RP: Cirrus Station [Episode 9] The Silver Lining

Nell's response seemed somehow inappropriate to Blake. He frowned back at her disappointed reply.

"You sounded kind of disappointed, there." He said, eyes falling slightly behind the glasses, "Is there something wrong with that? Do you have a problem with being immortalized forever in clay form, so that your beauty can be shared with the galaxy? Think of it as an investment! If I ever become a famous artist, you'll be the talk of the galaxy!"

From that point he got more and more animated as he went on, "All the socialites will wonder, 'Who's the mysterious woman he sculpted?! She must be so deep and complex!' and then the rich men will try to find you and reproduce my work. You'll be the envy of all the stereotypically open minded, sensitive Yamataian girls! Not to mention the travel. Yes, anywhere you want to go, there will be someone willing to pay for you to be there!"

At some point, it became uncertain as to whether he was discussing his own dreams or Nell's potential future as an art subject. Where there really that many stuffy art-ophiles in the galaxy? Or perhaps Blake was dreaming of his own galaxy, where cannabis grew wild in the parks and public water fountains came in two varieties: Fine Abwheran beer, and Elysian Communal wine?

MissingNo said:

Reaching the balcony again, Tweak stayed just out of sight beyond the doorway, listening to see what was going on before bursting in. Just talking about the city...okay, no panic yet. She stepped onto the balcony.

"Claire! Let the man smoke in peace, you're probably giving Cassefin an heart attack..."

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Laj turned once more to see who else had decided to pay him a visit, smiling slyly when he noticed that it was one of the ones who had just 'left'. The suave CEO waved a single hand dismissively, exchanging glances between Claire and Tweak. "No no, it's no trouble at all. Your friend and I were simply enjoying the view. Isn't that right, ma'am?" Laj cast a sidelong glance towards Claire, expecting her answer.

---

Nell waved her open palms out in front of her in a disarming fashion as Blake began to barrage her with questions. "Uh! Naw! I mean! Well!" The silver-haired woman stammered out her response, hoping to defuse the situation before Blake got too riled on the subject. "It's just that I ain't never done nothin' like that before. Nothin' artsy-like, I mean. I just wasn' sure what scuplin' was is all."

"I mean... you can sculp' me if ya want," Nell finished her reply, completely devastating the word 'sculpt' in the process as it ran through her accent and lack of knowledge like soft hamburger through a gnashing grinder. "Ya just might haftah... gimme some pointers or somethin'."

---

Her eyes narrowed at Tweak. If the over reactive spacer could make their conversation any more awkward... no. She speak of what she wanted to with her around.

"Tweak. Go back and take care of Cassie and the captain, alright? I am fine, as as Mr. Laj here assures us, he's alright with a friendly chat. You have better things to do than play out here."

She gave an apologetic smile to Laj, "Sorry, some of our squad naturally worry about everything. Don't judge them harshly for it."

Laj's look didn't leave Tweak with a very good feeling. Claire's response surprised her, though.

"Claire..." Tweak had a hurt sort of look, mixed with a dose of confusion and a little worry. Her teammate's behavior was quite different than it had been earlier...why was she treating her like an unwanted kid now?

"I just wanted to talk to you is all." Tweak tilted her head a bit to one side, then looked down. "You didn't look very happy when you left. We didn't know what you were going to do." She leaned back against the door frame of the balcony, her hands folded behind her back.

Claire let out a long sigh, closing her eyes for a moment. The smile on her face was maintained, not felt. She turned to Tweak walking over to her. "Tweak honey... I would be happy to talk with you at a later time. Trust me, we will have time to sit down and chat and I will talk to you as much as you like, alright?" She tried to give the spacer a reassuing pat on her shoulder. Regardless if she was successful or not, she would return to Laj, giving her a reassuring smile.

As Cassefin watched Claire leave, Tweak quickly trailing after her, she could offer few words to stop them from leaving. The table, although still crowded, was looking a little less friendly without the familiar faces at her immediate right and left. Cassefin caught sight of Marrisa staring at her from across the table, a cheap smile on her face as she gazed lazily at the administrator from her seat.

Marrisa, of course, noticed Cassefin spot her, and offered a conversation to the red-haired woman in return for her sharp eye. "So, Finny. How are things on the Cirrus?" Marrisa asked as sincerely as she could muster, her head tilting ever so slightly to the side as she popped the question. Cassefin, although expecting the woman to speak to her after catching her eyes watching her, still wasn't exactly prepared for the inquiry. "Things are okay, I guess," Cassefin gave her a very bland, very neutral response.

