Private Perhaps It's Time

[Corran Conner]

Location: Lower Coruscant

Corran had been casing the joint for many moons now. Supposedly it was a hang out for the new reformed Family. Or that's what he had thought until a couple days ago. Like an old memory he saw Her. The Donna or if not her then someone who dressed very much like her and knew her mannerisms. He hadn't been close enough to get a better look but regardless it did mean that The Family was back in business. The joints name was The Star Lounge, reminded him of the last place the Donna had. The Laughing Dragon what a place that had been, part of him still missed the place and his time in it.

From places nearby he had learnt a number of interesting information. For starters approach the Zeltron bar tender, some guy named Phaelix Maesoros. Corran couldn't remember any name like that in the old guard so figured he must have been a new hire for when the group came back, it wasn't possible that he had forgotten or not run into anyone under the old banner after all he was the Donna's Personal Doctor, one of the few who knew she was a Gurlanin but that was also because he's one too. You could always sense one another in close proximity. Regardless the next step was supposed to be to ask for the "proprietor", don't ask for the manager or anything like that cause you won't get far. It had cost him a far bit of a stash of Sabre Dust that he had made recently. But it would be worth it to finally reach the Donna again.

He hadn't been inside yet but he had also seen some hand signals between the guards. Some of them looked fairly simple, go here, check that person. Stuff that even as an agent of the Eternal Empire he had learnt. Well when he was apart of them but that hadn't lasted long either, apparently he was too aggressive in his interrogation tactics. He had growled at that memory, if he was harder back in the day maybe the Donna wouldn't have gone missing, he wouldn't have lost the only family he had ever made and he wouldn't be here now in the gutters trying to figure out how to get back into The Family now that he was sure it wasn't a CSF trap.

He walked in through the main door of The Star Lounge and entered the main lounge. It was a very nice place, looked very luxurious for the lower levels but that was par for the course for The Family. Always had been, make the place look nice, make some side money while the real dealing went on in parts of the Lounge that no one would be looking for. It was very smart plan, very smart. But you always always made sure there was stuff to find for the Security Forces when they came by, they got really suspicious if they didn't find anything or get paid off if they were on the take. Then they would really rain hell on the place trying to find what you were actually hiding.

Corran dressed as he always did, very casually. No armour, no weapons. Nothing would ping and he'd be let through easily. Walking across the floor he headed for the bar meeting a bar tender, who looked nothing like a Zeltron. He looked at the Human Gentlemen asking "Hi, I was wondering if Phaliex is on tonight?" The man gave him a look "And why would I tell you that?" Corran then slipped a few chits across the bar wordlessly. The man took them before becoming more hospitable "I'm so sorry sir, yes he's on tonight I'll just go get him for you." He said gently stepping further back into most likely a staff room. There was a couple of whispered sounds before a Zeltron step out to be infront of Corran.

"You were asking for me sir?" Corran nodded before answering "Yes I was looking to speak with the proprietor." The Zeltron stopped for a second looking at the man before him before saying "Very well sir, I shall make sure that they know you are coming Mister?" Doing hand gestures for some of the guards to accompany Corran up to see the Donna. "Conner, Corran Conner. Thank you for giving me the pleasure." Corran headed up with the guards into a glass elevator before it opened up into the pent house. A woman who looked very much like the Donna appeared to be sitting waiting for him. His voice cracked slightly apon seeing the figure who looked exactly the way she was before she had disappeared "Ahtemis is that you? I'm sorry I didn't come back earlier, you never sent out your personal codes for me to come back. I couldn't be sure that this whole new Family wasn't a trap. I'm so sorry." He waited to hear the voice return. He was almost back he could feel it.

Ivory Stroud

 

[Ivory Stroud]

The Star Lounge - Private Area, Upstairs

(Parla Pui Piano, Slow)

It was an evening like any other at the Star Lounge.

The Uscru District was abuzz with activity as countless thousands spent their credits on entertainment from across the Galaxy - partaking in every pleasure & vice this brightly lit den of iniquity had to offer. Millions of voices rose like so much smoke over the dueling lights & sounds of one of Coruscant's busiest locales - dining, dancing, eating, drinking, singing, and diving deep into the swirling chaos of a Galaxy darker than most could imagine. By comparison, The Star Lounge - nestled in it's own private corner of the Uscru District - was a place of tranquility in a sea of wild, frothing disorder. On many nights, the thriving venue hosted its own special cadre of singers, with it's "Star" - the beautiful & talented Miss Neesa Loroka - often taking center stage.

