| Logs |
2000-11-27
| Starfall |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
 |
A Formal Affair
- The incidents of the afternoon are discussed at dinner, but
no firm conclusions are reached. No further incidents mar the evening,
and soon enough the sun rises on the next day.
An envelope arrives for Carroll at breakfast, with the embossed seal of the League Embassy. Carroll examines the envelope carefully, checking seals and stamps, commenting, "I wonder what this is?"
Alex watches with impatient interest, "Maybe it's an invitation to a ball? Aren't you going to open it, Cara?!"
Carroll opens the envelope, having satisfied himself that it is a typical message from the Embassy. He chuckles at his sister and murrs, "Well, let's see then." Alex grins excitedly, then bounces up to stand behind Carroll so she can read the letter too, one small paw resting on his shoulder.
Horatio looks with interest at the envelope and letter. "I imagine that visitors don't often get such invitations, actually...."
The envelope does contain an invitation in florid handwriting, though not to a ball. "We graciously request the favor of your presence for dinner at the Embassy of the Trade League of Killimara. Friday evening at 8:00. Formal attire. RSVP." A small note is tucked in as well. "Sorry for the short notice. This is a monthly event, the local bigwigs will be here. Good place to make contacts. Yr obdt servant, T. Dannings. P.S. This is for all three of you."
Horatio blinks in surprise. "A formal dinner. Oh, my..."
Carroll comments, "Well, it seems to me that this would be a terrible opportunity to miss."
Alex hms, studying the note... then nods and murmurs in faint disappointment, "No dancing... oh well." She'll slip back into her chair and continue neatly scarfing down her breakfast. She's still pleased at the entire concept of fresh food again! She adds, chewing busily, "Fo! Wi' we be 'oing?" She swallows and sighs softly, "Formal wear. Bleah. Not only is it formal, but we don't know what formal is for here. We'll have to get Rosita to hire us a valet and lady's maid again."
Carroll nods, "I certainly think we should. I'll send back an RSVP and a note to thank Mr. Dannings right away, and we'll have at least the afternoon to make sure we're not missing anything we need to be correctly attired." He agrees with his little sister, "Yes, we need to be correct for the area." He doesn't sound at all unhappy about this idea. Alex glares glumly at her inoffensive meal... then sighs heavily -- and devours it.
Horatio blinks a little. "Formal wear? Uhm... Alex, if it helps any, I don't think the local idea of 'formal wear' will be as... erm, stuffy as it is in Starfall. It's a lot hotter and more humid here. He taps his chin, wondering what the ambassador from here to Maidstone had been wearing at the masquerade.
Alex gives Horatio another glum look, "Yeah, but you won't be stuck in a dress." Carroll shakes his head amusedly at his sister.
Horatio smiles a little, lifting up a glass of juice (he's still not entirely sure what it is). "You never know, Alex. There are some places where both genders wear the same thing." Alex hmfs at her brothers... then goes back to eating.
Carroll comments, "I'll reply to these right away, and we can try and find some local help. Rosita will again be invaluable." Alex nods to Carroll. Horatio nods to Carroll as well, and finishes off his plate, standing.
Rosita scouts around the town and soon locates the clothing shops. Estrella comes along to help out with the fittings. The Calle de los Tejadores has a number of small tailor shops to choose from; some quite opulent, others more modest.
Alex looks around morosely. It'd be all right if it were a dress for dancing... but she suspects it's going to be like most formal diplomatic affairs -- a cocktail party where everyone stands around gossiping and sniping over little snippets of food that wouldn't fill up a mouse! She sighs gloomily. Horatio takes a bit of a more philosophical approach. Whatever it is that'll be formal wear at the dinner, is probably not going to be terribly comfortable for him. Still, at least he won't be alone in wearing it... Carroll considers the tailors' shops, finally pointing to one which is nice but not opulent, and asks Rosita, "Do you think that would be an appropriate shop for us to visit, or would another be better?"
Rosita and her sister have been browsing among the shops, Estrella looking carefully at the samples before making a decision. She comes back to where the others are waiting and salutes Carroll. "I theen' thees one, Senyor Capitan." She leads the way back to a small tailoring shop on a side street. The sign on the door says simply, Herrera.
