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Apostolic　Conclave　immediately　on　arrival。'
'Immediately　on　arrival；'　I　told　him　sternly；　'I'm　going　home。'
HOME；　FOR　ME；　was　the　Ocean　House；　a　private　residence　I　leased　in　the　most　select　quarter　of　Hive　Seventy。　On　many　hive　worlds；
the　rich　and　privileged　dwell　in　districts　high　up　in　the　top…most　city　spires；　divorced　as　far　as　possible　from　the　dirt　and　crowding　of
the　mid　and　low…hab　levels。　But　no　matter　how　high　you　climbed　on　Thracian　Primaris；　there　was　nothing　to　find　but　smog　and
pollution。
Instead；　the　exclusive　habitats　were　on　the　underside　of　the　hive　portions　that　extended　out　over　and　into　the　hidden　seas。　There　was　at
least　a　tranquillity　here。
MEDEA　BETANCORE　PLEW　the　gun…cutter　down　through　the　traffic…thick　atmosphere；　threaded　her　way　between　the　tawdry　domes；
dingy　towers；　rusting　masts　and　crumbling　spires；　and　laced　into　the　seething　lanes　of　air　vehicles　entering　a　vast　feeder　tunnel　which
gave　access　to　the　hives'　arterial　transit　network。
Bars　of　blue…white　light　set　into　the　walls　of　the　huge　tunnel　strobed　by　the　ports。　In　under　an　hour　we　had　reached　a　great　transit　hub；
three　kilometres　down　in　the　city…crust；　where　she　set　the　cutter　down　on　a　massive　elevator　platform　that　sedately　lowered　us　and　a
dozen　other　craft　into　the　sub…levels　of　Hive　Seventy。　The　cutter　was　then　berthed　in　a　private　lifter…drome　and　we　transferred　to　a
tuberail　for　the　final　stretch　to　the　maritime　habitats。
I　was　already　weary　of　Thracian　Primaris　by　the　time　I　reached　the　Ocean　House。
BUILT　FROM　PLASMA…SEALED　grandiorite　and　an　adamite　frame；　the　Ocean　House　was　one　of　a　thousand　estates　built　along　the
submarine　wall　of　Hive　Seventy。　It　was　nine　kilometres　beneath　the　city　crust　and　another　two　below　sea　level。　A　small　palace　by　the
standards　of　most　common　Imperial　citizens；　it　was　large　enough　to　house　my　entire　retinue；　my　libraries；　armoury　and　training
facilities；　not　to　mention　a　private　chapel；　an　audience　hall　and　an　entire　annex　for　Bequin's　Distaff。　It　was　also　secure；　private　and
quiet。
Jarat；　my　housekeeper；　was　waiting　for　us　in　the　entrance　hall。　She　was　dressed；　as　ever；　in　a　pale　grey　gown…robe　and　a　black　lace　cap
draped　with　a　white　veil。　As　the　great　iron　hatch…doors　cycled　open；　and　I　breathed　the　cool；　purified　air　of　the　house；　she　clapped　her
plump　hands　and　sent　servitors　scurrying　forward　to　take　our　coats　and　assist　with　the　baggage　train。
I　stood　for　a　moment　on　the　nashemeek　rug　and　looked　around　at　the　austere　stone　walls　and　the　high　arched　roof。　There　were　no
paintings；　no　busts　or　statuary；　no　crossed　weapons　or　embroidered　tapestries；　only　an　Inquisitorial　crest　on　the　far　wall　over　the　stairs。
I　am　not　one　for　decoration　or　opulence。　I　require　simple　comfort　and　functionality。
The　others　bustled　around　me。　Bequin　and　Aemos　went　through　to　the　library。　Ravenor　and　von　Baigg　issued　careful　instructions　to
the　servitors　concerning　some　baggage　items。　Medea　disappeared　to　her　private　room。　The　others　in　my　retinue　melted　away　into　the
