Tea For Two

[Marzena Vaas]

Perennial Tea Room, Cloud City​

Come, let us have some tea and talk about happy things.​

Spoiler

The door of Perennial Tea Room opened gently, and the slim form of Marzena Choi stepped over the threshold. While she was not usually one to frequent such an establishment, it did feel like the perfect setting for an afternoon of high class. The celebrity had chosen a conservative dress that covered her arms, and most of her legs, the hem dropping just past her knees. However, the outfit was not boring, for her dress featured a floral pattern and her feet were bedecked with a pair of bright red heels. It was very true that she normally leaned towards outfits that displayed a hint of skin, but it was not always appropriate, especially for daytime gatherings. Slender fingers rose to comb through her glamorous waves of black, and she touched up her lipstick quickly as a waiter came to greet her.

Marzena followed the young man to a secluded table by the hearth, and she gracefully lowered herself down into the seat that he held out for her. The tea room was filled with the sounds of chatter, clinking of cups against saucers, and the fragrant scent of tea leaves. Every table was set neatly, and ready to receive the bounty of Perennial's famed afternoon tea service. The tea room was known for its lavish display of delicate tea sandwiches, pastries, and extremely high quality tea. Of course, Marzena would gladly sip tea, but it would take some heavy persuasion to get her to eat even a bite of the sweets... No matter how lovely they looked.

“Tea for one?”

“For two,” She said to the waiter, "I am expecting Moff [member="Natasi Fortan"]." Marzena watched his expression to make sure that he had understood, and the way his eyes grew wide seemed to confirm that he had heard correctly.

Marzena had approached Ms. Chambers before leaving the Gala Dinner the night previous, and had arranged to meet the Moff for high tea. The two women had met during the Summit, but had little time to speak casually. However, Marzena noticed that during the interactions they did have, that it seemed the Moff was hesitant about talking with her. Natasi had been ever so pleasant and couth, but there seemed to be something that kept the two set apart. She had also heard people talking in hushed voices during the summit, words overheard in passing about Natasi's recent misfortune. Marzena had not heard the full story, but figured that the Moff must have been under a great deal of stress.

And what better remedy was there than a hot cup of tea and a friendly chat?

While she did live up to her reputation as a diva, Marzena was actually far more pleasant than the tabloids made her out to be. Marzena was outgoing, she adored making new friends, and was especially interested to make connections within the First Order.

She crossed her legs daintily and sat back in her chair, enjoying the atmosphere as she waited for Natasi to arrive.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

A few minutes later, the fromt doors opened, and a pair of men in simple black suits entered, nodding to the host. One of them approached and exchanged a few quick words with the host, who nodded and gestured widely towards the tea room. The men spent a few moments looking around the reception area before stepping into the tea room. While they couldn't very well frisk all the patrons, they did a quick look to see if anyone looked suspicious or out of place, before moving in to inspect the kitchen and 'fresher facilities. When they were satisfied -- but marginally -- they returned to the entry, never slackening their brisk pace.

As her men swept the tea room, Natasi sat in the back seat of a hired airspeeder. Tea with Marzena Choi -- when Sioux had informed her about the invitation, Natasi had balked. What could the two women have to say to one another? Sioux had convinced her to go, and Natasi was reconsidering the size of her Life Day bonus as a result. The more she thought about the invitation the more she wondered if it concerned what Sioux had referred to as their "mutual friend." Less my friend these days, Natasi thought glumly as she smoothed her black wrist-length gloves out over her fingers. She felt sick, and some unholy combination of cold and hot clutched at her insides. Was it too late to cancel?

The answer came in the form of a sharp rap on the glass of the window. Outside, one of the plainclothesmen opened the door. Natasi took a deep breath and stepped out. The two men flanked her -- as reassuring a presence as it was intrusive -- as she walked up the short steps into the vestibule, pausing to shrug out of her woolen coat and to smooth the wrinkles out of her conservative black dress before strolling into the entry.

"Good afternoon," Natasi said glumly to the host. "I'm meeting a -- a woman." She hesitated again. "May I go in?"

"Yes, your -- ah, Moff Fortan," said the host. "Would you like to leave your coat?" Natasi agreed and handed her coat over, then followed the host's direction into the tea room, once again flanked by the two plainclothesmen. She moved across the room after spotting Marzena and inclining her head in recognition.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Choi," Natasi said to [member="Marzena Choi"], her tone slightly less glum than when greeting the host. A waiter hurried over and pulled a chair out for Natasi, and she sat down, perching perfectly on the chair as she had been taught for years and years taking tea in the libraries and drawing rooms of the noble houses of Galidraan. She cast her eye around the room, not uncritically; she had been right not to wear a hat, despite how unnatural it felt to be taking tea without one, because hardly anyone else in the room was wearing one either. Her lips pressed together briefly as her two plainclothesmen flanked the table, each a few meters away for privacy's sake, their heads occasionally swiveling to allow them take in the whole room for threats.

