Bones of Adamant (Maelion)

[Moira Skaldi]

Seltos.


Such a beautiful planet. Well, were it not for the fact that the Gulag Virus had done a serious number on it. However, thanks to the Republic and Archangel this poor, benighted world would be uplifted out of its state of lawlessness and poverty. Democracy would once again reign triumphant and in time its citizens would enjoy the fruits of capitalism. Well, maybe yes, maybe not. The true importance of this world lay in the fact that it possessed a restricted and extremely durable metal, namely phrik. Saelari Mining and Minerals, a company owned by the Republic's present Chief of Government, had acquired a lease on the mines. Archangel was providing security and labour...and also using the chance to legally purchase limited quantities of phrik. All in all it was a happy arrangement made in the best spirit of mercantile traditions.



Now if only one day the entire management was processed, it would stop being corrupt. Anyhow, an Archangel shuttle was travelling through the planet's atmosphere, bearing Nalia Alderana and Anna Comnena. Alias Moira Skaldi and [member="Maelion Liates"]. They had come to check up on the mining base...and to work on some rather interesting uses for phrik. It was time to design the bones of adamant and take another step in HRD design.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
As the shuttle came in to land they found an official party awaiting them. Amongst them was the rather sleazy Gordian Saelari, the administrator of the mine.
As Archangel had provided some of the capital and much of the droids for the Radiant Dawn Phrik mine, they were partners. And so Gordian was there, probably because he got to fawn over Anna Comnena and Nalia Alderana with his 'charm'.

"Welcome, ladies, welcome. So pleased to see you back again, Ms Comena. You look even more radiant than before, appropriate for this mine, I suppose!"

Maelion smiled and shook hands. Internally she wanted to squeeze just a little and break all the bones in his hand. However, such a thing might be somewhat difficult to explain!

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


For her part Moira was experiencing the urge to use Gordian Saelari as a guinea pig for creative ways of entechment. Such as transferring his essence into a Ropo. So much for dispassionate, logical and rational droids! Yet another indictator that HRDs were not so stoic. However, much like Maelion, she managed to keep this desire under control.


"A pleasure to meet you, Mr Saelari. Archangel is glad to work with Saelari Mining. We are here to check up on operations and our investment. I trust there have been no untoward incidents?" Moira asked politely, shaking hands and resisting the desire to break his bones. If there had been any incidents, the slime would try to cover them up. Especially anything relating to the fact that he was embezzling money. Archangel was secretly doing its part to make management less...craven.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

Gordian Saelari looked, for the tiniest second, nervous, but then it returned to an oily smile. "No, nothing at all, Ms Alderana. Some minor rabble rousing by the locals, but they were persuaded of the benefits of this mine!"
The Archangel directors, being significantly better informed than he expected, knew this persuasion took the form of tear gas and stun blasts.

"Mr Saelari, I believe you have our order prepared?"

"Of course, of course, please come inside my office," he said. "150kg of Phrik ore, yes?"
"250kg, Mr Saelari," Maelion said flatly.
He couldn't meet her gaze, and looked away. "Of course, my mistake. Please, come in side and we'll finalise the deal."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


Presumably if something like a Labour movement or a Socialist Party existed in the Republic, they would have a few things to say about the art of persuasion practiced by Saelari Mining. However, politics in this Galaxy seems to solely be the province of the elites. Usually said elites are composed of mages, who somehow have commandeered 90& of the Galaxy's top jobs.



The common plebs seem to be reduced to mere background noise. Anyhow, Moira gave the sleazy worm a nod. "Please lead the way. We will oversee the pickup of the phrik personally."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
Gordian Saelari led the way into his office and sat down after offering them drinks. Maelion's scanner detected the whisky was free from toxins. Gordian wasn't the sort who would murder guests. He was a crook but not a killer.

