Underground Theater

[Jessica Med-Beq]

With the First Order blockading the southern end of the Hydian Way, in the Tantra sector, she stayed behind, thinking it was prudent to ensure the defense of the Silver Jedi homeland, alongside one Sko'saht, and not to deploy the whole force in one go. While, of course, she would condemn the blockade, the flood of backlash over the galaxy's social media regarding the blockade was sufficient to her eyes not to get her to intervene in the media about it. Killing innocents, hampering the flow of trade and whatnot, that was something she could not let go. But breaching the blockade is but one step. Yet, for how she intends to go around the First Order blockade, she might be inclined to use less glamorous methods. Like economic warfare, which was completely overlooked by nearly every Jedi she has known, even those few that had any actual tactical talent. Just that she feels that secrecy is important to succeed in an economic warfare environment. Fortunately for her, she had a special datapad for that variety of secret business, with two-factor authentication, and so she used it for scheduling that particular meeting with the former governor of Conglomerate Prime. Who, from what rumors abounded about him, was thrown out of office because he had his share of disagreements over trade issues, or over renewing hostilities with the Galactic Alliance. But she couldn't turn down access to cortosis without first considering his offer.

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ATTN: [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

Due to recent events in First Order space, such as a blockade of the Hydian Way near its southern terminus, we seek a way to get our own trade to the region, to get around the embargo put in place by the First Order. Unfortunately, due to the sensitive nature of the proposal, I cannot give more details until we can meet on Kashyyyk.

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[Jaster Awaud]

An ancient Mandalorian Shuttle from the Clone Wars of old plummeted from the heavens as it nose dived through the atmosphere. It kicked on its thrusters to compensate for its hellish fall. It recovered its fall to resemble something more along the lines of flying now, the blue and grey paint made it apparent that this shuttled belonged the the Mandalorian Awaud Clan, an always neutral party outside the cast of the Mandalorian traditional shadow. Very much a nomadic clan, the Awaud Clan was never hostile or too friendly with any one nation, they staked true neutral in the eyes of the world. The shuttle landed in the assigned area that was requested of them by [member="Jessica Med-Beq"], with somewhat of a difficulty the shuttle landed.

The doors hissed as they opened with a creak, the Alor, or chief of the clan had a fall from grace. The mechanical master of Mandalorian Neutrality stepped from the shuttle, the blue sash crossing his armored chest piece. This was Jaster Awaud, once considered a genius of his time, his flame was put out by the First Order. He had no vengeance for the Order. After all, he build a small empire from nothing, they say third times a charm. He was here to make sure this was his next chance to rise from the ashes long after the flame was put out. He was here to meet with an experienced military officer, with the ability to actually act on information he was holding.

A back door into First Order Space.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

It was time to go back to the city where the Togruta padawan fighting in the Metharian Nebula caught a Trandoshan crime ring, I guess, she thought, while flying to Ittummi from the Jedi temple in Kachirho, using a Wookiee catamaran, hoping that Asaraa was still alive. If what SJ intelligence on the being known as [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] was accurate, any backdoors into First Order space he might have on hand would likely involve either Iskeria or Conglomerate Prime. If the latter, the Sancutary Pipeline would likely be involved. Which, given its level of security, would likely require a bypass of some sort. Clan Awaud was a name she heard about and one of the more heavily invested in the Mando underworld, so perhaps getting that clan onboard with the Silver Jedi would help, and not just the usual suspects: Lok and Meran, which in today's Mando environment, were the most open to Force-users, alongside Clan Vereen. Just that perhaps keeping the ship in that condition would have allowed him to pass for any regular spacer and hence be inconspicuous to the eyes of security.

"Welcome, Jaster. As you know by now, the First Order has blockaded the Hydian Way by planting several interdiction stations in the Metharian Nebula. This is an unacceptable state of affairs: who is to say that the Sanctuary Pipeline or the Corellian Trade Spine isn't being blockaded right now? So I am interested in having Silver Jedi merchants making use of any backdoor routes you might have into First Order territory, preferrably into low-security areas if at all possible, more likely to be to the northwest, especially since the First Order is after the Alliance's southern systems"

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster walked up to [member="Jessica Med-Beq"] as she spoke, a women without small talk. Drox wasn't wrong about this women, she was definitely one for getting to business and to the point he wished to get as well. He had a quick debrief with the formor Lord of the Dominion Drox. And all the things were in high regards as she was an accomplished naval officer and Force User. This was part sell, and part negotiations.

