Tangled Currents - Lady Tanya, Stormy Waters subthread Options

[adamu]

Tuesday, 19 November, 2075, 1400; Aztechnology Pyramid, Seattle Center, Downtown Seattle, Seattle Metroplex

Lady Tanya Marisart strode across the polished slate plaza fronting the public entrance to Aztechnology's Northwestern flagship. The soaring edifice was now the Metroplex's premier arcology, since the abortive disaster of Renraku's had ended up a tightly guarded - and haunted - slum. Where once the proud Aztlaner corporation had hosted upscale public shopping on the ground floor only, it had now expanded its luxury offerings to the first three floors - yes, dwarfed by the business, magical, research, manufacturing, and -yes, many assumed, military - might housed in the behemoth structure, the shopping area remained opulent by any standard. Even the very discerning standards. Even the standards of Lady Tanya.

She glided along atop the flagstones as if she were wearing cushioned flats rather than the striking but understated four-inch heels that actually adorned her pedicured feet. If the late autumn chill bothered her it was not apparent, her fur shrug draped casually across her shoulders, leaving her shapely cleavage well exposed to the air and any onlookers. Across the plaza waited today's car, driver already holding the door. Behind her trailed Monique, laden with proudly branded shopping bags. And coming in too quickly to avoid from the left was Lady Bethan Dinefwr.

As much as Lady Tanya disliked Lady Bethan, one got ahead in society by making friends, not enemies. And while there were many ways to make the former, most that could be done vertically required time and effort. Meanwhile, there were even more ways to make the latter, and most could be accomplished in the blink of a careless second. And so Lady Tanya did not hesitate, faking a convincing double-take and then changing course to match Lady Bethan's approach, both hands outstretched.

The young Welsh noblewoman would never have been beautiful at any other station in life. But if beauty was dictated by society by the purveyors of fashion, then money was the surest way to ensure pulchritude. And so it was that Lady Bethany's looks were surpassed only by her wealth. She spent only a few weeks a year in Seattle, but she made a nice splash when in town. As she drew nearer, Lady Tanya couldn't help but notice the luscious emerald and sapphire bracelet the woman wore.