Huge Hosnian Hands

[Rowan Harlow]

The Executive of Trump Productions on Hosnian Prime, Mikhail Flynn, was a man with very little to exploit to get under his skin. He was strong, uncaring of his words when speaking in public and just as uncaring of the consequences. It was perhaps for this reason that John Donald kept the man in his position, that and the loyalty that he showed. It took some surveillance to discover the weak point of his seemingly ironclad will, the man's son. Mikhail Jr. was seemingly the one thing in the galaxy that the elder Flynn was loyal to more than his boss. That made the target obvious to Rowan to get under his skin.

While pretty tame, Jr. preferred the Nightclub life perhaps more for the music than the libations or company. This club found not only Jr. today but also Rowan and his friend Percy, dressed like any other denizen of such places with their eyes on their prize. Before the night was over there would be some very incriminating pictures to give to Mikhail Sr., the kind that could ruin a good son's life before it had truly begun the corporate scene. Taking a drink, Rowan looked at his companion to see if he was ready to go. They'd have to be sneaky, yet that was just the work they preferred. This was going to be quite fun.

OOC Note: I'll create a dice thread for us. The first round of posts are the introductions, the rolls begin with the next post. Have fun!

@Alhon

 

[Percy Fleck]

Percy lent against the end of the bar, swilling his drink so that the mixer and ice swirled around the glass. He took a single sip, letting the beverage wash through him; first ice cold, then a spark of fire. Corellian rum could always be relied on.

He twisted aside, letting a young woman and her boyfriend sidle past him in the busy club. They were a good looking pair. On any other night, he’d have wrestled with which one to pursue first. Dressed in fitted light jeans and a stylish gold sleeveless vest, he was sporting the height of Core Worlds fashion and was most certainly in the party mood.

It was hard not to be. Not only did he and Rowan’s assignment this evening actually demand a party attitude, but it also required Percy’s unique talents. It had been too long since he had been given the free reign to work his magic on a target, to make them see, think and feel only what the Republica wanted. It was going to be fun.

“To success?” he offered, tipping his drink towards Rowan in toast.

It was the first time he’d met the red-haired Acolyte, but he wouldn’t forget him in a hurry. Apart from his distinctive appearance, the guy held himself with a confidence that Percy respected. There were too many shrinking violets around these days. He had a feeling that Rowan, much like him, knew how to get what he wanted.

“Do you see him?” he asked, quieter this time. He’d made his own visual survey for Mikhail Flynn Jr. but not spotted anyone matching his description just yet.

@Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Smiling, Rowan clinked his glass with Percy's own drink, taking a sip as he looked around for their target. He was beginning to like this shrewd young man, perhaps they could end up being partners in other ventures besides just this bout of blackmail. For now, though, he merely nodded at the man as he scanned the room, as busy and loud as it was. For mos people, trying to find one person in a busy nightclub was like trying to find a needle in a haystack crawling with junkies. Perhaps it was luck, then, that allowed Rowan to spot their Jr. in the midst of the dancing and debauchery, sitting not in the usual VIP area but just off the bar. "Looks like he's preferring a bit of solitude at the end of the secondary bar." He spoke just low enough so that only Percy could hear, barely inclining his head in the direction. Discretion was the best bet at the moment.

Then he saw something that made him grimace a bit. "Ah...Looks like he's not entirely alone." Three men came back to where Jr. was sitting, two of them obviously bodyguards to the young man. The third was a bit more slender, human, and with a peck on the cheek showed just what his relationship to the target was. Ah, so tonight was a date night, that was the reason for the lower profile than usual. In other times, Rowan would have found that kind of behavior admirable. Now, though, he felt that he might end up ruining things for the young man. He hated breaking up relationships...Maybe they didn't have to do so, if they could help it. Perhaps that could be a good test of just what they could do. He relayed the request to Percy, though it was by no means a dealbreaker if it happened. The important part was the blackmail, after all.

@Alhon

 

[Percy Fleck]

The young Sith glanced in the direction Rowan indicated, spying the target at the end of a smaller bar, set in an alcove. He was still sizing him up when the other three men entered the frame, raising the stakes considerably.

Two bodyguards and a lover by the looks of things; more than they had bargained for. Percy smiled in spite of the development; he didn’t mind a challenge.

He straightened, taking another long swig of his rum. Truth be told, the lover could be an asset given the nature of their work. Mikhail’s daddy probably knew all about him, but that didn’t mean the rest of the Core did, or that he couldn’t be used somehow to embarrass Jr.

