Rogue Trader-Take It Back! IC

[positivespace]

12.09.816.M41

Drifting over a dead world between Footfall and The Hermitage...

The Manus Ultionus drifts lazily over the barren surface of a dead, featureless world of no import orbiting a dying red star, floating in the shadow of the light cruiser Octiva Glorosa. It has been here for several days, its crew anxious and somewhat nervous.

Crew
Whether you are old Loyalists or newly hired experts, you have all joined the cause to bring glory and fame back to the von Dornenwalde, a Trader Dynasty famed since it's beginnings when the Calixis Sector was the Calixis Expanse. Lady Lumis Octiva has had you gather onboard the Manus Ultionus, assuring you that this goal will soon be reached, because she has found the lost heir to the von Dornenwalde warrant, Ignacio Hyarta von Dornenwalde.

You have seen Ignacio infrequently since he was brought in sealed in a stasis chamber at the beginning of the week, but now you and most of the crew are clustered together in the main chapel of the ship, having been told that your wait will soon be over.

Ignacio
You remember being shot in the chest twice and then kicked-hard. And then you woke up, cold, in pain, and strapped to a table, with a medical servitor wrists-deep in your torso while a tech-priest watched.

Naturally, you were surprised, confused, and a tad angry.
Over the last few days while your wounds were treated, you have been introduced to Gaius Silvanus, First Officer Brutus, a Lady Lumis Octiva, and Scarlet Deatrix, and what happened explained to you. Ten years ago, your younger brother Altheus took power in a rapid and bloody coup, and since then has almost ruined your family. Skilled crews have been replaced with slaves and servitors, old allies in House Xan'tai and the Adeptus Mechanicus have been rebuffed, fortunes have been spent and sold to feed his greed, promises have been broken, and worst of all, your library has been sold and your old voidship relegated to pointless scouting activities. With some outside help, a group of Loyalists has gathered together to help you restore the dynasty to its former glory, and a roster of your current crew-both old servants and newer members-read out to you.

Lady Octiva has promised her aid in taking back your dynasty, but only provided you are willing to sign a great deal of it over to her afterwards. Seeing the sorry state Altheus has left your family warrant in and knowing you'd need all the aid you could get, you bedgrudgingly agreed. She's given you a list of your brother's intermediaries on Footfall and Port Wander, people who would know more about his business both public and clandestine, and has now retired to the Octiva Glorosa and is preparing to leave.

Now that you've recovered from your wounds somewhat, you need to make an appearance before your crew and decide what to do next. The most important members of the crew have gathered in the main chapel of your craft, and video and audio of the event are being broadcasted all over the ship. Gaius and the ship's head missionary Clesius Alcato wait behind the red velvet curtains with you, ready to present you to the crew. Your side still hurts where ribs have had to be replaced and flesh repaired, but it's now or never to reveal yourself and your plans...

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

The last few days have been stressful, confusing, and infuriating for Ignacio. Learning what his brother did, learning that his research coffers and his library are gone and his other siblings dead or missing, and learning about all the events of the past ten years he had missed. His nice clothes had been ruined by the autogun rounds he had taken to the chest, and his hat was missing and presumably long gone.

And his ship! His beautiful, beautiful Tunguska! A fine voidcraft, suitable for war or exploration, delegated to scouting duties! Despicable!

Rage had built up in Ignacio's chest for the past few days, occasionally making him sweat in the heat of his fury, and the revenge he was contemplating seemed sweeter and sweeter by the moment.

Of course, this Lady Octiva woman could not be trusted, but he would give in to her demands. For now. When the time came, something would have to be done about her.

Having donned his carapace armour and hung his sheath, holster, and helmet from his belt, Ignacio stretches a bit behind the stage and stands tall, a calm but firm look on his face.

He steps out from behind the curtains and takes a moment to look over the gathered crew. After a few seconds, he draws his power sword and holds it proudly up in the air.

"I am Ignacio Hyarta von Dornenwalde, legal heir to the von Dornenwalde warrant! As of now, I am in command of this ship and her crew, unless any should wish to dispute that? Are there any among you foolish enough, or can I trust that you are all loyal, Emperor fearing men and women, ready to seize glory and plunder back from my damnable brother?"

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne

The hard-bitten, heavily armoured mercenary waits on the bridge with the rest, eager to learn a little bit more about her mission. "Keep this Rogue Trader alive while he takes back his Dynasty" is straightforwards enough, really, but it never hearts to figure out a little about the specifics of the plan or the person you're supposed to keep alive. Though she shows little interest in most of the crew barring a constant, all but futile attempt to keep track of every gun in the room, her gaze is drawn repeatedly to the strange, quill-headed alien standing off to the side; what could an alien be doing here, and why did so few people seem surprised? As the Lord-Captain makes his entrance to the bridge, she nods her close-shaven head in approval. Good armour, yeah, even better than hers by the looks of it, weapons on his belt even in the heart of his domain. A good start, since it means he can probably take care of himself pretty well. A lot of her highborn clients have been unwilling to give up on fashion even when they've got hired assassins gunning for them, so it's always a good sign when they show a bit of common sense.

She watches intently as Ignacio makes his passionate speech with the slightest bit of amusement, though she does her best to hide it. Nice touch working the Emperor bit in there, as though He cares about little people like us way out at the edge of everything... She leaves the impious thought to herself, though, well-trained by now to avoid anything that might be construed as blasphemy in public. Once the Captain is finished, she takes a step forwards and speaks up, smooth voice contrasting with her harsh appearance. "Long as I get paid at the end, Captain, you've got my loyalty. Name's MacReady, I'm your new bodyguard. Anyone wants to mess with you, they've gotta go through me first." She pats her boltgun, slung carefully across her back in easy reach, as she makes the statement.

[Donan]

Felicia

A few higher ranked members of the Adeptus Mechanius were here, of course, but they watched quietly and intently from a small gaggle in the crowd. Felicia had been one of the numerous enginseers bought with them when they entered into partnership with Ignacio Hyarta von Dornenwalde, mostly due to the disrespect Altheus had shown the machine cult. Their work had been disrupted and interfered with, sacred contracts and rulings had been flaunted and the arrogant Captain had managed to actually make some of them experience anger.

Which was actually something of an achievement.

Felicia had been assigned to act as liaison between the Adeptus Mechanius, and the Captain and senior crew, likely to make a low ranked enginseer the bearer of any bad news and a suitable scapegoat.

That part had been left out though.

Personally, she'd disliked work under Altheus as well. The man had no respect for machine spirits and was careless and callous. The quiet times of study Felicia enjoyed had been simply impossible under his iron fisted regime, something she had enough humanity left to recognise as insecurity.

"I wonder Wulf, if he feels more insecure now.."

The amused words were transmitted by her MIU link to the massive cyber mastiff next to her, a construct that ensured there was a few feet of open floor on either side of the tech priest. It tilted its head slightly, unable to make sense of the comment, but Felicia didn't really notice, happy to simply have 'someone' to express her opinion to.

Gathering her robes, she took an instinctive breath and rose her voice with a little help from fine tuning of her vox link.

"Enginseer Felicia, sir." She made a perfectly executed naval salute after a brief query of her memorance systems. "I'm here to help and to make sure everything's.." She broke off to send another query. "Ship shape, yes." A reassured nod. "Shipshape between you and the Adeptus Mechanius. Hallowed is the Ommisah." A hand lightly touched the small cogwheel on her collar.

[Caimheul]

Constantine

The crew nearest the gangly, richly robed navigator leave a respectable distance, shifting nervously while avoiding even glancing in his direction, even with his third eye safely covered by a head scarf. Long used to such a reaction by the unwashed masses. Absent-mindedly he shuffles a well worn tarot deck a mildly bemused expression on his skeletal face. At the appearance of his new captain, he draws three cards from the deck and random, consulting them briefly prior to speaking. "I am Navigator Constantine Cassini. House Cassini has sent me to support your endeavours, guiding your noble vessel through the Warp," he says with a carefully measured respectful but not subservient bow. And should you regain your empire, the debt you shall owe my house will bring us closer to our vengeance. he thinks mid-bow with a glint in his eye.

[Spacewolf]

When the time to introduce himself came Rob automatically snapped off a salute

“Pleasure to serve under you Sir, my name is Rob Venturi. I shall be the pilot of the Shuttle should you require to go to the surface of a planet and if needed providing fire support on the ground for your honourable self M’lord.”

Rob keeps the salute up until Ignacio moves along.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

Far in the back of the chapel, shaded well by the poorer illumination, stood the tall, emaciated figure of Gorak Trosk. At no point during the gathering had any member of the crew approached the lean kroot, and few enough dared so much as steal glances in his direction. He was perfectly motionless, save for the occasional shifting of his quills, but otherwise he provided nothing of interest for the others, once their initial curiousity and apprehension of a xenos had been overcome. He leaned on his rifle, careful to keep the blades angled forward, so that should an unlikely attack come, he would be in a ready position, despite his apparent calm.

The captain finally made his appearance, and took measure of his crew, making a grand speech. Little of it mattered for Gorak Trosk - though he made mental note of the combat-readiness of the man - save for one word: plunder. At this the kroot finally stirred, standing straight and slinging his weapon over his narrow shoulders, his height allowing his to look over the heads of most of the other crew members.

The details of his contract had already been sealed, and so he made no effort to go forth and pledge himself to the captain; he would serve this man, as he had sworn, in return for the not immodest level of pay he would receive, as well as the promise to entertain possible future dealings with the kindred. That was enough for Gorak Trosk. He had made his mark, and he would do as promised - there was no requirement to re-state such terms in front of this audience. If the captain wished it, however, the kroot saw no harm in doing so, but for the moment he resumed his eerie stillness, towering over the others as a strange, inhuman form in the back of the room.

[Tetchi]

Denken sighed softly as his new Lord-Captain made a speech. It was nice of the man to work in a praise to the Emperor in his opening statement, and made Denken a bit more comfortable than he perhaps would be otherwise. Denken was a tall and lanky fellow, and his thin limbs and pale white skin suggested weakness, but anyone who looked at his official robes or into the flat black reflective lenses of the goggles that protected his sightless eyes knew that he was more than he appeared.

"Lord-Captain," he stated softly, bobbing his head in respect. Though at first leery of being assigned away from the official business of the Imperium, Denken had come to be happy about the opportunity this offered. Surely there would be countless enemies of the Imperium that he would be allowed to practice with, and the authority he would likely have over his fellow Astropaths should the venture succeed would open up new doors like never before. "I am Denken Crenksaft... And I shall be handling matters of communication."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Barring anyone speaking against him, Ignacio nods, a determined and appreciative grin on his face, and sheaths his sabre.

"Good. Get to your stations, I want us ready to leave by Final Watch this evening. Today begins the fall of Altheus von Dornenwalde! High officers, meet me on the bridge in five."

"MacReady, the pay will be beyond your wildest dreams once I have my Dynasty, assuming your loyalty remains. I hope you've a wish to be the best armed woman in the Expanse. Enginseer," Ignacio turns to Felicia, "I pray your Machine-God watches over us favorably on this trip. I owe many thanks to him already, and I hope he's seen my Tunguska safely through while I was gone."

Ignacio salutes Rob back in the military tradition and bows his head slightly to Constantine and Denken.
"It'll be good to have you both. I'll need a skilled Navigator and Astropath, and an equally skilled pilot."

He turns to his retainer.
"Silvanus, I want you, Brutus, and Deatrix up on the bridge with the high officers and I in five. Have the pilots set a course for Footfall, and the tech-priests install the stasis pod in one of the infirmaries."

Ignacio gestures to all the people he recognizes from the dossier (the PCs) and beckons them to his side.
"You lot, with me. You've been marked out as important, that means you get to join me on the bridge. Especially the kroot. You and I have a lot to learn from each other."

[Donan]

Felicia nods respectfully. "I've read about the Tunguska Captain. It is such a fine ship, and so many machine spirits working as one for unified goals. I've even heard a story or two. Some say that a man's life was saved when a exhaust vent got too hot and was made angry. It almost filled the entire room with fire to get attention, but the intake valves talked to it and settled the whole thing down.

I wonder if the entire ship works so well, all the spirits caring for one another." Her voice, slightly metallic as it is, becomes a little dreamy. "I'd love to see it one day.. But, oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I'll come with you." She nods.

Wulf follows its mistress quietly, red eyes checking the members of the group in an automatic routine. They stop when they fix on Gorak though, and a metallic voice echoes from the construct's vox speakers. <Xenoform detected. Kill clearance requested.>

A whirring of powering up chainblades comes from its mouth and Felicia shakes her head quickly. "Tag as friendly. Tag as friendly. Return to passive mode!"

As the noise of chainblades dies down, she bows her head meekly. "Sorry Captain. He doesn't mean any harm."

[Spacewolf]

Nodding at the order to go to the bridge Rob gathers this cloak around himself and makes sure to walk a few steps behind the officers on the way to the bridge.

He'd heard that the people above him could take offense if a non-officer like him overreached themselves by acting too familiar and he didn’t want to end up on the wrong side of an electro-whipping.

[positivespace]

The crew ratings cheer raucously at Ignacio's speech. They like things short, sweet, and to the point like that, and quickly get about their business.

Gaius nods, one hand thoughtfully scratching his buzzed short salt and pepper hair as he runs off to shout into the nearest vox.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio grins at Felicia's admiration of the Tunguska, and Wulf's fervor as he leads the way to a lift that will take them to the bridge.

"It's fine. Your cyber-mastiff is an admirable construct, it'll have some great use in the days to come, especially when we recover the Tunguska. I used to command her, did you know? Had my entire library and laboratorium on that beautiful voidship, traveling between unknown stars at the edge of the Expanse. The machine spirits were very helpful as well, always seemed to know which book I was looking for."

Ignacio thinks for a moment.
"Venturi, your dossier has you marked down as a skilled pilot as far as small craft are concerned. How are you at the helm of a voidship?"

[Spacewolf]

Hesitating for a moment before answering

“Sorry Sir I’m not sure, never done it before. I understand the controls but I don’t think I could pull off any fancy manoeuvres without more experience. And I wouldn't want to take the ship into a battle just yet.”

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"That's fine, I appreciate a man who can take a step back and look at his capabilities realistically. You are now my personal shuttle pilot. You and MacReady will be getting personal rooms near my suite, yours closer to the emergency shuttle in case anything goes pear-shaped. I expect you'll be able to have the emergency shuttle ready to leave within five minutes of any disaster, understood?" Ignacio speaks while he walks, his voice calm but firm. Everything about him is calm but commanding, it's sort of a thing of his.

[Spacewolf]

"That shouldn't be a problem Sir" Rob snaps off another salute before returning to his position slightly behind the group

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"That's a good man," Ignacio nods.
"Next order of business. Astropath Crenksaft, you're marked down as a rather powerful telepath. Can you rewrite a man's memories, or at least make him easier for me to manipulate? The first few steps of my plan may require we play with the minds of some lesser folk serving my brother."

[Caimheul]

Constantine occupies himself with continuing to shuffle his tarot deck, occasionally glancing at one of the other member of the senior crew before drawing a card out of the deck, glancing at it, and continuing to shuffle silently.

[Tetchi]

Walking along with Ignacio, Denken listened quietly to the others speak. He figured that the woman with the heavy armor was a bodyguard of sorts, the tech-priest was obviously just that, and the navigator was easily recognizable by the covered third eye. With his own psychic powers augmented by mutation, Denken viewed the Navigators in a better light than most, and he nodded a greeting. The xenos makes Denken itchy and he longs to strike out with his powers against it, but the Lord-Captain is obviously a pious man and would not allow heresy on his ship. Likely it is one of the very few acceptable xenos. Still, perhaps a little telepathic investigation was warranted at a later time.

After listening to Ignacio's words, Denken spoke in his deep, slow voice that was strangely at odds with his near skeletal appearance. "All of my talents lie in the realm of mental manipulation, Captain. Though I do not yet posses the delicate touch required to mould a man's self to my liking, I can most certainly affect their judgement and even dominate their mind for a time, if necessary. I can also, given time, plumb a man's thoughts and memories for any information they may have, as well as any lingering taint or corruption."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio enters the lift to the bridge and beckons his entourage to follow.

"That will do just fine, Crenksaft. The details of the plan will be laid out shortly, and you'll find that your powers have a very special place in it. Should the Emperor will it, the Tunguska will be back in my hands within a short time. Enginseer Felicia, I trust you or another tech-priest onboard this ship have enough training in the ways of the Omnissiah to take control of a ship's servitors or hamper any aggressive machine spirits?"

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The tall, lithe xenos fell quietly into step behind the rest of the senior staff, only acknowledging his captain's recognition with a slight tilt of his head. He struck a somewhat bizarre appearance, half-wrapped as he was, similar to the fashion often affected by Tallarn desert peoples, save he wore a much more sophisticated cameololine cloak. His eyes were concealed beneath a pair of thick goggles, with the strap being tucked low, just beneath his quills. In contrast, his weapons seemed crude and savage, but he had insisted on them, having once tried human weapons, and found them less impressive than his own (not to mention night useless in close combat).

Gorak Trosk barely looked at the cyber mastiff as it fixed its attentions on him, if only briefly, but this was mostly due to a lack of real comprehension. The kroot had always assumed that human machines of any high degree of sophistication were cyborg in nature; and yet this... thing was purely mechanical. Being a warrior well versed in extreme environments and apex predators of a myriad of shapes, he was unsure as to how one should treat an artificial predator. And worst of all, it was inedible.

