I for one don't like eremika. So you guys know how the Mc and Alyssa relationship will be like.
……
Leirra Zuraiys
Ruins of time long past, of past glory that still echoes. Magnificent building a testament to my people's potential lies abandoned. I have read texts and books about this planet's glorious past. Ancient roads that had been destroyed were replaced, denigrating a once proud people into simple farmers. Marbles that once were painted with colors are now pale bereft from their stories, murals, and history that once bathed it.
Great empires once conquered this place and great empires have fallen because of it. Their destruction and defeat were now the only thing left that remained. They once called us barbarians, uncouth mountain people who stuck in tradition while the rest of the galaxy marched into progress. So assured they are of their superiority, their downfall and defeat to what they deemed as a lesser people, tightened by the collar of religion and superstition, was the instrument of their downfall. The arrogance of Empires and cultures, the ego of one that held themselves so high and so mighty, claiming to have an eternal rule, untouchable, different from their predecessor, claiming that their understanding and enlightenment must be spread across the galaxy while defiling those same principles they so dearly uphold.
I wonder? if this current Empire; an unnatural force that holds sovereignty over an entire galaxy. A power that so desperately tries to maintain its legitimacy, it cries and rages with insecurities to any minor threat. They are an order that is unnatural; their ranks are filled with guards and soldiers that fear each other rather than their enemies. A bureaucratic central mess that holds the potential to be turned into something more terrifying, still in its infancy, a child of the literal image of the devil to which even his creator compared him.
They proved no different, some will cry remembering its downfall, and some will celebrate a tyrannical order that had given them nothing but pain. Their thousand years of glory, advancement, and legacy, claiming to be immortal in the mind of their successor, will be defeated by time, no one can negotiate with it, you may see their glimpses of past achievements, and you may try to link yourself to a past lineage for vanity when in truth, you are so far removed from them calling you and them as people of the same line would be foolish. Empire's die, risen, romanticized, forgotten, and irrelevant.
"It is only a matter of time before this one faces the same," I muttered to myself as I looked up to a crumbled pillar, similar to the greco-roman style while touching it. The land surround was hills of barren rocky mountains, the wind was strong here, bobbing down the grains on the valley below where Birrens main city lay.
A calming place for me, I have moved away from the farms now and estate to further my education of basic schooling, something I only needed for the social aspect. The main city was not large, not even passing fifty thousand in population. Making my trek here was just me walking on the small hill. It's a nice place to relax, away from the busyness of daily life, and get my mind off of the report the I.I. should've given me months ago.
I sighed remembering that, I underestimated how convoluted is Imperial bureaucracy could be and somehow it was expected for them to do their job so slowly. Shaking my mind out of that mess, I took a deep breath and sat at a small ruin that was formerly a pillar overlooking the city. I could see ships coming down and up from space and to space, the city(1), as we called her was just a glorious interplanetary airport, the only one in the planet where it's main purpose was just to transport grain around Birrens sector, with its main jobs are just to facilitate those trades. Birrens doesn't have any industries, we hate destroying our lands that just benefit a certain group of people so capitalist investors are not welcomed here, we are content with this simple life, and as long as no one tries to disturb that and our faith towards the force we will tolerate you…not liking, tolerate.
(Optional, Seikilos epitaph, any version but I recommend the one made By YK band)
"There you are!" A high shrieking voice was heard that startled me, her voice had been a frequent thing to hear since the first time we met but even then there was nothing I could do to be accustomed to that shrieking of hers. I smiled gently, seeing a small head that was covered in a scarf as ordered by her grandfather to fit in, slowly, with herculean task for her small frame, becoming visible to my eyes.
Opting to make Alyssa's life easier and not make the girl too tired when we get back home so she doesn't have any excuse for me to carry her. I was the one who approached the girl who never in her life did anything physically taxing as this before. Alyssa, seeing my approach, was lying in a small patch of dried grass and looked up to her while catching her breath.
"And you said that exercising was not important," I said to her with cheek, making her grumble as I reminded her with well-meaning intent, she knew I was right the first time to get her outside more and almost dragged the girl so she could be less shy and play more with her peers. She just doesn't listen to me, calling me younger and smaller than her, which I understand, no one wants to be lectured by someone younger than them.
She was about to speak but I motioned my mouth for her to be silent and hold my heart while taking a deep breath. "Sit first and rest, then we'll talk."
She followed my instructions and let out one giant breath before looking at me with gleams in her eyes. I winced internally and prepared.
"Leirra, Leirra, there's a bazaar on the edge of the city!!" and there she goes, honestly I missed the quiet girl that just followed me around but… This version of her is better in every way.
"And?" I feign disinterest, this makes her do the predictable thing and pout that I tried my hardest not to chuckle at.