The walk and settling into her chair gave Natasi the time needed to summon from the depths of her diplomatist's tool kit some measure of warmth and enthusiasm. She deployed a closed-mouth smile across the pristine table. "Thank you so much for inviting me. I've heard such thrilling things about the Perennial but I'd never had the time to visit." She peeled her gloves off one finger at a time and rested them across her lap before smoothing the napkin over the gloves. "Are you a tea aficionado, Ms. Choi?" Her fingers knitted together firmly beneath her companion's line of sight.

 

[Marzena Vaas]

Marzena spent the next few moments holding her hand fanned out in front of her, admiring her freshly manicured nails. She had spent the morning at her favorite salon and day spa in the city. The celebrity had been treated to the works – a relaxing facial mask, followed by a light application of makeup, hair and nails done, and a brief shoulder massage. There was nothing like being pampered, and it had formed an aura of calm around her. As far as she was concerned, there was no chance of her mood being broken... until she heard voices speaking low behind her.

“Isn’t that Marzena Choi?” Spoke a female voice.

“I believe you’re right.” Came the reply from her friend, “Isn’t she seeing that First Order general?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. But you know, it’s just a rumor.”

There was something about being a celebrity that made people feel entitled to speak as though she could not hear, or perhaps like she was not there at all. Marzena merely let her hands fall into her lap, her eyes cast down at the tablecloth. She was a very familiar face around Cloud City now, as was the face of [member="Ludolf Vaas"]. There had been rumors circulating about them for some time now, but neither party had openly acknowledged anything. The truth was that the two were very involved, and Marzena’s feelings for the general ran deep now. For a moment she wondered if any of these rumors had reached the ears of Moff Fortan. No doubt she had heard something...

Marzena’s thoughts were not allowed to linger for long, for a pair of smartly dressed men had just stepped into the tea room. It was clear that they were not here to enjoy tea themselves, as they swept briskly through the tables, sharp eyes taking in everything. Marzena placed the tips of her fingers delicately upon the edge of the table as one of the men paused by her table, eyed her for a brief moment, and then moved on. The two men would disappear, only to reappear a few moments later flanking [member="Natasi Fortan"]. Well, that was certainly one way to make an entrance. However, the sight of vigilant guards was very familiar to Marzena. She felt safe enough within the limits of Cloud City, but whenever she traveled away, a retinue followed at her heels.

“Good afternoon, Moff Fortan,” She said smiling, “I’m so pleased that you could join me.”

The Moff was dressed in black; the cut of her dress was sharp and tailored very nicely. She watched as Natasi had a seat, her posture was perfection. Marzena made sure to straighten up just slightly, her own back was poised, but still held fluidity and grace, like that of a dancer. Her smile grew as she heard the Moff’s question about tea, in truth; she was much more of a caf drinker.

“I don’t drink a lot of tea,” She said in a light tone, “But I thought it would be fun to try something new.”

Silence fell between them for a moment, and Marzena continued to smile across the table at Natasi. A distraction came in the form a woman with a cart of loose leaf teas; herbal tisanes, ceylon, darjeeling, oolong, green... the varieties seemed endless.

“What can I get started for you, ladies?”

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Natasi's smile widened somewhat in polite response to Marzena's apparent delight in trying something new. "Indeed," she responded, but was prevented from saying anything more as the tea cart came around. Natasi studied the variety of tea on offer, and after a moment's consideration elected that she, too, would try something new, in the form of an herbal tea. Typically she preferred a robust black breakfast tea, but she had the opportunity now to expand her horizons and seized the moment. Once she had made her selection, she turned her attention back to Marzena, her dark eyes tracing the contours of her delicately made-up face, her styled hair. Natasi's cheek twitched. Even if it was your place to interfere, and it is not, exotic and beautiful is too difficult a combination for you to overcome, Natasi's inner voice reminded her. She nodded to herself and before inclining her head and resuming her smile.

"This is -- very different from the kind of tea I know," said Natasi once the tea cart had trundled to the next table, looking around the beautifully decorated room. "When I was a girl, mother wouldn't have dreamed of taking me into a tea shop or an hotel. It just wasn't done on Galidraan. As a consequence one got used to taking tea in drafty old mausoleums in the form of moldering libraries and ancient sitting rooms. There is such a fetish among them about old, family things that one was lucky to escape a tea without dribbling it down one's front thanks to some chip or crack in a teacup." Natasi's eyes looked sideways and down. The nostalgia of it all and the presence of [member="Marzena Choi"] served as dual reminders of what she had lost due to her own carelessness. She took in a deep, somewhat shaky breath, steadied herself, and looked up again, smiling at her beautiful tea-drinking companion.

