#elsewhere

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In Hackensack, Brekke approaches the court of Baron Angus.

Brekke advances towards the entrance of the decommissioned naval museum. She enters to see two golems guards.

A brow. Well...it is a Dougal hold...

"Ahoy" One steams "your ship's designation?"

She hesitates briefly before responding. "I sail no ship today. I am Chieftain Brekke Shacklebreaker of Rivervale, here to see Baron Angus."

Sounds like morse code tap away

"The baron is not available at this time" One answers "An appointment can be arranged with his chancellior if you wish, Chieftain Brekke?"

"I see. When does the Baron customarily hold open court?"

More morse then "Open Court is no longer held"

A frown. "That is interesting. When was the last open court held here?" As long as I have a machine here that will answer questions....

more morse sounds then.. '2020, November 13'

"Hm." Then a nod. "I will speak with the chancellor."

"Follow me" The thing hisses and clunks

She does. Unbidden, unpleasant memories come to her, machines powered by enslaved trolls...but she puts that notion away. "What is the Chancellor's name?"

"Dame Yynisa ap Eiluned" It says after more morse, but now the thing seems to ttake her in "you are very inquisitive"

"Is there a problem with requesting information I do not know?"

Morse code then "A pattern of inquiry can often reveal espinage"

It is being told what to say. That is too advanced a thought for a golem. "I see." She asks nothing further.

And they move in. MUCH has changed. While still nautical things seem even more mechinical, more industraliized, and for a dougal that means . . a lot. The woman she is brought before is no dougal, whole of limb and senses. She appears to be a young grump, thirties, somber and serious. She's a sidhe. She does not take the throne of her lord or the captain's chair. Rather she stays near a side wall with a table and chairs.. one troll sized. Mechanical servitors of smaller size than the 'thanes' clean and fetch.

The woman rises and bows "Chieftain, I'm Dame Ynisa ap Eiluned, chosen Chancellior here"

Brekke inclines her head. "Dame Ynisa." A glance around. "There have been many changes since last I was here. Has Baron Angus been exploring a different style?" She look back to the chancellor.

The EILUNED looks at her "Being of House Dougal, the Baron often considers innovation " No lie registers, but then, it wouldn't, not even if the woman claimed she was of House Wombat and her mother was a herring

Brekke resists sighing in frustration at the woman's house. "I understand that one such innovation is that he no longer holds open court. That seems unusual to me. And he is not available? I had hoped to have an informal meeting with him."

The golems stare unblinking. The Eiluned glances at Brekke "I'm afraid you have hit a wall, Chieftain. He is not available nor is likely to be open for meeting soon. Is there anything I can assist you with? As far as I know our holds have little contact these days"

"I see. And yes, what you say is true. Perhaps that is an oversight on my part. I think, as both of our holds answer to Caer Falken, perhaps our contact should become less limited. I am certain the Baron would agree."

"Perhaps." She glances at the golems then back at Brekke "But he's not available. Would it help if I wrote that down in a note? I have a TV show to watch with my son later tonight and I'd like to have the energy for it.. if I can get the silly thing to work"

She narrows her eyes briefly, insulted, but then.... "Yes. Yes, write it down in a note for me."

She snaps her fingers, then a servant golem comes to her and offers up a tray with writing material. She takes it. And.. Brekke SWEARS the golems are watching HER not the intruder.. more particularly, every device seems to be focusing on what she writes

Ynsia writes it, then walks over to the Chieftain "Here. Large letters. Clear print. I apologize for the lack of pictures"

She intentionally moves, stepping away and idly adjusting her axe on her belt.

And the belt is loosened

She was trying to draw the attention of the observers, but the note is finished too soon. She takes it, frowning. "This will be remembered, Chancellor," she says, then turns to go without reading the note in her hand.

"Yes yes., Chieftain, mutual pleasure I'm sure... my regards to your family, as I'm sure you regard mine"

An odd dismisal

To be certain.

I's much easier to exit than get in

She leaves, likely under escort but without obstacle.

And she makes her way back to the Jeep. Once there, she texts the wilder set: Trouble. I am out. Moving the Jeep to small park we passed a block away. Meet me there when you can. I will wait.

Shortly TXT: Roger that From Zane

She departs in the Jeep, and ends up at the park as indicated. Only then does she read the note.

Odd, the same thing she said earlier, print is blocky ... I'm afraid you have hit a wall, Chieftain. Baron Angus is not available nor is likely to be open for meeting soon. she also notices the paper i was put on has a home adress in Hackensack..but that was pretyped

She frowns at it. I should have read it while there. I would have taken a better look at the walls. She tries her best to recall if there was anything notable about them.

The wall was new from her last time. She knows wood work best, but something about the stones placement seemed.. wait, that was it. It didn't fit the naautical situation at all. Further more, they weren't hiqh quality stone work. Almost as if someone just wanted to cover something up

"Damn it," she mutters.

((pause))

Damnn it indeed. Ynsia's son is in danger, under a gun figuraively or literally. But the growing provication was a gamble. Then Brekke thinks of what she would do to save her daughters. Especially if her daughters were younng enough that they couldn't save themselves. Ynsia is quite willing to provoke a Gwydion troll into going beserk because it would force an investigation by the Count himself. And, if Ysnia died during that... their reason for holding her son might be lost and they would have no reason to kill the boy. Provoking Brekke into a killing fury wasn't so much a gambling as it was an acceptable sacrifice

And how long has the baron been captured? Since November?

How did nobody realize? She tries to recall Carnivale...was anybody from Hackensack there? Did anything happen that should have been a clue?