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(7.3) At the Dinner Table
(7.3) At the Dinner Table
Estate of Freiherr von Richthofen
Core World of Jumus
Second Reich of Humanity
January 3rd, 1938
Family? I believe that it is family that helps shape us in to the people we are today. My mother and father loved me so much. The time I spent with my mother and father are some of my most treasured memories I hold. It was through the upbringing of my family which made me, the man I am today. But that is not all that shaped me. I recall one late spring, a human family moved in not far from my house. They were the only humans in our neighborhood and I knew it would be hard on them. The family had two girls and their parents were not as loving and caring as mine were. I recalled how the other kids used to pick on the two sisters all the time. They were younger than me so I felt that I had to help protect them from the bullies of the neighborhood. I was the first one to reach out and befriend them. That summer was filled with so much fun and adventures. The kind of fun and adventures that only kids can find. I showed these two human sisters a degree of kindness that they had never seen before. At the end of the summer they had to move away for reasons that I didn't know. But before they left, the oldest one, Amy asked me, “Why?” I could only reply with, this is how I was raised to treat everyone. To treat everyone with the same love and kindness that God offers me.
exert: I, Citizen Murl
Among all of the nobles within the Reich and most likely beyond, Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen is the oldest and of a class of men that will not walk the stars again. Born over a hundred years ago, Manfred's frame shows the signs of his age as he set at the table with a pleasant smile across his cheeks. His dress uniform still sort of fit him if not slightly larger due to the loss of mass from his advanced age. What was left of his near white hair was properly tended to and his military hat placed with all the care of a honored veteran on a table near the main entrance to the dinning room. He was the first to take his seat at the head of the table. Though not by choice, it was both his wife and daughter who demanded that he sit instead of assisting with the final preparations. Manfred's aptitude was of that of a simple man with a zeal for telling stories of battles long past. With little to do as large plates poured from the kitchen in the next room, Manfred smiled as he told his stories to the party.
Across the room his beloved wife, of nearly half his own life, was scolding their adoptive daughter, a light bluish Twi'lek by the name of Numa, for interrupting a story with commentary on the current state of politics within the Reich. Numa was a bit of a strange woman compared to her adoptive family. Just over a year ago, Numa was a simply server/slave at a local bar on the Reich world of Tra'is. She was the sad property of a rather hateful human named, Onjo. Numa was having a rather hard night at work when she finally made that last mistake that almost cost her her own life. Faced with death, Manfred stepped in and convinced Onjo to sell her to him. While Onjo claimed the “Old loon bought a broken slave for a rip off.” It was clear that Manfred had other ideas regarding the sell. By legal right Manfred owned the Twi'lek and had no other obligations for her care. Instead he took her in to his home and treated her as part of his family. Less then a year ago, Numa didn't speak any language other than human. Nor could she read or write. It was Manfred that insisted that she push herself to learn and become educated. She had a long road still to travel before she could be considered educated, but she was well on that path. At first Numa looked at Manfred as just another owner that she had no choice but to serve. Fast forward months, Numa now turned to her father and softly apologized. In her eyes, the truth was clear. She found in him something she never had before, a father that she could trust, respect, and most of all, love. Her love for them both was very clear in her eyes.
Vula von Richthofen was a sharp contrast to both Numa and Manfred. Born on Vandor III, she was born with a platinum spoon in hand. Being the first cousin to the former Emperor Meinrad Quee, she could have chosen any one to be her suitor. With encouragement from Emperor Quee, she choose a man whom she had early labeled to be brash, pig-headed and unwashed. Statements which Manfred enjoys still picking on her about to this very day. She still rebuttals with, “You are still pig-headed and brash. At least I was able to clean you up some.” Vula spent most of her time walking the halls of the Palace and enjoying life among the Imperial Court. As the Emperor and his wife took to the Stars, it was Vula who was asked to tooter the young Crown Princess Roswitha. The two became very close and formed a well known relationship throughout the Imperial Court. Vula tells such wonderful stories of a young bright and promising Roswitha. So full of thirst for knowledge and experience. “Teaching the young would be Empress while her mother and father were tending to state affairs was the highlight of my life.” Vula explained, “You would know when this child would come in to the room. The entire room would just light up and everyone would know she was there. How she would cause the Palace Guards so much hassle as they chased her up and down the halls. She would laugh the entire time while they gave pursuit.”
