Private Relief Efforts

[Sera Mina]

Wearing: This

Armed With: Charm

Several days ago, Kytrand


"Miss Mina?"

Sera Mina stirred from her low power mode, sitting up in her bed aboard the Centurion Class Battle Cruiser her mother's Clan owned.

Her quarters were utilitarian, save for the transparent habitat housing her pet rabbit. One of the richest women in the Galaxy, and yet her own personal domain lacked anything someone that rich would usually purchase.

She gazed upon the lost world of Kytrand from her view port as she picked up the comlink.

"Yes?"

"You have a message from the scouts you sent out to explore Kytrand's system. Priority Transmission..." the Clan Li-Ves secretary on the other end stated.

"Put it through." she ordered.

Her terminal started beeping and she shut her comlink off, tapping the receive button for transmissions.

"Miss Mina? It's Caralsin."

"Mister Caralsin, I wasn't expecting you so soon. How'd your expedition go?" Sera asked.

"We found something generating signals. Space stations, in orbit around the Sun."

"Stations?"

"Yes."

"You went aboard."

"Yes. You need to get over here as soon as you can."

"Why?"

"I can't discuss it. Not even over encrypted comms. Bring your top advisors."

Sera was already heading for her wardrobe.

Her scout sounded freaked.

One hour later...

Nathan Bloodscrawl, her soon to be stepfather, and Vera Mina, her Mother, headed towards the coordinates around Kytrand's sun. It was still within the safe zones of most ships, as well as starfighters, but very, very, very slightly closer than most ships wanted to get.

"The feth?" Vera exclaimed as she stared out of a shuttle viewport, clad in a skintight black armor weave Catsuit, armed with pistols.

Nathan, dressed in his typical black biker leathers grew noticeably more concerned as when he saw the size of the Stations.

"How did we miss this?" Nathan asked.

"So far the only ship in this system is our old Battle cruiser, and we normally don't get this close to Kytrand's Sun." Sera explained. "Pair that with the Solar Interference and the age of our ships own sensors, it's little wonder we didn't detect all of it before our scouts did."

"That's a fethin' shipyard!" Vera exclaimed as she saw rows of completed ships. But the stations those ships were around were the real concern.

They looked like colony ships, made by Ventex...

"What the hell is this?" Nathan said in genuine surprise.

"Your father never mentioned this to you?" Vera asked.

"Never. Maybe he didn't know. If he did, he never told me..." Nathan answered back, eyes staring in confusion at the site.

Sera flew to the docking bay Caralsin had told her to meet him. The sensors indicated the whole station was running on minimal power. Lots of life signs

"This Space Colony is inhabited. Heavily so..." Sera observed as she docked in the bay. Caralsin, a Psy-Pire by recent conversion stood waiting, tall and silent and pale. A Nagai in black armor, Nathan could see the telltale faint purple light at the center of his eyes indicating his status as a psychic vampire.

"By what?" Nathan asked as he stepped off, wearing a golden mask that obscured his features as well as a voice distortion device on his throat

"You the scout that found this place?" Nathan asked as he approached.

Caralsin nodded. "None of you will like what I have found. Follow me immediately."

The whole group followed past a dimly lit bronze coated interior with ancient, half faded Jedi Order symbols on certain sections. Deeper they went, until they started finding stasis chambers, gigantic rows of them stretching high above.

Nathan went to examine one chamber Caralsin pointed at. They were economy sized. He stepped back when he saw what was inside.

"We have a problem. A serious, serious problem..." Nathan trailed.

"What is it?" Sera asked, walking up to the same tank. She blinked.

"It's a Fett Clone." Sera said in surprise. "Holy chit...it's an army of Clone Troopers..."

"Why would they need an army of Clone Troopers? The people who built this place?" she asked, almost shivering in the darkness.

"I don't know. Part of me isn't even sure I want to know." Nathan replied turning to the Scout. "You're the only one besides us who has seen this?"

Caralsin nodded.

"Make sure it stays that way. We will have to put out a false warning from this point forward about the supposed dangers of Kytrand's sun. They'll have even less reason to be curious." Nathan ordered the scout before turning back to his future wife and step daughter.

