Thought for the day: SCORN THE HERETIC; HIS PATH WILL END IN ETERNAL DAMNATION

Master,

As the acolytes drew their weapons and prepared to face the apparition, a warning shout came from behind them. Two more of the creatures were climbing down the buildings at the head of the alley but had been spotted by their new comrade; a short woman in the robes of a priest, wielding a hammer.

In the fight that followed, all of the acolytes acquitted themselves well. Jacob displayed the fortitude expected of an Arbitrator, Kershai and Lazarus proved competent sword fighters, and their new comrade, her arm strengthened by her faith in the Emperor, dispatched one opponent with a single mighty hammer-blow. Their opponents were unsettling in appearance; pale and skeletally thing under their ragged white capes, with metal bracing to strengthen their limbs and joints and red-glowing augmentic eyes showing through a blank mask of skin. They moved quickly but clumsily and displayed unnatural strength. They first attempted to subdue the acolytes, fighting to kill only as a last resort.

With the fight over and the acolytes victorious, their new comrade displayed inquisitorial credentials from the same source (recognition-code BASTION) as the other acolytes and introduced herself as Fenria, a priest. Called to a prayer vigil just before the other acolytes attended your servant's briefing, she had received instructions from an unknown source to proceed to Coscarla Division and offer assistance. She was given a transit-token and a dataslate with images of the acolytes, but no other information.

Examining the bodies, the acolytes found no equipment or possessions. The bio-auspex given to them by your servant Interrogator Sand registered non-human tissue of the type found in Saul Arbest's body but they decided to conceal the bodies and press on to the Alms House rather than take the time to extract tissue samples.

The Alms House, a blocky four-story building with an impressive synth-marble facade, was firmly closed and locked for the night. Inspecting the outside revealed heavy steel shutters on all the windows and a locked delivery door at the back, with an oculus and simple alarm. A glimmer of light showing through the third-floor shutters at the back of the building was the only sign of life. With no way inside, the acolytes made camp in an abandoned hab-block nearby and settled down to wait for the day-cycle.

About two hours into the morning shift, the acolytes returned to alms house. Much of the inside proved unlit and disused, but a single commissary counter was serving a daily ration of protein gruel and starch-bread - all trace of flavour removed to discourage dependence on charity - to anyone able to display a Coscarla Division residence chit or willing to pay a half-thrown mandatory donation. Nourished by the Emperor's bounty, they returned to their investigations.

The employee behind the commissary window was surly and uncommunicative, and the few people eating at this early hour seemed anxious to avoid any human contact. The only unusual feature that the acolytes noticed was a two-way mirror that seemed to have been recently installed to one side of the commissary counter. Leaving the commissary, they decided to make more official enquiries. At the reception desk on the first floor, Fenria introduced herself a new priest in the district and the other acolytes as her hired bodyguards.

The man behind the desk proved to be Sybas Moran, the director of the Alms House and (apart from the Servitors in the kitchen) its only permanent staff. He was delighted to find anyone interested in charitable works and gave the acolytes a tour of the building, with an emphasis on how few resources he had to work with. According to Moran, only the commissary, a few offices on the first floor, and some second-floor storage were still in use. The third-floor infirmary has been entirely closed and locked for some time, except when he had to submit reports via the building's last working communications terminal in the ward offices.

Moran denied all knowledge of disappearances at first, but quickly gave in to pressure. The Alms House, he said, was a punishment assignment and head office would give him no support. He could do nothing but lock the doors and windows at night and pray for the Emperor's protection. He was delighted by Fenria's suggestion that she spend the night in the alms house with her bodyguards. He answered the acolytes' other questions willingly, but had little specific information to offer. A search of his records showed Saul Arbest as last visiting the commissary the day before his disappearance. The mirrored window in commissary, he said, concealed an oculus to prevent the use of stolen chits.

With the rest of the day ahead of them, the acolytes made further enquiries in the marketplace. The locals were once again too frightened to talk, but a ganger contacted them with a message from Luntz, the local boss. His people had found some unusual corpses in a alley. If the acolytes knew anything about it then he would like to speak with them.

At the Workers' Union, the acolytes met with Luntz. He apologized for underestimating them and explained that he needed mercenaries to deal with a problem. Six months ago after the riots, his contacts up-hive offered him a deal. An associate of theirs was going to move into the district, using the Alms House as their base of operations. In exchange for his protection they would set up a drug lab and sell him cheap product. It sounded like a good deal at the time, but the disappearances started soon after and all his best customers began to leave the district. The new Enforcers arrived at about the same time as Moran at the Alms House. He was, he said, sure that they were sent to keep an eye on him. He couldn't make a move himself, but if some outsiders were to break into the Alms House and deal with whatever they found there then he would be grateful. He promised fifty thrones to each of the acolytes on a successful outcome, along with any weapons and medical care they might need. Knowing that the Emperor may work through even the lowliest of servants to bestow His grace, they accepted.