The Man, the Myth, the Legend, the Movie (Opalescent Reflections)

==Description==
This is a short side story set in the Opalescent Reflections series, as studio based within occupied zone of Clan Diamond Shark deciding make a film based in events of the main story's universe. This was written as side story written by CuriousStranger.
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===Main Story===
Canube, Pesht
Clan Diamond Shark Occupation Zone
05 October 3050
Jihoon Lim was on the wrong side of fifty and thought he was quite frankly too old to endure the cost of a planetary invasion. He'd grown up in the Periphery and been glad to leave it behind, but even as an adult hadn't seemed to escape war as he encountered the Fourth Succession War. And after that, even coming to Pesht, stronghold of the Draconis Combine, still wasn't enough to avoid what was being dubbed the Clan Invasion.
 
He let his cigarette dangle from his lips as he stared at the still smoking remnants of what was the former United Canube Studio Lot, used by every film studio on the planet. Word was that a few Lances of the DCMS had engaged some of the Diamond Shark battlemechs here and in the process, what was once the proud backdrop for historical dramas, period films, adventure movies, and so forth was little more than rubble. What a goddamn waste. Still, it wasn't all bad news. His own studio, Busan Entertainment was something of an upstart and catered towards indies and low-budget staples like horror and grindhouse movies. They hadn't been much affected. The big boys on Pesht (still second string compared to the players on Cinema City on Luthien), Seigi Films and Two Drop Studios, had suffered the brunt of the attack, and now were hemorrhaging money trying to figure out what was salvageable, how to kiss the asses of their new overlords, and desperate to find a way to survive.
 
Jihoon considered himself a thrifty kind of guy, and an opportunistic one. Busan Studios had a chance to rise now with a heavy warchest. He could punch above his weight and take a hefty chunk of his former rivals. And it would all be due to taking advantage of the suffering of millions. It wasn't even a choice in the end.
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Canube, Pesht
12 January 3053
"You wish to create a film based off of the likeness of Galaxy Commander Ace Enders? And you request that Clan Diamond Shark give you the rights? Explain." Said the Clan Administrator in front of Jihoon.
 
Jihoon was careful and deliberate with his words. Using contractions in front of them was an instant ticket to rejection and their opinion of him nosediving. "We at Busan Studios believe that the people of Pesht, and indeed all peoples within the rule of Clan Diamond Shark lack a human face. It is believed that the exploits of Galaxy Commander Enders presents an ideal point for films to be packaged for mass consumption by the populace. His public exploits that are known to us grow in the telling, and his most famous act here on Pesht, his stand against Khan Ian Hawker would make for a thrilling movie."
 
Jihoon said the last part a bit more hesitantly, not sure how the Diamond Shark in front of him would handle any implication of insult towards a former leader of their Clan. Seeing the woman not make a move against him, he continued."
 
"Busan believes so strongly in the potential of the project that instead of sending lawyers, I myself came."
 
Things continued in that vein for quite some time as Jihoon flattered and made his argument for the remaining hour he'd booked. Frankly, compared to some of the Combine Nobles he'd dealt with in his life, Clanners were lightweights and easily susceptible. He agreed to some concessions regarding the take, promised to portray the Clan's rules accurately, that sort of thing. And at the end of the hour, the Clanner took out an inkan (the Diamond Sharks had taken to the traditional seals of the Combine poorly, and though decided against fighting cultural inertia, had made their seal a stylized shark instead of Japanese Characters as an act to remind the former Combine populace who was boss) and stamped her, and therefore the Clan's, approval on the contract.
 
Now Jihoon just needed to find a writer. And a director. Hell, to save on money it would be best to find a writer-director in his stable. He'd picked up a few decent ones and bought out their contracts over the last few years. Busan wasn't in the top tier yet, but they were still bigger than they had been. And this project, if successful, would get them on the map.
 
Jihoon cheerily whistled after he left the office.
 
