Take Off The Mask

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Her throaty chuckle would follow them into the bedroom. The whisper of clothing along with the sigh of anticipation sank them both into an embrace as old as time. Come what may, at the very least they both had one another.

A week he had told her. Promised really. Alric departed for Empress Teta a few days later, leaving behind Danger with a lingering kiss and words of comfort in her ear. His embrace had held her tightly, the thrum of joyful anticipation at finally seeing Rose face to face eliciting a split grin from ear to ear.

Danger felt an equal amount of joy, if muted, sending him away with the promise that she would keep her word.

One week.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

It was a fast week.

Alric returned to Empress Teta a day before Rose. He found that Lily had already planned the party, though thankfully it was a small one in the end. The house had been decorated and food had been cooked, enough to satisfy a small village. Daughter and father hugged, shared stories, and Alric explained what would happen. Lily reacted accordingly, abashed, but understanding. She was getting better, smarter, realizing that not everything would be perfectly her way each day. Of course that was a reality most had to accept, but it came with more difficulty for Lily. She knew though, that in the end her father deserved some happiness, and she would not stand in the way.

Of course it helped that one thing brightened the day no matter what, that one thing would eclipse everything else. The Return of Rose. Her sister coming back meant more to Lily then anything else in the galaxy. Being separated from your other half was difficult, and for nearly a year it was painful. So with Rose returning, with her sister coming back, Lily felt as though she was finally going to be whole again.

Next to that, nothing else really mattered.

So when Rose returned, when she finally came home, the three remaining Kuhns celebrated as much as they possibly could. They sat together in the living room of the old estate, cried, hugged, and did everything a reuniting family would do. Rose and Lily told each other stories, of adventures, of progress, of everything that had happened.

Alric just listened.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Keeping her word was never as hard to fulfill as walking down the ramp of her personal ship on Empress Teta one week later. Silver glinted hair hung in loose waves down to her shoulders, the soft breeze gently lifting up the tendrils with every step she took.

She packed lightly. Was it because she wanted a quick getaway or due to nerves, well it was all up in the air. Regardless, here she was; a bundle of nerves as if stepping foot into her first business meeting well over nearly two score ago. A deep exhale would slip from her lungs, and she would tap nervously her forefinger upon the strap of her purse.

Behind her, Vee-Three-Pee-Oh, her protocol droid, came waddling in from behind. "Mistress Arceneau, I have called ahead to arrange pick up from the hotel."

Because there was no way she was going to settle herself at the old Kuhn Manor.

Even she knew the dead would roll over on their graves at that.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Things had gone well over the last week, and Alric had made sure that his daughters were comfortable. He had allowed them to stay at the estate on their own of course, haven taken up to living at his former apartment in the city. It was nice, and it was where he would be taking Danger when he retrieved her from the star port. Sleeping at home had been too difficult for him, memories of the past and certain echoes made it more difficult then he'd like to admit.

As the speeder came to a halt Alric pushed the door opening, stepping out in his usual attire and slicked back hair.

The benefit of being rich was clear, having had a direct line to the private sector of the starport to go and get Danger.

He smiled at his own reflection, shifting slightly before wandering into the starport itself. He could have sworn he'd seen Danger's ship out the window as he came in, and it would be just like her to be exactly on time. It wasn't a long walk towards the hangar that she would have landed in, though a few times he half stopped to look at one thing or another. The Starport here on Empress Teta was as much a tourist attraction was it was a way to leave the planet.

Finally, he found Danger wandering down one of the longer hallways in the terminal.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger caught Alric's sapphire blue gaze none too soon. Even after all these years, he still made her catch her breath, made her thrum in awareness at his presence. Tall, distinguished, all hard angles and planes edged with confidant arrogance. His smile wore the devil and the glint in his eyes promised experiences untold.

Did she ever love that man.

The clip of her heels would draw her full hipped swagger over to the Tetan. Been a long while since she could remember ever meeting him on Teta. Never so publically like this.

"Mistress Arceneau, the shuttle is arriving shortly," chirped the protocol droid. However, Danger was too busy smiling up at the man with warmth in her eyes and love in her expression.

