Dark Heresy: Lost and Gone Forever

[LeSwordfish]

Lost And Gone Forever


Chapter One: High Society

They had each been given a message, with a place and a time to meet. Sibellus Rising spaceport, Hive Sibellus, Scintilla. The main concourse, local noon. They were all there- the assassins, the arbite, the psyker and the noble. The last had also been given a key, attached to a tag with a number neatly printed on it.

"What name is the locker in, sir?"

Tybalt. That had been mentioned in the message, too.

"Very good, sir." she said automatically, reaching for the small vox-horn hanging by her desk. "Please head into the waiting room, your luggage will be brought through immediately."

They were servants of the imperial inquisition, some newly-minted, some veterans. And here, today, was the beginning of their latest assignment.

When it was brought out to them, the luggage turned out to be a heavy steamer trunk, on a squeaking wheeled platform. When they opened it, it was full of neatly folded clothes, with a dataslate resting on top.

Contents of the trunk

Clothes, and personal effects for your cover identities. The personal effects seem realistically worn, and the clothes are all of good quality.

Four additional keys for the trunk, making a total of five.

Tickets to Xanadu, dated from tomorrow. to a month later.

At least one form of ID for each of you with cover identities.

A compact vox-caster

A dataslate.

Upon picking up the dataslate, it clicked and buzzed, and displayed the message "Genoprint identified", before clicking and buzzing a little more and flicking to a list of files.

Greetings acolytes

Subject // Greetings Acolytes

DATE: 722.897/M41

CLASSIFICATION: Magenta.

AUTHOR: Inquisitor Alis Meredith

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Blessed be those who turn their face to His light.

Greetings, Acolytes. I hope this message finds you well. Enclosed are all the necessary materials and details for the undercover identities you will be assuming over the week ahead. Your target is the luxury holiday destination Xanadu, a converted mining outpost in the halo of the Scintilla system.

In the closing months of the past year a routine administratum check of the medical records brought up an interesting anomaly. Since Xanadu opened, the rates of visitors being invalided back on Scintilla is nearly ten times the expected rate, with just over one in twenty-five guests developing an illness serious enough to require emergency evacuation. The station has an extensive medical bay, so this was flagged as suspicious.

This information was passed to me, and I decided to act on it. Three months ago I deployed Cell Fourteen to Xanadu station. Clem Coriam infiltrated the station's medical bay as a junior doctor, Tomas Cheswick and Emmeline Ellis posed as guests to the station. All three used their given names. Two weeks after their arrival, I received the pre-arranged abort message from Coriam. Standard procedure at that point should have been to return on the next shuttle. This did not happen. No communication has been received from any members of the cell since then. I fear we must assume the worst.

Your mission is twofold. Firstly, you are searching for any clues as to the fate of Cell Fourteen. Find what happened to them, and prosecute those responsible. Secondly, continue their mission to find the source and reason for the illness. I have provided you with details of cover identities to use.

Communication with the station is limited. A public vox is available on the station, and the caster enclosed should have sufficient power to send a signal back to me at the Tricorn. This signal will have a significant speed-of-light delay and, as usual, security cannot be guaranteed. As such, use caution and discretion.

The station prides itself on its dedication to guest’s privacy, and as such does not search either guests or their luggage. Overt displays of weaponry will be noted however, and unless you feel you can successfully explain away your armament, storing it in this luggage until needed.

The shuttle to Xanadu leaves from berth ten in one local day. Tickets and boarding passes are included.

On a personal note, Cell Fourteen were some of my greatest friends. Clementine in particular was closest confidante, and preparing for Interrogator status. Their deaths were a tragedy, and I have great hopes that you will be able to enact vengeance.

Inquisitor Alis Meredith



Cell Fourteen

Clem Coriam
Age (Sidereal): seventy-four

Age (Juvenat-locked): Thirty-six

Status: Missing in action

World of Origin: Scintilla

Skills: Seduction/Persuasion, Eidetic Memory, Infiltration/Impersonation/Deception, Technological (Cogitator)

Notes: Extremely skilled and valuable operative. Over three dozen successful missions.

Tomas Cheswick
Age (Sidereal): Forty

Age (Juvenat-Locked): Forty

Status: Missing, presumed dead

World of Origin: Cantus

Skills: Marksmanship, Combat, Wilderness Survival, Infiltration/Impersonation/Deception

Notes: Excellent shot. Over a hundred confirmed kills.

Emmeline Ellis

Age (Sidereal): Sixty

Age (Juvenat-locked): Twenty-Four

Status: Missing, presumed dead.

World of Origin: Maccabeus Quintus

Skills: Combat, Infiltration/Impersonation/Deception, Concealment/Shadowing

Notes: Sharp temper. Tomas's influence ameliorating.

Xanadu
Location: Scintilla system, Halo, last updated position 7377-2719 though orbit variable.

Standard Template: Asteroid mining variant Sigma-Three. Modified as described below.

Crew on manifest: Three hundred. Usually contains sixty to one hundred guests.

Description: Series of elongated cylinders supported several hundred meters away from the asteroid by metal stanchions. Cylinders have been extensively converted on the interior, and a glass-domed aviary has been built into one.

History: Mining Station XU-211 was a standard pattern mining station primarily based around drilling for platinum, titanium, and iridium on the unnamed asteroid it was attached to. When the precious metals in the asteroid were entirely mined away, it was purchased by Petyr Osborne, and he began the process of converting it to a luxury destination. He replaced the main ore-processing floors with accommodation and communal rooms, doubled the capacity of the life support system, and brought luxury items in at great expense. Xanadu, as he renamed the station, is now comparable in luxury and capacity to a cruise liner or similar.

Notable Station Personell
Petyr Osborne
This file gives a brief, dull rundown of Osborne, the owner and head of the station. He seems to be a minor scion of a Scintillan noble house, having made a considerable amount of money on stocks and shares, now mostly owning land. The station is his permanent residence, and he is said to enjoy fraternising with the guests. In fact, when the station was originally started only Osborne’s considerable connections were sufficient to fill it with guests.

An administratum note on Osborne’s finances is included. Nothing incongruous has appeared, which, the note concludes, means that he’s hiding something.

Leonid Grice
Grice is the actual leader of the station, Osborne’s second-in-command. Grice was high-up in Xanadu when it was a mining station, and was one of the only crew members to remain with the station after its conversion. Grice has no history before arriving on the station- the dataslate theorises that he was an underhiver or voidsman.

Dr Sel Byron
The station’s chief medical officer. Hired at great expense from the up-hive hospital on Scintilla where she worked. Nothing particular stands out about her history. Included because if anything is suspicious about the illnesses, she would know. Clem Coriam’s investigation was centered around her.



---

And then the same time the next day, they were stood in the entrance to berth ten, the wind from the lower slopes of the city buffeting the unfamiliar, expensive clothes. They were surprisingly well-tailored- Meredith must have measurements for the group somewhere. Like the dozen or so other berths at the spaceport, number ten was a wide metal arena, the top open to the sky, the floor stained black with smoke from a thousand takeoff jets. There was only one ship in the berth, but it was a beauty- slick and pale silver, with its wings swept back like a diving falcon. Cat recognised it as a Phoebus-pattern void-yacht. Fast and manoeuvrable, but fragile and finicky. A rich man's toy. Servitors were loading luggage onto a cargo elevator slung below the ship's slender belly- two paced over to take the steamer trunk from Isidore.

Two men in rich red livery, undone to the waist, were smoking and playing cards at the bottom of the access ramp. As Cat watched, a blonde woman in a rather more neat version of the same decorative get-up strode down the ramp and began berating them; the group could hear it as they got nearer.

"... completely unprofessional. The last few guests will be here any second and the company would be scandalised if it saw you looking like this."

"Lighten up, Donner." The more dishevelled of the two men complained. "It's las-hot in the bridge, and Genadzy keeps farting."

"I do not!"

"Besides, company ain't here to see, are they?"

"I'm here." Donner snapped. "Besides, that's not the point. We need to look our best before the guests because as representatives of the company our appearance..."

Mordicai paused on the edge of the conversation, unsure as to whether or not to interrupt. The decision was made for him, however, when a man pushed past him, and addressed Donna in an accent of immense wealth, gilded with Malfian overtones.

"This is the takeoff for Xanadu, is it? I do so hope your servitors are skilled at handling baggage. I have a quantity of amasec in my luggage, and should it be broken I will be attempting to reclaim its value."

"This is the right place, sir." Donner reported, her voice an instant picture of professionalism. "And our servitors are the best."

"Well, I should hope so." The man gestured at the group a little way behind him- another young Malfian, functionally identical, a pair of massive bodyguards with slung lasrifles, and a woman who looked like a secretary. "Abraxius, party of five."

"Ah, of course." Donna took the proffered ticket and scrutinised it for a second. "All seems to be in order. Please take a seat on board. We're just waiting for a few more groups- we should be able to take off in a few minutes." These comments accompanied a glare at the two pilots, who had returned to their game.

"Who are we waiting on? I do so deplore delay."

"Lady Van Haal, and the Tybalt party- though I think that might be you, sir?" Donner replied, addressing the group for the first time.

The Malfian sniffed, unimpressed, and turned to give the group an appraising look. "Tybalt? I've never heard the name before."

[Betrayer]

The previous day

On getting the data slate:

Mordicai will look down bashfully, before looking around the assembled acolytes, a hint of crimson sneaking onto his face.

"Um... one of you'll have to tell me what this say. I can't... I don't know how to read." He quickly looks down, to hide his embarrassment.


***

'Now'

Mordicai turns to the noble and feigned an expression of suppressed surprise.

"I'm not surprised. The Tybalts are hardly the most prominent family on Malfi. But you're a Malfian yourself, are you not? I'm sure you would have heard of us, maybe is passing? No matter! Mordicai Tybalt, prodigal son of the Tybalts."

He holds out his hand amiably.

[Malachite]

Previous day

Lorr steps forward to take the data-slate.
"I'll read it out. Perhaps I should adopt a cover as your aide? I was a common servant of men before the Emperor chose me to serve him instead - as your aide, you could pass me any documents and tell me to 'make the necessary arrangements' without raising suspicion."


***

Now

Lorr remains a step behind Mordicai's right shoulder, every inch the dutiful servant, but remains silent. When those of higher station speak, those of lower station should hold their tongues.

[Caimheul]

Previous Day

"Should we have enough time, I am certain one of our number could aid you in downloading that particular ability." Isidore intones as he takes possession of the vox caster. "And what do we have here? Have you been treated well little one?" the tech priest purrs before quietly beginning to mummer the appropriate rites.
Evaluate: [roll0] TN 50
Tech use to set it up to turn off at Isidore's whim: [roll1] TN 70
..........
Present

"I should like to take a look at these servitors of yours. I do enjoy examining well crafted technologies. Do you happen to know the origin of their biological parts?" Isidore asks single-mindedly.

[Major Kiaslu]

Previous Day

The blond haired woman in the all too recognizable black leather uniform looked towards Mordicai with surprise bordering on incredulity, her voice biting sharp. "You can't... read? And yet somehow were chosen as an Acolyte. And were invited to this job?"

Scythia could honestly barely believe that. It was the inquisitor's call to make of course, but what kind of low life had Meredith dragged up here? She met the man's gaze briefly before chuckling a little, not entirely kindly. "We have our nobleman, then. You should fit in nicely with Scintillian society." Judgement made, the Arbite turned towards the trunk, starting to examine those items within beside the data-slate, and pocketing her chosen key.

Hmm... Wanted to briefly flesh out Scythia's cover identity in the OOC. Assume Scythia's running to catch up after getting dressed into noble duds. ;)

[Betrayer]

Previous Day
The slight twinge of red in his face flared at the Noblewoman's incredulity. He looked up at her and caught her eye, his own glinting.

"Well, I think the Inquisitor wanted a noble with some social skills." The corner of his mouth twitched up, to match his eyes. Suddenly, his mouth split into an ingratiating smile.

"And yes, I'm sure the Scintillians will appreciate a hiver, even one as illiterate as myself. Still, gimme a kick if I start attacking my grox-steak with a fish knife or something, Cousin Si-Si."

[Aneurin]

Cat

+++Previous Day+++

Cat, clad in her traditional body-glove-and-flak-jacket combo is leaning against the wall maintaining a studied distance between herself and the arbite - far enough to show distaste, but not so far as to show actual fear. Until now, she's been watching the others in a vague silence.

"Not all of us have time to spare for the scholas when there are more important things to do - like find another meal," Cat says quietly, her voice dripping with contempt. "You're here for your reading skills, but us?" she indicates Mordicai and herself with an expansive gesture. "We're here 'cause we're damn good at staying alive and making other people dead,"

Stretching, she saunters over to the trunk brushing past Scythia in the process.

"Still," she adds, reaching down to the bundle of clothes with her name on it. "Nice to see a 'Biter doing something useful for once, nicer still to see a Rich Witch doing anything,"

+++Present Day+++

Even in smart, up-market clothes, Cat still contrives to look like something out of the underhive. It's impossible to say whether it's in her stance, her slit-pupiled amber lenses, her lime-green tufted hair, or the rosethorn tattoos that swirl across half her face.

The air of danger about her, however, is far more definable - the confidant way she wears the finely crafted sabre at her side, and the full-length flak jacket that swings around her ankles that has seen a great deal of life, and outlived most of what it's seen. Even the pilot's badge on the shoulder matches the wear and tear on the rest of the garment.

She runs her eyes over the yacht with a jaundiced look, clicking her tongue in disapproval over what she sees.

"Rich man's toy," she mutters to herself. "Omnissiah above, but I hope those idiots can fly this thing properly,"

Despite her words, she finds herself relaxing slightly - in as much as a hiver ever relaxes under the emptiness of the sky - at the sight of the pilots; unlike everyone else here they're not fussing over appearances. It would, of course, be nice if they were fussing over the death-trap-to-be of a shuttle, but either they don't have anything to prove, or they're quite terminally stupid.

Cat really wishes she hadn't thought of that last part.

[Caimheul]

Previous Day

Isidore looks up briefly from the vox caster, a slightly confused expression evident upon the parts of his face that are visible. "Why would one need to attack a grox steak? Is your protein typically still alive just prior to your consumption? That sounds like it would be mighty inconvenient for those requiring sustenance," he asks innocently.

[Malachite]

"Nice to see a 'Biter doing something useful for once, nicer still to see a Rich Witch doing anything,"


Lorr flinches a little at the last part.
"We're not well compensated, doing our duty is deemed reward enough..!" his voice tails off. "Ah. You meant her."

[LeSwordfish]

The malfian took Mordicai's hand with an air of bad grace, and shook it. "You are correct... sir. I consider myself well-versed on the houses of Malfi. The highest ones, anyway." He left the veiled insult hanging in the air, and turned to indicate the rest of his group. "I am Lucien Abraxius, third cousin to Albraham Abraxus, Lord of Cillenhive, my brother is Larisel Abraxius, and he is accompanied by our staff."

The secretary gave a slightly nervous smile. The two bodyguards didn't react, staring straight ahead. Isidore gave them a quick appraising look- they were far too identical to be entirely human. Some genetic modification there. Probably stimulants too.

"We, ah, we prefer our guests to stay away from operating servitors." Donner explained. "For their own safety. As for the biological parts, I don't know offhand, but I'm sure I could find out for you, sir."

[Caimheul]

"And you don't have any that are currently deactivated? That is a shame. I would greatly appreciate that information however, as well as the forge world of origin if known." Isidore says cheerily, before turning his attention to the bodyguards peering at the interestedly.
"Genetically modified bodyguards? I am impressed sir! Although I believe you could have received a greater benefit from bionic enhancements. The limitations of gene-manipulation can prove to be restrictive." Isidore continues to exude an air of naivete and wonder, as if he has only recently left his forge world.

[Major Kiaslu]

Previous Day

Cat's words get a raised eyebrow out of the 'Biter', and a cold gaze. "The Arbites do more than you'd ever think, ganger, for your protection as much as anyone else's." Her piece said though, Scythia chuckled, for the first time grinning sincerely at the other woman. "The second one, I'll give you though. Emperor's Name, I don't know if I'll have the patience for dealing with the giggling do-nothings. And if you two are here, you can't be too bad, or else the Inquisitor wouldn't have given you the time of day."

Withdrawing her ID from the trunk, and glancing at it briefly, Scythia shook her head in Mal's direction whilst frowning. "I'm your cousin? Please say I'm not your cousin." The Arbite sighed, but managed a faint grin to her fellow Acolyte. "By blood, or just an unknown peer? Cousin can be a sign of respect under some customs."

Present Day
At last, the final member of the assembly arrived, bustling quicky through the crowd. She couldn't look more different from yesterday. Her short hair had now been dyed a light shade of blue. She skin seemed paler, and her lips were glossed white. Her crisp leather uniform had been replaced by a black velvet corset, with silver boning, accompanied by a red jacket and a navy blue silk skirt. It seemed 'Cousin Si-Si' knew how to dress for the occasion.

Scythia glanced around the group, blushing slightly at the delay, and that the band of acolytes now seeing her 'dressed up'. She nodded to Mordicai. "What did I miss?"

[Malachite]

While the others stand out in dress and appearance, Lorr is thoroughly unremarkable - almost notably so, in such company. He stands slightly shorter than average, with short black hair and an olive-skinned complexion. His slender frame is clothed in a simple, well-tailored jacket and trousers of ash grey, silver threads inlaid to form a discrete yet tasteful pattern across the jacket's left breast and sleeve. He wears thin cotton gloves and soft-soled, knee-length leather boots of the same shade. An ornate, basket-hilted duelling sword and dagger hang on his left hip, while a rather less sophisticated autopistol graces his right.

Hanging back behind Mordicai, he nevertheless notes the Malfian noble's name as the man delivers thinly-veiled insults.

Like a fencer needling an unresisting opponent he believes to be inferior, he reflects. Confident that no riposte will come, yet longing for the justification to attack in earnest.

He has seen bullies such as this many times before. Their comeuppance frequently came in the form of various human fluids secreted within their food by aggrieved servants.

Lucien and Larisel Abraxius of Malfi, third cousins to Lord Albraham Abraxius of Cillenhive. Likely too belligerent to become a useful source, but possibly a good scapegoat. Substantial firepower on show.

[Aneurin]

Cat

+++Previous Day+++

Her eyes flash with white-hot fury, before cooling just ask quickly.

"Yeah, whatever," Cat shrugs carelessly - as much an attempt to change the subject as it is acceptance of Scythia's words. She continues to flip through the packages tagged for her, grunting in pleasure as she finds a worn pilot's badge on one of the jackets.

+++Present Day+++

Cat swaggers forward just as Scythia arrives, her bag slung carelessly over one shoulder, taking great care not to look up at the naked sky. Taking a circuitous route to avoid Donner and the Malfians, she approaches the two pilots and their game.

"Hey there," she says with a grin that reveals her pointed incisiors - surgically sharpened for an unsettling effect. "Got any good words about your shiny heap of parts over there?" she jerks a thumb at the void-yacht, twisting her left shoulder enough to show off the patch.

[LeSwordfish]

Lucien turned to look at Isidore. His nose rose a few degrees into the air. "Mmm. Genetic manipulation is a fine Malfian tradition. I assure you, they are of the highest quality. Some day, you must allow me to demonstrate."

The two pilots scrutinised Cat as they gathered up their things. "She's pretty peachy," the one called Genadzy allowed, "Manifolds need flushing more often than they should."

"Nothing but the best for Xanadu." the other snorted. His eyes flickered from Cat's figure, to the flyer's patch, to the sharpened teeth. He didn't seem to know what to think. "You a pilot, ma'am?"

[Betrayer]

Mordicai doesn't miss the intended offence, but lets it pass. He responds instead with self deprecation, with a twist of flattery.

"I'm afraid someone as senior as yourself would have little reason to deal with the Tybalts, then. Now, where are my manners, please meet my cousin Scythia Galia. Scythia, this is Lucien Abraxius. He's closely related to the Lord of Cillenhive, Malfi."

[Aneurin]

Cat

Her grin broadens at their reactions.

"Sure am. I'm not rated for the void - there's not a whole lot of that in a Hive, y'know - but ground or sky and I'm you're girl. Name's Caterina, but you can call me Cat," she tilts her head to one side as she watches them pack up their game. "What, leaving so soon? And I haven't even asked to be dealt in yet," she adds with a wink.

[Major Kiaslu]

Lady Galia doesn't miss a beat, nodding politely to the Malfian lord, and offering a hand which bore a single golden ring. "A pleasure." the unknown lady offered with a smile, glancing between the Malfian party, before turning her attention back to Lucien "Have you visited Xanadu before? Cai talked me into this, and I've no idea what to expect from the place."

[Caimheul]

"But of course sir! I can't imagine you would settle for anything of the best." Isidore says, seemingly oblivious of the implied threat, while making a mental note. If I wasn't on Inquisition business, your trip would be plagued with many small failures. Isidore thinks to himself as he mentally recounts all the fun things to do to others on a starship. A melodic series of beeps softly escapes his respirator as he recalls the look on the face of the last lordling he dealt with following the seemingly arbitrary malfunction of a biological waste disposal unit.

Realizing that as a tech-priest he was unlikely to be welcomed into any of the conversations currently ongoing, he contents himself with observing their surroundings and assessing their vessel.

Awareness: [roll0] TN 15 (I think this is my first character without that OR Dodge trained....)

[LeSwordfish]

Lucien shook Scythia's hand with a similar distasteful air. "Never visited." Lucien replied. "I hear great things about it, though."

Before the two pilots could answer Cat, Donner had crossed to them. A sharp, whispered conversation ensued, which Cat heard every word of.

"Are we ready to go, yet?"

"Throne! Yes, Donner, we're ready."

"Fine. Fine. Just waiting on Lady Van Haal, then. Go and do the final checks."

"We did them a damn hour ago."

"Just go and..." Donna broke off, staring across the room. "Go and get ready, the Lady's here."

A young woman was striding across the berth towards them. She was small and round-faced, but somehow sharply striking, with the air of an actress. She was alone, unlike the others, and carrying her own bag. She was dressed in the fashions common to a scintillan up-hiver, but with unusual short hair. Scythia couldn't help noticing Larisel Abraxius give the woman an approving look.

"Lady Van Haal, I presume?" Donner asked, stepping to meet her. "Can I take your bag?"

"I'll keep my bag, thank you." Van Haal replied, and bestowed upon Donner a smile that would have made weak men swoon.

Awareness test
Donner is surprised to see Van Haal. You can't tell why- she's concealing it well, but something about Van Haal has unsettled her.

[Major Kiaslu]

Sycthia steeped away from the Malfian party to greet the newly arrived Ladyship with a sympathetic grin and a nod. "It's good to have your own things on hand, isn't it? Just in case you need them." She gestured smoothly to a small leather bag of hers that rested with the rest of those belonging to her party.

The blue haired woman offered her Ladyship a hand, careful to reach for her free one. "Scythia Galia. That's my cousin, Mordicai Tybalt. And with us are the Abraxius party" She gestured to the latter as a group before returning her attention to Van Haal. "All off to the old mine together, it seems. And I think with you here, we're ready to depart, thank the Emperor. This place is a little too loud for my taste, I'm afraid."

Well, time to start rolling things... Emperor preserve us :smallamused:

[roll0] Charm, on Lady Van Haal [TN 41] (Calling this a formal situation is a stretch, but first introductions.... borderline? ;) )

[roll1] Common Lore, Imperium TN 42 for info on the Van Haals
[roll2] Common Lore, Imperium TN 42 for info on the Abraxius

[roll3] Forbidden Lore: Cults TN 52 for any possible connections between these families and known cults

[Aneurin]

Cat

Having watched the exchange with great interest, Cat sidles up to Grenadzy as soon as Donner's out of immediate earshot and nudges him.

"Your boss is in a mood, isn't she? Who's the Topper?" she asks, with a conspiratorial nod towards Van Haal.

[Caimheul]

Isidore grows visibly listless and bored with the conversations around him. Still beeping musically to himself, he pulls out his Auspex from within his oil dotted rust covered robes and fiddles with some of the dials. "And how are you my pet? Feeling any better today?" he coos to the device.

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia
Donner seemed more harried than she is showing, but otherwise nothing. Lady Van Haal seemed merely bored. A quick mental check found that none of the names were associated with any cult activity-not that she could remember, anyway.

OOC: Feel free to read the "Successful scrutiny test: Abraxius" spoiler.


Isidore
Under the guise of merely playing with the device, Isidore scanned the area. Nothing unusual on Donner, or the pilots- one of them had a nice-quality MIU, Isidore noted. Lady Van Haal seemed normal, though Isidore noted the heavy pistol concealed in her bag. As for the Abraxius party...

