Kev Ahn Tar Meets Jaetina Weaver
by Kathy Couture and Stephanie Holding

Kev left his seat and made his way backstage. This last segement of the show had peaked his interest. The apparel was colorful and imaginative. In his eyes the designer not only made clothing-- they made art. He slipped behind the curtain and a petit and slightly frazzled woman caught his eye. He watched as she gave direction, pinned up hems and generally just looked beatufiful. . .

"Excuse me," he began.

"In a moment, I'm busy-- Caiette, you look fine, trust me, now please *get out there before I kill you*." She turned, her expression impatient. "Okay, now what can I do for you?"

Kev smiled. "I'll take one-- of everything.

"Mmmm-hm. Unfortunately, I do not have time for practical jokers right now but thanks for trying." She turned back to a rack of clothing

Kev raised his eyebrows, then crossed the room to her side. " I'm serious Ms. . . ?

"Jaetina Weaver. And you are starting to get on my nerves, Mr. . .?"

"Ahn Tar. *Kev* Ahn Tar." He picked up her hand and kissed it. "The pleasure is mine." Smiling he said, "I know youre busy now so we'll discuss the details after the show-- over dinner. I'll send a skimmer to pick you up, say, 10 pm?

Jaetina shook her head and cast her eyes ceilinigward. "Make a note of this-- Every time I say an evening cannot get stranger, I'm wrong." She shrugged at Kev. "Ten sounds fine, thank you. But if you think it's any more than a dinner between colleagues, get the thought out of your head now so I don't have to hurt you later."

Kev laughed. "Business only. I promise I'll be on my best behavior.

Jaetina extended her claws and grinned. "You'd better be." Behind her, a model fainted. "Oh for gods' sake. Has no one on this planet heard of a Tivonan before?"

* * *

Sulis walked around to the back of the building where he found an open door. He stepped inside and his eyes widened at the disarray. Clothing was drapped over racks and chairs and tables. What seemed like hundreds of pairs of shoes scattered the floor. And the women were in several stages of dress. He continually had to avert his eyes as he made his way to the Tivonan.

Tivonans, he had learned (having been ordered by Kev hours earlier to research everything he could about them) had a fetish for bright colors. Their incisor teeth and nails grew longer when angry, and they rarely left their homeworld.

There had, in fact, been several articles on Ms. Jaetina Weaver in the Omena Business Briefs list that Kev subscribed to.

Jaetina was looked down upon by her race for leaving her homeworld. She was a fledgling artist-- this show had been her first major break in the design world.

And the only reason Kev was here was the model he was dating. Er-- no longer dating, Sulis reminded himself, sucking in his breath as a young woman wearing nothing but a pair of undergarments slinked past him.

Jaetina watched as the last model finally came back into the dressing room and let out a quick sigh. She'd thought this show would never end. Much preferred just showing the clothes, she thought, not trying to deal with all these people. Now there was cleanup to take care of . . . she turned to survey the damage and saw the tall, panicky-looking man standing in the middle of the room. "Excuse me," she said. He didn't look dangerous, but neither did she recognize him. "What are you doing here?"

"Kev sent me," Sulis said, quickly stepping forward so that his back was to the rest of the room. Kev had also instructed that he wasn't to take no for an answer and he was slightly nervous that the beautiful woman would not want to come. "To bring you to the restaurant?" he added.

Jaetina cursed. Over the past two hours, she'd nearly forgotten. She turned to her assistant. "Please get the clothes hung up and the room locked. Don't worry about organization; I'll deal with that tomorrow. Thank you." Then she looked around for her purse.

This was going to be a lovely task, she thought, lifting shirts and skirts off of chairs. One of the models was complaining loudly about how she thought these clothes were 'weird' and, recognizing her as the girl who'd been complaining earlier, she wondered both how she'd ever gotten a job in the first place and if Voori had *incredibly* strict laws as to murder.

