Mother Superior's Office -- Chapter House (Kaitain)

 

A dark office, paneled in ancient mahogany, quaint in its size, comfortable with its furnishings: desk, leather-backed chairs, suspensed glow-globes which emit a soft light.

A wide window on the eastern wall over looks the Emerald Lawn and rose gardens, low bookshelves line that wall. An abstract painting, with bold lines and richly saturated colors hangs on the southern wall, singularly defining the room and its occupant.

 

Players:

�Ysanne�������������������������������������������

Exits:

�Oaken Door <W> leads to Proctor Hall -- Chapter House (Kaitain)

 

 

Ysanne   �������� Skin once smooth and free of blemish is now marked with a patchwork of wrinkles and lines as age has taken its inevitable toll. Still, her features retain some of her youthful qualities; her profile is as defined as ever it was, patrician features chiseled and refined into distinct curves and angles. Her eyes, brilliant cerulean, show only hints of the shadings of melange in their whites. She is of average height for a woman, her build perhaps a little on the spare side. Hair long since gone to a salt-and-pepper grey has been left to grow, its length reaching well down her back when left unbound. �������� Long black aba robes grace her form, the fitted sleeves reaching down to her wrists a contrast to the otherwise flowing nature of the garment. A voluminous hood has been pushed back from her face, its folds blending in to the uniform darkness of the rest of the aba.

 

 

�������� Late afternoon sun shines in through half-drawn blinds, the rays tinted with the faintest traces of red and orange. It's not yet dusk, yet the light indicates the day is quickly headed that way; the windows are faintly aglow.

�

�Seated at her desk is the Mother Superior. Clothed, as always, in black, she is in the midst of reading papers that are assembled before her. She glances up as you enter.

 

������� A young girl enters the office, covered with a black cloak of some smooth yet thick fabric, tightly held around her neck by a big greenish button oddly resembling a shamrock. The cloak is long, falling just above the Lady's high boots and the general outline of her black costume can be seen underneath it as she walks closer. Arriving at a propper distance from the desk she curtseys and greets: "Your Reverence. Thank you for the honour of receiving me." Her tone is gentle, quite low and deep respect and awe can be noticed by an attentive ear.

 

At the arrival of her guest, a small smile forms on the lips of the aged Reverend Mother. Dismissing the dun-robed girl with a wave of her had, she greets the Lady before her. "Lady Ginaz," she says, as the oak door swings shut. "It is a pleasure to have you. Please," she pauses to gesture toward one of the chairs facing her desk, "won't you be seated? We have much to discuss." The tone is pitched for familiarity, a hint of warmth and intimacy mingled in its cadences.

 

������� Sisay raises from her curtseys and casts a warm smile from underneath her curly hairlocks to the Reverend Mother. She seems deeply impressed by her motherly gestures and seems quite at ease in the surroundings. Folding back her cloak, she takes a seat on the appointed chair and withdraws a book and a ridulian crystal from within the warm shadow of her cloak. "In deed, Your Reverence. And here it is..." she says, putting the objects on the desk, before her. The book is black and thin, no more than hundred to hundredfifty pages, entitled: 'A Land Of Dunes'. The author's name is written in tiny letters below the title.

 

Ysanne regards the proferred writings, but does not make a move to take them. Instead, she looks from them to their author and back again, marvelling silently at the works people engage in. She is about to speak when a soft rap sounds on the door, and the dun-robed girl re-enters, bearing a tray with a tea set and assorted juices. Placing the tray silently upon the desk, the girl bobs a quick curtsey, and leaves as silently as she came. The Mother Superior, having watched the entire process with a passive expression, raises her voice in question, "Tea, Lady Ginaz?"

 

������� Still smiling, the Lady nods slowly and amusedly, not forgetting to beam a thankful smile to the young sister. By now, half of Kaitain knows I enjoy tea over water. "Most kind of you. It might be just me, but as I can tell, the tea prepared in the Chapterhouse tastes thousand times better than the one I make for myself." she says, helping herself from the tray. Craddling the little cup in her hands, she sips quietly, closing her eyes.

 

Taking a cup from the tray, the Mother Superior nods at the comment. "We grow our own tea here, Lady...it could be the freshness that so delights the taste buds." She stirs in a small amount of milk as she speaks, clinking a small silver spoon against the sides of her porcelain cup. "I will have some tea sent to the embassy, if it please you."

 

������� Sisay giggles at the Mother Superior's offer and taking another quick sip from the raw, unsweetened tea she replies: "Many thanks, but I prefer enjoing this particular flavor with Your Reverence, in your marvellous gardens or in the welcoming embrace of the Library. Personally, I find it that the surroundings add too to the flavor of a tea..." Her voice slowly trails off as it loses her control as taught by her tutor. Sadness can be felt within the ripples of her voice and were it not for the curls of her hair to shadow the edges of her eyes, the inner turmoil of the Lady would be painly visible on her expressive eyes.

 

If the Mother Superior notes the sadness, she does not give any outward sign. She only nods her head, murmuring, "Then let it be shared between us. A pleasure enjoyed within the walls of the Chapterhouse." She extends a hand to the bound volume upon her desk, touching the cover with her fingertips. "Will you tell me of your discoveries, Lady? I have heard many things about the planet Arrakis."