"Oh, c'mon Leirra, Gramps worked really hard for this!! Even Uncle Bas and Auntie Tasnime will be there at the opening ceremony! Look, they even give us pocket money!" she showed me a bag made out of Shaak skin with what looked at a glance was 60 credits! That's a lot of money for kids our age!
"Wait, did you say my dad's here?" I finally dropped my act and was truly excited. The only one that accompanied me to the city was Tasnime. Someone needs to look at the estate after all, and father chose to stay while mother is the one with me in the main city. I told her that I could take care of my own and she doesn't have to be there with me when I'm at basic school, she was not convinced at the slightest. I mean who wants to see a 6-year-old living alone in an apartment? Well, a certain monkey would but my parents aren't him. "When did they arrive?"
" I Dunno," she shrugged, "c'mon let's go before dusk prayers!" I once more let myself get dragged by the older and at the same time younger lady. Letting out a small sigh so she could not hear it, I ran beside her as she let out a hearty carefree laugh.
Empires can fall, rise, and all that heavy stuff. But today, in this present there's no use to think about all those.
Live in the present, not in the future
A truly fitting quote
…..
Bas Zuraiys
Bas looked at the city with a warm smile. The festival is going well.
New roads are being built that connect more and more land in Birren that was previously isolated is now connected. Children as young as Leirra playing in the newly built public stadium. The city looked more prosperous than the first time he was here, granted, that was during the war but even still the rate of progress was truly astonishing. He did not remember the last time such festivities were in the city yeah there was the usual harvest festival and the prayers to thank the force afterward that came with the feast but that was more about conveying gratitude for their fortune, this, this was the truly the first festival where Bas could say where the main point was just to have fun. Conveniently close to the Governor's Granddaughter's birthday, but who could blame him for trying to make that girl happy?
The empire, despite how Bas hates to say this, is good for Birren, they put extra care and subsidies towards agri-worlds that produce more food than they can consume so while the taxes are generally up, the cost of production is down considerably, more than the enough to make up the lost made by the tax increase. And those subsidies were made to good use by the governor, new schools are built in the more remote area that is farther than the city, while, get this, the madman also respects local customary law regarding land! Most bureaucrats would just ignore that customary law, to some extent, still holds sway and is recognized by the old republic galactic law and even the empire somewhat acknowledges it. But realistically, most governors and bureaucrats would do as they please and ignore local customs. The man is a blessing for Birren. Metternich has central planning that made efforts from the republic in the past one thousand years to be just trivial improvements. The old guy is that good.
Which begged the question: the man is undoubtedly competent. Why is he posted in Birren? The Empire is corrupt but to leave a miracle worker posted in some random world seems absurd!! Just like the republic, the empire is incompetent when it comes to effective resource allocations. A fact that makes Metternich's achievements more impressive. It boggles the mind that a man such as him is even part of this imperium
He walks around the Bazaar spotting soldiers, not stormtroopers, soldiers laughing with a fellow Hashtun eating food and drinking refreshments as if they were comrades. They all look happy, his people sporting smiles and laughter, children screaming with joy, and no threat of war to touch them. The empire has brought stability to Birren.
Doubt doubt grows
Was the empire truly evil? It promises progress and prosperity, and they have certainly delivered. With men like Metternich, where he values his family and understands the duty of his position, does his loss of freedom to influence the very state he is in when the previous variation proved to be no different was worth fighting over? Was it worth the possibility of his love, son, family, and people to die over, is he ready to sacrifice those things for something he has not once tasted; the very freedom the republic had promised him? He doesn't know. And force willing he would never choose.
Metternich has done marvelously as governor, and he always has a plan, he may be a jolly man with a kind disposition, but that doesn't mean he is not cunning, oh no, Bas can see how he plays to win the hearts and minds of men and women. Behind all that drive fueled by duty towards the empire, a sincere drive and there's no doubt in Bas's mind he has his plans. And that made him to be wary when he started to approach him and Bas's father-in-law. They were the ones who organized this Bazar and they were the ones he trusted.
He suspects that Leirra's friendship with Alyssa is the reason why Klevens gave them his attention, something that any normal clan/noble would kill for, unfortunately, normal clan nobles aren't planning a rebellion. So when Klevens invites him to the city to discuss important matters about the planet and the system as a whole, Bas has to up his bullshit meter when they talk.
Bas arrived at the governor's office and was escorted by an imperial army trooper who was equipped rather poorly compared to clone troopers, even stormtroopers' equipment is better. Shaking at the horrifyingly bereft of quality equipment this soldier has, Bas stands at the Governor's door, the soldier pushes a button at the side informing Klevens of his rrival, the door opens with Klevens currently tidying up his desk after what I presume a productive day at work.