"This is going to be a very interesting week..."


Present.



The Bacta-Works Cruiser , Windu's Hand, waited in orbit anice New Alderaan, it's current highest ranking official still deeply troubled by the secrets they kept unraveling at the still hidden planet of Kytrand.

It made her wonder, as she headed to the hangar bay dressed in her best, whether they could really keep knowledge of the planet secret long enough from the right people in order to establish total control. Even Nathan was starting to wonder if he was in over his head.

An invitation had been extended to Alicio Organa as well as Amani Serys , his wife, to a time aboard the Ancient Hospital Ship for lunch while Orbiting New Alderaan.

Organa was one of the strongest advocates for the refugees fleeing Sith and Mandalorian aggression. Nathan had deemed it vital months prior to get his ear, for Nathan had plans, and wanted to show Organa that their ability to produce Bacta was enough to rival Thyferra itself. Possibly even surpass it. But in order to exceed that lofty potential, it required Forward thinkers, those who saw the potential of a Fully Mobile humanitarian agency with all the discipline of a military organization in controlling and distributing it's resources, a constant flow of economic and humanitarian relief, taking full advantage of core world hyperlanes to reinforce the Alliance as a whole and greatly relieve it's financial strain.

It would be one of the most ambitious relief Efforts in history if they could get it working.

Sera made it to the hangar bay, draped in the banners of the Jedi as she awaited Alicio and possibly his wife...

 

[Alicio Organa]

WINDU'S HAND
IN ORBIT ABOVE ALDERAAN
​

Alicio's life had become considerably more complex since the succession vote.

It was only a few weeks ago he had been only a Count of House Organa. Then, as his planet finally accepted Faith's absence, he became Duke. And now, he was Heir Apparent, soon to be King of all Alderaan. Most of his time since had been spent preparing for the burdens he'd shouldered. It helped that he knew Alderaan's political climate like the back of his hand, thanks to his seat in the Senate, but there was still plenty to learn.

In an odd way, it was a relief to get back into relief work. Pun not entirely intended.

With his scope broadening, the Alderaanian nobleman's thoughts turned to innovation. When the Bacta-Works CEO offered to take lunch with him, Alicio sensed she were trying to do just that- innovate. Which was why Alicio was entertaining this meeting, in the middle of one of the busiest times of his life.

Alicio's shuttle touched down in the hangar bay of the Windu's Hand, it's exit ramp opening with a pressurized hiss. Out streamed a full squadron of bowl-helmed Alderaanian royal guards, followed closely by a darkly-dressed Alicio.

When he saw a familiar face from Naboo, the Heir Apparent nodded knowingly, waving a hand to his retinue with a slight smirk. "Keep the ship warm for me?" Alicio stepped quietly through them, offering a polite half-bow to Sera. "Ms. Mina. Thank you for the invitation."

"Shall we?"

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"Welcome aboard, Senator Organa..." Sera replied and began walking slowly, as they were in no hurry.

"I have so been wanting to talk to you. Ever since my company started operating in Alliance Space, I have seen it stretch itself in an unhealthy manner attempting to care for every refugee fleeing the aggression of the Sith and the Mandalorians. It's what's influenced the spread of my operations from the heart of the Trade League all the way to Coruscant."

That wasn't an exaggeration. Bacta-Works had grown extremely strong financially, selling some of the cheapest yet safest Bacta Substitutes on the market. With that influx of credits the Company had invested in the economies of the worlds it set up shop on, netting even more wealth, and had about a dozen associate businesses now. It may have been quiter than a lot of MegaCorps, but when it flexed in Alliance Space, it was enough to make even deep core politicians pay close attention.

"The biggest concern I have..." she said as she led Alicio Organa through the vast passages, passing by a supermodel-esque Soldier Biot in a tight fitting metallic gold armor weave Catsuit, the same type that had occasionally been spotted on more recent Alliance battlefields killing Sith Soldiers and other foes of Democracy.

