Star Wars Roleplay: Chaos

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Private The Vortex Accord

The violent winds and harsh weather conditions on Vortex would dissuade most from ever willingly venturing there, hence why it was exactly the right place for a meeting that someone didn't want getting out.
Given the sheer strength of the winds, which struck with the force of a hurricane, communication on and off world was quite the annoyance. This was perfect for naturally masking an individual's presence.

Adrikobe stood outside a hidden bunker, an old operating base for the Ryn Network.

Using his electrobinoculars, he observed the skies for his guests who were soon bound to arrive. He'd made sure they got the coordinates, having discretely messaged them during his Gala many rotations prior.
The use of electrobinoculars was practically necessary, given the range of visibility had been drastically reduced because of the storm.

He was dressed for the environment, wearing a thick coat with fur insulation. The wind chill from the planet's polar ice caps was horrible this time of year, and would easily risk frostbite to anyone who didn't know what they were doing.

Right on cue, Adrikobe saw a ship pierce through the thick clouds above. His guests had made it.

Retrieving a strobe light, he helped to give them an area to land in within the general vicinity of the bunker.

Diarch Reign Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Diarch Rellik
 

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Cloak

The shuttle's repulsors threw up waves of snow and ice as it settled near the strobe. From its hold emerged the Diarch, his form wrapped in the heavy folds of his cloak. The fabric clung close against the storm, its weave humming faintly with hidden power, shielding him from the biting wind and flooding him with a steady warmth.

Where Adrikobe wore his furs like a man battling the elements, Rellik moved with the ease of one untouched by them. The storm lashed around him, but he advanced as though it were no more than a heavy curtain drawn aside at his passing. The cloak of his father keeping the elements off of him and its volcanic leather keeping him warm.

His golden eyes found Adrikobe through the flurry, their gleam steady, unbroken. He offered a warm nod of recognition as he closed the distance.

"You are a man of foresight, this world will make nice grounds for this meeting." Rellik said, voice even, carrying over the gale with uncanny clarity.

He drew nearer, the cloak tightening around him like the wings of some great bird, heat shimmering faintly at its edges. His tone lowered, not for secrecy, but for weight.

"You said you had something that could benefit me greatly, Adrikobe. Here I am."

Adrikobe Kellrule Adrikobe Kellrule
 
"I don't require visions to plan my meetings." He jested, at his first comment.

"Something that will benefit us greatly." He corrected with a bit of subtle sharpness not expected from one currently facing down with a much stronger being, like a lonely cricket standing against a proud tiger.

"Let's get inside, not even you can handle Vortex's deadliest storms, as much as I'd like to see you try." He jested wryly once more, before turning to the bunker. He approached the small hatch on the ground, twisting it open. He lifted the hatch, graciously holding it for his company, before descending.

The bunker wasn't in the greatest of shape, but, it didn't exactly need to be either.

Adrikobe turned on a lantern, which partially illuminated the dark chamber. He then approached the old circuit breaker, messing with it for a few moments, before managing to get the lights on.

He turned back to his present company, "Let's sit." he stated, motioning to the table at the center of the room.
Sitting, Adrikobe took the floor, speaking as if he were addressing a convening body:

"We share common enemies, even if it may not yet seem like it. The Empire threatens both my assets and your very future, the Mandalorians control a plentiful amount of resources I wish to exploit and contest your expansion, the Galactic Alliance taxes me and halts your conquest,"
He paused, briefly. "I believe you get the idea."

"I wish to strike an accord, an agreement for our mutual benefit. I can provide you with a cheap manufacturing base and easy access to supplies with which to build up your army and naval capacity. In exchange, you cease to tax my business operations within your space, and help me retain my Independence."

Allowing his present company to absorb what he was saying, Adrikobe remained silent for a few moments, before continuing with:

"Beyond merely a material advantage, I find myself rather drawn to your ideology. If we were to cooperate, I believe the Diarchy would have the potential to shape the course of Galactic history."

Realizing his tone sounded rather boastful, Adrikobe clarified:

"My intention is not to be hyperbolic, nor goad you into accepting, I simply believe our pooled resources and visions offer the Galaxy the best chance its had in generations. It's time that we wipe away the old to make way for the new, so to speak?"

