Private Before The Night is Over | Senate Glam Squad & Guests

[Verity Stuyveris]

THE ECLIPTIC CLUB
THEED - SENATE DISTRICT
2249 HOURS LOCAL​

Verity had suggested the Blue Hour.

It was quieter, more elegant, with music low enough to allow conversation and loud enough not to allow eavesdropping. The cocktails were excellent, and food, but the atmosphere was discreet enough that one could still do business in case they decided to do an impromptu legislative workshop. Verity even had her datapad in the stylish sparkly clutch that matched the midnight of her dress, just in case the mood struck.

Verity had been roundly overruled -- probably to prevent any possibility of an ad hoc legislative workshop -- and instead, the trio (referred to by some as the Senate Glam Squad and others as Dominique's Angels) were pulling up to the Ecliptic Club instead. Still upscale, still secure, the Ecliptic Club was much more identifiably nightlife. She could hear the thumping of the bass from here. It shook the glass of the towncar speeder they shared.

The nightclub was just this side of the border of Theed's Senate district, and it occupied the upper levels of an older observatory theater build during one of Naboo's more self-important architectural periods that scholars pompously called late romantic. Its original dual purpose was scientific and ceremonial: a domed hall for stellar observations, planetary alignments, lectures, orchestral performances, and extremely expensive receptions.

Now it was one of Theed's most exclusive after-hours venues. It was a place where Senators could mingle with their colleagues, well-heeled military officers out on the town, the wild children of the Great Houses aristocracy, wealthy patrons, the artistic set. An eclectic melting pot unified by month, proximity to power, alcohol, and a faint -- and theoretically reversible -- sense of tinnitus by the end of the night.

The aesthetic was peak Naboo celestial decadence, featuring dark polished stone, bronze-gold inlay, blue-black walls, star-map ceilings, water light reflected through tall arched windows, and a slowly turning mechanical orrery suspended over the central dance floor. And of course there were bars and booths and dark corners for doing dark deeds. Just because Senators attended didn't mean it was any less a nightclub, after all.

The car finally arrived to the entrance and the doorman opened the doors. Verity was first out, and she discreetly smoothed her dark blue coat before mounting the short staircase toward the entrance, bypassing the queue behind the velvet ropes to speak to the doorman directly. "Stuyveris, Pallopides, and Vexx," she said, glancing over her shoulder as the others should be emerging from the rear of the car. "Yes, that Vexx. My office called ahead."

"Of course, Senator," said the doorman. "This way."

Once inside, Verity shucked her coat and handed it to the coat-check staff, revealing a beautiful midnight dress, replete with subtle gold detailing. It was off one shoulder, with a sheer panel down the opposite arm, and slit to the thigh, which was rather daring for her, though of course it paled in comparison to anything Ayumi could sport. Verity's golden hair was pinned into an elegant twist.

When the others had made it in and handed over their coats, Verity turned to them. "Now -- drinks first, or dancing? We've got bottle service and a booth so we have somewhere to sit if we get tired."

Dominique Vexx | Ayumi Pallopides

​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Verity Stuyveris Dominique Vexx

Ayumi was impressed, Verity had pulled out all of the stops for this and she had a grin as she stepped out of the speeder. Taking in Verity with her beautiful looks and she waited for a moment before taking a look at more of the people around them and walked with Verity. She entered the Naboo dance club alongside her fellow senators, her tall six-foot-two frame easily navigating the crowded perimeter of the dance floor. She carried herself with athletic poise, her lean frame grounded at one hundred and thirty pounds. Her straight dark-honey hair fell in silken lengths past her waist, with natural strands of gold catching the ambient lavender and blue hues of the club's luminous fixtures.

Her deep honey eyes, flecked with amber, scanned the room with a practiced, observant gaze. The club's climate control maintained a comfortable temperature, revealing her lightly bronzed, sun-warmed copper skin beneath the dim lights. A small, pale nick below her lower lip remained a quiet feature of her face, a slight detail that added depth to her otherwise composed features. She settled near the private senator's alcove, ready for the evening ahead. Her attire struck a balance between formal senatorial expectations and practical readiness, featuring an elegant white cropped jacket with a high, stiff collared neckline that encircled her throat.

The jacket remained unbuttoned, revealing a matching white bandeau top underneath, a simple, pure white staple that paired with the cropped cut to expose her toned midriff. To compliment the clean white fabric, she wore metallic silver gauntlets that extended from her wrists to mid-forearm. The contrast between the smooth white material and the hard, reflective metal offered a polished, purposeful aesthetic. Held firmly in her right hand was a black blaster pistol, a familiar weight she did not bother to conceal. The weapon's matte finish blended with the shadowed corners of the venue. She held it with casual competence, treating it as a standard accessory rather than a deterrent.

