[18 BBY]

[Sapphire Imperial Hotel, Phelar City, Eriadu, Eriadu System, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim Territories]

"You complain to much, Hero of the Galactic Republic"

I let out a soft snort at Hanna's comment as we sat in the lap of luxury in this high price hotel, in a private booth to avoid unwanted attention "Yes, I do, because it's useful at times, but less so when one wants to enjoy some moments of peace and quite after very long and tiring days"

Our Board's financier, and now one of the Republic Navy's Quartermasters, gave a smirk as she swirled her, undoubtedly ridiculously expensive, glass of wine "That's what the fancy warship of yours is for I imagine, and I'd suggest buying your own planet in the future. You are too famous, or infamous, to simply fade into the background my dear Stormcrow, Wrath of the Republic…"

She gestured with her glass with Asajj who sat on my right at the table before taking another sip "As is our heroic Lady Ventress here, Conqueror of Rattatak, the Separatist who saw the Light, and joined our Noble Cause"

"Hmph" was Ventress's reply to that as I sighed, taking up my own glass "As are we all of late. Funny, neither me nor Asajj nor Yulen…. nor most of the Board apart from yourself would have been allowed in here a few years ago"

"Well you were too poor and too not-human for that my glorious Warlord" the Chandrillian replied with a soft chuckle as she gazed about the dining area beyond our private, bug-security-checked, dining area "Now the first has been remediated, and the second is…..not so important anymore. Progress! Is that no so Yulen?"

"Please Ma'am, no need to make the reminder" my former, still in part, aide-de-camp and now one of our better Ship Captain's murmured unhappily as he awkwardly read through the menu as best I could feel "It is difficult enough with the limited time we have"

"Yes, this is supposed to be working meal Hanna, as I intend to get my few hours of sleep tonight, before more meetings tomorrow…" thought it was more tired amusement than criticism as this was as close to a 'relaxing night out' I was likely to get for a while. Sleep had been very, very, short these past two weeks, and meditation and 'magic' wasn't my go-to method to keep subsidising that lack "… and Force and meditation is not a crutch for lacking such things as bureaucracy. So, you got us a good price?"

Hanna sniffed at me, almost snootily "You make it sound like I was buying and selling bantha, not enduring long, gruelling, negotiations over the fine points of Old Republic law, and the valuations of ships, engines on said ships, and of course soldiers. Suffice to say….Yes Daron, I 'got us a good price' as you so crudely described it"

"Not that it'll happen for years of course…" I replied with a glance at Yulen and Asajj to partly explain "…but we're setting a ground floor for paying for our mercenary fleet and army, and slowly turning it into a not-mercenary Republic one. Much as I suspect he'd like to, the Chancellor can't wave a magic Force wand and make us all one big Republic military overnight"

"Why give up the power of the forces loyal to you then?" Asajj queried as we placed our orders at long last and I sat, looking into the ruby depths of my glass, mulling over things "And will others do such a thing?"

Hanna smiled faintly "We are not, giving up power, not in the short term at the very least. Armies and Fleets will be loyal to their commanders, such as our Captain-General here, but this is buying loyalty and ensuring we all stay loyal…with the future reducing that 'My Fleet! I Am Pirate Lord Now!' potential from some of our allies"

"Yeah, there ain't any turning back now I'm afraid" I agreed with a nod taking a sip of my wine, then shaking my head "Not that it'll prevent all the idiots of course, but we are all committed now, so if we lose we are on the run, or dead, in the aftermath. So a lot of this is long term plan dreaming, mixed with desperate short term shortages"

Asajj raised an eyebrow "Such as this 'Judiciary Force' that doesn't really exist, but somehow gives us the right to hunt down Jedi?"

