Phantom of the Past

[Taeli Raaf]

​

Planet: Enigma Prime​

​

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

The Aurora task force dropped out of hyperspace in the Enigma Prime system, Taeli lost in thought for everything that had happened in the last few days. The conflict that had occurred in the Atrisia system, including all of the weird events incorporated in that battle, was weighing heavily on her mind. Such destruction... and for what really? Had it all been worth it for the Sith in the system?

She didn't really have an answer for that, but she needed to refocus. The battle in the Atrisia sector not withstanding, Taeli had other more pressing plans that required her attention... such as why Aurora Industries was present in a mostly uncharted system in Wild Space. She had not exactly been truthful to Ice when she promised not to figure out where his cash nerf was, so to speak. It had taken a little while, but she and Jaxson had been able to piece together the rough location based on star locations and then postulated the most stable routes to the system from there.

Enigma Prime, really the whole system, was an untapped gold mine for any company that established itself there. Normally, it would involve stygium but today and for the foreseeable future, Aurora Industries was interested in the supply of Adegan crystals in the system and what they could do for Project Nebulous. The Samhein freighters had gone ahead to establish a base for testing the secret cloaking device they had deviced, but Taeli had wanted a little extra know how and help with mining the system of its resources. Thus, she had approached Danger and her collection of companies and proposed Mara TibX come out to the system as well.

"Master Raaf, our team on the surface are awaiting your arrival," the bridge officer said, coming up to where she stood at the bridge viewport. "Mara TibX should be arriving shortly as well."

"I'm sure Aeri will be interested in both the tibanna rumored to be on the second planet and all the valuable resources in the asteroid field and planets. When she arrives, be sure to have her contact me so we can discuss the contract."

"Of course, Master Raaf."

With that, Taeli made her way to her personal ship and headed down to the surface base to oversee the last touches before testing.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

It didn't take long for Aeri to arrive in her shuttle.

With a low hum of engines, the Arceneau Trade ship came to set down upon the landing pad. As soon as the landing ramp fell, the familiar svelte figure of the Zeltron would grace its threshold.

Word had it there would be interesting opportunities here, and as ATC had previous interactions with Aurora Industries, Aeri was here as a representative for Mara Tibx and Browncoat Industrial.

Upon her arrival she was directed to please contact Miz. Raaf. A comm call later would prompt the Jedi Master's datapad from the Zeltron hereself.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

​

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

Taeli was just stepping off the boarding ramp of her shuttle when her datapad started to indicate an incoming message. Taeli touched the earpiece she was wearing, bring up the call from the representative from ATC.

"Miss Vyn, it has been far too long. I hope your flight out to this remote system was pleasant and on behalf of Aurora Industries, welcome to the Enigma system."

And so it begins, she thought to herself. Between the lucrative trade and mining deals that would likely be inked today, she would be demonstrating one of Aurora's top secret projects to someone who had the ear of the Queen of Trade. As the woman herself had taught her, presentation was everything. As they spoke, a text message would scroll across her glasses from engineers that they were installing the devices on the fighter and one of the cruisers in orbit.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

"It is always a pleasure, Miz Raaf." Aeri's cordial but amused tone drifted through the comm.

"Certainly an interesting system for sure," she added about Enigma. In the past, ATC had done some work with the Lords of the Fringe. They had some trade stations scattered here and there and were always on the look out to expand. Most notably, Mara Tibx and Fuels.

"I should be along shortly." she informed her, walking towards the arena she'd been escorted to meet the woman.

"I take it business has been well?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"Steady," was Taeli's reply. "We've been working on smaller projects, rather than big starships and such." Not strictly true, considering the yard in the Pluthan asteroids that wasn't documented, but that would be for a discussion for another time. "Cybernetics and bio-tech have been a recent focus for us, besides the project that will be demonstrated today during our meeting."

Ice may have discovered the world, even started the mining operations, but it would be Aurora Industries and the companies Aeri was here to represent that would truly turn this world into a profitable venture.

"How have things been for you, Miss Vyn?" she asked, signing a datapad presented by one of her engineers as she made her way to the conference room that would present an excellent view of today's proceedings.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

"Miss Aeri, this way please." an attendant quietly interrupted, gesturing for Aeri to follow.

