A Guild Legate!

Erich:

Before you stands a true lion amongst Corrinos. Tall and muscular, his lithe and impressive form stands just over six feet in height. He is perhaps of thirty standard years, but at the very cusp of physical prowess and form. Finely tanned skin frames aristocratic and strong facial structure. An impressive jawline is offset by a regal aquiline nose. These features are slightly marred by a mild dimple in his right cheek which shows whenever he might deign to smile, adding a bit of rakishness to his character and further accenting his handsome appearance. Hair of a deep, dark brown is kept close cropped and parted to the right, slightly pommaded in the suave style favoured by men of the upper circles of society. Eyes of a deep serpentine look out with quiet scrutiny at the world and its particulars, drinking in all features and people with a careful analytic flair honed only in the Sardaukar.

He is dressed in flowing robes of state made from radiant purple damask and lined in ermine. These are clasped at his shoulder with a pin made from a brilliant Hagal quartz, the disc-shaped clasp the size of a fist. The robes have a high collar which accents his jawline and sweep gracefully from his massive shoulders. They are adorned with smaller shards of Hagal quartz, sewn into the ermine and hem of the garment ... all adornment and display echoing the millennia of tradition which reverberate through every fiber of this man, the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe.

Valis:

In his impeccably tailored gray Guild suit, with matching headgear and cravat, he's the very model of a Guild legate. His frame is slender, his hands slim and manicured and impossibly delicate. He's neither young nor old, clean shaven, pale as if he's spent all of his time under glowglobes. His eyes are limpid, watery brown, and his face is carven by deep smile-lines.

The Leonine Chamber -- Imperial Palace (Kaitain)

This chamber, one of the smaller audience chambers in the palace, is meant for more informal and private audiences. Its vast expanse reflects the leonine might and strength of House Corrino, their character perfectly personified in that most noble of animals. Floors of white marble are set with breath-taking frescoes of expertly-cut fireopal tesserae, their gentle orange glint causing the scenes of lions, several of which are devouring people and small children, to glint and seem to move. Walls of blackest onyx are engraved with majestic frescoes depicting scenes of Corrino history, its most noble exploits and rulers from the Battle of Corrin to the auspicious reign of Fredhrick XIX. The vaulted ceiling, rising high overhead, is a mesh of the other two themes, checkered in slabs of the same white marble and black onyx of floor and ceiling. Immense chandeliers are hung from its lofty height, their Hagal crystal shards chosen for lucidity and efficiency in diffusing light throughout the large chamber. In the centre of this all sits a dais and upon it rests a throne carved from one immense ruby, a fiery setting for a mighty Emperor. The brilliant royal seat glints in shades of vermillion and bright orange, strategically set to catch light from the chandeliers. Some smaller high-backed chairs are set upon the floor a few feet from the dais, this truly an informal and casual audience chamber in that it affords the greatest amount of convenience found in the entire palace ... the rare opportunity to be seated in the presence of the Padishah Emperor of the Known Universe.

Exits:

Golden Doors <SW> leads to Imperial Selamlik -- Imperial Palace (Kaitain)

Erich sits, frowning on his ruby throne, his lips twisted slightly as he bites on one corner of them. He is in his robes of state, though the bottom of the robes are slightly and curiously soiled with a light brown dirt. His eyes rise as you enter, his Noukkers parting and making way for the Guild delegation.

Valis strolls slowly into the chamber, his Guild aides bustling in behind him and taking up station about the room. He grins at the Emperor on the throne and offers a bow, a throwaway gesture, almost an afterthought, not making much of an effort to avert his eyes.

"Your Majesty!" he greets, warmly, gladly almost. "I don't believe we've been introduced. I am Legate Darrion Valis, lately appointed to Kaitain Sector and quite glad of it, let me tell you. I've been assigned to the tail end of Sigma Draconis Sector--have you ever been there? Believe you me, you don't want to go. There is simply nothing to do!" He runs a finger along the surface of the sidebar as if checking for dust. "They do roll up the streets at dusk every night!"

