To: Trinary Star Shipping From: Koga Akemi

[Ametheliana]

Hello,

I have a lot of business ventures going on for me at the moment as well as some charity works going on for me, but the project I need Trinary's help with is getting you to deliver some thing to me in a space port far flung from the Kikyo Sector in deep Westerly space.

Just wondering if you can ship there and hoping that you can. I am bringing lots of fresh products and goods as well as furnishing picked out by AwesomeCorp design team to my space port to be built by Geshrinari Shipyards out there in Westerly space. It'll take a little bit to be fully operational, maybe more than two months now to go out there and build it.

I also have three other ports in the Kikyo Sector being built that could use your services if you feel like putting a small civilian cargo shipping center on them or something similar. Just an idea that I'd like to see come to fruition but whatever you want is fine by me. I'm here to help you while helping others by opening these ports. I really feel like there are big opportunities in it for the both of us.

I am sending a few of my favorite species to entertain you for a few hours while you deliberate on this offer. I know I didn't talk prices with you, but I really just wanted to see what Trinary is willing to do for others before I find out what I'm willing to part with.

Thank you for considering,
Koga Akemi

 

[Khasidel]

Recipient: Koga Akemi - Osman City, 188-604
Sender: Murasaki Keiretsu – Trinary Star Shipping Division
Subject: Your Business Proposal

Message Begins:

We appreciate you showing an interest our company, Koga-san.

To answer your initial query regarding freight commission availability in the ‘Western Sector’ -- presumably to a location in the vicinity of planet 188-604 -- Trinary Star Shipping is quite capable and willing to send ships that far out… if such ventures seem profitable.

It is a relatively simple matter for us to collect the various station outfitting and furnishings on your behalf, then deliver them to a port or location of your choosing; though in order to meet your needs and determine what kind and size of transport will be required to move your goods, we need a more precise estimate of the total cubage of cargo we will need to move on your behalf, as well as a preferred time of delivery.

Our standard in-system hauling rate for freight is 1 cubic meter of cargo bay space occupied costs 2 KS or equivalent currency per AU travelled between point of origin and destination for the cargo. Our standard interstellar shipping rate for freight conveyed between solar systems is this; 1 cubic meter of cargo bay space occupied will cost 10 KS or equivalent currency, multiplied by the distance between point of origin and the destination for the freight in ten-light year increments.

In example; if you wanted us to deliver 4,000 cubic meters of freight (10 SSCC-Huge containers worth) from our primary hub White Harbor station in the Anisa system to planet 188-604 -- a distance of 220 light years – it would cost a total of 880,000 KS. If any tariffs or customs duties apply for shipping foreign goods to your required destination, you will also be responsible for paying them.

Cargo insurance in the event of accidents, disasters or criminal acts, including collisions, piracy, hijacking, etc, is the responsibility of the freight owner. Hazard rates may also apply if you require us to ship your cargo to a particularly dangerous area (ie, one known for piracy). Further surcharges may also be added if you require an express or rapid delivery, especially on short notice (ie, for fresh or live goods).

Your cargo will be sealed and will not be deliberately opened or tampered with by our staff or employees, but may be subject to inspection by port authorities and if found to contain illegal items it with be turned over without protest by Trinary Star Shipping. In such an instance you will not be reimbursed for the loss.

These are our default policies and the matter is open to a degree of negotiation, if the terms are unacceptable.

We are honored you would consider allowing our organization to find a home within your new facilities; once construction is completed we will consider taking you up on your offer. Assuming of course your feelings regarding Trinary Star Shipping remain favorable at that time.

Signed,
Jōmu Tanaka Aimi
Sales Director, Trinary Star Shipping
Shiroi Minato Station, Anisa System

P.S. The representatives you sent were lovely and charming individuals. I hope they enjoyed themselves as much as I did. You have my gratitude.

End Message

 

[Ametheliana]

I am so sorry, I really am I am not used to people that haven't had someone really go deep, Aimi-san, oh my gosh.

Well the problem is, I'm going really very deep. I'll show you:



How does this look to you?

I will have 2,000 cubic meters of freight initially, 5 SSCC-Huge containers worth, and then will have a quarter of that that will need to go out bi-monthly to each station. Let me know an estimate for the distance I have placed this station. Of course, if it is too far for you to work comfortably with me on a negotiation, I can work elsewhere. If you want to discuss what kind of plans we can utilize to accommodate this distance, I am receptive to your ideas. Conversely, I am so satisfied with the well-thought out message from you, Aimi-san, that I would be willing to work with Geshrinari Shipyards on not going as deep as you wish. You're likely a sensitive flower and I don't want to go too far with you, of course. So let's work something out with the distance.

Please separately describe the cost of the initial and combined payment. I am a pretty smart cookie, you know, and it is apparent in many ways but I have been having another set of people do my finance work as I buy things for these space ports, but the math you are throwing at me is a little over their pay grade. Can you let me know how much these things will cost:

• Initial delivery for West location
• Initial delivery for three Kikyo Sector locations
• Bi-monthly transport (per month) for West location
• Bi-monthly transport (per month) for three Kikyo Sector locations

Here is the picture my people worked up of the space port locations in the Kikyo Sector as well as an arrow near the one of the map in Western space:


Thank you so much and I look forward to your reply, Aimi-sama!!

