ST: It's Just Business

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C

Cereal

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Sidfriem was no longer a safe city. There were no promises of security in the lower tiers of several districts at least. Although the planet of Harum had grown and proved itself as a more dominant force in the galaxy in the last several hundred years, this advancement had thrown a massive wrench into its economic inner-workings. Businesses and technologies involved in the progress of the planet made the rich richer while lower class citizens slowly started losing a hold on their standards of living. The imbalance in the distribution of wealth was becoming greater, creating a gap that would cripple the reputation of the planet indefinitely if time allowed it.

Intergalactic Relations were a major part of Harum's business network, Sidfriem being one of the major switches for the traffic that was generated by that field of work. Because of that, most upper class citizens were involved with multi-planet conglomerates housing several corporations that were controlled, typically, by no more than a handful of people; in other words, people at the top of the corporate food chain made big bucks. Money turned into power and with enough power came immunity to most forms of authority or regulation. The scale of income varied dramatically as it was tracked up to the CEOs and owners of massive operations.

These ring leaders ultimately ran the city. That's not to say they earned their way to the top through the most fair dealings so to speak. Systems of justice were severely broken, outdated, and far too easy to work around. Two-faced practices were commonplace but a little spilled blood never hurt anybody important. Usually leaders used companies as hypothetical express lanes to getting other odd business done behind closed doors. It was a dog eat dog occupation to be in charge in this city, and few could truly rise to the occasion.

Welcome to Sidfriem City, the last place anyone wants to be.


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Sky Drive, the city's most prominent street for business, was lined with building after building. Super structures hundreds and sometimes over a thousand stories high peered high over head, nearly obscuring all view of the iridescent blue-green sky. Hovering docks lined many of the buildings to accommodate air traffic. Huge walls of glass were a normal site for the inhabitants and workers in this area of the city, although a commoner from the Underside would likely pass out from the enormity of it all.

One of the larger buildings, Tempest, housed a number of large corporations spanning close to eight-hundred floors. Among the highest floors was a collection of conference rooms often used by the occupying business of the building. Often times large groups of affiliated businesses would pile into one building to help keep what was said behind closed doors, well, behind closed doors.

Today, a meeting for a very prestigious group of "investors" was being held in Conference Room 201A, the smallest of all the rooms. This group was called home by the highest rollers on Sky Drive; some of the most dangerous people to get caught up with. For such a highly marked group, many find it strange that they meet every single week.


♦♦♦

"Gentleman, ladies, welcome. Glad to see you all... in tact,"
Lemonte said with a heavy sigh about him. A hard glance to the other side of the room met the eyes of a new, overly sweaty leader who had nearly lost his balls to a severely pissed off client three days earlier. "I'll save the ball busting for later," he said with a slight pause to allow for a group fit of laughter to pass at the rookie's expense, "and get right into this. We're potentially in a lot of shit, people. This is not a time to slip up." There was a heavy emphasis placed on his last sentence. "I brought something for us to watch."

A heavy stride carried him to the control display at the head of the table. A wave of the hand brought up a small holographic menu in front of him. A few quick flicks and finger gestures illuminated a large hanging piece of glass opposite his chair and a news report began to play.


"Large shipments of drugs intercepted... Several found dead downtown... Suspects found not guilty in today's hearing..." After zoning out for the majority of the report, Lemonte finally snapped out of his daze.

"Right, yes. All of these headlines are somehow connected to us. Do you all know how close we're cutting it now? Am I the only one who gives a flying fuck that we're slipping up on amateur jobs lately?"
His tone was sharp and his body language very clearly spelled out his displeasure for anyone who might happen to be deaf. "Any ideas of how to not make these dumb mistakes? Hm? I'd just love to know, because right now I can't even think straight. Such... amateu-... fu-... Somebody? Anybody?!"