[DH2E] The Other Half (IC)

[Revanus]

Coming out of a ripple in the very fabric of existence, the Defiant-class Light Cruiser slowly emerges from the Immaterium above the bluish-swirl of Shenim. The Imperial Navy's Thunderjug is due for resupply, fresh from a six-month patrol of the merchant lanes.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/warhammer40k/images/6/6f/Space_Hulk_by_Zen_Master.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120914182757

Less routine is the presence of a small motley crew, designated as "Naval Observers" on the ship manifests. They were confined to long-unused auxiliary officers quarters, a small section that nonetheless included a break lounge, dining area, individual quarters, and a briefing room. A small servo-skull had been their lone companion for the bulk of the trip--a journey of two weeks.

------------------

The servo-skull has recently assembled all of the team members in the briefing room. The lights dim, and the servo-skull begins to project a pict-reel on the far wall from its enhanced cybereye.

The grainy and stuttering black and white images display an orbital view the planet Shenim. Quick demographic info and historical images flash into view, while a jovial female voice provides soothing narration, repeating the briefings made available to you earlier in the week.

Planet:
The Agri-World of Shenim is a beacon of productivity. Its vast fields are among the most highly productive in the Quadrant, churning out billions of pounds of food units per cycle at an unrivaled efficiency.

The basic unit of community is the township. Of moderate size for rural communities, towns can range from small (population: 99) to robust (population: 20,000+). Additionally, there is a sizable urban metropolis known as Richmann (population: 30,000,000) which serves as the seat of planetary government.

The socio-cultural habits of Shenim also make it among the more unique worlds of the Imperium. Life on Shenim is marked by The Great Division. The population is stratified between two ethnic peoples: the Daze and the Noctim. They live amongst each other, frequent the same buildings, eat at the same tables, and even share the same homes--yet they effectively live entirely separate existences. The Daze operate exclusively during the solar periods, while the Noctim are only active during the lunar timeframe. They are divided in labor--the Daze being mainly agricultural workers, while the Noctim tend to engage in industrialized occupations. The buildings they inhabit and frequent take on different purposes--and even names--depending on the time period. The same structure which serves as a bank for the Daze may be a popular saloon for the Noctim. A Daze general store might be a Noctim factory. The machine spirits of the world enforce this division--drawing on lost archeotech to permit the seamless modular transformation and reconfiguration of buildings.

However, even when the machine spirits fail (and they do fail), social norms enforce The Great Division. It is taboo for the Daze and Noctim to interact, or even recognize each others' presence. Personal belongings of the Noctim are studiously ignored by the Daze, and vice versa. Many Noctim and Daze share the same habitation arrangements, without acknowledgement that a nightstand might share two sets of pict-frames, or that a bed might have been recently slept in. In those rare occasions when Noctim and Daze are forced to interact, they adamantly insist that the other speaks a nigh-unintelligable language. In point of fact, both speak mildly accented low gothic.

In terms of government, The Great Division persists. Shenim has two separate currencies, with no exchange rate. The Daze and Noctim maintain separate law enforcement, and raise separate PDF regiments--colloquially known as The Blues and The Greys, reflecting the differing styles of dress and color preferences of the two peoples. Two wholly separate bureaucracies exist, and inter-governmental interactions betweeen the Daze and the Noctim more closely resemble the interactions between two independent planets--reinforced by the 12-hour time difference. Joint conduct or undertakings between the Daze and Noctim are infrequent and politically fraught.

Yet, The Great Division comes with great boons. The unrivaled productivity and efficiency of Shenim is directly attributable the effective division of labor and activity between its two ethnic groups, ensuring effective 24 hour productivity on a planetary scale without forced labor or coercion. It is likely for this reason that The Great Division has been permitted to persist, and even embraced, by the Administratum and Ecclessiarchy.

Yes, Shenim is unlike most other planets in the Imperium. For good and for ill.

Demographics--Shenim:

Planet type: Agri-World.
Tech: Frontier Technology.
Population: 6 Billion (roughly equal division between Noctim and Daze)
Imperial Cult: Yes--2 variations (Temple of the Sun God/Chambers of the Star King)
Adeptus Presence: Yes--All but Astartes.
Currency: Golden Eagle (Daze)/Gilded Owl (Noctim)
PDF: The Blues (Daze)/The Greys (Noctim)


Suddenly, there is the sound of shifting gears. The Holy Sign of the =I= flashes upon the screen, while an impersonal robotic voice continues the presentation.

"Greetings, INQUISITORIAL ACOLYTES. Welcome to the planet of Shenim. No doubt you have familiarized yourselves with the basic history of this unique planet during your transit. You have been tasked with investigating a number of unusual reports centered around the town of Sunnyvale-Starlight.

The town of Sunnyvale-Starlight is situated nearby a significant deposit of uranium. One of the major sources of labor in the town is the mining of this uranium deposit. The mine is operated by the local utility companies, in one of the few persistent instances of Daze-Noctim joint venture operations. Recently, a number of disappearances have been reported in the mines. These disappearances have occurred with equal frequency during both day and night. Investigate these disappearances.

Additionally, the Bank of Sunnyvale recently experienced an unusual break-in. The Bank shares its location with the Starlight Saloon & Casino. The robbery occurred at broad daylight, but witnesses proved unable to recognize any of the desperadoes. Additionally, further investigation revealed that the heist impacted both the Bank and the Saloon, involving the theft of both Golden Eagles and Gilded Owls. Primary objective is to uncover the motivation behind the heist. Secondary objectives include bringing to Imperial justice both the mastermind (alive) and perpetrators (dead or alive). Resolving and/or avoiding exacerbation of potential Daze/Noctim tension is a tertiary objective.

