(with thanks to my friend, Maureen Bourns, non-FOE member) (OOC -The following is a vidcam presentation of the Decorator Channel. It will read like a documentary. All rights reserved). "Welcome back to a special edition of FABULOUS DECOR. I'm Mademoiselle Magnifique Dessein, your hostess. Today, a special treat, as the Empress Azarra, herself, will take us on an exclusive tour of her Imperial Star Destroyer to show you what luxuries the lucky passengers of her upcoming cruise will enjoy. Your Majesty, thank you for allowing us to show the galaxy what you have done with an otherwise dreary Star Destroyer. This cruise is certainly a novel idea." "It actually came about because I felt that The Emperor needed a vacation, and I thought what a wonderful opportunity for both of us to spend time together with some of the Empire's most loyal subjects. Unfortunately, at the last minute the Emperor was unable to attend because of pressing galactic matters, but I decided to continue the Cruise because all the passengers were so excited about going." "It certainly is the talk of the sector. Only 150 lucky people. Can we see where they will be staying?" "Of course. Right this way. Each of the staterooms is exactly alike. I decided on a slightly different color scheme than what the Empire is used to - midnight blue, silver and slate. We are entering the sitting room with 2 chairs covered in midnight blue velvet and a long, low, deep genuine wood table from Zahr. The bedroom and bath area are through this door - the bedspread and curtains are midnight blue panne velvet with embroidered shooting stars. These 2 rooms have a slate plush rug with dark blue shooting stars - a motif you will see throughout the decor. The plush towels in the bathroom have the special 'ISD Empress' logo embroidered on them. We have not installed the beds yet because that will be customized to the the number of occupants in each cabin." "This is very impressive work. Beautiful designs and so elegantly executed. And must have been very expensive." "Quite the contrary. Each of the designers has an exclusive contract to sell reproductions of the items that they supplied. Most of them were extremely generous. Their names will be listed at the end of the program so your viewers can contact them to order whatever they would like." "The comm units will be buzzing off the wall, I'm sure. Where are we off to now?" "On the next level, we have two complete exercise rooms - one for males and one for females, separate from a heated pool in the center to be used by both. Further down the hall, we come to the spacious Empress' Emporium where you can buy exclusive mementos of your cruise brought directly to you by our highly trained staff while you sit in the luxurious chairs and nibble on hors d'oeuvres. Then we come to the recreational rooms with games of chance, vidgames and the flight simulator. In the middle of this level is the theatre, which seats 200, the large ballroom with the bandstand, round tables with chairs and a large dance floor, and the smaller ballroom for other entertainments. I have engaged a 25-piece orchestra, a professional dance troupe and a prestigious theatre company to entertain us on in-transit days and in the evenings. Finally, we come to the large dining area with a head table seating 52 and 10 smaller tables seating 10 passengers per table." "I understand you even have a special china pattern." "The 8-piece place setting, which you see here, has black and silver rings around the edges and 'ISD Empress' in the middle. All crystal and silverware are etched with 'ISD Empress.' Replicas will, of course, be available in the Emporium. "Next we have the Passenger Lounge, an immense area with small groupings of wonderfully comfortable couches and chairs upholstered with a special suede-finished bantha hide." "I LOVE the night sky with the glittering stars painted on the ceiling accented with small diamonds, I understand." "How wonderful of you to notice! I've always felt that it's the little details which really make a statement. On the next level are the smaller rooms for the Cruise staff and entertainers. The rest of the Star Destroyer houses all the essential personnel needed to run the ship efficiently. The Cruise staff are quite separate from the crew; we will have a steward for every 3 suites." "This is a mammoth undertaking, but everything seems to be coming together beautifully." "I have been extremely gratified by the enthusiasm shown by all of the people who helped make this adventure a reality. I especially must thank my assistant, Seleene, who has worked tirelessly to bring so many details together. I know everyone will appreciate all that has been done to make this truly an experience of a lifetime." "You ARE going to show us your stateroom, aren't you?" "If you think your viewers would be interested, I'd be happy to." "Of course they'd be interested. However, first we have to break away for a word from our sponsors. But hurry back - we're headed for the Empress' Boudoir!" (Network notice - Insert GalactiK-Mart commercial here) "Welcome back to FABULOUS DECOR. I'm Mademoiselle Magnifique Dessein, your host. We've been enjoying a private guided tour of the ISD EMPRESS, the fabulous Star Destroyer that was a wedding gift to the Empress. Our guide and hostess is none other than The Empress Azarra herself. Your Majesty, it's time to keep your promise to show everyone YOUR quarters for this cruise." "Never let it be said that a promise made from my palace wasn't kept. First we come to the Emperor's Suite. Here, I decided to forego his usual black motif in favor of more woodsy colors, especially very deep burgundy, mahogany and teak. We decided to keep it one large room with the bathroom and closet area separate. It is sparsely furnished as the Emperor likes it with a large bed, an ebony wood desk with complete communications equipment and a few moderately comfortable chairs. As there are no windows, I added the mural of the Imperial Palace and the plush gold rug with the Imperial "snowflake" design to give it a natural feel, even though we are on a spaceship. It is so unfortunate that the Emperor cannot use it." "So, who will be the lucky ones to be housed in the Emperor's suite? Surely it won't be left vacant." "I have decided to put Governor Casselbury and his wife in there. "As we enter my suite next door, this is the large reception area with comfortable chairs. Through the door is this smaller area with my lovely Yavin-wood desk, a gift from my brother, Luke, and my work station. Even though this is a vacation, I still have diplomatic duties that I will tend to." "How very efficient." "As you see, here we have the bedroom/bath area. The bed on the raised platform was my idea; the crown above it with the cascading midnight blue veils studded with small diamonds to represent the stars were added by the decorator. The color scheme echoes that of the staterooms with midnight blue, silver and slate. The rug, curtains, towels, sheets, etc. all have 'ISD Empress' embroidered on them in native silk from Varelttas." "It's a magnificent room! The colors...the fabrics... the furnishings...so regal, yet so understated. The sunken, triangular bathtub looks heavenly! I understand the black marble is heated for extra comfort. The brushed platinum fixtures are a luxurious touch. I even love the EMPRESS pillow cases! Are those available?" "No, I'm afraid not. Those were a special gift from The Emperor. A personal...joke, as it were." "He has a sense of humor?" "Well, it does come out at the most unexpected times." "How very interesting... I understand that Floratech has created a rose just for you. Have you seen it?" "Not yet. The Empress rose is a midnight blue flower shot through with silver and has been genetically engineered not to affect my well-known allergy to roses. I am most anxious to see it." " Well, Empress Azarra, it seems like we've taken up so much of your time with this tour, and I know you still have a million things to prepare. Is there anything that we've missed?" "I'm sure we have. But if we have overlooked something, you'll be the first to know it, because I have a surprise for you. Your network has booked passage for you on the Cruise. Here is your ticket. I look forward to greeting you on August 6th." "Oh, Your Highness, really?! I can't wait. My viewers will be looking forward to my reports on the Empress Cruise. Until then, this is Magnifique Dessein saying, 'When you must know the galaxy's grand design, C'est Magnifique!'" (Roll credits)
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