Serendipity and the Major

"No, no, no...that is connected to the green pipe not the blue one!"

Elena Galewind looked down from her harness where she hung from the 'Seph's hull. She knew, of course, that the Captain was entirely wrong. The green pipe led to the sewage tank. The blue pipe led to the coolant system.

"Are you quite sure, Captain?"

Seren spread her arms, palms up and shook them."Well, yes! You just try it you'll see."

Elena turned back to the open cavity in the side of the hull, rolled her eyes, and connected the cable to the blue pipe regardless. It was then she heard the Captain's voice addressing someone out of sight.

"Can I help you there, friend?"

"Delegate Undercroft?"

"Aye that's me."

"I am Major Siamendes with the Special Investigations Unit. Alliance military. May I have a moment of your time?"

The captain eyed the Major up and down with a mild look of distaste. Uniforms. They were like a rag to a bull as far as the delegate was concerned. The major stood looking back, smiling pleasantly enough. That's how it always started, of course. Every time.

"Special investigations unit, eh? Alliance....." Seren paused, pursing her lips, "Bit out of your comfort zone out here, ain't ya?"

"I am used to travel" said the Major, "I am investigating a number of threats made against citizens of the UAP by a group known as the Jade Congregation."

Seren put her finger in the air, ready to make a point. "Aye, well...I did recommend to the Consulari you get involved sooner but there's some non-intervention policy or something. Anyways...", she said about to mean the opposite of what she was said, "...not my position to complain about the inadequacies of the Alliance...."

Non-plussed, the Major queried the comment with a questioning "Get involved?"

"Well, the late Ms. Moonkill was one of your lot...wasn't she?" Seren dabbed at her sand covered trousers and squinted at the Major in the bright sun, "Anyway, I'm sure you're probably aware that it wasn't just members of the UAP having trouble with this lot. Apparently the whole Dawla got an earful."

The Major confirmed that she  knew,"I was informed that you and other members of the Beit Dawla received threatening letters". She paused and then said "Shall we find a place to sit and chat?"

Seren twisted her mouth momentarily, side glancing at the Major.  "Sure, why not? Council chambers be okay?". A subtle reminder to the Major, were it needed, that she was dealing with an elected member of the government.

The Major smiled in a way the captain found disconcerting and said "That would be fine."

Seren nodded briskly, wiping her hands on a cloth from her pocket before shouting to her first officer "Yo Elena, I'm heading to the chambers. Be done by the time I get back".

Elena nodded that she'd understood the secret message she'd heard many times before. Be ready to take off at a moment's notice.

Al Raqis Council Chambers and Magistrate's Court

The Captain had a profound distrust of law enforcement and authority. It was something that ate at her during Dawla meetings. There wasn't a single person on that council that she trusted and she had the same misgivings about the Major walking alongside her. The same misgivings she had about Arnold Gustav. They were narrow-minded, focused on one particular brand of thinking, indoctrinated by that world view. She'd seen it here and at home. Home. There were skeletons in her closet that she couldn't risk being discovered and now this pesky major was here. She hoped her nerves didn't show. As they approached the Council Chambers, she realised they hadn't spoken for the entire journey and that the investigator had probably wondered about that. So she spoke, abruptly.

"Top floor, Major"
"Thank you."

They sailed through the doors that led to the Dawla, past the Consulari's expansive office and climbed two flights of stairs. The musty smell of cinnammon touched her senses again, that familiar smell of Araxes,  as they walked along the corridor to the dark end office with the plaque  - Delegate Serendipity Undercroft.

She motioned for the Major to sit down and sat in her own chair staring intensely at the Alliance officer. She steepled her fingers in front of her face and when she caught the Major's attention, smiled.

Seren leant forward, pushed a hidden button on the desk and a spring-loaded draw ejected upwards. She reached inside, rummaged and removed a crumpled sheet of spice paper.

"This turned up in my internal mail a few weeks back. I guess you'll want to see it."

"Yes please. It could be helpful", said the Major who took the document and scanned it intently. The captain noticed a flicker of a frown.

"When did you first hear of the Jade Revolution?"

Abrupt. To the point. The pleasantries were clearly over.

The captain leant back in her chair and gestured with her hands. "The first time was probably when I got that letter. Apparently they'd had some problems with the terminals down in the chambers but that was before my time in office."

"And when did this letter arrive?"

"Two or three weeks ago, heck it could have been a month. As you can imagine, I get a lot of mail"

"Of course, how did it arrive?"

Seren leant forward, gestured to the desk. "I found it here on this very desk. Normally the mail arrives electronically or a clerk from the basement brings it up from the post-room. I can't say how it got onto my desk."

"Have there further threats to your person or property?"

Seren sniffed dismissively "From these Jadist clowns? Not that I know of. But that's a busy landing bay. If I were being watched I couldn't say with any certainty that I'd know about it."

The Major looked on, clearly mulling over what was being said. "Have you arranged for increased security?"

Seren leant forward more, arching an eyebrow, face half turned. "I haven't. Do you think I should, Major? Is the risk that grave?"

"They warn they will watch your actions from afar....", the Major paused momentarily, "....but it is the reference to the crypt that would concern me. They have proven they can get into your offices...."

