Mercantile musings

[Dovi Jod]

The doors to the bar and grill were opened by two servant droids, as the stately arbitrator from Neimoidia entered the building. His saucer-shaped eyes stared around blankly, taking everything in with the scrupulousness of a team of accountants. The lead serving droid automatically approached the bar, ordering the Arbitrator's favorite drink...a Kamino Tsunami. A racy drink for a decidedly-plain man of business and industry. Arbitrator Jov blinked twice as he took the drink, after the droid sampled its chemical content to screen for poison. He sipped once, then twice, placing the glass on a table as he sat.

Ahh yes..thaht will bee sahtisfahctohree.

He handed a datapad to a more aesthetic looking protocol droid.

Noww droiyd...tek this detahpahd tuu thah Jediye. Infohrm them ohf ouwr...wish tuu meet.

[Elieen Cross]

A droid comes up to my table, where at this point in time I was practicing a field disassembly of a Rail Gun.

"Excuse me, Commander Cross? There is a gentlebeing wishing to speak to the Jedi. He gave this datapad"

Puzzled, I accepted the datapad. "Who is this being"

"I am not familiar with this being Commander. It appears Nemoidian"

What?!?! I thought all the Neimoidians were non existant, wiped out by the Empire. "Tell the Neimoidian to come here"

Odd.

[Dovi Jod]

The droid returned, escorting Arbitrator Jod and his two droids to the table of a young woman. The Arbitrator bowed ever-so slightly

Mahdahm Jediye, et ees ahn hohnohr tuu make yohr ahquentahnce aht lahst. Iye ahm Ahrbitretohr Jod, ohf thee Trehde Fedahrehtion.

[Elieen Cross]

The what? The Trade Federation?

"Excuse my ignorance Ambassador, but I thought the Trade Federation was destroyed in the time of the Empire..... this is not the case?"

[Dovi Jod]

Jod blinked, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his stately garb

Yuu would ohf cohrse bee cohrrect, mahdahm. Thee Ehmpire deestroyed thee ohld Trehde Fedahrehtion lohng agoh.

Jod pursed his lips somewhat

Howevah...wee hahve suhrvived their...trreachehry, ohn ouwr hohmeworld ohf Neeimoiydiyah. Now thaht thee Ehmpehrohr ees deahd, Wee seek tuu reebuild ouwr finahncial status, ahnd ehnd thees steegma ohf Sith treachehry...thaht haunts ouwr pahst.

[Elieen Cross]

"Hmmm. Fair enough. So, what brings you here, Mr Ambassador?"

[Dovi Jod]

Iye cohme heere tuu nehgohtiayte weeth the Jediye. Iye undahstahnd yuu now hohld ah trehde ahgreement weeth the Ceezehrahck. Wee wish tuu...cohmpeete fohrr the remaindehr ohf youhr trehde rights, Mahdahm.

[Elieen Cross]

"A er.... trade agreement? With the Jedi? What could the Jedi possibly have that you could trade with them?"

In fact, why had the Jedi signed a trade agreement with the Cizerack? I had to admit to myself, this was most confusing

[Dovi Jod]

Iye uhndahstahnd thee Jediye hahve been trehding ahgriculturahl suhpplies fohr Ceezehrahck mehdicine.

Jod smiled

Wee tuu hahve phahrmahcuuteecahls fohr sale, Mahdahm, wheech thee Ceezehrahck duu noht. Ahll wee ahsk ees fohr sohme ahssisstance een impruuveeng ouwr industryee, tuu geht ouwr peeople bahck ohn their feet.

[Elieen Cross]

Do you ever get the feeling when someone hits you with a bag full of sand? That was much as I was feeling now. I was not aware of the Jedi dealing in agricultural supplies. Or even trading. I said so and added "... Do you know whom set this deal up with the Cizerack?"

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

Sarrtarroa entered the establishment, quickly making his way to the table where the easily-identifiable Neimoidian sat with the Jedi female. The Emissary bared his fangs slightly, upset at the speed at which the Neimoidian had imposed himself upon the Jedi. They were far too shrewd for their own good at times.

Sarrtarroa cleared his throat

jI ssset up thjisss deal...wjith the ajid of Masssterrr Lejia Sssolo, qujite a whjile ago.

A thousssand parrrdonsss arrrbjitrrratorrr, and madam. jI am Keerrrrrrourrrrrrji Sssarrrrrrtarrrrrroa, Emjissssssarrrjy of the Cjizerrrack Prrrjide. jI have come to thjisss meetjing to ssspeak upon the jinterrressstsss of the Cjizerrrack and addrrressssss the Prrrjide Motherrr'sss concerrrnsss.

With that said, the Emissary sat down at the table.

[Elieen Cross]

Meeting? Imposed?

Why was I getting the feeling that things were about to get out of hand? With a small and barly noticable hand signal, I asked Lochabre, who was as per usual making itself unnoticed to be ready.

Nothing like a hidden skifter in a game of sabaac. Turning my attention back to the Cizerack and the Neimiodian, I laced my speech with sweetnes.

"I presume you two have met before?"

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

jYou prrresssume corrrrrrectljy, madam Jedji.

Sarrtarroa nodded

[Elieen Cross]

"And, what would your problem be if the Jedi dealt with the Trade Federation?"

