* * * * * *
The screen flickers into life with layers of green, gold and red text swimming across the surface. We see a torso, a green shirt and brown trousers over curved hips, midriff peeping through the two garments . A slightly muffled female voice, not in optimum mic range says "You're the one with the head for figures. Go over the dockets again and make sure we have all the paperwork. I'm not buying that a ton of our cargo grew legs and wandered off on it's own and you can tell that idiot warehouse clerk I said that!"
The female sits down and the lens of the camera refocuses. She has a small cup with a rich, brown transparent beverage which she sips, leaning back into the chair.
"Captain Seren Undercroft. Create New Log - Nyce - a "y" not an "i", tag it and connect it with Fall, Ariadne, Beit Dawla and Moonkill, Jade".
Time to update the diary on events here on Araxes....
A week or so ago, I attended a function held by Lady Ariadne Fall. The evening was successful, not to mention eventful but I'll come to that in a minute. People were talking and there were varying degrees of networking going on between various groups and interests.
The party proceeded at a steady pace and we were making merry. Lady Ariadne was her usual elegant self, she began polite conversation with everyone and the discussions were interesting, if not very informative. That was all about to change however....
The Lady Ariadne called the party to attention. She wanted to discuss documents that had arrived on her desk. The documents, she claimed, directly implicated the Myrmidons and their leader, Athena Prime of involvement in the death of former Beit Dawla delegate Jade Moonkill. An assassin's contract. I remember it clearly, the sharp intake of breath, the moment of silent shock where the people wondered what to say next.
The Lady Ariadne called the party to attention. She wanted to discuss documents that had arrived on her desk. The documents, she claimed, directly implicated the Myrmidons and their leader, Athena Prime of involvement in the death of former Beit Dawla delegate Jade Moonkill. An assassin's contract. I remember it clearly, the sharp intake of breath, the moment of silent shock where the people wondered what to say next.
Lady Ariadne is an incredibly intelligent, intuitive and some might say cunning woman. She knows how to shape her words and timing to achieve the most impact : this was no exception. Of course, it sparked a heated debate. Accusations were thrown around and I won't deny I was involved in quite a bit of it.
Of course, things are always much more complicated than they seem. Take the Lady Ariadne. She's a member of a ancient sect upon which layer upon layer of superstition and myth have been added to the point that no-one really knows what they're capable of or what their aims are. Some people call them witches, that they have special insight and powers of influence. They say they're good at making you see things their way although whether that's a mystical, psychic ability or if they're just skilled negotiators, I can't say.
However, I will say that she speaks in a very delicate way that makes you hang on every word and that's a skill many people would yearn for.
I reported the incident to the Consulari in a private com-link discussion and brought the matter to the Beit Dawla. Looking back, I can't help but think I argued Lady Ariadne's case more strongly than I intended. I suggested that, if Lady Ariadne's evidence is correct, the Myrmidon Order's former Beit Dawla representative Skymet may be implicated in holding up the investigation. By all accounts, Skymet is an honourable and noble type - but you would have to think her loyalties lie with the Myrmidon Order above all else.
I know that it's entirely possible that the Laandsrat are trying to shift the blame to someone else to cover their own backs. Landing that haughty bunch in the slammer was a major achievement for the the late Ms Moonkill and they weren't best pleased. No, not pleased at all.
She takes another sip from her drink, then another before draining the glass entirely.
I don't know if we'll ever get to the bottom of this mystery. Probably won't pull it off in my time on the Dawla council but I'm assured we have top minds working on it.
In the meantime, I have my working relationship with the Saif Al-Azaadi to think about. Officially she's designated as my deputy but I don't think of her in that way. I don't think of myself as her superior and neither does she. We're working on an alliance for the mutual benefit of all free traders on Araxes.
Beyond that, there are rumours of new legalisation regarding traders, the issue of terraforming the planet (oft tried, I hear the Guild won't have it) and it isn't as though I don't have my own business to run. Elena has a brilliant mind but she lacks the edge to push deals through.
We need to get the Persephone back up in the air. I've had her sitting on Araxes for far too long and the extra work for the rest of the fleet is unfair. Whilst I'm making a good sum of Solari from my role in government, I need to think about what will happen afterwards - I can't lose valuable contracts. Once Elena has located the missing stock, I've told her to depart
Actually, I hear her coming now. Okay, we'll leave this there.
Terminate log, encrypt save and transmit.
Of course, things are always much more complicated than they seem. Take the Lady Ariadne. She's a member of a ancient sect upon which layer upon layer of superstition and myth have been added to the point that no-one really knows what they're capable of or what their aims are. Some people call them witches, that they have special insight and powers of influence. They say they're good at making you see things their way although whether that's a mystical, psychic ability or if they're just skilled negotiators, I can't say.
However, I will say that she speaks in a very delicate way that makes you hang on every word and that's a skill many people would yearn for.
I reported the incident to the Consulari in a private com-link discussion and brought the matter to the Beit Dawla. Looking back, I can't help but think I argued Lady Ariadne's case more strongly than I intended. I suggested that, if Lady Ariadne's evidence is correct, the Myrmidon Order's former Beit Dawla representative Skymet may be implicated in holding up the investigation. By all accounts, Skymet is an honourable and noble type - but you would have to think her loyalties lie with the Myrmidon Order above all else.
I know that it's entirely possible that the Laandsrat are trying to shift the blame to someone else to cover their own backs. Landing that haughty bunch in the slammer was a major achievement for the the late Ms Moonkill and they weren't best pleased. No, not pleased at all.
She takes another sip from her drink, then another before draining the glass entirely.
I don't know if we'll ever get to the bottom of this mystery. Probably won't pull it off in my time on the Dawla council but I'm assured we have top minds working on it.
In the meantime, I have my working relationship with the Saif Al-Azaadi to think about. Officially she's designated as my deputy but I don't think of her in that way. I don't think of myself as her superior and neither does she. We're working on an alliance for the mutual benefit of all free traders on Araxes.
Beyond that, there are rumours of new legalisation regarding traders, the issue of terraforming the planet (oft tried, I hear the Guild won't have it) and it isn't as though I don't have my own business to run. Elena has a brilliant mind but she lacks the edge to push deals through.
We need to get the Persephone back up in the air. I've had her sitting on Araxes for far too long and the extra work for the rest of the fleet is unfair. Whilst I'm making a good sum of Solari from my role in government, I need to think about what will happen afterwards - I can't lose valuable contracts. Once Elena has located the missing stock, I've told her to depart
Actually, I hear her coming now. Okay, we'll leave this there.
Terminate log, encrypt save and transmit.
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