"I rather doubt I'll have to worry about any of that here," Natasi said brightly and smoothed her napkin self-consciously. "At any rate, I'm sure you didn't ask me here to be regaled by sad stories of a dying breed of Galidraani nobles." Under the table, Natasi's ankles crossed against one of the legs of the chair and she leaned forward a little.

 

[Marzena Vaas]

Marzena drew in a deep breath as she listened to the waitress explain the difference between the tea varieties displayed on her cart. A thoughtful hand came to cradle her chin for a moment as she contemplated her choice. While Moff Fortan had opted for an herbal tea, Marzena decided to try the Darjeeling white tea, as it was said to have a mellow taste with a hint of natural sweetness. And it had a fancy name, so it seemed like a good choice. Just as the waitress began to move along again, Marzena sat up straight in her chair once more, and thought she saw the Moff’s cheek twitch just slightly. But a second later Natasi’s smile had returned.

She listened with a small smile as [member="Natasi Fortan"] spoke of her own experiences with taking tea. Marzena could imagine sitting in a stuffy, formal library, it was certainly a far cry from the bright atmosphere of Perennial. When Natasi mentioned ‘old, family things’ Marzena laughed softly, a sound that was almost musical. Marzena’s finely groomed brows raised just a touch; it seemed that Natasi had an impressive collection of titles: moff and a noble woman. The celebrity was falling into more and more company lately that had noble blood, as she was aware that Ms. Brentioch was also of a noble house from Brentaal IV. While Marzena’s family did lack any noble bloodlines, they were well connected and lived the type of luxurious lifestyle that was easily mistaken for nobility.

“We have formal tea on Dargul as well, it’s quite an experience.” She started, a hint of exasperation in her tone. “It takes the form of a ceremony that focuses more on the ritual of tea preparation. There are different tea cups and bowls used depending on the season, you must watch your host boil water and prepare the tea. And to top it all off, you must wait for the host to sip before you do... every single time.” This process often ended up stretching out far longer than it needed to. “We usually drink green tea; it has a very... unique flavor.”

While some would probably describe their green tea as having floral notes, Marzena had always thought that it tasted the way she imagined grass might taste. She was not fond of it.

With a small chuckle, she leaned back in her chair, relaxing into the calming atmosphere of the tea room. Marzena’s hands appeared from her lap, and she let them rest atop the table, one covering the other slightly. Her expression fell into seriousness, and she looked across the table with intention, her dark eyes meeting with Natasi’s.

“While I do enjoy a bit of friendly chit chat, I did have another reason to ask you here today.”

For a moment, it seemed that Marzena was searching for the right words, her gaze shifting down for a brief second. As she looked up again, her lips parted to speak, but she was interrupted as the waitress returned with their tea service. Marzena pressed her lips into a smile and let the woman set out their cups, tea pots, and a tower of beautifully made sandwiches and pastries.

For now, she could only watch as the waitress set about setting strainers over their cups and pouring their tea for them.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

It looked, to the Moff at least, that this tea was bound to develop its own set of rituals and ceremonies, to include stilted conversation, chest pain, and the interruption by the staff whenever there was the possibility of the conversation turning beyond the superficial. As the waitress busied herself setting up the rest of the tea service, Natasi looked up and through [member="Marzena Choi"], her eyes lingering at the woman's hairline, which was the closest thing Natasi could manage to eye contact for anything longer than a few moments.

"How fascinating," Natasi murmured in response to Marzena's description of tea on Dargul. "It sounds..." Her voice trailed off. In truth it sounded somewhat interesting to experience perhaps once, but to engage in it with any degree of regularity sounded like it would be too dull for words. "...very cultural," Natasi added diplomatically, an enigmatic smile crossing her lips. The teas on Galidraan were more social events, nothing more than an elegant venue for gossip. "Myself, I've never much cared for green tea. I've tried several varietals and it invariably tastes like someone has boiled a pot of water with whatever they found on the ground nearby."

Natasi watched the waitress lay out the sandwiches and pour the tea. The steam billowed fragrantly out of Natasi's cup. While she couldn't put her finger on just what she was smelling, it did smell rather like freshly cut flowers and fruit, which was promising. When finally the waitress bustled away, Natasi looked through the steam rising above her cup to Ms. Choi, her eyes finally touching on the other woman's gaze without flinching. "Now that we're more or less alone..." She offered another closed-mouth smile. "...what is it you wanted to discuss? We can always return to friendly chit-chat once your intended business is concluded." Her stomach twisted painfully as she sat forward slightly, her eyebrows raised slightly to show well-intentioned interest, her hands knitted together under the table so firmly as to make her knuckles stark white, but above, on the surface, she remained as composed as possible.

