38 hours

[Danger Arceneau]

:: Byblos System
:: Byblos
:: Vaier Technologies Starport Tower


It is curious how Byblos managed to remain unhindered and alone by the Galaxy at large for so long. With a history of being a densely populated manufacturing center for high technology and military items, Danger was surprised that no one else had attempted to bring the planet out into the 'Verse anew.

From her viewport, she could see the huge city towers built by the natives, some of which had 5,000 levels or more. In the past, Byblos had been a location for all major companies prior to the Gulag plague, and while their shipyards were small, they were held to the same standard as those of Kuat Drive Yards and Santhe.

"Leave it to Alric Kuhn to polish off an old gem," she'd murmur, turning away from the viewport. They were set to dock within the next few minutes, her arrival... perhaps unexpected? It made sense to come to Byblos, professionally speaking of course. If one would look at it through the mind of an entrepreneur, opening up shop on Byblos with an Arceneau Tower would make perfect logical sense. It would even give her an excuse to visit the planet.

On the surface that is.

There was another reason of course. Perhaps the more truthful one if she would be honest with herself. While opening up a new venture on Byblos would certainly be a commodity, Danger was well aware that this was now the new home and Headquarters of Vanir Technologies. Having five percent of the company made her privy to minor movements in the company, and with it came the knowledge of where Alric Kuhn was spending the bulk of his days -- and likely sleepless nights.

With his sudden appearance in her ship and at Tatooine, a notable shift had occurred. While she certainly had a voice in her head warn her of the end results, she couldn't quite shake the image of Alric Kuhn in her office on Tatooine -- with a hat of all things.

A hot breath would exhale from her lips as she would mull over things. He had stepped out of his comfort zone; for whatever reason it may be, whether loneliness or a change that came with age, but he had come to her twice. It struck her, more than she could admit. And while in her heart she had her doubts, Danger also could not halt her concern over the man.

Was he eating well? Did he sleep? While he appeared less worn for the wear, she consoled herself that a check up wouldn't be too far off. Wouldn't be seen in a bad light. Was it not expected? A dozens of reasons and excuses of why she would be at Vanir Technologies could easily be whipped up, energy spent that she shouldn't have.

After all, only one reason really mattered.

I wanted to see you again.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

Alric lay on the couch within his office.

There was a blanket draped over him, a pillow under his head. His shoes were located somewhere on the other side of his office. The curtains were drawn and an odd sort of speckled light shone into the room, cutting through the black fabric wherever it could. There was a stack of documents on the thick wooden desk nearby, though half of them seemed either unimportant or simply forgotten. There was a cup of caf on the floor and a suit jacket hung over a chair found directly in front of the desk.

No matter what way one took the office, it was clear that no one save Alric Kuhn had stepped foot in it for several days, and it was obvious that no one was intended to.

He was living here.

The Vanir Technologies tower here on Byblos was massive. It scrapped the sky and touched the heavens. Within the building there was contained communication relays, dozens of laboratories, office facilities, and countless other things that Alric had lost track of long ago. Dozens upon dozens of rooms were contained within the tower, and none of them were residential, save for one that was forced to be. It was a funny thing, something that several of the secretaries had noticed but never mentioned.

No one said anything to Alric, no one ever bothered to pry. The employees respected him, and him they. There was never any question of impropriety or appropriateness, only a solid understanding. Alric represented the company well, both in the the building and without. Its immaculate white walls, its massive halls, its laboratories, all were to remain spotless and white, everything was to be perfect no matter what floor or room one was in, all but Alric Kuhn's office. With that deal in place, no one ever asked questions, no one ever pointed anything out. The employees of Vanir Technologies were happy, and Alric was happy with them.

It was the way of things, and as Alric lay on his couch he never even thought about someone coming to him, he never even thought about a visitor or a meeting to come.

He simply attempted to rest.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Aeri wasn't with her.

