2008-06-24 - An Engineer's New Understanding

Sullust: Idyllast - Great Fountain Chamber
You stand within a gigantic dome-shaped chamber carved out of the very heart of ; the ceiling no less than a hundred feet high and the walls at least the same apart. Various tunnels and passages run off from here, some reached by small staircases leading away from the center.
Dominating the room entirely is the Great Fountain of Idyllast -- an enormous multi-tiered marble construction rising out from the floor of the chamber. A myriad of light waterfalls tumble down from ridge to ridge. Some waterfalls fall from the great spout of water that gushed from the fountain head. It is said the construct is powered by a vast underground spring and that the water is collected into a moat and piped away for use to keep the Yuto Pee'a National Park fertile.
From here you can see the four main corridors that run from this central chamber; the compass points of Idyllast each having their own separate district. There is also a set of silver doors, marked as an elevator.
The Great Fountain Chamber inside the heart of is always a popular location, for natives and off-worlders alike. It seems the security here is a bit higher than normal with hundred of police around the waterfall fountains. A number of small Sullustans, three in fact, no more than six years of age play in the fountain under the watchful eyes of their fathers. A fourth, a baby, is being nursed by... a nurse. Pesiro stands at the fountain's edge, his suit a bit damp, as he leans on his cane.
The Gran Captain slowly enters view, his hands behind his back. Mawrak walks across the Fountain Chamber, somewhat standing out among the Sullustan, and few citizens of other races - Gran are not too well represented in the Galaxy, he stands out. He sees the entourage which follows the President, and slowly makes his way towards him. 
A half-masked man wearing blast armor probably made in the Outer-Rim steps out of the repulsorlift, sniper rifle slung across his back as he moves further into the fountain. He closes his eyes for a moment, listening to the ever-constant water movement before opening his eyes. They see Pesiro, and it is towards him that he walks.
Unarmed, and checked by security, the Republic captain is no big threat - especially with the tight security. Mawrak pass close to Pesiro, then turns towards him, standing next to him and looking out into nothingness. "Mister President, how are you today?"
The heavily armored and armed human definitely gets plenty of attention from the security around Pesiro. The guards swing their weapons toward him as he gets a bit too close for their enjoyment to the President. "And you are?" questions a Sergeant to Zamir. 
Pesiro does not notice the Gand, his attention focused on his children. The Sullust President snaps his head over toward Mawrak. "Ah... I am doing quite well when my children are smiling. It is a bit rare after losing their mother and... almost losing a father within a year."
"My name is Edward Zamir, leader of Dantooine. I suggest, policemen, that those weapons stand down. Mine has its safety switched. Many a rocky trip can possibly set it off for disastrous consequences, yes?" His green eye trains on them. "I will hand it to you if you wish - but I expect it back." 
The Captain nods, still staring into nothingness. He turns to Pesiro, "Yes, I heard what had happened. A shame, isn't it?" He shakes his head, "Senseless violence." 
The bodyguard nods his head to the leader of Dantooine. "That will be agreeable," the Sergeant responds to Zamir's comment. He extends his hand for the man's sniper rifle. 
"Violence has become an integral part of this galaxy it seems. The slow deterioration of the Republic... the extended influence of the Hutts... and a less than stellar replacement in the Black Imperium. It seems the galaxy has lost its soul... it inner voice of right and wrong."
Mawrak Teer nods to Pesiro, "Indeed. I know first hand what violence does to people. Cerebra trusted me to command his Navy, and the things I did in the name of the Hutt are unthinkable, and regretable. I know you have a very dim view of the situation, and the Repbulic, but they are not like the Imperium or the Hutt." 
The Leader of Dantooine unslings the sniper rifle and offers it to the bodyguard. "No problem," he quips, and continues on his way to approach the president of Sullust. He listens to Mawrak for a moment, and he replies, in a neutral tone: "You speak of the Hutts and their... lack of regard for other sentients' lives Gran. But I hope you do know, the Republic is no better. Only subtler. The name 'Heinrich Vegetius' comes to mind." And Zamir smiles to the former Commander of the Brood before addressing Pesiro. "Greetings, Mr. President. I came here to discuss a business proposal. More of a project of mine I hope you will enjoy." 
"I would have to agree with the leader of Dantooine to a lesser degree. While their crimes are not as open as the Hutts, the Republic has done enough within itself. There are a number of unaccounted for officers for the Black Imperium. Also, the Republic ransacked a number of their own worlds when 'liberating' them. There are no unguilty parties during this war... as war leads to such senseless violence." Pesiro responds to the both. 
The sergeant takes the sniper rifle over to a private to hold onto. Likely someone very green to the detail and worth little more than as a pack mule.
"No unguilty parties... except Sullust, isn't that right, mister President?" Teer snaps. "Of all three, the Republic is the lesser of the evils, yes. They are not perfect, but are no other options!" 
"The Republic is a disgusting mass of opulence of the rich and exploitation of the poor. Sullust, however, has not involved itself in any wars, has constantly tried to maintain order within its sector and does not attempt to 'expand' into places where they do not have jurisdiction because they believe it fit, Captain. The Republic isn't perfect, and it will never be. It might become a dictatorship, that is, if Civil War doesn't erupt first and causes her member worlds to burn the organization to ashes." Zamir replies to Teer, and mantains a pace similar to the Sullustan's. "The Republic.... is just as liable for Ord Mantell's ruin as the Hutts. The Republic is just as responsible for the former destruction of Bespin's infrastructure as Nash Dragen is for manipulating the gas giant to pursue his own agenda. That is not to say, that no parties whatsoever are without sin." 
