Private &nbsp; IGBC | Offshore Finance

Caulder Dune · Mar 8, 2020

Caulder's replies were muted and vengeful, hissed through clenched teeth. "Play risky games with these cretins, win terrible prizes. Perhaps we shouldn't have come."

He resented being brought here to Monastery; resented doing business with the Empire in any capacity. That violent, genocidal hermit state was a constant threat to galactic markets. Wars were only good for certain types of business... And never the sustainable ones Caulder much preferred.

More to the point, this clandestine meeting felt like a criminal rendezvous, and Caulder did not appreciate feeling like some low-brow gangster.

The duo exited their shuttle. Caulder lumbered forward unsteadily, relying heavily on his cane for support. Behind him, a sinister protocol droid loomed. It was clearly unarmed, but it continued to survey its surroundings. Slowly. Passively. Like a partially tranquilized meerkat.

"Charmed," Caulder said when indicated. For the most part, he stood silent and grimacing. Occasionally he glanced out to the dark ocean.

His eyes snapped back to Harper when he referred to Exchequer by his actual, real surname. Daggers were glared. Considering how dangerously he and Maliphant were playing the "fake identities" game, Caulder would have assumed he would be more respectful of others.

Aerarii Tithe · Mar 12, 2020

A single shuttle landed on the rear of the ocean skimmed and disembarked two IGBC officials and their retinue of droids. Aerarii stepped forward and greeted them with a flourish of his right hand and a slight bow. "Director Harper, Director Dune, thank you for taking time out of your busy scheduled to meet a humble businessman such as myself."

"An unfortunate hereditary title I'm afraid," he explained. "A relic, I suspect, of an ironic humour no longer practiced widely on my home world." He stopped short of giving the falsified name of his alleged home world. "And yes, let us move inside, I believe we'll find it more conducive to the business at hand."

Aerarii led the two bankers inside the ocean skimmer and toward the forward compartment. The well-appointed room offered spectacular views of the darkened ocean through sweeping transparisteel windows. The dim lighting cast shadows over the sparse yet expensive custom furniture, including the three low to the ground three seats which Aerarii steered the group toward.

"Please, take a seat." A modern looking servdroids, black in colour with silver trim, stepped forward the offered a variety of rare drinks and beverages from all corners of the galaxy. Aerarii took a vintage Abrax cognac.

"If you'll, err, excuse the proverb - time is credits, so I'll get straight to the point, if don't mind." Aerarii took a sip from his drink before continuing.

"It's my understanding that, despite good take-up in the Core, the credit standard your Banking Clan backs is having trouble finding a foot hold out in the Tingel Arm. This is a problem I, err, that I may be able to help you with."

Darth Empyrean · Mar 12, 2020

Harper took a glance around the hall they entered to witness its luxury; and was mildly impressed at it. Though, he considered the worthlessness of it all - such novel concepts as ‘ships’ that ride the surface of the water. He smiled to himself, but didn’t reveal his thoughts on the matter as they found their way towards the seats.

Taking a small sip from the cognac Aerarii had, he hummed quietly as he smelled it, swirling it in the glass;

“And here I thought you were just going to wine and dine us.”, he laughed to himself, taking a sip of the drink. He could appreciate the warmth of it, the nature of the sip before setting it back down.

“Truly?”, Dorian asked with a quiet notch of his brow.

“Then, Lord Exchequer, tell me how we can make a deal. The Tingel Arm is a… lucrative market - but the Sith are hard to play ball. How could you help us?”

Caulder Dune │

Caulder Dune · Mar 13, 2020

Caulder's mouth twitched as he took in the room. The furnishings certainly lived up to Exchequer's purported lordship, but it nonetheless failed to impress him. The oceanic locale was interesting, though. He merely glowered at the assembled hooch, and took nothing. Caulder Dune was a dry negotiator in every sense of the word.

Made all the more evident when he frowned, again, at Harper's frivolity. Laughing at sipping cognac. This wasn't Canto Bight.

The Umbaran took his seat, and the protocol droid took up its position directly behind him. It stood with an eerie, perfect stillness. Unnatural.

For the most part he stayed quiet, only making a chuffed noise at Exchequer's proverb. When Harper was done asking his question, Caulder was quick to follow-up himself.

"Whatever it is you intend to do, I doubt it will be for free," He spoke monotonously, as if having gone through this before. "What is it you want in return? You're clearly not starved for money."

Darth Empyrean

Aerarii Tithe · Mar 17, 2020

Aerarii smiled. No businessbeing met with the IGBC to discuss galactic currencies out of the goodness of their heart. "Naturally I have a pecuniary interest in all of this, but let's work through some details before we discuss remunerations."

