Session forty-seven

The cadre are reunited in Byzantium Secundus, De Havilland having completed his business with the Phoenix Order and the rest of the group having returned from the planetary agora with Constance San Tandair in tow. They trade information, Anton explaining some of what transpired with his Order and Hemlock telling him and Mal about what he had learned regarding Lady Chastity (see recent Interlude posts for details).  They then make preparations to leave for Cumulus Station as soon as possible. 

En route to the spaceport the cadre think that they are being watced or followed and so make an effort to lose any pursuers at the monorail station. Confident that they have lost any tails they head to the spaceport and prepare the Innocent Pursuit for takeoff.

Heading into space Hemlock lays in a course to Cumulus at full burn and the cadre and their passengers (Constance and Ylanath) slip into a cramped but tolerable shipboard routine.

Mal takes the time to speak with De Havilland and explain how he plans to try to be a better person and as evidence of which he returns a numer of small items he had stolen from Anton, and his estate, over the years. He is about to hand over a fork he stole in their recent stay at the manor on Ravenna when he gets a sudden psychic flash and hears Hasimir's voice. Mal asks De Havilland if he can hold onto the item for a while longer and then spends much of the rest of the journey in solitude meditating on it.

About half way into the trip the ship's long range sensors detect another ship of similar size on an intercept course. Knowing that such a thing is highly unlikely to be coincidence Hemlock recommends that they try to evade it. Working together with a combination of De Havilland's tactical knowledge, Hemlock's piloting and Max's engineering they manage to keep the other vessel at the edge of sensor range and dock safely at the station.

Once ensconced aboard Cumulus Constance honours their agreement and provides details of her backer. The investor is Sir Mercucio Van Gelder, a minor House knight who is based in the city of Ost on Criticorum. De Havilland makes some enquiries via his gossip network and learns that Sir Mercucio is currently on being sought by the Inquisition after being accused of antimony. In fact he is alledged to be a member of the same coven as Lady Chastity. Hearing this De Havilland and Hemlock are set to wondering if there is a connection to Count Innocence. They then fill Max in on their history with the Decados and what this could all mean.

The next conundrum that the cadre face is how to arrange a jump to Criticorum. They explore a few options and Mal makes some enquiries aboard the station, eventually finding "Smiling Larry", a Charioteer (who later, and after some persuasion, gives his name as Larance Chuchar). He says that he has been let down by another ship and desperately needs his time sensitive cargo transported to Criticorum. He is willing to give Sir Hemlock, who is in good standing with the Guild, a jump key as payment for taking his cargo. The goods are perishable plants and if they aren't delivered to Criticorum with all haste Chucar will be in breach of his contract, lose a substantial amount of money and the goods will be spoilt which will mean he cannot resell them. To him a jumpkey is a small price to pay.

After agreeing the cadre have the goods (about half a dozen sealed crates) loaded into the Innocent Pursuit's small hold and set off for the jumpgate. Mal cannot resist breaching a seal and taking a look at the contents. He doesn't know what they are but they are certainly plants!

Interlude - Alumni

It was passing through a park in the Imperial City that Hemlock heard his name called.  She was sheltering from the incessant rain under a cedar tree, now stood just apart from a cluster of other sharply-dressed nobles.  Only she hadn’t called his full name, but “Lock”.

Yueying Li Halan.  Ebon-skinned, froths of lace at her cuffs, an elegant little duelling scar on one cheek.  “It is you!” she beckoned him out of the squall.

“Hello, Yueying,” under cover, Hemlock swept back his hood.

She gasped, “It’s true,” covering her grin with her fingers.

“What is?”

“But where did you get all these scars from?” she touched one carving a line down his cheek, “Have you been dueling Hazat-style?”

“Something like that.”  Keats might flinch.  Hemlock lifted his chin.

“And your eyes!  What on Urth possessed you?”

“Excuse me?” this conversation was quickly spiraling to unwelcome places.

“Ice blue suited you!  But grey?  They look like maxicrete!” Yueying grimaced, “I hope their functions make up for their colour.”

“My means were limited at the time.”  There was something else she’d said.  What was it?  Oh, yes, “What is true?”

“The Decados affair!”

“I was not aware I was of sufficient significance for my exploits to have reached Byzantium Secundus.”

“I like to keep track of my fellow Alumni.  And I’ve found one of our lost sheep!” she beamed (perfectly straight, bright teeth), “You’ve been a mysterious absence in the newsletter.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t read it, and I feel unchivalrous that my activities are monopolizing our reunion,” he should ask something, but her business with the abbey (he recalled) seemed too scandalous, and so long had passed since the academy that –

“Oh no!  You’re not getting off that easily!  Despite your house’s history, you were her first – what was it about her? – then you vanish for years and return with tattoos and piercings, and all in black.  Loose the purple cloak and you could be Decados!”

“No.  It all means something else,” flickers of someone else’s memories, a glimpse that maybe Hemlock isn’t real.  His voice cracked, rising, “Is this about the Lady Chastity?”

Yueying laughed, “Who else?  Duke Innocence emerges into society for the first time in years – one of his nephews is in the newsletter: you must remember Petenka – and his daughter proceeds to work her way through the whole Ravenna court, but she starts with you, and she was with you for far longer than any of her flings.  At the academy, I always wondered if you were saving yourself.  What was it about her?”

Hemlock frowned.  An affair with a Decados: that would make others remember his name.  But he’d always been a poor liar, “We were just good friends.”

“Of course you were.”

“Lady Chastity was an impeccable guest, and my failings as a host were not worthy of her.  While our last meeting was difficult, I continue to hold her in the highest regard, and look forward to meeting her again.  Please put that in the newsletter.”

“Sir Hemlock Justinian holds Lady Chastity Decados in the highest regard,” eyebrows raised, smiling at the prospect, “despite accusations of antimony?”

“Excuse me?”

“You hadn’t heard?” Yueying laughed.

“Whatever it is, I refuse to believe it.”

“Lock, where have you been?  She’s hunted by the inquisition, part of a coven that raised husks at one of your deep core cities a few years ago.”

“Deep core one-oh-three.  We encountered those husks.  Their antimonist died at my hand – an interesting duel since she was shielded and I was not – then we bombarded their ritual site.”  Hemlock scowled, “And I have experienced just how little regard some church officials have for facts.”

“So quick to defend her.  You’re sure those aren’t Decados tattoos?”

“A souvenir of the Lost Worlds.  I’m afraid I have to go,” he pulled up his hood, though the squall had passed.

“Wait!  Lost worlds?”

“Perhaps we could meet at a coffee house?”

“The Gilded Rat!” she called, as Hemlock strode away, “Ask for me there!”