OOC: Feel free to read the "Successful scrutiny test: Abraxius" spoiler.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai stood silently next to Lucien, waiting for him to make either a comment on the new arrival or his excuses.

[LeSwordfish]

Genadzy quickly scrutinised Van Haal, as she crossed to the Abraxius group. "Dunno" he eventually decided, and jogged up the ramp.

Lady Van Haal gave Scythia a second radiant smile and shook her hand. "Isadora Van Haal. Have you visited the station before?"

Before Scythia could answer, Donner had cleared her throat meaningfully. "Okay, if I could have everyone's attention for a moment. We'll be leaving as soon as possible, so if you'd like to make your way on board the ship, refreshments will be served on board. One last thing to note before leaving the planet, Scintillan customs checks every ship landing on the planet, so if you have any illegal or proscribed items, filling in paperwork for them now will save us a lot of time on the return journey."

Larisel sniffed meaningfully. Donner tried not to look put out.

"Sorry, but this is a thing the Scintillan customs do. They've done it for five years now, and every ship that lands on the planet has to go through with it, except for emergency vessels and such."

She clapped her hands, attempting to put an end to it. "Nobody? Alright, welcome on board."

She lead the group up the ramp and through a heavy vac-sealed door into a cabin area of quite stunning luxury. The carpet was thick and red, the seats- enough for thirty or so people- were plush and luxurious. There was another group in there, a family- two parents, two children, a bodyguard smoking a cigar, and a governess with her hair in a bun. Ashtrays and small tables were around the cabin and, unusually for a void-vessel, it had windows, small portholes ranged along the sides with thick glass in them.

"Please make yourself comfortable." Donner said. "The trip should take eight hours or so. Refreshments will be served as soon as we've broken orbit."

OOC
Note that "illegal/proscribed items" doesn't apply to the relatively mundane things you all carry.

Do you want to talk very much on the journey, or shall I skip to the arrival?

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia hefted her slightly heavy personal bag up the rap with passable grace, at the side of the other 'Tybalts'. The comfortable nature of the cabin was a truly welcome sight, the Arbite had spent too many nights in her Scintillian apartment to appreciate luxury like this. Well deserved. She glanced towards the already present family, a touch curious: how did they get aboard before us?

She spent a few seconds taking them in, a little inquisitive, before dismissing the matter and taking a seat at Isadora's table. smiling across at her noble cousin. The Scintillian had made a good first impression, and Scythia couldn't help but feel a little more relaxed sitting next to her. Here was a peer, a friend. "To answer your question from earlier, no, I haven't visited this station before. I've traveled about the sector a bit, but not as much as I'd have liked. This will be my first time on Xanadu."

All true. Tell the truth where you could, it made the lies more convincing, and no sense in lying to an honest person unless you have to. Scythia met Van Haal's gaze, though she didn't break that friendly grin. "What about you? Looking for a holiday that takes slightly less time than a warp-trip?"

I'd like to at least get an answer as to why Isodore here's heading out solo, even if I suspect she won't be up front about the truth. ;) That's the main thing I'm after outta this trip, though I suspect someone talking to the family might be a good idea

I'd like to request a scrutiny roll on them, actually. :smallsmile: Just in case.

[Malachite]

Lorr takes in the lavish fittings of the shuttle with a suppressed sigh of appreciation. Having grown up used to surroundings like this - whether or not they were for his benefit or not - the horrific treatment aboard the Black Ship and spartan quarters of the Scholastica Psykana were even more jarring than to most.

Soft furnishings and fancy clothes hide conflicts as real as any fought by the Guard, though, so Lorr keeps on his guard.


Rolls

Looking over the family, crew shuttle interior. Separate rolls made, but if only one is needed then only results of the first apply.
Awareness38: [roll0]
Awareness38: [roll1]
Awareness38: [roll2]

[Betrayer]

"Well, sir, it's a pleasure to have met you." Mordicai says to Abraxius as they part ways in the shuttle. He sits in a chair near to his Scythia and Van Haal, quite contentedly entertaining himself with the goings on of the shuttle, he stares into space, as though in a day dream, while he tries to eavesdrop on the conversations around him, both for the family that had arrived already and the Abraxius party.

Hearing awareness checks, if necessary, first applies, or in order as shown.
(the family) AwarenessVS62:[roll0]
(Abrixius party) AwarenessVS62:[roll1]

[LeSwordfish]

"Something like that." Isadora replied. "I was meant to travel with my father, but he was detained at the last minute. Xanadu has quite the waiting list, so I decided not to waste my slot. I'm looking forward to it: I've never been off-planet before."

The Abraxius party took seats a few places behind the acolytes, the two nobles flanked by their guards, the secretary behind them with a book. Donner returned into the cabin and coughed for attention, as the ship began to hum with engine noise. She spoke into a small vox-horn, and the group's interest trailed off as she began what was obviously a prepared spiel.

"The cabin is internally damped, so you don't need to strap in, but you will feel a slight strange feeling. Check in the arm of your seat: you'll find a travel pack with safety instructions and anti-nausea pills..."


---

It was nine hours later.

Scythia had been raised to think of asteroid belts as great clusters of rocks, constantly clashing and spinning in space. The halo, however, was almost entirely empty, the distances between chunks of debris large enough to comfortably drive a cruiser through. The occasional spatial pebble bounced gently off the yacht's shielding. Out here the sunlight was so dim as to be almost unseen- most of the asteroids were visible only as silhouettes against the swirl of stars. Through the porthole, she watched them drift past, further away than the mind could comprehend.

"To your left," Donner announced, "You'll be able to see the remains of the battleship Shield of Terra. Destroyed by heretical forces in the battle for Scintilla, centuries before, even in death it stands a bold sentinel over the planet." She sounded distinctly bored; Mordicai noted, and presumed she said the same thing every time she had to take the journey. The two children crossed the deck quickly and jostled for space at the porthole, and the two Malfians made mildly appreciative noises. Isadora leaned over for a look, and made a small gasp.

With Donner pointing out minor points of interest along their journey, the yacht glided on. When the note of the engines changed slightly, Donner shifted in her seat and reached for the vox-horn.

"We will be arriving at Xanadu in just a few minutes; we're currently matching our cruising speed with the station's. Please prepare for disembarkation."


http://furiousfanboys.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/asteroid-mining-e1358917060390.jpg

The family gathered children and luggage together, the two Malfians brothers had a quick conversation with their bodyguard, and the other passengers all readied themselves for landing. Isidore caught a glimpse of the station through the porthole. As the briefing had mentioned, it was formed of a cluster of metal cylinders, attached to the asteroid by several long tangles of gantries, support structures, and heavy pipes. It looked like a blood-fly feeding, with proboscis jammed into a rocky body. The yacht drifted in closer and closer, heading for a ring of docking bays around the central cylinder.

When they landed, dropping to the metal deck with a heavy thump, they had to wait still longer as the massive docking bay was pumped full of air.

"Exciting, isn't it?" The governess asked the children. One of the Malfians overheard and gave a derisive snort.

Finally, the door opened, and Donner lead the group across the floor of the bay. It was almost eerily empty, with Servitors were bustling around, carrying the luggage. None of the servants looked particularly put out to have their jobs taken thus. Donner attracted attention back to herself with a expert finger-click.

"Thank you, all eyes on me. I just need to run through some basic safety instructions, and I'll lead you to your accommodation, then you'll be free to continue on your own."

Donner lead the group across the landing pad and into a large elevator, nearly the size of the transport again. While the landing bay had looked like a trillion others across the segmentum, with dull metal and scuffed floors, the elevator was rich and sumptuous, with a thick carpeted floor and polished wood panelling. One wall was a mirror. Cat regarded herself, and felt rather underdressed. As the escalator dropped, Donner ran through a wealth of information and safety tips- stay in the guest zones, don't approach working servitors. Nothing that wouldn't be obvious to anyone from anywhere but the hive peaks. Very few of the guests seemed to be listening. The children were fidgeting, and their governess was trying to quiet them. The young woman looked as bored as ever.

"Once you get out of this lift and into the arboretum, you're free to go where you will. Your luggage has already been delivered to your accommodation. Dinner is available in the main hall in two hours, you'll find menus in your rooms. Many other attractions are available, including a portraitist, an orchestra, hourly entertainments, and an extensive bar. Over the course of your stay, please feel free to find me or any other member of the hospitality team for any help you may need." The elevator slowed to a halt, and as the doors opened, for the first time since they'd met her, Donner smiled. She seemed to enjoy this part of her job.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the aviary."

A ragged exclamation of awe went up from the group. Even the two Malfians looked mildly impressed. Outside the elevator doors was a tangle of vegetation in all colours, a veritable forest. Above, a dome of thick armourglas and steel stanchions curved over the tops of trees of all kinds- palms, conifers, thin arbor-lines and squat buzz-bushes. Stone and polished wood pathways lead through the trees, towards the suggestion of convivial noise and light: a central area, with a bar and tables. Somewhere water was flowing. There was an artificial river in here. An artificial river in what was, well, space. It was impossible to miss, with the cosmos sprawled around the outside of the dome. The deep black of space contrasted with the bright reds, blues and greens of the forest: which seemed carefully maintained, like the largest flower arrangement in the imperium.

And everywhere the birds, darting, flitting, all colours. The smallest were the size of fingers, the largest swooping double-headed eagles, that perched in the upper branches and ate meat from silver dishes. It was hard not to hear their calls, chirruping, squeaking, chirping, and crying. There must have been dozens, of all sizes. The closest were fat puff-birds, sat on a branch, bills wide open to taste the air: slightly further a slender avian the size of a small dog was rooting through the soil and wood chippings for insects. The two children were stunned into silence, eyes round like saucers. Donner was only slightly less captivated.

The party dispersed amongst the forest, the children running ahead. The Malfian brothers strode off in time, followed by the bodyguards and the scurrying secretary. Signs were posted discreetly, pointing the way to the accommodation, to the dining hall, to a dozen other places.

OOC
Alright! Now you're really free to roam the station. If you had more to say on the ship, you can make a timesplit post, or simply speak to them now on Xanadu.

[Caimheul]

"Hmmm... While I deem this forest to be little more than a frivolous waste of valuable resources, the technology that sustains it is impressive indeed. As much as I would like to explore the station, I have some routine rites of maintenance that are due observation. If you will excuse me my lord and my lady, I shall retire to our chamber for the moment and ensure everything is operating in as the Omnissiah wills." Isidore says with a slight bow, intending to sweep their suite for any listening devices or other such means of intruding upon privacy.

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia's eyes were about as wide as the children's as the doors opened upon the aviary. She'd remained unruffled throughout the journey, smiling politely at Isadora, and nodding absently to Donna. But that final revelation, Xanadu in all its glory... Petyr Osborne had shown his genius well. For someone who'd grown up on a largely barren world of ice and rock, so many trees and tiny birds were wondrous. The trickling stream, the flowers everywhere, it all looked like something out of a picture book, and one illustrated by offworlders at that. Scythia was briefly a child again, enthralled and smiling at beautiful things that other people would never get to see.

Isidore's words bring the Arbites out of her reverie, though she looks a little surprised, as though she'd forgotten the Tech-Priest's presence. Nodding politely to their companion, Scythia turned towards her 'cousin', grinning a little. "Cai, let's meet back up at the quarters later. For now, I'm going to take a look around. If we split up and take things in, we can talk through how to spend our time, plan things out a bit." Statement of intent given, her Ladyship wheeled around and begun to walk, slowing a little in wonder at her surroundings before remembering her task and speeding up once again.

Scythia's going to primarily investigate the portraiture, entertainments and bar, on grounds of all of these being ways to interact with individual nobles to varying degrees, be it whispering during a performance or two people being painted at the same time briefly chatting with each other. She wants to know more about these three, what the seating is like, how feasible it'll be to get to talk to specific people in any of these settings, anyone we know already there.

No idea what to roll for any of that, I'm afraid.:smallredface:

She's also going to try for a complete accounting of just what's supposed to be on offer here. :smallsmile: Sword, I know that you probably don't want to give us a list of everything this station's set up to do, but can we have the highlight reel? Any big, notable things we haven't already covered?

[Betrayer]

Unsurprisingly, Mordicai was utterly floored by the aviary. He'd lived his whole life in the cramped existence of the hive. Even in his brief visits to the spire on 'business', he had never seen anything so beautiful. He was not completely lost on it, and when Scythia addresses him, he turns to her.

"OK, Si-Si, I'll see you back at quarters just before dinner. Have fun."

He smiles, and turns to the tech-priest.

"Thank you, Isidore. See to it." Mordicai does his best to sound like a condescending Noble for whom authority is second nature.

He looks back to the aviary, and stares at it in wonder for a second, he stays watching the aviary until the family head off. If they also head towards quarters, he will also head off there in step, ready to engage the parents in conversation.
If they do...
Mordicai walks in step with the family for a few paces before turning to the closer parent.
"Stunning, isn't it? I've never seen anything like it." He says, swinging his arm to indicate the aviary.



If they head somewhere else, he will note which direction they go, and head to his quarters anyway.

He also intends to thoroughly search his room.

[Malachite]

Lorr takes in the sights and sounds of the aviary in barely-suppressed wonder. To have such a bubble of life here, separated from the void only by a thin layer of armourglas... Askelphion Secundos may have have gardens and forests, but nothing quite as stunning as this.

To the telepath's inner senses, there is a charge of awe in the air of the aviary. Countless visitors all entering the dome at the same point and experiencing the same surge of emotion must have made a permanent impression on the very fabric of the Materium which is quite overwhelming. For just a few minutes, all the dark memories recede back before the wave of pleasure that sweeps across him.

It's a wrench to have to leave such a beautiful atmosphere, but the cell is here for a reason.

Taking up his position at Mordicai's right shoulder, he asks in a light-hearted voice:
"Well, sir. This seems a very pleasant place indeed. Shall I see if I can obtain a map of the station and see what attractions are available?"

[LeSwordfish]

Heading to suite
Following the signs discreetly marked, Isidore headed to the room on their ticket, Suite Three-Nine. The accommodation seemed to be laid out in a curve around the dome: A door from the dome lead into a large lobby of the same sense of comfort and gilding as the cabin or the elevator. One wall was a window onto the dome's lower level, another was set with mirrors to make the lobby feel less cramped. As Isidore proceeded along the corridor, he was reminded sharply of the station's history- efforts had been made to expand the corridors and remove the constant tangle of piping that would be expected in a station like this, but a trained eye could easily spot flaws in the red and gold facade.

In addition, there were an awful lot of cameras, bug-eyed clusters of pict-stealers in corners. One turned to follow Isidore as he passed.

Suite Three-Nine was on the third floor, and one wall was given over to a grand window looking out over the Aviary at treetop height. Isidore made eye contact with a Brooksnipe perched on a leaf, which chittered and fluffed up blue-green feathers at him.

He began a quick survey of the suite. Five rooms- two individual rooms for the "nobles", a bathroom, a living room with cushioned chairs and a holoscreen, and a second bedroom, noticably less luxurious, for the servants. A "welcome pack" lay on each bed, with a (nearly useless) station map, and various information on calling valet-servitors. Their cases had been brought up, and were piled in the middle of the room.

Unshipping his Auspex, Isidore began to scan the room carefully.

OOC
Secret rolls:
[roll0] [roll1]


Walking with the family
"It's impressive." The father admitted. "Reminds me of... where was it?"
"Callaghan's vivarium, dear." The mother responded.
"Ah, yes, Callaghan."

Mordicai joined the two parents as they strolled along one of the aviary's paths in the vague direction of the accommodation. The governess walked a little way behind, and the two children darted around them like orbiting planets. The father had something of the bearing and mustache of a military man, perhaps naval, and the wife seemed to be working hard to cultivate the air of a much older woman.

"Name's Khayyer-Addin. Yes, that Khayyer-Addin. I'm Jonah, and my wife is Merillion."
"Charmed."
"These are our children, Nicklas and Elspeth." The children broke off from their orbits to bow and curtsey. Nicklas was carrying a toy sword, Elspeth clutching a slightly disconcerting china doll. Their parents didn't bother introducing the governess.


Searching for a map/activities list
Scythia followed the signs to the reception and guest center. They lead her across the dome, across a small wooden bridge over a babbling brook in which golden eels lazily drifted, and, the opposite end of the aviary away, to a clearing in the forest from which sociable noise and music trickled.

A bar had been erected on a raised stone dais, and, though it was early in the evening, several small groups were standing or seated around it, drinking what looked to be expensive Amasec. The whole area had been setup to give the feeling of a pavement cafe or open-air restaurant in one of Scintilla's warmer areas.

Scythia passed the bar to the Visitor Centre, where two young men dressed in the same way as Donner had been were sat behind a counter.

"A map?" The more freckly and awkward of the two asked. "There should be maps and lists of activities in your room. We've got a few spare here."

He reached below the desk and passed up a map of the station. A quick glance showed Scythia that it would be nearly useless for any serious operation, but it gave a list of and locations of all the station's major attractions.

Map
Okay, so I haven't drawn up a map. But I think most of it can be described fairly easily.

Station is a cluster of cylinders, with gravity acting towards the bottom of the cluster, perpendicular to the cylinder's axis. Only two cylinders are open to guests, with the others seemingly given over to the vast amounts of machinery required to keep a station like this running.

The dome is in the topmost cylinder, and the accommodation is built around it. The entertainments are either in the dome, or built into the rest of the cylinder, along with the medical bay and such, plus a spider-web tangle of corridors and access routes, many of which are generally restricted to servants and station personell.

Entertainments available include:

Gymnasium
Sports courts, some in zero gravity
Something called a "Cantus Bath".
Concert band, performing in various public rooms.
Deck games and board games.
Portraitist
Multiple bars and restaurants.
A professional gambler, and a small casino
Barbershop,
Tailor
"Gentlemen only" smoking room
Tour of the aviary
Void-suited tour of some of the mines.
A theatre, with different shows on a regular basis

Most of these entertainments are only available at certain times.

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia

Scythia leaned against the wall, reading over the list and map, frowning a little. She honestly wasn't used to this. Whatever you might say about her upbringing, House Morganis had mostly kept itself to itself. There'd been occasional banquets at the Queen's Palace, a few court visits to important officials but those had been self-explanatory. This though... the freedom of it was a little confusing to her. So many places to potentially be, and any chance at keeping track of the holidaymakers was not going to be easy.

And what in the Emperor's Name is a Cantus Bath, anyway?

She folded the guide up; she could study it in more depth later. For now, she had time that could be used getting a more direct understanding of the station. Smiling and nodding polite thanks to the helpful attendant, Scythia wheeled and started to walk back through the aviary. She'd have to be ready for dinner; not attending would probably be something of a faux-pas, but for now, she could stand to walk the station for a while. See who was about, and just what sort of things people were up to.

Basically just... yeah. Wandering around the more public areas, trying to get a feel for the dome and taking in those present. Also keeping a specific eye out for the Abraxius brothers, and Isadora: Scythia'd enjoy talking to the latter, and figures the formal might be a little friendlier now that they're actually on the station. Either might cause her to initiate a conversation

Also, if this takes her past the Cantus Baths, sports areas, tailor or portraiture, she'll probably stop by. All of those are things she wouldn't mind taking a more direct look at, the first two for professional reasons, the second two for more personal ones. :smallwink:

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia and anyone who accompanies her
Scythia crossed vaguely through the aviary. The clearing with the bar was, as she discovered, not the only one in the aviary, and each one was a pool of convivial noise and light. Several other groups of nobles were sat around, most with servants at a discrete distance, although some areas seemed to be given over to the servants entirely, with hulking bodyguards and trim valets playing cards or dicing briefly away from their responsibilities.

Most of the clearings had some or other entertainment in- a pair of musicians playing a reel, a man juggling blades, two men performing a fast, flashy mock-duel with paired rapiers. Seated in a chair with a china cup of leaf tea, watching this last was Isadora, sipping her tea and seeming highly impressed.

"Scythia!" she announced with every sign of pleasure. "Sit down! Have some tea. I needed a moment off after the journey, and there's nothing so pleasant as watching other people exert themselves." She indicated the game. "The gentleman in green is really rather dashing, don't you think?"

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia

Scythia looked towards the faux-duel, the two young athletes working quickly and putting their strength behind each blow to try and make it seem more real. They were truly a rather impressive sight, and they were both of course pleasant to look at: it put her in mind of home briefly: she'd seen duels there on occasion, though Mother had never let her watch for long. The Sepherisian sighed, gaze lingering on the man in green as she nodded, muttering to Isadora. "More than a little."

Perhaps a second passes before Scythia regained herself, taking the offered seat and drink with an emphatic nod and greatful smile. "Thank you. It's good to have someone to talk to. I'm afraid I'm not exactly the most... prominent figure on the social scene." She chuckled good naturedly; she could take a little bit of self-deprecation. "The Academika's fault. I've spent more time pouring over books than going out to meet people, and my family's not exactly the best known on Scintilla. Came here to try and get out more, meet people, have some fun... but it seems likely to be an uphill battle"

The pale skinned socialite giggled a little, before whispering conspiratorially to her newfound friend, an admission to be made. "To be honest, I'm dreading trying to talk to anyone at dinner. No one knows me, and only a few know 'cai. I can hear the awkward silences already."

[Betrayer]

Mordicai
"The pleasure is mine. Mordicai Tybalt." Without stopping, he turned away from the scene around them, acknowledged the children's greeting with a smile, and offered his hand to Jonah.

"Have you ever been to Xanadu before? I haven't a clue where to start, other than to relax in my room and prepare for dinner!" He looked back around the aviary, not needing to fake his awe.

[Aneurin]

Cat

+++Shuttle+++

Cat spends the entire journey glued to the window with an almost child-like glee; with a decent hull and a sturdy pane of plasglas between her and the bleak emptiness of the sky, it isn't nearly so bad. And the view? Well, that's more than worth it - to watch the smoke-wreathed spires of the hive of her birth fall away, and to see it in all it's greasy and blackened glory. To look down upon the glittering spire and it's worthless nobility is a chance no underhiver is ever given, and one Cat will always take advantage of.

+++Xanadu+++

Off the shuttle, and away from the endless allure of the Void, Cat immediately returns to her normal swaggering, strutting, preening self. The change is almost visible the second she sets foot on Xanadu's deck - the wide-eyed innocence is erased, and once more she is cool and unruffled.

Her entry to the aviary, however, is hesitant. In all her life, she's never seen so much greenery; food comes from vats, or is shipped in from off-world. To most of it's residentes, Sibellus Hive is teeming walkways and cramped, crowded factories - or the lawless wasteland of the underhive. Parks and pleasure grounds seem out of place in a world of smoke and industry, and those few that exist outside the rarified stratos of the nobility are meagre, sickly affairs; the plants stunted and warped by the almost-toxic atmosphere.

And yet... there's this place. Vibrant and full of life and so very, very wrong. Cat reaches out a tentative hand to brush one of the thick leaves on a nearby plant - only to jerk it back, her eyes flashing suddenly. She scowls sullenly at everyone present, defying them to make any comment at her wonder.

"Hey, boss," she calls, suddenly. "I'm going to go check out the hangar, talk to my kind of people, do that kind of stuff. Call if you need anything," she adds, tapping her ear to indicate the microbead, before sauntering off back the way they'd just come, her bag still slung over one shoulder.

No-one gossips like a pilot, and with enough persuasion maybe they'll even let her fly the money toy. Cat grins at the thought.

[Caimheul]

Base of Operations Suite of Rooms:
Isidore softly emits the series of beeps and static of the Rite of Scanning in order to placate the machine spirit of his auspex as he scans the rooms for any hidden listening devices/threats.

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia And Anyone with her
"Well, you can talk to me, and we can talk about them, and to the warp with the lot of them." Isadora replied mischeviously, and laughed.
She settled a little more comfortably into her chair and took another sip of tea. "Besides, Osborne wanders the tables making sure everyone is introduced to everyone else. They don't like to see people off in their own little clusters."

"What about you? Do you have a young gentleman?"

Cat
Cat returned into the elevator and pressed the button to return them to the level they'd originally been on. The elevator journey seemed longer alone, and she had time to glance around at the fittings. It looked like it had once been a cargo elevator, before an extensive convertion.

In one corner of the elevator, a picter sat like a bird, watching her with a glass eye. Cat tried to ignore it.

The hangar was more empty than earlier, with the servitors mostly having gone. Genadzy, the other pilot, and a pair of buzzing repair servitors were performing post-flight checks on the void-yacht.

"Manifolds?"

"Iced over again, sending a servitor to warm them."

"Fine, get back to them later." Genadzy was standing on top of the yacht, reading from a checklist, while the other was neck-deep in the opened engine cowlings. "Coolant?"

