Renegotiations

[Corey's OOC]

Publicity. That was something that Marek hadn’t planned for. And with his PR manager being out of contact for a few weeks, the job fell back on him. The trick here was getting everyone together and hashing things out. That meant individual meetings with the Techno Union companies CEOs. And today? None other than the CEO for BlasTech, which was starting to become something of a powerhouse for the Union.

Especially with the events going around with Czerka, not that Marek was too keen on these events, but he saw reports, heard stirrings… And should probably discuss with his agents just what in the nine Corellian hells was going on. Still, meetings.

Turning to check the desk chrono, he nodded to himself, pleased that he was able to be here early, or at least ready for the meeting when it came. He never held anyone to the times, as the CEOs were busy people, and to come discuss with him? Well, that sometimes wasn’t always the priority on their list. Which was fine, for him. Still, contract renegotiation was going to occur, hopefully.

All he had to do was wait.

[member="Jacen Cavill"]

 

[Lex-El]

Cade Lee was known for his keen business acumen and even keel behavior. Stories had spread far and wide about how he had risen to the top of Blas-Tech rather quickly. His unimpeded ascension to the top of the premier blaster company in the galaxy had caught the attention of many. When his company had branched to making security droids, armor, and mechs he caught the attention of many more. Heads started to further spin when he developed composite beam weapons that were able to be mass-produced. The galaxy had just gotten wind of the fact that he was producing Czerka's weapons while also suing the company. Stock was soaring through the roof, so it was rather curious that he wasn't smiling as he marched into the meeting room where he had been requested. His free hand waved his guards and assistants away as he walked in alone, the contents in his brief case were what he was hinging his company's future growth on.

Yet here he was, pissed off.

Blue eyes peered at the man waiting for him, and without a word he sat down and put the briefcase on the table before him. A bright ring was rather noticeable on his right hand, and it served a distinct purpose, it made him dead in the Force while he wore it. That didn't matter at the moment, instead he just stared at the man who presided over the Techno-Union.

"You bring me here after you bomb my headquarters on Druckenwell. What can I do to help you?"

[member="Marek Starchaser"]

 

[Corey's OOC]

Probably the worst bit of everything was that Marek was part of the Confederate government, but for himself? He found himself as a businessman, a contractor, and someone who wanted to keep the market free. That was how he preferred to see himself, and was hoping that most other entrepreneurs would see him. However, he knew that wouldn’t always be the case, as he did fly a Confederate flag from his headquarters, and from most of his ships, the Dark Tide, being his personal vessel flew a number of flags, depending on where he was journeying. Kept things simple, with that one.

Watching as [member="Cade Lee "]entered the office and placed the briefcase down, Marek eyed the man, and rose from his seat. It was proper to greet someone that way, right? And BlasTech was a larger company than he could ever hope Haor Chall Engineering could become, but Marek’s title also prevented a lot of work being done on his end, and the company was left to fend for itself more often than not.

Not that he’d let them go completely unawares.

“I appreciate you coming to this meeting, Mr. Lee. And I truly apologize for the disaster that had befallen Druckenwell. The Techno Union was there to oversee production on the shipyard, and when things started going south, I know you’ll see that we, myself included, were involved in the evacuation of as many important people, to the Techno Union, including BlasTech, as possible. No shots were fired from us. You can take that up with the military.” Because they had the proper lawyers for that. And Marek really didn’t enjoy being put on the defensive.

“But, I am hoping to help out your company, with a contract renewal, and expansion. I hear that BlasTech is now creating slugthrowers to compete and, from all records I’ve seen, surpass their Czerka counterparts?”

 

[Lex-El]

"I don't care who fired the shots in the Confederacy, what I do know is that through your actions I've been dealing with something I shouldn't have to." Cade's fingers tapped on the durasteel briefcase to show his impatience, even if he appeared to be nothing but polite. "The Omega Protectorate told me well in advance of the invasion to move my products and close my factories down and everything would be fine. So I did just as they asked me to because, lets be honest here." What he said next wasn't something he just told anyone, even if it was well known.

"The whole galaxy buys from me, and we are only getting bigger."

