Bring Me the Head of Ishara Alastor

[Salem Ave]

BRING ME THE HEAD OF ISHARA ALASTOR

It is a time of peace and prosperity. Having secured a powerful and lucrative naval
alliance through political marriage, ONDERON no longer fears assault by pirates.
Months have passed since the wedding of RAZIELLE SHADANA and TRISTAN ALASTOR,
whose seemingly happy union has since been blessed with the arrival of beautiful daughter.
Having heard of this birth, the HAPAN QUEEN ISHARA has requested that her grand-child be
brought to HAPES to be celebrated and recognized as an official scion of the CONSORTIUM...

***

Iziz, Onderon.

Anastasia Trevino didn't know where to look. As personal assistant to the Prime Minister of Onderon, her duties included managing Mr. Ave's communications and relaying any messages of patent importance to the man himself, as soon as they arrived. On this particular morning – and what a morning it was, the winter frost dusting Iziz in a dazzling whiteness – she had received a message which, immediately, she had felt the Prime Minister would be excited to receive, and yet upon delivering it, she found his response, as she watched him reading, to be... rather subdued.

Salem sat, looking over the data flimsy, re-reading the letters contained therein for the second time. The summons - and it was a summons, in spite of its polite tone - had been addressed to the Queen Adraudia, but Ave had been in the habit of micro-managing his sovereigns affairs for a long time. Whats more, the communication did not really concern the Queen herself, but rather the city's other notable royalty.

“Shall I fetch her highness Razielle?” Anastasia ventured. It had been some time since any of them had visited the Hapes Consortium, and Salem was by no means eager to return there, but Razielle loathed it even more so. It was she who had suffered the pomposity of the Queen Mother, who had endured long days of being chastised, patronized and, eventually, begrudgingly accepted as worthy of marrying the son that Ishara didn't even wish to have.

At this thought, the faint hint of a frown pulled at Salem's lips. The Hapan Prince... his absence from Onderon had not gone unnoticed. Though the people did not cry out for him as they would have their Queen, he had – in his time since arriving – won over a heart or two, but his departure had pushed Razielle into relative seclusion from the public. Her daughter, it was perceived, consumed so much of her time and though the attendants of the court were always on hand to aid in the girls upbringing, the Princess was characteristically stubborn in her desire to care for the girl herself. She did not appreciate the meddling of others in her business, an attitude which Salem shared.

“Prime Minister?” Anastasia again. Salem looked up this time, the frown still pressed into his features.

“Yes.. inform the Princess that I require an audience with her, in the state room.”

The girl bowed her head slightly and moved to leave, but a hand held up by Ave stalled her.

“Ensure that Mandalore is in attendance too,” Salem added, straightening his tie as he rose to his feet. “We have a great deal to discuss.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Things... were stale.

Mandalore stretched lazily on her perch overlooking the city, her back against the warm stone of the palace outer wall. She felt like a caged manka cat, trapped in a device of her own design. Minus her armor, she felt light, and she stood on the small ledge, leaning against the wall behind her.

She felt the presence before she heard footsteps, turning and pulling herself up and over the wall and dropping to the ground in front of the servant girl. The girl's face made an 'o', but she quickly recovered. "The Prime Minister requests your presence, Mandalore."

Lilaena nodded, her face fixed in a scowl. People expected her to be fierce looking. Salem's assistant excused herself, more summons to deliver.

She stretched again, already missing her ledge, but dutifully made her way to Ave's offices. Lilaena ignored everyone who tried to engage her in conversation, pushing open the Prime Minister's door without knocking.

Standing with her hand on her hip and clad in a simple black jumpsuit, Malleus exuded confidence, with an undercurrent of irritation. Not at being summoned, just with everything in general. When she was her own master, she had gotten more done. But she was willing to be patient... for a while longer.

