First Reply Schemes on Fondor

[Monaray Dod]

Senator Monaray Dod sat behind his desk in his spacious senatorial office, the grandeur of Cato Neimoidia evident in every luxurious detail. The sound of his fingers tapping against the polished surface of the desk resonated in the room, the only noise breaking the otherwise heavy silence.

He anxiously awaited the arrival of an important guest, someone whose presence could potentially bring the Trade Federation to new heights and influence given the current war between the Alliance and the Dark Empire.

As he glanced at the time displayed on his holopad, Dod's brow furrowed slightly. The individual was running late, a rare breach of protocol that did not bode well for their meeting. The senator's mind raced with thoughts of possible reasons for the delays – had there been an unforeseen emergency? Or was this a deliberate act of disrespect?

Despite his growing impatience, Dod maintained a composed exterior. As a seasoned politician, he was well accustomed to navigating the treacherous waters of diplomatic relations and power struggles. His reputation as a cunning negotiator and shrewd strategist had earned him the respect of his peers, but also made him a formidable adversary to those who dared to challenge him.

The door to his office finally slid open with a soft hiss, and a figure stepped inside. Dod's sharp eyes narrowed as he recognized the individual.

 

[Trask Skirata]

"Its been a long time since I've been on Fondor,"

Trask said as he entered the room, his spurs jingling and jangling. With a snap-hiss, he removed his helmet. The man had a hawkish face, thin and razor boned. He was middle-aged, though for a Mandalorian that would have almost made him of an age with the gogi despite there not being a single lock of white or silver in his dun brown hair.

It had been over thirty years since an Alor of House Skirata had ventured this far into the Core, longer since they had been further north than Sluis Van, but the Sith were hunting, their control over the space lanes of the southern Outer Rim growing with every passing day. Deals needed to be made, the safety of his people secured. Well, those that still called the old fleet home at least. His thoughts turned to his niece, Raona Cadera and her little band of Mandalorian Freedom Fighters.

"Been even longer since someone brought up the Shriek-Hawks for a job." Trask cocked his head, his thumbs finding the inside of his belt. "What'll it be, aruetii?"

Monaray Dod

 

[Monaray Dod]

Dod's expression remained as the Mandalorian made his way into the senatorial office, taking off his beskar-adorned helmet to unveil his features. Numerous documentaries had been produced on the Mandalorian Culture, and those who had endured were frequently regarded with great respect, despite not necessarily being of advanced age to warrant such reverence.

He gestured for the Mandalorian to take a seat across from the desk - fully aware of their proficient abilities and ability to handle sensitive matters.

The task at hand was undeniably perilous and could potentially stir up controversy, yet the Trade Federation considered it an essential gamble to convey a message to their debitors that they always expected due returns.

"You have the skills needed for the assignment, without charging a fortune. Tell me, what do you know of the Kingdom of Alderaan." Dod inquired - refraining from disclosing the complete plan at this moment, until there was a certain level of assurance that this discussion would remain confidential and not be disclosed to the Senate.

Trask Skirata

 

[Trask Skirata]

"Alderaan?" Task scratched at his chin with a gloved finger and plopped down into the chair across from the Neimoidian. Such plush chairs shouldn't go to waste. With a grunt he kicked his feet up onto the desk and folded his arms.

"That's old man Draco's territory." He nodded. "Used to be king. Imagine that, a Mandalorian, king of peace loving Alderaan." He chuckled at his joke but when he saw the Neimoidian wasn't laughing he cleared his throat.

"They do humanitarian work. Not much of a fleet outside of that. They're the seat of the entire sector, but sometimes forget that leaving their member worlds to fight off pirates and patrol their spacelanes on their own." Trask shrugged. "Nothing much out of the ordinary for a Core World."

Monaray Dod

 

[Monaray Dod]

It seemed that Alderaan had much more of a colorful past than the Senator had first realized, given that a Mandalorian had once been crowned King. The current members of the Trade Federation had mistakenly believed that the House of Organa had always held the highest authority. However, with this newfound knowledge, a deeper investigation into the planet's history would be necessary.

Leaning back on the marble chair behind the desk, the Neimoidian offered an ear as the Mandalorian went about detailing what the system had to offer and its current operations, although lacking in actual concrete detail. The individual seemed trustworthy enough - to divulge the true nature of their meeting within the senatorial suites.

"Excellent, such extensive knowledge will serve us well. We are concerned that the King of Alderaan Alicio Organa is building up a military force, and would like to gather intelligence about the size of this army, and if it poses a threat to our trading operations within the region."

Dod explained - with half gestures to paint himself as a merely a concerned citizen of the Galactic Alliance and a honest merchant. He would neglect to mention that the Trade Federation was curious because they had plans to blockade the system to recover debts owed to them.

Trask Skirata

 

[Trask Skirata]

Trask's brows raised in surprise. A new king? So Old man Draco wasn't looming over the planet anymore... And building up a fleet? It made sense. Tython had been taken. That at least he'd heard from the Core Worlds. If this new Maw, or Dark Empire, or whatever they called themselves, were already in the Core though, it was too little too late.

"Aren't you all allies in the Alliance? It's right there in the name." He was beginning to see a way in...

Monaray Dod

 

[Monaray Dod]

"Despite sharing the same government and defense forces, our alliance is far from being unified. The prioritization of individual planetary interests often takes precedence over the collective interests of the faction as a whole. The King of Alderaan's significant military buildup raises concerns of potential succession or saber rattling."

