Beautiful Corruption-Dark Heresy(IC)

[Kaynebot]

Beautiful Corruption

Through the innumerable stars there are countless vestiges of life, planets, filled with legions of life forms, but out of those legions are a scarce few capable of scouring the same innumerable stars. One of these life forms, not the strongest, nor the wisest, not even the most myriad, but perhaps the most adamant. This life form is humanity and in it is the will to survive, conquer, and spread. It has spread among the many stars, against many troubles and threats. Other beings, even some from a different reality, the warp, but still they survive and almost thrive, if it were not for the fight against themselves.

Corruption. That is humanities greatest enemy, itself. Through the many influences in the universe humanity fights itself, for greed, power, and other untold reasons. This said corruption causes a need to concentrate the similar with each other. These concentrations of people are commonly called cults, and theses cults are one of peoples greatest decay factors. Humanities solution to this problem and many others like it is the Inquisition. And the one part of the Inquisition that is very familiar to this story is the Ordo Hereticus and more specifically Inquisitor Leon. Inquisitor Leon is semi-famous inquisitor known for taking this decay factor. His acolytes usually go on to become to be cult hunters like their mentors. This is where his current newest cell of acolytes begin.

Riding upon the "Emperor's Currency, these acolytes(you) were gathered upon this warp fairing vessel of trading minoring in transportation with suspected ties to Inquisitor Leon. Each of you were individually picked upon the planets were this vessel landed and the inquisitor himself got 'his boots dirty.' Each person was only told the inquisition needed them and for the past 3 months have been upon this vessel waiting to be briefed for Leon's current mission and waiting to be introduced to your cell mates.On a warp fairing vessel of this size you could never meet any of your other fellow acolytes or pass them in the halls never knowing who they were. For 3 months the anticipation has been growing as you've reached closer to your destination, Fenksworld. Today all 6 six of you have been called to the captain's meeting room by your inquisitor. Time to receive your mission, for the first time meeting the people who you will spend the next...however long this mission takes with them but if it took 3 months of planning by the inquisitor known for taking out cults then it will be good. You've been told to specifically wait outside the meeting room until called in by only your inquisitor.


OOC: For your first IC post you can describe what you've been doing on the ship or you can simple fast forward to waiting outside in the hall

[Icilia]

For the last three months, Corporal Zarkov has been spending a majority of his time at the armoury and practice range. The myriad of weapons in the armoury has allowed Zarkov to further refine his weapon skills. When Zarkov wasn't practicing, he was either reading about past military campaigns from the ships mnemonic banks or cleaning and preparing his uniform and weapons.

When the order to came to meet the inquisitor, Zarkov sprang into action. His weapons, uniform and armour were all ready. Within two minutes Zarkov was on his way. Since arriving at the Inquistor's chambers, Zarkov has been standing at attention.

[Yuki Akuma]

Galatia has actually been intentionally avoiding meeting anyone, spending the majority of her time in her sleeping area meditating, or finding some quiet spot (not an altogether easy task) to practice with her sword. Luckily for her, she finds it fairly easy to go about unnoticed, having no particularly identifying features to speak of.

Once she heard word that the Inquisitor wanted to see her - after probably one or two attempts to find her - she found herself out in the hallway outside the meeting room. She's... nervous, actually. Fidgeting. Constantly checking her weapons to make sure they're presentable. Fiddling with her armour.

[Icilia]

After watching the other girl fidget for a time, Zarkov finally speaks. Although not remarkable, he is still a clean and well dressed man, with brown hair and grey eyes. His uniform is perfectly kept and all his weapons shine with weapon oil.

"Be still woman. Your fidgeting is unnerving. I'm sure his Lordship won't be long."

After a moment, Zarkov drops out of his stance and streches out his hand.

"My name is Corporal Zarkov Wolfe. Imperial Guard 341st regiment."

[Viper9090]

The last three months had gone by slowly for Thaddius. A void ship had little opportunity for a Arbitrator to exercise his skills. He spent most of his time keeping up with sector wide Arbite intelligence and arrest warrants along with assisting the ship's provosts with the odd mutant or cultist in the crew. It was that or spending time drinking through his supply of Amasec.

Now the Inquisitor had finally summoned his new acolytes to a meeting, and perhaps finally the reason for this little trip would be revealed.

As he approached the meeting room he was dressed in his recently pressed Arbitrator uniform, it's deep blues offsetting the golden trim and hiding his mesh vest beneath his wide shouldered jacket. As he approached he noticed two other figures standing outside. One was a younger man of military bearing, the other a woman who had an uneasy look about herself.

He also noticed they were bother armed and armored, whilst he had left is shogun and Long Las safely locked up in his quarters. He assumed there would't be much fighting in a mission briefing, but maybe they knew something he didn't. Still he had his standard issue black Arbitrator's club clipped to his belt, and his not so standard issue knife stashed in his heavy jump boots.

They appeared to be talking, so he stopped a little way back, adopting an easy stance and watched their interaction whilst keeping one eye on the corridor.

[Iron Warlord]

Wolfe leaned casually against the wall looking at his fellow Acolytes. He had seen all of them at least once, after all he had spent most of his time on this damned ship looking to see if he could figure out who he would be working with. It hadn't been to difficult to figure out, first he separated the passengers from the crew and then he analyzed the passengers for what an Inquisitor would see in them. The first part was easy, passengers always stuck out on a void ship, and a ship like this didn't carry that many passengers, cargo paid better and complained less than passengers.

