Construction on Iego

[Laira Darkhold]

Iego, the world of a thousand moons, would be my next stop. A work crew accompanied me aboard a transport, hundreds of workers ready to come and modify the complex that would become the dedicated facility to produce goods for the Silver Jedi. My recent contract with them only extended to the purchase of the ACS-002 Tempest, but [member="Coci Heavenshield"] had expressed interest in my other wares, mainly my weapons. With the vehicle portion of ArmaTech still in the planning phase I decided it was best to allow the complex on Iego room for expansion. Currently the plans included a dedicate research and development department, a weapons production wing, an empty wing where vehicles would one day be produced, a subterranean facility for the production of the minute pieces of technology, and a separate wing for all other projects. I would be modifying a complex very near the Scattering on the planet, and eventually mining facilities would be set up on the planet, hopefully during my preliminary visit. The many moons of the planet would provide a massive supply of useful and valuable ores to be used in the war machines I produced. The reversion from hyperspace was beginning, transferring the vessel into the system of Iego.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The sun-less system intrigued me so. Seeing one extreme made me consider building a facility on Nyklon simply to have facilities in every extreme environment. “Reversion complete mister Vereen,” the helmsman spoke calmly. “Beginning descent towards the planet shortly.” He informed me constantly. With so many moons and an asteroid field it was important to exercise the utmost in caution. A single wrong slip could cause serious damage to the ship.

“Ensure shields are at one hundred percent power and alert the crew to be prepared for turbulence and a little rattling,” I said, staring out the forward viewport at the thousands of small rocks between me and the planet. “First Mate, ensure the cargo is properly locked into position,” I ordered. He raised a comm-link, “No, go yourself and check them before we enter the asteroid field.” He looked at me puzzled, but it dawned on him after a few seconds.

“Yes, sir.” I signed his paycheck so he rarely asked questions; even still I relied on my workers respecting me. If they respected me they would work harder, they would achieve more, and they would be more trustworthy. People rarely double-crossed or backstabbed men they respected in my experience. “Beginning descent sir,” the helmsman called. Seconds later the first mate checked in “All locks secure and ready sir.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The Silver Jedi had authorized me to build the facility here, but I doubt they understood the size and scope of the complex I had in mind. I intended to convert the entirety of the Scattering into factories, warehouses, and munition stores. It needed to be large enough to supply them with almost everything they needed for their war efforts. For so long they had been stuck out, far on the outer rim, away from the front lines like the Republic, but war was coming for them. In all its glory, it was inexorably advancing across the stars. Some of the smaller asteroids bounced harmlessly off the ship’s shields. “Be weary of the larger rocks, the shields can withstand the small ones,” I told the helmsman. He probably already knew, but it was best to remind him in case he intended to attempt to impress me by not hitting anything. It was an admirable attempt, but with the density of the field, until the Silver Jedi were able to create a safer route the one they had was prone to micro-meteors. Luckily they were relatively harmless to particle shields. Moments later the ship emerged from the field on the side of the planet, “Make way for the Scattering, and alert me when we arrive.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I walked from the bridge towards the cargo bay to prepare the veritable army construction droids as well as the massive EVS construction droid secured there. It would transform the area into the complex I had in mind and would be vital to any expansion or repairs that would need to be made to the facility. When I arrived the smaller worker droids were secured in as small a space as possible while the EVS droid took up the rest of the hangar bay. Tomorrow a pair of medium transports would arrive with equipment and machines to put in the factories, along with even more worker droids. Before long the complex would be built, the scavenged starships would be gone, and the shining star of the planet would be the ArmaTech Combat Systems Silver Jedi Munitions Facility. “Sir we are making our final approach,” a voice came over the comm.

