Private Trade of Individuals

[Vreegan Fett]

Lysandra Organa

Hod Yomaget leaned against the cold metal table, arms crossed in the conference room, his gaze fixed on the transparisteel windows. Below him lay the rugged landscape of Mandalore, a planet still in the process of healing from the disintegration of the Mandalorian Protectors and the subsequent emergence of the Mandalorian Crusade.

Despite its rapid recovery, the relentless tide of industry would remain dissatisifed with the scaricity of merchants and markets to exploit, resulting in in the Crusaders operating below their full potential of strength which would mean that the Alliance would have the advantage on the battlefield in terms of resource procurement.

This problem was concerning for the Mandalorian Supplymaster whose primary objective was to ensure that their operational capabilites were unmatched on the battlefield particularly because their foes had never stopped the production of advanced technology and anti-beskar blasters were growing increasingly prominent.

A solution was found in Princess Lysandra Organa who had certain information on the Slave Trade within the galaxy and that was a resource they could exploit since slavery was legal in their space. He held a personal aversion to the concept of ownership over another individual, as it contradicted the Mandalorian Way, which emphasized personal development rather than servitude.

Nevertheless, if this arrangement would facilitate the timely production of additional armaments and munitions, it was a concern he could ultimately dismiss on his own authority.

"Princess Organa...if I am not mistaken..." Hod said behind the sealed helmet.

 

[Lysandra Organa]

In a galaxy held in the grip of terror over the rise of the Neo-Crusaders, only the Senex sector would have thought to open up trade with them. The Crusaders wanted slaves, and the people of Karfeddion and the other planets ruled by the Ancient Houses could provide them.

Lysandra herself was more than a little leery of doing business with these marauders. However, she had been tasked by her grandfather the king with opening the door. This presents a great opportunity for profit in our time of need, he had urged her. Besides, she was well-protected. They would not dare to touch her.

She entered the conference room, accompanied by her retinue of bodyguards and handmaidens. Immediately she spotted a hulking figure seated at the smooth black table. His back was to her at first, though he soon turned around, his face obscured by his helmet.

"Princess Organa... if I am not mistaken..."

"I am she," Lysandra replied. She was a short and slender young woman, finely dressed in a modest white shimmersilk gown with a hood that covered her hair. Despite her nervousness about this meeting, she carried herself with royal poise, curtsying politely, her soft and manicured hands clasped in front of her. "And you are...?"

Vreegan Fett​

 

[Vreegan Fett]

Lysandra Organa

"I am a Neo-Crusader, that is all you need to know....Princess." Hod expressed a degree of disdain as Lysandra Organa made her entrance into the conference room, accompanied by a retinue that included several bodyguards and handmaidens for her protection. She likely intended for him to introduce himself but that would not occur as they weren't here to be friends but mere business associates over the slave trade.

Deep within his mind, Nobility represented a concept that was fundamentally opposed to Mandalorian traditions, which emphasized personal strength and development over inherited privilege. True worth was derived from one's ability to endure the rigors of labor in agricultural fields and the demanding environments of industrial enterprises, rather than from a lineage of aristocratic birth.

He moved his beskar-encased hand towards one of the many chairs in a semi-formal invitation for her to sit down at the conference chamber.

"Slavery is one of the key aspects of the Crusade Lifestyle, as you might have been aware due to the numerous slave transports on the landing platforms. Some disagree, other agree with our choice to use slavery despite our own traditions, but none of these personal feelings will matter during our discussion." Hod said, understanding that not all the Mandalorians within the Crusade liked the overall idea of slavery to begin with since they were slaves to the Butcher-King Carnifex all those years ago during the height of the 11th Sith Empire.

"We need slaves and you have them. What is your asking price for a batch of them?." He questioned.

 

[Lysandra Organa]

"I am a Neo-Crusader, that is all you need to know....Princess."

The Mandalorian's disdain was palpable. Lysandra didn't let it bother her. She was used to offworlders' contempt by now - and besides, she was worth more than him, this ship, and everyone in it combined.

He gestured to a chair. She sat down, while her guards and servants remained standing around her.

"Slavery is one of the key aspects of the Crusade Lifestyle, as you might have been aware due to the numerous slave transports on the landing platforms. Some disagree, others agree with our choice to use slavery despite our own traditions, but none of these personal feelings will matter during our discussion."

She had not seen the transports, thankfully. Slaves in the Senex sector were bred for labor; they knew nothing else but the life they were born into. The idea of capturing people and enslaving them after they had already had a taste of freedom stirred some degree of empathy in Lysandra, though above all she thought it a recipe for disaster. Those slaves would be an unruly bunch, inevitably trying to escape and return to their old lives.

"We need slaves and you have them. What is your asking price for a batch of them?"

"For five hundred slaves, the average price is fifty thousand," she replied. "Our slaves are grown in vats and bred for specific use. The price varies depending on quality and type. What kind of labor do you intend to use them for?"

Vreegan Fett​

 

[Vreegan Fett]

Lysandra Organa

The Mandalorian paused in silence, attempting to comprehend the information imparted by the Princess whose air of grace and self-presumed importance was not lost on him. The concept of genetic slavery was a stark contrast to the daily slave raids conducted by the Crusade to sustain a war effort against the Galactic Alliance, although they had managed to learn from the mistakes of the Brotherhood of the Maw who relied on the practice during the Second Great Hyperspace War.