[member="Marek Starchaser"] then went on a little tangent about re-negotiations, and that's when his ears perked up. Mr. Lee leaned forward a little, his elbows resting on the oak wood beneath him, his crisp gray suit standing out in contrast. "Well you see, here's the thing." His hands clapped together before he held them together, showing off a rather rough set of hands for a man who supposedly worked behind a desk. Shoulders that normally stood proud(during his other job) slouched further forward and he adjusted his glasses for a moment. "I took their designs after an agent of mine stole them for me, and I retooled them and re-branded everything." It was the truth, and he kept the truth coming. "I've also in the process of buying all their trademarks on before I fully bury their company in litigation and wipe that thousand year old stain off the corporate sector." His cold tone showed no ego, he was merely spitting facts. "I'm underselling him because I'm bigger and quite frankly I'm making more credits selling in the volumes I am now. So if you want to negotiate it will all start with me being fully reimbursed for what happened at Druckenwell and you guys building my next headquarters. I'm working on something much too grand right now to worry about setting up shop again, it's bad enough the One Sith own Coruscant."

They knew who he really was though, and they were too afraid to mess with the man who could take their souls....but Marek didn't need to know that about the cold CEO before him.

 

[Corey's OOC]

Should have figured that, when business was involved, it didn’t matter who fired the shots. “That was my short falling, not reaching out to you as soon as they arrived on site. I can blame it on the evacuation, but a message should have made it your way.” Throw Marek on the defensive? He didn’t have any chips to stand behind, and BlasTech should have been given word as soon as the Omega Protectorate arrived. “I’ve seen the reports, sir, you are the largest distributor of personal weapons, not to mention the rest of your product line.” And if they could take out the competition and ship from Confederate warehouses… That’d be some major profit sharing potential.

He was following the business pages of the HoloNet, and heard something stirring against Czerka, but he did have aids to cover everything, and if it was major he’d have heard more. But if BlasTech was taking over the market, it was just a point that the contracts should shift hands. “More contacts, and more people will trust the name of BlasTech, as opposed to the archaic name of Czerka.” Which both companies were older, but Czerka always seemed to get on the dark side of the game.

“Do you have a total price for Druckenwell, or how you would prefer to be reimbursed? If you don’t mind moving the headquarters to a more central location, such as Hypori, we can easily accommodate you there, unless you’ve got other real estate in mind?” Could Marek really discuss business with [member="Cade Lee "]this easily? Perhaps he was learning something, but really, the CIS needed the weapons more than BlasTech needed this contract.

 

[Lex-El]

[member="Marek Starchaser"]'s genuine words really fell on deaf ears, even if he did appreciate the man trying to fully explain the situation.

"I fully support a move to Hypori, as I will soon be moving my Coruscant headquarters into the Tion Sector. I must chase where the investments are the hottest, you know how the corporate ebb and flow are." A small chuckle left his lips as he opened his briefcase, and opened the holo-pad up he had within it. "I'll gladly take you guys building my headquarters for me, and giving me tax breaks for the next five years as well as no tariff for exporting my goods." That was a good place to initially start, but Cade kept on ahead. He already had a plan in mind when he had been summoned.

One didn't go into business without one.

"I'll supply you with everything you will ever need, so long as you don't mind me destroying Czerka. I'll also ask these things of you before I show you what is to come." Cade stood up and pulled the holopad out on the table after unlocking it with his finger print. "I want a five year contract at least with modifiers in there that allow for greater profit shares should I produce more goods, as well as a buyout should you try and steal my technology or buy from a competitor. I also want to be able to test my next project out here in Confederate space while having your word another incident like Druckenwell won't happen again." Without another word he pulled up a holo of a massive satellite with four composite beams pointing towards a planets surface. At the press of a button it fired on an imaginary city and leveled ten blocks instantly.

"That's what I"m making next, it's called the Guardian satellite. Allow me to make them here, and help fund it and we can start talking."

 

[Corey's OOC]

He really did care, but still, sometime things just didn’t clear how he expected them to. That was fine. But really, getting BlasTech on their side, or his side, whichever, was probably important. Well, definitely was. Nodding, he understood the move away from the Capital world. Being in bed with that group of organized Sith would not really bother Marek, as he was a new student to the Sith arts, but still, he wouldn’t necessarily want to be basing out of a forward Sith group’s capital. Keep it under wraps, at least.

“Tion, I’ve been out there a few times. Good market, good location.” He nodded. Really, just buying time as he thought and listened. “We’ll give you the headquarters, if you employ your factory staff from Confederate citizens, run whatever tests you need on them, of course.” That way they could at least get some revenue.

No tariffs, some tax breaks, that could happen. Plus, they needed the weapons. As of right now, Marek was ready to go ahead with this. Sponsoring the new BlasTech building, and their research, that might bring them into sponsoring the annihilation of Czerka. The trick was, business wise, why not? But for the government? It couldn’t hurt. Marek really did need to take a level in Businessman… was that actually a class? Maybe some classes. He shook his head. “Lets see what this Guardian is about? Will it create another Druckenwell?”

