Take Off The Mask

[Danger Arceneau]

Danger’s knee gave a small half twitch, the sensation tickling her. It wasn’t as much as when done behind her knees, but enough to warrant a playful slap of [member="Alric Kuhn"] ‘s hand.

“I ain’t the one explorin’ and you well know it,” she told him, a half chuckle lifting her lids as she gave him a sideways glance from behind her sunglasses. Oh did he ever look half smug, more so after the small rap she gave him on the hand, already playfully returning it to its perch on her knee again, soothing it with a caress of his thumb.

As for Rose… well, Alric may joke all he pleased, but she distinctly remembered how awkward the younger woman had felt and how quick she fled the stronghold thereafter. Casual discussion was likely not on the top of her list with the woman her father was seeing, despite the fact that is the reason why Danger was here.

“Well, I’m glad that Rose managed to put to good use the starmaps then.” she added, but that was all that was to be said on the matter. She neither confirmed nor denied an attempt at conversation on the subject with Rose, and honestly, she rather keep it at that.

“But no, explorin’ avenues for the establishment of new trade routes.” she would return to the earlier topic, elaborating on the context. “Safety is priority.. as well as finding a dirt plot to manage new warehouses and pitstops. Them Unknown Regions are still mighty dark despite everythin. Reckon there are still systems out in the black with no connection to the Core Worlds at all. Whatever this Odessen has to offer, Miz Blake would be sure to provide a detailed analysis.”

Her attention would pan to the viewport, skimming the graceful arches and steep inclines of the nearby University’s architecture. Much like Cinnegar itself, it was much more than a singular building, but an entire sector in it of itself. An establishment of a holorail system might serve it well, but for the present, things were always within some stage of reconstruction. Even two decades later, the damage left behind by the Mandalorian One Sith Wars left its mark.

“Must be some kind of deja vu stepping back into your old huntin’ grounds.” she’d tease Alric, turning again to face him with a half twist of her torso, her hand slipping over his to curl her fingers around it.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Nah." He said quietly, his hand tightening for a second and a healthy amount of humor entering his voice. "I already got that out of my system last week."

The smiled at her, then pulled the wheel to the side again.

The speeder went turning into a nicer section of town, the university architecture coming through, the apartment buildings becoming ornate, and the streets below folding up into neat cobblestone rows. It was clear that this was where the rich and powerful came, where the elite of Empress Teta had received their schooling. Alric pointed to one of the buildings on the left, taking his hand off the wheel to show Danger where he had gone to school. "Teta University, much more fun then that TU you just left."

He gave her a wink.

The apartment wasn't far now. it had been located off campus, mostly because his father had always insisted that a Kuhn was above living on school grounds. The place was nice and the building it was in had mostly been reserved for University Alumni or professors. It had been an odd experience living there, though taking women back to his place had always netted rather interesting results.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Reckon that depends on one's definition of fun," she quickly quipped back, a wry drawl floating from her direction. "I'm sure you were quite the dutiful model student." she'd add, although certainly by the tone of her voice it suggested otherwise.

Unlike Alric, Danger didn't get no fancy schoolin from a Core League University. Hers came from her parents, where their counsel was her education. The Trading business her practicum, and networking her history. Just some of the few differences between he and she. On how they were raised and how they made a name for themselves. Where Alric had attempted to shun all of his father's legacy, Danger instead made it her own and expanded it beyond what her granddaddy Montgomery Arceneau ever dreamed.

There was pride in that. There was also sacrifice.

Roaring on passed the campus, nearing the edge of the University grounds. It was a metropolis all on its own, with a wealth of shops and activities for the students of Teta University. In her mind she couldn't quite imagine Alric here. Or maybe she could, thinking back to his wild ways when she first met him.

Funny how time works that way.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

His life at University had been an interesting one to be sure, truth be told there hadn't been much studying at all.

Alric had always had a quick mind, an intellect that remained mostly unmatched. There other beings had the force, charisma, or a healthy amount of gods gift, Alric had his intelligence, or rather his memory. Once he read something he learned it, and once he learned it he never forgot it. That was a talent that had served him well in the past, one that he had never bragged about and one that he had cherished. It had allowed him a certain amount of lee-way in life, and in University it had been no different.

