Silvana stepped onto the bridge in Harry's wake. The bridge crew didn't react. There were dozens of officer overlooking hundreds of servitors, each hard wired into the ships electronics. Every time a servitor ran into a problem beyond its simple program it made a chirping sound. The human officers responded to each chirp, making a split second decision or, on rare occasions forwarding the information to the captain or first officers. The officers didn't react to the presence of a psyker, the bridge of a warship, particularly a small one, was one of the few places an astropath could expect to pass without a second glance. Astropaths and the ships Navigator were frequent visitors to the captains station and as such were able to pass unoticed.

"All is well Inquisitor," the captain replied, demonstrating a comendable ignorance of the inner workings of the Holy Ordos.

"At this rate we will reach Meridian within four weeks and four days."

Whether by particularly astute astrogation or good luck, the Certatus slipped from the warp four weeks, one day and six hours later. It was an exceptional run, though whether that was due to the Navigators skill or pure luck Silvana couldn't have said. The time had passed quickly. Much of the time she had spent in meditation and study. The data slates pictured a world of extreme divides between rich and poor even by imperial standards. It seemed to her that the disappearances might have more to do with the bored scions of a decedant nobility than they did with heretical cults. When she spoke of this to Harry he down played the notion. She had the feeling he was desperate to uncover some vast and malign heretical plot which would put him in Alrik's good graces.

Silvana consulted the Emperor's Tarot several time but each reading proved more confusing than the last. The spheres seemed to be as oppositional as they could be, as though primordial forces were clashing endlessly and mindlessly, leaving fate no room to declare itself.

"Sir," Tiberius declared clapping his heels together in naval salute.

"We shall have a launch prepared for you and you will be on the ground within the hour." The naval officer seized Silvana's hand and kissed it formally.

"Madam, our mess shall be poorer without your company, though I will confess that my regicide game will fell less inadequate for your absence."