Saga of the Bridgers-Year 4

Chapter 32: Common Ground

September 10.

The idea of going straight to Thrawn's detention place now seemed quite foolish to Jaral. She wasn't expecting to be overwhelmed with curiosity and a lot of emotions when she saw some of the many things that the Milky Way had to offer. The Mass Relays at first, which made travel between distant points of the galaxy a matter of seconds, and then to see Earth itself and the Citadel.

She had read about the giant space station, but she wasn't expecting to be mesmerized by it with a single glimpse. The Constantinople was made to dock at the station, where Jaral was first introduced to the Empress and the Council, receiving a welcome fit for a very important personality, then she, Darvos and Jordan were escorted down on Earth at the Imperial Citadel, the home of the ruling dynasty.

She was then given a tour in the thriving metropolis of Rome. She had never before experienced something like that. The dazzling lights, the streets bustling with life, but also the incredible sense of freedom that she could breathe in the streets. It was nothing like the cities she had visited in Andromeda, where the ever-present aura of terror of the Empire forced everybody to live in a constant atmosphere of suspicion, at least.

Then the incredibly expensive dinner that the Empress had offered them in the evening. She had met the other children of the Empress: Crown Prince Francesco, at first, but also the second daughter, Anastasia, and the fourth son, Federico.

She had also met the Emperor-consort, a man named Scott, around the same age as the Empress.

Jaral was a bit surprised to learn that, in theory, the monarch was allowed to engage in polygamy, even a woman was allowed to take consorts aside from the primary spouse, but neither Benedetta nor the two Emperors before her had made use of this tradition.

Finally, she and Darvos were accommodated in a room more luxurious than the Grand Marshall was ever able to imagine.

Now, though, it was time to get back to work. The Empress had already given dispositions to prepare the meeting between Jaral and Thrawn, and so, after breakfast, a shuttle of the Imperial Guard escorted her, Darvos and Jordan to an old tourist village a few km away from the capital.

Apparently, that was one of the various residences where captured imperial officers were hosted. In fact, the Bridgers were both surprised and amused to find Governor Pryce languishing in the perimeter of the comfortable prison.

There were also other officers from the Chimaera and the Seventh Fleet in general, among them Captain Palleon. They were allowed to get into the fenced courtyard three times at day and to speak freely in the parlors, but they were also under constant surveillance by the MI6. Microphones and cameras were pretty much everywhere, except for the bathrooms, which had only the mics.

First thing first, the three were brought into a small house outside the perimeter, where the listening room of the MI6 was, and they were welcomed by a Human officer, in the middle of the big hall where some operators were controlling and listening what was going on inside the villa.

"Grand Marshall, it's an honor to meet you." he said. "I'm Colonel Pandolfi, overseer of the complex."

The two shook hands.

"Greetings, Colonel." Jaral replied cordially. "I must say, I wasn't expecting you to treat enemy officers in such a good way."

"Most people tends to talk too much when they're in a comfortable environment. Most of the people inside that pen has given us precious intel without knowing." the Colonel replied calmly.

Jaral found that notion interesting and hummed impressed.

"Has it worked with Thrawn?" she then asked.