Don't bite the hand that feeds you

[Danger Arceneau]

​

Elsewhere in the ‘Verse...


//INC
//COPERO HAS BEEN RAIDED
//...
//SEARCH AND SEIZURE OF TITAN ASSETS IS UNDERWAY
//DIRECTIVE FROM CEO OBAULDI
//SEIZE ASSETS. TORCH ASSETS. ELIMINATE OPPOSITION.
//OPERATION TIAMAT IS UNDERWAY

Smoke rose in fleeting blue white wisps; there but only for a moment before becoming a distant memory.

Twin orbs of vibrant green would slowly skim from the active quasar in the distance of the wide viewport onto her holoscreen at the beep of the incoming report. For one who held the aurodium strands of various networks and clout, Danger Arceneau was one to make the most out of each subtle tug and vibration down the line. Things had to be done in response to the news. Vilium was one of them... This, was another.

A request had been asked of her. One that had her mulling over the years and reports therein, each carefully typed and presented to her in highly encrypted files by Aeri Vyn.

Her fingernails would give a light thrum across the well worn and polished bodywood surface of her desk. The clink of ice slowly sinking into the pool of amber liquid of rare Whyren’s reserve, condensation beading like liquid diamonds on the side of the lowball glass.

Two fingers would bring the vice back to her lips, inhaling a slow drag that would send the stimulating narcotic into her lungs, her pupils slightly dilating at the rush of nicotine.

Words came to mind. Scripted in bold curves and lines.

The Twins… I know you’ve never met them… but… just watch them. I tried to teach them some of what you taught me.

A stream of smoke would fall from the corner of her mouth, hooded eyes lifting towards the two miniature holographic images of the grown progeny of Alric Kuhn in front of her desk. Their information gleaned from various sources streaming along the holographic screen.

The thrum of fingertaps would halt, and she would lift and reach over towards the analog Dejarik board game in front of her.

With a small move, she would take the M’onnok and move it forward from white to black.

A small holographic scanner would record her move and transmit it half a galaxy away...

Spoiler

[member="Tsavong Kraal"] [member="Reverance"]

 

[Danger Arceneau]

The Corellian System
Talus
Arceneau Trade Company

There were few things that Danger cared about. 'Me and mine' were the general terms, but that also extended to the amount of work she had put forward in the reconstruction and humanitarian aid done for the Corellian System ever since the Nine Hells burst open with their dead.

Corellia was now broken in half, an amalgam of two different planets. Arceneau Trade Company along with Titan Industries had done a wealth of work to rebuild Corellia and bring it back to a fragment of it's former glory. Much of their work was actually tied together, much like the one location of interest that would be Danger's objective.

Vilium.

Nestled in the southern hemisphere of what remained of Corellia, Arceneau Trade Company had used this as their location headquarters for the reconstruction and the rebuilding of the infrastructure of Corellia. It was an important location for the Trade Queen; she had no interest in the shipyards or in any other Titan location. But in this where she had built her headquarters for the aide of the Corellian People, she did.

In response to the potential attack of hired mercenaries, Danger would utilize her own mercenary, Hegemonic droids, and Darkwater resources within Vilium to start securing it, with more being transported in from the neighboring planets. She had no interest in Titan products or their inventory; her focus was on ensuring that the Corellian people who worked there and that the facility itself would remain undisturbed. Eight thousand people had been butchered on Coporo; it would not happen in Vilium.

The One Sith could seize the shipyards, she gave two piles of poodoo on that.

The people and this location were far more important to her. Which is why a call would be sent to [member="Tsavong Kraal"] to seek the purchase of the location and place it firmly under Arceneau Trade protection.

There after, she had the One Sith to discuss business with.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

The Corellian System
Talus
Arceneau Trade Company


The deployment of security reinforcements would first come from the Twin Planets of Talus and Traulus. It was there that the main headquarters for the shipping and transport of goods and trade was located at.

She already had 2,000 SC1 Battle Droids on location along with the 15 units of P1 DESTROYER droids. For security measures, the initial call for all civilian personnel to transfer to the designated secure facility would go echoing throughout the overhead speakers. All civilians transported from the shipyards back to Vilium. Orders were that no Corellian or civilian employee and their families based on Vilium were to be harmed; their security was paramount.