Rowan whispered across to him, as if reading his mind. Seemed he didn’t want to spoil what Jr. and his loverboy had going if they could help it. Part of Percy shared the sentiment, decent guys were so hard to find after all. But they’d have to see what their options were; the mission came first.

The bodyguards were a little more difficult. Unlike their charge, they weren’t here to party, which meant their interests were not aligned with Percy and Rowan’s in the slightest. They needed taking out of the equation completely before they could even begin.

“I’ll handle the guards, then we’ll see” he said slyly, downing his drink and heading across the floor.

It would be easy enough to concoct a story requiring the two guards to rush outside; perhaps Mikhail Sr. was here himself, demanding they rush out and report. With his Force talents, it would be easier still to make that story very compelling indeed. The two meatheads would be outside on the pavement before they knew what had happened.

Percy moved to squeeze between two dancing women and suddenly found himself in the centre of a harem of screaming girls. Judging by their outfits, it was a hen party, and a drunken one at that.

“Excuse me beautiful” he said through a fake smile, trying to get through. But the girls were lost to the thrill of their night out and pushed him between them playfully, painted hands moving up and down his body. The DJ caught wind of it in moments and suddenly a spotlight flared to life above him.

“Well look at that boys and girls, that’s a stylish vest if I’ve ever seen one” came the reverberating voice “hope you’re not the groom young man, those ladies look to be getting far too personal”.

Attention slowly moved away but Percy could see that his moment was lost. The spotlight and fanfare had drawn everyone’s attention, including Mikhail’s bodyguards. The two men had now seen his face and the direction from which he’d come. They weren’t likely to believe he was a messenger now.

Back to the drawing board.

@Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

While Percy was trying his own angle, Rowan noticed Jr's lover head to the main bar to get some drinks. Weighing his odds with any number of strategies and outcomes for his mission, he decided to take something of a gamble and slid up next to the other man while he was waiting for their cocktails to be mixed. Taking a quick glance around to make sure there wasn't anyone close enough to hear, he caught the young man's attention with a simple movement of his hand. "That's quite the catch that you have over there. Has he been treating you well?" It as actually a bit surprising to Rowan how much he cared for the answer he was about to receive.

"Oh, Mikey? Yes, he's a sweet heart. His dad has such a tough personality, yet Mikey's kinder than anyone else I've ever met, save perhaps my mom." The young man smiled, eyes looking off as if in memory. "I used to be something of a Spice hound, always looking for a good fix and not caring where it came from. I did some...bad things, things I thought no one would ever forgive me for. Yet, Mikey didn't care. He helped me get clean, he stayed with me even when I told him what, and who, I did for the Spice. I love him, and I'd do anything to pay him back for the love and kindness he shows me." He looked a bit quizzical for a moment, as if wondering why he had just spilled his heart to a seemingly random stranger. Rowan chuckled slightly as he figured what the look was for.

"That's...endearing. And don't worry, I'm one of those guys that people can talk to easy. In any case, I'm going to want your help for something..." As he trailed off he saw a somewhat worried look come over the young man's face, wondering what he'd just gotten involved with. "Now, hear me out. Let me start by saying I don't want anything bad to come to you or your beloved. The company his father works for is dancing on the edge of ruin thanks to John Donald, the owner. I want to prevent that from happening, but to do so I need Sr's vote to oust the man in my pocket. The only way to Sr. is through his son, and I don't want anything to actually happen to him. So, let me pitch this to you." Rowan turned facing the young man head on yet showing his most comforting smile and body language that he could. It probably helped that he honestly felt this way, too.

"Here's my proposal. I would like your help in having Jr. sign a document. This document will have some...suspect things written inside, but, and please hear me out, it's nothing no one outside of you, me, Jr., and Sr. will know about. Once I've got Sr's vote on my side, I'll hand back to you that document so you can do with it whatever you want. Rip it up and burn it, I should imagine. Here, let me give you some collateral." Rowan took out from his pocket a signet ring, something that had belonged to his family for centuries. "This is the signet ring of my family on Alderaan. If you for one instance believe me to be false with you, you can use that to shame me to the world. I'll let you hold on to this until I trade it back for those papers and the proof that this story doesn't get out. Sound good? Once this is done, you'll never see me or any problems ever again. It really is for the greater good." The young man thought about it for a bit, having turned just a bit pale, but stared in Rowan's eyes for a few moments. Seemingly satisfied with what he saw, he took the ring and nodded, just as the drinks were done. Rowan waved over to Percy for him to join them, as it would be up to him to finish the deal by talking to Jr. directly. At least now they had a plan.

