A Whole New World

[Brayden Antares]

Ataria Island
Spira

Steam hissed loudly from hydraulic actuators in the landing struts as a large figure emerged from the relic. Light boots were partially concealed by black pants in conjunction with a long-sleeved grey shirt that boasted an athletic fit as Brayden Antares descended the loading ramp. Silver-green eyes turned towards the sky, squinting slightly in response to the brilliance of the Spira Sun.

Slowly, the Endelaan native lowered his gaze back down to the horizon. Sprawled out before him was an edifice for which he was obviously not familiar. Spira was contained in the host of memories that his mother provided to him before he was released from the Darkness. Still, what he saw now...certainly was not what his memories held. The mansion of his mother's family seemed completely gone...replaced by something else entirely. In true fashion, however, the scent of those sharing his blood did seem to remain, linger even.

Stepping forward, Brayden allowed his presence to swell and encompass the entirety of the surrounding areas. There was...something about the location that reminded him of his mother, but he could not quite place it. Outside of his mother, father, and sister, Brayden had not actually been exposed to much in the way of extended family.

Within a matter of minutes, Brayden approached the entrance to the establishment. A gentle scratch at the back of his neck did little more than confirm what his eyes had already told him; the men were armed. Brayden himself almost rarely carried a physical weapon these days, preferring other methods of combat when the situation truly called for it.

"Sir - if you wouldn't mind raising your arms."

Brayden looked at the men curiously. "Why would I want to do that?"

The two security officers looked at each other before one of them moved to say something into a small communicator.

Raising a simple hand, Brayden arrested the man's motion. It didn't look like anything...merely that the man had elected to stay his course of action. "I can go right in."

Both security officers responded in unison. "You can go right in. Have a good time sir."

With a thin smile, Brayden stepped past the two men and into the lavish lobby of the Red Lady. Pausing several steps inside the door, the Sith Sorcerer allowed his gaze to roam what seemed a far more grand spectacle from the inside...than it did outside.

[member="Maeve Berim"]

 

[Saraya Arenais]

Maeve was bored. The expensively decorated lobby had become so familiar to her that just standing in it was incredibly dull. In fact, Maeve wasn't even really supposed to be here. The tedious nights of meeting and greeting in the grand marble room were long gone for Maeve, but one of the lower level girls had fallen ill so here she was. All the pictures looked the same as they always had, the chairs were placed exactly how they always were, the same faces she'd seen a million times before came flocking through the doors. She would have much rather been in the nightclub or the bar talking to her regular clients. Despite all this she wouldn't for a moment let the boredom show on her face.

A Red Lady knew better than that.

Maeve's painted face gave nothing away as she moved gracefully around the room greeting each client when they arrived. The black silk of her dress fluttered behind her as she bounced from one to the other, never spending more than a few moments of her time on each. So far the night had been pretty ordinary but for some reason she couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get interesting. The hour dragged on with nothing note worthy to mention. Guests came and went along with her co-workers who saw them to the correct level.

Just as she was about to leave the nearly empty lobby the doors swung open and the person who emerged from them caught her attention. Now standing just a few meters away from her was a man who, if she was honest, didn't really look like he belonged in the Red Lady. What stood out the most was his outfit. Where most of the other men had chosen a suit of some kind he was wearing a simple combination of grey and black. Maeve wondered if he realized what kind of establishment he'd walked into but it wasn't her job to question motives. Beside, she often found the ones that stood out from the crowd were often the most intriguing, especially if the night was dull in the first place.

She brushed the thought from her mind and put on her best smile. The distance between them was closed with a confident step and the subtle sway of her hips, which made the soft material of her dress flow around her legs. As she approached Maeve's quick eyes, made a shocking green by the well lit lobby, traveled up and down his frame eagerly. One hand rested on the dip in her waist, the other she let hang loosely by her side. When her rouge lips parted a silky voice trickled out of her throat, like honey on a warm day.

'Welcome to the Red Lady. How can I be of service tonight?'

