Excerpt from Mercenary's Guild meeting, 700 hours, Titansday, the 34th of Saturnine, 1857, (4th Age)

Guildmaster: Bass Raynkin
Deputy Guildmaster: Kelly Shlomar
Chief of Combat Division: Davin Breadport
Chief of Technical Division: Mia Voldis
Chief of Support Division: Henry Digger
Chief of Medical Division: Charles Blackwell
Chief of Elite Division: -REDACTED-
Meeting reporter: Janias Fortwind

Raynkin: Well, we have one last matter of business to go over and I'm glad we're all here for it.
Voldis: Oh. Is this about that new Elite? Because he came from Tech and I still vouch for-
Raynkin: No no, he's perfectly fine. No, the matter I wanted to discuss is Blueband Aries Passadar.
-REDACTED-: She's become quite a rising star, hasn't she?
Blackwell: She's lucky we have a medical treaty with Tengu Heraan. She almost lost a finger after her most recent op.
Raynkin: Yes, her. What I'm about to say must not leave these walls. But she *might* be a distant relation to House DeLaVega. It's been nearly two decades, but between her tendency to put duty first, the military professionalism and her can-do attitude, my gut says that she's got some of their blood.
Digger: If she is, then she'd be one of the last.
Breadport: Worse, if she is, then she'd have a target put on her head. The assassination of the DeLaVega Family was so very thorough...
-REDACTED-: Mm, indeed. They tracked down *every* person with any sort of blood relation. They were all murdered within an hour of eachother. Men, women, children, all. It was as monstrous an act as can befall a family. And Duchess Rhinehart seems to know something about that night that I'm still trying to pry out of her.
Digger: Easier to pry water from a stone than an answer from a Rhinehart...
(Laughter)
Raynkin: At any rate... Passadar is from House DeLaVega territory. Relora, to be precise. We must keep her under observation.
-REDACTED-: No. We must keep her *surroundings* under observation. If the DeLaVega name is still being hunted, then someone will try coming for her if they suspect what we do.
Shlomar: But what are we supposed to do if she *does* turn out to be of DeLaVega blood? We don't even know for sure and I don't care for affording any one mercenary special treatment.
Voldis: She's an exceptional mercenary and her track record has been splendid so far. Her performance in the Masters Games was impressive. That's all we need to know for now.
-REDACTED-: I dearly hope she is not a DeLaVega. She is quite an asset to the Guild and I prefer to keep our people uncomplicated. Barring evidence to the contrary, I don't see the need to lean on speculation. Why have you been thinking of her, Bass?
Raynkin: She failed a mission four days ago. A child died and she's taken it very deeply and personally. Greenband Sierra can't even seem to coax a smile from her and her squad leader, Denjeigo, is growing concerned.
Blackwell: Her mental health will suffer if she doesn't let these things go. Her psyche eval came back clean, but I think it's a fluke. She's made a pledge to save the next child she has the chance to, no matter what. That manner of obsession is not healthy.
Raynkin: I for one think it's a good thing to pledge to do better. She'll get over it.
Voldis: I should hope so. I hear Baron Scantillian has made an appointment and wishes for a consultation regarding some gravely serious matter.


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