"Mistah Kuhn," she sang, a touch of mischievousness in her throaty voice. "What a delightful surprise."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Miss Arceneau." He greeted her with a warm smile. "You know that I aim to please."

He did, in a way, and that was why he was here. There would be not shuttle to bring her to some hotel, no weird taxi driver to ferry her around Empress Teta. No, Danger would be greeted and welcomed by him, she always would. That was a promise that he had made to himself, that Danger would not feel out of place, that she would not feel awkward or unwanted. This trip was big for her, for them, and Alric would not have it be spoiled by small mistakes.

His arms wrapped around her as they met within the middle of the terminal, his lips pressing against her own in greeting.

"Miss me?" He quipped, smiling down at her.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger went leaning into his embrace, kiss lingering as her smile grew wide against his lips. "Maybe just a mite." She drawled out with a honeyed twang. The fact of the matter was that she did, nights rather lonely compared to sleeping in his arms. Another peck and linger, followed by a tightening of her grip round the Tetan.

"How's it been?" She asked, drawing back to get a good look at him. The lines of his face had relaxed, the week with the girls certainly making their mark. The strain of worry over his brows and that by his his was no longer there. In its place simply... Joy.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Things would move a tad more quickly now, if only because Alric was eager to get out of the starport.

The two of them weren't famous per-say, they weren't holo-vid starts or anything of the sort, but they did have a certain air about them. Danger was the Trade Queen of the galaxy, and Alric...well Alric was still the golden boy of Empress Teta. This world had been good to his family, and his family had been equally good to them. Some of them would call him prince, and his late wife had technically granted him that title, though it was something he'd rather forget.

Either way, he didn't really feel like remaining in public for long. "Come on."

His hand would wrap around the small of her back and he would begin to lead her back towards the speeder. The Protocol droid would shuffle along behind them, remaining quiet as the two of them moved carefully through the starport. Briefly he wondered what it would be like to simply be another person, to not have to worry about fame, to not have to do anything at all.

He supposed eventually he would find out.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

With a gentle nudge, Danger stepped into the speeder, sliding into place with a small scoot. The day was warm, but not overly so. The murmur of overhead flight calls and holosigns welcoming them to Empress Teta were everywhere. A thought came to her the that the last time she stepped foot on the planet had been in the opera house she had signed over the day she had met his wife for caf. Funny how things worked then.

Green eyes would drift across the arched cathedrals, vast gardens and ancient architecture of classic Teta. Most had see avid reconstruction after the last Mandalorian-Sith War. Under the Empress, Alric's wife. Odd to think that. Odder still to be here.

Fingers went curling round the strap of her purse, but by then they were well on their way. He hadn't answered her question yet, so she figured he'd do it in his own time. Her hotel would expect her; as it was, she doubted there was a place on Teta that would not permeate with the remembrance of old ghosts.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Eventually they made it to his speeder.

The thing looked ancient, though still functioning. There were red flames down the side of it as thought it had been designed by a fifteen year old. Alric walked Danger to one side of it, waggling his eyebrows as she rolled her eyes at the vehicle that he had chosen. The speeder was clearly from his own youth, when he had been more brash and...well childish. He smiled at her, and popped open one of the doors to let her inside.

The droid meanwhile loaded her suitcase, placing it snuggly within the confines of the trunk.

Eventually Alric managed to wind his way towards the other side of the speeder, stepping inside with an almost seamless motion. A yawn escaped him, his hand folding over his mouth before he shifted and looked at Danger. "Everything went...well. The girls have sequestered themselves away mostly, spending time with each other. The first two days were spent just at home...it was nice."

Right now they were off in the city, shopping for Rose.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Well that's good news," Danger replied, still slightly amused at the flair Alric had made with speeder choice and subsequent act. Tinted sunglasses would slip on over her face, the low rumble of the engine starting in the background until it became a soft purr. Well wasn't he making a statement, she'd muse, giving another shake of her head. Then again, she couldn't talk. One of the few collectibles she found interest with were antique bladders and speeders. She spent a pretty penny becoming the owner of a number of Daw Motors classics. Even the rare, bright cherry red sportster named after Arceneau herself.

