4984/d8, e8 Meet.

d8, e8 Meet.
Date of Scene:	02 February 2021
Location:	The Inner Sanctum - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Shaw and Selene reconnect, and plot the next move for the club.
Cast of Characters:	Sebastian Shaw, Selene Gallio

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Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Evening. The Hellfire Club is busy on the floors below, but for now, Shaw is up in the inner sanctum. He seems to be enjoying a bite to eat, polishing off a medium rare steak from one of the restaurants downstairs. The smell of the finely cooked meat permeates the room, as he sets aside his fork and knife, and then moves to the glass of whiskey he has sitting nearby.

It would seem Shaw is waiting for someone to arrive. The guards in the room have been dismissed. It is empty, but for him. He takes a long sip of his drink, and watches the elevator.

Selene Gallio has posed:
The Black Queen of the Hellfire Club comes and goes as she sees fit. Until recently, that's been more "go" than "come". She's been away. But now, she has returned. She steps into the inner sanctum, the thigh-high heels she's wearing clicking out a pace on the granite floor. She's dressed in her "classic" attire for the club, which is essentially a black corset, black panties, black thigh-high boots, and a long black cloak; the black counterpart to Emma's white outfit, as befits her status and rank.

She looks about, spotting Shaw, and her lips purse upwards in a slight smile. "Dining alone, Sebastian? I would have thought you'd have some pleasant company."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian Shaw smiles very slowly as the elevator opens and the Black Queen steps into the Sanctum. He stands up, and gives her a formal bow, before he motions her to join him eyes drinking in her figure in her skimpy outfit, "I had heard that a most alluring creature was back in our building, and I figured I should send away my triffles to focus my attention on the Queen who deserves all I can give her." His reply is a touch...playful? From the King.

He slides back into the throne at which he sits, and offers the scantily clad Queen, "Would you like a drink? It has been too long, Selene. I am eager to hear of your travels, and what plans you might have for us, now that you have returned." The us surely means the Club in this case.

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Charming as ever, Sebastian." Selene walks over to the table, and sits gracefully, sweeping her cloak behind her with a practiced motion as she takes her place in the seat. Her fingers, clad in their black opera gloves, reach out to take her wine glass. "My thanks."

She looks back at him, as she swirls the wine in the glass, scenting it briefly before sipping. "Now, now, Sebastian. You know I tend to my own business, just as you do yours. Not everything I do relates to the Club. Of course, now that I have returned, I will work to the benefit of the Club, and my own benefit as well."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"But of course." Sebastian replies, as he takes a sip of his drink. He considers the woman in front of him a little longer, as the alcohol from his glass of whiskey burns down his throat, and then says, "Though, you would be surprised how well that line works on most of our members."

"At least tell me of your travels? I have been in Tokyo for the past few months, cleaning up a mess that the Club there created for itself. I have decided to invest more time here to keep us from suffering the same...issues." Shaw explains, "And I am looking to expand, possibly to replace your White counterpart. Though, I think Ms. Frost will return sooner rather than later."

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Really?" Selene raises a slender eyebrow. "Dear Emma has fallen out of favor? Pity." She seems amused; Emma, of course, is her prime competition within the club, even if she doesn't really consider it an even match. "I have been in Europe. There were various matters of old business that I had to deal with there. What issues arose in Tokyo?"

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"Emma /left/ the Club, of her own volition. She seems to believe that she can go and join the Professor Xavier everyone hug and sing kumbayah school and bygones will be bygones, or that she can somehow disentangle herself from what she's done in the past. She will return. Of that I am certain. But for now she's busy getting booted off of corporate boards." Shaw seems to take some pleasure in Emma's recent removal at Frost Inc.

He takes another sip of his drink as he considers Selene's next question, "They...let themselves get complacent. And, when that happened, their membership dried up. People moved on to other spaces where they could generate more lucrative deals. They stagnated. And then, those few left with ambition but lacking the ability to usually climb the Club's hierarchy launched a small internal revolt. The Club crushed it of course, but I was brought in to consult with them about how they might...return to their rightful prominence." He then settles his gaze on Selene again, "I do not intend to allow that to happen here."

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Complacency kills. That remains true in any era. Honestly, if they were sloppy enough to allow themselves to be put in such a position, I would consider putting the challengers in their position. Unless, of course, there's some reason to keep the dead weight around. And if Emma has left, we should most DEFINITELY fill her position. Leaving it empty will only show our own weakness and indecision."

She sips at her wine again. "Did you have any appropriate candidates in mind? The white side in general could use some attention, I believe."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
Sebastian Shaw shakes his head, "Did you think I had been entirely addled by the geishas who warmed my bed while I was there? I was sure to...install individuals who showed the correct balance of promise and ambition in key places throughout their organization. Should they fail to root it out, next time they will find their opposition much stronger, and better able to weild power and influence against them."

He stands and walks over to where the bottle he had been working on sat, pouring himself another drink. "I agree. Though, as of right now, I have no leads. I am only just returned, and have spent the past two days on...admittedly...less pressing matters for the Club. But more pressing for my personal business. I had hoped to groom someone in coordination with you. And was thinking perhaps we look outside the organization for our next White Queen."

Selene Gallio has posed:
"Ahh, Sebastian." Selene smiles again, finishing her wine. "You see? You're part of the reason why I can go off and handle my personal business. I can always rely on you to handle things when I'm away. It's delightful to know there's someone so competent here."

Sebastian Shaw has posed:
"We would be blind to fail to see the parallels between what happened in Tokyo, and what Ms. Frost has done here. It requires us to act swiftly, and make sure that everyone knows that our Club is still...dedicated to excellence." Shaw replies, before he walks back to the table, though, he does not return to his seat. Instead he puts a hand on Selene's shoulder.

He reaches down with his glass, clinks it gently against hers, and then says, "To finding a new Queen," before he downs his whole drink in one shot.

Selene Gallio has posed:
Selene smiles. "Indeed." She reaches up with her free hand, putting it over Shaw's. "To finding a new Queen, and welcoming the return of the true Queen." She gives him a faint nod. "I will look over the records to consider some good prospects, if I can find any."