For most of their pleasant lives, the couple lived a very public life on Vandor III till the death of Emperor Meinred Quee. Roswitha had just turned seventeen and her older brother was nineteen when both their parents were killed in a tragic accident. What fallowed next was not uncommon for the Reich. A secret bloody fight for the right to rule the Reich. The deck, like in most cases were well stacked in Roswitha's favor but still her brother Ganner made that lunge for the Throne. The short but very violent conflict for the Reich thrown between bother and Crowned sister erupted around the von Richthofens. The morning that the Crown Princess surrendered the Crown to her brother showed in Vula's eyes as a memory filled with pain and anguish. What she refuses to speak about is written across her face, guilt. It is Manfred that relieves her of the spotlight during that painful story saying only, “It was a dark time for all in the galaxy. Choices were made in the heat of the moment that can not be undone. Dwelling on things of the past only keeps the pain alive today.” Still as Vula returns to the kitchen with Numa, the tears on her aged face were clear. Manfred concluded Vula's story of the family's history with, “After that night, we moved from Vandor III back to my families main estate on Tra'is. Vandor for us, in so many ways had changed.”
Manfred was not only the leader of the Emperor's personal bodyguards, he was a close and dear friend to the Emperor of the Reich of Humanity. Manfred told of how the Emperor before he was Emperor, loved to fly. That was how the two of them met, Manfred explains, “We were in combat over Caamas.” he said turning to Makaw Y'drit, “Back then, Caamas belonged to the Free Worlds Council. We meant to change that back then” he turned to the rest of the group, “But the Free Worlds Council had other ideas regarding the future ownership of Caamas. They had us out numbered and flanked and our transports were being forced to withdraw. My squadron were just given orders to pull back and cover the transports. Our invasion was floundering and at a point of failure. That was when I spotted this lone fighter with four enemy fighters on his tail. There was no other friendly fighters in the area expect for us. I radioed back to our support ships that I was breaking ranks and was going to save that fighter. We fought through the lines and rescued that pilot. I said we should turn back and return back to our lines. He than told me no, we had to break the enemy's lines or the invasion was over. I told him it was already over and he just said to trust him.” Manfred smiled as he looked around, “What was I do to? So many had been lost already, but there was something in his voice. I didn't know who this guy was, but the markings on his wing said he was a wing commander. So he outranked me, but there was more to it than that.”
Manfred nodded, “I told the pilot, that I would follow him in to hell if he could break these lines. So he led my group of nine fighters right in to the mouth of hell. The enemy didn't expect us to be able to slip past their lines and hit their support craft. There must have been some communication mix up, because after the battle we were told that the Council Admiral had been told that the ten attack fighters far to his rear were ten capital warships. Now he thought he was outflanked and knew that if his fleet was lost here, than that left Alderaan open for attack as well. The Council Admiral till the day he died would swear that the reason why he withdrew from Caamas was because the Reich outflanked him with ten or more warships. I tell you this, it was only us ten fighters with light weapons hitting his support craft, not warships. Sure there were allot of bright explosions but our bark was much worse than our bite. It was the very first time that fighters were used against any kind of ships. Before that day, you had spotters and dog fighters like ours. Mainly we were just used to hunt down the spotter planes” Manfred laughed, “If it wasn't for the fact that many of the support craft in the rear areas of the battle were much older, we wouldn't have been very successful.”
