Sorry for the delay; things got busy.
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Everyone was acutely aware of the immense wealth that could be garnered from ownership of vast mineral deposits. Just consider the sprawling megacorporations that have monopolized these crucial resources, amassing such power that they now hold seats in the galactic Senate, shaping interstellar policies and economies.
"Now, last but certainly not least," Varn announced, his fingers deftly pushing a series of buttons. The holographic display flickered to life, revealing an exquisite planet orbited by three distinct moons.
"This stunning planet and its accompanying moons signify our most significant discovery in this system," he declared. The hologram depicted a vivid blue-and-green orb, approximately 15 kilometers in diameter, with a compelling ratio of about 65% water and 35% landmass. In contrast, Earth's landmass constitutes only 29%, making this planet an extraordinary find.
Rayden's eyes sparkled with awe and wonder as he gazed at the captivating planet. Meanwhile, detailed statistical data materialized on the side of the hologram, showcasing the various attributes captured during the scans. It appeared to be a perfect Gaia planet, remarkably well-suited for sustaining a diverse array of life forms.
Crucial readings on gravity, atmospheric composition, and other environmental factors indicated standard levels, suggesting no need for adaptation among its potential inhabitants. The landscape was teeming with life, featuring familiar flora and fauna alongside the detection of sizable beasts roaming the terrain. Majestic mountains, sweeping plains, dense forests, lush jungles, and even arid deserts graced the planet's surface.
"This planet would not just serve as a new home for us, but would also be a sanctuary for any Mandalorian willing to join us," Varn envisioned, picturing his people flourishing on this pristine world, far removed from the devastation wrought on Mandalore.
"It's simply gorgeous," Veyra breathed, captivated by the sight before her.
"Do we have a name for this planet and its system as of yet?" Drenar inquired, his eyes alight with passion and curiosity.
"Not as of now. We can come up with that later. For the moment, I'm simply presenting the place I propose we settle in the near future," Varn replied, shaking his head in thoughtfulness.
"The planet is indeed a remarkable find, but what elevates it above the ordinary?" Camren remarked, impressed with the discoveries but still seeking the distinctive elements that set this planet apart.
A sly smile crept across Varn's face as he produced a small, intricately crafted metal container. Setting it down on the table, he slowly lifted the lid to reveal a glittering ore nestled inside.
Drenar and Camren, drawing upon their years of expertise, sprang to their feet, their eyes wide with disbelief and their breaths quickening with anticipation.
It took a moment for the others to register their astonished reactions before realization dawned upon them.
As Mandalorians, anyone unable to recognize beskar truly warranted a self-inflicted lesson in humility against some nearby rocks.
"D-Did you find that on the planet?" Drenar stammered, his voice tinged with excitement and disbelief.
"Yes, our scouts unearthed it in a mountainous region. Initially, they didn't scan for it, as it's common knowledge that beskar is traditionally found only on Mandalore and Concordia." Holding the ore aloft in his hand, Varn passed it to Torin, who began circulating it among the group.
Beskar is renowned as one of the finest metals in the galaxy, prized for its extraordinary toughness and durability. However, due to its rarity, being sourced only from two locations, it has become a precious commodity, with an ounce valued between 20,000 and 25,000 credits.
As the ore made its way around the table, Rayden and Lexi eagerly took turns holding it. Hefting the dense piece in his hand, Rayden could feel the weight of potential riches; the ore contained not only raw rock but also glimmers of the coveted beskar peeking through.
"This could smelt down to about a pound of beskar after the refining process," Drenar began musing aloud, tossing the ore from hand to hand, his excitement palpable.
Rayden, catching snippets of his mumbling, conducted some rapid mental calculations. That single piece of ore had the potential to yield approximately 320,000 to 400,000 galactic credits.
He inhaled sharply, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of value contained within such a small object. His mind raced with possibilities, envisioning the myriad of things he could purchase if he were to sell even a few pieces.
Clearing his throat to regain focus, Varn continued, "Once the scouts discovered the presence of beskar, they wasted no time in scanning the area for any further traces. Suffice it to say, they unearthed substantial mineral deposits across the entire planet."
"But the moons, too—there are signs of beskar there as well." The hologram then shifted to illustrate the three moons, each varying in size and composition. Two of the moons were desolate rocks, barren and devoid of atmosphere, while the third teemed with potential, boasting not only a breathable atmosphere but also vast stretches of water, lush forests, and rich biomes.
The barren moons orbited the planet at a distance of roughly 3.5 to 3.9 kilometers in diameter, while the habitable moon, brimming with life, measured about 4.3 kilometers.
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Over the next few hours, the group discussed the preliminary scans and evaluated their next steps.
While everyone debated the findings, Rayden glanced over at the system shop.
With the prospect of selling a few pounds, or possibly a ton, of beskar and other minerals and metals, Rayden could afford to buy items like an LAAT and a Venator, along with their blueprints. However, if he continued to find data chips containing these blueprints randomly, his parents would become suspicious.
He used his mind to slowly scroll through the shop while silently listening to the adults talk. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a few words that caught his attention.
[Seller's Mark]
Mark an item you wish to sell to the shop. When an item is marked, it can be sold from a distance without the user having to hold the item.
