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Post by kharivestra on Dec 24, 2011 18:08:40 GMT -5
He had a point there, she couldn’t deny it. She certainly wouldn’t do business with just anyone, nor would Anara. But knowing what Prescott was like was different to knowing that he had a long standing disagreement with the Zann’s. Still, it put reasonable doubt in her mind if just because the pair seemed to know eachother well enough to be at ease around the other. Doing business with a known war criminal would be enough to have made Khari nervous, Anara just seemed unflappable - she had to know how that would look from a political point of view.
“Feel the need to throttle him, perhaps.” She commented distantly, remembering the lude pass he’d made at her for show in that interrogation. “It wouldn’t hurt to try and discover if she did know. I don’t know how well she knew your grandfather, but if what we have since ascertained is to be believed, it was better than we thought.”
And hadn’t she heard Tyber mention something about marriage? Something Anara had been keen to vehimently deny. Such was she set in her ways. It was unlikely she’d just admit it.
The Jedi were another thing all together, they might feel safer meeting a Senator rather than someone who could, at the touch of a control, ensure that the GA contracts regarding their capital ships were delayed indefinitely. Anara could have a word in her ear, of course, rally support among the Ten and have such a delay overturned, but those things would take time. The Senator really was the softer option.
“You are preaching to the converted. Their cover up was sloppy even by their recent standards.” That didn’t cover the half of it, the way the Grand master had tried to palm off her mistakes on her understudy? And assume she had not picked up on it too, that went beyond sloppy, that kind of passing the buck she expected from an insecure intern.
“And to question us as to why I would have brought an aide? Either the Jedi are greatly paranoid or they are completely inept at a two sided debate. They never were politicians, mind.”
Nor was she, but business and politics went hand in hand on Kuat and many other industrial powerhouse worlds.
As for her mother and contacting Rhy, she had planned to do that anyway. Keeping her away from Tress was tantamount right now.
"I will deal with it, leave that to me." She really would, she and Anara had a lot to talk about now. That made a change.
His follow up of Prescott getting what he deserved, though, and those who helped him, made her wince barely perceptively. Tress was angry and upset, and understandably so! But she preferred to look at things more analytically until they knew absolutes. Death, for instance, couldn't be taken back, and while she wouldn't be sorry to see Prescott wiped from the face of the galaxy, or his goons, she wasn't sure she was ready to deal with the death of her last existing parent, not when she had been partially responsible for the unlawful death of the other.
"I will do what I can, I don't want Viqtor or Rufus anywhere near this place while Prescott's here anymore than you do. If he's connected to my mother then he could use her to gain access to them and hold them hostage or a whole other host of things for leverage." For the meantime, security were looking after them, that was as safe as it came until they could arrange transport out of system.
When she passed him he reached for her hand and offered a small smile of thanks. "You being here is enough." he meant it, she was the only one that kept him from rallying the troops and storming in to kill Anara and Prescott both and anyone who got in his way. He would even bombard Bespin until there was nothing left, but she held him off. "I'll be along right after ...this."
She returned that smile, wistful though it was, Khari wanted him to know that she had his side in this, however awkward her position. Anara had overstepped the line and she was just keen to see how the woman reacted when informed of Tyber's unfortunate demise. If it was anything short of shock, then she would know she'd known about this too.
"Take as long as you need, I'll let you know when we're ready and you can meet us at the spaceport." Leaning in she kissed his temple softly, then slipped away to the medcenter's exit.
A few minutes later, she had reached their hotel suite, and entered to find both of the Knylenn boys sitting oddly quiet in the center of the living area, trying to coax the chitlik they'd picked up into eating a dry cracker of some sort. Khari's gaze immediately fixed on the security operative watching over them, her apparent surprise enough to prompt him to smile and nod at her knowingly.
"I merely informed them they might be arrested if they took to dismantling all of Cloud City's nanny droids...I don't think they will be any further problem." He said with a nod to Khari.
As usual, it was Viqtor who spoke up first, "It was even meaner than the old hag. It tried to get us to take a bath and go to bed early!" Defiantly, chin jutting out amid a full on pout, he crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air....
Poor kid, thought Khari, he looked just like Rhy when he did that.
"It's not nice to call people things like that." She chided him, even if she was slightly amused at the tone he'd taken.
"Tress calls her that all the time!" He protested, and had his little brother agreeing with him, nodding vehimently.
"Tress is old enough, now gather up your things. We're taking another trip." It was in the back of her mind all along that she should tell them what had happened. Were they old enough to understand it though? And with all the suspicion placed on Anara in particular, she couldn't explain that to them until they knew what was what. And it wouldn't be right to upset them like that right before they were about to go through another upheaval.
The next thing was to contact Rhy...
So while Security and staff went about sorting all their things and getting they and the kids down to the spaceport, Khari set about that out of earshot.
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Post by tress on Dec 26, 2011 18:10:43 GMT -5
Yes, he still had the same idea. The want to go seek him out and attack until he was gone. Its how he felt all the time around him, hate, rage, murderous intent... but she was right.
"I guess, i had heard stories. Hints mostly from Tyber and Urai of what lead up to the attack all those years ago. Your mother came up once or twice and the subject would change." he said remembering those times.
The question remained if she would even tell the truth or not, she had shown she was in things for herself. Using her own daughter wasnt beyond her, would lying be? "I agree, but could we trust what she says? "
The marriage? He had forgotten about that, Tyber had proven it with a nod. What would come of that? He was legal heir either way, and for all everyone knew he had died more than ten years ago. He would have to silence the guy who preformed the marriage. "I need clearance into Kuat for Urai. WE need to find that man who wed us ...and them...."
