[Citadel, Tayseri] Leaving the Ducts Charity Dinner (Open to all)

Sarah checked over her violin and finished her drink. Setting the violin against her shoulder, she shot a playful wink at her new audience. "This is a Turian number I've been trying to adapt for a violin. It's a battle hymn, one I hope to perform with justice." And again, she began to play, with an upbeat song of victory and 'fighting for home'- so much as the lyrics said. After a moment, she paced forward and upped the tempo, trying to make the music louder and more cheerful.

After her song, she took a moment to rest, her attention now on the Asari. "Music career? Not possible, with my history."

"Now why would I do a silly thing like that Miss Rondor, we are neighbors after all. And please, just call me Alystae, Indigo Ice Maid is quite the mouthful", Alystae laughing lightly at the dig the head of Leaving the Ducts sent her way. One thing guaranteed about asari, they could take a backhanded insult and sincere compliment with the exact amount of grace if need be, all that mattered was the end result. Alystae gracefully departed with a passing comment to Miss Rondor, "I'll let you get back to the meet and greet, but we must discuss matters that are of, lets just say certain interest to both of us", giving the rotund administrator a sly wink, the tall maiden slowly made her way to the bar, coat in arm, her outfit designed to accentuate her height as she passed by the hanar by the 'ball moat'.

Nearing the bar she waited for the bartender to finish with a clutch of human customers before placing her order, "human bourbon if you have it dear sir, otherwise a thessian brandy", her low accent flavoring her words as she turned from the bar, watching the crowd with bemusement, seeing Daia T'Nara amongst the guests. Taking the drink from the server she began to slowly make her way towards the Illium socialite, the two of them had matters to discuss, specifically the Bliss festival and the co-op's methods of policing the streets.

"I'm doing very well, thank you for asking." Albert took a glass of Champaign from a passing waiter, "I couldn't agree with you more, the future is important."

"That is why I hope you are on the side of the System Alliance when it comes to their request to lease Tayseri industrial dock twenty-seventeen, so the Alliance may construct a military outpost there, not only for the obvious defense benefits, but for revitalization of the entire area." He took a sip, and watched the assemblyman for any tell, the dossier had been lingering for years now so each ally counted.

Kari became even more annoyed when Veranex approached them and extended his claw to Davril. They hadn't even sit down yet and already the riff-raff were harassing them. If her face wasn't hidden behind an opague visor she would probably be upturning her nose at the turian in the literal sense.

"Davril," she said in her sweetest voice while tugging the turian's good arm. "Perhaps we should go sit down before all of the good seats are taken?"

While Sarah engaged other guests in conversation, and demonstrated another example of her musical talent, Laykalar was explaining the philosophical significance of the ball pool to Paul Duffy.

“This one was greatly intrigued by the tradition! It has rarely found a more buoyant metaphor for the Many Voices, which in tandem provide ever more illuminated truths for the sapient that seeks to explore them! Each ball is unique, diverse colours are mixed together within the pool. Moving among them, the young one in question touches and is touched by multiple self-contained worlds, without the process of its individual explorations being hindered! It is a most fitting metaphor for the Enkindled being’s pursuit of full illumination through immersion in the multiplicity of galactic society!"

"Ah, and the... the glitter glue? The cards?"

Ahhhh. As it was with 90% of random people that came up to Max, this one had an agenda. He just smiled as he sipped from his own glass, keeping his expression neutral. He had to admire the guy's balls, launching straight into the issue at hand with barely any sweet talking. What? No foreplay?

"Mr. Lowell, I can understand the Alliance's interests in that dock, just like I could understand the Hierarchy's or the Union's or that of any Council government. But the Alliance already has numerous berths on the station, to say nothing of countless other military outposts on Earth and throughout the Sol system. Is another on the Citadel necessary?"

He swirled his glass a bit before continuing. "Besides, if all goes well, the Citadel will soon be more than capable of providing for its own defense; once my bill to re-establish a station-wide defense force is passed. We look after ourselves here. We don't want to have to mooch off of our new neighbors; not when you have your own problems to worry about..."

Long story short, mind your own business and stay out of my yard... Max thought to himself.