 

[Marzena Vaas]

Marzena’s eyes wandered over towards the tower of treats for a moment or two, and she felt a pang of hunger. She could smell the sweetness rising from her own cup of tea, and it mixed with the scent of the pastries –a dangerous combination for a woman that often deprived herself of such things. The pretty chocolate cakes looked especially delicious, but she turned her head away, determined not to give in to temptation. And then she turned her attention back to the conversation, it was almost like the room had gone quiet all around them, like the room itself held its breath.

“Well, I was wondering perhaps,” She began, “If you may be able to help me.”

The celebrity paused thoughtfully, trying to decide what to say next. She hoped that she was not about to make herself seem terribly silly and unworthy of being taken seriously.

“I am a pop culture icon here in First Order space, but lately, I have been wondering if there is something more that I can contribute to the cause.” Marzena’s slender hand began to lift the cup of tea slightly, and she felt the warmth moving through her finger tips. “I know my background is not ideal for a position within the government, but perhaps there are some opportunities within the independent sector? I am a member of the First Artists Guild, and I have been heavily involved with their recent movement to promote art and culture here in Cloud City - I would love to see this happen on a larger scale.” She smiled, before finally raising the cup to her lips for a small sip.

As the cup came away, she looked pleasantly surprised. The tea had a fresh, clean taste and it had none of the harsh bitterness that she normally associated with the drink. Marzena had been enjoying playing hostess for the Guild events, but on nights that she had found herself home alone, she had been starting to feel a bit useless. She had even begun a quest for personal enrichment, which even included classes from a local chef in gourmet cookery (that were not going well). Marzena knew that fame was a fickle thing, and no matter how much she avoided the thought, it would not last forever. It was time to expand her horizons.

“Do you think there is a way for me to work more closely with the First Order? I would love to be able to promote our way of life, and help bring more awareness to our high culture.”

She blinked a couple of times, her gaze set hopefully upon the Moff.

[member="Natasi Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

There was no denying the relief in Natasi's bones when Marzena revealed the topic of conversation. She took a breath and started lifting her own cup, her dark eyes narrowing minutely as [member="Marzena Choi"] described herself as a cultural icon, and the cup stopped in front of her chin. She's certainly not short on modesty, the Moff thought sarcastically to herself, a little shocked at the lack of humility on the part of the pop star. After a moment's consideration, Natasi admonished herself on her own harsh internal response. She's not one of us, she reminded herself. And there's nothing wrong with not being one of us -- but noblesse oblige doesn't much apply when one is not 'a noblesse'.

There were so many things that Natasi wanted to say. The spoiled, mean noble girl that existed in her, that was unaccustomed to not getting what she wanted, had a great many things to add -- some cruelly cool, innuendo-laden remark about it being impossible. Oh, stop moaning, she challenged herself, exhaling a sigh over her teacup and allowing her chin and eyelids to droop slightly. She took a sip of her tea, and much as she suspected, this one too tasted like something one would find on the ground. At least it smelled nice. Natasi took another sip and set the teacup back on its saucer, and then placed both on the table in front of her. She straightened her back, opened her eyes fully once again, and listened to the rest of Marzena's words.

With the request made, Natasi studied Marzena, her dark eyes flicking from this feature to that, to her eyes, her mouth, her teacup, never staying in one place for more than a moment. It would be so easy, she reflected. It would be easy to tell Ms. Choi to take a hike, to indulge in the feeling of superiority it would give her to treat this as a waste of time for the Supreme Leader's government. It would be easy to dislike Marzena Choi, but as much as she tried, the Moff could not make herself do it -- any of it. Natasi was self-aware enough to admit to herself that despite being a pop star, despite everything, Marzena was to all accounts a conscientious and loyal citizen of the First Order. She was using her talents, her connections, and her time to the benefit of the First Order. Nothing else should matter, and in Natasi's professional capacity, nothing else could matter.

A few moments of silence had passed, the Moff realized, and it was in danger of crossing into awkward territory when Natasi picked up her saucer again and said, with perhaps a slight exaggeration of enthusiasm, "What a good idea. How can I help?"

