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maderrChapter Six
Planet 0000000 (zero), the palace of eternity
Finely manicured nails tapped out a rhythmic pattern on an expensive, natural wood desk. The nails were painted a pale mint green, matching perfectly the subdued, abtract patterning on his pale and dark mint mandarin-style jacket. The frogs and color were dark gold, and a pale mint ribbon secured the end of his long, gold-brown hair, woven into an intricate braid. A small gold hoop decorated each ear, a gold signet ring set with the infinity symbol on his right ring finger his only other piece of jewelry.
His amber eyes were cool but pleasant as he stared at the figured seated on the opposite side of his desk. "I thank the Lady Rosali for her invitation, and am sorry you came all this way for nothing, but I will not be able to attend her fete. I'm afraid my duties keep me quite occupied, especially at this time of year." He smiled at her.
The woman smiled brightly back, standing and brushing out the dark blue velvet of her ornate skirts. "Of course, my Lord. My mistress believed such would be the case, but she wanted to extend the invitation anyway. She looks forward to the next time she is able to see you, and bids you take care of yourself until then."
"Her Ladyship is most gracious. Give her my regards, Lady Pelne."
Dropping a half curtsey, the woman waved him to his seat. "I can see myself out, my Lord. I bid you good day."
"And you, Lady."
M let out a startled cry when, opening the door, she nearly ran into a man who clearly had been about to open it himself. "Ex-excuse me, Lord Kavalerov. I didn't see you there."
"Think nothing of it, my dear," he stepped aside so she could pass, then stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
The man at the desk raised a carefully shaped brow, "Shouldn't you be in session, Pyotr?"
"I finished early today, and I received some intriguing news from my quadrant today."
"Oh? Is something exciting happening in the second today?" the man sounded bored.
Pyotr smoothed his blue and silver robes as he took a seat. Against the dark woods and deep greens that decorated the man's office, his pale hair and features seemed even whiter than usual. He looked like an ice sculpture, "Not exciting, but it may be of some interest to you. It seems pirates recently attacked a star hopper."
"I think I heard about that this morning during breakfast. Took a hostage, didn't they?"
"Yes," Pyotr seemed amused. "Not keeping up with the gossip? That's unlike you."
"I've no interest in the goings-on of pirates, unless they invade the first quadrant."
"Not even pirates that take your brother hostage?"
Jade stilled. "My brother? Cyan was taken hostage? That idiot."
"Obviously I've buried the fact that he's your brother. Only myself and a couple of trusted workers know. We're uncertain as to whether or not the pirates took him on purpose, or if it was simply chance."
"Chance, most likely." Jade examined his painted nails. "No one would ever think to connect that weakling with me."
"I see. I guess it's of less interest to you than I thought it would be."
"If they demand a ransom, then it shall become of interest to me."
Pyotr shifted in his seat, "So should I put in extensive effort to tracking him down?"
"Well, we certainly can't just let him be. But I prefer you do only the usual; anything excessive or out of the ordinary will arouse suspicion. I don't want people to wonder why we're going to extremes to find one hostage, and a silly Rehabilitation Guard at that. Especially when the hostages are usually returned more or less unharmed." Jade sneered, "And I sincerely doubt my brother would display any heroics. He's not the most courageous of men."
"No love lost between brothers? How strange, my impression was that your family was a close one."
"My brother was always a fool. He became a great fool after my parents died. He left home and abandoned are name. He is no longer my concern."
Pyotr shrugged, "That is your business. I shall see to the matter of the kidnapping, but do nothing special, as you wish. Shall I keep you informed as to my progress?"
"I suppose so."
"Very well…and might I ask why the Lady Pelne was visiting you? Are you courting her?" Pyotr asked teasingly.
Jade snorted, climbing slowly to his feet. "Ugh, don't even suggest such a thing. I can't stand those simpering women, I don't care how much power and money comes with them."
"So very choosy, you."
"Well, I've certainly earned the right to be, haven't I? Anyway, it's not like I need their money or power and I've no use for them otherwise."
"Most men would disagree."
"Most men are uncreative, which is why they wind up married to simpering misses and running off to hide from them later in life. Spare me."
Pyotr laughed, his pale blue eyes bright with amusement. "Ah, but if you're going to achieve Grand Chancellor, you will have to take a wife eventually."
"Why do you think I’m nice to the Ladies Pelne and Rozali?"
"Rozali, eh? Well, that won't be too bad a catch at all." Pyotr opened the door to leave.
