Power, Overwhelming

[Rena Kryze]

Obredaan.

A planet sitting mere parsecs outside the edges of Clan space, where cortosis had been mined and refined for a considerable length of time. At this juncture, acquiring it was considerably more painful than anything - but Rena Kryze had a solution to this. Given that corporations ruled a number of planets, she would see to it that there was a way for her to acquire some cortosis for her most prestigious of plans.

To this end, the beloved Mantellian Wind was en route to Obredaan by way of Adumar, controlled by the Clans; the new MandalTech design vessel was going to be instrumental for the plan she had in mind. COming along on this venture was a vairety of passengers, including mining crews and their equipment. More important to this, however, was the boss of MandalTech. He had to be here, considering Rena was going to blow a huge chunk of his money on a project that only might work.

Last the quartermaster checked, [member="Ordo"] liked his money.

He'd been read in on the project, so when the two were standing on the bridge he knew about the force weapons Rena wanted to develop; take a force pike, lace it with a cortosis weave and change the shape to a sword, hammer, spear or axe - or even custom gear as need be. This was the idea. This was how Rena was going to give the Mandalorian people a way to equalize a lightsaber on their terms, because a beskad just didn't cut it. Besides, nothing was more satisfying than dropping an eight-kilo hammer on someone's head.

"...so that's the plan," Rena explained. "We convince the locals to let us set up a mining operation, or buy into an existing one. What do you think?"

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]


It was a bold venture, but one that held the kind of benefits for their people that couldn't be ignored. Cortosis was inferior to beskar in his opinion but in the right hands it could be turned into the difference between life death. Did Ordo like his money? Yes, but helping the Mando'ade was worth far more.

"I think we should purchase a mine outright if possible Vod Kyrze." Ordo turned from the viewport to look at his quarter mastet, "The Sith are waging war on the Republic and we need to be ready for our own advance. I back you 100 percent on this."

Ordo took off his buy'ce and stood looking out at the stars for a few minutes.

"If this works out I have some heavy mining equipment I purchased a long while ago. Full body power armor, I'll make sure the units are off loaded when you need them."

 

[Rena Kryze]

"You've been holding full-body power armour from me? Think of what I could do with some of that," Rena said, grinning as she watched the Mantellian Wind fly down towards the surface of Obredaan.

Given that this vessel came with cargo loaders, Rena's little investments were going to pay off big-time here on this planet; the idea was that purchasing even a small-time cortosis mine would give them access to enough of the material. Yes, it wasn't beskar, but there wasn't enough beskar to go around. Here, on this world, there was plenty - enough for a new product line, or so Rena was to believe. In her utility belt were the plans for force wepaonry, mock-ups of the four finished products that she wanted to release ready to go for the rest. Lists of production costs and amounts were sitting in there too.

The Wind set down on a landing bay - a particularly large field, where there were walkways out to one of the mining facility headquarters. Given the side of the ship, it'd be a long walk. Rena took no escorts with her, no weapons - she knew she wouldn't need to fight here.

"So, would you prefer to do the talking, or did you want to stand there and look pretty, boss?"

[member="Ordo"]

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]

"Not this time vod'ika." Ordo said smiling, "The thinks I'm dead. Let's leave it that way for now. I'm your assistant for today."

Ordo took off his H-harness and weapon belt and changed it out for a engineer's vest and a tool kit then fiked out behind Rena. Cortosis weave was highly sought after but the ideas Rena had went beyond fashionable armor and extended to weaponry. The concept of the force pike and similar toys was about to see the overhaul it had needed for a thousand years.

Ordo always had mixed feelings about trading deck plates for dirt. He loved flying but the feel of fresh soil beneath your boots held a strong appeal that reminded him of better times. He turned on his datapad and began looking at cortosis information and mining procedures, as well as cost analysis and projected production quantities needed. Just a good little Mando boy doing his part.

 

[Rena Kryze]

Well, this was an interesting turn of events. Given that the boss didn't want to be the boss, Rena was stepping up for this one. Which meant that she had to ensure that she was doing the right thing and she wasn't going to overstep her bounds. Perhaps this was, quietly, Ordo's way of checking on his quartermaster and making sure she was doing the right thing, if she wanted to be the face of MandalTech.