----
 
Nathan Singh was perfect for Jihoon's needs. Experienced. Out of work. Desperate. He'd snapped up the man as soon as he explained the project. But now he was complaining. "You can't expect me to write a script in a month, and then film in the same amount of time. And two months for post-production? What's the damned rush? Movies take time. A year minimum. Three years for something like a big action movie like you're thinking."
 
"Look where you are and your circumstances just yesterday. People in the industry are out of work like you. They're desperate like you. It took me thirty minutes to get you to sign onto this project. And a lot of them haven't gotten the idea that they're no longer Combine citizens. We don't need to worry about ISF censors or bureaucracy. We can move fast because no one else is moving period. Seigi's basically crippled without oversight, and Two Drops is still reorganizing their slate. We'll hire double or triple the crew if we need to since they'll work for peanuts at this stage. Any port in a storm is better than none at all."
 
"Nice proverb. I have one too. Nine women can't make a baby in one month," Singh shot back.
 
"Just get started okay? We can push things back if we have to, but I don't think the Warriors of the Clan will like us breaking our word. Just get started on the script and I'll start the all the regular pre-production stuff. I got you a bullet point list of what should be in the movie, and you're just writing down the specifics. Let me handle all the rental, licenses, and scouting. Every out of work crew member is going to be banging down our door."
 
The director wasn't much relieved. "Do I at least get to pick my actors?"
 
Jihoon hesitated. Speed was everything and he didn't want to get bogged down trying to get his director's approval for everything, but at the same time really didn't want to alienate the man. "I'll give you a pick between five candidates for the major roles."
 
Singh made a sigh which Jihoon took as assent, before the director waved him off.
 
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Kristoff Barrie was a good looking guy with leading man looks. He had five years of experience as a stage actor, having done some Shakespeare training and some roles, and done some musicals as well. He'd signed onto Two Drop with stars in his eyes only to be relegated as a C-list supporting actor. His contract had been cheap and Jihoon had bought it out without a second thought. But now Jihoon saw why the execs at Two Drops had treated the man so poorly a week into his collaboration with him. His ego was over the moon.
 
Constantly demanding this and that, talking about how a lead role was beneath him since it was for something the man dubbed schlock. Barrie had a point, Jihoon thought, but considering he was in a position others would kill to be in, did the many have to say it out loud? Desperate for a chance to escape the man, Jihoon drove to Singh's place making the excuse that he needed to check up on the script.
 
And giving himself credit, Jihoon did just that. Sure he bitched about Barrie to Singh (especially since Singh was the man who'd chosen Barrie in the first place) before pausing at one page. "Hang on a sec, you have Enders eating natto for breakfast! I don't think Clan Diamond Shark eats natto do they?"
 
Singh had developed some baggy eyes over the past week, and thus the glare the man shot Jihoon wasn't very effective. "We're trying to make him appealing to everyone in the Combine aren't we? Eating and enjoying natto's about as patriotic and Japanese as you can get."
 
"Yeah but the mystique is him being foreign. He needs to be relatable, but exotic at the same time!"
 
"So what, you want to make his favorite food French Toast? Or love military rations?"
 
"To be honest I'd rather not spend screentime on this but if we have to… alright let's break down the traditional Combine breakfast."
 
Singh looked up from his keyboard. "Sure. Rice. Miso soup. Grilled fish. Natto. Pickles. Eggs. The rice and soup are a must, and the others are extras."
 
Jihoon clicked his fingers. "Fish. Outside the Combine most people treat that as a lunch or dinner ingredient. And it'll play nice with the Rasalhague descendants. They love dried cod and other dried fish. And it being dried plays well with the military origins."
 
Singh shook his head. "Too unappealing though. Just dried fish? Rasalhague dried fish needs to actually be rehydrated and cooked to be edible and if we put that much time into something that's just supposed to establish some background for him, it just gets awkward." The writer-director drummed his fingers on his keyboard. "The Federated Suns though, it's something of a rarity these days, but parts of those places love this oily fish. You ever hear of the Northwind Highlanders?"
 
Jihoon frowned. "The name sounds a little familiar."
 
