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RP: Cirrus Station [Episode 9] The Silver Lining

Laj breathed a single weak laugh, turning his head back towards the horizon again. The man closed his eyes as he drew in a deep breath, his elbows propped atop the railing as she shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Yes, well... sometimes I can't save the hand I've been dealt. It was unfortunate, but at the time, I had to play with what I was given. Even if it meant losing."
 
Kokuten rolled his head on over, noting the entering man, before looking at everyone on the table. There seemed to be a disconcerting air, and Cassefin seemed a little off-guard. His eyes went back to Tweak, noting what the man wanted, and smiled to himself a bit. A dance 'with' someone might actually be a little fun for her. Inwardly, he almost wished he could have asked her that himself, but there was no remedy for his own conditions. The Doctor's attention returned to the table.

He arched a brow, before holding the bottle up again. He had not gotten his answer from Marrisa, perhaps it wasn't his to be in the first place, but he just held it there. That was, before a little grin spread on his face at a thought. He would ask a different question.

"Everything alright over here, Mistress Montreal?" went Kokuten, it was a low, impish tone, made more impish by his grin.
 
"My dear host, I daresay that the presence of this gentleman is not the cause of Miss Montreal's discomfort..." he left the sentence hanging, the words heavy in the air for a few seconds. He let his hand grasp Fidela's gently, trying to be as reassuring as he could in this tricky situation.

"And I don't believe speaking to Purina in that manner is appropriate. What a good host you are, first you nearly let her get killed by terrorists and now you invite her to dinner so you can menace her?"

The Id-Sol took a swig from his large glass of whisky, savouring the burn as the drink slid down his throat. "I imagined you were a business woman with more acumen than this, you're acting like some gangster, believing themselves to be for some reason above the rest of society." He glanced around the table, looking at Odette and noting her reactions.

"Should we fetch your business partner before you embarrass him further?"
 
That was what Claire appeared to be looking for, as she gave a satisfied smile. "I see..." She waved her hand dismissively "I suppose you can't play cards without a few losses, though that was a pretty big loss on your part. Do try to keep the girl's leash a bit tighter next time you visit, hm? Behave and I'll share some of the wine I keep outside of Cassie's regulations." A slight grin plays across her features.

"I apologize for the questions, sir. I just needed to get a better feel on where I stand on things. This whole ordeal is quite stressful you know..."
 
Kokuten's interjection -- earning the captain a brief, amused look -- and Stovaa's comment prevented the derby-wearing interloper from answering Marissa's...ever-so-kind request. When they finished, the man gave his reply, but without looking at Marrisa.

"My apologies, but the big man has a point," he finished with another smile, this one more restrained and a little regretful as he looked over at the CEO. "That was the other reason I ask, ma'am. She looked rather discomforted, so I thought to provide a momentary reprieve from the situation."

Meanwhile, Tweak watched the man carefully. He seemed self-confident, almost to the point of excess, but somehow he kept his demeanor from being outrageous and was only...odd. Not dangerous, as far as she could determine. However, the suit (the same he had worn when talking with Kokuten earlier) bothered her sense of pattern.
 
"As I told your good captain and his friend before you arrived," Laj began to reply, his smile take a turn for the strained as he spoke about the subject. "I really don't control what Marrisa does and doesn't do. Can't, really; I'm not her keeper," the man said with a sigh and a shrug.

The suave CEO turned back around after he had finished, placing the small of his back against the railing and leaning against it lightly, turning his back to the city. "You have my word, however, that I don't intend on letting this get so out of hand next time. Of course, this could just mean you won't know when next time is; I try to be as subtle as possible when the need arises. But none the less."

---
 
"You don't have control, but you have influence... but even you know that can't stop a woman from what she wants, don't you?" Claire smirked a little, noting the change in his expression.

"Either way, I'm sure they're all taking our absence as a cue to start in on each other... Now that I'm not there for Marissa to give death glares to. Think we ought to start heading back, my dear?" She extended one hand courteously, as if some ballroom gesture.
 
Marries returned back to a venomous smirk as she found a few of the table's patrons rising to Cassefins aid. Seeing them jump to the occasion thrilled her, only seeming to fuel her continued upheaval of the nights foundations. "I don't care what you thought you saw sir," Marrisa said, casting her glare over at the strange gentleman. "This is still a private gathering and you are intru-... oh, forget it." She finished her sentence short, chuckling to herself in amusement as she found their collective attention far too exciting to continue her ruse.

