Chapter 49: You Get What You Pay For

The next morning when Amidala left for the senate, Jon and I hired a speeder. We stopped by one of the storage units I’d had rented months ago as sites which I could pretend were supply caches if it proved necessary. There I summoned up a reinforced case, fitted with repulsorlifts to make carrying it seem easier (thus avoiding revealing our strength), and filled it with Aurodium gems.

At about six hundred thousand credits a gram, and twenty grams per cubic centimeter, a single liter of Aurodium was worth about twelve billion credits. My case held a hundred liters, or about one-point-two trillion credits worth of Aurodium. This was the kind of wealth that might be a planet’s national reserve, the backing for their currency, trade deals and government. And it fit inside what was essentially a medium sized suitcase.

It was pretty weird, but very convenient.

Since we were carrying crazy levels of cash, I also summoned up some self-defense equipment. Jon and I weren’t licensed for weapons on Coruscant, so we couldn’t go armed to the teeth. But with each of us getting subtle body armor, Valyrianized beskar flick-baton, and a dozen rods to throw, we’d be able to make a fight with dozens of attackers look believable.

After that, we headed over to the First Bank of Coruscant (FBoC), one of the few places with the ability to deal with such a quantity of bullion. We weren’t actually converting the Aurodium to credits; that would have taken a long time, something we didn’t have. Instead, we were depositing the Aurodium as a surety for an equally valued loan from FBoC; they would then handle selling off the Aurodium, taking a cut on the total transaction and paying off the loan.

Suffice to say, it was a nice bit of financial manipulation, but it worked.

As we were finishing up, I got a message on my pad from one of the handmaidens. “Valorum useless. Queen called No Confidence. Merc plan is ON. 1T budget, hit the purse and home.”

Alright! I thought with a grin. I turned to Jon. “We’re on. I’d like you to visit the Coyn office, I’ll meet with the Nova Guard.” As a result of their furry physiology, long potential life-span, and high rate of combat-related deaths, the Coynites believed that long manes were a mark of martial distinction and wisdom. Jon, who kept his hair long enough for a short que, was thus a better choice for them than my own relatively short haircut.

As for the Nova Guard, they were based out of Ailon and made up almost entirely of that species. The Ailon were a near-human alien species which had a religious belief in survival of the fittest, and saw combat as the best judge of said fitness.

As such, many of their best and brightest served in the Guard in hopes of challenging themselves, and proving fit for the best mates. This sort of Spartan breeding program, along with some genetic manipulation in their early history, led to Ailon soldiers being significantly stronger, tougher, faster and more enduring than other races. Physically, they were about six foot two, or a hundred-eighty-seven centimeters. Their skin was a redish brown, and contained a type of coagulant in the dead layers that would rapidly clot on any wounds. Their faces were within modified human range, with thicker and more angular bone structures, and a second transparent eyelid.

They were bred for war, well trained to be not just excellent warriors but excellent soldiers. Nor did they skimp on equipment. Full body armor, enclosed for space and NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) operations, and a collection of ceremonial and modern weaponry, vehicles, artillery and the like were all part of their arsenal. Together with their training and sheer physical capacity, they were among the deadliest soldiers in the galaxy.

Overall, they had a reputation similar to the Mandalorians, though more focused on direct combat as part of an army than the sort of independent special-operations work that the Mandalorians were famous for.

Oh, and the Guard was about a billion strong. Basically, they were the best option for a wealthy polity that needed an army in a hurry. Even if only a tenth or so of the mercenary army wasn’t deployed at any given time, I should still easily be able to hire twenty million and a few battle fleets to take on the Neimoidian controlled Trade Federation.

To make things even better, they were located in the Galactic Core region, only a day or two away from Cato Neimoidia and its sister colonies with a class-one hyperdrive. The biggest problem with scratch operations launched at a moment’s notice (and a week, in military terms for an invasion, is definitely a moment’s notice), was supply lines and transportation. But the short distances would simplify that immensely.

I had previously contacted the Nova Guard by what was essentially email, mentioning that I was potentially going to be making an order somewhere in the neighborhood of one-hundred-fifty to seven-hundred-fifty billion credits. As a good faith gesture, I’d already deposited a hundred million credits, and that was just to show I was serious about the meeting.

So it wasn’t much of a surprise when I had an immediate meeting with General Alik Kror, the chief of the Nova Guard’s Coruscant offices.

“It’s good to meet you, General Kror,” I said, grasping his arm as was Ailon tradition.

He seemed glad at that mark of respect. “Likewise, Lord Gangari,” he replied while we both began to squeeze, a sort of greeting strength competition. I increased the pressure, showing off my strength to his impressed surprise. Of course, I didn’t go too far, stopping when it was clear I was stronger. He laughed. “I think we’ll get on just fine, Lord Gangari.”

I chuckled. “I certainly hope so, General.”

He led me to a secure meeting room. An aide put down a platter of drinks and snacks. “So, what exactly can we do for you?”

“I’m here representing Queen Amidala of Naboo. We’ve recently been blockaded, then invaded, by the Trade Federation,” I began.

He nodded. “I heard about that. Terrible day for the Republic, when a sector capital can be taken over by some trading company. So, I assume you want us to retake the planet?”

I shook my head. “Not quite. Due to distances and travel speeds, we’re actually looking at Coyn for that operation. No, we want to hit those damn Neimoidians back. We want you to seize or destroy Cato Neimoidia, Deko Neimoidia, Koru Neimoidia, and Neimoidia itself, or at least every asset in space. We’d also like as many Trade Federation executives captured and extradited to Naboo as possible. Any intelligence, meeting notes or recordings of their illegal actions, especially related to Naboo, would also be appreciated.”

