Casino Royale

[Scherezade deWinter]

Dohmus Prime. A lovely planet, maybe. Madalena was not going to land on it today. Instead, she was walking down the hallway that led to the space station’s casino, her combat boots making surprisingly little noise with every step. She hadn’t known what to expect on her way here, and to be frank, she still wasn’t entirely sure what to expect a mere few moments from now.

Down to her last crate of her precious Baby Hutts, the Sithling decided it was time to bring her Hutt Breeding Porgram to an end. She had new ideas, ideas that were bigger and better, and while her precious little slugs were an amazing tool for her, it was time to upgrade. But that didn’t mean she’d just kill the little critters. Not randomly, anyway. No, she had a much better plan that; she was going to sell them.

Which was exactly why she’d arrived here. A middleman had done the theoretical introductions and she was to meet her new contacts here. Credits were to be exchanged for her last little slugs.

She’d taken great care in picking her dress out, over twelve Czerka knives hidden in the bottom part of her dress, as well as the hilt of her lightsaber hidden discreetly inside her cleavage. It was weird to hide all her weapons like that again; until recently, that was how she always went at it, but with her advancement within the CIS ranks and her growing abilities as a Warrior, she’d started to wear all her weapons out in the open. This… Was strange.

Madalena also wore her slugs on her. Ten Baby Hutts, some of them the size of a finger, others slightly bigger, were riding her shoulders, on her head, clinging to her curves. Some of them were laughing. She was often laughing with them. It was a sight to behold, though there weren’t any bombs strapped to any of them at present. That would come later. “All right little sluggies,” she said with a little coo, “now’s the time to be on your best behavior so that we can find you a new mommy and a new daddy! No poodoo'ing on my hair!”

Making sure her bright red lipstick hadn’t smudged, Madalena Antares entered the casino, emerald green eyes scanning her surroundings for her contact.



[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

Now this was something I had to see.

If I was totally honest, I hadn't quite believed it when I'd come across this particular opportunity. Baby Hutts? No way, there was... simply no way. Part of my inviting Madelena to the casino had simply been to satisfy my curiosity. Additionally, if it all turned out to be false, which it surely had to, I wanted to wine and dine whomever had come up with something good enough to pique my interest. Finally, if it did turn out to be true... I had to have some.

There she was.

I saw her on the security cameras, a beautiful woman with emeralds for eyes... and the baby hutts all over her form. My eyebrows raised as I sat in the security office. So, she'd been truthful after all. I had to admit, that was not something I'd expected.

Standing from my chair, I turned to greet her. Even though my slinky black dress was nothing particularly fancy, especially in a setting like this one, the dark, wide-brimmed hat that perpetually hid my face tended to make me stand out, perhaps a little ironically. I used it to hide my identity, sure there was tech out there that could scrub my face from cameras and such... but what can I say? I liked the old-fashioned poetry of it.

My heels clacked upon the gleaming floor as I walked briskly through the hall. Two lefts, a right, and one turbolift later I was on the main floor. The few patrons who recognised my hat either turned away nervously or gave a respectful nod. Most, however, either regarded me curiously or simply ignored the additional woman entering the casino. Crossing the floor, I sought to meet Madelena before she made her way too far in, and give her a proper greeting.

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

It was the hat that tipped her off. Well, the hat and the reaction of the casino’s patrons the moment she entered the area. The corners of Madalena’s lips curled up into a delicious smile as she beheld the other woman’s form, appreciating the aesthetics she’d chosen for herself, wondering if it was her usual style or if today was simply special.

A small lick of the Force came forward from Madalena then. If the other woman could sense it, she would be able to feel that there was no malicious intent behind it. Madalena simply liked to know who and what she was dealing with, her expertise with Blood Magic allowing her to form an entire catalogue of blood lines and species’ feel via the Force inside her head.

Now this was interesting. Not only was the woman not human, not down in her genes, but the scent Madalena caught through the Force told her it she was of a species she had never come across before. Quietly, she hoped the meeting would be pleasant enough so she could ask her about it without coming off as rude.

