, out of the way of the politics that were ruining the rest of the galaxy.
But Staliae was Chiss, and as such still hung quiet strongly to her isolationist views. Though she saw how inappropriately the Ascendancy used their doctrines, Staliae wanted Dsai'llyana to remain safe in her father's Empire, and keep it the paradise that Thrawn had managed to create in contradiction to the Ascendancy's flawed foundations.
Dsai'llyana sighed; the task before her was not an easy one. It was also immensely difficult for her to take the broken Empire, break the policies that had governed it for the better part of almost 40 years and bring the two pieces together; but it had to be done. It was painful to consider that the Empire her father had strove to create could be destroyed by the Yuhzann Vong threat. Flaring up inside her, she swore she would not let it happen; he may be dead, but his ideals would not rest in the cold marble grave where his body slept; they would live, and they would make the galaxy a better place.
"What kind of Heir would I be, if I did not defend what was legally mine by right?" She bowed her head. "And what kind of being would I be if I allowed the galaxy to be overcome by the Yuhzann Vong? If I remained complacent, happy to defend my borders until the threat comes to me, I will lose the Empire of the Hand, and I will have become akin to the Ascendancy. "She walked up close to her tutor, and glared. "Thrawn spent his life defending the galaxy from their threat; he was exiled by his people, and shamed by the Empire. If this is my fate, then so be it. But do not ask me to go against what you yourself have taught me about my father, and about myself." Dsai'llyana swept past the elder Chiss, and back into the Private Command Centre.
Staliae remained alone on the Command Deck; dressed in the uniform of the Empire of the Hand's officers, she looked at the space where her charge had stood, and wondered what had happened to the time. It seemed minutes since Illyana had been a babe in arms, held in Thrawn's arms on her Naming Day.
She had been a beautiful baby, her skin a perfect shade of powder blue, red eyes still closed to the harsh light. Dania had been in labour for well over 10 hours, and Thrawn had been unwilling to leave her, except for the summons that required his urgent attention. It had been, ironically, during the half-hour he was not present that Dsai'llyana had arrived, and was sleeping in her mothers arms when he returned.
His smile had been unexpected, and it was a tribute to exactly how much he had hurt at the loss of their first child. The warm bundle was carefully passed from mother to father, and settled comfortably against his body. It was then Dsai'llyana opened her eyes, all of a sudden; bright and clear, red eyes looked up at Thrawn, the first person she had ever seen.
Everyone was pleased at the arrival of this child, not least because of the renewed hope for the future. With an heir apparent, the continuation of the Empire was assured, and the birth of Illyana had been taken as a good sign. Staliae had watched the humans carefully during this period, out of concern for the child and out of personal interest. She sighed. Thrawn had been so happy the day Dania was born.
She wondered if he would feel the same, if he had heard Dsai'llyana's previous speech.
Dania walked and walked, unwilling to return to the House of Dolls, and unable to bring herself to go seek Thrawn. Dressed again in the heavy robes of the Geisha, she felt everythin She was just so confused by the whole situation, and how it had come about. How had she been so stupid to allow Roganda to manipulate her so well? She cursed herself; she had tried to tell herself she was strong, that she would see beyond the masks that people wore. But in the end, she was just another naïve young virgin, lured in by the slim chance of infamy, offered by Imperial Court. She was doomed. She always had been.
Roganda hated her with a spite unexplained; Tigellinus would hate her for her desertion, and all his allies would join the force against her and Thrawn. It was going to be hell, and she could not see how she was supposed to survive. No family, no contacts, no alliances. Except for Thrawn.
The sun was sinking, the temperature dropping rapidly, but Dania could barely feel the cold. It would be a few hours yet before the Mid-Winter Festival began, and surely she would be allowed a few moments alone. Imperial Centre was calm that night; as busy as ever, but regimented, ordered; just as the New Order promised. She smiled; she didn't really swallow the politics of it all, but the Galactic Empire was an amazing thing to behold, even if it was about to tear her apart.
"Isn't it a little late for a young woman to be out, unchaperoned?" A soft, commanding voice addressed her directly, the source unclear, from the shadows. She turned around; unsure on whom she had interrupted. The balcony she had found herself standing on was small, nondescript, and, as far as she had been able to tell, free of an occupant. It was merely the end of a corridor, looking over a fairly unimportant section of Coruscant that nevertheless looked as magnificent as any other view.
