Another home...

[Gir Quee]

In the Past...

Armorer-class Corvette Matthew Lucerne, somewhere in the Mid Rim

A quartet of roughly humanoid figures gathered in the lounge of Lucerne Labs corporate flagship, the Matthew Lucerne. Several of them grabbed drinks or ready-to-eat meals before gathering around the only holo-projector linked to the local satellite communications network that ran across the sector. The one mon calamari hit a button on the remote, causing the holo-projector to buzz to life and reveal an almost ghostly visage of Gir Quee, who was light years away on the Audacious. He began to brief them on what he knew of the ongoing chaos that would later known as the Netherworld event and how it would effect their company.

“Bilbringi...It's too close to the danger lines with all of the chaos going around here, the rates might be good to rent, but I think that we're too close to the epicenter of the event.”

“People are disappearing from everywhere,” remarked Gai, slumping in his chair.

“Absolutely,” agreed Commodore Quee, “but Bilbringi was close to the front lines to begin with. With this chaos going around, it might be the front lines with the disarray the galaxy is in. There's word that the Sith are starting to advance in areas where the Republic is spread too thin. It's no place for our business at this time.”

“And Gyndine?” asked Salmakk, “are we abandoning that world too?”

“No,” said the Commodore, “I'm willing to take the risk to continue business there for the moment. Some of the production lines are too well-established there right now that we can't severe them without running into contractual problems.”

“Probably the only good thing about getting into labor disputes with the Bilbringi dockers union...” mused Azira, “we never got things really running there like we should of.”

“So if not Bilbringi,” said Salmakk, “where are going to move the second plant to?”

“Somewhere safer and further away from the core: Kwookrrr.”

“Who the hell named that thing?” blurt out Gai.

“The wookiees...”

“That would do it...”

 

[Salmakk]

Armorer-class Support Corvette Matthew Lucerne, in orbit via Kwookrrr

"Ugly," mused Azira, gazing down out of the viewport towards the industrialized urban world.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Gai, "I see a lot of things there to blow up."

"Of course you would."

"But we don't get to blow up anything that we haven't bought," muttered Salmakk, joining his fellow engineers at the viewport, "it might take a while for the funds to get back from Bilbringi to here, given all of the chaos the galaxy is in, but we can start looking for a new place."

"Get everything picked out..."

"Couldn't we just build a brand new spanking place with our current corporate profits? I know it's not that you or Gir are spending them on anything right now..."

"Much of that is earmarked for something...more long-term, but we can certainly dig up some credits out if need be. Gir wants to draw our funds from what was going to Bilbringi before..."

"So where do we start?" asked the bothan.

"You can start by talking to people, see if you can dig anything up on some good property values," said Salmakk, "Gir was saying that the old Galactic Empire really helped industrial the place beyond normal for most of the Wookiee colony worlds. There should be some decent properties available from back then, and maybe kept somewhat updated by previous users."

"We'll have to adapt them to our own needs then."

"Trivial," shot back Gai, "that's just more things for me to blow up."

Salmakk sighed, "I figured you might say that. Azira, if you can, try and find something that won't require too much more development or remodelling. I'll be the one talking to the government authorities about permits and the like. Gai, see what you can dig up on open references on the world-wide data net. Try not to get too distracted..."

 

[Gir Quee]

Arendal-class Heavy Cruiser Arendal, somewhere in deep space

"What? That's completely out of our price range," sighed Gir, eying the holo-graphic visage of Azira.

"You mean what you budgeted."

Gir tilted his head from side to side, "A subtle difference perhaps, but I'd rather not dig into the funds unless I have to. Don't get me wrong Azira, I appreciate that you're talking to me about this all on the down-low."

"Salmakk's pretty nervous you know, that he might upset you, but we're just not getting anywhere..."

"So that's why you showed me this listing?"

The bothan's fur rippled, "Exactly. We're keeping our options here too limited by your price constraints. Gir, that price to rent is actually more than the price to own if we were to make monthly payments. Our monthly payments would actually be less to own a place like this, including maintenance."

Gir blinked. The man had always prefer to rent for Lucerne Labs, never truly settling down anywhere, allowing the company to move around as needed by the turn of events in the galaxy. The lack of actually owning their production facilities, such as at Bilbringi and Gyndine, meant that they weren't specifically tied down to one system. They weren't as vulnerable to the ever-changing political lines as some of their rivals had been. never had it been any more expensive to rent something than to own it yet, though in Azira's defense, they had been using primarily orbital facilities before...But it did make him curious.

"So why is here different the other places?"

"Oh, it's not...well, not usually...but things are different now."

