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jeriendhalShort one today.
Things went into a bit of a holding pattern after that. Two days after Melika bound him with her ribbon, she called to let him know that she had to go back to Avela Prime to attend to her business concerns on her family’s farm. Dr. Quan stayed on at the Softpaw manor, with a gradually blooming Salli visiting her three times a week on her own now. There was no further action from the Countess Highglider, not that there really needed to be. At a demand from the insurance company, Rolas gave a detailed accounting of his time as the Red Vixen’s captive. The navy had held onto his collar as evidence, after it had been cut from his neck. Along with the Red Vixen’s ring and note, which Rolas in turn gave them, not to mention pointing out that he had been wearing it the whole time in the videos they provided as evidence, the insurance company quietly dropped their plans to charge him with conspiracy.
What they did not do was agree to provide payment. After his confrontation with the traitorous first officer, Hotclaw had disappeared off the map, with his family proclaiming they had no idea where he’d gone. So his original, false testimony stood and could not be corrected and the general confusion remained. Their claim was effectively put on ice “Until more corroborative evidence could be discovered,” to use the insurance agent’s weasel-legalisms
“So what do you think happened to him?” his mother asked them when they’d gotten the news from the insurance company.
“His family seemed genuinely upset that he was missing, at least according to the reports the insurance representative passed along to me,” his father said. “Perhaps he’s dead.”
Three years ago, Rolas would have thought such speculation to be melodramatic. Now, after having spoken to the Countess personally, he couldn’t be sure any more. Her anger at his family was, if not murderous, certainly so close that he wouldn’t want to push her in the wrong direction.
The date of their planned escape came and went almost anti-climactically. Well, aside from the simultaneous failure of the local power grid and the sewage treatment plant at the time the exodus was supposed to have begun. Apologies were made from the supervisors of both facilities, and they were both brought back online within eighteen hours. Rolas celebrated the event by getting very drunk, which seemed to be the universal response among his household’s residents and servants, judging from the bleary eyes and pained reactions to noise he observed the next morning.
The afternoon, however, turned out to be much brighter. A servant flagged him down and Rolas went into his study, to find Melika waiting for him on the screen.
“Good morning, Rolas,” she greeted. “How are you doing?”
“Well enough,” he said, which was a bit of lie, given the headache he was still nursing. “Are you still on Avela Prime?”
“Unfortunately. Yesterday you were supposed to be leaving, correct?”
“Yes. It didn’t happen of course.”
“I’m sorry for that Rolas, but I do hope this bit of news will be able to cheer you up considerably. I don’t think it’s gotten out on the main newsnets yet, but I received a report from one of House Softpaw’s freighter captains. It seems one of your dear Countess’ own vessels was stuck by pirates not twenty hours ago.”
Headache instantly forgotten, Rolas stood up straight in his chair. “Casualties?”
“None reported. Apparently the crew was permitted to evacuate to the lifeboats before the pirates stole the cargo and then blew the ship to bits.”
“Odd. That’s not a usual pirate mode of operation. Why waste power and ammunition to blow up a ship when they could just as easily take it as a prize to be sold on the black market?”
“There’s no accounting for the mindset of such people, I should think. At any rate, I do think this will give Countess Highglider a bit of indigestion at dinner tonight, don’t you?”
“Oh, I should think so,” Rolas agreed cheerfully. “Thank you, Melika, this does make me feel much better. Will you be coming back to Vulpine Prime soon?” Unconsciously, he tugged at the ribbon still tied about his hand and wrist. The silk was wearing a little bit, but still held strong.
“Not for at least a fortnight, alas. How is your sister doing with Doctor Quan?”
“Very well. She’s actually going out on her own now, unescorted. I think she even took the passing of Exodus Day better than anyone else in the house did, though admittedly she had never been very keen on the idea of leaving in the first place.”
“You shouldn’t have to run away from your home to find relief, Rolas,” Melika said, her good cheer fading a bit at the mention of their failed escape plan. “At any rate, please keep me informed about how Salli is doing, won’t you?”
“I shall, milady.” He bowed to her in his seat, eliciting another smile from her and they cut the connection. Smiling himself, he got up to give his mother and father the news. He wished no ill on the poor sods who had crewed that freighter, but the idea of the Countess having to deal with her own insurance woes cheered him immensely. The only curious point was the actions of the pirate. None of the pirate warlords were notable for their mercy. Usually if a crew weren’t killed outright or made hostages, they were sold to unscrupulous border corporation or the Ardactavians for slaves. The only one he’d ever heard of who acted differently was…
One who liked to use stunner during boarding actions, and already had reason to dislike our Countess, he realized.
She’s alive. The Red Vixen is alive!