You may pursue your investigations in any order you see fit. You must depart within 24 hours, however, you may dictate your time of arrival. A planetary shuttle has been reserved for your needs, and appropriate mode of surface transport has been arranged.

Remember that The Great Divide may pose unique challenges to your work, as landmarks, geography, terminology, and nomenclature may vary based upon time of day. Moreover, inhabitants may be more or less cooperative depending upon their perception of you as either Daze, Noctim, or Sojourners. Bear in mind that Sunnyvale-Starlight is a small town, and while few interactions ostensibly cross The Great Divide...word travels fast, and even small acts may prove newsworthy events."

A flapping sound suddenly fills the room as the projection abruptly cuts off. The lights return. A strong smell of burning electronics fills the room, as thick plumes of black smoke begin to pour from your servo-skull's ear cavities. The repulsors sputter and die, and with a small pop, the skull plummets to the floor, shattering against the plasteel deck plating.

You are alone.

[Jyssika]

For the past two week Vaikyr said very little.
She had not avoided the other acolytes but it
was very rare that she would seek them for any
sort of casual conversation.

It was quite evident she was not a people person,
although she seemed to look at the other acoltyes
with a gaze that penetrated any attempts to lie or
disguise their true motives.

Everyone is well aware her name is Vaikyr, she is
some sort of augmented guardswoman and probably
spent most of her life praising the Omnissiah or doing
firing drills. The lack of a firing range within their
quarters was the only complaint she vocalized during
the past two weeks.

There are things to define;

A) Our method. (Influence or Subtlety)
B) Our pretense or pretenses.
C) Our targets
D) Order of which to proceed.

[garter_snake]

It was a surprise that the augmented woman had been the first to speak- she had kept to herself for the entire journey. Kurem thought as he stroked his long, pointed mustache. The stocky man had been restless for the duration of the journey, with only the thin beer of the mess hall and the occasional brawl with the crewmen to keep him occupied. He was eager to get his boots back on the ground.

"The robbery, I think." He spoke in slightly accented gothic, "Que can expect quhoever or quhatever is behind the uranium mine disappearances to stay put. But the criminals behind the heist will be trying to disappear, and every day the trail will go colder.

There are no sechrets kept long in small towns, so whoever did this must head for a city if they intend to benefit from their ill-gotten gains. I think que have four objechtives then- investigate the scene, find a deschription of the criminals, cover the entrenches to the town and try to capture them there. "

[LazyNinja]

Flavia crinkled her nose, though whether at the noxious death of the servo-skull or the smell of her compatriots after so many weeks shipbound, none could say.

She sat straightbacked in her seat, her heavy armour in stark contrast to her soft face. Flavia seemed a woman of incongruence—impeccable manners and a sneering accent that suggested a life of pampered indolence, but she was a monster with a blade.

"I must agree with the guardsman." Her voice was cold, the intonation flat. "Let us begin our search among what passes for civilization and proper authority. Corruption is often birthed from the head."

She nods to the other woman. "Perhaps if we impress our credentials upon a few highly placed officials, they can provide us with a legitimate cover. In-house investigators for the bank?"

[Rhazbis]

Giaus sat at the back of the briefing room, a look of disinterest on face and dragging on his lho sticks, his fourth since he had joined the little conclave. His ship time had been a dull affair, his peers being the mostly silent and kill people types, he had been forced to find other outlets for his amusement. He had established and cornered the market on a few choice illegal substances, slept with the few actually interesting people aboard, disgraced a ranking deck officer and brushed up on his regicide skills (the Chief Navigator was an excellent player, with a few interesting tales to pass the cycles). Now they were finally at there destination, he had something he could focus on. A few disappearances and a bank robbery hardly seemed like the work of the Arch-enemy, yet this wouldn't be the first time the Inquisition had sent him looking under beds only to find monsters.

"I like the way you think Flavia. Brains and beauty," slyly winking at the Adepta Sororita. "Given a bit of time, I'm sure I could rustle us up some identification and get us an in with the local bureaucracy. Of course, you all might need some *minor* wardrobe changes.

As for the job itself, any criminal worth a damn will be long gone from the scene. However, money, like bodies, have a way of leaving a trail. More to the point, Golden Eagles and Gilded Owls is a local currency that is useless offworld. Either it would require quite the money laundering operation to convert it to standard currency to move off world, or it's being utilised locally. We follow the money trail, we'll find our mark. I don't think we need to tip our hands just yet. "

[Caimheul]

Urania looks up from reading the dataslate in her hands, bored expression on her face as if all of this is beneath her. "I highly doubt there is anything passing for civilization on an Agri-world as backwards as this one. If we are to investigate the 'proper authorities' we shouldn't exactly be announcing our presents to them and ask for a favour, should we? No, and with as quickly as news travels on this backwater, any reports of official investigations might reach the ears of our quarry. Should we need official credentials, potentially a sufficient cover can be constructed utilizing our two real Adeptus Administratum identifications. I would prefer to reserve utilizing the true nature of our employment until we need support from the local Arbite. I doubt the locals have much regular contact with any of the Adeptus anyway, excepting only their local enforcers. It is conceivable that the robbers were Noctim so the Daze witnesses claimed ignorance in observation of their social mores. In which case, stealing both types of currency was likely to obscure their real motivations and/or to serve as funding for both day and night activities. Regardless, this whole experiences promises to be... tedious," she finishes with a long suffering sigh.

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr had very little in the way of personal experience.
However, her training had involved reading and observing
all forms of targets and attempting to learn how they
think and act. According to the Officio Assassinorum
if a hunter knew what his prey was thinking he could
better kill them.

