Armies of Commerce: Return of the Confederacy

[Keerrourri Feessaarro]

Geonosis was far-flung and distant from the bustling core worlds and their lucrative trade routes. Barren and uninviting...it seemed a dead world to all but the closest scrutinizers. Two generations ago, such features made it the perfect proving ground for a growing army of commerce. On the dusty rock world, far from the prying eyes of Coruscant, the separatists of the Republic would band together, gathering their war machine to stand against the Republic they rebelled from. On Geonosis, such an army could grow without fear of interference. In the Clone Wars, luck alone gave away the Geonosian secret. However, with the current galaxy far more concerned with struggles between New Republic and Imperial forces, and Jedi and Sith...Geonosis was once more forgotten.

Now was the time for the Armies of Commerce to rise again.

The Oorro'Gurre'Gurre' approached the asteroid-ringed planet, flanked by four Korri Battlegalleons. They were earlier than their Neimoidian allies, primarily because the Emissary wished to see the Geonosian facilities before spin doctors from the Trade Federation could sugarcoat any statistics or facts. Trust was a commodity more guarded than credits, and the Cizerack wouldn't invest in this venture unless they were totally convinced of its profitability. Sarrtarroa ensured that all was in order, before turning to his very special guest.

Mjissstrrressssss, we have arrrjived at Geonosssjisss. Ssshall jI prrreparrre jyourrr ssshuttle forrr arrrrrrjival?

Sarrtarroa glanced to the viewer, as two Geonosian fighters greeted the Cizerack fleet, preparing to escort them through the treacherous asteroid field.

[Dovi Jod]

Three looming Trade Federation battleships rocked out of hyperspace across from the approaching Cizerack fleet. Starlight illuminated their curved and sleek edges as they maneuvered their way toward the safe travel conduit through the asteroid ring. Onboard the droid control ship Reyo, Arbiter Dovi Jod watched the brown, dusty world loom bigger on the viewscreen, his hands wringing with anticipation. If everything went according to plan, it would be beyond lucrative. With the approval of their trade allies, the Cizerack Pride and Shadowfaene group, Jod had opened communication with a number of other small, special-interest groups. It was hoped that they would band together, and pool their assets into forming a galactic bloc that was totally committed to maximizing profits and total, unyielding capitalism.

Though the situation was momentous, Jod was quite nervous. The last time such an audacious move was attempted, it was quashed in the Clone Wars, two generations ago. Now, it was the time to try again. The New Republic and Galactic Empire were embroiled in a larger conflict with each other, and nearly every other key faction in the galaxy was polarized into this war. Now, somebody had to exist to make money off of such an epic conflict. Jod smiled at the thought. When the Techno Union, Commerce Guilds, Corporate Alliance, and other groups arrived, the negotiation for greater riches could begin.

Jod nodded to Captain Mai on the bridge.

Cahptain....prohceed tuu thee plahnet. I will suhmmon Ehxecuutive Mako now.

[Tiv Mako]

*Tiv Mako entered the bridge of the battleship followed by the droid sent to summon him. Finally after so many years this was their chance to hit it big. He could see that Jod was quite nervous about the proceedings. This was indeed a delicate time but he was confident that now was the time to make a move.


What is ouhr status?

[Ryu Warusa]

The messenger casually strode into the office of CEO Ryu Warusa with a holocube in hand. It was half past noon on the cold planetoid, but the darkness told Ryu otherwise. It has been three months since the ownership of TriOptimum fell into his lap, but the paperwork, oh the paperwork, still showed no signs of letting up. He looked up at the young man, this was his new right hand man. A bright capable lad with a knack for getting things done quickly.

"More documents to sign?" Ryu sighed. Fatigue heavy in his voice. The long hard hours settling in. Moving his office to the main building of TriOp, gathering workers, rebuilding the facilities, cleaning the blood. He hadn't had a wink of sleep in days, but he continued on carrying most of the burden of the move while his old "crew" did nothing but sleep and enjoy their new found wealth and power.

"No sir, its a message. A message from the Confederacy of Independent Systems." the boy replied cheerfully. He wasn't one of the lazy ones, but somehow the monster Fatigue managed to avoid him. Perhaps it was because he typically finished his work very quickly.

"The Confederacy...? I've never heard of.... play the message." Ryu replied.

"Yes sir." he pressed a button on the holocube and a figure appeared. It was one of his old "friends". One of the Cizerack, the head of trade as Ryu understood it. Apparently he heard that the Vagrant Guard was disbanded and that they were now at the top of TriOp. Interesting, he said that he wanted to meet him again at Geonosis.

"That is enough." Ryu spoke to the boy.

"Sir?" the boy responded with a sound of curiosity on his voice.

"Prepare the Arcadia, we head for Geonosis."

[Kiattaarra Feessaarro]

The Pride Mother had remained silent for most of the trip, save to speak with her manservant. For most Cizerack women, it was rare to see a male take charge of large assests, but for Rourrsseerri, it was an everyday occurance. And yet, she enjoyed watching Keerrourri command the fleet. It excited her in ways that other methods would not.

She watched the view screen as the streaking starlines turned back into sparkling pinpoints as the Oorro'Gurre'Gurre' came back into real space. It was at this time her manservant turned to her and spoke. She acknowledged his inquery with a nod and stood, her regal and business attire and robe pooling about her feet.

jYesss, Keerrrrrrourrrrrrji. jI want to arrrrrrjive on the planet asss sssoon asss possssssjible. jIt would not do forrr usss to be tarrrdjy on such jimporrrtant busssjinessssss.

She looked up momentarily as two fighters came to hover near the Cizerack capitol ship, awaiting to escort the shuttle going down to the planet's surface.

She took a few steps down off the platform where her chair was situated, and then turned to walk towards Keerrourri, who was waiting to escort her to the shuttle bay.

[Ryu Warusa]

"...Sir?" the voice of the young man echoed faintly in his mind. It had been about 5 hours since they had left Myrkyr. Ryu slumped in his command chair, asleep. The boy knew that Ryu had been working hard over the past few days with the tranferring of ships and funds. Tehcnically the Arcadia wasn't really theirs anymore, it was a Lord Gue's or something like that. He still didn't come to pick it up so they used it.

The ship roared out of hyperspace just a short distance from Geonosis, and with a bump he had awakened. The bottle of his native sake sit next to his chair toppled over. Luckily for him it was closed.

"Huh?" Ryu looked around the command deck and out the shielded viewports. "We have arrived?"

"Yes sir. There are several ships orbiting the planet. What do you want to do?" the boy asked.

"Hail them of course."

[DarthHERA]

Remkah announced to everyone in general the approach of the Cizerack shuttle toward the planet and the arrival of the Trade Federation forces and the "Arcadia"to the region.

Hera nodded and wiped at her throat with a damp cloth.

The heat in the bunker was oppressive and everywhere was dust. In the air, in the mouth and lungs as one breathed. She drank some rum as she scanned the latest reports from her scouts.

ShadowFaene forces had been assigned the task of reconniscance preceeding the arrival of the main forces of the CIS and had for the past month spent their time in diligently do just that.

"Bout time your friends showed up." she scowled to her Cizerack attendant - her constant companion since the annexing of ShadowFaene a year or so before. The two had become grudingly respectful of each other, but Hera still like to throw her weight around from time to time, reminding the cizerack minion who was in charge.

Remkah: "The Pride Mother's shuttle should reach planeside within the hour, Hera."

Hera: "Good. Reports show the all clear. You and I will meet them Remkah."