TBC
Things went into a bit of a holding pattern after that. Two days after Melika bound him with her ribbon, she called to let him know that she had to go back to Avela Prime to attend to her business concerns on her family’s farm. Dr. Quan stayed on at the Softpaw manor, with a gradually blooming Salli visiting her three times a week on her own now. There was no further action from the Countess Highglider, not that there really needed to be. At a demand from the insurance company, Rolas gave a detailed accounting of his time as the Red Vixen’s captive. The navy had held onto his collar as evidence, after it had been cut from his neck. Along with the Red Vixen’s ring and note, which Rolas in turn gave them, not to mention pointing out that he had been wearing it the whole time in the videos they provided as evidence, the insurance company quietly dropped their plans to charge him with conspiracy.
What they did not do was agree to provide payment. After his confrontation with the traitorous first officer, Hotclaw had disappeared off the map, with his family proclaiming they had no idea where he’d gone. So his original, false testimony stood and could not be corrected and the general confusion remained. Their claim was effectively put on ice “Until more corroborative evidence could be discovered,” to use the insurance agent’s weasel-legalisms
“So what do you think happened to him?” his mother asked them when they’d gotten the news from the insurance company.
“His family seemed genuinely upset that he was missing, at least according to the reports the insurance representative passed along to me,” his father said. “Perhaps he’s dead.”
Three years ago, Rolas would have thought such speculation to be melodramatic. Now, after having spoken to the Countess personally, he couldn’t be sure any more. Her anger at his family was, if not murderous, certainly so close that he wouldn’t want to push her in the wrong direction.
The date of their planned escape came and went almost anti-climactically. Well, aside from the simultaneous failure of the local power grid and the sewage treatment plant at the time the exodus was supposed to have begun. Apologies were made from the supervisors of both facilities, and they were both brought back online within eighteen hours. Rolas celebrated the event by getting very drunk, which seemed to be the universal response among his household’s residents and servants, judging from the bleary eyes and pained reactions to noise he observed the next morning.
The afternoon, however, turned out to be much brighter. A servant flagged him down and Rolas went into his study, to find Melika waiting for him on the screen.
“Good morning, Rolas,” she greeted. “How are you doing?”
“Well enough,” he said, which was a bit of lie, given the headache he was still nursing. “Are you still on Avela Prime?”
“Unfortunately. Yesterday you were supposed to be leaving, correct?”
“Yes. It didn’t happen of course.”
“I’m sorry for that Rolas, but I do hope this bit of news will be able to cheer you up considerably. I don’t think it’s gotten out on the main newsnets yet, but I received a report from one of House Softpaw’s freighter captains. It seems one of your dear Countess’ own vessels was stuck by pirates not twenty hours ago.”
Headache instantly forgotten, Rolas stood up straight in his chair. “Casualties?”
“None reported. Apparently the crew was permitted to evacuate to the lifeboats before the pirates stole the cargo and then blew the ship to bits.”
“Odd. That’s not a usual pirate mode of operation. Why waste power and ammunition to blow up a ship when they could just as easily take it as a prize to be sold on the black market?”
“There’s no accounting for the mindset of such people, I should think. At any rate, I do think this will give Countess Highglider a bit of indigestion at dinner tonight, don’t you?”
“Oh, I should think so,” Rolas agreed cheerfully. “Thank you, Melika, this does make me feel much better. Will you be coming back to Vulpine Prime soon?” Unconsciously, he tugged at the ribbon still tied about his hand and wrist. The silk was wearing a little bit, but still held strong.
“Not for at least a fortnight, alas. How is your sister doing with Doctor Quan?”
“Very well. She’s actually going out on her own now, unescorted. I think she even took the passing of Exodus Day better than anyone else in the house did, though admittedly she had never been very keen on the idea of leaving in the first place.”
“You shouldn’t have to run away from your home to find relief, Rolas,” Melika said, her good cheer fading a bit at the mention of their failed escape plan. “At any rate, please keep me informed about how Salli is doing, won’t you?”
“I shall, milady.” He bowed to her in his seat, eliciting another smile from her and they cut the connection. Smiling himself, he got up to give his mother and father the news. He wished no ill on the poor sods who had crewed that freighter, but the idea of the Countess having to deal with her own insurance woes cheered him immensely. The only curious point was the actions of the pirate. None of the pirate warlords were notable for their mercy. Usually if a crew weren’t killed outright or made hostages, they were sold to unscrupulous border corporation or the Ardactavians for slaves. The only one he’d ever heard of who acted differently was…
One who liked to use stunner during boarding actions, and already had reason to dislike our Countess, he realized.
She’s alive. The Red Vixen is alive!
TBC
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no subject
Date: 2008-09-11 02:22 am (UTC)Excellent [g].
no subject
Date: 2008-09-13 09:24 am (UTC)Did she play a party of chess?
Great one =) Thank you.
mjkj