The Surprise Rebellion - Closed for havinfun50

[DeliciousMaiden]

Closed for havinfun50


Sophia Roarke

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Sophia stood at the far end of the room, sipping the effervescent liquid from the fine crystal in her hand. Outwardly she seemed as cool as the drink she consumed, yet inwardly her nerves bounced as buoyantly as the bubbles newly decanted from the bottle. Her eyes slowly scanned the assembled attendees. To the casual observer it would seem to be just any similar gathering of the elite and powerful; beautiful people having a beautiful time, yet Sophia knew better and knew just how much ground work had gone into bringing so many disparate factions together under one roof.

The Roarke Rebellion had taken place many decades before and had split her family irrevocably. Though the events had taken place in the time of her great grand parents, it was as if the family’s sole focus since that shameful time had been to focus upon reparation and why, now in the current political climate they had willingly added their not inconsiderable influence to the diplomatic attempts to bring collaboration and unity to the troubled Zone of the 5th Quartile.

The name itself was a misnomer, for there were no specific boundaries or demarcations to clarify this area within the Llandana territories. The so-called 5th Quartile referred to the central low lands surrounded by the contrasting climates and tribal peoples of the other 4 ‘quartiles’. As the most fertile and productive region of Llandana it was essential that it be a neutral area through which trade could take place. The rest of the territory, was divided into 4 geographic areas, each with its individual climate, agriculture and industry. At times of peace the peoples had lead a symbiotic existence, each complementing and benefiting the other 3 and yet within the past decade there had been much conflict and tension, a situation which threatened to spill over into actual aggression if the situation were not addressed.

Sophia watched as the seemingly carefree party goers drank and danced and naturally formed social groups and though all four tribal clans were represented, the real ‘work’ was being carried out in the conference room beyond. It was half way through the evening and many months work had led to a gathering, informal though it was, of the influential leaders mid-way through the party. After ‘talks’ Sophia could only hope that those involved would continue to enjoy the entertainment provided regardless of the outcome. Belatedly Sophia realised that her glass was empty and set it aside, resolutely ordering an iced water as she watched the door beyond. Just one more check of the time, the door opened and a dozen or so people spilled out. From what she could see a grand rapprochement had not been attained, but though there were frowns, she noted that all seemed to head in different directions, their expressions thoughtful rather than aggressive, all that was apart from Malech, the renowned hot-head of Quartile Three. She glanced across at her uncle and saw him nod in the young man’s direction. An imperceptible nod in return, she gathered her glass and a tumbler with much more diverting liquid within it and headed off after him making her way outside where he stood on the with his back to her.

Her ornate silver dress seemed to russle as she made her way through the doors and out into the cool air. Her blonde hair, loose and tussled fall in casual waves extending down over her shoulders to fall around the middle of her back and over the curves of her generous breasts. Her skin was fair, luminous even and her features accentuated by the application of coral lipstick and appropriately ‘smokey’ eyes. There was nothing about her appearance to indicate that she had studied the history of this complex location, or her application to learning about its culture and language. To the world she was a rich socialite and that cover had worked in her favour so far.

”Malech, I do hope you find our refreshments to your satisfaction?”

She held out the glass as he turned at the sound of her approach; the hostility in his expression softening as he took in the sight of his ‘hostess’.

”Think not of business, ‘tis done. And all must relax at some time… “

She coaxed moving forward to put a soothing hand upon his arm, smiling as he took a sip from the tumbler, if only to please her.

”Our gardens differ much from your own, I believe?”

She commented as she hooked her arm through his assuming an intimacy with the hot-headed young man that had yet to be established. Yet he allowed himself to be steered to look out into the dimly lit gardens beyond.

”I understand that your climate and atmosphere make for a colourful display?”

She prompted.

”I do so hope that I might visit one day.”

She confided aware that as she diverted him, her Uncle would be speaking with Malech’s elderly father about just that topic, although the visits which Sophia would make to each of the Quartiles with her family would of course have a diplomatic objective, casual though they may appear.

 

[havinfun50]

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Malech looked about the table as yet another representative of the spineless Collective made their weak plea for peace. Hours of endless posturing and appeals for the good of the collective whole, simply summed up under the old fairy tale phrase, “Can’t we all just get along?” Of course they wanted everything to remain the same, they stood the most to gain by maintaining the status quo. Why make concessions when the majority of power was in your favor? They did not understand that for a growing minority, the situation had become intolerable. His ancestral lands, now classified as part of the 5th Quartile, had been systematically looted for generations while his own people struggled to feed their own.

These pompous, privileged asses knew nothing about an honest days work, they knew nothing about how the people's bordering the 5th Quartile had been raped and robbed of their heritage. How centuries of history, culture and tradition had been stripped away from the Border People of every Quartile. His entire home effected by the decisions of these men’s ancestors. The Roarke’s being the worst of the bunch.

His roving eye caught that of the Senior Roarke as Dulche, the representative from the 4th Quartile, rambled on about nothing. Sitting at the head of the table, trying to force a peace with his families money and influence. Offering bribes to everyone and anyone to maintain his “peace.” It was their own damned fault they were even in this position. If it wasn’t for the Roarke Rebellion, the whole Quartile experiment never would have existed. The riches Malech’s people lost to the 5th Quartile would have been enough to enrich all of them for generation after generation without end, but greed had a way of making sane men do strange things.

Finally, fed up with the endless ramblings from Dulche and the others, Malech slammed his fist upon the table causing the glassware to tremble.

“ENOUGH!” All eyes turned to him as a silence fell over the room. “Enough with your blathering and your, obviously bought, opinions. Enough already! This is supposed to be an informal meeting to hash out some real deals, not to pander to the few whose best interests are served by doing nothing!”

Malech rose from the table. “I’m telling you ‘men’ right now, if you don’t give the Border People the concessions they are demanding, there will be hell to pay.”

Silence blanketed the room like a heavy snow. Nothing moved, no one spoke. The Senior Roarke finally raised his hand and cleared his throat.

“I think we’ve probably all said what we’ve come here to say this evening.” Dismissing Malech’s outburst with a single sentence. “Lets adjourn and enjoy the party as planned. There will be plenty of time to bicker about minor points later.” With that, the Senior Roarke rose and began to leave the room.

“Minor Points!... Minor Points!... Were you evening listening? Have you listened to anything I and the other Border People representatives have been saying?!” Malech yelled as the majority of the Representatives and their entourages began to rise and head for the party. “Where are you all going!” Exasperated and disgusted, Malech sat heavily in his chair. Speaking quietly to everyone and no one… “You will all regret this.”

As the room cleared, he gathered himself together and headed out to the party. Grim faced and determined to distance himself from the other guests, he headed to the balcony and stood at the rail looking out into the cool evening.

”Malech, I do hope you find our refreshments to your satisfaction?”

Hearing footsteps and a refined sultry voice, he turned to see Sophia Roarke holding out a drink for him. “Sophia… I should have known.” Accepting the drink and raising his glass in toast to her. “Thank you, I fear more than one of these may be needed tonight.”

