Hoarding.

[Zef Halo]

Rohlan, chief of operations in Arakyd Industries and CEO of ORED, currently stood watching from the small freighter the operations that were just to begin. He was always intrigued in overseeing important projects such as the opening of a new mine upon the beskar rich asteroid of Echoy'la.

"Sir, prospecting is done. We have located the best place to begin digging operations, we are just waiting for the mining vehicles to arrive."

"What's their ETA ?"

"12 minutes, Sir."

"Good."

With that, the elder Mandalorian dismissed the Arakyd Industries worker and continued sipping his caf. His typical smile still painted on his face as he watched the prospecting vehicles and droids move out.

Soon, the digging and mining operation would begin.

 

[Zef Halo]

The mining vehicles arrived ahead of their ETA. The Mandalorian elder did not waste time on any side chatter with them over the comm. He just gave them the green light to begin the operation. When it came to work, Rohlan's ethic was top notch. A very focused and hardworking person that always wanted to get the job done. Always putting it as priority. He was just like that even when he was a Jedi - putting his objective ahead of anything else.

"Sir, the cake you ordered." A droid entered his quarters with a cake in its metal arm.

"I ordered a cake ?"

"Yes, Sir. A vanilla ice cream cake."

"Uhm, yes. That is indeed my favorite cake." Rohlan commented more to himself. A surprised look on his face as the droid left the cake on his table.

Was he really forgetting ?

Damn, I feel the age.

Despite that, the elder Verd took to enjoying the cake with his view of the mining operations that just started.

 

[Zef Halo]

"Section 1. Complete." A voice came over the elder Verd's comm. "Prospectors were right, it is a damn rich area."

"Good. Proceed with section 2 as planned. Beskar ore in section 1 is to be immediately extracted."

"Yes, Sir. Over and out."

Rohlan put his comlink on the table and continued munching on the sweet, sweet vanilla ice cream cake. His sister, his brother and him, all loved vanilla ice cream cake. He wondered if that was passed down the line of Verds.

"You have a guest, Sir. Larnaca Attica. She says, she is your assistant." A voice came over the Mandalorian's comlink.

Oh no.

"She is. Let her in."

Not a moment after, the doors slid open and a relatively tall woman entered his quarters.

"What the hell are you doing here, Rohlan?"

Oh no.

 

[Zef Halo]

"You know I am paying you, not the opposite." Rohlan calmly said.

"I don't care, old man. I am doing my damn job. You had a meeting with the board of directors of ORED. Why are you here?"

"I believe that your role seems to be more fitting for one of my age. You're too young to lecture people." The elder Verd slightly chuckled. He was right.

"Ugh, why are you here ?"

"Just doing my job, answering the call of Mand'alor."

"Oh really ? Mand'alor called you to watch a mining operation ?"

"Yes, he did."

"You're so-"

"<Section 2 complete. Green light for section 3 ?>" The mining operations leader's voice came over the comlink interrupting the storm of his assistant.

"<Green light for section 3. Extraction for section 2 to begin immediately as well. How goes section 1 ?>"

"<Infrastructure has been set up and extraction is already undergoing.>"

"<Good. Proceed as planned.>"

Rohlan took a sip of his caf before turning again at his red faced assistant.

 

[Zef Halo]

And on, and on she rambled and rambled as she always did. Rohlan was politely ignoring her, simply nodding and nodding to everything she said until she stood silent.

"Are you even listening to me ?"

"Certainly. What makes you think otherwise ?"

"Good. So-"

And on, and on she rambled and rambled while Rohlan monitored the process of the mining operation below on his datapad. It seemed that their work had slowed down. The elder Verd decided to contact the operations leader to ask for information.

"<Process seems to be going slower. What's going on?>"

"<Lunch break, Sir.>"

"<Oh, okay. Take your time.>" Rohlan replied honestly. He was in no hurry, he was just praying that Larnaca left already.

 

[Zef Halo]

"So how's it going, old man?" Zef entered unbothered through the sliding doors as a young intern chased him from behind.

"Sir, you can't JUST enter like that, it'-" The intern was protesting but keeping his distance from the armored Mandalorian.

"Ooh, I can see why, kid. Damn, Rohlan, I thought you old."

