Shri-Tal: Panning for Aurodium

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

S H R I - T A L
The Cloud Pavilion

After a century of life as a Jedi, it was easy to be deceived into believing he had seen everything.

Places, like Shri-Tal, quickly shattered such an arrogant presumption. And he was glad for it, because the next such assumption was that there were many centuries yet to go. The habitat domes, the myriad environments, all self-contained... it was a fascinating feat of engineering. The young Anzat could quickly see why traders of all species would each be able to find something they liked on an outpost like this. A world in the Outer Rim where they were guaranteed something close to a slice of home.

Quite populated though.

A twinge of hunger ran through him. Not the familiar pangs of any digestive ailment, but the growing pains of an adolescent vampire. Since he'd first felt the pull of his predatory instincts, the teenaged Jedi had stayed away from Voss -- retreating to his company's droid-operated headquarters to try and isolate himself from any... temptation.

Already, he could hear the faintest echoes of people's minds. Fickle, fleeting thoughts. A siren's song, beckoning to him.

Closing his eyes, the boy concentrated on securing a telepathic barrier around his mind. Not one intended to keep other telepaths out, but rather one intended to keep his predatory instincts in. He'd met earlier with Master [member="Coci Heavenshield"] about a deal that would elevate Corellia Digital to a new height of corporate success. With families stretched thin to supply a feast for the annual Fete celebrations, this was an important time in which to guarantee his workers job security and income.

But he couldn't do it alone. Nor did he intend to, which was why he'd arranged a meeting with Sasori.

Just not on Voss. Not right now. The proximity of the Silver Temple to the Voss Mystics... the hunger he tried to subdue was strongest there.

[member="Matsu Ike"]​

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]

Shri-Tal wa sa lovely place and you could find just about anything as Matsu was sitting there. In the market district and the neo Atrisian style became apparent. Slowly industry and progress had met the classic style so it was a digital world among the opulent buildings the people worked in. The warehouses down below the streets and she was looking at the different reports from her desk in the office they made for her. Nothing special just on the second floor overlooking the streets filled with people and electronic signs. She could feel the hum from them as they were working with the divisions on the planet to try and set up a way for Sasori to handle and streamline through stations and relays the holonet better then previously before. She was hoping that with Corellian Digital she would be able to work it up and set the stage... Plus being able to work and get some contracts with Corellia was an important thing she wanted to do.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

Making his way through the markets, the teenage merchant caught a glimpse of the famed Jedi Generalist.

The tawny-haired youth stopped a respectful distance, so to defer to the master. Matsu Ike was a true master, if only half of what he'd heard about the woman were true. The training of successful padawans. Discovering new frontiers in science and technology. Pushing the boundaries of research and study. Mastering the Force and the corporate battlespace in which her company, Sasori Research, was a dominant sphere in many economic circles.

"Master Ike," the boy said, keeping his head bowed in greeting. "You honor my employees with your presence."

He didn't say 'me'. Corellia Digital was the product of their hard work, not his. All he'd done was provide some direction. The concepts, the engineering, the design... he was not one to take credit for the creativity of Selonians, Drall, and Corellian engineers working together to re-build a Corellian economy.

Straightening back up, the boy folded his hands behind his back as he raised his eyes and spoke. "I know that your time is valuable, Master, so please allow me to be brief," the youth offered, in a conciliatory tone. It was not his intent to seem rude or abrupt, but neither did he wish to waste the woman's time. "Master [member="Coci Heavenshield"] has commissioned Corellia Digital to standardize the communications and encryption networks of the Coalition."

Not a small feat. The technology? That was easy. The materials? Now, that was hard. "The metallurgical resources necessary for such an undertaking are beyond what Corellia Digital is currently capable of," the boy stated, putting the plain truth out in front.

As a Corellian, on general principle, Sor-Jan didn't like negotiating from a position of 'truth'. But, neither did he intent to try and swindle a Jedi Master with his best sabaac player sleight of hand.

"That is why I have sought your help."

[member="Matsu Ike"]​

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]

She looked at him with a nod of her head when he approached. Feeling him in the force as the jedi master stood up and thankful he wasn't one of those tall ones while she could hear the sounds from outside. All the people milling about shopping before she clasped her hands behind her back as she turned. "Well we have access to metals and plenty of it with our mining interests and our salvage efforts." She had to grin with that while she brought up her hand. "And we have been working on some things with entertainment districts here as well on zeltros to create stronger connections with our stations since we have acquired Phenex Industries. What types of metals do you need, we should have them in the warehouses for our connections with the holonet."

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

It was odd dealing with a human who wasn't much taller than he was.

Even while he'd grown, Sor-Jan was still accustomed to looking up whenever he spoke to people. It took a bit of getting used to. No matter what the situation, you inevitably were looking up the person's nose at some point. That was always somewhat awkward. A perspective that, perhaps, the master shared.

The boy bowed slightly as he answered her, "Aurodium and diatium primarily." Aurodium was a good conductor, making it ideal for the finer pieces embedded in the circuit boards of the comlinks.