”Think not of business, ‘tis done. And all must relax at some time… “

He chuckled, she had no idea how true those words were. “You are correct, I fear our business here is indeed... done. Perhaps a bit of relaxation would be in order before the really hard work begins.” He took a sip of the strong drink and looked out to the magnificently tended gardens.

”Our gardens differ much from your own, I believe?”

As she took his arm in hers and led him toward the gardens below, he could not help but be a little enchanted by her considerable charms. No wonder so many men have fallen for her, he thought to himself, years of wealth and training have made her a most beautiful and companionable woman. He supposed that one walk in the garden would not corrupt him.

“Yes, they do, our gardens tend to be a bit more… rigid than yours. More formal.”

”I understand that your climate and atmosphere make for a colourful display?”

“Yes, the colors are spectacular, even if the gardens are less lush. They are especially spectacular in the fall. In just a few weeks actually, it will be the peak of the season.” He replied, tendering an informal invitation that he hoped she would pick up upon.

”I do so hope that I might visit one day.”

Smiling, but not for the reason she suspected. “Indeed, I hope that you can visit us one day soon. However, if you will excuse me for one moment, I see a man over there I need to speak to. Please forgive me, work never ends when you are fighting for a just cause.”

Having excused himself, he headed directly to the waiting figure of his assistant standing in the shadows. Leaning close so he would not be overheard Maloch whispered, “Tell the Hawk, Operation Princess is a go.”

His final official task of the evening complete, he returned to Sophia’s side. He was intent on enjoying what was left of this trip, because the really hard work was indeed about to begin.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

He’d accepted the drink she’d offered him and Sophia had ignored his comment about needing many more such beverages before the night was over.
Instead she played the charming hostess until he conceded;

“You are correct, I fear our business here is indeed... done.
Perhaps a bit of relaxation would be in order before the really hard work begins.”

His accompanying chuckle seemed to indicate a releasing of tension and Sophia had managed to steer him easily enough onto the topic of the gardens. She secretly congratulated herself as Malech seemed to invite her to see them. In just a few weeks, he had stated, the season would be at its peak. Silently she calculated and realised that the time scale could not be better. She was sure her father would be pleased, though she was careful not to jump to acceptance.

Even when Malech’s words as he excused himself seemed to confirm her optimism, she gave no indication of the importance of securing that invitation and consequently access to the 3rd Quartile.

“Indeed, I hope that you can visit us one day soon.”

She focused instead upon nodding as he politely excused himself, only allowing a smile to play upon her lips as he retreated back, she assumed towards the house.
Perhaps she would succeed where the many meeting of leaders had failed? Sometimes a female touch could get through even the harshest of angers, but of course, she had to tread carefully …

She drained her glass and set it aside. True Sophia was optimistic, but she was not naïve enough to assume that Malech would easily give up on his claims to the 5th Quartile. She knew he believed that his people had more rights to the land and assets than the other tribes and even now he considered that he was ‘fighting for a just cause’ … but perhaps … in time he would come round to the way of thinking of the Collective?

But until then, Sophia was to act as a means of delay and if possible distraction to prevent the defensive hostility with which he had refused to engage with any aspect of the negotiations so far …

Sophia turned as she heard him return; her welcoming smile betraying none of her thoughts.

”I trust your business is completed for the evening, Malech …?”

 

[havinfun50]

As he rejoined Sophia in the garden, Malech couldn't help but notice how strikingly beautiful she was. The way her long blond hair cascaded over her shoulders gave her an almost angelic halo in the reflected lights of the garden. However, he knew better than to attribute any angelic qualities to her beyond illusion, this was not just a pretty face before him. She had a mind, and a very sharp one at that, which she and her family used to lure the unsuspecting into their fold. It was this very attribute that brought her to their attention in the first pace. Had she been the flighty socialite she worked so hard to appear to be, they would not have cared about her in the least.

Fortunately, awareness is the best defense against a trap, regardless of the temptation of the bait. He could dance with the devil and not worry about being trapped within her snare. He did it every day.

”I trust your business is completed for the evening, Malech …?”

“Indeed it is Sophia,” taking her by the arm and guiding her further along the path leading through the deftly designed displays of local fauna. “Tell me more about your gardens here, so that if you ever do visit us In the 3rd Quartile, I can return the favor.”

**********************************
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He sat alone, patiently waiting for the call to come, or not. He’d done it before many times. Sitting, waiting, preparing and then nothing, but as often as not his patience would pay off and the call would come through.

He busied himself by checking over his gear again and again. You could never be too prepared, and it kept his hands busy while his mind reviewed his mission over and over.

A solo mission. It had been a long time since he’d worked solo. Usually he worked in a team of three or more depending on the mission, but this job was too sensitive to share even with his most trusted subordinates. Malech had stressed the need for secrecy over and over, but he needn't have worried. Before Malech had even finished describing the mission, he knew this was a solo op. No one could be trusted with information this explosive.

As the radio squaked to life, he turned his eyes to the small box on the table. A single speaker and a single knob for volume, no transmitter, no tuner. A purpose made device designed to be used once and destroyed. It’s mate, a transmitter with no receiver resided with Malech, or more likely one of his flunkies. He knew where they were, but no one could know where he was, and that was by design. He didn't trust Malech as far as he could throw him, however, he knew that once he was activated, there was no turning back. There was no recall and no way for Malech to reach him until their designated rendezvous. By then it wouldn't matter if anyone knew it was him or not.

He leaned forward. Ears listening for a single phrase. Was this it, or just some more static on the frequency?

<schschshc> “Operation Princess is a go… Repeat, Operation Princess is a go.” <schschsch>

It was not Malech's voice. He knew the stupid bastard would delegate the task to one of his flunkies, which meant that at least one person knew something they shouldn't. He'd deal with that later if the need arose. For now, he raised the butt of the pistol in his hand and smashed the box into pieces. Carefully collecting them for disposal elsewhere, he took one last look around the simple room. Satisfied that there was nothing left to find, he picked up his gear bag and headed toward the door without hesitation.

His name is Hawk, and he has a mission to complete.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

“Indeed it is Sophia,”

This time it was Malech who took her arm. He seemed more than happy to leave the bustle of the party and the political wrangling and take time to take in the serenity of the garden. Indeed, he was much more companionable than Sophia had expected him to be.

“Tell me more about your gardens here, so that if you ever do visit us In the 3rd Quartile, I can return the favor.”

She was more than happy to oblige and steered him towards a particularly striking display which was a cacophony of colour. To him, she was sure it would seem haphazard, but she explained how it had in fact been carefully designed, how gardeners had worked to develop the finest hybrids to plant within this specific space. She confessed that she was attracted to the more 'naturalistic' displays, her smile apologetic as she knew the formality of his own gardens.

"But then ... perhaps a preference for a riot of colour and fluidity is more a female characteristic than that of a male ... "

She flattered him subtly, playing the 'debutante' skilfully with her self-deprecating comment. Even so, Sophia had to acknowledge fleetingly that Malech could be quite a charming, even handsome companion. A man who thought deeply and was passionate about his principals impressed her, but of course it was how one acted upon those characteristics which was the determining factor. Men who were unpredictable and held an aggressive edge - all be it that it was well hidden that moment in Malech's case - were not to her taste at all ...

"The hothouses are located to the far side of the gardens."

