The Foundry; Part 7

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Just two more.

Two more calls to make today. Nineteen hours had now passed since she had first taken over Vanir Technologies, and every one of those hours had been filled with holo-calls, meetings, and everything else she could have ever imagined.

She had met more people today than she had in the last decade. It was amazing really how many things she still had to do, just the scale that she had to work on here. Of course not everything had lined up perfectly, but the pleasant surprise had been that most everyone had not only been interested in The Foundry project but downright excited. She hoped that her last two calls would be of the same notion, and she specifically hoped this one would be.

While many companies in the galaxy carried weight, certain others were more subtle.

Nel leaned forward in her chair, pressing down her communicator and ringing her secretary once again. "Nira, please get me the CEO of Galactic Equipment And Robotics."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Beep-Boop.

Sera's communicator began alerting to a call coming through. She was out of the office, though had ensured that her office line was forwarded to her personal device. Answering it she recognized the robotic tone of her protocol droid that typically operated the front desk of G.E.A.R. "Miss Shel'tah, I'm sorry to bother you on your off day, but there is a call on hold, I believe they said their name was Nel." Sera searched her memory for any recollection of the name, but came up empty. "Do you know what they want?" The droid replied quizzically, "I'm afraid not, ma'am. They simply said it was important."

The Twi'lek puffed her cheeks and shrugged. What was the harm in taking the call? "Very well, put them through." The droid affirmed. "Yes, ma'aam. Right away."

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

The call went through and Nel let out a breath.

She didn't really much like holo-calls, never had. They made her oddly anxious and even though this would likely be a major part of her job from now on she couldn't help but still feel a tad...out of place. She was simply of the opinion that these sorts of things should be done face to face. It would've been easier that way, or at least she thought so. Eventually the ping jumped out form her holo-call, and the pink Twi'lek known as Seraphina Shel'Tah appeared on her screen.

"Hello, Miss Shel'Tah." Nel wasn't quite sure if the woman carried any other honorific, but miss seemed fitting. "My name is Madam Nel, As of this morning I am the new CEO of Vanir Technologies."

She began to explain, though quickly realized that more was probably not necessary. "My company is working on a new project and I was wondering if you would consider meeting me to discuss your corporations possible involvement."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The woman looked into the small holographic embodiment of Nel, a nod affirming her acknowledgement of the other woman's identity and greeting.

"It's a pleasure, Madam Nel, and congratulations on your appointment." She withheld her words for a moment longer as she listened to the proposition of the blueish figure. G.E.A.R was looking to expand their contractual affiliates in order to gain a larger presence among the galaxy, and this could prove to be another step in the right direction.

"I'd be happy to coordinate a meeting to discuss your plans and see how we could lend our hand to your project. Where do you wish to convene for this?"

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Nel smiled.

She was finding that it was getting easier and easier to do business. Of course right now that was simply holo-calls and setting up meetings, but as time went on she became even more comfortable with those. It helped that most of the CEO's she had contacted had been more than helpful in their stature and demure. Most were more than happy to humor her, some were even eager to meet with her. She supposed that was partly because of the reputation of Vanir Technologies, not because of her.

"Would Byblos be alright?" That was Vanir's official home. "If not I can meet you elsewhere."

She would be doing quite a bit of traveling either way.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera nodded her affirmation into the bluish hologram within her palm. "Absolutely. Allow me some time to gather myself and I will leave for Byblos promptly."

The Twi'lek need only return to her abode on Phindar, the massive tower that was not so subtle, though tucked away in a remote location, in order to prep her ship, gather her belongings that she would need for the journey, and inform her protocol droid that she would not be returning to the office the following day. All further calls would be placed on hold until her return. She'd never set foot on Byblos before, so it would prove to be both a business and pleasure trip. She had always been fond of discovering new worlds, and their individual planetary charm.

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Well, that was easy.

She had expected a tad more difficulty once again, but pleasant surprises appeared to come in groups.

"I'll make the arrangements for your visit." Nel said with a small smile. "Vanir Tower has a landing pad directly within it's grounds, I'll meet you upon your arrival."

That was really for the best. The two of them could speak and Seraphina Shel'tah could enjoy a small tour. During that tour Nel would be able to show her the Driveyards and the production facilities that would be found within. The Foundry would eventually become the single greatest center of production for independent corporations in the galaxy, or thats how Nel wanted it. There was a challenge to that of course, a difficulty, but at the very least she was garnering overwhelming support for the project.

That was something.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

"Very well then. I will be in contact soon. Until then."

