Metellos Exchange

"You stand at the intersection of scientific discovery and commerce!"

- Cipiter

The Metellos Exchange was an auction based on a moon of the planet Metellos; Metellos 3. It used scientific data to auction off the rights to newly discovered and often unexplored orbital objects for a profit. It was run by the Raff Syndicate which intentionally exaggerated the data to create a bigger profit.

Concept
The concept of the Metellos Exchange was devised by Cipiter, a Chev slave. It was then set up on Metellos 3, a moon of the planet Metellos, where telescopic devices were used to explore the galaxy and discover new astronomical bodies after the Great Sith War. The Metellos Exchange became the first of numerous "Planetary Futures Exchanges" with the co-operation of the Galactic Republic.

The Metellos Exchange worked on the fact that exploration into the Outer Rim were expensive and the investors would want to know what potential rewards lay in wait to pay for the expeditions. The astronomical data collected n Metellos 3 would be provided to the market and the claims to such things as mining rights and hyperspace transit agreements would be auctioned off. It was often the case that the planetary claims would be auctioned off years before anybody actually visited them so the market would actually be buying futures contracts.

Flaws
"Now, tell me again how we can actually profit from this debacle?"

- Nunk Plaarvin

This method of trading rights had its flaws however and these were exploited by Marn Hierogryph and Cargryph Capital Management in 3,963 BBY. Jarael disguised herself as an explorer that had discovered Italbos before the owners of the claims to it, sold by the Metellos Exchange, had reached the planet. Rohlan Dyre was also disguised but as a native of Italbos that was displeased by the prospect of being someone else's property. Hierogryph, under the guise of "Professor Gryphomarn" acted as an advocate in the matter and invalidated the claims on Italbos. Jarael then caused further outrage by claiming that the Metellos Exchange's mineral projections were much lower than reality. Cipiter, the auctioneer, was forced to halt proceedings until the next day.

Later, the manager of the Metellos Exchange, a Chevin named Nunk Plaarvin, saw through this ruse and ordered that Jarael and Dyre to be taken to the Negotiating Room. The disruption caused meant that Plaarvin would have to announce that Jarael's claim was correct and that Italbos was rich with minerals in order to make a profit to pay to the Raff Syndicate; the organization in charge of the Metellos Exchange.

Knowing this, Hierogryph and Zayne Carrick brought Slyssk, a former member of the Raff Syndicate, disguised as a Raff captain to confront Plaarvin in order to rescue Dyre and Jarael. Hierogryph reasoned that they knew Plaarvin could be making more money with Slyssk interjecting that the Chevin could easily be conned and accusing him of skimming off profits. The duo tricked Plaarvin into going to the recently decimated Jebble where the Raff Syndicate were supposedly waiting for him.

Falling for the con, Plaarvin departed leaving Cipiter in charge of the Metellos Exchange by default. Luckily for Hierogryph and Carrick, Jarael and Dyre had managed to escape from the Negotiating Room where they had been subjected to intensified sunlight intended to burn them to death. In the end, Carrick revealed to the traders that the claims they had made about Italbos were false but they still insisted on buying the rights from Cargryph Capital.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Prophet Motive