Ziost - Crown of the Sith Empire

Shelzais slid into a booth at an upscale waterfront bistro, brushing a small speck of dust off her black satin glove. She was dressed in a sleek and casual sleeveless dark jumpsuit under a tailored jacket, a black velvet scarf dotted with glittering jet beads tossed around her neck. Quite a meek and unobtrusive look for her, but then she'd been on some business in New Adasta that required at least moderate anonymity.

She ordered a glass of wine whilst waiting for her dinner date. Act natural, right?

A woman slid into the booth smoothly she looked at her comm device briefly and then sat it down, “I hope you don’t mind if we get straight to business?”

Shelzais raised a brow ridge--and her glass--in greeting. "Not at all, my dear. As long as you don't mind if I partake."

“Please partake,” she offered.

“I represent a consortium that would like to hire your pleasure barge for a social gathering. What are your prices for a single evening?”

"That depends on the numbers, and the nature of the gathering." Shelzy smiled and sipped her wine. "I'm not some sort of hired event planner... and I have a reputation to maintain." Setting the glass down with a gentle clink, she added with a purring laugh, "For example, if your gathering sounds too dull, I might have to append a surcharge."

"Four thousand credits," she said calmly.

"Let's say five thou. And I can provide entertainment." Shelzais smirked over the rim of her glass. "I don't know you, after all. Yet."

It wasn't that she needed the money, much, but if you don't negotiate, nobody will respect you was an axiom Shel had learned applied equally as well up in high society, out on the Rim, and down in the underworld. One of the few truly egalitarian facts in the galaxy, really.

OOC: Negotiation check at 3 red.

Shel was moderately charming, as usual. The Force whispered promises of deeper vulnerabilities in this woman's spirit, weaknesses she could push to extract deeper concessions, but she turned away. This was just a simple little business deal. There was no need to be all... extra.

D4 ME--Negotiation check at 3 red. Influence; Congenial (for 1 strain) downgrades 1x: 1eP+3eA+2eF+2eC+1eD 1 success, 1 advantage, 3 Dark Side


Not using the Force pips. Tailored Jacket adds 1 Advantage to successful roll, so 1 sux+2 adv total. Advantages to create a positive impression?

"We can agree to those terms," she offered and tapped at her datapad.

Shelzais favored the woman with a warm smile. "How wonderful. When is your gathering, exactly?"

"Tomorrow night," she said calmly.

That suited Shelzais fine; she had nothing planned yet for tomorrow evening, and it spared her the trouble of having to actually plan ahead and be responsible and remember dates, all of which were best avoided when possible.

"Perfect. And..." she laughed, suddenly realizing something, "what shall I call you, and your group, my dear? I do like to know whom I'm inviting aboard. Usually."

"Reserve it under the name, Clever Man," she said.

"You're not a man," Shelzais commented, raising an eyebrow as she slipped her commlink out of her jacket pocket and tapped in a code.

"Is that an issue?" she replied not looking up from her datapad.

"Not at all. Just curious," Shel said pleasantly, then lifted her commlink to speak into it. "B9, make a note. Hosting the Clever Man and his friends tomorrow evening. Let's see if Leeba and her band have the evening free."

She clicked the commlink off. "What an interesting coincidence, actually. My little starship was named by a... friend... of mine, the Clever Girl. Perhaps we were meant to meet, the Clever Girl and the Clever Man? If one believes in all that stuff." The lightly dismissive wave of her hand as she reaches for her wineglass suggests some skepticism on her part.

She rose and said, "The money will be transferred at the conclusion of the event."

“Acceptable. See you tomorrow night, then, darling.” Shel leaned back in her seat with a nod and wave of farewell. She had no need to be rushing off, after all.