She explained softly as the two strolled.

"I'm told they are essential to the development of our floral and fauna species and of course ensure that we have a colourful display throughout the seasons .. "

 

[havinfun50]

As they walked through the garden, she led him to what appeared to be a display of color without form. She explained how this particular plant was specifically bred for its wild and colorful look. It was not to his taste at all, but he listened as she explained how the plant was created. Science, even fluff science, had always been a subject of interest for him.

"But then ... perhaps a preference for a riot of colour and fluidity is more a female characteristic than that of a male ... "

Smiling, he saw through the self deprecating ruse and decided to play with her a little. Afterall, he was supposed to be relaxing this evening, a little flirting couldn’t hurt.

“True, but there is something to be said for fluidly formed and colorful females. They can have a certain… allure.”

They continued to stroll through the gardens as she pointed out the hothouses the gardeners used to maintain and cultivate the grounds.

"I'm told they are essential to the development of our floral and fauna species and of course ensure that we have a colourful display throughout the seasons .. "

He knew that in the 3rd Quartile, botanists worked year round to develop continually productive plants, but in his realm the techniques were seldom used for decoration, instead they were used for sustenance. His government worked tirelessly to develop techniques to keep the poor soil productive. The year round crops necessary to supplement the “trade” supplies that never seemed to be enough.

Uncharacteristically, he let the comment slide, choosing not to provoke a debate as he normally would, as they continued their stroll in silence. Nearing the end of the path, he decided to invite her directly to come visit his land. The clock was now ticking and he needed keep things moving.

“I can have my staff contact your father to arrange a visit during the height of our color season if you like. Knowing now your preference for bright and vivid colors, it would be a shame for you to miss them.” He said turning his head to look at her at the very end.

**********************************************

It was dark and the streets were mostly deserted. Mostly deserted worked to his advantage. A crowd would slow him down, but an absence of people would make him memorable. As it was he was just another anonymous walker out on the streets.

Hitching his bag upon his shoulder he pulled down his cap and started toward the Roarke Palace. Time to watch her movements and make sure Malach got her to the 3rd Quartile in a timely fashion as they had planed. If he failed, he would have to execute his assignment here in the 1st Quartile where there was entirely too much support for the Roarke’s, as well as security. It could be done, he had already considered that it might have to be done in the 1st, but he’d rather work on his home turf.

Entering the stairwell of an abandoned building, he climbed to the roof and hunkered down among the old machinery and debris. His view overlooking the Palace and more importantly the chambers of Sophia Roarke.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

For all her education, Sophia could not help but be a product of her privileged upbringing. As she described the gardens, she was unaware of the stark contrast between decoration and necessity in regards to the focus of the scientific research and associated resources which existed within their contrasting regions. Instead she took Malech's relaxed demeanour, even his occasional flirtatious comment at face value and relaxed perceptibly in his presence.

“I can have my staff contact your father to arrange a visit during the height of our color season if you like. Knowing now your preference for bright and vivid colors, it would be a shame for you to miss them.”

So surprised was she at the invitation issued by Malech himself, that Sophia did not manage to mask her pleasure at his words as he turned towards her.

"I should like that very much, Malech,"

She enthused.

"As you no doubt know, your lands and people are not well known to me.
I cannot recall a time beyond when I was at The Academy when I have been able to visit."

She did not mention that the Tribes in his quartile were reputably hostile to towards her own people and towards her family in particular she suspected. It was for this reason that she knew the least about his quartile, which of course had to be the source of much of the unrest and threat towards the peace process...

 

[havinfun50]

"As you no doubt know, your lands and people are not well known to me.
I cannot recall a time beyond when I was at The Academy when I have been able to visit."

“I’m sure we will all look forward to your visit, and I myself look forward to showing you around personally.”

Her enthusiasm for his invitation was obvious, even if misplaced. Malech smiled politely as he responded, and continued to lead her back into the main hall. Momentarily at a loss for what to do next, he decided in for a penny, in for a pound and figured a dance or two could not hurt. In fact it might even make her feel safer about coming to the 3rd Quartile.

“Would you care to dance?”

**************************************

The abandoned rooftop was cold and windy. He could hear debris scatter around in the crisp air as he sat vigil overlooking the Palace. His binoculars revealed the positions of the Palace guards and the installations of the roof senteries. He could clearly make out the silhouettes of the of the guards behind the discretely mounted guns on the roof and he chided them silently for their sloppy routine.

He watched them only in passing however, as his real focus was the middle windows and balcony on the second floor. The chambers of Sophia Roarke and her attendants. Where occasional shadows flitted across the drawn blinds. He knew it was too early for his target to have returned so he surmised that some of her staff must be straightening up or turning down her bed for the evening.

Reaching into his bag, he felt for a small receiver similar to the one he had used earlier. This one however had no speaker, only a small earpiece that fitted him perfectly. Now was as good a time as any to see if the Gold he’d spent earlier was sufficient to get his bugs planted in the suite.

A soft click as he turned on the unit and adjusted the volume…

“I just don’t know what she sees in him, he’s such a boor.” A light airy alto voice snapped in rancor. “Really, and a footman at that! You’d think she’d at least have better taste than a footman!”

“Come now, Deinese… you know he’s cute and she’s in the laundry all day.” This voice a lower register tenor, rough from years of hard work. “Not like she get’s to meet a lot of eligible bachelors down there.” A pause as he hears the sounds of drawers opening and closing. “Besides, I remember when you first got here, you couldn’t keep…..”

Turning the device off to save the battery, Hawk was satisfied that his Gold had indeed been well spent.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

“I’m sure we will all look forward to your visit, and I myself look forward to showing you around personally.”

Sophia had been touched by Malech’s words. It was difficult to equate the hot-headed activist with the man who strolled by her side as he guided her back through the gardens as they went to rejoin the others.

”I’d appreciate that Malech,”

Sophia told him with soft smile.

”I know you’re a very busy man …”

And yet he seemed relaxed at her side. For the first time perhaps Sophia could appreciate what a charismatic leader he must be in his own land, yet she realised that it was this perhaps which made him more dangerous.

“Would you care to dance?”

They were stood illuminated by the light that spilled out of the high windows of the main hall. She glanced back towards the hive of activity beyond and nodded.

”I’d like that very much,”

She responded taking his arm and allowing him to lead her back inside and through the groups who stood chatting and drinking and towards the room from which the music could be heard.

”Perhaps this is a custom which we have in common?”

Sophia suggested coquettishly as he took her in his arms and drew her out onto the dance floor to blend seamlessly with the others. She had never considered how adept Malech might or might not be as a dancer and never witnessed or heard of him in such a ‘social setting’. Surprisingly, for a man of his stature and strength, Malech executed the dance with ease and she found it a pleasure to move around the floor in his arms, their combined grace suggesting a unity which was even further from the reality than Sophia suspected at that moment.

