Capitalism Is Fun (Tegaea)

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Events both dramatic and mundane were occuring in the Galaxy. Coruscant had fallen to the Sith after the Jedi Temple had been blown up, the considerable Republic fleet apparently wholly bypassed. Now a battle was being waged over the fate of Carida, where the modern fleet of the Republic and its allies clashed with the old Sith Empire and ancient Clone Wars era warships the One Sith had been able to muster, perhaps having found the latter in a museum, or so Siobhan thought. At Dromund Kaas the New Order had been repelled and Siobhan had crushed a bridge tower again...because apparently she was terribly eager to escape paperwork.

Clearly peace for our time would not come to pass and so Star Peace was but a distant hope! But then according to some war was good for business. Assuming of course it did not take place on the planet where said business had its headquarters. Regardless, the Board of Control would be in session in the Firemane headquarters, the office overlooking the beautiful, gleaming city of Santaissa. Well, strictly speaking it would probably be inaccurate to call it a board, as it consisted merely of former Lady Protector Tegaea Alcori and former Exarch Siobhan Kerrigan and two people do not make a board. However, Siobhan liked the name and was terribly insistent on calling it that!

Unfortunately, not all of their time could be spent lounging around with pliant Eldorai girls. Well, it could, but then the company would not make a profit! Firemane had risen from its humble beginnings after the couple had left the Protectorate following the tragic events that led to Tegaea's resignation and was now establishing itself as a rising corporation. What course the Protectorate took no longer concerned them, they were building their own future and helping the Eldorai experience the wonders of progress. Now it was time to solidify Firemane and expand its reach so that it might become a power. As much as this meant for Siobhan that she would actually have to sit down and...do some actual work that did not involve explosions, death and such! Life on top was truly a tedious affair sometimes.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tegaea entered the room dressed in an elegant business suit and sat down opposite Siobhan.
“I suppose the Board of Control meeting is in session?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. She was hoping that they would soon expand things out a bit more so there was more than two of them. A board of two was like an invasion force of twelve; apparently workable but just a little absurd.

“So what’s on the agenda for today, Siobhan?”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Siobhan was not sure how she would feel about more people joining the 'Board'. They might manifest independent opinions and then she would be expected to listen to them! It was enough that she did what Tegaea told her to do...mostly. When she felt like it. At times with a great deal of moping about more or less relevant issues. Back when she had been Exarch the members of her Executive Council had been annoyingly willful at times and unfortunately for Siobhan since Tegaea and Anya were Neutral Good she had not been allowed to embark upon the courageous initiative and turn the Protectorate into the Dominate.

Or institute a cult of personality.

Siobhan's power trip fantasies aside, she was dressed just as beautifully in an elegant business suit, which seemed part and parcel of living on top since she had gotten used to dressing the part. "Are you expecting me to actually read agendas, let alone remember them? You're the smart one," Siobhan pouted, perhaps proving that she had not yet really grown up. Regardless she brought forth a datapad, pushing it over to Tegaea. Fortunately Siobhan had not written notes by hand and so what was on it would actually be readable!

"As we discussed a long time ago past contracts have given us plenty of surplus funds and so I figure we can start expanding. For one slowly begin work on constructing those shipyards we've wanted for Kaeshana for a long time, with Anya's agreement and support. Then there's the phrik I got from Moross for helping them thrash Horde. It's a sizeable shipment, so we should put it to use," to be more precise enough for one personal and one limited production tech sub.

"Also been looking into our old briefings on Gehenna from the final battle. Planet's a bloody hellhole, but back in the day MICO established there's deposits of diamonds there. Bando Gora mined it for their war chest. No one's doing anything with the planet, we conquered it." Theirs by right of conquest far as she was concerned. There were some more items on the agenda and Tegaea would doubtless have things to add as well.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tegaea shook her head slowly. “Perish the thought that I’d want you to prepare a schedule,” she said with a smile.

“Okay, yes, those things sound possible. Phrik is a highly valuable material. Do you have any suggests on what to make with it? I know you and Tempest have your Mandalorian armour, so you won’t need it. What has Eyrecae got for protection?” When she said that name there was just a brief turn down of her mouth. The white haired immortal was as much of a threat as a prize to her way of thinking.

