Freeport 8, Living Quarter D, Meeting Room A
The meeting had been arranged perfectly. Jonathan was already at Corfu, negotiating additional materials from another source, and Freeport 8 lay far closer from Corfu than Kadesh.
The flight from Corfu to Freeport 8 passed without incident. The Corsairs had been forced onto the back foot in the Sigmas: a new Core station was taking shape and their Sigma-15 holdout lay in ruins after the Penitence fled, barely escaping destruction. But that was not today’s subject, he reminded himself.
If Freeport 9 was never going to return to Zoner hands, then another station would have to take its place. One capable of keeping the Omicron corridor open. Corfu could fit that role.
This time, the mistakes of Freeport 9 would not be repeated. The undertaking would be immense, but Daumann had already accomplished the impossible once by helping bring Kadesh into existence. With Weiss Shipping handling the bulk logistics, Corfu’s expansion and fortification could become the cornerstone of something larger: a safer corridor for Zoners to trade, explore, and settle farther from House control with a firm foothold to support further expansion.
This Freeport would not be like the others. It would emphasize light industrial independence, stronger defensive integration, and—if all went well—provide the infrastructure needed to improve life for settlers on Pygar, perhaps even enabling meaningful development on the planet itself.
A soft beep from his datapad pulled him from his thoughts. The device had finally synced with the room’s holographic system. Everything was ready.
A long 10 minutes later, Weiss Executive Officer Klaus Lieber
The meeting room door slid open with a shuffle, relaying telemetry to the station security system. The scanning laser flash was abrupt and left the dim outside of the room wanting, a hearty man in a green and white skin-tight uniform adjusting the ornamental jacket's harness before entering the bright compartment.
"I applaud your exotic choice of holo decoration, herr Johnatan!" the man announced on his way in, following up with a thin, friendly smile under a curved Kaiser moustache. He offered a handshake with a posture similar to a noble's bow, with a casual awkwardness that betrayed his mercantile background.
The somewhat plump executive was quite unhurried in his mannerisms, in stark contrast to his eyes, which seemed to appraise everything surrounding him as a holistic estimate of the upcoming business negotiation.
He noticed the absence of a Daumann representative, resulting in a scoff-like microexpression, unable to cover even with training in this particular instance. His searching eyes might have hoped for less eye contact with the zoner in front of him, the man being less familiar. Such trifles, he thought, were best remedied with a casual chat over a drink.
Freeport 8, Living Quarter D, Meeting Room A
Jonathan rose and offered the hand across from him a firm shake.
“Greetings, Mister Lieber. Just wait until you see the ‘decorations’ I have planned for the Corsairs at Corfu.” He let out a brief chuckle at his own attempt at humor, then motioned for his guest to sit.
He glanced down at his datapad saying: “Daumann’s representative should join us shortly. In the meantime, I’ll outline the essentials.”
With a swift tap, the projector brought Corfu’s current layout into view.
“In short: our objective is to transform Corfu into a station far more resilient than Freeport 9 ever was. Something capable of anchoring the Omicron gateway and holding it, even under pressure. We’ll be relying primarily on your logistics capacity to supply the materials needed to achieve that.”
He exhaled, the weight of the task settling in his tone.
“The undertaking is… considerable. And you’ll have to tolerate the locals, as with any Freeport. The good news is we’ve recently barred the worst of them.”
He continued, more businesslike: “On the engineering side, we’ll draw on both our own experience and Daumann’s expertise. We already have a clear framework, enough that we’ve begun expanding storage capacity in preparation for the first supply runs.”
Another press opened a dense requisition file, line after line of material requests. The total cost at the bottom sat firmly in the hundreds of millions. Cayran gestured toward the growing list.
“Colossal, as you can see. The first phase is straightforward: armor the new storage modules and reinforce the existing station sections. That will form the foundation for the expansion modules that follow.”
He leaned in slightly.