Carroll smiles and tells the armadillo, "All right then," and follows her. Horatio tilts his head a little as he looks at the sign, then follows Carroll in. Alex looks up curiously also... then also follows her brothers in, her ears drooping.
The shop is not very large, but it is neat and smells of new cloth and fresh dyes. A rather odd-looking monkey is standing behind the counter, blonde fur contrasting with a white mask and outrageous orange-tufted eyebrows. "Senyores, senyoritas... como estas?"
Alex blinks at the monkey and smiles, interested in spite of herself. Her ears come back up to their normal perky tilt, the little gold earring shining faintly in the dim light, and she glances around -- if she's going to get stuck in a dress, she might as well make sure it can also be used for dancing! Carroll smiles at the proprietor and says, "We seem to be needing some formal dress for a function tomorrow." He'll ask Rosita to translate if, as he expects, she doesn't speak the language.
Rosita and the tamarind discuss things for a moment... the tailor is alarmed at the lack of time for doing proper work apparently, judging by the looks she makes. Horatio tries to look apologetic, guessing the proprietess is disturbed by the short notice of the dinner. Alex looks fascinated, watching the tamarind's huge, tufty eyebrows going up and down! Carroll asks Rosita, "Is there some sort of problem?"
The little monkey disappears into the back of the shop for a moment, and then pops back out with a much older male of the same species. Rosita and the two discuss things some more. Horatio blinks a little, looking between the two tamarinds. I wonder if we're asking for too much at such short notice? he wonders. Alex grins, enjoying watching the haggling, the unusual and rather pretty people, and listening to the rather liquid sounding language. Rosita nods to Carroll. "She's not sure that they can do eet that quickly and do eet right. Her father does not like the idea she has of sending us to another shop..." Alex grins again. Ah, a business man!, she thinks.
Carroll smiles and murrs, "I can understand how that would be a frustrating thing to have to recommend. Is there anything we can do to facilitate things?"
Alex whispers to Carroll, "Hey, will we be needing more clothing here or anything? If we could assure him of repeat business, they might be willing to try making the clothes overnight?"
Horatio nods in agreement with Alex. "They might like that idea, yes," he whispers. "Certainly they wouldn't turn down guarantees of return customers..."
Carroll murrs, "We may." He tells Rosita, "Assure them we understand that the time is very short, and ask if we would return for more business or if we would be willing to pay for extra help, or a surcharge for the shortness of notice -- if that would help them be able to produce the clothes."
Rosita nods and joins the discussion again... the offer of extra payment makes the younger one look less argumentative. The two tamarinds finally seem to reach a conclusion. Rosita translates again: "They can do the kilts and vests, but not the blouses. Do you have sometheeng like a white shirt, Capitan? Ruffles would be nice..."
Horatio blinks, perking his ears. Kilts? he glances to Alex. Guess I was closer to right than I had imagined! Alex nods, "Sure, we can do that part. We have some nice silk ones, right, Carroll? Well... more lace than ruffles, but that's surely okay?"
Carroll tells Rosita, "I do actually have a ruffled white silk shirt."
Alex waves a small paw vaguely down her front, "How about this one? Something like this?"
Rosita points to the shirt Alex is wearing, and the two tailors look at it more closely before nodding. Alex smiles and obligingly holds out an arm so the sleeve can be closely examined. The older one looks very carefully at the material. "Si, si..." The conversation continues, with the older tamarind now and then looking at Alex's and Carroll's shirts. Horatio watches, curiously, but also, now and then, remembering what happened the other day, and glancing outside the store, hoping to see (or perhaps hoping to not see) a certain ocelot.
Carroll smiles and listens, unable to follow any of the conversation, but trying to watch faces and see if he can catch the direction. He leans over and asks Alex casually, "Did we bring any silk in our trade goods? There seems to be some interest in it. Don't let's forget."
Alex nods quietly to Carroll, "It's on our list of things to keep an eye out for here... to see if they have it or not."
Horatio blinks to Carroll at that observation. "Now I know why you're in charge of the trade part of our travels," he says wryly, grinning. Alex raises an amused eyebrow at Horatio... but doesn't say anything.
