Durdane, seat of House Varsens

[Double A]

Finances

Treasury: 383750 Income: 324750

Trade

Own Resource: Heavy Arms (25000 crowns) Tradelane 1: House Altaine - Electronics (45000 crowns) Tradelane 2: House Gaunt - Precious Metals (30000 crowns) Tradelane 3: House Pendragon - Targetting Sensors (45000 crowns) Tradelane 4: House Corellia - Consumer Goods (25000 crowns)

Buildings

Civil: 1. Trade Hub 2. Industrial and Business Zone 3. Industrial and Business Zone 4. Surveillance State 5. Supreme Court Military: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Levies

Land Large: 1250 points 1,000,000 men in 20 legions: 10 Infantry Legions 10 Armored Legions Space Large: 1250 points Heavy Arms: 250 points Total: 1500 points 11 capital ships and 54 squadrons: 2 Battleships 1 Battlecruiser 7 Heavy Cruisers 38 Light Cruiser Squadrons 9 Destroyer Squadrons 7 Transport Squadrons

Standing Forces

None.

Characters

Lord Leikan Varsens 63 Administrator +5 Spymaster +4 Charisma +1 Duelist +1 Counterspy +2 Lord Varsens is above all things pragmatic. He sees money as a means to an end. A fluid concept with no intrinsic value, something to be taken advantage of. His father died shortly after the Bugs were repelled, fat and wealthy. Bastakos Varsens 63 Mercenary Contractor +4 Charisma +5 Spymaster +2 Counterspy +2 Lord Varsens' slightly younger twin. Felt resentful for being born seconds later, went on a drinking binge, and then just stopped caring about the whole mess and got on with his life. Probably has a lot of kids, though. Ineganna Rostalos née Varsens 62 General +4 Admiral +4 Duelist +3 Counterspy +1 Younger sister of the twins. Took to smacking them around from an early age. Kulbrast Rostalos 56 Guerilla Warfare Expert +4 Veteran Jump Navigator +4 Admiral +2 Husband of Ineganna. Former smuggler and pirate who paid off the empire so much that he not only got a clean record, but a mining colony on a rich moon. Minara Varsens 53 Admiral +4 Duelist +4 Counterspy +2 The one extravagance Leikan Varsens allowed himself was a marriage of love, though "allowed" may not be the right word. That is not to undervalue Minara's skills as a fighter or commander, though. Olaront Varsens 24 Administrator +2 Spymaster +2 Son of Lord Varsens and Minara. Scholarly and has a dry sense of humor. Brenna Varsens 22 Charisma +2 General +2 Daughter of Lord Varsens and Minara. Tomboyish, stubborn, and absolutely goddamn adorable.

Items

Special Forces - guarding Leikan Special Forces - guarding Olaront

[General Retreat]

If an observer had been watching the inky traverse of Durdane's galactic west, they may have seen the brief flash of a jumpdrive disengaging. The great Altaine barge Caveat Emptor had just entered the system with an escorting light cruiser squadron.

A far cry from the luxury yachts employed by many of the Family's other scions, Lady Adelaide believed in the founding principles of Altaine Industries: if a journey was not profitable, it was not worth taking.

Loaded with several hundred tons of industrial grade electronics, she felt Solaris could afford the tribute. Turning up the intensity of their transponder beacon, the Altaine unfurled their banner. Calling ahead, she sought an appointment with Lord Leikan Varsens.

[Double A]

Leikan had been expecting this. He had sent a heavy cruiser, the Adamant Reckoning, to escort the barge to Issaries, seat of his house and richest planet in the system when he noticed the distinct signature of military ships. After arriving at the planet, the delegation would take a space elevator down to the capital city, Delgoth. It was the largest of several cities on the planet, which was not completely overtaken by buildings due to obvious logistical concerns. On the outskirts of the city lies a grand but not overly extravagant palace with architecture cunningly blending with major defensive installations where Leikan receives his guests and conducts his business.

Leikan bows to the image displayed on his holoprojector. Hello, Lady Adelaide, and welcome to Durdane. I trust you are well in spite of the bombing disaster?

[Trot]

Alexander arrives to speak with the local lord

[Double A]

Alexander arrives to speak with the local lord

He is granted an audience.

What brings you all the way from the Marches, Lord Pendragon?

[Trot]

He is granted an audience.

What brings you all the way from the Marches, Lord Pendragon?

