[007] Lady Alicia's Yacht - The Kiara Surabi

[joertexas]

"However, I will assist you of course. Lady Anevay is a Knight of the House and so may share a similar view?”

Making the last a question Foix turns to Vee and as Lady Alicia’s gaze turns likewise he gives Vee an emphatic nod.

"Of course, Milord," Vee says courteously. "I am honored to serve House Foix as a ship's navigator, and in any other way I can." Gauvain can sense that his newest knight is nervous, but her voice and manner conceal it well.

[Tiglath]

"Lady Alicia, we are fortunate indeed!" Foix grins delightedly at Vee's able management of the response and winks at her as he refreshes their drinks.

[Tiglath]

Well, I'm sure I'm ignoring some risk or another, you know me... Yet somehow everything always seems to work out ok... As to those who abandoned ship, you know my ability to attract house regulars is not very good, so I'm always relying on random thugs and mercenaries. I think they didn't like my assurance about the radioactivity... Well, if you have found some stalwarts, I would happily take anyone you recommend who is interested.

Foix laughs "Auntie, with you the risks always seem to work out. Remember when you took me for a "country picnic" on Lorissia? If I hadn't found that butter knife we'd never have got out of the minefield!"

He catches Lady Anevay’s eye very briefly and can’t prevent a smile forming on his handsome features as he says cheerfully “Well, I hope we can, at the very least, meet the expectations of service you may have had from random thugs and mercenaries. Who knows - we may even surprise you? Ah, quite possibly I think!”

He continues “Alas, I see you have just missed my old comrade Général Jones. It seems she is taking the evening* air”.

Concerned Foix immediately looks for Grimaud and is relieved to note that his man is not signalling frantically in alarm.

He says “I’m sure we can make adequate provision for the radioactivity. Vacc suits perhaps? I will speak with my comrades and invite them to join your expedition. I’m sure you will provide more details as necessary. So, what great treasure do you seek in the radioactive wilderness?”

Foix bids Grimaud check on Ana and Sara whilst refreshing their drinks and asks that he pass on the news of the invitation to join Lady Alicia’s expedition.

(Edited: minor changes/corrections

OOC: * I assume this is some sort of evening do).

[lenusmars]

She shakes her head and smiles at Sara, “I’m just really bad at, well anything that doesn’t involve high explosives or airstrikes.”

Sara tilts her head. "You’re really not, you know."

“We can make a quick recce of the parimeter and you can distract me with exciting tales of your commune such that I might forget my troubles. Oh, also what the devil is a commune?”

Sara takes Ana’s hand and follows her out, nodding and smiling to other guests as they pass them.

"Ha! If there were exciting tales, I probably wouldn’t have joined the scouts!As for what it is...Hm. it’s kind of like a tribe, I guess. Except all the positions of authority are voted in by the citizens, and only hold office for a couple of years. "

[ffilz]

Shortly after joining in the lounge, Vivien and Sara realize they served out of the same Scout base (just off map).

(Ok, I think it's time for me to develop the sub-sector immediately coreward from this region... I need to go through all the postings looking for worlds already named by PCs...).

[Tiglath]

(Ok, I think it's time for me to develop the sub-sector immediately coreward from this region... I need to go through all the postings looking for worlds already named by PCs...).

(OOC: The worlds/locations referenced by Ana and Foix are Hessia (location of an urban siege) and Lorissia (location of an Indochina flavoured counter insurgency operation). Of course these don't have to be worlds per se and could even be located on the same planet. However, they both have "earth standard" atmospheres and gravity.

The Foix "seat" is just off the map South of Damkina).

[ffilz]

(Ok, I think it's time for me to develop the sub-sector immediately coreward from this region... I need to go through all the postings looking for worlds already named by PCs...).

(OOC: The worlds/locations referenced by Ana and Foix are Hessia (location of an urban siege) and Lorissia (location of an Indochina flavoured counter insurgency operation). Of course these don't have to be worlds per se and could even be located on the same planet. However, they both have "earth standard" atmospheres and gravity.

The Foix "seat" is just off the map South of Damkina).

Thanks for that, I think there's a few more tidbits. If anyone comes up with any others, let me know.

Also, let me know what comes of your conversation with Shaidar about Harper's position in the family.

Frank

[Ramona]

(Ok, I think it's time for me to develop the sub-sector immediately coreward from this region... I need to go through all the postings looking for worlds already named by PCs...).

