Grey Haze
Initiated
Posts: 10
Title: Owner and Entertainer at A Judicial Affair
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Post by Grey Haze on Apr 27, 2015 17:08:04 GMT -5
The Lounge was always the quietest in the mornings. Though the lights were brightest on the main floor this time of day there was a calm energy to the establishment that somehow muted every sound within. There were no patrons to be found lingering― only exhausted barkeeps meticulously wiping clean every surface of the interior. On the secondary and tertiary stages focused choreographers and dancers could be found carefully training and preparing for the night's show. For a place that could boast wild parties, endless debauchery, and a fair share of grey area activities in terms of legality there was a certain systematic, deliberately organized feel to the Affair that was impossible to miss. The Lounge was a well-oiled machine and everything here ran accordingly.
Provocatively dressed men and women consistently filtered between the main floor and the upstairs despite the distinct lack of patronage in attendance. The main stage's lights shone despite being unoccupied. The clink of clean glasses left to hang dry created a soothing sort of background music that left the relaxed aire in the Lounge uninterrupted.
"You said. . ." The tones of the lone voice instantly silenced what little sound permeated the interior.
"You said you'd never. . ."
Dancers froze, coming to rest before peering at the main stage. Towels paused mid-swipe as the rich, darkly-sweet notes filled the space and drew those within earshot.
"Never leave. . ."
The voice belonged to Grey Haze, a woman who was known City-wide for her remarkable singing talent. Her shadow darkened the floor of the main stage as she stepped forward, the power in her voice raising the fine hairs on those listening and provoking a stillness that only those with a certain level of talent could. There was no music behind her, but then there was also no need for such. Grey was of that rare elite that required no accompaniment― no cello or piano was necessary when she took center stage. The depth in her voice was melody enough and the effect was utterly magical.
It was so seldom that Grey sang on stage anymore that it was no wonder the world inside the Lounge stopped when she did. When the success of the Affair no longer depended on her performances she'd stepped back into the shadows, content to promote the talents of others to keep her clientele strong and her audience entertained. The few times a year Grey did perform was to the tune of millions of Sigma credits every time: when one of her performances was announced, it was sold out in minutes― highly publicized despite the definitive media blackout in the Affair.
"I guess we're both liars, baby. . ."
A veritable crowd had gathered to listen but Grey seemed to pay no mind to any of them, choosing instead to lose herself in shedding the restraints on her voice until the raw force of it saturated the Lounge, every note rising, pushing the limits effortlessly until the rumbling purr she was known for made itself known. The impromptu performance was no less riveting for its lack of formality and by the time Grey trailed off into silence more than person was left staring into space, their minds other places.
The moment was left intact: Grey simply remained center stage, her gaze dropped to the floor as one by one her employees eventually resumed their routines.
It was only when the energy had more less returned to its customary ebb and flow that Grey moved to leave the stage, carefully picking her way to find an empty stool near the end of bar counter and claim it for herself. One of the barkeeps produced a tall glass of clear liquid garnished with green fruit and set it down in front of her. Deep blue eyes scanned the interior of the tiny empire before a silk-gloved hand closed around the glass, tipping it until it met lips stained ruby. . .
Even seated there in silence Grey was Master of her Domain.
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Jacob Davenor
Initiated
Posts: 18
Title: Street Pharmacist
Quote: "Don't fuck with the system."
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Post by Jacob Davenor on Apr 28, 2015 22:42:08 GMT -5
Jacob Davenor peered into the smoky interior of the Affair from under the brim of his grey fedora, having just navigated his way through the front doors and leading hallway to reach the interior space of the shadowy club. Coming in off the always-hazy Vasxcious Sigma streets meant that there was not a real discernable difference in the amount of light the man’s eyes were exposed to, but somehow the Affair’s inner sanctum always made Jax feel as though he was hidden from the harsh light of day, a light he felt subjected to despite it’s literal absence on the city streets, even at high noon. Right now, the Dealer was looking to be as far from the light given off by prying eyes as possible, which was exactly the reason the man had made the trip from Slade Bronden’s Second District apartment to the Third District Club just after daybreak: Jax was looking to hide.
