Private Bidding War

[Seva Geroux]

Tag: Desric Terassi
Location: Acacia Tower, Commenor​

Seva stepped into the banquet hall, which resplendent for tonight's occasion -- an auction. Tonight, she'd chosen a fairly minimal style, a long white gown with delicate gold details around her collar. Everyone else in attendance looked quite sharply dressed as well. It was shaping up to be a good night.

She hadn't a clue about which priceless artifacts were up for auction, but that was the fun, wasn't it? Happening upon some item that one simply couldn't live without and dropping credits without care. Of course, she knew that there were others in the galaxy that did not have things as good as she... but it was a thought that she wasn't about to let trouble her tonight. But of course, it wouldn't have been a proper social gathering without some sort of ulterior motive...

Her father had given her the task of befriending a young man, Desric Terassi.

He was, as she'd been told, a fellow noble and a successful executive. As her father dabbled in the real estate market from time to time, it seemed a beneficial relationship. And he did not seem bothered by sending his daughter out to be 'arm candy' for the evening. However, the way Seva looked at it -- this was not a date. It was simply a chance to make a new connection. After all, in her world, connections were so very important. Indeed it was all about who you knew.

Seva had only seen Desric in passing, just enough time to offer a nod or a smile. She did not know what to expect of him as far as company went -- would he be dull or would he be amusing? Only time would tell. For now, the Commenori noblewoman lifted a flute of champagne from a passing waiter's tray and walked to the window. From here, the lights of the city were a magnificent sight to behold.

 

[Desric Terassi]

He who forgets the past is doomed to repeat it.

So the saying went - and as a blue-blooded aristocrat, Desric was of the impression that pieces of history were best kept as his property. Assuming they were pretty or told an good story, that is. He had no desire to hoard pieces of pottery.

That said, that was only part of the reason why he was here. The other part was standing by a window, watching the skyline. She, or more accurately her family, had the potential to be either a boon or a bane to his family's Commenori ventures. Or so he had been informed - it seemed Globex was toying with the idea of a new megaproject on the planet.

... a megaproject best positioned on soil owned by one Remy Geroux.

Naturally, it was best to test the waters before sharing any information.

"Lady Geroux, I presume?" Like her, Desric had opted for white - specifically, an open white jacket with a pink shirt beneath it and a pair of white trousers. While somewhat unusual, the clothing was - of course - incredibly expensive. Despite his words, he was by no means unsure. They might have met only very briefly, but he rarely forgot a face.

His cybernetic eyes and the info they overlaid on his vision certainly didn't hurt.

Seva Geroux​

 

[Seva Geroux]

Tag: Desric Terassi
​

Captivated by the view – or so it seemed – Seva did not turn until she heard her name. "Lord Terassi, how nice to see you." She instantly offered the young man a genial smile, as if seeing him there was a pleasant surprise and not an arrangement that had been carefully coordinated. "I trust you've been well?"

She took a dainty sip of her champagne, but she was appraising his appearance. His clean-cut form was clad in crisp white, which she approved of very much. And his pink shirt matched the shade of her lipstick, which won him extra points for being tasteful.

Around them, other hopeful bidders were still mingling about. A waiter approached the pair and bent slightly to offer a bite or two from his silver tray. The appetizers actually did look rather divine, but Seva was a woman that lived on the brink of starvation. "Thank you, no," she said. Appearances were equally as important as connections. A few holo-grams lit up the permitted of the room, bidders that could not attend the event in person.

"Tell me," she said, returning her full attention to her companion. "What sort of treasures are you hoping to acquire tonight? As for me, I'll be watching the jewelry."

 

[Desric Terassi]

"Likewise." Naturally, he responded to her smile with one of his own. "Quite well indeed. You?"

Nodding appreciatively at the skyline, Desric levitated a champagne glass from a nearby tray and took a gentle sip. "A beautiful sight. I can appreciate the dedication to aesthetic standards that evidently went into its planning and maintenance." Too often, cities let anyone build anything - the wrong kind of building could ruin a neighbourhood.

