Ask Coruscant Wayward Child

[Julia Hipori]

Coruscant, a planet that was buzzing with life twenty-four seven.

A brilliant chromium sheened vessel sliced across the upper atmosphere of the city-planet, a Guild d'Lanseaux Star Yacht, its occupant, one of the most formidable players in the Corporate world. Julia Hipori was her name, and she really didn't want to be here.

Summoned back to Coruscant at the 'strong urgings' of her families security consultant, a man whose stony-faced warnings you rarely ignored, the corporate executive had left Etti IV, the planet she called home, and shot straight to the Galactic Core. The subject of her visit - her own son.

"No." Julia cut off her assistant, raising her right hand as she did so "Don't call ahead." the assistant scurried off, leaving Julia to quietly seeth as the vessel came into land on the pad assigned to it, atop her son's extravagant apartment at the apex of the city-scape.

Walking down the debarkation ramp, her assistant in tow, and two heavy-set security guards in black suits behind her, she pulled up her datapad. "Hipori." she spoke cooly into the microphone "Julia - transfer apartment controls." a beep came from the datapad, as the instruction went through.

She opened the door to the apartment, and turned on every single light in the building to full, strolling in, her face wrinkling as she was assaulted with the stink of a 'bachelor pad'. "Where are you." she mumbled to herself, as she scanned her gaze across the room.

 

[Jason Hipori]

Jason was peacefully sleeping in the bedroom of his penthouse. The place was located in one of the most luxurious and expensive buildings of Coruscant. Someone that saw a place like this one would expect that it should be clean and well maintained, with everything in its proper place. After all, it was expected that rich people always maintained their houses perfectly organized.

However, the real state of Jason’s penthouse would shatter this illusion. The place was chaotic, with empty bottles of different and expensive types of alcoholic beverages lying scattered everywhere. The furniture was out of place and vases were broken on the floor. It looked more like a corral for banthas, than the apartment of a Hipori.

This mess was the result of the party from last night, one of the many that Jason had made in these last weeks. He had come to Coruscant to make some beneficial agreements for the Hipori Motors. However, while he stayed on the planet, the young man felt so bored that he decided to make these small celebrations for him and some few friends.

It was past noon and normally the young Hipori would have already left his bed by now, but the party last night was particularly exhausting for Jason. It started at a nightclub and ended there. Since there was no one coming to his penthouse today, he would probably sleep until the sunset.

Jason was so tired that he didn’t even notice that the light of his bedroom was activated, or that he wasn’t alone in his penthouse anymore due to the arrival of the last person that he expected to come here, his mother.

@Nor'baal

 

[Julia Hipori]

Deftly navigating her way around the mess that littered the floor of her son's apartment, Julia did nothing to hide the disgust from her face. Maybe he was just busy, she thought to herself? He was a businessman, after all, maybe it was his cleaner who was to blame?

He does have a cleaner, doesn't he? she wondered, as she waved at the nearby table in the main room, her assistant rushing over to clear it for her to sit down.

Taking a seat, she placed her datapad down and called over one of her guards. Idly running through her schedule for the day, which included remarkably little time to sort out her sons disorganised living arrangements, she looked up at one of the guards "Wake him up."

With a nod, the heavy-set guard waded into his employer's sons bedroom, and with a sneer, grabbed a nearby glass of alcohol, and threw it over the young man. "Surprise." he snarled at the junior Hipori, who, the moment they started moving, would find themselves hauled out of their bedroom, and in front of their mother.

 

[Jason Hipori]

Jason was having a wonderful dream about the events of last night when he felt something wet falling over him. This made the young Hipori wake immediately, nearly jumping from his bed. Before he could understand what was happening, he was being dragged out of his bedroom by someone.

“What in all hells, man. How did you get there?” Jason protested, while the guy continued to drag him. The young man tried to struggle a bit, but he was still sleepy and couldn’t free himself. Although seeing how muscled the guy was, the Hipori doubted that he would be able to escape even if he was fully awake.

