Private The Way of the Cart and Horse | Closed

[Delilah Graham]

N E X U S
Denon - 2249 Local Time
​

Delilah Graham couldn't remember the last time she had been in a nightclub. She had had her fare share of adventures in nightlife during university, of course, and even after. But she had given up much of her social life upon taking a position in the First Order Security Bureau, and her rise thr0ough the ranks had taken its toll on her social life. She had spent most of her time working, and after becoming a handler, that had been more or less the end of it. Oh, she met a man, she married, they had even spoken of children, but by then she was the Director of Military Intelligence and then Home Secretary and much too dignified -- not to mention busy -- to be out clubbing.

Cocktails at the Avalonia Grand was one thing: a tradition so staid and sedate that she had even encountered the Supreme Leader herself there once or twice.

Nexus was another matter.

She could feel and hear the bass as it reverberated, even before the lift doors opened. It gave her the opportunity to adjust her dress. Even with its comparatively modest neckline, it still felt slightly out of place on a woman who had spent much of her life in a uniform. The dress was expensive -- several months' salary in her previous role as an intelligence handler -- and it was embellished with a few high-quality pieces of jewelry: a platinum necklace with ruby pendant; three platinum bangles on her right wrist, each enameled in crimson; a wristwatch on her left wrist, subtle enough to be unspeakably pricy. A sleep platinum clip in her auburn hair. Most precious of all: a simple gold band on the digitus annularis of her left hand. Out of place, perhaps, because of its color and its relative simplicity. Treasured beyond price for its significance.

Delilah hiked the small handbag onto her shoulder and straightened as the lift slowed and, after a moment, the door opened and she emerged into the nightclub. Nexus was glowy and loud, with dancing hither and thither, broken up by private booths occasionally. Sets of stairs led up and down, but Delilah avoided them, instead heading to the bar. She lifted a finely manicured finger at the bartender after settling onto a barstool. "Boulevardier," she said over the din, her comparatively deep voice as poshly accented as ever. "With double vermouth, if you would." She flashed a pair of high-denomination credit chits and placed one down on the bar. The bartender's eye followed the other as his hand collected the first. "Please let your boss know there's an opportunity waiting," she told him, twirling the chit between her fingers as a magician would a card, clearly linking this favor to her putting down the chit.

Opportunity indeed. Delilah had become comfortable financially since the troubles on Avalonia -- but if the last year had taught her anything, it was that more was more.

A few moments later, Delilah had a drink in one hand and the second chit had disappeared into the barman's pocket.

Aktur Seii​

 

[Aktur Seii]

Aktur stood inside his office, the thrum of the club all-but-silent within the soundproof confines, as he stared at the holo-displays before him.

The individual on the displays was a humanoid with auburn hair, attractive by most standards, with a somewhat distinguished air that matched the arguably conservative dress worn. Not the typical patron for the Nexus, to be sure. That fact alone had been enough to draw Aktur's attention, where other sentients that sought his time had failed, as there was no doubt in his mind that the individual in question had accounted for that perception and assumption - it was a subtle display of experience and tact.

"I'll be down in a moment," Aktur said into his encrypted comm, as he addressed the bartender. "Offer her another drink of choice."

The call ended.

For a moment, Aktur stood in silence, as he continued to observe. Then, with a sigh, he turned and regarded the others in the office with his dark gaze, as the three individuals remained quiet near the opposite wall. Two were in tailored suits, clearly bodyguards, while the other was a human on his knees between them, beaten somewhat, with a lightsaber before him on the rich carpet.

"Unfortunately I will have to cut this short," Aktur murmured, as he walked the distance and knelt down on one knee in front of the Jedi. "You should know, your body will wash up far from here, near a rival gang territory. It will be made to look exactly how it sounds. I have no doubt you did not expect to encounter Black Sun in your investigation... but now that you have, we can't allow that information out, just yet."