It was only when he reached the club’s main floor that the Dealer unseated his hat from atop his silver mane, tucking the thing loosely under one arm so that his free hand could fix a few wayward strands of hair. Normally, Jax didn’t like hats – he never felt like his head was the right shape for them, and with hair that was a bit longer than the average style currently that was currently en vogue for men, wearing one meant that the dealer had the extra worry of dealing with the oppressive phenomena of hat hair every time he took the damn thing off. However, the bit of cover the brim provided for his face when he tipped the chin down made Jax feel a touch more anonymous, bringing him a feeling of greater security, borne from a mistaken sensation of anonymity, that was heartening during those times where his enemies might be a bit more bold than usual. This morning was one of those times, considering that between the current minute and the impending under-city raid by VS Spec Ops it was in Jax’s best interest to lay low and, hopefully, keep any errant attention or blame for the city’s sudden police action from being thrown his way. This strategy had worked before, and the Dealer had covered his tracks well while informing his government contact, but that didn’t stop the man from being paranoid. And, while at night the Affair offered Jax a place to let loose and unwind, during the day it had become his go-to location to regain some small sense of security. Above anything else, the Affair was neutral ground, and so it was highly unlikely that trouble would be seeking him out here.
The Dealer managed to walk in just in time to catch the end of Haze’s impromptu performance, and he certainly kept eyes on the Affair’s matron as her voice filled up the room, even as he was staking out a seat at the bar and setting his hat down on the wood top to be immediately forgotten. Haze and Jax’s history went back quite a ways, but even with the amount of time he had known the woman and been aware of her considerable talents as a performer, the Dealer was still surprised by how captivating her voice was, even after hearing it for what might have been the millionth time. Grey had built the Affair into a giant attraction and a very lucrative business primarily through her own personal talents, and now the club was a shining example of Vascxious Sigma business success which glowed all the more brilliantly because it was in the shadow of the Tower. Haze knew what she had, and she capitalized on her accumulated social capital at every opportunity, much to Jax’s delight, since it gave him a very steady pipeline into which he could feed his product . . . as well as a place to keep himself fed and watered with his favorite vice.
Jax settled in to face the bar as Grey left the stage, gesturing to the man behind it, who was currently doing inventory on his stock of alcohol, undoubtedly cleaning up from last night’s business. The bartender was one who had seen the Dealer before, and therefore dutifully stopped what he was doing for long enough to get Jax a glass of sparkling water before going back to his task. The Dealer was just bringing the glass up to his lips when Haze sat a few seats down from him, causing him to stop mid-lift and shoot a charming smile in the redhead’s direction.
“Still can’t resist showing off, can you?”
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Grey Haze
Initiated
Posts: 10
Title: Owner and Entertainer at A Judicial Affair
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Post by Grey Haze on Apr 29, 2015 9:41:22 GMT -5
The glass stilled for a moment and the edges of those red-painted lips curled into a knowing smile before Grey carefully replaced the tumbler on the counter.
"Mr. Davenor, how lovely to see you."
Intensely blue eyes held his gaze as her head tilted and chin dipped in greeting― a motion just powerful enough to cause a rippling effect through the loose, silky waves of long red hair. Her smile deepened a touch before she finally responded to his teasing remark.
"There is value in reminding those in your employ why they are there. And," she paused there, giving him a light once-over, "It's never a good thing to go too long without shaking the dust off."
Both gloved hands folded neatly in her lap then as she looked up at the Dealer through thick black lashes, completely aware that her silhouette, with the perfectly curved lines of her back and the dainty cross of her ankles under the very well-fitted shimmering silk dress that made all the right suggestions but gave away none of the actual answers, would come across as an open invitation. At least, it would for the three seconds she knew Jax would need to size her up before her posture subtly changed into something a little more firm and a touch less tempting.