"I'm sorry for the display of untidiness, Bas. I don't have the time to truly look presentable. How's your day been? Your smiling makes me think the festival outside is as joyous as we planned." He let out a bellow of laughter which Bas can't help smirk at. Taking a seat in front of him, Bas took out a box of ciggara lighting it up while not forgetting to offer Klevens his box which he accepted. Taking a large huff and directing the smoke to not hit the governor's face.
"It's been alright as usual, how about you? Why aren't you outside enjoying the festivities with your granddaughter? All that hard work in coordinating this event. It will be a shame if you don't enjoy it." Bas said to the mustache and bearded governor.
Klevens chuckled with the cigarra in his mouth then talked while still huffing it. "If only I could do it with Alys, but my duty prevented me from doing so, she was quite disappointed when I said that to her."
Bas shook his head hearing such words from the Governor, "You need to relax sometimes, Klevens, spend time with your granddaughter before she's old enough to say she doesn't want to anymore."
Giving such a scenario made the Governor let out a concerned laugh, "Don't put such scary ideas in my head, I already worry enough about that girl, beside I've given her money to spend with Leirra. He's mature enough to look after my granddaughter."
"How much did you give them?" asked Bas.
"30 each, not that much," he shrugged. Bas's eyes were wide. 30 credits aren't that much by core world standard but here! That money is equal to a day's salary! Without thinking, Bas opened his wallet intent to give back the money but Klevens stopped him. "Don't worry, just like you, 30 credits won't chip away at my wealth at all."
Bas sighed, extinguishing the cigarra, his appetite to smoke it lost on him. "You really shouldn't spoil them both, you know. "
"True enough, I just can't help it, you know how I am. " Klevens followed suit and extinguished his cigarra after observing the clone defector. "Bas, I want to ask you a question," hearing and seeing the Governor was getting more serious, Bas was on edge. "Did you submit a blaster design to Imperial Intelligence?"
Of all the possible questions he could ask this was not what Bas expected, and at the same time, brought relief to him. For a moment Bas thought that Klevens was suspicious of his other actions but by the tone, it's more filled with curiosity and interest than anything out of unwanted intention. Choosing to believe that Klevens is ignorant, he calms his senses and just talks to him like a friend.
"Yes, I did submit a design to them, however, it was not me that made it," Bas replied.
"In that, I do not doubt you," Klevens throws him a very unnecessary shade which he receives with good fun. "Was it Leirra? That boy could become quite a chatterbox when it comes to weaponry." That Bas agreed with.
"Why are you asking? Did they reject it already? Took them long enough, you have no idea how many times Leirra had asked me if their response had been sent already. The boy was devastated when they couldn't give their answer when he had to leave for the city with Tasnime." Instead of giving Bas the straight answer Klevens, the bastard, for some reason tried to control his laughter. "What so funny? Is there something in my face?" This time the governor couldn't contain them and just bellow out waves of laughter without care. Bas was confused sitting there waiting for the Governor to stop laughing when it dawned on him. "My son won the contract??!!" Klevens wheezed out of breath coughing up without control.
"Ah by the goddess, I needed that, " he steadily started to stop laughing. "Yes they did, here the report they've given for you to read," Klevens gave Bas a data pad.
Ministry of Defense
Imperial Military Intelligence
Acquisition Approval Letter
Contact: 20301-1400
Mail:
Secretarial Office:Vice Admiral Mark Kendell
Number:P/09143/7/7/EquiAqui/65.
Coruscant, 7th, 15th, 1067 Galactic Standard
Classification: Letter of Intent, Acquisition
Attachment: 20 pages
Matter: Notice of interest, and survey to Birren, Birren prime, inner rim south west quadrant, of the company, Zuraiys Blaster. Ltd
To: Bas of the Zuraiys
Primary:
1. Next Generation Precisition Rifle Program (NGPRP) is an effort within Joint Special Operation Command effort to energize and revolutionize on how military asset will fight the current threat at the galactic front, a herculean task to replace the old clone war weaponry DC-15S that can provide overmatch to the finest in our military:
2. Letter of selection (page 1-3):
3. Letter assessment (page 4-9)
4. Letter of survey (9-10)
5. Letter of production (10-20)
Summary:
1. Letter of selection: Notice of selection to Zuraiiys Blaster. ltd , sent prototype equipment XL-15A1 Marskman Rifle. Order for legitimization to send: respond files, Id files, and registration form to ministry central servers.
