The Crumbling Dream [Slave]

[Magdalena Lethe]

"Are you sure you wish to do this, Miss Lethe? I could go in your stead. You don't need to -"

"I'm sure."

Magda recalled many lessons learned from her parents. Their life had not always been an easy one, growing up, and their family had seen trials and tribulations throughout her childhood.

Bad decisions.

Miscalculations.

Faulty judgements.

People had been hurt.

In the face of guilt and regret, however, she'd seen the strength of her mother and father shine through. Your mistakes are yours alone and yours to understand. It's not enough to see why they happened, but to meet their consequences. This is how we learn, Magdalena, this is how we grow.

"Thank you Atheema, but I do not require your services for this."

She left her Companion in the quiet of the Beacon's halls. Since her announcement they had slowly begun to empty - the livelihood of GUIDE filtering away into the fathoms of space. The weight of this decision had grown profoundly heavy, suffocating at times, but Magda promised herself she would bear the brunt of it through to the end. It was her fault, after all.

Hours later the GUIDE Founder arrived at Astra Blue, a fine-dining restaurant that had been chosen by her prospective Investor months prior for this meeting. Then she had fussed over appropriate dress - nothing short of black tie for this location, she would have needed an evening gown. Now she could only hope that the material enhancements made to her suite would suffice. Atheema's talents notwithstanding, the golden swirls settled within the purple satin were quite lovely ... were they used to craft a dress for the evening. Magda wasn't sure the small touches would be enough, but she was worrying over things that were hardly relevant.

For certain this entire evening would be a rolling disaster from the moment she sat down to the moment she left.

[member="Darth Maliphant"]

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________


“GUIDE, huh?”, The drive said with a mud-like accent, thick enough to choke on just by listening.

“That one of those holobooks, or-”, he said with a long emphasis on the last word, as if Maliphant would fill in the blank.

“Something like that but, could we just, you know… Not talk?”, he said with a furrowed brow. Better to ask nicely than rely on something like the domination of the will through the force, as most of his contemporaries might commit themselves to.

“O’ of course boss! I was just curious because my daughter back home, see, she-”, the driver began once more.

With a sigh, Maliphant quietly lifted a finger in the direction of the driver; his voice slowly fading and silence befalling the speeder as it raised through the cityscape. Sometimes, asking didn’t work, and as much as he was trying to not rely on the force for everything, it certainly didn’t help some people were so incessantly obnoxious.

At least the rest of the ride was quiet.

_____________________________


As he stepped out of the speeder, a lightly dressed valet quickly approached and motioned him forward towards the elegant exterior of the Astra Blue, a restaurant he hadn’t been to before this point, but held a certain extravagenious he had wanted to see for some time. Its why he had chosen the place months prior, interested in the way their food might taste, or the way the dance floor might offer a quick glimpse into how the rich live without the influence of the likes of Sith such as himself.

Almost instantly, as he was guided into the restaurant, the sound of a live band quickly took over. They played something smooth, notes smoothly transitioning into one another as they worked through something passionate, yet lacking the sad nature of so many holorecordings he had heard before; reminding him faintly of songs he knew on the piano. Humming in tune, the valet quickly overtook the sound to ask him a question;

“Sir, are you here to meet someone?”, he said as posh a tone as the young man could create.

“Magdalena Lethe, with GUIDE.”, Maliphant responded, his gaze more focused on the endless sea of faces rather than the one that gave him attention now.

The host nodded, quietly motioning him forward once more, “Right this way then.”

As the two approached the table Magdalena sat at, Maliphant offered her a smile. His hair was neatly arranged in a set of braids windings to the back of his head, where a bun held them tight, faint streaks of black mixing with the otherwise silvery ash that colored the rest of his hair; his cheeks gaunt and defined, cut by a jawline that helped to define attention to the center of his face where pale lips curled upwards in a receptive grin. Maliphant’s clothes were no different, well adjusted to his size and rounding nicely around moderately broad shoulders, though he wasn’t like that of the massive warriors so many had seen come from the Epicanthix or the Sith as a whole; instead a navy blue vest, undershirt, and tie tucked beneath a dark grey sports coat matching conventionally with the pants, equally as fitted.