[member=Brayden Antares]

 

[Brayden Antares]

What kind of establishment was this that had been built over the ruins of his family's history? Though there were certainly many details for his eyes to absorb, Brayden was completely focused on the feeling of belonging that seemed to be...pervasive within the edifice. Dropping to a knee, he placed the palm of his right hand to the floor. Allowing his eyelids to close, Brayden used his feelings to stretch forth, reaching out as far as possible.

It did not take long before a flash of emerald grin settled upon his mind. Lingering in the vivid color was the feeling of intense, almost overwhelming power. Recoiling just slightly, Brayden almost broke his physical connection with his surroundings. However, in a matter of moments, the Sith Sorcer had ceased his efforts, returning to his feet. In truth, he knew so little about the status of his family at present, then the entire experience just seemed...curious to him. It tasted of family. In fact it tasted very similar to his mother, but it was not her...at least not completely.

Then again, given the reality that his 'sister' was the only family he'd been able to find, Brayden was not surprised the location just sort of went to...waste.

No sooner had Brayden begun to muse on what the feelings and memories he'd just unearthed meant, than a woman with a voice like honey began to speak to him. Raising his eyes to meet the woman's, Brayden stared intently. Red Lady... It sounded vaguely familiar; like it was mentioned in a dream months ago. During his silent reverie, Brayden allowed his silver-green gaze to dip and roll over the curves of the woman before him. The sings of the flesh hadn't been an...experience he'd ventured into in his relatively lengthy life. There just hadn't been any exposure to females in the Sith Sorcerer's life.

In the moment, he found something tugging at the core of his soul, but he forced it back down. "The Red Lady..." The cogs of Brayden's memory finally slid into place. "Of course, grandmother." Bright eyes immediately shot up from his not-so-silent thoughts to gaze into the green eyes of the woman across from him. "Oh, my apologies. I was just... Never mind." Clearing his throat, Brayden motioned to the expansive room around him. "It's my...first time. I wonder if your owner might be in?" It was worth a shot, wasn't it?

"I mean the owner of this establishment." The admission was not born out of shyness or being tongue-tied. Brayden, very simply, just wanted to be clear.

At least that was certainly what he was telling himself in the moment.

[member="Maeve Berim"]

 

[Saraya Arenais]

At his words a sweet bell like laugh escaped the confines of her throat. Men were so cute when they were nervous. Once her laughter had died down a rather amused smirk made itself apparent on the corners of her lips. She wouldn't bother prattling on about the fact that technically, she didn't have an owner. Maeve was entirely free to walk out of the establishment anytime she wanted. There was never any reason to though. The Red Lady offered money, a room, food and a chance to rub elbows with the elite. She shook her head lightly toward the man and offered him an apologetic frown.

'The owner? I'm afraid not, but...'

What in the world would a strange man want with the owner of the Red Lady? As far as she was aware the proprietor hardly ever came to Spira, but she wouldn't tell the man that. Finding a reason to make people stay wasn't particularly difficult for Maeve yet there was a measure of enjoyment when an excuse simply fell into her lap. A thoughtful expression came over her face and her eyes darted over his frame once again.

'Perhaps I can find out when she's next scheduled to arrive. Someone is bound to know. Why don't you come with me to the bar, we'll get you a drink and see what we can find out.'

Maeve offered him her arm to take along with a charming smile. He was free to decline, but she hadn't really posed it as a question. The silver-green color in his eyes caught the light and completely entranced her. She couldn't lie to herself and say she wouldn't be sorely disappointed if he rejected the idea. He was attractive enough and mysterious enough to hold her attention a little beyond finding the answer to his question. Even then, nothing would come of their search for the owner, he was simply her chance to finally escape from the lobby.

'My name is Maeve. Most people call me Mae.'

[member=Brayden Antares]

 

[Brayden Antares]

Brayden's attention was certainly focused on Maeve, but his thoughts did stray as his memory continued to churn through memories and information that had been bequeathed to him by his mother in a very aggressive fashion sometime before he emerged from the Darkness. Silver-green eyes evaluated the woman before him in a fairly innocuous manner. However, through the Force, his presence rolled and groped along the curves of her body, probing down to her very cells.