When he recognized the clothes that the guy was wearing, Jason’s eyes widened. “Shit! You work for her!” it was the only thing that he could say before being thrown in front of her. Recovering his composure, Jason smiled at the woman that he didn’t expect and wanted to see so soon.

“Hey, mom!” he said with a calm voice that was hiding his annoyance for her visit. “Sorry for not being dressed properly. I wasn’t expecting that you would come there.” he was dressed only in black boxes, and she would be furious at his disregard for etiquette.

Yawning, Jason walked back to his bedroom where he opened his closet to choose the clothes that he was going to wear today after he took a shower. If she followed him there, the young Hipori would continue talking with his mother. “So, why are you in Coruscant? Some business trip? Or did you want to visit your favorite child?”

@Nor'baal

 

[Julia Hipori]

She let out a low sigh as her son was plonked down in front of her, before rapidly heading off to make himself decent. "So, why are you in Coruscant? Some business trip? Or did you want to visit your favourite child?” Julia rolled her eyes, her security guards remaining perfectly impassive, whilst her assistant turned away from her attempting to stifle a laugh. Very few people acted in such a relaxed manner in front of her, Jason was one of them.

"A bit of both, actually." she replied. It was very rare for her to cross the galaxy to see her child, and so she had ensured to bolt on a few senatorial matters whilst she was in the area. "You seem to have been keeping yourself," Julia paused and tapped her nails on the tabletop "- busy?"

She was interested to see what her son had actually been doing with his business whilst she had been away, and equally as interested as to what he had been doing with his time. "So, how're things?" she said, in her best 'I actually care' way.

 

[Jason Hipori]

”Yes. These days have been very hectic.” in all the ways possible. Jason wasn’t only partying most of the time, he was really trying to make some connections for the Hipori Motors. After all, it was his pet project.

High end speeders that were not only good looking, but also fast were one of his passions. He had an entire collection with the most expensive ones of the Galaxy. It used to be bigger, but the young man had the propensity to suffer accidents where the vehicles would end up totally destroyed.

Since he was groomed by his parents to work as a businessman, the creation of the Hipori Motors satisfied his parents and Jason’s taste for speeders. “Talking about hectic days, I have dinner tonight with the owner of a Coruscanti company that produces speeder’s parts. I think that he would like to meet you. maybe you two could even make some other business.”

After he finally chose an outfit, Jason walked to the bathroom, leaving his mother and her thugs alone. Since he knew that Julia hated waiting for too long, the young man decided to take a long bath. This would be his protest for her invading his apartment and waking him up with a bottle of Corellian whiskey.

Once he finished the bath and dressed with the clothes that he had chosen for the day, Jason returned to where his mother was. “I already chose the building that is going to be the headquarters of the Hipori Motors here in Coruscant. Do you want to see it?” he said, smiling at her. Even with his rebellious moments, the young man still cared for her approval. “It’s close to the Senate District.”

@Nor'baal

 

[Julia Hipori]

As she waited for her son to get dressed in a more appropriate way, Julia nodded along to what Jason was saying. Regardless of his outward appearance, her son did care about the expansion and success of his business, one of the few things her son did that she approved of. The fact that he was already making contacts with other businesses in and around Coruscant was not something she could ignore - even if she would not admit it, she was proud of her son's achievements.

"If you think it would help, sure." she replied, rising from her seat as Jason moved between rooms, only to walk back out again and run himself a bath. She sighed and sat down, taking a look through the available information on the company her son was planning to meet. She could already think of a few ways to get the upper hand over this supplier but would let her son take the lead.

When he finally emerged, fully dressed for a change, she stood.

"That would be nice Jason," she started toward the exit, assuming Jason would follow in tow "- you can fly if you want." he gestured toward her yacht, her guard audibly tensing at the suggestion that a man they had just woken from a party-induced slumber should now be behind the controls of a spacecraft.

 

[Jason Hipori]

The offer of piloting his mother’s yacht made a smile appear on Jason's face. He probably looked like a child that received his favorite candy. “Nice! There is some time that I don’t pilot!” the last time that he did it was some weeks ago, when his speeder crashed against another one and he ended up needing to send it to receive extensive repairs.

