Cabinet Cleaning

[CaptainBonkers]

Greed, as far as base vices went, was such an unimaginative vice to possess. Sating it required nothing more complex than constant acquisition of wealth and rarely could the thirst be permanently quenched. After all, all it took for greed to flare up again was seeing something one didn’t already possess. And it seemed that the esteemed Moff Rolt, the Minister for Agriculture, kept seeing things he liked but lacked the intelligence necessary and good sense to fund himself in a manner that did not see his file landing on Havlen’s desk.

It was a shame really; Rolt had showed some promise. He was toady, had no backbone to speak of, crumbled under no pressure whatsoever when applied by someone he was even remotely afraid of and lacked ambition beyond lining his own pockets. All in all a perfect fit to head a politically inconsequential department where the Permanent Secretaries under him did the actual work. Alas, Rolt had failed to ride his cushy job to a comfortable retirement and in an effort to drown himself in pointless luxuries had managed to engage in so flagrant embezzlement that Havlen would had have been wholly detached from reality or otherwise inclined to take a cut from Rolt’s corruption to miss his activities.

Projects with inflated budgets employing companies in which Rolt held significant stock, creative accounting in the use of the meager discretionary funds Ministry of Agriculture received in the budget, re-directed development funds...the list went on and on. Under usual circumstances, dealing with this kind of abuse would have been the job for Treasury and Finance, but the significant debts that had been uncovered during the investigation made Rolt’s habits a question of national security. Thus an investigation had been launched and in less than a month the agents on the case had accrued enough evidence to send Rolt before a firing squad after a summary trial. However, the fact that Rolt was a cabinet minister made the situation politically sensitive. To avoid a public quagmire, a certain level of circumspection was required.

That need for subtlety was the reason for today’s meeting. Well, perhaps meeting was not wholly appropriate description. It was going to be more like a confrontation and interrogation conducted in an unnecessarily opulent setting. However, no matter how things went, Rolt would not likely be long for this world. Beyond Renata having a bout of uncharacteristic naive mercy, Havlen could not see a scenario where Rolt could get away from his mistakes.

Like always the visible security at the Palace barely seemed to give him any attention, but then again able as they might have been in inflicting violence to protect the mistress from harm, the guards in their impressive armor were largely for show, the last line of security. The real active security was mostly invisible to the naked eye and had already scanned and tagged Havlen several times and ran all the collected data against the Ministry’s records and the Palace’s own security archives to ensure he was who he claimed to be. If any of the checks had come back as negative, Havlen would already have been detained by a couple of burly operatives and escorted to a tiny windowless room for an ‘interview’. It was quite an impressive configuration, even if Havlen did say so himself.

Havlen made his way quickly through the Palace, reaching the cabinet chambers. It was the part of the Palace he had most first hand knowledge about. The various cabinet members met there once a week both to give Renata an update in person as well as coordinate administration and interdepartmental cooperation.

The door into the chambers was flanked by a pair of guards in the regalia of the innermost circle of imperial guards, which meant that Renata had arrived somewhat sooner than Havlen had assumed. He himself was well in time. ‘Hurry up and wait’ wasn’t just a mantra for the military after all. Being ahead of the schedule was rarely unadvantageous, after all.

“Your Radiance.” he said, passing through the doorway, giving a polite nod to the ruler of the Empire. “I hope you are not taking too much time off of you daily schedule to tend to this matter. Rolt is after all merely the minister for agriculture.”

@meira

[Meira]

There was a certain peace to be felt in the Palace. In her year, Renata had called many places home. The Jedi Temple, Zeltros, Korriban. But these had always been the homes of others which she merely occupied. The temple belonged to the Jedi. She might have been an aspiring member, but there was no owning within their ranks, outside of the Council perhaps. Zeltros had been a home that she'd stolen, in a sense. She was not one of that species, and so was forever an outsider. Further, she lived there in hiding, always wary should someone come looking for her. Such discomfort could never be home. Korriban, and her rooms high in the temple there had almost been it. She had power and control there. But there was always the truth that Iniquitous ruled all. What was hers was only so by his grace. But now, as Empress, all was hers. She need not hide, nor borrow. She was finally home.

And with the tensions between the Empire and the Republic the highest they'd been since full war, it was so very good to be home. She stood in the Cabinet Chamber, fussing over the large planter she'd had installed years ago. The room was austere to the point of painful when originally built. The architects believed such somber and unimaginative aesthetics were necessary in order to befit the ranks of those who would meet here. Renata immediately had the planter installed along one side of the room. She planted several of her favorite and most vibrant flowers from the gardens here, bringing the color and life of the planet into this room that had been designed to be anything but vibrant. Today, she tended to the several carnivorous plants, levitating insects to their gaping maws and watching with delight as each closed tight around their morsels.

A soft tone sounded and a screen on one wall activated, showing the security feed for the corridor outside the room. Havlen had arrived. She fed the last insect to the last of the carnivores and set the empty container into a basket. As the door to the chamber opened, Renata was misting all the plants with a spray bottle. She did not immediately turn as Havlen addressed her, but finished her task and then turned as she set the bottle down.

"Your concern for Our time is appreciated." she said, offering the man a warm smile as she moved to the high backed chair at the head of the table. "But We assure you that all matters concerning Our Advisory Council are of paramount importance to Us. Corruption within the Ministry is not only an affront to the subjects of the Empire, but to Our Person as well. It cannot be tolerated. Please, sit." she said, as she lowered herself into her own chair.