"Model...sure." He said with a grin. "Student? Not so much."

The student aspect had never been really necessary.

He had onyl ever gone to get away from his father, and to obey his wishes. Two pronged in that fact he supposed. "Maybe if you ask nicely I'll show you around before we leave. I think they even have a building named after me."

He'd given them enough money to warrant it for sure.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Oh really?” came the mild humor, and the sunglasses slid off her face with a stroke of her fingers. Mirth would dance in her bright green eyes. “A building? Felt the need to erect your permanent mark on Teta University?”

The throaty chuckle didn’t give any leeway, and she humored him with a slight pat of his knee. “You’ve no need to worry about such things, Alric Kuhn.”

A side-ways glance would dart at his direction, “And I am aghast at the implication I don’t always ask nicely!” mock affront at such an insinuation.

His response was another thumb and forefinger swipe at her knee that had her scooting back in her seat batting his hand away.

“Oh you! Stop that!”

Her laughter resonated within the cabin of the speeder as Alric drove them out of the University grounds and into the off campus residency sector.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He grinned at her.

This was a good time, this made him happy. His life had finally settled, come back to a place where he could stop worrying, where he could just sit and be happy. It was significant, very much so. There were times when he had been stressed, when he'd feared death, when he had been so consumed by guilt and desperation. Now everything seemed to have evened out, everything seemed to have become level once again. It made him happy.

That was all there was to it really, all there was to think about.

He was happy.

His daughters were home, grown, they both knew what they wanted. He had the love of a beautiful woman, and he had a company that was not only successful...but well renown. It was different than Titan, it was different then before. Everything seemed to be going better then before. Alric smiled, lowering his hand fully onto her leg and slowly stroking his thumb across her thigh.

What more could he have?

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

"Is this it?" came Danger's curious query, inclining forward towards the tall series of buildings Alric was driving them to. This time of day the lanes were busy, airspeeders zipping in and out. It was a curious shift of atmosphere; a little bit calmer and perhaps a bit more distinguished. Not quite the area she would figure a student in a University would be keen on settling down for his four years of education.

"Quaint." she'd tell the Tetan with a wry twist of her lips, chuckling as she settled back, his hand sliding up and down her thigh with an affectionate caress. Alric had always been an affectionate individual, it was just strange to be on the receiving end. The bulk of their interaction decades ago had been a whirlwind of passion, anger, and the game. Always the game.

There wasn't one now.

Funny how comfortable she was with that.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Yes, Quaint." It was funny how every woman he had ever taken here had said the same thing, though sometimes it had been intermixed with others words like dude and holy shit.

Wealth had given him a great dela of lee-way when it came to doing things, picking up women was one of those things. Usually these buildings didn't see people as young as he had been, in fact it was rare to see people younger then Danger and Alric were now. It had been odd at first, but eventually he had grown into it. Many of his neighbors had grown to like him, even respect him. He supposed that they were dead now, thirty odd years having gone by and most of them having been quite old already.

His head shook slightly.

"There." Alric said pointing with his off hand and the tallest building of the bunch. "That's the one."

It was a massive skyscraper, a huge architectural marvel that seemed to stretch out into the sky and push into the heavens.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

“Always tryin’ to make a spectacle,” Danger would ruefully say in mild humor, the Tetan’s response a solid upward confidant quirk of his lips.

Empress Teta was a world filled with old values and luxurious tastes. Classic, with an almost baroque quality. The distinctions between Alric and she in regards to their rearing was never more evident. Not that it would be visible. Danger spent the bulk of her lifetime minding her ques when it came to being a respectable lady of poise and grace. Her momma didn’t raise her to be no backwater fool.

T’was the reason why she always presented herself perfectly coiffed and wearing the most luxurious of wardrobes of the season. Enough to make any socialite green with envy. Danger didn’t follow trends; she started them. Classy is as classy does, and her simple black dress she wore today made that rather evident. By all standards, it was rather modest, with a scooped neckline and the hem just past her knees.

Valet parking would allow the former Titan to simply slip around towards the entrance of the regal apartment complex. A blonde human male bustling forward to slide the door open as soon as Alric brought the speeder to a stop.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric stepped out of the vehicle just as Danger placed her feet on the ground, the valet having opened the door for her.