"Is that in trying to provide for the refugees, the Alliance will over extend itself in trying to also resist the Sith. It seems unlikely given the vast power the Alliance wields, perhaps, but the Alliance was pushed to the absolute brink in the Mawite war. Medicine is one of the essential resources in war..." she said as she stopped in front of a door, opening it to reveal a massive factory section containing multiple chambers for producing Bacta.

"The incident with Thyferra is proof that We cannot keep counting our eggs in one vital Basket. There must be many baskets. No longer should damage caused to a single world be enough to affect the ability to obtain such a vital resource. My scientists have even come up with a way to use Bacta to power Reactors. Even weapons..."

She swept her hand over each chamber.

"What you see here is just a small example of my dream to create a constant network of relief across Alliance Space that is nearly impossible to truly disrupt."

 

[Alicio Organa]

With a nod, Alicio followed alongside Sera, a ponderous gait propelling his steps.

The Bacta-Works CEO's talk of the Alliance's relief efforts brought an uncomfortable look to his face. He was well aware of the strain the Alliance's relief efforts could put on it's planets. They were flush for organizations, and credits were tight, but manageable with all the war drives and relief balls taking place across the galactic core. Alderaan certainly performed a lion's share of the work.

"In the event the Alliance becomes strained, and must choose between the war and it's victims," Alicio started, a dark sort of sadness to his tone, "it will not be the refugees that take priority."

Alicio took in the room that was presented to him, the harshness of his face giving way to soft curiosity. With thoughtful footsteps, the king apparent stepped up to the vats of bacta, putting a gloved hand against it's surface.

"You wish to create bacta factories across the Galactic Alliance." It was a statement, not a question. Not a condemnation, either. Alicio was always... hesitant of megacorporations- he'd seen the extreme lengths they went through to oppress Denon- but he couldn't deny the benefits.

But he had questions.

"Why make weapons from it? Do you see bacta becoming more easily accessible than tibanna, or any of the other usual suspects?" A pause. "And why come to me?"

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"Exactly." Sera confirmed in response to the statements Alicio Organa had made. "The Alliance may well be our best option, but it's still deeply flawed. Mired in politics. Squabbling. Committees."

When he asked why make weapons from it, Sera asked rhetorically "Why not? New uses for precious chemicals are being discovered all the time. If my company's innovations allows the Alliances armies to potentially double their ammunition reserves, those are changes to be embraced, not feared. And imagine the economic applications..."

At this, attendants in blue jumpsuits brought in a miniaturized piece of technology, a Power Plant on a repulsor cart.

"An example of what I speak. This model is capable of being fitted to a Starfighter. Fifteen percent less fuel consumed on average use than a reactor using Hypermatter or some other substances. I can make these power Battle Cruisers. And as for Bacta becoming more abundant then Tibanna...every one of these chambers around you can be fitted to ships as well, self sustaining in their production. Think about it, Senator: An endlessly self reinforcing loop of medical, weapon and fuel sustainment..." Sera trailed as employees brought in another larger Repulsor Cart, containing a fully grown Bio Bacta Tree in a transparent habitat. It emitted a soft, ethereal blue glow on its wood and leaves.

"Aided in part by these miraculous trees my company has created. They naturally create Bacta. So yes...it will become more abundant than Tibanna. I have the means to make it so..." Sera assured. "I have the means to produce food in the multi tonnages and charge a relative handful of credits. Essential stuff also. Salt. Sugar. Oil. Painkillers and Medicine to help with psychological disorders. But...as why I came to you with all this..." Sera trailed, arms folding...

"...well, you're married to a Jedi. A Jedi tends to be notoriously picky about people's character. The fact one chose to marry you suggests to me you are one of the only people in that Senate who wants to keep their eye on the ball...one of the only people in there almost certain not to be crooked..."

Sera paused, more troubled by the Clone Army, though she did her best to hide it.

"I came to you because there was no one else I was willing to trust with my vision. I mean who was I gonna go to, The Trade Federation? I trust them about as far as I can throw them. Plus, you are the most high profile advocate for refugees in Alliance territory. Your support would lend my initiative great legitimacy. I would of course be willing to place your own hand picked personnel to oversee the stations where distribution efforts would take place as well as unrestricted access to our fleet vessels. I want to place them at key points in Alliance Space, near essential hyperlanes to ensure the network can reach across Alliance territory easily. Any Jedi your wife would place aboard our ships for inspection or direction would also be acceptable."

