Pitch Black

[Akura]

Georgia ascended the large set of extravagant stairs, her hand tracing the golden handrail along the left-hand wall.

As she arrived at the top, the walls panned out into a rounded room, neat smooth walls made way for unnessesary decorations and trimmings. A large, floor to ceiling window showing the stunning view of Kansas. She could see the large nebula, of which she knew hid a dormant Nomad Gate, and on the right was Planet Topeka, a large beautiful gas giant.
This was the main VIP lounge of the Leavenworth, the lavish furniture and elegant paintings giving the room an elitist feel, suitable for the highest classes of Sirius.

Georgia sighed and proceeded into the room, admiring the high ceiling, detailed murals hugging the contours of the architecture.
One of the deckhands swept alongside her with a tray of drinks, offering her overpriced champagne from some exotic Zoner station deep in the Omicrons. She declined, taking a seat alone on a large sofa.

To her right, crowded together was a large bunch of Bretonian nobles, most likely related to the royal family, all chuckling to a racist joke.
To her left was a couple of rich girls, greedily chugging glass after glass of wine. One of the two Georgia recognised from the Neural-net, she was a popstar in Liberty, who had recently been involved in a scandal, something about a sex-tape of hers leaking to the public.

Georgia sighed, checking the delicate little watch on her right wrist. A rather large man hobbled over, sinking down onto the sofa beside her. His belt was struggling to keep his excessive belly under control, straining, ready to break at any moment.

"You aren't like everyone else here are you?" he asked, turning to look at her,

"I'm sorry?" Georgia turned to face him, "Have we met?"

"How rude of me" he extended a hand for Georgia to shake, "My name is Sir Thomas French"

"Georgia Brown" she smiled, shaking his chubby paw.

"You don't look like the useless sort, not like these" Thomas indicated to every other VIP in the room and chuckled, "These people are useless, disgusting, but you, you have purpose, what is it you are looking for my dear?"

"Nothing that I care to mention" Georgia sighed, sitting back into the cushions, "Just looking for someone is all"

"Well I am a business man" he beamed, "I deal in rare merchandise" he indicated to a beautiful amulet hanging from his neck, almost swallowed by his many chins.

"So an illegal Artifact smuggler then?" Georgia smiled, eyeing French's jewelry.

"I like to think of myself as more of an entrepreneur of sorts" he coughed, turning away from her and waving for a drink.