[T15 - Rothana - AI] A Copper Bottomed Deal

A Copper Bottomed Deal

The conference room at the apex of Rothana Heavy Engineering’s headquarters was a chamber of stark contrast—opulent, timeless, and ominous all at once. Two massive windows flanked the far end of the room, revealing the breathtaking expanse of Rothana’s arctic tundra. Icy winds whispered against the thick transparisteel, but inside, warmth clung to the chamber like the scent of old stone and wealth.

In the corner, between the windows, stood an ancient tree in a black, gold-accented pot. Its twisted trunk rose defiantly before bowing under its own age, branches arching over the room like crooked arms. Sparse crimson leaves clung to it stubbornly, catching the filtered light and casting red shadows across the floor. Around the room, tall cylindrical glass cases and pedestals displayed curated echoes of the past—eroded Sith armor, ceremonial weapons, and long-forgotten artifacts from the darker corners of galactic history.

At the center stood a large round table, its surface smooth except for the embedded holoprojector at its core. A projection of the Agressor-Class Destroyer, ARCSS Exavis hovered above it—an angular, predatory silhouette—casting shifting blue light onto the faces standing around it.

To the left stood Moff Cerato, his aging face stone-set, one hand gripping his black cane. The ex-Imperial admiral, now a voice in the murky politics of the Remnant, remained a symbol of discipline and ruthless pragmatism.

Beside him stood Elli Vakeer, the elderly Umbaran matriarch of Rothana Heavy Engineering. Her pale, unreadable features betrayed nothing, her silver-flecked eyes scanning the projection as if glimpsing something the others could not.

Next, Prex Yusai of ARGO Industries stood with his palms resting lightly on the table’s edge, his tailored coat perfectly aligned, posture calm but commanding. The image of a corporate visionary cloaked in iron strategy.

To his right stood Dr. Verek Darn, once an Imperial science officer, now Chief Scientist of RHE. His hands rested in front of him, fingers laced, his thoughts buried beneath a polished façade. The Exavis was partly his brainchild, and his silence was the sound of calculation.

Next to him stood Kalen Thurn, Sr. Intelligence Officer of ArgoSec and Yusai’s personal advisor. An implant pulsed faintly at the back of his head, its soft red light a quiet testament to the processing core woven into his brain and spine. Thurn’s cybernetics allowed him to monitor data feeds and predictive models in real-time—calculating, measuring, forecasting every twitch and turn of the meeting. He said little, but his eyes, constantly adjusting and analyzing, missed nothing.

“The Exavis is ready,” said Yusai, voice low and certain. “Fully retrofitted. Operational. Awaiting deployment.”

Dr. Darn gave a small nod. “It retains its core weapons matrix under civilian registry. The mining designation is... a formality.”

Kalen Thurn spoke with precision. “Stealth protocols have passed final calibration. The Exavis will not merely defend our lanes—it will anchor the next phase of our security doctrine.”

The holoprojector shifted to display the crest of ARGO Industries rotating beside the sigil of Rothana Heavy Engineering, the two icons slowly blending into a single emblem.

“The merger,” Yusai said, eyes still on the hologram, “begins now. Let the Exavis be our first move.”

Elli Vakeer tilted her head ever so slightly. “Then let it be done.”

Moff Cerato allowed a rare smile. “The galaxy is watching. Let it remember who still knows how to build.”

Overhead, the ancient tree creaked as a red leaf drifted down, landing soundlessly on the cold floor beneath their feet.

Some moments later...

The room had grown still. The hum of the holoprojector had faded, and most of the participants had already gone, their presence reduced to a lingering tension in the air. Only two figures remained.

Prex Yusai and Elli Vakeer stood before the largest window, its sweeping curve offering a panoramic view of the tundra. Beyond the thick transparisteel, Rothana’s arctic expanse stretched into the distance, now bathed in the slow, spectral glow of the aurora borealis. Ribbons of green and violet danced silently above the horizon, shimmering like ghosts.

Elli broke the quiet. “Thing of beauty,” she said, voice soft but cutting through the silence.

Yusai turned his head, uncertain. “The sky… or the merger?”

She didn’t answer at first. Her reflection in the glass remained still, only her silver-flecked eyes shifting with the light. “Both, I suppose,” she said at last.

He offered a wry breath, something between amusement and resignation. “Strange to hear that from you.”

“I’ve called uglier things necessary,” Elli replied. “This is at least… elegant.”

Yusai folded his arms, gaze fixed on the undulating lights. “The documents will be signed by week’s end. After that, it’s just press releases and manufactured optimism.”

Elli gave a slight nod. “It was always just a formality. Structures aligning into place. Gravity doing the rest.”

Prex tilted his head. “And you’re not worried about what we lose in the process?”

“We’ve already lost it,” she said. “This is about keeping what remains—and shaping what comes after.”

He turned to look at her, thoughtful. “You had every chance to stall this. You didn’t.”

Her eyes stayed on the lights. “Because stalling is not the same as leading.”

He gave a slow nod, as if accepting something he’d long suspected.

Elli added, almost absently, “Just be careful not to believe the merger is a victory. It’s merely the next board.”

Yusai didn’t respond. A red shimmer from the aurora flickered across both of their faces, and behind them, the ancient tree creaked in the quiet. One of its brittle crimson leaves tumbled silently down, brushing the glass on its way.

///

I had fun with this build. For a long time I wanted to do something similar to my golden casino - something elegant inspired by Dryden Vos' Yacht First Light, and the bridge of the Eye of Sion. Thanks for watching/reading ';)

Judging note: The ship will be a separate entry

More photos and inspirational images below

Spoiler

More photos

The meeting participants

Ancient armor

Experimenting with the edits

With and without fx

Inspiration from Solo

Another inspirational concept from Solo