His gait long and inhuman, Garok Trosk moved silently on the deck plating, his long, curved talons making no sound at all, until he hovered behind and over the young pilot, the one called "Rob". For a little while the kroot kept his silence, simply watching the man, but eventually he opted to make himself known.

At first he simply made a loud click, but when the man was aware he was being so closely watched, the kroot switched into a somewhat clipped but none-the-less fluent low-gothic, "I am Gorak Trosk. You are pilot, yes? Paid well?"

[Spacewolf]

“Not exactly Xenos. Until recently my pay was enough food to survive and not being executed.”
Not exactly comfortable around the Kroot, Rob waits a few seconds before asking the obvious follow up question.

“Why do you ask?”

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne sighs and falls in behind the Captain, replying. "Captain, I've only lost one client, and she insisted on walking three blocks in an unsecured Hive while wearing some sort of 'ball gown'. 'Long as you pay the contract, anyone gunning for you is gonna catch a bad case of being dead." Following behind, she begins grumbling to herself just loud enough to be heard. "Why's everyone assume that Mercenaries are untrustworthy? Second oldest profession there is, but do we get any respect? Naw. Ain't nobody assumes their chirugeon's gunna cut them up and sell their organs on the black market, but the first reaction is 'Mercenary? Backstabbing coward, they are...' Warp it, kill half a dozen assassins in a man's foyer and he still looks at you funny when he thinks you ain't lookin'." When the Tech-priest's mechanical dog begins barking threats at the odd-looking alien (which Jayne still can't quite keep from watching intently), she tenses up and grips her boltgun with one hand, ready to swing it into firing position at a moment's notice, then releases it with a sigh as the situation is defused.

When the Captain begins his discussion with the Astropath, Jayne's skin begins to crawl and she pointedly looks away. Mucking about with a man's mind... It just ain't right. Psykers give me the creeps... She thinks to herself, though once again she refrains from voicing the criticism. This is certainly the strangest group she's worked for in the past, almost sounds like a joke. 'Astropath, Enginseer and alien walk into a bar' and all that. Still, they at most seem to be a fairly competent bunch. "That reminds me. Captain, do you keep a microbead on you? I'd like to set mine to your frequency, if you don't mind. Makes it a lot easier to come running if you need some help."

[Donan]

Felicia seems to beam at the Captain's compliment to Wulf, patting him on the head with the quiet clang of metal rapping against metal. "He's always been there. He was an old family dog back home and when I found my calling, I took him with me.

He was old, see, the flesh was dying and I couldn't have that. I used a hardened servo system to wrap around his bones first, and the machine spirit supported his movements, made him steadier, faster. I couldn't let him near water after that though...

I can tell you more about all that later if you like? Not everything though, I need to follow the laws."

She follows along quietly as the Captain addresses other crew members, idly discounting the idea of suggesting he make people he wants to control into servitors. She's sure he has reasons for doing it another way. The tech priestess speaks up again when he addresses her once more.

"The Tunguska? Well, it won't know me, you see, it might not let me in happily. And it can upset a lot of the machine spirits if I try to get in against their will. But then, I doubt they're happy with not being able to carry out their true function, they must feel so neglected out there.. I wonder if it remembers you, maybe if I have the right codes and patterns to show I'm working for you, it'll let me work with it more easily.

It's like Wulf. I've given him lots of codes to make sure no one else can trick him into thinking they're me. But I think I can persuade it that working with you is the right thing to do."

She meanwhile, never even acknowledges Gorak, though she does make sure to always keep Wulf between them.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio taps the microbead on his ear and rattles of the frequency for MacReady, and pushes the 'bridge' button on the lift.

"I never said you weren't trustworthy, MacReady," his slight grin widens into a hopefully disarming smile, "Only that not every hired hand wants to stick around for the entire war."

He looks at Wulf with an appreciative nod while Felicia speaks.

"I'd like to discuss it more when we have the time. I considered joining the Mechanicus at one point, but my father wouldn't have it. Assuming nobody's completely overwritten the Tunguska's spirits, my seal should still have some working override codes. I'll see if I can find the schematics somewhere."

When the lift reaches the bridge, Ignacio will step out wordlessly and walk up to the Captain's throne before surveying those on the bridge.

[positivespace]

On the bridge, a group of the ship's highest ranking officers are there, all hailing the Captain and saluting when he steps out of the lift.

The bridge has three tiers to it, the highest holding the command throne, the middle holding command officer's chairs, and the lowest holding the work stations for the bridge crew. The windows are smaller and better armoured than the bridge windows you'd see on most civilian craft. A small tram runs down the back and through the spine of the ship to the navigator's tower. There are displays and gritty, staticky screens about the place giving readouts of the conditions of the various parts of the ship, and a direct video feed to the enginarium, where Magos Rothschild is wired directly into the ship, more cogitator bank than man.

Gaius Silvanus is here, joined by First Officer Brutus in all his medal-covered blue and white uniform and Scarlet Deatrix, dressed in a stylized armoured bodyglove and a short, loose dress that you're sure hides some carapace plates. A skull mask covers most of her shaved head, so it's hard to tell, but she seems uncomfortable being seen by all these people.

"I've collected everyone like you ordered, M'lord," Gaius smiles and bows, his hands together in his sleeves, "And we're making our way outsystem. We should be able to enter warp in a few hours."

[Caimheul]

"Captain, given our imminent departure, I must inquire as to our destination so that I may begin the rituals required for safe passage. I am certain you have your own rituals to undertake to assure good fortune during the journey through the warp." Constantine adds, finally ceasing his shuffling and storing his tarot deck into a belt pouch.

[Donan]

She nods. "It's a most honoured calling, and I'm so very pleased to have been accepted. I'll talk whenever you like."

She falls silent as they enter the bridge, focused on surveying it in detail s she awaits possible commands.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot entered the bridge without any discernible acknowledgement of the event, his focus still on the human pilot. He did have to duck just slightly, to avoid having his quills scrape against the top of the door frame. If he was truly aware of Rob's discomfort, he gave no sign. "Captain is not paying well? Then you are not good pilot?"

[Spacewolf]

Keeping his voice down so that he doens't end up talking over people on the bridge

"I don't know how much this Captain is paying me, that was what the last owner of the ship offered me after I was captured during a boarding action and was pressed into working for him. I imagine how much i get paid from now on will depend on how well the new Lord does at reclaiming his ships.

I'm a pretty good at piloting small craft though so if your scared about being in a shuttle piloted by me calm your nerves, So long as your in the Captains employ I will get you to where you need to go."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio gives the officers their leave.

"You two needn't worry. We've got enough in our coffers for now to pay you, and once we've overturned my brother's foolishness, we'll be sitting on mountains of loot and lost knowledge!"

Ignacios takes a seat in the Captain's throne, wriggling around a bit to get comfortable.

"Navigator, set us a course for Footfall. First Officer Brutus, have the Confessor Alcato begin his prayers and ceremonies. Magos Rothschild, if you begin your tech-rites, please? I'd rather our Warp Engine not fail halfway into the immaterium. MacReady, Venturi, stand there and look scary. Enginseer Felicia, keep an eye on these readouts in case I miss something. Crenksaft, your choir probably needs you in the choir chambers. Deatrix and Gorak Trosk, stay here, I need to speak with both of you. Silvanus, bring me something with caffeine in it. I just slept for ten years, I think I might be staying up a bit late tonight."

[Donan]

Finding the best seat for the augur display and absently ushering the former crewmember out of, Felicia settled into place, augmentic eyes closing briefly as she blinked and prepared herself. This was always a joyous and welcomed experience, but still remained a daunting one.

"I always liked caffeine, but it takes time to get used to the taste.. Still, as a method to stimulate awareness and brain functions it's always been good to have to hand. I've found better means now, perhaps you want to hear about those later as well?

There's always a way to improve yourself, and you obviously don't need to catch up on your sleep." A light, metallic chuckle at the joke and then she nudged herself with a reminder to focus. A hand reached to the back of her neck, pulling the MIU cable out from under her robe's collar and after a pause to murmur a prayer to the Ommissah and run the rite of safety checks, she set it into the nearest suitable data port.

Her fingers twitched in response as her mind opened up to connect to the vast systems of the Manus Ultionus and reams of data scrolled through her processing centres. Time passed, a few hours within the link, a matter of seconds without. In those hours the tech priestess separated data, grew familiar with the unique machine spirits of her new vessel and set her focus into its augur and detection systems, rerouting various commands to ensure any relevant data passed through her cogitator systems.

Her voice was solemn when she spoke up quietly. "I have the connection. I see what it sees."

[Caimheul]

"Of course m'lord. I shall begin preparations immediately." Constantine says with a slight bow of his head before proceeding to enter the Navigation Station on the ships bridge. With a heavy thump and a hiss, the thick, ornately warded doors seal, cutting him off from those of the crew who are not as blessed by the Emperor. The chamber is mostly bare, excepting a small altar holding a servoskull. "Hello again grandfather. We are to set a course for Footfall." Constantine says conversationally as he removes his headscarf, revealing his third eye. He lights incense on either side of the skull, before reverently kneeling before it and picking up a cable from the servoskull. "Emperor, grant that I guide this vessel and all its crew safely through the warp. By Your will it be done," he intones as he connects the skull to a port at the base of his skull, placing his hands on either side of the skull. A rush of images floods his mind, flashing colours and sounds, the collected knowledge of those Navigators of his house unfortunate enough to be caught in Chorda's quest for power. From this flood of information, Constantine works to divine the portents regarding the impending journey.

I figure Divine the Auguries at least deserves it's own roll, also to give others the chance to post their last minute preparations.
Divine the Auguries: Psyniscience: [roll0] TN 78 [58 + 10 Talented + 10 Basic quality charts]
If failed Fate Point reroll: [roll1] TN 98 [50 + 10 Talented +10 Charts +20 Ritual]
Edit: Fate point it is then!


Status:

Wounds: 10/10
Fate points: 1/2

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne smiles back at the Captain, taking off her comm-bead and fiddling with it for a moment. "Right you are Captain. I'm sure you didn't mean any disrespect." Falling in again, she goes right back to her grumbling. By this point it seems more rote than anything. "Yeah, those mercenaries, buncha cowards. Run away at the first sign of trouble, they will, leave you hung out ta dry. Nobody assumes their shuttle pilot's gonna bail halfway through the flight, or your Maintenance contractor..." She stops her rambling train of thought for a moment. "Wait, no, they do assume a maintenance guy's gonna half-ass it. Happens all the time. Bunch of untrustworthy slugmites they are, leaving half a dozen death traps in your hab just because it's easier for them. Bah. Bet there's assassins out there with a smaller kill count than your average contracter goon."

Upon entering the Bridge, Jayne ceases her close shadowing of the Rogue Trader, falling back to the entry hatch and taking up a guarding position along the bulkhead. Unlike the rest she has no particular role to play in the ship's operation, so simply stands back and lets the crew work with a minimum of interference.

[Donan]

The tech priestess blinks, turning slightly in her chair to look Jayne's way, but with the MIU link still firmly embedded in the data port. Her logi units divide her awareness into two different states as she both studies sensor readings and converses with the bodyguard in a spot of multi-tasking.

"What sort of person would do that? When your job's to look after injured machine spirits, you don't splatter some salve and oil on the surface and call it a job well done, you open the system up and see to some proper welding and rewiring until it's fully healed."

It's fairly clear she's more bothered about the state of the machines then the people around them.

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne snorts. "Take a walk through the lower levels of a hab-block some day, Ma'am, maybe spend a week out on a Frontier World. There's places out there ain't seen a Tech-priest in twenty years or longer, and the guys who come in to replace them ain't in it for religion's sake. You'd have found ten lifetimes of work fixin' Magna Primus like that, if it hadn't been torn down by Greenskins, and every day adding two more days worth to the list. You meet enough people, you start to find out that most are happy with 'good enough', and it's a rare man who's not satisfied without perfection." She chuckles quietly, then says with all seriousness. "Still, gotta applaud the attitude. In my line of work, you can't spare any details. All it takes is one screw-up and you're on your way to see the Emperor in person."

[Donan]

Felicia's silent for a moment, recording the information on Magna Primus she's just been given.

Magna Primus.
Hive world.
Current status: Destroyed by Orkish horde.
Galactic location: Unknown, query.

"I'm sorry to hear that, our work scatters us and sometimes there just aren't enough of us to do the Ommissah's work. It's no wonder the machine spirits were so upset if the people there didn't know how to care for them.

And worse then that, they didn't care from what you're saying, and that's just as bad. It's why we have to stay true to the Ommissah's ways, or everything will end up just as bad as it was there.

Can you give me the galactic coordinates for Magna Primus?"

She considers a moment, considering Jayne's role onboard, her altitude and history, and Felicia's own set task, as well as a quiet enjoyment of social interactions.

"Improvement is vital to us all, and so is striving for perfection. How would you like it for yourself and your equipment? The machine spirits can be very friendly and they'd be willing to help you out even more with some work on my part."

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne stares at Felicia for a moment, taken aback. A friendly Techpriest? It takes her a moment to overcome the shock, then notes the other woman's erronious assumption. "Er, Magna Primus was the old capital of my homeworld, Lepsis Magna. Whole place was overrun by Orks a bit over a decade ago. Planet was only settled for eighty years or so, I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. Can't rightly say I could point it out on a map, though. I've never been too solid on how maps even work out here in the Void anyhow."

Moving on to more solid ground, she unslings her Bolter from behind her back and takes a look at it. "It's good kit. Bought it back on Scintilla with the payout from a job for Lord Arrimus. The targetter's a bit finicky, but once you get used to it it's a joy to fire. I do my best to keep it in good shape, but I'll not turn down a proper Tech-priest taking a look at it, when you've got some time." Returning it to its familiar place across her back, Jayne thinks over the conversation for a moment, then responds with a growing sense of suspicion. "Hey, wait. What d'ya mean, 'improve yourself'?"

[Donan]

Error, correct data.
Lepsis Magna
Frontier Imperial world.
Current status: Destroyed by Orkish horde.
Galactic location: Unknown.

Record uploaded to databanks.

She nods quietly. "If the Captain allows it, I can now, and your armour as well." Her blue eyes focus on the material. "It's of steady construction, but I can add even more in there to make it stronger and more adapted."

Various readouts of dimensions and material run through her systems as she considers.

"Improving yourself, yes." She produces a small combi tool from under her robes, the device whirring as it shifts shape between different modes. "A new eye to line up with your bolter for increased accuracy, subskin armour for better protection, hm." Felicia nods keenly. "Faster, stronger, it'd offer you a whole lot."

[Spacewolf]

Rob stands at ease keeping his fake arm hidden under the his cloak and resting his normal hand on the pommel of his blade, while doing this he also tries to see what the pilots were doing.

[positivespace]

Constantine

The passages around the Maw are usually rather easy to navigate despite the storms, but this is one of the clearest auguries you've ever gotten. The Astronomicon is visible-dim at this range, but clearly visible-and your thankfully short path is clear of storms. It shouldn't take you more than three or four days to reach Footfall.

Once the ship is far enough away from the dead rock that served as the meeting place for Lady Octiva, the ship translates with ease, warp engine roaring to life and gellar field springing up around the Manus Ultionus. The horrors of the warp rush past you, clawing at your mind and soul, but none gain hold, your will a vice grip they cannot pry open.

Crew

Brutus salutes with a hearty "Aye, Cap'n!" and runs off to give orders through his vox station. The ecclesiarchal crew begin their ritual prayers that will last most of the journey, and Magos Rothschild responds with an affirming beep-at least, you think the beep was affirming. Silvanus brings the Captain some caff, and Deatrix remains behind, standing next to the captain with so little sound and presence she seemingly disappears whenever you don't look directly at her.

The trip is quicker than expected, only just over a day, and so the ship overshoots Footfall somewhat. You have a day of in warp time and two days realspace getting to Footfall to do whatever you need to do.

[Caimheul]

Constantine

For the Navigator, the Warp journey passes as all the others he has had the privilege of navigating. His perception of the journey is the same visualization he was trained in since his earliest days: travelling through a hive city's streets, the Astronomican visible as a bright light at the top of the tallest building. Demons growing and hissing in the darkest of alleyways and sewers, waiting to pounce should his concentration waver for even a second. Constantine's faith and training aids him in guiding the ship safely around the worst hazards, his crystal clear augury a boon. Following the transition to real-space, he slumps exhaustedly in his throne, as he opens a channel to the rest of the bridge. "It would seem the Emperor has blessed our endeavours m'lord captain," he announces tiredly as he disconnects himself from the ship and begins the rituals of recovery and thanksgiving.

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne blanches. "Urgh. I like my eyes just the way they are. And my arms and legs too. I think I'll keep 'em, if you don't mind." She shudders. "Don't know how you folks can stand it, metal against your skin all the time like that. Itching. Chopping yourselves up and sticking gears and cogs all over the place. Makes my stomach churn just thinkin' about it." The waves the concept away. "No, thank you. You wanna tinker with my gear, that's fine as long as you'll promise I get it back. But the rest of that stuff, I want no part."

