Secret Gardens [Evening 1]

[Kannon]

As Lady Gray and Xard stepped away, Nirilli found herself standing alone.

She glanced at Lady Salomea, and at the conversation between the Reverend Mother and the Sister.

"Can I be of further service, Lady Salomea? Or should I retire?" Which would mean checking in on the Archon.

"I suppose I could make you busy but given your condition and that the Archon likely awaits your account, you can leave at will, Nirilli." Salomea replied in kind voice.

[Cuyler Gray]

"That could be very possible." She nodded. "It would be difficult to be certain of anything without involving the Bene Gesserit, however. Are you comfortable with that?"

[Sister Shinah]

Nirilli watched as the Sister turned toward her.

She gave a reverent bow and then a welcoming smile.

And on her way she was. Breaking from Cordana's orbit, Shinah crossed over to the vicinity of the slave girl.

"Nirilli, was it not?" Shinah asked the factually unnecessary, but socially expected, question. The beginning was, of course, a delicate thing. Even, especially, if it wasn't truly the beginning.

"Your actions were most commendable today." A pause from Shinah. A curious, unhidden examination as she pried with her eyes. Inquisitive. Intrusive.

[Kannon]

"That could be very possible." She nodded. "It would be difficult to be certain of anything without involving the Bene Gesserit, however. Are you comfortable with that?"

"They may already know my daughter's situation but to plead with them is another matter, as are the strings that come attached to their any help. Shall I be this desperate for lack of the other prospect?"

[Nirilli]

And on her way she was. Breaking from Cordana's orbit, Shinah crossed over to the vicinity of the slave girl.

"Nirilli, was it not?" Shinah asked the factually unnecessary, but socially expected, question. The beginning was, of course, a delicate thing. Even, especially, if it wasn't truly the beginning.

"Your actions were most commendable today." A pause from Shinah. A curious, unhidden examination as she pried with her eyes. Inquisitive. Intrusive.

Nirilli nodded. "Yes, I am Nirilli, a slave to the Archon. A handmaid and performer. A singer and dancer." A little more information.

"It is kind of you to say so." Commendable. She did smile at that. "I only wanted to prevent any guests from being harmed."

She did not appear to mind the examination. It was her role to be looked at.

The Sister could note that she was dressed in a head covering and a body-skimming moss-green dress that would have together hidden all her hair and all her skin but her face and hands, but for the lion claw tears. She had a necklace of green clamshells; a symbol associated with House Hagal and the moss pearls favored by the Archon and Lady Xanthe.

Shinah would remember that Nirilli had brought a letter from the Archon for Lady Salomea.

"Can I assist you with anything, Sister?" It was her role, also, to be helpful.

[Cuyler Gray]

"They may already know my daughter's situation but to plead with them is another matter, as are the strings that come attached to their any help. Shall I be this desperate for lack of the other prospect?"

"No." She answered. "Not yet."

[Kannon]

Xard nodded, and then explained his rekindled distrust of the Bene Gesserit.

"It's convenient for them to control these gardens, and plant whatever. This is a declining world, its ecosystem is not sustainable. Key trophic chains on the surface require constant external input, including those supporting human nutrition. Maybe it's different in other places of this garden system, but here I don't see any strategy in the planting choices. More like pet projects for harvest. It's not how I've been taught to do it. If I were to surmise from this sample, which I probably shouldn't, whatever purpose of this Heliophagos, it might no longer be terraforming."

He frowned, straightening as if another role of his kicked in, that of an officer of the Imperium.

"As a long-term consequence, the lion populations may have their sustained numbers and health challenged. I can't tell whether it has factored in their feral behaviour in the arena, but now I think it just might have. All the more reason for me to investigate the reserves, though apparently not on a rationale they might like."

[Sister Shinah]

Nirilli nodded. "Yes, I am Nirilli, a slave to the Archon. A handmaid and performer. A singer and dancer." A little more information.

"It is kind of you to say so." Commendable. She did smile at that. "I only wanted to prevent any guests from being harmed."

She did not appear to mind the examination. It was her role to be looked at.

The Sister could note that she was dressed in a head covering and a body-skimming moss-green dress that would have together hidden all her hair and all her skin but her face and hands, but for the lion claw tears. She had a necklace of green clamshells; a symbol associated with House Hagal and the moss pearls favored by the Archon and Lady Xanthe.

Shinah would remember that Nirilli had brought a letter from the Archon for Lady Salomea.

"Can I assist you with anything, Sister?" It was her role, also, to be helpful.

"Pankratos." Shinah dove in directly.

Shinah was not unlike the expected image of a sister of the Bene Gesserit order: a simple, flowing black garment, a hand-woven veil, a knowing expression vacillating measuredly to disapproval. The look suggested austerity and somberness of a type more befitting an older woman - Cordana comes to mind as an example to hand - and incongruous to the seeming youth of the woman who wore the outfit especially given Cordana's more open personality.

Seemingly so, anyway.

Her eyes most odd of all, sweeping about Nirilli as the exchange played out, taking in...everything. Not with licentiousness or suspicion but a cold curiosity. Shinah could have just as easily been looking over the ticking inner workings of a Richesse timepiece, its innards bared, as she might in another time and place been a Suk coolly conducting surgery upon a patient splayed at an operating table.

"You are of the Archon's court, as is he. Certes, his actions today make an already interesting person all the more so. I would know of him; what you know of him." The Sister placed particular emphasis on her intonation about the word 'you'. Was it Bene Gesserit witchcraft or simply some odd affect of her speech at play.

