Transfer of power

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Extraordinary meetings. Meetings that everyone dreaded, and after Master Jutland was brought in to replace an old chief process officer hired elsewhere, there were various changes around but during all those years, there was one thing that did not change: those who did creative work held most actual power within Ringovinda StarYards. And these creative minds were calling for a relaxation of protocol, even though minutes still had to be taken under it. Extraordinary meetings were usually called, as their name suggested, when extraordinary matters needed to be dealt with, like a planetary disaster, or some other such thing. And a resignation from that person heading all of it was extraordinary enough for an extraordinary meeting to be called. Julie wanted nothing better than to teach new Jedi in that art of piloting capital ships but given what Charzon did on Korriban, that would mean training those Force-users on Geonosis, Vulpter or Cato Neimoidia rather than Silver Jedi. Korriban spells disaster for Silver Jedi, and it will also spell disaster for Charzon on a personal and business level.

"Fellow board members, we have a problem: I am to face trial regarding Korriban soon. I called this extraordinary meeting for this reason: I am formally resigning as CEO of Ringovinda StarYards. This will be my last visit here on Ringo Vinda"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"I can't believe that person called Butcher of Korriban was our boss this entire time!" Marcia said.

"I'm unique in being both a board member and being on board when Korriban happened!" Julie exclaimed.

Master Jutland was not complicit in Charzon's war crime because she was in an attack craft back then. Yet only capital guns were involved there. Charzon has no alibi, Julie knew Charzon was guilty on all counts. But that was a rather well-kept secret among board members: only Julie, as chief process officer, knew that Charzon was behind Korriban. Not even Jessica knew - then again she had no business in using space magic to that end. She was rather close-mouthed about Korriban even when Jessica was asked on multiple occasions to testify in grand jury about that. That was an horrible crime. About 10,000 dead or so at last count. That was going to hurt Silver Jedi and Jessica herself found herself ejected from Silver Jedi structures - and she hoped to become a Jedi Technician. Now her aspirations as a Force-sensitive had to be taken in another direction, just neither as a Silver Jedi nor as a dark-sider.

"I propose that we vote on accepting Charzon's resignation as CEO"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"In accordance to corporate protocol, a voice vote is required. Those in favor of accepting my resignation, say aye"

By that point every single board member still in office accepted Charzon's resignation in light of what transpired on Korriban. For now they have to accept as fact Charzon's crimes at face value. Charzon was a visionary, but she was also a fanatic. Performing orbital bombardment over Korriban? That was a horrible act for which she would never be forgiven. Then again, scorched earth tactics were not Jedi forte. While that carrier responsible for these crimes was being repaired in orbit, other board members began to talk about her replacements and other shuffles among board members. Who would inherit which position. One such plan would mean Jessica in charge, in which case Jessica is CEO, Marcia becomes CRO and someone else becomes CIO internally. They all know Julie has little going for her to endear board members to place her in charge of Ringo, as it was often known among general public members. Not even her command of Force-powers, which was deeper than Jessica's, would be of any help here.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Jessica, you know more about starship design and manufacturing in general than I do. I'm better at QA than at starship design or component design" Julie commented.

"First things first. I might have good knowledge of a product's life cycle as it pertains to starships and their components, but I never did much sales work. And neither had Julie or Marcia for that matter"

Under one plan Julie would be a CPO, doing quality assurance work; as an elite capital ship pilot, it would be where her talents and corporate needs are best matched. Jessica, while a genius that knows every product for sale at Ringovinda StarYards and Ringovinda Systems in and out, having personally designed, in whole or in part, many of them, knew that starship sales or component sales work often got highly technical. But her charisma and product knowledge could only get her so far at these kinds of work. Yet Jessica knew that a CEO had to do some sales work from time to time when one worked in defense industries. Of course, she had a lot of people to delegate work to. Were there other rival plans to that one? But would it be better to settle these issues one by one or as a block? That they did not get along. Julie began using mind tricks in an attempt to get everyone else on board that plan.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"While you all know my former title as Jedi Protector of Ringo Vinda will be handed over to one of Jessica or Julie, this meeting is not an appropriate forum to discuss Jedi matters. That decision will have to be made in private. Jessica, Julie, meet with me after this meeting ends"

Julie had more skill in some Force-powers: Force-pull/push, Force-comprehension (she used Jessica to that end regularly, almost systematically even) Instinctive Astrogation, even battle meditation that she even secretly used on Castameer. After her flagship took a rather massive beating, taking fire from almost two fleets' worth of heavy units at once. She is a little slow to "wake up", so to speak, as if she had a flywheel for a brain. Lots of lag in either direction. Jessica, in contrast, is a lot zippier mentally. But why would Charzon think of these two women as Jedi all of a sudden? How would she know about their relative skill levels even though she cannot use Force-powers unlike them? As one who has been around space wizards on many occasions, Charzon knew that people like Cathul or Jessica were often well-liked by people around them, and not the least because they are brilliant on some level. But would Jessica or Julie think any less of her now that she made her public confession as to her involvement in war crimes on Korriban?