---

Through most of the Warp journey Jayne will remain either within her quarters or exploring the ship, unless anyone requests her presence somewhere in particular. Since it's impossible to attack a ship at Warp, she tends to view Warp transit as a chance to relax and take time off her bodyguarding duties so that she'll be well-rested and prepared when it comes time to do her job. Following the Warp journey, she makes sure to stay in and around the area of the Bridge for at least a couple of hours each day, and tries to stay within a compartment or two of the Lord Captain whenever possible in case something happens.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Igancio stays up in the bridge while the ship is in the warp, speaking with Gorak about the Kroot if Gorak is in any mood to talk and questioning Deatrix on how Lady Octiva managed to get 'Death's Mistress' to come out into the open and asks about the cults she leads.

Once the ship is in realspace, though, he'll sleep on a regular schedule and spend the days making sure everything is in order and practicing with his power sword. He'll request an inventory of what the ship has and will speak to Brutus about who all is actually on the ship as far as armsmen, house troops, any particularly useful or interesting officers, etc. He wants to know exactly what he has to work with before he gets to Footfall.

[Donan]

Felicia seems a bit taken aback and puzzled by Jayne's response, devoting a fair amount of runtime to trying to figure out the cause of her dislike of such revered practices. The effort however, is for nought and she simply nods in resigned acceptance.

"I'll begin with your bolter for now then."

---

Felicia makes use of her private quarters for working on Jayne's bolter, her servo skull fluttering about as she devotes most of her free time during the travel to the work. Should Jayne or any others visit her in that time they'd find various small objects around the room, results of practice and personal workings.

Something that stands out is a large glass case, a suit of ancient carapace armour kept within and marked with the symbols of one of Saint Drusus' own bodyguards. Given its placement, the armour is clearly set there to be duly revered.

Sadly, while the bolter receives a good service, she realises the device is too complex to effectively modify without a good deal more time and resources.

[Spacewolf]

Rob spends the first two days in a bar on the lower decks getting acquainted with the new crew before spending the last day making sure the shuttle was ready to take off as soon as needed.

[positivespace]

As the ship makes its way to Footfall, the crew tends to its thousand duties big and small.

Ignacio
Deatrix is recalcitrant to speak at first of what Lady Octiva holds over her, but with a bit of the von Dornenwalde charm you manage to get her to speak.


Lady Lumis Octiva has something very important to Scarlet, and is using it to make sure she behaves and actually follows orders instead of just skulking about in the shadows and doing what she thinks is best for the von Dornenwalde line.

The cults are a series of different death and service cults that have formed in the ratings and officer cadres of the different von Dornenwalde ships, and Scarlet Deatrix has managed to sneak her way into leading every one of them from the shadows. Anyone-a lowly rating, an gun captain, a stowaway hiding in the bowels of the ship for the last eight years-could secretly be a cult member, highly trained in intrigue and assassination. And they all follow her orders unquestioningly.


Brutus delivers you a few scrolls handwritten in his impeccably neat High Gothic script, and Gaius brings you dataslates carrying schematics and inventories for the ship.

The Manus Ultionus has full provender and fuel and equip for the crew, eleven shuttles-four of which are rated for heavy lifting-a power lifter in either cargo hold, shotguns and lascarbines for the armsmen, fifty heavy stubbers, and five hundred suits of flak armour in storage.
About two thousand of the crew are qualified as armsmen, most of them previously employed as house troops and many of them keeping their own gear, but many more of the crew have been in combat or could be qualified as armsmen. The officers all have previous naval and von Dornenwalde house service, but none of them really stand out yet.

Rob
Given that most of them are actually being paid and given board now (even if the bedrooms are still navy-quality bunkrooms) the crew are pretty pleased right now. Even with how new the crew is to the ship, the little boiler room bars and gambling halls in abandoned passagways have already sprung up, vital to any crew's economy and morale.

Crew
After two days of realspace travel, the Manus Ultionus arrives at Footfall, a massive network of stations and structures old and new held together by everything from bolts to chains to grox-bone glue. Several other ships are docked at this wretched hive, and a few more are in orbit, visiting the smaller orbital docks and stations. After dealing with several different 'port authorities' squabbling over who gets to tell you where to dock and how much you have to pay, you decide to ignore them all and use an empty dock connected to one of the sturdier looking stations. It's Footfall, nobody important actually gives a damn.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot mercenary will speak with the captain during the long and uncomfortable travel through the warp, and although he will extoll his own virtue as a warrior, as well as the capabilities of his kindred, he will be quite evasive in answering any other questions about himself or the kroot race. For the rest of the time he will quietly stalk the corridors of the massive Imperial vessel, taking care to avoid the human crew whenever possible.

He greets the transition back into realspace with a low, warbling series of clicks, mostly to himself, and simply watches silently as the ship negotiates its way into the port. Wary of the dangers large concentrations of unchecked humans can pose to any alien, even a kroot, Gorak Trosk approaches his employer. "Orders, captain?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio
Ignacio orders First Officer Brutus to use some of the shuttles to ferry crewmen with leave permission to and from different parts of Footfall and to make sure the crew stays out of trouble and all that, and takes six armsmen with him for his various duties, choosing them from previous house troops if he can and trying to keep them all uniformly armed and armoured. He'll take Gaius, Deatrix (in disguise as a priestess), and the other PCs with him into Footfall, by shuttle if need be. If Constantine would rather stay onboard his ship and rest, that is also acceptable.

Ignacio pockets his seal, keeping it with him but not wearing it openly. He wears his fine armour openly, and carries his power sword, helmet visor, and bolt pistol on his belt, with three organgrinder magazines for his bolt pistol. His laspistol and one powerpack for it will be hidden inside his armour.

"Actually, Gorak Trosk, I have a few rather important tasks for you. In Footfall there is a place called the Xenosium, where xenos serving human captains or their own inhuman interests can stay safely and exchange information. Firstly, I need you to go there and see what information you can scrounge up without getting yourself into trouble, especially information on my brother and what he's been up to. Secondly, my brother has several contacts on this station. I'm going to have someone identify and mark one of them for you, after that I need you to stalk him and mark anyone he meets with or that has his 'scent' on them.

Deatrix, I know you're not used to actually taking orders from me, but I'm going to need you to do something for me. It'll make Gorak Trosk's job easier, too." he hands Deatrix a piece of parchment.


"Destroy that when you're done reading it. Venturi, MacReady, Enginseer Felicia, Silvanus Crenksaft, Navigator, stay with the armsmen and I. We've got some shopping to do."

[Donan]

After ensuring she could establish a link with Wulf if needed, Felicia left him in standby mode in their shuttle and moved out with the small group, her augmentic eyes scanning the area as she made various readings and assessments to save for long term records.

"Yes Captain." She gives a cheery nod and a salute. "I had a long talk with a lot of the machine spirits who manage all the inventory and Gravus took time to study as much equipment as he could. Perhaps there are hidden gems here that we can find and liberate to a better purpose.

I look forward to finding out." She looks towards Gorak and then produces a servo skull from under her robes, tapping a start up sequence in and tossing it lightly into the air where it hovers with a quiet humming sound, an auspex system visible at its base.

"Do you want Gravus to go with it, Captain? He's very good at spotting and studying things, and he can record anything of note. I'd like to say he'd have more ability to be reliable and capable for data recording then a Xenoform."

The air of light curiosity and passion remains in her metallic voice, even at the apparent insult sent Gorak's way.

[Spacewolf]

Rob puts on his survival suit keeping his hand cannon and mono blade in the belt holster and sheath respectivly. Then puts his cloak on to hide both weapons before slinging his long las over his back, keeping 4 clips for the cannon and 2 for the long las in the inside pockets of the cloak.

As the doors of the shuttle open when they reach the planet Rob draws up the hood of his suit and pulls down the goggles further distancing him from the stations strange atmosphere. After Ignacio finishes giving out orders Rob falls into step behind him.

"Yes, sir."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"I believe have another use for your blessed construct, Enginseer. Is Gravus capable of taking picts or video and sending them to anything with a wireless receiver?"

Ignacio makes his way to one of the trade areas of Footfall.

[Donan]

She nods as she follows along, Gravus hovering at her shoulder. "Yes Captain. When I blessed units for his creation, I established an encoded, wireless link between the machine spirits of his systems, and my own. My MIU link has worked to ensure I can always speak and converse with him, as long as the machine spirits are close enough to hear one another.

All the data he may collect is downloaded into my logi systems for review and catalogue. And he does sometimes find some most remarkable things, why, he once found an artifice fan deep in a brand new venting system. Only the Ommissah can know how it got there.

Oh, and yes, I can transfer any recordings he takes to any system with a suitable mind impulse connection port."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Good. I want to cover as much ground as possible. Once we've set marks for Gorak Trosk and Deatrix, I want your skull to start following anyone they meet, too, and to take as many pictures or as much video as possible. Have it sent to you, I, and the Manus on an encrypted channel, understood?" Ignacio sets about looking for a reputable looking clothing merchant.

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne nods. "Heading planetside, Captain? Roger that. I'll need a few minutes to pick up my gear, meet you in the shuttle bay." Putting the words to action she stalks off quickly, headed for the storage locker in her quarters.

---

Later, in the cargo hold, Jayne awaits in full battle gear. In addition to her now familiar carapace armour and boltgun, now carried in both hands rather than slung across her back, she has added a full helmet with face-obscuring respirator and a full-body survival suit, leaving only her piercing blue eyes visible. On her back is a colour-shifting chameleoline cloak, currently thrown back to provide minimal distraction while stealth is not needed, and strapped securely overtop of it is a long-barreled, scoped Lasrifle. When she speaks now, it is muffled and with a slight metallic influence from the heavy filtration system strapped to her face. "Ready to do my job, Captain." She raises her voice. "Any of you folks not been to Footfall before? Least pleasant place I've had the misfortune of visiting, maybe excepting my own, and she had her charms to make up for it. Sometimes the gravity just up and vanishes, so be ready for a bit of acrobatics. No lawmen to speak of, 'cept for gang enforcers and some mercs out to protect their boss' turf. Keep an eye out, 'cause there's usually someone out there who'd shoot you in the back for a chance at your coin purse. Boss, stay behind me."

As the shuttle lands on the chosen station's surface, MacReady leads the way, bolter held at the ready and eyes scanning for trouble. As far as she's concerned, any trip to Footfall is a combat patrol, not a shopping trip.

[Donan]

"I understand." Felicia touches fingers to the side of her metal clad skull, reworking a few of her links and streaming small packets of data. "I'm routing through the shuttle to give the data to the Manus Ultionus' machine spirits. They'll keep it nice and safe in their databanks.

Do you have a receiver for data channels yourself?"

She considers Jayne, tilting her head. "If they have habits of shooting at selected targets from the rear, doesn't him being behind you logically equate that he'd be at greater risk of being targeted?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"My impulse unit has a wireless transceiver," Ignacio taps the port at the back of his skull, lifting up his helmet for Felicia to see.

He'll have the armsmen make a proper formation around the group so that MacReady can use her own wits to handle things.

[Donan]

She nods, casually raising her combi tool and aiming it at the unit set into Ignacio's neck to identify the precise frequency.

"Connection established."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot simply nodded his understanding in a clipped, highly controlled way, before separating himself from the rest of the group without a word to acknowledge the slight against him. Even in the dense, mismatched crowds of Footfall the mercenary had no trouble finding his way, for he stood taller than most humans present, and his eerie quills made him stand out easily. He could read Low Gothic easily enough, and his sense of hearing was excellent, meaning that he chose not to ask for directions, but rather listened to the various conversations for hints, and followed what signs lay about.

OOC:I'm not going to presume that I find Xenosium easily, or what it looks like just yet, so I'll wait on the GM before I proceed.

[Caimheul]

Constantine decides to accompany the rest of the senior officers on their exploration of the station. Despite his confidence in the martial capabilities of the captain's bodyguards, as well as the limited protection his vocation provides, Constantine still ensures his ornate hellpistol, emblazoned with the crest of House Cassini and covered in gold scroll work, is fully charged. In addition, he brings his elegant metal staff, crested with the symbol of the Navis Nobilite, a metal eye. He walks silently in the midst of the crew, looking around the station calmly. "As our endeavours are likely to involve violence, I would appreciate the opportunity to obtain some form of cranial protection, m'lord. Additionally, there are certain side-arms I am seeking to serve as the foundation of my collection, should such a diversion not prove inconvenient," he states plainly, addressing the captain.

[positivespace]

Gorak
[OOC: The xenosium is a 'badly kept secret'. Everyone knows about it but nobody talks about it much unless they have business there. Also, it's ridden with xenos smell, so it's not too hard for you to find. I just went ahead and rolled for you anyways to speed things up.]

The xenosium is a structure that stands out, built like a prison and far from the more important and more heavily populated parts of Footfal, with thick rockcrete walls and blast doors blocking the entrances. There are no signs of what it actually is, though, and you pass by it twice on your search before realizing it is the source of most of the non-human smells you've picked up.
There doesn't seem to be any way to open up the doors, but between cracked and splintered walls hidden behind bent away pillars and hollow air shafts overgrown with moss and a strange, bone-like substance, there are several entrances.

The inside of the place is filled with worn and sometimes defaced statues of Imperial saints and moss and more of that bone-like substance (some of it turned purple-ish and eaten away as if by acid) and the occasional sign that something may have lived here long ago, but the smells are all recent. It takes you a short while, but you eventually you find your way to where small gatherings of other xenos are taking place in small buildings made from ruined craft and strange relics. Disturbingly human kroot sit in one corner, chewing on bones while making small talk with an ork painted up in purple and black camo, across the room a few Eldar corsairs exhange a moneypurse with a dark eldar wrapped in grey robes while a craftworld Eldar in another corner glares at them. Signs of other occupants abound, but the place seems mostly empty.

Crew
Deatrix bows her head and sets off before you even realize she's gone.
There are many market areas throughout Footfall, one could even argue the entire place is one massive open cold trade market. The one you walk through is just like the rest, makeshift stalls cramped around somewhat well tended shops built into junked ships and hab fanes guarded by rough thugs. Young children in rags run about shouting out advertisements alongside desperate merchantmen for everything from 'high quality' Footfall bolters to slaves to void bait to caged xenos avians.

While some of what you are searching for can be found, much of what you want is unavailable without talking to the 'right people' and throwing in more coin than you care to spend, as if everything here were some sort of contraband that the countless crime syndicates here have singular hold over.

[Donan]

"Cranial protection?" Felicia's eyes studied a variety of weapons on a stall, sadly dismissing most as damaged beyond repair, or of shoddy construction. She lights up some as she indicates two weapons that retain their good edge and secures them with a brief bout of conversation.

She also picks out a large crate of strange packets of gel, and a device that appears to be a heavy metal glove designed for torture, with all the strange implements on the end. Arrangements are quietly made to have the items delivered to the shuttle for transfer, Felicia using the name of the Adeptus Mechanius to keep the Captain's own under wraps.

"Cranial plating would be of value to you, perhaps? It would offer increased protection to your skull, and serve as an useful mounting for future enhancements."

[Spacewolf]

Rob keeps an eye out for anything that looked like a good quality arm however all he could see was some junk, not worth the time of day.

To bad i'll have to hope someone who Ignacio wants dead has one i can take

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The mercenary made his way into the dismal hole in the wall, quickly sizing up the other xenos assembled. He made his way immediately to the other kroot, noticing immediately how human they appeared. He wondered how human he appeared, or how human he would appear in time. He wondered if humans were strong enough to be worth emulating so much. He would speak with a shaper of this strength.

In the mixed clicking sounds of his native tongue, Gorak Trosk greeted the other kroot, ignoring the hulking ork, "Greetings from Gorak Trosk and his kindred. Do you know the human Altheus von Dornenwalde?"

[positivespace]

Gorak

"And welcome from Tallik Kon and his kindred, Gorak Trosk," the apparent leader of the present kroot stands up and greets you while the others continue to chat with the ork, "It has been many weeks since we last saw another of our kind here, sit with us and eat. I have many meals to choose from that I have brought from our last hunt! Powerful fighters, stealthy hunters, and a few of the humans who managed to bring down my offpsring's hunting party."

Tallik heads back to his seat.

"As for Altheus, I do not know who that is. But the name Dornenwalde has been heard, yes, and smelled. His scouts leave their smell wherever they go. But maybe the men who wear that smell do not wish to be found by Gorak Trosk?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Slightly upset by his inability to find some nice new clothes to go over his carapace armour, Ignacio finds some solace in finding himself a rebreather and some photo-contacts. He slides the rebreather into the visor on his belt and puts his contacts in.

He'll check out any particularly interesting shops for a bit until Deatrix, Gravus, or Trosk contact him, also asking around about anyone selling promethium of late, tossing the questions into conversation casually like any captain just looking for a good deal on fuel would.

