Concord Dawn: Survey

[Nicole]

Ranah stood almost silently on the hover platform which was taking her around the vast Capital of Concord Dawn, allowing her to survey over the repairs to the city. It still looked like hell, the Federation had been quite successful in it's destruction of their planet, but not everything had been leveled, and the Mandalorian people were resilient, making uses of the tons of debris to reshape it into building materials and construct new buildings in the place of those that had fallen, to repair open wounds in the structures. Buildings began to take on a "patched" look from the air, Ranah's eyes told her this, and she knew the plight and trouble the people were going through down below.

"Those who lost everything, if they don't want to stay, I want to begin transporting to Keldabe. Rebuilding there is almost complete, and the government will see to it that they are resettled to a place with shelter, food, water. We really could use their help reshaping Mandalore for future generations." she stated, leaning more against the railing of the platform.

She listened to the newly appointed Governor of Concord Dawn tell her of the status of other cities, cities which still had no power. It was wearing on the people, and Ranah could see it in the older Mandalorian's eyes.

"I'll talk to MandalMotors and see if they can start producing some power cores that'll interface with the power grids." she told him. " They've been more than happy to pitch in, maybe we can even requisition some of the more restless people to work on harvesting more ore and gasses from our other planets." she commented.

"Taxes will be wavered again this month." she commented, glimpsing towards the man again. " The people shouldn't have to pay to rebuild their world any more than they are now. The Warriors have enough for the time being to stabilize the economy til the businesses can begin operating again, till our people can go back to their jobs and provide for their families." Ranah stated, turning away from the railing.

"I've seen enough." she told him, things just couldn't progress fast enough for Concord Dawn, for it's people she saw even at night in her dreams. They were strong, none had revolted, rebelled, or even spoken out of line to any of their new leaders, the only complaint is that some didn't have enough to do, they wanted to do more. They understood the sacrifice they had made to be free once again.

As the platform touched down back at the central square, she stepped off and cast one last glimpse towards it's center, towards the corpse which hung there, bound together by molten Mandalorian Iron, it's fleshy pieces having been picked away some some degree by the birds. Her eyes lingered on it for a long moment before she continued on to the government structure with it's scaffolding over it's former dome, slowly being rebuilt too. For the time being, Ranah devoted the builders time to the people once the structure was shored up. An energy field above the dome was keeping the elements out, the government buildings weren't a priority here, the civilians were. She would not devote one second to making her "office" functional when there were still families sleeping in the streets. She had even moved the people into the business district, into offices of towers, anywhere to give them shelter, and the business owners, well, they saw the opportunity for positive public relations, letting the survivors be there for a few months.

Ranah sat at the large circular table beneath the broken dome, her eyes gazing up at the skeleton that had been erected around it to keep what was there together. She tapped a few controls on the table , " Get me MandalMotors."

[Nicole]

High in orbit over Concord Dawn rested the entirety of the MandalMotors shipyards. Bustling with activity, they hadn’t yet been able to begin production on any new starships. The resources just weren’t left over from the rebuilding efforts needed groundside. However that had changed the moment Zev had berthed the aging Providence-class Destroyer for renovations. Zev had to laugh, while he called it renovations, what was truly happening was maintenance. The Warriors of the Shadow could barely afford to keep the fleet they had managed to cobble together afloat. Much less the standing armies around the sector; having grand plans made little sense when there was little to fund them with.

Advanced armor specifications he himself had written, a way to update the chassis to make it lighter and more durable, even the engine could have been updated with a faster drive core and more throughput for better management of the energy hierarchy in general. Alas, all he could afford was to strip the dented and destroyed armor plates with equally aged scraps the Federation had left them with. Luckily Admiral Oburade had the foresight to order MandalMotor’s crews to begin sorting through what was left to determine what was valuable and which was to be recycled and hopefully used later.

With the recycling centers located on the planet below, so far nothing had been salvaged. Still several hours into the procedure, the Mand’alor was situated in the chief executive officer's office that oversaw the running of the shipyards, or as Zev saw him, the CEO of MandalMotors. Technically that function fell to Zev, as Mand’alor, MandalMotors was government property – still it helped to keep them separated for publicity reasons.

“How much longer before the repairs are done Mr. Yomaget?”

