"Find the missing Cardinals? Do they not have residences?" I asked, a bland question one unused to such investigations might ask, but it was still prudent.

"Categorically," The Primate said with a wan smile. He gave a flourish of his hand, the long arm of his robe spilling past his hand so he might better grip a pewter jug filled with wine, set atop a porcelain tray upon a table set aside from the central walkway, pouring himself a cup. "There are, of course, sanctioned areas on Avignor where they preside and have abodes, but despite our claims of humbleness, we are inevitably men of means. Many of my peers have houses on estates, sequestered in some closed off area on the planet to pray in silence and contemplation." 

I was a true believer, having seen the holy light of the emperor with my own eyes. However, I was a bit too traveled to believe even these holy men only seek isolation to better concentrate on the Emperor. It is unfortunate, but I am certain in some of the residences I would find substances or practices that might be frowned upon if brought to light. I dearly hoped these remaining five were an exception. It would be paramount to gather them without complication so we may better get to the bottom of the assassination.

"Is that normal?" I asked, a servant bringing me my own cup. I took it, then handed it to Emmaline, before accepting one of my own. "Is it possible they were so lost in their...contemplations that they might have simply forgotten to vote? And failing that, would their absence imply that we should not bother checking their sector's at all, and merely ferret out their estates and villas?" 

Von Mandlebrot seemed to consider for a moment, before replying: "I have sent dispatches to their offices, already. Out of the five, only two have returned with messages of their aides assuring us of their absence. However, there is a curiosity." He turned back to the map, pointing at the upper left section of the map. A large swathe of the city looked almost shaped like a leaf-bladed sword, the main drag forming the fuller and two great cathedrals waxing and waning along the causeway, with a multitude of outer-lying buildings forming the finer points of the architectural painting. "Primate Fulstes is the closest of those absent, and we have yet to hear anything back from his aide, strangely enough. If you were to begin somewhere, I would start there." 

"I don't suppose we can just land there and expect to be granted full access to the tombs and reliquary?" Emmaline added, sipping her wine with an aristocratic air. 

"Good point, my lady. I will grant your husband, yourself, and any five men of your company with the seals of the ecclesiarchy. You may use them at your discretion." He conceded. 

"You are putting a lot of faith in us, Osten. I am honored, but with all due respect, we just met. I am just a noblemen of Gudrun, after all." I added, having yet to touch my drink. 

The Primate gave me a helpless smile. "I have little choice, now don't I? I trust you did not come here to dismantle any of our infrastructure, as even if you were complicit in the assassination of Primate Ratsini, you were only given leave to bring your handful of men down after the fact from a chance meeting, and no one save the Primates themselves knew of the voting debacle. It seems the emperor has brought you and your lovely wife to our aid. See to it you don't disappoint him. No pressure, of course."