For My First Act...

[Kay-Larr]

Kay sat on a comfy chair in her new office, dressed in an oversized bath robe, her legs curled up underneath her. She had just had a much needed hot bath to sooth her muscles and release the tension. And now she sipped her tea while her hair dried in the early evening air, scrolling through a datapad on her lap. Her first week of being Madam President of Commenor had come to an end. It was full of meetings, dinners and more meetings. Oh, and lots of paperwork to go through.

She was going through some information on crooked politicians that [member="Jorvan Hatha"] had given her weeks earlier, when there was a knock at her door. Kay sat her tea and datapad down on the coffee table as she got to her feet, securing her robe, speaking loudly so that she could be heard on the other side of the door. "Give me a minute, please. I'm not quite ready to receive visitors just yet."

No sooner did she say that when her door opened and General Omar Santiago stepped into her office. "One thing you need to learn, Madam President, is that you are always on the clock. There are no breaks."

http://s204.photobucket.com/user/seeker48/media/stache2.jpg.html

"Yes General. I'll remember. Is there something urgent that I need to tend to?"

"I came to inform you that Operation Clean Sweep is under way. Warehouses have been selected and set up, our men are undercover and set to infiltrate with those leads that you provided. If there are any plots against you, they will learn of them and keep you safe."

Kay nodded, recalling their meetings and discussions on setting this all up. She didn't know the faces of the soldiers involved, only their names, and for good reason. There was no easier book to read than her face and she was a horrible liar. She closed her robe a little more when there was just silence between them. It wasn't as though the General's eyes were wandering. He just gave her a hard stare, the kind of look that was a signature of his, one meant to intimidate. The General had a habit of only speaking when he needed to. "Will that be all, General?"

"Yes, Madam President. The progress reports will be arriving daily. I suggest you keep up to date on them." The last President did little of that and General Santiago was determined to make sure that Kay did more than just attend parties and events.

With a curt nod, he turned and left her office, closing the door behind him. She breathed out her discomfort and quickly stepped into her bedroom that was adjacent to her office. Kay felt the need to get dressed in case anyone else decided to just walk in without giving her time to make herself decent first. She was still getting used to the staff here, and the constant watch that her security had her under.

Kay sat back in the chair in her office, picked up her datapad and tea, and got to work again. Plenty of good people wanted to help her, and plenty of enemies as well. She just had to be sure that she figured out who belonged to which category.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

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He thought Zuri and Aria would enjoy the view so he bought a home in the countryside where they could see the ocean. Chacha wanted them to stay in the city, but Jorvan thought his daughters deserved a new experience. He wanted to raise them in the countryside for a while and let them experience the things that he experienced when he was growing up. Before his father learned of his existence and brought him to be raised in the capital of the Hatha domain.

As his two daughters played hide and seek around the house with his sister, Amelia, who was in town, Jorvan went to the terrace and went over a few reports from his sect leaders. Apparently his words with a few crime lords had resonated and instead of seeking out conflict, many were pledging themselves to his banner on the condition that he could do what they couldn’t do on their own.

Strengthen Commenor’s underworld. Find a way for it flourish like it hadn’t flourished in centuries.

Jorvan was already working on a way to keep his promise, but with Kay in office, he had to be careful about keeping a certain balance. While he wanted the underworld to prosper, he also wanted Kay to have a successful presidency that wasn’t marred by a high crime rate and violence in the streets. He wanted to replicate the underworld of District 9 onto Commenor. Where crime was done, but was never an issue, because the criminals knew how to hold themselves to a certain standard. You didn’t kill someone over a minor issue and you didn’t attract the attention of the police by doing wild chit to get attention.

Everyone can eat. That was the mentality of the Red Wave and that was the mentality of Jorvan who preferred to put people on rather than bring them down to elevate himself.

“I feel like that girlfriend of yours is getting ready to cause trouble for us. Have you spoken with her yet?”

Jorvan was reading one of Slim’s report about the crime lords of Lyn City who were looking to set up a meeting. He took off his reading glasses and looked at Chacha humorously.

“And which girlfriend are we talking about today?”

“You know which one.” She took a seat beside him, setting down a bowl of potato chips and two sodas. “Snack on something at least.” She knew he hadn’t been eating lately with his sickness getting a bit worse, but it was like that from time to time. It would flare up and then it would disappear for a while.

Jorvan eased her concerns by reaching for a few chips. “Kay, I presume?”