[Salem Ave]

He could see it in every part of her: she was restless. The past months had been... quiet, purposefully so. The task of extracting Tristan Alastor from their lives had been the first order of business. Aside from this, and acquiring a body double for the Queen, there hadn't been much to keep the denizens of Onderon busy, save the usual upkeep of the Court. For Adraudia and Razielle this was not so tiresome, as they had grown up in such conditions – but Lilaena had been bred, if not for war, then for action, not the decadence of courtly life.

Razielle had yet to arrive, but there were issues that related to Lilaena alone. Without explaining the specifics, yet, of what he wanted of his apprentice, Salem asked: “Your lieutenants within the Mandalorian clans... do you trust them to maintain order whilst you are off-world?”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She cracked a tiny smile, but nodded. "They have so far." Lilaena had not chained herself to the planet, unlike Callidus and his other apprentices. She could come and go without causing a stir in the populace - and had. Mustafar... Klatooine. Coruscant. She hadn't done much in the last month, spending her days beating her Mandalorian counterparts into the dirt in sparring matches and pacing the city walls, but before and shortly after her apprenticeship to Callidus she had been quite well traveled.

Her lieutenants followed orders. "Are you sending me ...on a mission?"

[Salem Ave]

“You, and Anxia,” Salem clarified. It would be the first time the pair had worked together. Creas and Anxia had trained in separation from one another for a long time before Callidus was willing to bring them together. He preferred to have one-to-one contact with his students, to maintain a certian degree of focus, yet the time seemed finally to have come when they would have to act autonomously, without the presence of his guiding hand.

“I need an.. obstacle of ours removed.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Lilaena shifted her stance slightly, looking a little non-plussed. "Anxia." Smart remarks involving baby weight came to mind, but she wisely swallowed them.

An obstacle removed? The only obstacle of 'ours' that she could think of was...

She looked up sharply. "Sounds like it might be fun." A trace of a smile warmed her face.

[Razielle Alastor]

Elsewhere in the palace, a besotted Razielle reclined on her mattress, gazing down at her cherubic infant daughter who lay beside her. Despite the chill outside, the room was lit with a cheerful blaze in the fireplace, bathing mother and child in warmth. In one hand, Razielle clutched the girl's bare foot planting tiny kisses on the soft pink sole, and was rewarded with a pleased gurgle at the gesture. In soft tones Razielle explained for the thousandth time to her daughter just how special she was, knowing it was true. Just look at what they had created together! She was so much more than just another royal little girl. She was the key to the future!

To their destiny...

Protective was too timid a word for the feral instinct she had to keep her daughter safe. Princess Beatrix Septima A. Alastor, wee heiress of the Consortium was the very center of her world now and if that made her a shut-in, so be it. Razielle stroked a fingertip across Baby Bea's downy soft, rosy cheek before laying the contented little Princess in her elegant, white and silver, silk-draped cradle.

Only moments later Lira, ever her servant and confidante quietly informed her, with a smile, that the Prime Minister had requested her presence, having taken the message from Miss Trevino herself. Razielle was at ease to leave the child in Lira's capable hands. Much to the chagrin of some of the other hopeful staff, she had not taken on a nursemaid for the baby. She had politely insisted that only Lira would do. Other than herself, only Lira, Queen Adraudia - the baby's Godmother, and.... her father, were ever permitted to be alone with her.

Razielle smiled and stepped her bare toes into a pair of flat beribboned shoes sticking out from beneath the corner of her bed, where she'd kicked them off. Clad in a royal blue, high-waisted gown, trimmed in silver braid at the neckline, wrists and hem she left her chambers, pulling one of two diamond studded combs through her long hair, effectively pulling it back from her face. Her appearance was as youthful and lithe as it had been before her pregnancy. If anything, the changes that had occurred within her body, outwardly had only enhanced her graceful looks. It had given her a more feminine softness, over what had been knife-hilt determination. Exceedingly clever camouflage for what lay beneath. Speed. Agility. Power.

She smiled..