The Captain's mind suddenly raced but the Major continued "Were you making repairs to your ship when I arrived?".

Leaning back, she nonchantly explained "One of the coolant pipes got damaged. We're not sure how."

The Major nodded, "Standard repairs...or any signs of possible tampering?"

"Lots of junk gets pushed up in engine flow, it's par for the course." said Seren, noticing the Major was again intently looking at the letter.

"Did you know Jade?"

Ah, here we go, thought the Captain, trying to establish a link. Not guilty, Major.

"I bumped into her once or twice. I have to say I found her so be....someone I'd have liked to have known better. Why do you ask?"

"Your letter", the Major gestured, "..some of the other notes have contained personal references. This letter focused on your political platform. See?". She leant forward, indicating the passage. It read:

We have monitored your election pledges and find that you have failed totally in your attempts to fulfill your doe-eyed objectives.

"Aye", said the Captain, raising her hands in annoyance, "I noticed Major. Good grief."

"This is important", said the Major firmly, "Might I keep this letter. I would like to have the paper tested."

Seren nodded "Well sure, I certainly don't want it."

The Major continued her questioning. "You mentioned that you would have liked to have known Jade better. Why is that?"

"Oh, I see where this is going..."

"Oh?"

Leaning back in her chair, the Captain said with a certain degree of anger in her voice - "Yep. Sure. I liked Jade. She had some bright ideas and you know what? Yeah, I found I was surprisingly upset when she died....I've been quite vocal in my support for her views so...."

She caught herself mid-sentence, realising she might inadvertantly open herself up for suspicion. She glanced at the Major who looked on and nodded.

"She was a genuine soul." said the Major before looking again at the letter.

"If you wanna throw suspicion on anyone, Major, you might think about Mr. Gustav."

The Major continued on her line of inquiry. "First, the present threat..."

"Threat?"
"The Jade Revolution..." the Major paused and then said "Do you think Mr. Gustav is involved...in what happened to Jade?"

"I don't know about that.....He works for one of the biggest security firms on the planet, we already know he'd sell his granny for a profit. And hey...", she firmly placed a pointed finger on the desk, "he's the security guru around here and they're running rings around him...so what do you think?"

The Major twisted her mouth in thought. "Honestly....there are a number of people who would benefit from Jade's death."

Seren leant back in her chair, clasped her fingers together and said "I wouldn't know. I'm just a dumb, humble trader, Major."

Smiling, the major commented  "But with ideas of democracy and freedom...according to the Jade Revolution. Tell me about your political platform, Ms. Undercroft"

Seren sighed warily and prepared her mouth to speak. "I have lofty dreams of ending the wars that persistently cause harm to the people of this world. I'm advocating total transparency of the government and want to put the people before the factions who will stop at nothing to bleed this planet dry."

"Go on", the major urged.

The captain gestured widely with her arms. "Have you seen what's going on out there? The Magistrate basically sold the planet out to all and sundry. What right do the people of Botany Bay or the Federation or your precious Alliance have to sit on our government and decide our fate?"

The captain looked sternly at the major who had been listening intently. For a moment, Seren thought she'd heard someone shuffling around in the office next door.

"May I see your campaign literature, anything that details your election pledges?"

Seren looked at the major momentarily before nodding "Sure, I probably have it around here somewhere". As the captain rummaged around the innards of her desk, the Major had another question to ask.

"Do you follow the writings of any specific political scientist or philosopher?"

The captain paused and looked up, searching the major's face for a clue. Why that question?

"I was never much for politics, Major. Which is kinda funny since I ended up as a politician.". She rummaged a bit more and then made a point. "Of course, if you're hunting down certain political types....apparently that happened on Earth quite a bit back in the day....no comment."

The Major smiled back at the captain in a way no doubt meant to be pleasant but that Seren yet again found disconcerting. "I am hunting, Delegate Undercroft, but not for you."

Seren pulled several leaflets from a draw and wiped away the dust. She handed it over to the Major who said pleasantly "May I keep these?"

The captain laughed sarcastically. "Sure, I got a ton more sitting in the printers."

"Thank you", the Major said standing, "I will not take any more of your time. Thank you for your help."

Lifting her hands and almost shrugging, the captain replied "Any time, Major. I'm sure you know your own way out."

The Major smiled and left the office the way she came. For a moment, Seren sat there. Then she picked up her pen and threw it across the room. "Goddamn Alliance, sticking their oar in, too late as usual!".

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."

News of the Ta'Seti invasion of Araxes pierced the silent contemplation Seren Undercroft had indulged herself in like a raucous, unwanted guest. She'd allowed herself a brief vacation, away from the pressures and stress of Araxian political life and had been watching the sunset on the family's adopted home of Nena from her seat on the farmhouse's veranda.

"Captain, word comes of Ta'Seti invasion on Araxes. You're to stay off-world until the threat has been defeated."

The voice came from her erstwhile companion, Elena Galewind, the Cognitive who had no doubt already analysed the various paths and repercussions of the conflict based on the information available to her. She spoke with a certainty but Seren knew that was Elena's way.  The conflict was far from certain victory for the Araxian forces.

