The Force can enhance a person's physical capabilities. After transmigrating, the transmigrator's memory became noticeably sharper than it had been before.
Oba Diah lay in the Outer Rim Territories, in the Kessel Sector's Kessel system, and served as the Pyke Syndicate's administrative hub. Around the time of the Naboo Crisis, Darth Tyranus colluded with the Pyke Syndicate and ambushed and assassinated Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas near one of Oba Diah's moons.
The ambush ultimately caused Master Sifo-Dyas's T-6 shuttle to crash on Oba Diah's moon. His lightsaber, too, was buried amid the wreckage—until ten years later, during the Clone Wars, it was discovered by the ever-sunny Master Plo Koon and Clone Commander Wolffe.
The moment he heard the name "Oba Diah," Max immediately recalled the related scenes from The Clone Wars.
Perfect. Master Sifo-Dyas's lightsaber will be mine!
A lightsaber alone was worth a trip to Oba Diah. Still, the reason Max agreed to CEC's commission wasn't only to "happen to" pick up a lightsaber along the way.
Cloud City had its own need for coaxium as well—previously it had been purchased through Corellia. If the Pyke Syndicate truly cut off coaxium exports to Corellia, Cloud City would take a hit too. On this matter, it really was true that "CEC's business is Beskar Steel Security's business."
And Caesar Graves's flattery wasn't wrong either: the Pyke Syndicate was nothing to Max.
Without heavy weapons, the Bespin Mandalorian Armed Forces couldn't measure up against a regular military like the Corellian Defense Force or the Galactic Republic Judicial Forces. But if the question was "Can you squeeze a gang that also lacks heavy weapons?"—that was easy. In fact, it would be a mismatch bordering on humiliation.
So when Caesar Graves asked Max to represent CEC in negotiations with the Pyke Syndicate, Max agreed without hesitation.
A lightsaber to pick up, Cloud City's own coaxium risk to neutralize, a way to get CEC to help build Bespin's starfighter production and maintenance base, and a favor-bank deposit with CEC on top of it all—four wins in one move. Of course he'd do it.
What if the negotiation failed?
It wouldn't. When dealing with criminals, Max had a special, highly efficient negotiation method.
"What else do you need?" Caesar Graves asked.
"I need some prep time—within half a month. Please gather as much information as possible on your company's situation and on the Pyke Syndicate and send it to me. Know yourself, know your enemy—helps negotiations succeed." // (More importantly, I need to wait for the Mandalorian strike team to arrive from Cloud City and link up with me.)
"Understood. Leave it to me."
"I need a Consular-class Republic yacht in a red paint scheme. It can be unarmed, but it must have a high-grade shield generator."
"No problem. CEC can provide that at any time. About 'red'—do you have a specific requirement?"
"Ah, nothing too specific. Any 'red' that makes you think of flames will do."
"How about this?"
"Works, works. Looks great—use that scheme." Staring at the hologram of Glowpoint Seven, a familiar, overconfident smirk crept onto Max's face. "Also, prepare two sets of exquisitely tailored costumes for me."1
"Costumes?" Caesar Graves blinked.
"Yes. Costumes."
"What style of costumes do you need?"
Max pressed his palms together, turning the mystic act all the way up, and intoned: "May the Force be with you."
"Ah—what?!" Caesar Graves's pupils practically exploded. "Impersonating a Jedi Master?! Th-that's… not a good idea, is it?"
"Hey—" Max waved both hands rapidly. "Who said anything about impersonating a Jedi Master? You?"
"Y-you… I…"
"I will not say I'm a Jedi Master, and you should stop saying nonsense too. As for how the Pykes interpret it—that's their business."
"Th-then… is that really okay?"
"What, are you worried the Pykes will call the cops?" That same smirk returned to Max's lips. "Prepare it that way."
"Understood. As you will it."
…
Galactic Standard Calendar 4, April 3rd. Above Oba Diah's Pyke Syndicate administrative center, a flame-red Consular-class Republic yacht descended slowly toward its berth.
Hiss—
The hatch opened. Two squads of fully armored Mandalorian strike troopers ran down the ramp in step, split left and right along the gangway, turned outward, and formed up in ranks.
"Hey—what are you doing?!" Pyke guards rushed forward. "Visitors are forbidden to carry weap—uh…"
Draped in a brown robe, Max walked down the ramp at an unhurried pace while executing a Force choke. Once both boots hit the gangway, he silently released the Force and dropped the unlucky men to the deck.
(Yeah… still can't dial in the exact pressure. I want to knock them out, but I'm afraid I'll crush their throats. Fine. This works.)
Shhk—step, step, step…
The Mandalorian squads pivoted left and right again, then marched forward in synchronized steps, opening a path for Max.
…
"Don't fire. Let them in." Lom Pyke stared at the monitor, forcing himself calm and speaking as flatly as he could. "Pyke will wait for them in the reception hall."
Step—step—step—step! Shhk.
The Mandalorian strike team marched into the reception hall, halted, pivoted left and right, and stood at attention. Then Max strolled in with his hands tucked away, unhurried and relaxed.3
Lom Pyke rose to his feet. He offered no welcome—only a pointed accusation: "Pyke has held no grudges with the Jedi Temple, neither past nor present. Why would Jedi strike at Pyke?"
"Hah." Max scoffed. "No grudges? You've got nerve."
"Pyke—"
"Enough."
Max cut off Lom Pyke's defense. He extended one hand, guided the Force, dragged the room's main seat down from the head position—and sat as if it were his own, leaving Lom Pyke standing there like a punished subordinate.
"I am not a Jedi now, and I do not represent the Jedi Temple. There is something the Pyke Syndicate has done—something I can choose to pretend I never learned."
"Pyke," Lom Pyke inclined slightly. "Wants to know who honored guest is."
"You should have received the documents. I am CEC's plenipotentiary envoy—here on behalf of Corellian Engineering Corporation to discuss matters relating to coaxium with the Pyke Syndicate."
"Envoy, sir…"
Max raised a hand again, cutting him off. At the very front of the formation, two Mandalorian troopers each produced a portable terminal.
"I brought two documents. Right now, you may represent the Pyke Syndicate and choose one of them to sign."
…
PS: Master Sifo-Dyas excelled at Force foresight. Before the Naboo Crisis, he sensed the coming great war. As a member of the Jedi Council at the time, he advised both the Council and the Galactic Senate that a grand army should be raised to meet the future conflict.
However, his proposal was not only rejected—he himself was expelled from the Jedi Council for holding such "extreme" views.
But Master Sifo-Dyas trusted his own foresight. He chose to act alone: he approached the Kaminoans and ordered a clone army. He did not represent the Galactic Republic, but he allowed the Kaminoans to believe he did.
PPS: Darth Tyranus is Count Dooku. He was once Master Sifo-Dyas's close friend. After falling to the dark side, under Darth Sidious's direction, he colluded with the Pyke Syndicate to murder Master Sifo-Dyas—and later took control of the Kaminoan clone army project.
PPPS: The oddly speaking Lom Pyke is a canon character. Prior to 19 BBY, he was the leader of the Pyke Syndicate.