Dominion The Surge Forward | MIR Dominion of Instrop Sector Superhex

[SOVCOM]

✠ Dominion of the Instrop Sector ✠
​

The Mahporeem Imperial Remnant surges forward. With new vigour, stalwart discipline and unyielding discipline the Imperial forces spread their influence in the surrounding systems. One by one the worlds submit to Imperial rule and order, the Imperial Cog flying above capitals, Star Destroyers dotting the skies and Stormtroopers guarding the newly placed governments.

After the Ash Worlds, the High Command has set its sights on the Instrop Sector with the valuable mining world of Shinbone and the Muun-Mandalorian colony of Vlemoth Port as priorities. The former a capital investment both for the industrial complex and its cooperation with allied corporations, the latter a lesson in humility and tolerance for Muun and Mandalorians as their conflict has been declared concluded by Imperial authority.

Shinbone is a mining world and requires to be incorporated into Mahporeem's sphere of influence, not merely conquered. Its mines and preferably even its institutions have to remain intact to continue their extraction of ores to supply the Imperial industrial complex.

Delegations of Imperial officials and their allied corporations move to take control over the planet, avoiding violence or destruction. The local authorities are divided and individualistic, dealing in small claims and separate operations with no larger conglomerate having control over the planet's production. It is a wild west situation where the law of the first has been practiced for a long time and only rarely have any united efforts been recorded.

An ideal situation for savvy corporate minds and the Imperial industry. Convince, connect and unite the mines of Shinbone and build them into a mining juggernaught that can supply the advance of Imperialism in the Outer Rim.

Ideal for: Imperial Officials, High Command, Corporate, Security Details, Negotiators, Prospectors, Scrappers

The world of Vlemoth Port has had its fair share of troubled history. From Mandalorian settlers, to Outer Rim colonists and Muun opportunists, the world held many different people and their cultures. Yet there has always been a divide.

From the highest levels of Vlemoth Station the Muun have controlled and profited from the worlds limited commerce, keeping the people in the capital of Sanshur Flats poor and themselves rich. Now they have tried to limit the Mandalorian enclave of Arumorut. But the Mandalorians had none of it and a small war erupted, between the ancient warrior culture and the paid mercenaries of the Muun.

Mahporeem does not come to settle, it comes to end the conflict and has chosen to undo the Muun's influence and the iron grip their mercenary company, the InterStellar Regulators, have on the capital. The capital must be liberated with minimal civilian losses and the Muun's stronghold atop Vlemoth Station taken together with the local Mandalorians.

Ideal for: Army, Navy, Junkyard Knights, Intelligence, Mercenaries, Humanitarian

 

[Augustus Tassar]

STATUS	88th Stormtrooper Legion	Objective 2 - Landing - Sanshur Flats / Landing Fields​
IMPFOR	Open	"Lion-Actual", Post I​
OPFOR	InterStellar Regulators

Violence was expected, but there was none. The Muun had shut off their higher levels to potential landings and therefore the Imperials had to go through the main city to get to the top of the pyramid, to the peak of capitalist greed and the source for this conflict. The local Mandalorians had taken care of securing plains outside the capital as landing fields, allowing for light to medium Imperial craft to land without difficulties.

Grand Marshal Augustus Tassar stepped out of the gunship together with his Stormtroopers which quickly spread out. More crafts landed, more troops disembarked as the Imperials slowly set foot on the world of Vlemoth Port for the first time. It was a pretty world, maybe even a peaceful life out here, but the appearance betrayed its true nature. The gold-clad warrior smelled it. War. Small or big, local or worldwide, with axes or mass drivers, war had a unique smell to it and this place had it.

"Secure the landing zone. Vanguard advance to the approaches of Vlemoth Station. We will set up a forward operations base at the edge of the capital. Return fire only. Make sure those locals are not interfering. Get me in direct contact with the local Mandalorian Alor."

Tassar's voice echoed across the comms as the Stormtroopers of his 88th spread out, their crimson armours reflected in the crimson cape he now was wearing. Shuttles and gunships came to bring down more troops for finishing the fight and eventually for consolidating control over this planet. He looked around, blue lenses scanning the large shape of the downed orbital defence platform with suspicion.

"As few troops remain in the open as possible. Dig in if you have to."

There was a feeling in this gut that the current silence was the breath before the storm.

 

[Shae'ri Mor]

The Price of Credits

Equipment • "Scrapborn"
Assigned: x3 | All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers : x10 | Scrap Hounds : x45 | Imperial Stormtroopers
Interaction{s} •

The shuttle descended through the canopy beneath a sky the color of oxidized steel, its engines beating the forest air into a violent churn of dust, leaves, and collected rainwater. The landing zone had been carved from the wilderness only minutes before, a crude but disciplined wound in the trees marked by signal beacons and portable floodlights.

As the shuttle settled onto the earth, the waiting ranks of stormtroopers stood motionless, white armor stark against the black-green forest. Beyond them, the hulking silhouettes of All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers waited beneath the branches, their armored legs stained by mud and foliage, weapons already tracking the surrounding woodland.

Among them prowled the Scrap Hounds; scrap born mechanical predators of junk and servos, their heads snapping toward every movement as if the machines themselves were impatient for something to tear apart.

The shuttle's ramp lowered. Shae'ri Mor emerged without ceremony, her gaze passing over the assembled force before settling upon the forest beyond. She stopped before them. "Our orders are simple," she said, her voice carrying through the machinery and rain.

"Tucked away in this forest is an outpost being used by our opposition, InterStellar Regulators, to filter in supplies, illegal weapons, information, and possibly slaves masked as employees into the capital city. We are dealing with the Munns, and by proxy, no doubt, the Hutts." Her eyes moved from the stormtroopers to the operators seated within the waiting walkers.

"Expect anything. React accordingly. There will be no confusion once the shooting begins. There will be no hesitation."

For several seconds, nothing moved except the rain dripping from armor and the restless mechanical limbs of the Scrap Hounds. Then Shae'ri Mor lifted her comlink. "Command Base, this is Knight Shae'ri Mor. Strike force is assembled and departing the landing zone. Commencing advance toward Objective One."

Static answered before the acknowledgment came. She lowered the device and turned toward the trees. "Move." The formation advanced as one. Stormtroopers disappeared into the undergrowth in disciplined columns while the All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers followed with ponderous mechanical steps, crushing branches and wet earth beneath their armored feet. The operators kept their weapons trained outward, scanning the darkness between the trees.

The Scrap Hounds moved along the flanks, servos whining softly, mechanical jaws opening and closing with crude anticipation. Shae'ri Mor walked at the head of the formation, leading them deeper beneath the canopy toward the hidden outpost.​

 

[Fiona Tierney]

​

A member of the Azure Cabal, Fiona frowned upon reading the InterStellar Regulators were involved in controlling the world of Vlemoth Port. She found the mercenary group unprofessional and just a rung above criminals. They had no order or real honor in her eyes. Even if she wasn't involved with MIR on the fringes she would gladly step in and wipe a few out.

