[005.1] Operations on Birach - Week One

[joertexas]

Foix duly attends inviting any of his entourage with an interest to attend (non compulsory). He hopes Vee will attend if she is able. Grimaud will be there representing Foix's personal staff.

(OOC: Oddly enough I had an action planned to meet the "locals").

Great minds...

Foix enters the drawing room, which was appointed in the old style just barely over the line of "ostentatious", with it's arched ceiling, rows of tall bookshelves, veined marble floors, and wallpaper-patterned walls with wood wainscoting. The furniture, a mixture of "old" styles that probably never really existed, and a crystal chandelier, somehow pulled the whole piece together. A slim redhead rises from one of the wingback chairs, and extends her right hand with a smile of welcome. She is about Vee's height, and she wears a pants and jacket outfit with a button-down, collared shirt in the current style - flashy and a bit ostentatious. "Comte Foix. Welcome to House Foix. I am Lady The Baroness Lisa Fouche."

Lisa Fouche.jpg (195.47 KiB) Viewed 646 times

[Tiglath]

Foix takes the Baroness' hand and replies "Baroness, we are grateful for your generous hospitality, may I introduce my companion Lady Anevay Becker, Knight of House Foix". He pauses to let that one register and then adds "And Captain Anne Dubois a close travelling companion who is as dear to me as family and my man - Grimaud". Foix smiles having hopefully negotiated the required etiquette* while Grimaud bows to the Baroness.

He continues "Baroness I hope to reaffirm our mutual commitment to those owing duties and honour to the House while visiting Birach. I will, of course, meet everyone personally but I feel something of a function may serve to... celebrate our alliances in the finest traditions of House Foix. I would value your thoughts on this matter and wait on news of any local interest".

(OOC: * Hopefully Foix's "noble code" got the two message(s) across. He obviously avoided any nudges or winks - so passé! ).

[SpinwardMarch]

Taheri

She offered to attend the meeting, as well, as a military advisor,
and general listener.


Sorry, dealing with heat out in California.

[joertexas]

Foix takes the Baroness' hand and replies "Baroness, we are grateful for your generous hospitality, may I introduce my companion Lady Anevay Becker, Knight of House Foix". He pauses to let that one register and then adds "And Captain Anne Dubois a close travelling companion who is as dear to me as family and my man - Grimaud". Foix smiles having hopefully negotiated the required etiquette* while Grimaud bows to the Baroness.

He continues "Baroness I hope to reaffirm our mutual commitment to those owing duties and honour to the House while visiting Birach. I will, of course, meet everyone personally but I feel something of a function may serve to... celebrate our alliances in the finest traditions of House Foix. I would value your thoughts on this matter and wait on news of any local interest".

(OOC: * Hopefully Foix's "noble code" got the two message(s) across. He obviously avoided any nudges or winks - so passé! ).

After everyone is seated, the Baroness turns to Foix. "Forgive me My Lord, but your presence here comes as an unexpected pleasure. How may this House serve you?"

[Tiglath]

Foix replies to baroness Fouche with his winning smile "By helping me to serve the House!"

He instinctively searches his memory to ensure he and the Baroness haven't "met socially" in a boudoir (or somewhere else more risqué) before and is then mildly concerned that they may have done so and the jaded mind of his previous self may have damned the poor woman with faint praise and promptly filed her under "less memorable"...

Damning his rakish prior self once more he catches himself in an automatic and instinctive secondary search for any memory of outraged family members that he may have to watch out for. This just as his, now thrice damned, earlier self bids any that are coming to make sure they bring their blades...

Schooling himself back to his much more responsible current state Foix continues "Baroness, my thanks for your hospitality. I am engaged on a diplomatic mission reaffirming the House's diplomacy amongst our holdings and dealing with local issues as they arise. My retinue most recently rescued a number of folk from a doomed starship and are challenged by the local media for not having known what we could not, having not achieved what was impossible and, according to some, not having died enough in the process. The House must counter these baseless claims and promote our care for those that were rescued. However, I need an intelligence assessment from your local House intelligence assets to identify those owning the media outlets responsible for this attack for they have besmirched the honour of a Lady of House Foix. To serve our greater strategy we will host a grand masked ball in the finest traditions of the House* which will stun Birach society with its grandeur and thereby facilitate our diplomacy".

He delegates "My own Knight's office will oversee matters. Commander Taheri will liaise with your security. Grimaud and Zhenya of my retinue will deal with the media issue but the matter will be scheduled for my personal attention".

(OOC: * Yeppers, there will be a pinch put on the very top end of the recreational pharma market and no one will be able to hire a courtesan for love nor money!)

[SpinwardMarch]

Cmdr Taheri

Yes, Comte. I will meet with them as soon as possible.

[The Bindoner]

Zhenya takes a hasty breakfast of strong coffee and croissants and goes shopping. From separate stores she buys a notebook computer and two comms. One of the comm units she registers under the name Tatyana Sergeevna Yesenina, her current identity.

Taking the notebook to a mass-transit station she starts to do orientation research on the local situation. Scanning through headlines she starts with the society pages, moves to the political and glances over crime and culture. Anything that looks interesting or useful she opens in a new tab read later.