"They need to be exterminated really...we should never have bothered with meeting them. They have shown they arent even interested in the slightest at what is accruing in the galaxy. Some guardians of the Republic they are..." they were scheming, worthless wastes of space and held to much power. They would seek to remedy that soon enough.
He nodded letting her deal with the kids and talking to Rhy. Later he would call him to move on to the next phase of their plan, but the kids needed to be looked after until then. He preferred it away from that scheming deceitful woman, Anara.
He meant what he had said and dealing with anyone who had a hand in his grandfathers death, from Prescott on down to the valet bringing in his luggage on this trip. Her mother was racking up a long list of wrongs committed and would be dealt with ...but he would leave that to Khari if he had to.
As she left she gave him a kiss, which gave him hope and motivated him to move on with things. The doctors were off ordering things to prepare the body, giving him time to reach for his comlink. "Captain, this is Senator Odax-Zann. I need accommodations in medbay for a ....body. We will soon be ready to depart, so recall the fleet and prepare for departure."
a response was given which wasn't heard as he looked around before leaving to go back to the rooms.. He would send over a security detail to act as escort.
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Post by kharivestra on Dec 27, 2011 9:30:23 GMT -5
She had tried time and again to raise Rhy, be it directly or going through the Knylenn elder's back on Kuat. The best anyone could offer her was that he was in some form of important meeting and would get back to her at his earliest convenience. Khari could imagine what 'important' meant to Rhy, and just as quickly wished she hadn't, the images that conjured up would have had her reaching for an industrial sized bottle of the galaxies best cleanser.
Exasperated, and just a tad annoyed, she gave up on that line of communication and resolved to make the call once they were all safely aboard the ship and back with the fleet.
While everyone around her had begun moving their luggage down towards the departure lounge, she had seen the two Knylenn boys off with a small cadre of security personnel, leaving her alone to find her own way there. But the more she thought about it, not being able to ask Rhy the questions she wanted to, seeing Tress than angry and devasted, the more she was thinking she was just going to have to be late. There was unfinished business here and someone...two people actually, had to hear some truthes.
Part of Khari didn't want to believe that Anara would stoop that low, and yet the majority of her knew she would if it meant she got something sweet out of the deal. But the peace brigade? Had she really known about that? Those traitors were handing over Kuati to the Vong even as the world fell around them. It made her sick to the stomach to remember the scenes, the one's Prescott had jeered at her over, claiming she'd been watching from a safe distance in the lap of luxury...hardly. But the more he didn't know about her, the better. People like him did terrible things with information, however insignificant it might appear.
Giving it no more debate she left the suite at a brisk pace, comlink in hand - she could do her talking and walking at the same time.
After a brief moment of static, she got a reply.
"At your service, Lady Vestra." It was Captain Faust, the man currently heading the security services for her party here.
"Very good captain. I was wondering if your men took the liberty of escorting Mr. Prescott back to other accomodation when he was released?" Khari asked, stepping into the turbolift and selecting the ground floor atrium. There followed a short silence, interrupted only by the lift's automated voice announcing she had reached her destination.
“Of course, we ensured that he arrived without further incident or risk to yourselves.” Faust returned, leaving a barely discernable pause in between that and what he said next, preempting her question. “You require a hotel and suite number?”
Khari smiled, this was efficiency, you didn’t get that on coruscant.
“As you are able.”
It took no time at all, he’d been prepared with that earlier. “The Empress, just across the way too, Suite number 419. Will you require an escort?”
She considered that, especially after what Tress had told her. That Anara was potentially with him meant very little if she was conspiring with the man against them. That remained to be seen but there was potential, sad as it was to admit it. The senator might have been her flesh and blood, but that counted for very little when you hailed from a cutthroat world where deals were made and broken in the blink of an eye.
“That won’t be necessary, thank you. However, do send someone to look for me if I am gone more than a standard galactic hour.” She said, that would be ample time for her to say what she had to, and get back for their leaving.
“As you wish,”
She was already crossing the atrium by the time he had cut the connection, and in a small matter of minutes, found her way to the Empress hotel which was brazenly close to the one they had been intending to stay at. Tress was right, this man loved to push his luck, that alone was taunting them, trying to prove that he was untouchable, that he could be within spitting distance of them and they couldn't do anything about it.
Not yet - thought Khari, all she needed was a reason and with Tyber's death, she felt she might actually have one. If they could prove that it was a direct result of the injuries sustained in the fight, that wasn't going to look good for Prescott. There was the small matter of who threw the first punch, though, and that she couldn't remember, everything had happened so fast.
When she reached the right suite number, she looked around for some sort of buzzer but decided to opt for a straight forward knock in stead. A knock that was more like a hammer when she considered the pent up anger inside. Prescott was taking his sweet time in having someone answer her, though, or perhaps he was in there alone and just deemed it beneath himself to answer? Whatever the reason, Khari was becoming more irritated and a tad nervous by the second.
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Post by tress on Dec 27, 2011 19:10:27 GMT -5
He didn't know what he was doing really, he ended up wondering around not even knowing where he was. His thoughts on memories. Entering a doorway to what looked like a empty dinning establishment he found himself standing before a expansive window looking out into the clouds around Bespin lost in thought.
From the earliest memory of his grandfather taking him out on a job, it was all an adventure to him. Just along on a trip with a bunch of men on the Merciless, the Aggressor-class destroyer, Flag ship of the Consortium. They had let him practice firing the point defense laser, allowed him to be around meetings he had no idea of what they were about. It was only until later that he was told, rather showed what was expected from him. That he would be learning the ways of things as heir to the family one day.
Other thoughts of them all just at a cantina drinking then a fire fight kicked off as an attack was sprung on them. To back at their ship laughing cause they had survived.