His first motion towards the GUIDE Founder was an outreach of his hand, golden eyes falling on her in a heavy set appreciation as his voice found leeway in its use of a silken tone;

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Lethe. I hope you haven’t been waiting too long…”

The well dressed man chuckled lightly before moving to sit across from her, only to have his attention quietly struck by the host that had guided him to his seat, his youthful nuances expressed as he spoke to the two;

“Is there anything I can start you off with? Wine, perhaps?”

Maliphant simply shook his head, speaking in a reassuring manner as he disregarded the option given;

“Just water for me, and whatever the lady would like.”, he finished, glancing over to Magdalene.


[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

As was custom and polite, Magda rose from her seat as the man arrived, gloved hand lifting to accept the handshake with a firm but gentle hold. The young woman gave pause at his greeting and the casual, confident way he conducted himself - not for the behavior, but simply for the negligence of reaction to her appearance.

What effectively functioned as a survival suit should the worst come to pass on a ship in space was now part of her daily routine and outfit. Coming here, to a place like this dressed in her environmental suit--albeit moderately refined--had struck her as poor taste and a hideous fashion faux-pas were her sister to weigh in. Despite all this, the man carried on as if nothing were severaly offensive nor a hair out of place.

Magda watched in silence from behind her helmet mask, blinking at his congeniality, "Pleasure...and no," a pause to consider herself, she absently smoothed the front of her suit as if pressing the wrinkles from a dress, "not long at all." Her own voice would have sounded from a small speaker, carrying with it a mechanical undertone as such. This had taken some time to get used to, hearing herself like that.

Perhaps she was overthinking the entire situation. The galaxy was filled to the brim and bursting with all variety of alien races and species that required the odd costume or situational adornment. Perhaps the suit was not so out of place. She took her seat again as he did and gently cleared her throat.

"Just water, thank you," what she would have loved to partake in a glass of wine. Would have made this a little easier, taken the edge off her nerves.

"I ... would first like to thank you for meeting with me, Mr. Harper," the pale glow of her eyes within her helmet might be seen watching his face, taking in his features. He was handsome, in a gaunt, high Coruscanti savoir faire sort of way. Prim, proper, and well turned-out, Magda admired his graceful composure and perfectly coifed hair for a moment before continuing, "but I'm afraid the purpose of this meeting is no longer relevant. Recent developments that occured between our first correspondence and now have given cause for the immediate cessation of GUIDE operations."

The helmet tilted, gaze lowered as she thought best how to tell the man that his coming here was a waste of time.

Waste of money.

"I apologize profusely," Magda shook her head, "I should have simply sent a missive and spared you coming all the way here. I suppose I'm so used to handling these sort of things face to face with people..." her shoulder gave a meek shrug as the woman gestured to her mask, "I cannot even partake in dinner with you."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________

It was true Maliphant noticed the environmental suit, and it was true he considered the purpose for such; be it a severe wound that forced her to seal herself deep within a suit unfit for the air that surrounded them, or perhaps something more extravagant, more enigmatic; like that of a severe issue with germs or the air people breathed. It mattered little in the end however, the nature of it was aesthetically pleasing and he knew far better than to ask rude questions. If memory served him right, asking a teacher how far in the pregnancy served a harsh punishment with a switch that broke over him twice before being given up.

Maliphant watched as the leader of the foundation known as GUIDE began to get nervous, the way she carried herself faltering as she almost tumbled on her words; obviously thinking of some way to alleviate the strain of bad news. The Sith simply raised his hand, quietly waiting for her to finish before shaking his head;

“I’ve kept track of the company, Miss Lethe. I knew this was a possibility…”, he said as the host came back with the ice water for the two, a central carriage holding more for a refill should they require.

“I don’t mind. In truth, I really just needed and excuse for company here.”, glancing around the room at the various posh individuals that turned their nose up at every worker that meandered through the crowds. Despite the classy nature of the place, there was a certain sickness that littered the area, that of contempt and ego buried behind mounds of credits and liquid assets.

He never did enjoy the white tie philanthropist type.

“And I have a feeling most of these people wouldn’t like me…”, he said with a small laugh and smile directed towards the lilac visor that watched him.

“Would you still be willing to stay? I’d hate to be alone.”

[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

"Any disappointment ...or resentment for that matter, is perfectly warranted Mr. Harper, I-"

She looked up again, mind stumbling to catch up with the words spoken in response. There was a moment where she found herself stuck between mild bewilderment and looming offense. A part of her wanted to snarl her own resentment at the idea that the failure of GUIDE was a known possibility; the part she'd tucked away, deep inside her growing regrets, fears, and guilt from the mission to Ichor.

