Oh god extracting this was a hassle but oh so worth it. I was not about to rewrite this.
---
Museum of Failures
Raith was not a sentimental man. Not at all. It was one of the least things about him. But his museum, oh it was something special to him. Walking its halls at night, looking over the two thousand exhibits in the collection, remembering his accomplishments and inspirations... It was one of the few luxuries and pleasures he took for himself. But more than that, this was his sanctum.
He wasn't talking about the public Sienar Museum. Not some vapid tourist trap exulting his family's successes that ignored true intellectual depth. No, this was his
personal museum, located a kilometer below his company's Coruscant holdings. A few holograms about his personal success, sure, but the bulk of it was a monument to his competitors' failures. Every failed starship design, ineffective droid, or collapsed project he could get his hands on got smuggled here. The challenge of finding ways to bypass customs without resorting to the underworld had long lost its charm. He had simply learned all the ins and outs at this point. It reminded him of his corporate espionage days, when he'd hop around every major starship company to learn from and experience his future competitors. Raith didn't consider himself some scoundrel, but he certainly had the past of one, if not the personality.
Raith was, frankly, the most brilliant engineer in the galaxy. Were there other so-called claimants? Certainly. But weeds will always grow to strangle the greater plants. And what greater way to chop his rivals down to size than to take their failures into his own successes? Some projects he turned into profit, such as every failed stealth drive (he could devote an entire hall to those). Others he turned into objects for personal use. His personal droid guards took inspiration from a fair few exhibits, as did something as mundane as his office chair. But most? Most he did nothing with. He crafted solutions not so much for use, but just to prove he could. So what if he was the only one who would ever see some of them? Raith wasn't interested in flattery. He got enough of it anyway.
Raith wanted - wait, what was that? Ah, the foul stench of a lesser man entering. Tarkin had finally arrived.
"Wilhuff, you wanted to meet?" He greeted the gaunt and grim man. As if Raith didn't already have his suspicions as to why. There were only so many things Tarkin would insist on an in-person meeting for, rather than a simple holo.
"Indeed, thank you for arranging this so quickly. I know you're a busy-"
"Think nothing of it," Raith interjected, "There's a war going on Wilhuff, I know you can only manage a few days on Coruscant before you're shipped out again." Tarkin hmphed an acknowledgement.
"I'm surprised you chose to meet here, I thought you always preferred to keep this place for yourself," Tarkin remarked for an attempt at small talk. Their friendship had... strained ever since Zonama Sekot.
"It's not like you've never been here before," referencing the time that Tarkin planted a
tracker on Raith. Though honestly, Raith was more embarrassed that he failed to find it than anything else. "I had a new addition to make anyways. May as well be efficient about it."
"Another? One of the Confederacy's failed projects, perhaps?" Tarkin queried. Raith shook his head, "No, nothing such as that. Just an old HK model that had recently been dug up."
"I wasn't aware that any of the HK's were failures. I thought they all performed phenomenally, which is why the Republic banned them."
Raith grinned. "True, but in the end they were all failures, except for the one. The best minds of the era couldn't come up with a model that could compare to Revan's, no matter how hard they tried."
Tarkin frowned, "They were still successful in their primary purpose, and certainly more easily mass-produced if the tales of Revan using the Force to build HK-47 are true."
Raith's mouth twitched at Tarkin's words. Mass production was
not a quality to praise. It strangled progress to sell subpar products. There was a reason why men and women dreamed of owning a Raith Sienar Original rather than some generic Correllian frigate. "HK-47 orchestrated the destruction of all of his HK-50 and 51 brethren. When Czerka attempted their knock-off 51 models, they programmed them so poorly that the assassination protocols would degrade over time. When the Sith Empire tried once more to replicate the model, the 'Imperial Shock Droids' were better than the standard front line soldier, certainly. But then they were destroyed by a single special forces trooper. Efficacy is meaningless if you do not innovate and improve. They only moved backwards."
Tarkin quickly grasped Raith's intentions, "I know you tinker with droids, Raith, but I always thought your ambitions lay with starcraft."
"They do, but the HK models present a challenge. To parallel the unparalleled, well, I know you understand the feeling, Wilhuff." Raith desired a bit more than the pride of surpassing Revan's creation, but Wilhuff hardly needed to know that. And certainly wouldn't expect it.
"I suppose I do. I hope you're successful one day. I'd certainly like to see what such a droid could do." Ah, Tarkin. As unsubtle as always.
Raith nodded, "I'm certain that droid will be useful for the cause."
"Indeed, which as I'm sure you know is why I'm here."
"Of course, what services do you require? Something interesting, I hope."
"Unfortunately no. For now, simply the Republic contracts will do. I'm asking about a recent project you completed; a set of courier ships for Ciaran."