Good, “Alright everybody,” I said over the ship’s intercom, “Let’s get to work, I want everything unloaded and clean up started as soon as possible. We have a lot of work to do, and a tight schedule. I will run the EVS. Alright, break.” I said as though we had been in a team huddle. I could feel the ship slowing in the atmosphere and preparing to land.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The ship settled onto the planet. Above us members of a small Cliffside village watched carefully as we began unloading droids and such. The warm up time for an EVS droid happened to be much longer than I had anticipated and I ended up leaving the helmsman in charge of the bestial droid. I hated sitting inside waiting while my men worked, especially while there was work to be done. It would be hours before we were able to begin with the heavy droid, and I would have liked to bring in another for the initial construction, but I lacked the funds to dedicate that much money to what would be a temporary venture. The construction droids could be reused, but it would be quite a while before that was needed. My time commanding work crews on Mandalore prepared me for the difficulties of logistics, but I was still a warrior at heart. Something bothered me about sitting around letting droids do all the work. I know the ACA does stuff like that, but there is something about building something with your own hands. Benji and Kira knew that feeling, but me, I had only the capabilities for dealing death with my hands. I had neither the skill nor the education to build, but I had spent years training to be lethal, and even still there were many others more skilled in such arts than me.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The small labor droids swarmed over the broken ships, dismantling them with haste. This would make it easier and faster for the EVS droid to break down and convert into the needed parts of the facility we would be creating. The medium transports would also be bringing pieces of a prefabricated base, very similar to the IM-455 modular garrison of the Empire of old. It would serve as a mooring tower and central hub for the facility, resting on top of the subterranean production levels. It would lack the weapons and death fence, but it would maintain the impressive hangar space and other defensive capabilities. The EVS finally roared to life, significantly less impressive and less frightening than the Harvester, but still capable of so much. It would destroy and rebuild this place in days, not weeks, and within a short month we would be prepared to produce the arms the Silver Jedi required. The beast set to work processing the debris. The spacers there weren’t happy about our arrival, but most were relieved when they realized that the new facility would require workers, and workers would be paid, fed, and properly sheltered, while the more savage ones continued to move further and further away from the construction droids.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I intended for the tribes to be able to come to the facility for work, which in return we would provide pay, food, shelter, and hopefully a city would inevitably be built around my project. But that was in the future, for now they sat watching the EVS demolish its way through the pile of starships. Part of the reason I chose this location was because to the immense supply of raw materials and the localized work force already present on the planet. They would be required in order to optimize production once the facility was built. The EVS droid smashed through the wrecked ships at a steady pace, lumbering forward once every half hour. It was not yet building anything, just carving a path to the center of the pile in order to clear a space for the prefabricated base that would be arriving later today. Many of the workers grumbled about the more savage tribes. They would need to be dealt with eventually, and they were growing restless. Rumors that the tribes were cannibalistic had surfaced and had been met with a sense of worry, paranoia, and over zealousness towards the tribes. It was difficult work, but I was able to keep the work crews separate from the more docile tribal people while I continued negotiations with them. The dangerous, insane tribesmen would eventually hamper progress though, and I was prepared to do whatever was necessary.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The following morning, after twenty four hours of work, and even more of preparation the EVS droid arrived at the center of the pile. Here was where the savage tribes tried to make a stand. There were few casualties on their side, and none of my workers were injured, but those tribesmen that were killed had been processed by the EVS droid’s molecular furnace. It was unfortunate, but it did have the added benefit of terrifying the tribesmen and forcing them to rapidly retreat from the area. No doubt they would return with more improvised weapons, but they weren’t a serious threat to the EVS droid without explosives. Even then progress was slowed due to the workers being reluctant to go that far into the pile. It took much of my inspirational talents, and much more of my threats to leave them here with no pay if they wouldn’t work to convince them to continue construction. “Sir, the field is being cleared and the transports are entering the atmosphere. There is enough space for them to land at the construction zone, but it may endanger the crews.” I was told by the chief foreman. He was a good man, and he looked out for the men very well.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I thought it over, he wasn’t wrong but right now the crew in place was in more danger because they did not have an easy way to escape any potential raid from the savages. “The transports can provide sanctuary for the workers if they are attacked. Nonetheless ensure that the workers there are armed. Later today I will speak with the tribal chiefs and warn them to stay away from the construction site until the savages are dealt with.” I responded. It was a fair idea, and it was an easy compromise. I just hoped the tribesmen I could talk to were reasonable and could keep their people away. I didn’t want any more unfortunate accidents to occur. I had hoped to set up this facility with no loss of life, and seeing as that was no longer possible, I wanted no more people to perish. This place was supposed to provide for the tribesmen as much as it would provide for the Silver Jedi. That was the whole point of including social services facilities into the design.