"Haven't seen you around this early in the morning for quite some time. Did Kaila convince you to stay the night? Or was it Christy? I can never keep it straight. . ."
From anyone else the question might have seemed hostile or meant to be slighting, but Grey's voice didn't have any malicious tone. Then again, one could never be sure what side of the fence Haze was on in that regard: to say that she and Jax had a long history was to call a sprawling labyrinth nothing more than a child's puzzle.
"Have you been listening to the news?"
The question was casual and most likely left the Dealer with the impression that Grey wasn't interested at all in his nighttime activities.
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Jacob Davenor
Initiated
Posts: 18
Title: Street Pharmacist
Quote: "Don't fuck with the system."
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Post by Jacob Davenor on Apr 29, 2015 11:06:43 GMT -5
“Ms. Grey. Exquisite as ever, I see: I’m continually astounded by your ability to remain so perfectly fashionable at all hours of the day.”
Jax didn’t hide the fact that he was appraising the woman opposite him as he commented on her appearance. He and Grey had played this particular game for a number of years, with each one trying to out-play the other whenever the situation presented itself. In his head, the Dealer referred to their back-and forth as ‘Flattery Jousting’ – their lances might have been tipped to hit like pillows instead of darts, but that didn’t change the strength of the respective arms behind the strikes.
“Like you, I can hardly pass up an opportunity to demonstrate my superiority, though I’m not sure I’ll totally agree with you: some noteworthy talents are better left collecting dust.”
Jax glanced significantly to the impressive collection of liquors behind the Affair’s wide, sweeping bar, crafting a wry smile on his lips as he returned his gaze to Grey and lifted his water to his lips for a quick sip.
“Clearly yours don’t fall in that category, though.”
Jacob flashed a signature grin before taking another sip, using his drink to suppress a laugh at Grey’s next insinuation. She had never been fond of his propensity for picking up her employees, and occasionally her prettier female patrons, and taking them home for a night, only to find a new one to charm at his next visit to the Affair. Jax suspected he knew why, but such things were always left unsaid between those two. The man feigned bashful resignation as he set his drink back down, responding to Grey with a chuckle.
“I don’t blame you: I usually can’t keep it straight either. Kaila is the one with the brown hair and the beauty mark, right?”
The ‘beauty mark’ Jax was referring to could have been one of several on the woman’s body, only one of which was visible in polite company. The Dealer left that bit implied.
“Unfortunately, I have to disappoint you again, Ms. Haze – I didn’t stay the morning with Kaila, or Christy, but last night I was with neither. I had a particular business arrangement to deal with that kept me up late.”
Jax had never mentioned his visits with Slade to Grey, partially because Slade Bronden was still a customer of his, implying a certain level of discretion, but also because Slade didn’t fit the Dealer’s usual relationship pattern, and he himself still wasn’t sure how he felt about the situation. Grey was too sharp and perceptive: Jax didn’t want her asking questions about the reporter, especially since he knew that Slade herself frequented the Affair from time to time, usually on business.
“I haven’t caught the news yet this morning: actually, I was hoping one of your employees had a morning paper lying around here somewhere so I could catch up. Why, did something noteworthy happen, besides Floraelia Devinian eating at such-and-such restaurant and updates on the Sixth District transport line renovation?”
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Grey Haze
Initiated
Posts: 10
Title: Owner and Entertainer at A Judicial Affair
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Post by Grey Haze on Apr 29, 2015 19:53:45 GMT -5
Grey caught the pointed glance he directed at the bar's alcoholic display, but chose not to give voice to her thoughts on the matter. The Dealer had never come out and said it, but she'd gathered over the length of their partnership the liquids held in those glittering bottles were somewhat of a sensitive matter. It was her skill in navigating just that sort of sensitivity that kept her in prominence: she wouldn't suddenly shift course now.
