Erin was pleased that the Empress was well versed in the customs of the true Kaitainites. It was perhaps to be expected with her having a Truthsayer on her staff, Erin would make a point of chatting with Captain Adimari later. "Of course we can tour the city, however unlike some other formal tours you may have been on we'll have to walk." The city wasn't really big enough for motor vehicles and apart from the odd scooter or motor bike they were largely free of vehicles. Bicycles had been modified to carry cargo and make deliveries as the city was more of a symbolic place than the real functioning centre of the Theocracy as that lay in Geidi to the south. The city was watched over by the Corrino Families Palace but that would be visited later in the day first there was the streets of Seitch. People hung from windows to catch a glimpse of the visitors with several Truthsayers forming a circle around the group. Many of the citizens wanted to speak with the Reverend Mother but she was a frequent visitor to the streets and there would be other days so except for a few cheerful greetings she simply walked on past those at the side of the street acknowledging them with a wave. "The city as you may know was built as a hub to collect the spice melange that is vital to our faiths rituals. Once upon a time legend says the sandworms ranged all across the desert and were giant creatures. Then the Bene Gesserit would hunt their shedded skins among the sands and drag them back here to process them into the spice. For some evolutionary reason none of the Missionara can yet explain fully the creatures got smaller, perhaps a lack of food some suggest. Others believe that forces of evil hunted the worms and then our ancestors found ways to effectively farm them. We still have a deep connection to the desert because of them and one day we believe they will return in their giant form." They had reached a kind of courtyard with a series of large stone troughs mounted on the wall and wooden posts protruding from he wall beside them forming a ladder. Each trough had a kind of plug made of what looked like rubber in the centre and upon closer inspection the bottom of the troughs sloped slightly downward towards the hole. "This is what I think you could call a Spice Farm" Erin gestured to the courtyard, "across the city there are perhaps a hundred such farms. They breed the worms, which are actually more like a unique species of desert millipede. Once a year the creatures shed their skin and when the bung is pulled the hole contains a sieve. The sands filters through to the trough below which can then be reused, the worms and their sheddings are collected. The worms are placed back in the trough and the sheddings taken for spice production. The process means that the workers need only fill the top trough with sand each time. They consume dead plants and animals so are pretty easy to feed." It wasn't harvest time so they couldn't see the process but one of the workers did fish out one of the creatures, it was about 8 inches long and he offered to let the Empress hold it on her hand.
"Once the shedding takes place we head over here." A voice came from behind, "Your Holiness" a short man with dark glasses spat on the ground, "You must be the Empress of Aosta, I'm proud to welcome you." He waved over to a girl who disappeared inside and then reappeared with a tray. "Spiced Tea?" he enquired as the girl offered the tray with small glass cups towards the guests. "I'm Arthur Giles, one of the spice producers of the city. I'm proud that we've been in business here for ten generations now. Even prouder that Annabelle here will be a Mother in just five years time all being well." The girl blushed. "The tea is made like any other but the spice is used as one might use sugar. Some say it gives them future sight, others than they can speak with Gods or ancestors, others that the tea just takes on a taste of a little cinnamon, it all depends how in tune with the spiritual world you are I suppose." He shrugged as he showed them a machine that looked like a big meat grinder. "Each year we dry out the sheddings for 48 hours and then they go in here. The sheddings are ground up into powder and then we seal it up in packets. We had to smuggle it for a while but not anymore. We can now send it to the faithful all over the world." he retrieved a packet from a box and handed it to the Empress, "I hope you can try it sometime soon."
"The Captain here is a Truthsayer graduate so could you perhaps find her a packet too." Erin asked and dutifully Arthur did so. "While we are here do you have any questions or is there anything else you want to see?" Erin asked the Empress.