“Yes, Ms. Goody Two-Shoes. Remind me why we helped put her in office again? Did you hear her speech last week?” Chacha cleared her throat and mimicked Kay’s voice mockingly. “Already, plans are in motion to stop the Black Markets and the Underground from using our ports as a thoroughfare for their illegal goods.” Chacha started to snort. “We should have just killed her like Flex told us to. There’s no good that can come from this relationship. I’m telling you, she’s up to something.”

“She might be,” Jorvan admitted. He took a few more chips and opened up the can of soda. “But so am I. You think I haven’t done my research, Chacha? What kind of person do you think I am after all of these years?”

“A simp,” Chacha teased. She stuck out her tongue and flipped him off as Roy walked up the steps and appeared on the terrace.

“We got a problem, boss,” Roy said with a grim face. Jorvan and Chacha looked at him curiously.

“What’s the problem?” Jorvan asked. He gestured for the man to join them at the table but Roy remained standing.

“Those plants you told me to put in the police department….I think they might be on to something. They got nothing solid yet, but it seems like parts of the military are linking up with the police for some type of joint maneuver.”

“You mean like Operation Glados, right?” Operation Glados was a joint operation between Denon police and military to reclaim the streets of District 9 from the crime families. The thought of it made Jorvan think of Kay’s speech and he wondered if she was finally putting something to action.

“Keep me posted,” Jorvan told him. “As soon as you get something solid let me know. For now, we’ll just tighten up and be on the lookout for anything strange.” Jorvan looked at Chacha and Chacha was already getting to her feet and pulling out her comlink.

She was already on it.

He didn’t know if Kay was planning something or not, but if she came for his neck, she had better not miss.

He looked at his own comlink and had a humorous thought. Instead of waiting for information, why not go to the source? He heard the laughter from his two daughters echoing across the house and he got an idea.

He started to dial Kay’s number and then he waited for a response.

 

[Kay-Larr]

After being woken up and having breakfast, Kay spent her time in her office, researching the datacard and verifying the information through the accountants and secretaries for the Council. Already she had termination papers drawn up for two of the Councilmen. Instead of working for the people, they just took bribes, gifts, vacations, anything offered to ease regulations and restrictions. They only looked after themselves.

Kay spoke to no one in particular, glaring down at her datapad. "This is ridiculous! No wonder things are the way that they are!" She slammed her hand down on her desk and then leaned back in her chair.

One of her security guards knocked on the door and then opened it, poking his head in. "Everything alright, Madam President?"

"Yes...I was just thinking out loud. Thank you." Kay waved the man off and he closed the door.

She sighed as she got to her feet and stretched, moving to one of her office windows. Her mind was reeling. It was no wonder that people were resorting to crime. They weren't getting what they needed. They weren't thriving anymore. Trickle down economics just doesn't work.

That was something that she needed to fix. If people got more money through legal means, then they didn't have to resort to crime or gangs to make end's meet. That would work well alongside General Santiago's plans and wouldn't interfere.

[member="Jorvan Hatha"] 's call came through, interrupting her thoughts. She hadn't heard from him since she started running in the election. No doubt he was calling to congratulate her. Kay picked up the call. "Morning...How're you doing?"

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Chacha went inside to give him some privacy, and Jorvan stared at the unfinished bowl of chips and wondered if he should force himself to eat the rest. Chacha was right. It wasn’t healthy of him to not eat like this, but he simply didn’t have the appetite. He pushed the bowl away and waited for Kay to pick up, while staring at the sky and thinking of what Amelia had asked of him earlier. She wanted him to step away from the business for the sake of his daughters, but he thought it was his business that kept them safe and protected. His sister wasn’t a Hatha, she was a Morvos. She didn’t know the things he knew, but eventually she would understand the reasoning for why he needed so much credits and why he would acquire it by any means.

Kay answered after a while and her voice snapped him back to the present. She asked him how he was doing and he replied, “Fine, now that I’m talking to you. Has it kicked it in yet? That your president I mean?” He laughed a bit while he stood up and started to walk around the terrace. “I’ve been meaning to congratulate you for a while now, but you know how things are when you’re running a company. Business meeting here. Flight out to there. I’ve barely had time to spend with my daughters to be honest.”

Amusingly, Zuri appeared on the top step and looked at him shyly as if she had a question. “Just one moment,” he told Kay. He looked at Zuri. “What’s wrong?”