Currently working alone, Fiona took a shuttle down and landed in the outskirts of the city, hiding her shuttle in the thick of the forest. Rifle on her back, carrying a rucksack of supplies, she worked her way towards the center of where the main members of the InterStellar Regulators were last seen. Intelligence had given her two places ; a quasi-fortress in town and a potential armory on the outskirts. Fiona wasn't quite sure and the best way was to approach on foot and reconn from there.

Others were going in hot. A decision she respected. However her goal was wiping out the higher command of the mercenary group, head off the snake and all that. A win for the Azure Cabal and a win for the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant.

TAGS : OPEN​

 

[R'ayne Asara]

heart of the mountain

​

weapon: Draconic Scourge
outfit:X™
tag(s): open

The Director’s Office aboard the Mahporeem Imperial Science Station had never been truly silent. It groans in the darkness of the station’s superstructure, breathes through vents that exhale air colder than some of the worlds catalogued in the Imperial archives, and trembles with the distant, irregular throb of engines buried somewhere beyond the walls.

I sat behind my dark mahogany durasteel desk beneath the cold glow of the holoprojections, methodically scanning the day’s proposals, completed projects, requisitions, failures, and discoveries. Thousands of words passed before my eyes, some without meaning, others bordering on curiosity.

Then Shinbone appeared.

An expedition was already underway, Mahporeem Imperial forces and their corporate allies descending upon the mining world to stake their claims and rip open its mountains.

Profit. Ore. Contracts.

The usual carrion feast of the growing Mahporeem Imperial Remnant.

I nearly moved on. Then I remembered Doan. The mining project there had yielded astonishing returns, but beneath the profitable strata our Science Division had found minerals that had never existed in any Imperial catalogue; substances whose crystalline structures seemed almost to defy the geometry of matter itself.

I stared at Shinbone's designation, and something inside my mind shifted. Not a thought, precisely. More like the sensation of having stepped upon a stair that should not have been there. I pulled the planetary archives toward me. History unfolded beneath my fingertips. Colonization. Mining. Epidemics. Mass graves.

Then I found the Hardan Plague.

Dagelin Minor. Decimated. Shinbone. Touched by the contagion.

I read the old reports again, slower this time, and felt the oppressive sensation that the darkness beyond the transparisteel viewport had somehow drawn closer. There was no record of complete extermination. No final confirmation. No proof that the bogan’s brown nafen, the rodents blamed for carrying the plague, had ever been destroyed, and if their main food source, dhuru flies we're still numerous, it was safe to assume they would be too.

I stopped breathing for a moment. The station continued its endless mechanical respiration around me, utterly indifferent. Somewhere beyond the bulkheads, machinery clanked like bones being rearranged. I reopened the files concerning the venomous rodents and began searching for every fragment the previous Galactic Empire had forgotten.

Population estimates. Infestation zones. Quarantine failures. Biological specimens. Discontinued investigations.

Every answer seemed to conceal another question, and beneath those questions was something worse; a blankness in the records that felt less like missing information and more like something had deliberately been omitted. The Hardan Plague had not merely passed through Shinbone. It had touched it.

Briefly, or so the report stated.

Like a finger brushing against the surface of a pond whose depths were too immense to measure; my scientific mind began to race, not with fear, but with exhilaration.

What if the plague had evolved? What if the rodents had survived? What if the unknown minerals discovered beneath worlds like Doan would also be buried beneath Shinbone? What if that long deceased Empire had mistaken symptoms for causes for centuries?

I reached for the office comlink. “Station command.” My voice sounded strangely small in the enormous room. “Prepare a ship for Shinbone. I am departing immediately.”

Quickly I terminated the transmission and looked once more at the planetary file. For an instant, the holomap seemed to pulse.

Perhaps it was merely a rendering error.

Perhaps it was the station lighting.

I did not believe either explanation.

Something could be waiting beneath Shinbone. Something that had endured the plague, the mining operations, and the passage of time. And now, with all the arrogance of science, I was going to find it, and wake it up.

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

Location: Shinbone
Tag: R'ayne Asara
​

While the planet itself wasn't anything remarkable, the fact it had some number of useful resources which could be easily obtained through mining made Shinbone a valuable target for the N&Z, which through its hunger for materials was always looking for the next vein of ores and materials to be added to its arsenal. While Mahporeem's massive scrapping and recycling industry was already good for business, to add another planet's wealth of minerals to the portfolio of the company's mining division in the form of the United Seswenna Mining Company would be a boon for the massive corporation's ersteel grip on the Mahporeem Economy.

Still, some coordination was mandatory, since the N&Z wasn't the only corporation gunning for the vast riches the planet held, Amalia expected that perhaps it was best to have someone from the Imperial branch to cooperate with the largest corporation in the region. Still, at first there had to be some confirmation on the actual wealth of the planet's resources. After all, the N&Z wasn't interested in a single paltry vein, no... only if there was enough material to last at least a decade or to have the capacity to generate profit akin to a decade's worth, that's when they'd have a keen interest.

Samples had already been scanned and the results had already been sent beforehand towards the N&Z Liitius Facilities on New Cov. All the surveying team on the ground, alongside the prospectors and the assistants from the IMF needed to do was wait and see whether or not the results would be satisfactory. Amalia in the meantime would only be there to make sure some formal cooperation with the imperial remnant itself could be guaranteed. Still, when eventually the report and the analysis on the samples came back, the report itself seemed mainly to consist of the numbers, the percentages of the actual materials found in the samples...but perhaps what was strangest, was the fact the report concluded with a warning to call not for the industrial branch of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant, but the Ministry of Science.

"If my master had been here, he'd probably had guessed the issue already," The woman sighed, sitting at an improvised desk in a building the N&Z had commandeered and repurposed as a provisional command center for preliminary research. Looking at the report on her screens, she tilted her head a bit and tapped her fingers on her desk with a certain nervosity and an annoyed expression before she started to tap on the screen of her datapad, utilizing her perogative as Chief Executive Officer of the most powerful corporation within the remnant's sphere to bypass the obvious bureaucracy. "Contact the Minister of Science..."

While the connection was awaiting to be established, Amalia already prepared to sent her company's reports and analysis through the line, hoping R'ayne Asara would have better insight.

​

 

[Prystill Oasay]

Objective: Heart of the Mountain
Location: Independent Mining Settlement, Shinbone — Central Processing Yard
Outfit: Mining Outfit
Tags: R'ayne Asara | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | OPEN

Prystill Oasay had learned quickly that being Minister of Foreign Affairs did not mean she needed to be the person doing all the talking. Sometimes it meant knowing who should. The Theelin stood just behind and to the side of her young aide as they watched the mining settlement emerge beyond the viewport. Calling it a settlement was perhaps generous. Habitation modules, machine shops, ore processors, landing pads, and administrative structures had accumulated around the mine with little apparent concern for whether the resulting collection resembled a proper town. Heavy machinery moved through clouds of dust below, while enormous scars cut into Shinbone's surface stretched toward the horizon.