The chief foreman nodded in agreement, “Yes sir. I am sure I can spin that into an appropriate response given this morning’s attack. I know nothing really happened but it got all the men in a stir, you know.” He said.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I did understand which is why I wanted to complete the task at hand and move on, quickly, and without incident. “Warn the men that killing a tribesman could lead in them facing local justice to prevent them for shooting first and thinking later. I have no issue with them defending themselves, I just want them to defend themselves not kill every local they see.” I said to him as he left to relay the order.

He nodded and responded with a simple, “Right away sir,” and left me quickly. I tried to maintain a small level of military professionalism between my crews. It provide a sense of order and allowed for a rigid chain of command. I began the short trek to where the tribes had set up nearby. Most of the chieftains had sent an ambassador or a delegate of sorts to the Alkasaners Tribe where I could meet with them and easily negotiate with all the civilized tribes. These were good people who deserved whatever help I could bring them. Crashing in the distance denoted the EVS droid crushing its way through yet another section of the Scatter. Construction would begin, and it would rapidly complete with the army of droids hard at work supporting the EVS.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

More sounds of massive construction echoed in the distance as I approached the Alkasaners village. They were, for the most part, normal people stranded on the planet for generations. Sometimes there would be new arrivals, but for the most part they were the descendants of those stranded on the mountainous planet. I approached the village and was allowed into the chieftain’s longhouse. The people here were worried about my arrival, and despite assurances that they would be taken care of or left alone at their discretion, they weren’t exactly trusting. The last thing I needed was for one of my workers to shoot and kill one of their members resulting in hostilities between us. I needed them to be willing and able to work in factory, or I would have to ship people out here and pay for them to commute to the planet for their shifts, which was very expensive and held considerable risks. Iego may only be a few parsecs form Jabiim, but I didn’t have time for all that expense. As I walked in the Alkasaners Chief and almost a dozen other delegates, ambassadors, and representatives from the various tribes were gathered, as had been the case for the past couple of days, since my arrival.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

“Good day everyone. It’s good to see everyone is alright and continuing to move on with their lives.” I said to the people. The second part wasn’t true though. They hadn’t moved on at all. They sat around wondering about me and my intentions, when I would leave, what things would be like once I left, whether they should put a stop to my construction. Basically since I had arrived, everything had come to a complete halt around the Scatter. “I came to bring news of some developments. This morning the savage tribes attacked my construction site, so I have allowed my workers to carry weapons to defend themselves. They have been told not to fire unless fired upon, but in order to keep any of your people from being unintentionally hurt I would like for you to keep your people away from the construction site.” I told them. They whispered amongst themselves for a moment.

When they turned back to me it appeared they had reached some sort of decision. “We will do our best to ensure your workers are uninterrupted by our people, but we have several concerns about the plant you are building. We were told more ships arrived, with even more made forms aboard them in addition to the army and monster you already have.”

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Well, news travels fast here. “Yes, some more temporary workers were brought in along with quite a bit of machinery and equipment that will be needed as construction continues. But I can address your concerns about the facility right here, right now, if you would like,” I told them. It was their planet, as much as it was mine, perhaps more so since I had only recently arrived on the world. “This is your planet after all.” I said reassuringly.

“We would like the shelter, food processors, and medical facility built first. If that can be arranged we will assist you in removing the savages from the area.” The Alkasaners chief said. They had been planning this for a while now if their tone was any indication.

