Extreme Measures ( Cap'n Bonkers)

[Poludnica]

Cassius had done many reckless things in the past. His entire life consisted of carefully measured risks. From being a grey Jedi on Coruscant to taking out one of the Hutts to claim his cartel, but never before had Cassius made deals with those affiliated with the dark siders. It was beneath him, he told himself, yet his shuttle was already docking on the space station deep nestled at the edges of Sith territory. He wasn’t a man used to failures, but what was losing own child to such forces other than a giant fiasco. ` The Coruscanti aristocrat had no hope anymore for Danica to return, but it didn’t mean he had abandoned dreams of an heir. Over the past year Cassius was trying to come to terms with the fact his grandchildren weren’t human, but like always, he decided to work with what life had thrown at him. It was a bitter lesson, one of many Cassius had been through.

The shuttle glided toward the docking bay: rather pleasant, if not luxurious interior was basked in bright light. It gave Cassius’ ivory suit a delicate shin, betraying expensive fabric woven into jacket and trousers. Darek would wear dark, inconspicuous robes, but it would be foolish to assume Imperial master spy didn’t know who he was. Cassius Liviana was much different from Hutt space alter ego - he wore exquisite clothes, neatly combed sleek black hair and adorned his apparel with silver and gold details. Today he chose pearl cufflinks, all this draped in aroma of expensive cologne. The simple lightsaber was clipped at his belt, but Cassius had no intention of using it. It was just a detail the man never forgot about - a part of his identity. Someone who titled himself a Moff certainly knew Cassius’ nature. They would probably take it away before the meeting, a symbolic gesture most likely. Without his lightsaber Cassius was as dangerous as any creature that had mastered the Force. His strength didn’t lie in physical skirmishes, but mind that warped other’s perception. Shattered their sense of reality, reducing them to weeping children. So much power, so many years of training and he still had to beg an Imperial spy for help. Empire he built had no heir, his only daughter had been swallowed by darkness and the Jedi looked at him with more suspicion every passing day.

The past few months weren’t kind to Cassius, hopefully this meeting would be.

He felt a delicate tremble when the shuttle finally landed. It pulled Cassius away from his thoughts as the man focused the attention on the doors that opened. The ramp immediately lowered itself and the grey jedi let out a heavy sigh. It was time to do business. With a feline like grace of a trained warrior Cassius sat up, leaving behind half finished cup of Coruscanti coffee. Its rich scent still lingered in the shuttle, mixing with overpriced perfumes and herbal aroma used in the shuttle’s air conditioning.

Cassius’ eyes narrowed as they adapted to change in lighting. He blinked and walked down the ramp into the docking bay. The man moved with unforced elegance of a higher class gentleman no one would peg as a dangerous telepath. He wrapped the Force tightly around himself, but didn’t cut off a white noise fritters of random thoughts created. They didn’t give him anything coherent: few anxious worries, some angry, some content. The space station was vast which interfered heavily with passive reception. He could sense many souls in the Force around him - they moved above and below him, again, no clear reading. Maybe that was the intention, maybe just a simple safety measure he couldn’t blame Moff for. After all, he was still a Republic aristocrat to him.

Finally he stepped onto the deck, sealing his fate as a Republic traitor.

[CaptainBonkers]

Havlen closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and counted from ten to zero. He wasn't nervous, a touch worried perhaps but not nervous. Nervosity was for the weak and the stupid and Havlen knew with certainty that he was neither. No one made it to his position by being a dimwitted doormat. Well, not anyone hoping to retain said position for longer than couple of months. No, his deep breath was part of the precautions he was taking before meeting with Mister Liviana. He was calming his mind, steeling it against any possible intrusions.

One could never be too careful when dealing with Force users, especially when the individual in question was particularly skilled in the Telepathic aspects of the Force. There were many secrets inside his head and the idea of someone taking a peek inside without his consent was upsetting at the very least. Not that he Moff was expecting his guest to try peer into his head, but that didn't stop the passive mind reading, or whatever the technical term was, from happening. This was especially the case with casual thoughts that happened to be loud. Fortunately Havlen had developed a technique that had had some success concealing his "loud" thoughts from passive or light intrusion with Sith Lords. He just needed a loud thought that he couldn't get out of his head but wasn't too distracting, which Havlen had discovered in the form of the Galaxy's most annoying jingle advertising some dreadful fast-food restaurant on Muunnilist. Whenever Havlen heard it he couldn't get it out of his head for days. Naturally, he had just listened to it and now that dreadful, upbeat peace of what barely qualified as music was playing on loop in his head.