A nod from Aeri and the long legged Zeltron's heels took her just a little bit closer to where Taeli would meet her at.

"Well, considering the Core Worlds seem to be imploding with change, busy." with the Alliance taking Coruscant and the One Sith crumbling, there were areas that ATC had to oversee and ensure that their interests were secure. Thankfully Danger had seen to it earlier on to ensure a smooth transition with the current government. Trade is what trade does, and Arceneau Trade was able to ensure that her shipments went and came with little issue.

"Expanding Mara Trade and Tib ex further along in the Unknown Territories -- word has it that a curious little controversy took hold over Atrisisan space?" perhaps Taeli would know more.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"That's an understatement to put it mildly," Taeli said, entering the conference room. It had one large window that spanned the length of the room, but it could also serve as a viewscreen for security systems or for watching distant experiments. "To cut a long story short, Atrisia is going to need a great deal of rebuilding in the near future. That kurfuffle there destroyed a great deal of the capital and the planet's surface. Plenty of opportunity there."

While waiting for her guest to arrive, Taeli would activate the viewscreen feature, linking to several of the probes that were in space that formed the cordon for the testing area.

"I'm keeping myself away from the Core for a little bit longer, besides providing Coruscant Security support, wait for some more stability before expanding Aurora there."

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

"What happened exactly?" color Aeri piqued. Word would travel of course. The Holonews was ablaze with it. But getting the story straight was rather hard.

"Know more than what the hold news does?" there was a hint of wry amusement in her voice. They came to the turbo lift. Entering in a purposeful tattoo of her heels, the Zeltron spun in place and awaited the doors to close. She was just a minute or so away from the conference room.

"All I know is that there have been more 'incidents' happening around the core lately. Word has it that some Republic remnant may very well have taken to turning into warlord themselves."

A few Mara Tibx stations had already been scouting for more areas to potentially mine. In fact, they'd recently procured a few Clouzon-36 areas to mine. Studies were in the process to also study the Purrgil more, searching for a method to lessen any hyperspace casualties. Beyond that, Mara Tibx was also now taking over the terraforming oversight that PharmaTech originally had.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"Several Sith decided to host a party and the Alliance went to investigate," Taeli explained. "What started out as a simple operation to arrest these Sith turned into a major sector wide battle, including the Sith creating a massive Force Storm that devastated half of the Alliance fleet, the emergence of a Lotek'k from... well that's not important, and one of the Sith turning themselves into a giant volcano monster. Needless to say, Atrisia itself suffered a great deal, but the Sith were defeated. Those Republic remnants attacked an Alliance force at Curvacia, but it still remains to be seen what they might be up to. It might be coincidence or not, but some of those same Republic elements were on Lialic and did nothing to stop an outbreak of new rakghouls, which by now has consumed the planet and sent it into chaos."

The whole sector needed looked after, and Taeli had been considering sending more supplies and personal to the sector to expand there... or at least better help make it stable. Something to be considered. Taeli gave a small smile as she heard the telltale click of heels approaching the conference room. If anything, recent events demonstrated the need, she felt, for what would be shown today and the partnership she hoped to further cement here.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

"Hmm." Now that was news. So the Galactic Republic was turning into the very thing it had attempted to fight. Then again, the Galactic Republic had already spiraled out of control. It had begun even before its attempt at seizing the elements of private trade within their territories. The lash back from the corporations were still felt throughout the former Republic space.

"Why am I not surprised," came Aeri's wry reply. The turbo lift came to a stop, and the doors slide open. Stepping out of the lift, the Zeltron followed Aurora's attendant and headed straight for the conference center.

"No update on Lialic then?" perhaps it would be best to send some of PharmaTech's forces? If the Alliance is already moving there, then maybe there was a new rakghoul strain that would be best to investigate.

Just then Aeri came to the large double doors.

"This way Miss," her escort stated, opening the doors. Across the way the lavender eyes of the Zeltron representative finally lay to rest upon the figure of Aurora's CEO.

"Miz Raaf." Aeri gave her a dazzling smile.

