arrived。 Like most of them； I had dressed informally； putting on a simple black suit。 The kitchen provided steamed fubi dumplings and
grilled ketelfish； followed by seared haunches of rare； gamey orkunu； and then pear and berry tarts with a cinnamon jus。 A sturdy
Gudranite claret and sweet dessert wine from the vineyards of Messina complemented the food perfectly。 I had forgotten the excellent
qualities of the house Jarat ran for me； so far away from the hardship of missions in the field。
Around the table with me were Aemos； Bequin； Ravenor； von Baigg； my rubricator and scribe Aldemar Psullus； Jubal Kircher； the
head of household security； a trusted field agent called Harlon Nayl； and Thula Surskova； who was Bequin's chief aide with the
Distaff。 Medea Betancore had chosen not to join us； but I knew the intensity of the piloting chores down through Thracian airspace
had undoubtedly worn her out。
I was pleased to see that Ravenor was present。 His injuries were healing； the physical ones at least； and though he was quiet and a little
withdrawn； I felt he was beginning to come through the shock of Arianrhod's death。
Surskova； a short； ample woman in her forties； was quietly briefing Bequin on the progress of the newer Distaff initiates。 Aemos
chuntered on to Psullus and Nayl about the events on Lethe Eleven and they listened intently。 Psullus； enfeebled and prematurely aged
by a wasting disease； never left the Ocean House and devoted his life to the maintenance and preservation of my extensive private
libraries。 If Aemos hadn't related the story of our last mission to him； I would have made sure I did。 Such tales were his only
connection to the active process of our business and he loved to hear them。 Nayl； an ex…bounty hunter from Loki； had been injured on
a mission the year before and had not been able to join us for the Lethe endeavour。 He too lapped up Aemos's account； asking
occasional questions。 I could tell he was itching to get back to work。
Von Baigg and Kircher chatted idly about the preparations for the Novena that were now gripping the hives of Thracian； and the
security consequences they brought。 Kircher was an able man； ex…arbites； and dependable if a little unimaginative。 As dessert was
served； the discussion broadened across the table。
'They say the Bestowment will be the making of the Warmaster；' Nayl said； his loaded spoon poised in front of his mouth。
'He's made already； I'd say；' I retorted。
'Nayl's right； Gregor。 I heard that too；' said Ravenor。 'Feudal Protector。 That's as good as Imperial Lord Commander Helican admitting
the 。'
'It's a sinecure。'
'Not at all。 It makes Honorius the favourite to become warmaster…in…chief in the Acrotara theatre now that Warmaster Hiju is dead； and
Hiju was being groomed for a place on the Senatorum Imperialis； perhaps even to sit amongst the High Lords of Terra。'
'Honorius may be 〃Magnus〃； but he's not High Lord material；' I ventured。
'After this he might be；' said Nayl。 'Lord Commander Helican must think he has potential； or he wouldn't be giving him such an
almighty hand up。'
Politics left me cold； and I seldom empathised with political ambitions。 I only studied the subject because my duties often demanded a
detailed working knowledge。 Imperial Lord Commander Helican； which is to say Jeromya Faurlitz IV of the noble Imperial family
Faurlitz； was the supreme secular authority in the Helican subsector； for which reason he styled himself with the subsector's name in
his appellation。 On paper； even the cardinals of the Ministorium； the Grandmaster of the Inquisition； the senior luminaries of the
Administratum and the Lords Militant had to answer to him； though as with all things in Imperial society； it was never as easy as that。
Church； state and military； woven together as one； yet constantly inimical。 In favouring Warmaster Honorius with the Bestowment；
Lord Helican was throwing his lot in with the military … an overt signal to the other organs of government … and clearly expected the
Warmaster to return the favour when he rose to levels of government beyond those of a single subsector。 It was a dangerous game； and
rare for so senior an official to play openly for such an advantage； though the battle…glory that surrounded Honorius made a perfect
excuse。
And that made it a dangerous time。 Somebody would want to redress that balance。 My money would be on the Ecclesiarchy； though
it's fair to say I'm biased。 However； history has shown the Church to be chronically intolerant of losing power to the military or the
state。 I said as much。