"No signs of damage. Micrometeorites have kinked the tube, though."

"Does it matter?"

"Nah, It'll keep."

Genadzy spotted Cat and threw a sarcastic salute. "Evening, Ma'am. Come to slum with the workers?"

There was a thump as the other man tried to draw his head out of the engine too quickly.

Isidore/Checking out rooms
Isidore's searching found nothing. For all the cameras in the corridors, the room seemed to be clean and unwatched.

OOC: Ack! I'm so sorry! I forgot to edit in the results of the roll, and then I ended up going to a bar with the comedian and forgot again.

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia: Isadora's joke won a laugh from Scythia, reminding her of something her mother once'd said when she was afraid to visit court. She raised her teacup to the words, a half-toast but with sincerity behind it. The remark about Osborn, she noted: that'll be a chance to meet their host personally. Thinking that through distracted 'Si-Si' for a few seconds, enough to make her friend's question a genuine surprise. Scythia blushed a deep and obvious red, stammering "I... I..." before shaking her head, trying to clear it. Best to be honest, if indirect. It made the words more believable.

The pale skinned noblewoman took a deep breath and a sip before leaning over and whispering, voice quick and more than a little nervous. It was... strange, to confide in others about such things. "There's one I... like. We've met a few times now. But I don't think he's ever really noticed me. Likes his work too much. Throws himself into it, even when I'm standing right there in front of him." Anyone looking into Scythia's mind as she spoke would've been able to see a well built young man with brown hair and misty-grey eyes, standing tall and proud in the uniform of the Arbites, smiling a pearly smile and offering a gloved hand. Donovan...

The blush hadn't quite gone from Scythia's cheeks, but she managed a chuckle back at Isadora as she took a second sip of her tea, the embarrassment of before starting to fade. "How about you? I travel with a cousin, you travel alone. Have you a special someone back home?"

[Caimheul]

Suite of rooms:


"Good work little one. Rest now." Isidore says gently, caressing the Auspex as he stows it in his belt. Satisfied for now at least that their rooms offer a fair measure of privacy, Isidore inspect the locks of their luggage looking for signs of tampering as he sorts the luggage into the appropriate rooms. Once his suspicious nature is assuaged, he will unpack his meager belongings, and review the introductory packet.

OOC: No worries, figured you got busy, so decided to give you a gentle reminder :smallsmile:

[Malachite]

Those searching for attractions

Lorr looks curiously over the list of entertainments.

"The mine tour could be an amusing diversion," he suggests to Scythia as they survey the map. "There might be... things of interest to be seen down there."

As they meet up with Isadora and the conversation turns to men, he decides to leave them to talk - doubtless Lady Van Haal will be more open one-to-one with Scythia.

"Excuse me, ma'am," he says with a bow. "I should get back to Master Tybalt."

[LeSwordfish]

Suite
Isidore checked carefully over the baggage. Nothing seemed to have been tampered with or opened, although there was a notable scuff-mark on one of the lower corners of the steamer trunk. Seemed like their servitors weren't quite the quality expected.

Isidore turned his attention to the welcome pack. It seemed to be dissapointingly short on actual information, and have a large number of pictures of healthy young people enjoying the faculties, as though guests might be unaware what they were there for.

Information
Okay, so I haven't drawn up a map. But I think most of it can be described fairly easily.

Station is a cluster of cylinders, with gravity acting towards the bottom of the cluster, perpendicular to the cylinder's axis. Only two cylinders are open to guests, with the others seemingly given over to the vast amounts of machinery required to keep a station like this running.

The dome is in the topmost cylinder, and the accommodation is built around it. The entertainments are either in the dome, or built into the rest of the cylinder, along with the medical bay and such, plus a spider-web tangle of corridors and access routes, many of which are generally restricted to servants and station personell.

Entertainments available include:

Gymnasium
Sports courts, some in zero gravity
Something called a "Cantus Bath".
Concert band, performing in various public rooms.
Deck games and board games.
Portraitist
Multiple bars and restaurants.
A professional gambler, and a small casino
Barbershop,
Tailor
"Gentlemen only" smoking room
Tour of the aviary
Void-suited tour of some of the mines.
A theatre, with different shows on a regular basis


Most of these entertainments are only available at certain times.

Scythia
Isadora nodded a polite goodbye to Lorr, and answered Scythia's question almost absent-mindedly, still staring after the psyker. "Hmm? Oh, no-one to speak of. Not that my father will find out, though. He's terrified i'll not continue the family line."

She took another sip of tea. "Any plans for your stay here?"

Lorr
Following another of the winding paths through the dome, Lorr found himself stumbling nearly directly into Mordecai and the family he'd seen earlier, trailed by their governess. The father looked rather neatly military, perhaps naval, the mother rather prim and proper. Their children were running around them, playing with leaves. The father ignored Lorr with the ease of the upper-class seeing a blank instead of a servant; the children gave him brief strange looks before returning to the game.

Lorr, Mordicai
"We've visited the once," the father said, as Lorr arrived along a side path, "Before the little buggers were old enough to accompany us. It's changed, hasn't it Merillion."
"The trees have grown, dear. They do that."
"Ah, yes, but that proves it's natural, doesn't it? How on earth do they do that, keep an entire forest sustained in deep orbit? When we were on the..."
"I'm sure the young gentleman doesn't want to hear about your time in the battlefleet, Jonah."
Jonah looked dutifully mollified.

("Elspeth, dear, don't try and grab the birds." The governess said sternly.
"But they're pretty!"
"Yes, dear, but they're dirty and they don't want to play with you.")

"I mean, we did have a vivarium on the battlefleet, but it was for oxygen and food. Most of these plants don't even photosynthesize! Their life support systems must be incredible."
"Dear..." A warning tone in his wife's voice.
"Sorry. Terribly sorry."

[Major Kiaslu]

ScythiaThe Seriphian shrugged, a little more self control returning to her face as the conversation returned to more expected waters. "Not really. Cai'll probably drag me into some stuff, he's the one that brought me here... but I'm determined to get away from him, at least for a bit. I just need to find how best to enjoy myself."

Scythia smiled at that, it was proving to be an interesting exercise, and giving her cousin the leading role would help justify time spent both together or apart. She withdrew the guide from her jacket pocket, passing it across the table to Scythia. "I've been looking at this thing, trying to see what's on offer." She closed her eyes briefly, thinking back over the list of possibilities. "Mostly seems understandable enough, though I've... no idea what Cantus baths are." She blushed, just a little this time. "Is my isolated upbringing showing?" It might well be, she hadn't exactly spent too much time amidst Scintillian Society.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai

"Oh, that sounds fascinating - I don't know anything about support systems myself, or naval ships if I'm honest, but it always amazed me that you can keep tens of thousands of men alive for months at a time in complete isolation. I wou..."

He had been waving his hand animatedly as if to make his point, but stopped stock still, turned to the mother and adopted a sheepish grin, before walking on again.

"I'm terribly sorry, you must have to hear about this all of the time. Sir, I would love hear about the battlefleet, but I fear that now is not the time. Hopefully another opportunity will present itself. "

He paused to take breath.

"So this is the little ones' first time? Have they been off world before?"

He ignored Lorr, trusting the man would alert him if he needed anything.

[Aneurin]

Cat

She blinks, and then smiles - half incredulous, half mocking.

"Slum it? Me? As if," Cat snorts indelicately. "Time was I wouldn't be allowed within a mile of a fancy toy like this. I'm down here for some interesting people, rather than all the Toppers whinging about the food," her smiles spreads in to a full Cheshire-cat-style grin. "Know where I might find some?"

[Caimheul]

Suite:

Isidore lets out an audible clicking noise upon spotting the scuff mark, not dissimilar to how a biologic would click their tongue. As he reads the pamphlets, he attempts to determine the means of filing a complaint, while the sporting opportunities available begin to fan the flames of an idea regarding gaining access to the medbay in his cerebral pathways.

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia
"I think it's a steam room, and a room to cool off. Maybe massages. I'm not sure, I never tried it. As for upbringing, well, phooey to that. It's what you make of it, is what I say."

Isadora yawned, and stretched like a cat. "Goodness. Travelling takes it out of you, doesn't it? Looking forward to the meal." A slight spark entered her eyes. "Will your cousin- Mordicai, right?- Will he be joining us?"

OOC:Cantus Bath (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_bath)

Mordicai, Lorr
"I don't believe so, no. Ah, Annabeth?" he asked, turning to the governess. "Tell me, have the children been off-world before?"
"No, sir. Nicklas, dear, not in your mouth"
"Right, apparently not, then."

The family's bodyguard, who had been following a discrete distance behind, caught up- he was muscled and suited, wearing expensive targeting goggles and openly carrying a pair of ornate bolt pistols. "Place seems clear sir. No threats reported."
"Jolly good. Carry on. Any plans for your stay?" This last was directed at Mordicai.

Cat
"I'm very interesting, so-" the man who'd banged his head began. Genadzy made a shushing gesture with his clipboard and continued for him. "We are both immensely interesting people, ma'am, but not half as interesting as yourself, i'd wager. My name is Niceg Genadzy, and this is Pollo Pike, we pilot this stunning vessel." There was something of the showman about him. Pike nodded, and jumped down off the wing to shake her hand, and offer an awkward bow. He clearly had no real idea what to make of her.

"Now, Pollo." Genadzy gently reprimanded. "The post-flight checks cant be neglected."
"Sorry, Nic."
"Ah, well. Perhaps we can bend the rules, for such a charming diversion as madam, ah... what is your name, ma'am? And what do you do to keep the gears whirring?"

OOC: Keep the gears whirring: Common down-hive slang for "keep things running smoothly" amongst those of a technical bent. He's asking your occupation.

Isidore
The pack was, of course, singularly unhelpful in lodging a complaint, as with all aspects of station life it seemed to prefer not to admit that any problems would occur. Speaking to Donner or another of the crew would likely be the best way- they must have some mechanicus presence that could reprogram the servitors.

Flicking through the sports section again, Isidore found that Scrum-ball, Racquets, The Wall Game and Battledore, were available, with practice and gaming servitors apparently available. Scrum-Ball and Battledore were available in zero-gravity, which, he noted with detachment, made injuries far harder to come by. Unless one was really trying.

OOC
That's rugby/american football, tennis, early soccer/football, and badminton to you.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

Isidore makes note of the various sports prior to pocketing his map and writing a brief note to the others outlining his plans for his excursion. Remembering that at least one of their number is illiterate, he takes another map, draws a cog with an arrow pointing to simple Cog Mechanicum, with an arrow leading from it to the medicae on the map. His note and sketches complete, the tech-priest gathers his belongings and sets out to find the tech-priest in charge of the servitors.

Contents of note should another read it:

My Lord and Lady,
I have gone to complain to the local Adeptus Mechanicus representative regarding the disgraceful manner in which our luggage was handled. Following filing the grievance, I shall make an initial examination of the stations medicae facilities should either of you become injured while engaging in the activities offered by this resort.

Omnissiah watch over you,
Isidore


Sketch description:
A map with a drawing of two cog, one portrayed with a skull in the middle of it and one plain, are hastily sketched in the margin. An arrow points from the cog to the cog with the skull, and another arrow leads from the decorated cog to the medicae facilities on the map.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai
"I don't have the foggiest where to start, I'm afraid. Still, I'm sure I'll figure it all out once I get a bit of time. Is there anything in particular you'd advise?"

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
Isidore began searching for a mechanicus representative. There didn't seem to be a shrine noted on the map, but it covered such a small amount of the station that it was likely there was one somewhere.

There was nothing for it but to descend into the bowels of the ship to find it. The nearest door into the "backstage" areas of the station was at the end of the corridor, and immediately Isidore found himself in a low, cramped corridor thickly forested with pipes and ducts. Much more familiar.

This corridor was a little more crowded, with several people dressed in the station's red and gold uniform, or a casual mix of overalls and bodygloves. None looked recognisably mechanicus.

OOC: A Common Lore (Adeptus Mechanicus) test can probably track down the shrine, as could interactions.

Mordicai
"The tour of the catacombs and old mining tunnels is quite incredible, even if you've experience in the voids. Really gives one a sense of the history of the place."
"Aint that much history if it were ten years ago." The bodyguard muttered.
"And the band are quite good. Well, they were the last time we visited." Jonah continued. "Shall we be seeing you in the smoking room?"

[Malachite]

Mordicai and Lorr


Mordicai
"The tour of the catacombs and old mining tunnels is quite incredible, even if you've experience in the voids. Really gives one a sense of the history of the place."
"Aint that much history if it were ten years ago." The bodyguard muttered.
"And the band are quite good. Well, they were the last time we visited." Jonah continued. "Shall we be seeing you in the smoking room?"

As the bodyguard interjects, Lorr takes the opportunity to ask, "Shall I book a tour, sir? Perhaps later this afternoon?"

He continues to act out his role as an aide, but gives the bodyguard an appraising look. If things do get messy on the station, it could be vital to build up a mental picture of the various nobles' capabilities.

[Aneurin]

Cat

She gives them a friendly wave, ignoring the proferred hand.

"Good to meet you boys properly. Most call me Cat, though the boss seems prefer Caterina for some reason," Cat gives a careless shrug. "Can't say why, really. For what I do? Well, I'm part-pilot, part-body guard, part-whatever-else-I-get-paid-to-do. Not much do and don't do back in the Underhive, y'know?," she takes a half-step back and runs her eyes across the hangar, the gleaming craft and the uniforms. "Seems like you've got a good gig going on here, though - mind asking what it took to get it?"

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia

Scythia nodded emphatically at the idea of making your own way out of your upbringing: a rare attitude but one she shared with Isadora to the hilt. It was good fortune to have run into someone this agreeable: she'd been dreading time amidst the people on Xanadu, but with a few more friends like this, she might have a better time of it She grinned at her question, laughing internally at the idea of Mordicai, even from what little she'd known of him, refusing an invitation to dinner. "Undoubtedly. He's the socialite out of the two of us, lived half his life at one party or another. I doubt I could drag him away if I tried."

Scythia frowned, considering adding a particular point from their backstories to the discussion, and eventually deciding to go with it. Made sense.. "You... might want to be careful though. 'Cai's ok, I know him, he's all right... but the Tybalts are Malfian by blood." She chuckled. "Always scared me a little, that. When I was younger, I used to think some bloodsworn would jump out of the shadows every time we met."

[Caimheul]

Isidore:


Not really wanting to alert anyone to the fact that he did not belong to the station and therefore probably should not be in this area, Isidore tries to recall where the Adeptus Mechanicus would likely build their shrine.


[roll0] TN 50 Logic Test
[roll1] TN 25 Common Lore (Machine Cult) (For some reason Common Lore (Tech) and (Machine Cult) are NOT trained skills for Tech Priests.... :smallconfused:)
[roll2] TN 50 Forbidden Lore (Adeptus Mechanicus)
:smallfurious:


Trying a different tactic, Isidore looks about him for any data ports that he might be able to uplink to.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai and Lorr

Mordicai completely ignored Lorr, chosing instead to reply to the noble. "I'm sure you will. Now, I'd better head off and get ready for dinner. I feel horrible after that transfer. It's been a pleasure meeting you, and I hope we'll have a chance to talk later."

He smiles, nods his head to them and turns to Lorr, still speaking loud enough that the family can hear.

"Yes, that sounds like an excelent idea. A tour would be just the thing, but I think a shower and change of clothes first."

He heads off directly back the rooms, to meet with those who went straight back.

[Malachite]

Mordicai and Lorr


Lorr follows Mordicai back towards the apartments. As soon as they are well out of earshot of the other family, he shares the map and activities list he and Scythia received earlier:


Station is a cluster of cylinders, with gravity acting towards the bottom of the cluster, perpendicular to the cylinder's axis. Only two cylinders are open to guests, with the others seemingly given over to the vast amounts of machinery required to keep a station like this running.

The dome is in the topmost cylinder, and the accommodation is built around it. The entertainments are either in the dome, or built into the rest of the cylinder, along with the medical bay and such, plus a spider-web tangle of corridors and access routes, many of which are generally restricted to servants and station personell.

Entertainments available include:

Gymnasium
Sports courts, some in zero gravity
Something called a "Cantus Bath".
Concert band, performing in various public rooms.
Deck games and board games.
Portraitist
Multiple bars and restaurants.
A professional gambler, and a small casino
Barbershop,
Tailor
"Gentlemen only" smoking room
Tour of the aviary
Void-suited tour of some of the mines.
A theatre, with different shows on a regular basis

Most of these entertainments are only available at certain times.

"As I left, Madame Scythia had once more engaged in conversation with Lady van Haal. They appeared to be getting on rather well," he says quietly. "I wonder whether the mine tour could be interesting for more than just entertainment purposes? A lot could be hidden down there."

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr and Mordicai
"Oh, yes, well, see you there." Jonah said absent-mindedly, and returned to his perusal of the flowers.

Following the signs discreetly marked, Mordicai headed to the room on their ticket, Suite Three-Nine. The accommodation seemed to be laid out in a curve around the dome: A door from the dome lead into a large lobby of the same sense of comfort and gilding as the cabin or the elevator. One wall was a window onto the dome's lower level, another was set with mirrors to make the lobby feel less cramped. As Lorr proceeded along the corridor, he was reminded sharply of the station's history- efforts had been made to expand the corridors and remove the constant tangle of piping that would be expected in a station like this, but it was easy to spot flaws in the red and gold facade.

In addition, there were an awful lot of cameras, bug-eyed clusters of pict-stealers in corners. One turned to follow the acolytes as he passed.

Suite Three-Nine was on the third floor, and one wall was given over to a grand window looking out over the Aviary at treetop height. Lorr made eye contact with a Brooksnipe perched on a leaf, which chittered and fluffed up blue-green feathers at him. The suite was five rooms- two individual rooms for the "nobles", a bathroom, a living room with cushioned chairs and a holoscreen, and a second bedroom, noticeably less luxurious, for the servants. A "welcome pack" lay on each bed, with a (nearly useless) station map, and various information on calling valet-servitors. Their cases had been brought up, and were piled in the middle of the room.

A note from Isidore had been left on the pile of luggage, along with a pictographic reference for much the same thing, presumably for Mordicai's illiterate benefit.

My Lord and Lady,
I have gone to complain to the local Adeptus Mechanicus representative regarding the disgraceful manner in which our luggage was handled. Following filing the grievance, I shall make an initial examination of the stations medicae facilities should either of you become injured while engaging in the activities offered by this resort.

Omnissiah watch over you,
Isidore

On inspection, the damage proved to be a scuff in the lower corner of the steamer trunk.

OOC: Note: It's perhaps an hour at most until dinner.

Isidore
There was indeed a data-port at the end of the corridor, part of a small cogitator bank. Isidore plugged into it and began mining for information. Quickly he discovered that any but the most shallow data-mining was blocked by the stations protective walls, throwing a demand for authorisation into his mind's eye.


+++XANADU STATION NOOSPHERIC SECURITY+++

GRADE VI ACCESS GRANTED

FOR GRADE V-I ACCESS, PLEASE INPUT AUTHORISATION CODE

+++[][][][][][][]+++

+++VIGILANCE IS PURITY, PURITY IN VIGILANCE+++

OOC
You can probably get the information you want with your current access. If you want to control any systems, or access proscripted data, you'll need to break through the security. Technically the station security isn't designed for a full Mechanicus member, so a -20 Tech-Use test could get through. Fail by four degrees and you set off an alarm.

If you want to use your multitool on this test, you can, but you'll be cracking open the cogitator's casing and messing around inside, which is the sort of thing that people tend to notice.

Scythia
"Those Malfians are unnerving, aren't they?" Isadora asked rhetorically. "If anyone strikes you as the sort to be jumping out of shadows, it's those bodyguards of theirs. Look like they've been- well. Looks like they've been through a few wars."

The duelists stopped clashing blades, green disarming red with a theatrical flourish, and formed up for a neat salute. A smattering of applause drifted round the circle; Isadora laid her teacup down with a tinkle to join in with it "It will be nice to see Mordicai there; i had him marked as a socialite. In my experience though most Malfians are playing up their more unsavory connections for all they're worth. They think it's attractive. Not the two from the ship though. The wrong sort. Stay away from them, Scythia."

Cat
"We used to work on the station back when it was a mine. Well, I did, Pollo here was still in short trousers then. Most people around here are ex-miners, particularly them that you don't see."
"I used to work for the Westingkrup Fane," Pollo explained, wiping his hands on a scrap of rag. "I flew speeders for them until I got word they wanted flyers for this."
"And I've been a bad influence on him ever since." Genadzy announced, climbing the ladder down the Phoebus's side. He grunted slightly as he dropped the last few feet to the ground, and gave Pollo a punch on the arm. "General rule, anyone you actually see on this station is hired from some up-hive retinue, anyone else is ex-miner."
"Like the two bosses." Pollo remarked. "Osborne is posh, so you see him all the time in the public areas. Grice used to run the mines, so they keep him behind the scenes."

[Major Kiaslu]

ScythiaThe young noblewoman nodded emphatically, clapping and gaze turning towards the handsome man in green, though the frown lingered in her eyes and voice. "I will, but Cai seems to have grown infatuated with them. I think he longs for his homeworld."She sighed, looking back towards Isadora. I'll see to persuading him. I'll be looking forward to seeing you there, regardless."

The words were a good reminder. Time was progressing swiftly. The young Seriphian finished her cup swiftly before stepping back and moving to her feet, obviously now a little scared. "Actually, I'd probably best be going: I've yet to find my own room, and of course I have to check my luggage, wash and change fully..." The fluster is at least somewhat legitimate, Scythia does not want to appear badly presented whilst in the company of half the notable aristorcrats in the sector. A low image would hurt her ability to talk freely with people, and thus to investigate the station.

And of course, would wound her pride.

Either way, Lady Galia bowed her head politely, if swiftly, to Isadora, eyes quietly begging forbearance, before retreating fairly rapidly through the station, towards their quarters, and whatever other members of her group awaited her there.

Just want to check who else is there before having her show up, and see the reaction from Isadora if any.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai and Lorr


Mordicai looked at the image, and asked Lorr to read him the note anyway, as he wasn't sure they contained the same information. He inspected the luggage that had been damaged, but without much hope of discovering anything: the techpriest seemed to have it under control. Looking up at Lorr, he says: "Well, I think a shower and a change of clothes might be an idea if I am to make an impression at dinner.

"Unless you can think of anything more pressing?"

[Caimheul]

Isidore

Isidore notes the relatively simple security of the station's deeper systems. He briefly toys with the idea of tunneling in and leaving himself a backdoor, however the risk of setting up alarms this early in the investigation is unwarranted. Instead he simply skims the surface, looking at least the location of the Adeptus Mechanicus shrine, and/or if he was ridiculously lucky, a more detailed map of the station.

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia
Following the signs discreetly marked, Scythia headed to the room on their ticket, Suite Three-Nine. The accommodation seemed to be laid out in a curve around the dome: A door from the dome lead into a large lobby of the same sense of comfort and gilding as the cabin or the elevator. One wall was a window onto the dome's lower level, another was set with mirrors to make the lobby feel less cramped. As she proceeded along the corridor, she was reminded sharply of the station's history- efforts had been made to expand the corridors and remove the constant tangle of piping that would be expected in a station like this, but it was easy to spot flaws in the red and gold facade.

In addition, there were an awful lot of cameras, bug-eyed clusters of pict-stealers in corners. One turned to follow Scythia as she passed.

Suite Three-Nine was on the third floor, and one wall was given over to a grand window looking out over the Aviary at treetop height. The suite was five rooms- two individual rooms for the "nobles", a bathroom, a living room with cushioned chairs and a holoscreen, and a second bedroom, noticeably less luxurious, for the servants. A "welcome pack" lay on each bed, with a (nearly useless) station map, and various information on calling valet-servitors. Their cases had been brought up, and were piled in the middle of the room. Mordicai and Lorr were waiting in the room- they looked to have only just entered themselves. Mordicai was holding a piece of paper that looked to have Isidore's handwriting on.

Mordicai, Lorr
As they perused the note, Scythia entered, looking round to check it was the right room.

Note: From now on, Mordicai, Scythia, Lorr, all use the same spoilers.

Isidore
A simple station map was available- it marked the main mechanicus shrine as being several levels below. Isidore traced out a route to the shrine, estimated the journey time at 12.922 minutes, within standard operating parameters, and memorized the data.

[Malachite]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr



Lorr is just beginning to look over the apartment as Scythia enters - not really expecting to find anything well-hidden enough to escape a tech-priest, but feeling better if he checks things for himself.

"Nothing else, sir," he says, replying to Mordicai. "Dinner should be a good opportunity for sir and ma'am to continue their conversations with Lord Khayyer-Addin and Lady van Haal.