As he was not aware of his companion's secretive Jedi training, the irony that he was the one flaunting supernatural abilities despite his likely more limited training was entirely lost on him.

Was that a hint of longing from Seva, as they were presented by appetisers? Deciding to test her and them alike, he took one himself, politely thanking the waiter - while small, it turned out to taste as good as it looked.

"I have my eyes on a vase from Alderaan - the original Alderaan. Supposedly, it was stolen and resold on the black market no less than five times before re-entering the legal market." Buying it might be a bit of a challenge to the thieves out there, but he was confident in the efficacy of his family's security systems.

Seva Geroux​

 

[Seva Geroux]

"Never better," she said when he asked if she, too, had been well.

A brow arched ever slightly as Desric sought a flute of champagne... with the force. She watched as the glass filled with bubbling liquid moved gracefully to his waiting hand, not a drop spilled. It was, to her, a rather bold display. Especially because she did not dare to act in such a way herself, not if she wanted to keep her place in Commenori high society.

When he took an appetizer, her blue eyes followed it until it was near his mouth – and she averted her eyes. Silently, she willed her stomach not to make a fool of her tonight.

She'd heard him compliment the city skyline, and she'd offered a small nod of agreement. All of the buildings did have a rather unified look. There were no gaudy or hideous towers made of gold or crystal to sully the view, thank goodness.

However, her mind was swimming with a single question: Had he already sensed her own sensitivity? Seva did her best to suppress her presence, but it did find its way – whenever she let it slip her mind. She chided herself and renewed her resolve... this was not the place to reveal such a thing.

"Alderaan," she echoed. "No doubt it must be highly sought after."

While the auctioneers were still finishing up their last minute preparation, people were already beginning to drift towards the seats arranged with a good view of the stage.

"Shall we find seats?" she asked, gesturing in that direction -- she would follow his lead.

 

[Desric Terassi]

As it turned out, Desric did notice her reaction to his casual Force-use, but misattributed it as the usual uncertainty.

It was not everyday you met someone who could lift objects with their mind, after all. His assessment of her diet had been accurate, however - that much was evident from how her eyes followed the treat. As her reactions were catalogued by his eyes and various other implants, the little prompts overlaid onto his vision became more and more accurate.

Naturally, he did not comment on her behaviour. That would be rude - and not in an amusing way.

"Oh, I would imagine so! It is not too historically significant, however; its era is well-represented in surviving relics." One of the reasons they could get away with selling it without the Alderaanian government raising a fuss, no doubt.

Still, he would be keeping it away from Alderaan, if his bid won. Best not to test his luck.

"Let's. I arranged to have a pair of well-positioned seats reserved." The mischievous smile that accompanied the words made it clear that the arrangement was somewhat unofficial. Specifically, a corporate employee had been provided with tickets for himself and his boyfriend, on the condition that he hold some seats and pay attention to certain people.

Seva Geroux​

 

[Seva Geroux]

Desric Terassi​

Seva offered a smile, one a bit more genuine than her others – though, they were all practiced and pretty. She approved of his methods; it was rather clever to have had their seats reserved.

As they approached the seats, where two clean-cut gentleman sat waiting, Seva glanced towards the stage. The view was unmatched. Their 'seat-warmers' vacated the chairs, and Seva noted the nods they'd given Desric. Underlings, no doubt.

"Splendid," Seva said, glancing sidelong at Desric. "This will do quite nicely."

The proprietors were currently setting up the first item for bidding, which was hidden beneath a black cloth. Seva tried to judge what it was, but failed. Instead, she glanced down at the flute of champagne in her hand. As it seemed they had another few minutes to wait, she figured that conversation would fill the void.

"If you don't mind me asking," Seva started. "But where did you learn to make your glass... float like that?"

Of course, she knew what it was called. However, her family would have been absolutely scandalized if she'd done that -- and in public. For now, she'd play the part of a naive girl. It seemed the best way to test the waters, so to speak.

