Syrenrei

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

"What brings you to Zatis?" Ten asked pointedly as he served a thick slice of marinated meat to Solae. It was a polite gesture, selecting one of the best cuts with the least amount of spice that might overwhelm a sensitive palate, and a motion that would not have been out of place in the courts. While he was following etiquette it was not because it had become ingrained or there were mindful bystanders. Ten was proper simply because he wished to be in the current company. Regardless of how much his guests might doubt his intentions, he genuinely was interested in at least the marquise seated next to him, and would rather be her ally than a disliked acquaintance.

"Thank you," Solae said before hesitating a moment. Trusting Ten was a high risk, the very embodiment of danger, but had the most potential for guaranteeing their success out of everyone they had met. This self-proclaimed criminal had more resources at his disposal than all the individuals they had talked to on New Concordia combined. That he had utilized this power to save rather than crush them underfoot she took as a positive sign. "We came here for the PEA."

"The PEA?" Ten asked with raised brows and mild surprise. As he settled back into his chair and churned over the notion in his thoughts he nodded. With careful precision he began to slice into a starchy orange vegetable that had been grilled with a light char blackening its edges. It was one of the many fragrant healthier choices available for their meal. "You wish to reach someone in another sector, I presume, for assistance?"

"Duke Tan has started a rebellion and has put out a bounty, almost certainly because he can not function a PEA without me. It is a race of sorts," Solae admitted, "to whether he will capture me first to send out his missive or if I will to alert the empress of his treason."

"He always was a prideful idiot," Ten said with a barking laugh and dismissive shake of his head. More to assuage than Rene than Solae he put up his hand as he steadied his emotions quickly. It was more disconcerting that he could shift from jovial chuckles to a stern and serious expression than almost anything else he had done thus far. Even the most well-composed aristocrats may not be able to do so in the blink of eye as he had so effortlessly accomplished. "This does not change anything for me, soldier. I would not give Duke Tan the name of my least-valued asset, much less hand them over. Solae is safe here."

"Do you know Duke Tan personally?" Solae inquired tentatively.

"No, but I hear things and know things by my trade," Ten replied. "The empress has a legitimate claim to the throne and everything that she could need to be successful, yet by every objective measurement she is having difficulty keeping the Stellar Empire intact and at peace. Do you think Duke Tan will stop his coup with this sector? Do you think he is better suited for rule than the empress or, for that matter, anyone on Cappella? He has ambition but he is overestimating himself. Millions, perhaps billions, will die no matter whether he takes you or not, and he will never have the glory of the empress." Confident in his judgment Ten served himself a helping of a fruit with a thin purple outer skin and a bright red juicy interior not unlike native Earth citrus varieties, though this was a touch more sour.

"Can you help us?" Solae asked since they had launched the conversation with an immediate dispensing of small talk.

"I could," Ten answered truthfully, "but I do not know we will have a congruence of methods. What do you intend to do if you are able to send your message to the empress or her representative?"

"You ask that question because you have something in mind?" Solae countered shrewdly.

"Your reputation does not do you justice, my dear, but indeed. I would see you assume your inheritance as soon as possible in exchange for my assistance in getting you to the PEA," he explained as if they were discussing the weather rather than life-and-death political chess. "With you truly the keeper of secrets as your parents were I will feel much relieved, as we will be able to secure them from falling into the wrong hands. I am sure Rene would appreciate that as well as, while I am not privy to the intimate details of the cache, they are likely to shed some light on the past."

Satisfied that he now had his male companion's attention he moved a slice of decadent cake, oozing with chocolate, caramel, and similar confections, to his plate and smiled. "The PEA is under the control of the local diplomatic office. It gives me no pleasure to tell you that they do not have your moral scruples, but this might make you agree with the easiest plan to gain access to the PEA and all the time we need to see if you can make it function."

"You want to kill him, don't you?" Solae ventured candidly.

"I do."

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

Ten motioned for his passengers to exit the vehicle as he clambered out himself. He was an odd fellow by all accounts. The criminal moved with a practiced grace and fluidity as he stepped onto the paved ground, which had a dull sheen under the lights above, but he was also unassuming rather than using this poise to give an air of passive dominance. His garage proved that he had great wealth but Ten's clothing was neither expensive nor inexpensive. To the casual observer he was strikingly ordinary. He did not dress all in black like a thief, but was also not ostentatious; that was the true secret to his success undoubtedly. Aristocrats and commoners alike paid attention to someone that was dirty, poor, and suspiciously covered, and they paid attention to the well-groomed, rich, and decadent attired. Ten was neither of these. By maintaining an air of banality it was almost impossible to notice him, much less recall him later in great detail. Solae could almost imagine describing him to law enforcement officials. Tall, but not freakishly tall, dark hair and eyes, medium build, shirt and slacks, no visible scars or tattoos, no identifying facial features or marks.