He spent a few minutes promising her he would watch one of her favorite cartoons with her later and then he picked back up the comlink. “Sorry about that. Where we were? Ah right, congratulating you. Yeah, I tried to make it back in time to Commenor to see your acceptance speech in person, but I caught the live feed at least. It was an impressive speech and I’m proud that you’re sticking to your guns on crime but…” Jorvan started to laugh a little. “I’m still expecting my little benefit package. In fact I was thinking about what I’m going to wear to the presidential palace right now for a little tour. How about it? When’s a good time to stop by? There was some other things on that datacard that I needed to discuss with you anyway. Preferably not over a comlink if you know what I mean.”

There was nothing he had to discuss secretly with her, but he was sure he could make up something on the spot, and use it as a lead-in to his questions about her plans for combatting crime in Commenor.

While he waited for her answer, Amelia appeared on the terrace, holding Aria’s hand, and the smirk on her face, told him she was going to hound him for details later.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow as [member="Jorvan Hatha"] mentioned that he was fine now that he was talking to her. But then her attention quickly shifted as he asked about the impact of becoming President and whether or not she noticed it yet. "Well, if the meetings and paperwork haven't caused it to kick in, nothing will."

She patiently waited while he spoke with one of his daughters. The poor girls must miss him terribly while he was gone. She knew that all too well when she was married. Once the Sith Lord Masq came into their lives, she barely got to see him, and it was difficult to not feel neglected. She kept telling herself that that was the reason why she was tricked so easily by Masq when he took on her husband's appearance in a devilish bid to try to break up their marriage. It very nearly worked.

Jorvan coming back to the conversation brought her out of her thoughts. Benefit package? Oh, right. The perks that he assumes that he's getting for being a friend of hers. And what was that about the datacard? What else was in there? Possibly some other files that were hidden? Regardless, he was wanting to visit and awaiting her answer. Having her adopted family visit was one thing, but this was another. Rumours would start, if they hadn't already. So she had to play it safe.

"You can dress in whatever you're comfortable in. And how about you bring your daughters as well? They seem to miss your company and I wouldn't want to take you away from them. They deserve as much of your time as possible. I'll let security know ahead of time." Yes. He was less likely to try anything that would make her uncomfortable with his children around.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

She wanted him to bring his daughters along? Well he supposed that wasn’t a problem. Amelia and Aria had gone back downstairs but Zuri was still on the terrace with him, looking at the ocean with a curious expression. He knew his daughter was still adjusting to living in the countryside. Aria was always hyper and moving about, but Zuri seemed to mirror him in her appreciation for quiet and scenic places. While he thought on Kay’s question, he waved for Zuri to come over and he lifted her up in his lap and asked,

“What do you think about visiting the presidential palace? Remember that big building we saw on the holoscreen last week? The one your sister kept pointing at?”

While Aria would have been jumping for joy at this news, he knew Zuri was more reserved and more of a house cat. She didn’t like going places and she most certainly wouldn’t enjoy places where there were a lot of people. But Zuri put on a brave face because she seemed to know that this was something that he wanted. Even though she was only five, there were times when she seemed more mature than Chacha.

Zuri nodded her head slowly and told him that she wanted to go. Jorvan kissed her forehead and rubbed her head playfully, which made her giggle and laugh before she hopped off his lap and went back downstairs, presumably to tell Aria the news.

Jorvan finally gave Kay an answer, “I’ll take you up on that offer, although you might not know what you’re getting yourself into by inviting my daughters. While my youngest is very quiet and soft spoken, Aria on the other hand is a bit of a troublemaker. I can’t tell you the amount of times we’ve gone out in public and she’s caused some type of incident or disturbance, but I supposed you two might get along since you both have a penchant for getting into mischief.” He pulled out his datapad and started to look at a few things with a chuckle. “So when’s a good time for us to stop by? I haven’t had a chance to tell yet, but I bought a little home in the countryside. A nice little place with an ocean view. It’ll take me a few hours to get to Chasin City so would today or tomorrow be a good time for you? Or maybe next week if you’re too busy?”

As he waited on her answer, he started to hear Aria’s excited voice echo across the house. Lord, Kay didn’t know what kind of terrorist she was inviting into her residence, but she would learn the hard way as they all did.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay smirked as [member="Jorvan Hatha"] spoke of her getting into mischief. It wasn't true. She got into trouble. There was a difference. But it was mostly because she seemed to rub the powerful people in the wrong way. She didn't accept their authority over her. And with one of her brothers making her a part of his Mandalorian clan to protect her, she knew that any meeting that she would have with them would cause her to have an argument. More than likely it would end up with her head on a pike.

