Mean, Mean Pride

[Caulder Dune]

LIANNA
HEGEMON TOWERS

[member="Draco Vereen"]

It seemed Gerion was making a lot of exceptions lately.

Droids are mindless automatons, he would say. Any 'personality' traits or quirks they exhibit are the result of imitation and programming glitches. Nothing more. They cannot truly be sapient, only replicate it. With the exception of Morgan. Morgan was far too humanized to just be imitation or glitches. Just as well, all Mandalorians are bloodthirsty savages physically unable to see more than twelve minutes into the future. Some of them may obtain martial prowess, but ultimately their backwards philosophies and utterly barbaric cultures rendered them incapable of forging a meaningful legacy.

With the exception of Draco Vereen, who had appeared on the corporate scene seemingly from nowhere. And just as quickly as he appeared, he started climbing the ladder of corporate growth as if it was falling out from under him. Now he was a sitting member of the Techno Union's Executive Council. Gerion could safely say he had dealings with all members of the Executive Council, but not Vereen and ArmaTech Combat Systems. There had been no reason to up until now. ArmaTech was starting to up its droid manufacturing. Unlike Mandal Hypernautics and the other myriad of Mandalorian manufacturers, Gerion did not expect ArmaTech's droid products to be utter garbage. He would do well to partner with Vereen and his company rather than compete.

The Techno Union would have enough internal turmoil with criminals fluttering around its ranks now. Cold relations among the Executive Council would not benefit anyone. So Draco Vereen, or maybe one of his representatives if he so desired, was invited to Hegemon Towers on Lianna. From there, he and Gerion could negotiate a favorable, profitable relationship.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Lianna
Hegemon Towers

Interesting. Hegemonic Automaton excelled at droid manufacturing, which was a market I was cutting my teeth in. While ArmaTech's true expertise lay in vehicles and person protection, I had the company producing several starfighter, soon capital ship, and now even some droid manufacturing. Originally ArmaTech had began working on a droid design it hadn't occurred to me to seek outside assistance in the project, but as word of the potential release of the droid spread the CEO of Hegemonic Automaton had sent a messaging in hopes of negotiating a contract, perhaps to eliminate potential competition, perhaps genuinely wishing to assist. Either way, the offer seemed legitimate and deserved a proper response.

The only electronic message HA would receive was that an Executive would meet with him at the appointed time and place. Originally I had considered making a few power moves and sending a lackey, but I had decided against that. A partnership even on a single project required tact and respect, so I arrived on my own private corvette instead just early for the meeting. I didn't expect a parade or red carpet, and being Mandalorian, I stuck to the basics when I arrived on the planet. Entering the towers, headquarters of Hegemonic Automaton, I steadied myself. I had never met Gerion Ardik before, despite our both being in the Techno Union and with his position as Director of the Department of Law, he commanded a level of respect within the Union that I perhaps did not. It could mean that this relationship might lead to unexpected political benefits as well.

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Draco Vereen"]

Draco was welcomed inside the behemoth building, presumably passing through security with little incident. He was directed to the fifty-seventh floor, where Gerion's office was innocuously located. Hegemon Towers had an impressive external appearance, but the inside was virtually indistinguishable from any other wealthy company's extravagant headquarters. Lavish decorations, lobby areas, etc. It was a hive of activity. Not all of it related to Hegemonic Automaton, as a majority of the two towers that made up the complex were rented out to other, more minor Tionese corporations for paltry fees. The fifty-seventh floor was a normal office space. Mundane by all appearances.

An exhausted looking gentleman who looked like he hadn't gotten enough sleep since he started this job intercepted Draco before the Mandalorian could stand idle for very long. With as few words as possible (any more and he might have collapsed from over-exertion), he guided Draco to Gerion's corner office. Like the space it resided in, it was modestly decorated. An intricate Asheran triptych hung on the wall behind his desk. The left wall was dominated by a large window, displaying Lianna's skyline.