The combination of neutral whites and hard silver created a sharp, focused look well-suited for the Naboo nightlife. The lower portion of her dance club ensemble consisted of fitted white trousers made from a durable yet flexible fabric, tailored to accommodate her tall stature while maintaining a sharp silhouette against the club's atmospheric lights. A black belt with a sleek, rectangular silver buckle cinched her waist, neatly separating the upper and lower halves of her outfit. A second black blaster pistol rested in a holster on her left thigh, balancing the weapon she kept in her right hand and completing her tactical aesthetic.

Despite the opulence of the Naboo venue, with its sweeping arches and delicate ambient lights, she moved with a grounded, steady pace. She kept her posture relaxed yet alert, mixing the social grace required of a senator with the physical habits of someone who frequently traveled beyond the safe corridors of Coruscant. Her attire allowed her to mingle easily with her colleagues while keeping her essential gear accessible. She was looking at Verity's beauty and there was Dominique who would be here. She was grinning to herself though as she walked. "This place is beautiful Verity, wonderful choice." She extended her arms with a wider grin on her face seeing all of the people.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

As a special occasion, Dominique did not wear the uniform-like attire customary of the current Chancellor of the High Republic. Which was far from an arduous burden. If anything it was a welcome reprieve from the constant showmanship necessary to keep others from thinking their humble realm ripe for plundering -- more than was customary. Nevertheless, her hair was pulled up and yet flowing about her shoulders as usual, and the lilac glareshades hadn't vanished. Some facets of her appearance couldn't be sacrificed for the job, and went well with a thriving night life.

Verity got out first to make sure the arrangements were in place. A thoughtful gesture that would help prevent a media circus forming with cameras and questions that would prevent Dominique from joining them. Soon enough, Ayumi slipped from the vehicle followed by Dominique. The white jacket draped about her shoulders was only present to avoid drawing attention, which ordinarily she wouldn't have minded; but, again, there was a thing as too much attention.

As Dominique slipped into the night air, she rose from the speeder and began to ascend the stairs. Murmurs of a few that'd noticed her rose, but she didn't pause or wave in turn. She kept her attention focused ahead, and her steps fluid one after the other. Any dithering would only invite more attention and -- again -- trouble. Fortunately, this was Naboo and not Denon, however; less chance of a flash mob trying to swarm her position just because a few noticed.

She slowly shrugged the jacket free into the waiting grasp of the Club staff. Free of her body, Dominique could be seen wearing an equally pale dress that hugged her body's figure. One whose length, contours, and trim were accentuated by fine lines of radiant light. Color slowly washed through the lines of her attire; bright enough to see, but not so garish as to blind and keep one from admiring her physique. A supple cloth material that could whisk heat and moisture alike away for the night's activities. Knee-high, high-heel boots adorned the Denonite's feet, which allowed her to glide across the floor with ease.

"Dancing. I want to see what you're capable of before liquid courage." A smirk pulled at her lightly painted lips.

Verity Stuyveris | Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity cut her gaze to Dominique, but the faux chill in it was cut by the reluctant smirk on her lips -- lips that were, perhaps uncharacteristically, a shiny darker pink. Her eyes were done up in an indigo that both flattered the house in her eyes and the dark blue in her dress. "I feel like I'm back at university," she confessed to the other two women. "Except my standards in men have come up since then."

Verity made a quick stop at the table to drop off her purse under the watchful eyes of the bouncer and then bee-lined for the dance floor, exhibiting an enthusiasm that felt unnatural for the late hour. If Verity hasn't already resigned herself to the next day being absolutely miserable she might have demurred.

Instead she danced.

Blessed as she was to be tall and lithe and still young enough to make good use of her joints it wasn't as bad as it could have been the senator was graceful to a point, though her movements were much more controlled than a nightclub might ordinarily see. But she made an admirable showing for her first time on a nightclub dance floor for the better part of a decade. Hips were swung, arms were raisedz and a delicate golden tendril came loose of her pinned updo in the most aesthetic way possible.

All too soon the song ended.

Something a little more atmospheric came over the speakers then and Verity stretched out her arms to beckon at the Chancellor and the other Senator with her fingers. "Come on, ladies," she chided them playfully. "This isn't a solo act. Let's blow them away."

Dominique Vexx Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Dominique Vexx Verity Stuyveris

The bass was a physical presence, a steady thrum that vibrated up through the soles of her shoes and settled deep in her chest. The dance floor was a sea of movement, a packed throng of women moving in their own orbits, a kaleidoscope of flashing lights catching on bare shoulders and bright smiles. She found a pocket of space, just enough room to move, and let the rhythm take over. Her body fell into the beat, a simple sway that quickly built into a more defined rhythm, her hips tracing the pulse of the track. It was easy to lose herself in the anonymity of the crowd, to just be another body driven by the music, a sharp and thrilling sensation that was both freeing and grounding.

