"Talk business? I didn't realise you had any business dealings," Emma replied with interest before adding with a smirk, "Except for selling all of Earth's products for your own financial gain."
"Is that a problem?" Adam asked.
"Not at all, honestly, I would have probably done the same since you don't have to worry about anyone suing you for copyright infringement," Emma replied before asking, "But what sort of business did you want to speak with me about?"
"I've acquired an entertainment company and require someone to run it as well as be the face of it, Erkath recommended you," Adam replied.
"Me?" Emma replied in surprise before asking, "You're offering to take me into space?"
"I am," Adam replied before continuing, "Since my activities in the past caused you problems and you're a friend of Erkath's, I don't mind taking you away from this planet even if you refuse my offer."
[LadyErkath (Alastor): Really?]
"Adam?" Rowena asked in surprise.
"It's fine," Adam said before explaining. "Erkath's a business partner to both of us as well as your old friend. If she sees Emma as her friend, I see no reason not to arrange an in-person introduction."
"While that's very generous, I can't just up and leave my businesses. I wouldn't have anything to return to in the future if I did," Emma replied.
"You think someone would try to claim ownership of your companies?" Adam asked.
"Absolutely," Emma nodded before continuing. "Not to brag, but I'm one of the most successful businesswomen who's not associated with the five families. There are always people eyeing my businesses and hoping for a way to acquire them."
"Perhaps that's the reason you suddenly disappear," Stacey suggested before continuing as everyone looked at her, "Maybe Emma really is kidnapped, or something and the guilty party uses that to enact a hostile takeover."
"Don't you have to be unaccounted for for over ten years or something before your shares in the company can be transferred?" Adam asked and then, seeing Emma's surprised look, he added, "I remember hearing about it in school."
"I see," Emma replied before continuing, "Well, in normal circumstances, you are correct. However, money and power make the Earth move, Mr Spencer."
"You're saying someone rich and powerful enough could speed up the processes?" Adam asked before adding, "Someone in the five families perhaps?"
"You mentioned them, not I, but yes, someone with enough power, influence and wealth could arrange things behind the scenes to speed up the process," Emma confirmed.
"It's a good thing we already came up with a plan to let you continue running your businesses while away from Earth, then, isn't it?" Tephe said happily.
"Pardon?" Emma asked in confusion.
"As we speak, Adam's ship is deploying a subspace relay that will not only allow you to communicate with Earth and run your companies from anywhere in the known universe, but also allow those Earthlings who have access to the stream certain privileges," Lorelie replied.
[Noobkiller9000 (Earth): Privileges? What privileges?]
[Celebrityhunter69 (Earth): Yeah, tell us.]
"You did that for me?" Emma asked in shock.
"No, dear, we did that to recruit you," Rowena replied.
"While I'm honoured, I don't think I'm the right person for the job," Emma replied before continuing, "First, I know nothing about the known universe, other than what I have seen on your stream, and second, I don't know how to run an entertainment company."
"You don't?" Aphrodite asked in surprise before adding, "Don't you own Hopkins Entertainment?"
"It seems you've done your research. Yes, I do own an entertainment company, but I don't run it personally. I hired competent people to do that for me," Emma explained before continuing, "I leave the day-to-day operation to them, the only time I get involved is if something major happens or I feel I need to."
"So your expertise and experience lie in overseeing multiple businesses and delegating tasks to the managers of those businesses?" Rowena asked.
"Among other things, yes," Emma replied before adding with a nostalgic smile, "Though I do have firsthand experience managing a club since the Blue Lagoon was my first business venture."
"Perhaps you should have acquired a club instead of an entertainment company." Stacey teased while smirking at Adam.
"Not necessarily, my granddaughter," Rowena replied with a smirk.
"What do you mean, grandmother?" Stacey asked.
"Emma here can manage and oversee the family's current and future businesses," Rowena replied.
"Future businesses?" Adam asked.
"I don't think Spector Entertainment will be the last business you start or acquire, or the rest of the family for that matter," Rowena stated.
"Ok, but what about Spector Entertainment, though?" Lorelie asked.