 

[Marzena Vaas]

Marzena watched [member="Natasi Fortan"] closely, looking for any hint of a reaction to her idea. The Moff’s dark eyes seemed to flutter about, only meeting her eye line every now and then. As the silence hung between the two women, the sounds of the tea house even began to fade to the back of Marzena’s mind. There was a tickle of nerves in her stomach, and she drew in a slow breath to calm herself. The celebrity’s face did not yet betray the sense of unease, but her smile had started to fade into a more neutral expression. Carefully, she lifted the tea cup from the saucer and brought it to her lips for another sip. The warmth of the tea was comforting, and she looked over the top of her cup as Natasi replied. There was a part of her that had expected Moff Fortan to laugh right in her face, so she was surprised to hear the enthusiasm in her voice.

In an instant, the brightness returned to Marzena’s gaze, and she lowered the cup again to reveal a smile. She clasped her hands together and let them fall back into her lap, and she exhaled smoothly. “Wonderful,” She beamed across the table, letting her shoulders relax slightly.

Marzena had only come with an inkling of an idea, but she thought back to discussions from recent guild meetings. While the First Artists Guild was a fine collective of the First Order’s painters, sculptors, performers, and other artists... it was not necessarily a place for the public. They did have certain programs in place to promote themselves, but did not have many outreach programs, aside from their fundraising efforts.

“I am eager to help, but I’m afraid I don’t know where to start.” Marzena’s idly rose and brushed back a few strands of dark hair. “Is there a center for arts and culture that I can work with? Or does one need to be established? I am sure I can find members of the guild to help out.” She offered with a nod.

She knew that Natasi was heavily involved in the development of Dosuun’s capital city, and decided to take the opportunity to bring up one of the guild’s ideas. It was worth a shot.

“Some of the artists have also expressed interest in opening a military memorial museum, would something like this fit into your plans for the capital city?”

 

[Natasi Fortan]

As Marzena's shoulders relaxed, Natasi's shoulders tensed, her entire body stiffening a little as she caught a glimpse of the future: sitting across from [member="Marzena Choi"] for discussions on this topic would be necessary, because the First Order budget was one of Natasi's responsibilities -- it was a group effort, of course, between [member="Ludolf Vaas"] and his military requirements and the Supreme Leader's priorities, but it was the Moff who balanced the budget, completed the projections, allocated funds among the ministries, and then presented it for approval to the Supreme Commander and Supreme Leader. And if there was going to be some transfer of funds or government blessing for this venture of Marzena's, Natasi would be keeping a close eye on it to ensure that it didn't go off the rails or otherwise embarrass the First Order or Natasi herself.

You can't really trust these creative types, Natasi's inner voice affirmed. Even if it means... you know. This.

"We have, of course, planned for public buildings of this type, though we have not filled them all. We have plans for a memorial garden in the west end of the city, overlooking the canyon. There's a visitor's center -- not a museum, strictly speaking, but perhaps it will do. What kind of... art ...are we talking about here?" The Moff canted her head to the side, narrowing her eyes skeptically. "It would have to be entirely tasteful and patriotic. I would hope this is understood, and that I needn't expect to see rabid artists marching through my city sobbing about the cruel lash of censorship." She sipped her tea again and glanced at the assortment of pastries and sandwiches. As a general rule Natasi avoided carbohydrates and today was no exception, but they were indeed a treat for the eyes, and allowed the Moff to rest her eyes somewhere other than the infuriating perfection of her companion's face. "Unfortunately, we have had other matters to take our attention -- not, perhaps, more important, but certainly more pressing," Natasi added with a smirk at the pastries before looking back to Marzena.

 

[Marzena Vaas]

Marzena immediately noticed the tones of skepticism present in the Moff’s tone, and the way she spoke almost reminded her of being lectured during her days in private school. Had she been feeling oversensitive, she may have taken it as a slight, a suggestion that her own taste level was...questionable. However, she knew that [member="Natasi Fortan"] was merely doing her job to look out for the best interests of the First Order. Marzena’s gaze followed the Moff’s, drifting slowly towards the tower of lovely treats that would remain untouched. She reached for her teapot with a graceful hand, gently lifting it and pouring just a touch more into her cup.

“I understand your concerns; I can assure you that it will be tasteful. We do want to represent the First Order in the best way. While I can’t vouch for every artist in our guild, there is a lot of talent. There would not be anything overly modern or interpretive, those types of works are better suited for the metropolitan museums here in Cloud City.” She hoped that she was beginning to lay rest to Natasi’s obvious reservations. After all, she was not planning to exhibit any vulgar displays or fill the museum with nudes... Not that she objected to nude paintings or sculptures, so long as they were tastefully done.

“We could always form a committee to review the exhibitions, that way we can ensure that the artwork is satisfactory.” She paused for a moment to sip her tea, her second helping was a little bitter, perhaps she had let the tea leaves steep for too long. “I am probably getting a bit ahead of myself. We can always speak in more detail about this later on.” She said with a slightly apologetic smile. “But please, let me know if there is any additional information you would need in order to make a decision.” As she had only just made the suggestion, she did not want to sound like she assumed her will would automatically be done. Maybe it was time to steer their conversation back towards something more casual.