She knew how to move in a space like this, to be present in her own skin, letting the energy of the room fuel her own. She let the smile cross her face as the bass line dipped and rose again. It was in a brief flicker of a strobe that she saw them, a flash of recognition that cut through the neon haze. She had to blink, a double-take that was swallowed by the frantic pace of the track. For a moment, she was sure she was mistaken. Her gaze locked on a figure who was moving with a loose and relaxed energy she'd never seen from her before, her movements a far cry from the careful, measured steps of their usual world.

She looked at Dominique, who was standing nearby, her own smile a knowing, dazzling thing. She had to lean in, her voice low against the wall of sound, "Dominique, who is this woman and what has she done with Verity?" The question was an astonished exclamation, a private joke that she couldn't hold back. But the surprise was not a damper; it was a spark. A new current of excitement, sharp and immediate, cut through the sensory overload. She began to move, her feet carrying her across the floor as the song shifted into a slightly faster tempo, the beat gaining a new, insistent urgency. She found her place on the dance floor, a small space that felt like it belonged to her.

Her feet found the rhythm again, and she let the movement flow through her, a series of turns and steps that were both instinctive and precise. The initial surprise of seeing Verity transformed into a thrill, a new energy that made the air feel electric. It wasn't just about moving anymore; it was about joining in, about being part of this unexpected, shared moment. She let her smile widen as she found her own rhythm again, her arms lifting above her head as she moved through the steps. She was enjoying it and this was what you did on Theed to best enjoy yourself... she would have to have Megera put chances for it into her schedule.

 

[Dominique Vexx]

With a slow exhale, Dominique reached up and lifted her glareshades from her nose. Set carefully down on the table, she turned to watch Verity expeditiously make her way to the floor. Bright golden eyes followed the woman's movements as the Denonite strode closer until she was along side Ayumi.

Slowly she tilted her head and watched Verity do her best to fit in. A sharp nail tapped Dominique's midnight-sea blue lips that gave off a faint glow bathed in the club lighting. Makeup that normally softened and lightened outside accentuated the contours of her cheeks and contrasted with her bright eyes. Perhaps people would think her eyes capturing and reflecting the light, or a neon contact lens for effect. Whatever graced their minds, Dominique knew this was the scene she felt most comfortable relieving herself of the shades that made her gaze... comfortable for others. Sometimes she wagered there were Sith Lords that would kill for eyes like hers. Too bad they were already taken.

Her smile broadened with Ayumi's exclamation. Dominique looked over at her friend and planetary sister.

Verity hadn't taken extreme measures to get on the floor. Looked like it was going to be a hell of a night.

Dominique's high-heels began to cross the floor without hesitation or haste. She reached up to gently rolled her fingers along a shoulder of a dancer that nearly Bogarted their way into her path. Only a little pressure was needed to redirect their energy away and allow her to glided toward the two women ahead.

She took a few steps around them, her eyes taking in their movements, before she stepped in closer and turned to face the crowd. Dominique peered back over her shoulder with a smirk as her hips moved with the music. Her hands fell down and caressed the air in the shape of her leg before her shoulders rolled toward them. This wasn't an exotic dance, but that didn't mean Dominique couldn't mime being... comfortable with her cohorts.

This was altogether tame by comparison to some clubs she'd observed on Denon. Those weren't high-end establishments. Sibylla Abrantes had seen the sort.

Ayumi Pallopides | Verity Stuyveris​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

"I have been known to cut a rug," Verity told Ayumi wryly.

Verity just barely avoided catastrophe by stopping herself from adding in my day. And she was fairly certain that people didn't say cut a rug anymore, either, and likely hadn't done for some years. Damn, she really was turning into her mother. Perhaps she needed this club outing more than she had been prepared to admit.

Then something remarkable happened. The Chancellor's glasses came off. She couldn't remember seeing Dominique without them and her eyes were quite something. "Be honest," she told the two other women as she dropped into a bouncy two-step to the beat of the electronic music, adding a bit of snapping as she got into the rhythm. "This is child's play compared to the nightlife on Denon, isn't it? It seems like everything on Denon is bigger, better, brighter. I ought to see it for myself."

The beat changed and so did Verity's movements. She slipped elegantly into a sort of modern Charleston, legs shifting forward and backward.

"You're both welcome to Druckenwell, too, of course," Verity added as she shook and shimmied. "I worry you might find it rather quaint, though. You know, we should do something fun tonight. We could set fire to a bag of dog doo and put it on Veruna's porch. Or set his speeder on fire. Or set his house on fire. What do you think?"