The witch had been an obvious pick, she hadn't left her quarters much, but one of the times she had Wolfe had run across her in a corridor. The Inquisition was one of the few organizations that made a regular habit of employing psykers so a psyker passenger on a civilian ship carrying acolytes was most likely an acolyte herself.

The copper wasn't much of a surprise either. Folks like him usually didn't travel if they weren't retired, and he was far too young for retirement.

The soldier was the closest to a surprise for Wolfe so far. He had the feel of money about him, but he carried himself like a soldier. Clearly he had either bought himself out of service or he had been picked up by someone with enough pull to get his enlistment marked as filled. Wolfe had put him at 50/50 to be an acolyte.

While he waited for the rest to arrive Wolfe double checked his own weapons. His throwing knives were still in his belt, three on each side. He could feel the comforting feel of the ornate hilt of his curved sword when he reached back. And the weight of his bow told him it was still in place hooked onto his back, while a quick stretch to of his right arm told him that all of his arrows were still in his quiver right by his right shoulder.

[Miraqariftsky]

kwrug-kwrug-kwrug-kwrug...

Presently, there comes a loud grinding and a clanking from one end of the corridor. Judging by the chest-high box of cheap metal, barely oiled wheels and the smells coming from inside, it seems to be a food service cart, pushed by a rather short flight-servicewoman.

kwrug-kwrug-kwrug-kwrug...

The Acolytes waiting around outside the Inquisitor's cabin see behind the squeak-wheeled trolley that she seems to be of slender build, clad in a clean, freshly-pressed and freshly-starched spare navy blue smock beneath a frilled white apron. Shocks of curly fire-red locks snake out from the black hairnet over her bowed head.

However, the heavy, chem-stained boots clanging along the deck behind the trolley are definitely not standard issue for food-techs.

kwrug-kwrug-kwrug-kwrug...

Whee-hu-hwee-hu-hwee-who-hwee... She whistles through plump, pursed lips as she sidles over and unlocks the side-panel of the cart, not looking up as she works. She says to the others, "Deeeelivery ta 'Quisitor Leon an' associates? Gorsk gyn, MaalGree beer, recaf, tea, citrus, carbonated, tap? Pies, noodles, flavoured slurry, grox sangwishes, ratburgers, fishballs...? Wha's yer poison, sers? Mamzel?

kwruuuug-KUGG...

Yet still, though the servant's dutiful smile does not cease, she does not look up as she addresses her...

...betters.

[Pietato]

Three months on an interstellar vessel isn't nearly enough time to fully grasp the intricacies of the machine. Accepting the present limitations of her human mind and focusing instead on a few specific machines within the ship (the temperature regulator for the central grav plate controller was particularly impressive,) granted Tech Adept Beryll plenty of time to pursue her own interests and interact with the ship's Mechanicus. It turns out that the Machine Cult is much more talkative on Cyprian's Gate than on the Emperor's Currency.

Mae received her summons while experimenting with various pyrotechnic colorants scrounged from around the ship (with no unexpected results,) and hurriedly readied herself for the meeting. She covered the grox's share of her scarlet-enameled implants with thick Mechanicus robes, checked her las pistol's charge, holstered it, and grabbed her staff before venturing into the halls of the ship.

She approached the meeting room with a spring in her step, a tune hummed through her respirator unit, and the scent of freshly burnt gunpowder wafting through the air. She stopped just short of the group, stepped slightly off the walkway, and continued humming quietly to herself as she glanced between those who were obviously her compatriots. And the trolley worker.

"No, thank you."

[Yuki Akuma]

The unassuming psyker has been keeping most of her attention on the door all this while. Eventually, she stops fidgeting, exhaling slowly and closing her eyes. Calming her nerves? Speaking to Inquisitors is never a calm experience, after all.

She then finally looks at Zarkov. "Galatia," is her one-word reply. She then goes back to looking at the door.

As the 'servant' comes along, she just shakes her head slightly, rather than deigning to actually speak.

[Icilia]

Zarkov simply shakes his head after the short response. They are going to be working together. Best to be on speaking terms at least. Zarkov takes note of each of the other acolytes that arrive at the inquisitor's door. He runs a stern eye over all of their equipment and uniforms. Best to know what your team is bringing to the table.

[Miraqariftsky]

A corner of the 'servant's mouth briefly quirks in a one-sided smile as she hears the cog-girl's simple 'thank you'. But while still keeping her head still mostly bowed, she briefly lifts her bronzed face, a maid's powder masking what seem to be several scars, muttering an "Aye, mamzel, ser."

Cog-girl, Mae, gunpowder, abandoned cargo hold. Mm, mucha learn offa 'er, def'nitely. Guard, Zarkov, las and shot, armoured better'n most, toughass but slow, edged him out just a little bit, those times in the gym. Spook, Galatia, kept to 'erself mostly, only caught shadow of 'er in some 'bandoned cargo hold, workin' a sword.

The void-serf girl reaches into her trolley and offers various more items to Thaddius... and to Wolfe. A grox sandwich with multiple layers of veg-slurry... A stack of freshly grilled ratburgers, the juices and cheese still dripping from steaming buns... A chilled pair of MaalGreen bottles of beer... A carton of Lathe synthi-lho... "Some refreshments, sers?"