(OOC: The worlds/locations referenced by Ana and Foix are Hessia (location of an urban siege) and Lorissia (location of an Indochina flavoured counter insurgency operation). Of course these don't have to be worlds per se and could even be located on the same planet. However, they both have "earth standard" atmospheres and gravity.

The Foix "seat" is just off the map South of Damkina).

They’re seperated by a decade and a half so different planets makes sense.

[Ramona]

Sara tilts her head. "You’re really not, you know."

Ana smiles and kisses Sara on the cheek, “Then I’ve intentionally sabotaged or gone out of my way to find people I’m incompatible with for a very long time.” She shrugs as she holds the door open for Sara and winks, “Who knows, maybe the ancestor spirits were just trying to keep me available until the right one showed up. I mean it only took them a hundred years but then again I am a bit of a diffucult customer.””

Sara takes Ana’s hand and follows her out, nodding and smiling to other guests as they pass them.

"Ha! If there were exciting tales, I probably wouldn’t have joined the scouts!As for what it is...Hm. it’s kind of like a tribe, I guess. Except all the positions of authority are voted in by the citizens, and only hold office for a couple of years. "

“So, your war council is based on a popularity contest?” Ana asks somewhat surprised, then she thinks for a second, “You probably don’t have a war council, do you?”

She looks carefully about the hanger as they walk around the ship. “Commune sounds like you should be making those beaded hanging things for potted plants.”

[shaidar]

Harper mingles with the guests, making small talk and enjoying the food and her drink (which appears to be some kind of fruit juice). Those of an observant nature will note that while she looks at home in the situation she seems to be not completely applying herself.

As the Comte introduces Lady Anevay as a knight, she gives a thoughtful look to both the knight and the Comte, a slight smile on her lips.

Later, as the discussion turns to the mission, she seems to get get more animated, and she addresses the Comte

"My Lord, General" a slight nod of the head "I had considered vacc suits myself, once we get closer and do some more scans we can determine if that will be sufficient. Otherwise, we shall make other plans, every problem is solvable if you have the right resources" for a second she looks slightly alarmed "Apologies Lady Alicia, I didn't mean to interrupt"

[Tiglath]

Foix replies graciously and, unusually for him, appears to be giving the very attractive Lady Harper a more appraising rather than appreciative look. He smoothly takes her hand and steps in to deliver a kiss of greeting on both her cheeks. As he does so he seems to study her blue eyes momentarily before releasing his grip and gently returning her hand.

“A pleasure to meet you Lady Harper. Gauvain or Foix if you prefer will suffice - we are among family here. I hear the Navy was good for you?”

(OOC: And welcome aboard shaidar! )

[shaidar]

Harper smiles back at the Comte

"The pleasure is mine, my Lord...I mean Foix. Not all the family would agree, but yes I think so. The Navy made me the woman I am today, much like yourself and the Legion" she blushes slightly "Of course, your success in the ranks far exceeds mine"

ooc: thanks!

[joertexas]

As the Comte introduces Lady Anevay as a knight, she gives a thoughtful look to both the knight and the Comte, a slight smile on her lips.[/dialog]

Vee, who has a fluted glass in her right hand, and her left hand resting on the inside of the Comte's bicep, nods slightly and quirks her own lips in gentle amusement.

[Ramona]

Just an aside while it’s in my brain, we might want to find out the source or cause of the radiation.

So is it natural or artifical/artificial (human caused), is it interal or external (from the planet or space), is it continuous or intermittent, how lethal is it?

Ana will look all this stuff up on her datapad while she walks with Sara.

[Tiglath]

Harper smiles back at the Comte

"The pleasure is mine, my Lord...I mean Foix. Not all the family would agree, but yes I think so. The Navy made me the woman I am today, much like yourself and the Legion" she blushes slightly "Of course, your success in the ranks far exceeds mine"

Foix raises an eyebrow and smiles "My Lady, I am flattered that you followed my career. Family opinion is divided on many issues. For myself I have often found their judgement to be entirely suspect so I choose to make up my own mind instead. Reputations can be misleading” he smiles “I am grateful that Lady Anevay was not put off by mine”.

[lenusmars]

Ana smiles and kisses Sara on the cheek, “Then I’ve intentionally sabotaged or gone out of my way to find people I’m incompatible with for a very long time.” She shrugs as she holds the door open for Sara and winks, “Who knows, maybe the ancestor spirits were just trying to keep me available until the right one showed up. I mean it only took them a hundred years but then again I am a bit of a difficult customer.””