Gerion stood when the man entered. They shook hands and exchanged their general pleasantries for only a few moments, then moved on to the root of the matter. "I've heard ArmaTech will be entering the market for combat droids in the coming days." He said, seating himself. "If they're anything like your tanks, I suspect they will be heavily armed and armored. You can imagine why this would be of some interest to me."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

I nodded to the white haired man when he introduced himself, giving him a polite tilt of the head. "Yes, mister Ardik. You would be correct. This first model is intended for heavy assault and thus is large and extremely heavily armed for a wookiee sized droid." I said, moving to take a seat across from the man. "I can see how you, as the owner of a company that specializes in droid manufacturing, might be interested by that information." Perhaps he was very well informed. He might have access to the Techno Union's prolific spynet given his stature.

The actual design hadn't been hammered out yet, other than the chassis and that it would be highly modular and very well armed. "I can't give you exact details in its design personally, but if you would like to know about the droid I am sure you won't have to wait long. Its planned to launch to the market soon." In truth, I had no idea what he knew, and I assumed he knew more about Droid manufacturing than the people I employed. I didn't take part in the engineering processes, just the design phase. Building and Programming a droid was not one of my skills. I knew this, so I left that up to those you did. And given HE's long tenure as one of the finest droid manufacturers, and knowing that I owned several of their TA4 Models for use in security, the timing of Gerion's sudden interest wasn't lost on me.

[member="Gerion Ardik"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Draco Vereen"]

Wookie-sized and bristling with weapons. The galaxy at large would probably eat up such a model. If the Republic had a quarter of a brain cell still functioning, they would purchase it in bulk. It sounded like just the sort of thing that would put the fear of metal and circuitry into those accursed Yuuzhan-Vong. Be that as it was, whatever ArmaTech had in store, Gerion was sure that Hegemonic Automaton could make it better. Perhaps not design-wise, but in other departments.

"How soon?" Gerion asked, then continuing regardless. "I'll be honest, Mr. Vereen. ArmaTech is rather famous for its armored vehicles. That sort of expertise goes to good use in designing heavy assault droids, and it is not the sort of expertise I have at my disposal within Hegemonic Automaton. On average our droids rely more on intelligence and accuracy, our specialties more or less. It's a byproduct of our droid brains and a contract with the Saiba Group for advanced targeting systems."

"Since we move among the same circles within the Techo Union, offering you a partnership would be prudent- and profitable to us both. You utilize our Julianos-Series droid brains and the expertise of our programmers on a contractual basis. We'll also extend our contract with Saiba to apply to your droids- NeuroCoat Everlast often drastically reduces maintenance needs on our models. I imagine it will be the same for yours and increase their popularity with customers. Not to mention the K-65 Targeting System was made specially for the J2 Droid Brain... With excellent field results."

The overall expenses incurred from purchasing Julianos-Series droid brains of either type and employing Hegemonic Automaton's infamous programming department would be paltry for ArmaTech when compared to the overall revenue his droids brought in. Probably. That was how Gerion liked to imagine it would pan out, if the droid was popular... Which was almost guaranteed considering his Techno Union membership status and the Hegemonic Automaton Stamp of Participation™. And Hegemonic Automaton would make a tidy bit of money from selling the droid brains to a decidedly worthy corporation.

Everybody wins.

That's how capitalism works when you're at the very top.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Ah, so mister Ardik was interested in selling his products, and the products of his constituents to ArmaTech. Although the ACS-302 droid had been built with the inevitable combat with Yuuzhan Vong in mind, they were not purpose built for that though. They were instead multipurpose weapons platforms, meant to provide heavy, expendable fire support to biological units. I had always preferred biological units to droids, and because of that I had no problem strapping a large amount of weaponry and firepower to a droid and literally dropping it into combat. But I did fail on the wider picture. If a droid was only capable of brute force it would be a simple obstacle to overcome for a well trained soldier. The use of a more tactical thinking mind, and a more competent team of programming could be useful.

"Well, mister Ardik, that does intrigue me. Droid programming isn't what we are known for, but it is what you are known for. The current design features a pair of droid brains and is highly redundant in terms of necessary systems. It is expected to take damage and is required to be able to overcome this inevitablity of combat. As a proud owner of numerous TA4 droids, I must admit, your expertise in this field eclipses my own. You can mark me as interested, however rolling the model out to market may have to be delayed a short while to implement your designs. But that is of secondary concern in haggling over price. I like deals that are dependent on me making money. I don't like to owe someone if the product doesn't make me money in the first place. So perhaps a percentage of each unit sold would be to your liking?"