“For the opening delivery, 20,000 units of Ablative Armor will suffice. Corfu will purchase it at 102 SC per unit, and we will add a 20% premium to account for distance, risk, and handling. The same margin would apply to future phases, if that sounds acceptable to you.”
He met his interlocutor’s eyes, waiting for an answer.
Amelia Tost rushes off the shuttle, the travel to Sigma 15 took much longer then anticipated. Her assistant had ordered a shuttle service just in time, leaving no room for delays. There were delays, of course. The shuttle had issues and engineers had to do a hasty repair.
"Amateurish, i need to reconsider this one", Amelia thought.
"I hope we're not too late" she barks at her assistant. Daumann should never be late for a meeting, especially not with a long standing customer." She sneered at her assistant.
As she rushes through the facilities at Freeport 8, she passes a group of rag-tags. They glare at her.
"A Rheinlander, a pretty one at that." one yells
Amelia pay's them no mind. She's here for business, not sightseeing. As she proceeds to the meeting room, she is greeted by a Phoenix employee. He signals for her.
"Ms Tost, we've expected you, mr Caryan and mr Lieber are inside".
As she enters the meeting room, Amelia glares at the assistant, then quickly putting back on a warm smile before anyone noticed.
Inside, Mr Lieber and Caryan are waiting. They had just started the briefing. Some quick pleasantries later, and they move on with the presentation.
Amelia signals to her assistant to take notes, detailed notes. While she herself focuses on some key bullet-points.
She's eager to begin this project, since it aligns with another project that might bring great fortune for Daumann.
Weiss Executive Officer Klaus Lieber
The plump man's right ear twitched, having heard the Daumann representative speak. He scratched that ear and adjusted his smile, adding to the conversation:
"The drug addicts were a bit too much, admittedly. I do see a lot of gas miners in the hallways lately, which has not been pleasing in the slightest. Some were a bit too pale for their usual systems too."
The man flips through some now accessible documents on the holo terminal and clicks his tongue.
"That's a surprising amount for Edge World Zoners. What are you exacly up to?"
Freeport 8, Living Quarter D, Meeting Room A “What are we building toward? Once you piece together everything that has happened in Theta, the answer becomes obvious. Freeport 9 has fallen, and this so-called shared Corsair administration is little more than a farce. They are using it as cover to establish their own stronghold in Theta, while the Zoners still aboard serve as little more than an immunity token. And once they are finished, they will cast out whatever Zoners remain and extend their reach into the Sigmas without meaningful opposition.”
Jonathan slowly shook his head, remembering all those lost to the Corsairs.
“Our goal is to turn Corfu into the first true Freeporteress, if I may call it that. The Omicron entrance needs a trading platform, just as Freeport 9 once was for the Omegas and Sigmas. But unlike the classic Freeports, this one will be able to support larger vessels. It will also serve as a light industrial outpost to process what the Pygar colony requires. As you know, the looming Kusari–Liberty war and the constant pressure on Erie have driven many more people toward the Zoners, or at least toward freer ground. Which we intend to provide. It will be the— ”
He was interrupted by a sharp chime from his datapad.
“Ah. Our teams have finished their estimate for phase one.”
He pressed a key, and a long material list unfolded in the air.
“The first phase consists of adding the initial layer of superstructure, enough to support the new modules and the machinery required to construct them.
Let us begin with Weiss. We will rely on your shipping capacity for the bulk of the supply runs, while Daumann will focus on the critical materials that only their infrastructure can produce at this scale. We can, of course, rebalance responsibilities if needed.”
The hologram shifted to focus on the Weiss portion of the contract:
Engine Components — 5,000 units
For base thrusters and orbital calibration.
Source: Oder
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 101
Phoenix bonus: +100 per unit Bonus total: 500,000
Basic Ablative Armor — 20,000 units
For reinforcing the temporary modules
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 102
Phoenix bonus: +100 per unit Bonus total: 2,000,000
Hull Panels — 20,000 units
To make the new modules airtight.
Source: Oder
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 55
Phoenix bonus: +150 per unit Bonus total: 3,000,000
Munitions — 5,000 units
To arm the weapons platforms.