Carroll gives his brother an amused half-smile, and asks Rosita to confirm, "Is there some sort of problem with this kind of shirt? The material not right?"
Rosita shakes her head. "Ees no problem, Capitan. They are wanting to know where you are having thees material from."
Alex grins quietly -- success! She lets Carroll answer, not wanting to give too much information away. Carroll ahs and murrs, "It's called 'silk,' and it's imported from far away. It's considered a very fine material. Do they like it?"
Rosita says, "Si, Capitan. They like it very much."
Horatio himself considers silk a wonderful material. Very durable, very strong, of great use in the workshop... but wait, that's not the use they mean for it. I keep forgetting... well, I used to keep forgetting... that silk's considered a 'noble material' in its own right. Carroll remains casual and at ease. He doesn't let any of the predatory tone creep into his voice, nor does he smile too widely as he says, "It is difficult to bring things so very far, past storms and pirates and such, but it can be done, at some expense."
The elder tamarind nods, but then claps his hands. "Muy pronto..." Rosita translates it as a request to get things rolling quickly if they are to get done by tomorrow evening -- but that the price of such a material needs to be discussed later. The seamstress takes Alex to be measured, while the tailor bows to Carroll and Horatio and leads them to a different room for the same purpose. Alex sighs softly, then smiles resignedly and heads off to be fitted... for the dreaded dress. She asks Rosita to be sure that whatever she's getting stuc- er, fitted for, can also be used for dancing, please? Horatio blinks, trailing along after Carroll into the second measuring room.
The clothing is ready and fitted in time -- barely in time, but in time -- and the St. Genevieve siblings are in fine local style for the embassy party. Dannings meets the foxes shortly after they arrive and introduces them to several local furrs -- ranchers, mine owners, other traders, and government officials. Most, but not all, are male, with their wives along with them. Dannings also points out several officials from other embassies, including the Imperial envoy, the Ha'Sheeran ambassador (not that he's hard to pick out, wearing the usual bizarrely colored shirt above the local style kilt), and another coyote from Costa Yermo.
Carroll leads his family in, and takes stock of the room, noting both those he's happy to talk to, and at least one he'd rather not, but will be perfectly polite to should the opportunity arise. Horatio is reasonably comfortable actually, in the Iniestan garb. It's too bad this might not catch on in Starfall, he thinks. It's comparatively cooler up there... Alex looks around curiously from where she stands quite properly, small right paw looped in Carroll's left arm... then sighs. Great... a whole bunch of unemployed spouses with nothing to do but gossip... morosely Alex reflects that the sniping should fly thick and fast tonight! She sighs softly again, her ears flattening slightly and making her earring glitter as she thinks, I'm hip deep in bored biddies... could it possibly get worse... Horatio gives a cursory glance around the room. I wonder if there's any ocelots here... not that even if there were, they'd be related to our tail from a couple days ago. Ergh... poor Alex, she's going to find this simply dreadful. I can't say I blame her.
There is a table with hors d'oeuvres and drinks by one side of the room, and most of the furrs seem to be wandering by it every now and again. The Ha'Sheeran ambassador is a fox himself -- white fur and small ears, but definitely a fox -- and he nods to Alex and her brothers over his drink. Dannings excuses himself after the first set of introductions to attend to other guests. Carroll has collected himself a drink, and notes the Ha'Sheeran ambassador's nod. He meanders that way and will introduce himself to the other fox, unless he's interrupted en route.
Alex sticks quietly next to Carroll, and plasters her ever-so-proper 'formal face' on. She'll nibble hors d'oeuvres and sip her drink as she looks around and collects impressions and listens to small talk. Maybe she'll overhear something useful to the family. Horatio remains close by Carroll and Alex, just to not be adrift in this sea of... well... he's not sure what it is. The affairs at Maidstone and Ettore seemed a lot more enjoyable than this (ah, Ettore... such a wonderful time that was, so long ago, but it feels like, well, only a few days ago when he met Jessie... He breaks from the reminiscing of days past, however enjoyable)... he occasionally retrieves something to nibble on from the table, being as polite as the Academy student knows how in an uncomfortable social situation.
The arctic fox introduces himself as Kyle Tanneski. "Welcome to Iniesta."
