The Empire's Joker [EM10, Closed]

[Lord Bellious]

At dawn, when the vestiges of dark were still lingering, a Shadow came to the private estates of once but a Dark Councillor, now Empress-Regent. She was beyond mundane perception of most even though she wasn't hiding. It was sufficient for the Regent to see her in the Force.

[Empress-Regent]

She is brought to a garden fo flesh eating plants where the Empress-Regent sat in her hovering chair with her now customary veil of black in place. She gestured for the twi’lek to approach and said, “These old eyes are not what they used to be, Lord Bellious.”

“I did not foresee your coming and yet here you are. What calamity has brought forth this encounter?”

[Lord Bellious]

"One that shall befall our enemies, Your Majesty." The Twi'lek replied, registering the carnivorous flora with some side-interest. Odorous and flamboyant: such were the ways of those plants' deadly attraction. "If you consider my ability to operate unseen a boon to the Empire."

[Empress-Regent]

"That seems a dangerous place to be, working outside the bounds of the Empire," she replied.

"Why and how, and how does that benefit the Throne. Keep it simple."

[Lord Bellious]

"Plausible deniability in targeting enemies you don't want to be bothered by and in commanding allies and minions you don't want to outright acknowledge or reward."

She paused so as not to overburden the message.

The new Empire needs a comprehensive galactic strategy that accounts for all places where power resides or can arise. The Hutts, the Chiss, the Mandalorians, the Muun, and others. The extant intelligence apparatus has been exceedingly preoccupied with domestic affairs, and it looks like current security concerns will largely keep it that way."

Such at least were conclusions of her court clash with Baras.

"To infiltrate and compromise the Republic from all angles, alien races can be meaningfully utilised. Any Republic retaliation on them would weaken the enemy's legitimacy in the Outer Rim. For practical purposes, the integration of xeno populations into the Empire should be preceded by trial, vetting and service a clandestine organisation with such purpose could amply provide."

She looked at the Regent.

"I want to head an agency that presides over this. Unconcerned with domestic infighting and burdens of officialdom, but one that uses primarily external resources for primarily external purposes. The true purpose of which is known only to those who truly need to know."

[Empress-Regent]

"Creating a rogue agency with little oversight is not something I am keen to support," she responded.

[Lord Bellious]

"What kind of oversight would make you more keen, Your Majesty?"

[Dapper Dog]

"What kind of oversight would make you more keen, Your Majesty?"

“You can have this agency but it will be organized under the Ministry of Intelligence to better align our efforts against our enemies within and without,” she replied from beneath her veil.

“Acceptable?”

[Lord Bellious]

"It is, Your Majesty." Lord Bellious bowed. "There is facility on Yavin IV I'd like to claim as one of the operational centres of this agency."

[Empress-Regent]

"It is, Your Majesty." Lord Bellious bowed. "There is facility on Yavin IV I'd like to claim as one of the operational centres of this agency."

“I see that as acceptable; we expect good results from this new organization,” the Empress-Regent responded.

“What do you believe you will need to get this going as quickly as possible?”