Victories, defeats, stalemates. They all came to mind.
"Excuse me, Sir, but were closed." some waitress said politely.
"I'm sorry." was the only thing he said as he made his way towards the door. He checked his chrono and cursed, it was late so he made his way back to their rooms. What was he going to tell Khari on why he was so late. The truth wouldn't hurt he thought, it always worked.
******
Door buzzing had him frowning, he was in the middle of something entertaining why did distractions always come then.
"Stay where you are and enjoy." Logan Prescott, said with a smirk to the one hanging from their wrists. They would keep until he got back from answering the door.
Grabbing a towel he wrapped around his waist and made his way to the door, grabbing a blaster on the way. Who ever it was could be the frakking Zann's come back to start trouble, a blaster barrel in their face would slow them down.
Hitting the activation button the door slide open. "Im busy, what do you....well, hello there. " that ever present smirk appeared for the new guest. "What do i own this special visit from you, Khari..."
He fixed the towel a bit more securely around his waist as he waited to see what she was doing here. Seeing that he had a blaster he grinned and put it away making a point to point where he placed it on the side table, that he wasn't using his fingers to point would no doubt be awkward to her.
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Post by kharivestra on Dec 27, 2011 21:28:41 GMT -5
As the door panel slid to the side, revealing him in almost all of his glory, Khari's dour glare didn't diminish for a second. That was until she saw that self satisfied smirk on his face, just like it had been in that interview room. Sithspit she wanted to wipe it off of him, but it would have been a waste of time and she didn't come here to waste time, especially hers.
So when he 'pointed' to where he'd put that blaster, the look on her face darkened immeasurably.
"Expecting someone, were we? Or is this how ex peace brigaders greet all their visitors?" She took a quick glance around the place and didn't see any immediate signs that he wasn't alone. But she knew better than that.
Pushing her way into the suite, she made sure to do it nearest the side where he could have reached for the blaster he'd just placed down. Putting herself firmly between him and it would be prudent. "Your Vong masters had some strange, but highly unappealing, customs...not that it's too difficult for you, but I'll overlook that detail, I didn't come here to exchange verbal fire with you, no."
Peering around him, for he'd put himself right in front of her, she then noticed the trail of clothing that headed off into the direction of what had to be the bedroom. Either he had a secret the rest of his kind would have ripped on him for millennia over, or Anara was here...there were womens clothes amid the trail. Sighing over elaborately, and holding a palm to her face as she shook her head, Khari tutted. When would the old woman ever learn...it was like complete role reversal - on other worlds, she would have been expected to be the one galavanting all over the place with whomever she felt like, before mellowing with age. But Anara? No...she saw it as her right to do things like this and do them she did.
"I came here to see my mother, I have news for her that she needs to hear....right away." All throughout the exchange there had been hints of noises coming from the far room, but until now Khari had never really fixated on them, and when she did she couldn't believe she even arched an eyebrow in consternation. That she hadn't immediately worked out what they were...and then she did...and instantly felt mortified.
She tried her best to shut that horrifying image out of her thoughts completely, but the more she did that the more it seemed to prevail, leaving her feeling like she had when she'd debated what the woman saw in Rhy Knylenn....something more than disgust stopped her dead in her tracks there, and suddenly she knew how to get a small bit of revenge without doing anything as illegal nor messy as taking up that blaster and shooting a hole in the mans chest.
"I can see she might be busy at the moment so you can pass on this message." There was an edge to her voice and a good reason for it too, "Tell her that her husband passed away less than two hours ago. Tell her that the man who is responsible is standing before her telling her this news that was brought to her by her daughter..." The urge to stab her finger at the center of his chest was overwhelming, did she not think that she'd catch something by transferrence, his oily demeanour didn't help the image any. The way he thought he could either kill her with false kindness or wear her down as easily as he'd obviously worn down Anara,
"And I have somewhere to be, she can find her own way home. Oh and she shouldn't concern herself with the safety of the boys, I will take care of informing her plaything of their whereabouts."
Standing there, she wasn't really sure why she was waiting for a response, but she didn't want to turn her back on him, it didn't feel safe. Edging around him would have shown her concern, so that was a bad idea too...and all through this he just stood there.
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Post by tress on Jan 6, 2012 15:26:37 GMT -5
"Expecting someone?" he shook his head in reply. "Busy is more like it, which explains my...undress." he stood by as she said the rest, laughing would have sent a good message back to her, but silence for the moment was enough.
He made to take off his towel and smirked. "I assume then your here for something else. Next time don't waste time..." the look on her face was all he needed to see he played that one right. Keep her off guard.
He looked over his shoulder at the other room, "Shes alittle tied up right now....as you can imagine, but will send her your way when things finish." he couldn't help grin at that look she had again.
He stood there thumbs stuck at the towel around his waist as he waited, yes he heard things too. She put two and two together and guessed what had happened. "Might be hours, your welcome to stay and keep me ...entertained."
Anara being busy was an understatement, he thought then stilled when he heard 'husband'. What was that about? The man responsible meant him, and he hadn't ordered anyones death recently. What was she talking about? "Tyber!?" it suddenly came to him. "She married him? What?" his mind was racing with what this news brought.
He turned as he thought, then suddenly turned "Dead?" he was grinning now, "Good, the consortium will crumble without the leadership of Tyber." time to plan things. Move on to different areas with this info, he could attack consortium interests without Zann to hold them his followers would fold and come to him.
He turned and watched her standing there waiting. What else did she want? "Your dismissed." then tried again as he walked closer to her. "Unless you changed your mind and want to join in on the fun...?"
