Business Dealings

[Xavier Synik]

It had been about three months since Xavier and Emelie had returned from Entralla. A trip that to put it mildly had not gone as planned, but while the business that they had gone there for had never actually materialized it hadn't been a complete waste of time.

Since then it had been pretty much business as usual, for both sides of the business. On the surface Silenus was still a relatively new company to the galaxy, but slowly Xavier was building a pretty nice little company. Or not so little depending on how you looked at it.

He'd secured the rights to a large asteroid in the asteroid belt known as Farfella's Diamonds in the Ruusan System. It had been big enough that with several months work and more money then he would have liked, it had been transformed into a fully functioning space station containing the companies offices, living quarters, several huge warehouses, and large hanger section big enough to house half of the 24 ships owned by the company at one time. Most of those ships were of some Corellian design or another, and most were in fairly good condition considering their age.

He was happy with the location. It was easy enough to get the ships where they needed to be, but isolated enough that unwanted visitors weren't poking around in his warehouses where they might find more then a few crates of goods that had been "damaged" or "lost" on their original trip, only to find their way to the black market or to another customer later.

Indeed while the clean on the books operations brought in a great deal of money it was in fact the "black" activities of the company that was making the most money.

It also brought less paperwork, something which he tolerated from the "white" side of the business, but by no means enjoyed.

But that was what he was doing now. Xavier was sitting behind the large glass and metal desk that was currently covered by flimsy's of all sorts that he had to go over. The rest of his large office was no different then what could be found in office buildings throughout the galaxy. Several leather chairs sat on the opposite side of his desk. Along the right wall was a bookshelf that also contained a fully stocked wet bar. The left wall was dominated by a large display board that was kept up to date with the location and cargo of all of his ships, with a colour coding system that allowed him to differentiate between legal and illegal cargo, but that would mean nothing to anyone else who entered the room short of Emelie and some of the other senoir people in the office. The only thing that reminded him and people who entered his office that they were indeed not on some planet, but on a giant rock floating in space were the massive windows that made up the back wall and part of the roof behind him, which looked out over the rugged landscape of the asteroid, and the stars beyond.

"Mr. Synik, the gentleman for your 2 o'clock meeting his here." It was the voice of his assistant over the intercomm that brought him back to reality. It was odd for people looking to do business with Silenus to come out to the station. By no means were they hidding their existance, or where they were located, but for most it was out of the way, and business could generally be handled over a comm channel, or if requested, was done face to face on the customers terms.

Reaching over he pressed a button on the side of the desk activating his side of the comm system.

"Please send him in."

Knowing that he only had a moment he collected all of the flimsy's and stacked them neatly to the side of his desk before standing and making his way toward to the double doors where his guest would be entering momentarily.

[Dashiel Starborn]

As he was gestured into the office of Silenus Corporation's CEO, Dashiel Starborn couldn't help but think how professional it all was. Asteroid belts made ideal hide-outs for those on the run from the law, but it was an odd thing to see an entire company set up shop there, especially with such a degree of polish.

Yet, at the same time, it made perfect sense. Silenus was an independent, according to the dossier Starborn had been provided with. They drew their clients from wherever there was profit to be found, but didn't appear to favor anyone faction over the other. Their loyalty was one universally embraced – to wealth. At present, the Empire had better things to do than worry about every trading company in the galaxy, but even with that fact in hand it didn't hurt to keep yourself out of the limelight. Hoth's Brand wasn't the arse end of the galaxy, but it was just far enough from the Core to escape the glow of Coruscant Prime. It was the perfect position, really, and as he strode into Xavier Synik's office, Dash had to give silent kudos to the man behind it all.

“Synik? Darren Corrigan, good to meet you at last.”

Smiling, 'Corrigan' extended a hand. His outfit was Corellian cut; not fine by any means but well-fitting, in spite of the wrinkles left by space flight. His accent, however, was the near-neutral lilt that had originated on Coruscant and spread along the central trade-lanes to much of the Inner and Mid-Rim, making it difficult to distinguish a planet of origin based on voice alone.

[Xavier Synik]

Xavier took the hand that was extended to him and gave it a firm shake.

"Mr. Corrigan, it's a pleasure to meet you, and please call me Xavier."

He pulled his hand away after the appropriate amount of time and waved toward his desk and the chairs sitting in front of it. He waited until the man had sat down before sitting in his own large black leather office chair.

"So Mr. Corrigan, what can I do for you? As you can imagine it is unusual for people to come all the way out to meet in person. So I'm quite interested in knowing... what can Silenus Corp can do for you."

[Dashiel Starborn]

Starborn reclined for a moment, the leather beneath him giving a satisfyingly expensive creak as he did so. Yes, there was certainly no shortage of proof to be seen that Xavier Synik was a comfortably wealthy man, yet by Synik's own admission guests to his station were few and far between. Dash could only surmise, then, that his décor wasn't designed to impressive clients but simply to provide the man himself with a relaxing atmosphere in which to work – something which it was hard to begrudge a man whose office might as well have been stranded in the middle of a remote mining colony.