She thought about what time would be best, and even what day. Other than paperwork, her day was clear. Who knows what tomorrow would bring. Best to do it while the opportunity was there. "Today would be good. A few hours will give me enough time to get everything ready and prepare the staff. And you bought a place in the countryside by the ocean? How lovely. I much prefer such environments myself, as opposed to cities. But we all make due with what we have."

She hadn't really been around kids much. Only slaves that she had rescued as far as recently goes. Other than that there was just her adopted children. But they were long gone and nearing adults themselves if they were still alive. The last time that she saw them was twelve years ago.

Kay was already thinking of how to prepare, the foods, snacks, rooms to keep sealed, and her security teams and guards to be notified. Visits weren't so simple anymore.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

“Then I’ll see you in a few hours then.”

Jorvan ended the call and stared at the ocean for a little while. After a few minutes he left the terrace and went inside to get dressed.

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***​

On the way to Chasin City, he let Aria play around with the radio station while Zuri looked out the window quietly. He tried to get her to talk a little by asking her was there anything she wanted along the way, but Zuri was always Zuri. She rarely asked for things. She rarely caused trouble. Meanwhile, Chacha was still going over a few things on her datapad. While she wouldn’t be joining them in the tour of the presidential palace, there was some business that she had to take care of in Chasin City. He wanted her to do another round of inspections of their warehouses, and make sure that the sect leaders he left in charge were running things smoothly.

This wasn’t a job she would have normally handled, he normally left that up to Slim or another enforcer, but he couldn’t deny that Chacha’s force abilities could come in handy. He wasn’t fond of force users but he was fond of their natural gifts when they suited him.

As they pulled into the parking lot for visitors, Aria looked at the presidential palace with an expression that made him chuckle a little. She had been to places like these before on Serenno where counts could live better than kings, but his daughter always seemed to be fascinated by every little thing.

While he held Zuri’s hand, Aria rushed a little ahead of him towards one of the guards.

With an arrogant smile and her hands on her hips, she boasted, “We’re here to meet the queen. You should step aside before you get in trouble.”

Jorvan just shook his head with a smirk as he walked up behind her. Amelia was starting to rub off on her. “We’re here to meet the president,” he corrected her. “And what did I tell you about talking to people that way?”

“But auntie said-”

“Aria.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.”

She wasn’t, but Jorvan would let it slide, because he was partly responsible for her behavior. While he wanted Zuri and Aria to have the humility of their mother, he wasn’t around them as often as he should have been to instill that in them. He would just have to do better in the coming days, but before he could get to that, he needed to settle this Commenor issue. Before he could return to District 9, he needed to make sure his sects in Commenor could operate effectively on their own.

He looked at the guard and presented his ID, requesting to be brought to Kay.

 

[Kay-Larr]

The trio were brought into the Presidential Palace. But instead of being directed to her office, they were directed to the visitor's lobby where Kay sat waiting. She was dressed up as usual, though not too fancy. There was no downtime in this line of work, and you never knew who would drop by, so she always had to be presentable.

She got to her feet and smiled, already taking note of the differences between the two girls. They were polar opposites. It made her wonder what she was like as a child. Perhaps somewhere down the middle.

"Welcome to...this extremely huge home. Well, it's more than that, but I'm not the only one that lives here. Are you hungry? Or did you want to explore first?"

Kay wanted to make the girls as comfortable as possible. It wasn't meant to impress [member="Jorvan Hatha"] , by showing her caring side. Most knew that about her. But it was a nice break from the messes that she's been having to clean up.

She had a couple of surprises for the girls too. But all in good time.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

As they were led through the presidential palace, he had to hold on to Aria’s hand for dear life. She wanted to wander off in every which direction, but Jorvan told her to wait a while. “Just be patient,” he told her, but Aria was a child that was incapable of sitting still. He wanted to spank her like he was spanked when he was a child, but he promised Julia that he wouldn’t disciple her that way, but heavens were there times when he was truly tested.

“Aria, for the last time-” His daughter was trying to slip out of his grasp again, but thankfully they arrived in the visiting lobby soon enough.

Kay looked as attractive as he remembered, but he didn’t have much time to dwell on it. Kay’s question was directed at his daughters presumably, and if it was directed at him, it didn’t matter because Aria would end up speaking for them.

While Zuri still clung to his side, Aria walked up to Kay and gave a small curtsy that was clumsy but a little cute. “We would like to explore please,” she told Kay.

Jorvan looked at her reprimandly. “You didn’t ask your sister what she wanted,” he reminded her.

