INTERCEPTED: ATTN. MINISTER OF STATE SECURITY, DEVA

 

RESTRICTED ACCESS

FOR Q’S EYES ONLY
RE: FURTHER BACKGROUND ON XANTHE CHANCE
FROM: AH in DEVA

BACKGROUND REPORT ON XANTHE CHANCE

Xanthe Chance was made a Prisoner of State at birth and lived much of her life on the prison island of Hryggeskerry off the north coast of Scotia. At the age of ten she was enclosed in the prison itself and treated as harshly as any other political prisoner. She had no formal education, instead catching up assorted pieces of information from the scholars, researchers and dissidents who were confined in Hryggeskerry fortress. However she has a high-level natural ability at mathematics and was tutored by a man she called The Blind Mathematician. When Lady Xanthe was twelve (at the time of the Armistice), conditions worsened for her and she fell seriously ill with a brain fever.

Since the end of the Civil War she has lived in Deva as the personal ward of the Minister of State Security; her status as Prisoner of State remains unchanged. Recently there has been public speculation about a physical relationship between the two, but this remains unconfirmed. Currently she occupies a suite in the Ministry building, but some of her time is spent in various University facilities or in visiting the observation point along the Dislocation Barrier on what was the main road south. When she leaves the Ministry she is always under escort.

Lady Xanthe is reported to be developing a detailed mathematical model of the Barrier, with a view to its eventual removal; however, assessments by independent experts suggests that her methods are unorthodox and her proposals quite impractical. It must be noted though that the independent experts found the mathematical modelling impossible to follow and it may be that some assessments are biased due to lack of understanding. In fact, Dr Galan Grammaticus, the Master of Exeter College and no supporter of the Chance family, described the work as ground-breaking.

Lady Xanthe has attracted the attention of the OPV on several occasions. To some extent this is a consequence of her erratic personal behaviour, but it is mainly in connection with persistent suggestions that she is continuing to dabble in the forbidden (and heretical) work on automata which led to her family’s destruction. We have been unable to confirm or refute these rumours; but it is rumoured that Lady Xanthe controls a menagerie of automata whose origins are unclear (all attempts to obtain one for examination have failed).

Xanthe Chance is a Person of Interest for two reasons, both relevant to our plans. First, she is probably heiress to the great Chance fortune and properties – though her status as Prisoner of State creates serious doubt as to whether she could legally inherit, even if the status is revoked. Second, she is close to Felix Skryker; and, whether or not they have become romantically involved (see separate report: Felix Skryker), she represents a lever which may be used against him. If we can win her to our cause, she will therefore be a doubly valuable asset. However, she is related to the Regent Archbishop and may to some extent be under his protection too, so direct approaches must be carefully managed.

Note: Lady Xanthe’s erratic and unpredictable habits make it difficult to follow her or confirm her routines. However, they also provide opportunities for intervention, if this should become necessary, as she appears to be completely scornful of personal security. The difficulty there would be to prepare in advance for a situation where she is known to be alone and vulnerable.

Personal assessment: apparently considerable native intelligence, but little formal education. May have suffered significant psychological damage as a result of her earlier imprisonment, and shows considerable mental instability. Difficult to deal with as a person; emotionally cold, unapproachable. She will turn 18 on Midsummer’s Day. She is slim and slight and said to be growing into a beauty, though reportedly she shows none of the normal young woman’s interest in boys or relationships generally (again, possibly a consequence of long imprisonment). All attempts to befriend her have been repelled.