“Dona Nera del Campo Delle Stelle Morte,” Madalena greeted with a warm smile, allowing every syllable to roll off her tongue with delight. It was a beautiful name, structured to let those who heard it know of strength. She held her hand out to shake hers, “Thank you so much for taking the time for this meeting. I am Madalena Antares, and these are my little precious slugs.”

One of the baby Hutts that had been clinging between her shoulder blades crawled up, letting his face show above Madalena’s shoulder, and gave a little squee.

[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

I paused, delicately arching an eyebrow beneath the brim of my hat.

She'd articulated my long name perfectly, in fact it sounded quite pleasant rolling off her tongue. I didn't usually go by it, in part because of the mouthful it was to say. It was nice to hear it a little if I was honest. Her response was a warm smile as I reached out and accepted her hand in both of mine, shaking it warmly. That was when I noticed the baby hutt climb up over her shoulder, peeking out at me from where it sat. A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I flicked my eyes from her to it.

"Welcome, welcome, Madelena," I purred, "and... to you, little thing."

Taking a step back, I raised my arm, gesturing to the casino as a whole. While it was filled with the general din of voices undercut by the shrill clinking of the machines and the constant background of the live band, I had never personally considered the sound overwhelming. The lights were dimmed, most of the ambience coming from the blinking coloured bulbs on the machines or the neon strips around some of the tables. The aroma of high-quality was subtle at best, in all, I was proud of what we'd built here.

"The casino is yours to enjoy," I continued, "should the fancy strike you, I've arranged for a sizeable collection of chips for you to use at any of our tables. So, let's get down to business, shall we? I've arranged for one of the conference rooms upstairs."

After hearing my guest's reply, I then turned on my heel and led her through the casino to the turbolift at the far end. This was shaping up to be an excellent evening.

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Being referred to as your little thing caused the slug perched behind Madalena’s shoulder to give another little squee out. It was somewhat mind numbing, how they could be so adorable at that size, and then grow… Well, into Hutts. What was more mind numbing was that the Hutts tended to hide their offspring at that age, keeping them in their pouch into near adulthood or much after that. Madalena thought they could overhaul their entire PR in the galaxy if they’d only use their baby slugs. But, that was none of her business. Her business usually included killing them, and she was very good at what she did.

The Dona’s voice was a soft purr, sending all sorts of pleasant shivers down Madalena’s spine.

She looked the casino as the lights dimmed, wondering if this was where they were to have their meeting. But no. Was this to show her strength in this place? Madalena wasn’t sure, but she supposed, it didn’t really matter. An offer to enjoy the casino was made, and she wondered now ow little of it should actually use in order not to cause offense. Gambling wasn’t really her thing. It was better not to start rather than enter the lure and seduction of deciding mid-rush when stopping had to be maybe done or maybe not because the next round would be luckier.

They headed to the turbo lift then, a conference room that had been prepared. The slugs moved freely around Madalena’s body and she let them, for now. They’d be dead soon anyway, might as well let them enjoy it.

“I have seen more than my share of casinos in my life,” Madalena said graciously, “mostly on Tatooine and Nar Shaddaa. Yours is a true gem compared to them.”

While it was true that this was small talk, she meant every word of it.

“Have you been here for long?” she asked, keeping the tone casual, “I’m afraid I didn’t know about this station, or the planet, until a very short while ago.”


[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

I couldn't lie, the look of wonder that came over my guest's face as she took in the sights of the casino filled me with quite the sense of pride.

It was moments like this that made me want to dispense with the secrecy, to open up the Dohmus system to the galaxy proper and officially put us on the map. Perhaps there was still a part of me that believed that such a simple existence could be possible, even for us, all the way out here. But of course, such fancies don't last long. She was here to sell me something I planned to use against my enemies... a fact that reminded me why Dohmus Prime remained hidden as it was.

I truly did try to keep my eyes off Madelena and the slugs that glided all over her curves, honestly I did. But it was simply mesmerising to watch. Keeping my head straight and my stride matched with hers, I hoped that it wasn't too obvious, the glances that she drew.

