"Oh, excellent, you're on time. A pleasant change of pace." he said, setting down his book. I instantly disliked his tone.
"Of course." Miss Polestar said, a smile on her face. I heard the plucking of a few violin strings as the band began to set up, and I took my leave. I'd be retiring up the hill to watch the two: It seemed that the maids chaperoning their charges were gathering in a few gaggles far enough away that the music would only lightly effect them, so I decided I ought to join them.
I quickly found myself in the company of a number of ladies maids, and while some were obviously new models, and similar to myself, others were older, possessing a dignified air and surety to their movements that I am sure I lacked. They quickly introduced themselves as Mary, Mildred, Marika, Miriam, and Big Miriam (she was the smaller of the two, of course), though I quickly found myself having difficulty discerning who was who. We all look fairly similar, after all, and sounded much alike despite our different accents.
In any case, I felt out of place. They were, however, very kind and welcoming.
"Ooh, Miriam, look, she's new and shiny, isn't she?" one of them said.
"Fresh out the box, I suspect." another added. Even though she'd clearly had a lot of recent modification work done, I could tell she was an older model. A very older model, possibly second generation even.
"Um. Yes. This is day twelve for me." I admitted, immediately followed by a wave of sympathetic noises.
"Oh my dear, you're practically a newborn. Isn't she darling?"
"How are you holding up so far?"
What I remember thinking in that moment was 'the universe is a loud, disorienting, confusing place. Everything seems too big, almost crushing under a tide of emotion and sensation. Worst, I am fated to love one who I can never be with because of a fundamental flaw of my genesis.'
What I said was.
"I'm okay, I guess."
"That's the spirit!" the shorter machine, who had introduced herself as Miriam clapped me on the back with surprising strength. "You're here with your miss then, somewhere out in all that?"
"Yes. She's meeting a man down there. First meeting."
There was another chorus of sounds, this time perhaps a little too interested for my comfort.
"That's always tricky. Just try to keep an eye on them as best you can, you know?"
"I don't understand why I cannot turn my hearing off, it would make it much easier to be near with the music playing."
"It'd be a little crowded if all the maids were looming around their misses out on the floor, you know."
"Besides, none of us can disable the microphones anyway. Well, except Mildred here, and she never used it anyway, so after her generation they just started leaving it out. We have to be able to hear our miss if she calls for us, you know."
"Do you all know each other, then?" I asked.
They all nodded.
"Our misses all stay here for the season, so we've formed a bit of a circle you could say."
"It's so nice to have machines who understand what you're going through, you know?"
Across the park, the first dances were beginning, and I could see down the hill as the first couples swept out across the grass to dance together. Miss Polestar wasn't out on the floor, so it took me a moment to find her at one of the small tables, talking animatedly to a distant counterpart.
Everything looked on the level so far, so I returned to my conversation. Or at least, I tried, for in the absence of those above their station, were speaking very candidly about affairs I would not have thought dignified.
"Please. What use do we have for dignity among one another, right ladies?"
"That's for the image of our misses. Nobody's judging here, Marie."
"Oh." I said quietly, "Do continue then?"
"Right, so, we needed a driver for the new coach, right? So Mr. Carpenter has the butler put out a help wanted ad in the papers, and this machine shows up… girls, he's gorgeous. The craftsmanship, oh, you need to see him. So of course I got together with all the maids and we begged Matthew, please, please hire him, who cares about his credentials!"
"How'd that go?"
"Well, let's just say I have a good time with a co-worker coming up on my next day off, I think…"
"Marika, you're a terrible influence on the young miss!" One of the Miriams joked, putting on a noble affect, and everyone laughed.
"What she doesn't know can't hurt her, come off it. What am I going to do, be untouched by men until she gets married? I have needs, you know. Machines can't run on electricity alone."
Then Miriam made a joke so off-colour that I won't repeat it here, mostly because I'm not sure I could manage to will my fingers to write it. I will simply say it was in regards to certain aftermarket upgrades popular among our male counterparts.
"You alright there, Marie?" Mary asked, after the laughter had tapered off. In hindsight, my inexperience was painfully obvious.
"I must confess, I've never been in a conversation so… this. Whatever this is." I said.
"Oh, that's adorable. Don't you worry about it, we'll ease up."
"Besides, we ought to be keeping a better eye on the misses, you know."
"And their men." Mildred reminded the group.
While the maids were quite careful in never, ever saying anything negative or overly candid about any of the women at the party, and especially not about their own misses, the men were fair game, it seemed. The fashion, bearing, family, reputation, and education of any man courting their misses were all scrutinized intensely, and comments were made in passing about any of the men who stood out in a negative way out on the floor. Despite myself, I couldn't help but find it a bit exhilarating, to finally hear said out loud the way I felt about some of those doofuses.