Besides.. She wasn't hearing any complaints.

With a cordial nod to Miss Trevino, Razielle did not spare a moment to knock before entering. If she was surprised to also find Mandalore present in the state room, it did not show.

"Good morning.."

[Salem Ave]

Fun wasn't the word Salem, yet there would have been a certainly satisfaction in watching the last vestiges of life slip away from the Hapan Queen. Whilst murder was typically something done out of necessity and not particularly relished, Ave found himself looking forward to hearing of her unfortunate fate, so soon to come.

“Anxia.”

He inclined his head faintly in greeting, though he did not smile. The heavy door to his study clicked shut, and the three were left in the privacy necessary for their meeting.

“I've called you here today, as I already began to explain to Malleus, because I have.. mission for you both. Tomorrow afternoon, a transport bound for the Hapes Consortium will arrive in Iziz. The Queen Mother Ishara has deemed it necessary to meet her infant grand-daughter and so has requested both her son the Prince and his wife attend the Hapan court, for a celebration of sorts. Mandalore shall be present to act as the Princess's official bodyguard, in light of her husbands recent... disappearance.

Now, what I'm going to ask of you won't be easy, but I have the utmost confidence in you both. With your combined.. talents, success is certain.”

He paused here for a moment, allowing the details to settle in. Folding his hands on his desks top, the Prime Minister lowered his eyes from a moment, considering what he was about to say. In the end, he merely lifted his eyes and without tone or emotion said:

“I want you to kill Ishara Alastor.”

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Ugh. She had to go in an 'official' capacity. Not that Mando armor wasn't great, and all, it was just... stifiling. Especially since the Onderonian Mandalorians only had old equipment. Of course, Mandalore's suit was much better maintained than anyone else's.

And the baby was going. Human babies were pink, squishy things that Lilaena had nothing to do with. In the grand scheme of things they were important, of course, but when it came to her, and her destiny, babies did not figure into the equation. Anywhere.

And where had Tristan Alastor gone? She looked sideways at Anxia, finding no reaction at all on that beautiful face. The woman didn't care that her husband was missing, and the court had gone to great pains to keep the Prince's disappearance quiet.

"Do you want it to look like an accident, Master?" she asked quietly.

[Salem Ave]

“Not... necessarily an accident. Assassination is commonplace in the Consortium, after all. If you can incriminate another member of the Hapan court in her murder, by all means do so.”

As he spoke, there was a business-like tone to Salem's voice which seemed somehow at odd with the subject matter being discussed.

“Onderon, however, cannot be implicated in any way. Not after we have worked so long and hard to get to this point.”

[Razielle Alastor]

'Queen Mother Ishara has deemed it necessary to meet her infant grand-daughter..'

A bit of color had drained from Razielle's face at the words. Foolishly she'd harbored a secret hope that Chume Ishara's desire to maroon Tristan on Onderon might mean that any child he sired might be equally as unimportant to the Queen Mother. So it might have been, had the child not been a female.

Ishara, though a rabid bitch, was no fool. The girl could stand to inherit all, if anything happened to Elaine. So, of course, she would have an interest in the child. Razielle wanted to rebel and outright refuse to take Beatrix at all. She would be risking the Queen Mother demanding the girl remain in her care on Hapes or some other such unyielding stipulation.

In which case Razielle would just have to kill her..

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than part two of why she had been called here today fell from her Master's lips. Her own twisted in a slight grin. She would have liked to deny the need to have Mandalore along. She could do this on her own, but she was shrewd enough not to argue.

Razielle knew from her talks with Tristan that assassination was anticipated, expected even. It would not be all that difficult at all to pin the deed on...

Her gaze slid over Mandalore in speculative calculation.

'Onderon, however, cannot be implicated in any way. Not after we have worked so long and hard to get to this point..'

Blast! There goes that nearly perfect plan...