Bluecoat pig copper, Enforcer Eisen, absolute smokin' saint o' steel an' las, by Tholl! Now THAT"S a man I can NOT 'ave behind me an' could well do ta 'ave 'im beside me. Or in front... but Emperor's blood, that AIN"T 'ow I roll. Frigger'd coulda drunk them cantinas under an' kept goin' fer more. Met 'im inna gym, hardass there as well, thank Tholl this maid's pilferage looks ta be cuttin' it. Gym, eh? Damn, ain't that 'nutha friggen saint o' steel there. Ain't talkin, Mr Doggie? Guy as good's you, I've much ta learn offa ye... but if ye ever turn traitor? I'm feedin' ye a hot lead brekkist.

Briefly, the maid chances a glance at the Inquisitor's doors and says, "Y'all reckon I should close this'n up? His lordship's lunch might be a-gettin' cold."

[Iron Warlord]

When the criminal offers him refreshments Wolfe takes a lho-stick from the proffered carton and lights it. After taking a drag from the stick he looks the girl in the eyes "I think you can drop the act Miss." She had been almost as easy to pick out as the witch. Her backwater pidgin had easily marked her as an outsider with little or no money, and her choice of activities had clearly illustrated some martial ability. Those two facts combined meant she was either an Acolyte or a stowaway. This disguise business was a bit of a surprise to him, mostly because he could see no real purpose to it since, most likely, it would only breed mistrust with her fellow Acolytes.

[Viper9090]

The arbitrator's only movement was to smile slightly as the guardsman spoke, busting the rather flimsy disguise the woman had put on. His years of training as an arbitrator had started jumping up and down and waving its arms the moment she'd turned up.

The way she spoke, the way she looked, even the way she moved screamed hive-ganger, despite the getup.

As she progressed his gaze shifted to her exclusively, watching to see if she was really turning up for the meeting, or had instead been smuggled aboard to cause havoc among the new acolytes.

[Kaynebot]

As soon as the apparent assassin finished talking, the metal door of the Inquisitor's meeting room creaked open loudly. The door slowly swung open just wide enough for a small red head to pop out. Closer inspection showed it was a middle-aged man with dark red hair and an aged face with a bored look being swallowed by big clerk-like glasses. The man clears his throat "ahem" before looking down at his paper just sticking outside the door. He takes a quick look at all of you running names off in an extremely bored manner. "Corporal...Zarhkov, ummm....Galatia, Thadius...Ei..sen!, Ahem!" Clearing his throat again, "Eh, Wolfe, and Mae." Then looking at the maid, he takes a double take looking extremely confused instead of bored, then ducks his head back in door. A few seconds later it pops out, "Ah, yes a Miss Karen.....I mean Miss Akadia, please all of you come He wishes to speak to you.

Then ducking back in he slowly opens the door revealing a very refined meeting room with a decorative rectangle wood table of immense value. At the head of it a large black chair hiding the recipient at the moment. Around the table evenly spaced are 10 chairs excluding the presumed inquisitors. Other than the table its the same grey walls of the ship with one painting at the end holding an old looking exquisite unknown inquisitor with a tall almost lean body with a tough face. Your inquisitor stays quiet waiting till all of you enter the room.


OOC: If anybody has any appropriate lore for picture go ahead an roll it please. Any questions ask in the OOC

[Icilia]

Zarkov strides into the room and salutes the inquisitor before taking a seat at the table.

[Miraqariftsky]

"HAH-haha!" barks the apparently outed professional criminal...

...and then twitches, waves and grins at the Inquisitor. She stands and lets the others in before entering last, trundling the trolley in.

While the others claim their seats, Akadia unlocks a compartment in the trolley and hauls out a battered and well-loadd duffel bag which she gently sets on the metal floor with a soft thump. From among the spare food wrappers, she takes out a large resealable plastek bag, looks at it, then simply sets it on the table.

Hrhmm. When I told the lady I could take her delivery and her shift... I didn't think it'd be hard to change out of it. Ah, well...

Akadia does some more quick rummaging and fishes out a worn but servicable black leather jacket. Shrugging it on, she ransacks the food cart for any still-packed sandwiches and packets of instant drink and soup mixes, stuffing them into her pockets.

Poking her red head over the table, she asks, "Boss? Sorry, I mean... your Holy Inquisitive Lordness? What lunch're ye havin'?"

[Yuki Akuma]

The Psyker looks down at the floor for a moment, then looks up as the door is opened. She waits patiently, and then walks in with everyone else.

When she goes to sit, she makes very sure to keep at least one eye on the door. Paranoid, much?

[Viper9090]

Thaddius walked in with the others, keeping his eye on the disguised woman. He selected one of the closer chairs to the Inquisitor, waiting beside it as the others took their seats.

[Iron Warlord]

Wolfe walks in and quickly takes a seat, sitting on the edge of his seat his hand never leaves the hilt of his sword.

[Pietato]

Tech Adept Beryll takes a seat at the corner of the table and leans her staff on it. She adjusts her respirator and stares at Akadia as she speaks, waiting until she has finished speaking to settle her gaze on the inquisitor.

[Kaynebot]

As all of you enter the inquisitor's room, he leans into the bright vapid light of the Emperor's Currency aurora. Revealing the visage of your venerable Inquisitor Leon dressed in ornate inquisitorial jacket. He clasps his hands together waiting for all of his newer acolytes to sit down. Once everyone has sat down he begins "No I don't want anything, drop the act Akadia we need to get down to business. Your official mission is to find and eradicate the Clergy of the Unfit Deity. It is an adolescent cult known to kill in small numbers. They have an unknown goal which makes them more dangerous than most. So tomorrow at 0800 Terran hours. Any questions ask now otherwise I have important matters to attend to."