Too bad the face refused to take off her helmet, huh.

"Well, at least take this," Rena said, passing Ordo an omni-tool - if he was going to look the part, then he'd at least get a free sample of probably the most useful piece of technology she'd ever created. The omni-tool was perfect for every engineer and Rena was not above handing out one to the people she was with. Her beskar'gam had one already in it, so that wasn't a problem.

Through the doors and into the office. "Hi. We'd like to talk to your facility administrator."

"Do you have an appointment?" asked the attendant, who was a young man in his early twenties. Not notable in any way.

"I certainly do. I'm here from MandalTech."

Flipping through his booking sheet, he looked - and there they were. "Oh! Right this way. Baron Kalitz will see you shortly. Please take a seat in the waiting room."

Cue sitting down. Rena looked over at @Ordo. "Any advice? I've never had to do this before."

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]

Ordo accepted the Omni-Tool gratefully as he began sifting through information on his heads-up display. The mining operation here had once been a part of the old Sith empire and as such had a history of less than ethical business practices, they wanted to or not. Others likely had been bullied, threatened or outright forced to obey. In any case it was a fair chance the business would be worked out easily.

"Test the waters. See how they feel about being out from under the sith" Ordo said over the buy'ce comlink, "if we're lucky they may hate the sith enough to take a buy out for anti sith weapons as a chance to get back at them."

Ordo brought up the holonet via the Holonavigation kit his his armor and began searching for information on the facility administrator.

"Maybe offer to buy the mine and take only a portion of the profits while leaving the rest to them to continue to manage. I've done well by being fair and up front with people. May as well keep that going."

The information said the owner was a widower of 5 years and his mate had died in a freak accident, two grown children, and a home on Bastion. Ordo frowned at that last part. Ordo had led the assault on Bastion. It had taken merely more than 12 hours to tale the fortress world. It had been months of preparation but it paid off. They had a fifty-fifty chance he didn't like them based only on that. However, the clan Ordo Naval testing area in the system had done a great deal to provide protection to local businesses and when the rest of the world could be added to the clans territory it would provide more.

"Be nice." Ordo said as the receptionist began puttering behind her desk...likely playing a holo-game.

 

[Rena Kryze]

[member="Ordo"]

And exactly the reason that he was in charge of the company - he had the business savvy to handle it. Especially with the fact that she knew little about local politics; aliit Kryze hadn't really expanded past Ord Mantell for quite some time. This meant that her knowledge of the effects of the Sith Empire was low at best and dismal at worst. Such being the case, Ordo filling in the blanks was a great thing. Couple that with knowing how to handle a business transaction and together this whole thing

His idea was a solid one. Buy them out, but let them do their thing; extract only enough to support their weapons and the profits to back it. The rest they could keep. This way, the mine could continue to be profitable, albeit under the control of MandalTech. In this way, their industry of war could continue, Mand'alor profited with the armaments of his troops at the highest quality and the company benefitted this way too.

"When am I never nice, boss?" Rena murmured back, grinning mildly as she did so.

That was when Baron Kalitz showed up. A middle-aged man, balding, but certainly jovial. "Good day. Miss Kryze, I take it?"

Rena stood, shook the man's hand, then nodded. "I am. You'll have to excuse the helmet, but I have my reasons, you'll understand, I'm sure. It's a pleasure to meet you, Baron. This is my personal assistant. I've asked him to tag along and observe - learn how business meetings are conducted, and all." Apparently, she was learning to act on the spot.

"Certainly, my dear. Right this way." The Baron opened his doors for the two Mandalorians and Rena wasted no time in going through, motioning for Ordo to follow along and pick a seat. It was time for a business meeting.

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]

Business was an aquired taste, like zelosian brussel sprouts, but more chewy. Ordo had learned that during battle field negotiations that the more you know before hand, the easier it was in the end. He walked to the chairs and began scanning for recording devices and the like. It didn't really make a difference. They weren't planning anything illegal or wrong but Ordo liked to be careful.

He caught his foot on the ostentatious rug in the office and stumbled forward only barely catching himself from face planting on the floor.

