New Offices and Networking

Been busy. ZOHMyGodzilla, I say that a lot.

Zenobia has been working me like an indentured serf. Seven offices now: MacLaren's Drift, Hale's Moon, Caliban, Shadow, Bihar, Zenobia and Londinium.

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-trade-offices-in-bihar.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/09/under-dome.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/09/secure-warehouse-facility-on-maclarens_17.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/07/trade-delegation-to-hales-moon.html

http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/06/trade-delegation-to-shadow.html

We're actually news with the Zenobian. It takes their mind off the recent terrorist attack at a medical research station and the tensions in the Parliament.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/terrorists-strike-medical-research.html

The Zenobians mostly kept to themselves in the 'Verse, kind of an insular medieval way of thinking. The military faction and the trade faction don't get along so well. Different points of view on how things should run. Rough talk about seniority based on lineage, blah blah blah.
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/2009/08/antares-leaves-orbit_22.html
http://siamendes.blogspot.com/

Welcome to the 'Verse, Zenobian. Hold on, it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride.

I stop off in Splintered Rock and even Washburne on occasion when some trade beckons.

I was just returning to the Rim and looking over the secured facilities in MacLaren's Drift. For some reason someone coopted the outer area as a medical station. The Rim is an ad-hocracy, things are done in a makeshift jerry-rigged duct tape temp basis. You get used to it. Ironic content is a familiar visitor in the Rim.

When I was just leaving MacLaren, I got a wave from Cursa Charisma in Washburne. I am supposed to be nosing down around there for Zenobia, so I went and joined TeeTopWillie and Brazen's crew at a dancehall in Washburne. Brazen blushes for some reason.



Cursa was still bandaged up from being shot down in Splintered Rock. Nativist terrorists.
http://cortexnewsservice.com/2009/09/18/near-disaster-above-splintered-rock.aspx

Tee told me Sentry was working with Tee now. Sentry left Shadow when heat got too much for him, hid out in MacLaren's. Now Alliance come sniffing around for him there. Tee said something about a trade mission to Necromunda IV, Necronom? Necro Mundo? Ehhh, spelling.
http://sentry-rp.blogspot.com/2009/09/so-much-for-keeping-my-head-down.html

I hooked Tee up with the coordinates to the CATZ offices. TTW is part of our little network, he can use our offices. Desks, chairs, best coffee in the 'verse that doesn't come thru the digestive tract of a small carnivore.

We talk a little shop. Brazen and Cursa were surprized to hear that the Alliance was sniffing around Splintered Rock. Tee confirmed that he saw Major siamendes actually mining in the desert.
http://siamendes.blogspot.com/2009/09/splinterer-rock.html

Meanwhile back at Hale's Moon: DIGGING. Dig Dig Dig. That's what LilyBell does, a lot. Dig. Why? Dunno. But today she was repairing a cave-in from her digging. And it was Gallagher's Birthday. Cake, Candles, Balloons, Hats and for some reason Oranges. Krenshar came and added his joy to the party and talked about the obedience of toasters.



Later (still at Hale) I was chatting with Immy and Cody Winterwolf. LilyBell blazed thru for a minute or two. "What the needle for?" No answer.


I catch up will LilyBell later to say good night and she is bandaging up Cody Winterwolf.


****[OOC: I purposedly linked to a lot of other blog posts in this entry. I think it's great that so much that is going on in the verse is available to be read in blog forms. It helps to keep track. That's why I update all 41 firefly related blogs.]****

Blackburne Observer
http://blackburne-observer.blogspot.com

Cortex News Service
http://cortexnewsservice.com/

Serenity Station Pioneer
http://serenitystation.wordpress.com/

Suzhou Sentinel
http://suzhousentinel.blogspot.com/

Washtown Roleplayers
http://washtownroleplayers.blogspot.com/

Hale's Moon Herald
http://halesmoonherald.blogspot.com/

Zenobian Times
http://zenobian-times.blogspot.com/

Alison Lynn Haystack: Ali's House
http://alisonlynns-house-of-pleasure.blogspot.com/

