Log:Sith: Bonadan Diplomacy 1

Bonadan Diplomacy 1

OOC Date: March 31, 2025
Location: Bonadan
Participants: Bal Calrissian, Ban Iskender as GM

The Incom-Freitek Corporation was legendary in ship manufacturing circles. Its most famous contribution to recent galactic history was the iconic X-wing line of fighters; it was as inseparable from the image of rebellion as the names Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Lando Calrissian. Incom was still a corporation, however, a prominent member of the Imperial-friendly Corporate Sector Authority, with a production and development headquarters on Bonadan.

Bonadan was officially an independant world, but it leaned firmly toward the Empire, and was protected by the influence and reputation of its fellow Corporate Sector giants (and rivals) Kuat Drive Yards and Sienar-Jaemus. All those Imperial ties didn't prevent the company from making a tidy under-the-table profit selling its weapons, ships, and materials to ...rebellious interests. An imperial intelligence officer had approached Bal Calrissian and presented the young man with a list of objectives it was felt he was uniquely qualified to achieve: lure the profits- and thereby the interests and assets- of the Incom corporation away from rebellion, and toward the Empire.

It wasn't an official state visit, but even an informal sounding-out was treated like an event, and the red carpet was rolled out for the Lady Luck in both the metaphorical and literal senses. Bal was met by several uniformed attendants and a trio of dignitaries upon landing: one was an older Duro in an expensive suit, the second was a sturdy middle-aged Human man with an impressive pair of sideburns and an even more expensive suit, and the third was a woman in a blue dress, holding a datapad, with an earpiece and holographic information lens visible over one eye. The Human in the middle had smiled broadly and stepped forward to greet Bal, hand extended. “Mister Calrissian! Welcome to Bonadan.”

The Lady Luck seems to have been washed and waxed for this particular visit because the gleam off that impeccable ship might as well be a spotlight for the arrival of Landonis Balthazar Calrissian II. The takes his sweet time striding down the ramp, using a chunk of said sweet time to glance over whom he's meeting with on his way down. This also gives L3-DB some time to look, scan and bring up whatever intel she can about those three. There's a reason why Bal never goes anywhere without her these days.

As is often the case, Calrissian is dressed to the tens because the nines are too cheap for his tastes. He's made sure that his shirt and trousers are as fitting as they need to be for flirting should it come to that. All the colors are in the more neutral set -- making sure to not lean Sith Red or anything too much. Even his uniquely yellow cape with soft blue interior lining is cooperating.

There's nothing but a smile that belongs to his father on his face when he opens those arms wide. "The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you." comes the voice of Bal as he reaches out to shake Kal's hand. He doesn't stop there, though, as there's an opportunity to meet the others as well. Or, well, Bal makes an opportunity appear by stepping toward the Duro to offer a hefty handshake. This is, of course, followed by a step in the direction of the woman in blue, where a more careful and soft touch is applied in reaching for her hand to greet her with his most charming smile.

"Thank you," to Kal, "All of you," to all three -- specifically the blue dress, "For having me." Finally, he can reluctantly turn that grin back in the direction of Nimbus.

"I won't take up much of your time."

Kal Nimbus had already given his name, and L3-DB had no difficulty verifying that he was Incom-Freitek's Director of Operations; a lofty title with far reaching responsibilities which he'd occupied for the past five years. A middling pilot in the Corporate Sector Authority's Starfighter wing, before going into business.

The jovial mouthpiece introduced the Duro first as Bal shook the old alien's hand: "Our Executive Vice-president, Mister Yri Donega-" Unknown outside the company, but Donega was the longest standing executive in Incom, dating back to the Old Empire days. Some whispers had it that he'd have been the head of the company if not for some shadowy controversy in his past.

Lastly the woman: "And my Assistant Director, Miss Caite Dolya." 'Assistant Director' was a flexible title that could mean anything from a glorified secretary and bit of eye candy, up to a legitimate overseer put in place to act as legal counsel, or even commit espionage. The title could mean anything. Caite smiled and extended her hand to Bal, expecting a shake. Her grip is light enough to not seem threatening, but not a limp shake. Bal is allowed to dictate how pronounced the shake is. L3-D8 has nothing readily available on Caite Dolya, leaving her precise role rather nebulous.