Her entrance had not gone unnoticed by others and, had she but realised it, nor had the fact that Sophia had danced a full three times with Malech before he guided her to a quieter room to secure refreshment for her before making his excuses and returning to those with whom he had attended the function. Sipping at the ice water, Sophia stepped out onto the isolated verandah, the rapidly cooling air refreshing her as she took a few precious moments of solitude before having to rejoin the crush and completing her ‘hostess’ duties for the evening. The hour was late and she knew that people would be leaving in a steady stream from now onwards. She would have to check if her father had any specific instructions for her, but other than that this would be the comparatively easy part of the evening; issuing fond farewells to the diverse attendees who had been kind enough to grace their function.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And so the next hour saw her weaving her way through the guests, a word, a laugh, compliments exchanged and intentions articulated. Across the room she could see her mother doing similar as her father remained characteristically withdrawn and surrounded by his closest advisors with whom he exchanged the occasional word until finally he deigned to step forth to bid farewell to the most influential group with whom he had entered into extensive talks both before and after the scheduled ‘meeting’.


It was fully 2 am before Sophia finally made it back to her own chambers. She was exhausted, but her mind was still spinning with the complexity of it all.
Even so, she could not hold back a contented smile as she entered her suite; the subdued light gave the whole place a subdued and cosy feel. With a fluidity of action born of long habit, she flicked pressed a few buttons and the low lilt of a single saxophone filled the room with its subdued sensuality. Kicking off her heels, Sophia lowered herself onto the plush sofa and stretched out with a groan, her eyes closing as she listened to the background music, her breathing slowing as she visibly relaxed …

 

[havinfun50]

”I’d like that very much,”

They moved to the dance floor, weaving their way through the crowd heading toward the dance floor.

”Perhaps this is a custom which we have in common?”

“Indeed. Dancing, if I remember correctly... is a common courting ritual throughout all the Quartiles.” Giving her a playful wink.

Malech took her in his arms, they began to dance. He’d never thanked his mother for all those painful lessons so long ago, but he gave her a silent nod of acknowledgement now as he lead her around the floor without sname. Little did he know in his youth that those painful hours in Ms. Dorshienas dance studio might actually come in handy.

They spent three dances on the floor. He found that he was actually enjoying himself as they twirled and stepped across the floor. If not for the fact that her days of freedom were numbered, he might have enjoyed getting to know her better on a more personal level.

******************************************

Glancing at his watch, it was 02:10 when he noticed the lights in her chambers turn on. Picking up his binoculars he watched as Sophia moved about before sinking into the couch and apparently falling asleep fully dressed from the party.

That’s it pretty lady, get your sleep. You're going to need it.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

The music tracks came to a halt, some 30 minutes or so later and Sophia knew that it was well beyond the time that she should be in bed. She was not intending to be up early the next day, but even so, she expected her father would insist on what he termed a 'debrief' and hoped that her mother would temper his impatience for as long as possible; hopefully past midday.

Reluctantly she eased herself upright, stretching to free her limbs before reaching to the zip of her dress and drawing it slowly downwards as she headed for her bedroom. Lights switched off in the room she left, lights switched on in the room she entered. She hesitated only for as long as it took for the silver fabric to slither down her body to pool at her feet leaving her in the tiny silver bra and matching thong as she carefully stepped out of it and bent over to retrieve her garment and lay it over the plush chair.

Adjusting the glare of the single overhead light to a selection of wall lights which cast a warm glow around the room, Sophia headed to the bathroom. No matter how tired, she knew the importance of removing her makeup; cleansing and moisturising was an essential routine. And yet it was so familiar that merely 15 minutes later she emerged clad in a soft pink negligee and headed towards her bed...

It never occurred to Sophia to be concerned about her rooms being overlooked. She had full confidence in the security of their home and loved the picture windows which opened out to the gardens below. Positioned as they were in the west wing of the house, her chambers were tucked away from the usual hustle and bustle of the front of the family property. This was truly her own space and somewhere where she could be totally at ease.

Cocooned in the security of her family home, confident that she had made real progress in terms of 'the cause' that evening and warmed by Malech's attention and co-operation, Sophia drifted into a peaceful sleep ...

 

[havinfun50]

Hawk sat and watched her still figure on the couch. He assumed she was asleep by now, but after about a half an hour, she stirred and rose from the couch. Fluid movements as she stood up and stretched her languid form. Easing her zipper down her dress as she walked to the adjacent bedroom. The lights switched off and on as she moved from room to room. Automated, or the switch was concealed from his view, either way, it was still as smooth a transition as her movement. Her dress sliding from her form as she paused only long enough for gravity to expose her nearly naked form.

Hawk could not help himself from admiring her form. He had no use for her, other than as a target, but he could admit that she was an incredibly beautiful woman. He’d have to be dead to not appreciate that. A sudden inhale jostled his view through the binoculars. He hadn’t realized he was holding his breath, but he quickly steadied his hands as she adjusted the lights and retreated to what the floor plans showed as her private bathroom.

Another quarter hour in the cold until she emerged in a neglige worthy of any men’s magazine. Freshly scrubbed and retiring for the evening Hawk was confident that this time she would not be moving for quite a while. Normally he’d have had someone provide watch and notify him as soon as she stirred, but this was not a normal mission. So he risked losing her to initiate the next phase of his plan.

Climbing down from his perch, he worked his way quietly to the perimeter of the Palace. The late hour and the reduced staff of the night shift allowed him to enter the grounds without detection. However, this remained one of the riskiest parts of the mission. Securing the tap on the Palace Communications lines without detection would be no small feat. He certainly could not risk outsourcing it as he did the bugs in Sophia’s room. His Paparazzi cover would only go so far when it came to secure tapping secure communications at the Palace.

Moving quietly through the grounds he reached the communications shed with only minor interruptions and detours. He was pleased that his Rebellion reconnaissance teams had been earning their keep with accurate and up to date information concerning Palace security.

Removing one more box from his bag, he clamped two circular connectors with rows of small metal teeth lining the inner circumference. One on the main inbound trunk, the other on the outbound trunk. The power for the device coming from the carrier lines themselves insured that there were no batteries to die over time. The small footprint allowed him to hide it behind the rats nest of cabling he knew he’d find there. If all went well this device would provide valuable intelligence for a long time after it’s initial mission was complete.

A pinpoint LED embedded in the top of the box glowed green after a few minutes telling him that all was good with the tap. All communications in and out of the Palace would now be copied to his private server in the 3rd Quartile.

Retracing his steps, he returned to his perch atop the abandoned building and allowed himself to get some rest before dawn. Tomorrow would decide his path.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Her sleep remained undisturbed until 10 am, which she supposed wasn’t too bad. She had given strict instructions not to be disturbed that morning, in fact though Sophia obviously allowed staff to enter to maintain her rooms, they knew better than to intrude upon her when she was ‘home’.

Sophia was so used to living a life of privilege that she didn’t even realised how far from the ‘norm’ her routine was. Finally stirring, she blinked awake and noting the time decided that at half past nine, she should at least make the first moves towards getting up that morning. She reached for the phone and with a few quiet words issued her instructions before heading for the bathroom once more to freshen up and carry out her morning routine.

By the time she had finished a breakfast tray of coffee, fruit juice, iced water, pastries and fruit and of course the morning paper had been set on the table in the room beyond. She had pulled on a sheer robe and synched it in at the waist with a tie before heading into the adjacent room and easing down upon the sofa pouring a coffee and selecting a pain au chocolat as a start of her breakfast routine. She unfurled the paper and began to peruse the headlines.

