Reverned Mother Erin McGregor sat surrounded by her advisors in the Chapterhouse in Ui Cenneslaig, "So who could we send?" Erin asked.
"It has to be someone well enough connected so as to be seen as not being a slight, but at the same time someone we can say is.....expendable" Nathanial Corrino, the Duke of one of the Four Holy Houses mused trying not to sound harsh. It would be the first official outing for a member of their faith and they'd be doing so under the banner of the Free Theocracy of Kaitaine, the portion of the nation that had broke away from the Communist controlled Soviet Republic of Kaitaine. Erin wanted them to start acting like a new nation and with the Soviets effectively blockading the city of Seitch which served as the Theocracies capital there was actually little they could do, other than attend this meeting.
"Send
Mathias" Duke Richard Harkonnen, the leader of another of the Holy Houses suggested his own son. There was rather shocked looks around the table, "Oh come on the boys a slacker, no job, no education, a beautiful wife of five years and yet no children. If your worried about losing the potential of him breeding I have two reassurances, first I've two other sons so we've back ups, second point is there is nothing I'd want future generations getting there." It was true Mathias was a joke among his own family but Duke Richard wouldn't kick him out, after all he was blood and so therefore "Matt" as he liked his friends to address him lived a luxuoriois life thanks to his fathers money.
"Okay" Erin said rather surprised by Mathias' own fathers rather frank assessment. "We can't send him alone though. So I want a Missionara and a Truthsayer with him. While Duke Richard may not be too concerned I would rather like him back." Erin managed to chuckle slightly perhaps underlining her young age of just 19 years in front of the much older council of Holy Houses.
"I have just the person" Krysta Graham, the commander of the Truthsayers
[1] in Ui Cenneslaig added almost immedaitely echoed by Lidia Ericcson the leader of the Missionara
[2]. The meeting was finalised and preparations began.
Mathias was rather pleased he'd been selected not knowing the real reasons why. He'd been out brought a new fancy suit or three, expensive shoes and the like and looked rather dapper as he arrived at the Festival grounds. He was accompanied by two uniformed women, each wearing the garments of their branch of the Bene Gesserit faith's service.
Rita was a Truthsayer Junior Liutenant but had been one of the few Truthsayers whose names had been exposed by the Kaitaine Guard Bureau to survive an assassination attempt. It had only been her keen instincts and rapid reactions that had seen her dispatch her would be killer. She was dressed in the khaki dress uniform of the Bene Gesserit's paramilitary, a single purple ribboned silver disc pinned to her chest, a medal in recognition of her skill that had saved her life. On her belt was the polished white bone knife all Bene Gesserit graduates of Chapterhouse carried. Next to her in the blue tunic of the Missionara was
Blair she was a good choice for this, she was a well educated and well travelled young scholar but while having the mind of an academic she had the heart of a Truthsayer and among the Sisters was often referred to as the "Warrior Poet of the Sisterhood" she'd seen action in Seitch before sneaking out the nation across the great desert and now was wishing she was back there.
"This way" Blair pulled Mathias away from some stall selling booze he'd spotted. "You work first then perhaps we'll let you have a drink or two" Blair didn't even look behind her as Mahias looked almost like a child being dragged away from a favourite toy. Rita followed them shaking her head in disgust at Mathias. "You go there and you see that man" Blair pointed to Maxim. "You say hello, introduce yourself and then we take seats and try to blend in" Mathias nodded he understood the simple instructions and headed up to the host.
"Hello" Mathias said rather more nervously than he imagined he was. "My name is Mathias Harkonnen" he said proudly, "Son of the esteemed Duke Richard Harkonnen of the Holy House Harkonnen. We represent Kaitaine" he grinned like an idiot proud he hadn't messed up. Blair coughed behind him and Mathias realised he had more. "May I introduce my travel companions, Roving Missionara Blair MacReachtain and Junior Liutenant of the Truthsayers
[3]Rita Faminio."
Blair stepped forward, "On behalf of the Head of State of the Free Theocracy of Kaitaine, Reverned Mother Erin McGregor, I'm pleased to congratulate your nation of shaking off the shakles of the oppressive regime you had, something I hope we can soon emulate" she said proudly as she handed over a box no bigger than a match box and made out of cedar wood. Inside was a bright red powder. "That is Melange, a spice made from the ground up discarded skins of sandworms. It is made only in the city of Seitch in our Theocracy. In the hands of the Bene Gesserit it is said to allow us to see the future and all possibilities ahead. In the hands of non Bene Gesserit however it is said to taste of cinamon and make excellent flavouring for cake." Blair had brought a large bag back from Seitch of the stuff, the first harvest there in 80 years. "This was in short supply until we retook the city of Seitch a few weeks ago, you're the first outsiders to be given it. I hope not the last" she gave a small bow of respect and allowed Mathias to take a seat while they sat a row behind.
As the military parade started Blair and Rita sat in silence but said much, their fingers constantly flicking back and forth in the discreet sign language used by the Bene Gesserit Sisters known as "Smalltalk"
"Very similar gear to the KDF" Rita flashed her nimble fingers
"Yeah, throw back to where we are Blair responded.
"Keep your eyes peeled for any of the old regime though" Blair's hands communicated her words.
"We getting some cake later?" Rita's digets changed the subject.
"Hell yeah" Blair tapped, wiggled and curled her fingers with a smile on her silent lips.