This, more than dancing, seemed to get the Senator's pulse pumping.

"We'd have to be sure no one important was there," she added, her mind going to Sibylla Abrantes . She was a conscientious Voice, but perhaps it strained credulity that dedication would have her there at this hour, which made it the ideal time to commit arson.

Dominique Vexx | Ayumi Pallopides | Aurelian Veruna
​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Verity Stuyveris Dominique Vexx

The bass shifted, a deeper register that rolled through the floor and up into her bones, and Ayumi let it adjust her movement. Her shoulders dropped, her spine curved into a slow, rolling wave that traveled down through her hips and into her knees. The space around her had tightened as she motioned a few more women to come and press in, but she found the compression comfortable, the warmth of bodies in motion a familiar feeling. Her arms lifted, fingers trailing through the air as if she were tracing the shape of the music itself, and she turned in a slow circle that brought Dominique's figure into her peripheral vision.

The Chancellor moved with an ease that seemed to part the dancers without effort, a quiet authority that had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with presence. She watched Dominique's hips find the rhythm, watched the way her hands shaped the air around her own form, and felt a grin spread across her face. The woman was enjoying herself, truly enjoying, and that was a sight worth savoring. Verity had settled into a movement that was both unexpected and oddly perfect, her legs moving with a precision that spoke to years of practice. Ayumi laughed, a bright sound that was swallowed by the bass, and shifted her own movements to complement the two women.

Her feet found a moving pattern that echoed Verity's, though she added a turn that brought her closer to Dominique. She let her hand brush briefly against Dominique's shoulder as she passed, a fleeting moment of contact. The shift in tempo caught her mid-step, and she adapted, her body finding the new pulse without hesitation. Her head tipped back, hair falling away from her shoulders, and she let the beat guide her through a series of movements that were both technical and instinctive. She heard Verity's question about Denon and laughed again, this time with a shake of her head. "I think you'd find it overwhelming but in the best way." she called back, her voice raised to carry over the music.

"The clubs there are designed to attract the galaxy, all flashing lights and levels and bass that you can feel in your teeth as the women dance. But you'd love it. You'd find your enjoyment there too." She dropped into a low squat, then rose again in a fluid motion, her arms tracing upward as she stood. The mention of Veruna made her laugh, a startled sound that was half surprise and half delight. "I think setting his speeder on fire would be a waste. Like the military officers taught me. It is always easier to pick up women in a tank. So to is it much easier to pick up Naboo woman in the kings speeder." she said, her tone carrying a mock-seriousness that was belied by the grin on her face.

"The man would probably find a new way to stare at everyone disappointingly and then he'd have an excuse to buy a sleeker model." She stepped closer to Verity, her movements falling into a looser, more conversational rhythm as she spoke. "But his porch? That has potential." She spun away, then back, her expression bright and warm. Her movements shifted again, slower this time, as the music eased into a more measured tempo. She let her arms fall, her hands finding her hips as she swayed, her attention moving between the two women. "But perhaps we are too civilized for actual arson. We have all this beauty around us."

She said, her voice carrying a note of playful regret. "Perhaps we settle for dancing until their feet ache and then finding a place to relax." She let her gaze linger on Dominique, then on Verity, and felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the press of bodies around them. Ayumi allowed the force to sing around and throughout her body when she laughed to herself though and slid arms along the three woman who were around her. She could see Verity and Dominique though. "Though, if his mother is still alive. Making nice with her would be good, think about it mothers love to share pictures and we could see little baby pictures of him."

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique didn't flinch or withdrawal at Ayumi's brief contact. If the woman's flirtatious side were offensive they would never be around one another as much as they were. She knew the other woman had designs. Or had. Dominique was curious how that fell with Ayumi's recent and more stable relationship being in the picture. In any event, this was a party and physicality was part of the experience -- a certain level of such, anyway.

Verity put forth an idea, which Ayumi quickly responded. Dominique smiled. She slowly twisted her way around to draw up along side the Senator with that smile firmly affixed. "There are two sides to the Nightlife of Denon, Verity. Choose carefully." There was something on the level of this club or more luxurious, and then there was the Cyberpunk subculture with a scene all their own. The idea of finding Verity in the later was about as outrageous as when she'd taken Sibylla through it.

Golden eyes watched then as Verity proposed one outrageous and escalated idea after another. Aurelian was on her mind to that extent was he? Little early for the woman to claim being drunk enough to suggest arson. Her gaze swam over toward Ayumi as she bought in to the premise, however. She put quite a bit of thought in deciding which of the proposals to favor at that. Only to end up with an idea of her own.

"We can do anything we want, ladies, but that all depends on the reason for having done it." Dominique's attention turned pointedly back to Verity for that answer. Something was responsible for this even being a topic for discussion. What should be done should be proportional to whatever the trigger was, no? And by proportional that didn't necessitate it being equal in any way. Two, ten, or a hundred-times worse was a proportion.