Diarch Reign Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Diarch Rellik
 

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Location: Vortex | Predetermined meeting place
Tags: Diarch Rellik Diarch Rellik Adrikobe Kellrule Adrikobe Kellrule
Gear: Amulet of the Warden's Eye, Bladefather

As the shuttle landed, Reign stood from his seat, he remembered the person that had called this meeting to be the same one that had thrown the Gala some time ago.

The winds and snows of the planet stung the Diarch's face. Adding to the anger he was already feeling. His mind had been a place of rage lately, between the conflicts arising with the Mandalorian people and the unrest in the core, Reign's mind was turned towards war, in his eyes, the shadowy dealings he was being called to were to take a back seat to these upfront conflicts.

He followed his brother's lead, however, the vibrant green eyes were hard in contrast to the open gold of his brother. Reign was a man full of warmth, but not when war was on his doorstep.


"This planet will serve your purposes well, you must have a keen mind"

Reign followed his brother and their host into the bunker, he was well accustomed to the smell and sights of a bunker, though this one had long outlived its use. Taking a seat at the table in the now illuminated room. He listened to the business man's deal intently, his fingers steepled in front of him.

"The Empire will meet its end at our hands, just like their predecessor.. their emperor will breath his last within my gloved hand."

The Diarch's eyes hardened as he continued

"The Mandalorians hold worlds that will soon find their way into the fold, of that I have no doubt."

His green eyes seemed to burrow into the other man as he spoke.

"Yet wars cost money, cost lives. You offer intrigues me, but tell me, we control a great swathe of space. Home to many industrial planets and orbital shipyards. What can you do for us, that would persuade the cessation of taxes as well as dedication of our peoples lives to keep you independent?"

Reign's tone was neither hostile, nor warm. It was the tone of a leader who had to weigh every decision.




 
Diarch Reign Diarch Reign 's concern was warranted, this meeting was very much the same as a business transaction.

And, Adrikobe being a businessmen, knew very well how to pitch anything to anyone.

"
You're correct, Diarch, to have your suspicions." He stated, clasping his gloved hands.

"
Correct you are, your territory contains several boons. Though," He paused briefly, "And I mean no offense when I say this," he continued: "I believe you have yet to truly capitalize on the potential of your assets."

He activated a projection underneath the table, displaying a map of the galaxy. He zoomed in on the relative space of the Diarchy & Ghost Nebula, pressing another button, he highlighted the various planets which the KGM either had operations in, or were under Diarchy control, which were further color coded by their role. Some were labeled as 'Market', others as 'Industrial', others as 'Farming', 'Mining', etc.

"
I have been able to transform the Ghost Nebula into a strong financial sector. Why? Because I know how to handle the market, make good investments, and cut waste. The Diarchy is in need of a powerful, consistent economic base which it can use as its primary engine. Furthermore, as of now, you have a prime window to exploit, before the Imperials or Mandalorians opt to try their hand at conquering my sector. If you were to deny them such a valuable boon, you would also be achieving a strategic victory."

He paused for a moment, allowing the men to process his reasoning, before continuing: "
Now, what do I mean by consistent? To elaborate, I refer to Scipio, and your disconnected industrial & resource worlds. Where the banking clan proves vulnerable should they make bad investments, or your economy enter a recession, and your disconnected worlds lack the same output as the 'well-oiled' machine such as the core would produce, my sector remedies both."

He pressed another button, the hologram now showing statistics of the combined output of the Ghost Nebula (And larger KGM), next to a distribution map of the economic output of KGM markets & Diarchy provinces.

"
As you can see, the Nebula is able to outpace sparse industrial worlds, while also having a stable market & income. After all, everyone needs metals. Also unlike disconnected markets, the Nebula is largely dominated by one party, yours truly."

Leaning forwards, he continued:

"
If you were to cease taxation on my assets, you would see far greater returns than you would've gotten otherwise. And, should you entrust me as you financial advisor? I believe I could better link the economic sectors of your space, and by eliminating internal competition? I could turn the Diarchy into an economic powerhouse."

As he finished his argument, Adrikobe opted to clarify his intentions: "
I understand that this deal requires a hefty amount of trust, given this deal amounts to you entrusting me with the vitality of your economy. I also know that giving you my word is very little assurance, so allow me to give you a reason to trust me."

Reclining, Adrikobe reached under the table once more, now having it project the image of a planet: Echoy'la

"
If you would be willing to entertain me for a moment, I believe I could give you the perfect pretext for a rallying cry against the Mandalorian Empire. I think you'd be keen to listen."