Tonight, however, was not one of those nights.

Phaelix Maesoros, a Zeltron with an unassuming face and perfect posture, had been taking inventory in the small liquor cabinet behind the Lounge's bar - listening absently to the soft classical tune being piped through the hidden speakers throughout the restaurant. In his hand, he clutched a datapad, checking down the list of expected inventory and ensuring everything was in its proper place. As the Lead Bartender, it was his job to ensure his team had everything they required to be successful. There were a handful of people drinking, and dinner service was well on it's way; the dining room upstairs wasn't quite as packed as usual, but a steady stream of customers came & went through the front doors of the Lounge.

Suddenly, one of his bartenders poked his head around the corner of the store-room, drawing the Zeltron's attentive green eyes immediately. "Yes?" He inquired.

"There's someone here, asking for you. Human. Blonde. Just your type."

Phaelix couldn't help but smile. "I'll be right out." He said, then finished the shelf he'd been working on. As he stepped out of the bar, he immediately saw (and began evaluating) the young man waiting nearby. As Phaelix approached, he was already reading the human's body language just like he'd read any 'mark' - noting the poorly-concealed sense of nervousness, the poorly-concealed glance over his shoulder as-if checking to see who was watching, and the way the young man seemed almost entirely out of place in their little patch of the Galaxy. Phaelix put on his best smile, and greeted him.

"Yes I was looking to speak with the proprietor."

The signal almost made him pause.

Almost.

So that was why.

With the same award-winning smile, perfected over decades of life on the razor's edge, Phaelix acknowledged the code-word with a nod and assured the young man that his wish would be granted. To anyone watching, the exchange would have happened so casually that it would easily be ignored by everyone, including the other employees manning the bar. They were clearly used to such subtlety, and never asked any questions. Phaelix noted the name as it was given, but naturally assumed it to be a fake.

"Follow me, please." Phaelix invited, then reached out to retrieve a black tray and a single napkin, which he draped over his forearm. Then, he led the way out from behind the bar, making a quick left turn and bringing the nameless (for a reason) visitor to a beautiful, red-velvet covered staircase. Dark, exotic wood covered the walls, and pictures from across the Galaxy - depicting a multitude of natural settings, as well as famous visitors to the Lounge over the course of it's years in business - decorated the space, giving it a homey, comforting, intimate setting. All the metal accents, from the railings to the tiny strips of metal on the staircase, were clean, bright, shiny brass.

The upper floor of the lounge was decorated in the same classy, comforting red velvet with brass accents, and was clearly designed to replicate a human's idea of an intimate, quiet dining atmosphere. Soft lighting, easy on the eyes, was delivered by-way of numerous lanterns & hanging fixtures from the ceiling. The same dark wood covered the walls, and still more paintings and pictures provided a curious passersby a glimpse into not only the restaurant's history, but allowed them to drift into far away lands... some of which, many had never seen before.

Phaelix took his visitor down one section of the Lounge's upper floor, which provided a convenient view over a bannister into the lounge below. Visitors seated to this one side could look down into the room below, where they could watch the bar, or the stage. At the far end of the walkway, a wall had been set - and a single door, closed and marked "Private Seating", was obviously where Phaelix was headed. Upon reaching the door, Phaelix opened it, stepping through and holding it open for the young man behind him to enter.

Where the dining room they'd just passed through was open and expansive, this smaller private section consisted of six distinct private booths; each one separated by walls between them, with their entrances concealed by red velvet curtains which would provide an air of privacy to anyone seated within one. The booths on the right-hand side similarly were protected by a bannister, which allowed occupants to look down into the floor below, while the booths on the left-hand side of the aisle were entirely enclosed save for their velvet curtains.

It became immediately clear, by the silence in this private seating area, that no-one else was present.

Save for a single booth, second down, to the right.

It was at this booth that the Zeltron Bartender walked, peeling back the curtain and revealing a single figure seated within. The woman was dressed entirely in black, with long hair of the darkest ebony falling down one shoulder. Covering her face was a wide-brimmed black hat which concealed her features - undoubtedly familiar, as it had once graced the head of a woman Corran Conner had known many years ago. The resemblance would have been... uncanny.

