The People You Meet

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

"A sadist?" He gasped. "Me?"

Nikolas seemed amused at the idea.

"Perhaps." The smirk on his lips continued even as the waitress returned. This time she was carrying and even larger tray of food, her arm somewhat wiggling beneath the weight of it. She slowly placed half a dozen full sized plates on the make-shift table that had been created besides Farah and Nikolas' own, a slow stack of food beginning to set into place there. He watched her depart once more, and then turned to Farah again.

"It's not always about me though." He told her. "I'm a very generous person."

It was hard to keep his face straight. "You can't just take all the time, sometimes you have to give."

 

[Farah]

“Hard to believe.” She agreed with a vibe of vague irony. He sure did like to smirk a lot.

Her attention was only partially on him, the rest of it directed towards the main dishes that had arrived. While she knew that he’d ordered…everything, it was still a lot more than she had expected. As someone who was often rummaging through employee fridges for her next meal because she only had a few minutes between patients, Farah was a little too excited at the prospect of taking some of this food home with her.

“I’m sure.” She agreed, reaching for a plate of delicate looking noodles with thin cuts of meat nesting atop it. “You seem like the philanthropic type.”

She slid her fork into the pasta, twirling it slowly so as to not splatter the sauce everywhere. “Probably donating to...puppies with terminal diseases or whatever.”


[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

Nikolas was pretty sure that he had never given to a charity in his entire life. One could argue that he was charitable in ending the existence of various Crime Lord's and Government figures who were oppressive in one way or another, but of course that was only ever to benefit the business of the Coratanni Cartel.

There was no charity from Nik, not for anyone. "Of course."

He told Farah as he leaned back.

"Can't let those puppies die." Amusement clung to his tone. "Though, I don't really like to brag about it."

Of course that was a complete lie. If Nikolas did give to Charity he was the exact kind of person that would tell anyone and everyone about what he had just done. That was how far his Ego extended. It was something he was well aware of, mostly because his siblings had pointed out his narcissism for his entire life.

"Enough about me though, what about you?" He asked, leaning forward.

 

[Farah]

Farah placed a hand to a heart as if she were moved. “And so humble.”

She quickly returned to her meal, finding satisfaction in the savory cuts of meat and noodles in some sort of sauce she’d never had. Whatever this dish was, she liked it.

A brow went up at his subsequent question.

“What about me?” This was technically a date. Where people typically got to know each other better and all that. Still, Farah fought the urge to roll her eyes and she had no plans on seeing Thawne again after this.

Something told her that he’d show up in her ER again.

“I’m a doctor.” She informed him of something that he already knew. “Surgeon.”

Farah paused, not because she wanted to tell him more—but realized that she had very little to tell. Not the clone thing, anyway. That wasn’t first date material.

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

"Uh huh." Nikolas answered calmly, his eyes glancing towards the door where the Waitress would likely appear again at any moment.

He was rather looking forward to the main course, mostly because that was what he had been saving room for this entire time. A part of him wondered just how expensive this would all be by the end of the night, though of course whatever the number it hardly mattered.

"That's very exciting." His voice made it clear that it was not at all exciting to him. "Fixing people, helping them."

He mused for a second. "Ever think about doing something else?"

For all he knew of course this was all that Farah had ever wanted to do. He had no way of knowing that she was a clone, that she had been instilled with this knowledge artificially. Right now he simply guessed that she had worked for this, gotten her degree and began to work at a Coruscant Hospital because she had dreamed of it since she was a child.

"Perhaps something more...riveting." He smiled, then continued. "Something more...dark."

 

[Farah]

“I’m sure it is.” She echoed. Farah wasn’t in this for the warm fuzzies of saving lives. She did like the thrill of it though—knowing that you were the one thing standing between someone and their death. The doctor took a certain amount of pride in her ability to do her job well.

It occurred to her for the first time that Nikolas didn’t know that she was engineered from stem cells by a Sith Lord to serve him. He likely saw her as a young woman with an abrasive outside, which wasn’t exactly a lie. But it wasn’t a sort of protective shell hiding softer sensitives. It was just who she was.

“I have.” She mused. The Zeltron took it upon herself to conduct what exploratory surgeries and experiments she could under the Sith. These events were typically undertaken on Bastion and not Coruscant where she was posing as a civilian doctor.

“Are you offering me a job?” She asked wryly.

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

Nikolas let out a laugh.

The idea wasn't actually all that preposterous, after all he'd gone to the emergency room because he hadn't felt like asking one of his siblings. Having an actual on-call Doctor could be rather useful, but it would also mean he'd have to trust her a whole hell of a lot more than he currently did. Right now she was just a stranger, and that simply wouldn't do for the secrets that she would see.

"Maybe." Nikolas said with a smirk. "You'd have to pass the interview first."

