A Night of Elegance (Completed)

[Madame Cognito]

Streamlined, curved black space-fairing vehicle of elegance glided almost silently across the stars and down into the evening sky that engulfed the sandy, dusty ball of a planet known as Tatooine. Amber bubbles of a liquid libation ascended a singular fluted stemware vessel as it was lightly placed against maroon painted lips and was tilted horizontally slightly. The amber liquid slithered through and down the parched gullet of one, Arya Cognito. A black silk glove firmly grasped the flute as the brownish tan eyes remained fixated on the cityscape of Mos Eisley growing larger out of the heavily tinted window.
Within moments, the vehicle softly ceased movement in front of a Tatooine bordello on the edge of town. Arya smiled at the glittering visage of the Paradisio Club bordello's exterior as she awaited her driver's opening of her door. A white fur coated female exited the limousine with the driver's hand extension. Raven tresses done up in bun that gave way to the site of sparkling chandelier earrings. Her long, tan legs were adorned with black high heels that clacked against the tile flooring of the bordello's entryway.
As Arya entered the dimly lit bordello, she was accosted by the infectious sounds of electroswing by the band on the corner stage. Maroon booths "U-shaped" around low to the ground table were fixed to the sides of the room. Maroon chaise loungers dotted the middle sections of the room. Call girls were working full to near capacity tables dressed in easily removable skin tight costumes of varying style. Several cocktail waitresses of varying species and genders in skimpy, but elegant attire could be seen almost strutting across every inch of the bordello.
One of several call girl watchers greeted her graciously. "Good evening, Madame Cognito. It's good to have you back. You girls have been working hard." "Good to know, sir. The place looks to be in fine working order. I'll make myself at home in VIP, if anything arises send Arisa Talos to me. Keep up the good work." She graciously greeted the watcher.
Arya looked the part of a celebrity. As owner of a fine sex worker establishment in Mos Eisley, Arya made a decent cut of what her girls raked in from their "talents". In business circles, she might as well be at least on the C-List. Her stock had been rising with a healthy investment in the weapons manufacturing/distribution industry. Arya also took to hunting and collecting on bounties when the mood struck her.
Arya took her seat in the quite comfortable and fancifully decorated VIP section and immediately broke out her datapad with sales figures of the Paradisio Club and began reading over them. Another amber tinted libation rested in her unoccupied hand.

 

[EmKay]

What better place to get lost in than a high-class brothel? The entry fee alone set him back more than he'd have liked, but with everything going on between the Confederacy and Omega, Atretes needed a bit of downtime. Even just a few hours. He wasn't here for the... entertainment... factor, however. He was reflecting on recent events, and reading a book on his datapad. Normally people would go to a more lush planet and serene environ for that kind of activity, but as was stated before, he needed to get lost for a little while.

He sipped his drink. He didn't remember what exactly it was anymore, only that it sated his thirst more than added the flair of alcohol to his system. That was good, it allowed him to shut out the world easier without becoming too out-of-it. He set his datapad down and rubbed his eyes.

"Thousands of years of technology, and they can't make these displays any more pleasant to look at?" he grumbled to himself, which elicited a funny look from a Twi'Lek barmaid who shrugged and went about her business. He looked rather out-of-place to a careful observer, yet in the rush of the crowd he melted into the fray.

[member="Madame Cognito"]

 

[Madame Cognito]

A quick glance upwards from her datapad revealed to her an underdressed patron. Another look around the room revealed that all other patrons did dress up. There wasn't an enforced dress code any longer because it became understood that to enter into her establishment was to require oneself to look the part of a well-manicured, well dressed member of society even if you didn't happen to be so. To look the part was a big part of how Arya saw success in life. You must look as if you have the means to whatever end you're attempting to accomplish even when you do not. To look anything other than one's best was a either a personal statement, stylistic indifference or a low key look for the sake of a job.
"He looks properly out of it, as well," Arya thought to herself. Eyeing a passing Twi'Lek barmaid, Arya connected eyes with the maiden and gestured her to approach. She asked the barmaid to fetch the blonde, long haired stranger and bring him to her for a drink in the VIP section.

 

[EmKay]

Broken from reading his book by the barmaid, Atretes gave her a quizzical, 'what do you want', 'you interrupted me' look. She explained that someone very important wanted to see him. So with a twitch of his mouth and a quiet sigh, he resigned to going with the barmaid up to the VIP section of the establishment.

"Hello." he said to whomever it was who summoned him. He kept his tone neutral, though he would have rather been enjoying his downtime while it lasted.

[member="Madame Cognito"]

 

[Madame Cognito]

"I wanted to disturb your peaceful self reflection over that beverage you were nursing earlier. Primarily due to the fact that I find your complete lack of stylistic conformity to the bordello's standards of dress to be amusing. I haven't the slightest clue why you amuse me or interest me, Mister....? But you do." Arya said perplexed as she took a deep sip of her drink.
As she took a drink, a revelation hit her. Immediately, she placed her drink down on the low table. "I do know why you interest me! You look like you've a story with this outfit, the way your appearance is and how you carry yourself. What is your story?"

