Darina had unintended ended the participation of five more contestants, as they seemed to react allergic to the pancakes. Though some said the girls where outright tripping when getting transported to a hospital. A few days later a large reminder was posted that it was not a good idea to lie about allergies.

---

As May came about, the Organizers had announced that the next test would be, after a short change of plans, be a Social event at the End of the Month the Participants should get ready for.

"Dear Candidates,

after some contemplation an opportunity has opened up that will lead to a change of plans, the Contest in March will be a Masquerade Ball. You will be given fitted dresses and identical masks, as you conversate with the guests, they will equally judge you. A random number will be assigned to you at the start of the ball. You will be judged by the guests in the male masks."

The woman glanced 'Lara' over and tipped her gloved finger to her own cheeck several times:

"Oh, i have some in mind. We got a selection of sweet and suffocating 'Beerenauslese' that would do well as desert or to lull your conversation partner in sweet sin. Lowest starting around two hundred per bottle."

The woman stepped to the Elevator first, not letting the guests go first:

"Though i do have another one you might like."

---

back at the Palace, the young Emperor had ordered Rezakov to be lead right to his personal Gallery, where Orion waited for the Guest to arrive. Arround him several paitnings he had gathered over the years hung, none of them famous classics though. Orion enjoyed buying from young artists around his own age, he had even suprised one or the other school fair and bought up some. He knew a lot of critics called his taste Kitch, but this was his own home, he wouldn't let them tell him what was on his own walls.

As the guest would arrive, he gave him a nod:

"Ah, Mister Rezakov. Welcome. Take your time, and pick one to take home."

---

The tasting hall the two where brought to was equally made of black marbled walls and floors, the center an ebony Bar where a masked man served the Wines to taste, Glasses getting filled as soon as they entered. The pale pink liquid shimmering as only drops of color in the room:

"It's Orphan's blood. Only a few caskets even make it past quality control every year. A heavy sweet rose getting built in oak barrels, it looks innocent and gentle and innocent, but it's full of depth and dark notes once it crosses your lips. Shouldn't be aged too long though, taste tends to deteriorate after 2 years."

Kurt rolled his eyes at the theatricals as he got guided to the bar, but nodded warmly:

"Do bring the Auslese as well, and some of last years Rose Wines. Specially from the same grapes that you use in Orphans blood."

Meanwhile, 'Lara' got a message on her Phone:

"The Team is preparing a prop to switch the paintings on our way out. prolong the tasting to give us a chance."

Serenity didn't know what was annoying her more - the Rhodes stubbornness or the fact that Evanthe was sending all the wrong signals, suggesting that Rokkenjima's commitments to Seaforth superseded commitments to the ASDN didn't help especially when the ASDN proposal, agreed to by all members, contained as yet undisclosed next steps that included direct action against Seaforth. Still that didn't help with the impasse they had arrived at.

"A cut off date is meaningless." Serenity said "We all know that, there's not a date at all that could be justified. You'd be creating mass voter disenfranchisement. So while we were obligated to pitch the ASDN proposal we can't very well blame him for not taking a swing at it. However that doesn't prevent Sauzee calling the referendum if he wishes to." she looked at Andrew "So let's be clear you've set two conditions I will recommend to Sauzee that he agree to a trading agreement, it's reasonable common sense as I said earlier there are Seaforthian businesses in Troyes and it's relatively fair if it means the issue of Troyes is resolved. What I won't do is recommend he let Seaforth retain the base, it's the symbol of what can be legitimately viewed as an illegal occupation, and let's consider this protest isn't happening in the city square it's happening outside the base so clearly that matters. So let me make you a counter offer."

Serenity went to look out of the office window for a moment, mentally phrasing this in her head before turning around, "As I've said I believe we can back a Seaforth-Marseilles trading agreement that's something you will most likely get, I've sat across the table from Sauzee, signed a treaty with him he's a very reasonable man. I'm also prepared to suggest, given the historical connection concerning a child of my nation and the founder of yours, permit a small ceremonial guard of the Knights Hospitalier, or whatever form/unit they are these days, to remain in Marseilles to stand guard over sites relevant to her. I don't believe the Church of Materna or the Marseilles would seek to do damage to such places but if that is a concern then that may be a means to deal with it. The ASDN can stand as mediator over relations between Marseilles and Seaforth should there be difficulties and I'm fairly confident the ASDN would have no issue with putting an observation mission on the ground to monitor how things go, as one of the goals here has to be that Troyes enjoy a peaceful resolution and that we don't have culture wars breaking out." she took a breath "That is as much as I can promise to propose on my own. As for your military interests, which I interpret as you wanting a presence of some sort in the area, we're going to need Evanthe to make a phone call to Asuna." she smiled when Evanthe glanced at her "Land lease in the Port Aria area, bind it to the Rishiri agreement, one goes so does the other, you can negotiate types and numbers later."

She turned back to Andrew "I'd say it's a compromise but it's not." she said "You can persist with what is legally speaking an occupation of part of another sovereign state or you can come out of this with a version of what you currently have but on much more solid ground, not perfect from your end, not perfect from the ASDN's and probably not perfect from Marseilles. No one gets everything they want but everyone gets something. We can either agree to what we can do, or we can entrench ourselves and then we are heading not only for the diplomatic impasse but further steps of this. So pending a call to Asuna do I call Sakura and make this recommendation?"

SmartWar have today released footage of one of their latest prototypes. The company that is based in Chamwick have been working on various robotic and autonomous systems for several years and today released a video showing a kind of four legged robotic device carrying a flame thrower. The device was explained by the companies CEO, Martin Dawson, who said. "We are working on a variety of products utilising the "dog" element of the project, everything ranging from medical evacuation to helping provide logistics support. One of the key military needs is the ability to move heavy weapons with small squads and clearly this is difficult for the men on the ground. We believe this, as of yet unnamed project, can solve that as it will be able to carry a variety of logistical loads and a remotely operated, or autonomous weapons system. For our demo we asked ourselves what is perhaps the most over the top system we could add and someone said flamethrower. As a result that's what we ended up with, I think it looks rather impressive."

It was however a civilian use that has potentially seen the most interest in the project. Rockhampton's Chief Fire Officer explained, "Every summer we end up having to establish spotters, patrols and various other methods to look for wildfires in the forests. We've talked for a while about utilising something like UAV's but often these don't see beneath the canopy. Its our belief we could potentially release several of these into the forest and they can wander around high risk and remote areas looking for danger. We could then utilise their flamethrowers to perhaps carry out controlled burns allowing us to ensure the safety of the woodland, the general public and private property. Its something I'll speak to Mr.Dawson about and we'll see what comes up."

The concept has however seen Minister of Defence, Sir Harry Samuelson, talk about his thoughts on "autonomous systems". "I will always back things that help our fighting men and women stay ahead of the opposition and I see a definite place for 99% of this technology. We sadly see that AI is, in many ways, replacing humans in many processes such as in the industrial markets. My fear is attempts will be made to remove humans from warfare and that's very dangerous. We've seen AI getting things wrong all the time, I mean they can't even draw a human hand without six fingers. If we are to take human life for a greater good the decisions to send that person to the great beyond can not be shirked, a human must take that responsibility." It is believed that Sir Harry is about to discuss his concerns with the monarch in the coming days.