The Best Laying of Plans (Fergus, Aiden)

Fergus wrote:"Uncle Gerard do you know who the house on the Nexus belongs to? What I mean is was the house sold to anyone else or does it still technically belong to the family? I've been wondering this as if I did not belong to Mr Forrester and the guards then how did they know that one of you would not come back to the house at some point in time? It would have been a huge risk to their entire enterprise."

"Technically, I think the house belongs to Caine and myself," Gerard looks at his brother, who nods.

"Some housekeepers were left with funds and instructions, enough for decades," says Caine. "Going back there shouldn't be any kind of real problem."

"Oh I wasn't worried about trespassing there."

Fergus laughs.

"However the people who hled me must have been worried about one of you coming back. They must have had some sort of plan to stop you from finding me, yet I assume you had no opposition when you came and rescued me? Doesn't that seem odd to you?"

"Not odd if that wasn't the direction they expected any rescue to be coming," says Caine.

"And don't think it was that easy," says Gerard. "Benedict is a genius at that kind of thing. Maybe it looked like a simple operation but that's because he's that good."

"But if you were going to hold a member of this family a prisoner, even one that the family doesn't know about, then I guess the last place you'd want to do it is in one of their own propeties. There's just too much risk involved in it. When you and Uncle Benedict investigated the religeon that was holding me did you get any hint of why they might be using the family house for it?"

"We never even found a hint that anyone at the Nexus had ever heard of Amber, to be honest," says Gerard. "Maybe folks do, but we found no signs of it."

Fergus' mind whirls round at a rate of knots.

"So what you are saying is that either it was a very unfortunate choice of locations, or someone did know and was doing it to snub their noses at you because they guessed or knew that you were unlikley to go back there. I'm not sure that I like either of those options."

Fergus turns to Aiden who has been noticably quiet so far.

"Cousin Aiden, you said that Isabel has an address on the Nexus so that we know that at least one other person has knowledge of outside shadows on the Nexus, I'd be willing to bet that there are more of them who do know, especially as my fencing instructor, Amelia Vane was recruited from Begma. Indeed that would make it more likely to be the second of those options rather than the first."

"I seriously doubt that it was simply an unfortunate choice of locations. I suspect that this is all part of a long standing and well organized plan with a definite end goal in mind. Therefore the location where you were kept was specifically chosen with full knowledge of whose house it was. Whoever is running this operation wanted us to find out about it, but perhaps not at this time. Perhaps Benedict came upon the clues too fast and appeared before they expected anyone. Then again, perhaps we are meant to think that."

"Benedict seemed to be suspicious of the timing of the arrival of the Kier. After observing them, i am too. One question is are they some kind of Trojan horse and do they realize what part they play in this scenario or are they just a monkey wrench thrown into the works to cause chaos and confusion in order to give this secret organization time to get set something else up? "

Aiden gives a wry smile. "Well, as Kierenne has Trumped off to who knows where, at least the potential problem of having one of them acompany us may have been averted for a bit. I'd rather not take either one. They make my 'Spidey-sense' tingle.

"Well Mint certainly doesn't seem to get on with the Kier. Not having been amongst many people it is difficult for me to say exactly what is normal, but they do seem a little highly strung. It may be a product of the environment that they were brought up in though, so I guess we need to make some allowances. The Kier claim that their Shadow was destroyed and it may be that this was done by whoever is behind alot of this for their own reasons."

"As to having one of them accompany us then Kieran is still here and he has some sort of communication with his twin, a trump I would say, so he could bring Kierenne back. Winnow seems to be bonding with Kieran at present, perhaps we could go in two teams?"

"Yes, and why was their Shadow destroyed, I wonder? Maybe to force them to emigrate to Amber?"

Aiden stops short of voicing his speculations that the Kier might have actually played a more prominent role in its destruction.

"Teams of no more than two each would be advisable. In fact, I would insist upon it. More than two people together and you may as well march into the city with flying banners and a brass band. If we must all go then I'd prefer it if you came with me for a number of reasons, but if you wish to accompany someone else, that's okay too."

Fergus assesses his Cousin.

"Well I would like to go to Isabel's home first since she is likley my mother and I gather that is where you are headed so that would put us together. I agree that two together would be the optimum number since it will potentially give us a backup if either of us get into trouble."

Fergus pauses before adding.

"And Mint seems to trust you so I guess that is definitely a plus in your favour. It would be useful though if we could communicate between the teams. There is no trump of me at present and I doubt there is one of Kieran. Do you or Winnow have trumps that you could exchange so we can keep the teams in touch with each other?"

"I trust Mint as well, certainly moreso than most I have known. It will depend on how the teams actually break down as to what Trumps we will need. I have no extra Trump of myself to exchange but I do have one for Mint which she gave me recently. I believe she is going to Uberwald, however. I don't know if Winnow has any or not. He has only been around Amber a short time and we haven't formally met yet."

Fergus is disappointed that perhaps there is no direct communication possible between the teams. He then remembers that Aunt Flora had promised earlier to do something about trumps for him.