The Neimoidian explained - with a few simple hand-gestures and musing of the eyes as they shifted around the room. The Galactic Alliance was only united by a thin thread of inter-planetary agreements between member-worlds and the Alliance Charter, that could easily be unraveled should the external pressure become to much to bare with the costs of the Core War.

As he sat there, observing the Mandalorian in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping up on him. The Trade Federation was already starting to build up a sufficent invasion force for the blockade, although they did not know the exact strength of the Alderaan Army. As such, they needed proper intelligence.

"Should such a succession or warmongering occur, then our trading operations within the region will be at risk. All we desire is a simple intelligence operation to determine the exact strength of the forces gathered."

Trask Skirata

 

[Trask Skirata]

"But Alderaan is hardly the only military power in the Alliance. Kuat, Fondor, Corellia, just to name a few. And you're at war. If any time, now is the time to batten down the hatches." He shrugged and removed his feet from the desk to lean forward in his chair.

"So tell me Senator, what's the real goal here? Speak plainly. What's the job?"

 

[Monaray Dod]

"Planets of this nature have a rich and extensive past when it comes to the accumulation of military forces, starting from the Corellian Confederation and extending to the Lord Regency of Kuat. Alderaan, on the other hand, has always been known for its peaceful nature, until King Organa made the decision to arm himself in response to the proposed House Ulgo Coup. This sudden and drastic change in ideology poses a significant threat to both the Alliance and the Federal Assembly as a whole."

Senator Monaray - acknowledged that several planets affiliated with the Alliance possessed their own military capabilities, including Kuat, Fondor, and Corellia. These forces were established in reaction to the growing dangers posed by the former Mawite Brotherhood, the New Imperial Order, and the Dark Empire. Therefore, it was only logical for the Sovereign System of Alderaan to also develop its own military strength in order to address these same threats.

"While I do not endorse the propagation of falsehoods in our agreements, it is worth mentioning that the Trade Federation intends to impose a blockade on the system as a response to outstanding debts. Our intentions do not involve any invasion of the planet; rather, we aim to engage in negotiations with the Monarchy and the Galactic Alliance to reach a mutually beneficial settlement."

Trask Skirata

 

[Trask Skirata]

Ah. Debt collection. Trask sighed. He'd worked those sorts of gigs before. The hired muscle brought in to bully or threaten debtors into paying up what they owed. Trask shrugged in his chair.

"So you want me to insert a team and find out the capabilities of this new Alderaanian defense force and provide our services in...Negotiating the payment of debts?" He hated the way aruetii, especially the politicians, danced around what they wanted. Why or through what means was of little concern to him. House Skirata was starving in the Outer Rim. It was kill or be killed now and his people were counting on him.

"What are you offering?"

Monaray Dod

 

[Monaray Dod]

"The negotiations with the Monarchy will be managed by the Trade Federation, although you will be tasked with carrying out acts of sabotage to prevent the Alderaan Forces from effectively dispatching a response unit. Such sabotage could include destruction of supply depots, paystations, outposts...etc.."

Senator Monaray used subtle gestures to convey the message that the Trade Federation wanted their involvement in espionage activities against the Alderaan Armed Forces. This was to ensure that the Armed Forces would be caught off guard in the event of a full-scale blockade or invasion if the demands of the Trade Federation were not met by the Federal Assembly and the Monarchy.

"We are prepared to provide a total of 10 million credits as compensation for the successful execution of the task, with an initial payment of 5 million credits allocated for the procurement of necessary supplies and transportation expenses. Furthermore, we are open to discussing the possibility of granting complimentary access to our trading ports and refueling stations situated in and around the outer rim."

The Senator provided additional input in reply to the Mandalorian's inquiry regarding the Trade Federation's potential compensation for completing the assigned task. While 10 million credits may have seemed insignificant to the Federation, it could ensure a comfortable lifestyle for a considerable period if managed wisely.

Trask Skirata

 

[Trask Skirata]

"We will need access to those ports. My fleet is not a battle fleet Senator. Though we are all warriors, battle is not all of our calling. I wil need a place to leave those who cannot or will not fight behind." He pondered the numbers for a moment and rubbed his chin.

"I can do it for ten, but you'll only see one vessel. 15 Million is barely enough to feed the men and women that will be needed for this. Let alone costs for ammunition and running costs of a vessel as large as mine. Double it and I might be able to convince two or three captains to tag along."

Monaray Dod

 

[Monaray Dod]

The Neimoidian was taken aback by the sheer amount of capital that the Mandalorian was requesting for a basic sabotage assignment. The initial sum of 10 million credits was surely enough to complete the job in a timely manner, but he understood that the costs of everything were going up and up as the trade lanes were fought over.

Dod realized that in order to ensure the success of the mission, they would need to invest more heavily in resources and manpower. And despite his initial shock at the Mandalorian's asking price, the Neimoidian knew that cutting corners would only jeopardize the mission's chances of success. He hoped that they would use the investment judiciously and not waste it on the newest technology.

"20 million credits! That is quite a hefty sum, my Mandalorian Colleague. I must say, you drive a hard bargain. However, I understand the importance of this assignment, and I am willing to provide you with the necessary ports and funds. Your skills are unmatched, and I have full confidence in your abilities to carry out this mission successfully."

Trask Skirata