He rocked back a bit, impressed with the scope of what we wanted to achieve. “That’s technically possible,” he allowed. “But it’s a pretty damned big operation; not something we’d do on credit. And we’d need legal cause.”

“Queen Amidala can provide the legal authority. Or at least close enough to keep everyone in court beyond the point where we’re dead and buried,” I assured. “The specifics as to how, and relevant precedent and laws are in a document I have on my pad. As for the operational costs, we’ve got the liquid assets to go up to a hundred and fifty billion credits per purse world, two hundred billion for their homeworld, and another two hundred billion for targets of opportunity in the surrounding area. After the war is over, we’d like a ten-year contract at ten billion a year to protect Naboo.”

He nodded slowly. “I’ll have to go over what intelligence we have, but that at least sounds feasible. Why don’t you send over the legal documents, and I’ll have one of our law-droids go over it while we continue to discuss the details. And if you send the objectives too, then my aides can start working out which units are best suited.”

I sent over the documents to his pad.

“Great, that should be a few minutes,” he continued. “Now, did you have any specific requirements in mind for the force composition?”

“I was going to leave that to you. You have the objectives list, after all, and I imagine you’re much more capable of deciding what you need to complete the mission.”

He grinned. “Good, good! I always worry, the customer often needs …” he trailed off for a bit, looking for the right word.

“Finagling?” I supplied.

“Yes! Finagling,” he agreed.

I shook my head. “No, you’re the experts here. Now, if it was ground operations, and I was familiar with your equipment, I might have more to contribute,” I said with a grin.

“You’re a soldier?” he asked.

I put my hand out and wiggled it back and forth. “Sort of. I’m a lord, but on Planetos, out beyond Republic space, not on Naboo. There, lords are expected to command their territory’s military forces. I’m also a knight, which a non-hereditary appointment dependent on individual martial skill, often awarded after some significant feat.”

Now he was interested. “And what were you knighted for?”

“A combination of skill and actions. I saved the life of my lord’s son, giving him emergency medical treatment after he fell from a tower he’d been climbing. I beat one of the best warriors in a duel when he was armored, had a proper sword, and I only had a practice one. And I was well known for my shooting.” I wasn’t going to be shy about this; Ailons were matter-of-fact but still proud of their feats.

“So how did you win this duel?” he questioned, leaning forwards.

I grinned. “Well, I knew he’d be expecting a sword-fight. So I dropped mine, got in real close as he tried to draw his, and threw him to the floor. Then I broke his knee, and smashed his head in with my boot.”

“Hahahaha!” Kror laughed. “Clever! Now, I noticed you said “my lord” earlier; by that I assume you were not yet a lord yourself?”

I shook my head. “No, that came later.”

He grinned, satisfied with his cleverness. “And was this also meritorious?”

I smiled at him and nodded. “Yes.”

“So what did you do for that?”

“Well, the king of our nation, Robert, came to power after a revolution against the previous dynasty. The prior ruler was utterly mad, burning people alive for his own amusement. But some of the old king’s family escaped, and his son had formed an alliance by marrying the old king’s daughter to a foreign warlord. Though the warlord’s ground army was strong, his navy might was weak, so we weren’t overly worried. But it was still undesirable to have them there in the background constantly plotting.” I paused for a moment to take a sip of water.

“The alliance couldn’t be allowed to stand,” I continued, “and leaving these remnants of the old dynasty alone was an unacceptable risk. Still, the girl was a teenager, and had little control over her life. My lord, who was serving as the chief minister at that time, believed a straight assassination was dishonorable, though King Robert disagreed. So I was sent out with my squire to end the threat, by some mix of killing, capturing and negotiating with the warlord and the members of the previous royal family.”

He snorted. “Quite the mission.”

“Oh, I know,” I agreed. “Anyways, the Warlord’s people had a habit of deciding things like leadership by ritual combat and warfare. So after months of roaming about enemy territory, we finally came up to him when he was travelling. Tens of thousands of warriors at his back. And I challenged him to personal combat, with the old king’s son and daughter on the line.”

Kror laughed. “The stones on you!”

I shrugged. “He could hardly deny me, not without dishonoring himself. But neither did he really want to fight me. So first he challenged my skills. Impressed, he offered me a place in his host, which I refused.” Kror was into the story by now, nodding along.

“Then he required I prove myself against a treacherous knight from my own nation, a man who had sold others into slavery then fled from the law. But despite his crimes, the man was a champion in our war-games and a master of the spear. We fought. He died. Again, I was offered a place, now as a high officer with riches and land. Again, I refused,” I said, building up the tension.

“Then I faced the Warlord. He ordered we fight with swords, unarmored. But after seeing what I did to the slaver, he decided to stack the deck, and called out his three Bloodriders to help him. Sworn as “blood of his blood,” they legally counted as the same person in many respects. They were his personal bodyguards, and among the best warriors his people could offer. But I had to face them, or else try and beat then entire army at his back. Four on one, but I managed to kill them. Then I killed the prince, and we took off with the princess while the army’s officers were arguing over who was now in charge. When we got back, Robert made me one Lord of one of the largest territories, and made me responsible for the princess’ keeping.”

“Damn!” Kror exclaimed. “That was brief, man, but I can only begin to imagine how difficult it must have been! If you ever tire of serving royals, you should come over and be a freelance special operative for the Guard.”

“You’re flattering me, but thank you,” I said. And he was; until they’d seen my skills first hand, any such offer was just flattery. Still, the small-talk had served to make both them close with me, and me closer with them, so it was successful. Soon enough an aide came in, with a report from the legal droid.

Kror flipped through it for a few minutes. “Alright. Well, it looks like the legal basis for the action is there. And the funds were in the escrow accounts as described. I look forward to our victory, Lord Gangari.” He reached out to grip forearms again as I mirrored his movements.

“To our victory,” I replied with a grin.