When he played into her easy questioning at his whereabouts and motivations for being in the Affair so early she did take the time to study him for at least a moment or two. Her smile was unchanged, but his reply didn't provoke a stronger reaction. To some extent, it was a source of amusement that he had slept his way through the majority of her staff but whether his antics inspired any other reactions would be left open to interpretation. Grey felt no pressing desire to make her position clear. See also: reference to long, complicated history. Though his admission that it was business that kept him out all night did incite carefully arched brows to visibly rise.
"Oh?"
Grey watched him closely, her expression unreadable. Given what story was dominating the press right now, the red-haired performer was right to find the information interesting. She leaned forward, steadily holding his gaze before settling the edge of her chin into a silk-covered palm, the bend of her elbow propped against the counter in front of her.
"A journalist turned up dead last night. Details are scarce. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
Those penetrating blue eyes finally wandered over to where her bartenders were and, as if by psychic command, they all smoothly came to a stopping point before migrating casually to the far end of the bar. Their conversation would not be repeated not just because Grey surrounded herself with intensely loyal people, but also because now she and Jax would be given enough privacy to guarantee no one would be eavesdropping anyway.
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Jacob Davenor
Initiated
Posts: 18
Title: Street Pharmacist
Quote: "Don't fuck with the system."
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Post by Jacob Davenor on Apr 29, 2015 21:08:30 GMT -5
Jacob Davenor stopped what he was doing when Grey cut right to the chase and asked her question – the man had been slowly rotating the tumbler of sparkling water and ice on the bar top while he smirked over at his breakfast companion, but what she said managed to drive the mirth out of his features. Jax’s first thought, when Grey uttered the words ‘dead’ and ‘journalist,’ was to have a sudden seizing of fear as to Slade’s safety, but he caught himself before any trace of panic would manage to show on his face. Jax did a great job of holding Grey’s pointed stare, their conversation suddenly deadly serious, especially considering Haze’s precautionary command to keep prying eyes and ears away from it.
“Depends: who’s the journalist?”
The reason Jax had been able to keep his cool was that Grey had said that the journalist had been found dead last night, meaning it couldn’t have been Slade: the Dealer had been in Slade’s apartment until only thirty minutes prior, and that wasn’t nearly enough time for her to be murdered and the word to get all the way to Grey. That meant another journalist had to have been iced: Jax would have been a fool not to intuit that there was a good chance whatever happened was connected to Slade’s strange encounter with the Ouroboros source, Odette, earlier that evening, but the Dealer would keep that information to himself until it became useful to share with Haze.
“You said details were scarce: what details are there?”
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Grey Haze
Initiated
Posts: 10
Title: Owner and Entertainer at A Judicial Affair
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Post by Grey Haze on Apr 30, 2015 9:11:28 GMT -5
Grey's expression didn't change as she watched the Dealer's features turn serious. Something about the information affected him though she couldn't quite put her finger on which part. Like the rest of them, Jax carefully avoided media attention, but she couldn't be sure it was the reference to a journalist that had him stiffening up some. It could have been just the shock at hearing of an unexpected death topside: the system in Vascxious Sigma was brutally effective so murders were almost unheard of even in a City so densely populated. If the journalist had bit it Tunnel-side they probably wouldn't even be hearing about it. At least, it wouldn't be all over the front page of anything. There were other factors as well that made this particular incident notable. Perhaps that was why the Dealer became so serious. . .
Her spine straightened so that her hand could drop to the tumbler's rim and an index finger could idly trace its edge.
"That rather industrious journalist for the Times, I'm sure you know which one I mean."
Grey wasn't smiling at all now.
"The one who ran that darling little exposé on Ouroboros' involvement with Virhees."
Though Grey's outward manner was relaxed she watched Jax like a hawk tracking the movements of a mouse. The Dealer might not have been involved with the journalist's death directly, but there's no way he didn't have some idea of what might be going on.
