Private It's only business

[Ragos Terrek]

Ragos’ commlink buzzed loudly on the table in front of him. He was quick to silence the device not even looking to see who was trying to reach him. He looked around and discovered not a single soul at any of the other tables had even noticed. Made sense. His comm buzzing was not really that loud, he was just nervous, a feeling he was getting used to getting used to. He was not by his nature a nervous man, scared money don't make money after all and he was tryin to make some money, real money. That is what made him nervous. The fact that he had gotten this far and was close to doing the thing he came to do. He wasn’t nervous, he was desperate.

He was sat alone(for now) at easily the fanciest eatery he’d been in, well, forever. He could look over the rail situated next to his table and look down on beautiful wooden floors, a karking waterfall, and on stage a woman and the accompanying band got ready to play. He had heard this place was one of the fanciest on Coruscant, the perfect venue to make his pitch. Most of the time when business needed to be done, he was doing it in the dark seedy back alleys of the undercity or at the end of a blaster with some gangster or lowlife but tonight he would be the only lowlife, though he couldn’t exactly say he would be the only gangster. He was dressed in the same purple suit he had worn to the meeting on the surface where he’d first met the woman he would be sharing a meal and talking business with tonight, Marcella Fiora

A waiter came over and sat a glass of liquor down in front of Ragos as he was once again stopping his comm from buzzing.

“Yo, I didn’t order that.” Ragos told him.

“It is from Ms. Fiora.” The waiter said. “She sends it along with her sincere apologies. She will be a few moments late. Business never waits when you're the boss.” The waiter said with a smile.

No chit.

How fething stupid could he be? He asked Marcella for a sit down and invited her to her own place?

Great fething start, Ghost. Chit can’t get worse right?

His commlink went off again.

“Kark.” He said under his breath knowing the thing would just keep going until he answered.

Kark it. He had some time and better to get this over with now.

“Hello,” He said holding the comm to his ear.

“Finally. Boy, you harder to get hold of than the supreme chancellor.” The voice on the other end said. It was Keela. He knew it would be and still his heart beat faster and he needed a second to remember how to breathe. Keela was Jon’s sister, a girl from the neighborhood, and to Ragos she was…what? Something? Definitely not nothing but what she was, what they were…

“You need credits?” He asked her. There was a lingering pause between them but not silence, Ragos could hear her kiss her teeth and sigh sharply.

Here we fething go. He thought.

“That’s the chit you decide to say to me?” She said to him. When she first answered the call her tone had been light, chit, almost happy, that chit was over she was clearly pissed.

“What?” He asked with exaggerated confusion.

“Boy, you ain’t dumb, so don’t act like it. First kriffing thing out your mouth ain’t, ‘Hi, Keela how have you been or how are our kids?’ nah, you ask me if I’m calling you bout fething credits?”

What the feth was wrong with that? He thought bitterly but stayed silent on his end of the comm

“You know I ain’t ever ask you for credits, Rag.” She said, he tone softening a bit.

“But you sure fething take what I send you.” He snapped.

“Damn right I do. Did’ju grow up where I grew up or nah?” She said. He knew what she meant. In their hood credits did not come easy and the poverty line may as well have been out in the stars it was so far away for most of them. “What if I told you I did need credits huh? Who gotta hurt for me to get them?”

Now he was the one kissing his teeth

“Why you think somebody gotta get hurt?” He asked.

“Boy what did I say about acting dumb. I know you Ghost and I know what chit you be doin.” She said impatiently. The way she used his street name let him know she wasn’t fething happy.

“I be doin that chit for us, for you, for the fething kids.” He hissed into the comm trying to control his volume. “Trying to give our kids chit we ain’t had.”

“Mutha sucka lie to yoself but don’t lie to me. You do the chit you do for you. If it was bout anybody else you would be working at the club for your pops or loading crates at the shipyard or hell you would joined in one of the million armies that is lookin to pay young men to die, instead you out here tryin to die for a promise and for pride.”

There was a long silence after that. Ragos had no answer for that. He never had an answer for her. Not when she told him she was pregnant and she’d asked him what he wanted to do. Not when he told her he was going to Coruscant and she asked when he’d be back, if he’d be back. Not now.