She ran her hands through her hair, nearly letting out a snarl when they got temporarily stuck in the tangles. Then she spotted her purse and grinned triumphantly as she snatched it up. "All right. Now I'm ready."

Sulis stepped back as she went by, then hurried after her, trying to remember all the instructions Kev had given him. He made it to the door of the skimmer and got it open for her then climbed in the other side and nodded for the driver to take off. It was obvious that the Tivonan had a fiesty nature. He wasn't sure how good that would be for Kev-- the women he usually dated were docile and hung on his every word. Perhaps he was looking for a change. Sulis guessed he'd find it with Jaetina Weaver.

Oh gods, Jaetina thought as she exited the skimmer several moments later and looked at the entrance to the restaurant. This was not a place to just sit and relax, this was one of those see-and-be-seen places. Not that she wasn't dressed well, but she'd also dressed for a fashion show, not a classy restaurant. She looked over at Sulis as he opened the door for her. What in the world was wrong with him? He'd been doing that constantly. "This might be hard to fathom, but I do understand how a doorknob works."

Sulis murmured an aplogy as he escorted her to a side door and tapped on the glass for the attendent Kev had stationed there to let them in. "This way, please," he told Jaetina, guiding her through the crowded diningroom to the private area overlooking the deck and the sweeping panoramic view of the city lights reflecting off the dark surface of Silver Lake.

Kev drew himself to his feet when he saw them come in and dismissed Sulis as soon as Jaetina was seated in her chair. "Thank you for coming," he told her.

"Thank you for inviting me," she said. If learning his name hadn't let her know that he came from a wealthy family, this seat and the view would've. Being someplace open with an actual view of the outdoors was a relief after spending hours in front of her loom making minor repairs to clothes and trying to keep a group of generally volatile people organized. She brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, frowned when she realized it was bushing out more than usual. It was probably standing on end after tonight, she thought. "My apologies for looking a fright, though."

"No need," he said. "You couldn't look more lovely to me." He seated himself. "And your dress-- the colors remind me of a sea shell that's used to make Voorian jewelry. Have you ever been in Voori's ocean, Jaetina?"

This one was obviously a flatterer, she thought, smiling. "No, I haven't. But I've had several people tell me it's beautiful."

Two members of the waitstaff arrived to fill their glasses with a sparkling blue liquid. Kev waited till they'd left before continuing. "You'll have to then," he said. "I'll take you sailing tomorrow. My great grandfather was a ship builder. Our fleet is considered the most beautiful on the continent. But enough about Voori. Tell me about your show tonight. I was serious about buying."

She considered it a testament to whatever remained of her self-control this evening that she didn't choke on her drink. "I'm glad. The show went fairly well, I think-- I lived, anyway," she joked. "One of the models nearly didn't."

"Oh?" Kev asked, taking a sip from his glass. "What happened?"

"Caiette modeled well," she said. "Nothing wrong on that front. But every word out of her mouth was a complaint or insinuation that she was too good to be starring in some "back-worlder's" show. Lovely face, but nothing behind it except air and ego."

Kev cleared his throat. "Excuse me," he said, motioning Sulis to the table with a flick of his finger. He spoke in a whisper to the other man who then promptly left the restaurant. "Caiette won't trouble you again, I promise. Too bad you have to suffer people like that. From what I've heard your business is a difficult one to work in. I'm lucky. I have a superior assistant at my beck and call. Sulis is the best."

"I suppose so," she said. "I've never really dealt with all this before. Normally I just wear the clothes I design myself, and stand at my wares booth." Then she raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean she won't trouble me again? She made sure everyone in the room knew she models in every fashion show here, so if I come back. . ."

"Caiette works for one of the agencies owned by my family," Kev said. "Sulis has just gone to inform her that she's been dismissed. And as for your coming back here--" He reached down beside his chair and pulled out a small porfolio which he pushed across the table. "Take a look at these. I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of making a few projections-- I think a show on Miena to start-- I'll personally send out the invites to my friends and business aquaintences-- and then a booth on each of the traveling hubs in the Omena fleet. Eventually, we'd open on Kiactual."