[member="Atretes Rhoujen"]

 

[Taa Nul]

Count Morcus quietly strolled into the brothel, dressed in one of his fine suits with a warm smile on his face. Behind him, a pair of intimidating IG-100 Magnaguards holding their electrostaffs close as they kept vigil over their owner. The Count strode over to a booth reserved for him, sitting down in it tiredly, he'd beckon a pair of lethan twi'leks to sit with him and keep him company. The twi'lek waitress walked over to ask him what he wanted. ''A glass of your finest wine...and an audience with the owner of this establishment, hmm? And get these lovely ladies some refreshment aswell, on me.'', he said, the two beautiful and exotic twi'leks sat on both sides of him giggling as they playfully cuddled up to his chest.

[member="Madame Cognito"]

 

[EmKay]

Atretes found a seat and took it, not waiting for invitation. He didn't feel like standing the whole time, honestly. He listened to what the woman had to say, and the corner of his mouth twitched in an almost-grin. His story.

"That's not something privy on the first date, I'm afraid." he said quietly, while he rose his tri-tone eyes to scan over the woman. In that instant, a waitress or some other manner of scantily-clad woman appeared. She said something about a man with guard droids had requested and audience.

[member="Madame Cognito"]

 

[Madame Cognito]

Arya smiled at the mention of his desire to remain private until the potential of a second exchange was made. "You can count on the fact that we'll meet again." Arya stated sliding Atretes a data card with her contact data on it.

A barmaid once more interrupted the exchange with a message that a stranger sought out an audience with Arya. "For now, it appears I am being requested by another stranger. I do prefer my meetings to be one on one. I haven't branched out quite yet into hosting group encounters."
http://img1.simplydresses.com/_img/SDPRODUCTS/971448/1000/black-dress-DQ-8323-a.jpg
With that being stated, Arya rose to her feet, removed her white fur lined coat, tossed it aside and revealed a floor length jet black gown with a right hip diamond decorative piece and a light peek of her left breast. She stood with her black elbow length gloves grasping her beverage in one hand up to her lips and a datapad in the other hand down at her side. Arya looked down the short four stairs at the barmaid and stated with a smile, "Bring the gentleman to me. Anyone bold enough to saunter in here and chat up two of my girls with an ulterior motive of speaking to me is welcome to my company. Insure that you are available to keep this gentleman and I comfortable. Bring up that yellow skinned, beautifully tattooed Zabraki dancing on the platform to sit with him."

The barmaid dipped her knees to Arya and turned to do carry out her instructions. Immediately, she crossed the bordello to the dancer's platform and beckoned the zabraki woman to leave the stage and told her to make her way to the VIP section before going to fetch the gentleman.


[member="Atretes Rhoujen"]
[member="Count Morcus"]

 

[Taa Nul]

The Count would be informed the Madame wanted to see him, he nodded, rising up from his booth and tossing the two lethan's a sizable tip each for their services. He strode to her private booth, closely followed by his two magnaguard protectors. ''Ahh, you must be Madame Arya. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, mi'lady....'', he said with hint of sophisticated charm, taking a seat across from her next to the lovely Zabrak dancer, who he proceeded to wrap an arm around flirtatiously. ''And hello to you too, angel. I'm in the company of another two beautiful women it seems...'', he said with a soft chuckle.

[member="Madame Cognito"]
[member="Atretes Rhoujen"]

 

[Madame Cognito]

A coy smirk crossed her lips as she rested glass on the lowered table. Arya enjoyed the flirtations. "So what's your name, stranger? What brings you into my lovely establishment? Surely a man of your personality and stylistic choices is not here merely for the spoils of my den of debauchery? Would be quite the waste of time for a man that appears to be able to have his ladies delivered to him."

Arya diverted her full attention that had be fixated on the gentleman to the barmaid, "Fetch us some more drinks and a tray of our finest smokables. I do not want our guest to be left...unsatisfied." Arya said sternly at first, then with her eyes repositioned on the gentleman, a seductive smirk across her lips was presented.

[member="Count Morcus"]

 

[EmKay]

Atretes had sequestered himself to a corner of the room. Since he was already singled out, there was no point in mingling with the patrons and crowd. He find a chair next to some fern-tree-plant-thing and popped open his datapad and did some window shopping at Czerka's holonet shoppe. He sent for the things to be delivered to his ship's cargo hold and with an affirmative pop-up and immediate transfer of funds the items were shipped out from the Mos Eisely headquarters. He nodded slightly and changed the screen to the book he was reading. He kept his ears open, however, and decided to listen in without being obvious or invasive.

[member="Madame Cognito"]
[member="Count Morcus"]

 

[Taa Nul]

''I've come to talk a bit of business with you aswell.'' he said, smiling warmly at Arya. ''I'm looking to invest in this establishment, in return for a small portion of it's shares. I've heard it's quite the popular club, and I wanted to ''get in on the action'' as some people put it...''

