Of All the Gin Joints [Ardiks, Fortans, and Jenses]

[Natasi Fortan]

The Lotus Club was an exclusive, little-known gem of a nightclub in one of the posher blocks of Imperial City. It was known, by those who knew it, as a little slice of sophistication and culture on an otherwise impersonal megalopolis world. Natasi had heard of it from another Galidrani noble who had visited Coruscant and found that it suited quite nicely. On the outside, the building was all neon and metal, but the Lotus Club, spanning five floors of bars, lounges, and ballrooms, was an art deco masterpiece, done up in black and white tiling and elegant, muted paneling adorning the walls.

It was the only place on Coruscant that Natasi felt she could be her aristocratic self without being frowned at by sad little egalitarians.

The airspeeder dropped Natasi at the landing port. She and Imogen were helped out onto the landing pad by the porter, who ushered them towards the entrance. The foyer was a magnificent two-story affair, with a grand, sweeping staircase sweeping up both sides of the foyer. A drawing room in green damask silk was to the left for the ladies, a dark-paneled smoking room to the right for gentlemen. A man at the door asked for their names and Natasi identified herself and Imogen as guests of the friend that had recommended the place.

"Why do we need to be guests?" Imogen asked under her breath as they passed through, pausing to have a footman help her out of her coat.

"They don't allow women members," Natasi said, rolling her eyes. As her cloak was pulled away, Natasi's evening gown, a masterpiece of grey shimmersilk embellished with onyx beading. "How did you get in when you picked up that tradesman?"

"He wasn't a tradesman, he was a gentleman," Imogen replied defensively. "And he was the member, obviously. Now, is His Majesty really coming, or did you just make that up to get me out of the flat?"

"Of course he is," Natasi replied. "He's really quite reliable, and rather punctual." She glanced at the chrono on her left wrist. "We're still early. Come on, I asked for a table in the Lotus Room." They mounted the stairs together and found their table, ordering a bottle of champagne before settling in to enjoy the jizz band playing in the ballroom."

[member="Darth Janus"] [member="Imogen Fortan"] [member="TK-1288"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

The last time Tyrin had entered a high-class setting such as this, he had been surrounded by Tionese nobility, corporate power players, and military big-wigs. The time before that had an identical crowd, only it also involved the brutal murder of an illusionist Jedi Master and his meddlesome, nameless wife. Suffice to say Tyrin had not been to many of these clubs or outings in general. Any of his offices tended to be quieter and he got more work done within them than sauntering around exchanging banter with people more elitist than he could even aspire to be.

There was scarcely any dialogue between the doorman and Tyrin, the Umbaran being let in without so much as an inquiry. It might have been the One Sith insignia pinned to his lapel. It was probably better that way, as Tyrin never really had anything interesting to say unless it was pressed out of him, or he was trying to sell someone something. He was forced to inquire as to the location of the Fortan party anyway. A nearby footman indicated to him that he should climb the stairs and enter the Lotus room.

The Umbaran didn't take long to pick out Natasi from the crowd, sitting with another woman. Imogen, most likely. Tyrin gave a heavy sigh (which probably meant something along the lines of "here goes nothing") before starting to walk on over to the table.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Natasi was facing the door, so she spotted Tyrin as he entered. She smiled broadly and lifted her eyebrows at her cousin, then nodded her chin towards the door before standing up and. She turned her cheek up, inviting an aristocratic cheek-bumping if he preferred to give one, then turned to introduce [member="Darth Janus"] to her cousin. "I'm sure you remember my cousin Imogen. Imogen, Lord Darth Janus."

She sat down and lifted her champagne glass to take a sip with one hand, the other signaling for a waiter to come and take a drink order from Tyrin. Natasi settled into her seat -- well, as much as someone who was physically incapable of resting her back against the back of the chair -- and rested her chin on her fist, smiling over at Janus. "See, now, that wasn't so bad," Natasi said, reaching over to pat the top of Tyrin's hand with her own. "Was it?"

[member="Darth Janus"] | [member="Imogen Fortan"] | [member="TK-1288"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"Of course," said Imogen with a smile as she offered her hand to the onetime Emperor. He looked... not necessarily Imperial, at least in Imogen's opinion. In fact, he looked a little worse for the wear. She supposed that was what came of being at Natasi Fortan's beck and call. She felt rather sorrty for him, having gone from the most powerful man in the galaxy to a potential suitor to her wretched cousin.

"It's not as bad as it seems," Imogen informed [member="Darth Janus"]. "It's very stuffy but at least they're all our sort of people."

When the waiter came over, Imogen ditched her champagne for a martini. "What about you, Lord Janus? Are you a cocktail kind of man, or do you prefer wine? Don't tell me you're one of those horrible teetotalers."

[member="Darth Janus"] | [member="Natasi Fortan"] | [member="TK-1288"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Natasi Fortan"] | [member="Imogen Fortan"]

If there was anyone in the room who pitied Darth Janus the most, it was very likely Darth Janus himself. None moreso now that he had almost been called out on his usual teetotalism. Well, he couldn't be said to completely abstain, but he generally preferred to do so. If he wasn't sober enough to experience his own self-loathing, what was the point? The Umbaran smiled briefly at Natasi, before shaking Imogen's hand as indicated.

"Not at all bad; not when compared to the sorts of people milling about the temple my colleagues constructed." Janus replied, before redirecting attention to the waiter and requesting a glass of red wine.

"The most horrible of teetotalers, all of them, I assure you."

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"Stop teasing him," Natasi told [member="Imogen Fortan"] flatly. "I seem to recall a certain mistake you wouldn't have made if you had observed a similar discipline. I believe it was that investment banker from two weeks ago." The Commissioner adjusted her glove self-consciously and smiled politely at her cousin, who was suddenly sulky.

Turning her attention back to [member="Darth Janus"], Natasi folded her hands over her clutch and said, "I haven't heard anything about those supplies that we transported back into your hands. Was it all still in good working order by the time it got back to your headquarters?"