"Oh?" Marrisa raised her eyebrow in doubt. "Are you sure? I've heard some distressing things through the political grapevine," the woman chided Cassefin, who in return could do little but stare with a stern gaze, unsure of what Marrisa was trying to imply. Cassefin's confusion only served to fuel Marrisa's pressing questions, however, her wry smile growing ever wider. "Like how a couple of gentlemen from the Rok'Veru NAM branch are gunning for your position. The head researcher at Onsen Chemicals as well," Marrisa continued with her queries.

The mention of this subject seemed to have its desired effect on Cassefin. The woman's mouth curled into a small scowl, but not at Marrisa; Cassefin was recalling the names of each and every person Marrisa was talking about. She knew them all quite well, and she knew exactly what Marrisa was trying to tell her. "Yeah, those two-bit hacks aren't fit to run De-Con labs," Cassefin said venomously, forgetting for a moment who she was talking to, some faint fond memories of their past peeking back into her mind. "Usellas, Perrigron, Desoto... bunch of jealous little boys," Cassefin called off those after her position by name.

Marrisa grinned widely, tilting her head farther to the side. "Yes... it would be a real shame if anything were to happen to you."

The CEO's loaded statement gave Cassefin momentary pause, her expression turning from annoyance to slight concern.

"U-U-um..." went the blushing Fidela, her teeth gritting in the face of Stovaa's prying. Now it was less about flattery and more on embarrassment. She simply quieted herself at the man's insistence and took a notice and the conversation going across the table. Her eyes lit up at the pressing of her new boss, and the source of her pressure, her old boss. The tanned Los Apagos laureato, looked between them before locking her brown gaze on Marissa.

"Y'know, Miss Cranker..." said Jacinto rather meekly at first before curling her fingers over her hands. "The way you say that makes it sound like you want Miss Montreal dead... or something!" The grimness of that was unsettling to the speaker, so Fidela led that off with abrupt bit of nervous laughter.

Dragonnova said:

She gave an apologetic smile to Laj, "Sorry, some of our squad naturally worry about everything. Don't judge them harshly for it."

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Laj simply held up a single hand, dismissing Tweak of any discrepancies she may have accumulated. "It's quite alright. You all look out for each other. I wouldn't expect any less from Cassefin Montreal's finest."

---

Clearing her throat, Marrisa tossed a lazy glance over at Fidela, her wry smile continuing to beam at the table. "No no, not at all... I'm just saying what an important figure Finny is. She should be careful with herself; she's an old friend of mine after all, I'm speaking out of concern," the woman teased while Cassefin started looking decidedly more uncomfortable. Her cheeks flushed a slight shade of red, perhaps a little embarrassed on how easily she put her guard down around Marrisa.

"Pointers?!" Blake said, almost failing to suppress a chuckle towards Nell, "It's easier than that. We just go somewhere isolated where you won't have to move around too much and you be yourself for a little while. Practice your favorite hobby, like shooting a gun or cooking a meal or caring for a pet Delsaurian sand-tortise! It doesn't matter. When I see something I like, I'll put it down and then... um."

Blake paused, putting a finger up to his mouth. He wished there was a basic lesson in tact here. Most artists were now expected to tell their model they'd have to take off their clothes. Blake knew he didn't necessarily have to do that, and wasn't even sure if he wanted that for this particular piece. Still, he didn't want to make any promises one way or the other.

So, it was the first lesson of the thoughtful social tactition, being vague, "Then I just, uh, tell you what pose to be in and stuff while I work my magic."

Sometimes being talked at like a juvenile, as Claire was talking to her now, was a comfort to Tweak. Sometimes it made her feel playful, if the speaker was jesting, or comforted, if she was scared (as sometimes happened when she woke up and Dream was around). Right then, however, it rankled her. She was being sent away, her concerns were being brushed off, her urgency ignored. Normally, she would fix something on her own, even if it wasn't something in her area of expertise or experience, but there was no way to 'fix' this situation. Well...outside of extreme measures, but those wouldn't really fix it as much as they would make it worse, would they.

There was only one thing left to do. Well...two. Taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out, Tweak gave Claire a disappointed look, then nodded once to her and again at Laj before slowly turning and leaving the balcony. She was tempted to wait outside the door, but it wasn't likely to help anything either. So the engineer returned to the dinner table. Give her wisdom to see through his half-truths and discernment to know what to do with what she learns... As before, she wasn't sure who she was praying to. But she knew someone was listening.

Tweak was distracted when she returned to the table, enough that she didn't notice the discomfort Cassefin was suffering until she had taken her seat again and glanced around the table. Nearly everyone was focused on Cassefin and Marrisa...apparently something had happened while she was gone. She gave Cassefin a questioning look.

Claire rubbed her eyes as Tweak left, knowing exactly what her concerns were, but she lacked any real way to comfort them for Tweak without revealing too much. She was thankful that she left, even if she had hurt her feelings in the process. She would have to invent some way to make it up to her later.