[member="Madame Cognito"]

 

[Madame Cognito]

Arya's demeanor shifted. Her thoughts had drifted elsewhere after realizing she'd just off and practically waved off the most interesting person that had entered her room. Interesting in the sense that he wasn't just a flashy suit, a nice addition to her investment portfolio or a beautiful smile. The blonde gentleman had a way about him that made Arya think about herself in a way that looked past all of the jewels, vapid luxuries, unnecessary expenses. Arya had been living for years with only three shallow goals, money, fame and power. The blonde gentleman from earlier reminded her of a long forgotten love of her life. A love that transcended all of the vapid luxuries and pleasures. A love that didn't cost a thing or require effort. A love that brought a small glistening to the bottom lid of her right eye. A love that had taught her virtues and values that Arya seemed to forget over the years. A love that broke her heart and caused her to spiral back into mindless luxury and indulgence in order to cope with it all.

Her eyes peered around the club and sighed as she spoke to the Count. "Truth be told, these days I merely want to invite others into my world to fill a void of loneliness. I could do everything I have been doing on my own. Lord knows I have been doing that for long enough. The ownership of a profitable asset provides that opportunity...I guess I am saying all of this because I am so screwed up right now. I loved someone very deeply once and the sight of that man and the horrible way I treated him...god, I was so condescending spouting off about style and fashion like they mean anything more than a means to a presentation. I will not end my activities here or elsewhere in the galaxy... Sure, I will share my assets in a while. They're mere distractions and a means to maintaining a certain standard of living preferable to the asset holder. I will contact you at a later date about your interest in investing in Paradisio, Mister...?"
Arya rose to her feet looking a bit disheveled. The barmaid had just arrived with the fresh drinks and smokeables. Arya waved them off and looked to the Count. "I apologize for the unusual shift in tone, but I must end our exchange for now. I am needing to cut this holiday short and get things sorted with me. My assistant shall give you my information. I will be in touch, darling." Arya stated bending down to kiss his cheek before walking off towards the entrance of the establishment. In time, Arya would return to her normal self, but the scab had just been ripped off and the wounds were again fresh. For now, Arya was going to return to burying herself in her work with her businesses.
[member="Atretes Rhoujen"]
[member="Count Morcus"]

 

[EmKay]

The sudden demeanour shift piques Atretes' interest. He looked up from his position in the corner and watches her new behaviour. He was now interested. No longer did she give off the normal veil of yet another wandering upper-class twit with too much time and money, but an actual person. He tapped a few buttons that had a code to contact him on his datapad, which printed off on a thin strip of flimsy. He then flicked off his datapad and tucked away into his inner coat pocket as usual, and held the bit of material in his hand. He gave the Count a silent nod as he passed, and then caught up with the lady when she nearly reached the exit.

"You're not typical of your kind after all, are you?" he asked rhetorically, his voice barely audible against the ruckus. He slipped the bit of flimsy into her hand as though it were a discreet exchange of funds before going on, "If you, for some reason, need someone to talk to give me a call or a message. I'm usually kept rather busy so messaging would be better." he finished just as quietly before sliding his way out the front door and into the blazing streets of Mos Eisely. He affixed his goggles so he wouldn't feel like his retinas are burning and casually wandered through the streets, in the general direction of the spaceport he'd docked in.

[member="Madame Cognito"]
[member="Count Morcus"]

 

[Madame Cognito]

Arya was caught off guard as she made her way into the nearly blinding light of the suns. She was caught off guard by the blonde gentleman that had been the cause of her mental epiphany of sorts. "I guess I am not typical...a mess maybe, but not typical. And you are quite the mysterious one, aren't you?" Arya stated with a weak smile. She eyed the flimsy being passed to her. "I appreciate your gesture. I will indeed speak with you again." She said with an increased smile. Before the man could leave, Arya gave him a gentle peck on the cheek and politely nodded at him. "Until next time...uh...Atretes." Arya said quickly reading the information on the flimsy.

With that exchange, Arya entered her limousine and raced towards the spaceport, her Luxury5000 class yacht, Opulence, awaited. Her head rested in her hands as she got lost in her own thoughts about Atretes and her former love. Hours later, the ship exited orbital status over Tatooine at blistering speed. "Madame Cognito, you've received a message from a woman named Nixara Zann. It seems to be an invitation to join a group known as the Zann Consortium. I have taken the liberty in placing datapads detailing the Consortium, Tyber and this Nixara woman in your suite for your peruse at your leisure. Should I instruct the pilots to set a course for Makeb?"

Arya was still eyeing the contact flimsy in her hand as she listened to Arisa Talos. She looked up at the question and smiled contently, "Yes, set the course. Let's see what this meeting is all about. I will be in my suite."

[member="Atretes Rhoujen"]