Tonbei was becoming used to watching and waiting. He'd heard of small winged mammals on Urth. He believed the Humans called them "cats". He imagined himself as a cat, hanging as he was by his legs, upside down from the vine covered gazebo outside the window. A dark cloak wrapped around himself instead of leathery wings. No. Bat. They called them bats. Humph. It was a clumsy and inelegant language anyway.
The now recently raised to Baron, Christopher Hawkwood was looking through notes and dispatches, preparing as he was to leave Suryada and take control of the Midden Barony of Deepcore 104 on behalf of Duke Cassius. The pride and ego was virtually blazing from the man.
An aide had entered and placed more papers on the desk. The Hawkwood barely looked up.
"Sir?" the aide ventured.
"Hmm?" He still hadn't looked up. "What is it Ralph?" A hint of irritation in his voice.
"There are two things I'd like to highlight for sir, if I may?" The aide's voice remained level, calm.
"Well?"
"Firstly sir, it appears that one of the "Justinian Traitor's" allies has surfaced. A ship registered to Sir Hasimir Fenrig Torenson arrived at Suryada spaceport a few days ago. It appears that Sir Hasimir was aboard."
Ralph had the Baron's attention. He placed his pen down and met the servant's gaze.
"Oh really? How bold. And I thought this Torenson was practically destitute?"
"Indeed sir. That was what our interrogations had led us to believe."
"You said there were two items?" The baron had picked up the report pertaining to the ship's arrival and was scanning the details.
"Yes mi'lud, it appears that the ship was brought here as a domestic transfer and originated on the Follari continent, near Deepcore 101."
"I see." He wasn't looking up again, and he obviously didn't "see" as Ralph had yet to get to the point.
"The ship was reclaimed from a village in Hawkwood lands to the west of the Deepcore city. A village that was also mentioned in a recent dispatch from the region to the office of the Planetary Duke. The local lord thought the place insignificant but a recent patrol reported that the villagers have all been slaughtered and the buildings destroyed or burnt to the ground, including the local chapel. The Orthodoxy are clamouring for a full investigation and blaming both the local lord, for failing to protect his own lands, and the Guilds who they believe responsible for the act. The Muster remain extremely tight lipped on the subject, which infers that they know something. Regardless of their reaction however, I feel we could make good use of this information."
The baron was looking up again, Tonbei could see the broad smile upon his face.
"Indeed..."
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