Verity Stuyveris | Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

LOCATION

THE ECLIPTIC CLUB

VIP DANCE FLOOR

AN UNGODLY HOUR

♫ PLACE YOUR BETS ON ME — THE RU-B4S

x

x

"No," Verity agreed, nodding seriously at Ayumi after her colleague suggested arson was not the move this evening. "You're right. We shouldn't burn his house down. I was joking!"

She had not been joking, but they were in a public environment, and on the off chance anyone had been recording over the thumping bass and whatever other kind of music sounds were going on. Verity was a lawyer and a senator, not a musician. She kept dancing, bopping along with the beat. "But for the purposes of the bit," she announced. "My reasons are unimpeachable: he is -- and this is a medical term -- an appalling little alleged man struggling to compensate for the fact that any one of the three of us could literally squash him like the loathsome little insect he is and Naboo would replace him with someone taller and handsomer before bloody breakfast."

Verity reached up to smooth her hair back, though it wasn't necessary, because she still looked flawless, obviously.

"I say we go to Denon. Not tonight, obviously, can you imagine? But soon!" Verity slid to the left, slid to the right, raised the roof, etc. "Let's leave the planning to Ayumi," she called over the booming music, laughing. "I'd probably choose something dull, like a hotel bar or a library. You do have libraries on Denon, right?"

x

x

WITH

Dominique Vexx • Ayumi Pallopides • Aurelian Veruna

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Dominique Vexx Verity Stuyveris

Ayumi looked at Verity as she talked about Naboo replacing Aurelion with some one taller and... "Does it have to be a man? Think of it, instead of an edge noble lord we can have a queen." She said it with a grin though as she was there and she moved a little more. The mention of going to Denon had some interest and she looked at Dominique for a moment with a nod but no need to talk about it for the moment. "We have grand libraries in the new education district. five hundred district levels of university, schools, libraries and trade schools thaat are able to educate the masses of Denon and we take in students from across the galaxy with our size." Ayumi continued to move though and the estates gate was something Dominique and Vespera knew only. Her dancing with the others moving to the music. "BUt when we get the chance to bring you there. I'll show you around there is more being built daily and even more to show. It is all very impressive and better to impress the people who come. Waterboarding on the new beaches is enjoyable."

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique smirked as Verity recounted the ways she loathed Aurelian. Man had a way of making an impression on people. Interesting to see he'd made a poor one with Verity. Aside from that 'incident' in the Chamber about riling people in opposition to one of her proposals. That'd been some time ago by now... but time did not heal all wounds, as they said.

Though with the reason given, it was hard to argue they shouldn't set fire to Aurelian's possessions. Well, public relations nightmare aside and trivial legal matters, of course.

Before Dominique could chime in, Ayumi brought up it need not be a man that replaced Aurelian. Of course, Ayumi had a different reason than her lilac-sporting companion for the suggestion. "In fact, its Voice would easily win the day." Sibylla Abrantes would likely not appreciate the turn, however. It'd cut into her extracurricular activities. Not that it seemed to slow Aurelian down from flirting with disaster across the galaxy.

Verity, naturally, elected Ayumi to plan the next evening out on Denon. Dominique was such an upstanding member of the Corpo community. Far too hoity-toity for clubbing. It was a mistaken impression she didn't try to dispel. The less people knew, the easier it was to surprise them when it mattered most. Besides, Ayumi would know all about the new establishments built in the wake of her programs and incentives back home.

"To say nothing about all the material stored in private Nets," Dominique added concerning the wealth of information available. Not all of it was on the public Net. Certainly none of the truly important research and development work.

A hand ran down the length of Verity's arm from behind as Dominique turned toward the other woman with a smile. "Ever tried synchronized dancing?"

Part of her had been tempted to correct a possible misinterpretation concerning Ayumi's "Waterboarding" remark, but maybe a misunderstanding was the sort of mischief the night warranted.

Ayumi Pallopides | Verity Stuyveris​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity glanced down as Dominique's hand traveled along her arm, then craned her neck to look over her shoulder at the Chancellor. There was a fleeting moment then in which Senator Verity Stuyveris -- responsible legislator, champion of reform, attorney-at-law, person-who-brought-a-datapad-to-a-nightclub-just-in-case -- appeared to consider the implications.

Then she smiled, and looked half a decade younger for it.

"I haven't," she confessed. "But I'm increasingly conscious of how often I've said that this evening. Too often, I think."

The music was shifting again, the bass line settling into something driving and repetitive enough that she suspected Dominique was not suggesting synchronized dancing merely as a theoretical exercise. She turned to face her more fully, one brow lifting.