Information digging time.

[Dovi Jod]

Dovi spoke up, as his personal droids stood in manner to not be obtrusive, yet to be inbetween the Neimoidian Arbitrator and Cizerack Emissary.

Wee hahve ahn ehxtehnded businehss reelatiohnship weeth the Ceezehrahck. Hohw duu yuu say? Intehresteeng Bedfellohws? Wee find ah way tuu cohmpete, yet ehnsure prohsperityee.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

Sarrtarroa ordered a Keeja'mani' and listened attentively to the Jedi.

We would attempt to perrrsssuade jyou to jincrrreassse Cjizerrrack trrrade, of courrrssse. jYet, jif jyou decjide to rrreduce trrrade wjith usss jin favorrr of jincrrreasssed trrrade wjith the Nejimojidjiansss, jit wjill not rrreflect badljy on ourrr trrrade trrreatjy.

The Nejimojidjiansss and the Cjizerrrack arrre worrrkjing to ensssurrre a frrrjiendljy trrradjing envjirrronment forrr all jinvolved.

[Elieen Cross]

How could I hold back a smile? I managed, but it was difficult. I was not one to like traders, but it seemed what the Jedi were trading was worth a lot.

"Excuse my ignoreeance, but are the Jedi trading right now?"

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

Currrrrrentljy...foodssstuffsss. Grrrajin, ferrrtjiljizerrr, and sssome ljivessstock. We had been trrraded sssome ssstarrrssshjipsss a whjile back, but nothjing majorrr. jI beljieve a few sssquadrrronsss of X-wjingsss and two frrrjigatesss.

jIn exchange, the Jedji have been purrrchasssjing ourrr medjical sssuppljiesss. jIn parrrtjicularrr amjiljytjic catjylassse - a cataljyssst enzjyme forrr bacta.

[Dovi Jod]

Jod frowned somewhat

Currentlyee, wee hahve noh fohrmuulah fohr a bahcta ehnzyme ohf ouwr ohwn.

He blinked, handing the woman a datapad.

Howevah, pleease feel freeh tuu brohwse ouwr leest ohf mehdeecahl suhpplies. Wee ahre leeadehrs een grohwth hohrmohne prohduhction.

[Elieen Cross]

"Really? How facinating"

No it wasn't. But they wouldn't know, I was using the Force to lace my words with sincerity and interest. What was interesting was two competing groups and obviously wanting Jedi buisness. Could you say I had the pot hand? Personally I had no real interest in matters of trade, but I did see an opportunity to advance the Jedi cause - and make a few credits at the same time.


"There really isn't any need to fight over what the Jedi can trade you understand...."

But in the Force, it would be different. The words were said to make trading with the Jedi worth even more, making it almost a desperate need.

"And I will however be interested in the best deal I can get. The Jedi value what we trade and it is all the best quailty of course"

Now to see their reaction. I was even starting to think trae negotiations could be fun.

[Dovi Jod]

Jod blinked, sipping his drink

Yuu muhst bee ahssurred, Mahdahm, Iye weel make ahny deal Iye cahn weeth yuu tuu secuhre thees cohntrahct. Duu noht let my Ceezehrahck ahssohciate...decieve yuu. Hee ees vehry cunning.

[Keerrourri Sarrtarroa]

Sarrtarroa's ears laid flat against his head, a low growl barely audible

Trrread carrrefulljy, forrda.

The Emissary directed his comment to his Neimoidian friend.

The Jedji know the Cjizerrrack arrre trrrussstworrrthjy trrrade assssssocjiatesss.

[Dovi Jod]

Jod nodded in respect.

But ohf cohrse, Ehmeessahry. Wee simply weesh tuu sehcure ah prohfitahble relationship weeth the Jediye.

[Morgan Evanar]

"Feel free to have them beat each other with their own limbs." Morgan suggested to Cross through the Force.

While the Jedi and New Republic had benefitted in minor ways from the trade agreement with the feliniod Cizerack, they were up to something. While not overly fond of the Ciz, they weren't all bad.

Neimoidians were creepy. And their history as a species didn't bode well against the modernized Cizerack.

This was all very not good, if the overal picture went badly.

[Helenias QDunn]

Oh believe me Morgan, I will. I dont like these any more than I responded to Morgan in the Force.

"And just what do you mean by profitable?" I asked the Neimianodian, sweetly.

[Dovi Jod]

Jod blinked, unsure of how to make the matter any more clear

Fohr ouwr muhtuahl benehfit, ohf cohrse, Mahdahm.

[Elieen Cross]

"The Jedi, Honourable Delegate, have a different view of mutual benefit. We seek to help those who need our help and that is why we trade medical suppiles and other items we can use to end suffering. What is your idea of mutual benefit?"

[Dovi Jod]

Ouwr behnehfit Mahdahm ees fohr the prohspehrity ohf ouwr people. Thee Impeeriahl fohrces lehft ouwr ecohnomy een tatters, ouwr people stahrving. We hahve reecohvered sohme, but hahve a lohng way tuu goh ohf cohrse.

Thees ees why wee weesh tuu trade weeth yuu. Thee behnefit ohf thee Jediye ahnd thee behnefit ohf Neeimoidia.