They would walk to where Julia had landed her yacht, with Jason nearly jumping of excitement with the possibility of piloting it. The young Hipori was so happy with being able to do it that he didn’t even pay attention to how tense his mother’s guards were. Once he had sat on the pilot chair, Jason would only wait for the others to settle before making the yacht fly. As always, he did it as if he was piloting in a pod race, making the ship fly as fast as he could.

“How are the things back in Etti IV? Is everything fine with Dad and Tion?” Jason asked, while making the ship avoid colliding with another one that was moving slower. He couldn’t understand why people liked to pilot so slowly. “I hope that Dad isn’t still mad at me for not going home for his birthday last month. I already explained to him that I was busy with an important business in Zeltros.”

After a fast trip, they finally arrived at the building that was going to be the headquarters of the Hipori Motors. Jason landed the yacht in front of it and waited for his mother and her guard to leave the ship. Once they were outside, the young man would present the place to Julia. “We arrived! Isn’t it a nice place? The old owners went bankrupt and I bought everything. There were still some reforms being made, but soon it will be finished.” he smiled while looking to it. This was one of his first acts as an independent businessman. “Come, I want to show you inside.”

@Nor'baal

 

[Julia Hipori]

Ignoring the protests of her guard, and then her piloting droid, Julia followed her son up to the cockpit and took a seat just behind him. The Guild d'Lanseaux had a luxurious cockpit, enabling clients to sit with their pilots in comfort. "Etti IV is still the same as it ever was, a nest of vipers - but one with some of the largest commercial clout in the galaxy. Things are hardly any easier there than here in the core now, especially with the expansion of multiple other powers in the galaxy, a lot of things are up in the air." she replied.

"Your Father is fine, busy as he normally is. He's recently started work with the charities doing work with the AMS Victims. Tion?" she audibly sighed "- I've honestly no idea what your sisters up to these days. She's off partying somewhere I would imagine." Julia answered. Truth be told she had rather fallen out of touch with her daughter, and, whilst she did her best to keep tabs on her, she couldn't say with much authority, what Tion was up to.

Finally, as the ship arrived, Julia stood and followed Jason toward the building, the guards falling into step behind them. "This is quite the site Jason, rather empty though, no?" she replied, a not-quite-so subtle dig at the lack of employees her son appeared to have.

 

[Jason Hipori]

”Well, I’ll try to find Tion. I haven't seen her in so long.” it wasn’t as if Jason missed his sister that much. Their relationship wasn’t terrible, but arguments between the two were common. Perhaps it was because he loved to annoy her with his comments when they were children. He missed the faces that she would do when annoyed.

“Oh, this is because the building is being renovated.” he explained, while guiding his mother through the entrance. Inside was full of worker droids carrying construction materials. The young Hipori had learned that they could be more efficient and less expensive than sentient beings. “As I said early, it’s nearly finished. I already hired employees, but they were only coming to work next week. There will be a gala to celebrate the opening of the Hipori Motors. You and Dad are invited.”

“The first floor is the part that is still being finished, but it’ll soon end.” Jason said, while they walked through the place. It was most finished, but the droids were still organizing some places, putting some cables and painting some walls. “The other floors were already reformed. Come, I’ll show them.” he guided them to the elevator, which was already working.

When the door opened, Julia and her guard would see that they had arrived at the last floor of the building. “This is going to be my office. I took inspiration from yours in Etti IV.” Jason said, while walking toward his table and sitting on the chair behind it. “What do you think? Is it a worthy place for a Hipori?”

@Nor'baal

 

[Julia Hipori]

"You'll probably be able to find her in the alleyway behind the nearest Corellian nightclub Jason, that's her preferred haunt these days." Julia sneered, keeping pace with her son as they walked into his latest venture. She was relieved to hear that the place was 'being renovated', even her untrained eye could tell it was in desperate need of one. "I'll be there Jason," she answered, before turning and gesturing so that her guards might move further away, out of earshot "- it'll be quite the opportunity for you. I can get some of the executives from the distribution houses, the auctioneers and more to come along as well?"

