Connect This Space Between

[Sanya Tagge]

“Your majesty.”

The sight of her Miranda Tarkin, up close, did unsettling things to Sanya. Her pulse quickened and a reckless part of her cried out for the chance to claim the Empress’s lips with a covetous kiss - but... no. They had spent too long apart, but there was little time for her to savour this moment of reunion, not in the way that she wanted to. Instead, the Baroness of Bespin was the picture of composure and Imperial hospitality.

“Governor Renkl.”

With some reluctance, Sanya pulled her attention away from the Empress to the woman at her side. She took in the clean, crisp lines of the Moff’s uniform, her smile, the slight lift of her chin. An unconscious reflex compelled Sanya to push her shoulders back, just a touch, as the curved bow of her lips mirrored the Governor’s.

“I had a somewhat challenging working relationship with your predecessor, but I’m certain that the two of us can accomplish great things together.”

Turning a fraction, she gestured towards the walkway that would lead them into the Administrator’s Palace.

“Please, come inside and we can discuss what brings you both to Cloud City today.”

[Miranda Tarkin]

"Thank you, Baroness."

Miranda stepped forward to walk alongside Sanya and invited Tatiana to join her on the opposite side. She appreciated the simple pleasantries of being near the baroness under the guise of protocol.

Her honor guard's stoicism broke as they began to follow alongside the trio of women in a protective formation.

"Renkl's given me a brief synopsis of her plans. They're bold."

She spared a shrewd glance towards Sanya.

"I know you appreciate boldness. As long as it's profitable for Cloud City. And this has the potential to do so with a collaborative, long term investment."

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana silently observed the interaction between the Empress and the Baroness, waiting for her time to be acknowledge with ease. She was grateful for the opportunity, and seized any moment to discuss business when available. Yet she was keenly used to polite pleasantries and socializing instants that eventually built up greater connections, which would all serve the Empire.

She nodded to the greetings and the remark about the previous Moff of the Greater Javin.

"So I understood," she replied crisply.

That wasn't a complaint about the Baroness at all. For what she had gathered her predecessor had had ideas; but his approaches and planning skills appeared lacking to the Moff. She had wondered whether he had ever got his hands dirty enough to understand the complexities and the extensive potential of a sector just as the one in which Cloud City dominated.

As she fell in step with the two other women, she bowed her head to the Empress's praise of her plans, before returning her attention to the Baroness.

"This is why I wanted my first official visit to Cloud City to provide time to speak with you, Baroness. Your significant experience administrating the City is relevant to the fine tuning of my plans, so we can move forward in the most efficient manner. As Her Majesty said, I have a rather long-term vista for both Cloud City and Tibannapolis, and then the sector at large."

There was no sugar-coating or ego-fluffing coming from Renkl. She called it as she saw it, and did want to do great work; but she understood that Cloud City included certain organizations that were not all the most legal around but that were tolerated for certain purposes. Beginning with the actual administrator remained the smartest plan though.

[Sanya Tagge]

“How fascinating,” Sanya said, smiling first at the Empress and then Tatiana. “I can’t wait to hear more.”

The walk to the Administrator's Palace was short and within moments a soundless turbolift carried the party to the higher levels of the tower, to an office with a panoramic vista of the sky. The walls were sparsely decorated, with only a few ornamental pieces that marked the space as Sanya’s: framed documents from her previous appointments; images of the Tagge family, including her father, during various graduation or passing out ceremonies, and one picture of Sanya and Miranda, along with other young Imperials, in their Sub-Adult Group uniforms. The furnishings were likewise minimal: a large, clutter-free desk; a selection of soft-furnishings in muted tones.

The guards needed no instruction, silent and discreet as they took their positions at the edges of the room. The Baroness Administrator came to a halt in front of her desk, turning to face the other two women.

“In the interest of efficiency, shall we get right to the point? What are your plans for my city, governor?”

[Miranda Tarkin]

Miranda's eyes passed across Sanya's office to see if anything had changed since she was last here and noticed little had - just a few decorative pieces. She clasped hands behind her back after Sanya addressed them and would silently observe the conversation for now. Yes she approved of what Tatiana had planned and already gave an endorsement of sorts arriving with the new governor, but it was Sanya's call.

Administrator and Governor had to come to a mutually agreed upon decision on what they felt was a proper vision for Cloud City and she was confident the two of them would mediate a conclusion that was profitable for both parties. Miranda's interest was now a simple facilitator and hear how Cloud City's future would unfold and would chime in when necessary.

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana took in the sights of the short walk to the Administrator's office, as well as the decoration of Tagge's sanctum. It fell in line with what she had read about the woman, as well as her insight from their brief interaction so far. The woman was efficiency incarnate, or so she appeared; but her results supported such a conclusion.

"We shall, Baroness," Tatiana replied without missing a beat.

Wasting time was not something she favored, and she appreciated others who partook in such efficient ways.

"You have consolidated Cloud City as a hub of trade and entertainment, blending the legal and the less legal for better profit for the Empire. I plan to carry on what my predecessor had hoped for, which is the rise of Tibannapolis as true twin city to your domain. It would be a remarkable business and industrial hub, that could help centralize dealings and supplies runs across the Greater Javin Sector. While Cloud City and Tibannapolis operate as decision centers, I am planning to support financial incentives for more industries to make the best of the many natural resources the sector as a whole possesses."

The way she spoke made it clear that she had studied it and crafted a plan based on a lot of thinking, for it was no simple rehearsed speech.

"Neutral organizations have been eying the sector, mostly thanks to your work in Cloud City, for several years, and these new plans would allow to have them establish themselves more permanently on imperial ground, where they have opportunities lacking elsewhere."

