Casting the Net

[Shana Ghemenaux]

"Miss Ghemenaux? We just got cleared for landing," Chirala's voice spoke through the speakers.

The brunette looked up from the datapad she had been working on for the past hours. Even though her longtime pilot couldn't see her, she nodded.

"Thank you, Chirala."

The communication clicked out; and Shana uncrossed her legs and finished the cup of caf she had been nursing while working on planning tasks. She got to her feet across the meeting room where she had spent much of the day. She soon made her way to the cockpit, and sat behind her pilot. She didn't have to do that; but she had always enjoyed the view. Landings had always been a favorite, a first glimpse into a known or new planet. She had only visited Corellia once in her life; and it was a very long time ago.

There were many worlds she had traveled to for business; way more than the leisure destinations. Yet, she didn't mind for she believed in the Empire, and in her work. Maybe some would say that being widowed several years ago when still a young bride had dampened her spirit; but truth be told, Shana loved the Empire and she loved her work, especially as she had climbed up the ranks in the Sillesk system. As the Acquisitions Administrator, she ensured that Admiral Bismarck's vision for his territory would only become a greater reality, thus bringing honor and success to Empress Tarkin.

Corellia was a hotbed for terrorism; but she had faith the Empire would eventually prevail. In her particular situation, she was interested in exploring new possible business ventures with the CEO of a local corporation whose profile might be good for certain parts of land development in Sillesk. She knew that the scientists and even the military part might find interest in what Wayne Tech offered; but it was up to her to look into the options for it would be private contractors for the civilian development of the system first.

She used the hour it took to descend upon Coronet Space port to unwind and garner her energy back, clearing up her mind from all she had handled on the journey to the Core world. Once the shuttle was powered down; she made quick work of freshening up and changing for an appropriate attire (https://media.glamour.com/photos/5d7fef1b1396b7000840fc19/master/w_2240,h_3360,c_limit/Jameela.jpg), a spark of color in the sleek grey interior of the space craft.

As soon as she climbed down the boarding ramp, she exchanged a few last words with Chilara, who often acted as both her pilot and aide when traveling with a small crew. She didn't waste time before getting into the speeder awaiting her.

She would be heading straight to Wayne Tech headquarters.

[Maize Wayne]

WayneTech Headquarters
Central Coronet City

Floor-to-ceiling windows normally illuminated the CEO's office in lieu of two corner walls, providing a splendid view of the bustling, polluted city. For the moment, however, they had been set to opaque and the impressively large room's lights were at their dimmest setting; the sole occupant was focused on the 3D projection that took up most of the room. He walked through stars, stopping to touch particular representations, using the technology to expand a system here and there, studying individual planets therein. Then, the Corellian moved on to a different system and repeated the process.

Where are you?

It was easier to focus on there "where" than to wonder at the "why." Maize stopped and expanded to see Chandrila, dark blue eyes narrowing in thought. He knew it was foolish to go back and run his own search. He trusted his daughter's ability to research, question, and be thorough. If Aurelia hadn't found a clue, he wasn't going to either.

Still...

Maize sighed. He closed down the Chandrilan system, pivoted and stared out at the projection as if trying to feel in which direction hyperspace had taken her. She had to be out there, somewhere. Maize refused to believe anything else.

On his massive desk, carved from a Kashyyyk wrorshyr tree branch, the intercom clicked. Maize touched the toggle in his hand and the projection vanished. He blinked a moment, adjusting to the total darkness, then gave voice command to gradually lighten the transparisteel to reveal the city. Finally, the dark-haired, care-worn Corellian responded to the intercom.

"Yes?"

"Apologies for the interruption, but you'd asked me to let you know. Shana Ghemenaux is on approach from the spaceport, Mr. Wayne. ETA is under ten minutes now," his secretary - Janes - said.

Maize nodded and glanced at his wrist chrono. "Alright, thank you. See to her and her staff. I'm ready when they arrive."

"Very good, sir."

Janes clicked off the intercom, and Maize knew that he'd take care of everything. He was the best of the best as far as administrative professionals went; Maize had made sure of that. Then, for a moment, he tried to recall why this Ghemenaux woman was coming to see him. Taking a drink of cold caf, he recalled she was some kind of entrepreneur, and opened up his datapad to take a crash course on her background and business interests so they'd be fresh as she arrived...

[Shana Ghemenaux]

The short drive to WayneTech headquarters had Shana long for a good cup of caf. Space travel wasn't her favorite to be honest, even though she managed it well. She didn't get sick per se, but for whatever reason, she always needed more time to recoup than she ever got. Good thing she was always able to push through. At least, she did when it was work-related. She would crash later.

Upon arriving, she was greeted by Wayne's assistant, Janes. He was a cordial and efficient man, which she appreciated. She gladly accepted his offer for caf right before he led her to Wayne's office.

As she was led inside, she smiled to the Corellian. She knew some considered her a bit too colorful, bold, and some had got as far as calling her hyper; but she cared not for such petty rumors. She was passionate about her work; but even if she was hyper, which she wasn't, she literally didn't have the energy right now anyway.

"Mr. Wayne, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Shana Ghemenaux."

She held out her hand, not caring to exactly give her position title for such an appointment. It was about getting to know each other in a way that would hopefully foster business; but she had no reason to be hell bent on her position on Sillesk. She knew when and how to point that out when needed. Also her job was more a calling than a title to her.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he looked her directly in the eyes.

"A pleasure, Miss Ghemenaux. Please, call me Maize."

He offered a charming smile as he released her hand. Maize then gestured with his free hand, guiding her into his office proper.

"How did the space lanes treat you?" he asked.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana appreciated Wayne's straightforwardness. She liked being involved in the well-being of Sillesk's development; but liked avoiding extensive pleasantries and convoluted political matters.

