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The Torrent Bane: Weeping Whispers [Despayre]
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She eyed the emperor curiously as he rose, offering his return bow to the crowd before they dispersed. In the hustle and the bustle she tried to keep her eye on him, thought several other things were required of her first.
All the politicians and the tacticians wanted to say something, wanted to get in a word to her before they left. She took it all flatteringly and gave as best responses as she could find, but she wanted to speak with the emperor. She had more goals than to just talk about getting back old worlds.
Karen knew the importance of Despayre to him of course. How couldn't she? He always talked about it, he even always thought about it. But she had other ideas, other plans that were far, far more important - at least in her mind.
Varn always came first to Governor Ulsare, her homeworld, the place where her people were. It was her responsibility, and she intended not to let them down.
She would not disgrace those who willingly elected her.
Karen politely turned down a conversation with General Dwight of the Jutraalian Marine Corps, then shoved through more of the members of the congress. She blew out a sigh then, tossing up some of her hair in frustration as she tried to walk the distance between herself and Emperor Fearsons.
He seemed to be having his own swarm of visitors, everyone wanted some kind of word in with His Majesty. She managed to eavesdrop on one of the conversations as she finally squeezed herself closer.
"If we landed troops we may be able to mediate the conflict before any real shots could happen," one politician said. His attire suggested that he was from Tholatin, he wore the traditional red sash around his chest that indicated him to be of the confederate planet.
Emperor Fearsons did not seem pleased with that idea.
"How many experienced troops do we have left?" he asked incredulously, catching the Tholatin man off guard.
"Well most of our standing troops are newer recruits, but we have plenty of experienced commanders and-,"
The emperor cut him off, shaking his head. "No, we don't need experienced commanders for something like this. Young recruits are trigger happy, there will be too many deaths, we need to work on this politically first."
The Tholatinian nodded, staring down at the ground as if in embarassment.
Karen seized the moment and pushed past two more politicians and finally stood before the tall emperor, looking straight up at him awingly.
What was wrong with her? She had just seen him many times over, had just listened to him speak. She did not have any kind of awe in him other than the typical respect a woman had for her boss.
Her stomach churned tightly, but she shrugged aside those feelings.
She would analyze them later, for now she needed to have a word with him.
"Your Majesty?" she said respectfully. The emperor looked at her and offered her a genuine smile.
"Yes Governor?" he responded. The PeFauna seemed uneasy and stepped toward her, but Fearsons motioned them back.
She regained her composure. "I need to have a word with you Sire...if I may."
The emperor looked at the men around him, then back down at the governor and nodded. "Of course, come with me."
He turned and began stalking off, Karen close behind.
All the politicians and the tacticians wanted to say something, wanted to get in a word to her before they left. She took it all flatteringly and gave as best responses as she could find, but she wanted to speak with the emperor. She had more goals than to just talk about getting back old worlds.
Karen knew the importance of Despayre to him of course. How couldn't she? He always talked about it, he even always thought about it. But she had other ideas, other plans that were far, far more important - at least in her mind.
Varn always came first to Governor Ulsare, her homeworld, the place where her people were. It was her responsibility, and she intended not to let them down.
She would not disgrace those who willingly elected her.
Karen politely turned down a conversation with General Dwight of the Jutraalian Marine Corps, then shoved through more of the members of the congress. She blew out a sigh then, tossing up some of her hair in frustration as she tried to walk the distance between herself and Emperor Fearsons.
He seemed to be having his own swarm of visitors, everyone wanted some kind of word in with His Majesty. She managed to eavesdrop on one of the conversations as she finally squeezed herself closer.
"If we landed troops we may be able to mediate the conflict before any real shots could happen," one politician said. His attire suggested that he was from Tholatin, he wore the traditional red sash around his chest that indicated him to be of the confederate planet.
Emperor Fearsons did not seem pleased with that idea.
"How many experienced troops do we have left?" he asked incredulously, catching the Tholatin man off guard.
"Well most of our standing troops are newer recruits, but we have plenty of experienced commanders and-,"
The emperor cut him off, shaking his head. "No, we don't need experienced commanders for something like this. Young recruits are trigger happy, there will be too many deaths, we need to work on this politically first."
The Tholatinian nodded, staring down at the ground as if in embarassment.
Karen seized the moment and pushed past two more politicians and finally stood before the tall emperor, looking straight up at him awingly.
What was wrong with her? She had just seen him many times over, had just listened to him speak. She did not have any kind of awe in him other than the typical respect a woman had for her boss.