”Have you seen it? Your father is on the phone to the editor now.”

Sophia didn’t manage to bite back a sigh as her mother entered her rooms unannounced, clearly in an agitated state.

”Morning mother. Seen what?”

Sophia responded calmly as her mother picked up the accompanying society supplement and rifled through until she came to the page in question, pointing it out to her with a dramatic flourish. Sophia didn’t know what it was that she expected to see, but the photographs of her dancing with Malech and another one taken of them out in the gardens wasn’t what she’d expected to stare up on her from the society pages! Perhaps if she’d been fully awake Sophia would have been more tactful, but as it was, she burst out laughing.

”We’ve hardly been caught ‘in flagrante delicto’ …”

She excused her mirth and tried to see things from her mother’s point of view.

”Your father’s livid. And those headlines…”

Sophia interrupted.

”It’s gossip, mother. It didn’t make the political pages. It’s just tattle … harmless … “

Her mother was not to be appeased.

”Harmless!?! This could jeopardise everything. Malech will hardly court such publicity.
An invitation to the 3rd Quartile will hardly be forthcoming after this … “

Sophia sighed wearily and topped up her coffee.

”The invitation’s already been extended. He would hardly withdraw it now … publicity or not …”

Sophia informed her mother as she began to read the article speculating inappropriately about ‘alliances’ and how the ‘bad boy rebel’ had succumbed to the ‘charms of the socialite’.

”Malech … invited you …?”

Sophia nodded.

”He should confirm with daddy today … “

She told her mother casually.

”He was … charming … “

She added, knowing full well that such an observation would concern her mother and, if ….. , no when it got back to him, outrage her father. Easing back on the sofa, Sophia continued with her breakfast as her mother continued with her agitated tirade …

 

[havinfun50]

Hawk watched and listened as Sophia, finally, got out of bed and started her day. He watched her staff come in and deliver her breakfast. A full crystal and silver service holding enough food to feed a family in the 3rd for more than a day. The Service alone would pay to house 3 or 4 refugees in the borderlands.

He chuckled softly as her mother entered in a whirlwind going on and on about the ‘scandal’ in the papers between her daughter and Malech. Soon she would wish that the articles in the paper about her daughter were of such a light hearted nature. His interest, however, peaked at the mention of Malech’s invitation.

”The invitation’s already been extended. He would hardly withdraw it now … publicity or not.”

”Malech … invited you …?” He could almost taste the bile her mother had laced her question with.

”He should confirm with daddy today … He was … charming … “

Well, at least the dumb bastard got the invitation out, even if it wasn’t how they’d planned. Regardless, things would start to move quickly now. He needed to know when they would be making the journey, and the best way to find that out would be through the tap he’d placed last night. A small portable tablet allowed him to securely connect to his personal server and review the accumulated information from the evening.

Nothing major from his snooping so far, mostly routine communications about equipment and personnel in the field, an occasional efficiency report. Something for the analysts to peck over, but not worthy of his attention at the moment.

Nothing more to do but wait until the official negotiations and details were hammered out over her trip. At least he knew that it should start sometime today. He was initially concerned that this phase could take days or weeks as the blowhards danced and minced their words around a simple invitation. But thanks to Malech’s deviation, he would be spared some time in the elements watching nothing.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

It seemed that the ‘discussion’ with her mother was only the start of the tensions that were to unravel that day. The invitation from Malech had been officially extended shortly after lunch time and accepted quickly by her father on her behalf. It wasn’t that which Sophia took issue with. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe that Malech was either charming, or harmless, but when it came to the details of arrangements for her trip she couldn’t help but feel that the ‘precautions’ were somewhat ‘over-the-top’. As ever, when she tried to put her point, she was politely listened to and then unceremoniously ignored.

She had a throbbing headache coming on and so she retired to the gardens for the afternoon. Wandering through the displays she reflected on the party the previous night. In her opinion it had been a success. But her father never seemed satisfied. Just what his expectations had been exactly Sophia could not guess, nor could she determine the reason for his bad mood. But it wasn’t in his nature to enter into discussion with her. He merely ‘informed’ her of what was to be and it simply was. For the first time, Sophia wondered if it was not perhaps time that she began to make decisions for herself and got out from beneath the shadow of the Roarke name?

She chose not to dine with her parents that evening. She wasn’t being petty, or sulking; Sophia merely did not want confrontation, or worse still the icy politeness that she had been subjected to more than once in lieu of a healthy family row and subsequent negotiation, agreement and make up. Her meal was set out in her room along with a bottle of her favourite dry white wine and the usual carafe of iced water. Tasty platters of antipasti, salad as the main course and cheese and fruit had been her request and rather than sit at the platter-filled table, she helped herself to the courses as she worked through some background reading in preparation for her forthcoming trip which she had requested to take place as soon as possible.

The ringing of the phone interrupted her midway through her evening. Picking it up she found herself speaking to the Head of Security who informed her of the arrangements which her father had seen fit to make in her absence. She bit back her frustration, for this man was not at fault, but perhaps it was the last time she would allow herself to be completely ignored.

”I appreciate your arrangements, but as I told my father, this is a goodwill visit, one intended to secure relations throughout the quadrants. I can only hope that you might consider a more subtle approach to the deployments you outline. I do not wish to insult a man who has after all been generous enough to extend a personal invitation, after all this visit is not intended to appear in any way political.”

She contented herself with that simple caution even as she inevitably gave herself up to her father’s arrangements.

 

[havinfun50]

Things began to move quickly shortly after Noon. The Official Invitation extended through channels had hit the Palace within minutes of it’s arrival. Communications among the security forces assigned to the Roarke’s were notified and planning for security during the trip began to take shape. Hawk was impressed with the speed and thoroughness of their planning, if not the tactics they intended to use. As he suspected, they would surround the ‘princess’ with far too much heavy security to effectively do the job. The size and armament of the team would make them very obvious and slow to react to a real threat. Their overall strategy was to intimidate through a brute display of force and strength that would draw attention rather than use a small elite team who could whisk her easily through the wastelands of the Third Quartile and the borderlands in general.

Satisfied with his intelligence gathering so far, and convinced that his data trap would feed him what details he would need from anywhere, he decided to stay put until evening to see if anything new developed before departing and activating his plans. Settling in, he ate an energy bar and rinsed his mouth with a bottle of water before resuming watch on Sophia’s chambers.

Afternoon faded to early evening as plans for the trip became more detailed and complex. He realized while reading their coms that the Roarke’s were assigning so much of their regular security to this detail, they would have no choice but to leave the Palace either under guarded or guarded primarily by raw troops. This presented an opportunity which was unanticipated, but too good to pass up. As soon as he returned to his home territory, he would initiate plans for an attack on the Palace at the same time he took Sophia. Nothing spectacular or very damaging, he didn't want to jeopardize his newly installed eavesdropper, but enough to fan the fog of war as the critical first hours of his abduction unfolded.

