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| - Landing Dock 91 - Cloud City You stand upon a large circular landing platform amidst the clouds. A ring of lights outlines the edge of the broad, flat platform, but there is nothing else to separate you from the sky. Twin Pod Cloud Cars scream by occasionally overhead. Just south of you, a catwalk leads to a set of large brown double doors. A second, narrower catwalk leads into a large tower to the East. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Shuttle Terminal => Economic Presence -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => STARFIGHTER: Sienar GAT-12j Skipray Blastboat -- Firehawk => STARFIGHTER: Synapsid StarAlloys Chameleon -- Crystal Lady => STARFIGHTER: SubPro Ilyrian Gnat -- Starry Ice => NOTICE (Read! type 'look notice') -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- South - leads to Grand Entryway North - Cloud City. CAPITAL: Corellian Action VI -- Wild Karrde arrives with a woosh and slowly settles down on the landing area. Karrde steps down the ramp of a large freighter. Karrde has arrived. Standing near a sleek Space Yacht is a group of three black clothed men, the one in front is obviously the leader with the other two some sort of bodyguards. All three share quick alert eyes and impassive faces. Karrde He is a slender human male, somewhat tall, with an indifferent, sardonic manner. He has short, dark hair, a neatly trimmed goatee and a thin face which would be considered cunning if the expression weren't so calm, although the mild blue eyes do have a certain intent scrutiny. A long coat of the trench kind covers his tall frame, its color a deep midnight blue with a black lining. Underneath, he is attired in a pinstripe suit of Corporate Sector executive style, possibly manufactured in that sector. The suit is blue, only a few shades lighter than the coat, with thin white vertical stripes. Though a dark ensemble, it seems tailored for him. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Protective Vest => Palm Blaster => DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol Karrde steps down the lowering ramp of the most recently arrived freighter, the man's attention going first to the Cloud City guard standing at the foot of the ramp. A datapad is exchanged, and the smuggler stands a moment reading as the guard waits. Joir looks up and examines the newcomer with cold grey eyes, keeping his face in its usual emotionless mask, he nods to the men to follow him as he walks towards the Wild Karrde, moving briskly - each step as precise as a drill instructors, an obvious by-product of long military service. Arriving at the bottom of the ramp he stops and stands, content to wait for Karrde to finish his business. Leebo Standing before you at a full 1.5 meters is an average size Rodian. He is wearing a light green body suit, which has gold colored shoulders. Over top of the suit, he is wearing a tan vest and a tan, leather belt. The belt hangs slightly crooked on his waist and has a blaster holster connected to it on the right side. A second blaster holster is straped just above his left knee. This holster can be expaned and contricted to hold anything from a palm blaster to a rifle. Two large, blue eyes look over the area cautiously, surveying everyone and thing in the area. This Rodian shows all the signs of someone you wouldn't want to run across in a foul mood. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => IR-5 Blaster Pistol => Enhanced Armor => HM-100 Riot Gun Karrde is a multitasker, and even if the Cloud City guard hadn't murmured to him, his head's up as the party of Imperials approach, the datapad thumbed off and slipped into the pocket of his coat. After a moment of mild sizing up, he inquires politely, "Anything I can do for you?" SHUTTLE: Sienar Lambda-Class Shuttle -- Vengeful flies in, before slowly descending as its wings fold up, and it touches down gently. Joir meets Karrde's gaze equally, inner emotional control hiding the full intensity behind his cold grey eyes. When he speaks his voice is low, and also polite - however it is also flavoured by an unconscious tone of authority - the mark of a man used to command "Mr Karrde... I wondered if I might talk with you for a moment" Although phrased as a question it appears that Joir does not expect a negative answer. Leebo slowly decends from the ramp of the Firehawk, his eyes gliding over the surroundings. He first notes the Imperial guards speaking with someone. Being a nosy Rodian, he moves slightly toward them pretending to have business somewhere nearby. The little dishes on the top of his head straining to hear the conversation between the man and the imps. Karrde lifts an eyebrow, unruffled. "Certainly," he replies quietly. He gives the Cloud City guard nearby a glance, then looks back to Joir as the guard stays where he is. "Might I ask with whom I am speaking?" Joir is impressed by Karrde's control, as a man taught to hide all behind a cold exterior he respects those who also deal in such a professional way - not broadcasting their feelings to the galaxy. Taking one step forward he holds out one gloved hand towards Karrde and says in a quiet tone, minus a good deal of the earlier arrogance "Count Tsaran Joir" It is apparent that he believes Karrde to know him just by his title. Karrde takes the offered hand, giving it a firm, though brief shake. "Welcome to Cloud City, Count Joir, though I don't believe we've ever met before." The smuggler's study of the other is mild and maintained, and he adds courteously, "Would you like to find a less hectic place to talk?" Leebo pretends to work just under the end of his ship. He lets out a few curses but remains fairly quiet. His intensions of listening in to the conversation taking place near him is hidden fairly well. Only someone watching him constantly would even start to get the idea. With another curse he slams the hull piece he was working under shut and turns to face the crowd. Joir meets Karrde's firm handshake before withdrawing his hand. He nods in appreciation as Karrde suggests another /less crowded/ venue. "Of course Mr