"Is Cristeta here yet?" he called out to no one in particular.

"Miss Cristeta is waiting for you in the drawing room," a clinical male voice retorted from one of the speakers camouflaged into the walls.

"This way," Ten motioned. Solae hesitated but, after glancing towards Rene, followed their host. If he had wanted to harm them he had ample opportunity to do so, and he could have also easily delivered them to someone aligned with Duke Tan's interests. That he was taking precaution to keep her hidden meant at least, for now, she had a tenuous amount of trust in the mysterious broker. He had professed his loyalty to the Falias and thus far had acted with sincerity towards that fidelity. She knew nothing of this 'vault' she mentioned but having a reason for his alliance that was reasonable and practical gave her an ounce of faith.

Through a pair of double doors on the north side of the garage was a tastefully decorated hallway. Lord Armon and the slaver's mansion were displays of ego and prestige but Ten's dwelling was neither. The wooden floors below their feet were exquisite, and the framed paintings on their left and right worth a small fortune, but it was all done for Ten's enjoyment only. No strange sculptures obstructed their walkway, not everything was coated in gold or another fine metal, and there was no furniture that suggested it was a congregating space for when he entertained. It was reminiscent of the style of nobility that was so secure in themselves they no longer took an effort to prove their station.

"On your left," Ten instructed. He stepped around Solae and opened the door for her amicably.

Inside the drawing room was a large marble fireplace that saw little use, a large ornate woven rug in shades of crimson, muted gold, and shades of both black and brown, a sofa upholstered in an animal skin more luxurious than leather, and accompanying wooden chairs upholstered in a silk stripe fabric. More intriguing than any of this, however, were the large bookcases that dominated the wall opposite the door. Tomes, delicate figurines, and scrolls of parchment were displayed behind a protective glass that allowed view but disallowed handling.

"Cristeta, this is my guest for which I requested your expertise," Ten remarked as he strode towards a cabinet in the corner and pulled out a large decanter of amber liquid as well as a trio of glasses. "Do not worry yourselves over Cristeta," he assured Rene and Solae casually as he ran a hand through his hair. When it was disheveled it had made him look to be in perhaps his late twenties, but now that it had been smoothed back away from his forehead he had a regal maturity of someone in their mid-thirties at least. "Cristeta is a woman with discretion. My associates with loose lips do not last long. Would you like a drink, soldier?"

"Ten, I appreciate your help but we need..." Solae began.

"It can wait until Cristeta makes sure you are well and there is no further aid she can give you. You can use another room if you would like some privacy," he suggested. "Or you can stay here if it will make you more comfortable. As Cristeta can attest I have no interest in either of you other than discussion."

"His taste is in older men," Cristeta whispered to Solae discreetly, though Ten did not seem to mind if she broadcast it to the entire sector. It was her sense of propriety that made her hesitant to talk about such things too loudly. "Much older men," she emphasized.

[MxF] (Mature; 18+) Looking for Long Term Partner

I think I am down to one current RP partner, so I am entertaining picking up another RP!

Please DM me if you are interested. And don't feel constrained to my plots- I am happy to consider more than what I have listed here. If you have a burning desire for a story you haven't found an appropriate partner for, but think I could be a good fit, let me know! The most important thing to me really is communication and someone who will stick around past the first few posts.

Much love to Penny and Kymera if they see this!

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

"We need to get you medical attention," the mystery man said half to himself and half to Solae, who was leaning against the window of the aircar.

Her side was burning from where she had been grazed but the pain did not concern her as much as the events that had just transpired. There was a bounty on her head she knew, yet Duke Tan needed her alive to access the PEA, and the mercenary woman had been undeniably shooting to kill the marquise rather than debilitate. The last few days had forced the diplomat to confront her mortality. Dying from injuries sustained in risky escapades with Rene was a distinct possibility- but it was a choice. They had elected to save the enslaved Syshin, to steal the Bonvanture, to run headlong into danger knowing the risk. The would-be assassin did afford her any choices. Had this stranger not intervened she could have been murdered in cold blood without any agency, without choice, without even the knowledge of why she was being targeted now and to what ends.

"Cristeta," the man said as he pushed a button to his left. The screen between the driver's seat and the passenger seat lit up but there was no visual of the woman being summoned. Instead of being greeted with a digital display of her face there was only a solid green line indicating a connection and moving blue waves that indicated the tone and pitch of the voice being transmitted. "I need you to meet me at my safe house on Kadiev."

"Understood," the other side responded. "What sort of injury do I need to pack for?"

The man put a finger to his lips to indicate Solae and Rene should stay quite before he replied. "It's not for me. A young woman in her twenties who was grazed by a plasma bolt. I'd like you to make preparations to also give her a proper check-up and none of your assistants this time. It's in our best interests we act with the utmost discretion this time, Cristeta. Our ETA is about twenty minutes."