She returned to Laj, giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that... Again, she worries a lot. Nice girl, but 'neurotic' would be an understatement." She looks back out to the view. "Well, anyway... did you have an answer to my question from before?"

Laj looked distantly out over the balcony, thinking back on the question Claire had asked him prior to Tweak's arrival. The music from the live band had changed, the pace slowing into a jazzy blues number, played solo by the saxophone as a handful of the other performers took a short break to rest themselves for the next song.

She looks at Laj again. "Do you feel Nepleslia has shaped you to what you need?"

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He had to think about her question for a moment, his eyes trailing upward as he considered the possible answers he could give her. "I feel... that Nepleslia has dealt me the cards to play," Laj spoke, putting his answer in a form that he could easily communicate through and felt most comfortable with. "It is still up to me how I choose to play off of the hand I've been given. And, as always, I intend to win."

Laj glanced over at Claire with a skeptical smirk. "Does that make any sense? You'll have to excuse this old card shark for putting it in terms he best understands."

---

Across from Cassefin, Purina Popjoy started looking a bit anxious. Being the one sitting next to Marrisa, partially against her own will, she looked very aware of her Administrators plight but seemed reluctant to lend a helping hand. Purina laughed nervously, casting a sidelong glance at Marrisa Cranker. "Hah... yeah, these two have always been in this little rivalry of theirs," Purina attempted to alleviate the tensions at the table with a little more history between the three of them. "Always with the jokes. Harmless really."

Marrisa didn't seem to hear Purina at all, not a single motion or movement of her eyes acknowledging Purina as she stared haughtily at Cassefin from across the table. Her grin was unsettling for one talking so blatantly on such a grim subject; she seemed to glow brighter and brighter as she pressed harder and harder into the heavy atmosphere of the table, apparently emboldened by the lack of presence from Laj Vinross Yu. After a short moment, however, Marrisa replied to Purina's words, not bothering to give her so much as a turn of her head. "Purina? Shut your mouth," Marrisa spoke through her smile, the condescending tone pushing toward Purina like a bus.

The pink-haired administrator's waving smile failed her as she sat agasp for a second, before shrinking in her chair a bit and turning the other direction. Neither Cassefin nor Purina seemed to share Marrisa's gumption for provocation, and Marrisa apparently was fine with exploiting this knowledge in her own favor.

---

Off to the side, Nell seemed too enthralled with the conversation she was having with Blake to even take notice to the table's changed atmosphere. "Oh. That sounds easy. I reckon," Nell said, seemingly intrigued by this wide world of artistic express she had never really experienced before. "So, you ain't gonna ask me to do anythin' with embarassin' poses are ya?" Nell continued to question Blake, her sly grin spreading once more. "'cause yannow, that'd be inappropriate. Ain't that right Odie?"

Odette didn't seem to hear Nell at first. While the artist and his muse were having their conversation, Odette had fixated herself on Marrisa. She was well aware of the tension wafting over the table, well aware that it was emanating from Marrisa herself... and Odette didn't seem to pleased about it. Her large green eyes focused intently on the CEO, her face neutral and unphased by Marrisa's blatant hassling. For the moment, however, Odette remained silent and watched from afar.

Claire smiled and nodded as Laj sort of stumbled over which answer to give, but her smile was genuine. "I've played enough cards to get the metaphors and what they relate to, hon." She gazed back out to the view, the new band playing over the speakers sending an itch up her spine to go dancing for some reason. Maybe pick up that barista girl while she was at it...

She looked back at Laj. "As do we all, yes? Think you can beat Marissa's hand, do you? Or are we playing the bluff?"

Laj reared his head back and laughed at Claire's comment. "Heh, I'm afraid Marrisa doesn't play all that often. When she does, she only knows how to all-in," the man jested about his corporate companion, waving his hand dismissively in the process. "A terrible strategy, made even more terrible by how often it can work. It's hard to read her poker face if she only has one face."

"Wohowhow..." said Fidela, hunching her shoulders and sinking back into her seat some. The young lady was getting unnerved by Marissa's antics, and especially so by how the administrators reacted to it. She brought a pair of fingers up to curl at her hair. "It just got really uncomfortable in here..." she mewled nervously, a little louder that she had meant. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Ah, excuse me?" interrupted a familiar voice from the door, Kokuten's to be exact. He stuck his head in, before his body followed suite. "Terribly sorry to barge back in, but..." he said wearily, before making his way to the cart of bottles, picking out the one with the Industrial Cleaning Alcohol in it. "Do you mind if I take this with me? It didn't seem like anyone else was going to drink this, so..." The Captain bashfully rolled his eyes down. He didn't seem to look all that ill. "... would be a terrible waste."

