Faction IGBC │ Asymmetrical Banking

[Darth Empyrean]

The synthetic sun blazed its dichotomic orange and blue behind space that seemed to stretch on forever - a hundred stars in the distance of that artificial room, and Maliphant couldn’t help but stare at a small one. Of course, this was based on a real skybox taken in the Outer Rim - and because of that Maliphant saw the distant light of Bastion’s star; and a finger tapped idly on his force masked face.​

​

Dorian Harper turned back to the table with papers, screens, and a menagerie of information given out to him. He sighed something heavily as he considered what was going to come of this, and the resulting fallout the InterGalactic Banking Clan might incur from such meddling. His Deputy Director Cauldor Dune was on his way, and the guilty party of ‘Gat Tambor’ was doubly invited.​

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Unknowingly, both the Technoid Manufactorum and to a lesser degree, Jaeger Solutions had found themselves vested heavily in the growing war effort in Sith Space; and while that alone wouldn’t be an issue, it was the fact the IGBC had personally signed various checks over to them to build a fleet. Dorian rubbed at his temple as the door opened, and his gaze moved up to those that entered.​

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“Gentleman, we have a problem.”​

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“And, an opportunity.”​

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Gat Tambor │ Caulder Dune │ All IGBC Chairmen​

 

[Gat Tambor]

// WHERE AT // IGBC Plotting Lair // Illusive Man Office
// OBJECTIVE // Tambor Time (On the clock at IGBC)
// KANYE TRACK // See You In My Nightmares
// FOCUS // Darth Empyrean | Caulder Dune

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For all of what the Skakoan's reputation had amounted to, Gat Tambor had made a series of very peculiar business decisions. Embarking on a Corporate wide policy of 'selling pretty much anything to pretty much anyone' the deeply shady and legally ambigious contracts offered by Vaulkhar and Darth Voyance were far too lucrative with both Zambrano royalty and Sith war chest funds offering up a sum alongside other incentives that were far too valuable to turn down. For the first time in his life, the Skakoan looked visibly and starkly destressed and worried to his core. Should the Sith Empire uncover his business ties, he would be hunted down and killed, his assets in Sith space seized and liquidated and his valuable contracts with the Sith Empire cancelled.

Unless...the rebellion was successful. In which case Gat Tambor would be at the head of manufacturing an Empire's worth of military equipment, gain invaluable power and limitless corporate contracts within the government and not have the entire might of the Sith baring down on him. He sought the IGBC's full backing for a radical religious insurrection.

"OWOEWEEEEWEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRREEOEWEEE-- Certainly, Harper. As I am manufacturing the lion share of the Apostate fleet...I'll admit...I am, for the first time in my life ...ill at ease. If this rebellion fails then I will be hunted down, the Technoid assets seized in Sith Space...however, Chairmen. If we ensure this rebellion's success, our interests would be first through the door in securing very lucrative contracts and of course...all the means to have Sith space burn its worthless fiat in exchange for the Standard Credit...my own...peculiar situation aside, I propose our Clan deliver these 'Apostates' our full financial backing." Tambor said before he seemed to take in a distorted breath. FAR too long to be speaking without another malfunction he began to tune with his voice modulator once more.

 

[Aerarii Tithe]

Hotel suite, Yaga Minor

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Things were happening very quickly.

Aerarii finished what had to be his dozenth reading of the latest edict from the Emperor - The Imperial Anathema of 861. While limited in words, the document was certainly not limited in consequences. In a few short pages Carnifex had split the Sith Empire into two, driving out those who would challenge him and declaring it the duty of every loyal subject to aid him in bringing the death to those he saw as heretics. The ramifications did not bode well for Tithe’s machinations.

Not that there was anything to do for it. The edict was out, and no amount of wishful thinking was going to make it go away. Energies were better spent trying to turn events to Aerarii’s favour.

Almost as unexpected as the edict was an emergency summons for all IGBC Chairmen to meet. The Treasurer-General barely had time to hurry from Scipio to nearby Yaga Minor and set himself up in the luxury hotel room rented under a false name. Yaga Minor put him within Sith space - where he claimed to operate - but didn’t directly link him to the IGBC on Scipio. The ruse was not perfect, but given the events unfolding around him at an alarming speed, he had not had time to finalise more secure arrangements.