Carroll smiles and makes a point to introduce his family as well. He then says, "So far it has been a pleasure to be here, although we've only been here a short while ourselves." Alex nods politely, with a faint smile. Horatio smiles and inclines his head in greeting to Tanneski.
Tanneski nods and offers a hand to each of them. "It's not a bad place really, once you get used to the thin air. Working on trade relations, I assume?"
Carroll nods and confirms this, "Yes indeed, looking to meet new people and find new opportunities."
Alex scans the room (and the Ha'Sheeran) idly for magic. She smiles faintly as she notices the Ha'Sheeran, as per her other experiences, is loaded down with magical toys! She wonders idly what the Ha'Sheerans fear so... then she tilts her head, studying one of the Hamasurans curiously. He was pointed out as a prominent Senator, she recalls. Quite a strong aura he has too.
Tanneski nods. "I'd say there's opportunities here. We've been doing some trading ourselves but... you folks are usually better at it. Bulk is the problem, mostly. The Hamasurans have ores, but it ships easier once it's been refined."
Horatio can't help but interject curiously, "And there aren't enough refining facilities here, I take it, to make shipping refined material in bulk economical?"
Carroll smiles and murrs, "Trade is something we are in a good position for. Each seems to have their advantages, though."
The white fox nods and turns to Horatio. "It's just that they don't have the cash, or maybe the expertise, to set up a large metallurgical operation. If they could refine it cheaply, they could afford to ship it."
Alex's eyebrows rise slowly, and she wonders why the Ha'Sheerans didn't just set up shop here! -then hms quietly to herself. She wonders if Father would like to do that... set up a metal refining operation. Might be worth it... maybe. Would take some heavy duty research first, of course... Horatio blinks. "Interesting..." He wonders briefly if an alchemical process has already been studied. Undoubtedly, he reasons. They've been at this much, much longer than you've been a student, Horatio... still, I wonder. Between Senyor Valencia's new material and this, I think I have enough to work on for a few weeks in my off hours!
Carroll murrs, "It's a pity they don't overcome that, for their own sake. I wonder if they'd consider a partnership of some sort?"
Tanneski shrugs. "There might be someone interested. You'd probably want to talk to someone who's already in the business of mining."
Carroll nods, replying, "That would make the most sense, yes."
Alex sighs softly and imperceptibly as she quietly wanders back to the buffet table. Well... at least there aren't any gossipy biddies staring and tittering at her, she reflects. Horatio sees Alex and Carroll split up, and fights down a momentary panic. Relax, Horry, he thinks. It's not like when Master Trendlus accidentally left me alone with that boiling fulminate of essence of fire, and accidentally locked the door... then again, that was the week after Giani and I -- also "accidentally" -- set fire to his hat. Hey, now that I think about it, he didn't lock me in there accidentally at all! Why that... that...! Erm... turnabout is fair play, I suppose. I'll have to thank him for that lesson when I see him again... Horatio's little ruminations bring him back towards the hors d'oeuvres table, and starting on his own meandering circuit of the room.
Carroll politely excuses himself from the Ambassador and moves through the crowd slowly, listening for conversations relevant to him and appearing open and easy to speak to, smiling and nodding to the folks that Dannings introduced him to. An herbivore with long silky hair introduces himself to Carroll as he circulates. "Senyor San Genevieve? I am Jose Aguirre. I unnerstan' that you are in the trading business, si?"
Carroll smiles and replies, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Senyor Aguirre. You understand correctly; we are traders."
Aguirre nods. "I am wondering eef eet ees possible to make improve tools for plowing. I have heard that your people make tools for the Empire, si?"
Carroll nods and replies, "Yes, we do make steel tools and plows. If you have a need for them I'm sure we can help fulfill it."
The alpaca nods. "I am theenking so, as your ambassador has said thees. Eet ees the cost that has been a problem, senyor."
Alex wanders back to her brothers, a drink in one small paw, the other resting on her sword belt. She smiles and nods politely to the alpaca, even as she notes what lovely fur he has... very graceful person, she realizes. She sips her drink, listening. Carroll ahs, and replies, "That is another problem, yes. How can we help with you this?"
Aguirre grins. "A lower price would help much, senyor. Or higher prices for what we sell would do the same."