[Viper9090]

Arbitrator Eisen leans forward slightly, "Apologies for delaying you m'lord, but do you have any information on this cult, beyond their name? Any clue to their activities, their location even their motivation?"

Thaddius hoped the Inquisitor was in an accommodating mood, the more they know the greater the likelihood this new cell could track and put down the heretics.

[Icilia]

Zarkov nodes while the Arbitator speaks.

"Milord, it would also be useful to know iif the locals will likely be providing us any assistance."

[Miraqariftsky]

"Hmm?" Akadia rumbles, slightly caught aback, but swiftly enough shrugs off the reprimand. "Was jus' a bit o' tribute to me new boss an' 'ost, sah. But as ye will. Thanks, if so."

"Aye, wot they said, m'lord." The redheaded scummer nods judiciously at her fellow Acolytes' questions and follows up with her own even as she closes up the cart's compartments. "Ey boss... m'lord. Y'said itsch an' 'adolescent' cult--- y'mean ta say they's members is young bucks, or that they's just a new thing on th'block? We ta take 'Clergy' literally an' scope out th' churches an' chapels down there? Or izza cigar jus' a cigar?"

She then coughs, leans back in her chair and asks, "Also, iz one of us gettin' assigned ta be chief o' this team, or dass sumfink we's gotta figger out f'ourselfs?"

[Kaynebot]

Your Inquisitor listens to your questions with a stone face not showing any emotion. "Thank you for the concern Eisen but I am free to help my acolytes just not hold their hand through this investigation. To answer your question, no the arbitrators don't seem to be too concerned with more information so all I have is their name, your job is to find the rest." He sits and thinks a minute "If I remember correctly, which I almost always do, most of the reported killings happened in lower hive."

Then turning to Zarkov "No, not help for an inquisitor anyways, in my circle of aquaintances I've heard of an inquisitor also working in that hive, and he was not a friend nor an acquaintance. That is all I will say on that matter."

Next looking at Akadia "the cult members are entirely unknown, but I was using adolescent to mean young cult. Clergy of the Unfit Deity is what they call themselves. They etch that and peculiar symbols into their body.

Then speaking to everyone. "I'm not going to babysit all of you, you find your own leader, and figure out your parts in this plan to make it work. I'll be honest this assignment is a test to see if you have what it takes to truly be one of my acolytes." Leon leans back in his chair waiting for more questions. "If that is all you may go, if not feel free to ask more."

[Icilia]

Zarkov takes note of all the points the inquisitor and his fellow acolytes make. He then stands and salutes the inquisitor before making his way to the door. He pauses as he reaches the door.

"Since we'll be working as a team, perhaps it would be an intelligent idea for us to first become acquainted with one another. If anyone wishes to join me, I shall be having a quick meal before I check my equipment. It would be good to at least talked before deploying tomorrow."

Zarkov waits a few moments to see if anyone joins him, snaps a final salute, then departs for Ames hall.

[Viper9090]

Eisen doesn't say another word, standing and bowing to the inquisitor before heading to the door to join Zarkov leaving the meeting room.

[Yuki Akuma]

A test. Well, of course it's a test. Galatia exhales softly, nodding her head as she listens to the Inquisitor. Once they're told to leave, she stands up, and walks out with the others without a single word.

She apparently doesn't like to talk that much.

[Pietato]

Mae watches the other acolytes ready themselves to depart and turns back to Inquisitor Leon. "If I may," she says before she either clears her throat or the vox speaker in her respirator momentarily malfunctions. "Will our involvement in violence against the cult be investigated as usual by the planetary authorities, or will we be protected by the Inquisition and the intrinsic good of our actions?"

[Kaynebot]

Your Inquisitor takes a minute to reply." The planetary forces know very little about this cult, meaning its members are also unknown, so the intrinsic good of your actions may go unnoticed, and for the inquisition it won't be there to defend you until you are ready to reveal the whole operation or until I give you word to." He then sits in silence either waiting for a question or until everyone gets up to leave.

[Miraqariftsky]

"Boss". Akadia grunts as she bows briefly...

...and heads off after the others. Falling in behind Zarkov and Eisen, she settles into an easy pace, her heavy combat boots clanging on the deckplates, scarred hands thrust into her black synthi-leather jacket's pockets.

[Iron Warlord]

Wolfe nods his head in deference to the Inquisitor. "Lord Inquisitor." is all he says before leaving the room to follow after the other acolytes.

[Kaynebot]

Inquisitor Leon nods his head, and the presumed clerk you saw early comes, from somewhere else, out of site, in the room, and closes the door behind all of you as you leave towards the nearest mess hall on the ship. The halls are no more crowded than usual with occasional passenger or low ranking officer. The mess hall is just an eclectic group of long cafeteria-esque tables with the opposite wall of your entrance containing a long line of various cheap types of food.


OOC: You can either talk along the way, skip there, or even skip to the next day when you'll be docked over the Nova Castilla of Fenksworld. Also as far you know your supposed to go to the main passenger docking bay, that you boarded the ship on.

[Yuki Akuma]

While being completely silent, Galatia is at least following everyone and not just wandering off on her own. She looks relieved to be out of the meeting room and out of the Inquisitor's presence.

Food is quickly obtained. Delicious corpse starch.

[Icilia]

Zarkov is fairly chatty on the way to the mess and during the group's meal. He speaks of his family and his career, and is happy to get to know the group.