Amyla Wakowski-Swindlehurst: Love, Amyla
http://amylawakowski.livejournal.com/

AuroraBlue Littleboots
http://aurorabluelittleboots.blogspot.com/

Belize Carver: Survival In The Black
http://belcarver.blogspot.com/

Ben BigBoots: A Bounty Hunter's Log
http://benbigboots.blogspot.com/

Children of Earth
http://childrens-journey.blogspot.com/

Cholgosh Swindlehurst: Chol's Hidey Spot
http://chols-hidey-spot.blogspot.com/

Derrick Osterham: The Merc. Minute
http://themercminute.blogspot.com/

Dread Salamander: Dread's Bunker
http://dreadsl.blogspot.com/

Duncan Cooperstone: Raivenn's Browncoats
http://duncancooperstone.blogspot.com/

Emma - Stopping the Signal
http://emmaditko.blogspot.com/

Faye in the 'Verse
http://fireflyfaye.blogspot.com/

Gabe Yazimoto: Guns'n sake ain't mutually exclusive
http://gabeyazimoto.blogspot.com/

Garkuyan Koba: In the 'verse
http://blahblahverse.blogspot.com

General Parkin: The Hunted Warrior
http://generalparkin.blogspot.com/

Imrhein Fargis: Let's Have No Undue Fussin'
http://blackburne-imrhien.blogspot.com/

J. J. Zackerly: A Brief Candle; Both Ends Burning
http://jjzackerly-liberty.blogspot.com/

Jai Raghilda: Jai's Necessity
http://jairaghilda.blogspot.com/

Lance Ducatillon
http://lanceducatillon.blogspot.com/

LilyBell Snoodle: Is not a cat
http://lilybellsnoodle.blogspot.com/

Lorie Lilliehook
http://lorielilliehook.blogspot.com/

Mikie Rhiadra: Stranger in a Strange Land
http://mikierhiadra.blogspot.com/

Nack Barnes: Nack's Blog, from Firefly's Bar at Blackburne
http://fireflybar.blogspot.com/

Neutrino Nightfire: Wandering Thoughts
http://neutrinonightfire.blogspot.com/

Pepper Siamendes' Report, SIU
http://siamendes.blogspot.com/

Podwangler Zapedzki: Pod's Wanglings
http://podzapedzki.blogspot.com/

Sabrina McGee: Freaky Mad Science Genius Girl
http://sabrinageek.blogspot.com/

Seana Kawanishi: The Lonesome Ninja Mayor of Hale's Moon
http://mayorseana.blogspot.com/

Sentry Swashbuckler: A Mechanic's Life
http://sentry-rp.blogspot.com/

Solomon Leitner: Admiral: Elindor Actual
http://elindoractual.blogspot.com/

Tdstraitjacket Manamiko: I don't have wings, I am just a man
http://idonthavewingsiamjustaman.blogspot.com/

Tsai Jie: Dancing Through My Second Life
http://dancingthroughmysl.blogspot.com/

X0x0 Zhangsun: I can kill you with my brain
Xaviar Kiranov: Doctor Kiranov Log

G does the sensible thing

Gabe has been staying away from Hale since the incident with the Alliance Soldier giving her the shakedown treatment. She has been saying that she was meant to wander, but truth to tell, I don't think she's as happy, maybe its just stress. I know she misses everyone in Hale, talk.

Since the dust died down on the previous incident, she made a few visits to Hale. Sure enough, another Alliance good is looking for her. A fancy pretty boy alliance goon named Raymond Janic came to Hale sniffing around for G.



G does the sensible thing and blows town.

Later, a crazy drug dealer's son robs the General Store.


Gabe hears the wave and comes to check it out. Militia habits die hard. It was a kind of old home week, Gallagher by hologram, Lilybell is not a cat, Venice Red Eyes, Emma7, Me, Captain Griffy, General wearing his new desert combat togs.



Sure enough, there's another alliance goon, this one by the name of Major Pepper Siamendes from SIU. She says she is investigating the black market Zenobian Artifacts. She seemed curiously interested in a mere General Store robbery. She seems most interested in the operations of our informal militia.

Gabe maintained her cool, but I could tell she was ready to bolt at any hint of anything.

The investigation identified this guy as the robber, Inup Thoret.



I don't know what the grafitti is about, but it showed up later on the inside of the bank. We have spotted Inup and he mostly makes fools out of us.



Gallagher is what you might call pro-active. He is often grumpy and ill-tempered, but he directs it mostly against people that threaten me and mine, so I let it pass. He decides that we do a little searching on the Alliance Ship. Somehow he gets alliance uniforms, THAT FIT. Amazing that the Alliance makes a size 2 combat uniform.

We head up and Emma and I get what information we can from the control room. I know my way around the shipping docs and docks. I get their manifests and shipping orders. Emma gets layout info and bunk assignments.



We find the graffiti that Gabe supposedly did. Burned right into the hull, "4 G".


The universe is designed to surprize. One of the last things I expect to find in the hold of an Alliance Cruiser is an Airstream Trailer. More surprising is that it belonged to fancyboy Raymond Janic.