"I act superior to you plebs because I am," Marrisa spoke with wicked confidence, tossing her hair back with one hand while motioning to the rest of the table with the other. Her words seemed to have the desired effect on Cassefin, at the very least, as the administrator began to turn a different, more indignant shade of red. "It's so fun watching how upset you all get... I mean, what did you expect to happen, accepting an invitation like this?" Marrisa noted with sinister glee. "Laj invited you all here so that we could laugh in your faces, nothing mo-"

From across the table, the fair-haired Odette suddenly arose from her silent observations, interrupting Marrisa mid sentence. "Marrisa," Odette spoke in a stern, almost demanding tone which left the CEO a little stunned. "You are being very rude. I do not understand why you are being so hostile, but I think you should leave. They may not be able to appeal to Master Laj, but he will listen to me when I explain your behavior to him."

Marrisa sat quiet for a long moment, a strange look on her face. After she regained her senses from Odette's sudden stonewalled display, the woman laughed shortly at her. "What, you think I'm afraid of Laj? I'm only telling them what he himself told me, and-"

There was a sudden blue of movement over near Tue Unique captains side of the table. Odette had began making the motions to stand up, her hands laid flat on top of the table before her as she lifted her rear from the seat. She stopped midway, however, her eyes fixated on Marrisa. The Vinross-Yu Cranker CEO had paused once more when she saw Odette begin to rise, a look of surprise and alarm playing across her face for a short, fleeting moment. Odette had seen it, and Marrisa, with her bluff apparently called, drew her smile into a bitter snarl. "FINE," Marrisa admitted loudly, beginning to get up from the table, throwing the napkin she had across her lap down on the tablecloth harshly. "You rotten bitch. I've had my fun for the night anyway. Ciao, you bunch of fools."

As Marrisa, in a rather loud manner, made her way towards the exit stairwell in a huff, Odette sighed with relief and sat back down once more. "On behalf of Master Laj, I apologize for her actions." The woman said, her apology accompanied by a short bow of her head.
 
You're never going to get out of this room with that bottle at this rate. Went a voice in Kokuten's head, before dragging the bottle off the table in turn. He took a few steps over to Cassefin, just behind her, giving a silent stare to Odette before leaning down to the woman's side.

"She isn't lying. The two invited us here for the sake of their egos." whispered Kokuten to Cassefin, his words coming rapidly, "The Senator admitted that much. So, don't let them toy with you. Good night." With that he turned, making a quick pace to leave. Before reaching the door, he gave Tweak a short nod. "Don't let them push you, either." he said to her in passing, before making his way out with his bottle.
 
Blake had finally snapped out of his artistic dream world with Nell as the conflict nearby came to a rise. He sat with his head propped up on one hand, watching Marissa make her exit with a look of catty interest. The drugs told him to do one simple thing and get back to his conversation.

He clapped. A brief round of applause for Odette. Really, she deserved it in his mind.

"Of course I already knew about everything she said." He provided, showing off that warm smile for Odette and Nell, "But I don't mind. You two are nice people."
 
Tweak remained frozen during the entire exchange as the conflict drew to a crescendo...intensely grateful that it was a battle of words and not weapons. Seeing Marrisa leave was like lifting the world off the engineer's shoulders. She kept her guard up, as far as tracking people went, but the sense of sitting on an antimatter containment unit about to go critical was gone.

Meanwhile, the derby-donner watched the results of his appearance with a straight face as the insults flew thick and fast from Ms. Cranker. He lifted an eyebrow at the second mention of Laj's name as he made the connection with it and the name "Marrisa". So that was the nature of the party he was crashing. Quite above his caste. The man maintained his composure, though, quirking an eyebrow at Marrisa's behavior but saying nothing more.

After the hostess of the dinner had exited stage left, he backed up a couple steps to allow Kokuten room as the captain whispered his piece to Cassefin, remaining aside until Kokuten had withdrawn with his alcoholic prize. Then he stepped back up, glancing at Tweak as if to ask permission before extending his hand to the administrator, his palm up as invitation while giving a brief bow of his head.

