Raphael laughed heartily. THAT was the way you got people to plan for you, by making one they all could disagree with. That said...something about Lucius'...concerns...rubbed him just the wrong way. He was aware that those might be last few remnants of the general uneasiness a priest always had around government sanctioned heretic or the fact that he genuinely thought that the Cult Mechanicus was a batshit insane religion. Still he couldn't help it.<br/>"I don't appreciate your tone,<em>Mechanicus</em>", Raphael said for once using the firm voice of the noble he was born as, "Sending a member of the Ministration to look for abnormalities in records within...like...two weeks before the incidence sounds hardly like a challenge and it would present us with a nice and tidy list of suspects. Keep in mind that the item we are seeking is likely unusual. Cross checking with events on the black market would narrow this down. I don't think that constitutes gallivanting."<br/>He made a pause to collect himself.<br/>"As for...", he sighed, "'attending fancy masquerades'. Tell me...how exactly do you intent to...you know...<em>get</em>to a baron without stirring to much attention? Cause I can tell you if we run to him straight on he wouldn't trust even if we were his grandma and he wasn't a crook. Matter of fact, if we reach out to ANY noble before at least try to speak to the Planetory Governor, we'll make an abysmal impression and the most powerful man on the planet potentially hate our guts. Even if Geld could negotiate a meeting, the first thing Porky would ask himself how someone like him got such fancy new friends all of a sudden. As much as i'd hate to attend one, the best scenario<em>would </em>be a masquerade."<br/>He took a few long breaths and finally calmed down.<br/>"I'm sorry...don't know what came over me there. That said...I agree that the Arbites are probably our best lead and I confess that I utterly discounted potential dangers and merely sought to gather as much information as we can. Under that new aspect and an idea i just got from tirade I have another plan to offer. We actually might want to see the governor first. We can use his authority to access any information without linking us to our actual employer or resorting to trickery. He might also help us with lodging, can introduce us to 'Porky' and even aid us with establishing a false identity. Plus...we wouldn't need to divide the group."