A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement

[Taeli Raaf]

​

Lydrax
Albanin Scetor

In orbit of the planet Lydrax, a fleet of ships hung in a holding position above a slowly expanding outpost. The outpost itself was nothing too special yet, just prefabricated structures to house the workforce employed by Aurora, a few self-sustaining droid factories to keep production of their Starbright line going locally, and an atmospheric shield and processor to keep the polluted world's still poisonous air away. Even further out, patrols of corvettes and fighters kept any ship that arrived without proper authorization away... or destroyed them outright if they refused to jump somewhere else. Security was tight around the planet, all to protect the valuable work going on.

The purification of Lydrax was coming splendidly, if the reports were to be believed that Taeli had been receiving. The thousands of Anemoi droids that were in constant rotation in the planet's atmosphere were expected to be done with the heaviest part of the purification in another standard month, slightly ahead of schedule. By then, the planet's atmosphere would at least be breathable, if not still somewhat unpleasant to do so.

The droids would be continuing their work even after they reached that critical tipping point for one simple reason; the planet was still a complete junkyard and still poisoning everything. Outside of the safe zone established by Aurora Industries when they took the planet, the planet was still hellish and dangerous. Super acid rivers, unique combination of pollutants, exposed radioactive waste, parts from wrecked ships and other junk the Hutts had discarded on the world. She had been assured by her Doctor Votoc that he would have the next droid for Project Starbright ready soon to help with cleaning up the land.

Looking out over the Aurora outpost from the tower erected at its center, Taeli waited in her temporary office for her guest. She had heard of this [member="Kalak the Raykkan"] and the creature's ambitions sounded perfect for a partner for the project's other reasons. He came recommended to her, and she hoped this Raykkan held up to her expectations.

 

[Kalak the Raykkan]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

One being's trash was another being's treasure.

Before his scheduled meeting Kalak had decided to take a walk on the surface.

Without a hazard suit. He breathed in the poison and the acid and the trash and the foul scent and sighed contently. This was exactly how a world should taste, it was a reminder of his home of Raykka. With the heavy industry clogging the atmosphere and making it so, so difficult for sentients to breathe. Outside of Raykka Kal had taken to smoking cigars. Many of them, over and over again, to fill his lungs with the scent of home, because even Maena felt too clean to him.

But Lydrax was better.

For now.

Raaf was wanting to change this beautiful world into something else. It made Kal mildly indignant, but in the end it did not matter- there was a contract. Wealth to gain and reputation to strengthen, that went above even this beauty of toxicity.

The lift door chimed and then out flopped the Raykkan. Behind him a set of two bodyguards, taller and broader than him. They were similar to crocodiles, but heavily modified with cybernetics. More machine than sentient truth to be told. But they enjoyed it that way. It was their tradition. To be uplifted by the Raykkans and be ready for service... in return they received many benefits. "Taeli Raaf." Kalak greeted coldly as he flopped up and settled next to her.

A brief glance to his side confirmed it for him.

She was ugly. Ears shrunk, nose malformed. A standard mammal to be sure.

But this one had money and as such Kalak would keep the bile in... for now. "Are you sure you cannot let the atmosphere retain its beauty?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Kalak the Raykkan"]

She had felt him coming even from the turbolift, his diseased and nakedly ambitious presence in the Force announcing the Raykkan's arrival. His physical appearance even matched what she felt, some ugly cousin of Hutts, not that Hutts were anything special. A stink lingered around him, likely from the cigar that seemed fused to his lips. All in all, he already spoke of being an unpleasant being. And yet... that was perfectly fine with her.

"Quite sure, Kalak" she replied, looking at the Raykkan next to her. She ignored his bodyguards, although a part of her was curious about their cybernetics and how they came to be in service to this being. She needed to research his culture and species more. "While the planet, as is, is comfortable for your species, that is not the case for much of the rest of the galaxy."

Clearly his comment suggested he enjoyed pollution, how charming. It spoke of an even more exploitative nature than she first expected.

"But cleansing the atmosphere is not the only operation that is going to be run on Lydrax," she continued. "The goal, while it is to rehabilitate the planet, is to also salvage all the junk into useful items... and to see what else the planet has to offer. This place has been a garbage world like Raxus Prime since the Old Republic, so no one is aware of what resources the planet has to offer."

 

[Kalak the Raykkan]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

The soft grumble around his cigar would have told her all she needed to know about his opinion on that.

The rest of the Galaxy had the rest of the Galaxy to live in, why they needed to ruin the few toxically pleasant world for sentients like the Raykkans was beyond him. But alas, there wasn't much to do here. His opinion did not count, all that counted was the money she was putting on the table... and that was a pleasant sum. In truth Kalak did not participate in the same industrial capacity as the rest of the Raykkans.

His job lay in food... for now.

But Kal had his connections in the Makesh Cartel. More and more each passing year and if there was one thing the Raykkans were good at... it was taking care of the garbage.

One way or another.

"I can offer organizational talent and centuries of expertise in salvage." Kal simply stated to that without playing around the issue. "As long as the money keeps flowing, the Raykkans will make this operation smooth, swift... clean and-" Those burning eyes looked at her now. She was not a Jedi, he decided. Kal had a thing. It was instinct based around genetics and his skill with the mind. "-no questions asked."

Whatever she was, it was not a Jedi.

But it did not matter to Kalak.