We beat feet out of there and implemented the dependable strategic maneuver number 1 and 2, run & hide.

Gallagher comes back with a way to disguise our identities better, with a kind of mask that will fool the face recognician software.



I call it Ruth Squad. Gallagher, Vegaslon, Emma, Gabe and I. We go up, try and access their computer for more files. Somehow the computer lets Gabe access. It happened just like on the Bland Corporation ship. Maybe this computer was built by the same company. We download some info and snoop around and get out of there to examine the evidence.

I most liked the security footage I found.

















Other than that, Hale's has been much the same. A meteor blasted a hole in the ground and lava erupted. A tunnel collapsed in front of the Zenobian Trade Office that Lily had to repair. A lava flow near the Blue Sun border, the ground lit on fire.



If I were the paranoid type, I would blame it on the railway Blue Sun is building thru Hale. A lot of excavation going on.


I am way behind on my work. Because of the Consolidated Associate Traders of Zenobia(CATZ), we have more trade offices than ever. We've had a lot of business and a lot of action coming around, so I have not had the time to set them up correctly.

Zeno and Mirra both sent me a wave, they probably have news about the relics of Saint Zenobius.

I need to catch up with Brazen and Cursa on Splintered Rock.

I am overdue for a meet with Teetop and Brooke, they have an exit buyer for the meds I salvaged. I have to dump the blastomeres before things get too hot.



My updated route is:
MacLaren's Drift
Ralph
Hale's Moon
Blackburne Wastelands
Caliban
Shadow
Strega
Bihar
Bagworm/Washburn
Paradiso
Zenobia
Londinium
Paquin
Splintered Rock

I am glad I had enough time to live up to some of my duties with the Hale Militia. I am mostly ineffectual, but I feel I contribute in some small way.

Mission to Wastelands

Mission to Wastelands

We are looking for the base of operations of a cyborged pilot named Ardra. Ardra had been hired to transport something belonging to the Zenobians, but has been also linked to the transport of the PAX that was stored at the "Angels of Mercy" and the organ harvesting operation we found on the derelict ship. We want to find that base and anything in it. In our last fact finding mission, we were attacked by a replicant.

This operation has been linked to grievous crimes, so I expect the worst. I called upon the some dangerous friends: Gallagher, LilyBell, Gabe, Emma and Vega answered the call.

Emma’s dangerous, she ripped apart a replicant and Ardra with her fashionable shoes.

Gabe summed it up: See a bad thing, point and shoot? See anything interesting, pick it up.

I warned people to defend themselves at all costs, these people harvest eyes and kidneys from the living for a living. Please do not get separated, but if you do, keep in touch on the radio.

We had an encounter with Ardra the day before last, so she knew we were looking for it. Ardra's objective seems to be destroying records.

Cross referencing our slowly increasing file base, we found an area in the Blackburne wastelands that was a probably location. Gallagher gave strict instructions to keep everything in house and no one go near the locals.

I scouted ahead for a landing spot. No sooner do we all land but Gabe is shot by sniper fire. It took a minute or so of running around, but Vega, Gallagher and LilyBell ran him down and put him down. Lily shot him many times with her bow and Gallagher finished him off. "LilyBell save best for you."

In the meantime, Gabe was fixing up her wounds and of course we misplaced Emma.



"EMMA!" I end up saying early and often. I don't know if Emma is not a listener, not a follower or just easily distracted. I am getting used to reconstructing what happened to Emma by looking at her helmet cam pics. I specifically say "Stay together" and her first question is "Then we split up?"

Emma: "I'm noticing a trend on these missions Jai... I always get bitten!"

DUH! Stay with the group why don't ya?

Some kind of partially cyborgized reaver. Emma took it down, but not before she was bitten, AGAIN. She said that it seemed to be under external control and was fighting said control.



I radiod Emma and Gabe to catch up with us.

Why the Alliance guy? Dunno. This is the first appearance of the alliance and an officer no less, not a mere grunt. No one seemed to make any thought about it. Evil things happening, Alliance, of course.

In any case, the Alliance officer had some documents on him indicating Mini Zebes lab. Gallagher had a lead on this lab a while back, but nothing came of it. Maybe we were premature in our assessment.

Gallagher had a vague idea of where it was and LilyBell seemed to know a lot about it.

"Lily know that very well. It where Mindo had the big brain. Here mades DNA transfers and coding. IT gots 5 levels. Bad things inside.

Gallagher, Emma and LilyBell make their way down to the bottom level. Meanwhile I got stuck in some pink good and am paralyzed. Vega and Gabe are still catching up.

We hear Ardra shout: "KILL ME!"