I agree with Urania, humans act differently when poked
with a stick on any planet and by any organization, if we
pretend to be some form of local investigative group we
may aswell just confess we are the Inquisition and watch
the servo-targets scuttle to their wall mountings.

[garter_snake]

"So we can do both. As outsiders, we will attracht attention, this is to be sure. But some outsiders attract more attention than others.

We go one and two then, two to stir the nest-" Kurem gestured to himself and Flavia. "Bounty hunters. A small break in in a small town is to small to call the attention of the arbites, much less the inquisition. Ah, but a pair of spacers, seeking their fame and fortune on a frontier world- is just like a picht story, no? Strange enough to draw attention, but not somuch as to arouse suspicion. Ask the hard questions, the ones people answer after being hit with heavy things. 'Did you see who did this?', 'who let the robbers in?', 'Who knows more'. After all- " Kurem tapped the side of his nose. "a Daze might be persuaded to remember a Noctim after seeing some stars, no?"

"The other two-" Kurem gestures next to Giaus and Urania "Administration Drones. There are many bees on an agri-world, so two more will not be noticed, no?. To ask the soft questions. 'Is there anyone who needs money fast?', 'Was there any unusual travel in and out of the town? 'what are the travel records for the town', 'Are there sechurity pichts?'. "

"And the last-" Kurem points to Vaikyr "-was never there, as far as the town thinks. Some things can only be learned without asking, no?"

[Caimheul]

Urania picks her nails as she replies, removing imaginary speck of dirt from below her finger nails. "Obtaining a pair of bounty hunter's licenses would be easier and should only require a modicum of pressure on one unlikely to be involved. The only major flaw I see in your plan entails leaving the pair of us without a bodyguard. Any respectable organization would deal with all inquiries relating to their work in a... final matter. Obviously I'd prefer to avoid a direct confrontation, but I doubt those responsible feel the same way," she finishes, glancing at the doorway briefly. "One of you be a dear and determine why I am hearing noises from the officer's hallway hmm?" she says to no one in particular.

[Rhazbis]

"Administration Drones Kurem, really? I am hurt"

Giaus chuckled to himself at the Guardsman's expense, taking another deep drag on the lho stick before continuing.

"To confirm then, me & Urania will investigate the bank robbery, letting me work some of my traditional magic. We'll start asking the obvious questions and get a few leads from the scene, and from there we'll start digging around with the Administration. I get the impression that these events aren't the only things of a suspicious nature happening in our little backwater. I also suggest we arrive separately, lest any inquisitive minds join the dots on our arrival. Give us a little bit of time and we'll try to make things comfortable for the rest of your arrivals.

Don't forget, we'll all likely need to get two sets of identification for both the Daze and the Noctim to make sure we don't end up on the wrong side of the local enforcement and ensure our movements aren't in breach, lest we want to end on the wrong side of the Arbites and worst of all, wide open to those we're trying to hunt.

Whilst we're on the subject, does no one else find it the least bit strange that for a system of separation so rigorously enforced by the Machine Spirits, unknown alien technology and two bureaucracies was totally bypassed in this low key incident? "

[Jyssika]

As if to highlight Urania's need for a bodyguard,
Vaikyr takes a single step towards the door and
raises her Autogun ready for anything that might
enter.

She raises a single fist above her head before
concentrating on what she has heard.

[LazyNinja]

As Vaikyr rises, Flavia also stands and moves to the door, releasing a clasp on her sheath and drawing an elegantly engraved chainblade in a single fluid motion. She pauses before opening the door and listens intently, watching for anything unusual.

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr attempts to stop a possible disaster,
in the time it takes the fearsome female
warrior to stand draw her noisey weapon
and walk towards the door she gently places
a hand on her hand bidding her to stop and
lifts a single finger to her lips, bidding her to
be quiet.

Disaster averted!

Since you she walks all the way across a room
and apparently even pauses before opening the
door I think Vaikyr would have enough time to
stop her... although I suppose Flavia could just
ignore her... but thats upto her! :D

[LazyNinja]

Flavia scowls at the touch and withdraws her free hand, but she angles her head for a moment and frowns when she hears nothing. She turns to Vaikyr and arches an eyebrow expectantly.

[Caimheul]

Urania looks unamused at the two women making a giant production out of opening a door. "Will you two get on with it? We've been on this vessel for a fortnight, more than ample time for even a threat as cautious as the two of you to make themselves known. Although given the number of doors on this vessel, it might have taken them this long to get here," she says pursing her lips impatiently.

[Rhazbis]

Giaus smiled to himself watching his colleagues stumble around, chasing the shadows. Stubbing out his lho stick, he moved to the back of the room and began lighting his next stick. He was interested to see how this played out, though his calm exterior was betrayed by his free hand resting on the stub pistol in his coat.

[LazyNinja]

Flavia glances around at the rest of the warband as the tension in the room rises. As the distant clanking of the servitor grows more audible, she relaxes a bit. She shifts to a more casual stance, revs her chainblade loudly for a brief moment, then sheathes it with a flourish.

"I suggest we try not to kill each other. We've been on this ship too long, so perhaps those of you with Administratum contacts should get to work securing covers for all of us." She looks pointedly at Vaikyr. "I appreciate the paranoia. I'll be looking to you to notice things I do not, but I will be the first to enter the fray if it comes to it."

[Rhazbis]

Even as the tension subsides, Giaus's hand remained on the stub. His face breaks back into an easy smile.

"Bounty Hunters I can do. If I produce some standardised identification, all you need to do is find a suitable undesirable with a Imperial Warrant attached and some kind of link to our case and that get's you in the door, including with the Arbites. Imperial sanctioned bounty hunters will not go un-noticed though and I have no doubt you'll be watched with much interest, so if you stick to criminal elements, hell, maybe round up a few bad guys for fun, then I'm sure you'll pass. Speaking of criminals, I've heard that our Ordinate here knows a thing or too....