Despite what his mental preparations might have suggested, Havlen wanted this meeting to succeed. Liviana was bound to be a valuable asset to the Empire with his extensive network of contacts in the Republic and Hutt Space. And with the war with the Republic heating up the Empire needed every advantage it could get. Havlen was among the silent few that was skeptical towards the concept of an absolute victory over the Republic many of his colleagues were declaring was within reach. The numbers simply didn't add up, even with the Manadalorians fighting alongside the Empire. Hopefully the rest of the Empire's leadership would realize it before it was too late.

The intercom beeped. "Sir, your guest just docked. He'll be there shortly."

Havlen took one final deep breath and turned away from the window he had been staring out of. The room reserved for the meeting had originally been the conference room of the station and as such rather plain. Havlen had ordered some renovations to be made in an effort to make it more pleasant place to spend time at. The chairs had been changed to a more comfortable model, the light sources had been switched to a softer and more natural glow and the atmosphere control had been improved to keep the air in the room fresh and in pleasant temperatures. Other than that, there wasn't much that could be done for the room on such short notice.

The Moff himself was dressed only in his typical uniform, though it wasn't by any means a plain garment. The dark grey cloth of the tunic, was neatly pressed and adorned with the insignia of his rank as well as select few medals. Havlen had during his career earned a few but bothered displaying anything than the most distinguished ones he had received; the rest were fluff awarded as a way of showing appreciation when a promotion wasn't an option and therefore served no actual purpose in Havlen's opinion.

He navigated to his seat and sat down, waiting for his guest to arrive. As soon as the door to the room slid open Havlen stood up and walked over to greet Liviana. "Welcome Mister Liviana." he said extending his hand. "I hope your trip went well."

[Poludnica]

There wasn’t much in terms of security, if judging only by security detail that escorted him. Cassius knew this first impression was deceitful. He could sense others moving through the force, anxious and tensed. Not strictly because of him, but the general atmosphere that accompanied any war. Cassius let himself to graze passing people with his mind, catching wisps of their thoughts. The Coruscanti aristocrat couldn’t decide if to feel insulted by such dismissive attitude toward him - they didn’t even bother to take away the sober - or impressed by the efficiency with which the base functioned. The soldiers around new their guest didn’t stand a chance against the entire security. There could have been one Moff less, but giving how…elusive positions and titles were in this part of Galaxy, no one would probably notice. Amused by this conclusion, Cassius followed the grim guard who was very unhappy with his post and pay. His thoughts were offensively loud. Something about the topic must have angered him recently.

The mental white noise died down, once they reached a solitary hallway that led toward the meeting place - a spartan looking conference room. Cassius was used to flashy, republic decorum or Hutt excess. Yet a common stereotype claimed it was the Sith Empire that hold the title of the most hedonistic society. This station defied his every expectation. Cassius fell prey to the stereotypes and believed he would meet an annoying , arrogant Lord who got his position due to family connections rather than skill. Sith Empire was almost a synonym for nepotism.

Two things surprised Cassius. First one, was an annoying melody looped into cruel infinity. Second one was the Moff himself. The doors opened and the grey jedi saw a man who looked like his peer. Moff’s features were pleasantly sculpted, something Cassius immediately noticed. There was an air of confidence surrounding Havlen, even if he had no skills in the Force, this man certainly commanded a respect with sheer posture. The uniform was simple - at least according to a fashionist like Cassius. He had to give Moff a credit for keeping it absolutely flawless. Not a single wrinkle could be spotted on the grey tunic. What stood out the most, though, were decorations the grey jedi neither recognised nor cared for. It only reminded him culturally different they were, despite common, human ancestry.

Cassius offered Moff a lighthearted smile of an approachable businessman. ”Moff Torrik, I presume.” The grey jedi took the offered hand in a firm, confident, grasp. ”Pleasure to meet you.” He said and nodded. ”It was pleasant, thank you.” Cassius replied and pressed two fingertips to the corner of his eyes, as if experiencing sudden, piercing headache. The grey jedi immediately knew who generated this irritating tune, it distorted most thoughts he could possibly read in a passive, non invasive manner. The sensation wasn’t really pain, not even a bother, but an irritating experience. Cassius was familiar with the trick, those unskilled in the force could still muster enough discipline to protect themselves from basic mental inquiries. Cassius’s first reaction most often was silencing the source, but this time he would lose more than gained from direct manipulation. Instead, he shut off everything, creating a thick wall between his psyche and everyone’s else. ”You’ve made your point.” Cassius smiled again, but not to cover any anger. He was simply impressed. It seemed the Moff was a disciplined, clever man which was both: a good and bad news.