house。
Jarat　greeted　them　all；　and　then　came　to　me。
'Welcome；　sir；'　she　said。　'You　have　long　been　from　us。'
'Sixteen　months；　Jarat。'
'The　house　is　aired　and　ready。　We　made　preparations　as　soon　as　you　signalled　your　intentions。　We　were　saddened　to　hear　of　the
losses。'
'Anything　to　report？'
'Security　was　of　course　double…checked　prior　to　your　arrival。　There　are　a　number　of　messages。'
'I'll　review　them　shortly。'
'You　are　hungry；　no　doubt？'
She　was　right；　though　I　hadn't　realised　it。
'The　kitchen　is　preparing　dinner。　I　took　the　liberty　of　selecting　a　menu　that　I　believe　you　will　approve　of。'
'As　ever；　I　have　faith　in　your　choices；　Jarat。　I'd　like　to　dine　on　the　sea　terrace；　with　any　who　would　join　me。'
'I'll　see　to　it；　sir。　Welcome　home。'
I　BATHED；　PUT　on　a　robe　of　grey　wool；　and　sat　for　a　while　alone　in　my　private　chambers；　sipping　a　glass　of　amasec　and　looking
through　the　messages　and　communiques　by　the　soft　light　of　the　lamp。

There　were　many；　mostly　recent　postings　from　old　acquaintances　…　officials；　fellow　inquisitors；　soldiers　…　alerting　me　to　their　arrival　on
the　planet　and　conveying　respects。　Few　needed　more　than　a　form　reply　from　my　secretary。　To　some；　I　penned　courteous；　personal
responses；　expressing　the　hope　of　meeting　them　at　some　or　other　of　the　Novena's　many　events。
There　were　three　that　drew　my　particular　attention。　The　first　was　a　private；　coded　missive　from　Lord　Inquisitor　Phlebas　Alessandro
Rorken。　Rorken　was　the　head　of　Ordo　Xenos　in　the　Helican　subsector；　my　immediate　superior　and　part　of　the　triumvurate　of　senior
inquisitors　who　answered　directly　to　Grandmaster　Orsini。　Rorken　wanted　to　see　me　as　soon　as　I　was　back　on　Thracian。　I　responded
immediately　that　I　would　come　to　him　at　the　Palace　of　the　Inquisition　the　follow　morning。
The　second　was　from　my　old　friend　and　colleague；　Titus　Endor。　It　had　been　a　long　time　since　I　had　set　eyes　on　him。　His　message；
uncoded；　read：　'Gregor。　My　greetings　to　you。　Are　you　home？'
The　brevity　was　disarming。　I　sent　an　affirmative　response　that　was　similarly　brief。　Endor　clearly　did　not　want　to　converse　in　writing。　I
awaited　his　reponse。
The　third　was　also　uncoded；　or　at　least　lacked　electronic　encryption。　It　said；　in　Glossia：　'Scalpel　cuts　quickly；　eager　tongues　revealed。
At　Cadia；　by　terce。　Hound　wishes　Thorn。　Thorn　should　be　sharp。'
THE　SEA　TERRACE　was　probably　the　main　reason　I　had　leased　the　Ocean　House　in　the　first　place。　It　was　a　long；　ceramite…vaulted　hall
with　one　entire　wall　made　of　armoured　glass　looking　into　the　ocean。　The　industrialisation　of　Thracian　Primaris　had　killed　off　a　great
part　of　the　world's　sea…life；　but　at　these　depths；　hardy　survivors　such　as　luminous　deep　anglers　and　schools　of　incandescent　jellies
could　still　be　glimpsed　in　the　emerald　nocturnal　glow。　The　candlelit　room　was　washed　by　a　rippling　green　half…light。
Jarat's　servitors　had　set　the　long　table　for　nine　and　those　nine　were　already　taking　their　seats　and　chatting　over　preprandial　drinks　as　I
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