"I think we can all agree that the Sith would never willingly part ways with the credit standard they've established. They, errr, they certainly like to do things their own way, that's for sure!." Aerarii explained, allowing his excitement to get the better of him for a moment. He levelled out his tone before continuing. "And I don't think a total takeover should be the goal. Rather than supplanting the Sith-Imperial Credit, my opinion - which you are welcome to take or leave as you see fit, though I've found it has served me well to date - is that the Galactic Standard Credit could instead fulfil a niche role as a preferred trade currency."

Aerarii leaned forward and activated a holoprojector built into the low table before him with a wave of his hand. "Gentlebeings, it is simple supply and demand." The holoprojector zoomed to region of the galaxy between the Sith Empire and the Silver Jedi Order, the reach of their influence coloured red and blue respectively.

"The path of Sith expansion is hardly difficult to predict. They're voracious for new territories." Neutral planets between the Sith and Jedi glowed golden as did free worlds on the edge of Sith space.

"Let's start with supply. These worlds are calling out for stability, which your credit can offer. Move quick to bring their central banks into the IGBC."

The holoprojector updated, showing how an expended Sith Empire could look. "While the Sith will move to deconstruct the financial frameworks of their newly acquired worlds, it can't be done overnight without risking total collapse. And when the dust settles the Sith will be left with pile of your lovely, lovely credits." Aerarii shifted the projector to show a list of major arms manufacturers who supplied the Sith. While the Sith preferred to build their own weapons of war, expertise from outside of their borders was called upon for special projects.

"Then we come to demand. Rather than destroy your credits, give the Sith something to spend them on. Reach out to business interests friendly to the IGBC, which I'm certain you have either on or off the books. Have these businesses put in place requirements for all purchases to be transacted using IGBC credits in return for you granting them better lending conditions. Soon your credits will flow into the Sith Empire through captured worlds, then back out again through trade. The IGBC credit will become the de facto currency of commence within the Sith Empire."

The holoprojector shut down and Aerarii leaned back in his seat. "While the IGBC pushes on the Sith externally, I have certain - how can I put this - favours and friends who will be working from the inside." He waved his hand to preempt further questions. "Best you don't ask, I may have already said too much."

Aerarii sipped his cognac and give his guests a moment to consider his proposal. It was not without risk and immense levels of investment, but so were all lucrative business ventures.

Darth Empyrean · Mar 18, 2020

Maliphant sipped his own drink and let Aerarii speak his peace. Overall, the plan was astute and well planned - with the Sith inadvertently introducing the new currency into their borders without so much as a sheet filled out; and then this ‘Lord Exchequer’ would ensure the finality of it was absolute. Yet, Maliphant couldn’t help but swirl the drink and set it down slow -

“I can see one major problem.”, Dorian offered as he crossed his legs and leaned back.

“This plan of yours -”, he said with a motion of his finger at the projector, “- it relies on the idea that not only do the Silver’s agree to our dealings, but the Sith can actually manage to invade one of the Jedi’s planets.”

“More importantly, they can hold it. If Kintan is any example - the Sith War Machine is waning, and their isn’t a strong guarantee their ‘conquest’ will ever happen. Unless you mean a planet like Orleon; but how long until the Sith turn their gaze upon them.”, Harper asked with a furrow of his brow.

“Do not mistake me, I think your place is good - great, even, but for such a large investment into these regions with no true guarantee of a greater return… With the Sith’s history of pillaging wealth, we could very well lose everything we invest in one of these planets.”

Aerarii Tithe │

Caulder Dune · Mar 19, 2020

A good plan. Quite novel. But as Harper pointed out, it could be years before the Sith considered invading one of those neutral worlds between them and the Silver Jedi. And even more recently, they had been repelled on Kintan. The Sith-Imperial war machine was, perhaps, not as inexorable as previously thought.

But that was hardly Caulder's issue. The Umbaran shook his head reprovingly. "Unlike my esteemed superior here, I am not interested in using our credit to supplant standards set by central banks. I see it as a tool to stimulate galactic commerce; something harmonize competing standards rather than fighting with them. Strengthening the economic bonds between large governments..."

Caulder Dune, the free trade idealist.

"The Sith Empire is a rogue nation. The Core governments, the Outer Planets, the Silver Jedi - almost everyone who's anyone will refuse to do business with them as a matter of principle."

Caulder drummed his fingers along the table. Yes, the Confederates might have had a Non-Aggression pact, but that was hardly the same as a formalized trade agreement. Doubtlessly it would be left up to the individual worlds... And why would they want to?

"Unless the Sith are going to stop being genocidal despots, this is not given to change. So I'd like to know why we should even bother."