Pry smiled. "I think I'm beginning to understand why I brought you."

Wonma Wel's large Sullustan ears shifted slightly as she looked back from the viewport. "My remarkable diplomatic instincts?"

"Your ability to tell me what half of those machines do."

Wonma's expression remained professionally composed for perhaps two seconds. "That too."

Pry laughed softly before turning away from the viewport. This was not precisely the sort of diplomatic mission she had imagined when she had accepted responsibility for Mahporeem's foreign affairs. There were no gilded halls, formal receptions, or carefully rehearsed statements between governments. Shinbone was fragmented. Independent operators, family claims, small companies, contractors, and prospectors each possessed their own interests.

Mahporeem could overwhelm them. That was exactly what Pry wanted to avoid. "We aren't here to take their mines away from them," Pry reminded her aide as much as herself. "They need to understand that."

Wonma nodded. "Then we shouldn't begin by telling them what Mahporeem wants." Pry's eyebrow rose. "We ask what they need," Wonma continued. "Parts. Transport. Buyers. Refining capacity. Protection. Labor. Every operation out there has a problem they're solving badly because they're solving it alone." She gestured toward the scattered industrial sites beyond the viewport. "Find the problem first. Then show them what joining the network solves."

The Minister regarded the younger woman for a moment. There was the diplomat Pry had hired. There was also the scrapper's daughter underneath. "Good." Pry stepped forward and straightened an almost imperceptible wrinkle in Wonma's clothing. "You're leading."

Wonma blinked. "Minister?"

"The miners." Pry gestured toward the hatch as their transport settled onto the landing pad. "You're negotiating with them."

For the first time, Wonma's practiced confidence cracked. "I thought I was assisting you."

"You are."

"Pry."

The Theelin grinned. "You know mining. You know salvage. You understand the economics, and you're probably going to recognize half the problems they complain about before I do." Her expression became more serious. "More importantly, you can speak to them without making this feel like an Imperial minister descended from orbit to inform them how their lives are going to work from now on."

Wonma glanced through the viewport again. "And what are you going to do?"

"Make sure nobody else descends from orbit and informs them how their lives are going to work from now on." That earned a quiet laugh. It wasn't entirely a joke.

Foreign Affairs was only one part of what Mahporeem intended for Shinbone. The negotiations would also involve Illithor Du'thra , Minister of Industry and Salvage, whose ministry would inevitably become deeply involved in whatever industrial network emerged from the scattered mines. Pry welcomed that expertise. She also knew that Industry and Foreign Affairs approached the same problem from rather different directions. Illithor needed a functioning industrial system. Pry needed people willing to participate in it. Wonma, hopefully, could help give them both what they wanted.

"And Minister Du'thra?" Wonma asked.

"Will be joining us."

Wonma gave Pry a sidelong glance. "So I'm negotiating with miners in front of two ministers."

"When you put it that way, it does sound intimidating."

"Pry."

"You'll be fine."

The hatch opened with a hiss. Heat, dust, and the unmistakable smell of heavy machinery rolled into the transport. Wonma inhaled, and something subtle changed in the young Sullustan's posture. The diplomatic aide remained, but the environment was familiar. Repulsor lifts whined beneath overloaded ore pallets. An ancient loader rattled past with one stabilizer compensating poorly for the weight in its bucket. Somewhere nearby, metal struck metal in the repetitive rhythm of a repair shop.

Wonma's eyes followed the loader. "That hydraulic assembly is going."

Pry looked at the machine. "You can tell that from here?"

"I can hear it."

Pry gestured toward the ramp. "See? Remarkable diplomatic instincts." Wonma shook her head and descended. Pry followed a few steps behind. That arrangement was deliberate. When the representatives of the local mining operations gathered to meet the Imperial delegation, it was the young Sullustan who stepped forward first rather than the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

"Wonma Wel," she introduced herself. "Office of Foreign Affairs." She paused, looking across the assembled miners rather than immediately launching into whatever prepared statement they might have expected. "Before we talk about what Mahporeem wants from Shinbone, I'd rather hear what Shinbone needs from Mahporeem."

Pry remained behind her, hands loosely clasped at her back. A small smile touched the Theelin's lips. Good. Wonma glanced briefly toward her, perhaps seeking confirmation that she really had been given the freedom Pry promised. Pry answered with the slightest nod.

The negotiations belonged to Wonma. For now. Pry would listen, watch, and make certain that when Illithor joined them, the three of them could offer Shinbone something better than occupation dressed in nicer words. Mahporeem wanted the mines. Pry intended to make certain the miners had reasons to want Mahporeem too.

 

[Makai Dashiell]

OBJECTIVE ONE

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Her
​

Trouble with his plan of focusing on the upper crescent of the galaxy for mining meant he was now running into the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant. He wasn't one for supporting an industry that sought to bring war to the 'verse. Less moral, more incredibly bad for public relations. How could he have a children's medical charity and profit off the destruction of worlds? It could be a tricky balance.

Looking to acquire an established mine on Shinbone was relatively straightforward. Buyout the company and its facilities, the mineral rights. Dealing with the government was the worst part. All wanted a cut, this was realistic. What wasn't realistic were the percentages always proposed. If his company was doing the work and hiring the locals, more than twelve percent was robbery.

Yet he wouldn't have all day to sit and negotiate. Other sites needed to be considered and bought and he only had so much time to do so. Family obligations would take precedent soon.

Adjusting his navy tie, Makai exited the shuttle with Thirty-Seven in tow, ready to meet the ambassador for the mining industry on the planet.

 

[Victport Graras]

HIGH COMMANDER VICTPORT GRARAS
INSTROP SECTOR, SHINBONE
OBJECTIVE I: HEART OF THE MOUNTAIN

Everyone had their price.

They might pretend that they didn't, that their closed mined principles overrode their desire for credits, but Victport Graras knew the truth. Dangle enough credits in front of anyone, and they would jump at the chance to get them, regardless of what they claimed to believe or represent. Otherise, Makai Dashiell wouldn't have even agreed to this meeting in the first place. Victport was of course away of the poor introduction that the Imperial Remnant had first made with Judah Dashiell , who had stormed out of his meeting on Corrox when the Imperials had first suggested a potential partnership. He had been quite abrupt and had made his position quite clear, immediately dismissing the Imperial's offer and promptly leaving the meeting before any more business could be discussed.

He had presumably told his children what had happened and not to do any business with Mahporeem, as the Imperial Remnant had been unable to get into contact with any of the Dashiell's for months after the incident had occured.

How the tables had turned so suddenly!