 

[Desric Terassi]

While there was no lengthy exchange of pleasantries, Desric did have time to assess the pair - both seemed quite happy to be here, especially the boyfriend. Excellent. He knew for a fact that the employee was being considered for an executive position and that the pair was going strong; ensuring both appreciated Globex was conducive to a good relationship. At home, certainly, but also at work - happy employees from happy homes tended to overperform.

Desric was determined to elevate 'being nice' from an art to a mutually beneficial science.

"Quite. I assumed you would prefer a closer look." Turning to look at her, he 'winked' by having one of his eyes briefly mimic electronic static. He might prefer realistic cybernetics, but that did not mean he felt a need to hide them.

"The Golden Order - think of them like a purely academic alternative to the Jedi. Tricks without teachings." He got the distinct impression that she was being purposefully oblivious about the Force, but he did not know why.

"I fear more advanced telekinesis is beyond me; I only study part-time."

Seva Geroux​

 

[Seva Geroux]

Desric Terassi
​

Seva canted her head to the side slightly as Desric 'winked' at her. Ah, so he had some enhancements. For some reason, she'd thought of such cybernetics as being unattractive. However, her companion seemed to be living proof that they could be pulled off with pleasing aesthetics. Again, this was important.

"The Golden Order?" she echoed. Seva hadn't heard of that sect of Jedi – or, well, not Jedi as she learned. "Golly," she smiled. "That's quite interesting indeed."

However, she was forced to pause as the proprietors motioned for everyone's attention. "Tonight we have some very exciting items up for auction, we do hope you'll all be pleased--" The black sheet was pulled off the first item with a flourish, reveal a... plant stand.

"Really?" Seva blinked in disbelief. "This is their first item?"

Already, she could feel her high hopes for the night fading.

"Well," she continued, in a slightly hushed voice. "My father believes that force-use is... uncivilized. He even dislikes the Jedi temple the Silver Order built here on Commenor," Seva said.

 

[Desric Terassi]

It was not surprising that she had not heard about the Golden Order, but it meant that the Order's PR department still had plenty of work to do - as a noble, she was part of the 'core audience', after all. Granted, he had no reason to suspect that she was Force Sensitive, but even the non-Sensitive were important for spreading word of mouth.

"That is one way of kicking off the auction, I suppose." It was clear that he was not particularly impressed either, but that did not mean no one would bid - still, he doubted this item would take too long.

He would be surprised if it ended up being hotly contested.

"Not an unfounded perspective, all things considered." Pursing his lips, he paused for effect. "All too often, Force Sensitives have been involved in perpetuating a vicious cycle of violence. Still, I assume he prefers the Jedi to the Sith?"

Smiling brightly, he shrugged. "Fortunately, the Golden Order has managed to stay clear of that nastiness."

 

[Seva Geroux]

Desric Terassi​

"Naturally, he would prefer the Jedi to the Sith," Seva agreed. "Though, he'd loathe to say it aloud."

No matter what her father thought, Seva believed that the Jedi did their part to keep Commenor safe. It wasn't a bad thing. Still, the reputation of a ratty-robe wearing Jedi was one that she did not want connected to herself.

"I see," she said, returning the smile. "Well, that is good to know."

More than he knew... If things went awry, perhaps it'd be a way of convincing her father to see her way.

In the end, an elderly woman had won the plant stand. "She looks like she'd adore that sort of thing," Seva said, hiding a chuckle behind her hand. For some reason, she imagined the old woman's house was full of silly things. All of them woefully mismatched because she bought them like this, at auction. It was amusing, but she returned her attention to the scene unfolding on stage.

"And... what do you think is next?" Seva asked, arching her brows at Desric.

 

[Desric Terassi]

Entirely unaware of her Sensitivity as he was, he nonetheless elaborated a bit more. "It may be worth considering one of the Order's open lectures, if you find yourself on Coruscant, Denon, or Lorinia. Learning a bit more about how the Force works can be quite illuminating, even for those who lack the ability to, how to say, interface with it."

How open these lectures actually were was debatable, but nobles would certainly be let in the door.

The unwashed masses were unlikely to get past the 'temple' security unless they exhibited Sensitivity.

