Log:Artisans Guild: A Steel of a Deal

Artisans Guild: A Steel of a Deal

OOC Date: February 18, 2022
Location: Ord Mantell
Participants: Noemie Lenoir, Dyna Selenis, Aryn Cortess

[ Noemie Lenoir (NL) ] Midday on this part of Ord Mantell makes the traffic worse than usual as industrial workers come and go from their lunch breaks and the morning shift exchanges with the mid shift. The inside of a durasteel mill is certainly not the most accomodating meeting place in the galaxy, but when meeting with steelsmiths, it's the best you can expect. Within the administration office of the steel mill, which is admittedly not the largest office anybody has seen, a busy Mantellian sits behind the desk, closing out some pleasantries with another in her office while the representatives from the Artisans Guild are admitted in by an Iktotchi secretary.

Bella Nasar is Human and a local, and she's a tough lady who looks the type to be entirely too busy to have fancy meetings and negotiations. She's average height for a human, with short black hair and slightly weathered skin from a life of hard work and bossing people around. On the visitor's side of the desk sits a tall Arkanian man named Zudro Vad. His white, milky eyes are devoid of pupils and his hands end in four long fingers, each tanned with a natural hue rather than a tan earned out in the sun. Despite his lack of pupils, his gaze looks harsh as he turns to the women from the Artisans Guild and his snowy white brows go a long way at suggesting his mood. Competition has arrived, and he's none-too-thrilled about it.

"The Artisans Guild I presume," starts the Mantellian, gesturing from across her desk at the other two empty seats beside the Arkanian. "If this is all of you, we can get started." Bella pats a hand to her desk before reclining back in her chair, a hand coming up to her chin while she looks the three negotiators over. "I must say, I've already got a number of contracts, and Mantellian Steelworks can only guarantee enough quota to fill one full contract. I'm not interested in filling two partial contracts. So tell me, why are you both deserving?" The Mantellian looks to the two ladies from the Artisans Guild. "I've spoken with Zudro briefly, so I'll let you two go first."

[ Dyna Selenis (Dyna) ] Dyna gives a polite bow of her head toward Bella as she steps into the administration office. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Bella. I'm Dyna Selenis, from the Artisans Guild as you are no doubt aware, and accompanying me is fellow guild member Aryn Cortess," she gestures a hand toward the other woman. She then moves to take a seat across from Bella. "Now then, to start with, let me tell you about our guild. The Artisans Guild is a growing collection of traders and other legitimate business people from a variety of backgrounds. This contract would be going toward supporting a wide array of businesses from weapons crafting and modifying, starship repairs, and droid crafting. We're currently based out of Empress Teta and we are working to provide utilities and supply chains to all our members."

[ Aryn Cortess (AC) ] Aryn does not bow, she dips her head moderately to regard the working woman, and the same is offered to their 'competition', the Arkanian, Zudro. Aryn, and her fellow Guild member, do not enter these chambers alone either. A subtle mechanical whine from automaton steps sound from behind Aryn where a silver analysis droid waddles in behind them, its arms locked politely behind its chassis.

Aryn greets in return, "Well met," which is about all she has time for as Dyna launches into business. Tagging along and finding a seat, Aryn takes her time to be situated before bothering with looking up. One leg rises to cross her other, and she cups two gloved hands over the highest knee constituting the image of propriety and culture. When she speaks, she regards Bella with a bored expression, but her words are colored diplomatically. "While the contract would serve the Guild, true, your steel would saturate the Guild's vast network of tradesmen who use steel regularly. This is not an isolated arrangement, the Guild has contacts within industry across the galaxy. We believe contracting with the Guild will provide an opportunity that is mutually beneficial. Everyone in the galaxy will know where the steel came from, and our aligned tradesmen will have only the most quality product." Aryn turns her blue gaze to settle on Mr. Zudro to study him a moment. She's reminded of a professor from her time on Arkania in medical school; Aryn is convinced that all Arkanians wear the same expression, like their life is filled with overwhelming intellectual disappointment.

[ Noemie Lenoir (NL) ] Seated beside the Artisans Guild, Zudro Vad tenses his posture at the sight of the droid, though he doesn't seem to be particularly worried about it. More that this job isn't going to be as easy as he thought. He allows the Artisans Guild to speak their part before making his own case. "If I may," he offers, before waiting for the go-ahead from Bella. "These pretty words - promises of networks and expanded supply lines - these are good and well, but you know that Adascorp is a corporation. We have limitless resources. Demonstrable currency that far exceeds what a start-up from some Mid Rim world can offer you. We offer you more than promises. Adascorp is ready to make a financial deal, here, today, and we have contracts in place with shipping companies that can begin exporting your durasteel as early as next week."

