A matter of business (Telan Desaria)

[Tiberius Anar]

OOC: This takes place a year before the break up of the Empire.

It really was just a matter of business. Just that: busniess. "Go out, make us money," they had said. That was what he had done, becuase that is what he did.

So he had gone out, he had done business. He had looked at the product, he had looked at the market. Then he had made his move.

Bacta, well it is only good for one thing: healing. But that is very important. There are always people who are suffering, always people who are injured. They need bacta, they will pay for it.

Who has the most money? Governments. But there was only one: the Empire. And you want all that money so you sell them bacta. It's just business.

So he had looked at the Empire. Who in the Empire needs bacta? Who will always need bacta? The army, the navy. Yes they always get hurt. And with this war on, well they are getting hurt more often.

So he went to the army and the navy. He went to them and said, "I have a proposal. Do you want to listen?"

They did. Of course they did. They listened.
**************

The office was rather spartan. Well it would be, Tiberius Anar told himself, it was on a military base. Still he had expected something more from a Fleet Admiral. Especially one like Telan Desaria-the commander of the local fleet.

The desk was, perhaps, the only elaborate feature of the room. An intricate scroll work ran across the woodwork, an in-lay of some precious metal ran around the table top's edge.

The door opened, Desaria walked in. He wore the uniform of a Fleet Admiral, the dark olive colour, the tall dark boots. He looked like any other Imperial officer- excpet for his hair. The hair was a vivid blonde, which went well with his pale face: the result of years spent onboard ships with no weather conditions to speak of.

Anar rose politely. "Admiral, I have a proposal. Do you want to listen?"

[Telan Desaria]

Fleet Admiral Telan Desaria regarded the man before him and bowed in accordance with Imperial regulations. The military, since solaria imemorium, had been subordinated to the civil government. Thus, when Travell Brathis, Moff and Governor of the Thyferra Sector had ordered his naval commander to meet a corporate functionary, Desaria had no choice save yes.

Giving a polite nod that was not wholly devoid of curtness, the Lord-Baron of Raenoria moved along the office's north wall to a seat behind his desk. When seated, he bade his guest to sit. Ideally, he would have held the meeting aboard his flagship, the Decisive. However, there was some sort of miscommunication between civil control and the flight operations technicians on the orbiting Destroyer.

And so Telan Desaria sat in the cramped office of the base commander, brother of his eldest sister's husband, with a private administrator.

" Blunt? You're efficient, Mister Anar. But, to you question: I am a gentleman and would not dream of dismissing you without allowing you the opportunity of speaking. At your leisure, Mister Anar."

[Tiberius Anar]

Anar was surprised by the courtesy of this reply, and by the formality of the welcome. Desaria was clearly what he said he was a gentleman, unlike so many other Imperial officers.

They sat down, Desaria behind the desk and Anar in front of it. Anar gathered his thoughts and then he began, "Admiral I represent Xaltin Bacta. I have been authorised by the Executive Board and by the Chief Executive to make this offer."

Desaria nodded sharply in acknowledgement of this statement.

"The proposal is simple. We are willing to provide bacta at a substantially reduced rate to Imperial Forces. We will terminate contracts with other military forces, including the New Republic. This will be done in exchange for certain," Anar paused to consider his words, "assurances."

[Telan Desaria]

The Admiral raised an eyebrow at the barely perceptible shift of tone as Anar said assurances. Any Baron would be unworhty of title were he not able to see that such a word was nothing less than a gateway to darker and much larger subject.

Ever the Baron, he noticed. Ever the Imperial, he had an obligation to explore the subject.

" What assurances, if I may. After all, Moff del-Risci has his palace on Thyferra and my command's headquarters is here as well. In orbit are four defense platforms, four repair yards, and an entire construction complex. If the security is Zaltin is something you seek, then you have it."

" As for your offer, you will have to entice me a little more I am afraid. Currently, we receive two percent of all produced bacta for internal use as well as ten percent of all profits as taxation. What can you do to make you the Empire's sole supplier?"

[Tiberius Anar]

"Ten percent of profits, excluding military sales, in addition to taxes paid." said Anar simply, "A substansial sum. If you would care to check the figures, Admiral." He passed a data pad over the desk, which the admiral accepted.

