Energy Must Flow | The Free Worlds Coalition

[Jairus Starvald]

Sarapin - Sarapin System​

Free Worlds Space​

Sarapin was a world of change.

Insistent and aggressive change just under the crust of the surface. It boiled over and then it calmed down again, before returning with an aggression that could challenge the Galaxy. In a way it was inspiring to the Thirriken who had decided to pay a visit to the world. The aim was to inspect the progress of the construction of the Crux facilities.

Joining him would be [member="Saffron"] with whom he had established a close working relationship. A connection fostered by a mutual love for tea, poetry and the finer things in life, like silky feng shui and gardening.

It was quite pleasant to find a soul so close to his own in these things.

She had spoken with him about revolutionizing the energy trade with the development of new geothermal technology.

Seeing as Lord Fa was heavily investing in the energy trade? It was only logical to lend his assistance to her in any way he could.

Already the Thirriken was waiting on the landing pad of his facility. In the distance he could just make out the shuttle carrying Saffron breaking the atmosphere and slowly making its way towards the installation itself.

It was quite warm here, not too unpleasant, but Lord Fa would be happy to retreat back inside soon.

 

[Hadleigh Purkis]

A small KDY cruiser drops out of hyperspace along with a contingent of construction ships.

Their goal? Establish an orbital refinery station to convert Sarapin's natural geothermal energy into a hyper-efficient power core for powering starship reactors. Far less simple than stated, but well within the reach of possibility. The planet itself happened to be a self-sufficient production facility in its own right, churning out massive amounts of energy waiting to be harvested by the energy collectors below.

Although Hadleigh intends to allow others to tap into this source of power groundside, she couldn't pass up the opportunity to transform the raw energy into something grander. "Send a transmission. Declare our entrepreneurial intentions and offer the full cooperation of our fleet in other civil endeavours." The Lady gave word to her trusted offers. Quickly, the message is relayed across the system to relevant recipients.

Meanwhile, the construction ships began to deploy buoys which designate the perimeter of their project--a friendly warning to starship traffic in the area.

[member="Tai Fa"]

 

[Saffron]

[member="Tai Fa"] [member="Hadleigh Purkis"]

Sarapin - Sarapin System​

Free Worlds Space​

The sleek Theed Hanger ship quietly ejected its landing struts as it descended upon the landing pad. Its mirror-like chrome surface reflecting the ambient light of the volcanic environment. Sarapin was by all accounts, a far more calmer and cooler version of Mustafar. But where trade flourished in ores and minerals in the volcanic world, here on Sarapin, geo-thermal energy reigned.

Saffron had been one of the delegates giving aide to the local government in helping secure their geothermal shipments from vagabonds and lingering One Sith. That business connection naturally went straight into another partnership, this time in providing updated geothermal energy generators and harvesters.

When Lord Fa had invited her to collaborate, Saffron couldn't be happier.

The airlock slid open, the ramp descending for the blonde to use. Her warm smile met that of Lord Fa's, the young Companion giving him a little wave and an incline of her head as she descended the ramp to meet him.

"Lord Fa," she sang, a genuine warmth in her voice.

"It is such a pleasure to see you again."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"] | [member="Hadleigh Purkis"]

Since those days the One Sith had retreated into the shadows, but not before destroying much of Sarapin.

Major settlements ruined, people annihilated, vital infrastructure broken. Everything, so when their liberation would come, there would be naught but salt and dirt to save from their clutches. Even now there were no settlements to be found - unless you counted the localized reconstruction projects from Fa Holdings, which were stabilized core fragments on the surface.

With the assistance of Mara Tibx they had been able to set up secured zones where they could operate.

Valuable assistance and Lord Fa was grateful for it. When Saffron descended from the ramp the Thirriken could not help, but smile back at her. Already his upper half went for a bow, deeper than most people were afforded at the usual.

"Lady Saffron, the pleasure is all mine." His voice glided back. The ramp was already closing behind her and Tai was already half-turned towards the facility, his wing gesturing towards it.

