Harnaidan Palace

[Whill Adil]

*The Harnaidan Palace was a vast, opulent and sprawling palace situated directly across the Grand Plaza from the InterGalactic Banking Clan Headquarters, in central Harnaidan. This is where official visitors of the Dark Jedi Order were accommodated for the duration of their stay on Muunilinst, because the Dark Jedi Order did not welcome "outsiders" into their temple - or even on their island - without exceptional circumstances. Thus for all outwards intents and purposes, Harnaidan Palace was publicly perceived to be the heart of the Dark Jedi-backed government. Accordingly, it was well-fenced and fortified, and patrolled by a contingent of elite guards. The palace itself was equipped with a full day spa, a casino, several bars, four floors of rooms, and all the amenities that were befitting of galactic dignitaries. The Palace was also equipped with state of the art surveillance, and a direct line to both High Port Control and the Villa on Mariunhus.*

*Every day at mid day there is a switch of the guard standing in front of the Harnaidan Palace. It was symbolic more than it was anything but it was a show of protocol and methodical regiment that was now in place due to the influence of the Dark Jedi Order.

The Guards change posts, the new guards standing with top of the line armour and weapons thanks to Tursas Enterprises. Those inside the Palace were busy with the upkeep of the Palace as a few of the guests were royalty on vacation here to get away from their responsibilities on their respective planets.*

*The Harnaidan Palace was home to a multitude of elite soldiers, servants, dignitaries and (self) important local officials, but perhaps most important in actual functionality were the Dark Jedi liaisons who served as messengers between the Jen'jidai on Mariunhus and the IGBC government, which itself was headed by several Jen'jidai (even though they rarely showed up for board meetings). These liaisons also spent a fair portion of their time monitoring the government departments in Harnaidan based on a whole host of criteria from competency to loyalty. Encrypted reports were then routinely sent back to an office on Mariunhus where the true rulers of Muunilinst reigned from the shadows. Certain security precautions were in place - both physical and otherwise - to ensure the integrity of this system of government was maintained without degradation or infiltration.*

*(An alternate timeline)

Eversio arrived at the Harnaidan Palace flanked with six guards each in a spread formation. Where the sidewalk ended and the grounds of the Palace began, Eversio's Guards stopped and waited, turning their back to the Palace and maintaining a surveillance on all that was before them that the eye could see.

Walking up the long pathway to the stairs, Eversio was greeted by the Royal Property Manager of Harnaidan Palace who, by the good graces of the Sovereign Jen'jidai William Reign, was appointed the job. As such, the position of the Royal Property Manager of Harnaidan Palace was a powerless position and merely one that was a status symbol that came with a certain level of prestige among other Muun.

The Royal Property Manager was thus Muun. William Reign being a crafty and ever skilled diplomat felt it important for public relations to have Muun citizens in strategically placed positions. This gave off the illusion of two worlds functioning equally though those who knew - knew better.

The Muun stood about an inch or two taller than Jen'jidai Eversio and bowed low to the Lord Governor as Eversio made his way up from the final step and stood before the opened doors to the Palace with his black hood over his head. Eversio could feel the fear oozing from the Muun before him. Many knew that Eversio seldomly left the walls of the Villa and when he did it was usually to kill somebody.*

"Milord. Reginald Farkot at your service. What is the honour of your visit today?"

*Eversio turned his head slowly, eerily, towards the Muun. His hood still atop his head which created shadows that covered his eyes.*

"I request a private dining hall. See to it that my guest knows where to find me."

*Farkot was riddled with questions. Who was the guest? Was he or she to arrive soon? But he did not ask, he figured it better that he didn't. He simply moved out of the way and clapped his hands once to alert the staff to open the private dining room.

Eversio moved in behind them and stood at one end of the table as the servants laid out two plates at a long table with two chairs on either end before they disappeared. Eversio slowly moved to the side of the table that looked at the door and removed his hood when all others were out of the room and the door closed.

He sat down in the chair slowly and patiently waited for Rhea. He gave her an hour and the Dark Jedi Master was far too early for this meeting, dinner date, what have you - in true form, as he always once. The Zealot had always been one for punctuality.*

*As the speeder stops, the door at the back opens, and trying to remember the way I had seen the most elegant of dignitaries exit their vehicles, I slipped my feet out of the speeder and turned myself on the seat, and stood, remembering that I was in a dress now, and not a pair of trousers, and opening the legs would not be wise, taking the doorman├óÔé¼Ôäós hand I stepped from the speeder and onto the pathway, trying to find my balance upon the heels I had chosen to wear, maybe 6 inch heels had not been such a wise choice!