"Always a pleasure."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"Always a pleasure, Miss Vyn," Taeli said, gesturing for her to take a seat at the table. "Concerning your question for Lialic, we have reports that the rakghoul infestation first started at the spaceport of the capital and then in the government district. At this point, a sizable population of the capital have either been killed or turned and it is only a matter of time before they spread out. Planetary authorities aren't doing much, they've never dealt with such monsters before. There was a similar outbreak on Galidraan and Kolthis a few months ago, same creatures actually. Some Sith seems to be testing this strain and using it for coordinated assaults, but from what information we recovered there may be a problem."

It was a bit of tangent for their purposes, but Taeli felt it fine to talk about before they got to true business.

"Jedi Master Connor Harrison of the Silvers brought me a sample of the virus from Galidraan, and there is a complication for trying to find a cure or antidote. Whoever developed it didn't just rely on Sith alchemy to create it, they also combined it with science. Some sort of programmed response in the RNA of the virus causes it to mutate upon infecting an individual and if someone tries to tamper with it, it starts odd mutations and half replications. It's ingenious really, and horrible as it means anyone infected is as good as gone unless an original sample of the virus is recovered before it enters a Patient Zero of an outbreak."

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Aeri gave an incline of her head in gratitude, taking a seat as Taeli had gestured for her to do. A long, coral toned leg swung from left to right to rest against the other. Leaning back comfortably in her chair, the Zeltron gave a winning smile.

"Well... I wouldn't put it past the One Sith to be behind the matter. They had already done more than enough damage with the Yuuzhan Vong." Aeri didn't have to go too much into detail with that one. Alderaan, Empress Teta, even Coruscant had fallen under the curious terraforming one way or another, affected by the Vong.

"I wouldn't put it past their scientists to have been behind it." a strum of her fingers ran over the table.

"Both Sith Alchemy and Science." her voice turned grave. "Experts in both fields would be hard to come by. "

However, this was not at the core of their business meeting.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"Indeed, and several prominent virologists and xenobiologists disappeared as the One Sith's hold on the Core collapsed," Taeli said, nodding. It wasn't the main point for their meeting, but perhaps Aeri would turn PharmTech towards researching the virus and the outbreaks. It would be a true test of this new virus to have a company with ATC resources behind it, trying to find a cure or a way to mitigate the effects. "To our points of business then, moving away from virus and horrors."

Taeli would lean back in her chair, one of the aides bringing a tray with glasses and a decanter on it to offer water, tea, or something stronger for the two women. Taeli would accept a cup of Bastion black before continuing.

"Today, we will be unveiling a brand new cloaking technology," Taeli said, beginning the pitch. "You are no doubt aware that cloaking technology has had to rely upon the dwindling supply of stygium crystals to create effective stealth fields. Disregarding hibridium, as no one likes dealing with that double blind effect, it would appear that cloaking technology had reached its zenith and would begin to disappear. However, a breakthrough was made by Aurora engineers to develop a cloaking device that utilizes Adegan crystals to power it."

At this point, the center of the table would light up with a holographic representation of the device in question. It was much like a stygium cloaking device, but there were a few noted modifications that allowed it to send currents of energy through the Adegan crystal to reach the proper frequency.

"One feature of our device is that it can link with other devices to create larger cloaking fields, so while a single one might be able to cloak a starfighter... a whole bank of these could link together and power a stealth field for an entire Star Destroyer class ship," Taeli continued.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Now that was interesting. Aeri gave a slight incline of her body forward, her attention caught by the presentation. With the small datapad athervright she began to zoom in and study the design and details a bit more. It was true, there were only a limited amount of stealth options out there. If Aurora could do the same with new crystals it could be profitable.

However there were a few concerns.

"You mentioned Adegen crystals? Are we talking common place or pontite?" The latter were extraordinarily rare. Not to mention that sasori had made it its business to strip mine the lot if it where ever it could find it.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"Far more common than pontite crystals," Taeli said, giving a reassuring smile. She knew, and was disgusted by, what Sasori did whenever they stripped mined a system of pontite crystals. Just one more reason that Taeli found the primary provider for the Silver Jedi.... rather repugnent. "Our device here makes use of mephite, crystals that are easier to find as they are the standard form of the crystal that Jedi use in lightsabers. So supply is not a problem, especially when we consider the planet we currently sit on."