Clutched delicately between the index & middle fingers of her left hand, 'The Donna' held a smoking cigarra. In her other hand, she held a datapad and was presently looking at its contents. A small glass, half-full with an amber liquid, lay near her elbow, and a plate of meat, vegetables, and roasted potatoes lay half-eaten and pushed aside.

She did not look up, as Phaelix invited the young man to sit. He did not offer the visitor's name.

"Ahtemis is that you? I'm sorry I didn't come back earlier, you never sent out your personal codes for me to come back. I couldn't be sure that this whole new Family wasn't a trap. I'm so sorry."

The young man's words came out in an explosive rush, and it was only then that the woman seated across from him raised her head. A pair of violet eyes, framed in dark eye-shadow, immediately made eye-contact... and a pair of ruby lips parted in a smile. The face that greeted him was not, in fact, 'The Donna" of old.

It was the face of Ivory Stroud, herself. The one whom The Donna had passed the mantle of The Family to before her retirement.

She had aged, somewhat. It had, of course, been years... but long gone was the wild, often-unpredictable anarchist of her younger days. She had been replaced by a woman who wore the title of The Donna like a second skin. She was wiser, and burning in her eyes was an intense & vibrant intelligence which was almost predatory. Whatever, or whomever, this woman had once been, she was now one of the most powerful Criminal Masterminds in the Galaxy.

And it showed.

The Donna's eyes narrowed in momentary suspicion, then widened in sudden recognition.

"...Corran...? By the Black Oak, what are you doing here?"

 

[Corran Conner]

Location: Star Lounge

Corran looked in shock at the face before him. It wasn't Ahtemis, instead it was another face that while he had expected to see still floating around the Family like she had been before, he was not expecting to be the Donna. His jaw opened and closed for a second before his training kicked in. It had been years since the last time he had been in The Family but since that time he had done other things.

Such as being a secret agent for a government that was very shadow government before becoming a proper galactic stage type government with a secret underbelly he had been a small part of. However he had left not long after that occurring as he no longer felt like he wanted to be apart of that world anymore and so he had hid in plain sight. Paying off people as needed.

But now that he was close enough to smell her, of course it wasn't Ahtemis. She was gone and might never be back but he had already made a decision to make himself known so he had better get ready for the challenges that would be coming next. He took in the sight of Ivory, she looked older than she had many years back but that was bound to happen.

She was dressed exactly like the past Donna hence his confusion as to who was actually under the hat. She was holding a smoking cigarra and was using a datapad. However it wasn't the one that was that had been made many years ago by Mirdirmorut, which means that they had yet to make contact with whoever was now in charge of the company. She had a plate of food next to her half eaten, clearly picked over and not planning to be finished.

He frowned at that thought his doctor's instincts kicking in. As the first thing that came out of his mouth was "Ivory, why aren't you finishing your food. You know its healthier for you if you finish everything on your plate for the required nutrients you will need right?"

Then he refocused she had asked him a question. "Well Ivory, I thought Ahtemis had returned. She was one of the few who knew of my particular condition, the only one who ever called me part of her Pack. But since your the Donna now, you should know I am also a Gurlanin. Which is why I look like I haven't aged a day since the time The Family broke apart."

Corran sighed admitting. "Since the group is back and because I thought Ahtemis was back I figured I would try to rejoin, be part of the pack again. I didn't to begin with because I thought this was a giant trap built by the CSF to try can catch whoever was left. But from word that reaches my ears that is not the case as you've been successfully running for five years now. I know your going to need something to trust me again so what do you need and how can I find it?" He would ask hopeful that the conversation would go that way anyways.

Tag: Ivory Stroud

 

[Ivory Stroud]

The Donna couldn't help but chuckle at the immediate lecture following their reintroduction. She sat back, regarding him coolly from beneath the brim of her hat - inspecting him for a long moment. She remembered Corran well; Ahtemis' doctor, all those years ago, and an eccentric, hyperactive individual at best. It was a pleasant surprise that he hadn't seemed to change much in the years they'd been separated.

She nodded at his assertion that he hadn't aged a day. It was true, he hadn't... and the fact that Ahtemis hadn't shared the fact he was Ghurlainin was curious. Outwardly, she showed zero sign that the news was a surprise. She leaned forward again, setting down the datapad and stubbing her cigarra out in the ashtray beside her elbow. Then, she interlaced her fingers before her, intensifying her stare in Corran's direction.