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 6, 2012 17:20:51 GMT -5
There was no need to look past him to understand exactly what he meant, she could hear all she wanted to know and every second was spent trying her upmost to block it out, concentrating on him was a poor second option as those went, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
Somehow, though, she hadn't quite counted on his acidic undertone and suggestion. Managing, just barely, to keep her face looking as neutral and uncaring as possible, Khari allowed that to transgress into exactly the same slimey smirk that was plastered permenantly to his face the whole time. He was in for the shock of his life when she told him the news about Anara's activities - they always were, her playthings, somehow always believing that they were the only one. The fools.
"Is that right?" Looking past him towards that closed door, yet still keeping herself between him and that blaster, she idly wondered if she could have stepped back and inconspicuously have picked it up. Not yet, he was too interested and alert for that, and she wished he really would stop messing with that towel - each time his thumbs fiddled around with the tucked corner that held it up, she was sure it would fall off. And what was more, she believed that this would have happened intentionally.
Better to be unphased, she reminded herself, he was probing for a reaction and she wasn't going to give him one.
And there it was, the jaw drop of a reaction she had been expecting. Khari would have felt sorry for the fellow was it not for a severe hatred over what he'd actually done - past and present. Oh how she wanted to smile, lord that one over him for a split second or so, but it was short lived when he cut in with the following statement. Now that was just laughable.
Did he really think that it was Tyber alone that had held the consortium together all these years? Just because he was a silent, thought long time dead, partner, didn't mean he was souly responsible for the day to day running of the organization. Khari might not have known about Tyber's existance until a few days earlier, but what she knew of the consortium was that it was a tight knit bunch of mercinaries and criminals bound by one definining factor. Each might have had their reasons for being there, but the overtone was all the same.
"Yes, didn't she tell you? I must admit she took her time in telling me...but that's hardly surprising. You, however, I wonder why she could have left that small detail out?" Khari had to admit, that had felt good, he was genuinely surprised, if not irked.
"You really fancy yourself, don't you...you and your chances?" She couldn't help herself, and although her words belayed all of the venom she'd meant them to contain, Khari didn't hold back on what she had wanted to say. "That organisation has existed for over a decade without Tyber, it might be comprised of criminals but it's an organisation that has seen them well for longer than that. What do you think they're going to do when they work out who is responsible for the death of the one that recruited them?"
Slowly, she shook her head, faux sadness colouring her features the picture of woe for just a moment longer than was necessary. It never hurt her to rub it in a little bit more. "And an ex peace brigader too...well well, I would say your life expectancy just decreased by half, wouldn't you?"
Yes, she really was starting to see why Tress disliked this man on so many levels. Not only was he an outright murderer, he was also an indrect one, a man who was willing to sell out his own species along with countless others in order to prolong his own existance. His idea of fun was her idea of how not to spend an evening, at least not with him for company! He was trying to rattle her, this was obvious and inside she could feel the anger bubbling away, the outrage. He was, and maybe he'd worked out he was, that was why he felt as if he had to keep nudging in the right direction, a test of sorts.
Fine, well two could play that game, and she certainly had a way of making her feelings known when she wanted to - a change of tactics then.
"Oh don't worry, I was leaving. Just looking at how down market this suite looks flips my stomach..." She complained, raising a hand slightly and waving it as if to fend off what she classed as gaudy. Making it look as if she was going to walk out of that door, she never quite made it to the activation pad before pausing for a second, barely a heartbeat, pivoting back to face him quick enough to have startled, just to get his full attention, "...But I suppose now that you mention it, it wouldn't matter nearly as much if I had some sort of distraction."
Gone were the harsh sounding words, the sarcasm, even the contemptuous look she had worn like a neon banner up until now. Instead adopting a thoughtful, but almost calculating posture to go with that casually appreciative glance she gave him, eyes wandering down from head to toes and back again. Khari really took her time over that one, making certain he was looking at her rather than through her when she tilted her head questioningly, all innocence.
"Would it be too assumptive of me to say you had something in mind?" Slowly, but sure in how she took those steps, she drew a little closer to him, not yet willing to stand within more than an arms length away. He could have knocked her off her feet at any time, but was probably hedging his bets on the fact she would have brought someone with her.
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Post by tress on Jan 7, 2012 16:31:32 GMT -5
He waved it away, "Its inconsequential now. Hes gone and i can move forward." and in his mind he was doing just that. Plans to take over this side of the galaxy from Bespin to Fondor and as far away as Sluis Van if possible. The Consortium had always been located around Anaxes, Mandalore Felucia and Ryloth those would be the major places to stay away from.
"My chances are greater than you know. The whelp has been losing ground in the last several months since being elected to office. I guess it doesnt pay to run a criminal organization while trying to keep a good public relation profile" there had been a growing concern within the consortium with this move Tress had made, only now with Tyber gone would he be able to use it against the new leader of the consortium.
"They all know who i am, a man of action and drive. Its about profits, getting paid and being the top of the food chain. They will join me or its war. " that was no threat, he was more than prepared now to take the fight to them. He had the man power, a fleet of ships at his call and powerful backers on his side now.
"Your still here cause your curious..." he said seductively. "Want a taste of the wild side, do you? Come here while i explain the rules..." he had no need for her, all this was just teasing and a trick. He was going to deny her, shoot her down and enrage her in the process.
"Denial...rejection?" he stood there within reaching distance of her, waiting to see if she got it. The play on words, would it tempt her or would she get that he was playing with her.
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 7, 2012 18:02:34 GMT -5
He tought too highly of himself, this one. He was smug and too cocksure for his own good. That might have gotten him this far, but self assurance would only last so long before someone saw through the pomp and splendor that was showmanship and he would show his true colours. Khari wouldn't have minded betting he'd sooner run than take the risks that sticking around to fight for what he wanted would entail.