The surface of her subconscious, however, was moreover shocked at his seemingly nonchallant attitude about the entire situation. Meeting cancelled, dinner company dressed abhorantly, time wasted. If this had been her grandmother she would have been torn into little violet ribbons by now. When she looked to him she found herself caught off-guard by his amiable smile.

"Oh."

Not what she was expecting.

"I-"

Magda fidgeted with her hands, giving the surrounding restaurant and its clientele a slow, surveying glance, "I don't see why they wouldn't like you..."

He was handsome, poised, civil, well-spoken and with manners and elegance to spare, what wasn't to like? Perhaps she was simply used to every harrowing adventure out the door with [member="Isaiah Dashiell"] where any instance to make a scene was taken with utmost vigor.

"I would be happy to stay, if you're willing to have me. It won't cost you anything, at least. Well," she glanced to the waterglass and thought it looked to be made of very expensive crystal, "unless they charge for water."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________

“Wouldn’t matter if they did.”, he said with a shrug.

Maliphant idly lifted the glass and rested it against his lips, taking a slow draw of the water before setting it back down, his movements slow and deliberate. He seemed to hum to the music despite all of this, and his general demeanor was far separated from the traditional Sith, and certainly not one with such a profound darkness lurking behind the eyes. None of that evil, none of the dark side corruption showed however as his gaze back towards her;

“Money isn’t the biggest concern. Just enjoy yourself, for the night. Don’t worry about what it means in my pocket book.”, said with an idle fancy that pushed and maneuvers the guilt she felt off into the abyss of apathy. It was obvious he didn’t mind what she did, ever motion of his body language only serving to support his statements, instead of offering even the minute detail of uncomfortability or anger.

“I can’t imagine the people here enjoying me, most likely because they’d turn their nose up at me.”, The Sith said with a mild amusement.

“They’re looking for a come up. Something to gain.”

“At times, I think they embody teachings some contemporaries back home follow, only far better.”, ending it with a slight shake of his head.

“It's good to get away from the bloodletting and rat races. Even for a little while.”

As he finished, their waiter approached, dressed in a recolored vest and bowtie not disimiliar from the host that seated them. His hair was slicked down, tight to his skull with not an ounce of facial hair to offer; his age not possibly over nineteen. The boy followed his training well as he offered the smallest of bows, quietly moving into a greeting;

“Good evening, and welcome to Astra Blue. My name is Nu, I’ll be serving you tonight.”, sprang off without missing a beat.

“To begin, our specials tonight are the Wroonian Flycatcher Filet, and the Ramorean Capanata. Wines include Crème D'Infame and Domaine de la Maison sur le Lac, respectively. Would either of you be interested in these tonight?”

Maliphant glanced to Magdalena, as if to gauge her approval of the choices before raising a finger;

“A bottle of the Domaine, and the Wroonian. Raw, if you will.”, he offered with a smile.

Both Maliphant and the waiter looked to Magdalena, the sith idly leaning back as he waited to see if she had a choice to make.


[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

Were she someone else, someone with a full background of teachings within the Force, perhaps she may have picked up on ....

...something. Anything that may have tipped her off to the creed and doctrines and darkness of the man sitting across from her.

Despite her origins, or perhaps more in spite of her origins, Magdalena Lethe was anything but a Force connoisseure. Gifted, they'd said when she was younger, with a singular skill that was nothing short of completely uncontrollable. It was the one thing that made her what she was and brought her to where she was today, and it hardly mattered at all in this particular situation.

It hardly mattered at all, period. Her brother would disagree, but he wasn't here to do so.

So whatever he was remained a mystery to her, aside from patient, congenial and understanding. A saint, really, if one were to ask her.

Still, the idea of enjoying herself seemed a world away, but she nodded in response and settled a little more into her seat. When it came her turn to order she struggled with a reply, "I...beg your pardon, I won't be ordering anything tonight. But it all sounds delicious, Nu."

When the waiter left she found herself wondering if sticking around had really been the best option. She tried not to think about how long the night might be, watching someone else eat before going home to sanitized protein slurry and a crumbling dream the size of a small fleet. Moony eyes peered at him from within the faint fog of her visor.

