Whispers In The Dark

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric sat quietly in what very much looked like a large waiting room.

He had come here alone, or semi-alone. Supposedly he was supposed to meet one of his new partners here, or rather, one and a half. Two people would be joining him today, or should be joining him today. The first was [member="Token Waters"], someone that Alric had little to no affiliation with, but knew the reputation of. She had invested within Vanir technologies and had made some interesting promises regarding the new system he was setting up, The Dark-Net.

With that knowledge, Alric had come here to get more in depth into the discussion of the Dark-Net, specifically its distribution through the galaxy. Of course, that was still a long way away. Constructing a network of that size, and being able to actually get it functioning would take time and resources. Which was of course why he needed the help of the other person joining him today.

Resources.

For what Alric wanted to do, he would need far more than Vanir could currently supply.

The Dark-Net was more than a small pet project, it was an alternative to a system of communication currently used by the entire galaxy. The Dark-Net would be faster, more secure, and far more exclusive.

Of course, the real trick would be setting it all up. Slowly he patted his inner jacket pocket, making sure the display device was still there. Everything relied on that little device, all the schematics, designs, everything. He only hoped that his two partners would look forward to it as much as he did.

 

[Cira Cat]

Click, click, click, click…

It was a siren call of graceful high heeled pumps. A litany of a seemingly smooth full-hipped gait. Familiar as it was strange. Once the feminine figure entered the room, well… one knew why.

Not a single hair was out of place, auburn waves lightly swaying with every step. Her eyes were bright, a vibrant green set against a thick fringe of lashes. Her dress was black, but simple. Elegant, but not too dressy. Modest even, were it not for the full curves that were framed underneath it.

By all intents and purposes, Dangeruse Arceneau came in that flair of business style that marked it as her own. Perhaps Alric Kuhn would be surprised at her presence. Perhaps not. Either way, Brightstar Entertainment had contracts with Arceneau Trade Stations across the known ‘verse. And when it dealt with Brightstar on the Trade Queen’s property, she was keen to ensure she knew the up and up.

“Mistah Kuhn,” her voice would drift over in a light pleasant greeting. Her smile would shine, her expression beamed, and her hand would reach out to take his in perfect southern charm. One would say that the cordial manner didn’t change a’tall. No, she’d beguile. She’d tease with wit and with a confidence that made her glow.

“Ain't you a sight for sore eyes.”

Yet if one looked deep into those eyes, beyond the siren smile…. there was a passionate spark that just wasn’t there.

 

[Brooke Waters]

Right, Token was actually doing the whole CEO thing. Why had Marek gone and went crazy? She didn’t mind the job, it was actually pretty fun. Spend the company money staying in fancy hotels, plot hostile take overs of said hotels, tear them down, rebuild and make business deals all the while. She like this. Plus people were always nice to her. She wondered if it was the same for Marek, or just the female-business-persona was kicking in and getting her the best of the best.

Was it that much easier to close deals? Maybe, but Token also was a bit more manipulative than Marek, also a lot more polite and friendly. Plus she was prettier. At least she thought so, and so did most people. Not that it mattered. But right! Meeting.

Vanir Technologies, they were going to be doing some major construction work for Bright Star and comms work outside of the Techno Union space. And Token spent a lot of her time out of the Union borders, so this was important for her. She knew part of the meeting, was to meet with Vanir and discuss upcoming projects. How the entertainment company could help, she wasn’t sure.

Unlike other meetings where she was in something a bit slinkier, she was still in a black dress, and her black converse, because heels fething sucked, but it was a conservative dress. Simple, really. Her hair was simple to. She was trying to behave here. She knew it wasn’t going to be one of those meetings that ended up with the testing of a DJ or a bartender’s drinks. She made her way to the meeting room.

And now the shyness that she sometimes had was kicking in. She was here with not just one, but two heavy hitters in the business world.

[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Token Waters"] [member="Danger Arceneau"]

Six.

Alric had fond memories with Six, mostly fond anyway. He knew exactly what she was from the moment he laid eyes on her, he always did. It was an odd thing, even after all this time. There was a hint of familiarity in the HRD's tone, and it lacked all sense of anything else. Alric looked at the woman for a second, then scanned the crowd for his other business partner. He didn't see her, so he turned to Six and stood from the small plush chair that he had been lounging in.