That's unless of course, you want to go legit to the source and pass as off-worlders starting out.

I'll source getting a transfer to Adiminstratum in the locality with the same wonderful identification and start doing some retinue queries. I assume the delightful Urania will also be coming with me?

In the meantime, I recommend checking the local bulletins and system news for any other incidents might expose a few other leads. I want to spend some time getting to know the ins & outs of the planet, start to absorb the flavour so to speak."

[Caimheul]

"I have a passing familiarity with the workings of criminal organizations, although how much of it pertains to this backwater I cannot say. Regardless, we won't be able to work on after we contact the appropriate offices. Which requires someone to open that door, and look in the hallway. Whatever is out there is either waiting for us, or likely has no interest in causing us harm as by now it has had plenty of time to open the door from the other side," Urania observes.

[LazyNinja]

"Bah." Flavia sighs, then strides to the door and grasps the handle. She turns to look back toward her companions, pulls a hand flamer from its pouch, cracks the door, and, without a glance outside, fires a blast of promethium down the hall. She slams the door shut and casually holsters the still smoking weapon. "That's taken care of. Shall we get to work?"

[Revanus]

The decorative plasteel door is sheared from its hinges as a ceramite blast door comes hurtling down from the bulkhead above.

Klaxons blare as a calm, robotic voice announces "Localized fire in compartments IX312-O14....Extinguishing...Localized fire..."

An intense whooshing and venting sound is audible, emanating from behind the blast door. Above you, small sprinklers begin to spurt blackish liquid, drizzling everyone in the room. Oddly, it carries a distinct odor of kerosene.

After 30 seconds pass, the blast door disengages, flying back up into the hidden ceiling compartment. The plasteel door is visible, lying unceremoniously on the floor. The walls of the hallway are slightly blackened and sooty. In the middle of the hallway stands a servitor, seemingly no worse for the wear. Its hands, however, are filled with an ashen and tar-like goop.

The servitor makes a very human motion, dropping the muddy substance to the floor and dusting off its hands--with limited success. Where a human face would normally be located, a dataslate resides. The following text is displayed:

<Time Elapsed Until Exit: 5:56. Grade: Mediocre.
Reaction upon exit: Extreme Violence. Grade: Satisfactory.>

The servitor looks down at the bundle of goop.

<State of local clothing items: Charred.
Estimated Time of Arrival of Naval Investigators: 20 Standard Minutes.
Time Until Mandatory Departure for Hangar: 5 minutes. Prepare your belongings!
Estimated Time of Arrival (Shenim-Standard): 9:15 AM
Overall Grade [Interim]: Acceptable

Name: BT-13r
Purpose: Mission Inquiries (Abbreviated)

Query: Any questions???>


The final line begins to blink. The servitor waits patiently.

[LazyNinja]

Flavia calmly reloads her flamer from her pouch, then looks up at the servitor. "Where can I get more ammunition?"

[Revanus]

The servitor turns to Flavia.

<Ammunition is readily available on Shenim. There are no restrictions on the visible carrying of weapons. Recommendations: General Store or Weapons Dealer.
----
Query: Any Questions???
Time Until Departure: 4:30>

[Caimheul]

Urania sighs mightily, putting two fingers to her forehead as the fluid drips down her face. "Really? And now we have to source local garb ourselves," she says gesturing to the soggy mess that was to be their clothing. "Is there an insurance policy protecting against loss for either the casino or bank?"

[Jyssika]

Whatever covers are aquired and created will be entirely
useless if you continue to wave loud weapons and torch
random bystanders.

---

Waiting patiently for her turn Vaikyr asks.

How long until Thunderjug will be ready to depart
and where will our accomodation be on world.

[Revanus]

The Servitor turns to Urania.

<Query 1: Yes.
Query 2: The Bank of Sunnyvale is insured by the AllDaze Farm and Country Insurance Corporation, of Richmann, Shenim. A local adjuster is likely to arrive in 72-120 standard hours--via light rail. The Starlight Saloon has...no insurance on record. That is not unusual for such an enterprise--theft is likely to be dealt with directly.

In the future, please only pose a single query at a time, out of concern for logic processor overheating.
---
Query: Any Questions???
Time Until Departure: 3:30. Please gather your belongings!>

[Revanus]

The servitor turns to Vaikyr.

<Query: The INS Thunderjug [Light Cruiser--Defiant-Class] is scheduled to depart Shenim and return to its patrol of merchant lanes in 48 hours.>

The Servitor makes a slight buzzing sound.

<...Logo-Contextuality Matrix (20.1u88) stream...
...
...
Modifying answer based upon likely parameters...>

There is hissing and a loud pop.

<Your planetary shuttle will be departing this vessel in 8 minutes 42 seconds. You must vacate these quarters in 3 minutes to avoid encountering complications. Here is a map of this vessel, as well as a basic planetary map of Shenim, to aid you in your travels.>

A compartment opens in the servitor's chest. Two grasping pincers extend from the cavity with a simple datapad clutched in their utility claws. A glimpse inside the servitor's chest reveals a maelstrom of whirling gears and ticking pistons...but no heart.

<You will need to make your own arrangements for accommodation.
-----
Query: Any Questions???
Time Until Departure: 2:30. Please gather your belongings!>

[Caimheul]

Urania mutters softly to herself something regarding improper maintenance as she goes to her room to grab what few belongings she possesses sighing slightly at her loss of station pausing only to wipe the worst of the fire fighting fluid off of her.

[garter_snake]

Kurem pulled on his mustache, baring his teeth. Hah, this inquisitor fellow certainly had a strange sense of humor. Come to think of it...