He glanced at her.

More than a little mischief entered his eye. "Plus we'd have to see if you fit the uniform."

Nikolas could design something quite nice.

 

[Farah]

“Oh?” She quirked a brow. “Is this the interview?”

She’d interviewed exactly once, at Coruscant General. There was probably some string pulling going on there.

“Woah there,” She put a hand up to stop him. “We’re already talking about uniforms?” Farah pursed her lips as if in thought. Clearly she didn’t think the offer was serious, nor did she really like the idea of stitching up gangsters with a gun to her head.

“I don’t even know what this job entails yet.”

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

"I wouldn't call it an interview." Nikolas said with his trademark smirk. "That's far too formal."[/color[

No doubt his brother would be rather upset at him for even going to a hospital in the first place, especially when he himself was on Coruscant. He'd always said that people outside of the family could not be trusted, least of all with medical problems. According to him other doctors were clumsy, foolish little things who would make mistakes and then never fess up to them.

Nikolas didn't think Farah was the sort to do so, but what did he know. "I prefer something more light of heart."

He mused.

"Isn't the uniform important?" Nikolas countered. "You want to be comfortable while working."

 

[Farah]

“Yes.” She agreed. “The uniform is very important.” It wouldn’t do to wear something itchy or uncomfortable when you were working twelve hour shifts, expected to save lives.

“Which is why I keep a good assortment of scrubs.” They were a little on the pricey side but worth it.

She took a long sip of her wine, eyeing Nik with a bit more curiosity than before. At least for the moment.

“Where and what would I be working on, exactly?” She inquired. “I’m going to assume you’ll have me sewing up your thugs and gangsters.” She gestured with her free hand.

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

"Oh please." Nikolas said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"I'm not in some two bit street gang." He sounded almost insulted by the very notion of it. The Coratanni Cartel did not have "Thugs", nor did it have Gangsters. They were an organization that prided itself upon professionalism. Most of the militant arm of the Cartel was actually made up of Human Replica droid, and what wasn't a bunch of synthetics were either Executioners, his siblings, or the personal forces that his siblings had drawn too them. None of which needed extra doctoring. "Give me some credit."

He commented with a roll of his eyes.

The Coratanni Cartel was an organization that set itself apart from other criminal gangs. They weren't the Hutts, running around with whatever mercenaries they could find. His mother and father were far better than that sort of rabble. "It would just be me."

Nikolas said leaning forward.

"I assure you." He smiled again. "I'm more than enough."

 

[Farah]

Farah didn’t look amused. “Is there really a difference?” Crime was crime whether you were a thug looking to cause trouble or a massive cartel. Not that she particularly minded criminal activity, so long as it didn’t affect her or her work she’d turn a blind eye.

She stared at him, curiosity piqued from behind the glass of wine she was sipping. Whatever this was, it was much smoother than the drink she was used to. She liked it.

“Just you?” Her head raised, eyes alert as she seemed taken aback. Farah looked him over, eyes squinting as if she were taking stock of him somehow.

“Unless you’re getting gravely injured on the hour, I doubt you’d be more than enough.” Now, she seemed at least a little amused given the humor that leaked into the edge of her tone. “You should see what I’ve brought people back from.”

Being a surgeon was hectic, but Farah reveled in her ability to save lives. Was she arrogant? Of course she was.

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

”Well.” Nikolas began. ”You don’t always have to be conducting surgery.”

He mused for a second.

”You can also lounge by my pool, spend some time in the sauna, relax from that oh so stressful job of yours.” The Apartment here on Coruscant had just recently been finished, with everything finally being set into place just how he had wanted it. Felix had arranged for most of the legalities and Mara had helped him with setting up the armory and a few other key features.

Nikolas was good at many things, but interior decorating was not one of them. His siblings had helped him tremendously on that front. Teslyn especially, though she had said she’d spent a night on a rotting cesspool like Coruscant when she was dead.

She really didn’t like this world for some reason.

Perhaps it was the smell, she was rather sensitive when it came to that sort of thing.

 

[Farah]

Farah leaned back, listening to Nikolas list off the different way she could spend her time if she worked for him. She had to admit, it sounded nice—who didn’t like lounging by a pool or relaxing in a sauna? That certainly appealed to the Zeltron on a certain level.

“Generous of you, Mr. Thawne.” She finished off the last sip of her wine, tilting her head towards her glass but the waitress was already on her way to pour a refill. “But you really don’t know much about surgeons, do you?”

She swirled her newly refreshed glass, now half-full as she glance into the rich dark drink with no clue of what she should be looking for.

“We’re the happiest when we’re in the operating room. It’s all that we want, really.” She hummed in agreement with herself. “More surgeries. Complex surgeries, impossible surgeries.”