Alex flicks an ear in faint amusement, then inquires, "Is it that you need more plows, or improved plows, or something else entirely?" Horatio eventually, having not run into anyone who seemed interested in discussing the elemental essences (he's amusing himself by not being shocked. In the Academy, that was considered light cocktail fare for the faculty), sees that his other two siblings have gathered together again, discussing something with an alpaca, and he discretely rejoins them.
Carroll smiles and answers with, "That's the obvious answer, yes. I wouldn't be able to discuss price firmly with you right now, as I'm not aware of all the costs involved on our side and will have to do some research. However, you might be able to help me do the right research." So saying, he asks the alpaca some relevant questions, including what they'd been quoted before, whom they spoke to, and what they'd like to pay.
The conversation turns toward the costs involved in grain production, the need for heavy plows in the upland soil, shipping costs and spoilage on route to the League... in the end it appears the best solution would be to find markets for grain closer to Hamasura than the League is. The Empire is closer and cheaper for the most part, and that will limit the price that can be obtained for food. Carroll concludes, "Well, it looks like that's what the solution is, unless someone is able to find a way to produce the needed tools cheaper, or locally, or to prevent or minimize the spoilage." He shakes his head and adds, "I wish I could help you more."
The alpaca looks discouraged, but nods. "Eef you would continue to theenk about thees, senyor, I -- we all -- would be most grateful."
Carroll nods and murrs, "Of course. If I see anything in my travels that may help, I will bring it to your attention." He considers, and then says, "I know someone who's very good about thinking about things and finding unusual solutions everyone else has overlooked." He looks for his brother in the crowd.
Horatio happens to be near by Carroll, in fact is thinking, they'd need to refine the metals they mine, he thinks. That would pave the way for local industry... He blinks as Carroll looks around, and looks up. "Er... yes, Carroll...?"
Carroll smiles and introduces Horatio as his brother, and as a skilled thinker, engineer, and alchemist. He goes over the complications of the problem with him, reviewing them when he discovers he had been listening, and asks, "Do you see any way to solve this conundrum? A different kind of plow, or something?"
Horatio taps his chin thoughtfully. "Well," he says tentatively, "-one of the ways to do this is to refine the metal locally. There seems to be a dearth of metalworkers as well; that skill would need to be brought in. Once metal can be worked locally, plows can be made to fit local conditions..." He shakes his head, sighing, "Other than that... well, there's more to it than that, I'm sure, but I'd need some time to study the problem a little closer."
Alex occasionally wanders around, desperately trying not to be too unutterably bored. She's faintly relieved that Nanna hammered wearing the right 'face' so thoroughly into her skull, regardless of the fact that it was boring! At one point she wanders by the Senator, curiously eyeing his aura and trying to remember if she was introduced to a senatorial wife. She sighs softly, remembering... Senator Diego Ochita and his wife Maria. Oh well... she'd been thinking of entertaining herself a bit by seeing if the senator could see auras as well... but she's not in the mood to have to deal with jealous wives.
Various other conversations pass the time before dinner is served, but none of any moment. When it is time to be seated, the St. Genevieve trio is placed with a pair of marmots, an armadillo, and a jaguar and his wife. Carroll introduces himself and his brother and sister to the others nearby and tries to get their names and to find out what each of them does. Alex does the nod and smile routine as her brother introduces them... idly she wonders if these poor diplomat-wives ever do ANYthing interesting... then quietly chides herself. Maybe they all adore going out and racing around in the mountains on horseback, for all she knows... and they're as bored as she! She grins at the thought.
The marmots are Manuel and Isabel Vincenza, and are apparently in the gold mining business. The jaguars are Felipe and Costanza Llano -- one of the few female Delegates and her husband, who's in the timber business. The armadillo introduces himself as Carlos Montego, and is a junior member of the Carbredan Embassy staff. Carroll smiles and murrs, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Senyor Montego." He tries to ask unobtrusively about the trade potential for Carbredan.
