Buckle up, y'all

[Natalie LaForte]

Demonsgate,​

Unspecified restauraunt​

"I think, to say the least, this is offensive."

"How's it offensive? Isn't this what people from the 'outback' wear?"

Lunara looked at Natalie with disgust.

"I cannot actually believe what you are wearing right n-.. I am at a complete loss for words. This would have been distasteful if that hat wasn't so big, but it looks like you're making fun of these people."

"Listen, people usually call me unapproachable so I'm trying to broaden my horizons, also people around here are really friendly I don't see why anybody would take offense to this, it's obviously just a joke, I don't actually think anybody dresses exactly like this, just similar to it."

The elevator dinged, out came Natalie wearing a massive cowboy hat and your regular novelty cowboy outfit. Lunara covered her face to save herself from the embarrassment, but Natalie walked out proud and confident. The people in the restaurant though were, to put it nicely, not best pleased. People happily eating their food turned round and gave looks, scowls and one or two gasped in genuine shock. Natalie paid them no attention, assuming this was all being done in irony and gave a few "Howdy partners!" to the patrons, but received no response. A few times, she turned round to Lunara and threw her arms out while mouthing What?

The restaurant itself was split into two sections, one being a bar and the other being the restaurant. The restaurant was more upper class, ambient lighting, white table cloths whereas the bar was a little more old fashioned, worn floorboards, a bounty board and some wooden seats. While being more empty the customers here were a little more light hearted, some giving audible laughs though she was still greeted by blank stares when she greeted everybody.

When they finally reached the bar, the barkeep walked over and laughed a bit, Natalie giving a confused look towards him before speaking.

"Hi-diddly diedidly dickery doo partner, I'm here to speak to you! Joking cowboy keep your gun under the bardiddle! I'm here to speak to a fine business associate, he's a real ranger on the ranch, think he goes by the name, [member="Leo Vandermolen"]? Don't think you'll know where an outback girl like myself could meet with him? We've git a cattle deal to settle."

Lunara's face went bright red and the barkeep burst out laughing, a tear ran down his face.

"Wait here!" Walking off chuckling.

Natalie looked back at Lunara with her fingers crossed. "See? They're liking it."

 

[Leo Vandermolen]

Leo reclined against the comfort of his seat, clad in his usual worn trench coat and jeans that he would wear when dressing casual as he lay back in the privacy of the bar's special VIP room, a unique feature that led him to choosing this place for his little, 'business deal'. His reminiscing was interrupted when the establishment's bartender slid open the door, his face wrinkled and red with laughter. Leo raised his head and look at his acquaintance, "Yes, Ornstien?"

"Your ah..." He trailed of, attempting to recuperate from whatever had made him so hysterical, "Your friend is here. Waiting at the bar with some other bird." He cracked his wrists a few times over, rotating them in a circle in an attempt to distract himself, the tiniest hints of a giggle trailing out.

"Alright... and I'm assuming it's good based on your reaction?" Leo questioned, taking a sip from the whiskey in front him as the faintest hint of a smile played at his lips.

"You have no idea." His grin only expanded, "Just... just see for yourself."

"Then by all means, send her in." Leo gestured for the gruff man to retrieve the girl with his spare hand, taking another sip from his drink in the process. If his reaction was anything to go by, this was going to be one hell of a business meeting.

| [member="Natalie LaForte"] |

 

[Natalie LaForte]

The barkeeper walked back and gave Natalie a signal, at which she cheerfully responded.

"Thank ya partner, pleasure doin' business wych'a!"

Lunara once more covered her face, walking in a much more depressed and less jumpy manner than Natalie, though her own face slightly drooped at the sign of [member="Leo Vandermolen"] not being dressed in a similar manner, still, she walked over and offered to shake his hand, the cowboy hat nearly falling off her head at which Lunara propped it back up again and then simply stood at the exit of the room, expecting to be kicked out as soon as Leo laid eyes on her 'professional' boss. The accent was obviously extremely western, extremely cheesy and extremely bad. It wouldn't take long before it went red, after already committing to it earlier she found it difficult to break from character.

"Hiya partner! Cowgirl Natalie LaForte, pleasure to be of your acquaintance!"

Lunara went to speak but was almost immediately cut off by her companion.

"This here's my oil budding buddy Lunara helpin' me because I can't see with this big ol' hat of mine! Grandpappy sure did have a lot of these before he passed away, may God his rest his soul. I believe you're the rep' I'll be discussing the future business dealins of IMF with, that would be ma' company!"

 

[Leo Vandermolen]

Leo tried not to break down into tears upon seeing the girl, he was successful, mostly. A slight quiver in his lips and the tiniest blurt of a laugh rushed out which he attempted to cover up by quickly making it seem like a cough. She was extravagant, he'd giver her that at the very least. Leo leaned forward and accepted her handshake in kind, being gentle yet firm in how he greeted his 'special' guest. He then gestured out to shake her much more sensibly dressed friend as well, her face red with embarrassment.

Leo sipped from his drink as he waited for them both to take a seat before addressing them. His eyes narrowing at hers, trying not to let them drift upwards to the monstrosity that adorned her head, "So, as I understand it, you as looking to strike up a deal with the Coalition. Anything you can provide in particular that we would be interested in?" He questioned with a hearty grin.

Almost as if to add to the whole show, Leo let his hand drift outward to the table, pulling the aged bottle of Corellian whiskey through the air to land snugly in his grip. He offered the bottle towards the two girls, "Either of you care for a glass?" He asked, his voice as smooth as the whiskey itself.

| [member="Natalie LaForte"] |

 

[Natalie LaForte]

Lunara openly accepted the handshake upon being offered before walking over to join the two, slightly surprised that Leo didn't take her as being sarcastic. Natalie, realizing only now the mistake in its fullest light stopped the accent and sat down.

"I'm sure you couldn't tell but that's not my real accent, I went to acting school for a few years. You'll also have to excuse the... costume, I'm really into method acting." Pushing the hat back and pulling the string down onto her neck so it was now touching her back, though now she was finding it a bit more difficult to sit down due to being. Turning to Lunara and winking while pretending to fix her hair so [member="Leo Vandermolen"] could not see her face.

"Anyway, onto this little 'agreement' of ours. As you can already see, being the professional that I am I've already forseen an issue with our standard contracting procedure. As I see it, the ORC has no standard equipment, or really centralized millitary force that could make use of the high quality products that we have on offer to other galactic powers."

She paused, taking out a datapad.

"And as such, I have decided that the best possible resolution for this would be for IMF to provide you with a number of exclusive products unique in value with very few reproduction models, of a significantly high quality. In exchange, we would of course require a large sum of credits or other items in return, which I imagine for such a distinguished and handsome man as yourself would not be an issue."

Natalie smiled to him, Lunara looked to Natalie rolling her eyes when she mentions anything about being 'professional'. Really standard company practice at this point.