Being called to the Jedi High Council chamber was an interesting thing. From what Master Labooda has told me, this is common when being given a mission, although the situation also gave me the feel of being summoned to the principal's office. Master Labooda was with me as I meditated before the meeting and she was going to be going in with me since, if she was right and this was a mission, it would be my first mission for the Jedi and it would be unusual to send a Padawan on their own.

The fact they asked for me specifically and not for my master with me in tow did raise a lot is alarm bells, but I could not think of what I might have done wrong. I have kept up with my training, while I liked Master Labooda well enough, I felt that we were managing to keep a professional enough distance in our personal lives considering that we were also roommates. Perhaps they found out about the damaged and bloodied clothes from my spar with Anakin and were concerned about it. The cut was already healed without a mark, it having not been very deep to begin with, and it was painless when it had occurred. Really, injuries are expected in practicing any martial art and making a big deal out of it is irrational. Best to take it as a sign to improve and move on.

The council doors opened smoothly, if not for the Force letting me know something was happening, I would not have even known that the doors had moved at all. To a Force User, this display is rather mundane, but I could very easily see it being used as an intimidation tactic against those not use to being around objects moving with no obvious reason.

Master Labooda and I enter the round chamber and stand in the center of the circle of chairs filled either with a member of the High Council or with the holographic image of a member.

"We have reviewed your proposal for combating slavery. There are a few questions we have for you about it and the choices you made within it," Mace Windu began without preamble, just letting me know they have already seen the first draft, and that I would need to defend my proposal before it was ready. Not ideal considering I was trying to get second opinions on any issues within it to be able to adjust the proposal or know what I would need to defend before I got to this stage, but I should be able to manage. I would just have to utilize the skills I had when I was in sales in my last life to spin the situation to my benefit.

"Of course Master. What questions do you have?"

"First, you appear to be advocating for the creation of a casino and the increasing in drug extraction from the mines. Mind explaining your reasoning."

Of course a religious organization would focus on the aspects that appear the most sinful first without looking too deeply at human nature and how vices always make profit no matter the legality. A rather irrational aspect of people, but an easy enough situation to deflect from the sin to the profits and the good that can come from it.

"Of course. Ryloth has a very limited amount of possible exports to grow its economy, so what resources it does have needs to be exploited as thoroughly as possible. Ryll spice is an important part of many medical drugs, so increasing production increases exports. I am also suggesting the funding of refineries being built on planet to reduce costs in transporting of high grade refined Ryll by minimizing the distance needed to be traversed by the product from extraction to refinement."

Sure some of the Ryll will likely end up falling off the trucks either before or after refining and end up in the hands of dealers selling for recreational use, but a careful accounting of the products should minimize the losses. Not that I was planning on mentioning how we were going to be filling the recreational drug market with more goods. No, best to keep to the medicinal uses of the drugs and how we are providing an increased supply of high quality medicines.

"This should help provide a base level of funds that should be fairly stable, but an economy specialized so far into one thing is in extreme danger of collapse should demand for one reason or another drop. Given the limited number of products capable of being produced on Ryloth, the solution is to create a service focused economy, particularly one with a focus on tourism. There is a degree of risk involved, but by getting the Republic to give the Ryloth sector freedom to set up casinos and other low risk, high traffic establishments, we can create an ecosystem that should flourish during times of economic prosperity. The Ryll trade should help shore up the economy during economic downturns because no matter how bad the economy is doing, people will still require medicine."

"That is a, uh, interesting take on medicine, but how are you going to deal with the Hutts?" Master Plo Koon said through his breathing mask. "They have a near complete control over all gambling establishments in the Galaxy."

A reasonable question considering how competitive the luxury pleasure market can be. It probably would be a problem if not for an elegantly simple solution to side step the issue.

"By inviting them to be involved."

"Elaborate please," Master Windu ordered after a moment. I suppose I should have realized that I would need to go in depth with my explanations to defend my proposal. Foolish of me to forget that.

"They own and operate nearly all the casinos already, they have expertise and connections that would be highly valuable to utilize. Invite them in to the initial pitch, offer them a chance to help finance as an investor. Should they refuse, hire them as consultants on the best practices to run a successful casino and pay to have them on retainer for additional advice. They will be incentivized either way to help the project be a success."