It will probably help to register a media office, say Nikolsky House, and get credentials to work as an off-world journalist. The bureau will need to be established in a physical office, using cash to avoid connection to House Foix.

Using the unregistered comm she establishes a social-media account under the name Kuerzu (the nom de guerre of her dead lover, a mercenary and sometime pirate), as a tourist looking forward to some R&R.

Zhenya is able to accomplish all of the above without drawing attention, at least as far as she can determine.

The media sites detail the usual goings-on; the burglary crime rate is rising in the downtown area, the shipfitters union is threatening to strike, and Vee's video is still trending on the social sites. House Foix is mentioned in several business-related articles, as they are prominent players in the local economy.

Zhenya switches her research to local media organisations, particularly those running with commentary on Vee's video or negative coverage of the starship "rescue".

Using her new identity, the related comm and her new bureaux she requests an interview with the Comte.

Closing her new devices and placing them in her mesh-lined attaché case (to block signal) she takes out her old comm, moves location and sends a message to Grimaud: I believe my compatriot Tatyana will approach you asking for an interview. I recommend giving her access.

Closing down that comm she slips it into a foil-lined pouch in her pocket and moves again to a her newly rented office space, where she takes out her new notebook and Tatyana's comm to resume her investigation of the local media and prepare her approach to becoming part of it.

Edited with more "actions".

[Tiglath]

Using her new identity, the related comm and her new bureaux she requests an interview with the Comte.

Closing her new devices and placing them in her mesh-lined attaché case (to block signal) she takes out her old comm, moves location and sends a message to Grimaud: I believe my compatriot Tatyana will approach you asking for an interview. I recommend giving her access.

Grimaud replies with urbane neutrality "D'accord Mam'selle Zhenya. Hmmm, arranging access to the Count for attractive women. Of course, I'll have to check if there is a precedent for that but, quite by chance, I believe there is standing set of instructions covering that very specific eventuality. Therefore, I forsee no difficulties".

He pauses and then adds "Bon chance, Mam'selle".

[joertexas]

Closing down that comm she slips it into a foil-lined pouch in her pocket and moves again to a her newly rented office space, where she takes out her new notebook and Tatyana's comm to resume her investigation of the local media and prepare her approach to becoming part of it.

Edited with more "actions".

She is able to find a wealth of information on the planetary datanet on practically any media figure she wants to research.

[joertexas]

Foix replies to baroness Fouche with his winning smile "By helping me to serve the House!"

He instinctively searches his memory to ensure he and the Baroness haven't "met socially" in a boudoir (or somewhere else more risqué) before and is then mildly concerned that they may have done so and the jaded mind of his previous self may have damned the poor woman with faint praise and promptly filed her under "less memorable"...

Damning his rakish prior self once more he catches himself in an automatic and instinctive secondary search for any memory of outraged family members that he may have to watch out for. This just as his, now thrice damned, earlier self bids any that are coming to make sure they bring their blades...

Schooling himself back to his much more responsible current state Foix continues "Baroness, my thanks for your hospitality. I am engaged on a diplomatic mission reaffirming the House's diplomacy amongst our holdings and dealing with local issues as they arise. My retinue most recently rescued a number of folk from a doomed starship and are challenged by the local media for not having known what we could not, having not achieved what was impossible and, according to some, not having died enough in the process. The House must counter these baseless claims and promote our care for those that were rescued. However, I need an intelligence assessment from your local House intelligence assets to identify those owning the media outlets responsible for this attack for they have besmirched the honour of a Lady of House Foix. To serve our greater strategy we will host a grand masked ball in the finest traditions of the House* which will stun Birach society with its grandeur and thereby facilitate our diplomacy".

He delegates "My own Knight's office will oversee matters. Commander Taheri will liaise with your security. Grimaud and Zhenya of my retinue will deal with the media issue but the matter will be scheduled for my personal attention".

(OOC: * Yeppers, there will be a pinch put on the very top end of the recreational pharma market and no one will be able to hire a courtesan for love nor money!)

The Baroness nods and smiles. "You certainly don't do things halfway, if I may say so. When would you like to host this grand event?"

[Tiglath]

The Baroness nods and smiles. "You certainly don't do things halfway, if I may say so. When would you like to host this grand event?"

Foix applies some logistical science to what he is sure is actually art and ventures "I believe we should allow time for preparations to be made and calendars to clear. Perhaps a couple of weeks hence?" As Grimaud makes a small and involuntary strangled noise Foix deftly amends "Or maybe three or four would allow suitable time?"

[SpinwardMarch]

Taheri

She waits patiently, managing to look both attentive and slightly bored at the same time. Someone will eventually direct her to where to meet with the security personel.

"Hurry up and wait;" just like military life, she thinks.

[joertexas]

The Baroness nods and smiles. "You certainly don't do things halfway, if I may say so. When would you like to host this grand event?"

Foix applies some logistical science to what he is sure is actually art and ventures "I believe we should allow time for preparations to be made and calendars to clear. Perhaps a couple of weeks hence?" As Grimaud makes a small and involuntary strangled noise Foix deftly amends "Or maybe three or four would allow suitable time?"

"I think we can safely manage three weeks," the Baroness says with a smile. "I will have my planning staff meet with Lady Anevey."