He ate Jedi for dinner, they were a tasty treat. Something with their midichlorian counts or so he was told.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Kalak the Raykkan"]

Right to the point of business, she could respect that in a being. No need for idle chit chat, wandering tangents, or any other aspects of speech that might proceed the actual reason for a meeting. She could feel a certain sense of disdain for what the project was though, but she did appreciate he was promising discretion. Her next comment would likely make him, well maybe not happier as she doubted his species knew the emotion from the example before her, but pleased would perhaps be best.

"Money won't be an issue in the slightest," she assured him. "However... during the cleanup of this planet, I have a special request actually. One that would be... well suited to your talents. I want a segment of the junkyard to continue indefinitely, carefully balanced so that it appears cleanup efforts are still ongoing on it, but it never gets better or worse."

She wasn't exactly inclined to explain her reasoning as to why, nor did she think this being would care. He was out for profit, and by the look in those fiery eyes, he had a hunch she was... different than what she outwardly presented. Call it being raised a Lorrdian, but she could tell he was suspicious of her. All the better to not mention the facility she had planned that would be constructed underneath this carefully maintained junkyard section.

 

[Kalak the Raykkan]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Head tilted for a moment.

It was an unusual request for certain.

After all, Raaf had already disappointed him with this eagerness to take away the beauty of the toxic world, but now she wanted him to only make it a partial recovery for all intents and purposes? This pleased him, because it meant part of the world would be preserved, but it was curious. A curiosity that Kal did not care to partake in at this particular moment though. He had promised discretion and a promise made by a Raykkan was a valuable thing indeed.

Their reputation was one of the many weapons they possessed. "This can certainly be done." That was the end of that. No questions, no out-loud musings, it was not his business as long as the money flowed in.

"What other companies are going to be involved with this project of yours?"

Aurora was large.

But the shift of an entire planet from one atmosphere to the other was an order of magnitude that almost begged more capital and hands to be involved in. If Raaf could pull this off only with itself and the Raykkans involved?

Kal would be very impressed.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Kalak the Raykkan"]

She gave him a thin smile as he asked what other companies were going to be involved with the project, although she appreciated he had agreed to her odd request without any questioning. He didn't need to know that a secret facility would be built for... non-company reasons.

"As of right now, it is just us," she responded. "However, there will be others I shall be approaching for other roles in the enterprise. ATC, Lucerne Labs to name but two."

She knew Danger had gone into the green game, and a chance to accelerate the development of terraforming and purification technologies, to put them into practice, would ensnare her interest. Gir and a few others would be approached to allow them the chance to build facilities of their own on the planet and in orbit.

"A survey of the world will need to be carried out once the majority of the junk has been cleared away. This place has been buried for so long, no one knows what the planet's actual resources are anymore."

 

[Kalak the Raykkan]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Arceneau Trade Company.

It almost seemed as if those sulfuric eyes grew even more intense for a chief moment, before it disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. A human controlled, crimson stained strands of hair, anatomy inefficient and frankly gaudy, but... it did make him always wonder how she would taste. Perhaps tasty with some cumin and maybe a sniff of garlic sprinkled.

"You have the ear of some powerful entities, Taeli Raaf." Kalak commented softly, before eyeing the outside once more. He did seem impressed with the idea of being able to just ring up Danger Arceneau and getting what you wanted.

Perhaps one day Kal would have a similar experience.

Hopefully with more dinner. "Perhaps if this venture becomes satisfying to the both of us, you could introduce us." Connecting and networking were one of the most important things when you were applying business. Who you knew was almost as important as who you were. There might be some manner of ill-will towards the humanoids of this Galaxy.

But even Kalak understood that sometimes... you just had to accept certain realities.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Kalak the Raykkan"]

"I've been at this game for some time now," Taeli stated evenly, eyeing her guest. "If there is one thing I've learned, it's that connections and who you know make things happen. A perfect example was when Danger was threatened by a selectivist in the Republic, she called in her favors and suddenly had more than forty companies and their private fleets ready to fight the old Galactic Republic. Connections are another form of power, just like credits, weapons, or the Force."

Was she laying on the lecture a little too thick here? Maybe, but then she honestly didn't matter to her. Hidden in her little lecture was a message, just for the Raykkan. She was connected as well, but she wasn't about to reveal everyone she knew... or the forces that could be turned on him if he tried to betray her project here.

"But yes, perhaps we could arrange a meeting if all goes well," she said, her cheerful pleasantness reappearing. "She and Alric had mostly moved the day to day to others, but they are always interested in meeting new and upcoming beings in the business world."

 

[Kalak the Raykkan]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Head tilted to the side as Kalak listened to her little lesson.

The flames within his eyes burned darker for a brief moment, but Raaf would not be able to read anything off of his mental state. It was a slab of cold obsidian settled down next to her for all intents and purposes. This either meant that he was completely neutral in the situation or perhaps had some kind of training in keeping his mental state under control.

Who could truly know when a Raykkan was involved?

"Mm, I have always preferred valued friends over antagonized enemies, Taeli Raaf." An eye glanced over to her. In it she would find him measuring her to one degree or another. "A lesson the Republic failed to learn."

Was it a coincidence that she had just antagonized him within the last few moments? It did not truly matter, because while Kalak might not hold humans in high regard... only a fool would not notice the large difference in power between the two of them.

"We will see how it goes, I suppose. What more do you need of me?"

Once more onto business.

Time was credits and he was not in the mood to play games for much longer.