In Vino Veritas [Evening 1]

[Emcas]

"The Bene Geserith" he replied "You landed at the same time at the same place and they invited your compagnons to see the Games. They extended the same invitation to you for some unknown reason and, despite your pilote initial refusal, they insisted and you did not want to take the risk to refuse them a second time."

He paused

"As for my presence...I was there as a guard for Lady Salomea."

He shrugs

"I doubt your contact here will spend much effort to probe the Sisterhood for veracity"

[Hadrian Martikova]

"Depends on whether or not the sisters are at the heart of the matter I suppose." He joked. "Alright, the place we're going is a successful restaurant chain called Oinomatopoeia. Know anything about the owner?"

They would have to get the smell of this meal off of them. No doubt Chilon would clock it, even if he wasn't paying someone to keep apprised of Hadrian's movements.

__________

@Kannon

OOC: In order to burn off the remainder of the evening I am willing to invest in information gathering on Chilon. Up to 5k solari, discreetly asking around the neighborhood. The three of us can roll this one.

[Kannon]

[Hard Charm, Streetwise or Underworld roll w/ 2 Challenge and a Setback. 1k per person to attempt it, getting pricier by 200 for each Threat. On success, the type and quality of information depends on the Skill chosen. Triumph on a failure means you have learnt something interesting but very tangential to Chilon. Despair means unknown bad things to you going forward.]

[Hadrian Martikova]

Charm | Greased Palms Activated | "Mind Well Seeded" Statement / Since info gathering: 3eP+1eA+1eD+2eC+1eS 2 successes


-1000, Paid for info
-50, "Greased Palms" to upgrade check

[Kannon]

After splurging on a new suit and cologne Hadrian was able to get cosy with a mid-aged but well-kept bon vivante who opened up on what had been coming through the grapevine after some expensive drinks. In a locale of Chilon's competition, amid an increasingly suggestive merriment that could make Laila a bit angsty, Hadrian would learn that Chilon had indeed had some changes in his business profile. He had recently accepted an investment in his chain from a business partner from Chusuk using a name that could be an alias - Buenaventura. That mysterious entrepreneur was apparently bringing in new contacts and suppliers to let Chilon scale up, including a portfolio of Mutelli beverages that had allegedly led Chilon to cancel on several of his Caladanan partners and offload their gauche fare to mid-range bars. The rest of the menu was changing too, getting more interplanetary and apparently more Mutelli-like, to reflect the trends in the Imperium after Duke Flambert's successful takeover of a CHOAM Directorship. There is talk that Oinomatopeia's reprofiling might involve adding new services, like semuta parlours, as Chusuk would be the natural source of musical performers to go with the drug. It all made the Harmothepi boheme quite excited and Chilon had already experienced early windfall through this word-of-mouth marketing. The opening hours were extended to accommodate the increase in reservations. But this was as much Hadrian could learn if he didn't want the lady by the name Evora to get too handsy.

[Emcas]

Emcas shook his head

"I do not"

[Hadrian Martikova]

Hadrian would more or less share the information with Laila and Emcas.

[Laila Bridger]

"Mutelli... maybe we should send Cuyler his way?"

[Emcas]

Emcas grew stern, wary of the implication the change of wineries might imply.

''Mayhaps''

[Kannon]

For now, Hadrian dismissed the idea, confident that he could handle the relationship with Chilon on his own. So as the man's business seemed to be still open, he decided to go for it.

/scene