There was a murmur going throughout Vilium, people had already heard what had happened on Coporo, and there was a nervous tension in the air. Eight thousand of Titan's employees murdered! This was a bit more worrisome for the Corellians who had lost so much already; Vilium was also a residential facility. They were here with their families, kids. They had begun to start a new life.

Being part of a conflict between Titan and the One Sith was something Danger was going to ensure they would not have to worry about.
Even if she had to fight tooth and nail for them.

Meanwhile, Aeri Vyn, her assistant, would continue to go through the channels to get in contact with Obauldi as well as preparing for what will be an eventual discussion with the Wrath of the Dark Lord -- the local Voice was not available. She had the former Titan CEO's direct line before; but this was someone else entirely, she had to keep up appearances.

No one new how close Alric Kuhn and Danger had truly been, that their relationship had gone beyond that of business associates in the reconstruction of Corellia.

No one save Silara Kuhn herself.

It was that revelation to his wife that has caused the estrangement between the Tetan and the Queen of Trade. A promise he'd broken where he'd given her his word. Her best friend.

Her lips would purse.

There were other things to consider now. Other people to focus on. Other priorities. The whereabouts of Alric Kuhn would have to wait.

A glance would shift over towards the two miniature figures of Rose and Lily Kuhn.

Well.... not everything.

Spoiler

Incoming security assets from Traulus and Talus.

• [[ TA1 Battle Droid ]] 50,000
  
• [[ TA2 Super Battle ]] 10,000
• [[ TA3 Tactical Droid ]] 50,000
  
• [[ TA4 Ultra Battle Droid ]] x 5,000

 

[Ra Vizsla]

Tefraxis' face appeared on the holocomm as he answered the call.

"This is Titan. Go."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

The Corellian System
Talus
Arceneau Trade Company
[member="Tsavong Kraal"]

Aeri Vyn was a full blooded Zeltron and a former Valkyrie of Titan. She had had her fair share of interactions with Yuuzhan Vong.

Just never with Tefaxis.

She would quickly transfer the call as soon as it connected over to Danger, and it would be her face that would flare up upon the Titan's holoarray.

"Mistah Obauldi, a pleasure that you are able to receive my call." Danger began, her expression friendly and her voice cordial. One catches more bantha flies with honey than you do with vinegar, her mother would always tell her, and it was a pearl of wisdom Danger made a habit to utilize at all costs.

"I am Danger Arceneau of Arceneau Trade Company." she would introduce herself, having only interacted with Alric with Titan before.

"The news on what happened on Coporo is most disturbing, and with the joint ventures enacted in the Corellian Sector for humanitarian aide and reconstruction efforts, I am concerned that the bounty you posted along with the harsh reaction of the One Sith will have harsh consequences on the Corellian population who have settled down on Vilium with their families."

Her head would slightly cant to the right. Business was business and she knew far too well that dealing fair and upfront made things go faster and easier.

"The butchering of Coporo makes it clear that the chance of something of such equal and brutal nature would happen at Vilium is high. I want to ensure that it doesn't."

Vilium had no Yuuzhan Vong presence there. This was to ensure that the Corellian population would not feel threatened or uneasy. There were no shapers. Nothing that would signify any kind of Yuuzhan Vong tech. Buying it meant that the residential facilities, the starport, and the medical research and development labs that produced Aspha, owned jointly by ATC and Titan would remain without being disturbed.

"I would offer to purchase Vilium from you in order to bring it under the protection of Arceneau Trade. The Corellian Employees and their families can remain under my care and ensure that any employee who so wishes to continue under the employment of Titan Industries be transferred to a secure location of your choosing."

That Titan had already enacted security procedures to ensure that the shipyards and titan products were secured or destroyed via Operation Tiamat was already a known fact.

All her concern was about the families and their homes left behind.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Corellia was a priority world after Tefrexis’ little stunt, to such a degree that a reaction from the One Sith was not a question of if, but rather one of when. So it wasn’t entirely too strange when a Sith Armada dropped out of Hyperspace at the edge of the Corellia System, it was a world that resided within their territory.

