04-27-2023, 07:12 PM
The Duty of Daughters - Part 1
Fortunately for Reena Patel, a precedent had been set three years ago when Xia Chiu was imprisoned by her grandmother. In her panic, she had forgotten her own part in the plot to rescue Xia. Her imprisonment was legal under the Council Family Private Property Act. On the private property of a Council Family, the head of that family's word was law. So because her aunt Nirmala had permitted it, Reena was at her mercy, as Xia had once been.
Xia, Olivia Pierre, Rosemary Arnott and Natasha Robinson (from exile) did not, however, intend to allow Reena to suffer the wrath of her family. After Xia's imprisonment, and the later incident with the pro-Fleming Lauchenoirians, and Emperor Xochiuhue of wannabe nuclear fame, Olivia Pierre had implemented certain policies to track the members of their little Conspiracy of Daughters. When Reena was out of contact for a mere day, they figured it out.
If the members of the Conspiracy were to attack the Patel Estate - or even set foot on it - they could legally be shot, tortured, or any number of horrible fates. Except Rosemary, as a Councillor in her own right. And so, as the only member of the group who could safely set foot in the Patel mansion, she was assigned the necessary but often loathed role of "distraction".
Since Natasha Robinson could not set foot on the territory of Kerlile, she would have to provide remote support. None of the group were expert hackers, but fortunately for them they had certain contacts south of the border. Jessica Cassidy, the Lauchenoirian hacker who was poisoned in 2019, was still alive - if bedridden. And she'd been recruited into their reformist conspiracy years ago. If Jessica could get into the cameras, Natasha could watch them.
Xia, who was pregnant again, had to be careful. That didn't mean she couldn't drive the getaway vehicle. Her children would have been an issue, but she trusted eight-year-old Jia enough to recruit her into a ruse. She was to convince Councillor Hale that she and her brother really, really wanted to stay and play with Amelia. If they were on the Hale Estate, the same private property law would protect them if anything went wrong.
Which left Olivia with the dangerous job. She would have to sneak into the basement-dungeon to free Reena. This would not be easy. In another time, they'd have recruited an Aurora or three. But, well, that would be pouring fuel on the fire at this point. So Olivia would have to hope her obsessive attendance at self-defence classes could translate to offence.
They would implement their plan the evening after Amelia Hale's party. Given the known habits of both Nirmala and Yamunda, hopefully both would be too drunk to see anything amiss. Hopefully. Because if this failed, each and every one of them might end up right there beside Reena, at the mercy of Nirmala Patel and her torture-obsessed sister.
The Duty of Daughters - Part 2
Patel Estate, Primrose Region, Kerlile
“Councillor Arnott, what a pleasant surprise,” lied Nirmala Patel as she opened the door to see her young Arnott counterpart standing outside. “What brings you here at this hour?” she asked, given it was 11pm.
“Councillor Patel, I have just received the most disturbing news about Lauchenoiria!” Rosemary said, faking distress. “I must inform you of it at once!”
“Lauchenoiria?” Nirmala asked, now curious. That certainly wasn’t what she was expecting. She invited the young daughter of the President inside, and ordered some servants to bring them a selection of biscuits and drinks. The drinks, Rosemary noted, were alcoholic. She thanked Nirmala for the hospitality and avoided drinking anything. One does not drink alcohol when one is in the middle of a dangerous plot.
“What could the Lauchenoirians possibly do at this hour that would bring you here, but not lead to a Full Council?” Nirmala asked, once they were settled.
“It’s about your sister Yamunda,” Rosemary began. “You see, I happened to hear a rumour that the Lauchenoirians want to try her for crimes against humanity!”
“The Lauchenoirians want to try us all for crimes against humanity,” shrugged Nirmala. “That’s hardly news.”
“Yes, but I heard they have a plan to lure her to the border and kidnap her!”
“What could they possibly do that would encourage Yamunda to go near the border of that patriarchal basketcase?”
“I don’t know, but you ought to check she’s okay!”
Nirmala rolled her eyes, but summoned a servant to fetch Yamunda. When Yamunda appeared, she had clearly been in bed. Rosemary relaxed a little; this hadn’t been necessary, neither of them was downstairs with Reena. Rosemary poured a glass of the strongest wine in the selection and handed it to Yamunda, who immediately accepted. Rosemary started again with her false concern, asking Yamunda about any emails from suspicious Lauchenoirians.
*
At the same time, Natasha Robinson watched a live feed from a drone they had flying just outside the Patel property line. Jessica had proven unavailable, so the drone would have to do. She had control over it now, passed to her remotely from Xia who’d gotten it close. She was to watch for anyone going in the outside entrance to the basement, and if so then distract them by flying the drone nearer and around in circles to cause a commotion. Fortunately, the grounds of the Patel Estate remained empty.
*
Xia Chiu sat in the driver’s seat of a car registered to the Arnott Family, and assigned for Rosemary’s use. She was dressed as an Arnott chauffeur, and was parked at the bottom of the Patel driveway. If questioned, she could quite honestly point out that Councillor Rosemary Arnott was visiting the Patels. All she could do now was wait.