"Ah - a cruel existence for them to be born into." He said with some form of empathy even if it was forced.

Unlike these genetic monsters, the individuals taken by them had previous lives with purpose and meaning and they could potentially reclaim such life once deemed no longer valuable due to illness or the passage of time. None of this applied to clone subjects who were bred from nothing but tubes in laboratories with no free will of their own.

Even the mighty Alliance had banned the practice underneath the previous Chancellorship of Aerarii Tithe.

"The Mandalorian economy is heavily dependent on the production of munitions and the advancement of weaponry, reflecting our identity as a culture centered around warfare, particularly following the reclamation of our ancestral home, Mandalore, from the remnants of the Protectors and the ilk of Carnifex. The availability of robust laborers is essential, and the investment of fifty thousand credits would be justified if you can deliver on your promises "

Rakkon replied with a firm expression and tone of voice, gloved hands restly on the ornate conference table.

 

[Lysandra Organa]

"Ah - a cruel existence for them to be born into." He said with some form of empathy even if it was forced.

Lysandra was nonplussed. "If it weren't for our need for laborers, they would never have been born," she stated plainly.

"The Mandalorian economy is heavily dependent on the production of munitions and the advancement of weaponry, reflecting our identity as a culture centered around warfare, particularly following the reclamation of our ancestral home, Mandalore, from the remnants of the Protectors and the ilk of Carnifex. The availability of robust laborers is essential, and the investment of fifty thousand credits would be justified if you can deliver on your promises."

The princess inclined her head, thinking about which species of slave would be best suited to the Neo-Crusaders' purposes. The Ossan, while strong, lacked intelligence, and Balinaka claws would struggle to assemble weapons. There was really only one good option which balanced strength and skill with the ability to perform complex tasks. "I can deliver five hundred Human slaves to you within a week. Is this agreeable?"

Vreegan Fett​

 

[Vreegan Fett]

Lysandra Organa

The Mandalorian awaited Princess Organa's additional stipulations regarding the exchange of slaves, recognizing the inherent dangers associated with the arms industry. The situation was exmplified by the lingering toxic fumes and gases that continued to contaminate the atmosphere of Mandalore, remnants from the era of the eleventh Sith Empire.

A competent slave lord would prioritize the maintenance of the genetic slaves' well-being, ensuring they remained in optimal condition for resale should the Crusade falter or dissolve due to conflicts among the various clans. The fact that this did not occur, made him suspicious that the person in front of him had no real knowledge of slave trading and was merely a poser trying to gain information from him.

"An agreeable settlement - although I must ask why you aren't concerned about a return on your investment. Fifty-thousand credits could be doubled by ensuring that the slave laborers would be treated well, if we no longer have need of them." Rakkon asked with some curiosity in his tone of voice, wanting to know the exact reason she was so willing to hand these slaves over to a hostile environment where they would surely die.

"So the question remains? Are you an expert in the art of Slave Trading or merely an informant sent to gather information." A statement that could be made out to be an accusation but it was framed in such a way for her to deny it quite quickly.

 

[Lysandra Organa]

"An agreeable settlement - although I must ask why you aren't concerned about a return on your investment. Fifty-thousand credits could be doubled by ensuring that the slave laborers would be treated well, if we no longer have need of them."

Lysandra quirked an eyebrow. She knew nothing about the current state of Mandalore's atmosphere, nor did she consider it any concern of hers. "Once the slaves have been purchased, it will be your responsibility to keep them healthy and whole," she said. "The strong make many, the sick make few, the dead make none. You would do well to ensure that there is a return on your investment."

"So the question remains? Are you an expert in the art of Slave Trading or merely an informant sent to gather information."

Though she wasn't so ill-bred as to show it, she was growing annoyed with this Neo-Crusader. "I am the Princess of Karfeddion. Rest assured, your enemies would not hire me as a spy even if their future depended on it. Do not insult me with these baseless accusations, or our business here will come to an end." If he was going to behave like a belligerent oaf, the deal was off.

Vreegan Fett​

 

[Vreegan Fett]

Lysandra Organa

The Mandalorian was bemused when the Princess of Karfeddion attempted to redirect the discussion from her own circumstances to the Crusade. He pondered whether it was the Crusade's duty to ensure the survival of the enslaved laborers in the planet's unforgiving environment. Ultimately, he concluded that it was not, as these individuals were merely the products of the slavers, treated with a disregard that bordered on recklessness.

"Perhaps you are right, and perhaps you are wrong. We care little for such commercial nonsense." Rakkon responded, rather short to such a claim.

He would have been willing to assure their safety had she requested it; however, she presented herself as a royal elitist, lacking any substantial experience in the galaxy or in the labor sector. The situation did little to alleviate the doubts swirling in his mind regarding her expertise, a sentiment that was further confirmed when she expressed a desire to terminate the agreement should he continue to press her.

"You are not the most rational individual if my accusation however false caused you such distress. All that is standing before me is an elitist princess who can barely sell a boot on the street corner, much less conduct a conference where both sides are pleased with the outcome." Rakkon displayed his indifference to the Princess's potential departure underscored the non-urgent nature of their agreement.

"Get out of my sight and never return..." He said with distain, saying nothing further.