Her stomach churned tightly, but she shrugged aside those feelings.
She would analyze them later, for now she needed to have a word with him.
"Your Majesty?" she said respectfully. The emperor looked at her and offered her a genuine smile.
"Yes Governor?" he responded. The PeFauna seemed uneasy and stepped toward her, but Fearsons motioned them back.
She regained her composure. "I need to have a word with you Sire...if I may."
The emperor looked at the men around him, then back down at the governor and nodded. "Of course, come with me."
He turned and began stalking off, Karen close behind.
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Crossing one leg over the other gingerly and smoothing down the jacket of her business suit, she composed herself and gathered her thoughts.
"Emperor Fearsons, first, I'd like to thank you for seeing me so quickly."
The man nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing, and waited for her to continue on.
"Your speech about Desparye clearly displayed your passion about reclaiming your former beloved planet, Sire....however, such passion about one thing troubles me deeply into assuming that Your Grace might, perchance, begin to....how shall I say...neglect the other planets you watch over."
Silence, and a slight scowl.
"Not that you would, Sir...but it is troubleing. My first and foremost concern, as you well know, is Varn. I am quite worried that you will become too deeply invovled with Desparye to scatter your concentration and attention to other plantes and systems not unlike my own dear Varn."
Deafening silence.
"I understand how this could happen, Sire, being---myself---so close to Varn and the people thereof..."
Her mind was quickly drawing a black, she was speaking in thought-circles and being redundant. Any moment now she expected him to dismiss her flatly.
"I'm just concerned, Sir."
"Emperor Fearsons, first, I'd like to thank you for seeing me so quickly."
The man nodded in acknowledgement, but said nothing, and waited for her to continue on.
"Your speech about Desparye clearly displayed your passion about reclaiming your former beloved planet, Sire....however, such passion about one thing troubles me deeply into assuming that Your Grace might, perchance, begin to....how shall I say...neglect the other planets you watch over."
Silence, and a slight scowl.
"Not that you would, Sir...but it is troubleing. My first and foremost concern, as you well know, is Varn. I am quite worried that you will become too deeply invovled with Desparye to scatter your concentration and attention to other plantes and systems not unlike my own dear Varn."
Deafening silence.
"I understand how this could happen, Sire, being---myself---so close to Varn and the people thereof..."
Her mind was quickly drawing a black, she was speaking in thought-circles and being redundant. Any moment now she expected him to dismiss her flatly.
"I'm just concerned, Sir."
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Karen's swelled pride in herself and sense of well-being about the Emperor's plans were suddenly dashed aside with all this new information.
"Starvation? Plagues?"
Karen rose to her feet as she spoke to the Emperor's turned visage. The PeFauna in the room all shifted causing a rustling of bodies, their careful watch over the Emperor quiet obvious by their cautiousness towards Karen's movements.
She moved closer to Fearsons, posing no threat, but still the guards seemed nervous when she stopped a few steps behind him.
"I should hope you find this a bit more pressing than the state of Varn...otherwise I should have to wonder about you priorities."
She leaned a bit to the side, trying to speak to him, and not his back.
"Emperor Fearsons, should you need it, you know that Varn is always willing to help out. We have crops and doctors---at your disposal---that I am willing to offer at any time in order to help Desparye out. Varn might not be that powerful as of the current time, but we do realize that we are most fortunate, considering. Therefore, we are quite willing to help those in need. If your Desparye needs aide, I and my people will fill that need to the best of our ability."
"Starvation? Plagues?"
Karen rose to her feet as she spoke to the Emperor's turned visage. The PeFauna in the room all shifted causing a rustling of bodies, their careful watch over the Emperor quiet obvious by their cautiousness towards Karen's movements.
She moved closer to Fearsons, posing no threat, but still the guards seemed nervous when she stopped a few steps behind him.
"I should hope you find this a bit more pressing than the state of Varn...otherwise I should have to wonder about you priorities."
She leaned a bit to the side, trying to speak to him, and not his back.
"Emperor Fearsons, should you need it, you know that Varn is always willing to help out. We have crops and doctors---at your disposal---that I am willing to offer at any time in order to help Desparye out. Varn might not be that powerful as of the current time, but we do realize that we are most fortunate, considering. Therefore, we are quite willing to help those in need. If your Desparye needs aide, I and my people will fill that need to the best of our ability."
