Closer to the Heart

[Darth Osano]

ZELTROS
CLUB BLUSH

Standing just outside, Maleagant looked up at the giant, neon glowing letters that spelled out Club Blush. He grimaced and picked at the cuffs of his business suit, perhaps the least enthused person on the planet at this very moment.

Zeltros' Indigo Distrct was a long way off from the Pentastar Alignment. It seemed everything of severe interest to Maleagant was as far away from his sectors of operation as possible. There would never, of course, be a time where the Helix Syndicate eliminated all reliance on outside expertise. That did not stop many in the Syndicate's ranks from disliking it. They viewed it as weakness. However, the exact level of industry know-how Maleagant currently needed could only be found here on Zeltros. It was not going to be found among the prudish Imperials or shrewd Muuns or unsightly Dazouri. It had to be Zeltros, here at Heartbeat House's very own Club Blush.

The prelude to what made this meeting necessary was enough to make a few of the Syndicate's administrators blush.

Not very long ago, the Helix Syndicate had opened up a string of Resort-Casinos in the Pentastar Alignment. Oases of decadence found in an otherwise ignored sector, so of course business would be booming. Among the attractions were a series of brothels, gentlemen's clubs. That sort of thing. Maleagant had made the mistake of leaving the hiring and operating standards up to the independent contractors who rented the space. The results were inept dancers, blundering prostitutes, and an outbreak of the Tapani Disease. Then there were the reports of misconduct, the fact that the resort's security seemed to be outside of those establishments more than any other...

This was a relatively unexplored enterprise on those planets, so Maleagant shouldn't have been surprised there would be growing pains. Maleagant was not interested in watching the Pentastar Alignment hooker industry "grow." He was interested in making money and part of that money was coming from information brokering, which the workers in the aforementioned establishments were supposed to be helping with. The results were not where they needed to be; the abysmal reputation those parts of his casinos were starting to garner were having impacts on his business elsewhere.

[member="Joza Perl"], or so Maleagant would hope, knew what to do. Otherwise this was going to be a waste of an appointment. He took another moment to steel himself in preparation overwhelming sensory experience that was probably waiting for him inside. And then he entered, making a decided beeline towards where he suspected her office was, or the VIP room if that was what was preferred.

 

[Joza Perl]

As [member="Maleagant"] entered Blush, he’d dive headfirst into a cloud of humidity and heady pheromones. It would be a stark contrast from the cool evening air outside that held a consistent note of stale cigarette smoke. Inside things would be livelier, more offensive to the senses, more nauseating.

Depending on your preferences, of course.

Multicolored lights danced across the pink women on stage, heavy bass of the music reverberating through the structure. One of them lost her top—oops—which garnered an uproar of cheers from the part of the crowd that was paying attention. Drifters clung to the edge of the area, either more interested in their drink or whatever shady business they were here to discuss. While Zeltros wasn’t exactly a hive of scum and criminal activity, certain laws weren’t as strictly enforced as they would be on other worlds. In a place like the Indigo District, most businesses were willing to look the other way so long as they didn’t get dragged into anything. It was easier, better for business even.

So long as the pretty ladies kept gyrating and the bar was stocked, Joza Perl was content.

Said Zeltron was currently in the VIP room, a quieter area with slowing moving low-lights of purple and pink. Given that it was still early on a week night, the room was relatively barren save for Joza and a dark haired human male of similar age. His back was to the door as he sat at the bar, unconcerned with the world around him as he slammed back another shot. To his side, perched on a comfortable chair with a glass of wine in hand, the pink tinted woman was staring intently at a holoprojection of a multi-story building that had been cross-sectioned. When Maleagant made his way into the VIP room, he’d likely find the ambiance much more comfortable than the floors below.

Again, preferences.

Either way, the VIP area was clean and quiet, albeit colorful. This was still Zeltros. At his entrance, Joza’s head would cock upwards, a mild note of surprise flashing in her eyes as if she’d been startled. But she only smiled politely, setting the wine down on the table next to her before leaning back into her chair, closer so that the man at the bar would hear her when she whispered quickly for him to get lost in Huttese. Ivan only grunted, pushing his stool away from the bar, any obvious noises it would make muffled by the velvet carpeting. And don’t ruin the carpet, either. She added in sharply, business façade never dropping for a moment as she reprimanded her pilot. The Corellian didn’t bother to respond, too groggy to care as he sauntered into a side room to presumably take a nap.

