Star Wars: The Defense Contractor
Summary: They say war symbolizes discipline, loyalty, heroism, one can make entire lists of words to describe war. In times of great turmoil, many leave it at that but what war really is, is an economy. It has outlived countless wars, republics, and empires. If you stay away from politicians, it is a reliable investment.
Chapter 1:
Blinding strobe lights shined on her as the eyes of her audience ere glued to the red dot emitted from her laser pointer on her powerpoint presentation. Some listened casually, others made shorthanded chicken scratch notes on their holopads, few appreciated the information being taught to them by their guest lecturer.
With war approaching the foreseeable horizon, the professor of this capstone economics course had elected to take a day off and invite one of his connection to give a lecture to the graduating class. The person currently standing on the stage wearing a plate carrier and helmet was Lynette Bridger. A Naboo native and prolific defense contractor across the galaxy. She has rubbed shoulders with many people involved in the defense sector from simple blaster smiths in the outer-rim to Kuat of Kuat, the head of Kuat drive yard.
Taking a sip from the glass of water on the podium, Lynette prepared her closing remarks.
"War is an economy. If any one of those politicians at the senate building say otherwise it is either they are foolish or grotesquely involved in it so much they cannot admit it openly themselves. I can openly attest that anyone senator moves more blasters and tibanna gas than I can in one month. You can argue that the pacifists don't take part in these acts but trust me, once blaster bolts start flying over their heads, their belief in pacifism will shrivel up within a few days."
A hand raises in the audience.
"Ms. Bridger, thank you for the insightful lecture but I am having a hard time understanding what you want us to takeaway from it. At the beginning of your talk, you mentioned you had a hidden message for us in your words. If I may be so bold, may I inform the entire class that your hidden message to us today is that you profiteer off conflict? That… you are a wardog?"
Lynette does not reply immediately, instead opting to take one final sip from her glass of water before replying.
"My boy, what I have taught you today, you will learn within one week of the day you step into defense contracting. Wardog is a term developed and popularized by the pacifists cliques of the republic senate to demonize and redirect attention away from the proud, hardworking, and essential defense contractor like me because, like I said before, many of them are getting filthy rich off the dealings in the industry and they don't want the constituents discovering what they have been up to. They are the true masterminds and hold the switches to the machinery that runs our industry. For the single, individualistic trader like me, we are their delivery boys and girls. We get shipments of vital defense hardware around the galaxy, very often for individuals who cannot have the hardware seen in their hands."
She squints her eyes to examine the individual more closely who had spoken to her in the crowd.
"I see you're an individual from…. That planet in the outer rim. Forgot the name of the planet but that does not matter since it no longer exists. The point is you openly speak critically of people in my line of work without seeing things from a different perspective. Consider the following, let us say… there are not people like me around chugging defense hardware across the galaxy. What will happen? Well, your planet will happen. The series of events that led to the demise of your planet is well documented and open for access to the public, do look. But then again, you might not so I will tell you right here, right now. The representative of your system put the man supplying defenses to your home out of work. Seized her ship, assets, all the hardware and sold it on the market, pocketing the profits for herself while your planet BURNED. I am not saying defense contracting is without its risks and pitfalls. It is a thoughtful, fun, and honorable line of work as long as."
Lynette clears her throat.
"As long as you do not rub shoulders with a politician, that will be the case. But if you must, make sure the politician is one you can trust your life with."
On queue, the auditorium lights up and the bell rings indicating the end of the lecture session. The exit doors were immediately flung open and Lynette's security detail storm onto the stage as their boss packs up her materials. Forming a tight perimeter, the troopers escort Lynette out of the auditorium and to the landing pad exclusively reserved for her cruiser.
"Any developments at Geonosis, the outer-rim in general while I was disconnected from the net?" Lynette inquires with her aide, Nobel.
"No major movements in the outer rim. Geonosis is still dark. Hyper-routes to the outer rim are also still closed as they had been before you gave your talk." The coffee haired apprentice replied, jogging behind her master, and scrolling through her holopad. "This feels fishy."
"Looks like someone in the senate is plotting something and wants to the spoils all for themselves. Like heck I will let them have all the spoils from whatever they have in mind. In other news, any word on senator Amidala?" Lynette inquires on her friend.
"I'm afraid not. The story still is the same, monitoring stations lost the IFF tone on her starship the moment she entered the Geonosian system." Nobel replies as they approached the cruiser.
"Nobel, heads or tails?" Lynette asks producing a golden coin from her pocket. "You said you felt lucky this morning so let me have some of that luck to decide my next course of action. If the coin lands on tails, we stay put and assume there is not adventure for us out there today. Heads, well, let's say our senator's secret boyfriend dragged her to Geonosis and they ae now strung up the dry somewhere awaiting to be executed in an arena surrounded by thousands of bugs."
"Heads?" Nobel replies to the ludicrous game.
Lynette flips the coin and it lands on her hand revealing….heads.
"Damn, looks like I have some calls to make. Nobel, restock the ammo and check the shields, brief the deckhands and security detail, we're going to Geonosis."
End of Chapter.
This is my first foray into writing Star Wars fanfiction. I hope this story was enjoyable as it is intended as a pilot project for something bigger. If I can get some feedback on this idea and approach to star wars it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for reading and until next time, Have a nice day.