Darth Empyrean

Aerarii Tithe · Mar 21, 2020

Aerarii leaned forward the reactivated the holoprojector again. ”Director Harper, to err, clarify, as I said it is the neutral worlds between the Jedi and Sith sphere of influence which should be your target market. I concur that when it comes to money, the Jedi are also unlikely to accept your currency.” He waved his hand through the projection, drawing attention to the neutral worlds caught between the forces of light and darkness, worlds that were desperate for stability.

Director Caulder, unlike his colleague, was not as receptive to the plan. He raised the nature of the Sith and the general distain to them throughout the galaxy, noting how others refused to do business with them.

A laugher, the likes of which the two bankers would not have heard before and would be unlikely to hear again, burst forth from Aerarii. He rocked back and forth on his chair, trying to not spill his cognac on the animal hide seats of the hired ocean skimmer. It took a few moments for him to regain his composure.

He raised his glass to Caulder as if to congratulate him on such a fine sense of humour, only to notice that Caulder wasn’t laughing.

”Ohh boy, you’re being serious aren’t you?” The bureaucrat took a long sip on his drink before placing it on a side table. He sat up straight in his chair and brought his hand together in front of him.

”Gee, I don’t know what to say,” he said with an exaggerated shrug. ”My esteemed guests, history has shown that that beyond death and taxes, neither of which I care much for, the only other constant in this galaxy is the Sith. They’ve existed since time immemorial, the perfect companion to their Jedi enemies, the darkness to match the light.” Aerarii waved his hands through the air in front of him as he conjured up images of eternal galactic conflict. “Other galactic powers, central banks, even your beloved IGBC, all of these things wax and wain. The Sith, yes, the Sith persist.”

Picking back up his glass he took another sip before leaning back in his chair. ”They were here long before us, and they’ll outlast us as well, that much I can tell you. The only question is, does the IGBC want to list them as an asset, or a liability?”

Caulder Dune

Minor edit to correct a typo - thanks to Adekos for pointing it out.

Caulder Dune · Mar 21, 2020

Caulder Dune's expression darkened, and a corner of his mouth twitched - almost begging to become a nasty sneer. But it didn't. Like most people, he was not a fan of being laughed, but Caulder was especially opposed to any sort of levity during meetings of high financial importance.

No matter how interesting Exchequer's rollicking, staccato laughter happened to be.

"Time immemorial," Caulder corrected Exchequer through gritted teeth. "It would bring my old heart joy to list the Sith Empire as an asset. Unfortunately, I am bound by the reality of their political disposition. They will always be a liability. It is their nature."

The war machine was stalling, and that tended to precede something dramatic. Caulder could not reasonably guess whether it would be a total collapse or a shift in power, but in either event he wouldn't hold his breath waiting for them to conquer a planet the Banking Clan hid a pile of their money under.

He folded his hands on the table, glare boring into Exchequer. "But I suppose even a liability can be useful, in whatever limited way. Tell me, do you expect us to pump every neutral world in striking range with our credits? And then hope the Sith do not simply overrule the policies you or your contacts engineer?"

Caulder leaned forward expectantly.

"You are evidently a well-placed man, Lord Exchequer. Do you know with absolute certainty which planets the Sith intend to claim next? That you will not be countermanded and our investment lost? I am hesitant to commit to any plan that hinges largely on Sith caprice. What guarantees, or perhaps alternatives, are you prepared to offer?"

Aerarii Tithe |

Darth Empyrean

Darth Empyrean · Mar 21, 2020

Maliphant sat idle, but couldn’t help but smile and watch Adekos grow a touch angered by Aerarii. For Maliphant, he didn’t much care to be laughed at - but Dorian Harper was a charismatic man, and hardly one to threaten or berate, let alone be bothered by a man who hid his identity behind hilarious names such as ‘Lord’. The Sith also quietly disregarded that he was doing much and the same - it didn’t fit his mental narrative.

“I would argue that the Sith buying vast amounts of our credit would be very profitable - but I’m hardly as selfless as my partner here.”, Dorian said with a quiet smile.

“I enjoy money. More money, to be specific.”

He switched his legs and leaned back once more -

“But, I do agree with him in that. Even if we invested heavily in these neutral planets, and they took dominion of it sooner; for the Sith to not simply scrap the money and trade we’ve put into them would require us to funnel so much money into these planets that we would very well hedge the entirety of our security into them.”, he said with a frown.

“We are well endowed financially, especially after our deals with the Core and the Confederacy; but funneling enough of our credit into the Sith without a guarantee to be utilized could do more harm than good. As such, I’d agree with Dune -”, Dorian said with a slight lean forward.

“What guarantee or alternatives do we have?”

Aerarii Tithe │