Of course, the invasion had been coming. The Ta'Seti were dying and needed the spice to formulate a cure. Their allies, the Myrmidons were thrustful and direct in Laandsrat sessions. The Ta'Seti must not be allowed to die and they would seize the planet if necessary to prevent their extinction.

The Magistrate, along with others in the Laandsrat, had agreed to help. But the price was steep. The Ta'Seti required 75% of all spice produced on Araxes. A staggering amount!

For the first time in office, Seren had felt utterly lost. This was the archetypal no-win situation. Refusal to deliver the spice would result in the potential invasion of Araxes and possibly involve the Imperium in a long and bloody war.  The Ta'Seti were dying and no force stronger than the will to survive. Countless millions could be lost.

But to give the Ta'Seti the spice, to save a people from extinction, would have profound consequences within the Imperium itself. Production would have to triple in an attempt to avoid the social and economic fabric of the Imperium tearing itself apart. The price of the spice might increase many times over as the people's panicked and began to hoard their supplies whilst the production levels took time to increase. It would be pushed out of the reach of the poorest members of society, pushed out of reach of all but the biggest trading companies. The monopoly would re-emerge, stronger than ever and the Houses would rally to position themselves to take advantage.

Seren had, like many others, chosen to vote against supplying the Ta'Seti with their cure. She had said, with a brutal coldness that shocked her, that this was merely nature's way of telling the Ta'Seti their time was at an end.

And now the consequences of their actions had been apparent.

The battle had raged in the southern districts of Wadi and Evangeline. The Ta'Seti had arrived in their huge battlecruisers, dropped their soldiers deep within the desert and began the surprise surge against the Imperium. 

The resistance forces on Araxes had been prepared for this eventuality. Whilst the government talked in their committees, they had prepared for the war. The newly appointed Defence Minister had formed an unison of forces. The United Systems Directorate, the SSFS, New Gaia's Colonial Rangers and many others had pushed back against the threat, standing their ground, proverbial shield-to-shield against the oncoming horde.

When the battle was over, the war logs began to filter through. Most were only available to people with special clearance. The battle had been won. The Ta'Seti threat had been averted, pushed off the planet in one final, colossal show of strength. There were rumours that some cryptographers had managed to decode a Ta'Seti interface and accessed their archive.

There was talk of battlefields deep with dead bodies, some charred, some dismembered, some destroyed beyond recognition within mangled wreckage.

Of course, Seren thought, there were no winners. Casualties were heavy on both sides. For all the jingoistic rhetoric, there were hundreds of ruined lives. Not just soldiers but their families and friends.

And for the Ta'Seti. Their future looked dark and uncertain. They faced the notion that the days of the Ta'Seti may soon draw to a close, a civilisation consigned to history scholars and archaeologists of the future.

Perhaps, she thought, we've merely made our enemy even more dangerous.

For the people, for freedom!

"Freedom for most people is something sacred, and many have been willing to sacrifice their lives for it. It is not just another word, for we measure the health of our democracies by the standard of freedom" -  Ancient Earth Politician.

Seren ran her finger along the tablet, whispering the names slowly as she read. The Laandsrat had been expanded and the factions, whether they were corporate, nobles or militaries were empowered more than ever before. Never in the recent history of Araxes had the position and inalienable rights of the individual been as weak. She glanced silently out of the view port of the Persephone, her eyes surveying the majestic towers and structures of the city until her eyes reached the Council Chambers. Democracy and freedom. They'd been the bywords of civilised society for the ancients but had been trampled underfoot by the corporations who had seized power of the people. Society had collapsed back into a feudal system - a system of aristocrats and great houses, giant corporate entities, vast religious doctrines that covered thousands of worlds, colossal military forces, all of whom sought to control the spice, to enslave the peoples of the Imperium to their causes, to fool them into believing their way was the only way whilst trampling the very same people underfoot.

Outsiders had come. The Alliance. They were as bad as the Imperium. They didn't tell you what to think, they told you how to think. Their society presented itself as clean, pure, enlightened. They were nothing of the sort. The Independents on the fringe told a different story. They'd lost the Unification War. They called themselves Browncoats and they strove for the very freedoms dreamt of for the Imperium. So many had died for the cause and lost. So many. On Miranda and elsewhere.

The Shrouded Stranger

Elena Galewind stood on the Splintered Rock landing platform looking out towards the dune sea. The horizon seemed to have moved and where the sky would normally have touched the ground, a vast dusty orange cloud crept along with a menacing procession of murky waves. Dust storms were not unusual on Araxes. The dry air, wind and vast expanse of sand lent itself to the phenomenon. The desert-borns, she knew, would be holed up in their seeqs.  Air traffic would be temporarily suspended, the people in the city told to go indoors, to fasten up their homes as the storm approached. It would pass and the people would return to whatever they were fixated on before. The klaxon had yet to sound so she stood and admired the beauty of it, using her staff as a measuring tool, calculating its trajectory, height and ferocity.

She was lost in thought, her mind imbued with the calculations. She didn't detect the dark, draped and cloaked stranger who emerged behind her.

"Greetings."