You know what, if they had to risk talking to Lowell, she was going to take a detour towards the bar. And seriously, was that a ball pit?

She looked around to see how everyone else was responding to it. It was probably good that she had the two men to reign her in.

"Decorum, my old foe," Daia murmured, glaring mock-balefully at the pool. "You win this round." She gave Arina a smile, then found herself a drink of something in a long-stemmed glass that matched her dress and looked about to see who was around. A familiar green fabric caught her eye, and almost at the same moment she spotted its occupant waving.

"Vindi!" she said, weaving through the guests between them and extending her free hand in greeting. "How are you? Wow - that looks as good on you as I hoped, nice to know I'm not losing my touch." She turned her smile on Vindi's companion, giving him a respectful half-bow. "Sergeant."

Her honed crowd-sense let her catch sight of a tall asari nearby slowly moving their way, seemingly with purpose, although without turning she couldn't be sure. She switched her drink to her other hand and shifted slightly, making sure there was room for the asari to join them if she wished.

"Commander Davril Wilde, founder and CEO of Single Order Solutions," he managed to get out in reply, but didn't have a chance to return the offered hand when Kari tugged on his non-cybernetic arm. He paused and smiled at her, before turning back to the other. "I'm sorry, but my date wants us to get settled in," he said, his voice toned with practiced joviality. "Look me up later?" he suggested, not waiting for a reply before disengaging from the conversation and moving inside with Kari.

"You know how to get something," he said to her, chuckling to himself when they were out of earshot. "Didn't like that last one?"

"Never mind Shaart, the Co-op head just went to the bar. I'll keep tabs on her boss," hissing into the comm, Snow smoothly walked around the crowd gathered at the ball moat. Spotting Arina Caenis with the public face of the bliss festival, Daia T'Nara, the ex-marine continued his patrol. When the boss told him that Alystae T'Naron herself had arrived, Snow tensed up momentarily, his grey eyes narrowing as he moved past Max Vallario who was schmoozing some human bigwig, "none of my damned business", thinking as he circled the ball moat. Just as Snow was nearing the end of his first walkthrough he heard an all too familiar voice and there she was...Kayana Pesh.

"Shit, Kayana just couldn't take a rain check", muttering to himself as he slowly walked towards her and the two drell males escorting her, stopping right in front of her. Snow keeping his face neutral and body language relaxed as he greeted the trio, "I didn't expect to see you here Ms. Pesh, I don't suppose you're here for the catering are you?"

"Oh I do. I've had years to learn just how to get it too", she said, letting out a rare (actually genuine) chuckle as she placed a three fingered hand in his claw and held it. "Many years."

"And no, I didn't, Dav", she said, looking around the restaurant far away from the rest of the crowd to sit. "He just wanted to freeload off you. I can tell."

Arina shrugged at Sarah's comment. The fine arts were liberal but she didn't want to lecture the human who always was so elaborate about her problems on the forums.
"As long as I can hear you play, I am content." she said with a smile and raised her glass to a sip.

Not wanting to keep the musician from her task at hand further, she looked around. Daia had found a turian couple in the meantime and from there her eyes travelled to Albert and Max. She wanted to at lease bid her greetings to the assemblyman an the fellow diplomat, so she casually strode over to the pair.

"Good evening, Mr, Lowell," she nodded towards the human with whom she was at least somewhat familiar, "...Assemblyman Vallario. It is great to see two such profiled representatives on this occasion. It raises the awareness to a whole new level. Arina Caenis, Asari embassies, a pleasure to meet you." She offered Max a hand with a decisively graceful gesture. Other species would have called it very feminine.

"True, I cannot honestly say that you do not have some noteworthy points but, think of the increase of employment such an outpost would mean for the ward, and, while I have no doubt turians would see reason in the need to re-establish the defense force, others would... be reluctant. I do not have to tell you how much such an idea irk the salarians who think it is far too public, and the asari well..."

He took a sip, of his drink.

"Which leaves us humans in the middle, now if the Alliance had more incentive to meddle with politics and inform the public, for example because they want the extra security a Citadel Defense force would give to their assets on the Citadel."