"What they're reporting is confirmation that the apartment belongs to him and so does the body. I do have it on good authority that they're actually just guessing the body belongs to him. Apparently he was almost unrecognizable as a former person."
Both brows rose though her tone was very even and matter-of-fact. Grey was not a woman moved by harsh reality. Those who learned to survive in this world typically lost that ability early.
"Beyond that?" A graceful sweep of her shoulders and subtle shake of her head accented the uptick in her voice. "Nothing. They're staying very tight-lipped about it. I'm willing to speculate some on why."
She paused there, finally taking a sip of the clear liquid in front of her before resettling the glass and ignoring the faint stain of red on its edge.
"No one's calling it a murder yet. Don't you find that odd? Especially considering his now-infamous 'final article?'"
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Jacob Davenor
Initiated
Posts: 18
Title: Street Pharmacist
Quote: "Don't fuck with the system."
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Post by Jacob Davenor on Apr 30, 2015 11:12:14 GMT -5
Jax managed not to miss a beat when Grey started laying out the details, his expression serious, but calm, not showing an ounce of the ten pounds of racing thoughts that had suddenly been heaped on his mind.
“Slovchk’s dead? That article just came out.”
Jax in no way was going to deny his knowledge of the journalist or the contents of the article: Haze would never believe that he wasn’t aware of something that could, potentially, have such an impact on his business. But, that didn’t mean that Davenor had any intention of bringing Slade into the conversation, no matter how relevant the information might be: Jax wouldn’t risk word getting out of her involvement, and while he knew Grey was trustworthy, he still wasn’t ready to take a chance on it.
Jax fixed Grey in an even stare as she finished telling him what details she had learned. What she was saying didn’t make sense for the most plausible scenario, a fact that the Dealer wasted no time in mentioning.
“The first suspect has to be Ouroboros, or someone connected, but that doesn’t make any sense. The amount of heat that could come their way from this is huge: the only way it would be worth it is if Slovchk had something really damaging, something Khestralicht couldn’t have in the open, but even then, what if the information still got passed along? Ouroboros would disappear him, not leave a body around for someone to find.”
Jax got the implication coming from Grey in brining it up: she wanted to know if he had anything to do with the murder. She had undoubtedly deduced that he got some of his supplies from Virhees, and that meant that she knew the implications for that operations getting shut down when it came to Jax’s cash flow. The dealer stared Grey down: the fact that she thought he was involved actually bothered him: Jax was a successful businessman, and he had a ruthless sensibility when it came to getting things done, but he didn’t kill people – that just wasn’t his style.
“I wasn’t involved, Grey, so you can stop with that accusing look. You’re much prettier when you don’t scrunch up like that.”
Jax’s tone had a sense of finality to it, even despite the joking nature of his second sentence. Grey could choose to believe the Dealer or not, but Jax wasn’t giving off any indication he wasn’t telling the truth.
“I don’t know why he was killed, but I do know it couldn’t have been for the article he published: not by itself. Ouroboros wasn’t in any danger from that article – they covered their tracks and denied it immediately. Slovchk had to have something else: something he hadn’t published yet. Something bigger, and more dangerous.”
Now the conversation had taken a turn towards exactly where Jax had eventually wanted to go with Grey: a chance to ask about the mystery woman that Slade encountered the night before: without mentioning the journalist’s involvement, of course.
“The Ouroboros situation is bigger than it looks, though, I know that much. Some of my contacts gave me word that there is another player in the mix, someone who might have been Slovchk’s source for the first article: a woman who calls herself ‘Odette.’ I’ve been told she’s a strong personality, and maybe a little crazy. Heard anything?”
