Interlude, Part 2

Posted on Wed Dec 16th, 2020 @ 11:25am by Captain Henry Crow & Lieutenant Aemilia "Millie" Stepanova
Edited on on Wed Dec 16th, 2020 @ 11:26am

Mission: Shore Leave

Millie finished drying her hair. The shower, at least, had taken some of the chill out of her body.

In the accompanying bedroom Marcy was laying out several outfits from bags of clothes that had been brought in, most of them modern. So far this day was not going to plan and she just knew she was going to catch hell for it.

From the bathroom doorway, Millie cleared her throat as to not startle the woman.

Marcy didn't turn. "I hope something here is of interest to you. There's more than enough clothing here to cover your stay and if not, he'll just have more shipped in." She turned for the door. "Lunch will be ready in about twenty minutes. I believe he'll want your input on several business moves he's got lined up. My suggestion is to sway him from opening a manufacturing center on Denalb."

"He's dressing me now, too?" Millie gave a quiet sigh as she unwrapped a small bundle of perfumed tissue paper to reveal several matching sets of high-end undergarments. "And I suppose I'm expected to wear what's been selected for me?" she asked, peering at Marcy through the exposed lace.

"It would make my day go a little easier, yes. He likes things to be as he...prefers them." She checked her wrist looking at some kind of scheduler. "Your belongings from the hotel are enroute, they'll be here once lunch is finished."

Millie gave another sigh. "It looks like we're going to have to revisit that previous session about boundaries." She peeked up over the bralette, looking exasperated.

"I know this isn't anything you asked for but you'll come to understand this is his universe and we're just existing here no matter how many long hours we work or holidays with family we miss or...." she stopped. "Lunch in fifteen." She turned, closing the door behind her.

Millie rubbed the back of her neck in frustration. She looked over the clothes--certainly more expensive than anything normally in her wardrobe. There was apparently work to be done...and with any luck, maybe she would get some time to sit down with the assistant.

******************

James sat the table, his fingers drumming lightly on the wood. The formal dining room was set but he hadn't eaten yet. He'd told Marcy what time to bring her and she'd failed him yet again.

Millie stepped through the doorway, smoothing out her sweater dress. "There you are." She walked quickly towards the table. "I've probably spent the last ten minutes trying to find where lunch was."

He stood, strange that someone who murdered someone a short while before could have manners. "No matter, you're here now."

"This is a rather large space for just you to occupy." Millie sat, folding her hands on her lap.

He sat down again. "This was built as a place to host large groups whether it was formal parties or military planning sessions. I prefer to use it for the solitude. Few people know of this location or my presence here." He took a long drink of a blue tinged water. "I have some irons in the fire and I need your expertise because you understand how to pick apart people's motivations."

"And your motivations, too, da?" Millie picked up her knife and fork and cut into the dish in front of her.

"I already know mine," he grinned as he too cut a bite. "This is a dish I have loved since I was a boy. My mother would make it for us now and then on a special occasion. Though we didn't have pork like on this planet so she had to improvise with some local animals."

"And what would your motivations be in these matters?" Millie managed a soft smile as she moved past the meat dish to the vegetables served on the side.

"My motivation is simple: I need something to show my father I can succeed him. We have a world which is not controlled by our corporation but is ripe for the picking. The locals are willing to allow us to build a large manufacturing facility. Normally we are able to easily dupe these types of people into letting us get our boot in the door so to speak but the planetary government seems almost too eager. I am unsure whether or not to proceed."

"Why would you feel it necessary to dupe a planet that is eager to engage in a business partnership?" Millie took another bite of the vegetables, thankful for the lighter fare.

"Normally they believe our promises but these people are ready to agree before I've even made any. It worries me that this is some sort of trap."

"What do you feel they are hiding?" Millie nibbled on a carrot.

"If I knew that I wouldn't have brought you here." He took another bite. "It's possible they think once they have access to our technology they think they can either steal it and sell it, or somehow use it against us."

"And is that a risk you're willing to take?" By that point, Millie's stomach had taken all it could of the heavy lunch, and she left her meal half-eaten.

"Denalb is a world with many resources, none more valuable than the crystals which grow deep underground. To be able to get to those and control the market would make us untold riches. I think they locals know what they're sitting on."