"Of course, if we do not have assets needing defense we might be nervous with a heavily armed defense force near our homeworld. And obviously such an act would be appreciated by the Asari and Salarians whom, given the choice, would probably prefer an outpost over station wide militarization."

The message was equally clear, scratch our back and we scratch yours, if not, well…

That was when Arina joined the little group. "Miss Caenis, as radiant as ever," Albert said with a friendly nod, "I was just talking to Assemblyman Vallario about how the same issue can be spun differently depending the context. Although, in retrospect, this might not be the place to talk shop, when there's more pleasant things to talk about."

Well, this guy didn't seem to be backing off anytime soon. The verbal duel continued. "I don't see why employment would be an issue. A CDEF outpost would employ just as many locals as an Alliance one; perhaps even more. After all, what's to say all the civilians that base would employ wouldn't just be from Earth? And the Salarians and Asari were wary about the establishment of a station-wide law enforcement agency over a thousand years ago, and now C-SEC is one of our most valued and necessary institutions. They'll come around."

Max finished off his drink, picking another off the tray of a passing server. "I'm afraid I don't see your point Mr. Lowell. Like I said, the Alliance has countless more military installations just around Earth itself, let alone the rest of the planets in the system. Your planet's moon itself has been turned into a natural military satellite, much like we Turians did back in our home system. And as for worrying about "heavily armed neighbors," humanity- as I recall -has countless nations on its home planet with their own independent military forces, despite you having a combined Alliance Military. And they all seem to manage to keep from killing each other on a daily basis. The Citadel just wants to be self-sufficient so we can take care of our own immediate defense, and you can focus more on the security of your borders."

Drop it. I'll fight you every step of the way on this. Max would much rather avoid a war of words with the Alliance, but at the end of the day, it'd get him votes.

Max immediately turned his attention to the other diplomat; the one being far less difficult, and much more appealing to the eye. He took her hand with a sly grin, pressing a kiss to it politely. "Miss Caenis, the pleasure is all mine I assure you. I'm humbled you even know who I am, let alone think that I'm 'high profile...'"

She nodded approvingly at Max's hand kiss. A human gesture usually but one of those that had found its way into the protokol books earlier.
"Don't be too humble, Assemblyman. Your presence brings the much needed political attention to the cause of Leaving the Ducts. And since security is one of your most important concerns, keeping kids out of gangs can't be high enough on the political priority list..."

Charming Albert. Arina wondered what subject she just had interrupted. "Context is everything, Mr. Lowell. But this may be just the right place to talk shop. Light drinks and food stimulate the mind. Unless I misunderstood and you meant shopping." She left it to be figured out in what context that would be a thing. She nipped from her glass and smiled at Max again.

"Are the canape's any good?" Let's just hope the hanar had prepared a good buffet. She made a bet with herself about thessian mushrooms being only used for decoration again....

Paul took a bombardment of shots of Albert Lowell and the "maverick" Turian that was pressing the heated debate. Sarah approached not long after the Embassy Worker- and soon, the platinum blonde was trying to pull her date's attention away from the discussion. "Paul- Shutterbug. You're acting like a paparazzo." She stated derisively as she folded her arms. "Want another drink? We could get to know each other better! You know, put some effort into actually making this a date."

Paul looked away from his omnitool, then to Sarah- then back to the event. "I suppose I've got enough for now." He spoke under the bustle and massed conversation of the dinner. "I mean, should I take more? This Max guy seems like he wants the publici-" He glanced over the woman's bored expression.
The journalist sighed, setting his camera drone on automate. "For you, I could find a break." He offered his arm, and the two were soon at home near the alcohol table.

The drone decloaked near the group of Sunrisers. Targeting them with an orange beam, it snapped another dozen photographs.

