Fwurg

[Empress Saret Neferti]

"Does this subject trouble you, milady?", the handmaiden asked as she saw Mirabi hesitate to describe her feelings. "You need not worry, her imperial majesty has perfect control over her projected desires, as befits a person of high nobility."

"Candidates for the position of handmaiden are drawn only from female hemets enrolled at the Crimson Academy. The training programme is forty-eight years long, with a year-long break immediately after giving up our fertility during the twentieth year. The content of the last twenty-seven years are considered state secret.

Normally, I would not be allowed to tell you anything about the imprinting, but my empress just gave me permission to explain the process in broad terms. The imprinting happens in the last twenty years of the training, when each handmaiden is already assigned a ward. During this time, we spend 60 consecutive hours with our ward each week, after first being isolated from others for a full 24 hours.

The imprinting itself is established in three ways. First there is the natural tendency of the empathic transfer to intensify if a hemet interacts with someone for a long time. Secondly, through isolation and meditation the handmaiden learns to stop suppressing the empathic transfers coming from her ward, this has the side effect of tuning out other influences. And finally, in the last year, after the handmaiden has gained experience with allowing her ward to influence her, the ward starts to forcefully project her desires on the handmaiden. Over the course of a year the handmaiden becomes incapable of suppressing the empathic transfer from her ward, and incapable of receiving anything from others. The year is closed with a ritual in which the ward accepts the handmaiden."

The handmaiden smiled at Mirabi, while she paused for a moment to let the teprogrenaian woman take it all in.

"You are now one of the few people that know of this outside of those that are allowed to have knowledge of imprinting, and you are the first person I ever told about it. Is there anything you wish to ask of me?"


"I am sure that lady Nehket Aeka would appreciate the cooperation that could be achieved.", she replied to the Teprogrenaian senator's idea of cooperative research.

The empress took a sip of tea, and listened to senator Tassar.

"I don not like to flaunt my hobbies, it makes them less private. But because you asked, it is true that I rival my husband in the art of sword fighting, but only in skill. He would easily defeat me should he decided to draw upon his raw physical prowess."

The empress took another sip.

"You should not underestimate the effect of a state-of-the-art vibroblade, senator. Like a lightsaber, it will shred through most normal armours without effort, allowing one to dispatch normal guards or soldiers with surprising ease. In all honesty, I am surprised that you were not familiar with such weaponry. A politician of your stature is sure to have many enemies, and we live in a dangerous universe -- surely you wish to be able to protect your wife, should you be attacked?"

[Senator Danar Tassar]

"No, not at all," Mirabi said after the handmaiden asked her if the subjected troubled her, "it is just that this form of telepathy is unlike every other form I have heard of." Then she listened interested to how Dūsarā described the trainings process of the handmaidens. After the handmaiden was finished, Mirabi was flabbergasted for a moment, "wow... I don't.. know... I feel honoured."

"Please you are telling so much about yourself, but if you like to know anything of me, ask." While saying that, Mirabi laid a hand on the upper arm of the handmaiden, a sign of comfort and trust.

"I was wondering, hemets are very skilled, and I take it that normally they take a leading position in your society. What has driven you to give up your future as a leader or lady and become a handmaiden?"


"Of course we are aware of a vibroblade" Tassar said, "but such weapons need to be used on very close range. Anybody with a gun and a grenade can take out an opponent with a vibroblade from a safe distance." Tassar said back while he took some tea. "And of enemies, I cannot think of any besides the other superpowers. Here on Union I feel as safe as on our, the Consensus, homeworld. We have good guards at the senate and the Union fleets are doing everything in their power to keep away pirates over the travel routes."

((OOC: The business of 'the white rabbit' was after this tea drink action ;)))

[Empress Saret Neferti]

"I have no questions, milady. I am just glad that you take an interest in me."

As Mirabi touched her hand to the handmaiden's arm, she could once again feel the phantom brush of a hand, this time it mirrored her touch, and lingered for much longer.