He smiled, remembering just how odd it had been to live here. The former Titan pulled a credit chit from his pocket and wandered to the other side of the car, placing the chit into the man's hand and slipping his hand onto the small of Danger's back. "Apartment 234."

The man nodded at him, then immediately walked over to the other side of the Speeder.

They still had quite a walk. There were turbo-lifts of course, but the building was massive enough that it would take them a minute or two to actually reach them. Alric lead Danger through the lobby of the building. It was ornately decorated, snakes looping around marble columns, a fountain in the corner, and prestigious looking statues placed at almost every interval. A massive painting hung on the left wall, a depiction of the moon setting over Cinnegar.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

It was opulence at its height. The tattoo of Danger's heels would clip a slow beat, her full hipped amble bringing her towards the center of the lobby. At the small of her back, she felt the press of Alric's hand, the gentle lingering caress of his fingers as he then ushered her towards the turbolifts.

"Not quite what one expects from a University student," Danger would muse with a wry twist of her lips, amusement dawning her heartshaped face as she turned to face the Tetan. Soft music played in the background, a lovely melody reminiscent of a popular piano piece. There was no expense spared for this particular apartment complex, and it showed.

"Good afternoon, sir," the turbolift attendant would greet them, ushering them towards the lift for them to enter. It was clear on all directions, glassteel allowing them a view of the high arched vaulted ceilings and the magnificent windcrystal chandelier.

"A golden spoon straight from birth," she'd say with mild amusement, referencing his noble upbringing. "You are indeed a man who has everything."

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Maybe." Alric slipped his arm around her, pulling her closer and giving her a gentle kiss on the temple.

"Though I've always considered myself as more of a work." His voice turned into a joke. "Rather good at poking things."

The last was said in a whisper to her, quiet enough that the attendant wouldn't be able to hear him. He grinned at her just as the doors opened, revealing a grand hallways that was decorated with the same marble fixtures and statues as the lobby. It was perhaps slightly dulled by the lack of light brought in, but still quite beautiful. Alric gently pushed at Dangers back, guiding her forward and to the right of the halls. He remembered the path way, and in fact he could likely walk down it drunk.

Eventually they reached a set of double doors, uniquely plain and standing out from all the finery. "Well, here we are."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

A swipe of his keycard would unlock the suite, but it was Danger who would take the twin handles in hand.

“And just what is behind door number two?” Danger’s amused drawl would float over the Tetan, turning to face him as her fingers would curve around the polished copper handles. Tipping her head back, she gave a rather saucy smirk, eyebrows floating high as if in challenge.

The faint click and unlock of the doors would follow, and she would gingerly push back to allow them entrance. “And bask in the natural habitat of a most ancient creature... “

Oh yeah, she went there.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"If I remember right." Alric said as he turned the handle to the door. "I'm younger then you."

The door swung open, and Alric gingerly pushed on Danger's back to guide her into the room. She walked forward into the dark. Alric followed her, taking a few steps behind her in order to reach a small lightswitch in the corner of the room.

The lights flickered on, and the scene that would be revealed to Danger was something out of a college holo-flick.

The room in front of her was perhaps the starkest contrast to the building it sat within that anyone could possibly have imagined. The floors were shag carpeting, there were posters of half naked women and race speeders on the wall, a large holo-pong table sat in the middle of the room, to the corner was a smashball simulator, to the left was a massive corner couch that seemed to stretch half the room. The kitchen held no semblance of cooking space, instead holding two fridges and what appeared to be a pizza oven. There were several hallways that went force knew where, but the room looked more like a frat house then a tower apartment.

"Welcome, to my greatest and most humble abode." He said the words with a grin.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

“Watch your tongue, Kuhn.” Danger would chide him, but with no venom in her voice. “Can still find you a womp-rat’s nest to get up close and cozy --”

Bright lights would shine and pupils would dilate. One would wonder if it was due to the luminescence or just at the sheer audacity of the decor. Talk about being struck dumb.

A holo-pong table. A smash-ball simulator. Her feet gave her the next surprise. Was that a -- “ -Shag carpet.!”