"So, your ore is ready. I can have it loaded onto your transport if you wish."
"We would like to inspect the shipment first," Maelion stated.
"Ms Comnena, you think I would cheat a partner?" Gordian asked, hurt.
"I do not know what you will do, Mr Saelari. In a deal of this magnitude it is only wise to ensure everything is as planned."
"Yes...yes of course. Now, in regards to payment...."
"500,000 credits was the agreed price. I trust there has been no change there?"
Again he couldn't meet her gaze. "No, no change," Gordian said bitterly.
"Ms Alderana, could you go inspect the shipment? I will finalise payment when you give the word."
Ensure this organic does not give us inferior ore, she contacted wirelessly.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


Whilst Maelion had a friendly chat with the sleazy businessman, Moira had been led towards the storeroom where the phrik was waiting for them. She was accompanied by one of Gordian Saelari's minions. Almost inevitably this individual was another Saelari, apparently his niece. Nepotism was inherent to the Saelari Clan. As was corruption.



"There you are, Ms. Alderana. I'm sure you'll find everything in perfect order. Saelari Mining strives to achieve the best," the minion said.


"I shall inspect it first," Moira said blandly.


"Our company would never rip off a customer? Especially one with whom we have business relations," Julia Saelari protested.


"Of course not. But accidents happen," Moira said dryly as she looked over the phrik shipment. Keen, mechanical eyes swept over it, analysing it down to the tiniest detail. The eyes of a machine could see many things that could escape the notice of an organic. In order to make sure that she did not arouse attention, she had brought some of PDA-like scanning device for her. She did not need it herself, but it helped maintain appearances. "That's not what I ordered. This phrik is of inferior quality," she stated flatly after the device had finished scanning.


Julia blushed and looked visibly flustered. Sure, there was nothing in Moira's appearance to suggest that she was anything other than a normal businesswoman. As a matter of fact she was wearing one of the Infiltrator bodies, but there was something terribly unnerving about her. "Oh...I am sorry, Ms Alderana. I assure you that's just a glitch. The foreman probably mixed them up. He's a native, I'll make sure he faces consequences."


"And that I will receive the ore Archangel ordered. I will inspect it."


"Of course, ma'am, of course."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
With suspicious speed another pallet of ore was produced. By coincidence this was the exact amount necessary and moreover was of pure quality.
"One again, a thousand apologies," Julia said, though it was clear she resented 'Nalia's' investigation.

Once Maelion got the message that all was clear she turned to Gordian. "There was a minor mix up with the ore. It seems, somehow, we were initially assigned inferior stock. Incredible, yes?" she asked in a friendly manner.
"It's these natives. Lazy and idle!" Gordian blustered.
"So it seems. The money transfer has been authorised. Thank you for your patronage, Mr Saelari."
Heading for the transport. Watch out for 'accidents'.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


"Thank you, Ms. Comnena. Please don't this minor mishap as a slight against you. You know how these natives are, disobedient and unruly! They have yet to be brought into civilisation, but I'm toiling day and night to teach them productivity," Gordian blustered some more. Apparently he really liked to hear himself talk.



Meanwhile Moira had received Maelion's message and acknowledged it with a silent ping. "I will accompany the shipment and supervise the transport myself," she told Julia, who was clearly trying to hide the fact that she resented the annoying foreigner.


"We have security that can supervise everything. But if you insist..."


"I do. Thank you for your cooperation."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
Maelion had presented several contingencies for if they were attacked by the Saelari who might try and blame it on 'unruly natives'. However, either they were slightly smarted than they looked or didn't have the courage, for no vengeful blasters fired at them.

Maelion reached the transport first, and with an HRD pilot they helped Moira load the cargo on board.

"Let's get going," Maelion said, for the benefit of their organic watchers.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


For a change, there was totally transparent and predictable betrayal and so our two villain protagonists could reach the transport with the goods. That was always nice. "Yes," Moira said, again for the benefit of their organic watchers because droids did not commonly indulge in pointless small talk.



"A pleasure doing business with Saelari Mining," and with that the HRDs boarded their transport and it took off, leaving the outpost and indeed the planet behind. Some time later it would end up docking on the corvette, which would then make the jump to hyperspace. Several hours would pass before their trip was over, which would give them plenty of time to plan the design of the phrik skeletons.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
And so, the mundane aspects of mining complete, the pair set off for their secret base.

On board their ship they could finally talk freely.
"Scans conclude phrik has enough for skeletons for both of us," Maelion said. "Phrik endoskeletons will provide much greater resistance to weapons as well as lightsabres. It will, however, be easier to detect. Deployment only in combat advised."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


Mundane matters had been dealt with, now our two death machines could talk freely and plan things out. "Consensus. For common social interactions the Infiltrator bodies are best suited. Likewise the common durasteel skeleton serves best for most combat situations except the most severe."