"I'll see you then, Ten," she said hastily before ending the call. One could only presume this meant she had little time to make her way to the safe house mentioned before their helpful companion would be considering her tardy. The entire exchange had a passive sense that the 'good Samaritan' was in a higher position than the physician either in terms of wealth, socially, and/or politically. He was not overly condescending to her but he was definitely giving orders he expected to be obeyed.

"Who are you? Is your name Ten?" Solae asked once the call had been obviously terminated.

"Ten is the name I go by but obviously not my real name," he stated calmly. "I had my suspicions when New Concordia went dark that something happened to you or your parents, but I am relieved to see that you are well. You must be the soldier I've heard rumors about traveling with Solae," he to Rene.

"I am," Rene confirmed with more than a little suspicion. No one wanted to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth but this man was still suspicious enough that he was keeping his guard up. Just because he and Solae were safe now was no guarantee that Ten's motivations might not shift and convince him to betray them for the lofty rewards offered.

"Why are you helping us?" Solae demanded with thinly veiled frustration as she favored her side.

"That is an excellent question but there is not an easy answer for it I'm afraid," Ten said smoothly. "Your parents, grandparents, and generations before them have been active in the courts of the empire. What I doubt they told you was that their ties were not limited to business arrangements with other nobility. The Falias have been collecting information since before they even realized what they were doing. People like to share with the Falias because they are charming, trustworthy, loyal, and judicious- you do not hear of the Falias using their clout to topple dynasties simply because they can. Some opportunists would rather see you dead than have you inherit the fortune of secrets the Falias keep and store. I would much rather help you now and ensure that no one else finds the skeletons in my closet. That and I rather liked your parents. They were eccentric individuals but shrewd and sensible, which is more than I can say for most of their standing."

"The Falias keep secrets?" Solae asked mystified. "What sort of secrets?"

"They know much I imagine- everything from the illegitimate children of the upper class and their torrid affairs to the crimes that have been committed, known and unknown, against each other and the general populace. I've no doubt that if Duke Tan hears about this cache he will try to exploit it to undermine the Empress's power, though a man like him must have his own secrets, or family secrets, to which the Falias are privy."

"Were my parents... criminals?" the marquise asked quietly.

"No, not at all. They listened but to the best of my knowledge they didn't dabble in illicit trade. If anything it likely taught them about how easily destroyed a duke or duchess could be if the truth about them was exposed. They had the wisdom of caution from what I've heard. I am, however, a criminal," Ten remarked casually.

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

"Just remember to be confident," Solae reminded Rene as she engaged the safety protocols that would effectively keep the Bonvanture parked even if an unscrupulous individual managed to board. The marquise didn't doubt Mia's abilities, but she wanted to make certain that if anyone had the expertise to disable the artificial intelligence they would have difficulty stealing the spaceship. It was rather hypocritical of her, who had committed felony larceny to obtain it in the first place, to take more precautions to keep another thief from doing the same. The metal groaned as locks slid into place on the underside of their vessel. The smugglers who previously owned their home-away-from-home hadn't bothered to use the safeguards since they needed speedy departures on the regular, kept it hidden, and undoubtedly had a reputation for murdering anyone stupid enough to cross them.

Before opening the hold door, which was now connected via a large tube to the port terminal at which they had parked, she pulled out the scarf that had been gifted to her. Solae carefully pulled back her hair, twisted it into a silken rope, and tucked it into the back of the scarf as she pulled it over her head. Satisfied every golden strand had been tucked away she also shrugged on an oversized men's coat. The sleeves were long enough to cover half her hand and the bottom seam was past her hips but it disguised her figure. On Zatis a lady with her physique was not as rare as on Panopontus, but she didn't want to be associated with a woman in the profession that it would be naturally associated with. The hood of the coat was layered on top of her scarf to complete the look. On close inspection she would still stick out like a sore thumb, but she looked far more inconspicuous for Zatis dressed this way, and it was immeasurably better than strolling out there without any outerwear.

"We should take our weapons just to be safe," she told Rene. He already knew, of course, and was slinging a pre-packed bag over her shoulder as she made her observation aloud. Her paramour gave her a slightly nervous, yet handsomely roguish smile. Solae steeled her nerves. They would be fine because they had to be fine; failure was not an option. With her own butterflies in her stomach she kissed his cheek.

The terminal was manned by a bored security guard who was not there to ask questions or investigate in any capacity; his sole directive was to keep anyone from parking that could not or would not pay the fee. He didn't even so much as glance up from his sparse, worn down desk littered with discarded snack containers. One could only surmise what he was watching on his personal screen. Because he knew Solae and Rene's ship had arranged payment before they docked, accomplished via a wireless credit transfer, he wasn't motivated to let their presence interrupt him any further than it already had.

