Meanwhile…





“How is Professor Ratanachaya?” Vinda asked with keen interest…

Fay unfixed her gaze from the new recruits, and looked back at Vinda rolling her eyes in response…

“The same, that man is impossible to work with! He won’t let me near whatever it is he’s been working on”
The Corporate man could not help but let slip a chuckle at her words…

“The last time we spoke he claimed he had reached a breakthrough, but since he doesn’t let anyone near his lab, what that means is anyone’s guess…” She continued in annoyance…

Vinda’s smile deepened, and this time it was he who found himself remembering the first time he had met the Professor…







One year ago





“Good evening Professor!”

Vinda shouted up to the figure silhouetted by the sun beginning to set across the sky, but received no response; the Professor was wholly engrossed in tinkering with his huge telescope, murmuring to himself a myriad of calculations.

The large observatory, was in fact the Professor’s home, if you could call it that.

After trying to gain the man’s attention Vinda gave up and walked straight into the Professor’s abode, which was in fact just a lab.

As Vinda entered, he was greeted by a protocol droid, which ushered him onto what he could make out as the only place to sit. The lab was crowded with instruments, equipment; boards with advanced mathematical equations scribbled everywhere.

“Wait here” Rasped the droid rudely, as it shuffled away to fetch its master.

As Protocol droids went, its manners were not as expected. It seemed in need of a tune up.

What seemed like half an hour later, Professor Carl Ratanachaya advanced mathematician and hyperphysicist finally emerged from his upstairs laboratory and looked at Vinda with an irritated glare.

"Who are you? what are you doing here?" He demanded bluntly

Raising an eyebrow at the Professor's rudeness, Vinda simply put it aside, refusing to be deterred, but decided to come right to the point "My name is Seth Vinda, and I am here to employ your services, Professor" He answered concisely...

The Professor eyed him suspiciously, and said his visitor's name out loud..." Vinda...Vinda-Corp, yes?" He asked the businessman

"The very same"

"My services are not for sale" The professor remarked abruptly, and Vinda smiled in return...

"You don't know what I can offer, yet" He replied pointedly.

"I doubt you could offer me anything of interest, in fact whatever it is you are selling, I don't want it. Now if you don't mind I would like to go back to my work, I bid you good-day, the droid will see you out..." The professor's response was final and to the point, and he turned away then started back up the stairs to his lab...

Vinda however, sat back down on the chair, and lit a cigarra, taking a moment to enjoy it, before finally responding to the Professor who had now left the room, though Vinda knew he was still in earshot...

"That’s a shame professor, I had hoped we could work together, I thought you of all people would be interested in testing our new Prototype Quantum Accelerator..." Vinda retorted, and smiled to himself slyly, as he heard the sounds in the Professor's lab stop abruptly, replaced instead with a deathly silence...

Standing up, Vinda straightened his tunic, and made a move as if to leave..." but I suppose I was mistaken, never mind thank you for your time Professor, I shall not bother you again..."

At which point Ratanachaya's footsteps could be heard clattering down the stairwell...

"Goodbye professor!" The Corporate man shouted, just as The Professor burst back into the room...

"Wait!" He flustered...

Vinda turned around to face him, and raised an eyebrow in query... "Yes?" He returned innocently....

"You, you have a Quantum Accelerator!?" The Professor could barely keep himself from stammering.

After being so rudely treated, Vinda couldn't help but take the opportunity to enjoy this small moment...

"Oh yes I have, but you said yourself, you weren't really interested in anything I have, so I won't waste any more of your precious time. I can see you are a busy man, it was a pleasure talking to you"

Ratanachaya's face dropped, and he ran over to his visitor "NO! No! , Wait, look ...maybe I was too hasty, come in please, and take a seat Mr. Vinda, would you care for a drink or something?"

The old corporate mogul smiled broadly as he spoke...

"I'd be delighted to, Professor"

Eighteen months later...


Ord Radama

Zarathustra Hall, Estra-city







Zhou Chandra'ha leant back in his chair and watched as both the Cadomian and Ord Radaman Ambassadors each carefully and with no small ceremony signed the Hydian alignment , a treaty which would guarantee the safety and security of each planet, and along with it the all important trade route that swept through and past each system.

Not only would the accord preserve and recognise on each planet their democratic rights within the realm of the Commonwealth, each gaining a voice and a say in their biggest and closest trading partner, but it would act as a reminder of the responsibilities each member would have to honour their side.

Mutual co-operation and protection was the name of the game here.

The Commonwealth would provide the protection and the means to see the accord through in practical terms.

Traffic stations would be put up, to monitor traffic incoming and outgoing, commerce would be accommodated , with investments in infrastructure more suited to the needs of all parties concerned.

Star-ports, industrial centres, commercial districts, all would be collectively utilized (for such centres that existed already) or designed and built with this in mind.

The benefits spoke for themselves, with the investment, recognition, and recommendation from the Commonwealth to its own trading partners, these worlds would gain more influence, more business interest and with it better economies and future prospects for the worlds inhabitants.

It was an ambitious program, but one that had started shakily and was now growing at a rapid rate.

Zhou could not believe how long this road had been.


