Urien, Dawappa, Lindsey, Eirene, Kesperziaiepr, Mahan
The Royal Palace Throne Room
The King looks over each of you as you take turns to speak and introduce yourselves and banter. He is grinning the whole while - though by the time the last of you who is willing have formally introduced yourselves, you notice it is the third time he has emptied his glass and extended it to the attendant for a hastily provided refill. He gives a heart belly laugh and waves his other hand - festooned with a number of bracelets and rings - and shakes his head, "Now now, Mahan. You know such accusations are hardly something to level at a guest in good standing!" He motions towards Eirene, "Besides, far be it from me to chide her for being what she is. Be like chastising a hired girl for stripping! Why do you think I hired her?!" And another hearty laugh rolls out from the portly monarch.
He looks over all of you, though when he stops on Urien again, his grin broadens.
There it is. In the way his face crinkles at the corner of his eyes. The way they sparkle.
"And this one gets it. Good Captain, understands I'm not one to waste good booze!" And with that, he pulls himself up from the throne with a grunt and once more descends the steps to come down to the same level as the lot of you. He gestures across the wider throne room with his half-filled glass, "Besides, as I'm sure some of you may have realized, there's some good bloody cause for bringing such a fine young woman into the fold of this little operation!" He looks to the main entrance to the throne room, "Medan! Give me my damned papers!"
And with that, he focuses on you all once more, "I've got something for you all. Has to do with this plan. I don't know if you lot know what a letter of marque is," he flashes his teeth in his grin. "but I'm just the sort of man to write one! Now, of course," He makes a vague gesture with his empty hand while pausing for a drink, "Nobody has carried a Sindalian letter of Marque in bloody ages! But! With it? I'm fit to make every ship in space your legal prey." At that moment, he settles his sights on Urien, his tone shifting to something far more serious, "But I'll say it now. I've no business for cutthroats and murderers. I have need of thieves."
He sweeps his hand over the map you all stand on, "This." He then stabs a finger up above, emphatically. If you look up, you find yourself staring through a massive window on the ceiling of the throne room, where you will be able to make out the twinkling jewels that make for the treasure of the Trojan Reach, "Out there. Every world that sat on the route between the Hierate and the Third Imperium shared in trade bounty! They paid taxes to use our space, our starports. And we thrived." At that, his expression falls for a moment, "But my ancestors were proper greedy bastards. Had it all torn out from under us. Let Vilani snakes tear apart the pieces," He makes a motion to Eirene. "No offense. But now its every world for themselves, and I've yet to see a solitary planet hold out against a godcursed empire!"
On his way back to his throne, he throws his head back to drain the glass. Its refilled by the time he sits down again.
After he gives a long, withering sigh, he sits himself up in the Dragon Throne as if remembering that the informality he's presented so far doesn't make him any less a king, "So here's the plan. I give you a vessel. I give you the letter of marque. And you cut yourselves a merry swathe of piracy across the stars. Attack shipping, raid starports, hit depots. Take what prizes you can - don't kill unless you have to, but squeeze their balls till they bleed!" He nods, as if affirming his own words, "Next? All those worlds out there. The remnants of the our empire. Sell what you steal, defend those places from raiders. Recruit crew, give them a taste of wealth, and show them they'll have more if they come under our banner. And when the time comes? We offer a deal. The piracy stops, if they recognize the Kingdom of Drinax and render me my rightful due. Now we do this right?" He quickly empties his fourth glass, and belches into a balled up fist, "We'll show there's life in this old empire yet!"