[Sanya Tagge]

“The… less legal?” Sanya’s chin lifted, a slight wrinkle forming between her eyebrows. “I am keen that Cloud City and the wider sector should prosper, but not at the expense of our adherence to the Imperial Charter, Governor Renkl. All businesses operating within the city must do so within the bounds of Imperial law.”

The Baroness sat down, perched on the edge of her desk, with one leg crossed over the other.

“I assume, based on your proposal, that you already have enterprises in mind who might benefit from your… incentives?”

[Miranda Tarkin]

Miranda quirked a brow at the governor's bold statement with regards to illegal dealings, insinuating that Sanya had a hand in overseeing it. Back aboard the ship, Tatiana had commented that Cloud City's illegal dealings had made the community here prosper, but to phrase it so plainly was either brilliance or arrogance. Tatiana would need to explain herself because Imperial interests were always legal on the surface. Attempting to cement a new relationship by suggesting otherwise this early was premature.

Eyes on Sanya, she nodded with agreement and waited patiently beside the desk to hear Tatiana's response

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana didn't flinch at the Baroness's response, for it was much expected. Under other circumstances, and especially with different audiences, she would have chosen a different wording; but the current meeting made her bold statement possible. She remained a paragon of pristine politeness.

"Without your overseeing, Cloud City would risk being overrun by the underworld. As much as the Empire's best interest is always our agenda, relying on hired aid can make or break a situation."

There was no shroud of mystery over how Tatiana's family and the imperial loyalists had hired mercenaries and bounty hunters to squash the civil war that had happened on Virgillia 7 years ago, when the Moff was much younger. That was how she had learned that thinking outside the box could be a life-changer.

"We have no reason to be lenient towards any threat; but it would be a shame not to use all resources available on Cloud City. If we tolerated nothing unusual but useful, Cloud City wouldn't be so attractive, nor remain a beacon of imperial power, especially thanks to the Tagges."

She wasn't flattering the Baroness; but was saying it as she saw it. And really, what she saw in terms of success for the City was Sanya Tagge's hard work more than what the previous Moff had directly done.

"This is why it is time to expand to Tibannapolis and consolidate the development of the Greater Javin Sector."

She produced a datacard from her breast pocket and slid it on the Baroness's desk.

"You will find a list of companies I have in mind. Some already have local business agreements and practices; but others rarely operate around. Also attached are details regarding why they will see potential in building greater ties with this sector, and consider Tibannapolis a solid base of operations for some of their trade."

[Sanya Tagge]

Taking the data card to hand, Sanya appraised the list with a cursory glance.

“My brother ought to look at this,” she said, looking for a moment to the Empress. “TaggeCo may wish to acquire some of these businesses.”

Eyes shifting back to Tatiana, the Baroness offered a tight smile.

“Providing our mining operations are not disrupted, I see no reason why Tibannapolis should not thrive as Cloud City does.”

[Miranda Tarkin]

A smile crossed her lips at the mention of Gallus. He may want to cut out the middle man and purchase businesses as Sanya suggested to make the expansion easier. It would give him a new little project and if both Miranda and Sanya approached him on a united front, he usually just agreed to whatever they asked to make them happy.

"Have you ran the numbers on potential disruptions and how to work around them when developing the area?"

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana nodded to Tagge's observation about her brother. She had expected it a likely possibility.

"This could streamline the process; and some of these businesses are flourishing but could be regrouped in a more efficient way."

She turned her attention to the Empress again, when another question was asked. She appreciated that the imperial ruler also pushed for more details, once again proving her interest in the well-being on the Empire, even when it wasn't a direct or consistent involvement that normally was handled at other levels of the imperial hierarchy.

"Yes. Projections were made on a three, five, and ten years schedules."

She looked back at the Baroness.

"These numbers will of course be fine-tuned; but the numbers were ran by two different teams before compilation."

She trusted that Tagge would want to check things for herself and provide valuable input; but having a basis from which to work had seemed like the smartest way to go.

[Sanya Tagge]

Sanya had no doubt that the Governor’s numbers had been thoroughly checked. The Empress herself would not have escorted Tatiana Renkl to Bespin if she was not a woman to be trusted. Still, in spite of that ringing endorsement, protocol dictated that Sanya would have the calculations checked later. It was no slight against Tatiana, merely a necessary precaution that all servants of the Empire took. Even the smallest oversight could lead to catastrophe, after all. Putting such grim thoughts of the past aside before they cast a cloud over her, Sanya set down the datapad on the desk beside her.

“How soon do you hope to begin all of this, Governor?”

[Miranda Tarkin]

"We chatted a little before our arrival and I would wager a few months to lay the ground work," Miranda offered. "Renkl has quite the tour here and in Tibannapolis to pull interest."

It was going to be a long, daunting, task speaking on behalf of her vision but if the moff could get enough on board, others would follow. Things could be expedited once Gallus was brought on and started acquiring businesses. Perhaps even the ones that may not entirely be convinced that this future would be beneficial for them. They could force agreement.

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana nodded to both the Empress and the Baroness Administrator when the Imperial leader said it would likely be a matter of several months.

"Indeed Your Highness," she confirmed before returning her attention to the blonde.

"I have several diplomatic visits throughout the sector planned for the upcoming months, which will provide time to ensure that all primary actors for this new project are on board."

She took the expansion of her duties very seriously in the Greater Javin Sector; but she was not going to neglect Koradin either.

"Some of my close collaborators have already been in contact with their counterparts in this sector as to make the transition as smoothly as possible, given the amount of worthy Imperial already looking over the Greater Javin."