“I had a lovely time at the summit; it certainly seemed like a great success.” She nodded, “Do you happen to know if San Guinem Textum made a decision to put down roots here?” Marzena tilted her head slightly, “I saw that Ms. Brentioch was present, but I only had the chance to speak with her briefly.”

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Natasi took another sip of her tea and listened thoughtfully as [member="Marzena Choi"] laid out of ideas, and then leaned forward, looking thoughtful. "A committee," Natasi said cautiously. "They can be deadly at the best of times, but... I suppose, yes, a committee might be useful to build a consensus. But as the building will be First Order government property, I would think it was understood that any display that First Order command finds objectionable would be out of the question." She set her teacup and saucer down with minimal clattering and smiled. "Forgive me if I seem... well. Zealous, perhaps, is the term?" Her eyes focused on Marzena's for long moment, an unusual impulse from the Moff who had spent the entire tea service trying to avoid it. "I have recently had reason to become more cautious about... about everything. It is my responsibility to ensure that the First Order does not come off looking in any way diminished -- which, obviously, please don't get me wrong." She held up a hand for the first time, in a half-pleading gesture. "Certainly I could not make myself believe it would be your intention or that of anyone in the guild. But there is a saying on Galidraan and perhaps other worlds -- maybe you know it -- that the road to hell is paved with good intentions."

The Moff realized that she had been raising her voice, as if conducting a cabinet meeting, and flushed somewhat. "I beg your pardon," she said with an apologetic grimace. "One does sometimes forget..." Her voice trailed off and she realized she was still looking at Marzena, and she flinched, looking down into her tea as if there were some tea leaves spelling the answer to her problems. "At any rate. Of course I should be glad to help however I can and will organize accommodations for a committee to explore it further. How fortunate--" the Moff cleared her throat as she pressed her napkin to her lips. "--we are that someone of your caliber would be so interested in serving in this manner."

The conversation turned to Valessia Brentioch and her company. "Do you know, I didn't see her after the cocktail party," Natasi said conversationally, finally looking up from her tea, once again finding a way to look at Marzena without really looking at her, which gave her a somewhat faraway look. "We spoke very briefly, but then she went to speak to -- to someone else, I gather -- and then I never saw her again. I wonder if it was something I said." She lofted her eyebrows humorously. One did have to be careful with these creative types; they could be given to delusions of grandeur and flights of fancy. "I had hoped to discuss her offerings, but I rather suspect she has eluded me. It is a shame, but as you might have noticed at the summit, textiles manufacturers and tailors are two-a-credit these days, so it is not a debilitating loss." She inclined her head and smiled self-consciously. "I know it's not what one wants to hear from a Moff of the First Order, but I rather enjoyed looking at the collections of that delightful [member="Claire Organa"] and some of the other designers. Apart from the negotiations with -- well, you'll hear about all that in the media -- it was one of the best parts of the weekend. Did you speak to anyone promising?"

 

[Marzena Vaas]

Though Natasi’s voice had grown strong and determined, Marzena was not bothered, and she waved away the Moff’s attempt to apologize. Marzena could see why Moff [member="Natasi Fortan"] was so well suited to her role; she imagined that the Moff would be a formidable opponent during political discussions. She felt relieved that such an important member of the First Order government had taken the time to listen to her request, and had not immediately written her off.

It was certainly strange that Ms. Brentioch had not resurfaced after the cocktail reception. However, the textile designer had also swept away rather suddenly at the conclusion of her fashion show for San Guinem. Marzena remembered that General Vaas had been disappointed that he had been unable to close a deal with her for new military dress uniforms. It seemed that the mysterious Ms. Brentioch was very elusive. The Moff was right, textile designers were quite common, but San Guinem seemed to have something special. It was their fabrics that incorporated cortosis that had been especially interesting.

“Oh, how strange. I know that Ms. Brentioch was very interested in settling here.The two of us will soon be collaborating on a line of evening gowns - we'll see what happens.” Marzena smiled when Natasi mentioned Claire Organa. She had traveled to New Crevasse city in hopes of finding a special couture design, and she had ended up with a lovely gown and a new friend. “Yes, Claire is very talented. I do hope that she decides to open a shop here. That is, unless she is too busy dressing their royal family.” She said with a light laugh, after all, Claire’s cousin was the Crown Princess of Alderaan.

