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

With plenty of information to chew over the Troupe spend some time collating the clues they have and discussing what steps to take next.

After her success in analysing the letter from Bishop Richlieu, Canon Alexis prays over the original letter that Baron Tochiro sent to Count Rem Dei Kun Char Li Halan, seeking that the Pancreator will reveal any falsehoods within. Using the ritual of “Knowing the False Heart”, Alexis recieves divine revelation that while the document does contain half truths there are no outright lies within.

Sir Ulrich interrupts the discussion with news; he has had a breakthrough in deciphering the Jakovian codes. He has identified the word “diligence” repeated in the various messages.  The Torenson knight is overjoyed at his progress and decides to turn in for the night.

The rest of the Troupe return to their debate but are soon interrupted again; this time by an alert being sounding.  Checking in with the watch officer Bass learns that the ship has been breached and unknown parties have come aboard.  Bass, Sir Zillah, Kibri and Alexis rush to the cargo bay to investigate.

In the bay they find a well dressed freeman accompanied by two jumpsuited bodyguards with drawn pistols.  A stand off ensues but is soon resolved when the uninvited “guests” agree to leave their weapons outside the ship if they can speak privately with the captain and his associates.

Once in Bass’ office the well dressed man, who refuses to give his name, says that he has come with a gift.  From his jacket pocket he removes a portable Think Machine and takes a data stick from it.  He says that it contains information which the people he represents think will help the Troupe, it is theirs on the understanding that the Charioteers Guild had no part to play in the attack on the Basillica and the theft of Saint Diana’s Skull.  He implies that an individual Charioteer may have made a poor decision and taken a contract that they shouldn’t have, but that that has been dealt with. This information is provided as a gesture of good faith and to try to reassure them all that the Charioteers were not a part of whatever conspiracy has gone on. 

During this exchange Zillah reads the man’s aura with Subtle Sight and Alexis uses “Knowing the False Heart” once more. The man seems to be on the level and comes across as supremely confident and self assured.

The man and his guards leave and as the Troupe escort them out they find that there was a much larger complement of jumpsuited men-at-arms waiting outside the ship on the landing pad.

Using Baronet Chi-Fu’s personal Think Machine (in case the data stic, k has some form of virus or worm) Zillah reviews the information they have been given. It appears to be flight logs and navigation data for the suspect Wagon of Paulus.  They now know exactly which of the gas giants’ moons it headed to (which would currently be about two days journey in the Blessed Saint Horace).

They decide to rest now and reconvene in the morning.

Discussing the new information over breakfast, Sir Ulrich is able to confirm that the target moon is officially under Hawkwood jurisdiction but that there are no recorded settlements or outposts on it, but it is certainly large enough to host an unregistered base. 

During their ruminations Ulrich has another sudden stroke of inspiration and dashes to get his copy of the Torenson Roster. Laying it out before the rest of the Troupe, he points to the family tree of Count Innocence Decados and the fact that Lady Chastity has a sister; Diligence.  Diligence’s mother was the notorious Justinian renegade (and great-niece of Baron Tochiro), Dame Arcadia Midden Justinian. It may be a tangential connection but Ulrich (and some of the other Troupe members) don’t think it is just coincidence.

While this is happening, Bass notices some Muster Guild papers that mention his name and so hastily pockets them. Reading them later he discovers that Ulrich had been checking Muster records to find out his background, but satisfied with the response they provided he slips the documents back into the Torenson’s files.

The Troupe now decide that they ought to speak with Sir Bedevere Windsor Hawkwood.  Alexis is convinced that the Windsor family connection (between Saint Diana and the Windsor Hawkwoods) is worth following up on and, from the details in Ulrich’s copy of the Roster it seems like he has familial connections to many of the people involved.

Their enquiries lead them to discover that the Hawkwood knight returned to his vessel, the Debt of Honour, to recover from the injuries he suffered during the attack on the Basilica. However that ship remains in orbit, monitoring the Li Halan flotilla. They put in a squawker call to the ship and arrange to speak with him.

Asked about Dame Arcadia, Sir Bedevere tells of how she was a renegade who attempted to assassinate Duke Cassius, the planetary ruler of Ravenna and then went into hiding. She re-emerged some years later and fell in with a motley band including a notorious Torenson criminal, her cousin Hemlock, and a Phoenix Knight named the Marquis Anton deHavilland Hawkwood, a cousin of Emperor himself (see: The Trials and Tribulations of Dame Arcadia Justinian). She was eventually killed but then returned as a spectral force who took possession of Lady Yelizaveta Decados, a knight in the service of Count Innocence.  Using the lady’s body she took command of a group of space pirates and took great pleasure taking “revenge” on House Hawkwood by attacking shipping in the Ravenna system. 

Sir Bedevere was part of a patrol group who attempted to take down the pirates but the engagement did not go the Hawkwood’s way and Bedevere was captured. 

While he was still a prisoner, Lady Yelizaveta was able to throw off the possession and exorcise the evil spirit but Sir Bedevere remained an "honoured guest". His family agreed on a suitable "recovery fee and administration costs" (i.e. ransom...), as is the custom with the Nobility and their naval conflicts. He remembers encountering Count Innocence during this time (as Lady Yelizaveta returned to him after the defeat of Arcadia) and considered him a surprisinglt honourable man, for a Decados.  In fact he understands that the Decados set a very low fee for his ransom; enough to follow form and not cause insult to his status or that of his command, but trivial enough that either it was a sign of good faith, that he wanted a swift end of the matter or that he would expect a favour in return at a future time.* That potential favour was never called upon though. The Troupe’s interview with Bedevere continues...

* Note: This is very much the events as seen or understood from Bedevere's perspective.  For what actually occured please see the details recorded on the Dame Arcadia blog (link above).