"Really now? All words and no action, that's all I have seen thus far, and I can't say I am impressed." She replied cooly, uninterested and dismissive with an acute purpose, then unable to hold it back any more, she laughed, "You couldn't even kill Tyber outright, you have a complication to thank for that."
There was no part of her that found the old man's death funny, quite the contrary, she might not have known him well at all, but he meant a huge deal to Tress, which made him important to her. She wasn't laughing at his expense, only probing the waters and limits of the man in front of her, and if that meant taking a cheap shot at Prescott, so be it. If it was one thing these types didn't like, it was someone else pointing out their flaws or failings.
The mood quickly changed, though, when she had acted as if she was gravitating towards his provocative comments. He'd done it to unsettle her, no doubt, and there she stood, yet again, proving that she wasn't unsettled in the least. This man didn't scare her anymore than the chitlik the Knylenn boys had brought back did.
She might have scoffed at that, were it any other situation and in more normal circumstances, his presumptions. But what was truly normal about this? Absolutely nothing. If he thought she would seriously consider this an option he was more foolish than she originally thought, but her aim hadn't been to completely get one over on him so much as cause him to question for that split second, and by then she'd have her angle to exploit.
He might live to regret saying that 'fruit never falling far from the tree' comment earlier.
"Here? Did you really think i'd engage in such passtimes when I know for a fact she's in there? No, no no, not right here." Khari asked with a small nod in the direction of the door he'd pointed out to her earlier. Walking the line left her unreadable, though he would try.
"I'm not that kind of woman...I'm not her." Wasn't that the truth, and if he'd just turn his back for a second she could...
Ah, now there was a couple of words pregnant with possibility. Of course she knew what he was seeking to do, it had all been to unsettle her, he had what he wanted and the only thing that could possibly make that better for someone who constantly believed they were on top of the situation, was for her to be immeasurably kriffed off with him too. He'd hated every moment of his detainment, he was probably itching for a chance to get back at her for the indignity. Good - she thought - that just made this easier.
"Denial or rejection? Aren't they one and the same with you? And yet again you prove my point...you're afraid, Mr. Prescott, and you don't have anyone to do your dirtywork for you, it would defeat the point, and you're just to proud...or perhaps cowardly, to do anything about it." She flashed him a quick smile, "A pity...for you." Confirmation acquired, she started back towards the main door.
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Post by tress on Jan 12, 2012 18:15:26 GMT -5
He looked at her for a time, making no move or showing any emotion, but then he smirked. "Why do things outright, I cant be held responsible now since as you said it was a complication and not foul play." Anything else he would have done could have been placed back at his feet. An attack in the hallway where he didn't start things would just give him extra evidence that he was the wronged one here.
The next series of questions had him smirking in a different manner, he was going to push her buttons or try to at least. See how strong she really was.
She might have scoffed at that, were it any other situation and in more normal circumstances, his presumptions. But what was truly normal about this? Absolutely nothing. If he thought she would seriously consider this an option he was more foolish than she originally thought, but her aim hadn't been to completely get one over on him so much as cause him to question for that split second, and by then she'd have her angle to exploit.
He might live to regret saying that 'fruit never falling far from the tree' comment earlier.
"Here? Did you really think I'd engage in such pass times when I know for a fact she's in there? No, no no, not right here." Khari asked with a small nod in the direction of the door he'd pointed out to her earlier. Walking the line left her unreadable, though he would try.
"I'm not that kind of woman...I'm not her." Wasn't that the truth, and if he'd just turn his back for a second she could...
He looked over his shoulder at the closed door and the sounds coming from the other side. When he looked back he couldn't help but shrug as if it was of little consequence to him if he was occupied or not. Yes, to steal the woman of his enemy would be satisfying but he didn't expect her to give in so easily.
"Good, i need a younger playmate..." he hoped that would strike a nerve, if not at least Anara would hear it.
"Where you see cowardly, others see patients....Lady Vestra." he didn't have to act, and not especially when he as pushed to it. He wasn't going to fall for little games like those. "When its time to act, be sure i shall be the one to do it personally."
He stepped in front of her, "A pity you came alone you mean...?" he grabbed her hand and pulled forcing her to stop walking. "I'm not done talking to you, yet. "
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 12, 2012 20:12:53 GMT -5
Khari shook her head ruefully, the truth was that she didn't feel an ounce of anything that came close to disappointment, no it went much further than that, but if she had shown it plainly, it would have given her away outright. He would be cautious, she knew that, people like him didn't get to where they were without some form of tact and prior planning. But as for his absolution, he really couldn't pull that card here.
"A complication brought on by the injuries he sustained in a fight with you and your men. That counts as manslaughter at the very least...and who do you think they're going to side with if that ever came to trial?" She asked, canting her head to one side, appearing to imagine it right there and then, "You, who seems quite fit and able, or the frail old man twice your age? The now deceased old man."
She could have called him things, tried to attack him if she wished and would he have beaten her to a pulp just because she'd threatened him slightly? Maybe he would, he was ex peace brigade. If they could send hundreds to their certain death, what else would they do?
It was an unsettling thought.
Things just got more unsettling as time went on. Maybe she was wasting her time here, she had told Tress she would meet him down at the docking bay once everything was sorted, and there was no chance in recovering Anara, not if she was already engaged in...well she didn't want to think about that right now.
The only thing that had kept her hanging on here was sitting right in front of her when she had turned around, nestled on the transparisteel top table by the door, just out of reach. But how many people had seen her enter here? Even if she could have blasted that scum, Prescott, there were several of his men out there in the halls keeping watch over the door, she'd have to blast them too, and that ran all kinds of risks. She was just one person...and Anara could implicate her yet again.