Only his sense still worked. That was a passive connection every force sensitive possessed. Havlen couldn’t hide from it, as he too burned with the light, dimmed though. Cassius felt hints of nervousness, but no worse than his own at this moment. He looked around, noting rather comfortable chairs and pleasant, powder glow of natural light. The parts of station he had seen had cold, artificial light. Nice Cassius commented inwardly. Havlen made sure his guest would be comfortable. Ah, the spy new how to play this game.

[CaptainBonkers]

”It was pleasant, thank you.”

Havlen regarded Liviana as they shook hands. The man's appearance certainly fit the profile he had read through before this meeting. Well dressed, impeccably so in fact. To his slight dismay, Havlen had some knowledge of Coreworlds fashion, an inevitable result of having a teenage daughter and an eidetic memory. Of course his information on the subject was likely somewhat outdated; with the war cutting off information flow from the Coreworlds (for civilians) Silena was no longer getting updates. Still, if he had to guess, he would have assumed, based on his guest's profile, that the clothes Liviana was wearing were the height of fashion in the Core worlds.

Before Havlen had the chance to respond, Livian gave him a look with a polite smile. ”You’ve made your point.”

It was rather obvious to what Liviana was referring to and Havlen had to commend the man for his good manners. Many a Sith "lord" he had had dealings with had not been nearly as polite with their telepathic abilities, choosing to try and force their way deeper inside, either believing he couldn't notice and/or defend against brute Force approach or simply not caring. Most of them came to the conclusion that to get through his willpower they'd have to use far more invasive methods than they had available while in public places.

Havlen gave a polite smile to his guest, gesturing him to take a seat. "My apologies for that. I'm used to dealing with Force users with far less tact than you, so that little trick is something of an instinct at this point."

"Now, before we begin, is there anything I can offer you? Tea, coffee, some other refreshments?" he inquired as he sat down across the table. Havlen had made sure that there was a wide selection of drinks was available, including alcoholic beverages as unlikely as he thought his guest would be to start drinking. It never hurt to come prepared and hospitality provided him with a psychological advantage in the form of subconscious gratitude even if refused. It wasn't a sizable advantage but in most cases hospitality created a positive atmosphere that helped to get things moving smoothly.

[Poludnica]

It was remarkable. They belonged to the same species, yet culturally an Echani who had spent his life in the Core had more in common with him than this Moff. Their clothes differed, their accents differed and most of all, their values differed. Empire was...expansionist and aggressive, tired of Republic's domination. Cassius saw some reason in it - he witnessed first hand how degenerated and weak the Republic was. Consensus between so many species would fail sooner or later and Empire, almost homogenously human, had unity his home sector lacked. Cassius looked like a good patriot back home, whose money helped various, good hearted initiatives. One thing that aged master had learned while spending time with the slimy Huts was to always bet on a winner. Even if the Republic got shattered, he had a cozy little spot carved in Mid Rim that rivaled many Hutt lords. He was safe. His daughter was another matter.

Havlen offered Cassius a polite smile and the Republic aristocrat could instantly feel a shift in the Moff's moods. It was more...approachable. The spy hid his thoughts, but without mastering the Force, he would never be able to conceal the fleeting feelings. The aura every living being possessed. Cassius responded with his own radiant smile, reserved for fellow business partners and peers. "Yes, I've heard of the Order's rebirth." The tall man commented. "I've also heard about their crude methods." He added with a hint of a smirk. "I can assure you, my master has taught me how to be polite with my gift." Cassius was aware to an extent the Imperial's aristocracy wasn't living well with the Order. He didn't blame, in a matter of years their power had been reduced in favor of alien, unsavory boors.It had to be painful.

This said, it was probably the Order's strength that allowed the Imperial's to some this far. They were the Jedi's evil twin. Cassius, as the gray one, found their philosophical feud amusing. He just needed to see where Moff stood when it came to the opinions. Without frying his brain in the process. The man was an Enigma, a dangerous one and had the upper hand of knowing Cassius more than Cassius knew him. "Someone told me your sector is known for its wine." The force user said. Many saw drinking during such meetings as a flaw and gave them the false sense of security, completely missing the fact Cassius could quickly cleanse his body of any most lingering toxins rather quickly.

[CaptainBonkers]

"Someone told me your sector is known for its wine."

