Barely a scratch (Evening 1)

[Emcas]

After having left the winemaker and his guard at their lodging Emcas made his way to where he expected to see lady Xanthe: her office.

Having gathered some attention dur to his lion wrangling, he took some care to pay attention to his surroundings on the way there.

[Kannon]

Having arrived at PTOLOS undisturbed, Emcas found Xanthe over the projector, obsessively analysing the footage from the event. She was never a one to wallow or recriminate, but to dig. Damage had been done to her family, but she apparently believed that determining who had done it and how had priority over controlling it.

[Emcas]

Emcas moved in silence to take place a few feet behind her, eyeing the projections. He was there himself...but he did not witness all angles.

''My lady'' he then spoke

[Kannon]

Even if there was something in there, it was not something that was too apparent, judging from Xanthe's frenetic drive to rewind and rewatch.

"Thank you, Emcas." She said. "Thank you for stopping it from turning even worse."

[Emcas]

''I did what needed to be done, Lady Xanthe'' he inclined his head ''What happened?''

[Kannon]

"My father's incompetence happened before the whole of the Imperium. This is how it looks unless we can prove otherwise. If not for you there, it would have been only Pankratos and bystanders who would have prevented a bigger catastrophe."

[Emcas]

"I am not one to believe that your exalted father is anything of the sort. It must be sabotage." He frowned "But who and why?"

[Kannon]

"We have a suspicion who, don't we? But supposing he had known, he would be an unlikely mastermind, orchestrating accomplices this required. It was a perfectly timed side-field failure. We are interrogating control room people right now. This shouldn't have been possible. And yet here we are, apparently infiltrated by unknown elements. A hand we do not see."

Emcas hadn't seen her like this. Distaught, yes, and yet in her element, eyes shining with vengeful intensity.

[Emcas]

She was not a brawler but he knew the look of a warrior's determination. This was the edge, the uncertainty yet clarity of battle.

''Pankratos? I am not so sure. If he is entangled in this sabotage, however, then so is the Archon.''

[Kannon]

"I have my differences with my aunt but I don't think so low of her grasp of stately affairs. It is as much her failure as it is my father's. It hits the very base of our credibility and status as a house in the Faufreluches. And it has this added context of balloon of nude Shaddam released a few months ago in the Oon. If there is more of Emperor's displeasure coming from this, which it as well might, it hits the Archon even more. He has already sent the Sardaukar on a rampage of extermination against the Houses he accuses of being a part of the Noble Commonwealth. She would not deliberately risk any of this."

Xanthe's jaw clenched.

"However, I consider her compromised by Pankratos' presence. Psyopsed."

Whether Xanthe was spot-on or biased here it was hard to tell.

[Emcas]

"Just as I do not believe your father to be incompetent, I do not believe your aunt to be." He du not enjoy the connections he was making "Scapegoats can be used to wash away the stains to one's name, especialy if you have allies ready to steer the discussion on the way you want."

He paused

"Our new visitors...they are from Caladan, yes? The seat of house Atreidies? Your father is quite supportive if them, no?"

[Kannon]

Xanthe nodded.

"It's an old arrangement, one that helps us keep the system out of an arms race. My father simply maintains that sound policy. However, neither of the newcomers seem like they represent Atreides interests, unless their Master of Assassins has decided to push the envelope a bit for whatever reason. Maybe he knows something about our undercurrents we don't. Why I wanted you to stick around with Martikova. There's even more reason now. Whoever the infiltrators are, they aren't going to sit on their hands after this provocation but keep playing toward some endgame. It's a safe bet we're on borrowed time."

She looked at him with some intensity, running him over with her gaze, likely looking for marks from fighting the lions.

"And how's that going?"

[Emcas]

''Mayhaps'' he was thoughful for a moment ''At any rate there is too little known''

Armor exposed after a movement to throw back his cloak, all that could be seen of the lion's fury was some scratches on the vambraces and one shallow cut along his right bicep.

A very cheap price indeed.

''I will be bringing them to eat as thanks for their help. They seem to be decent enough people, all things considered, and not here entirely of their own volition.''

[Kannon]

Instinctively, she took out a clean handkerchief and tied it over the cut, then stepped away.

"If they help us, I will help them. You can make it clear to them. If they have come here for anything related, they may also have an early lead."

[Emcas]

Emcas was somewhat surprised by the gesture as he did not require it nor did he had the station to receive what it might mean for the nobility.

''Thank you, Lady Xanthe'' he managed to say ''Do you wish to accompany us?''

[Kannon]

"No. That would defeat the purpose." Xanthe got her eyes back on the footage. "You should go rejoin them, Emcas."

[Emcas]

''Mayhaps, mayhaps not. Getting to know you could convince them of your sincerity''

[Kannon]

"There is little control over who and to what we convince other people once we appear in public out of our social roles. Besides, I am not exactly idle here, Emcas. I count on you to handle this." She sighed. "Sincerity, huh. And what happened to good old enlightened self-interest."

[Emcas]

''I do not see dissonance between either of these stance'' he simply stated

[Kannon]

She was readying a retort, but then reconsidered, and nodded, accepting his Zensunni perspective.

"I will meet them later. For now, do your best."