Aria knitted her brows and looked at Zuri with an attitude. Zuri looked away with a shy expression. “We can explore,” she agreed quietly. Aria’s attitude disappeared as quickly as it came. She went up to her sister and hugged her with a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll let you play with me later,” she said, as if she was giving away some great consolation prize in return. Although it probably was to Zuri, because Aria always seemed to have a company of friends over, leaving Zuri to mostly play by herself, although when Jorvan was home, he always kept her company.

Aria went back up to Kay and grabbed her hand. “Can we see your office too? Ooh and can we-” As Aria started to launch into a torrent of questions about the places they were allowed to go to, Jorvan just watched on with a sympathetic expression. He looked at Kay humorously, you asked for this, he told her with a silent grin.

And Aria was really just getting started.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay bowed her head to Aria as she curtsied. She then watched the exchange between [member="Jorvan Hatha"] and his daughters. It was clear to see who was in charge. Hmm. But Zuri should open up a little later. And if not, that was okay. Everyone had their own pace.

Her hand was grabbed and she was being pulled along. Who was leading who, here? Kay looked over to Jorvan and just saw that grin of his. Yeah, this was her fault, but she didn't want the girls to be away from their daddy for too long on her account.

Kay then caught up to Aria a bit so that she was leading. A tall set of double doors opened for them and they came upon a great hall. "This is the ballroom. Lots of ceremonies take place here, dances and parties." She led them to another double door to the left. "And here is the large dining room. You can imagine what happens in here." Long tables with chairs lined the dining room, capable of seating a hundred or more guests.

The tour went on. Kay showed them the library, the kitchens, and the Cabinet pavilion where laws were debated by the President, Ministers and Councillors. She showed them the stained windows and a couple of the guest rooms for visiting heads of state.

And then there came the Presidential office. She led them inside and let them take turns sitting at her desk. No doubt Aria would be the first to do so. Kay refrained from showing them where she slept or any of the other sensitive areas of the Presidential Palace.

Ever so quietly, just as Kay expected, surprise number one came down the spiral staircase. Her green Gwaii Cat ( http://starwarsrp.net/topic/80594-gwaii-cat/ ) kept his curious eyes on Zuri. He paid no mind to anyone else, the occasional twitch of his tail as he watched her from the bottom of the steps. Kay smiled a little as the Gwaii Cat walked towards Zuri, stopping only when he was within reach. He sat down and looked up at her, giving her a small yip in greeting. "He says hello and is giving you permission to pet him. It takes a special person to get that kind of reaction from a Gwaii Cat. He must like you."

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Jorvan followed a little behind Aria and Kay. The fact that Aria was leading Kay along like she was just another one of her playmates was amusing, but maybe he would talk to Aria about that later.

The first place they came to was a ballroom that was reminiscent of a few he had seen in Serenno. He was never fond of attending social events, but he thought Aria would enjoy them when she was a bit older. Maybe Zuri too, if she could grow out of her shyness.

They continued on to the dining room, and Aria was quick to show off she was a Hatha. She bragged that her uncle, the Count of Korvos, had a dining room that was just as big, but when she looked in Jorvan’s direction, she covered her mouth and realized she had said something that she shouldn’t have. He had warned her about bragging, but Aria just couldn’t help herself sometimes.

When they entered Kay’s office, Aria was excited as expected. As she sat in Kay’s chair and pretended she was someone important, Jorvan looked at Zuri who had tugged on his sleeves.

She pointed in the direction of the spiral stair case and Jorvan saw what had caught her eye. It was a Gwaii Cat, although Jorvan had only seen one a few times. He didn’t figure Kay for a cat owner, but then again he didn’t figure her for a daredevil who liked to drive people off cliffs when they were half-drunk either, so that was that.

He gave Zuri a little nudge to get her to go forward. “You’ll be alright,” he told her. Kay gave encouraging words as well.

As Zuri started to pet the Gwaii cat and giggle with a smile as it yipped and made other approving sounds, Jorvan moved to the side of Kay with a chuckle. “Well, aren’t you the little child whisperer," he said. "Should I give you a call when I need a babysitter too?” He nodded towards Zuri and Aria who both seemed to be having a good time. He looked at Kay humorously. “You should be careful about trying to win them over though. If they get a hold of your number, it’s over. You’ll be getting calls at all times of the night, and don’t let Aria get it especially.”

As he said that, Aria was already hopping out of the chair and heading in Kay’s direction, as if she had a million more questions.

Jorvan gave Kay a little nudge. “You can wave the white flag whenever you want.” He laughed a little. “Trust me, I’ll understand.”