"I'm very sorry, forgive my intrusion..." she began her speech; he stepped into the half-light, and her words faltered. She dropped to the floor, suddenly afraid; "My Emperor, I apologise for my rude intrusion, had I known-"
His thick robe touched the floor, and though she could not see his eyes for the hood that covered his face; she felt them burning into her. She had never had the opportunity to even glimpse this man in the flesh. Her forehead touched the ground; she was terrified, and yet exhilarated at the same time.
Geisha knew that they were the lowliest at Court; with no actual standing in society, it was their ultimate goal to find a man to protect them, to give them role and purpose. This was the order set in place, and for Dania, who had not yet officially received her Sponsor, to come face to face with the most influential and powerful man in the galaxy…
"There is no intrusion, Dania Laquila." He motioned for her to stand. Terrified, she reacted slowly, wondering how he knew her name. He seemed amused at this, an overtone of cruel humour playing in his syllables. "You could state that it is I who intrudes upon you."
He motioned for her to stand, and took a grip on her arm. The withered hand felt cold on her warm flesh, its grip immensely tight and powerful. "I have been meaning to speak with you for sometime; now is as good as any."
She felt that he wouldn't have given her the choice if she was otherwise engaged; but this was her ruler, she did not have the right to speak against his wishes. Allowing him to manoeuvre her towards the railing, she felt the hair stand up on her neck; something about him made her uncomfortable. There were, of course, the rumours of his involvement with the Dark Side were well whispered about, his manipulations of the ancient faith of the Sith Lord legends amongst the upper echelons.
When no more was spoken between them, Dania carefully considered her options; it would not do to be upstanding to the Emperor, but this silence was clearly a test. One she was determined she would not fail.
"What is it you wish to speak to me about?" she asked innocently, careful to keep the demand from her voice, speaking as a child would. He seemed to consider his reply, his grip on her arm relaxing a little, withered skin brushing against her as he touched her cheek. The intrusion into her personal space seemed perverse, this ancient old man touching her without needing permission. She cleared her mind, and controlled her thoughts; his intensity felt as if it could pick up her innermost feelings.
"Have your memories returned to you yet?" He replied, in a tone free of negativity, as benevolent as someone of such darkness could muster. She did not move, or even flinch away from the touch of his hand. It was his right; she had no choice. She fought to repress her revulsion, swallowing bile as it rose in her throat.
"My memories?" She eventually managed, turning her gaze to his, looking up through long lashes, painted lips pouting. Why should he care about that? She was a drop in the ocean of people he lived around, a particularly small, insignificant drop that she would have thought he'd not miss.
"Yes, child; your memories. It must be a terrible thing for you, having no past you recall, and no family to protect or guard you…" His hand swept a loose piece of hair back behind her ear, the back casually brushing her cheek. Long unanswered questions were about to be answered; biting her lip, she held her breath in anticipation. He continued. "I make sure I am aware of loyal subordinates; your father was one of them, which is why I was prepared to take you into the House of Dolls without questioning your background when you were brought to us. But Court is about to become very dangerous for you; your choice of the Vice-Admiral Thrawn will make you a great number of enemies. The time has come for me to know how loyal you are to me, Dania." She felt him pull her arm straight, tightening his grip again on it, and then relaxing. She felt sick at the intrusion, but she still refused to disobey.
"What do you want, my Liege?" She asked, voice choked deep in her throat. He smiled a twisted grimace. She shuddered at what he might possibly be considering at her last statement, and forced her mind clear again. It would not do for her to fail, to be cast aside like a doll…She almost cried at the irony of the statement.
"You are keeping a weather eye open for the Vice-Admiral at Court; I want you to monitor his activities, and report anything suspicious to me. Do this task well, and I will make sure your place at Court is assured." He hissed, turning her around to face him again, hands suddenly groping at her stomach, her hips and her thighs. She prayed to whatever powers that existed to keep her quiet, it would not do for her to cry the tears that had welled up.
"You will …protect me?" Even as he did the opposite, she could not help but reach out to this lifeline he threw to her; with Thrawn's guarantee, and this one, surely, she could survive? It would merely be a matter of manipulation….something she was supposed to be most gifted at. He again seemed amused by her response.
"Indirectly; it is not wise for me to interfere at Court too much." He smiled, grasping her hand in his own. She saw it held before her, barely registering it as her own. "Then you will do as I ask?" With his other hand, he raised her chin to meet his gaze.
"As a Geisha, you know I cannot refuse, my lord." She spoke hollowly, trying to push what had just happened to her from her mind. Her words rang true; there really was no way that she could deny him, as a man, or as Emperor. She couldn't refuse him anything.