It had been a world that which had been strongly contested during the beginning days of the incident, otherwise known as ‘That Day When Billions Disappeared’, so the fact that a Sith Armada had come to reclaim the system in the name of the Dark Lord?

Not strange at all.

The Voice of the Dark Lord stood on the bridge of his flagship, next to him a Hand and next to her?

Her pinky.

Because they needed to be anatomically correct about this.

[member="Vrag"] [member="Sage Bane"] [member="Reverance"]​

 

[Vrag]

There were quite a few sorts of people in the galaxy; one, for example, that completely lacked anything resembling a self-preservation instinct, and another that thought that the titles of the Dark Lord's most powerful servants were amusing. Coincidentally enough, the overlap between the two groups was high to say the least.

Call her biased, but Vrag had always thought their positions were rather aptly named.

If nothing else, the Voice beside her certainly knew how to do justice to his title in those nights they spent together. It was a good thing, really, that they could afford to buy not only an apartment, but the whole skyscraper below it to boot, or complaints about disturbances would surely have been filed.

She allowed herself a small smirk and turned her gaze at the man on her right, assessing his posture. As always, [member="Sage Bane"] was just skirting the edge of what was appropriate for someone in the disciplined structure of the One Sith, with his lax stance and that insolent curl to his mouth.

He was a damn good asset in battle, however. With a heavy sigh, the Hand of the Dark Lord looked back at [member="Darth Carach"]. "And here I thought I won't have to do this once again, and so karking soon too," her grin disappeared, replaced by a slight hint of annoyance instead.

"Oh, well. I'll have the troops get ready."

[member="Reverance"]​

 

[Sage Bane]

Sage Bane stood on the bridge of Darth Carach's Sith Armada, awaiting his orders from the Voice and the Hand. As usual, there was a casual nonchalance in his posture and a smug glint in his eyes that was anomalous to the situation at hand. Despite his indifferent appearance, Sage was rising up in the ranks as one of the One Sith's best guard dogs. Having proven himself in battles on Zenith Prime, Ashera, and Iridonia, not only did the Sith Knight display shining mastery of the Ataru form, but he was also gaining more control over his Vong biot, an amphistaff arm which was now hidden behind its masquer. Sage tended to keep his arm glamoured until it was time to fight. After all, black leathery tentacles sprouting from your shoulder blade often attracted unwanted attention. However, sometimes the trio of sentient creatures had minds of their own and would burst from their masquer at the most inopportune times. It made dating especially awkward.

At Vrag's disapproving look, he shot back a wolfish smile. She returned it with an even more withering glare. Despite the "playful" back-and-forth between the hand and her pinky, he knew that she trusted him to be extremely vicious in combat. Whatever happened next, no matter who they were up against, Sage knew that he would give no quarter. Despite his pretty-boy looks, this dog had a bite that was much, much worse than his bark.

[member="Vrag"] [member="Reverance"] [member="Darth Carach"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Darth Carach"] | [member="Sage Bane"] | [member="Vrag"]

For one reason or another, Darth Carach believed in a thing called over-kill. Adekos could understand why, seeing that over-kill was one of the most tired and true tactics of warfare. The One Sith had shown their mastery over the sacred art of over-kill during the butchering of the Copero shipyards. Thousands of people. Dead. Because someone, somewhere, had taken an unnecessary dump in Titan Industries' cornflakes. Now that he didn't feel obliged to wear the trappings of a Sith of any stripe, Adekos more frequently and more vocally expressed his disgust with the One Sith. Just about everything they did. Their Vong-propogating and appeasing ways, their callous disregard for even the most basic principles of civilization and etiquette... Yes, pretty much everything.

And yet here he was, on the bridge of Darth Carach's star destroyer, ostensibly to help that member of the One Sith maintain the infrastructural integrity of the One Sith.

Whatever woes fell on the One Sith were rightly deserved and Adekos hardly wanted to assist them in any aspect at this stage of the game. But Carach had assured him that by assisting in this little mission that Adekos was really furthering a much higher and much worthier cause. Fine. As long as some member of the galaxy's premier galactic secret society stood to gain something from this, it couldn't be a total waste of time. Adekos shrugged his shoulders and waited there, standing idly by the doors to the bridge, well away from Darth Carach and those two mystery individuals who had accompanied him. Adekos had absolutely no desire to speak to either of them.

