Kiss Your Enemies

[Taataani Meorrrei]

The Tues Ku'fay Auction House - Drev'starn, Bothawui



There were occasionally times that wealth and status could be burdensome. Philanthropic auctions were one such time. These public events served two purposes that reasonably-important people craved: they allowed one to collect exclusive items that would be the envy of their peers, and the proceeds of such sales often went to well-publicized charities that shed a very public light on one's (incentivized) generosity. Be that as it may, these events were stuffy, long, and above all else they tended to be boring save for the few moments an item of interest would be on the dais for bidding.

Senator Taataani Meorrrei fidgeted slightly in her seat, careful to guard against sudden movements that might be misinterpreted as a bid on what appeared to be an utterly nondescript-looking chair. Now that was patently absurd. Drowsy eyes blinked as she looked to the brochure in her lap. tapping through the holo flimsi until she arrived at the ad nauseum details about a chair that had been certified as a reception chair owned by Xim the Despot. Bidding started at half a million credits...for what was essentially a desk chair so old that no one would dare sit on it anyway. Taataani's face bunched as she inspected the heirloom. It looked dreadfully uncomfortable. Her derriere shifted in her seat, as if recoiling from the thought of imagined tactile nightmares to retreat into the satiny and plush sanctuary.

She wanted to yawn, thinking the better of it as her jaw tensed and she merely grimaced with sleepy eyes, glancing to the right in time to see Countess Sarpin from the Hapes Cluster actively bidding on the rickety horror. Indeed, more than a few faces in the auction house were Alliance senators. Almost as many as there were genuine auction enthusiasts and nearly as many as there were the fake enthusiasts who were more likely Bothan spies attending purely to spy on group A.

Ah, the spies. Truly what gave Bothawui its flavor. Oh they were all friends, surely. To some degree or another. At first, Taataani bristled against them. Then, she tolerated their nuissance. Now, she actively employed a few of them herself. Indeed, thanks to the SpyNet, she probably knew what Niev Minetii of Sullust was having for breakfast before he even got the plate.

"Anotherr hourr of thjiss monotonjy..." she whispered low to her ever-present assistant, Kallum Romanoch. "...make ssurre jI don't fall assleep. jI have to get that pajintjing. The one Fasshieerro enjojyss sso."

Some slapdash thing called Songbird and Starlight, apparently from a particularly off-cuff artistic period on Naboo about three hundred years ago. Lots of beautiful colors but the brushwork was blotchy. Apparently that was the desired effect. Sometimes, Taataani had to wonder if the world of art was just some masterfully-packaged con game. It could've been finger paintings for all she cared. If it made her husbands happy and kept the peace at home, she'd pay a queen's ransom for that. Occasionally you had to throw your lovers a few baubles.

The bidding continued at a sustained pace. Countess Sarpin and an Ishi Tib Taataani didn't recognize appeared to be driving the price over the million mark. The Hapan crone's lip line continued to thin, and she sat a little straighter in her seat each time the price went up.

"jYou musst be jokjing."

[Alexi Hesith]

Alexi, like any good Lantillian, found the idea of paying good credits for something that could not be used distasteful. Paying that much for a chair that was not likely to support one's weight bordered on disgusting.

He would not have been present to witness such decadence if were not for the urging of his staff. This sort of event was a good networking opportunity. Not the auction itself, of course, but the drinks reception afterwards. Apparently, the practice was to put the more impressive items on display again so that the new owners could be congratulated upon their savvy and good fortune and, at charity auctions, their generosity to the cause. During the ensuing mingling, Alexi might manage to make some connections to help him push the interests of his people.

The Senator leaned towards his companion.

"Just so ye know," he whispered in the exaggerated Lantillian brogue he kept for such special occasions, "I'll no' be congratulatin' whoever ends up with that rickety ol' thing. I'll be off'rin' an extra coo-sh'n an' a crash mat."

His companion just about suppressed a snort of laughter.

Lucia Hesith was accustomed to her uncle's irreverence as were his voters. In fact they (and, indeed, she) found it quite endearing. But he was not here to endear himself (if that was possible) to the Alliance's elite. He was here to get on with them for political ends.

"Uncle, you know very well you'll smile politely and admire it," she replied as sternly as she could in a whisper. Then she added, "Even if it is a horrible chair."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

"A million one? A million one?"