"What is it that you do, Mr. Harper, that makes you want to escape it so readily?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________

“Oh, this and that.”, he said in a dismissive tone, turning his gaze outwards to the crowds once more. He was quiet for a moment before glancing back to her, never losing the amiable smile.

“I’m a scholar by trade, I suppose. Collecting information, researching, learning just about anything I can get my hands on.”, he continued.

“Its just about the only thing I do, occasionally taking the reins of the upstart that is Blackwell-”, motioning offhandedly to the mention of his company, “-Just to travel without the looming threat of anyone coming after me.”

The orchestra that played lulled as they came to the end of one otheir songs, the idle taps of their conductor taking their place before the next tune picked up. Its long, withdrawn notes pulling the musical soul from the body as it moved through the nuances, forcing Maliphant to close his eyes and listen, if only for a moment. Music brought him peace, even at home on Bastion he often had headphones on or earbuds in to offer more focus, especially when faced with the turbulence of his own force aura, something that always seemed foreign and nagging; dragging on him to fall deeper into the darkness.

Maliphant eventually came back to look at the defunk CEO before him, taking a small sip of his water before setting it back down. His voice came smooth, lubricated through years of charismatic expression and a tone mastered through the deals only a silver tongued devil such as himself could master;

“What is it you intend to do, Miss Lethe? After this GUIDE, that is.”

[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

"That sounds wonderful," Magda turned her gaze downward to her hands in her lap, "you would have fit right in with GUIDE."

Researching, learning, collecting information - that was GUIDE in a nutshell. Though their ultimate goal had been to then share their resources with the galaxy to create greater connection between the stars and the peoples. What a noble cause, what a unexpected ending.

She was suddenly rather glad for the face covering. It meant she didn't need to work so hard at hiding her gut-wrenching disappointment with herself.

"I wish I knew," what do you do when your dream falls apart? How do you move on from that? Where do you go? "GUIDE was all I had. My one big hope."

How would she ever get home now?

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________

“One big hope for what?”

Maliphant offered his full attention now, glancing over what body language he could understand. He obviously couldn’t make out the details of her face, but the way her shoulders stayed tight to her ears, the tense way she arched her back; the entirety of it was enough to tell him she was uncomfortable, likely at the prospect of a failing company. He didn’t know it then, but he was in a similar situation once, where his AI fell silent and his ship sundered by ill will; now forgotten as a small chip in his brain whirred away at holding his emotions still.

As he waited for an answer, the waiter came back with a bottle of the aforementioned Wine, its very nature looking excessively expensive. The bottle was a series of oddly pizzicato like instances of harsh edges that wrapped the entire thing in a glamorous casing; though the inside liquid would remain a mystery as the waiter offered to uncork it only to be waived off by Maliphant. He rested a hand on the still sealed container, glancing it over before setting it back down;

“Think they’d be mad if I just took that?”, he jested.

“I don’t drink much myself, just thought someone back home might enjoy it.”, he said as the idea of one of his apprentices, one [member="Nilia Saavilin"] came to mind. He knew, of those staying at his home, she would be the most likely to appreciate such an alcohol.


[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

"To..." how to explain without explaining? There were some things best kept close, and this Magda was still certain was one of them, "find my family."

Looking up, realizing she was not being particularly good company, she took a deep breath and mentally chastised herself for getting so, well, self involved. This was not a pity-party for her, he wasn't here for that. He had come here with the intention of potentially forging relations with GUIDE to the betterment of both companies. He didn't deserve her lack-luster presence in this place.

Buck up, Magie. She could hear her father's voice filtering through her memories.

Magda tried at a smile, straightening her posture and gently clearing her throat, "You're paying for it, it's yours as far as they're concerned." All that was left was appearances, which he didn't seem overly concerned about.

"If someone enjoys it then it's not wasted, right? Is it for your wife?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________

“No, nothing so grand.”, he said with a soft laugh trifling his tone.

“Split between a pupil, and a bodyguard who’s back at the hotel I rented.”

His eyes washed over the bottle’s various aesthetics, taking in the time spent to design it and the way its label sat so thinly against the glass, each letter raised from the parchment, most likely from expert glass work from behind. With his thumb running over it, he took in the quality of its craftsmanship before setting it down once more, turning his gaze back to Magdalena;

“Believe it or not, I’m actually single.”, spoken as the curl of his lips came back.