@Alhon

 

[Percy Fleck]

Percy caught sight of Rowan waving him over, disentangling himself from the dance floor and heading back towards the bar. He could only hope his counterpart had a better idea. Indeed, it turned out the other Sith hadn’t wasted any time at all, now standing at the bar with Jr’s lover of all people. The two were already acquainted and Percy introduced himself briefly before the young man started making his way back to their target.

Turning to Rowan in astonishment, Percy lent in close so his companion could fill him in. He had to admit he was impressed; Rowan had made a lot of progress, convincing the other man to help them with nothing more than charisma alone. The incriminating document was a good one too, leaving no room for interpretation.

Slipping the document into an inside pocket, he swept up some more drinks from the bar and set out to follow loverboy, beckoning for Rowan to follow. The other Acolyte had got them their way in; new friends looking to party.

Reaching the group, Percy didn’t pause, sidling straight past the bodyguards without making eye contact. Sitting himself down on Jr’s free side, he clapped a hand on the young man’s thigh.

“You must be Mikey!” he said, personality effusing from his every pore “my friend and I have just been hearing all about you at the bar”. Mikhail Jr looked as if he didn’t quite know how to react, half-smiling and looking anxiously from his lover to Percy’s hand on his leg.

“What did Taryn tell you?” he said uncertainly.

“Just that you’re a real catch” Percy replied, his tone more serious “and I can see he was so right”. He took a sip of his drink without breaking eye contact, angling himself towards Jr so that his bicep would curl in front of him.

Jr laughed modestly, relaxing in his seat. If the bodyguards had been drawing close, they now drifted away again. It wasn’t their job to stop their charge having a good night.

Silently, Percy opened a latch in his mind, letting his force of will stir in earnest. “I love your hair” remarking on Jr’s blonde cut. It was nice enough, but the young Sith was making a god of the man, whatever it took. “In fact, I’d say Taryn has it exactly right – you’re one of the hottest guys in here”.

“My friend and I have been playing this game you see, it’s silly but he’s ahead now and I can’t let him win. We took bets we couldn’t get ten hot people to sign a piece of paper saying we’re the better looker.” He pulled the document from inside his vest, unfolding the signature page only. “If I could get yours, then that’s gotta count for two at least. Look Taryn agrees.”.

The lover chimed in agreement right on cue. Rowan had done his work well.

Jr hesitated, eyes flashing between Percy and Rowan and then at the document. He began to reach for the other pages. It was time to pounce.

“Come on man, do it for me” he said thrusting a pen into Jr’s hand and touching his arm so he looked up. “Do it”. He threw the Force into those last words, his own brand of persuasive venom that he’d used on a hundred guys before.

Sign the paper Mikey.

@Insalius

 

[Rowan Harlow]

Mikey was getting it from all angles. His boyfriend was pleading with him in a quiet, almost pouty sort of way, while Percy was using his unique talent in the Force to coerce the man. It all proved too much, Jr. signing the paper with a smile and a drink. He insisted they all finish up the night together, since it seemed like they were friends of his boyfriend, whom he knew didn't number very many. Overall, the night proved to be rather enjoyable, though Rowan's mind kept spinning through how he could best use these papers. He kept to the original plan, even though it would be more difficult. It almost failed, in fact, as a day later he was almost tossed out of Sr's office by security with the news of the blackmail. It wasn't until the papers were shown to him that he halted, though even that was a close thing.

Seconds dragged by as Rowan wondered if he had done enough, if perhaps he could truly get through this with the least heartache possible. Sr. caved in at the last, though Rowan could tell that he'd lost any chance of making a true ally of the man after the ousting of John Donald happened. Perhaps that would be the time for him to retire and his son take over? After all, Rowan kept his side of the bargain. Once the vote was secure, he returned to Jr's lover with the papers as promised. The papers were traded for the ring and there seemed to be a spark of newfound trust in the young man's eye. A scheme that almost fell apart, yet had managed to succeed in the end. Yes, perhaps it was time for Sr. to retire after the vote. It'd be more fun to have Jr. and his boyfriend around the office, anyway. There was just something cute and wholesome about their relationship and that kind of vibe could help keep morale up. Oh well, that would be a thought for when he finally achieved his goal. For now, Rowan had more work to do.

/Endthread