"Ah! Here is ma'am now!"

Until he gets confirmation from Isidore that the room is clean, Lorr will keep up the act. It would be embarrassing to give one's self away within an hour of arriving.

[Major Kiaslu]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr

Scythia tried to ignore the pict-clusters as she walked, focusing on the well appointed corridors. Such things were normally reassuring to her as an Arbites; a sign of security and preparation, but right now she was the one with something to hide. She was just a young, slightly nervous noblewoman heading back to get ready for dinner. That was it, that was all she could allow herself to think of right now..

She entered the room with a smile, glancing about briefly to take the layout in before moving towards her cases and nodding to the duo already here. "Hey, Lorr. Hey 'Cai" She extracated her luggage from the pile, shifting it across to her room as she continued to speak, informal, as she would a family member or close friend. "Cous', you'd best be on your best behavior at dinner. Osborn apparently makes the rounds, talking to the new arrivals, making sure they get around and don't linger in their own groups. We'll get to meet our host in person, perhaps talk with him a bit, though don't push it."

Si-si had apparently decided on her room, her cases now resting on her bed. She started to flick open the clothes case, taking a brief inventory on what she could wear for dinner, continuing to talkl back towards the two men. "You've also got Lady Van Haal wanting to talk to you. She's apparently decided you're a socialite and potentially interesting. Don't mess that up, please. For my sake." Scythia chuckled a little at that, pausing in her search for a second, before continuing. "She seems to have taken against the Abraxius group. Probably not a good idea to bring them together."

[Betrayer]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr"Good, good. We'll just get ready then. Do you know when you're getting fed?" He asks Lorr.

As Scythia took her luggage back to her newly selected room, Mordicai dragged his own to the other beautifully furnished room. As he listened to her brief him on what to expect at dinner, he started to look for something to wear. As she mentions Lady Van Haal, he stops and looks up.

"Oh, Si-Si, what have you told her!?" He calls, loud enough that it carries through the apartment. "You didn't go making up stories about me again did you?"

He went back to looking through his case, hoping to spot something that was obviously dinner-wear. Having no idea what dinner-wear looked like for nobles, he doesn't have much luck.

[Aneurin]

Cat

She wrinkles her nose at the thought of up-hivers swarming and smarming all over the place.

"Doesn't sound like my kind of place. I met my boss when he was out slumming it in down-hive Sibellus. Kind of, well, mugged him then billed him for safe escort back to the upper districts," she says with a devilish grin. "Another gang went for him on the way, and I protected my investment better than his old bodyguard had - so I got a job and a sackful of clinker,"

Strangely enough, the story is, in a roundabout way, true - not that Pollo and Genadzy could know the history - one of Cat's greatest contributions to her former gang is the creation of the 'bodyguard' racket, where one team robs the mark blind and then another offers escort to a safe location for a fee. Later, both parties meet, share the loot and make fun of the doubly-poor Upper.

"So tell me," Cat goes on stretching her arms out as she strolls around them towards the void yacht, apparently oblivious to their reactions. "Is there actually anything interesting to do around this place, or am I going to have to hang around here with you two the whole time?"

[Caimheul]

Isidore

The tech-assassin consults the stations system clock attempting to determine how much time he has prior to the evening meal. Normally, biologicals were put off by the sight of a tech-priest taking in nutrients, and he absence was unlikely to be noted. Besides, if he made a habit of skipping organized meals, then his absences were more likely to go unnoticed, and the Adeptus Mechanicus shrine may be able to provide him with a more appropriate repast. He decides to continue with his original plan, and continues to the Adeptus Mechanicus shrine.

[Major Kiaslu]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr
Mordicai could hear his cousin snicker at that through the wall. "Don't worry, 'Cai. I just told her the truth." Scythia grinned to herself as she extricated dresses, shifting her small-clothes into piles as she continued. "You love parties, you were the one who got us to come here, and your family originate on Malifi. That's all you have to live up to. Just try to be friendly, confident and a bit outgoing, you'll do fine."

Looking down at her growing piles of various clothes, Scythia frowned thoughtfully. She was somewhat legitimately unsure on what to go with. Glancing backwards, she noticed Lorr still standing in the central room. Weird to ask fashion advice of a Psyker, but it'd probably help make them look like a real group if someone was listening in. She gestured for the aide, before pointing behind her to the piles of fabric currently resting on the bed. "Lorr, do you have any thoughts on what I should wear? Not your job, I know, but I'd value a second opinion."

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Mordica and Scythia
Giving up, Mordicai picked one of the outfits that he thought looked the nicest from the trunk, and laid it out on the bed.

"Good, good. I'll take first shower, if you're still picking what to wear." He calls through to her. He looked around his room for a convenient towel, and, having found one, starts to strip off. "Oh, by the way, I had a lovely chat with that family on the shuttle. They're Khayyer-Addins. To quote them: 'Yes, that Khayyer-Addin.' The old man's ex-navy, and has promised to tell me all about it at some point. Their bodyguard looked like he was packing some serious heat!"

He wrapped the towel around himself, leaving the large blue stain down his side showing clearly from his collar to his waist.

"I'll introduce you, if you like? So, what is Lady Van Haal like?" He says, walking to the bathroom.

[Malachite]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr



"Good, good. We'll just get ready then. Do you know when you're getting fed?"

"No, sir," Lorr replies. "I thought that I would find out what arrangements the station has for servants while the formal dinner is in session."


"Lorr, do you have any thoughts on what I should wear? Not your job, I know, but I'd value a second opinion."

Lorr casts his eye over Scythia, recalling the many fashions of the ladies of Askelphion Secundos. It's been many years since he had the time to contemplate the secrets of beauty, but such things never completely leave you.

"Well, ma'am," he begins. "You're naturally a pale-skinned blonde, so dark colours near your face would contrast sharply and may lend a pallor to your appearance. Furthermore, dyeing your hair pale blue suggests a whimsical, fun-loving personality. If I may be so bold, you could pick a number of options.

"If you wish to enhance the appearance of friendliness and openness, a vibrant cerise or amber would both complement the pale blue of your hair. The amber could stand as a lone colour for your whole outfit with only a few complementary hints, while the cerise may be overpowering if taken alone. A dress in aqua or turquoise would soften the effect.

"Alternatively, you could go for an even bolder, more striking look by embracing the contrast of a black outfit. Such looks can enhance physical attractiveness in the eyes of some, though they may be distancing to others."

As he begins to realise how much detail he has gone into, he falls silent and looks a little embarrassed.

[Major Kiaslu]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr
Scythia was listening clostly to Lorr, smiling at the advice. Seeing the poor psyker blush at the extent of his knowledge revealing itself, she shook her head, trying to look reassuring as she stepped over to the door, calling out swiftly in response to 'Cai. "She's young, here alone, and likes being unconventional to a point. Good company, and sharp as a blade. You'll get along well, hopefully. Anything more, you can ask her yourself."

Responce given, the Arbites wheeled back to the Psyker, nodding her head and moving towards the dresses, starting to seperate them. "Now then, black it is. I want to try and talk to people, try and stand out. If it pushes people away, there's always tomorrow and another outfit: we could work on that at length with the tailor." She run her left thumb and forefinger through a strand of blue hair: still a touch unusual to her. "What do you think of the dye color by the way? I was trying to stand out, show unconventiality, but I'm not sure how it worked in practice, or if it was the right decision for this place.."

The Seriphian looked down at her gifted wardrobe, chuckling a little forlornly at her comparable ignorance. These were skills she hadn't needed to use in a few years now. "So much simpler in the Academika, damn it. Tutors don't expect you to be up to date on these things. Even the socializing is less formal. Lower stakes."

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore

The shrine was deep in the bowels of the station, and seemed to be nestled below the life support systems. The elevator that took Isidore down through the life support globe, the lung cavity of the station, was wire-sided, and he could clearly make out the vast, bulbous air tanks, and the long ranks of purifiers and scrubbers. Cleaning the air for the station was obviously a gargantuan task, made especially complex by the aviary, Isidore supposed.


It was impossible to miss the Mechanicus shrine once he was close. Dozens of candles were lit around a pair of doors that had been perfectly normal before someone had painted the sigil of the Omnissiah on them as large as they could, with a loving but inexpert hand and a borrowed tin of gold paint. The doors stood slightly ajar, and as Isidore pushed them open hidden hydraulics played a few notes of In Nominae Omnissiah through gold trumpets held by augumented cherubim hovering beside them. The effect was somewhat spoiled as the doors closed, and the returning air played the tune backwards.

The shrine itself appeared to be, like all shrines, a combination chapel, workshop, and junkyard- at least to the uninitiated. Isidore could see several uses for each of the dozens of pieces of equipment scattered over the pew-like workbenches. The walls seemed to be large doors, to allow large pieces of equipment to be loaded in and out.

As Isidore proceeded into the darkened room, something touched his leg. He glanced down to see what appeared to be a small feline servitor, made out of cold ceramic and metal, rub itself against his leg. It turned to look up at him, eyes glowing like torches, and played a recording of a feline’s call through the voice-box in place of its mouth.

“Mow.”

A statue of the Omnissiah and a control lectern stood at the other end of the large room, and a red-robed enginseer, of quite high rank judging by his markings, was stood behind it, eyes closed, a fringe of cranial cables plugged into ports on the lectern's side. His mechandrites and servo-arms twitched automatically as he concentrated on his work, like a canid's legs moving as it slept.


Cat

"Aside from work our arses off and play crappy dice games?" Genadzy laughed. "Not all that much, really. Alright for you, 'fficialy you're a guest, so you get to do guest things up with the glorious people."

"The band's quite good." Pollo said earnestly. "And when there's no nobles in there the Casino's worth a visit., Er, it's probably best you don't touch the ship. I don't think guests are allowed to be here while we're checking it, right Nic?"


In response, Genadzy merely rolled his eyes.

[Malachite]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr

"What do you think of the dye color by the way? I was trying to stand out, show unconventiality, but I'm not sure how it worked in practice, or if it was the right decision for this place.."


Lorr moves over towards the dresses and starts to help Scythia sort and hang up the dresses according to colour and style - casual, eveningwear and the like. He tries to find a black dress which will set off her pale skin and hair to best advantage, hopefully striking enough to stand out among the other ladies at the dinner. Identifying the fine line between revealing and too revealing was turning out to be more of an art than he'd thought. Right now he was torn between one with sheer panelling down either side and a simple, elegant halter-neck which seemed to flow down to the floor.

"It's certainly unusual," he replies to Scythia's question, looking at her light blue locks. "But it looks good on you. Unnatural hair colours are a common fashion choice for those wanting to look unconventional, even among the nobility. You might find some of the more staid types less talkative, but some of the younger, more impulsive nobles might find it all the more attractive. Anyway, they're the ones which will be most likely to let information slip, so I wouldn't worry."

[Caimheul]

Isidore
Isidore stoops down to examine the feline servitor, allowing it to "sniff" his hand prior to gently attempting to pet it. "Why hello there? Aren't you just the cutest little thing," he coos, in a similar fashion to how he addresses all machine spirits, but with perhaps a shade more sweetness. "Are you being a good kitty and keeping your master company?" he inquires, as he waits either for a response from the enginseer or servitor, an appropriate time to interrupt his work, or barring that, a few minutes to pass. As he waits, he examines the servitor, filing away the data for perhaps a future companion.

[Aneurin]

Cat

Cat continues to pace around the void yacht, until she can see the work that Pollo was doing before her arrival - ending up standing on tip-toe to see everything.

"I won't touch anything," she says with a shrug, as she cranes to see the engine. "Never had a chance to see one of these things up close, really. They were always the shiny things way up in the smog," she spits. "Only the Uppers and Toppers could get close to the pad. Undies? Not a chance,"

Without warning she spins sharply on her heel and stalks away - before just as abruptly turning back, the bitterness of a moment ago completely erased from her face.

"So, you're telling me I'm stuck with the Toppers? Ugh. Am I at least allowed to rob them blind in the casino, or will they not play with a lowly servant such as I?" She asks, with a very un-lowly and un-servantly grin.

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
"Mow."

The same noise again. The cat-servitor rubbed itself against his hand-twice on the left cheek, twice on the right- and then jumped up onto a table, with a slight puff of hydraulics. It stalked along the table as if uninterested in Isidore, before looking up and letting out a brief vox-blurt, static that Isidore tasted on the air.

The Magos woke, turning a head encrusted with bionics towards Isidore, his mechandrites unplugging from the console and retracting away under his cloak with a gentle rattling noise. He seemed, briefly, disoriented by the disconnection, then straightened up slightly and treated Isidore to a piercing look. The cat turned to look at Isidore and settled itself on its haunches with an air of mild pride.

Be-Beep "Good evening." His voice was dry and entirely augumetic, each sentence prefaced with a pause and a double-beep, as if the words needed to be scanned before he could say them. Be-Beep. "May I be of assistance?"

OOC I forget, is Isidore concealing his mechanicus links or not?A member of the mechanicus as a guest would be rare, but not unheard of: less rare than a civilian with Isidore's implants.

Cat
"Oh, they'll play." Genadzy smiled. "Aint a posh bastard in the subsector don't think he can beat the low-downs at..." He stopped, and in the way of underlings everywhere, contrived to look busy without actually doing anything. Pollo looked flustered and buried himself in his clipboard.

"Taking the evening air, gents?"

Cat turned to watch as a middle-aged man in a tattered set of overalls and environment coat strode across the landing pad towards them, heavy boots clanking on the metal deck. He was small, but well-muscled, with the air of a man who'd spent some time working with his hands. One of his arms was a hissing bionic, and a heavy pistol and chainsword were holstered at his belt. His eyes were piercing, and he seemed to be evaluating Cat. She matched the gaze cooly, internally placing his picture against that which she had seen in the breifing: this was Leonid Grice, the station's second-in-command.

"Made a friend?" He asked the two men unkindly. "An evening stroll with a young lady?"

"Sir, we was..."

"Can it, Nic. Finish the checks and go help the servitors over in three, the loading lifts have siezed. Then you get your moonlit strolls." He turned to adress Cat, as if the two pilots weren't there. "Sorry you had to see that, ma'am. You just can't get the staff nowadays. The name's Grice, and i'm one of the higher-ups here. Enjoying your stay, so far?"

[Major Kiaslu]

Scythia, 'cai, and LorrScythia studied the two dresses closely, trying to think things through. Her own preferences went to the halterneck, which leaned more towards the classical to her mind, but this Scythia was here trying to have fun and meet new friends, to be social active and a little bubbly. She'd choose her dress appropriately, and go for the more immediate and slightly distinctive. Sheer was minor when compared to her hair colouring..

The Seriphian picked up the second dress, holding it up to the light and trying to gauge the fitting. It seemed pretty close to perfect int erms of size. She glanced to Lorr, grinning as a thought came to her. Easy way to add a touch of credibility to the act, if anyone is watching. She lent back towards the psyker, and gave him a slight momentary kiss on the cheek, a friendly motion from a mistress who'd known a servant all her life. She whispered briefly in his ear. "Thanks, Lorr. Don't know what I'd do without you, sometimes."

Brief gesture done with, the Arbites turned about, trying to account for those few pieces of jewelery she'd add to this outfit. "I'll use the shower after 'cai's done with it. Can you go hurry him along a bit, please?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

Casually, she raises an eyebrow at the pilots' reactions, before running an appraising eye over Grice - one that somehow makes clear she's not in the least intimidated.

"Not a bad set up here," she says running her amber-lensed eyes over the hangar. "I liked the - they're birds, right? The feathery things? Or are they the ones that swim?" she frowns slightly for a moment, genuinely puzzled. "Either way, it's all blinkers*. Actually, I was going to ask if you had any jobs going here - I'm figuring on leaving my boss for a new avvy** soon. His cousin's a bit of an odd sort," she says with a dismissive gesture.

"Keeps trying to dress me up like a lady - which I'm not, if you hadn't guessed," she adds with a feral grin, that once again shows off her pointed teeth. "Tries to make me talk like her, says I should better myself and stuff," Cat wrinkles her nose. "Don't see why. I can fly better than her pet pilot, fight better than anyone she pays - so what else do I need?"

*Underhive slang for great. Refers to the Salvation Augurs that flicker when they're functioning and it's safe, and go red and make noises when it's dangerous.

**Abbreviation of 'avenue', Underhive slang for opportunity or job.

[Caimheul]

Isidore:

Isidore straightens himself up and bows to the senior tech-priest before beginning to speak in the secret tongue of tech-priests. <Omnisiah's blessing upon you Senior Enginseer. I am Enginseer Isidore, lately attached to the wayward scions of the Tybalt lineage. I apologize for interrupting your work, however I wished to notify you that one of the luggage servitors has damaged a piece of my companion's luggage. Furthermore, I doubt that they shall require my services besides normal maintenance rituals with any frequency during their stay, and would like to offer my own skills for your disposal. I find the conversion that has taken place here quite interesting and would relish the chance to examine the modifications that have been undertaken more closely, at your forbearance of course, Senior Enginseer.>

OOC:
Considering the amount of messing with tech he's likely to engage in and the aforementioned implants... He's not hiding it (right now anyway). Hiding it and having it discovered might cause accusations of being a heretek, which I get the feeling would allow you to make things... interesting :smallbiggrin:. Plus, this way we have two people circulating amongst the servants, two amongst the nobles, and one amongst the Adeptus Mechanicus/utility workers. :smallsmile:

[Malachite]

Scythia, Mordicai, and Lorr

"Thanks, Lorr. Don't know what I'd do without you, sometimes."

Lorr goes rigid at the contact, only relaxing himself with a conscious effort of will - though to an outsider it probably just looks like a servant uncomfortable with an over-familiar master. The truth is, it's been half a lifetime since he was last treated as anything more than a tool to be forged and used for the good of the Imperium. To be treated like a human again is jarring.

"I'll use the shower after 'cai's done with it. Can you go hurry him along a bit, please?"

"Of course, ma'am," he says. "Right away."

[LeSwordfish]

Cat
Grice raised a single eyebrow at Cat's suggestion. "A new avvy, aye? Say you're a pilot. Any experience with void-craft? We don't have much use for atmospherics, here at the edge of the deeps."

He gave Cat another inquisitive look.

"Scintilla, right? Sibellus, I'd say. I never miss an accent. Or a lingo." He extended a hand for her to shake. "Born and raised in district four-seven, ran with the Scrapers for a while."

OOC My interpretation of the rules is that the void-yacht and similar craft are close enough to Civilian Craft for you to get a chance at a roll.

Isidore
At Isidore's mention of his position, the magos straightened up and interlocked his fists into the sign of the Omnissiah: Isidore mirrored it automatically.

Be-Beep "Greetings, Enginseer. I must confess, it has been some time since I have seen an unfamiliar member of my order."

He reached a mechandrite idly out to the cat ("Mow") and it rubbed itself against it-twice on the left cheek, twice on the right.

Be-Beep "My appellation is Magos Enkarmine, and I have the privilege of commanding the technical team aboard the station. Should the luggage servitor have damaged your luggage, I will of course apply appropriate treatment, though you will need to speak to madam Donner or one of the hospitality team for financial recompense."

There was something curious about his cadence, with every word having the air of one carefully chosen and fitted into the sentence like a carefully constructed thing.

Be-Beep "Whilst your offer of assistance is appreciated, I must respectfully decline."
Be-Beep "Feel free to examine what you may, but I must request you refrain from modifying any systems. The ...idiosyncracies of a device such as this can be considerable. I cannot allow unsupervised manipulation, even from those trained in the Omnissiah's ways."

Be-Beep "I'm sure you understand."

Lorr, Mordicai, Scythia
"Thank the throne you're here." Isadora muttered as Scythia sat down next to her. "I was beginning to wonder whose throat I would slit first- his, or my own."

The dining hall was long and thin, and curved around one end of the aviary, with wide glass windows offering a treetop view of the clearing with the bar. Balconies extended out into the warm air, currently set to "Evening", and small quantities of birdseed in drawstring bags had been placed on each table, for the entertainment of the guests. The guests were seated around tables, drinking expensive vintages, orbited by waiters dressed-up in velvet and servitors with gold masks, carrying trays of food. The servants seemed to be waiting at a discreet distance, not at all minding their jobs being taken. Lorr recognised the Malfian's secretary and one of their massive bodyguards, along with many dozens of other servants waiting around the fringes of the room. Donner, the steward, was also there, seemingly fielding an endless stream of requests.

The "Him" Isadora referred to was the younger of the two malfians, seated across from her. He pretended not to hear her whisper: they looked as if they had been having an argument. He seemed to have consumed a quantity of wine. Next to him was a young couple, sat with foreheads close together, talking in low voices, feeding each other choice pieces of their meals and giving every impression of being completely unaware of anything but themselves. The Malfian was clearly discomfited by them, and Scythia thought she saw Isadora enjoying that fact. The only other seat at the table was taken by a old gentleman with chemical stains on his fingers tucking into a grox steak with evidence of enjoyment.

"This must be Mordicai!" Isadora addressed the hiver cheerfully, her face split by a smile of singular charm. "Sit down. Scythia's told me about you, but some things must be heard from the gentleman himself, you know. Wine? Quaddis, 404 I believe."

"A good year." The elderly gentleman muttered, without looking up from his grox steak.

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Mordicai, Scythia
Mordicai pulled his face into a mock grave expression. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Lady van Haal, because she has told me nothing about you." He bowed to her and broke into a smile, pulling out a chair and offering it to Scythia.

"The Quaddis sounds delightful. Now, what are these mysterious things I need to tell you?" He sat down himself, either in the chair he offered to Scythia (if she refused it) or another next the Lady van Haal.

[Aneurin]

Cat

Her smile broadens until she's almost grinning from ear-to-ear.

"No kidding? Born a midder, 'til the toppers set me down with a bump - after that was a Dee-One-Three scummer, raised by and running for the Redeemers. Most call me Cat," she says affably, grabbing his hand for a thorough shake. "Never done much beyond racing the lower wreath*," Cat goes on with a shrug. "But your shiny toy doesn't look all that hard to fly compared to some of the stuff I whispered**. But tell me, how'd a lowly hiver make it all the way up here? If you're the Grice the boys were telling me about a moment ago, you've done pretty good for yourself,"


*One of the lower smog layers, approximately equal to mid-hive height.

**Slang for stole. Refers to stealthy appeasement of the machine spirits.

OOC: Yay! I thought there was a separate Pilot (Voidcraft) or something. Though I may be imagining that, or confusing the different 40k RPGs.

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Mordicai, Scythia
Isadora seated Mordicai on the other side of her and leaned in conspiratorially. "I'm told the Tybalts are Malfian by blood. Perhaps you are related to Abraxius here?"

"Not all Malfian families share a pedigree." Lucien snapped. Isadora ignored him.

"Should I be expecting a bloodsworn with a contract to leap from a plant-pot, aiming for your head?"

EDIT: Cat
"Telling you about me, were they? All good, I 'ope." He scratched his chin and adjusted his stance slightly, seemingly a little more comfortable.

"One o'the good things about the mining business is it's democratic, see. Back when this place was a mining station, it don't matter where you're from, if you can swing a pick, you can earn your Soylens. If you can read a seam, follow a vein, you can end up leading a team. If you can read a person...well, you can keep climbing." He tapped his nose with a grubby finger. "And I can read people. 'Fore this place went under and got bought, I were running the joint."

OOC: There's Pilot (Spacecraft), but that seems to cover everything from an Arvus Lighter to a Battlecruiser, and Assassins don't ever get it, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say you can fly the Phoebus.

[Aneurin]

Cat

"You say that like you're not still running the place," Cat says, shifting her own stance to match - it feels pretty good to meet someone successful who has clawed, kicked, scratched and gouged their way up from the underhive to wealth and power. There aren't all that many who do.

"What happened? You run out of mine-y stuff?" she says, tilting her head to one side quizically.

[LeSwordfish]

Cat
Grice laughed. "You could say that. When a mine gets exhausted, usually everybody involved gets booted back dirtside. I took the job an the step down to look after me boys and girls."

"When they're worth lookin' after!" He added at a shout. Up on top of the ship, Pollo looked embarrassed.

He returned his attention to Cat. "Sorry. So, interested in a piloting job, eh? I'm busy tomorrow, but if you could be here, say, mid-shift the day after, we could look at trying you out on an old hauler or something."

"'Cos there might be a position openin'!" He shouted up at Pollo.

[Betrayer]

Scythia, Lorr and Mordicai
He looked around at the nearby plant pots, play acting worried.

"I can't say it's ever happened to me so far. I try to avoid the company of the sort of people who try to have you shot. I prefer spending my time around people who are a little more interesting than that."