 

[Alicio Organa]

"I prefer a government allowed to be divided," Alicio said, feeling some need to defend the GA to Sera, "than one forced to agree. Despite the... many difficulties that come with partisanism."

He could concede that much.

"What are the drawbacks of using bacta for weapons, and power?" Alicio frowned as he examined the power plant. The Alliance would have already been all over Bacta-Works if it was a strict upgrade. "And do you believe the benefits are worth losing materials for medical supplies?"

The sight of the tree caused Alicio's eyes to widen in surprise. It was... beautiful. Glowing blue, ethereal. So that was how they did it.

Sera revealed the reason she trusted him was because of Amani. The senator flicked his eyes towards her, not without a little suspicion. Her narrative was an alluring one. Bacta becomes commonplace, Alicio's name is tied onto it, and his people can oversee production to ensure transparency. "It is a tempting offer, Ms. Mina."

The deal was good. Too good to be true.

"Would you consider selling the trees to the Alliance? That would be the fastest way to ensure your vision comes to pass." His words grew slow, a knowing smirk shadowing his face. He expected her to say no. But how she said no would tell him plenty.

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"Well the current weakness of the tech, being a first generation model, is that the byproducts created from hypercondensing Bacta into an excitable state suitable for starship use creates non toxic residue that can build up, but this however requires only slightly more maintenance. Plus, monitoring power distribution will be required more heavily at Drydock when powering up. To convert it to usable ammo however means a question of ratios. The same amount of Tibanna Gas used to fire a single, lethal blaster bolt requires double the equivalence in Bacta Gas. If using an equivalent amount, the blaster bolt fired using Bacta will only stun, not kill. But we are rapidly making progress in negating this weakness." Sera answered smoothly.

Alicio Organa was clearly tempted. She could see it on his face as pondered her answers.

Then he asked if she'd be willing to sell the trees.

Sera shrugged. "Sure. I'd be willing to sell them on an individual basis as well as en masse, provided my company is provided proper compensation. Each tree is, however, by my own personnel estimate to be worth hundreds of thousands of credits as a strategic resource. And I would also have certain conditions. These trees are delicate, volatile to take care of. For each orchard of these sold requires my own company's specialists on hand to make sure they are properly cared for, as the Alliance worlds they would be sold to would have great difficulty to learn their ins and outs during wartime."

She paused a moment, thinking of additional addendums.

"I am however, willing to forgo credits in terms of alternative compensation. Contracts with key Alliance Worlds to sell products from my companies subdivisions at reduced import taxes, for example. Choice properties on them, perhaps choice properties on Alderaan. Everything is negotiable Senator. Everything."

 

[Alicio Organa]

She didn't say no.

Again, Alicio felt a flash of surprise. Bacta-Works didn't plan to monopolize on their new breakthrough. It lent credit to Sera's stated goal- to increase bacta production in the Alliance. A point in her favor, one Alicio hadn't planned to give out.

But of course, her addendums got him back on the scent. He felt like, finally, he understood Sera's motives, at least a little. Properties. Trade deals. That was two times her conditions had been to expand. She didn't care about credits. Much like the trees they were peddling, Bacta-Works was trying to grow. In both power, and influence.

Alicio could work with that.

"I understand." The king apparent's eyes harshened with focus. Not anger, but deep thought. "Then here is my starting offer for you, Ms. Mina."

"My wife is the Headmaster of the Vonnuvi Enclave, which rests on a traveling Ithorian herdship. Much like your operation, they travel from world to world, providing relief where they can, and could use a replenishing reserve of bacta on hand." He turned to her, his hands folded properly behind his back. "As a trial run, donate trees to them, however many you see fit, along with experts to make sure the grove runs smoothly. If the product of these trees is successful in providing the Vonnuvi the bacta they need, then I will publicly endorse your project, and assist in you creating at least three of these bacta groves across the Alliance, provided my people get direct oversight, and your factories don't hedge into any local economies."