Sara chuckles, cheeks warming a little at Ana's implication. "Maybe that just proves that bureaucracy is eternal... they probably lost the paperwork."

“So, your war council is based on a popularity contest?” Ana asks somewhat surprised, then she thinks for a second, “You probably don’t have a war council, do you?”

"Not really a war council, no." Sara smiles. "And I suppose it is a kind of popularity contest. Several adults from each of the lines are selected randomly every two years. From those, the people vote for who fills their assembly seat, the others are backups in case the one who is seated gets recalled."

She looks carefully about the hanger as they walk around the ship. “Commune sounds like you should be making those beaded hanging things for potted plants.”

Sara giggles."I suppose it does. I've seen what other people have called 'communes' in various places. But for us it just means community. The habitats and the mining operations are owned by the community as a whole. And egalitarianism and consensus, generally, is a big deal. Weird, as the universe goes, I know, but we make it work."

"I suppose," She says thoughtfully, "that it's why I preferred the Scouts to the Army or Navy... less hierarchy. Not as many nobles for that matter."

[Ramona]

Sara chuckles, cheeks warming a little at Ana's implication. "Maybe that just proves that bureaucracy is eternal... they probably lost the paperwork."

"Not really a war council, no." Sara smiles. "And I suppose it is a kind of popularity contest. Several adults from each of the lines are selected randomly every two years. From those, the people vote for who fills their assembly seat, the others are backups in case the one who is seated gets recalled."

“Wow, that sounds really ni... Nope, can’t do it, that sounds really tedious.” Ana looks at Sara apologetically, “Sorry, my brain told my mouth to form the words ‘really nice’ but my mouth refused. Truth be told my brain and my mouth haven’t been on speaking terms in years.”

“We used to just hit each other, come to think of it we hit each other a lot. If it was really important there were usually weapons involved and someone died. Your way does sound a lot more civilized, less bloody.”

Sara giggles."I suppose it does. I've seen what other people have called 'communes' in various places. But for us it just means community. The habitats and the mining operations are owned by the community as a whole. And egalitarianism and consensus, generally, is a big deal. Weird, as the universe goes, I know, but we make it work."

"I suppose," She says thoughtfully, "that it's why I preferred the Scouts to the Army or Navy... less hierarchy. Not as many nobles for that matter."

“Most nobles live in their own worlds, isolated from the rabble. They make decisions that impact the lives of millions or billions of people and never see or experience the consequences of those decisions beyond the bottom line of an account ledger.”

“Some of them are well meaning individuals who take their roles seriously, others are pampered brats only concerned with who’s throwing tonight’s party and which media darling they need to be seen with. Worlds run by the former are quiet, peaceful places, worlds run by the latter eventually end up drawing the attention of the Imperial military when the citizens decide the time has come to burn it down.”

Ana sighs, “Enough shop talk we should probably head back, before Foix signs us up for something we’ll regret.”

[shaidar]

Harper smiles back at the Comte

"The pleasure is mine, my Lord...I mean Foix. Not all the family would agree, but yes I think so. The Navy made me the woman I am today, much like yourself and the Legion" she blushes slightly "Of course, your success in the ranks far exceeds mine"

Foix raises an eyebrow and smiles "My Lady, I am flattered that you followed my career. Family opinion is divided on many issues. For myself I have often found their judgement to be entirely suspect so I choose to make up my own mind instead. Reputations can be misleading” he smiles “I am grateful that Lady Anevay was not put off by mine”.

At the mention of Lady Anevay, Harper's eyes sparkle

"The Lady Anevay, I must say you two look good together, I'd be interested in hearing how you met...if I'm not being intrusive...and please call me Harper"

[Tiglath]

Foix smiles and says “Lady Harper, I am delighted to find you flourishing here with Lady Alicia. Now, fool that I am I will take my leave of you two beauties to talk with the much less aesthetically pleasing Grimaud". He turns to Harper with a small nod and says “Enchanté Madame!” and then addresses both women in turn as he leaves “My Lady, My Knight!”

He speaks swiftly and earnestly with Grimaud before setting a course to diplomatically “work the room” speaking to Lady Alicia’s guests.

Grimaud immediately approaches Anevay and Harper and in professionally polished style offers “Ladies may I freshen you drinks? Or serve you some Champagne perhaps?”

[shaidar]

"Thank you, I'll have another Virgin Mary" she hands her glass over "Lady Anevay?..."