She looked up from the wine, a smile tickling her lips.

“I’m afraid you alone won’t be enough to satisfy me.”

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

He smirked again, watching her with a careful eye. Briefly he wondered if she really understood what he actually was. Sure he had come right out and hinted at it, played around and they'd even talked about killing, but part of him still couldn't help but think she didn't quite understand the brutality of him. Nikolas worked at the edge of a knife point. He killed anyone who stood in his way and grabbed whatever he wanted to. That was who he was.

Nikolas always got his way.

"If it's bodies you want." He said leaning forward. "I can more than provide that."

This was perhaps the oddest flirting that had ever occurred on a first date, but Nikolas paid it no mind. In fact, he reveled in it. "I'm more than sure I can create some injuries that even you haven't seen before."

He planted his elbow on the arm of his chair, letting his face come to a rest within his palm.

"Just give me a few hours a day." Nikolas told her. "I can create more than enough work for you."

 

[Farah]

“Oh?” A brow lifted as she brought the glass to her lips. “Presumptuous, are we?”

Still, the tone of her voice indicated that he had her interest. Farah didn’t really mind if he thought that she wasn’t the purest of doctors. She simply wasn’t, but it was easy to pass off her acerbic personality as that of an overworked doctor.

She considered his offer. “Alive, please.” She interjected, worried that bodies seemed to imply deceased.

“Well,” She tilted her head back just a bit. “I’m not one to walk away from a challenge, Mr. Thawne.” In the arena of surgery, she was not. “But what need would you have for me? I’m still something of an infant in terms of surgery.” Something she would never say in any other situation—Farah was skilled at what she did and she knew it. But she lacked the experience of a seasoned professional.

“There are plenty of well-trained surgeons at Coruscant General who’d work for you. Why, you wouldn’t even have to wine and dine them. A blaster to the head would do the trick.” She held up finger to her temple.

Which, in her mind, still didn't explain why he hadn't done exactly that.

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

"Well, they're not as attractive." No one had ever accused him of not being shallow.

Nikolas appreciated beauty when he saw it, he would never shy away from that truth. Or any other really.

"Besides." He waved a hand dismissively. "What's the fun in that? Stuffed shirts, begging for their lives while they do one operation or another? That's just annoying."

Nikolas and Teslyn had kidnapped a doctor before, when they'd been on a mission on Empress Teta and things had gone slightly wrong. The man had been a sniveling wreck the entire time. He was loathe to ever repeat that particular experience. He shook his head in disgust at the memory. "Besides."

He smiled at her.

"Maybe I just want to be in your company as much as I can." He glanced at her. "Without holding a blaster to your head."

 

[Farah]

Farah blinked. Whatever she’d been expecting…it hadn’t been that. Then again, she had expected to go home and watch holodramas until she’d passed out. Instead she was out on the weirdest date ever at the only table in a fancy restaurant with a psychopath.

Oh well, at least it would be a good story provided she wasn’t chopped up in a bathtub by morning light.

“How romantic.” She mused, looking him over with a curious eye. At least he’d paid her a compliment. Farah liked those, but she was still incredibly wary of Thawne. She was also partial to taking risks.

“So,” She cleared her throat. “Where do you imagine this going?”

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]

 

[Coratanni Cartel]

[member="Farah"]

He blinked for a second."I thought that much was obvious by now."

Nikolas had made his intentions more than a little clear after all. He had been completely forthright about what he wanted and why. Sure they had joked about killing, getting rid of her body, but there had never been a truth to any of that. No. They were here because Nikolas wanted her.

Simple as that.

"My apartment." He answered finally. "Preferably in a state of undress."

The Thawne mused for a moment. "Perhaps in the pool, perhaps in my bed, or even the Kitchen table."

A small smirk touched his lips. "I'll get you choose."

 

[Farah]

She shrugged. “I like to be thorough, Mr. Thawne.” Of course she knew that his intent was to get her into bed—the whole night was about that. He’d made comments alluding to it shortly after they’d first met.

Farah sat back, one hand playing with the stem of her wine glass as she took in Nikolas. Gradually, a curious light illuminated her eyes.

“I’ll tell you what.” She reached into her pocket, pulling out a personal sized datapad. Unlocking it with one swipe, she brought up an image of a moderately sized building, unassuming in design. “You help me with something first.”

She passed it over to him while starting her explanation.

“There’s a company I’ve had my eye on for a while. It’s called Cornerstone Scientific—relatively new and small, but I’ve done my research and it has a lot of promise. Run by doctors and produces medical supplies. I want it.”

She smiled politely. “Help me convince them to sign the company over to me and I’ll join you on that kitchen table tonight.”

Farah looked at him expectantly.

[member="Coratanni Cartel"]