"What is the name of our inquisitor, or what should we refer to him as? I don't believe I've ever achtually been told."

((edit:))((edit2:))

After his request, Kurem stepped out of the room, into the hallway taking the datapad from the servitor as he did so. No need to tempt fate. He glanced down at it, to confirm the route to the shuttle, then nodded to himself.

"I'm ready to go, otherwise." He holds up the dataslate for the others to see and traces the route to the shuttle with his finger. "Shall we?"

[Revanus]

The servitor turns to Kurem.

<Correct. You have not been told.

You have been reassigned from Inquisitor Balthasar. You are no longer in his service.

Your new Inquisitor is {REDACTED}. You may refer to him by the following codename: Inquisitor-Inspector Deckard Flatline.

This name is only to be used under extreme duress or to convey information of vital import. Failure to adhere to these terms may result in termination...of your employment.
-----
Query: Any Questions???
Time Until Departure: 1:30. Please gather your belongings!>

[garter_snake]

-----
Query: Any Questions???
Time Until Departure: 1:30. Please gather your belongings!>[/COLOR]

"That sounds like our cue, yes?"

Shouldering his rifle, the rest of his few belongings already stuffed into his combat vest, Kurem starts walking towards the shuttle hanger.

[LazyNinja]

"Indeed." Flavia gives the servitor a few pats on the chassis before following the guardsman out into the scorched hallway and heading for the hangar.

[Caimheul]

Urania tries to remain in the middle of the group as they travel to the shuttlebay, shooting Flavia evil looks while muttering and trying to wring out more of the fluid from her robes.

[Rhazbis]

Giaus reluctantly stubs out his last lho stick and quickly assembles his meagre belongings. His first job planetside will be to source whatever passes for smokes before he can finally settle on any other determined course of action.

Hurrying to catch his compatriots, he turns to the now charred servitor for a final question before departure:

"In Sunnyside-Starlight, where are the appropriate Adminstratum offices for both the Daze and Noctim sides and who are the local ranking officials?"

[Revanus]

The servitor turns to Giaus.

<The Adeptus Administratum, like many edifices of Holy Imperial Governance on Shenim, is not explicitly subject to the vagaries of The Great Divide. While both local Daze and Noctim are employed and recruited by the Adeptus Administratum, there is also a substantial level of bureaucracy staffed wholly by off-worlders--to counteract issues of local prejudice.

There is a local Administratum branch located off of the Sunnyvale-Starlight's thoroughfare "Main Street/Broadway."

Key Admninistratum officials include:
A) Localus Administratrix Maximus--Jonas Von 'Olytorone (Off-Worlder)--[Located in Tombstone-Graveyard--20 miles South-East of Sunnyvale-Starlight]

B) Sub-Bureaucrator Prime of Administrative Staffing and
Transfers--Esther Nightingale (Noctim)

C) Chief Petty Cash Officer-- Bartholemew Forexu (Off-Worlder)

D) Overseer of Waste Management--Thomas Hickock (Daze)
-----
Query: Any Questions???
Time Until Departure: 0:30. Please gather your belongings!

This Servitor will self destruct in 7:59...>

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr suddenly had an aweful feeling that this Vessel was
also going to explode the moment they stepped off it...
She was briefly reminded of the Cranial bombs that her
previous heretechnical Ad Mech leaders had placed in the
heads of their soliders and techpriests and hoped that
reading her case file had not given their new employer any
ideas.

Vaikyr didn't have any belonging to collect, everything she
owned was in a Imperial Green flakcloth backpack sat on
her shoulder and Harbinger held as always loose
across her chest.

She moves towards the front of the group, optical mecha
sitting within the folds of her cloak but still scanning what
is infront of her in infared whilst with her normal eyes she
looks for anything else.

[roll0] 52 Visual (42 Non-Visual)

[Rhazbis]

Giaus tipped an imaginary hat in mocking salute to the servitor, thanking him for what would be invaluable information when he got planet side.

Catching up with the rest of the team rushing towards the shuttle.

"The good news is me & Urania will have no problem blending into the local administration. I think our first job when we hit planetside is recon, maybe hit a few of the local hot spots and take in the surroundings. I'll head down to the local Administratum office and get us our "in" there. Once I've laid the groundwork and plied the right hands, I'll work on getting the bounty hunter licences and then working the system to see what we can dig up. I'm sure between me & Urania we'll be able to get whatever you need, right Urania?

What may I ask will the rest of you be engaging in? Finding us some luxury habs in this backwater?"

[Caimheul]

Urania picks at the sleeve of her sodden robe. "We would perhaps make a better impression if we found the opportunity to change into dry clothing," she observes dryly. "We should also consider either replacing or posing as insurance adjusters in order to question the bank manager."

[Jyssika]

Perhaps a local gang could do with an extra
pair of eyes and a gun for hire. I am sure
I could fit right in if they are recruiting for
future jobs.

Vaikyr cleans the foam off of Harbinger as she
walks and does her best to make herself
presentable.

Or are we completely ignoring the possibility
for any sort of undercover work and infiltration?

[Revanus]

You quickly arrive at the hangar bay blast doors. They slide open at your approach.

The bay is completely empty, save for a single small vessel. It is of indeterminate make and model. The hull is so black it almost seems to absorb the light around it.

A single humanoid pilot--clearly female--mulls about the hull, going through final pre-flight checks. She is clad in all-black--black void suit, black boots, black respirator, black flight helm, and black visor. She doesn't turn as you approach. Her voice is monotone and synthetic.

"You must be the package. Climb aboard and strap in. We're skids up in T minus 2."

She pauses briefly in her supplications to the vessel's machine spirits.