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Grey Haze
Initiated
Posts: 10
Title: Owner and Entertainer at A Judicial Affair
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Post by Grey Haze on May 1, 2015 9:51:04 GMT -5
Grey wasn't disappointed that Jax immediately got his head into the game. It was precisely why she did business with him. The man had a clear sense of when it was appropriate to abandon playing coy and begin leveling. She only nodded in confirmation when he replied quickly with the journalist's surname, and listened― both for what he was saying as well as what he wasn't. When he denied involvement, pairing his assertion with a remark on her appearance, her expression softened somewhat and the small smile that curled red lips was a sly one. She hadn't decided whether or not she really suspected he had anything to do with Slovchk's convenient demise, but she did believe him when he said he wasn't involved. If Jax could openly lie to her with any degree of skill she wouldn't keep him around, so it wasn't so much that she trusted him at this point as much as it was that she knew his track record with truthfulness with her. When he continued Grey nodded slowly in agreement: his assessment wasn't too far off from her own conclusions. When he'd finished she paused to claim another sip of her drink before finally ignoring the glass completely.
"We do agree on that front: Slovchk's credibility wasn't exactly unquestionable. Ouroboros has said all of the right things to make this blow over easily. I can't imagine Aeorex would lend any legitimacy to Slovchk by having him disposed of."
Jax's last remark was the most troubling and she did take another few moments before composing a response. Those unnervingly deep blue eyes met his raptly, perhaps leaving the impression the woman sought a manuscript to his thoughts via stare alone.
"Do you have reason to suspect this source had something else on Ouroboros? Something she'd already imparted to Slovchk? If that is true, it makes even less sense. Ouroboros would have a real motive to take care of him, but it's impossible they would know for sure he had something that quickly. If they knew, the article would have never run in the first place."
She paused there, then continued thoughtfully.
"Though, from the outside, someone not in the know would suspect Ouroboros immediately. If that was the intended outcome all along then Slovchk was expendable from the moment he was in contact with his source, this Odette. You said 'first article.'"
Grey pinned him with the full weight of her stare.
"Is there another? I suspect it isn't pure conjecture on your part that he had something else, and if you're right, and this Odette woman isn't stable? This could become very messy for all of us. . ."
No, she hadn't answered him directly, she expected he could come to the correct conclusion on what she'd heard on his own.
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Jacob Davenor
Initiated
Posts: 18
Title: Street Pharmacist
Quote: "Don't fuck with the system."
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Post by Jacob Davenor on May 9, 2015 9:50:59 GMT -5
Jax couldn’t help but laugh when Grey tried to ‘pin’ him with her stare as if she’d caught him in something. While Jax did know for a fact that the ‘source’ intended for more than one article to be written, it didn’t take a genius to come to the conclusion that there were more leaks to come, even with only the information that one article had been written and the journalist was now dead. The man didn’t even skip a beat in answering the Affair’s owner, and was visibly amused at Grey’s line of questioning.
“Actually, that’s exactly what it is, but just because it’s a guess doesn’t mean it’s not an educated one. Like you said, Ouroboros was set up for the whole thing to blow over, so that means Slovchk couldn’t have been a threat unless he planned to put out something else which was more incriminating, and Ouroboros got wind of it and decided to preemptively silence him.”
Jax took a long sip of his water as he viewed Grey’s reaction to what he said with a politely-amused expression. Both of the conversation’s participants knew that the other was aware of both more and less than they were comfortable letting on, but Jax was beginning to think he was in possession of more information about what was going on than the usually in-the-know Grey Haze. That could work to his advantage, given the right circumstances, and Jax quickly made the decision to veer the conversation in a different direction before Haze could continue questioning him on the current line.
“That assumes Ouroboros were the ones who took him out, but there’s also the possibility that Slovchk was killed just to make Ouroboros look like the guilty party. His death is suspicious enough that, even if Ouroboros can prove they had nothing to do with it, the public will be looking at the company much more critically, and that means that any subsequent leaks will seem all-the-more valid.”
Jax wasn’t trying to lead Grey off course with his new line of thinking: it was actually a more honest representation of his actual opinion, now that enough time had passed for him to quickly evaluate the situation. He was being honest when he initially expressed doubts about Ouroboros being the culprit: suddenly, Slade’s mysterious lip-biter seemed to be a much better contender for the guilty party, which meant that Jax had a vested interest in getting Odette caught, lest she decide to go after Slade in a similar manner.