“The mooring tower has to be built first in order to easily bring in more equipment, but as it is expected to be installed by tomorrow morning, we will begin construction on those facilities by then. They are prefabricated, so they should not take long to set up. In the meantime if you are in need of food and medical supplies I would be happy to assist,” I told the group, as honestly as I could.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

The following morning the tall tower stood gleaming from the middle of the pile of ruined starships. The EVS droid continued to work in a circular pattern out from the tower wear the work crews were stationed. During the night the savage tribes had attacked a group of labor droids, but they had not hurt any living being, which was good. Wrecking a few droids was something that was easily replaced, and because work had already begun on the medical facilities in question they would be completed by the day’s end. The Alkasaner tribe had informed me to work westward, away from the far side of the Scatter. Apparently they were going to force the cannibalistic savage tribes to flee into another tribe on the far side of the pile, and they didn’t want my men freaking out about the tribesmen moving through the wreckage of starships and shooting one of them. It was a fair concern, so I of course complied. It was easiest to work with them than force them to work around me. It built the trust in our relationship. The construction of the factory was going very well. About half the labor droids and workers were assisting the EVS Droid to rapidly build the complex. I had planned to have the construction complete after a few weeks, and it appeared as though the massive facility would be complete on schedule and with plenty of raw materials to spare, meaning there would be materials to use to kick start production.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

In the two weeks that followed, tribesmen regularly visited the area, especially around the food processors. Food and nourishment had been somewhat scarce and having a steady supply pleased the men greatly, as they could supplement their diet with what we offered to them. Most of the tribesmen intended to only use the facilities I provided when necessary and not to use it as a crutch, but as a failsafe for when they fell on particularly hard times. They had systematically exterminated the savages with assistance from my workers and weapons I supplied them, giving them an edge over the maniacs that lived within the pile.

The small army of droids, led by the hulking EVS droid continued to break down the ship wreckage at an incredible rate, however there would be much more left. And mining operations wouldn’t be necessary for months, if not years to come. I would take the EVS back to Taanab when I left soon, but it had served its purpose well. Machinery and equipment arrived daily from the stores on Taanab, preparing the facility for production on a massive scale. The facility ended up consisting of several wings that were essentially massive production bays dedicated to a specific type of technology surrounding the primary warehouse, hangars, vehicle bays, and mooring tower. The chief foreman was given command of the facility, and I hoped it would be up to the liking of the Silver Jedi as they waged their war against the Sith and the Primeval in the galactic north.

 

[Fyor Nayus]

Black Jedi robes on, reinforced with thick leather, long shaggy brown hair and brown artificial eyes, dirt and hydro-grease was as usual on his forehead as he worked. Various gadgets adorned Fyor Nayus and as also as per usual, he was covered from head to toe in technical wizardry, half of which you might question the need for.

Fyor was a man you called when you had things that needed building, fixing, maintaining or generally working on, in this case he was merely here to add his own expertise. He was a man of flowery speeches or technical meandering, often both at the same time, which meant usually the only people that could put up with speaking to him were those getting very drunk, or those working on a design of some sort. Good thing he liked doing both in liberal amounts!

Overseeing the design and working with the droids rather than the foreman, because droids were infinitely easier to communicate with, the Lorrdian had added a savant’s touch to the facilities defences, taking great care and attention on the finer points. Saving space in many areas, structural integrity, even down to things such as the ventilation systems were given the once over to be made more efficient. He was an absolute stickler for detail, and even had some of the droid's questioning the need for the minor alterations he tasked of them, but each one gave that bit more to the project. The facility would find itself that bit more resistant to any form of aerial assault, in particular it's shield generator would be vastly enhanced, and it would be that bit more efficient in its storage capacity. All told there wasn't a lot left for him to do but congratulate someone on a job well done.

Before [member="Draco Vereen"] headed for his ship, in passing he commented, “a most impressive engineering display my good man, I thoroughly congratulate you on your efforts. Hopefully we might work together in the future.”

Spoiler

Sorry I didn’t get here sooner! Stopped by to say great work.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I turned to the Jedi man addressing me. I hadn't encountered many of the Silver Jedi Order yet, but I knew of them enough to know they were good folks with good intentions. "Thank you, but it is meant to supply the Order with the majority of its purchases from ArmaTech so it needed to be vast. I am Draco Vereem, and who may I ask are you good sir." I had been told by my workers there had been a man assisting in controlling the droids and aiding in the construction of the facility, that was still going through the finishing stages. The use of the EVS droid had reached its end, but the small army of labor droids were simply going to be re-purposed into factory workers. Droid assisted factories were the most productive and of the highest quality, as it left biological workers with enough patience and time to do proper quality control without being worked to death by operating the machinery.

[member="Fyor Nayus"]