Although Jorvan was really the one who wanted his two daughters away from them for the moment. There were still things he had yet to ask Kay and those things were the sole reason why he had come to pay her a visit.

But there was no need to rush it when his daughters were having a good time. It wasn’t like they would get the chance to visit this place often. Or at least he hadn’t planned on it because he didn’t want them to get to close to a woman who he wasn’t sure if she was a friend or foe yet. Everything depended on what she was up to with the criminal underworld. He wouldn’t just sit back and let her have her way if she was making moves against him, although she didn’t know he was a part of the underworld yet.

 

[Kay-Larr]

There was a reason that Bradshaw and Rae-Anna adopted Kay and her husband. It was because they were both very good with children. It made her a little sad though, as it was a reminder of what she no longer had and was more than likely never to have again. She was infertile, so having children of her own was out of the question too. And now that she was in her mid thirties, she was getting too old for that anyways.

Kay laughed a little at the thought of getting calls all through the night. No doubt [member="Jorvan Hatha"] would get that almost every night that he was away from them. And if he wasn't, well he should be. He probably had no idea what it was like to be in their position. But then again, maybe he did if he was related to Counts. Perhaps he just didn't remember what it felt like.

"No white flag needed just yet. I'm too stubborn to claim defeat so easily." She held out her hand for Aria. "Shall we go out to the gardens? I have a surprise for you there." Kay looked to Zuri. "The Gwaii Cat will follow. He prefers it outside."

She led the way out of her office and down the hallway. After a few turns through the different wings, she led them to a set of double doors. The guards standing vigil opened them for them. It took a second or two for Kay's eyes to adjust to the sunlight. She then led them down a stone pathway and across the lawn to the gardens. A small canopy was set up over a table with lunch prepared. But what was really the surprise was what awaited them just past the table: a hedge maze.

No doubt Aria, Zuri and the Gwaii Cat would have lots of fun playing in there, giving Jorvan the opportunity to discuss what he had said that he wanted to talk to her about. The datacard that he had given her.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

From the look on Aria’s face, Jorvan knew it was a mistake to bring his daughters here. They hadn’t been around Kay for long, and already they were looking attached.

When Kay extended her hand to Aria, Aria’s face lit up as she grabbed it. “A surprise?” she said with excitement. She almost looked like it was her birthday as she followed Kay out of the office. Zuri had a similar look as she followed the Gwaii Cat, still fascinated with the odd looking creature that had taking a liking to her.

Jorvan only followed behind, thinking of Kay’s words and the humor in them. She said she didn’t claim defeat so easily, but she had a habit of changing topics whenever they talked about something serious.

The stone pathway they walked upon led to a garden where a small canopy was set up over a table. A lunch seemed to be prepared, but both his daughters didn’t seem like they were ready to sit down and eat yet.

There was a hedge maze that immediately sucked them in. Rather than play with the Gwaii Cat alone, Zuri had invited Aria over, and the two of them followed the cat into the maze, their laughter echoing across the garden.

Jorvan took a seat at the table and invited Kay to do the same. Now that his children were away, it was time to discuss a bit of business.

“I’ll have to repay you in some way for today,” Jorvan began. He told Kay that he appreciated the hospitality that she was showing his daughters. He looked at the sky a bit in thought and then he said, “Of course, I mentioned before there were some things I wanted to discuss with you. But before that, how useful has my datacard been?” His eyes came back to Kay and there was a bit of amusement in his expression. If only she knew why he had really given her that datacard in the first place. The people on them were certainly corrupt and should be removed, but Jorvan had only given her those names, because they were names who had crossed him in some way. They were financing his enemies or they simply didn’t kneel when he told them to kneel. Jorvan would find a benefit in every person she removed, but there was no need to tell her that. Let her keep doing the legwork and purging his political enemies, while he sat back and didn’t lift a finger.

“I hope my little gift was to your liking,” he smiled. He knew he was being a manipulate bastard, but everyone all had to survive in some way.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay watched the girls and the Gwaii Cat as they headed off to play in the hedge maze. She planned it this way. Let them have their fun while the adults got to have their talks that the girls would otherwise find boring.

She sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of Sapir tea. Of course there was some there, along with other drinks, sandwiches, fruits, veggies and baked goods. "You don't need to repay me for today. This is for that datacard and your support for the election. Tea?"

She waited until he declined or accepted, before sipping from her own cup and leaning back in her chair, crossing her feet below her seat. "The datacard has been very useful, thank you. I knew that there was some corruption, but I didn't know that it was that bad. It's no wonder that things have fallen down as far as they have. It wasn't long ago that the streets were safe and that most illegal goods were seized before they left the ports. But you've seen it now. Gangs block off the streets, Crime Lords run an underground black market and you could feel some of the fear that people have. I'm working on changing all of that. One step at a time. But things will be back to normal. You'll see."