"Miss Arceneau." He put emphasis on the name, if only to reveal that he knew. Taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze before withdrawing.

"So nice of you to come today." His hand unconsciously went into his pants pocket. "Have you seen our third?"

His voice was calm, cool, and entirely false. There was still quite a bit on his mind, specifically pertaining to his daughters. Yet he knew that if he was going to help them, if he was going to do as he promised, then he needed this to work.

 

[Cira Cat]

The human always had treated her well.

At least in memory - her time as a maid had been specifically wiped but there were some inclinations, like keeping things organized that stuck.

"Not yet," the superior hearing of an HRD, however, did prompt Six to swivel her head towards the entrance. The becoming young blonde woman was there. She had great taste in clothing, and would match the becoming sensibility that Danger had. Six would have to file away this information.

"But I do believe we are now honored with her presence." She sang, the warm smile Danger was known for shining over to [member="Token Waters"]. A hand would beckon her near.

"Miz Waters is it?" She would ask with a welcoming half smile.

 

[Brooke Waters]

She wasn't really late, but she was the last to arrive. That was pretty typical for the blonde, after all. She didn't like to be late-late, but casually? And people say when you make sales, that it helps a bit to make sure people knew you were busy, gave them a subconscious idea that you knew what you were doing. At this junction, though, Token wasn't thinking about that kind of tactic. She knew the names, Arceneau and Kuhn, business sharks, and here she was, some kind of guppy.

Yeah, the blonde was a bit terrified. It wasn't like she was working against a multi-dimensional organization, because that was a whole other work of fiction, but she was dealing with these two. And while her cousin had set up nearly everything she would ever need from ATC, Vanir were the new kids on the block (they had a bunch of hits, chinese food made me sick) and that meant this was going to be all manner of exciting.

Seeing the buxom redhead, the blonde smiled as she stepped into the room. "That's correct, Miss Arceneau." She approached the pair and smiled awkwardly holding out her hand. "Mr. Kuhn, is it? Pleasure to meet face to face."

[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Token Waters"] [member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled.

Business was always so cordial, so formal. He likened it to his upbringing on Empress Teta among the nobles. Everyone had always been so talkative and nice, but it was usually always a lie. It had made him good at reading people, had made him good at telling if people were putting on airs or telling lies. It was a skill that he quite enjoyed, one that came in handy during business meetings like these. Briefly he wondered what really ran through the other woman's mind.

"Miss Waters." Alric said formally, grasping the womans palm and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm very glad you decided to meet with me."

Very Glad indeed.

What he planned had a chance to make the history books. More than that, it had the chance to make wave like nothing else. Information was the most important thing in the galaxy. Money, power, holdings, they all poured from the font of information. Knowledge was power after all, and keeping that knowledge secure while shifting it was of the utmost importance. That was what the Dark-Net was for.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"] [member="Token Waters"]


Six would beam.

"Well, reckon that we now have the introductions underway..." As always Six was about business. No nonsense that one, considering her protocols and priorities.

Her head went swiveling over towards Alric, head tilting to the side in eerie similarity to Danger. "I hear you've some new tricks up your sleeve Mistah Kuhn." an eyebrow would perk, and she would sashay to beckon Token and Alric to draw closer.

"How 'bout we get on with the show?"

 

[Brooke Waters]

Token wasn’t about to reach out in the Force to everyone. Not at all. She was just going to go with the flow here. Truthfully, the Witch didn’t need the Force for a lot, and she felt that it was invasive to hunt into people’s thoughts. That just didn’t go over well. And really, the idea took a lot more effort than she preferred. She wouldn’t know how to handle it anyway. She could do that bit without a spell, survival instincts, but what if she found out Danger was a droid all along?

“She’s right. I’d like to know what we’re up here for. Not that I would need a reason to come meet with a business partner.” She smiled at Alric.

Was she blushing?

No!

Shut up.

[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Token Waters"] [member="Danger Arceneau"]

He supposed that there was no point in standing on formalities.

