She thought.
I'm going to like being rich!
Half-an-hour later, she was in the lobby, dressed in her miner's blue jumpsuit, much to the consternation of the maid. A Liramor aerial vehicle was waiting in front of the hotel. The door opened as she approached, and she saw Annette Liramor smiling at her as she slipped into the vehicle. A moment later they jumped into the air and headed south.
"Good morning, Liea," Annette smiled. "Any problems with your dress code?" She quipped.
"You should have seen the look on the maid's face when I pulled it out," Liea said with a smile. "And the looks I received in the lobby were something else. I'm glad Liramor Holdings is footing the bill, or I might have been shown the curb." She laughed.
"Well, as of today you're on your own for your bills. We deposited your first royalty check and it should be available soon. First stop is your bank. You may be pleasantly surprised as to how they treat you now," she laughed.
Her words proved prescient as one of the assistant managers, a young woman, personally escorted them into the bank to the office of the branch manager.
"Bonjour, Madame Liramor, je suis Jacques Brilliant, le gerrant," he started.
"In standard please, M. Brilliant, your client is not me but my friend Ms. Liea Samson," she said indicating Liea. "Please be advised that Ms. Samson and her partner have royalty checks coming to them over the next year or two that will likely exceed fifty billion credits.
"Yes, I did say Billion," she repeated to the manager, seeing the look of doubt in his eyes.
The stunned branch manager looked over at the woman in the blue workers jumpsuit standing with Ms. Larimore. "You are a client of our branch, Madame?" he asked.
Liea tapped her wrist comp, calling up her personal banking information and showed it. The branch manager called up her information and puttered around for a few moments before looking back to her.
"Madame, we show a check for one billion credits from Liramor Holdings having been deposited an hour ago. Of course, we suspected that this was some kind of joke, as the largest check you have previously received was for C30,000, so a hold was placed on it until it could be verified," the manager stated.
"I assure you, M. Brilliant, the check is valid, as will be many more future checks," Annette stated firmly. She pulled up some data from her own wrist comp and sent it to the manager. "In the event that you need to verify any future checks for Ms. Samson, use that contact. It is the comptroller for Liramor Holdings. You are to accept the check from this morning and release said funds immediately to Ms. Samson so that we can do some shopping today.
"I promise we will not spend more that half-a-million credits on today's shopping spree. No promises on future shopping excursions," she told him with a smile and conspiratorial wink to Liea.
M. Brilliant sat them in his office and stepped out into the bank. A moment later the young woman who had brought them in entered with coffee and mints for the two, which they graciously accepted.
Ten minutes later, the branch manager stepped back into his office and had Liea hold her wrist comp over his desk. He called up some information and transferred it to her unit.
"You are now able to take C100,000 from your account. Unfortunately, I cannot authorize further daily transfers of any greater amount due to the limited security features in your wrist comp. You will need a new one to do more than that and then I could increase your daily limit to one million credits. Regardless, we cannot authorize more than a C500,000 single transaction via a wrist comp. Anything more will have to be arranged. But a call to me directly, or to any of the assistant managers, will ensure that any larger transactions can be facilitated. We have your biometrics on record and can confirm your person as required.
"Please note that this branch only manages assets of up to twenty billion credits total. When your revenue begins to approach that number, the main branch of the bank may insist on your account being transferred there.
"I would suggest your first stop today be an electronics emporium where you can purchase a more secure unit. I'm sure Ms. Liramor would be aware of which chain would provide you the best security. You can return anytime to arrange for changes to your 'discretionary fund' once you have the new unit," he said with a smile.
Liea took his information and that of Genevieve Hiliere, the assistant manager that had been attending them, into her comp. Genevieve returned them to their vehicle and they slipped back into the air.
Annette contacted William Delan, Chief of Security for Liramor Holdings and asked where the best place to get Liea a new comp would be.
"Why, here of course," he said. "We have the latest gadgets with some of the best security in known space. She still technically works for us, so your authorization would allow us to give her an executive unit, however, she would have to return it when she retires from LMC. For now, there would be no cost to her."
"That sounds like an excellent compromise." Annette said. "We shall be there shortly."
Forty-five minutes later, Liea had the most sophisticated wrist comp she had ever owned attached to her left wrist, as Annette took her off to a full day spa treatments and shopping spree. Annette was in her element, pulling Liea along to a two-hour spa treatment followed by hair, nails and makeup.
She personally introduced her to the most luxurious, and expensive, clothing designers on the planet. After they took her measurements, they sat her in a holo-booth that slipped various full renditions of their designs on her 3D avatar for her perusal. The salespeople assured her that her chosen outfits would be made to her specifications within forty-eight hours and delivered to her hotel.
Liea also gave the measurements for Fiona Marsh and the pair took great pleasure in buying some dresses for shipment to Liramor-23, on the now weekly supply ships.
Having chosen some of the more expensive outfits under the tutelage of the ever-helpful Annette, Liea was shocked to see a bill of C65,000. Annette just laughed, telling her that she spent more than that every month on the newest fashions.
Liea didn't know if she could spend like that, but she had to admit that she did enjoy the way that all of the retailers deferred to her now that they knew she was one of the new 'money' people.