In all honesty, Alicio wasn't worried about Bacta-Works choking local markets, considering the fact that there was no market for bacta. It seemed like a win-win to him.

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"Your terms are acceptable..." Sera replied to the proposal Alicio Organa made without missing a beat.

"The Vonnuvi Jedi Enclave will receive a donation of 14 Trees, in addition to our own experts in caring for these trees. In addition, they will receive one of our Bacta Synthesizers with three years worth of replacement parts. As a gesture of Goodwill to the People of Alderaan, however..."

The Attendants that had brought in the Power Plant had left to retrieve a vat of deep red liquid.

"This is our cheapest Synthetic Bacta, known as Red Bacta . Able to be used even by those who have Bacta allergies. It's not as fast as the real thing, but it does everything the real stuff does. I would like to donate 300 Tons of it to your planetary relief centers for use in the event Alderaan suffers a major crisis..."

Just then, two Footman Droids came in preparing a picnic style table, setting a just finished cooking Aldera Meatpie, along with helping of buttered Flatbread , both served on Aurodium Plates as well as Chandrilan Tea just finished boiling and ready to serve in highly decorated teacups, with sides of Corellia Chew, and steamed Antarian Peas...

"Please join me, Senator." Sera said, taking a seat at one of the tables set out.

"I like to dine next to the tech my company creates. It reminds me of why I am able to eat so well." Sera explained. "Fortune smiled upon me these past few years. I have more money than I could ever hope to spend in one life time. That's partly why I find it easy to dismiss the notion of monopoly on the trees... after all what good is a monopoly if the Sith conquer the Alliance?" She asked as she poured him and her some tea.

"And what good is the money if you have to watch innocent people die for no good reason?" she added.

 

[Alicio Organa]

His first offer was accepted. No bartering. Just... taken. At face value. Not only that, but she sweetened the deal.

That was also... entirely unexpected.

Alicio's head turned slightly, and a surprised, but genuine smile graced his features as Sera offered Alderaan hundreds of tonnes of red bacta. "Thank you. That is very generous." His smile turned melancholic, bitter. "Hopefully, we never have to use it."

But with the state of the galaxy today, disaster was never out of the question.

Then, lunch was prepared. Alicio watched on as the table placed down, food was set upon it, and tea was poured. Alicio sat down, offering the Bacta-Works CEO a small "Thank you," as she poured his tea. The king apparent took the cup, and after a moment of staring into the Future, he took a sip, and smirked. It was good.

"And what good is the money if you have to watch innocent people die for no good reason?"

Alicio fell into simmering thought for a moment. "What is your experience in relief work, Sera?"

Not Ms. Mina. Sera. She'd earned that much.

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"Well, to be honest..." Sera said, blushing in embarrassment.

"I have always been on the more administrative side of things. I handle contracts. The deal making. I oversee research, in some cases. But the field work that the actual surgeons, relief workers, the therapists handle? I have..." Sera paused sipping some tea as she collected herself.

"I have only ever served as a nurse, and only three times at that. Or observed. My duties in making sure the business runs takes up a very large amount of my time, and getting any sort of free time is maybe a week or two off. But what I saw in the relief camps...shook me. It shook me badly." she said, setting the tea down.

"That's what the whole Galaxy would turn into under the Sith. Just..."

Sera hadn't touched her food yet.

"Seas of broken people...with shattered gazes. Alive, but looking like they have no pulse." Sera spoke quietly.

"It's basically been that way in a lot of places the last forty years. Current charities, Governments and relief organizations have proven wholly inadequate at dealing with the near constant warfare. Systems, planets being conquered and reconquered continuously, with a civilian population having almost no chance to readjust before the next war occurs. Even after The Alliance defeated The Brotherhood of The Maw, low level conflict was still occuring on multiple worlds. The bloodshed never stopped, it just dialed down in intensity."

She finally ate a spoon full of pie.