Khari didn't freeze like it made her want to, and the shiver she had managed to form into a shrug, as if she was brushing all this off as just talk. He was all mouth this one, it was completely conceivable as to why Anara had taken an interest, they always were like this in some fashion or another. They thought highly of themselves...though at least this one didn't have an unworldly obsession with purple. It wasn't enough to redeem her choice, however.
She didn't stop walking towards the door, her words about him being little more than a coward were meant to stick, force him to pause for just long enough for her to gain the advantage.
Patience, she could have learned a lot from that, she reflected, but it was a bit late now. The phrase I have started so I will finish couldn't have applied more if she'd been annotating it alloud. He was wrong on one count though, yes she'd come alone, but she also had insurance, and that gave her more confidence than he need know. Let him believe he was in charge and control of the situation, it wouldn't matter a blip in the end. And she'd dealt with bigger scumbags than him.
"Personally? Careful now, you might break a nail...and if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to do. Just pass on my -" She stopped the instant she felt the warmth of his hand grasp her own, just below the wrist in a snatching bid to snare her before she reached the door's switch. And it served it's purpose well, because she did stop, abruptly so, pivoting awkwardly as she tried to snatch her own hand away sharply. Frowning at him furiously in that uppity way she could, she didnt belay any of the outrage such actions could draw.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Snapping at him was just the start, and she tried again to yank her arm away, amazed that all she felt right now was anger and not a trickle of fear that should have been climbing up her spine.
"Well I am quite done talking to you..." What was that he had been saying about patience? Now could prove prudent, "...you made yourself clear, so there's little point wasting both our time. " Nicely delivered, she thought, heart racing almost as fast as her mind, that had actually sounded believable, when all she really wanted to do, was grab that blaster and make him let go...and the rest.
"I don't have time for your games, so if you don't mind?" A sharp nod to where his hand still anchored her own in mid air between them, he either would or he wouldn't. She had a sinking feeling that told her the latter was the most likely. Though what he thought he could really get away with here, remained unclear. He had attempted lulling her into a situation earlier, one designed purely to make her look the fool, she didn't think any different now. Unless he'd really changed his mind.
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Post by tress on Jan 13, 2012 12:51:23 GMT -5
"One we did not start to begin with, self defense really. The security tapes will show that...there were there innocent men waiting for an lift and as soon as it opened we were aggressively attacked." he had a look that came across as already knowning how this would end. "Besides if we are tried it will be here in the back of beyond, where there are greedy politians and judges...."
She was trapped, he was thinking, the look about her seemed like she knew the risk she'd taken to come here and alone at that. The door seemed her likely escape and she kept looking that way. He was ready for when she tried to leave. A little scare could go along way in frightening her or forcing her to act. Either way he could use it to his advantage he was sure.
He took hold of her hand, while not a forceful grip it was iron clad showing he wasnt going to let go until he wanted to. He liked that attitude of these kuati woman, like her mother she thought she was in charge. Their culture and upbringing meant nothing to him, it was his word that would be law...and he was going to show her.
"There is something i wanted before you could leave.." he said wanting to move closer, to have his other hand easily resting on her waist pulling her even closer. though in the end all he said was, "How about a kiss?"
This time he did move, pulling her closer like he had intended and tried forcing a kiss on her...
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 13, 2012 17:01:20 GMT -5
He could argue his point as much as he wanted, but bribing any judge in any courtroom wouldn't matter a blip to his case. He wasn't the only one with money that could influence, and with the right methods she could have offered them more. It would turn into a bidding war, but ultimately she knew that wouldn't be traced back to her, and she'd do it just to spite him. It wasn't hard to see why Tress dispised the man, brother's tragic death or not, Prescott was as low as they came, living off the back of other peoples expense.
And it only inflamed her temper more when he actually grabbed ahold of her, refusing to let go until he'd gotten what he wanted. Whatever that was. She wondered if he thought that by doing this she'd be afraid of him? Maybe she should have been, she was somewhat alone in this. But there were people expecting her, those who would be waiting for her and she had told her chief of security for this excursion what to do if she wasn't back a second after the time she'd said she would be.
Logan was effectively reeling her in, though that didn't extend to the mentality of it all, she found herself repulsed in that sense. However hard she pulled back on her hand he wouldn't let it go, determined to do or say whatever it was he felt he just had to get out before she reached that door. Khari glared at him balefully, not afraid to show her annoyance, in the end she could always say that she had seen this as wasting her time further, the truth was far more scathing.
What he said almost had her at a total loss for words, believing that that part of his game had been thrown out the airlock a long time ago. Well wasn't this a turn around? It didn't make her any less repulsed by him, in fact, it lowered her opinion further, but to get anywhere, and perhaps just to get away, showing her abject disgust outright could have done her more harm than good. He wanted a reaction from her, that much was clear.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Prescott, wasn't it? I thought you had made yourself abundantly clear...and I am really going to need my hand back, thank you."
Khari tugged on his grip again, but he still didn't let go, in stead he pulled her closer still, fast enough that she had to go with it and ended up bumping into him at the same time, in her haste to go the other way. But he was wise to that, slipping a insidious arm around her waist to keep her from stepping backwards and before she could protest his lips were on her's and she was going to be damned if he gave her that slight slip of the tongue.
A strained glance to the side told her she was too far out of reach to grab that blaster, so she did what most females of humanoid origin seemed to do whenever they didn't appreciate a male's desparate attempts to get them to respond: She pulled him closer still, acting as if she was really going to get into this and thrust one knee up as hard as she could between his legs.