“The source I heard about could definitely benefit, if their goal is to go after Khestralicht’s monster: if I were you, I’d keep an eye out for this ‘Odette” person.”
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Grey Haze
Initiated
Posts: 10
Title: Owner and Entertainer at A Judicial Affair
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Post by Grey Haze on Aug 3, 2015 11:53:29 GMT -5
Grey nodded slowly as Jax replied, looking through him thoughtfully as she considered both what she understood of his perspective as well as what he was actually saying. In the background, one of the Affair's solo cellists began to set up and tune his instrument. Soon enough low-toned, soothing melodies began to spread a calm through the interior, further masking their conversation from any curious ears.
"If that is true then the possibility that anyone tapped by this source and encouraged to write an article may be just as expendable as dear Slovchk. It would certainly paint public opinion of Ouroboros, and perhaps Aeorex himself, as desperate to plug those leaks."
One brow arched just so when she met the Dealer's eyes again.
"I believe it fair to consider these tactics, if Ouroboros is not responsible for Slovchk's death, to be intended to shift public opinion. Anyone in the know," silk-covered hands made a soft gesture including the both of them, "is already aware the City's most affluent and powerful corporation would not create a spectacle like this. The Tower is notorious for its rapid, adaptive response to any uproar in the Trade City― anything to keep the precious economy stable and the machine running. That could be the endgame."
Grey raised both brows then, seeming both somewhat surprised by her own conclusion but also analyzing the gravity of the consequences should the Tower be forced to react publicly to a scandal aimed at Ouroboros and, by proxy, Devinian's Golden Prodigal Son Aeorex Khestralicht. The redhaired temptress wondered how the CEO was taking the news. . .
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Senne de'Lilinnis Vagaria
Uninitiated
Posts: 2
Quote: "It's pronounced 'Sin' - like the thing you are inspired to do by watching her dance."
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Post by Senne de'Lilinnis Vagaria on Jan 7, 2016 18:41:48 GMT -5
Though Grey had vacated the stage, even in the tiny, flashing, nearly-uninhabited daylight hours of the judicial Affair, it could never seem to stay empty for long. Enter Senne, who stepped out from the back curtain just as the stage lights dimmed, leaving only the back-lighting to cast odd, eerie shadows across the wooden surface of the performance space. The creature liked to keep things dim, even when practicing – the less light that reflected against her green-yellow eyes, the less the people around her suspected the truth.
Stretching and twisting her body like a cat waking from a nap, Senne cast a tall, slinky, shadowed silhouette across the stage, a dark outline of lithe grace that, beginning slowly and increasing its pace as the minutes ticked by, skillfully moved through one set of acrobatic dance moves to another, each without a stitch of music to serve as accompaniment. The shadow seemed as comfortable on its hands as its feet, and Senne’s body tumbled through one motion and into the next in displays of strength that, even only half-seen, were impressive. One minute she would roll her body over, long, red hair sweeping an arc behind as she drove her feet straight into the air, supported on three fingers of her right hand, only to skillfully sweep one leg down and around, using carefully-controlled momentum to drop into a perfect split, her spin arching back as she let her arms snake above her head, twisting with such unerring precision that her shadow seemed a figment from a dream. The next minute the figure seemed to be levitating, twisting and spinning inches to feet of the ground in a twirling dance of dark shapes and darker innuendos. The true amazement of her moves, however, came not from the slow, careful methodology of the motions themselves, but the way each one was punctuated by a flash of movement so quick that the human eye could not trace it – Senne flitted through her moves as though she were some picture recording with pieces of footage missing, the set up for each move gone entirely from view, leaving any onlooker with the distinct impression that the woman might actually be teleporting herself from one point on the stage to another. In the darkness, with the cool, white glow of the backlight creating sharp, sterile flashes of motion, Senne’s practice routine might seem more the stuff of a nightmare than a dream. It was only during these times, these quiet times that the creature known as Senne de’Lilinnis Vagaria was allowed to practice in this way. The staff, primarily, assumed her display was a trick of light, practice for a new show that had yet to be revealed. Grey, perhaps, was the only one to know the truth of from where the red-haired beauty actually came.