The gavel at the pulpit rapped, and a collective sigh eased from the attendees.

"Sold to Countess Sarpin for one million, one hundred thousand credits."

The countess, for her part, coolly played off the increasingly blanched expression she'd been wearing during the brinksmanship, and idly fanned herself as she nodded. Auctioneer attendees carefully collected the chair, and carted it offstage, now that it was properly claimed.

"And now forr the bujyerr'ss rremorrsse to sset jin."

There was a brief lull in the events as the auction prepared for the next showing. The dull background noise of conversation picked up when freed from the auctioneer's gavel, and Taataani stretched in her seat, taking pains not to make an obvious show of it. The result was an action of craning her neck, rolling her shoulders, stiffening in her seat, and then allowing the tension to release in her limbs and tail. This showing had proven particularly dull, and she imagined a nap would be needed in due course after it was all done.

Then she saw what was to be brought to stage next, and her adrenaline kicked in, spurred on by a polite nudging from Kallum.

"That'ss the one." she whispered, careful to remain cool to all appearances.

"Up next for bidding, we have the work Songbird and Starlight, from Ywves Tanlo. From the Internecine Period of Naboo Impressionism, this piece was treated to a lukewarm reception during the artist's lifetime. It has since captured the spirit of imagination across the galaxy throughout."

The auctioneer paused momentarily, allowing the attending crowd some silence to visually appraise the work.

"We shall start the bidding at a quarter of a million credits."

Taataani raised a calm hand to be seen.

[Alexi Hesith]

"Thank you, Madam Senator," the auctioneer nodded to the Cizeri, "Do I hear two hundred seventy-five thousand?"

A gesture somewhere to the left and in front of Alexi allowed the auctioneer to say, "Thank you, sir. Do I hear three hundred thousand?"

This started a steady stream of bids as the auctioneer slowly but inexorably worked the price upwards. It did not take long for half a million to seem attainable albeit at the outer edge of the range.

Alexi spent the time wondering how many of the bidders were seriously pursuing the ownership of the painting and how many were just bidding for show. The first two bidders were undoubtedly serious but he doubted that most of the rest had a genuine interest in the painting.

Lucia had, apparently, been assessing the bidders with a different eye. Looking in Meorrrei's direction she quietly asked, "Isn't that the Senator for Carshoulis Prime, Uncle?"

"The Cizeri? Yes," replied Alexi glancing in the same direction.

"She seems rather keen on that painting. I wonder why."

Alexi stopped himself from shrugging just in time to avoid being stuck for a bid of four hundred thousand credits. Instead he indicated his indifference to the question with a whispered, "I'm wondering about the canapés they'll serve later."

Lucia ignored that and continued to watch the bidders. Suddenly she whispered in an excited tone, "You should bid!"

The senator nearly laughed aloud at the suggestion, "On that? Whatever for?"

"To get yourself noticed."

"Good grief..."

"By her," Lucia looked pointedly at Meorrrei, "It'll get her attention. She's the sort of powerful person your staff want you to meet isn't she?"

"She is also," growled Alexi, "the sort of person who'll bear a grudge if my bid forces her to pay more than she wants for that painting."

"Oh pish!" and with that Lucia raised the numbered paddle that Alexi had been given on arrival, which he had entrusted (unwisely he saw now) to her.

"A new bid from," the auctioneer consulted his list of bidders, "another senator." The auctioneer sounded rather pleased about this even though he had never heard of this particular senator and was clearly unsure whether the lady with the paddle was, indeed, the senator. Of course, it offered an opportunity to push the price still higher and that could not be missed, "Come gentlebeings, will anyone offer four fifty for this much sought after piece?"

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani's right ear flicked in annoyance, betraying a practiced aloof expression she wore. The bidding was accelerating without the lull of groupthink doubt that usually preceded a settlement on a final price, and approaching the number she'd set upon as her rational ceiling for the accursed thing. Nevertheless, she wasn't about to back down just yet. Sitting idly, she watched to see if anyone else would pick up the next bid. Partially to see if the brinksmanship was slowing down, but also to see if the Senator from Lantillies would squirm on the hook. A few seconds passed.

"Four fifty. Do we havefour and three quarters?"

Taataani raised her paddle.

"And four and three quarters to Madam Meorrrei."