But even all material goods aside won't matter. Ain't anything one will take to the grave.

"Hear of what Rose's plans are?" She asked. Not that there had to be any, but just curious. The engines gave a hum and they rose. The spaceport went panning across the viewport, and then they were on their way.

"I've made reservations at the Deyra," one of the most luxurious hotels on Empress Teta. She'd long ago sold her suite, as their wasn't ever a need to come back. Not back then.

"Heard they've done all kinds of changes with the restorations."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He shook his head. "She hasn't really mentioned it, though I can't really blame her."

Most of the time she had talked about what she did rather then what she was going to do. Of course all of the excitement had taken most everything else out of the way, and truth be told, Alric didn't blame her. He wanted what was best for his children, and if Rose didn't know what she wanted to do, if she hadn't the faintest idea, that was okay too.

He had more then enough wealth for them to live off of, more then enough planning had been done to see that they would be cared for.

If both of his children suddenly decided to do nothing with the rest of their lives...well Alric would be disappointed, but he would not stop them. Of course neither of them would ever do such a thing, both of them were far too driven and motivated to simply stop. He knew that about Rose, and he knew that about Lily. Rose would eventually find something to do, though somehow Alric doubted that it would be on the same path as Lily. Corporations had never been Rose's game, it had never interested her.

"Huh?" Alric said suddenly as Danger implied going to the hotel, his head shook. "We're not staying in a hotel."

The speeder kept zooming through Cinnegar, cutting quickly through the city as they headed towards his old apartment.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"We're not?" Genuine surprise came from the woman sitting next to Alric. Truth be told, she had assumed that a hotel would be best. Neutral is as neutral does, and no one did it better than Danger. The expression of surprise quickly turned into one of trepidation. Don't tell me he's taking me to the estate...

She'd set her foot down faster than Kurt Meyer going at full throttle on the acceleration at the Boonta Eve Classic. There ain't no way she'll cross that threshold. There was a line, and that was one she had no desire passing.

Cinnagar sped on by the viewport, their direction taking them towards the heart of the city. Which would be the first sign he wasn't heading off towards the estate. However, that did nothing to calm the sudden sensation of her heart practically at her throat. Mate with age she was getting more prone to nervous bouts than before.

Almost felt as if she was going through menopause again. And those were some hot flashes she wasn't so keen on.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"No." Alric said with a smile. "Of course not."

The place where they would be staying, where he in fact had been staying, was purchased for him by his father ages ago. It had been the place of Alric's residency from the age of seventeen to the age of twenty two. That meant the apartment had seen some...things that were likely not going to be discussed with Danger, or anyone else for that matter.

"I have another place in Cinnegar." He quickly explained after quickly glancing at her, seeing the distress flex across her body.

"It's my old apartment from when I went to university." Alric had of course cleaned the place up, or rather, a droid had done so. It had been dusted and most of the furniture had been completely cleaned off. There were still certain elements to the place that screamed young adult, or rather, teenager. It wasn't bad really, but it did show that it had been the resident of a young man, not a grown adult. "You'll love it."

A smirk carried on his lips.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]


"Your university apartment?" while the expression of trepidation faded, amused incredulousness took its place. Twin brows of auburn rose high, "That relic?"

If he could see beyond her sunglasses, the Tetan would be able to view the growth in her mirth. "One wonders what sort of skeletons you'll have dustin' up your closet, Mistah Kuhn." she told him with a wry twist of her crimson mouth. Shaking her head, another chuckle escaped, but the tension in her body waned. Okay, so it wasn't the estate. That was a welcomed relief. Threading her fingers through her hair, she gave Alric a sideways glance.

"I've stepped down from the Executive Council." well that was an interesting bit of news. Stepping down from the Executive Council of the Techno Union certainly had its fair share of waves.

"Things weren't going in the direction I was too keen on..."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He raised an eyebrow.