Karrde, where would you suggest" At that Joir flicks his eyes around, wondering of course what secluded corner of Bespin Karrde uses for his more /sensitive/ business. Karrde takes a step away from the ramp of the ship he's just exited, motioning toward the main Cloud City complex. "I think the office will be fine," he remarks, motioning to the guard in an obvious 'follow' gesture. Joir glances quickly to the left at the man who is obviously the leader of the two bodyguards - a big man whose alert eyes betray a deadly intelligence. Joir gives him a curt nod to indicate that he plans to follow Karrde, before turning to walk into the complex. Behind him the two guards share a glance before following him, eyes even more nervous than before. Karrde doesn't give the single, and somewhat bland-looking, Cloud City guard a glance, though when he moves into step with Joir, the guard takes a place to the smuggler's left as he walks. Leebo decides he's gained what little information he is going to be able to. He follows behind the group in an attempt to head for the nearest bar. Maybe he will have better look there but who knows. [Move through to the Office] Baron Administrator's Office - Cloud City This is the office of the Baron Administrator, and it shows. The room is almost a perfect square, with one curved side that follows the edge of the station. That entire wall is made of clear plasteel, giving a breathtaking view of the swirling gas below. Ocasionally, a cloudcar or starship moves past the window, giving a sense of the vastness of the mist below. A curved desk, decorated in wood paneling, forms a counter-arc to the back wall. A large, black rolling chair sits in between the window wall and the desk. The desk itself has several panels set into it, a slot for datachips, and a datapad recharger set into it. In front of the desk are two chair of moderate comfort. -=-=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=-=- => Sensor Panel -=-=-=-=-=<>=-=-=-=-=- Out - leads to Administrative Hub - Cloud City - Bespin. Karrde has arrived. Karrde has left the Cloud City guard outside as he entered the office, and gives the room a brief visual casing before moving to the desk. "I hope this will do for you, Count. We're in the midst of remodelling." Joir stands at the doorway out of courtesy, waiting for the Baron-Administrator to take his place within his office. While he stands there he quickly scans the office, noting the shape and the breathtaking view through one of the walls. Joir is also minus his guards, who he left at the door as a sign of respect to Karrde. He answers the first question quickly, with a mild almost disinterested tone "Of course" however how much of the disinterest is real and how much is practiced remains unknown - you can often learn a lot about a rooms occupant through its furnishing. Karrde nods once and takes a seat behind the desk, motioning to a seat across from him with an easy gesture. "From time to time, the Empire mentions they've put someone in an oversight position for this facility, and other times they mention some inspection and records review, but to date, nothing has come of it." His smile is modest as he regards the other. "Which bit of administrivia are you here for, Count Joir?" Inspecting facilities is not really Joir's style, inspecting people however is. However although his curiousity about Karrde goes beyond simple professional desire for information his role here is neither to take over, or to judge - but rather to ask for something. Yet Karrde does not need to know that just yet, intimidation was always something the Empire was good at - how good is Karrde at dealing with it. "What do you think Mr Karrde? - are you satisfied with the current production of Cloud City?" "I've found it to be not extremely profitable, honestly," Karrde replies easily, settling back in his chair. "Over the expenses of running the facilities, the profit margin isn't the best I've seen. It is, however, rather steady, ad I anticipate a higher demand." He pauses, then, "Are you an economist, Count?" His tone now is slightly sardonic; men such as he find the recitation of business data and facts to be as instinctual as breathing. It is strange for a man in his current position to know what the Baron Administrator is talking about - but Joir is actually quite at home with economic language, yet that is no longer his field. Taking the seat in front of the desk, and sitting back in it he pauses as if thinking of answer. When he speaks his low voice is coloured by a tinge of humor, and paired with a wry grin "I am sure you are aware of my background within the Imperial Ministry of Commerce" he pauses again, and the grin turns into a slight scowl "Although the roles there have far too much publicity" Humor also touches Karrde's expression as he notes dryly, "I feel somewhat the same way about business with this facility, but opportunity is one of the few things I can pass up easily. I have heard of you, yes, when I was doing light reading on the leadership of vital war materiel centers. But you left that game." Joir gives Karrde a nod, the information he is offering although not public knowledge is available to dedicated seekers, and he suspects Karrde is just that when he wants something. "Yes, I have, to a much darker world. A world where the blunt, crude tactics of the military hold no sway - where subtle threat and insinuation are far more effective" After speaking Joir sits back to watch Karrde's reaction to his Rheotoric. Karrde looks very much like he wishes to quip 'politics?', but he refrains and simply nods thoughtfully. "I don't think you've taken that big a step away from before, though I can really only guess," he admits with that odd modesty. "I still call it all business, and that is why I sit in this chair. It is a wide and varied spectrum, for those who have the command of subtlty." His gaze indeed asks if the other has that, and better yet, uses it. "You haven't yet said you came here for a philosophy discussion, Count." The smile immediately afterward is somewhat calculated in its innocence. Down to business is it? Well it is