For a brief moment Alric looked around. The room they were in was a small one with glass walls. It looked out into lobby and everyone could look inside. For a moment he shook his head, then began to walk around the room. Slowly he wandered towards each far corner, closing the blinds so that everyone who would snoop and look inside would simply see a wall of plastic. He smiled, that same false smile that he had worn at the party, then placed the small projector onto the center of the floor.

"Currently." He began in a presentation voice. "The galaxy relies on the Holo-Net as well as a more basic network of communications relays."

The latter was really more true for the outer rim, specifically the part of the galaxy that had little to no development or contact with the Old Republic, who had first built the holo-net. Such made galactic communications a tad slow, but also unsecure. "Right now, everyone, from the Sith Empire to the Jedi Order have been using the exact same relays."

 

[Cira Cat]

Six was different to Danger in that she did not lounge to pass the time. No, the tendency for her to stay on her feet and active was a trait she picked up from her template and she went about it with a no nonsense attitude that aimed to ensure good business. Her heels would click as she drew near to the holo projector, arms crossing under her generous bosom, a critical eye upon Alric Kuhn and what he had to say.

As much as Six was a carbon copy of Danger, she was also prone to her own quirks. In this she was far more logical and business oriented. A nod came to her at the agreement of that claim.

"Well unless you count the Protectotste's version. And didn't Baktoid have old relays in republic space?" She tossed out,

 

[Brooke Waters]

One of the nicest parts of writing Token was that she didn’t know exactly what was all the history in the galaxy. She spent a lot of time wandering the galaxy. Kept her out of the loop, aside from sports and gambling and drinking. She knew all those changes in the galaxy. Barely out of university, by what? A few years? She knew all the social changes in the galaxy. And she knew of the HoloNet. Looking between the man, Kuhn, and the red-head, she was listening. The youngest of the trilogy as digging the toe of her sneakers into the floor as she looked at the holo, her head tipped to the side.

This was a new science for the girl to learn. And she did enjoy learning new … erm… skills. But educating herself of something else she didn’t know? That was important to. A bit more business than her cousin, the former CEO, she kept mostly quiet. Until Baktoid was mentioned.

“Shouldn’t we be moving away from… like… anything Baktoid touched?”

She might live in the Primeval and Techno Union, but to say Token was ever evil, when she wasn't being shot at, was a false statement.

[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Token Waters"] [member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric smiled slightly, but didn't say anything. The Dark-Net was hardly an original idea, in fact it was quite literally just another version of the holo-net, save more secure and backed by what the galaxy might call unsavory elements. He had no illusions about that.

"This won't involve Baktoid." That sham of a corporation. "Or The Protectorate."

Alric cycled through the images. "I already have backing from the Primeval to create this network, and as such I have the funds to create it as an entirely new network. New Relays, new locations, and most importantly new equipment."

That would get very expensive, but the Primeval was an entire galactic power, more than that it controlled some of the biggest financial centers of the galaxy. With them bank rolling this project, it created immense opportunity for Alric, and anyone else involved. Of course he knew that both of the women in the room knew this, and more than that he suspected they both knew how difficult it would be to create, which was of course why Six was here.

 

[Cira Cat]

“What will make this equipment stand apart?” Came the first question. It was all about just how much start-up capital for a return we were talking here. New relays, new locations, new equipment. That didn’t come cheap.

That didn’t even include the charting of the lanes to ensure they had the most favorable of positions for those relays. What about security? Not that Arceneau didn’t have that in the bag with as much as they did in terms of moving in and out of Primeval Territory. If there was anyone who knew the lanes as well as she did, it was Jorus Merrill.. and he had her on shear astrogation ability.

 

[Brooke Waters]

Now this was starting to get interesting. Token liked interesting. And that it wasn’t going to involve one of the biggest SNAFUs in Techno Union history. Sure, they were recovering with their work at Druckenwell, but the past couldn’t be forgotten that easily. Shouldn’t be forgotten, was best to learn from it. But the fact that Kuhn was gaining backing from the Primeval, her other-other home? That made it much more exciting.