Singh continued. "I'm not surprised you haven't heard of them. They're mercenaries. Used to work for the Cappies, but joined the Davions when they were offered their old home planet called Northwind. They're descended from an old region of Terra where a lot of the Davions also like to call home. Anyway, that region of Terra and some parts of the Suns side even now like on Northwind love that fish. I think they're called Kips or something like that. I'll have to make sure."
 
Jihoon's frown deepened. He wasn't sure how people would take to the lead enjoying a Federated Suns mainstay, even if it appeared to be quite obscure. But then again, this matter had already taken up way too much of his time already. "Screw it. Fish it is. Maybe we can get some ads out of the thing or hell, if we ever manage to sell this movie to the Federated Commonwealth, maybe they'll like it."
 
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Jihoon swore when he saw the 'Huntsman' move. The DCMS had taken all of the mechs possessed by the studios at gunpoint when Clan Diamond Shark had made it clear they were on their way to Pesht and refitted them. It hadn't done the mechs any good, and this particular one, a cosmetically altered Whitworth, had been cobbled together from no less than five other damaged Whitworths that had been salvaged from the battle. They'd all formerly belonged to Seigi, and Jihoon felt a spike of warmth as their long association with the Combine government and role as unofficial propagandist had backfired on them. They'd been forced to sell a lot of assets for pennies on the dollar, and this Whitworth along with a series of stripped down IndustrialMechs were now the pride of Busan Entertainment. The pilot was an old former-mercenary who was a go-to for these kinds of shots. Anything truly spectacular would be up the visual effects artists during post-production, but just seeing the damn thing move felt spectacular.
 
"It's still not right," he overheard a gofer say nearby. She was a nerdy looking kid, barely into adulthood with a reedy voice. Okay maybe he was being an asshole because she was clearly insulting his work, but still. He leaned in, hearing further. "The Huntsman wasn't even active at this time. Sure everyone these days knows that the Galaxy Commander pilots one but during the Battle, he was piloting a Stormcrow. The Huntsman didn't see active duty until almost a year later!"
 
Oh, one of those people. Sticklers for historical accuracy. Tough luck kid, but good narrative, streamlined budgets, and unbroken audience recognition mattered a whole lot more than making sure this guy sneezed here and farted there to be 'historically accurate.' And how the hell did she know anyway? Maybe Clan Diamond Shark hid a lot of details from the plebs. Hell, Enders could have piloted one as a test pilot.
 
He put the aide out of his mind and looked further at the moving Whitworth. In his mind's eye he could see it all. PPC bolts slamming into mechs with a burst of lightning and movie magic aided pyrotechnics. Walls crashing down. Kristoff Barrie ripping off his Cooling Vest and drawing his swords to highlight his body for the masses. The poetic duel on the former palace grounds.
 
He was going to make so much money… right?
 
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Pre-sales came and went and soon enough, it was opening day and Jihoon was in his office listening to every single update from the movie theaters. It seemed solid but only when the opening day numbers came in could he afford to unclench. Only when the weekend numbers came in could he relax, and only when he saw the second week holds could he really celebrate.
 
The premier had gone well. With almost no new movies being released, the fact that his formerly second tier studio was launching a new film drew a lot of attention, and many of the local celebrities had come, even if no one from Clan Diamond Shark appeared to give approval there at the party. In fact, the Clan was rather quiet about his movie, and Jihoon was feeling like they'd forgotten it was even something they had given their approval for. Everyone had clapped politely at the end, and the few reviews that were out were largely positive (he suspected that a lot of people were afraid of insulting their new overlords and were waiting to see they'd react to the movie before spinning their reviews).
 
No news is good news in this case, Jihoon thought to himself. He kept a cot in his office and spent the night there. Later next morning Jihoon had his head face down on his table when he heard his door open, and his aide slipped him a sheet of paper. A summary of the day's sales.
 
Jihoon took a breath before reading and coming to a conclusion. Fuck it, it looked like he was making money after all. Already he could see the sequels in his mind.
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--FINI--
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The Man, The Myth, The Legend
The Man, the Myth, The Legend