Still outside the booth, Phaelix was waiting to be dismissed; which Ivory had, pointedly, not done just yet. He'd been watching the exchange as well, and knew how such meetings typically went. Before Ivory answered Corran's question, she turned to look at the Zeltron bartender.

"Phaelix, another of my usual, please... and an order of bantha ribs for the dear doctor. Plus whatever he'd like to drink."

Her tone was sing-song, and sweet... almost too sweet.

Once Phaelix had disappeared back the way he'd come, The Donna turned her attention back to her visitor.

"Since the group is back and because I thought Ahtemis was back I figured I would try to rejoin, be part of the pack again. I didn't to begin with because I thought this was a giant trap built by the CSF to try can catch whoever was left. But from word that reaches my ears that is not the case as you've been successfully running for five years now. I know your going to need something to trust me again so what do you need and how can I find it?"

"By all means, Corran, I'd be happy to welcome you back into the fold. Unfortunately, as I'm sure you understand quite well, trust isn't something so easy to come by - especially for those in our line of work." Her eyebrows raised, and she cocked her head slightly to one side - offering an open palm to him in a gesture of honesty.

"Why don't you tell me where you've been for so long. I worked, tirelessly, for many months to find any & all traces I could of those from our prior community. Sadly, many whom possessed any real sense of power or influence in our organization were either killed, or fled into the furthest reaches of the Galaxy... if they weren't arrested, of course. Why choose to reach out now?"

She was just as concerned as he had been about a trap, and trust was a luxury she couldn't afford.

Thus began her test.

Corran Conner​

 

[Corran Conner]

Location: Star Lounge

Corran felt like he was in a staring contest with Ivory, The Donna now. Why Ahtemis had elected not to let him know why someone else was made Donna, was quietly letting him know now, while he had been originally decently high on the totem pole, he still was not privy to everything going on. However Ivory broke it first to address the bartender who had come with him to this point. She asked for food and drinks, Corran turn his head to look the man up and down again making sure he hadn't missed anything on first sight, particularly given he hadn't been dismissed as fast as perhaps he could have been. That in itself was a statement, Ivory didn't trust him either. A good common ground between the two he supposed as he answered, "I would like a Horstberry Cider if you have any."

He then turned his direction on Ivory again. He sat watching her as he listened to her. She would be happy to welcome him back but as he had thought, trust is a commodity that was currently out for both of them, particularly given the work Corran had performed after the collapse of The Family. She then gave a gesture of honesty, unusual but not trap level of unusual. Perhaps there was no trap to be found here but just in case he would continue being as careful but as forward as he could be. After all this was still something he wanted provided it was genuine.

So she finally asked where he had disappeared off to and why to choose to reach out now. He sat thinking about it all before answering. "I escaped back into the far reaches of the galaxy, out near the Eternal Empire. Before I was apart of The Family, I had been a member of Blackwatch. A group of secret agents within the foundation of the Eternal Empire. As such I knew of operations and safe houses along with sympathetic people who might be able to give me assistance. In doing so it made me break a lot of oaths I had given to myself. Including the Hippocratic oath which honestly is no more solid than a board of wood in front of a vibrosword."

Corran sat thinking for a while more before continuing, "To even escape I had to leave behind many people including my friend Oscar Moondew. Word is he got killed in a prison escape some time ago. I've had to sell as much Sabre Dust as I could to scrape together enough credits to make it back to coruscant when I began hearing waves of your return. I've had to kill people for recognising me who might squeal. I've done what I can to not dance to someone else's strings, and too still make it here to this day. To find out if it was Ahtemis, only to find out instead it was you now." He said sitting back waiting for food and drink to be returned.

Ivory Stroud

 

[Ivory Stroud]

The Donna listened carefully, weighing what he told her with what she could remember. Ahtemis had given her the 'keys to the castle', and many more secrets besides... but there had certainly been things her predecessor had kept shrouded in mystery. Ivory didn't blame her. Secrets were the most valuable commodity in the Galaxy.

She nodded idly at Corran mentioning he'd had to kill to keep from being recognized. She was also familiar with the drug known as "Sabre Dust", or as it was often called on the streets, "Sparkle". Vaguely, she could recall discussions a long time ago regarding a similar compound, but their trade in Spice had been profitable enough that she hadn't explored it as an option.

Until now.

To find out if it was Ahtemis, only to find out instead it was you now."

