The Final Common Denominator

[Kuat Drive Yards]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFObU6-qN_k[/youtube]​

[member="Lady Kay"]​

It had been exactly one week after the exchange with [member="Terrance Olavi"], a recount the President of Kuat Drive Yards did not want to experience again.

~~~~~

"Lady Kay, are you alright?"

The Exchange happened so frightfully, the memory was so painful.

"Get her some damned medical attention! Stop standing around!"

Ferron didn't know what to think, he was scared. The Queen of a great nation had been kidnapped, and he, her savior.

"I don't care! I said I DON'T CARE! DO IT!"

That day.... he risked everything.

~~~~~

The fact that Ferron Troste entered an illegal auction.... the repercussions would be unimaginable. Once, a great man who demanded Justice and Righteousness. To always take down the bad guy, to end the criminal spree, to stop Rolo Tomassi. Now, that was Ferron Troste. He was a hypocrite, and he couldn't hide it. He had gotten Kuat Drive Yards involved in the exchange, more than he planned to. It was publicized that Ferron Troste had been working with illegal deals. It didn't matter that he saved Lady Kay, it went against everything he stood for to do this and he tried to hide it. All that was said, was to say nothing at all. It was known, but not discussed. Lady Kay had been set free, no strings attached. She knew to keep a lid on the situation, considering what Ferron risked. At any moment, the company could be stripped from under his feet by his own people for what he did, since everything he said could be chocked up to a lie for what he got involved in. It was now a week after the event. Lady Kay was safely home, having been escorted by Ferrons biggest and strongest KDY Fleet. Ferron did not accompany the voyage, and after Lady Kay was dropped off, the fleet had left. Time had been silent between Kuat Drive Yards and Commenor Systems Alliance. It was kept under the wraps as much as possible, although the media and rumors would surely spread.


Once Lady Kay had done everything she did for her morning routine, getting over the incident with Terrance, she would find a message on her holopad, or be informed of such by her secretary. It was encrypted and classified for Lady Kay only. It was sent with Kuat Drive Yards authorization codes, showing it was more than likely from Ferron Troste. But the message read more like a puzzle, than an encrypted message.

"We need to talk."​

Attached to the message were a set of coordinates; her Office. The very room she was sitting in. Along with a date and time.... it was exactly one week after today. It seemed Ferron was demanding an audience with the Queen. It was assumed she would agree, since he saved her life, and the few other things the Company had done for her. But what they need to talk about, was just as much of a mystery, as the message itself.

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Kuat Drive Yards"]

Kay wasn't exactly with it when the exchange happened. She was still coming out of the hibernation sickness that was very similar to what one would suffer from being frozen in carbonite. She was disorientated and blind.

Thankfully the effects were only temporary.


**************


Through the recommendations of Olivia, Kay had taken a break so that she could recover. Word was spread that she was suffering an illness, but it was just a common flu, so there was nothing to worry about.

During that time she had spent a lot of time in her isolation chamber, as well asat her Estate in the mountains. It was there in her home away from the Palace that she opened up the message.

One week from today. In her office? Why would the co-ordinates be given for that? It made no sense.

To get those answers, she knew that she had to wait. But the answers would come.

 

[Karacan Rigten]

[member="Lady Kay"]


Lady Kay may have thought to have a parade, or throw a party, maybe even at least give Ferron a medal. But he wanted absolutely no publicity. No doubt, it would be peculiar to the Queen, but Ferron wouldn't say why. As to why, he would tell her today. Ferron felt bad about pulling her from her rest, knowing she was ill and wasn't at the office, but this was important. When Ferron arrived on Commenor, he didn't even have Clone Escorts. If he were to be arrested, he had have nothing to protect him... but he had a thought that CSA wouldn't call him an enemy, or a criminal. Ferron spoke very little, and avoided eye contact with everyone. He spoke only as absolutely necessary, although today Lady Kay was expecting him, so to her secretary, which meant they knew why he was here. Once Lady Kay was ready to see him, Ferron entered.

