“Mirax Terrik-Horn, what a pleasure to finally meet you in person,” Chief started out.

 “Like wise.  I hope everything is going fine for you?”

 “As much as I can reassure my husband here that it is.”

 “Mine’s the same way.  He’s off on assignment.  Something about a promise he made a few years back,” Mirax explained.

 “That’s a relief,” I said.  “My wife said you have something about a home.  But I don’t see myself as the Coruscant type.  I’m sorry, but I don’t think we’d be interested,” I said.

 “Oh, it’s not on Coruscant.  I checked with some of my sources.  Talon Karrde being one.  He said that you are in the market to start something to make your company grow a bit more in the market place for this unique item,” Mirax said.

 “Ok.  What is it?”

 “An XQ5 platform that used to harbor the mirror satellite operators ferries and tugs.  Has a lot of surface damage.  Most of the weapons are gone too.  But life support and most power do work.  Just needs some work,” Mirax said.

 “A PLATFORM?!?!?” I yelled.
“Yes,” Chief said as she kissed my cheek.  “A platform.  I thought it could go in the stable pocket where you know what is.”

 “Why don’t we go back to my place and have me explain this to you.”  She led us past customs and into an air speeder car.  Trapps sat up next to Mirax.  Mirax didn’t seem to mind or care to mind that Trapps and I had a paranoid look about us still.  A thirty or so minute trip at mid altitude or so height brought us to a relatively undamaged section of Coruscant from the recent battle.  “This is just a loarner till Corran and I can get our place back.”

 “Oh, from who?” Chief asked.

 “The New Republic.  It was an NRI safe house.  Corran and I just moved in a few weeks ago after we returned to find the building that was our home, smashed into a Star Destroyer,” she explained.

 “You find it safe to do business there?” I asked her.  “No bugs or listening devices?”

 “None that I know of.  But then again, you’ll find what I’m actually brokering here is some thing different then just a sales pitch,” she said as she keyed the control to activate the landing garage’s door.  She eased us in pulling us out of the artery that was Coruscant traffic.  She led us to her apartment.

 Two men where standing appeared to be waiting in the hallway that Mirax was leading us down.

 The blonde haired man spoke, “Hello, Mirax.  Is Corran back from patrol yet?”

 “Hello, Master Skywalker.  No he is not.  I’d like to introduce you to some people that I’m doing some business with, The Quandistos, Gabriella and Paul, and their associate Trapps Sarlik.”  I shot Mirax a look.  Luke Skywalker.  We were as good as gone if he wanted to capture us as fugitives.

 “This is Kam Solussar.  I was coming by to talk to Corran about training as a Jedi and the new Academy I will be establishing, but maybe the Force has moved me to come talk to your associate here.  Paul, have you had training in the Force?”  Not wanting to lie to the man I thought was as close to a savior as this galaxy has none I felt compelled to talk.

 “Yes.  Some rather nasty Force sensitive people taught me some things such as calling and object, or pushing a key pad at a distance,” I gulped.

 “Take heart, Paul Pbarny.  I know you are the infamous Bad Monkey that is running an official trade of legitimate needed goods between the Republic and Empire.  I’m not here to harm you but now that I know you are a Force user, ask you to join me,” the man said.  As we had gotten closer I noticed how ragged his face looked.  He was young, perhaps not much older than me.  His blue eyes told the story that he’d seen horrors that no one should have to see and live with.

 “I can’t Master.  I think if I was discovered that I would be imprisoned or worse,” I said.

 “Then take this piece of advice: use what you know as you have, for the gain of others.  Make your actions serve others.  Never act out of anger, or you shall become as dark and corrupted as those who trained you.  Kam, let’s go.  Pleasure to meet you, Gabriella, Trapps, and Paul,” he said as he and Kam moved off.

 “I can’t believe you turned him down,” Gabi growled as she hit my arm.

 “I just can’t.  A Jedi, maybe one day, but not today.  The time isn’t right.”  Mirax said nothing, but visually I could tell she was resizing me.  Mirax keyed the door and it opened.  Trapps, who long ago didn’t like or tolerate much negotiation, did what was normal for business meetings that any of us undertook.  He guarded the door to the meeting.  He would alert us if necessary.

 “Can I bring you something to drink or eat?” Mirax offered.

 “I’m fine.  So is he,” Chief answered for me since sometimes she knew what was best for me.

 “Ok.  Well first off let me lay out what I have to offer here.  First is the platform, which I’ve bought the salvage rights for.  I’m willing to sell it to you for that plus fifteen additional percent.”

 “I can see that, but why would the four of us need a whole platform?  It’s not like we have the people or the renters for space on the platform lined up.  We do have the location, but no means of transporting it to the location,” I countered.

 “With the destruction here, there are some people who were just getting buy, but can’t afford to rebuild and stay here.  They’re looking to set up shop some place else.  I figured I’d broker a deal between you and them.  They’re paying me a flat fee.  They are expecting also to pay to outfit the station with the engine riggings that would be built on them at Fondor to station them in deep space.  Inexchange for purchasing those engines, they expect a rent free shop with so much guaranteed storage, free living quarters.”

 “Ah, so we give them the place to live and work.  This would allow us to spend some or our saved earnings on both sides to buy things like a bulk freighter or equivalent and start moving larger goods with higher profits?” I asked.

 “If that’s what you wish.  I just know according to my father and Talon Karrde that you are turning a fair amount of profit.  It’s just a matter of how much overhead you want to put up.  Being in the trading business myself I figured the lower the better,” Mirax explained.

 “Can we negotiate different arrangements with the various business owners?” Chief asked.

 “Yes.  They did make it clear though that they want a rent-free shop and living quarters.  I didn’t say you could guarantee the inventory space or anything else.  I’d assume that you’d want to negotiate some perks for yourselves and give them some as well.  Most are willing to give you almost a 10% net profit as a tax for your continued free trading policies with both sides,” Mirax went on.

 “Chief, how much do we have saved up for this?” I wondered.

 “Assuming we can offload all this cargo here on Coruscant, about Five point four million credits Republic and about another two million Imperial,” she said.  “Mirax is asking for nine hundred thousand for the platform.  We’re basicly left covering whatever the merchants can’t pay for to get it to where I think you’ll want to keep it.”

 “Ok.  We’ll deal Mirax, pending on negotiations with locals.  Contact them.  We’ll start negotiations immediately,” I decided.

 “You have four days.  I’ll be leaving on a trading run and hope to be back before Corran gets here.  You can use my apartment if you wish,” she offered us.