Kay sipped her tea. It was a promise that she made to herself and to others. Commenor would be safe again and no one would be living in destitute. She ran on that platform and she was not going to give up on that.

[member="Jorvan Hatha"]

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

She offered him a cup of tea and he accepted with a thankful nod. He leaned back in his chair and sipped his tea quietly. What she was saying were things that alarmed him, but he maintained a cool expression and smiled as if he agreed with her every viewpoint. She was trouble like Chacha had told him, but he didn’t want to give up on their relationship. Rather than treat her like an enemy, Jorvan still thought something could be gained from their friendship. Something that he wanted to prove shortly by getting her to reveal what she was up to, but before that, he had to address her words.

He set down his tea cup and looked at her curiously. Even if it was counterproductive to tell her this, he thought he should shed a little light on the people she was so dead set on locking up.

“You said things would go back to normal, but is that really a good thing? Think about it. Whose streets were safe exactly? Before the crime lords returned, who exactly was living in a utopia?” Jorvan shook his head. “Suffering has always been here, it’s just that you haven’t noticed it while living at the top. Well, not you specifically, but people of your demographic. The rich. The well-off. The ones who can afford to live in nice areas and turn a blind eye to the people living in the poorer parts of the city. Sure, if you let the well-off tell it, Commenor might have been a paradise. But if you drive to the slums and speak to a few people, they’ll tell you that Commenor is the same that it’s always been. Crime everywhere. Crime lords doing as they please. The only reason it’s an issue now, is because the crime isn’t just happening in the poor areas anymore. It’s happening in the places that really matter to people with deep pockets.”

Jorvan picked up his tea cup again and sipped quietly for a few moments and then he said, “From your words, I get the feeling that you plan on coming down hard on the gangs and crime lords, and to a certain extent, I don’t disagree. But rather than take on the gangs and crime lords, how about taking on the conditions that produce those gangs and crime lords in the first place? Like better wages and more job opportunity for the people struggling to live day to day. Community outreach programs for the areas with increased gang activity. Incentives for companies to hire former felons to keep them from going back to the streets again. You see where am I’m going with this? It’s easy to go to war with the crime lords, but that’s only a temporary fix for a long term problem. Aim for the source on this issue. Understand what drives people to commit crimes, and take away those reasons one by one. Only then will you see your dream of a peaceful Commenor, but I think I’m rambling at this point.”

Jorvan sipped his tea quietly again, and waited for her to respond, wondering if his words had had any impact.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay frowned as [member="Jorvan Hatha"] spoke about crime always being there and that she and others like her were too blind to see it. She wanted to blow up at him then. He had no idea of what her life was like and how little she had, even while being a Senator. She had no home, slept in her offices, no staff and used public transport most of the time. All of her credits were used to free slaves and help them to get a good start in life. Maybe she could have focused on Commenor more, but there wasn't slavery or oppression here.

She retained her anger though, kept her composure as she just stared at nothing right ahead of her. And then he spoke of helping the poor and the average worker that fall victim to the manipulations and oppression of gangs. Kay sipped her tea and kept her voice low and calm. "I am already doing that. It is all part of my plans. Other governments want to put Embassies here, so there is plenty of work there. Plus we have an invisible shield defence program that was given to us that will need people for set up and maintenance. Plus our shipyards will be up and running again. My plan is to have everyone making well above the minimum wage so that they can pay for everything that they need and have less stress. The trickle-down economics that the previous administration brought in failed miserably. I am working hard on reversing that. I am not some rich snob living in her own bubble. I know full well what sacrifice is and trying to get by with nothing. That's why I got voted in. It's because people can relate to me. Don't be fooled by this place or the fancy dresses. It's all for show."

Kay sipped her tea and just kept staring at nothing in particular. Jorvan had a habit of doing this, causing her to just want to be alone. She thought that she had moved past that, but no. She felt insulted and grossly misunderstood. It just wasn't fair.

