Ask Cantonica Just Businessmen

[Newton]

Canto Bight, Cantonica​

Criminal syndicates and mega-corporations are pretty much the same thing, right? Just one pretends to be 'legitimate' and 'presentable' and the other is more 'open' and 'honest' about it's dealings and criminality.

In a private room in the famed casino Canto Bight, the CEO of Blackwell Tech is dressed in nice formal wear. He would be waiting in a grand private room, sitting in a comfortable chair made of luxurious material. Next to him is a comfortable cushioned seat fitting for a certain slug-like species made of similarly luxurious material.

There would be a large table. Once Newton's potential business partner arrives, there would be a banquet for the two made by the best chefs the establishment has to offer. The chefs were advised lots of food for the other person.

Just in case, a 3P0 protocol droid sits midway through the table to translate if needed. Newton would have two gifts for the business partner as well.

Newton would be alone, not accompanied by his usual droids, has no gear on him. Canto Bight security is strict about weapons not being permitted, and with recent moves from the Sith, are on high alert as is the Picket Fleet and other corporate private fleets.

It's almost time, checking his chrono.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

He was beginning to really quite enjoy coming to Canto Bight. The place new how to make the great and the good feel safe, and at ease with their credits. He had come to the planet at the behest of his business partner, well - one of them.

Shown into the meeting room by venue staff, Nor'baal moved into the room on a hoversled, stripped of any hidden weapons and gear. He positioned himself the other side of Newton, and immediately picked up a large glass, three gallons in total, and drank it down.

Belching, he looked up at the businessman and spoke.

<More.> a droid appeared and filled his glass <Its chaos out there Arden. Bloody chaos. Everyones at war, everyone's trying to kill everyone else - sure it helps profits, but its a nightmare to manage.> he grumbled in Huttese, as the droid rapidly translated.

OOC - Written directly into basic owing to the droid being there.

 

[Newton]

Newton would drink from his glass in a more casual manner, the Hutt seems to like what he drinks. "It is". Newton would say and the droid would translate to Huttese in the great Hutt wished. This is a war unlike the galaxy has seen in thousands of years. Two superpowers clashing, lots of back and forth moves, but in the end the Systems Consortium has made move after move, counter against any counter. The announcement about the Hypergates greatly shifts things in the ISC's favor, and will not isolate the Corporate Sector as the Empire planned.

First thing is first. "Before we begin, thank you for taking the time to come out here" Newton respectfully nodded his head. "Two gifts for you." Newton would then clap his hands, and two droids with respulsor sleds would come out from the sides, carrying them with them what appears to be starship parts.

Newton would then look at the device to the side. "This is the S3 Smart Ship Suite. An AI that could be mounted to your personal starships. Very helpful, can assist with the handling of your vessels, reacts to any spoken command. You could control the ship with just your voice, with free lifetime S3+ for even more features"

Then looking to the right "A Stygium-based Cloaking Device. When mounted on, and activated, it makes the ship invisible and can't be picked up on sensors" Blackwell has a Stygium crystal mine. The device should be very useful for the Hutt or anyone who he decides to bestow it upon, as it enables one to get past the rigorous security blockades that the ISB has put up around Sith space against the 'unauthorized', getting on their planets undetected. For example anyway "If you want, i will have also technicians install the devices to any compatible ship of your choosing.

Newton would then towards the Hutt again. And with that, food is served, servers of various species would deliver the food for the banquet. "Enjoy" one of the servers said.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

His eyes lit up when he saw the gifts. Already Nor'baal could think of where to apply them and to what end. The cloak, an item of technology he had long desired but lacked the corporate connections to secure, he could affix to his own vessel, securing smooth access to anywhere he wished - ideal for a person of his reputation, and with his growing list of enemies. <You honour us with your gifts.> the Hutt responded, referring to himself in the third person in his usual arrogant manner.

He hadn't got Newton anything.

But then again, he never tended to do nice things for others. Such was the way of things. Nor'baal was dubious about the AI, worried it would be placing a spy device on his ships - he would make sure to have it checked before installing it. However, he thanked the man nonetheless, keen to see what else today's meeting would bring.

<The cloak would go well on my yacht, which is here on Cantonica. As for the AI, I shall return that to Hutta and install it later.> he added. Nor'baal would have said 'thank you', yet no such term existed in his native tongue, and he was loath to communicate in basic.

Next, the food arrived, and a large array of aquatic products in various tanks was placed in front of and around the Hutt, so tucked in eagerly. After a few minutes of slurping and chewing has passed, he spoke again <Look,> he wiped his hand on a very expensive looking handkerchief <There must be a way we can use this chaos to our advantage, yes?>

 

[Newton]

Nor'baal went for the gifts, or at least the cloaking device. Good. He thought to himself. The Hutt seems to be enjoying his food, that's another good thing too. Newton would more casually eat some of his food, like refined gentlemen do.

"Yes we can." Newton was in agreement they should indeed use the chaos going around the galaxy for further profits. That's infact the whole purpose of this. The CEO of Blackwell didn't call the Great Hutt for a meeting half-way across the galaxy just for a dinner. "First thing actually, I already have an idea." Newton would then look towards the Hutt and explain. "NalTech's CEO has disappeared, she's been out of the public view for the really long time, not long after we helped her become CEO. It's shareholders are unhappy, it's stocks are going down. The war is impacting their business too" it was true, Nahri Nalju hasn't been sighted, and the Serenno based company is just being squandered. It can be put to better use. "We already have sizable stakes in the company, if we work together, we can oust Nalju and take the company for our selves." Newton explained to the Great Hutt, wondering if he would be open to the idea.

