What Rivals Look Like

[Squee]

"A transfer? I mean no disrespect, Miss Vinceret, but I've only ever lived on one other planet before." Tesa knew the face of ambition as she knew every scar on her body. Valerin Reneske’s deep set blue eyes were crystalline, hard with lines of determination. She wanted Tesa's position. She wholly wanted her desk, her pen, her signature. She was looking for one mistake, one flaw, to exploit. Tesa was almost certain of the beginnings of a mutiny with Valerin at the head.

“You will learn.” Tesa smiled. Valerin would need a little back patting before agreeing to do as she was asked. "You have done so much since one of our primary manufacturers met misfortune with the Sith. You managed our new restrictions expertly. EpitoMachine has locations on Wroonia and Corellia in need your talents."

“Oh.” Mention of the two most beautiful planets made those crystal eyes glint delightedly. “Thank you, Miss Vinceret. I will consider this transfer as high praise, in this case.” She thinks her transfer will go smoothly. That she will be able to overtake in one grand display of authority. How little you know. Corellia was a larger facility, the primary headquarters, far more the Republican patriot, with its own customs, laws, co-managed, with one current manager loyal to Tesa’s ownership. Valerin would be an outlander and bound a prisoner to her location and position.

“Please research those two locations and let me know which you decide. I will arrange your passage. Will you make a decision by next week?"

"Yes."

"Good." Tesa quickly entered Valerin’s response into the computer with swift fingers. “Please see my secretary regarding the necessary agreements and sign accordingly.” And by next week, I can deal with your lackeys.

The door opened suddenly, and Tesa looked up as said Wroonian secretary as her entered the office. Typically he used the comm system and never entered during a meeting. “Miss Vinceret,” he said, his tone apologetic. Although Gael’s posture remained high, the way he gripped at his fingers belied his nervousness. “Ma’am, we have a surprise visitor, one Jedi working with-“

He promptly silenced when Tesa lifted her hand. “You’re excused Ms. Reneske.” After the manager’s departure, she offered Gael to continue.

With a small cough in his throat, he did. “One Jedi working with and on behalf of the Republic military. He has some lingering questions pertaining to the fallen workshop a year prior. He is not on the schedule, but he insists imperative importance.”

“Very well. Please escort him here.”

“As you wish.”

As Gael turned smoothly on his heel, Tesa rose from her chair. Closing her eyes, she pressed her finger tips into the desk as she concentrated. The feel of each Force endowed person passed through her, until she found the calm, collected resonance of a Jedi.

Sighing gently, Tesa scooped one side of her sleek dress as she advanced on the small liquor table. There was no point hiding her presence. A Jedi would be able to feel the Force stirring. She was poor at such an act anyway, and hopefully the Jedi would simply believe her presence was merely poisoned by moral corruption.

Splashing a very red wine into a crystal glass, Tesa moved a bowl of strawberries to the knee-high table between two comfortable leather chairs. Plucking up the remote, she pressed a button to lighten the tint of the eastern windows, allowing the northern setting sun’s amber glow bask the room. Sipping from her glass, Tesa casually angled the seats a little toward the window.

Tesa was walking to her desk when the door behind her announced the Jedi visitor with a soft hush. “Welcome to EpitoMachine, Master Jedi,” she said as she searched for a datapad to use. “I am the owner, Tesa Vinceret.” She looked up, smiling, and then froze entirely, her body made of stone.

“Oh… Well… Frack. Um... would you... care for a strawberry?”

[DreadPirateMike]

Taris had been good for him.

Well, no. Taris had been utterly wretched. But it HAD been instructive. Prior to that seemingly endless, merciless struggle in the equally endless and merciless swamp, he had consistently found himself somewhat restless. He'd done his duty time and again, yet all the while, he'd read report after report about the inexorable advance of the Sith war machine while he fought it at the fringes of its power. It wasn't particularly in keeping with Jedi teachings, but being the man he was, he'd longed to hurl himself headlong against it, to unleash the entirety of what his long years of diligent training had achieved. Just once.

He had. He'd faced the enemy unflinchingly, he'd fought as he always knew he could, and by day's end, it was hard to tell if it had made any difference. Many Sith had fallen to his blades, true, but Taris had been lost all the same. He couldn't say that outcome was really a surprise, for he'd always known that realistically, given the vast forces at work, a single Knight could accomplish only so much. But to actually be confronted with the reality of his own limitations was...well, he'd have expected it to be discouraging, but that wasn't what he'd come away feeling once he'd finally had the opportunity to meditate on the experience. He felt centered, as though he'd lost sight of his place and his purpose amidst all the chaos, and it had taken more chaos still to remind him of it.