Quickly changing the subject however, he motioned to her as he spoke once more;

“I’m sorry to hear about your family, Miss Lethe. I know what it must mean to lose them. I lost my own, mother in childbirth, father in some war I couldn’t name.”, he said with a dismissive toss of his hand.

The truth of the matter was, the man known as Maliphant never knew his father, not even a legacy left behind. His mother was a slave, one he knew only the faintest memories of, though even these were buried deep within his psyche as the brainwashing had taken over most conscious thought. His perceived family were simply synthetic iterations, washed into the grand scale of The Empire’s records with false identities and a false life.


[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

Somehow she liked the idea of him being married more. Magda could just envision this man with a beautiful, perfect wife overlooking a sprawling estate somewhere off in the galaxy. The notion of a pupil and a bodyguard back at a rented hotel room quite effectively dashed that thought.

As did the loss of his own family.

"That's...terrible," the woman replied quietly, finding it strange that he did not seem the least bit saddened as he relayed this knowledge to her, "I am sorry you never had a chance to know them. I cannot even imagine what life would be like...missing so many chapters from my own book."

She knew her family - knew them like the back of her hand. It was because of her family that she was the person she presented herself as today, in every aspect she could imagine. Were it not for her desperate efforts to reunite with them GUIDE never would have been founded. She wouldn't be Magdalena Lethe. They wouldn't be sitting here in this restaurant right now.

"My situation is a little more ... complicated. I can't really talk about it."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

__________________________________

Maliphant idled for a moment as he watched her, watching her speak without so much as a hint as to what he was thinking; only the soft features of a man intent on listening. As she finished, he simply shook his head, speaking quietly in comparison to the music;

“In fact, I’d say you have it worse. Unlike you, I never knew my family. Never knew what I had to miss.”, he continued, pausing for only a moment.

“Besides, I don’t want you to talk about anything you’re not comfortable with. I’d hate to turn our night sour off reminiscent memories.”, he moved to smile once more; hoping to goad her into doing the same off simply the lines formed in his cheeks.

“Tell me, Miss Lethe, do you know how to dance?”, he asked, making an idle glance to the dance floor near the orchestra.

[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

Usually she was the first to catch an infectious smile, but not today it seemed. Heavy lies the broken heart. Painful are the shattered dreams.

"I'm sorry," Magda turned her gaze back up to him, he couldn't see the meek and apologetic expression on her face but he'd likely know it was there, "normally I'm left wanting for civil and proper dinner company," her usual group was a rather rowdy bunch that she wouldn't be caught dead bringing into a place like this. Tried that once, never again.

"and now that I have it I can't even carry a good conversation. I-"

She was saying 'I' a lot and he was asking if she knew how to dance. What?

"I ... I do. It's been years and I'm not exactly ... well," she glanced down at herself, "appropriately dressed?"

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“You apologize too much.”, Maliphant said as he stood and offered her a hand.

He’d push for it, though with a gracefully inviting smile that never hinted at ill intent; eventually using his influence in the hopes of moving them both across the constant background murmurs of rich folks discussing everything from politics to business, some even discreet affairs as their significant other sat only a few feet away, one too many margaritas in hand to pay attention. It was drivel, at least in Maliphant’s eyes, as each sought power while having nothing that truly made a different when it came to such;

How many of them would act as strong and mighty as they seemed now at the negotiation table, should the man show up with a violent intent? None, they were cowards, and it sickened him, if only slightly.

With his thoughts back on Magdalena, the two settled somewhere near the middle of the various couples dancing before the Orchestra, finding a spot amidst a lull in the music. Standing just over Miss Lethe’s height, he’d look down into her lilac visor before moving to rest a hand on her hip, and extend the other outwards;

He spoke low, glancing around as the music slowly began;

“Would you like to lead?”

[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

"You apologize too much."

Magda blinked, frowned, and quietly apologized again. Defense mechanisms were strong with her but not strong enough to decline the dance. She followed him onto the dancefloor, a bit anxious for the looks coming her way. Strange how quickly her desire to be the center of attention had wilted with the decline of GUIDE. Press conferences and coporate events had become a way of life. Magdalena Lethe could speak to most any lofty CEO without missing a syllable.

Most of them. There were still a few whose very presence made her quake, made her stutter.

