Edwell had an interest in how imports to Arrakis and had been affected by recent changes. What patterns or lack of patterns could he find? The best information would come straight from the source.

OOC: No threat thread for Edwell Day 4. Wearing stillsuit under loose robes.

Bomilcar came to support Edwell. They had each picked up for the others slack in different situations, so he was gaining a good respect for the man. They had different experiences and skills, so it was useful to work together, he believed.

He offered a hand for the man. "Edwell."

[Stillsuit]

Edwell accepted the man's hand, grateful for his presence. "Bomilcar."

In ways, Bomilcar was beginning to grow on him more than Dorian. While Dorian was capable, Bomilcar was equally capable and knew a bit more about moderation.

Tayd, their Sardaukar nanny, had got out of the groundcar before them and scrutinised the area. Harkonnen security in this area was non-negligible.

There was at least a dozen of trade ships at various stages of uploading and unloading cargo. It was the uploading that enjoyed significant details of Harkonnen troops, from obvious reasons.

[Understand 2 to identify the ownership of cargo spacecraft on the landing field.]

Bomilcar looked over the ships... perhaps it was best he tended to be silent. If he opened his mouth he'd likely look like a damn fool.

----

D4 LE, Understand + Truth, TN 10, Difficulty 2: 2#1d20 20 18
Failed + Complication

Edwell observed and noted the cargo ships currently occupying the port. Often times, it was just as relevant who was present as what they were doing.
-----
LE4, Identifying the players, Understand 7 + Truth 7, Focus data-analysis: 2#1d20 18 1
Passed 2 successes vs 2 difficulty

Three of the haulers were flying the CHOAM banner, two were unloading sundries from various Houses that weren't powerful enough to operate own fleets or wanted a cover for whatever reason. This was a typical practice, but also one which obscured what was truly onboard for a casual onlooker. The third, under high security was probably loading spice, but this one was under special supervision and security, on a restricted landing field. Was it odd, given that spice shuttles were there to deliver spice into orbit for portioning amid buyers on the heighliner?

One, bearing the insignia of House Verdun, was unloading personnel. They didn't seem anything special. Harkonnen treatment of them indicated indentured servitude as their fate.

Three were coming from agri-worlds, and were dislodging various foodstuffs. Dinovo, Mutelli, and Rabban of Lankiveil.

One from Richese, but none from Ix. Sealed for now, but undoubtedly having some tech products.

Two Uchani ships. One did ores, the other had undisclosed cargo and was for now sealed, but had guards deployed around.

One with ultra-condensed hydrocarbons from Galicia, a Thorvald world. But this one Bomilcar actually missed; it was finishing either way.

And finally, Tull ornithopters, at the verge of the military base, possibly for ease of transfer.

Bom just looked around. Keeping an eye out for danger.

There was so much Edwell wanted to check out, but only so much time and so much authority he could wield. He consulted with his partner, "We should locate the harbormaster. We will need the manifests to perform some spot checks. I'd love to see what is in the two sealed ships from Richese and Uchan... especially Uchan. I suppose we should give a thorough look at the Mutelli and Thorvald ships, so no one can say we were bias in our investigations. And the CHOAM haulers as well. I am a little curious why they would be loading a hauler here instead of in the heighliner."

OOC: What authority does the audit give us to investigate the contents of these ships? If not on the ships, what about the cargo once offloaded or the before loading?

[The mandate covers Harkonnen spice operations on Arrakis. You can't investigate other Houses Major, nor CHOAM, nor cargoes without a direct relation to spice operations. Here, Landsraad politics come into play!]

The spaceport tower probably hosted the officer responsible for its operation.

"Thorvald ship?" he asks looking around. He must be blind right now.

"Loading here is strange," he said with a nod. "We'll check."

Yielding to the man, Edwell started off towards the ship in question. There shouldn't be too much issue with gaining entry to their own House's ships.

OOC: Does that mean we should have access to the hauler loading up with spice?

[This is on a restricted landing field. You may try.]

Bomilcar indicates the spice ship and lets Edwell lead the way, remaining at his back to support.

Edwell looks towards the spice hauler, "We'll have to see if we can take a look at that later, let's stop by the Thorvald ship first. I am interested in what Harkonnens are purchasing and maybe we'll learn more from friendly forces."

"Fuel probably," he says. "Maybe raw mineral." He did at least know his houses business enough to know what tends to get shipped to what planets. On a desert planet like Arrakis it would be the things most lacking.

He joins Edwell on the way to the ship, but as he hadn't actually initially noticed he wasn't sure until their destination became obvious.

The Thorvald ship suggested itself with its hammer butt, the perpendicular cargo hold spacious enough to hold millions of metric tonnes of raw materials. Thorvalds seemed to be policing themselves through the effort of ramping barrel containers down on suspensor palettes, with a single Harkonnen guard keeping a wide berth. Bomilcar thought he saw someone familiar talking with a CHOAM assessor.

Approaching to get a better look. It could have been one of a dozen. He had never considered it stooping to talk with the working class people of his house unlike many of his siblings.

As luck would have it, the person responsible for the security of it on Thorvald side was none other than Enur of the Rig, an on-glacier city on the planet Jericha where crude was pulled from rich subglacial basins. He was a hard man and an experienced miner, and for some time he had also been a member of the Clutch before his father died and he had to get back to Jericha to see to family business.

Enur had progressing glaucoma, a common affliction on Thorvald worlds when there is not enough reprieve from snow blindness. Enur was a difficult man to convince to any medical treatment though. This perfectly curable condition had developed too much for anything else than Tleilaxu eyes to help him. But he had said before that he'd sooner have them up his ass than anywhere near his brain. So he didn't notice Bom approaching, just kept barking resinous profanities at the stevedores.

"Enur," Bom said as he approaches. "My friend."

When he is close enough he puts one hand on his shoulder and the other takes his former comrades hand in a firm shake.

He got close to Enur, chest to chest, the familiarity of brothers in arms. "Too long."

"Bom?" Enur replied reflexively, with a strong counterhug that resembled a tackle. He seemed moved in his own way. "What are you doing on this accursed planet?"

"Temporary CHOAM rep," he says, suspecting that he'd at least heard that they'd be here kicking the hornet's nest. "How are you?"

He doesn't separate immediately, holding Erun for a few moments more before pulling away.

"That's unlike you." Enur shrugged. "Just what I am supposed to. Selling the crude we've drilled up at the Rig. Harks need a lot." He reached out to pat Bom on the arm. "So, how's it going for you, this CHOAMing?"

"Bout what you'd expect," he admits. "They're loading spice down here."

He had to cough to clear his throat.

"Do they? Do you think we can take some and run?" Enur grinned.