I am finally back from my long trip, details some other time maybe after I am caught up a little more.
Recapping the events of the past two weeks, now that everyone has finally updated me. Okay sure, I'm partly to blame as I was travelling. I would super appreciate it if folks would take pics too, it really helps. Thanks and love, beautiful people.
The curator of the Bihar Sanctuary Museum, Feargananyn Karillion, was contacted by a supposed art dealer about the possibility of the sale of an Earth Heritage Artifact. A .1 gram sliver shard sample from the casket was authenticated, so there is a real one somewhere. It is being offered up for sale on the black market.
Curator Feargananym Karillion
The museum's authenticator, Mirra Zanzibar, made contact with the Zenobian Estates Manager, Ms. Zeno Baxton, and procurred permission to scan the relics, which were being put on display in their newly built chapel which was to be dedicated to Saint Zenobius.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/chapel-of-st-zenobius.html
The non-invasive scans were sufficient to determine that the coffin was a forgery.
Mirra Zanzibar and Zeno Baxton
The coffin is carved from a solid block of silver, which has prevented most scans and has ironically prevented detection of the fraud for quite some time. It is an expert work of forgery, someone actually found correctly dated materials and possibly even a likely body.
The key to uncovering the forgery was the painting that was the coffin's neighbor for over 500 years. Above the shrine of Saint Zenobius was the painting "Last Supper" by the lesser known renaissance artist, Giovanni Balducci. The counterfeiters did not think to include chemicals that would link them or could not, as the painting Last Supper by the lesser known renaissance artist, Giovanni Balducci, is not in circulation. But the sliver from the art dealer had the correct residue.
Zenobia's terraforming was complete in 2308, the relics were transferred to Zenobia at the dedication ceremony and were kept in the Castle's private vault until recently with the exception of during the war years. During the war however the Military leadership took charge of various artifacts from Earth-That-Was, all were supposedly returned after the hostilities however.
The "Coffin of Saint Zenobius" is a masterpiece work by the great Renaissance Master Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1440, and was on display at the church of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence Italy, an Earth Heritage Site. As such, the coffin itself is an Earth Heritage Artifact. Prior to that, the reliques were kept in Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze, the parish of the Zenobian's rivals, the Medici's, who did not get along well by most accounts.
There are three windows of opportunity for this crime, in 2308 when it was transported to Zenobia, during the war, and when it was moved from the castle vault to the chapel just recently.
Mirra Zanzibar collected two separate .1 gram samples taken from the surface the counterfeit coffin, and took samples from the vault where it was stored and the crates it was transported and stored in. Including dust and air samples. Comparing the samples to samples in Castle vault and also with the Alliance Ministry of Antiquities on Londinium, Mirra determined that the theft took place during the war when the Military leadership took charge.
Since the theft happened during the war, some of those people are still in power and means a broader conspiracy and would be harder to prove or to prosecute. It also points to a possible theory that the Alliance is looking to destabilize the government for their own purposes.
If the authentic relics were under military guardianship during the war, it is possible that an alliance was made between one of the great houses and someone in the military leadership. The most probable confederate would be one who knew that his own claim was weak or even false. Without the reliques, his claim can also not be disproved.
The Zenobian ruling class bases its right to rule is based on genetic heritage. Without the remains, no claim can be verified as mandated by their own traditions which are the basis for their claim of leadership.
The Bihar Santuary's contacts in the art and artifact grey and black market has created numerous leads. Too numerous to search themselves with their limited manpower. Mirra made contacts with various local agents based on the recommendations of Zeno Baxton.
Duncan Cooperstone, based on MacLaren's Drift, formerly with the Independent's 12th Air Calvalry, and Ms. Baxton's former captain. Mr. Cooperstone was originally contacted by the Bihar Sanctuary's curator, Feargananym Karillion. Mirra recently contact him and JJ Zackerly and hired him officially. Ms. Baxton was to arrange payment and terms. JJ Zackerly, a former companion and MacLaren's Drift's physician, informed Miira that they have an archaeologist in residence.
Captain Falcon Neox, based on Splintered Rock. Mirra contacted Captain Neox directly at his offices on Splintered Rock.
Captain Falcon Neox
Captain Neox is working with a group of Independent Traders, captained by an outworlder named Brazen.
Mistress Brazen Bondar
Cursa Charisma, Brazen's first officer and navigator.
Jezebelle Bimbogami, crew
Teetopwilli Neiro, a roguish supposed antique rug dealer, based on Shadow but also operates on Splintered Rock. Mr. Neiro was not a recommendation by Ms. Baxton. Mr. Neiro was originally a suspect, who we are monitoring. We have no evidence related to Mr. Neiro, he just happens to coincidentally operate in all of the theatres we were investigating. I met Mr. Neiro and his first mate on Splintered Rock, where he maintains a trade office.
TeetopWillie Neiro
Brooke Rhea, Tee's First Officer
Feargananym's contacts with the Companion's Guild gained him a few leads. Primary among them is a rogue Ex-Navigator's Guild Steersman, a drug addict by the name of Ardra, has been contracted to take a parcel from the rim to Splintered Rock. Ardra usually deals with smuggling illicit drugs and black market medical supplies, and operates out of the Uroborus Asteroid Belt orbiting Blue Sun. Recently he/she (we are unsure of Ardra's gender, but are leaning towards female) has been spotted around the Lux systems of Hera, Aphrodite and Shadow.
THERE'S AN ANIMATED HOLOGRAM OF ARDRA, SOMEONE PLEASE SEND ME A COPY!
We are unsure where the handoff will take place, whether in the rim or in and around Shadow, but the trail shall pass thru Shadow on its way to Splintered Rock.
Current instructions are not to apprehend Ardra until we are sure that he/she has the artifact in his/her possession and only if it can be retrieved without damage. If Ardra is taken before he/she has the artifact, we will lose our only current lead and he/she might not have any useful information making interrogation worthwhile. As a Guild Steersman, his cargo is virtually undetectable by sensors, bureaucratic interference or sensitive approaches. The key will be to act during the handoff, the stop-over or at its destination.
In a addition to being a drug trafficker, Ardra is a drug addict who uses mind altering substances which he/she believes makes him/her a more skilled pilot. This may open possible leads in locating Ardra.
Since the terrorist attack on the Medical Research Facility on Zenobia, the mainland has been sealed and off limit to offworlders.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/terrorists-strike-medical-research.html
The alliance has taken possession of the forged coffin for reasons that remain unclear.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/antares-leaves-orbit_22.html
The families of the ruling class have gone offworld to supposed summer-residences.
Insurection and civil war on Zenobia is close at hand.
The Estates Manager is hoping to recover the relics to prevent dissention among the ruling class and will hopefully prevent civil war.
The Alliance maintains jurisdiction over all Earth Heritage Artifacts and the Estates Manager wants the matter resolved without involving the Alliance or alerting them in any way.
Since the primary motive for stealing the relics is political, the fact that it is being offered up for sale before the civil war leads Mirra and Feargananyum to suspect that whoever planned this has either lost control of their confederates or is short on funding.
Mirra have not ruled out religious fanatics as either the end buyers or as third parties. Saint Zenobius was known for numerous miracles while he lived, including no less than raising the dead on 5 separate occasions. Several incidents of attempts to steal or otherwise procure the reliques have occurred thru its colorful history. King Louis of France spent large sums of money for the acquisition of the Ring of Saint Zenobius, hoping it would heal him. Several people were killed in the attempt to procure the ring.
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