NationStates Jolt Archive

Robert Stevens steepled his fingers and closed his eyes, sitting at his desk and waiting. He was on the top floor of the Stevens building, a skyscraper near the center of Sumguaia that he built and owned. In this structure were the headquarters of the dozens of various companies that Stevens owned.

He stood up, and walked to the large french doors behind him, which led on to a balcony, and opened them, allowing a breeze to sweep into the room. I do hope they are on time. Stevens thought, looking at his watch.

The trip to the headquarters seemed quick when he played it over in his head. Nick Saller had never visited the country of Lord Sumguy, but he had met Lord Sumguy once years ago. Now it was all a memory. The limousine pulled up and his bodyguards quickly surrounded Saller as he left the limo. There were actually a few Look Incorporated buildings in Lord Sumguy, he had seen one himself on the way here. Accompanying him was General Rames, who was in command of Lord Incorporated's private army and in charge of the mercenary deployments. They entered the building and he was told the meeting was on the top floor. With a short trip up the elevator, he entered the office of Robert Stevens he was presumed to meet.

"Mr. Saller." Robert said, turning around. "It is a pleasure to met you." He continued approaching the man and extending a hand covered by a black glove to be shaken. "I trust you did not encounter any problems involving transportation on your way to see me?"

"Mr. Saller." Robert said, turning around. "It is a pleasure to met you." He continued approaching the man and extending a hand covered by a black glove to be shaken. "I trust you did not encounter any problems involving transportation on your way to see me?"

"No not at all. The weather and scenery was interesting." said Nick, shaking his hand. "This is General Rames of the Look Incorporated army." he said introducing Rames.

"And a pleasure to meet you, General." Stevens said, shacking the man's hand. "Now we must wait for the other guests from New Haven to arrive." He smiled. "you must understand, I am a businessman, and I don't plan on spending four trillion Sumguaian dollars with only one bidder for my money."

Robert gestured to the balcony, where a nuber of chairs had been placed around a table, on top of which was a botle of champagne and several wineglasses. "Would you fine gentlemen care to join me?"

Captain Jones was a large, rough looking fellow. His beard reflected his personality, on the edge of insanity, yet old fashioned. His dress, a suit with an overcoat worn over, resembled the dress of an old merchant rather then a pirate. His hat, like the flag worn by his flagship, carried the typical pirate banner as well as the words 'Sin Vereor' written under the skull and crossbones. Those Latin words, meaning 'Without Fear', were also worn by every member of his crew. However, Harvey Bellamy, a tall, quiet, bald man, who also serves as the Captain's bodyguard, took the slogan to a new extreme when he tattooed his bald head with the words. Sporting an eye patch on his left eye, Harvey's reputation was as impressive as his psyche.

As the Captain struggled out of the taxi cab, with Harvey's help, the other crew member accompanying the Captain, Garrick Falls, was busy negotiating a price with the taxi driver in gold bars. Garrick was a talkative, yet intelligent lad. Though he was lacking in height, he was by no means lacking in ingenuity or spirit: it was his hand that kept many of the ships in Captain Jones's fleet running and it was also by him that many of the extraordinary hijackings had occurred.

With the Captain leading, the three walked into the elevator of the massive skyscraper. An office employee had the misfortune of wanting to get in the same elevator as the Captain and was abruptly pushed out. The Captain, growing impatient, stomped his peg leg furiously until the elevator submitted to him and opened its doors to Robert Steven's office.

"Ah, Captain," Stevens said as Jones entered the office, expertly hiding his amusement at the man's stereotypical appearance. "Please, come and have a seat."

As Jones sat down Robert leaned back, regarding the two men before him. "You are both, I am sure, well aware that I am Robert Stevens, currently the wealthiest man in the Holy Empire. I and my associates have need of your services, for we wish to hire out a very large mercenary force." He smiled. "What sort of ground and naval forces would I be able to purchase with, say, eight trillion universal standard dollars?"

The Captain took a seat and listened carefully to what Stevens said, but as soon as the money involved was mentioned, the eight trillion dollars, the Captain let out a hardy laugh and quickly stomped his peg leg down hard.
"My entire fleet and 20 million ground troops!", he shouted.

Robert chuckled. "Well, now that we have that hypothetical out of the way, I wish to enquire as to the price of purchasing control of your...operations, Captain. Do you think that 1.5 trillion would be sufficient?"

Robert chuckled. "Well, now that we have that hypothetical out of the way, I wish to enquire as to the price of purchasing control of your...operations, Captain. Do you think that 1.5 trillion would be sufficient?"

The Captain briefly discussed with his men and then announced: "Two trillion! No less."

The Captain briefly discussed with his men and then announced: "Two trillion! No less."

