For Goodness Sake: Do What Must be Done
24 Nov 2024Vasil Vasilescu
As Vasil expected, Octavia contacted him as soon as she knew that he had requested Mackenzie Relay prepare the Always Lost for far-star survey work. Few things escaped her notice when family was concerned, and Vasil prepping his exploration ship for a deep black expedition commanded her attention.Vasil,
Join me for dinner tonight at Adevăr. I’ll have Ioana and Andrei make the ciulama de pui that you like. Don’t be late.
Octavia
While friendly and polite on the surface, Vasil knew the invitation was a summons to explain himself. Octavia Vasilescu, Capul Familiei and Director of the Emerald Repatriation Society, wanted to know why her youngest brother and VP of ERS Operations was activating his deep space explorer.
Vasil acknowledged the message and accepted the invitation.
* * * *
As with everything at Adevăr, the ciulama de pui was not simply a meal, it was an experience. However, the creamed chicken dish was not on the regular menu. Ioana and Andrei had made Adevăr one of the most respected restaurants in the Cemiess system by catering to their clientele, particularly the affluent elite of Emerald. In addition to restaurant's regular menu, with a few days’ notice, Ioana and Andrei would personally prepare and serve bespoke meals for guests willing to pay more for a dinner than most ordinary citizens earned in a month.
Though not the wealthiest or most influential of Emerald’s elite upper class, Octavia never required reservations at Adevăr. A few hours—not days--was sufficient notice for Doamna Vasilescu to request a custom meal because she was, in effect, a silent partner.
Ioana and Andrei had served a ten-year slave contract under Octavia, becomming such an integral part of Octavia’s household that she made them her personal chefs. Nothing from the simplest sandwich to the most elaborate dinner left the kitchen without Ioana and Andrie’s approval. They were the only ones Octavia trusted enough to plan all of her most important social gatherings, and the only slaves she ever treated like indispensable employees.
When the slave contract ended, Octavia, recognizing their passion and incredible talent, offered to extend them credit to open their own restaurant. In an act of unusual generosity, all Octavia asked in return was for a percentage of the profits, essentially becoming part owner. In the six years since their manumission, Ioana and Andrei had made Adevăr one of the most exclusive restaurants in the Cemiess system and returned Ovtavia’s initial investment several times over.
Though Ioana and Andrei would never rise to the same social or economic heights as Octavia, she never treated them as lessers, but more like a proud mother would treat her children.
Vasil found it odd so see a motherly side of Octavia. She could easily put on whatever face she desired in order to manipulate people, but she held genuine warmth toward Ioana and Andrei whenever she spoke with them.
Diner had gone as velvety smooth as the ciulama de pui’s creamy veloute’ sauce. Octavia never brought up the Always Lost, or anything to do with ERS. She was content to engage in the small talk common to family gatherings, especially with Ioana and Andrei, whom she had insisted join her and Vasil for dinner.
Then, about halfway through desert, during a lull in the conversation, Octavia set her dessert fork on her plate and smiled politely to Ioana and Andrei. “If you would excuse us,” she said dabbing a cloth napkin at the corners of her mouth, “there is something about which I wish to speak wish my brother.”
Vasil recognized the napkin signal as did Ioana and Andrei. Family business was about to be conducted. Though Octavia considered Ioana and Andrei as part of the extended family, they were not blood.
“Of course, Doamna,” said Andrei, standing.
Ioana stood and nodded to Octavia. “If you need anything, let us know.”
Andrei and Ioana left the room, closing the door behind them.
Octavia’s smile fell away, and she threw the napkin on the table. “What is this nonsense with that flying eyesore of yours? You planning on disappearing into the black again?”
Vasil took a final bite of his cheesecake and pushed the plate aside. He looked across the table to Octavia, her hair as blood-red as the cherry compote drizzled on the cheesecake.
“I have no intention of breaking my promise to stay as long as I am needed,” he said calmly, but with a direct tone to let Octavia know he found it insulting that she’d accuse him of breaking his word and abandoning the family. “The search for Charles Goodness has come to the point that the Always Lost is needed for deep space surveying.”
Octavia heaved an irritated sigh. “To hell with him, Vasil. You are already spending more time and money than he is worth.”
“I am simply carrying out your directive. You were the one that promised his mother, Duchess Eleanor, we’d find her missing son, not me.”