Marzena had met a great many people at the summit, but most of them had a difficult time believing that she was also the Chief Executive of a corporation. That was the problem when most people knew her by her career as a pop star. Everyone had been perfectly polite, but she had the impression that few had taken her very seriously. And then there had been the people that had wanted to speak with her only because of her celebrity status. While she did delight in their praise and compliments, the endless pandering was a slight annoyance. Her finely groomed brow rose slightly when Natasi mentioned negotiations, but did not elaborate further, deciding to leave Marzena in suspense.

Marzena took another sip from her cup, and then dabbed the corner of her mouth daintily with her napkin. She was very curious, but would not pry further.

“Well, I shall keep my eyes on the news.” She said with a grin, “I did meet a number of interesting people at the summit. However, there were more than a few that were not strictly interested in business relationships.” Marzena’s eyes shifted down towards the table for a moment, she was not trying to brag. “Most seemed more interested in my life as a celebrity.” Her smile faltered for the first time, but only for a brief moment. This was another reason to formally hand over control to her brother; people did see him as a legitimate business man. Marzena enjoyed her life in the spotlight, and she was grateful for the popularity she had gained here, but there was a new desire within her to be known for something more.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

As the singer's smile faltered, Natasi felt something shocking -- almost blindsiding: a pang of sympathy for [member="Marzena Choi"]. It was sheer women's intuition, this pang, and presented itself before Natasi could put together the words and gesture that her reasoning took as confirmation. Whether she was reading Ms. Choi correctly or not, Natasi felt stunned by her own emotional response. She almost didn't believe it herself, initially trying to brush it aside as annoyance for this woman who had the audacity to complain when she had everything -- everything, including the one thing Natasi wanted most in the galaxy, for which she had been willing to give up everything else in her life. But on further inspection, and a quick conference with her rational side, Natasi examined the sensation and found that the brief glimpse at what Natasi's intuition had an unfulfilled woman was not just sympathetic but empathetic. The feeling that she thought she saw telegraphed in her resonated with her. We all want to be known, to be remembered for something substantive, her inner voice murmured.

Her interpretation of the Cosmic Balance being what it was, Natasi could not experience for long this little bit of joy at being able to put aside the gut-wrenching envy she had felt for the pop star since her own conversation with General Vaas. The feeling of warmth and camaraderie -- even of a vague protectiveness -- that it had elicited was gone in a moment, and again Natasi was empty, hollowed out with nothing but the superficial pleasantry of her surroundings to mask the mocking, echoing reminders of all that her foolishness and neglect had cost her.

Natasi looked up from her teacup; its contents had cooled to merely warm, and the bergamot had begun to swirl seductively on the surface. "Well," Natasi said gravely. "When it's time for the next summit, they won't be talking about your celebrity." She sipped her tea once more and set her teacup and saucer gently. "I don't know what exactly you have in mind for your cultural efforts, but I suspect whatever it is will make a splash." Natasi smiled pleasantly but avoided Marzena's eyes, instead turning to peer around the room at the others in the room. It seemed rather an exclusive crowd, but the occasional sordid glance towards Natasi and Marzena -- or rather, in Natasi's addled mind, towards Marzena alone -- gave her some indication of the class of the clientele. It was too bad, for such a beautiful establishment. "And," she added, finally turning her gaze back to the singer, she solemnly promised: "If I can help, I will."

 

[Marzena Vaas]

As she looked across the table at [member="Natasi Fortan"], she almost felt like there was a delicate piece of thread beginning to draw them together. But this feeling of warmth was fleeting, and the thread severed just as quickly and suddenly as it had come. Even though their moment of closeness had faded back into the polite silence, Marzena could not help but feel as though she and the Moff were on their way to becoming friends. Maybe not best friends... but it was certainly a start.

Marzena’s gaze had softened, not that it had ever appeared hard, but more like some of the confidence had slipped away. The performer normally had quite an abundance of confidence, so much that her heeled shoes walked the edge of appearing haughty, but lately things had started to change. Her line of work was full of highs and lows, Marzena guarded herself against the negative things, but her defenses were beginning to crack. Her new popularity had brought an enormous outpouring of support and praise from her fans, but criticism had not been far behind. She understood that there were people that did not like her music, she could accept that. However, it was difficult for Marzena to feel the lash of those that did not seem to like her.

“Thank you, Moff Fortan.” She nodded, “I truly appreciate your willingness to help.” Marzena’s painted lips grew into a smile once more, this time it was more genuine than any she had displayed to the Moff before. Her gaze lingered on Natasi for a moment longer before turning to look around the room as well. There were a few patrons that seemed to want to watch the pair of women, small looks here and there that did not go unnoticed. It probably was a quite a sight to see, an important government official of the First Order having tea with a pop star. Marzena spotted their waiter looking towards their table, and she figured that he would likely be on his way over to settle the bill.