An incredulous expression bathed the Queen of Trade’s face. It was comical, really. Just the utter look of shock and bafflement. Even more so when she uttered under her breath the singular Zeltron curse word that summed up her verdict.

“Gos se!”

Oh shit.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Alric only smirked.

It was really the only appropriate reaction to the way that Danger responded. The room was probably quite a shock, but it had to be kept in mind that it was decorated nearly fourty years ago now at a time when he had been young, dumb, and thought that these things were actually cool. Besides, the argument could still be made that the Smashball simulator was in fact, still cool. The thing had cost an arm and a leg back then, but given the hours of entertainment he had received from it he thought ti was more then worthwhile.

"Yes, Dear?" Alric said, amusement in his voice.

"It's grand isn't it?" He mocked slightly. "Personally I think the wall art is fantastic."

Half naked women almost as busty as Danger seemed to lounge on speeders and couches, one half revealing herself as she seemed to coo.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

“[member="Alric Kuhn"]… you’ve done and lost your marbles,” Danger snorted out, the incredulous expression still hot on her face as she would glance around to toss her bag upon the nearest -- goodness was there anywhere to sit besides that monstrosity of a corner booth?!

She settled on hooking the strap over the extended arm of a statue of a naked woman, back arched and breasts thrusted out as if beckoning for a suckle. Talk about lewd and crude. Her nose curled, at the very least the suite was clean. At least upon first visual inspection.

Ain’t no way in the Nine Hells she’d turn on a black -- “You’ve got to be karkin’ kiddin’ me.” the swear was low and bemused. Yup, there they were. Black light lamps were scattered along the crown molding; that precious crown molding that had been modified to hold the round silver disks of the black light lenses.

We are not turning those lights on; ever.

It was quite a bit to take in. “That was some hell of spice packet.”

The Tetan rose his brows, still blatantly amused.

“Cause there’s ain’t no way in the Nine hells you’ve this bad a taste in decoratin’ ‘lest you were flyin’ higher than Cloud Nine!”

Goodness. No wonder I had to take care of decorating back home!

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

He only smiled.

Maybe she was overreacting a bit to play up her surprise, or maybe she had really never thought about just how Alric had lived his life in university. The truth was, this really had been his style back then. Not consciously of course, he had mostly just gone through stores and pointed at things he wanted and eventually bought them. It had been a fun time in his life, completely different from the fun he enjoyed even a few years later, but still fun.

"I assure you that no spice was involved." Maybe a little.

Alric had never really partaken in many recreational drugs, had never needed them. Sure spice once or twice, but never really any of the heavy stuff.

It was enough for him to simply enjoy life, plus, it was much easier to get him running around with only a drink or two. His allergy had made something like that rather easy to do, in fact he remembered more than a few nights where people had sneaked him drinks just to see him do something crazy within this very apartment. The memory made him smile. "Well...maybe a little."

He smiled as he walked up behind Danger, slipping his arms around her.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

[member="Alric Kuhn"]

Danger sank into his embrace, slipping her own arms over his own as they settled under the curves of her breasts. She still couldn’t help a last shake of her head, amused as much as amazed at the decor that defined Alric Kuhn in his youth.

“Called it,” she quipped, turning her head up to the side towards his own. “I am amazed you still kept it so,” she teased him, turning in his arms to face him. Her hands slid up his arms and came to settle over his chest, feeling the tailored fabric of his jacket.

“Please tell me there ain’t no rotating bed…” it was hard to tell if it was in sarcasm or a true complaint.

 

[Alric Kuhn]

[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Rotating?" Alric said as though her were confused by the suggestion. "Oh, no."

There was a shrug, almost too casual.

The apartment was decorated with many things that people would find silly or preposterous, and of course at the time that had been part of the intent. He had wanted to shock visitors, and he had wanted to have a good time. His decisions had been less about the way it would all look, and more about how it would feel to live in the place. Of course their apartment on the skyhook was comfortable, but shag carpeting was...well walking on it barefoot while drunk and slightly high on spice was an experience all on its own.

Who could blame him?

"They couldn't add that along with the vibrating feature." A grin spread on his lips.