"Please call me Shana, Maize," she replied without hesitation.

Stepping inside the office, she chuckled at his question.

"It went smoothly, with almost time for a nap in between juggling projects."

As she took a seat when invited to, she looked at him, curious to see how the meeting would unfold.

"It is good to see that despite the unrest, Corellia still appears thriving enough for fruitful business."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize smiled knowingly about multi-tasking on a hyperspace trip.

He sat down across from her and considered the comment she'd made about the state of things on-planet. Maize offered his best typical Corellian "What can you do?" shrug and offered a lopsided smile.

"The rich are prospering, the poor are struggling," he said in an almost-singsong tone. "Somewhere in the middle, some folks make ends meet. And then, to make it interesting, someone plays saboteur or bomber and incites riots. Never a dull day, that's for sure."

He paused to study Shana a moment before continuing.

"And, it seems you're unfazed enough by the perpetual chaos to be looking to do business here, huh?" Maize asked.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana smirked at Maize's observations about the situation on Corellia. "Some people always strive to make things interesting. And those that prevail show they got what it takes."

Her manners were pleasant and polite, but there was a subtle edge to her voice, which hinted at having dealt with her own share of hardships.

"Chaos is something we do not deal with much on Sillesk these days; especially compared to Corellia; but we have little hesitation to do business with reliable partners, regardless of their locations."

She paused for a moment, wondering how to best approach it.

"My job is to build business relationships for infrastructure, commercial, and technological development on Sillesk. And I am curious to know what types of trades and contracts you would be interested in, Maize."

[Maize Wayne]

Sipping his cold caf from earlier, Maize nodded as he listened to what Shana's purpose was.

"Well, I'm sure you know our primary focus at WayneTech is communication tech. From the slimmest and fastest datapads to easily synched comlinks and beyond," he said. "So, from our suite of applications and devices, what sort of tech is Sillesk in need of upgrading or installing?"

It was a dance, to be sure. And Maize was curious to how Shana performed.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana offered a slight grin along her nod confirming what she knew about Maize's primary business orientation with his company. For sure, she had done her research; but she knew very well that companies could have way more options or hopes for transactions than what their main sales indicated. It was why she had always been a proponent of direct discussions and negotiations. Both sides could benefit from such things tremendously.

Just the same, he was curious about what she was shooting for.

"We have been in the process of upgrading logistics for some of our transport and landscaping infrastructures in the past couple of years. With such work reaching its completion within the next four months; we seek to proceed to communications. While we are not in need of overall change at the moment, we are interesting in starting with various commercial and administrative facilities."

They had various options in mind already; but she knew that expanding their contracts and business network could be highly beneficiary to Sillesk in the long run.

[Maize Wayne]

"Hmm."

Leaning back in his chair, Maize looked thoughtful. Although Shana might feel he was staring at her, he was truly looking inward, mentally diagramming and plotting what such an array of communication needs could look like. Of course, he left most of this work to his teams when it came right down to it; all the same, his brain still thought about projects as if he had the work to design himself.

He caught himself, though, and redirected his thoughts toward the financial nature of business. This could be a helluva contract. Hmm.

"We do offer leading edge hardware and scale-able software options," Maize said, "and while the overall code is proprietary, we do offer training for implementation so that your teams are able to adopt the new systems pretty seamlessly. It all depends on how much you need and how much assistance."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Given her background in engineering, her solid financial expertise; and what she had done both with merging for the company she had once built with her late husband, Shana loved discussing logistical and technical details of projects when it was an option, as it currently was with Maize.

She grinned as he told her what options were on the table. That sounded promising.

"We have been developing a proprietary system for some of our civilian administration in the last decade; so we would have to see whether any issues would arise with the Wayne proprietary system for the communication tech. We aren't giving up on what we currently have; but my company has been directly involved in the programming, and we have relied on some of your tech in the past; so I don't think it would cause much trouble to have both play nice."

While management had been the core of her work in the recent years; she still liked to think in practical and tech terms.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize nodded in agreement. "We're highly compatible."

He paused and a micro-expression flitted across his face as he considered what he'd just said. In any other circumstance - and possibly, in many moments just like these - that could be misinterpreted. The Corellian didn't mean it in any suggestive way, however, and it had been a long time since he did.

Clearing his throat after that moment's pause, he asked, "Would you like a warm-up on your caf?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Maybe other people would have taken that the wrong way; but all Shana got from Maize's agreement was how promising their contracts might be. She loved a good discussion and solid transaction; and so far it was the case, especially as the Corellian still exhibited strong knowledge of what his company could offer, a quality she highly appreciated.

"This is good. I am always interested in building new relations with companies rather than just one-time contracts."

Of course, time would tell how things went but it was a good starting point.

"Oh, more caf is always a good idea. Thank you," she replied with a smile.

[Maize Wayne]

"Very good. There's always time for more caf," he agreed.

Maize smiled and rose, crossing to his desk. He touched an inlaid button to signal Janes for more stimcaf for them both. His gaze roved over the cityscape beyond WayneTech Tower, then he looked back at Shana.

"For how long are you staying in Coronet City?" Maize asked.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana grinned at Maize's comment about caf. She had tried to cut how much she drank a couple of times when younger; but frankly, she had abandoned such crazy ideas a long time ago.

She paused for a moment before answering his question about the length of her stay in Coronet City.

"I am staying for five days."

She didn't want it tot be too short; but she had other duties awaiting her back on Sillesk.

"Regarding how professionals can be trained to use your proprietary tech, what are the skill requirement and how long does it normally take?"

[Maize Wayne]

Maize tilted his head at the question. It was a sound one, but not one he expected coming from her exactly. It was the sort of detail that he left to his team to manage.

