Timestamp: 7.433.996.M41

Location: Icenholm/Gorgonid Mine, Sepheris Secundus, Glogenna Reach

Situation: Stirring things up instead of investigating undercover.

Body: While Maxi continued to maintain his cover as an officer of the Divisio Immoralis (as sub-branch of the Departmento Magistratum) Haxtes suddenly felt to urge to act. Perhaps he had grown afraid that Maxi would somehow screw things up, maybe he got a little bored, or perhaps he had a premonition that urged him to do something. Doesn't really matter why, but act he did.

Using the Colonel cover to secure a Valkyrie transport to the Solitarium, Haxtes arrived to find Maxi gone - headed for the Icenholm court, where he planned to appeal to the nobles for aid. With a Guard Division on the ground and an Arbites fortress in orbit, he figured that all it would take to cleanse the mines was for the nobles to join together with the Imperials and that would be it. Little did he know that the Inquisition had declared the mines off limit and that no amount of unity would change that fact.

But there was a reception - even the Queen attended. Her decrepitude and wandering mind clear for all to see. So it was left to the First Minister to do most of the talking with the Immoralis officer. He made it clear that he had sent the summons for aid because the Queen - as could be so readily seen - was not fit to rule at all. And the Imperium has sent aid thank you, and soon the situation would be resolved. No reason for Lord Sector Hax to be concerned. First Minister Porium would see to it that all would be well again - the tithe would flow and this little incident would soon be forgotten. Clearly this was going nowhere.

Unknown to Maxi there were other members of the cadre present. Rogue Trader Jax Guilliman and companion, with Odessa and Ignace close by (armed bodyguards are not allowed into the Queen's presence of course, but must remain just outside the Chambers and halls of the Court, where they are well covered by scanners, guards, and gun-servitors - just in case).

The Session of the Court was about to close (to be followed by the customary social event that inevitably accompanies a gathering of the rich and powerful) when Haxtes decided he had had enough of the proceedings. He had arrived some time before and observed the ineffectual First Minister and the witless Queen, concluding that this line of inquiry was going nowhere. Flashing his Rosette to the First Minister he coerced him into taking Maximilian to the Queen - though no words to that effect were spoken it was implied that Haxtes carried the full authority of an Inquisitor.

Upon seeing the Rosette for herself, and hearing the situation explained to her the Queen suddenly had a clear spell. At no point was the Rosette openly displayed, but the more cunning nobles must have understood that something out of the ordinary was taking place in their midst, and the eyes of  the court were suddenly upon the trio surrounding the Queen. And even the dim-witted paid heed as the Queen's voice rose into a maddened pitch! Rage consumed her - without her consent her First Minister had begged her liege for aid! Intolerable. Utterly intolerable! Poor Porium tried to reason with her - she had been ill and he had been forced to act. She must relax and not strain herself. His excuses made her all the more angry - but he had a point - she should not have strained herself so. With a gasp the Queen went rigid and keeled over, falling out of the throne and onto the stone floor.

There was great confusion. Someone at the back screamed bloody murder and people started to leave. Except the Queen's guard that moved to take out the presumed killers. Sensing things were about to go very wrong there was no other option - display the Rosette and make it all public. For one moment it all hung in the balance as vengeful guards closed in, but then generations of conditioning to utter obedience to authorities kicked in and the guards relented. The Chambers and Halls were sealed at Haxtes' orders. Far above Xerza could feel the future shifting...

----

Haxtes didn't really know what to do next. With the resources at hand he could not hope to detain and question all these nobles. He could try of course, but soon they would see through his deception and the spell of fear invoked by the Roesette would be broken. Not something that the Inquisition would like to see happen. But he was unwilling to let them go. He could feel it in his bones - someone must know something.

Salvation came in the form of Odessa. Or rather in the form of her psychic mind that chanced upon the thought-patterns of one concerned man. The Baron Brothos was thinking about the Sons of Malice - hoping that these new Inquisitors would overlook the heresies he was sure could be found among his own serfs and servants. Sons of Malice...pretty close to Brotherhood of Malice...another long shot, but better than nothing.

She spoke her finding into Haxtes mind, the Baron was seized and the members of the court allowed to go. Wasting no time Haxtes headed for the Baron's estate, taking poor Brothos with him. Sensing danger aplenty Haxtes summoned Jarra by vox, arranging for her to meet them by the cable-car station. Meanwhile Maxi remained in the court hall, keeping an eye on the Queen and First Minister. Wathcing the Royal Scourges and the medicae treating the Queen for signs of treachery.

----

Gunmen suddenly pushed into the court chamber, using the confusion to slip past guards and security systems. They appeared to be going for the Queen, or maybe the First Minister. Or maybe both. Or perhaps they were gunning for the Inquisition agent standing guard? Be that as it may. Three gunmen there were, but they had not accounted for the training of the Arbites. Soon one of them was dead and the other two incapacitated, and whomever they were here to kill...they had not succeeded!

Haxtes also came under attack as they descended into the Gorgonid in the Baron's luxurious cable car, the long cable taking them straight to his manor in the lower mine. Another cable car came after them, its occupants blazing away with autoguns. The baron was killed in a hail of fire, but Jarra responded with her bolter and the enemy car was blown to flaming pieces and fell into the abyss.

Arriving at the Brothos manor they found it to be much like other such manors. Rooms and corridors hewn into the worked-out mine face, a tall guarded wall protecting a wide courtyard, and the ramshackle homes of thousands of serfs ringing the compound. Haxtes once again took the role of the Inquisition agent - a dread Colonel of Inqusition Stromtroopers no less! Every member of the Baron's family and household were assembled in the courtyard, except his guards who were ordered to round up the serfs - ever last on of them - and assemble them outside the gates.

Up in Icenholm Maxi alerted Proctor Rotlan, asking him to take the downed gunmen into custody and ensure that Colonel Haxtes Guilliman got the support he needed.