"And they would get a share of the profits, da?" Millie folded her napkin and set it on the table."

"No, they get a major source of employment and they would get a discount to buy what the facility produces for their people."

Millie reached for her glass of water, taking a sip. "What would Marcy recommend?"

He stopped mid bite and just stared at her. He slowly chewed and swallowed before wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Why would that matter?"

"Unless you have someone else that's been compiling all of the economic impact and financial reports for you?" Millie quirked an eyebrow.

"Marcy doesn't know about that kind of thing. Sure she compiles but its like reading Klingon in the dark she has no idea what it means."

Millie gave a slow nod. "Marcy?" she called out, sure the woman wasn't too far away.

The assistant arrived within seconds, having been in the wings as usual. James looked up at her, slightly amused. "Marcy, she seems to think you can brief me on economic impact of our pending deal."

Marcy turned to look at Millie with a 'what did you do?' expression.

"I was actually hoping that Marcy could brief me on the information that she knows, since I've been out of the loop on all of this information." Millie pulled out the chair next to her and patted the empty seat with her hand. "Given that I've not seen any of these reports, I want to make sure that any advice that I give is economically sound."

Marcy sat, still wearing that expression but she steeled herself and without even looking at any material began rattling off the economic history of Denalb, the proposal, and most interestingly the history of the family tree of the Denalbian leadership which included a connection to Teskin Signet, Shadow's main economic rival. When she finished she looked at James awaiting an explosion.

He sat there in silence. "You knew they had a relationship to Teskin and you said nothing?!"

Millie placed a hand on Marcy's and gave a reassuring smile. "Marcy, is this connection to Teskin one that should invalidate the deal? Is it something that I should be concerned about?"

Marcy nodded. "Absolutely. Teskin getting their hands on any proprietary technology of ours could give them leverage across the board in several areas."

"That doesn't explain why you never said anything."

"Sir I did. You tend...not to hear me."

Millie gave Marcy's hand a soft pat. "Thank you for that information, Marcy. Without your help, I might have been inclined to recommend the business deal go forward." She turned back towards James. "But perhaps this explains why they seem so eager to move forward with a deal before negotiations even begin."

"Yes, I told you I was suspicious. Perhaps if someone had offered that information earlier...."

Marcy looked down at her lap.

"...which is why I asked Marcy." Her hand still on that of the assistant, she gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I wanted to make sure that I was well informed, since I am not privy to the communications and business dealings of your organization." She gave James a gentle smile. "Even Counselors have a counselor, James."

He went back to his food after casting a glance at his assistant.

Millie turned back to Marcy, a reassuring smile on her face. "Thank you, Marcy. I'll be sure to let you know if I need any more assistance. Your insight has been incredibly valuable to me." She gave Marcy's hand one more reassuring pat before giving a nod of dismissal.

The Counselor tucked one leg up under her as she settled into her chair. "You know, James," she said, turning her attention back to her lunch companion, "you should have Marcy show me around the city. Since this is my shore leave, I had really hoped to get in a little shopping before I have to report back to the ship."

"I'll have the shops bring their things here for you to pick what you want."

Millie chuckled softly. "I take it that you don't go 'window shopping' very often?"

"No, I just buy the store and take what I want. Why waste the time?"

"Because the fun is not necessarily in buying things, James. It's going with a friend and wandering through all of the little shops, and maybe buying things, and maybe not. Looking at all the beautiful little displays. Maybe stopping for a pastry or a warm beverage and sitting on the patio of a little cafe and gossiping about nothing in particular." She smiled. "Besides, after saving you from what could have been a disastrous business decision, I'm sure your assistant deserves a lovely little bonus, and the rest of the day off to go spend as she wishes."

"She has other things to attend to but if you wish I can send a security detachment with you."

Millie quirked an eyebrow, amused. "So, which of your security detail will be following me into the dressing room to try on clothes with me?"

He sighed. "Fine, but don't have any thoughts of giving her the slip and running off. It would be very bad for her health."

Millie smiled, folding her hands in her lap. "Why James, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you fear that I'm so impressed with your assistant that I might steal her away to come work for me."



Lieutenant JG Aemilia "Millie" Stepanova
Chief Counselor, USS Mercutio