He was simply a man looking to help where he could, with whatever unique tools he had at his disposal. Soon enough, that would no doubt mean more great battles, but in the meantime, he was receptive to any such opportunity that was presented to him. And in this particular case, he hadn't needed to go out in search of a mission. He'd simply returned to Empress Teta, and the security review that had resulted in his first run in with Darth Novus. If he'd been able to prevent her escape on that occasion, now THAT would have altered events in no small sense, but he could be content with this. The investigation had evolved in his absence.

The unique nature of EpitoMachine's flying factory, and the violence of its destruction had made the gathering of physical evidence problematic, but in this information age, very little was ever truly gone beyond recall. Recent investigation had turned up a few puzzling irregularities with the last recorded login. After all this time, any trail was likely long since cold, but if the company records could shed any light on what had happened, they might at least be able to close a few back doors currently open to Sith infiltrators.

At the secretary's nod that the CEO could see him now, Jaidan rose from his seat, taking a moment to enjoy the play of his soft robes against the skin. Perhaps that was part of why he'd felt so oddly content of late. Even weeks later, the novelty of feeling clean and dry still hadn't entirely worn off. It was well that he was therefore smiling as he stepped into the spacious office. The unexpected face he found himself looking at ensured that surprise momentarily froze his expression in place.

“Oh… Well… Frack. Um... would you... care for a strawberry?”

He didn't bother trying to force a reply immediately. And when he did break the silence, only after it had dragged on into the realm of awkwardness, it was only after turning his head to address the Wroonian.

"Thank you, Ms. Degano. I'll not keep you further. You should return to your duties."

"I should return to my duties." the woman replied somewhat vacantly before turning to walk off. The Mind Trick was not part of Jaidan's usual repertoire, as he tended to find it distasteful even when he was certain it would work. This, however, was a special case, and he could already sense the assistant's desperation to remove herself from what whatever awkwardness she'd found herself in the middle of. Only after the door had shut behind her and Gael Degano had moved out of immediate earshot did he re-focus his attention on Tesa.

"If they're fresh...and if you'll join me, I will gratefully accept your hospitality. I don't believe we've ever had what could realistically be called a real conversation."

[Squee]

Taut as a stretched spring, Tesa watched Jaidan's face as he considered her proposition. Poor Gael stood awkwardly to one side just behind Jaidan, looking torn and confused. When she caught his eye, he soundlessly mouthed her a question: Do you need help?

Tesa stiffly shook her head, and that's when Jaidan addressed the male secretary, words laced with a persuasiveness only the Force could provide. Tesa felt violated - a Jedi subjecting her secretary to his will was uncalled for and inexcusable. Despite that, she smirked as Jaidan applied a female pronoun to Gael.

The half smile remained as Jaidan conceded to her hospitality. With an attitude of pleasantly, she said, "Good then. We will have a real conversation. Have a seat and help yourself. Enjoy the sunset."

Tesa found movement again as she lifted her wineglass and drank deeply. Swallowing and whispering a sigh, Tesa thought of every escape she had ever planned for bad situations. Except she had actually never planned for the Jedi to already know her, and thus never planned to escape from Jedi. If this was a Sith owned business, maybe. But this was the Republic. Escaping from Jaidan would be regarded with suspicion, and more might be uncovered than Tesa desired.

Another swill of her wine and Tesa resigned to her situation. By walking into her office, Jaidan had already captured her. Grand theatrics were now foolhardy and she had to be careful not to severely underestimate him.

"I hope you intend to apologize to my secretary. His bosom is shapely, but only because he enjoys exercising. It's a point of pride than a matter of biology." Tesa grinned. "I've never heard someone mistake Gael for a woman until today."

Tesa stepped up to the liquor table and refilled her glass. It struck her that, however unfavorable, perhaps the end to this evening did not have to be completely disastrous. "Can I interest you in a drink? I have a small collection here of wines and scotches. Or good, old fashioned water."

After catering to his preference, Tesa swept up her dress out of the way as she sat down. She had a plan. It required preparation and patience, but a plan nonetheless.

"Gael said you had questions," she said. Picking up a strawberry and twisting it, Tesa crossed her legs and leaned slightly in Jaidan's direction. "How can I help?"