Path to Becoming the Greatest Space Mercenary

"Ah, young Bastion, come take a seat. Have some wine and relax. You seem a bit stiff."
As soon as Bastion entered the main room of the building, an older gentleman with a nonchalant air about him called out to him.
This man was Senator Rowan Listig, the collaborator that had basically dictated every successful move that Bastion had initiated towards his goal of stopping the marriage between very and Jasmine.
He had slicked back gray hair and a well-groomed full beard to match.
The suit he was wearing was clearly of the finest quality, and he was wearing a couple of rings and an ornate pendant, but not enough to the point of looking gaudy.
With the slightest plumpness to his cheeks and the good-natured smile he was wearing, one might think of him as the jolly grandfatherly type, but Bastion knew better.
Rowan Listig was one of the sharpest and most devious members of Azade's Senate.
For forty years he had held the same position, and the influence he wielded had only grown with time. When there was a measure that he wanted to pass of fail, most of the time he got his way. Being able to often sway other members to his side.
However, even a man like him was not unstoppable, as had been proven a couple of years ago.
After his uncle had retired and left the chancellorship open, Rowan had run with the man's endorsement. Still, he had only managed to come in third place overall. Beaten by Regina who had obviously won and even been overtaken by a dark horse candidate that had garnered a great deal of popularity for promoting reforms that a great deal of the population wanted.
Naturally, this had been a heavily blow to Rowan Listig's pride and ego, and Bastion was under no illusion that the help that was being provided to him was out of the gooses of the man's heart.
It was simply a means to damage Regina's reputation so that he could drag her down and hopefully become Azade's Chancellor during the next election.
"I hardly think that right now is the time to be drinking. Our plans are falling apart as we speak. What are we going to do to turn things around?" Bastion said as he took the seat across from Rowan, a grave look in his eyes.
"Hm, I'm not really sure if it's right to call it 'our' plan. I just gave you a little advice on a problem. Nothing more than that."
Rowan took another sip of his wine and smiled at bastion. Again, offering him a glass and suggesting that he take a load off.
"You're still young but furrowing your brow like that will see you having wrinkles when you reach my age."
A slight shackle followed Rowan's "advice" that ate away at Bastion's nerves.
"So, your saying that your done with me and are no longer going to provide me any more support?" Bastion said, his voice low and threatening.
"You misunderstand me. It's not that I don't want to be of assistance in this matter, but there's simply nothing to do about it. Your opponents have outplayed you by bringing in pieces that were never even considered."
"Nianni Taador and Cerise Gunvald are names too big for you or I to fight. As Senators, we hold influence here on Azade, but those two are renowned throughout the entire Dramid Alliance. If they say that this Avery Asteria is a friend and an upright man, there is little we could do to change the masses' opinion. The rumors that you've spread were shallow to begin with. Now that people have doubts, it won't be long until the truth of everything comes out."
Rowan spoke as if he were providing a valuable lesson to misguided junior.
Yet this only set Bastion off.
With everything he had already done, and Jasmine about to slip from his grasp forever, he could not stop now.
Which was exactly what Rowan wanted.
"Surely there must be something that can be done. I don't actually care about ruining Avery Asteria's reptation, I just wanted him out of the way so that Jasmine would be mine. Everything so far has just been a means towards that end." Bastion said, a manic, almost unstable fervor in his voice and expression.
"Oh, you're more devoted than I thought. That young Rhinelander girl must have captured your heart quite deeply. I thought you wanted her mostly to make a strong political connection. But if it is only Jasmine that you are after, perhaps there might be other methods that can be attempted." Rowan said, his gentle face masking the truly sinister thoughts going on inside his head.
Bastion was momentarily taken aback by his fellow senator suddenly jumping back onboard.
Just a moment ago, he had said that there was nothing more to do and seemed ready to fully pull out and cut his losses.
Except now, he was offering an alternative solution of some kind.
"Yes, someone like Jasmine should not be marrying a filthy mercenary. She would be better off with me. We've known each other since childhood, and our parents had even discussed an arranged marriage at one point."
While Bastion's words might have sounded like they came from love, but it was clearly more of an obsession.
He did not care about Jasmine one bit, otherwise he never would have gone so far as to try and ruin her wedding.
What he wanted was to possess her like some kind of prize. Something that Rowan was able to easily see and use to his advantage.
"Well, if you desire her that much. Then I have just the thing to help." Rowan said, placing a sealed metal vile on the table.
"And what's this?" Bastion asked, glancing at the object dubiously.
"Hm, perhaps you've heard of a love potion before. This is the opposite of that. It causes the brain to perceive certain signals that one normally feels towards people they trust or love as anger and fear instead. If you can administer this to Jasmine, it won't take long for her to be unable to stand the sight of Avery Asteria and be done with him. After that, you'll be able to woe her at your leisure."