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Post by tress on Jan 13, 2012 18:32:26 GMT -5
The kiss wasnt planned really, but he had been prepared for eventual counter attack by adding a holorecording device to catch everything. The incident in the hall had been deleted or taken, so he needed something to show he was innocent of things.
An attack on his hotel room would be nice, one showing who was attacking, but capturing her and him kissing. That was even more valuable as blackmail or a push to start things off.
She wasnt a bad tidbit to have his arms around, forgetting the fact that he was only covered in a towel and his lips were on hers, he was guessing the recording would be damaging either way one looked at it. He made a show of moving his lips over hers. The tip of his tongue seeking before something he didnt expect hit him squarely in his most sensitive region.
He went down holding the injured area, down on his knees his breathe caught somewhere as his body reacted. The moan slipped from him as he curled and went down to his side. "You'll pay for this..."
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 13, 2012 20:01:06 GMT -5
Her actions had the desired effect, he dropped her quicker than he could hit the floor. His words had scarcely reached her ears before she made sure she was out of striking distance and close enough to the door that all it would take was one depress of the button and she could leave. At least out there she would be on surveilence, even if he did ask those cronies of his outside to bring her back, it wouldn't matter.
But that didn't stop her from taking up the blaster he'd set down earlier and discharging the power pack, pocketing it for safe keeping. There would be no shooting her in the back as payback either, she'd already learned about turning your back on people weeks before. She tossed the useless part of the blaster back at him, making a point of doing it so he'd have to roll to get out of the way or risk getting hit again.
"Not nearly as much as you're paying for it." Khari spat disdainfully, activating the door and stepping over the threshold into the corridor beyond, pausing for a moment to look back at him there, probably still trying to recover his composure.
"And I don't suggest having me followed, if you really thought I came here alone you're a bigger fool than I thought."
With a sharp eyed glare she warned the other two standing outside, she didn't need to say anything, they'd have overheard what she'd said clearly. Even if they were paid not to listen, people didn't just switch off. Then she made off down the hall. By the time that she reached the lobby, her heart was pounding in her chest and her knees felt weak...that had been too close for comfort. And Anara was still back there...that just made her feel sick, but there would be no telling the woman. But Tress was right, they really couldn't trust her anymore, who could tell what would get back to Prescott now?
Taking out her comlink, she tried to reach Tress again, "It's me, I had security take the boys down to the docking bay, I'll meet you there." She said when he answered, "My mother....won't be joining us."
At least he would have that peace of mind, she thought, and not so oddly, it was a comfort to her too.
"And Tress? I love you."
When she reached the docking bay, she checked in with captian Faust, he was subtle enough to simply give her a nod of acknowledgement, that she was back safely, and relatively soundly. When all were accounted for, they could depart. And she was pleasantly surprised to see that neither of the Knylenn's had destroyed the waiting lounge...yet. There was always still time. Perhaps that chitlik they had picked up actually had some sort of calming effect? Whatever the reasons for that one, Khari wasn't going to have anything but the utmost respect for it!
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Post by tress on Jan 14, 2012 3:46:33 GMT -5
He was still on the ground trying to regain some composer after having been kneed. Coordination was coming back to him and he watched her move away. He would get her for this, really force her hand.
He blocked with his hand, a deflection if anything of what she threw at him. Still a glare was what she got, he was already think of how to use the recording against her. Hoping something worthwhile had been caught.
"I'll show you revenge....this isn't over." he shouted to her as she stepped out of the rooms to the hallway. His men looked inside and at him and he shook his head, there was no point in going after her. Let her think she had won the day, later she would rue it.
"Let her go." he said and watched as she left. Then he stood, messaging the injured area and smiling at how he was going to sooth the hurting. As the front door closed he had an evil smirk, but it was only seen for a second before he turned away to go to the other room.
"Now where were we....?"
****
In the lift heading up stairs to see where everyone was he heard his comlink single an incoming call.
"Hi." he said easily as he heard the rest. The stress on "Wont" had him wondering what had happened but she would tell him soon enough he thought. Hitting the stop button he pressed another to go back down, if they were at the docking bay its where he would go.
He had been thinking and had come to some resolution with the whole situation, but just needed some advice from Urai and Khari. Though he would wait for them both so he can lay it on them at the same time.
When she said she loved him he smiled for the first time in hours and told her back truthfully. "I love you, wife. I'll be there soon." with that he cut the line and nodded to himself. Shes the one that kept him there, whole. That voice of reason if only to himself. He thought of her safety and not just off to destroy.
Doors opening had him stepping out and heading to the near by docking back where he saw them all. The two kids and her standing not to far away with the Captain. Swallowing the lump in his throat he got closer. Looking at Khari he had to ask. "Is he secure....?"
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 14, 2012 15:01:47 GMT -5
Having been in conversation with the Captain for a little while, most of it details about what had gone on when she had arrived at Prescott's hotel room, she barely heard the doors swoosh open. But when she did look, that otherwise cold and serious expression warmed a little, though her heart sank to see him feeling like he had to put on a brave face, no one would have blamed him for being as upset as she knew he was. When he drew nearer, she embraced him, it didn't concern those around them as to why, if they asked, the explaination would be a truthful one.
"The medcenter porters brought him down an hour ago, he's safely aboard one of the fleet ships. They're waiting for us." She informed him carefully, then indicated in the form of a nod to the captain, who began having his men load what little they had left around them onto the shuttle.
As security roused the two Knylenn children, though, they both came bounding over, their usual boeyant selves, and stopped suddenly when they reached the shuttle landing ramp. While Rufus, usually the quieter of the two, said nothing as usual, his eyes said it all. Viqtor, though, he had the guts to simply ask outright. And he did so forthwidth.