"It's too much..." she said after chewing, swallowing, and dabbling her mouth with a napkin. "It requires a relief effort of unprecedented size and efficiency at directing funds, preparing food, drink, housing, and psychological care, as well as a means and willingness to engage in multiple facets of investment to keep generating continued revenue for those efforts on a professional as well as Grassroots level. Even a willingness to engage in the terraforming of large asteroids as frequently as possible. Those rock fields are free real estate."

Another bite. And another sip of tea.

"I also focus on not just creating centers of relief but on the kinds of facilities that can produce the doctors we need. We have received our first 100 Graduates from the Nytesmyth Academy on Susevfi. I hope to create many such academies on Core Worlds such as Coruscant. Trouble is finding out how to ensure quality of Doctors evenly. I'm considering investing in the creation of much smaller medical institutions with a lower rate of graduate output but with the same or close to the same quality as Nytesmyth."

Another sip of Tea.

"I set up the means, but in the end I must rely on only the best and most qualified to help carry out the objective." Sera said. "I try and be conscious of it. I try to remember Lives are not statistics and probability, even though I must on some level treat them so in order to carry out getting aid to them. Some tend to perceive me as a number cruncher more than anything."


Alicio Organa

 

[Alicio Organa]

Alicio knew the value of staying silent, and listening.

The Duke quietly sampled his tea, watching on with studious attention as Sera discussed her history in the field. Her talk about the effects on the people... well, it brought back memories for him, too. Oceans of shattered faces, broken lives. He knew it all too well.

"It can be... easy, to drown in the sorrow." He took another sip. "Trust me, I know. Most of my experience is administration as well, but... I dirty my hands as much as I can. There's always use for one more pair of hands. And being there, among them... you see it in their eyes. Their world, broken before them. The... hopelessness."

"But I've been there long enough to see the gratitude, too. The generosity. The camaraderie." Alicio frowned in thought. "There is plenty of hope, too. If you look up to see it."

"Our task is... monumental." It was clear to them both, especially as Sera continued. "That's why we must press on. Bear the standard, for others to follow."

"Some tend to perceive me as a number cruncher more than anything."

"People that think working the books is an easy job have never had to balance the spreadsheets and manage the entire distribution of a refugee camp before." Alicio smirked good-naturedly, before taking the first bite of his food.

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"No...I suppose they haven't..." Sera admitted.

"And I have I lot more than just one camp to balance..." She added, taking another bite.

She didn't comment on his talk of hope, as she had yet to experience genuine fear in so protected a position as hers.

She could not help but wonder if Alicio Organa would have been even a quarter so eager to latch onto her ambitious plan if it had been pitched to him by Nathan, who was the actual source of the plan. Nathan wasn't exactly Captain Charisma. Her mother was attracted to him for his ironic similarities to her...a being that had been 'programmed' to push past all obstacles, who had become a weapon through time and effort what she had been born as. As cold and as calculating as she was capable of being through sheer choice.

What might have Alicio said, had such a man, who never smiled, or laughed, or joked, gone to him and professed his ambitions? A man who did not see the value of modern society as Alicio might have, but nonetheless understood that the alternative was chaos.

A man all too willing to go against the Code Alicio's wife had sworn herself to, all to avenge and bring closure to a mind shatteringly horrific tragedy.

Nathan Bloodscrawl didn't want to rule from the shadows. He didn't want to rule period. He just wanted the Cult destroyed. After that he would space off, retire with her Mother and never pick up a weapon or use the Force again. And she had believed him when he said it.

She liked Nathan. He actually wasn't a jerk once you got to know him. But he had understood long ago that his ambitions, even his genuinely good intentions, had to be presented in the most pleasant and disarming way possible.

Nathan knew how to be many things, but pleasant and disarming were not one of them.

But they were Sera's bread and butter.

"I know the work I do is important." She said. It was the truth. But she was thinking of different truths than he might have been.

"Still...I feel like I never do enough..."

 

[Alicio Organa]

"Still...I feel like I never do enough..."

Alicio had to kill a chortle in his throat before it escaped. "You can't." He let the statement dry in the air for a moment, before elaborating.