"Yes, I remember. I rarely get such an interesting order."
"We need the schematics for them. A full understanding of their capabilities and vulnerabilities."
Raith arched his eyebrow in a fake surprise, "Really? For Lady Ciaran? Wilhuff, I understand your distaste for non-humans, but she's a humanitarian. An influential one, certainly, but her military capabilities are a trifle compared to what the Republic can field."
"Oh, I have no doubt that we can easily do the galaxy a favor and do away with her after we declare the new Order. However, she's become...
meddlesome in our affairs."
"Wilhuff, do you mean she's found out?" Raith alarmingly asked.
"No, no. Nothing suggests that. She may discover something eventually, but she's yet to take direct action against us. She's still dealing with you, is she not?"
"True, but my involvement in the cause is rather removed. She could easily overlook my support for your plans."
Tarkin considered it for a second, though Raith suspected it was just for show, "Perhaps, Raith, but we've detected no increase in Abyss Watcher activity against us."
"You've already admitted that she is able to interfere with your plans; you may not detect her moves against you. She is, after all, very good at what she does."
"She's
lucky," Tarkin said with scorn, "She too has grand designs for the galaxy, but at her core she is a barkeep. She will not outdo men of quality."
"Except she has, has she not? That is why you are here, Wilhuff. With only a month's effort, Ciaran brought the entire war to a screeching halt at Caamas. Since then, the CNS has swelled to become a near complete buffer between Republic space and the Separatists. She's turned Taris - a planet she effectively owns - into the up and coming economic hub of the Rim, and more recently she's swept the Intergalactic Banking Clans into her fold, solidifying the economic gains she's made. She has brought new meaning to war-profiteering. It's all rather impressive," Raith aimed to puncture a hole in Tarkin's speciesism for once. It was the only way to actually get where he wanted with the man.
"Raith, are you becoming sympathetic to the Miralukan?" Tarkin responded measurably. His accusation was little short of treason, after all.
"Certainly not. Lady Ciaran is hardly somebody we can trust to bring order to the galaxy. I wish to know where we stand with her, however. I rarely receive updates on the efforts of you and your partners," he calmly responded, "If she
has severely altered our efforts, I wish to know."
Tarkin waited a moment. "We care little about her getting rich. They can be robbed. She is becoming a problem to the war. As you said, between her ceasefire and the CNS' expansion, fighting the Separatists will become quite difficult. Her seizure of the banking clans both prevents us from doing the same, and now any loans the Republic wishes to take out must come through her. Then there is the matter of the CNS itself. Its economy is becoming self-sustaining. The Mandalorians are rebuilding their army while the galaxy watches on. Ciaran has been upgrading her personal military resources, most recently with your designs. It is only a matter of time before she sets her organization's military minds to getting the forces of the CNS in order, and they will be aided by the Bothans no doubt. The CNS is hardly going to be able to compete with the Republic or Separatists on its own, but if she follows this path then the CNS forces could tilt the balance of the war. We don't expect it to happen - the Duchess is far too pacifistic - but the threat of it is the obstacle. Nevertheless, the plan is continuing forward quite well on all other fronts, but Ciaran is becoming more difficult to stop. The CNS economy is too strong for us to attack her finances, and our attempts to expose her illicit activities have somehow completely failed."
He paused for a second, "We will succeed; there is hardly any doubt of that, but Ciaran is delaying our timetable. We will need to infiltrate the CNS to advance our cause now, and so we shall, but it will take more time."
"And you shall eliminate Lady Ciaran from the playing field?" Raith asked, seeking confirmation. He stared down Tarkin. He heard the conflict in Tarkin's voice.
There's another catch, Wilhuff, isn't there?
"Perhaps. We are of two minds on the matter. One is to simply eliminate her, the other is to better account for her. Perhaps even use her in some fashion," It did not take any real intellect to know Tarkin's opinion on the matter, "Either way, the designs of her ships will help us. And so, I require you give them to me."
"Of course, Wilhuff. Thank you for informing me of the situation. Come, I happen to have the plans stored on site," Raith gestured towards the entryway to his underground facility; a hall of his successes to contrast with the galaxy's failures. Whereas the warehouse at large was an organized display of essentially scrapheap,
his hallway was lined with terminals with holo displays. Each one showed a project he was particularly proud of, or set of them, as was the case here. A set of couriers typically wouldn't qualify, but naturally Ciaran's couriers were not the usual blas
é fare. Why, the modifications he made to the stealth drives alone merited inclusion. And, of course, Raith rarely was given such free rein to enjoy a contract.
Being a new addition, Lady Ciaran's flotilla was stationed fairly close to the end. The holo displayed the ships in formation, and could cycle to show each one. "I'm surprised, Raith. I wouldn't have expected a simple courier contract to be enshrined like this."