 

[Gir Quee]

"...but it basically boils down to is that it's a buyer's market right now," said Azira, "everyone wants to rent with the chaos in the galaxy right now rather than settle down and own assets. So really, the risk is there to actually own property and then lose it. But people at the same time who are looking to move their assets elsewhere and sell their property typically don't want to rent it either. It requires more work to maintain the renting facility and abide by all the legal rules that go with it, which is something hard to do if you're moving half-way across the galaxy, or even a sector."

"So what you're saying is that if we take a risk, it'll be cheaper."

"Yes."

"And you think the rewards outweigh the risk?" questioned Gir.

"I do."

He almost sighed, "All right, go ahead and start looking for places to buy then. It'll probably end up better for us in the long run."

"Thank you Gir."

He blinked, not quite being used to being called by his first name. Still, Azira wasn't in the military, and in a certain way, she was one of the few Lucerne Labs employees that he knew and trusted on a personal level. he let a smile crease his face. I've been in too long.

"Would you like to share the news with the others?" said Gir, "Or should I inform them?"

"I'll tell them that we had a talk."

"Willing to risk their ire of going behind their backs, so to speak?"

"I'll just tell them the some of the truth, that I was worried about the whole thing, and that the concern was mine alone. But that's assuming that you're willing to go along with it."

"I am for Salmakk's sake," said Gir, glancing at his chrono, "I have some work I must get to, but I'll try and get to Kwookrrr as soon as my duties allow me some leave time."

 

[Salmakk]

"This place?" questioned Gai, "are we sure this is what we want?"

The three engineers stood on the upper level walkway of the factory building, overlooking the robotic assembly lines. Azira pulled out a datapad and began to jot down notes. Salmakk looked around, only glancing at the harsh industrial lights that bore down onto the factory floor below, before focusing on the actual equipment itself. But nothing really stood out to him, except that it seemed slightly old, but it could just be the particular manufacturer's style. He only knew a little bit about the fabrication end, that was more of Gai's specialty. Salmakk turned his bulbous eyes to eye the duros engineer intently.

"Is there anything wrong with it?"

"Well, yes and no. The robotic lathes over there look good, as do the milling machines, and the welding machines. I'd guess about a decade old. Not the fanciest equipment, but certainly enough to get the job done, especially if we maintain it. No, the issue I'm thinking is that this is set up for landspeeder production."

Salmakk frowned and turned to Azira, "Is he right?"

"Actually...yeah, he is. The last owners made civilian landspeeders and airspeeders for export, but the market dried up with the collapse."

Gai frowned, "Where's the airspeeder part?"

"Next section over," said the bothan, "behind those doors over there."

"Well, that'll work though, right?" said Salmakk, "couldn't we repurpose the landspeeder line for our ground vehicles, and the airspeeder line for our small starships?"

"It'd be a bit more complicated than that," said Gai, unusually solemn, "but it's certainly doable, especially if we can get the right price."

"Let's do it then," said Salmakk, "we should prepare for negotiations then."

 

[Gir Quee]

Several weeks later...

Former Kwookrrr Motors factory site, Kwookrrr

"It's a very reasonable price," said the trandoshan.

"It's about par right now," replied Gir.

The two continued their stroll down the factory catwalks that covered the assembly and machining floors. Several meters behind him, the three Lucerne Labs engineers and several government and financial officials strolled behind them. Gir eyed the trandoshan somewhat curiously, wondering how a member of his species had become part of society that was vastly composed of Wookiees, their long-time racial rivals.

"Are you interested in putting down an offer?" said the official.

"I am, for the right price."

"Well, that remains to be seen."

"It was foreclosed," said Gir, "I know that that likely means you're looking to do just get if off your hands without much further losses."

"Oh? How do you figure?"

"I figure," said Gir, "that it costs money to keep up in this condition, but you're not making any money off it now. Moreover, it'll look good if another manufacturer opens up shop and provides jobs for people."

"I'm not a political appointee," said the alien, "though I cannot deny your first point. But you must understand that I simply can't give it away for a handful of credits."

"I think it's priced a bit higher than it should be."

"Most real estate is," suggested the trandoshan, "so make me a reasonable offer, and we'll see what we can do."

Gir handed a datapad over to the alien, "What do you say?"

"Maybe," said the alien, "it's not quite within the range I'm authorized to accept, but it's close. Are you firm in your offer?"

"I am."

"I'll get back to you then, after I see what kind of leeway I can do."

"Very good."

 

[Gir Quee]

Two days later...

Former Kwookrrr Motors factory grounds...

Gir strolled along the grassy plains that covered the underground factory, admiring the Wroshyr saplings that dotted the ground. The wookiees have definitely put in a lot of work over the years to rehabilitate this place into what it was before the old Empire wrecked it. It's taken some years...but maybe soon, it'll be reborn...He neared the small building that served as an entrance to the underground factory, but the muscular trandoshan was already waiting for him on the outside.

