Note: I changed the names of the ships. The most important one is the frigate will now be called 'Gred' instead of 'Oliver'.

Chapter Two

After his small fleet was complete, Harry decided to explore the Mid Rim for a good place to build a base. He met a lot of people during his journeys and he had seen some incredible sights. It was obvious that the Republic could not properly provide security the farther you were from the Core. He had already met pirates who were bold enough to attack a frigate, but they did not stand a chance against his magically enhanced ships. 3 CHSR-g1's were always flying escort with the Gred and the Firebolt. So, they were never caught unguarded by the pirates.

An interesting discovery that he made was a habitable moon of Alaris, a gas giant, in the Kashyyyk System. There were ruins on the moon, so he knew that it had been inhabited before. But somehow, it was forgotten and it remained hidden by the size of gas giant it was orbiting. The seven other moons of Alaris were not of much value. Harry wanted to stake his claim on the gas giant and its moon, but the system was already home to the Wookiees and the Trandoshans. The Trandoshans were known to be pirates and slavers and the Wookiees were their favorite target. It presented an opportunity for Potter Solutions.

So, he landed on the city of Kachirho of Kashyyyk to meet with the Wookiees. They were suspicious as Harry was a stranger to them, but he was able to convince them enough for a meeting with the chieftain of Kachirho, Tarfful. He was granted a landing permit with the Firebolt shuttle. The only escort that he had was Dobby.

"Greetings Chieftain Tarfful and to the People of the Trees," he started after he was led to some form of public court. There in the middle of the crowd was the chieftain surrounded by his people.

"My name is Harry James Potter and I've come as the president of Potter Solutions with a proposal to your people."

[And what would that proposal be, I wonder? What would a merchant from the Core want with the People?] Tarfull replied with Dobby translating his words to Harry.

Harry could learn the language of the Wookiees, but it would be more suspicious if an unknown like him could understand them.

"I want to claim the gas giant Alaris and its moons as my company's holding and to build a base of operations there so I can expand my business outside of the Core. I ask the people of Kashyyyk to support this venture of mine."

The Wookiees purred at him and at one another.

[I appreciate your candor, but, why would we support you in claiming something within our systems?]

"But it isn't your system, at least not yet. You share this system with the Trandoshans." He heard more growling. "And your government do not have sovereign claim over the whole Kashyyyk system. In exchange for your support, I will provide you with the means to protect Kashyyyk from pirates and slavers. I'm taking about armed starships and weaponry."

[We are not without protections of our own.]

"Indeed, but what you have is not enough." That got more reaction from the crowd.

[This base that you intend to build, what would its purpose be?] asked Tarfful. Harry could tell that he was already intrigued.

"There would be shipyards, resupply stations, perhaps a commercial station. Your people can be given priority in opening their business there. It mean great changes economically to the system."

[And you have the means to build such a thing?]

"Yes. My company already has a considerable shipyard in Corellia and we have the capital for this undertaking."

With s Sorcerer's Stone, wealth in pretty much meaningless for Harry. He started his business as an excuse to explore the galaxy, but he found that he enjoyed the work. It was also a way for him to protect himself. There were powers in this world that were beyond him and he did not mean the Jedi. He was wary of the governments or the criminal organizations in the galaxy that would surely be interested in him if ever his abilities became known.

[And what form would our support would take?] Tarfful looked intensely.

"First, your government will recognize my company's claim. Second, your people will help me in realizing my plans on Alaris."

Alaris was made up of hydrogen and helium mostly, not very valuable. The moons were barren rocks, as far as they knew. Kashyyyk did not have much use of the Alaris and its moons. Or to be exact, they did not have the means of making use of the gas giant.

[We can come to an agreement, I think. In exchange, I want Kashyyyk to get 50 percent ownership of the station.]

Harry was pleased that Tarfful opened the negotiations, but he did not let it show. "It is too much," he said. "I can agree with 10 percent. In return, I will gift the Kashyyyk forces with 2 frigate class ships and 12 gunships made by my company. Their quality is something I am proud of as I designed them myself."

Harry did not care for the initial cost. What he cared about was the right to and control of Alaris. He could give Kashyyyk part of the income from the facilities there, but ownership must never be brought to question.

[We are thankful for the ships, but how about 30 percent share and we will lend you our best engineers at no cost.]

"20 percent. Kashyyyk and Alaris will have a defensive agreement. Plus, I will pay your engineers with rates according to Republic standards." This way the Wookiees would be incentivized to help him for their own benefit and not because they were ordered by their chieftain.

Tarfful turned to consult his advisors. Their discussion went back and forth for a while and Harry waited patiently for their decision.

[Your terms are acceptable. Let us hope that our cooperation will bring a prosperous future for our peoples.]

"Potter Solutions and I, personally, are honored to be working with the People of the Trees.

Harry decided that he would be staying in Kashyyyk for a while. He was already waiting on the delivery of the new fleet for Kashyyyk. After which, he would start building on Alaris. He met with the Wookiees planetside when he needed to, but he stayed in orbit most of the time to coordinate the operations of his businesses from the Firebolt. He lived a solitary life, something which he had gotten used to when he was still living in the Wizarding World. But at some point, he would need to have people working with him, not just droids. He already have employees in the Core worlds, mostly warehouse managers. The actual operations of and were done droids.

Two months after the deal was made, one of the settlements on Kashyyyk had come under attack. The pirates, who turned out to be Trandoshans unsurprisingly, had come with 3 cruisers and 6 light freighters and a dozen smaller ships. On their side, the Wookiees had 2 modifier freighter, 8 fighters/gunships, and several ground based defenses. Harry, on orbit, had the Gred, the Firebolt and 6 CHSR-g1 gunships. It had come as a surprise and most of the defending forces were located near Kachirho, the capital.