For her part, Bella Nasar watched the Hapan and Alderaanian with more patience than her visage might suggest she have, and a brow raises in curiosity when the Arkanian assumes his own turn before being invited to do so by the host. "Empress Teta is certainly not a Mid Rim planet," she counters to the Arkanian. At least one of them had been listening. "Credits are one thing, but so is having my label stamped on to an astromech's control board. We have plans to expand, Mister Vad, and credits certainly help. Having Mantellian Steelworks stamped in to weapon parts and droid casings and - kriff, starfighter landing struts for all I care, that draws in MORE investors."

The Arkanian grunts. "What better investor than a tried and true corporation with an honorable reputation such as ours?" Arkanian medical research is, of course, completely on-the-level, and free of scandal.

[ Dyna Selenis (Dyna) ] Dyna glances over toward Zudro for a moment as he chimes in after herself and Aryn make their 'opening statements', so to speak. She furrows her brow a bit at the comment on being ready to make a deal here today. He had them there, of course. Her attention turns back to Bella as she then speaks and a small smile crosses Dyna's lips. "Of course. And that is only what we currently represent," she says reassuringly. When the Arkanian follows up with a comment on their honorable reputation, Dyna quirks a brow and turns to him.

"Honorable reputation, you say?" A bemused smirk forms on Dyna's lips. "I wonder just how much that reputation would hold up under scrutiny? I've heard Arkanians get up to some... less than ethical scientific pursuits. But as an 'honorable' corporation, I'm sure Adascorp gets up to nothing of the sort, and you'd have no issues with letting Miss Nasar here scrutinize Adascorp's past dealings and scientific pursuits to confirm that?"

[ Aryn Cortess (AC) ] Aryn chuckles when the Arkanian resorts to ad hominem (attack the person not the topic), but keeps quiet as she raises her hand to make a lazy motioned gesture to her droid. Mr. Zudro receives a short look, but Aryn's friendly smile does not wane. When Dyna finishes speaking, Aryn's droid leans in and speaks in short warbles. Aryn nods her head, still looking bored.

One statement, a concluding one from the droid, makes Aryn laugh again. "Tis true, what the gentleman says. He has the currency to buy and move product. Mass production and industry are common place among many prominent organizations. I daresay the Empire was good at moving such deals; one might consider the once beautiful Jelucan, a natural wonder now reduced to a hollowed surface mined completely of all its heart and soul. The good, hard-working natives of Ord Mantell may have more refined tastes than the generic brand of mass production."

Aryn does not shift, but she moves her head to look away from Mr. Zudro toward Bella. "The Guild is built on a reputation of quality. It is as you say, manufactured parts fabricated for specific purposes require steel; /good/ steel, but that means nothing if the hands shaping it do not respect its value and worth. If a tradesman bears the sigil of our Guild, then it is because they bring value and worth. If you want your label to follow that throughout the galaxy, then I daresay we have such means to negotiate it." "If we were to consider Adascorp's position on the matter, my droid observed they sent one representative. Even to a droid blind to ambition, it observed that this does not convey interest on a Corporation's part. It says they know the language of currency, but not appreciation and value." Aryn gestures politely to regard Bella, "What of your needs though?"

[ Noemie Lenoir (NL) ] Having still sat back in her seat - despite the company, this is her durasteel factory, and she was within her own domain - the Mantellian sits forward now and makes a few notes with the stylus of her datapad. Handwritten notes, atypial in the modern galaxy. "I do have to say, it's much more appealing to see Mantellian Steelworks on a diverse array of products, as your people produce and trade, than on morally gray cybernetics implanted in a body and out of sight," she says, placing her stylus down and looking across at Zudro for a counter of some kind.

She gets the counter in the form of a scoff. "Ms. Nasar, are we here to talk business or do you simply need to hire an advertising firm? These.. traders," he laughs, "how do we even know that they'll know what to do with your fine steel? Artisans, are they?" Attacking the person is indeed his style, it seems. "Do you want your steel to be the backbone, and I mean that literally in some cases, of breakthrough technologies, or do you want it to be used in some hollowed-out sculpture to appease the government on Teta so these hobbyists can ask for more land? Adascorp only sent me because I am all that you need." He sits forward now, as the Mantellian did, clearly getting serious. "I've the credits, we have our own advertisers that can confer with you, or, in fact, we'll pay you extra so you can find an agency of your own preference." He starts to type in to his datapad and the one that Bella had written in to chimes lightly. She looks at it and her brows rise in surprise. "My initial offer," confirms the Arkanian. "Adascorp's initial offer."

Bella looks up from her datapad at the representatives from the Artisans Guild. There's a look of annoyance in her eyes - she's clearly not pleased with the Arkanian, but after seeing the fairly large number on her screen, there's some hope in her expression as well. He may be an idiot, but money talks. "I must say this offer is tempting." She sits back once more, hand returning to her chin as she considers. The Arkanian develops a slow grin. It's personal.

