Char Li's Angels: The Skull of Saint Diana - Part VIII

Alexi(u)s, Bas, Ulrich and Zillah were gathered around the Avestite zealot. Alexi(u)s ministered to the priest's gunshot wound and stabilized the injury, while Ulrich tried, unsuccessfully, to reason with him. The station's Reeves Guild security officers then arrived in short order.  However as there was no immediate evidence they seemed unconcerned with any accusations against the priest.  The troupe's word about what he may have planned to do is rapidly dismissed as insufficient. The leading officer, Sergeant Rossiter (accompanied by Constable Dennis) actually suggest that the Avestite may have cause to sue the group for personal injury (and hand him details of a local Reeve Advocate if he wishes to follow up with a case). They then help him up and lead away from the agora.  The troupe decide they have no choice but to return to the ship.

Meanwhile, with Kibri keeping watch on the dock, Belvoir makes his way onto The Golden Behind, the Centurion Raider class ship belonging to the pirate captain, Hugh Janus. The rogue manages to crack open the bulkhead door leading to the ship’s bridge but decides that there is nothing worth stealing there. Instead he starts to move through the ship via it’s central corridor and soon encounters a pair of crew. Relying on his fast talking skills he convinces them that he was sent aboard by the captain and that he may be joining them.  Suitably convinced and befriended, and obviously somewhat inebriated, the crewmen offer to give Belvoir a tour of the ship, ending in the onboard “Grog Garden”; a bar-room supplied by the captain where a number of the crew are currently over indulging. 

 

Belvoir makes some new acquaintances over a friendly drink or two 

Belvoir samples some of their “hospitality” until he eventually finds a way to extricate himself from the situation, and ship, rejoin Kibri (who had started to really wonder what was going on) allowing them both to return to The Blessed Saint Horace.

Back on their ship, Canon Alexi(u)s absolves Zillah of his alcoholic inebriation and charges them with a penance to meditate on what they had done. Having recovered via the preist's ministry, Zillah goes to privately consider their collection of Koans.

News travels around the flotilla that they have been given confirmation of their position in the Jumpgate queue and should be jumping in about twelve hours (the total layover time will have been about 36-40 hours).

Ulrich pens a letter to the Lord Admiral, requesting an interview to contribute towards the chronicle of the journey which he is writing. A response is later received that Lord Admiral Baron Chan would be happy to do so, but it will need to wait until they arrive on Ravenna.

The Torenson knight then seeks out Alexi(u)s to offer confession, which the priest agrees to hear.  Ulrich feels burdened with a sin of pride and the confessor tells him that he should therefore publish his chronicle anonymously.  He agrees to accept the penance.

Zillah remains concerned about the zealous Avestite and goes to consult Sir Ulrich about possible ways in which someone could harm the people aboard the station. Ulrich points them to the life support systems and explains where they might be located.

Armed with that knowledge Zillah, along with Belvoir, head back aboard Bawaabat Samawia and make their way deep into the bowels of the facility. Close to the life support systems they find a dead maintenance worker, who appears to have serious burns. The access doors have been forced open and deep amongst the machinery they make out the ragged figure of the priest, working to plumb some sort of pumping machinery and tanks onto the stations air feed. Zillah doesn’t think twice and shoots the priest with their screamer pistol.  

 

Zillah and Belvoir come across a familiar, robed figure deep in the bowels of the station. 

The bedraggled figure immediately drops to the steel decking.  Belvoir and Zillah approach and examine the contraption.  With aid of their Vis sense, Zillah thinks that they can puzzle out it’s purpose and function, and are able to direct Belvoir in how to disable the machine.  They render it inoperative and dispose of the evidence.  Zillah draws their blade and finishes off the unconscious Avestite. They slip back to The Blessed Saint Horace in time to depart from the station and prepare for the translation to the Gwynneth system and one step closer to obtaining the Skull of Saint Diana.