Lorne leads the conversation with Valairay The Elder. The conversation is long and convers many topics. Over many hours, supported by his crew mates he talks with the Elder about his deeds and the things he has discovered beyond his Cadre. He also tells the Elder of the guidance he has received from the Bequthers.
Lorne tells tales that impress the Elder despite his low status as an Exhile and his Colonial companions.
He tells how he recovered Shard Glass weaponry from an enemy of the Inheritors, Of two different Umbrances, though he does not share the location of the Umbrance near Tann, and of a Lost Inheritor Cadre.
The Elder says that it is a truth that all Inheritors once started elsewhere (that all the races of the inheritors are from somewhere else, not form the Rift). Inheritors are, he says, are inheritors from the Beqhethers, not their decedents, Perhaps in some strange way Lorne has created a Cadre of his own, and made Inheritors of his crew rather than them making him an outsider of him.
Lorne encourages Elder Valairy to make contact with the Lost Cadre. He seems unwilling to move his Cadre so close to space patrolled by RiftCo
Dr Mentzer shares the holo of the Shard of Kelentar and Lorne's vision.
The Elder says he has herd tales of such things as the Shard and that it is disquieting it is in a Colonial museum. He says that a few other Cadre's a rumoured to hold something similar, the Dr finds this news wonderous.
After Lorne shares their intended destination, to reach Lorne's Cadre, The Windthorn cadre, Elder Valairay says there is something he should be aware of; Over a period of many months the Cadre had lost contact with other Cadre's, signal broadcasts, or expected traders or visitors never arrived, from those that have arrived there have been rumours and fear as Cadre messengers and visitors have shared worried words they had too lost contact with other Cadres. There are rumours of attacks by unknown forces on those in once safer places deeper in the rift.
Elder Valairay also shares with Lorne that there is one other who claims to hear the voices of the Beqhethers, the Crimson Spear, at that with the attacks his already seductive message has caused others to join his banner and grow his Cadre. The Reach is lousy with Crimon Cadre raiders. The Crimon Spear, the Elder says that more are returning to the old ways, and that he wants to cover the Rift in blood. Lorne contemplates if he might be some sort of counter? Is that why he is being guided? Both the Elder and Lorne agree that he bears mort though
During the conversation Lorne learns that there is an Umbrance somewhere near torn Reach, likely in a cavern below the town and although he doesn't get the exact location from the Elder (he seems unwilling to share it, preferring it stay hidden from Colonials, revealing it may result in it's tainting or destruction.) he resolves to visit it.
Lorne Meditates with Elder Valairay. During the meditation Elder Valairay hears something he has never heard before, the voices of the Beqheters, he is certain now Lorne is a spiritual figure. Lorne leaves the Elder with a determination for his Cadre to survive, hoping he will make more radical choices to save those he is guiding.
The crew return to the Longhorn. Dr Mentzer is very pleased with having made peaceful contact with a group of Inheritors she goes to her cabin to record everything whilst it is fresh in her mind.
Returning to the ship Lorne, Aayla, Val and Jorus resolve that they won't take Aeon further into the Rift with them. It's too much of a risk. Val suggests he's likely to try and sell any nav data they collect and further endanger the Inheritors they might contact.
Setting the ship to return to Torn Reach the Crew try to stike a deal with Aeon to get him out of there hair but they realise they may need the droids and hyperspace telemetry agragator that has been spliced into the ship. Aeon and the crew come to agreement to clear his debt Ganion Gunrun and pay him an not inconsiderable amount of Credits.
Aayla puts down the Longhorn on the landing area on the mesa near the town. Aeon leaves the ship, there is some concern that he might stir up trouble so Lorne stays on the ship so as not to draw anti Marauder sentiment.
The Crew head into town with two objectives, to get food and perhaps other supplies that they can offer to the Inheritors to build good will. Jorus knows a local trader, Robi Somberlas.
Jorus once repaired Somberlas's leg after he broke it in a speeder accident, in a X22 speeder he owned that was a death trap. The Crew buy a cargo holds worth of food from Robi and his old speeder so that they can use to explore the local area looking for the Umbrance.
Back at the Longhorn Robi's droids load the cargo onto the longhorn and Aayla fixes up the speeder, fixing the flaws that made it a death-trap and fitting two extra makeshift seats.