Akemi

 

[Khasidel]

Recipient: Koga Akemi - Osman City, 188-604
Sender: Murasaki Keiretsu – Trinary Star Shipping Division
Subject: Re: Your Business Proposal

Message Begins:

You've surprised me... that construction site is certainly much farther out that I was expecting, Koga-san.

Adding the three stations within the Kikyo sector to the regular routes of some of our Courier-2A medium freighters should prove to be no issue at all. However, the furthermost station you have dubbed 'Tomodachi' might pose a slight problem.

I estimate that position to be in the neighbourhood of 1,064 light years from our hub station, White Harbor, and consequently way off any regular shipping routes. It would be a 44 hour trip one-way for a stock Courier-2A freighter and probably take such a freighter the better part of 4 days to reach that station, off-load its cargo, and then return to White Harbor. We can make the initial 2,000 cubic meter delivery you request to that station without issue; but making the regular bi-monthly trips to that station -- or to any location similarly distant -- with a cargo of only 500 cubic meters alone wouldn't be cost effective for us. We would be much more inclined to agree to the supply runs if there were additional trade goods that your station were in need of that we could import and sell off during each trip. Additionally, if the station had trade goods it had available for export, it would not only be more attractive to us, but for other traders and merchants as well.

For example; if your space port is going to function as a ship repair and servicing facility, or construction shipyard as well as a basic port of call, then you might be interested in purchasing from us industrial metals, polymers, electronics and other starship construction and repair materials to make station operations run smoother. Your crew may be interested in particular consumer goods that are hard to acquire that far out.

As for exports, that would depend on the nature of the space port and the facilities or support craft you intend to equip it with. Chemicals, radioactive isotopes, precious metals, liquor, foodstuffs, textiles, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, farm machinery... virtually anything you might produce, assuming we can legally trade it and make a profit from it back in the Kikyo Sector, would probably make regular supply runs to your station much more worthwhile for us, or anyone else you choose to hire.

As for the costs, Koga-san, how does this look to you?

White Harbor to Tomodachi
-Estimated distance: 1,064 LY
-Initial delivery: 2,128,000 KS
-Bi-monthly delivery cost: 532,000 KS per trip or 1,064,000 KS per month


White Harbor to Nigiyaka
-Estimated distance: 86 LY
-Initial delivery: 172,000 KS
-Bi-monthly delivery cost: 43,000 KS per trip or 86,000 KS per month


White Harbor to Tengoku
-Estimated distance: 81 LY
-Initial delivery: 162,000 KS
-Bi-monthly delivery cost: 40,500 KS per trip or 81,000 KS per month

White Harbor to Sanran
-Estimated distance: 75 LY
-Initial delivery: 150,000 KS
-Bi-monthly delivery cost: 37,500 KS per trip or 75,000 KS per month

Total cost for initial deliveries: 2,612,000 KS
Total monthly expenditure for subsequent supply deliveries: 1,306,000 KS per month

I hope you find these prices reasonable, Koga-san. Your thoughts regarding potential import and export trade goods, for Tomodachi and all your other stations, would be appreciated as well.

Signed,
Jōmu Tanaka Aimi
Sales Director, Trinary Star Shipping
Shiroi Minato Station, Anisa System

End Message

 

[Ametheliana]

To quote you, “Chemicals, radioactive isotopes, precious metals, liquor, foodstuffs, textiles, pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, farm machinery… “ I have always wanted to expand my horizons and I have a few ideas kicking around. Let me get back to you on that or maybe we can discuss this personally? More on that later.

I am not only considering purchasing, “…industrial metals, polymers, electronics and other starship construction and repair materials…” I would like to set up a deal right now. How does a once monthly shipment of Kikyo Sector metals and materials that has a cargo of let’s 3,000 cubic meters as well as my necessary 2,000 cubic meter delivery that I already specified I needed in my earlier message. We could say it would be a combined total of 5,000 cubic meters of delivery initially and 3,000 cubic meters a month after that? I’ll attach a list of the ships in my inventory, but you can jus really give me whatever because I realized today my space ports have more than ten decks dedicated to manufacturing. You are my filling the hole in my plan and the hole in my heart, somehow…

Are those numbers good for you?

I wish I knew if that was enough for you, Aimi. I am a man of the world and of war, too, but premeditating your thoughts is beyond me. Forgive me if I am incorrect. I would happily make it up to you with a personal meet and greet. Not to talk business, I’m sure we can set that up now and get it over with before we settle on more personal matters.

Back to it, then.

Again but on a more serious note, are those numbers good for you? If not, my people can let you crunch them and come up with any acceptable offer and we can agree to that.

This is what I propose I will be paying initially for the Kikyo Sector:

• 484,000 KS initial
• 242,000 KS per month

Total setup for Kikyo Sector:

• 726,000 KS

Please confirm those totals are correct or if I need to fire my accountant.