"Those boots are absolutely ridiculous. He looks like a fool."
"Especially while dancing. Three pence say he'll fall on his ass before the end of the song."
"No bet. What about Lieutenant whathishead there then? Think he's got enough gold trim?"
"I don't know, I can still see some red."
"Oh, look at that one, the big, burly fella."
"I see him, I don't know what he's doing with those hands of his… where is her maid to come break that up?"
I glanced, anxious to see if it was my charge apparently getting into trouble. It was not, thankfully. As I watched, I saw a harried looking maid wearing a pair of large earmuffs storm onto the dance floor and extract her grateful looking charge.
"I say, isn't that our young football star? Talk of the town and all?"
"It seems that skill on the pitch does not in any way translate to a sense of decorum. Shameful."
"Oh, I don't know… Were I a young human lady, I don't think I'd much mind such behaviour from a man who looks like him, if you get my meaning."
"I think you need your cameras checked, my dear Mary. His date definitely did not look like she was enjoying his hands all over her."
"Don't be such a stick in the mud, Miriam. Some of us like our boys a little rough."
"Mary!"
"What? It's not like I'm going out there, acting like a harlot. I'm just saying..."
"You say that now, but that is exactly why…!"
"Hey, keep it civil, ladies. Can't be causing a scene and overshadowing our misses, right? Especially you, Mary."
It was all I could do to simply try not to laugh out loud, and it was very difficult.
"Come off it, she's just had a bad streak of suitors is all. Besides, I'm not sure I want Miss Meredeth to be successful today, as much as I do want to see her find someone. I didn't exactly like the look of her date." Mary said warily.
"Oh, is she seeing…"
"Yes. And I realise this might be their first date, but yesterday, on my half-day, I swear I saw him with another young woman on his arm. That boy is trouble, and not the fun sort."
"Now how about that Mister Fullmore, huh? You can see him talking the ear off some poor dear. Shame."
That got my attention. I glanced over to see my charge still sitting with her suitor, then back to the Miriam who spoke.
"What about him?" I asked, perhaps I could learn something to the advantage of Miss Polestar. Unfortunately, I was right.
"Aside from the fact that he has managed to systematically alienate nearly every eligible young woman on the station with his unpleasantness?"
Oh dear.
"Or the fact that he is on the verge of being removed from his course at the university thanks to his gross disrespect for his teachers?"
Oh Dear.
"Or perhaps it is the sheer arrogance he possesses, making him a frankly unconscionable conversation partner as he so thoroughly believes himself to be correct on every matter in every subject?"
Oh Dear.
"His prospects have fallen so much he has begun to send invitations exclusively out-system in the hopes of attracting a woman who does not know how much of a terrible boor he is. It seems to have worked, as well. I do not recognise the poor girl he is with, though I absolutely adore her dress." Marika said, her voice cheerful.
I felt like I could not hold back any more. If these girls were right, and despite knowing them for merely a couple hours, I got the feeling that they were, my Miss was unwittingly getting herself entangled with someone best left well alone.
"The young woman is Miss Polestar…" My voice was quiet, my unhappiness clear.
"And how do you… Oh no… I'm so sorry, my dear." Mildred's hand found my shoulder, her sympathy evident even as the other maids slowly caught on.
I had to steel myself. Hopefully I would be able to get in, extract Miss Polestar, and get her away from her date without becoming too intoxicated by the music playing all around her. I made to step towards her, but hands caught me and pulled me back.
"What are you doing, Marie?" Mildred asked.
"I'm going to rescue Miss Polestar."
"No you aren't. You have a duty to prevent anything untoward from happening, but it is up to your miss what judgement she makes of the man." she explained.
"For all we know, she might be the key to softening his stupid, terrible heart." Marika added.
"But Miss Polestar is too bright, and believes too much the best in others. I fear she is in for a terrible heartbreak if I do not intervene." I explained.
"That's humans for you." Mildred chided quietly.
"Your duty is to be there for her, not to make decisions for her. That's all you can do." Big Miriam explained softly.
I slumped slightly, for I knew the other maids were right. I could not make decisions for Miss Polestar, and attempting to do so would be far beyond my station, and not at all fair to her. She was smart, anyway, she'd figure it out.
"Come now, let's take your mind off it. How are your prospects, Marie?" Mary asked.
"You're gorgeous, you must be fending off the boys by the dozen already, I imagine."
"I… can't exactly say that has been my experience." I said, still staring at the two tiny figures conversing down the hill.
"Now that is a shame." one of the Miriams said.
"Downright criminal, almost." the other chimed in.
"No cute machines on your miss's staff, then?" Mildred asked.