[Telan Desaria]

He's come prepared. Obviously a man who can anticipate any contingency. I shall have to keep an eye in his direction.

Admiral Desaria accepted the datapad and reviewed it. Thereupon was a considerable amount of mathematical computations and forumlae that all had one thing in common: their results were astronomical. Without exception, the funds that would be funneled into the coffers of the Empire would exceed any stream of finance currently in existence.

By re-building the galactic monoply on bacta under - again - the experienced and expert tutleage of the Prefecture of the Treasury, the war machines that expanded Imperial might to the farthest reaches of the galaxy would be given a much needed infusion of life.

Years of Imperial Service had taught Baron Desaria discipline, so he let his emotions and sentiment get the better of him not.

" And you will, naturally, cut off any and all sales to the enemies of His Imperial Highness' Government?"

[Tiberius Anar]

Anar smiled, "Admiral, the Xaltin Corporation supplies many groups with bacta, including the New Republic- Rebels" he corrected himself, "This we willingly admit. Cutting sales to them would be the pariotic thing to do, the right and proper action of Imperial subjects.

"But please consider the facts. The Rebels buy vast amounts of bacta from us, and from our competitors. They pay a full market value plus eight percent. At that level they account for a considerable share of our income. Of that income the Empire will receive a large share. What could be better than making money out of the very people you are fighting?"

Not to mention, if we stop selling to them we could lose big time.

[Telan Desaria]

A grin tugged at the edged of the Fleet Admiral's mouth, for he had anticipated such an answer. Economic strangulation was a much saught-after goal in the halls of Imperial High Command, but improbable as doing so would strangle the Empire as well as its enemies.

In this case, then, war profiteering was being officially encouraged.

" Correct and unofrtunately true: cutting off supplies to them would lower the amount of their money we receive. So we will do this: the next several shipments to them will be attacked by pirates we cannot route out. In turn, as a security payment, you will drive up the prices of bacta to them to pay for...escorts. And so, your profits will increase and they will have less money to spend on retrofitting the ships we slag."

Baron Desaria placed a stylus he was unconsciously twirling betwene two fingers on his black-marble desk top. " You have an incredible knack for business, doubtless why you work for who you do and, heheh, I work for who I do. I must ask only one more question before I officially endorse or deride your offer: what will become of the other bacta firms that employ so many citizens on Thyferra and abroad?"

[Alexi Hesith]

Anar cocked his head to one side, looking remarkably like some large avian creature. "Those that supply the Imperial armed forces with bacta will lose their contracts with you. But, I can assure you that they will survive. They have contracts elsewhere that will support them until they can find a buyer for their excess supplies. Where and with whom they dispose of this excess is none of my concern.

"Besides, Admiral, if you are concerned that the other companies will start selling to the Rebels you need not be. Xucphra has already started to sell to the Rebels, why do you think they're share value has gone up so much? As for Xydine; they have neither the inclination nor the capacity to supply the rebels with anything near to what they would need.

"Even if I am wrong about this- and I rarely am wrong in these matters, Admiral- their employees are in no real danger. Xaltin Bacta will happily employ any skilled technicians and suport staff, not to mention scientists, that come onto the labour market. You need not fear unemployment for the lower classes."

[Telan Desaria]

" I apologize for my genetic predisposition. Fifteen generations of aristocratic tradition for the care of peasants is hard to shirk."

Desaria stood then, the low office light giving his face a more evil and intimidating figure than it ever really possessed. " I will pass your suggestion onto High Command. The Prefecture of the Treasury then the Ministry of the Economy will have to approve. But from the corporate does I have seen, I feel most confident in you. You are shrewd, intelligent, and competent - rare traits in business. My seal of approval will be affixed."

[Tiberius Anar]

Anar rose to his feet, the meeting was clearly over. "Admiral, thank you. But I am merely a negotiator trying to do his job. Now, I have taken quite enough of your time for today." He extended his hand to the Admiral...

[Telan Desaria]

" Return whenever you like."

[Tiberius Anar]

They shook hands, Anar turned and left the office. He was escorted to a landing pad by one of Desaria's aides.

He stepped out into the bright sunlight of Xuchprha City and stepped into his air limmo. As the air vehicle pulled out into the stream of traffic, the driver was sure he heared his passanger mutter.

"Just a matter of business."

COMPLETE