"Oh, we have a packet with all of that information. I'll see to it that the holo is downloaded to you by the implementation team," he replied.

Right on the edge of his sentence, Janes arrived with two fresh mugs of caf for them. Janes offered Shana a smile, nodded to his employer, then discreetly made his exit.

"Do you plan on sightseeing Coronet or the surrounding area while you're here?" Maize asked.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

"That's perfect. Thank you! I would have guessed as such; but better be thorough."

She grinned to the Corellian, her spunky side always embedded in her strong business savvy personality.

She was looking forward to reading that packet, for she preferred being as knowledgeable as possible before pursuing a deal, although her intuition and current understanding made her quite eager to proceed with a contract for WayneTech.

When Janes entered the office and handed her another mug of caf, she thanked her politely. She took a satisfying sip from the refill before returning her attention to Maize, as he inquired about her time in Coronet.

"I actually do. I have only visited Corellia once a good many years ago. Do you have any recommendations?"

After all he was a local, so she could as well ask him.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize waved a hand to indicate the city beyond the windows as he sat back down.

"Well, the local museums, casinos, and shopping are usual visitor fare and generally worth a few hours of one's time," he remarked. "If you're into art, Teeno Village can be interesting..."

He shrugged to indicate that the latter wasn't really his thing. Maize grinned and sipped.

"Getting out of the city, there's a lot of good hiking and nature near the mountains. Or a trip out to Vreni Island is nice. It's a resort island in the south."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana chuckled at Maize's shrug regarding what sounded like an art district.

"I have greater fondness for architecture and how art can enhance a given place, rather than just trudging through galleries," she admitted with a smirk.

What he said about getting out of the city piqued her interest much more.

"Hiking and nature? That's much more up my alley, as long as I have a datapad with good battery to jot notes down."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize liked Shana infinitely better for her opinions on art galleries. He didn't say that, but simply grinned.

While she talked about her preference for hiking and nature, Maize quickly fired off a task to his implementation team, asking them to send Shana the training and support documentation. He looked back up at her and nodded.

"Well, I think that could be arranged... maybe with one of our prototype datapads, if you'd like to test it out and provide feedback," he said with a grin. "And, if you wanted company, maybe the CEO could clear his schedule for a bit to join you in that expedition."

Again, Maize knew that ran the risk of being misconstrued. But, he made the offers anyway because he wanted an outside technical person's input on the datapad design and needed the exercise out of the office.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana already had a good impression from Maize; but his offer actually sparked her interest anew. She knew how some companies were extremely picky about who could test prototypes. She felt honored really.

"That would be fantastic," she replied with a note of genuine excitement in her voice.

"I have always loved testing. Some find it boring, but being able to get into the nitty gritty of what works and what doesn't, plus the sheer joy of trying out something new."

Once again, she didn't even misconstrue Maize's offer, too happy at the thought of testing something new. She hadn't got to hike in new places or do any device testing in a long time; so that sounded much more interesting than a mere stroll in some fancy shopping area or even a resort.

"Are you looking for general testing? Or something more specific in its software, or weather resistance for the hardware?"

[Maize Wayne]

Maize smiled, seeing how enthused Shana was at his suggestion. He was pleased at that.

"General testing is fine," he replied. "If you want to make notes on other facets - since you'd know the types of things that are important to consider - that would also be astral."

He took a sip of caf, pulled out his own sleek comlink and tapped a message to his R&D chief, requesting said prototype.

"I'll have it delivered up here fairly quickly."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana hadn't expected such an opportunity when coming to Corellia and meeting Maize Wayne; but she very much liked where things were going.

"I'll keep that in mind."

She grinned a tad mischievously. "I have been known to have a lot to say at times; but always in a clear and concise fashion."

If there was one thing she hated, it was convoluted crap some people spun in miserable attempts to make themselves look smart.

"And if you're indeed able to clear some of your schedule, just let me know when and where. I do not have any other things set in stone during my time here."
She chuckled and raised a brow at him.

"Given what I heard about the unique Corellian ego, I shouldn't reiterate that I traveled all the way here for you and your company."

She was jesting in good humor; and for how he had been so far, she thought he wouldn't take it the wrong way.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize grinned and barked with laughter.

"I really have no idea what you mean," he joked. "Well, I'll test that new datapad as soon as it arrives by sending you some free times on my calendar. Then, we can take a hike."

Well, this is turning out to be interesting, he thought.

"What other burning questions did you have for me?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana liked a good sense of humor; and she was glad that Maize went along with her own quirkiness.

"Of course, you don't!"

She nodded with a grinned to his comment about the datapad and upcoming hike.

"I'll trust you to pick where we go hiking."

She mused on his last question; but eventually shook her head.

"None at the moment. Did you have any?"

[Maize Wayne]

Maize thought for a moment, sipped caf, then shook his head.

"I only have the marching orders to give my teams, so that you're able to read and see all the things you need to." He paused again, then snapped his fingers as a thought came to mind. "Before a nature hike, would you care to take a factory tour? We don't do all production here in Coronet, obviously, but there are some elements you could see."

He knew the business well enough that there was no trade secrets there for Shana to steal... not that he necessarily expected her to have a side game of corporate espionage going. Maize quirked an eyebrow at her.

"The plant's not too far."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana's eyes shone at once at the mention of a factory tour. That had always been something she liked to do; whether at the family's business or when securing contracts. It was important to her to see how workers actually got to perform their job; besides all high tech research and silver-tongued PR people.

"I'd like that."

On cue her stomach growled in the most un-lady fashion, and she just shrugged it off.

"If you tell me there is some take-out on the way, I promise I can gobble it quick enough as not to leave any crumb in the plant."

[Maize Wayne]

That made Maize laugh.

"I think that can be arranged," he replied, grinning. "Come on then."

