None Laugh in the Face of Danger [Expo Interim]

[Ayden Cater]

@[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Ayden descended the steps off the stage and wiped his brow, still grinning. The auction had been considerably more successful than he had dared hope. He reviewed the list of all who had bid on his items, a precautionary measure to check for suspicion characters or known bad eggs. A name that surprised him was that of Miss Arceneau. She had apparently bid on his station line, and not just once. She had already sent an associate to make an order at his booth earlier in the day. Why hadn't she dropped a word then?

Looking up to see her descending the stairs of the stage, Ayden swept over and held out a polite hand. "Your expos are almost as lovely as you are, Miss Arceneau."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

@[member="Ayden Cater"]

Full hips went swaying to and fro as Danger Arceneau decended the stairway, a crimson smile creeping across her lips in coy provicaiton," Well well well... I'll be. If it ain't the Lord Protector Cater himself," she began with a drawl, flashing a stunning smile down at him as she slowed.

"You say enough to make a girl blush," she told him, her shoulders shifting slightly as she gave a small chuckle.

"Looks like you made out like a Tuskian raider bandit tonight."

 

[Ayden Cater]

@[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Ayden chuckled and . "I made it out alright. Station line carried easily most of the profit." He paused briefly. "And I would have had none of the profits were it not for you and your expo. And speakin' of profits, I noticed you had sent an associate to the Corellian Engineering booth for an order this morning. Picked up a number of Ro-stations. That alone was high praise, that the stations were desirable for Arceneau Trading Company's use. But as I was reviewin' the bidders, I noticed you bid on this new station line." Ayden turned to her, his own drawl singing against hers and let that fact hang in the air for a moment.

"So let me ask you. Are you in the market for a station with a particular set of traits? Because I happen to know a company that's lookin' to expand operations now that the Ro-class has proven profitable." He chuckled and pulled out a seat for her to take a seat in if she so chose.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

@[member="Ayden Cater"]

Danger's eyebrows perked a bit, her smile ever lingering, "Well... Momma always said to buy tried and true and it ain't gonna hurt you none." she said with a husky twang, her voice thick and sweet like Naboo honey.

A shoulder gave a soft shrug, and she flashed him coy glance,"I might just be... " she said, the right corner of her mouth perking up. "Looking for what one might call the Hologram Funworld of trade," she told him "I've built Tatooine up and this bazaar up to where it is now... Some might say I'm looking to move a bit more closer to the rest of society."

 

[Ayden Cater]

@[member="Danger Arceneau"]

"Well then I think we can work somethin' out." Ayden took a swear across from her and sat back. "The Ro-station is a solid design, make no mistake. But it's hardly what I would call a crown jewel. It's conservative. Don't stick out at all. It's a great trade station, but it's not gonna be wowin' anybody in a contest. For that..." Ayden's grin became near maniacal as he reached into his coat and produced a palm-sized holoprojector. From it, a miniature cross-section of a station appeared. "This is the real deal on what CEC's cookin' up. Go ahead, give it a look. There's a number of other designs on that thing." With the money he had secured from the auction, to say nothing of the sales that had gone on, Ayden had exactly zero doubts that CEC could finance two new station designs and productions at the same time.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

@[member="Ayden Cater"]

Now Danger has had a might few 'bouts of surprises that would make her speechless. Rare, but few.

Nuthin', however, seemed to top this particular instance now. To say all them images of various space station designs took her breath away would be putting it lightly.

And she told him so.

"My my, Lord Protector Cater..." came her rather appreciative husky voice that lawdy could relay her immense pleasure, "Don't you know how to butter up a girl." she said, peeking up at him through the thick fringe of long lashes as she gave a smirk, "Makes me wonder what you'd do then for a girl your sweet on," came the soft tease.

"You've my undivided attention."