It was Keela that broke the silence.

“I didn’t call you to fight or give you chit for your life. I always knew who you were…who you are and I know who you can be. I just don’t want you to get lost on your way there, you know.” She paused and he knew that she was getting ready to say her true reason for calling.

“We’re leaving Nar Shaddaa. The kids and me. I got a real chance Ragos, a real fething shot with this. Ima get my own salon on Taris on the fething surface, the surface.” He voice was low and soft, like she was afraid of how he would react or maybe it was regret he heard in her voice.

He wanted to smile for her, to congratulate her, to cry for her to give her the validation she was asking for, hells he wanted to go with her.

“Does he treat you good?” He was only himself however.

“Kark you.” She laughed or sobbed almost too low to hear. “When we get settled you come out okay? Raji and Ny’iam miss their daddy.”

I miss them too. I’ll be there. I lo-

“Okay. Sounds good.” He said.

The comm clicked dead. He drained the glass of expensive liquor, waved the waiter back over for another and tried to clear his mind as he waited to be joined by the woman he hoped to make his partner.

When she did arrive Ragos was quick to get from his and pull her chair out for her. His mother would be proud.

 

[Marcella Fiora]

M A R C E L L A⠀ F I O R A

'I Put a Spell on You'​

An endless schedule of meetings and projects never ceased or slackened~ for Marcy' was constantly busy. Her life was work~ whether it be through Moonveil or The Family, there was always someone who needed tending to somewhere. However, on this rare occasion, a brief respite would be afforded, a chance to sit down and enjoy a meal~ though she had a feeling her dinner date would want to discuss work- and that was ok.

No hesitation or warning was given, Marcy' and her goons barged through the door with haste with Marcella swooping through crowds and chairs to reach Ragos for their scheduled dinner as her goons split off to do their own thing. Gliding past the bar she'd click her fingers over the crowd at Phaelix for a quick drink.

Eventually, she'd reach Ragos' table, "My word, my apologies for arriving so late~" she'd begin, still feeling the need to apologise regardless of her station, "I'm sure you know how it is.." her speech slowed as Ragos rose from his seat to pull her seat for her~ an uncommon yet very welcome gesture that took her by surprise.

"Much appreciated," she grinned as she sat down, "I believe this is the first time we've properly met~ bar the meeting.." she paused for a moment, taking our her cigarra tin as she picked out an Ivory before offering one to Ragos:

"Are you ok?"​

Ragos Terrek

 

[Ragos Terrek]

And here she was. Director of Acquisitions for Moonveil Communications & Holdings, whatever that meant. Why in the galaxy someone like her would agree to a meeting with someone like him was a complete and total mystery. She had credits, prestige, class, and presumably limited time but here she was spending some of it with Ragos, an off-worlder with exactly no prestige, an extremely limited understanding of class, and less and less credits every day. The only thing that made less sense than her agreeing to meet with him was that he only found out she existed by being introduced to her in a secret meeting arranged by a group of shady individuals that he somehow got invited to through a contact of his that happened to be the slimiest piece of bantha chit Ragos had the misfortune of owing money to.

He took her apology with grace telling her not to worry about it.

"I'm sure you know how it is.." she had said to him. He did know how it was in his own way. He had no clue what running a billion credit business was like, or being the public face of one of the biggest companies on Coruscant while maintaining the kind of relationship to shadow organizations that got you invited to secret meetings where the doors were locked and armed guards kept people from leaving but he knew how it was to have to put your energy everywhere all at once, to be the one to see the thing through to the end no matter what.

"Much appreciated," she grinned as she sat down in the chair that he’d pulled out for her. He liked that smile almost as much as the playful one he had earned from her at their first meeting, when without knowing a single thing about her Ragos had walked up and asked one of the most powerful women, no most powerful sentients on Coruscant for a smoke.

"I believe this is the first time we've properly met~ bar the meeting.." she paused for a moment, taking out her cigarra tin as she picked out an Ivory before offering one to Ragos.