The Sith Sorcerer was...intrigued to find that the woman's own natural presence seemed to react and shift as she did. In that precise moment, Brayden could not be sure if Maeve was even aware of the latent force activity that surrounded her. If she was aware, then she was quite adept at seeming...disinterested.

Managing a thin smile, Brayden all too happily looped his arm with that of Maeve. "A pleasure to meet you, Mae. My name is Brayden." The large Sith paused only for a moment before leaning his head down slightly to whisper into the Red Lady's ear. "You should know...I don't actually have much in the way of credits on my person."

Finally, the final piece of the Lost Sith's memory slid into place. Red Lady...Shery...gifted to Asteria... Brayden's memories, courtesy of his mother, ceased at that point. Couple that knowledge with the reality that the business had, apparently, been moved to Spira, and Brayden could be relatively certain that someone in the family still retained ownership. Mae's reaction...either visually or through the Force would confirm or deny said suspicion.

"Don't worry beautiful." Brayden lightly placed his free hand atop Mae's arm as they walked, idly commenting, "I'm certain my Aunt Asteria can cover me."

[member="Maeve Berim"]

 

[Saraya Arenais]

When he slipped his arm into hers Maeve began their leisurely stroll across the marbled floor toward the elevators.

'The pleasure is all mine, Brayden.'

When he lent forward to whisper in her ear she almost shied away. His gentle breath tickled the fine hairs along the length of her neck. Maeve cracked a graceful smile and raised a delicately pruned eyebrow at him. There was nothing in the rule book that said she wasn't allowed to walk away from him right there and then. It wasn't encouraged per say, there was a reputation to uphold after all, but if he wasn't going to spend money he wasn't exactly an asset. Despite this she found herself continuing on toward their original destination.

Something about him had intrigued her from the moment she'd seen him kneeling down in the middle of the lobby. The feeling was part curiosity, part instinct, and it drew her to him like a moth to light. As the break in conversation stretched on she mused about what to say in response, but Brayden got there first. A lilting laugh filled the lobby as she reached her painted fingers out to call the elevator.

'You'd be amused to hear how many people have tried that one...'

Maeve turned to meet his silver-green gaze and shot him an amused smirk.

'But for some strange reason, I believe you.'

The shrill ding of the elevator arriving broke her stare as she guided them through the open doors. They closed with a soft whoosh the moment her trailing fabric had crossed the threshold. As they ascended the sound of music grew louder and louder in the otherwise quiet lift. It wasn't a very long journey but there were a few minutes to kill. Maeve looked up at him once again, resting her own hand on top of his.

'So, Brayden, is your Aunt the only reason you're here?'

[member=Brayden Antares]

 

[Brayden Antares]

As Maeve guided him into an elevator, Brayden arched a curious brow. "Why would the--oh." They would of course try it to either avoid paying or earn some kind of clout, he presumed. Given the vast majority of this entire experience was new to Brayden, he did not precisely understand the allure of payment in exchange for services. Further more, the memories provided by his mother in the Darkness certainly indicated the Red Lady was not for the common client.

Once the elevator doors closed, Brayden allowed his gaze to study the details in the lift. This entire place seemed to be sprawling. No, he hadn't seen most of the facility, but he could feel everything. There was so much life in the area...some of the life was, well, seemingly very, very active.

The sound of Maeve's honeyed voice speaking to him once more redirected his attention. A thin smile settled onto his lips. "Asteria deWinter is the older sister of my mother, Nessarose deWinter. Asteria was given control of the Red Lady by my grandmother, Shery deWinter hundreds of years ago." Brayden had no idea if Maeve would know even...half of that, but it was the extent of his memories regarding the Red Lady. It also setup the answer to Maeve's question.

"As for my motivation to travel to Spira... I honestly was not aware the Red Lady had relocated from Coruscant. I traveled here to find what was left of my mother's family estate on Spira. I arrived to find a Red Lady facility built upon the precise location of my mother's childhood home." Pausing for a moment, Brayden allowed a mischievous expression to touch his lips. "You could say intrigue is the only reason that I am still here."