Smiling wickedly at her comment, he nodded, but his eyes were boring in on the next item as it was brought in. It was still covered, but he was not solely restricted to the visible spectrum. His eyes had some truly fascinating features.

Turning back to her with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, his tone was conversational. "Oh, I would guess a rather heavy necklace, or perhaps a collar, made principally of gold." As it turned out, his 'guesswork' was spot on.

 

[Seva Geroux]

Desric Terassi​

"Well, I must say I'm intrigued." It was true, too. Perhaps she would make the time to attend an open lecture. And of course, now she had a name to drop there if she needed.

Seva's lips curled into a smile when Desric attempted to glean what the next item could be. She was not disappointed. "Gold, you say?" she asked, innocently. Well, he could probably guess from her current outfit about how much she liked things that were gold. When the item was revealed, she arched her brows at her companion. "I'm impressed." High praise from Seva. Now, perhaps she was the tiniest bit envious of his abilities... but she wasn't going to go replacing her eyes with cybernetics.

"Of course," she started, as she raised her hand gracefully to bid. "I shall need to have that necklace for my collection."

Did she truly want it? Well, it was that she wanted it in the sense that she didn't want others to have it. The design was pleasing, something she would actually wear, too. Other hands were beginning to go up as well, which made Seva sit a bit straighter in her seat. With her concentration on the necklace and raising her hand whenever she was outbid, her hold over her force presence began to slip.

"If I get outbid, I'm going to be livid," she said, glancing sidelong at Desric briefly.

 

[Desric Terassi]

A gold enthusiast? She should see some of the mining operations Globex ran - gold as far as the eye can see.

"A collection meant to be worn, or one meant to be observed?" Or a mixture thereof, of course; none of the above would be surprising for a woman of her status. Desric himself kept a variety of expensive items in his residences. Mostly for show, to be honest, but he did enjoy items with interesting tales - and could appreciate beauty.

Eyes sliding over the people bidding against Seva, he found himself focusing on an older gentleman. A noble with significant holdings and beside him sat - ah, how interesting. He could work with that.

<ANONYMOUS: Your wife thinks you are just bidding to show off your wealth.>

The man glanced down at his wrist piece, glanced at his wife as if to dismiss the implication, and then paused. There was a brief grimace on his features, then he leaned over to whisper to her.

As it turns out, he was too distracted to keep bidding.

"I dare say your odds are improving."

 

[Seva Geroux]

Desric Terassi​

"Oh?" Seva cast a curious glance sidelong at Desric when he mentioned her odds. But it wasn't long until she understood why. The older man that'd been up-bidding, suddenly had his frown trained on his wrist display. With her own hand up, she watched as the auctioneer hit his gavel on the podium.

"Sold," he said. "To Lady Geroux."

"Well, then..." she said, smiling at Desric. "It seems you've got some rather clever tricks up your sleeve."

Seva approved, of course -- especially because he'd just helped her attain something she desired. Could she do the same for him? Well, that remained to be seen. However, she would, of course, put in a very good word with her father.

Her new necklace was already being securely packaged and prepared to be hand-delivered to her family's home. It might even be there when she arrived, which was a nice thought. Seva wanted to try it on and see if the gem stones sparkled just like they did on the podium. Now, the stage was being set for the next item.

"I do hope the odds will be in your favor tonight as well," she said, nodding to Desric. Seva had a feeling that the odds could never... not be in his favor. Needless to say, this made Desric a good person to have as a friend.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, a priceless treasure from Alderaan..."

Priceless... well, that description was nonsense. At an auction, everything (and everyone) had a price.

 

[Desric Terassi]

Leaning back in his seat, Desric smiled in satisfaction.

"A few, yes. I find that once you know the why behind someone's actions, the what becomes more malleable." While he was, at least on paper, solely employed in public relations, lobbyism and politicking were just as if not more important.

As the item he had been looking for hit the auction floor, he perked up, eyes alight with interest.