"Here, I will walk with you. I have a meeting to attend in a few more minutes." Jade followed him out the office, and they walked down a hallway of white marble, the walls decorated with handmade tapestries from a planet renowned for such things. "And you will not be the one living with her. But we'll see; I don't have to select a wife yet. It's best not to rush these things."
"That is very true." They fell silent as their walking took them to more crowded areas of the Eternity Palace and they were forced to nod and smile to peers, friends, and subordinates. Pyotr slowed as they reached the grand hallway, the front room of the palace. The floor was made entirely of a special glass, and beneath it was an artificial lake of clear water, hundreds of small, colorful fish and a variety of plants moving and swaying beneath the feet of the thousand who walked through the palace every day. "Take care, my Lord Jade. Are we still dining together this evening?"
"Of course. Your company I find most tolerable. And do keep me informed as to your hostage, it may yet provide me some amusment."
Pyotr laughed softly, "As you wish."
With a nod and sweep of the long, trailing back of his jacket, Jade vanished into the crowd and was shorty taken over by his assistants.
Turning on his own heal, Pyotr made his way politely and carefully through the perpetual crush to his own offices.
"Ah, Pyotr!" A voice much like shattered glass cut through the crush, and Pyotr barely managed to hide a wince.
He smiled as the man with the painful voice approached him. Tall, and so thin he seemed to suffer from an eating disorder - certainly not the case - with hair and face just as thing, Lord Sylvius Li was fortunate that his aptitude for governing far outweighed his looks and voice. "Lord Li."
"None of that, Pyotr." Li smiled, the expression thankfully one that somehow managed to improve his looks. "How many times must I remind you to call me Sylvius? We've been working together for years, surely you remember to use my first name."
"My apologies, Sylvius. I get so caught up in formality I forget I can occasionally drop it."
"Of course, of course. Shouldn't you be in a meeting right now?
Pyotr barely repressed a sigh, "I finished early, and I'm busy with the recent kidnapping by pirates right now anyway."
"How is that case going? I only heard about it a short while ago."
"It's going well enough; nothing of particular note really. You had more trouble with pirates in your quad just a little while ago. I'm sure this victim will turn up in another week or so, a little shaken but otherwise okay."
Sylvius nodded sagely, "Of course, of course. Are you free at the moment, Pyotr? I was coming to ask you to lunch. I wanted to talk to you more about those policy revisions we were discussing earlier in the week."
"Hmm….I don't see why not. Allow me a few minutes to take care of things in my office? I shall meet you at our café at," he glanced at his blue and silver watch, "Half past the hour?" Pyotr smiled, "I will have to soothe the feathers of my assistants, they're quite vexed at how I'm always running off to do things for myself. You know how that is."
"Yes, yes. Quite irritating - but I guess we were all like that at some point, no? It is how we wound up being the troublesome bosses. I will see you shortly, you go soothe your birds."
Laughing, Pyotr nodded and made his way to his office suite. Finally reaching it, he spent several minutes giving tasks to his annoyed staff before they permitted him to close the door to his private office. Locking the door behind him, he ran three separate scans of the room before he was satisfied that it was safe.
Pressing a hidden button in a drawer of his desk, he waited for his call to be received.
A young man with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes greeted him with a smile, setting aside whatever it was he'd been reading. "What's up, Winter?"
"I thought you would like to know that Lord Alexander seems completely unconcerned about his brother's kidnapping."
Sean frowned, "That's not really a surprise. They don't get along at all."
"So I've noticed," Pyotr said dryly. "But my point was simply this - if he believed it to be a problem to himself, he would have shown some interest. But he said himself that most likely the pirates do not know who he is, so most likely it was pure chance that they took him as their hostage. I have no doubt that in short order your friend will reappear on a planet somewhere, more or less unharmed. But I will continue to search, and will keep you informed."
"Thank you, Winter. I appreciate you assisting me with something entirely personal."
"There is no reason to thank me. We are a team; what affects one member affects all of us. If it were me, I would hope you would help me."
"Of course I would."
"Then, as I say, there is no need for thanks." Pyotry smiled, then turned brusque. "Now. I am off to meet with S, hopefully to obtain some useful information. J as always eludes me."
"That comes as no surprise. Do your best Winter, and be careful."
"And you. Farewell." Pyotr turned his screen off, and with a tired sigh left to go meet Sylvius for lunch.