“After that battle did I learn who that pilot was. By this time I had already had two names for myself. The more common Red Baron which I am known by across the lines, and the not so common Red Waver.” Manfred laughed, “I would submit wavers for my squadron from their normal assignments to train on counter ship operations. See fighters are the future of naval warfare, and I knew it. Yes fighters are good craft but they were being under utilized. At least that is how I saw it. My superiors however saw things differently. The Red came from the large red 'denied' stamped across those wavers. The young Crown Prince knew me as the Red Baron, but soon learned of my not so common nickname. We joked and laughed about it in a small bar, um...by the name...um...ah.... Adventures' Tavern. Thats right, I remember the name now. Anyway, we joked about it and he asked me, if I really thought that a lone fighter could destroy a capital warship. I told the Crown Prince, with the right training, supporting doctrines, and fighter design, hell yes. We set out from that day forward working together building the Reich's Naval Air Arm. It was one thing to be the son of a nobleman and Naval Lieutenant, still no one would listen to you. But when you have the support of the Crown Prince, that is something completely different. I used small napkins to draw out my ideas of warships designed to carry fighters in to combat. Not fighter hitching rides on warships. I showed how much more flexible a large number of fighters are in handling a number of different situations over warships.”
“After three bottles of spirits and god knows how many napkins, I had laid out my entire idea of a Naval Aviation Arm to him. There on a round table in the center of this bar, the Crown Prince of the Reich and a naval lieutenant set looking down at the plans for the current Reich navy that is sweeping the Galaxy right now. Ship concepts, fighter ideas, tactics and even new ideas on different kind of weapons for the fighters. These plans were never meant to be used like this though. He and I shared another vision of the galaxy, that looked more like the Republic of old. These new plans were meant to help that vision come in to being by defending the concepts of democracy, not used to destroy them. A bar maid walked up and the Crown Prince waved her off as he lifted his eyes to mine” Manfred said drawing in the party to his story, “He said, we can do this. We can change the way wars are fought and force everyone to sit up and take notice. Then we can open up talks on the Republic. Once they started to realized the shift doctrine, the Republic would have to be born. And what is best of all, there doesn't even have to be any bloodshed. There in that bar, I knew I found the one man who very well could set the ground work for rebuilding the Republic. Which was the most important dream I have ever had.” Manfred ended his story, but not without explaining that while they did spend most of their lives working on setting the ground work for the Republic. Both realized that if the Republic was to be lasting, that it would take much longer than they realized. That was why both men made a secret pack to ensure that they would choose one from each of their families that would carry on their work after their deaths. He explained that secrets would be entrusted in both that they both would need to complete this work.
A pair of Zabraks who were also helping set the table came in. They are not members of the family, they are Alk and Zif Trop. Alk, would explain that he and his wife were attempting to flee the area as war was breaking out in the region. They were on world teaching at the local University, loaned from their own university back on Nubia. While Nubia is a Reich friendly world, they were not part of the Reich directly. Alk explains that as they were at the spaceport waiting for their transport home a few months ago when their bags were stolen by a pair of thieves. He tried to pursue them but they got away. Their bags and all of their travel documents and citizenship documents were gone. They tried to explain to the spaceport security, but because they lacked any identification, they were forced to leave the spaceport. Later that day while attempting to walk back to the University, they were stopped by a police patrol. When they couldn't provide any identifying documents and a touch of short temper from Alk, they were now faced with being arrested. It was then when Manfred came in to their lives. Alk said that they all were surprised when this crazy old man walked up to them yelling at the top of his lungs about where his underwear was and why Alk and his wife was not looking for them. Alk said with almost a hint of shock still left over from the moment, Manfred had the nerve to poke the officer in the chest with his cane and accused him of having his underwear.