These days, that seemed to be how business was done. Galas and parties in the Core worlds almost always had a businesslike aspect, the decisions reached over clinking champagne flutes impacting the lives of billions of sentient across the mid and outer rims.

It was something Julia had railed against in her youth, but as she had come to learn how to use such an approach to her own advantage, she had mellowed. "You've certainly made a place for yourself." Julia smiled as she entered her sons new office "Have you arranged security, or do you wish to use the families offering?"

 

[Jason Hipori]

Jason couldn’t avoid not laughing when his mother told him where he could find Tion. He always thought that from the two, he was the one that loved parties the most. Apparently, his sister dethroned him. He needed to do something to change it. “I’ll start looking there the next time that I visit Corellia.” he said, after having stopped laughing. “We need to stop her from going to Zeltros. I believe that she will never return if she goes there.” more laughs followed this comment.

A smile appeared on his lips when his mother said that she would go to the gala. It grew even more when she offered to bring some executives that could help him and the Hipori Motors. “That would be very nice. I could use contacts with some more influential individuals. I already invited some Senators too.” most of them were interested in speeders like him. Their presence could be useful to Julia’s political ambitions.

Jason watched his mother enter his office and look around it. He knew very well what was passing through her mind. She was analyzing the place, measuring if it was something worthy of a Hipori. It was gratifying to hear she gives her approval to it. This was better than starting an argument with her about why he had organized this place this way.

The young Hipori didn’t accept criticism, not even from his mother. Julia knew very well that Jason would not stay silent if she started to say that this place was bad. He would have defended his decisions about his office and the building until the end.

“I already arranged the security.” he wasn’t going to use the family security. While they were very efficient, all of them were loyal to his mother. He was certain that if they started to work there, these guards would watch every movement that he made and report to Julia. He values his freedom and there were businesses that he didn’t want his mother to know about.

“I was thinking of using some of the families during the gala, though. There will be so many important people there that all protection is going to be necessary.” after Chancellor Ro’s assassination, the politicians became even more paranoid. “By the way, I still need to decide on the decoration of the gala. Do you want to help me?” he said, while picking his Datapad. “I received some examples, but I really can’t decide.”

@Nor'baal

 

[Julia Hipori]

"Follow the sirens." Julia calmly replied as her son suggested he would head off and look for his sister. She had a lot of time for both of her children, but Tions antics were beginning to wear thin even now. "Anyway, I can make those introductions if you would like. Senators can pay for the rides, but making introductions to the larger distributors may not be a bad idea. However -" she continued to walk around the office as she spoke.

Pausing by one of her sons 'artworks' on the side of the room, she noticed it was at an angle, and quickly straightened it. "- there are other reasons I would like to introduce you to some of the 'great and the good'. We have an opportunity now, especially with me heading into the Senate again, to make some additional moves. There are certain industries linked to the political sphere, raw materials, fuels and more - high profit, and we can take a huge portion of the markets. The people in that room can help us."

She took the datapad as her son offered it, and glanced at the decor "As for decoration, I'd go for this - looks slightly similar to the decor they'll be used to seeing in the rotunda, but, well - more expensive."

 

[Jason Hipori]

”This is a good idea. I would like that.” while the politicians were good as future buyers for the speeders, the presence of distributors would be even better. This would mean that the products made by the Hipori Motors would be able to reach other systems of the Galaxy.

“I had invited some from the Core and from the Corporate Sector, maybe you can make some of the ones from the Mid and Outer Rim to come.” he said, while looking at his mother with the face that he always used when he was a child and wanted something. He had learned that his parents never resisted it.

When Julia started to talk about the new opportunities that were appearing for them, Jason straightened himself. He paid close attention to what his mother was saying. Establishing contacts with so many companies would be excellent for the family’s business. “Do you need me to do something to help with it?”

After his mother chose the decoration, Jason picked his Datapad back to look at it. “I like that. This will give a sense of sophistication that suits the Senate.” he typed this decision to the company that would be responsible for the organization of the gala. “Well mom, are you hungry? We could have lunch together.”

@Nor'baal