As the auctioneer continued to cajole higher bids from the attendees, Taataani kept one ear on the action and the other on Kallum.

"That woman. Therre, wjith Ssenatorr Hessjith. Who jiss sshe?"

Kallum peered, squinting his eyes slightly, a shake of his head.

"Not a clue, mum. The missus?"

The bid ratcheted to half a million, and Taataani kept her eyes on the Lantillian group as she again raised her paddle.

"jI sshouldn't thjink sso. Awfulljy jyoung, ne?"

Kallum's ironic smirk wasn't lost on the matron.

"Well..."

A flippant roll of her eyes was the unsaid touché to her Nar Shaddaan assistant's calling of her hypocrisy.

"Maybe she's 'is side piece." Kallum's eyebrows wagged conspiratorially as his coarse native accent peaked through. It caused Taataani's ears to perk slightly, and a little smile to brighten her face at the scent of salacious gossip. But before getting to the fattening stuff, Taataani listened to the bid creak ahead to 550,000.

"jIss that common? Brrjingjing one'ss dalljiance to a publjic event ljike thjiss?"

"Why no'? Innit tha' why I'm 'ere?"

Taataani deftly slapped at his hand as her other hand raised the bidding paddle once more. "Cerrtajinljy not. jYou'rre mjy sstaff."

"Yeh, I got your staff, mum."

The Cizerack Senator gave her assistant a carefully-crafted amused-yet-not-amused glance. The double entendres were starting to bore, and she returned her attention once again to the auction fully.

[Alexi Hesith]

Lucia, to Alexi's horror, had continued to bid as the price went over half a million.

Lucia whispered, "Git gworked, u'cle."

The reason for the strange pronunciation was that his niece was trying to speak without moving her lips. She was successful in the not moving the lips part of the exercise but the speaking part was a only a qualified success.

Alexi sighed and responded without attempting the same trick though he did whisper.

"Worked how?"

Lucia flicked the paddle again, "'eor-ey's 'ooking th's 'ay."

"Oh good does that mean you'll stop bidding?"

"'es", she replied.

By now several others had dropped out of the bidding and the auctioneer, realising the end was nigh, had resorted to calling directly on the remaining participants in an effort to gain a few thousand more credits. He pointed towards Lucia. "Madam, would you care to offer more?"

Lucia made a show of considering the question and then, with apparent reluctance, shook her head in defeat.

"Very well," the auctioneer said turning away from Lucia to point towards the previous bidder. "With you then for five hundred and seventy five thousand. All done at five hundred and seventy five thousand?Going once..."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani's belladonna eyes flitted left and right, then back confidently to the auctioneer. Cool as a sip of water, but inwardly irritated at the brinksmanship. The gavel went down mercifully, with Taataani on the hook over 75,000 more credits than she initially considered prudent going into the auction.

"Fjinalljy." She reclined in her seat as she muttered to Kallum, a false yet amicable expression on her face as polite applause sounded.

"Da's a bitta hot ticket." Kallum scoused, scratching the side of his nose as he tried not to look unimpressed.

"Hotterr than jI would prreferr." The Baronness Senator pressed her tongue through her lips to wet them, the metaphorical heat of the questionable deal somehow leaving her thirsty.

"Yerra hopeless romantic, mum. Me reckons Fassh'll think yeh went an' lasso'd the moon."

Another dubiously valuable bauble was hefted onto the dais. Taataani couldn't even be bothered to care enough to open her brochure.

"No, Kallum. jI gatherr therre arre ssome moonss that could be had forr conssjiderrabljy lesss. But, once that...thjing...jiss hangjing above the fjirreplace"

Her bored expression faltered, and her blue eyes glinted luridly.

"He'll fuck ljike Luke Sskjywalkerr wjith hjiss asss on fjirre."

Before Kallum could eye-waggle and commiserate in his vulgar sort of way, Taataani was standing, and making her way down the aisle of seats to the exit.

"jI need a cjigarrette."

[Alexi Hesith]

Alexi was relieved that his fellow senator had emerged victorious from the bidding. He suspected that Meorrrei would be annoyed if she determined that Lucia's bidding had cost her a bargain but not nearly so annoyed as she would have been if Lucia (or anyone else) had taken the prize.

"Pleased with yerself?" he whispered to his niece.