"Not all hemets end up in leadership positions. Some of them were born to small families. After all, even a family of peasants could produce a hemet child. And the child of two peasants will not usually end up in any position of leadership.

I became a handmaiden at the urgings of my instructor at the Crimson Academy. It offered a way out of a serious family-problem. But I gave up all familial bonds when I became a handmaiden, so I can't tell you more of my family, as I have none."


"That is certainly true.", the empress replied to Tassar's explanation, though she did not sound at all convinced. "Let us leave the matter of weapons to the experts.", she smiled at him. "You are very fortunate not to have any enemies. It speaks of the peaceful ways of the Teprogrena. I could name at least twenty people on Mirda that would not mind me dying of unknown circumstances. Three of those twenty would not hesitate to drive a sword through my heart if they thought they could get away with it."

The empress took a sip of tea.

"Of course, none of them will act upon those desires, for fear of retribution by my husband. In fact, their desire to kill me does not prevent them from socializing at court. In fact, one of those three recently invited me to share her bed, she was very charming about it too. Still, I am glad that I have my handmaidens to protect me.

Speaking of handmaidens, it seems that your wife is enjoying the company of Dūsarā. What is your opinion of her implants so far?"

((OOC: Acknowledged.))

[Senator Danar Tassar]

Mirabi did not expect the brush, but this time she was familiar with the feeling. She still was startled a little by the sudden feeling. "I wonder if I would ever get used to that." She said.

"This crimson academy, what for academy is it? I believe it is not the first time I have heard of it, and it seems highly acclaimed."


Tassar said with a little nonchalant tone: "I see no reason why someone would kill me, especially a fellow teprogrenus. If someone disagrees, he can come over and talk. Killing me won't do anything. I am but the chosen person to speak on behalf of the Consensus. An outsider won't achieve anything by attacking me, and for an teprogrenus it is a taboo to harmfully attack a fellow teprogrenus." The senator thought for a short moment to come up with a good comparison. "It is like if you would use cybernetic implants to improve your capabilities as empress. Murder in our society is unspoken of and absolutely not-done."

Tassar took a sip of the tea, giving the empress some time to let this cultural thing sink in.

"About your question, I think the implants are very subtle. I only wonder, if your handmaidens are your personal bodyguards, then why try to hide the implants? If the handmaidens clearly show their enhancements, then your enemies would think twice before attacking you. but at the other hand," the senator continued, as he was thinking out loud, "such implants are seen by your people as monstrosities if I understand correctly, so being guarded by obvious cyborgs is like that you are being guarded by monsters. What a message would the emperor sent to the people if he let his wives be protected to monsters? So although the implants differ from personal taste, I think they are beautifully implemented within the context they are used."

[Empress Saret Neferti]

"The Crimson Academy is the foremost academy for military training, both theoretical and practical. The headmaster is traditionally a retired admiral or general from either the Imperial Guard or House Shebi. The academy is one of the old institutions that can see its history go well into the times of chaos.

Some say that it is one of the reasons the Houses have not devolved into open warfare: their progeny trains in combat together, and each knows what the other is capable of. They all see that subtle rivalry offers the larger reward."


"I see.", was all the empress replied to Tassar's explanation on having no enemies.

"You understand correctly. It would indeed send the wrong message if my handmaidens openly wore implants. However, that they are augmented is a not really a secret. It is more nuanced. My husband still sends the message you already predicted: that his wives are protected by monsters. After all, monsters are larger than life, and usually stronger and better than the normal person in such stories. Through this he shows that he is willing to turn to such measures to protect his family, this implies that he will use such measures if absolutely necessary."

[Senator Danar Tassar]

"Its very good of you, the Commonwealth, to have a school for everyone no matter their origin, even though the school is only for hemets. But such a separation is inevitable with the differences between hemets and mundane Veolians I guess.

But surely the emperor does everything in his power to prevent all-out war," Mirabi said, "it is very bad for everyone to wage war, that is a known fact, Nothing good will would ever come from war."