"I can't say I've particularly noticed any of them." I said honestly. Well, perhaps Amber… but that is not how they meant it.
"Well, no matter. I think I know the perfect way to distract you." Mildred said, indicating slightly across the hill to where a gaggle of our counterparts, the valets of the young men below, were waiting and chatting animatedly. "What do you say we find young Marie here somebody to talk to?"
"I don't think that's exactly necessary…" I tried to protest, but they insisted. Marika said she'd keep an eye on Miss Polestar for me while the Miriams took me by the arms and guided me towards the valets.
"Now, don't you be nervous, they're a sweet bunch, I promise."
"I do not know if it's exactly nervousness…" I tried to protest, before finding myself deposited in front of the group.
"This here's Marie," Big Miriam announced, completely ignoring my protests, "she's fresh off the assembly line and was looking to meet some of the finest young machines in New Atlantis, perhaps you young chaps could show us the way to them?"
I did my best to hide my embarrassment with my hands in front of my face. I fear, however, that nothing in this universe could disguise the glowing beacons that were my cheeks.
"H-hello. Everyone." I said, shying away a bit.
There was some muffled laughter from among the valets, then one of them stepped a little closer and indicated up the hill a bit. A bit self-conscious, I followed him a ways up and tried to figure out how I was supposed to feel, rather than simple confusion.
"Well, hello. James." he said, offering his hand as he gave me a slight bow.
"Marie. Hello." I curtsied in return. "I… am not entirely sure what is happening here."
"Yeah, I had a feeling you might. Don't worry, those friends of yours can be a little over-exuberant, I just wanted to get you clear of them a moment. If you look, they're all watching you. Expecting something magical to happen, I suppose." James said.
"That's embarrassing." I turned to look, and they all immediately turned away, being perhaps the least subtle machines I believe I have ever met.
"The lot of them, I swear. Fun at parties, though."
"Given today, I don't think they are terribly well suited to parties, actually." I observed, and he laughed a little.
"Oh, not these parties. I mean our parties. Machine ones." James explained awkwardly.
"Oh... I didn't know we had those."
"Sure. Most of us get our half-days off on the weekends, or have evenings off, so we organize stuff like that. There's one in a few days, actually, a big warehouse set aside for it and everything. If you're interested." James said, and I noticed something about the way he looked at me.
"... are you inviting me out?" I asked, a bit out of my depths. "Sorry, I'm very new to this. And… just sort of very new in general."
"You'll get there, I think. You seem like the capable sort. Your young miss is lucky to have you."
"Thank you. I'm sure the same can be said for-" I trailed off as I saw the look in his eyes. "Oh dear."
"Yeah. I'm doing my best, but I'm afraid Mister Fullmore is… he's a bit of a prick."
I laughed, despite myself. If his servants spoke of him that way, he must be bad.
"My miss is the one down there with him."
"I'm so, so sorry. He really is a clever man, and smarter than I can keep up with, but it's gone straight to his head. He doesn't seem to understand why he needs to care about what other people think. Or that he might be wrong sometimes." James said, clearly apologetic.
"That is not very encouraging. I already fear for Miss Polestar, she is much too eager to see the best in people, I think. Though… do not share this, but she turned down her last suitor when he proposed, so I think she might be able to do the same here."
"Professionally, I hope she sticks with him and sees the good inside. Deep, deep inside. Personally… grab your miss and run, girl, run. But… until she does, how do you feel about Saturday?"
"I… confess I do not… I… words. Sorry, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to feel right now." I confessed.
"... yeah, was starting to get that sense. I'm sorry, I'll back off. I can tell you're not interested." James said.
"It isn't because you're not interesting. You've been the best conversation I've had so far outside of my miss." I said, and he smiled.
"Oh, I know it's not my fault. Like, look at me, I'm a handsome guy. The artist who sculpted my face went on to make statues for the Regency Council, I heard they're in the palace now."
I looked at him carefully. I suppose he was handsome, but it hadn't really stuck out.
"That's amazing. I'm sorry I didn't notice it." I said.
"I don't think you would anyway. If you'll beg my saying it, I don't think you much care for men in that way, right?"
"Well, maybe I just need a bit of time…" I started, and once again, he waved me off.
"By our standards, you've had plenty of time, Marie. Are you interested in anyone?"
By some subconscious impulse, I glanced down the hill towards Miss Polestar.
"Oh, well then. That's a whole mess I can't help you with, but don't you worry. I think I know a couple of machines who might be right up your alley, might help distract you. Come along to the party on Saturday and we'll get you sorted. Or my name's not Jimmy."
"But your name's James."
"It's a nickname, Marie. I'll see you there?" he flipped me a card I hadn't even noticed him scribbling an address on, and I took it hesitantly.
"Of course."