Gallagher is calling for us to get down there, but I can't move. Vega and Gabe find me.

Ardra shouts: KILL ME

LilyBell: "nonono, nothing good here.

Gallagher Aeon: Get down here.

Ardra shouts: I SAID KILL ME

Gallagher Aeon: Now!

Jai: HELP! "Paralyzed. Can't move."

LilyBell: This a bad place.

Ardra shouts: LESS TALK! KILL ME NOW

I think that's when the shooting started. Ardra activated some automated defenses and shot at Emma, LilyBell and Gallagher. For hesitating to kill her? Suicidal Cyborg logic.

It seemed to remember Emma, called her "the waif". Which is odd, because it was completely destroyed.

LilyBell taps on the glass

Data Screen whispers: Scanning.... Data 2 Downloaded...

LilyBell connects to the gencon but has not gotten a response. Looks in awe at the creature, "It beautiful, like Miss Raids."

Emma: "Can't help but agree..."

LilyBell: It talking to me. No move me

Jai: Find records and stuff

Gallagher Aeon: "There’s a warbot here."

LilyBell: "Her not a warbot. her....her like me."

LilyBell puts away her weapon. "Chemical data transfer. Run. Go. it self destructing."

Gallagher Aeon shouts: "Everyone get out!"

Ardra shouts: 10...9....

Jai: "Everyone out!

Ardra shouts: 8...7...

LilyBell stands staring at the creature, "No, Lily not leave it."

Ardra Aurotharius shouts: 3.....

Gallagher Aeon runs back in

Ardra shouts: 2....

Ardra shouts: ...................................................

Ardra is Offline.



LilyBell: "WHY YOU TAKE ME OUT?"

Gallagher Aeon: "I went back in for Lily."

Emma Ditko lets out a gasp... "That was close..."

LilyBell Snoodle stares at the ground

Vegaslon Plutonian: "Oh God."

LilyBell Snoodle: "Why you make me leave her?"

Gallagher Aeon: "She wanted to die. Wasn't gonna let you die with her."



LilyBell: "Her thank me. We talked. It not a machine actually. It genetic construct, like this one, but not."

Jai: "The one we saw the other day was mechanical."

Gallagher Aeon: "...with a metal skeleton and no skin."

LilyBell shrugs, "Lily talk to this one, just fine to me."

Gallagher Aeon: "Looked like a warbot to me, with angel wings."

Emma: "It's not a warbot... Its... something else"

Gallagher Aeon: "She was in pain, she was suffering."

Gallagher Aeon wonders why Lily is shaking.

LilyBell just looks at them "We all suffering. Lily want go home, bad place. No come here no more. Bad."



We went back to the hemlock, Gallagher had to pilot. After a while, I got the feeling back in my limbs and I could move.

Folks were not much for debriefing, a little shaken maybe. There was a data chip which turned out to be a homing beacon of some sort. Gallagher cut it off in time and said he would use the equipment in the big radio tower to try and figure out its source.

The equipment we found was all genetic data encoding and retrovirus transplant, the stuff you use to overwrite someone's DNA.

The only other data is uploaded into Lily's head and she did not seem inclined to share it. All she told us is that it was some chemical data. I think Ardra like Raids touched a certain delicate spot in LilyBell. I did not press the matter.

I just wanted to lie down. I will maybe figure something out tomorrow. No one was hurt too bad. Hopefully we will figure out what to do next.

Ardra on Derelict

The records Darth Gallagher got from the Dharma raid on the Zenobian "Angels of Mercy" Medical Research Facility (which was stockpiling PAX), plus what he was able to recover from the corrupted data chip we got from the Bland Corporation ship, cross referenced with the information Gallagher was able to glean from his access to some Alliance records, he determined that Ardra has made transshipment for the "Angels of Mercy".

As the unregistered organ transplant operation on Zenobia was linked to both the "Angels of Mercy" and the illegal organ harvesting we uncovered some months back, we decided that we could maybe get more leads to track Ardra if we went back to the derelict ship where we first discovered the organ harvesting.

The Bihar Sanctuary curator, Feargananym, originally uncovered Ardra as being hired to transport the coveted "Coffin of Saint Zenobius" to Splintered Rock. How they are all linked together is not clear. Why the "Coffin of Saint Zenobius" is going to Splintered Rock is also a mystery.

I was not happy about going back to the derelict ship, named "The Persephone" I discovered. Necessity is not just the name of my ship and my company, it’s a way of life.