 

[Ayden Cater]

@[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Ayden held up a hand to stop her for a moment. "Please. Call me Ayden. I get enough of the 'By your leave, Lord Protector' crap on Fondor. Truth be told, it's just nice to be able to talk to someone who doesn't got slack-jawwed on me like they just got hit with enough tranquilizer to knock a Wookie on it's ass." His Corellian heritage sang with every word, and it was obvious that he had relaxed somewhat. Apparently he was far too used to the stuffy airs of politics. He pulled a sleeve up and tapped a command into the wrist device he wore and was rewarded a moment later with a droid flying over with a bottle of Whyern's Reserve. Without a word, or even asking her if she drank, Ayden poured the pair a shot and set the bottle between them.

"After today, I think CEC is going to be looking very favorably on Arceneau Trading Company. So I propose this; we design a trade station for you the likes of which don't exist in the galaxy. We'll even subsidize twenty-five percent of development and construction. In return, you put these in every major trade hub system A.T.C. has rights to and let us run take a modest one-point-five percent tax on all dealings that go on within the stations for... I don't, let's say two years for now. You get your jewel and CEC gets the trading partner it's been lookin' for." With that, he threw back his shot and grinned.

 

[Danger Arceneau]

@[member="Ayden Cater"]

You could knock Danger over with a feather; it was deals like this that would break in a whole new level of business for the redhead. It was the kind of deal she'd be more than happy to join in.

Now, she didn't miss the measure of informality the Lord Protector done gave to her. It was a plus. Meant that things could be on the level; and to be frank, didn't hurt none if a man was all too keen on doing business with her.

You caught more flies than one does with vinegar, as her momma done told her.

With a wide winning smile that relayed a healthy measure of pleasure, Danger rose up to let one fingertip graze the line of Ayden's coat collar over his chest, as she took a step closer so as the man would be able to smell the faint aroma of her perfume. It wasn't some heady concoction, but it held a measure of spice that painted images of hot sultry Tatooine nights.

"Mmm... well then Ayden," she said with that token drawl, glancing up at him through the thick fringe of long lashes, "Looks like you got more than my undivided attention then." came a throaty chuckle, as she lightly rocked her wrist on the hand that held the shot, before she pounded it back in a matter that suggested she was well used to this kind of drink.

"You just got yourself a deal."

 

[Ayden Cater]

@[member="Danger Arceneau"]

Every bit aware of the close proximity and the aroma that swam about his head, Ayden grinned and poured the pair another round and held up his glass. "To a long and successful relationship then. Arceneau Trade Company and Corellian Engineering's futures look bright." He threw back the shot with satisfied sigh before adding with a clever grin. "Though still only half as bright as you, Miss Arceneau."

Taking a step to the side, Ayden pulled a datapad out of a carrying bag and started flipping through it. He chuckled while flipping through it. "I'm sure you'll want to discuss the exact details further, and I know you'll need to get back to the expo soon. I certainly won't try and keep you from a profit." His demeanor shifted slightly, taking on a noticeably more professional tone as he handed her the pad. On it was his personal contact information, and a list of openings in his schedule for the next two months. "I regret not having a more open schedule, but my duties as the Lord Protector do have to take precedent over my duties as Corellian Engineering's main share holder. When you find a time that's amicable to your schedule, let me know and I'll see to it that you'll have those time slots. I'd like to discuss the general details as soon as possible so I have something to present to the Board of Directors when I return to Corellia. Is there a time you might be free during the expo, perhaps after the shows stop for the night?"

 

[Danger Arceneau]

@[member="Ayden Cater"]

Danger accepted Ayden's datapad, that crooked smile washing over the Lord Protector's rugged features. "Mmm... here one would think you asking me on a date, Ayden Cater." she said with a light hearted tease, her eyes twinkling with mirth and her voice thick in her drawl.

"Stopping for the night and all..." she flashed him a wink, but gave a nod. "Mmm... After the Expo would be fine." that finger went tracing a line across his coat as she began to walk past him. She had her duties after all.

"I reckon we'll have lots to discuss..."

 

[Ayden Cater]

Ayden chuckled while looking at the holoprojector as she left. "That we do, Miss Arceneau. That we do." With that, he slid the projector back into his pocket and put the pad away before marching off to the next auction. He had business to attend to as well, after all.