Subsidised

1st of Faith, in the 5th year of the reign of House Redwater

Salamah ate toast with one hand while checking through messages with the other.  It was not an activity that he would ever wish to be viewed doing.  It seemed too distracted and unprofessional.  So when his assistant, a nice man who was competent enough, if a bit of a, well, he was in many ways what Salamah had pretended to be, and still did, arrived and said, "I come bearing a message" there was a small spike of suspicion.  And so far as he could tell, it wasn't an act.  But some paranoid part of him saw himself in that situation: and Salamah at twenty-six, this man's age, might have been willing to put a vibro-knife in a Noble's back for profit.

He shook off these paranoias and asked, "Who is it from?"

"The Ser Noches, Sir."

Lady Ser Noche had competed in the last election, he recalled, had competed and lost, but still a good showing.  And the Ser Noches themselves had an incredibly high reputation.  Empresses HAD come from their line before.

He viewed the video, twice, the second time looking for some hidden meaning.  It all seemed to be legitimate.  Twenty-five thousand Solars!

Immediately he began to ponder who would go.  Why go?  Because you weren't given such a gift, such a windfall, without showing gratitude.  And, really, going to see one of the most powerful Houses in the Galaxy was almost never a bad idea.  Almost never.

It couldn't be just him, or his wife would be suspicious that he might stray, again.  So she'd have to go if he did.  The same logic applied if she went.  Marcus, alcoholic that he was, couldn't go unsupervised.  It'd take his wife, Josette, and himself to keep Marcus from making a fool of himself.  But if he stayed here while Salamah went, he'd find drink anyways.  Vincent couldn't go on his own, and he couldn't be trusted not to spend the money on Sathraism or annoy someone.  And Audrey would plot or ruin things on her own. 

And so, either everyone or no-one would have to go.  He knew what his choice would be.  But first, he had a message for a certain House regarding the transport of his family.

7th of Faith, after three days of preparation and three days of travel, in the 5th year of the reign of House Redwater

So it was that they found themselves travelling first-class to Algol, said to be a beautiful, peaceful, and watery planet, to meet with the Ser Noches.  They could hardly have known how very much would be affected by this one decision.  For they were not the only group to be involved.

((This has also been posted as the start of an RP thread.  Those in the Galaxy of Capricorn might like to check that out!))