The unconscious members of the group soon recover and the cadre takes stock; only two of the mercenaries survived the Golem attack but everyone else seems ok. Beorn and Lawrence become concerned as they can hear internal machinery grinding away in what they believe is the assembly of more golems.
Hastily they recommence loading the wagons while Beorn keeps watch. Soon he hears clanking footsteps as a new, larger force of golems emerges. The party retreat, but the mercenaries aren't quick enough and are cut down in a torrent of laser fire. Beorn then releases the jammed blast door, slowing their mechanical pursuers while they make a hasty withdrawal.
Arcadia leads the way but the group work together to navigate their way back to the surface (after losing their prospector guide). They make good progress and see no further sign of Golems.
Up above, Lady Althea Justinian (the dwarf penitent psychic noble the party encountered in #9) has been staying with the Baroness and General. She takes to wandering the fief and seeing how the peasants live, giving charitable aid where possible. She encounters some "Drivers" (the local watchmen and guards) beating on a serf for non-payment of taxes. Althea intervenes and pays the woman's tax. She faces down the sergeant who still wishes to arrest the "criminal" and once they are gone she treats the woman's wounds.
Arcadia and company find their progress barred by a chasm, possibly caused by the tremors or Borer beast they encountered on their way down. Using collected debris and rubble they are eventually able to build a bridge to take the carts across and continue on their way.
Lady Althea takes tea with the Baroness and learns more about her "Social Reinforcement" techniques to keep her serfs obedient and passive. Althea asks and gains permission to continue to minister to the population, the Baroness seeing the Church and it's doctrines as both validating and enforcing her population control measures.
The cadre next face a roaring water surge that threatens to sweep away the carts and their cargo. Mercifully they are able to get the wagons to higher ground and all manage to stay dry and safe.
The day after Althea's conversation with the Baroness she goes out on a hunt with the General and his cronies (see "The General's Hunt"). Upon encountering the oncoming Hawkwood force they send out a rider who returns with one of the Hawkwood men-at-arms. Althea manages to read his surface thoughts and finds that he is under the command of Baronet Christopher Windsor Hawkwood. They learn through conversation that they are headed to the Midden barony and seek to speak with the Baroness.
Lawrence has arranged a safe house to store the recovered goods so they secure the contents of the wagons there and then return to the mansion "from their unsuccessful hunt". It's about three days since they left and is the same day as the General's hunt.
De Havilland is at the mansion speaking with the Baroness. She looks grave and immediately summons Arcadia to speak with her privately. The Marquis tells the rest of the group about the approaching Hawkwoods. They are coming to arrest Arcadia for the attempted murder of the Planetary Duke three years previously. Hasimir and Hemlock are outraged at yet another false accusation and believe it is Selwyn stirring again. De Havilland then delivers the additional news that Selwyn is dead, apparently killed by a member of the Slayer's Guild. Lawrence and Beorn start making plans to leave while Hemlock stands by the Baroness' study in case Arcadia has need of him. He can hear a heated argument going on within.
Hasimir is the highest ranking member of the household present (as he is essentially an employee of the Justinians) and a maid tells him that a peasant has been waiting to deliver a message to Arcadia upon her return. He has the man brought before him, a stinky, flea bitten wretch, who hands over a piece of paper and says the message is "The job is done". The paper contains the sigil of the Slayer's Guild, which De Havilland sees.
Arcadia eventually bursts from the study with the words "WELL I'M GLAD I TRIED TO KILL HIM!" and storms down the stairs to the hall. Her mother screams after her that she doesn't realise what she's done to her family, and the cadre make a hasty exit. De Havilland doesn't attempt to stop them.
For now they hole up in the safe house Lawrence had arranged while they plan their next move. Arcadia confirms that she did attempt to kill Duke Cassius but the attempt failed, and that was why she had left Ravenna. Facade was part of the team she had recruited to help her. She is shocked to hear of the death of Selwyn though and maintains that she didn't hire the Slayers. They agree that they need to liquidate their genelock stash and then plan to get off world as soon as possible. The best place to start may be to head north to the Muster controlled Deepcore 101...
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