[ Dyna Selenis (Dyna) ] Dyna furrows her brow slightly. Aryn and her droid had certainly backed Mr. Vad into a corner, it would seem, not that it kept him from continuing to attempt personal attacks. But then came the offer of credits. Straight to the point. Dyna considers this for a moment before taking out her own datapad and entering something into it. "No doubt Mr. Zudro's made quite the tempting offer there. But of course, such generosity no doubt comes with strings attached and increased expectations on your part." Dyna slides her own datapad toward Bella for the woman to review. "This is what the Artisans Guild will be offering." She then sits back in her chair, fingers steepled as she awaits the woman's response.

[ Aryn Cortess (AC) ] "Traders and artists?" Aryn laughs again, truly amused. "The gentleman forgets himself, because it is the trades from which the galaxy's backbone is built. Trades, sir, have won wars. Trades, sir, have saved lives. You attack but do not know that which you attack. This steel industry is a trade, sir."

Aryn reclines slowly, drawing one hand up to open it lazily and peer upon its back, adjusting the glove where it was crumpled a bit. "Though, curious, part of me wonders if the gentleman's offer is personal, or if it truly carries the endorsement of those fashioned his superior?" Aryn affords a subtle look toward the Arkanian, her smile tipping more to one side in a crooked and endearing way. With Dyna making an offer, Aryn looks back to Bella. "Should we recess whilst you consider, madam?"

[ Noemie Lenoir (NL) ] Bella Nasar's attention was fully on Dyna, then Aryn as they made the case for the Artisans Guild. The number, visible only to her at present, on Dyna's screen was a great deal lower than the one sent to her by Zudra Vad. But she had more than eyes. She had ears and a brain. Her brown eyes left the datapad screens and peered in to Vad's pupilless whites before examining both of the other humans. She was quiet for a time as she thought. "A recess will be unnecessary," she says after a thoughtful moment. Her gaze turns back to the Arkanian. "It is a very impressive number," she says with a small nod to him. "Indeed, I could expand the factory by at least thirty percent and still clear a profit. But as she says," an open hand gestured at Dyna, "high price like this, you may start making requests that I change how I do things. And maybe I do need to change some things. But I'd like to find those things out on my own, not at the behest of some off-world corporation."

Those browns look to the humans once more. "However. What you're offering is just enough to get by and still pay my workers, with a little - a very little - left to play with. I'm not expanding any land with this, or altering my durasteel recipe for the betterment of business. For a number like this to work, I need there to be more results than just finances." She sits back once more, posture relaxing. "Do you know why I have this contract available? My last customer burned up. Literally. Coruscant. Droid factory, in fact," she says with an annoyed grunt. "I liked doing business with a company out of Coruscant. A lot of word-of-mouth goes through there. Empress Teta is no Coruscant, but it's close. And furthermore," her finger taps the screen of her datapad. "Bank of Great Rock. I use that bank. Not this, 'Adascopolis Financial Exchange' you're offering me, mister Vad."

She hasn't come out and said it yet, but the pendulum has swung nearly entirely to the Artisans Guild side of the table. Zudro Vad practically says it for her: "Well then," he growls as she snatches his datapad and comes to his feet. "Let us hope, for your sake, Ms. Nasar, that these .. Artisans .. don't let you down with their droids and their blaster scopes." Before she can officially give the contract to the Artisans Guild he adds, "Adascorp is no longer interested in Mantellian steel. We have auxiliary plans." He doesn't quite stomp out of the room, but his reaction is certainly not that of a fully mature adult. Before he leaves, however, his gaze focuses on Aryn ever so briefly, a mild look of recognition before seeing himself out.

[ Dyna Selenis (Dyna) ] As Bella speaks, Dyna tries to hide the growing smirk on her lips, though ultimately fails. She says nothing at first, remaining quiet as the Arkanian gets up to leave in a bit of a huff. "He took that well," she comments quietly to Aryn. Getting up from her chair, Dyna would reach across the table to shake Bella's hand. "We look forward to doing business with you, Miss Nasar," she says with a smile. She then turns to Aryn. "And thank you for your assistance today, Miss Cortess. I doubt I could have done it without you and your droid, it's been a pleasure working with you."

[ Aryn Cortess (AC) ] "Be well, Mr. Vad." Aryn replies, not giving the Arkanian the dignity of a tracked look. He dismissed himself, and Aryn couldn't look more bored with the competition. Her expression softens when she regards Bella though, and she rises to offer her gloved hand for a shake. "It has been a singular pleasure, madam. I look forward to seeing your steel logo on all my quality products and starfighters." Offering a genuine smile, Aryn adjusts her coat to excuse herself. Aryn regards Dyna upon walking out, "Never sell yourself short, Ms. Selenis." As they leave, Aryn comments further, "Defeating Mr. Vad will be the easiest thing we do all day. Come, perhaps there are some local hostelries that might have some respectable vintage to celebrate, hmm?" Aryn clasps her hands behind her back and walks on looking aloof and curious all the same.