"Let's head inside," Kal invites, stepping to one side and giving Bal a light clap on the caped shoulder. "And you can tell us what brings you by over a good drink. What's your pleasure?" The doors to the building slid open on cue, and Kal Nimbus led the quartet into the well-appointed facility. The sounds within were pleasant and mild, and the temperature cooler than the balmy warmth of Bonadan, outside.

L3 clanks along behind the group, making sure to feed Bal the information she's gathered about those he's come to have this fiscally lucrative conversation with. He must have something in his ear or something, who knows. Either way, it looks like he's gotten the message because of the way his walking seems to be a bit more comfortable. It comes right along the same time that his shoulder gets clapped by Nimbus.

"Well, considering the deal I've come to personally hand deliver?" Bal sprinkles a little tease of the business chatter that's on the horizon. "I'd say something expensive and..." Bal pauses with a finger just beneath his lips. "Celebratory." As he walks along with Nimbus, Caite gets a quick glance. Almost as if to say that he'd be more than willing to celebrate with her. For hours. And hours. And...

While they stride off towards the facility, L3 rolls her optics and stalks along after them. He better not be thinking about celebrating with anyone else! Hmph!

"Ha! I like your tone, Mister Calrissian. Caite, can you see to it we have the Sephian Brandy ready for us? The good stuff." The woman in blue had been regarding L3 sidelong, with the faint glow of scrolling data playing across her eyepiece, before her eyes shifted to al with his quick glance. She cleared her throat to cover a small smile and answered, "Of course, Mister Nimbus." She looked down to the datapad in hand, input a few quick commands and pointedly didn't look back at Bal just yet. Business. Business business.

"Beauty of a ship you've got," Kal offered. "One of the Luxury 3000 line, isn't she? The might be newer, but there certainly aren't many better. Fly her yourself, or do you keep a pilot?" Their destination through the airy, well-lit building was close at hand: a sitting room built around a large holographic projector, furnished with very comfortable chairs, and projections of various Incom ships cycling over three of the walls; the fourth wall being entirely transparisteel offering the best view in the building: the cleanest quarter of Bonadan's industrial landscape, with the Incom-Freitek testing facilities several kilometers away. Ships took off and landed with some regularity.

"L3 and I manage." Bal offers with a smirk. "She was my father's. I don't know if I could handle anyone else's hands on her. I can get pretty protective of the ladies in my life." This is not just said loud enough for Caite to hear for any reason but it just so happens that Bal is okay with his voice carrying it to her ears. Y'know, for /after/ business.

The moment they find the sitting room, Bal motions for L3 to remain near the door with a nod as he goes to inspect the view outside of the transparisteel wall. He's either just admiring the view or stalling long enough to see where everyone's going to sit so that he can choose the best position to make his pitch from. The devil of this deal going through just might be in the details.

But this side profile also gives him a chance to look as though he's remembering the good times flying in the Lady Luck with his father. Might as well get them on his side with some sympathetic gazing to go along with the previous mentioning of the great Lando Calrissian.

"Good man," Kal commends with an easy smile at the answer. "Just not right to be flown around by somebody else, like a piece of cargo." The Duro makes a small sound of dry amusement, giving a few words in his bubbling language to the effect that once they'd lived long enough, they may change their minds. Nimbus laughed aloud. "Fair enough, Yri." The Duro took the first seat on one end of the semicircle of chairs. Nimbus took the next, relatively central, but all seats were placed so that they'd have a clear view of the others. Only once an attendant entered with the requested brandy and glasses did Caite sit, choosing the seat between the two higher executives.

Kal relaxed into the seat unevenly, leaning on one armrest. Yri leaned back, letting the chair support his weight with an arm on each rest. Caite sat forward and upright in the chair, ankles crossed and back straight with the datapad in both hands.

"I'm still working on that." quips Calrissian with a glance in Yri's direction as he finally turns away from the view.

His look back toward the table is followed by a couple of soft steps in that direction. He glances around at the three of them for a moment before he reached for the bottle to pop the top and pour a glass for each of them. That's right, he's sort of laying it on a bit thick with this act of service but love languages can often be useful in deal pitching.

Besides, what kind of guest would come to someone else's home and serve them? A trustworthy one, of course.

