Passing the Mantle

[Salem Ave]

Salem arched an eyebrow. It was no secret that he had been a Jedi once, before the fall of the Republic. With a clarity greater than many other members of the Alliance, he understood the threat posed by the Sith Lord’s and the seductive power they commanded.

“What brought this particular... sordid text to the forefront of your mind?”

[Taataani Meorrrei]

The Baroness's body language broadcast intrigue as she leaned forward to prop an elbow at the table.

"The verrssess deal wjith motjivatjion. What drrjivess people to do what thejy do, whjy thejy make thejirr chojicess. The deeperr rreassonss, not what thejy majy tell otherrss orr themsselvess.

Thejirr darrk hearrtss." She added with an exaggerated sepulchral note to her voice, quirking her eyebrows for effect.

"jI ljike to thjink jI have enough experrjience to be an experrt on the ssubject of the decjissjionss people make. That jinsstjinct sserrved me well jin bussjinesss, and poljitjicss jiss nothjing jiff not bussjinesss done bjy otherr meanss. But what sstrruck me asss jinterresstjing jiss that the verrssess make the casse that therre jiss no ssuch thjing asss a sselflesss act. We arre all of uss crreaturress drrjiven purreljy on sselfjissh motjivatjion alone, no matterr ourr morral crreed orr jintegrrjity."

Taa at last paused to sip her wine, putting the ball in Salem's court.

"What do jyou thjink?"

[Salem Ave]

“It is a difficult hypothesis to dispute,” Salem conceded, lips pursed in a brief smile. “The Alliance is bound together under a banner of achieving a… common good, but each Senator must ultimately advocate for the needs of their constituents. Their needs may align with the needs of others, for a time. Perhaps years, perhaps decades. Perhaps longer, if they lack the conviction or courage to state their true desires.”

As he spoke, Salem reached for the Alderaani red and poured more into his almost empty glass. His eyes met Taataani’s in an expectant glance, the bottle still in hand.

“I would not be sitting here with you tonight if I hadn’t chosen my allegiances with my own interests in mind. I have always worked for the benefit of the government’s I have counselled or represented, but that benefit has… never been to my own personal detriment.”

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani's cerulean eyes didn't waver from Salem's seemingly-sightless ones, even as she surrendered her glass. She'd need it refreshed upon coming to a decision.

"We underrsstand each otherr."

The sound of more wine gently cascading down the tulip glass pricked her Cizeri ears, but she scarcely paid it any other heed.

"The Alljiance jiss newborrn. jIt doessn't underrsstand jit'ss sstrrength. jIt hassn't jyet comprrehended jitss full jidentjitjy. And forrmatjive asss jit jiss, we've sstaked ourr forrtuness jinto jit. jI'm not talkjing about monejy, though a decent amount of that alsso. Ourr harrd worrk and ambjitjion make the hearrt of thjiss crreaturre beat. jIf not uss, then who?"

She gave Salem a moment to consider the unsavory alternatives. They shared enough enemies that it wouldn't take much delving.

"jI rrefusse to be meek or deferrentjial, and allow ssomeone lesserr who lackss vjissjion orr rressolve ssquanderr what jI've jinvessted and rrujin what thjiss Alljiance can be. jIf that meanss a fjight frrom ssome essteemed Ssenatorr...farr betterr women have trrjied and fajiled agajinst me."

There was something hard and focused in Taataani's expression. She was done playing.

"jIf anjyone doubtss jI wjill be the next Fjirrsst Mjinjissterr, tell thosse who doubt me to go look what became of them."

[Salem Ave]

There was something different in Salem’s expression now, too. The shift was subtle but unmistakable. The sharp lines of his features becoming more pronounced somehow, as if a veil had fallen away, taking with it the softening touches of the easy smiles he wore before the Senate.

“I know that you won’t need my help to win this fight, but... rest assured, I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are my successor.”

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani recognized the pivot in this moment. How much gravity this one decision could have not only for her, but for the Alliance - and so too the galaxy. Few people truly managed to slip the bonds that held them back from their potential. This was an opportunity she had to pursue now, or it may never come to pass again.

She tapped her wine glass against his. The thin crystal sank lightly in the quiet of the moment, but it may well have been a thunderbolt.