Harvesting in Sundari Desert [Mandalore]

[Captain Larraq]

Planet: Mandalore
City: Sundari
Building: Mandal Hypernautics HQ
Location: CEO's Office


Rygel Larraq stood at parade rest only a few inches from the western window of his office. Hands rested behind his back, clasping one another against the small of his back as the Mandalorian's eyes scanned the line between sand and sky. There, in the distance, among the swirling sands that built upon a strong, southerly wind, Larraq could still barely see the form of the original Harvester-class Mining Factory standing silently at the edge of the Mandal Hypernautics testing range. The Prototype had sat in mothball for years after she had completed her final round of trials. She was a beautiful machine, but she had long ago served her purpose.

That is, until today.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Mining rights were not an easy thing to come by on Mandalore. And yet, as Rygel Larraq gazed out his office window, he could not help but smile at his luck and the quality of work his lawyers had put into their most recent discovery. "Replay hologram." Rygel Larraq said as he turned his gaze from the window and once again gazed into the main holodisplay of his office. In reds and oranges and blues, the outline of Mandal Hypernautics' testing grounds was displayed near the top of the hologram. What drew the focus of his eyes though, was the strips of color that filled the display beneath the buildings and depots that rested upon the surface of the desert.

There, highlighted in a vibrant parade of colors, mineral and metal veins were displayed for all to see. Iron and copper and zinc and a dozen other minerals ran under the property to which he owned. And until today, that was all that was known.

 

[Captain Larraq]

His lawyers were good at their jobs. When Mandal Hypernautics acquired a property, they rarely settled for renting a building or leasing a plot of land. When Mandal Hypernautics' lawyers put pen to paper and brought jobs and economic growth to a planet or city, they made sure that Mandal Hypernautics had complete control of whatever resource Rygel Larraq had set his eyes upon. And sometimes, their farsightedness outstretched Larraq's own. For when Hyperion Consulting has acquired contracts for land ownership in the Sundari Desert, they had not settled for what lay upon the surface. They had made sure that their employer, Rygel Larraq, owned the rights to the land in its entirety, from the surface to the mantle.


<From the surface to the mantle,> Rygel Larraq thought, <Is mine.>

His eyes locked onto a single, massive vein of ore that ran along the bottom of the holoprojection. It was displayed in gold and accentuated by a small, blue icon at the center of it. That icon, meant one and only one thing.



Beskar.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq looked over his shoulder and out the tinted window once more. His eyes immediately locked onto the resting bulk of the Harvester Prototype that already stood upon the sands of Sundari, legs locked into place upon the very land which was soon to make him a great deal of money. His eyes lingered upon the massive creation that he had dreamed up so long ago. The sale and use of the Harvester Mobile Factory had made him a great deal of money in the years since its initial creation. But this... this single mine had the potential to dwarf those profits in barely a quarter.


Turning back to his office, "Begin searching for contractors." Rygel Larraq said aloud, knowing that his secretary would hear him. "I want the Harvester Prototype back up to full operational levels within three days."

 

[Captain Larraq]

His boots strode upon fine, wooden floors as he returned to his desk, stepping around the sleeping form of Talyn, his pet vornskr, in the process. His fingers dancing upon a terminal keyboard, Larraq pulled up his own list of contractors. First among them, a Republic citizen by the name of [member="Draco Vereen"]. "Contact this one first." Rygel Larraq said aloud, again knowing that his secretary would hear him and obey. The press of a button sent the file to his secretary's computer.

For his own part, Rygel Larraq would have much to do over the next three days. A project with this much potential deserved his full attention. And while droid laborers and a few hundred of the local population could get the machine in full working order without much need for oversight, the actual planning phase for the deployment and operation of the massive machine would require a great deal of effort and knowledge. Larraq knew the machine better than anyone. But what he needed was a man that knew mining better than anyone. For that, he needed contractors.

Spoiler

Start posting 'three days later' after the initial contract was agreed upon and as restoration to the prototype harvester are in the final stages before the mining operation begins.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Three Days Later, after an Initial Verbal agreement had been reached, the Harvester enters the final stages of preparations before mining begins.