Inquiry vs 50 [roll0]
Fate point to reroll if need be. [roll1]

[Caimheul]

Constantine shakes his head at the Tech-priests suggestion as he scans the available wares, inspecting a few pistols before shaking his head sadly at the quality and selection. Knock-offs and readily available firearms seem to constitute the majority of the market. A finely constructed Flak helmet with a design that would leave his warp eye uncovered. A few words to the stall's proprietor, and a transfer of thrones later, Constantine dons his newly acquired helm and covers it with the hood of his robes. "Such implantations would prove most beneficial, unfortunately they are forbidden to one of my order. Besides the desire to protect our eye, surgery has the unfortunate side effect of leaving our third eye wide open, necessitating the concealment of a large portion of our skull for the safety of the chirurgeon. The implantation of my bionic respiratory system was undertaken as a necessity rather than a luxury," the Navigator replies to the tech-priest conversationally as he waits for the others to conclude their purchases.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

"Strength to Tallik Kon and his kindred," Gorak Trosk finished in the traditional way as he set himself down beside the other kroot, settling into a low crouch. He nodded his assent to the food, and looked at the selection his host had offered. Normally he was hesitant to take in meat that had not been selected by his shaper, or, at the very least, himself, but with a fellow kroot he felt secure that the choices would be good ones.

"The men who wear the smell of Dordenwalde are of interest to me. Can you show to me who they are, or tell me where they rest?"

[positivespace]

Crew

There are sellers of items supposedly archaeotech or xenostech in nature, from weapons to food to simple tools. Black cubes that are claimed to have once contained one of the proscribed artificial intelligences, scrolls of strange parchment said to be alien star charts, odd compasses that suddenly shift the direction in which they point depending on who holds them, it's all very exciting, but it's also all rather pricey, and much of it is likely fake.

Dropping questions here and there brings up the major sources of commercial promethium on Footfall, and a few new shipments coming in from Belas, Station D, Decritus, and other planets in the Expanse and the Calixis Sector.

Gorak

"There are many who wear the scent on this station, doing their work and rarely meeting each other. But a few of them have the scent deep in them and run between the others, telling secrets and lies and orders," Tallik scratches the underside of his somewhat fleshy beak and digs around in one of the food piles for a mangled arm bearing a grey skull tattoo. He holds the arm out to you.

"Several of the men who attacked my offspring carried the scent. This limb wears it, too. But there is something odd about the attack you should know, fellow. The humans didn't kill all of the hunting party, some of them were captured and put in metal tubes full of cold and sleep. I'm not sure why, but you should be cautious, lest they capture you."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

He reached out and gingerly took hold of the proffered limb, letting his sharp beak tear into the flesh. It was curious, that he had worked alongside so many humans for quite a while now, and yet had not before tasted human flesh. It had a sweet quality to it he was not expecting, and he found it to his liking. "I know of others who were captured in these metal tubes, but this was long ago. How long past was your hunting party captured? And will you show me the humans whose scent runs deepest?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio thanks whoever gives him the information and steps off to a private corner with his crew.

"Alright, I'm taking suggestions. How should we go about finding our way to the Decritus shipment? I'm thinking that's our best option for finding one of our marks. I want to get there without raising suspicion, but there are a number of ways we could do this."

[Spacewolf]

Speaking out from the shadow under his hood, Rob goes for a fairly simple plan.

"Could claim to be a member of one of the other merchant houses, so long as we don't do anything wierd i doubt people will ask questions. Use the same cover to separate whoever we are looking for from others then find out what they want to tell us. Thats bout all i can think of from the top of my head."

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne thinks about the problem for a moment, eyes focused on nothing in particular, then replies, "Why bother lying at all? We've got a couple of shuttles, right, and they run on Promethium. Just start shopping around, like you normally would, looking for the best deal. We'll run into the target eventually, and we can go from there. Might even be able to swing a good deal on an actual Promethium supply while you're at it."

[Caimheul]

"On a station of this magnitude, it is probable their are numerous purveyors of a commodity of such import. It is conceivable that by the time we locate the supplier, our target may have had sufficient time to abscond with their cargo. I do admit that my education is lacking in these matters, however. Should you require a ship's warp trail followed, or a glimpse of the future, my skills are more likely t be applicable." Constantine contributes as he resumes shuffling his tarot deck.

[positivespace]

Crew

"Milord, I would have to agree with your pilot and your bodyguard, we should find our target in the simplest way possible," Gaius offers his advice.

Gorak

"The party was capture almost a month ago. Just now have we gotten the chance to test the mettle of those who attacked my offspring. They fought well, but we will need to find better warriors for our next meal."

Tallik shifts uncomfortably when you ask about being led to the von Dornenwalde contacts.

"We could lead you there, yes, but I am unsure if this is the best path for my kindred. What if your mark seeks us for reprisal, or if doing this denies us a contract? Can your employer pay us for our services?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio strokes his chin.

"A simple approach is usually the best approach...Silvanus, put it out on one of the trade channels that you're looking for a good deal on promethium for some shuttles...and see if anyone is selling an Aquila Lander while you're at it."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

He simply regarded the other kroot in silence for a few moments, his beak gently moving as his tongue picked out the last of the human meat from its sharp ridges. "I will speak to my employer, and will arrange payment for you and your kindred in this."

His voice dropped lower, despite the fact that he was speaking in a language few species could hope to ever understand, "And if the humans who took your offspring are indeed so strong, then I will speak with my shaper when next I can, and propose our kindreds fight together."

[Donan]

Felicia chirps up after some consideration. "If contracts are fixed and set, then perhaps those that are being supplied will ensure to visit this port at the same time the deliveries arrive. If the transporting vessel can be identified, and I can access any central source of docking records, I can correlate any vessels with similar docking dates."

[positivespace]

Crew

Gaius nods and turns away for a moment, chattering quickly in various Low gothicGand trade dialects on the dozens of trade channels he can reach with the vox caster he always brings along. After a few minutes, he steps back to Ignacio's side with a bow.

"M'lord-Captain, there are several merchants advertising sales of promethium, refined, unrefined, weapons-grade, fuel-grade. One claims to be a fresh batch of extra quality unrefined promethium from a promethium rich frontier world. Also, I've found a salesperson for 'shuttles, landers, and other useful things for an intelligent captain'."

Gorak

"This is agreeable. We would relish the chance for pay and meals," Tallik tears into a hefty chunk of muscle taken from the pile.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Hmmm...Let's visit the fuel trader first, I have a plan to spend some of my brother's ill-gotten gains. Crenksaft, are you confident in your ability to make a man's mind more pliable to my will right now?" Ignacio waits for an answer, then rings Gorak Trosk up on the microbeads.

"Gorak Trosk, it's the Captain. How goes the hunt?"

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The mercenary finished tearing away the little remaining flesh from the arm Tallik Kon had given him before rising to his feet, careful to keep a wary eye of the ork (who had, admittedly, behaved itself thus far). Nodding politely to the other kroot, he stepped back, into the ample shadows, to answer the comm-bead.

"Greetings, Captain von Dornenwalde. I have located a kindred of kroot who have encountered humans which I presume are under your sibling's employment. They share in your name, and have also taken to capturing their prey in metallic tubes, as you were. I have their scent now, and, if you desire, I can begin to stalk them in this station," he glanced back to the humanized kroot. "Some of the kroot who have interacted with these humans claim they can lead me closer to them directly, but to do so will require reimbursement from you for their services."

Gorak Trosk cocked his head and regarded the other assembled xenos, primarily the eldar. "There are others present whom I could question as well, if you would like," he offered.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"If it's weapons or a ride they want, I can cover it. If it's thrones or treasure...well, we'll be able to cover that in short order here. Go ahead and bring a few of them and if the other xenos seem useful, see if they might be able to help," Ignacio grins and instructs Gaius to lead the way to the docking area the ship selling fuel from Decritus is using.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

He clicked his assent into the micro-bead, returning to the others of his kind. Resuming the native tongue of the kroot, "My employer is interested in the services of you and your kindred. If you wish weapons or transportation in return for your work, then it can be arranged immediately; if you wish currency, then it can be arranged in a short time, but not right away."

He glanced sidelong at the eldar across the room. "Those Eldar, can they be trusted, and might they know anything about the humans who wear the scent of von Dornenwalde?"

If the other kroot claim that the Eldar don't know anything relevant, or if they claim that they cannot be trusted, then Garok Trosk will trust them, and leave the Eldar alone.

If the kroot don't know anything about the Eldar, or if they say the Eldar are trustworthy/knowledgeable, then Garok Trosk will approach them and say the following: "Greetings, I am Gorak Trosk. Do you know anything of the human Altheus von Dornenwalde?"

[positivespace]

Gorak

"Then it can be arranged. We will take you to the leader of the hunters," Tallik chirps happily.

When asked about the Eldar in the room, the kroot shrug, but the ork speaks up in an unusually (for orks) understandable voice.

"Da skinny Eldar gits ova there? 'Pends on which one ya askin' 'bout. See, ya got da shiny, space-y gits what zoom around in dere kroozas an trick youz around so dey can get dere pretty stones back, sometimes dey help ya out, so you can trust 'em ta be untrustworthy. Den, ya got da freebootin' ones who'll do stuff for teef, but dey's lotsa fun cause dey'll turn on ya for da laughs sometimes, so ya can trust 'em ta be fun. An' den ya got da sneaky gitz in da purple arma, who go around backstabbing each other and krumpin' things slow 'an 'urty like, so unless you'z dere target, you can trust 'em to be too busy krumpin' each other or havin' fun krumpin' other stuff to turn on ya if ya pay 'em right."

50 exp earned by Gorak for negotiating with the kroot!

If Gorak goes to speak with the Eldar, the craftworld Eldar, dressed up in resplendent red and orange armour, shoos you away, saying his (her? its?) business here is none of your own.

The corsairs, however, in their gleaming black armour, and the dark eldar in the robes, greet you with soft grins.
"von Dornenwalde... the dark eldar mutters to one of the corsairs, "Any relations to the man in the silver?"

"Perhaps..." one of the corsairs responds, looking from you to the dark Eldar, "You seek von Dornenwalde...A man who bears a thorn-burdened griffin on his seal? There is more to him than even he realizes, little mercenary."

"Or his brother!" the other corsair laughs.

The dark Eldar stares you in the eyes and tilts its head.
"I could help you find many people who work for this man...but my price will be unlike anything you or your employer have ever paid, to ensure my loyalty of course. It is not treasure that I want from this universe..."

Crew

Gaius continues to speak with the merchant on the vox, following directions that take you to one of the better maintained-if sparsely decorated-docks of Footfall, where a massive transport ship has anchored itself and now dozens of large haulers drift to and from the ship, draining the holds into better secured tanks for sale. Most of the machinery is handled by servitors with the von Dornenwalde seal engraved onto their cranial plates, with the manual labor handled by men and women who look like slaves. The guards that patrol the area, though, don't look like ratings or indentured workers, and don't even bear the von Dornenwalde seal, their lasguns and stubbers and black flak armour decorated with images of three silver rings joined by one golden ring.

A man in resplendent violet and silver tradesman's robes makes his way over to you, protected by more guards than he should ever need and joined by a few men who look to be higher officers and fellow businessmen.

"Greetings, greetings!" the man says, making the sign of the aquila on his chest, "I hear you need to do some business in promethium?"

50 exp awarded to the crew for locating the first target!

[Donan]

Felicia keeps quiet in the middle of the group, seeming to simply watch and observe. She was doing that, but she also sent a brief data burst to Gravus, hiding the transmission within the usual signals her systems put out.

The servo skull settled nearby, drifting into a darkened crevice a good distance up one of the many rundown structures. Stone rustled and crumbled to the ground as the skull settled clumsily, risking detection by anyone attentive who might be nearby.

Regardless, Felicia let herself sink subtly into the nearby data net, recording and studying its various symbols as a quiet presence.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio returns the sign.
"Indeed I do, good sirrah! And I hear you have a fresh cargo of the stuff waiting for a purchase. High catalyst unrefined, I was informed? Perhaps you, I and a trustworthy bookkeeper should find a good mediation for this deal, have a spot of tea and caff with our business?"

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The mercenary simply nodded his understanding to the hulking ork, and regarded the eldar one more time before simply rolling shoulders and rising again. He handed Tallik a small note, upon which was written the name of his captain's vessel, and its berth. He spoke in the kroot tongue, "Gather your kindred and meet here, I will speak with my employer, and we will begin the hunt."

Politely tilting his beaked head to the ork, Gorak Trosk turned and left the xenosium, casually activating his comm-bead, "Another kindred of kroot are yours to command, Captain; they will assemble by your ship. What task would you have of me?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio responds to Gorak with a quick, quiet micro-bead message.

"Head back to the shuttle, once Deatrix is done with her first task, she should drop by to help you with your next one. Good work, Gorak Trosk."

[positivespace]

Gorak

Tallik takes the note and nods, he and his collection of kroot waving goodbye to their greenskin conversational partner and bounding off.

Ignacio

"We've got a private room set aside next door with a renumeration engine and everything, Captain-Er?" the man lets the word hang there with a grin, waiting for you to answer.

Felicia

Most of the activity here is just servitor chatter and pulsed commands from various tech-priests, but there is an encrypted signal heading from the ship to a place deep within the bowels of Footfall.

Constantine and Jayne

You notice one of the men with the merchanter captain-a balding man with forehead wrinkles but still some strength clearly in him-eyeing the astropath with some uncertainty, his hand occasionally drifting towards the auto pistol at his side.

[Donan]

Slipping through the data-net like a ghost, cloaked like one of the common commands, Felicia eased herself into the encrypted signal, flowing along with it to its location as her systems increased power, various codes and combinations run to align and understand the base programs concealing the code's true content.

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne snaps to attention as she notices the man with the drifting hand, and calls out in a firm, authoritative voice, a slight metallic tinge making it sound vaguely inhuman. "Hey, pal, keep your hand off the piece. We don't want any trouble, but if that gun clears leather I will put a Bolt through your skull." She keeps her Bolter pointed away from the man, taking her left hand off its grip to point at the target of her command, in an attempt to avoid escalating the situation, though she does tense in case things turn violent.

[positivespace]

Crew

Several armsmen raise their lasguns and point them at Jayne until the merchant laughs nervously and waves his hands in a downward direction.

"Now now, gentlemen, let's all behave! There's business to be done!"

He turns back to Ignacio and and bows slightly, "I am so very sorry about my guard Wilhelm, Captain. He can get a bit twitchy when someone brings as many soldiers as you have to a business deal..."

Felicia

The signal is being straightlined to a receiver in a small hab generator room near the underside of Footfall, making it harder to pick up...unless someone would happen to be standing or floating in it's path like Gravus is...

You decrypt it almost effortlessly, picking up a metallic but joyed voice.

"...Oh, this will be wonderful, I promise you! Would you be wanting some of the promethium we brought along with-no, no, of course you wouldn't be needing promethium for your current experiment, what am I thinking? Maybe I should meet you down there? Oh, it would be an honor, I'll be there shortly, see if I can't grab another on the way down!"

[Donan]

Still perfectly still in the physical world, Felicia altered her digital location, tapping into the MIU link she'd formed with Ignacio. So deep into the data she was weaving through, she remained utterly unaware of the troubles between the group and the guards.

++Captain? Someone's using the data spirits to talk, and they're being real secretive about it, I had to sneak around quite a bit.

They're sending to a small hab deeper in the station, no, planet, no.. Footfall! They're sending, and this is what someone said.++

There's a burst of static as she transmits a recording into his implants.

"...Oh, this will be wonderful, I promise you! Would you be wanting some of the promethium we brought along with-no, no, of course you wouldn't be needing promethium for your current experiment, what am I thinking? Maybe I should meet you down there? Oh, it would be an honor, I'll be there shortly, see if I can't grab another on the way down!"

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

Returning to the crowds of humans beyond the xenosium, the mercenary moved into the masses, careful not to step too closely to the ever-suspicious humans - they tended to like creatures like kroot kept at a distance. His head again rising above most of the shorter, bulkier humans, Gorak Trosk traced his way back to the shuttle he had come from. As he did, he kept glancing about, wary for anyone following him, but also on the lookout for any of his fellow crew who might need aid. But he did not rely wholly on his sight, and thus paid careful attention to the scents of those he passed by, comparing it to the arm he had tasted only recently.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"It's fine, MacReady, nobody here is foolish enough to fire at us."

" I am Captain Ignacio Kaliso Fireheart," Ignacio lies and bows, "But let's save the pleasantries for when we have some privacy. I assume the room your renumeration engine is in is proofed against eavesdroppers?"

++Keep watch on that signal, Enginseer Felicia. You're doing the Omnissiah and the Emperor proud, and I suspect we may destroy some heretics in His name today. Send the recording and the location of the hab to the shuttle so Deatrix can pick it up.++

[Donan]

++Yes Captain!++

The enginseer transmitted the information as requested, continuing to monitor the signal she'd picked up.

[positivespace]

Crew

"Of course, Captain Fireheart. It's actually a room built by a previous captain for all to use, but if there's anything Footfallers know, it's to respect privacy," the merchantman leads the way to a thick, blast sealed door set in a wall made from a scrapped bulkhead,"Your bodyguard and crew may come in, but I will have to ask that your soldiers stay outside, Captain."

Felicia

The signal continues, sending a few numbers and basic script codes that you can't very well see the meaning of until you have a better idea of what's going on.
"...how many shall I bring? Oh? That would empty the hold, but I can make it in a single trip. I'll let you judge the quality for yourself..."

Gorak

You pick up faint trails of scent, but not enough for you to follow any reasonable distance right now.

Back at the shuttle, the armsmen posted to guard it let you through, giving you wide berth. Deatrix is not here, but there is a note stuck to the side of the shuttle, written on thick parchment in a red substance that does NOT smell like ink to you. Underneath the note is a tuft of wiry brown hair.