As sooon as I made my way toward the door, very very slowly and slightly of balance, looking like I had had a few too many to drink before arriving, I was approached by a gentleman├óÔé¼┬ª


Ma├óÔé¼Ôäóam, Reginald Farkot at your service, are you dining alone or expecting company?

I looked around and leant my head in toward him trying to make sure we would not be overheard├óÔé¼┬ª

I am here to meet with Master Eversio├óÔé¼┬ª

I was a little taken aback, for as soon as I had spoken his name, Reginald had clicked his fingers in urgency, the doors to the palace flew open, and he was escorting me away from the large dining hall, and across the large lobby, the further we walked, or he walked and I teetered, the more angry I became, for I had gone to all this effort, and for what? To be hidden away!

Reginald stopped before a deep dark highly polished wooden door, and stepped back and held it open for me, as he bowed low, cautiously and with a look of bewilderment upon my face, I looked around making sure I would be alone when I entered, and then, slowly, I walked forward, not enough to allow the door to close behind me, and peeked in the room├óÔé¼┬ª

Hello?

Leaning in further, I could do nothing to stop it, but I began to over balance, and with my arms flailing everywhere, I fell forward flat onto my face...*

*Eversio, seated at the far end of the table, watched Rhea walk in and face plant on the floor as the dining room doors closed behind her.*

"You know how to make an entrance."

*Eversio did not move from his seat, he simply pressed a button on the under-side of the table and spoke.*

"Captain Solo Rum, two shot glasses."

*And before long a waiter walked in and looked at Rhea on the floor*

=Waiter One=

"Madame! Uhhh..."

*The waiter placed the rum and glass down at the table and bent to help Rhea to her feet.*

=Waiter One=

"Here we are, back to our feet. Nice and slow..."

*After getting Rhea back to her feet the waiter would open the rum and pour two shot glasses full of it placing one in front of the Lord Governor with a bow and the other in front of Rhea before quickly and quietly exiting the dining room.

Eversio looked at Rhea with a far less stoic gaze than any of the one's he had ever given her before.*

"All set?"

*Allowing the waiter to help me to my feet, I stood momentarily stunned by the expression upon his face, he was being ├óÔé¼╦£nice├óÔé¼Ôäó well, compared to his behaviour toward me before now, it was very nice, with an awkward smile I pulled the heavy high backed chair round to the side of the table to his left, and scooping my dress below me, I sat myself down├óÔé¼┬ª*

I hope you don├óÔé¼Ôäót mind, it is easier top speak with you here, I don├óÔé¼Ôäót like raising my voice over dinner├óÔé¼┬ª

*Taking a sip of the rum I choked a little, still finding it difficult to handle such strong liquor├óÔé¼┬ª*

Thank you for meeting with me, and thank you for choosing such a venue, it is amazing, I have never dined in such a place before...

*Eversio's eye brows raised a bit as Rhea moved the sit to the side of the table. He cleared his throat before speaking to her*

"Uh. No, that's fine."

*The Zealot then nodded his head a couple of times in reply to the comment about the Palace*

"It better be, for all the money we sank into this place."

*Eversio then pondered about what Rhea wanted. His dark and paranoid mind stopped to think about Rhea perchance wanting to murder him. He would stay alert. The stoic Jen'jidai then thought that perhaps she would want to discuss things about VSE and Carnifex and for that he would have to say little and listen much. And finally, he thought she was trying to seduce him, she did look very beautiful in her attire - to that Eversio would admit - but why seduce him? In the mind of Eversio everything was strategy, everything was about advacement and though Eversio was held in high esteem in the Order he was, by no means, the top dog any longer nor did he aspire to be.