“Well, Xavier... my employer's are keen on cultivating strong business partnerships with companies they can trust. They like to put faces to names, to know who they are trusting their business too. It requires a little extra expenditure on their part – sending people like me out and about – but in the long run, they believe it pays off.”

With this said, Dash parted his hands as if to say: their words, not mine.

“That being said, what we're looking for is a reliable distributor who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty... to get stuck into some challenging but very rewarding work.”

[Xavier Synik]

Xavier studied the man carefully. His years as a mercenary had trained his eyes to pick up the subtle clues that people gave off as they talkes. From all appearnces the man sitting across from him was telling him the truth. Though he himself knew little about the company this man worked for.

"Well Mr. Corrigan. Our official policy is to avoid becoming involved in business dealings that result in Regional or Galactic laws being broken."

He paused for a moment before a knowing smirk slipped to his lips.

"However. What our corporate policy and lawyers tell people and what may happen in the vastness of space are two different things."

He leaned back in his chair and watched carefully for any reaction. While any businessman had to be careful saying such things, it would have seriously surprised him to find that Imperial Intelligence or Security forces had so little to do than to try and catxh him saying that his pilots might avoid the odd Imperial checkpoint.

"Let me be honest with you Mr. Corrigan. I have little doubt that some of my pilots and crews have mad alternative arrangements once in the void of space." It was a nice way of saying he knew they were, hell he got a kickback from the payments. "But that would between you and my people. They know the cost of having one of my ships impounded for illegal activities. But if they are willing to take payment to take the risk, well that's between them and you."

He let the words sink in a bit before smiling broadly.

"So that being said, I'm sure we'll have no problems doing business. So exactly what is it you need moved?"

[Dashiel Starborn]

It was becoming abundantly clear why 'Corrigan' had been dispatched to meet this man in particular. There were some businesses who followed the Imperial law out of loyalty and others out of fear, but neither kind was of any use to the Rebellion. What they needed were contacts who, whether out of greed or disdain, were willing to go the extra parsec and potentially screw over the Empire in the process.

When Xavier smiled, his latest client smiled in reply. “I won't lie to you, Xavier.. what we need isn't exactly your average blue milk run. My employers have a shipment of Alazhi bacteria they need to get to Duroon, in the Corporate Sector.” Here, Starborn paused, waiting to see if either the cargo or the location was going to be an immeadiate problem.

[Xavier Synik]

"Oh is that all?"

Neither of them really bothered him. They were low enough on the radar that the Empire wouldn't be looking for any Silenus ships smuggling, even if it was Bacta material. No the more concerning factor was Duroon. The corporate Sector was not the easiest place to smuggle things in and out of. The security forces were more diligent in their duties then in a lot of places.

He reached down and made a note to have his assistant check to see if they had any cargo heading to the CRA, and if not they'd have to find some.

"And where is the cargo originating from?"

[Dashiel Starborn]

“Verkuyl,” Starborn sighed. “The Empire has been getting a little.. territorial in the Outer Rim, lately, it seems. We had a reliable shipping agent in the area, but taxes on the space-lanes nearby have been ramped up recently. They were doing a good job of out-running the taxman for a while, but I guess the Empire caught up with them eventually.”

A shrug was offered here, though there wasn't much sympathy in it. Business, as they say, is business. “We can provide you with the star-charts they were using to evade the Imperial search teams, but beyond that... you'd be on your own. Of course, like I say, you would be well compensate for all of this and we are definitely looking to get into a long-term contract that would prove lucrative for everyone involved.”

[Xavier Synik]

"In more ways then one..." Xavier thought to himself. He didn't know for sure yet, but he had was starting to have an inkling about who he was about to get into business with.

"Is there anything else I should know Mr. Corrigan? If not I think we can get an agreement drawn up." Xavier paused for a moment before continuing. "Or would you prefer we run this through on my personal account?"

He pretty thought he already knew the answer. He didn't care if the deal went through the business accounts, but at the same time he wasn't against having the deal go off the books. Mean that "Corrigan" wanted to keep no paper trail, and the money would go completely to his accounts.

As he waited for the answer he began to formulate a plan for getting the cargo off Verkuyl and into the CRA. He had a couple thoughts already, but until he knew exactly what kind of "extras" might be tossed into the agreement he couldn't nail anything down.

[Dashiel Starborn]

There were fronts he could have used, businesses whose existence was justified entirely on the basis of providing cover for the Rebellion's activities. They were numerous and wide-spread, but regrettably short-lived. Had his meeting with Synik been intended to secure a one-off shipment, Starborn might have used one such company, but he knew that the Alliance were pushing for more than just a fleeting intersection of interests.

“If any intermediary can be cut out, all the better for both of us.”

