To Gain A Foothold

[Anglyn]

Hawker Aeronautics Heaquarters
Port Royal, Anglyn

James Hawker, CEO of Hawker Aeronautics is on the phone with and has just received some good news from Curtis Bailey about a possible aquisition that just might finally give Hawker a presence in Gallia. Since the end of the Great War, it has always been felt at Hawker that they were short changed by HM government, as billions went to help rebuild the war shattered countries of Gallia and Germania little was directed homeward and no consideration of even letting Anglysh companies establish a market in those countries were even considered. Though Hawker and other Anglysh companies did ok with their traditional customers, they soon found they were competing against products made by foreign companies rebuilt by Anglysh tax money.

Now it looked like Hawker just might get its foothold as Bailey has, through his contacts, gotten wind of a possibility of Sud-Nord Aviataion of Lorraine being in the market for a partner or even a possible takeover.

"Bailey. Pack your bags. Your flying to Metz."

 

[Lorraine]

Sud-Nord Aviataion
Metz, Lorraine

Pierre Nuvalle, CEO of Sud-Nord Aviataion has just come back from another board meeting trying to explain the slump the company was experiencing. Except for military contracts with the Lorraine government, which were coming to an end as well as the those with Aquitania, and no commercial contract, the financial future of company was not looking very good and unless he could get an infusion of capitol, government bureaucrats will start swarmming like locust over the company.

It was not like it was his fault anyway as the company had always struggled against the larger companies in Wiese, Montelimar, Belmont, Marquette and without R&D money it is unlikely that any gain on them will materialize. With , the banks hesitant to loan the needed funds, the only way Nuvelle can think of to climb out of the hole is to find some substantial backing and is why he has sent some of his agents to feel around for just that before the companies troubles become public knowledge.

Returning to his office, his secretry notifies him that a Curtis Bailey from Hawker Aeronautics wishes a to meet with him and that the Anglyner will be in Metz the next day. Though Bailey did not reveal his business, and the Anglysh were not who he expected to be one that would be interested, this might mean Sud-Nord can stay above water.

"Mlle. Saison, please call M. Bailey and tell him I will meet with him tomorrow at 4 pm in my office. Find out how many is in his party and make dinner reservations for myself and them at Antoine's."

 

[Anglyn]

Metz, Lorraine

Curtis Bailey tips the porter and closes the door of his hotel suite and turns and walks to the bedroom and looked longingly at the large comfortable looking bed and tries to decide whether to take a nap or go straight to work. He had received the call from his boss during the overnoght flight to Metz confirming a meeting with Nuvelle but the hectic day yesturday getting ready and then the overnight flight was not a conducive to a profitable meeting. Though he had slept on the plane, he still needed to get a little sack time, and with it seven am here in Metz, there would be time enough for a short nap, some lunch, get hold of his contacts and still make it to Sud-Nord for his four o'clock.

It turned out the nap was what the doctor order, and after a shower and a light lunch, Bailey had but one call to make and, depending on what he learns from the man on the other end he will know what tactic to use when meeting with Nuvelle. Dialing his cellphone, he lets it ring three times, hangs up, waits ten second and calls again. This time a man answers.

"Bonjour, parlant Boutin"

"Luis, this is Curt. What do you have for me?"

 

[Lorraine]

Metz, Lorraine

Luis Boutin has worked for Sud-Nord for the best part of twenty-five years, starting out in the accounting and has not advanced beyond a mid-level supervisor even though he has seen those of less seniority and, in his opinion, less competent people promoted into executive positions and has come to the conclusion that someone higher up was keeping him down. Who that person might be, he could only guess, but it had to be someone rather high able to be able to screen Luis' abilities from those who would appreciate him. Well, that was how he felt up to a little more than a year ago, when once again someone junior to him was promoted, he had decided that it didn't matter who that person was, the responsibility was on all of them and they would pay for it.

It was on his way home after he recieved word that he would not get the promotion, it went to a younger man who Luis himself had trained, that he stopped off at a bar, one that, as it was near the Anglysh embassy, had a large Anglysh clientele. It was here that, after his sixth glass of brandy and making sure all those around him knew how dissatisfied he was of his job at Sud-Nord Aviation. It was at this time when an Anglyshman offered to buy him his seventh brandy.

The Anglyshman turned out to be Curtis Bailey, and before long Luis and he had struck up a conversation where Luis complained and Curtis was sympathetic and by the end of the evening Luis had found the method of his vengeance against Sud-Nord as he now was a spy for Hawker Aeronautics. It was quite lucrative as Luis found out he was in the perfect position to inform Bailey of the financial troubles of the company and Bailey was willing to pay well for the info. Now it was time for the really payoff, the info Bailey needed for Hawker to gain interest in Sud-Nord.

"Bonjour, Curtis. I don't have time to talk, but I think I have the leverage you need, so meet me at the usual place at three o'clock."

Quickly disconnecting and putting the phone in his pocket, Luis straightens his desk before telling his superior, one that he trained himself, that he had he was leaving. Luis had known that Bailey was coming to Metz and so had already made arrangements for the afternoon off, now all he had to do was get to the Musées de la Cour d’Or.

 

[Anglyn]

Metz, Lorraine

Before Curtis could respond, the call was cuoff at the other end. Three o'clock at the Musées de la Cour d’Or then meet with Nuvalle at four. It is cutting things a little too close. Calling his driver to bring the car around, Bailey quickly got dressed, and making sure he had everything he left for the lobby.

Though while in Metz, Bailey used a rented Panthara XJ8, he still had a company driver who knew the streets of the city and the car was waiting with the driver holding the back seat door open for him as he exits the front of the hotel and gets into the car without a pause. As soon as the driver is back behind the steering wheel, he looks into the rearview mirror and says.

"Where to sir?"

"To the Musées de la Cour d’Or, Nick, and I need to be there before three."

And with a "Yes, sir!" Nicholas Lackerby starts the car pulls drives out onto the boulevard.

 

[Lorraine]

Musées de la Cour d’Or
Metz, Lorraine

Also known as the Museums of Metz, the Musées de la Cour d’Or or Museums of the Gold Court were founded in 1839. The name is in reference to the palace built by Emperor Charles I in Metz, which was built on the site of even older Gallo-Tiburan ruins, whose buildings the museums occupy. The collections in this museum(s) are distributed through a 3,500 square meter labyrinthal organization of rooms, incorporating the ancient Petites Carmes Abbey, the Chèvremont granary, and the Trinitaires church.

As the name suggests, it is the site of more than one museum, four to be exact; the history museum, containing rich collections of Gallo-Tiburan finds, which include the vestiges of Gallo-Tiburan baths; the medieval department;
the museum of architecture; the museum of fine arts. It is in the fine art museum among the great painting sculptures where Luis Boutin was going to sell his own bosses down the road.

Luis Boutin had arrived early, and though it was only ten minutes, it felt much longer as he waited for the arrival of Curtis Bailey. Boutin's nervousness even caught the attention of one of the museums security guard, but because of some commotion down a hallway, the guard did not investigate further and was gone when Bailey did appear. Looking around check to see if anyone is watching, Boutin sits down on a bench and Bailey sit next to him. Then in a low voice Boutin speaks to the Anglyshman.

"Finally. This needs to be quick. What I have here is a copy of an internal financial report concerning the company's current financial status. It will tell you where the company is weakest and what will be needed to gain leverage."

Boutin lays down a USB flash drive containing the report on the bench between them which Bailey picks it up and puts in his coat pocket. But as Bailey is gets up to leave, Boutin makes a parting comment.

"I will expect the money to be transferred to my Danzig bank account before you meet with Nuvelle."