[004] Arriving at Birach Highport

[BackworldTraveller]

Foix ushers Anne into a private room and takes a breath "Tell me!"

Anne seems rather uncomfortable the situation

"Sir, there is this video that is heavily trending on social media. I can't see it being long before it's picked up by the media outlets. I didn't want either of you to see it first on broadcast. I showed Vee a moment ago, she was upset and ran off..."

She shows her hand computer to the Comte and plays a video for him to see:

The video shows Gascón and Vee, presumably outside his office. He leans in to kiss her, and lightly caresses her breast over her clothing. She kisses him back, and pulls back with a smile. The vid has had over a hundred thousand views in the fifteen minutes since it was posted.

That is a lot of views for an innocuous subject with no context. Looks like the circulation is faked or heavily prompted.

[Tiglath]

Foix finds Vee wherever she may have holed up and in very gentle tones states "I have seen the media clip and as soon as I did I knew it be be a lie. You have been wronged. What was Gascón's role in this?"

[joertexas]

Foix finds Vee wherever she may have holed up and in very gentle tones states "I have seen the media clip and as soon as I did I knew it be be a lie. You have been wronged. What was Gascón's role in this?"

Foix enters their shared quarters to find Vee sitting on the bed with an open suitcase next to her. A small pile of clothing is in the case, and she holds a blouse crumpled in her hands. "None of that happened. I just need to get out of here." Her dark face is streaked with tears, and she looks down at her hands as he watches her.

[Tiglath]

Foix takes her hands, stands her up and holds her close. He waits a while and then says softly "I know. You are honest and true which is why I immediately saw through the lie. It simply could not be so. Your freedoms are yours and you may go where you please but I would call myself the luckiest man on Birach if you would choose to stay here with me".

[joertexas]

Foix takes her hands, stands her up and holds her close. He waits a while and then says softly "I know. You are honest and true which is why I immediately saw through the lie. It simply could not be so. Your freedoms are yours and you may go where you please but I would call myself the luckiest man on Birach if you would choose to stay here with me".

"I've made a mess," Vee says after a moment. "All I did was talk with him. He asked if we could have dinner, and I said no, I was with you. That was it. We just kept on with the meeting."

[Tiglath]

Foix replies gently but firmly "No, you have not. You are an attractive woman and your relationship status was perhaps unclear so why would he not ask? I take no issue with Gascón for his actions unless he is also the author of the media clip. I will pursue my argument with that person. It seems we require an expert to deal with the media going forward and yet another to unpick those lies already written".

Grimaud sends a message to Gascón on Foix's behalf asking for his "position" on the media clip.

[joertexas]

Foix replies gently but firmly "No, you have not. You are an attractive woman and your relationship status was perhaps unclear so why would he not ask? I take no issue with Gascón for his actions unless he is also the author of the media clip. I will pursue my argument with that person. It seems we require an expert to deal with the media going forward and yet another to unpick those lies already written".

Grimaud sends a message to Gascón on Foix's behalf asking for his "position" on the media clip.

Making an assumption here...

Grimaud turns to the group now assembled at the stateroom's outer door. "Mes amis, Lady Vee is unharmed. Please, allow them some privacy for a short while. Come, we will finish our meal, and then we will have a council." He herds everyone, besides Foix and Vee, back to the dining area, where the stewards are waiting to serve lunch.

After a few minutes, Foix gets a message on his private comm channel. "Gascón is shocked at the video. He claims no responsibility, and no foreknowledge."

Vee finally takes a breath and steps back. "Who would do such a thing, and why?"

[Tiglath]

Foix replies "It seems we have made unknown enemies within the media on Birach to add to those who have sided with Lysette Eloise within our own House. As to whom we are up against here I have no idea".

He adds "If you feel up to it would you like some lunch? We can eat in here if you wish. However, perhaps some discussion among the company will throw up some ideas? However, for now I am unsure as to whether the purpose of the media release was against the House, yourself or Gascón".

[joertexas]

Vee steps over to her closet and pulls out slacks and a blouse. "No, I will go with you." She changes her clothes and her boots, and stands up with a wan smile. "I didn't want to be wearing the same outfit from the video."