He downed the remainder of his caf, then walked over to the door. Maize had a couple ideas on where they could grab something to eat along the way. He stuck his head out and looked to his assistant.

"Let the main plant know I'm on my way over," he said. "Give them a chance to be terrorized and clean up before I show up, huh?"

Janes smirked, then nodded. "I'll indeed warn them. Anyone in particular you'd like to me to schedule you with, sir?"

Maize lifted his expressive eyebrows and cocked his head to the side, thinking about that.

"Lo'ti and Ithkar, if they're onsite." He glanced back to make sure Shana was in hearing distance for the next part. "And if they're not, no problem. I'll improvise and just make up answers to the smart lady's questions as we go instead."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana was glad that her unlady-like stomach made Maize laugh. After all, most bodies needed food at one point or another. It wasn't as if she had done that on purpose.

"Good!"

She followed him as they exited his office. The two rounds of caf had definitely been good to shake off the sluggishness of space travel. Now she just needed some fuel and she'd be good to go and be perky.

She cackled at the Corellian's comment about giving employers a chance to be terrorized before he showed up. The way he said it was just amusing.

She rolled her eyes in good humor at his mention of improvising.

"I am sure our employees are likely relieved they don't have us as permanent boss team, with us improvising stuff and driving them crazy with our genius," she quipped.

She had driven some of her own people nuts in the past when coming up with a revamped solution when some thought that they were stuck in a dead end. She loved problem solving and was known to come up with creative ways to fix and improve situations.

[Maize Wayne]

"So glad we understand each other," Maize quipped, winking at Shana.

Then, they were off! Back to the turbolift, down to the private parking level was was exclusively for the Wayne family - though he was the only one on-planet these days. Maize touched the chrono on his wrist and a flashy speeder's lights flashed as the security system disengaged.

"Right this way, miss," he said. "Any particular Corellian food you're craving?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana valued order and efficiency as true imperials did; but she also recognized that a mad genius streak could invoke chaos to shake things up and bring new ideas to the table. That was why she liked associating with people from both kinds, and possessed herself aspects from both categories. As organized as she was, her outside the box brain could baffle some individuals too set in the way things had always been done.

Creativity fueled innovation and she hated when people failed to see that, even if it involves some madness in the process.

She followed Maize, and was brought back to reality as they reached some very flash speeder appeared to be their ride.

She took place in it and didn't think twice about his question.

"I'm fine with any real food, like meat with some hearty vegetables and sides. If you feed me salad, I'm fairly sure I will be the one scaring your employees."

She was not joking.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize chuckled from behind the controls of the 'speeder as he wound them out of the garage and onto the surface streets of Coronet.

"Fair enough. Worse than scaring them, I don't want you to scare me!" he joked.

Maize decided to take her to one of the quick service joints he preferred, The Sizzling Womp Rat. It was colorful and loud - both with music, conversation, and the sounds from the kitchen - and the air was very fragrant with the aromas of Corellian seasonings. Basically, it was everything a local would love and what would baffle and overwhelm most off-world tourists who expected a blander version of actual Corellian cooking and culture.

"Everything's good," Maize said as he found a parking spot across the street from the shopfront. "Can't go wrong."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Maize's sense of humor was something Shana appreciated a lot. She could be dead serious when the situation required it; but she liked finding the fun in life as well, and believed that professional endeavors didn't prevent such things.

"Scaring you? This almost sounds like a dare, Maize," she retorted with a grin.

As they made it to the Sizzling Womp Rat, her stomach growled once again and more loudly, at all the delicious scents that welcomed them as they stepped inside the joint. Now that was she was talking about, real Corellian cuisine, not some watered down version for mousy tourists.

"Good to know," she replied with a grin, almost sauntering to the counter, and ordering the day's special with two extra sides. She was starving and her brain needed some fuel. It was utterly meaty and with lots of spice and she was a happy camper.

"Your workers just bought themselves another day," she jested.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize ordered a couple sides to devour while Shana ate - he was never one to turn down the Sizzling Womp Rat's cuisine! He was glad to see that his guest appreciated authentic Corellian too.

"Well, I'm sure we're all glad to hear that," he drawled back at her, grinning. "Hate to have you make the news in such a scandalous way after all."

Maize chuckled. This was definitely a different sort of business encounter than what his were usually like. He found it a refreshing change, and also decided it was sorely needed with all that had been on his mind.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Stuffing her face in a very pedestrian manner was definitely a far cry from the upper scale districts she had been haunting at Imperial Center during her last visit to see her niece. Elarys had been doing remarkably well; but Shana was worried that the younger woman was working herself to death. Granted, she knew that it ran in the family; but there was still a mother hen side to her with her late husband's younger sister.

Enjoying the spicy food, she had to say it must be one of the best business lunches she had got to experience in the recent while.

"Scandalous is better avoided, unless it is someone you want to get rid of without having to visibly lift a finger," she retorted with a grin in between bites.

"I am thinking we might need to have some real Corellian restaurants back on Sillesk. I guess I should add that to the list besides trade contracts with you, Maize."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize was no restaurateur, but he was a good cook. Still, that didn't even matter - as an entrepreneur, he didn't have to be the one in the kitchen, laboring. He just needed the credits to make deals happen.

"Well, if you wanna have real Corellian restaurants on Sillesk, I'll make sure to buy a couple here first," he chuckled. "So that way, you can make sure to continue to work with me on expanding the franchise."

He had simply quirked an eyebrow at the inference that Shana could make people disappear. He wondered if that was bravado or a real possibility? With his own shady dealings at times, he decided it was better to assume this was true and leave it at that. But, the notion of this wiggled around in his brain, prompting to ask a question.