Karrde's office - let him dictate the discussion - /For now/. He reaches in his jacket pocket and retrieves a small product list datapad emblazzoned with the logo TCF. He puts it gently on the desk before him and slides it over to Karrde. "As you guessed, our should I assume /knew/. My business now really is not much different from before - ultimately it is commercial, not military power that determines the course of the Galaxy, after all a military force must be bought, its soldiers paid. As such the Empire tries to establish /friendly/ relations with particular types of business." Joir leaves the implications to sink in for a moment before continuing "TCF is one of those - we would like them to recieve /favourable/ treatment from the administration here" Karrde leans to tug the device to him, and settles back into his chair; the datapad remains poised before him, uninspected. "And who does TCF report to, Count Joir? I have very specific agreements with the Empire." He seems to have defined the discussion now into a mild business meeting, his attention still mild and fixed on the other. A business conversation is defined with commercial terms. If that is what Karrde feels at home with then Joir will use them. His reply is cold and businesslike, words clipped in a precise manner as if trying to emphasise the meaning behind each. "The Empire is simply one of TCF's clients, from time to time we purchase services from the corporation" Karrde considers a moment, silently, before explaining, "Count Joir, I am the limited Baron Administrator of this facility, placed here to maintain the Empire's business here. I am not quite sure just what you are expecting here, but this is an Imperial station. TCF, obviously, can demand certain perqs as the Empire does, but beyond that, what are you offering my interests. That will certainly define just how favorable things can be." From his air, it's fairly certain the man makes his threats in the same tone of voice as he delivers his compliments. Threats Joir usually does not take lightly, in fact very few people threaten him - and continue on their previous path. However this is not just a simply conversation - more a business dealing, and in business dealings Joir understands that sometimes you have to play 'hardball'. "I do not want any particular 'perqs'for TCF as such Mr Karrde" Joir pauses, obviously implying that although TCF may have friendly relations with the Empire right now - even friends can double cross you "Simply two things: one: If TCF happens to break the laws you impose on this station: You notify me as soon as possible, with the details, and two: That on occasion you turn a 'blind eye' to their operations" The predictable pause, and then the reward "In return the Empire will compensate your costs for temporary loss of sight, and will _strongly_ urge TCF to offer you their services for free on the occassion that you may want them" Karrde listens placidly until the other is finished, before leaning forward and taking the neglected datapad up, paging through it a moment and murmuring, "You make promises for the Empire fairly easily, Count Joir, for one proposing that your interests break Imperial law. I admire your sensitivity to image." Joir replies quickly "If no-one sees a crime, does it happen? Mr Karrde I do not believe you are naive. The Empires interests span the Galaxy, and sometimes and unfortunately so we are forced to employ those who operate beyond the law, yet we do not do so for the 'fun' of it, rather because at times the services and anonymity they offer are invaluable. I do not even know if we will be forced to employ the services offered by TCF - but /if/ we do it will not be lightly" Karrde nods slightly and looks up, placing the datapad to the side and lacing his fingers together on the desk. "Oh, I understand. And I'm interested. Bespin is, if anything, open to business." There is some odd humor at the statement, but he fails to elaborate, continuing, "What would TCF need, besides operational security? That will, incidently, be helped considerably if TCF could let me know of their ships and some basics, so we can avoid unfortunate incidents." Joir nods, obviously the whole idea of this conversation was to avoid any forseeable incident. "I will contact you if anything is needed - or any specific details about their movements, apart from that you security and customs forces are free to go about their business. Although we may on occassion use the services of TCF - we do not openly condone its operations. Their presence here remains in the balance, if they overstep the mark then you are free to act as you see fit." Joir ends with a finishing tone in his voice, it is obvious that he believes that the conversation is nearing its end. Karrde tilts his head; his expression has a few odd questions lurking, but he doesn't voice most of them. "Certainly. One thing, who -is- TCF? You speak of it as a near-Imperial entity, and then not." Joir stands to his feet, unconsciously smoothing down the front of his immaculately tailored suit - a habit picked up from years of pedantic military service. Hearing the question, and the possible implication Joir shakes his head. "TCF is _not_ an Imperial puppet, they may on occassion offer us a particular service which we need, but apart from that we do not condone any criminal activity they may committ on this station. - Do you understand Mr Karrde?" Karrde stands just after the other, his nod of understanding accompanied with, "Interesting. Then you or TCF may contact these offices as needed. I really advise them to deal directly with me, one cannot expect entire understanding from just everyone." Joir gives Karrde a small cold smile, before letting his face slip back into its impassive mask. He gives a curt nod in understanding, before turning to leave. Stopping at the doorway he turns his head to face Karrde and finishes with "Thankyou Mr Karrde. If you need to contact me I suggest you try the Bureau of Operations" With that he makes his way out of the door to find the two bodyguards he left there before.
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