“My Chief Tech tells me another round of tests to find the anomaly in the power core. Mand’alor”

Zev nodded, seated on a nice plush leather couch. The office was spacious; Yomaget was situated behind the desk, viewports behind him showed the ravaged planet below. It still bore the deep black gouges the Federation had left as a reminder of their dominance. Viewscreens had been built into the ornate desk. Mythosaur skulls adorned each supporting leg, casting it in a regal light, while mosaics depicted past Mand’alors and even famous battles the Mandalorians had won.

Sinking into the plush cushions of the Corellian leather couch, Zev leaned forward over the glass coffee table that held a single data pad with scrolling information. Reports on the tests the maintenance crews had ran on the Adenn Naast, reports on fleet movements around the sector and other tidbits he found useful. The red of his battlesuit meshed well with the black of the couch and the otherwise bland gray décor of the room. Though spattered tastefully with works of art from around the galaxy, it was far from home for Zev.

It also didn’t help that down below people where still suffering, still feeling the ill effects of the Federation’s short, yet poignant rule of the sector. They would pay.

A light on the desk began to glow a dark orange color that drew Zev's notice, Yomaget leaned forward and depressed the button, “Mr. Yomaget, I have the Resol on hold.” Came the sharp, youthful voice of the female receptionist ten floors down.

Yomaget visibly straightened in his chair, casted a quick glance in the direction of Zev before nodding. Realizing his mistake he spoke, “Very well, send her through now please.” A millisecond later the orange went from a deep dark orange to a dark green.

Moments later a holographic representation of Ranah Vrei would appear in center of his desk. Focusing on the image, the man remained seated as he was, not at all as nervous as he had seemed talking to his receptionist. Instead he gave her the face of a man who ran a multi-billion credit corporation.

“Resol, Jir Yomaget. How may MandalMotors be of assistance?” Again he looked over at Zev with those spritely emerald eyes. Zev shrugged, he had no idea why she was calling, he was just as interested as he was.

[Nicole]

The holographic image of the Resol herself would appear on the center of that ornate desk, the bluish overtones of the image rippled as she was brought to focus. While it was true she couldn't see Zev from the position he was sitting, she did, infact, know he was there. Ever since her trip to Drumand Kaas she had made it her business to know where Zev was, or at least the area he was in.

Though she had noticed, that more increasingly anywhere she went, Zev was not far off. She was flattered for his concern of her safety, he was giving her, her space, while casting a watchful eye over her. She was not blind to this, and it worked well to her advantage, she'd watch his back and he'd watch hers. Then again, that was how it was suppose to work wasn't it?

"Chairman, I have special request of your shipyards." Ranah began, capturing the attention of the man.

"I realize since the Federation occupation has ended that your shipyards have seen little use and profit. I also realize that you have some components in stock that could be of service to the people of Concord Dawn."

"In the last inventory list that your shipyard submitted to me, I see two dozen power reactors sitting ready for ship production." she stated.

"With a few minor changes these could be reconfigured to supply power for our city grids correct?" she questioned with an affirmative answer to follow.

"As Resol, and on behalf of the people of Concord Dawn, the government will purchase these idle parts from you. The goods will be delivered now and payment will follow at the ending of the next monthly cycle. Mandalore will personally guarantee these funds from our treasury if Concord Dawn is not in the position to do so this next cycle."

Yes, Ranah was taking a big risk, so much still had to be done to Concord Dawn, and if Ranah had to front the money herself it would drain her entire family and personal savings, and likely halt all work on her Estate, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make, her people's best interests above her own, as it should be.

[Nicole]

Jir Yomaget had been at the last senate meeting before Mandalore had been utterly destroyed in the Vong invasion. Profits had never been higher during the war. Even the Rebellion had done little in comparison. But the downfall of Mandalore and the subsequent cost of moving the vast starship producing yards to Concord Dawn had been an expenditure his predecessor had been hard pressed to handle. Righting the sinking ship had taken every bit of Yomaget’s stern and practical approach to running a starship manufacturer.

Even under the tyrannical rule of the Federation, Yomaget had been operating in the green and paid off the vast loan to the intergalactic bank before it’s unfortunate demise on Coruscant. Still the man leaned back, hand flopping upwards to stroke on the well manicured goatee he trimmed every three hours to keep absolutely spec to company regulations on employee hygiene. Eying the hologram with the look of a salesman who knows when to fold ‘em and when to gamble.