Erich sits up, a bit surprised, perhaps, at your demeanor. "Uh. I've only been in that Sector once before, Legate. T'was some time ago, I'm afraid." He shifts slightly in his seat, clearing his throat, "So, do tell me... to what do I owe this pleasure? We have been seldom graced by Guild representatives of late. I hope everything is ... in order?"

Valis presses, as he approaches the throne. "You do look tired, Majesty? Was I interrupting, yes?" He gestures to one of his aides, who makes a quick and functional show of opening a small case he's carrying.

Within are twin, finely made kindjals, which bear the filigreed initials of the Imperial twins. "A gift, from the Guild, Majesty. Upon the birth of your new heirs." He smiles, expectantly.

Erich looks up, a slight smile touching his face as he nods, swallowing. "Yes," he says softly, then more loudly, "Yes, how wonderful." He draws a deep breath, and smiles more broadly now, "How wonderful indeed for you to call upon me on such a joyous occassion..."

The aide slams closed the case, but Valis' face is still open. "Joyous, yes. How are the children, then? Doing well? And the lovely Empress, yes?"

Erich smiles and nods crisply, "Yes indeed. The children and their mother are both faring quite well, and I thank you for your thoughtful inquiry." He clears his throat, "In fact, I had been planning on announcing Corrin as heir to the Lion Throne."

Valis says, nodding, "Corrin? Of course. An excellent choice, of course. If he's half the man his father is, then he'll be twice the man that most other men are! May I seat myself, yes?" He takes a seat in one of the high backed chairs near the dais, not looking comfortably seated. "When were you planning to announce this, Majesty, if I might ask?"

Erich leans back slightly, pursing his lips, "I had thought that I would do so quite soon indeed..." His words are slow and careful.

Valis puts his hands together. "Excellent, Majesty! Excellent!" he says, approvingly. He crosses his legs, then uncrosses them.

Erich half smiles, and nods, "I thought it was ... appropriate. It seems as though a fitting heir ought to be named as soon as possible..."

The smile doesn't fail. "Yes, yes. Continuity must be maintained, of course, and disruption must be avoided. Yes?"

Erich smiles and nods, a bit uncomfortably, "Indeed, Legate. Stability is paramount." A brief pause, "Then shall I take your kind words as a Guild blessing upon this forthcoming announcement?"

Valis nods in agreement. "The Guild blesses what contributes to harmony and stability, Majesty,” he says, warmly. "As you know, stability our only goal."

Erich smiles and nods, "Well it would seem that this clearly contributes to our mutual goals then." He swallows once more in the awkward silence.

Valis says with excitement, "How grand that we are united in our goals, Majesty." He sets his palms together and holds his hands horizontally before him. "What's good for the Imperium is good for the Guild, I think, wouldn't you say?"

Erich nods slowly, his eyes upon the Legate, "Yes of course. I agree entirely." Still his words are slow and measured. Clearly he is not accustomed to this kind of interchange.

Valis nods. His face assumes the dour expression of one who simply cannot avoid delivering bad news. At a gesture, he's passed a portfolio from one of his aides, and he opens it, paging through it. But not saying a word.

Erich's jaw twitches and tightens at this. It was inevitable, a visit by a Guild legate is never good news... He draws a long breath through his nostrils, "There is something else you wish to discuss, legate?"

Valis shakes his head sadly as he regards the ledger. "Majesty, Majesty..." he exhales.

Erich's jaw tightens further, "Yes?" he asks, his voice soft but with the slightest waver audible in the tightness of his throat.

Valis passes the ledger to the Emperor. "Well, you'll see it's all in there, Majesty. Shipping manifests, transport records, life support expenditures, boarding, hospitality, officer staterooms, logistics expenses for men and materiel. Well." He does a little eye-roll. "Those Sardaukar do add up, don't they?" he says, almost chidingly, with a flourish of his fingers.