"Mia gave me directions to the location of the PEA," Solae whispered once they were out of earshot. "We can visually gauge what we're up against, walk past it a couple blocks, and discuss some options. I don't want to try to fashion a plan before we see the building itself. Obviously New Concordia's was housed in an embassy of stature but we can safely assume the one here on Zatis will be quite different."

The fringes of the city were unlike any other metropolis she had visited. Biodomes obscured the sky, giving everyone on Zatis the impression it was constantly overcast, or they were all trapped below a cloud of fog. Filtration units pumped impurities out of the bidomes and into the atmosphere of the terraforming planet but the air did not feel clean necessarily. Solae did not feel as if she was choking on pollution, but it feel comparatively stale to other worlds, and there was a faint taste of chemicals when she breathed. With each passing minute she became more accustomed to it and thus less aware of it, but that did not make it any less present.

Scraggly trees and hedges lined the streets but none were the blooming beauties found on worlds favored by aristocrats. Rene and Solae had set foot in one of the business quarters, rather than a pleasure district, and thus everything around them was more pragmatically utilitarian. Buildings were fabricated of sturdy material that would withstand the test of time but was not pleasing to the eye. Signs and ads were on every corner, and many in-between, advertising all the services and goods that were forbidden elsewhere. In front of an antiques shop (which was most certainly a smuggler's operation) was a holographic woman dressed to seduce talking about a night club in the adjacent biodome. This was the subject of most the ads she spotted, but there were also brightly lit ads for bars with 'special cocktails,' venues with dancing individuals of both sexes, dens encouraging experimentation with 'the sciences,' and one corporation that pledged it could make any dream come true. Solae doubted they knew the substance of her dreams.

Zatis residents either walked with confidence that bordered on arrogance, passively asserting themselves as they passed, not sparing a glance to anyone because of their self-importance, or they scuttled along half-hunched, as if trying to hide from absolutely everyone in proximity, the very stereotype that children's tales had of rogues. The marquise suspected these were people in disguise like she was or were struggling with shame, guilt, and/or poverty. Regardless of their situation no one truly looked at Solae or Rene. They caught an errant look here or there but they were mentally dismissed just as quickly as they were inadvertently spotted. No law enforcement or soldiers were looking for anyone- and that worked in their favour. With thousands of criminals all about them, and people with almost as much coin traveling here every day, they weren't as special.

Except for one woman who surreptitiously picked up their trail at a distance.

"I think we're being followed," Rene noted to her in a low tone just as she was noticing herself.

"Just keep walking," Solae said nervously without an inch of conviction. "Maybe we can shake them when.."

"It's dangerous for you to be here," a man whispered to her as he seemed to melt out of the shadows on the other side of Solae. He pushed her into Rene roughly just as their tail, a middle-aged veteran mercenary, withdrew her pistol and took a shot from the hip at the pair. The stranger's intervention forced Solae into Rene, doing him no favors, but made the plasma burn graze her side rather than penetrate a valuable section of her torso that would have caused significant trauma.

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

"Years ago my parents arranged for me to take a couple classes in subterfuge and deception, just in case it was absolutely necessary. I think they envisioned it as just being part of courtly training, since hardly anyone is truthful, but my instructor had some insight I think we can use in our present situation. She said the most important thing when you are 'faking it' is acting like you belong. If you are looking around, second-guessing yourself, people will doubt you. If you stroll along an exude confidence, and as if you know your exact purpose and destination, they will be much more likely to believe it as well."

"Lady Solae, we are at the correct distance Zatis's exosphere to begin our descent," Mia reminded her mistress gently as if attempting to seduce her from the attention being paid to Rene.

"Thank you, Mia. I don't really have a plan," Solae stated sincerely, "except to go straight to the PEA once we touch down in the space yard. While you were asleep I was too busy dissecting the data gathered and attempting to solve a mystery, and right now my focus is on landing us safely. I might be piloting but I am not a pilot; because this is not committed to muscle memory it takes all of my concentration. Even if I had all the time and energy in the world I doubt it'd help me fashion a true plan on Zatis. I've no contacts here, no allies of which I am aware, no holdings, no assets- we're on our own. We'll have to improvise unless you devise another course of action."

The marquise strapped herself into her chair, securing the safety harness straps meant to keep her from ejecting through the cockpit in the even of disaster, and moved her hand across the screen of a console. In the wake of her fingers various displays flickered back to life from where they had been dormant. Zatis was a haven for criminals but not without bureaucracy. The space yard alluded to seconds before kept most moving in an orderly fashion to pre-assigned spaces determined by ship shape, size, and arrival time. Guests could access their vessels at their disposal, order maintenance, or even contract engineers and mechanics to make improvements during their stay. Efficiency was the bedfellow of profit and while Zatis might not respect law, it certainly respected economic incentives.