Now standing, her focus shifted swiftly back to her guest and she held her hands out, palm up in greeting. “Welcome,” Her voice was warm, demeanor perhaps a bit too bubbly for a woman running this sort of sleazy business. “Please, have a seat. Would you like anything to drink?” She gestures towards the chair adjacent to her, eyes twinkling with opportunity.

 

[Darth Osano]

Once he stumbled into the VIP room, it felt like his chest had been released from a vice grip. This place was packed with people and the lingering scents of foreign substances Maleagant did not readily enjoy. All of that put together and there was probably a fire hazard somewhere in here. Maleagant made sure to note the various exit signs. He was still taking inventory when he found where [member="Joza Perl"] was sitting and saw that she had seen him. She dismissed a scrappy looking humanoid. By the time Ivan shuffled off, Maleagant was within speaking range. "No, thank you," he replied, trying to sound congenial instead of shrewd.

It probably didn't work. Sounding friendly was always a hassle when your voice rarely shifted from a dour monotone.

He lowered himself into the offered chair once she began to do the same. Maleagant noted the holoprojection. Some sort of building, one he didn't immediately recognize. It couldn't have been this one, it was far too different. There were more floors and the layout was far too divergent. Not that Maleagant had someone obtain the blueprints of Club Blush so he could look them over prior to his arrival. That would have been... Weird. Especially considering that this was a perfectly ordinary establishment with no traps, turret emplacements, or anything else that would have made it incredibly easy to capture him and impossible to escape.

"Planning an expansion?" Maleagant idly inquired. Smalltalk usually wasn't his strong suite, but he could make do when presented with obvious topics.

 

[Joza Perl]

As he turned down the drink, Joza motioned for a waitress. The more attractive girls tended to rotate through the VIP room, and buxom violet haired beauty that waltzed over was no exception. She placed a pitcher of ice water down onto the table between them, a few slices of some sort of fruit floating in the jug. “Water, if you’d like.” Joza smiled amicably and crossed her legs as the waitress poured them each a glass. There were no tricks—nothing was drugged, no ulterior motives. This was a simple business meeting, after all, and she knew very well that the atmosphere of Blush’s lower floors could be unpleasant. “I trust you found the place well?” The club was difficult to miss, one of the tallest and brightly lit structures in Indigo District.

“Something like that.” Her gaze flickered back to the holoprojection. “This structure already exists. I’m looking to remodel it.” By the looks of it, it was some sort of hotel or luxury resort. The plan was still in the early stages and she was already dreading the slew of contractor meetings she had scheduled further into the week. With a push of a button, the image of the building disappeared leaving nothing but empty space between [member="Maleagant"] and Joza.

“Now,” She leaned back into the chair a bit, back still straight as she tilted the glass of water to her lips for a short sip. “—I hear you have some questions about this sort of entertainment?” She’d broach the subject carefully, leaving Maleagant to explain exactly why it was he’d come to her. The Zeltron’s demeanor was friendly but guarded, eyes glittering with a sense of energy and enthusiasm for the entertainment industry that only a pink person would have.

 

[Darth Osano]

Taking over existing structures was always an admirable practice. Conserved space. Maleagant was eyeballing some failing shopping centers back in the Alignment. Cheap purchases, comprehensive remodeling projects. Another worthy investment, but that was neither here nor there. Since [member="Joza Perl"] was willing to launch right into it, there was no need to dally on small talk any further. "My company acquired a string of casino-resorts recently," he explained. Maleagant glanced around the VIP room again as he continued. "They feature several outlets like this one. And several more which are more... Base. And others baser still."

There was a lot of sex and general lechery involved in the strip clubs and brothels operating out of those complexes. That Maleagant was hesitant to directly describe these operations in open conversation was no doubt thanks to the standards of conduct the more prudish Tionese circles engaged in. Maleagant was happy to make money off of these enterprises, but discuss their existence and... Processes? Never. Not unless it was absolutely necessary. So of course it became absolutely necessary.

"These outlets are failing," Maleagant flatly announced. "If you are interested, the Syndicate would like to contract Heartbeat House to advise the owners of these outlets. Or take them over if that fails."

 

[Joza Perl]

Being contracted out as an advisor was something that hadn’t happened to Joza yet. Heartbeat started primarily as a service company—a little corner dance studio that eventually hired out dancers for parties and other events. Heartbeat grew as Joza’s interests did, encompassing a textile and accessory industry. Entertainment was a natural progression from the fledgling project.