This was a time to take a gamble. Clearing his throat, he keyed up the revenue report for this year, checking over the growth potential of the company in the coming years, he realized it wasn’t as big as a gamble as he had thought. “Resol, you are correct in your assessment. With no new orders coming in from the Mandalorians or anyone outside of our sector, business has been in decline. However our coffers are more than sufficient to cover the cost of manufacturing replacement reactors.”

Drumming up another inventory report, this one the latest, he would send it through via the link, “You will also see we have refurbished another two dozen power reactors. How many do you need? I can get men to convert them as soon as needed and transport them down using corporate shuttles.”

Not once did he look back at Zev, so caught up in this business venture. Zev however could understand the man’s voracious appetite. Be seen as the good guy, the corporation that helped rebuild and revitalize Concord Dawn – how much would that add to their profit margin? The Clans would be chomping at the bit to buy from the company that had helped their people in need.

[Nicole]

"As many as you can spare Chairman. The more we have the more we can give to the people of Concord Dawn." she told him, that he would simply give them was a bit surprising to Ranah, but not too much, she understood the corporate way better than some. She leaned her armored back against her own chair as she rest her hands on the circular table before her.

"Your contributions will not go unrewarded Chairman, once we are able to focus our efforts elsewhere, I would be more than happy to arrange for MandalMotors to retake it's tower on Mandalore." Ranah commented, " That way when we are able to order more ships, we can do so face to face." she commented, bowing her head in the best promise that she could to the man that they'd be ordering ships from him soon.

"Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it Chairman Yomaget."

[Nicole]

The chairman nodded. So that would take out all their reserves, though with the junk still scattered from the leftovers from the Federation fleet, they would be able to salvage more. That would also free him up to begin order replacement resources from the outlying planets in the Mandalore sector, thus there was revenue at the end of this, he would just have to bid his time.

“I will get the men working on it right away Resol. It is a pleasure to do this for the people of Concord Dawn. After all, most of us had family on the surface, we have offered all that we could and it would please us to offer even more in aid to the planet and its populace.” Truly it was something Yomaget felt sincere about. While his own wife and children had been safe in the complex high in orbit, others, a great many of them, had not been so fortunate.

“Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it Resol” Jir had made out better on his gamble, better than even he could have predicted. Even with the projected loss, the future earnings would more than make up for it. He would need to write up a report to submit to the other board members, the shareholders, in order to defend his actions here today.

As the holographic display wavered and then disappeared all together, Jir would find Zev leaning back, arms spread across the top of the couch, looking for all the world as though he was sleeping. Zev hadn’t been sleeping. Instead he had watched the entire thing, admiring the way his wife deftly rewarded those who pleased her. Ranah knew as well as he did what the chairman had gambled with and won.

“You did well Mr. Yomaget. In the future I hope we can do a great deal of business as we have been discussing. I hope your engineers find a use for my schematics.” Jir was still transfixed on the image of the woman that wasn’t there. Ranah had that effect on people Zev had come to realize. Inhaling the man turned to Zev, a contemplative look on the smooth angular shape of his face, “I’m sure they will Mand’alor. You will be the first to know when we have working prototypes. If you’ll excuse me, I have to get the Resol’s power reactors ready for shipment.”

Keying in another button, the teams were set to work on modifying the power reactors, loading them into a single light freighter and promptly shipped to the devastated capital below, several hours later. By then the Adenn Naast had been put through her paces and given a tuneup on all mainline systems.

In short, she was just shy of factory new, only she was still an old rusty tin can on her last legs.

[Praenuntius]

Zev stayed with Jir, orbiting above the blemished, once verdant world of Concord Dawn. There was more to agree on – with the threats still out there, even without the men to man them, it was important that they begin constructing something. Coming to an agreement had been contentious. Negotiations that Zev humored because Jir had just given Concord Dawn and his wife an extensive investment in the reactors that had been sent down. While only one of the ships they would begin producing was an actual battleship, the rest where all heavy freighters and heavily modified. Zev would take care of the rest.

Zev never saw Ranah when he finally made his way to the command deck of the Adenn Naast. “Has the Resol’s shuttle boarded yet?” Krayl turned to him, armored in the traditional Mandalorian style, his plates a grievous alabaster. “She has not yet checked in Mand’alor, are we to stay in orbit?”

