The vibrant venue was alive with chatter, experts from around the world gathered to share their findings intermixed with enthusiasts who were far too excited for the intellectual atmosphere. Hanging from the lofty ceilings were several large posters highlighted with flowing orange and yellow chiffon decorations. A woman clicked across the stage to the podium.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Apollo historical exhibition, my name Rachel and I'll be your emcee for this event. I ask you all for a round of applause for our first presenter, expert pyrologist and archaeologist Doctor Soleil Akana!" The announcer pronounced, gesturing flamboyantly to the entrance of another Woman. As Doctor Akana took the stage her bright red trumpet skirt hugged her upper curves firmly while giving her tall heels a flowing flourish of orange.
"Hello everyone, as our lovely announcer just suggested, I am Doctor Soleil Akana and I have much to share from our new pyrology sector..."
The audience of established scientists and retired archaeologists were responsive but somewhat dismissive of Dr. Akana. There were a few relevant questions asked but by the time her presentation was complete Dr. Akana was rather disheartened. Having grown up in Hilo on the island of Hawaii, she had always had a fascination for the boiling pots nearby, and the volcano state parks to the south. Often visiting them with her father when he wasn't off digging up old pot shards in Africa.
"Doctor Soliel Akana?" A surprisingly handsome and surprisingly young-looking man in a charcoal black suit stretched out his hand in greeting.
"That would be me, yes, though it is pronounced So-Lay, who might you be?" She responded, noticing that the man had an aura of excitement and danger hanging about him.
"My name is Brenton Partné, and I represent an enterprise with which you might find a supreme interest." Mr. Partné moved with subtle flamboyant gestures. An arm waving left as his eyes flickered around. Giving the impression that he was somewhat flighty or nervous, though his stance communicated that he was entirely present with his audience.
"As you know the origins of fire are somewhat of a hot topic in the scientific and archaeological communities. Many theories have arisen, such as the tale of Prometheus bringing fire to man. Or the more scientific chance of lightning striking a forest giving them a reason to discover fire. Perhaps the rubbing of sticks used by the Egyptians..." Soleil held up a hand silencing him,
"Yes Mr. Partné I am well aware of the many views on the topic. I am a pyrologist, and it is not a stretch to say that I am the world's foremost expert on the topic. So please cut to the chase, there are many representatives here this evening that I would like to speak with." Brenton took a moment to compose himself after having been interrupted,
"Yes, well, I have followed your exploits for some time now and should have taken care not to assume so little of an expert such as yourself. The 'chase' as you say, is related to my own personal theory on the subject. My great interest in the subject has recently unearthed a village, a completely scorched village said to have been destroyed by the gods."
"That is quite the outlandish claim," Soleil was skeptical to say the least, "Do you have any evidence of this 'discovery.'" Brenton reached into his coat pocket and produced a black rock, handing it to Soleil to examine, he explained,
"I have here what appears to be an ancient fire starter, from the site." Soleil's eyes lit up with scholarly excitement. Brenton explained the intricate details of the artifact, showcasing its design and functionality. He quickly explained how he believes it was used by an ancient civilization for both practical and ceremonial purposes, emphasizing its significance. Soleil stared in awe; this artifact was remarkably close to what she believed could indeed be the very first fire starter. Handing the artifact back, careful not to damage it, she made up her mind. She absolutely had to see this site that Mr. Partné had mentioned.
"I'll admit you have piqued my interest Mr. Partné. When would you be able to tell me more about this village?" Brenton smiled,
"I was hoping I'd be able to catch your attention, I would cordially like to invite you to dinner tomorrow night to discuss further details of an expedition to explore the site. If you agree that is?" Soleil took his hand in a handshake and happily agreed to meet him at a small but well reviewed restaurant nearby.
The rest of the event was unsurprisingly dull, a few handshakes and well wishes later Soleil made her way back to the hotel that the exhibition had provided. Shrugging off her dress and kicking her heels into the closet she stretched her arms up and back, finally getting blood flow to her entire body.
The weight of accumulated knowledge and the mental exertion from discussions on pyrology and archaeology had left her both intellectually fulfilled and physically drained. This was the first event that she had presented at in a while, and she had quickly remembered why when she had twisted and squirmed her way into the stupid dress. Beautiful as it was, it had zero practicality.
Soleil had, despite repeated accusations of tomboyishness, long since resorted to cargo shorts. Thankfully, her work in pyrology tended to keep her in her favorite climate: swelteringly hot. Hanging the dress in the closet out of respect for the price tag, Soleil stepped into the bathroom for a quick shower, turning the heat up and letting the boiling water scald off all the grime of slimy businessmen and women.
Most of the people who bothered to talk to her didn't actually care about her research, just what it could do for them and for 'her financial wellness.' Soleil shuddered under the water remembering the first time she almost fell for one of their schemes.
Running soap along her arms Soleil thought about her dinner plans for the next day, with Brenton Partné, even his name sounded sophisticated, that charcoal gray suit was perfectly fitted and his jawline was sharp. Soleil's hands began to wander over her collar bone, Brenton had seemed very excited to meet her and to show off his expedition, but the thing that caught her attention was his flamboyance when recounting his knowledge of her work, it was almost endearing the way he had thought he could teach her about her own expertise, besides the fact that he had seemed genuinely interested in the subject.
The intellect of the man was even more attractive than the man himself, Soleil thought as her hand slipped to her breasts not entirely focused on soaping herself up. It had been years since Soleil had felt the spark of arousal in her core that he had somehow ignited, slipping a finger down to stir her simmering pot. Soleil let her mind drift, flickering back and forth like the light of a candle, like Brenton's eyes.
