A trip down history lane

[Dunames Lopez]

Even though some other undisclosed hive was reported to be under negotiations with [member="Herr Vanderhing"] for allowing him to use their Petranaki arena for public executions, or even negotiating with the Stalgasin Hive about the construction of a new coliseum to that end, knowing that the Stalgasin Hive still owned the eponymous Memorial Stadium, Dunames knew that Geonosis would round out their network to the galactic southeast. Especially since she personally knew a Senator and her underling, the Imperial mascot, about whom rumors abound pertaining to her Force-sensitivity, and the First Order being on neutral terms at a minimum with the Techno Empire both ladies came to be more associated with, even more so than the Silver Jedi (despite their corporation being based in Silver Jedi space), Dunames felt it was a good idea to contact the Techno Empire authorities.

-------------------------

ATTN: Herr Vanderhing

Now that the largest spaceline in the galaxy seeks to fill its gap in the one galactic region where its presence may be a little lacking, that is, the galactic southeast, our neutrality, at least with respect to the Techno Empire, will come in handy here. Also we would like to open a tour of Geonosis for Clone Wars history buffs, covering all the significant areas of the two Battles of Geonosis provided that significant historical sites other than Stalgasin Memorial Stadium would be open to the public.

Dunames Lopez
CEO, Star Tours

-------------------------

During the five years following Jiroch-Reslia, the hierarchy of spacelines has changed quite a bit: when formerly Maersk Star Freight was at the top of the galactic space shipping food chain, now Star Tours is at the top.

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

Genf Orkay, Herr Vanderhing's right hand read the message and stated the gist of it to Vanderhing. Vanderhing said with some form of cigar in his mouth

"Tell her that we accept her proposal and we hope to see her here in person"

Genf Orkay accepted and began writing a response immediately
-------------------------------------------
Madam [member="Dunames Lopez"]

We here at the Plutocracy of Geonosis are proud to inform you that we accept your proposal for a tour on our fine planet. Though we hope that you would personally grace us with your presence here on Geonosis personally to discuss the matter thoroughly. Please do not feel rushed we are sure that you are a busy woman so we hope that you will come whenever it is convenient to you.

Genf Orkay
Governor's Chief of staff
---------------------------------------------

 

[Dunames Lopez]

After the last attempt at expanding the Moonlight Monument service to include a dark-sided Force-nexus on Jiroch-Reslia, Geonosians would probably be more willing to let their cherished ballpark be part of a guided tour package on Geonosis. The Techno Empire being poised to expand in that sector of space, it might be a good idea to make sure that their bases are covered, to make sure that there was no repeat of the Cemeterygate - which was a really, really close call. By now the Lesrekta Galactic Cemetery was pulling in hundreds of thousands of off-world visitors a year, and some even coming from as far away as Coruscant to get their dose of horror-based thrills: the Jiroch-Reslia authorities even billed the cemetery as "Guaranteed thrills or money back" even though those who did not get thrills were mostly Force-dead or dark-siders. The whole success of the Galactic Cemetery hinged on the guarantee of thrills.

"The Techno Empire. So many unknowns, but if they are anything like the Techno Union it should be doable"

"Techno Empire?" Merrily asked, in doubt.

"Let's find where the Plutocracy of Geonosis is in this city they call Zenturi"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

Vanderhing sat in the governor's palace in the capital city awaiting his new guest. He was sitting a dining room with one of his thugs in front of him on the other side

"Please Mr. Vanderhing you must believe me I didn't steal the money!"

Vanderhing stood of limped towards the thug smiled pulled out a knife and said

"Oh I believe you, but this doesn't" he motioned the knife forward then lunged it into the employee's neck

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Zenturi, a city once built under Techno Union rule. Dunames hasn't been *that* long in business: Star Tours was started a while after the TU collapsed. She briefly heard about it, but the TU used to operate "mini-Lucrehulks" for their cargo needs. Dunames looked at the free map of Venturi she was given by a passerby, in search for their destination: the gubernatorial palace of Geonosis. Far away from the main sights: Stalgasin Memorial Stadium, the Im'g'twe Hills, the latter being declared a historical preserve by the Stalgasin Hive, whereas the Stalgasin Memorial Stadium was the only stadium on the planet that wasn't used for Petranaki: officially the place was a baseball stadium, where Geonosian teams had a near-insurmountable outfield advantage: since Geonosian outfielders could fly, they could catch the ball that much more easily. That's why Geonosians who did not want anything to do with bloody sports took to baseball, providing many of the finest defensive outfielders in galactic history. Plus Stalgasin Memorial Stadium was a pitcher's paradise due to its high fences. Other Geonosian ballparks were used from time to time for Petranaki, too; only Stalgasin Memorial was used almost entirely as a baseball stadium.

"What are your business here?" Merrily translated the question of a Geonosian. "Baseball?"