The Twi'lek tapped on the communicator, ending the transmission and terminating the holographic presence of Nel. It would take a few hours to prep her things, transfer operations of GEAR to her board of advisers, and ready her ship. Once she had exited Phindar's atmosphere she plotted the course to Byblos and set the autopilot to take command of her ship until it entered orbit. She wasn't a fan of piloting herself, especially when the ship did a better job of it 95 percent of the time. The Force was really the only thing that kept her from crashing into stray asteroids or that occasional Sun that popped up out of nowhere.

Until she reached the orbit of Byblos she'd settle for taking a well deserved nap.

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Nel would wait on the side of Vanir Technologies Tower, standing on the landing platform flanked by Two Saeva Incorporated Guards.

They were mostly for show, not to intimidate Miss Shel'tah or anything of the sort. Byblos was perhaps one of the safest places in the galaxy, though a few months ago there had been an assassination attempt on the life of Alric Kuhn. Since then Saeva had insisted on always supplying guards when the CEO was outside, even when it was right on the landing platform attached to the company headquarters. Nel hadn't really understood the logic, but she had acknowledged the request and allowed it.

No sense in arguing.

She waited patiently for Seraphina to arrive, knowing that her ship had dropped out of hyperspace not too long ago and would be making a landing in no time at all.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The wretched alarm beeping in the cockpit was what woke her up from a relatively pleasant snooze. Slowly the Twi'lek meandered into her seat and deactivated the auto-pilot function before sending a radio communication to the station tower. As requested she transmitted her ship's signature and codes and awaited instruction on where to land the vessel to meet Nel.

Once approved for landing and the destination site came into view Seraphina could see the woman she had spoken with a short time ago standing by waiting for her. The landing gear extended on the ship, touching down and gently rocking the ship as it settled in. The Jedi smiled, another successful landing with no casualties, ship or otherwise. With a nod of the head she rose from the seat and headed for the ramp. She had chosen rather simplistic clothing for the business trip. Something formal but non-flashy. A black, form-fitted dress with a mild v-cut and thin shoulder straps. Her lightsabers were notably missing. She'd felt that they may be misinterpreted if brought along, or detract from the purpose of the meeting.

Exiting the starship she smiled upon seeing Nel, though the guards were mildly surprising. She wasn't certain whether they were the norm, or if there was cause for concern, though she made no display of the thought.

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Nel waited for Miss Shel'Tah to approach, patiently standing in place as a strong gust of wind pressed at her robes.

She ahd decided to dress in typical Liran formal attire, which amounted to nothing more than a tightly clinging robe and a small bantha leather jacket over the top. It wasn't the most outgoing garb, and in fact in many cultures it likely wouldn't have even allowed you to step foot in a fancy restaurant, but for Nel, and for this meeting it would be good enough. She doubted that Miss Shel'tah was strict on how people she met with dressed, and if she was...well things would be interesting.

"Welcome, Miss Shel'tah." Nel said warmly, trying to project her voice as much as she could. "Thank you for making the trip."

It wasn't that far, but still.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera made the effort of a small bow of the head to Nel, followed by an offer of a handshake as the two met face to face.

"Thank you for playing host. It's a pleasure to meet you." Just from a glance the Twi'lek could see the facility was much larger than even her two locations combined. She pondered over what kind of a role the woman was looking for GEAR to play in this project she had been invited to participate in. "Forgive my curiosity Madam Nel, but I am anxious to know what it is that made you think of us for involvement in your planning?"

She made a short observance of the two guards. It seemed they were aptly armed. Perhaps they expected trouble? Or perhaps whatever was being developed was worth the added cost of well armed personnel.

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

"It's not the planning, Miss Shel'tah, but instead after the product is finished." Her eyes followed Seraphina's as the woman looked at the guards.

"You'll have to excuse the guards." She said with a smile. "There was an attempt on the previous CEO's life, the military arm of Vanir now insists on guards whenever I'm...out and about."

She cast a glance over her shoulder towards one of the men. "Even when it's in my own building."

Well not in, but close enough. Either way, as soon as they went inside both of the guards would disperse, likely standing by the door until Nel once again made her way outside to see of Seraphina or do something else.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera spoke not a word of it; Simply nodded her acknowledgement. It was not something to question or debate. This was their business and their procedures, she was simply a guest and would respect their rules. "There's no need for formalities with regard to my name, Sera will do just fine." She was never one to be addressed as Miss, or called out by surname. She rarely ever even used her full first name. She'd been so accustomed to being just Sera for so long, it often surprised her when anyone used her full name.