Taeli took a sip of her tea, enjoying the dry flavor.

"The man who discovered this world found that it has an abundance of adegan crystals and even stygium crystals," Taeli explained. "The other planets in the system weren't really surveyed, but the gas giant here was observed to have tibanna in its atmosphere, but this was the more important place to explore. So no, we need not worry about the supply running low as mephite can be found on many different worlds such as Mygeeto and Ilum to name but two... and Sasori hasn't deigned it necessary to mine them."

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Well that covered that bit. Approval shone upon the Zeltron's visage at that. With another nod Aeri encouraged Taeli to continue. "Mephite." a rap of her fingers and she annotated that down.

"How does the process work?" a small gesture from a coral hand pointed towards the hologram. " Is it double blind like Hybridium? Or does it allow a ship to be able to utilize their sensors still?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"It works much like a stygium cloak," Taeli explained. "In our lab tests, I gave my scientists one goal; to create a cloak as similar to a stygium powered cloaking device as possible. We started by working backwards from how a stygium device works, analyzing how the energy passed through the crystal, harmonic attunements, and so on. We then moved on to trying to copy the same or close readings when passing focused energy through adegan crystals we recovered from the Cularin system."

Another sip of tea, her datapad giving a small beep as it received a text message.

"It took a few tries, a few failures, but we struck upon the proper frequency and energy output necessary to replicate the effects a stygium crystals produces when under similar stress," Taeli continued. "Thankfully, all our tests concluded that there was no double blind effect if mephite was used, danite and other lesser adegan crystals couldn't handle the stress or created such problems in lab tests the devices were useless to our goal."

She checked her message, smiling as it signaled the team was ready to begin the test on her command.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

Fantastic. That explained it well. Aeri took a few notes. This was very promising. A slight upward twitch at the corner of her lip and those lavender eyes drew up to meet the violet of Taeli Raaf's own.

"I take it you have a viable live test available?" she asked, a knowing grin crossing her lips. The Aurora Industries CEO knew how Arceneau Trade worked. They were great at building relationships, contracts, and investing as long as there was something viable and tangible for them to see. It helped ease the process and continued to build upon the relationship. If they were working on making stealth cloaks along with potential stealth ships, MaraTibx could come in as a viable use of fuel with Tibx.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Aeri Vyn"]

"As a matter of fact, we have two tests to showcase today," Taeli said, her lips twitching. Aeri had probably heard about the last test Taeli had done to impress Danger, the whole fake Taeli as one of their Masquerade droids was probably something Danger would inform her close confidants about. With a flick of her hand, the lights in the conference room dimmed and the window in front of them flickered before displaying an image of space.

Several ships and probes were displayed, with several squadrons of fighters patrolling the area. At the edge of the test zone, designated by sensor buoys, sat a new Aurora starfighter based on the AI-09 Dawn fighter and one of Aurora's Procursator Star Destroyers.

"Here before you will be the first live tests of our Nebulous Cloaking Device," Taeli said, setting her tea down. "The first test will be done by one of our new AI-09s Dusk starfighters, which has been equipped with one of the devices. The second test will be a similar trial run with that Star Destroyer, which has been retrofitted with a bank of ten cloaking devices. Kyburne, you may begin the test."

On the bridge of the main Aurora observation ship in orbit, Chief Technician Loras Kyburne would confirm and signal the pilot of the Dusk fighter to engage the cloak and begin the test.

 

[Aeri Vyn]

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

All the while, Aeri observed the prototypes through their test. She kept quiet, watching and observing while taking down a few notes for conversation later. As stated the first one to test the Nebulous Cloaking Device were the AI-09s Dusk starfighters.

While the starfighters went through the final preparations of conducting the test, refreshments were brought out for both of the ladies to enjoy.

"Thank you," she smiled at the attendent before returning her attention to the test. As stated, one of the features of the device is that it it would be able to link with other devices to create larger cloaking fields. This first test would showcase what it did with a single starfighter.