“Thank you. You’re beautiful.” Ragos said, plucking an ebony cigarra from the case. Another reminder of their first encounter. “I mean it. You look great.” He flashed his most winning smile. He hoped that his increasing consciousness about his reused hand-me-down suit was hidden behind that smile.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

For a moment he didn’t know what to say. For whatever reason he was not expecting that question. Really, it wasn’t too far different from ‘how are you?’ or ‘how are things?’ or whatever common thing people said to make small talk but something about the phrasing struck him. He hoped she hadn’t overheard him on the comms or maybe he was doing a chit job of seeming excited about the meeting.

“I’m-I’m good. Thank you. Fantastic, really, I mean look at this place.” He gestured around the room with a wave of his hand. “How could I be anything else?”

Ragos lit his cigarra and leaned across the table so Marcella could light hers as well.

“I want to thank you for making the time for me.” His voice felt stiff. Overly formal compared to he he spoke to anyone else but no one else that he talked to was anything like her or how he imagined her to be.

“Should we eat?”

Marcella Fiora

 

[Marcella Fiora]

M A R C E L L A⠀ F I O R A

'I Put a Spell on You'​

"Oh, well thank you..?" she grinned curiously, taken aback by his forwardness~ a man with no filter, which she admired in her own way. Her eyes flickered between the lighter and Ragos' eyes as she lit one for herself before leaning over to light his. "Thank you very much," she eyed him up and down~ the quality of his suit raised an eyebrow yet at least he made the effort- perhaps she'd take him to a tailor once they'd finished, any member of The Family, prospective or not, should be outfitted properly- in Marcy's eyes anyway.

"Thank you, for waiting for me.." his hesitation spurred her suspicion, if something was wrong she wasn't about to let it ruin their evening~ they'd both worked hard for it, "you sure? If there's an issue- we can sort it for you?" she questioned, darting her eyes over to Phaelix to request his presence so the pair could order their meals, an action which the bartender recognised immediately and began making his way over to the pair as a result.

"What do you fancy? Might I recommend the herb-seasoned bantha steak with baby potatoes and kinrah gold stuffed mushrooms accompanied by a cooled bottle of 878 Ossec Nera di Castello Matrisca?"

Ragos Terrek

 

[Ragos Terrek]

"you sure? If there's an issue- we can sort it for you?" she questioned.

“Nah, we good for real.” He said. Chit, he weren’t here to bring this woman no trouble, no way. He was on that exact opposite chit. This whole thing, the dinner, the chat, was bout him trying to convince her that he was who she wanted to take care of her problems, which meant not bringing his own chit into it.


"What do you fancy? Might I recommend the herb-seasoned bantha steak with baby potatoes and kinrah gold stuffed mushrooms accompanied by a cooled bottle of 878 Ossec Nera di Castello Matrisca?" She asked as a member of the wait staff arrived to take their order.

Ragos just looked at her. His an expression a mix of awe, confusion, and if he was honest…a little embarrassment. He maybe understood one outta three words she had said to him and even then he didn’t have any idea what they meant all put together besides food of course. Ragos couldn’t remember a time when he was so out of his element with a woman. He knew the smile he wore to try an hide his uncertainty made him look stupid.

Feth you on about man? A voice asked in his mind.

Look at her. Look at this fething place. We don’t belong here. He told the voice.

You got damn right. The voice answered back but we here na and if they want us to leave they gone have to make us. We out our element that’s good chit. they need us to bring our element to this chit.

Chit, he didn’t have no big pitch, no business plan, spreadsheets, none of that chit, all he had to sell was himself.

“Yo, man.” He said to the waiter “let me catch a bantha burger with cheese and a chit load of fries smothered then suckas in cheese too, boy.” He ordered, his smile brighter, swag back in his voice. “That drink sounds fire doe.”

“Marcella, let’s talk that business chit off the jump so we can spen the rest of the night getting to know each other, what’chu think?"

Marcella Fiora

 

[Marcella Fiora]

M A R C E L L A⠀ F I O R A

'I Put a Spell on You'​

An eyebrow was raised at Ragos' order, "curious.." she muttered to herself~ not at his choice but his resistance to her recommendation, a move that caught her off guard- at the very least he accepted her beverage recommendation, though soon she'd reckon they'd move onto the stronger stuff.

" 'Course, what do you have in mind?" she questions, leaning her elbows into the table to concentrate on his business plan.

