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Taski was the first to speak, wringing his hands together in an aggrieved manner. “Adding to Master Aure, there is the fact that we’ve yet to decide on an official currency. The Tof doubloon, culturally repulsive as it is, is stable. If we were to introduce a modified version of the Republic Credit, the fiscal turmoil might prove too much in our nation’s development. Inflation is a very real risk.”
“What do the Teladi use as currency anyway?” asked Sanada.
“The Buckzoid,” Kituh answered, “But they have a currency exchange for a surprising amount of money. Most of it’s for currency in the wider Unknown Regions, but they will still convert Republic Credits in addition to Tof Doubloons. There is, however, a small matter of their fifteen percent exchange fee…”
Fifteen percent?! At the current rate, the Mylar Star Alliance wouldn’t find themselves bound in chains, but by red tape and debts owed to a banker on the Teladi homeworld!
“There’s no denying that these Teladi are greedy bastards only concerned with turning a profit,” groused the Bothan, “And I’m not blind to their goals of using us as a buffer state between them and the Tof. But they aren’t slavers, and they see us as a long-term investment, even if the dividends and returns aren’t going to pay themselves off for at least a decade. They even abhor slavery…although that might be due to the fact that slaves don’t pay taxes.”
Aure wasn’t nearly able to cover her snort with her mouth, even as the other Archons weren’t quite sure how to react. But the Bothan wasn’t nearly finished, and added, “Their representative did mention that as a gesture of goodwill, they would be willing to sell us a mothballed fleet for one hundred thousand tons of ice. And make a gift in the form of a brand-new flagship to lead it. No strings attached, even if we don’t decide to take them up on that line of credit.”
THAT had gotten everyone’s attention, and even Keimann found his back straightening in his seat. For the first time in the meeting, Admiral Mercantor spoke. The human cut in before anyone could raise their own objections or observations. “I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but when you say ‘mothballed’, that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.”
“No, it really doesn’t,” agreed Keimann, focusing sharply on the Bothan. “Did you press them for what they meant by ‘mothballed?’”
The Archon of Foreign Relations remained composed, even as he had to double-check his papers. “They’re offering four corvettes, three frigates and two cruisers in tandem with the to-be-built flagship. And their definition of ‘mothballed’ is simply ships of a prior design generation. They’ll still fly well enough.”
(cont.)
