The Capital's Underworld/An Unexpected Visit, Pt. 2

"But I think our business includes you now, Miss Oerstead. I believe that the Senator wanted your opinion, as a citizen of Ord Mantell, on the subject at hand. Namely if my existence as a provider of private security was warranted with the growing inability of the planet's police to handle the influx of citizens.", it was not only the millions evacuated from the Core Worlds, Coruscant in particular, that came here after this planet was declared the Republic's capital, and many such as this man profited from their arrival.

"Nass here is correct. He had an idea that I thought should be referred to New Alderaan's people. I thought you might give us your opinion," the Mon Calamari answers, looking toward the Medic and seeming quite serious about the question.

Myiari glances between the two men, considering the question carefully. "I don't see anything wrong with private security," the medic replies, folding her arms and crossing her legs. "If the people don't feel comfortable enough with the functioning of the planetary police force, then they can turn to private sectors until the local authorities become more capable. But," She pauses, focusing her gaze on Nass. "I don't necessarily agree with the way your 'private security' handles things, based on what I've seen of your men."

"And if I am owed money? After all, security experts require a lot of money and upkeep, and if someone doesn't pay up, that affects the level of service available to an entire neighbourhood.", Nass says, a brief nod having been offered at the concession given by the medic. "Gangs move in and the lowlifes take over." He turns next to the Mon Calamari, arched brow presaging his question, "An idea?"

"You _are_ the gangs and lowlives, Nass." Tokoga answers, narrowing his eyes at Nass. "Whatever colorful euphemism you care to mask it with, you're just the man at the top keeping his subordinates from fighting each other." Tokoga frowns. Ord Mantrell still hadn't had the fortune of discarding its underworld past, it would seem.

Myiari nods in agreement with the Senator. "The citizens of New Alderaan want to be kept SAFE," she adds. "They don't want to be harrassed or threatened when they can't afford to pay for your... 'services'. I'd hardly call what you and your thugs have been doing providing safety and security."

"Do you see swoop gangs descending on the shops, do you see vandalism and graffiti defacing entire streets? If you were in the position of a shopkeeper, would you rather ten gangs constantly hassling you or one company to which you pay a set and fair monthly fee?", the man replies, leaning back in his seat, arms crossed in front of him. That patient veneer starts to come off as he scowls at the Senator's...accusation. "If they can't afford to pay, I just make sure they know what's at risk."

"_What I see_," Tokoga says slowly and with heavy emphasis, standing up and leaning forward on his table with his hands, "is against both spirit and letter of the law. I don't need to know any more than that."

The medic very nearly rises out of her own seat, ready to seperate the two men, if necessary, though such a gesture might prove to be useless against Bavon Nass--a man considerably bigger and stronger than Myiari was. "Easy, Senator," she says cautiously. "Don't aggravate your injury further. If your business is truly legitimate, Mr. Nass, then there is no need to rough up your clients the way I've seen and heard your men do. The simple withdrawal of service is more than enough, otherwise you become little more than a common thug and bully.

It is perhaps remarkable how quickly he calms down at the medic's words, though it might be at least as much by the realization that his business here was not going as planned as anything else. "Perhaps, but if someone thinks they don't need my services, then a few other might get the idea and then some criminal figure sees a ripe figure. Perhaps the Senator, and yourself, would like to work with me in coming up with a way that does not interfere with my business interests too much and better follows your interpretation of the law."

"It's called debtor's court, Nass." Does he seriously mean what he's saying? The Senator finds it extremely difficult to believe that a population would ever invest any support in someone who spent their career roughing them up and doubtlessly engaging in at least other forms of extortion and racketeering. "Even failing that, having the business acumen to discriminate between clients who can reliably afford your ... services and those who cannot should be an ample substitute."

Myiari raises her hands in a warding gesture, shaking her head. "I'm a medic, not an entrepeneur," she replies. "Subjects of business and profit isn't a field I have any knowledge or experience in, and it's not something I have any interest in. If it's consultation you want, you're better of going to someone other than me for business advice."

"I see that this is getting us nowhere.", Badon says, a sigh offered while he stands up and rearranges his jacket, tugging down on its hem. "Here are my final words, one, I have never been charged once, two, none of those who are directors in my company have been similarly charged. Information you can confirm by simply looking up a registry of our employee list."In the future, you will do me the favour of either leaving my people alone or coming with warrants. I will not tolerate any harassment, and you would not like me to see to it that the media does not acquire a negative image of you, Senator." The threat made, he turns to Myiari, offering her, oddly enough, a quick smile before he waits for his summary dismissal after the provocative statement he made.

"_I'm_ not the one who showed up in _your_ office, Nass." Under an assumed name, no less, though the Senator doesn't add that additional thought. Tokoga reminds the man, sitting down again and running his finger along the small touch-sensitive slider on his desk that opened the door, a subtle message to the man that the meeting is over.

Myiari sighs inwardly, but offers Bavon Nass a polite, if not uneasy, smile as she settles back into her chair. She says nothing as the meeting comes to a close; she had been expecting to conduct a routine check-up that'd be done in less than ten minutes, but ended up walking in on the Senator conversing with a supposed crime lord. Ah well. At least it made her job interesting.