Startled, she turned round, suddenly thankful for the staff in her hand. She adopted the defensive pose without thinking.  In a blink of an eye, her thought processes sprung back to life,  assessing the danger. Cloaked, masked, male, no visible weaponry, a piercing red light emitted from a mechanical eye.


Elena straightened, her hand still grasping the staff tightly should she have to use it. "Greetings to you, sir."
"What is that pole you're holding" he asked, examining it closely.
"A ceremonial air staff, it is issued to many of my Order. A primarily defensive weapon."
"And what is your Order?"
Elena pondered the question, tried to foresee the different paths the conversation could take depending on her answer and the motives of the individual.
"You're a curious one", she said finally, "I suppose it does no harm to tell. I am an Adept of the Cognitive-Mentis Order. What are you?"
"I, I am but a soldier. Please, tell me more of your Order, enlighten me."

Again, she pondered the question. She harboured suspicions that he was more than just a soldier. Certainly, her Order was hardly a secret but the universe was a changed place. The Concordat was vast and it's borders touched the realms of others with increasing frequency. She chose the careful approach - "I fear you would find it a rather uninteresting story. Certainly combat is not one of our finer points although some come to the Order later in life having honed their skill in other areas."

The stranger spoke again, his voice slightly muffled by the dark cloth mask around his face - "I study more than just combat. As the ages passed, I have studied many things and harnessed many things".

An esoteric response in kind, she thought.

"I can tell from your attire", she began, "that you have an eclectic history. You do not appear to be the standard soldier common to these parts."

"Well analysed.". A curt response.

"What am I to make of the eyepiece?". She sought information upon which to make a hypothesis. The stranger was being vague. Perhaps the eyepiece will put me on the right path.

"Ancient technology. A memorable device."

Memorable or memory. She didn't hear above the growing winds. "Interesting", she asked, "I presume by the name it records what you see?"

"That's one of its features. It also displays a radar from the results of various scans. Sound, sight, infra-red, satellite."

The information was good but still too vague. She couldn't pinpoint a specific technology, race or planet.

"A useful device to have....why do you hide your face? To protect you from the sand or to protect your identity?"

"Let's just say it's for the sand."

"Understood". She accepted his abstruse nature for now, the wind was whipping up and the sand was starting  to gently peck her face.

He gestured to her staff - "You talked about your staff. What exactly can it do?"

"As I said, it's a primarily defensive weapon. It can project a super-concentrated burst of air to disorientate an opponent. Failing that, it makes a useful melee weapon."

"How does it work? Technological or.....other alternatives?"

Finally, she thought, I detect the person behind the mask. Alternatives to technology mean a belief in mythical or fantastical powers. Elena replied "Technological. We are a scientific people not beholden to the wild superstitions of others, like the Sinisterhood."

Elena noticed the man stiffen. Agitated perhaps. "Through my years, I have studied both. And I can tell you such things are far more than superstitions. Superstitions do not destroy armies."

A simple claim to rebuke, she thought. Scientific, logical thought would prevail. "That rather depends on the army. A primitive race of spear throwers would tremble in fear at 'Gods' with laserguns."

"You lack realisation.".

A firm and strong rebuttal implying she lacked the knowledge to comprehend the matter at hand. Something she was unaccustomed to. She raised an eyebrow but was interrupted before she could respond in kind.

"I have learnt of a true power", he intoned, "greater than any other."

"Tell, what is this power? Can it be studied in a laboratory?". She heard the scorn in her own voice.

"It can only be studied through experience. I do not know of it's word in our tongue."

Damnation, this man has a propensity to be utterly unfathomable. 

"You will learn one day." he said before turning away and striding away across the platform as mysteriously as he had arrived. Elena held her hand up to her face, protecting it from the sand which peppered her skin like tiny fragments of glass. You leave on a riddle.....a disconcerting fact to be true...but I'm rather good at solving them. 






[Featuring "Gordon Freeman"]

Seren and the Sardar

Delegate Undercroft's first encounter with the His Grace, Sardar Kumar Sri Rai Sahib Khanzadeh, the 633rd in line to the Imperial Lion Throne had been thoroughly unexpected. She had been walking through the citadel on the Rock to cast her eyes over new office premises for the PTC and had wandered in, quite by accident, on the Margrave Princely Count's chamber.

She'd frozen and for a few moments completely lost the ability to communicate in any meaningful way. Had she have chosen a first meeting with His Grace, it wouldn't have been after barging into his office. After what seemed an eternity, she regained her composure and apologised to His Grace for intruding in such a manner. She planned to make a dash there and then - perhaps he hadn't recognised her, why would he? - but it turned out that, yes, in fact he had.

He accepted her apology, explained that he had been lost in thought and apparently hadn't even seen the copper-haired young woman enter the room until she'd spoken.

"You are one of those democratic people aren't you? Populist....I can't think of the correct word?"
"Elected, your grace?"
"That's the word!"

Seren hastily tried to remember the correct protocol expected when in the presence of an Imperial figure and His Grace sensed her awkwardness. "No Curtsying or bowing, just avoid direct eye contact." She quickly diverted her eyes to the floor. She rather enjoyed her head on her shoulders and wouldn't want to lose it for such a minor intransigence. Actually, she wasn't sure what the punishment was but decided she didn't want to find out.