Deciding that he would wait on the particulars, he made some more small talk for the time being. The following words awkwardly came from the mouth of Eversio for he was not used to paying women compliments about their attire.*

"You uh...you look nice, Rhea. Careful that what you order for dinner tonight you do not get on your dress"

*The Zealot looked as though it was foreign, perhaps painful, to smile, though he raised the ends of his lips, showing no teeth, and smiled at Rhea briefly.*

*Eversio
"You uh...you look nice, Rhea. Careful that what you order for dinner tonight you do not get on your dress"

I lowered my head to hide the blush that was deeply burning my cheeks, I was not used to being paid compliments, had never been used to it, in fact, I could not remember the last time someone had, it made me feel awkward and uncomfortable, especially from someone who appeared to hate me as much as Eversio├óÔé¼┬ª

I├óÔé¼┬ªuhhh├óÔé¼┬ªwell thank you, you.well you look very├óÔé¼┬ªum, handsome├óÔé¼┬ª

I took a sip of the rum once more, and tried to change the subject as I looked around the room trying to avoid eye contact until the blush had disappeared from my cheeks├óÔé¼┬ª

I wanted to meet with you to discuss my training, and my place within the order, I wanted to know everything there is to know so that it would help me along my path to becoming a jen├óÔé¼Ôäójidaii, I felt it would be beneficial for me to learn something from every one of the brothers of Master Lahash, I am sure you all have something unique you could offer me.

I lifted the bottle of rum from the table and refilled his glass and my own before setting it back down on the table, and crossing my legs and placing my hands in my lap, and looking back to him once more├óÔé¼┬ª

Also, I would like to take the opportunity to apologise for my behaviour when I first arrived at Villa, my behaviour was almost feral, it was inexcusable, I would like to think I am changing, I am certainly making an effort, though I will admit I have a natural gift for attracting trouble├óÔé¼┬ª

I was doing my best to try and not come across as too eager to seek his approval, I was like a fish out of water, I wanted the task that I had been set over and done with as soon as possible, however, I needed to remain patient, something I found very difficult, I knew that none of the jen├óÔé¼Ôäójidaii suffered fools gladly, and as such, In needed to make sure he understood that I was excepting full responsibility for my behaviour and that I was in fact eager to learn, and by showing him such an interest in what he could teach me, perhaps he would be flattered, but the big question was, how good an actress was I?*

*As she paid him a compliment, Eversio tried not to twitch though he did blink his eyes a few times to try to pull his composure together. He hated conversations for this very reason, for he left, that they always lead to something disingenuous, which he thought Rhea's words to be.

Nevertheless he moved on from that as soon as he heard her apologize for her behavior. He raised his eye brows a little bit as he sat at full attention. The Zealot was about to reply, the words were on the very tip of his tongue but he stopped them, called them back, as his dark and twisted mind thought that this could all be a ruse. This could be the bait that would lure him to lower his guard. This could be the pat on the back that often times people closest would give to a person and not for recognition, and not for friendship - but for finding a soft place to stab you.

Though he wished to be more open and candid with her, Eversio decided to proceed with the utmost caution and be ready for anything even though he silently wondered to himself where her saber was, especially with her in that dress. It would be fun to guess though he doubt she had it on her.*

"Apology accepted, Rhea. It is not one's past that matters it is simply the present to ensure for a successful future. You ask what you need to be a strong Jen'jidai? You have it. Think not of the past, it enslaves you. Think not of the glory you might achieve in the future, it shall betray you. Think only of the Code, listen to the words of Xendor and your leader, your master, and nothing more and your place will always be in the Order amongst your Brothers and Sisters."

*He picked up the shot glass and held it out towards Rhea for a moment. His dark aura swirled around him as he spoke in his deep voice. His milky flesh was a stark contrast to the black robes, the very dark brown hair, brushed back, looked black to the untrained eye. His hair was lighter than it was in the days of Asgard, perhaps the early hints of possible gray hairs in the future. There were lines on the corner of Eversio's eyes. He was growing older.*

"To your training, to Lahash, to the Code, to the Order..."

*Eversio downed the shot and slammed the glass on the table. He spoke the first sentence whilst looking down at the shot glass. The second he spoke looking straight at her. Though his words were critiquing, critical, they were said softly, almost kindly. Eversio hardly ever spoke with harsh tongue, his words were often said slowly and quietly.*

"Your first mistake was coming here with no blade, Rhea. The lightsaber of a Jen'jidai is an extension of their person."

*I emptied the contents of the glass and cringed as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, shivering as the run burned its way down my throat; I stifled a cough and managed to stop the liquid from rising back up.