"What about Tristan's disappearance?", she asked quietly. Although she didn't care where he was, so long as her dearly beloved stayed gone, Razielle knew questions were bound to come up.

[Salem Ave]

“Prince Tristan's departure on a matter of personal business was not something that could be foreseen. However it was, of course, out of the question that you should accompany him, circumstances being what they are,” he added, with a nod towards Razielle. Tristan's departure had been planned, of course, but the manner of its happening had been a surprise. “We have Ambassador Ni'Liatoth's word to vouch for his safety and well-being, though I dare say that Queen Ishara might be pleased to be rid of her son permanently.”

[Razielle Alastor]

Nodding, Razielle smiled once more. "Quite.." Ambassador Ni'Liatoth would do as she was told. Especially if she wanted her lovely eyes to remain in her head, all the better to pine after the Prince that would never be hers.

Prince Tristan had taken an immediate interest in hunting and exploring the landscape of Onderon. Such a lengthy expedition, not only into the local Wilds, but possibly crossing over to Dxun had tempted him from the start. Many never returned from such explorations.. She had voiced her concerns of course..

Dab at the eyes with a lacy kerchief, sigh deeply.

So, how've you been, my lady Mother-in-law?

Still, she did not like the idea of bringing Beatrix. She'd be safer with her father, but she supposed it could not be avoided.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

The Prince's whereabouts were none of her concern, but Lilaena had to admit she was a little curious as to what had happened to him. At first she had just assumed that Razielle had killed him in his sleep and then hid the body.

Actually, that still might be the case.

"I'll go pack," she said. "I take it we are to leave as soon as possible?"

[Salem Ave]

“Your transport will arrive tomorrow afternoon. Ishara deigned it necessary to send a vessel from the Hapan Fleet to conduct you from Onderon to the Consortium, and we cannot deny her this stipulation – especially given her continued refusal to divulge any data on the successful navigation of the Transitory Mists.”

The Queen Mother, evidently, was not stupid. The borders of the Consortium had been nigh impenetrable for centuries and would remain as such, so long as the Alastor dynasty held sway.

“The manner of the assassination, and your escape, I leave to your deciding. Once you board the shuttle to Hapes, you are on your own. No further assistance will be sent and I expect any communication between the Consortium and Onderon to be kept to an absolute minimum. Understood?”

[Razielle Alastor]

"Of course..", she nodded. Razielle understood all too well, even if she didn't like it. Any of it. The longer she pondered the situation, the more she felt she had a very bad feeling about it. She did not want Ishara to get her hands on Beatrix.

*******

It was a tense evening for her, preparing herself mentally for what was sure to be an ordeal, as much as it was another trial for her. She had to look at it that way. Her Master wanted something accomplished, he was sending her to see it done. She would not fail him. Simple as that. There were steps she needed to take beforehand to make sure that she was as prepared as she could be. She privately said her goodbyes to the Queen, keeping her sense of foreboding to herself. Adraudia had her own worries. She would not add to the burden.

Trusting Lira to make sure she and Beatrix were both properly outfitted and packed for the journey, Razielle paused for a moment. Before she could question her sudden instinct, she sent a beseeching request to be attended for the duration of the journey to Phoenix Whyte. Despite the fact that she would officially have Mandalore as a royal guard, she insisted on this measure as well. She needed another set of eyes and ears that she could trust..

The night passed far too quickly. They barely spoke, she and her Master. They did not need to. The words were already said and what was left unsaid was conveyed in touch alone.. In the morning, she broke the silence only as he was leaving to whisper. "I will not fail you.."

The dawn found her walking obediently toward the Express-class ambassadorial shuttle, Lightning Strike, Princess Beatrix in her arms. The envoy attendants bowed slightly at her approach, but she could sense something akin to disrespect in their mien. They resented being here, she thought.

At the top of the ramp, she turned, looking backward one last time, hoping she would not be absent long..