@Cade Lee

 

[Lex-El]

[member="Marek Starchaser"]'s request was simple, so Cade gave a simple answer. "I have no qualms hiring Confederate citizens, though all will be fully vetted before they are hired. I will not have any spies inside my company so you can keep tabs on me. You will either have the courage to ask me what I'm up to, or you will have to learn what life is like without my company." That was the truth in it's most base form, and he refused to hold back. Tensions were still high, he wasn't pleased at all that he hadn't been warned that his headquarters could be destroyed. Profit hadn't been lost, but needless lives had been wasted because he didn't know to evacuate thanks to a lack of information. What could be said about the man with the steely glare behind the glasses was this.

He never made the same mistake twice.

"You will also fully communicate with me of your military plans when anything that belongs to me is involved. I have powerful friends, and I'd hate to have to surprise you the way I was surprised at Druckenwell." What he didn't say was that he would simply take his ring off and come under his real name and slaughter everyone. That didn't need to be said, the vague threat would be enough. So he left it at that and went back to the Guadian project. "No, the satellite will be an anti-terror and anti-infantry, anti-vehicle weapon. It can only be controlled by those in charge of the planet, and it will be able to level about five square blocks of land in one blast."

 

[Corey's OOC]

Hiring Confederate citizens would help, because, well, they could tax them, in order to earn a bit of a wage. And of course, Marek assumed that [member="Cade Lee "]would need to screen everyone. “I’d expect you to perform checks on everyone. I don’t know what you expect from me, sir, but I’m here to make money, and keep this government from falling to pieces.” He held his hands up, showing flat and empty palms, a sign to Marek of good faith. Or at least no weapons, which was pretty much the same thing, right?

Having the faith of the CEOs was important, but should anyone undermine the efforts he was making, that was going to shoot him in the foot. He was going to have to talk to the SpyNet and request they cool their jets. Not everyone was an enemy.

“As far as I know the plans, when assets are in question for any of the Techno Union, or business partners that I’ve made connections with, I will inform everyone. That is something I pulled from the disaster at Druckenwell.” Because at first there were so much going on, with the evacuation and then the disaster that struck, but now? Now he knew how to handle it, to watch all HQs and handle accordingly.

“Anti-terror?” Marek was interested in this. Especially if it could prevent further destruction of shipyards. “So, a policing satellite?” Intriguing.

 

[Lex-El]

[member="Marek Starchaser"]


"Good, it's about time you Confederates started learning from your mistakes. I know many are watching to see exactly what you do right now after Druckenwell." It was the absolute truth, may groups were watching to see what the Confederacy would do. So many groups were falling these days, nations were falling. A list had been compiled by those in the know, and a certain elite few were watching and waiting. Rave herself had given him a few criteria to watch factions for, a threat-scale if you would. Where each faction sat at the moment was a mystery to all but a few. Cade was one of the few truly in the know, and this meeting would have a lot more than just business on the line.

It determined if his other face would need to come around.

"Yes, it's an anti-terror and policing weapon." Cade closed the datapad and the briefcase with it as well. "You'll see more of these as I'm taking this meeting as your agreement for the project, so I thank you." Taking his possessions in hand, he got up and started to head towards the door. "My people will be in touch, and I expect those funds in my accounts by tomorrow so I can start the process of building everything. Have a good day Mr. Starchaser."

Just like that, he had left [member="Marek Starchaser"] alone in the meeting room.

 

[Corey's OOC]

Marek wasn’t sure if he should be taking offense for the way that [member="Cade Lee "]was speaking, in truth, Marek never did much time in the government, and when the Templar Order was the reigning Force group of the Confederacy, Marek was chasing down leads of ancient artifacts. And then he had Haor Chall fall into his lap, and he somehow managed to impress the appropriate people to fall in charge of the Techno Union. Funny thing, that. And the BlasTech CEO was correct, many groups were watching the Confederacy. And most wouldn’t even touch trade with them currently, nevermind military alliances, the latter didn’t bother Marek, so long as he could find businesses willing to work with him.

Was it time to find new employment? Or at least secure his own future?

What was going to happen to the government?

Nodding to Cade, the weapon did seem to make sense. And it could be useful to have in the Confederacy. “I’ll start moving funds over, and please, let me know if you can utilize myself, or my company of precision engineers. I promise, they’re outside the Confederacy, so you won’t have to worry about that.” Not that he was expecting Mr. Lee to take him up on that. With the other CEO gone, the Foreman looked around the office and nodded.

At least his military was going to have toys to kill one another with.