Even for a Regulator boss, Zhim has been particularly hard to catch. Tenacious, clever, and bold, she has eluded authorities all over Bastion. Zhim's recent hijacking of transports from Antium has worsened our grain shortage. As if the Scar problem wasn't enough, now Fort Tarsis must deal with the selfishness of this "Princess" and her fellow thieves.

— Sentinel report

Hey Kale,
So, we're supposed to catch a mantikar. What do you suppose Zhim's going to do with it, anyway? Make it one of her pets? Those stinging insects that swarm out of it can't exactly be put in a cage. So… what should we do? I say we just go out and pretend we were looking for a mantikar. She'll never know.
Paxia.

The tides of history so often turn on the shifting fortunes and allegiances of the people who love each other, hate each other, or something in between. It was almost poetic then, that in the bid to stop the Dominion, the Freelancer found themselves in the court of Princess Zhim while seeking the help of their old companions, Haluk and Faye. Two years hadn't healed the rift between them, but the present danger forced an uneasy reunion. The former commander and his cypher hadn't been sitting idle all this time—they were tirelessly seeking answers to the Heart of Rage, which could prove invaluable in stopping the Dominion.

Haluk and Faye made a deal with the Regulator Princess Zhim for information. That bargain led the Freelancer on a search through the Bastion wilderness for the tombs of four fallen Legionnaires—an honor guard left to keep eternal vigil over the resting place of General Tarsis. Only when all the guardians were met, and the Freelancer found worthy, would the way to the general be clear.

Hello again, Friend of Haluk,

I have heard that my information resulted in quite the important "discovery" on your part. Congratulations are in order. Perhaps you will keep me in mind, should you find anything of value in those old, dusty Legion ruins? There is business to be done when we next meet.

— Zhim

(The following notes were recovered from a dead courier by Sentinel Dinix. Their author has not been located.).

Sitting here, looking at this tracking device glued to my nipple, and wondering where I glitched up.

As Zhim puts it, this is my "last chance." Posing as a hired gun, I'm to escort a strider across Bastion to the Antium Lock, and fight off anyone in the way. There, I'll hijack the strider, kill the crew, and transfer it to Zhim's axe-men. My pay is a "retirement" package and a one-way Regulator escort to the Mirelands. Guess I pissed Zhim off.

Never said why she wanted the strider. Must be important. Because she glued this tracker to my nipple.

It was my last good nipple, and I shall sorely miss it

— Burn Hardigan, 1/12, 466 LV

Plan's working out so far. Got hired on the strider. Met the captain and crew. Three adults, two children, one infant. Nice little family.

Shame about that. Even if they get past Zhim's Regulators, and me, for that matter, they're all too green for this. Their destination is some place east of Bastion. Outlaws or Scars would normally get 'em.

Anyway... just gotta keep my head down. Get them to Antium Lock. Do my job. Keep playing the emotionally distant, crabby gunslinger.

— Burn Hardigan, 2/12, 466 LV

So, this is their plan: Captain Nolin, the father, is driving the strider through Antium Lock to the Great Expanse where they're "going to build a house and live free." It's laughable.

And the girl, Sala, all of four, has some kind of crush on me. I keep catching her spying while I'm cleaning the guns. They actually put flowers in her hair—I saw her mother doing it. Do they think this is a vacation?

Can't see what interest Zhim has in these people. Even their dreams have no value.

Then again... the hold is sealed. And they never open it.

— Burn Hardigan, 3/12, 466 LV

Fought off an outlaw ambush near the Tears of Liatrelle. Nolin is passable with a rifle. His brother and wife, too. Sala and the young lad know their parts: hide in the strider's pantry, and don't come out until their dad comes to get 'em.

Actually, it's me who keeps messing up. Shared a brew with Nolin and his brother. Young Sala keeps leaving me flowers. Fresh ones. I stomp them on the floor and leave them for her to find. But they're gone every damn night, and there's always more on my pillow.