"I'm Delegate Undercroft of the Beit Dawla, your grace."
"I'm sure it's a pleasure to meet you" said the Margrave Princely Count in as regal a manner you might imagine, "I've lost track of the fellow who handles my appointments. I sent him off on an errand to donate my bathwater."
"I'm sure the great unwashed will be thankful" Oh, you sycophant.
 "What do you want Delegate? I'd offer you a chair but I've discovered they don't work. This planet is built for damnation!"

Seren laughed nervously - it was genuinely funny but she was unsure if she was allowed to laugh in his presence. Galewind hadn't gone through this with her during her pre-election training. His Grace looked at her oddly, as if making a mental note of something.

"Are you here for official business or is this a social call?"
 "In truth, " Seren confessed, "I didn't expect to find you here your grace but since I am here, may I enquire about the investigation into the Ta'Seti invasion?"
"It's not so much an investigation - I am looking at the feasibility of a planetary defence force. The local factionalized militaries act like disorganised militia.", he paused and made a direct point, "Said planetary defence force would be bound by the authority of the local governing body of course. The forms must be obeyed! The Imperium might ask for the occasional enforcement of a warrant, all according to the forms."

"I've heard rumours that you'd met with the USD leadership?"
"It is true", His Grace exclaimed, "They are usually on hand during any untoward invasion. Unlike the proper invasions where you have acts of parliament and formal declarations of war."
Seren nodded in agreement, "Indeed, their recent actions in defending the planet are worthy of our thanks and praise.....", she paused before continuing, "it seems people's fear of the Imperium is diminishing and attacks are becoming more common."
His Grace seemed to become stern "The Imperium's objective is to continue this experiment of limited autonomy...the factionalized militaries cause some difficulties. If the Imperium mobilises here, self rule will evaporate."

The words seemed to linger on the air. If the Imperium mobilises here, self rule will evaporate.

He continued, "The Imperial servants have done an admirable job but this is a glaring embarrassment. The Chief Magistrate cannot even prevent members of her own council from from raising arms against the local infrastructure. Adjunct Lieutenant Werribee's experiment in deregulating spice prospecting has increased production but also increased vulnerability."

Seren wasn't sure what His Grace meant in reference to the Magistrate, so she took a guess.

"There are certain elements on the Laandsrat who seem to have a conflict of interest, yes. The Myrmidons have sworn allegiance to the Emperor but seem to do nothing to prevent attack by their allies, the Ta'Seti.".
 

"We have developed a simple method to determine when the Myrmidons are making erroneous statements" declared His Grace, "...they speak." He continued with an air of aloofness. "If not them, it will be someone else. Barbarians making undeclared wars. It is unseemly."

"The government is doing everything in its power to avoid hostilities your grace. We want to avoid martial law if at all possible."

"I would hope you would not need to declare martial law. The planetary defence force should be subordinate to the local governing body. It would be on you to ensure oversight"

"With your permission, I will raise the issue at the next available Beit Dawla meeting, your grace."

"Of course, it would be of great convenience. I have not had the pleasure of reacquainting with the Chief Magistrate. I am told she is back from the....". His Grace seemed to hesitate before completing the sentence, turning to her with a regal twist of the head and emphasising the word,".....spa."

Seren nodded. Curious.

"As it is", he continued, " you should feel free to contact me anytime with news. My door would always be open if I were to have one.". His Grace was perturbed as he looked at the gaping hole where any person could just wander in off the street, "How do they live like this? It's madness! Nice views though"

Seren nodded again. She felt she'd been doing a lot of that during the conversation. "Thank you your grace. I'm not quite sure about the absence of doors myself. Perhaps the locals haven't worked out how to open them yet?" Perhaps the locals haven't worked out how to open them yet??!! Applaud yourself Seren - the condescending award of the year is going home with you!

To Seren's relief, her communicator headset clicked into life. She was needed urgently to sign some documents at the council chamber. "My apologies, your grace, I'm being called away. Please do enjoy your stay on our humble world."

It took quite a while for the the delegate to remove her head from her hands as she replayed the event over and over in her head. It hadn't been the ideal way to meet His Grace but perhaps it hadn't been as bad as she'd imagined. She'd almost inadvertently called on the planet to be put under martial law and questioned the loyalty of leading members of the Laandsrat but other than that, hey. Her headset clicked into life again. She still hadn't signed the paperwork at the council chambers. She took the headset from her head and put it on the instrument panel in front of her. In the corner of her eye she noticed a crate of Blue Sun beer. The paperwork can wait, she thought, as she cracked open a can.

Botany Bay : Good Business Is Where You Find It.

With a pulse of light, the Persephone punched its way out of slipspace. The ship shook with the change in speed, hurtling forwards and banking right. In the cockpit, the instruments flickered with each shudder as the crew, Seren Undercroft and Elena Galewind fought the controls to regain command.

The rough re-entry to normal space had momentarily disorientated the captain. The stars were swinging past with the ship's drunken swagger and she hadn't expected this level of turbulence. Years of experience helped determine the cause. One of the tail blades of the ship had buckled under the stress of slipspace flight and it had thrown the ship dangerously out of control. A momentary lapse while she assessed the situation and decided the best course of action.