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Date: 2004-11-07 02:42 am (UTC)on a dide note: am happy--an anomaly for me these days.
Sorry once again. will try harder tomorrow...
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Date: 2004-11-07 02:43 am (UTC)I'm such a chatty drunk.
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Date: 2004-11-07 02:48 am (UTC)You. Keep talking. I'm amused as fucking hell.
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Date: 2004-11-07 02:52 am (UTC)Ill fil the typing later.
damn am i ar gone. woohoo...
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Date: 2004-11-07 03:19 am (UTC)think I just imed M or D. please tel l htem I'm not inmy right mind. don't know what I'm fujciking say8nng. I hop ethylell ujderstand.
I think I just fucked that sentecne up. Buti'm certain you're intellegent enough to undrtsand.
sammie
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Date: 2004-11-07 04:30 am (UTC)Yeah, and anything past this is just going to be me randomly squeeing you in happiness. So, consider yourself squeed. ^-^ *tackle glomps* You. So. Rock.
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Date: 2004-11-07 04:54 pm (UTC)^_^ Glad you like Pyotr so much, I hadn't realized anyone would.
*glomps back*
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Date: 2004-11-07 04:46 am (UTC)But will Cyan get upset that Sean knows someone so closely in contact with his brother?
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Date: 2004-11-07 04:53 pm (UTC)They do indeed, though Winter they obtained through Jundel.
I cannot say. XP
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Date: 2004-11-07 05:08 am (UTC)Wow, you write fast. I should not be surprised, but I am.
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Date: 2004-11-07 05:36 am (UTC)Hee, well be curious no more. The Conniving Bastard has entered the playing field.
I only write fast when A)There's a deadline and B)I don't have to edit. It's pressure and freedom all at once...
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Date: 2004-11-07 01:34 pm (UTC)In other notations, I'm severely hoping that their investigation into the matter with Cyan does not only succeed in buggling things for Cyan. But you're the writer so I'm certain you'll do as you wish.
I'm gonna go read the previous chapter again.
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Date: 2004-11-07 11:30 pm (UTC)wow. i will totally agree with those above, the whole Winter thing, well, damn.
i don't think i can pick a favourite part right now, but, overall the interactions and the plot are mindblowing. how do you keep track of all of them? ::snoggles:: once again thank you for an awesome read!!
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Date: 2004-11-09 12:03 pm (UTC)Thank you for reading ^_^
Hee, I'm so pleased how everyone's taken to Winter - it always surprised me the characters people become enthused about.
Grammar Nazi-ing, part ze sixth
Date: 2006-10-19 07:48 pm (UTC)abstract
as he stared at the figured seated on the opposite side of his desk.
figured = figure
M let out a startled cry when, opening the door, she nearly ran into a man
M? You just called her Lady Pelne. o.o;
"I've no interest in the goings-on of pirates, unless they invade the first quadrant."
... first? I could have sworn in an earlier chapter you noted Jade was in charge of the fourth quadrant, which made sense because that's also where the genetic experimentation facility was located... 9.9 So why's he concerned with the first... is that where Zero is?
He left home and abandoned are name.
are = our
feet of the thousand who walked through the palace every day.
thousand or thousands? 9.9
"Of course. Your company I find most tolerable.
*big puppy eyes* Seeeeeequel....
Turning on his own heal, Pyotr made his way
heal = heel
with hair and face just as thing, Lord Sylvius Li
thing = thin
Pyotry smiled, then turned brusque.
>.>; Pyotr.
I am collecting Character Descriptions as I go. So far you've devoted more words to describing Jade than anyone else. I am Amused. ;)
Re: Grammar Nazi-ing, part ze sixth
Date: 2006-10-19 10:19 pm (UTC)I can never remember who has what quadrant. Thanks for pointing that out, b/c yeah I think Jade is the fourth. I'll have to double check.
Ahahahaha, I think I describe Jade so well b/c he's a hard character. My initial idea for him was a pyscho bastard, and while he's not quite that clear cut (and he changed a lot b/t my notes and type, you've no idea - he and Pyotr both. I still have an old written scene somewhere where they're making out. So you can see why he's so hard - he couldn't make up his mind!). The harder a character, I think, the more likely I am to describe them. ^^;;;
Re: Grammar Nazi-ing, part ze sixth
Date: 2006-10-19 11:24 pm (UTC)He's still a psycho bastard, he just has his reasons and is... somehow still likable despite being nuthouse-bound. >.>;