"I offer my apologies if I have caused too much trouble, but my invitation to dance still remains."
 
Kokuten said:
"She isn't lying. The two invited us here for the sake of their egos." whispered Kokuten to Cassefin, his words coming rapidly, "The Senator admitted that much. So, don't let them toy with you. Good night."
Click to expand...
Cassefin heaved a sigh of relief as she watched Marrisa leave. Although she was on the verge of biting back herself as the woman grew more hostile, Cassefin couldn't help but feel grateful for the timely arrival of a few comforting words. As soon as she began to feel at ease, however, reality drew her back in. Cassefin turned around towards Kokuten, mouth open slightly as she attempted to keep his attention for a moment, but the man was well on his way already, depriving her of the chance. She couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed that she needed to be told such things... after all, she was essentially here for her own ego as well.
"I offer my apologies if I have caused too much trouble, but my invitation to dance still remains."
Click to expand...
Although he seemed to mean well enough, Cassefin still wasn't sure about this strange gentleman, despite his seemingly innocent gallantry. "Umm... sorry," Cassefin apologized as she turned to him, giving him a nervous smile as she explained her reasons for declining him. "I'm not really in a dancing mood. I mean... I can't have a dancing mood. I don't dance."

---


"Oh?" Laj said in a playfully disappointed tone, his eyebrows rising as he raised his own questions to Claire. "That's all? You follow your friends here, expecting something else, just to find out that I'm not such a bad fellow?"

---

Lam said:
He clapped. A brief round of applause for Odette. Really, she deserved it in his mind.

"Of course I already knew about everything she said." He provided, showing off that warm smile for Odette and Nell, "But I don't mind. You two are nice people."
Click to expand...
Odette smiled, welcoming his applause humbly. "Oh, there's no need for that... any sensible person would have done the same. I'm sure a few of you were about to really let her have it."
 
MoonMan said:
"Umm... sorry," Cassefin apologized as she turned to him, giving him a nervous smile as she explained her reasons for declining him. "I'm not really in a dancing mood. I mean... I can't have a dancing mood. I don't dance."
Click to expand...
"Ah." The man's expression turned disappointed, and he withdrew his hand. He could object to that answer, but somehow it didn't seem appropriate. It probably wouldn't turn out well, and one of the most important rules of gambling is knowing when to cut one's losses...

"I suppose I owe you dinner, then..." His eyes flicked to the empty places. "My apologies for the interruption. My evenin' best wishes to y'all." Bowing, he backed up a few steps, then turned and exited the scene, passing Laj and Claire on their way back in.

Tweak watched him go with a slight frown, then looked over at Cassefin to see how the administrator was faring, and what the plan was from here. She leaned over Kokuten's empty seat.

"Ah...are you alright?"
 
Claire smiled at Laj. "Honey, You know out of anyone that just talking to someone tells you more than what comes out of their mouth. Trust me, I've got the answers to questions I've never asked." She smirked. "Or are you trying to tell me you're expecting your partner to cause trouble and would rather distance yourself from it? No don't answer that. I know what your response is." She shakes her head.

"But the offer stands. Shall we head back?"
 
Cassefin turned and gave Tweak a dismissive smile, waving her hand shortly before turning to Odette. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Marrisa hasn't really changed since we parted ways. It's no big deal," the woman answered for Odette's apology, feeling much better now that Tweak was back in her seat. The raven-haired Unique smiled warmly, glad to hear that Cassefin realized that Marrisa's opinion wasn't a shared view.

The Head Administrator turned back to Tweak after a short moment. "What happened? Why did Chiaki leave? Is something wrong?"

---

Laj shrugged with a disappointed smirk. "If you say so, my dear. I suppose I should go back and make sure Cranker doesn't try and ruin the evening," the senator agreed, following up to Claire and escorting her back to their table.

Odette turned her head quickly when she noticed motion near the entrance to their booth, and breathed a short sigh of relief when she saw that Laj and Claire had returned. Laj was quick to take notice, however, that Marrisa was no longer in her seat. The man shot his fair-figured subordinate an inquisitive look, only to have a simple head shake as his reply. Laj chuckled to himself and shook his own head side to side; apparently he was minutes too late.