“What issues are you having, specifically?” Still congenial, more clinical this time around. It was essential to understand the underlying cause of business failure, or else she might not be able to help properly. “Are the girls not pretty or apt enough? It takes more than just a pair of knockers and an ass to be a dancer. Or a prostitute, for that matter.”

A sip of water followed. “At least to be successful in the business. You can only ride on looks for so long. A certain level of charm and skill are required.” She lowered her glass and gave [member="Maleagant"] an inquiring look. “What are the main complaints you’ve heard from clients?”

She spoke from experience, and she spoke brazenly as if they were discussing the weather and not the sex industry.

 

[Darth Osano]

"It takes more than just a pair of knockers and an ass to be a dancer. Or a prostitute, for that matter."

Maleagant nodded in earnest. "We have arrived at a similar conclusion."

The owners of those seedy establishments could be trusted to hire staff who didn't look like the wrong end of a mangled Gamorrean at the very least. There were other problems afoot. But figuring out the nature of the problems was wasn't the issue. The issue was that the Helix Syndicate had no mechanisms or personnel in place to correct these things. Sure, the Syndicatee could train men and women to operate complicated communications equipment, turn them into competent combatants and spies. Nobody on Maleagant's payroll could teach them to love. Or, you know, how to fake it authentically. And how to avoid catching or spreading the Tapani Disease. The Helix Syndicate was more suited to wringing out unpaid debts than shelling out comprehensive, multi-level sex worker education.

"I am told they are crude. Unpleasant. Unnervingly vapid." Things normally overlooked when people were looking for hookers, but it could be inferred that these traits must have been quite severe if they were causing problems. "They do not seem to know what they are doing inside the bedroom or on the stage, as it stands."

Part of the whole gimmick was to get some of the more high-profile customers talking. See if they could spill the beans on something important, give the Helix Syndicate something to work with in terms of blackmail or general information gathering. No information could be gleaned if they were unable to maintain a conversation beyond ham-fisted questions or make the customer feel comfortable enough.

 

[Joza Perl]

As [member="Maleagant"] spoke, Joza shifted to lean further back into her chair and reached for the pack of cigarettes laying on the table beside her. Slotting one between pink fingers, she fished a lighter from some pocket, holding the tip of the flame to the edge of the cancer stick. Normally she would produce a flicker of ignition via pyrokinesis, but that was wholly unnecessary in the moment.

Her eyes remained fixed on her guest through the entire movement, curious but not invasive—she was listening, and listening intently.

So his courtesans sucked. Or rather, they didn’t suck correctly. The juvenile thought brought a flicker of a smile to her face before it was back to business.

“I’ll have to see them in action for myself. Not that I don’t believe you,” A deep inhale on the cigarette, and a heavy exhale of smoke directed away from her guest. “I’ll just need to find out what needs to be fixed. If I can work with your girls, I’ll bring in a team to give them more guidance.” Lessons in how to make yourself more demure, more appealing, how to play your average John and ensnare him without seeming like a conniving temptress. Well, not wholly.

Some guys liked that sort of thing.

“If things don’t work, you can contract some of my girls out.” The cigarette twitched between two fingers. “Sound fair?”

At one point she would have rolled her eyes at this sort of thing. But the business of pleasure was an art, and it ran deeper than a stripper shaking her hips.

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Joza Perl"]

He almost didn't notice her smile, but when he did he pursed his lips. Yes, the bumbling casino tycoon needed prostitute-related advice. A more graceless indignity had never been suffered by anyone. Not that any indignity was too low for Maleagant in pursuit of squeezing every feasible credit out of every feasible enterprise possible. Maleagant's vague expression vanished when she mentioned wanting to see them in action herself. Herself? As in, in the brothel? Perhaps he should have expected that much. Too many of his deals with Lord Fa did not require close examination. They just had their trusted people inspect it on their behalf. He had almost forgotten that some smaller companies preferred to do things differently.

Far be it for him to reject her offer.

"More than fair," Maleagant replied. The casino on Cantras Gola, The Pinnacle, was having the worst time by far. If the problem could be solved there, it could be solved anywhere. Or so one would hopefully assume. "I can arrange your travel be paid for, if you like."

Zeltros wasn't the farthest planet from the Alignment, but it was still quite the flight away. No need to be stingy in the face of generousness.

 

[Joza Perl]

“I’d appreciate that.” It was not uncommon for travel expense to be reimbursed in a deal such as this one.

