Sometimes, Rico Belgardi wondered why he had ever agreed to work with the Union. His father, who had founded the namesake company in the twilight of his life, had gotten along just fine without any outside assistance. Though
He was long dead, but Rico wondered what his father would think of his business practices.
But his father had not found success through honesty.
It had been Rico, the enterprising son, who had turned Belgardi from a marginal family business into the mega-corporation it was today. Rico had expanded Belgardi's power an influence in ways his dad had only dreamed about: where his father had whimsically talked of buying representation in the planetary government of Pavo Prime, Rico had gone ahead and turned the planet into Belgardi's pleasure land kingdom. Belgardi (Universal now) was the primary power on numerous worlds, maintained one of the largest private militaries in the galaxy, and had inroads on industries ranging from agriculture to weapons production. Belgardi stock was a consensus pick by financial experts to continue to rise, as it had done for years, and Rico saw no reason why the company should stop expanding.
Still for all his successes, Rico always had a twinge of doubt. Though a vast majority of his success had come of his own ingenuity and hard work, Rico could never banish from his mind the specter of the Union. When he had first entered into the relationship with the shadowy organization, a decision he made alone- independent of everyone else in his company, he had thought little of the possible consequences of such an "alliance."
Looking back, he realized that at the time he had not fully understood the gravity of the situation. That moment felt like decades ago. He felt older, and wiser and it only made the original decision seem foolish.
Of course, if he had made a different decision, it didn't necessarily things would have turned out better. Rico couldn't even be sure that he would have been able to turn the Union down- especially in the manner in which he had contacted them.
The galaxy felt as if it was crowded with people out to get him. Though it had never been his intention, Belgardi had butted heads with the Empire on numerous occasions. Someone, he wasn't sure who exactly (though he had his suspicions), had tried to kill him. Vinda Corp had rebuffed his efforts to establish solid ties between the two companies. Granted the Black Dragons had been rather open and accommodating, but it remained to be seen how much they valued what was essentially a business association with Belgardi.
Which left Rico with the Union.
The Union’s hierarchy had assured him that he would be protected. Rico knew that the power of the Union was sizeable... but he also knew that his companies position was unique: its public front made it much more vulnerable, and much harder to openly defend. And Rico slept that much worse at night because of it.
Rico's insecurity had led to the bunker-like security of his private residence, the Executive Hexagon (yet not even that had prevent it from being ripped to shreds by agents of the Galactic Coalition). It was reflected in the droids he employed as bodyguards, and the way he traveled in large warships whenever possible. The funding for Belgardi's security forces had grown exponentially, partially to deal with a much-expanded territory to protect, but also because of Rico's fear of attack.
The Maelstrom class Command Cruiser was Rico's response to the growing threat of the "major" powers interfering threatening Belgardi. Double the size of the Immolator class, it was a veritable cocoon of protection and armed to the teeth. For once Rico had taken advantage of the Union, and avoided the detection of the major powers by having the flagship of the class be built at the Forge, the site of the Union's secret shipyards. He had covered his bases of course, sending requisition orders throughout Belgardi's bureaucracy, and claiming to have built the ship in modules and assembled them at a remote Belgardi locale for secrecy's purpose.
He had yet to see the vessel in person yet; though it had been recently completed and was due at Pavo Prime at anytime. He had been fortunate enough to receive an encoded holo-transmission of the ship’s first operational combat test. The results were impressive.
The Maelstrom, run up against a pair of old bulk cruisers and some TIE D fighter, demonstrated its considerable firepower by simultaneously destroying the two ancient capitals: It's ultra-heavy turbolaser batteries annihilating one of the ships, while a concentrated salvo of proton torpedoes consumed the other.
Close in shots of the attack runs by the TIE D's gave an excellent view of the wall of laser fire put up by the ships point defense laser gattlings, and a simulated missile attack faced a similar fate. Rico smiled as he watched the remainder of a large salvo of concussion missiles strike the ship's shields harmlessly after being whittled down by the gattlings flak.
Watching the footage, carefully edited to allow no reference points to reveal the Forge's relative location, reminded Rico why he had signed on with the Union in the first place.