"There's no such thing as 'enough', I've found. There's always more to do. More fires to put out, more people to save..." Alicio took a moment to sip his tea, thought darkening his face once more. "More than any person, any organization, any galaxy-spanning government can do."

"But it's the effort to do enough that lets us achieve great things regardless." He'd spent long, sleepless nights thinking about this very topic. "That's a lesson that I could do with learning, too."

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"I suppose you're right." Sera said. "What you see here is only the beginning. Just the faintest beginning..."

Later...

After the meal, Sera had given Alicio a tour of the Cruiser .

It became immediately apparent that the ship in question was ancient. In spite of the refurbished interior, there were occasionally signs of faded markings in certain sections. But it was also clearly a fully functional mobile Hospital...

"These ships helped grow my company..." Sera explained as she led him into engineering, which had strange, almost primitive aesthetic to its machinery, where the Cloaking Device lay, a tower with transparent pods displaying shiny black Stygium Crystals about the size of a fist. Personnel of various races went about doing their duties.

"It can ferry medicine and supplies almost anywhere undetected thanks to this old cloaking device. I intend for ships like this to become an essential part of the relief network, where rush deliveries need to be made through hostile space..."

She turned to Alicio Organa .

"So, Senator...do you have any additional questions or concerns?" she asked...

 

[Alicio Organa]

"So, Senator...do you have any additional questions or concerns?"

Alicio had spent the tour in relative silence. Despite the medical nature of the ship they toured, Alicio couldn't help but compare it to a military vessel. It wasn't as if there were soldiers rushing to and fro to their battle stations, and battery lines were replaced by hospital beds, but there was a professional efficiency, and a gross budget, that couldn't be denied.

He'd returned to his brooding mood by the time Sera had asked her question. He stewed on it, obviously giving her off some time to ruminate. Finally, he spoke, staring into the Stygian crystal ahead with grim curiosity. "No. Not yet. Not until I've had time to look over the numbers." He wanted to ensure everything was above-board before getting anything in writing. But so far, it seemed promising.

Alicio paused. He had to ask.

"Do you believe anything you've shared with me today to be misleading or untrue?"

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"I won't lie to you, Alicio...in doing all this, it does offer many benefits on my end. But I do want to help people. I want The Alliance to survive. Can't do business with The Sith. Under their system, I would only be one of the richest people in the Galaxy until they send some dipstick Sith Apprentice with an appetite for blood and a taste to make a name for themselves."

At his question if she was misleading him in any way, the only thing she wasn't telling him was about the fethin' massive Clone Army in orbit around Kytrand's sun. But that was because it was so massive she had no idea what to do with it. It was a massive liability. A MASSIVE liability.

Nathan was genuinely freaked. Unsettled. He hadn't wanted a Clone Army. Finding Kytrand had been enough for him. Letting his Fiance's military control the orbit and surface was a fair deal. Clones were illegal.

Their very existence threw a carefully conceived plan to carefully settle Kytrand in to chaos.

Her databases locked onto the parallels between Alicio Organa and her soon to be stepfather.

Both were in just as much trouble, under just as much pressure. Both from proud bloodlines, bloodlines that had produced great warriors. Both from Cultures that mandated resistance to tyranny, to protect the innocent. Only Alicio did openly what Nathan did in the Shadows. Alicio's bloodline rang throughout history, while the Bloodscrawls, once Temple Guardians turned family owned Jedi PMC--

(Narrator suffers intense MGS4 flashbacks after typing "PMC")

--the Bloodscrawl Family wasn't even a memory.

"I want to become the main supplier of Bacta, of ways to produce it quickly, synthesize it, find new uses for it, within the Alliance. The Trees will help, but they are tricky to care for...all products have flaws, unfortunately. Part of the reason I agreed to your terms so quickly is because I need the feedback from the Vonnuvi Enclave in order to refine future products that work along the same lines as these trees do. How well the Herdship itself deals in caring for them will go a long way in determining how we plant these trees on other worlds. They are only grown in a few locations currently, all of which is confidential corpo knowledge"

Sera then cut to the chase. Alicio needed to know everything if this was going to work.