[Price: 100,000 credits]
"Well, that would be useful," he thought, tilting his head. Just imagine if he raided the Pikes or maybe Jabba in the future; instead of having to carry the item out, he could simply mark it.
Then, once he was away, he could trigger the mark to sell. There would be no way to connect their disappearance to him.
But for now, he couldn't afford it, so he continued looking through the shop until he found what he was searching for.
[Golan Space Defense Systems]
As soon as Rayden saw that the only way in and out of the new system was through a gap in the nebula, he recognized it as both a great defensive position and a choke point that an enemy could use to blockade them.
The Golan space defense station would work wonderfully in defending this choke point. The problem was that they hadn't been created yet; the defense stations began being designed and produced during the Clone Wars by Golan Arms.
The first two versions would be more than enough to defend their new home, as he could hear. There were still two decades before large capital ships started being produced. Most threats were around frigate-sized ships, which could easily be handled.
[Golan 1 Defense Station]
Armed with 28 turbolasers, 5 proton torpedo launchers, and 6 tractor beam projectors, it has a small hangar bay capable of launching 24 starfighters.
[Price: 26,191,000 credits]
---
[Golan 2 Defense Station]
Armed with 35 turbolaser batteries, 10 proton torpedo launchers, and 8 tractor beam projectors, it is capable of launching at least 13 starfighters.
[Price: 28,988,600 credits]
Just one of each of these stations would be more than enough to defend the choke point for some time. Additionally, more could always be built to create the ultimate bulwark against invaders.
It's going to take some time before he can gather the funds to buy the stations themselves, let alone their blueprints.
"What do you think, Rayden?" he heard someone ask, pulling him from his thoughts.
"What?" he replied.
"I asked if you think we should all move to this new system," Torin said, repeating his question after noticing his grandson was lost in thought while everyone else was chatting.
Everyone turned their heads and waited for him to respond. Sensing their attention, he cleared his throat. "I think we should all move to the new system. Mandalore is mostly desert because of the wars it has endured. If there wasn't a beskar mine here on the clan grounds, I don't believe we would still live here."
"We could go to any other planet in the Mandalore sector. This new system has plenty of beskar. It's easy to defend, most people don't know about it, and no one lives there either."
"Our five clans together make up a total of 2,427 people. There are at least three habitable places to live in that system, so we have plenty of space to spread out. So yes, we should go and make this our new home," Rayden concluded, finishing his impromptu speech.
Everyone nodded in agreement while considering his reasoning. "He brings up a point we mostly overlooked," Ravik said, addressing the population challenge. "We don't have many people, and for such a large living space, we need more."
"Don't forget we have a blueprint for a droid production line. If we can build a few of those to do the mining for us, we could then start selling what we produce to the galaxy," Varn reminded them.
"That's true, but droids can only do so much. At some point, we are going to need more people. We can't just let anyone settle here. This system holds so much potential that if the megacorps, syndicates, or Hutts find out, they will come knocking," Camren countered, emphasizing the risks of relying solely on droids.
Everyone fell silent as they tried to think of a solution. Mandalorians are a communal people; individuals help their clans as much as they can, and clans, in turn, try to support the Mandalorian community as a whole.
It is at this stage, where differences between clans arise, that civil wars often begin. However, when united under a Mand'alor, their people rally towards a common goal, which, in most cases, is war.
"Why don't we start bringing in foundlings?" Lexi asked.
"Where would we find them, dear?" Veyra replied.
"We could raid slavers, explore conflict zones in the Outer Rim, and visit orphanages throughout the galaxy. We could take in people who are willing to leave everything behind and adopt and assimilate into being Mandalorians," Lexi suggested, tilting her head slightly as she expanded on her idea.
'Cute,' Rayden thought to himself, considering what she proposed.
It could work; throughout their people's history, they had taken in foundlings from around the galaxy and raised them to be Mandalorians.
However, the problem with this approach is that if they start bringing in too many foundlings at once, they could easily become overwhelmed in their efforts to care for them. This could lead to neglect, which would ultimately fail to instill their culture, ideals, and way of life in the newcomers. "Why don't we start bringing in foundlings?" Lexi proposed, her eyes shining with determination.
"Where would we find them, dear?" Veyra asked, raising an eyebrow as she considered her daughter's ambitious idea.
Lexi leaned forward, excitement in her voice. "We could raid slaver camps in the Outer Rim, where conflict has torn apart families and left many children without guardians. We could also visit orphanages scattered throughout the galaxy, places where kids are waiting for a chance to belong. We could take in those who are willing to leave behind everything they know and embrace our way of life as Mandalorians," she explained, tilting her head slightly as she elaborated on her vision.
Rayden listened silently, internally smiling at the innocence and hope in her suggestion. 'Cute,' he thought, though he also began considering the implications of her proposal.
It could work. Throughout their people's history, they had opened their arms to foundlings from distant worlds, raising them to embody the ideals and resilience of Mandalorian culture.
However, Rayden recognized a significant concern: if they started bringing in too many foundlings at once, the sheer number could easily overwhelm their resources and capabilities. The risk of neglect loomed large if they couldn't provide adequate care and guidance. This neglect could ultimately hinder their ability to instill the Mandalorian culture, values of honor, solidarity, and combat readiness in the newcomers, which was vital for preserving their heritage.
And it would take a decade or more before these foundlings would grow up to start contributing to the clans.