Atomic [Taeli]

[Fiolette Fortan]

"Quite alright," Fiolette took another swig of bourbon and closed her eyes, jaw clenched as she felt a surge of darkness. A second swig and she opened her eyes a finger circling the top of her glass and while she was well aware of the show that Ms. Raaf was putting on. The Galidraani squared her shoulders and turned to her own meal as the Grand Marshal spoke of her family, "well while I'm sure our relations are forever an intrinsic part of our lives. They are not, however, a definition of who we are and who we become." The redhead pushed away any impulsive thought to act on her previous notion to sign the deal and leave as much as she wanted to. She steeled herself there to feed a different desire, "but let us not talk of our families, surely there will be a time where we can both divulge such vulnerabilities."

This was not that time.

"Now, I had been going over some of your catalog the other day and what intrigued me was your, what do you call it the Mjolnir cannon?" Fiolette's fork stabbed into her meal in a way that felt like ages ago, when she was a simple lieutenant that hungered for the power of an admiral. "As my team and I are currently in the development of a type of reactor-arc weapon based on following a particular type of particle released by most standard hypermatter engines."

As she set the fork down and relaxed in her seat, Fiolette took the glass of bourbon and brought it back to her lips. Her eyes wandered she knew the show was for her so why not indulge?

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Fiolette Yvarro"]

"Indeed," she replied, cutting up the last few chunks of her meal. Unlike Fiolette, she had not been neglecting her food. Her second tea was set down by her hand by the waiter, a small smile of gratitude passing to him. The Mjolnir Cannon was something of... an exotic weapon. It had been developed in concert with Aurora Industries by engineers from the Imperium, yet another failed attempt at Imperialism in the galaxy. She had actually liked working with them, and many of their creations had been developed by Aurora and were still being produced.

She also caught how Fiolette had actively allowed her eyes to wander further, so as Taeli would go to answer her inquiry about the cannon, she would give the woman a little bit of a longer show. It was only fair after all.

"Ah yes, one of our more exotic technologies," she said, daintily eating the remaining part of her steak before continuing. "I believe the engineers called what it fires neutron matter. I'll admit that particle and quantum physics is a tad beyond my understanding."

She gave a small amused chuckle, stretching for a moment.

"I leave that to my senior scientists to worry about. It's quite the powerful weapon though, they've told me it hits with the same force as one hundred and fifty turbolasers. But much like everything else, there are some initial plans to develop a newer and stronger version. The current one is a bit of an energy guzzler."

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

Fiolette narrowed her gaze on Ms. Raaf looking for inconsistencies in her speech. "Well," she paused and left behind any thought of the tachyon particle research she and her engineers had done on behalf of the first order. "When you've completed the new cannon, I should be the first in line to purchase one, or ten." Fiolette mused with a grin as she slowly took to her meal this time she ignored the woman's display and moved to focus on her drink. When the waiter returned with a second set of tea, the Galidraani woman ordered dessert as she continued on with her meal. "With that in mind perhaps we can settle this business deal now and then perhaps move on to more personal matters?"

She waved over Dansen, her personal droid. "Dansen fetch me my tablet, please."

"Right way Madame."

"Now then as you are well aware Primo Victoria has a vested interest in your company and what your company produces thus we would like to secure a negotiated contract for a lowered price than displayed, our question to you Ms. Raaf what would you desire in return?" Aurora Industries produced much of its own so Fiolette wanted to leave it to the woman in question to decide what she wanted in exchange.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Fiolette Yvarro"]

"Yes, I suppose we should get business out of the way first," Taeli agreed, also ordering dessert before continuing. With second tea in hand, she listened to what Fiolette was mostly desiring from Aurora Industries. A lower price for acquiring Aurora designs and products for use in their ships and other projects she was sure. The question that went unasked, but was hanging in the air along with other.. unsaid things, was what exactly did Taeli want out of this deal from Primo Victorian? Oh sure, Fiolette had asked her, but that was a customary thing to ask and it lacked the underlying issue.

Aurora produced just about everything it needed, its facilities and operations various and scattered around the galaxy. Weapons, ships, droids, technology, bio-tech, Aurora had a hand in most pies. And if it didn't, then there was the subsidiary for vehicles and armors that Taeli had just created and Spaarti Creations had just been acquired. It could very well be said that Taeli, and by extension Aurora Industries, was a woman who had just about everything one could need.

So what did she want?

"Hmm," her finger was running the edge of her glass as she thought, "Aurora will offer a thirty-five percent reduction in price for Primo Victorian when purchasing our products for your use, either within your own projects or simply to have for personal/personnel reasons, for all of our umbrella companies, and we will also offer you an extended long-term supply contract for any materials, resources, facilities, etc. required to expand and enhance your products. In exchange, Aurora would like a premium window to purchase or use new technologies developed by Primo Victorian of three standard months before they reach market, or if the product is for internal design, a chance to utilize the technology as well."