[Miraqariftsky]

Akadia nodded along to Zarkov's spiel, then cuts in when she could and said, "Hey, 'scuse me, sarge, 'old yer 'orses. Whose loins did ye say ye sprang from again? An' where again were those places y'all a-fought at? Uh-huh. Usin' what an' 'gainst whom, again?"

When they reach the cafeteria, she snags a seat on the corner of their table, sitting half-facing the others and half-turned so as to be able to make quickly for the door, if need be. Despite the social incongruence, she puts a leg up on her chair, perching an elbow on that raised knee. The skirt of her stolen frock falls, crinkles aside, revealing a trouser leg of chem-stained synthi-leather.

Taking a swig from a bottle of ship's grog, she asks of the others, "Arright, then. Sarge Zarky over there'd got the right idea. What the frigg do we all know of each other? We run together, we hunt together, we gots ta know who's beside us an' who's watchin' our backs. Y'all with me on that?"

Nodding judiciously, Akadia shrugs, then says, "Y'know wot? Frak me sideways. Token o' faith, lemme lead off, eh? I'm Akadia of the Crimson Coin gang, formerly of Malfi's underhive. Imma decent hand at jackin', jawin' an' shankin'. Ye can rely on me look-outin'. Guns-wise, I got me a dozen prayers on me lips, a 9-mil Tronsvasse auto and a Teres-76 chambered fer 5.56-mil rounds. I freely admit, though, I ain't that good a shot... best if I provide, ah, whatchallit, ah yes--- suppression fire, an' y'all angle in elsewise while I covers y'all."

Barking a solitary laugh, she swigs again and says, "Pleas'd ta meat ch'all."

[Yuki Akuma]

Galatia stays silent for a while longer. Then she puts her right hand on the table, palm down - showing the sanctioning brand, picked out in bright blue lines like a neon sign. An I, with an eye inside it, the symbol of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. "Galatia. Psyker. Don't ask me to blast things with lightning. I can't do that."

She then goes back to eating. "I have a sword. And a las-holdout. I can stab things or shoot them, whichever."

[Viper9090]

Thaddius grimaced ever so slightly at the taste of the corpse-starch, trying to chew and swallow without tasting the reconstituted meal. When the psyker revels herself he represses a shudder, reciting a brief litany of purity internally before focusing on the unassuming young woman, turning instead to regard the ganger, now reveled from the slightly silly maids getup. "Well, Arbitrator Eisen is the name, call me Eisen, it saves time." He chews on another piece of their blandish meal. "I've spent the last 25 years hunting criminals, heretics and traitors from Scintilla to Malfi," he gives Akadia a quick look, "And I've never lost a suspect yet, so hears hoping that record holds." He pulls out a broad hip flask and takes a pull of what smells like strong Amasec to wash the starch down.

"I'm a sharpshooter mainly, got my trusty Long Las in my cabin just itching to cut down some cultists, and my old shotgun has never let me down if the fight gets up close and personal." He takes another pull of the Amasec then offers the flask to Zarkov.

[Icilia]

Zarkov takes the flask and takes a quick swig, grimacing as the swill goes down.

"Well, as a summary, I am Corporal Zarkov, third son to the Wolfe military family. I've seen three military campaigns before this deployment. With any luck, serving Inquisitor Leon will earn me a promotion to high command. As for my gear, what can I say? I'm a guardsman. Sword, Lasgun, Laspistol, Shotgun, so on and so forth."

"I must admit though, tracking down this cult will be a new experience for me. Fighting heretics, easy enough, but having to find them first? I guess that's why we have the rest of you."

Zarkov smiles, raises Eisen's flask to the group, takes another short swig them hands the flask back.

[Iron Warlord]

"I am called Wolfe. I am one of the Moritat, and I carry a sword, assorted knives, and a Versidian Pattern Hunting Bow." Wolfe says, feeling obligated to provide matching information to what he has been given.

[Pietato]

As the other acolytes introduced themselves, Mae pursed her lips, her expression hidden behind her respirator as she waited her turn. "I am Tech Adept Mae Beryll. Evidently, I have the least experience bringing weapons to bear against others. My service to the Machine God has primarily involved tending the machines and pyrotechnics of a small section of Cyprian's Gate."

[Miraqariftsky]

Akadia channels her reflexive shudder at Galatea's revelation of her... cursed gift... into one long pull at her ship's grog, then slamming down the empty cup. All those sermons back on Gallowglass, spouted from the fire and brimstone lips of the Sisters of the Bloody Rose, came rushing back...

...the Malfian ganger closes her eyes briefly as she gulps down the grog still apparently in her mouth.

Shaking her head, she grins at Arbitrator Eisen and asks, "Well'n, ossifer! Trrrruuuuust me, I may be a professional criminal, but I sure ain't never no heretic. 'Ope we shan't be 'aven' problems a-workinnagether, ser?"

Chuckling, she chucks the resident Arbite on his shoulder and asks, "Wouldya consider a grox saddwitch ta be bribery?" Leaving her metal cup tottering on the table, she flips out a wallet, briefly flashing a duly stamped identicard and bounty hunter's license and just as quickly shoves it back into her pocket and says, "Rrrrrremind me, what lines should I worry 'bout crossin', iffen I've got a proper hunter's license?"

Smirking at Zarkov, Akadia propounds, "Luck, says ye? Where wouldya says the diff'rance atween luck an' th' Emprah's blessin'? An' all yer family's in the military, says ye, issat so?"

