Midian checks at an Enforcer station, looking through the mug shots of missing slaves, hoping to find the identity of the girl who was with Kith. Sadly, if she’s an escaped slave she hasn’t been reported.
The protagonist’s next destination is the City Archive. It is strangely crowded – more Adepts present than desks, all agitated. They meet the frustrated and eminently corruptible Adept, Bao Alenichev. Bao agrees to meet them after his shift changes.
While they wait, Midian engages the services of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica to contact the ship Kith arrived at Vinh on, “Odette’s Lance”.
The next day he will receive answers to his questions:
Later, at the Recaf Emporium:
What’s happening with the Archive?
“The Archive has been closed off. The Amael spends most of her time running the entire Transition through some augmetic link to the Administratum Communications Net, rather than from her office like a civilized person. It’s driving all the staff crazy as they have to wander all the way down if they need something signing. It may not sound like much, but the Amael is the centre of all city decisions – er, after the Governor, of course – so small delays with her ripple out. She delays ten Indictors, who each delay ten Scriveners, who each delay ten Adepts…
“It’s starting to become costly. And what for? She gives no explanation. The Administratum took copies of everything when they collected our Tithe, so checking the Archive is in order can’t be this important, surely? Especially not during the Transition.”
What do you mean by ‘Transition’?
[Laughter] “Switching the converted Sentinels and Landspeeders back to civic use, laying off the dead-wood in the PDF, that kind of thing. More than half the assistants for the Medicaes have already been shipped back to their parent’s farms.”
Why?
[Nervous] “Because we aren’t really in that much danger. But if we can justify the expenditure – given how dangerous the region is – the money can go into the Governor’s pockets.”
Do you know Kith Conran?
“I don’t think so. Who is he?”
A navigator.
“Niki Kamen said something about a navigator... I’ll check with her.”
(Niki will tell Bao that Kith wasn’t just bothering them, he was bothering the pilots too.)
Midian also convinced Bao to risk his career by following the logs to find out what Kith had discovered.
He will be only partially successful, managing to glean the following:
The protagonist’s next destination is the City Archive. It is strangely crowded – more Adepts present than desks, all agitated. They meet the frustrated and eminently corruptible Adept, Bao Alenichev. Bao agrees to meet them after his shift changes.
While they wait, Midian engages the services of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica to contact the ship Kith arrived at Vinh on, “Odette’s Lance”.
The next day he will receive answers to his questions:
- They picked him up from a small world in the same region.
- The girl Kith was travelling with was called Maya Zin (if the Captain didn’t know better, he’d have sworn the girl had a crush on the mutant).
- He was a good enough navigator, but there were times when the Captain thought he may be a little too fond of his Chems.
- While drunk he told some of the crew he was going to collect (or inherit?) the “Legacy” of Lum.
Later, at the Recaf Emporium:
What’s happening with the Archive?
“The Archive has been closed off. The Amael spends most of her time running the entire Transition through some augmetic link to the Administratum Communications Net, rather than from her office like a civilized person. It’s driving all the staff crazy as they have to wander all the way down if they need something signing. It may not sound like much, but the Amael is the centre of all city decisions – er, after the Governor, of course – so small delays with her ripple out. She delays ten Indictors, who each delay ten Scriveners, who each delay ten Adepts…
“It’s starting to become costly. And what for? She gives no explanation. The Administratum took copies of everything when they collected our Tithe, so checking the Archive is in order can’t be this important, surely? Especially not during the Transition.”
What do you mean by ‘Transition’?
[Laughter] “Switching the converted Sentinels and Landspeeders back to civic use, laying off the dead-wood in the PDF, that kind of thing. More than half the assistants for the Medicaes have already been shipped back to their parent’s farms.”
Why?
[Nervous] “Because we aren’t really in that much danger. But if we can justify the expenditure – given how dangerous the region is – the money can go into the Governor’s pockets.”
Do you know Kith Conran?
“I don’t think so. Who is he?”
A navigator.
“Niki Kamen said something about a navigator... I’ll check with her.”
(Niki will tell Bao that Kith wasn’t just bothering them, he was bothering the pilots too.)
Midian also convinced Bao to risk his career by following the logs to find out what Kith had discovered.
He will be only partially successful, managing to glean the following:
- The city was designed by Architect Alba Kos; a competent man, but not a great one. He was “assisted”, in some capacity or other, by Lum. (Embarassing)
- The term “Amael” was a late addition to the Lexicography and Charter – where the term originates from has been lost. (Obscure)
Cooool.
ReplyDeleteOn wednesday (if im there) i'll be asking Bao if its possible for him to do a follow up into the architect fella.
Interesting about the 'Amael' title. As the titles origin (and reason for change) isn't in the archive, maybe it will be explained as we delve further into Vihn's dubious past.