Never was too smart with my relations. I have to kill all these people when we reach Antium Lock. If I don't, Zhim'll commission a bullet for my brainpan.

— Burn Hardigan, 4/12, 466 LV

On a rest stop, I left the strider to piss, then bloody Aushkiir, Zhim's court huntress, sneaks up and sticks a nine-inch dagger under my chin.

She says to respect the mission: Get the strider and the family to Antium Lock and kill 'em. Right then. Don't screw up.

I told her this was a mistake, that they can't have anything Zhim wants. But Aushkiir just shook her head. Said the family dug up something in the Sanctuary ruins at Dunar. It's locked it in the hold, and Zhim wants it. I'm on the hook to deliver.

Then she leaves me with my trousers down. And up to my neck in my own lousy intuition.

— Burn Hardigan, 5/12, 466 LV

I've seen many things in this life. Today was a first.

Little Sala told me she likes growing things. "Yes, so does your father," I said. "He's gonna get you all killed." And then she sang a little "Nope, nope, nope" song and showed me a secret way into the hold.

It's a greenhouse. Stuffed with fat, juicy vegetables. And in the middle... a cursed Shaper artifact. Black as volcanic ice, radiating some kinda of energy. No water or sunlight. Then Sala shows me her garden. A flower patch. All the colors of the rainbow.

I cried right there. My boss, Princess Zhim, will stop at nothing to take this artifact from these people. They'll all lie dead before the journey's done. And it'll be my fault.

— Burn Hardigan, 7/12, 466 LV

Got Nolin to take a weaving route to the Antium Lock. Made up a story about outlaws chasing. They've got no idea how bad it truly is. If that huntress and her Regulator buddies catch us, our bodies will feed the wolven.

I kept the stab wound a secret, but it's turning funny colors. Might be imagining it, but I'm having trouble with my eyes. It's all gone so wrong.

Trying to focus on finding the tracker. Maybe she put one on the strider, maybe it's a bluff. Somehow... I have to get us through the Antium Lock. Somehow. Before Zhim's thugs catch us.

— Burn Hardigan, 9/12, 466 LV

I'm in my cot, under a blood-spattered sheet. I only remember a few things.

Aushkiir attacked us in Strider Way. The poison was killing me, but I held the strider long as I could. Fought to protect this little family and their dream. But what can three civvies and an aging gunslinger do against Zhim's best?.

Aushkiir was in her black Interceptor with her face shield up. She had us kneel—me, the father Nolin, his wife and brother. Said we'd die one at a time until the artifact was hers.

And then little Sala, who no one was watching, blew Aushkiir's face half-off with an SMG she took from a body.

I don't remember nothing else.

— Burn Hardigan, 10/12, 466 LV

The family woke me later. They cried and thanked me for saving them. Then they took me down to the hatch. When they opened it... the strider was crossing a vast grassland.

The Great Expanse.

They had no idea that I'd lied to them. That I'd been planted there by Zhim to kill this little family and take their treasure. Give it to Zhim as payment for my unsatisfactory service as a Regulator smuggler.

Sala was holding my leg. Only then did I notice my other leg. Amputated at the hip. They said it was infected from a stab wound I'd taken in the fight.

They saved my life.

— Burn Hardigan, 11/12, 466 LV

This is my last note. I've packed up my journals and sent them back to Zhim's court by courier.

To the Princess: This family is now under my protection. No harm will come to them while I live. Whatever rabid dogs you send will be a waste of manpower.

You gave me many chances in life. But in the end, you mostly wanted me to go away. And I've done that now. So just leave us alone.

— Burn Hardigan, 12/12, 468 LV

(A pressed flower has been included with this record. —Sentinel Dinix)

Kale:

So we're supposed to catch a mantikar. What do you suppose Zhim will do with it, anyway? Make it one of her pets? Those stinging insects that swarm out of it can't exactly be put in a cage. So... what should we do? I say we just go out and pretend we were looking for a mantikar. She'll never know.

Paxia