Chapter 173 173 Experiencing a Piece of Jasmine’s Home

Time moved quickly and it was finally the day of the anticipated meeting with Jasmine's mother.

"I'm leaving you in charge of things while I'm gone Ezra. I don't expect anything to happen but keep vigilant just in case."

"You can count on me. I'll also be prepared for if any drastic measures are required." Ezra responded.

Avery gave him a knowing nod and then cut the call. They had about two hours left until it was time for the meeting, but they needed to leave soon to avoid the possibility of being late.

Once they had received permission to take off, Avery eased the Dauntless into the air until he was at an acceptable cruising height.

"Okay, the route is set." Kasandra said, having finished putting the flight data into the navigational computer.

Without further ado, Avery slowly increased the ships thrusters until they were flying at peak allowable speed.

The scenery rushed by as they sped across Azade, and soon the endless blue of the ocean gave way to a rocky shore.

Enamored by the new view, Avery turned his full attention on looking down at the world below. Now that they had gotten going, the ship was basically flying itself, and if an emergency came up, Kasandra and Jasmine were prepared to respond. For just a bit, Avery was going to relax and take in the views he had only ever seen photos of before.

Soon they were passing over a mountainous region and Avery caught his first sight of snow.

It was like a white blanket had been rolled out over the gradually descending slopes, and Avery really wanted to land and jump in.

He had heard that snow was soft, and many people enjoyed playing in it. In fact, the mountain range they were flying over was in truth a large recreational facility set up for those the enjoyed actives involving snow and hiking.

As someone that had lived on a colony in a system that was focused on just a couple of industries, everything about Azade was incredibly foreign to him.

"Your home really is amazing Jasmine. I wish we were here under better circumstances so that we could experience everything without worry." Avery said, unconsciously sighing in disappointment.

Unfortunately, if they ditched their scheduled meeting to mess around, they would only incur the ire of Jasmine's mother.

There was a good chance that her personnel would be sent after them if Avery, Kasandra, and Jasmine were late.

Then there was also the Odium Syndicate to worry about.

So long as they were in the Dauntless, Avery felt practically invincible.

However, if they set down somewhere and left the safety of their vessel, it was not impossible that a large force might appear to attack them and vaporize the three of them before the authorities could even arrive. Though, this was probably unlikely since they did not have Grito with them. Still, it was a possibility.

Nearly a half hour from when they departed, Azade's largest and cpatial city came into view.

In stark contrast to the natural beauty that Avery had witnessed so far, this area was more reminiscent of a large space colony.

Millions of buildings were crammed into a small space, and many of them reached towards the sky and were several thousands of kilometers tall.

Still, it was the first large terrestrial settlement Avery had ever seen, and he quickly noticed some major difference from comparable colonies out in space.

With far less constraints for space, there were more diverse architectural designs.

To fit with the enclosed shell of a colony, most budlings typically had uniform shapes and sizes to maximize space. The differences between them were more often found on the inside.

As they got closer, Avery also noticed that there were swarms of personal vehicles flying around or driving on the streets below.

In the cramped quarters of colonies, the public transit systems and walking were the main ways of getting around. Considering the limited road and air space, induvial vehicles were only for the rich and emergency personnel.

That was clearly not the case here, however. All manner of flying vehicles that also came with wheels for traveling on the ground crisscrossed around the city in a never-ending stream.

Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming for both Avery and Kasandra. This was the first time either of them had seen the traffic of a large terrestrial city.

"They've really expanded the cpatial while I was gone. I don't think those two districts were there last time I was here. Oh, and those towers are new too." Jasmine said excitedly, picking out the changes that the familiar city had undergone since she left.

Eventually two small ships with the emblem of the chancellor's personal guard painted on their sides came to guide them the rest of the way. Going forward, they would be flying over restricted airspace to Jasmine's mother's residence.

A quick flight through the city brought them to the edge of the estate that Azade's chancellor historically lived in.

Its size was honestly massive. The entire grounds sat on seventeen square kilometers of land. With thousands of buildings within the confines. Making it look like a town of its own within the city.

Naturally, the largest and most ornate of these buildings was the main house of the chancellor. Although house was hardly an apt description. It was really a mansion that was well over two hundred thousand square meters in size.

Seeing all of this made Avery truly realize just how powerful Jasmine's mother really was.

She lived in a place that most people could not even dream about, and wielded authority over an entire planet. She was in a league with very fee peers even within the entirety of the Alliance.

'And we're about to possibly have a confrontation with her. Perhaps I hadn't realized how big of a deal this was going to be.' Avery thought as he took in the grandeur of Azade's Chancellor's estate.

Nevertheless, this was far from enough to make him back down. He was a mercenary, and he would not bend to anyone. He would do whatever it took to maintain his own freedom, and the freedom of those that chose to follow him. That included Jasmine. No matter how powerful her mother was, that did not change what they had come here to do.

After hovering in the air just above the estate's grounds for nearly a minute, Avery received permission to enter and the two ships escorting the Dauntless brought him to a landing pad near the main residence.

Along the way, Avery received several alerts from the main computer. Dozens of different weapons had been locked onto the ship, and it was constantly being scanned. If so much as a single weapon system started to charge or the Dauntless flew outside of the designated flight path, the security turrets that were located throughout the area would take aim and blow him away.

"I guess that they need this much security to keep the planet's leader safe." Avery commented, a cold sweat having formed on his brow.

Once they had landed, the three of them swiftly disembarked.

All of them had put on their best clothing in advance, considering who they were about to meet with.

As soon as Avery, Kasandra, and Jasmine left their ship, they were met by a middle-aged woman wearing what was clearly a uniform of some kind. Undoubtably a staff member of the estate and someone that worked for Jasmine's mother.

"Greetings Lady Jasmine, Mister Avery, and Miss Kasandra. My name is Ciphilolia, and I will be acting as your guide during your stay. If you would, please follow me. A vehicle has been prepared to bring you to the main residence where the chancellor is waiting for all of you."

Avery immediately began examining Ciphilolia's appearance after she greeted them.

Her clothing was mostly a sleek black with some white frills adorned at certain places. And her long brown hair was tied up into a bun.

'Yeah, that blouse and skirt are definitely made of laser resistant fibers just like our combat clothing. The way she walks is also a bit off. Her left leg is a bit slower. I'd bet she has a concealed weapon there.' Avery thought.

He also noticed she was wearing a pin that stood out. Likely as a means to indicate some sort of rank among the staff that worked here, but Avery was uncertain of exactly what its significance was.

The three of them were quickly ushered through a small terminal where they were very thoroughly scanned. It seemed that even the chancellor's returning daughter and her companions had to go through stringent security measures.

When they walked out the other side of the building, the three of them found a sleek dark blue vehicle waiting for them.

At each corner was a heavily armed guard, and the moment that they saw Jasmine, they stood up straighter and became more attentive.

"I see that they haven't chaged." Jasmine whispered under her breath. A hint of nostalgia in her expression.

It would seem that these two men and women had once been her own personal guards long ago. Back when she was still the daughter of a high profile and powerful senator. Seeing that she had finally returned, they had come back to escort her as if it was only natural.

Ushered inside the vehicle, Avery found that it's interior was surprisingly bright and the seats were unbelievably comfortable.

Ciphilolia was the only one that got into the same compartment with them, while the four guards squeezed into the front that was separated by a retractable panel.

"Your mother truly has missed you, Lady Jasmine. I am glad that you've finally returned." Ciphilolia said, a warmth in her eyes as she looked at Jasmine and the vehicle began to move.