Now, it was Mahporeem who was in a position of strength, who had acquired a number of worlds under their sphere of influence, who had outlasted all the other regional competitors to cement themselves as the new and rising power within the Outer Rim. Clearly, the Dashiell's were aware enough to see where the wind was blowing, hence Makai agreeing to meet with the Imperials. Granted, it was only due to the intervention of Her that the meeting had been made possible, something that Victport was keenly aware of. He didn't like owing other favors, least of all the former Warden Primus of the Imperial Confederation, but if he wanted to establish himself around the likes of the High Republic, he was going to need all the help he could get.

And so Victport impatiently waited for Her arrival so that he could get this meeting goin, though whether or not he did the talking or allowed Her to speak on his behalf remained to be seen. Heck, maybe he would even make his own dramatic exit much like Judah Dashiell had done several months before!

The real question was: was Victport serious about this? Or was he merely wasting Makai's time? There would be only one way to find out...

Makai Dashiell
Her
OPEN

​

 

[QV-611]

Thread Objective: The Price of Credits
Mission Objective: Clear out the InterStellar Regulators outpost.
Location: Vlemoth Port
Tag: Shae'ri Mor Hunchun T’vok

QV-611 stood at attention, her gaze fixed forward as she listened to the impromptu field briefing delivered by the Junkyard Knight. Although she had already memorized the mission’s critical elements from the full pre-deployment briefing, the Junktrooper remained attentive. There was a not-insignificant chance that an important detail had been altered or a new piece of information had emerged at the last moment. That was the nature of military operations and dynamic intelligence. Anything could change at any time, and under such circumstances, it would be her responsibility to adapt accordingly.

Fortunately, that was not yet the case.

QV-611 sprang into action as soon as the field briefing concluded. She slipped on her modular backpack, its weight settling against her shoulders as she checked over her medium blaster cannon and one last time. The routine inspection confirmed that everything was intact. Thus, the Junktrooper picked up her weapon, cradling it within her arms as she turned toward the treeline and the dark, tangled forest beyond, her amethyst-hued gaze sweeping across the shadow-dappled verge. The massive Scrap Hounds prowled along the flanks, their mechanical barks and grunts echoing through the trees like bass notes.

QV-611 gave a breath of relief, her eyes lighting up beneath her helmet’s visor as she marched forward with the group. The hard part of the mission was yet to come, but the boring part was almost over.

It would not be long before they made contact with the enemy, at which point the long, drawn-out stillness would finally shatter into action!

Spoiler: Loadout

• Smog Trooper Armor
  
  • Vambraces
    
    • Grappling Device - L
    • FAE/M-02 Energized Forearm Vibroblade Mk. II - R
  • Foot Guards/Boots
    
    • FAE/A-14 Energized Foot Gear - Shock Boots Replacement
      
      • Jetboot Thrusters (2) - Removed
  • Model 6 Modular Backpack
    
    • Hydration Pack
    • Medpac
      
      • ABC - Aerosolized Bacta Canister
    • Plasma Cutter
    • Crowbar
    • Omnitech Multi Gadget Model 1
    • Industrial Adhesive and Sealant
    • Field Rations
    • Armor Repair Patches
    • Weapon Cleaning Kit
    • Backup Comlink
    • Signal Flares and Market Beacons
    • Spare Power Cells
  • Supplementary Systems
    
    • Repulsor-Assist System
    • Camofibre Coating
    • FAE/U-02 "Eleleth" Ultralight Propulsion System
    • Energy Shield
      
      • Phase III "Force Avenger" Energy Shield
• FAE/W-18 Medium Tri-Mode Blaster Cannon
  
  • Attachments
    
    • 1-5x FAE/S-08 Electro-Sight
  • Ammunition
    
    • FAE/AM-01-S5 Energy Weapon Cartridge - Ethaerium Gas and CryoBan Coolant (4)
• BG-D 6 Outlaw
  
  • Ammunition
    
    • Slug Magazine (4)
• Ion Slicer Vibroknife
• FAE/MDE-01-S2 Semiautonomous Seeker Thermal Explosive (4)
• Infrared Smoke Grenade (2)
• VKA-7J “Hurricane” Combat Stimulant (8)
• BWE Healing Capsules (4)
• BWE Soldier Survival Solution (2)

 

[Illithor Du'thra]

Objective: Heart of the Mountain
Location: Independent Mining Settlement, Shinbone — Central Processing Yard
Tags: Prystill Oasay | Her | R'ayne Asara | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Makai Dashiell | Victport Graras |

A New world needed help it could only receive from Mahporeem. A world far form any large power the planet had a fair amount of strife... and independent mining corporations. They lived off of the rule of the strong.... which I guess worked when everyone was poor.

His new position of being in charge of the Growing economy of Mahporeem as its influence grew was.... daunting in some regards. But he had a plan, one crafted by the past work of the Tarisian Republic when the three Sephi families were starting to restore the planet wide city. Many companies, industries, and groups had to come together to get things done.

He arrived above Shinebone aboard a Mobile Shipyard (Du-M3-6SY9) named the "Ghost" for evading the Sith reprisal attacks back in the ETOL era. Aboard were a few squadrons of TIE AXE's of his personal security forces. Illithor and his delegation, along with some Bi-3AR2 and B2-SH4V6 as security.

Those below would see the shining TIE AXE's glinting during decent until they had landed wings folded lower under the cockpit, the upper above the secondary pod. This time the secondaries were all transport pods. Illithor disembarked from the pod down the ramp, others following with precision the droids making sure security was taken care of.

He took note of everything around, recording off of his one high tech forearm guards. Taking in the grit of the mining ways, and the disrepair that was evident... some more so than others. Subtley in mining cart engines, more visibly in bigger machines.

As he neared the assembled miners and Foreign Minister Prystill Oasay He noticed the shorter Sullustan was speaking. He motioned for the droids to stay back only taking two aids over.

What he wanted for Shinebone was to forge a cooperative for many of them. With whatever that took. He knew the predatory nature of many corporations.... Especially the galaxy spanning ones. He walked up beside Prystill "Hello, good to see you."

Before walking up next to the Sullustan quietly speaking "Hello, I am Illithor. How are you?" Then turning to the assembled miners "Hello everyone. I am Illithor Du'thra. Minister of industry, scrap, and by proxy economy. I am here to ask what all of you need... and to propose and offer." with that he places a dinner plate size holo disk on the ground that pops up with the hologram of Mobile Shipyard (Du-M3-6SY9).

 

[Her]

---

---

" Shinbone Mining Company was established in 902 ABY.

It is a minor industrial concern operating from the planet of Shinbone in the Instrop sector of the Outer Rim Territories and parts of Wild Space.

Exploiting mineral deposits and servicing commercial interests in the Cranan-Excarga Route, the company has become a small link in regional trade. Its operations range from deep-core extraction and ore refinement to freight transport and colonial supply contracts. Far from the authority of the Core Worlds, Shinbone Mining Company found itself caught in the crosshairs of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant in 905 ABY.

