Castor and Lucius
The girl listens as Lucius says he doesn't need a room and realizes Castor believed he had one. Miscomprehension dawns: "Oh! Melanie had not informed me that she had arranged a room for you and your..friend? The Ihilani is rather booked for this week's festivites, and each of the planners has been given only a few rooms to comp. But, Melanie may have had one left for you - it's her first big event, and she's been a little scattered. She probably simply failed to tell me. I will speak with her and have your things moved there immediately if everything is in order."
When asked about the ball, she answers brightly, "Concord was founded twenty years ago this coming Friday - tonight begins a week of official celebrations, and of course, the Ihilani was the perfect place for the first event, given how important Mr. Balino was to bringing the Bazaar to Liann Xin in the first place." Her smile never changes, but it seems as if she has slipped into rote recitation of the company line at this point. "Without his vision, Concord and all of Liann Xin would not be what they are today. The governor himself will be here tonight, along with representantives of many other planetary governments throughout the system, not to mention the Merchants' Guild. Should be a wonderful evening."
When Castor asks her about Mr. Balino, she says, "Mr. Balino is a wonderful boss; almost everyone in Concord has him to thank for their jobs in one way or another." As she speaks, she gives a small gesture, and a young man dressed as a watier brings over two cold drinks. "Other than that, he and his wife, for whom the hotel is named, are involved in public service throughout the city, serving on the boards of a number of civic groups. Liann Xin is lucky to have them." It's hard to tell whether she is being sincere or totally ironic, or something in between.