"You'll thank me later, Uncle," came the calm reply. "We'll be sure to congratulate her later."

As she spoke, the Cizeri senator rose and glided from the room.

"I hope she'll be around," Alexi said drily, "to be congratulated.

Lucia, however, was busily looking through the auction catalogue.

"Do you think Auntie would like this vase?", she asked shoving an image beneath his nose.

Alexi sighed.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Timing was never unintentional. Even the act of excusing one's self for a (well-earned) cigarette had utility just beyond the obvious chemical benefits. That Kallum remained in the room to be her eyes and ears was a matter of good training. She could be selectively invisible when it suited her. Leaning against the open-air balcony, Taataani retrieved from her purse a small disc that, when tapped, floated before her and projected a hand-sized hologram in front of her. Ut'hak's Bothan features still remained inscrutable to her. No wonder those people made such good spies, it took another Bothan to pick up their tells.

"jI'd ljike to purrchasse ssome ssharress."

Exhaling blue smoke, Taataani glanced back casually to see if anyone else decided to occupy her particular stretch of balcony. As alone as one could expect on Bothawui, which was not a comfort at all. Thus, the need to speak in farcical metaphors. Fortunately her Bothan creature was a consummate professional, and coolly replied "What investments are you looking for, Madam?"

"A blue chjip porrtfoljio on Lantjilljiess."

Ut'hak's muzzle fur puffed slightly.

"The share price is...somewhat high."

To which Taataani replied simply by sucking on her cigarette until it's tip glowed angry red, and she blew smoke into the hologram. The Bothan canted his head thoughtfully.

"I understand. How soon do you expect a return on investment?"

The Senator pursed her lips slightly, glancing back again.

"No morre than two dajyss jI thjink."

The Bothan broke eye contact, making a few notes in a datapad.

"That can be done. Will there be anything else?"

"Keep me jinforrmed about anjy posssjible rrelated jinvesstmentss to make."

The spy seemed to stiffen in offense at her comment, or perhaps that was Taataani projecting her perceptions onto him.

"I pride myself on the financial advice I give, madam. I would do no less."

With no further utility to derive from the conversation, Taataani cut the line, extinguishing her cigarette as she returned back to the auction house, just as the participants were beginning to adjourn. Her eyes traced the crowd - first for Kallum, and then for Senator Hesith and his companion. Fortunately they were close together, with Kallum having the good sense to position himself near without appearing obvious about it. Taataani approached her majordomo, and made a point of pausing as if to notice her real target.

"Ssenatorr Hessjith."

Turning to face him, Senator Meorrei pressed in formal proximity.

"Ja irra korra'nai. jI thought jI ssaw jyou herre."

[Alexi Hesith]

Over the years the Lantillian had learned the appropriate greetings of numerous cultures. It was an easy but usually effective way to make a good impression. He was able, therefore to respond promptly with, "Ja irra sa'tei."

It was a passable if not entirely perfect rendition of the traditional response.

"Senator Meorrrei, might I introduce my niece Lucia Hesith?" he indicated the young lady, "She is visiting me for the month and I thought this would be an interesting event for her to attend. Lucia Hesith, this is Senator Taataani Meorrrei of Kapaa Brens."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

A warm smile on her face, Taataani embraced Lucia by the shoulders, pressing close to air kiss by each cheek. As she withdrew, she took stock of the plain-looking woman once more, now noting the slight similarities in the cheekbones and nose that gave away their relation. A hand still on her left shoulder, she glanced to Alexi, nodding in deferential agreement.

"jI could harrdljy agrree morre. We arre jin a rratherr consspjicuouss menagerrjie, arren't we?"

Her smile never faltering, she glanced to Kallum in a manner that suggested he could disappear. Which he would do within reason, far away enough to not ride her coattails but near enough to still prove useful in merely observing. With her assistant dispensed with, she returned her attention fully to the Hesiths.

"Mavenss of jindusstrrjy and the poljitjicalljy connected all togetherr jin ssuch happjy companjy. A fjingerr to the pulsse of thjiss grreat Alljiance."

Looking specifically to Lucia, Taataani's ears perked a bit.

"The quesstjion jiss, whjich do jyou asspjirre to be?"

[Alexi Hesith]

Lucia smiled at the idea of being a maven.

