Greeeeeen Acres Is the Place For Me!!!

[Julius Sedaire]

Location: Ukio - Prospective Leviathan Luxury Goods Farm​

​

It was a simple place, rustic almost if not for the massive fields being marred by quietly humming and thrumming walkers as they harvested grains or corn or other such products whilst they trundled about. Normally Ostanes was not one to find peace in such a thing really, it was completely out of his character. But something about the waving grains was almost tranquil really. Truth be told, the processes he had begun implementing here were Alchemy only in the most technical of terms really. There was minimal blood-letting to be involved, and most of it would be his, just to enrich the soil, and no mass sacrifice. He must be going soft...

There were a few of the 'old guard' from under [member="Rave Merrill"] and her days running the company coming in. For once, he had publicly adopted the guise of Ostanes and the face that went with it. There was really not point in being Uriel for this one, despite the mans bombastic humor and sense of cold cunning that was growing on the Alchemist. It was truly a place more appropriate for the head of Research & Development for Akure Executive Interstellar, and so here he was, dressed in muted business casual of tan slacks and a white button down without a tie, revealing a simple wife beater like shirt where the neck gaped open, and the highly polished wing-tip shoes even showed a few scuffs.

[member="Cerita Sarova"] was the main one he was looking to pull into this, really. She was an old apprentice of the Company, directly under Rave, actually. She had some good talent, and he wanted a strong mind on this project with him. She also wasn't, to his knowledge, completely blood-lust crazy and psychotic with a compulsive need for bloodshed or anything else problematic. Which was a plus when one was trying to start a primarily luxury goods business. Get a banker or a CEO bloody from a 'hostile take-over' on their suit and they got very twitchy indeed.

As was his late want, with the madness going on in the Galactic Republic, he stood flanked by two qo'saarai tuk'ata standing upright, armed and armored from a brokered business deal with [member="Draco Vereen"] of ArmaTech. They were his personal bodyguards, and if they worked out well, he intended to make a small cadre of the warriors to accompany him on any of the more risky and dangerous bits he might get up to. After all, why go through the trouble AEI did to uplift and enhance such a already deadly species if you didn't also help them after their 'awakening'. Giving them opportunities like this would help them provide for their families and begin to establish their own identity as a people really.

How he hated waiting...

[member="Cerita Sarova"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ostanes"]

The waiting wouldn't prolong itself for long. From the distance a little transport dove down through the smoky atmosphere, it circled a few times to find itself a proper place to land - and one not too far away from the illustrious Ostanes himself, before gliding towards the LZ appointed to it. It took a few moments, but finally a green-skinned woman climbed out from the passenger-section. Cerita Sarova was a known quantity, in a lot of ways. You couldn't really assist and apprentice underneath an infamous CEO of an equally-infamous corporate conglomerate without building up some sort of reputation yourself. So what would Ostanes know about Cerita? Of course the most obvious part, her apprenticeship underneath Rave Merrill and Akure itself.

One of the few Alchemists who hadn't been mindwiped and left without any recollection of her studies into the arcane. In itself that was a valuable lesson, because it could tell you something about the relationship between her and Rave. Whilst most were left affected, only two (to her knowledge) were untouched - Verd and Sarova herself.

What else was there? An accomplished alchemist with a few patents of her own, all sold through the AEI front. A thinker who liked to plot out her moves before executing them in full, but without the fear of a theorist hampering down when the action started. Ruthless when slighted, but with a strange sense of honor when applied; in a lot of ways she was truly the product of her Masters.

Valik's ruthlessness, Rave's curiousity and Dissero's mellowing.

How curious.

She walked through the field in the direction of Ostanes, in the middle of the walk she halted - shielding her eyes with her hand, while looking up to the sun high in the air. He wouldn't see it, but there was a light smile on her face. Nature was her calling, it was here that she felt truly at home. Then she continued her walk, before finally arriving at the meeting place.

"Mister Ostanes, a pleasure meeting you." she didn't offer a shake of the hand. Both of them were true alchemists in their own right... and both of them knew just what real alchemists could do with even the simplest touch to the skin. A simple inclination of the head would have to do for now, at least until Cerita had gained the full measure of the man.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Ostanes merely nodded, smiling simply as she walked up, a flippant gesture easing the two guards back as large caliber rifles swung forward to point at the new arrival. A simple shake of the head to indicate all was well, with a positively dazzling, if not slightly unsettling smile. Something about it was wrong when you took in how the eyes gleamed with it, really. Almost overly eager, and overly anxious, with a slight hint of some deeper madness lurking, an oily shadow that dimmed the humor just there. The mind wipe from Rave had done more than damage memories, though Ostanes wouldn't know anything had been jarred. It has twisted his motivation and drive, his higher desire for knowledge turning into a base desire for power to keep knowledge from ever being ripped from him again.

