Remember. Remember.

[HuggieSunrise]

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In the vortex of unconsciousness jim began to see light, blurry and splotchy. He became aware of what he was observing and was unmoved or unconcerned, as if he was in an out of body experience he was aware... of the woman in the field, a green field.

Several acres of tobacco being tended to by large racks of arms and sprayers suspended on a irrigation platform on a center pivot. Huge green circles visible from the sky, but the woman was fighting with what looked like a leaking hose.

The perspective shifted to a house about an acre away two stories Victorian looking. With wine casks under a lean to on the side of the home.

On the porch there was an old man... Monty? no.. its dad.. no. not my dad. Annie's.
Annie was affixing an adhesive patch to the grey hose that went directly on to the pivot motors gearbox.

What a mess. These are suppose to be self sufficient right?

Annie asked to the open air. The robot holding a tool box shook his head in a vary proper manner. It had a tuxedo painted on its chassy and was referred to as Sir Reginald.

Jim didn't perceive her speaking french... but he knew she was.. His thoughts weren't solid either instead it felt like the experience itself was forcing upon him the need to absorb everything he was experiencing. He did. As it seemed part of himself that were lost.. for however long.. were returning to him.

Sir Reginald began picking up parts Annie had torn apart out of frustration earlier. She was ill tempered towards all machinery that broke down days after warranty.

Annie closed up the covering for the pumps and gearbox with a few less screws then when she had started and started the water flow. The pivot came back to life as water flowed through the crazy looping and splitting junctions rotating wheels in groove in the soil and pushing solar panels that let the mess of robotic arms to pick up weeds and pests in the range of their pincers.

An old man called over a radio.
Hows my junkess? Everything ok over there mon petit ?

Annie picked up the tiny receiver and mumbled
If this stops again im going to pull it apart and make a half dozen walking water cans.

Dinners going to be late. But the wine is early!
the old voice chortled.

Dont you DARE drink past supper again! You need the calories! Ill be there in a moment.
She looked back to the driod.

Reggie put those back in the cellar.
she begain to jog back to the farmhouse.

On the porch there was a small table for two. The old man in a wheelchair was sipping wine from a bottle despite having a full glass on the table. Annie gave the man a disapproving look.

Papa if you do that youll just fall asleep through dinner.
she went inside and picked up a small service tray. What looked like some sorta sauce or mashed vegtable and green beans. She put some on a small plate and set it infront of her father.

The old man looked at it picked up a green bean with his hands and ate it.

Your not a caveman.
Annie chided.

Mon petit. Respect my age. Your going to miss important things like enjoying yourself... not the food cause its terrible. Why dont you go and have lunch with some nice man in town hm? Badger him till hes 94 and let me pass drunk and comfortable.
he was playing with his food.

After this season ill let you drink yourself off a cliff and we can get off of this plantation and back to France! she said enthusiactily.

Pa pa rolled his old eyes and threw his arms into the air.

Oh help me god. Youll never get me to go back there. What is the problem with being safe out here? Marne doesn't become you?
he forced a bite of mush. His face reflected disappointment and he promptly added salt... lots of salt.

Papa its only the knights fighting. Have you looked at the horizon? The smog is making it colder every winter and the workers are constantly-
Annie was cut off by a finger pointed at her.

Dont you bring up revolt like its some inconvenience, those are people, and I don't want to argue during a meal. .. well if this was a meal. I don't want to fight while drinking! If you so intent on moving we can go to Nevers... buy a villa. Or build a new one. Wed both like the sun and surf no?.

Papa forced the meal down... to get to the rest of his wine quicker.

Annie wasn't happy but the number of seasons papa had left, she thought they could be longer and at better quality on France. All the good medical treatments are there. Doctors vacationed in nevers, no one lived there on account of the hurricanes.

She watched him drink. and watched the sunset as he fell asleep himself taking loving care to put him to bed. We weighed less and less now, like a child, this man ended up being someone she had to take care of. She was only 22.

Her father was an Admiral longer then he was a duke. But when the crown demands your ship to be handed to the next generation you accept you discharge and move on into the sunset. He didnt plan on having a daughter.

The fighting on New France wasn't anything serious for Dukes and Duchess's but the knights where constantly challenging for their liege's territory. Corporations even threw in with alliances and families. But in the 5th century, Annies family had reached an end of itself. Her father what was left of a family that had a few black marks on it but what counted was hie opinion of the crown. Abusing the peasantry would lead to ruin her grandfather said. Upon retirement her father said the same and shortly after the invitations to dinner stopped.

Annie tucked in her father as best she could... he has an uncanny ability to holding onto a wine bottle while sleeping. He figured it would be his burial pose...

She didnt wanter her father to leave her but she could see the age and the procession of days getting to him. He was much more active when she was a teenager but as she took a more active role on the plantation and excelled in her home schooling Monty knew she would be able to handle herself. She was already more violent then he was.. He blamed the mother.

The harvest of tobacco was the largest yet on the Antuonette plantation. As papa predicted one of the larger agribusiness firms baught the land and the house from them, not because of his status but because annie did good work.

Plenty of Ducats and Francs to rely on, papa put aside enough for his funeral arrangements, paid off debts and packed two and a half tones of antiques on board a transport for the resort planet of Nevers.

The villa was a complete disaster. The dome home was like a concrete shaped bulb above the coral stone foundations of the beaches. The 300 kph winds of the typical cyclone that hits bi yearly had managed to break a window and steal the porch that was so prominently featured on the real estate sellers promotion.

Annie was not pleased...

Papa ignored her and like a little boy begain making sand castles. Supported by wine bottles.

It was three months of settling in, buying new clothing, learning not to burn in the sun before the house was cleaned up and a portch complete with tiki bar was christened.

The neighbors, a middle aged couple, who had sent their teenage sons over to help repair the home and build the porch were there sharing their news of the latest trends on the beaches, what theve heard from home.

The teens were too eager to help around the home as it appeared Annie was he only twenty two year old woman within 100 miles. The family was nice but they where peasantry. He was an accountant and she was a geologist who had found oil on 15 colony worlds.

Papa appreciated them to keep him company but eventually when they figured out they where royalty tradition squeaked itself in. Papa didnt like the idea of knighting or being bowed to.

Nevers looked like it was going to be so boring Annie might wither and fade away...

That was before Alexzander Le Morte came to visit.

<TBC>