“I also gave her a position on the Honorary Board of ERS. That does not mean I care about her or her son, only that her promised support is there I when petition for Patron.”
“So, stop looking for Charles? You should have told me this before I contracted team and allocated a few hundred million credits to the cause.”
Octavia narrowed her eyes at Vasil. He could be infuriating when he intentionally misunderstood what he was being told. “You know I did not say that. Only the bare minimum effort is necessary to maintain good will with the Duchess. So long as it appears we are searching, that is all that matters.”
“Until you have what you need from her, is that it?”
“Exactly. I know you think her son is dead, everyone does." Octavia waved an imperious, dismissive hand. "Why waste resources on a useless playboy more concerned with where he parks his genitals than with maintaining his family reputation?”
“Our brother Stephan was a useless playboy, and had leaked the info about our involvement in Hixkaramu,” countered Vasil. “Yet you still allowed him to keep his position in the ERS.”
“Yes, and now he is dead, killed by his hedonist lifestyle, left to overdose and choke on his own vomit by some overpriced whore. If we are looking for anyone, it should be her. She deserves a reward for ridding our family of Stephan’s constant embarrassments.”
Few things Octavia did or said ever surprised Vasil. She was, at her core, the quintessential head of an old blood noble Imperial family; politically cunning and unyielding in matters dealing with one’s obligation to the family. But suggesting, even sarcastically, to reward someone who may have caused the death of an immediate family member struck Vasil as uncharacteristic.
Octavia had always been ruthless whenever family honor was compromised. She had enacted an Abdicare against their sister, Elena, when it was believed Elena had leaked info about ERS funding a war in Hixkaramu. Elena had been disowned and all of her assets seized, forcing her into debt slavery.
Then, when it was revealed that Stephan was the actual source of the leak, Octavia refused to rescind the Abdicare order. Too much political influence had been expended obtaining an Imperial seal on the order and she did not want to look like a fool or admit a horrible mistake had been made.
In the meantime, Stephan had gone unpunished for the leak, something unusual considering the Vasilescu Family’s deep tradition of upholding family honor. For the first time since Stephan’s death, Vasil considered that maybe the overdose that killed him was not as accidental as it seemed.
Octavia saw Vasil was in deep consideration. Thoughts were forming in Vasil's mind and Octavia wanted to know what they were. “What is wrong, Vasil? It is not like you to be at a loss for words.”
Vasil shook his head, dislodging the notion that Octavia might have had Stephan killed. “Uh... Just going through the complications with Goodness,” he lied, then steered the conversation back to Charles “Creamy” Goodness. “We’ve discovered Goodness is probably alive but marooned outside the bubble. That is why I had the Always Lost made ready.”
Octavia arched a delicate, perfectly formed eyebrow. “So, you are going to retrieve him?”
“Not immediately. First, we have to determine exactly where he was left. That will require dealing with the individuals who marooned him, and they are not exactly keen on obeying the law. We’ll likely need to pay them in some way for the information.”
Octavia’s expression changed to something resembling stone. “That sounds like a ransom,” she said, coldly. “The Vasilescus do not negotiate ransoms for our own family members, and we certainly are not going to do it for another family’s over-sexed offspring.”
“Then consider it to be buying political leverage and positive publicity," said Vasil. "If we find him and return him alive, it shows ERS is dedicated to recovering lost Imperial Citizens without thought of compensation. With the right spin, our efforts to find him could also be seen as the Goodness’s lack of effort, for whatever that is worth.”
Octavia relaxed in her chair, the subtle posture shift causing the tiny Nngadandari fire opals in her auburn hair to shimmer like stars. She laced her fingers, setting her hands on her lap and looked to Vasil. He had a way of approaching situations from multiple angles, always looking at how to exploit a situation, and always doing so with her and the family’s best interests in mind.
Octavia gave little thought to publicity, but with larger political levers, the more easily she could move things toward becoming a Patron, and eventually Senator. While Vasil's strength lay in finding advantages, Octavia's lay in the political savvy needed to exploit them. It was something their father understood. In her last conversation with her father before he died, he told Octavia that she and Vasil could be a potent combination. They could return the Vasilescu's to prominence if only Vasil cared enough about politics and Octavia set aside her pride long enough to listen to his advice.
“Very well,” she said after considering what Vasil had suggested. She paused, remembering what her father had said, and gave Vasil free rein to move forward with a simple directive. “Do what you feel you must, Vasil.”