Opening the door and walking in, he was very quiet. He didn't respond to a hello, didn't wave, didn't do anything. He turned around and closed the door. Was he was sure the room was private, he walked over to one of the seats in front of Kays desk. He was out of uniform, but still in a business suit. Ferron was very out of his element, and the Queen knew that. He stared at her desk for a moment to let the silence settle in. If she tried to say something, he'd raise his hand softly, as if to gesture 'hold on,' before he closed his eyes, took a breath, and looked over at Lady Kay. "Queen Arenais of Commenor, of Commenor Systems Alliance," was all he said until a pause came.

"No doubt you don't understand why I demanded the silence on the ... Auction. Now you want to know why I've demanded this audience with you." He stretched his hands out across his legs, obviously not feeling comfortable as he tried to speak, "I made a rule for myself, long ago. One I brought over into Kuat Drive Yards, and then I enforced in Kuat Sector Defenses. Crime is not something you can get off scott free from. Everyone is held to the law. No matter if it Planet Leader, Organization Leader, or Rich Man. I entered an illegal auction, encouraging the production and sale of a mass bio weapon, and promised the protection of a Criminal. I have aided and abetted the very thing I fought against. My intentions for that auction were to be a solution for the worst of criminals. I would have used that Amber in a super max, classified Prison Station, which would hold the Worst Criminals. It would have been a form of torture. Every now and then releasing them from the Amber until they agreed to reform. But it doesn't matter what my intentions were. The people of Kuat Drive Yards and Kuat Sector Defense understood my rule of law, and they all adhered to it. They knew I was also not above the law, and I do not want to be the one who gets away with it. As of yet, my own people have not put me into custody, but there is a reason I do not have an escort today. I will pay for my crimes in due time, for now, I have been promised to continue ownership of my Company, yet my court date will undoubtedly have me slated for possible leave of operation."

Ferron clutched his right arm as his right arm reached up to squeeze at the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve the stress built up within him. "To prove my promise to them, I must continue to supply jobs. At this time, it is critical I keep the employees with work and pay, and right now, it seems fitting to go into the next and final stage of the rebirth of Kuat Drive Yards." Ferron reached for his suit and unbuttoned it, reaching inside, he grabbed a folder of papers. Pulling it out, he sat it on the Queens desk. "This is a proposal. Kuat Drive Yards Orbital Array will be coming online any day now. To finish the rebirth of the company I have planned multiple facilities, stations, and shipyards. I am prepared to handle the construction. This plan was restricted to one major organization I would choose, and no one else. I am on the fence, Queen Kay, and not only do I feel we both are indebted of something, but we are both deserving of something beneficial. Drydocks that can construct and maintain 26 Star Destroyers each, Shipyards that can mass produce 6 Star Destroyers at a time, and...." he gulped, fearing possible repercussions of the technology he was about to offer the Queen, "a Shield Gate. The Shield Gate I offer would be unique. I may be able to offer another down the road, but you would, in fact, own and operate it. The other facilities would also be anywhere you choose. There are quite a few I plan to construct, I just need a list of locations. As much as I adore the Neutrality of the Commenor Systems Alliance, no one is safe from war. As long as Kuat Drive Yards had stood, it had succumb to galactic war, and died, twice. My requirements are thus;"

Ferron took a deep breath before he said his final piece, "The Kuat Security Device which provides security for ships and components of Kuat Drive Yards will be stripped, and all orders sold will be recalled for modifications to remove the device, making the items truly free and independent for anyone to use. This guarantees you will have nothing to fear from Kuat Drive Yards, ever. You will agree to a binding contract until the fall of the Commenor Systems Alliance, that for no other reason but to relieve the President of command of Kuat Drive Yards should they falter to a certain level of criminality, never to go to war with Kuat Drive Yards. You will also need to increase your territory to include Kuat Drive Yards. This will offer a staging area into the Core Worlds, to both support and provide counter attacks should your enemies look to reap the defenseless. In return, Kuat Drive Yards is permanently obligated to create your Shipyards, Starbases, Dreadnoughts, including what I have already listed, and anything else you require. However we must maintain our own independence. Nothing like the Galactic Empire taking control can ever happen again."

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay wouldn't of had a parade done or anything. In fact, she was trying to keep the whole ordeal under wraps. The AMBER, the auction, everything. It was no wonder that Masterra had done the same thing. Thankfully what was on the underground holo-net stayed in the underground holo-net.

So when [member="Ferron Troste"] had arrived at the designated room and time, she was ready, sitting there with a cup of tea cradled in her hands.