After all, if the phrik body got damaged repairing it would be more costly, so it was something best kept to heavy combat. This one recalls that way back when Moira participated in a Rebel Alliance raid on the secret Sith research facility on Styx, she managed to acquire a couple suits of ultrachrome stormtrooper armour. They could still make use of those. Or perhaps reuse the ultrachrome.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
“Agreed. Knowledge of the Phrik must not become well known. I officially labelled the Phrik would be used for mining equipment and droid parts for Republic customs,” Maelion stated.

There at least the corruption of the Saelari had been useful, as Maelion had agreed to go up from 450,000 credits to 500,000 credits if the stated reasons for the purchase were left…vague.

“Have not tested reaction of organic coverings on Phrik. This will require testing to ensure organic decay in components.”

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


It was time to be dev thready and stuff. This tended to involve a good deal of technobabble. This writer does not like technobabble.



Anyhow, Moira signalled assent. Sometimes it was useful that the Saelari family was as corrupt as a clan of banana republic dictators. "We have acquired a special furnace set up to melt the ore. An Atrisian metal smith was processed during their Purge and can supervise the process."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
The temperature to melt and process Phrik was extremely high. Thus, it was wise that precautions had been made in that regard.

“Good. We must calibrate the forging so that it matches our current height exactly. We must also develop means of protecting inside of head and chest chassis against shock, as Phrik is difficult to penetrate. Suggest using some sort of insulation on the inside to resist transferred shock.”

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


This writer is not sure how realistic these sudden brainstorming sessions were. Presumably the design would have been hashed out a long time before even acquiring the phrik. Never mind the fact that the directors of a corporation had plenty of minions, but then dev threads are awkward. Besides, this is a weird Galaxy where apparently even the simplest business details must be hashed out through face-to-face meetings between CEOs of different corporations, despite the fact that something as sophisticated as holocommunications exists.


"Suggest insulation and ionisation buffer against electrical attacks. We should test the bodies' durability against lightsabres once they are constructed." Ionisation buffers were pretty standard and already used by the power armour that Rahvin Industries had designed for the HRDs.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
“Agreed.”

Now the mundane techo talk was out of the way, the actual creation could begin. On board the Archangel space station, the special forge had been setup. From their shuttle the Phrik ore was taken to be crushed and broken up, then put into the furnace to melt along with the Tyderium which was an essential component.

Going to stand beside the forge, Maelion looked at the rapidly liquefying metal. Were she an organic it might case contemplation about her place in the universe and the way that she was remaking herself. But she wasn't, so she didn’t.
Instead she was carefully monitoring the temperature.

“Prepare the moulds,” she ordered.

This writer seems to be doing a lot of forging threads recently.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


And so they found themselves aboard their secret space station. Hopefully it would survive the Apocalypse when the Celestials...no the Reapers, oh, wait that's the same thing, invaded the Galaxy and randomly abducted billions of people for...some reason.



Anyhow, the moderately bizarre brainstorming sessions was over, and now they could get to the job of forging. Since Maelion's writer likes to write about forging so much, this one shall not try to steal their thunder by elaborating about it too much. Anyhow, as was commanded the droid minions set to work and prepared the moulds. The metal was rapidly liquefying. The metal was melting beautifully after it was put into the specially designed furnace, with the droids carefully monitoring the temperature.


Much like Maelion, Moira was not inclined to philosophical musings. As interesting as a debate about the way she was constantly remaking herself in the pursuit of a crusade to commit galactic omnicide. Or about what the machines would actually do after all organics had been wiped out and the Galaxy was solely populated by...clones of themselves. When you thought about it, these death machines were extreme narcissists.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
Narcissist or not, these droids were also rather ironically insane in their plans for dominion in the way the former Sith Emperor was. They would consume every living thing to make the galaxy logical, but in the end would also deprive them of any purpose.

Still, they weren't going to stop. So into the casts the Phrik was poured. Droids repetitively and precisely extracted impurities from the metal by heating, rolling and heating again until the casts were precisely filled.

Thus stage one was complete.