"But as a citizen of the Empire?" Golden eyes blazed into her, as if to hypnotise her. Silently, she nodded, trying to find the strength to reply without crying. She couldn't pass up this opportunity, she just couldn't.
"I accept."
"I assume you are ready for tonight's performance?" Light poured in, the final, dying rays of the sun casting a rainbow of colour over the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, his dark cowl covering his face. The audience chamber was empty, but for three individuals. Carefully skulking in the shadows, Sate Pestage watched, quietly interested in the exchange between Emperor and Alien. This exchange was a deadly secret, and Pestage knew if he ever revealed such information to anyone, punishment would be in order. Not that he was that foolish; he'd been with Palpatine from the beginning, and was not willing to abandon him now.
"I am." Thrawn inclined his head. He held no specific love for this man, or a great many of his policies. But in the end, what did emotions mean? As long as they both benefited from this arrangement; it would end satisfactorily for them both. "How did you find Dania?" He was certainly uncomfortable; Dania was not ugly, and at Court, without even been tied to her officially, enough of the gossip of the lower circles had siphoned up to him through avenues of listeners. He could tell that Palpatine was not telling him certain things, and he had a good mind as to what it the big secret might be.
"Obedient; without argument and willing to obey her superiors." A cruel smile lifted the corners of his mouth, an expression which make Hoth seem as warm as Mustafar. "She will lure Tigellinus into our trap, and set up your political assent." It felt somehow wrong, treating Dania as a resource, an item, rather than a person; she was more than just another piece to Thrawn's ever expanding art archives, scattered across the galaxy.
"Thank you, my Emperor. And the arrangements for the Expansion?" The Expansion Program; the arrangement for the Unknown Regions. After years of insubstantial growth, the Emperor had decided it was high time to expand into the alien territory, and who better than to lead the fleet, but Thrawn, who had more knowledge of alien species than possibly a smuggler?
"The Expansion Program is culminating credit in its account. By the end of the year, I should be able to exile you back." Amusement played in his words as he addressed Thrawn; yes, this alien was someone to be treated equally, someone who thought on the same field as he did, and in a similar way. How else had Palpatine been able to manipulate him so easily, if not because of the similarities?
"And Dania? She will be assured safety when I am gone?" Thrawn pressed onwards; his promise to the harlot bothered him, inexplicably. He was used to double-dealings and manipulation, but she was so blissfully unaware, so willing to fall under the protection of the first man who claimed to be her prince that he felt almost protective of her. She reminded him a great deal of the first human female he had met, back before the Empire, his exile… He chastised himself; there was no point getting attached to anyone now. Maris and Dania were entirely different people, and it would not do to grow fond of Dania if his plans were to unfold as he had designed.
"I have something in mind for her that will be mutually beneficial to us all." Palpatine revealed no more of the plan his twisted mind was designing, rather pleased to keep those around him guessing. It would not do for anyone to understand Dania's true purpose. "Haven't you got to collect your Doll now?" He spoke dismissively, waving a hand to signal the end of the conversation. Thrawn carefully bowed at the middle, and turned on his heel, leaving the audience chamber.
"That went well, my lord." Pestage scuttled forwards towards the ruler, and waited to hear Palpatines' summary of the events. Palpatine waited; he wanted Pestage to be hanging off his every word. Even those near the top of his government often needed reminders of truly who was serving who; this was Pestage's.
"Yes…as much as I dislike the thought of Dania being with an alien, the irony of the situation is amusing enough. Did Tigellinus agree to the proposal?" Pestage frowned; what was the link between the Emperor and Dania? His fascination for females usually lasted for as long as the time it took him to lure them into his private rooms; but Dania was still, to his knowledge, pure. Tapping away at
"I received his and Ishin-II-Raz's communiqués earlier; they both agree to their separate proposals. And Intelligence reveals that they are not aware of the different deals that have been made." Pestage handed the datapads with the exact transcripts over to the withered hand that accepted them quickly.
"Good…Dania still retains her hidden strength. Her memories are still conveniently lost, and she still does not question what she is told. "
"Everything is going according to plan" Pestage announced solemnly; he did not need to know all of Palpatines' machinations; merely from the tone of voice, the body language and the little twitch of malevolent smile, he knew everything was going exactly how the Dark Lord had wanted it to.
...Next Chapter, I PROMISE you is Dania's debut! Don't forget to leave a review to let me know how you think its going!
MGA