They smelled like Vong.

 

[Cira]

The Corellian System
Arceneau Trade Company


The Arceneau Merchant Fleet sent the fastest ships it had to transport the troops. Ironically, it was the Maladi's that would serve as the escort to the fleet.

Back on the broken halves of Corellia, the shuttles from the shipyards would continue to deploy the thousands of employees back to the planet. Emergency protocol procedures would emphasis the evacuation.

When the looming Sith Fleet came, the tension would only grow. Some of the Corellians were starting to get upset, while others would say to just please get on the damn ship.

They had others to think about. Families. To confront the Sith now was to encourage what had occurred in Coporo. Guarding the shuttles there were the Arceneau Trade company fleet that patrolled the area and were aiding with the evacuations.

The captain on the flagship, a Cathar female by the name of Po Khar, would send the following order.

Stand by.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Copero.

It had been a slaughterhouse, how many dead? Numbering in the thousands and that was understating the fact. But it hadn’t been a mindless slaughter, behind the systematic killing there had been a single purpose and that purpose was a simple reminder.

The Galaxy at large had become complacent, forgetful of what the Sith represented. They figured that if the Beast hadn’t waged battle against the Republic that it meant something, that it was the Sith who had grown tired and weakened.

But the truth was so far from that.

During that day the One Sith had shown its fist again, underlined why it was a bad idea to try something as Titan Industries had tried, but in the end? It had been a reminder, not the introduction of a new policy.

Which is why when the Sith Armada had entered the Corellian Sector, the refugees and ships of Arceneau Trade Company were not assailed immediately, they weren’t here for the simple people. What they were here for was the sector at large.

Corellia and its system had been given to Titan Industries, a sign of favor from the Dark Lord and a reward for the hard work Alric Kuhn had displayed during the events of the rapturing. But Alric Kuhn was gone, Titan had gone rogue.

And so the Dark Lord had decreed that the System of Corellia would be taken back by the Sith.

Interdiction fields were enabled, the Armada filled with the Sith Fleets started to move towards the securing and occupation of the system. They wouldn’t meddle with ATC’s affairs, as long as ATC did not try to interfere in theirs.

A channel was opened from the Voice of the Dark Lord towards whoever was in charge of Arceneau Trade Company’s efforts in the sector.

“This is the Sith Armada speaking, I wish to speak with whoever is in charge of Arceneau Trade Company’s operations in the Corellian System.”

[member="Vrag"] | [member="Sage Bane"] | [member="Reverance"] | [member="Adekos"] | [member="Aeri Vyn"]​

 

[Ra Vizsla]

"I would offer to purchase Vilium from you in order to bring it under the protection of Arceneau Trade.

"What is your offer," Tsavong - er, no, Tefraxis returned. "As you know, it is not currently listed for sale, and has no asking price. And I consider Villium to be... rather... priceless." Even though the entire Facility was one of the first places that Titan Industries had logically detached and began it's emergency destruction plan at - meaning the declassification and destruction of sensitive materials, as well as goods. Pretty easy to remove most of your product when you had a starport. He smiled.

"So what is your offer?"

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Tsavong Kraal"]

The amount of credits she told him in an offer was enough to warrant a slow pause. We won't repeat the amount because credits, in the long run, are just mere numbers and script.

It was what she offered beyond that was worth more.

"You have other employees situated across One Sith space, Mistah Obauldi. Other employees who are likely unable to leave. I can offer passage to a location of your choice for their safety for their return."

She gave a slow blink.

"Telos IV, perhaps?" The reconstruction of the Citadel in partnership with ATC and Titan Industries made her well aware of the shipyards and production facilities there.

"Red Raven Territory?" That was the first place Alric had struck his first deal beyond the One Sith.

"Demonsgate?" Where the mining operations Alric built were at. All were locations that ATC normally traveled and were subject to trade routes.

She knew the Titan Industries locations beyond the One Sith, knew them well. One may say it is because it was her business to know; as one who shipped cargo and goods from one end of the 'Verse to the next.