"I suppose that I incline to business more than I do to politics," she allowed, "I'm an executive with Hesith Haulage and Transportation."

She was, in actual fact, the Deputy Chief Operating Officer but she was not at the auction to talk about herself. Besides, it would be instructive to see how the tycoon turned senator treated someone who looked like she would be a junior executive by virtue of family ties.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Ears bobbing upward in approval, Taataani glanced to Alexi, and then back to Lucia.

"The famjiljy bussjinesss?"

Taataani was no stranger to HH&T. Lantillies was a galactic crossroads for interstellar transportation, and as she'd made her riches from - among other things - the civilian shipbuilding trade, there was a certain interdependence developed by ever-growing corporations in an ever-shrinking galaxy. Still, it was curious to her that the younger Hesith was just now appearing on her radar. Was she freshly installed as one of the many heads of the hydra, or had she simply not thrown enough of her weight about to feel the ripples?

"Za'ssie na ti'ien a, jI ssajy jyou choosse well. jI beljieve jyourr uncle would agrree, ne?"

She sized up her colleague, still mirthful and engaging. They were superficially different, yet they had both made their names in business before stepping into the political arena.

"jI too sstarrted jin bussjinesss much ljike jyou, although jI took the mantle of leaderrsshjip frrom mjy motherr. Blood makess forr good bussjinesss."

The assemblage of important persons began to slowly file out of the auditorium, slowly pressing toward an adjacent ballroom that would offer refreshments to the affluent attendees. Taataani walked lockstep with the Hesiths, happily engaging each of them.

"Though one musst rremajin vjigjilant of thejirr grreat elderrss. Thejy majy casst long sshadowss."

[Alexi Hesith]

Now it was Alexi's turn to smile.

"I'm sure my shadow isn't all that long."

They had emerged into a large hall around which various items from the auction were now on display. Waiters were working through the throng bearing trays of drinks and canapes. The Lantillian deftly plucked glasses from a passing tray to offer to his companions as he explained.

"My father was keen on me doing something in one of the family businesses. It wasn't terribly important which so long as I excelled. I worked at it but I was never more than competent. I suppose I lacked the enthusiasm to be brilliant."

He gestured to his niece, "This one's already outclassed me by a goodly ways."

The trio began to make their way around the items on display, chatting amiably as they went.

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani smirked at Senator Hesith's self deprecation. Modesty was nearly as much a sin to her as excessive boasting. Her eyes traveled to Lucia, and she sipped at her offered drink before addressing Alexi's points.

"Well, jit would be a ghasstljy sstate of affajirrss forr a famjiljy bussjinesss jif the jyoung djidn't ecljipsse the old. A companjy doess not ssurrvjive bjy vjirrtue of leaderrsshjip that jiss a vjictjim of nepotjissm and falljing upwarrd to ssuccesss."

Taataani's blue eyes peered into Lucia's, studying her expression and response to her words, glancing to Alexi only after a moment.

"Of courrsse, venerrable old crreaturress that we arre, we'rre sstubborrn to admjit jit, and though jyou majy begrrudge the pojint, the sshadow movess on, and to ourr jyoung prrotegéss we ssajy 'Catch uss jif jyou can', ne?"

Something euphoric in ambition, Taataani breathed in deeply.

"Eventualljy, ne. But not jyet."

[Alexi Hesith]

'Falling upward to success' was a pleasing expression and Alexi made a mental note of it for future use though not to describe his business career or, for sure, that of Lucia. In the latter case it had been a hard but steady march to success, as for the former. Well...

"I would say I fell sideways a few times," he countered while casting his eyes over a vase that he could not be sure had been the object of Lucia's interest a little while ago, "I found my niche in the end though, I confess, it was not entirely me shaped."

Alexi had, in truth, been very comfortable as an executive in the engineering and technical services division. If pressed (after enough drinks in the right company) he could be justifiably immodest about his achievements there.

"Hence the move into politics," supplied his niece. She also considered the vase. "I think Auntie would have found it overdecorated."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani took a moment to join in the group appraisal of the vase. She hadn't the slightest idea who Emir Vaalo Mytanguis was, but obviously someone of sufficient disposable income to make this ornament their own for the modest price of 70,000 credits.

"jI ljike the colorr."

It was a brilliantly warm patina of lush tropical hues, intricate designs, and certainly busy enough to scare away someone with a more spartan aesthetic.

