Ask Just Good Business

[Emryc Thorne]

The office on Thyferra was probably one of his nicest. It overlooked a pristine lagoon and had a jungle as a backdrop. Naturally, everything was securely blocked off to keep any wild animals from coming over. Emryc wasn’t a big fan of being in nature, but he certainly liked observing it from a distance. This particular office had a balcony that opened up to the lagoon and jungle view.

He was unconcerned with it for now, sitting at a desk as he typed up a memo on his datapad. Every now and then he leaned over to scribble something on a notepad. His suit jacket was hanging on his chair and he was dressed in a very light blue button down with sleeves rolled up and cuffed at his elbows. Hair, as always, was perfectly styled and he sported a modest chrono on his wrist. The office smelled faintly of his expensive cologne as always.

Emryc was never ‘too important’ meet with anyone. As a man of the people, the President of ISC had a fairly open door policy within reason. He knew he had a meeting coming up soon and he finished up his paperwork before reaching over to press a button to comm the front desk to bring his next meeting in.

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

It had been a long time since she had been able to conduct business outside of Coruscant; and yet here she was, on Thyferra. She had been careful to keep the pregnancy, and the child, secret for now; they were safe with Jersan Velt, but she couldn't deny she missed the little one already.

Dressed in a simple dark suit, long white hair was pulled back from her features, and she carried with her a simple briefcase and a datapad. Originally reaching out after the emergency AMS meeting broadcast, she was mildly surprised to hear an affirmative for a meeting as well. However, this meeting would hopefully be beneficial to all.

When she entered, amber eyes swept over the luxurious office, the view, and then the man himself, lambent gaze assessing, calm. The room itself, even, seemed calm, a neat, clean space, though the smell was a bit much for her sensitive senses. Tuning it out, she glanced at the man himself, offering a slight tilt of her head in a respectful nod.

"President Thorne. Thank you for this opportunity."

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc finished up what he was doing before she ever entered the office. Sharp, observant eyes were staring in her direction by the time she stepped in. They noticed the slightest twitch on her face and he rose from his desk.

“Dr. Morata,” He said as he walked over to open up the glass sliding door that allowed in a fresh breeze. It would immediately dilute the scent of his cologne. He strode over towards her, a polite smile on his face. He extended a hand to shake hers. The stark white hair caught his gaze – this was the third woman in power he ran into with white hair. He was beginning to think there was a correlation somewhere. Though he towered over her, his demeanor was poised just enough to come short of being overbearing. He had taken the time to perfect his presence to seem a little less daunting.

Emryc turned and walked back towards his desk, gesturing for her to take a seat, “Thank you for making the journey,” He said, “Can I offer you a refreshment? I have..” He walked over towards a shelf with a teas and a fridge beneath it that had water and other drinks, “An assortment of teas, some fine wines from the Core and..” He grinned while shaking his head, “For some reason some very concentrated moonshine.”

He would bring over whatever she pleased, or nothing at all. For himself, he made a cup of tea from Naboo. It was a recently acquired taste of his.

Emryc walked over to sit down across from Ilana, “The honor is mine. You and your company have been out there on the frontlines for various crisis efforts. I know MorataCorp played a critical role in disaster recovery initiatives following the Coruscant and Ryloth incidents.”

The half Sephi offered a polite smile, “Please let me know how I can help.”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

Unlike other meetings, the empath could discern practically nothing from the man before her. And despite the AMS meeting recording showing him, he seemed mature beyond his years. Indeed, she would even suppose he was younger than Corran, and yet those eyes were sharp and knowing. She gave a small, polite smile in return, but if he had heard the rest of what MC had been up to, he surely knew the rumors of its' CEO. She would not be slipping on the charming mask today, the President had gotten this far in the political ladder for a reason. She shook his hand, her own touch frigid even for the most expecting person. Even after all this time, she struggled with the cold touch. The touch of a physician, perhaps.

The fresh air was tinged with the scent of greenery, and she took in a slow breath, tilting her head in acknowledgment. "I'm partial to whisky myself, but tea would be preferred. Chalacta black, if you have it." Taking a graceful seat, she would accept the beverage with murmured thanks, amber eyes blinking once at his mention of their efforts on crises.

"Yes. As a faction-neutral corporation, it was important to tend to the wounded from both sides of such a public series of crises. But... I'm here on behalf of the concerns of the AMS crisis." She set down the teacup on its' saucer in her lap, giving a cool, neutral stare.

"I have been researching the virus for five years," she spoke, then withdrew her datapad. A sample of her notes would illuminate the screen for his view, "but as of now currently lack the funding and the resources to produce a proper vaccine. Without either, research for a plausible vaccine will be many years behind. I hope you don't mind my directness..."

