The Arts

[Aela Talith]

Coruscant
[member="Arrik Parsa"]

Rina had read a book once.

It had been about an old, long dead Grand Admiral of the Old Empire. The book had been a biography of sorts, the story of a mans life. It had been written long past his death of course, had been based mostly on secondary sources and had no real exact information, but it had been an interesting enough read. The book had described the man as stoic, calm, and intelligent. It had told of his winning strategies, the battles he had on, and the way he had analyzed and come to know his enemies in a way that no one had ever thought of before.

That was what had interested Rina.

The book had said the Admiral had studied his opponents by studying their art.

He had taken in their sculptures, their paintings, everything that they had created as a people. To him their art had been a study of their mind, a way to analyze and see them for what they were. The theory of that...well it was an interesting prospect. She had thought it a bit silly at the time, but as she traveled around the galaxy and met more and more people she swiftly began to realize that they were all so different.

So perhaps...perhaps the idea was not so silly after all.

She needed something, an edge, something that would allow her to know her enemies and her friends. Perhaps their art would be a clue to that, perhaps in seeing the famous paintings of Alderaan she could come to understand their people. Perhaps by seeing the statues of Sullust she would know the Alliance. It was a long shot, but it was the only one that she had right now.

Thus she stood quietly on the balcony of her hotel, waiting quietly for the Art Dealer that a local Broker had told her about.

Hopefully he could help her.

 

[Arrik Parsa]

He wasn't even interested in art.

Well, perhaps that wasn't a completely true statement. Arrik Parsa was interested in the vast amount of credits that art garnered for him, he was interested in the reputation that it had brought him and he was most certainly interested in the respect that it had made for him.

However when he stood there, rattling off memorised and practised lines about artists, periods and paintings there was nothing. When he looked deep into the eyes of the forgery to ensure a true likeness he felt nothing. No emotions stirred deep within his chest, no feeling evoked or uttered. It was paint, it was wax, it was marble. It was an object, hung on the walls or placed in the middle of the room to declare fragile ego and precious insecurities.

It didn't matter.

As long as money was made and ambition was fed the man was kept content. Until the next day, at least.

There was to be no over-indulgent exhibitions on the menu for that day. No, this was a much more private affair. His contact-man had been vague regarding the details, an annoyance, yes, but at least Parsa had been in the game long enough to hold confidence even in the obscure arts.

Probably some pompous, tire-gutted noble, wishing to tie together the boudoir with an erotic Zeltron piece. For wife or mistress it would likely be a mystery, not that he particularly cared about his potential client's personal life. Just the weight of his pockets.

The glorified con-artist was dressed with the sophisticated grace that his lifestyle afforded. Half of the scam came from your appearance alone, trust came from the senses. Eyes found a black fitted suit, the shirt beneath also in that same shade of onyx. Hair tamed and combed, and more importantly parted on the left (astonishingly, the trustworthy side to part one's hair). Arrik's slender face was clean and clear, evidently shaved by a professional with a straight razor.

His was impeccable, as always.

Coming to the hotel door of his client, the man made sure to straighten out his appearance once more, wiping any molecule of stray dust that threatened his presentation. Then he rapped upon the door.

Knock knock knock.

---

[member="Rina Bal'el"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Arrik Parsa"]

Rina pulled open the door with the same sort of majesty that a well trained servant might have done.

She appeared the same way as she always did, calm, confident, tall even though she was shorter than most men. Her eyes immediately locked onto the man that stood before her, assessing and scrutinizing him as best as she could. Her lips turned up into a smile, though the expression did not at all touch her eyes. She watched the man for a few seconds, as if mulling on whether or not he was worthy of being invited in.

“Please.” Rina said. “Come in.”

She stood away from the doorway.

There were certain things that Rina still didn’t quite understand about the galaxy, mainly about the extreme dynamics between the rich and the poor. Back home everyone was within the tribe, everyone got their fair share. Sure the Chief got a little more, but that was out of honor and respect, not because of personal wealth.

It was something that she would have to get used to if she intended on continuing work within the greater galaxy. Her lips thinned for a few moments, and then she shifted her weight so that she was able to stand up a little taller.

Otherwise she felt short.

 

[Arrik Parsa]

Well, it wasn't exactly what he was expecting.

However the surprise at his client's appearance was perfectly masked by a pleasant smile, one that seemed to be genuine, despite all of his thoughts suggesting otherwise, and otherwise was right. This was his game, after all. If he couldn't convince the clientele that he was authentic from the get-go, then what hope did he have in trying to sell them expensive and false artworks.

“Good evening, madam,” Arrik spoke with a soft bow of the head, there was nothing quite like playing the submissive in these scenarios, most of them craved that feeling of superiority. No skin off of his back to pretend as if that was the case.

As he walked into the hotel room he conceded a small amount of annoyance for his broker. The lack of information regarding this woman was absolutely astonishing, especially at the level on which they worked these days.

Once inside he turned to her, hands clasped around the front of his suit, that genial professional liar's smile still held upon his features.

“How may I be of your assistance?”

---

[member="Rina Bal'el"]

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Arrik Parsa"]

She slowly moved after the man, observing him for a quick few seconds.

Part of her was unsure about all of this.

Her theory had been born of a book, a book that by all accounts could have been entirely inaccurate about...well anything within. It was an unnerving thought, but she had decided on this course of action and in the end she knew she had to stick to it. Her eyes slowly faded over the Art Dealer, then passed towards the large window at the end of the room.

”I’m new to Coruscant.” She wasn’t even really here to stay. Coruscant was just a short stop over before she headed somewhere else, as was told by the hotel room that they were staying in. ”I would like to learn of it’s art pieces, classical, new, whatever those of class would view.”

It was such a general and broad request she doubted whether or not the man would be able to fulfill it.

She had the money to pay for whatever pieces she needed, her tribe back on Kiffu and its sale in Spice saw to that, but...well she didn’t want him running off to buy every single piece of art that was immediately available. ”Something that represents this world.”

Further clarification would help.