"And Hello to you Miss. Med-Beq," Jaster Nodded his head in respect. "The Blockage by the First Order is a rather pain in the Galactic Alliance's rear, while it cuts them off from their resource rich neighbors in the Outer Rim as well as their Southern Front Lines, it also inches the Order closer to their Capital, it's a rather difficult predicament they are in."

Jaster pulled out a Data-Pad that was flat, unlike normal data pads. He held in in one hand and looked to the Jedi Admiral. "I have Access Codes, Documents, and IFF Transmitters that can get you through First Order Unknown Regional Patrols, all for the measly price of approving my purchase of the Kashyyken Ship's Manufacturing Plant, promise a quick approval of my request and I'll sweeten the deal for your Order of Silvers."

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] must have noticed by now that small talk was unnecessary when the trade freedoms of the galaxy were at stake. Plus Drox's dossier on her must have had some mention of the Rift campaign, given that she personally met with Drox right after that campaign and then being offered the command of the Dominion 2nd Sector Army back then, which was her big claim to fame in combat, more than even Tartarus, where she was able to lead the siege of the Machine with very limited casualties, but any fame as a naval officer was overshadowed by her fame from grounding. To be fair, she did fight in orbit on a few occasions. It's just the freedoms of the Council. Regardless, it was obvious to him that she was not just some cantina bimbo dancer, nor the sort of incompetent general that populated the upper echelons of the order of battle of the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars. And, listening to Jaster's offer for the access codes, documents and IFF transmitters to breach the blockade, she had to make a counter-offer, that which will be more readily approved than buying a majority stake in the Kashyyken Ship Manufacturing Plant. She knew the Wookiees were pretty touchy-feely about their own shipbuilding expertise being acquired by non-Silvers, however.

"Or rather, the purchase of drydocks for the UTC to produce their own ships over Trandosha. The Trandoshans will want their share of the labor pie should the sale of drydocks be approved by the Silver Jedi Council; that ought to help with Trandosha's industrial base. You will have access to Silver Jedi shipbuilding contracts, I can assure you as much. Nevertheless, I may be wondering how many brand-new drydocks would that represent; at this point, you have to understand that access to seed money is more scarce, and, under current capital market conditions, it would be prudent to go with the sort of orbital drydock that can produce ships up to 500m, and later grow from there - the manufacturing plant is capital-intensive given its ability to build ships much larger than 500m"

 

[Jaster Awaud]

It would seem that [member="Jessica Med-Beq"] knew the industry that he was entering. He did indeed intend to go the direction of an orbital ship yard, but also a refurbishing plant on the planets surface to being in scrapers to rebuild and put older model star ships in his ships. The Trandoshan were fearsome warriors and very hard workers, he was sure under the Silver Jedi their slave market and Hunting traditions was hurt very hard. He however would not be accepted very easily, he would probably have to fight some warriors in personal combat to earn their respect and get the workers he needed on the ground. The space station however would be much easier, he already had a large space station on its way from the Inner Rim, this station was a old Clone War Medical Facility that he had hidden for memorable reasons. His friends who died protecting that place would not mind him using it, though it still needed to me changed over to a proper facility.

"Well, this deal has nothing to do with the UTC, that company was taken from me by the First Order after my assistance to the Dominion was uncovered, financing another nation without the governments knowledge is apparently a capital punishment." Jaster continued to speak with the women about the Ship Yard that was on its way. "I have purchased the old Golem Arms space station located in the Outer Rim near the Termanis that is only known to me and the person who sold me the location, as discussed for the trade I will help you and your allies with bypassing the First Order Blockade, with confirmation of the trade I'll hand over all Codes and routes you can use to get past."

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"These days, Trandos are busy hunting bounties on First Order, Galactic Empire or Sith Empire members venturing this deep into Silver territory. However, beating a Trando official responsible for land zoning might be, as you may be led to think, a difficult task, but that's the easiest way to get the zoning changes done and, from there, get the groundside part done as far as I know the Trandoshans' bureaucratical practices"

The First Order seized UTC away from him? I knew that Clan Awaud were with the Dominion even in this whole Mandalore debacle... and they proceeded to seize Jaster's position in its wake, she thought, while also realizing that the Trandos, even with their share of the labor pie, won't take it kindly for any refurbishment plant on the surface to be controlled by a non-Trando. And where the Trandos fit in [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]'s plan was a little tricky: so long as the Trando bureaucrat in question isn't captured, he will retain the jagannath points and hence stay in office; she knew that the state-owned Silver Engineering Corporation's (of which she is one of the main public faces) relationship with Trandos often called for the respect of the bureaucracy's banks of jagannath points. Speaking of the SEC, she knew that running a refurbishment plant on the surface often called for repulsorlift skids, supported by tractor beams, when working with odd-shaped or larger ships. She expected the desert or the steppes to be an easier locale to get the Trandos to let a Mando fugitive to fight a land zoning official so that Jaster could get his plant built.