[Akasha Khan]

One member of the tiny royal retinue didn't quite fit with the others. Like the other maidservants, Akasha wore a loose robe with a hood and veil, but even the veil couldn't conceal the shape of her large, triangular ears pushing out from under the cloth, and it was a constant fight to keep her tail from lifting up the back of her skirt. She felt patently ridiculous; even if she wasn't the only non-human in the procession, she was the only one who wasn't fully humanoid, and these traveling robes had decidedly not been designed with Orryxians in mind.

Akasha aimed a cautious glance at her new owner. Lilaena De'Ville, whom she'd learned was also called Mandalore, was constituting the entire bodyguard; she would much rather have posed as her assistant, but this was where De'Ville had placed her. Akasha wasn't even sure why she was coming along; her only orders from her master were to play the part of a royal servant and keep her eyes and ears open.

She followed the other servant girls up the boarding ramp and allowed the Hapan envoys to direct her to a seat. She ended up almost directly behind the Princess Razielle and the silly-looking pink blobby thing that apparently was her daughter.

Oh, this was all so demeaning.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She could feel the irritation and humiliation of her little apprentice as the Orryxian boarded the shuttle. Lilaena smiled to herself behind her helmet, keeping her answers to the Hapan crew short. She had also made a point to inspect as much of the ship as she could, checking for traps, et cetera, before she allowed them to bring the Princess and her child on board.

Just because she was here for a dual purpose did not mean she could be lax in her duties as a royal guard. Unfortunately. Her seat on the shuttle was near enough to the Princess that she could intervene should an assassin arise from between the cracks in the seats.

She sat back, kept her external sensors running but on low power so as not to interfere with the ship's systems, and began planning in her head how she would kill the Queen Mother. Anxia would probably be too busy holding her precious daughter to help.

[Salem Ave]

The Lightning Strike was of a unique design, as all things were in the Consortium. It was beautiful and war-like in one, like some chrome bird of prey. The crew were efficient but it was clear that they were about as happy to be on Onderon as their passengers were to be leaving it. There were no pre-flight announcements and once the Iziz delegation were boarded, the Hapans waited only a moment before engaging the shuttles engines and taking to the sky.

After hours spent in hyperspace, the ship shuddered as it dropped into realspace just outside the Hapes Cluster. From behind the ionized clouds of the Transitory Mists, there came dazzling light in many shifting colors, as if some spectacular party was being held amongst the stars that the mists curtained. Had the passengers glanced out to the sights around them, they would have realized how many stellar bodies littered the mists, pockets of volatile gases roiling between them. Fortunately, the Hapans had discovered long ago how best to navigate the mists and though at times it seemed as if they were skirting dangerously close to an impact, they emerged from that strange place without incident.

Exitting the Mists was like drawing back a veil upon a whole new world. Razielle had witnessed it all before, but there were some on board whose eyes went wide at the galaxies worth of planets, moons, nebulae and hundreds upon hundreds of stars that lay before them like some jewelry armoire to the gods. With such brilliant light bathing their worlds, day and night, it was no surprise that the Hapans had become unaccustomed to the dark.

“Approaching Star Home,” a voice in the cockpit announced.

The Queen Mother's castle in the sky. It loomed ahead of them, as much the centre of the cluster as the sun Hapes itself. Once again, it seemed they were being denied the chance to walk on Hapan soil in favor of visiting the Hapan Queen's personal abode...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Lilaena shifted slightly in her seat. She had never been anywhere near the Hapes Cluster, but she was more interested in determining the weaknesses of their current Hapan guard than seeing the sights.

Akasha had sat quietly for most of the trip, except for a short trip to the refreshers. Her ears were flicking back and forth under the soft hood of her handmaiden's robe, creating an amusing affect.

The baby hadn't cried. Small mercy. Lilaena hoped she wouldn't be required to hold the helpless thing.

As the ship landed on Star Home, she got to her feet, beginning the entourage's preparations for disembarking.