Stevens smiled. "A price like that and you want more? One-point-seven trillion."

Stevens smiled. "A price like that and you want more? One-point-seven trillion."

The Captain frowned, but after a few seconds, slammed his hand on the table and yelled, "Deal."

The Captain frowned, but after a few seconds, slammed his hand on the table and yelled, "Deal."

"Indeed," Stevens replied. "but before we seal things off, I must make sure that you know what will occur once I am in control." He poured himself a glass of champagne, his smile not having faded. "You and your men will cease all piracy immediately. I and my associates will pay for any needed repair to your vessels, and provide you with the best equipment that we are able to afford, and trust me captain, there is little we cannot afford. All mercenaries under your control will be organizaed into a proper security firm, will be given military-grade training, will receive salaries as well as bonuses for active duty, and will be subject to a code of ethics and rules of engagement to be taught to you by my own current security forces."

He regarded Jones for a moment. "So, what do you say to that, Admiral?"

The Captain stroked his chin. He knew that him and his men only began piracy as a means to make a living. "And of the men's families? Will the men be allowed to bring them as well?" Other then the issue of the men's families, the Captain saw no other problem to the proposal. New Haven was a hellhole, any rascal with half a brain could admit that and he was sure that none of the men would refuse a high paycheck, even if it was an honest one. "If my men can bring their families, we have a deal."

"They will of course be able to bring their families along." Robert said. "It will not be cheap, but I will arrange everything for your emigration and immigration, as well as housing for the families and trainging grounds."

He paused. "I must warn you though, admiral, that all unlawful activity will cease the moment you cross into the Holy Empire. Any lawbreaking that occurs after such a point will result in...correctional measures."

He smiled. "You, admiral, are a criminal no more. I do hope you will act accordingly."

Stevens seemed to realize something, and laughed. "Mr. Saller, it would seem I have become your competitor."

The Captain stood up, shook hands with his new boss, and left. He had to return to his people and inform them of what was happening. As he left the room, the Captain's peg leg made a thumping sound. A sound reminiscent of the drums of war.

OOC: Wait a sec, whats going on?

OOC: Wait a sec, whats going on?

OOC: the CF just bought out most of the pirates and mercs in New Haven, and will be forming them into a private army later. It doesnt much affect our negotiations.

"And a pleasure to meet you, General." Stevens said, shacking the man's hand. "Now we must wait for the other guests from New Haven to arrive." He smiled. "you must understand, I am a businessman, and I don't plan on spending four trillion Sumguaian dollars with only one bidder for my money."

Robert gestured to the balcony, where a nuber of chairs had been placed around a table, on top of which was a botle of champagne and several wineglasses. "Would you fine gentlemen care to join me?"

Rames and Saller followed him to the top. They waited patiently for Stevens to finish talking with the other guy then Saller said, "Lets get down to to business."

"Indeed, lets." Stevens said, smiling. "I wish to reserve all of your available forces for use at a later date."

"Indeed, lets." Stevens said, smiling. "I wish to reserve all of your available forces for use at a later date."

"Reserve all of our available forces? Thats ten million men." said Rames, surprised. Normally orders were like a few divisions, but ten million men was another matter.

"Yes, I am aware." Robert said. "You question my motives behind this purchase, no?"

"Yes, I am aware." Robert said. "You question my motives behind this purchase, no?"

"Well, this is rather a large purchase..." said Rames uneasily. Previously, the Greali government wanted a million men, which Rames gladly sold away. But ten million men!

"Well, this is rather a large purchase..." said Rames uneasily. Previously, the Greali government wanted a million men, which Rames gladly sold away. But ten million men!

"You are aware that there is a very large war on, aren't you General?" Stevens asked. "I wish to help ensure that our nation's enemies are not victorious. That is why I also wish to purchase all available naval forces, and wish to inquire as to how much it would cost for you to provide your own supplies when said forces are deployed."

"You are aware that there is a very large war on, aren't you General?" Stevens asked. "I wish to help ensure that our nation's enemies are not victorious. That is why I also wish to purchase all available naval forces, and wish to inquire as to how much it would cost for you to provide your own supplies when said forces are deployed."

"Alright. Then the total cost should be around 5 trillion dollars." said Rames. "The entire Look Incorporated navy and army is at your disposal."

"Alright. Then the total cost should be around 5 trillion dollars." said Rames. "The entire Look Incorporated navy and army is at your disposal."

"And what would be the cost for Look Incorporating providing logistics for said forces it'self?" Stevens asked, smiling.

"And what would be the cost for Look Incorporating providing logistics for said forces it'self?" Stevens asked, smiling.

"A hundred billion a month." said Rames.