"How does it work?" she called over the music. "Do I receive instructions, or is this a Denon rite of passage where you simply throw the yokel into deep water and see whether she survives?"

She turned with the music, drawing Ayumi in as well. "And on the subject of deep water, I hope you're talking about a water sport and not actual waterboarding, or I may have to reconsider my visit." She couldn't hold the straight face and laughed despite herself.

It was strange how easy that was becoming as the tension of the glare of public life melted away from her.

Earlier in the evening she had been conscious of herself in a way that she ordinarily associated with cameras: where her hands were, whether the fabric of her dress was hanging wrong, whether the expression of her face could be misread -- or worse, correctly read -- to give insight into her true feelings and thoughts. Somewhere between the first dance, the hypothetical arson spree, and the Denon holiday planning, she had stopped thinking about all that.

Not entirely, because Verity Stuyveris was still Verity Stuyveris, but enough.

"All right," she said to Dominique loudly over the music. "Show us."

Dominique Vexx | Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Verity Stuyveris Dominique Vexx

The dancing as she moved in was important and Dominiques suggestion was important to it... building unity and cohesion among the senators. "Yes it is a sport, just you, the waves, sandy beach and the board as you balance and move with it." Her voice said it with a nod of her head as she backs away but looks at Dominique with a wink and grin. "Your dancing can get us going chancellor but lets kick it off a little fun. I am supposed to be the party girl after all." She says it with a small grin while moving backwards and Ayumi float steps onto the slightly raised stage without looking back. One heel settles near the edge, shoulders squared, posture perfect as she looks toward the other two for a moment niy waits for the song to change a little and the stage to be relented with a smile from the woman behind the stage.

"I don't need some prince from a story, No polished heir with a famous name, Give me a woman who walks through the doorway... Like half the room already knows her name." She takes two measured steps across the stage, then turns sharply on the ball of one foot. The movement begins like ordinary dance, but the finish is unmistakably trained: clean spotting, balanced shoulders, one leg extending behind her before she settles again. "She can come from Corellia, She can come from Chandrila, She can fly an old freighter... With a hyperdrive held together by wire. I don't care if she's proper, I don't care if she's wild, Just give me that look from across the room and let me see that smile." Ayumi backs toward the center of the platform, arms opening loosely before rising into a controlled port de bras. She lets one hand trail overhead, then drops it as the music kicks harder.

"She has to fly, She has to move, She has to know exactly what she wants to do. Give me a woman with stars in her eyes... Who takes one look at caution and leaves it planetside." Ayumi's grin remained there and she was motioning for the other two to come and join her. Dominique's idea was great and perfect while she moved in the outfit and it was rare she got to dance. "She has to laugh, She has to dare, She has to make me wonder how we ended up there. Senate can wait until morning arrives, Tonight I want a woman who was born to fly." On the last word she turns into a fast chain of traveling spins across the narrow stage, stopping precisely at the opposite edge. She catches herself with one foot pointed forward and looks down toward her fellow senator and chancellor as though the difficult sequence had required no effort whatsoever.

"I've heard enough speeches, I've sat through enough votes." She points toward an imaginary senate chamber with exaggerated dignity, folds both hands solemnly in front of herself, and holds the expression for a beat before breaking into a grin. "So tonight there are no committees, No aides whispering in my ear, No budget disputes from the Mid Rim, No delegation waiting here. I want boots on the decking, A jacket tossed on a chair, A woman leaning against the bar like she knows I'm watching her there." Ayumi steps downstage and lowers into a slow plié, knees turning outward before she rises smoothly onto the balls of her feet. The move becomes a playful little bourrée along the lip of the stage, deliberately excessive for a danceclub and she knows it.

"She has to fly, She has to move, She has to know exactly what she wants to do. Give me a woman with stars in her eyes Who takes one look at caution and leaves it planetside. She has to laugh, She has to dare, She has to make me wonder how we ended up there. The senate can wait until morning arrives, Tonight I want a woman who was born to fly." The instrumentation drops back. Ayumi slows with it. One hand settles against her chest while the other extends toward the room, her movements becoming more recognizably balletic now that she has stopped pretending otherwise. "Maybe she's a pilot, Maybe she commands a fleet, Maybe she's a Jedi Who can sweep me off my feet. Maybe she wears silk to dinner and keeps a holdout underneath, Maybe she can quote the Unity Charter and argue every clause just right. Then forget all that decorum and break into my room tonight."