"They've rejected your offer," said the trandoshan, "but, they do have a counter-offer."

The alien handed him a datapad. Gir quickly read over it. While they had dropped the price somewhat, it was still higher than Gir wanted to pay. But it was still interesting given the incentives they were offering. Still, the one benefit of buying it from the government were the other terms and bonuses they were willing to drop in as partial compensation. The tax credits could easily make up for the higher price if we sell enough products...which given our current contracts, should do well. he turned his sapphire blue eyes to face the alien.

"This is a good counter-offer," said Gir, "I will accept."

"Excellent," said the trandoshan, taking back the datapad, "then let me get you to the right page...here we are...if you'll just sign right here..."

 

[Salmakk]

Salmakk fiddled with the humidifier settings in his new office. It wasn't quite as swanky as the executive suite he had enjoyed on Gyndine, but in many respects, but it was still a huge upgrade in space compared to what he had been using as his temporary offices on the Mathew Lucerne. But the mon calamari guessed that the industrial, sheet metal furniture the offices came with were equivalent to those on the corvette.

"You're not really going to turn it up, are you?" said Azira, "that'll make my fur get so..."

"I know, I know," said Salmakk, "I'm just moving it up a smidgen. I know that Gir gets that way too when I bring it too far up, but I can't help but have it higher. If I kept it at the same levels you all do, I would start having skin conditions."

"It sounds like we need to get you a new office already," said the bothan, starting to fillup her desk's drawers, "better get Gir on that."

"He's too much of a spendthrift for that right now," said the mon calamari, "but one day..."

"Lucerne Labs will have to be a bigger name for that to happen..."

"Oh, I know," said Salmakk, "but I'm sure we'll get there, eventually."

 

[Gir Quee]

Gir settled into his new office in the building, though it wasn't much bigger than his quarters on the Arendal, it somehow felt luxurious to the man. The former CEO of Kwookrrr Motors had taken pains to appease the sensibilities of his local clientele, and the whole room was paneled in Kashyyyk-wood. several built-in holo-displays in the walls alternated various views from outside of the factory, showing the sprouting Wroshyr trees and some of their larger progenitors. Originally, Gir had planned on just shipping his old desk from Gyndine into the room, but its metal aesthetics didn't really match the office, and Gir was loathe to redo the whole thing, especially after the obvious expense the previous owner had put into it. he had opted to buy a locally made desk that fit the interior a bit better than his old desk.

Aside from that, the only change in the office had been to replace the carved logo of Kwookrrr Motors behind him with a similarly styled carving of Lucerne Labs stylized star logo. It didn't quite the outline of the old logo that once stood there, but Gir figured that it was close enough that the casual observe wouldn't see the difference.

"They you are sir I have been looking for you..."

Gir turned around to face his accounting droid, "Ah, T4, how is everything looking?"

"Well, sir," said the droid, "labor negotiations are going well too. The first shift will start next Taungsday."

"Excellent, I take it they're inprocessing now?"

"Yes sir, and we're double-checking their backgrounds, just to be on the safe side."

"We do make sensitive items here," said Gir, "that was a wise suggestion from Azira, I think."

"I agree sir..."

 

[Salmakk]

Salmakk ran his hand across the hull of a partially constructed Baldr-class Assault Gun still on the factory floor. It still lacked its hull's primer, leaving it an oddly colored prism that looked more like a piece of abstract art, as well as its main gun. But still, the mon calamari could tell that the work put into it so far was solid. He dodged a wookiee worker who was carrying part of its hull armor towards another unfinished vehicle. Their strength is amazing. I could see why the Empire enslaved them on that level; they can do things that otherwise we'd have to get droids to do...

The mon calamari quickly got out of the old landspeeder area, along with its partially constructed Myrmidons and Baldrs, and continued his stroll through the factory. He passed sections where weapons were fabricated, and watched as a pair of droids operated automated tools to precisely build the exhaust nozzles of an interceptor. Slowly, he slinked away to the turbolift that would take him to one of the upper levels. The mon calamari swiped his card to access the lift, causing the doors to open and reveal Azira. Her hair stood up to rise and fall like the waves of an ocean. Salmakk sighed.

"I had to get a break from it," explained the mon calamari.

"On the factory floor?" half-chuckled the bothan, "I'd find a better resort than that if I were you. I can't imagine that the air down here is any better..."

Salmakk stepped in to join her on the lift, "But from a mental aspect, it's something different. Seeing how other things interact than that project."

"Oh, I suppose. Gai likes to do the same thing."

"Except he also usually blows something up in the process."

"Well, there is that. Thankfully, with a nearby firing range, it seems that he isn't quite as explosive happy as he used to be."

"Well, as long as he's content destroying things that aren't on our property, I'll be happy. Kwookrrr is getting better to me..."