It was then when Zif took over the story, explaining that Manfred had took her by the arm before anyone could even react to his first appearance. Telling the police officer that if it was true that the police officer did not have Manfred's underwear, then why was he holding up his two servants from locating the missing underwear. She drew laughs as she explained this frail old man who had clearly proven to everyone, including her that he was completely insane, stepped right in to the officer's face. She said that Manfred actually accused not only the officer but also his three partners of being in a conspiracy of denying Manfred of his underwear. Manfred went as far as threatening to disrobe and prove that the items were in fact missing. It was then that she took the old man by the arm gently as the police officers ordered both her and Alk to take their Master home. She almost blushed as she admitted that she found the situation as humorous looking back as everyone else did. She also added that Manfred had to have the last words saying, “I know the Emperor and I know you have my underwear! I want to see what you are wearing, drop those pants and show me which one of you is wearing my underwear!”
She waits to continue as the party enjoys the laugh as Manfred demonstrates the performance which rescued Alk and Zif from what could have been a very ugly situation. She explains that that was so long ago, and Manfred had arranged travel back home to Nubia. But a few weeks ago, they discovered that she was with child. Because of the large risks due to the conflicts, Alk felt it was safer for her to have the child here. Zif laughed as she doubted her beloved husband's motives, “I felt it was more because Manfred is a walking history book which my husband can't put down.” She explained that they were both teachers in history and even she admitted that being around Manfred excited her. “Some of the things that he saw were never recorded in history. I can not blame him” she said speaking of her husband. Still, she wishes they could leave and return home. She has no problems with the Reich in general, but ever since Emperor Ganner took the throne, the Reich has become a place she would rather avoid. Still, she is humbled by Manfred's hospitality, she explains as she helps Numa and Vula in bringing out the last of the dishes for dinner. She had never met a human more open and willing to give of himself so much to those in need.
With the last of the dishes comes the king and queen of the kitchen. The equally aged human female, Lara Baskalar and her middle aged son, Fynn. The Baskalar family had been loyal servants of the von Richthofen family back when they were just married back on Vandor III. Lara explains that her husband Jek and their youngest daughter Mar were off in the village picking up the weekly shopping list, and offers this as a reason as to why they will not be joining them for dinner. Lara is a soft spoken woman who remembers the family the way they were back on Vandor III. “You know, he is still something of a looker today. But back in his prime, you couldn't find a young woman or married woman that were not eying him. She would like to deny it, but even Lady Vula blushed when he walked in to the room. I recall that it was the Emperor who ensured that they found each other. Even with all of his looks, his heart belonged to her. He never once in all their years, strayed from her.” Lara would pleasantly explain the marriage between Manfred and Vula. She explained how the couple first met. The way she tells the story leads the listener to feel that Manfred was the Emperor of the entire Reich and she was to be his queen. Because he was head of the Royal Bodyguards, she explained, duty took him away from Vandor and her so many times and for so long. Still, Lady Vula had fallen in love as much as he had with her, their marriage was strong. Even during the harshest of times.
In private, she will tell of their darkest hours. They had a son named, Quinlan. Manfred was so proud of his son who joined the Naval Aviation Arm in his father's footsteps. One didn't see it, but Lara knew that Manfred had these feelings for his son. During the conflict between the Crown Princess and her brother, Quinlan was home on leave before his first assignment. Manfred was off world at the site where the Emperor had died. He was rushing home, knowing what was going to happen. He contacted Vula and warned her to keep away from the Palace. However it was too late, she was heading to see the Crown Princess for her daily lesson. The fighting hadn't broken out yet and word of the Emperor's death wasn't even released yet. There was no way Vula could have known what was about to happen. She had brought Quinlan with her at the last moment. Quinlan and the Crown Princess had grown close during the years. Lara doesn't know what happened that morning during the fighting, but she does know that Vula had been returned home by palace guards along with the body of Quinlan. Lara remembers the blood and things she would rather not consider all over the front of Vula's dress. Lara recalled that dark night Vula crying asking why she had to choose. It was a very long night for everyone in the von Richthofen household. Lara tells the story of holding Vula most of the night as the grown woman cried.