"I. . ." This was ridiculous. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been honestly speechless. But she'd barely had a chance to let the information about Caiette sink in when he was opening the portfolio. "Don't mind at all," she said, smiling as she looked up at him. "I think it's going to be a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Ahn Tar."

"Great!" Kev exclaimed, flashing her a bright smile. "Of course, you'll have to meet my father but I'm sure that will go smoothly. We'll do that in morning and have the afternoon for ourselves. He'll love what he sees, just like I did. I'll have Sulis draw up the contracts tonight. Now--" he picked up his glass and leaned forward for a toast. "For being in the right place at the right time-- for new business ventures, for new friendships." He raised the glass.

She hesitated, wondering again what was going on, then raised her own glass, nodding once when he clinked them together. Apparently some kind of good-luck charm, she thought, taking a drink when he did. Thinking of other customs, she couldn't help a quiet laugh. "I'm just glad your father doesn't have the same ritual for visitors as our village Elders."

Kev finished his drink and waited as the waitstaff returned to fill it, informing them that the first course would be served momentarily. "What ritual is this?" he asked, his expression revealing genuine interest. Jaetina's colorful attire might be what had first got his attention but her exotic looks and figure had kept his mind fixated on wanting to know her better.

"Well, visitors to our world are expected to wear something from Tivona, as an allegiance of sorts, a sign they've done some form of research about where they're going. If they come without it, and still want to talk to the village Elders-- they're told to fight one of the guards and win.

"The guards only display their claws for show; they'd never actually use them on someone not similarly equipped." Her lips curved in a quick grin. "Still, we've had several tourists leave in a great hurry."

"I can imagine!" He laughed and reached across the table for her hand, examining her finger tips. "What makes you angry, Jaetina?"

If he'd been a friend, she would've said, 'being touched unexpectedly'. But since she couldn't be entirely sure he would take it as a joke, she opted for honesty. "Cowardice."

He nodded, sitting back as their plates were delivered. "I've heard Tivonans are fierce fighters-- both the men and the women. Remind me never to get on your bad side, okay?"

"At the moment, that would take a lot of work," she said. Then she thought over his first statement. The few people she'd met who'd known anything at all about her culture seemed to easily misinterpret it. Hopefully that wasn't the case here. "And you heard correctly. But our battles are far from meaningless. Our world isn't free of predators, and the ability to withstand an attack without crying has often meant
the difference between life and death."

Kev, listened, fascinated, with the tales of bravery she told about her world, and the steps the Tivonan's took to ensure their prowess in the field. And he thought his hour at the gymnasium each morning was tough! He tried to imagine what it would be like to live on Jaetina's homeworld. Voori itself was mostly ocean, and its one continent was well-developed. The wildest thing about Voori was the ocean, which he loved fiercely, and mostly because it was so unpredictable.

He found himself talking about his childhood, of the weeks on end spent sailing, and roaming island shores, he even told her of his mother's drowning, though he left out the specific details of that.

He was surprised when the waitstaff came to remove the last of their empty dishes from the table, even more surprised to see that they were the only people left in the large establishment. "Looks like we've outstayed our welcome," he said. "Where are you staying tonight, Jaetina?"

"The . . . umm--" She opened her purse and took out the
hastily-scrawled address card. "The Central Avenue Hotel."

Kev tried not to wince as he took the card and tucked it into his jacket pocket. "It would be a pleasure to have you stay at the Ahn Tar guest house tonight. Besides-- you'll want to catch my father early and if you're at the complex already, you'll have more time to go over the contract. I'll just call Sulis and have him retrieve your things."

Jaetina worked at holding back a laugh. He reminded her of Caltha. The Elder's daughter had been confident to the point of not even asking other people's opinion half the time. The trait had infuriated Keatin sometimes, but she'd grown up next door to the other girl, and they'd been good friends. She'd found that the best way to deal with her was only challenge on important topics instead of every little thing.