Ragos Terrek

 

[Ragos Terrek]

" 'Course, what do you have in mind?" she questions, leaning her elbows into the table to concentrate on his business plan.

"Simple." He said with the most confidence he could manage. "We should be partners." He took a drag from his smoke and tried to study her reaction to his admittedly weak proposal.

"May I?" He asked, gesturing toward her cigarra case. This time he would pluck a red one from the case. He waved it under his nose to take a second to appreciate the scent.

"The first time you offered me one of these, I was a little surprised. I hadn't taken you for a spice head, I mean your young and stable and stunning, none of that chit stays very long once you get on these things." He started, absentmindedly playing with the cigar at first but making sure to look her in the eye as he complimented her with simple truths.

"Then I find out you're the one that makes the credits off these things and I stopped being surprised and started being…"

Probably shouldn't say obsessed.

"….intrigued." He finished. "I knew that we were perfect for each other."

He let that statement hang in between them for a minute.

"For obvious reasons I'm not going to get into specifics about what I do for a living but I'm a businessman, currently I'm in sales and the one thing I have to sell to you is me."

Ragos paused speaking as the waiter came back to fill their glasses. Ragos took a sip and complimented Marcy on her choice.

"Like I said, I got nothing you don't already have, except for me and let me tell you that is a valuable investment. I showed up on Coruscant less than a year ago with literally nothing. No product, no contacts, no credits, no fething hope. Nothing but flat fething desperation."

"I took that desperation and turned that into two 'packages'."

If this woman was connected to the people Ragos thought she was then he was pretty sure she would know about the incident where he killed a dealer affiliated loosely with The Family and snagged two bricks of spice.

"I took my desperation and turned that into two packages, I turned those two packages into now, two apartments…two complexes…." He clarified.

"…eight stash houses, a dozen cook spots, three warehouses, and twenty four levels where me and mine are the unquestioned source. No competition, just credits."

He took another sip of his drink.

At first glance Ragos would think that Marcy had everything. Wealth, influence, beauty, and she has all of those things and probably more of it than most but Ragos had this ability to read people, maybe it was his connection to The Force, maybe it was because he lived a life where making the wrong read on someone could mean not waking up the next day but whatever it was told him that even if Marcy had everything, she wanted more, and in that way they were the same. Ragos would risk everything to keep moving forward because standing still was the same as being dead.

If she needed more detail on his plan he was ready to provide but for now he wanted to see if he was able to make himself as intriguing to her as she was to him.

"I did that chit with two packages, just two. Imagine what I could do for you."

Marcella Fiora

 

[Marcella Fiora]

M A R C E L L A⠀ F I O R A

'I Put a Spell on You'​

Marcella sat there quietly, listening carefully to Ragos' 'business proposal' which turned out to be more of a resumé; "I see.." she leant across the table, picking the Ruby cigarra from his hands before handing him an Ivory cigarra as a gesture of interest~ a sign that she considered this serious business.

Of course, Phaelix arrived to deliver their glasses of wine in a timely fashion, interrupting Marcy' for a moment, "Ta, Phaelix.." Taking a sip, her eyes returned to the courageous gangster sat across from her, "you've told me all about yourself and your.. exploits, what can you give me? What is your business plan, what're you looking to get in to? Or are you simply looking for a sponsor, someone to 'back' you?"

She liked him. His confidence gained her attention and his background, if true, marked him as a potential candidate for Marcy's personal staff, and she wasn't about to let him scamper off to another criminal syndicate. "What.. 'package', can I give you, for you to turn into.. 'stash-houses, cook-spots & warehouses?' "

"My life is encumbered with the burden of handling millions of credits each day; investor meetings, sales targets & strategic acquisitions," her tone now hushed, "rackets, extortions & every form of white-collar crime you can think of.."

"As far as you're concerned, you've got the job~" Marcy' paused to take another sip of her wine, "Your 'job,' is keeping it~ we just need to know how you're going to."

"And yes, I know about Mr. Venn, you'll repay that debt in time," she smirked at the gangster, "once paid off, we'll look at bringing you into the.. upper echelons of our little society."

"Questions?"