Kroot Trosk-

I located three targets. One is perished, he was useless. I am pursuing the second, but the third is wandering without anybody to watch him right now. I managed to get this hair from him during a false confession, perhaps it will help?

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"I can acquiesce to that, but I'll have to ask that you afford me the same courtesy, and that Mr. Wilhelm doesn't shoot my astropath," Ignacio instructs his armsmen to wait outside the door in a defensive pattern and keep an eye out.

++Enginseer Felicia, once the room is sealed, I need you to scan it for bugs and take care of them. Subtly, if you can."

[Donan]

Unsure if she could hold her connection within the thick walls, Felicia quietly shifted control to Gravus. ++I'll be gentle to them Captain, yes. I won't hurt anything that's listening, I'll just ask them to sleep until we leave.++

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

He set aside the note and looked to the small lock of hair. A curious thing, hair, and by all accounts thoroughly useless, unless one somehow had enough to keep warm in arctic environments. Gorak Trosk held it up to his snout and inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the scent. Idly he compared it to the smells he had experienced while making his way to the cargo bay, but as he did so he was careful to note the colour and consistency - there did seem to be enough variation amongst humans for such a thing to be helpful.

Turning quickly about, the kroot leapt easily by the guard, with far less sound than one might otherwise think. He breathed deep of the recycled air, trying to pinpoint the smell he hunted. He palmed the lock of hair, sliding it into one of his many small pouches, in case he needed it again. His quills quivered, sensing the slight changes in his surroundings as he sniffed the air.

[Caimheul]

Constantine silently observes everything that is going on around him, shuffling his tarot deck the entire time. The adverse reaction to the astropath's presence results in a brief pause as one of his hands mirrors the bigot guard's action. Once the situation is dealt with, he returns to shuffling, sharp eyes scanning for other threats. Once the room seals, he mummers a few words, shuffles one last time before drawing four cards at random from various positions of the deck.

Psyniscience: [roll0] TN 68 to detect any psychic phenomena or presence of demons (am not expecting the latter, mostly just checking for other means of listening)

[positivespace]

Crew

The inside of the room isn't that spacious, dominated by a long table and a series of vacuum tubes and scripters manned by three adepts who hurry back and forth around a massive machine that spits out reams of paper. The merchant seats himself at the end by the renumeration engine, guarded by wilhelm and two of the warriors in the ringed armour, and an aide stands at his side.

The six armsmen you brought wait outside, blocking off the door from any entrance and looking positively fierce to dissuade any interlopers.

"I am Captain Vargas Bartholomew Treyvan-Silor. I run the bulk hauler Truth's Gift, currently employed shifting promethium cargo for the von Dornenwalde dynasty on Decritus. How much are you looking to purchase?"

Constantine

You can't pick up on any psychic activity in the room.

Felicia

The signal becomes too dull for you to hear in this room, but you can sense all the little mechanical audio spies in the room easily. They aren't very well protected.

Gorak

The smell is greasy and fatty, and you don't much like it, but you remember passing by a human entertainment establishment that carried it on your way to the shuttle.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Astropath Antronov, make a mind link with Felicia, MacReady, Deatrix, Venturi, Cassini, Gorak Trosk, and I and wait for further orders," Ignacio whispers to the astropath before taking a seat.

"Nice to make your acquaintance, Captain. I don't need enough to fuel an entire voidship, I just need some for my shuttles. They can handle unrefined just as well as any of the costly refinery fresh fuels. What're your rates?"

[Donan]

Felicia nudges each of the spies gently, soothing and calming down as she powers them down one by one. The process takes only a few seconds and she communicates this to the Captain.

++They're asleep now, and quite settled. They won't hear anything.++

[BedrockHound]

"Yessir," Alexia answers quickly.

She attempts to set up a mind link with the people she was commanded to link with, letting them know it's her before just barging in rudely. If she there's anyone she can't reach, she'll link to the retainer or an arms man instead and alert the captain.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

He all but ignored the comm message from the astropath, only responding with a noncommittal click. He picked his way purposely through the crowd, carefully sniffing the air to help zero in on the human scent he sought. He worked his way back to the entertainment establishment and, mindful of the humans' prejudices, moved silently inside, taking care to minimize his profile and stick to the shadows while he sought his prey.

[positivespace]

Gorak

Thick wafts of smoke almost choke you and drown out the scent as you pass through the curtains covering up the entrance to the smoke hall. The place is a maze of rooms and hallways, all dimly lit with colored lights and filled with soft places for its various guests, all under the influence of various inhalants or smokeables. You easily slip past the few sober people there, which is probably for the best considering they are all armed.

Past a few silky curtains and strands of beads, you find the source of the smell lounging in a darkened room with a hooded lantern casting the light onto the walls in various multicolored shapes that entrance the humans present but have no affect on your alien mind.

The man is portly, but not obese, with a thick head and beard of wiry brown hair. He is half asleep, sprawled across an overstuffed bean bag chair, drooling slightly on his fine clothes, a dumb smile on his face.

Alexia

You manage to contact everyone, though the mental link with Gorak is hard for you to understand and you can only pick up thoughts he directs towards you, and Deatrix's link is hazy, and Deatrix surprised you managed to find her among all the station's minds.

Crew

"I can get you ten kilolitres for about (PF roll versus 50), that should be enough to fuel a wing of lighters for quite some time," Vargas offers.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Good work, Astropath Antronov. Now search the mind of our friend Captain Tryvan-Silr here if you can. Let us know if he notices, Ignacio thinks at Alexia.

"Well, Captain," Ignacio says, "I don't quite need ten kilolitres. How about five kilolitres for (equivalent to a roll against 100)?"

Alright, he directs his thoughts to the others in the room, If he notices, and they get all jumpy, we take out anyone else in the room aside from him, and Astropath Antronov will peel his mind like an onion.

Deatrix, report?

[DaedalusMkV]

Hearing a whispering in her mind, even one in a relatively familiar voice, does not put Jayne at ease in the slightest. Wary of Psykers at the best of times, her hairs stand on end and she tenses noticably, returning from a relaxed if vaguely watchful pose to full alertness, glancing around the room more to reassure herself that no Daemons have invaded than to actually watch the Promethium merchants. Remaining silent, as all of this backroom dealing isn't really her strong suit to begin with, she does her best to relax again, repeating a Litany against the Warp in her mind, one of the few teachings of the Ecclesiarchy she ever really bothered with, and goes back to her vague watching, bolter held at ease. No need to appear hostile, after all; if anyone tries anything funny, she's pretty confidant she can riddle him with Bolts before his gun clears its holster.

[BedrockHound]

It's okay, Jayne, it's just the Captain and I. You can speak with the rest of us this way, too!

Alexia focuses on the merchant and tries to psychically pick his brains.

Can only use the power at fettered, so I roll against 56 [roll0][roll1]
If I have to, I'll spend a fate point to reroll. [roll2][roll3] and [roll4] to get fate point back on a nine.


If the power fails, something manifests, or the merchant notices, Alexia alerts Ignacio as quickly as possible through the mind link and steps behind the nearest person to hide.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

Wary enough to stay hidden in the shadows, Gorak Trosk became perfectly still in a manner no human could match. He simply stared at the fat human, his own lean arms held close, to minimize his profile, claws gently cradling his rifle. He considered contacting his employer via the comm bead, but decided that maintaining his cover was more important, and instead opted to take advantage of the telepathic human. Maintaining his preysense goggle- and photo-contact-enhanced eyes firmly on his target, he directed his thoughts at Alexia.

Alexia, inform the captain that I have located one of his sibling's contacts.

[positivespace]

Crew

"Hmm, the math's not quite right there, captain. I was thinking more around (roll against thirty)," Vargas says, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead as Alexia prods the outer edges of his mind. One of the adepts working the massive renumerator behind the merchant nods appreciatively as the haggling begins.

Constantine

You notice a tiny bit of psychic disturbance in the room aside from Alexia's.

Alexia

You manage to pass over the surface of Vargas's mind within a few moments. He's a bit cocky at the moment, certain he can get a better deal on this promethium than his advisers thought, he's perfectly sane for a chartist captain, and while he's not fit, he's healthy enough aside from the effects lho-sticks and amasec are starting to have on his throat.

Gorak

The man continues to slump there, half-awake, gazing in awe at the multicolored lights the fluid filled lantern casts across the room. Some of the other patrons stretch or groan or giggle and swat at each other, either not noticing you or not caring.

Ignacio

One target, contact with smugglers here, dead, useless. One target, trade syndicate contact, within reach. One target, finance manager, passed on to Kroot Trosk. Satisfactory?

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio
((positive and I just realized the pf I have to roll against should go UP for better, not down. We're laughing. A lot.))


Alright, Deatrix. Bring the man back if he's useful. If not, make his death discreet. Then wait for Enginseer Felicia to send you the coordinates for your next target.

Ignacio raises an eyebrow at Vargas.
"Are you sure your math is right? Half of (pf 50) is (pf 100), not (pf whatever). Unless you were offering a bulk discount?"

[Caimheul]

The faint brush against Constantine's mental defences is initially met with a solid wall of steely willpower, until he realizes that the probe's origin is the astropath. Grudgingly, the probe is allowed into the foyer of the navigator's mind, his walls reforming around the weakness such a mental connection introduces. Constantine's eye widen slightly at what the cards hold, prior to giving them another quick shuffle in preparation for another attempt, the haggling a faintly heard background noise. Astropath Antronov, I believe that you are not the only one manifesting warp powers at this present time. It may behove us to attempt to learn more about this intrusion. A malevolent presence may be monitoring this exchange, or seeking to influence one present... I recommend Ms. MacReady be even more wary of attack from an unexpected quarter than usual. the navigator sends through the link as he begins to draw again, hoping to garner more information about this mysterious presence.

Let's try this again:
Psyniscince: [roll0] TN 68

[BedrockHound]

Alexia conveys the messages to Ignacio and continues to prod at Vargas's mind, hoping to get more info than that. She also warns the rest of the crew in the room as to the psychic disturbance.

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne grunts as conversations are passed back and forth by the Astropath's mind link. The experience is decidedly unpleasant, not something she'll be wanting to do on a regular basis. Deciding to at least take advantage of it while it's being forced upon her, she thinks back. Damn it, we're meeting with hostile parties. You don't need to warn me there's a chance someone might try something. I'll shoot 'em if they do. Is this Psykery-business really necessary? I don't like having people in my Warp-damned head, damn it. Silent comms is nice, but if you can see them Psyking or whatever, they can probably see you, and it's giving me a damned headache. She continues watching the rest of the room, sweeping her eyes back and forth between the targets and watching for any sign of hostiles. All of this sneaky business and spookery has her more than a bit on edge, and she'll almost welcome a shoot-out to bring things back into her area of expertise.

[positivespace]

Constantine

You can't tell what the source of the disturbance in the warp is, but you know it's in the room.

Alexia

You don't make it deep into the merchant chaptain's mind, finding a little bit more succinct information that pretty much just tells you what you already know. The man's here to make money, and is hoping he can make a good bit of throne off of Ignacio.

Crew

"Perhaps (roll against 70) would be more-?"

The conversation is interrupted as Wilhelm pulls out his auto pistol and points it at Alexia, snarling, and the guards raise their lasguns at the crew, the adepts in the back scrambling for fiddly little firearms they've probably never used before and taking cover behind various bits of the renumeration engine.

"Tell your pet psyker to shut down before I shut her down!"

[Donan]

Felicia quickly assesses the situation. Willheim is the most immediate threat in the room, their own guards are shielding the door, and he's focused on Alexia and Ignacio.

In one motion she unclips her hellgun, swings it round and discharges the powerful weapon at Willheim, some of her servos whirring in protest at the strain of aligning a shot so quickly.

Two shots strike home, one with devastating force.

5 and then 20 damage to Willheim at a pen of 7.
Felicia gains a point of fatigue

[Caimheul]

Willheim's sudden reaction to the astropath causes Constantine to make a logical leap provided the other information he has obtained "Careful, Willheim's a witch!" Constantine shouts in warning as he draws his hellpistol, adding a single shot to Felicia's salvo.

Initiative: [roll0]
Single Shot: [roll1] TN 48 (38+10 Short Range)
Damage: [roll2] Pen 7

[Spacewolf]

Rob draws his hand cannon and blasts the guard on the left almost lining up his weapon incorrectly before a twitch puts it on the correct track.

Init [roll0]
Re-rolled the 99 shot by spending a fate point. Only use the top rolls with hte rolls i did. Didn't realise i couldnt attack twice in one turn.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

With an annoyed growl, Ignacio stands up, kicking the table up to put cover between Alexia and Wilhelm as he rises, and draws his bolt pistol, flicking on the red dot sight and pointing it at the guard on the right before firing.

Initiative [roll0]
Firing versus ballistic skill 35+10 red dot sight+10 short range (total 55) [roll1]
Damage [roll2]+5 explosive damage with penetration 4. Does An extra [roll3] rending damage if it manages to do damage after armour.


"That's no way to refer to a lady, Mr. Wilhelm. Especially not an Astropath Transcendant."

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne leaps to action as the psykers begin shouting at each other and weapons are drawn. Dismissing Wilhelm's Autopistol as a minimal threat to herself or the Captain in their sets of Carapace Armour and assuming the others will focus their efforts on him, she snaps her Bolter to her shoulder and begins targetting those individuals she marked as threats while scanning the room earlier, letting loose with a barrage of Bolt shells. She calmly begins to broadcast over the vox, letting the rest of the group in on the situation. "We're under attack at the Promethium seller's. Repeat, target is hostile."


Initiative: [roll0] plus 5 (14).

Firing Full Auto, targetting the two best-armed enemies in the room that Jayne was able to see. First shot into the first, second into the second, third into the first, etcetera.

BS: [roll1] vs TN 100 or 110 (If Point-blank) (50+10(Weapon Master)+20(Full Auto)+10(Motion Predictor)+(Range, either Short or Point Blank)

Damage 1: [roll2] plus 7 (14), Pen 5.
Damage 2 (target 2): [roll3] plus 7 (12), Pen 5.
Damage 3 (target 1): [roll4] plus 7 (15), Pen 5.
Damage 4 (target 2): [roll5] plus 7 (11), Pen 5.

Ten Degrees of Success on that BS Test (!) means that all four shots hit their targets. Some really sub-par Damage rolls from the Bolter, though. Bah. Unless they're packing really good Toughness scores or silly numbers of Wounds, I doubt they'll survive.

[Caimheul]

"Wytches are not known for their courtesy, m'lord. Not that it excuses his behaviour." Constantine replies casually to the captain.

[BedrockHound]

When Wilhelm pulls out his gun Alexia stops scanning Vargas's mind and ducks down behind Captan Ignacio, covering her head with her hands. She attempts to compel Vargas to stay seated through this all.

Rolling unfettered vs willpower 46+15= 61 [roll0][roll1]

[positivespace]

Crew

Before Wilhelm or the guards can even pull a trigger, a table is thrown into Wilhelm's face and a flurry of las-blasts, bolts, and bullets fill the room.

The first flash of blinding las-light strikes a psychic forcefield inches from Wilhelm's face, shattering the arcane shield and making way for the next two shots to strike his torso, charring him into a black husk that in no way resembles the man it once was and dropping the smoking chunk to the floor.

Jayne makes a calculated burst of bolts pepper the room, hitting the first guard in the head and arm and the second in his face and his gut. Both guards explode like ripe melons crossbred with cherry bombs, covering everyone in the room with a thin layer of bright red gore. Rob's hand cannon shot passes through where one of the guards once stood and plows into one of the vacuum tubes of the renumeration engine, and Ignacio's organgrinder round explodes into a hail of razor-edged blades that shred the table and leave shallow cuts all over Vargas's body while he cowers in the chair, screaming.

The lowly tech-adepts behind the massive calculator cower, dropping their weapons at the sight of the massacre.

Everyone's ears ring, and you wonder if maybe you should bring smaller weapons next time.

[Caimheul]

Constantine casually wipes the gore from his face with a sigh. "My man servant will be absolutely livid. Ah, well. Let us see if they happened to be carrying anything of note." he says as he moves to examine Wilhelm's body, returning his ornate pistol to its holster.

Search: [roll0] TN 26

[Spacewolf]

Rob moves the adepts weapons away from them and keeps his weapon trained on them. Didn't want anyone doing anything stupid.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio wipes the gore off of his face with an exasperated sigh.

"It is going to take days to get this smell off I just cannot believe-"

He looks up at the rest of the room and the state it's in.

"Ahem. Good work everybody. It seems nobody of worth was injured. Astropath Alexia, tell Gorak to bring the man back to the shuttle and proceed with plunging this man's brain. MacReady, Venturi, make sure our guest doesn't cause her any trouble. Enginseer Felicia, if you would open the door to let your servo-skull and the armsmen in without drawing any more attention to us, please?"

He strides over to the adepts and smiles reassuringly at them.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. Come with us and cause no trouble and we'll see to it you get a proper job doing something other than running a giant money-measure for half-bit heretic chartists."

[Spacewolf]

"Perhaps we should take the adepts with us, might come in handy at some point plus they can carry some extra supplys to the shuttle and i'm sure none of them would think of going against you with what they have just seen.

