[18 BBY]
[Docking Bay, Eriadu Authority Republic Capital-class Warship Stormcrow, Task-force Hospitaller, Republic 5th Fleet, In Orbit Rattatak, Guter Wade System, Trilon Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
Our new arrivals were technically two ships. One of the Nebulon-Allacos frigates, which I'd figured were the blockier, moved squarish, ancestor of the Nebulon-B, with a Ghtroc freighter secured under the main spar from front area to rear engines. I wasn't overly fond of the design, largely because they were a KDY product, and we didn't have access to any fresh builds of those anymore. Still, it was added firepower for my small flotilla, and now officially part of my fleet….sent as reinforcements for combat operations by High Command back on Eriadu.
'Yes, along with secret negotiation Senators, Padawan Tano, and a Clone Commander….fucking joy' I thought in irritation when I'd gotten the secret orders an hour ago. Thankfully I was calm now, and Barriss was happy, if NOT HERE as I needed to have this be official, and secret, before she and Ahsoka Tano started talking to each other. Quarters had already been arranged, along with clearing the route there to avoid those crew not at the 'need to know' level of security authorisation. All in all I was being handed a potential grenade to handle….just as we went into dangerous territory.
'Least the light-freighters securely in the hold rather than exposed on the frigate' I noted as the Ghtroc-720 was secured into the forward docking bay after it's very short journey over from the frigate Dark Cloud. Down the ramp first came Senator Una Brashere, the new Senator for Eriadu, and families closely linked with Tarkin's by all account. I gave a polite bow as she approached with her two guards and an aide, dressed in a simple uniform like her escorting soldiers.
"Senator Brashere, welcome aboard, even if they are less than safe times"
She bowed back politely, her guards and aide standing back and saluting "Thank you for your generosity in hosting us Moff Stormcrow, and be assured it is for the greater good of the Republic"
"Of course, I live to serve the Republic" I answered just as formally as she came out of our bows "We have prepared accommodations for your party, and those of your guests, for the voyage along with full conference and library facilities"
"Excellent Moff Stormcrow, we shall ensure they are put to good use" the woman replied with a nod of her head as I saw Anakin's, now more grown-up looking, Padawan descend the ramp with the Senator, and a Clone, all dressed in what had to be freshly fitted clothes. Tano didn't look particularly comfortable in the very formal Jedi robes for instance….and an exact reason why I'd cleared the decks for this, since everyone was being formal about all this. Senator Bashere gestured at the woman in the formal Senator's robes.
"Moff Stormcrow, maybe I introduce you to Senator Silya Shessaun, of Thesme, and her escorts, Jedi Tano, and Commander Rex"
The woman bowed, and I bowed, and Tano seemed to notice and….she awkwardly bowed. Oh, this was just such a great fucking investment of my time and effort while out on the border fighting the unknown aliens and raiding pirates "Welcome aboard my flagship Senator Shessaun, Commander Rex, and I already know Padawan Tano. Accommodations have been prepared for yourselves and your crew, and if you would allow me to escort you these you shall have time rest and refresh yourselves, and, if it is convenient, we shall dine and discuss matters in a more suitable environment"
Senator Shessaun nodded firmly, hands folding together beneath her robes "Thank you Moff Stormcrow, that is most likely for the best"
"Is…is it….always going to be this formal…umm, Stor…Moff, um Sir?" Ahsoka tried to say to me, without being too obvious as we began to move towards the lifts, and the monorail beyond. They'd be in the depths of the ship, near my personal deck, and that was a bit of journey if avoiding areas and dealing with the usual lockdown screenings. I feel the Eridu Senator tense up at that, milidy irritated at sad poor 'formality' even though she'd been clearly brief on my knowing Tano, and more importantly, Anakin beyond that. After all, it was one of the reasons I was getting stuck with them as they could deal with our Jedi in a 'controlled' manner through Barriss and me apparently.
"You couldn't even manage the trip to the rooms Padawan!" I murmured shaking my head as if an exasperated teacher "What has Anakin been teaching you?"
Before she could answer, having opened her mouth, pouting, I chuckled "You're fine Ahsoka, don't worry, but do we do worry for opposing sides now, so one has to expect such formalities and guarantees. But no, not everything is formality, Barriss for one will not be….all the time anyway. Now, let's get you all settled in and lay out the ground rules, such as for Jedi and where they are not allowed for instance"
--
[18 BBY]
[Apartments of Senator Brashere, Passenger Deck, Eriadu Authority Republic Capital-class Warship Stormcrow, Task-force Hospitaller, Republic 5th Fleet, In Orbit Rattatak, Guter Wade System, Trilon Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
Having escorted our guests to their rooms, and made promises to destress Tano, I stood looking out at the nice park in the centre of the 'Passenger Deck' where the two delegations were being housed. With only the Senator around now I turned towards her, after all we had a formal meal in about three hours to attend with our Corellian opposites "Now Senator…what other news do you bring? And I trust you do understand the dangers of attempting to host such talks out here?"
Senator Brashere nodded, coming to stand beside me at the balcony, looking up down from the second floor at the water fountain and grass below "One could almost fool themselves that we were planet-side currently"
"Thank the Mon Calamari for the city-ship, and then CEC for the refit. It was originally meant for a hundred and twenty thousand, plus crew, living in relative comfort for extended voyages. Even with all the new armour and generators I found we can easily fit in such areas as this, they are useful for such negotiations as this I've found. You still haven't answered either I'll note"
"No, I haven't yet, have I Lord Moff?" she sighed, hands coming together behind her back "I have in my possession an encrypted data-core, detailing recent intelligence, that will help clarify matters. My aide Garan is current beginning decrypt to turn it over to you"
"Hmm, and what is the situation that couldn't go over the regular secure holo-lines?"