"If you must light up again, please do so before boarding. No smoking is permitted."

[Revanus]

As you climb aboard, the cargo hold is visible. It is filled with a number of large, metal objects--resembling some sort of all-terrain quadruped walker.

As the last of you enter, the boarding ramp folds up and seals off the exit. A slight hissing sound is audible as the life support system kicks in and the cabin pressurizes.

The cockpit is divided from the rest of the cabin by an airlock. A loud clunk and grinding sound is audible from the exterior, and the cabin shakes as the engines begin to hum to life. A metallic voice crackles audibly through the prominent vox-caster above the cockpit door.

<Welcome aboard. Please stow all personal belongings and avoid any outward expression of motion sickness. Failure to keep bodily fluids constrained may result in the jettisoning of the passenger cabin.>

A slight pause.


<We will be touching down at approximately 9:15 AM, Standard Shenim Time. LZ will be approximately two hours from Sunnyvale-Starlight. Questions will be permitted after take-off.>

Slight motion is perceptible, as loud clanking fills the cabin. The shuttle begins to jerk steadily along at regular intervals.

With a sudden jolt, the sensation of forward movement comes to a halt and the clanking dies off. The lights in the cabin flicker, before giving up all together. The cabin is plunged into darkness.

All is quiet.

---
Skill Tests:
Optional: Common Lore (AdMech)/Tech Use/Logic to figure out what's in the cargo hold.
Required: Toughness (+30) and Fear (+30) tests from everyone.

[garter_snake]

Kurem walked into the dropship as it prepared to take off.

"Luxury apartments for all of us would be too conspicuous, no? But we do need a safehouse, yes. While the two of you are dealing with the Adminstratum, we three should find an abandoned building or some likely terrain to use.

As for achtual acchommodations, well. Perhaps the Starlight Saloon might have some rooms for rent?"

-----

Tests for takeoff. Will post reaction ic after seeing results.
[roll0] TN 44+30 toughness
[roll1] TN 33+10+30 willpower

[Caimheul]

"The insurance adjuster option was a means for Giaus and myself to potentially aid in the investigation of the bank. I fear our search for accommodations will be complicated by the peculiar nature of this location. I doubt the bank will be laid out such that rooms from the casino are still accessible. But anythings possible on this backwater," Urania says with a sneer.

_____________

Urania stows her belonging quickly, and squelches slightly as she settles into one of the seats, strapping in. While waiting for the shuttle to depart, she examines the other cargo in the hold.

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr steps aboard the vessel, she had during her
training done many simulation runs flying various
aero vehicles but had only on one occasion actually
piloted one for real.

The mechanical quadrapeds are a mystery to her,
perhaps some form of reconnaissance drone or
fuel processing units? For all she knew they could
produce lactose fluids.

The jolt catches her entirely off-guard as she ponders
the strange machines and listens to the conversation
reguarding accomodation and if it hadn't been for her
flight training she would have probably spewed the
entire contents of her stomach across her team members.

Hello? Report?

She uses her Optical Mechadendrite and turns on a
stab light to allow the others some degree of vision,
with her infared emitter and vision she checks the
surrounding area.

[Revanus]

A muted roar begins to fill the cabin as the engines spool up. The ship begins to shake and rattle, as it strains against an unknown force.

A shrill beeping tone is audible from outside the cabin.

Without warning, everyone is slammed back into their seats as the launching tube catapults the shuttle into the void at 7G's. The crash webbing helps absorb much of the shock, though the lack of orientation and sudden weightlessness of open space leaves at least one of your number disoriented. The distinctive sound of human retching is audible, and the strong odor of bile fills the cabin.

<You know, I warned you folks not to regurgitate. The shuttle lacks a gravity field generator for short trips. You will now experience a fate worse than venting: zero-g vomit. Skids down in 20 minutes. Enjoy.>

For a robotic monotone voice, the pilot seems a bit miffed. Her annoyance soon becomes understandable, as the globs of sick float about and impact nearly every cabin surface as the shuttle maneuvers towards Shenim.

[LazyNinja]

Flavia uses a hand to shield her mouth from the largest bits of cud and bile. "Holy Terra, it's worse than purging a Nurgle cult! I think new clothing and a shower is a good idea, after all." She glances over to the steel horses. "We'll probably need to hose them down, too."

[Rhazbis]

This may not be Giaus' first drop in zero G, but that still never made it any less horrific. Right now his insides were trying to be outside and this was happening with some degree of success as he saw his breakfast floating in front of him. Next time, he was flying business class.

[Caimheul]

Urania does her best to cover her face and hands with her already ruined robe. "At least we had not yet changed into new clothing prior to this incident... Although I can't imagine any respectable business to allow any of us entry at this point."

[LazyNinja]

As the shuttle rumbles and shakes, Flavia shouts over the din. "I'm afraid we aren't nearly as experienced as you...er...pilot. What did you say your name was?" Flavia laughs lightly, but the others in the hold can see that the smile doesn't touch her eyes. "I must have missed it in all the commotion."

[Revanus]

<I didn't. 'Snot worth doing names until the third outing, I find. Too much turnover.>

The pilot lets the statement hang in the air. Not unlike those globs of vomit.

[Rhazbis]

Giaus's breathing has returned to normal and more importantly doubts there's anything inside him left to be ejected. He foresaw a large laundry bill when they finally hit dirt side. Listening to his colleague bomb with the pilot, he pulled himself together to gain a level of composure. The taste of bile and his rebelling body aside, he put on smile and took a deep breath.

"Argh no fair, surely we're prime first date material? I was hoping we could swap life stories, talk about our likes & pet hates, reminisce about the good times. Besides, these walker things you got back here don't make for much in the way of interesting conversation.

