Scholars of Prospectus (Queen of Eshan)

[Jorus Merrill]

@[member="Spencer Jacobs"] was, on paper, the Queen of Eshan, and had been since before she brought her homeworld into the Republic. An odd move, to his mind, considering her other allegiances. As it happened, he'd killed more than a few people who counted her as an ally or even a sovereign.

Then again, he ran the bacta. All the bacta, all through her Unknown Regions territory. It wasn't the best of situations, but so far he'd kept walking the knife edge by being, on average, useful to everyone. More to the point, he'd designed her shipyards over Annaj and owned the experimental kolto facility that had made such a difference to the health of her wife. She owed him one. A big one. And even though she was persona non grata and split her time between Eshan and other territories, she was still Queen, and it was still her name on the EDY charter.

The Daragon put him down at the EDY head offices, polite Echani functionaries showed him to a conference room --feth, half his life was conference rooms now -- and he drank water from a flimsiplast conical disposable cup while he waited for Her Majesty.

 

[Allyson Locke]

Meeting with Jorus, of course Spencer knew that wearing the dark make up and dressing like her typical self, back on Annaj would bother him and possibly the people around her here. Keeping the make-up off along with any sense of the dark side - minus the obvious yellow eyes she had, Spencer looked like a royal once more. While she made her way towards the conference room, she tried to remember and make note of her interactions with the man. They were far and few between, first he lectured her and the second time he thrusted her wife into hyperspace.

The last bit made her eyebrow twitch, but he had helped. Taking her deep breath she entered the conference room and displayed a smile she reserved for royal guests. Nodding her head, she offered him a seat while he drank from the plastic cup.

Spacers…

Sitting in the seat obviously designated for her, she crossed her arms in her lap. Every strand of the force that made up Spencer Jacobs was quickly drawn into her, her mind locked up like a steel trap in an attempt to never have the same repeat of her first meeting with the Navigator.

“So for what reason do I owe for your visit, Mr. Merrill…?”

@[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

@[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

He wasn't much for the Force, but he was sure paying attention this time, and when it became clear that she was either leaving his state of mind alone or that she'd gotten even better at it, he let himself relax.

"Simple enough, Your Majesty," he said, and passed over a letter of intent. A quick skim would reveal that Silk Holdings was making a very reasonable offer for Eshan Drive Yards. "Seeing as the Republic fleet protects this world, seeing as other yards are stealin' your market share, seeing as EDY hasn't had a new production model since the Fenni administration...here's my thought. I buy everything. I keep it right here, keep the jobs where they are -- that's all in the letter of intent. The EDY brand name stays, no slapping multiple logos on things. But I put people in who'll make sure your yards are actually used for things that'll actually benefit Eshan."

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer took the letter and looked it over. Everything seemed to be good and well for Eshan, but what was Jorus getting out of this. She read the letter over several times, making sure she fully understood everything and there wasn’t a horrible loop hole somewhere that would hinder Eshan. Setting the letter down she sighed softly, she hadn’t done anything with the Yards mostly because she didn’t fully understand things there. She was spread a bit thin as well.

“It will be good for them to have work again. I feel like we’re constantly preparing for war. What do you get out of this Jorus? Everything here is towards bettering Eshan and I want to believe that it’s your true intention, but I have to be wary…I hope you understand.”

Her fingers held the letter by the corner as she read it again, she wanted to trust the man – but things in the past crept up.

“I want to know that in your heart that Eshan’s well-being is your top priority for these yards.”

@[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

@[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

"I can respect that. I'm offering to buy your shipyard for three reasons. One, I may have shipyard facilities, but none of them are capable of making capital ships, let alone ships of the line. Or mass-producing starfighters beyond a couple production runs. Two, you've got an in with the Republic already and service contracts for their command ship, the Remembrance. Three, and this is probably the most important, I've got a lot of Mon Cal interests, lotta Mon Cal and Quarren friends. The Empire and Sienar assimilated the Mon Cal shipyards, and I mean to get Mon Cal shipbuilding back on its feet. And when the Empire took Dac, a good chunk of the Mon Cal diaspora came here. I know you have a lot of Mon Cal in your design teams -- just gotta look at the Cricket and the Remembrance to know that -- and I want that design ethos an' these yards workin' for me. It's in my best interests to keep everything exactly the way it is and send even more skilled people from the diaspora. EDY stays at Eshan, employing Echani. That, and my company is two orders of magnitude bigger than EDY. I've got the capital to make this ship fly again."

@[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer softly smiled, that's all she needed to know. The man might have blown her wife into hyperspace, lectured her about invading other's thoughts, but there was a goodness to him. Putting the letter down she remembered old stories of spacers who stole from the rich to give to the poor, of course she didn't know if Jorus was a true blue Robin Hood, but his intentions were there. The good in people though only meant that they were convenient to the person looking or calling upon them, so in a sense Spencer was good to the Echani and to Jorus.

"You're a good man Jorus, you've won me over."

Her mind opened up just slightly to pick up on his emotions, she remained noninvasive so hopefully it wouldn't trigger any sort of reaction. She just wanted to make sure that there was no ill intent behind his wonderful words.

"I expect work to be done quickly - you don't seem like a man who waits. The Mon Cal that work here have been nothing but amazing, I would gladly start a refugee or a permanent village for them on Eshan. I've heard what the Sith were doing with Mon Cal and at times I wish I could do more...but this is wonderful. I'll sell you EDY."

@[member="Jorus Merrill"]

 

[Jorus Merrill]

@[member="Spencer Jacobs"]

If he sensed her mild empathic sensing, he gave no sign. It wasn't the sort of thing one discussed in business circumstances. That, and he didn't care if she used the Force to tell her whether he was honest or not. In fact, he expected it, and was counting on it. Because he was, for one.

"Oh, I intend to start quickly, all right. The Mon Cal people and the bottom line depend on it. I'll have my people send you the contract, but you'll find everything as we discussed." He stood. "Wish I could stay and see the sights on Eshan, but I need to take a class-point-two hyperjump out to Lorrd on family business. I'm glad I was able to fit in visiting Eshan in person. Thank you for your time, Your Majesty."