A slit throat does not seem quite the same style as what was done to Julqe. I think I will focus on this mysterious Lady Ahn for now - let's see what I can find out about her... Eanne tried finding out more about the reclusive noblewoman – relatives, business partners, other nobles she was relatively close to... anything.
Vizelle hasn't made it halfway back, before she feels the ground shake beneath her feet, followed after a few moments by the sound of an explosion in the direction of the palace, where she remembers a triumph was taking place. At the same time, she feels the sphere in her pocket begin to vibrate, the one Varrick created.
(Yes)
Handling the sphere once more, she can't help but feel a wave of satisfaction, before the city around her begins to disappear, and she once again finds herself in Varrick's mind palace. "So you survived the assassin." His voice booms out, and looking up, she sees the ancient psionic on his throne, face disguised by the non-euclidian curves of his helmet. "I'd have been disappointed if you'd died."
"The Northern Empire." He nods. "Some of my pawns decided to deviate from my carefully laid plans, ergo, the explosion you just heard. Whilst I'm punishing them for the errors of their ways, I'd like you to...reshape the narrative a little. Whilst I remove evidence that implicates the Northern Empire in this cock up, I'd like you to redirect Emperor Carius's attention, make him think that another party is at fault. I have a suitable candidate ready to be blamed, though if you wanted to blame someone else, a rival, or that Moon mafia you've been tussling with, that would be acceptable. The key thing is that the Northern Empire remains blameless."
Interesting... I wonder if the Lady is a front for the Duke, officially controlling properties he does not want linked to him, or if she is her own person. Perhaps I should give him a call later, after I am done here... Putting her terminal away Eanne looked at Julqe and then at Dubernay. “Any idea when she's going to wake up? I doubt we will learn anything useful from questioning her, but it won't hurt to check what she recalls...” And if she will continue following whatever orders she has been given...
Eanne is only halfway through her sentence before the maid begins to stir. Slowly, her eyes flicker open, before she looks in confusion at her bonds, and then at Dubernay and Eanne. "L-Lady Dubernay?" She asks. "What...How did I get here?" She looks specifically at Eanne. "Is this...a client?" Eanne detects no sense of recognition on her face.
"I was mistaken." Varrick admits. "I gave some pawns too much freedom. From now on, I will be controlling the survivors much more firmly." He adds forebodingly.
The woman nods, before calmly taking a seat next to the bed, and holding the maid's hand and giving her a matronly smile, before explaining the situation. Julqe looks wide eyed at Eanne. "I... I'm sorry, I had no idea... I didn't mean to do any harm, I'd never do-" Dubernay shushes her, assuring her that everything is alright."
Varrick shrugs at the first question, before nodding at the second. "They were the Tyrk, a vassal race in my time, useful for their ability to control the bodies of other species, as well as a few other abilities. When the Old Ones came, they decided that, like humanity, the Tyrk were too advanced, that they would just pick up where humans left off, and so they suffered a similar fate to us. As to whether there are more Tyrk still in existence, that's hard to say. If there are, there won't be many. Their numbers were low to start with."
"I-I..." She tries to remember. "I was with a client, Lady Ahn... I'd told her about a friend of mine, Miriam, and she wanted to me to invite her over, you know, so we could all have some fun together." She groans at a headache. "I-uh... Miri didn't really do that work, or she had an exclusive boss, I think, but I convinced her. The three of us were enjoying our night, and then... And then..." She groans.
"Not generally the expected reaction when discussing species-wide extermination, but whatever." Varrick shrugs. "That was all I have for you. I intend for you to control the situation." He pauses for a moment. "Or are you asking if I want to fuck you?"