Ivan Xav Vorpatril (
middlingalong) wrote2014-07-13 11:17 am
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bioestheties exhibition
The following day they visit the 149th Annual Bioestheties Exhibition, Class A, Dedicated to the Memory of the Celestial Lady. This dedication, though rather last-minute, makes it a key stop for offworlders on Eta Ceta for funerary proceedings. Lord Vorreedi is, unexpectedly, present too; he may be hard to slip.
The exhibits are gorgeous. Unnatural colors of various flowers are sufficiently routine to be used as borders for the real show - fish with clan marks on their scales (this exhibitor is about twelve), a pet unicorn (this one is possibly not even an exhibit), a tendril of vine that attempts to entrap Ivan's foot (its keeper dislodges it), and a kitten tree.
Ivan is displeased by the kitten tree, believing there to be glue involved in the attachment of kittens to their pods. He picks one in a determined rescue attempt. It is not ripe; the kitten expires when detached. Vorreedi offers to discreetly dispose of the poor beast, for which Ivan is intensely grateful.
Their erstwhile friend Yenaro is present. When Ivan notices, he points the man out to Miles.
The exhibits are gorgeous. Unnatural colors of various flowers are sufficiently routine to be used as borders for the real show - fish with clan marks on their scales (this exhibitor is about twelve), a pet unicorn (this one is possibly not even an exhibit), a tendril of vine that attempts to entrap Ivan's foot (its keeper dislodges it), and a kitten tree.
Ivan is displeased by the kitten tree, believing there to be glue involved in the attachment of kittens to their pods. He picks one in a determined rescue attempt. It is not ripe; the kitten expires when detached. Vorreedi offers to discreetly dispose of the poor beast, for which Ivan is intensely grateful.
Their erstwhile friend Yenaro is present. When Ivan notices, he points the man out to Miles.
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"He could be here for totally coincidental reasons," he says. "Artistic appreciation... hoping to catch the eye of a winning lady at the award ceremony later..."
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A ghem-lady approaches. She has a ring with the screaming bird insignia on it, which she gestures with at Miles, unobtrusively.
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"Crap," says Ivan. "You're really rubbing shoulders with haut-ladies, are you? Well, as close as the bubbles let you get to haut shoulders."
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Vorreedi, having got rid of the prematurely picked kitten, approaches them to say, "My lords. Something has come up. I'm going to have to leave you for a while. Stay together and don't leave the building, please."
"Yenaro's here, is that it?"
"The practical joker? We know he's here, but my analysts judge him a non-lethal annoyance; you'll have to defend yourselves from him for the moment. But the outer-perimeter man - he's a sharp one - has spotted another individual, known to us, a professional. We don't know why he's here; I have some heavier backup on the way. In the meanwhile we propose to... drop in on him for a short chat."
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Ivan snorts.
"Watch yourselves," Vorreedi cautions, and then he drifts away, as-if-casually.
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"Nevertheless," Yenaro concedes, "you are right, this display is a bit static. Step closer and we'll hand-demonstrate the effects."
Ivan isn't getting anywhere near Yenaro for love or money, anyway.
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"More zlati ale?" wonders Ivan under his breath.
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"Really, Lord Vorkosigan!" says Yenaro, exasperated, giving up the vessel without complaint.
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"What are you doing?" laughs Lady Benello. "The rug isn't part of it!"
Not part of the entry, no. But part of something else. Miles gets to his feet and takes a few steps Ivanward, away from the edge of the dangerous rug. "Hand me that pitcher, very carefully. Then give that carpet a sniff and tell me what you smell," he instructs.
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"Ivan, pull a thread or two while you're down there," he says. "I think it's time we took Lord Yenaro aside for a discreet private chat. Excuse us, please, ladies. Um - man-talk," is the best vague excuse he can summon on the spot. Rather to his surprise, it works. He leads Ivan and Yenaro - assuming the one will drag the other along bodily if necessary - to an unused and unoccupied nook several spaces away from the scent-fabric exhibit with its unlucky carpet.
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