At Wolfe, Akadia gives a solemn nod, intoning, "Old sayin'--- 'Guns for show, knives for a pro'. Guess yer THAT good, eh? And... huh, guess 'Wolfe's a common 'nough name, but, you two prob'ly ain't brothers or long-lost cousins, hmm?"

She then props her elbow on the table and her chin on her fist as she smiles over at Beryl and asks, "Like Zarks there said, it'd be wise ta know each other. Our Boss prob'ly didn't pull ye 'acause ye made some pretty sky-high fire-blooms. What's the deal, then, my good Cog?"

[Viper9090]

Thaddius raises an eyebrow as Akadia pulls out a bounty hunters licence. "I'm sure that's perfectly valid license. The issuer, on the other hand, may need some looking into."

He stands as the others continue talking. "Well, I'm turning in, sounds like we'll be buys tomorrow and I've got some guns to clean. Nice meeting you all." He nods to you all generally, then returns to his quarters.

[Kaynebot]

OOC: As it seems in the OOC thread most people wanted to move on so, I shall do that, sorry for those that wanted to talk more, believe me when I say you will get that time.


After a while of talking with each other and watching tides of people flow in and out of the mess hall, Thaddius is the first to leave of your group, then the rest of you seemingly slowly dissipate back to their rooms. Tomorrow is a big day where your true mission starts. Searching for an elusive unknown cult with almost no help, that sounds like the kind of mission that Inquisitor Leon would send a bunch of new acolytes on. As all of you retreat to your various room provided by the inquisition which are all relatively the same and spaced out, almost as if you were not meant to meet each other very often the 'night' ostensibly passes without incident and as you wake up there is a certain tangibility of trepidation in the air for the new day.


OOC: Your next post can be however you want it to be but you probably should end up being at the main passenger bay by 0800 Terran time, but hey its your choice.

[Viper9090]

After waking Thaddius packs his gear and heads down to the passenger bay, arriving a little before 0745 TST (Terran standard time).

[Pietato]

Mae Beryll learned to awaken well before she was needed when she was first inducted into the Cult Mechanicus. She arrived at the main passenger bay at precisely 0745, seeming much more composed than the previous day and having only a mild smell of explosives on her person.

[Icilia]

Zarkov rises at 0600 TST, rechecks all his equipment, irons his uniform and is clean and present at the main passenger bay at exactly 0730. He spends the next thirty minutes reading the Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer or conversing with his fellow acolytes.

[Yuki Akuma]

Galatia makes her way into the passenger bay at around 7:30 TST, takes out a pack of cards, and... begins to play solitaire as she waits.

She's got her sword and laspistol with her, naturally, and is dressed in her flak armour. She must be expecting trouble.

After a moment, her shoulders hunch a bit, and she looks around herself surreptitiously. "Where..?" She frowns.

[Miraqariftsky]

Having arrived at approximately 0430, Akadia had simply scouted out and ssettled into a relatively undisturbed portion of the cargo stacks. There, she'd tucked herself in and, one hand on her autopistol, leaned her head against the wall and let herself drift off into a continued nap.

Soon enough disturbed by the increasing hustle and bustle of servitors and indentured loaders, she quickly blinked herself awake. Taking stock of her surroundings, just as she was about to just take another quiet spot, she spots Zarkov and plops herself down opposite him, letting her laden duffel bag clang onto the decking.

She'd laid her matt-black autorifle before him--- safety engaged, magazine detached and chamber emptied--- as a gesture of openness. They might have spent the time bantering about family...

[Icilia]

Zarkov is surprised to find another acolyte at the hanger before him. Espically surprised considering it's Akadia. He expected her to be one of the last to arrive. Zarkov shakes his head and smiles. There is definitely more to this one than there seems.

Zarkov talks with Akadia, about family, weapons and their mission. He admires her Autorifle whilst speaking, and gestures for any of his fellow acolytes to join the pair.

[Viper9090]

Seeing as little was happening Eisen walked over an dropped his bags next to a perch with Zarkov and Akadia. "Morning" he says to neither-one in particular. "So has anyone worked out our first steps for the investigation?" He says, pulling out his flask and taking a brief nip before replacing it.

"I mean, if we're going to find this Clergy of the Unfit then we'll need a plan, rather then just wandering the lower hives of Fenksworld asking every kid if they're a member. Plus, there's meant to be cults everywhere on this grimy little world, so we could get bogged down if we're not careful."

[Kaynebot]

As most of the group stands around talking none of you notice the clerk from yesterday until he is a few feet from your assemblage. "Hey....um yes. Your...um Lordship Inquisitor Leon the Great sent me. I was...um told to tell you guys that you should be getting on this ship over here." He points to a fairly large vessel capable of traveling from the the void vessel to the planet. As far as you can tell its a decent size vessel, not the most luxurious but a lot better than some of the vehicles some of your less fortunate associates have rode in.

The clerk looks down to some of the files and dataslates in his hand. "Ummm....yes here it is I think its shuttle 3689, departing very soon.....I think? Oh....um anyways here are your passes." He each hands you a mini electronic card with a scanner code on one side and a what appears to be official tech writing on the other side. "Um....I appear to have one left over, wasn't there another one of you?" He looks quizzically at all of you and then hands the last one to Zarkov. "Um. Here you are. I have to go now." And with that he runs off into the crowd of passengers milling around to get on there own rides to the next space port or down to Fenksworld itself, there also a number of workers carrying cargo and other various crates as well as a view adeptus mechanicus looking at the shuttles to make sure they are in shape.