Source: Oder
Price: 10
Corfu buying price: 45
Phoenix bonus: +100 per unit Bonus total: 500,000
Xenobiotic Filters — 5,000 units
For the standard life-support and recycling systems in the temporary modules that will house workers and engineers assigned to the project.
Source: Freiburg Station
Price: 35
Corfu buying price: 65
Phoenix bonus: +100 per unit Bonus total: 500,000
High-Temperature Alloy — 5,000 units
For the secondary core powering the construction works.
Source: Wichter Station
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 0
Phoenix bonus: +150 per unit Bonus total: 750,000
Super Alloy — 10,000 units
For the foundation of the new superstructure.
Source: Scarborough Shipyard
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 138
Phoenix bonus: +200 per unit Bonus total: 2,000,000
Superconductors — 5,000 units
For the station energy grid.
Source: Pueblo Station
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 0
Phoenix bonus: +230 per unit Bonus total: 1,150,000
Optronics — 5,000 units
For essential systems and scanners.
Source: Newport Station
Price: 44
Corfu buying price: 87
Phoenix bonus: +100 per unit Bonus total: 500,000
Nanocapacitors — 5,000 units
For use across nearly every system and module.
Source: Altona Station
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 0
Phoenix bonus: +230 per unit Bonus total: 1,150,000
Nanotubes — 5,000 units
For use across nearly every system and module.
Source: Altona Station
Price: 7
Corfu buying price: 0
Phoenix bonus: +207 per unit Bonus total: 1,035,000
Quantum Multiplexors — 5,000 units
For computing systems and the industrial/scientific modules.
Source: Newport Station
Price: 45
Corfu buying price: 45
Phoenix bonus: +145 per unit Bonus total: 725,000
“That makes a total of 95,000 units of cargo to move, for a payment of 13,810,000 SC. Naturally, the payment remains negotiable. Now, Daumann’s portion.”
Jonathan shifted the display to the DHC contract.
Specifically Designed Ablative Armor — 20,000 units
For reinforcing the station’s outer armor.
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 102
Phoenix bonus: +100 per unit Bonus total: 2,000,000
Crew
Engineers and skilled workers to assist and advise Zoner laborers.
Phoenix will cover all salaries. Total payment: 6,000,000
Hull Panels — 20,000 units
To make the new modules airtight while ensuring resistance to Omicron threats.
Source: Oder
Price: 30
Corfu buying price: 55
Phoenix bonus: +150 per unit Bonus total: 3,000,000
Biodome Materials — 10,000 units
Synth-food biodome components modified by Daumann to amplify dwarf-star light and improve structural resilience.
Source: Supply Station Neckar
Price: 144
Corfu buying price: 0
Phoenix bonus: +400 per unit Phoenix payment: 4,000,000
Solar Panels — 10,000 units
Bretonian models modified by Daumann to improve dwarf-star light conversion and add armor.
Source: Canterbury Station
Price: 15
Corfu buying price: 0
Phoenix bonus: +300 per unit Phoenix payment: 3,000,000
Construction Machinery — 10,000 units
Any machinery deemed necessary for the project.
Source: Oder Shipyard
Price: 8
Corfu buying price: 42
Phoenix bonus: +150 per unit Bonus total: 1,000,000
“That comes to 70,000 units of cargo for a total payment of 19,000,000 SC. Again, negotiable. And I should stress: this is only the foundation. We expect both of you to ship and build at least five times this volume before the project is complete.”
He turned another page on the datapad until the hologram shifted to the profile of an Aquillon-class carrier.
“Before anything else, for security’s sake, we will be dispatching a brand-new Aquillon and its escort fleet to improve safety in the region. It will help protect your convoys and, on the return leg, provide fair-price iridium for transport back to Rheinland.
And if you were not already aware: the Core is currently establishing a base in Sigma-17. That alone should make Corsair plunder significantly more difficult.
