Mirror

[Jairus Starvald]

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Humbarine​

Fa Holdings Headquarters​

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[member="Ajira Cardei"] | [member="Maleagant"]​

​

There were always things you would not consider when you first start a project.

Complications that made it more difficult to achieve your aims, people dying who shouldn't have died or people staying alive when they should have been long since expired. In this situation it were not the humans that frustrated Lord Fa's attempts to raise up the Humbarine Sector back to its former glories. No, the people of Humbarine were slowly starting to see a savior in the Thirriken. A selfless being who came to help them in their time of need, when their rulers were failing them.

A careful image crafted, to be sure, yet there was much truth in it.

Hospitals opening, infrastructure being repaired and projects stalled for years suddenly being restarted. Money was flowing into rusted cogs and making them once again workable.

It took money and effort and patience, but at this stadium Lord Fa had all three of those in reasonable amount. Yet, the simple matter was that there were things even those three could not completely solve. No, what they needed was a concerted effort from more than one direction. Which meant involving more corporations and interestingly enough the Thirriken had just the idea who to involve from the wide list of people.

Of course, there would always be Arceneau Trade and Saffron, but Theed.

Theed had potential and was growing itself as well.

This was why Lord Fa had contacted Lady Cardei, she had been quite pleased about the quality of work delivered by Fa Holdings for their prison facility, so when the contact had been made?

She was more than willing to explore possible partnerships in the future.

At the same time Lord Fa touched base with one of his more reasonable Sith associates, Maleagant. He couldn't be everywhere at once and whilst the threat of the Directorate was severely diminished after Yan's disappearance -- followed by the usurpation of the Broken Bones by himself - they were still something that needed to be dealt with.

Who better than to accomplish that then Maleagant?

In an empty and abandoned warehouse, the address of which was given to Maleagant, he would encounter a person. A man captured by Lord Fa and a different Sith recently. He would have the information necessary to give the Shi'ido all he needed to break the Directorate's grip on the Humbarine underworld.

On the other hand, Lord Fa was patiently standing on one of the landings pads of the Fa Holdings HQ, waiting for Cardei to arrive by shuttle.

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

HUMBARINE
ABANDONED WAREHOUSE

To think that Maleagant was going to lower himself to carrying out something as mundane as an interrogation was insulting.

An unmarked speeder truck came to a halt outside of the warehouse. The back doors opened, and a sinister looking Trandoshan by the name of Derrenger stepped forward. He paused just at the threshold of the vehicle, sniffing the air. Interrogating people was not usually his bailiwick. He was more about tracking people down the old fashioned way. Unfortunately, the Overseers were taking care of far more serious business back in the Alignment, not to mention whatever shenanigans Grigori and Aldabert were currently smack-dab in the middle of. The less thought about those two, the better. Having detected no threat, Derrenger stepped out of the vehicle, landing on the hard ground with a cold thud.

He was followed by five Helix Syndicate Enforcers. Derrenger didn't wait for them, continuing into the warehouse through the small, back door entrance. One Enforcer remained behind to shut the doors of the truck, at which point the speeder continued on its way. It would be back to retrieve them later. As expected, the warehouse was completely barren. Long rows of empty shelves lined the walls and refuse accumulated in the corners. In the center, all alone, was a portly looking humanoid with a black cloth sack slung over his head, bound to a chair. The Enforcers set themselves about making sure the area was secure. Derrenger made his way directly to the captive, looming over the bound gentleman for a few moments before baring his teeth.

"I think you should start talking now."

There was a faint whimper.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

After a certain point in one’s life and career, so far as Ajira was concerned, corporate headquarters and highly developed worlds all started looking the same. Force alone knew what true uniqueness Humbarine could offer. Its location was good, even very good, but a thousand other worlds could boast similar proximity to major trade routes. Its industrial past had once made it the equal of Kuat, but she’d lost count of the planets that claimed similar things. The sky looked the same; the air smelled the same; the food tasted the same. What about the Humbarine sector had drawn Tai Fa here? Perhaps just the joy of finding a diamond in the rough, a great-game player waiting for rebirth and redeployment.