"You any good at finding people who have seemed to 'disappear' too?" he asked, sounding light about it, but was curious just the same.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana couldn't help going for a second order of one of the spicy meat dish she had just tasted. She grinned to Maize and got to say she liked the idea of adding restaurants to the business agreements. It wasn't why she had come to Corellia in the first place; but part of her job on Sillesk allowed her to catch talents in various professional fields, and quality of life was definitely important to her.

"I like the idea, especially as if this joint is anything to judge from, I can trust your Corellian cuisine tastes!"

Having no idea what her simple jest about scandal and people disappearance made Maize think, she was surprised by his next question. She was no secret agent and would have made a very poor one in the first place. She considered his inquiry for a moment, wondering where this was going.

"Not personally; but as the saying goes, I know people," she replied matter-of-fact.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize nodded his understanding. "Fair enough."

He excused himself to go purchase a couple drinks for them. It wouldn't do to snag Corellian Ales before the factory tour - even he had some sense of ethics - so they were non-alcoholic beverages. When he returned, he let that previous inquiry drop, knowing it was foolish on his part to even keep thinking about such matters.

"Maybe after the tour, I can seduce you into a good partnership with a tour of our best Corellian desserts?" he offered with a grin.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

When Maize let go of the topic, Shana did as well. She knew to wait rather than to push, unless there was a direct need and a potential opening. At the moment, neither was on the agenda, and she was fine with that.

As they were leaving the joint, she fetched the drink he presented her and chuckled at his offer.

"Well, after the feat you did with this place, I am fairly sure you can seduce my stomach some more. Just make sure there is Corellian ale or whiskey involved," she replied with a wink.

That wasn't her typical business trip so far; but at the same time it wouldn't be new that winning her over with food was a good strategy as her sister-in-law had pointed out in the past.

[Maize Wayne]

"What's that? Are you going to try and get me drunk, Miss Ghemenaux?" he joked, feeling reasonably sure that she wasn't going to be offended or presume he was really hitting on her.

Maize flashed a confident, almost cocky grin. He just found a natural rapport with her - from talking tech, to food, to being borderline flirty-but-silly. Of course, he wasn't serious about being a flirt at all. There was still far too much weighing on his heart for anyone else to take space there. And possibly, Shana knew that as well.

"Anyway, I'll make sure of it," he added in a non-suggestive tone. "But first, the factory, right?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana was pleasantly surprised with how Maize could be funny and borderline-but-not-really flirty, in between being serious about business. Most of the time men - and even women at times - had to take everything too far; but the Corellian appeared on the same wavelength as she was, which made for a pleasant trip.

She offered him a mock-serious stare when he jested about getting him drunk.

"Mr. Wayne, I am a woman of principle. I promise I would buy you flowers before I intoxicate you for inappropriate purposes."

She burst in laughter as she went back to his speeder.

"Thank you. I am looking forward to seeing the factory!"

[Maize Wayne]

Maize stopped and laughed. Hard.

Shaking his head as he climbed into the 'speeder, he quipped, "Good. So when the man-eating plant is delivered, I'll know it's not from you and not one of my enemies then!"

He laughed again, one of the first really hard, genuine laughs he'd had in some time. Wiping his eyes, the Corellian suppressed one more ripple of laughter and proceeded to get them back into traffic and on their way to the factory.

"So," he asked conversationally, "how affiliated are you with Imperial affairs, can I ask? Is the corp. a direct extension of the Empire?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana couldn't help laughing as well when her retort cracked Maize up. Their goofy and snarky senses of humors appeared to be solid matches. She cackled at what he said about the man-eating plant delivery.

"You'll know it's the one from me if you see it muzzled!"

It was quite likely that she'd have to pull turn that joke into a reality for the sake of it. It was too good not to make happen.

She eased back into business when the Corellian inquired about her business.

"My companis remain private corporations; but I do have an active role on Sillesk as administrator and talent acquisitions for Admiral Bismarck."

[Maize Wayne]

"Have your cake and eat it too, I see," Maize remarked with a grin.

Thus far, Maize hadn't paid too much attention to who was in power within the Empire - especially in the military branches - since he paid other people to be lobbyists and keep track of such interests. So, at the mention of this Admiral Bismarck she reported to, the Corellian only looked perplexed.

"What? I thought it--? He? She? Sunk," he asked, stumbling when he didn't even know said Bismarck's gender (and truly thought it was the name of a ship (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KecIdlEAKhU)). "I guess I've got that one mixed up."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

"Buying public companies that are collapsing and making them thrive as your own, providing new jobs for imperial citizens is a good way to keep companies private," Shana remarked earnestly.

She was a loyal imperial citizen, but she still appreciated having a modicum of overseeing powers over her businesses. The Ghemenaux name was a known one in the Sillesk system.

Maize's next quip made her roll her eyes but the grin on her face made it clear she was amused rather than offended.

"Well the Admiral's father definitely sunk into oblivion years ago; so you might just be mixing generations, Maize."

[Maize Wayne]

At that, Maize looked away from the road - they'd just passed the security gates into the factory complex - and arched an eyebrow at Shana.

"You did not just suggest I'm old, did you?" he asked.

Maize smirked. Age was all perspective, and he was kidding anyway.

"Anyway, here we are," Maize said as he pulled into a reserved parking spot. "Time for the guided tour with the brains of the operations."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana chuckled at Maize's question and gave him a look even though he was still driving.

"If I had to say you were old, Maize, I would tell you. I have said bolder and more annoying truths in people's faces in the past."

Oh how some of them hated the fact she spoke her mind, especially as a woman. But her hard work had always paid off and she maintained good relations with the bureaucracy, so pompous idiots and assorted obnoxious brats could do little against her.

"You are just fine, and I look forward to you terrifying everyone if need or want arises," she added with a grin as she left the speeder in the parking lot.