"Please, join me inside. The heat is quite unpleasant for my plumage."

In the meantime the KDY representatives would be met with a diplomatic response. With the lack of true government in the aftermath of the Sith's destruction, it were the companies most heavily invested in Sarapin's fate that tried to guide it in one direction or the other. But Lord Fa was a genial business bird all things considered, the response offered any assistance that Fa Holdings could provide to their siblings of Kuat.

It was quite well known that Lord Fa and the Humbarine Sector were tied in more than one way these days.

 

[Hadleigh Purkis]

The construction ships in orbit were well under way, with the buoys placed the vessels could finally begin the legwork.

"Lady Purkis, we have ran into a minor complication..." A soft-voiced analyst alerts her. "What is it?" She requests. "The station's framework is more delicate than anticipated, the drones alone are too large to properly connect the segments. We will need to send personnel into space to do it manually." Hadleigh nods, understanding that these things happen. "Of course: Authorization granted."

Soon from the construction ships, dozens of men and women suited up and began to space walk to the foundation. Working in tandem with drones they started to bring the pieces together, establishing the outer workings of the refinery and allowing the rest to begin. Thankfully there were no additional complications for the time being, which meant lowered risk and cost alike.

"Keep me updated on progress," the woman says before departing to her personal quarters. She contemplated sending a representative down to the world in order to establish better ties with the energy collectors.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Saffron"]

 

[Saffron]

[member="Hadleigh Purkis"] [member="Tai Fa"]

Indeed, the heat was rather stifling.

"Of course," Saffron replied, following the Thirriken. She could feel and also see the waves of heat rise. Sarapin was one of the largest energy producers in the Core. She was here to help increase efficency for that.

"I hear that there are still a few One Sith elements that need rooting out." the blonde would inquire. Arceneau Trade security and forces had been provided for protection, but even then there were still security concerns.

They made it inside the building, cool air once again returning from the filtered air conditioner. One could see how much happier Lord Fa was at the temperature change. Saffron smiled.

"Well, perhaps we can discuss this over tea?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"]

Lord Fa inclined his beak in affirmation.

"Tea sounds good. Please sit?" After which the Thirriken tip-toed towards the nearby table where his wings started to manipulate the pots and ingredients in a surprisingly deft fashion. But if there was one thing that Tai had immense experience in it was the art of making tea and his talons were uniquely aware of exactly how to bend and curl to make it as easy as possible.

Amicable silence ruled the room for minutes at a time, until finally tea was ready to be served.

On a small platter two cups were placed on the desk with the pitcher of tea standing at ready next to it. If either of them were in need of refills, they were comfortable enough to simply pour it themselves.

"We have managed to push out most of the Sith presence in the system, yes. Your security forces have been immensely helpful in that regard. But we do have some... strays dug in and entrenched." A brow furrowed as he took a sip from his cup and hummed softly in pleasure. The herbs supplied to him by Pharma-Tech for testing purposes were exquisite, he nodded to her in appreciation - the only sign of acceptance, but more was not necessary between them.

"I have been willing to let them sit in their isolated positions for now while repairing the infrastructure... but they are becoming a risk again, the more we work on restoring the world."

Questioning gaze followed to see if Saffron agreed with that assessment.

 

[Hadleigh Purkis]

A shuttle leaves the safety of its hangar, passing through the shimmering blue veil.

"There are several collectors eager in meeting with you," Hadleigh's chief aide had been going over the various dealers below. "I have compiled a list of the most promising candidates. Normally this would all come down to price, but I believe security is a concern we should consider. With One Sith remnants scattered across the surface we have to expect they'll take any opportunity to gain an upper hand... It is the way of the Sith."

Her aide happened to serve K-D-Y during Kuat's Sith occupation, a time when Hadleigh was taken off world to live in anonymous tutelage.

The woman's green eyes pierced the crystal clear viewport, looking down onto the expansive curvature that continuously neared. "What about this Fa Holdings? They offered their assistance, what is their stake on Sarapin?"