Annette took her next to a higher end department store, where they purchased her 'everyday' wardrobe of outfits. Liea was shocked at the sticker prices for the C300 blouses, C400 pants, and C500 'everyday' dresses. She spent another C14,000 in that store, but she had plenty of casual cloths that she could now change into vice having to wait for delivery.
They landed back at the Eclipsa at 18:00 hours with Liea back in her blue jumpsuit. "Give me a moment to settle things before you send in my purchases." She winked conspiratorially to Annette. Annette smiled back in the same manner, having been subjected to the looks that Liea had received all day due to her present dress code.
Liea moved to the front desk and was intercepted immediately by one of the younger receptionists. "Yes, Miss?" she asked pointedly, noting her attire. The receptionist did have a memory for names and faces though and recognized Liea as a 'special guest', one of those staying in the luxury suites.
"Samson," Liea returned. "I'm in the Baylite VIP suite, currently being paid for under Liramor Holdings. However, I will be assuming responsibility for the suite from this point onwards," she said with a sweet smile.
The receptionist noted her hair style, nails, and makeup and understood immediately that, despite the jumpsuit, this woman had some money behind her. She called up the registration on the guest suite and saw that it was indeed being paid for by and that Ms. Samson was the registered Special Guest of Liramor Holdings.
"The suite is C1,000 a night miss," the receptionist intoned, sure that the woman would probably move to other more affordable accommodations in the hotel or elsewhere. The woman nonchalantly placed her wrist over the node and the receptionist called up her references.
The first thing she noted was the sophisticated comp on the woman's wrist. Such a unit would cost more than two months wages at her present job as receptionist shift lead.
The second thing was a note from one of the larger banks in the city advising retailers to provide an 'exceptional' level of sales support to the bearer. That put her on immediate alert, as only the very rich were apportioned such respect from the banks.
The third thing showed that Liramor Holdings listed her as 'Senior Executive' status.
"Oh!" Liea squeaked, noting the funds available. "I forgot to change my daily limit. I'll have to go to my bank tomorrow and fix that," she said, looking embarrassed.
There was a commotion at the door and the receptionist recognized the face of Annette Liramor as she approached her desk.
"Any problems, Liea?" Annette asked.
"No Annette, I forgot to reset my daily spending limit. I'll have to go to the bank tomorrow and have that done," she told her friend.
Annette just giggled at her. "Yeah, we did have a rather busy day." She looked at the receptionist. "Can we get a couple of porters to assist Ms. Samson with her purchases? They need to be brought up to her room."
"Of course, Ms. Liramor." The receptionist replied, shocked that she had been spoken too by one of the planet's elites. A snap of her fingers and quick orders brought the now very helpful staff to retrieve Liea's shopping bags.
The young lady looked back to Liea with a lot more deference in her stance and attitude. After all, anyone who was on first name basis with a Liramor was someone who deserved attention!
'Do you know how long you will be gracing our establishment, Ms. Samson?" She asked.
"I'm not sure," she said truthfully. "Probably until my personal yacht is delivered. Likely two or three months, possibly more. I will need a base of operations till then, and I don't really want to purchase a house to maintain on planet. I will be travelling too much for that," she told the now very shocked receptionist. "What is your name?" She asked politely.
"Lissette Blanche, Madame. I am at your service whenever I am on duty," she told her with a slight curtsy.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Annette started, "We are having a formal dinner and dance New Year's Eve, with guests from all over this planet and from other planets. You are, of course, invited. Would you like me to send a vehicle for you, say 17:00 hrs Friday next?" She asked Liea.
"Of course, I will attend. I like your parties," she laughed. "It's a pity my partner won't be able to attend," she said with a wink.
"Your invitation is for a plus one, so if you find someone that you would like to bring along, please do. I like your choice in partners and have no doubt that anyone you bring with you will be interesting.
"I will be off planet for the next two days on business. If you need anything call my office and speak with my aide. She will get anything you need sorted." With that Annette turned and left.
Liea heard Lissette sigh and turned to look at her, her eyebrow raised.
"Oh, sorry miss." She said red faced with embarrassment having been caught out. "It's a dream of mine to attend something of that nature," she admitted shyly.
Liea just smiled, knowing full well that it would have been her dream not a few weeks earlier.
"It looks like you had a very successful shopping day, miss," Lissette commented.
"Not as successful as I want. There was a perfume, Ballimer's Moon. The scent was just so suited for me, but it is available in extremely limited quantities. The only bottle available in the store was the one used for demonstration purposes. I will have to wait for some time before I can get some, or actually go to Hollander's World where it is made," Liea said wistfully.
"Not necessarily, miss," Lissette said quietly, leaning her head forward so that only Liea could hear. "I used to work the concierge desk and I have contacts within the different industries that provide specialty items to exceptional clients, of which you, would be one. I'll look around. No promises, but I can look around," she told Liea conspiratorially.
"That would be wonderful if you could make it happen," Liea agreed.
"Are you working the Friday of New Year's?" Liea asked.
"No miss, but staff are not permitted to interact with guests," she told her.
"I'm sure that exceptions can be made for billionaires," Liea quipped. "Especially those who are looking for personal staff. I have need of an EA/PA, one who would follow me around wherever I went and who knows the local customs and environment." Giving the young woman a smile, she walked off to the lift, dutifully followed by a train of porters bringing her shopping along and leaving a very confused but hopeful Lissette behind.