“The shipyards will take a great deal of effort. We’d best talk to Anya about that, since they’re going to have to fund a lot of it. As for Gehenna…potentially. We’d best send an expedition there to find out what’s available. There will be a lot of setup costs involved there, so unless the rewards are worth it, we’d best not even bother.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]


"You know I've always liked red hair more than white. Red just has this aura that makes you want to go on your knees. Like it's magic," Siobhan quipped lamely, though genuinely. She had the impression that Tegaea was just a bit jealous of Eyrecae. Of course, Siobhan was inherently self-centred and so it was natural for her to think that everything was about herself! Instead of considering the very objective argument that the supersoldier from the primeval past of the Eldorai could be as much an asset as a threat.

She affectionately stroked her wife's hand. "She seems to think she doesn't need protection, but a suit of phrik armour would be good for her. Lightsabres are one of the few things that can really hurt her, beyond being repeatedly crushed by ridiculously heavy objects. I think Moross provided us with enough phrik to also put a melee weapon into limited production, say a sword or a warhammer. Valora's Maul?" she asked with a thin smile.

"As for the shipyards and Gehenna, you're right." Tegaea was the more level-headed and smarter one and so Siobhan, despite often being unruly or downright mopey when things did not go her way, deferred to her. "Would be a big investment in both cases, worth it I think though and helping the elves get shipyards wins us brownie points with them. I did a number on Cavalry Base when I tore it down, there'd be plenty of rubble to clear away and some monsters may have survived. Can't rule out Bando Gora splinter groups visiting the planet after the remnant I helped wipe out at the Hebrides. Or other darksiders. Following rumours there might be arcane artefacts left over from Abaddon. We...didn't exactly have time to salvage what with fighting Chaos worshippers and monsters. If the op's worthwhile and there's shiny toys left behind it would be best to secure them. Not keen on amulets of doom and holocrons about raising zombies or demons being put on auctions." It was bad enough that trihexalon and genocidal A.I.s got sold to rogue war criminals.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

@Suobhan Kerrigan
Tegaea smiled slightly at the first comment. “Like magic indeed. I’m glad my hair has that effect on you still. Let’s hope it doesn’t change when I get old and gray myself,” she said. As for Tegs herself, she’d noticed a few grey hairs appearing, but has not made an issue of them. She was no longer the eighteen year old mercenary. A lot had happened in the unspecified but likely well over a decade and a half since she’d left Coruscant.

“Phrik armour? And a hammer probably suits her best. She seems best when using or being a blunt instrument,” she said a little sourly. “Do you know any smiths who can work or forge Phrik well enough to make such items?”

“The recent resources obtained from Dahomey and elsewhere have been helpful, but we cannot do both projects. The cost of the shipyards will be in the hundreds of millions of credits range, whilst Gehenna would be scarcely less. I suggest we work on the shipyards whilst we try and determine the potential value on Gehenna. We don’t want to waste our money on a potential boondoggle. We will need assistance from Silk or another manufacturer to provide the shipyard pieces, and engineers to put them together. We’ll need to do a full cost analysis on this.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"You'll always be the one redhead for me," Siobhan said softly. Presumably she would be feeling the effects of aging as well by now, as the playby is obviously a rather idealised depiction, since for one it lacks scars. The first few grey hairs would show, much to her annoyance, for Siobhan was rather vain. Still better than getting creepy, demonic yellow eyes! Much as she would like to think and often acted otherwise, her body was not in the best shape it had been a few years ago. It showed given how Force reliant she was these days.

She noted the sour tone when Tegaea spoke of Eyrecae and for a moment looked a bit upset. After all, was she any use for much more than using or being a blunt instrument? Leave it to Siobhan to make everything about herself again. But fact was that in many ways she and Eyrecae were very similar. "She is nice when you get to know her. She's not just a bludgeon," she said a bit defensively, though the tone was not confrontational and she did not pursue the matter further. She did not like arguing with her wife.

When it came to the rest of what Tegaea had to say, the part concerned with business and all that she nodded. "Agreed. I'll have a survey team look into Gehenna and assess the situation before we make a decision. Even if it means digging up Moira's files all over again. Also check out to see whether the planet is secure enough to warrant it. Silk Holdings has provided design, consultation and construction aid for shipyards to various nations in the past, figure we can apply for assistance as well, given our contract with them." From what Siobhan had heard Jorus Merrill and his wife Alna had retired from heading the company to pursue their dream in the stars, a woman called Selka Ventus was in charge now. She was unknown to Siobhan, though highly recommended.