Blake was, like Nell, too enthralled to notice the rest of the table. His head was in the clouds and also propped gaily on swinging arms. The drugs were now in full effect, and he had a subject for his works. The night was shaping up to be very good, in his mind. He felt playful, inspired, and all around good. The high dose of painkillers had seemed to completely rid the artist of all of his fears and social ineptitude. He reminded himself briefly in his head to purchase more before leaving and find a way to smuggle them into the station.

In the meantime, he had to do art! And with such a willing subject, he was slowly entering the realms of possibility for what was considered by some to be 'good art'. So, of course, the young artist continued his conversation, "Well, Miss Nell, that all depends! What exactly do you find to be embareassing?"

He silently hoped for a second that she didn't hear him spell the word embarrassing like that, then remembered that no one could hear spelling. Hooray!

He went on, with renewed confidence and a smile sly enough to rival Nell's own. "Because, of course, we don't want to do anything inappropriate, do we?"

Claire grinned at Laj's amusement at her jab. "Interesting. But perhaps she plays more than you want to believe, hm?" She shook her head "Either way, seems I was right about her... playstyle. For someone that plays like a loose cannon, she must either have extraordinary luck or has quite the... side benefits to be able to mesh well with a corporation like yours."

Claire never smoked, but she had the strange urge to all of the sudden. Perhaps it's just being out in the smoker's area and simply not fitting in.

Marrisa's command to Purina put Tweak on edge. The situation had degenerated while she was gone. The 'spacer neko looked over at Cassefin.

Can we go? We should go.

Kokuten said:

"Ah, excuse me?" interrupted a familiar voice from the door, Kokuten's to be exact. He stuck his head in, before his body followed suite. "Terribly sorry to barge back in, but..." he said wearily, before making his way to the cart of bottles, picking out the one with the Industrial Cleaning Alcohol in it. "Do you mind if I take this with me? It didn't seem like anyone else was going to drink this, so..." The Captain bashfully rolled his eyes down. He didn't seem to look all that ill. "... would be a terrible waste."

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The captain's return was surprising...and he didn't look very well. He was healthy, but he still appeared drained. Tired.

Tweak was torn now. She just wanted to get out of this place. It was not a good place to be. It never had been. There was no benefit she could see in being there, and she wondered why Cassefin had agreed to attend at all. She couldn't leave, though. And it would take some doing to take everyone out with her. Why was Kokuten still in the restaurant? She thought he had left.

Distraction. She needed distractions, a reason for everyone to leave. The fire suppression systems would be more heavily guarded on the remote-access electronic front than the holographic control...wait. Did this place have holograms?

The man tripped Tweak's proximity alert much later than he should have. He was right there, standing a step behind Cassefin before she realized it. "Excuse me, miss?" he said to the administrator, all the while acting as if Tweak's warning look was nothing to worry about. Instead, he just tilted his head forward so he could meet her eye from beneath the derby's brim, returning her studying gaze with a nod and a playful smile before looking at the back of Cassefin's head. "I have a wager that I couldn't convince you to leave your table for a few moments, perhaps for a short dance. Would you like to prove me wrong? Unless..." he added, looking at Tweak again. "...there are good reasons not to."

"Oh, I'm quite sure she enjoys the benefits being associated with Vinross Yu-Cranker," Laj said with a sigh, rolling his shoulder in the socket as he turned his head back to Claire. He gave her a sly grin, reassuring his guest of how comfortable he was dealing with Marrisa. "However, I don't just let her do whatever she wants. I have my own methods of keeping her from doing things that I would find too unsavory, or would damage my reputation. She's learned her limitations."

---

"Uh-I-Ah-Um..." The arrival of Kokuten and this mystery gentleman served to seemingly further addle Cassefin, who exchanged glances between them as well as Tweak frantically, unsure of how to deal with the multitude of directions she could take. Marrisa, however, was quick to make a decision for her. The woman didn't look too amused as the squad captain and this stranger appeared, her fingers entwining as she delicately placed her chin in the mesh they formed as she propped her elbows lazily on top of the table.

"Excuse me sir," Marrisa addressed the strange gentleman, noting his sudden appearance as something a little strange. "This is a private party. So, would you kindly beat it? You're disturbing our guests."

"Or so you'd like to make it seem."

Claire shook her head, smiling as she looked out to the city once more, she placed her hands behind her back, trying to look contemplative but mostly only accomplishing in emphasizing her curves again. (Which she didn't seem to care about that either) "I'm sure civillian casualties look good on any business trip, regardless of the supposed perpetrators, right?" Her sarcasm was far from subtle, but it was making her point all the same.