Misty Rooms

[Norbaal Fanth]

Nar Shaddaa was one of Nor'baals most preferable planets in the Galaxy, however, whilst its cityscape went someway to reminding him of his beloved Cantonica, it lacked the swamps of the world that it served as moon for. Something of a points dropper for the garrullous slug. However, since arriving in his shuttle, which now sat at rest outside the 'Lekku' Bar and Club, he had never felt more at home. Apparently, Nar Shaddaa was built with slugs like him in mind, no nasty stairs, and an above average amount of moisture in the air making the world slightly less uncomfortable.

"Moisturise me." he instructed, almost the moment he was out of his shuttle. His aides wasted no time, the two of them fetching their small perfume water bottles, and gentle spreading a cloud of vapour over their master. He gorgled gently, practically purring with delight as they did so.

Sitting in his power chair, a rather fancy red robe wrapped losely about him, images of mynocks picked out in golden thread, he waved over one of his two retainers. "What do we know of this 'Cait'?" he enquired, the prim and proper Pantoran responding "She is a club owner, and operative of some considerable influence. She deals in a large range of wares, her girls - dancers and entertainers if you will - operating out of this venue." the retainer concluded, folding his hands behind his back calmly.

"She runs hookers?" Nor'baal asked. "Well, a little more than that sir." the retainer added "Hookers and other stuff? Decent. I like her already." Nor'baal chuckled to himself, absent mindely allowing his hand to brush against the control stick of his chair, and gliding into the bar, before being stopped by a security guard. Nor'baal sighed - perhaps Nar Shaddaa was a tad less refined than Canto after all.

"Boss Fanth to see your," he paused, wondering what word to use "...Boss?" he settled on the standard, before turning to his retainer "Lets go." he instructed, waiting for his host.

@Dread

 

[Lilith (8th TL)]

"Boss Fanth," Cait chuckled softly, having heard him from a short distance away. She was in the crowd, 'helping' out her girls somewhat but mostly mingling with customers of notoriety. She had stuck closer to the main bar because she knew that her appointment with Norbaal was around this time.

"My office is this way," she signaled towards her offices door, which had two burly guards on each side of it. She gave him a smile before walking to it, entering without the guards even blinking at her, but they'd search Norbaal and anyone with him for weapons first. They wouldn't let them in armed.

Assuming he made it inside her office, she'd grab a bottle of whisky and pour two glasses fuller than most people probably did. Placing one on one side of her desk before going to the other and sitting down.

She took a sip of her whisky before speaking plainly, "You're here because you're interested in my new...network?" she asked, though she'd continue regardless. The message he sent her was vague, but that was expected. Messages could be intercepted, meeting in person was much more safe. "It has been raising rather quickly and successfully, and soon it will have a name—The Exchange."

Taking another drink, she reached into her desk and pulled out a datapad, but didn't do anything with it right away. "And I understand that you reside in Canto, which is somewhere I want my network to begin gaining influence," she ended there for now, to let him have his say if he had any.

@Nor'baal

 

[Norbaal Fanth]

Hideous.

That was the only way to describe Cait, and Nor'baal had met actual Hutts in his time, beings of sheer beauty in his eyes, yet not the minds of others if the fake news media was to be believed. Cait was all hair, flawless complextion and a truly horrifying lack of wrinkles and blubber. Vile. Yet, he was not one to allow his opinions to cloud his judgement, especially after he had been rather intimately frisked by her guards. Maybe there was some merit to coming here after all? the slug chortled to himself as he shared a truly lavicious wink with one of the Guards, who looked away all to quickly.

Nor'baal had left his weapons on the ship, his retainers however had to hand over their batons and discreet holdouts - after all, it was courteous to respect the traditions and rules of ones host. "Nee chinka weekna." Nor'baal instructed his guards, speaking in Bocce as was something of a habit of his. They bowed slightly, and waited outside the office as Nor'baal headed in behind Cait.

Scooping up the drink as offered, he subtly waited for Cait to take a sip, before necking his own. Realising she had only sipped the beverage, not drunk it down hole, it dawned on Nor'baal that maybe, the drinking customs here where somewhat different to what he was used to. As she talked about his message, and correctly deduced his own interest in joining her 'network' as she put it, Nor'baal looked dissappointedly at the glass, such meager helpings doing little to him, thanks to his considerable girth granting him something of a high tolerance to such substances.