2. Letter of Assessment: lacks sufficient durability; cause, subpar metalworking and standard metal alloys. Extraordinary modularity, superb for light unit usage. More than sufficient accuracy and bolt capacity, intuitive human centric design approval by Compnor observers;
3. Letter of survey: land assessment in placement of factories, suply route, and infrastructure to be upgraded, possibilities to ascend Birren position from a strictly agri-world to a high priority planet same as lothal;
4. Letter of production: small batch order of 100,000 XL-15A1, construction of factories and slaves quaters for men power (can be be negotiated), other term and service.
The rest of the letter are just extrapolating the summary, as Bas read the assessment part with an attach file to the capability the rifle that Leirra designed he was not amazed by the hard numbers it's just more above standard than average performance wise, it's the soft number and small things that was extremely highlighted by the one that had written this report by the way they've written, it's like they have a religious experience. How starved are Imperial Intelligence from good weaponry? Is that drool on the paper?
"The I.I gave me temporary jurisdiction as an intermediary with the central government and your company. As you've read in the letter they'll be planning to invest in the production line, knowing the special nature of the order they don't want many people leering at the pie. I guess congratulations are in order Bas you are now a major contractor to an organization many don't want to associate with. I also want to curse you to ruin my peaceful dead end job. You've essentially given me an unofficial rank upgrade with the changing of Birren status," he sighed."
"You're welcome? Look it's not that I expected the blaster to be this successful, this thing is literally made in a shed with scraps, I thought this was just an experience for Leirra, not to land me a billions credit governmental contract." He said with truths mixed with lies. "Look, Klevens, I'm sorry, for what is worth, how about I just back away from…"
"No, it's too late for that now." Klevens shook his head. "Unless you want ISB operatives breathing down your neck and finding out you're a clone defector and taking you away from your family to be in prison, that is not an option."
"Yeah you're right, " Bas is truly fucked! He can't do anything to back away-wait! "You knew?" Bas breathing became erratic, unwanted possibilities crossed his mind. Is this the end for him? His dreamlike life with his family.
"Bas, are you alright?" Klevens said with concern.
Instead of answering, "How long have you known?" He stood up while slamming Klevens desk.
"I'm a former military man, of course I know since the beginning. Relax, I'm not going to tell them anything, you're my friend and more importantly you're my granddaughter's father's friend."
Bas doesn't buy his reasoning. "And how can I trust you? You're an Imperial!! "
Klevens maintains his calm disposition trying to subdue his friend peacefully. "Clone's aren't supposed to have children, I'm not heartless like any other imperial In my position to send you away to prison and your son to some secluded research facility."
The both of them just stare at each other for minutes. Bas trying to find any hint of deceit from Klevens face, not finding anything. A knock was heard from outside.
"Governor, is everything alright?" The soldier outside Born from Birren judging from his accent.
"Everything is alright, Kashim, isn't that right Bas?" gripping his hand Bas finally relent and sat back to his seat.
"Yes, everything is fine. " he said Laconically. "You're a strange imperial Klevens, bad mouthing your fellow imperial? Are you sure that's safe? What if someone heard you slip and reported you to the ISB?"
"If that happens I'm trusting Alyssa to your family. And don't just assume because I'm an imperial I'm blind to her faults, my loyalty in order is to my family, my goddess, the galaxy, and then the empire. Why do you think I chose Birren as a place for me to semi-retire?"
"And now I squander your "ambition" to semi-retire," Bas rubbed his temple while quietly stifling a tired giggle, being so done from all of this. You know when he thinks about it, how in the name of the force did Leirra manage to convince him to let the boy submit his design to a covert action arm of the empire! By all means it sounds ridiculous! And why the hell did they choose his son's design? Why don't they be their usual selves and be incompetent and corrupt as always. Bas really-really want to cry, this is some comic joke that is being played for someone amusement. And whoever they are; they have a sick sense of humor.
"Eh, it's not the end of the world ecologically, it's probably just some small factories and upgrading the city main spaceport and a small increase in patrol other than that, there wouldn't be anything being changed beside of course the extra-extra paperwork they would give me, thanks for that." Klevens waved his hand. Ignore the tears, they're not important. "No, the main problem is probably more inward."
"What's that?" Bas raised his lone eyebrow.
"We gotta convince the council and the elders somehow, and it's probably best that we don't discuss how much they hate industrialization. "
"fuck, " he said quitely.
"Yeah, fuck." The both of them sighed tired thinking about the possibility of facing them.
"Wait, aren't you the governor, why am I involved in this?" Bas raised his voice not accepting being to possibly have to talk to his in law about the matter. Facing down rival family like the Naraweh and Akuna seems trivial in comparison.
"You're the one who started this dumbass!" Bas blinked for a few seconds not computing that the governor just swore at him.
"Were both fucked. "
"I hope they fucked you more than me. "
…
1. Inspired by the name of a certain city that is so hard fought over, so powerful she was that anyone that is remotely close to it will just call her the city, even its conqueror.
…….