Truth, Secrets and Contracts

[Asteria deWinter]

There was something comforting in a long journey on a ship lady deWinter considered her home, even when she access to two lavish suites on both Coruscant and Spira. Each had their benefits yet none of them felt quite the same. Her journey was leading her to Etti IV today, where she had a prearranged meeting with [member="Itash Mecetti"], organized by her assistant [member="Oeana Janin"] weeks prior. Didact Defence Solutions and the Red Lady were always in a contractual position, with one providing security for the other yet, it also held other position she would have use of.

Her ship docked at the designated spot, settling in before she'd moved from her pilot's seat, leaving the cockpit within moments. Simon had only glanced her direction as she had gone, not trying to follow or complaining for staying behind. He did know this was a business meeting and he didn't really show interest in those which suited Asteria just fine. Her assistant followed though, silently without a word. They departed the ship, the cargo bay doors closing behind them.

From then on, a public transportation had taken them to their destination.

From then on, they would be escorted in, Oeana would handle talking to the receptionist to confirm their identities and meeting while Asteria had moved to the side, exchanging some communication through her datapad which Simon had sent through from the communications system on the Ice Princess as she'd waited for the details to be solved.

 

[Itash Mecetti]

[member="Asteria deWinter"]

It didn't take very long for Asteria and her assistant to be admitted to Itash's office.

After all, these were nobles and that made all the difference. The fact that Asteria was little more than a whore madame with aspirations, well, that was something gladly overlooked in the face of profit. The profit was steady, reliable and there was little in the way of complications. Few wanted to earn the ire of the Red Lady. Not when it proved likely to cut them off from further... business. Tash was sitting behind his desk, already a winning and pleasant smile on the lips when they entered.

"Miss de Winter, miss Janin, welcome." His hand, ancient onyx ring on the finger (heavy set and the signet of House Mecetti), waved towards the pair of chairs in front of them. "Please, do sit. Would you like refreshments or is it straight to business?"

It varied according to the type of person he hosted.

Some only wished to get the business done and then walk away, others were interested in some chit-chat. It was all part of the game as far as Mecetti was concerned.

 

[Oeana Janin]

They'd be taken into the office of Itash Mecetti shortly, with the man himself waiting for them seated behind his desk, his smile welcoming enough. "Mr. Mecetti," the executive assistant had been first to respond, though introductions were unnecessary at the moment due to their previous business agreed upon due to security. Oeana waited for her Lady to join them and take her seat before she too had, before hearing the question of refreshments.

"Soda water will be enough, thank you" the young Red Lady had returned, a small polite smile accompanying her answer, not dwelling on the topic for too long as she knew well enough Lady deWinter didn't care too much for pointless banter, so perhaps in that sense, it was another useful addition to the older woman's skills. Where Asteria deWinter understood business, Oeana understood the Red Lady, having been trained and educated within it before she had been handpicked to stand beside the current owner. There were a great many ways to approach a situation and an individual, right now being more business rather than other. It was something she had grown used to in her focus on the administrative aspects of the business.

She was here to learn though, as much as she was here to assist. After following her lady for so long, the Near-Human was close to taking more control in the area but today was another learning experience, rather than being permitted to take the lead.

 

[Asteria deWinter]

Asteria put away her datapad as they'd began to move, entering the office of the fellow businessman soon after to find him sitting at his desk. It was quaint and pleasant beginning greeted and offered them to seats before being asked for refreshments. "Mr. Mecetti, lovely to make your acquaintance once more" Asteria had returned as she'd sat down, "Lady deWinter." She'd reminded though as she did before Oeana would make her request for refreshment. It was polite to accept, the blonde was well aware and yet, it was a quite of different situation in which lady deWinter would accept. She'd allow for Oeana to take on that politeness for her. "No but thank you," Asteria had said instead.

"We won't taking up too much of your time, Mr. Mecetti, as I'm sure we both have busy schedules to attend to" she pointed after a beat and softly placed her datapad at the edge of the table as she'd made her introduction into the topic. "The Red Lady and the Didact Defence Solutions already have a successful arrangement and I'm well aware of the many different fields your company works in," Asteria continued, referring first to their security business before introducing the mention of her knowledge on the many operations his company dealt in. "Very few are privy to the full spectrum of what my company does though I have the intention of expanding upon the least known of my operations." Though all Red Ladies and Gents were educated in the fields of obtaining information by any means necessary, it was rarely ever mentioned in polite or public company. The secret thing was probably the most common way of describing the field yet it gathered a great many information. "As Didact Defence Solutions does operate in information gathering and we may be in the possession of useful tidbits that serves us no purpose, I am curious if you'd be interested in a proper contract between our two businesses?"

Parties, gatherings, public events were for chit chat, and sometimes only for the insight of how many ears could be nearby. Right now, in the privacy of the CEO's office, they were able to communicate more clearly and to the point. Asteria was even giving Itash Mecetti the benefit of the doubt that he had in fact, as the head of a strong security company, ensured the safety of his office from more technological devices. She would not mention it, she would make that leap of faith that any CEO would think of such things on their own. The only thing she wished was to expand her business and to do so by finding business partners that she could, to the best of her ability, trust.

