One Alric, Two Alric, Three Alric...

[Alric Kuhn]

The ship landed with a heavy thud on the platform. The ancient Lambda-class Shuttle seemed to let out a screech as its wings rose and its ramp automatically lowered. Alric sat inside, quietly reading from a datapad and scanning its contents. He smiled slightly, stretching and standing as one of his aids told him of their arrival.

Vanir Technologies was doing well, better than he had first anticipated in fact.

The Primeval and Brightstar had grabbed at the Dark-Net, and the massive Seedships were now under construction within Vanir's driveyards. Add to that the expansion of communications and research hubs to increase the production of certain projects, well, everything was going very well. Things were looking up, and as Vanir made more profits it became necessary to diversify the companies portfolio. With that in mind Alric decided it was necessary to begin Vanir's operations in other areas of technology.

That was why he was here today, why he had come to this world. The former Titan remembered the planet well, having visited it some years ago with Danger. Of course he wasn't entirely sure if he could do as he planned, but he knew there was a good chance that these people could help him, at least get him started in the path that he had chosen for Vanir to now expand to.

Stepping down the ramp Alric slid his datapad into his jacket pocket, hiding away the statistics and building blue-prints that he had been looking over for the past hour.

 

[Anika Od'Manteiv]

It was rare for Rydonni Prime to recieve visitors. Rarer still for any offworlder to grace the presence of the Queen. None the less, Her Majesty Arielle K'ntarr paid her debts owed, and in the years that Rydonni Prime flirted with One Sith Occupation, the then CEO of Titan Industries had kept his word to ensure her world would remain off the radar.

That is why when the man had returned from the grave, the Queen did not bat an eye in surprise. Granted, her world and that of her subjects was a society that held no real death -- instead it was a society where their curse of infertility gave way to the next best thing. Cloning.

With over four hundred years of Sparrti cloning technology and advancements, Rythana, the central operation of Rydonni Prime's population control, had expanded into a company branch at the wake of the onset of the clockwork rebellion. Xenophobic at their core, they marketed their abilities to select clientele.

However, the events of Netherworld had struck the planet hard. With very little resources to maintain the company, the choice had been made to perhaps seek new options for the best of her subjects.

This meeting with Alric Kuhn just might be one of them.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Cloning.

He had dabbled in it before. Titan had experimented with cloning Yuuzhan Vong biots, but he had never really gotten into the business. Cloning was an exacting science, one that took generations to Master and entire Centuries to perfect. Of course Alric had no earthly idea exactly how cloning worked, he was no genetescist, but that was why he had come here, that was why he had chosen this world.

Kamino was too exacting, Spaarti was already owned, and everything else just seemed...sub-par.

These people however, this world, it was exactly what he needed to get Vanir Technologies off the ground, and of course it helped that the planet itself was doing none too well. The Netherworld event had been a massive boon for corporations, and even after all this time it was still a perfect way for Alric to swoop in and aid this population, though of course he had no intention on imposing on their world.

Their skill and expertise would be his, and he would give them a just price.

Alric moved quickly down the boarding ramp and off of the landing platform, heading towards the small entourage that greeted him with a smile on his face. As always he chose to come alone, unassuming and unarmed. He smiled at the Queen, then took a short bow. "Your Majest, thank you for meeting me."

 

[Anika Od'Manteiv]

“Mister Kuhn, you honor us with your presence,” Arielle’s voice was formal, but held a slight accent one would not quite be able to place. It was similar to High Galactic, but not quite. Dressed in a dark olive gray dress with black lace applique, the dusky skinned young woman would beckon the former Titan to follow her.

By rule, no outworlder would visit Rydonni Prime itself. Instead, facilities were created in the form of an orbiting astral body, a small artificial moon base to be exact. It was to allow the continued knowledge of life beyond the planet at minimum.

This was where the bulk of the cloning facilities were, along with the scores of scientists and citizens who had been cloned much like the Queen herself, but given a transference of their memories to function in the same capacity as before. A rather bleak existence, to be honest, for there was no death but simply a measure of immortality where every cloned life would be a continuation of the next. With the responsibilities, the training, and the continued perseverance of Rydonni Prime’s surviving clone population.

“It is good to see you, “ the Queen would begin, the entourage moving along towards the boardroom where they would continue their discussion.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric moved along with, carefully taking each step and ensuring to keep a measure of respect for the Queen.

He had never been one for formality, he often preferred to simply cut through the bullpoodo and get on with everything. Dealing with royalty had never been his favorite thing, even when he was a child. Yet today it was a necessity. If he wanted the cloning technology that these people possessed, then he would need to conform to their ways, if only for a little while.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Alric said in that same cordial tone. "The feeling is mutual."

She was a beautiful woman after all, it never hurt to see that. "I'm sure you can appreciate my haste in this your Majesty."

He wanted to move things fast, faster than was usually done in these sorts of situations. He wanted Vanir to profit, and he wanted the Rydonnians to profit. The faster they laid the ground work and moved things along, the more clients Alric could garner and the more money they could all make.