Reckon that would be the first clue to occam razoring the rhyme or reason to the visit. Not that the lack of having her Zeltron personal assistant would make the Queen of Trade lost when dealing business. She had done fine on her own for years, built Arceneau into the Trade Empire it was without having someone else check and schedule her calendar, along with cliff notes on the who's who in the 'Verse.

Vanir Tower was certainly not something to be shy about; it had Alric's touch. There was a smooth functionality to it all. Everything in order. Employees would walk to and fro, minding their business and getting to what needed to be done. Efficiency, was the name of the game, and it was clear that in that respect Vanir Technologies wore it well.

The docking port was busy, but not chaotic. Having not called ahead, she had no hopes of being attended to promptly, nor did she specifically want to. Maybe that is why she had the black wide brimmed hat perched upon her head, a black fishnet veil covering the upper half of her face. What was it about getting older and wanting to wear large hats? While some may think it rather silly, there was something romantic about the accessory. Perhaps it was the way that the black lace netting would shadow her eyes and the bridge of her nose, leaving a casual observer to wonder about the identity of the woman with bright red lipstick without a second look. Or perhaps it was the way it was angled just so to the right, leaving the auburn waves of her hair to sway lightly over her shoulders with every step she took.

A modest dark green dress would hug her figure, the hemline of the full skirt barely brushing the upper portion of her calves. Scooped neck, it would sweep across her shoulders, revealing the simple cameo locket she wore around her neck. A light spritz of her usual perfume would complete the ensemble, and were one to place the Danger of weeks past on Tatooine to the one now, none would be able to recognize her.

A casual, but observant walk would soon bring the Arceneau down to the main foyer. From under the netting of her hat, she would study her surroundings. How exactly to go about this? Her lips would purse.

It had been a long while since she has ever come uninvited and without warning to call upon another. Much the less, without even the faintest idea if the person she was intending to see was even there at all.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

The main desk would sit a little in front of Danger. There were three women at the desk, all three of them were of a different species. One seemed to be Chiss, one was a Zeltron, and the last looked to be Human, though the odd color of her eyes had a certain quality about them that made them distinctly alien. All three of them spoke on a wireless headset of some sort, and all three of them seemed to be rather busy with what they were doing.

To either side of them was a looping hallway that would stretch into the turbo-lifts of the tower. Six lifts spaced evenly along the curve of the hall.

Barring the entrance to that hallway was a security strip, simple glass doors that opened and closed via a small scanner that one had a pass a keycard over before they could enter, though by a motion made by one of the secretaries it was clear that they had a small switch upon their massive desk that would open the doors as well.

They worked happily, not even noting Danger as she walked into the building, far too consumed with their work.

Other men and women walked around the lobby, either passing through the glass doorways or leaving them, all clearly on their way to do something or other.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Her tour would end in front of the main desk, where after a few seconds, a pair of bright red eyes would no-nonsensely lift up.

"Welcome to Vanir Technologies, what may I help you with?" the question was asked with the cool efficiency only a full blooded Chiss could have. For a moment, Danger had the amusing anticipation of hearing the plethora of titles and House names normally heard of with Chiss. Oh they were ever so fond of their titles. For them, the longer the stream of titles, the better.

For a moment Danger hesitated, quite the rare thing. How to answer that question? Of course, the Chiss attendant latched onto it like kathound to blood. Her gaze would narrow, and while suspicion certainly had it's merits, having a woman unsure of what exactly she is here for is only cutting into her precious time.

Noticing the subtle shift in difference with the woman, and the fresh curious glance from the Zeltron - likely having sensed the subtle emotional wariness and hesitation from Danger - prompted the incognito Queen of Trade to speak with that honeyed drawl, "Hello ladies,"

Red lips would curve into a friendly smile.

"Is Mistah Kuhn in today?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

The Zeltron was the one to answer.

"Yes."

Her voice was simple, clean, efficient, as though she was trying to get as much done as she possibly could at all times. The other two women shifted focus away from Danger and back towards their own work, answering calls and guiding people to the correct place in the building. It was odd how they so seamlessly worked, as though this exact situation happened ten times a day and they were so used to dealing with it that it was second nature, though of course that wasn't the case.