Smiling as plans for the new attack began to take shape in his mind, he noticed movement in Sophia’s chambers. It appeared that she would be dining alone tonight as servants began to lay out what he assumed she would consider a simple meal. Donning his binoculars and turning on his receiver he sat and waited. Scanning her windows for signs of her presence, he was surprised to see she was already there. She must have slipped in unnoticed while he was reading. Her lithe form moved easily around the tastefully furnished rooms of her chambers before she sat and began to read from a large pile of files and binders piled on the floor next to her chair. Picking at the meal as she read, unhurried and unbothered as she read and studied one file after another.

They both jumped a bit as the phone rang, he watched and listened as she was briefed on her security detail. He chuckled as she diplomatically dressed down the Officer on the phone for overkill in his planning and smiled broadly as she was summarily ignored. He knew from painful experience that the hardest person to protect was the one who didn't want your protection. That coupled with the absurdly large force that would have surrounding her as they moved only made his task easier.

With dusk turning to dark, it was time to leave. He removed his pistol from its holster and smashed the receiver into pieces, collecting them for dispersed disposal in public trash cans throughout the city as he made his way back home. What was left of his gear stashed in his bag securely he descended the stairs and onto the street as just another citizen making his way home after a late evening of work. It was time to get the real work of this mission started.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Sophia

Sophia sat at the table and sipped the ice cold dry white wine as she watched the man opposite her as he looked through the swathe of papers in the folder she had handed him.

”Well..?”

He looked up his expression a mixture of sympathy and exasperation.

”You’re not serious, Sophia?”

She nodded holding his gaze.

”You know I am.”

Was her simple response.
For long moments he remained silent and then all but through down the folder and raked his hands through his dark hair.

”If you were anyone else …”

He started.

”But I’m not. And that is precisely the problem.”

She told him in softly controlled tones.

”You can’t deny I have the qualifications … experience … and my connections …”

She gave a laugh, but even to his ears it sounded false, forced.

”Nico … they’re stifling me.”

It was the first time her composure broke. Her blue eyes held his dark ones intently, her hand on his arm now, grasping it, entreating.

”But, Soph… “

For long moments their gaze locked silently until she seemed to draw away, drop her gaze, as if defeated.

”What am I supposed to do? Play Princess for the rest of my days…?”

Her voice held an unfamiliar edge as she pushed the glass away from her.

”I could do so much more. I could make a difference. I could … “

Her gaze lifted to his, searching. But she was unsatisfied by what she saw there. She had seen it before, over and over. She was no child to be indulged. She had come to him for advice; advice on breaking free, on finding something 'real' that she could do. She was fed up being the ‘face and body’ of the family, fed up with the limits set upon her. Fed up with seeing that expression in people’s eyes. When would anyone actually listen to her, actually take her seriously.!?

”Nevermind.”

She had snatched the folder and stood up before Nico had even realised she was on the move.

”I thought of all the people I knew, you would have the balls to help me with this.”

Her derision effectively masked the hurt and disappointment she felt.

”Don’t think I can’t do this on my own … “

She told him with controlled bravado before turning on her heel and making her way out of the wine bar, out into the crowded centre. If he tried to follow, she was going to make sure he could not find her. And so she kept on walking and walking until she was lost amongst everyone else, the people who had their own lives to lead, people who, it was true, had much less privilege that her, but had something so much more precious; freedom.

Finally she halted. She had walked further than she had realised, but she knew this place, knew that if she cut through the park she could head for the bandstand and could join the throng as they sat and listen to whatever musical group were scheduled to deliver their open air concert that day. How many recitals and concerts she had sat through out of duty she had no idea, but as she rounded the corner to be greeted by the lively tunes of the jazz band centrally placed on the raised plinth she was determined that those days were gone. In a couple of days she was to set off for her visit to Malech’s Quartile and then after that … well she still had to decide... but things were going to be very different she vowed...

Of course Sophia was unaware of the irony of her intentions and never realised just what a ‘difference’ was being planned for her …

 

[havinfun50]

Ten hours by Sky Tube was all it took to go from the Capitol to the badlands of the 5th Quartile border region. Ten hours is all that separated the lives of privilege and luxury from those of squalor and despair. He was pretty sure this area would not be part of the ‘official’ itinerary for Sophia and her party. Touring industrial and mining complexes were not usually the way of State visits, but it did make for a great place to blend in and work unnoticed.

Passing through the checkpoints posed no challenge on this side. Even if he’d managed to get his weapons through on the other side, his Resistance had infiltrated enough of the regular Quartile security teams here to make them irrelevant. They were practically his security teams at this point, and he had the luxury of not having to pay them. Sadly, he did have to leave his weapons behind in the Capital, but there would be no problem getting whatever he needed, now that he was on home turf.

A few easy transfers on the train and bus brought him within two blocks of the warehouse he’d rented anonymously months ago. Even Malech was unaware of this location and that was fine by Hawk. Large, mostly empty and open, the interior of the building contained a small office suite positioned high along the back wall that gave a great view over the whole structure. A small surveillance system, that he’d installed previously, allowed for outside visibility in both the visible and infrared spectrum. All in all it was as low key and secure as he could hope for. Admittedly, it was not up to the standards of near royalty, but she’d just have to get over that.

He walked across the open dusty floor and made his way to the stair that would lead him to the suite. Five offices and a kitchenette/break room. More than enough space for his purposes and no nosy neighbors to worry about. He fired up a pot of coffee in the kitchenette and proceeded to his makeshift office to check on communications since he’d left the Capital. By now they must have finalized their plans and he could begin acquiring the proper equipment for Sophia’s abduction.

Several hours and three mugs of coffee later, he leaned back in the simple wooden chair and smiled. It was pretty much as he expected, there were some minor changes, but nothing that would warrant calling off the mission. Nothing that he couldn't take care of himself.

With a mental inventory of what he would need, he picked up his mobile and called his favorite supply officer with a list of items he would need quickly. The delegation was scheduled to arrive in a mere three days.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

The level of security was crazy. For a good will visit it certainly felt like ‘overkill’, but there was nothing she could do. At least she could content herself with the thought that when she got back she would contact Nico again and see if he had any leads as to how she could set up on her own .. and if he didn’t … then she would put a ‘plan B’ into action. Yes, she was weary after her journey, but she brushed away advice to retire to the quarters she had been allocated before meeting with Malech.

”Are you crazy?”

She responded somewhat ‘undiplomatically’.

”If Malech has taken the time to come and greet us, then I do not intend to insult him by saying I’m too tired to receive him … “

She shook her head with incredulity.

”And no … I don’t need to ‘freshen up’, the journey was hardly onerous.
It would be rude to keep him waiting any longer … “

And so Sophia found herself privately with Malech, the greeting warm as he kissed first one cheek then the other in welcome.

”I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here, Malech.”

She told him with a genuine smile.

”I’m looking forward to learning much more about your people and your lands.
I’m sure my visit will be most memorable …”

 

[havinfun50]

Malech waited patiently in the foyer of the hotel lobby. His entourage of Official State PR and News personnel waiting anxiously for an opportunity to take a picture and have an interview with the young leader of Quartile 5 and the heiress of the Capital. The daily News cycle hungry for any development in the ongoing dispute between the Collective and the government of the Quartile. The Rebellion, gaining more and more traction every day, was never far from the minds of the population. The need to gain control of their own resources and their historical lands was quickly becoming a more open topic of discussion even amongst the most loyal in the Quartile.