Whatever the Thirriken magnate’s reasoning, he’d gone all in. The Humbarine sector was, well, humming with investment and promise and so forth, and that commitment didn’t come cheap. Perhaps he was making his own opportunity here, stoking hype -- and if it paid off, his initial partners in the project stood to make a serious return.

The potential benefits to Naboo weren’t entirely financial, either. The diplomatic payout -- Humbarine’s relative proximity to Alderaan, Commenor, Chandrila, and other places of interest -- might even eclipse the profits, and certainly beat them for promptness.

Ajira stilled her face, checked the mask over her Force signature, and stepped out of a silver yacht to meet who she would meet.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

There were many reasons for Lord Fa to invest heavily in Humbarine's future.

Its foundation was so heavily-rooted in industrial and commercial capabilities, combined with its central location towards other equally developed worlds, made for a very interesting opportunity. But it was the death of the previous merchant ruler and the ascension of a new one, a hedonist who couldn't rub together two credits to create a third, which underlined this opportunity for Fa. Then the fact that the Alderaan territories seceded from the Mandalorians within the first week?

That provided all incentive that Tai Fa needed to get involved here.

The shuttle landed as expected and Lord Fa was already there, waiting with a small detachment of Vigor Troopers. Two in total with no weapons on display - just a honorary guard and nothing more.

As Lady Cardei descended from the ramp the Thirriken waited patiently for her to arrive, then, he inclined his beak slightly.

"Lady Cardei." Lord Fa greeted simply. "Welcome to Humbarine, your trip was pleasant?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"Good to see you, Mister Fa," said Ajira. She inclined her head in a way that might have been a nod, might have hinted at a bow, or might just have been her examining the landing platform's construction. "Thank you for the invitation. I'd never been to Humbarine before today. Lovely place, in its way. And yes, my trip was satisfactory."

Bland ambiguity could be made to fit pretty much any situation. She opted for this tack in part because she didn't have much enthusiasm for Humbarine the planet, and in part because Tai Fa was an enigma. It took a unique being to carve out the foundations of a trade and construction empire in the same territory frequented by Mandalorians, Sith Lords, and Silver Jedi. His aplomb at that one state wedding, too, had been unusual -- and at the time she'd thought she detected a hint of the Dark Side of the Force in him. She sensed nothing comparable now. Perhaps she'd been sensing someone else; there'd certainly been plenty of ethically dubious Force-sensitives in attendance.

She gestured at the door into the headquarters. "Shall we?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

"Yes, please follow me."

The Thirriken turned and entered the building. It was properly ventilated and if Cardei had the inclination, she would notice a certain sense to the entire architecture and placement of the props. Feng Shui. This was very important for Lord Fa and only, truly, underlined the fact that he did not personally enjoy Humbarine and its splendors.

There weren't enough trees, no great rivers and oceans, no grassy vales or jungles.

Just the endless sprawl of urbanization, factories humming and shipyards hanging far-above in orbit. Nature had been broken apart here and replaced by human claws and chains.

But... Lord Fa was a Sith and he would take what he could use for his own gains.

"Here we are." the Thirriken finally responded, after a long walk in proper silence. "Please, do sit."

He pushed himself off the floor and with a graceful fall, found himself in the seat opposite from the hers, behind the big desk. There the peacock perched gently, studying Cardei intently.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

Ajira took the offered seat. "I admit," she said, apropos of nothing, "I'd put very little thought into the Humbarine sector's potential until very recently."