"Kal?" Bal inquires as he sets a poured glass down in front of him. "I know you're probably dying to know why I'm here. And I want you to know that I'm here for two reasons. First? I'm here to do you and this company an /enormous/ favor." A glass is sat down in front of Caite. Bal's hand even lingers on that glass for a moment before he continues on. "Secondly?" The final glass is sat down in front of the Duro with an almost greedy grin. "I'm here to make you all a divine amount of credits."

With the drinks poured and given, Bal steps back for a moment to allow those two promise teases to sink in for a moment. And maybe give them an opportunity to ask something if they need to.

Kal? "Please," Nimbus nods, accepting the familiar form of address as comfortably as he does the offered drink. A nod of thanks is given. When Caite Dolya reaches forward, Bal's lingering hand on the glass leads to a slight brush of fingers. A smile threatens, but the Director's assistant keeps it reined in and offers a quiet, polite, "Thank you, Mister Calrissian." The Duro doesn't immediately reach for the glass, instead steepling fingers in front of a weathered and aged chin.

Kal picks up the bottle to return the favor and pour Bal a glass of his own. "Well then, I for one am all ears. Give me the good news, young man."

"Thank you." Bal reaches for his glass but doesn't sip it right away. Instead, he just lifts it and holds it for a moment.

"I've been authorized to green light an exclusive contract with you for a very special project that could have incredibly lucrative profit ramifications on a galactic scale. Lucrative enough to have Incom-Freitek THE name in starships in the coming years. Fully funded and fully backed by the people I represent." Bal doesn't say any specific names but there's very likely an understanding already underneath all of this. "We want nothing more than to just hand you this deal, right here and right now." Bal raises his glass for a moment. "But we're going to need a little something in return." Bal finally sips his drink. "Tiny something, even. You won't even notice it's gone."

Another sip from his drink as he lets that tease hang in the air for a few moments. His eyes are on Caite though during this sip, one of his eyebrows already raised playfully for the moment before he straightens back up to focus on the room as a whole.

The Duro is inscrutable; a species not generally known for very evocative expressions to begin with, the old businessman is patient and reserved, giving nothing away. His only movement throughout the opening pitch was a single slow blink.

Nimbus sits back in his chair, the man's impressive sideburns spreading with the motion of his easy smile. He recognized a bit of polish when he heard it. "Well don't keep me waiting, son," the middle-aged Human chuckled. The longer the wind-up went on, the more wary Nimbus would get. He was already looking for the bottom line.

Dolya's eyebrow raised ever so slightly when Bal's did. When he looked back to the room at large, she glanced down to the datapad, and input something with the swift movement of agile fingertips.

Bal holds his hands up, glass and all. "Alright, alright. You got me. Maybe some of my father's storytelling rubbed off on me." Bal tries to clean it all up with a bit of a smile.

He leans back against the transparisteel view and just offers a small shrug to show just how small of an ask that this is going to be. "They'd just like to ask that your little side deal with those individuals that seek to tarnish the legacy that people like my father helped to build and craft? Well, they'd like you to put an end to that." He grins. "No more hoping for the scraps of whatever they can scrape together in exchange for truckload after truckload after truckload of clear cut profit rolling right up to these doors."

His eyes cut right over to Caite as he licks the liquor from his lips in that moment.

Nimbus grinned again and nodded as Bal got... closer to the point. The big, bluff, and genial Director was canny enough to leave certain things unsaid in crafting his response. "Well, without getting specifics, I of course can't give specifics.. but I can assure you and your.. backers," the word was stated knowingly, "That Incom-Freitek doesn’t cut under-the-table deals. With anybody. Son, we've supplied shuttles and fightercraft to half the known galaxy for most of a hundred years. Now, in that time have some of our products turned up where maybe they shouldn't? Of course. But we deal above board; there's far too many credits to be lost by dipping into.. idealism." His grin quirks deeper. "Now, if you're asking us to start cracking down on what the people who buy from us do with their property.. well, I won't say no, but I will ask more about these truckloads of profits you're promising. No company ever got rich by pissing off their clients."

Caite is looking back at Bal when he glances her way, but gives no outward reaction, either to his pitch or his drinking habits.

"My mistake. I misspoke. You'll have to forgive me. I just think about what certain individuals are doing to my father's legacy and it just..." His fingers tighten around the glass for a moment.

