Two weeks passed since the Securities Exchange and Trade and Inner Council meetings.  Everything couldn’t have been successful as it had been for us.  No one is that lucky all at once.  The Republic recognized our station as independent.  Venture capitalists were lining up to sink money into untapped trade routes that hadn’t been opened since the Clone Wars.  Even SELCORE (Senates's Select Commitee on Refugees) saw fit to give us nearly 1 billion credits in grants to buy food for us relocating refugees.
 
“You people are great.  What you’ve done up here already proves that.  But now, we have to be more than great.  We have to be perfect.  Give me one week of perfection then we can ease off for a few weeks while we set up trade lines to our new location.”  I had just finished addressing most of the workers, shop owners, families, and droids of the Black Flag Station as it was being called.

 It was my first ever corporate address.  I had selected as a name for the business as Knight Watch Shipping Corporation.  Basically, we were incorporated and being traded publicly.  Some investors in Coruscant had heard the rumors about my mass on planet hirings.  They sank the initial public offering sums of money into buying supplies while I could divert my finances to actually buying parts for the ships, station and whatever else Trapps, Gabi or I would think useful.  The workers, until  the company was fluent, were being promised a small shares of the stock relative to what they were brining to the company as far as inventory, skills, work, capital, ships, and so on.  We had openend on the Coruscant Markets Over the Counter Stocks with the help of Tarven Flimne, who would run the exchanges onboard station as well as central receiving manager.  He was a slippery fellow, but he was more interested in the challenge of making a profit then trying to rebuild the life he’d lost on board.

“We’re going to be our own community in space, a free port of trade without affiliations to any government.  Booster Terrik and Talon Karrde’s Confederation of Traders have agreed to use us an exchange station for all trade done between boarders of differing governments.   We are not to facilitate deals or establish new ones between parties as Mr. Terrik’s Errant Venture does.  Nor are we going to deal in the underhanded dealings of the Hutt’s and some of Karrde’s less reputable partners.  We are a shipping agency.  While not as large as Xizor Transport or Viraxo Enterprises, we will meet the call of shipping what we can handle by presenting legitimate bids to companies and governments.  We also will be able to operate without the restraints of government treaties.  Any port that wishes to accept our ships and our cargo that operates within the laws of that system and other body it belongs we will trade with.

“Our mandate is first to serve the contracts we fulfill.  Secondly, were possible, we will try to do pro bono work to aid systems and sectors undergoing catastrophe with food, clothing and supplies for shelter.  We will not work with any government to build up its military forces or supply lines.  We will not act as information brokers.  We are a corporation.  We will turn a profit shortly, actually, I take that back, with our first trading run, we will show a profit.

“Finally, I ask the leaders of the various factions in the known galaxy, to send trade viceroys, emissaries, misters, or ambassadors to visit our station and facilities.  I want you to see that we a legitimate corporation under the guidelines of the Coruscant Public Over the Counter Stock Exchange rules.  These rules have existed since the Old Republic.  They existed under the Empire, and they now still under the New Republic.  The people in this hangar bay and those not here on this station, onboard our transport ships, and future employees, are very well cared for.  They have come to build their lives due to the circumstances presented to them by two warring governments.  They have come to escape that conflict and build a life for themselves.

“I wish to thank the people who are starting all over with me, our venture capital investors, the respected seats on the Stock Exchange, the Security Exchange and Trade Commission on Coruscant and all who have helped me, my family and our friends set this company up to take a small niche in the total galactic community.  It is with great pride that I, Voren Lemelisk,  pronounce the Knight Watch Shipping Corporation open for business.”

I had done it.  The customary speech to the Secuirty Exchange and Trade Commission of any overseeing autority, as well as the media, government, and citizens was now over.  My statements were recorded and tranmitted over the Holonet by all the major business news organizations.  I had no idea.  I was possibly one of the few people being mentioned with trying to do something about helping the people of war torn Coruscant.

That morning I received messages from a who’s who of political power.  Mon Mothma cited me for helping those displaced on Coruscant.  High Admiral Terradoc would graciously accept anyone who who trade food for his men.  Capt. Pelleon said that any supplies we brought could be used for Imperial Credit to buy whatever we needed to help our organization.  Borsk Fey’lya warned me to watch my back, but hope the profits roll soon.  Leia Organa Solo sent me an uplifting speech different from most.  Talon Karrde said he looked forward to help some one to keep his people sharp.  Booster Terrik was drooling to get some small piece of the action of any Republic-Imperial Trade we made.  Randa the Hutt warned infringement on the Hutt lanes would be dealt with swiftly, but they were always in the market for new goods.  Anyone with any sort of power or political influence on the galaxy had sent me, a simple boy from the Pbarny region of Kuat a note wishing me success and not to stray from my initial precepts of establishing trade.  The Bothan Fey’ly and Randa the Hutt’s messages were a bit more threatening which I wrote off as not bad considering sooner or later I probably would piss off everyone in the galaxy.