We entered the turbolift, the swift, sleek metal cylinder whisking us away from the main floor towards the conference rooms. The doors opened with a subtle hiss to a neat, if empty, corridor. Only a short trip down and we arrived at the conference room. Like the rest of the casino, subtle strip lighting, cushioned leather, sleek metal and architectural curves to make a twi'lek jealous all came together intending to provide an atmosphere of class and sophistication. The majority of the room was taken up by a large marble table, around which were seated eight leather chairs. Lowering myself into one, I motioned for Madelena to do the same. At her words, I smiled, dipping my head and actually blushing a little.

"Thank you," I smiled, "it is good to hear that the hard work of my staff is paying off. I'll be sure to let them know."

Her next words caused a smirk to tug at the corners of my mouth. Shaking my head, I leaned back, letting the moulded leather huge the curve of my back,

"Actually no, well, it's relative I suppose. Settlement began properly around... a little while ago." I bit my lip, any indication of the actual timeframe might cause her to wonder why I looked so good for someone much older than I purported to be. "... Besides, we have a few counter measures in place here, we uh... like to keep a low profile. I trust the trip wasn't too troublesome? I know it's a long way to come."

Oh yes, we would get to business, but it wasn't often I met business partners in such a pleasant capacity. In this regard, at least, I wanted to put my best foot forward.

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Madalena was very well aware of the glances she drew. Not just now, not just here, but in general. Puberty, a process she’d finished not too long ago, had done her a lot of good, and thanks to her parents, her face was a genetic lottery win as well. But she didn’t let that get to her head, not anymore. She was born and raised on Coruscant, and like any other capital-world, it was filled to the rim with attractive people. Being pretty was enough to get attention, but far from enough to reach your goals. Her vanity phase over her appearance hadn’t lasted too long, and now that she was her own person and considered a grown up in most systems, she had her mind set on things that were far more important. But she still liked to wear things that showed her off.

She followed the Dona into the conference room, her eyes widening once again at the lavishness of it. The only times she’d seen things this grand was in castles, or fortresses, and only enough times to count on a single hand. To say that she adored what her eyes saw would have been an understatement. Perhaps, in a few years, she could run a place that had something this grand. The smell of the leather hugged her and gave her a comfort she hadn’t even realized she was wanting until a moment ago. Nodding to the offer to sit own, Madalena carefully detached a slug that had been resting against her rear end, and sat down across the Dona.

Settlement had apparently begun a little while ago, and they were after a low profile. Madalena nodded, understanding the need for keeping things vague. If she’d had her own planet, she supposed she would have taken similar measures. It was one thing to lose a small ship you didn’t care about; but once you announced you had a planet, it became fair game to everyone according most of the big groups in the ‘verse.

“May safety reign,” she gave a little blessing to the Dona’s words before answering her question, “to be honest, I’m a horrible pilot in space. I’m much better at planet-side vehicles. But my autopilot had no issues once the coordinates were punched in.”

Gingerly, her long fingers removed one of the slugs from her body, and placed it on the table. The little thing began to move around with speed, trying to sniff every inch of it.

“I was surprised you picked my offer up,” she admitted, looking at the parts of the Dona’s face that were revealed. It was slightly strange, not being able to make eye contact, but Madalena was like water; she knew how to go with the flow, “some of the other responses I received were… Less than flattering. Too many people in this ‘verse are too hung up on the boxes they’ve built for themselves to live in.”


[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

I couldn't help but chuckle at her answer.

Piloting was difficult, and hadn't come naturally to me anymore than it likely had for her. However, I'd had the advantage of decades to ensure that I'd mastered it. If only I could manage to fight with the same level of confidence.

"I'm glad you arrived in one piece," came my reply with a subtle, but genuine nod.

Then I did something that I had seldom done before, and certainly not with any of my previous business partners. I couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of my dear capos, and my advisory, undoubtedly, they wouldn't approve. Well, it was a good thing I was the Donna then, wasn't it?

