Montresor wrote:As Malachi departs the Mortuary, the rending of flesh and bone can be heard - Akreides's saw buzzes with mechanical intent.
Andrea looks up from her sketching, surprised by the suddenly loud noise. Akreides is hunched over the corpse, reciting his verses. Behind him, she sees Clabo making his way towards the exit. She puts away her data slate quickly and rises to follow after him.
When she's left the mortuary and the doors have closed behind her, she feels it no longer inappropriate to make noise. "Brother! Brother Clabo!" She waves to him, down the length of the long corridor leading to the revered mortuary. The hallway itself is several stories tall, fitting the grandeur of the mortuary itself, and Clabo had made it some ways across the large area before Andrea had gotten there.
He turned around at his name, and waited for her to catch up. By the time she got there, she felt almost silly. She almost wanted to run, though the voice of her mother was already scolding her that proper ladies do not scamper around like common ratings. So, with forced dignity, she walked the distance. A quick step the only concession she would give, and she told herself it was so as not to annoy the good Brother.
"I'm sorry Brother, I... I'd actually come here seeking you, but you had been busy talking with our new Tech-Priest. And then I'd wandered into the burial room, and seen Trone. Did you know he'd already been seen to? I needed a few minutes to collect myself, and then one of the ratings interrupted me, and so I..."
Brother Clabo interrupted her, "Madam Seneschal, why have you sought me?"
"What? Oh, yes. Of course. Why, I would like you to teach me, if that's possible."
"Interesting. Anything is possible, of course. It is entirely another matter if it is appropriate. What would you learn from me?"
"Brother... I. I'm afraid that I have failed my family, during the events of this storm. Repeatedly. On some of those occasions, disaster was averted. The incident outside your shrine, for example. But in one case, a crewmember... an officer of the ship lost his life because of my foolishness."
"I see. That is the 'why'. Yet you still have not told me what you would learn."
"I... I don't even know what it is, Brother. That's part of the problem. I look back over these events, and I honestly can't see where I made a mistake in judgement. There were times when I lacked necessary information, and it wasn't possible to inform myself. And I can see where I made the wrong choice as a result. But I still believe that, knowing what I knew at the times, I made the right choices. And yet, a man is dead." She reached up to rub her face, around where the ocular impants emerged.
"Okay. I would like training in how better to lead people. Perhaps if I were more charismatic, or more trusted of the crew, or more feared, I would've been able to convince people to act differently, and things would have taken a different course? If I'd have been confident in my ability to order Midshipman Trone to await confirmation, I wouldn't have felt it necessary to draw a weapon."
"Miss Chan-Gauthier, this can be arranged. Though, please understand, I am a leader of people towards faith. You should consider seeking training from one versed in political leadership as well. Most likely when we arrive in Footfall, there will be opportunities for such."
"Thank you, Brother. I had hoped that your knowledge and experience on this ship, with this crew, could help me as well. I'm not interested in leading people in general. I want to be able to help these people, all around us, by leading them in the proper direction. For the betterment of the Empire, the Amphaels, and our Lord-Captain. I'm unsure how that would be seen, if the Seneschal-Majoris of a Dynastic Family were to attempt to sign up for tutaledge in leadership skills. I fear it would invite others to view us as weak."
"Miss Chan-Gauthier, you may either hide your weakness, or you may correct it. Only one of those paths will result in your eventual safety."
Andrea considered this. "Yes. Of course, Brother, you're right. But, may I seek your guidance until we reach Footfall? And most likely after we depart it again."
Revere the Emperor; Honour the name of Amphael, holders of the Sacred Warrant of Trade.
Blessed be the Imperium of Man; blessed be the Sacred Writ.