Havlen recognized a subtle inquiry when he heard one and it was only natural that Liviana would try to figure him out. After all, when it came to background information on each other Havlen held the better hand as the saying went. His guest most likely had very information on him whereas Havlen had considerable intelligence gathering resources at his disposal. And as careful and secretive as Mister Livian was with his personal life and dealings, even he couldn't fully avoid the eye of the Imperial intelligence community if it decided to look into him.

"I'm afraid that whoever told you that was mistaken." Havlen replied politely. "National security doesn't really produce wines."

It was a common misconception beyond the Imperial borders that moffs were simply sector governors, though Havlen could understand a reason for it. Most moffs were sector governors (or planetary governors in some special cases) and they were also the ones that liked to make most noise about themselves. Hardly surprising when the only way governors could advance on their careers during war time was by drawing positive attention to themselves. Not an easy task with a competent man running the part of government that handled the suppression dissidents and insurgents. If he hadn't possessed an eidetic memory Havlen would have long since lost the count on how many times he had rung off an angry fellow moff complaining about him encroaching on their authority and overstepping his jurisdiction. Too bad for them that ultimately the Department of Domestic Intelligence had, alongside with the whole of Ministry Imperial Security, a jurisdiction that was broadly defined as 'whatever is necessary'.

"Unless, of course you're referring to my home sector in which case the answer is still unfortunately no. Muunnilist is known for many things but good wines aren't one of them. Bankers make poor vintners, it would seem." he added, both in case Liviana had meant to inquire that and to give his guest some information. So far his guest seemed to have been mostly genuine, or at least Havlen hadn't picked up on any obvious signs of deceit. Then again, Liviana was a hardened businessman as well as a crimelord, both occupations that required better than average ability for deception.

"I do, however, have an excellent vintage of red Alderaanian I think you might enjoy."

[Poludnica]

(Oh god, I am so sorry. I genuinely forgot amid all the stuff. I have nothing on my defence please forgive me ;; )

The hands of the Imperial agency stretched far. Cassius was fairly sure he would have been safe on Coruscant if not for being a CEO of the large corporation. Mid Rim was another story. It crawled with the agents of both sides. Cassius had no doubts they all gathered a thick file on him. That was a disadvantage but Liviana had been in worse positions before. Despite vigilance he grew to like this moff, if only for quick wit. “You should. There is an advantage in getting your informants drunk.” Cassius offered Havlen a thin smile. He rarely visited this part of the Galaxy, either on business or to hone his hunting skills. Imperium was filled with dark siders, sadly those banded in a crooked order ruled by tyranny rather than philosophy. The ageing master’s aura was on a border of light and grey, in recent days moving toward the lighter shade. A mistake many people did was an assumption that light side required good deeds. There was no good and evil, only choices and their consequences. Discipline and spirit free of rage kept Cassius in the light. He could count on fingers of one hand the number of people he had killed in cold blood rather than in self-defence. There were those he had saved and those he had helped. This didn’t mean Cassius didn’t have men to do his dirty job.

It was also why he stayed away from the Empire. Cassius could conceal his force well enough to snoop around unnoticed for a while. Still, the stench of darksiders sickened him and the worst part was he had no means to do something about it. Sooner or later they would discover a grey one amid their kind, either by skilled telepaths or powerful espionage. That was the problem Republic intelligence had for years - being subdued by respecting privacy of its citizens. A totalitarian government on the other side of the Galaxy wasn’t bound by so trivial freedoms. Power meant everything.

“Muunlist?” Cassius arched his brow in a surprise that could have been feigned as well as genuine. “Now I know why you are able to handle this much bureaucracy.” It was a small filler that let Cassius to briefly turn his attention and swipe the nearest rooms and hallways. Nothing, just a few lingering souls. Moff burned brightly among them, a sign of strong will and character. Cassius shifted in his seat slightly. “You have a strong will. “ He commented suddenly. His bright green eyes focused on Havlen’s features. “You would make a powerful force user if guided well.” The grey one smiled, as if his words were only a compliment. Maybe Cassius had no means to learn all the things Havlen knew but he could certainly read a few.

“Splendid.” Cassius offered the same, genuine and charming smile as before.

[CaptainBonkers]

"You would make a powerful force user if guided well.” 

A 'compliment' Havlen had heard often, though it had always sounded like a veiled insult at least when coming out of the mouth of a Sith Lord. If only you were Force sensitive then maybe you could be special like me. That was what Havlen now heard whenever anyone made a comment like Liviana had just made. He was relatively sure though, that Liviana had meant it as an actual compliment. Havlen's guest had little to gain with insults after all.