"I know a couple weapon smiths we can draft for this, some refugees from the Purge on Atrisia. I can give [member="HK-36"] a call to help out- he's constructed phrik pikes for his Iron Company manufactured through his Guild of Hammers." These days HK was the only one with whom she had actual contact with in the Protectorate and he was a very good friend. Besides, he sort of owed her for the whole saving him from the spirit of the Machine God's champion thing.

Yes, it was totally a Siobhan thing to look upon the situation in that manner.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tegaea heard the defensiveness and the unwelcome sour note of jealousy entered her thoughts again. Why did she feel this way?
“I’m sorry, Sio. I just think she could be dangerous. Not to mention the first time I met her she was trying to kill you.” And you bedded her right afterwards, Tegaea thought to herself. She didn’t know why this bothered her so much. It wasn’t like any of Siobhan’s other conquests bothered her usually, or vice versa. It was something for a psychologist probably.

“HK does seem like the one to turn to, for sure, if he’s available. We will of course pay him. As for the shipyards, I think that’s right. We’ll start with a space station in orbit and build the shipyards around them. A station would be useful in any case for defence, but also berthing the warships we have already. Things are rather inefficient in orbit right now.”

 

[HK-36]

On Abregado-Rae,

HK was sitting in a chair in his under-ground office, with a datapad connected to his systems he was filling out some paper-work. Just doing some formalities as part of his Observer duties.

Suddenly, he would look up, as a Jedi sensing a disturbance in the force,
"Did someone just said they can pay me?"
HK looked around the office,
"Hello?"

He slightly leaned over his desk, scanning over his office carefully,
"Hello?"

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

((Phrik warhammer is supposed to be limited production, not just for Eyrecae. Armour is personal. ))


"She wasn't trying to kill me. I guess we did go a little overboard but that was never her intent," Siobhan responded. It was strange, but she did feel rather protective of Eyrecae ever since having learnt about the suffering she had endured at the hands of her mad 'creator'.


At the same time she did not want to make things difficult between herself and her wife. It was perhaps interesting from a psychological perspective, but Siobhan had a strong need for harmony in her domestic life despite being a thrill seeker outside of it. She suspected that Tegaea was jealous, but was unsure how to approach it. It was true that Eyrecae was the first of her lovers who was her equal in strength. Well, obviously Adril had been her master and superior, but that was ages ago. Siobhan and the Eldorai supersoldier would either hit it off very well - perhaps too well - or have a cliched rivalry because the former could not accept an equal. As it turned out the first option had come to pass. However, equally it was fact that Siobhan had a strong protector complex, meaning that she wanted to be the one with the strength - the sort to crush things, not the psychological one - in a relationship.


"Eyrecae's a friend, I trust her. But I don't want her the way I want you. The way I wanted you since you recruited me into the Pyre and gave me a purpose," she added, leaning forward to give Tegaea a kiss.


That said she returned back to business. "Agreed. I'll give [member="HK-36"] a call. Sure he'll be available. There's a few areas where I think our companies can do business anyway, judging by the designs he's been churning out for his troops. Space station sounds about right. The elves would appreciate some defences in orbit," she scribbled down some notes in her notebook. In her usual poor handwriting, though in Eldarai, since she figured writing more in it might help her get better at it.

"Thought just entered my mind, do we still have your old suit of armour? The awesome one with the jetpack you had on Malastare and Denon?" she asked once she looked up.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
Tegaea let the matter of Eyrecae drop. The other woman was on Dahomey anyway, and thus well outside her probable experience of meeting.
“My armour? Sure, I’ve got it in the study. Haven’t worn it for years,” she said wistfully. Perhaps she missed the days of reckless abandon where she would charge into battle herself, laying down bolter fire. “I think your armour is a bit more impressive though,” she said with a smile.

“Space stations are not difficult to construct, though they are expensive. I think we can get a decent one constructed then towed into orbit quite quickly. I’ll make enquiries.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

http://starwarsrp.net/topic/3027-mk-i-omicron-tactical-assault-armour/

Siobhan felt like suggesting they go flying one day, having picked up on the wistful tone, but then thought better of it. Her wife had not worn her armour and used its jetpack for a long time. She would love to take Tegs flying with her, but, perhaps fortunately, her wife was a saner person than she was.


"Well, it's a good design and looks cool. I was just wondering whether we could use it as a basis for a commando armour to put on the market and for the use of our elite troops, as limited production for now. Guess we'd have to modify it a bit to cut down on costs, but duraplast is a solid materiel without being prohibitively expensive like say phrik."