Being involved in this, though, would be a huge boom for Bright Star. They could be one of the first companies to back this new form of communications, transferring data and credits the galaxy over. Plus protecting their guests privacy with a lot more proof than using the HoloNet. “The big question from me, I suppose is how can Bright Star help? We mainly deal in resorts and cruise lines. Though we have contracted with Silk for some Niathals that are monitoring our paths…” She had flown those. It was how she got started in the company. “The ships are pretty useful.”

[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Token Waters"] [member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Largely, there is no difference." Alric said quite truthfully. "The relays use the same command prompts, the same technology, and have exactly the same function. The only difference between the two is that the Dark-Net relays will use stealth technology to hide themselves within space. That would seem pointless to most, but of course the system is designed to be private."

That was truthfully the only difference. The Dark-Net was designed to be used only by those that Alric Kuhn and Vanir Technologies did business with, as such it would function more securely, faster, and with less clutter. "Privacy adds security, faster function, and of course, control."

It wasn't really complicated, though expensive. That was why the Primevals backing was so important.

"As for you Miss Waters." Alric said as he gestured towards the holo-display. "A communications network is nothing without people to use it."

 

[Cira Cat]

[SIZE=14.6666666666667px]“People in cruise liners… in trade and fuel stations. In warehouses, production facilities… On Telos.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6666666666667px]There was a reason why this would be expensive; they were talking about the entire retrofitting of a new network across the entire span of Primeval space. Not only in civilian areas, but that of companies as well. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=14.6666666666667px]“Even with the backing from Primeval; that’s a lot of down time and communication we are looking for many of Arceneau Trade Stations and its subsidiaries in its space. Beyond being plugged into a private holonetwork… what is the benefit for us?” it seemed like a lot of start up capital for little return in investment. Communication was certainly key, but Arceneau had their own [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6666666666667px]Nebula [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6666666666667px]cloud system that was already integrated into every Arceneau product. Not to mention [/SIZE][SIZE=14.6666666666667px]NexChek[/SIZE][SIZE=14.6666666666667px] messenger system. [/SIZE]

 

[Brooke Waters]

She could understand the need for stealth. Token nodded when the Vanir CEO spoke. She’d seen her share of holonet relay buoys being hacked by pirates and the like. She did her best to report them all, but really, who were they sending out there? Bright Star didn’t handle communications, they just made sure one of their partners would. That was one reason Marek sided with Danger.

“People to use, it exactly. And keeping them hidden, that’s a smart move.” As for ATC? She loved NexChek. Was such a useful program. Seeing who was around nearby and the like. “Have you worked to contract with the Techno Union? They’re doing a lot of work in the South Systems, as always, and are currently allied with the Primeval.”

More man power meant more money out but a faster turn around.

Maybe.

[member="Danger Arceneau"]
[member="Alric Kuhn"]

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Token Waters"] [member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Miss Arceneau you're being presumptuous." That was a simple fact. "I'm not out to replace the Holo-Net as you described. I won't be removing the old beacons, I won't be allocating the Dark-Net over current communication systems, at least not for anyone else but my primary clients. I don't plan on letting every civilian, business, or faction use the Dark-Net, thats the entire point."

He paused for a moment then turned to Miss Waters. "The Techno Union will be contacted eventually, but the Primeval and hopefully your business, Will be the testing ground."

"Arceneau Trade isn't here to participate in the use of the Dark-Net, but its construction." Alric flipped a small switch on the device and the holographic display switch to the image of a starship.

"This is what we'll be using to actually create the network, four starships, four factories in essence. They will harvest resources, create the Dark-Net Buoy's, then plant them all over Primeval space and wherever they are needed." They would be autonomous of course, or nearly so. "ATC if it is so inclined will participate in the contracted construction of these vessels and will stand to make a substantial profit.."

 

[Cira Cat]

Now he was talking a language that Six could compute profit margin with. Her head noticeably would perk, and she would inspect the holographic starship display with a critical eye.

“Salvage yards charted round Primeval would save money.” she was already considering supply and demand of raw materials, ores, and the refining that would be required.

“What ship length are we talking about?” Haven shipyards along with their mobile counterparts, could be the one offering their services.