Besides the joke was on anyone who thought they could invoke jealousy or feelings of inferiority in Havlen through such backhanded compliments. He had never really desired to be a Force user; after all majority of the advantages the mystical force conferred to those attuned to it were useful for those seeking to engage in fights with other people. A man like Havlen had very little use for powers like telekinesis, heightened speed or foe the ability shoot lightning out of one's fingertips. Telepathy and mind control could in theory have been useful to him but considering that Havlen could achieve similar results through other, more tangible, means they were hardly something he yearned to posses.

Some might have claimed that the fabled ability to 'see' the future that some of the Force users allegedly possessed would have been an invaluable tool for someone like Havlen but such suggestions always had Havlen shaking his head. He had read enough of powerful Force users declaring to have foreseen their own ultimate victory mere moments away from their final downfall to know that seeing a vision of a future almost certainly rendered one incapable of achieving it. If one was absolutely certain that they were going to triumph in the end, no matter what happened, one opened oneself to an array of idiotic mistakes a less certain person would have seen a mile away. 

"That would require an ounce of Force sensitivity." he replied maintaining his neutrally polite face. According to the tests Havlen's parents had run on him during his childhood his midichlorian count was about as average as it could be. "But we play with the cards we are dealt. Now mister Liviana, shall we get down to business. What can the Empire do for you."

[Poludnica]

The aura around Havlen shifted. Darkened but ever so lightly. Cassius cocked his head, surprised. Back in the Republic it would have been taken as a compliment. What was different in the Empire? He thought about the relationship non sensitives had with the Order. The Jedi were saviours and almost every force user was mistaken for one. They walked in the light ,unlike their counterparts. Being of questionable morality, Cassius felt more affinity toward the lighter side of the force. The Sith…they were another matter. The CEO always perceived them as brutes that lacked restrain. They needed to flaunt their strength in order to feel power and invincible. Cassius loathed it. The force was a tool, not a way of life. “I am sorry.” He admitted apologetically. “I didn’t mean to offend.” The man bowed his head politely.

“The force isn’t a requirement to be a powerful, insightful man. You are the best example.” Cassius offered. It wasn’t just an empty flattery. He came to admire Havlen’s will, even if it could be easily broken by a telepathic master, the spy was too cunning to allow that. Surrounded by enough security to bring down his betters. “Ah, I can’t complain about my cards.” He commented with a mirthless smile. “At least most of times.” They were slowly reaching the end of initial pleasantries. This made him usually anxious but Cassius hid it behind the ever politely indifferent mask. Danica’s topic was a delicate one: it exposed his most embarrassing failure and the most exposing weakness. Cassius felt uncomfortable to show this. To the Empire’s Miniter of Security of all people.

The CEO sighed heavily when Havlen went right down to business. The man’s voice didn’t show any hints of curiosity. It had been a long time since Cassius had to ask someone for help regarding the private family mater like this. “Have you heard of someone called Danica Liviana?” Cassius finally asked, his regal, carefully maintained features grew darker. More serious. He gave no more details to the spy master. It had been two years. Two harrowing years during which Cassius had helplessly watched all his dreams of the dynasty had turned into smouldering ashes. There was nothing more left, only vengeance. However, meeting with Havlen gave him a glimmer of hope. Just a flicker but more Cassius had for a long time. It was time for a card change.

[CaptainBonkers]

So Liviana's daughter was the reason for him sitting in this table right now. It did not come as a shock; Liviana's daughter being the primary cause for him reaching out like this had been the likeliest scenario. The profile Havlen had compiled on him had suggested as much. There had been few other theories but their likelihood had been paltry in comparison.

"I am aware of her." A slight understatement, considering amount of information he had poured over before this meeting. The Department of Domestic Intelligence alongside with the Office of Counter Intelligence had been keeping an eye on Miss Liviana for a while now. She wasn't under active surveillance but with her being essentially a Republic defector with considerable ties to the Sith Order she had been classified as a person of some interest to the Ministry. As such her movements inside Imperial space were monitored lightly. Nothing she would realistically notice, of course, and just enough to let the Ministry know where she was at any given time and if she had done anything that warranted a closer investigation. Before Mister Liviana's request for a meeting she had been one file among hundreds of thousands of similar files. 

However, in preparation for this meeting Havlen had taken a closer look at her. It was always prudent to look into things like estranged relatives and other such relationships of one's contact for meetings like these. Leverage, a chink in armor, an exposed nerve or just plain information on their chracter; you never knew what you would find.

"We attended a little soiree on Wayland together some time ago, in fact." he added. There wasn't much of a change in Liviana's expression or body language but just enough to tell Havlen that his daughter was a sensitive subject for the crimelord.