With a soft smile, I lifted my hands to my head and gently lifted off my hat, placing it on the table beside me. My hair was pinned up, so no gleaming tresses cascaded down my back. I'm a practical girl at heart, so no dazzling makeup adorned my face, either. The features that gazed back at her, while pleasant enough, were plain; forgettable. This was perfect for someone in my profession. It wouldn't do for me to be too be unable to walk down a street without being stopped. Indeed, I had a running bet with [member="Ivory Stroud"] that I could walk amongst my own Casino completely unrecognised without hiding my face, but she wouldn't let me try.

I leaned forwards, lacing my fingers under my chin,

"Indeed," Came my reply, "I confess, Doll, I had half-expected this to be a hoax, I'd been ready to treat you to dinner simply for catching my eye for such a feat. However, I'm pleasantly surprised to see it was genuine. Tell me, was the idea yours, Doll?"

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

The Dona removed her hat.

The Dona removed her hat!

Madalena couldn’t keep the surprise off her face, her jaw almost falling to the table. She’d thought that hat would remain there until the end of their meeting and after that as well, and she was pretty sure she had not said or done anything to warrant this level of… Trust? Respect? Honor? She wasn’t sure if any of those even came close to what the Dona’s action could stand for.

It felt like a forever before she managed to close her mouth and swallow, only then her lips curling into a smile that came with a nod of the head. She’s go with honor. But she still had no idea what she could do on her end to return it.

“You’d have dined with me if I’d shown up empty handed?” Madalena asked with a chuckle. It wasn’t her place to question the words, but she knew that had the roles been reversed and it had indeed turned out to be a hoax, the hoaxer would not have made it in one piece back home. But Madalena was ruthless towards those who crossed her; there was a reason that she left a trail of dead almost everywhere she went.

“It was,” she nodded in answer, “A few months ago I found myself on Tatooine, facing a young Hutt Boss. The idea came to me after I took his insides out and danced in his skin.” A wicked grin accompanied those words. It was a personal mission that she was quite proud of. There was an artifact that she wanted and the Hutt had, though she could honestly not remember what it was anymore. “He wanted to make me one of his dancing girls, so I thought to show him what it looks like, even if he was already dead when it happened.

I took his tail as a trophy of war and the road from that to cloning was simple enough. These aby Hutts are all the clones of the same Hutt. Apparently, Hutts have a feeding pouch inside their body, which is where they keep their young for years, sometimes not letting them out until they’ve reached adulthood.”

Leaning back in her chair, Madalena tossed a lock of hair behind her shoulder, her emerald eyes focused on the Donna’s. It was not just a simple Confederate sitting in that chair, not just a young woman who happened to be pretty. Madalena was a predator, and she was not shy about it in any shape or form.

With care, she plucked one of the baby Hutts from her body, two fingers entering its little slug mouth and digging in until she found a holopad. There really weren’t any pockets on her dress, and she hadn’t been in the mood to go shopping for a purse.

Placing the holodevice on the table, she clicked a button.

The air betweer her and the Dona changed as the holoprojections took the space up. They both saw the bridge; an area in Mos Eisly, upon which the apartments of the rich and powerful had been built, and where they lived. “Tatooine,” Madalena explained, “My baby Hutts were strapped to bombs and I broke into the sewers. A little bit of guiding them through the Force to the right parts in the building…” the entire thing went up in explosives in flames, debris raining everywhere, crowds that had been in the area running away screaming.

The holoprojections changed then, to something more recent. “Manda,” she said as the battle field came into view. It was a mess of armies fighting each other. A bit of fast forwarding, and it was down to one AT-AT, also known as a chicken walker. Madalena was perched right on top of it, not secured from falling in any kind of a way, wearing her armor, throwing the baby Hutts all together, screaming with excitement. The Hutts landed on an enemy AT-TT and moments later, the entire thing fell apart as the Hutts exploded, limbs falling down, the enemy inside the other machine exploding as well.

Madalena leaned back and turned her holodevice off. The table now was filled with all the Hutts that had been on her body; fifteen in total. They stood very neatly, in rows of five, looking at the Dona with their big puppy-like eyes.

