The cadre convene at the Baroness' mansion to find out what Lawrence and Lady Arcadia have been working on. Lawrence explains what Genelocks are and that a cache of Second Republic ones has been unearthed. They are organising an expedition to recover them and Hasimir, Hemlock and Beorn are in on it. However they are to tell no one else (Lawrence doesn't want to deal with "Claim Jumpers" and Arcadia is looking at whatever profit she makes on the deal being her means of becoming more independent from her parents), therefore the cover story is that they are going on a hunting trip.
They spend the rest of the day preparing to set off, finishing the arrangements for travel, reinforcing the cover story (Hemlock chatting to the General about hunting methods etc.) and making a few relevant equipment purchases.
That evening they set out to the Weeping Mole and meet the well armed and equipped professional mercenaries that Lawrence has hired. Hasimir, Hemlock and Beorn recognise the men as those who were taking away the arsonist mob the previous night. It appears that they work for a local freeman named Milo who has no Guild affiliation but is on good terms with the Muster. They are indentured to him and act as mercenaries in order to buy off their contracts. Lawrence meets with the prospector, Crazy Maurice, and they are on their way.
Maurice leads them through a sealed off section of the city and heads down, deeper towards the core. Travel is slow but steady with the prospector leading and the mercenaries spread through the "marching order". They have two mule drawn wagons with them, one is handled by Beorn, another by one of the mercenaries. After about three hours of travel they make camp in an old plaza. The group rests and things seem to be progressing well.
Some hours later they awaken in the gloom and breakfast but their repose is broken as the ground trembles and debris begins to cascade from the dark above. No one is injured but Crazy Maurice explains that it was a "Core quake" - a tremor in the lower reaches of the core and that they have been increasing in frequency and severity recently.
They are packing up camp when they notice a mob approaching the way they had come. Beorn zooms in with his cyber-eye to see a group of about 20 peasant looking types with weapons and torches. The party move their gear out of sight and hide in nearby buildings while Lawrence waits to confront the oncoming mob.
The mob are a force of the peasant levy, led by a serf foreman named Clodius. He knows Lawrence by name (the Scraver immediately starts checking off the mental list of who he could have insulted...) and the foreman and his men had got wind that Lawrence had hired Milo's men and have taken exception to it. "What is wrong with the Baroness' men?" they ask. It is a matter of pride to them that their work, ability and loyalty is beyond question and that it should be their duty to accompany any endeavour on behalf of the Baroness' House, not some freelance sell swords.
Lawrence confronted them head on and (proving why he has such a high Knavery score) explained that they couldn't deprive the Baroness' mines of such an efficient labour force. Their Pancreator appointed duty was to serve in the best way they could, toiling for their lady, they should not be distracted with such flights of fancy as this! This was a suitable task for expendable mercenaries, not the backbone of House Justinian! At which point Lady Arcadia steps forward to add impetuous and authority to Lawrence's words. Suitably cowed, Clodius and his mob retreat and head back to work.
The party get underway again but are soon subjected to another Core quake. This time it is stronger in intensity and Arcadia and two of the mercenaries are hit as a wall collapses. Arcadia's armour protects her from harm but the mercenaries are both slightly injured.
Once first aid is administered the group starts off again and after a time they feel like tiny eyes are watching their every move...They cannot trace the source but there is a constant scratching, scampering and crunching noise that follows them. To begin with it was oppressive and intimidating but our group is made of sterner stuff and it soon just becomes an irritating background noise.
Suddenly though, the sound ceases as whatever the source is hurries away. The cadre realise that this is a precursor to another Core quake, but this time they discover the immediate cause; a building collapses as a millipede like creature, about the size of a coach bus, bursts through. Maurice names it a "Borer", he's heard rumours of them but never seen one until now.
Beorn draws his swords and leaps at the beast, striking it easily but not penetrating it's rubble proofed armour. He then gets knocked aside, sustaining a minor injury. The others scatter, Lawrence and the mercenaries trying to lead the wagons out of it's path while Hemlock rescues Crazy Maurice.
They leave the beast to it's passage and the creature ploughs on, the tremors subsiding as it does so.
Towards the end of the day Maurice starts to get more excited and enthusiastic as he realises they are getting closer to the stash. Perhaps that excitement leads to carelessness on his part but just as he is pointing to the secure doorway to their destination he fails to spot and triggers an ancient security system. Arcadia is the only one in the group who manages to see what is happening and shouts a warning but it is too late. With a mechanical click and whirr a weapon drops from the ceiling and blasts Maurice with a bolt of energy. He drops to the floor. The gun pans across the group...
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