He stoped his silly act and smiles at Isadora. "In any case, I think most blood-sworn would rather wait for my holiday to end before they tried to kill me. I can't imagine my head could possibly be worth enough to pay for a trip here.

"I am a little worried though: what has Si-Si been telling you about me? Nothing bad, I trust."

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia and Mordicai


From his post at the edge of the room, Lorr admired the view. Whoever designed this place certainly knew his trade. With his back to the wall, almost all of the the exquisitely fitted dining hall was visible as it curved out and away to either side. The birds flittering around the hall for the seed on the tables added bright splashes of natural beauty to that which was carefully crafted by human hands. Idly, he wondered whether the proprietors had considered the health risks from allowing birds in close proximity to their guests' food - it would be humorous indeed if there had been an Inquisitional panic over a few cases of Avian Influenza. But no, the previous team had disappeared entirely. Something far more serious was afoot.

Standing a few metres away from the table, it was difficult to hear much of the conversation, but Scythia, Mordicai and Isadora seemed to be getting along well. One of the Abraxius twins - he couldn't tell whether it was Lucien or Larisel, they both looked the same to him - seemed to be taking offence at little barbs the Lady Van Haal kept throwing his way, but then, that bridge was probably burned long ago.

He looked along the line of servants, trying to gauge whether quiet conversation was deemed acceptable in this setting and, if so, whether the secretary looked the type to do so.

Rolls for Swordfish

Given past experience as a servant, I'll do a few rolls and let you decide which is/are most appropriate. I Imagine Trade (Valet) and Deceive would help for looking/acting the part, while Deceive and Inquiry would be useful for getting information.
Deceive: 34+10
[roll0]
Trade (servant/valet): 36 basic, any modifier?
[roll1]
Inquiry: 34 basic, any modifier?
[roll2]

Edit: Oh wonderful. I wonder whether I should fate point this too? I suppose it's probably not as important as getting Isadora to like them, but still...

[Caimheul]

Isidore

Isidore gives the magos a half bow before reply, mentally filing away Madam Donner's name to follow up on this issue. <Of course Magos. I simple wished it known that should another set of hands instructed in the secrets of the Machine spirit prove useful, such as in a matter of basic weapon maintenance or other task of a similar nature, I would be more than happy to assist, should my present primary assignment not preclude me from doing so. I'm sure your staff is quite busy at present with the maintenance rituals of such an awe inspiring example of the Omnisiah's bounty, however I feel I must humbly inquire as to the possibility of scheduling access to a proper altar devoted to the Omnisiah. While I have been performing regular field maintenance and blessings upon my equipment, their machine spirits respond favourably to such august surroundings.> Isidore continues.

OOC:
Using altar here to indicate a work bench.
Forbidden Lore (Tech): [roll0] TN 50
Common Lore (Tech): [roll1] TN 25
Both tests are to determine possible reasons for the Magos's speech patterns.

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
Be-Beep. "Your offer is noted, enginseer." The Magos sounded like he expected that to be an end to it. Be-Beep "As for an altar, well..." He made an expressive gesture with a mechandrite. "...Should you wish to use the space in here, you may, on the understanding that station staff of course have priority."

"Mow."

Be-Beep. "Ignore the felid. It has little purpose."

OOC: Nice rolling. At an estimate, the magos's strange speech patterns are likely due to a conflict between cranial upgrades and his vocoder. It's likely that someone sufficiently skilled to attain the rank of Magos would be aware of this, and have deemed the benefits worthwhile.

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai
"That you're a Malfian by descent, and a socialite. Something of an inspiration to her, I hear." Isadora filled Mordicai's glass lavishly, while he glanced around the room. Seated at the next table, Jonah Khayyer-Addin noticed him and raised his own glass.

"But still..." Isadora continued. "As I said, far better to hear from the gentleman himself. So tell me about yourself."

Abraxius-whichever one it was- took a sip of his own wine, and muttered something uncharitable.

"Fascinating planet, Malfi." The gentleman announced to the table at large. "You know it's got one of the healthiest populations of flora for any hive planet in the imperium? Very tough forests."

Lorr examined the servants, looking for any talking. Many others seemed to be quietly socialising, with themselves and with the station's staff. He recognised the steward, Donner, passing along the servants, answering the odd question. Abraxius' secretary merely looked nervous. The massive bodyguard didn't seem to be talking to her, or to anyone.

OOC: If you want to re-roll, i'll give you an extra +10 to decieve for owning Trade (Valet)

[Caimheul]

Isidore

<Of course Magos. I thank you for this privilege. I'm sure I am delaying important work for which I apologize and shall see myself out.> Isidore says, bowing and making the sign of the cog prior to departing, intending to make his way to the station's medical facility next.

[Aneurin]

Cat

She narrows her eyes at Grice, momentarily deep in thought.

"...yes. Yes. I'll do it," her Cheshire Cat grin returns, broad as ever. "If the boss says I've got other plans, I'll let one of these know," she adds, jerking her thumb towards Pollo and Grenadzy - the gives a half-apologetic shrug. "Not left him yet, and he ain't paying me 'til this job's over,"

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
Be-Beep. "Yes, very well."

The magos airily waved a mechandrite. By the time Isidore had left, he had plugged himself back into the lectern and returned to his work.

The medical bay was some distance away, back up the elevator. A pair of chatting stewards, their uniform jackets undone to reveal stained vests, joined him above the life-support decks. They nodded politely as they got in, and stood awkwardly until Isidore got off, back near the public decks.

The medical bay looked like a hundred others throughout the imperium. White tiles on the floor, neat white and pale-red surgical cupboards and two beds for invalids to lie on. Between the bed, mounted on a set of servo-arms so that it could swing down to aim at the patients was a diagnosticator- from the look of it, hooked up to a cogitator in the next room. Medical technology was not Isidore's level of expertise, but it all looked shiny and expensive.

Lying on one of the beds, on top of the covers, was a young dark-skinned woman, her hair pulled back into a tail, her hands folded over the stomach of the surgical scrubs she wore, and her eyes closed. Isidore paused for a moment, unsure if she was asleep, and coughed politely.

Her eyes opened, and she sat up sharply, nearly hitting her head on the diagnosticator model. "Whuh...eh..." She shook her head sharply, like a dog shaking water from its ears, and turned to Isidore. "Sorry. Yes. Can I help you?"

Cat
"Oh of course, of course." Grice agreed. He nodded at the swords on her back. "Nice edges. You'd be a bodyguard, I guess? Or a champ?"

OOC: By "Champ", he means champion- you'd fight for your boss in duels.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

"I'm sorry, I did not intend to startle you," Isidore begins, the still biological upper half of his face looking quite bashful following the woman's response to his burst of static. I am Enginseer Isidore Haya, and I was wondering if it might be possible to secure a tour of your facilities," he states plainly.

[Aneurin]

Cat

Cat preens at the comment and twists slightly to show off the mono-sabres, going so far as to half-draw one to show the rose thorn etchings - twins of the tattoos crawling across her face and neck - along the length of the blade.

"Like 'em? They cost me more than a few - and they've killed a lot more than a few in turn," she gives a slight shrug. "As for what I do? Well, I do a bit of this and a bit of that, really. Mostly flying, driving and bodyguarding. Don't do champing, though - no future in it, 'specially when the Malfs break out the pistols. A girl could get killed that way," she shakes her head slightly in mock sorrow, before regarding Grice with a speculative eye.

"Am I going to be doing any of that here? That Van Haal lady sure had whatshername in a tizzy when she got there. You know, that one on the pad?" she adds, directing the last question at Pollo.

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
"A tour?" The young woman seemed confused. "Uh, sure. This is the infirmary, or the main area, at least. This is the Diagnosticator, state of the art. We've got a store room and the Cogitator in there, and a private room through there. We're set up for most things here, but if someone gets seriously ill we have to call in an emergency ship, get them back to Sibellus General." She blinked a few times: she seemed to be tired. "Sorry. I'm doctor Byron. Why did you want a tour, exactly?"

Cat
"Dunno." Pollo said vaguely, unwilling to be drawn.

"We have got a bloodsquare, yeah." Grice seemed to find the idea vaguely distasteful. "Pair of profesnul duellists too, to entertain guests and champ fer the house."

[Caimheul]

Isidore

"Yes, I'd imagine that is not a request you habitually receive. You see, some of my travelling companions tend to engage in behaviours that are not conducive towards the well being of biological components. Of necessity I have taken it upon myself to expand my studies into areas of biologis and I felt it prudent to determine the preparedness of the local medicae. What severity of injury or, as you said, illness, would necessitate such a costly evacuation?" Isidore asks innocently.

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
Catching Jonah's eye, Mordicai raised his own glass in response and took a sip. He turned back to Isadora and leaned back in his chair.

"Well, I've lived my whole life on Malfi, and have quite a good time there, I guess. Daddy says I should be 'growing up' and 'finding direction in my life', but Mummy dotes on me so he never follows through on his threats to cut me off.

"Personally, I'm quite happy just having fun while the good times last. Hence visiting this place. What about you? What brings you to Xanadu?"

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
"We can handle most injuries that would occur here- sprains and breaks and so on. We're not set up for serious burns, and, obviously I mean, we can't do grafts or augumetics or any of that business. As for illness, well, we can cope with stomach bugs, or the ague, or whatever, but serious or pre-existing conditions..."

She stopped short, and sat down on the edge of the bed, as if she'd only just realised that she wouldn't be required to heal anything in the next few minutes. "Sorry. I'm babbling. Do any of your party have any conditions I should know about?"

LSM
"Socializing." Isadora replied with relish. "A holiday without needing to leave the system. That sort of thing."

[Betrayer]

LSM
"I hope I can provide, then. A holiday from what, may I ask?"

[Malachite]

LSM

Lorr leans over to the Abraxius' secretary, speaking softly so as not to disturb the noble guests.
"They've created a beautiful room here, with that view over the aviary," he begins. "Really quite something. I suspect our own dining facilities will be rather less exquisite. Have you been here before?"

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai
"Oh, you know." Isadora made a vague hand gesture. "The daily grind." Mordicai couldn't shake the feeling that the 'daily grind' for her was rather different to what he, or most citizens of the imperium understood it to be.

When Lorr leaned in to mutter to the secretary, she jumped and turned sharply towards him. "You... Sorry. You surprised me." She seemed distinctly jumpy: her eyes had the slightly ragged look of a stimm-user, possibly intelligence-enhancing. "Yes. Right. No, not here before, not here."

[Betrayer]

LSM
"Must be good to get away then. What they've done with the Aviary is amazing, don't you think? I've never seen anything like it!"

He took another sip of his wine. "Have you ever been here before?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

Wrinkling her nose in disgust at the thought of 'professional' duellists, Cat resheathes the blade.

"So, what, the Toppers get to have their tiffs while someone else bleeds? Ugh. Guess I'm lucky my boss ain't the quarrelsome kind. But what about the others?" she presses again. "I saw the Malfs on the shiny toy, and they seem to live to shoot each other. Don't want to get caught in a gun fight around here, y'know?"

[LeSwordfish]

Cat
"We've got some security on hand, discrete-like, so if something does happen we can keep it contained. Safety and security of our guests is of course our top priority." The last sentence had a definite parroted feel to it. "I can't speak for individuals, course, but most toffs are all talk, no strut, if you get me. I wouldn't worry."

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai
Isadora paused for a second. "No, never. It's a new experience for me."

"Aviaries like this aren't uncommon in hive-spires." Abraxius announced, and sipped his wine as punctuation. "The high vivarium in Malfi Prime is nearly twenty kilometers across."

[Aneurin]

Cat

"Got you. That... sounds kinda boring, actually. Anywhere I don 't want to be? Or, y'know, people to avoid, and all that stuff," Cat catches Grice's eye for a moment and shrugs slightly. "Hey, better to ask than trip an augur,"

[LeSwordfish]

Cat
"The mine's off-limits, course, without a guide. The chemical storage for the aviary is best avoided, some nasty stuff in there. Same with life support. Speaking personally, i'd take it as a kindness if you'd stay out of cylinder six. That's where most of my lads live, and, well, they're protective of their homes."

[Betrayer]

Mordicai, Scythia and Lorr
At Abraxius's interjection, Mordicai turned and replied dismissively, "Oh, of course, it can't match hives for scale, but that's not the impressive thing, in itself - if you want to see lots of trees, visit a death world. It's having such a place on a resort like this, on an ex-asteroid mining station. Are you not even a little impressed by it, then, Abraxius?" He asks with neutral interest?

He risked a glance at Lady van Haal and grinned at her. "What about you? Has the station made a good first impression?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

"Dangerous passages, chemicals everywhere, and territorial boys. Sounds like home," Cat says, stretching out once again. It was a pretty long flight.

"Reckon I'll take a stroll, if it's alright by you. Ought to go let the boss know about that stuff - he's got a real gift for finding trouble," she says, rolling her eyes. "Makes my life far too interesting. Anyway, I'll catch you boys in a day or so,"
Raising her hand vaguely to Pollo and Grenadzy, she turns and takes a step towards the door before pausing and looking back over her shoulder.

"...and thank you," she says softly, sounding very subdued. "This is the first time I've been off-world and been able to see anything. I've never seen my hive like that before. It was... just..." she shakes her head, momentarily lost for words.

[LeSwordfish]

Cat

"Reckon I'll take a stroll, if it's alright by you. Ought to go let the boss know about that stuff - he's got a real gift for finding trouble," she says, rolling her eyes. "Makes my life far too interesting. Anyway, I'll catch you boys in a day or so,"

He made a vague 'if you want' hand gesture. "Go ahead. Nowhere's specifically off-limits, but... yeah, few places to avoid."


"...and thank you," she says softly, sounding very subdued. "This is the first time I've been off-world and been able to see anything. I've never seen my hive like that before. It was... just..." she shakes her head, momentarily lost for words.

Grice smiled, broad and genuine. "You aint the only one around to say that. You never forget your first trip off-world."

He threw a slightly mocking salute at her, and returned to berating the two pilots as she began to leave.

OOC Anywhere in particular, or just wandering?

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"Merely technology." Abraxius muttered, but he seemed to have been put in his place-to Isadora's immense satisfaction, Mordicai noted.

"Oh, it's excellent." Isadora replied. "I'm looking forward to exploring the faculties. Do you have anything particular planned for the week?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

When Grice's back is turned she shoots the two beleagured pilots a sympathetic glance before sauntering away in the approximate direction of the aviary, her bag swinging carelessly over her shoulder.

OOC: Wandering, really. Seeing the sights and listening to the gossip - if she finds Mordicai and Scythia, well, she'll just have to live with that. I'm happy to make an Inquiry test, if required.

[Betrayer]

Scythia, Lorr, Mordicai
"I didnt have anything in mind, when I came up. I was just going to do whatever took my fancy. I've heard the band is pretty good, so I'll go and see them at some point. I'm open to suggestions though - do you have anything you're planning to do up here?"

[Caimheul]

Isidore


"Besides a lack of due caution, my companions do not suffer from any medical conditions that I am aware of. If you'll pardon my bluntness, you appear to be suffering the classic symptoms of exhaustion. Is there a particular reason for that? I do apologize if my inquiry would be considered rude, I have simply noted a decrease in efficiency among biologicals when they have not had an adequate amount of downtime."

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai


"Sorry," Lorr replies, undeterred. "I didn't mean to startle you. I'm Lorr, pleased to meet you. Aide to Master Tybalt over there."

Privately, he wonders whether there's any useful information to be had from the secretary - no previous experience of the station and unlikely prospects for help in the future. Still, she might see something they miss, and it's always worth cultivating contacts.

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
Byron opened her mouth, seemingly to instinctively deny it, and then stopped, and started again. "I am, to be honest. We work long shifts, and now it's just me and Dmitry, and one of us has to be on shift at all times..." She sighed. "I'm fine. I can adjust. I worked longer hours down at Sibellus Gen."

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"Oh, I think I have some idea..." Isadora began enigmatically. Before Mordicai could ask her to elucidate, someone was looming over their table.

"Evening, ladies and gentleman." Expensive juvenat treatment had locked the man's age to perhaps late fifties. He had an air of power and confidence about him, a man completely settled in his position. "Name's Osborne, and i'm in charge here." His accent was crisp like cold air- high-hive, maybe Tarsus or Gunmetallicus. He clapped Mordicai on the shoulder and took the empty seat at the table. Donner, the steward, hovered behind him. "Everybody enjoying themselves?"

Across the room, the secretary smiled rather nervously at Lorr. "Sorry. Jumpy. Implants, yes. Adrienne."

It took Lorr a second to realize she was offering her name, along with extending a hand to shake. He took it: her fingernails were bitten down to the quick. "Mr Tybalt and his cousin, strange. Data suggests ...limited genetic link. Limited data. No genetic sample, facial scan only, only a scan."

Cat
Cat left through the door at the back of the hangar, and found herself in a low, cramped corridor thickly forested with pipes and ducts. Much more familiar. The corridor was a little more crowded, with several people dressed in the station's red and gold uniform, or a casual mix of overalls and bodygloves. Cat wandered through the corridors, past heavy ducts and stored fuel canisters, past cogitator racks and windows to rooms humming with power from massive lithium piles. Her sharp ears were listening out, catching scraps of gossip as the crew passed.

"Been moving crates all day, my back's killing me."

"Servitor 939-kappa broke down, I sent it down to the enginseers, and no bugger's sent a replacement."

"Malik says he'll give twenty thrones to anyone who can knock him down: Gaston's taking him on tomorrow."

"Not so many people this time. Donner says business'll pick up, Gricey ain't so sure."

And along those lines.

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai



Lorr takes the secretary's hand and shakes it amiably, shrugging at her implication.
"I don't know the exact relationship myself. Nobles seem to simplify a lot of relationships to 'cousin', and I know for a fact that there are adopted members of the family. Could be that there's little shared blood between them, but they seem to get on well enough. Not really my place to ask, you know?"

He pauses for a moment before smiling broadly.

"That's quite an impressive conclusion from nothing more than a facial scan. There's a lot more to you than meets the eye, isn't there, Adrienne? I wonder what other hidden talents you have?"

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Mordicai and Scythia
Mordicai's gaze lingered on Isadora a moment after Osborne appeared, before flickering across to Osborne. "Mordicai Tybalt, pleasure to meet you. And yes," he glanced briefly back to Isadora, "I am having a good time."

He smiled at Osborne, and paused, giving the other guests a chance to speak their mind.

[Aneurin]

Cat

After a time wandering aimlessly around the station, Cat winds her way back to the aviary loaded down with interesting and less-than-interesting gossip as well as an idea of the man who runs the place. Osborne doesn't count.

After staring curiously at the towering brown stems and the exotic plumage that surrounds her for a few minutes she realises that the others are nowhere in sight and goes in search of a map of the area, in particular one that indicates where the rooms might be. Her bag's starting to get heavy.

OOC: Going to head to the rooms first to look for the others and put away her luggage.

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
Adrienne blinked at Lorr, clearly unsure what to make of the question. "I am skilled, diverse skills, knowledge economical, psychological, genealogical, physiological, geographical, numeralogical. Nine injections a day to maintain IQ, I speak all Calixan gothic dialects including hive dialects of Tarsus, Sibellus, Gunmetallicus..." Lorr realised if he didn't stop her, she'd simply continue listing abilities indefinitely.

"Good, good." Osborne replied to Mordicai almost as if he hadn't really been listening. "So you're the Tybalts, yes? And Larisel Abraxius, unless I miss my guess?"

"Lucien."

"My apologies. You and your brother both have that striking Abraxius look, you know. And of course, Lady Van Haal."

Isadora smiled at Osborne, and he bent to kiss her hand. "Do feel free to circulate and socialise with others. We've got some very interesting gentlemen here- a scion of house Krin, two Tranchian coal magnates, and I believe that's your brother speaking to Octavian, there?"

Lucien craned his neck to see. "So it is."

"Destined for great things, that young man. Was the journey difficult?"

Cat
Following the signs discreetly marked, Cat headed to the room on their ticket, Suite Three-Nine. The accommodation seemed to be laid out in a curve around the dome: A door from the dome lead into a large lobby of the same sense of comfort and gilding as the cabin or the elevator. One wall was a window onto the dome's lower level, another was set with mirrors to make the lobby feel less cramped. As Cat proceeded along the corridor, she was reminded sharply of the station's history- efforts had been made to expand the corridors and remove the constant tangle of piping that would be expected in a station like this, but an experienced eye could easily spot flaws in the red and gold facade.

In addition, there were an awful lot of cameras, bug-eyed clusters of pict-stealers in corners. One turned to follow Cat as she passed.

Suite Three-Nine was on the third floor, and one wall was given over to a grand window looking out over the Aviary at treetop height. Cat made eye contact with a Brooksnipe perched on a leaf, which chittered and fluffed up blue-green feathers at her. The food chain was not her thing, but she dimly remembered that birds and cats weren't noted for getting on.

She began a quick survey of the suite. Five rooms- two individual rooms for the "nobles", a bathroom, a living room with cushioned chairs and a holoscreen, and a second bedroom, noticably less luxurious, for the servants. A "welcome pack" lay on each bed, with a (nearly useless) station map, and various information on calling valet-servitors. Their cases had been brought up, and were piled in the middle of the room. From the look of things, the others had already been- the shower was drying, wet towels were hung over the backs of chairs, and Scythia, Mordicai and Lorr's cases had been opened.

Map/Information pack
Okay, so I haven't drawn up a map. But I think most of it can be described fairly easily.

Station is a cluster of cylinders, with gravity acting towards the bottom of the cluster, perpendicular to the cylinder's axis. Only two cylinders are open to guests, with the others seemingly given over to the vast amounts of machinery required to keep a station like this running.

The dome is in the topmost cylinder, and the accommodation is built around it. The entertainments are either in the dome, or built into the rest of the cylinder, along with the medical bay and such, plus a spider-web tangle of corridors and access routes, many of which are generally restricted to servants and station personnel.

Entertainments available include:

Gymnasium
Sports courts, some in zero gravity
Something called a "Cantus Bath".
Concert band, performing in various public rooms.
Deck games and board games.
Portraitist
Multiple bars and restaurants.
A professional gambler, and a small casino
Barbershop,
Tailor
"Gentlemen only" smoking room
Tour of the aviary
Void-suited tour of some of the mines.
A theatre, with different shows on a regular basis

Most of these entertainments are only available at certain times.

The introduction pack implies that the rest of the group might be at a meal at this time: the map can easily tell you how to get there.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

"I am fairly certain the answer to this question will be the same as when I made the same offer to the others of my order, however I still feel obligated to make the gesture. Should the minor assistance of one trained in basic first aid in any way alleviate your burden I would be happy to oblige. I know I would not be allowed, nor advisable for me to attempt to replace either of you, but if my assistance as a medtech or nurse would help ease your burden I would be happy to spend what free time I have assisting you. I fear that otherwise I shall become quite bored during my companions' time here, as the recreation offered by this station does not interest me. I much prefer the thrill of obtaining knowledge and honing my skills in the various crafts I have accumulated over the years. Regardless, should not a station such as this have at least a third individual to aid in manning the medicae? While unaugmented human body can easily work twelve hour shifts, does not fatigue plague the end of each shift? My understanding is such weariness can lead to decreased motor functions, slowed reaction times, and increase the likelihood of an accident." Isidore postulates.

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
Byron laughed, not unkindly. "Sorry. That would be very against regulations." She stifled back a yawn. "But thank you. We should have four, but our junior left, and then Andreszj retired, so we're waiting on replacements. Next week, they say. As they've been saying for two months now."

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
Adrienne blinked at Lorr, clearly unsure what to make of the question. "I am skilled, diverse skills, knowledge economical, psychological, genealogical, physiological, geographical, numeralogical. Nine injections a day to maintain IQ, I speak all Calixan gothic dialects including hive dialects of Tarsus, Sibellus, Gunmetallicus..." Lorr realised if he didn't stop her, she'd simply continue listing abilities indefinitely.


"My goodness," Lorr cut in. "That's an impressive list. I fear that my employer is rather less well off than your own - I am left to do my best with what the Emperor has given me. Physiological - is that medical?"

[Caimheul]

Isidore

"Quite understandable, however should you need some form of unofficial assistance, I predict I shall have a large quantity of free time while my companions fritter away the day in leisurely pursuits. Bah. In my own experience "next week" tends to mean an indeterminate time in the future in bureaucracy speak. Although, their lack of motivation to replace your former co-workers is rather surprising to me, given the rumours I have been hearing of illness plaguing the guests at a higher than average rate. Isidore states conversationally.

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Mordicai, Scythia
"Broadly, broadly speaking yes."