No one need to know that there was more to it than that.

She gave a slight tap of her forefinger.

"Or Techno Union Territory?"

 

[Cira]

"Captain, we have an incoming message."

The Cathar female gave a nod, "Patch it through."

“This is the Sith Armada speaking, I wish to speak with whoever is in charge of Arceneau Trade Company’s operations in the Corellian System.”

​

Po Khar's lips would purse. A glance over to her comm officer would ready him for what was to come.

"Open a comm line."

"Aye, ma'am!" he jumped at the order, his hands moving deftly over the console. "Send word to Ms. Arceneau; tell them who is here."

A his signal, the holographic image of the merchant fleet came online.

[ This is Captain Po Khar of the Arceneau Trade Merchant Fleet Sarlaac. I am in charge of the fleet and merchant operations in the Corellian System. ]

She would explain.

[ To whom am I speaking to?]

 

[Ra Vizsla]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Your offer is too low," Tefraxis spat. "I am not Alric. The starport itself is worth triple the value. Make me a deal that is appealing, or this conversation ends."

"I will honor a trade agreement with you so that employees can traverse space on your shipping lanes, however. They will be making their way to Mandalorian territories."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Tsavong Kraal"]


"Then consider my offer doubled, Mistah Obauldi." Danger shot back with a firm drawl, the woman staring straight at Tefraxis. "That is much more than you'll get when the Sith seize Vilium."

She was simply laying her cards on the table; there was no note of of a haughty demeanor but mere fact. Danger dealt with things fairly, and doing right by her meant she would do right by you.

Considering that she was now receiving word of the Sith Armada at the fringe of Corellan Space, that meant that time was running out.

"You have my word on transporting your employees safely to Mandalorian Space." It was a favor, an olive branch. A bridge that could potentially connect the new CEO of Titan Industries with the Queen of Trade. One who held a seat as an Executive Board member of the Techno Union.

And far better to save lives than risk more needless death.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]It would be interesting to see how the Sith would react to Arceneau Trade Company snatching up real-estate right before coming and starting to take things over. But that would have to be a discussion for another time, because currently the Sith Lord was not aware of those negotiations taking place. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]<< The Voice of the Dark Lord, Darth Carach. >> would come the answer to her question.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]But who was this Darth Carach? What would she know of his actions, deeds and attitude?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]And the honest answer was that there wasn’t a lot to go on; there were the few public acts that were being attached to that name, [/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Sinker of Ahto City,[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] the man who had stolen armies simply by the virtue of his voice, one of the Dark Lord’s Chosen. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Were the stories true? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Perhaps, but in the grand scheme of things Carach had never been a public person, he kept his affairs to himself and to a close inner-circle of friends, allies and associates. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]<< Captain Po Khar, my fleet has been given orders not to interfere with the evacuation procedures currently operated by Arceneau Trade Company. The Sith are formally taking back control of the Corellia System by decree of the Dark Lord, as long as we stay out of each other’s hair things should run smoothly for the both of us. >>[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]There were no threats in those words spoken and yet there was a distinct message being sent. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]The Sith were not interested meddling in Arceneau’s standing operations in the System, and with that underlining of the fact… it would do good for Momma, if Momma did good for the Sith. Any further destruction and/or degradation of property that was now state-owned? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.6666666666667px]Blood would be spilled.[/SIZE][SIZE=10.6666666666667px] [/SIZE]

 

[Danger Arceneau]

What came next would be the subject of determination. The details of 'how' Danger came to obtain Vilium was a subject of question, but considering the vast amount of forces and defenses the Trade Queen had gathered during her years of pushing forward the Corellian reconstruction, it was no surprise that the site would fall under her purview.

With the terms set, and Vilium now under Arceneau Trade juristiction, Danger would be quick to ensure the population that under her, they not need to worry. Considering the amount of resources and attention to rebuilding New Corellia and providing for the native population, there was no disagreement there.

The only issue would be the One Sith; even then, there was no denying that Danger wasn't interested in the shipyards. No, her main concern were the people at Vilium.

Spoiler

OOC:
Discussed with Tsavong Kraal details on Corellia and have been given permission to roleplay forward as required.