Would you?"

Rob directs the last question towards the Adepts not even as a threat but as a simple matter of fact.

[positivespace]

Constantine and Rob

The bodies of the guards no longer exists as anything other than a red sludge coating much of the room, and even Wilhelm's autopistol has melted into his hand.

Ignacio and Rob

One of the adepts shakes his head quickly at Rob's questioning.
"No. Noooo, no no. Nope. We'll be right along," he and a second adept stand up, both of them clearly low ranking given their limited bionics and the state of their robes, and they naturally gravitate towards Felicia.
"Heretics...that...that was a witch...wow..."

The third adept stays cowering behind a chunk of fractured vacuum tube, though, looking up at Ignacio fearfully, glass on her hooded red cloak.
"How can we trust you? You...you just walked in and slaughtered them. I'm sure you had your reasons, but what's to keep you from killing us whenever you feel it? We were safe here, protected by the captains who needed us...and you've ruined that!"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio crouches in front of the woman and puts on a calming voice, reaching out to put one firm, assuring hand on her shoulder.
"You'll be safer in the enginarium of our ship than you ever were here in Footfall, just ask Enginseer Felicia. Haven't you ever wanted to escape this pothole in the warp, to go see better places, newer worlds, safer stations where you didn't need to lock yourself up with a simple renumerator all day to keep someone from gutting you for your scrap metal?"

His hand moves up to her chin and turns her head to look him in the eye.

"Trust me, your chances with us are better than they are with anyone else on this station. How many other people do you know who can pull what MacReady just did?"

Rolling charm versus 50 plus or minus whatever other modifiers there might be. [roll0]
Willing to spend a fate point if needed to succeed because Ignacio is just that smooth. [roll1]

[BedrockHound]

"Is it safe? Yes? Alright, thank you everybody. I really don't want to die any time soon."

Alexia comes out from her hiding place behind the captain and calms herself with a few deep breaths. She sends Ignacio's orders to Gorak, then tries to help Ignacio by psychically making the tech-adept like him more, and then goes back to picking at Vargas's brain with her psychic magicks.

46+15 for delude [roll0]
46+15 for mind probe [roll1]
Fate point for either if needed [roll2]

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne shrugs, pulling a small bit of cloth from a pouch and using it to wipe the blood from her eyes. The rest of her gear will come clean easily enough with a bit of a hosing down, but she doesn't want it caking on her skin. "Hey, now, they pulled guns on us first. I warned 'em that if they pulled guns I'd put bolts through their skulls, seems like they were askin' for what they got. Stupid of them to try, really. Had to have known how badly outclassed they were just from lookin' at us." She looks over at Vargas, vaguely gesturing with her Bolter. "You, pal, hands on the table where we can see 'em. That's a good man. Nobody else needs to get hurt here if you just sit back, relax and don't make any sudden movements."

[positivespace]

Constantine and Rob
(Sorry, forgot to take into account things that the bolters wouldn't have hit.)
The guards' weapons are on the floor, a pair of lasguns with motion predictors and thin coatings of gore on them.


Alexia and Jayne

Vargas complies without contest after what just happened, giving Alexia time to completely scan his mind.

(There's too much in a mind to write it all down, really, so if there's anything you need to know about him that he would know or whatever just ask, because you now know things about this man even HE doesn't know.)

Ignacio

The tech-priestess swallows nervously when you put your hand on her shoulder and tenses up, half-expecting to be killed then and there, but listens. When you move to her chin, she goes to push your hand away but then Alexia's psykery comes into effect and her still organic eyes gloss over and become shiny as her hand stops on your wrist.

"You're right...there's so much more I could do...that I could learn...Please, take us with you!"

[Donan]

"Willheim might have devices on him. I hope they survived." She gives the dead man a mournful look, though not for himself. "Can we take his body? I might be able to remove and repair the gun from his hand."

She moves any bodies and items away from the door to avoid them being spotted when it opens and then proceeds to do just that, calling Garvus back and gesturing in the armsmen.

She pads towards the tech adepts, picking up the two lasguns as she goes and cradling them like a child. "You aren't going to be killed, don't worry!" She nods. "We can always use more skilled adepts in the service of the Ommissah." She makes the mark of the sacred cog wheel. "You understand that you work for us now? It's for the best."

[Caimheul]

"If your concern if for the firearm that unfortunately melted into the wytch's hand, might I suggest simply taking the hand with the remains of the implement? Even in a place such as Footfall, carrying the charred remains of this ungrateful, selfish, scum may draw attention to ourselves, whereas a severed hand is much easier to secrete about one's person.." the navigator says pragmatically.

[Donan]

"Hm." Felicia tilts her head. "You are very logical, yes. I like the idea." She nods earnestly at the Navigator, then draws her power axe. A few movements later, and she's tucking Willheim's former hand inside her robes, seeming uncaring for any blood stains.

[Spacewolf]

"You want Macready and me to bring the shuttle around once we've picked up the kroot so we can pick you up from here Sir?"

[Caimheul]

"Logical thinking is among the traits I developed during my youth traveling with my mother aboard an Explorator vessel, in addition to an appreciation for finely wrought mechanical devices, of course." Constantine replies conversationally to the tech-priest as he examines the room.

[Donan]

She stops at that, head tilted curiously. "Really? You, think I am?" She studies an augmented arm, a hint of pride entering her stance in the perceived compliment she'd just been given.

[Caimheul]

The navigator freezes like a soldier suddenly discovering they are in the middle of a minefield, racking his brain for an appropriate response. His mouth opens abortively a couple of times prior to finally formulating a response. "Clearly much care and attention has gone into the construction and maintenance of your augments." he finally says, further proving that Navigator marriages are matters of house politics.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

For a long while the kroot stood immobile, crouched low, watching the mesmerized humans as they laughed and made strange sounds, hands waving slowly through the air as though it were some viscous fluid, or simply staring at the shapes cast upon the wall. Gorak Trosk dismissed the shadowy images; they gave him no insight into the behaviour of his prey, and they revealed nothing about the environment - they were not worth paying attention to. The humans, on the other hand, were very strange in their behaviour, and it was some time before Gorak Trosk felt secure that they would not suddenly leap into action and pounce upon him.

He heard the captain's orders, and finally he moved, his quilled head darting from one side to the other as he once more checked his surroundings. He stepped gingerly into the room, his feet stalking quietly as his crouched form quickly picked his way towards his prey. With a long, clawed hand he reached out and took the man under the arm, whispering softly, "Come, human, we must go."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio chuckles inwardly at the conversation between Felicia and Constantine as he helps the tech-adept up. A brief moment of worry crosses his mind as to how the adept might see him now that her head's been toyed with by Alexia, but that's not something to worry about now.

"We've the entire Expanse to show you, I think you'll enjoy it," he stands up and turns to the crew.

"Navigator Cassinni, I regret to inform you that now is not the time to be courting lovely ladies. Enginseer Felicia, you're in direct command of these three, at least for now. Take care, I'd feel rather terrible if they were hurt. Venturi, MacReady, bring two armsmen with you and bring the shuttle around as inconspicuously as you can, Wulf and Gorak Trosk on board preferrably. Astropath Antronov, I want to know everything about this promethium shipment, our guest here's knowledge of Altheus and the other contacts, and how he came about Wilhelm. And anything else you find interesting."

[Spacewolf]

"Right then, why don't you two come with me"
Rob points out two random guards and sets out trying to look as inconspicuous even when covered in gore, confident Macready would follow of her own accord.

[Caimheul]

The gangly navigator sputters a bit and turns an interesting shade of red before muttering something about keeping watch as he pulls his tarot deck from its pouch and moves outside of the room. While keeping vigil, he tries to determine exactly how he had lost control of the previous conversation.

Awareness: [roll0] TN 68

[DaedalusMkV]

"Roger that, Captain." MacReady turns her attention on the remaining armsmen. "Post guards at every entrance. Nobody goes in or out without the Captain's say-so until we get back. Got it? Good." Hefting her Bolter again, she falls in behind Rob, then conspiratorially adds to him. "Did you see the look on that Navigator's face? Thought he was gonna burst something. 'Courting beautiful women...' Oh, Throne, that was a good one. Didn't know that lot were so easy to get to; bet we can have lots of fun with him." Her laugh is muffled by her breathing unit, but still definitely mirthful. If she was ever bothered by the fine red coating on her armour caused by annihilating two men, it certainly doesn't show.

[positivespace]

Gorak

The man accepts your hand, and is lighter than you expected when pulled up, reminding you that humans aren't as densely built as Kroot, just more widely built.

"Yurr...yurrr a funny lookin' thing, isn-are'nnnn...aintcha? Where we goin'?"

The human stands up wobbily and must be helped to stand stably, but he follows you whether or not you answer the question. As you exit the room, one of the burly bouncers stops you, putting a hand on your shoulder while the other reaches for the shock maul on his belt.

"And just where are you taking Lord Danner, xenos?"

Rob and Jayne

Two of the guards follow you, one sniggering until the other smacks him upside the head. A few of the hired guns walking around the docking area give you odd looks, and two go to check on the door to the room, but one of the tech-adepts leans out and shakes his head before resealing the entrance.

Crew

After Jayne and Rob leave, someone asks for entrance through the vox on the other side of the door, and Gaius sets about silently cleaning off Ignacio's armour with a rag he had in his pocket. It's not doing very well.

"Don't worry," one of the adepts says, "I've got this."

He strides up to the vox and answers in a calm tone.
"Sorry, can't let anyone in right now. The Captains started discussing some sort of archeotech, and Lockeheed decided to mess around with one of the artefacts-"

"Don't you go blaming me!" the second adept barks.

"-and it...listen, I don't know what it sprayed out, but the stuff is everywhere, and it stinks something fierce."

The answer seems to work for the voice on the other side, though when Cosntantine and two more of your armsmen exit the room to stand post, there is a bit more questioning, though one of your troops quickly steps in to explain that Constantine 'just needed some fresh air after all that gunk got everywhere'.

The third adept just keeps staring somewhat longingly at Ignacio, and Vargas cowers in a corner.

What Vargas Knows:
Vargas knows that there was something hidden inside the promethium tanks that wasn't on his books and was probably illegal, but doesn't know what it was. He knew Wilhelm was a psyker, but had been assured that he was an Imperially trained one. He only knows the Footfall funds manager, a Lord Cedric Danner, and Altheus' contact with the Red Scholars slavers, a man known only as 'The Eye'. Wilhelm was palced under his employ recently as a safeguard for him now that he was being hired to carry more important cargo, as well as a rather kooky Magos Biologis, Scaffold Enksway.

He's also addicted to strawberry amasec.

[Caimheul]

Constantine takes the time to draw a few nothing fortunes, and a number of cathartic shuffles before letting out a heavy sigh. Certainly staying out here was only making things worse for himself. He nods at the armsmen to buzz him in.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Good thinking, Adept. I like it."

Once Alexia has informed him of Vargas's secrets, he addresses Felicia.
"Enginseer Felicia, I believe that the conversation you intercepted had something to do with whatever was in the promethium thanks. In fact, I know it. Have Gravus play what he recorded while we wait for the shuttle. Astropath Antronov, inform Gorak Trosk and Deatrix that the shuttle will be leaving soon to pick us up and that I would prefer they be on board it when that happens."

Constantine reenters the room, and Ignacio asks, "Have you discerned anything of import, Navigator?"

[Spacewolf]

"Could be something to do i suppose if access to the lower deck bars was prohibited. Let's just get the ship moved around, hopefully the xenos is back already."

[Caimheul]

"Being so close to the death of a psyker clouds the future. What I have been able to discern is the root will face some difficulty in fulfilling his appointed task, however it shall work out in the end. As shall our own task. I apologize for my inability to prove more than this meager, and less than helpful reading." Constantine says with a slight bow.

[BedrockHound]

Alexia sends the psychic messages to Gorak and Deatrix.

"Captain von Dornenwald, are we taking this man with us? I already know everything useful he could tell us..."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot tilted his head slightly, his quills rustling as he regards to two humans. "Taking back to von Dornenwalde. Problem?" He made sure to stand his full two meters tall as he addressed the men, and while one of his four-clawed hands held his charge upright, the other rested gently atop his slung rifle. It would be something to pull his weapon into a firing position from this angle, but it would not be hard to swing the gun with its blades out.

If either bouncer makes a move that Gorak Trosk regards as hostile (I'll leave it to you to decide if/when that happens), then he will immediately drop the human and attack with the blades of his rifle. If that happens, I'll roll initiative then.

[positivespace]

Alexia

Deatrix responds, saying she'll be there by then.

When you trail off, a fearful moan escapes Vargas.
"Please, I'm more useful to you alive! I'll go with you, I won't say a thing!"

Gorak

The man raises an eyebrow.
"Von Dornenwalde...that's the, uh, the guy who come-"

Lord Danner chuckles drunkenly.
"Yush, he's mah 'bossh'...Workin' wid da man in shilver, dont'cha know? Heeheeheeee...The man in shilver alwaysh comes...comesh to take the feishty onesh!"

Lord Danner's rhyme puts a fear into the guard, his eyes widening.
"You...uh, you just go right on through! Don't want to keep...him waiting. Have a good evening, Lord Danner, watch that last step!"

[Donan]

Felicia nods to the command and adjusts some of her implants, a recording finally playing.

"...Oh, this will be wonderful, I promise you! Would you be wanting some of the promethium we brought along with-no, no, of course you wouldn't be needing promethium for your current experiment, what am I thinking? Maybe I should meet you down there? Oh, it would be an honor, I'll be there shortly, see if I can't grab another on the way down!"

There's a whirring sound as of fast forwarding, and then:

"...how many shall I bring? Oh? That would empty the hold, but I can make it in a single trip. I'll let you judge the quality for yourself..."

She regards Vargas thoughtfully, then looks to Alexia and speaks through the mind link as she gestures the adepts to her side, a careful eye on the one that was mentally undressing Ignacio.

"Does he know whose voice that is?"

[BedrockHound]

I think he does. Let's find out.

Alexia glares at Vargas.
"You don't even know what your friend Magos Enksway is talking about there, Mister Treyvan-Silor. I think we already know more than you could ever tell us.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Ten thrones and a spiffing dinner in my quarters says it's something heretek and they're using colonists from Decritus to test it,". Ignacio half-sighs and half-jokes, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I pray we don't have to summon the Inqisition today."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot simply nods to the bouncers and casually walks out of the establishment. He wastes no time and half carries the drugged man back to the shuttle, doing his best to take back lanes and less crowded spaces, while moving as quickly as possible.

[positivespace]

Crew

"Listen, I'm new to all of this, I don't know what Lord von Dornenwalde is doing, o-or why! I'll take you right to Magos Enksway's quarters, I-I'll give you the ship's logs! Just give me my thrones and my life and I'll leave and never speak of this again!"

Vargas is on the verge of tears and has his face scrunched up like a bawling infant while he speaks. It's pretty funny actually.

"He said the Magos is of an order Biologis," the tech-priestess offers, "Could I place my bet on genetic experiments?"

Gaius throws the rag he's been using to clean Ignacio's armour to the side.
"Perhaps, M'lord, your brother has found some sort of secret on Decritus and he wishes to learn more of it the easy, heretical way?"

The two other tech-adepts, Lockeheed and the one who's name you haven't caught yet, start up chatter with one of the armsmen, looking over his lascarbine appreciatively and comparing it to their own weapons.

Gorak

Deatrix is waiting int he back of the shuttle, having ditched her ecclesiarchal robes and hood for a set of thick, raggedy ganger's clothes, her face still covered by a skull mask but several locks of auburn hair escaping her hood. At her foot is a man-sized burlap sack that squirms and lets out muffled shouts of fear. It smells like it's wet itself.

"Greetings, Kroot Trosk. I see your hunt has faired well. Have you heard anything about a man in silver? I keep getting these cryptic poems from those I ask. It's annoying, I think."

Lord Danner gives a drunken cross between a giggle and a cry of fear.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

Unceremoniously letting Lord Danner drop to the deck of the shuttle, Gorak Trosk immediately crouched over the quivering man and quickly set about searching his body for anything of value or, more importantly, anything the man could use against his captors. "I have heard nothing of a silver man," he said to Deatrix as he rummaged through the drugged man's pockets and clothes. Turning his beaked head to face Lord Danner, "What do you know of a man in silver, Lord Danner?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Hard work-The Work of Humanity's Savior-was never something my brother appreciated. Mentally or physically. I have no doubts that he's doing something heretical."

Ignacio leans in close to Vargas, holding the barrel of his bolt pistol to the underside of the coward's jaw and looking him dead in the eye.

"If I gave you your pittance and let you leave peacefully...would you give me your ship?"

[Donan]

Felicia stirs, looking to the adepts. "What are your names?" As she converses with them that way she dips into the link between her and Ignacio, communicating a few more thoughts his way.

++All Captains would have backdoor codes in case of someone trying to trick the machine spirits of their ships. And, the Magos.

Captain, he is a Magos, I'm just an Enginseer. Please, don't ask me to act against him unless we have solid proof of tech heresy. He's a honoured member of the Adeptus Mechanius unless he's sinned!++

[positivespace]

Ignacio

"Shall I send for the Inquisition, m'lord?" Gaius asks, bowing slightly.

