Mean, Mean Stride

[Caulder Dune]

LIANNA
HEGEMON TOWERS

[member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Darell Irani"]

The meeting room was frigid, and Gerion tapped the malfunctioning thermostat with no small measure of disgust. Billions of credits poured into this ridiculous set of towers and the blighted heating didn't even work. Hopefully it would adjust by the time Darell Irani and Sasha Santhe showed up.

There was work to be done today, and Gerion Ardik had spent far too much time lollygagging as it was. Time was passing him by, and Hegemonic Automaton was not going to grow into its rightful place in the galaxy just by sitting around and thinking about it. As it currently stood, distribution centers were Hegemonic Automaton's beacons throughout the galaxy. The factories manufactured the droids, Arceneau Trade shipped them to their corresponding distribution center, and the products went every-which-way from there. It was all a very smooth, very wonderful process. Hegemonic Automaton would need to establish more of these (and a few factories) throughout the galaxy if it wanted to continue to grow.

But distribution centers needed to be more viable before they could be established elsewhere. Distribution centers with a larger array of products to offer tended to be more viable. And what better companies to offer their stunning array of products than Santhe and Saiba? Presumably they would like their products to reach a wider range of planetary markets without having to painstakingly establish factories on every single planets or meticulously expand.

 

[Sasha Santhe]

And Sasha Santhe was once again dealing with Tyrin Ardik, although now he called h imself [member="Gerion Ardik"]. Why she put up with him, well that was complicated. There was a measure of respect, and of course the hair products were nice… Competent. Yes, Tyrin Ardik was competent. That was good enough for her, and if she was guessing his intent right he did have a decent plan that would help civilian sales across the sector. Uniting distribution would be a big step in the right direction, and make Santhe products more easily available throughout the galaxy.

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Hegemon Towers[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Lianna City[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]---[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][member="Gerion Ardik"] | [member="Sasha Santhe"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]In the past the InterGalactic Banking Clan had served as a neutral intermediary within negotiations whenever one or both parties were not able to come to an… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]agreeable[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] position that served the both of them, but this wasn’t that situation exactly. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Magister had been put on the retainer of Darell Irani and the Saiba Group to handle certain affairs when he did not have the time himself, this was one of those times. It was anyone’s guess what mister Irani was up to right now, perhaps he was busy investing in some important business opportunity, it might have been that a new valuable resource had been found on some distant world and he was currently organizing the efforts to claim it for Eridium or… - which was more likely - he had once again found himself a pretty girl and was currently spiced out in some kind of shady hotel in the middle of nowhere.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Vassik could only sigh at that particular thought, sometimes he truly wondered how these people managed to amass as much wealth as they did with the amount of random fethery that they excreted on a daily basis.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]At any rate.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Saiba Group would have called in at some point, giving Ardik an advance notice to expect the Muun to arrive as a representative of the company and Darell himself.[/SIZE]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Vassik Kilvaari"]

Darell Irani, wild man-child that he was, would be unable to attend. As usual, Gerion suspected hookers and drugs to be the culprit behind his absence. It mattered little who Saiba Group sent to negotiate, as long as things were negotiated favorably. This time around a Muun from the InterGalactic Banking Clan would be the representative. Gerion vaguely recalled some plot that put someone as the shadowy head of the Banking Clan. He could not for the life of him remember if it was Ovmar or Carach. Or maybe it was Irani? No, Carach was Irani. But didn't they split consciousnesses or something when Thule Windyeller lovingly caressed one of them in a bar?

The details were unknowable. Not for lack of trying, but for abundance of ridiculousness.

Gerion greeted Sasha Santhe when she arrived, then went on to introduce himself to the Muun. Muuns were wonderful businessmen to deal with. Hopefully this one would prove as reasonable. With both parties he sought to deal with present, the sales pitch could commence.

"I believe you both understand the gist of what's to happen here." He began. "The distribution centers have been a staple of Hegemonic Automaton's operating procedure for quite some time. Using these, we're able to market our products to a huge range of systems within the sphere of influence of that distribution center. As of now, it has worked quite well, but we believe we can attract more attention to these centers if more companies make their wares available from them."

"As of now, we're starting small. Two companies with proven track records and consistent sales will more than suffice. All that needs be done is regularly ship some amount of products to the distribution centers. The amount shipped can be dependent on the popularity of that particular center. In any event, Hegemonic Automaton has seen that making our products available in bulk at these locations has increased our sales significantly. Far more than merely shipping around each factory we establish or to the far corners of the galaxy for a single order."

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Muun had big heads, but they weren’t smarter than the average intergalactic being. It was a strange sort of thing. Sasha examined [member="Vassik Kilvaari"]’s head, there had to be something to it. Bone content? Sasha had once commented that people chose their thugs based on the content of bone in their head, but a banker? Blah.

[member="Gerion Ardik"] spoke, and Sasha listened. It was all pretty straight forward. She really wish she could have sent someone in her place, she had things to do, technology to tinker away with. “So exactly what are asking of us? You want us to use your distribution centers, and that is great but what sort of arrangement are you proposing? We merely lease extra space adjacent to the preexisting centers? Do you want a portion of the profits for free rent?” Sasha laughed at that prospect. “That has been suggested by another, but don’t worry I know you aren’t so foolish. In either eventually what exactly do you propose?”

