Solae was highly displeased at this turn of events. Truly it was not Rene's fault that it started to rain or that the soldier could not be safely carried to the ship. She knew from experience how stressful it could be, however, to be solely responsible for piloting the spacecraft, and she didn't wish that level of anxious pressure on anyone. Were they under a different set of circumstances she would have made a passionate argument against forcing the responsibility on her Syshin companion. He had only just started to learn the art of navigation of control and his teachers were a relative amateur who had been at the helm less than a month and an AI was improvising an instruction program for their lessons. They were out of options and the injured woman's health was the most important factor in their decisions, but that did not mean she had to be happy with the ultimate outcome.

"Rosaria, let's get going," the duchess said to her charge as she turned towards the path leading from the makeshift campsite to the ruins. She should have known that the inquisitive youth would have questioned their quick departure. In no mood for an extended discussion on the matter, she bristled internally when she didn't hear footsteps behind her. Perhaps she had been [i]too[/i] encouraging about letting the girl speak her mind as often as she wanted.

"But why aren't we going to stay here and wait for the Bonaventure?" she ventured, oblivious to how much her aristocratic companion did not want to debate the subject. To her it made sense to delay. Unlike the adults in the party, she didn't think quite so thoroughly or as far ahead, partially because of her age and partially because her life had been so suffocatingly contained before she was liberated from Thorne.

"You might have noticed the colonel said that strapping the armor to her with her burns wouldn't be fun. We won't be any help here," she explained as patiently as was possible, "and I don't think she wants an audience to that pain more than necessary. It would be improper and disrespectful to longer." Once she had finished chastising she glanced over her shoulder to address Rene directly. "We'll be back with Bel'sian as soon as we can to have group conversation. At the very least it will be warm and dry in the ship." The area Bouradine had set up was habitable, just less than ideal, and could not compare to the space and facilities of a freighter. More and more the diplomat was beginning to appreciate what a godsend the slaver's vessel was even if its origins were horrifying and it was several models out of date.

Rosaria jogged to keep up with Solae's brisk pace as her long strides carried her further from what would soon be a ghastly show as quickly as possible. Once she caught caught up with her pace, two of her steps to the linguist's one, she furrowed her brows in worry. "Do you think she'll be all right? The soldier that is?"

"You're really that concerned?" the former marquise asked with mild surprise. She had been a little pessimistic they had intervened too late and Rosaria wouldn't be able to empathize or sympathize with others. There was a raging debate over nature and nurture, yet there were centuries of evidence that rearing a child in a vacuum of emotions could turn them into cold-blooded monsters. Toddlers that weren't shown love could become callous, detached adolescents, and over ten was nearly a guarantee of severe psychological damage. Rosaria was flawed but was miraculous, an exceptional beacon of hope, proof that upbringing was not always a correlation to damnation. They had a long ways to go, but the progress was reassuring. "Rene wouldn't have taken off his armor and volunteered the kit if he didn't think it had a chance to work. Besides, Ten gave us enough medical supplies for a platoon of marines, and the equipment we have will make a huge difference in her condition."

The walk took them longer than she anticipated, almost twenty minutes, before they ended in the ruins. Gradually it became apparent that a significant portion of the trail they followed had once been an actual road that had become overgrown with vegetation since it had been abandoned by civilization. Scraggly shrubbery, piles of rubble, animal droppings, and other bits of wilderness stayed at their sides, never quite able to root itself where they tread, the less refined technology persistently maintaining structure underneath the dirt, grime, and leaves.

If she had to hazard a guess what they approached was once a breathtaking estate constructed of expensive stone to resemble a long-forgotten culture that was fashionably popular in the era. Exterior walls had survived; the doors and windows had not been so fortunate. The two ladies trekked up to on archway that had only rusted hinges left of its door and cautiously walked inside. Creatures must have sought shelter from the weather here intermittently, mud tracked in that outlined countless prints that were foreign to the educated aristocrat. In the corner was Bel'sian, and easel in front of her as well as a half-painted canvas. In retrospect it made sense. For a culture that so valued the artistic expressions of humanity, at least a handful of them must feel compelled to try to replicate the process, to create their own wonders.

"Miss Bel'sian?" Solae said quietly. It was better if they didn't get too much closer without making an introduction first. Failing to announce their presence and then startling her by appearing at her elbow would make a negative first impression by the most gracious of socialites. "I am Duchess Solae Falia, and this is Rosaria."

Bel'sian turned, eyes wide, in what Solae was fairly certain was alarm. Facial features were hard to read, but body language was blessedly universal, making it exponentially easier to communicate if they encountered a language barrier. First contact protocol utilized reading subtle physical cues extensively when there was no common tongue known. "Where is Bouradine?" she demanded, frightened.

"He's fine," Solae replied with a practiced calm, soothing tone. "My attache is helping him and a wounded soldier that was in his care. We didn't come to hurt either of you or take you anywhere you don't want to go," she added, "just to talk. The Kalderi were troubled about your disappearance. I can lead you back to Mr. Bouradine and my retinue. You may not be familiar with the human empire, but I swear to you on my empress that we have honest intentions. We are here to talk and help," she reiterated.