"I am his assistant, bucket head." The assistant replied sharply.

"She is." Rohlan confirmed. "Thank the Force, she is nothing more."

"You do realize you're calling a bucket head a bucket head on a place surrounded by bucket heads ?" Zef gestured around.

"And why would I care ?"

"They're trigger happy?" The intern's voice came in and everyone gazed at him. "Ugh, sorry, I thought that was in the script."

"So, Rohlan, how goes ?" Zef turned back to the elder Verd asking him about the process of mining.

 

[Zef Halo]

"Section 3 has just been completed and extractions has began with full force. As per Mand'alor's orders." Rohlan replied to the scoundrel.

"As per Mand'alor's orders." Zef nodded. "It's a big project, it seems."

"It is. We also found this really rich place. Well richer than the other mines that have scarcer resource, at least."

"Good. So who's the chick again ?"

"I have a name, kark face. Larnaca Attica."

"You also got a damn tongue on you, kid." Zef replied quite surprised by the assistant's sharpness. "I kindda like you."

"I don't."

"Kids, calm down." Rohlan's voice interrupted the whole useless dialogue but before he could speak more he was interrupted.

"<Section 4 is done, Sir. We're gonna take a small break as extraction procedures are being set up in section 3.>" The mining leader's came in through the com.

"<No worries. Take your time.>" Rohlan replied and then turned his focus back on the others in the room. "Iralyom, bring us some caf. Sit down, kids."

 

[Zef Halo]

"Caf, old man, seriously? Gimme a damn beer, boy." Zef gestured at the intern as if he is a waited then removed his helmet. Which was something quite rare for him. Guess age did change people.

"So you were sayin'? Found a richer supply of beskar ?" The Mandalorian asked as he took a seat on the table where the elder Verd had sat.

"Ugh. Look, bucket heat, I was just discussing way more important things with the CEO of ORED and Director of Operations of Arakyd Industries before y-" Larnaca began sternly.

"Damn, she's got an attitude, Rohlan. Don't you do interviews for such positions ?" Zef asked interrupting the ramblings of Rohlan's assistant. The old man simply chuckled while the woman started becoming furiously red.

"She does exceptionally well, Zef. Trust me." The older man replied, his typical smile on his face.

"Ranting ? She does damn well in that but I thought there was more to being an assistant to the CEO of ORED and Director of Operations of Arakyd Industries." The scoundrel said sarcastically taking the mockery of Larnaca to a step further which intensified her red color of fury on her face.

"Ranting ?! We're talking about billions of credits, fool. Credits that you have only dreamed of ever seeing!! Now as I was saying..."

<"Break's over, Sir. We have begun digging more into section 5, while extraction for section 4 has just started.>" Rohlan's comlink interrupted the assistant once more adding more color to Larnaca's already tomato red face.

 

[Zef Halo]

"<Good. Onwards.>" Rohlan curtly replied before turning over to Iralyom who had just arrived with the beverages.

The elder Mandalorian took the caf cups and set them to their designated positions - in front of him and in front of where Larnaca was supposed to sit. Meanwhile, Zef had already taken to drinking from his Corellian ale. What Rohlan had heard was that it was Zef's signature drink - a typical Corellian.

"Please, Larnaca, sit. Have a sip of the caf, Roon grown. All natural. From a personal friend who owns a small caf farm." Rohlan gestured at the empty seat in front of him.

"Ain't nothin' better than Corellian ale, old man. You're missing out." Zef said as he took another gulp while Larnaca took a seat watching with disgust the scoundrel besides her. "So rich in beskar huh?"

"Indeed, the prospectors believed so and I was skeptical but the miners' findings seem to match. As they would say in ancient times - gold mine." Rohlan explained, his smile as always on his face.

"Mand'alor would be quite happy to hear this. You seem to have employed quite a lot of people and machinery upon this project." Zef stated looking out through the view port at where the miners were working on the asteroid.

"Sometimes you got to take risks and this time they pay off."

"Agreed, old man. Agreed."

"You two done with this useless nonsense ? We have more important things to discuss with you, old man." Larnaca butchered in the conversation sharply.

"You call him old man too?" Zef choked on his drink slightly. "Wow, Rohlan, just wow."