Nystrom Business [Goran]

[Tatiana Renkl]

When her mother had let her know that another member from the Nystrom family had recently arrived to Bastion, Tatiana had been a little surprised, especially when it wasn't one of her siblings. Linnea hadn't said much when they had talked, but she knew her mother well enough to know that her dead husband' twin brother returning must be difficult for her. She of course arranged for the man to be summoned to her office within the next days.

She had understood that he had arrived with another woman, another Morellian, whose recruitment Linnea had already taken care of. She appreciated that her mother had sent Goran Nystrom her way, as she indeed staying on top of who was around when it came to her family. They were all protective of one another after all.

The pregnant Empress was in her office when her secretary, Lady Morangias, announced the visitor's arrival. "Send him in." She rose to her feet, as she always preferred greeting visitors in such fashion. Her stern hazel eyes were upon the door, awaiting Goran Nystrom to appear.

[Goran Nystrom]

After the reunion with his sister-in-law, Linnea Vandron, went far smoother than be predicted, Goran was not surprised to have his paperwork be shifted to someone else, knowing that Linnea wanted little face to face time with him.

But it just had to be the Empress.

That was unsettling and unsurprising for the same reason because Linnea had been quite busy over the years in finding allies of great power and influence. She had been taught well and learned a lot from his brother.

Lady Morangias had looked pointedly at him and was already rising to his feet before she had given him the go ahead that the Empress was ready to see him. She led him to the double doors of Tatiana's office and opened them, announcing him formally. When the Empress came into view, Goran strode to the center of the room and bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty."

Often having been on the receiving end of such respectful formality, Goran was quick to reciprocate it without batting an eye. It was just how life was, never knowing what could happen to take everything away from you in the blink of an eye to humble the strongest of characters.

[Tatiana Renkl]

"Mr. Nystrom." Tatiana nodded to him, before gesturing for him to take a seat as she took her chair at her desk. "When Mother requested that I saw you, I was surprised to hear of your arrival to Bastion."

Hazel eyes remained upon the man before her. "She told me you wished to work for the Empire as a privateer, along with a partner who accompanied you here." Nobody had reasons to waste anyone's time, but she still had a few questions.

"Why now, Mr. Nystrom? The Empire has benefited from the Nystroms' help for a while now."

[Goran Nystrom]

He did take a seat and nodded, understanding why it was strange to hear that Goran Nystrom was alive. Linnea had to have shared that both Ronan died during the plague and Goran ended up dying in an accident when his transport malfunctioned when making the jump into hyperspace ...

"To be plain, your Majesty, this has nothing to with the Nystroms working for the Empire. It has to do with the fact that Linnea would learn that I was alive. And I'd rather she have learned it from me. I'm obviously good at keeping off the radar. Was military back home." He paused making sure that Tatiana realized that this was not some bulldren story. "I had my reasons for keeping my distance. But this has everything to do with reestablishing a relationship with my family. In order to do that, I need to be here."

[Tatiana Renkl]

"Better indeed that she learned it from you." Tatiana replied seriously. She knew first hand how learning of a relative's existence directly was better. The situation with Syrenia had been different, but she still recalled how much of shock her daughter's return to life had been, and it had been a complicated process for the news to reach her.

"Keeping off the radar will be practical as a privateer. The Empire can use people like you." She knew bits and pieces of her mother's plans for the Morellians, but she also knew that the Nystrom's imperial service was impeccable and as long as they would be around, she would be glad to benefit from it.

"As a privateer, you will be mostly deployed off world, in places where we normally don't have much presence. Yet, you - and your partner Miss Siron - will report on a semi regular basis to Bastion."

While she wasn't Morellian, she was part of this family as well. "Mother and I agree that keeping the family close, all of it, is important, so reports are made on Bastion directly and not on another imperial planet."

She appreciated the man's straightforwardness with her, which was exactly why she was the same with him. "Are there any particular sectors and systems you are especially familiar with, Mr. Nystrom?"

[Goran Nystrom]

Thankfully the Empress declined further information as to the reasons for Goran's continued disappearance and why he chose to remain hidden from his family. If she had pushed, he would have still declined to answer because it made no difference to his service here. His family worked alongside the Empire, and now so would he and Kalidia.

Being off world was a good beginning, allowing time for wounds the mend between him and Linnea. "That sounds fair," he stated, figuring that most of their work would be off world considering. Having most of their briefings back on Bastion seemed counter productive. "If I may your Majesty? I do understand the reasons for keeping us close, but with the nature of the work we'll be doing, is it not a better option to expedite our orders, at times, on other Imperial planets? As you say, we'll be deployed most off in other systems. To return here, unless we're close by, can waste precious time and resources depending on what's in store for us."

He did not forget Tatiana's question at all as he wanted to clarify this matter first before moving onto the next topic.

[Tatiana Renkl]

"This is why you won't report on imperial soil on a regular basis. Your returns to Bastion will be coordinated appropriately so they don't make you waste time, but serve all parties involved's schedule to most efficiency."

Tatiana knew that between professional and personal reasons, Goran Nystrom - and his new associate - would need to come back to imperial territories at given times, and Bastion made most sense.

She quirked a brow, waiting for him to answer the question that had been asked minutes ago.

[Goran Nystrom]

And there was that. He honestly thought that even with coordinated efforts, depending on location, it was a waste of time to physically be present for scheduled face to face time. That was why the holonet existed, for long distance transmissions for numerous reasons. Updates, briefings, debriefings, uploading and downloading information ...