"Say what you will about her, but Lady Ciaran is one of the most
interesting people in the galaxy. As were the couriers she requested, as you'll see," Raith replied. He plugged a data drive into the terminal, which began copying over the files.
Tarkin nodded in response, and casually examined some of the other exhibits. He stopped in front of a display with a simple plain sphere displayed. Unsurprising, as he ought to recognize it. "Is this the Expeditionary Battle Planetoid? It's rather unlike you to display unrealized projects."
"It's a placeholder," Raith dismissed, "It will be filled soon enough, I'm sure. You're welcome for the plans, of course."
Tarkin stiffened a bit, which was rather remarkable given how rigid he naturally was. He tended to do that when reminded of his failures and disgraces. "Yes, of course. We appreciate it. How is the research on hypermatter going? After all, we cannot build the station until that problem is solved."
"It is progressing, though it will still take time." The data drive lighted up green. Transfer complete. "Well then, here you are Wilhuff. Is there anything else you require?"
"No, no," Tarkin replied, taking the datadrive, "This shall suffice for now. We appreciate your continued support."
"Of course. Best of luck, Wilhuff." Tarkin made his goodbyes and left from whence he came. Raith was alone in his museum again, as he ought to be. He made his way back to the display Tarkin was examining. The "Expeditionary Battle Planetoid", Tarkin saw. Hmph. This sphere was no mere planet
oid. No, this was a full planet. Zonama Sekot; Raith's white whale. One he had almost gotten... until Tarkin betrayed him. Raith was sent to command a mission that Tarkin had sabotaged, so that Tarkin could swoop in and claim the glory and victory for himself. A maneuver which had, in turn, failed, and neither of them were able to claim the biotechnology of the Sekotans. Technology that immediately proved its power when
the planet itself jumped into hyperspace to whereabouts unknown.
Raith forgave Tarkin, of course. He had long underestimated the man, and that incident was painful evidence of that. Tarkin was not as easily manipulated as Raith suspected, despite Tarkin's brutish approach to problems. And so he gave Tarkin the plans to the gigantic space station. Raith hardly intended to build the thing himself; it was always a proof of concept to show off to others. But Tarkin's associates? If they were anything like Wilhuff, they would covet the station. It was how Raith ensured Tarkin would remain in their good graces after his dreadful failure at Sekot. As Raith's only link to that cabal, Tarkin needed to stay in place for now; regardless of what the man deserved.
Raith had long suspected - well before these Clone Wars - that a new order was coming; some massive change to the status quo. Frankly, the galaxy was due one. It was much to his surprise when his friend Tarkin was revealed to be a member of such a movement. He hardly suspected it to be so bigoted, though Raith allowed for the possibility that this was mostly Tarkin.
What he did not doubt, is that Tarkin's backers were as brutish and unpleasant as he was.
Raith had no interest in this. Never had. He preferred finesse, and refinement. But he was practical man, and remaining in their graces was key to maintaining his own power and the freedom that came with it. Then came Lady Ciaran; forever the proverbial spanner in the works. At first she was an obstacle, simple enough. But even if Tarkin wouldn't admit it, Raith saw her for what she was.
A rival.
What else could you call the de facto head of state of what was quickly becoming the third most influential collective in the galaxy?
Would she bring change? What would it even be? Raith hardly knew. But knowing Ciaran, it had to be preferable to Tarkin's vision for the universe. Which is why the plans he gave were ever so slightly inaccurate. The stealth drives, engines, and the like were all downgraded to what the
Scimitar was originally outfitted with. He manufactured fake flaws and exploits in other systems. He kept it believable enough for Tarkin and his ilk to trust him, of course. But he believed the differences would give Ciaran a proper edge. And if he was caught? Well, Raith was hardly the only starship contractor Ciaran had dealings with.
Best of luck, Lady Ciaran. Do try to win. After all, perhaps you will be the one to find Zonama Sekot for me.
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Raith is a weird character, in that he has such an awesome backstory filled with roguish adventures... and then the EU grafted a shitty non-personality onto him. The waste of potential really bothers me. But yeah, when I looked through Raith's backstory and saw his motivations for joining up with Tarkin, I realized that Ciaran proved an alternative. Raith apparently isn't a fan of Tarkin's cause, but believes that the new order's victory is inevitable and so thinks that working with Tarkin is the only practical solution. But with Ciaran on the rise, and clearly interfering, well, there's an alternative that he prefers. He won't completely abandon Tarkin or join Ciaran until it's clear that there's no point to stick with him, but for now? A small betrayal to protect Ciaran seems plausible.
Honestly, we're lucky that Raith has this sort of disposition towards Tarkin and Palpatine's cause. Otherwise him being our primary contractor would totally blow up in our faces.