Galewind, sitting in the co-pilots chair, was already a step ahead. She too had been surprised by the re-entry, the rough swaying  and manically dancing stars - it upset her equilibrium terribly and she could feel the beginnings of nausea. However, her rigorous mental training began to kick in -  she calmed  and allowed her in-depth knowledge of the Persephone's blueprints and structural elements to inform her of the problem. The tail blade of the ship was damaged, probably as a result of the difference in pressure between slipstream and normal space. They needed to level the ship and she began to fire the starboard and aft thrusters moments before the Captain issued the command.

Amid a flurry of flashing lights and klaxons, they eventually regained command of the the ship, easing it onto an even keel and bringing it to a controllable speed. Seren looked across at her companion, who by now was analysing both the flight plan and the damage reports. "Bit rough, wasn't it?"

"It was a little more turbulent than my initial analysis suggested. The simulations suggested the Persephone would be quite capable of surviving the trip with the additional structural reinforcement."

The captain nodded and lent back into her chair, reaching for the bottle she'd left next to her chair. She grasped at thin air and immediately knew that the bottle was probably sitting in the cargo bay by now. She sighed and looked out at stars she'd never seen before. "Any idea where we are?"

Galewind's fingers danced across the co-pilot's instruments. "Running astrometrics and checking for navigational beacons now...." There were a few moments of silence as the navigational computer analysed the constellations and tried to match them up to known star charts. Seren watched her face intently trying to anticipate what the news might be. She saw Elena's eyebrows rise.

"The journey was successful. Astrometric charts indicate we have indeed arrived on the outskirts of Nova Gaia."

Seren began to laugh, shaking her head. "We'll never do things the easy way will we? What's the damage?"

"The left aft blade is showing damage, analytics are saying it appears to have warped and is off-camber by a considerable degree. It's repairable, probably with what we have on board."

"How far are we from the Botany Bay colony? Are we going to be able to get there?"

"One moment...", Elena fingers danced on the instruments again, "About twelve hours at a moderate speed. I recommend caution until we reach the orbital station."

The captain nodded. Longer than wanted but at least they'd get there. Dropping out of slipspace in such a way could have left them marooned light years from civilisation, deep in the black. "Tell you what. Why don't you go and get your head down for a few hours. I'll come and get you, you can relieve me?".
Elena nodded, stood up and headed down to the makeshift sleeping quarters in the cargo bay. All these years being a trader and she still hadn't bought any bunks.

* * * * * *

Seren stepped off the shuttle and onto the rich green grass of the Botany Bay colony. She allowed herself a moment to take in the beauty of the landscape. The rich colours almost seemed too much, overpowering and more vivid than she remembered. The fragrance too seemed exaggerated, the flowers and shoots of grass were splendidly redolent. She surmised that she'd been on the desert planet too long.

She absently swept away imaginary dust from her tunic and trousers. The outfit was new and she felt a little self-conscious, the same way she felt at the Beit Dawla. There she'd made the decision to gradually tone down the formal look she'd initially adopted and she'd started to feel more comfortable. However this was her first official visit on government duty and she felt she had to look the part. Grey tunic with grey trousers, cut to flatter but maintaining an air of quiet dignity. Seren checked the time and began to walk The colony itself wasn't far and she enjoyed the gentle stroll, wishing that her friend had been able to join her rather than clambering into a space suit armed with a neutron hammer.

Seren passed through the main gates of the colony with little fanfare, showing her trader card to the sentry manning the main gate. For the most part, the colony looked much the same as it had on Araxes but felt a little brighter and at ease with itself. The central courtyard bustled with activity, market traders selling their wares and fire-eaters entertaining the crowd as they swallowed fire. She passed the Coral Essex hotel, a known haunt for the more promiscuous space traveller and continued towards the Sol Cantina. The round door swished open as she approached. Almost exactly as she remembered it. 

Atop a dancing platform in the centre of the cantina, Seren noticed a petite female, her dark hair framing a remarkably attractive face, attired in a pretty yellow dress that swayed elegantly with her movements.

Seren ventured, "You wouldn't happen to know where the medical bay is would you?"

Without stopping her dance, the female smiled and said "Are you hurt? I can show you if you'd like?"

"I'm not hurt. I'm here on a trade mission. I was told to give the medical bay a quick look over. If you wouldn't mind showing me?"

The petite female smiled and shook her head "Not at all. Follow me."

After what seemed a labyrinthine walk, they eventually came out into the medical bay. Even without medical training Seren could immediately tell that the bay was well equipped and highly technological. Clearly a lot of work and money had been well spent. Seren asked if the medical officer or colony chief were available and the woman in the yellow dress told her she hadn't seen the medical officer recently although the colony chief would probably be available later. After Seren's thanks, she excused herself and left the captain to her own thoughts. Nothing worse than a well-laid out medical bay when you're trying to sell medical equipment.