"jIf jI werre grrjipped bjy a manjia of sspendthrrjift jimpulsse, jI'd want thjiss forr mjy own. Not at that prrjice, mjind jyou. Cerrtajinljy not afterr emptjyjing mjy purrsse overr that amalgamatjion of Naboojian pajint daubss."

Suddenly considering the wine in her hand, Taataani halved the amount in the flute with a quaff.

"Forrtunateljy the champagne jiss Chandrrjilan, and grratjiss."

A waiter passed by to offer canapes, to which the Baroness politely declined. They looked beautiful and fussily prepared, just for a different sort of audience. As the help passed, Taataani brought herself back to the comment Alexi had made regarding his own ascent into the political arena.

"Sso jyou took to poljitjicss out of love for the game, then?"

Her eyebrows raised and lowered in regarding his position.

"Lantjilljiess jiss, ljike the Alljiance, a democrracjy, ne? A matterr of thrrowjing the hat jin the rrjing, and plajyjing cutthrroat?"

[Alexi Hesith]

Alexi was quiet for a few moments. He was wondering how much Meorrrei already knew and how much she wanted to know. He was also wondering how much she should know.

Lucia, for her part, allowed the silence to proceed uninterrupted.

"I got into politics because it was necessary," he explained, "There were things I thought needed to be done and, since no one else was doing them, I decided to do them. Those things could only be done through politics so I became a politician."

He sipped his drink. Lucia tactfully did not fill this short silence either.

"That wasn't quite as straight forward as some would think. Lantillian politics are better characterised 'robustly honest' than 'cutthroat' and that tends to make getting a foothold an interesting experience."

He decided to turn the conversation towards Meorrrei's past.

"And you, Senator? How and why did you come to be here?"

[Taataani Meorrrei]

"A verrjitable Mjissterr Ssmet Goess to Corrusscant, asss jit werre?"

She allowed an impressed expression as she raised her glass to meet his own.

"jYourr cjivjic vjirrtue jiss commendable."

Taataani glanced to Lucia again.

"jYourr uncle jiss the rrarre brreed, jI thjink. The grreaterr good sseldom earrnesstljy comess calljing."

At Hesith's questioning of her own origin, Taataani retreated her champagne flute close to her, running a fingertip along it's rim as she considered her reply.

"The Prrjide doess not ssharre jin the grreat democrratjic trradjitjionss, Ssenatorr. That jiss ourr rrealjitjy. jI sserrve at the pleassurre of ourr Hjigh Motherr, who hass sseen fjit to appojint me to thjiss offjice."

Her tracing finger paused on the rim at that comment, as the Baroness made a point of holding her tongue a moment. She continued with a casual gesture.

"jIt wass...not mjy fjirrsst chojice. jI wjill be honesst, mjy domajin hass alwajyss been matterrss of bussjinesss. Neverthelesss, jI abhorr lossjing and have taken thjiss asssjignment qujite sserrjioussljy. The morre ji accljimate mjysself to poljitjicss, jI fjind enough comforrtable ssjimjilarrjitjiess jin whjich to thrrjive."

[Alexi Hesith]

"I'd imagine," offered Lucia, "that the most comfortable similarity is the amount of negotiation that has to be done. Haggling over unit prices, stock issues, and breach penalties must be pretty close to debating enabling clauses and budget appropriations."

Alexi smiled fondly at his niece, recognising the sentiment, "Your grandfather's adage that 'a negotiation's a negotiation' doesn't hold entirely true. The mechanics of negotiation might be the same but the context," and here he waved his glass to indicate the auction hall and, with it, the whole of the Alliance seat of government, "is somewhat different."

The Lantillian continued with a nod towards his fellow senator, "I'm sure you'll agree that in business negotiation is clearer than in politics."

"In business the objectives of each side are, generally speaking, clear to all parties. Everyone tries to maximise profit for investors," he explained. "The uncertainty is over the means they'll use and how far they'll go with them. Here, on the other hand, the uncertainty is everywhere. One cannot be entirely sure of the means or motives or objectives of anyone."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Taataani's ears swung back and forth as she nodded at the truth in Alexi's metaphor.

"jI'd ssajy that maxjimjizjing prrofjit jiss sstjill queen, asss jit werre. But the uncerrtajintjy."

