Chapter 11 #2
"Good. She's a bit traditional," Violet said.
I frowned, uncertain what that meant, but Violet waved off the scowl on my face.
"Compliment her tail. Don't make things too serious until after we've finished the tea.
Talking about tea is easy. She's going to want to get a feel for you and understand who you are before she'll do business. "
I nodded along to all of the instructions.
Violet had already informed me this was more of a meet-and-greet than an actual job proposal.
I smiled and straightened my clothes. The VDF uniform was the nicest outfit I owned, but I did have some clothes I had brought with me from the barony and had put those on instead, hopefully looking the part of a noble.
We needed this job enough that I was going to use everything I could to validate my crew and me.
As we stepped into the building, there were immediately two marble stairwells stationed in front of us, and a small drone puttered about a desk, giving some semblance of work.
"Hello," Violet said, walking up with a smile. "We're here to see Madam Chiksai."
The drone tilted its head in a pre-programmed motion to give a form of acknowledgment when someone spoke to it. "Of course. I have a meeting on the schedule. Could you please confirm your name?"
"Violet, and Captain Valcrest of the Griffin."
The robot puttered about for a moment. "Of course. This way." It gestured, and we followed until it reached one of the staircases and paused, turning to us as if to indicate we would make the rest of the way without guidance.
"Do you stay down here?" I asked. The robot inclined its head slightly. "Of course. I am integrated with the rest of Miss Chiksai's automated services. However, I'm afraid this unit's purpose is to remain as merely a greeter."
It seemed like a massive waste of resources to me, but who was I to comment on how rich people spent their money?
I had gotten some sense of the cost of these units when I'd been researching Jarvis while trying to escape my home, which made the fact that this one existed solely to say hello all the more beyond ridiculous. At the very least, it meant that Violet had come through in finding someone who could afford premium services, which we desperately needed if we were to make up for the losses after we were set back further by Brick’s issue.
"Was your friend always rich?" I asked, heading up the stairs.
Violet put a finger to her lips. "Most of the people I met through working with my master are people of means. She was a well-regarded woman and fairly difficult to get a meeting with at that time."
Her words cut off as we came to the top of the staircase, where two more automations greeted us. These, however, were made to look like kikai, including fluffy, articulating tails.
"Welcome, Violet. Captain Valcrest. The Madam will be with you in a moment. May we offer refreshments?" they spoke in unison, both of them very attractive, if stiff.
"Tea, please," Violet said, and both automations bowed before stepping away.
"I'm getting the feeling the simplest answer is to always ask for tea," I said.
Violet smirked. "It's a very neutral request. Everyone has it. Those of means would love to show it off. Or if they don't like you, they're happy to show it by giving you something far below your station."
I scowled at that particular methodology but decided I'd need to file it away for when the time came. I was sure there would be a moment where it would be valuable in understanding if someone didn't like me simply by what they chose to serve me.
As we took a seat, I paused to look at the decor, wondering what it might tell me about the woman we were about to negotiate with.
It seemed the entire first floor was for receiving guests, the androids busying themselves in an option kitchen that we could see with a set of mirrors.
"Thoughts?" I asked, gesturing at the art.
"Decorative," Violet said unhelpfully. She sat down in a chair, but at no point did she do more than barely kiss her rear to the seat. Every other part of her posture was stiff and rigid.
"You look like you're about to bolt," I said, staring at her.
"I am admittedly a touch nervous. I haven't seen her in well over a decade, and much has changed." She lifted an eyebrow.
The androids returned, each with a cup and saucer, one of them having extended a third arm from a panel at its waist to balance a tray. Both of them approached, bowed deeply, and handed us our cups in an almost ceremonious gesture.
I accepted mine, watching Violet out of the corner of my eye.
"Please thank Madam Chiksai for the tea," Violet said, sniffing gently. "Domiscus?” Violet asked.
Before the automations could answer, a kikai woman a few inches taller than Violet stepped into the room.
Though that was still quite short to me.
She was rail-thin, wearing a black and gold silk gown that looked somewhere between a kimono and a dress, flowing all the way to the floor and rippling out around her as she walked.
Her gait was so smooth and steady that she almost seemed to float across the floor.
I couldn’t help but notice that her dark hair appeared to be freshly curled and put up with pins to keep most of it in place.
"You have always had a good nose for tea, Violet," she said, greeting my crewmate warmly.
Then she turned to me with a smirk. "I haven't seen you for so long, and you come back with a strange human captain.
" Her eyes trailed up and down my form. It felt less like she wanted a piece of me and more like she was committing me to memory and hoped to paint me afterwards.
There was something unsettling in the intensity of her gaze.
She stopped examining me a moment later, lifting her eyes to Violet.
"Now… what would your old master think of him?" the woman asked.
"I think she would be quite proud that I found someone I enjoy working with," Violet spoke airily. A strange countenance had fallen over her as soon as she started talking to the other kikai.
"Of course," the woman said, and I didn't feel like she meant those words.
"With your master's passing, and me not having seen you for so long, you will pardon me for my surprise at your sudden outreach.
It leaves one curious about your present situation.
" She asked in a way that felt candid yet pried with about as much subtlety as a crowbar in the hands of a grogax.
"Of course. After my master passed, I needed some space. It was so hard to remain here. It seemed like she was everywhere and in everything around me," Violet answered.
"Understandable," the woman said, with zero understanding in her tone. "I do just want what is best for you, and to hear that you're back is simply marvelous." The last part of her statement seemed genuinely pleased, at least, so that was something.
"Well, we'll see how long I remain," Violet said, a little touchy.
"We were in the sector, and the captain thought it might be a good idea to swing by my home.
Unfortunately," she dragged out the word, "it seems we have some significant repairs to attend to, which means we're going to be here long enough that it might be pertinent to pick up a little work while the ship's under repair. "
"Ah, yes," Madam Chiksai said, though she didn't move to business yet. Instead, one of the androids came by and handed her a cup of tea, which she sipped with a reverent sigh.
"Lovely tea," I said. "Violet's been helping me develop a better palate for it. What did you say it was again?"
"Domiscus," Chiksai said, smiling and placing her cup down.
"Unlike the tea you might be familiar with in human culture, what we have here comes in many varieties, largely denoted by their region.
However, each region has a standard variety associated with it, if you would.
Domiscus is known for its earthy tones, a slight twinge of natural salt from the soil, and, of course, a heavier body in most of the brew. "
I nodded, smiling, absolutely not getting all of that from leaf water, but I smiled and wouldn't dare say so unless, of course, I wanted to torpedo the deal.
"And you can tell the quality by how smooth it is," Violet said, sipping like a connoisseur. "The cheaper ones add a bit of salt, trying to mimic that flavor, but they almost always overdo the ratios."
"There are some remarkable fakes nowadays, since some of the new policy changes in the sector," Madam Chiksai said, sipping the tea.
"A significant number of businesses have lost their traditional roots and instead simply focus on raw profitability.
" She smiled. "Of course, this is real. I wouldn't serve you anything fake, especially not after so long apart.
I wouldn't want to insult you and have you not return. "
That meant she liked us, right?
"It's an honor to be greeted so well after such a long separation, and after a failure on my part to maintain communication." Violet bowed where she sat.
"Tail hair can always be unknotted with a little time and effort," Madam Chiksai said, waving a hand.