We will talk more about Tomodachi.

This is great working with you, please accept this huge basket of goods!

• 100,000 KS worth of Akemi's coupons
• Ghouron Mints (Chocolate experimental flavors)
• Te-G5 Adante Keyboard
• 5 different styles of Emrys Uno Sunglasses
• Heatlube Personal (Discontinued icy hot type)
• XXL spool of Stone Thread
• 1 pattern for sleeveless kimono that has subtle but necessary nuances

PS: One of my ideas is for a reinforced fashionable line of combat clothing. I am thinking Godfrey & Morrison Clothing Company made a good jacket and Emyrs makes a full suit with some of the components I am thinking of having, but none of them scream, "DO ME!" Plus if we can get some kimono with this stuff made, imagine how quickly Kotors will be a public face of the fashion line. I served on the Eucharis for a long time but bot would it have been nice to work with a princess that knows when to take off the uniform.

PPS: Do you think Neko Sparkle would want me to endorse their product? Speaking of celebrities.

 

[Ametheliana]

Aimi-sama,

Since our initial discussion, I have decided that I would like to have every space port function as a repair yard as you suggested. Is that alright with you?

Sorry for the change,
Akemi

 

[Khasidel]

Recipient: Koga Akemi - Osman City, 188-604
Sender: Murasaki Keiretsu – Trinary Star Shipping Division
Subject: Re: Re: Your Business Proposal

Message Begins:

It appears we may have had a slight miscommunication regarding my meaning, Koga-san. My apologies.

To explain; there are typically two types of cargoes that freighters and merchanters transport; the first are consignments like the start-up and bi-monthly supplies you requested that we transport on your behalf. Consignments already belong to another group that is different from the organization owning and controlling the freighters the cargo gets carried on; the freighter and its controlling organization merely moves consignment freight from one location to another for a modest fee.

The second type are speculative cargoes; cargoes bought on spec belong to the crew of the freighter or the organization that owns the freighter. Because the freighter or its parent organization owns the spec cargoes outright -- they don't typically get to charge anyone else for lugging the goods around and they usually have to pay any tariffs or taxes for the goods themselves when they pass through a port -- but the freighter or its parent organization also directly profit when they finally manage to find a buyer for the speculative goods. Depending on the value of the goods and how much higher they can sell them beyond their original acquisition price, speculative cargoes can be considerably more profitable for a freighter than cargo consignments.

What we are proposing is that the freighters making your routine supply runs also bring with them speculative cargoes of materials belonging to Trinary Star Shipping that you can optionally choose to purchase when the ships reach your ports. You won't have to pay the transport fees or tariffs for these goods to reach your stations. Given that TSS's parent organization -- the Murasaki Keiretsu -- also owns a modest-sized mining company and extensive fabrication facilities on White Harbour station, we can acquire most of the raw materials you will need to operate your station and sell them to you beneath their galactic average prices.

Purchasing such materials is more commonly done by unit of mass -- tonnes -- rather than volume.

Cheaper materials like iron, vanadium, chromium and manganese, lithium, beryllium, boron, magnesium, aluminium, scandium, rubidium, strontium, yttrium, caesium, barium and francium will cost about 540 KS per tonne.
Common materials like cobalt, titanium, nickel, copper, zinc, gallium, germanium, arsenic, niobium, molybdenum, tin, lanthanum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, lead, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, ytterbium, thorium and uranium will cost 72,000 KS per tonne.
Rarer materials such as selenium, palladium, silver, cadmium, indium, antimony, mercury, thallium, thulium, platinum, gold and lutetium are 90,000 KS per tonne.
Very rare materials like ruthenium, rhodium, tellurium, rhenium, osmium, iridium and bismuth are about 1,800,000 KS per tonne.

Other more complex materials like polymers, electronics, mechanical parts or computers will vary widely in price depending on specific production costs.

These listed prices are at about 90% galactic average, but still high enough that we'd be making sufficient profit during each sale. If given sufficient notice we can arrange for specific materials or trade goods to be included amongst the freight brought by the supply ships to your stations. The easiest method would be for you to remotely purchase any of these materials from White Harbor at the listed prices, then have them added to the consignment cargoes that will be sent to your stations bi-monthly.

Signed,
Jōmu Tanaka Aimi
Sales Director, Trinary Star Shipping
Shiroi Minato Station, Anisa System

End Message

 

[Ametheliana]

Guys,

Okay, uhm. I love you. I love what you're doing, but it's too much logistics for me to handle on my own and I go through accountants like medics on the Kaiyō.

Can you just decide what you give me that will be necessitated as well as cargo that is delivered to White Harbor to be delivered to my Kikyo Sector venues?

In the time this transmission has taken, I have set up transport to the FAR West space ports. Don't worry about that. I'm sorry to have bothered you with those figures.

I'm guessing I should pay you 300 million every YE to ship these things around and that's being generous.

With love and respect,
Koga Akemi