He finalised his disguise, transforming into the mysterious ‘Lord Exchequer’. A different hair style, outragous costume, exotic make-up and minor facial prosthetics transformed his outward appearance, while a small voice modular negated the use of any voice recognition software. He also dialled down the quality of his holonet transceiver under the guide of heavy encryption. The ruse was not perfect, but rather the best he could do under the circumstances.

After all, he now had 15,000 shares in the IGBC. It was in his best interests to have his voice heard.

“This war will be a costly exercise for both parties involved,” Aerarii added as his hologram appeared seated at the table. “Not matter who claims victory in the foray, the blood of their peoples still runs in the streets.”

“Profits, however, follow every conflict. It matter not who emerges the victor or the vanquished, so long as their credits flow in the direction we desire.”

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Darth Empyrean | Caulder Dune | Gat Tambor

 

[Caulder Dune]

"Well-put as always, Lord Exchequer," Caulder rasped, failing to give any indication on whether he really meant it.

The Umbaran was present in person, leaning forward onto the table expectantly. This revelation was quite surprising. It had been his assumption that Darth Voyance didn't have the acumen to procure funding and war materiel from anywhere, much less from an affiliate of the Banking Clan.

The galaxy was full of surprises, truly. The projected shelf-life of her insurgency had just doubled from one month to two.

Technically speaking, Caulder did not know any of that. But he didn't need to.

"But full financial backing?" Caulder Dune guffawed, which transitioned into a short, hacking cough. "Out of the question. We could perhaps discount some of their dealings with you, Viceroy, but a blank cheque? Ludicrous. Unprecedented."

Any chance of lasting political change in the Empire as a result of the apostates was slim to none. There was no reason to invest fully. But token backing would be enough to ingratiate themselves on the off chance it did come to fruition, or if they set up a rump state elsewhere, or if they continued to plague the Empire's operations.

Caulder continued, "This is something of an indiscretion on your part. Any risk to your holdings in Sith space will need to be rightfully shouldered by you. As for any threat of you being hunted personally, I can give my full assurance that we will not let this come to pass."

Indiscretion or not, Caulder Dune would always be the first to circle the wagons when his colleagues were threatened.

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Aerarii Tithe Gat Tambor Darth Empyrean​

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant glanced between Dune and the others, and nodded quickly at Adeko’s last comment;​

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“I agree with the Deputy Director; no Chairmen of this board will ever come to harm if we have something to say about it.”, he reinforced - knowing all too well the lengths he would go to insure the IGBC would not be upset by would be bounty hunters, or petty disputes between lovers.​

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“However, I would also agree that we cannot afford a ‘blank check’.”, he followed up with.​

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Leaning back in the chair, Dorian crossed his legs and steepled his fingers as he glanced off into space - literally, in this case, the distance shining stars moved about and flickered in the distance. For a moment, he only watched it before letting his eyes wander back;​

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“Lord Exchequer has promised us influence in the Sith; and before I speak further, I want that plan realized regardless. If the Sith Empire yet remains after this civil war, I want our reserves funding their rebuilding efforts.”, Dorian said with a quick glance to Aerarii - but it moved to Gat Tambor quickly after.​

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“- But, and that is tentative, we can not afford to put all our eggs in one basket. While we can’t commit fully to the backing of this insurrection, we can certainly funnel large amounts of funds to them through massive networks of launderers and proxies. I’m sure the Hutts wouldn’t mind a small fee for such a thing…”, he offered quietly in thought before looking before the table.​

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“Yet - if we can get this insurrection to agree to use us as their economic foundation after the war effort, we may have a chance to infiltrate the Sith’s economy regardless of if Lord’s plan works or not.”, he said with a quick motion to the Banker at the table.​

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“Assuming they win. And even still, if they don’t win; the more damage they cause to the Sith economy, and to their infrastructure, the more likely the Sith will be to accept us into their fold, as partners to their Imperial Bank.”, Dorian said with a quick motion between them.​

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“As far as I’m concerned, Gentleman, no matter who loses; we win. And we will fortify ourselves, and this bank, as the premier bank in the Galaxy.”​

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Caulder Dune │ Aerarii Tithe │ Gat Tambor​

 

[Gat Tambor]

Even in wake of all his colleague's reassurances, the Skakoan was still intolerably nervous over the entirety of the situation. While he would certainly 'live' through all this, his work as Foreman of the Technoid Manufactorum wrote a narrative of the Skakoan all but entirely endorsing and arming the Apostate revolt within the Sith Empire. His rather simply standardized contracts with the Sith Empire would soon be nullified and a LARGE SUM put on his head. Ideally, his sponsorship of the Bounty Hunter's Guild might pay off in them not taking the contract however the Sith coffers were endless.