She trailed her fingers along the fronds of a nearby potted fern. "In its day, this planet and the others like it were a lot more influential than they are now. But the way you've committed to this region has drawn interest. Serious investors are waking up." A shrug. "I suppose you could consider Theed Hangar one of them. We're looking to cultivate regional sales contacts and component supply partnerships. The general idea is that you're renovating planets, and we're the best source for planetary scanning technology. Our EXPARC probes can pinpoint anything from population shifts to ecosystem imbalances to untapped natural resource deposits. There are customers all over this sector. I'm going to go out on a limb and suspect that you're one of them."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

"This would be correct." Lord Fa answered simply, before nodding once. "Humbarine has fallen off the map for vast amount of years, its people forgotten, its potential lost, their dreams buried under rust and bureaucracy more interested in filling their own pockets than restoring their worlds to what they were."

He interrupted himself there, before correcting it.

"No, to rise above ancient standards and make something new for themselves."

It would be clear that this attitude annoyed the Thirriken in no small measure, but in the end it was something that was being worked on and that was all they could do.

"My investments are paving the way, but they will only go so far. What we need is a concentrated effort from multiple big partners, to blaze open the trails and ensure that commerce starts flowing again. That when the restoration of the industrial sectors are completed, there will be people interested in contracting. In buying and trading."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"The scope of your goals is certainly impressive. There's no doubt that Fa Holdings has committed to this sector. There are some who question the short-term wisdom of that level of commitment. Entire worlds are being revitalized. The profits won't cover the outlay for a long time. Then again, your operation has a reputation for stability." She smiled faintly. "You're not especially flighty when it comes to investments, by all accounts."

She took a long moment to ponder what the Thirriken was and was not saying. He'd always struck her as taciturn to a fault, much taken with his own poetics. There were worse things than being slow to speak, though. She'd known a few Jedi who could have learned from his example.

"I'm looking for a reason to commit, but I can't avoid the timetable as a factor. You've produced what seem to be impressive results so far, but how well can you keep that pace with or without those investors? And for how long?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

A moment of silence as he contemplated her question.

It was true, Lord Fa did not talk, unless he had something to say and thought it was important to be said. So, he took his time with it and pondered how long he could reasonably keep this up without partners. A respectable period of time, especially considering his agents were slowly, but surely infiltrating into the cogs of that same bureaucracy.

The long-term was not the problem in this instance.

It was being able to keep up in the short term of things, until he could take control directly and ensure that it wouldn't be just his and his partners' money keeping this idea a float.

"I am not concerned and that should tell you all you need to know." Lord Fa finally responded, before adding. "I have managed to attract Arceneau Trade in a not unsubstantial role, I have an amicable relationship with one of their representatives, Saffron."

Perhaps one of the few reasons he had been able to pull that off.

"Suffice it to say that I would carry most of the risks in this partnership."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"So you aim to carry the bulk of the risk, you're that confident in your corporation's capabilities, but you've also brought Arceneau onboard as a safety net? In general, that sounds to me like grounds for realistic optimism. It's important to have a sensible idea of your limits. I once sat down with an expert on sentient cognition. He told me that studies demonstrate that any given task tends to take something like thirty to fifty percent longer than anticipated, so the best way to plan is to make your estimate and then double it. Assume that the task will take twice as long as your first guess." She shrugged. "Basic Naboo rational pragmatism. The essence of it gets taught to our children. I'm pleased to see evidence of similar pragmatism from you, in balance with your ambitions."

She raised an eyebrow and gave him that gentle nod-slash-bow again. "And there are many people in your position who wouldn't have the courage to shoulder the risk or the humility to approach another firm, let alone several, for backup on what might just be a flagship project."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

This amused him.

Nobody ever considered him humble and that wasn't something he could truly blame them. As a peacock there seemed to be this reputation of needing to strut and dance around, showing plumage to everyone that looked on, but Lord Fa had always been a more careful individual in that regard.

There was pride in him, but that pride was tempered by his Sith training - interestingly enough. You only needed to be dropped on Ilum once with just a spear and a cloak, to have all illusions shattered around you.

"I take it you are interested then." The Thirriken responded without retorting to the remarks. "I can put you in touch with several institutions right now, who will have much need of your technology in the months ahead. I do not expect you to go in fully immediately, but this way you will have a better idea of what we are doing, before having to commit."