Your accent sounds distinct though, where you from?"

This is my attempt at Charm, not sure if this counts as a separate roll or an assist, but happy to wait for LazyNinja to back us up!

[LazyNinja]

"Neither do any of the passengers," Flavia interjects dryly.

That's an assist.

[Revanus]

<"The good times...before you folks puked in my ship?>

There's a metallic sigh.

<Because of our sudden departure, there was no time to load the RoboPods up with local pathfinding algorithms. You'll need to find your own way about. Hope you brought a map.

We've got about two minutes before hitting atmo. Any questions?>

[Rhazbis]

The pilot was icey to say the least and wasn't giving anything up. Giaus put the lack of chemistry down to the fact that he still didn't know what way was up and that the only indication he had was that his whole body wanted to permanently attach itself to the floor. Never travel economy, because you will die. Trying to focus through his personal hell, he pulled his resolve back together.

"I have to apologise for my travelling companion", gesturing to Flavia, "she doesn't quite know how to hold her stomach. You should see her trying to drink, 2 amasecs and he'd make out with a greenskin I kid you not. It's quite the sight. Speaking of amasec, I do believe we owe you crate if you'd care to stick around after landing. On me that is, as recompense for the miscellaneous cleaning bills and such.

Speaking of which, where is our LZ? We've got maps but no one saw fit to tell us we weren't being delivered direct.

Also, we've heard a few strange happenings round here, you heard anything?"


One last attempt at charm to help boost the results of any questioning

[LazyNinja]

At Giaus' negging, Flavia scowls and taps the flamer at her hip pointedly, but she remains silent.

That's also an assist.

[Revanus]

There's a metallic chuckle.

<Flavia, hmm? More like Regurgia. I'll remember that name. And your Amasec promise.>

A pause.

<LZ is called Greenskin Gulch. Back in the day, this planet was reclaimed from the Orks. Of course, those nasty buggers are long gone. It's a natural ravine, so our approach should be shielded from prying eyes. You're about two hours from Sunnyside-Starlight. The treck should help you get dusted up enough to blend in.

There's water and some provisions in the RoboPod saddlebags. Keep a sharp eye and avoid getting turned around and you'll be just fine. In an absolute emergency, you can call out your safe word and bring down the Big I...but it may reflect poorly upon your capabilities unless the planet's about to implode.>

[Jyssika]

What is the local Fauna? The ship did not have adiquate firing facilities
and it would be nice to check I am functioning correctly before entering
into possible hostilities.

She scoops as much sick from Harbinger as possible.

First Foam, now Vomit.

[garter_snake]

Kurem sighed and wiped the vomit off his chest. They really should give out sick bags, like they do in the guard. Much less work then cleaning the mess, yes?

"A ravine means a river, yes? Ah, good. I think we chould all use a dip." Kurem leaned back and was about to close his eyes and nap the rest of the trip away, when what the pilot said sunk in. "Orks? How long ago did the reclamation take place?"

[Revanus]

<Fauna are typical for an agri-world. Grox are common--both feral and domesticated. Packs of Grox-herding dogs and wolves are also not unheard of, along with cloned horse and Sheni-ffalo--a form of local buffalox hybrid.

Ravine does not mean river, however. It means canyon. Maybe it was carved by water at some point, but the h20's been long dried up. As for the Orks...the initial reclamation was five hundred years ago. But it don't stop the campfire stories.>

The temperature in the cabin begins to rise. Some juttering and turbulence begins to jostle everyone around.

<Entering atmo. Prepare for a few bumps.>

A semblance of gravity returns to the cabin, as some of the floating globs of vomit begin to splat down to the deck plating. The interior lighting flickers back on, bathing the interior in soft red light.

The engines begin to drown out any hope of conversation. The g-forces begin to pile up, crushing you down into your seats. The cabin gets hot, raising the putrid stink of the sick to even more revolting levels. The sound of wind rushing over control surfaces is audible even in the sealed cabin.

Slowly, the g-forces begin to relax. The engines return to a more moderate pitch. There is the sudden sound of winching and clunking, and with a bit of a hard thump, the shuttle touches down on solid ground.
-------
The rear of the shuttle cracks open as the cargo hatch dips to the surface, spilling bright light into the cabin. It soon becomes clear that while much of the cabin is spattered, the RoboPods seem no worse for the wear. There are visible saddlebags on each of the five metal contraptions.

The metallic voice of the pilot crackles in over the vox-caster.

<Last stop--Everybody out.>

[LazyNinja]

Flavia unbuckles her harness and uses the strap to scrape chunks of vomit from the front of her armour. She peers over at the steel horses. "It has been many years since I frequented a proper stable, but I doubt these beasts run on fresh hay. Does anyone know how to operate them?"

She turns to look out the hatch, surveying the terrain of the landing zone. "I might be able to locate a body of water, if there is one around, though it may take me some trial and error. And if we truly need to find our own way into town, I should be able to get us there. Eventually."
She glances at Kurem. "Perhaps we'll do better as a team."


Awareness or Scrutiny, whichever is more appropriate to get the lay of the land: [roll0] vs 38 (Perception 38)
Edit: or Survival, I suppose. Same TN.

[Rhazbis]

As the ship finally lands, Giaus slumps back into his chair with a massive sigh of relief, his death grip on the chair's harness finally relaxing for the first time since take off. Taking a few seconds to catch his breath and his heart rate to return to normal, he slowly begins unstrapping himself. Another wave of nausea hits him as realises the extent to which he's covered in vomit. What he would give for a bath, a woman and a hit of obscura. Right now though, he'd settle for some sleep and a change of clothes.