Pleased however that Cait had cut more directly to the chase than most, Nor'baal took little time in replying "The Exchange?" he had not heard of that before, but it rolled off his not inconsiderable tongue with ease, always a good sign "You are correct yes, in all professions people need business partners, and mine is no different." he added, now seeking to steer the discussion to the matter of Canto.

"Forgive me, but Canto Bight is very different in its business dealings than this, how do you say?" he gestured about him with his free arm "Hutt Space? We do not display our dealings, or let us say the cruder side of them, so openly as the Hutts, our clientele are of a more delicate nature -" he paused, wondering if that was the correct term. It was not. "...refined nature. They would rather their blood came in a chalice of crystal than a cup of clay, if you catch my meaning?" he chuckled.

On Cantonica, the venere of civility was careful maintained, part of an unspoken agreement between the criminals that, in order to stay competative, they had to be seen as the playhouse of the elite, and whilst the elite all understood just how the Cantonicans got their money, they preferred to partake of it in more pleasant surroundings. Same product. Different packaging.

Whilst in Hutt Space someone caught robbing from a Boss might find themselves fed to some great beast for the pleasure and horror of all, on Cantonica, it was more common that person would be bankrupt by the end of the week, and poisoned at their evening meal the week after. If they made it offworld, well - that is why the Gods made Bounty Hunters.

"To that end, a network such as yours, with your own refined and pleasant nature," a little flattery never hurt "Could do very well indeed to have business dealings on Cantonica, and I would be more than happy to accomodate such a rise should you so wish?"

 

[Lilith (8th TL)]

Cait smiled at his answer. She knew about canto, and actually liked the whole culture. If she ever visited it, she'd play it up and enjoy every moment of it, but the hutts were very different and they were currently on Nar Shaddaa.

"I understand, and will thoroughly enjoy canto's culture when I visit it," she replied, holding her glass up before taking one more sip. "Us 'hutts'" and by 'hutts', she meant people raised in hutt space, or what was hutt space, and spoke huttese. "Don't care if our blood comes in a cup of clay, because we'll use it to bash someones head in later." Now, she said this with a big ol' smile on her face but wasn't sure how he'd take it. Maybe it would be seen as a threat, though it was mostly because it was true. Plus she had just thought of it on the spot and it made her laugh inwardly.

"I'd be happy if you represented The Exchange on canto. If you do, I'll send some of my men with you and some credits. I'll expect the credits to be invested in buying some property though." Cait gestured to the building around her. "Preferably a club, or casino, or something that will be profitable and provide you, us, with a base there."

Putting her drink down, she typed on the datapad she'd gotten early and offered it to the man. "This is the amount of men and credits I can give you to start off with. Taking it, of course, will mean that you're all in, but don't worry too much about that. My focus has always been and always will be on giving the best life to the people under me, which is another reason why I'll want you to have a business with a steady income."

@Nor'baal

 

[Norbaal Fanth]

Cait was someone Nor'baal could see himself in business with already. She possessed 'the smarts' as he liked to call it, that a painful number of these squishy humans lacked. It wasn't their fault after all, their obsession with what others thought of them, and need to be loved by others was a weakness, but one perhaps that Cait had supressed. Also, how could anyone do business without a few inches of thick hide to stop the occassion misplaced blade or blaster - lacking in such girth, how could one intimidate a rival, or roar dissapproval loudly without the assistance of a megaphone?

The ways of humans confused him, but Cait was going some distance to balance that confusion with interest. Her acceptance of the differences between Hutt Space and Cantonica went a long way, as did her understanding of Cantos way of doing things, to winning the Slug over. "There are several Casinos that would make a fine addition to the Exchanges collection." he replied, indicated his willingness to be a part of this by just beginning to explain how he woud do so. "...once aquired, it would be important to shore up links with the various other attractions," by that he meant other businesses, most importantly casinos "...and authority figures..." meaning the police, mayor and gangs "...to ensure the smooth passage of business, and of course, the establishment of a power base in the Canto scene."

Nor'baal did not react when he saw the considerable amount of credits and manpower on offer, instead nodding sagely. "With this I can, given time, ensure the Exchange has a considerable footprint on Cantonica, and, furthermore, a considerable amount of sway over its clientele." Cait did not need telling the sort of poeple who came to Canto Bight, and so Nor'baal left it unspoken, merely waiting for her to reply.