Ziost - Crown of the Sith Empire

Jo'ren shrugged. "Then it sounds like their commanding officer needs to be executed and replaced with someone competent. If they're able to perform with assistance from outside their command structure it suggests weak leadership, or that they've been set up to fail, no?" He made a note to look into it.

"Boxing. It's a competitive sport but the true opponent is yourself. Trains discipline, confidence, athletic power, endurance, strength, passion. Provides an outlet for violence within a structured rule-based system. Units can have their own champion, it'll build camaraderie. There are alternatives but that's what I'd start with. A team sport could work too."

"I don't know about an execution, but certainly reassignment away from an infantry unit. Something with appropriately less latitude and more supervision. Maybe as a gunnery officer in the Navy, or similar. Unless you find intentional malice. Then please turn them over my office for a thorough conversation?"

She nodded, "Boxing is fine. Martial arts is fine. Even a somewhat curtailed version of Huttball would be appropriate. As I said, and I agree, there are valid and productive ways to channel and encourage aggression and there are destructive and deleterious ways. Ensign Pierce might be up to facilitate some organized, constructive violence within the company."

"That works." He nodded. "I think Remmington Thalalas is trying to set up a modified version of Huttball. But starting with boxing, or another martial art, would be my preference. Let's meet with Pierce tomorrow."

"Are you proficient with boxing, Lord Rather?" Hala smiled, her tone growing more collegiate and amicable, "You may have guessed, but my serious boxing days are well past me."

She flexed her right hand to the sound of mechanical whirring.

"I may not be an expert but I'm proficient with most things Colonel. Especially when it comes to martial pursuits." His natural arrogance was tempered with a polite smile. "Looks like you've got a mean right hook though."

Lucinia Malveaux wrote:"Hmmm..." Lucinia thoughtfully tapped her chin with one finger. "Well, if you should require my support, I shall consider the matter. We shall see..."

"Require is a strong word, darling. And yet, it would be appreciated." Dayana shrugged and 'looked' over at Lord Rath. "Perhaps he should be the one to advocate to you why his position is necessary."

Sylvain watched the two go back in forth with diminishing interest.

That went from an interesting discussion to mundane job talk rather quickly... He thought to himself as he listened in.

He looked briefly at his sister to check her reaction. Her lack of greeting today and communication after his arrival had been telling. It appeared the radio silence towards him still remained.

He made his way off to the side where a collection of military officials appeared to be gathered and discussing the arguments of the day.

She shrugged, "I'll take your word for it. If you would like me to join you for a discussion with Ensign Pierce, I would be glad to join if my duties allow."

Dayana Valthren wrote:"Require is a strong word, darling. And yet, it would be appreciated." Dayana shrugged and 'looked' over at Lord Rath. "Perhaps he should be the one to advocate to you why his position is necessary."

Lucinia smiled. "Perhaps so."

She glanced over at Jo'ren, then leaned a little closer to Dayana. "In truth, I will be working with him on a project, and I should not care to antagonize him by going against him on a decided issue." Her lips quirked. "I shall if you truly ask, but know that it is not without cost to me."

Sylvain Torsin wrote:Sylvain watched the two go back in forth with diminishing interest.

That went from an interesting discussion to mundane job talk rather quickly... He thought to himself as he listened in.

He looked briefly at his sister to check her reaction. Her lack of greeting today and communication after his arrival had been telling. It appeared the radio silence towards him still remained.

He made his way off to the side where a collection of military officials appeared to be gathered and discussing the arguments of the day.

"Lord Mordax. It looks to me that the Zyggerian climate has served you well." The incision into his thought process came from an unexpected direction.

"Lord Bellious." He bowed politely. "I haven't died of the wasting sickness yet... So I suppose it has treated me fairly."

He smiled politely, "And it seems your travels have done well for you, too. Strengthened you enough to vie for a seat on the Council."

"I have always needed nothing but Passion to give me Strength, Lord Mordax." She chuckled gently. "While not unhealthy, hopefully your chosen retreat hasn't proved too tedious? Seeing your here while not vying for the Seat may be telling a story of an escape from boredom."

"Boredom is the farthest thing for the reasons for my departure from Zygerria. I do not exaggerate the conditions of the systems on the Outer Rim. I am here to secure support for my system and solve the problems that so many have ignored." He replied.

"Looks like we support similar motions in this regard, though for divergent reasons. Zyggeria is far from the front lines, isn't it? What kinds of plight do you have on mind?"

"Controlling the plague that destroys the Empire from the inside." He replied.

"Why not bringing the plague to the Republic, then appropriating their medical solutions? A perfect case of outsourcing expensive research. What you should be investing in is trafficking the infected into the Core. Is it not something Zyggerians could excel in?"

"Thank you for your suggestion Lord Bellious." He said with a bow.