"Mia, I would like you to talk us both through the landing process. I will still be driving us, so to speak, but I want for Rene to learn this with me as well," Solae ordered casually.

"Lady Solae, you are an excellent pilot," Mia re-assured with her typical overly amorous flattery.

"Thank you, Mia, but this isn't up for discussion- from either of you," Solae insisted.

What she did not reveal to the artificial intelligence, if only because she didn't want to be derailed by a philosophical debate with a synthetic consciousness, was that she knew things could go horribly wrong at any given moment. Perhaps decades from now she and Rene would be sharing cocktails on an alien shoreline laughing about her dalliance into the realm of aeronautics. It was more probable, however, that her future would result in incapacitation, capture, and/or death, which would force her fiance to know how to helm the Bonaventure as well as possible. If something tragic occurred to Solae she would be damned if she'd let her arrogance and pride result in Rene's downfall as well.

"How long from now until we have our feet on the ground, Mia?" the diplomat asked, both of out of interest and as a means of smoothing things over now that she had asserted her authority rather sternly.

"Less than an hour accounting for traffic in Zatis's atmosphere," Mia purred, referring to the transportation vehicles that was used to cross terrain on more advanced planets. There was a wide variety of such vehicles; public transport that carried many people and used minor gravitational manipulation, more archaic creations of the poor that could barely hover if at all, and the 'jets' of the aristocrats that were sleek, fast, and conveyed them from one point to another without requiring a full spacecraft crew (as well as the resources).

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

Approximately an hour and a half before they would need to make their descent onto the surface of Zatis Mia provided an alarm- a gentle beeping noise that rose in intensity every thirty seconds- to awake Solae as pleasantly as possible. The marquise was reluctant to leave the comfort of her bed and only did so begrudgingly, largely due to the nagging insistence of the artificial intelligence (who had the best of intentions). With time to spare before she was required in the cockpit she showered, changed her clothes, fetched a nutritional bar as a meal substitute, and made a mug of instant coffee in an effort to make herself more alert. Exhaustion had not only made her sleep deeply, it had also made her exceedingly groggy when she was ripped out of the world of dreamless repose, so she was hopeful the chemical stimulant of caffeine would assist. They had less than an hour, yet more than half an hour, when she finally made her way to the pilot's seat.

"Mia, how close are we to Zatis? No, let me rephrase. How much time left in the approach before we breach the upper atmosphere?" she inquired as she stifled a yawn. "I assume there is a shipyard where we can safely land and store the Bonaventure since we don't have a shuttle."

The Bonaventure was a perfectly functional spacecraft and spacious for only two occupants, but it was one of the smaller freighters; as such it was a popular choice for merchants transporting delicate precious goods and smugglers similar to the previous owners that needed to keep their vessel light, cheap, and fast. What lacked in the ability to ferry large amounts of heavy cargo it made up for in the boon of not needing to dock at a space station. Carriers typically had to put themselves in orbit or dock at a station because their size made it burdensome, if not impossible, to safely land on the surface. Even the most elite aristocrats had private yachts that toed the standards of what was allowed to pierce the sky. Depending on what sort of business they had, and nobility were notoriously paranoid about privacy unless they wanted it broadcasted, taking a shuttle could be anything from an inconvenient to an embarrassment or detriment to their plans.

"Fourty-three minutes, Lady Solae. Did you want to set safety protocols in place while we are en route? It is my understanding that you will not be disclosing your identities once on Zatis and that I should not allow anyone to board while you are away," she purred affectionately.

"I hadn't thought about that yet," the linguist replied honestly as she leaned forward and pulled one of the screens on a swinging arm closer to her to scrutinize. Mia obediently displayed an array of counter-measures in the event that someone was trying to break into the Bonaventure. If Duke Tan's forces located them they would undoubtedly try to prevent the engaged pair from making it within a hundred meters of their getaway vehicle, but Zatis was not populated with honest folk, and it would be madness to park their traveling home without any precautions taken against theft or damage. It would only take one overly curious and morally bankrupt individual to stumble into their sanctuary and find the means to expose their true selves.

"Lady Solae, as you make your selections, may I be of any assistance in locating accommodations for your stay on Zatis?"

"I'm afraid that we'll probably be using aliases and using the sort of establishment that doesn't take reservations, Mia, but thank you for asking," Solae murmured as she rapped her fingers on the side of the console thoughtfully. There was something almost exciting about waltzing into a seedy hotel with Rene. It was dangerous to be certain, but it was one of many places that had been forbidden to someone of her stature growing up, and thus there was a childish thrill at 'breaking the rules' even if her parents would never again be able to enforce them. As her thought turned to her parents she wondered quietly if there were assets they possessed of which she was unaware. Preparations for empowering her to inherit their title had been cut short with their untimely deaths. Duke Tan had unintentionally crippled her from using all the resources at her disposal simply by eliminating the elder Falias.