 

[Anika Od'Manteiv]

"I am of the same mind, Mister Kuhn."

Arielle would say, just as twin guards would open the doors to the boardroom for them to continue their discussions. "Please, make yourself comfortable." she would invite him to sit, the doors closing behind them and leaving them alone.

The Queen would find her own seat at the head of the table, where a small holoarray and data console would allow the use of a datacard or file for any presentation. The entire boardroom was rather sterile, but given to the type of culture Rydonni Prime had, sterile was exactly what they were familiar with.

"So may I help you with? Does it involve the research conducted for you and Miz Arceneau years ago?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

"No." Alric said with a slight smile, making himself comfortable. "This is more about a new enterprise, one that your people are intimately familiar with."

Cloning of course, she would infer that almost immediately. This woman was intelligent, Alric already knew that. The Alpha Red had been one thing, but it had not played exactly to the strengths of the Rydonnians. This was a completely different game, this was something that they would know more about than perhaps even the Kaminoans. It was important to Alric, and he knew that he could get what he wanted here.

"I'm aware that after the Netherworld event your planet has suffered some setbacks. I would like to offer my assistance, and that of my Companies." It was a nice way of saying he was interesting in purchasing their knowledge of cloning, and cutting them in on any profits he made through the use of that knowledge. Of course he didn't know how receptive that idea would be, but Alric was a clever man, and more than that he was a fair man. He wanted this, and he wanted the best deal for everyone involved.

 

[Anika Od'Manteiv]

Arielle was quiet for a moment, considering his words carefully for what he really meant. A slight tap of her fingers would lightly rap against the surface of the table. Studying the former Titan, the Queen of Rydonni Prime would start to query.

"And just what do you have in mind Mister Kuhn?" she asked, leaning back against her chair with the body language that said she was open to what he had to say. That was a step to the right direction, and certainly meant that she wasn't opposed to what suggestions he may offer to her.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He smiled.

"I won't try to strangle you in business talk, nor will I try to over complicate this." That would just get in the way of things, and from what he knew this woman was reasonable, and intelligent. "Currently, there are no major cloning corporations in the galaxy. There is Spaarti, there are the Kaminoans, and a few other minor firms, but none of them do anything on par with what they used to."

That was certainly true. They were no longer making armies, no longer providing their service on a mass scale. Cloning had fallen out of favor for some reason, something that Alric found foolish. "I intend to change that."

"I would like to buy the corporate entity under which you operate, cannibalize it, and fold it into my corporation. I want to take your operation and move it elsewhere in the galaxy under my oversight, with your control. Take the pressure off Rydonni and move the facilities elsewhere, allow for expansion outside of your sector. We would split the profit thirty seventy in your favor." Quite a bit to say all in one go, but a deal that was almost unheard of.

Alric offered in simple terms to buy their corporation, give them control of a new cloning division under Vanir, and offer them seventy percent of the profits from said division. On top of that he would pay for the expenses of new facilities and bring in customers.

A better deal was nearly impossible.

 

[Anika Od'Manteiv]

To say she was surprised by the offer was an understatement.

Pale grey eyes would blink at Alric curiously, almost as if in an attempt to look right through him, perhaps to find a reason for such a generous offer. She even gave a slight incline forward, her youthful face puzzled momentarily. She may be well over four hundred years old due to her world's cloning mechanisms - mass infertility affecting the population in the wake of the Gulag virus - but she considered herself to not be a fool.

A few more seconds passed and then she spoke ," That is a generous offer, Mister Kuhn." she began, only to ask another question. "A bit too generous. Few know of Rythana Labs, but those that do are aware of the quality we offer. Any other person in your shoes would not have made a similar offer. May I ask why?

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Again he gave her that same soft smile.

"I appreciate quality, your Majesty." That was certainly true. He would rather have an expensive product rather than a cheap one. He had a goal in mind, and that goal was a step above everything else. A new cloning division would help with that goal, and more importantly it would help grow Vanir Technologies, which was the most important aspect of it all.

"I know the quality of your work, and I know what its worth." Again he told the truth. "More importantly, I know what I can make it worth to others and what I can do with it. This will help grow my company, and thats more important to me than any monetary gain."

To him it really was that simple. Alric wanted to grow his company, he wanted his reach to expand.

 

[Anika Od'Manteiv]

Arielle could appreciate that answer and the man for the offer. Truth be told, it was an option that she could not refuse. Not only did it impart a method for receiving compensation for their technology, but they also could move the company outside of Rydonni Prime, allowing for her and her people to return to their isolationist roots. The galaxy could very well be at war, but for the Queen, she required nothing more than to be left alone.

With that, she made up her mind. Giving a nod, the Queen of Rydonni Prime accepted Alric Kuhn's offer. By the day's end, the former Titan would walk away with what he came looking for, and the Queen would once again, feel satisfied that she had done the best for her people.