173.05.012 of the New Galactic Era
Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, head of the Imperial Foreign Ministry, reviewed the arrival plans for those guests that had accepted the diplomatic invitation from his office. These days, when resettlement was finally over, things worked in an proper and efficient manner. Thrashians had a devotion to efficiency no less than any convert or zealot did to their faith. Without it, if things didn't smoothly operate just so, then it grated upon the psyche like a barely perceptible stone stuck in a being's shoe. Not only that, but it was important to maintain an image. The Empire had an image to uphold and it was once which Tiaan was most proud. That fact that he might lose face before the Imperial Court due to any mishaps during such a diplomatic exchange was also a great motivator.
A Trandoshan in a sky-blue uniform with gold pins on his shoulders stepped up next to Tiaan, speaking in a series of slithering hisses and tongue clicks.
"Yes, Talossk, thank you," replied Tiaan. He took a proffered datapad from the clawed hand of his aide. It bore a list of pressing messages that had been arriving into his in-box all throughout the morning. Most made him grimace in distaste. I don't have time for all this prattling bantha crap.
Talossk hiss-clicked a question. Tiaan shook his head, a human physical expression that Talossk had become familiar with over the past two decades. After being recruited as an envoy between Imperial forces and the Trandoshan people that had agreed to flee their own home galaxy, Talossk had chosen to continue service. Tiaan found him to be a perfect aide, quick to understand the needs of the Foreign Ministry and of Tiaan Jerjerrod in particular.
"No, we won't need to meet with Moff Thestra until next month. Send his office a reply and my apologies that the meeting will be delayed. He'll understand." He damned well better, Tiaan thought. He didn't need the ire of the Chiss sector moff, but he also didn't need him interfering in Foreign Ministry business either. The fact that the Foreign Ministry was enforcing Imperial Law by keeping him from getting some foreign trade into his sector was, though perfectly abiding by the law, winning no friends.
Talossk hissed an affirmation, then click-hissed another question.
"Yes, please send him in," said Tiaan. He nodded toward the door of his office. Talossk nodded in reply and stepped out of the room.
Moments later a knock came at the door. Tiaan gave a loud "Enter," and in stepped Captain Nathan Stark, adjutant and executive officer to Fleet Admiral Chiraneau. Nathan Stark was a swarthy Human male with a trimmed beard that made him look somewhat like a villain in a holodrama. Tiaan gave a warm smile and stood to welcome his guest. Captain Stark for his part gave a salute, though perhaps not one as crisp as he might have made to a superior Fleet Officer. By his rank, as Moff, Tiaan was technically an officer in the Imperial Military on par with that of Stark's direct superior. However that was still more of an accepted tradition than anything that had been turned into an exercise of practice.
"How are you doing, Captain Stark? Thank you for coming on such short notice," Tiaan began, pleasantly. "Care for a drink?"
"Thank you, no." Captain Stark sat down in a seat before Tiaan's desk. "I received your office's message this morning. You wanted to go over the final details?"
His tone of voice and the pace at which he spoke made it clear that he thought such a conversation could have easily been handled by holotext or even by simple comm. But Tiaan was a creature of facial contact, seeking personable contact between people. It both enabled him to judge situations with better alacrity and to bring down pressure in various situations as needed. He didn't think he would require such methods in this case, but he had wanted to speak with the Home Defense Fleet. The fact that Fleet Admiral Chiraneau had sent his adjutant and not come himself was also a kind of message in and of itself.
Tiaan poured himself a glass of imported Dornalian whiskey and sat back down.
"Yes, Captain. Final details about the -- let's call it a display -- of the Home Defense Fleet. I wanted to know if the final details for that had been finished. I've not received an updated report from your commander's office in over two days." Tiaan spoke evenly and punctuated his words with clipped enunciation. The old Coruscanti dialect of Basic that had once been prevalent throughout the upper echelons of Thrashian society had been mellowed over the past few decades. With the transition of galaxies and the dispersion of the Empire across new frontiers, there was no longer a single focal point of high society and culture. It was rather diffused throughout the Empire, though the gilded aristocrats of New Kuat would likely shout and howl that they were the font of all such things.