[Yuki Akuma]

And so, Galatia joins the others, taking her pass. As they walk along, she mutters so that only they can hear: "There was another Warp signature in the room. Probably a Psyker. It's gone now. I have no idea why."

[Viper9090]

Eisen takes the pass, stashing in a pocked with his arbitrator ID.

When Galatia informs them of the other psyker he shrugs, "An astropath, or something similar maybe. We are on a warp ship after all, they are not unheard of." He looks around at the others and at the shuttle "I think it best if we get on board, wouldn't want to get left behind on our first mission out."

[Icilia]

Zarkov takes his pass plus the extra.

"Yes, let us board. I hope our missing partner joins us quickly."

"Also, as you mentioned earlier Eisen, perhaps our first task should be to talk to the local arbitrates, as well as the local nobility. Is there anything else anyone can think of?"

Zarkov picks up his bag and leads the way over to their transport. He waits longer than he would like when he arrives at the transport for the missing acolyte. He motions for the others to board while he waits.

[Pietato]

"We'd be wise not to disregard anything out of the ordinary, no matter how insignificant." Mae carefully reads over her boarding pass. "There was mention of establishing a leader. If it wouldn't offend, I'd like to nominate Arbitrator Eisen."

[Yuki Akuma]

"What would an Astropath be doing here? They'd be near the bridge, or in the communications room. Not in the disembarkation area," Galatia says, exasperated. "It's important. So don't dismiss it so easily."

[Viper9090]

Eisen raised an eyebrow at Galatia. "If they have to leave the ship, this is how they'd do it, they don't just appear on planet by themselves."

He pulls out his flask, but does not open it, Insted rubbing the metal cap absent mindedly as he talks. "Look, you said they're not here any more, so what can we do? Do you know if this signature has anything to do with us at all and if it does can you pinpoint where it is now? Has it left the ship, or do we spend the next few months searching the ship for another trace of it? What would be the point, especially if it ain't relevant to us."

He sighs, replacing his flask and realizing he was being harsh with the girl, "Look, I know you mean well, but I've been doing this sort of thing my whole life. Little details like this can stall an investigation. You've gotta look at the whole picture, not every little event that happens as we go. So there was a warp signature, maybe a psyker nearby? Lets keep that in mind, and you keep whatever sort of senses you've got looking. If you sense it again, let us know, maybe it will make sense to us then, OK?" He said, giving a small smile. He then takes his stuff and starts heading towards the shuttle.

"I think it best we get going, we can talk on the way down." he says to no-one in particular

[Iron Warlord]

"My apologies for being late." Wolfe says as he enters the ship. "I was unexpectedly delayed avoiding a crew member who felt I had cheated him in a card game last week."

[Miraqariftsky]

SCHNARF-MMNCH-GRRFF-NYAFF-SCHLP-RRHMM...

...crnkshkshhk

Presently, a crinkled ration wrapper flies over the heads of the Acolytes' fellow passengers, ringing around the rim of a waste basket, then plunking in. Her breath smelling of pilfered peppered grill-grox and cheesebread, the redheaded rogue pipes up from behind Eisen, "Schorreh 'boudah d'lay. SCHLAP-GRAMMFF-mmnch... Zipped offa fer a last piss afore the trip. What? I do 'ave dignity, I'll 'ave ye know."

Pocketing her own pass after it had been checked, she hefts the duffel bag over her shoulder and says, "My two cents? Don't spook the spook. Let's just... keep our eyes peeled fer any extra spooky nastiness, eh? An' I second that ol' sarge Eisen be our outfit's chief. Veteran's wisdom an' all that."

[Yuki Akuma]

"Warp signatures do not often completely disappear with no trace. I'm just saying... be on the look out for anything unusual." Galatia rubs the bridge of her nose.

"I leave decisions on who to lead us up to the rest of you. I'm willing to follow whoever."

[Kaynebot]

As the last of your group finds there way to you, all of you heads towards boarding the surprisingly average landing vessel. Near the entrance is a ramp into the ship with a servo-skull waiting to read your passes. Presuming everyone presents their passes, the skull reads them, making the occasional techno-beep now and then. Once the passes are read it says in a very machine-like voice "You may enter" The metallic door of the ship opens revealing the inside. Inside the ship towards the back end are a dozen chairs arranged in a semi-circle with a few portholes placed behind the chairs for viewing the outside. On the opposite end is another wall and door presumably leading to the captains quarters. Besides the chairs the cabin is very unadorned. Closer inspection of the chairs shows the average safety regulations for entering and exiting planetary atmosphere, a systematic harness.


Sorry for the delay in this post, life is busy right now. Anyways feel free to keep on talking, when your done let me know and I'll fast forward to planet-side. Any questions ask, I'll be happy to help.

P.S. Don't worry the pace will pick up soon.

[Viper9090]

Eisen drops his kit under the left most chair. Securing it so it doesn't jostle during flight, he turns to the rest of the acolytes "Shall we?".

[Miraqariftsky]

Akadia checks her harnesses for the tenth time. And the pass that was slid in beside her idents into her wallet.

Her reassembled rifle sits beside her to the left, its safety catch clearly engaged. Her bag secured in the locker beneath her chair.

She tosses a question to the others, "Any of y'all, this also yer second trans-atmo trip?"

[Yuki Akuma]

Galatia sits in her harness comfortably, not looking at all anxious - like she's done this so often it's routine. To Akadia's question, though, she considers for a moment.

"...Maybe," is the only conclusion she comes to.