That would be a good route to take here as well, she decided. And this was a small thing. "Thank you. And I take it the Central Avenue Hotel isn't recommended by the locals?"

"Um," he paused, not wanting to offend her, then laughed. "Not really. But don't worry-- I have a feeling next time this year you'll be booking all your stays in the Empireal Hotel."

"You're certainly optimistic," she said. Then she spoke, keeping her tone light. It was possible she'd imagined some of the looks he'd given her over the course of this evening, but she didn't think so. And the conversation had strayed to the personal more than once. "So, do you invite all your visiting business associates to stay in your guest house?"

"Only the most beautiful ones," he said, holding the door for her. He laughed at her expression. "Seriously, it's what the guest house is for. When you see the complex, you'll understand. My mother hated it when my father had to leave home to deal with business so they built the business around the estate. Now it's pretty much a combination of both home, 'office' and visitor center. And it's big. There's skimmer service between all the buildings though, on the mark, round the clock. You'll see."

"You have skimmer service at your home," she repeated, feeling vaguely dazed all of a sudden. "That's nice."

Kev caught her elbow and steered her toward their waiting vehicle. He was feeling extremely high tonight and it had nothng to do with the bottle of Demaris Blue, most of which he'd infused himself. He'd never met anyone even remotely like Jaetina Weaver, though the nearly overwhelmed expression on her face now was more than familiar to him. Good thing it's dark, he thought as they pulled through the large front gate and found their way down several winding lanes to the guest house. Maybe she wouldn't notice that it was larger than the Central Avenue Hotel if he took her around to the back door.

Jaetina spent most of the ride reminding herself that next time she held a show, she needed to remember to eat sometime earlier in the day. And try to actually sleep the night before. Then maybe she'd do an altogether better job of keeping her wits about her.

All thoughts of wit vanished when she stepped out of the skimmer and looked around for the guest house. There wasn't one in sight.

Looking down at the walkway the skimmer had stopped at the end of, she took a few steps and then looked to the other end, blinking when she saw an enormous shadow of a building.

Wondering if his father owned all of this planet or simply 3/4 of it, she slanted him a grin that her best friend would've called 'loopy' and said, "Well, this is nice, but I was frankly hoping for something with a little closet space."

Kev started to laugh and then her legs began to fold and he caught her in his arms as she fainted. He got her to a room and put her on the couch then hurried into the bathing square and dampened a handcloth for her forehead. Sulis arrived with her luggage and immediately suggested calling for a Nurse. "If she doesn't wake up soon, yes," Kev agreed, thinking it was probably a combination of the drink and the heat. Orad Dun was situated along the median line and even with the evening ocean breezes the heat could be stifling to non-natives with lower body temps.

Jaetina slowly opened her eyes, clenching her hand into a fist when she felt someone touching her forehead. Then her sight focused enough to see Kev, and Sulis hovering in the background.

"What--?" she muttered. She remembered getting out of the car, and making some joke about the closets in this place. . .

"You fainted," Kev told her. "How do you feel now?"

"Would you like a nurse?" Sulis added.

"No. No, certainly not," she said, mortified at the idea of anyone else knowing about this. Besides, she was fine.

"And I did not faint." The word itself nearly made her wince in disgust. "I just. . ." Then she saw the skeptical looks both of them were giving her, and sighed. ". . . took a nap standing up," she finished wryly.

"Whatever you say," Kev said. "You definitely need some rest. You've had a long day, and that's my fault. Sulis will pick you up in the morning. I'll see the staff wakes you in time for breakfast. If you need anything at all, Jaetina, just com the front desk. I'll leave my number there, too."

Thank the gods, she thought. If he'd insisted on any more substitute-Nurse behavior, or actually brought a Nurse in here, she probably wouldn't have been able to help a growl.

"Thank you," she said, getting to her feet. She'd go to
bed immediately after they left, true, but she wasn't going to just lie here and watch them leave like some kind of invalid.

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