It was simple politeness.

Lord Fa was completely confident in his efforts here, but he would not make that assumption for others.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"I'd appreciate that."

She sat back in the chair -- it was a nice one -- and laced her fingers over her belly. It wasn't the most professional stance, but something in her wanted to relax a little, to ponder the angles of the situation.

"You know, I keep thinking. We're quite close to worlds and corporations that might want to weigh in, spread their political influence across the sector, play a role in the project you're building. There's a good deal of mutual benefit to be had. Alderaan Royal Engineers comes to mind. Nubia StarDrive, also based near here. I'm sure Kuat Drive Yards would jump at the chance to regain market share and demonstrate that it's not wholly gone. Certain Chandrilan interests might be worth approaching." She shrugged. "And it's not as if I'm stepping back and recommending my competitors. There's a very large pie to divide here. The more people who get involved, the larger that pie becomes. What other names have you approached? Who else has committed, besides Arceneau?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

"Preliminary discussions with Kuat and Alderaan- after Kuat burned at the hands of the Omega Sith, they have gone dark for some time, as I understand it there is a quiet war being fought between bitter nobles, who see a way to power now that their Queen is gone. As you may understand, I am waiting for one of them to reestablish control and focus of Kuat Drive Yards, before I commit." There was a caution there as well, to support one of them now... without any information?

That could provide deadly in the years ahead and Lord Fa had little taste in adding that kind of poison to the mix, when he was already putting so much weight and risks on his shoulders.

"Commenor, the Queen has been interested in a meeting, to strengthen the trade ties as well."

The Thirriken gestured with his wing in a gesture of contemplation.

"Salacia, I have been looking at Santhe and maybe the Alliance." A shrug followed. "The last two are still only ideas, the others are in various states of progression."

"If you have more suggestions, I would be very interested in hearing them."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Ajira nodded. "I see. It's early days yet, but once I speak with your contacts in the institutions you've mentioned, I should be able to put together a timeline on Theed Hangar's involvement, and potential partnerships with some of our associates. You should understand, as well, that I'm not the CEO; I'm the Director General of Strategic Security Branch. My role here is to scout out security implications alongside sales and expansion opportunities, and then I make recommendations to the people who make decisions on this scale.

"If you don't mind me shifting tacks a little, this location seems relatively safe, and the same goes for some of the major routes between here and Naboo. Strategically, the main issues I see are threefold. We're quite close to the former territory of the Mandalorian Clans, and rogue Mandalorians are always a concern. We're not far from the Imperial Remnant; neither is one of the main routes to the Naboo region. And then there are the rogue operators -- the Syndicate, the Sith, and so forth. Tell me, in your estimation, does this region face any potential threats from those directions? And -- forgive my bluntness -- does Fa Holdings have any affiliations, contracts, or sponsorships with interstellar governments whose dissidents or rivals might prove hazardous?"

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

"I have reason to believe that Alderaan is in the progress of formulating an idea." Lord Fa began slowly, thinking forward to the things he had recently heard.

"A plan. A coalition of Free Worlds with a pact of mutual defense and cooperation."

Perhaps this would immediately reveal another portion of reason for Lord Fa's sudden interest in Humbarine, but the following would more than likely cement that idea in Cardei's mind.

"If my sources are correct, they are planning to approach this sector as well, to add us into the mix. Others include Kuat, Balmorra and others." This meant that if any of those previously named threats would arise, there would be a concentrated effort from those worlds and Alderaan behind them.

And where Alderaan went, some of the Mandalorian Clans would back them. Vereen was still a name to be feared in some halls, respected in others.

"As for my connections- I will be frank with you, because I do not believe in lying to possible business connections. We have dealings with the First Order, we agreed to render assistance in their humanitarian efforts, they believe that with our reputation... their efforts will be taken more seriously."