It is an abandoned ship and merely a fact finding mission, but Gabe, Emma and Zade agreed to accompany me anyway. Our objective was to find the main medical lab and the command center and download whatever files we could and take whatever samples we could find. Stay together and don't sit on anything. Seriously, DO NOT SIT ON ANYTHING. Easy Peasy, right?

Right out of the airlock, Emma and I got separated from Gabe and Zade. And found a vivisected Saint Peter.



We were still in radio contact with Gabe and Zade and there was only one exit. I went first, all clear. I radioed back for Emma and she somehow got slipped out to the other side of the ship. She is the fallingest girl I have ever met in my entire life. We told her to stay in radio contact and we would meet up as we worked our way thru the ship.

Emma required some occasional prodding to speak, "EMMA!" was frequently heard dialogue.



Safety Begins with Teamwork. YOU GUYS READ THAT? Nooooo. Zade got separated from Gabe and I less than 10 minutes after we got separated from Emma.



Z stayed in radio contact and we would catch up. Gabe found what she thought was a command center. Turned out it was the crew lounge. The vending machines had been inoperable for years, poor bastiches.

Gabe found a medbay....



....and dead bodies.



We were briefly attacked by a replicant. Looked like the same make and model as Krenshar, but this one seemed to have a female body shape, kinda. She wielded a pipe and attacked us both. It did not seem very motivated in the attack, just attacked us as she fled from the room. She headed to where Z was last seen, we lost radio contact with Z around that time.

"Your Safety is In Your Hands". Yes, it is also in your butt. Do not sit anywhere. The last time we heard from Emma, she said something about being bit and attacked after sitting on something. With both Z and Emma out of radio contact, we had to prioritize finding them. Especially now that we were not alone.



Elevator shaft, ladder, ventilation shaft, hallways, tunnel, ladder, chute. Or some combination like that. I found the biology center and the replicant found me. We were in a small room and I was able to hold my own against the pipe thrashing replicant. I normally go down quickly, but in this smaller room, I was able to keep the attack on. We were both pretty close to done and one pipe hit before I could activate the heal stims, I radioed that the replicant took me down as I hit the floor.



I was in that dreamy place where I am a foreign exchange university student when Emma found me. It was all over by the time I found my feet working again. Emma went boot knife kung fu on the Replicant and apparently Ardra.



Ardra did not really look like the Ardra I was shown in the pictures. Previously Ardra had an organic body. Ardra was KO when I got there, but came to within a minute or so. Activated a self destruct and attached herself to Emma. Emma ran around and was finally able to use a doorway to separate herself from Ardra. In the meantime, I was able to stop the self-destruct and abort the data dump.



Gabe caught up with us as the Replicant dissolved and the automated part of Ardra fled. Emma laid down as Gabe and I ran after Ardra. She lost us quickly.

We downloaded all the files we could, and even stopped the EVIL RickRoll Virus from corrupting the remaining files. If you ever go to hell, Rick will be waiting for you. We took as many bio samples as we could and found an Incubator Unit.



It was time to get out of there. Z was stashed somewhere safe and we found everything we could.

Emma said something about being scratched or taking off her helmet in the quarantine area. Emma had very little interest in doing anything except laying down, until we mentioned food.

By the time we were near Hale's, it was clear that Emma was symptoming. I called for emergency landing near the medbay. Emma avoided the medbay and ran around like LilyBell (on all fours) looking for food. She ran out of steam in the Hemlock and crashed out. Then up and running a bit. I put out an open wave for a doctor and kept an eye on Emma while Gabe went to get something for Emma to eat.. Dr. Footpad came and in desperation I brought her to the Hemlock. I was just briefing her about what happened when Gallagher came.

Gallagher was angry that I brought an outsider to the Hemlock. He obsessed a bit, but we were able to get him back on track of paying attention to the patient. We were able to move Emma to the medbay and Gallagher initiated containment and quarantine conditions. There was a lot of medically stuff involving adrenaline, antibodies, tests and comparisons. Mixed in with a few lectures about bringing outsiders to the Hemlock.

Fortunately Emma had been inoculated several times by AuroraBlue bites. AuroraBlue bit Emma often because "she smells funny". She will mostly recover in a month or so. Doctor Footpad gave Emma an treat for being a good patient.



Emma was still exhibiting LilyBell type behavior and contrasting between aggressive manic food obsessing and extreme lethargy. She was chilling on the couch when I left her.

I left a copy of the files with Gallagher to see if he can figure out anything more.

I hooked up with Z later, he was grumpy but fine.

I will check with folks tomorrow to see if they want to go to the wastelands and track down further.

Retrieving the Relics of Saint Zenobius

Retrieving the Relics of Saint Zenobius

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.