She was very curious to see the factory.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize chuckled and led Shana to the security checkpoint into the building. Despite being who he was, he subjected himself to the security screening as well to ensure that protocols were followed.

"You're lucky," he teased. "They only do the invasive scan every other day."

The guard stopped short, holding the scanner wand in front of Shana, looking back at Maize questioningly. The CEO rolled his eyes and gestured for the being to continue his work. Maybe it's good that humor is not his best skill, he thought. That, or I'm a lousy comedian.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

"It must be my lucky day. I avoided bland salads for lunch and I don't get probed in uncomfortable ways," Shana retorted with a sarcastic grin.

Their banter apparently left the guard unfazed, which was a good thing with his job. At least she was able to banter with Maize while doing business. Both could go hand in hand together, and it didn't prevent her from being a cold and difficult-to-deal-with professional when need be. Tragedies had a way to make some people enjoy the little joys in life more, and she was one of them.

Once she had been checked, she followed the Corellian inside, and she was taking in everything. While her priority was whatever tech she was permitted to see and the whole industrial aspect of it, she always kept an eye out for office and factory organizations. She was keen on bringing new ideas to the table and improve what was already going on back on Sillesk.

[Maize Wayne]

Maize introduced Shana to Gormak and Grell, the two senior officials at this particular factory. Gormak specialized in miniaturization technology and Grell was oversaw the business operations, under Maize's watchful eye. With their boss' nod of assent, they were more than happy to field whatever particular questions Shana had about their.

As they toured around, Maize was mostly quiet and lost in his own head, thinking about this potential deal and what the contract might shape up to be like. That was good because it kept him rooted in the moment, a place where he had trouble staying, given the matters of his absentee wife's whereabouts. He quirked a brow in Grell's direction at something he only half-heard the Corellian say, then went back to thinking about how many credits they could make, and what the implementation might look like...

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana appreciated how Gormak and Grell explained things not only clearly but concisely, and they seemed eager to answer her questions, although it likely had to do with their CEO tagging along. She wasn't going to complain as she was able to get a good picture of what the company could offer and how effective they were.

Her mind was already running with various options for contract ideas, which would be mutually beneficial for the Corellian company and for imperial development back on Sillesk. She was fairly excited about it, even though she kept it quite muted as enthusiasm was one thing; but practically bouncing up the walls with giddy business ideas was a whole other beast, and she tried to stay professional.

She was so engrossed in the discussion with the senior officials that she didn't realize that Maize had gone quiet, until the conversation was about over after a solid hour of touring what she could see of the building and its operations. She grinned at her host after thanking Gormak and Grell.

"Between our conversation earlier today and this tour, I have enough materials to draft up two contract options, which we can discuss while I am still on Corellia. I believe we have solid potential for a good deal. One thing we didn't discuss though is how long some of your employees who would have to teach Sillesk personnel about the proprietary tech, would be able to stay off-world. I want to make sure I take that into account besides the equipment aspect."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize smirked and replied, "They'll stay as long as I tell them to."

He wasn't really that ruthless with his employees, but it didn't hurt to have that image. In reality, WayneTech employees were that devoted to doing their work and doing it well. After all, he paid them well.

"So then. May I return you back to your hotel, and we can hike the mountains like we discussed?" he offered.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana nodded to Maize's observation about his employees. She had witnessed a lot of dedication among those she had encountered today; and the whole operation seemed to be running fairly smoothly, which was something she was highly seeking to ensure further Sillesk developments would go as planned, and even beyond that.

"This sounds like a plan, Maize. That will give me time to review everything and be in contact with my people on Sillesk. And our hike will allow me to test some of this new tech you mentioned."

She grinned to the Corellian, so far quite pleased with how this business trip had unfolded.

[Maize Wayne]

Some time later...


After taking time to thoroughly review details Shana had shared about the potential business deal and dispersing those details to his research, legal, and galactic affairs teams to vette out, Maize finally returned to his private penthouse atop WayneTech Tower. For a change, he did not obsess at the holoprojector. Instead, the Corellian stared out at the night sky. Polluted clouds obscured a clear view of the stars, but that didn't matter so much to Maize. He knew where to look, even if he couldn't see.

With a sigh, he turned away and strode back into the penthouse. He passed hours in the gym, practicing with his vibroblade staff, fighting imaginary opponents. Then, the lonely tycoon retired for the night, dreaming of the stars...

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana went straight to work once she made it to the hotel where she was staying while on Corellia. She reviewed the notes she had taken during the past hours and added more. She hummed to herself and poured herself a glass of wine that she had ordered along with some room service to nibble one while putting together drafts for potential contracts. She foresaw formidable opportunities for WayneTech and the Empire, especially with the project of Model Society the Admiral had for Sillesk.

She submitted the proposed documents in due time, and took the rest of the evening to review some reports that came straight from Sillesk, for she was often juggling multiple projects given her position. She also made sure to send a message to her sister-in-law, making sure that Elarys remembered to take breaks. While Shana was a workaholic, she knew when to cut herself some slack, which was why she had happily agreed to go hike in the mountains with Maize the following day.

++++

She was ready in front of the hotel, waiting for her transport as Maize had said he had arranged for something, the next morning. She had a giant cup of caf in one hand, and a backpack over her shoulders. She wasn't sure what he had in mind so being somewhat prepared was good. A far cry from her business fashionable from their previous meeting, she was wearing pragmatic and weather resistant clothing, in various shades of blue with black pants and boots. Her unruly mane was somewhat plaited. She would definitely look more in her place during the hike that in the middle of a busy upscale Coronet City street.

