The Diisarirga Estate
No estate on Cabrini can truely be said to be typical. Each estate
reflects the centuries of preferances of the owning families. The
Diisarirga Estate is typical of this trend. The estate
encompasses over fifty three square kilometers, with a variety of
diversions. Many of the estate's original buildings have been replaced
over the last 3 hundred years. Duke Iirames built the present manor to
house the family during renovations of the Magash arcology penthouse
during the 900s. Dutchess Silvan has added a new exercise complex to
the poolhouse in just the last decade.
The manor house is built in the approximate center of the estate. It is
surrounded by a elliptical road, called the Oval, approximately 1
kilometer from east to
west and half a kilometrer from north to south. The following
facilities are inside this circle.
The Garage has hanger space for a large number of grav vehicles. This
includes the duchess's luxurious official limousine, used for Imperial
functions, a sporty aircar, and a number of working grav carriers,
which are used by staff. There are also a few air/raft suitable for use
in the Cabrini's outback. A smaller ground vehicle garage
provides maintenance and charging stations for the electric powered
ground cars used by the staff to move around the estate.
The stables house a number of riding beasts. Lady Silvan rode both
horses
and poni while at Catcroft. The stables were primarily unused during
her grandfather's time. Her mother, an avid rider, had them
refurbished.
The poni stables were in particularly bad repair and her mother brought
in a well known Vland trainer to get them in order. The stable staff
lives in cotts near the stables.
The Utilites Shed houses all of the support equipment necessary to
allow the family to have all of the modern conveniences. The shed
contains an automated, sealed, long endurance fusion generator which
powers the estate. Fresh water is pumped from a deep well into the
estate's own water distribution system. Sewage is treated before being
released into the Old River. The control systems for these services are
all located in the Utilites Shed.
Outside the Oval, about a half kilometer to the south of the
manor, are the Pool House and Gardens.
Though there is an outdoor swimming pool at the manor, it is only
usable in the summer season. The Pool House has a large indoor pool
usable the year round. It is much more suitable for parties. During the
summer the roof of the structure can be pulled back to allow for both
moonlight swims and sunning at poolside. The Pool House also includes
extensive exercise facilities, including a salle.
Next to the Pool House are the extensive formal gardens. The entire
estate is covered in brush, and it includes a wooded area, but the
gardens are extensively maintained and contain many offoworld species
of plant. Across from the gardens are the three large greenhouses,
where
plants are tended in the winter, and many species not suitable for the
estate's temperate climate are grown year round. The gardeners live in
cotts attanched to the green houses.
Just to the north of the circular road are the staff cotts. Most
of the servants, and their families live here. Since the nearest
railhead is hundreds of kilometers away the staff must be very self
sufficient. Supplies are brought in weekly. At least once a month a
trip is made to the starport to pick up imported items too big or
fragile to be trusted to the local post.
The staff cotts are large by local standards. Most contain a number of
imported offworld luxuries, like computers and entertainment
electroincs, not available to most Cabrini workers. In floorplan they
are rather typical, being made up of a large greatroom, which is
combination living room, dinning room and kitchen, and a number of
bedrooms.
The estate itself is almost 10 kilometers across. At its southeastern
and southwestern verticies are located two barracks for the
housing of Huscarles, when the Duchess is on world. At other times
these stations are effectively empty, with just a few retired Troopers
on the estate to act as security. Each barracks also contain officer
and NCO quarters as well as a landing pad for an APC or grav vehicle.
There is a shooting range at the West Barracks.
Just north of the East Barracks is the boat house. The estate is
situated too far north to enjoy a beach exposure, but not too far to
make boating untenable. The boat house ajoins a well built dock capable
to supporting both a large sailing yacht and a good size power cruiser.
Several small service craft are also kept there, as are a number of
small day sailors.
Northwest of the bay, nearer the estate's northern boundary are the
vinyards. A private winery is located near the vinyards. The vintner
and his staff live in cotts at the winery.
The rest of the northern part of the estate is effectively untouched.
The Venisilii Woods, an area approximately a kilometer square,
contains old growth trees that predate the building of most of the
estates facilities. Several imported herbavour species coexists with
native animals in this area of the estate.
A sonic barrier, and a protective fence surrounds the estate. The
purpose of the barrier is to keep dangerous native preditors off of the
estate. It is very effective at doing that. The mudane fence has the
job of keeping trespassers out. A series of proximity detectors and
video pickups allow the estate security detachment to monitor the
perimeter of the estate. Security is typically much higher when the
Duchess or a member of the family is in residence than when they are
not.