[Cuyler Gray]

"It may be something we can look into though, under the pretense that this conspiracy they are concerned about might be targeting the lions."

[Nirilli]

"Pankratos." Shinah dove in directly.

Shinah was not unlike the expected image of a sister of the Bene Gesserit order: a simple, flowing black garment, a hand-woven veil, a knowing expression vacillating measuredly to disapproval. The look suggested austerity and somberness of a type more befitting an older woman - Cordana comes to mind as an example to hand - and incongruous to the seeming youth of the woman who wore the outfit especially given Cordana's more open personality.

Seemingly so, anyway.

Her eyes most odd of all, sweeping about Nirilli as the exchange played out, taking in...everything. Not with licentiousness or suspicion but a cold curiosity. Shinah could have just as easily been looking over the ticking inner workings of a Richesse timepiece, its innards bared, as she might in another time and place been a Suk coolly conducting surgery upon a patient splayed at an operating table.

"You are of the Archon's court, as is he. Certes, his actions today make an already interesting person all the more so. I would know of him; what you know of him." The Sister placed particular emphasis on her intonation about the word 'you'. Was it Bene Gesserit witchcraft or simply some odd affect of her speech at play.

Nirilli smiled at the mention of Pankratos' name. "He was so heroic, wasn't he? He is a friend of mine. He is a tremendous athlete, but also philosophical and kind. He has always been kind to me." Though he didn't need to be. She was a slave.

"I see him more as he spends more time with the Archon. They are very close." That was not a secret.

"He knows the songs of ancient Nilotic al-Ourouba! The places, the people, the food. He shares the poems with me. I wish I could hear them sung so I could sing them as I learned the song just now to sing, from Lady Gray's memory."

[Sister Shinah]

Nirilli smiled at the mention of Pankratos' name. "He was so heroic, wasn't he? He is a friend of mine. He is a tremendous athlete, but also philosophical and kind. He has always been kind to me." Though he didn't need to be. She was a slave.

"I see him more as he spends more time with the Archon. They are very close." That was not a secret.

"He knows the songs of ancient Nilotic al-Ourouba! The places, the people, the food. He shares the poems with me. I wish I could hear them sung so I could sing them as I learned the song just now to sing, from Lady Gray's memory."

"A most talented individual, your friend." Shinah obliquely agreed with the slave girl's assessment. "When he speaks of these things, does he say from whence he learned of them? Had he a teacher, perhaps?"

[Nirilli]

"No," she shook her head. "Or not here, anyway."

"He spends time there. He walks the streets. He listens and learns. Isn't that remarkable? I wish I could visit. He lives there, he said. Half here, half there. Have you ever heard of such a thing? He doesn't know how it happens. Only that it does."

He'd probably be glad for more information. Maybe she could learn something helpful to him!

"Would you like to hear about Nilotic al-Ourouba? A poem from our once river-home?"

[Kannon]

"It may be something we can look into though, under the pretense that this conspiracy they are concerned about might be targeting the lions."

"I suppose in politics some arguments don't have to make much sense to pass as plausible if the parties are willing. I'll do what needs to be done once you point me to it." Xard said quietly.

[Cuyler Gray]

"You've warned me about the Bene Gesserit, but do you have any specific opinions regarding the ones present?" Shr asked.

[Kannon]

"I have suspicion that the Strategos' concubine at least matches my botanical knowledge, and likely exceeds it. Beyond that, I have little clue."

[Cuyler Gray]

"Well, I should go talk to her." She gave him a parting smile and left to approach Salomea.

[Sister Shinah]

"No," she shook her head. "Or not here, anyway."

"He spends time there. He walks the streets. He listens and learns. Isn't that remarkable? I wish I could visit. He lives there, he said. Half here, half there. Have you ever heard of such a thing? He does know how it happens. Only that it does."

He'd probably be glad for more information. Maybe she could learn something helpful to him!

"Would you like to hear about Nilotic al-Ourouba? A poem from our once river-home?"

Nirilli's explanation didn't make much sense to Shinah at that precise moment in time, but if there's anything her years with the Sisterhood had taught her, it was that nonsensical things at the moment had an ability to tessellate out to something much greater than initially expected.

Sometimes, uncomfortably so.

"Such an earnest offering, Nirilli. Very well. Tell me of the poems of your river-home."

[Nirilli]

Nirilli's explanation didn't make much sense to Shinah at that precise moment in time, but if there's anything her years with the Sisterhood had taught her, it was that nonsensical things at the moment had an ability to tessellate out to something much greater than initially expected.

Sometimes, uncomfortably so.

"Such an earnest offering, Nirilli. Very well. Tell me of the poems of your river-home."

"Here is one he shared with me recently."

"Cicada is dear to cicada,
Ant loves ant, hawks hawk;
But me the muse and song enchant.
Of this may my house be full;
For neither sleep nor spring
Suddenly appearing is more sweet,
Nor flowers to bees,
Than the presence of the muse to me."

"We were talking about the lions," she added quickly. It almost sounded romantic out of context. "That they love only their fellow lions. They tolerate us when they must, but it does not change that we are their prey."

That was extra sad now. After the accident. All too true.

[Kannon]

"Well, I should go talk to her." She gave him a parting smile and left to approach Salomea.

"Ms Gray." Salomea acknowledged her with s nod, terminating some unseen communication with Cordana. "I see the planetologist has taken interest in the gardens."

[Cuyler Gray]

"Yes. Dr. Vim has found the selection of flora here to be quite interesting." She nodded. "He's shared a few insights with me, but I was hoping you would be willing to share your knowledge of the garden with me."