Living Quarters D, Meeting Room A, Freeport 8, Sigma 15
Amelia put her own holopad down on the table, and took a minute to think. The estimations Pheonix employees made seemed spot on. Their offer accounted for the deal at hand, but also for the security needed for Daumann pilots to complete the deliveries. A fruitful and secure way of making money for the company.
"Well, as always, Phoenix's offers are always very honest. We are more than happy to complete the contract in these terms", Amelia said.
She took a drink, poured some water, and continued.
"You have accounted for security during the deliveries, and we are very grateful for that. Our pilots' safety is our primary concern, as you know, and some of the goods we are to ship are ..."
She took a break in her sentence, raising an eye towards her Weiss counterpart. Sensitive data regarding Daumann's patterns need to be disclosed with caution. She cannot make mistakes here.
"Let's say that they may represent a significant value, should they fall under the wrong hands. As such, for the specifically designed ablative armor, while we will not raise your offer, we want to organise different convoys, with a security detail that is composed of both Daumann and Phoenix fighters, to provide deterrance and assistance all the way."
Weiss Executive Officer Klaus Lieber
Lieber furrowed his brows, tapping the side of the thin pad containing the data. He always enjoyed reviewing the stream of numbers. It allowed him to detach from everybody else present, a veritable priest of logistics, divining the will of markets in communion with the invisible hand of the market itself, its will raised above that synodal symbol stretching his belt. His ministrations finished, he looked down in the spirit of patience and temperance, and seemed to lament the visions the Economy had given him.
His face was sincere, like a doctor confessing a terminal diagnosis to a family on the edge of hope:
"I'm afraid we'll need to adjust some details, if this deal is to proceed."
He turned to his fellow Rheinlander, Amelia, with half a smirk under a kaiser moustache.
His eyes became earnest, facing the Phoenix VIP next, the exact words hanging at his lips, before he was sure they would be heard:
"Herr Johnatan, I can see you have the confidence, the history, and the means at your disposal to build this 'Freeporteress' project, with our specialized help of course, but you will not be able to sustain it as is. I, personally, would loathe to screw you over a deal of this significance, one with an ally as the Phoenix Zoners. Should my Daumann counterpart agree, I would like to propose more than a few amendments that would ensure both the future of your essential holdings, and our joint interest as people, if allowed."
He set aside a tab on the pad, in anticipation of a favorable answer. It contained a map of Sirius, streams of normally classified information casually scrolling besides points of interest, inside small boxes poping in and out of existence on the screen. He teased with the face of the device, not really showing the contents to present company in a bid to reel them in.
He was, after all, about to offer both much more than they bargained for, for better or worse.
Freeport 8, Living Quarter D, Meeting Room A
Jonathan let out a quiet sigh. At last, the greed of the Houses and their corporations was beginning to show through.
The arrangement itself was simple enough, and Miss Tost seemed to understand it well. Zoners had lived on the fringe for centuries; they knew how to manage logistics — for their fleets, their stations, and their people in the deep Omicrons. Kadesh stood as the finest proof of that, holding firm in the face of every hardship. Compared to what Kadesh had become, Corfu was still a modest undertaking.
He had the distinct sense that whatever came next would be driven less by necessity than by ambition. Still, Phoenix had so far worked well with every other Rheinland corporation it had dealt with, so he decided to indulge Mr. Lieber.
He drew a steady breath.
“Before anything else, I’d like to clarify one point with Miss Tost. Convoys of that kind can—and will—be arranged. However, due to GMG regulations, any escort we provide in the Sigmas will have to remain limited to gunboats and smaller craft. Most of our capital vessels are already committed to reinforcing our installations.”
He took a sip of water before continuing.
“With that point settled — please, Mr. Lieber, enlighten us.”