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Magister took the introductions in strides, giving a nod here and a pleasant greeting there, before they were off to listen to the sales pitch the businessman was giving them. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But he still couldn’t help but wonder why there was a little child in this meeting, at least until he realized this was probably Ardik’s niece or some other member of his family - it was so civilized of him to babysit and show her the ropes of capitalism, yes Vassik was coming to respect [member="Gerion Ardik"] already. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]It was clear that the man had his priorities straight.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Until the girl started to speak, and the words out of her mouth weren’t childish or random rambling whatsoever. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Perhaps she wasn’t just a decor piece after all.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]His legs crossed, himself leaning into the back of his seat he gave the proposal a ponder himself. Of course there wasn’t anything [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]wrong[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] with the proposal, it seemed all pretty straight-forward to him and yet Santhe was making a very good point.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I find myself echoing the young miss. Santhe, mister Ardik.” the Muun would finally reply. “You wish for us to use your distribution centers.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Us is a big term here, but he [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]was[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] a representative of the Saiba Group for this meeting.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“Are you suggesting co-ownership?” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]A smile crossed his expression, Gerion couldn’t be suggesting for the corporations to just [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]be[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] there and give more attraction to his own operations without something in return.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][member="Sasha Santhe"][/SIZE]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Vassik Kilvaari"]

"Quite simply, I am inviting you to use the distribution centers free of any sort of charge." He gestured, and a holographic map appeared. A few systems lit up, indicating the locations of distribution centers. "We're all part of the same bloc of corporate powers. I would not presume on any of our alliances to charge you rent or a portion of your profits. Hegemonic Automaton will cover the costs of expanding the current distribution centers to accommodate your companies."

According to the map, three distribution centers were already activated. These were located on Celanon, Denon, and Kamino. There were eleven more dots of a different coloration scattered about the galactic map, each signifying a distribution center that had yet to be constructed. These planets were Bastion, Bonadan, Lianna, Laekia, Jabiim, Tirahnn, Nar Kreeta, Annaj, Bespin, Eriadu, and finally Utapau. Not pictured were the two more factory locations Hegemonic Automaton intended to open up to directly supply the four sectors Hegemonic Automaton had divided the galaxy into. It was a simple model, which was the sort of model Gerion generally preferred.

Made everything easier to explain.

"If you would like to take an active approach in opening up these new centers, I would be appreciative, but it's hardly a stipulation. You would own whichever ones you opened, of course. Again, we all only stand to gain from your use of the centers."

 

[Arage Bao]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px][member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Gerion Ardik"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Ah… and now the situation was becoming more clear, as the map spread itself out before them with pulsating nodes and coloring marking the various states of readiness - they would all own their own portions of the center, akin to how the Tion Trade Nexus was also owned by the various portions of corporations heavily involved in the Tion Hegemony.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]And their presence would bolster each other’s sales, or at least that was the general idea of it. All in all Vassik did not see a lot wrong with the plans laid out, especially if Hegemonic Automaton was prepared to bankroll the preliminary costs of expanding towards these facilities in the first place.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Perhaps Irani would have antagonized Ardik further with some kind of ridiculous request, an in-house strip club or the sort, but the Muun was a different beast from that… [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]beast[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px].[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]When Gerion had made it clear that there weren’t any negative string attached he simply nodded and replied, only waiting a brief moment to see if Sasha had anything to say.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“I find myself intrigued, mister Ardik.” the Magister would say with a rare smile, it wasn’t often that he met businessmen who were inclined to think towards the [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]future[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px], who were interested in more than slapping a few extra guns on their products and call it a day. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]If he hadn’t been here as a representative of the Saiba Group, he would have immediately asked for more details to perhaps… aid in the venture with the IGBC, but as it stood? That would have to wait a little while longer. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]“You have Saiba’s support.” [/SIZE]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Vassik Kilvaari"]

With Saiba involved, things could proceed a great deal faster. But they were just one piece of the greater puzzle that needed to be completed. Santhe would still be needed to make it all come together. Or some other entity if they refused for one reason or another. "Exquisite, mister Kilvaari. I shall have the contracts drawn up and sent through the relevant channels." Details could be ironed out between the legal teams and further haggling could be conducted that way as needed.

"And for you, miss Santhe?"

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha smiled at the Munn and Man. It was a good deal, and she said as such by saying, “It is a good deal.” Shrugging the woman paced a bit back and forth. “I will open up my own trade stations to you and yours.” Narrowing her eyes she added, and create additional space as needed for your ventures. In return I get the same thing. It is a good trade, and will increase profits for all.”

Extending her hand Sasha stepped forward and smiled a shark-like smile, a stark contrast the sweet and innocent smile she’d given the man earlier. “It is a good partnership, we do work good together.” Narrowed eyes followed as she examined a datapad in her hands with technical schematics she had been working on the night before. “Is everything in order?”

[member="Gerion Ardik"] [member="Vassik Kilvaari"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Vassik Kilvaari"]

It was all as Gerion had foreseen. "Good, good."

Well, not really. He hadn't expected Sasha to do him any further favors by opening up her trade stations, but it was a welcome bonus. Or perhaps that was what she wanted him to think, judging by that Karkarodon-esque smile she flashed as she shook his hand. If they weren't in the same circle of capitalist trail-blazers, Gerion would have almost thought she had tricked him into signing away his company. Now she was already glancing at her datapad, which had some intricate design Gerion could scarcely fathom splayed across the screen. Time to wrap things up.

"I appreciate it greatly. And yes, everything appears to be in order. Again, I'll have the relevant paperwork sent to you and yours."

Now that this little arrangement had been agreed to be all three parties, with surprisingly few questions and amendments, Hegemonic Automaton could proceed to the next big thing.