Meeting a mouse

[Not Ordo]

[member="Anaya Fen"]

The tall man walked along the corridor of the space station on the way to his suite. His long legs still strong despite his advanced years. His black great coat hung 'round his square shoulders with military precision and his black imperial boots tapped out a march as he finished his first of many recruitment drives among the neutral worlds near the empire.

He stopped at his door and pressed the access codes and entered the vaulted ceiling suite. His gloves came off with not a word and he slipped his coat off Shook it and hung it beside the low table where his gloves now rested. His peaked hat he hung beside his jacket and he ran a still strong hand through his salt and pepper hair.

"Lights, low." he said aloud, his imperial accent not as thick as many, "Music, instrumental." He said as the computer obeyed his commands.

He walked to the suite bar and began pouring himslef a tumbler of Dressellian Scotch before a small sigh escaped him and he drank the golden liquid with one long gulp. He poured another and turned to go to his desk and go over reports.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Rumour had reached her ears of an Imperial Remnant, and of a shift in power. Once, Anaya had lived and would have died for the Empire, but her exile had opened her eyes to a great deal that she was missing. All the same, she missed it. She missed the power that came with it, she missed the respect she'd once had. So Anaya went hunting, tracing down one believed to succeed the current person in power.

She'd watch him from the many shadows that the space staion offered as he returned from a recruiting trip. Had she deemed this unimportnat, she might have sent Parla, but this required a personal touch. She waited, long enough after he'd gone inside for him to feel almost settled before moving to the door and giving a sharp knock before pulling her hood down.

[member="Decimus Meridius"]

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Anaya Fen"]

His eyes flashed at the reports as he sipped his scotch and crossed a tired foot over his knee. The admiralty would not be pleased to see the reports regarding the naval recruitment drive which was even less than his own. "A Bloody mess we have indeed." He said as he began to settle in.

A sharp rap on his suite door earned a curse and grunt as he sat down his glass and his data pad then rose to cross his floor. The small imaging camera near the door showed only a slight hooded figure and he cursed his luck. His hand gripped his weapon behind hus still broad back, a testament to the blessings of military service to the king, as his red glowing photoreceptor left eye dilated.

"Come." He said calmly as the computer opened the door at his vocal command to reveal the small from in the doorway framed by the lights of the corridor behind and concealed by a robe and hood. His hand tightened slightly on the pistol grip behind him as he sought to find her mind and emotions in the force.

"May I help you?" he asked calmly.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Red lips curled into a smile beneath the hood as she felt the crude attempts of the Duke at trying to find her in the force. She reacted slowly, rising her defences so he would find nothing of significance, just a calm, yet dark aura. She knew he had a pistol tucked behind his back, not because she sensed how tense he was, nor because she had any precognition skills, simply because it was what she would do.

She showed him empty palms then moved her hands up to pull down her hood. "I think," she began, smile widening slightly, "that perhaps we can help each other, my dear Duke. Will you invite me in?"

[member="Decimus Meridius"]

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Anaya Fen"]

He felt her aura calm, confident, dark. He knew instantly he had given her the high ground. His eyes moved across her face as she lowered the hood of her cloak and her knew he was facing an opponent who had the advantage of both position and strength. This would not be his first encounter with a superior force, he didn't get to his age and rank by chance after all, but he would have to be cautious. He made a show of giving into his male inclination and let his human eye dip to her frame briefly before letting his pistol rest harmlessly at his side.

"Of course, dear lady, please come in." He said his voice ozzing aristocratic charm, "Make yourself comfortable. Could I get you something? A drink perhaps?"

He holstered his pistol and made sure she saw him do so before smoothing his shirt and walking calmly to the bar for another drink. His mind already calculating the possible advantages and cost of what the woman may have in store.

"To Whom, may I ask, do I have the pleasure of meeting this evening?"

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

From the moment she stepped over the threshold, Anaya knew each word and move would be noted. This was a game, one she had played time and time again. Today though, She was not looking for an opponent, but an ally. At his invitation, Anaya settled into a chair in front of the desk at which he'd been seated before she'd disturbed him. "A drink would be wonderful, thank you. Nothing too strong, I'd like a clear head." She smiled slightly watching him carefully as he poured the drink, contemplating her response carefully.

"You mean you don't know?" she purred slightly, chuckling "I suppose I've been somewhat under the radar in the grand scheme of things. My name, Duke, is Anaya Fen or Lady Apoleia, depending on who you ask. Former Head of intelligence of the Sith Empire, Champion to the Dark Lord Desmius and current owner of Apoleia Incorporated. Are those credentials enough to satisfy you, or do require something more?"

[member="Decimus Meridius"]

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Anaya Fen"]

His militarily crisp manner showed itself as always as he poured her a martini, apple if his sources were to be believed, that would be all he needed to tell her what he did and didn't know. His red photoreceptor eye dilated widening the ocular gap to take in more detail as he sat in a guest chair at his desk and sat the drink within her reach.

"My dear, the thought of you being anything so mediocre as only satisfying frankly shocks me." He said as he set down his glass, carfully ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair, and rested his arms on the chair's armrest. The air temperature was carefully controlled and the slight stir of motion from the rooms air scrubbers doing their jobs could be easily felt. The low sounds of classical Crinan music played softly in the background giving an air to the meeting that was far calmer than he felt was warranted. It was plain she had a proposal, it was plain she had no desire for his political games, and he could see himself losing in more ways than he chose to actually count.

"I will gladly hear your proposal Lady Fen." He said calm as ever, "I'm sure I would be glad to help you in any way I am able." For a price, he added silently with a fatherly grin that hid thoughts that were anything but fatherly.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

The lethan's smile widened slightly at the flattery. Whether he really knew who she was or not, it didn't matter at this point, the fact that he was attempting to flatter her meant she had the upper hand in the meeting.

"You must bear with me, Duke, my information is not as complete as I would like it to be, in fact my only reason for know of the existence of the Imperial Remnant is due to your occupation of Kalee. A planet I had...interest in." She opted to leave out that Kalee had been the choice of planet Moira and herself had agreed upon for the testing ways effective ways of distributing the zombie virus before moving their operations to core worlds. "Nonetheless, what I do know is this, your numbers are limited and you are actively looking for assistance and recruits."

She reached for the drink he'd set before her, crossing one leg over the other and taking a sip. "I'd like to offer myself, as a recruit...of sorts."

[member="Decimus Meridius"]