Wait, she had said 'prohibitively'. Her wife had corrupted her into using big words! The magical power of the redhead was truly remarkable.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tegaea pondered that briefly, then nodded. “Strip out the jetpack and cut down on some of the more special features and I reckon this could be quite effective. After all, we took the Bolter and made the Mk2 version by slimlining it down. We could make two versions though, one mass, and one limited, based on the options they have.”

The armour could be an effective way of producing protection for all Firemane’s soldiers and operatives.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"And the sales pitch is 'Be as badass as Tegaea Alcori. She faced a dragon and jumped on a Gunship and brought it down with a lightsabre. Without training or space magic. The only superpower you need is to go to the gym," Siobhan said with evident fondness in her tone.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tegaea laughed, then sighed. “Yeah. Those were the days. The days when everything was simple. The days when manifest destiny and repairing the galaxy were near and dear to our hearts. Now everything’s much more muddy, everything’s so much more complicated.”

After a moment she looked up at Siobhan. “Well, that’s that. Shall we look into the station? I think a geo sync orbit over Santaissa is the best move. That’ll give them protection from any direct assault, and also provide the shortest distance for shuttles leaving the capital to get up here.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"Yes. Back when it seemed the Galaxy was ours for the taking and it seemed like no problem couldn't be solved by bolter fire. But...throughout everything we've had each other. You've had me, I've had you. More than I could have hoped, or ever thought possible," Siobhan said feelingly. It was official, marriage had turned her into a lovestruck, girly sap. At least she had not tried her hand at love poetry yet because it would probably be awful. Namely of the 'Roses are red, violets are blue. Mistress, I love you' variety.

Fortunately she caught herself before she could come at Tegaea with her lovey-dovey guns blazing. "Sounds good to me. I imagine we can get their backing for that since we're patriotically helping self-strengthening. You got an idea for a shiny name?" Since this was not Archangel this particular station would obviously not have a processing device. Unfortunately, it would probably also not have a literacy module since costs had to kept down. However, it should have an array of defence guns to protect itself against enemy assault and be constructed to provide a berth for the new warships the Eldorai had been constructing with the help of Silk Holdings.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

‘Literacy Module’ is now officially this writer’s favourite euphemism.

“I think they’ll appreciate a good Eldorai name. How about the ‘Tirathana’, standing guard over the capital?”
Being Anya’s throne name, and that of her mother, it would likely go down well.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Literacy module was not an euphemism at all, for education was important. It had helped Siobhan become reasonably able to converse and write in Eldarai. On occasion she even used an actual book for something other than a club. She was actually reading one about Ariane the Great...and her genocidal campaign against the Kar'zun.

For the record Siobhan's handwriting was still appalling and not even decipherable by sophisticated protocol droids!

"Agreed. The stalwart defender of the faith guarding her flock against the foreign barbarians with the power of modern high tech. Yes, they'd like that." No one could accuse Firemane of forcing an unequal treaty upon the Eldorai! One day they would rise and inflict unequal treaties on other people, at least once they found a Space Korea and Space Qing.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
"Yeah, that's great. OK, so this sounds like a plan. We'd better head over and see Anya, get her approval on the matter and then we can get to work. Anya has been asking us to come by for a long while, so this is a good excuse! I think she has a little surprise for us, if I understand her right!"

So after making an appointment with the Star Queen they headed for the palace, checking their weapons at the door.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

"A surprise, really? Sounds fun," Siobhan said in a chipper tone. Would Anya finally attend literacy classes with them again? After all, she was a very learned individual, having received the finest classical education. Her presence had been missed at book club. Or perhaps the Eldorai had at last decided to build golden statues of Siobhan and Tegaea in the centre of Santaissa?

No, Siobhan was not colossally vain and self-centred at all. So off they went to the palace after making an appointment and Siobhan assuring herself that she looked good enough. It was a bit ironic that Anya was the Queen and born an aristocrat yet less inclined to pomp and circumstance than she was. Presumably they went the conventional route to the ziggurat - or the 'big white building' as Siobhan called it in her more proletarian moods - via a speeder since Tegaea, whatever one might say about her, had common sense and thus would probably not let Siobhan 'take her flying'.

They had to give up their weapons, but Monsters' Watch was certain that there would be no sudden manifestations of energy vampyres, leviathans and space ork hordes, so Siobhan was not concerned.