Nar Shaddaa

Sylvain arrived at the head of a group of three that had ducked out half-way through the party. He opened the door for his two guests and allowed them to enter before he followed and closed the door behind.

The room was quite utilitarian in nature. A single Imperial Banner had been hung on the wall by Sylvain after arriving. He motioned for the two of them to sit and went to the icebox to collect a bit of wine. After removing his mask he returned with glasses and the wine and took a seat. He poured the wine and handed a glass to each of his guests.

"Thank you both for coming. It's a pleasure to have you this evening."

The party had started to dull in her opinion anyway, so moving somewhere else had been a welcome suggestion for the female Sith.

Looking around the compound, and also noting how incredibly spartan Sylvain's personal rooms were, Shaisha felt quite lucky to know she didn't have to be staying in a lame place like this for her time on Nar Shaddaa. She graduated from that shit along with nutrient paste since she left the Academy, and she would probably choose to starve to death before eating it again.

"Thank you for the invitation," she said as she accepted the glass. If only the locale was better.

Upon arrival, it was clear that Anhel had indeed participated in drinking. He was not stumbling but his cheeks were redder due to the liquor and his mannerisms were less precise. "Excellent. Thank you, Sylvain. You are making me regret not seeing you more often when we were younger."

Sylvain smiled charmingly. "You flatter me Anhel."

He held up his glass, "To the Empire, and building its eternal future together."

Shaisha on the other hand, actually hadn't been participating too much in the drinking at the party. Sure, she had pre-gamed before coming to Club Vertica, but her metabolism worked in her favour there, as did the past months of being Vowrawn's apprentice.

She quirked a grin at the brief exchange between the two. "To the Empire, and to breaking our chains," she joined in the toast.

"To the Empire," Anhel echoed and raised his glass as well. He took a sip and then remained silent, allowing the other two to lead the beginning of the conversation to be had.

"So fine Master Rolm. How is it we can help you?" He smiled warmly after taking a sip of his wine.

"You said you had questions about our obligations? Perhaps if you described some of your aims, we could see in which ways we may be able to assist you." He smiled again.

"We can both be quite accommodating. Both rising stars as it were... Attaching yourself to the right patron could do wonders for your future. Make life so much better, in so many ways. What is it that you are after Anhel? What is it you truly desire?" Sylvain poured on the charm, and extended out with the force to try and reach the man's mind in his weakened condition and lower any possible defenses he had erected.

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D1 LE Charm the Noble, Influence: 1eA+2eP+1eF 3+1 successes, 1 Triumph

The female Sith quietly let the charmer work his magic. This was Sylvain's field of expertise, not hers, and she doubted she needed to bring out her expertise here against this spoiled child.

Anhel set the glass down and listened to the man. Something in him seemed to change; the erosion of his defenses. "Well, you both are rather pleasant company. If I may be honest, Kristal Serasai terrifies me. I cannot fathom an existence where she would not seek vengeance over what occurred months ago." He traced a finger along the rim of his cup. "There is no way I could stop her if she came after me."

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D1 LE Sylvain Opposed Check w/ Cool, BD for Sylvain due to intoxication: 1eC+2eD+1eB 1 failure, 4 threat


(Sylvain takes 4 Strain)

Sylvain nods, "So you seek protection from Kristal then? You have perhaps come to the best people to help dissuade her then. An astute choice Master Rolm."

He smiled, "From what I know of Kristal she would not desire to take any vengeance unless there was some wrongdoing involved that I am not aware of... Was there something in your testimony that would draw out her vengeance? Something untruthful? Perhaps something someone else asked you to say?"

The nobleman nodded. "I wanted to discover if there was some way to stay her hand if she has any plans to assault me or my family."

He paused. "As for the line of questioning, I really don't know what you're implying."

