Making deals with the devil

[NightSister]

It had been about a fortnight since Daska had promised a floor of her company's new hotel - set to open within just three weeks - to a mysterious organisation led by [member="Vengeance"] - or Marcus Nichols as she knew him - in exchange for an astronomical sum that would send the company way up. Even after thinking of little else since their last meeting, signing the contract still seemed like a good idea, so when she'd been contacted again to be informed that he was ready for her to sign, she hadn't thought twice about it. Daska had replied to ask him to come to Voss' headquarters on Coruscant, where she currently sat, eagerly awaiting.

 

[Kenrath]

Coruscant was a world Marcus never wanted to set foot on again without a million man army at his back. Going there was like an escaped death row inmate walking up to the police station and saying hi.

So instead of Marcus a polite young woman of average height and weight walked up to the lobby reception desk. She would smile extending one of Marcus' business cards the the person behind the desk.

"I have an appointment with Miss Voss."

She was dressed for the occasion and had a professional demeanor as she stood waiting to either be taken to Daska or for Daska to arrive.

[member="Daska Voss"]

 

[NightSister]

The receptionist nodded and disappeared behind the desk. Moments later she returned with Daska behind her, dressed in a sharp blazer and trouser combination. She fought to hide her emotions and to keep a polite, professional attitude.

"Hello, Miss...what should I call you? I take it you're here on behalf of Mr Nichols and his organization. Please follow me."

Daska led the woman to a comfortable lounge and gestured for her to take a seat.

[member="Vengeance"]

 

[Kenrath]

The woman smiled politely but did not offer a name. Instead she silently followed [member="Daska Voss"] until they got to the lounge taking a seat. As soon as they sat down the young woman set a small holo on a near by table activating it.

Marcus appeared on the holo dressed in a nice light gray looking suit.

"Miss Voss I must apologize for not being able to meet you in person." "Quite frankly too many people on Coruscant know my face for all the wrong reasons." "However I will get to the point."

As he said point the young woman pulled out a stack of papers holding them out to Daska. As she did Marcus kept talking.

"Here is the contact you and I spoke about the last time we met." "The appropriate signatures are included on our end." "All that is left is for you to review the details and sign it."

[member="Daska Voss"]

 

[NightSister]

Her eyes scanned over every page again and again, searching for the tiniest flaws in the contract, but she could find none. Hesitantly - for she was afraid of mistakenly sentencing the company to something bad - she flipped to the pages requiring her signature and signed. Now, after weeks of waiting, the contract was at last complete.

[member="Vengeance"]

 

[Kenrath]

The woman and Holo Vengeance waited silently as if they had all the time in the world while Daska reviewed the contract before she signed it. After a few minutes Vengeance himself would break the silence.

"I trust everything is in order?"

It was a bit of a rhetorical question asked only out of politeness.

[member="Daska Voss"]

 

[NightSister]

Daska nodded.

"Everything is fine. Thank you. The hotel will open in three weeks - a landing pad was installed, as you asked. If you would like, I can contact you when it does, although word will surely reach you."

She was still waiting to receive the payment, but she hardly wanted to appear rude. As long as the woman didn't leave without giving her the credits she'd been promised, she'd keep quiet.

[member="Vengeance"]

 

[Kenrath]

Vengeance smiled with a nod while the young woman in front of [member="Daska Voss"] shifted uncomfortably. The tension in the air was probably getting thick but Vengeance safe and sound in house office half the galaxy away couldn't feel it. He leaned back slightly in his chair but was still visible. His elbows were up on his desk, his arms formed a triangle with his finger tips touching.

 

[NightSister]

Daska squirmed in her seat. She was feeling the smallest bit irritated towards the man in the hologram - no doubt he was enjoying this just as much as she wasn't. However, she wasn't going to be intimidated.

"Alright, if that's everything then I believe all that's missing is the sum promised. You have it with you I presume?" She directed the question towards the woman sitting opposite her.

[member="Vengeance"]

 

[Kenrath]

It was Vengeance not the young woman who chuckled and spoke.

"Now Miss Voss do at least pretend like you have done this before." "If you believe anyone in their right mind would send a young woman into hostile territory with a pocket full of enough credits to fund a small army then I have to question your ability to run a successful business."

The young woman squirmed looking more uncomfortable by the moment seemed to stare at the floor. Vengeance finished being amused and became serious again.

"So let me help you out." "I need a bank account and access code from you to wire the funds to." "Once I have that it will take a few minutes for the transfer to go through and then our business will be concluded."

[member="Daska Voss"]

 

[NightSister]

It was difficult to keep her temper in check after the man in the holomessage had just insulted her so blatantly, but Daska bit down on her tongue and went on.

"I would hardly call this hostile territory, Mr Nichols, although you've already made your thoughts on Coruscant clear." She took a datapad out and placed it on the desk after opening Voss's bank account on it. She wasn't entirely sure she trusted the man to wire the payment when presented with open access to a sizeable account, but she had a team of slicers and security personnel in a separate room, the same account on their screens, waiting for anything to go awry.

"All the same, here you go."

[member="Vengeance"]