"Sorry, boss." He said his deep voice slightly embarrassed and thinking that liking to be careful wasn't always enough.

Ordo sent production numbers to Rena's datapad along with projected cost. They were the same numbers she had given him when she pitched the R and D reports but he needed to play the part.

"I think he likes armored women." Ordo said via the helmet comlink os the man wouldn't hear, "just saying."

 

[Rena Kryze]

[member="Ordo"]

"I am not going to flirt with this guy just to land the deal," she said, very very quietly to Ordo through helm-com. No. No way. She was a professional and she wouldn't act like anything less. Besides, wearing a good chunk of beskar was not a good way to be sexy - and anyone who thought so was crazy. This wasn't even made with separate boob-plates, like most foolish sex-crazy Mando chicks liked to do.

But she did have to hold back a snicker when he almost fell on his face.

"So, Baron, here's what we propose," Rena said, looking at her datapad with all the numbers on mining operations that Ordo had just sent to her - and then placed it in front of him for his perusal. "In short, we're looking for a new product line that will help us to combat the tyranny of the new Sith. Our signature metals are rare, as you know, and we can't always rely on them. With your cooperation, we can give our people a chance at freedom - and a lot of good people around the Galaxy - by giving them the tools to fight equally. However, without your help, we can't handle this."

She leaned back in her seat, steepling her plated fingers together. "I have no desire to intrude upon your normal operations. We simply wish to sponsor your mine by purchasing it out, in turn for a share of the profits and a set percentage of cortosis shipments. Everything else will remain in your very capable hands."

Okay, maybe she had to flirt with this guy a little. Not much, though.

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]

"He does have very capable hands, Vod Kyrze." Ordo sent to her datapad. He was just being an annoyance now but it was too humorous to pass up.

Ordo sat upright and watched the gears turn behind the man's eyes. His jovial demeanor only slightly lessened at the begining of the business of getting down to...well, business. Ordo could sense the at this distance but sensing things wasn't really his forté.

He was about to sell another message when the man spoke.

"What would be some of the benefits for employees if we agreed to a buy out. What kind of equipment could you supply?"

Ordo smiled behind his visor and tapped out a message to Rena containing the Mining powersuit that Ordo had spoken of earlier but nothing else he was willing to promise anything fair to the hard working people here. However, he wanted to see the Mandalorian woman handle it so he said nothing more.

 

[Rena Kryze]

> omg boss seriously????? ew. hes so old.

Because space texting. And yes this is a twenty-seven-year-old woman. Sometimes you just had to type quickly.

Rena betrayed none of the disgust that Ordo had managed to instil in her - and she was at least doing a good job of hiding it - and continued on the same track. Yes, she was very business-oriented. Small talk wasn't exactly her forte and she was on the clock. Time was money, efficiency mattered and she wasn't normally paid to do this. For a good reason.

"Not only do we have access to a series of high-end mining powersuits that operate in some of the most difficult environs in the Galaxy, but we have technical experts that we can also lend to the maintenance and improvement of your mining equipment. Mining itself is a new field for us, but we are the foremost experts in industry in Mandalorian space. As for employee benefits, we trust that you will look after your personnel in a style befitting your corporate structure. Micro-management isn't in my nature, especially when trained experts are here for that. On top of that, this is a guaranteed income stream with guaranteed work. There will always be secure jobs for your employees, which with the current state of the Galaxy is a precious commodity indeed."

Would it work? She hoped so.

[member="Ordo"]

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]

Ordo stifled a laugh by faking a cough before Rena began her pitch. It was well handled. She promised support while emphasizing that the current management would continue to run the show. Ordo decided to pipe up with one small point that may help the man's decision.

"I might mention that this offer has not been made to the other operations on world yet. In the long term it could be very good jump on your competitors." Ordo looked to Rena and tried to shink down in his chair and for a man of one point nine three meters tall and one hundred and twenty-five kilograms it was no easy feat. "Sorry, boss."

The man sat forward in his chair and tapped his desk with an aged finger for a few moments.

"Well, we should probably have a tour and have the contract drawn up." He said finally before standing and extending a hand to the woman, "I look forward to doing business with you Ms. Kyrze."