"Very well," he said evenly despite his disagreement. "I'm quite familiar with many sectors of space and can be of any location that you require. I've seen a lot in this galaxy and have blended into a great many cultures when needed after processing much about their culture."

Linnea and Goran had gone through the Enforcer Academy on Morellia together. She was definitely trained specifically to lead, whereas Goran was trained for profiling, being able to withstand long periods of working solo in the field, and blending in. Later had adopted more subterfuge later in life to keep her family safe, but Goran had been groomed since a young boy to follow that route.

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana had reviewed Linnea's report about Goran Nystrom's new partner and she hoped that the woman would prove as satisfactory as her mother's brother-in-law. She understood that finding new Morellians was important to her mother and if she had accepted this Siron woman in, she trusted her judgement.

"This is good to know." She replied to Goran's explanation, knowing that his skills would prove extremely useful in the future. "Your ship's maintenance can be done by imperial naval service, when you need it. Your upcoming assignments, they will be sent to you via encrypted communications. As I mentioned, your return to imperial soil will be rare, especially due to the nature of your work."

The Empress's gaze had remained fixated upon Nystrom. "Once paperwork is finalized, your first order of mission will be sent to you within the next five days." She reached out to the forms she had prepared for this meeting, and presented it to Goran, along with a stylus. "All you need to do now is sign this."

[Goran Nystrom]

Goran sighed, not really needing to be reminded, again, about returning back to Bastion being rare since he already had agreed to it and had kept his disagreement about the situation out of his answer, his body posture and internal monologued it to himself. He felt as if he were being punished and being treated like a child, having to be reminded over little details just because Linnea was considered this woman's adoptive parent.

He was seriously reconsidering his decision in coming back here to his family.

"Can I think on it," he asked, again evenly. "I'm finding myself needing more time if this is how I wish to pursue things here."

He loved his family, but Goran was seriously questioning what he wanted at this moment. This conversation was Tatiana was reminding him the coldness of Linnea and yes, he wanted to prove himself to his family, to Linnea, but his gut was going in a different direction now ...

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana's facial expression or posture didn't change, even the slightest. It was only her stare that turned just a little colder. "I believed that you had already sorted your decision prior to coming here." She didn't consider seeing one of the Nystroms as a waste of time, but she hated when people suddenly got cold feet, when they weren't expected to.

"The paperwork will remain available to you for three days." The irony was that the last one who had expressed such need for time to think had been Keir Wayne.

Goran Nystrom could take his leave unless he had anything else to say.

[Goran Nystrom]

"I had," he admitted, "Before speaking to Operative Vandron and yourself, your Majesty."

Goran was nothing but honest and ironically, this settled his decision.

"I respectfully decline."

[Tatiana Renkl]

"This is your right." Tatiana simply replied for a moment. In a way, it wasn't all that surprising given how he had been on his own for an extremely long time.

"There is only one thing that I wish to ask of you, Mr. Nystrom." He was a sensible and responsible man. "Whatever venue you explore in your future, I don't want to see you jeopardize imperial interests." Given his familial ties, it only seemed a fair request.

When she didn't think she had have more to say, she realized she still did though. "It is regretable that you decline this. All family matters left aside, which I know aren't much existing if at all between us, for our only common ties are with Linnea and her children, having you working for the Empire would be an opportunity for all parties involved."

She looked at him. "I lead this Empire, but I am not in any position to form life altering decisions regarding family matters when it comes to the Nystroms. I know that Mother requires the family to stick together for the most part and would see you return to Bastion as I said. This is why I brought it earlier. Now..." She wasn't so blind that she hadn't caught how the whole matter of returning to imperial soil seemed to have been a sore spot. "Your assignment can officially require no firmly set return and I leave it simply up to you to deal with Mother if she asks you to return."

She leaned against the back of her seat and sipped on her tea, still staring at him. The ball was in his court for she had said her piece.

[Goran Nystrom]

"Of course, your Majesty. I wouldn't cause any issues for my family, and in turn, the Empire intentionally. You've my word." And he meant it. He had his own honor but was a man of his word. He felt that there was a dismissal in that tone of the Empress' and felt compelled to leave ... until Tatiana spoke once again.

Her opening statement was not debatable. It was the truth. Goran and Tatiana had no ties to the other except through Linnea. Why the Morellian really was stubborn and wanted to retain some dignity in this situation despite knowing he was partially to blame.

To have stayed with Linnea and the children as they left Morellia would have been far too tempting to eventually act upon feelings for the woman he had for years. It would have been wrong. He had long since come to terms with his feelings and no longer felt them, it was why he was humbled towards Linnea because he caused the Nystroms pain. But he wouldn't be walked all over either.

Tatiana's change from the original proposal caused Goran to visibly relax. It was all he wanted. Some flexibility. "That's agreeable. Linnea Vandron is the head of the family. Not I. I would, of course, defer to her wisdom when requiring me back on Bastion."

Linnea and Ronan Nystrom had been the head of the family. With Ronan's death, that solely fell onto the shoulders of Linnea. Goran had no say at all as per Morellian custom.

[Tatiana Renkl]

Tatiana wasn't surprised when Goran said how he wouldn't interfere with imperial or familial interests. Regardless of his final decision, he had made a good impression on the Empress and it was no small feat.

She waited for him to speak up in regards to the modification she was willing to make, leaving Nystrom business where it belonged, as a family one, aside from imperial assignments. "Then I think I should better hand you a stylus, Mr. Nystrom. You might want to sign this papers after all."

The proposal didn't make any mention of the conditions of return to imperial soil, only giving the general conditions for imperial privateers, as Linnea had already told him about.