Her full lips turned up in a smile, fully appreciating the difference illustrated.

"We'rre all trradjing jin djifferrent currrencjiess, and trrjyjing to fjind the exchange rrate. The rreal tesst comess when jyou ssorrt out who beljievess jin ssjynerrgjy, and who beljievess jin the zerro ssum game."

Turning to Lucia in the framing of an analogy, Taataani continued.

"Sso, werre jyou to one dajy become Ssenatorr of jyourr homeworrld, jyou mjight look at the competjitjion between majorr sshjipbujildjing jindusstrrjiess jin the Alljiance and decjide how to courrt them. Lantjilljiess dependss on the flow of sstarr trraffjic, sso do jyou beljieve that a rrjissjing tjide between competjitorrss ljiftss all boatss, orr do jyou ssettle the matterr morre forrcefulljy, notjing jyourr ssoverrejign jinterresst."

[Alexi Hesith]

Alexi wondered where Meorrrei's scenario came from.

The Cizeri might be aware of the work he had a his staff doing on transportation. If so she could be seeking to establish his position in advance. Then again, she might, simply, have plucked the scenario at random from her own interests. They included shipbuilding after all.

The Lantillian had no desire to speak prematurely. It might gain an ally or an opponent. It seemed too soon for either.

Fortunately, he was not being asked the question his niece was. Lucia would talk a little and then they could move on.

"I wouldn't know where to begin answering that question," Lucia said after a few moments of thought, "How would you, Uncle?"

Damnit!

Rather than glower at his niece, Alexi looked to the ceiling marshalling his thoughts.

"Well," he began, "It would depend upon why I was seeking to, as you put it Senator, 'court' the shipbuilding industry."

His eyes came back from their examination of the ceiling as he continued.

"If I was seeking votes or backing to stay in office, then I would court only the Lantillian shipbuilders. I would probably be sorely tempted to work something only for their benefit and, if possible, the detriment of their competitors. I would protect and advance the Lantillian interests before all else.

"If, however, the objective was greater than my own survival in office I would be inclined to work more widely. Lantillies is, after all, only one world and our shipbuilders have their limitations. It might be more effective to work something wider reaching.

"For that, of course, compromise with others- in and out of the Senate- would be needed. I could not expect to have everything I wanted on my own terms."

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Senator Meorrrei's attempt to goad any real insight out of Alexi and his daughter had been carefully sidestepped. Taataani's eyes sparkled behind her drink as she considered what little had been revealed by the Lantillian's suppositions. He's careful, she thought, as her lips parted glass.

"jI ssupposse one musst alwajyss be mjindful of the rrealjitjiess at home beforre makjing ssuch a bold sstatement. Verrjy good, Ssenatorr, jyou arre a thoughtful colleague."

Her flattery was as tangible as Alexi's answer. It sounded lovely, but they were steps in the same complicated dance. Tactically withdrawing, the Cizerack Senator continued to steer the Lantillians through the room under her charm.

"Tell me, Ssenatorr, arre jyou a ssporrtjing man? jI would jinvjite jyou and jyourr daughterr to mjy lodge on Taltjimant forr a weekend to contjinue ourr frrjiendsshjip. jI would be devasstated jif jyou rrefussed."

Which was far from the truth, but in terms of polite conversation, it was an effective means of setting the hook.

[Alexi Hesith]

Alexi caught the look of triumph in Lucia's eye. His niece would, no doubt, see this as evidence that her efforts during the bidding had borne abundant fruit.

"That is a very kind invitation, Senator," he said, "But I think I'll have to decline."

Lucia could not help shooting her uncle a surprised look. Alexi explained himself as best he could.

"Lantillians are pragmatic folk. We know that this sort of thing," his free hand gestured to take in the auction house and its patrons, "serves a purpose. We expect our politicians to put their heads togehter with others in the seat of government and not just in committees. That's how business gets down. But we are wary of them doing so...elsewhere."

He took a sip of his drink, allowing a few moments for his words to be absorbed and to cover his own awkwardness.

"Besides," he offered by way of mitigation, "I so rarely get away from here these days that I feel inexolerably drawn to home when I do have the chance."

He did not add that, given the reputation of the Cizerack, eyebrows would be raised and jokes made about hims spending time with Meorrrei in so intimate a setting as her holiday home.