The Senator nodded "Less any one situation than a number of concerns that the Chancellor wishes to pass along to his Senior Commanders. One of these matters is ensuring these….discussions…with traitors on Corellia remain unknown from prying eyes. An active command is less than ideal, but we have few areas that are truly safe currently, and in those it would be difficult to hide such matters"
"And my personal relationship with some involved is another reason I expect"
"Yes Moff, it would be useful to the Chancellor I imagine to make use of such links" she replied, and I simply gave a nod as she continued "Beyond the negotiations there are a number of concerning matters that need to be investigated rather aggressively"
"The potential Confederate presence out here I imagine"
"In part, there is concerning indicators that the Separatists are preparing for something major, and the sudden uptick in activity in these regions is concerning and needs to be dealt with. Since our Chancellor began the reorganisation of Republic military forces there have been some concerning finds of attempted smuggling of weapons while we conduct anti-piracy operations. Combined with intercepts of Separatist data-bursts, and observe fleet movements, along now some knowledge brought by our guests…."
I sighed as she shook her head, trailing off "Hmm…yeah, a major offensive could be on the cards then. Soon than I'd have thought, but they could have gotten production runs and crew training done sooner than expected, or by cutting corners. Disruption attacks and raiding our trade routes, and helping revolts against us, would be a logical preparation in advance"
"Perhaps, there are other indicators that Kuat could also be a sponsor…" she replied carefully "…but we are to proceed with suspicion on both parties and to aggressively scout out this region while your fleet musters, investigate the enemy presence, and then eliminate it while negotiations are conducted"
I frowned, then sighed "We're hoping to show such evidence to our guests to get their attention, and hopefully their superiors, elsewhere I imagine"
"Yes, Jedi Skywalker, and his Apprentice, are known to have a reputation for certain things I've been told"
'Joy' I thought with a sigh "Perhaps. I be manipulating let me say, it would be counterproductive to say the least anyway. But I'm sure Tano will find a way to annoy me and want to know more. I assume the Chancellor clarified these orders on your data-core?"
"Yes, I believe so Moff Stormcrow, though I do not know the contents as our decryption merely allows you to decrypt the contents with your personal codes"
I nodded. Great more things to add to the list. I'd escaped the politics of Eriadu, and it'd chased me right down and jumped on my back. At least Barriss was going to be happy…
--
[18 BBY]
[Night Hawk, Retrofitted YT-120 Light Freighter, Forward Recon-patrol Tango-Tango-Alpha-Nine-Four, Task-force Hospitaller, Republic 5th Fleet, Exiting Hyperspace, Mokivy System, Racanth Reach, Outer Rim Territories]
Lieutenant Gella Supi Koyi was on edge, as always, as their cramped, stuffy, combat freighter exploded of hyperspace….close to where they'd intended as she opened her eyes and reviewed her instroments. It was always best not to look at the nightmarish horror that was hyperspace as the old spacers tales said, and even if the active plastistell screens 'converted' the image into flashes of light…yeah, this Twi'lek girl wasn't going bantha-ass crazy over shiny kriffing not-stars. No way, not by the Ancestors…
"Squadron transit successful…" her voice called out as she confirmed their escorting ARC-170s had come out alive and well, along with the now probe droid-layer Mikasa's Night Crawl. Her eyes flowed over the system holo as the powerful sensors of a Consular-class cruiser jammed into her ship, making it cramped and overly warm, reported their position and immediately started their scans "…edge of the system. Transmitting sensor read to you all now, distance-finding sensors active and recording"
Roaming the very edge of the Unknown Regions wasn't what she'd thought she'd ever do. Nor looking forward to the 'comfort', relatively speaking, or her bunk back on the Reaper's Due, because slave-girls usually didn't get to bunk on a Lucre-hulk-class battleship. Even if the thing wasn't exactly a luxury liner, it was still far more comfortable this this flying heatsink they were all patrolling on. Oh, what she'd give for a posting on the Stormcrow, but that meant she really had to prove herself, and maybe if the did good with this they'd be transferred over to the…
"We've a contact!" she announced coming out of her thoughts as the system beeped a warning on the long-range scope "Book says….Recusant-class destroyer…looks like a heavy variant…in orbit fourth planet from the sun. Signals?"
"Too early to know what's being said…" her comrade on that bench stated into the comms "…but systems starting to detect energy overlays and static bursts consistent with Droid forces in situ"
"Have they spotted us LT?" came the question from the pilot, but it seem to be the case quite yet Gella noted as they were pretty far out, near the outer planets in the system….
"Negative so far, but we best make for the asteroid belt"
"Copy that LT, Squadron, Delta-Niner-Two-Two. Maintain low energy burn, sending guidance" Gella heard the Solemite polite Ultyan stating, but her eyes and mind were focus on studying the readings coming in from the sensors. It looked like they'd found the enemy base, but…
….there was another one of those unknown alien ships as well. Gella frowned, lekku twitching as the squadron slowly moved into cover, preparing to deploy probe droids, and then get out of here…
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