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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ptolemy" data-source="post: 9610700" data-attributes="member: 1412">We arrived at the Trade Bridge, as it is called. The Trade Bridge is the main point of contact between the locals and estate of Sir Tayce Gazishpa, imperial knight of Pyramus. The river marks the eastern border of her lands and the bridge, the Trade Bridge, is where locals bring the food and products which the fee purchases. As Pyramus is a low tech planet with horse power driving most vehicles and farming there is not much in the way of imperial currency here. What little there is comes from trade with or employment on the estate. There are generally a handful of hopefuls hanging round and a moderately sized lodge sits on the right bank where the noble’s representative and a small staff reside. Oran explained that the estate purchases more than it needs and rumour has it food sourced on Pyramus has graced (terrible pun intended) the table of Her Grace The Lady Miraii Abani Arahailli, Duchess of Trin, herself, which is obviously a source of pride for the locals. The small complex of buildings at the Trade Bridge includes a small food processing and freezing plant. We weren’t sure what to expect but it turned out to be a trim series of buildings built in a rough U shape with a courtyard which opened to the north where the road to the Manor House passed. It was built using very high tech materials - fusion stone by the looks of it - and although we suspected the architecture was based on local styles (we hadn’t seen enough to really form an opinion) it looked somewhat out of place on a planet on which fields are ploughed using horses. Oran greeted the few people at the Bridge by name but led us straight to the representatives house. After waiting for a few minutes, during which time we watered our horses, a middle aged man came out of the house, greeted Oran and asked what was wrong. Oran explained about the Alderson’s Predator and impressed on Rax (which was the rep’s name) the importance of the situation. Rax obviously took Oran very seriously but did not want to disturb Sir Gazishpa as she had so recently arrived on planet and had indicated that she did not want to be disturbed. As Oran didn’t appear to be getting anywhere Helena went into noble-mode. She commented on how badly it is looked on at court when a knight allows an environmental disaster to occur on their planet and the embarrassment which would follow an imperial funded project like the Artemis Project failing in the wake of preventable environmental upheaval. Rax had obviously spent enough time around nobles to recognise one own full flow, and this as much as the content of Helena’s speech made a strong impression. Ordering some refreshments to brought out to us Rax excused himself so he could contact the manor for directions. We were only half-way through our spiced Barix kebabs when Rax returned and extended to us an invitation to visit the manor proper. Helena made a friend in Oran by her help and, although her manner towards us had not been anything short of polite and efficient Oran seemed to warm to us as allies after this. We finished eating, stabled our horses and waited for the air/raft which Rax informed us was being dispatched to pick us up. Despite her worry Oran regarded a trip in a grav car as a rare treat. We handed over our weapons to one of Rax’s team and waited. The air/raft took a little longer to arrive than we had expected but arrive it did and soon we had been whisked off to the Gazishpa residence. Waiting to meet us was Blaise, an assistant estate manager. He instantly annoyed Helena by wrinkling his nose at our appearance. Our clothes were appropriate for trekking and we hadn’t bathed for several days so I can’t really blame him. But Helena evidently believed he should have appreciated that looking (and smelling) this way was perfectly acceptable as we had been conducting important work. Her manner was very cold as she gave her name, Sir Helena Rhoanion. There aren’t many Rhoanions in the Imperium and only one family with titles, as far as I knew. Blaise evidently thought so too. He showed us into an antechamber which contained a LSP Stylomatic. These things scan you, assess your colouring and make appropriate clothing. Helena told us that it was set to Good Taste and Exquisite Taste. It would provide us with stylish but reserved outfits, suitable for presentation to Imperial Nobility but the clothes would start for fall apart after being worn a couple of times. While it worked its magic Blaise whisked us away to our rooms where he suggested we refresh ourselves. By the time I was dry after my bath the clothes arrived. I dressed and wandered into the corridor and met Peter who was stifling laughter at seeing Lily, visibly feeling awkward in a shimmering sea-blue frock. We teased her as much as was safe and then knocked on Helena’s door. She was working her way through the various settings of the automatic make-up system she had found. She commented that it was quite a good one and better than she had expected to find in a provincial residence. As if by magic Blaise appeared and invited us to meet “Her Ladyship”. We dutifully followed and were led into a tasteful study with several comfortable armchairs, an old and very expensive looking desk and, seated behind the desk, Sir Tayce Gazishpa. She hadn’t placed the name before, but Helena immediately recognised Sir Gazishpa from the wedding of some baron or other and they soon fell to talking about goodness knows what. Tayce wasn’t at all rude, but she obviously favoured talking to one of her own class and appeared delighted to find such a one among us. Just as the merest hint of impatience appeared on Oran’s face she became the centre of Sir Tayce’s attention and a full report was requested. Oran began and we all added detail as she spoke. Sir Tayce, as she insisted we call her, while referring to Helena as ma’am, asked if we were certain it was an Anderson’s Predator, how many had we seen and if we thought there might be any nesting to the north and east of the river. She expressed concern regarding “my people” and summoned her head of security. A mid-aged, somber looking man arrived within a few minutes of the call being made and was instructed to organise a network of drones (permission was given to manufacture as many as needed using the fabricator) and also to send a security detail to alert the villagers without causing undue alarm. With this business was concluded and Sir Tayce begged our understanding that she had ongoing reports for the court of Trin to work on and insisted that we stay the night so that she can welcome us (Helena) properly with dinner. Oran was chaffing somewhat but hid it well. She was the least comfortable of the lot of us with nobility and wanted to get on with the work of solving the mystery of the Predators. Granted the liberty of the estate we were greeted by some of Blaise’s staff who waited outside of the study to attend us. Helena and I went for a walk in the gardens. We returned to our rooms to discover more clothes. Helena commented that the “exquisite taste” limit had been removed and it wasn’t hard to tell how she knew. The outfits looked fit for court. I sniggered to myself as I dressed for dinner at the thoughts of Lily’s face. Much to everyone’s but Helena’s surprise Lily’s outfit was less flamboyant than her earlier dress. Helena tutted at me: “Any noble would have noticed her discomfort and arranged for it to be taken down a notch.” Lily certainly appreciated it. Dinner went smoothly. I say dinner, it consisted of seven courses and a number of remarkable wines. The usual observation that it’s a shame when families fall out (I can only assume some sort of round-robin email was sent out about Helena’s refusal of her arranged marriage, they all seem to know!) which was delicately deflected by Helena. Having “put us at ease” Sir Tayce focused on Helena and we couldn’t blame her. Helena had filled us in. Sir Tayce had risen to her knighthood at an unexpectedly young age after her pedants died young in a grav-flyer incident. She tended to avoid the estate as it must be full of ghosts. The fee was small and the planet undeveloped so she would most likely be the recipient of a ducal stipend which would allow her to focus on court and effectively be an unofficial part of the duchesses administration for the subsector. She must find the quiet of the family seat boring as times. The evening passed uneventfully…</blockquote>

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