Ayumi was looking at them and had a grin though as she spared a thought for Feng Huang and could see the others with a laugh to herself. "She has to fly, She has to move, She has to make the whole damn galaxy move too. Give me a woman with fire in her eyes, Who sees a locked trajectory and changes it mid-flight. She has to laugh, She has to dare, She has to pull me close like she intended me there. Tomorrow I'll legislate, compromise, and advise But tonight I want a woman, Yes, tonight I want a woman, Tonight I want a woman who was born..." Ayumi launches into a final turn, one leg drawing upward for the rotation before she lands cleanly near the front edge of the stage. She holds the landing, chin lifted, one arm extended toward the club. "to fly."

She stays perfectly still for one beat after the music stops and remains there as she looks at Verity and Dominique. "Or you know something liek that."

 

[Dominique Vexx]

Dominique watched Verity closely with a smile on her lips, and a glow to her eyes. It was good to see the energy blossom in the Senator. Life was full of demands and responsibility. It'd crush a person if they let it. So why not celebrate when someone in danger of bearing that weight longer than they should took a moment to simply be?

"The first time is always the best," she replied sweetly and with a smirk. Not necessarily in technique, but in audacity and adrenaline -- if you surrendered to the moment.

Verity seemed inclined for something saucy, but Ayumi felt like putting on a show. Dominique's fine brows lifted as her eyes slid to the side to regard the other woman abandoned by the 'party girl' to her stage. A broad smile and a meaningful look should convey a patient sufferance and great expectation for someone putting them out in front like that. Doubtful Ayumi would disappoint.

Toward the start, Dominique could share that look with Verity. One of mimed disbelief at an outrageous number. A solo dance and song before the entire club? Talk of the club. Someone was experienced at holding a crowd.

Dominique clapped as Ayumi looked down at them from her lofty perch. "Something like that," she echoed calmly followed by a smirk. Just pull that number of thin air with those moves and toss in a little 'or something' at the end?

"That isn't what I had in mind, but if you'd like..." Verity was going out on a few limbs tonight, but Dominique was dying to know just how risque her tastes could get given an opportunity. If she declined there were still plenty of numbers they could do without grade-A singing performance before a live audience.

"...or if the Lady of the Hour wishes an ensemble performance." Ayumi was still there, after all. Dominique didn't think she could whip a song out of the air nearly so gracefully as Ayumi had, however. Well played.

Ayumi Pallopides | Verity Stuyveris​

 

[Verity Stuyveris]

​

Verity hesitated, her blue eyes dubious as they took in Dominique. "Oh -- hell with it," she finally conceded. "But when you're suffering, remember you asked for it." She approached the stage and waved a hand up to Ayumi. "Help me!"

A few moments later, Verity had hiked her skirt, clambered onto the stage, smoothed her skirt again, then crossed over to the bandleader. After a brief consultation, they changed to something a little different. It was jazzy, quick-tempo, but distinctly old-fashioned. A Druckenwell society party song from her parents' generation, originally written for a musical comedy and long since detached from its context and the obscure show that had produced it. It had become one of those songs everyone of Verity's background knew, a perennial at weddings, charity galas, university revues, private clubs, and cocktail parties with at least one piano.

Verity launched into it with more enthusiasm than skill: quick, brassy, sophisticated, written for two performers to trade verses about increasingly outrageous pieces of high-society gossip -- often improvised with the names and rumored misdeeds of those in the room. One singer would announce a scandal in tones of deadpan seriousness, which would be answered with mock horror, disbelief, or delighted demands for more information. The refrain treated every bombshell revelation as further evidence that society had collapsed, while everyone involved was having a wonderful time watching it happen.

The humor was very Druckenwell: wealthy people mocking wealthy people, politicians lambasting politicians, businessmen ridiculing businessment, with the implicit understanding that all who participated belonged to the class being skewered.

It was obscure, perhaps, but Verity thought the Senate Glamazons would enjoy the dry, sophisticated humor, the partylike atmosphere, the winking and nodding. By the time she finished, she was quite out of breath, for not only had she done both parts, she had leapt from one side of the microphone to the other when alternating them.

Verity Stuyveris didn't half-ass anything, even a rather embarrassing stint as a club chanteuse.

Then she pointed at Dominique, then rolled her wrist to beckon her forward. "Get her up here, Ayumi!" she called. The nightclub patrons, it had to be noted, were bewildered by this turn of events. A perfectly good EDM set having been hijacked by one very talented Senator, then a second uniquely untalented Senator, and now a third politician being heckled to the stage.

Still, they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Dominique Vexx | Ayumi Pallopides​

 

[Ayumi Pallopides]

Verity Stuyveris Dominique Vexx

Ayumi remained at the edge of the stage long enough to catch Dominique's applause and the expression that came with it, her grin widening when the Chancellor repeated her deliberately dismissive conclusion back to her. There had been no intention of pretending the number had been spontaneous once she was called on it, but neither was Ayumi going to give Dominique the satisfaction of treating it like some carefully rehearsed political performance.