"Well, I see Marrisa saw herself out," Laj said as he sat back down at the front of the table. "I assume she went gracefully and with dignity?"
 
Claire smirked back at Laj, following him back, giving passing glances to those around them as she were being escorted and proud to be strolling alongside someone with status. However, right before they entered the booth, Claire grinned a bit "Acting disappointed is a poor mask, Mr. Laj. Come now, you're better than that."

She didn't even give him time to respond before she strolled back to her seat next to Stovaa and Fidela. "Sorry about that hon. I'm back now, so the drinks can continue." She gave a sweet and reassuring smile to Fidela. "You haven't been putting too many moves on our big man here in my absence, have you dear?"
 
MoonMan said:
The Head Administrator turned back to Tweak after a short moment. "What happened? Why did Chiaki leave? Is something wrong?"
Click to expand...
The question caused Tweak to pause before answering. Was something wrong?

"The captain and the senator talked. It was nothing to worry about, they were mostly friendly to each other," she whispered back. "Maybe Mr. Vinross gave him something to think about?" The Freespacer neko gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "It's also been a long day for him, I think."
 
"Eh!?" went Fidela as she gave Claire an incredulous look, making it sound like she was the one doing all the hitting on. She shuffled her chair closer to the edge of the table before pouting at the teasing woman. "Stovaa's the one doing all the talking! Saying all kinds of... things." The young scientist shrunk a bit, looking down at the space in front of her where her plate was to be. Her face flushed a little before before she kicked Stovaa in the shins under the table.
 
((OOC: Take a gander over here and fill out a Cirrus Station Player Survey please~))

With Marrisa Cranker gone, things took a surprising turn for the better for the evening. While the female CEO seemed intent on condescending to Squad 35, Laj was a much more accommodating host. After a short while, the food arrived, with the waiters looking quite confused as to the number of extra plates they had accumulated due to the shrinking party.

The food itself was as to be expected; a rare, expertly crafted meal, far different from what the Cirrus Station employees were accustomed to. Purina's Azorean Mammoth Shrimp lived up to their title. Despite only being served one, the single shrimp she was given was well over a foot long, fat and juicy, more of a steak than a bite-sized seafood delicacy. The sausage linguini was also of note, simply because apparently Los Apagos-style sausage actually meant 'spicy to the point of in-edibility'.

Once everyone had finished eating, Laj Vinross Yu cleared his throat to garner everyone's attention, pulling the napkin out from his lap and gently placing it on his empty plate. "Well, everyone, I want to thank you all for coming. It's been a very nice evening, and I'm glad you all could take the time to come. Professor Montreal, you have a fine group of individuals under your command, and I hope The Lady is good to you for the rest of your stay," Laj spoke with a relaxed smile, glancing over to Odette and Nell when he had finished, beginning to rise from his seat. "Well, come on," the senator said with a long, drawn sigh. "We should probably go find Marrisa and make sure she isn't causing too much trouble."

Odette nodded earnestly, lightly dabbing the sides of her mouth with her napkin politely and rising up. Nell looked a bit disappointed that they had to leave so early; she was rather enjoying the company that the table provided and, truth be told, she looked to have had one too many drinks for the evening. "Well, it was fun, big guy," Nell smiled weakly to Blake as she also stood up. "We'll see 'bout that sculpin some other time, yeah?"

---

Cassefin, who seemed to be quite content with her sea bass despite it not being her normal fare, glanced over at Fidela as people began to put on their evening coats and leave. "Well, miss, as promised I'd like to have a word with your on your possible position on the Cirrus. Could we go to the lobby downstairs?" The red-haired scientist said with a tired smile. The evening had been a bit stressful for Cassefin, but overall she was quite glad to have brought Squad 35; they had done much to alleviate her worries.
 
"Position?" Fidela squeaked as she looked in Cassefin's direction, her blood suddenly pumping. "Oh! Yes! Yes yes yes!" She went excitedly, tripping and nearly falling on her face as she tried to get out of the chair. She wobbled a bit, before stabbing her stilettos on the floor, and getting her balance rightly. "Fucking high-heels." growled Fidela.

She threw a somewhat nervous look at Cassefin, before realizing she had said that out loud.

"Ah... Lead the way, please." she constituted shakily, before pointing onward.
 
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