The More, The Merrier

[Rick Kaloo]

VALOR - ~1000000000km FROM NEAREST PLANET, WILD SPACE​

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Deep in space, a massive carrier lay dormant.​

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Its colossal hangar bays were raised, allowing any object floating through space to come in. Inside, its crew idled, off duty for now. They would go off to battle in under a week, but today was a day of leisure. The calm before the storm.

In an office four floors below the bow command bridge, Rick patiently scanned comms and his personal files as he awaited his partner. Under a decade prior, he had made a very similar decision.

A young CEO seeking to expand his company, Rick had struck a deal with the Galactic Alliance in its founding years. Since then, he had followed the Alliance through its fortunes and its failures, enlisting in its navy to further strengthen the ties between the two entities. But then, right as Rick was announcing the greatest expansion in his company's history to millions of his staff, devastating news was delivered to him. The campaign infamously known as Endgame had reached its conclusion with the total destruction of the Galactic Alliance, for many years the beacon of peace and hope in the galaxy. Terrified and still in disbelief, Rick took his fleet and hid in the Outer Rim for nearly a year, fearing retribution.

Ever since then, Rick's life had been in total chaos. He hoped that this meeting would help clear his mind, and for once, ease his unending guilt.

[member="Alessandra Creed"]

 

[Alessandra Creed]

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[member="Rick Kaloo"]​

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It was difficult to leave Geonosis these days. Not due to her station, nor due to her condition, but moreso because her fiancé did not want her out of his sight. The Creed woman would be karking damned if she was going to let someone stifle her duties because they were worried. She loved him. That didn’t mean that she was going to let him tell her whether she could or couldn’t do her job effectively. The grumpy, very pregnant, and every shrewd Minister of Commerce took a small shuttle from her ship toward the Valor.

It was a fine vessel, a supercarrier if there ever was one, but Alessandra couldn’t help but note how slow it must be. Starships that moved at a snail’s pace always left her feeling unsettled. Even if she didn’t have to be. “This is Minister Creed from the Confederacy. I was sent these coordinates for a meeting with Admiral Kaloo.”

The raven-haired woman had literally traveled to the back end of Wild Space for this. Thankfully, travel time could be billed under a work-expense, but still, it had taken an ice age to get to the right place. Her dutiful droid pilot passed along the correct credentials and it seemed that they were welcomed to the carrier fairly easily.

She was wearing a dark amethyst gown of crushed velvet with a black brocade that fell down from her shoulders like gossamer wings. Dark hair, the color of onyx, could be seen piled beautifully atop her head in a series of indulgent curls and waves. The mid-section of her dress was fashioned so that it ought to be difficult to tell that she was with child on sight, however, it was still easy for her move. “It was an appointment for 3PM galactic standard.”

Alessandra was early. Fifteen minutes early, infact. If anything—she was always punctual.

 

[Rick Kaloo]

There was a disturbance outside the room.​

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Rick's client walked in, a young woman with an elegant purplish-black dress. It fit her slim body well, casting a dynamic shadow across her body. If Rick were to feel attraction towards a woman, it would be here.

"Welcome." said Rick. "Sorry to bring you out here, but security has been a deep concern for my company lately. Take a seat."

Rick sat on a metallic chair with a plush leather lining to ensure comfort. A blank gray table about three meters long and a meter wide stood between Rick and his client, who stood adjacent to a chair identical to his.

"After assisting the Confederacy in Copero and Eshan, I began to realize that our two entities share many traits. We both seek fair treatment to a galactic majority, and embrace a diverse group of members. Economically, Outer Rim can supply resources in areas thousands of light years away from Confederate space, and vice versa. Our private technology will fall directly into your hands, and I could bring my fleet to your aid in times of distress. The only thing I ask for is your cooperation."

[member="Alessandra Creed"]