That brought a coy smile to her lips, as she turned her head slightly downward. The small bit of flattery appeared to be well-received.

"Times were tough." She admitted. "After I was sure the heat had died down enough, I came back to Coruscant... made contact with some old friends of ours, who were just as surprised as I was." She sighed, then glanced around the private booth & beyond. "Lives lost, millions of credits in resources and connections... but, there were a few who remained who kept the faith."

She nodded in the direction of the lower floor. "Phaelix was one of the first, and through him, I was able to contact other groups - not only on Coruscant, but on other worlds. Everyone was so fractured that we'd all but fallen entirely..."

"But," she mused, "After some work... We were able to come back stronger than before."

She paused for a moment, weighing her options. Then, she adjusted the way she was sitting and continued:

"What do you need from me, Corran? More than that, what can you offer me? Why should I trust you, after all these years?"

Corran Conner​

 

[Corran Conner]

Location: Star Lounge

Corran sat listening to Ivory, she spoke about how bringing The Family back to life had been tough. That it had taken her time to bring it all back together again. To rebuild what had been almost completely destroyed. To make it better even. He ran through the figures in his mind of the epic undertaking that would have costed. It was rather impressive all things considered, particularly since this so far wasn't a trap.

Corran thought a little more "Phaelix, he was the zeltron gentleman who showed me up here. You claim he came from before, I mean he must have given you said he reached out on your behalf to who he could. I have never met him before this night. Perhaps if I had we would have been having this conversation sooner. Perhaps there would be less mistrust between us." Corran sighed slightly "Times have been tough for all of us. Particularly because from everything I have seen you have yet to reach out to the company who Ahtemis had done quite a few deals with. Understandable since from my knowledge, the company was leaderless for a time before passing to Sylas Taff rather recently. But given past developments the company still appears to support whatever out of the interest of credits. Since word on the street is that on Denon, there's a shop of theirs that's a front for a Darkwire safehouse."

Corran nodded before saying "These are things I bring to the table, what I can offer. Knowledge of what I've found so far. You probably know most of it, maybe you don't. My medical expertise, I doubt that many dedicated doctors have appeared to assist The Family outside of people who would also run body chop shops." He would say with a slight amount of distain and disgust before continuing. "My skills, those of someone who has remained off the radar for the last 5 years to the point when even you were surprised when I walked in the door. And anything else you could think of asking of me. What I want in return is to be apart of a pack again. To rejoin The Family. To make sure that I don't spit on Ahtemis' and your legacy after everything the both of you have done for me and The Family as a whole."

Then he paused before speaking "As for why you should trust me, you shouldn't until you've made sure I'm me at the very least. Beyond that it's your choice, My Donna."

Ivory Stroud

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Ivory listened quietly as Corran began to explain, and she used his words to begin filling in blanks. The mention of a man going by the name of 'Taff" brought back some distant memories; Ivory distinctly remembered the Company called Mirdimorout, and that many years ago, The Family has possessed quite the friendly relationship with the owner at the time: One Tom Taff, who not only worked within the Criminal Underworld but with other, more 'above-board' groups & organizations like the Silver Jedi Order. A long time ago, in Ivory's past life, she'd even known Tom... though she doubted he'd ever been made aware of the double-life she lived. The revelation that Mirdimorout was not only present on Denon (a place where Ivory had significant investments), but also operated a 'safehouse' for members of Darkwire, certainly caught her attention.

That was something worth exploring, during her following trip to Denon (which was only a few days away).

By the time he had finished speaking, Phaelix had returned - and this time, he was bearing a tray full of goodies for their table. First, he set down a fresh glass of amber-colored liquid in front of The Donna. This concoction was something very special; a recipe that only Phaelix was allowed to craft, and only he knew the precise measurements for.

Next was a massive plate of ribs, soaked in a spicy, sweet, and flavorful sauce, and steaming hot. This was set down before the good Doctor, along with the requested chilled mug of Horstberry Cider. Ivory dismissed him with a peculiar wave; holding up her pinky, ring, and middle fingers straight out, with her index finger curled into her palm & her thumb tight toward the finger. "Thank you, Phaelix."

The Zeltron nodded without saying a word, and disappeared.

Alone again, Ivory reached down toward the seat beside her, retrieving a small purple wooden box with a gilded symbol of 'The Black Oak' upon it, opening it and retrieving a Fiora cigarra from within. As Corran began to dig into his meal, Ivory held the unlit cigarra between two fingers, and retrieved her glass - swirling the contents in a circle as she breathed in the aroma of the bourbon mixed with bitters.