“There are no bombs in them right now,” she said reassuringly, “but there could be, if you put them in there.” Madalena leaned forward, giving the Dona another one of her delicious smiles, “I haven’t looked at your security, but I’m going to guess it’s aimed at humanoids and droids, mostly. Perhaps a few more nuanced things considering the creatures you might have to deal with. But I’m willing to bet my left hand that there is nothing in them that’s searching for baby slugs. And that is the genius of my Hutt Breeding Program. If you decide to take it, you will have these fifteen wee ones, and an assurance on my end that I will not make any new ones. I want to move on up to bigger things, but I can’t let these little ones grow up or go to waste. I want someone who’ll give them proper use, which is why I’m not releasing them free on Tatooine.”

[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

I couldn't help but chuckle at Madelena's reaction.

She was a sweet thing, and while fear and respect were powerful tools in my arsenal, unadulterated awe could certainly be nice to behold every once in a while. At her question, a slight shrug came as my response. She was a guest, I didn't want to muddy the waters with unpleasant things such as what might have followed a shared meal. A subtle grin; oh yes, there's something about sharing a last meal with someone that I... enjoyed. But that wasn't relevant now anyway.

Sitting back in my seat somewhat, I watched the woman before me answered my question, talking about how she came across the idea. I joined her in that wicked grin, she was a bold one. Disrespecting the Hutts like that? I had half a mind to offer the girl a job with us.

No doubt the impression was displayed upon my features. Madelena was far from some delicate doll, sitting across from me in her chair, she was a true femme fatale, a lioness whose grace and beauty was matched only be the ferocity of her claws.

"I assume the Hutt clans chose not to retaliate?" I asked. I'd heard the wrath of the Hutts was legendary, if she'd pulled this off, there was no end to what the girl could achieve.

My eyes widened in surprise as she reached into the mouth of one of her baby slugs, as if to demonstrate the little pouch that they had. One eyebrow arched, I watched as she produced a holopad and placed it on the table, pressing a button. A demonstration. I gazed upon the image as she spoke, talking about how she used the force the guide them and use them. My smile grew a little wider. Oh yes, these would be perfect.

"They're... surprisingly effective." I murmured as she showed me the second scene.

I nodded as she finished, chuckling softly.

"You're right, doll. I uh... hadn't considered baby slugs when these systems were being designed. As a matter or fact, I suspect very few people have. Rest assured, I'm sure I can put these to very good use." I smiled, reaching for my datapad as I began to transfer the credits. "Perhaps we could make this a... more permanent arrangement, hm? To say I am thoroughly intrigued by what you would move onto would be an egregious understatement."

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

“They have not retaliated yet,” Madalena answered truthfully, “and they might not at all, considering I am with the Confederacy, and Tatooine is now CIS-space.” Now that the Dona had asked, she couldn’t help but wonder why they actually hadn’t. They were ferocious and had the credits and connections needed to get their revenge on her for what she’d done, but she hadn’t bothered to give it any thought, if she were to be honest. Then again, it wasn’t exactly uncharted territory for her; when you leave a trail of dead wherever you go, sometimes those who cared about some of those on the trail decided to make your life harder. So far, she’d been great at dealing with those challenges. Would the angry Hutts be the one to break her streak? Only time would tell.

Her eyes followed those of the Dona as she watched demonstration, nodding quietly to herself. The effect, judging by the Dona’s expression, was the one she had hoped to pull from her. Madalena had not merely intended to show the power of destruction that she could unleash; in that aspect, her Baby Hutts were only the tip of the iceberg. But no; these babies were about the potential. A gun was only good for shooting if the wielder lacked imagination, since it could be used for so many more things than that.

As the Dona said, very few people would’ve even considered protecting themselves against baby slugs, especially the further one got away from Hutt Space.

“Once the transfer is complete, you are free to do with them as you please,” Madalena nodded with a grin. She had no doubt that someone with the Dona’s repertoire would put them to good use indeed.

But then came the offer for a more permanent arrangement. Madalena lofted a brow, her interest in the Dona now renewed. “What sort of an arrangement did you have in mind?” she almost purred. Always ask before agreeing to anything. Information was vital. And if what the Dona had was good enough… It was very possible that Madalena would be returning home with more than just credits in her pocket.