"M-my...ship?" Vargas stammers, "The Truth's Gift is in contract with Altheus von Dornenwalde, Captain..."

Gorak

Danner slumps against one of the seats and pulls himself up onto it, letting you searc him. He has a vial of the liquid you saw in the lamp in the drug house, but Deatrix quickly nabs it from you and throws it out of the ship and into a gutter without explanation. The other items in his pockets include a wallet full of thrones, a finely crafted Auspex-Six Revolver (good quality stub revolver with red dot sight) wit only two bullets loaded in it, a disposable lighter, and a watch.

"You gotsh ta know 'bout the man in shilver, you funny little ugly man, you," he gurgles "The Shining Shpectre? He always comesh 'round for the workersh, the bad ones! Leaves giftsh for the good ones, though...probabababbubububulll...lly thingsh that the bad onesh had, right? Heeheeeeeee!"

The bag squrims and yells more violently, and Deatrix gives it a sharp kick.

Felicia

The shorter of the two male adepts, the one in the robes with the yellow trim and the crude respirator and goggles, introduces himself as Lockeheed. Just Lockeheed. The taller one with the blue eyes and the lighter skin is his brother, Blueprint Lockeheed. The tall, almost grey-skinned and steel-haired girl with the robes wired to her mechanicus implants is Rivet Harmony Steel.

[Spacewolf]

Getting back to the ship Rob informs the people already there of the situation and that they could continue the questioning but he would prefer if they sat down just incase there were any problems during transit. After that he ducks into the cockpit and starts the take off procedures.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"And tell them what, Silvanus? That while murdering and kidnapping men working for a once-powerful and possibly still loyal dynasty with the help of our pet Xenos, we may have uncovered something heretical? It's an okay idea, it's just not what we need right now," Ignacio whispers before turning back to Vargas.

"And that contract will be legally void once you've signed Truth's Hand over to me, Captain Treyvan-Silor. And then you may leave peacefully with your thrones. Hell, I'd even take you to a nice colony to retire on if you'd like!"

[positivespace]

Ignacio

"But that's my ship! I can't just give it you! I need it, it's my life, my job!" Vargas's disbelief overcomes his fear for a moment.

Rob

Deatrix buckles the two captives in without even bothering to remove hers from the bag and takes a seat.

[Donan]

Felicia steps forward. "Captain. Can I talk to him?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"And you won't need either any more once I've-" Ignacio stops to let Felicia speak.

"Of course, Enginseer Felicia. If anyone can talk logical sense into a man, it would be a loyal servant of the Omnissiah."

++And don't worry. We won't be moving against the Magos unless forced. I'd rather not upset the Omnissiah.++

Ignacio takes a few steps back, commends the armsmen on the good jobs they're doing so far and reminds them that the Emperor looks kindly on the good warriors of humanity, and then goes to speak with the tech-adepts.

"So, Misters Lockeheed, Miss Steel, I would like to apologize for this mess. I assure you, things usually aren't this...fierce. I'm a man of scholarly ways, I'd rather trade books and amasec than bolts. A shuttle is coming to pick us up soon, but we may be doing something dangerous afterwards-In the name of the Imperium and its allies on Mars, of course-so I'll be leaving you three on my ship for safekeeping. I'm sure Magos Rothschild will see to it that you are properly inducted into the tech-orders on board."

[Donan]

She nods, settling in front of Vargas and inspecting him for a moment. "The Machine Cult's not going to be happy, oh, not at all. Tech heresy, and with one of our own possibly involved..?" The enginseer shakes her head.

"I follow the Captain's orders Vargas, but I have a different idea. You've been involved in tech heresy, you've sinned against the Ommissah.

Perhaps you should serve penance, yes? If you decline the Captain's request to you, then I'll seek for you to continue to operate your vessel, but this time in the service of the Adeptus Mechanius, to forever act in our will to redeem yourself for what you have done.

As a hallowed servitor."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot placed what little he could find into his own pouches, and set the man up in a seat alongside the sacked man Deatrix had captured. He took his place beside the cultist, somewhat awkwardly strapping himself as best he could in the constrained human seat. He turned and regarded the woman behind her death's head mask, his own avian eyes hidden behind goggles, his expression masked by his inhuman face. He jerked his head in the direction of the gutter as the shuttle prepares to lift off.

"You are valuable to the captain, and must have good reasons for what you do." There was a hint of danger in his voice. "But do not take from Gorak Trosk without his permission again."

[positivespace]

Felicia

"A ser-...a se-" Vargas's eyes widen and he moans in horror, "Oh no, Emperor, no! You wouldn't!"

He stares pleadingly into your eyes, but after a minute or two, realizes it's useless.

"You would...alright, alright. I give in. Summon my butler, Simmons. He knows where the deed is."

Ignacio

"It's fine, Captain," Lockeheed shrugs, "There's far worse in Footfall. Just glad it wasn't gangers or the Red Scholars this time. They use autoguns and the slugs bounce and, oh Omnissiah it is just terrible."

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to come with you, Captain Fireheart? We know the station fairly well, studied what we could inside and out after our last employer left us here."

[positivespace]

Gorak

"Having that on the shuttle for even a second longer could have been the death of us, Kroot Trosk. Glimmer doesn't affect xenos, but among humans, not even I can resist it's effects," Scarlet explains, "I believe the man in silver may be some sort of superstition started to keep the station workers in check..."

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

"Glimmer," Gorak Trosk repeated the word, giving it a clipped quality as his alien voice gave it shape. Long had the kroot been aware of various drugs, some of which affected them, and some of which did not; some kindreds embraced a few of these, those which aided in combat, or stealth, or enhancing the senses, but most gave such substances a wide berth. Gorak Trosk's own kindred shunned such drugs, and his shaper had made it clear that none of them were to partake in any of them. Despite their fearsome reputation and alien physiology, kroot could be as susceptible as any human to the pleasures and dangers of many pleasures, and, like most races, had proscriptions against them.

Gorak Trosk simply nodded his understanding to Deatrix, and relaxes slightly in his chair. In a more casual voice, "Tell me, did you meet with another kroot, named Tallik Kon?"

[BedrockHound]

Alexia openly laughs at the way Vargas cowers beneath everyones verbal assaults and begs. She wouldn't mind seeing him stuck as a servitor, given the trouble his bodyguard caused.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"I'm afraid it won't be safe, Miss Steel. We may very well be going up against a heretek, and we don't know how well guarded they'll be. I'd rather not have you die so soon after meeting you, you seem a perfectly respectable young lady, and Misters Lockeheed have proven their wit useful," Ignacio looks Rivet in the eye with a soft smile, "My ethical code cannot abide me taking noncombatants into a warzone."

Ignacio asks Felicia about the quality of the lasguns retrieved and voxes Rob to ask when the shuttle should be coming in.

"Astropath Antronov, you can close the mental link now. Open voxes, everybody, make sure to communicate. Gaius, I need your advice on something. Do we take Vargas with us, or try and resolve the situation with him here and now?"

[positivespace]

Gorak and Rob

Deatrix somehow manages to stay seated without buckling herself as the shuttle makes its way through and sometimes just outside of the station.

""I avoided the xenosium during my visit."

Ignacio

"The entire galaxy is a warzone, Captain Fireheart," Rivet says in a hopeless tone, and the Lockeheeds shrug and nod.

[Caimheul]

"Even within a warzone, calm can be found. The Captain intends for us to traverse into the dark heart of a conflict, and shall need all of his talents and concentration in order to emerge on the other side unscathed. Concern for your safety could prove to be a distraction at a vital time, bringing him to harm. By remaining safe, you enable him to focus his energies upon his own survival, improving his odds." Constantine elucidates, while giving Alexia a slightly disapproving frown at the obvious signs of mental tampering the tech-adept is exhibiting.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Keep a stiff upper lip, Miss Steel. Navigator Cassinni is a wise man, and his advice shouldn't be taken lightly. I intend to build an empire here in the Expanse, one where loyal servants and allies of the Imperium can be safe. But first, I will need to clear this jungle of dangers by force, and I can't do that if I have to check over my shoulder to make sure some fine lass or fellow isn't choking on their innards every five seconds," Ignacio stands as proudly and inspiringly as he can without striking an obvious pose, "Once we're out in the field, studying mankind's long lost glories, you can join us in your place as a tech-priest, but now is not the time for you to follow me. Now is the time for you and Misters Lockeheed to find safety and adjust to these changes!"

[Donan]

Felicia nods, looking to the Captain. ++I think he understands logic now. Two armsmen can be left at the shuttle?++

She turns to the adepts, pausing as she thinks briefly. "You can still help us out with this, if you know Footfall." Another nod to Ignacio. "I can stay in the shuttle with them and have Wulf guide you with their advice?"

[DaedalusMkV]

Jayne watches curiously as the Kroot and the woman in the death-mask arrive at the shuttle with what are clearly a pair of kidnapped captives. Well, with the one she helped the Captain deal with personally, that must be three targets for three. Not bad at all. "Looks like you folks got through with your missions pretty well. I'm gonna need a shower and a big vat of cleaner for my kit after this... Worse than the time that Carnodon ate a Promethium barrel, I swear." On her lap is her Bolter, which she is already cleaning with a rag and a bit of disinfectant from her medical kit. "Hey, Rob, we almost there yet? The sooner we're back at the Captain's location the happier I'll be."

[Spacewolf]

"Should be arriving in moments, i'll keep the ship ready to take off incase things get messy again as well."

Rob tries to land the shuttle almost directly outside the blastdoor, don't want the others to have to make a run accross open ground after all.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Good work, Enginseer. Mister Blueprint, do me a favor and tell Captain Vargas's crew to send down Simmons, please. We need the ship's legal documents," Ignacio looks over at Vargas, "I swear by my family's name, if this is a ruse, I will shoot you."

[positivespace]

Crew

"You have my word this is no trick," Vargas nods enthusiastically, "Simmons will bring the scrolls, I'll sign over the ship, and you'll drop me off on some fine colony where I will never speak of this again! Ha! Hahaha! It's great!"

Blueprint shakes his head at Vargas's anxiety and chuckles inwardly before speaking through the door's vox again.

"If you could send down Simmons, please. Some sort of big trade is going down and Captain Treyvan-Silor needs the ship's scrolls. And a pair of cleaning servitors, please."

"We can do that. Lockeheed has a dataslate with blueprints of the habs and genatoriums that actually had planned construction."

Soon a thin man in a black waistcoat who looks every bit like a butler is let in, accompanied by two janitorial servitors who immediately set about cleaning. The butler is carrying a series of long golden tubes with flowery engravings of great deeds never actually done on them.

Gorak, Jayne, and Rob

The shuttle arrives at the docking area of the Truth's Gift, Wulf growling at the prisoners the whole time, and a few of the servants of the 'trade faction' that currently 'owns' the dock guide you to a landing zone for shuttles.

A few of the thugs with the ring design on their arms and armour are starting to group up and look at the door to the room the Captain is in occasionally.

[BedrockHound]

Alexia closes up the mental link when commanded, and gives Constantine a dirty look right back.
"What's your problem, Three-Eyes?"

[Spacewolf]

Rob activates the Micro-Bead he has.

"We're back captain, ships ready as soon as you are. You might want to hurry though the guards are starting to nose around the door."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"I'll be quick, Venturi. Thank you for the warning," Ignacio voxes back.

"Ah, you must be Simmons. Nice to meet you. Captain Treyvan-Silor was just about to sign over his ship to us, so if you could hand us those documents," Ignacio has Gaius take the scrolls and waves Vargas over and makes sure the signing is gone through without incident. If there are any other properties listed in the documents that've been brought, he'll have them signed over, too, assuring Vargas that he'll still get his thrones when they drop him off.

Once that's all done, he turns back to Simmons.
"I don't know if this voids whatever contract you had with Mister Treyvan-Silor, but you are free to continue it if you wish, he's still a very rich man."

[positivespace]

Crew

Simmons stammers for a moment, then decides he'll stay with Vargas.

Vargas signs over his ship and his accounts in Footfall and Port Wander, those being his only holdings (chartists are never as rich as Rogue Traders, unfortunately), and lets out a relieved sigh when it's all said and done, Gaius patting him on the back and thanking him.


Ship obtained: Truth's Gift!

Profit Factor +1!

Fifty experience to everyone!

Another fifty experience to the Crew present in the room for the combat and other challenges involved, and fifty experience to Gorak for handling the encounter in the drug house!

(So basically everyone gets 100 exp.)

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Pleasure doing business with you, Mister Treyvan-Silor. If you would join us on the shuttle, we'll get you back to my ship and cleaned up. Misters Lockeheed, Miss Steel, if you would kindly come with us," Ignacio prepares everyone to board the shuttle, "Silvanus, if you could inform First Officer Brutus that we need security at our new holding. Enginseer Felicia, commune with the Truth's Gift's tech-priests and get blueprints for the ship. We return to the Manus Ultionis, we get cleaned up and order the crew to prepare for the next few steps, we come back and get this ship situated, we do what we came here to do, and we kick some heretek's nodger up into his throat. Some of that will overlap, of course. Time constraints."

[Caimheul]

"Nothing that need be spoken of so publicly, kindling," the navigator snips back at Alexia as the crew and "passengers" depart for the shuttle.

[BedrockHound]

Alexia forges a mental link with Constantine as everyone boards the shuttle.
(Fettered strength succeeds automatically.)
If you've got a problem with me you can think it to my face, Three-Eyes.

[Caimheul]

I am of the opinion that you overdid your manipulation of the tech-adepts mind. I understand your intentions were likely good at heart, but the map of damnation is inked with good intentions. The mind-rip saved us resorting to torture, but that manipulation was unnecessary at best. It is our duty to serve mankind, not treat them as our personal playthings to break as we please.

[BedrockHound]

I just her see the Captain's logic in a more agreeable mood is all. Should have only lasted a few moments. Not my fault she got goo-goo eyes, Alexia glares Constantine while she thinks at him.

[Caimheul]

In which case I apologize for my assumption. I must admit to falling into a similar assumption as leads to the persecution of those with gifts similar to our own by those less fortunate. Given the fairly... harmful nature of those powers granted by the warp eye not related to space travel, I was raised to be more selective in the usage of my talents. As you possess abilities that have a short term, benign effect, I can respect your more extensive utilization of your craft.

[BedrockHound]

I'm sure.

Alexia grumbles and mumbles and complains internally.

[Caimheul]

Constantine lets out a slight sigh of helplessness at his own social awkwardness. This has not been his best of days for interpersonal interactions.

[Donan]

Wulf parks himself roughly halfway between the shuttle and the building's door, a powerful presence to remind the guards that a lack of curiosity would lead to slightly longer life spans.

Felicia nods and then looks to the three tech adepts, considering them all before she addresses the elder Lockeheed. "I'm sorry, I still don't.. what is your name please?" She nods politely. "And you'd have access to those blueprints, yes?"

[positivespace]

Crew

As you leave, Simmons and Vargas board the shuttle, giving each other worried looks when they see Gorak and the prisoners.

Four of the hired guns walk up to you as you board the shuttle. One of them, a burly, scarred man with what looks like battle decorations on his uniform, runs his tongue between two missing teeth before speaking.

"So, uh...what happened to the two we sent in there with Captain Treyvan?"

Lord Danner giggles as everyone gets onto the shuttle, asking if there's going to be a party.

Felicia

"The name's Lockeheed," Lockeheed grumbles through his muffling respirator, "And I've got slates with blueprints to the habs. Nothing on your new ship, though, we don't actually work on it. Just for it. Temporarily. Well, we did, but I suppose Captain Fireheart's got better stuff going on for us or something?"

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

The kroot leaned low, jutting his beak towards the man who spoke. In a quiet, almost conspiratorial tone, "How badly do you want to find out, human?"

[Donan]

Felicia nods, making a mental note to seek out contact with the tech priests of that ship soon. "Thank you.. Lockeheed. Can I see those data slates of yours? I want to ask them a few questions."

Wulf steps up beside the Kroot, eyes flashing red as he rumbles a deep, warning growl to the goons' leader. His systems kick in, an ultrasonic series of sound pulses directed at the group.

Fear (2) being projected, take it as you will positive. ^^

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"I've purchased this ship, gentlemen," Ignacio says blandly, not really wanting to bother with these men, "Meaning your job is up. You may collect your men and leave, I have my own security."

[positivespace]

Felicia

Lockeheed pulls several small, well-kept dataslates from beneath his robes and gives them to you.

Crew

"That's fine and all, we've already been paid, but...uh..." the man's eyes edge over to Wulf, quickly moving back to the crew but keeping a careful eye on Wulf, "You can't just...and expect us to...to, uh..."

Several of the slave-laborers and now unemployed security goons in the area edge away from the area despite being dozens of meters away from him already.

"Uh, boss? Maybe they just walked out and we didn't see them?"
"Good point! Let's go looking for them!"

Managing to barely keep their composure, the group hurries away, sighing in relief once they think they're beyond earshot.

[Donan]

Felicia connects to the data slates, downloading the information within and focusing on the hab the transmission was being sent to, and the surrounding area.

She also speaks to Ignacio again. ++Do you want me to make contact with the tech priests now? Perhaps I should stay n the Truth's Gift and send Wulf with you?++

[Spacewolf]

With business apparently concluded Rob waits for the tech-beast and anyone else to get back aboard before starting up the shuttle and heading back to the ship. Upon getting back he gives the shuttle a through look over to make sure nothing had come loose or anything else seemed different.

