Pete takes another sip of his bottle and turns to the Admiral.
''Where's the toilet around here? And why y'all being so serious?''
Pete asks while he lays down his feet on the empty chair next to him.
The smell of alcohol spreads the room as Pete burps followed by smudge trying to outburp him.
Clearly these gentleman are from a lower social stance compared to the rest of the people present.
Orias peers at Pete with some distaste before threading her fingers together.
"We're here to discuss the future of Kansas. At the moment it's an empty system, nothing of worth, nothing of interest. Liberty couldn't care less about the system, and that means it's perfect. The Planets might be populated, the asteroids mined, throughfares might be constructed. In all gentlemen I propose an alliance between our groups, so that we might bring this to come to pass. Each of our organisations can bring something different, whether that's engineering expertise, scientific advance, warships and a defense force or... Less desirable but never the less necessary skills."
With this an ensign seated in the corner of the room tapped a few commands down on the thin control surface before him, a projection of Topeka flaring to life, projected above the table, complete with a minature carrier.
[22:29:00 | Edited 22:29:52] Corey (Gheis): Just because I'm an admin doesn't mean I can't appreciate an attractive woman.
*Smudge said this trying to imitate the posher tone of the voices surrounding him, excluding Pete, of course. He then sat on the seat next to Pete that didn't have rusty footprints or rusty feet on. He was seated and the hologram appeared*
"This calls for another question. You speak of colo.... *Smudge struggles to say the word, but spits out a rough translation in the end* ...of colorisation but you display a picture of a Gassy planet! What does it mean? And whats the relevance of the planet?"
*Smudge then pulls a smoking pipe from his pocket and fills it with tobacco. Proceeding to smoke it, slowly misting the room with a wisp of smoke*
"I didn't say Colonisation was our only objective. To make this a legitimate place to live it needs a source of income, people need to work. We''ve came up with a simple idea, to construct several space-borne refineries, to convert the feral atmosphere into usable fuels and gasses, exporting the product. The question of actual habitation, apart from those working on the refineries, would be Witchita, Cerberus allowing of course."At these words the Holographic planet slides away, resting at the furthest end of the table, several large platforms glowing into being around it as a replica of Witchita becomes the centre of attention. "We plan to build a small amount of, for want of a better word, floating cities. These will be similar to the stations throughout Sirius, however with large buoyant constructs below. Half of these would, instead of habitation, contain manufactory plants which could be supplied from the nearby planet and asteroids"
[22:29:00 | Edited 22:29:52] Corey (Gheis): Just because I'm an admin doesn't mean I can't appreciate an attractive woman.
Pete sighs and turns his head to all people around the table , one by one giving them a glazing look.
''Sounds great ! Greaaaheat plan!!''
He shouts out loud.
''But what about the costs of those ehm cities , and what if those no good Liberty peoples come down to deny our claim?
Tell ya what , we need more then an alliance and some flashy holographs to protect mý city from being blown to pieces!
And those no good jobless Hellfire Legion peoples,
they are breathing down our necks too in case y'all haven't noticed.''
Pete finishes his bottle and gestures Smudge to give him another one , while lighting a cigar.
'The cost would be... A fair amount. But think of it as an investment, it will soon pay for itself. Before then, the Battlegroup has an amount of funds we can dedicate do this cause. But ofcourse, not enough to complete this project on our own. I'm sure, Mister Pete that the Outer Project is able to raise some funds in your... Unique way. And Liberty... That's an easy prospect. For now we ignore its presence and build in, our, system. If Liberty ever decides to bother with a worthless system to them, then we'll offer to purchase it, for an exorbitant amount of credits. More than the system itself is worth. If this is not successful, we'll fight for our work. We have a sizable fleet, not enough to take on Liberty of course, but once they see we're willing they'd be mad to risk their men and equipment, which alone will be more worth than the system they're fighting for.'
Finishing her small speech, Orias lifts one of the pewter recepticles, filling it with the red wine on the table before taking a sip, wetting her mouth.
[22:29:00 | Edited 22:29:52] Corey (Gheis): Just because I'm an admin doesn't mean I can't appreciate an attractive woman.
Pete , who is getting more drunk by the minute , stands up and slams his fist on the table.
''So! , You arwe askwing The outer Project to raise funds for YOU so You can buy this system?
Smudgey, explain this woman that we better get something good in return!'',he shouts with double tongue....(while staring at her chest)
*Smudge turns to face the unamused woman, confident as the next man. Providing that man was mentally ill.*
"Exqueese me, Madame Owiwiass! You ask us for moneys as easily as you'd ask a company for produce! We are not a company! Nor a coorporation! You seem to forget this! We are a nation! What little money we have goes to improving the lifes of our citizens via the route of alchy and stuff! Whatevers left over from this goes into the security aspect of our nation! It's impossible for mere me and..... uh..... Pete! Thats it.... to make a decision about our moneys without the support of the people! And to get the peoples..... support! You need to offer them something they can't reuse! I mean refuse!"
*With this proudly out of his chest, Smudge practically lied on the table to reach across it to the bottle of wine. He picked it up and, still layed on the table, examined the lable. He sighed, put the bottle back and slid back into his seat. When seated he looked around the room at a wall of confused faces. Well, the wall having one hole being the form of Petes face, with an expression of pure disorderliness.*
"What?" He said, "Can't a poor man have good taste?"
*He leant to the left of his chair, retrieving the pipe that had fallen from his mouth during his grand speech about things and placed it back in his mouth.*
"We're offering your 'nation' a home, a state, a place to live safely and governed by one of their own. Is this undesirable?" Switching her focus to Pete she gives him a warning glare, having hardly failing to notice he's not quite meeting her face. "Mister Pete, I'd be happy to know you're focused on the matters at hand. The population of the so called 'Slum City' will be able to call one of these floating habitats their own home."
[22:29:00 | Edited 22:29:52] Corey (Gheis): Just because I'm an admin doesn't mean I can't appreciate an attractive woman.