A shocking gaze annexed the aide's visage. "My Lady... I am surprised you are not familiar, Fa Holdings is an influential firm. If I am to guess correctly, they are likely here to facilitate the growth and management of an energy provider." Hadleigh nods once. "I see. Send them a message, I would like to meet with a representative." Soon enough such a message had been sent, now it was a matter of reception.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Saffron"]

 

[Saffron]

[member="Tai Fa"] [member="Hadleigh Purkis"]

Saffron agreed with the sentiment. Carefully, the blonde took over pouring some tea for the pair. "Indeed," she verbally confirmed it for Tai Fa.

"I have been hearing murmurs of a few who have been making it difficult for the locals." a measure of distaste made her brow wrinkle at the thought. While there were One Sith who were far more pragmatic at their approach on dealing with locals, there were others that in the wake of the fall during the Omega Crisis, turned to a far more brutal means.

Arceneau Trade did its best to remain neutral, but those whom they took under their protection were defended with a vehemency known by the Queen of Trade.

"What are you plans?" she inquired, perhaps they could coordinate more.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"] | [member="Hadleigh Purkis"]

A message popped up on the holoterminal right as Lord Fa was about to respond.

Over the cup of hot tea the Thirriken peered at the message with a brief furrow of eyebrows. It seemed to be a missive from a KDY representative, who wished to discuss trade relationships with him. Which Lord Fa only welcomed. Greater relationships between Kuat and Humbarine could only lead to prosperity for the both of them.

But right now Tai was quite occupied with this talk and he could not rightly assume that Saffron would simply take a backseat. Besides, they had much to talk about.

A brief glance was afforded to Saffron, it was quite apologetic and simply begged for a moment of patience.

Soon enough it was sent - basically stating that Lord Fa would welcome to a meeting after he wrapped up his current responsibilities, which would happen post-haste. This way he could conclude his conversation with Saffron and then perhaps they could have an amicable chat with the three of them.

"I have some means I could utilize." Tai responded carefully while pondering. "Too much force and people would get wary of Humbarine's power... not enough and it would result in failure, it is quite a balance to keep."

"I was considering sending detachment of Vigor Troopers outfitted with your gear to do the job. What do you think of that?"

 

[Hadleigh Purkis]

Hadleigh's shuttle landed at their first stop.

One of the larger Energy Collectors had recently underwent strikes, and as such they are eager to seek a large contract to compensate for recent losses. These were the opportunities any intelligent business looked for, but Lady Purkis wasn't one to merely exploit. She arrived to uplift. A representative from the company quickly rushed to the landing pad, which happened to be protected by massive heat shield generators.

"Welcome, welcome!" The representative shouts over the sound of violent plate shifts. "Please, if you'll follow me we can talk somewhere quieter." He quickly gestures for the woman and her escorts to follow.

Once inside things were indeed quieter, the seismic activities around them were hardly felt nor heard in the well-protected headquarters of the company. "Right this way if you will," he finally leads them to a meeting room where the company officials quickly stood from their chairs before sitting again once Hadleigh had. "Gentlemen," she announced. "If I understand correctly, K-D-Y is here to save your company."

She did her best to subdue a confident smirk, as such moments were easily savored.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Saffron"]

 

[Saffron]

[member="Tai Fa"] [member="Hadleigh Purkis"]

"I think it is an excellent idea." Saffron replied in turn. Aware that Tai Fa had reviewed a message, she quietly offered the following,"I would be more than happy to warm another pot of tea if you like?" Saffron did not want to intrude, and while she enjoyed Lord Fa's company, she also wanted to let him know that it was okay if he was required elsewhere.

Turning to look at the room she gave a small smile. "You layout is very refreshing. Balanced. There is an energy here." she added ,complimenting him.

They had much to talk about. MaraTibx was in the process of creating new and improved geothermal energy collectors that would benefit Sarapin. Perhaps, after the remnants of the One Sith were taken care of, Lord Fa would be interested in joining forces in that as well.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"] | [member="Hadleigh Purkis"]

A bright satisfied smile found its way to the foreground at the compliment.