Diarch Reign Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Diarch Rellik
 

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Rellik sat through the projection in silence. Only the dim hum of the storm filled the space between them, faintly audible even through the bunker's walls. The glow from Adrikobe's map painted shifting blues and reds across the Diarch's face. When the businessman finished, Rellik exhaled slowly, somewhere between a sigh and a quiet, amused scoff.


"Untapped," he repeated, as if tasting the word. His voice was low but edged, the warmth of the earlier conversation giving way to something colder. "That would be a curious way to describe what we have built."

He leaned forward, golden eyes gleaming in the light of the holomap.

"I can assure you my friend... that the Diarchy stands on a strong economic base in no small part to my vision. Muunilinst and Mygeeto each rival Coruscant's productivity and economic wealth, and both lie under Diarchal command. The IGBC's ledgers no longer belong to the Muuns they belong to us. Muunilinst mints our currency and the credit chit. We govern our economic bureau so they can never become vulnerable unless we ourselves are vunerable. Beyond that we still mint the credit itself with the Muuns giving us not only a national currency but a galactic one. They are lenders to the galaxy at large, where we pick and choose our deals and have our own reserves so If there is a recession it would be due to my faulty lending practice or internal usury. Of which if the later ever occurred I would make a public display of torture to that person. So far, we seem to do well. Mygeeto refines Nova, adegan, and artesian crystals that fuel our reactors and feed our war machine. These are not idle worlds, they are furnaces that never cool. - as for Scipio itself, well. You would be smart to not attempt to fully control the IGBC. Or else you make a very powerful enemy instead of an ally."

The map light caught the faint heat shimmer from his cloak as he began to gesture across the hologram, his tone steady and absolute.

"Bescane is a scarred but heavy industry world, a crucible where DIASTEC's atmospheric converters and alloy mills burn day and night. It produces bonded materials, ion fuel, and the mid-level technologies that build everything from our walkers to our homes. Including a Naval Dockyard ran by N&Z producing at the same rate as those on Kuat. Yaga Minor serves as the Diarchy's naval heart though, a supercenter for engineering, drydocks, and starship assembly. Jaemus under the leadership of Antipater has a third dockyard. Beyond those themselves, Laphisto Laphisto of the Lilaste order has put orbital stations over all important worlds of the Diarchy. These also have naval shipyards and secure our logistics. Oben's deep-core mines draw platinum, gold, and silver from veins older than the Republic itself. Taspir III contributes basic manufacturing for varying amounts of commercial goods."

He shifted the projection, pulling up new lines that connected distant worlds.

"Dantooine and Kynachi feed the Diarchy's belly. Dantooine's farmlands and botanical labs provide food, sap, and exotic fauna; Kynachi refines and packages it into military-grade rations that sustain our fleets. Bastion, our capital, is not only the seat of our government but a production engine in its own right. military supply, armorcraft, and shipwright from the Sloan naval academy."

Rellik's tone never rose, but each word carried weight.

"DIASTEC -the Diarchal Strategic Technologies and Engineering Consortium - oversees it all. I run it personally. It is not a simple company. It is the spine of our logistics network, the nervous system of our civilization. It ensures that a mining world on the edge of the nebula can trade its metal for food grown an entire system away; that no Diarchy citizen starves while our ships cut through the stars. We do not merely harvest resources, we move them. Efficiently. Constantly. Without pause. The galaxy has not seen this scale of logistics coordination since the height of the Core Worlds' golden age. In the Diarchy we promise ALL citizens a good quality of life. That means constant import and export from worlds that have excess to worlds in need."

He let that hang, then fixed Adrikobe with a steady look.

"So when you say our economy is disconnected, I must correct you. It is not."

He paused again, this time allowing the faintest smile.

"You are a clever man, Adrikobe. Ambitious. But to ask to be the Diarchy's financial advisor would place you in conflict with one of our oldest allies. Tertius C. Nargath Tertius C. Nargath of the N&Z was there when our foundations were laid. His investments built Bescane's industrial fund, his connections carved our place within the IGBC, and his insight into galactic markets has served us without falter. To displace him would be unwise and unnecessary."