Ragos Terrek

 

[Ragos Terrek]

"you've told me all about yourself and your.. exploits, what can you give me? What is your business plan, what're you looking to get in to? Or are you simply looking for a sponsor, someone to 'back' you?"

She had questions. Of course, she did, she was a smart woman.

“I haven’t told you all there is to know about me,” Ragos said with a sly grin as he lit the bone-white cigarra with the last burning vestiges of his first smoke.

What can you give me?

Ragos thought of the things he wanted to give her and felt his blood run hot.

“Chit, my bad.” He said finally realizing he hadn’t actually presented his ‘business opportunity’

“Maybe you heard about the chit that went down on thirteen-thirteen some time back. Well during all that Saraiya Darkstar , you know Sara right? Pink hair, cute butt, she was at the meeting, anyway, me and her came up good during that whole chit down there.”

He took another drag from his cigarra.

“Like real good. Way more than two packages. I’m talking a hunnit-n fitty-K worth of uncut chit. So I ain’t looking for a handout or asking you to provide for chit. My suggestion is you buy this chit from me wholesale for one twenty, let me turn around and put it out in the street for you and I swear you will double the credits you spent on it.”

Ragos took another drag and then a rather large drink from his wine. In his mind, it was a great deal for both of them. What was a hundred twenty thousand credits to a woman who admitted to dealing with millions on a daily basis? To him it was everything. Everything. Half would go to Sara of course but chit sixty thou was fething incredible, he could build an empire with that many credits. It meant more blasters, more soldiers to carry them, more runners to push his chit, rides, homes, it meant fething everything.

“Let me take some of that burden from you. Back my play with this product I already have and can sell without you, if need be, make some credits while having to do nothing but spend a number of credits you wouldn’t miss if it fell between the couch cushions. I can’t help you with that white-collar chit, but I can handle the grimy chit. Everything from level two hundred down, pass that chit to me an mine. You make money and lose stress, I’ll be the king of the undercity, and you keep your hands clean and your pockets full. You’d never have to breathe nothing but clean air again unless you came down cuz you miss me.”

This was easily his most dangerous proposal. The stupidest thing he had ever done in an ever-growing list of stupid chit. Not only was he going outside the gang to move spice, effectively cutting them out of the credits, but he was now offering to take over the rackets of a competitor and kick back up to them and not his OG. Mutha suckas died for far far less. He should know, he killed plenty of them.

“Beautiful, imma keep this job because I damn sure promise you won’t find anyone better at it.”

Chit, did I really just call her ‘Beautiful’ like we’re on a date?

"And yes, I know about Mr. Venn, you'll repay that debt in time,"

“Trust we are on the same page on that. Marcus is gonna get his.”

Ragos could not hide the venom in his voice when it came to Marcus Venn.

"Questions?"

“You want to get out of here?”

Scared money don’t make money.

Marcella Fiora

 

[Marcella Fiora]

M A R C E L L A⠀ F I O R A

'I Put a Spell on You'​

"So.." she paused for a moment in contemplation, "you want me to.. buy your 'chit,' only for you to then sell it then to double the investment? So you are looking for a backer then?" Marcy' took a sip of her wine, studying the gangster- she herself hadn't dabbled in drugs, instead often handing it off to those who do handle the stuff.

"Mmk, I will back you on the premise that you know what you're doing, though in return I expect consistent kick-ups and double my investment, as promised~ seeing as you're to be the 'King of the Undercity,' I'm assuming you've got people you need to look after.." she leant back in her seat, lighting her own cigarra in the process.

"You, your people and your.. assets, whatever they may be, will have our protection from your rivals, metaphorically of course. Think of it as me protecting my investment, they'd be foolish to even touch you." Marcy' took a big puff of her cigarra, slowly exhaling the smoke. "It is still a lot of money, Mr. Terrek- you don't stay rich by giving handouts, not in this galaxy as I'm sure you know.."

“Beautiful, imma keep this job because I damn sure promise you won’t find anyone better at it.”

"Uhuh.." unsure of what to say, Marcy' moved the conversation on, "Only place I want to take you is to Mairead's tailors for a new suit~ we can't have someone of your newfound calibre walking around like you've never held a job a day in your life~ it's on me, a set of Epica's finest!" As she rose from her seat, she expected Ragos to do the same, "Food is to go, Phaelix. we'll be back in an hour."