"I'm also in need of agrinium alloy," the teenage engineer remarked. Doubtless she understood the intent there. Agrinium shielding would supply a measure of insulation against electro-magnetic interference, including resistance to ion energy.

[member="Matsu Ike"]​

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]

"We have several aurodium mines, it has proven one of our nicer commodities." They had worked on a couple of things while moving Sasori from strictly making jedi gear that was rarely used to supplying an army with more ties to other markets. It allowed for things namely, for them to work hard on building up coffers to fund charity work and research for their medical group. Biogenics to work on sicknesses and diseases is a nice things. "We have been using the mines to stock up ingots for auction or just create a reserve worth enough to fund the order for years. We should be able to get as much as you need and more." She raised her eyebrows while bringing up some of the holograms showing the entertainment and market districts. "As for what we could use for it, Corellian Digital is very good for things and we are branching into multimedia divisions. There is a lot of propaganda being used to harm people and used by facelss keybord warriers who don't wish to get their hands dirty. We're going to try and adjust that."

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

If aurodium was no issue, then that ought to also solve certain issues with the diatium and agrinium.

The price she'd named, so to speak, piqued his interest. As a historian, the Jedi Archaeologist and Researcher could honestly say that trolling had been a thing on the HoloNets since its inception. Of course, Sor-Jan pre-dated the creation of the HoloNet by about two decades. Close enough in time that, when he'd been with his master on the Outer Rim during the Hyperspace War, they'd had to rely on subspace commuications to or from the Jedi Council on Coruscant. An unwieldy, circuitous method of communication.

Folding his arms into the sleeves of his green cloak, the youth was quiet a moment before he spoke, "Anonymity and the HoloNets are the classic example of witch-fire." One comment, however innocuous, could be construed and misconstrued until it had no other meaning than what the HoloNets deemed it, and could use it as fuel for campaigns of pseudo-political awareness, or even acts of cyber vandalism. "How would you propose to counter these keyboard warriors?"

[member="Matsu Ike"]​

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]

"Well I would love to say cracking down and finding a way to identify them would take more effort then I'd want to commit to it. I am more interested in trying to solve the problem and make a safer place people can go away from them and that hate or trolling." She gave a nod tapping on the screen while some of the images shifted to show the multimedia group they were going with to uplift it and build more of the things. "We'll be able to get reporters and scouts on worlds looking for dangerous elements we can have jedi respond to if needed. A non military scout force that reports what there is going on and works to try and help others. The charity group we have has been working to give wishes to sick and terminal children."

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

A secure HoloNet environment.

Dedicated channels, resources, networks. As the master spoke, the boy was already envisioning what would be required in order for her vision to become a reality. That kind of cyber security would be a considerable undertaking. The software engineering alone was beyond Sor-Jan. He'd have to take the matter up with [member="Marque"]. As if he hadn't abused that brain trust enough already.

But, a meager price for the aurodium that would secure their contract with the Coalition.

"A noble effort," the boy remarked finally, giving a nod of his head to signal his support. "Corellia Digital will support Sasori in these endeavors."

[member="Matsu Ike"]​

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]

She looked at him and nodded. "That will be perfect, a nice little contract and building up the real foundation for the future." Matsu motioned with her hand and the screen shifted while she was showing some of the other things. "We have also been working on some of the more fun things you might like." Matsu was looking at him while the display showed the Saori Flavored Milks and Saori Tactical Cans they had been working on. "We also have some other nice products beyond the multimedia projects and divisions we also have food and rations that will be for soldiers and jedi."

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

The youth bowed his respects toward the woman.

The purpose of their meeting had come to a reasonable conclusion, yet the master's conversational pleasantries sparked an item of obvious interest. "Since you mention food," the boy prefaced, looking back up at the diminutive lady. "I am curious... in all your studies, have you ever encountered anything that might inhibit the need for an Anzat to..."

To what? Kill and eat?

People did that every day. It was the most basic human need. The only trick of it all here was, Anzat ate other people. Part of them anyway. It was all a lot of metaphysical mumbo-jumbo. Easily dismissed as fairy tales, and yet... suddenly the fairy tales of his childhood were rapidly becoming the nightmare of his life.

"...feed," the boy settled on finally.

Feed. What a wonderful euphemism for murder.

[member="Matsu Ike"]​

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Sor-Jan Xantha"]

Matsu looked at him as he asked and raised an eyebrow as she thought about it. Bringing up some of her attention as she tapped a finger to her chin. "Possibly, though I do not recall any extensive testing on it. I know there are skills that can push hunger aside and sustain the body. There was." Matsu moved around the office flicking through some of the datapads that were on the shelf while she checked the contents. "The silver jedi tried and failed amazingly thousands of years ago to try and create a being of the force and oneness but it backfired and he became insatiable. The beings hunger was documented and we might if you wanted to be able to apply the notes to an anzati with skills such as sustenance."