"Do you have an appointment with him?"

The tone of her voice suggested she already knew the answer to that.

Nobody had appointments with Alric Kuhn in this building, nobody. Not because the building was unkempt, but because Alric preferred meeting people in other places. His practices were well known in the business world, and he preferred to meet people on their territory, a tactic that he had long held since before he had taken over Titan.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

"No I do not."

It was simple and matter-of-fact. No need to lie. She did after all, come over unannounced. In their history together, neither deliberately sought the other. It was not only due to Danger's request, but had also been due in part with the grander scheme of cracking down the Star Cabal. The only public method of interaction was in galas where it would be natural for their attendance to be in the same event, but even then, they wouldn't spend long together. Doing so would wag tongues, and a reputation was all one had back then.

A reputation Danger had desperately coveted. Strange that she would be here now, alone, seeking him out. It was unlike her.

And she didn't give a damn.

With that, Danger would give a slight lift of her chin, confidence restored. She was never one to do half measures. She sure as heck wouldn't start now. And while her momma didn't raise no coward, she did raise a lady.

So her right hand rose to the brim of her hat, that crimson cordial smile ever lingering.

"My apologies for showing up unexpected," she would start, her fingers clamping down lightly upon the black brim, the black lace veil fluttering lightly. The hat came off with a graceful sweep of her hand, revealing wide bright green eyes and a familiar face known throughout the 'verse, "But could you please tell him Danger Arceneau has come to call?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

The woman very clearly made an effort not to react. Her face remained with that perky smile, her expression didn't shift, and everything about her just stayed the same. It was odd, but clearly she was forcing herself not to do anything, perhaps in an effort to stay professional. Her eyes glanced away from Danger for a moment and down to her holo-screen, shifting back up as though she had confirmed something.

"Of course, Miss...Arceneau was it?"

The shakiness of her voice told that she was again putting on airs.

The Zeltron reached over to a small machine that printed out a laminated keycard, she pulled it free and slid it over the counter towards Danger.

"You'll need this at all times in the building, someone will meet you at the turbo-lifts to take to you Mr. Kuhn's office."

The Zeltron smiled, then immediately looked back down towards her holo-screen as if she was too busy to pay any more attention to Danger. Perhaps that was out of embarrassment of not recognizing the woman, or maybe it was jealousy. Either way, Danger would find the pass to be perfectly capable of unlocking the Glass doorways, once passed those doorways she would be confronted with a male Chiss dressed in a Saeva Incorporated uniform who would take her to Alric.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

"Much obliged Miz. Chanti," Danger would shine out, having read the small name badge neatly pinned upon her blouse. If there was any curiosity to the Zeltron's behavior, Danger didn't visibly show it. Empaths that they were, they had the ability to manipulate the emotions of those around them. While she didn't feel any sway - given the length Aeri Vyn has been in her employ - the slight treble in her voice would make one wonder on the why...

Curling her red manicured nails around the keycard, she gave the trio of ladies a departing smile. "Have a wonderful day, ladies" she'd coo, with genuine well wishes that perhaps would not be met so kindly with Miz Chanti. However, Danger wouldn't linger to find out whether that parting slight tension of the Zeltron's lips was in discomfort or lingering envy.

As it was, with her hat in one hand and her key card in the other, her departing stroll would lead her down the corridor. The glass door ways would be the first check point. How curious such a mundane action as swiping the keycard against the scanner would be. With mild amusement, the small beep of confirmation would illuminate the overhead entry point grren. The glass door slid open, allowing her entrance to the foyer and the subsequent turbo lifts beyond.

She took her time, there was no rush. Or perhaps that was just her nerves? A strong desire for the steel her cigarillo would bring her hit her like a white hot wave.

"Hell." The soft curse went riding from her mouth as a low mutter. Thankfully, beyond the hearing of the Saeva Emplyee in front of the turbo lift.

That smile lit her face again, cordial greeting, "I reckon you're my escort for the rest of the journey?" She'd lightly tease, the Chiss indroducing himself before gesturing for her to follow him in. The turbo lift was made of glassteel, again following the similar design of the exterior foyer.