Leia Organa Solo’s message was probably the most interesting.  You are not the excitable young defector who helped framed the laws of the New Republic anymore.  Yes, I know who you really are, but that is inconsequential to what you are trying to do.  While it disappoints me greatly that you are not going to study to be a Jedi with my brother, it shows great hope and courage in the name you have selected for your company, Knight Watch Shipping Corporation.  By choosing the word knight, I see that you hope to carry out the mission of the Jedi Knights of old.  Their mission was not to protect or even enforce the great mandates of Old Republic, but instead to serve the people of the Republic.  They sought justice for all.  Be that Jedi Knight.  Seek justice for those you can help, so they may help more.  Seek trade to open the people of galaxy to each other.  While I do not like the Empire, maybe by you trading with them, you can do what years of conflict have never done, resolve the situation by having us trade and sit down at the table. For that, I will watch you and your Knights.

The former princess of Alderaan was not privy to where we were going to be located, but I suspect in a short few hours she would aprove of her beloved Alderaan being used to form a new knighthood.  Though I felt her words spoke to me differently than the others.   I did not envision myself as a Jedi Knight.  Jedi did not for one try to turn a profit.  There maybe fame and opportunity in saving the galaxy as Jedi Master Luke Skywalker did, but there was no profit in it.

 It was a party in the hangar bay.  We’d worked hard the last three weeks.  Tomorrow, the massive engine scaffolding and power cells attached around the station would propel us in hyperspace to Alderaan.  We would be leaving the relative insecurity of Coruscant for the relative insecurity of the dead spot in the outer system of Alderranian.  I had a good feeling about this.  For the first time in weeks, I had a good feeling about something.

 “I’m still mad at you,” Gabi whispered in my ear.  “But I love you at the same time.”

 “Think I don’t know that,” as I drew her into my arms.  “You know me by now.  I knew the minute I called Trapps and told him to leave you out of it.  I knew everything.  Must be one of those Jedi things.”

 “Better hope it is,” as she kissed me lightly.  “No news on Mirax Terrik yet?”

 “No, I’m sorry.  I know this isn’t related to what we’re doing, but that’s all.  I’ll have to wait till Booster tries and makes contact again before I tell him about Mirax.”

 “He won’t be happy from what I hear.”

 “Nor should he be.  Relax.  Her husband is looking for her.  He’s going to find her if half the rumors about him are true.”

 “Alright.”

 “Enjoy our day.  Before you know it, she’ll be onboard trying to take millions of my credits away to buy things that’ll make you happy.”  She smiled at me then.  “Let’s go meet the media sweetie, it’s a big day for us.”  Gabi and I made our way down the small platform of Type A Cargo Containers we had made to form a platform.  We exited down what would be considered the top hatch and out it through the starboard side panel.  The holocams and recorders were hovering us as we departed.  The reporters started shouting questions at us.

 “How does it feel to be the first intergalactic trade corporation to start since the Empire?”
 “What do you expect your profit margins to be this quarter?”
 “When will your fleet expand?”
 “What designer will Gabi be wearing to the reception later?”

 In the madness of melee the two Noghri from the meeting with the Omega informer made the reporters form a semi-circle around us.
 “Thank you Gorran and Movek.  I have an announcement to make,” Gabi said.  This was a shock to me.  “On top of this joyous news for my husband and I, our company, and our friends we’ve made here, I’d like to say that I’m a month pregnant.”  My heart stopped.  I looked at her.  “I do not know the sex of the our child yet, but ask that you respect my privacy for the next eight months.  A statement will be released upon birth.”  The reports started shouting at me even further.

 “What do you hope it will be?
 “How long have you known?”  Five minutes ago I was at my utmost of elegance.  Now, the calmness over came me.  She was there inside Gabi.  I touched her presence with mine.  So fragile and innocent to the galaxy around her, I hope she would never have to see what horrors that her mother and I had been forced to endure.

 “Ten minutes ago, I wouldn’t have known how to make this day any better.  I just have found that way.  No more questions, please.  Gorran, Movek, if you would escort us to the reception area please.”

On to Chpater XVII
Return to the Table of Contents