Chapter 108 Sir Tion The Unsmiling.
Scarlet pursed her lips and her fingers drummed against the wheel of the car. Was it really possible for a family that Maddox claimed to have changed things for the Sun star not to exist on the star net?
"How long has the star net been in existence?" she asked the AI.
"Since the year 1599."
This made her all the more sure that records of the Varakas family should be in existence unless they were deliberately wiped out from the system. Who had the authority to wipe out an entire history of a family like that?
"How much information is on the star net about noble families, starting from the very first ones?" she asked.
"There are more than sixteen million records of information about noble families dating back to 1475."
"Categorize them into houses whose history traces back to the expansion of the empire, the introduction of the star net. Make another category for noble houses that do not exist anymore and those that lost their titles. Also add another category of which families rose to power after the unfortunate fall of another." Those were the categories she could think about, if they were not mentioned in Maddox's journals then she would find them herself using logical deductions."
"Anything else master?" the AI asked.
"Yes, I have decided to name you Alex." she replied. For a while now the AI was calling her master. It had probably been programmed this way by Maddox.
"Thank you master." Alex the AI answered.
"Before I forget, send me information on a communications company called Varakas. I want to know who owns it, when it was formed and what they do."
"Yes master."
She was looked at the time, she had two hours to go before her fight so she leaned back against her seat, preparing to read more about the house of Varakas herself. This was interrupted by a knock on the car window which prompted her to turn her head to the side and look at the person knocking. When she saw who it was, she smiled and lowered the window.
"You found me again Tion." she said.
"You are not that difficult to find governor." he answered. "Even though you do your best to avoid me. I am the head of your personal guards and you leaving your home without me makes me redundant. It also makes my job ten times harder because then I have to run around looking for you." he complained. His face was stiff and jaw muscles clenched, probably from all the stress of running around to look for her.
She poked her head out of the window and said, "You don't smile much do you? Maybe I should call you Sir Tion the unsmiling." Ever since he started working for her three days ago he spoke respectfully, smiled little and did not say much.
She accepted him because Esong vouched for him and five other men that were now the governor's personal guards. She picked him to lead them because his daughter Precious was such a sweet little angel and she was working with Fey as her second assistant. Most importantly, Esong showed her footage of the man in a battle against mutated beasts and he was extremely fierce.
"I will smile when you tell me where you are going next time, your secretary says that you have a meeting with the newly appointed city hall officials, after the meeting you have your very first virtual fight. Will you be training before the fight?"
"I also have a meeting with your brother but you have not mentioned it." she said.
"My brother's business is his to manage, mine is to protect you." he said.
"Tsk, tsk, Fion will be heartbroken to hear you say this. has he told you about his plans to become a monk and dedicate his life to Buddhism?" The temporary temple which was a combination of two large tents had been one of her regular stops daily. People became curious about what she did in there and some of them started following her inside. All she did was burn some incense sticks, offer some flowers occasionally and say a brief prayer on her knees.
Fion had asked her once why she did it so she gave him a book about Buddhism and told him some of the stories her grandmother used to tell her. Yesterday he sent word to her that he was interested in becoming a monk because he had found peace and a calling.
"My brother has constantly been on the move, he never settles down in one place for more than two to three months. Whatever he asks of you I would advise you to first put him on trial or you risk being disappointed a few months later."
"Thank you for the advise." she replied. "Now get in, let's go and attend that meeting."
Tion grunted and he looked at the driver's seat. "I am driving." she told him.
"You should be in the back seat." he told her.
"Starting tomorrow." she lied. She enjoyed driving so much so why would she give it up?
However unwilling he was, he could not force her to anything so he sat in the passenger seat and they drove off to the temporary city hall.
The five officials that had been appointed through a vote between her and Esong. Three of the officials were men and two were women, all were chosen because of their abilities. They were already sitting around a round table when she arrived. Striding in confidently, she took the center seat while Tion stood behind her with a large energy sword in his hands, it's sheathed tip stable on the ground.
"Goodmorning, it's so good to see you all." she greeted them.
"Good morning governor they answered simultaneously."
"Let's begin." she told them. "What else do you want to talk to me about today besides opening up the planet to tourists? I am still going to say no to that ladies and gentlemen."
At the same this meeting was beginning the new game of snakes and ladders was hitting the open market, ready for purchase by the citizens of the Sun star. This version of the game was different from the one Scarlet provided because the ladders and snakes could move at any time which made it more interesting and fun. Carolyn had done this to make the game more challenging.
She looked at thousands of the game boards being packed and sent out of the factory with a proud smile on her face.
"Director," her new assistant a bubbly man named Aron tapped her on the shoulder and said, "I think we should make a separate department for anything to do with games because we are behind schedule."
"You are right, I will head that department too." she said and Aron frowned in dismay. He made a mental note to remind the city hall and accounts departments to start considering overtime for the factory workers.