"As for why you should trust me, you shouldn't until you've made sure I'm me at the very least. Beyond that it's your choice, My Donna."

"The Family taught you well, if you were able to remain entirely hidden for so long. A number of things have changed, Corran... for one, the way we communicate has been altered significantly. Gone are the days of communication over the holo-net. Nearly everything regarding our business is done face-to-face, either through intermediaries or between Made-members. Secrecy is even more important to us, after what happened..."

She eyed him over her glass.

"In order to be absolutely sure, I'd like to have you meet one of my people. They're located just on the other side of the bridge. We'll conduct a series of non-invasive tests, including a blood draw. I've arranged for an escort. Simply follow her instructions, and when I receive a confirmation, I'll bring you back here. Do you have a place to stay?"

Corran Conner​

 

[Corran Conner]

Location: Star Lounge

Phaelix finally returned with some food for both him and Ivory. It was a good meal, one of which he hadn't seen for many years. Living on the run didn't allow for nice food very often if at all. What it mostly consisted of was old rations that people tended to forget about when transitioning from one government to the next. Galactic politics was ever changing and as such so was what they gave to their troops or left on their old ships. Particularly ones that were getting decommissioned were almost never cleared properly of their food stores. Made getting something to eat fairly easy, didn't mean it was good food though.

He grinned at her thoughts on him keeping hidden. "Honestly it was a mix of The Families training, Blackwatch's training and some of my own cunning. Besides sometimes looking unassuming gets you out of a lot of problems when it comes to people trying to describe you. Look like an every person and people struggle to remember key details about who you were, the particularly smart ones do so because they know what would occur if they did remember. Yes I can see that how The Family now communicates has changed." He showed off some of the basic hand signals he had seen so far. "For one, we never had hand signals, must say I do like the change though, hand signals are very easy to see but hard to interpret without knowing what exactly they mean. The few I showed off I believe are meant to be simple commands such as move here, stay here, follow and kill."

He nodded "Intermediaries aren't a bad choice, don't have the holo trail like holo-net communications, particularly given all the new net runners that have been coming out of the cracks. However they can certainly be dangerous in their own way, however knowing you I would assume you've vetted each one personally and know exactly where and how to end them if they become a leak." Secrecy was a big thing, always had been for The Family. Seemed like whoever was helping The Donna knew their stuff though which was always good. He looked back at her as she looked over her glass.

"But of course, I would expect no less. I am currently staying in a condemned warehouse. It's quiet enough and I have enough alerts and protection. I should be fine and no one other than you and Phaelix know I'm even here. Every person I asked about this stuff just remembers being high on Sparkle thanks to some new supplies of it flooding the market. I have some connections with the lower gangs, who don't know my name or my face. Secrecy is a huge thing for both you and me, Donna." He got up ready to be lead to the tests. Once he arrived he would comply with anything they needed.

Ivory Stroud

 

[Ivory Stroud]

His familiarity with the basic Code-sign signals was impressive. Ivory made an expression with her lip, indicating as much - which she conveniently shielded as she took a sip from her glass. The Kosa Nostra Code-sign was, indeed, a feature born from The Family's near-total eradication... Ivory, herself, had taken what was once a simple system of Military hand-signals, and developed an exceedingly complex, detailed, and comprehensive means of identification & exchange. The Doctor had been paying attention... but he'd still gotten two of the meanings wrong. She made a mental note to sit down later, and instruct him further.

She considered, silently, as he explained his current 'home'... and such accommodations simply wouldn't do. With a dismissive wave, she brushed off his insistence that he'd return there. "Nonsense. The lower levels are dangerous. We have some connections down there - a friend of ours who can meet you, and assist in collecting your belongings. We have an empty guest room here in the Lounge - it's clean, comfortable, and safe. When you return from your meeting, give Phaelix the information we need to find the warehouse, and he'll set you up until you can find a more permanent residence. I assume you'll need space to continue your work."

She smiled as he finished his meal and stood up to leave. In that moment, she looked more like The Donna than ever; confident & entirely in-control. She was immensely interested in hearing more about the production of 'Sparkle', and how it might augment their own portfolio. But there was plenty of time for that.

"And, one more thing, Corran... Welcome home. It's good to have you back."

Corran Conner​