[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

As the credits transferred, I pressed a small silver button set into the table. One might notice that there was one such button in front of each seat. Their purpose soon became apparent as within a few moments the door to the conference room opened and in stepped one of my staff. He wore a simple black uniform, its only discernible marking was the name of the casino across the left breast pocket. He glanced between us, clearly wondering who'd summoned him. Raising a hand to get his attention, I beckoned him over. The lad clearly fumbled in surprise at seeing me without my had on, but recovered quickly enough and hurried over.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Fetch something to safely and comfortably store those darling little things would you, Royce? Perhaps put a little something in it for them to eat. They've had quite the journey. Thank you, Doll."

The young man nodded, rushed out a 'right away, ma'am', and disappeared back through the door as I leaned back in my chair a little, my attention once again fixed upon Madelena. Of course, very few people made it to Dohmus Prime without at least their loyalties and connections being thoroughly investigated. But I took note of how she made no secret of it. That was good, a spy would not be so forthcoming with their allegiances.

"The Confederacy?" I asked, "now there's a pie I wouldn't mind getting my fingers in."

A luxurious smile followed. Hide the fear, only show confidence. I was under no illusions; they were quite the powerful organisation. An alliance would be wonderful, but I was likely not even a blip on their radar yet. At her question, my smile widened, becoming a little easier and more genuine,

"I would like you to consider my as one of your regular customers. You come up with something else as... unique as this, I would like to be considered alongside your allies before it goes to market. In exchange, I can offer you a place on Dohmus Prime... you never know when an outfitted laboratory completely hidden within a reflection nebula and not on any maps might come in handy."

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

As the Dona pressed a button, Madalena could not help but tap manually into the Force, checking for signs of danger. There was no reason to believe so, and the Dona had neither implied in actions or facial movements that there was a reason for the Sithling to be worried, but remaining alert had never been the cause of redundant injuries or death, so why not keep at it. But instead, the Dona asked for a container for the Hutts.

Madalena grinned.

Her expression did not waver when the Dona said she would not mind having a finger in the Confederacy’s pie. Madalena had little interest in betraying the very faction that took her in after the destruction of her home and her separation from her brother, but there was nothing in any rule book against doing business. Fingers in a pie could find great ingredients for- No, she was not going to take the metaphor there, it sounded back before the thought was even half complete.

And then came the offer. The hunger was all too easy to see on Madalena’s face. She liked the offer.

“You make a tempting offer,” she nodded, “but I would need to know more before I could agree. I know little to nothing about your operations. I do not know who your allies or enemies are, and I do not know who you may intend to use my creations against.”

But, that kind of intelligence was a tall order as well. It was something that could potentially be worth as many credits as the ones she was receiving right now.

Madalena smiled. “I do not expect you to tell me everything, especially not so soon in our relationship,” she continued, “all I require now, is a promise that you will stick by; I need to know that what I conjure in this wonderful lab will not be used against the Confederacy, or against the Silver Jedi.”

The last one was not the only ally of the Confederacy. But Madalena new her own mind, and she knew of the blueprints that existed within it to take it down. But those were not blueprints she planned on using, not while her best friend was with them, and not while they did not give her cause. “Everyone else on the Galactic Map is fair game.”


[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

I raised an eyebrow.

Our original transaction now all but completed, all that remained between us was my offer. I hid the reflexive pursing of my lips. Should she accept, I'd have to square this with my caporegime. While I was the head of the Family, they were very much the neck; my support and the only reason I was where I was now.

But Madelena's words pulled me back from my thoughts. To know more? My fingers trailed towards the brim of my hat resting on the table, running along its edge back and forth.

Then came the second of her conditions. At hearing that one, my fingers pinched the hat's brim and moved it slightly closer to myself. For a moment, I said nothing, simply watching the shadows along the table. Finally, I let out a soft sigh.

"No."

I didn't often make deals directly. I'm sure either of my caporegime would have had a more diplomatic way to say it. With a deep breath, I lifted my eyes to meet the gaze of the woman before me, and sought to explain.