The Sullust President clears his throat at the Gand. "While Sullust is not a party to this war... the weapons created on Sulon by SoroSuub have participated in killing a number of lives. Likely a few innocents of their own. Sullust is no unguilty party, but we are also not a beligerant in this conflict. We alone have been actively working to find peace since its introduction." 
"I think that is enough in attacking the Republic. There is no need for it here and I am not here to find conflict. I grow rather tired of it and I will not have my children exposed to it," Pesiro comments to Zamir. A not so subtle hint that his line of conversation is now over. "What business would Dantooine seek with Sullust?"
Mawrak Teer turns to Zamir, "You have no idea what you talk of, honestly." He shakes his head, "I defected to the Republic, handing over a Hutt warship to them, and providing the Broods battle plan for Ord Mantell, and several other worlds. They were not able to mobilize fast enough, and I blame myself for not informing them sooner. As for Sullust." He sighs, "You cannot say that their hands are totally clean.. They supply ships, weapons and materials which fuel the war. I don't care if they call themselves 'neutral', they are just as involved as any others." He simply goes back on what Pesiro states. He goes quiet, as the two heads of state have business to discuss, and before he says something that may cause a diplomatic incident. 
"You're a traitor, and you say I'm the one who doesn't know what I talk of. I know it perfectly." Zamir states to Mawrak before shifting his attention to the Sullustan. He smiles, somewhat awkward. "My apologies. I will avoid discussing this topic." He says, taking a breath before continuing, "I have a project, or a series of projects, for small arms that go a bit on the unconventional. I'm hoping they become a solution for the Anoat situation." 
Pesiro frowns a bit at Zamir's comment. "You want me to fund more projects to the ends of killing more sentients? Do you not find the current variety of firepower throughout the galaxy good enough?" the Sullust President questions with a bit of exasperation. "Especially for a world leader whom is nothing more than a dictator on his own planet?" 
Pesiro closes his large eyes a few moments and takes a deep breath. "Speak your mind and I will give my answer."
"I understand your sorrow and disappointment at both my so-called dictatorship and my willingness to project more things to take more lives. However, wars will always happen. There are many to blame for this, but mostly, war is a way to demonstrate power. There might be power within planets, but never absolute power without. That, in itself generates anarchy. The lack of an unified government body to listen and comply to the needs of all. Those that try to do so, are generally brought to ruin by their less than sterling members. With sentience we acquire both the right and responsibility to speak for ourselves, though the Gand sometimes try to deny this, they too suffer this curse and blessing. Enough with philosophy for me, I suppose. I'll lay out my plans for you. I believe that a line of weapons: rifles and pistols mostly, that fire off projectiles that have a small amount of explosive charges within them could be more efficient than blasters in certain cases, though marginally slower. These could be used to dismount or disable certain kinds of armored structures and disencourage offensive armies by taking their numbers in a relatively painless and quick way. I do understand, however, that the production of such are going to be limited to a three or four digit number, because the production costs might not be desirable for mass manufacture. On my side of the deal, I simply expect to receive some of these and to become an official vendor of your products as well and I will contact an engineer that owns property in my planet to help your men in this endeavour. I will see about paying you a fee relative to the production costs and a nice margin of profit."
Pesiro seriously listens to Zamir and gives it a moment thought. "Unfortunately, I do not see the same results as you do. I am not here to make explosive launchers... especially not anymore. I think it is time SoroSuub stops attempting to produce new ways to kill sentients." Pesiro pauses a moment. "However, I think a similar item might be of interest. I have been considering building a forty-five degree stunning blaster. It would still slow down large armies with killing a minimal number. Is that something Dantooine would be interested in purchasing?" 
"The problem with stunning is that it is not very much effective against blast armors. Dantooine would certainly consider smoke and flashbang bombs, as well as other disencouragement devices and tactical weapons. I must ask, though, personally: why are you presently taking that stance?" Zamir brings his hand to his chin and asks of the president. 
"The bombs that struck the Sandstone Warrens... and the rest of Sullust," Pesiro responds to Zamir. "While I had journeyed and seen the carnage and destruction on the worlds ravaged by this war, it had never struck home with me until now. I had not lost friends... almost lost my children... as an engineer the quandaries of your contract would excite me like a small child." Pesiro pauses as he gives his children a wayward glance before looking at Zamir. "But as a husband, a father, and a leader of billions of people... it is time for me to put aside my childish thoughts and aspirations. It is time for SoroSuub to turn away from research into bloodshed and to work on ways to prevent it." 
"Those bombs, mister President, were not the work of true sentients. They were the work of programmed creatures, or, perhaps, rebelled creatures that have decided to purge the Galaxy of all sentient life. It was not your company's work that caused this. War can be both beautiful and tragic. As can many of the things in one's lifetime. I respect you for the politician you are, as well, as for being a responsible scientist and for being the president of very lucrative companies. I cannot promise you that I will right every wrong in the Galaxy if you would comply to my request, but I can at the very least work towards defeating these unnatural terrorists. Dantooine lost approximately three thousand lives when its courthouse rooftop gave way, and two hundred during the fire in the bank and other past bombings. My planet has only a fraction of people compared to yours, but it too is my duty to safeguard and protect them from the problems from without, so that I may focus on rebuilding the within." Zamir's green eye fixes upon Pesiro for a moment, then his children. 
The Sullust President takes a deep breath. "I will consider this later. I am here to spend time with my children. Send me a file with all the possible projects of interest and I will evaluate each individually. Is that acceptable?" Pesiro questions Zamir. 
Zamir nods to the Sullustan President and offers him a bow of his head. "Thank you, and sorry for the inconvenience. I wish you and your family ever-present prosperity and long years of life." 
"Thank you. May the spirits guide us all in actions, thoughts, and understanding," Pesiro responds to Zamir as the pair part company.
Category:June 2008 RP Logs