"Now, now….Rogue Jedi" I corrected with amusement "And by that I mean our enemies, with a legal framework that'll kick into place over time. Legitimacy is important right, and the Tarkins are building with each Senate vote, and each organisation ramshackled into existence. It helps us, because when things get kriffed up…"

Hanna nodded "And they certainly will"

"…we, you, me, others, have some degree of legal cover. Even if it's threadbare enough, and comes with restrictions, it clears up some of the potential fights several of us may have run into with the Jedi. The military and taxation reforms are similar. It's all about clearing up potential internal strife and presenting a strong face to all the backers of the Cause so to speak"

"That's all very well and good Sir" Yulen voiced politely "It still hasn't put an end to the shouting matches over who gets claim to what ship graveyard, or who is first in line for what part"

"Ah!" Hanna smirked, holding up a finger "But now we actually have a line to get it! Rather than just randomly threatening our, in-theory, ally, or both sides trying to steal it out from the other"

I nodded "That is the case….course I'll admit we've been the prime culprits in that, since we were often the first to stake a claim to yards and salvage vessels. It was mentioned to be by our overlord let me say"

"Like many things I imagine"

I nodded at Hanna "Like many things, probably the point of meeting all of us Moffs individually and having us present our plans in the dark to each other. I haven't even met our new Jedi Grandmaster yet, or Moff Geen either due to scheduling….even if I feel like we're debating each other across the aisles"

The Tarkins were stage managing a lot of this in the backgrounds, even if there were communications between all of us over the past week or more here on dreary Eriadu. Politics were always frustrating to say the least, though it was best to say clear of the assembled Jedi with Ventress about, or my two other bodyguards, as that wouldn't be very conductive to debate, unfortunately. So far I'd managed enough support from our 'Interim' Chancellor and various factions, either Senators or other power brokers…in the end flowery language meant nothing. Nor logical argument really, just the pragmatic view and the horse-trading of power plays.

"Yes, yes, all very nice" Hanna murmured, as we paused as the food was delivered by human servers, then resuming once they had stepped outside the privacy booth "Do you think we're gearing up for another offensive?"

"In general? Or just our OverSector Fleet?" I murmured back looking down at the meal "I'd say the plan stages of one in general, either Rothana or Vandelhelm if I had to guess. If it's the first we'll be doing nothing, if the second probably a distraction rather than the main assault. Two months at the very earliest I'd expect, most likely into the new year because as you can see….we're just not ready for anything but limited ones"

The truth was we, the Eriadu Republic, was already overstretched, and attacking likely wasn't being considered right now. Instead this was a result of our recent successes in that they were trying to consolidate forces and standardise our command structure yet again. It was an honour, of sorts, to be one of the five 'OverSectors', one of the technically larger ones, even if it was the most backwards, with the smallest of the five intended consolidated fleets. Just a few more months and we could consolidate the area, and beyond that we'd a few more of the Venerable-class Star Destroyers to match up with our salvage and repair vessels.

"How much longer are we to kept here?" Asajj queried and I shrugged, glancing at Hanna who gave an indication of her lack of surety on that matter as well.

"A few days, a week, possibly. Strategy meetings to attend, with both of you my loyal aides, while Hanna here wines and dines the rich and ambitious to pay for all the little things. Like turbolasers, and blasters, and hyperdrives"

Hanna harrumphed "Yes little things like that, all of which cost a small fortune in of themselves. Now taxes are going to be collected that might be less nightmarish, but it's still a constant battle to keep everything paid for, especially if we are doing heavy fighting"

"Well, I can hardly tell you when that's going to happen Hanna, only that'll happen at some stage" I replied simply "It's war unfortunately, so we spend lives and starships just as we spend credits when the time calls for it. Honestly, it's going to be a nightmare getting things organised the way they want once we leave here, even for integrating whatever forces they send our way to crew the new vessels. Which means my workload Yulen, Asajj, as we'll have to increase patrols, pirate hunting, and even simple wargaming…."

--

[From: Watcher-56/K-8765/Y]

[To: Bothawui Watch Council]

[Code: Vas Bok Tas / Nadal]

{Message Begins}

Indications of Confederate Fleet movement per Report 56-Epsi-92 confirmed per secondary sources.

Significant redeployment from Outer Fringe to reinforce Trade Protection Fleet. Secondary Orders from Raxus indicate these are 'B' and 'C' class formations.

'A' class formations and capital-class new builds being diverted to Centares, Abhean, and Lantilles.

'Toth' Fleet spotted conducting manoeuvres near Onderon, by long range watch station on outer system.

Secondary: - Major Reallocation of 'B' and 'C' class Lucrehulk-class vessels, primarily in Droid-control and Planetary Invasion believed being refit and reequipped for supply operations. Analysis indicates strong probability of preparations for a major, extended, combat operations by Confederate Naval Forces in coming month{s}. Target as yet unknown.

{Message Ends}

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