The CEO of MandalHypernautics had contacted me late a few galactic standard days ago, and for my part, the money was good, the people were good, and the cause interested him greatly. I was no professional mining expert, but I was a hard worker and I have more than a few tricks up my sleeve. I have mined phrik out of asteroids using turbolasers to break up the rocks to allow for easy access to the ore, I have used blaster cannons and thermal detonators to fracture the asteroids, and I have use tractor beams to smash asteroids together as well. Getting the call from MandalHypernautics wasn’t expected, but it was an opportunity I couldn’t give up. Three days after reaching a verbal agreement I was on the surface of Mandalore itself, a place I had never been, arriving from a long trip from Jabiim to Mandalore, and clearing mining droids and equipment through their customs. Mandal Hypernautics had a monster of a mining machine preparing to begin this operation, and I assume that the reason I am here is to oversee and assist the operation as much as possible. I knew that I would have only limited exposure to the owner of the company, mainly I expected him only to arrive for routine inspections, but I intended to impress the man.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I assume that the Mandalorians were very interested in this mining project because they had supplied a full staff of ten thousand men and hundreds of other droids to the Harvester that was preparing to begin drilling down to the Beskar ore. I was brought on, as I thought, as a consultant and overseer of the operation. The price tag that MandalHypernautics had put on this operation was enormous, not only due to the use of such a behemoth machine, but also due to the immense population of workers. They had hired numerous contracting mining crews, and my small group was infinitismal by comparison. I was used to relatively small operations, so my main goal as the harvester finishes its preparation is to familiarize myself with the machine, or in this case thousands of machines, I would be working with. The assembly of the vehicle was almost complete so I began by going over the capabilities of its on board laser, tractor beams, and other equipment, it would be utilizing. I felt it best to instruct my small crew to begin surveying the land and our angle of entry into the rock, deep in the Sundari Desert. It was hot and the sun burned down on us, but the easy part was just about to begin. Once the laser started, it would not stop until it had evaporated a hole too deep for its tractor beams.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

“Sir, the Harvester will be completed within a day and I am sure the CEO will arrive shortly before then,” one of my crew informed me. We were slightly behind schedule. It might have had something to do with the fact that my small crew hadn’t been assisting with the building, they and myself, had been preoccupied with learning the equipment. It was more likely that the schedule was a product of bureaucracy and was more of a guideline to be loosely followed and had been an attempt at optimal efficiency without planning for the inevitability of setbacks. Even still I didn’t like being behind schedule on my first contract with the company. ArmaTech had just started talks with the Republic and the Silver Jedi, and we really needed this one to pay out.

“Alright, have the boys work through the night to get us back on schedule. They can rest in shifts while we use that big laser to get started once this thing is in one piece.” I said, knowing it wouldn’t be a popular decision with the crew. Even as I ordered it the man looked befallen.

“Yes sir, anything else?” He asked, probably just hoping that there wasn’t anything else I had in mind.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

He was terribly mistaken, but I didn’t have anything I could do without this facility up and running and my crews couldn’t work until the laser and machine were fully operational. “No thank you, just get working and stay that way until this rig is up and running.” I said. In every other mining operation I had been a part of set up was barely a day of working, this, this was on a completely different level.

“Yes sir, I’ll leave you now and see what I can do about getting everyone working through the night, some of these lads think they are in unions you know.” The miner said with a laugh. It was a joke, a poor joke, but a joke. MandalHypernautics had sought out just about every contracting group they could find, and most of them weren’t going to complain about overtime before the job even got started. They would just grumble to themselves and rejoice when they saw their pay stubs in a few weeks. If I had had my way, we would have orbital bombarded this section of the desert and then started setting up this beast, but I guess the current Mandalore would have had a problem with mining crews bombing his planet.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Morning was approaching fast, and with it our deadline to set up the Harvester mining machine and be ready for the initial inspection by the famous, or infamous depending on who you asked, [member="Captain Larraq"]. No doubt the CEO had been working on planning this shin dig, and when he arrived to inspect this thing, I wanted him to be impressed. I was certain he would be briefing the work crews as they began powering up the leviathan we sat upon. “How’s the work coming," I asked one of my miners.

“It seems we have been doing alright, no incidents as of yet, and we should finish right on schedule after this allnighter.” The man replied. I didn’t like making them work twenty four hour shifts at all. It made the men tired, and tired men made mistakes, but I wasn’t in charge of that many men anyway, the majority were under control of one of MandalHypernautics administrators, no doubt carefully documenting each crew’s performance throughout the set up.

“Good, we will all get some rest when this thing first starts up. It’s got a good ways to blast with its laser and will take time to punch through this ferrite rock.” I said, hoping I was right, because based on the schematics I saw, the vehicle might burrow down the few hundred meters in no time flat.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq had been watching the progress reports come scrolling onto his datapad for the last three days. And as he sat in one of the many comfortable chairs of his Ani'jarkiv Luxury Limo, he was still reading the latest progress reports. In front of him, the internal holoprojectors of the limo projected a live video of the Harvester as they approached. She was walking. Slowly, carefully, she pondered forward to her intended dig site. Rygel Larraq had observed the prototype's operation for months at a time and had personally visited twelve separate dig sites where Harvesters were in use. To Rygel Larraq's keep eye, he could tell that the driver of the beast was unfamiliar with the controls and was being overly cautious to compensate.

