Ar the contrary of what most crime lords and information brokers of Moksha would do in her case, Sara Ferreira liked to conduct her meetings when the most people were dancing in the club. That way, it would be incredibly more difficult for anyone trying to hear anything from outside.

And that particular night, it would be good for that executive of the Martian Trade League and his son and nephew, that no one heard them making fools of themselves in her presence.

"I will repeat myself one more time, because it seems you are hard of hearing." Sara said stretching on her semicircular couch, with a glass of florian whisky on her hand. "When we arrived at the landing pad, we asked the pilot for the codes. They were correct, so we loaded the packages on the ship, and said goodbye. Our job was to protect the weapons during the land transport from the warehouse to the subport. What happened later is your responsibility, and your problem."

"And I tell you that what happened later, couldn't had happened, unless someone had followed you!" the martian entrepreneur responded. "Back in the core worlds, such incompetence would had never been allowed."

"We are in the core worlds. In Moksha we don't take lightly people say otherwise. But you are new, so I will overlook it. Also, I'm willing to overlook that you blame me of an information leak that came from your own organization. What I'm not willing to overlook, is that you haven't paid me yet the second half of the money you owe me. So pay up now, or…"

"Or what?"

Xabarían then came out of the shadows of the room, cracking his neck and his knuckles, and putting himself between them, and the exit.

The youngest of the group, the nephew, a young black man with shaved hair, rounded glasses and a light blue short kurta, looked if not the most scared, yes the most cautious. He seemed to observe with care the actions and words of his uncle and cousin. The second, a beardly mulatto and twirly short hair seemed to struggle with his anger, probably offended because a low citizen of the backwater of the city dared to talk to them like that. His father, a paunchy black man with a crest, still seemed confident.

"Ha! You wouldn't dare. Do you know who I am?"

"Oh, I know perfectly who you are." she leaned forwards, without moving from her seat, or losing her smile. "The thing is, do you realize yet where you are?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"This is Moksha, my friend. More importantly, this is Vaikuntha. People come here constantly from both, the inner, and outer halves of the union, looking to disappear into the other. I don't need to do anything to you. I just need to keep you here, and simply make a call to anyone that might be interested in knowing it."

"Like who, bitch?" the son asked with resentment and contempt.

"Alfons Klimczak and his Bull-Sharks, for example."

The father and son freezed with clear fear on their faces. The nephew, on the other hand seemed more in control of his emotions. Because even on Adrestia, Mars, that name was known and feared, thanks to the word of mouth of fearful traders.

"I mean, the richer and more powerful, the more he loves his preys. It truly would be a mistake on your part to be walking along the Shadow Districts at night with all of that fancy expensive clothing on you. Would anyone be surprised if those dirty, repugnant thugs made the drop on you?"

Finally, father and son seemed with nothing to say. With the first finally breaking his arrogant demeanor.

"I… now understand your disposition, miss. We will proceed to pay you the second half of our aforementioned deal. But you need to understand that it can't be right away. With payments of that quantity, our trade has to move carefully to not call the attention of anyone in the DIT. We can't pay you straight away. It may take some time."

"Don't worry, Mr. Folami. I'm a compassionate person. After Byrum, interempires trade has been harsh for your trade. Lot of losses and aborted deals, and finding so much credits can be difficult. So, you are free to go, as long as you pay me under a period of 48 hours."

"Thank you for your understanding, Miss Ferreira. We are grateful you are such a generous business partner."

Almost nervously, Gudina Folami indicated with a head gesture to his son Lencho, and his nephew Mavuto, to move to the door. But as the first of them was about to reach it.

"But." as Sara spoke, Xabarín put himself at the door again. "You need to understand that less reputable partners of your trade in the past, have motivated me to take precautions in this kind of deals."

"Of course we understand." Gudina spoke, as if nothing were going wrong.

"It's not that I suspect you in particular would try to skip planet without paying me. But in this kind of transactions, is best to ask of the other to leave a bail. And in this case, it would be a person."

Father and son did not take time to fix their sights on the son of the sister of the first. They seemed almost happy to hear that words. As if they were waiting for an excuse to get rid of him. Mavuto let out a sigh, more with resignation, than preoccupation.