"OWEEEREREOEEEWEEEEEWORREEWEWUWEEEEWEWE-" This loud screeching noise from his voice modulator continued for at least a minute before Gat was able to tame the machine. It was common for this to occur whenever the Skakoan grew ill at ease.

"You may very well be correct, Harper. War is merely politics by other means...and politics is merely economics by other means thus ; it is our business as any other. This event should not be put to waste, destabilization in Sith space will only mean we can sink our talons into its grossly isolationist market." Tambor offered, a pragmatic reassurance to himself more than anything else.

"War among any of the titanic governments is an event of critical importance to the Clan. In ideal circumstances, the Sith still rampage against the Silver Jedi and destabilize that...nonsensical regime even further. Matter of fact, the Sith lashing out as they fall may very well be the catalyst from which we establish the standard credit as the blanket currency for the Galaxy. Win or lose, war leaves damages that need be paid for..." Tambor offered.

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Caulder Dune | Darth Empyrean | Aerarii Tithe

 

[Aerarii Tithe]

‘Lord Exchequer’ did his best to look calm and composed, helped in part by the fuzzy hologram he was transmitting to make identification more difficult. It took all his self control to avoid fidgeting as questions were raised regarding the plot to subvert the Sith-Imperial Credit with the IGBC Galactic Standard Credit.

“As I’m sure you can appreciate, most parties, ahhh, willing to conspire against the Sith have gone underground or disappeared under circumstances I dare not revisit.” Indeed, the Sith had been most effective in rounding up allies of the Apostates and subjecting them to very public punishment, some of which continued to cause Aerarii nightmares. He was frankly surprised that the officers from ORDIS had not yet visited him to seek an explanation for the IGBC shares he held under his false identity.

“I fear our plans may be on hold, err, temporarily of course. Once the Sith turn their attention fully to slaughtering these so-called heretics, I shall begin courting new allies sympathetic to the cause.”

The conversation shifted the Gat Tambor who admitted to supplying - unknowingly - the Apostate war fleet. To Aerarii, this information was both priceless and worthless.

Priceless, in that removing Tambor would cripple the Apostate war effort. A less fatal approach could see Tambor brought over to the Sith loyalists in exchange for information about the Apostates that could be exploited to turn the tide of war.

Worthless, in that Aerarii could not act on the information. It would be impossible for him to craft a story which would explain how he came into this knowledge without outing himself as a shadow member of the IGBC, an organisation that was positioning itself as a rival to the Sith-Imperial Banking Clan.

No, he would need to be patient if there was any chance of seeing a return on this investment.

“Even victory against the Sith could be costly to us. It would not be above them to strike out at us in their dying breath to destroy all that has been built. I wonder, could there be merit to providing support through a third party, say a shell corporation or other galactic intermediary, to create deniability and allay some of the risk we carry?”

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Darth Empyrean | Caulder Dune | Gat Tambor

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“I would say so.”, Maliphant said with a glance to Dune, then back to Tithe.​

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“The Hutt Cartels. While some are allied with the Sith, a few might be interested in a ‘laundering’ effort; we send them credits, they take a small percentage off the top, and pass it on. Through a network of proxies, we could fund the effort without being seen as the aggressor - with plausable deniability in that the Hutts are not often to be trusted.”, he mused for a moment, a finger idly tapping his chin as he thought - half out loud.​

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The reality was, it was likely the best option they had. Jedi, other enemies of the Empire, etc - would be far too ‘honest’ to funnel money through, and the limitations would become more prevelant the further out they searched. Criminals in the direction of the Sith, or otherwise had their operations scorned in the Corporate Sector would be ideal.​

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“We can do just that. Once all is said and done, we should have enough official distance from the war to otherwise deny any involvement. Would that satisfy you, Lord Exchequer?”​

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Caulder Dune │ Gat Tambor │ Aerarii Tithe​