Completed Corellia - Fleet Inspection with Brandy

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Kylar Thrane

Kylar Thrane

Lord of Admirals
Staff member
Community Team
Jedi Order
Nov 26, 2020
285
84
28
34
Corellia - Planetside dockyards
Officers Lounge

For Music Atmosphere


Venator on fire.png
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Kylar watched as fires sprung anew across the Venator's hull as it re-entered the atmosphere of Corellia. It was part of the Republic Fleet retreating from the Battle of Kashyyyk. The KDY shipyards were already overloaded between new costruction and drydock repair space after this latest defeat. He shook his head, "Another defeat, and a terrible one at that" he thought to himself. Since sacking of Coruscant and the reveal of Chancellor Palpatine as Darth Sidious, the Republic had been on the backfoot. Unfortunately, the CIS knew it and had taken full advantage of the navy at Kashyyyk.

The cruiser had made its way down to a repair yard in one piece, though her starboard side was still ablaze and the bridge tower was hopelessly gone. Kylar sighed, "The Venator's are carriers, not mainstay battleships. If the CIS can turnout more of their Providence-class destroyers then we may be done for". He circled his drink of 15yr Corellian Brandy, letting the smooth liquor slosh over the ice in the glass before he took a sip. "Now if only I could get the Corellian Senator to back allowing the sale of ships from the Corellian Defense Fleet to the Republic, then we'd have some mainstay warships, beyond the Victory-class. Perhaps the Corellian Articles of Independence could be engaged to allow us to employee their ships as privateers.....hmmm, I should consult the Admiralty, but then again, their tactics are outdated with the times."

He polished off his glass and motioned to the bartender for another. "Thank you, Jared", he said before finishing his current glass another swirl and long drink. He was frustrated. Kylar had not been assigned to the task force headed to Kashyyyk, instead he had been relegated to an Inner Rim barrier squadron during the battle. Though, despite his frustration, that may have proven useful. When the CIS had fully invaded Kashyyyk and dared the Republic to take it back, they had also launched several picket operations into the core as diversions. Kylar had lead his assigned squadron to Commenor, to repel the CIS invasion fleet, which they did whole-heartily. Though, when the last CIS frigate had fallen, the Battle at Kashyyyk was already over and the distress calls rolling in with the terrible knews of defeat. The battle was beyond salvaging reinforcements, at that point.

Another frustrated sigh, another sip of brandy, and the Jedi Knight turned his attention back to the comings and goings of ships just outside the bar's viewport.
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"A warrior can win any battle, except one against the administration."

An old man dressed with long, dark robes delicately embroidered sits at the bar. Next to him, a custom B1 droid is holding his long, elegant cane. With his only eye, the old man stares at his glass of brandy. He eventually looks at Kylar with a smile.

"For most people out there, war is mostly a series of battles with heroes, tragic losses, and tales of epic duels. But the fate of a war is mostly decided by things happening far, far away from the battlefield. Can you repair a Venator like this one up there without the proper civilian logistic? Can you hire new crew members without money? Can you re-send it to battle without the authorization of an officer, an officer following orders given by senators or local politicians? That's the war behind the lines. It's not prettier than the real one, but it's way quieter. And for this kind of battles, you need specialists. People able to win a political battle with words, promises and of courses, credits."

The old man smiles wider.

"I happen to be this kind of specialist. My name is Turk Cel." he rises his glass of brandy "So, did you say you needed ships?"
 
Kylar turned in his seat to greet the lounge's latest patron. The older gentleman appeared quite well off, in terms of wealth, though that was common sight this side of the Core. He raised his own glass in acknowledgement. "A pleasure to meet you, Mister Cel. I am Kylar Thrane, of Alderaan." He took a drink, "....and yes, you did hear me rambling on about my desire for better ships, or rather more diverse selection in the Republic Navy. And that is a momentous task to break Kuat's near monopoly on the current cruiser, destroyer, and escort contracts. Though, I will say your war behind the lines is sometimes much louder than you give it credit for.......that is if you have listened in on the latest senate hearings. More shouting and arguing these days than decisive action coming from Coruscant."

He sized up the custom B1 service droid at Turk's side. "Better be careful with that one around the military docks. Any of Republic troopers might be likely to take a shot at it, especially after the heat of battle. I know my men in the 104th would." Kylar smiled, clearly the man chose this type of droid for attention, and a clear indication that his business acquisitions had an extremely long reach, if not eccentric tastes.

"So you are a specialist of credits?", Kylar mused, "Words and negotiations I can field nearly as well as my saber, though credits are harder for a Jedi Knight to come by."

Another drink of brandy while he considered his next words, "If able, how could you help the Republic gain ships? If possible, why have you not tried already as the Senate has been clearly throwing money at the war effort for years? That is unless.....", he nodded towards the B1 droid companion, ".....unless you have helped both sides of the business, as it were. And if your business ventures are that flexible.........how could you help me?"
 
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"A jedi knight? It's an honor. I didn't even know the jedis were allowed to drink! But I have to confess I'm not really versed in the rules of your order. Please forgive my ignorance."

The Collector then bows slightly.

