<em><strong>"I've got the stream up and broadcasting," </strong></em>a voice came in her ear.<em><strong> "To uh, the ship.  Yeah, the ship, so I'm here!  Supporting you!  And that sexy fucking dress you're wearing."</strong></em>It seemed like the hacker had slipped her a little something extra for keeping up with him.<br/><br/>The guard stepped into the winding curved elevator and held a hand out to keep it from closing behind her.  Once she was inside he blinked at a wall panel through his tactiCool shades and<em>schwoosh</em>, they were off!<br/><br/>Half a minute later the elevator<em>dinged</em>to a stop.  Even though it felt like they'd been swinging around something the whole time with a stomach churning shift of gravitational pull she couldn't help but notice as the door dinged and she was hustled out onto a bedazzling white ballroom floor that emanated power and authority.  A smattering of guests in elegant attire, mixed with those too paranoid in person represented by remotely controlled drones: normally slender, elegant affairs.  Others compromised and drove around exoskeletons.<br/><br/>Then there were waiters, a combination of robots and humans, who all stood at the ready to bring refreshments.<br/><br/>The room was organized around a large central chamber, but off to one side was a lowered area, almost like an inverted stage or pit of some kind.  Its edges danced with a various muted colours.  Nobody seemed to pay it any mind, although it certainly had cut out circles in its base that could allow for something to be brought in through a false floor...<br/><br/><strong>"Oooh AleXxXis, so wonderful to see you daaahling.  Tell me," </strong>a stout white-bearded man approached and began talking to her, "how many do you think you can fit?  Oh where are my manners you don't have a drink in your hand!  Garçon, some champagne for the lady!"<br/><br/>Many other eyes turned towards her, some particularly scrutinizing.<br/><br/><strong>"My, that's quite the face lift you've gotten, isn't it?  Get tired of the old set of..."</strong>a woman from across the room grabbed her own quite supple breasts by way of explanation.  Indeed, it seemed not a few of them were familiar with who she was<em>supposed</em>to be.<br/><br/>There were two other women here in very scant attire compared to the classy guests.  One wore a red one-piece leotard with stands cut from it, made of a similar material to Etoile's own bodysuit.  The other wore a largely see-through outfit (https://i.pinimg.com/564x/ec/60/98/ec60980b7141e11d2bfcb657dd0f091e.jpg) that danced with various colours and degrees of opacity, leaving various bits to the imagination at certain times but never the whole package.  Both gave her casual backwards head nods, as if acknowledging a fellow professional.<br/><br/>Etoile could use her<strong>Diplomacy</strong>skills to try getting more out of these people, but she had to be careful not to blow her cover...