Procopia - Preludes to Diplomacy

[kozeph]

Three hours ago

"Lady Gwenaelle, we will be arriving Procopia in an hour," a voice spoke, from an obscure corner of the room Madeline was currently occupying, the voice came from the captain of the ship and it was carried out by an intercom. The Red Madame had made it clear that she was not to be disturbed during the trip, she constantly had her desks full of jobs, her communicator filled with messages and subordinates came and go with orders from superiors or with reports, since she gained her position as a Colonel in the intelligence department of the Sith empire forces, she had forfeit any free time she could have desired.

Today was one of those rare opportunities, hyperspace travel was often slow in a figurative speak not a literal one for Madeline, so the Epicant lady often took the free time that came from jumping from one planet to another to simply relax a bit. Today Madeline sat, gazing out a large window as the stars formed into lines, it was a simple yet bewildering notion, see dots become lines. In one of her hands Madeline held a glass with a red wine, she had not sip on it for a while and had almost forgotten about it. Madeline mind was on other matters, personal matters of her.

If anyone knew about her past and saw how her one free hand rested in her womb, one could figure out that Madeline was thinking of a certain simpler and happier time. The thoughts of the lady in red soon shifted to a more recent and far more important subject.

The subject of planting seeds on the Tapani sectors, seeds that would blossom into those noblemen assisting the empire, through trade, ships, men and life. Madeline had been sent as a diplomat to "sponsor" her empire, to make it clear to the men and women of Tapani that when the time is right they should join the empire.

---

"Madame, the republic dignitaries arrived" said another voice, not of the captain of her ship, but one of Madeline servants and bodyguards. A man born in Anaxes, a human by the name of Jogrun Ghalador. Madeline flashed a hint of a smile in her lips just as she exchanged looks with a young nobleman who had been eyeing the noticable Madeline.

For one part, Madeline stood up in the crowd thanks to her size. She was an Epicanthix after all, and even if she was shorter than the usual she was still quite tall for human standards which for the most part consisted of all the guests on this gala. The heads of the Tapani sector and the hosts that received Madeline had been insistent that she come to this night event and the Madame red was in no position to say know. This was a valuable opportunity for her, to learn how the people of the Tapani sector felt, their tastes and feelings... it would provide the lady with a little more information and substance to her claims if she knew the right things to say. The other reason why Madeline stood up was her choice of dress.

True to her moniker Madeline was wearing a red dress with a drawstring neckline, long sleeves and a large and long skirt to hide her legs. The dress was almost Victorian in nature, but not as extravagant as the one would expect from that fashion. Madeline was a simple beauty she had little use for jewellery and extravagance, she looked best when she dressed simply but elegantly so her dear husband used to say.

"I think, I'll go mingle with the competition, if you excuse me mister Ghalador"

Madeline said, stepping out of the corner of the rooms and marching elegantly through the crowd, exchanging nods and bows as she went with who ever was enchanted or curious enough to look at her.

"Irrana Icharus, I presume? I've been wanting to meet you" Madeline said as she finally approached the Arkanian offshoot of fair skin and fair hair like Madeline, the Sith diplomat for that was Madeline for the duration of her stay in Procopia.

"Pardon my manners, I am Madeline Gwenaelle, perhaps by chance you have heard of me?" Madeline said in a friendly tone to her opposition, perhaps Irrana would have known the name of for a time one of the greatest pirate ladies of this age or know her as an influential captain of the Sith Armada and it would be most interesting if she knew that her role as a captain was but a cover for her more darker and important work or to Irrana, Madeline was only to be an opposing negotiator.

[Mara]

(((Sorry for the wait...
Also, I hope this is okay for what you have planned for this thread...
Otherwise, let me know, and I can edit.)))



Retrieving a flute of what looked to be some kind of sparkling white wine from a passing tray, Senator Irrina Icharus made her way back through the crowd to rejoin her companion. As she did, her mind couldn’t help going back to the odd circumstances that had brought her to this party of the ‘Who’s Who’ of Procopia. With war continually brewing on the horizon, the chancellor had requested that some diplomatic parties be sent out to various systems and planets and be lured to join the Republic. Irrina had agreed with this in one of the previous sessions of senate, one of the few times she had voted with the majority. Being deaf, all her other senses were heightened, and she could just feel in her bones the conflicts that were to come. Big or small, the Republic could use all the allies and support it could muster. She didn’t think the small reports she was hearing of the Sith’s return, added with the recent losses at Rhen Var and Subterrel, were just going to disappear after awhile. They would be in this for the long haul.