"Oh, of course, miss. Then, would you allow my nephew Mavuto to make you company until Sunday night as much, while we get to the bottom of this misunderstanding with a thorough investigation?"

"Of course I allow it, good sir. And if you have any clue about the despicable men than stole your cargo, don't doubt to contact me, and I would see how can I be of any help."

"Without a doubt, Miss Ferreira. You have our greetings."

"Goodnight, good sirs."

Xabarín opened the sliding door for father and son, leaving Mavuto looking at him with a neutral indecipherable expression. The martian then took a look at Sara Ferreira, that gestured him to come near with her fingers, without losing her smile.

He did as she asked, but as he was to take seat on the armchair his uncle was sitting moments ago.

"No. Come here, please." she patted next to her, on the long semicircular couch.

The martian acknowledged her, and without giving signs of nervousness, but yes of a little incommodity, he sat next to her.

"You are very silent, boy. Relax a little. You can speak to me, if you want."

"Sorry, miss. I just don't have as much practice on business and meetings as my uncle."

"After the one you pulled out last night, no one would say that."

Mavuto suddenly went rigid, and Sara turned her head towards Xabarín.

"Leave us."

Just as the wessari obeyed her, Sara picked up another glass, and offered it to the black martian.

"Do you drink?"

"... Yes. Thanks."

Sara filled his glass of whisky, as he pulled out his glasses and left them on the table.

"The story behind how I know that is long and complicated, and I would prefer not to expose too many of my professional secrets. I'm sure you understand. But it took me a little while to wrap my head around as to why would you want to steal from your family's company."

"And what are your conclusions, miss?" Mavuto asked in a more relaxed manner, tasting his drink.

"Part of them, only came to my head just moments ago during this meeting. Is obvious neither your uncle or your cousin respect you, so I counted on them leaving you here. This way, we have liberty to talk in private without any unwanted suspicions. Also, I would had missed the opportunity of seeing how good you look without the glasses on otherwise. But I'm more interested on knowing what lurks on your mind than your face. Am I correct in assuming the same goes for the rest of the family and the company? That they do not respect you, or want to get rid of you?"

"It's not that they do not respect me." he looked at her the eyes, with a cold brown gaze. "It's just that my defunct mother was to inherit most of the actions of the company, the day my grandfather got to die."

"Ah, yes. That's the part I already knew. Your grandfather is still kicking, but her favorite daughter perished in a tragic strange accident. Let me add I'm sorry for your loss. You were very young, and you seemed to end under the care of your envious ambitious uncle."

"The envious part would not bother me much, if he at least was intelligent." even with his obvious quip, he seemed more angry than amused.

"So, I assume you do not hold the privileged the same privileged position your mother did in front of the eyes of your grandfather, and that your uncle would prefer the business did not move towards you under any circumstances."

"Correct. If you want more details from my life and motivations, I do not mind to elaborate. But I would like if you pointed me were my mistake was. To evade future leaks in my operations."

"That's the other thing. That's one of the secrets I would prefer to keep to myself. But to ease your mind, I have no idea who the crew you contacted was, and from where did they came. Only than you did it, and I had to say, it was a very difficult track to follow. And I'm really good at it. So I assume you are not only the handsome one of the family, but the most intelligent."

"Thanks for the compliments, but they are not needed. For proper good manners, I have to say you also seem very gifted in the physical beauty aspect, and the mental one. Not anyone could had been able to track me, taking into account all the measurements I take. Even if Moksha is still a relatively new scenario for me. But I would prefer if you elaborated more in what the point of talking in private with me, was. Extortion? I assure you. Neither my family, nor the company, provide me with the assets needed to pay you the amount I assume a woman of you ambition would ask."

"No, no. You can relax. That's not what I want." she grabbed him by the chin, so he would keep looking at her beautiful blue eyes. "What I want, is of you to make businesses with me in Moksha. A personal and exclusive deal."

"Hmf. Interesting approach." he gently moved her hand away. "What kind of businesses?"

"I presume you eventually will try to take control of the company, and the statal sponsorships and privileges that come with it, away from your family, and for you alone. I can help you cover up any of your more illicit operations on Vaikuntha, and if you get to succeed, work for you at an affordable price, while we pass each other valuable information."

