SS DISCOVERY
MC42 Ruisto-class Exploration Craft
There were new challenges to operating a business in this universe all the time.
He had telecommunications infrastructure in the Kathol Sector being attacked by the Qektoth Confederation, or sabotaged by the Pimbrellan League, or raided for precious metals by pirates. If that wasn't enough, his own Chief Financial Officer had attempted a
coup at the last shareholder's meeting. And he was still sorting through who in the organization might have been
fait accompli with the falsification of financial records for Corellia Digital or Corell Financial. If that weren't enough, he was trying to start up a military defense subsidiary on Laekia, and had found himself facing contract disputes, labor unions, and construction delays that were causing all manner of overruns on their anticipated expenses for this quarter.
Unfortunately, as much as he'd like to dig in his heels, stop, and address all the problems to this point... the name of the game was
innovation.
And that meant his job was to look for ways to open new markets, and he'd just have to rely on his staff to manage the issues as best they could. He had [member="Marque"] looking over the financial reports, and filling in as Corell Financial's interim president. And [member="Aisha Marc"] would have to negotiate with the Laekia authorities on her own. She'd negotiated in more difficult situations as a Levantine FrontierCorps officer, so at least there was that.
Besides, the time in hyperspace gave him an opportunity to get away from the investors or market analysts, and just relax.
A chime buzzed from the end table near where he was meditating. It seemed
all good things must come to and end. Rising up from the floor, the boy made his way over to the table, depressing the comm unit that was flush with the table top.
"Yes?"
"We've reached the Phindar System and have entered orbit of the planet."
Phindar. Mandalorian territory.
The recent 'bad blood' between the Jedi and the Mandalorians certainly wasn't anything new, but it did seem out of character. Particularly based on the report given by Mara Merrill. The boy had interacted with the Mandalorians of Clan Rekali in the Kathol Outback, and he considered one member in Clan Munin to be family. Both could be headstrong, even obstinate. But the level of vindictive aggression described from the incident at Ilum were wholly out of place, at least with regard to Sor-Jan's interactions with those Mandalorian Clansmen.
Then again, not all Jedi were the same. So it would be mistake to over generalize the Mandalorian Clans in any way.
The
Discovery was a different Ruisto than he was used to, the layout and internal configuration as familiar as it was different from the
Epistellar Jovian he was more accustomed to. That ship was at a Lucerne Labs facility, undergoing repairs and refit as a result of damages incurred when the One Sith had attacked during a commercial survey of the Chandrila System. Which was a threat to business of a different kind entirely. Though, if nothing else, it had clearly demonstrated the need for their multi-vector, self-propelled battle droids to serve as escorts for their commercial fleet.
He took one of the
Tacyon-class light freighters to the surface. He'd have rather been in the pilot's seat, but the corporate entourage simply didn't allow him that kind of luxury.
"...shares in the Silver Sanctum Coalition are trading for two-point-three percent less than yesterday."
"Crescentia Industries focuses on cybernetics, particularly replacement limbs and augmentation..."
"Focus groups responded twenty-three percent negatively to our opening business with the Mandalorians. Sor-Jan, do you think this is going to play well with investors?"
"...the owner's name is [member="Bhaltair Dhimani"]. We suspect that's who we should be meeting with."
Imagine being
ten years old and having to put up with all of
that.
Walking off the transport, the boy pulled on a light jacket. He didn't wear Jedi attire unless he was visiting a Jedi Temple. Instead, he wore the traditional attire of a Corellian spacer. Dark navy trousers, decorated with the yellow piping of a Corellian bloodstripe earned during the Yinchorri Uprising, were tucked into the tops of Selonian half-boots. The collar-less shirt under the open jacket was rather plain. He was unarmed... relatively speaking anyway.
Paperweight was hanging off the left side of his belt. But that had always been more of a status symbol than a weapon. At least, before the Clone Wars anyway.
The conference room was ambitious. Circular table, accenting a room that was round in design. The ascetics created the feel of open space, particularly with the high vaulted ceiling. The youngling's warm, grey eyes took that in with all the innocent awe of a small child, before the tow-headed boy looked over at the man who was speaking.
What did they desire?
"Mister Dhimani, I presume?" the youngling knight asked aloud.
"My name is Xantha. Sor-Jan Xantha." There were any number of titles that might, or might not, have been associated with the drop of the name. President Sor-Jan Xantha, the CEO of one of the largest and most successful IT companies in the galaxy at present. Professor Sor-Jan Xantha, formerly of the history department at the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. General Sor-Jan Xantha, commander of the 432nd Legion during the Clone Wars, who'd also fought with the Resistance against the First Order at the Battle of Skye. Or, more recently, with the Underground at Kal'Shebbol. And, perhaps more controversially, Master Sor-Jan Xantha of the Order of the Silver Jedi.
All things being equal, even among padawans, the boy preferred to go by '
S.J.' He'd never cared for titles, or for putting on airs, so he'd always carried himself with the humility of a young boy. Which he was or wasn't, depending on your point of view given that he was a nine hundred year old Anzat vampire.
A
growing nine hundred year old Anzat vampire at that.
"We were most intrigued by the generous offer to do business with you. As a Jedi-owned and sponsored corporation, it was rather surprising that a Mandalorian company would reach out to us, but our desire for new business partnerships and opportunities may be where we have common ground."
Vague. A little preachy, perhaps. He was a Jedi after all.
Plus credits. Or aurodium. Or whatever passed as currency in this part of the galaxy. He had shareholders to please, after all. And he swore they were the Council of Sith Lords sometimes...