[member="Gerion Ardik"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Draco Vereen"]

"A wise suggestion." Gerion nodded. "I'm willing to accept a percentage of each unit sold. Should be easier anyway, financially speaking."

It was a prudent enough measure. Such an arrangement would be cheaper for ArmaTech in the long run. Hegemonic Automaton would still benefit, but only if the percentage was a fair one. That would have to be left up to the accountants of both companies when the finer details of this arrangement were put to flimsiplast. Or electronic documents if Morgan had her way. Gerion liked having hard copies of documents. That way if files got corrupted, destroyed, tampered with... Printed articles were much harder to alter. Especially if they were locked in a safe.

 

[Laira Darkhold]

[member="Gerion Ardik"]

"It keeps us both making money for as long as the series is being produced and keeps us both working together for as long as the series is useful to our buyers." I said, propping my legs up in the seat beside me, taking a more relaxing position, and a more informal stance on the meeting. Legal teams, accountants, and upper management would hash out the details among themselves to be approved by us when completed, but I was fairly go with the flow. He had much better droid brains, targeting computers, and the NeuroCoat which were simply beyond my ability to build. Mainly because we just didn't have the strong grasp with droids that Hegemonic Automaton did. The ACS-301 series had been simplistic probe droids with minor weapons and equipment and limited processing power. So limited we had to synchronize them to a control node rather than being able to make them independent like HA's droids seemed to be from what I had gathered of them. "I would be interested in any joint projects you would like to do in the future. ArmaTech isn't planning on heavily expanding our droid lines, but if you would like to co-manufacture something together later, I would be interested, or if you would like the inverse of this arrangement using some of our weapons in your droids."

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Draco Vereen"]

Once again, the Umbaran nodded in agreement. "Precisely."

"Hegemonic Automaton would certainly enjoy partnering with ArmaTech in any number of joint-projects. Some of our engineers have recommended further upgrading the armor systems of the Talos Series, the TA1 and TA2 to be precise. I also intended to produce an armored droid transport, but was advised to seek a manufacturer specializing in vehicles rather than re-tool any of our current factories."

There was more, naturally, but Gerion did not want to bore the Mandalorian with the excruciating details. A supremely heavy droid, for instance, dedicated solely to murdering Vong in as large a quantity as possible. For too long YVH-style droids had been more focused on finesse and unarmed martial prowess in destroying those repulsive creatures. They were largely successful in doing so, but things could be better. For instance, they could be three meters tall, armored to the nines, hold a high-power long-range arc caster in one arm and a rapid-fire slugthrower of such high caliber that it was previously un-invented in the other. ArmaTech armor and weapons coupled with Hegemonic Automaton targeting, intelligence, and droid design ingenuity... The sky was the limit.

"Of course, we're more than willing to contribute anything you need if you do choose to expand your droid lines."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Perfect." I nodded my own head at hearing his agreement. "Vehicles are one of ArmaTech specialties, and I am sure we can help come up with and help arm the vehicle alongside your company." I said, dropping my feet to the ground. Excellent. With a massive Phrik armored personnel carrier, anti-orbital artillery, an ever increasing line of ACS-501 Tanks, and whatever Gerion intended to produce, the lock on the ground based vehicle market seemed to increase with every agreement. Cutting our teeth on a few purpose driven droids wouldn't really compete with Hegemonic Automaton, just as our few Star Fighter models didn't truly compete with Incom or Santhe. They just provided our most loyal customers with a few options. The current model was large, and armed to the teeth, just as Gerion had noted, and with a minor variant also possessing a personal energy shield, similar to a Droideka of old it would fulfill its role perfectly, even more so given the upgrades and advanced droid brains we now had access to in producing them.

"I guess we can get the lawyers together to draw up the paperwork and get the contracts signed. Unless you require me for anything further I'll be taking my leave. It was a pleasure to meet you and it was excellent doing business with you mister Ardik. I look forward to our future business." I said with a nod, standing up and extending a hand to the Umbaran with the illustrious flowing white locks. Maybe next time I will have to figure out what kind of conditioner he uses to keep it from having split ends.

[member="Gerion Ardik"]