That was a big decision, and although he wasn't one to interfere with Danger's business it was something that would likely effect them both in the end. The Techno Union was run by some unsavory characters, and although he doubted they would come after Danger...it was his most immediate concern. He didn't really care about any business ramifications that it would have, nor any relationship it might harm with him, his thoughts jumped immediately to Danger's safety.

She had the guards to protect herself, but still.

"Okay." He said as his hand slipped form the steering wheel and onto her leg. "I'm sure you did the right thing."

Alric said it with a genuine and warm smile on his face, encouraging her and letting his thumb caress her leg. He was still worried for her of course, though it was probably misplaced. He doubted anyone would be dumb enough to actually try to kill Danger Arceneau.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

A smile would mirror him in return, Danger's hand clasping over his. "I'll be alright." she caught the worry in his gaze, the few seconds where he studied her just a little bit longer.

"Mmm, Gerion Ardik and Darell Irani want to pursue the establishment of a Trade Federation." she would continue, explaining further and bringing into context the entire situation. On what it really meant. "A neutral entity to space across the 'verse." she would state, giving a small sigh as she sank back into her seat.

"Not sure how far it may go. But the desire is there..." her head panned over to the Tetan, and her smile broadened in mild humor. "... and I'm always one for ensuring neutrality is maintained."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He knew one of those names, the other he had heard vagueries about.

Truth be told he remembered the last time something like that had been attempted, and he remembered how it had failed. A frown creased his lips. Vanir was big, not as big as ATC or Titan had been, but it was big enough to make a dent within the galactic scene. Oddly, he found himself dissatisfied with the idea of getting his company involved in this new organization, though he knew that Danger would take full and entire advantage in whatever these people decided to cook up.

"Neutrality has a way of...skewing." Alric commented, his thumb gently caressing her leg again. "In this galaxy."

Try as one might, you couldn't work with everyone.

Eventually, either your own morals would come into question or those of others would get in the way. He knew that certain people associated him with the Sith, and he knew that certain others did just the opposite. He had never been loyal, not to anything but himself and the lord of profit. He wondered how that reflected on him as a person, though he knew it probably didn't matter. Still, he smiled at Danger and quickly leaned over to peck her on the cheek. "But if anyone can do it, it's you."

There was no patronizing in his voice.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Thank you," she replied, smiling into the kiss he pressed against her cheek. Delicately, her fingernails gave a gentle tap across the glasssteel of her viewport.

"We'll see what comes about it, reckon." she added, exhaling deeply. She shut her eyes, resting them for a moment. Things were constantly busy for her, and the stress of maintaining Arceneau Trade along with her other responsibilities was always placing pressure on her. Alric and the girls were the cherry on top and what would prompt her into a fret.

Was momma ever like this? The wonder came to her, and in her mind the image of the matron woman bloomed. She died young, but what lessons Colette Arceneau passed onto her daughter sent ripples across the decades.

"My scouts up the Wild Regions claim they found a rather interesting planet." the tidbit came softly, more of a low hush. "Ain't no where on the maps; had to contract Miz Blake to research it further." Chloe Blake was a known explorer and charter of the hyperlanes. She was also a freelancer Danger paid every now and then to investigate some of the more interesting planets and routes.

"She done told me she had to look at her ancient star maps to make heads or tails of it. Some place called Odessen."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He smiled at her, pressing his index and thumb into a point right before her knee, half an attempt at tickling her.

"Figuring on becoming an explorer?" He joked with her, knowing full well that whatever had been discovered on that world Danger would be trying to dig it up. It was something he supported actually, he was just as curious as she was, but that didn't mean he couldn't tease her. "Maybe you should ask Rose for some pointers."

His daughter had explored half a galaxy by now, though there were still even she hadn't visited.

A year was nothing in the terms of the galaxy. She ahd visited nearly two hundred worlds, almost a new one every single day. Everything she had done and everywhere she had been had been logged within the datacron that Alric had given her before she left. Of course there were other things in there, personal experiences and things that she would likely keep private, but at least some of the Data would go to Alric, and then from Alric to the Black Codex. Information was valuable after all.

"I'm sure she'd be eager to talk about it." He smiled at her, then slowly turned the wheel of the speeder to take them further into Cinnegars University district.