"Are there any public logs of visitors to Zatis or public property records for the planet?" Solae asked suddenly.

"I do not believe so, Lady Solae. Is there something in particular you are seeking?" she asked with captive wonder in her sultry tone.

"Just wondering if there is something I am missing. I don't believe this is the sort of place my parents would be caught vacationing but they were... eccentric, so I can never be certain what they did or did not do in their private lives." It was refreshing to talk to a computer because, as machinery without an ounce of emotion, it could not and would not judge her for her confessions. Mia might react with a pre-programmed response to a topic or sentence for which she had a trigger, but she couldn't feel appalled, she couldn't roll her eyes and deem something 'crazy.' It was painful to speak of her mother and father but it kept their memory alive. There were few others in the universe she'd discuss them with as freely as the algorithm that was inappropriately seductive. "Once I turned thirty they planned to give me full disclosure of every holding they had, every account, every connection and its nature. I didn't really care about how much money we had but I hoped it'd give me more insight into what sort of people they were when they weren't reprimanding me, or dictating my behavior, or criticizing a count for poor etiquette. I don't know what they did when they were my age, or who they had affection for outside of their political marriage, or what hobbies they explored in their free time."

"I am sorry to hear that, Lady Solae. Would you like me to seek more information on the deceased Falias?" Mia cooed.

"If you can covertly access any information about them it'd be appreciated," Solae smiled. "Here I've been investigating Rene's family and Amellia's family, and now I may very well know more of them than my own."

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

"We're still a few hours out but no issues thus far," Solae reassured as she dimmed the cabin's lights. Without overhead illumination it was easier to take in the glow of the stars. The cockpit itself was not completely devoid of any light, as there were many controls and screens that could not be safely toggled off now that they were in their destination solar system, but there was an ambience to the darkness. The Bonventure was private, quiet, and peaceful as it sailed, and it was easy to imagine they were a pair of wayward teenagers sneaking out after curfew to gaze at the night sky. The marquise let out a soft sigh as she gazed upon the dazzling jewels of incandescence beyond their heavily shielded windows.

"Lady Solae has entered an REM cycle for approximately twenty minutes cumulatively since our departure from Panopontus," Mia crooned to Rene. The noblewoman was her mistress, but the artificial intelligence system was clever enough to know that Rene could persuade her when a computer could not. Her programming had a prime directive to keep its human or humans safe and well- even if that meant it might annoy, frustrate, or be forced to 'tattle' on them.

"There is quite a bit of traffic in and out of Zatis, and from what I understand they are rather lax with confirming identification or cargo. I don't think we'll have any issues landing," Solae continues as if she had not been interrupted by Mia ratting her out to her fiance. "I've set our course to touch down in their capital city as that's where the PEA is located. Most of the ships are coming and going from that city in particular so we'll blend in with the crowd rather well I suspect. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some models exceedingly similar to our vessel's manufacture."

"Lady Solae, I am able to automate the piloting until we reach orbit above Zatis if you would like to rest with Sir Rene," Mia suggested with such sultry inflections it sounded as if she were making innuendo. In this particular case there were no such intentions. Mia wanted Solae to actually sleep so that she was not deprived when she set foot on soil. While Mia didn't quite realize how dangerous Zatis truly was to the couple, she was sophisticated enough machinery to have a basic notion, and thus was compelled to keep prompting Solae the longer that she was awake.

Solae shrugged her shoulders and rubbed her eyes. There were worse things to be nagged about. She felt guilty, however, about making Rene sit alone by himself seeing as he was undoubtedly no longer tired. Leaving a man who was injured, still shocked about multiple revelations, and uncomfortable flying a spacecraft felt like a crime in and of itself. With some hesitation she rose and stretched, neither committing to leaving or staying, and instead trying to work out the stiffness of her back and posterior that had been in uncomfortable seating for an extended period of time.

"On the subject of your family and Amellia... we don't have all the information we need. Our priority is to get to the PEA to send the empress a warning about Duke Tan's coup, but we might have a window of time afterwards to see if I can access their communications center. Not only will their library be more robust, the time it takes for me to send or receive messages will probably be a lot shorter as well, which will allow me a chance to see if either of my contacts can be reached." What went unsaid was that if they did manage to send their message to the empress's forces through the PEA they would desperately need allies- perhaps even moreso than they did now. Duke Tan would be more determined, more panicked, and less cautious about trying to seize them, and the empress would not send reinforcements instantly. They would need to hide for days, weeks even, mayhaps longer, with people that would not betray them as the war escalated and the rewards for their capture increased. If they sent the warning through the PEA they would need help. Without knowing anyone on Zatis the communication center and her prior acquaintances might be their only hope of long-term survival.

