Page 95 - The Chronicles Ser2 (6-10)

interest in him and Morgana, his biological mother. He had promoted his second in
command Jason to temporary head in his absence. The Dalutar Province had ties to the
Order and he used this to obtain passage to the Protectorate on Jadunar, a world in the
Untharan sector. He was hoping to offer his services to the Abbot, who was known to take
catamites to satisfy his carnal urges. From there he could arrange passage to the Asgard
Protectorate. He’d been able to get a message through to Josiah before he left. Morgana
was shocked that the Force had made a link so soon, but the fact that they didn’t know
where she had disappeared to meant that she’d made the right decision to fake her own
death so convincingly. The body she’d chosen would be too badly decomposed that only the
replaced dental records that Josiah had planted would be means to identify the female
remains. It would look as if she had been a victim of one of her “Herbal” concoctions. She
had wished Marco a safe journey and hoped that the three of them would be together soon.

As a precaution Josiah had also arranged for a duplicate “cloned” body to turn up at
the appropriate time, this was a more sophisticated deception as it involved genetic re-
sequencing of the bodies DNA to a fine level of detail. But it was worth the effort.

“I’m beginning to like your boy more and more Morgana. He does seem to have your
devious streak and a wonderful sense of the dramatic. Perhaps the Council on Tregar can
arrange the formal adoption papers. You have a contact there Brother Mansard do you
not?” Josiah directed the last remark to the Protectorate’s Marketer who had benefited
from Josiah’s expertise in playing the markets so well they had let him in on their plans. He
too was thinking of “retiring” from the Order and liked the look of the Delevan System as a
place to “rest his weary bones”.

“Yes; the local Registrar is a former Acolyte of the Order and I’m sure I can persuade him to
prepare the necessary documents, he is due here on a sabbatical, so it shouldn’t be a
problem. Oh and thanks for that tip on Hisbar shares, I made quite a profit on the side from
that transaction and I managed to get the Abbot the funding he needed for the new
“additions” to the Herbal products division.” Mansard replied as he smoked one of
Morgana’s “special” cigars. A few of the workers had also taken a liking to the “herb” and it
had meant a more relaxed atmosphere in the factory too. Morgana looked distracted.

“What is it my love, are you worried about Marco?” Josiah asked

“No; I’ve just notice something in this Journal. Do you remember the “good” Dr Belkin? He’s
been found on a moon in the Flutvarn region in a severely dismembered state. It seems he
got on the wrong side of a local tribe, when he had experimented on their livestock with a
derivative of that drug you found on Kevanis 3. What a pity, he showed such promise.
Though I suppose that’s another thread cut to our past.” she said in reply.

“It wasn’t Hunter’s Moon by any chance? If so I’m not surprised the locals reacted the way
they did. They nearly did the same to a cousin of mine when he had a “one night stand”
with the Leader’s daughter. He escaped by the skin of his teeth. He’s no longer welcome in
the Flutvarn sector so Uncle Maxim sent him packing to Thoth in the Ice world system of
Hellas. From the fire of the frying pan to the chill of the Ice house. You could say he’s
“cooling his heels”” and he laughed sarcastically. Morgana and Mansard just looked at each
other and shook their heads.