 

[Saraya Arenais]

Maeve listened intently as he spoke. His soothing tone caused a smile to creep onto her lips, though she was entirely unaware it was there in the first place. Anyone who was anyone in the Red Lady had heard the name Asteria deWinter, the few that followed were a little less common but Maeve had a fascination for knowledge. She nodded politely along with his words, glancing at him only once when he mentioned his Mother's childhood home. There was something bittersweet about someone's memories being tarnished by a moderately questionable business.

The elevator made another shrill sound and the doors whooshed open to reveal the extravagant bar room behind them. A stretch of polished stone curled around a tall pillar of shelves, filled to the brim with glass bottles of all shapes and sizes. When she stepped out of the elevator Maeve slipped from his grasp and instead entwined her fingers around his. A sea of chairs and tables filled with a variety of people was the only obstacle preventing them from the first drink of the night.

She had made this journey a million times before. With Brayden securely attached to her had she began to weave her way through the clientele. Maeve turned in her tall silver heels to face Brayden, just in time to catch his mischievous look. She didn't break her stride to do so, walking backwards as confidently as she had done forward. When she held his gaze for a few minutes a coy smile worked its way onto her painted lips.

'I'm pleased to hear we intrigue you enough to hold your attention. I can promise you, your time here won't be wasted. I'll see to it personally.'

The bartender was waiting for them before they had even reached the halfway mark. Two tumblers, filled with a crystal clear liquid, had been placed neatly in the center of deep rouge colored napkins. Just as they reached the bar Maeve waved toward the bartender by way of thanks.

'The first one is always on me.'

Maeve had to raise her voice ever so slightly to be heard over the sound of a hundred different conversations and the soft tinkling of the music coming from the speakers overhead. She picked up both glasses, offering one to Brayden and bringing the other toward her chest. Despite there being no ice in them the glass was cool and frosted to her warmed touch. After hearing part of his story, Maeve could honestly say she was more than curious about the silver-green man. She raised her own glass part way to her lips, offering Brayden a playful smile.

'To a long, eventful night.'

[member=Brayden Antares]

 

[Brayden Antares]

Brayden permitted himself a soft laugh of amusement at the woman's words. It was not that he necessarily found anything about her speech or manner amusing. Indeed, his memories slowly began to return to him, flashes of specifics long-since provided by his father in the Darkness. The more he recalled, however, the more the Sith Sorcerer realized that [member="Maeve Berim"] was, in fact, simply pulling him into her a game. A game that she played with undoubtedly exquisite success on countless men before him and would continue to do on countless men after he'd departed her company.

Still, even with the simple knowledge of the Red Lady's purpose and that of its employees, Brayden could not help but sense something deeper, hidden under the surface of Maeve's well-maintained skin and toned body. There was a strength that had yet to be stoked, drawn out. The ether of the Force swirled around the room in an abnormal manner...for most sentients. It shifted and responded to her every touch and motion, making her seductive prowess undoubtedly even more potent.

As the weaved their way through the room, arriving at the well-appointed bar, Brayden found his silver-green gaze wandering for a brief amount of time. It was not until the melodic voice of the woman beside him claimed her gift of the round that Brayden returned his gaze to the woman. A smirk played on his lips as rough hands gently collected the glass that had been poured for him. "Actually. If my memory serves, members of my family enjoy the full range of services within these walls free of charge. Ergo, every round is technically on the Red Lady, on me."

Allowing his glass to clink lightly against that of Maeve's, he responded to her toast in kind. "Indeed, Maeve. Indeed." Following his first initial sip of the drink, Brayden set his glass back down on top of the polished bar. "I should be up front. I've not come here for companionship, and I certainly do not intend to purchase such a pleasure...ever in my life. I will understand if you deem it best to find..." Brayden waved casually to the throng of wealthy patrons littering one of the upper levels of the Red Lady. "...another to spend your effort entertaining."

As interesting and alluring as the woman indeed was, Brayden preferred not to get involved with one of his aunt's employees. "I do have a question before you make your decision, however." Leaning in slightly, the Sith Lord allowed his lips to contort into an easy smile once more. "Why do you linger here...is this a profession you have chosen or has it chosen you?"

A long evening...indeed.