"But one of the things I know about your order is your belief of the Force flowing in all things. As I like to say, credits do too. So we could say, I'm, indeed, a Master of the Credits." the Collector chuckles before he's stopped by a bad cough "Sorry about that. Now, to the topic, Jedi Knight Thrane. Do I help both sides of the business? No. That's the specialty of the Intergalactic Banking Clan. Even if they support the CIS, they still lend money at absurd rates to the Republic. And they don't really like independents like me. I have no interest in supporting them in crushing the Republic and getting control of every business, including mine."

The Collector points at his glass, and the bartender pours alcohol in it again.

"The problem of the Republic and the Senate isn't the lack of money. It's the lack of a plan. One minute, they're borrowing money to pay for new cruisers for their army of clones. The next one, they're pushing a new law about retiring all of the clones, paying recruits, buying new equipment for them... believe me, I have already quite a lot of things to discuss with them. Ships are just a small part in the big picture of things."

The Collector stares at his glass of brandy.

"Let's talk about your idea. Privateers. The idea sounds nice, but privateers won't be interested in participating in the current battles. Mostly because the risks are too high, and the reward too low: what can you get from looting droid ships? Broken B1s? Damaged computers? It's not like the droids surrender and allow privateers to plunder their ships. They get destroyed with their ships.

So this brings us to the next question: what can privateers do? What Privateers do the best: attack merchant ships behind the lines. Break supply lines. Attack vulnerable factories on CIS planets. And this can be done with much cheaper ships than the one you're thinking about : armed civilian ships. Allowing them to infiltrate enemy lines, and reveal their true colors only when it's the right time.

And there, there's money. And privateers will only join a war for it.

You probably were thinking about mercenaries, joining the Republic fleet with their warships for money. But that's the cycle of credits: start with privateers, gain credits thanks to their plundering, and with these credits, hire mercenaries and buy warships. Sure, it's expensive. But what's more expensive? A source of income and a fleet able to fight on the frontline just like behind it? Or taking loans at the Intergalactic Banking Clan to pay for warships you'll still have to pay for after they've been destroyed because of the crazy interest rate tied to the loan?"

The Collector shrugs.

"You can't win a war just with throwing ships into battle. You could win every single battle there is out there, if in the end, you run out of money... the turmoil in the Republic will cause the war to happen at home, without even a single droid to land on Republic planets."

With a smile, the Collector concludes.

"So, you want warships? It's just another venture. And you need a good business plan."
 
Kylar smirked, "Allowed to drink is a loose term, though there are those in the Order who do enjoy the simple pleasures in life even if our peers frown upon us for doing so. That being said, I can't pass up Corellian Brandy." He motioned to the bar tender for another round and some food. Taking a long pull on his glass, Kylar listened to the business man's perspective. It made sense, he'd admit.

Kylar knew he was getting ahead of himself......he wanted for the rest of the GAR for what he and his Master Plo Koon had worked towards......diversity, efficiency, loyalty, fellowship.......not just in equipment but in the men as well. The war had taken its toll on the Clone ranks, and due to the 104th's and Master Koon's heroic actions on many worlds, their ranks had been swelled with volunteers and militia from Core to the Outer Rim, with mercenary trainers ranging from Alderaani officers to Mon Cal Engineers to Mandalorian Commandos. But this patchwork battalion of men-at-arms was unique amongst the Republic's ranks, much to the disdain of the Admiralty, and the Jedi Council, Kylar was sad to admit. To improve the military, to fully overhaul it in order to win this war, would be an enormous undertaking........but every challenge had to begin somewhere.

He turned back to Turk, "What business plan did you have in mind then, if I....... if the GAR wanted to pursue a privateer venture? I have targets in mind and I know where we can find additional men to supplement crews if need be, for pay of course. I have limited resources......" Kylar paused has he looked down at his glass, ".....but I can acquire more financial capital if needed to back such venture." He stared intently at Turk Cel, "With this recent loss at Kashyyyk, the Seps have gained immense freedom to move supplies from some of their heaviest manufacturing worlds stretching from Randon to Salecuami to Felucia, which until now, the Republic had held in-check. This must not be allowed to continue."

The bar tender brought over a plate of grilled fish and vegetables with various sauce dips. Kylar popped a morsel into this mouth, enjoying the flavor of fresh seared fish. Offering the food to his guest, he continued in a more light hearted tone, "I need privateers willing to hit these Foundry Worlds of the CIS war machine. The raw materials alone to be plundered can help supplement a huge amount of expenses, especially if they were able to sell them back to the Republic or to who else they saw fit. Do you have contacts with such groups willing and able to put their life on the line for credits and wealth? If so, they must be well equipped.....", he paused as he placed his holo projector on the table to bring starship frames into view. "Civilian vessels in disguise yes......but they need some military hardware, such as these....."

YT-1.jpg corellian DP20 gunship.jpg

Another bite of fish, followed by another swig of brandy, "So, Mister Cel, what business plan do you have in mind, and how much will it cost me?"
 
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Turk politely declined the food with a gesture of his hand.