"The flaw of this product is that while it will regularly produce Bacta as well as a Resin that has many industrial and other uses, they are highly flammable I'm afraid. That's why I am giving the Herdship relatively few and small trees. The size of the trees depends on the soil they are planted in, and the samples you are getting were planted in rougher, dryer soils, so their height and girth will be blunted so the ship can effectively manage them." she explained.

"We're trying to tweak the genetics to reduce the flammability factor, but test results so far all indicate that trying to alter the genetics that affect how flammable it is reduces both the potency of the Bacta, as well as the speed in which it is produced. The current version, even with this chief drawback, is still the one that produces Bacta and Resin the fastest."

"But I assure you, Senator, even small trees will produce high amounts at regular harvests." she added. "You must not let fire come into contact with them, so that is why I have to have my personnel to care for them at all times, keep them isolated to avoid injury to others. They are unfortunately the only ones at the moment who best know how to take care of them, but among their other duties will be properly training locals to care for the trees." Sera said. She was being as truthful as the current situation permitted.

"Of course, as they age, they will become only more flammable, to the point open air renders them flammable. They end their life cycle in ashes, but the seeds, covered in Resin, are retrieved from those ashes for the next planting. But the soil it's planted in needs to be heavily infused with the two chief bacterial ingredients of Bacta in order to grow. So that is why when we pass out these trees to various worlds, we must be careful of the landscaping, and to make sure their burns are controlled, and the soil can be properly infused with the Bacteria." she spoke making sure she left nothing out. "This unfortunately means less trees per orchard. But I am perfectly willing to offer extra incentives and discounts to offset potential risks to property, and would be happy to provide thermal protection such as suits and shielding, along with respirators, at no cost to purchasers. But these trees do work. I've seen whole orchards of them work. Carefully managed Orchards, perhaps...but they do work."

 

[Alicio Organa]

It was only after his question that Alicio attempted to touch Sera's mind. A light gaze from afar, to ensure she was being truthful. But then... he found he couldn't. As if there were no mind there.

His frown ticked ever downward, but he let nothing else slip.

"I expected there would be some difficulty in the tree's maintenance. You did show one to me in a hermetically-sealed box, after all." A smile flickered on his face, before receding. It didn't take a genius. "But thank you for your transparency. That imposes a problem, but one that can be overcome. There are resources the Alliance gathers that will do more than burn if mishandled." Coaxium came to mind.

"I'm happy to help oversee your experiment on the Vonnuvi, then." Alicio thought a moment, then stuck out his hand, as if to shake. "If it bears fruit, we go from there."

"Deal?"

- Sera Mina -

 

[Sera Mina]

"Deal." Sera said happily to Alicio Organa .

Then Alicio offered his hand.

"Forgive me, Senator. I...I don't shake hands."

(Cutaway of J. Jonah Jameson laughing uncontrollably).

"I have certain...hangups about physically touching others." Sera explained.

Which was absolutely the truth.

She of course was keeping in mind what Nathan had warned her about him.

Don't make physical contact with him at any point if it can possibly be helped... he had told her. Force Users senses are sometimes stronger making physical contact with someone or something. It'll be enough for him to assume you are Force Dead. Give him no reason to believe you are artificial.

Now, granted, in some ways her design was far more advanced at getting others, especially Force Users, to believe she was human, than, say, a Nuetralizer like Percival Io (Indeed, Clan Li-Ves had retained the secret at making their creations seem far more human looking and acting, especially in physical flaws and movements, more than House Io had. Nine Lives still outstripped Laertia at A.I. in some ways). But it wasn't smart to push one's luck.

"But know that I am deeply relieved at how open you have been to my ideas." Sera assured. Her soon to be Stepfather would be pleased. If only they could figure out what to do about that Clone Army.

Waking them up was obviously the last thing many would want to do...but was it really right to let all those uncounted masses of Clones sleep eternally?

She only hoped there would never be a reason to awaken them.

Half an hour later.

After completing her tour, Sera had led Alicio back to the hangar where his guards awaited.

"We will speak again, hopefully soon, Senator..." Sera said to him. "I am deeply honored by this chance you are giving us..."


(Exit Post)