Zev nodded taking his seat, pressing a few buttons to initiliaze the onboard uplink with his battle suit. When the HUD popped up with all the ships systems and their status; all systems where showing green, their percentages operating well over one hundred percent and holding stable. Switching the systems off of his display, he checked the status of each station. Reporting in, he leaned forward switching it off and viewing the bridge yet again.

“Take us out Krayl, maintain orbit. The Resol will arrive when she wants to. Get a hold of Captain A’den, I’d like a status report on Bandomeer.”

[Nicole]

The Resol would not leave until the first shipments from MandalMotors began to arrive, they were punctual, as always. Once instructions and agreement had been made with Concord Dawn's Governor, Ranah felt it more appropriate that she take her leave now. She had made arrangements to see that the new power generators were put in the areas suffering the most with the power outages, areas where there more children, hospitals, though many went to the most dense residential areas, and areas where shelters had been set up.

When she was done, the young Resol of Mandalore surveyed from atop the landing platform. Concord Dawn would always bare it's scars from that fateful encounter, buildings lay scarred with patches that didn't match previous exteriors. It would truly take years, if not decades to restore everything to the way it had been prior. In the end, all that they could do would be to push ahead, as Mandalorians always did.

She turned back to her shuttle, heavy armored exterior marched itself into the compartment and took her seat, strapping herself in, preparing for the trip to orbit and the Adenn Naast. There were other issues to attend to. Soon her shuttle was aboard the massive cruiser and the Resol well on her way to the bridge to meet with the Mand'alor.

[Praenuntius]

While the Resol was busy below, Zev had his own issues to contend with. The report he requested was replied to within the hour. A’den had secured Bandomeer and was in the process of setting up a local government to handle the mines, as well as the excess of slaves who no longer wanted to be on the planet or in the mines. The mines would take a while to resume operations considering the upheaval caused by outing the Vong led pirates.

The real prize however was the scout ship A’den had recovered. Along with processed and refined ionite, it would be an interesting return trip to Mandalore where their specialists could figure out the best use of the ionite. Plans where already underway for the myriad of uses this new ore could provide.

By the time the shuttle carrying the Resol arrived, Zev had just finished reading through the last of the report from A’den and had sent subsequent orders and congratulations. The scout ship would be brought here to be analyzed by the engineers of MandalMotors.

Krayl informed him of Ranah’s imminent arrival on the ship, Zev knew she would come directly to the bridge. “Prepare a jump to Concordia.” Another meeting with yet another regional Governor, who wanted something from the Mand’alor, Ranah had advised him to accept and meet with each official. Standing just as the door whisked open, he turned and regarded his wife and the armored entourage that followed her and took up station at the door with his own guards.

The trappings of power and all those who wished the fledgling Mandalorian nation a quick end, straightening himself he clasped his hands at his sides, “We’re leaving for Concordia. We should be there shortly, would you like to retire to our quarters and relax before then?” Which would really be filled with talk of Concord Dawn and the restoration progress and any other pressing matters that had yet to reach his ears.

[Nicole]

Ranah's focused settled upon her husband's as she approached, with helmet beneath arm she held only look upon him for a moment as he questioned her desire to rest. He might as well have called her weak, she rectified the problem quickly with a push into Zev's shoulder, challengingly.

"Do I appear to be frail, overworked, Mand'alor?" she questioned him, eyes burning upon him. She knew of Zev's meaning, but such had been conveyed with ears of others. "I would prove otherwise."

[Praenuntius]

Frail and overworked, Zev did nothing visibly. No doubt she could feel the anger swell up within him. Mastering his control over it, he shook his head, “No. You mistake my words for an offer.” The bridge crew could hear them, but they where his crew. They knew better than to question Zev or the Mand’alor. Truth be told, he didn’t feel like hearing his wife’s report on the bridge when they could be in a more relaxed setting.

“You will accompany me to my quarters, not because I think you’re weak and frail, but because your Mand’alor demands your presence to give a full report on the surface of Concord Dawn.” Stopping at her shoulder, he regarded the woman with the same smoldering expression. Not that she would see it was it was concealed by his helmet, but he saw everything he loved about Ranah in the defiant look she gave him. Pausing just long enough he continued on by her and back into the lift, he waved away their guards, where they were going they wouldn’t need guards.