"We're not here for baseball! Please, guide us to the governor's palace: I have a business proposal for him"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

Vanderhing limped back to his chair leaving the corpse across the other side of the table. He merely sat down in the lavishly decorated room. All of his chairs were beautifully ornate with paintings of him behind his chair and paintings of his mother and sister to his left and right.
Genf Orkay stood to his right side with Geonosian guards on each entrance of the rooms. He sat and watched on the screen a Geonosisian gladiator match.

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

With the Geonosian guards escorting Dunames and her centuries-old WA-7 service droid to the governor's palace, which was separate from the imperial compound where the Senate meetings took place. She knew about Ringovinda StarYards being part of the Senate, but no more than that. And the city was built quite differently from any of the Geonosian native cities, usually named after the hive it housed. They arrived at the gates of the gubernatorial palace. But was it the same as the Citadel, where the Senate met and the Emperor of the Techno Empire was housed?

"According to the instructions, the gubernatorial guests have arrived" the guards announced in Geonosian, which Merrily reported back.

"I came here regarding the Genesis of the Clone Wars tour"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

A Geonosian walked into the room with the corpse and spoke to Vamderhing into what roughly translated as

"Your VIP guest has arrived sir!"

Vanderhing looked at the Geonosisian in confusion

"VIP guest? I don't remember any VIP guests...."

Genf Orkay cut his boss off and said

"Madam Lopez sir"

Vanderhing suddenly recalled that he did have Genf invite her over

"Oh yes that's correct Genf! Let her in."

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

The insectoids that are known as Geonosians brought Dunames to the main tenant of the place, a Neimoidian called Herr Vanderhing. And that Neimoidian valet everyone called Genf around here, with the dead corpse nearby. The Clone Wars were a topic of interest to many among the general public, but no one would actually even try to secure the sheer amount of routes required. So each company holds one of the keys to the whole process. Jabiim, Saleucami and Boz Pity were Bluth Company strongholds in that sort of edu-tour, whereas a number of smaller corporations would attempt opening such tours with planets like Praesitlyn, Mustafar, Utapau. But Star Tours was not willing to be undone: they already sold the Triple Getaway Package for Galactic Civil War buffs, which was available in two versions: Alderaan-Endor-Bespin or Bespin-Endor-Alderaan. As a result, their customers for that product were either Mandalorians or First Order denizens most of the time.

"Greetings, Your Excellency. I came here regarding the Genesis of the Clone Wars tour"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

(Lol Genf Orkay is a Neimoidian not a Geonosian)
Vanderhing stood up smiled in a way that could give anyone chills and said with his ever so shakey voice

"Hello, hello! My name is Herr Vanderhing! And you madam, must be Ms. Lopez"

His voice would echo throughout the large room as he sat back down at the large

"I'd ask you to sit down in front of me but that seat is currently taken..."

He said with a shakey chuckle as he waved his hand towards the corpse. He didn't care about the body being seen by anyone, he was to corrupt for anyone to even touch, but he soon realized that it was slightly impolite to have a business deal negotiated in front of a rotting corpse

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

"I know that the main tourist trap is the place called Stalgasin Memorial Stadium. Where the massacre of Jedi took place"

Oh yes, the 180 Jedi casualties of the arena. Why the Stalgasin Memorial Stadium was essentially a light-sided Force-nexus. There were essentially, in its wake, two approaches to bread-and-circuses on Geonosis: the violent one, involving Petranaki, where each major hive competed one another for the best Petranaki games and public executions included as part of Petranaki games, with cavernous stadia to match, and the non-violent one, mostly involving baseball, where the Geonosians were very difficult to defeat by teams dominated by flightless species given that Geonosian defensive baseball on the outfield was that the best fliers on a team would be placed there. Stalgasin Memorial Stadium was the symbol of the non-violent approach. Geonosian pitching machines were the best in the galaxy. Baseball was mostly seen as a Geonosian schtick by and large. On top of the diamonds, Geonosis was a baseball lover's paradise.

"I understand if the centuries forced the topography of the Im'g'twe Hills or the E'Y-Akh Desert to be different from what they looked like during the Clone Wars era, but I believe that these are important to visit, alongside the droid foundry near Stalgasin Memorial Stadium and Point Rain"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

"I don't like that word, massacre and neither do many of the Geonosians here..."

He then became serious and set himself on a business mindset. Vanderhing noticed then, that she wasn't phased or even acknowledged the corpse. Vanderhing could respect that but he disliked the word massacre though. He had one thing he wanted from this deal he wanted the nationalism it could bestow onto the Geonosian people.

"I can't allow Star Tours to say things like that in the tour. You see I want this to attract a sort of nationalism with the Geonosians. You know, make them proud to be from their planet. Now I know that some hives have reformed but the vast majority I'm afraid have not. As for the locations I approve of them all except the old droid foundry. That foundry is old and I don't believe the infrastructure is fairing very well, as much as I don't really care if a few tourists get offed off, it causes many less tourists to come. If you can prove its safe then I'll allow it."