Captain Stark seemed to have understood his undertone well enough, as he seemed to bite his inner cheek a bit before replying.
"Yes, sir, I understand. I was told to extend to you the Admiral's apologies for not having been able to come here in person. He himself is overseeing the final preparations--."
"You may dispense with the pleasantries, Captain," interrupted Tiaan, raising his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I need to know you and your people are on schedule."
"I assure you, Moff Jerjerrod, my men are working as fast as they can."
"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them," drawled Tiaan, raising his left eyebrow a few millimeters into a slight arch.
"I tell you that the display will be ready as planned," said Stark, a slight worried tone entering his voice.
"I hope that her Majesty will share your optimistic appraisal of the situation," replied Tiaan sharply. "I will be meeting her and the Moff Council this evening with my report and it would be best if I were able to give them all a favorable one. Wouldn't you agree, Captain?"
Of course he had to agree. No Imperial official, or officer of the Imperial Military, worth the brains that had gotten him into a Captaincy would refuse. Whether or not they happened to like swallowing that was something else. Tiaan noted that there were few, if any, facial tells to reveal how agitated Captain Stark might be. The man is a better politician than I might give him credit for.
"We shall double our efforts," said Captain Stark.
He rose to his feet and gave a stiff salute. Tiaan nodded in dismissal and went back to his drink. Stark turned stiffly and marched out of the room. After a few moments, Talossk stuck his head into the room and looked in with a mischievous glint in his saurian eye.
Tiaan smiled at him.
"Yes, yes -- we've got them going. Make sure the rest of the afternoon's appointments are on schedule, if you would, Talossk."
Talossk hiss-clicked an affirmative and ducked back out.
* * * * * *
The foreign dignitaries arrived three days later.
The New Bastion System was located, quite literally, in the heart of the Empire. One would have to travel several hundred light-years from the edge of the empire to reach it's heart. Arrival was not as simple as it could be. The entire system was covered in a FTL-inhibitor system that was as much esoteric in design as it was powerful, capable of denying any ship with nearly any type of FTL-engine, slip-space, portal, or arcane method of entry from reaching the inner system. As such any ships arriving would be summarily halted, unwillingly, ten AU out from the system's nominal edge.
There were no longer any comets in the New Bastion System. Over the course of several years all of those that had comprised the system's Oort Cloud had been removed, either by manufacturers looking to take advantage of cheap materials or by the Imperial Navy as it worked to build the capital system's defenses. In the wake of one galactic-wide Chaos War, the Imperial Military was taking nothing for granted with the new capital. Any ship that wished to enter deeper into the system had to do so along three routes that had been created by the Imperial Navy. For while the original Oort cloud that had surrounded the system had been removed, a new one consisting of billions upon billions of space mines had been added. Various system satellites and mines made it one of the most dangerous places to be in the galaxy as far as any sane being was concerned. Massive asteroids had been converted into armored fortresses that watched over it all, tractored into carefully arranged position so that no single part of the system was ever out of sensor sight of two or more such stations.
Along the primary route which the foreign dignitaries were brought through were numerous commercial starports and fueling stations. Civilian vessels, merchants, corporate flighters and more crowded throughout. Entertainment, along what was coming to be known as the 'Belt Way,' was famous for places like Karisto Station, where gladiatorial games were held with contestants from across the galaxy; the current runner up a fierce Aumanii fighter who was looking to unseat the current champion, a Wookie.