She took another small sip of her tea, the smile gone, but amber eyes meeting his directly. "But I have come to ask for funding and research material to find the vaccine for this virus." There was more, but she would wait for him to ask the questions. This was his office, after all, and she had respect for a man who climbed up the galactic ladder on most of his own merit.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc paused during the tea making when she answered her beverage choice. He had to grin at that, “A woman after my own heart,” He said as he abandoned the teas and walked back to his desk. He sat down reached for a cabinet to draw out a bottle of his personal stash. He set out two glasses, “Don’t normally get requests for whiskey at first meetings. It’s a shame, really,” He said as he poured them both a glass, “Everyone raves about Corellian, but I invite you to try this delight from Rodia. Burns a bit more going down but very worth it I think,” He slid the glass over, “Hope you don’t mind it neat.”

He heard her out as she spoke, his face bearing a neutral expression. From all the time being in the media and public settings, he had perfected the politely composed mask that was a marked improvement from his default frosty stoic. A moment of silence hung in the air after she finished with her request. Emryc brought his glass up to take a sip, silver eyes as piercing as ever.

“Doctor Morata,” He began after a few seconds, “I am pleased to see you are confident enough in your efforts to cut right to the chase and ask for funding. However, you must forgive me for wanting to assess this proposal a bit more. While I have no doubts that your company has done a lot of good for crisis situations, I want to understand more about what relevant research you’ve done and why you are the best qualified to drive this initiative. I want to know about the pedigree and background of your researchers, where your HQ facility is located, which products you have patented and distributed on a galactic scale before...I confess I have been unable to hunt this information down on my own."

As Emryc spoke, his tone remained pleasantly polite. He offered a faint grin as he continued, "As you may understand, you are hardly the only company to seek funding for this opportunity. A stimulus bill was granted in a very well publicized forum and all firms and organizations are wanting a slice of the pie.”

Emryc knew she didn’t get to being a CEO without being able to sell her business strategy. He may have been young for the position he held, but he was also known for being almost painfully methodical when it came to decisions at scale.

“I operate on empirical data, Doctor Morata,” He said after he took another sip of whiskey, “AMS being a crisis will not impact the structured approach I take to vet proposals.”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She wasn't surprised when he mentioned other businesses wanting an edge in. Of course, it was a niche market that offered dreams for a cutthroat business like the medical world, no pun intended. She didn't even blink at his questions; they weren't beyond the pale, after all, but a man checking his boxes. In fact, she was relieved he didn't carry the air of an aggrieved ore-duke that she wasn't fawning.

Still... something about him seemed tightly controlled, not even a hair out of place. The empath could not find traces of emotion, and even within the office, had he been absent, she would have felt entirely alone. She took another small sip, amber eyes meeting those of silver calmly.

"Of course. I don't mind."

She tapped on her datapad, and immediately a planetary profile would show, the one called Dantooine. A small ping would appear on the map, indicating the location of something on a lower quadrant. "My initial studies of this virus began on Dantooine, with a loose coalition of the Board of Galactic Health; a loose standardization as a remnant of the old Senate, I believe." She tapped on another button; the hologram shut down, in its' place another small sample of research notes. "We were tasked to study this mysterious illness that seemed to afflict the Outer Rim, and my supervisor requested my own particular skillset of microxenobiology and thoracic surgery to test the caught specimens of this... mysterious illness." The image flashed to those of panicked screaming, blaster fire, and the smoldering remains. "The research field was a failure, due in part to their underestimation of the virus, its' spreading capabilities, and its' enhancements of certain... aggressive traits." A lumbering behemoth lurched within view, a hideous thing of massive forelimbs and grisly oozing sores, even in the blue light of the holo a sight to behold before shutting off. "Thankfully, I was able to find a few survivors and retain my original field notes, along with some specimen samples." After the initial retreat at the hands of Hal, however, that didn't merit mentioning.

She leaned back in her seat, admiring for a moment the glint of whisky in the glass, her voice calm, almost deadpan as she continued. "Since then, I have recruited a forefront researcher of this virus to my own personal services; a Dr. Schmiekel." Once again, an image flared to life, of a green-skinned Mirialan man with a sour expression on his face. "To address your concerns of MorataCorp's lack of current patented goods..." Her gaze panned over his again, head tilted slightly. "We are a new corporation, barely a year old. My current headquarters was located in Coruscant..." her lips quirked into a wry, dry smile, but no emotion showed. "but apparently too close to the Ranger base there. I lost many research notes due to the subsequent explosions, including field notes that were thankfully mostly backed up on file elsewhere. MorataCorp has patent-pending devices and equipment, including a medical prevention vest for crisis purposes, and an exoskeletal suit function awaiting Core trials. We are also in the final research development of a new pain alleviant."