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

"Stalgasin Memorial Stadium is the main tourist trap nonetheless, regardless of however one feels about baseball or the valiant stand of Jedi that happened in there"

The outer concourses of Stalgasin Memorial Stadium are lined with many downed battle droids, of the old B1s and B2s, as well as some clone trooper helmets. And Geonosian sonic blasters, with a few exhibits in both Basic and Geonosian script; some tourist traps sold reconditioned sonic blasters for use as baseball pitching machines - they were a little bulky though.

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

"This is true madam, but I would prefer it if Star Tours would lessen the emphasis on how "valiant" the Jedi's stand was, or how well the clones and droids fought and focus a little more on the Geonosian's contributions to the battle, the propaganda that could be created from this tour could potentially be immense and I want to capitalize on this opportunity"

Herr Vanderhing didn't really care as much about tourists as he cared about how the Geonosians felt. After all, it's the Geonosians that could overthrow him not the tourists. Vanderhing then began to light another cigar and put it in his mouth.

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

What she didn't want was a repeat of Cademimu: not taking into account the local requests killed Cademimu as a Beaches of the Dark Side destination, because Mandos are regarded, for Star Tours purposes, as being a dark-sided territory. It was easier to make Geonosis the premier baseball destination in the galaxy: other than on Christophsis, and Praesitlyn, baseball was a rather fringe sport but mostly played on light-sided worlds. Baseball had a lot of things that made it appealing to light-siders: it requires patience and serenity to play. Dunames, however, has shown that she had only a fragmentary knowledge of what exactly did the Geonosians in defense of their own planet. All too many historical records focus on the contributions of Force-users and she knew it. The main bone of contention was that. Field trips for the public should be undertaken with caution: misinterpretation by the locals can make such a tour go awry.

"The Geonosians built the battle droids involved, all right, and contributed all the heavy firepower in the arena itself; they also provided nearly all the air cover of the Confederacy on both battles - these are tactically important roles that so many tend to overlook. Historians tend to overplay the importance of Force-users to the detriment of other military elements. What else is there in addition to that?"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

Vanderhing nodded in agreement

"So true madam, these other military operations were very influential in determining the conclusion of a battle. I hope that you will capitalize on the Geonosians role in the war very much. Now how many credits do you suppose that this will gross per week?"

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

"If Star Tours installs its southeastern hub on Geonosis, it will be a lot more than just the Genesis of the Clone Wars tour"

Thank the Force for these queens stashed off-world by the Confederacy, or Confederate holdouts, or else there would be no Geonosian today. But since the Techno Union collapsed, and the other two corporations among the Big Three no longer serviced Geonosis as intensively as it used to, Star Tours could fill the gap left behind by Maersk Star Freight. Since the Techno Empire still had an industrial base, it made sense for Dunames to expand to Geonosis. Bothawui was there mostly as an hypermatter route: it turns out that the hypermatter refining company was stagnant, and somewhat minor in Star Tours' plans, even though it isn't a dud. Geonosis was the real deal for hypermatter: orbital refineries located within asteroid fields would produce hundreds of thousands of tons of hypermatter a day. The Techno Empire will be a net exporter of hypermatter, especially with Star Tours in tow.

"The Tour itself would probably gross a thousand visitors a day or two at the beginning. Roughly 1,000 credits for each visitor that will stay on Geonosis on average. But a shipping hub on Geonosis would be of help on several levels: facilitate trade between the Techno Empire and the rest of the galaxy being one of the major implications"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

"That's excellent!" Vanderhing chuckled "Then you won't mind a teensy tax being paid on the tours here?!"

Vanderhing knew how lucrative a small tax on the tourist traps would be lucrative and very helpful for the government and would make it very rich

[member="Dunames Lopez"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Taxation. A touchy topic for a lot of business across a lot of industries. She knew such tours tended to attract wealthier customers but were more fashionable across a lot of different worlds. Galaxy-wide touristic business meant that business was good for the lot of them. The Geonosian government would probably want stuff like hotel taxes and spaceport taxes, in that order, which are less likely to cause backlash among the locals.

"That would have to be industry-wide, for all spacelines operating such tours"

[member="Herr Vanderhing"]

 

[Herr Vanderhing]

"Well that's not entirely true, and this wasn't my idea, it's what the people wan't" Vanderhing stated

Genf Orkay leaned over and whispered some numbers to Vanderhing then Vanderhing whispered back they arguing intensely with each whisper then Vanderhing shook his head; Genf won the argument. The tall Neimoidian stood next to Vanderhing with a smug smirk.

"A mere 2% tax is all we ask madam, 1% for the government and 1% for a *ahem* personal count"

Vanderhing stated

[member="Dunames Lopez"]