 

������� "Of course, Your Reverence" the Lady says, stealing another quick sip from the cup before it is placed on the desk before her. Then, looking at Ysanne in the eyes, she explains: "The book is just a narrative tale of the whole trip, seen through my eyes. Technical details have been much left out. All through the trip I tried to delve on several of the mysteries which seem to govern the planet and its ecosystem... clearly not much research has been done in the past, or if it has been the results are few and quite fuzzy..." Her voice became merrier as her work and studies clearly enjoy her.

 

Ysanne inclines her head in a nod of acceptance. "Then your research is ground-breaking work, Lady," the Mother Superior responds, admiration touching her voice. "Truly significant in the field. Please continue."

 

������� Sisay furrows her brows and shrugs lightly from her shoulders. "If it is, I am clearly too inexperienced for it... I have found traces of salt within the rocks and sand. This implies large quantities of water which existed once there and have magically dissapeared. And the water cycle of the planet cannot be explained by any of the classical theories, since the polar caps and winds do not account for it fully and this I have proven mathematically." Another sigh escapes her lips. "Many factors have been overlooked at the first exploration of the planet and everyone stopped at the spice..."

 

Ysanne's brows rise as you speak, her expression growing increasingly intent. "Water?" she murmurs thoughtfully. "On the desert planet? Surely... Well, I would not second-guess your findings, Lady, but that -does- run contrary to all reports of the planet."

 

������� Sisay nods slowly and agrees: "Yes, yes indeed. But the polar caps and air humidity don't count for all the water that supposedly exist on the planet on one form or another. Where all this mass of water is hidden... we may never know. Let's take out the spice, for argument's sake and anyone can certify that such a planet is an abberation. It couldn't exist. All the life forms prove that they have once been adapted to a watered world and mutation has accustomed them to the present environment. This is only an estimation, but whatever changed the planet so radically, happened less than one million years ago." She pauses and takes the cup again the her palms to wet her mouth with the soul-soothing liquid.

 

Ysanne, it appears, has all but forgotten about her tea, which sits up on the desk. Fitful wisps of steam still rise off the liquid, but they are fast diminishing. "Fascinating," she murmurs, and from the rapt attention she is giving you, and the barely audible tone of voice she has adopted, it would seem that she truly feels your report is just that. "What sort of adaptations did you observe, Lady?"

 

������� Besides bioengeneering, botanics and biology are the other top field the Lady is well-prepared in. She responds, casing her eyes up from the tea, as to meet the Reverend Mother's deep gaze. "A slowing of the metabolism, allowing the water to be kept more time in the organism, almost all creatures are night creatures, although the conformation of their eyes suggests this was otherwise in the past. Also the roots of some of the studied plants suggest they were once surface flowers and bushes and were recently forced to adapt in burrowing their roots deeper into the ground in search for humidity..." she explains patiently.

 

Ysanne nods, following the explanation intently. "All these things were available for your observation during this trip?" she asks. "I wonder what you might have seen, had you had more time and greater resources..." the thought trails off as she finally remembers her tea. She clasps the teacup, sipping from it quietly.

 

������� Sisay sighs again, deeper, as she breathes in. "Yes, time and security were critical and my observations refrained to the outskirts of Arakeen and the immediate desert." Pointing at the crystal she adds: "All the data together with my interpretations and suggestions I received from my teachers can be found within it. I am sorry that I brought home more questions than answers... I wished it would've been otherwise..." she trails off, clearly frustrated of this.

 

The serious expression on the Mother Superior's face softens into a smile at her guest's obvious dismay. "Do not be sorry for it," she replies. "It is questioning that drives us forward, and it is seeking that keeps us from stagnation." She pauses, letting the words sink in. "Your work may spur a great deal of interest in this planet... And that may be very significant, indeed."

 

������� The Ginaz Lady looks at Ysanne, clearly puzzled, but then she gets it and a smile lightens her face. "Now that you mention it... Yes... It is the unknown puzzles of the adventure that drive us forwards... At least for me they do." she says in a dreamy tone. "At least I started a controversy back at the College." she adds, with a grin in the corner of her lips.

 

"Ah yes," Ysanne says in a brighter tone, "the college. Tell me, how is the college faring? I recall your brave petition at Court...it seems so long ago. But now, it seems you have private patronage? For I hear your college is flourishing."

 

������� Sisay giggles merrily and nods to Ysanne. "Thank you, Reverence. We are good, several exams are due next week, and it seems they'll pester us for the rest of the year. And in deed, Her Excellency the Contessa Moritani was so kind as to offer her financial help in the matter. Although matters are not yet concluded between herself and my uncle, it seems the new Conservatory will be starting its existance soon..." A mild smile beams from the Lady as she speaks, clearly happy of the outcome of the petition.

 

 

"Has she, now," the Mother Superior says, partly to herself. "That is most generous of the Contessa. But then...she is a generous woman." Ysanne does not elaborate on why she feels this to be true. It is, apparently, merely a statement. "My Lady, I wonder if you would be so kind as to leave a copy of your report here with me. I should like to examine it with more depth than time is affording me today." She glances briefly at the report upon her desk. "I have enjoyed this meeting immensely, and look forward to many more...but I regret to say that I have an engagement which will call me away shortly."

 

������� Sisay raises from her chair and curtseys. "I understand, You Reverence. Please keep the crystal and the book as it is for your lecturing that I brought them here. Again, many thanks for your understanding and the help you are giving me. I only hope I can repay you for everything..." she says, smiling happily. Slowly she walks backwards to the door, awaiting to be escorted outside.

 

A smile touches the venerable woman's features as her guest departs. "Until next time," she says softly, the words heard only by herself.