[closed] a measure of honey and vinegar

[alcheregis]

WHO: Haen Hithiel and Count Dooku
WHERE: Haen's individual housing, Maurtia Falls
WHEN: First half of November
WHAT: A follow-up to this conversation about Constellation.
WARNINGS: N/A

Following the conversation on the network, Haen had invited Count Dooku to her home in Maurtia Falls to discuss the offer he'd alluded to her. The genessi woman was surprised by the Count's offer on many levels, but some of what he'd said - particularly the notation about having not forgotten what she'd done against the Soviets, made her want to know more. To 'gain great wealth, power and security'... considering the status of imPorts in this world, those were not small claims. She welcomed him at the door of the Mediterranean-inspired house, leading him past the sun-bright studio where she took her in-home genework clients to a well-appointed sitting room.

At one time, the house had seemed quite formal and stately, almost like a stage dressing. But Haen had been living here for over a year now, and all her quirks had made their appearances in the eclectic collection of knickknacks and many, many photos of happy imPorts decorating the walls and surfaces.

"Sadly it's a little too chilly to sit outside in the garden," she said. "It's quite a sight in the warm months. But I have black tea steeping for you-- that's still your preferred, isn't it?" It was what he'd asked for when he'd stopped by the Ambassador's office that day, so she'd made an educated guess.

Comments

[dun_moch]

"It is indeed," Dooku replies with a gracious smile. He makes a show of looking around at the house and giving an approving expression.

"Thank you for inviting me here, my friend. You have a lovely home."

He's not lying, but he's not here to talk about interior decor either. Although that collection of imPort photos does catch his attention, and he steps closer to inspect it.

"You have a great many friends, it seems."

[alcheregis]

Haen beamed at the compliment to her home. "Thank you. Petyr helped me find it. As much as I enjoyed the atmosphere of the government supplied housing at times, it wasn't suitable for having a place where I could have my genework clients visit. And I like the privacy, sometimes."

Her smile becomes something softer and fond as he studies the pictures. "There are many remarkable people here, and I've come to care for them very much. They don't always know or return that, but that's not as important."

The tea is laid out in a fancy set that seems as eccentrically designed as any of her chosen decorations. Haen takes milk and sugar in hers, which she serves after pouring him some.

"Just so I know I'm not being a silly karyo-brain, you're talking about the same Constellation group that was mentioned in that terribly dramatic network post some months ago?"

[dun_moch]

"The very same. Such dramatics are sometimes necessary to ensure our message receives proper attention."

That, and Dooku is pretty sure there is no power in the universe that could hold Darlene back from being a dramatic edge lord if she wanted to. He takes an initial sip of his tea, and raises his eyebrows in appreciation.

"Mm. The Constellation exists so that you and the people on your walls can have what they deserve, you see."

[alcheregis]

Haen stirs her tea a few times, a thoughtful gesture more than a need to mix its contents further. Dooku’s words and claim are following the right path to securing her, certainly.

“You’re better at this than the Proctors ever were, dear Count. This isn’t the first time I’ve gotten an offer like this... to be given access to something wonderful, and to have the means to help someone I cared about.”

[dun_moch]

"Is that so?"

Dooku quirks his eyebrows, leans back with his tea in his hands.

"And what was your answer to these... Proctors?"

He doesn't know what that term means in Haen's world, but he can make a guess from context. Recruiters, advertisers, representatives of a powerful organization.

[alcheregis]

"I told them I'd do what they wanted," Haen replied with a light shrug and a touch of droll humour in her voice. "It was honestly such a simple task! Good guanines, I thought I had been remarkably lucky that they'd come to me. To get rid of one man was supposed to help many others, immediately and in the future? Who wouldn't want to do that... well, lots of people would actually refuse, but that's something of a flaw with them, so I try not to judge too harshly for it."

She sipped her own tea and set the cup down on the saucer with a gentle clink. "Brice wasn't a bad person, not at all. Even before I knew the truth about him, I did know that much. There's no bit of life when you can only deal poorly with bad people, and fairly with good ones!"

"It was the Proctors who lied, though. Honestly, if they'd just asked and explained what was going on, so much trouble could have been avoided! I think it was exceptionally rude of them to have double-crossed me. I like to think I'm very reasonable!"