Speaking of stutter.

Her suit was starting to feel rather warm and it seemed to be originating from the location of his hand on her hip. How long had it been since she danced with someone? Years. Several years. Ballet recitals and ballroom dancing lessons with her sister, Saelia. University dances with old boyfriends, emphasis on the boy. She couldn't recall dancing with a gentleman before.

"Ah," Magda took up his outsretched hand with her own and placed the other gloved hand at his shoulder, "you lead, I need to brush up on my steps first."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“Understood, Captain.”, he said with quiet jest, tightening his hand around hers as he glanced around.

The music slowly picked up, crescendoing between the couples and crowds watching, drowning out the faint murmurs and cacophonous monotony of their conversations; replaced by something subtle in its transitions, beautiful in its composition, and exceptionally powerful at the distance they were. Its vibrations went through both their suits, finding its way to the heart, and making it quiver in time with its four/four tempo in the way only a master crafted orchestra could do. It brought a subtle smile to Maliphant’s ashy pink lips, music being one of his favorite hobbies, and almost in turn he slowly began to pull Magdalene with him.

He didn’t know it, but he spent years learning how to dance properly to piano music at a time long before his current iteration of consciousness. The man moved with the grace of a ballerina, though he certainly wasn’t as skilled; his motions still could fool anyone but a competition judge as to where he must’ve learned ti from. A twist, a whirl, and he led their steps throughout the crowds with nothing but a look of contentment on his features, though it was his voice that moved through the motions, barely coming over the noise of the Orchestra before them;

“Tell me, Miss Lethe, if you’re so willing; how far under is your company?”, he said with a vested interested in his tone.

His motions were mild, gyroscopic for only a moment before transitioning back to the conventional draw of the steps; a few of those staring quickly looking away as Maliphant’s corrupted gaze passed over them. There was always a certain fear when facing down a Sith, even if the person in question didn’t know just what they were looking at, but the way they carried themselves, the way their gaze struck the heart like a spear;

And as if to reassure Magdalena if she too saw the gazes, Maliphant tensed his grip on her hip, as if to remind her he was there; give her some reassurement as they moved.


[member="Magdalena Lethe"]

 

[Magdalena Lethe]

"I'm not a Captain-" Magda's glowing gaze blinked up at him through the haze of her visor, catching the man's amusement just in time, "-oh."

It brought a genuine smile back to her face. Felt good to smile again. Felt good to dance again and surround herself with culture and class and music. Melodious, beautiful music. Magda's mind drifted through her memories of dance recitals - back before she and her sister developed their rivalry. She could recall practicing at home under her mother's patient eye, training movements to the beat of her father at the grand piano. Their home had been such a wonderful place of peace and warmth.

Boots lightly tapping in time to their steps, she found her rhythm and stride had returned without much effort. Though dance had never been her passion it had been something she could escape to, something to enjoy and be proud of. GUIDE had filled the hole left behind when dance was no longer an option, but GUIDE had been created under false pretenses - she was just now beginning to understand this.

"In the last year we lost several key sponsors due to warfare and change of company ownerships. New owners have not agreed to sign on to fill the void. I guess I can't blame them, what with such uncertainty around the galaxy. As a neutral entity we can't risk doing business with governments that would scare other potential sponsors off, so we're losing funds faster than we can replenish. We ... ran into trouble at a research outpost not long ago, several people died. Good people with families depending on their income from GUIDE. We weren't able to take care of them the way they deserved. I can't..." she shook her head, "I can't let my people risk their lives if I'm not able to take care of them. Decommission of the corporation seems the best route for everyone, but I haven't made the decision official yet."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“What if I made a sizable donation?”, he said as the two twirled around, chest to chest.

The Orchestra continued to make its way through the motions, up and down in tone only to come back around again in something easily recognizable as an almost ancient galactic classic. Maliphant’s eyes closed at the thought, letting it tunnel through him and fill his mind with abstract geometric shapes he thought vaguely reminded him of the music; though settled on the blooming of a flower as he hummed in motion with it.

“Of course, I’d need something in return. Maps of the Unknown Regions, perhaps other companies and research, just anything GUIDE collects I suppose.”, he said with an idle tone that carried with it no harm, only the soft bravado of a man in a three piece;

“The occasional dinner, of course.”, he quietly joked.

[member="Magdalena Lethe"]