[Nicole]

Ranah's challenging eyes never broke from Zev's as he stared her down, she did infact feel the anger, and one didn't have to be a Force user to sense it. There was a heightened level of tension among the bridge in that moment, everyone seemed to grow quiet as the Mand'alor and the Resol both stood poised.

When Zev's commanding tone demanded she accompany him, she stood, ever as challenging to him in that moment as to begin with, then only through tradition was she forced to break, had she been any other woman, any other Mandalorian in her position, civil wars could break out with such comments and challenges. Fortunately the bond between husband and wife transcended all, and while the little dance they were doing on the bridge was for the benefit of the way they were brought up, well.. neither of them would go as far,ever.

Ranah's fiery gaze broke from Zev's as she bowed her head slightly and spat the bitter words from her mouth, " Yes Mand'alor."

Her eyes followed Zev as he stormed off towards the lifts, giving moment of departure before she followed, seeming reluctant but hiding the desire to dash there. With guards waved off, once she got in the lift with the male, her head tilted slightly to regard him, alone with her, when the doors closed and the lift began to move her hand casually gave a push into his shoulder from the side this time and the utter words, " Ass."

[Praenuntius]

The Mand’alor saw all the subtle cues to her inner struggle with his command. As Zev had told himself numerous times in his own thoughts, Ranah wasn’t a woman you commanded to do anything. Hearing the bile in which she spit the words out, he leaned his back against the lift interior and brought his arms across his chest. Satisfied smirk concealed beneath his helmet. There was little guilt in the man and by the time the doors closed, the anger had all but subsided, a residual from the stress filled weeks behind him.

Given another push, he laughed out loud and get her a nudge in the arm with his elbow. “I suppose that was all my fault then?” Of course it was. Zev knew that already, “You’re sooo getting a spanking.”

Seconds later the doors disgorged them into his lavish quarters. The viewports where closed however as he made his way into the room, arms falling to his sides as he took the few steps to the couches that had been laid out beneath the canopy of viewports. A few clicks later and his helmet was off, set beside him as he sunk his weight into one of the couches, he however did not relax, instead leaned forward and offered the couch in front of him.

[Nicole]

Ranah's eyes glimpsed towards Zev as he nudged her back, questioning if it was his fault, the look she gave him was more than answering but she followed him out of the lift into his quarters, their quarters. She followed him down to the sitting area, watching as he took his seat and offered her place to sit. She refused it, instead plopping down next to him on the same ouch she twisted and laid across his lap, her head against the armrest of the couch, eyes looking up at him as she exhaled some.

She knew what Zev wanted to talk about, she exhaled some, deciding to talk about something else, " Why did you marry me?" she asked him, keeping those same curious eyes looking up at him.

[Praenuntius]

Shaking his head, obsidian hair swaying with each shake, he welcomed her to his lap. His arm moved over her abdomen, holding her loosely as he looked down into her golden gaze. The slate grey eyes seemed cold and cruel as ever. They spoke of a man who made decisions. Decisions that cost lives and all the responsibility and guilt that came with it. The surprise from her question didn’t even faze that face of his.

The stern look remained, only softening as his words formed. A lot of what he was going to say would sound strange coming from him, but he wasn’t a man to sugar coat things. He said it as it was, “Because you are my best friend. Despite all the years, there wasn’t a day I didn’t think of you.” Strange as it was, he had told no one of his hidden feelings, he figured she had touched him in some way no one else yet had. How a woman could do something in such a short time and then to just utterly leave him, Zev would never understand why he could forget anyone, anything, but he couldn’t forget Ranah.

How many times had he sat on this very couch looking out into the cosmos, wondering, questioning and then one day she shows up. “You’re a stubborn woman. Know what you want. Can take care of yourself, aren’t afraid to punch me when I do something stupid.” Zev could admire a strong willed woman, a woman who didn’t need to identify herself by him, but by herself. A woman who chose whom she was going to be with, just as she did all those years ago, what made her come back he had never divined.

“And well, the thought of losing you again…” now this was hard. A man like Zev had built himself over the intervening years to be strong and independent. Relationships had never panned out, and Zev was a warrior besides, there just wasn’t any need or desire for someone in his life and then Ranah came back and made him question the man he turned into and awakened that old flame, gave hope where none was. “… well you saw what I did to get you back from the Federation.”