"I understand wanting to know more. With a normal business transaction, such would be written into the contract even. However, we are not a normal business. Even my associates and soldiers don't now as much as you're asking. We take discretion far too seriously."

A pause,

"And alas, that's not a promise I can keep. It's a promise I could make, certainly. We have no intentions of making enemies of any government or other significant entity. But with no idea what the future holds, I can not make a promise I may one day need to break...

... After all, what sort of woman would I be without my integrity?"

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

No? Madalena tried to keep the surprise off her face, but failed. She had thought she had worded herself carefully enough to make her meaning no, but at least on the first set of questions, she realized that most likely, she had not. However, she was perfectly fine with no being said to that; she didn’t actually expect to get that kind of intel, especially not so quickly.

The second part though, was what made her pause. She could understand the concern, of course. The future was big and grand, and for some people, scary. The Dona was trying to keep the options open, unknowing whether she might need to harness herself against the Silvers or the Confederacy.

Truth be told, Madalena had a hard time seeing why she would ever need to go against them; but she also remembered that she knew very little about the Dona’s operations. There was little issue against using the last of the Baby Hutts against the factions she had mentioned; both knew to watch out for that now, as well as a few other delicious plans that Madalena’s brain had created.

The future though…

“What if I offered myself into the mixture?” she asked, looking directly at the Dona, “I will, willingly and gladly, serve as the middleperson between you and the Confederacy. I have both connection and claws that reach into high places. I can keep them away from you… As well as you away from them, while making it beneficial for all parties involved. All I need to know if that my creations would not be used against my home. Against both of my homes.”

Perhaps calling the Silvers her home was a little bit of a stretch. She didn’t truly mind if something happened to them. But there were two people within it who would be hurt no matter what sort of horror was unleashed; she couldn’t protect them from everything. But she could protect them from herself.


[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

A sigh uncoiled from my chest.

My bottom jaw slid to one side as I chewed on the inside of my cheek in thought, studying the woman sitting before me. Ideally, this would be the sort of discussion that I would have with my staff. I hardly ever hired people directly, part of our design in fact. But they weren't here, and the call was mine.

"What you're talking about is becoming a member of the Family, taking the bond, swearing to us as much as you're asking me to swear to your superiors. While the offer is open, doll, I can't shake hands on this deal unless you take it... and I doubt your superiors would like you swearing loyalty elsewhere... particularly if you don't mean it."

I paused, my gaze softening somewhat. Being the master of my own fate had always been my goal, but some days that was... less pleasant than I cared to admit to.

"I like you, Doll, quite a bit, in fact. But I'm not able to bend my rules for anyone, even pretty young things like yourself. Safer for us both, it seems, to leave our relationship where it is, hm? Our alliances remain as they stand, loyalties intact and all that."

Another pause, hoping to emphasise the sincerity in my next words,

"I truly have no wish to tangle with the Jedi... or the Confederacy, you understand. Not as long as my own plans continue to proceed as I intend them to."

After I spoke, I lifted the hat from the table, holding it in front of my chest for a moment before putting it on. I wanted her to think that I wasn't reaching for it because our deal hadn't concluded the way I would have liked, nor that I regretted taking it off, as neither were true. I was simply preparing to leave the privacy of our conference room soon, and such would require it to be where it usually sat.

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Becoming a member of the Family? No, that was not Madalena had meant. Perhaps she was treading grounds that she was too unfamiliar with; making mistakes that might cost her much more than she was willing to spare. But she had not asked the Dona to swear to her superiors; if the Family wanted to go out to war with the Confederacy, there was little to nothing in her current state that she would be able to do about that. But all she wanted, should such a thing happen in the future, was that her toys would not be used against her home.

The Dona was not lacking in intelligence. Perhaps… Perhaps she understood that exactly what Madalena wanted and was just letting her know it wasn’t possible. Madalena sighed. At least the Confederacy knew to watch out for Hutt Babies, and had not passed that information along to anyone. She’d checked. Several times.