Not a bad decision. He would rather she move slowly than not at all.

He had seen the reports flood in over the night as workers doubled their efforts to get her operational within the original deadline. Partially, he was impressed by the dedication to the job. Partially, he was mildly annoyed. The last thing he needed was a dead or injured worker's family filing lawsuits against him for ignoring safety regulations. He'd already sent a message to the foreman requesting that the overworked men be put on light duty for the next day and a half.

 

[Captain Larraq]

The shuttle circled the Harvester once before she landed, the driver giving his employer the opportunity to get a good look at her with his own two eyes before boarding the monster. Larraq had gazed upon her with a modicum of both love and pride. She was one of his best creations, and she continued to serve him even after he had thought he was done with her. More importantly though, she was not a beast of war, as so many of his other creations had been destined for. It was that fact alone that put the Harvester in a special place for Larraq. He had been the instrument for so much death over the years...


Larraq mulled on the topic as the Limo made its final approach. She settled down nicely onto the newly extended aft landing pad as Larraq straitened out his suit and finished what was left of the whiskey in his glass. Bright, desert sunlight assaulted the man as he stood and exited the Limo. The warm and familiar assault of sand and heat pressed against the soft skin of his face as Larraq surveyed the desert. In the distance, he could still see the crater he had made so many years ago. Once a year, it filled with water as the summer rains ran through the desert. It was odd to be able to see the effect you had on the world around you. Not the effect you had on people or buildings or economy... but the effect you had on the planet. Year after year.

It reminded him of the distant world of Dromund Kaas...

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq took a deep breath and stood up strait as he pushed thoughts of Dromund Kaas from his mind and put one foot in front of the other until he was inside the dark, metallic interior of the Harvester and the bright desert sun was shut away. On the inside, she was not unlike a starship. Her internal passageways reminded him of something you would see on a freighter. She was a little dirty and more than a little dusty, but it somehow added to her charm as a terrestrial machine built for digging. What always felt odd for Larraq was the way that she swayed when she walked. As a naval officer who had spent much of his life in the sanitary interior of a warship gliding seamlessly through a void, the rhythmic movements and vibrations he now felt run up his feet and into his body were strange and alien.

It took him a moment of pause to get his barring. But soon enough, he had acclimated himself to the rhythmic motions and continued forward to the bridge of the ship. Here and there, a passing worker saw him approach and stepped out of the way, polite nods greeting him as he passed.

"How's she handling?" Larraq asked casually as he entered the bridge, intending the statement for both the foreman and the helmsman.


[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

When [member="Captain Larraq"] entered the bridge of the massive vehicle I stood at attention, habit from being in the Republic Special Forces and having to deal with military superiors on a constant basis. “She seems to be handling just fine sir.” I said standing in full armor and gear. Never a bad time to be prepared, and armor was one of Mandalore’s claim to fame, so I figured the man could appreciate the tech I was walking around in. “We should be able to start drilling in about an hour and should be in position within the next few minutes.” I finished. The crews I had had pull a double were currently on light duty, but that would only slow down progress minimally. They would still be able to work once the hole this beast drilled out was ready for them. Ten thousand men total were prepared for this excavation, along with hundreds of mining droids, and mining platforms, having a few hundred men on light duty wouldn’t slow anything down. Besides, from what the sensors had indicated we were going to be drilling down to one of the larger veins on the planet in the first place, and it would take weeks, maybe months to mine the amount MandalHypernautics had demanded.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Rygel Larraq nodded at the man and gave a polite smile. A practiced glance was all it took to assess the armor the man wore. Phrik layered on top of pressed Duranium and sandwiched on top of Molytex reinforced Duranium. The armor would be relatively light, but durable. Not many men would think to make body armor out of a substance that is essentially over-complicated glass, and Larraq gave Draco top marks for it. Overall, the suit appeared to be very similar in overall design and function to the Hyperion Beskar'gam that his company produced.