If theres still somthing needs doing just bring it up and we'll stay.
Tech use check needs to beat 40 int +whatever mods apply, the check can take as long as needed as well really.

[roll0]

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio grins as the men scurry away.

"Gaius, inform Brutus that we'll be needing some security down here. Felicia, contact the Truth's magos and let them know what's going on. If they require proof or cause any trouble, have them vox me. Venturi, good work managing to pilot through a busy station. Let's go."

[Caimheul]

Constantine secures his staff of office in one of the weapons lockers prior to strapping himself into a seat. A large metal staff could ruin somebody's day should any fancy maneuvering be required on the part of the shuttle's capable pilot.

[Donan]

Felicia routes through the shuttle's comm system, transmitting a data burst to the Truth's Gift and issuing Mechanius codes to request contact with the vessel's Magos.

[positivespace]

(Sorry, our internet is nasty right now)

Crew

The flight back to the ship is uneventful, and Gaius has a brief conversation with Brutus on the vox, giving him orders and receiving status updates. So far, everything's good.

Felicia

There's a bit of confused chatter between several different tech-priests, none of whom were expecting a call from anyone. Finally, one of them asks, "You mean Magos Tamsunn, right? Not Enksway?"

[Caimheul]

"Unless you have further need of me m'lord?" Constantine inquires of the captain. Following his dismissal Constantine proceeds to his private chambers to enjoy a nice long bath, and a fresh set of robes not covered in gore while his capacitor recharges the single shot it discharged.

[Donan]

"Hello, yes! I had to reach you, with the request of Captain Fireheart. You have been told the deeds of the Truth's Gift have now been signed to him?"

[DaedalusMkV]

Upon stepping out of the shuttle, Jayne stretches and slings her Bolter behind her back again. "Well, I suppose that went well enough. A proper starship ain't nothing to scoff at, after all. If you don't mind, Captain, I'm going to go take a shower and give my gear a damned good cleaning. Only problem with Bolters is the mess."

Putting the words to action, the bodyguard quickly returns to her quarters to deal with the remnants of the men she killed earlier in the day and replace the Bolt shells it took her to do so in her weapon's magazine. It sounded from the talk that there's one more target on this Emperor-forsaken rock, and Jayne intends to be well prepared for when the time comes to strike.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio is quiet throughout the trip to the Manus Ultionus, not wanting to give away any information to the prisoners on the way there.

He orders Lord Danner taken his office but kept guarded, and that Vargas and Simmons be allowed an empty officer suite with some amenities but plenty of guards and no leeway to go anywhere else. Deatrix's prisoner is to be kept heavily guarded in a room in the brig, and kept blindfolded at the least. The crew he brought with him are given one hour's time to clean up and do what they need to do, but explains that this is not free time, as there is still work to be done.

He orders Brutus to send armsmen to guard the Truth's Gift and a few officers to explain what is happening to the other crew's officers and prepare them for Ignacio's grand arrival later. Venturi is instructed to get the shuttle ready before they have to leave again.

He has Deatrix stay with him for debriefing, and has the kroot Gorak Trosk hired come to see him in one of the (I'm assuming lavish in a way only the Imperial Navy's officers can manage) officer's mess rooms, inviting Gorak Trosk to join them for aid in the negotiations and a meal. He has the tech adepts stay with Felicia for now in case they need help.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trask

The tall, lithe kroot moved deftly through the new corridors of the Manus Ultionus as he made his way to his employer. Although his avian features gave nothing away, he was looking forward to meeting Tallik Kon and his kindred again, and was curious as to how they had fared in tracking down their quarry.

[Spacewolf]

After checking the ship over Rob cleans the gore off his cloak and other equipment before restocking his ammo supply. Once he has done all that he checks the shuttle over again and gets it ready for launch.

[positivespace]

Felicia

"Er...we've had no news of that...The Magos is going to want to talk to him and receive codes for the purchase. There's a lot of protocol to be handled here!"

Rob

With no damage to the shuttle and very little fuel used, prepping it for flight only takes about ten minutes!

Gorak and Ignacio

Your orders are carried out, and Deatrix informs you that her target was a cold trade syndicate contact that often worked with Altheus, and that she managed to corner him while he was making a trade for some xenos drugs with a band of gangers.

Tallik Kon and his small band of Kroot join you in the mess room, accepting the meal that this deck's cook has put out gracefully but eating very little. They bring with them a bound man. He's a tall, awkwardly slender person with the smooth, pale skin of a voidborn. He's been pretty roughed up, but you can recognize that his clothes used to be some sort of hazardous environment suit.

"Humble greetings from Tallik Kon and his kindred to the employer of Gorak Trosk. We brought you this man, as he wears the smell of the ones you hunt. He paid the men who battled my offspring's hunting party."

[Donan]

++I can give you verification codes now, to show his ownership. By the laws of the Imperium, before the Ommissah, this sacred vessel is now granted to his name, with the Adeptus Mechanius to act as its carers. As it has always been, as it will always be.++

Various codes are sent across.

++Please inform the Magos that the Captain will attend upon him when possible, or have a suitable representative act in his name.++

She opens a channel to Ignacio, foregoing the more formal tone.

++I've let them know Captain, and given some of the codes up as proof, hopefully that'll do it. The Magos is hoping to get some time from you though.++

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Welcome to my ship, Tallik Kon," Ignacio greets the kroot warmly, "I can see already that you do very good work. Gorak Trosk was right to inform me of your skills...Let us discuss your payment."

[positivespace]

Felicia

"Alright, it checks out. I'll inform the officers."

Ignacio

Tallik Kon gives an awkward but poised bow. Something Kroot aren't used to doing, but he recognizes it as being useful when interacting with human higher-ups.

"We were informed that you had weapons available, Captain?"

The man looks back from Tallik to you, sweating profusely.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"We have plenty of lascarbines and shotguns and heavy stubbers available, as well as the potential to purchase other varieties of weapons. If you would like to continue working for me, I could provide room and board and a cut of the profits."

Ignacio waves two guards over and has them take the prisoner to one of the holds to await questioning.

[Caimheul]

Constantine sighs softly at the short hour allotment for ablutions, but steels himself to such hardships and proceeds quickly to his quarters. His mute manservant greets him with a disapproving frown upon discovering the rather gory state of his robes. "Yes I am well aware of the current state of my robes, Cromwell. Unfortunately it seems that such wear and tear are likely to be common occurrences for the duration of this assignment. Please lay out one of my utility robes as it seems there is even more shooting in my future." Constantine says as he plug in his capacitor and makes his way to his private shower. A bath was seemingly going to have to wait.

[positivespace]

Ignacio

Tallik Kon ponders for a moment while the prisoner is dragged off, his eyes wide and his legs flailing weakly.

"What sort of enemies does one like you fight, Captain?"

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

Gorak Trosk watched the exchange with silent interest, making mental notes to himself about the nature of both the humans' and the other kindred's bargaining strategies. He had rarely been present when his own shaper had conducted similar negotiations, and was keen to learn - especially given that he was, for the foreseeable future, alone. He wondered idly of the genetic uniqueness of Tallik Kon's own kroot.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio thinks for a moment, taking a deep breath in and looking over Tallik without changing his expression from a pleasant smile.
"Mostly men, Tallik Kon. Vile men who would have me cheated of what is rightfully mine. There is a fortune to my name, and these men would see it wasted instead."

[positivespace]

Ignacio and Gorak

Tallik ponders for another moment.

"We will take one of your 'heavy stubbers' and five of your laser weapons. Service will continue until deemed no longer beneficial to both parties. Agreeable?"

Felicia

After about forty minutes Blueprint gets bored and asks, "Enginseer, what model is your cyber-hound?"

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Very acceptable. Gorak Trosk, if you would keep our guests entertained here for a short while? I hate to leave so quickly, but there are a number of things I must do within the next hour."

Ignacio leaves to head to the office where Lord Danner is kept, sending an order through the ship's voxes for Alexia to join him there.

[Fremen]

Gorak Trosk

Standing straighter, Gorak Trosk nodded his head in an almost human-like fashion as his employer took his leave. He looked at the other assembled kroot, taking stock of them for the first time with a casual glance, each in turn. They were clearly not of his old kindred, but he could not pin down exactly what it was that made them genetically unique. Idly he wondered what might be gained by consuming them, and what a shaper must do to determine how to answer such a question.

Returning to the native tongue of the kroot, with its distinctive whistles, hoots, and clicks, Gorak Trosk addressed the others, "Greetings again from Gorak Trosk. You will come with me and I will see to your accommodations for the moment."

As he turned, his quills rustling gently, he switched to his comm bead, whispering in the human tongue to his employer, "Captain von Dornenwalde, where would you like Tallik Kon and his kindred to be barracked? Also, I believe myself to be best suited to commanding them for the duration of their employment, should you consent."

[BedrockHound]

Alexia showers and puts on a new dress and practically soaks herself with perfume, grumbling about the mess Jayne made the entire time.

"...It's not as if she couldn't use a lasgun like a NORMAL human, oh noooooo..."

Once ordered to join the captain in his office, she makes her way there, grumbling the entire way.

[positivespace]

Gorak

"That is acceptable, this ship is your territory, not ours."

Ignacio and Alexia

Lord Danner sits in a chair in front of the great wooden desk in the captain's offices, guarded by four armsmen. He seems to have sobered up considerably, though not entirely, and has found some way to clean some of the droll and other fluids off of his clothes. He turns to look at you, his arms resting on his small paunch.

"Ah, you musht be the captain of this ship. What is it you need from me that requiresh you send a xenosh to kidnap me?"

[Caimheul]

The navigator finishes his shortened ablations, covering his third eye immediately upon shutting off the stream of water. Accidentally exposing the un-gifted to the third eye's power was a novice mistake, and particularly dangerous once a navigator was fully trained. Constantine's garments and accouterments were laid out awaiting his pleasure, a robe made of fabrics much easier to clean replacing his usual outer ware. Having not yet received a summons, from the captain, Constantine busies himself with the study of warp charts, on occasion consulting his tarot deck.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio responds to Gorak on his way.

"Seems like a sound plan. Keep them out of trouble."

Ignacio bows his head politely to his armsmen and Alexia and Lord Danner (does he have a first name yet?) as he enters his office and takes a seat at the captain's chair.

"I apologize for the abruptness with which you were brought here, but it's rather important. You work in finance business for a man named Altheus Dornenwalde, correct? Please, detail your work."

[positivespace]

Ignacio and Alexia

"Perhapsh you should answer my question first? It's not polite to interview a guesht without introducing yourself."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Or I could have my psyker rip every thought from your drug-addled head and just kill you," Ignacio frowns slightly at Lord Danner, "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. The choice is yours."

[positivespace]

Ignacio and Alexia

Lord Danner stares at Ignacio for a moment, sweat beading on his forehead.

"I handle accounts for Altheus von Dornenwalde's various business dealings and contracted workers around Footfall. What they're doing, where they're going, what the pay is and what they work with."

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Oh, quite the library you are, Lord Danner," Ignacio sighs in annoyance, "Astropath Antronov, read him for me, will you?"

He speaks to Felicia through his MIU.

++Enginseer Felicia, would you consider yourself ready to venture back out?++

[Donan]

She speaks up, tone keen and focused. ++Yes cap'n, all ready, and, shipshape. Can Wulf come with us? He'd be lots of help.++

[BedrockHound]

"Yes, captain," Alexia nods and orders two of the guards to hold Lord Danner down while she focuses her psychic 'might' on the man.

"Let's make this quick, Lord Danner, I have things to do."

[roll0] versus 46+15 (psy rating)+15 (aetheric wave spars)=76 opposed against danner

[positivespace]

Ignacio and Alexia

Lord Danner begins to rise out of the chair to back away, but two armsmen quickly put strong hands onto his shoulders and force the portly man to sit down while Alexia takes a moment to read his mind.

His corruption and insanity are both currently at four because of his prolonged use of drugs.

He can't remember all the manifestos, but he knows the location and codes to go to and use to get ahold of all the shipping information he has, and the codes to some accounts. He knows that Altheus has been dealing with some things that are not legal in the Imperium of man, and that many things have been present on the ships that weren't in the ships' logs.

You've fully plunged his mind, so you know anything he would know and remember, so ask away if need be.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio has Lord Danner taken to be guarded in one of the brig cells, and asks Alexia for info on the location of the records for Altheus's transactions and accounts and how to access them, and for any information that could be used for blackmail or other forms of profit.

He orders the crew back to the shuttle via the ship's vox, and yes, Wulf can come along.

[Spacewolf]

Rob has the shuttle preped to launch by the time the rest of the away crew arrive and lowers the ramp as they arrive.

Might want to PM the others they might have missed that we're back on track

[Caimheul]

"Affirmative m'Lord, I shall head to the shuttle presently." Constantine replies, prior to donning his less ornate, but no less comfortable, utility robes. Over the robe the navigator fashions his utility belt, secures his capacitor in the rear pouch designated for it, attaching the power leads to the couplings in the base of his ornate hell-pistol's grip. Once the pistol was firmly ensconced in its holster, he departs for the shuttle bay.

[Donan]

Felicia is there soon enough, hellgun on her back and Wulf in tow. The normally chatty tech priest keeps quiet as she and her hound find places to sit and stand, a feeling of tension running through what's left of her organic frame at the coming firefight.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

"Mister Venturi, if you could take us back to the Truth's Gift docking area, I have some business to attend to while I think up a plan," Ignacio has his 'select' crew (the pcs) as well as Gaius Silvanus and as many armsmen as the shuttle can fit (different ones than last time, though) board the shuttle.

Once he gets the information he requested from Alexia, he'll begin planning.

[Spacewolf]

Rob Venturi

"Yes sir."

Rob flys the shuttle over to the Gift.

[positivespace]

It doesn't take long for the shuttle to make it back over to the Truth's Gift. The laborers are still laboring as they should, though now the mercenaries in the black armour have all left, replaced by armsmen wearing the colours of various armed fraternities from within the ranks of the von Dornenwalde loyalists who are now setting up guard rosters and a few small defensive keypoints with heavy stubbers.

A small gathering of the ship's tech-priests is at the base of the main boarding platform, and they begin to shuffle towards the shuttle when it approaches.

[Donan]

"I think the Magos is here Captain." Felicia peers through the shuttle's window. "A ship like the Truth's Gift, it'll be used to things being stable, fixed. It won't be good with sudden surprises and a new Captain's a big surprise. He's bonded to the ship, they'll get along real well, and think the same sort of way.

I reckon you'll make him happier if it looks like things will go stable. An upset ship can be scary if the machine spirit gets angry." She shudders at the thought.

[TechnoScrabble]

"I intend to introduce myself honestly to the magos, but explanations of our intent can wait...It might be best if he never knows, honestly. The ship could be relegated to a trade duty off to the side to support our endeavour..."

Gaius looks out the viewport at the gathering.

"Mister Silvanus, have the officer in charge of those men come meet me after I've spoken to the magos, and see what the merchant you spoke to earlier wants for an aquila lander. Mister Venturi, land us somewhere well protected by our armsmen."

[Spacewolf]

"Roger that."

Rob brings the ship down in between two of the Heavy stubber emplacements and lets the ramp down so everyone can get off.

[positivespace]

Several armsmen gather around the shuttle as it lands, providing a secure perimeter and saluting Ignacio as the crew exits. Gaius bows and scurries off on his duties, and the group of tech-priests stands waiting at the edge of the secured area. There are four of them in well-kept robes and shining bionics, clearly the highest ranking priests able to leave the ship. One of them, his(?) voice clear and emotionless through his artificial vox-organ and his bionics engraved with golden gears and cogs, gives the sign of the Omnissiah to Ignacio.

"I am Magos Peris, secondary to Magos Enksway, Enginseer Prime of the warp drive onboard the blessed vessel you just purchased. There is a rather long...discussion...to be had, given the suddenness of this change. Many of the aspirates and lower officers are as of yet unaware that Captain Treyvan-Silor has left. He never mentioned any intent to make a sale."

[Caimheul]

Constantine adjusts his recently purchased helmet for the umpteenth time during the shuttle trip. Despite the quality of it's manufacture, the helmet was much more restrictive than he was used to, and would require replacement at some point in the near future. As the shuttle begins the final approach, he checks the charge level and connection of his helpistol. Reassured that he is fully armed, he quickly shuffles and draws a single card to get a sense of the flows and currents of the warp. With a soft grunt, he place the card on top of the deck as he slides them back into his belt pouch.

[TechnoScrabble]

Ignacio

Ignacio steps out to meet Peris and returns the sign.
"Pleased to meet you, Magos Peris. I am Ignacio Hyarta von Dornenwalde. I must admit, I was not expecting to purchase a ship when I came to see Mister Treyvan-Silor. My original intent was to obtain some promethium. I apologize for the confusion this may have caused. Is there any chance I could have the files for schematics and the ship's crew roster sent to my MIU?"

[Caimheul]

With memories of the last meeting he attended with the Lord Captain still raw, Constantine takes it upon himself to check for evidence of any unknown psychic presences, trusting the armsmen to alert him of more... mundane threats.

Psyniscince: [roll0] TN 68 (58 Per +10 Talented)