Gasoline

[Cassandra Paige]

Etti IV​

MoonSea Restaurant​

The whole week had been a particular sort of hell. The release of a new line of animals, a new children's cartoon, the flood of merchandise that accompanied both. The cross merchandising between the two. She'd fired two people, one in tears by the time she was done, just today for oversights that never should have been over looked. That part at least had been vaguely satisfying.

She had barely seen [member="Itash Mecetti"] all week- he'd been understanding, of course, but she'd even canceled one of their usual midweek lunches because of the crunch. And there had been no time for dinners, with her often not leaving the office until after midnight.

And the one evening she managed to leave at a reasonable hour? He was busy. She'd accepted it grudgingly because after her own week she couldn't reasonably be grumpy with him about it. She didn't like it, but she accepted it. Tomorrow, he'd promised, and now that the sheer press of new releases had eased, she had agreed.

For now however, she took the short walk from her apartment to the restaurant near by that she had picked up food from every night this past week- late and past when their kitchen was technically still open, but that was hardly a road block for Cassandra Paige.

"Miss Paige, your table will be ready soon- I am deeply sorry for the delay but if I can offer you a glass of wine on the house while you wait at the bar?"

She had inclined her head- she wasn't the sort to explode over something like this. It would benefit her not at all, and the preferential treatment she already received would be in jeopardy. Oh, she had no issue being cruel when it benefited her to be, but she wielded it as a scalpel, rather than as a club.

That didn't mean she wasn't annoyed, just that she settled in at the bar next to a dark haired woman. She indicated a pale green wine of Spira, and settled in lightly for what she expected to be a short wait.

[member="Nisha Decrilla"]

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

If Cassandra had been sharp enough, she might have noticed a few things. Overly nervous waiters, for one. The way the bartender was doing his utmost not to look at the dark haired woman she sat next too or even the occasional glances the host was swinging their way, looking for a signal. She'd slipped credits in their pockets to set this up, but just in case they didn't obey, she slipped them a slow acting poison too. She'd have a couple of hours before they all started vomiting blood. More than enough time.

She closed her eyes as Cassandra sat next to her and breathed deep, drawing in the scent of her floral perfume mingled with the sweet sweat of a long day at the office, and the earthy tones of paperwork. She smelled good. She already knew she looked good she'd been watching her all week. She was banking on her long hours being the reason she would over look such minor details. Why would she care if the waiters were on edge? She was a rich woman, by all accounts their nervousness should please her and be put down to the fact they had failed her.

She ran a hand through her hair, heaved a sigh and made a point of checking her watch. Her wine glass was empty. "How much longer are you going to keep me waiting here?" she snapped at a passing waiter. "You told me ten minutes, its been half an hour!" She watched him fumble with immense satisfaction and trip over his own feet in his haste to get an answer. He was a screamer, she decided as she swivelled back round indicating at her empty glass to the bartender.

She was smiling openly now, clearly pleased with the distress she was causing. "I'd get a large glass if i were you, you'll be here a while." she told Cassandra.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

The combination of long hours and the fact that Cassandra simply didn't much care about the discomfort of others was more than enough. What she did notice she didn't care about as she waited for her wine. As the bartender was pouring (she was vaguely annoyed at the way he kept hitting the rim of the glass with the neck of the wine bottle) she couldn't help but overhear the woman beside her.

Well that was a familiar tone.

She glanced out of the corner of her eye, noting the curve of her nose, the cut and quality of her dress, down swiftly to see if the shoes were this season's or last's, and then back to accept the glass from the bartender.

A small part of her inwardly smiled.

No, Cass wouldn't be waiting her for long, but that was neither here nor there.

"Mmm, they are rather busy tonight," she said with a light laugh that said she wasn't worried. "Did you call ahead? Tonight is their busiest night after all. It can be impossible to get a table if they don't know who you are."

She was smiling, the expression the neutral warmth of 'friendly stranger'- she always had a good time finding small ways to insult someone, and even more if they never realized it. Oh, it wasn't personal.

But everyone needed a hobby.

[member="Nisha Decrilla"]

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Nisha almost laughed at the wickedness beneath her words. Well at least she understood the initial attraction, that tongue was sharp and ruthless. She smiled into a freshly poured glass. "Quite," she agreed after a small sip. "But they know very well who I am and what I could do to them and their establishment if they keep me waiting much longer." The bartender had retreated away from them, hands clasped behind his back, eyes firmly averted to anywhere else but them.

She was taking great pleasure in their discomfort and it showed in the glitter of her eyes as she watched them. Cassandra would be waiting as long as Nisha wanted her to wait. She'd pluck at her chords till her irritation sung sweetly at the assassin, then she'd see them taken elsewhere. Everything about this evening Nisha had planned based on assumptions. But her assumptions were rarely incorrect.

Nisha slid the sleeve back on her dress to check her chrono and uttered a sigh. The host cleared his throat behind her her a moment later. Right on cue. "Lady Rhodes," he offered a small bow and leaned in closer. "I'm afraid Lord Rhodes has called to inform he will not be joining you this evening."

"Good," she retorted without looking round, "Less of an embarrassment for you then isn't it?"

The name had been chosen carefully, a rich family from Empress Teta with powerful influences and very private lives. The host hovered for a moment, till Nisha looked round at him. "Why are you still standing there? Shouldn't you be fixing my table?" he bowed, and moved away far more smoothly than the waiter had, but the fear in his eyes had been unmistakable. Oh she was enjoying this, far too much.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

Rhodes. That caught Cass's attention. Oh the 'they know who I am' hadn't- in her experience, people who had to claim that were rarely actually worth knowing.

Grey eyes glanced over with a new interest. Cassandra had grown up around a number of noble families- even if the Paiges were not, they were old money, which was as close to royalty as the Coruscanti people recognized- but the Rhodes had been one of the more elusive names, rarely throwing galas, certainly not going to other people's. Secluded.

Interesting.

Now she noted the discomfort in the people around them, but inaccurately attributed it. Confirmation bias was, after all, a queen.

She tilted her head slightly, smiling sympathetically.

"They are rarely so.... unaccommodating. Lady Rhodes, was it? Of Empress Theta? You must be used to much better treatment. Forgive me, I'm being rude- Cassandra Paige."

Cass only cared about being rude when it suited her.

[member="Nisha Decrilla"]