Too Good an Offer...

Posted on Sat Aug 20th, 2022 @ 12:58am by Captain Calypso Skyie & Captain Natalya Markova

Mission: Pirates! (Or Yo Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Yum)
Location: Penweather's Quarters
Timeline: Shortly After Bexley/Penweather

He had a few minutes to get comfortable, since Bexley had left to send over the... New recruit, it appeared. Damien Penweather perused his outfits and chose one that was soft and silky, easy to relax in. Champagne was rapidly laid out on the low table in his reception area and he settled himself onto the comfortable couch to sit and wait, a PADD in his hands as he reviewed his plans for the next day, bottle untouched. It wouldn't do for his next guest to have even the slightest thought that she were about to be drugged, because she wasn't. This was a recruitment, official recruitment, not an interrogation.

Nat's heart was in her throat as she came to the man's quarters. A part of her wanted to be done. She had been onboard the Oracle for long enough. The stress was now just way too much, and she was desperate for a restful night's sleep. She wanted this entire ordeal over, just so she could finally get to relax. If all hell broke loose in the worst way possible, she'd at least have a 'very' long rest.

The doors opened before her, and she stepped in, seeing the man himself, with a bottle on the table. That was interesting. The guard followed her in, as always, and Nat came to a stop a number of feet from Penweather himself. "You called?" She asked with a smile.

"I did." Damien had come to his feet as Nat had entered the room, the way a proper gentleman should do. "Thank you for coming as quickly as you have, Natalya, may I offer you some refreshment? I've got a nice bottle of Krug Grande Cuvée Brut from a few years ago that I've had nicely chilled." He gestured to the bottle in ice on the table, "I do enjoy some of the nicer things in life and try to provide my friends with some of them as well."

Her head tilted ever so slightly at the 'friend' remark. "Thank you. That would be much appreciated." This man was starting to perplex her.

He gave her a smile and made himself busy popping the cork to the champagne himself, allowing the initial rush of bubbles to subside into the dish before pouring her and them himself a half-flute of the bubbly pink liquid and handing it to her, "Should I ask for some hors d'oeuvres? I'm afraid they'd probably be replicated, but if you were interested..."

As he went through the process of pouring the drinks, Nat's eyes moved around his quarters, curious to see what he had. On a small side table, she sighted upon a glass case. Inside she saw an old-style phaser and communicator, both from the 2260s. It was interesting to see them displayed like that, but also it felt like the sort of thing this man would do.

Her eyes continued their journey. As he offered her the flute, she focused back on him, taking it with a smile. "Oh, please, no. I don't do with that stuff. Champagne is about as fancy as I get."

He gave a gesture with his hand and the guard by the door relaxed ever so slightly, apparently not about to be used as a waiter to go and fetch snacks, while Damien relaxed back onto the couch again, reaching out with his glass, "To victory and vengeance." He toasted to her, "May they always come in tandem."

Nat lightly touched her flute to his. "Victory, and vengeance." She toasted, and took a sip. "May I?" She indicated the couch as well, knowing this man has thus far been uneasy about proximity with her.

"Of course, by all means." He patted the cushion next to himself, "After all, there's a significant amount of business that we need to discuss tonight, the reason I asked you come." He gave a bright smile, "After tomorrow, my plans are going to moving rather quickly, but I'd like to include you in on them if you were still looking for a place of employment?"

Nat eased herself onto the cough, crossing one leg over the over. "I would very much like having a place to both have fun, and be useful. I can't just spend my days filled with enjoyment. I have to be productive as well, useful."

"As I indicated to you before, I currently have four young ladies that I utilize as something like scouts to assist me in finding unique... Opportunities.. But covering the entirety of the Federation and even into some of the outlying sectors is a lot to ask of four people." He gestured to the door with his glass, "All of them are loyal beyond all reasonable doubt, because many of them were in the same basic situation as you are, all of them have axes to grind and I do my best to assist them with their problems, just as they assist with mine."

Damien took another sip, adjusting himself so as to be a little closer to Natalya, "They're also very well paid. Each of them has their own ship, each of them can afford to purchase nearly anything their pretty little hearts desire." He pointed up at a series of models on shelves near the top of the wall, "Bex, dear Bex, has the Black Pearl, Tara has her Peregrine, Madeline has her Acheron and sweet little Jessie has her Victoria. Of course, they all know about each other, but rarely are any of them here at the same time as anyone else, so it does tend to be a lonely existence for my own humble self. I do tend to keep Bexley as my more... Local liason to the outside world, of course."

"Would I be one of these ... acquirers of such opportunities?" Nat sipped at her drink. It was quite exceptional. Light, and fruity. Just the sort of thing for a toast. "I could see myself roaming around, with a home to come back to when needed." She eyed the ship models he had indicated.

"I'm not in the habit of teasing people that I find useful." Damien lifted his glass slightly, "I know you've got the training to take care of yourself and acquiring the skills to pilot a small craft isn't that hard to arrange either. After this operation, you'll well and truly have burned any potential bridges with Starfleet, which takes the potential of that threat out of you." He placed his free hand on Nat's thigh, "And you are striking enough to be a pleasure to be seen with, appearances are of course, important."

Nat gave him an inviting smile, not doing anything to remove his hand. "I was able to attend the Marine Corps Ball one year... I had quite the attention on me." She leaned in a little closer to him, letting her voice fall to a husky tone. "I have zero qualms about burning my bridges. As far as I'm concerned, Starfleet set the charges. I'm just gonna flip the switch."

He rubbed her leg for a couple seconds, but it was obvious that he was a patient man and he removed it gently, "So, Natalya, what would you be looking for in a ship, or for more... Genteel company, for that matter?"

The question floated through her mind. Nat looked at the models. Her own ship. The idea was appealing, in a way. Her own life, her own rules - within reason. She could wipe her past away. Hell, she could probably change her name if she wanted to. Fort Yarrick could... cease to exist. "Something compact, and solid. I wouldn't need style, or sleek. I'd want people to know it packs a punch. As for company..." Her eyes turned back to him, tearing her gaze from the ship models. "I'm fairly easy... going." A wink, and a smirk.

Damien smiled broadly, spreading his arms wide an placing one on the back of the couch, leaving his hand close to her neck. It was a calculated move, to get her to come to him. "I know just who to go to for something like that. Astrain Staryards, they'll probably go with the hull of an Argo-class runabout, but only the hull, packing in a respectable amount of armor and firepower while concealing the extent of the weaponry. Inside would be small, as you could imagine, but luxurious, anything the heart could desire. Shistavi silk, Listrav emeralds, which would match the beauty of your eyes."

Nat eased closer to him on the couch, smiling coyly at his words. "Tough on the outside. Soft, silky, and tight on the inside. That sounds 'exactly' like myself."

He slowly draped his arm across her shoulders, "Perhaps then, Natalya, we could have a very fun and beneficial relationship with each other. One that profits the both of us very, very much."

"Oh Captain, my Captain." Nat's skin crawled as she said it. Yeah, there was no way in hell she could ever stay on board.