[Icilia]

Zarkov enters, slides his bag under the chair, takes a moment to rearrange his weapons, then takes a seat next to Akadia.

"Definitely not. At least we won't be under attack. You could say that is kind of new to me."

[Kaynebot]

Seeing as how nobody has anything further, lets move.


As all of you follow in strapping yourselves and your cargo into place. The presumed captain comes over the vox. "Without further haste, why don't we descend into the wonderful planet of Fenksworld. Hold on tight folks." Out of the windows the acolytes can see the ship being led into another room properly made to exit the Emperor's Currency The doors behind seal shut with a hiss and the engines roar to life filling the cabin with obnoxious noise and shaking. The shuttle rockets out of the ship straight towards the planet. As you descend into the heavenly atmosphere, your meager portholes quickly become surrounded from the smog of the hive beneath you. After a the not-so-terrible ride down you feel the shuttle begin its landing process onto the hive's landing pads. Slowly the engine's life begins to fade and the shuttle is left as it was. The captain comes over the speaker again. "Well here are in the wonderful hive of Nova Castilla, let me tell ya look out the for the little hivers they like to give you a hard time." He says in cheery mood, well a paid to be cheery attitude. The doors to the side slide open and the fresh hive air stumbles into the cabin already filling your nostrils with the tons of pollutants put off every hour. What fun your assignment will be.

As all of you pick up your stuff and head out you are met with a scene of a typical hive landing pad with jumbles of more surrounding you and a little path leading to the customs building where you will be treated as normal guests arriving aboard the planet. But as you walk out you are distracted by a man of bigger stature walking straight towards the shuttle. You can tell right away that he is not one of those pesky customs agents but instead seems...well too shady to be an official. He's average height and his body is hidden beneath a huge trench coat hiding any further aspects of him to be discovered. His face is lean and angular with a dash of handsome co-existing with the more worn visage. He appears to be walking towards you purposely and before anyone can react he is a few feet away telling you "Before you do or say anything. I know who are and who your employer is. If you follow me, I can be of assistance to your...how shall we say goals. Not to mention I know a back to door that will at least let you void customs. What do you say?"

[Viper9090]

Eisen steps forward, "Not that we don't appreciate the offer friend, but if you do know who we are then I imagine you realize we can hardly trust you by your word. You have any proof that we can trust you?"

Scrutiny test to see if this guy is lying and if he is who he seems: Target 36: [roll0]
Awareness test to see if the surroundings are secure, if we are being observed and if there is anything out of the ordinary: Target 36 [roll1]

[Kaynebot]

The stranger smirks at the Eisen. "I suppose, I guess it wouldn't be like Leon to pick new people that have no smarts. You...ehh you are an Arbitrator right? Yea you are. Anyways that good enough?" He then stands taking in the whole group as they exit the shuttle. He seems to be excited to move on but showing no actual signs of rushing you.


Eisen Only

Your scrutiny reveals that he seems to be telling the truth but your still not sure who exactly he is suppose to be. Your awareness yields a glimpse out of the corner of your eye of a tech-priest who doesn't appear to be working with the others to make repairs and small changes to the ships. He appears different from the crowd but your not sure why. A second later he vanishes into a crowd of people walking towards the center building. Besides that nothing seems out of the ordinary

[Viper9090]

Eisen waits for a beat as the man mentions the Inquisitors name, then shrugs with a small smile, "Good enough for now." He says, striding off the ramp. He studies the crowd for a long moment, then turns back to the man "You got a name we can use?"

[Pietato]

The filtration unit built into Tech Adept Beryl's respirator protests with a whine as she steps into the open air, staying behind Eisen as he addresses the suspicious individual. She slings her equipment duffel over her shoulder and checks all of her equipment, ensuring that nothing was shaken out of place in-transit.

[Kaynebot]

"Yea I got a name, Ravion. Now we should be heading before the annoying security finds us." Lingering there for a moment more, waiting to see if anyone else has questions Ravion waits before striding away from the main the building down a side path near the wall and away from the landing pads. There doesn't seem to be many people here and it likes no one noticing you walk the wrong direction.


Everyone as you leave the shuttle please roll awareness.

[Yuki Akuma]

Galatia leaves the shuttle. As she sees this 'Ravion' character, she narrows her eyes, one hand moving not-inconspicuously to the holster of her laspistol. Not that she's drawn it, yet.

Awareness (27): [roll0]

[Viper9090]

Does Eisen need to roll awareness again?

[Kaynebot]

Eisen

No has seen all he could

[Miraqariftsky]

"Motherofmonkeycrappingsmokingsaints!" cursed Akadia through grit teeth as the craft took off, her belly churning against voidflight G-forces for only the fouth time in her life.

~~~

The usually snappy rogue stumbles out of the shuttlecraft paler than most hivers, clutching her kitbag like a mother would her babe, still muttering, "Thehemprahpertecks..."

Still, back on terra firma, she keeps her senses peeled. Or tries to.


Awareness, eh? [roll0] TN 40

[Icilia]

Zarkov spends most of the flight attempting not to laugh at Akadia. He follows after, still trying to not laugh too much. As Zarkov makes his way, he looks around at the hive.


Awareness: 30
Roll [roll0]

[Kaynebot]

I terribly sorry for the way things are going. When the summer ended my academics caught up to me and now I'm afraid I just don't have the time to maintain a campaign. I am terribly sorry I hope maybe this could be put on the pending list but I don't know when I'll haveore free time. So I am sorry again but life hates me right now.