The ledger, on crisp gray Guild stationery, contains all the records of Guild transports of Corrino forces since Erich ascended the throne. Page after page of exhaustively detailed and itemized transports.

Erich bites on the corner of his lip, "Guild shipping costs are indeed expensive, legate..."

Valis says patiently, with a smile, "You see, Majesty, if you compare these records to the last fiscal century, it's simply--Well, as you've said, what's good for the Imperium is also good for the Guild. Stability must be maintained, yes?" He drums his fingers on his arm, and crosses his legs. "Well, the details are tedious, I'm sure, but the conclusion is inevitable, as much as it pains myself to tell you. But my superiors are nothing if not diligent, yes?" He grins and shrugs, sheepishly, the poor civil servant just following orders.

Erich asks after a long, pregnant pause, "Conclusion? You've given me no conclusion, legate..."

Valis examines his manicure. "The bottom line, Majesty, is on page 346, paragraph 16."

And there it is, indeed, under the part about the possible future devaluation of the solari due to increased CHOAM taxes on the periphery, labor shortages, projections of pyon underpopulation in the core worlds over the next 50 years, and other blah blah. A 21 percent surcharge in the cost of all Corrino transport for the next ten years.

Valis goes on, shaking his head and chuckling, "Oh, you should see the Accounting Department on Tupile, Majesty! A more tedious lot you've never seen, yes? I swear, the holiday parties are like funerals, and the funerals are like--well, you don't want to know what -they're- like."

Erich looks up grimly as he examines the news. His teeth gnash against themselves silently, but one can almost imagine the scraping that must echo through his head. After a long pause he says, tightly, "Surely there is... some way to mitigate this outrageous increase?"

Valis makes a show of looking wounded. "Outrageous? Majesty? Such strong words are surely uncalled for."

Erich takes a deep, shaky breath, his face flushing with anger. He repeats himself -- not something he does very often, "Surely there is some way to mitigate this ... substantial ... increase."

Valis says sadly, "If you examine the ledger closely, Majesty, and compare it to previous records given the Throne--you must forgive me, I don't have the citations, but I will make a point to supply them--you will agree, the increase is warranted. It becomes more and more of a challenge for the Guild to maintain revenues at their required level in this area. And with the projections of financial instability...well, what are we to do?" He shakes his head. "It's regrettable, but necessary. I do hope, however, this will not affect the warm personal relations that you and my predecessors have enjoyed previously?"

Erich frowns, "Financial instability?!?" he barks, "What such projections? Where do they come from?"

Valis exhales. "Our mentats, Majesty, and of course who can understand -them-? ...well, you see, their findings are all summarized in the ledger. I'm sure it's no reflection on you, of course, Majesty! We in the Guild have every confidence in you."

Erich clears his throat in a deep rumble. After a pause, he sucks in a quick breath and says, crisply, "Very well. I shall, of course, have my financial people look over these projections as well. I must say that I find this entire matter most unpleasant... but of course, as you say, what is good for the Imperium is good for the Guild." He leans back in his throne, "Hopefully your mentat-accountants have done their job well and have not overextended themselves. An Imperial army crippled and unable to move may prove a destabilizing factor..."

Valis smiles. Or smirks, perhaps. With this man, it's hard to tell the difference. "Stability is paramount, as you said, Majesty. Truer words were never spoken, if I may say so."

Erich's face is stony as he issues a crisp nod, "Is this the whole of it?" he asks through an exhalation.

Valis rises. "You may, of course, keep that copy of the ledger, Majesty," he says, expansively. "We have others."

Erich nods silently, "Of course," he murmurs.

Valis bows. "With your permission, Majesty...?" he says, indicating the door.

Erich nods and aimlessly gestures toward the door, "Yes..." he murmurs, already lost in thought, "By all means."

Valis smiles, toothily. "I wish you and the Empress and the new heir well, then, and will look forward to speaking with you again soon, then. I am, of course, your servant in all matters."

Valis turns and departs, his aides falling into silent step around him, the whole procession making almost not a sound.