What could be keeping her so long. For crying out loud, didn't they realize that every moment he waited, he was subject to even more scrutiny regarding the wisdom of inviting her here in the first place? Plus, that security detail she brought with her looked more like an invasion force than anything else. Did people at the Capital really think so little of the Quartiles as to have no understanding how their actions may look to the population the Collective was theoretically protecting? On one hand he was elated that the Capital was playing right into his hands, but as his fathers son, and an official representative of the Quartile Government, he felt slighted.

With a heavy sigh he paced back and forth across the lobby, awaiting a response to his request to greet Sophia to the Quartile formally.

“Miss Sophia will see you now Mr. Malech. Please follow me.” An Aid appeared in the lobby behind him. An aid, not even Sophia herself, but an aid sent to summon him to see her majesty. This would not play well on the news at all. At least officially it would not play well. As far as the Rebellion was concerned, this was a gift wrapped up in a bow.

A flurry of flashbulbs ignited behind him as he followed the Aid to the elevators that would take him to see Sophia. A long slow journey in silence ended with a soft ding as the doors opened and the Aid led him into another foyer. Sophia, beautiful as always, standing among her staff and talking hurriedly as she turned and saw him.

He moved toward her wearing a smile, kissing her cheeks in the accepted greeting for a friend. Their previous interaction at the Capitol allowing him at least that small privilege.

”I can’t tell you how happy I am to be here, Malech.
I’m looking forward to learning much more about your people and your lands.
I’m sure my visit will be most memorable …”

“Welcome Sophia, I look forward to showing you all we have to offer, as well as the colours of our foliage in their height… as promised. I’m sure you will never forget your visit nor our peoples. On behalf of my Father and the Government of the Quartile... Welcome.”

Giving her a soft hug he whispered in her ear, “Before I leave, please come down to be photographed by our news. It would make both our Fathers very happy.” Stepping away gently, “I believe your staff has been furnished with a suggested itinerary, we can tour the arboretum in the morning if you like, I promise you will enjoy our more creative experiments.”

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

“Welcome Sophia, I look forward to showing you all we have to offer, as well as the colours of our foliage in their height… as promised."

Sophia smiled as he reminded her of their evening in the garden.

"I’m sure you will never forget your visit nor our peoples.
On behalf of my Father and the Government of the Quartile... Welcome.”

His words and actions held all the warmth she could possibly have hoped for.

"My father as you know was unable to accompany me."

It was a half truth. Her father had played this 'visit' well and though it seemed that he had left this to her, only Sophia knew how minutely she had been 'briefed' ... though whether she decided to keep to the script, that was for her to decide for she was determined to run this visit her way as much as possible.

" ... and as you know he can be somewhat ... over protective ... and insistent ... "

She was actually embarrassed by the size of her entourage and was more than aware of how it looked to arrive in such numbers.

"You have been most generous in hosting those who my father assigned to accompany me. But I am arrived safely and I look forward to exploring more ... independently ... during my stay here ... "

The hug seemed to confirm that he accepted the closest she was able to offer as an apology.

“Before I leave, please come down to be photographed by our news.
It would make both our Fathers very happy.”

Her father had advised her to avoid such public 'photo opportunities' which might be construed as giving support to this quartile and compromising their neutral stance, however Sophia had no intention of snubbing what was a more than reasonable request.

“I believe your staff has been furnished with a suggested itinerary, we can tour the arboretum in the morning if you like, I promise you will enjoy our more creative experiments.”

Sophia smiled in pleasure.

"I will consider the itinerary personally Malech. I intend to make my own decisions now that I find myself in receipt of such hospitality."

A glance was enough to call over a member of her staff. A simple request secured the sheet of paper holding that essential information. With equal economy of effort, she dismissed the advice that was to be forthcoming, the suggestions of changes to schedule and turned back to Malech with a confident smile.

"I would love to tour the arboretum tomorrow morning. And perhaps then we two might fine tune my schedule. After all, the intention is for this to be mutually beneficial as you so for both our fathers."

She could not help but chuckle at the knowledge that were he here, her father would be despairing of her blatant dismissal of his instructions. Winding her arm through Malech's she moved closer ensuring that her voice was not to be overheard.

" ... and if you think I am presentable enough, then I am more than happy to be photographed ... I know from experience it is better to co-operate with journalists ... even though one can never influence what is ultimately written ..."

This would not go down well with her staff, but the sooner they realised that she was in charge here, regardless of her father's orders, the smoother the whole visit with run ...

 

[havinfun50]

Malech acknowledged her small gesture of thanks for his housing and welcoming of her entourage with a wan smile. It wasn’t like he had any choice, but he thought she genuinely meant well by the comment so he let it slide. He did note however, her desire to independently explore the Quartile and the quick dismissal of her Aid as he was getting ready to make suggestions and corrections to the proposed itinerary. Very interesting, and perhaps something that could be used to his advantage later down the road. Should they be successful in getting her to side with the Rebellion, that trait might prove to be very useful.

"I would love to tour the arboretum tomorrow morning. And perhaps then we two might fine tune my schedule. After all, the intention is for this to be mutually beneficial as you so for both our fathers. ... and if you think I am presentable enough, then I am more than happy to be photographed ... I know from experience it is better to co-operate with journalists ... even though one can never influence what is ultimately written ..."

He gave her a slight bow acknowledging her concessions to work on the schedule together and consent to the photo opportunity, “Excellent, I will be around first thing in the morning to collect you and show you the colours of Quartile 5. I know the staff at the arboretum have been working all week to prepare for your arrival.” Taking her by the arm and leading her to the elevator before the collected staff on either side could react, “and as always you look lovely. Thank you, I know that an opportunity to see us together will make the news crews very happy.”

As he pressed the button for the elevator, they were quickly surrounded by their people once again. Each side anxious to get as many of their team into the first elevator with Sophia and Malech as possible.

Exasperated with the commotion of protocol and politics, Malech raised his hand to silence them all. “Enough! All of you stop.” Turning to face the crowd, “Two of you will ride down with us, the rest of you will fend for yourselves.” Pointing at his chief of staff and the Aid Sophia had summoned earlier. “You and you, come with us now.” He immediately turned to escort Sophia into the now open elevator and waited for the doors to close and shut out the noise, if only for a moment.

“Well,” he said turning to her “at least we won’t get crushed like bugs on the trip down. I can’t promise how well we’ll manage tomorrow though. I suspect they’ll hound us to the ends of the badlands if given a chance.” With a soft ping the doors slid open to a blaze of bright lights and strobes. A substantial group of reporters all pressing against the thin rope that held them to half of the main lobby of the hotel.

Placing his hand at the small of her back, he gestured forward. “Shall we? It’s you they're here to see after all. They can take pictures of me any time.”