“Sadly, I am inclined to agree,” she responded, still keeping the pleasant expression on her face. No hard feelings, though the Dona placed her hat back on. Intentional or not, it did create a new distance between the two that had not been so tangible to Madalena before she’d taken it off.

So they were not to exactly become allies, in the sense that had been offered. But that did not make them enemies. Not as long as Madalena had something to say or do about it.

Offering the Dona a smile, she nodded her head respectfully. “Does this mean we won’t be having dinner?” she asked with a mischievous look in her eyes. Deal or not, the Dona interested her. She wanted that dinner discussed earlier if only to know as much as the Dona would be willing to tell.

[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

The woman agreed with me, and I nodded.

It was the sad truth, we were neither in a position to make such an alliance happen now. Perhaps one day there would be a place for my Family alongside hers; shoulder to shoulder making our way in the galaxy. But that would be a hell of a promise to make, and until I could know more, not one I would be comfortable making. Even the alliances we'd already secured hadn't been quite so heavily-weighted.

At her next words, I chuckled, raising a hand indicating for her to stand and join me,

"Not at all, Doll!" I purred, "On the contrary, I feel I've offended you with this unpleasantness, what sort of hostess would I be if I let you leave with a sour taste in your mouth?"

I paused, waiting to see if she'd take my arm or not. Beneath the hat, a small smirk tugged at the corners of my lips, matching the mischievous tone of her question. Being summoned by the Donna usually had one of two endings; one significantly unpleasant and the other resulting in pledging one's life to the Family forever.

Dinner would be quite the adventure...

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Madalena grinned from ear to ear as the hand was held out, as that purr came out with it. There was no hesitation on the young woman’s end; the hand was taken, and with an elegant move, she rose from the leather chair, straightening up to her full height.

The thought that she once again was in a situation that she had no clue about, didn’t cross her mind this time. She did not know that there were two possible outcomes to the night, and had she known, she would have probably not thought about it either. Both Madalena and the girl who no longer existed had a knack for getting themselves into certain… Predicaments.

But as Madalena smiled, nearly glowing, and walked together with the Dona, following the way that she led, there was nothing that even alerted her to the potential danger she was. Perhaps it was because there was none, and perhaps it was because she was too mesmerized by the Dona to notice it.

“You have offered me truth, and information regarding an offer I have made that had consequences I did not know about,” she said, ever so politely, “there is no offense, Dona. Only gratitude.”

And credits. But as the two ladies walked, those credits were now old and concluded business.

“If I may ask, Dona,” Madalena turned to the woman, “what species do you hail from? I have never scented it before."

[member="Ahtemis"]

 

[Valgærd]

I froze

Well, not at first. It in fact did my heart good to know that I hadn't alienated the first woman I'd dealt with directly. Business could be a tricky thing, never able to be quite sure of what to say or how to say it to avoid an incident. In that way, I suppose I empathise with the politicians I so often extort. All we want to do is business, but even of ourselves we could never be sure.

But then she had mentioned something that struck me instantly.

I didn't even have time to try and hide my shock. I went rigid, my breath caught in my throat and my heart suspended between beats. Scent? That's what she'd mentioned... was this woman somehow biologically or technologically enhanced? Had I slipped so much, grown so comfortable in my secret that I'd grown careless? For a few moments nothing happened between us, as these thoughts swirled in my mind and I grasped desperately for the appropriate reaction.

Finally, I turned to her. We'd stopped in the middle of one of the corridors, not far from the restaurant. Thankfully, it was empty. By now she'd have likely seen my reaction, so there was no point in pretending she was mistaken in picking up something. So I used that. I reached out a hand, seeking to gently and delicately run my fingertip down her high, elegant cheekbone. As I spoke, my voice dripped with honey, far sweeter than I would ever use in an attempt to sound genuine.

"Why, my darling," I purred, stepping closer, "I have no idea what you're talking about... I'm human, just like you."

We both knew that was incorrect, but this wasn't about lying to Madelena. This was about showing her the facade. This is my act, my actions sought to tell her,

"Understand?"

Play along... or else.

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"]​