'There are many other elements；' Aemos chuckled； accepting a refill of dessert wine。 'The Faurlitz line is weak and lacks both support
in the Adeptus Terra and a ready ear at the Senatorum Imperialis and the courts of the Golden Throne。 Two powerful families； the De
Vensii and the Fulvatorae； are seeking to make gains against the Faurlitz； and would take this as an open show of defiance。 Then
there's the House of Eirswald； who see their own famous son； Lord Militant Strefon； as the only viable replacement for Hiju。 And the
Augustyn dynasty； let's not forget； who were ousted from power when High Lord of Terra Giann Augustyn died in office forty years
ago。 They've been trying to get back in with feverish determination these last few years； pushing their candidate； Lord Commander
Cosimo； with almost unseemly impudence。 If Nayl's right and the Bestowment makes Honorius a certainty as Hiju's successor； he'd
become a direct competitor with Cosimo for the High Lord's vacant position。'
Down the table； Bequin yawned and caught my eye。
'Cosimo's never going to make it；' Psullus put in candidly。 'His house is far too unpopular with the Adeptus Mechanicus； and without
their consent； however tacit； no one ever makes it to High Lord rank。 Besides； the Ministorum would block it。 Giann Augustyn made
no friends there with his reforms。 They say it was a Callidus of the Officio Assassinorum； under orders from the Ecclesiarcy； that took
old Giann off； not a stroke at all。'
'Careful what you say； old friend； or they'll be sending one after you；' Ravenor said。 Psullus held up his bony hands in a dismissive
gesture as laughter rippled around the table。
'It is； still； most perturbatory；' Aemos said。 'This Bestowment could lead to a House all the obvious opponents；
Lord Helican and the Warmaster could find themselves tasked by Imperial families who are thus far neutral。 There are many who are
quite comfortable with their situation； and who would strike with astonishing ruthlessness simply to avoid being drawn into an open
bloody clash。'
There was silence for a moment。
'Psullus；' said Ravenor quickly； changing the subject with a diplomat's deftness； 'I have a number of works for you that I collected on
Lethe； including a palimpsest of the Analecta Phaenomena…'
Psullus engaged the young interrogator eagerly。 Aemos； von Baigg and Nayl continued to debate the Imperial intrigue。 Bequin and
Surskova made their goodnights and withdrew。 I took my crystal balloon of amasec to the glass wall and looked out into the oceanic
depths。 Kircher joined me after a moment。 He smoothed the front of his navy blue jacket and put on his black gloves before speaking。
'We had intruders last month；' he said quietly。
I looked round at him。 'When？'
'Three times； in fact；' he said； 'though I didn't realise that until the third occasion。 During night cycle about six weeks ago； I had what
seemed to be a persistent fault on the alarms covering the seawall vents。 There was no further sign； and the servitors replaced that
section of the system。 Then again； a week later； on the service entrance to the food stores； and the outer doors of the Distaff annex；
both on the same night。 I suspected a system corruption； and planned an overhaul of the entire alarm net。 The following week； I found
the security code on the outer locks of the main door had been defaulted to zero。 Someone had been in and left again。 I scoured the
building and found vox…thieves buried in the walls of six rooms； including your inner chambers； and discreet farcoders wired into
three communication junction nodes； spliced to vox and pict lines。 Someone had also tried； and failed； to force their way into your
void…vault； but they didn't know the shield codes。'
'And there were no traces？'
'No prints； no microspores； no follicles。 I washed the air itself through the particle scrubber。 The in…house pict recorders show
nothing… except a beautifully disguised time…jump of thirty…four seconds。 The astropaths sensed nothing。 In one place； the intruder
must have walked across four metres of under…floor pressure pads without setting them off。 In retrospect； I realised the two prior
incidents； far from being system faults； were experimental tests to probe； gauge and estimate our security net。 Trial runs before the
actual intrusion。 For that； they used a code scrambler on the main doors。 If they'd actually been able to crack it； they could have reset
the code and I'd never have known they'd been in。'
'You've double…checked everything？ No more bugs to be found？'
He shook his head。 'Lord； I can only apologise for—'
I held tip a hand。 'No need； Kircher。 You've done your job。 Sho