'Corrigan' smiled, and felt certain that the man sitting opposite him understood that smile.

“I do have one... additional request, however, though it might seem a little unorthodox. It doesn't come from me, of course. This has been handed down from-” he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and gave a little shrug. “Higher powers. They'd like a personal representative on board the your hauler, Mr. Synik, and ideally that representative would be me.”

[Xavier Synik]

On one hand the request to escort the shipment didn't surprise him. However on the other hand it was somewhat surprising. Xavier had put the puzzle together loosely, and if Corrigan was who he thought he was, then it was a big risk for his bosses to insist on him traveling with the cargo. If Xavier was so inclined to have the shipment intercepted they would lose an associate.

But...

Xavier was not inclined to have the shipment intercepted, the opposite was the case in this instance.

"Mr. Corrigan, our freighters don't typically carry passengers, only cargo." Xavier purposely worded the sentence that way. Sentient beings could be cargo too after all. "However, in the interest establishing our business relationship long term, I'm willing to make an exception."

He pulled a calendar open on his screen.

"When will the shipment be ready for pick up?"

[Dashiel Starborn]

“Three galactic standard days time.”

It wasn't short notice, but it wasn't exactly ample time for preparation either. Of course, that was all part of the plan. The Rebellion needed flexible allies, men and women who could hop to and do their part at a moments notice. In the grand scheme of Alliance Intelligence activities, three days might as well have been a lifetime.

Parting his hands, as if in surrender, Corrigan went on. “And I know it's asking a lot to take a passenger on board. I certainly don't mean to imply a lack of trust on my employers part. Our suppliers on the other hand... they like to have a familiar face around. It's reassuring, I guess.”

[Xavier Synik]

"I understand... excuse me for a second."

Xavier turned to the comm unit and punched in the extension for the hanger control room. It was really the heart of the entire complex making sure that all shipments that were in storage went out on time and keeping tabs on all the transports.

"sir?"

"Please prep "Silenus" for departure."

"Yes sir. She'll be ready in ninety minutes."

Xavier kept his personal ship, well all of his personal ships actually, on various levels of readiness so he wasn't suprised by the short turn around time.

Turning back to Corrigan he smiled.

"Can you be ready in an hour and a half? Normally I'd have arranged for us to transport your cargo amongst a preplanned cargo run, but given the shortened time line we don't have time to set something up, so I'd like to Verkuyl a day in advanced to do some shopping."

[Dashiel Starborn]

Ninety minutes. That was quick – and that, Starborn concluded, was why his superiors had pushed him in Synik's direction. The man wasn't about to start quibbling over details. He had his time-frame and his targets, and he was going for them.

Dash parted his hands with palms upturned and gave a small smile. “Ready when you are.”

[Xavier Synik]

Two hours and however many minutes it had been Xavier was sitting at the helm of the YV-888. He'd picked this ship specifically due to the modifications that he had made to it. Unlike most of it's contemporaries this "trip-eight" had modified engines and more importantly, defensive armaments. It meant that the "Silenus" could now outrun most fighters, and for those fighters that it couldn't outrun the automated defensive laser batteries were enough to cause them to be distracted enough give Xavier time to plot an escape vector into hyperspace.

Of course as always, he'd prefer not to have to fight anyone. If he was running or fighting or both, it meant that someone was taking an interest in his ship, which would bring attention to the company, and that was bad for business. Which was why he had had the third security feature on all of his companies freighters for those... more sensitive hauls. That feature, a second or third IFF that could be rotated. All of them were registered via various outside sources that had no connection to Silenus at all. And with a flip of the switch, the "Silenus" became a ship named "Star Hauler".

Checking over the last of the display's to make sure all was well with the autopilot Xavier slid out of the pilot's seat and headed out of the cockpit and down to the small mess area where "Corrigan" was.

"Comfortable?" Xavier asked as he walked over to the small kitchen area and poured himself a cup of coffee, before sliding into the chair across from his travel companion.

[Dashiel Starborn]

'Corrigan' had been sitting a little stiffly until Synik appeared, at which point he tried to smooth some of the lines from his straight-backed posture. He gave the man a fairly jovial smile and a nod, glancing about the surrounding area once more – as if there was more in the small room he might catch notice of on a second inspection. It wasn't at all like the office he had met Xavier in, but it had a reassuringly sturdy feel about it.

“Quite a nice ship you've got here, Synik,” he said.

[Xavier Synik]

"Thank you Mr. Corrigan. I've personalized it of course." Xavier said with a sly smirk on his lips. Not many outside the smuggling profession would call adding secret compartments and weapons to a cargo ship personalizing it.

"It'll be a while before we get to Verkuyl, so before I forget. If you want to rest, there's a second set of quarters you can use."

Reaching into his pocket Xavier pulled out a small datapad.

"So let's see what our destination might have in the way of cargo we can use... Your bosses don't happen to need anything legit that we might be able to pick up do they?"