"You can't hide forever--"

"We are not hiding," Aktur snarled, as he leaned forward and gripped the Jedi's face with one hand, fingers and thumb digging into each cheek. "We are waiting."

Then, without a second thought, the pair of tentacle-like proboscises extended from his cheeks and entered the Jedi's nasal passages; and with a cry of surprise, followed by a full body spasm, the human's eyes rolled back as the Head of Black Sun began to feed on the soon-to-be dead Jedi's brain matter...

Later.​

Aktur walked down the stairs on the far side of the club, as his office door closed behind him, and he adjusted his tie.

Dressed in his dark business suit, the Head of Black Sun smiled to those he passed, as he delighted in the rush from the Life Essence. His entire life had been spent hunting prey, feeding, and in his four centuries there had never quite been a meal like a Force User. It made all other soup - the mass within a sentient's skull - pale in comparison, as it lacked that special connection that was present to an Anzati's mind on consumption.

Within moments, Aktur had reached the ground floor, and walked toward the auburn-haired sentient that sought a meeting.

"I am Aktur. A pleasure," the dark-haired humanoid said when close, as he nodded and reached out a hand in greeting. "I am told you wished to speak of opportunities?"

Delilah Graham​

 

[Delilah Graham]

Delilah was still nursing her first cocktail when the bartender offered her another. She demurred with a polite smile. "Perhaps once I've finished," she said pleasantly. "But thank you." Her head was on a swivel, glancing this way and that, taking it all in. Dancing and drinking and no doubt drugs. A flesh trade -- whether literal or figurative -- underlying the revealing wardrobes. In her last life, she would have sent a team of officers in to shut the place down. Delilah was all but certain that there there dozens of crimes taking place here. Part of her, suppressed in the back of her mind, was disgusted by the display.

She had to remind herself that she was no better than them, now. No longer was she on the right side of things. She was in the slop now. With the rest of them.

A man in a dark suit approached; Delilah turned to see him walking through the club, nodding and smiling a those he passed. This must be the man, Delilah thought. She finished her glass and straightened, taking the offered hand from the gentleman who identified himself as Aktur. "Good evening," said Delilah primly. She gave his hand a firm shake and then withdrew it, taking another drink of her Boulevardier.

"I did," Delilah confirmed, inclining her chin in assent. "I've found myself in possession of information regarding the location of certain materiel. A mutual acquaintance -- " a former First Order informant who had worked his way into the criminal underworld, with whom Delilah had now reconnected " -- suggested that you were the man to speak to about disposing of this materiel. Responsibly -- or not. It makes no difference to me, provided there are opportunities for me as well."

A look over the rim of her glass with an enigmatic smirk. "If you catch my meaning."

Aktur Seii​

 

[Aktur Seii]

Aktur smiled, as he regarded the sentient, and was greeted with a firm handshake in return. Up close revealed that the holo had done little justice, as the Head of Black Sun continued to regard his guest. Yet, now closer, he could see much more, especially in her eyes...

"I do, indeed," Aktur smiled again, as he reached over to the bar, and found a glass of whiskey waiting that was collected. "And all my dealings with interested parties involve mutual gain, of that you can be certain."

With a glance to the nearby patrons of the club, Aktur stepped beside his guest and lowered his voice as he leaned in closer.

"However, we should speak of business in more appropriate surroundings. My office is on the second floor."

Aktur offered an arm.

It seemed appropriate for someone so tastefully dressed and presented.

"Shall we?"

Delilah Graham​

 

[Delilah Graham]

Delilah glanced at Aktur's proffered arm, then offered an apologetic smirk before she gestured for him to proceed and fell into step beside and slightly behind him. "After you," she said. She didn't stop looking around as she followed him, her eyes taking in the club and its patrons. She inclined her head as they took to the stairs. "Interesting place you have here," she said quietly, her voice barely audible over the bass line of the club music. "I assume you have some sort of stake in all the... party favors, shall we say, that pass through here. Quite a lucrative arrangement, I'm sure."

