Page 83 - The Chronicles Ser2 (6-10)

radar by now. Morgana had used her knowledge of Herbs’ medicinal and other plants and
biochemistry to come up with new toxic agents for deployment by Nano Killers. They could
live here quite comfortably for a considerable length of time. However; their long term
plans followed a different agenda. Day to day they kept up appearances, but they were
secretly making plans that would give them power on a whole different order.

“I think I have the Abbot here wrapped around my finger” Morgana said over lunch “he will
do anything to get his hands on one of my “special” brews, he would seem to be having
marital difficulties” she chuckled.

“The Marketer is becoming a reliable chap too. He’s interested in expanding into the
Intergalactic routes. There are worlds in the other Galaxy that would benefit from the
product made here. Our Broker friend has managed to secure me access on a private
channel with your son. His last report is looking favourable. I must say; I didn’t think he’d be
so resourceful, it must be a genetic trait” he commented back and winced at the look that
Morgana gave him before she laughed.

“He looks nothing like his Father, that’s for sure. I chose well with his adopters, they
schooled him well in all forms of Vice. He made them pretty rich too; before he left to go
into the big wild world on his own. Has my devious streak to perfection. I suppose you could
legally adopt him as we were married enroute. Nice of the Abbot don’t you think”

“I might just do that if we can secure his passage out of Kelgar before the trouble that’s
going to happen. I’ve been looking over the prospectus of the system we were intending to
“retire” to. They have some pretty exclusive estates on offer, here take a look” He handed
her a pad with the holographs and details. “With the interest from our investments alone
we could secure any of them and live in luxury for the rest of our lives”. She scanned
through the images and stopped on one in particular.

“I like the look of this place; it’s in the Arani sector. 100 acres of vineyard attached and
House winery. Hmmm; I thought grapes were extinct though?” She looked to Josiah for an
answer. He took back the pad and looked up the historical records.

“Ah: these are a variety that survived on one of the first seed bank ships sent out to supply
the Terraforming of Venus but were never used, they were kept in Cryo-stasis, back before
The End, they crossed the plants with a variety the Anasazi took with them. Their wine is
said to have a flowery bouquet, and is pretty robust, the vine grows in weak soils as well as
strong. I think the Abbot has a bottle or two from this vineyard. Perhaps you could persuade
him to let us sample it” He winked. She laughed so hard she nearly choked on a morsel of
food.

Although designated as a Monastery, and the Order representatives designated as
Monks, the whole shebang was run as a business, with all the privileges that entailed,
coupled with the Tax relief from being a Religious establishment. In many respects the
Order styled itself as a modern day version of The Knights Templar. As long as a member
recanted their sins before death, like the long extinct Cathars, the members could live a full
and happy life, even to the point of debauchery. Many of the “Monks” even took wives and
had families, all looked after by the Order. So it’s no surprise that some were only too happy
to work with the “Criminal element”. Acolytes often spent their latter study years in a