New leads

 I was in the library, working through the records of Reinhart Novan’s search, when Aria Jenneth quietly approached me. She is Aspenstar’s assistant and retainer, and kindly inquired whether I needed anything. I am touched that SFRIM is treating me with such kindness and creates the perfect conditions for research. Ora et labora. 

I took the opportunity to ask ms. Jenneth some questions she might know the answer to, by virtue of her position in the corporation.

Unfortunately, she joined the corporation at about the same time as Novan left, so she did not know him well. As for a possible contact in PIE, she suggested Lord-Consort Aldrith Shutaq Newelle. I must first find out how to properly address him without causing offence.

The most interesting part of our discussion was about organizations devoted to the search of relics or to archeology. The Arek’Jaalan is one such organization, that rose to some fame a while ago. They are also mentioned by Novan. However, it went defunct. I will report more on them in the summary I am preparing on Novan’s search. 

The director of Arek’Jaalan, dr. Hilen Tukoss, was killed. It appears that an impersonator used Tukoss’ position to collect Jove DNA, and soon after Drifter battleships appeared and his corpse was found. Dr. Valate seems to have escaped this shocking incident. Although ms. Jenneth was apprehensive of dr. Valate, she still described her as “the least horrid Sabik” she knows now. 

The research work of the Arek’Jaalan was continued by the Arataka Research Consortium alliance. The name sounds familiar, I may have heard of them before, but I do not remember when. It is a multinational coalition – indeed, science is usually the first part of society that transcends borders between nations. The contact person there is Lasairona Raske and the research director is Haria Haritimado. The current research focuses on present threats – ah, now I remember: I did read several publications of the Arataka Research Consortium on the Triglavians. That war seems to be in some sort of strange stalemate, and I did not pay much attention to the matter. I should revisit these works.

I am grateful to have such an abundance of leads and a long list of persons of interest to investigate.