Where before he would have been one not so unlike Cerita in the mellowing and casual nature, now he was something more and yet something less as well. Truly, though she had performed no Alchemy on him really, he was one of Rave's creations in his own right, his disturbed and dangerous psyche the by-product of her departure from the company. And the more identities he wove to assume more direct control of Akure... The more faces he wore, the more forms he shifted to, the more he seemed to slowly be slipping into some sea of madness, though for the moment he rode the wave with a tenacious cling, determined to see it through.

Something about the calm demeanor of the green-skinned woman, like the fields, tickled at his mind. It reminded him of something, of another time and place perhaps. No matter the content, he seemed to relax, the darkness receding but never leaving his eyes. There was a nod as he gesture around to the fields, chuckling a bit almost to himself at how quickly one could make things happen when you had almost endless amounts of money and resources to throw at a problem. And when you applied good business sense and general intellect, coupled with a devious cunning... Well... Things happened with even more swiftness.

"Welcome, Cerita... Good of you to come... I trust the brief on what this is about found you in time, and you're aware of the venture we're starting here?"

[member="Cerita Sarova"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ostanes"]

"Mhmm." she hummed with a nod; agreement with the question asked, before her gaze wandered off to the datapad given to her. Because in tow with her were her own bodyguards... also Qo'saarai Tuk'ata - though these two were far less armored and weaponized. Simple Akure-made leather that provided basic Force-protection and energy repulsion, but did little to stave off any blunt damage that might arrive from kinetic energy transfer, alchemized swords in sheaths and force guns at ready, but Cerita wasn't expecting any sort of trouble.

Dissero simply pressured her into it. He felt like she needed as much protection as she could, if she was going to prance around in the wider Galaxy and cooperate with the Sith Lords and Masters of it.

Something that Cerita could understand. Even if she thought it was a little bit unnecessary, at any rate.

"Yes, agricultural production. Beans and crops to accomodate food stuffs and the sort." she swiped and manipulated the little screen, getting more information. "Good locations, far enough away from the Sith Empire, but close enough to the Hyperlanes to provide swift avenue for transportation."

Her brow furrowed in thought.

"Have you considered partnering up with Saiba? I hear there Bio Arks are a hit with this kind of business."

And AEI had a longstanding relationship with the corporation and its owner. It wouldn't be too strange.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

"Saiba? No I had not. Though it is an idea worth merit, truth is there. We will want to make sure to note that. I'll have the initial envoys made as we speak more."

Indeed, he took the time right then and there to tap on the datapad cradled in his arms, and in the distance at the port connected to the farms, a shuttle would raise and fly off, one of the many qo'saarai in his employ being sent off as an envoy. In recent times, he had taken to a fondness for the species his former employer had uplifted. They were undeniably fascinating, and showed so much potential. And to almost a one, they viewed Akure with a gratitude at the least, and a near worship in extreme cases. They also learned astonishingly fast, as if eager to prove their place in the order of sentience.

"There.. With that taken care of, I would ask... Right now, the Ukio operation is focused almost entirely on raw production and processing of basic food-stuffs. While we haven't quite purchased the entire planet, by contract or operating agreement almost all the farms will be producing for us in one way or another. What I would like your feedback on, miss, is whether we should take the operation immediately into luxury good makings, or follow through with my pledge, and re-tool a bit to press forward on more mass-market goods as the primary focus. With the recent Republic Issues, and with the refugee crisis, we can make a lot. And there isn't really anyone in this game yet, so we have time.."

Here he paused, nodding to the guard on the left. That one was male, and had shown quite a protective tendency over Ostanes, almost like an older brother. He was going to have to make time to know a few of these qo'saarai, as individuals. It was imperative, really, now that he was in control, that he make sure they were advancing and being cared for. Rave had made them, and disappeared. There was no reason he should, and that feeling grew the more he thought of it. They were like wayward children, and what initially started as a pragmatic view - the more they were capable of, the more they could benefit him - was twisting the longer he held it. It was a troubling thought.. Ostanes was far from benevolent, but these... These were his responsibility, and he would see them well taken care of.

[member="Cerita Sarova"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Uriel Escria"]

Cerita took some time to ponder that for a moment. Just as Uriel said there were really two paths that the company could take right now. It could either focus on luxurious foodstuffs with high prices and low production value or they could focus on mass-produced basic foodstuffs - prices would be lower, but because of the higher output they could arguably offset the low prices with reaching more people in the end.

"Basic foodstuffs, I'd say." the green-skinned woman replied finally.

"The Galaxy is going through multiple wars, planets ransacked, systems taken over... I think we should take advantage of that. Provide food at low, competitive prices and corner the market that way. We will gain good publicity for helping the sentients of the Galaxy and can start raising the prices over time, as our share increases inside the agricultural market."

