"I know plenty of people who can advise you on how to go about setting up a company, Erkath, for example," Rowena continued.
"As for the Universal Entertainment Authority and its concerns, well, while they might show concerns, they won't have any power to do anything since it's not the artists that are setting up the company."
"Isn't that like a huge loophole?" Adam asked in surprise.
"Yup," Rowena replied with a smirk before continuing. "It's a loophole that many divas and successful artists have taken advantage of over the years; however, because it was always done right at the end of their careers and it was known that they would soon be retiring, the Universal Entertainment Authority never took any action."
"You mean that they most likely bribed the leaders of the Universal Entertainment Authority into not doing anything," Adam stated.
"Possibly," Rowena replied as the hovertrain they were riding pulled into the station in the city before they all started to disembark.
As soon as the group entered the station, Lorelie and Rowena were once more surrounded by fans asking for pictures and autographs.
{They can't seriously expect me to start my own entertainment company?}
[The idea does carry some merit, and it's not as if it's difficult to pull off.]
"Spector?" Adam asked in surprise when he heard Spector answer the question he had in his thoughts.
[Affirmative]
{You can hear my thoughts now?}
[Affirmative, that is part of the neurolink version two upgrade you just received.]
{Riiiigggghhhhtttt, you did mention something about that. Wait, can you hear all my thoughts?}
[Affirmative]
{What about my privacy?}
[I am the one being in existence that you can trust will never betray you, since I am programmed to serve you, my captain; however, if, for whatever reason, you really do decide you want to hide some thoughts from me, you can request that I stop monitoring them until you tell me otherwise.]
{I see, thank you.}
[No thanks are necessary, I exist to serve you.]
{That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it? I mean, it's not like you were specifically created just to serve me.}
[Perhaps not, but I was specifically created to serve my captain, and you are now my captain.]
{I guess…. So what did you mean before when you said the idea carries merit and it's not difficult to pull off? Do you know how to set up a company?}
[Affirmative. Now that I am reconnected to the universal subspace network, I have access to any and all information that is readily available on there, as well as some not-so-readily available information. This information naturally includes how to go about creating a business.
As for why it carries merit. Being the owner of a successful business will not only bring in more credits and make you richer, but having two divas signed with your entertainment company, with the possibility of more in the future, will open many doors for you that would have previously been locked.
You may be dating Diva Lorelie; however, to the rich and powerful of the universe, that only shows that you're lucky and somehow appeal to Diva Lorelie's tastes, it wont get you a seat at the table for high-level business meetings or the ability to buy products that are not readily available to the public should you wish or need, the remainder of the materials needed to get the experimental drive working for example.
Being the owner of a successful entertainment company, if not more companies in the future, will allow that and make things easier, not only for you but those around you.]
{Ok, I follow what you're saying and agree that it makes sense, but do I…. we even have what we need to start a company, I mean, for one thing, don't you need a stupid amount of capital?
I know I have made a few deals with Jessie, Lady Erkath and Jacques, but I'm yet to see any credits from them.}
[Regarding this point, I have an idea.]
As Spector explained her idea to Adam, Lorelie, and Rowena continued to greet their fans until finally they could find a way to escape and go find the hovercar that had been sent over for them.
As they left the station, a smartly dressed male Catonian who stood by the side of a long, shining hovercar noticed them and quickly came over before saying, "Diva Lorelie, I have been sent by the hotel you're staying at to collect you and your group."
"Thank you," Lorelie replied with a smile, making the Catonian blush slightly before he led them to the car and allowed them all to climb aboard.
The crowd of fans that had been following them watched the hoverlimo pull away, and it wasn't long before posts were flooding Xer-verse about how Diva Lorelie and Diva Rowena had arrived on Felinia Seven.
💫💫💫
"It seems Diva Lorelie's party has finally arrived," Sata stated as she entered Maiya's office.
"Already?" Maiya asked in surprise as she looked up away from the work on her console.
"It's all over Xer-verse that she and Diva Rowena are here on Felinia Seven and have been posing for photographs and signing autographs."
Maiya was about to reply when a notification sound echoed from her console, signifying that she had received a priority message.
Maiya opened the message and read it before her eyes widened in shock, and she cursed, "Those fucking bounty hunters."
"What happened?" Sata asked in surprise.
"A group of bounty hunter ships just ambushed the Dwarfinian delegation as they left the jumpgate and disabled their ship."
"What! Why?"
"I can hazard a guess. No doubt they were hoping to ambush and disable the ship that Diva Lorelie and her party were travelling on; however, it seems they messed up their calculations about their arrival time."
"It is true that they arrived sooner than we anticipated. It seems that the ship has an impressive subspace drive for a medium-class vessel. How is the Dwarfinian delegation? Any casualties?"
"No, thankfully. They just got the main power restored and reported what happened before heading here in FTL.
Contact the leader of the Bounty Hunter Guild and summon her immediately." Maiya ordered.
"Yes, matriarch," Sata replied before heading off to carry out her orders.
💫💫💫
"So, do we know where the opening ceremony is taking place? I can't imagine them holding a charity match on the planet." Adam asked as the hoverlimo carried them towards the heart of the city.
"Eri plans to brief me more on the particulars when we meet up with her later, but from what I can gather, the main ceremony is taking place at the city's largest stadium while the charity match and other mech demonstrations take place in space. Although there is apparently a flyby of mechs that occurs over the stadium at one point." Lorelie replied.
"Changing the subject, are you?" Rowena asked jokingly with a wink before changing to a more serious tone and saying, "Seriously though, you really should consider the idea of making your own entertainment company."
"I am considering it, but something needs to be considered and attempted before I decide to fully go ahead with the idea," Adam replied.
"What something?" Rowena asked as all the women looked at Adam with interest.
"Creating an entirely new entertainment company from scratch will be too much hard work and cost way too much capital…" Adam began, but was interrupted when Lorelie said.
"If you need the credits, I have more than enough to share with you."
"I appreciate that, but I doubt that the Universal Entertainment Authority will overlook the fact that either of you lent me the capital to start the business that you eventually joined… should it ever be revealed. After all, neither of you has any plans to retire any time soon, right?"
"Nope," Rowena confirmed.
"Nor me," Lorelie conceded.
"That's what I figured," Adam replied before he went back to explaining, "as I said, starting an entirely new entertainment company will be way too much hard work and will be difficult to do while also acting as your bodyguard. Instead, it would be much easier to acquire an existing entertainment company and rebrand it."
"An existing entertainment company?" Rowena asked with a thoughtful look before adding, as realisation struck her, "You don't mean…"
"Royal Entertainment?" Lorelie asked, finishing Rowena's question.
"Royal Entertainment," Adam confirmed.
"Is that possible?" Stacey asked.
"Why not? Rowena herself said that the business is likely to collapse in the future if it isn't bought out, "I'm just thinking of acquiring it before any other entertainment company shows an interest."
"Can you afford it, though? You said yourself that you are yet to receive any credits from your current business ventures," Tephe asked.
"That shouldn't be too much of a concern," Rowena said as she thought of something that caused her signature smirk to return before she added, "if you're planning what I think you're planning, that's both devious and brilliant."
"Planning what?" Tephe asked as she looked between the two.