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster listened as [member="Jessica Med-Beq"] spoke of fighting a Trando for land rights. Jaster almost smiled at the idea of that being a struggle in his current time in life. To remember a time before the Force User he fought, soldiers he led into battle, let alone the massive mountains he moved in the political game of the galaxy. Fighting a Trando in combat was a vacation sport for the vetted Mandalorian.

"Combat with a Trandoshian would be more of a sport then work for me, so its not much of a mission to get the best land we can," He looked around as he and the women continued to walk through the lush worlds of the Silver Jedi Capital Planet. "If we hire Trandoshian scavenger ships and provide the planet with discounted Bounty Ships, the planets inhabitants would accept the factories presence though a representative would have to be Trandoshian, again not a problem."

He continue to think of the beauty of the planet, and the fresh air he was unable to breath. Realizing he was still in a buisness talks he turned back to the Jedi, "I was told by Drox that you also own a rather influential company yourself, is there anything you would be willing to sell to me that would allow the construction of the shipyard speed up?"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

"In fact, there is one reason why there would not even be a need to request the Council to actually do anything: the drydocks would instead be sold to you by my company, rather than the Order"

Maybe [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] knew exactly which cadastre official to target. Probably some corrupt windbag that only hunted occasionally. Yes, he knew that Trandos would usually respect someone that beat one of theirs in combat, so long as the victors didn't shame or capture them in the process. And now the facilities on Bimmisaari would be producing those orbital drydocks that which Jaster will then be led to purchase, the Egroegs, capable of building or servicing ships up to 300m wide or high. But the question is: how to ensure a smooth handover of the IFF transponders, access codes from her company to the TCO? Because the TCO, while on the First Order's radar, wasn't worried about how the FO perceived them; they supported the SJ's trade infrastructure. What worried her was instead resorting to smuggling: handing over the IFF transponders and access codes to the TCO would be tantamount to them overtly resorting to smuggling. That was making her more uncomfortable since she could never be entirely certain that there would be no whistle-blowers among the TCO if they needed to smuggle. So she then produced the contract for those drydocks, to show to Jaster before she could sign it:

"Here's the contract for those orbital drydocks, to be delivered over Trandosha"

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster accepted the contract from [member="Jessica Med-Beq"], he read over it and then signed it stating he would open a contract with her company. He was now the proud owner of a space station in the Silver Jedi boarders and outside the influence of the core worlds where is other Ship Yard was located. These locations where not for himself, but for his clan, spreading out his investment would allow the Clan to thrive even should one location fall. As he signed the contract, "I have already set a meeting with Chief Hissket, an old drinking buddy from my days doing business with the Hutt Cartel and the a character named 'Miss Blond', gotta say an interesting person," He handed the contract back to her, "He owes me a favor since I got him his current rank and sent my Clansmen to deal with his competitors, in exchange for doing business with his friends scavengers, he will no doubt able work for me so long as I look the other way when he skims a little off the top."

The man nodded as the contract was signed, "I knew this meeting would go well so I already made sure I was covered by people I trusted, and since Drox trust you, I have no reason not to as well."

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Hissket. In her mind, given the description Jaster gave of that Trandoshan bureaucrat, he was corrupt all right, just that she realized that he was simply part of the Trando underworld, and well-acquainted with the Mando underworld - presumably at least since the Mando invasion of Kashyyyk. So [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] was all too eager to finalize the deal, especially given the trust Drox had in her, which allowed her to get a major contract with the Dominion back then. And, from there, supplying Serenno with dry docks, but ultimately, said dry docks just weren't delivered at that location because Serenno fell before they could even be delivered. Obviously, she couldn't let those drydocks go to waste so she instead got them moved to Bimmisaari. But these days, Jessica knew that hurting the First Order required alternate means: with smuggling going rampant, they will have less ships available to actually fight the Light on the battlefield. And yet, the real puzzle remaining is how to break up their coordination or cohesiveness: fighting so many different threats on so many different theaters simultaneously would cause problems.

"Now that we had the main business concluded, may the Force be with us all"