Horatio smiles as he is introduced, inclining his head politely. After the conversation with the alpaca, he remembers that trade is one of their primary purposes here, not continually looking over their shoulders. So he tries to absorb what trade acumen Carroll has, trying to see it in the same light as the sciences he studies. Carroll nods and smiles and makes encouraging noises at Montego, thinking, Timber, and sugar cane. Sounds typical for jungle with no real farmland. Thinly populated, too. Naphtha seeping from the ground to sell might be interesting if it's worth enough. I need to remember to ask Horatio.
Costanza seems to be content to listen for the time being -- perhaps not surprising, as no one here is one of her constituents -- but her husband and the marmots go on for some time about the problems they have with tools that wear out too quickly. Bronze tools. Alex curiously asks them if they don't prefer steel to bronze though? Carroll thinks, These people really need their own steel mill here. Horatio perks his ears. Bronze tools only... this goes back to them not being able to refine their own metals...
Alex frowns at a sudden thought... then also quietly asks if Costa Yermo has steel available perhaps? Horatio perks his ears even more, glancing to Alex, unable to keep a faint hint of worry from his thoughts. The armadillo answers that one. "Not een any great quantity, milord. The Tejado del Mundo has silver, gold, copper and jade, but little iron."
Alex looks quietly thoughtful... then, after a moment, casually inquires as to whether the surrounding countries ever worry about Costa Yermo making a political marriage with Maidstone... which has quite a bit of steel resources available? Horatio considers that. Steel. Costa Yermo, like the other local areas, has a dearth of iron, and so cannot make steel and other similar alloys. With an influx of steel... he blinks to Alex. Yes... an influx of steel, which an alliance with Maidstone would provide! Costa Yermo -- the Prince would be able to walk all over their neighbors!
Delegate Llano responds to that. "Eet was very much a concern of ours, senyora. We are quite glad that notheeng has come of eet."
Carroll smiles and comments, "So am I, but for entirely different reasons."
Alex coughs gently, with an amused sideways glance at her oldest brother, and says, "So... steel is a big need here then, but there's no steel to develop, as well as no place with the techniques with which to make it, right?"
Horatio taps his chin. I'm no politician, he thinks, but... "Providing a way for them to make steel cheaply and locally," he murmurs so only Alex and Carroll might hear, "-might help to preserve some sort of détente..."
Manuel nods. "Thees ees the problem, senyora. We would like to buy steel, but we are far from where eet ees made and we have little iron of our own."
Alex hms... "So even if you did have a steel refinery here it wouldn't do you much good... unless you imported the ore, yes?" She whispers curiously to her brothers, "What's the expensive part of refining ore into steel, guys? Would it be worth it to refine it here?"
The marmot nods. "Si, senyora, that ees the problem."
Carroll asks Manuel, "Why don't you buy the steel then? Purely the expense of it and its shipping?"
Manuel nods. "The price of silver and gold ees low, because Costa Yermo sells it cheaply. So, since we have free furrs working in our mines, we cannot afford to import tools."
Horatio blinks and frowns. Costa Yermo, again... Alex nods quietly, still thinking... then sighs softly, wishing she could figure out some way to depose the mad prince of Costa Yermo... a lot of problems would be solved -- or at least dramatically lessened! -- were he to no longer be in power.... Carroll glances to the Costa Yermo representative and says merely, "I see," with a slight frown. He shakes his head and murrs, "A difficult conundrum indeed. I see no easy, politically acceptable solution."
Horatio adds a little uneasily, "Though it... deserves further consideration..."
Vincenza nods. "Eef you make it up to the mountains, senyor, I would be honored eef you would veeseet us. Eef you could suggest anytheeng to increase our productivity, we would be most grateful... and eet ees said that you of Starfall are most knowledgeable in the ways of mining."
Alex smiles at the pleasant spoken marmot... and wonders if any of her siblings know anything about mining. Horatio maybe. Certainly not her! Carroll asks his brother and sister, "Does a trip to visit the mines sound interesting?" Alex smiles politely and nods to Carroll, desperately thinking anything but another stultifying formal party gab-fest goddess help meee! Carroll looks back at the marmot and replies, "It sounds to me to be an interesting trip. I think we'd be quite pleased to come. Let's schedule and make sure we have clear directions."
Vincenza smiles and gives the directions. "Or, eef you would do us the honor, we are returning in a few days ourselves and could escort you personally, si?"
Carroll ahs, and replies, "That would be perfect."