Harry waited before moving his fleet. He would be outnumbered if he attacked, so, he waited. 2 of the pirate cruisers started their descent to the planet. They were planning to take as much Wookiees as possible. While the other cruiser and its escorts was moving closer to his location. He ordered his fleet to withdraw while remaining in a defensive formation and the reserved gunships were launched from the Gred.

They were moving away from the planet and the pirates seemed confident. They started firing. The escorts, made of fighters and light freighters maneuvered to enclose Harry's ships. That was when Harry saw his chance. The other forces of the pirates were already half way landing on the planet. He ordered his fleet to counter attack. The Gred and the CHSR-g1 targeted the escorts first. With their droid computers constantly in communication with one another, the gunships were able to coordinate in choosing their targets efficiently. Two CHSR-g1's firing at a single fighter at the same time were enough to overpower the shields and destroy the enemy. The Gred had also proven to be too powerful as its turbolasers cut through the enemy ships.

That exchange must have surprised the pirates as the enemy cruisers launched multiple missiles at the Gred. Its droid computer must have calculated that the missile were no threat as it chose to advance instead of evading.

"Gred, damage report!" he demanded.

[Shields at 80 percent. No structural damage,] a mechanical voice replied. The enemy was turning, but Harry will not let them escape.

"Destroy the enemy's shields with lasers, then, launch missile to disable their engine"

[Orders received.]

The Gred did as commanded. The shields of the pirate cruiser dissipated in less than two seconds of concentrated turbolasers. Two missiles were fired at the engines. Then the Firebolt swooped in and fired its laser cannons at the cockpit of the pirate vessel.

Two escape pods launched from the disabled cruiser. So, Harry ordered 2 of his gunship to pursue. With the enemy ship disabled, the situation in orbit was well under control. The battle on the planet surface was very chaotic, however. So, he commanded his remaining ships to enter the atmosphere.

Harry was seated at the captain's chair in the Firebolt. There were several holoscreens in front of him giving him live updates of the battle. The Firebolt droid was in control of all the maneuverings of the ship. He could see that the pirate cruisers were landed at a beach near the settlement they were attacking.

[Master Potter, there is an incoming transmission from the surface,] said the ship droid.

"Patch it through." A holographic figure of Tarfful appeared in front of him.

[It is good to finally see you, Harry! We thought that you would not be coming!] Tarfful was automatically being translated by droid.

"We were taking care of the pirates in orbit, Chief. What is the situation?"

[The pirates scum have all but destroyed the village. They have taken some of the people into their ship. We are having difficulties in approaching the ships to launch a rescue. We can't let them leave!]

"Agreed. Leave it to us." The call was ended, then Harry commanded, "The Gred will commence fire on the cruisers to disable their engines and nothing more. Chasers 1 and 2 will cover the Gred. Chaser 3 and 4 will follow the Firebolt to flank the enemy fighters."

[Orders received.]

Harry could feel the ship accelerating even with the inertia dampeners on. He had programmed his ship droids to be able to make maneuvers that an organic pilot would never attempt. Only a few pilot would be able to avoid disorientation in what his droid controlled ships could do. At one point of his life, he would have loved to be a fighter or a gunship pilot, but that was not his role in this battle.

He had experiences in leading an army. About 50 years after his battle with Voldemort, the Statute of Secrecy had failed. The fear between magical and non-magical resulted in a worldwide war. The Wizarding World turned to him to lead them in battle. It had been a bloody and brutal fight for survival for the magical people. But after 4 years of war, they had managed to negotiate a peace treaty. It took more than a hundred years after that before hatred between magical and non-magical people faded.

The cruisers on the ground were easily disabled before they could lift off. The attacks of the Gred were very precise. It moved above the village and had taken a defensive position. It was only a matter of time before all attackers were destroyed or driven off.

As he expected some of the pirates had broken off from their attack and tried to escape. The Firebolt and the gunships with it were on their tail. Just as it seemed that the pirates were going to escape, they were picked up by the gunships that took care of the escape pods from the cruiser in orbit. They got destroyed by attacks from above and below.

The battle was over but there were still much to do for the defenders. The people would be occupied for a while recovering from the damages of the raid. People argued and they tried to push blame on one another. It was hard to feel victorious and it was a familiar sight to Harry. More than a hundred Wookiees had been killed, but at least, they prevented the pirates from taking their people.

The surviving pirates were rounded up and imprisoned. Harry did not doubt what would happen to them later on. Wookiees were merciless towards slavers and they specially hated the Trandoshans. They were being interrogated to find out where the pirate stronghold was. Unfortunately for the Wookiees, Harry had examined the pirates earlier and taken that information before obliviating them.

But he decided not to share this to the Wookiees. Tempers were hot at the moment and they would probably launch an ill-fated attack on the pirates. Even if they succeed, it would result in an escalation of hostilities between Trandoshans and Wookiees that they would not be able to sustain.

He did find out though, that the leader of the pirates was killed in orbit. There would probably be in-fighting between the remaining pirate groups for control. He assumed that they would be unable to make another raid on Kashyyyk in the meantime. The threat that these pirate posed would cement the Wookiees' dependence on him. It was a cold and calculating move on his part.

Withholding information to unite the Kashyyyk and Potter Solutions, Dumbledore would be proud. Despite Harry's complicated feelings about the man, Dumbledore had been a great mentor even decades after his death. But unlike the old headmaster, he was not arrogant enough to believe that whatever he was doing was 'for the greater good'. He was clearly only looking out for his own benefit and he realized that did not have any problem with that. That was not to say that Harry had become completely selfish. After all, he truly wanted to help the Wookiees, but he would not seek revenge against the Trandoshans on their behalf.