"You know, I like your attitude. The right questions, straight to the point. Should I say: military efficiency?" he chuckles. "So let's see. If you need a capital to start your venture, I can help you. If you need contact with mercenaries, fighting for credits, I can also help. And about what it'll cost you... let's see our business plan."

Turk looks at the holo-projector, and scratches his chin, squinting.

"What's this one... a YT-1930 light freighter? Let's start with it. What's the price nowadays? 135,000 credits? Let's pump this number up to 200,000 to fill the right papers, hire a crew, and hide a few toys inside..." Turk pauses "Now, you're probably expecting some high interest rate, right?"

The old man smiles.

"I'm not interested in your credits. Keep them. Use them to pay your men. Repair your ships. Buy new ones. Hire more men. And so on. Whatever you capture, whatever your plunder is, it's yours. I don't even want a share. Make sure your men are well paid, well fed, and well equipped."

Again, the Collector pauses.

"Now, Jedi Knight, you want to know what's in it for me. And here is what I want: information. I want to know where and when you'll launch raids. Just like if I was a chairholder in your company. Your battle is on the frontline. Mine is there."

Turk turns on his own holo-projector, and charts and graphs from the Interstellar Stock Exchange appear.

"If you can tell me where and when you'll hit, I'll be able to predict the stock market price movements. Meaning I'll be able to take bets... against our enemies. And if you fight well, I'll win every one of these bets. This is where I'll make money. We'll be plundering our enemies twice. You, physically, me, financially. So you won't repay me, Jedi Knight. Technically... they will. "

Turk rises his glass.

"And once your holds are full, you'll just have to tell me what you have, and I'll tell you where to sell it. I have shares in a quite a lot of companies so... you'll be able to sell easily, and then again, the price of my shares will rise. Meaning, then again, you repay me without having to pay me a single credit."

Turk drinks his glass in one gulp. Then smiles, hands on his elegant cane next to his stool.

"And that's my business plan, Jedi Knight. What do you think? If you're in, what about starting with one ship and see how it goes? I took the YT-1930 as an example, but of course, we can talk about another ship."
 
Turk was shrewd, sharp.......and immensly clever. Kylar reached thru the Force, and felt the man's intentions to be genuine........a surprise to be sure, but at least at this moment, he trusted this Master of Credits, to at least his word that he would provide these resources and help guide Kylar's planned strikes so long as there was a profit in it for him. "Rob them twice, eh? A bold plan sir, and a brave one. Let's hope the Seps don't catch on to your trades on the stock market. And if they do and try to respond with aggression against you, just keep me informed.......I would not want harm to come to my new business partner", the Jedi Knight stated with a raise of his glass.

After Turk returned his cheers, Kylar turned back to his holo-projector displaying ships. "As to the quantity of ships......to make this venture worth while, I'll take two (2) of the moded YT-1930's, along with two (2) used GR-75 Medium Cargo Transports, and a YV-929 Armed Freighter as the main hauler and command ship for the operation." Seeing the twinkle of opportunity in Turk's eye, Kylar expanded on his choices, "We'll need the YT's to be the speed element for quick hit and runs while packing a punch and beimg able to haul a decent bit of cargo. However the raids will pile up with resources, and that's where the GR-75's come in. They will stay out of most frays, and serve as cargo bulk holders and relay ships in remote space awaiting our privateers with their haul. They can hold up to 19,000 metric tons of cargo in bulk, in comparison to the YV-929. Normally used, GR-175's run between 125,000 to 175,000 credits. Let me know what you can find."

Returning to his glass, Kylar took a long sip before requesting the challenging bit. "I'll also need that YV-929 armed freighter as the lead hauler for raids, as well serving as the rag-tad task force's command ship. I have a small command ccrew for this, though will require the remainder of the personnel."

His holo project brought up YV-929 and a GR-75:
YV929ArmedTransport-AOR.pngGR-75_Medium_Transport_TAEtrivia.png

"With more bulk capacity, I can focus on separate raids across CIS space and then do intense hauls back to areas where both the Republic, and you can reap the most reward due the greater disparity caused in CIS lines. Now let's see, two (2) YT-1930's modified will run about 200K, the two (2) GAR used should set me back approx. 125K each, and the YV-929 armed freighter you can find here on Corellia for 275K new, or approx 300K used", he stated while flipping thru holo-displays. "That puts this venture at an approximate upfront cost of 950K to begin operations, and the additional cargo capacity we can at least break even on the first haul if I can fill both GR-75's. For the sake of conservatism, we'll say the first three (3) raids."

"So tell me, friend, it this ambitious enough for you? If so, begin hiring ships and a few crew to supplement my loyal men. Once assembled, I will send out rendezvous coordinates to you via this private comm channel number. As for starting target........how is Sullust this time of year?", as he leaned back with a grin.
 
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The Collector pauses. He's obviously calculating a few things.

"Dear Jedi Knight, I strongly believe we found an agreement there. Here's how to contact me." Turk hands over a tiny chip to Kylar Thrane "Meanwhile... let's have a toast. To our future victories." he raises his glass.

"And now, If you'll excuse me, I have some hiring to do. See you are the rendezvous." he grins.
 
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