pte

to spend her time on the DF merely conducting business and not being drawn into elaborate political issues. No one would be pressuring her to join

or the channel. She let them sleep, enjoying the silence. She sighed as the rising sun turned the ocean gold and red. The reprieve woul

ed down her anger, at least towards Elena. "Since she isn't eligible for the Nor

eo's mother, was something akin to a surrogate parent after Elena's parents were killed. Her sister Elizabeth, Therese's mother, always maintained a

zabeth's knowledge of sealed, council eyes only documents. "Of course, I'm not suppo

"I'll make a list later, " she promised herself somewhat grumpily. For now, she wanted

. There were three channels total located on the planet. One was a one way channel and Mateo sent a team to investigate it. Over time a spit of land built up be

including both broken and intact pottery and several items that defied description. They were, from all accounts, ecstatic. Their joy was somewhat tempered by the fact that they would not be able to share the information w

y over her head. Elena figured that as long as they knew what they were talking about, she was happy. After all, that was the reason one hired experts in the first place, t

the dim outline of the island off the starboard. There were times when the thought kept her up at

a more traditional channel that from all accounts varied with the seasons. It was however so far from their fledgling settlement that an expedition had yet to be made and no one knew the conditions surrounding it. That

Even if they couldn't open the channel the way she could, there were plenty of islands in this direction that could have been inhabited. "Assuming the

land at some point. If they could work up communications of some sort between the

ngth to keep it open long enough for the ship to pass. "It will come in time, " Elena told taking over the task and watc

Elena chalked it up to conversational fatigue. With the influx of new people and

Thompson said as the Storm Chas

with a smile. "It's like a tourist town wh

, gesturing not to the mostly empty berths, b

usly ride the trade routes. Well, where treaties let them anyway. Some specifically limit the patrol ship's access although most are fairly comfortable with them. My guess is t

ovean. The patrol ships helped discourage all but the exceedingly bold or totally desperate. Recently the Matrovean began expanding the territory they claimed as thei

uring Earth's age of privateers and pirates. Somehow she doubted the image was correct, but liked to think it anyway. It

een beyond the reach of her fledgling House due to their involvement. Her network of alliances and agreements quickly grew to touch nearly every House in the Guild. She had the feeling that the only reason she was not

. "But that ship seems a little out of place." Elena s

extended vacations. Several of the planets in various sectors have resor

ntrigued. "So that's what you did

ed vacations. At best he would take a week, but even then about three days into it he would be negoti

. Good to know you came by it honestly, " He replied with a smile. "So tell me, are they pi

me he had known her. Unable to argue, she turned back to the cruise ship. "I don't know, " Elena replied. "I would

r piloted by people currently giving her problems were around. "At least we won't have to cross half

over not only her ship, but all of the others that might have had damage detected during the normal winterization. She had the need for regular maintenance on the ship drilled int

long; no trinkets and souvenirs being offered to sailors to take back as mementos of their trips or gifts to sweethearts. The crowds departed. No one was pushing and shoving their way

a's House quarters. "When you said people clear out during the off season, you meant i

the smaller venders in the docks during the off season. Trade will actually be a little easier in the market this time of year becaus

cleared out towards the end of the season, she spent many an off season here and had

." Thompso

f year too, " Jennifer added. "Devon always waited unt

out of sight of the station until she became Elena's apprentice. Devon ran the DF's girl's home, raising the girls with no parents who would g

the others retreated to their own spaces. Deciding she needed to see others moving around the DF to shake the fe

to visit with Devon and Benjamin went to check on some friends. R

ing. There may have been fewer people, but the ones remaining still needed to eat. Here were the food carts offering everything from the mundane to

owed her and Thompson in. "What a pleasant surprise. I didn't realize that you would

e a few people living on the planet now and the rather rustic environment is a little wearing on the wardrobe. I was hoping that if you w

e you can run to the store and pick up something new when a garment can no lon

nced over it once and then handed it to the older woman. Evalene took th

e, " Evalene said thoughtfully. Expe

o bring their families with

"An excellent approach. Famil

of the family's sons worked on their sister's ships, most of them worked for Evalene. Admittedly, the ships also sailed for Evalene, ei

g fear of shopping for girl's clothing, he dealt with the issue of outfitting Elena after she came to live with him by scheduling appointments with Evalene and dropping her off. Until sh

o doubt that tales of her great escape were going to circulate, she hoped that by the time she was called into Council to defend her actions all of

explanation of Kiera and her people's abilities would fall to her cousin as well. She was