"I see." Mavuto finally smiled, and left his rigid posture for a far more relaxed one, rotating in his seat towards here. "I have an idea of the kind of valuable information you could provide me with, from down here. But, I must ask, because I sincerely can't imagine. I'm merely a merchant. What kind of information that I have could provide to be useful for you?"

"DIT security codes." she answered, slowly emptying her glass.

When she finished it, she noted how Mavuto looked at her with an honest intrigued look.

"You are fascinating woman, Sara Ferreira."

"Thanks. I try. Kind of you to notice."

During a few moments, they remained looking at each other with prideful and admirational eyes, satisfied with the mutual understanding they had, and the qualities of the other. Mavuto was the first to break the glance, by looking at his antique watch.

"Well, this has proven to be a fruitful conversation. If there is nothing more to talk, I would prefer if we concluded the negotiations in the morning, so I have time to meditate your proposal." said leaving his empty glass on the table, and getting to his feet. "If you had planned this, I guess you have some room prepared for me to rest."

"Oh, I have. But if you are interested, there is another bed available. But there wouldn't be much rest involved."

"Why would be that?"

"Because it would be the mine."

For a moment, the martian was left without words, while Sara left her roguish smile afloat. It took him a moment to take composure and think his answer.

"Well." he smiled. "I'm not particularly tired today, anyway."

And they indeed did not slept much during the night. In fact, only two hours before dawn, Sara's bed was still violently shaking. Mavuto, comfortably stretched on it, holding her by the waist, with she on top, still riding him. With her nails burying themselves on his pecs, than accompanied a more muscular body than she initially expected.

The delight for both at the moment was obvious, just from their expressions. Much more for Sara, that after a final cry of pleasure in a night full of it, with the wave of sensations inside her slowly decreasing, let herself fall over him. Letting her head rest on his strong chest, with his well fitted arms slowly enveloping her. There was an smile of satisfaction on their faces, both completely exhausted, with their skins still tingling from the sensation and memory of the lips of the other on it, and still feeling the taste of one another in their mouths.

"Meu Deus. You truly are a genius." she spoke, struggling to catch air, holding tight to his chest until her legs stopped trembling.

"Thanks. And you truly are a master of this craft." he answered, caressing her soft pale skin, while enjoying the floral odour of her hair.

"Kind of you to notice. I rarely motivate myself so much to pleasure a man." she raised her head up, to look him at the eyes. "But you have earned it."

He smiled with satisfaction, and move the woman to a side so he could kiss her more comfortably. She reciprocated him willingly, and may had been on the mood for another round, if it wasn't for the sudden interruption of the door buzz.

"Fuck. Who could be at this hour?" she asked looking at the clock on her night table.

"Probably a drunk prankster, still partying. Ignore it. They are probably gone now." Mavuto said, still wanting to keep her on the mood by kissing her neck.

"Hmm… Probably."

Just as they were starting to kiss with the same passion as before, when they were practically tearing their clothing apart, the door buzz sounded again. This time repeatedly, and with urgency.

"Merda. Why is that I can't have a tranquil night of good sex and comfort lately?" she said violently storming off from the bed, simply looking for her panties.

She went to the exterior door, not the one connecting to the club, only with that and a t-shirt put on, only to have her face shifting from anger, to confusion, and then to worry, after seeing who was in front of the exterior camera.

"But… What?"

She did not hesitate to open the door. Outside it was raining, as it does 90% of the time in Moksha, and Sara did not want her to catch a pneumonia, soaking wet as this particular granddaughter of Kamla Mhasalkar seemed to be.

"Lila. What are the hell are you doing here?" said as she let her enter. "Do you have any idea who…?

She did not answered. Instead, the young aristocrat simply launched herself at Sara, holding to her, while desperately crying. All the anger Sara felt moments ago dissipated, not even caring that she now herself was getting cold and wet, and instead feeling an empathic sadness for the sorry state of her some nights lover, but always a friend.

"... Shhh… It's ok." said trying to bring comfort as she hugged her. "It's over. You are safe now."

"Yes." Lila answered, struggling to find the words. "But Nisha is not."

Sara hold her by the shoulders, and looked to her eyes as she asked.

"Nisha? Has something happened to your sister?"