Isidore
"You can't trust all the rumours you hear." Dr Byron seemed singularly unskilled at dodging the question.

OOC If you want to get that information out of her, it'll be an interaction test, please.

[Aneurin]

Cat

With a careless motion, Cat sends her bag flying across the servants room to land on a bed which, whoever may have previously claimed it, is now hers. It lands with an odd clinking sound.

Pacing the room, Cat shrugs off her flak jacket letting it fall to the floor with a 'phlumph' of folding fabric. In passing, she snags a welcome pack and idly leafs through it, glancing more at the pictures than reading as she walks back in to the main room to inspect the aviary and its brightly coloured birds once more.

It is, however, noticeable that she doesn't shed the twin sabres hanging at her hips even as she wanders the private suite in a bodyglove. Sighing irritably, Cat abandons the welcome pack on a desk and stalks over to a discarded map to examine that instead.

...a meal. Well, trust them to think with their stomachs rather than exploring, Cat thinks, glancing again out of the window. A formal dinner sounds dull in the extreme, and while 'gentleman's smoking room' sounds like it will be a great deal of fun, it will also likely lead to trouble - which is quite often a regretable side effect of fun.

Well, at least she can see if the aviary tour's on now and get a look at the birds. Gathering up her flak jacket and fussing over it's hang - the ensemble can be quite uncomfortable if the swords are held at the wrong angle by the folds of the coat - she walks swiftly out of the room with a last, lingering glance at the vivid scene beyond the window.

[Caimheul]

Isidore



"In point of fact, I came across this information in an official Adeptus Mechanicus document, outlining possible dangers to traveling tech-priests." Isidore lies, hoping to extract more information.

OOC: Fair point, time to use his ONLY Interaction skill: [roll0] TN 30 +/- Unknown Bonuses

[Betrayer]

Scythia, Lorr and Mordicai

"The ride up was tolerable. I was glad to have a shower when I got here though." He looks around, wondering about food. "Will you be joining us for dinner?"

[LeSwordfish]

Cat
The dome was almost empty, with a few scattered men smoking cigars in the simulacra of a warm summers evening. Some of the birds seemed to be performing an evening chorus, and three Slickbacks were looping in the treetops, cooing to each other like lovers.

The tours weren't on until tomorrow, a pimply steward informed her, but if she wanted to look around, he was happy to give her the guidebook. He rooted around under his desk and passed her a slim, glossy pamphlet which ran through most of the birds and plants in the dome, with quick descriptions, pictures, and factoids. For Cat, who rarely saw vegetation larger than lichen-mould, it was an eye-opener.

Isidore
Byron looked a little concerned, and Isidore caught himself wandering how much the denizens of the station knew about the information leaking to the outside world.

"We've had a few illnesses." she said, warily. "But nothing to be worried about."

Scythia, Lorr, Mordicai
"Afraid I can't." Osborne said smoothly. "I've already promised my company to those gentlemen over there, but I shall make a point to dine with you some other evening." He glanced up and around the room. "Terribly sorry, but I must move on now. On behalf of all of us here at Xanadu, I hope you all enjoy your stay."

And with that he was gone, Donner trotting in his wake like a dog. Isadora took a sip of her wine, and managed to make the gesture look meaningful.

"He's always been quite charming." She began, conversationally. "Well, so I hear." She sipped more of her wine, and leaned out of the way as a red-suited waiter with laid down a set of menus.

Secret agent double-roll-seven
[roll0][roll1] vs [roll2]

OOC: Once again, apologies that this is late and brief.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

"That is a relief to hear. I know sometimes official reports blow things out of proportion to encourage caution. I do apologize for intruding upon your rest, and will hopefully not bother you further this evening." Isidore says with a slight bow, before leaving the medicae. He next seeks out a representative of the hospitality team, as not filing for financial restitution would seem odd following his complaint to the Magos.

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
Lorr nods at Adrienne's answer, clearly expecting her to expand on her duties. When she doesn't, there is a brief, uncomfortable silence.

"I see," he says, a little uncertain about how to continue. "Your master is fortunate to have such a talented servant."

He casts about for a moment, looking for something else to talk about.

"Do you know any of the others here?" he continues after a moment. "I've not had a chance to meet any of the other servants yet."

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"He certainly seems it." He picks up a menu and starts perusing it idly. Not particularly caring what he gets, he decides to have the first thing from each section, but keeps looking at the contents to keep up appearences.

"So you've heard? Do you have friends in common? Or just from visitors to this place?"

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
Returning through the station back to the dome, Isidore found that it seemed to be closing up for the night. The dome was almost empty, with a few scattered men smoking cigars in the simulacra of a warm summers evening. Some of the birds seemed to be performing an evening chorus, and three Slickbacks were looping in the treetops, cooing to each other like lovers.

"A complaint about the servitors?" The pimply young man at the information booth in the dome asked, looking like a man watching his chances of leaving early that evening ebb away. "I can get you a form to fill in, I suppose. What's the problem, exactly?"

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai
"Friends in common." Isadora mused. "I suppose you could say that."

She took another sip of wine and sat in thoughtful slience for a moment, breaking it only to place her order with the waiter. As he left, the malfian gave Mordicai a significant look.

"While I've never heard of the Tybalts, I suppose one must take an interest. Tell me, what interests does your family have? Do you own land?"

---

"I don't know anyone, not anyone." Adrienne said, seeming to chew on the words for a second before spitting them out.

"I know some folk." Lorr half-turned, to see the bodyguard of the Khayyer-Addins, the wiry man with large glare-shades, a sharp suit, and two of the largest bolt pistols Lorr had ever seen. "Over there" he began, pointing with a lazy finger, "is Osborne, who owns the place. Little way behind him schmoozin' the staff is Adie Donner, one of the stewards. Over by the serving hatch is Gendry, used to work for house Krin, left under a cloud a year back and seems to live here. We've got two malfian life-guard around, the big bastards. M'lady here"-he indicated Adrienne, who blinked at him a few times "-would be a logis-secretary, am i right? I think old man Gardinier has one of those, maybe you two can swap spaceship numbers or whatever."

It was hard to make out expression behind the shades, but his lower face looked smug. "I do my research. You'd be one of Tybalt's men, yes?"

[Caimheul]

Isidore
"One of the luggage servitors scuffed an article of our luggage during handling. I have already spoken to the Magos regarding this issue and I am certain my companions would like to at least file an official report and/or seek financial restitution. If necessary I would be happy to return later with a completed form." Isidore responds without malice to the young man.

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai


"I don't know anyone, not anyone."

For a moment Lorr feels a wave of pity and sympathy wash over him - loneliness is not such an unfamiliar emotion for him either - but then the bodyguard interrupts. As the intimidating man points out various people around the room, Lorr takes mental notes. Always useful to know who you're dealing with.

"I do my research. You'd be one of Tybalt's men, yes?"

"You've done your research well. I'm Master Tybalt's aide and body-servant. Lorr's my name.

[Aneurin]

Cat

With a brief nod at the steward, Cat saunters off down the pathways of the aviary with book in hand. She's not really doing anything per se, so much as being - and what she's being is conspicuously present, making herself a part of this little world.

Oh, and she's being curious. These bird things really are interesting, though it's still hard to fight down a flinch reaction whenever one of the birds passes close by - in the underhive something flying over your head is virtually never and indicator of something good.

Gazing aimlessly at, well, everything, Cat continues her wandering down the pathways until she spots something concealed in the foliage that could very well be the way to that chemical thing Grice had been talking about - or something equally interesting.

With nothing else to do, she wanders over to try the door.

[LeSwordfish]

Cat
Sure enough, her sharp eyes spotted a hatchway in the foliage, half-hidden in the rocks around an artificial waterfall. Trying not to be too conspicuous, she eyed it up. It looked like it was held locked with a battered padlock, and it was a significant distance off the beaten path. Should someone walk past, she'd have a difficult job explaining why she was climbing on the rocks.

OOC: Security test please, and Concealment or Silent Move if you want to be sneaky.

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"Quint." The bodyguard shook Lorr's hand, gripping firmly. "Visited before?"

Isidore
"Just a moment." The young man went through a low doorway into a back room. Isidore heard some irritated muttering, and a few seconds later he returned with a form and a pen. "Fill this out, and hand it to any of the stewarding team."

The form looked to be built on the standards of the administratum: not difficult to fill out, but long and involved and very, very dull.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

Upon recieving the forms and the pen, Isidore accepts them cheerfully. "Thank you! I shall endeavour to have these returned in a timely fashion." Isidore says with a slight inclination of his head before returning to the room.

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore & Cat
As Isidore returned through the trees he nearly wandered clean into Cat, who was frowning at a pile of rocks around a small waterfall, which, on closer inspection, looked to contain a small metal hatchway, sealed with a padlock.

OOC: You two are now in the same spoilers.

[Caimheul]

Isidore & Cat

Immediately upon spotting the hidden door Cat is in the process of studying, Isidore looks for anyone else nearby or any cameras pointed in their direction, attempting to hide his actions as simply taking in the sights around him. "I presume you intend to investigate that further? No specifics now obviously." he says with his vocoder on its lowest setting.

[Aneurin]

Cat & Isidore

"Certainly," she says brightly. "It's a very interesting specimen. Would you mind taking a step to the left, so it doesn't feel overlooked?" She adds, turning to give Isidore a wicked grin.

Using the tech-priest's augmented bulk as a crude form of cover, Cat darts up the rocks to where the door is situated - as swift and silent as her namesake. As if by magic, a complex tool appears in her hand and she sets to work on the rusted lock.

Rolls;
Security;
[roll0] vs 43 (Fate reroll to 97)

Silent Move +10;
[roll1] vs 53

Concealment;
[roll2] vs 43

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"Quint." The bodyguard shook Lorr's hand, gripping firmly. "Visited before?"

"No, first time for me," Lorr replies. "It's an impressive place, isn't it? I never expected to see so much life on an asteroid. So, as a man who's done his research, is there anyone here I should be wary of?"

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordecai
"Not primarily. We've got a bit of land, but mainly metal exports and food imports. You know, shuttle runs up to and back from Chartist ships, and even the occasional Rogue Trader. I'm not really particularly familiar with the details." He repeated the overview of his fictional family's income's to Lucien, sipping his wine.

"What about the Abraxiuses? Do you control land yourself?"

[LeSwordfish]

Cat and Isidore
The door proved irritatingly resistant to Cat's tools, and having to keep her grip on the rocks didn't help. Up closer to it she could see the writing on it- she couldn't read, but she recognised the universal symbols for "toxic" and "keep out"- one's she'd ignored before.

Back on the path, Isidore shifted slightly awkwardly as voices passed nearby, on the other side of a stand of red-stalks, chattering about a game of battledore. A close call.

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
Avoid the malfian bodyguards." the bodyguard said. "See the boxes on their necks? Voice-control boxes. They've probably got injector rigs implanted in the head too. Gland-guard, they're called. Voice-commanded, hyped to the gills on chems. I fought one in a duel, couple years back. Took three bolt rounds to bring down. Never piss off those malfians, let me tell you."

---

"We have many interests." Abraxius offered vaguely.

Isadora raised an eyebrow. "Anything as interesting as rogue traders?"

"Very interesting."

"Like what?"

Isadora winked at Mordicai. Abraxius looked thoroughly sour. "Private. Delicate matters."

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai

"Since I don't have a bolt pistol, I think I'll take your word for it and steer clear of them," Lorr remarks with a wry smile. The smile slips as he takes a glance back at the dinner table. "Unfortunately, it looks as though Master Tybalt is not exactly endearing himself to whichever Abraxius that is. I do hope there won't be any need for violence. I expect Master Osborne would disapprove."

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"Oh, I understand entirely." Mordicai nodded knowingly. "Discretion is central to a lot of our business. I obviously wouldn't discuss any of the details of our clients. Still, what sort of business, in the broadest strokes? Exports? Construction? Production?"

He leant back in his chair and sipped his wine again.

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
Quint gave a short, mirthless laugh. "You could certainly say that. I hear there's a pretty big security presence here. Start a fight and he'll have you chucked out of an airlock. Or catch a mysterious illness. Or something."


"Import. Export."

"Of what?" Isadora asked, with a crushing lack of delicacy. As Abraxius replied, the food was delivered to their table, gently steaming platters , jugs of vibrant sauces.

"Assorted items. We take no responsibility for what we carry, of course."

Isadora snorted. "You don't need to be so cagey, we aren't the inquisition."

[Betrayer]

Lorr, Scythia and Mordicai
After carefully watching Lucien's reaction to this exclaimation, Mordicai turned to Isadora, laying a hand on her arm, as if to placate her.

"Come now. I'm sure their products are just something embarrassing." He paused, and made an expression as though a thought had just struck him. "Or maybe, something Lucien feels would offend our delicate sensibilities. We've all had to haul metaphorical Grox Dung once or twice. Or literal Grox Dung, for that matter."

"What are your own interests?"

[Aneurin]

Cat and Isidore

After rattling the infuriating lock a few times, Cat hops down the rockface with ease and gives Isidore a shrug.

"Locked up tight. Reckon I'll try it again when this place is emptier and I've got more time," she says, looking around the aviary.

"Have you seen the others?" she adds, beginning to walk along the path once more.

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai


"A mysterious illness? Is that like 'falling off a balcony' or 'having a severe allergic reaction'?" Lorr shakes his head. "I'll have to think of a way to warn the master to be a bit more tactful. If he gets on the wrong side of Osborne, I don't want to be the one made an example of get him to fall in line."

[Caimheul]

Isidore & Cat

"I might be interested in observing that specimen you discovered at time it is less skittish myself. My presumption is that they are currently attending the evening repast, although I have not had contact with them since arriving here. One of our trunks was damaged by a servitor and I felt it important to report the incident immediately. It might be a good idea to retire to our rooms for the time being, as that is the only location we can be assured the rest of our party will eventually turn up." Isidore replies, walking alongside Cat.

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai
"That's unlikely, the only people to-" Quint began, and then cut himself off abruptly. Donner, the steward, had peeled away from Osborne and was crossing towards them.

"Enjoying yourselves?" She asked, with a cheerful smile that stopped short some way from her eyes. "I'm afraid functions like this can be less interesting for the staff."

"Oh, no, whale of a time." Quint replied drily. "Brains here was telling me about her special skills. She knows all the numbers, you know? All of them."

Adrienne and Donner looked at Quint, trying to work out which was being made fun of more.

---

"Oh, my father is in the beast trade." Isadora replied breezily. "Entirely the legitimate side, of course. Buying and selling beasts, and handling equipment. Plus I believe we have holdings on Fenksworld, but I never took much of an interest before."

[Malachite]

Lorr, Scythia, Mordicai






"She seems to know all of everything else too, though," Lorr continues. "While Quint here has been telling us how he once won a duel against one of those gland-guards. It's all making me feel rather inferior as an aide, really."

He shoots a wry smile at the other two servants to let them know he's only teasing.

"It's quite an impressive place Master Osbourne has built here. The Aviary is simply spectacular!"

[Aneurin]

Cat

Wrinkling her nose at the suggestion she do something so boring as wait for the others, Cat continues to watch the birds with a mixture of fascination and bewilderment. After a few moments, though, she says;

"Nah, sounds boring. Want to go check out the Servie instead? Ask around and see who else's luggage was broke?" she asks, with a particularly wild grin that accentuates the filed points of her incisors.

[Caimheul]

Isidore & Cat

"Such a line of inquiry is likely to stir the ire of station personnel for little benefit, especially as the damage is the form of a minor scuff on the bottom corner. By normal standards such damage would be excusable, however we were assured of the quality of the station's servitors. I have already reported the damages to the station's magos in addition to hospitality services. In additiona, I made an intial survey of the medicae facilities as is my wont. I do think we should obtain nutrients independently and strive to meet up with our companions and share today's experiences." Isidore replies.

[Aneurin]

Cat

"Yeah, but it's way more fun than sitting around," she says, with an edge of exasperation in her voice. "Do you coggers have a sense of fun still, or is it the second thing they remove?" she adds with a leer.

[LeSwordfish]

Lorr, Mordecai
"It is, isn't it?" Donner replied animatedly. From the look of things, she was herself enamoured with the aviary. "We're very proud of it. It's the largest off-planet one in civilian hands in the sector. We've got flora from over sixty different systems. Myself and mister Osborne selected them personally."

"I didn't think you two were that...hands-on." Quint remarked.

"Mister Osborne makes very careful decisions about most aspects of the station."

"I wasn't talking about the station, i was..."

"An innuendo." The small secretary was giving Quint a look of utter horror. "Scatological or sexual intention, the use of."

"Alright, alright." Quint sighed sharply. "Guess subtlety was something they took out of your head, not put in, eh?" He nodded politely at Donner and at Lorr. "If you'll excuse me, I've got somewhere else to be. Anywhere, to be precise."

And with that he was gone, moving smoothly off into the crowd. Donner blushed, and turned to Lorr. "I assure you, myself and Mister Osborne's relationship is purely professional."

She blushed again and left. A minute or so later, Adrienne was summoned to her master's table, and for the rest of the evening Lorr stood alone, wondering vaguely what the etiquette for helping himself to the wine was.

---

"The beast trade?" Abraxius raised a sculpted eyebrow. "Seems rather less decorous than one would expect from someone of your breeding."

"Well." Isadora replied with a sweet smile. "At least it's legal."

Abraxius scowled at Isadora. If looks could kill, she would have combusted. "I see no reason to sit here and suffer such accusations." He clicked his fingers, and the small secretary who had ben following him earlier appeared at his elbow. "Bring my posessions. I shall dine with my brother instead."

Isadora smiled and reached for the wine as the two left the table. "All the more for us, then."

Lysander
Nearly a week he'd been here. And nothing.

The Division were, in their own estimation at least, never wrong. Mysterious illnesses, considered statistically significant, on a pleasure station in the near halo of the Scintilla system. Isolated pleasure locations were almost always hotbeds of cult activity, and so the Division had sent him in. His experiences on Quaddis were expected to serve him well here, though leaving his partner on Scintilla to investigate from ground level would probably serve him all the better.

And still, nothing.

Lysander retired to bed, hoping that something would appear in the morning.

OOC: Feel free to read the rest of the thread so far. Any information in the breifing at the start can be considered the information the Divisio gave you.


Everyone
The next morning didn't dawn, light-hours from the star, but electric lights in the dome slowly rose to full strength, throwing acinitic yellow light into the bedrooms. The dawn chorus- dozens of voices of birdsong- woke them, and Mordicai had to admit, as he rose and dressed himself, it was a very convivial way to be woken.

A breakfast buffet was served in the same opulent room they had recieved dinner in the night before. Most others had left by the time the acoytes arrived, with the only person there but a pair of chefs and a tall, brown-haired young man. Scythia nudged Lorr as she saw him, and indicated the man.

"I know him." She muttered. "I've seen him before. I think he's in the Divisio."

[Malachite]

Lorr bends to listen to Scythia, every inch the servant attending to his mistress.

"Really?" he says quietly. "Shall I invite him over to take breakfast with you? I'm sure it wouldn't seem out of place."

[Perius]

Lysander, pre-breakfastOOCShall we say Sandy's spent the week in bed on sleeping pills due to a sudden attack of severe migraine Void-ache? Explains why he hasn't met anyone yet...Over the past seven days, in betweeing medication and tortured night-visions, Sandy had lain awake, mentally pouring over and over the facts of the case as established by the Divisio.

Leonid Grice, ex-ganger, tuned miner, now running the show, a survivor, evidently - Dr Byron, formerly from the general hospital on Scintilla - potential link there, shipping victims to her former colleagues? - should follow up - Osborne, socialite, mingler, collects the rich and famous - where does his money come from? The station's a marvel, but he's a minor son of an undistinguished house - the only man I know with a more legal set of official accounts is my father.

Tossing and turning in the hot sheets of his bed, his mind spews forth visions of what might be going on. Blackmail - assassinations - spreading diseases amongst the Scintillan population - something the miners dug up - maybe he's planning a coup - and so on and so on and so on, the one constant being the sure knowledge in his mind. Something's not right here - Osborne's a crook, and I'm going to bring him down.

And so, when he wakes on the seventh day, head-ache gone and vision clear again, Lysander Fawkes, Warden of the Divisio Immoralis and true heir to House Fawkes, swings himself out of bed with gusto.

Alright, Sandy - it's showtime!

Absent mindedly running his hand through his brown curls, Fawkes surveys the array of foodstuffs in their silver tureens. Blood oranges, grapefruit, some little spindly fish (Trantian, he thinks - definitely had it before), a dollop of scrambled quails eggs, a pair of stuffed dormice, and a healthy serving of the mushrooms - he's not holding back. He might be here on business, but he's never seen the point of dividing business and pleasure.

He's just ordering himself a strong ristretto from the nearest server when he sees her, basking with a larger group of fellow nobles over at the other side of the room. At first, he can't think where she's from - Quaddis, perhaps? or maybe a past business contact from Pry? - and then it strikes him. It's her, the bitch-woman from the Divisio, infamous even amongst her follows for cold careerism and a lusty hunger for power. Scythia. Hell.

Flustered slightly, he turns away quickly, catching the eye of another server. Maybe she hasn't seen him? And what the devil is she doing here as well - this was meant to be a solo mission, for Emperor's sake!

"And a flute of champagne, to have with my mice. Excellent."

[Aneurin]

Cat

Night and day are somewhat alien concepts in a Hive - the shrouds of smog and the plasteel lattices block off more and more sunlight the deeper within the you go. In the rotting heart, though, there's no natural light left; it has been stolen by the richer, healthier citizens who live on the outer edges and upper spires. All that's left is the fitful flickering of the handful of surviving glowglobes.

All in all, this adds up to the concept of a sunset being somewhat alien to someone who has only seldom even seen sunlight. This, naturally, leads to no small amount of consternation when the lights start to change colour and dim. In fact, it adds up to quite a lot of consternation as Cat sits up half the night in the deep belief that the whole thing has been staged as cover for an attack.

So she's not really in the mood for the rich person's idea of food.

"What? What is this?" she says grumpily, holding up a slice of rich white bread. "The algae bread's the wrong colour. Is something wrong with the 'ponics here? And where's the rat meat?" she complains, pushing around a pair of boiled quail eggs - (must be something wrong with them - what kind of healthy pegger lizard lays eggs that size?) - and, in general, glowering at everyone in a fashion commonly associated with mild sleep deprivation.


Her ears prick slightly at Scythia's comment, however, and she quickly scans the room for the object of attention.

"If you're after a date, you're well in there. His eyes nearly popped out when he saw you," Cat leers.

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia bit her lip thoughtfully. "Yes. It would be strange not to. What's he doing here?"

[Malachite]

Lorr

With a slight bow, Lorr makes his way over to the indicated man's table, bowing once again as he approaches.

"Sir," he begins. "My mistress inquires whether you would care to join her for breakfast this morning? She would be glad of your company."

Only the fainted hint of stress is placed on the word 'inquires' - just enough to make the meaning clear.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai stands silently, watching the odd new comer to the station. He eyes him suspiciously as Lorr goes over to talk to him. He plasters a smile on his face, and prepares to charm this unknown guest, apparently a member of the Arbites.

[Caimheul]

Isidore and Cat, Night before:
"They haven't quite gotten around to removing anything from me just yet, besides some lesser used portions of my biological brain and tentire lower jaw. I just do not find harassing those workers who likely take a great deal of flak from the nobility for things that are not their fault entertaining. Word about treatment of workers tends to spread in a station like this, until it becomes harder to find anyone who will do you favours or answer questions truthfully." Isidore says before letting out a downward pitching burst of soft static. "Truthfully, this vacation is likely to bore one such as myself. Gaming establishments rarely allow one as augmented as myself to participate due to fears of manipulations of the machines, the ability to accurate compute odds, and the difficulty other players have in reading a tech-priest. Other than the tour of the mine and a non-intrusive examination of the station, there really isn't anything for me here. It is a shame there is not a shooting range for me to at least spend some time in practice."
-------
Breakfast:

Isidore's selections of are rather... bland to say the least. A number of unpeeled eggs in a bowl of porridge. The eggs are placed shell and all with a portion of the oatmeal into an opening of the implanted respirator unit. The door closes, a soft grinding noise barely audible to those on either side of the tech-priest is emitted, and the door then reopens when Isidore lifts the next spoonful of egg and oatmeal. "I fear I do not quite understand why more people do not obtain your nutrients from a simple slurry. It would be much more efficient and nutritious." he states, the implanted speaker unaffected by his intake of food.
"Better to introduce ourselves now than at a later time..." Isidore says at a volume calculated to barely be audible to his companions as he begins to fidget with his auspex with the hand not occupied by a spoon.