"You have influence on the council freind. The emporers death presents oppertunity."

[General Retreat]

A portable camera buzzes in front of Lady Adelaide as she sets a brisk pace to the audience chamber. "Lord Leikan - an honour. I am afraid that 'disaster' holds the wrong connotations. This was an attack, and nothing less. I hope to be with you in five minutes."

[Double A]

Nonetheless, I am pleased that it was ineffectual in directly harming you or your family. And take as much time as you need; space travel is no easy thing.

[General Retreat]

Entering the audience chamber, Lady Adelaide gave a small curtsey as a mark of respect to the more senior aristocrat. "A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, my lord. There are many things we must discuss, the relationship between our economies and Houses first and foremost, I believe."

[Double A]

I completely agree, my lady. Was there something you had in mind? It was her game, and it would be rude to point out the freighters before she was ready to discuss them.

[General Retreat]

I completely agree, my lady. Was there something you had in mind? It was her game, and it would be rude to point out the freighters before she was ready to discuss them.

"Several things." She motioned one of her pages forward who carried a small tablet. He dropped to one knee and proffered the item up to Lord Leikan. "There are some details there that you may find interesting." It was a stock inventory list of industrial grade electronics currently stockpiled aboard the Caveat Emptor. "Consider these goods a tribute from House Altaine, as a sign of good will to our neighbours. I believe you'll find the full catalogue most interesting, as we have several lines that could complement production in your Heavy Arms factories."

[Double A]

It certainly does. What do you propose?

[Trot]

"I need information. What canidates are the assembly looking at."

[Double A]

Currently, the First Minister is posed to win by default as both other candidates have backed down from the race, though Lord Aetius' supporters seem to be ignoring that small detail.

[Trot]

Currently, the First Minister is posed to win by default as both other candidates have backed down from the race, though Lord Aetius' supporters seem to be ignoring that small detail.

"Will the first minister be more amenable to our requests?"

[Double A]

"Several things." She motioned one of her pages forward who carried a small tablet. He dropped to one knee and proffered the item up to Lord Leikan. "There are some details there that you may find interesting." It was a stock inventory list of industrial grade electronics currently stockpiled aboard the Caveat Emptor. "Consider these goods a tribute from House Altaine, as a sign of good will to our neighbours. I believe you'll find the full catalogue most interesting, as we have several lines that could complement production in your Heavy Arms factories."

Leikan takes the datapad and views it for a minute. This is all excellent stock, especially the autojump calibrators. I'll have to look over it in detail later, but I have no doubts as to anything's quality. I would be happy to supply you with my weapons in return for opening a trade route.

"Will the first minister be more amenable to our requests?"

Moreso than the Slaver, but an Old Lord is still an Old Lord.

[General Retreat]

Leikan takes the datapad and views it for a minute. This is all excellent stock, especially the autojump calibrators. I'll have to look over it in detail later, but I have no doubts as to anything's quality. I would be happy to supply you with my weapons in return for opening a trade route.

"Very good my lord." With a flick of her hand, she dismissed the page who then beat a hasty retreat out of the room. "Durdane's arms are famed throughout the Southern Passage, and I am sure they will be most useful in outfitting our fleet. Sadly, we may have need of it shortly." Sighing deeply she continued.

"As you have previously mentioned, the bombing of the Golden Patriarch was a tragedy. Over 16,000 men and women perished in all - it was the single deadliest attack on Solaris since the 5th Titan War. Several hundreds of thousands of Crowns were also lost in total, further adding to injury. Our investigation is coming to an end and we believe we can name the culprit. It is just a case of formally linking the last few strands of evidence."

[Double A]

If you require my aid, it would be no trouble on my part. It sounds like you already have the situation under control, though, and it would likely take more time to explain everything to me than just apprehend the instigator.

[General Retreat]

"If only that were the case. Were resolving this attack a simple matter of dismantelling an organisation or arresting a suspect we would have done so already. Sadly, the perpetrators hold a far loftier office than we had initially feared. The last two years have done nothing but strengthen the evidence that this attack was ordered from the very highest echelons of the Gumpaltian aristocracy." Her tone was grave.

"I don't need to stress the implications that holds for both of our systems. This was the primary purpose of my visit today, to determine a common stance on how to deal with a hostile and demonstrably murderous neighbour."

[Double A]

This is absolutely terrible news. What do they even stand to gain from this? Wars in our space kill trade, not encourage it.