She used her limited medical knowledge to make notes about the capabilities of the bay and after half an hour ventured back down to the cantina, which by now was considerably busier. She analysed the room. Well-armed female to the right, near the bar. Keep a watchful eye on her. The Yellow dressed female is on the dance platform - talking to herself. Odd. Confused looking female on the far couch. Seems disorientated. None of my business.....Ah, over there. Administrator Lane.

Seren coughed and offered her hand. "Hello there", darn, very professional Undercroft, well done, "I'm Seren Undercroft, I've come to do some business. Consulari Raghilda has dispatched me on a trade mission."

They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. They chatted for a while and Seren felt her awkwardness drifting away. Her previous experiences in trading had frequently involved a less-discriminate sort of clientele - the sort that looked over their shoulder nervously and went quiet in the company of authority. Now she represented a planet and she felt the pressure, crushing her natural style into a pedantic uninspiring drone. Regardless, it seemed to do the trick. Administrator Jubilynn Lane clearly saw the benefits of mutual trade and offered to show her something extraordinary. They walked together to the medical lab.

Lane reached into a cabinet and retrieved a storage unit, opening it on the counter. "Have you seen this before?". She offered the unit and Seren took it, peering in and examining it closely. "No, what is it?"

"Harjel"

Seren's brow furrowed "Harjel? Never heard of it. What does it do?". Lane smiled and began to explain. "It's very useful. It's a biogel, a waste product of the Har, a type of coral. It can't be compressed and it's a natural antibiotic. It can't become infected with any known pathogen.". She lent on the cabinet. "It's very useful in exosuits, to absorb shock and cushion the user. In this state, its also supersaturated with oxygen, yet its stable"

Seren lifted the unit to her nose and sniffed at it absently. Jubilynn indicated with her hand to give it back and Seren did so. "You can't drown in it", she continued, "because with difficulty, you can breath in it. But it's even more useful than that."

She poured the contents of the unit onto the counter and the harjel began to spread across the surface. Not quite as fast as liquid but unusually fast for a gel. She gestured to the mass, "It has some non-Newtonian fluid dynamics as you can see, but even better...". Jubilynn pushed a button on the side of the storage container and an electric flash illuminated the gel momentarily leaving it frozen in place: solid. Seren's eyes widened in amazement "I've seen non-Newtonian liquids before but never with these additional properties".

"If you apply a charge to it", stated the administrator, "it changes state to a solid. Very useful to seal a wound in the field or a ship's hull in orbit."

Seren nodded, examining the mass. "There's been plenty of times when something like this would have come in useful. Can I take a sample of this away with me?". Jubilynn nodded and said "I'll have a crate of the auto-injectors loaded onto your boat. Anything after that, we'll have to negotiate pricing"

"That's generous of you" said Seren still examining the mass.

"Generosity is a long term investment" Jubilynn exclaimed, smiling and reaching into her belt, "Here's 200cc of harjel and a device to activate the charge. The ungel solution is in the bottom part because if you use it on a wound you'll want to get it off eventually. There's a data stick with some instructions in the crate with some training materials. But I wouldn't think about ingesting it and then getting shocked".

Seren smiled and raised her eyebrows "Yeah, I'm guessing that'd be a pretty unfortunate thing to happen.". Suffocating in such a manner would be an unpleasant way to go, she thought.
 "Generally", stated the administrator, "I don't suggest it's use ingested, as I said you could breath it but it becomes more viscous around 90 degrees. Bacta is still a much better medium if you need breathable fluid in one's lungs however." She nodded to the large tanks to the rear of the medical bay, "I'm sure we can come to terms on this or other items?"

Seren smiled and nodded confidently "I'm sure the Consulari will be delighted with this and will certainly want to return the favour and drum up more business." Jubilynn nodded "We have an extensive supply of other devices...RMKS, IRMSS..."

"RMKS?" Seren interrupted.

"Robot medical kits, surely you've seen knitters."

"Ah, yeah. Right I understand. Different names in different places I guess.". The administrator smiled and tapped her data-link "I'll send over a list of some of our inventory." Seren nodded and noticed the uplink with her own receiver. "That's great, thanks."

"Well, if you don't have any other questions?"

Seren smiled and shook her head,  "No, no. I've taken up enough of your time. A pleasure to meet with you.". The administrator nodded and headed out of the room before pausing and saying "I'm heading back up. If you need anything, I'm available on the Cortex. Jubilynn. Two N's."

The captain nodded and waited while the administrator left the room. She touched her finger to her earpiece, the biometric imprint immediately opening a link to the earpiece in Elena Galewind's space helmet. "Hi, the trade mission is a success. I'm going to spend the night down here, make sure you get some rest up there. Expect a consignment of crates courtesy of Administrator Lane. How's the 'Seph?"

"Repairs are satisfactory, Captain. Congratulations on a successful encounter. We should be able to make FTL to the slipspace point and launch successfully from there."

"Fantastic. Oh, but you'd better plan for us to come out of slipspace early. I'd rather spend a few days extra travelling than colliding with something when we emerge."

"Confirmed."

"Night Elena, good work. Seren out."