With a subtle hiss, the doors of the turbolift would slide shut, and an easy shift would send the duo ascending Vanir Technologies Tower.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

The trip would be mostly silent.

The Chiss that were employed by Saeva Incorporated were true to form Chiss. Most of them had been security guards on Copero of Csilla for Titan Industries. They had been poached by Kiran Vess and brought into the company as fine independent soldiers, mostly because they hadn't wanted to live under the rule of the Sith. It was something that Kiran could respect, something that he quite enjoyed actually, taking away soldiers from the Sith. Of course to Alric it had made no difference.

So the silence would reign in the turbo-lift, and eventually they would reach the top floor of Vanir Technologies Tower. The height of the building seemed daunting, yet the windows within the halls were few and far in between, mostly due to their inner location in the building.

"This way, Miss Arceneau."

The Chiss spoke with a heavy accent, waving his arm as the doors opened in front of them. It was only a short walk to Alric's office, and in stark contrast to Danger's on Tatooine, there were no guards standing in front of the double doors. There was no one in fact, not even a camera in Sight. The Chiss wandered towards the doors, grasping on the handle and opening the left door, very pointedly not looking into the rather dark room.

He offered Danger a look that for a Chiss could have been a smile, then beckoned her inside.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Into the den of the sleeping Krayt Dragon I go…

Well it was dark enough to have one believe so. Light shone through the entrance that Danger would step through, sending off the Chiss with a quiet nod of gratitude. The door would slide close with a hiss behind her, but Danger paid it no mind.

Instead her focus was set upon the man on the desk, a cup of caf in his hand. His hair gave the indication that his brush had been a sweep of his fingers, and that his morning wake up call had not quite gone as planned. That slow gait would draw her closer, until she came to a halt in front of his desk. The scent of day old caf and that eau de bachelor lingered, prompting an arch of a curious brow and a slight cant of her head in query.

She set that enormous hat upon his desk - a hat for a hat one could joke, considering he’d done the same to her weeks ago -- and with a soft expression edged with a measure of concern, Danger finally spoke.

“Hope I didn’t stir too much of a fuss on my account...”

 

[Alric Kuhn]

The Caf was disgusting.

At this point the drink had sat on his floor for more than ten hours, and quite honestly he had no idea why he had felt the need to pick it off the floor and drink it. Of course he was likely just saving face in front of his friend, but that seemed rather unnecessary with Danger, ever since his visit to her on Tatooine he had felt more at east, more calm, it had helped steady him, even if he still lived in an office.

He smiled at her from behind the desk.

Papers were still scattered all over it, datapads, a few holorecordings, and pointedly a static photo of Alric and his daughters. The blanket still lay across the sofa and the curtains were half thrown back, clearly opened up with little care or time. Alric didn't look disheveled, but it was clear that he hadn't expected company any time soon.

"It's fine." Alric said with a smile. "Though maybe if you had called ahead I could've folded the blanket."

A smirk played across his lips, and he finally put down the disgusting cup of caf, there was no need for that anymore.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

“And missed you in your natural habitat?” she’d counter, using his desk as a chair as she half sat upon it. “I’d not miss that for the ‘verse.” came the half tease.

The subtle play of a grimace over Alric’s visage would not be missed, so when he set his caf down, Danger would pick it up curiously. It froze halfway to her lips, noticing the thin film of slick over the surface, along with the tell tale lack of heat from the normally hot brew.

Her face immediately scrunched into one of distaste.

“There are better ways to run yourself to the ground than with old cold caf, Alric,” she’d chide with a tsk of her tongue. Shifting up and off the desk, she would search for the caf processor. Now where to dump this …

“This serves better to clean a Capesson Engine than in your gullet.” There was no sink. Mores-the-pity. However, there was a fake tree to the corner. It’s broad green leaves standing proudly with all pomp and circumstance as no living thing would in this little light. With a half shrug and aware that no living thing would be at the risk of said caf, she promptly dumped it in the pot. And good riddance!