He leaned back in the smooth leather chair around the metallic grey of the table that lay sprawled across the room, hundreds of Senator's, Representatives, Commanders, and even Royalty carrying on endless chatter about the usual topics.... Taxes, Corporate Loans, Marine Division Grants. [/i]Credits[/i]... Those remained powerful in motivation, for the more you owned, the more political, and social prowess you posessed.
Xilen Darkflame owned nothing. He was a simple man, born and raised within the poverty of the Galaxy. A man of few words, and of great ambitions. He sat back further, a faint grin smeering across his soft lips at the mindless chatter carrying on around him in the Emperor's absence. He hadn't spoken a word since his arrival.
Smoothing the wrinkles out of his formal black uniform, someone finally seemed to take an interest in his presence. General Dwight of the Marine Corps.
"Well, if it isn't Lord Admiral Darkflame, back from the ghetto's of the Galaxy...."
The room burst into soft chuckles, and light laughter as they all focused on the Lord Admiral at the opposite end of the table, a few of them holding crystalline wine glasses, no doubt hand crafted of th efinest crystal available.
"Tell me, Lord Admiral.... How fares your puny little fleet these days? Still whipping your weakling ensign's into shape, I hear?"
Xilen smirked as he leaned forward, folding his hands neatly infront og him, and resting them on the metallictable before him. "You wouldn't know anything about that, now would you General? You're too busy sitting in your office, drinking Coffee over your donuts these days.... Or is that pudgie little stomach you've been mustering simply a warning of your faided youth?"
Xilen Darkflame owned nothing. He was a simple man, born and raised within the poverty of the Galaxy. A man of few words, and of great ambitions. He sat back further, a faint grin smeering across his soft lips at the mindless chatter carrying on around him in the Emperor's absence. He hadn't spoken a word since his arrival.
Smoothing the wrinkles out of his formal black uniform, someone finally seemed to take an interest in his presence. General Dwight of the Marine Corps.
"Well, if it isn't Lord Admiral Darkflame, back from the ghetto's of the Galaxy...."
The room burst into soft chuckles, and light laughter as they all focused on the Lord Admiral at the opposite end of the table, a few of them holding crystalline wine glasses, no doubt hand crafted of th efinest crystal available.
"Tell me, Lord Admiral.... How fares your puny little fleet these days? Still whipping your weakling ensign's into shape, I hear?"
Xilen smirked as he leaned forward, folding his hands neatly infront og him, and resting them on the metallictable before him. "You wouldn't know anything about that, now would you General? You're too busy sitting in your office, drinking Coffee over your donuts these days.... Or is that pudgie little stomach you've been mustering simply a warning of your faided youth?"
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She'd never seen him like this, and she was quite certain that few ever had. Men of power, for as long as she could remember, were not allowed to show strong emotions in front of anyone other than family and close comrades. Yet now, here was the most probably the most influential man alive, standing just before her....crying.
Did Desparye mean this much? Did the mere thought bring tears? Or was me meditating on other things?
Her face held genuine concern and worry for him. Yet the tears he cried not only made him more human to her, but also more attractive. He'd seemed cold and robotic before, but now, she saw, there was passion and heart and soul under that rough exterior. He was a man, after all.
He looked at her, turned around with moist tear tracks still a little visible on his face and spoke to her. It took at moment for her to hear, for she was still stuck in her imagination's flight of fancy over him.
"Well....yes...Yes, I understand. I'm afraid Varn is not so skilled in this particular area as of yet. However, when you do need us, I'll...we'll be there."
Oh, a mere slip of the tongue...she could have pulled that off if she hadn't of turned bright red the immediate moment she'd slipped up. How embarrassing! Maybe he wouldn't notice...she had to keep her composure! This is a political business meeting, not a social event.
Did Desparye mean this much? Did the mere thought bring tears? Or was me meditating on other things?
Her face held genuine concern and worry for him. Yet the tears he cried not only made him more human to her, but also more attractive. He'd seemed cold and robotic before, but now, she saw, there was passion and heart and soul under that rough exterior. He was a man, after all.
He looked at her, turned around with moist tear tracks still a little visible on his face and spoke to her. It took at moment for her to hear, for she was still stuck in her imagination's flight of fancy over him.
"Well....yes...Yes, I understand. I'm afraid Varn is not so skilled in this particular area as of yet. However, when you do need us, I'll...we'll be there."
Oh, a mere slip of the tongue...she could have pulled that off if she hadn't of turned bright red the immediate moment she'd slipped up. How embarrassing! Maybe he wouldn't notice...she had to keep her composure! This is a political business meeting, not a social event.