Nearing Daia and the two turians she was chatting up, Alystae taking a sip of the bourbon as she joined the trio with her roguish air, towering over Daia but still shorter than the two Sundowners, one of which she recognised as the defacto mayor of Dekanot, Chieftan Detticia, "hmmm, Daia does keep interesting company", thinking to herself as she introduced herself, making sure not to lead with business, it is a party after all,

"Quite the dress you're wearing Chieftan Detticia, it's as if you've stepped out of the holo of Illium Fashion Quarterly. And you must be Daia T'Nara, I'm Alystae T'Naron, proprietor of the Freezer's Perch, a pleasue to meet you all." Giving both women and escort a warm smile, Alystae made sure to make eye contact as she gave her introduction. The Sapphire Alliance and her co-op had clashed recently but to the tall maiden, everything is negotiable, especially when it came to her business. "all right girl, you've shaken the tree, let's see what happens next..."

"Please, please Ms. Caenis; any more flattery and you won't be able to stand me." Max laughed warmly and easily. Part of politics was being a good showman, and he knew how to play to his audience. Sometimes he wondered if he might have been a good actor instead of a politician...

Keeping focused on the matter at hand, he simply shrugged and smiled at Arina. "Security is one of my chief concerns, and you make a very strong point in connecting this dinner to that issue. We have everything to gain from keeping a child out of a gang; a safer station, a stronger economy- and of course, a young life saved. I'm hoping simply by being here more Assemblymen and officials will follow my lead and we can make some headway on this issue..."

...and make me a darling on all the extranet news sites for a few news cycles. But if you'd come back to my place, I'd love to explain it all to you in more detail. Rawr. That's what Max wanted to say, at least.

Having answered Duffy's questions, and happily carrying the kind gift from his friend Sarah, Laykalar politely made his leave of them. He would have enjoyed conversing further, but he needed to check on the room as a whole, to ensure that everything was prepared for the formal implementation of the dining procedure. (He had needed help arranging this, given his complete lack of experience). Snow or Shaart would have reported any security concerns, so for now he was interested in the general mood of the guests. Most of them had arrived by now, and it was certainly an exciting blend of the influential and the intriguing - with politicians, diplomats, private citizens and business owners of all descriptions. So many possibilities for the useful and productive exchange of ideas! They seemed to mingle and talk with one another easily, but the general activity was beginning to lessen. Perhaps they were beginning to anticipate a formal welcome? He hoped so. It was surely time to encourage their settlement, so that correct announcement and full introductions could be made.

First, and with a definite edge of nervousness to his cheer, he considered the contingent from the Greater Encompassing, which was still clustered together in a single part of the room, away from the tables. Perhaps they wished to distinguish themselves from the hanar on the catering staff, or perhaps they were merely alarmed by the chaotic maze of guests swarming around them. Laykalar had the nervous impression that, thus far, they were not appreciative. He hoped that introducing a greater sense of structure to proceedings would alter this. Once everyone had settled, he would engage them in conversation.

He was also keeping tabs, in a low-key but cautious manner, on Justicar, who was currently moored in position near the entrance, apparently uninterested in speaking with anyone. Knowing from past experience how quickly she could shift into unsuitable behaviour, and become alarmingly direct in her enthusiasm for her favoured sect, he thought it sensible to be cautious. So far, her argument with the VI aside, she had been behaving appropriately. He hoped this would continue, but he also recalled the human expression regarding things being "quiet... too quiet".

Perhaps he should focus on something less unpredictable, such as the food items? Yes, that was surely for the best. Was everything in order there? Serving guests from both chirality groups was commonplace, but always required a certain care be taken. It would be most distressing were someone to become ill! Segregation through seating would be at odds with the intended unity of the dinner, so although the dextro food items were on a separate table, the guests were going to be seated together. Everything was clearly marked, but they must ensure that there were no mix-ups.

Happy that everything was running smoothly, he moved across to the entrance and approached Rondor. "It is this one's estimation that most of the guests have arrived! If the learned other should approve, it thinks now would be a good time for the other's introductory speech and announcement of scheduled entertainments. It will serve to greet late-arriving guests in the other's place".

A pause.

"It hopes the other is thus far pleased".

When Laykalar came to her, Michelle was exchanging a few words with the last few guests coming. Indeed most of the people were inside.
"Yes you're right, we can begin now. And I'm very happy with how is it going and how you organized all of this Laykalar! How about you say the first words on the micro? It's your event after all!"

They both left the entrance door and went inside, as everyone was taking seats or mingling. It was still opened if people came late though.