And he would sleep a little more soundly.
He was long dead, but Rico wondered what his father would think of his business practices.
But his father had not found success through honesty.
It had been Rico, the enterprising son, who had turned Belgardi from a marginal family business into the mega-corporation it was today. Rico had expanded Belgardi's power an influence in ways his dad had only dreamed about: where his father had whimsically talked of buying representation in the planetary government of Pavo Prime, Rico had gone ahead and turned the planet into Belgardi's pleasure land kingdom. Belgardi (Universal now) was the primary power on numerous worlds, maintained one of the largest private militaries in the galaxy, and had inroads on industries ranging from agriculture to weapons production. Belgardi stock was a consensus pick by financial experts to continue to rise, as it had done for years, and Rico saw no reason why the company should stop expanding.
Still for all his successes, Rico always had a twinge of doubt. Though a vast majority of his success had come of his own ingenuity and hard work, Rico could never banish from his mind the specter of the Union. When he had first entered into the relationship with the shadowy organization, a decision he made alone- independent of everyone else in his company, he had thought little of the possible consequences of such an "alliance."
Looking back, he realized that at the time he had not fully understood the gravity of the situation. That moment felt like decades ago. He felt older, and wiser and it only made the original decision seem foolish.
Of course, if he had made a different decision, it didn't necessarily things would have turned out better. Rico couldn't even be sure that he would have been able to turn the Union down- especially in the manner in which he had contacted them.
The galaxy felt as if it was crowded with people out to get him. Though it had never been his intention, Belgardi had butted heads with the Empire on numerous occasions. Someone, he wasn't sure who exactly (though he had his suspicions), had tried to kill him. Vinda Corp had rebuffed his efforts to establish solid ties between the two companies. Granted the Black Dragons had been rather open and accommodating, but it remained to be seen how much they valued what was essentially a business association with Belgardi.
Which left Rico with the Union.
The Union’s hierarchy had assured him that he would be protected. Rico knew that the power of the Union was sizeable... but he also knew that his companies position was unique: its public front made it much more vulnerable, and much harder to openly defend. And Rico slept that much worse at night because of it.
Rico's insecurity had led to the bunker-like security of his private residence, the Executive Hexagon (yet not even that had prevent it from being ripped to shreds by agents of the Galactic Coalition). It was reflected in the droids he employed as bodyguards, and the way he traveled in large warships whenever possible. The funding for Belgardi's security forces had grown exponentially, partially to deal with a much-expanded territory to protect, but also because of Rico's fear of attack.
The Maelstrom class Command Cruiser was Rico's response to the growing threat of the "major" powers interfering threatening Belgardi. Double the size of the Immolator class, it was a veritable cocoon of protection and armed to the teeth. For once Rico had taken advantage of the Union, and avoided the detection of the major powers by having the flagship of the class be built at the Forge, the site of the Union's secret shipyards. He had covered his bases of course, sending requisition orders throughout Belgardi's bureaucracy, and claiming to have built the ship in modules and assembled them at a remote Belgardi locale for secrecy's purpose.
He had yet to see the vessel in person yet; though it had been recently completed and was due at Pavo Prime at anytime. He had been fortunate enough to receive an encoded holo-transmission of the ship’s first operational combat test. The results were impressive.
The Maelstrom, run up against a pair of old bulk cruisers and some TIE D fighter, demonstrated its considerable firepower by simultaneously destroying the two ancient capitals: It's ultra-heavy turbolaser batteries annihilating one of the ships, while a concentrated salvo of proton torpedoes consumed the other.
Close in shots of the attack runs by the TIE D's gave an excellent view of the wall of laser fire put up by the ships point defense laser gattlings, and a simulated missile attack faced a similar fate. Rico smiled as he watched the remainder of a large salvo of concussion missiles strike the ship's shields harmlessly after being whittled down by the gattlings flak.
Watching the footage, carefully edited to allow no reference points to reveal the Forge's relative location, reminded Rico why he had signed on with the Union in the first place.
And he would sleep a little more soundly.