The Commonwealth Envoy reflected for a moment in all the strange twists and turns, that had befallen him since his appointment here.

He had remained, working stolidly in the background working tirelessly to build a rapport with the denizens, and its leaders.


There was a ripple of applause from the crowd surrounding them, and the Ambassadors smiled and clapped each other.


Zhou allowed himself a moment of both relief and elation, but it was tinged with a bittersweet taste, his friend and colleague, the Telosian Ambassador Toshiro, should have been here to witness the events occurring in front of him, but it was not to be.


Telos, for now, had chosen to stay independent, throwing their lot in with some new Corporation man named, Stellar.


It was a strange turn around, and one Zhou couldn't help but feel slightly bitter about, this man had come in and like some Johnny come lately swept them off their feet with a mixture of golden promises and hyperbole.

The Ambassador could only hope their decision was the right one, and that it would not come back to haunt them.

The Telosians needed real help.


He let it go, it was now out of his hands, and history would be the judge.


Zhou just hoped it would treat them well.



Still, now was not the time to dwell on past failings, but to look forward to the future, and with both Cadomai and Ord Radama onboard, well...two out of three wasn't bad.

Zhou smiled a little at this, and stepped forward to sign his own name upon the document, effectively legalising it within the eyes of the Commonwealth.

Quite a heady thing if he thought about it too much.


The Snivvian Ambassador, Gul Marain , smiled and handed the ceremonial 'pen' over to the human, and he took it gracefully with a bow of thanks, and signed his name elegantly upon the flimsi-plast document.



The Hydian alignment, and its alliance of interest was born.

Bonadan.





"The ship was called, Illicit Delights, commanded by .. by... Admiral Joel?" Miles Johnson looked at the report and Seth Vinda chuckled.

"One thing you can always count on with VC crews, they are eccentric."

Miles grinned, "I wondered where you sent all your cashiered Admirals." He began flipping through his notebook, "What freighter is Admiral Isstal on?"

At that, the corporate mogul gave out a hearty laugh. "We can laugh about it now but I tell you, at the time, the man was insufferable."

Miles nodded, "I remember. Nearly left us high and dry with that CSA business."

The VC Number Two was reminded about other pressing matters and returned to the subject at hand. "At any rate, the Illicit Delights has been repaired and has been returned to it's convoy.

Several Commonwealth members are giving us credit for the Ord Radama and Cadomai voting to join."

"It was the least they could do since they are taking most of our fleets, Section and planetary holdings.."

"Yeah, Sir. You're not leaving me with a whole hell of a lot. Section and our corporate spies can always be rebuilt but our convoys will have to rely on the Commonwealth Government rather than our own internal fleet."

"I truly am sorry for that, Miles. It pains me to gut my own company..."

"To bribe a government into giving you a sweet spot and payroll?" Miles asked innocently.

Vinda snorted, "I make more now than I would as a government servant. And since I am a founder of this Commonwealth, it goes without saying that my popularity will keep me in office for a while."

Miles wasn't entirely sure whether that last comment was serious or not.

Hard to tell with his old mentor...

"Plus, the image of you giving up your hoarded credits for the people helps keep you there. And the leadership will love all your supersecret R&D hideaways."

"I did not give everything away," Seth grumbled. Then he sighed, "Just a shame about Telos though.."

"Well, that's what you get for sending a Vinda Corp ambassador rather than a Commonwealth Ambassador. VC's got great representation and is filling out just nicely on the world, for which I thank you." Johnson then frowned, "There is this other company trying to weasle in called Stellar Enterprises.."

"That's your department now, not mine I am afraid," Seth Vinda stood up. "I am going to miss this office, you know?"

"No, sir. I've never had an office this lavish.." Miles started in deadpan and Seth put his hand on the other's shoulder. "Well, now you do."

Seth Vinda opened the case on his sparsly decorated desk and took out the last remaining cigarra.

"You know it's going to take half the company budget to get the cigarra smell out of everything?" Miles asked and Mr. Vinda merely grinned as his teeth clamped down. He bent his head down to light it and raised it behind a cloud of smoke.

"You gotta love those corporate challenges, Miles." The founder of Vinda Corporation bent the desk, took a writing instrument and signed the paper before him.

"There you go, Mr. Johnson. Active control of Vinda Corporation is now in your hands."

"If you need anything, Sir.." Miles started and Seth patted his shoulder.

"I know, son. I know. I just made a deal that should help you out. I may have need of their services as well, the particulars will be on your datapad, encrypted under the file name, Antrim."

"Sounds spooky," Miles observed and Vinda nodded.

"Let's just say I like to keep my options open."

"Will I get Vega?" Miles asked as they walked to the door.

"Achinta is coming with me. You find your own aide." Vinda grumbled.

"Take care of the corporation, Miles. You've alot of people depending on you."

"We'll be dodging Commonwealth Corporate Taxes with the best of them.."

"Don't you dare or I'll arrest you myself. None of this going before Congress to apologize for being an idiot!"

Miles Johnson, the new CEO of Vinda Corporation grinned, "I am sure you'll see many of our competitors on the Congressional floor."

"I have every confidence in you, my boy."

And with that, Seth Vinda switched off the light to his old corporate office wondering just how his government office will look.