Business Proposition

[Raif]

The Starlight Grill was an upscale dining establishment whose clientele consisted almost exclusively of high-level government employees, given that it was buried deep within the Republic Senate complex on Coruscant.

Despite its moniker, the Starlight Grill did not show any actual starlight of course, due to its near-subterranean location. What it showed, instead, was a recording of the starscape above Coruscant taken by a satellite and projected by the holopanels that made up the Grill's walls and ceiling. The effect was as if the occupants were dining and drinking under a vast starlit canopy, rather than under several thousand tons of bureaucracy and offices.

The restaurant was roughly circular in shape, with the bar occupying the center of the space and several private alcoves ringing the edge. These alcoves all held a booth and table, and had controls to change the holographic projection within that particular alcove.

It was within one of these private dining areas that Korembeck, Senator of Kashyyyk, sat alone - for now. Two of his personal guards stood just outside of his 'den,' and around him was the holographic view of his native planet. The limbs of the giant wroshyr trees blew gently in the non-existent breeze, and when he closed his eyes he could almost smell the familiar smells of home. The smells that actually assaulted his nostrils were the much-less-romantic aromas of over-worked, sweaty government workers and expensive booze.

His eyes snapped open, and he focused his mind on the task at hand. Any moment now he should be joined by his dinner-guest for the evening; Mr. Teodor Costa, head of Costa Industries and a man whom Korembeck had a business proposition for...

 

[Ru the Boatswain]

Escorted by his lovely assistant, Mr. Costa arrived in his business suit. As an aging cyborg he moved slowly towards the wookiee that he was to speak with it seemed to take just a little too long for him to arrive at his seat and give his greetings. He ordered no drink, he couldn't eat or drink really anything these days. His assistant did however order something that women ordered, no one cared what it was.

"A pleasure, Senator Korembeck. How are you faring after these recent tragedies?"

 

[Raif]

Korembeck looked up as his guests arrived. His guards stood aside and allowed them to enter the booth, then moved back into place to discourage visitors.

The aging wookiee noticed that Costa didn't order anything, and the wook's highly developed olfactory senses picked up an odd smell to the man. The rumors of his mechanical nature must be true. That was neither here nor there, though, and Korembeck bowed his head as Costa greeted him.

[Thank you, Misterrrr Costa. I am farrrring well, though I must admit I was lucky to be home durrrring the rrrrecent tragedies here. Yet another slaverrrry issue arrrrose which needed to be adrrrressed.]

Korembeck licked his lips and bared his fangs briefly - slavery never ceased to raise his heart rate a bit, but he had the scars to justify that emotional response, did he not?

[That is actually parrrrt of why I asked you here this evening. Tell me, Misterrrr Costa, arrre you in need of additional worrrrkerrrrs for yourrrr shipyarrrrds?]

 

[Ru the Boatswain]

Costa immediately gathered all he needed to know, the proposition had already been clear in the first place, but of course Teo had to be polite.

"I am always in need of good and reliable workers, Senator." He replied in a most pleasant tone. Wookiees were excellent labour as long as they were properly educated and not pushed too hard, an unhappy wookiee was not a good worker.

 

[Raif]

Korembeck shook his shaggy head in enthusiasm at Costa's response. Before he spoke, his and Costa's assistant's orders were delivered. Korembeck took a moment to slice off a piece of very rare Bantha steak before speaking again.

[Good! Good. I will be brrrringing this idea to the Chancellorrrr's attention tomorrrrow, hopefully, but I wanted to speak with you firrrst and hash out some details.]

Korembeck raised a hand to his chest and gripped the fur over his heart as he spoke the next part.

[I have a desirrrre, a need, to serrrve this Rrrrepublic to the best of my ability. I also have a duty to serve my people. I think I have an idea which could serrrve both my arrreas of rrresponsibility. What do you think of opening a shipyarrrd over Kashyyyk? Wookiee laborrrers are strrrong, as you no doubt know, but we arrre smarterrr than most give us crrredit. We can do a rrreal serrvice to the Rrrepublic, I know it.]

He took a moment to whet his whistle with a sip of Alderaanian wine before continuing.

[And, with a Rrrepublic shipyarrrd in orrrbit, I would hope those filthy Trrrandosha--I mean, slaverrrs in generrral would think twice about botherrring my kind.]

 

[Ru the Boatswain]

Teo made a point to touch his hand to his chin, a sign he was contemplating the idea.

"Doing so would require more than just shipyard construction. The entire sector would have to be revamped. Such a thing would be more than difficult to arrange, regardless of the benefits. I should say that I would be willing to work on a more workable plan. Perhaps I could employ Wookiees at a lesser cost, a work education program."

At this point he became more animated, his hands shifting about to put emphasis to words. Teo clearly was creating a new plan that he hoped the Senator could work off of.

 

[Raif]

Korembeck whuffed softly in thought. He had been afraid the man Costa would say something like that. Kashyyyk was a world rich in natural resources, but not the ones needed for ship construction. Additionally the system was close- alarmingly close, these days- to Hutt space and not close enough to any Republic military details.

The wookiee senator wanted to question the businessman, but knew such a thing would be insulting to a man of Costa's status. If he said building a yard over Kashyyyk was impractical, then it was impractical. Something else would need to be worked out, though it sounded like Costa already had an idea.

Well, I would preferrr a shipyard over my planet, of courrrse, but if you think otherrrwise is the wisest choice then I must bow to yourrr superiorrr experience in this matter. I presume yourrrr company would establish some sorrrt of presence on-planet? A rrrecruiting depot orrr some such?

Though it wouldn't carry quite the same threat of harm that a Republic presence would, perhaps having Costa Industries around would still decrease slaver activity.

 

[Ru the Boatswain]

"Humans don't belong on Kashyyyk and I'm not the man to be of any help with the age-old slavery trade that plagues your people. I would however be at your service in lobbying support."