Fortunately for Reena Patel, a precedent had been set three years ago when Xia Chiu was imprisoned by her grandmother. In her panic, she had forgotten her own part in the plot to rescue Xia. Her imprisonment was legal under the Council Family Private Property Act. On the private property of a Council Family, the head of that family's word was law. So because her aunt Nirmala had permitted it, Reena was at her mercy, as Xia had once been.
Xia, Olivia Pierre, Rosemary Arnott and Natasha Robinson (from exile) did not, however, intend to allow Reena to suffer the wrath of her family. After Xia's imprisonment, and the later incident with the pro-Fleming Lauchenoirians, and Emperor Xochiuhue of wannabe nuclear fame, Olivia Pierre had implemented certain policies to track the members of their little Conspiracy of Daughters. When Reena was out of contact for a mere day, they figured it out.
If the members of the Conspiracy were to attack the Patel Estate - or even set foot on it - they could legally be shot, tortured, or any number of horrible fates. Except Rosemary, as a Councillor in her own right. And so, as the only member of the group who could safely set foot in the Patel mansion, she was assigned the necessary but often loathed role of "distraction".
Since Natasha Robinson could not set foot on the territory of Kerlile, she would have to provide remote support. None of the group were expert hackers, but fortunately for them they had certain contacts south of the border. Jessica Cassidy, the Lauchenoirian hacker who was poisoned in 2019, was still alive - if bedridden. And she'd been recruited into their reformist conspiracy years ago. If Jessica could get into the cameras, Natasha could watch them.
Xia, who was pregnant again, had to be careful. That didn't mean she couldn't drive the getaway vehicle. Her children would have been an issue, but she trusted eight-year-old Jia enough to recruit her into a ruse. She was to convince Councillor Hale that she and her brother really, really wanted to stay and play with Amelia. If they were on the Hale Estate, the same private property law would protect them if anything went wrong.
Which left Olivia with the dangerous job. She would have to sneak into the basement-dungeon to free Reena. This would not be easy. In another time, they'd have recruited an Aurora or three. But, well, that would be pouring fuel on the fire at this point. So Olivia would have to hope her obsessive attendance at self-defence classes could translate to offence.
They would implement their plan the evening after Amelia Hale's party. Given the known habits of both Nirmala and Yamunda, hopefully both would be too drunk to see anything amiss. Hopefully. Because if this failed, each and every one of them might end up right there beside Reena, at the mercy of Nirmala Patel and her torture-obsessed sister.
The Duty of Daughters - Part 2
Patel Estate, Primrose Region, Kerlile
“Councillor Arnott, what a pleasant surprise,” lied Nirmala Patel as she opened the door to see her young Arnott counterpart standing outside. “What brings you here at this hour?” she asked, given it was 11pm.
“Councillor Patel, I have just received the most disturbing news about Lauchenoiria!” Rosemary said, faking distress. “I must inform you of it at once!”
“Lauchenoiria?” Nirmala asked, now curious. That certainly wasn’t what she was expecting. She invited the young daughter of the President inside, and ordered some servants to bring them a selection of biscuits and drinks. The drinks, Rosemary noted, were alcoholic. She thanked Nirmala for the hospitality and avoided drinking anything. One does not drink alcohol when one is in the middle of a dangerous plot.
“What could the Lauchenoirians possibly do at this hour that would bring you here, but not lead to a Full Council?” Nirmala asked, once they were settled.
“It’s about your sister Yamunda,” Rosemary began. “You see, I happened to hear a rumour that the Lauchenoirians want to try her for crimes against humanity!”
“The Lauchenoirians want to try us all for crimes against humanity,” shrugged Nirmala. “That’s hardly news.”
“Yes, but I heard they have a plan to lure her to the border and kidnap her!”
“What could they possibly do that would encourage Yamunda to go near the border of that patriarchal basketcase?”
“I don’t know, but you ought to check she’s okay!”
Nirmala rolled her eyes, but summoned a servant to fetch Yamunda. When Yamunda appeared, she had clearly been in bed. Rosemary relaxed a little; this hadn’t been necessary, neither of them was downstairs with Reena. Rosemary poured a glass of the strongest wine in the selection and handed it to Yamunda, who immediately accepted. Rosemary started again with her false concern, asking Yamunda about any emails from suspicious Lauchenoirians.
*
At the same time, Natasha Robinson watched a live feed from a drone they had flying just outside the Patel property line. Jessica had proven unavailable, so the drone would have to do. She had control over it now, passed to her remotely from Xia who’d gotten it close. She was to watch for anyone going in the outside entrance to the basement, and if so then distract them by flying the drone nearer and around in circles to cause a commotion. Fortunately, the grounds of the Patel Estate remained empty.
*
Xia Chiu sat in the driver’s seat of a car registered to the Arnott Family, and assigned for Rosemary’s use. She was dressed as an Arnott chauffeur, and was parked at the bottom of the Patel driveway. If questioned, she could quite honestly point out that Councillor Rosemary Arnott was visiting the Patels. All she could do now was wait.
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