Eventually, Senne would cease her practice and stride suddenly from the stage, hopping down into the Affair’s main floor and making her way toward the front bar, where part of her daily ration awaited. Finally caught in the light, even without her customary stage makeup Senne appeared gaunt and pale, as though the white powder that bleached her skin to an unnatural tone every night was entirely unnecessary, or perhaps, already applied. Her sharp features seemed somehow sharper when they weren’t hidden, and none of the customary dark streaks had been put into her vibrant red hair, which she left flowing in a curled, somewhat tangled mess that reached well past her shoulders. Clad in a black corset and a pair of leggings seemingly made of black, leather straps that were evenly spaced to give just the right amount of range of motion, her feet bare, Senne made an odd picture, even as she stepped behind the bar and began rummaging in the small chest beneath it that held her ration.
If the woman saw Grey and Jax, or any of the other employees, she gave no indication, seemingly lost totally in the throes of her own actions and focus. Her eyes met intentionally with no one else’s – direct contact came with a shine of the light that made the woman’s eyes glow bright green, a radiance that didn’t match the nature of her human disguise. Senne flitted around like any other, but none of the employees knew anything about her, and the woman made no attempt to rectify that situation. Once she was fed, she would go back to her small quarters set near Grey’s office at the back of the Affair, and wind away her day in solitude until it was time to take the stage again this evening.
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Jacob Davenor
Initiated
Posts: 18
Title: Street Pharmacist
Quote: "Don't fuck with the system."
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Post by Jacob Davenor on Jan 7, 2016 18:56:11 GMT -5
Jacob Davenor widened his eyes and shook his head in a show of mock-amazement, playing to the persona he had casually crafted among his business associates of a simple street-man with basic tastes and an even more basic intellect. He had never been sure if Grey bought it, but she hadn’t decided to call him on it yet, so he kept up the act true to form, making sure to rub his temples to accentuate the idea that she had taken the conversation to a place that made his brain hurt.
“That’s exactly why I hate politics, Grey – Azalaeth works the same way. Cloak and dagger, smoke and mirrors, take your pick – everyone trying to bend the light in order to change perception rather than just shining the damn thing straight on the problem and fixing it. If whoever is behind it wants to kill someone just to change public perception, then fuck ‘em – they’;ll get what’s coming to them in the end.”
Jax’s way of finishing off a conversation was to wave away the implications as if they didn’t mean anything to him – usually with the waving gesture to accompany the words of dismissal. This time was no different, though the man couldn’t hide the small glower that had come over him since Grey’s first statement, the one about the source being in danger. Slade had already put herself out there by chasing up the lead Slovchk left her and unintentionally getting involved with this Odette person. If Grey was right, and there was something bigger behind the move than that specific woman, the slender journalist-slash-idealist might have just wandered right into the oven and be waiting for someone to flick the switch on her. Jax resolved, once the potential heat was off from his little information session with the Peacekeepers, to check in on Slade and make sure she was okay. As it was, it might be helpful for some of his guys to keep an eye on her comings and goings . . .
Jax shook his head and took a drink, catching sight of Senne’s warmup performance from the corner of his eye, and like anyone who would have seen that out of the corner of his eye, Jax turned in his seat to look directly at the stage to try and make sense of what his eyes were seeing. Glancing sidelong at Grey, the street pharmacist set his glass down and pulled out a cipher from his coat pocket, twirling it absently as he swept the pair’s conversation on to another subject.
“That one’s always given me the clutch – Senne, right? Where’d you find her again?”
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