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

Fiolette nodded in agreement with Ms. Raaf, they should. After all, there wasn't much that Ms. Raaf did not have nor was there much that Primo Victoria could offer. They were newcomers to the market and well, Aurora was not. And so as plates were taken away and glasses refilled, table cleaned up and prepared for dessert as needed the Galidraani listened to the woman across from her. A lot of what Aurora worked with were areas that Primo Victoria had dabbled in while under the yoke of the First Order. That was neither here nor there as Fiolette listened to her, watched Ms. Raaf run her finger along the edge of her glass. Reduction rate in prices for all companies and long-term supplier, which at the rate Primo Victorian projects were going sounded all well and good. In exchange, Aurora Industries would get a premium window for new technologies developed by Primo Victoria at least three months prior to market, most likely at a reduced rate but she didn't say it aloud.

Dansen arrived with Fiolette's tablet, "fair enough, thank you Dansen."

She took the tablet in hand and brought up documents from Primo Victoria's side and withdrew the stylus from the side of the tablet. "Let us go ahead and get this out of the way. Dansen if you could draw up and send the contract to the folder with the following conditions." Fiolette informed the droid of the deal set forth by both sides, and the droid quietly obliged. "Right then, Ms. Raaf if you could look this over and if you would like send yourself a copy and just make sure it reads as you've mentioned."

Fiolette moved the tablet in Ms. Raaf's direction and waited.

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Fiolette Yvarro"]

Accepting the offered tablet, Taeli gave it a once over. Yes, everything did appear to be in order as they had just verbally agreed to. Tapping it with the stylus, she transferred the agreement to her own datapad, which would send it along a secure connection to the Aurora business server on Erilnar. With a flourish, she signed her name to the bottom of the document and sealed it. By the end of the day, it would be processed and the first shipments would be on their way to whichever facility Fiolette designated.

She passed the tablet back to Fiolette just as the desserts arrived. For her, a small, delicate, and creamy cake made from the milk of nerfs with a spiced crumble as the crust. On Corellia, where she and her sister first had one, she had heard them called a 'cheesecake.'

"To the beginnings of a long and... fruitful relationship," Taeli said, giving a smile as she took her first bite of her dessert.

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

Fiolette, in turn, handed the tablet to Dansen.

Between playing with her dinner and waiting for dessert to arrive, the Galidraani gave Ms. Raaf a smile. And just as their orders were served, "to a long and fruitful relationship, indeed." She agreed and sent her droid assistant on his way. The restaurant's music continued the ambiance had yet to fade and the bourbon was settling now, the alcoholic haze felt comfortable now. Silence fell between them and Fiolette was content with this for at the moment she curved her spoon into the sorbet. Contract now signed and out of the way the woman felt a bit more confident in pursuing something of a more personal relationship between herself and Ms. Raaf.

And it also made her wonder if Ms. Raaf would be in attendance to a few of the expos that were expected to unfold within the coming weeks. "Now I am, uncertain, if you are aware of a few of the upcoming expositions and trade shows," she paused a moment, "and I wondered that is if you are attending if you would like to meet?" Part of Fiolette wanted to know just what in the Balance she was doing, or did she think she was doing. The contract was signed she got what she wanted, why pursuit? There'd be nothing more to note for the evening. And then the other part of Fiolette continued on, "and secondly."

"If you have no other plans for the evening, perhaps you could join me in the executive suite?"

[member="Taeli Raaf"]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Fiolette Yvarro"]

"Oh I'm aware," Taeli responded, savoring the bite of cheesecake before answering. "I'm still up in the air if I will be attending the expo in the Hosnian system, but I will be attending the ATC expo. Danger and I have a respectful business arrangement. She's been a backer of mine since I first got into this game, and for that, I'll always be grateful."

The lessons Danger had imparted, if inadvertently, during their various meetings had helped shape Taeli in ways even her studies of the Sith and Jedi couldn't. They gave her a wider perspective, one where she could understand various facets of the game... and combine them with her role as a Sith. If anything, business was an even better way to keep one sharp in how to play the greatest game of all than maneuvering against potential rival Sith. Not that she needed to do that very often, it helped when one was a confidant of the Sith Emperor himself.

Still, the question that Fiolette wanted to meet again was... exactly what she had been hoping for... along with the second question that followed. She had been right after all.

"As a matter of fact, and for once in a blue moon, I do not have any pressing matter that requires my attention tonight," Taeli said, giving the other woman a smile that was... more than what it would say to anyone watching them. "Shall we finish our desserts here or take them with us?"

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

"I'm sure that both expositions will bring," the Galidraani paused a moment, "great opportunities."

Fiolette waved the waiter over, "this should cover for the evening." She set her napkin on the plate and carefully unfolded out of her seat and dusted herself off as necessary. Although she did tuck away the knowledge of Danger Arceneau's relationship with Ms. Raaf away for another time. "Why don't we take our desserts to go, hmm?"