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

After Mia had talked her through some basic first aid, to make certain that Rene was stabilized and in no real medical danger, they had come to the conclusion it was impossible for Solae to physically drag the soldier to the captain's quarters. She simply did not have the strength to support his weight. With no other options she put a pillow under his head, covered with him with a blanket, and tried to make him as comfortable was feasible. There were stimulants that could have brought him back to consciousness by force but the marquise decided against utilizing them. It was better for Rene to rest. There was little doubt they would have further opportunities after landing on Zatis and beyond to put such pharmaceuticals to better use. Traveling through space was not an emergency that merited forcing him out of repose.

"All right, Mia, let's get back to work," she said after she was finally satisfied with Rene's arrangement. The noblewoman had pulled a cheap metal chair from one of the other rooms on the ship. It was the only one she could locate that was neither broken nor bolted to the floor, but it was wildly uncomfortable and the legs were slightly uneven. Their furniture could certainly stand to be upgraded.

"Would you like me to keep running the same analyses?" Mia purred as Solae scrolled through a listing of the compressed files she had downloaded at the communications center.

"Yes, I have some manual searches I want to do independently," she murmured as she selected a data set and pulled her pen and scrap paper closer to her. It was an archaic way of taking notes, especially by aristocratic standards, but she knew it would help her focus and create a better mental map of the information they had.

"Mia, I'd like all our analyses and conclusions to be accessible by only myself," Solae said as she started to scribble down some shorthand. Instead of delving into the Chastain's family history she was digging into her own. The last matriarch and patriarch of the Falia family had connections, secrets, and resources at their disposal, but they hadn't prepared her to assume all the responsibilities she had as a future leader quite yet. If Solae hoped to realize herself as heir without the luxury of someone on Capella that could hand her all the documentation in their wills, she'd have to search for what she needed herself.

"Only you, Lady Solae?" Mia asked with her seductive undertone suspiciously absent. This abnormal request seemed to have short-circuited her sultry vocal subroutine.

"Yes, only me, Mia." Solae sighed and leaned back in her chair, glancing back at Rene where he lay on the floor so peacefully. In truth this was a reprieve from the heavy tax reality had on psyche- even if passing out like he had was one of the worst ways to earn such a respite. "I don't expect you to fully understand, Mia, but I blame myself for Rene being in this state. I should have tempered myself and chosen a better time to deliver the news to him. Right now I don't think that... that it's right to ask him to shoulder the burden of this investigation, not until I'm sure it won't bring him harm like this. Our findings at least for now should be inaccessible to him."

"Lady Solae," the artificial intelligence began to protest, "Am I to deny access to the gathered data itself? What you downloaded was largely public information, correct?"

"Yes, it was. No, it would be wrong to try to prevent Rene from reading whatever articles and press releases he wishes. I know this is unusual Mia, but I don't intend to keep these things from Rene forever. There's no sense in having him upset, though, over preliminary findings. Once we have more concrete results, that I am relatively certain are factually accurate, then I'll broach the topic with him. Do you understand."

"Yes, Lady Solae," Mia said with a synthesized sigh of resignation. Solae couldn't help but smile. It was clear that the program's loyalty lay with her for whatever reason, and deferred to her over her fiance, but it was undeniable that Rene was only second to Rene and no other. If life ever favored her with a family she could imagine a highly modified Mia (to not sound so inappropriate) showing the same favoritism to her future children. Lord Armon might be dead but with his death he had given his ex-beau a truly precious gift.

Hours passed in silence save for the scratching of an antiquated pen on mismatched pieces of parchment. As Solae studied, alternating between the subjects of the du Quentains, Chastains, and Falias, she had tacked notes around the hold. All of it was in abbreviated shorthand, with half-formulated theories unintentionally made cryptic by her methodology, and almost all of them with enigmatic numbers that corresponded to each other, sums of money, trade contracts, or other such things- though none were labeled. It was utter nonsense to anyone except Solae and perhaps someone patient enough to spend time decoding.

More than once she had dozed off for a few moments and then woken. Sometimes it was the sensation of gravity pulling her down that made her bolt upright, sometimes it was the sheer discomfort of her unforgiving chair, sometimes it was the panic that seizes many people right before they drift off, but no singular serenade had been successful. She was on her third cup of coffee when she started to realize that the answers she desperately wanted to be hidden in these monotonous texts would not be found. It was not her lack of effort that stymied her; she had pieces of the puzzle, but not enough to complete it. This was the figurative outer rim but she would have to gather many more pieces. What was doubly frustrating is she knew that they would not be easily obtained.