"Back to that current topic. I'm sure we could all get behind Jessica as a CEO" Marcia said, while under Julie's mind trick.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

It was Charzon's strategic choice to engage Task Force 17 (also known as 17th Fleet) as a Republican "forlorn hope", which ended up being not so forlorn after all, since other light-siders made their junction in time to save them. And they sneaked past enemy lines in late stages. Charzon had some strategic insight as a fleeter, but admittedly rather limited. But when asked about how she would see such changes in her work should Jessica, 1) accepts her nomination under a proposed plan and 2) said plan is agreed upon, Jessica was just... speechless. She had no idea what to say and she couldn't help but think of what would happen next. She began thinking long and hard about what could possibly change in her relationship at work, as well as any supplementary titles Jessica would hold, and what their duties were for that person holding them. Because for most titles of that kind Charzon had to divest, they were not purely honorific and had actual implications.

"Do you think you're up to it? Just reject that plan if you feel unable to assume control of that shipyard" Marcia told her fellow board members.

"With all due respect, who will take control if Jessica doesn't?" Julie asked.

"I can manage this: there are some changes necessary in my job duties but it's nothing I cannot handle"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Good. I have complete confidence in Jessica and her knowledge of shipbuilding operations"

On multiple occasions, especially post-Kuat, Jessica dazzled many on Ringo Vinda by just how she could design ship components on her own that would normally require contributions from many sentients to design in a similar timeframe under which she did it. And also a few administrators under whom she took Force-sensitivity tests, in which case it was mostly because she mentioned designing a cutting-edge AI almost all by herself without fail back then. Cathul knew her best out of all these administrators and hence was kept for last. Plus Jessica knew really well what a ship's development life cycle was and how much she could get out of it. She had more knowledge of starship components than Charzon had, even though Charzon knew enough about ships to be placed in command of a Star Destroyer and given also pro tempore command of Task Force 17. But there was a question left unanswered: what will happen in that musical chair game among higher-ups?

"Any idea as to who will inherit Jessica's old position?"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"I will. Our new head of IT will be someone promoted internally. Hosho" Marcia responded.

"Anyone requests a vote on this plan outlined as follows: Jessica Med-Beq as CEO, Marcia Halpern as CRO and Hosho as Chief of IT"

That was a plan everyone could agree upon. From there that extraordinary board session Charzon called for her resignation was brought to a close, now that Jessica was officially running Ringovinda StarYards. However, unlike Republican Senate seats, Techno Empire ones were not awarded in an election, but at will from those entities holding seats. Planetary governors are awarded Senate seats ex officio, but major imperial corporate sponsors could appoint or elect whoever they wish to hold their Senate seat. Ringovinda StarYards was that one corporation declared as being a "major imperial corporate sponsor"; MICSs had, in turn, an obligation to set up shop somewhere in Techno Empire territory. Which they did - they began deploying some orbital drydocks as well as a tank factory on Geonosis when its status as a MICS was confirmed. Julie, in turn, returned to practice some Force-powers.

"You said you wanted to meet with me?"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"Yes, Jessica. Because it concerns no one else among executive board members, I have to wait until that meeting ends to talk about that matter to you"

No one would want a Jedi whose only use is in space combat to become a Jedi Protector, or a Jedi whose room for growth is very limited. Jessica has plenty of room to grow as a Jedi: her power may be limited now, but she is still a raw Force-user as a FU. In contrast, if what Jessica says about Julie is correct, Julie has almost no room for growth, and Jessica will soon overtake her as a Force-user. Although her current master once claimed that Jessica was more computer (or droid) than person, due to her approach to Force-usage, Charzon would never believe Jessica to be a computer, even though she is used as one by Force-users wishing to use and learn Force-comprehension or Drain Knowledge. That was one hell of a set of titles few could hold all at once. Major Jedi-run corporations include Sasori Research and Corellia Digital: with Jessica, Ringovinda StarYards must also be included in that list.

"These are grave matters. Julie is too one-dimensional as a Jedi to be an effective Protector. She can fleet but is ineffectual otherwise. Also I do not trust her to take over my senatorial seat. From now on you are to be both a Techno Empire Senator and Jedi Protector of Ringo Vinda. Also Julie has to swear fealty to that Techno Empire, now that she can no longer train Silver Jedi in capital-ship piloting"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Korriban proved to be that nail in these pro-SJ supporters' coffins as far as that referendum pertaining to Ringo Vinda and its status with respect to Silver Jedi was concerned. Jessica is now confirmed in all three positions Charzon used to hold. Her life when holding so many high-pressure titles and their associated titles will not help her assume any of them at all. Charzon failed in her role as Jedi Protector of Ringo Vinda (which was never officially recognized to begin with) but now that Ringo Vinda was virtually assured not to be a Silver Jedi world any longer, Jessica's beginning as Jedi Protector of Ringo Vinda meant that she was holding a title that held no real legal implications. It will be a mostly ceremonial position once that status is officially confirmed, but Jessica had to assume its duties as if it still was a SJ world for now. But as she was about to depart for Cato Neimoidia... Oddly enough, if you are a Techno Empire Senator, you are expected to provide personnel for every raid and maybe even to be part of any TE major operation.

"Julie Jutland, you have been disowned by Silver Jedi as much as both Charzon and I have been. Will you serve Techno Empire Force-users as its capital-ship pilot trainer?"

"I will"

"Now you're going to have your own quarters on Geonosis to that end, where you will meet with Techno Empire Jedi for their own capital-ship piloting needs"