Once the newcomer approaches within range:
Awareness: [roll0] TN 45 (30/2 Untrained +30? Auspex)
Tech-Use for not obvious things (such as weapons, armour, implants): [roll1] TN 60

[Perius]

"Sir," he begins. "My mistress inquires whether you would care to join her for breakfast this morning? She would be glad of your company."

Lysander smiles, retaining his outward composure even as his insides clench. So much for not being noticed, then.

"The lady over there? I'm sure she should be... waiter! My things, carried over to that lady's table." Clapping Lorr on the back, he tosses the server a wink, and moves over to join the odd little group sitting round Scythia, just enough swagger in his step to send the appearance of a man heading towards his next romantic conquest.

Bending down, he plucks up Scythia's hand and raises it to his lips.

"Fawkes, ma'am - Lysander Fawkes, here on business. Have we met?"

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia frowned at the man, trying to work out whether he actually recognised her or not. "Scythia Morgana. We might have done."

[Perius]

"Ah, of course - we met at that party Lord Drax threw on Hive Sibellius*, six years ago. I never forget a pretty face, and one as fair as yours - just there, thank you," he gestures for the waiter to deposit his food directly opposite Scythia, continuing talking throughout "- why, I'm sure I'll remember it to the grave. You are beautiful, my lady."

Taking a seat, he gestures for her to be poured champagne, completely ignoring the rest of the group. Trust Morgana to take servants with her wherever she goes...

"So, what brings you here? Business, or pleasure?"

*Hopefully she'll get the reference to the location of Divisio Immoralis headquarters

[Betrayer]

Mordicai takes the opportunity to step in. This could go badly wrong - someone who knows who Scythia really is could damage their cover irreparably. On the other hand, if he is working for the Arbites he might well be undercover and investigating himself.

"Pleased to meet you, Lysander." He stands and proffers a hand amiably. "I'm Mordicai Tybalt, Scythia's Malfian cousin. She's here with me. We're on holiday." He snorts with laughter at the thought. "I can't imagine what business you could possibly be one here - I didn't think that Osborne was looking for investors?"

He sits down again, nudging his food around his plate with his fork absent mindedly.

[Perius]

Lysander regards the new speaker warily, but takes the proferred hand.

"Mordicai - a pleasure. Well, business and holidays so often mix, don't you find? As it happens, I'm here on a fact-finding mission for my family, casual stuff, having a look round before formal negotiations are commenced. We deal in goods, you see, all sorts - you name it, we stock it. Trained servants, spare servitor parts, private detectives."

He makes eye contact with Mordicai.

"Or even, say, well-operating medical equipment... really, anything. Just a matter of my people needing to know what's needed: we'd hate to make Osborne an offer on incorrect assumptions! That would be - embarrassing."

Smiling, he leans back, breaking eye contact to take a sip of his champagne. Forking a lump of scrambled quails egg into his mouth, he grins back at the two other nobles.

"And you? How long have you two known each other? Your families particularly close?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

Rolling her eyes at the supposed nobles' antics - three nobles? Really? How can anyone possibly stand that many? - Cat continues to push her food around her plate, completely oblivious to the subtle exchange of signals around her, before wrinkling her nose in obvious distate and deliberately laying down her fork with a precise click.

She looks around the table for a moment, considering.

Busy...

Boring...

Busy...

Ah!

"Oi, you had much of a chance to look around the place, or did they keep you tied up all night?" she says in a loud aside to Lorr, largely cutting out the other conversation. "Pretty good set up, don't you think? I liked the birds." she pauses. "Oh, and I've got a try-out for a job tomorrow,"

[Malachite]

Lorr

Lorr moves to stand next to Cat, not wanting to distract the others from their conversation. Something like this has the potential to blow their cover wide open. Best to take it seriously.

"No," he replies quietly. "Not beyond looking for a map. I did meet a few of the other servants at dinner time though - some interesting characters there. What sort. What sort of a job do you mean? You will be available for the return flight, yes?"

[Betrayer]

"Fairly distantly, and only by marriage, but Cousin Si-Si and I are close enough, I think you'll find. Close enough to come on holiday together, anyway."

Now that Lysander seems to be maintaining the fiction that neither he nor Scythia are Arbites, Mordicai can relax a little. Still, it wouldn't do to give away their inquisitorial links, even if Lysander could prove useful - he already knows about the medical issues, and is investigating it:

Of course! He's here from the Arbites, they've cottoned on to the suspicious illnesses and have sent their own operative to investigate. Yes, he could be a useful resource, as long as they played their cards right, and strung him along just enough. Let him think they were from the Arbites too.

"Although, I suppose we only really became close after the wedding. It was a great do, not quite as impressive as some of this." He waved his hand at the forest. "But some of the best Sibellus could provide.

"How long have you been doing your... research? We only arrived last night."

[Aneurin]

Cat

"Why, I might be flying you home," she replies, sporting a truly wicked grin. "I went for a look around, met the pilots who flew us in, and the head man - Grice. Said I wanted to leave them," she nods towards Scythia and Mordicai, "and find some new work, so Grice said I could try out for some piloting here. You should try it. Place is an old mining rig, so they're gonna want some dandified servants 'round to cover up the roungh-and-readies like Gricey's crew - you might be in with a shot," she concludes, leaning back in her chair and stretching out.

[Perius]

Lysander grins, and forks a fresh heap of scrambled egg into his mouth. Knocking it back with his ristretto, he pauses to savour the taste briefly before answering.

"Hits the spot. I've been here a week actually, been a blast. This place is amazing, I find - sort of place you really want to come back to, isn't it? I don't know about you, but I can definitely see the attraction of a return visit. But I'm sure all of Osborne's guests must feel the same..."

Cutting the fatter of his two dormice in half, he pauses before placing it in his mouth.

"That said, I've actually been a bit under the weather myself. Going to drop by the medical wing to pick up some fresh sleeping pills in a bit - hopefully they'll have a box with all our medical records there, be able to fix me up right!"

Wincing slightly at the taste of the rodent - somewhat overdone, he feels - Lysander switches to attaking the Trantian spindly fish and the mushrooms. "I mean, it's a shame really - I'd love to be able to mingle with the others. Osborne's so well connected, so many higher-ups here, heirs, influential politicians: it's amazing the space station is big enough to take us all, really."

Sitting back, he starts to prod at his grapefruit inquisitively. "What about you folks? Any plans for today?"

[LeSwordfish]

"I believe you had your plans?" Scythia asked Mordicai. "I was considering doing some socialisation."

[Betrayer]

"As you wish, cuz. I didn't have any particular plans, as of yet, but I have a couple of ideas."

He looks at Lysander, and turns his head to one side.

"You haven't seen the old mines yet, have you?"

[Caimheul]

"The mines might hold some interest for me, overall though I have yet to find anything that particularly attracts my attention. I happened to stop by the medicae the other day in order to get a feel for the facility. I must say the chirmogeon on duty last night was amenable and seemed quite knowledgeable, if a bit over-worked from being short-handed." the tech-priest says as he grinds another bite of food.

[Malachite]

Lorr

"What, and leave Master Tybalt and Lady Morgana with no-one to attend to their needs? I couldn't do that," Lorr says, shaking his head. "I hope you enjoy piloting for the station."

[LeSwordfish]

"When I checked the rooms earlier they were thoroughly... clean." Mordicai offered, still unsure how much to reveal to this newcomer. "Perhaps we could retire there for discussion?

[Caimheul]

"I concur. But they may need a quick sweep before they are ready to receive guests. Isidore contributes.

[Perius]

Lysander nods cheerfully.

"Sounds like a capital idea. As it happens, I have a bit of a dust allergy myself, and you can't be too careful. Wouldn't like to start thinking how dirty parts of my room here might be - I haven't seen a cleaner come round since I've arrived - although I suppose there might be servants entrances I haven't spotted. Why," he continues, polishing off the last of the grapefruit and sitting back to review the carnage he's made of the meal, "back home on Pry, we had servants doors in most of the walls, and passages snaking through - you'd never even have known they were there!"

He looks to the others.

"Shall we head off, then? I can always go pick up my pills later, so long as I have them before tonight - want to get a wink of sleep, after all."

[LeSwordfish]

"Well." Scythia suggested, taking a last drink of ploin juice and standing. If you would like to follow me, Mr Lysander..."

She lead the group back upstairs through the warren of corridors, and it was only when they had reached the room and sealed it behind them that she turned to Lysander and said "What in the throne's gaze is another warden doing here?"

[Caimheul]

Isidore holds up a hand for silence as he sweeps the room for bugs that may have been planted while the room was unoccupied by the members of the cell.
tech use:[roll0] tn 60
Perception:[roll1] tn 45

[LeSwordfish]

Scythia stood tersely for a moment as Mordicai's scam came up clean again, before launching into her question.

[Perius]

Lysander scowls. "I could ask you the very same question - I was here first, and was assured that my unit would be the only one investigating."

He runs his eyes over the rest of the group. "That said, I'm glad you and your team were shipped out to support me. I could use some assistance in this operation. I don't know how the Divisio got you a techpriest, but he could definitely come in useful.

"Essentially, we know Osborne is up to something dodgy. No noble fills a space station in the middle of nowhere with this many senior figures without an agenda, and Osborne's not your normal noble - I don't know if you've seen the data, but his accounts are far too clean. It takes a lot to buy and set up a station, and his family isn't even major.

"Add to that these medical disappearances, and I get suspicious. I want to know - who falls ill, is there a pattern? Do ill people recover or stay ill? Do ill people return to the station? Hell, does anyone return to the station for a second trip, and if so, who are they? Are any of them here?"

He pauses.

"I'm sure you have questions too. Anything you guys have noticed, thus far?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

"Uh... what? Who the frag are you?" she says, giving Lysander a very dubious look. In response to the food and the lack of anything better to do, Cat has followed the group to their rooms and has been watching the proceedings with a mixture of suspicion and puzzlement - mostly, though, suspicion. Life is never so convenient as to spontaneously provide a willing, informed ally.

Which means someone is about to get played. And by the Emperor's sacred toenails it's not going to be her.

[Malachite]

Lorr

"I got the chance to talk to a couple of the servants at the dinner," the psyker offers. "The Khayyer-Addin bodyguard, Quint. He knows something. When I made a remark about how 'Cai here might be making an enemy in Abraxius and that I hoped there wouldn't be any violence..." He shoots an apologetic look at Mordicai. "...he said that trouble-makers tended to get thrown out of an airlock or catch a mysterious illness. I tried to press him on irt and he was about to elaborate, but then Osborne's steward came over and interrupted."

He shrugs. "I'll see if I can get it to come up next time I have a chance to talk to him. How about the rest of you? What have you been up to?"

[LeSwordfish]

"I spent some time speaking to Isadora." Scythia replied. "She seems nice enough, and certainly knowledgeable about the other guests, but I don't think she knows anything. She didn't mention any illnesses or anything, though she can answer one of your questions: she's been here before. Very familiar with the place, I think."

[Betrayer]

Mordicai dropped his accent a little, trying to find the stocato pitch of an arbiter used to the lower hive.

"She seemed to have a problem with Lucien Abraxius, almost like she was interrogating him. She might have her own agenda. But maybe I'm just getting paranoid.

"Also worth noting - emergency craft aren't checked on the way down. Could be a smuggling racket. That'd be my bet."

He turned to look at Cat. "You said you were getting in with the pilots? Might be worth looking at what the drills are for medical emergencies?"

[Aneurin]

Cat

Still glaring at Lysander, Cat does reply to Mordicai;

"Sure," she shrugs. "Met the big man, Grice, by the way. Place is an old mining rig - Grice stayed on with a lot of his boys when the place was taken over. Not an out-and-out blue-blooder, really. Decent guy, though the staff look pretty scared of him. What else?" she clicks her tongue irritably. "Oh, that's it. Said to stay away from the chemical storage in the aviary for some reason - dunno why. Has a pretty decent lock on it," she says, carefully avoiding saying how she knows that there's a decent lock on the door.

[LeSwordfish]

"Well, how about myself and Mr Lysander here share the information we've gathered so far, while the rest of you go and investigate?" Scythia asked.

OOC
I'm in a tent somewhere until Friday evening, so won't be updating again. This is my way of shuffling the two NPC's aside.

[Caimheul]

"My own investigations were quite friutless, although I have laid the groundwork for my continued presence in the Omnisiah's shrine on board. I may be able to obtain more information from my fellow tech-priests at a later time. The medicae on board are overworked to the point of exhaustion, and seem to be denying any reports of a higher than average occurrence of illness. Someone more suited to the art of conversation should likely press the matter further." Isidore contributes to the discussion.

[Perius]

Lysander nods. "I'll give the medical bay a try, then - just as soon as Scythia and I have finished updating each other on the sit rep. How about we all meet up again at supper, share reports?"

OOCBack from abroad, but will be going off again from Tuesday through till the end of July, after which I'm back again properly.

[Aneurin]

Cat

"Eh, sure, we'll leave you two to make out," she says, with a leer and a careless shrug. As she saunters out of the room, however, she shoots Lysander one last, lingering look of pure mistrust.

Out of the room, though, that look vanishes, replaced by a kind of supreme confidence. As she strolls through the station in no particular direction, she takes time to plot an itinerary of some kind.

Gaston and Malik. Yeah. That should be fun.

Aviary, if the fragging tours're on today.

Find Gricey's duellists.

Do some bar hopping.


...pretty good day, all told.

[Betrayer]

Mordicai watches her leave, and doesn't move or speak until the door closes behind her. Once she's gone, he turns to Isidore, maintaining the staccato impression of a hivebound enforcer as long as Lysander is listening.

"You said you wanted to have a look round the mines? I'm probably going down there myself - I want to get a better feel for the place. And if they are smuggling, they could have plenty of storage space down there. Or maybe there's something they're still diggin' up that they need bringing down." He speculates. "Try keeping an eye out for anything that looks like ongoing operations while we're down there?"

He looks up at the tech-priest to seek confirmation of the plan.

[Caimheul]

Isidore inclines his head in agreement. "Such was my intention. Even if the mines are truly no longer in use for any reason, such an excursion would interest me. Two sets of optical receivers has a significantly higher percentage of success a noticing oddities than a single set," he replies.

[Malachite]

Lorr nods too.

"Let's make that three sets, then. If there's anything dangerous going on down there, the last thing we want is to have split ourselves up so we can be picked off piecemeal."

Heading over to their cases, he checks that his lethal-looking psy-marked hand cannon is loaded and ready for use, then attaches his lamp-pack to its lower rail. If things get messy, best to have everything you need in a heartbeat.

He also picks up his grapnel and frowns at it, looking down at his tailored uniform.
"Anyone have anywhere I could hide this?" he asks. "It might look a bit suspicious carrying it down there openly."

[LeSwordfish]

For now, at least, Cat walked with the others as they headed down through the station to the dome, from which they had been informed the tours to the catacombs set off. The station was waking up, and guests were filtering through the corridors. Mordicai was forced to sidestep to avoid a pair of sprinting children followed by a teenaged governess, and two elderly men stood in the corridor, arguing about Calderus, until the group was forced to squeeze by them.

The dome was much as it had been the previous night, but now a group of kerry-wings were perched in one of the higher trees twittering a dawn chorus, loud enough to make conversation difficult. A pair of male stewards were standing at the mustering point with clipboards, next to a trio of young pinch-faced women who looked to be sisters, or at least all sucking the same lemon.

"Here for the tour?" the taller of the two men asked cheerfully. "We've got some things for you to sign. Have you ever used a vac-suit before?"

[Betrayer]

"We are for the tour, and I'm afraid to say I haven't," he replies, "it can't be too challenging, surely?"

He speaks pleasantly, if a little condescendingly, the the tall man.

"The name's Mordicai Tybalt."

He wait's patiently for the paperwork, and instruction on the vac-suits.

[Perius]

Scythia and LysanderLeft alone in the room, Lysander scowls at Scythia.

"She's not far wrong, you know. If we become lovers, that gives me reason to visit this room at all hours, to talk to you in public - it improves our cover no end. Not -" he adds hastily "that I have any intention of becoming your lover. But the pretense could be useful."

[Caimheul]

Mine Tour Group:

"I have some minor experience from when I was an acolyte. Although I am not overly familiar with this particular model... Isidore trails off, always fascinated by technical demonstrations.

[Malachite]

Mine tour

"I have no experience either, unfortunately," Lorr answers. "I'm sure that you'll have no trouble explaining it to us though."

[Aneurin]

Cat

Mine Tour

"Ehyeah. I'll pick it up as we go," she makes a vaguely committal noise as she looks around at the fuss and bother surrounding her. Void suits. Oh, great. How'd she gotten roped in to this again?

Last time she lets anyone talk her in to anything.

Going out in to nothing with only a flimsy suit between them and absolutely nothing. Emperor above, nobles are insane.

[LeSwordfish]

Mine Tour
"Sign or make your mark here." the shorter man demanded, holding out a sheaf of papers and a pen. Mordicai scrawled an illegible signature.

"Don't worry." the taller offered. "They're very simple. Custom-made, civilian models."

Once another guest- a skinny, distinctly effete person of no discernable gender- had joined them, the two men lead the group to the lift, which carried them in near-silence down towards the mine at alarming speed.

"It's inertially dampened." The taller and more talkative man offered. "We could be punched by a titan and not feel it." Isidore didn't believe that, but the two women seemed impressed and made various fluttering noises.

The bottom level that the lift opened onto was distinctly more industrial than the rest of the station they had seen before. No walls were discernable, instead the room seeming to recede off into shadows and ductwork. In front of them was an open tram-like thing, suspended on four rails that lead off through a massive airlock door. The shorter man began to prepare it to move, while the taller man lead them through the process of donning the vac-suits, with lots of vaguely patronising comments, referring to the group in general as "guys" every second sentence. The suits seemed well-built to defend against the void, but looked to provide very little protection against more mundane hazards- Mordicai considered that they were closer to the biohazard suits he had seen used occasionally in the hive than the hard-shell vac-suits the average voidfarer wore. They were certainly more comfortable though, and he suspected that counted for a lot amongst the soft-handed classes.

When the suits were on, and the taller man- he introduced himself as "Trenton" - had checked them, he ushered them onto the tram and clipped them firmly onto the handrails. Lorr gave the clip a surreptitious tug- it seemed to be magnetised on with a key at Trenton's belt. They didn't want to lose anyone.

"All aboard!" Trenton said cheerfully, and pressed the controls forward. The tram moved into the airlock, which cycled, and they were out amongst the stars.

No windows faced out of this side- the underside- of the station, meaning that both the station and the asteroid were pitch-black, shadows dark as darkness against the stars, which coiled around them in a broad band of glittering diamonds. Cat heard the andogynous person gasp sharply in her ear- the suits must have earpieces built in- but otherwise it was crisply, impossibly silent, a silence that in its own way was far more terrifying than the endless drops that awaited them in all directions.

"Yes, well." Trenton offered, similarly taken aback. "The trip to the asteroid should take about three minutes. Talk amongst yourselves for a moment."

Lysander
"Well. Yes." Scythia admitted. "If you must. Watch out for the Van Haal lady though. I told her i was unnattached. In fact, watch out for her in general. She's very nice, but she's not telling me something, and I can't work out what."

OOC: I am SO sorry this took so long. Recently i've written three plays in as many weeks, not to mention directing one, so i've been rather creatively drained.

[Perius]

Lysander"Thanks for the tip, I'll be careful. As for the rest, I'll put it about that we've only just hooked up: when Lorr gets back you should get him to move my stuff into these rooms, make it look more convincing.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a medical appointment to keep." Fishing his hand into the pocket of his jacket, he pulls out a small glass bottle and tosses it in the air, catching it on the descent. "Got some sleeping pills to top up."

He's almost at the door before he picks up the horrified look on Scythia's face. Laughing, he tosses her a wink. "And no, don't worry - I'll be sleeping on the floor."

OOC Don't worry about it - I know exactly how you feel. Am in awe of your creative productivity.

[Aneurin]

Cat - Mine Tour

Boring...

Stupid...

Something uninteresting...

Something technical...

More boring...

...are the chief thoughts floating through Cat's mind as she studiously ignores Trenton and Shorty's patronising monologues. Not that she wouldn't love to forcibly remove those smug grins, but that would probably cause the tedious, being-shouted-at kind of trouble. So she ignores them, and, unfortunately, a fair amount of probably-legitimate advice.

Whatever.

She'll figure it out as she goes. Right after she works out how to fasten the damn swords to this get-up...


Tram

Her air of studied calm and cool seems to increase as she's sat on the tram, until she's practically swaggering while sitting still - a fairly difficult achievement. In fact, once her salvation augur has been confiscated - maybe it wasn't the greatest of ideas to bring a danger-detector out in to the void - she's exuding more confidence than the tour guides. And she is absolutely not gripping the arm-rests like they're the only thing in the world. Nope, not at all. Only people who are afraid do things like that.

Then the station looms in to view...

"Ack!" she strangles the sound and turns it in to a coughing fit, her cool, unruffled mask back up in a flash. "Eh. Smaller than I thought," she says in her best totally-unimpressed voice. "And Ambulon's wa-ay more impressive,"

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
Scythia was halfway through composing a retort when the door closed on her, leaving Lysander alone in the plush corridor.

He had walked to the medical room for his sleeping pills before, so knew the route, winding through the station's corridors. It was still mid-morning, so they were empty of guests, but as many stewards and staff as ever were bustling around- Lysander had to swerve to avoid knocking a pile of towels from a small woman's hands.

The medical bay looked like a hundred others throughout the imperium. White tiles on the floor, neat white and pale-red surgical cupboards and two beds for invalids to lie on. Between the bed, mounted on a set of servo-arms so that it could swing down to aim at the patients was a diagnosticator- from the look of it, hooked up to a cogitator in the next room. Lysander was no expert in medical tech, but it all looked shiny and expensive.

Two people were in the room already: a man who looked to be a guest, nursing his wrist, and a thin man with the sharp slavic looks of Ambulon, rooting in the cupboards for something. He didn't seem to see Lysander yet.

Others
"Heh." Trenton laughed. "Well, you can see half the calixis sector from here. Starmaps are available in the dome though offhand i remember..." He paused, and then pointed at a spot of light. "That. That's Malfi."

[Caimheul]

Mine Tour

Isidore examines the magnetic tether, in an effort to determine the likelihood of members of the group accidentally becoming separated.
Both in the sense of what it would take to disconnect it manually, and how likely it is to break. [roll0] Tech use TN 60

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore
The tether looked like it would be extremely hard to break manually, but the magnetic key was digital rather than physical, and so could probably be hacked: Isidore suspected there would be an override on the tram's control pad.

[Aneurin]

Cat

Mine Tour

Cat gives an undiginified and highly unladylike snort.

"Walking. Hive." she says, as if that's all that needs to be said on the subject. Nevertheless, she still squints at the distant speck of light with all the other tourists.

It's not really like she saw the stars much, back on Scintilla. At the bottom of the Hive, the closest you get to stars is the distant glimmer of the Spire-dwellers' windows - every bit as far off as the stars, now that she thinks of it. Warp take it if she isn't more likely to go to a new star than walk the Spire's streets.

"Twinkly," she says in very best deadpan. She glances around the compartment at all the others gathered there, then rolls her eyes.

"Ever been there?" she asks Trenton after a while, seeing no-one more interesting to distract her.

[Perius]

LysanderStepping into the room, Fawkes glances about quickly, taking advantage of the medic's distraction to scan the room for anywhere likely to contain the medical records of the station's patients. His eyes finally landing on his fellow guest, he crosses the room, beginning to offer a hand to shake before checking himself at the sight of the gentleman's injury.

"Morning - I say, your wrist looks pretty bad! What's the matter? I'm Fawkes, by the way - Lysander Fawkes, from Pry. Have we met?"

[Malachite]

Mine Tour


This tether is extremely inconvenient, Lorr thinks as he surveys the thin cable. Now how am I supposed to accidentally on purpose get lost and check out the tunnels?

Noticing Isidore checking them too, he keeps his head up and looks where the guide points. Presumably the tech-priest will shortly come up with a solution if needed...

[Betrayer]

The mine tour
Mordicai sits in silence, for the minute, feigning disinterest at what is apparently his home star. In fact, the thought that he is looking at the place he had lived his whole life, and it was just a tiny sparkle against the black unnerved him more than he likes. He looks back inside the shuttle, at Trenton, determined to get the conversation moving again, to get his mind off how far he was from home.

He glances around at the other passengers. They are his marks. It's simple, it's just another con, it's what he loves, and for his Emperor. The pilot girl is speaking again.

She seems unpredictable, but at least she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. Likable enough, so long as she doesn't alienate too many of the other guests. He keeps an eye on them as Trenton replies, seeing if any of them are paying attention, or if not, what does hold their interest.

