Timestamp: 7.322.996.M41

Location: Hive Primus, Corax Secundus, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system

Situation: Covert investigations continue; Xerza continuing to act as Rogue Trader

Body: More than 12 days standard have passed since your last status meeting; Haxtes has returned from his field trip, Odessa has reported in telepathically, the rest of you have added you own pieces to the puzzle (and what an odd puzzle it is; you have no real mission, only the idea that there are things here worth uncovering), and Vern and the other savants are hard at work trying to make it into a coherent whole.

Odessa is not present (she alone has no links to the rest of you, so keeping her hidden makes sense), but the rest of you are there, Haxtes included. Vern is the one doing most of the speaking, with Xerza adding a few items here and there (but of course she's already approved the brief).

Vern: "As you all know Haxtes has been in contact with the Maiden. Or rather he's been in contact with Acolyte Silon, who informed him that the Maiden is safe, operational, and nearby. Presumably he didn't want to say anything more over a relatively open channel. Silon was as far as Haxtes could understand, landed somewhere within vox range - in a Thunderbolt fighter craft."

He adds some minor details regarding the Maiden and the status of the team, everything from health to equipment. Nothing really interesting.

"As to the overall situation here on Corax it appears to involved the hallowed Adeptus Mechanicus. I would stress 'appears', because we have no proof. Only hearsay through an ork - the same ork that eluded destruction aboard the Maiden."

Xerza interrupts: "I would add that the Tarot also implicates the hand of the Mechanicus. It places the orks in a most unusual relationship with one of the Adepta of Terra, but further meaning has eluded me." She looks at Haxtes while taking about the Tarot, no doubt as thanks for the title 'Mistress of Cards'.

Vern resumes: "Well yes, but as I said, we suspect the Mechanicus is here. But even if they are here, we do not know WHY or what their relationship to the orks are. Perhaps they hired the freebooterz, perhaps not. And if they did, what interest could they possibly have in Corax. And if they DID have and interest, why this very peculiar way of action? We need more data to conclude."

"Its more likely that the orks are somehow in the hire of one of the Speakers. There is a deep and vicious web of intrigue and power plays here, with wildly differing agendas. Has been for centuries; the seven Speaker houses - nine originally, after the Nine Founding Fathers - and their petty struggle for power over this meager world.

Xerza: "But something has change of late, upsetting a long standing balance. Propelling First Spekaer Xolix into a position of unprecedented power. And forcing several of the other Speakers to band together to oppose her, or risk loosing much power."

Vern: "Indeed. Which is why we at great expense of time and effort has compiled a report on the political situation. You've all contributed greatly through your investigations; and so has one of the locals - Madame Minerva Eiden, former wife of the late First Speaker. Without her insight and access clearances it would not have been possible. I'll give you the key features here now, and then you can page through the details afterwards. A most interesting read."

Xerza: "Get on with it."

OOC: See separate post for details on the Speakers and other factions of Corax.

Vern continues: "It should be added that Corax has one export item of interest - the faded remnants of forgotten times, plundered from the dead and broken hives that dot this region. Apart from the occasional gold strike its mostly artifacts of relatively low value, but sufficiently well preserved to be valuable to the right kinds of people.

And before any of you get any ideas - this can hardly be why the Mechanicus is here. Archaotech of this caliber can be found on a million dead worlds.

But to the people of Corax it gives them access to shady Imperial markets, and in return they can import stuff they cannot make for themselves - or much more importantly, luxuries and other rare goods for the aristocracy.

Still nothing to explain why the world warrants the hiring of an entire armada of ork freeboterz. Nor the involvement of the Mechanicus - if there is such."

Xerza: "I'll take it from here. What Vern is getting at is that we haven't got a clue, except for the fact that the balance of power has been upset. Xolix has these mysterious new allies that have starships, which gives her complete control over the archaotech trade. As Vern has described - the others don't like that.

Somewhere in there lies - perhaps - the answer to all of this.

But we need the answer to many more questions. Is the Mechanicus really involved? If so, why and how? Who hired the orks, and for what specific purpose? And more and more and more; all we've done so far is open up cans and cans of new questions.

Before we move on, does any of you have any ideas or observations?"