Bright green eyes went panning back with notable defiance, perhaps, maybe a bit of a challenge? Her lips would give a half twist upward.

“Consider this your wake-up call.”

 

[Alric Kuhn]

"That would be more apt if I had been sleeping." Alric said with a rueful smile.

Sleep hardly came to him anymore, and when it did it was fleeting. He seemed to be in a constant state of needing rest, and when he got it he craved more. That was when the dilemma of getting out of bed came, though Danger already knew about that. He scrapped his hand through his hair, knocking out the slight knots and scratching his scalp with evenly cut fingernails. His eyes followed Danger as she moved about the room, then settled on her.

"What brings you to Byblos?" This had once been an important world. A front runner in industry and ship building, but as of late it had completely fallen out of the collective mind of the galaxy. That was one reason that Alric had picked it, the other was because its government was easily tuned towards Industry, and that's what he needed the most.

His eyes cast towards the window.

Days here last thirty eight hours, from the looks of the sun it appeared to be about mid day. He gave a short calculation, then nodded to himself as though he had just established a time frame within his mind.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

“Reckon sleep comes to do with a far more comfortable bed,” she’d say wryly, setting the now empty mug next to the caf processor. Oh she knew why he wasn’t sleeping how he ought to, that kind of rest only came with time and sorting through one's grief.

At his question, her head went swiveling over towards him. “Figured I stop by…” her fingers would skim the surface of the wood where the caf sat at. She began to half contemplate making a fresh cup of stimcaf, that need to make herself busy rising.

Here was a perfect opportunity to state all the practiced excuses on why she was here. It would be so easy to relay them too; right at the tip of the tongue. What she didn’t expect was how hard it was to say to start.

“I take it you haven’t had breakfast yet --” she would cast a pointed look at the window, the bright light of the afternoon sun filtering through. “I’m famished.” That may or may not be true, but it was her method of getting him out into the sun and some fresh air. Maybe even put some real food in his belly rather than anything processed through the replicator.

A smirk would grace her lips.

“How ‘bout you show me round your tower and take me out to eat?”

 

[Alric Kuhn]

He perked an eyebrow.

"Trying to cause a scandal Miss Arceneau?" Alric said the words jokingly, but again there was a hint of truth to them. They had never really gone out in public together, they had never been seen as a pair. Sure their companies had done business in the past, but the two of them had never publicly been seen together. Alric had broken that by going to ATC on Tatooine, but it could simply have been a business meeting, just like Dangers visit here. Yet the two of them at a restaurant? That would raise some eyebrows. "Imagine the headlines."

He smirked slightly. "Trade Queen Cougar Hunts Innocent Widower."

It had been a few months since Silara had passed now, and that was the first time he had referred to himself as a widower, as being alone. It passed so quickly and came so fast that he did not even notice it, it was simply something to say, something to joke about. Slowly things were coming together within his head again, things were becoming more...normal.

Perhaps seeing his daughters had helped with that.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

“I can certainly give them something to talk about the longer you sit there,” she would quickly quip out, but with more bark than bite, the glower cast at his direction relaying he was playing a fine line with calling her a ‘cougar.’

Danger was getting up there by Galactic Standards. But while she had hardened in Alric’s absence, the woman had not aged. What manner of gumption and determination had preserved her, and save for a few white streaks proudly worn in her hair and her figure becoming a tad bit fuller, Danger Arceneau was still a striking woman to behold. It was a wonder that she never seemingly caught the eye of any eligible business man. Many would be quick to volunteer, but Danger never gave any indication of what went on in her personal life.

Most would figure it was because none could catch her. Others may say she held her standards too high. Fewer still would know the truth. But that was a tale for another day, her presence here had nothing to do with the Holo Enquirer. Goodness knew that the past several years she had supposedly already lavished the most scandelous of affairs with one [member="Judah Dashiell"]. Countless gossip channels would state that the Queen of Trade had tempted the Going Green Energy Giant from the watery bed of his wife.