"But ambition is not a flaw, I simply believe you value your sector with pride. I admire that. I would just not doubt a Major power that intends to rival the entire galaxy to be... uncoordinated. It would be good for you to spend more time in Diarchy space."
Rellik continued, his voice softening, though not kindly. "You are right about one thing. The Alliance is collapsing. The Empire grows endlessly. The Mandalorians stockpile and posture, thinking themselves ready to test our borders. In such times, a man with your instincts can still prove useful. I simply wonder if your overstating of our direness is due to your own inability to protect your space. As you said, the Empire is at your door and the Mandalorians would certainly want the deepdocks and ordnance Ord Mantell provides. Then the surrounding worlds could be a boon to us or them, such as the durasteel mining of Erebos"

He turned the hologram toward the image of Echoy'la, and the faint shimmer of heat from his cloak traced the edges of the table.

"Protection. Alignment. Subtlety. These are currencies I value. You can be a shady man in a galaxy at war, I appreciate it." He leaned back slightly, eyes bright in the dim light. "You wish to speak of Echoy'la? Of a rallying cry? Then speak it plainly. Show me what spark you believe can ignite a war and perhaps we can come to a truly worthwhile deal. One that shares protection, information, and recourses of our planets... Along with the bond of shared wrongdoings."

Diarch Reign Diarch Reign Adrikobe Kellrule Adrikobe Kellrule
 
"Perhaps I should better explain myself, before we proceed." Adrikobe stated, reclining in his chair.

"I did not mean to suggest your industries were disconnected, after all, supply lines are natural (and good for business) ,with the nature of your state calling for the necessity of such relationships. Nor did I mean to suggest I desired control over the Banking Clan. What I meant to highlight was that your state lacked what I have the capacity to provide." He spoke softly and calculated, his response devoid of the subtle emotion the Diarch had in his.

"Your worlds, on their own, are designed to funnel resources into respective industries. As you said, Dantooine feeds the Diarchy, Oben provides you with materials for goods, Bescane and Yaga Minor develop your military, etc. Your model is efficient, and serves as a good foundation. However, you lack a strong, reliable, export resource. Consider: Civilian manufacturing. With my assets linked together as tightly as they are, with no middle men between them, imagine the output of cheap goods being exported across the galaxy, and the income you would reap from it." He allowed his words to sink in, not so much as a confident smirk on his face as he spoke in an analytical tone.

"No matter how firm you believe your hold on the banks is, and the economy, the possibility of a galactic recession will ruin the prospect of anyone taking loans from the banks. The people are what drives the market, and should the people panic? There is little two men, no matter their power, can do to stop the economy from taking a beating. You also neglect to account for external factors, though, understandably that would leave us debating the specifics for hours." He continued, pausing, before continuing: "I've dedicated 30 years of my life to building my Company from nothing. I had a vision, and I knew that I would see it through. Given time, the Nebula will outpace many sectors, and certainly most individual worlds, both in income and output."

"Metal is involved in nearly everything," Adrikobe mused, "Supplements, Consumer Goods, Construction, Transportation, Electronics, Packaging, Jewelry, Medical Advancements, Military uses, Manufacturing, Scientific Research, Agriculture, etc."

"You will always have a market with metal, and that is why I hope you understand the Nebula will grow. The question I leave you with is: Do you wish to prosper with it?"

There was a brief silence for a moment, following Adrikobe's rhetorical question.

"We can put the economic talk on the backburner for now, after all, we have yet to solidify our friendship." He stated, a friendly smile coming over him as he rested his hands together on the table.

Glancing back to the hologram, Adrikobe now began to discuss the other matter, the prospect which might just seal their friendship should Adrikobe have yet to of convinced them.

"Echoy'la is Mandalorian, one might argue they would strongly desire to see their banner fly over it, yes?"

"If only we could procure a volunteer who would be willing to make a bold statement. Someone willing to go to the extreme to push their narrative."

Adrikobe allowed them to mentally guess where he was going with this, before he continued:

"I propose we manufacture this scenario. The story would be believable, and the tools are there. Imagine the outrage of the Diarchy when the populace find out a Mandalorian was bold enough to assassinate a planetary governor so deep into your space. Should you take advantage of this, I believe you could kill two birds with one stone as well. Perhaps if you were to say... place someone particularly unfavorable for you position."

A soft smile came over his face as he continued to speak in a measured tone, seemingly enjoying the cleverness of his own scheme:

"Should all go well, you'll have the perfect means of rallying the masses, justification for an invasion, and an easy means of disposing of an undesirable patron."

He paused briefly, before continuing, "I believe you'll find this arrangement is a fair proposal, though, the grater specifics of which can be ironed out at a later date."

Diarch Reign Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Diarch Rellik
 

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