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

“I think there’s a misunderstanding here,” Jorvan laughed. He set down his tea cup and looked at her with amazement as she finished speaking. He wasn’t sure how she had misinterpreted his words, but he wasn’t about to let them go down this route again. “I wasn’t talking about you,” he chuckled. “I was speaking about people who live in places like these and wear expensive dresses like the one you’re currently wearing. I’m well aware of your struggles and I know of what you’ve been through to a certain extent. I didn’t mean to offend you and if I did, I’ll go ahead and ask for forgiveness, although I wish you would give me the benefit of the doubt sometimes.” He looked at her with a disappointed expression, pretending to be hurt by the way she took his words. He let his words settle for a few seconds and then he said, “But I’m glad to hear that you have a similar line of thinking. More job creation is always good for the economy, and I’m sure you’ll lead Commenor well going forward."

He sipped his tea quietly again and pondered on the question that he really wanted to ask.

What was she up to?

What were the military and police planning together that had his spies in the police department so worried and on edge?

He drummed his finger across the table and decided to just ask.

“You’ve told me about how you’ll take on the conditions that produce these crime lords and street gangs, but what will you do about the ones that are already on the streets? Do you have anything major planned, or are you just going to leave it to the police to do their jobs?”

He tried not to appear too eager to hear an answer, but he was very much interested in her next words.

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay just closed her eyes as he laughed and then asked for forgiveness. So she guessed wrong, yet again. But it wasn't the first time when it came to [member="Jorvan Hatha"] . Why could she not read him correctly like she can with everyone else? Was it because she was keeping herself from being fully open to the Force? No. That never caused a problem before. Regardless, it was certainly a puzzle.

She opened her eyes to see his disappointed expression. "I'm sorry...yet again." And then he continued on. Kay looked out to the hedge maze, sipping her tea as she watched his daughters pop their heads up in various places of the hedge maze. They were playing a far better game than she was.

And then Jorvan's inquiry on what she plans on doing about the Crime Lords drew her attention back to him. She sipped her tea before responding. "Well, there are a bunch of different plans that we are working on. Some involve the police, while others require more covert operations." She chewed the inside of her cheek a bit. There are some in the military ranks that want an all out war against the Crime Lords, but she didn't want that. It could so easily get out of control. "There are some that say that one of the best ways is to pit the Crime Lords against eachother and let them fight among themselves, doing the work for us. In a way that could work, but it might be too long of a process. But it'll all be taken care of."

 

[Jorvan Hatha]

[member="Lady Kay"]

"Well, there are a bunch of different plans that we are working on. Some involve the police, while others require more covert operations."

The key word in her sentence was working on. Was she just planning things or were things already in motion? She didn’t make it clear with her words and if she did, she didn’t make it clear enough for Jorvan who liked to be completely sure about things before he made major decisions. If Kay was planning a war against the underworld, then he wouldn’t just sit there and let her have her way. There would be retaliation, and Chasin City would serve as a reminder of the what the Commenor underworld was capable of when they were really pushed like the way Kay was intending to push them.

He continued on listening and pretending to be indifferent, but on the inside he was starting to question his decision to support her candidacy. When he was manipulating the election in her favor, he expected her to focus on other things, not crime and the underworld, but she was becoming another Thomas. Another politician hell-bent on seeing him in handcuffs and well Thomas was dead.

What would become of Kay if she crossed that line with him?

He sipped his tea as she finished up her words and gave him a hint that things were already underway.

“But it’ll all be taken care of?” Jorvan repeated with a thin smile. “That makes it seem like you already have an operation underway.” Against who? Against what warehouses? He couldn’t ask her that though. “Mind telling me more about these plans? While I may have never put on the uniform as a police or soldier, I know a thing or two about fighting crime lords. I’m sure there’s some helpful input I could add if you would allow me?”

There was a growing darkness in Jorvan at this point. Everything in his body told him to get rid of her at this instant and eliminate a future nuisance, but Jorvan was patient and was willing to see who these plans targeted and if they could benefit him in the long run. If she could get rid of some of his competition in Commenor that could be helpful. But was she aiming for these rivals? Or was she aiming for him.

He picked up his teacup again. “Pitting crime lords against each other isn’t a bad strategy. But there are consequences. What happens if the feud you instigate turns into a turf war between powerful factions? Sure they’ll be taking each other out and that’s a win for you. But what about the civilians who’ll be caught up in the crossfire? Have you factored that in yet?” He set down his tea cup and offered her an innocent smile. “But that's just me playing devil’s advocate honestly. I’m sure you’ve already considered all of the possibilities,” he winked.

He wasn’t really playing devil’s advocate. He was really trying to discourage her from this strategy because it would break the unity that he was trying to build in the Commenor underworld. Some of the new gangs and crime lords that had joined his banner on Commenor were still wavering and unsure about his leadership. The last thing he needed was Kay trying to shake the pot and stir up chit.