No, it wasn’t the idea itself that had seemed strange to her. It was the matter that she had been chosen to go on one of these diplomatic missions. She did realize that many senators were being conscripted for these meetings throughout the galaxy; there were only so many ambassadors and true diplomats that could be spared. Plus, it was only caution that urged the chancellor’s request that the teams be sent with at least two beings. But being a new senator herself, only still getting used to the cogs and wheels of the political system on Coruscant, Ina never in a million light-years thought she would be a part of this diplomacy drive. Not to mention her deafness and other deficiencies that the other senators saw in her, she didn’t feel negotiating was really her strong suit. Since arriving on Coruscant, she had spent most of her time and energy focusing on the platforms she had run on: equality for all beings, ending slavery. Everything about her presence on Procopia was just plain unusual and unsettling.

Finally reaching the other member of her party, she sipped some of the wine, hoping it contained some courage along with the bubbles, and smiled at the older human. Quendon Talles, despite his age, was also fairly new to the Senate, though he had spent many years as the Alderaanian ambassador on Coruscant before his current position. He was also one of the few allies Ina had in the senate, perhaps forged because of their similar lower statuses, but perhaps also because he held some of the same ideals as she. Before her arrival, he had been struggling to get out in the open the needs of the oppressed. Now, they were working together towards those goals. Another one of his good traits was that he barely acknowledged her deafness, acting for all the galaxy as if it were a common occurrence to converse with datapads and droids. And Ina respected Talles for that.

She turned back to the others gathered around in the large space, the two of them standing in companionable silence. This was an informal gathering, after all; there was no need to start brokering alliances just yet. Just having his presence beside her, added with the alcohol, was making Ina feel more optimistic about the situation. Her friend Talles had brought her here with him for a reason. She just had to trust him, that he knew what he was doing. If anything, this would be a learning experience for her. Even if their diplomacy failed, she would at least take that back with her.

Her gaze rested on the other partygoers, quite obviously almost all of them human, and she was glad again for her choice of dress. Through her research on the planet, she had thought it would be likely so that she would be one of the few non-humans there, and she didn’t want to stand out any more than she already did. Her dress was of a simple cut and form, ankle-length with one thick strap over her right shoulder, the other left bare. Done in a shimmering fabric of bright indigo the same hue as her eyes, it made them stand out like gems on her face. Ina’s only real jewelry, though, was the silver metallic pendant she wore about her neck; a gift of her father’s, it allowed her to sense vibrations nearby.

Though the senator’s attire was perhaps a bit less extravagant than most in the crowd, it still didn’t allow her to completely blend in. Besides being an Offshoot Arkanian, she also had a bird-like droid perched on her shoulder. Normally Ofi rode in a large bag that Ina carried around with her various papers, datapad, and other necessary things, but at a party like this, though informal, she had decided to forgo the bag, at least for now. Ofi, originally known as AER-05, was her friend and translator, even bodyguard if it came to that. Ina knew that many of the guests and dignitaries were staring at her because of this, but she just tried to ignore them, putting them out of her mind. They could think what they wanted; the Offshoot was used to it by now.

Ina was contemplating that perhaps she shouldn’t finish the entire flute of champagne when she noticed Talles’s gaze flicker over. A woman was approaching them, dressed all in red. A quick glance made Ina wonder if this woman was Arkanian; she certainly had the hair and skin similar to one. But no, she didn’t have the trademark blank eyes she noticed as the other came closer, and the Offshoot inwardly sighed in relief. Despite the uplifting liquid in her hand, she wasn’t in the mood to be degraded by one of her ‘superiors.’

Spying a convenient server walking by, she deftly relieved herself of her drink and in the same motion gathered her datapad from her shoulder bag. Having noticed and heard that the newcomer wanted to speak to Ina, Quendon Talles put a hand lightly on the other senator’s arm, smiled, and turned away to let the two females speak. He wouldn’t go far, but far enough to give them any privacy they would want. Ina nodded at her friend’s departure and then looked down at her datapad where the woman’s words were already there, transmitted wirelessly from Ofi. Her eyes widened; this Madeline had been anxious to meet her? Ina had no idea who Ms. Gwenaelle was, except that her name had been on the other side of the docket for the negotiations.

Quickly, though, she recovered, a practice perfected in the company of other politicians. Tucking her datapad carefully under an arm, her fingers flew in sign language for Ofi to read and translate. She had to find the right words, polite and friendly. It wouldn’t do to let Madeline see she had been a bit flustered and surprised by the other’s words. It was time to delve into the delicate wordy world of the back-and-forth and politics. Finished, the datapad found its way back to her hands, now no longer flashing in the air in front of her. Not sure whether to offer her hand in greeting, Ina merely smiled at Madeline as she waited for Ofi to speak her reply.

In situations such as this, Ofi generally just summarized what Ina had signed, not bothering to translate exactly word for word. It was a little awkward at first for others conversing with Ina, but it was just the best way. Better for her to seem more as a translator, then a replacement for Ina’s tongue. “Senator Icharus is very pleased to meet you as well, Ms. Gwenaelle, though it seems you know more of her than she of you. She has not yet had the pleasure of any prior knowledge of you, besides those necessary for these meetings.” The voice might sound strange to some unused to droids, blandly electronic, yet feminine.