"Aunt Flora if there is no direct communication possible then perhaps with some of the family trumps we could use a conduit within the family to pass on messages. That way the family will be kept in the loop as to what is happening in the various locations as well. Obviously it would be better if we had direct communication but given that we are missing crucial trumps this will be the best we can come up with."

At least my first real time in Shadow I will have an experienced guide who is used to travelling in Shadow, even if it is in the place where I have lived all my life.

Fergus turns to Aiden as another thought springs to his mind.

"There may be other ways in Nexus for direct communication that we might pick up when we get there that rely on local technology. I was forbidden any external communication in my prison but if the Holo-TV can get images into the house then there may be other methods of communication on the Nexus now."

"Actually, communication between two or more teams operating within Nexus and its local surroundings shouldn't be any problem. One could simply work Shadow with the power of the Pattern and find a suitable communications device. I was thinking more in terms of communications between a team in the Nexus and anyone within a Shadow where technology like that doesn't operate. Although, even in that case, it may be possible to find such an item. I'm certain that such a device must exist, and if the probability exists, it may be actualized. "

"If you have walked the Pattern then that would be easy or so I've been told. I haven't been given permission to do so, thus if you had that kind of power it would be up to you to do."

Fergus looks pointedly at the three elders since it is they who would determine his right to try and walk the Pattern.

"One thing that I meant to ask you Cousin Aiden by the way. You travel quite alot in Shadow it seems but have you never thought about actually settling down somewhere and trying to build a life for yourself. Any reason for that?"

"The simplest way," says Flora, "for you to communicate across Shadows is for everyone to carry Trumps of one or two elder members of the family--Myself and Caine, for instance, or Fiona and Gerard, maybe."

"i've never been much for the idea of settling down," replies Aiden. "Ever since I was old enough to read, I was drawn to stories of adventure and travel, exploration and discovery, romance and danger. I've always had to find out what was behind the curtain, what secrets the universe holds. I was also fortunate to be raised among people who were not 'typical', not 'ordinary' - thinkers and artists, Gypsies and soldiers of fortune, pirates and paladins. These were the people who shaped my soul as a child. Or, knowing what I do now, perhaps it was I who shaped theirs. My mother was also very far from ordinary." Aiden smiles. "I reckon she would have had to be to have attracted someone like my father."

"You can probably imagine, then, the effect my fathers stories of Amber and the infinite Shadows it casts had on me when I was old enough to hear and understand them. I knew then that I would never stop until I had explored all that was possible to explore. Even the business I'm in is only a vehicle for that exploration, and lately....." Here Aiden pauses for a moment and sighs. "Lately, my vehicle has begun to feel more like a cage without wheels. My contracts are starting to feel like obligations...like orders. I've been around the Circle far longer than I expected to be. I feel the need for something different...something life changing...something far away..."

Aunt Flora echoed his earlier thoughts on communication but there was little else to add. As he was waiting for Aiden to answer Fergus watches the mass of people moving around the ball. The endless number of people writhing in a mass starts to panic him and he is forced to shift his feet so he is no longer facing into the party, but instead away into the calming waters visable across the balcony. He hopes no one notices his discomfort.

"Well the Nexus is alot further away from Amber so at least you'll have your wish there. When Uncle Gerard brought me back here the journey was long and for someone like me who had never been anywhere quite arduous."

"We are almost totally opposite in many regards it seems. I am someone who has never been anywhere in my life, whereas you have hardly been still for any length of time. You have known the love of your mother and father over the course of the years whereas I have never known my mother or my father. I must admit the thought of going somewhere strange frightens me a little bit, even though it is the shadow that I have spent all my life in. It might seem strange to you Aiden but although I have lived there I have never really actually been there, not out in the cities and towns, not into the sparse countryside. Its very strange for me because although I have seen it all on Holo-TV I have never experienced it for myself."

"Apart from a communications device is there anything else that I need to take with me Cousin Aiden?"

"Just letting you know," says Caine, walking up to the two. "We might be leaving the party soon. Got news from Random some decisions are almost made, and important stuff starts tomorrow."

"Do these decisions affect the two expeditions?" Fergus asks. "If so can you let us know in case it affects our plans."

"They will, but Random will also want to hear them."

But you are not going to tell me now. Very well, I am patient I can wait.

"Fair enough have a good evening Uncles and Aunt Flora. I'm just going to finish talking to Aiden and then later I'm going to find Llyr who promised to contact Sister Mircalla for me to find out about the other prophecy."

"Excellent," says Flora. "Meet back here when you're done?"

"Sure Aunt Flora."

Turning back to Aiden.

"So was there anything else you think we need then for the expedition?"

"Nothing else I can think of at the moment," replies Aiden to Fergus. "I may bring a few small tools of my own which might prove useful. We'll see." After a brief pause he continues, "I should probably introduce myself to cousin Winnow while I'm here and see what he and Mint have worked out. Might also see Kieran as well, if I can find him."

Turning to his father Aiden asks, "Do you suppose Random will wish to conduct a briefing later this evening or wait until morning? I may leave for Amber shortly as well, depending."

Fergus nods his head to Aiden.

"Then I shall see you tomorrow morning Cousin. Hope you enjoy the remainder of the party."

Fergus heads back into the main throng of the party.