It is reliant on hardened crews, privately maintained security, and a reputation for delivering valuable cargo through the unpredictable frontiers of the Outer Rim. "

-- A description of Shinbone Mining Company.

---

Tag: R'ayne Asara | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Prystill Oasay | Makai Dashiell | Victport Graras | Illithor Du'thra

---

Rays of starlight cascaded through the grey, iron skies that were bloated and blighted by the emergence of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant. Sun rays reflected through the visors of hard men as they were transported to work. These people were sent daily into the heart of the mountain to unearth material for star systems dotted across Instrop. Homes interconnected to the Cranan-Excarga Route had these men to thank for keeping their homes warm and lit up. It's hard out here in the Outer Rim.

A repulsor-train buckled hard as it switched left into the track and ascended on course for the large stained steel doors that served as the mouth of the mountain and the riches within. It had several more stops to make before it made it towards it's end destination. There are twenty-four different compartments that make-up the train. Usually the front cabin is occupied by the most as it was located near the nearest entrance into the mines. Everyone wanted to avoid that awkward twenty minute or so wait as everyone laboured in to start their day. It was much to their annoyance when they were told on that fateful morning that it had been rented out for the day by Shinbone CO.

Nabooian aristocracy has taken it's toll on the elusive Her. She wore the finest silk worn by many noble-women who lived in Theed. It was just as ivory white and pale as her supple skin as well. Her choice of clothes were more purposeful than innocent. She wanted High Commander Graras to remember who this woman was connected with today.

While the train buckled, moaned and whirred along the tracks towards the mountain Her stood in a meditative pose in the middle of the cabin. No matter how badly it whirred or reared to the left and right, no matter how much it shook and shacked, she kept herself in a regale and serene position that was akin and likened to that of a Jedi. According to the estimated time between departure and arrival to the mine, Her figured that they would be passing through the independent mining settlement where the Mahporieem Ministries for Science, Foreign Affairs, Industry and Salvage were working in concert with the N&Z Umbrella Corporation to secure Mining rights in this region of Shinbone.

According to Vūm's analysis Shinbone CO were about to lose significant ground on the mountain. If Amalia Visconti had her way then Umbrella were about to monopolize another sector in a star system that was about to be annexed by the emergent third Imperial occupation of the Outer Rim Territories and it was all being led by a rejuvenated Mahporeem that was finally climbing out of the fog and dirt to claim superpower status in the Galaxy.

There were a lot of different moving pieces in play. Economic rights amid diplomatic tensions, desires and personal rivalries that were lingering beneath the surface. Her disliked Visconti severely and the Dashiell's were not too far away from joining Umbrella's C.E.O after Makai had pulled out of negotiations with the Kenari Resource Compact. Yet Her had to balance these feelings with her Directorship of Tarsai Vigil and the scheme behind the Svivren Pass alongside the interests of Shinbone Mining Company.

It was set to be an interesting conversation to say-the-least.

But it always was with Her.

VŪM SHINBONE MINING CO​ To Makai Dashiell of AINA HOLDINGS, & High Commander Victport Graras of MAHPOREEM, ​ SHINBONE MINING CO [ EST. 902 ABY ] have recruited VŪM INVESTMENTS as representatives to negotiate their interests in MINING OPERATIONS and COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES IN THE CRANAN-EXCARGA ROUTE as the INSTROP SECTOR joins MAHPOREEM. At 9:48 AM, SHINBONE-STANDARD TIME, repulsor-craft designated " #SB-MTR-24-QUADRANT-B5 " will be passing through I.M.S SETTLEMENT en-route to the mountain. A representative will be waiting aboard CABIN-A (located at the front of the craft) to host discussions relating to the aforementioned interests on SHINBONE. A cc. of this letter has been relayed to the MAHPOORIEEM MINISTRIES OF SCIENCE, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, INDUSTRY & SALVAGE. N&Z UMBRELLA CORPORATION has also been informed.

---

 

[Hunchun T’vok]

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS HUNCHUN T’VOK
VLEMOTH PORT — FOREST APPROACH
OBJECTIVE II: THE PRICE OF CREDITS

SUB-OBJECTIVE: BREAK THE REGULATORS​

Hunchun T'vok had listened to Shae'ri Mor's briefing. Mostly. The Devaronian had been beneath the Frankenthrawler for the first portion of it. A metallic clang sounded from beneath the one-person tank, followed by several seconds of silence and then another, considerably louder clang. Hunchun finally slid herself out from beneath her creation with a hydrospanner clutched in one hand. The Frankenthrawler was ready. Of course it was ready. Hunchun would never have brought it otherwise. That did not mean it couldn't be more ready.

She pushed herself to her feet beside the little tank and regarded Shae'ri as the Junkyard Knight finished outlining what waited for them somewhere beyond the treeline. A hidden InterStellar Regulators outpost. Supplies. Weapons. Intelligence. Potential slave trafficking. Potential Hutt involvement. Hunchun's attention lingered on one particular detail. A logistics facility. Her gaze shifted toward the forest. There could be all sorts of useful things in there.

"Knight Mor," Hunchun called once the briefing concluded, returning the hydrospanner to its place aboard the Frankenthrawler. "If this really is a supply depot, I'd appreciate five minutes inside before everyone starts destroying things." Her gaze shifted toward the gathered stormtroopers and their considerable collection of weaponry. "Three minutes if they've been sensible enough to use standardized power couplings."

Whether the Regulators would cooperate with Hunchun's preferred method of capturing their facility remained to be seen. Probably not. Hunchun hauled herself up the Frankenthrawler's hull and paused beside its hatch. The Scrap Hounds were already prowling around the formation, their mechanical noises rolling through the forest. The larger walkers would bring considerable firepower once fighting began, but looking at the thick vegetation ahead made Hunchun considerably less enthusiastic about their mobility.

"I'll keep close to the forward element," she added toward Shae'ri. "If your walkers start having trouble with the terrain, I'll see if I can find them another route." Or make one. Making one was usually more fun.

Movement around her announced the beginning of the advance. One of the Junktroopers in particular seemed remarkably eager to get underway. Hunchun watched QV-611 shoulder her modular pack, collect her medium blaster cannon, and march toward the treeline with enough restrained enthusiasm that even Imperial discipline couldn't completely hide it.

The Devaronian's eyes followed the cannon. Then QV. Then the cannon again. Hunchun lowered herself into the Frankenthrawler and pulled the hatch closed. The tank's systems came alive around her. Its engine rumbled, and the peculiar little armored vehicle lurched forward to join the advance. Hunchun maneuvered it alongside the marching Junktrooper for a few moments before activating the Frankenthrawler's external speaker.

"You look entirely too excited about this." A beat passed. Hunchun reconsidered after another glance at QV's weapon. "Actually, never mind. Just try not to shoot anything expensive."