Weiss Executive Officer Klaus Lieber
Lieber made a mental note of Johnatan's reaction. The Phoenix man was reasonably guarded, which was understandable. He put on a measured business smile and made use of the spotlight given:
"As you pointed out, zoner operations have entered another's space, and not just in the Sigmas. This, by necessity, does more than just export materials out to the Border Worlds." he placed his pad down, a holographic projection sprouting up to the benefit of the two others, "Tensions are rising once again between Kusari and Liberty, as they are between the Rheinland Military and the Gas Miner's guild. You may recall a few skirmishes reported recently, involving Red Hessian terrorists of all people in Sigma-13. A valiant effort was made to restrain the Corsair Imperio, whether in Rheinland, the savage Omega systems, or indeed in your home Omicron Systems. While successful, this has left a chaotic void in its wake. All of this affects shipping. The average and minimum insurance rate per ship has risen three times already in the past month. We expect this to only increase further."
Lieber made a bitter expression, mostly directed at the Daumann representative. Rheinland often spent as many credits as it made, trying to maintain a powerful presence in its corner of the cosmos. The Weiss Executive waved over the holographic map display, zooming in on the Sigma-13 junction, a red arrow tracing a path through the system, joining links between stars to reach Theta. From Theta, the nearby systems lit up to indicate a joint area of interest.
"As you have reminded us, your escorts are fundamentally foreign to the route your supply requires. Your supply also requires protection. I know your people are hardy and self-sufficient, but the materials and technology you wish to use for expanding your homes and fortifying them require a secure and regular supply chain, one whose costs only increase with the bulk involved. Over previous centuries materials from the Houses have always been shipped to the Omicrons at great expense in smaller lots, costing your people dearly. Only the unclaimed riches of the frontier were able to keep up with these needs, sold at a pittance." Lieber dramatically raised his shoulders in a shrug, adding "But Phoenix changed that. Core did so as well. Omciron Delta has become quite civilized, yet your needs only increased, ja? You are part of this world, now."
The presentation continued with a press of a button, giving Lieber a small pause to take a sip of water from a small cube. He raised his hand to indicate there's a lot more to come in his speech:
"This," he indicated at the cross of Houses centered around Liberty, suddenly surrounded by spotted green dots, showcasing Freeports, "is what makes you such. The sector at large recognizes you as one of its entities. It creates a few expected duties whether you like it or not. For you, building up your holdings seems like a simple transfer of resources, but that'd be too primitive. It would make you no better than Corsairs, and no more welcome."
Lieber furrowed his brow again, an image of resolve against some kind of mythic enemy beyond the decorated space of the meeting room:
"I'll get to the point. Phoenix is too big to get mere favors for credits. We also need a lot more than Iridium. Weiss wishes to collaborate on large scale projects that fit domestic needs as well. Trade must expand, and create supply lines that will ensure your homes endure attack up to Rheinland standard. Weiss and our associates require better guarantees we're not creating a Freeportress that could one day turn against ourselves and Rheinland, and need those guarantees signed and executed. I'm not sure what my Daumann colleague has in mind to demand, but we are authorized to request a series of contracts to the effect of treaties. These involve the following parties;"
Small blips of toxic lavender popped in and out on the map, inside Thuringia and Sigma-19, to which he paid no mind. One flash turned red, fading out of existence. The map was too detailed for a civilian owner, the live stream of data inside of it was also beyond such means. The moustached man stated his offer:
"The Rheinland Military requires multitude of supplies otherwise poorly unavailable, such as bulk h-fuel and certain rare medical compounds, Hamburg University offers an exchange program for scientists and medical personnel, and Weiss itself will purchase a large supply of exotic materials hailing from the deeper Omicron systems on an ongoing basis. In return, Weiss and Imperial Shipping will do more than provide supply for your construction, but also negotiate select docking rights inside Rheinland, exchange necessary technological and intelligence information to a degree, and provide networking opportunities that would otherwise be unavailable to your people. We believe in strengthening our bond, as the Gas Miners weaken and our House neighbours go to war, offering our hand in cooperation in a way no other House corporation would."
Lieber signalled the end of the speech, sipping on the cube. He was facing Johnatan, yet his eyes were somewhere in the distance again.