I will never get used to drinking this├óÔé¼┬ª

I held up my glass to show it was empty and placed it back on the table, conscious that I should not drink anymore, for I knew I could not handle my drink, and that my tongue loosened after a few to many├óÔé¼┬ª*

I chose to leave my blade at the villa as a sign of trust and respect for you, for if my master trusts you, then I trust you, but I will take your advice and never be without it in future├óÔé¼┬ª

*As I moved to speak once more, the doors of the room opened and in walked two waiters with trays held high, upon them were covered dishes full of the most aromatic delights, I leant back in the chair silently as it was all placed in the centre of the table, to my left a waiter took the place setting that I had refused at the end of the table and moved it before me before backing out of the room leaving them once more.

I shifted once more in the seat, appearing uncomfortable, as if there were something preventing me from sitting comfortably, then I reached over and poured myself a glass of water.*

How long have you been part of the order and how did you come to join?

*Eversio waited for the dining staff to place the meals on the table and leave. He did not much like conversing with people outside the Order about things that pertained to the Order itself. The only exception being Nyyrikki Tuoni, the half brother of Eversio.

It was Nyyrikki and C'thulu both who knew more about Eversio than anybody. His past, where he had been, what had gotten him to the Order. There were others with fragments of the story and were even more with no details at all. It was not like Eversio to talk much about his past, though in truth, privately, it haunted him more and more as he grew older.

Eversio delayed talking about his past for a moment.*

"Being a Jen'jidai and a true consumer of rum has become one and the same these days, Rhea. The only way to build tolerance for these things is to keep drinking. And it's not about trusting me or not trusting me, it's about getting into habits that could save your life."

*He filled up his glass and slid the bottle down to Rhea*


"I came to the Order like most do - a lot like you, really. For as different as we all might be to each other with species, and former affiliations, we all have similar starts"

*He was vague and purposely so. He figured he would leave it at that and see what questions might arise from there. He lifted up his shot glass and took another shot of the Captain Solo Rum keeping his eye on Rhea. Knowing she was without blade now made this conversation,for him, that much easier to have.*

*With great reluctance, I refilled my glass, I desperately needed to gain his trust, and if this was what it took, then so be it, I would however try and drink very slowly, and soak up as much as I could with food├óÔé¼┬ª

I don├óÔé¼Ôäót think I will ever get used to drinking, I spent a long time with the IF and never learned how to handle my drink, and they drank the stuff like water, I think I just have an intolerance├óÔé¼┬ª

I lifted the glass to my lips as my eyes glazed over briefly as my mind drifted back to my time with the IF and wondered exactly what it was that held me there for so long? Stopped me from seeing it for what it was, it was a question I could not answer├óÔé¼┬ª

After nearly a minute of silence, having lost myself totally in thought, I sat up straight with a jolt, as if I had fallen asleep and downed my glass of rum├óÔé¼┬ª*

Sorry, I don├óÔé¼Ôäót know what happened there, have you ever, without realising, just drifted off deep into thought, and then, as if waking up with a start, snap back to reality? It is a horrible feeling, I am sorry, it was not your company I swear, I am easily distracted at times├óÔé¼┬ª

*Refilling his glass and pouring just a drop into my own, I began to ramble on├óÔé¼┬ª*

Anyway, the order, habits that can save my life, former affiliations and species, right, who were your former affiliations? I am starving, shall we eat?

*Eversio refilled his shot glass once more and left it at the table as he began to eat. He chewed slowly and watched her as she seemed to drift off and then snap back to the present.*

"I have. I used to much more in my early days. You learn to move past your past. The best way to do it is to stop talking about it. At least, that's what I've found. Others find that the more they talk, the more enraged they become and the more they are able to control it. I don't think there is any merit in that but everyone has their own way of adhering to the Code. As long as the Code is placed above all else and weakness is purged from the universe - I'm happy."

*Eversio reached for his shot glass and took another shot*

"Former affiliation of mine? Jedi. Days long past though, I don't think about it"

*I could not help but wonder, as Eversio was a man of few words, if he was in fact, subtly telling her to shut up and stop talking so much, or whether the advice of ├óÔé¼┼ôstop talking about it├óÔé¼┬Ø was legitimate advice, but one thing was crystal clear, he was not comfortable talking about his past, and if I was to keep pushing, I would only make him more suspicious of me, so I decided to try a new tactic, feeling, if I appeared more open about myself, maybe he would see that as a mark of trust, obviously I would not reveal too much.

