Setting up a meeting with the Minister

Posted on Fri Jul 31st, 2020 @ 1:14am by Station Services Melan Kholia & Plexie El Plexuco
Edited on on Fri Jul 31st, 2020 @ 5:35am

Mission: This Week's Special
Location: Miss Kholia's Work Suite, Tenzing Momo Spa and Hotel
Timeline: Current

Starting the day when she had no clients scheduled was less tiresome than days when she did have an appointment first thing. Melan would start with a long and luxurious bath in her suite, avoiding her work suite to set up appointments. The two suites were linked via a shared bathroom so often she would not bother to fully dress until she would open up her cortex access, a screen built into her vanity mirror that could be accessed via the slide of a finger over the sensor on the side.

With no need to apply makeup and instead a simple lotion to help keep her skin touchably soft. Once she had wiped the excess off and pulled a loose satin kimono over her nude form she activated the cortex, immediately greeted by a screen of clients who had submitted a request for time. With a gesture, she dismissed until she was left with several wealthier potential clients.

"Oh, do tempt me," she said to herself as she tapped the screen to activate the application.

The applicants ranged in age and general appearance from the relatively young, to quite elderly. Their account information showed them within her acceptable levels of affluence to contract with.

The first applicant was a man in his late twenties, impeccable hair. The recorded proposition ran as follows: Miss Kholia, Hello. I am traveljng near the skyplex on business next week and wanted to see if you were available for new clients. I expect to spend a bunch of time at the Casinos and would appreciate the lovliness of your presence on my arm. I think we would make a dashing pair, and it should be most distracting to other players at the tables. I am willing to pay your usual rate, as well as cut you in for a percentage of the winnings if you can prove an effective distraction. Thank you for considering this offer."

The next inquiry was decidedly older with a long mustache. "Howdy Miss Kholia. I got me a big load of grain to trade at the Skyplex this Wednesday. I was thinking it would be good to celebrate a bountiful harvest with fine young thing. I'd be mighty pleased if you were to consider my application."

The third message was odd with no direct picture of the client, but a flashing indicator on his bank account. Upon playing the message a woman's face appeared. "Hello Miss Kholia, I am contacting you on behalf of Minister Buford Carnahan. The Minister will be performing an inspection of Greenleaf Skyplex where you are located. He would like to retain an exclusive contract for your services for the duration of his stay on the skyplex. I understand if your schedule is booked, but Minister Carnahan will compensate you for lost business during his stay. If these terms are acceptable to you please contact us. We will arrive at the skyplex in the next 36 hours. If you agree to the contract, you will be contact and expected to stay with the Minister until he releases you."

Though the first two were usual fair and Melan would have normally accepted both and made a tidy profit. A gambler would likely eat most of the time on the casino floor and it was easy enough to be a distraction. The other was simply a man who wanted to celebrate, likely going to want to drink, a massage, and nothing overly kinky.

But the third was too tempting to refuse, or at least too tempting to not hear out.

She tapped the contact button. "This is Miss Kholia, I am interested in your offer, please contact me to further discuss terms and conditions," she said in a voice as smooth as oil on glass. Now it was simply a matter of waiting to hear back.

The wait did not take long. Shortly the Cortex chimed. The woman's face from the recording filled the wave. "Thank you for considering our application Miss Kholia. The terms set forth in the previous communication are being sent to you..." The screen flickered. A man, handsome but slightly overweight filled the screen. "Miss Kholia, may I call you Melan? I am Minister General Buford T. Carnahan III. I thought you and I should get acquainted instead of drolling through the usual contractual formalities. I will be straight and to the point. I have considerable standing in the Alliance Parliament. It is to my advantage to have a beautiful, cultured woman such as yourself as my companion while I inspect the station in my official capacity in the Ministry of Commerce. I would also benefit from your knowledge of the station personnel. Additionally I appreciate the charms of a skilled woman. You would be retained for the duration of my work on the Skyplex. You will be treated as one of my staff on the Skyplex. You will attend meetings, I will seek your advice and insight. I hope you and I might be able to make a mutually advantageous situation together. I look forward to meeting you shortly Melan."

The screen flashed away. some mumblings could be heard. "Finish the call and get things set up." The woman's face returned. "... as I was staying, the contracts have been waved to you. If you have any stipulations to add please let me know and I will amend them to the contract." The woman' face remained steady and calm. She was doing her job.

Melan smiled patiently, she understood. Men in power often liked to step on the woman below them. For a man like that she would be charging full price, the guild forbade her pushing higher. "Please be aware that I am forced to turn down a number of offers to accept this contract. I will be expecting the Minister to cover both the booking fees and one fourth the client bill for both. My usual rate is 350 credits an evening and 450 credits for a full day," She spoke smoothly, well rehearsed lines were never hard to say again and again. "As this contract is cutting off two clients I will be asking for a 175 credit fee as well as a 100 credit booking fee, in addition to 450 credits for each day the Minister wishes to keep my services. I will want half now and half at the completion of the contract. If you client withdraws from this contract for any reason I will expect half of the remaining balance for each day of the rest of the contract. Now, how many days was the Minister thinking about keeping me for?"

Discussing details seemed to put the woman on the other end of the wave at ease. "Your rate is acceptable. The Minister is aware that he will be impacting your business. Your terms are reasonable. Minister Karanhan expects to be on the Skyplex for a week with the option to extend as needed." The woman touched something off screen. "Your 50% retainer should be in your account. I have also given a per diem allowance for clothing that you would select to harmonize with a man of his station. Minister Carnahan is in a position to be most generous in return for your time and talents."

A flag blinked on Melan's cortex that she had indeed received funds in her account. "I trust we have a contract then. We will expect to see you when we land in 36 hours."

Melan glanced at her cortex feed when the flag dinged that displayed her bank information, she suppressed a smile. "If you can send me an itemized list of the wardrobe the Minister is traveling with I can ensure our outfits will be complementary. Any expenses for clothing, equipment, or specialized items will be included in my final itemized bill," she said with a gentle smile. "If you let me know your flight itinerary I can meet you upon docking at the station."

The woman's eyes looked relieved, although her expression did not change. "Excellent. A manifest of the minister's wardrobe is being sent to you. Please include all expenses necessary. The minister values a high profile appearance. Thank you for contracting with us. Our exact itinerary will be relayed to you as well. We will see you in 36 hours."

The transmission cut off. Shortly all the requested items would arrive in her Cortex.

Leaning back in her seat Melan could not help but smile to herself. An entire week with a Minister, a full week of everything covered by a rich idiot. The only concern was how much of an ass he was and how freaky he would want to get. Of course she had no problem dealing with either, but politicians were a weird bunch. They tended to either be soft spoken in public and flat out vile in private or vile in public and gentle in private, a rare few were both.

But a contract was a contract and he didn't have a black mark on his file. It meant that she was bound to do her duty. It's what it meant to be part of the guild, once she took the contract she was sworn to fulfill it... unless something happened... She dreaded the thought something might.