Tassar listened to what the Empress had to say and drank some tea meanwhile. "That does raise an interesting question. We of the Consensus see our Guardians and Colossi as special and very strong people, but how do you, the Veolian people, see them? As monsters, or as people?" Tassar talked noticeable slower in the last part, putting emphasis on the difference of the two points of view.

[Empress Saret Neferti]

"If nothing good came from the wars you fought, you must not have been on the winning side. And if that is true, your people must not have had very powerful enemies. After all, if you would have had lost to a powerful enemy, you would be a vassal right now.

Of course, now that you have the Cradle, you will surely grow in reputation, and acquire more impressive enemies. This adversity will be good for your people then, if you have yet to win a war.", the handmaiden explained this as if it was the most obvious reasoning in the universe.


The empress looked thoughtful for a moment, and took a sip of tea to provide her with some more time.

"That would depend on who you ask. Some will see strong warriors with extreme dedication to their cause, to mutilate their bodies so. Others will see monsters that threaten your species' survival, and still others might not see them as living, and instead think that you use organic parts in the construction of highly advanced droids.

I count myself in the first category. Giving up everything you are to serve a cause requires a level of dedication rarely seen in an individual. Maybe I could meet these Guardians and Colossi if I ever visit your world?"

[Senator Danar Tassar]

Mirabi didn't quite know what to say: "Uhm, well, we mostly fought skirmishes against space pirates. There was this faction, a group of pirates working together, who encountered one of our ships and thought our system to be an easy prey. It took us around 500 years to win from them, but eventually we did. Around that time we designed the Fecta Colossi who did an incredible job in entering their ships and as strong land forces. Although some say that a jedi helped us and we would have lost without. The records are a bit conflicting from that time so it is hard to say.

If you ever have the change, you should visit one of our museums. There is one in our capital city with some incredible original works from around that time."


Tassar took a smal sip from his tea. "Yes, that should be possible. Depending on how things go some even might come to Unity City. But that also depends on a lot of factors, starting with if we even going to build our own embassy. For now we are well seated in the senate building so don't count on hem coming to Unity city soon." The senator took another sip from his tea, only to discover that the tea was empty already. He carefully laid down his tube on the table again. "It appears that we have finished our tea. And we are already talking for much longer than I could have imagined. Your Imperial Majesty, it has been a pleasure so far but I think it is time for us to leave you back to your important matters. Unless you wish to continue further of course. I do have the time."

[Empress Saret Neferti]

The handmaiden smiled at Mirabi. "If I am ever there, I hope I have the time. I would really like to meet a Fecta Colossus."


The empress tried a sip, and came to the same conclusion. "It is interesting. Of all the worlds, we have the least in common with yours, yet I have spoken the longest with you. It has been a pleasure speaking with you, senator. I do indeed have important matters, not the least of which is reclaiming my handmaiden", she smiled and nodded towards the handmaiden and Mirabi, "they seem to hit it off well."

The empress stood, "I hope we'll speak again in the future. Tayu Shanora will see you out senator."

[Senator Danar Tassar]

Tassar said to the empress: "I think it is because of the differences we have talked more than anticipated."

Tassar stood as well, followed by a formal bow: "It was a pleasure talking to you, your Imperial Majesty." Then he turned to Mirabi: "Darling, we are leaving. We already have taken enough time of the Imperial Majesty."

Mirabi said to the handmaiden: "I'm sure something can be arranged if you ever would visit. But I have to go now." She took both hands of Dūsarā in hers, "I would love to speak again sometime soon." Then she walked back to her husband. The doctor stood up as well and she and Mirabi simultaneously bowed for the empress and said goodbye. With the formal goodbyes done, Mirabi wrapped her arm around Tassar's waist and the Teprogrenaian delegation let them being escorted by Tayu back to their hovercar.

((OOC: I think this thread is finished, it was nice roleplaying ^_^))

[Tayu Shanora]

Tayu Shanora did indeed escort the Teprogrenaian delegation to their hovercar. With a elegant bow, she said goodbye.

((OOC: It was indeed nice roleplaying ^_^))