Do you think I am too cagey about myself and my past with the brothers and sister of the order?

As I waited for a reply, I began cut away at my food, eating slowly and sipping at my water hoping that he would fail to notice that I had finished the rum and was putting off refilling my glass.*

*Eversio looked at her as he downed yet another shot of rum after eating a bit more. His reply was short, as per usual of The Zealot and his tone seemed vacant, detached, cold. What he said next was meant as no slight, nor insult but a critique based on what he had found worked for himself. He thought little about how it might be deciphered by Rhea, for such was not his way. He spoke slowly as if the words oozed from his mouth escaping like cautious prisoners.*

"I don't think you keep enough to yourself about your past."

*Eversio then trailed off a little bit and what he said next whilst he meant as advice for Rhea could be easily applied to himself. The two had a lot in common about their beginnings, their betrayal at the hands of the Iron Fists as well as their overall, nearly cocky and loud-mouthed demeanor when they first started their training as a part of the Dark Jedi Order.*

"It's none of their business. It's not about where you have been, it is about where you are and where you want to go from there. The past is only good so much as it got you to the Order eventually. Sometimes, I think, if you think too long about your past it calls out to you and you never escape it. It haunts you"

*And with that Eversio's eyes move from Rhea and towards the bottle as he picks up and pours yet another shot before sliding it back to Rhea for her own refill.*

*As the bottle edged toward me, guided by the hand of Eversio, I could already feel the effects of the previous shots, my cheeks were feeling warm, my legs were feeling heavy and my head was beginning to feel a little buzz, I poured myself a shot and threw it back, almost falling off of my chair├óÔé¼┬ª

Whoops, I reveal too much? Such as what? I rarely speak to any of you, and I have many secrets that none of you know, I keep so much to myself sometimes I feel I will burst├óÔé¼┬ª

I took a mouthful of my meal and as I began to chew, I continued to speak├óÔé¼┬ª.

We are the same you and I, yet at the same time, polar opposites, do you understand, I never know when to shut up, and you never speak, yet we have been through the same, and I think with your help and the help of the others, I think you I can change, I want to change, I am working so hard on it, I have even stopped being such a mouthy little cow, I rarely disagree with any of you, I have dropped the attitude├óÔé¼┬ª*

*Eversio quickly replied back, half arrogantly and half interested. His left hand rested on the table and his right had his fork in it with a piece of meat at the end. He listened to her but what interested him most about what she said was what he chose to reply to.*

"Oh? We have things in common you and I yet you claim we hardly speak? What do you and I have in common?"

*I refilled his glass and only motioned filling my own as I moved it behind my water glass├óÔé¼┬ª

Many things, like├óÔé¼┬ª.we have been betrayed by the same people, we both lost our way at some point, we both were a little blind as to our ├óÔé¼╦£friends├óÔé¼Ôäó, and we both try our best to hide our feelings for people, and there are a lot of things we wish to hide from others around us├óÔé¼┬ª

I placed my elbows upon the table and rest my chin upon my open hand, wobbling slightly as I lifted my glass of water to my lips and began to sip as I tried to cool my face├óÔé¼┬ª*

*Eversio nodded his head before he took the last shot of rum. He calmly placed the glass back on the table, the sound of the glass reverberated for a short moment giving way to a second or two of silence. Eversio looked at her, his eyes moving from her own to her body, to the table and then back to her.*

"Yes well, you will find as you go out there that the only people you can trust are people within the Order. And even then..."

*Eversio thought of the traitors to the Order that existed. The fake Jen'jidai like Talon, Ronin, Firefoot, Alivyan, Azazel and Woede - there were so many. So many had deserted the mother Order when she needed them most. They had all been eliminated - killed. Tracked down and destroyed by Asanze and Atrum, his two most faithful apprentices to date.

He snapped back to and back-tracked a bit in the conversation going back to the point Rhea had raised about the past of a person and what one desired to keep hidden from another.*

"Eventually though, you will find that it is not a matter of hiding your past. You eventually take on your new identity, the one given to you by the Order and all the things that happened in days gone by are almost as if they happened to somebody else entirely."