[Maize Wayne]

Backpack tossed in the backseat, a cap on his head, Maize cruised to Shana's hotel with one hand on the controls, the other cradling his tall mug of stimcaf. He looked at-ease for a change... at least for now. He spotted Shana waiting in front of the hotel and smirked, making a hard stop in front of her, startling the taxi he'd queued up behind.

"Good morning!" he boomed out the open window at her. "Your chariot awaits!"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana burst in laughter at Maize's hard stop before her.

"You know how to make an entrance!"

Grinning, she hopped in after placing her backpack in the backseat. Taking a sip of her caf, she was amused that the Corellian apparently had the same idea - or addiction depending how one looked at it.

"Alright, there's no way this speeder isn't customized given how it roars!"

She wasn't the greatest about vehicles, but her father had loved racing speeders and that was how she had first developed her love of engineering as a kid.

[Maize Wayne]

"Well, of course," Maize replied to both of Shana's comments.

He smirked, then gave an approving nod to her choice of apparel for the hike. Either she'd gone shopping or she always traveled for any possible activity on a world she traveled to. Maize supposed if he tried to invite her to a black tie affair, she'd whip an evening gown out of her backpack just as spontaneously. The thought made him laugh.

"Glad you're ready to go," he said without explaining what made him laugh. "I have the comm devices in a case in the trunk, so you can try them out when we get there."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

"Industry secrets about how this speeder was customized, mmmh?"

She couldn't help teasing Maize besides being genuinely curious about what special changes had been made to the vehicle.

Taking a sip from her caf, she grinned afterwards at the Corellian's remark. She wasn't sure what had made him laugh but whatever. It was way better than being met with frowns after frowns!

"Getting to try new tech is one of the best perks of my job. Brings me back to my engineering days and when I get to spend time with the Ghemenaux prototypes."

She chuckled. "And a good hike doesn't hurt either."

[Maize Wayne]

"Oh yeah?" Maize asked, in reference to her apparent engineering past. "What kind of prototypes did you work with?"

The Corellian understood a lot about engineering because he was interested in understanding what his company produced, but "the big picture" was his actual talent, and why he was CEO.

Maize gunned the engine and roared into traffic, quickly showing off one of the neat, experimental innovations that WayneTech had created. The top was down on the 'speeder and while they could feel and smell the air around them, the noise that was typical with a convertible 'speeder was gone. It was as quiet as if they were seated in a soundproof room.

He glanced at her, waiting to see Shana notice this phenomenon, certain that she'd notice quickly!

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana grinned at Maize's question about her engineering past. "I mostly work with shielding devices and assorted mechanisms, first for starships during my early internships and then for mining equipment when my late husband and I developed our company."

She chuckled, looking outside the window. "I was good at it; but the business part of things, the logistics, team and resources management, that's what I was best at. I still get a kick out of tinkering with some stuff and understanding what I can; but sometimes it feels as if it was in a different lifetime."

Musing to herself, she noticed when the top was down on the speeder as they sped through traffic. The air was neater than she had expected as they still were in the thick of traffic. That was the first thing that surprised her, followed a few moments later by the realization of the soundproof atmosphere.

"Hang on.... What the heck is that? Speaking of shielding goodness, that's new!"

She stared at the Corellian. "Alright, how do you do that?"

[Maize Wayne]

Late husband.

Of everything Shana had just said, that was what caught in his brain. He flinched inwardly, having a bad feeling about that. But, he didn't want to dwell on that feeling because it would make him think... and he was really weary of doing that. Maize did his best to concentrate instead.

"Good to know what you're best at and enjoy," he mused.

As Shana finally noticed the experimental bubbling effect, Maize grinned. Then, he feigned innocence and looked around.

"What's what?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana laughed quite loudly at Maize's antics. "Your fancy bubble effect, of course!"

With her free hand, she gestured around them. "It looks as if we're driving with the top down, it smells like fresh air, but the sound is still minimal compared to the roaring of traffic we should be experiencing!"

She grinned, waiting for the explanation. "There must be some tech making this possible! Or are you claiming it's just magic?!"

[Maize Wayne]

"Why yes, it is magic, and also... may the Force be with you!" Maize said, barking with laughter.

The Corellian abruptly changed lanes and gunned the engine, zooming past the slower moving traffic as they finally hit the straightaway lanes out of the city. And of course, the convertible speeder was strangely quiet.

"You do know it's a proprietary, trade secret, and if I told you about this bit of magic, I'd either have to kill you or marry you with an agreement to keep your silence," he teased.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana liked how Maize was both serious when it came to business but could also be hilarious. It wasn't as common as she would like it to be in her work. She laughed and shook her head.

"Well, something tells me that as often magic has to do with actual science and technology, at least in this specific case!"

She kept thinking about the possible options but was coming up empty handed and it was driving her crazy, although she loved a good challenge. She stared at the Corellian's next words, and cackled.

"Alright, I happen to dislike the murder option. As for the marriage one, well it wasn't on the agenda when I landed in Coronet City; but if our lawyers drum up a solid prenup, I might be able to know about this proprietary magic."

She had said the last part deadpan, before a mischievous grin lit her face up.

[Maize Wayne]

Your wife might have a problem with that, Maize's mind chirped.

Sourly, he responded to that inner voice: What wife?

To Shana, he mustered up as much of a smile as he could manage, then focused on the road ahead as they put the city behind them. As fast as he was driving the 'speeder, they'd reach the hills that opened up to the mountain ranges in no time.

"The tech does work pretty well," Maize finally remarked. "Still some tweaks to be made. I'm hearing a low whistle of air behind me, but not bad for the speed we're going."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana was a little surprised at Maize's weird reaction when she returned the banter; but she kept it to herself. At least, she appreciated he was focused on the road given the high speed they were going at, much to her liking.

She nodded when he spoke again. "I agree the low whistle comes from the back section behind the driver's seat. I was wondering if it was at the juncture with the trunk or the backseats; but it feels almost at upper window level if the roof was still on."