Basic economics, really. And with so many nations focused solely on expanding to factory worlds... well, they all needed food. Even if they didn't realize that yet.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

He nodded, smiling at Cerita as she spoke, considering things intently. This one had talent, and he could see why Rave used her. She had a keen and sound mind, but lacked the arrogance and violent ambition many seemed to have to accompany it in his line of work. Gesturing to the two tuk'ata accompanying him, he made a rather basic hand gesture, and they back away a few yards. Still definitively guarding their employer, but also most definitely not close enough to hear or do anything in particular that would allow them to hear the conversation as he continued it with his associate. This was the more delicate part of the maneuver.

"Akure takes up much of my time, in addition to private affairs. By your statements and ideas, I trust you would have some idea and direction to lead this effort best out of those I have in my employ. Quite frankly put, I can not set aside time for the day-to-day. If you'd like, I have drafted papers that just need signing. You'd own 49% of the new venture starting from here, which will reap massive profits even for a smaller venture. I will retain 51%, a controlling interest, held in trust for Akure. Day to day decisions will be left to you, within reason, and honestly I will execute very little except to bring new projects that we may need you to enact for the overarching corporation. As well, we will donate what we can from our internal resources to your own education and empowerment to better enable you to execute your duties... In addition to profit shares and standard packages, we can discuss annual salaries and the like, if you want details, but I assure you it will be more than adequate and befitting... Do we have an accord?"

[member="Cerita Sarova"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The only thing Cerita could do was blink at first. Did she just hear that right? The last thing she had been expecting was for him to offer her... what was he offering her?

Steady, C. This ain't no different from that training session on Mustafar.

She had reviewed the paperwork for this subsidiary. It was on a substantially smaller scale than say Akure, but that was a plus if Sarova had anything to say about it. No matter what anyone said - no matter what she said, the last thing she was ready for was running a gorram nation of a corporation that had stakes in every corner of the Galaxy.

Leviathan Luxury Goods Corporation LLC would be a very nice change from that. A subsidiary with a reasonable size amount of assets, the backing of a conglomerate like Akure... and there it was.

He knew just how to play her, or perhaps it was just a lucky shot.

The offer for her to be educated further? That's where Uriel got her. Even if he wasn't aware of it himself. They haggled back and forth for a while, annual salary, benefits, insurance, holidays and a company ship... all the things, really. Uriel might have had her interest, but she wasn't prepared to sell her services and freedom that easily.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The next few days were a blur of corporate suits, meetings and signings of paperwork. Had Cerita known just how much paperwork came with the territory? Well, she might have reconsidered the entire affair and just sticked to the guns she knew - that being alchemical experimentation and her studies. But every single time her gut-feeling told her to pull out… she was reminded of that offer again.

Or specifically the: “As well, we will donate what we can from our internal resources to your own education and empowerment to better enable you to execute your duties.”-portion.

Studying was her greatest weakness and strength. The allure to expand her knowledge and improve herself? Well, that was simply too much to pass on.

Dissero had been and was a great Master, but he wasn’t exactly a corporate magnate. Some things she couldn’t learn from him - and with Rave busying herself with the Lightside of the alchemy process… well, she didn’t think her old master would be much willing or even have time to help her in this particular matter.

Cerita Sarova. She drawed out the name, adding a small flourish at the end as she signed the last contract that sealed the entire deal.

Forty-nine percent of Leviathan Luxury Goods.

The start of something new.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Ukio, Abrion Sector.
LLGC HQ

“What does LLC stand for?” Cerita mumbled over the sound of her pen scribbling furiously.

“Haum?”

It wasn’t a question she really needed an answer to, but the Herglic aide had been quite… silent and Sarova wasn’t especially good at small talk. But what she was good at was asking pointy questions that made people think and… well hopefully speak a little too.

“LLC. Is it like Leviathan Luxury Corporation without the Goods? Wouldn’t it be LLGC then?”

The sound of the scribbling continued. Few if anything could truly stop the flood of paperwork coming in and out of this place - at least not this soon after formation.

That was what Uriel had told her. It will take some time, but after a few months everything will calm down and we can refocus our attention on the streamline process. Don’t worry.

Quite.

“Haum. LLC is a separate acronym, ma’am.” the Herglic responded carefully. He didn’t look up, pointedly, almost as if he was afraid that she would take offense. It’s curious how such a big sentient could be so careful and thoughtful.

Perhaps the Darkwater-stereotype of burly thugs bustling around didn’t fit everyone after all.

“Oh? What does it stand for then?”

Dergl the Herglic sighed softly, before putting the datapad away and pressing both of his flippers together, almost tenting his hands like a humanoid would.

“LLC. It stands for ‘Limited liability company’, miss Sarova.” a look was shot to see if Cerita was listening, which she was; she even nodded that he could continue.

And Dergl did, starting an explanation on what it exactly meant and why it fitted with Leviathan Luxury Goods Corporation.