Cargo Bay

Feb. 25 - Zenobia Northern Provinces

The home offices of Zenobian officials have a character to them unique for the modern bureaucracy. Furniture of rare wood. Parchments from old Earth. Priceless works of art. Candles to indulge in an obsession with naked flame.

I'd returned to the Northern Provinces to pick up search and arrest warrants, and to log a few requests. The moist air was a blessed relief from dry, parched air of Mu Draconis.

While I had yet to locate Ardra's father, or even been able to ascertain if he was still alive, I had discovered the existence of a being spawned by Project Aurotharius. It was a creature designated "Arudra". The Watcher Drone located in the Zenobian warehouse on Al Raqis had registered it.

Ardra, herself, was getting bold. She sent me a photo with the message : "The reliques are cluttering up my cargo bay."

The image shows the vast interior of her ship. One of our mainframes merrily goes about it's business to the left of center frame. A unique logo decorates the walls, ceiling and floor.

The Analysis Department returned with a security capture from Splintered Rock. A huge craft bearing the same logo. No apparent means of entry or propulsion. This was a Guild vessel.

It would seem that we have located Ardra.

Of course, it could be a trap. A taunt. An invitation....

I toyed with idea of taking a team, risking an interplanetary incident, and storming the ship. But somehow I doubted that the relics would still be there.

After all, some items are just too valuable to keep in one place for very long.