"As do I." With the usual pomp, the vase was revealed - the metal was ordinary enough and the design was nothing unusual, but the story? Oh, what a story. It would be just perfect for a front-facing office, or perhaps a main lounge.

Raising his hand to place a bid, he began to assess the interested parties.

 

[Seva Geroux]

Desric Terassi​

As the vase was revealed, even Seva leaned forward in her seat. The design, she had to admit, was quite fetching but the story was what people were willing to pay for. She cast a sideways glance at Desric as he raised his hand to bid. Of course, he wasn't the only one that did.

On her other side, a man had his hand up as well.

Just like Desric, there was an air of composed determination about him. Seva shifted in her seat slightly, until her foot bumped against her seat neighbor, which momentarily drew his eyes away from the bidding. Now, she was not a flirt -- but she knew how to use her womanly wiles to her advantage when called for. Tastefully, of course! She offered the man a honeyed smile and quick bat of her lashes in apology. It was an empty gesture, but maybe it had distracted him enough to drop out.

As her attention shifted back to the auctioneer, it seemed the price was still climbing.

However, she had a feeling that Desric's pockets were deep enough to buy anything he wished.

 

[Desric Terassi]

Attentively studying his opponents as he was, he was tangentially aware of Seva doing an excellent job of distracting one of them. A tactic he could not help but approve of, naturally - after all, 'all is fair in love and artsy auctions'.

"There seems to be plenty of competition. Let's see if I can fix that," He idly noted.

With a quick message, he placed a new bid. A bid of twice the current bid. All without any cracks in his composure but for the hint of a smug smile. He even went one step further and radiated a sense of complete confidence through the Force - he could barely mind trick a house plant, but the Golden Order placed an unusual emphasis on appearances.

A few more bids were placed to test his determination, but no cracks in the facade were exposed. Before long, the vase was his and he allowed himself a smile. "There we go. I reckon that was cheaper than doing it the normal way."

 

[Seva Geroux]

​

Seva arched her brows in anticipation.

Soon, it seemed that fewer hands were going up. Some of the previous bidders now wore disgraced frowns that seemed to say: I've been defeated, and they hung their heads accordingly. Seva knew it wasn't very Jedi-like to enjoy when others were feeling down, but she couldn't help that it was deeply amusing.

"Congratulations," she said, offering her companion a smile.

Well, they were now both proud new owners of things they desired. Seva clasped her hands in her lap and wondered what the next item would be. Surely they wouldn't have another piece of jewelry so soon, so she began to mentally prepare herself to wait patiently. This usually meant that she'd have a pleasant smile on her face, all the while her mind was elsewhere.

Seva leaned towards Desric to say something, but then --

The glass windows at their side shattered inward. Seva didn't even have time to scream before shards of glass cut their way towards them. Purely by instinct, she drew upon the force and conjured a small barrier to protect her and Desric. The man on her other side, however, the side of his face was cut to shreds. Her breath caught in her throat, she didn't even realize she'd drawn up a barrier -- until she saw her hand outstretched, shaking.

 

[Desric Terassi]

Turning his smile towards his companion, it was clear that Desric was satisfied with the outcome. Sure, it had ended up being costly, but no more such than expected. It was not as if he was short on credits. "That went quite-"

He never did manage to finish the statement, what with a row of windows suddenly exploding inwards.

Where Seva's instinctive reaction was to shield them both, his was to maintain decorum by not visibly panicking. Was it at all useful? Not really, but it was rather helpful in the situations he usually found himself in. You know, safe stuff.

By the time a pair of boots landed on the floor with a muted thud - barely audible over the fearful crowd - Desric had moved from confusion to fear, albeit not a particularly visible fear. That changed once his eyes followed the boots upwards, over dark synthleather and betaplast until he saw a mask made to intimidate and a crimson lightsaber.

"That's a problem." A big problem. He had not seen a Sith since, well, since he had living Sith connections.

Desric was far too inexperienced to notice that the 'Sith' held the lightsaber in a rather basic grip and that their stance seemed made to intimidate, more than anything else. Still, the lightsaber looked and sounded very real.