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Just who it was amongst her entourage who contacted her father Sophia did not know, but she wasn’t short of individuals to suspect. Even though her staff were supposedly there to accompany her, Sophia knew to whom they ultimately answered. She had attempted to evade his call, but as ever that was impossible. It wasn’t just that he was aware of the impromptu press conference and the way she and Malech had not only arrived arm in arm and allowed themselves to be photographed like that, but that Sophia had actually answered some of the questions the assembled journalists had posed. Almost before the newspapers had published, her father was reciting the headlines down the phone at her as she drank her early morning coffee and was irate at any indication of a ‘special relationship’ which to his mind would jeopardise the ‘neutrality’ of the family’s position.

Sophia had let him rant, let him lecture and even held the phone aside as he dressed her down as if she were an errant school girl or rebellious teenager. Though silent, the content of his diatribe told her more than he realised. He knew how Malech had ordered all but a single aid out of the elevator and that they had therefore travelled down in relative privacy and therefore faced the press without the accompanying personnel flanking Sophia and the message that this would convey. In her father’s eyes that was a bad thing; in Sophia’s it was a much better first impression than that which her father had had in mind. And it cut down the possible suspects. Sophia had her suspicions as to who might be reporting back to her father, only as yet she could not be entirely certain. Either way, she was determined to attempt an approach of misinformation to at least muddy the waters, if not throw the individual or individuals off track entirely.

”Father, I have to go now. I have an appointment to keep.”

She heard the annoyance in her father’s voice as he responded.

”With Malech.”

It was a statement and not a question. She was sure that the ‘proposed’ itinerary had been given to her father for his comment and approval.

”With my host. First rule of diplomacy, not to antagonise your host.”

She smiled as, for once, her father actually lost his cool.

”For God’s sake Sophia! That doesn’t mean to say you need to hang on his every word like some love struck bimbo!”

So that was it … he hadn’t been happy with her dancing with Malech at the ball and had made his dislike of Malech clear in the days leading up to her visit. She didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry at his uncharacteristic outburst, but instead Sophia merely responded calmly.

”Malech is a charming host and I will not keep him waiting, goodbye Father.”

She had dressed in tight black trousers, a crisp white blouse and a dogtooth jacket with sturdy black ankle boots. The schedule in the black leather bag which lay easily over her shoulder Sophia determined to review the itinerary in discussion with Malech and gain his compliance to keep those amendments strictly between them. It was a small act of rebellion, but all she could risk at the moment. When she got back home, things were going to be very different she vowed…

 

[havinfun50]

Hawk publicly spent his time before Sophia’s arrival planning the attack on the Palace with his Commanders, while quietly implementing his own plans. Malech had already provided him with the proposed itinerary for the visit, and he was pleased to see it matched the proposed itinerary that was sent to the Palace. What Malech didn't know was the changes that had been transmitted to Sophia’s staff shortly before her arrival.

Whether those changes took place or not didn't matter to Hawk, the only unchanged item was the trip to the Arboretum on the morning of her first full day. That made it the only time he knew where and when they would be together. It was important for the Resistance’s cause that Malech be there during the abduction. It would give legitimacy to his dissenting voice in the Collective. So, the Arboretum it would have t be, however given the rest of the itinerary, it was a top three location anyway so he wasn't too upset.

He leaned over the scared and beaten table and studied the maps of the Arboretum, detailing out any and every possible route they might take through the gardens and beds. Mapping common points against what he determined to be the best points of ingress and egress. Plotting carefully his attack and egress with Sophia. It wasn't quite the cakewalk he’d hoped for, but he was hoping that the secure status of the Arboretum would play in his favor and at least mean there would be only a handful of guards to take out.

************************************************************
Malech and his team arrived early the following morning ready to escort Sophia to the Arboretum. It was a cool crisp early fall morning and the colors of the trees and plants should be near if not at their peak. The sky was clear and a the few wisps of cloud high up in the atmosphere only added to the day’s beauty.

Protocol demanded that he send an aid to tell her staff that they had arrived, but as soon as the car stopped, he opened the door and headed toward the entrance to fetch her himself. However as he reached approached the door it opened and Sophia and her entourage were walking briskly toward him.

Surprised, he glanced at his watch and saw they were roughly a minute and a half late. Apparently she was a believer in punctuality, to a fault, but in the public spirit of the visit, he extended his hand in greeting and whispered, “Sorry we’re late, damned traffic in the city is so unpredictable.”

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Sophia was determined not to let her father’s attitude spoil her visit and much less the trip to the Arboretum which she was genuinely looking forward to. Malech had already arrived as Sophia headed out to meet him, but he was charming as he greeted her.

“Sorry we’re late, damned traffic in the city is so unpredictable.”

Any residual annoyance cleared her features instantly as Sophia replied.

”You’re not late at all, the reverse in fact. My father calls at the most inopportune of times.”

She was more than aware of her staff in tow.

”He sends his greetings, by the way…”

She lied blatantly, a genuine smile directed at Malech almost as much due to the easily imagined reactions of her father to those words as her pleasure at the prospect of spending the time with Malech.

” … it was kind of you to arrange this for our first day,”

She told him before leaning closer and murmuring conspiratorially.

” … and it gives me the opportunity to at least reduce the numbers of my assigned ‘escort’.”

She had chosen the staff that she had permitted to accompany her with care. There were a couple of notable omission to the personnel and it was the reaction of one of those individuals that confirmed that she was correct in focusing her suspicions in that particular direction.

”The press are not aware of today’s schedule at least?”

Sophia commented as she slid into the awaiting car with Malech. Her pleasure at the fact that the Arboretum visit was to be a ‘private’ rather than ‘public’ one.

”You will have to brief me on your press and how you feel we can best give them what they want without this visit being taken over by their intrusion.”

She offered as she relaxed back noting that the traffic had indeed cleared and was taking them speedily to their destination. She listened with interest as Malech spoke of his views of the journalists and offered her own comments as to how her family sometimes found itself represented in the press. Neither of them commented on the story that had hit the papers the day after the ball where there was speculation as to just how ‘linked’ the two might be. For her part, Sophia found much to admire in Malech and although aware that he could be what her father called ‘a loose cannon’, Sophia found nothing to fault in his passion for his country and his people.

Sooner than she expected they arrived. Sophia looked around curiously letting the discussion about security and the logistics of her visit wash over her initially.

”Enough … “

She finally interrupted the debate silencing her people and giving a heavy sigh.

”When we are out amongst the people, then of course security is essential,”

She conceded.

”I promised my father I would accept his … arrangements … though this is supposed to be a good will visit and your challenge is how to balance your duties with appropriate protocol.”

In other words, avoid the heavy-handedness they had already displayed when it came to her safety. That was their challenge!

”But today … given that no one even knows I’m here and that the place itself is secure, I would prefer to focus upon actually enjoying my visit … “

She could not dismiss them entirely, but her reasoned call for compromise and Malech’s own assurances at least led to compromise and finally agreement. Not for the first time, Sophia felt the burden of her family name and the expectation that had been put on her by her father at least, the ‘hidden agenda’ that she was coming to regret more and more.

”Thank you for that ... “

She told Malech, grateful for his assistance.

”Sometimes … “

She bit back the words and merely shook her head. It would be totally inappropriate to share her frustrations with Malech she knew.

”… you spoke of experiments … I’m curious to see the work your people are doing in that area … “

She prompted instead determined to enjoy her visit and the brief respite from being accompanied too closely.