Blurred Sides (COMPLETE)

7.3.3

After surveying the surrounding land of the building, the Sister made her way to the center of the building to the main security deck. A few guards tried to stop her, but a bit of intimidation moved them out of her way. She analyzed all of the current security footage and deduced that if anything would try to stop the negotiations, she wouldn't see it on the cameras. She would have to use the Force to keep an eye on possible intruders.

She let herself into the conference room, a large and spacious hall prepared for the long meeting ahead. No one else was there yet, so she stood in the back corner and pulled out her lightsaber to examine it.

Nothing was wrong, but she knew it would reiterate her standing impression on the Vancorians. She didn't think the Separatist Council would be a problem. If anything, they, or at least Viceroy Gunray, liked her too much. They seemed to think that her presence was a sign of Darth Sideous' favor when she was really there to make sure nothing went wrong, from their end or the Vancorian end. Not to mention there was always the possibility of a rogue Jedi trying to stop the negotiations.

The Sister's comlink beeped suddenly, and she answered it immediately. The only people who had access to her com-code were people that she needed to be in contact with, which meant only Grievous, Tyrannus, and Sideous had it.

Tyrannus' bearded hologram projected from her wrist. Probably nothing fatal, then.

"Darth Tyrannus, what do you need from me?"

"I want a report. My master has returned to Coruscant again, and he let me know to contact him when the negotiations are complete."

"They have not started, your excellency," she replied. "Neither the Council members nor the Vancor representatives are ready to begin."

Tyrannus looked down, consulted a screen, most likely, and looked back to her. "My master has become impatient and has given new instructions to you. You are to speed up the negotiations by whatever means necessary. He wants the allegiance on Vancor finalized no later than tomorrow afternoon."

The Sister ran a few numbers through her head. Initially, the negotiations were supposed to last two, maybe even three rotations. She would have to force the meeting to run faster than that.

"It won't be pretty, but I will make sure that it is done."

"Are you sure that you can accomplish this? Politicians tend to move quite slowly, as per my experience."

"As in mine, your excellency, but I imagine they will talk much faster with a lightsaber to their neck." The Sister smiled. The Sith returned the grin and closed off the connection. She looked up and saw the Vancor politicians from earlier standing in the doorway, and her grin grew. This was going to be fun.

"Take a seat, all of you," she instructed, destroying the political hierarchy in six words. "There's been a change in plans."

They scurried to their assigned seats as the Council members followed them in. San Hill spoke up as he took his seat, much less rattled than the Vancorians. "A change in plans? May I ask what you mean?"

Again, with the niceness. What favor would they earn from treating her so well? "Darth Sideous has given explicit instructions that the negotiations must be concluded by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Your timeline has been narrowed to one rotation."

"One rotation?" Emir Wat Tambor repeated. "We were supposed to be given at least two!"

"And now you have one. I suggest you get started," she said menacingly.

"Yes, we shall begin," said Gunray. "Let us-"

"We can't finish the negotiations in one rotation!" exclaimed one of the Vancorians. "It's not possible!"