Manfred arrived in the mid evening back on Vandor III. By the time Manfred arrived on Vandor III it was over. Quinlan had been shot at point blank rage in the back of the head. The Crown Princess had surrendered and Emperor Ganner was crowned. He ordered that they were leaving Vandor III at once. It was a hasty departure as Manfred demanded that anything that they couldn't carry would be left behind. None of it was stolen, and they did get all of it back. The estate on Vandor still belongs to the family but Manfred refuses to return to Vandor. He says that Vandor is no longer a world that he would be able to call home. Lara explains that before Emperor Ganner came to power, there was so much life in the Reich. “Not many speaks about it anymore. But there was this sense of hope and promise. Now, most of the civilians walk around refusing to speak about it as if it was a someone who had passed.” She told of how the Emperor Meinred would give speeches of a broad and wonderful future. “Do you know of the Talasea Sector? Its the region of space between the Reich and the Shana'Duna.”
She explained how while they lived on Vandor, that it was Emperor Meinred who went to each of those worlds to talk to them. Not like past Emperors had done, he went to talk with them about their needs. Manfred always went with the Emperor on these trips. “He wont talk about them, but I think he was more of an influence on those talks than anything our Emperor had said.” Lara smiled with pride, “Emperor Ganner might have conquered hundreds of worlds in such a short time. Other Emperors have done that too. Emperor Meinred, he won the hearts and minds of hundreds of worlds with only a hand shake and listening skills. Now that is what a Real Emperor can do.” It is clear in her statements that her support for Ganner is only skin deep. More importantly, speaking as a commoner, she claims her views are not uncommon among the commoners either. Still the party felt it wise not to take Lara's story at face value till they could confirm some aspects of it. They needed some more information and Angel was selected to confirm parts of the story.
Angel slipped away from the dinner table just before everyone was to be seated. She made her way to the back deck of the house and contacted Xan back on the ship. She explained what Lara told them of the 'Talasea Sector' and of Emperor Meinred's actions there. Xan confirmed the reports, the Free Worlds Council had many trade treaties with those worlds for years prior to that. Than one by one they simply didn't renew the treaties. As more and more worlds seemed to switch their loyalties to the Reich, the Council found themselves losing in a war that they never thought that they would ever have to face. A war for the hearts and minds of worlds who knew just what the Reich was. The Council had did their best to protect their influence in the region with some success, but the tide was changing. Xan does confirm that the Reich had shown a change in their normal philosophies once Emperor Meinred took the throne and that that change was almost completely undone once Emperor Ganner succeeded Emperor Meinred. Xan looked deep in to his datapad and found something largely unknown. The week before his untimely death, Emperor Meinred was to make a historical trip to Jagga Two. The trip never happened due to the mine accident.
While Angel was outside speaking with Xan, Makaw was able to strike up a conversation with Manfred about his rescue of Alk and Zif. Makaw asked if Manfred was scared of his trick not working. Manfred smiled and shook his head, “No, I was not scared. It was not a trick. I was looking for my underwear.” he said with a laugh and brought laughter once more to the table. He held up his hand, “No, a long time ago. I saved the Crown Prince's life. For this act of bravery, the Emperor of the time marked me.” he said showing a large unmistakable tattoo of the seal of the Reich. “I could walk up to anyone and shot them dead and no one short of the Imperial Guards could do anything about it. That is why they keep bothering me. Because they know what I am doing here and there is nothing they can do to stop it.”
Makaw couldn't help but ask, “what are you doing here?”
Manfred smiled, “Helping those who want to flee to the Talasea Sector, get out.”
It was Zif who spoke next, “This is history in the making, my friends. No one could ever ask for a better seat.”
[i][b]Narrator's note: If anyone would like to host a conversation between any of the NPC's in this intermission, then please feel free. Here are the rules, you set the stage of when and where you would like to have this conversation. Rather it is taking place before dinner, during dinner (around everyone) or after dinner (more private). Please note where you would this conversation to take place, IE Dinning Room, Living Room, Study, Kitchen, ect, ect.
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