The Frankenthrawler accelerated slightly and crawled ahead. Once they passed beneath the forest canopy, Hunchun's attention shifted almost entirely to the terrain. The tank was uniquely hers, and Hunchun knew every vibration that traveled through its hull. Every fluctuation in its repulsor field. Every change in lift and stability. Every subtle difference in how the machine responded when the ground beneath it changed.

Vlemoth Port's forest provided plenty of changes. Roots. Mud. Loose soil. Vegetation that caught against the hull. Hunchun kept the Frankenthrawler moving near the forward portion of the column, occasionally adjusting its course around obstacles that would be inconsequential to infantry but considerably more irritating when Shae'ri's heavier machines reached them.

Then something changed. Hunchun frowned. The Frankenthrawler continued forward. There it was again. Or, more accurately, there wasn't. The unevenness beneath the tank had diminished. Hunchun glanced across her instruments, made a minor course correction, and drove several meters farther. Same result. Interesting.

The Frankenthrawler slowed to a stop. Its hatch opened and Hunchun emerged, dropping down beside the tank as the column continued organizing itself around the unexpected halt. She pushed aside thick vegetation with one hand and used the other to scrape through accumulated soil with a small tool from the Frankenthrawler.

Roots gave way to compacted earth. Hunchun cleared another patch. Then another. Her eyes narrowed. This wasn't a natural trail. At least, she didn't think it was. The vegetation had done an excellent job reclaiming it, but beneath years of growth was something broad enough—and firm enough—to have supported machinery considerably heavier than a person.

Hunchun keyed her comm. "Knight Mor." She dug farther into the vegetation. "Either the trees around here are remarkably considerate of vehicle traffic..." Another sweep exposed more of the unnaturally compacted surface. "...or somebody moved a lot of heavy equipment through here."

Hunchun rose and looked along the nearly invisible path disappearing between the trees. A hidden logistics facility needed supplies. Supplies needed transportation. And transportation tended to leave evidence no matter how carefully someone tried to hide it. A pleased grin spread across the Devaronian's face. Perhaps the boring part really was almost over.

TAGS:
Shae'ri Mor
QV-611

​

 

[Prystill Oasay]

Objective: Heart of the Mountain
Location: Independent Mining Settlement, Shinbone — Central Processing Yard
Outfit: Mining Outfit
Tags: R'ayne Asara | Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | OPEN

Prystill had promised herself that she would let Wonma lead. That promise became marginally harder to keep when the sky filled with TIEs. The Theelin tilted her head back as the unusual fighters descended toward the settlement, their wings folding as they approached the ground. Behind them—and considerably farther above—the presence of the Ghost made Minister Du'thra's arrival difficult to mistake for that of an ordinary bureaucrat.

Pry glanced toward Wonma. The young Sullustan was watching too. "Subtle," Pry murmured.

Wonma's ears twitched. "You did say he was bringing the part we could actually offer them."

"I wasn't expecting him to bring it all at once." Despite the spectacle, Pry was pleased when Illithor actually approached. The security droids remained behind. The Minister himself greeted Pry before moving beside Wonma and, more importantly, didn't immediately begin telling the miners what Mahporeem intended to do with their livelihoods.

He asked what they needed. Pry's smile widened slightly. Good. Wonma seemed to reach the same conclusion. "Wonma Wel," she returned Illithor's introduction, offering the Minister a respectful nod. "Foreign Affairs. I'm well, Minister. Thank you."

Then Illithor addressed the miners. Wonma stepped slightly aside as the dinner-plate-sized holoprojector came to life. The image of the mobile shipyard rose before the gathering, and more than one miner's attention immediately shifted upward.

Wonma let them look. She had grown up around people who repaired machinery because replacing it wasn't an option. People who measured the usefulness of something less by how impressive it looked than by how many problems it could solve.

When attention gradually returned to them, Wonma gestured toward the hologram. "Minister Du'thra has brought the part of our proposal I deliberately didn't promise you." Pry looked toward her aide. Wonma glanced briefly back. "Proof."

A quiet laugh escaped the Theelin. Perhaps Pry was rubbing off on her. Wonma turned back toward the miners. "A cooperative only matters if it solves problems you're already having. So let's start there." She began counting them off on her fingers. "How far are you shipping raw ore because you can't refine it locally? How long are machines sitting idle waiting for parts? How many buyers can you realistically negotiate with? What does freight cost you? And when something like that—"

She pointed toward the holographic shipyard. "—is needed, how many of you can afford access to it alone?" Wonma lowered her hand. "I'm not asking you to surrender your claims. I'm asking what keeps those claims from being more profitable than they are now." That, she thought, was a conversation miners might actually want to have.

Pry remained quiet behind her. She was increasingly convinced that putting Wonma in front had been the correct decision. Her datapad chimed. Pry initially ignored it. Then it chimed again with the priority attached to official correspondence. The Foreign Minister quietly drew the device from her side while Wonma continued speaking with the assembled operators.

VŪM INVESTMENTS.

Pry's eyebrows rose. The message concerned Shinbone Mining Company and its interests along the Cranan-Excarga Route. Nothing particularly surprising there. An established local company wanting representation while Mahporeem incorporated the sector was exactly the sort of thing Foreign Affairs ought to expect. Then she reached the recipient list:

Makai Dashiell.
Victport Graras.

Pry's expression changed. "Oh, wonderful."

Wonma's attention briefly flicked toward her, though she continued listening to one of the miners. Pry read farther. Science. Industry and Salvage. Foreign Affairs. N&Z Umbrella Corporation. And a meeting aboard a repulsor-train that would shortly pass directly through the settlement.

Everyone, apparently, had discovered Shinbone at the same time. Pry waited until there was a natural break in Wonma's conversation before approaching her aide. She held the datapad where Wonma could read the invitation. "We've been invited to another meeting."

Wonma scanned the names. Her brow furrowed slightly. "That's a lot of people interested in independent miners."

"Yes."

Wonma looked from the message toward the men and women gathered around Illithor's hologram. "Do they know that?"

Pry's lips curled upward. "That is a very good question." She glanced toward the distant rail line. The history between Mahporeem and the Dashiells was not exactly encouraging. Pry knew enough about Judah Dashiell's previous encounter with the Remnant to recognize the danger of allowing old grievances to dictate a new negotiation. Makai's willingness to come to Shinbone presented an opportunity.

It could also become an exceptionally short meeting if everyone involved decided proving a point mattered more than reaching an agreement. Pry had come to Shinbone to make certain nothing too horrible happened diplomatically. Apparently the planet intended to test her commitment to that assignment.

"You're staying here," Pry said.

Wonma's eyes widened. "I'm staying?"

Pry nodded toward Illithor. "You're hardly alone."

Wonma looked between the Minister of Industry and Salvage and her own Minister. "Pry, there are two ministers standing here and you're leaving the aide in charge?"

"One minister," Pry corrected. "I'm leaving." That did not seem to reassure Wonma. Pry's expression softened. "You know what we're trying to accomplish. You've already gotten them talking about what they need instead of what they're afraid we're going to take. Don't lose that."