"I'll be even more honest with you here, Kal." Bal finally pulls out a chair so that he can take a seat. The glass is sat down on the table. "I'm not a numbers guy. They know I'm not a numbers guy. I'm the guy that knows that they can deliver on what they promise. I'm also the guy that knows that when your property ends up in the hands of people that don't respect it, that that's not the best look. For anyone. And between the two of us? I think if we paid a bit more attention to where things ended up? Then maybe the galaxy becomes a safer place. For everyone."

With a shrug tossed in for good measure, Bal leans on the table a bit. Just to show how honest he's being right now. "They've asked me to help you take care of exactly that issue by rolling those truckloads right on up to the doors in exchange for the existing stocks of fighters that keep ending up in the wrong hands. This includes a substantial termination of production fee." Bal grins and holds up a hand just in case there's push back about the termination of production fee. "Of course, that's where those special projects I mentioned earlier come in. You know, to keep you all at the top of the food chain. Where you belong."

Nimbus' manner doesn't change much throughout the exchange, until Bal mentions the termination of production fee. There's a glance aside to Yri at that and an almost imperceptible shake of the head from the Duro. Kal takes a first drink of the brandy, sucking the air in through his teeth to savor the after taste. "Never would've figured those Sephi would be the ones to make a good strong drink like this, but sometimes folk can surprise you. Isn't that true?" he wonders of Bal with a brief grin. "Now the notion of selling off our existing starfighter stock is something we'd of course be glad to do. That's the whole purpose of building the damn things, isn't it?" A short chuckle. "But a termination of production? Son, the X-wing *made* this company what it is. We do plenty more, of course, you know that; I won't list them all, but upgrades to the X-wing line are regularly what get us the most interest, the best independent sales, and the most attention. There's no way we could agree to termination of product on our top seller. Not unless the Empress herself sat down in your chair and said 'We're done with TIEs'." Another short, amiable laugh at the very idea.

"But! I do recall you spoke of that special project, and I do very much like the idea of being on top of the food chain. What have you got in mind?"

"Fair enough." Bal is smiling even though he's being denied. "Would you be open to a 'suspension of production' fee?" It's almost as though Bal was expecting the denial of 'termination of production' fee. Since he's quick with the response.

"And while there's a slow down in production of the infamous X-Wing, which would only make them even more sought after but that's neither here nor there, you could could introduce this..."

He holds out his hand as the physical cue to go along with the verbal cue and not a thing happens. For a long awkward moment where Bal is just sitting there grinning like an idiot. "L3!"

The droid returns to paying attention almost immediately, flickering its holoprojection to show some brainstormed sketches and design notes for a new and improved Alpha XG-1 Starwing Heavy Assault Fighter. It lights up right over the table for all to see.

Bal's back on his feet to help show off the holoprojection. "A little something the guys and gals in R&D have been cooking up. Couldn't quite get it over the hill. Still needs a little bit of Incom-Freitek love, if you ask me."

Caite gets a glance again while Bal's pushing this deal at Nimbus. "Exclusive TLC, of course." Maybe he has some of that in mind for her as well.

Nimbus had begun to go into a familiar talking point: "The trick with reduced production is this, son: if your backers wanted to buy up existing stocks of T-85s, that'd get them off the market, but we can't let our best seller be out of production, and we'd need to produce more to gradually bring our stocks back up. Can't make money without product, after all.." But then (after an awkward moment in which all three Incom reps glance between each other, and Bal) the holographic curtain is drawn.

Nimbus and Yri Donega both immediately sit forward to look at the projections. Eyes narrowing in scrutiny. "Well sure," Nimbus begins. "Of course it needs more development.. They're still working off of the old Cygnus-Lambda designs. Starwing was their best work, but they never could reconcile weapon loadouts with maneuverability." The Duro opines in his musical lilt that the engine output and profile thrusts look wrong, and he prompts Caite for her datapad. The woman nods once, stands smoothly and supplies the old Duro with the requested tablet, before returning to her chair with a glance at Bal, as the Duro begins rapidly typing.

Nimbus glances back to the young Calrissian with interest. "How soon would.. your backers want a workable prototype? We can solicit bids for production before that if we double down, but.." He tips his hand a bit by turning to the Duro, "I've been saying we needed a foot in the Imperial door, haven't I?" the Duro ignores him, so Nimbus turned to Caite, "Haven't I?"

She answers smoothly, "Yes sir, you have." Smoothing her dress, Caite returns to her chair, sitting primly and picking up her glass.