She grinned and took the last sip from her caf.

"But yes, still impressive, and the whistle has been almost the same since you did that trick. There has been very little increase despite the higher speed."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize smirked, imagining the whistle coming from a place where there was currently no hood or window. The idea of that made him chuckle wryly at Shana's sense of humor.

"It's some nice tech," he agreed.

At the speed he was piloting the 'speeder, they reached the foothills in no time. He guided them to his own property to afford them privacy in their hike; it was the land that his parents had owned and once held their considerable home. Maize had burnt it to the ground and had its remains removed, though, so the property only appeared to be open land now. Security sensors kept the acreage secure and private from scavengers and squatters, though the wildlife was free to call the land home.

"Here we are," Maize said as he touched a button on the 'speeder's console, ensuring the security measures recognized and allowed for their arrival. "Good hiking grounds and, depending on how high we go, a nice view of the region."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

To say that Shana was freaking curious about what new tech Maize and his teams were working on with that customized speeder was an understatement. Yet she knew better than to prod further. It would also keep her thinking for a while and she always liked having problems to solve. Sometimes it helped her beat insomnia.

As they made it to the foothills, she adjusted the straps of her backpack over her shoulders and looked around, excited about the hike. That was something she tried to do as much as possible when going off-world.

"It looks great already. I love my work on Sillesk but the natural beauty rather lacks, and I grew up with mountains and forests."

Grinning, she nodded towards the hill. "I hear water in the distance. Is there a river?"

[Maize Wayne]

Maize nodded his understanding. He'd traveled to many places in his life, but none were like rural Corellia to him.

"There is. Depending on how far we go, a waterfall and pool as well that feeds into said river," he confirmed.

Maize jerked his head in the general direction that they'd need to go in in order to see all of that natural splendor. He popped the back hatch on the 'speeder and produced the experimental comm devices he was going to let Shana play with on their hike. Some were recording devices. Another was a prototype comlink; even he was curious to how the range would be, this far out. Maize tucked a couple other gadgets into his own pack, then checked the cap on his water bottle.

"Do you swim?" he asked.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

"This reminds me of one of my aunts' properties back on Commenor."

She had loved spending vacations there when younger. She had been meaning to go back for a while but she had been waiting for Elarys to have some free time, which was rare with how hard-working her sister-in-law was. She understood though, having been in early stages of her career around the same age.

"Lead the way! I'll do my best to behave and follow instead of just taking every twist and turn on the path," she added with a grin.

She nodded at his question regarding swimming.

"I do! Most of the time it's in indoor pools but I grew up not too far from the ocean. Do you?"

[Maize Wayne]

"Well, really, you should lead the way, so you can test out the gear," Maize said with a chuckle. "See if the navigation features work to your liking."

He gestured toward the obvious trail leading away from where he'd parked with one hand, then slipped his shades down over his dark blue eyes. Maize hooked his thumbs into his belt and regarded Shana.

"Yes, I do swim. I'm not as much of a fan of indoor pools, though they'll do." Looking in general toward where the natural pool was in the hills, he said, "I used to like to come out here and swim."

[Shana Ghemenaux]

Shana beamed at Maize's reply. "I like this plan! I guess you'll just have to hand it to me then!"

She held her hand out and waited for it, before heading towards the trail. She wasn't planning to use the device to orientate herself right away but she still powered it up and began to inspect the user interface. She was curious to try it out and was already taking a few mental notes.

As they started hiking up the trail, she listened to Maize's comment about pools and outdoor swimming.

"This is great. Nothing beat swimming in the wilderness so to speak. Indoors pools are about the one option on Sillesk so it's better than nothing. I debated moving again a few years back but I loved the work opportunities, so I stuck around."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize smiled at her enthusiasm for the gadget as they set off.

"I don't think I've ever been to Sillesk," he remarked. "Or at least, not that I recall off hand. What's it like?"

As they walked, he brushed his hand over a fragrant herb bush that was growing on either side of them. The air around them then was filled with its sharp, but not unpleasant odor. Of course, it was also an herb he preferred some meals be cooked with, and his stomach rumbled from the olfactory memory. He chuckled to himself, feeling half-Wookiee for that reaction.

[Shana Ghemenaux]

She took her time on the trail, enjoying the scenery and taking the whole thing in. The weather was perfect and very breathable.

"Sillesk is a weird system. Lots of asteroid and the main planet had lots of mining resources as well, and everything was built from scratch to be this beacon of imperial culture and success. I moved there after university after getting married. I stuck around for business reasons at first. It has really been blossoming over the last ten years, including with landscaping."

She began humming some tune when Maize's stomach growled loud enough for her to notice. She couldn't stop giggling.

"Well maybe we should have packed more food."

[Maize Wayne]

Maize chuckled. "Sorry. I smell seasonings."

He circled back to Shana talking about life on Sillesk, though, as that was more interesting than his appetite.

"It sounds nice. I like the idea of somewhere being a beacon of culture and success. Whether it's Imperial or not--" Maize paused to shrug. "--Well, I don't get into the politics. Whatever makes me money is fine, right?"

[Shana Ghemenaux]

When Maize teased about smelling seasonings, Shana actually paused and sniffed - maybe a little too loudly. "Mountain red thyme? If you tell me they also grow wild droochmaries in this area, you won't be the only one whose stomach growls."

The brunette smiled at the Corellian's words about what she had described about Sillesk and his own approach. She may be an imperial loyalist, she also believed in finding new and promising opportunities.

"Lucrative projects are important and I believe in looking wherever there may be potential. Several true and tried contractors landed on my desk but I had heard about your company and I thought that you were the better option."

She raised a brow and grinned. "So far, I think my hunch was correct."