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!
No comments:
Post a Comment