Walking towards one of the large, port-side windows, Larraq took in the sights, sounds, and smells of his creation. "Sounds good." Larraq said as he looked around the bridge and assessed the crewmembers as they busied themselves with their various tasks. "Have you acclimated yourself to her yet?" Larraq asked as he turned back to the man, leaning his shoulder against the large window.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq wore no armor. Not in the traditional sense of what one would expect from a Mandalorian. Instead he restricted himself to a simple beskar flak vest and a very expensive set of suits, each one lined with the finest beskar armorweave that credits could buy. While his Mandalorian brethren found it odd, Larraq knew that it made him seem less imposing to those he did business with. It made him seem more vulnerable and trustworthy, as well as made it easier for outsiders to identify with the man. 'This is a Mandalorian I can trust.' they thought.

True, those more familiar with Mandalorian culture were put off by Larraq. He didn't fit the stereotype. And to some, that made him dangerous. All the more so if the person in question had heard of Rygel Larraq's naval career.

But this man. This Republic Citizen. He did fit the bill. He came to Mandalore dressed to impress, and he wore it well.

"This is your first time to Mandalore, is it not?" Larraq asked as he took in the man and his armor once again.


[member="Draco Vereen"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I remained at attention when being addressed by MandalHypernautics CEO. I was aware he had an exemplary naval career; though I had heard only little highlights of it I knew the man was to be respected as a form of warrior. Maybe not warrior in the traditional sense, but certainly still a warrior in another sense. “It is my first time on Mandalore, or in the Mandalorian Sector for that matter,” I replied when asked. I was not aware how good the bookkeeping on Mandalore was, but no doubt [member="Captain Larraq"] had researched me before hiring me to help oversee the mining operation. “I have found the controls to be relatively simple, especially considering the capabilities it boasts. I have spent time familiarizing myself with the elements of this machine and should be able to plan around it fairly well. By the time the laser bores down enough, all men will be prepared and on full active assignment, and we should be well underway. I do have a question however, what is the timeline for reaching and mining the Mandalorian Iron in the rock, as your briefing manual was sparse on that detail?” I asked, hoping for a reasonable time, then again not fully understanding the capabilities of the Harvester might mean I underestimate how quickly this project can get done.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq nodded and smiled as the man talked. He was a military man through and through and was smart enough to know which questions were important enough to ask. "That depends on everything from the minerals the laser will have to bore through to the intensity of the planet's gravity and thus, the density of the planet's soil. But here on Mandalore? The laser can probably reach the vein in an hour or two. We won't be bothering to harvest any other ore veins we encounter as we go, so that should keep things quick." Larraq said as he crossed his arms over his chest and took in the true face of [member="Draco Vereen"]. The one he wore now. The one with the visor.

"You should get to see an interesting sight once we've reached the vein. Mining lasers are fairly useless on Beskar ore. When we finally cut this thing off, the entire vein should be exposed and intact, stretching from one side of the hole to the other." He said with a small grin, knowing that the Republic Citizen had likely only heard rumors of the mythical mandalorian iron.

 

[Captain Larraq]

Larraq had indeed researched Draco before hiring him on. In fact, long before Larraq had this mission for him, Draco Vereen's name had appeared on Mandal Hypernautics' intel network. He was an up-and-coming engineer and businessman, but he was also a competent soldier and a man that knew his way around a suit of armor. While any Mandalorian could respect the latter, it was the former that had caught the attention of Larraq. In the wake of the Netherworld Disaster, Manda'yaim needed the hands and hard work of every son and daughter she could claim.

Glancing around the bridge for one last time, Larraq felt confident that he had chosen the right man for the job. He also felt that there was a great deal more potential in the man than was being utilized by the Republic. Turning his eyes back to the man in the Phrik armor, gave his final regards. "When you're done with your duties for the day." Larraq said as he locked his gaze with the black visor of [member="Draco Vereen"], return to your cabin. "I have something for you there." He said as he leaned forward, away from the glass, and made his way from the bridge.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Two hours, well that was certainly faster than I had intended, and I had no intention of returning to my cabin until the job was done, be it six hours from now or two days from now. I was aware of the necessity of sleep, but I had gone without it for thirty hours once entrenched on Eraidu, so yelling at people and helping excavate the ore. I had never seen it up close before, but on Mandalore it seemed like everyone with any level of importance was decked out in the stuff. Personally I thought I would prefer the Beskar, as the natives called it, to Phrik. The reason I had chosen Phrik in the first place was because it was more easily accessed. Right now, only three known planets had this mineral, and two of them where under Mandalorian control, the other under control of the Primeval, a group I have yet to encounter. “Yes sir, it might be quite a while, I don’t quit until its quitting time, sir.” I replied as the man spoke to me. I had no idea what he was referring to, but I was intrigued. In the meantime though, I had a job to do.