Wonma looked back toward the miners. The uncertainty remained, but only briefly. "What can I promise?"

"Nothing you can't deliver."

"Helpful."

"I thought so."

"Pry."

The Theelin laughed. "Listen. Work with Minister Du'thra. Find out what a cooperative would actually need to offer before these people would voluntarily join it. If you reach something that requires Foreign Affairs to make a commitment, don't make it. Bring it to me." Wonma nodded slowly. That was considerably clearer. "And if Minister Du'thra starts offering them moons," Pry added, lowering her voice, "make sure we actually own the moons first."

Wonma's ears shifted. "I don't think that's going to happen."

"Then this should be easy."

Pry gave her aide's shoulder a brief squeeze before turning toward Illithor. "Minister Du'thra, it appears Shinbone Mining Company would like our attention as well. They've invited several interested parties aboard a train passing through the settlement." She offered him the message. "I'd like Wonma to remain here and continue working through your cooperative proposal with the miners. She speaks for my office within the limits I've given her."

There. No ambiguity. Wonma Wel represented Foreign Affairs. Pry turned back toward her. "Find out what they need."

Wonma straightened. "I will."

"And Wonma?"

"Yes?"

Pry smiled. "You're doing fine." With that, Prystill Oasay headed toward the station.

Wonma watched her go. For several seconds. Then she became acutely aware that she was now standing beside the Minister of Industry and Salvage in front of a collection of miners whose livelihoods were about to become part of an Imperial economic system.

She swallowed. Then looked toward the holographic shipyard. Mining she understood. Scrap she understood. Economics she understood. People were the reason Pry had hired her. Wonma turned back toward the assembled miners. "All right." She clasped her hands behind her back. "Let's make this practical."

Her gaze moved across the gathering. "Keep your claim. Keep your equipment. Keep running your mine. Assume those aren't negotiable for the moment."

Wonma gestured toward Illithor's hologram. "Now tell us what you would need access to through a cooperative to make joining one worth more than staying completely independent." She paused. "And please don't say a moon."

Some distance away, the approaching repulsor-train announced itself long before Pry reached the platform. She checked the invitation once more. Makai Dashiell. Victport Graras. Shinbone Mining Company. Her. Pry slipped the datapad away. She didn't know what had already been said between them. She didn't intend to arrive assuming either side needed defending from the other. But she knew what she wanted from the meeting.

Makai Dashiell had come to Shinbone prepared to talk. Mahporeem needed to make certain he left believing that had been worth doing. The train approached. Pry waited. Foreign Affairs had work to do.

 

[Ronhar Tane]

CAPTAIN RONHAR TANE, TK-3301
INSTROP SECTOR, VLEMOTH PORT
OBJECTIVE II: THE PRICE OF CREDITS

Ronhar's opinion of mercenaries had remained fairly unchanged, despite the fact that they were making up ever larger contingents of Mahporeem's ground forces.

As the Imperial Remnant continued expanding its presence, so to do it expand its pool of recruits: prisoners, clones, offworld volunteers and of course, mercenaries. The more bodies the Imperial Remnant had at its disposal the better, and as it continued ramping up military operations, so to would it need ever increasing numbers of soldiers serving under it.

Today, Ronhar was shadowing and assisting a mercenary by the name of Fiona Tierney , as part of the Imperial Remnant's efforts to recruit skilled personnel into supporting its cause. Flying above the battlefield in the MIN Night Reaver, Ronhar had a relatively good view of what was going on down below, and was able to locate Fiona relatively quickly, thanks to the powerful scanners carried by his gunship. Normally, Ronhar would have no qualms about having his ship strafe the enemy defenses or land so that he and his men could begin clearing out the oppostion, but today he decided he would take a different approach.

Opening up comms with Fiona, Ronhar began to transmit a message to her.

" Fiona Tierney , this is Captain Ronhar Tane of the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant. I am here to offer you gunship support and reinforcements. Please provide coordinates to your target and direct us to where we are most needed, over".

Again, Ronhar could have easily done this operation by himself, he and his men already quite experienced against fighting insurgents and rebels. But if this Fiona Tierney was at all worth her stuff, she would have no issue integrating Ronhar's forces into her calculations, and should be able to make effective use of what he was brining to the table. If not, than this operation would certainly be her last, and she would instead have to find employment elsewhere.

Of course, that was assuming she didn't get herself killed in the process!​

Spoiler: Ronhar's Loadout

• Head
  • Helm of Authority
    • Rangefinder
• Torso
  • Tashai Coat of Coins
  • Mk 45 Protective Vest
  • "Kitetsu" Force Energy Cycler
  • Wampa-Pattern Industrial Exoskeleton
    • Miniaturized Smoke Grenade Launcher
    • Empty Automated Weapon Mounting Point
• Arms
  • Tashai Coat of Coins
  • Wampa-Pattern Industrial Exoskeleton
    • NZ Medpack Display
    • Retractable Vibroblade
    • NZ Pangolin Type 1/A Reactive Armor Plating
• Legs
  • Wampa-Pattern Industrial Exoskeleton
    • NZ MAM MkII Jet Maneuvering Gear
• Cybernetics
  • Mod V Cyberarms
  • Cyberlegs Mod III
• Weapons
  • Burnblade
  • Prototype Sonic Pistol
  • Mahporeem Acid Rifle
  • Model 216 "Big Game Hunter"
• Ordinance
  • Two Rhydonium Grenades OR Three Mk II Viral Bombs
• Medical Supplies
  • Carapace Knitters
  • ABC - Aerosolized Bacta Cannisters

TAGS:
Fiona Tierney
OPEN

 

[Zavik Maltheris]

Fiona Tierney
Gear: In Bio

Zavik had been on his own more than usual as of late, not that he really minded. But when he received a message from the Mahporeem Imperial Remnant, Zavik wasn't going to pass it up. Zavik wasn't here for the fight, not truly anyway, not here to be a part of the main assault force. No, the message he received contained two locations, the fortress and an armory, the latter is the one which currently interested him the most. Who knew what technology the InterStellar Regulators were hiding there, whether it be weapons, machinery, or something far more interesting? Though even if they had nothing worth taking Zavik could always take the bodies themselves.

His ship landed not terribly far from the location of the armory that was given to him. Zavik stepped out, taking a moment to look over the surrounding area before beginning his trek toward the location. He had no reason to rush, the armory wasn't going anywhere, and the surrounding area remained relatively quiet. As he walked he started to connect to the imperial comms in the area, first the ones shared between the troops, then more private ones. Some he wouldn't get much from due to distance, others bits and pieces, some would come through fully.

In all honesty it was a somewhat peaceful out here, until he felt something, a presence. Someone was nearby, but luckily he didn't have to wait long to find out who as he heard Captain Ronhar Tane over the comms. He'd never actually met the man but knew his status at the least.