"Unfortunately the logistics of such an endeavor are not entirely feasible at this moment. Spreading the plague to further systems would only increase the number of locations that would need have their hyperspace lanes controlled. The fleets at the Empire's disposal do not have the manpower to adequately control the plague already without resource allocation. Deliberately expanding its scope would only make it more difficult to defeat in the long run. Our systems in the Corporate Sector are tied to resources that the Empire needs to keep up its vigilance against the Republic. Those resources would be lost and your dream of a Republic in flames would quickly disappear were we to continue down such a path." He replied.

"We must defeat the plague and find the cure so we may utilize the leverage that discovery wields to pressure others into amicable conditions for ourselves. Monopolizing the means of survival is far better than leeching off the Republic's teat. We have learned quite recently that when challenged, as in the example of Bankor, that the Republic only grows stronger and more united as a crisis confronts them. I would advise against other such abject failures for they only serve to keep the Republic vigilant, gives them valuable military experience, and it weakens our potential allies in the fight against the Republic for when we will truly need them. Independents like the Mandalorians will only play the role of pawn for so long before they turn into a thorn in one's side."

"Ever the technocrat pursuing stable solutions, being another name for peace and restraint. No wonder, where you not the architect of the detrimental deal we're now having?"

She raised her voice a little, but didn't add any alarm to it.

"It almost feels as you would feel better in an authoritarian polity that is not Sith in nature. Some satrapy without a creed based on the very nature of the Dark Side. What I am hearing is the rhetoric of not waking a giant lest it will kick us where it hurts. I am not sure how many people in this room could support such defeatist thinking. If you think Bankor was a failure, it was only such because it was an isolated case. Had there been a dozen more, we would have put the Republic in an overstretch that would compel them to ramp up military spending, conscription, and taxes that would bring people to the streets of the Core - or fail to deliver on the promises which are core to their story. You are mistaken in giving your mind to technicalities at the expense of vision. Vision comes first. This Empire has been founded on it. To defeat the Republic we cannot shy away from challenging their narrative, or accept violations of ours. Thanks to your peace, the opposite is true. This must not stand much longer. Whether it is a biological contagion, one of revolt, or any other, the Republic must be infected, compelled to fight with its demons to the tipping point when they stop being able to cater to their cardinal promises ingrained in their abhorrent religion of peace, balance and harmony. Until you understand and admit this much, your credentials as a Sith Lord remain shaky regardless of your pedigree or institutional power."

He chuckled and shook his head, "You have not lost your ability to misconstrue the words of others in your time away. A shame really... But not an unexpected one. It is not defeatist to realize when a loss is a loss and that logistics enable one to win wars. You, like others, misunderstand the 'peace' we have created. Taking advantage of the Republic's desire for an armistice we elected to halt the reverse flow of the war that had shifted against us due to a shortage in supplies and consolidate our forces to strike out in strength again. This was the only possible path forward at that moment. For some of us there is only one Empire of value and we make concrete plans that aren't wild 'visions' beyond our control to ensure its survival; keeping this vehicle of conquest and strength running requires a different kind of vision that has always been a part of the Empire."

He continued in a calm and polite voice, "With all due respect, you have no place lecturing on what the Empire 'was' built on. Your 'empire' is one of rupture. That is not inherently wrong by any means. There are elements of that within the history of the Empire. There is a time and place for rupture as there are with all things. And in fact you know I share many of your same beliefs. I have no qualms with making the Republic bleed, but when we inflict greater wounds on ourselves than we deal to them in the process... I feel that is unwise. You are free to pursue your 'vision' of course... but ultimately I believe you will find it unfruitful and empty. Power is always situational. Ensuring that we continue to have the 'situational power' required to accomplish our aims is my duty and great privilege as a member of the one true Empire."

"I have certainly not lost the ability to distil the meaning from technical jargon technocrats like you have always used to obscure their excuses, spiritual mediocrity and lack of ability to think beyond their spreadsheets. Every institution needs its accountants, but this is the Sith Empire, not the Spreadsheet Empire. Strategy must be Sith in essence, and that presupposes rejection of conformism and boxed thinking that looks like sound tactics to you."

She paused.

"A Sith strategy is one of reaching for new sources of power, rather than muddling about in deficiency of the expected ones. This is defeatism, in abdicating from seeking advantage when your pet resource has run out. Let me remind you of Naga Sadow and his idea to bring the fight right to the core of the Republic via secret hyperlanes. Power is not in your mines, foundries and slave labour output. This can be beaten, wasted, abandoned because of lack of vision and in fact you've just admitted it has been when the war was still going on. Power is where you can weaponise something the enemy can't see coming or doesn't know how to respond to. This can bring victory. And victory, not mere survival you seem to be satisfied with. Cows enjoy mere survival. Predators want territory, hunting grounds and demise of their challengers."

She smirked, revealing her sharp teeth.

"Power is situational, I can agree. But you miss one thing from your elegant, linear equations, Lord Mordax. Sith make situations."