[dun_moch]

"Exceptionally rude indeed," Dooku agrees, nodding without fully understanding because goodness Haen that was a lot of words right there. He can grasp the gist, though. Haen has served as an assassin. He likes her more already.

"Well, I can assure you I have no intentions of crossing you," he continues, omitting the word 'yet' from that sentence. All tools are to be cared for only as long as they are useful, in his mind. "And if you have anything you would like me to explain about this endeavour, I would be happy to tell you more."

[alcheregis]

(In her defense that was actually less words than she normally used, but serious situations and all that.)

"I do have some questions," she nodded. "What started this organization off here, since I think you wouldn't have just elected one day to feel extra clandestine~! Hmm-hmm, what do you do when something doesn't go your way? It's easy to brag about successes!"

[dun_moch]

The Count sighed theatrically, then turned aside to gaze out the nearest window with his hands behind his back, speaking to Haen without looking at her.

"You can thank the Soviet invasion for the Constellation's existence," he said in a sombre voice. "And the absurd result of my campaign for Maurtia Falls. I realized that imPorts were not safe, and that there were limits to how much we could advance our interests in the open. The Constellation can act in ways that the Ambassadors cannot."

He looked over his shoulder to her. "I will admit we have encountered setbacks during our long campaign. But we always learn from these issues, and adjust accordingly. We will not give up until we have what is rightfully ours."

[alcheregis]

"I rather appreciate the way the Maurtia Falls election turned out," Haen said lightly. "But I can appreciate your position on it."

She thought a moment more about it, turning what Dooku had said not just here but over the network in private to her as well, but eventually nodded as if coming to an internal decision.

"I believe I would like to help you, yes. What is it you'll need me to do?"

[dun_moch]

Dooku snorted softly, not quite chuckling, then turned back to face her once more. "Yes, I suppose you would be in favour of the result," he said. "But with all due respect to Ambassador Baelish's fine record, the rejection of my message was a lesson I will not soon forget."

It wasn't that someone with Dooku's long years of experience never learned how to take a setback. It was just that he had learned to take them with a maximum of resentment and long-stoked vengeance against those who had slighted him.

"You will be invited to join the Constellation's secure network, and participate in our missions," Dooku said, reciting a spiel that was becoming second-nature to him. "You will be assigned a codename once you decide whether you will be a full member, or an independent affiliate. For reasons of security, you will almost never learn the true identities of your fellow members. Secrecy is our greatest line of defence."

[alcheregis]

"It's not uncommon for people to disagree with messages they're not ready to hear, not because the message itself is wrong," Haen replied with certainty. "Like an antiviral, sometimes you need a carrier to get it to take! Good changes are like sour medicine... no one likes them, but they're beneficial for you."

"I don't mind not knowing. That sounds like half the thrill of it! As for a full member or affiliate... I'm afraid you haven't well explained the differences. As I said, my only concern is that something going poorly for Constellation might poorly drag down others whom aren't here agreeing to your terms. So I'm happy to leave the assignment to you, trusting your leadership of it, and keeping that stipulation of mine in mind."

[dun_moch]

Dooku smiled. "The medicine must be sweetened sometimes, yes. What a fine way of putting it. Sometimes people must be made to accept what is best for them even when they do not wish for it."

The Clone Wars had been engineered on much the same principle, albeit on a far greater skill.

"Your trust is appreciated... I will make you an affiliate," he said after a moment's consideration. "A 'Satellite' member receives fewer benefits than a 'Planet', yet have greater distance from the group. They can refuse assignments, for instance. I would not want to impinge upon your independence, my friend."

Especially not when any slight against Haen could damage Dooku's oh-so-valuable relationship with Baelish by association.

[alcheregis]

Haen's calm smile was partly obscured by the teacup as she took another sip, because if she'd known that one of the choices had not been able to refuse assignments, she could have made the choice for him. At least that hadn't instead come up at a very inconvenient time for both of them. So she nodded along with his reasoning.

"It's important to me... that I don't let people down who have confidence in me," she said. "I know that might seem like a silly thing to say after the fact of your offer, but it's still good to hear, I think."