People she wanted to seek out were not in this sector. Places she wanted to visit were several jumps away and not anywhere convenient to the PEA they sought. They were fugitives running from Duke Tan without an army to protect them, without the security that money could give them (as it was hard to seek out a bank or her inheritance just yet), and without the luxury of the imperial archives. Solae had very good clearance as a marquise, but she was not a duke or duchess, and she was not a handmaiden, so she would have limits in the best of environments. Only the empress herself could change that- and there was no guarantee how much reward she'd be given at the end of their adventure, assuming they survived.

Solae groaned to herself silently, leaned forward, and rested her forehead on her makeshift writing desk.

Star Crossed: The Duke's Rebellion

Solae was at a loss of how to properly console Rene on this recent revelation. All of nobility's offspring had been raised to suppress their emotions, to deal with the world pragmatically, and to react with shrewd cunning rather than feeling. It was no small wonder that nearly every aristocrat was secretly the patient of therapist and psychiatrist that helped them deal with the unhealthy amount of baggage that came from such a mindset. The marquise did not know how to soothe her fiance's invisible wounds. Both her education and upbringing would have her tell him that this was nothing to be upset by as his father marrying was only the execution of a business contract.

But her heart knew that this was so much more than the cold calculations the courts might make it out to be. Rene loved his father and undoubtedly sought his approval despite the passage of time and his ascension into adulthood. Even if he had managed to break free of that desire for affirmation, every child regardless of status wanted to be special to their parents. They wanted to be cherished, adored, a source of pride. Intellectually Rene knew his father would need to sever their connections due to the serious accusations levied against him and the subsequent enlistment into the marines. That did not make it any less painful to face the reality he had been discarded. Solae doubted Alric du Quentain had forgotten his son, but the speed with which he had moved on with his life was almost cruel in its efficiency.

"The Chastaians married into the Falias a few generations back," she explained slowly. "I believe my great, great grandmother was a Chastain? She had to abandon her family name to become a Falia, but it did create an alliance between the families that has persisted through to my father. He was of the opinion we have achieved so much because of both our connections and our contributions from the bloodlines that wed into ours." Solae had never formed an opinion one way or another. Both her mother and grandfather were Falias by marriage (since her paternal grandmother inherited the title and holdings as an only child) but neither had spoken of their past. Because she had always known them as members of the esteemed Falia she never dwelt on the notion they were not always devoted members of its lineage.

"I don't know the details, but my father has been... or rather he was 'bailing them out' so to speak. They made several poor investments and after the empress took the throne people have been very reluctant to honor the same agreements they had before." Noble families were almost universally wealthy but the exact assets each possessed was a private affair. There was pomp and circumstance to be certain, but the liquid currency they had at their disposal, the holdings they owned, the precious collections tucked away in their vaults was not public knowledge. There were allusions to it, there was boasting and grandstanding, but a duke could go bankrupt while maintaining a decadent appearance. Similarly, 'lowly' viscounts could hide their recent returns made them twice as rich as their social superiors.

"I can only assume they arranged for this union with Gisella in part to help their finances," Solae murmured more to herself than to Rene. "Father was talking about cutting them off when I was a teenager and was getting increasingly annoyed with them. Mother was paranoid they had discovered our yearly profits had increased significantly, and so they didn't need as much as they were asking, and instead were trying to take advantage." She shrugged with indifference. It hadn't been her decision to make and neither of the late Falias would have sought her opinion and advice on the matter. More than once she had been told explicitly she would get the 'whole story' of their net worth once she inherited. That her father was unwilling to put a figure on it with his own daughter made her suspicious Duke Tan was not actually the most affluent man on New Concordia.

"Mia, are you still processing data?" she called out.

"Yes, Lady Solae. I am capable of running additional analysis concurrently. Do you wish for me to analyze the Chastain family's history since Sir Rene's exile?" she asked breathlessly from a speaker overhead.

"Pull in records for a year preceding the murder just to be certain, Mia. I'll look over the information on hand as well but it is possible either of us or both of us will miss something significant," she decided as she changed the screen from an image of Lucrecia to clippings about one of the Chastain's mining companies on an otherwise barren planet at the edge of the sector. Rene had enough to digest without a visual reminder that a tiny baby had been borne from a woman young enough to be his sister or wife; instead she was now his stepmother. Solae resolved herself to breach etiquette if Rene became her legal husband and anyone tried to compel her to address Gisella with matronly honorifics. The marquise had not just survived a harrowing assault on the embassy, a brush with death escaping New Concordia, and landing a ship for the first time through the hurricane to call someone a few years older than her anything other than her first name.

"Do you want to go lay down, Rene?" she asked as she glanced over her shoulder. "I can't promise Mia will behave herself, but I solemnly swear I won't get into any trouble until we get closer to Zatis. And I won't try to land without waking you if only so I can make you suffer through my lack of experience with me," she declared with a good-natured smile and a wink.