 

[Rena Kryze]

"I pay this kid for a reason," Rena said, grinning almost audibly as she looked at Ordo - time for a little revenge. "He's sharp. One day he might make a great CEO." Because she'd never ever get another chance like this again to return the favour and poke a little fun at Ordo without getting punched, probably.

When the good Baron accepted the deal, she tried her best not to sigh audibly with relief and sag back into her seat like the weight of the world was off her shoulders. Instead, Rena mirrored the motion of Baron Kalitz, standing, smiling under her helmet and shaking the profferred hand. "Baron, I suspect that this is the start of a beautiful partnership. Thank you. You've just helped a lot of people protect themselves against a great evil."

Playing to his sense of the dramatic was a great idea and Rena couldn't help but be proud of the fact that she'd managed to successfully navigate her first ever real business meeting with the covert help of someone far more seasoned with the task.

"Lead on, Baron," Rena said, looking to Ordo and motioning for him to come along too. A tour of the facility was nice - but truth told she was just the tech. She wanted a sample or two and to get back to work.

[member="Ordo"]

 

[Ordo]

[member="Rena Kryze"]

Ordo was quite satisfied with both the tour and his quartermaster. She had handled the roll he had sprung on her with a good deal of intelligence and grace. She was Mandalorian through and through. He walked back to the ship with a small crate of samples under his arm as the smell of night air filtered through his helmet and reminded him they had been on the tour for a good long while.

He walked up the boarding ramp, his heavy boots ringing out on the deck plates like music welcoming him back. Hid grey green eyes scanned the interior and finally took the time to inspect just how much the woman had improved on his design. Ordo had built the ship with his riduur, Rianna, in mind and the fact that the design had been so easily adjusted gave him a fair amount of pride.

The samples he deposited in Rena's work area. He would jave spoken to her more but the sight of the metal working tools made him change his mind. He took off his helmet and gauntlets grabbed some blue prints and decided to get some work of his own done. Unlike most forcies Ordo couldn't sit around humming to meditate. He needed to get lost in his work to center himself and so he did.

 

[Rena Kryze]

[member="Ordo"]

Back aboard the Mantellian Wind...

Welcome to the tech room, where all your dreams come true - if you're Rena with a hankering for building something awesome. If Ordo wanted to work in his own quarters, then so be it - but Rena now had her sample of cortosis that could be worked into a thin weave by her experts. One such sample was in her gauntleted hands, turned into alloy to be woven into durasteel in the tradition of so many weaponsmiths across the Galaxy

She called up her force weapons file and examined the details. These weapons were, very simply, the venerable force pike - just transferred into other forms, given form as blades to cut even better through people. A force pike itself was a short weapon. Not quite a sword, not quite a spear, but between the two - a great police baton, if anything. Even stormtroopers once used it that way.

Now, however, it could be turned into a lethal scything blade. If anything it was a little on the heavy side, sure - but that also meant that it'd be better for crushing bone and smashing armour. A heavy blade was common in the form of a beskad. Imagine a beskad with the ability to cut through durasteel! That was the force pike. A blade with the capability of standing toe to toe with the accursed lightsaber. A hyper-vibration cell coupled with an electric shock field was just a simple thing to make. Putting it into the hilt of a sword had been a challenge, but Rena was always up to it.

This also meant that this was a revolution of the arms race, as far as MandalTech was concerned. This wasn't just a single flash in the pan idea. This was a commitment to introducing a new type of weapon across the battlefield. This was MandalTech's way of giving their people - and hopefully many other people across the Galaxy - a new means of fighting, a new way of shaping the way wars were fought. Expensive, perhaps. Hopefully, governments would be buying these in droves.

For a project like this, Rena Kryze was certainly content to consider the costs worth it.

The ship lifted off, taking Ordo and Rena away from Obredaan and their new purchase. They had just expanded their little hold on the mining world, secured their own cortosis mine - hopefully MandalTech would be able to use this for any other future projects, as well. This had not been a cheap acquisition, by any means. It was a commitment. The quartermaster considered herself proud to have made that commitment. Even if the Baron was a little creepy.