---
As it turned out, Miss Polestar was feeling some strain, and her conversation with Mr Fullmore had tired her to such an extent that she could not attend the reputedly extravagant after-party he was hosting at his estate. His forwardness in inviting my miss to such an event bordered on improper, but thankfully for him, I was still some ways away and Miss Polestar is significantly more forgiving for such lapses than I.
On the return trip to the Mercury, I kept a close watch over Miss Polestar. She seemed less bright than she had before the event, her joyful exuberance dimmed by the experience. I began to get a terrible feeling that something had gone escanse between Miss Polestar and Mr Fullmore.
Our return to the Mercury was smooth, Pierre having prepared a light repast for Miss Polestar at my behest, and whilst she cleared her plate, the feeling that something was wrong persisted deep in my circuits. It was only after Miss Polestar was ready for bed that I found out what had gone amiss.
Heeding the words of my fellow maids, I had decided not to pry. It seems, however, that my miss values my perspective and advice as it was as I brushed her hair in long, slow strokes, that she told me all that had happened, as best she could through a filter of reserved, optimistic language.
"He is very opinionated, and has strong ideas about what is proper." she began. Translation: he is judgemental of others. "He was nothing but a gentleman to me, but… he made comments through the night about other people at the dance, about servants who couldn't hear him, about… he seems bitter, almost, and I feel I need to be careful. I do not want to see him hurt again."
My heart sank. Surely, she must know she was already making excuses? This was a first encounter, the whole purpose is to see if things are worth pursuing further.
"That is unfortunate." I offered neutrally. "But he treated you well?"
"He did. He indulged my curiosity regarding his degree, and… corrected some misconceptions I had regarding my own fields of inquiry. Or at least, I will have to reread some things to be sure. But he seemed to find my interests endearing, which is good, right?"
I wish I could have told her to simply call it there, that she must have seen enough to know this would lead nowhere good. But… in this moment I was realizing, strangely, that for all that my miss was brilliant and brave, she was also very naive, and even perhaps immature. An absurd thing to say, when she has lived more years than I have days, but I feared perhaps what was happening was that she was attempting to give this man the benefit of the doubt out of some sort of guilt over Lieutenant Risewell, that she must see this through to prove something.
"I suppose so, though I would double check your books to be certain. It is the responsible thing to do, right miss?"
"Of course." she said quietly, leaning back a little in her chair. I fretted as some of her long, silvery hair was trapped between the chair back and her body, doing my best to free the strands. "That would be an advantage. We'd never be short of books."
"I can't imagine that wouldn't be true in any household you're a part of, miss." I offered, hoping to remind her that she didn't need him for such a thing. She didn't respond, so I continued. "Will you be seeing him again?"
"Yes, though not for a few more days I'm afraid. He has classes, you see." she replied.
"Oh. A shame." I said diplomatically. "Will I have to rearrange my schedule?"
"Oh, no, you still have your days off where they are. Why, planning anything special?" she asked.
"As a matter of fact, I was invited to a dance myself." I said, a little
"By a boy?" she asked excitedly, perking up a bit. I decided to perhaps withhold my personal revelations for the time being.
"As a matter of fact, yes."
"Marie, that's wonderful! It does mean I will be without my staff for a while, though. Alas, I shall have to fend for myself in the big city." Now I could see a grin on her face in the mirror, a bit of her spirit back. "Whatever shall I do?"
---
In the intervening days between now and your next meeting with Mr Fullmore, you have some time for yourself, with all of New Atlantis to explore. What would you like to do?
[ ] You know, with Marie not around to say anything… maybe you can take a day to visit the Stellar Cartography Society. Not to join, you know, just to look around. Maybe buy one of their cool map tables. Maybe make some friends for when you join.
[ ] There are some excellent shipyards here, and MSY Mercury is missing some vital features you could probably get for cheap. Like extra fuel tanks so you can range a little farther in your search, and maybe convert that useless storage shed into a gymnasium so you aren't practicing your fencing in the study!
[ ] Given Mr. Fullmore's schedule, it seems you might be in the city for a little while at the very least. It might pay off to make some friends while you're here. Surely there's a card circle or something you can smuggle yourself into?
Being a University city, New Atlantis has no shortage of bookshops and libraries, and now that you think on it, your shelves are looking somewhat sparse. You should start learning a new subject to see if you can impress Mr. Fullmore at your next date!
[ ] Modern History: If nothing else, you''ll be able to keep up with him better! The last two hundred years have been very interesting, you should learn more!
[ ] Artificial Intelligence: Marie is so clever, and you're sort of wondering what makes her tick. You should look into that!
[ ] Astropolitics: You never really gave much thought to politics, your mother always assured you that your husband would handle it, but perhaps you should take another look!
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