She leaned forward slightly when Dominique admitted that had not been what she had in mind, her brows lifting as she glanced between the Chancellor and Verity before answering. "You suggested dancing but you failed to establish limitations and I do love watching you dance." The answer came easily while she straightened again, one hand settling against her hip as Dominique offered Verity the opportunity instead. "Besides, I thought I was showing remarkable restraint. There were several additional verses available. Though most of them might cause a politicial scandal."

Verity's hesitation lasted just long enough for Ayumi to recognize what was happening before the other senator finally surrendered to the idea and started toward the stage. The request for help had Ayumi moving immediately, stepping down close enough to offer both hands rather than make Verity negotiate the raised platform entirely on her own while wearing the dress. "Come on, I've got you," she said, bracing herself and giving Verity the support she needed to get one leg up before shifting aside once the taller woman was securely on the stage.

Ayumi watched her smooth the skirt back into place with a pleased expression and moved away from the microphone as Verity approached the bandleader, giving her the room without retreating completely. She had expected enthusiasm after Verity's decision to participate, but the change in music made Ayumi turn her head toward the musicians with genuine curiosity before looking back at the Druckenwell senator as the first part began. Oh this was only going to be getting better and better in her opinion.

The performance was nothing Ayumi would have selected herself, which made watching it considerably more welcoming. She picked up the style quickly enough once Verity began moving between the two sides of the microphone, and the increasingly ridiculous gossip was easy to follow even without knowing every cultural reference behind the song. That might have actually had been making it better as it gave her a better chance to get to see Verity in a place outside of the senate and even her composure.

Ayumi laughed openly at several of the accusations and answered some of the mock revelations with exaggerated expressions of shock whenever Verity looked toward her and she could only mouth. "And?" One hand occasionally coming up against her chest as though whatever was being said would have shocked but for her it was an open secret. She did not try to join in or improve it. Verity had chosen the number, Verity was committing herself to both parts, and Ayumi was content to let her have the stage while appreciating just how completely the normally controlled senator had decided to participate once she finally agreed.

By the time Verity finished, Ayumi was already applauding, stepping closer with a laugh when she saw just how much effort the performance had demanded. "You know, for someone who threatened us with suffering, I think that went exceptionally well and I look forward to your follow up." she said, looking Verity over with a grin before offering her a hand if she wanted the support after all the rapid movement. There was no condescension in it, and Ayumi made no attempt to disguise how much she had enjoyed the entire thing.

Technical quality had stopped mattering several minutes earlier. Verity had climbed onto a nightclub stage, hijacked the music with something from her parents' generation, performed an entire two-person routine by herself, and finished without abandoning it halfway through. Ayumi respected commitment far more than polished embarrassment, particularly when everyone present already knew exactly who they were and would undoubtedly be discussing this event again once they returned to business.

Then Verity pointed directly toward Dominique, and Ayumi's attention followed the gesture immediately. The order to get the Chancellor onto the stage earned a slow nod before Ayumi turned completely toward Dominique and extended one hand in her direction. "Well, Chancellor, there appears to have been a procedural motion from the Senator of Druckenwell, and I believe there is a second that the chair has to recognize it." She waited only a moment before walking toward the edge of the platform, bending enough to offer Dominique her hand while the other rested against her own thigh for balance.

"You started this. Verity has fulfilled her obligation, I've already made it well known what I am looking for and those two women in the corner keep looking up and now you're standing down there looking far too comfortable." Ayumi's expression remained openly amused as she curled her fingers once in invitation. "Come up here." Whether Dominique intended to accept gracefully or make them work for it was another matter, and Ayumi had already decided she was prepared for either answer.

She glanced toward Verity for a moment, the look between them requiring very little explanation now that both of them were standing above the Chancellor. "If she refuses, we may have to consider sanctions." Ayumi said, keeping her hand extended toward Dominique while her grin sharpened slightly. "Nothing excessive." She allowed that qualification to remain for only a moment before adding, "Mostly." The patrons nearest the stage were watching the three of them now, some openly laughing and others waiting to see what would happen next.

The club could enjoy the spectacle. She was enjoying something considerably simpler: three women who usually met beneath senate lighting and formal procedure had managed to spend an evening behaving like people who did not need an agenda prepared for them. Ayumi looked back to Dominique and gave her hand another small beckoning motion. "Your turn. You don't need to sing, and you don't need to compete with either of us." She paused, glanced toward Verity, then amended the statement with a small tilt of her head.

"Although if you happen to know some scandalous Chancellor's dance from Denon that I do not know, I am absolutely prepared to revise that position." Her attention returned fully to Dominique as she waited at the edge of the stage. "You wanted us dancing together, Dominique. So come on and show us what you actually had in mind."