My first impression is that the Starlight Consortium could really be onto something, if the "Starlight Radiance" is anything to go by. Things start in pretty boring fashion, with a presentation detailing all the yawn-inducing business stuff - gain-loss projections, customer demographics...all of which I'm recording for my business department to analyse at their leisure.
Leisure - yeah, that's what I'm here for, and I'm getting real hungry for it. I made that pretty clear the moment I walked onto the conference deck in top-to-toe black leather: choker, halter top, long gloves, mini-skirt and thigh-high boots with short cuffs and decorative chromed press-studs down the sides. Arlai is dressed to party too, and how - fluorescent orange mini-dress, broad black patent leather belt and matching thigh-high boots - and he seems to draw most of the attention, which is fine by me. His presence saves me from the fawning masses, swarming around the illustrious Darkhawk, the goddess of Dominion.
(A brief aside...) Okay, you're now asking yourselves "Where's Darkhawk? What have you done with her?" - hey, even I can't play the goddess ALL the time, especially with all that's going on right now. My last attempt to have serious fun was cut short by my meeting with Glitterthorn, remember. But anyway...
Eventually, Business School is over for the day, and the serious business of partying ensues. I try not to respond to Arlai's presence with any familiarity, but I certainly give him a good looking-over. Quite a few Lu-Khian men go for the cross-dressing thing (not that there's any cultural taboo surrounding that on Lu-Khi - just wear what makes you feel good seems to be the prevailing mood there), and boy does Arlai carry it off with poise and style. He's kinda hot too, and I let him know that when we cross paths, playfully running a hand over his ass. ;-)
To give us a proper idea of what the ship will be like when fully operational, the Consortium have hired a bunch of party-people to fill out the clubs and dance-rooms, and even though it's essentially false in spirit, it does give a certain energy to proceedings. Given time, the party atmosphere will reach critical mass, and take on a more natural life and spirit - at least, it will if I have anything to do with it...
There're too many venues for me to spread the spirit to without spreading myself too thinly, so I pick my target carefully. One place has a raised dance platform for a decent number of people at the centre of the room, with seats and tables concealed in the shadows all around, and it's there that I choose to make my mark. I can feel the reaction as I get up on the platform and join the party-folk already up there, the psionic murmur clearly "audible" over the music...yeah, a bit of Darkhawk is the catalyst this place needs.
For just about everyone here, it's the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to get really close to Darkhawk, in a purely informal environment - and I'm happy to bask in their awestruck admiration. Guys and girls move closer, some not daring to get close enough to touch, others desperately praying that the opportunity will arise for them to "accidentally" brush against me...
Suddenly, there's another psychic "ripple", flashing around the room like lightning - is someone trying to steal my "thunder"...
...!
I look around - and I find a familiar figure stepping up onto the platform. Jet-black skin, snow-white hair, not a whole lot of gleaming white leather...damn, it's Talona.
***Go find your own worshippers***, I tell her.
***I said I would contact you***, she purrs back. ***I am now delivering on the promise, as you delivered on yours...***
I sense another familiar presence drawing near, and me and Talona both snap our heads round to glare at Arlai, just as he's about to set foot on the dance-stage. A hint of a smile creeps around one corner of his mouth, then he bows in a rather exaggerated fashion, and withdraws from the field of "battle". He knows his place, and right now, his place is not up here, dancing with me.
Someone else has already claimed that honour.
...to be continued... ;-)
- Posted on 16.10.2003 at 23:07 -
Previously...
No-one Gets To Their Heaven Without A Fight... - 25.12.2008
...To The End Of The Road - Chapter 9 - 10.12.2008
...To The End Of The Road - Chapter 8 - 07.12.2008
...To The End Of The Road - Chapter 7 - 05.12.2008
...To The End Of The Road - Chapter 6 - 03.12.2008