"I appreciate that a lot. It is gratifying for someone to notice the effort I have put into it."

It was rare that someone actively noticed the effort he put into the design and architecture of his offices and buildings. The art of feng shui was lost to most, they did not seem to find it important to bolster the flow of energy around their locations. This was a pity, in Tai's experience it made all the difference in the world.

You simply needed to be open to the possibilities.

"No need, no need. A representative of Kuat wishes to speak to me about Sarapin - but we have scheduled a meeting after this one is done." A little shrug followed. "You would be more than welcome to join us, of course, I value any input you might have."

A thought entered his mind.

"Why don't you tell me of your plans to increase the efficiency of the energy collectors? I think it could be quite helpful for my efforts here."

 

[Hadleigh Purkis]

Hadleigh's meeting could be going better.

Certainly the company is interested in making a deal with Kuat Drive Yards, and certainly they're willing to give KDY the upper hand as well. However, their stubborn nature is the result of one thing. Fear. They are afraid that their association with Kuat, and to an extent the Free Worlds Coalition, will make them a target for One Sith remnants still trying to wrestle for control. Fears that Hadleigh had little way of extinguishing.

"We can station patrol fleets--"

"A fleet!? What do starships in orbit do to deter Sith loyalists on the ground?" One official argues. "We need men... Armies!" Another chimes in. Soon the entire room was loud with bickering.

"Enough!" Hadleigh's escort shouts over the masses, invoking a heavy sigh from the lady herself. Given the stage, Hadleigh rose from her seat. "We do not have armies to station on your world, but we can help you rebuild. Through us there will be trade, and our fleets can do more than you might think. We can identify enemy movements with our listening stations; pinpoint their bases and target them with orbital strikes. You are protected."

Protection happened to be an expensive enterprise, however. Still, should they come to a deal it would remain heavily in Kuat's favour.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Saffron"]

 

[Saffron]

Assured by [member="Tai Fa"], Saffron simply gave him a smile in gratitude and pleasure. A sip of her tea followed, the refreshing brew a delicate taste that the blonde enjoyed.

"There has been increased research in alloys and materials that could enhance the collection of energy. With as much light as Sarapin is still subject to by the sun, a combination of geothermal and solar harvesters would maximize the collection." the new solar solarium chips were able to collect up to 70% more energy even on a cloudy day, similar to the dark plumes of smoke and ash that some of the more active volcanos on Sarapin.

"We are increasing the heat tolerance, as well as considering other forms of exchange." Saffron took another sip.

"What are your plans?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"]

It was a difficult balance to maintain.

Every world in the Coalition was free and sovereign in itself. Sometimes they made coalitions with other worlds - within the framework little latices, which all worked together to create local rivalries and alliances in one way or another. In truth Humbarine could have started sweeping through the entirety of Sarapin, land troops and fleets stationed in the system, until the planet was completely swept clean from the Sith.

But that was a dangerous proposition, because diplomacy behaved in such a way that that kind of behavior evoked issues.

It created an image of Humbarine where the sector was fully willing and capable of projecting military strength outside of its borders. This wasn't a bad thing in every situation, but it created precedence. First people might be relieved and welcoming of the aid, but how fast would that turn into wariness and fear? How fast would it turn towards hostilities?

No, Tai Fa would take the little evil and the softer approach. Diplomacy, trade and when necessary implement focused and contained strikes against the enemies of Humbarine.

That was the only way forward... until they were invited, of course. That was a different matter.

"We have analyzed the issues surrounding the energy collectors in the past - large chances of implosions that could destabilize the entire planet and risk catastrophic chain reactions... much the same as Mandalore." Lord Fa explained patiently. "For this reason we have installed failsafes and security protocols, so if something happened, the collectors and reactors would be automatically shut down."

Costly, but better than to lose Sarapin entirely to greed and stupidity.