Passing through this zone the dignitaries were purposefully flown through a readied gauntlet of the Imperial Navy. Thirty-six Imperial-class Star Destroyers in clusters of formations with hundreds of smaller escort vessels passed almost as if on review. Pride of place however was the Black Ark. The vessel hung over New Bastion like a carrion lord, prepared to guard it's clutch of eggs from any would-be predators. The Assertor-class Super Star Dreadnought was a beast to be sure, far more deadly than it's Executor-class predecessor. The light of the system's star fluttered slightly at this distance, due to the Dyson bubble that served as one of the primary energy sources. TIE Interceptors, full wings, flew out from both of the planet's moons in precise formations. A single squadron of which broke off to escort the landing shuttle of each dignitary group into the atmosphere.
The location for the summit had been specifically chosen by Moff Jerjerrod. Instead of being at Nova Bassilos itself, he'd chosen the sub-tropical city of Cahrien. The planet was not yet close to being considered a ecumenopolis, which meant that much of it's raw beauty was retained. That included the sapphire oceans of the tropical zones of the planet. Cahrien had all the luxury and marvel that the Empire could desire. Her Majesty the Empress even had a winter palace located there, which she had kindly allowed Moff Jerjerrod to use for the meeting.
The landing platform for all of the arriving guests was easily a kilometer square in size. A deep, blood-red carpet had been laid out. Pink and purple flower petals from the local wisteria plants flew about in the wind, thrown by a coterie of Thrashian youth, a mix of various species. The smiled and giggled amongst themselves, looking with curiosity at the strange arrivals. The flag or banner of each respective star state was also flying in the wind from nearby poles. To either side of the welcome mat and display were two demi-legions of polished, white-armored clone troopers at attention, their weapons held at shoulder in respectful salute to those that were arriving. A band consisting of numerous unique instruments played a background music of harmonious tones, nothing martial about it at all. Those dignitaries that arrived first were held there upon the carpet for moments until all had arrived. Servants in eye-pleasing uniforms dispersed through the crowd, dispensing glasses of ice-cold refreshments.
Eventually, a Trandoshan figure in blue robes and gold jewelry stepped forward and bowed to those assembled. He growl-hiss-clicked in his own tongue, while a silver droid next to him translated in a soft, feminine voice.
"Senior Ambassador Talossk wishes me to convey his warm welcome to all of you gracious dignitaries from the among the stars. He thanks you on behalf of her royal highness, Empress Dheinalia Vera Nuruodo, Lady-Ruler of the Thrashian Empire for accepting our invitaton. He asks that you follow him to the Winter Palace where your host, his Excellency Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod, Minister of Foreign Affairs, awaits you."
With another bow, the Trandoshan turned smoothly and led those gathered onward.
The Winter Palace, as it was known, was a large spire built into the side of a local island mountain. It overlooked the beautiful ocean and it's wide windows allowed in a cooling ocean breeze that carried upon it a clean, refreshing scents of ocean salt and sweet plant-life. The inner halls of the palace were beautiful and a wonderful display of some of the best of Thrashia's architectural style. Servants stood at intervals, prepared to help and assist where needed. Droids of various types wandered about on numerous errands. Guards in more stylized armor than those of the austere clone troopers that had been at the landing field were also present, their helms hiding their faces and unmoving as statues. A great feast hall opened before them and numerous tables had been set out with an abundance of fine delicacies from across the quadrant and galaxy at large. Waiting for them in his formal robes was Moff Tian Jerjerrod.
"Greetings, kindly gentlemen and ladies," he said, bowing his head. "I welcome you to New Bastion, the capital of our Empire. You must all be somewhat tired and weary from your journeys. I ask that you please partake of our food and drink, with the assurance that you have been welcomed with open arms. Take your time and mingle as you see fit. Our talks will be taking place tomorrow at midday. Until then, please enjoy the various entertainments that we have planned for you and indulge the selfish requests we, as host, ask you to endure -- though we will not mind if you say no to one vintage of wine over another!"
Tiaan Jerjerrod smiled and bowed again to polite applause that came from the gathered dignitaries. He raised a glass of red-tinged champagne.
"Cheers!"