"I have also provided substantial aid to the new Mand'alor after Mandalore's problems started. My merchant fleet has been evacuating refugees, providing food, medicine, my interests have provided engineers and scientists."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"Independence is always a challenge. Theed Hangar has faced similar questions. For one thing, we're situated squarely in the middle of Galactic Alliance territory. In an era when most corporations grow by building connections with as many governments as possible, we run certain risks every time we partner with or sell to any other major player on the galactic scene. Not that we can't handle those situations, of course; we've sold to any number of carefully chosen people without raising eyebrows in the SIS and so forth. Eyebrows might rise, for example, if Santhe really did get onboard, or that one operation that's been running around the Sith worlds with warships -- Ignus Industries, I believe it's called. Or some unpredictable old juggernaut like Clan Rekali. Best to avoid partners like that, and to keep your First Order arrangements quiet. I have no problem with being under a microscope, but too much scrutiny can slow things down that would otherwise be straightforward.

"Now, on the other hand, there are benefits to connecting with the Alliance in one way or another. They hold Coruscant, virtually right next door, the trade capital of the universe. They hold Eriadu, Fondor, Yag'Dhul, Sluis Van, Thyferra, and Abregado-Rae. I've made certain contacts within the Alliance's industrial scene. Aurora, for example, runs certain operations near here. They might be useful. Bring enough Alliance corporations on board and a few First Order contracts won't attract much attention."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

"I have had some business dealings with Aurora, but did not actually considering adding them to the mix." Mostly, because the Thirriken had his suspicions on [member="Taeli Raaf"] and the farther away he was from her, the less likely that those suspicions could be confirmed from both sides of the equation.

But what Cardei said certainly had merit, to involve more Alliance corporations would presumably make it more likely that there would be Alliance support in the face of possible aggression from second-hand threats.

Less scrutiny would be valuable in itself though.

"I will see if I can attract their attention here as well. Our last contact was quite amicable, so this could work out rather well... and where Aurora goes, others aligned with the Alliance might follow." Certainly if it was both Aurora and Theed, two of the more established and prominent corporations situated in the region.

"At any rate, I will make sure to establish those contacts for you, so you can start supplying the scanning equipment. If your board of directors become interested after that, we can deepen our cooperation or scale back, if concerns are found."

Peacock head cocked to the side in curiosity.

"Unless you wish to discuss more?"

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Tai Fa"]

"Nothing of substance, Mister Fa, though I confess a point of personal curiosity. How do I phrase this..." She sat up a little straighter and looked the Thirriken magnate in the eye. "I'm a Force-sensitive. I've picked up some mild tricks over the years, but I've never had the time or inclination to give that side of my life the attention it probably deserves. Every once in a while, a Jedi will look at me oddly and ask why I've never approached them about learning their path. I'm not a monk or a crusader, and I don't believe the Naboo values of restraint, pragmatism, rationality, and pacifism are especially well represented in the Jedi philosophy. And who else would I go to? The Sith?" She snorted.

"But then I met you. At that wedding, during the attack, when stressed-out Force-sensitives were flying off the handle, you seemed relatively well at ease, and I thought I sensed a flicker of the Force in you. Maybe I was mistaken. If you are a Force-sensitive, though, I'd be very interested in knowing how you pull it off. I seriously doubt you're a Jedi or a Sith; I know there are other traditions, but none of them seem to dovetail all that well with the needs and interests and lifestyle of a businessperson or an administrator."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Ajira Cardei"]

"As a rule I do not discuss religion in business meetings- meetings period, actually." The Thirriken retorted calmly, before shrugging those wings and continuing, breaking his own little rule.

"I find that the sentients of this Galaxy have a hard time respecting each other's beliefs, a difficult time to live and let live, a tendency to make rash judgement calls and the sort." This was mostly a tendency he had found within the Jedi, but the Sith were equally prone to such emotional-charged actions. It seemed silly to him, personally, but it was a truth he had found early on. So, Lord Fa kept his religion secret.

"But we are preparing to go into business and you have been straight-forward with me, so I shall return the favor."

His head cocked slightly.

"Have you ever heard of the Dim-U?"