Maybe this is going exactly the way Bal needs it to go. He's so aloof, he barely knows what he's doing. Or, well, that's how it seems anyway. "I think I heard the words: 'As Soon As Sentiently Possible' being thrown around." Bal just shrugs and does a bit of a dismissive wave.

"L3 would be more than willing to release these plans to you if we have a deal." This time L3's got the cue right because the moment it looks like Nimbus and Donega are about to have a field day with the designs, she deactivates the holoprojection. Just needed to give them a little taste of what they could be exploring and shoving into the galaxy.

"The sooner we make this deal, the sooner you two can get started, the sooner you can have both this /and/ the X-Wing bringing in..." Bal feigns confusion. "What did I say? Truckloads of credits?" He's satisfied with his memory. "Yeah, those."

The grin on Bal's face is almost triumphant. Almost.

Bal may have misread the need for the schematics, as his droid deactivating the hologram fails to act as any incentive to a deal. What he was *very* correct about however, is the degree to which the project has hooked the two executives present. Yri Donega has been burbling to Nimbus without looking up, and Kal answered, "The profile of the assault shuttle project, but scaled down to optimize the mass-drive ratio.. Are you sure we don't need a co-pilot? Alright.." Bal's closing pitch drew a big smile and pulled Kal Nimbus' eye back to the young Calrissian. "As for a deal.. You can tell your backers that we'll have a preliminary design by the end of the standard month, and a working prototype for field tests shortly after the design is approved. Further.." He considers. "I'll advise the board that production of the T-85 be scaled back proportional to half the contract of the new assault fighter. Damn, we'll need a good name, and most of the letters are taken. No matter, that's a problem for marketing."

Nimbus picks up his forgotten glass, proffering a toast: "To truckloads of credits, eh?" before drinking deep. The Duro doesn't bother drinking, still fixated on the datapad. Caite lifted her glass appropriately for the toast before raising the vessel to her lips. Clearly hoping that Bal would notice, she took a small sip, keeping the rim of the glass poised on the edge of spilling to delicately lick the last droplet of brandy from the glass. Many would have considered it very alluring, had she not dared a glance back at Bal midway through and thereby spilled some of the very expensive Sephian brandy down the side of her chin. Eyes briefly went wide as she abruptly set the glass back down and looked away, desperately hoping no one would have noticed.

Bal noticed. Which is why his movements are already headed in the direction of Caite. He even scoops up his glass on the way. "I'll inform them of the good news. I'm sure the first trucks will arrive very shortly so that your current and existing fighter stock does not have to collect dust." His glass is raised up as he moves closer to Caite. "I'll be sure to have them include a bonus for your assistance in cracking down on your distribution's clientele." The knowing grin can only be coupled with a drink of this delicious brandy.

It's in that moment as he pulls his glass down a bit, his eyes focus on Caite even though his words are with Nimbus, "You're making a wonderful deal, my friends. I can guarantee you that you will not regret this." He's lifts his glass again to almost offer it to Caite as he tries to get his eyes locked with hers.

"Would you mind if Ms. Dolya walks me out? There's something I'd like to ask her now that business is done." He grins. Yes, -that- kind of grin.

Bal's scheme is delayed a moment by the insistence of Kal Nimbus to shake his hand once again. "Glad to have met you, we'll be in touch." He'd already started to turn back to the Duro when Bal asked about being walked out. "Hmm? Oh, of course. Miss Dolya, be sure to show Mister Calrissian around, hmm? Tour of the facility if he likes."

Caite's cheeks are flushed when she finds Bal staring back at her. The 'look away and hope no one noticed' gambit clearly failed her. He gets the eye contact and keeps it without difficulty. The flush only deepens, but she does manage to *sound* professional in answering her boss: "Of course, Director. Mister Calrissian, if you'll come with me?"

L3 leaves a drive with the starfighter plans on the table while Bal finishes handshaking and his drink. She has so much to say but she's been quiet so that Bal can do his thing. After all, this is for a paying client and not just one of Bal's own schemes. They'll figure out how a good enough Fixer's Fee for the both of them on the way back to the Sith Imperials to give them the good news in person. Where he can try to charm a few extra credits out of them.

"A tour? I hadn't thought of that." Bal sets his glass on the table and grins, offering an arm to Caite. "Please. Show me everything you've got." His grin stays intact. "I don't want to miss a single detail." Finally, Caite gets a classic Calrissian Wink.