The Secrets of the Sand

The captain strolled down the landing ramp on the Persephone into the humid air of the Splintered Rock Landing Platform. She was thankful that her clothes were loose fitting and for the faint breeze that coolly blew at her skin. The ramp raised back into the hull once she'd reached a safe distance and she glanced across the desert, the heat haze rippling in the distance. As she turned into the sun, she lifted her hand to her face and noticed the silhoutted figure walking towards her. Female. Unarmed. Dressed in khaki desert tones, loose shirt, shorts.

"Greetings" came an amiable voice.
"Hello there" said Seren. They'd spoken almost simultaenously and smiled at each other.
"Is that your ship?"
Seren glanced back and began to stroke the landing strut next to her. "Yep, it's the Persephone."
"I love it. Where did you find it?"
"It's been in the family a long time. It's a GS YV-330. It's had some work done to it but I wouldn't be without it."
"May I see inside?"

Seren pondered briefly. It wasn't the first time someone had asked to see the inside of her ship but she didn't make a habit of letting people aboard. However, she didn't sense a threat from the woman who gave off the air of being highly educated. She nodded and gestured for her to board the ship. After a brief tour, they settled upstairs in the command cockpit.

"Really fine, simple, efficient. I like that".
Seren smiled, "Yes, it's a lot smaller inside than people think. It's been my home for so many years."
"I have been in a ship for quite a long time myself."
"I love flying the space routes. It's in my blood."

The stranger smiled and hummed gently. "I feel the same about the desert."
"Oh, you're one of the desert born?" Seren sensed an opportunity.
She confirmed it with a smile, "Indeed."
"I should probably introduce myself", Seren began, offering her hand, "I'm Seren Undercroft, Delegate of the Beit Dawla".
"Oh, you're of the Beit Dawla?"
"For my sins, yes I am."
"I am Tah Sha Ree", the stranger announced, "of the Hoto Nagi. I am an historian, archaeologist and medivac when needed."

Seren paused momentarily. She knew the name but couldn't place it. Tah Sha Ree. She'd heard it recently, but where? And then, in an epiphany, she realised the name had been in the Laandsrat transcript that had arrived on her desk at the council chambers. She'd taken time to read it - it was the first such transcript of her term.

"Oh, yes. I read about you earlier - in the Laandsrat transcript.". Tah seemed astonished. "They were discussing your archaeology work in the desert."
"And what were they talking about?" asked Tah searchingly.
Seren reached into her pocket and pulled out her tablet. "Let me check for specifics, just a moment."
"I didn't even know that the Laandsrat had any interest in my work".
Seren finished scanning the tablet display and briefly summed up : "Formerly of the Misrim, you previously ran for the Dawla yourself it seems and they suspect you stand a good chance of election should you find something valuable in your search."

Tah walked around the cockpit area, clearly surprised at the Laandsrat's knowledge of her affairs. "Yes, I am originally of the Misrim although I don't think I will run for the Dawla again. Besides I'm at the point where I feel my discoveries will mark a major breakthrough".

Seren lent back against the hull and nodded "Perhaps that's why the powers that be are taking an interest."
"Possibly." said Tah with purpose, "but I'm not certain what I will discover will be good for them. You know truth and power are so often in conflict."
"That is very true, especially where the Laandsrat are involved.". Tah nodded in agreement and said "I'm still not sure what I will find in my work and I need to think about it quite precisely. I don't have enough elements to say anything about it."

Seren nodded and realised the opportunity was at hand. "Tah, I would like to make a request of you, if you would be kind enough to help? It will be entirely up to you. We, in the Beit Dawla do not entirely trust the Laandsrat. How would you feel about reporting back anything you discover to us?"

Tah looked searchingly "Well....I understand....but I'm a scientist and I'm not used to telling things that I am not certain of. A discovery, to be valid, needs to be sustained by very solid proof."

Seren nodded again. "I'm sure I can convince the Beit Dawla to help you in any way we can. I will leave it you to think over. I'm sure you already have the full support of the Hoto Nagi"

 "I'm not a politician, I'm a scientist.", Tah announced firmly and Seren realised that maybe she'd been a little too obvious, "I suspect the discovery may be akin to a 'nuke' in the system. I fear for the consequences."

A wave of concern flooded across the Delegate. Her gentle probing of the archaeologist had uncovered something she hadn't expected. "I understand your concern, I'd be worried if you weren't." She paused before asking "What do you think is out there?"

Tah explained "I'm not just working in archaeology and history. I'm also quite orientated in astrometrics and my discovery, I suspect, is split into two parts tied down in archaeology and astrometics. Our system is very particular. What I can tell you is that we are in the midst of a yet unknown phenomena. Again, it's the same : I don't have enough elements to tell more."

Seren thought for a moment and bit her lip gently. "Still, I'd be very interested if you can pass on anything you discover. It could be in the best interests of the planet."

Tah nodded "Well, I may think about it when I am able to bring in some solid evidence."

"We'd be eternally in your debt."

Tah paused and said "I can seem too prudent but you see, I'm a desert born and I'm used to being treated badly."

"I know the desert borns have been treated poorly on Araxes. It's the same for many throughout the Empire."

"We don't forget that. Especially me, an historian."

Seren nodded and glanced out of the viewport into the darkening desert sky. "Times will change....eventually".



(Special thanks to Tah for letting me duplicate our roleplay session here.)