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D1 LE Anhel Deception, 1 Setback Dice due to Intoxication: 1eS+2eA+1eP 1 success, 2 advantage

Sylvain smiled warmly, "There may be a way to divert her anger... If you are honest with me fine sir. Which from the way you act... are currently not being. I ask only for complete honesty, if you want my support."

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D1 Anhel's Deception Check, Nobody's Fool, Discipline: 4eC 4 failures, 1 threat

"Fine. You are right." He let out a sigh. "I have no idea what happened regarding your father. I was told to testify for the betterment of my family and I did. I'm not proud of it. I did it because they asked me to," Anhel continued, his voice quivering, hands shaking.

"They?" He asked with an inviting tone.

Anhel shook his head. "I honestly, truly honestly, do not know. They approached me before the trial and told me it was guaranteed that my mother would become Grand Moff if I said what they wanted. They have not spoken with me since."

"Who did you speak with and in what manner?" He asked.

"I work directly under mother for what she needs. She gives me assignments and I follow through. It is for my family." He looked to Shaisha and then back to Sylvain. "Sometimes your master asks me about mother and I comply. What else would I do?"

Sylvain leaned back a bit in his chair, "Oh dear. That is quite the revelation now isn't it? You are saying your mother put you up to lying about Moff Serasai? And that my master... is potentially part of the problem?"

"What? No! I told you I don't know who told me to lie about my testimony! My mother and your master have spoken to me on other matters since she became Grand Moff!"

Sylvain shook his head disappointingly, "Anhel... such a pretty face, but you still aren't being honest with me. How can I protect you if you don't give me the truth? You obviously know to some degree who told you to do it... You most likely were not approached by a random stranger on the street who offered you the world without verifying his credentials. You are no fool... So either the order came from a source you trust; like your mother or someone else. Or it came from someone sufficiently powerful enough that you thought would be able to come through on such a promise. I've been in this world long enough to know how the game is played my dear sir."

He rubbed his temple, "I have been to this point more than courteous even though you have lied directly to my face... Please do not make me resort to alternative forms of persuasion. I merely wish to know the truth, the whole truth... Without it... you, your family, and all you have built will be forfeit. Your names will go down in the annals of history as the traitors. The House Rolm will be destroyed and all its descendants shamed for eternity... You must think of the long-term consequences of betrayal against the Empire. You can perhaps still save your family, even if part of it would need to be sacrificed. Do not throw out the baby with the bath water."

Go ahead and roll Coercion! Flipping a destiny to make it 1 red/1 purple.

Sylvain's tone was polite and explanatory. The price for betrayal against the Empire was a serious one, and Anhel would know that. But as of yet Sylvain was still trying to encourage the young man to do the right thing by laying out the scenario in front of him rather than force himself on the young man and dominate his mind.

(Gain 2 Conflict)

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D1 LE Coerce the Noble, GM Request, Influence Power, Bonus Drunk: 2eA+1eP+1eD+1eC+1eF+1eB 4 advantage, 2 Light Side= 2 Successes (Flip Destiny)

"They were Sith! What else was I supposed to do?! They did not inform me who their master was because I did not need to know! They claimed that themselves!" He shook his head. "My family didn't do anything! They must have slew your father and pinned it on Moff Serasai! What else could have happened?!"

He slumped back in his seat. "Mother could not have planned this. She is not involved, I assure you."

Shaisha moved closer to Anhel now, stretching out a comforting arm to place around his shoulder. "There, there... I think our dear Anhel is being quite honest with us, don't you, Syl?" she purred warmly.

Sylvain nodded his head comfortingly, " you know what? I do believe him.unfortunately though for us we are faced with a bit of a conundrum aren't we Shaisha. We would like to help him, but without the identity of those who betrayed the empire and assassinated the head of its military during a war... The verifiable evidence currently only puts his family in danger. If he could acquire verifiable evidence of the identity of those who coerced he and his family into this course of action, then for the remarkable service that they offered to the empire, perhaps they could be spared in spite of their cooperation with such a devious act."