She leaned back in her seat. "I understand the concern for pedigree and accreditations, but I can assure you, none apart from the creators of this virus have studied this more than myself personally. I require living samples and a research base that isn't on a ship. Beyond that, there is little more I require. But this virus has mutated since its' origin, which can be concerning for several of these afflicted planets."

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc followed along with everything she said, bearing the dignity of a poised statue. His face betrayed neither elation nor disappointment, eyes as cold as her hands and as piercing as a scalpel. Not a word was said during the entire explanation and demonstration, and it was clear that Emryc was listening to and dissecting every word.

It was only after she finished that he took a drink, saying nothing for a few moments as his mind made quick calculations and weighed the knowledge coming in.

“Sounds like you are specialized in this space,” He said after a full minute of pindrop silence. He leaned slightly forward in his seat, reviewing everything she had presented.

“One of the conditions of the ISC investing into a company would be for the company to operate out of Thyferra,” Emryc’s gaze flicked up to meet hers, “I would be willing to fund standing up a new facility, but this project will involve interfacing with FWA resources. I believe your prior experience of operating in the Core would assist with that.”

He paused for a moment, staring at her, “I must ask out of nothing more than curiosity. Why are you approaching me instead of the Senator of Coruscant to get funding from the Core instead?”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She didn't shuffle nervously but seemed unperturbed as silence ticked on between them after her initial pitch. There was something about this young man that, for some reason, reminded her of Kai, or what Malakai could have been had he actually had the ambition to push himself forward. So amber eyes watched, and she waited passively. At his words breaking the silence, she nodded once, withdrawing her datapad.

"I supposed as much. That won't be a problem; MC has worked in conjunction with FWA programs before." But he paused a moment; ah, there was the question. Why not the Coruscant official first, closer to home? It was a fair question; to an outsider, it seemed an odd change. Yet to the physician, the 'why' was as clear as day.

"My initial practice was run from the Outer Rim," she spread one hand out, indicating vaguely where it might have been in conjunction with Thyferra itself. "Many of my patients and clients came from and were from the general ISC area of space. MorataCorp's inception was planned and began its' creation ideals not far from here. Things move faster here; I can focus on research for a vaccine rather than worrying when the next bombing will destroy my facilities." Dry, bald facts, presented in a matter-of-fact voice. She inclined her head slightly, giving the man a faint, but emotionally lacking, smile. "Several reasons, in fact. That isn't to say MC isn't interested in working with the Senator of Coruscant. But I was curious about the ISC, and the limitations for a vaccine, or as press calls it, a 'cure'." Amber eyes swept over his own, but her hands once more folded in her lap, features settled once more into a neutral expression.

She would wait for his reaction, or any doubts or reservations he would voice.

@Sreeya

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc leaned back slightly in his seat, steely gaze taking in every detail of the woman. While most would have found her unsettling, he found her to be curious. She was not unlike him in the way she carried herself - always polite and yet detached. It was a trait he admired and found far easier to work with than people that brought drama and unnecessary complications. He found no reason to believe she would ever do anything to waste his time or money.

“Very well,” He said after a moment as he reached for his whiskey glass “I will endorse your efforts. We can work out the details on you setting up operations here on Thyferra.”

Emryc clinked his glass against hers in cheers before he took a sip. He set his glass down and looked away thoughtfully for a moment.

“I may be able to get you some live samples,” He tilted his head to look back at her, “As you implied, things operate slightly differently in the Outer Rim. I’d like you to begin work at once and I will see about getting you what you need.”

@Killa Ree

 

[Dr Ilana Morata]

She returned the clink, taking one last sip to listen. At his words, she nodded once, also setting down her glass. "Live samples would be wonderful; if you already have a research facility in place, I would like to see it first, as I am curious. I appreciate your willingness for me to begin work right away." She paused, assessing his own gaze with an unwavering one of her own. Like her, he was detached, polite, but there wasn't the faintest whisper of emotion, any hint of true thought, and once again, there was the niggling feeling of familiarity. Not of the man himself... something about him.

She would have to brush it away for now, as it hardly mattered.

"Thank you for your time, President. I would happy to begin work right away. As they say, time is of the essence." A thin, humorless smile touched her lips, and she rose, offering the man a slight bow. After all, he seemed eager for her to begin research; she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Though she was curious how he would obtain these live samples.

The day was looking up.

@Sreeya