There was a datapad on the table in front of her and Renata activated it to pull up the file on the investigation Havlen had launched into Moff Rolt's dealings. It was, to say the least, the most flagrant abuse of power she'd seen. In some ways, she was impressed at the gall of this man. He'd only taken token measures to hide his corruption. Perhaps he'd assumed that he would go unnoticed with the attention of the galaxy so firmly fixed on the Archeri invasion. He should have known his superiors better. Glancing up at the chrono on the wall, Renata closed the files on the datapad and turned her attention back to Havlen.

"Excellent work, as always." she said. "It is Our understanding that Moff Rolt believes this to be a regular Cabinet meeting, correct?" The soft tone sounded again, activating the screen on the wall to show that the man in question had just exited the lift and was approaching the chamber. He'd put on weight, it seemed. How typical. Renata leaned back in her chair, folding her hands on her lap and smiled. "This should be fun." she said, offering Havlen a slight touch of mischief in her smile.

[CaptainBonkers]

“Oh, I am certain there is some entertainment to be found in conducting this interview, certainly.”

As he followed Renata’s instruction to seat himself, Havlen conducted a surface level evaluation on the head of state of the Empire’s current state of mind. A more detailed examination would have to wait until he had some time to focus on the details later. Hardly an issue.

She was calm and appeared interested in the case. Good. No obvious sings of anger towards the situation. Also good. Somewhat more relaxed demeanor than when in public, likely result of familiar controlled surroundings. Theory still holding. The usage of personal plural was something that required further study; progressing megalomania or developing views on the monarchical role she now held? Former might warrant some actions to insulate the state against an impared ruler, the latter would be a welcome development. More data required.

Havlen deposited his observations deep inside his memory, making sure they were far away from what he considered the surface level of his thoughts before lowering his mental defenses a few levels. Keeping them up had become a habit of his lately. Most Sith lords had no business in poking around his thoughts and as such were greeted by a hard wall around his thoughts. Renata, on the other hand, Havlen let a relatively free access on his surface thoughts. However, the more private parts of his psyche remained hidden behind a well developed wall of willpower, strangely organized memories and annoying advertisement jingles. The latter was a holdover from his more rudimentary defenses but some traditions were worth saving, if for nothing else than for the confused looks on the faces of some Sith lords hoping to gain a glimpse of his thoughts only to be greeted by an advertisement for breakfast cereal designed for children’s consumption.

“As obviously guilty as Rolt is, we should still consider our approach in dealing with the situation.” he said, placing his briefcase next to his seat and retrieving his datapad from it. He inserted the password, opening it for viewing and placed it on the desk where the holoprojector could connect to it. “Politically irrelevant bumbler he might be, but he is still a public figure. Mismanagement of his prosecution and punishment could certainly cause some undesirable consequences.”

“While I have taken the liberty to prepare few suggestions on how handle the situation, I would certainly wish to hear if your Radiance has any preference towards a more public debacle, or if you would prefer we handle this behind the scenes, well away from the prying eyes of you officially nonexistent opposition.”

[Meira]

"We agree entirely." Renata said, in regards to Havlen's first statement. She smiled slightly as her passive senses noted that he'd let go of that jingle playing at the back of his mind. She did not prod him. There was no need, but it was always good to know that she did have a measure of trust with this man which he gave about as freely as anyone might in the Empire. She knew him well enough to understand that his trust was not given without careful consideration and continued evaluation. In return, Havlen enjoyed a position of great privilege in the Empire. Indeed, there were few who could truly count themselves above him. The line between those within the Sith order and the Imperial nobility was not a clear one when it came to rank. But as in all things, might tended to win out and those who could wield the power of the Force would always have an advantage. Even so, Renata would be hard pressed to decide who to bet on between Havlen and most of those within the Order, including most if not all of the Lords.

"We cannot afford to allow the Republic an opportunity to criticize Our Empire now. Even down to the most politically irrelevant bumbler." she said with a slight smile. "We should like to see how he responds to this interview. Who he tries to betray when he realizes his schemes are over could be quite informative."

“While I have taken the liberty to prepare few suggestions on how handle the situation, I would certainly wish to hear if your Radiance has any preference towards a more public debacle, or if you would prefer we handle this behind the scenes, well away from the prying eyes of you officially nonexistent opposition.”

There was a slight pause, the barest of tension in the air between them. It was, truly, a testament to the privilege Havlen enjoyed. To even hint at the idea that anyone might wish to overthrow the Dark Empress would have any lesser being disappeared and entirely forgotten to the galaxy. She'd maneuvered and worked too hard to allow even the faintest of dissent erode the foundations of her rule. But she could not blind herself to the possibility either. It was the nature of the Dark Side to foster betrayal. It was also the nature of greed to make aristocrats reach ever higher. She would be a fool to believe that she alone could quash any attempts. The Empire was designed and structured to use the greed and ambitions of others, turning it laterally. Those who found themselves rising to the top of the pile also found themselves ever more reliant on those above them to maintain their new position. The closer one got to the Empress, the more difficult it would be to betray. Here, Renata saw the fruits of her labors. Havlen kept his eyes on those around and below him, protecting his own position which he held by holding Renata's favor.

"Indeed." she said as the moment passed. "Perhaps a full trial and conviction ins unnecessary. Rolt is getting old, after all. There are any number of illnesses, or injuries, that might prevent him from continuing on in his current capacity. And as you know, Havlen, We have nothing but concern for Our subjects and civil servants. Rolt would be most welcome at Our finest medical facilities. As would his wife, and... daughter, is it?" Renata finished, her eyes moving upward and sideways in thought as she tried to remember the specifics of Rolt's immediate family.

Another tone sounded. Rolt had arrived outside of the chamber and was now waiting as one of Renata's guard told him it would be a few moments before Her Radiance was ready to receive her advisers. "We of course welcome your suggestions, Havlen. How might we balance the message We wish to convey with the discretion necessary for these troubled times?