“Please excuse me for a moment,” She said suddenly, and stood gracefully from her seat. Marzena took long strides through the tea room and towards the counter. There was a lovely display of teas available for purchase, and an idea struck her. Once the credits had been transferred, she made her way back to the table with two small bags in her hand –and gently slid both of them towards Natasi.

“I wanted to thank you for taking the time to meet with me; I know that you must be very busy.” Marzena said with a slight nod, “This is my treat.” Her hand rose to gesture to their tea service. She lowered herself onto the edge of her seat, not wanting to rush the Moff if she was not quite finished with her tea. Marzena leaned forward slightly, her hands clasped atop the table.

“And I thought you might enjoy Perennial’s tea sampler,” She gazed towards the two bags, “There is one for you and one for Ms. Chambers.”

 

[Natasi Fortan]

As Marzena departed from the table, the Moff felt her shoulders slump ever-so-slightly, and she sighed internally. It was funny that what so many would consider a frivolous activity, taking tea, could be so momentous for her. But it was in this place, this whimsically luxurious place, among the gentle aromas of teas and sweets, that the Moff knew she was vanquished. There was too much beauty and elegance in the pop star to overcome her; too much virtue and thoughtfulness in [member="Marzena Choi"] to dismiss her out of hand. No, this was one struggle in which Natasi would have to concede -- well, if not defeat, then at least a graceful surrender. She wouldn't -- couldn't -- seek to interfere, not now that she had seen something of Marzena. She was not the vain, vapid songstress Natasi had concocted in her mind's eye as deserving of her disdain and dismissal. She was genuine and devoted, to the First Order aside from anything else.

Even worse; Natasi actually liked her. It was as inconvenient as it was surprising.

It made sense, now: the fact that Natasi would never have been offered a second glance. And try as she might to despise the singer for her good fortune, the Balance demanded obedience -- in times of mercy as well as in times of cruelty -- and she couldn't make herself do it. In fairness, Natasi had had her share of good fortune -- a happy childhood, success in her career, and more lucky escapes from death than she deserved. The time for feast had passed; now it was the time for famine. The cost for love is grief, the cost for joy is suffering, and if you have the courage to look for it, you will find this truth in every life, her mother's confessor had told her, decades ago, but she hadn't felt truly connected to that truth until now. She closed her eyes against the harsh epiphany, only opening them again when she heard the soft pitter-patter of feet behind her. She hastily blinked back the tears threatening to spill so that by the time Marzena returned to her seat she was looking -- well, perhaps more shiny-eyed than before, but in apparent good spirits.


Natasi was about to object, but before she could form the words she stopped, her dark eyes softening. It was rather a nice gesture, and obviously a successful music star could afford it. A lump grew in her throat and she smiled genuinely. "You are very kind, Ms. Choi. It was such a treat. I thank you and I'm sure Sioux -- that is, Ms. Chambers -- will do the same." Natasi set her napkin on the table and stood. "I'm afraid I must return to the capital. Time and tide wait for no man, after all." She picked up her handbag and gloves, and plucked a business card from within the former and offered it across the table. "My direct office line, if you would like to forward potential committee members' names for review, or if you should need me for... for anything," Natasi concluded awkwardly. She cleared her throat and tried again as she fumbled with the clasp of her handbag. "I assume Ms. Chambers has your contact information, so that we can coordinate on the committee?"

With this all settled, there was only the matter of departure to achieve, and this Natasi did. She offered a handshake to Marzena and, on an impulse, placed her other hand over hers in a friendly gesture. "I'm very pleased to have met with you, Ms. Choi. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together. Perhaps I can repay your hospitality the next time -- " She stopped herself, faltering for a moment. "That is, if you are ever on the capital." One more gentle pump of the singer's hand and Natasi withdrew. She collected the gifts, making a mental note to dispatch a hand-written note upon returning to the office, and giving one more fleeting look at her hostess, the Moff made her departure, allowing the host to drape her coat around her slender frame as her security detail preceded her out to the waiting airspeeder.

Natasi settled into the back seat and examined one of the bags that Marzena had given her. That she had given one to Sioux as well gnawed at the back of Natasi's mind. The simple elegance of the gesture was a distinctly unusual mixture of familiar and foreign. "Maybe she is one of us after all," she mused to herself quietly. The security guard leaned over from the bench opposite, asking her to repeat what he thought had been an instruction. She looked up, eyebrows furrowing. "Nothing. It's nothing. I'm ready to go." The security man nodded hesitantly and glanced at his partner, who only reached out and tapped the roof of the airspeeder. The driver directed the official vehicle into the traffic lanes and away from the Perennial Tea Room.