"If you wish, I can have my engineers share their expertise for your efforts. If it turns out as we hope, I would be willing to upgrade all my facilities with your technology."

This seemed like a win-win preposition to him. It allowed her to make a tidy profit, seeing as currently Tai owned the majority of energy infrastructure on Sarapin through his efforts and investments, while he would ensure that his operations would run even smoother and more efficient.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Tai Fa"]

That would be a win-win situation for them both, especially for Mara Tibx. Mara Tibx not only served as a company that provided various fuels, but also charted geological locations. They had built themselves as a premier surveyor of a vast spectrum of terrains. From ice worlds, to Type one and Type Two climates. Corellia, Sump, Maile, Polis Massa, Mustafar, Gromas, there were a variety of worlds that had Mara Tibx harness that experience to be able to provide extensive charting and data collecting. That information would then be used in turn to promote an increase in safety protocols or to provide a method of being able to safely mine the ore and minerals there.

"You honor me, Lord Fa." Saffron would reply, smiling, as she set her cup of tea down. This is exactly what doing business was all about; being able to connect with others and form true partnerships forged in trust and mutual benefits. They would gain as well as help the people of Sarapin by promoting their safety.

"Mara Tibx would be most humbled to help you in your task for upgrading the technology. We can also assist with surveying and whatever else you may require. Our teams have already done some preliminary work along the fault lines and are studying the history of the volcanic activity."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"]

Tai nodded in appreciation.

It was good that she could see the mutually beneficial relationship here. Whilst some were greedy creatures who thought the best way to make a profit was by hoarding everything, the Thirriken was a more generous gentlebeing. It was why at the end of the day he did little to prevent other companies from establishing their own little locations on Sarapin - even if his investments were the greatest on the world itself.

As he had been here first, swooping down and starting to pick up the pieces of the One Sith's onslaught? He had managed to establish himself in the most profitable places anyway.

Getting greedy and starting to push out the little people, while they were trying to make a little profit for themselves?

Silly and stupid.

"Very good - as you know, rebuilding the Humbarine Sector has been a trying affair at times." They had been exchanging letters about his process there, she knew some of the troubles that plagued the sector and the efforts Tai had gone through to assure that they would be led into greater pastures.

"But with the restoring the infrastructure on Sarapin, we will be able to export a lot of its energy to the Humbarine Sector - it will need all the energy it can buy, to help with the rebuilding, to power installations and facilities and shipyards."

This was one of the main reasons Lord Fa had decided to invest so heavily in Sarapin.

Without its supply of geothermal energy, it would have been far more complicated to restore Humbarine back to prominence.

 

[Saffron]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"That can be easily remedied," Saffron added. In actuality, PharmaTech along with MaraTibx could potentially scout Humbarine for other options in energy that could allow it to become a bit more sufficient and still utilize sustainable energy.

"How is the reconstruction proceeding on Humbarine?" that was just one piece of the puzzle. They still had to ensure that all the remnants of the former One Sith were taken care of. The longer that they remained, the more difficult it would be to ensure the prosperity of the Sector.

"What vectors are you still in need for?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Saffron"]

This was a multi-faceted question and as such Tai considered it for a moment, before actually moving to answer.

What did the Humbarine Sector need, before the Thirriken would consider it a true success? The prosthetic program in cooperation with [member="Kaili Talith"] was going fairly well, but would still need some time before it could reach its apex. This would presumably solve the labor issue without having to rely on pulling in foreign sentients from other places of the Galaxy or relying on droid labor forces. Each would have their own place within Humbarine, of course. But it could not be a reliance, not when they had so many demographics looking for work right now.

The shipyards... when that was done? Tai could truly consider his efforts within Humbarine to be a success.

"We are in the progress of constructing shipyards... ones which will encircle the world and provide it with much needed work. But this energy from Sarapin is key to it."

A frown followed next.

"What could you bring to the table to help me root out these One Sith elements? Without overextending our forces and committing too much, of course."