They go back to the dining room to find that the others are already seated. Grimaud is there, and he steps over to their seats as he sees them enter.

[The Bindoner]

With the stand-down Zhenya returns to her stateroom and removes her armour. After changing into a business suit she rejoins the retinue.

[joertexas]

Grimaud and the ship's staff serve lunch to everyone present. Vee calmly applies herself to her meal, and smiles at Grimaud as the man hovers near her.

"Oh, here it is," someone says as they turn up the volume of the news broadcast playing on the room's vidscreen. This time, it's an over coiffed woman on the screen, who is apparently the "Social Scene" reporter, from the graphic behind her. "In other news, one of the Comte Foix's delegation has caused a sensation online. A video of her surfaced today, showing her having a rather intimate, and disturbingly public, liaison with a member of the Birach Navy. The naval officer's identity isn't known, but the delegate is Anevey Becker, a knight of House Foix, and reportedly, the Comte's consort. We will continue to follow this story as it develops." The video shows her kissing a man whose hair is a full shade lighter than the man they met, and the part with the intimate touch is edited out.

[SpinwardMarch]

Taheri

For lunch, she changes into a garment cut like a standard naval officer's uniform, but with the Foix emblems.

Ah, the tabloid "press." I have no doubt this was created to embarrass the Comte and Lady Vee.

[shaidar]

Anne

"To discredit, very possibly. But it also could be an attempt at distraction, in which case from what. Juliette brought it to my attention. Shall I ask her to join us, I must admit I don't really do social media. Do we have any network experts who could try and track down it's source, or prove that it's fake. Is it worth the effort diverting resources? Will Gascón make an official statement denying it's authenticity?"

[BackworldTraveller]

Rock
Surely a writ for defamation should the sequence be found to have been fabricated.

[Tiglath]

Foix states "Clearly nothing published by Birach media can be relied upon as either true or uncorrupted. We must hire a local legal team to advise on any legal recourse available".

He continues "Anne, please contact Juliette's family and advise them that they would be much better placed to come aboard the Lady and collect Juliette themselves rather than have her fall foul of whatever media storm clearly lies in wait for anyone attending the Highport. We will not be going there".

He adds "I feel both reluctant and ill equipped to engage an enemy with no sense of honour or truth in a war of words so, for now, we will not interact with our enemy. If this action is merely a symptom of a passing media fad then it may pass. If it is a more serious action against the House our opposition will be forced to escalate and thereby enter into an arena in which I am more accomplished. Meanwhile, I will maintain our in House courtesies with those allies that brought us to visit Birach in the first place and, no doubt not for the last time, reflect on the penalties of taking the honourable course".

[shaidar]

Anne contacts captain Pike and informs him of the situation, asking if he would be able to make the trip to The Lady.

[joertexas]

Sorry, the Monday update is a bit late...

1437.008.1230

The lunch meal proceeds apace as Grimaud gently insists that everyone eat. The food is excellent, per the rotund chef's standards.

Commander Pike responds with regrets that he is unable to leave the Downport for the next two days. "I really want to see my father," Juliette quietly tells Anne. "I don't care about anything else. It's been two years since I've seen him." She isn't angry, but she is intransient on the subject.

Vee speaks up after a few moments. "My Lord, our mission here is to secure support for our part of House Foix before we see the Emperor. We are a week away from Atreo, and word of what has transpired will reach them before we do. I believe that any delay in being about what we came here to do will do more harm than good. If we choose to remain here aboard ship, then I fear that we will be perceived as weak and easily cowed."

[shaidar]

Anne

"Perhaps I could take Juliette to her father on my own. Such a small group might be overlooked"

[Tiglath]

"Perhaps I could take Juliette to her father on my own. Such a small group might be overlooked"

Foix replies "That may be the solution. Please give the admiral my regards".

[shaidar]

Anne contacts Captain Pike and makes arrangements for her and Julliette to head down the the Downport as soon as is practical.

ooc: Are there regular public shuttles from the Highport that we could travel on to blend in? Perhaps paid for by 'cash' to try and avoid being tracked?