Shortly after speaking, a young woman poked her head in the door. “Miss Perl, your, er,” Her eyes slid over to [member="Maleagant"], not expecting to see Joza entertaining the stern looking individual. “…appointment has arrived.” She paused, hovering at the door frame.

“Oh! Good. Send them in, please.” Unperturbed, the Zeltron didn’t seem to be cutting the meeting short. “I hope you don’t mind.” She arose from her chair, smiling sweetly as a pair of well-built Zeltron men entered the room. One was wheeling what appeared to be a collapsible table, the other carrying a nondescript bag.

Back turned to Maleagant to preserve the sanctity of good, honest business dealings, she began to strip.

“I have my masseuse scheduled for the same time every week.”

The pair of newcomers paid her little mind, silently going about their setup as a fully nude Joza climbed onto the massage table. “Would you like to join me?” There was no coy tone, no seductive thread woven into her words as she lifted her head to address him. Just honesty as she gestured back towards one of the men whose oil coated fingers began working at her calf. “Faisar has the hands of an absolute God.”

 

[Darth Osano]

[member="Joza Perl"]

Maleagant stared in muted bewilderment as the masseuses set up their table, the meeting interrupted by their arrival. Another appointment? He must have overstayed or arrived late. Or maybe Joza's scheduler had overlooked something on her end. It would turn out to be neither of these things, or perhaps his internal debate had been replaced with stunned silence after he noticed Joza casually discarding her clothes. Zeltrons were notorious libertines. It was something that everyone knew. Maleagant was aware of that, he had been ready to expect having some debauched sentiments thrown into his face. He was not ready for someone he was discussing business with to disrobe for a massage in front of him. That was a new one.

By the time the last article of clothing hit the floor, Maleagant's mouth hung ungracefully open. Whether that was in shock for the situation, or just reverence for the temporary view would have to be left for debate. It was probably both. A surprise party could be highly desired by a person, for example. This did not make them less surprising when they were sprung on people. Quite the opposite, really. Especially when there was no reason for Maleagant to ever remotely believe he would be treated to, at any point in time, a... Surprise party.

He did not appear to register her explanation about the masseuse. His mouth closed, the Shi'ido swallowed, and appeared to return to the present moment.

"No, thank you," he said in his usual modulated tone. "I should go."

Stiff as a board, Maleagant rose from his seat.

 

[Joza Perl]

Perhaps a decade or so ago Joza would have tilted her head in mild confusion over Maleagant’s response. At this point she was not naïve enough to believe than an offworlder would be unfazed by a suddenly nude Zeltron, so perhaps this was some sort of power play on her part. Or maybe she was just in her domain and felt that merging appointments would be the decent thing to do.

Decent wasn’t a word thrown around much on Zeltros and that was how they liked it.

Whatever the case, she waved the masseuse away and sat up on the table before motioning for a robe. Once securing the thin cut of fabric around her, she slid onto her feet and stepped forward.

“Are you certain? We can go over the final details later if you’d like.” She paused, offering a soft and perhaps a bit of an awkward smile. “Forgive me, but I was too quick in assuming that a man who dealt in prostitutes wouldn’t be bothered.”

She hadn’t realized that he didn’t directly work with them until after the massage had been scheduled, or maybe that was her excuse for being literally cheeky.

 

[Darth Osano]

Maleagant tensed, moreso if it were at all possible, head suddenly tilting up so he was looking down his nose at Joza. Did she- did she just insult him? He wasn't some veteran flesh peddler...! If he were, he wouldn't have had to come here now, would he? And even if he did deal with prostitutes a lot, this wasn't- this wasn't a rendezvous with a prostitute! This was a business meeting! And she was naked! If he were dealing with a prostitute, he would have expected it, but...

Oh, forget it.

Someone else in his family might have gotten real bent out of shape and started yelling, but Maleagant liked to think he was past that point. Sort of. Sure, he had scolded Tai Fa and Thengil into oblivion at one point not too long ago. But neither of them were a Zeltron women in a bathrobe whose only crime was exaggerated promiscuity. You had to pick your battles in these sorts of matters. Yell at a Peacock for taking your things and selling it to a Lion? Sure. Yell at a naked pink woman? Seemed a little bit excessive, honestly.

"Uh," Maleagant sighed and gave up the almost-sneering. "No, just..."

Careful choosing of the words in process.

"Give me a heads up next time, yeah?"