, her eyes thoughtful. "This is

reath and let it out slowly. She narrowed her eye

u been back on th

nexpected question. "Long enough to grab a s

around the station. Hmm. Well." She set the list down on a small table and

aid bluntly. "They have discovered an appetite for territory

" Elena c

eason, which she did. Unfortunately she had to turn aroun

e. "I hadn't heard their territory ext

that with the mass of the Guild earthside for the off season, the Matrovean are planning to make their

this point and decided to stop by the Librarians once she left Evalene. She could deliver Evan's letters a

e a desire to see my family to

ed. "I didn't think

ho want my services come to me, not the other way around

where the conversation might go and

or mass quantities. I like to know who will be wearing the garments I design and my family produces. In addition I want my family somewhere safe for the offseason

o that we can be on hand to not only provide the requested clothing, but to repair the damaged bits if you wish. My House has three ships whic

ense the thread of fear behind the woman's words. However if Evalene's fear was shared by a large

ly during the off season, " Elena began. Evalene relaxed slightly. "Althou

n assortment of finery for the upcoming season. It is also just as clear that many of those in your House who need to be out

e I haven't had a vacation, even a working one, in quite some time, accepting your proposal would allow me to assuage my curiosity about these new cha

you sure you aren

be on the Council, but I do know

dock in two days to pick up the first of our shipments for planetside. Cloudskimmer is three days behind. I'd like to load Windsong and send

y then, " Evalene told her. The lines of relief were clearly

making each garment, but the price would be substantially lowered due to Evalene's relocation. They exited her shop

she would prefer it not overhear. He nodded in agreement as his eyes shifted to scan those

versations they overheard as they walked were rather standard as far as the market place went. People haggled over the price of goods, questione

nsuelo's kitchen, surveyed the available candy concoctions for Mateo and placed medical supply orders for the doctor's

pplies was not high on her list during their initial supply runs. Elena made sure that Akashi's supply lists were taken care o

Thompson gasped at his first sight of the library. She paused to allow him to take in the full glory of the spa

rary weren't in fact books at all, but rather digital copies of the library's vast archives. The central terminal was in sleep mode, the scre

plate. Her hand was scanned and the door clicked as it unlocked. Elena pushed the door open and she and Thompson stepped into the Librarian

rise, " He began shaking her hand. "I am

nvelopes out to him. "Evan asked me to drop these by. As we are going to have regular supply runs we thought it prudent to add mail service. Windsong will be docking in two days and stay

ate being so divided this way. Would

litely declined. Her brain was already jumbled enough. "However, I am interested to know how large a territory the Matrovean now claim. I don't suppose

moving steadily. I can forward copies of the reports to you if you would like so that you can warn your people. I believe Commander McLaughlin has a posting of affected

le future. While Elena liked Evan, some of the other Librarians bothered her. She knew they gathered information and controlled a vast network of political maneuverings for a purpose she couldn't begin to understa

he registry office as they walked. She felt something in Thompson's manner shift as they walked although she couldn't quite say what. She turned to

uestions would have to wait until they were away. She decided it was fair enough since she refused to answer his questions in public earlier. Deciding

d familiar although she couldn't place him. She stopped so that he could catch up with her. He hurried and stopped a few feet away. Thompson was

actual store front in the market rather than a stall in the central area. Elena knew that the Rene who operated the high end stationary and party planning operation was the eighteenth man in that family, by that particu

they got around to it Kiera and Mateo's wedding invitations would as well, she couldn't figure out

orward to greet them. There was a similarity of facial features that marked the man as family to the teenager. He held out both hands

ene began, his voice full of high-end drama. Elena smiled politely and hoped whatever Thompson no

happened?" She

mall café table. There were two chairs and Thompson looked amused, as he took up a position behind her. Rene sank into his chair like a puppet whose strings were cut. E

ortant business, " He said as he set

d I was going to need to s

naging to impart a world of int

d him. Rene's mannerisms were somewhat catching and Elena tried to mentally squash the impulse even as her own thoughts mocked her use of the

ivered to you by morning. We must maintain standa

shuttery breath. "Oh, " he sighed heavily. "Never in all the time that Rene's has been

ked politely, hoping to hurry him along. She wasn't q

on behind a stoic fa?ade for long. You have heard of

rveling at the fact that he con

ged to block off th

any of the routes she usually took and had no idea what merchan

pened them and looked directly into Elena's eyes. "Every year during the off season my family journeys to Segnari. There we make our inks and our papers. There we bi

emainder of a diatribe. She wondered if he was often accused of making frip

ld be heavy to ship, thus making the final products ruinously expensive. An agreement has been held by my family with Segnari for generations. And just last week as we were preparing for our trip there,

u imagine?" he added as he once again p

nder's decision. She didn't quite know why he thought she would have that kind of pull. Even if she was eligible for a Counc

of the Guild must go on. We must find a new place to work. A new place to c

ould soon have a stationary shop located next to the dressmakers. She mentally sighed thinking that at least Evan wo

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper

crawled the list when word of the Storm Chaser's docking reached him. She quickly read through the list. The requirements

y. There is a communal mess hall and cold water bath house. You will however need to more or less take care of your own needs. My cousin Mateo and his f

, nothing more. I have always found your cousin to be quite competent and I know his aff

Elena told him. Familiar with the business of the Guild, Re