Granted, with how often Danger adored spending time with his son Makai, it was easy to see why. More so when one considered that Danger had signed over a multimillion dollar business to the young Dashiell - ironically formally owned by Silara Kuhn. Now that was some gossip to titer about. Why else would Danger give then to a four year old a company if not for the reason that she was seeking favor for being his daddy’s mistress?

All hogwash to say the least; for those that knew Danger then and now, domesticated men were not her cup of tea. However, there was no denying that a unique friendship had developed over her love of his son, and their continuous work in the green energy.

“The headlines would read, ‘Trade Queen knocks out former Titan’ before the hour is out.” that he would find humor in the joke and able to label himself a widower was a good sign. Maybe she didn’t have to come round. Perhaps she was overthinking it? Or really, admit it to herself that she wanted his company to begin with?

Her sashay brought him over to the windows, and a flourish of her hand would sweep back the remaining distance of the curtains, illuminating the office with natural light. Eyes would dilate into thin emerald circlets as she welcomed the warmth of the afternoon sun.

“You gonna take me out or not?” she would ask one last time, glancing over her shoulder to the man. While the corner of her mouth would quirk in mild amusement, there was a subtle tensing at the corners of her eyes.

This was going out of her comfort zone, and she would not ask again.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

His eyes closed for a second as the light glanced into them, filtering out the bright rays for a moment before he managed to pull his lids open once again. The sunlight seemed to stream in, filtering the room in its odd illumination. It was even more clear now that Alric was living in his office. The couch had a clear impression of his body, there were neatly organized clothes in one corner, and a disguised door on the opposite wall from the window hung open to reveal a small bathroom.

For a second Alric simply smiled at Danger, then he began to stretch in his chair.

"I suppose." He said almost teasingly as he rose from the chair.

He cast a glance towards the image of himself and his daughters, watching it for a moment before wandering over towards where Danger stood. For a moment he looked down on the massive expanse of Byblos, bright blue eyes watching as speeders, transports, and even freighters passed by on the city streets. His lips thinned for a moment as he briefly thought of his inevitable expansion away from this world, the headaches it would cause, but those thoughts were quickly dispelled.

"What do you feel like?" Alric asked Danger as he wandered over to his chair, pulling the jacket from it. "Rodian Cuisine? Corellian? Maybe some of the local delicacies from Nal Hutta. Byblos has a little of everything."

Apparently industry brought restaurateurs like nothing else.

The wealthy liked to eat, or thats what Alric supposed. He couldn't count the number of meals that he had had which had been unidentifiable.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

There was a subtle measure of relief at his answer, her expression softened into a glow. Dropping her hand from the curtain, she would saunter over to his desk, where she would pick up her wide brim hat.

“I’m feeling a bit nostalgic,” she’d say, bringing her hat up to perch it on top of the crown of her auburn head. The fishnet lace half veil would settle just over her eyes and the bridge of her nose, requiring just a bit of an adjustment to angle it so.

“I know Byblos has Corellian roots, and I’ve a hankerin’ for some nerf steak medium-rare.” she would admit, turning towards Alric’s direction as she would situate her hat in place. A few strands of auburn hair would flutter rebelliously under it, as if in protest to its return.

"I take it you've trial runned a few restaurants in your tower?"

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled slightly.

"No, Miss Arceneau." His arms slipped inside of his jacket. "There are no restaurants within my tower. We have several cafeterias staffed by some of the best chefs in the galaxy, but I'm afraid if you want a traditional nerf steak you'll have to be seen in public with me."

There was a reason for that. Several corporations had actually approached him about opening private restaurants within the building, a few had even seemed tempting, but in the end Alric had decided that it wasn't worth it. Part of working for Vanir Technologies, at least in this facility, was eating for free. The Cafeterias within the building were specially equipped to feed the work force here, and they did it with minimal waste and at no cost to Vanir employees.

One of the perks of working here.

He smiled at Danger and walked passed her, moving towards the doors and pulling one of them opened. He swept his arm and ushered her out the door.