[member="Itash Mecetti"]

 

[Itash Mecetti]

[member="Asteria deWinter"]

"Lord Mecetti greets Lady deWinter with interest." Tash smoothly retorted to her own correction with his. Oh, he was more than willing to acknowledge her claim to nobility (it was only good business, after all), but only if she accepted his right to the claim in equal terms. The Ancient Houses of Tapani weren't known for being lax about the way they were addressed after all.

As that portion of the game was completed and soda given out to her assistant Itash studied the woman in front of him.

With interest.

"An interesting thought." Tash murmured softly while crossing one leg after another in a relaxed and casual gesture. This would insinuate that, yes, it was safe to talk here about those sort of subjects. "Do you have terms thought up for this preposition?" He assumed she had, but it would be interesting to see just what she wanted to put into stone before giving him access to this source of information.

 

[Asteria deWinter]

A small gleam flashed in her eyes as the Didact Defense Solutions CEO remarked his own noble status, as a response to her own; an understanding. Because the relationship between the man and the Red was strictly professional, a background search had been done prior to it but it noted his feats and explorations though very little information actually existed on the family he came from. Something Oeana would be scorned for after this meeting was completed. "Lord Mecetti," the blonde still returned, her voice giving almost no indication to the new information, acknowledging his title.

Beside her, Oeana had taken the offered beverage, well aware of the moment that had occurred, knowing full well, she'd take the blame for not fully looking into the man but she knew, none of this would matter until the meeting was done with.

There was a movement in the Lord, a relaxation in a form as she continued, letting Asteria know she was free to continue as she'd suspected. One didn't build an office to distrust it, quite the opposite actually. And in this case, she'd been right by the way he'd responded to her first initially before he'd come to ask about the term. "Indeed," Lady deWinter answered as she reached for her datapad, bringing it to life to pull out the small contract onto the screen. It was fairly simple, the fees not at all high, with a clause of incredibly relevant information having a small percentage rise in comparison to the basic information. Otherwise, it was a fairly standardized document, with the parties involved mentioned, explicit contract cancellation to which either party had to suggest. The file was set to be edited if required.

Asteria offered the datapad to Lord Mercetti, contract open for him to review. "If you wish to make alterations, you can do so," she remarked.

[member="Itash Mecetti"]

 

[Itash Mecetti]

[member="Asteria deWinter"]

Tash looked it over with his full attention.

Fingers swiped here and there, making small alterations here and there. A small bump down of the price, exclusivity clauses depending on the type of information, it shifted the balance of interest towards Didact a fraction or two, but that was to be expected. The Lord Mecetti's corporation was larger by several magnitudes and his business to her was highly profitable.

This would be even more profitable for her.

"This seems like a good middle point, wouldn't you say?" Tash finally remarked, before passing the datapad over to her. He didn't try to hide the alterations he made, they were all up there in the open.

 

[Asteria deWinter]

She'd waited as he read over, noticing the movements of his finger telling her he was either scrolling through or making smaller adjustments. In truth, Asteria had expected this, not saying a word.

When he had finally spoken, it was with the datapad returning to her. A good middle point, Lord Mecetti had suggested as her emerald gaze focused on the document, scrolling slowly as she noted the alterations to her work. Exclusivity clause didn't fully sit with her but once she'd read it, Asteria knew she should have expected it. Price had decreased slightly as well but he was in the information business and she was in the gathering information business so she could see the benefit in the log run.

"Yes," Lady deWinter said as her hand outstretched to the side, her assistant handing her a digital pen which she would use to sign her name on the dotted line reserved for the Red Lady before she would once again put the dapatad in front of Itash, digital pen beside it. "As far as I'm concerned, this is acceptable," she added, her signature proving just that.

[member="Itash Mecetti"]

 

[Itash Mecetti]

[member="Asteria deWinter"]

"Excellent."

Itash confirmed it with a thumb print of his own and that settled that.

There was a lean back against the chair as those blue eyes moved from the stone-faced Queen to the Knight next to her sipping her drink. He would have to inform himself a bit more about this Asteria deWinter- oh, she had been mildly interesting before she walked into his office. But this little deal of theirs had the potential of binding their companies just a bit tighter together.

Keep your sources of information close to you.

Hm.

Well, at the very least she was pleasant to look at, that was something he supposed.

"Was there anything more you'd like to discuss, Lady deWinter?"

 

[Asteria deWinter]

The deal had been made, the thumbprint on his end confirming it. Asteria merely watching, giving a slow blink as she proceeded to watch him for a moment.

For the moment, it seemed they had concluded their business. Lady deWinter had no intention of fasting either of their precious time anymore, the question presented. Was there anything else? Her head shook. "Not at the moment, no. This completes our business for the day." She responded as she took the datapad back, inspecting it quickly before handing the device over to Oeana.

Her assistant would ensure the contract was transferred to the man over a secure connection and the Lord himself would be able to contact her if he wished to do any other type of deal. Otherwise, their other business would continue as usual.

[member="Itash Mecetti"]