If Delilah had her figures right (and she usually did), the takings of the drug and flesh trade from an establishment like this would be more than enough to pay the providers and procurers and pay off what passed for law enforcement in these parts with a tidy profit besides.

When they arrived in her office, Delilah reached into her handbag and drew out a platinum cigarette case. "Do you mind?" she asked him. If he assented, she would have something to do with her hands as she proceeded to explain herself, putting her cigarette into the long holder and lighting up. Otherwise, she would continue to nurse her drink.

"I'll save your people the time and processing power to run my face through their databases. The encryption that protects my identity is -- quite good," she said with a soft chuckle. "My name is Delilah Graham. I was once a cabinet minister in the First Order -- Home Secretary, in fact -- but things in Avalonia are not what they once were since Her Majesty has gone missing, and the First Order is no longer able to provide the security and stability that is their raison d'être. I've turned to other means to put money towards my retirement, so to speak." She turned her gaze on Aktur Seii again, though her attention had never left him. Her spidey senses were fully engaged, and had been since setting foot in the establishment.

"This isn't a scam," Delilah said, her voice grave but soft. "If I were trying to burn you, you'd never see my face or hear my voice -- not until you were inside a cell. I'm looking to turn over a new leaf, as it were. Have I come to the right place?"

 

[Aktur Seii]

The decision to walk side-by-side was accepted. All business? That was perfectly fine for Aktur. He led the way, into the office, which activated all manner of anti-surveillance measures once the pair were inside and the room sealed.

It wouldn't make much sense for the head of a criminal syndicate to be found lacking in that department.

"Not at all," Aktur responded to the cigarra, as he walked to his chair at the desk and motioned for the chairs opposite. "Make yourself comfortable, by all means."

Then it was down to the business end of it all, as his guest began to speak.

Aktur could respect that.

"I appreciate the consideration, Ms. Graham," the crime lord said with a slow nod, as he glanced down to the screen concealed on the desk, which had information present - though somewhat limited, as the other claimed. Aktur believed his resources to be quite adequate, yet readily breaking or bypassing Government-level security without time was beyond him, he could admit that. "That certainly hastens efforts of my people."

The data would be along sooner, now.

"I had wondered over the state of your Supreme Leader," Aktur muttered, as he inclined his head. "It seems your PR team have been conducting one impressive effort. Still, the reduction in system presence and operation has been noticed, yes. Especially with rumors of other groups forming in or around that region of space."

The Sith, mainly.

"Well, I like to think you wouldn't readily know enough about me, to place me in a cell, but I digress," Aktur smiled as he sat forward and raised his eyebrows. "However, yes, let's say that you have and that continued engagement is of interest to both of us... what, exactly, does turning over a new leaf mean to you, Ms. Graham?"

Delilah Graham​

 

[Delilah Graham]

Delilah allowed a silvery strand of smoke unfurl from her lips as she exhaled, studying Aktur from behind the semitranslucent and rapidly-dissipating curtain of smoke. "Perhaps I wouldn't," she answered him with a reluctant, half-hearted shrug. "But then again, perhaps I would. I have certain contacts, you see. In this world and the one above stairs, so to speak. So one of the nice things about being me is that, generally speaking, when I talk to someone there's really no way for them to know what I know."

She smiled enigmatically, though it was fleeting before she took another drag through her elegant cigarette holder.

"Ah yes, my new leaf," Delilah murmured. Another curtain of smoke. Another drag. "Well, it involves me making an obscene amount of money, frankly, and whatever else that will entail in order to make that happen is really just details. I'm willing to place myself at your disposal -- my knowledge, my contacts, my abilities -- in exchange to be made -- quite simply -- filthy bloody rich."

Only then did Delilah perch on the armrest of one of the chairs in front of Aktur's desk. "Do you think that's something with which you can help me?"

She swirled the contents of her cocktail glass in front of her, then took a sip, fixing Aktur with an inquisitive but good-humored gaze.

Aktur Seii​