Kay listened to him speak, her jaw dropping slightly as he let her know that he had sought to use the AMBER as torture. Having gone through being entombed, albeit for a short time, she didn't condone the use of torture by any means. She herself had been tortured for months on end by the Sith, and when she came out of it, she was not herself.

She sipped her tea and then looked down to the papers that he provided, glancing through them while he spoke.

Kay owed him for in a sense 'buying' her at auction. And now he revealed his terms. She clenched her jaw while she listened to them, most especially in regards to claiming ownership of the territory KDY resided in. "We do not wage war on anyone. Not unless they attack us would we raise our weapons against them. So your request for us to not wage war against you is easily done, so long as you don't wage war against us. And as for taking ownership of the territory KDY resides in? That won't be possible. At best we can secure around it. The problem there lies in Alderaan. There is...too much bad blood between us. They have already been a part of three failed governments. I'll not continue that bad luck streak with mine. So as I have said, we can go around. You'll still have all the independance you wish. And your tariffs will be dropped, giving you more credits to work with." She sipped her tea and waited for the rebuff.

 

[Karacan Rigten]

[member="Lady Kay"]


Lady Kay may have thought he was blackmailing her, but in reality he was requiring very little of her. In fact, realistically, if they wouldn't provide territory protection, the only thing they would have to pay in return was to help Kuat Drive Yards should they become threatened. Which wasn't really different at all from protecting one of their own worlds. Kuat Drive Yards was paying the CSA, giving them the power of a great navy that could rival the Sith Empire and even the First Order, combined, just to protect them. It was no secret they were afraid of being taken over again, and Ferron had to dispel the fear somehow.

"Queen Arenais, we have absolutely, entirely, no reason to go to war with you. I'm here today to try and secure your trust and plead for your protection. I'm here for the people of Kuat and the company, not as myself for profit. I have to keep the jobs active and the credits flowing so that my employees have money to take home to provide for their families, all while trying to stay active and as open as possible even during the imminent dark age that might befall the galaxy. If Kuat Drive Yards stopped working, we would fall apart. I did not come here to blackmail you, or to force you to agree to anything. I'm simply here, as a citizen of the galaxy, looking for your help. I will agree to these terms so long as you promise to send support should we become under attack. What do you say?" Ferron pointed at the paperwork. It was filled with everything he had said. Each page had things individually stated as separate contracts, so she could easily remove the territory protection and sign the rest. Ferron was hiding nothing, as he put his deepest, darkest secret on the table already. Yes, it would have been torture, but it would have only been torture as long as the criminal didn't want to be rehabilitated. Lady Kay already knew Ferron wasn't interested in jail or the death penalty, as per his statement about his Kuat Courts System, so she knew the Amber would have been only reserved for the worst, of the worst, of the worst.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked down to the paperwork as she listened to [member="Ferron Troste"] . Why he feared that work would be stopping for them, she did not know. As far as she knew, and with what he was promising to build, there'd be work for them for quite some time.

"Our forces are small, but we'll do what we can for you. The Commenori stay home. But given the closeness of Kuat, I can make the acception. That is unless we are told otherwise."

Kay removed the section about gaining ownership of the territory, but then took out a pen from her desk drawer and signed the rest. Everything seemed to be in order.

"I'd like to have copies of these for my own records, if you please."

 

[Karacan Rigten]

[member="Lady Kay"]


Ferron nodded, although he didn't think Lady Kay grasped the full concept of this contract. "I don't mean to offend, but perhaps you don't entirely understand this contract, Queen Arenais.... This is a full outfit contract on my part, and only a defense contract, really, on your part. Not only am I giving you space stations, weapon platforms, and shipyards, but I am also giving you ships. The first Imperial III-class we roll out will be heading to CSA space for your engineers and naval personnel to inspect and figure out. When we get our vehicle and weapons facilities up and running, you'll have immediate and free access to everything we designate. I will be effectively bloating your military capacity, all yiou need provide is your trained personnel. With this kind of force defending Commenori Space, everyone will have to have second thoughts about threatening your people. And, that is no problem. Contracts are useless unless they can be enforced. And you are that enforcing entity, so I have to place my trust in you. Take all the time, and the copies, you need. Is there anything else you feel you need to amend?"