[LeSwordfish]

Mine Tour
"Not myself." Trenton offered politely to Cat. The three sisters seemed to be engaged in looking for specific stars: Mordicai drifted off from the conversation as Trenton moved to help them with rather more charisma and confidence than accuracy. The androgynous person was leaning on the rail, watching the stars pass as if they were the scenery from a train, though their face was not visible.

Already the tram was slowing, pulling into a dock on the asteroid, and they disembarked into the tunnel. Once they were inside the asteroid proper, Trenton released the tethers. The horrible feeling of weightlessness settled over them, although they did not float.

"Your boots are magnetized to the floor." He explained. "Follow the metal walkway. If you feel voidsick, press the red button in the cuff of your suit- it contains an anti-sickness gas." One of the sisters pressed the button with alarming speed.

OOC
+10 toughness test each, please, against nausea from zero-gee. If you fail, you can take the solution, and a corresponding -5 to intelligence and perception for a few hours, or, well, ever spewed in a full-face visor?

Lorr was only half listening, instead taking in his surroundings. Floodlights hung from the "Ceiling", and a metal walkway wide enough for two people abreast abutted slightly from the "floor". Various other mountings sat around, most looking older and more battered: Isidore suspected they had once contained mining equipment. Dozens upon dozens of tunnels lead off from the small antechamber they were in, and most of those split again later. It looked as if the whole interior was honeycombed: and most of them dropped into pitch blackness alarmingly quickly.

Lorr began to doubt how viable the plan to leave the group was. It looked as if any adventure in the tunnels would see them lost in pitch blackness in the maze within mere meters of the group.

Lysander
The room held no obvious filing cabinets, but the door that lead through to the back room was ajar, and Lysander could see a blinking orange rune on what might be a cogitator. He drew his attention back to the patient as he laughed, sharply. "Never been to pry, old chap. Don't know your face either, but let me give you some friendly advice: if your wife wants you to play doubles battledore, ask her just how competitive she intends to get."

He laughed like a walrus as the medic turned to them, holding a roll of bandages. The medic nodded politely at Lysander as he began binding the patient's wrist. "Can I help you?"

[Caimheul]

Mine Tour

Other than a brief touch of disorientation, the magnetic boots on the suits had provided the tech-priest with forewarning of the so-called "weightless" environment. He perks up initially upon entering the mine, hoping to see examples of the equipment used to excavate such a large area, but quickly deflates upon spotting the empty mountings. He sighs heavily, a bored expression gradually creeping across the human portions of his face. Only half paying attention to the tour, he begins to scan their surroundings for anything that may seem out of place, although admittedly his unfamiliarity with such a complex makes identifying "out of place" a bit more difficult.


Quick question I forgot to ask earlier, is our equipment inside the suits or could some pieces of it still be utilized? I would assume weapons would be placed in lockers prior to donning the suits. Mostly I am asking if Isidore would have been able to keep his Auspex and/or Multi-tool accessible but secured.

Awareness: [roll0] TN 15

[Aneurin]

Cat

Mine Tour

She rolls her eyes as the woman hits the gas within seconds of arriving in the low gravity. What a sissy. The weightlessness isn't that bad - sure, it's kind of weird but so are lots of things.

Heck, it could be pretty fun. She eyes the ceiling thoughtfully. Think of all the stuff you could do if you didn't have to worry about coming down with a bump.

Fun? This place could be awesome. Now, she just has to wait until the guides aren't looking - anything as fun as playing here has got to be against some kind of rule.

She's so absorbed by the acrobatic potential of the mines that she quite forgets to keep up her trademark running I'm-not-impressed-by-anything commentary.

[Perius]

LysanderLysander grins and laughs. "Hah! Well, my doubles game isn't up to much - I'm relieved to say, actually, since that looks rather bad." He glances at the medic, pulling out his used pot of sleeping pills. "Just a couple of things my man: but if you could top up my sleeping pills first, that'd be very helpful."

Turning back to the noble, he raises an eyebrow. "Say, I know your wrist's out of action, but how about a friendly game over in the gambling room this evening? Always a pleasure to meet someone new, and it'll give you something to do besides nurse that injury."

If possible without appearing rude, he keeps half an eye on the medic, to try and ascertain where the sleeping pills are kept and how they're accessed. You never know...

[Betrayer]

The Mine Tour
Mordicai felt a sudden wave of nausea as the gravity wore off. He stumbled back against a wall and tried to get a grip on himself - it wouldn't impress anyone if he couldn't keep his food down.

His hand shot to the button and gave himself the shot of the gas. He breathed deep and a safe fuzzy feeling swept over him. He stayed close to the other nobles in the group and listened the guide, trying as hard as he could to keep alert and spot anything suspicious, but his eyes kept drifting as the gas took effect.

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
The medic didn't make any attempt to hide where the pills were kept- studying Lysander's bottle for a few minutes, he opened a cupboard and pulled out an identical bottle. The noble ignored him, instead considering Lysander's idea. "Well, i've not got anything else to do this evening, especially since i'm not talking to the memsahib. You're on. I would shake your hand, but..."

The medic turned back to them and handed Lysander the bottle. "Here you go. You've got the usage instructions, right? Was there anything else?"


Mine Tour
The tour moved off, and the group followed. With Trenton at the front and Mute-And-Surly at the back, they were lead through the tunnels, along the walkway, Trenton pointing out interesting features and the other guests cooing over them.

"Here you see this tunnel, the perfectly cylindrical one? It's laser-burned. Lasering is a very quick way to create a tunnel, but destroys any ores, so slowly following seams can be more profitable. If you look here..."

The group let it wash over them. They had more important things to think about.

Isidore
Isidore couldn't find anything unusual in the mine, although he suspected that the machine spirit of the auspex wasn't really paying attention.

OOC: Awareness tests from everybody else, please. Isidore has taken and failed his.

[Aneurin]

Cat - Mine Tour

Cat does indeed have more important things to think about than some boring mining stuff - namely, why she can't get the rust-wired magboots to disengange from the fragging floor! There's so much fun she could have in these tunnels, if only she could float. She heaves at her legs in a futile effort for a while, then gives up. At least for the moment - when the Machine Spirit expected it least, she'll strike again.

She makes a silent vow, though, that if she ever meets the Tech-Priest who made the magboots so well, she'd give him a right kick in the socket. Or maybe stick a Rutgrub Tuber up his exhaust pipe.

Huh. There's a thought. Would feeding a Tech-Priest molasses have the same effect as putting it into an autogyro's fuel tank?

She eyes Isidore speculatively for a moment.

How to test this...?

[Malachite]

Lorr pulls at the magboots as subtly as he can, but to no avail. Who would have thought that it would be so difficult to get the second boot off the walkway when it's so easy to lift the first? Now, if only there were another, non-magnetic surface to push against...

He abandons the line of reasoning. With guards watching from the front and rear, it would be quite a job to get any distance without being noticed. Not that it couldn't be done, but it's not worth the risk of revealing his psychic abilities needlessly.

For now he continues along with the rest of the group, looking on with interest at the features the guide points out - and hopefully, evidence of anything they aren't.

[LeSwordfish]

Mine Tour
Trenton ignored his charges attempts to break the mag-lock, continuing on at a gentle pace along the path, which seemed to lead into the mine and back to the start in a wide, ragged circle. Nothing much else of interest was mentioned, and Lorr began to suspect that this was rather more designed to make use of an existing resource than because the higher-ups thought anyone would find it particularly entertaining.

Cat
Scythia or somebodyhad mentioned checking to see if the mine was legitimate, so she was doing that now. It seemed to be, as far as she could tell. There were certainly plenty of minerals around the place, great silver-grey veins running through the walls and floors, like blood vessels in pale skin.

OOC
Anyone got anything else to do in the mines or shall we move back to the station?

[Perius]

Lysander"This evening it is, then. Looking forward to it."

Turning to the medic, he takes the bottle without a second glance and drops it in his pocket. "Yes, swallow with water or leave to dissolve if I'm feeling pathetic.

"My other problem - " he pauses, waving good-bye to his newfound friend as the nobleman departs " - well, it's about the void-sickness actually. I'm not entirely convinced that this is just a migraine, it feels a lot like something nasty I picked up once back on Quaddis - I don't suppose you could have a flick through my medical records to see if any symptoms were recorded back then? I'd hate to be taking sleeping pills if they're not solving the real problem..."

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
The young man, who was wearing a name badge with "Dimitri" on it, rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I could do that, I suppose, though we don't have full access from here- just the basics, pre-existing conditions, and so on. If you want, though, i could get the diagnosticator to have a look at you, see if you've got some issue we couldn't spot before."

[Perius]

LysanderLysander frowns. "I don't know whether the diagnosticator will pick anything up - I think this headache, whatever it is, is on the retreat at the moment, thanks to your little pills." Rubbing his forehead theatrically, he winces before continuing.

"No, I'm more worried about what it might have been at its height, whilst I was feverish with pain in my cabin during last week. It's potentially down as a pre-existing condition, so it might be worth a check."

He smiles. "It really would be very helpful."

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
"If you want." Dimitri shrugged.

He lead Lysander through into the back room, from which another door lead off- it too was ajar, and Lysander spotted what looked like a break room or living area. The back room was crowded, with two cogitator terminals, one wired to the diagnosticator and one to a rack of data storage. The heat from the terminals was palpable- perhaps this was why there seemed to be no medicines stored in here.

"Fawkes, yes? Lysander Fawkes?" Dimitri hit the rune on one of the cogitators and it struggled into life. He drummed his fingers on the side of the board as it loaded. "Sorry. Ten years of guests information is slowing the old girl down somewhat."

OOC: Is Lysander lying about the Quaddis headache, or is there anything else that will show up in his records?

[Perius]

Lysander"Not at all." Lysander takes a seat in the backroom, and stretches back in the chair comfortably, glancing around the two rooms leisurely. Security cameras, concealed doors, complicated locks, anywhere someone might sleep...

"It's pretty cramped back here. Say, you the only person working this med bay? I don't think it was you who served me last time..."

His eyes finish their lazy wander as he speaks, flickering down to concentrate on Dmitri.

OOC:Lysander is lying about the Quaddis headache.

[LeSwordfish]

Mine Tour
The tour ended, with little else of note. They returned to the tram, travelled back across to the station, and were politely escorted out of their suits and back to the dome.

Another mock-duel was going on, two fighters with paired rapiers cutting and thrusting. Cat resisted the urge to tut- the duel was clearly far more flashy and dramatic than actually likely to cause any damage. Isadora was sat watching with approval, and on the other side of the clearing the Khayyer-Addin family seemed to be returning from a tour.

Trenton stayed hanging about by the lift, doing everything but holding his hand out and coughing meaningfully. He probably wanted tipping.

Lysander
"Might have been Doctor Byron." Dimitri offered, frowning at the screen. "Short dark woman? She's the only other medic here, since... since Andrezj retired."

He rapped the screen with his knuckles, and it flickered. "Here we go, Lysander Fawkes. You've taken a few hits, haven't you? It could be an old injury coming back to hurt you, or something similar to that. But nothing here suggests a long-term illness. Like i said, we can try the diagnosticator on you, that might pick something up... but no, nothing in your files."

He exited the menu, leaving the screen displaying a long list of patients- Lysander recognised Scythia's alias. "If you don't want diagnosing now, I'd get it checked when you get home, at least."

OOC
His voice stumbled a little when he mentioned Andrezj retiring. He's lying, there, or deliberately not mentioning something.

OOC
Sorry that these updates are a little brief- I got roped into stewarding and was walking and taking from eleven to six after only a few hours sleep.

Secret roll! Who for? Who knows.
[roll0] [roll1]

[Perius]

Lysander"That sounds like Dr Byron, then." Who or what is Andrejz? Maybe Scythia will know... Lysander stands, straightening out his jacket as he takes a last look around the room for signs of security equipment or a sleeping area.

"Unless you think it's necessary, Dmitri, I'll probably leave it till I get home. It was just curiosity anyway - but thanks, you've been very helpful. I'll be sure to mention it to your superiors.

"Say, this Byron - as I recall, she seemed like a bit of alright - you don't know when I'd find her in here, do you?" He winks. "Non-professionally, of course." No harm in knowing their shift times, after all...

OOCWhat did Lysander pick up on in his first look round the room, whilst Dmitri was loading the terminal? Or was there nothing of a security nature that he was able to spot?

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
Dimitri laughed. "We take day-cycle shifts. So i'm on until midnight tonight, then her until midnight the next night. We're rather understaffed now, this place is designed for four."

He winked in an attempt at a roguish manner. "Non-professionally, eh? Well, I can understand that."

OOC
Sorry, forgot.

The door to the living space is only ajar, but it looks like it has other rooms leading off it- A piece of paper tacked to one door reads "Sel", another door looks like it leads to a corridor. This room, with the cogitators, seems to just be an antechamber, but you can't see anything strange or unusual in here. There's no security camera, but a more comprehensive search might reveal things better.

[Perius]

LysanderWhat a chump... Returning the "roguish" wink in a slightly more roguish manner than Dmitri had managed to muster, Lysander laughs. "Well, it's a relief to know I'm not just seeing things. You know what Dr Byron likes? Any tips you can pass on? Don't go telling me the reason you're understaffed is that your last two colleagues went chasing tail..."

Or, more to the point my friend - what happened to them?

OOCSweet, thanks.

[Caimheul]

Mine Tour Group

Isidore turns to look at the steward with a questioning look in his still biological eyes for a minute, until a sudden spark of recognition seems to kindle behind them. "Ah! I see! I believe this is the appropriate response..." he says as he digs within his robes. Rather than the thrones Trenton was expecting, he finally pulls forth his microtool, and holding it forward continues Blessings of the Omnissiah upon you. May the machine spirits aid you in your endeavours in His name." he says making the sign of the cog around the sacred tool's handle. Finished, he turns to his companions. "If you all will excuse me, but I have some maintenance to undertake back in our dwelling area for the time being." Having made his excuses he begins to head off, seemingly random notes softly issuing from his vox-synthesiser.

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
"She reads a lot. Old epics, Cauldynus and such. She's one of those sorts."

Dmitri closed the console and lead Lysander back into the main medical bay. "I doubt Andrezj would have been interested in that. He was pretty old and out of it. Retirement couldn't come too soon for that guy. As for Clem, our intern, well..." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "I think she played for the other team, if you share my meaning." He said it as if it were some horrifying secret. "Had friends amongst the guests. Appreciated the good doctor's charms too."

Others
Trenton had half extended his hand by the time Isidore began his blessing- he drew it back sharply, and left with an air of bad grace.

Over by the side of the duel, the Khayyer-Addin's bodyguard caught Lorr's eye and beckoned them over, his hand by his side so the family didn't see.

OOC: Isidore, feel free to skip yourself to the room and begin whatever it is you want to do yourself.

[Perius]

LysanderLysander raises his eyebrows, voice dropping to match Dmitri's. "No! Scandalous... Was this found out? I assume she's no longer on the station!"

His eyes never leave the medic's face.

OOCIf it's any help in the interests of time, I want to dig as deep as I subtly can without arousing suspicions or being nosy about the fates of Clem and Andrejz, particularly regarding Andrejz (due to the flicker of deceit I spotted when Dmitri referred to retirement). Even just information about retirement packages would be helpful.

That said, I'm enjoying playing this out this way, so only if it'd help you bring everything back in line - I'm good carrying on like this for a little while yet.

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
"Well, no, because-" Dmitri stopped, mid-sentence. "Yeah, that's right, a scandal. Shipped home in disgrace, and cuffs. This place doesn't want anybody seducing the guests."

OOC
He's definitely lying about the reason Clem left.

[Perius]

Lysander"I bet! Although that makes you pretty short-handed, you must be desperate for a replacement. Did you at least have Andrejz there to tide things over, or had he retired as well? Could you not persuade him to stay on?" Lysander's voice is full of concern, but his mind is racing.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

Upon reaching the group's suite, Isidore stops outside the door with a start, pulling out his auspex to scan for anything... out of place. They've been gone long and it would have been a relatively simple manner for one to rig the door with a trap. Once that is completed, he cautiously opens the door, ready to jump out of the way and, if necessary, utilize his implanted weaponry. Satisfied that no immediate threat has presented itself, he enters the room carefully, shutting and locking the door behind him, and begins to actively scan the room.

This post will be edited should you need to interrupt any portion of it (but I doubt it, still early in the investigation).

Awareness (door) [roll0] TN 45
Tech Use (Auspex door) [roll1] TN 60
Tech Use (Room, looking for listening/video devices) [roll2] TN 60

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
"He left the next week. Shame to see him go, but it had been planned for a while."

Lysander knew all the tricks to reading voices. Changes in pitch, speed and vocabulary; it grew easier as you got more used to the person's voice. Here, Dimitri almost had an audible sigh in his voice, and while he had been partially turned away from Lysander he turned back now, fiddling with an empty pill bottle.

He's telling the truth here. What's more, he's glad i'm not asking about the girl.

Once again, Lysander thanked the division's specialist training.

OOC: Hell of a success on Lysander's scrutiny test, deserved a little extra.

Isidore
Simulated midday sun was streaming in through the windows when Isidore entered, throwing bars of shadow across the floor and furnishings, dappled green with the foliage outside. His scan this time was as thorough as the last, and once again brought up nothing. Except-

It was the play of the shadows that eventually alerted him to it- in the carpet by the window was a small amount of mud, or dirt, off the bottom of a shoe. It looked, at a guess, about the same colour as that in the dome outside. He bent to inspect it- a tiny amount, but he was sure it hadn't been there the last time he checked.

Someone had been in the room, while they were gone.

[Caimheul]

Isidore

Upon discovering the foreign substance, Isidore vehemently emits a short burst of static as he readies his weapon. His first reflex is to attempt ot analyse this alone, but he's part of a team now. Better to have someone watch his back. Unfortunately, most of the team lacked the means to communicate long distance, except for himself and Cat. Whether or not she would prove to be a boon or a hindrance in this matter though only time would tell. Focibly modulating the tone of his broadcast voice, he begins to speak into the microbead. "Caterina, could you please meet me at our suite? I find that I finally have time to make those modifications to your hunting rifle you have been begging me to undertake." Hopefully her interest would be peaked enough to meet him, he dare not risk anything further over comms that could not be guaranteed secure. Now what could the intruder have been doing over here...
While he ponders that question, he attempts to track the intruders path within the room.

[roll0] TN 60 Logic
And let's try this: [roll1] TN 50 to attempt to Track the intruder's movements
Additionally, does Isidore know if the cameras in the hall outside their domicile are designed to capture the images locally or remotely?
Skill rolls for that information
[roll2] TN 30 Common Lore Tech Untrained
[roll3] for whatever else you may need to determine that

[LeSwordfish]

Cat, Mordicai, Lorr
Cat jumped as her microbead buzzed. "Caterina, could you please meet me at our suite? I find that I finally have time to make those modifications to your hunting rifle you have been begging me to undertake." It was Isidore's voice.

Isidore
There were other spots of dirt in the room, when Isidore checked further. It was impossible to track the intruder around the room, but from what Isidore could tell, they had been searching. The case they had been given by the inquisitor seemed to have been untouched, though- the anti-tamper device in the lid was still showing a green rune.

He considered the cameras. On a station like this, footage would most likely be centrally hosted. With that amount of cameras though, they'd need massive processing power, which suggested distribution. Hard to tell, really.

[Perius]

LysanderLysander smiles, his mood lightening. "That sounds fair enough. I was worried for a moment that he got kicked out for chasing Dr Byron as well! Now that wouldn't be a good precedent, eh?"

Turning as if to go, he pauses halfway to the door. "Actually, on that note - did you say this intern liked Dr Byron herself?" Lowering his tone conspiratorially, Fawkes gazes intently at the medic. "Just between men, Dmitri - how would you rate my chances with the good doctor? She the right - sort - for a chap?" Or will I have to send Scythia after her?, the thought goes unspoken.

OOC: brilliant, thanks. I don't see myself finding out much more without outstaying my welcome, so I think Lysander'll be up for leaving the med bay after this, maybe going looking for other guests or (if it suits you better) returning to the rooms first to refresh himself.

[Aneurin]

Cat - Mine Tour Group

She barely spares a glance for Trenton as she saunters casually past him. Honestly, if he wanted paying for that he should at least have made it interesting. Stuck to the floor and forced to listen? Where's the fun in that? And it's not it was even useful to go out with noting but a tiny thin skin between her and sudden, horrible dea-

No. No, not thinking about that. Not now, not ever. Seriously, those Voiders at the 'Port bars must have just been having it on. How could nothing kill someone like that, all blood-boiling-out-of-your-eyes stuff? As if.

...though now she thinks of it, that would have been a great story to tell to all those dandies along for the ride. And for the regular guests on the tour, too. Why didn't she think of that sooner?

She blinks as she registers the fight in front of her, inspects it thoroughly and then snorts dismissively. What a waste of good steel. Hmm. It is pretty good steel, though...

Of course, before she can do anything about that, her microbead buzzes.

"What?" she growls in to the piece, ignoring the looks she's getting for the sudden loud squeal from her microbead. "What hunt- ugh. Right,"

She rolls her eyes impatiently and stalks off in the direction of the suite.

Damn tech-priests and their stupid, hair-brained, no-good, useless - augh. She really is going to try molasses on him for this. Warp-take it, why did no-one bother agreeing on a system of code-words and signs before using the Emperor-blasted things?!

...either that, or Isidore's got a spring loose in his clockwork brain.

[Betrayer]

Mine Tour Group

Mordicai nodded to Lorr, indicating that he could leave him. The man seemed to have made a useful contact with that body-guard. He strode off behind Cat, essentially ignoring her, and over to Isadora.

"Enjoying the show?" He is all smiles again, no longer feeling quite as sick as he did in the mines. He felt much better now he could ignore the fact they were in space.

[LeSwordfish]

Lysander
"She's the right sort, definitely," Dimitri offered with another wink, "But I can't speak for your chances there."

He turned away from Lysander again, and began busying himself tidying one of the countertops. "If that's all..." The brush-off was implicit.

Cat+ Isidore
When Cat reached the room, she found Isidore staring at the floor, frowning to himself. There was, of course, no hunting rifle in evidence.

OOC: From now on, you two share a spoiler.

Mordicai
Isadora smiled at Mordicai and gestured at the seat next to her. "Cai! Do sit down. These duels are excellent- although they used to be better, I think."

"That swordswoman on your staff. She looks like a rather deadly fighter. Where DID you find her?"

[Caimheul]

Cat+ Isidore

Even while looking at the floor, Isidore has trained his laspistol on the opening door. Glancing up, he puts it back at his side pointing at the floor. He waits until the door shuts again. "I apologize for pulling you away from our companions however, someone was in this room while we were gone. They left almost no trace except for these mud particles. From what I can tell from the trail they left in the carpet, they were searching for something. I for one would like to attempt to discover who it was, and why. Would you care to accompany me? A second set of eyes, and more importantly weapons, I believe may come in handy..." he says, his eyes taking on a slight hardness that was not there before.

[Aneurin]

Cat and Isidore

"Y'know, if I'd been a cleaner, I'd probably been running to tell my boss right now," she says, eyeing the laspistol without a great deal of concern as she leans her back on the now-shut door to stare the Tech-Priest down.

Rolling her shoulders, Cat gives a half-shrug after considering Isidore's words for a few moments.

"...sure. Hadn't got much else to do,"

Except go and look at those birds properly. Hmph.

"Got a plan? Or," she cracks her knuckles, "are we just wandering around scaring people 'til they tell us? 'Cause while that's kinda fun, it probably won't do much good,"

[Caimheul]

Cat and Isidore

"Whereas people may lie to us, the cameras in the hall likely saw the intruder. The question becomes getting access to the cogitator that has the data. Luckily, I should be able to trace the data back. Shall we?" he asks as he heads for the door, stepping into the hallway and checking for other guests and the nearest camera.


Also is going to be checking to see if the cameras point at each other... may need to mess with one here...

[LeSwordfish]

Isidore and Cat
The corridors were, at least briefly, empty. Isidore inspected the camera angles- it looked like one of them was covered by no others, but could only see part of the corridor outside the room. If the intruder had come from the left, it would have missed them completely. It seemed to be the only camera near the door that wasn't watched by another, though.

A steward passed, nodding a greeting to the two acolytes. Isidore was uncomfortably reminded of how exposed he would be in the corridor.

OOC
Tracking the camera feed or disabling a camera is a base +0 Tech-Use test. If you want to, you can nominate the difficulty- from -30 to +30, reflecting how much you're rushing the job- an easier tech-use test will take longer and increase your chances of detection.