Fiona Tierney, so that's who was in these woods with him. And Ronhar was offering support... might as well offer himself up to help. The more fighters available, the less chance there was of Zavik being the one getting shot at, at least not as much. There was little reason to approach the armory alone when another operative was already investigating the same area. Zavik adjusted his course, moving toward Fiona Tierney .

 

[Shae'ri Mor]

The Price of Credits

Equipment • "Scrapborn"
Assigned: x3 | All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers : x10 | Scrap Hounds : x45 | Imperial Stormtroopers
Interaction{s} • QV-611 | Hunchun T’vok

Knight Mor moved through the forest at the head of the forward element, her lightsaber secured against her belt and her attention fixed on the forest terrain ahead. QV-611 advanced slightly ahead her, both of them negotiating the roots and uneven ground with vetern precision, while Hunchun T’vok plowed forward ahead in her Frankenthrawler.

The trees were dense enough to conceal movement, but not enough to conceal the evidence of it.

Shae’ri slowed as the vegetation gave way to a narrow strip of compacted earth, its surface pressed hard beneath the growth. She looked down, then toward the direction of the objective. " QV-611 ,” she said toward the Junktrooper after listening to the Devaronian, “Our eyes in the sky has a theory.”

Her gaze moved along the disturbed ground, noting the width, the depth, and the absence of any corresponding traffic. “Something heavy did come through here. More than once.”

She raised a hand, bringing the walkers and stormtroopers to a halt, and keyed her comm. “ Hunchun T’vok . If this trail leads to the depot ahead, Can you identify any access points outside the front entrance from your vantage point before the stormtroopers and walkers reach it?”

She glanced toward the trees, then back to the compacted route. “And if you find your standardized couplings, you’ll have your five minutes. More, if they’ve been careless.” The faintest edge of dry amusement touched her voice before it returned to its usual restraint. “If someone indeed moved heavy equipment through this forest, they may still be using the route.”

Shae’ri looked over at QV-611 , her expression hardening. “We should proceed quietly. Once Hunchun T’vok can identify any other access points, then we decide how to approach it.”​

 

[Makai Dashiell]

HEART OF THE MOUNTAIN

Wearing | Gear : X | X | X | X | X | L3-37 | Interacting With : Illithor Du'thra , Her
​

Looking at the message, his eyebrow raised. Wrist turned to look at the time of his intellichrono. He had roughly ten minutes or so until this train showed up. Frankly he had found the actions of these governments were incredibly short sighted in addition to annoying. Makai supposed it was the entire 'we have the ores you want' type of thought process. Either put up with the process or don't.

So he wouldn't. When the transport pulled into the station he would merely wait to see what happened. This area wasn't a 'need' on his list. He could skip their current borders and move on to the next planet. There was always some idiotic twist, like when he was interested in the survey company. Never the terms of front.

Leave it to government entities to waste time.

 

[R'ayne Asara]

heart of the mountain

​

weapon: Draconic Scourge
outfit:X™
tag(s): Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory | Illithor Du'thra | Her | Prystill Oasay

I rose from behind my office desk, leaving the cold instruments of administration to their quiet, obedient work, and made for the doors. Beyond them waited the station’s docking bays, my ship, and the long passage toward Shinbone. The station continued to hum around me, a great iron carcass suspended in the dark, its machinery grinding with the patient indifference of something that sought to outlive the hands that built it.

I had taken only a few steps when the office comlink crackled.

“Minister Asara,” came the voice of my newly assigned assistant, careful and young beneath the weight of her duties. “There’s a Miss Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory on hold. She says she needs to speak with you.”

I stopped.

The name settled into the room like a stone dropped into still waters, causing ripples in a rather calm pond. “Notify the station’s docking bay,” I said, my voice low. “Hold my ship’s departure.”

I returned to the desk and sat, the decision made before the words had fully left my mouth. From the small refrigeration unit attached beneath the desktop, I drew a cold, frosty blue fruit drink, its surface glittering with condensation.

I held it for a moment, watching the pale vapor gather upon the glass, then pressed the comlink’s connection stud.

The channel opened with a soft hiss, and the office seemed to grow darker around the sound, as though the station itself had opened its ears to listen. I took a slow sip, letting the sweetness and chill settle upon my tongue, and considered the interruption.

There were few people who could summon me from the threshold of departure, fewer still who could do so without first offering a reason.

Yet the Force had a way of placing certain names before me at the precise moment it felt I desired them, like a hand reaching from beneath the floorboards of a house already condemned. I lowered the glass, watching the faint mist gather upon its surface, and spoke into the comlink.

“Greetings, Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory . What do I owe the pleasure?”​

 

[Amalia Visconti | Mira Rhory]

Location: Shinbone
Tag: R'ayne Asara
​

Settling herself in the chair behind the makeshift desk, the N&Z CEO tilted her head a bit when some young upstart managed to put her on hold on the other end of the line. It made her chuckle a bit that there were always those who yet had to find the mandatory knowledge on names and faces and which of these names and faces one was allowed to ignore or put on hold without having any consequences to face. Luckily for this young associate to the minister of Science, Amalia knew all too well the life of an assistant, as she had worked in such a position for Tertius Nargath and his father before him, only when the true lord of the Valkans returned did she throw away the guise of a meek assistant in exchange for her current, more suitable role.

When she was finally patched through to the Minister of Science, Amalia leaned back a bit in her chair, her fingers calmly sliding accross the screen of her datapad. "Greetings Minister Asara."

For a moment Amalia remained silent, trying to best use the correct words in the question burning on her tongue, but she knew that there would be some context needed. Thus as she had managed to mull over her questions, the N&Z Chief Executive Officer took in a deep breath and stared at the screen of her datapad with a concerned expression as she relayed the exact words she needed to utter. "The USMC has made some test drills near the some of the Shinbone mining sites we've been in talks with in regards of funding their expeditions and further mining... those samples have been analyzed by our Laboratory division and the results were...odd. The report on the analysis mentions certain mineral deposits and compositions that should not be there..."

As she relayed that message, Amalia sent through the report and the subsequent attached sample analysis. She was certain that with the Mahporeem Remnant aiming to set up shop on Shinbone, it was inevitable for the Ministry of Science to have at the very least conducted a preliminary test of their own on the planet's potential resources. While the Ministry of industry kept itself content with numbers and appeasing their industrial partners, the ministry of science was deemed to be the more trustworthy in regards to information.

"According to the report, in between several layers of prospective metallic deposits, there is a massive layer of sediment of biological origin," Rubbing her left temple with the tips of her left index finger, Amalia showed slight concern. There was some information on Shinbone's past, though given the depth of the sediment, it had to be more than several centuries old... but as it did seem like an anomaly, sending the intel to the Ministry of Science seemed smarter. "Given the temperature on that depth, whatever is in this sediment could still be brewing on a microscopic level... should such activity be viewed as potentially hazardous?"