Kakumei: The rise of the Bakkufu 3

Meskenet Shem Ari
Kakumei :
The Rise of the Bakkufu
Ch 3
Dora seathed while staring in the communication mirror. The Gaul of the slovenly and probablyh distincivly smelly man astouned her. She felt an icey breeze touch her skin. Her new aid was very thorough – poor thing. On his first day in Dora's employ she had managed to set his office completely on fire. He had kept a level head, put out the fire with out angering her and salvaging everything. This aid was definitely a keeper.
She watched disgusted as the man's jowels moved explaining why they could not keep the boy. It was utter nonsense. She knew that the Strega learning center was going down hill and being influenced by those Church of the Anointed people…. Apparently they had finally taken control of the government or something reasonably close. She closed her eyes and pressed her slender hand against her pressure point between her eyes. This reminded her too much of the past. For a moment she wished she were more like Grail – but then again, the world probably couldn't handle more than one of her.
"RMI Dora !" The man on the other side of the mirror called to her. She opened her eyes enough to glare at him.

"So – so you understand why I cant keem him HERE." He said, his voice full of distain and discust.
She couldn't believe this – and almost gave him a piece of her mind when she realized the boy would probably be much better off here.

"Very well, have him port here as soon as he is ready."

The man lit up excitedly "Oh are you sure RMI Dora? He is most certainly ready now !"

She could feel her eyes narrow in disgust as she glowered at him. "I will meet him myself at the port."
Dora listened to her assistant – MereSatAmun – prepare her tea. The tinkling sound of the china calmed her. This sound had never changed –and it was still called china. This made her happy. She never wished for things to return to the way they were 'before' – she had been enjoying this life and its ups and downs – though sometimes – It is nice to have familiarity. She chuckled at herself. The idea of familiarity and not having some at this point was ridiculous and she knew it.

The tea was wonderfully soothing, and to her surprise MeriSatAmun had provided small sandwiches. He was a very interesting person. Grail had sent him. She said she felt that Dora may need the extra support. She was right. MeriSatAmun had created 'water globes' that floated around – providing a comfortable mist to a downpour of rain or an ice covering – for her tempermental times. Quite as thoughtful as SMI Torn – who had created the chair on which she sat – of course temperature depending on her mood.
It was when she finished her sandwich that she realized the boy should have been there by now. She looked up at her aid – who pretended he hadn't noticed her looking pointedly at him. She walked to the communication mirror.
"Uhm,… Lady Dora…." Someone she didn't know
"REGANT MASTER." She enunciated, slowely, the man shuddered.

"Uh, yes Regant Master…uhm we have a situation…"

She raised her eyebrow at him "what kind of situation?"

The man shrunk away from the mirror. " It seems that….that child picked up a septi crystal…"

She continued to glower at him. That kind of trifle shouldn't have mattered. Children snuck around and handeled the septicrystals all the time, just to see if they could unlock the knowledge inside. A quick bypass to study. It generally did not work… she began to get a sinking feeling.

"and?" she asked, dropping her voice." She had a vague idea…
"well…lady I mean ms..er Regant Master Dora. It belonged to Tholraj…."
She felt her eyes widen. Tholraj had been the most brilliant Technomancer of all time, in fact – he wasn't a technomancer, but a technopath. A very rare type that didn't have the same restrictions of Technomancers – like connecting with the crystals that conducted to make everything work the way it did. …. Her stomach sunk further.
"Is the boy alreight."

The man looked nerviously from side to side. "It doesn't seem so." She wasn't surprised, after all that was many years….Thorlraj had been over 100 when he died….

"And?" she asked, feeling something else was going on

"uhm, RMI Dunlap is trying to re extricate the knowledge to put it back in the crystal." The man winced

"WHAT!?!?!?!" she exploded. Quite literally – along with all the ice globes and watter sprinklers on the ceeling.

"He could kill the boy !!!" she yelled

MeriSatAmun began making a port – by himself – not that she was surprised…. She could but it was nice that he was taking the initiative.

"I don't think he cares." The man whispered.

The port open, Dora, flaming walked through. The man she had been talking to fell back in fear. "WHERE IS HE !?!!?"

The man scrambled to get up, then jogged ahead, leading her toward RMI Dunlap and the boy.

To her horror, RMI Dunlap, was indeed attempting to extricate the knowledge from the boy to the now empty septicrystals – causing the boy to convulse. She burnt his hands.

Again, MeriSatAmun surprised her. He was there – picking the boy up, leaving her free to rage at Dunlap.

"JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING TO THIS CHILD !?!?!" she demanded

"How dare you!! I cant believe you….." Dunlap sobbed over his burnt hands.

What a loathsome creature. She turned her back on him, and opened a port to her home. MeriSatAmun followed her with the unconscious boy in his arms.