The only thing is, how interested the Hutt would be and what all he would want out of such a deal.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

<I had been concerned about the lack of information coming from that company.> Nor'baal lied, in truth he hadn't actually noticed a lack of information coming in from Nalju. He'd been somewhat busy of late, owing to the list of people attempting to come to his Palace, ask for favours, or murder him. It was a nice diversion to be speaking to someone with a business sense, who was perhaps less likely than others with whom he had done business of late to try and murder him.

That being said...

Nor'baal peering into his cup. His sniffed it.

It smelt horrible, and, therefore, was just what he had expected - Hutt Ale, no poison.

Maybe the man was genuine after all? <An interesting proposal. However, I have credits, more than I can count. Tell me, what else do I get from this arrangement?> he asked. He was open to the idea, for certain, but was interested to see what, other than money, he could get from such a deal.

 

[Newton]

That was true, they both have more credits than they can count, so what can they both get out of it. Newton would have a drink, thinking quickly about what may entice the Hutt to go along with this. "How about this. You can have the company and it's assets." Newton said. "It's a big sized company" although not mega-corporation sized. "It has multiple subsidiaries, including droid manufacturing, ship production, plus R&D. That can be yours." He nodded his head. It is a pretty good deal for it's assets. "You can use them to rake in even more credits, or use the facilities to bolster your forces" The Hutt Cartel could incorporate advanced droids into it's armies, as well as having ships of NalTech design into it's fleets or use them to manufacture ships of Hutt design "In turn, i would like to have any access to research and information it has, in addition to schematics for all it's products."

Although the company is smaller than Blackwell Tech, it has some very interesting technology. It's CIS-inspired droids are very interesting indeed. If Newton can have the notes and the schematics, he can use them to forge new and better product. Maybe incorporate anything interesting into the current Blackwell line-up. Truth be told, although this is less profitable for Blackwell, it does yield high potential in the future. Then again managing the largest corporation in the galaxy is hard enough, making it bigger...

Now that Newton thinks about it. "One problem is... is that if one of us makes overt moves on NalTech the Sith could try to nationalize the company." The Sith did nationalize the fuel companies inside it's space to act as a bandade against the Throne starving the Sith of fuel. The company being based in Serenno does leave it vulnerable to being forcibly taken over by the Sith?

"I wonder, do you have anyone under your payroll in could act as a figurehead as a CEO for us without raising Sith alarms?" Newton is sure that the Hutt Crimelord has someone that can act in that role. He has many servants and criminals everywhere doesn't he. If so, they could use that, and quickly move the company out of Sith space.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

For far too long, Nor'baal had only ever looked at business through the Hutt 'lense'. Whilst he did not intend to change that approach today, it was interesting to hear how a more legitimate business man proposed doing things. To take over a 'company' in the Hutt world, one poisoned, intimidated, bartered, schemed, and if that failed - sent in a detachment of Gamorreans to cut some throats.

That wasn't done in the Corporate Sector as often.

<We could make considerable use of that firm.> he replied, thinking out load. Its factories and warehouses could be expanded, basements added to produce synthetic spice, whilst upstairs droids could be produced and then sold to various shell companies, all feeding back to the Hutt Clans.

<You have my interest. How many credits do we need?> he asked. Nor'baal could get the man what he needed, based on the deal they had - he got the firm, Newton got the designs. He waited for the mans reply, pawing at another drink to quench his perishing thirst. <As for a CEO, we can appoint one of the members of one of the shell companies in Hutt Space, it will be quite simply to impose a puppet, with one of my children to keep them in line as well.>

 

[Newton]

It looks like the Hutt was into the idea of going through with this. Good. Newton would get out a datapad and do so figuring in response of the credits needed to do this. "Lets see here..." Newton would think aloud "Looking at the data, and the current stakes we both control..." he would think aloud. Newton would then pass the datapad over to the droid to the droid in turn can present it to the Supreme Mogul, to which the Great Hutt could see the figure and the math that went into it. "That that's what we would need". The amount needed, although would be pretty costly for ninety-nine point ninety nine percent of the galaxy, it to be frank is a meager number compared to two of the richest people in the galaxy.

They would have no problem investing a little bit more into this effort.

"Splendid." Newton replied when the Hutt said he had someone as well as a child of his to keep a lease on him.

Lets see then, they got this arrangement figured out. "Anything else we need to discuss? Or do we have a deal?" Newton would smile.

"If so, we can start on this as soon as tomorrow" If this deal is accepted, it's best that this starts as soon as possible before the Sith get any bright ideas.

@Nor'baal

 

[Nor'baal Desilijic]

Looking at the data as it was handed to him, Nor'baal gave a cursory glance down to the number of credits this would cost him. By his maths, he could transfer it immediately, and then refill one of the shell accounts with hard currency transferred from one of his innumerable stashes across the outer rim. All-in-all it wasn't a titanic sum.

<Consider it done.> Nor'baal replied, agreeing to the terms and setting his part of the deal in motion. With the droids this purchase could provide, he could bolster the efforts his family was making on Tatooine, for one thing. <If you need anything in terms of transfer of the designs, contact this man in a few days.> he replied, sending the details of one Mik Deluto (@Eccles) who Nor'baal would soon be made CEO of the firm.

A dependable scoundrel, Mik could see the company expand the illegitimate business, whilst maintaining a compelling facade of honesty. <I think that's a deal well made, nothing else to add from the Clans side.> the Hutt replied.

A good deal.