"We're leaving without Ty...oww!" His little exclaimation turned into something else when his younger brother punched him hard in the upper arm and shook his head petulently in warning.
Before this turned into anything akin to a scuffle Khari interjected.
"Without Anara, yes...she has to stay here for a little while, Senators can be very busy people." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Faust averting his gaze, perhaps worried he wouldn't have been able to keep the urge to utter some sort of sarcasm, or at least looked like he would have done so, to himself. Khari wouldn't have slighted him for it, but it lent much in the way of professionalism to him that he didn't.
"Get onboard, we're taking another small trip." That seemed to do the trick, and both boys headed up the ramp.
Now somewhat alone, she reached for Tress' hand, taking ahold of it and tugging on his arm gently. Though the way he looked now, taking a simple step would have seemed like a burdoning effort, seeing him like this hurt her in ways she didn't think were possible. Her life up until the point she had encountered him had seemed complicated before, but it was really monotonous. That life she knew had never been a full one, and she was experiencing things now that she didn't know actually existed outside of the holomovies. Love had never been out of the question, she simply thought, like most high born Kuati, that it wasn't necessary. It was an ideal that happened to other people. Hadn't she been the fool?
"I asked they plot a course to Anaxes," She told him quietly, "They think I'm doing you a small favour and dropping you off...under the circumstances. I'll think up some other reason for my staying. Don't concern yourself with that, not now."
Ideally she would have liked to have visited under more happy circumstances, but this wasn't an option left open to them now.
It would have been a lie to say she wasn't nervous, she was, but that took a back seat to the rest of what she felt.
Walking towards the landing ramp, she was tense, wondering just what she had left behind her before. Prescott had spoken of revenge, and part of her believed him. The rest? Well, his kind all made threats as standard, didn't they? And it wasn't as if she'd gone through life without being threatened before. She should have been an old hand at this - ironic, considering she was the mere age of 30.
There wasn't much sense in worrying Tress with it now. She could tell him everything when they were more settled, and he wasn't reeling from the events of the day. But Anara didn't need to know where they were going. This was one instance when blood was definitely not thicker than water.
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Post by tress on Jan 14, 2012 18:00:44 GMT -5
The hug came natural to him, and coming from Khari it was what he needed. She wasn't asking just giving some comfort and show of support if not love in that embrace. It was one returned as it always was without thought.
With news of the body already there and gone to the fleet he relaxed, he didn't know if he could be around it. As it was he didn't want any condolences for his lose, just wanted to be left alone with Khari and for some strange reason the kids. "Lets go then, if your ready. "
He offered a small smile and ruffled the boys hair and waved them into the waiting shuttle. He watched them run ahead as he waited with Khari. Whens he reached for his hand he squeezed hers in response and brought it up to his lips to kiss.
"Thank you for everything. You've been a big help ...just i feel sort of lost at the moment, but when we get there I'd like to talk to you and Urai." he told her as they followed the kids into the shuttle. There would be things they needed to talk about, not just about them but their future.
When she looked like she wanted to ask for more, he just squeezed her hand again. "It will hold there is no rush. Lets go introduce you to my family and tell them the news of ...us."
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Post by kharivestra on Jan 14, 2012 19:09:31 GMT -5
That kiss, a small token, was all the confirmation she needed to know he was still here with her, lost on the one hand, but definitely not about to do something stupid in terms of revenge. She couldn't even think of a reason why she thought she could have given him that, when she had gone to see Prescott. But it had been sorely tempting to just take up that blaster and blow a hole in the man's skull. That would do more harm than good, to the both of them. She'd gotten away with much more than the average person could, this far, it didn't bode well for her if she took a step too many.
Just as well they were leaving, then.
"Urai?" She asked, now that had piqued her interest enough to stall her at the top of the ramp. Her other hand resting on her hip, she frowned suspiciously - he hadn't mentioned the old avian since not long after the disaster at KDY...and the mess he'd helped her clean up there.
"...alright, then I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." It was silly to talk about it in a fairly public space, and she wouldnt have expected a full explaination. It didn't mean that she didn't feel some sort of hesitation though, retribution was coming; the question was, was it coming before or after that which Prescott said he'd attempt to foist on her?
Perhaps she should have told Tress what she'd done, or rather what she'd gone to do. The Kuati couldn't even work out why it made her feel that bad, she hadn't done anything wrong.
"There's something I wanted to talk to you about too, but it can wait, at least until we reach the fleet." So what was this then, off loading her guilt? No, now just wasn't the time.
Now that was going to be an interesting conversation and stars was she nervous about it. That thought highly amused her on a totally different level, the fact that she was nervous about anything, much more what people would actually think of her. It wasn't something that had ever mattered before, outside of the business deal.
"How do you think they're going to take that news...on top of everything?" For one thing, they hadn't even known about her before their sly marriage, they probably thought Tress was still on Obroa Skai, persuing whatever he was there for.
Inside the shuttle she settled in her seat, thankful for small mercies that Anara wouldn't be joining them this time. No most awkward shuttle trip ever...but on the other hand, no Tyber either, and that made her feel bad on it's own. She felt partly responsible for her mother's uncaring attitude, wondered if the woman would actually regret how she'd acted when the news reached her ears. It seemed cruel, but Khari wished she did feel bad...it could be seen as partially her fault, had she known about the feud between Prescott and the Zann's? The old woman hadn't ever mentioned Tyber to her, her own daughter, nothing was beyond her.
"They're going to hate me aren't they?" She said, going back to her earlier train of thought, and all those nuances she was going to miss, each one flying way over her head.
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