"And if they decide to not involve themselves and instead sabotage the project?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked. A reasonable concern considering the millennium long history of the Hutts being considered criminal scum. A bit unfair considering that the Hutts did not operate within Republic space and instead had their own galactic nation state with its own separate laws making what they did legal within Hutt Space. Perhaps morally and ethically dubious to some, but legal all the same. If they wanted to prosecute the Hutts for perceived crimes, laws would have to be created and enforced within the areas the Hutts operates in.

That being said, it would be a good idea to incorporate failsafes should the Hutts choose to be bold by deciding that Republic law does not apply to them when acting in Republic space. These same precautions should also prevent any other characters with a more flexible interpretation of who the law applies to from getting up to any questionable activities, which should help was the security minded traveler choose the correct location for their relaxation destination.

"If they don't want to play fair and make a profit, then we just need to make sure that their sabotages fall by increasing security operations and ruin casinos financially by attracting all the customers to our locations. If they don't want to collaborate, then let invisible hand of the free market choose the victor."

"How do you plan on financing this endeavor?"

And here we arrive at the heart of any institution's motivation, money. Where to acquire it and how to effectively utilize it to achieve goals and quite even more money. Of course an organization like the Jedi would not have been able to acquire the wealth they have by being overly generous, so by making it clear only a small amount would be required from the Jedi due to a number of alternative backers, I should be able to eek out a much greater funding from the Jedi so they do not appear uninterested in the end result of the project. And by getting the Jedi to invest more, the other companies should invest more to have a larger stake in the joint venture.

"The senator from Ryloth has already promised to provide some aid. I'm sure he has a few wealthy contacts willing to invest. In addition, the Trade Federation would be the perfect partner for transporting the Ryll spice to market, as well as possibly being able to expand into a luxury transportation industry to take customers from certain key hubs to Ryloth and back. The Techno Union would be ideal for providing equipment for the security forces and mining operations, and if we can cut them in on the profits then the cost for the equipment should be reduced as it would be them investing into the operations rather then them providing for a customer. Failing that, bulk orders usually result in lower per unit costs. And then there is the Banking Clans who should jump on the opportunity for a new revenue stream either through loans or through a stake in the company itself."

That should be enough to get the Jedi interested in providing the funds, now just to recommend it so there is no doubt about their willingness, "I would suggest the Jedi Order also invest financially into this enterprise to give the other parties extra confidence that the Jedi plan on sticking through the early stages of development where profits are likely to be non-existent and will stick with this for the long term."

"Hmm. Agree to this, we can. In charge, you will be. Require regular reports, we will."

Not surprising that I would be put in charge of setting this through. The reward for a job well done is more work after all. It will be challenging, but if I do well enough then promotion to Knighthood should be assured, bringing me one step closer to being able to "study the Force" on a beautiful tropical planet with plenty of beaches. Actually, I might even be able to use this little mission to visit a few possible planets under the guise of recruiting experts in providing luxury accommodations.

"And what role shall I have?" Master Labooda asked, reminding me rather harshly that indeed I am only a Padawan, an apprentice who has limited freedom in action.

"You are to continue to guide and mentor Tanya as her master," Master Windu answered, "but it is the council's opinion that as she has shown such initiative that Tanya should take the lead in proving the viability of her proposal. You have the freedom to curb any reckless decisions she may make and we are going to leave you in charge of making requisitions for this project."

I'll have to be careful not to abuse my role as the project head to keep Master Labooda going along with my suggestions. She is very clever and knows me well enough to know if I were to try dragging out this project for my own benefit. Having her constantly looking over my shoulder will force me to minimize my ability to gain fringe benefits on this project. A few I could probably spin as being important to the project, but too many and she will likely start vetoing all of them.

"Very well Master Windu. Is there anything else the Council requires from us?"

"I do. A quick question for a curious mind." Ali-Adi-Mundi asked, leaning forward in his seat, "What made you decide to write up this proposal?"

A fairly reasonable question about motivation. One I have a ready and true answer for, even if it doesn't go into how close the treatment of slaves reminds me of the way communist governments treated their own populations.

"On meeting some acquaintances of Master Labooda, the fact that in a society as advanced as the one we live in there is still slavery came up and I found the idea very unpleasant that a more permanent solution hasn't been established yet."

"Thank you. That will be all."