Ragos Terrek

 

[Ragos Terrek]

"Uhuh.." "Only place I want to take you is to Mairead's tailors for a new suit~ we can't have someone of your newfound calibre walking around like you've never held a job a day in your life~ it's on me, a set of Epica's finest!"

Ragos kissed his teeth, shrugged his shoulders, began looking around the restaurant like he had lost interest in his current situation and said "Whatever man." His kept his voice low like he was saying it to himself but not so low that she wouldn't hear him clearly.

she rose from her seat, she expected Ragos to do the same

Ragos flinched a bit like he was going to stand but did not leave his seat.

He should tell her.

He had to tell her.

But she said yes. That's what this whole fething thing had been about. Get the yes and get to work and he was going to what, Lose it all? And for what, clarity?

Apparently.

"Let's clear a couple things up first." Ragos said. he would wait a moment for her to sit back down but if she chose to stand that was fine by him.

"Call it looking for a backer if you want but what I'm looking for is credits for the product I have. If that's you, fething perfect. If not, I'll find someone else or move it myself. Simple."

Ragos roughly stubbed out his cigarra on a passing waiter's tray.

"I know what I'm doing. If I didn't, I'd still be on Nar Shaddaa and you know I know what I'm doing because if you didn't, we wouldn't be here right now."

True Ragos had cashed in that funky favor chip he had gotten from Kardek to be able to arrange this meeting but he was sure not just anybody got those things.

"King means King. I'll look out for my own. if you do decide to let me manage your underworld business, 'rackets and extortion' that kinda chit, then trust I will look out for your interests too. If you're gonna trust me, then trust me, if that's too much risk for you then cool, I'll move the product and that's it, we don't gotta do nothing more."

"Trust, I ain't come to you with my hands open asking for your help. I'm bringing you an offer, a real offer. I'm providing the product, the manpower to move it and a guarantee you make back twice what you put in. I'm offering to take that same man power and use it to protect your business interest in the undercity, instead of putting up competing shops. The way I see it, I'm doing you the favor"

Ragos sighed, slumping shoulders he hadn't even realized were tensed.

"All I'm saying Beautiful, is I'm not some file clerk in that great big fething tower on the surface, I'm not desperate to work for you, I'm trying to work with with you, make you some fething credits and hope you think of me when you got a job that needs doing."

There were plenty of other times he hoped she'd think of him too and more than one job he'd like to be doing for her but that was probably out of the question. He had probably just karked this whole thing up over his pride being touched. Part of him didn't give a chit and part of him worried he was going to have to spend a long time looking over his shoulder.

If by some miracle she was not only willing to continue doing business but still offering the new wardrobe, well Ragos would be willing to follow her out.

Marcella Fiora

 

[Marcella Fiora]

M A R C E L L A⠀ F I O R A

'Destinations'​

The underboss couldn't help but produce a rather loud chuckle, seeing the gangster attempt to defend himself over such frivolous words reminded her of a loth-cat attempting to claw and bite its way out of an open field. Pausing in her tracks, she turned around to face him, "You appear to have misconstrued everything I've just said, your operation is your operation, and I can wholeheartedly assure you that working with us is within your best, and safest, interest~ complete autonomy and fair deals."

Stubbing out her cigarra on a table, she turned around once more to head towards the exit, "If you want to run off to another backer, be my guest- though you won't find the same freedoms you'll find with me, and you certainly wouldn't by sheltered by me or my Family."

"Our underworld is a vile, cruel place, Mr. Terrek, and not like your streets of Nar Shaddaa. In working with us, you won't just be stepping into the world of petty syndicates and street-rats, you'll be dealing with intergalactic 'organisations,' and we aren't the only ones out there. You can either get rich with me or struggle to make ends meet with someone else, it matters little to me." Marcy' continued to nonchalantly head towards the exit where an Oracle AV was waiting for the pair; she did, in-fact, care about whether Ragos would join her- she'd already marked him as someone to watch for her own personal staff, even though she couldn't show it.

"Come, if you're still interested.."

Provided he joined her, the pair would then enjoy a quick ride to Mairead's most expensive tailor on the upper-levels.


Ragos Terrek