"We just need to find someone with experience running an entertainment company to hire and I have someone in mind," Rowena replied while smirking.
"Who?" Lorelie asked.
Rowena didn't reply and just winked at Lorelie.
"Fine, keep your secrets," Lorelie said with a sigh before turning to Emma and asking, "What do you think?"
Emma shook her head before saying, "I still don't think I'm the right person for the job, I know nothing about the known universe after all."
"That won't be a problem. I'm sure Erkath and Celeste will be happy to advise and teach you about business in the known universe. Also, I'm sure the AI on Adam's ship has training material you can study," Rowena stated.
[LadyErkath (Alastor): I'm more than happy to.]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): Why am I getting recruited for this?]
[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): Probably because Rowena knows you can't reject right now.]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): Damn that old hag.]
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): You know that technically you're also an old hag compared to us with limited lifespans, right? Kekeke.]
[Whitehorn (Darah 5): ...]
"We can also sort you out with a neural implant so that you can learn everything almost instantly, if you want," Adam suggested.
"A what?" Emma asked.
"A neural implant," Adam repeated before explaining, "It's a device that is implanted in your head that makes it easier to learn information. It's how I learnt to pilot Spector and the mech, or learned combat skills."
"You have one?" Emma asked in surprise.
[SciFifanboy (Earth): That's so Scifi.]
"I do," Adam replied.
"Neural implants are quite common in the known universe; even I have one," Lorelie stated.
"Same," Aphrodite stated.
"Me too," Eri added.
"If you like the idea of getting advanced tech, we will even give you your own uniband that even comes capable of producing holographic screens," Tephe stated with a smile while playing with her own uniband to make a holographic screen appear.
[Gunlovergirl (Earth): Damn, I'm so jealous of Miss Hopkins right now.]
[AlamoMatador4thewin (Earth): Same. I want a uniband.]
"Where did you learn to be such a saleswoman?" Stacey asked while looking at Tephe in surprise.
Tephe shrugged before saying, "It's not exactly hard to learn if you watch enough adverts."
"How about we let you think about it for a while," Lorelie said with a smile as she noticed Emma's conflicted expression before she continued, "We have your disappearance to investigate first anyway."
Emma nodded before asking, "You still plan to investigate it?"
"Naturally. You might be safe now that Adam is here, but we're still curious as to why you would suddenly disappear," Lorelie said kindly before her eyes suddenly narrowed and her voice turned cold while adding, "And if someone is responsible for it, then we need to teach them not to mess with our friends."
Tephe, who was sitting between Stacey and Aphrodite, leaned close to Stacey and whispered in a low voice, "Lorelie is scary."
Stacey nodded in response when they suddenly heard Aphrodite chuckle before adding in a low voice, "It's always the nice ones that are the most dangerous when angered."
"Errr, thanks," Emma said in confusion as she couldn't understand why Lorelie was getting so upset over this.
"Your dark side is showing, Lorelie," Rowena teased.
"Hmph," Lorelie responded while looking away with a pout.
"Honestly, I never saw you act like this before you met Adam," Rowena replied with a sigh before shooting Adam an accusatory glare and saying, "You've corrupted my innocent Lorelie."
"I have?" Adam asked in surprise while pointing at himself.
"As I said, she was never like this before she met you. I don't know how you did it, but you unlocked her dark side," Rowena replied.
"It's the second time I've seen it now," Stacey stated while Aphrodite nodded in agreement.
"Second time?" Rowena asked curiously.
"Yeah, the first time it appeared was in the bedroom when she gave me a warning," Aphrodite explained.
"In the bedroom?" Emma asked in surprise.
"Bedroom?" Tephe repeated as she glared at Aphrodite.
[Superior4horns (Vinox 3): Bedroom?]
[Gunlovergirl (Earth): That pink-haired bitch.]
[1000yearsofdeath (Earth): So the streamers now fucked three divas? Kekeke.]
[NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): Seriously?]
[OfficialKasumi (Aqua Primus): I doubt it. Rowena only mentioned Diva Lorelie and Stacey being part of the relationship when we talked the other day.]
[Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Agreed. I doubt she's part of their relationship.]