The Duchess (Outsider #2)

Chapter 39: Potaponiac Farmhand Estate

Potaponiac on the border between Hondor, Sulturn and Prairy Provinces, was a very strange town. It was not really a town, though it fit the technical definition. It was more like a widely spread-out village with good roads, or a massive retirement home. It was about 2 hours' drive by car from the industrial city of Mercina in Hondor, but acquired the rural, agricultural characteristics of Prairy.

There was a marked absence of tall structures as the locals preferred flat houses, maximum ground plus two stories. Those who came from cities like Mercina to spend their retirements also wanted a country-side experience and kept the local architecture. However, in spite of being a small place, it had very good infrastructure, medical facilities, a good college and secondary campus of Konrad University.

The other thing different in the area was massive tracts of farmlands that was not owned by any of the Nobles, but by a shadowy corporation that no one knew or could find much about. This particular corporate entity owned 80 sq. km. of farms and orchards. In spite of extensive automation of robotic equipment, the corporation still employed 25,000 people.

In a way, the economy of that section of all 3 provinces depended on that particular corporation. Even the local Noble Families kept away from the corporation and never interfered with it. They knew that though it was low profile, it was definitely backed by awesome power else it would not be able to hold and operate such massive farms. There were rumours that it belonged to the Emperor.

In addition, if the corporation pulled out its operations, the revenue dip would result in Governors of Provinces coming down on the perpetrators like a ton of bricks. Just a job-loss of that magnitude would frighten the shit out of the administrators. And with the Crown Prince pushing for growth in agriculture, shutting down of 80 sq km of farm-block would be disastrous.

... ...

Susco had a hover-car in Mercina that she had got for her father. However, he refused to drive it, so it was lying in the basement parking most of the time. He felt it was too expensive and if he damaged it, he couldn't pay for the repairs. However, Local Militia would not let him travel unescorted in public transport or even in taxi, so they sent a driver whenever either wanted to go shopping or to visit friends. After all, they were now required to be given equivalent of Category X security.

The fact that Militia had to send a driver each time, made Jaden and his wife Lilif, reluctant to go and meet friends. Instead, they would call friends over. They did not like the idea of disturbing the Militia for their personal pleasures. The change from fearing Militia (as was the case of all poor citizen of the country) to being served by them was a change that they both found difficult to absorb.

And the other time the car was used was every alternate weekend, the Militia send it to the Airport for Susco to drive back home.

That day, the car finally got used beyond half an hour. Susco drove from Mercina to Potaponiac along the wide highway. There were a lot of vehicles even though it was a 6th day, because it was an inter-city expressway used by a lot of long-haul automated trucks carrying materials from the farmlands of Prairy Province to the industrial belts of Hondor and finished goods to Prairy and the Highland Provinces. Further, the major ports of the Western Coast were in Hondor and this road was the preferred transit for those wanting to avoid the desert of Arcadia.

Susco zoomed in and out of traffic, with her AI (called Ezeno) plotting the safe path. It was able to query the other vehicles to know who was travelling at what speed, who was planning to turn and where there were gaps that she could exploit. Imperial Security had vehicles trailing them and a Duo-Pax as pilot scouting ahead. They were upset that Susco refused to let them clear the way by stopping other traffic at the side till they passed.