"What is it, if I may ask, that you are looking to build? And furthermore, that I can provide upon its' completion?"

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

She smiled and waved towards the building behind her, inviting Seraphina to walk with her.

"You can call me Nel." The Liran invited the woman, turning and walking with her before once again beginning again. "Vanir Technologies intends to construct a production center independent of all Intergalactic and Planetary governments. So far the details we've released to the public have called it a Shipyard, but this is incorrect. We intend to create a massive facility in space, shipyards, factories, even recreational space for workers that will allow production on a massive scale."

The guards fell into place behind them, the two women walking down the landing pad as another powerful gust of wind swept by.

"We...I would like to sign your company as a future contractor to utilize some of the space aboard this facility." Directly to the point.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

The Twi'lek followed along beside her counterpart, the guards trailing only a step or so behind. The woman raised a pinkish hand to her chin; The idea intrigued her. "Interesting. You're essentially building a space station meant for R&D and production, rather than sales and trade." She tilted her head from side to side, as if weighing it in her mind. "A bit of a gamble, but one that could be quite profitable, as well as collaborative."

She smiled, nodding to herself. "You collect the rental fees shall we say, and provide the facility and security to them? And in turn, companies are leased secure, neutral space away from the threat of takeover, and the ability to collaborate with other organizations on a truly neutral field." Sera laughed, piecing it together. "Truly a genius idea, really. I am honestly surprised it hasn't been done in the past, even if it is quite a large undertaking."

As the pair continued, Sera seemingly convinced herself through her own words to climb aboard the Vanir train. "Alright, you have me interested. What sort of space and cost are you looking at?"

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Nel smiled.

The interest that Seraphina showed had been shared by more than a few organizations, and truthfully Nel was glad for it. If the Foundry was built and no one was to show interest it would cause severe issues with her company, more than likely Vanir Technologies would instantly fail. The Foundry would cost within the billions of credits, and truthfully Vanir couldn't handle that kind of financial burden without the help of several large corporations such as GEAR.

The Liran smiled, leading Sera deeper into the building and towards the research labs.

"Cost depends entirely on when a company chooses to begin leasing the space." That was unsubtle. "Hence why I contacted you as well as several other companies before construction even began."

From her coat she pulled a small datapad, swiping to the left and revealing financial information on the screen.

Nel offered it to Sera as they stepped into the display lab.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera graciously accepted the datapad as they walked, nodding to Nel. Sera wasn't entirely worried about the costs so much for leasing the area unless it was astronomical. Most of GEAR had been initially funded by herself anyway. She had made a profitable sale of Nubia Star Drives to Aurora Industries for around 4 billion credits. That had been far more than enough to stand up her new company that was focused on much smaller scaled projects. Starships to personal tech was a giant leap.

"Very well. I suspect, given the type of research we perform, and the products we manufacture, we wouldn't need an overabundance of space when comparing to vehicle or starship manufacturing. Though," She tapped a finger against her chin. "We do produce a small number of droids, and could stand to expand that business a bit. Nothing major, nothing close to what the other automaton suppliers produce, but a sizable area would suffice."

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

Nel nodded.

She wasn't expecting a massive commitment, especially considering that the project had yet to launch. A small, but sizable portion of the station would still guarantee something that Nel could show to her own board of directors. The fact that a reputable company was signing on was enough to make her happy, it was all she needed. Of course the others would soon follow suit, or so she hoped. Perhaps she would have to ensnare a couple more before the day was out, maybe contact some of the larger Corporations such as Silk and Santhe.

"Excellent." Madam Nel said as they stepped into a lab. "Let me show you what The Foundry will look like in its end form."

It was a holographic model of course, somewhat impressive, but beautiful in its own way. The station had been designed by Nel itself, complex super structures stacked atop one another showing the driveyards with the production centers placed throughout. It was a mix and match. "The station will be protected of course, Vanir Technologies own fleet will see to that."

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Sera followed Nel into the lab and raised her head to view the hologram in full. It looked quite impressive. Expensive, vastly expensive, but beautiful. "If I may, what sort of safeguards will there be for each contracting company as far as individual protection on the facility itself, such as security measures and personnel?" Sera assumed this would be a pretty standard question asked by anyone who considered the prospect. After all, nobody wanted to risk losing their trade secrets to other companies, pirates, or rogue governments.

"Also, about how far into the future do you see it taking Vanir to make this facility operational?"

Something as large and complex as this the Twi'lek assumed would take a measurable amount of time to complete construction.

[member="Alric Kuhn"]