Insanity

[Brian]

It turns out that after slipping through the crowd for a hundred meters or so, there's a smaller (and much more discrete) gate into the palace.  The guard leads Nathan through this, into a sizable guardroom.  Once the door is shut, the sound of the crowd (a constant buzz) cuts off.  In the anabaric light, Molly is clearly visible -- though still a bit transparent.

The guard bows apologetically, and Nathan notices another pair sitting at the room's sole furnishing -- a small table pushed against the wall with a bench across it.  The two other guards nod, one of them rising to bolt the door.  All of the guards appear to have very fine quality mechanical revolvers (no anabaric power-cells visible).

"The Maestro wished to speak with you," the first guard adds helpfully, before Nathan can speak.  Then he gestures down the hall leading deeper into the palace.  "You can wait in Inspector Holmes's office, if you'd like."

[Rezantis]

"I'll do that, but where exactly is it?" Nathan asks, "It's been a while, and last time I was here it was a little quick for me to get my bearings."

[Brian]

"This way," the guard says again, leading Nathan through the palace.  Down a hall, up some stairs, and to an elevator.  The Inspector's office is about eight stories up, it looks like.  When Nathan gets there, the Inspector is standing with his back to the door, peering down through the large window covering the entire rear wall at the fair-goers.

"Dr. Shuker," he says.  "Good to see that you're well."  He turns around then, as the guard dismisses himself with a bow.  "Would you care for a drink?"

[Rezantis]

"No, thank you Inspector," Nathan replies, "I just wanted a word with you about a few things, first amongst them the Starflare."

[Brian]

The Inspector raises an eyebrow.  "An interesting topic," he murmurs.  "One wonders at the coincidence of it coming up again.  Very well, Master Shuker.  What would you like to know?"

[Rezantis]

"I've been in contact with Christianson - he's aboard the Starflare, and it's intact."

[Brian]

Holmes blinks languidly.  "That's quite interesting," he muses.  "It would mean quite a bit for supporters of the king, if it would return.  Do you know when, or if that is likely to happen?"

[Rezantis]

"As far as I know - 'if' is a definite.  I don't have a precise time as to when, but I think fairly soon . . . and I should have a timeframe later today, or tomorrow at the outside."

"I have something else, but first a follow-up question to that - I'm not exactly familiar with the political scene around here.  What's that likely to do, and how can we make use of it?"

[Brian]

"The Starflare's return?" Holmes asks, raising an eyebrow.  "It secures the king's position.  For one thing, it validates his Spark, making it unquestionable that he's a true heir.  Rumors have been circulating, founded, I'm sure, by the opposition.  This would clear those out.  In addition, the Starflare represents quite a bit of our military force, so more overt attempts to seize the king's power would be likewise stymied.  Those are the two most important factors, immediately.

"Beyond that, a successful voyage will prove that we have no need to listen to the Church, and our own Gate technicians will be able to experiment in peace, to learn the true nature of the Gates.  Ideally, we'd send a military expedition to capture the next sphere, then perfect the Shroud crossing while learning how the Gates worked.  It is because we are approaching shortages of supplies and ... well ... space, that the people are becoming so restless."  Holmes frowns, then turns to the large window behind his desk.  "Quite a bit of space is wasted ... already there's a growing trend of rooftop gardens to supplement a household's food stores.  Soon it will be a necessity instead of a trend.  I doubt the Church realizes how precarious our position here is.

"Royal and military anabarists already spend an untoward amount of time protecting crops from fire and insects.  Our forests have almost been entirely cleared to make fields for farming.  We've converted any number of our emptied mines into complex underground farms ... the situation grows grim, and we can do little more than bide our time and trust in the Spark.  The people want to believe in it ... but with no proof...."  He shrugs, his expression distant, eyes on the far away horizon.

[Rezantis]

"I'll make sure Bjorn's aware of it's urgency," Nathan says, frowning, "but I know he's aboard it and their intent is to return.  The only question is when they'll arrive."

"But if you have the time, tell me of Hathoway - I think I know what his thugs were looking for in my house, and I doubt you'll like it."

[Brian]

The elder Shuker chooses this moment to manifest, appearing behind Holmes.  "Hello," he says, bright and cheerful.  Then he pauses, glancing at the Inspector to gauge what's going on.

"Hathoway was a staunch supporter of Aliester to take the crown," Holmes says with a sigh, rubbing his temples.  "This would have been twenty years ago, now.  And Hathoway would have been just sixty, then.  Still alive.  He was one of our foremost Gate technicians -- experimenting on criminals in the hopes of finding a way to translate outside of Anabara with minimal consequence.  I dare say that with more time and victims, he would have been entirely successful.  Unfortunately, he went through convicts too quickly for the taste of the public."

"Is this an inopportune time?" the elder Shuker asks with a frown.

[Rezantis]

Nathan blinks in surprise.

"A moment, Inspector . . .", he says, shifting his gaze to the ghost, "That was quicker than I thought, did Bjorn tell you when?"

[Brian]

"Very soon," the elder Shuker says, offering a pleased smile.  "I'm not sure how long it took me to get here, but he said within three hours."

Holmes blinks languidly.

[Rezantis]

"Uh."

Nathan looks taken aback by this.

"Apparently, Inspector, the Starflare should arrive sometime within the next three hours," he relays, "and Bjorn didn't think to pass that on before?  I swear I'll smack him one."

[Brian]

"Within the next three hours!" Holmes exclaims, jumping to his feet.  "There's scarcely enough time to warn-"

But then, timing seems to be an issue here, because alarms begin sounding throughout the palace. Already on his feet, Holmes makes a dash for the door, yelling, "Call off the defenses!  Call off the defenses!  It's the Starflare!"

A moment later, a voice echoes from the sky.  Not just any voice, Bjorn's voice: "This is the HMS Starflare. In the name of the King, cease your fire and stand down."

Almost immediately, Aliester's voice launches itself skyward, just as audible.  "HMS Starflare, this is Aliester Sondheim, Minister to His Majesty.  You are ordered to come about and make landing at the southern Imperial Shipyard.  Cease further communications until this point."

Holmes, now halfway down the hall, says, "We must meet with Aliester; his ornithopter will be leaving for the shipyard shortly, and I think this is something we'd best not miss."