RMFF Round Robin...

Sorry, had a little trouble with work and the shelter getting in the way of my writing

Anyway, here's the first installment... Tomorrow's will come after ER

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?As you wish, My Dear Lady Lusankya.? With his show of acquiescence, Vanquar the Greater terminates his transmission and turns back to his son. Pausing a moment, more for affect than anything else, he relays his instructions, ?My Dear First Child, I am entrusting you with the task of inserting the inbound mercenaries for his Lordship, into Hanna City. There, they will await the Lord Lusankya?s arrival.?

Bowing his head and swinging his arm out in a show of respect, Vanquar the Lesser answers his father?s commands, ?As you wish, Most Honored Father.? Rising to meet his father?s gaze, ?Am I to assume that the Lord Lusankya will be arriving on Chandrila in conjunction with the commencement of our mighty fleet?s invasion of this antiquated world?s claimed spaceways??

?You may, My Dear First Son. And it is my wish that you return to the command ship as quickly as possible. I do not trust these dark Chandrillans, or their intentions towards us. This is a heavily weighted venture for our people, My Dear First Child, but it is one in which we have no choice but to take.? Seeming somewhat despondent with his answer, Vanquar the Lesser begins to wonder what is really prompting his father to work with these obviously treacherous villains.

Deciding that showing a real and honest interest in his father?s affairs might not only elevate his position in his father?s eyes, but also may lift the spirits of the great man, he voices his misgivings. ?Honored Father, is it wise for us to put so much faith in the claims of these Chandrillan?s? After all, their own people have forsaken them.?

Nodding his head in agreement, Vanquar the Greater takes a seat behind the command console to speak with his son. ?You are correct to be suspicious, My First Son, but I have no faith in these people. They are merely a vessel through which we may assert of influence and attempt to sway into doing our bidding. I have taken great pains to insure our safety during this venture, and the safety of our business holdings. My only risk is on the reputation of the Shesh line, and it is a great enough risk, that I could not refuse their offers. If we are to continue, as we have for three generations now, then we must do so with a spotless reputation for business and for our ruthless dealings with our competitors. To this end, we must strike hard at the reputations of the Corellian Ship Builder?s Union, as well as the Tryashoenu Corp. We appear to have succeeded in dealing well with the latter, though it cost us dearly, but the former has proven much more difficult.?

His father?s words swimming through his mind, Vanquar the Lesser stumbles upon his father?s need to work with these people, ?Even if we fail to capture Chandrila for a single moment, the might of our fleet and the advancements in technology that will surely be transmitted all over the galaxy will be a crowning achievement in advertising, the likes of which have heretofore never born witness in the whole of the universe!?

Chuckling to himself, Vanquar the Greater is beaming with pride at his first son?s words, ?Perhaps, My Dear First Son, you have a head for real business after all.?


Bowing before his father?s words, Vanquar the Lesser receives the praise with great pride, ?All that I am is due to your Most Honored lineage, My Dear First Father.?

Finding joy in his First Son?s display, Ruler Shesh is able to dismiss the younger man with a clear head, ?Go now, My First Child, and return quickly, that we might reap the benefits of our toil.? And with the words of the elder Shesh, the younger departs the room in a flourish, leaving his father to his thoughts and his plans.

Turning to activate the comm station at his desk, Vanquar brings up the commander of his fleet. Soon the tinny, but distinct voice of Admiral Lorssalle can be heard at the comm station. ?Your eminence, I am but your humble servant? What i

 

OKay... I finished the last one and am writing the next as I type... Hope to have it up tonight.. No later than tomorrow

 

Okay, apparently I was not very clear in the writing of my last post... In the previous post (regarding the Shesh) I finished the ending of that post... So there is more tacked onto the end of that post


Anyway, here is the next post, promised yesterday. This one took some effort to write, but I think it turned out really well However, I will let you be the judge

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After hearing his grandfather?s incredible story concerning Jae?s departure with his father he is completely astonished at the lengths his father and mother went to keep him from this wonderful place. Just as he is beginning to question everything he ever learned from his father, the venerable old man stands and crosses to Jae, who is standing at the mantle, and places a tender hand upon his shoulder, ?No, my child? Your father was right in his actions. I was betraying all that I knew of our kind with my pride. I allowed my pride and self-righteousness to guide my actions, instead of trusting in the Will of the Force, and every day that has passed since he left Sanctuary I have grieved for my actions. In the beginning I grieved for your loss in my life, and when your father was killed, I grieved for my arrogance which I believed cost not only your life, but his, as well.?

Jae takes a deep breath, hoping to bring calm to his mind as he digested the words of his grandfather. However, calmness was simply not there right now. He still had so many questions, and he just did not know how to ask them, and whom to ask them of. ?I guess this is just something I?m going to have to accept, since there?s nothing I can do to change it??

?But you have questions, young one?? Master Falion steps forward to join them at the mantle. ?Is this not true??

Jae shrugs, ?Well, yeah, I guess so, I just don?t know where to begin.? The two older men nod their heads in agreement, and that is when Jae notices something else: these two men have very similar gestures. [i]Almost as though?[/i] ?Master Falion? Why were you sent to look for my father??

The man lowers his gaze a moment before responding, ?Are you asking because you do not know, or are you asking me to verify your suspicions??

Jae does not have to think very hard on this one, since he has been suspicious of Master Falion?s agenda for quite some time now, ?I guess, the latter? It?s just that you?ve said some things, and I?ve been questioning the coincidences for a while now.?

He nods his head, ?Then I shall end the questions? I was your father?s Master.? Jae can sense that there is more, and he can feel it coming from his grandfather as well.

The leathery old man speaks up once more, ?Tell him all of it, Uncle.? Jae?s expression turns ghastly white with his grandfather?s request. In his mind all he can hear is: [i]Uncle[/i].

Nodding once more, and with great reluctance, Falion Mussiri begins once more, ?And I could not refuse the request of my grand-niece? I was unable to convince my nephew of his errors concerning their marriage, and I felt responsible for the resulting separation? My greatest regret in life was that I could not bring to light the Will of the Force in their union, and though they accepted my nephews conditions for their marriage, I could not condone them and went in search of answers for myself. It was during this time that you were born.?

Still in complete shock from this latest revelation, Jae slowly and clumsily takes a seat near the mantle, as his legs have grown weak with the news. [I]Master Falion? My Great Uncle?[/I] Closing his eyes, in the hopes that some answer might come to him in how to deal with this, he sees only the single image of his mother that has sustained him all these years: her bright and welcoming smile, showering him with love and compassion even from the great distance of the space that separated them. That smile, the same smile he has seen upon Master Falion?s face. [i]No wonder I was drawn to him.[/i]

?And I to you, young one.? The man places a comforting hand upon Jae?s shoulder as his gaze rises up to meet the man?s face, ?I was