Gesturing to Flavia, "I suggest you start with the planetary map provided by our friend back on the ship, that should at least point us in the right direction. I'll leave the navigation to greater minds than mine. And yes, a detour via any kind of water source sounds exquisite given our current states."

Finally freeing himself of the harness, it takes some willpower to not fall flat on his face as his body resists any movement. but he maintains some composure and turns to the pilot before leaving.

"It seems a shame that our time together was so short. If we ever need to throw work your way again, how do we reach you? You might not do names, but what about call signs? Besides, have to organise out how we're going to pay off our amasecs debt."

[Caimheul]

Urania takes one whiff of the planet's air as the shuttle's hatch opens, and immediately dons her respirator, muttering about the stench of the unfiltered air, and lamenting that she does not have her old travel allotment of clothing.

[Revanus]

<Ghost. You'll need to use Inquisition Frequency Gamma-Alpha-Throne to reach me up in orbit though--short of a heavy duty vox from an Administratum Communi-Tower, you'd probably be better off using your safe word...whatever it is.>

The cargo ramp begins to churn, and the RoboPods are deposited onto the sand. The engines begin to whir to life again.

<Going skids up in 60. Suggest you clear out. Standard Operating Procedure for cleansing bodily expulsions is deep-space venting--no exceptions. If you couldn't get off this crate before take-off...well, you didn't have much of a future in this line of work, anyway.>
-------

Survival Result:
The sandy soil and arid climate suggests water is a scarce resource. The ambient temperatures at 9:15 AM suggest the heat will only rise as they day progresses. Sticking to shade--such as canyon walls and rock outcroppings--and taking hour-long rests may minimize risk of dehydration and heat stroke, though may result in encountering other life-forms.

Given your survival experience, it occurs to you that the RoboPod saddlebags may bear some useful items.

[LazyNinja]

Flavia steps off the ramp, shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand. Her boots crunch in the dry soil. "Kurem, let me see the dataslate with the map." She flicks through it before walking over to the cleanest-looking robopod and begins going through the saddlebags.

[garter_snake]

Kurem glanced over it himself, then handed it to her. "I've used this machines before." He looked at the robohorses with some disgust. "Bah. No match for a proper steed at all. Won't fight for you, won't die with you. But it will get you where you need to go." He gestured at it. "Grab the handlebars and put your feet in the stirrups. Twist your heels to make it go faster, and use the bars to direct it."

[Rhazbis]

The bliss of breathing in the fresh air was undermined by how barren and dusty it tasted, even in comparison to the recycled atmosphere of the ship. Giaus was not what you would call an outdoor type and the sooner he got out of this dust bowl and back into civilisation the happier he would feel. Why hadn't this backwater moved into a Hive system he would never understand. He also didn't know what a grox was and believed he would be happy if he never found out.

"So team, guess who got her number?" before letting out a crackling laugh. "Given we'd need a vox signal strong enough to raise a battlefleet to our location to reach her, but it could come in handy."

Walking over to the strange machines, he opened up the saddle bags to see if they contained anything usual, before expecting the controls of the strange devices. How did you operate this infernal devices?

Rolling a logic to see if I can understand how to use them, taking Kurem's directions as an assist?

Logic: [roll0] Int 37

[LazyNinja]

Flavia pulls a wide-brimmed grey hat from the saddlebag. She nods approvingly and settles it onto her head, pulling it down to shade her eyes from the morning sun.

She repacks the saddlebags, slips a toe into a dangling stirrup, and swings her other leg over the high back of the robopod. After dropping a lump of coal into the fuel port, she fiddles with the handlebars, and the beast shudders and rises slightly. "Whoa, now!" Flavia exclaims, patting its rigid skin. She steadies herself, then turns to her companions. "To the east then?"

[garter_snake]

Kurem took out one of the lumps of coal in the saddlebags, and dropped it into a container in the side of the machine. He pressed a button just below the opening- there was a *tickticktick*, then a fwosh as the coal lit up. The machine rumbled to life, and Kurem swung one leg over the side, putting his hat on his head as he did so.

"Aye." He growled. "You have the map, Sibyllus. Lead the way."

[LazyNinja]

Flavia pulls the dataslate from her pack and squints at it, rotating her body to shield the screen from the morning glare. After a moment her brow furrows, and she rotates the slate 90 degrees, then another 90. "Hmm. Perhaps you should do the honors, Kurem." She gingerly maneuvers her robopod adjacent to his and offers the device. "I have little experience out of doors."

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr mounted her allotted Steel Horse, it
would do... In the heat of the sun the mess
she was covered in was slowly drying and
baking into crusty clecks and she brushed
off as much as she could.

She practices with the vehicles and walks
hers across to where their designated
navigator was attempting to make heads or
tails of the map.

Perhaps there are landmarks on the map that
are spottable?

She will look for any highground from which
to survey the surrounding area as well as
any obveous landmarks within her current
eyeline.

[roll0] Awareness 52.

[Revanus]

The RoboPods have various fuel depositing ports--some on the side i.e. the stomach, and some in the position and shape of a mouth.

When you load a lump of coal, the crudely shaped head rotates to look at you. It utters a single word in a robotic monotone: "Nay."

There is an initial discharge of black smoke from the exhaust pipe as the machine spirits rattle to life, and an occasional spurt of smoke and steam as the walker travels--but for the most part, the "Steel Horse" runs cleanly.

You find the gentle swaying motion and 12 Km/h speed of the RoboPod to be comfortable, though the brim of your hat is little help against the sweltering heat of the morning. After about half an hour of travel across the parched and sandy terrain, you come to a dried-out creek bed. There is no sign of water.

[garter_snake]

Kurem furrowed his brow as he looked down at the empty creek bed. "That chan't be right..." Lifting the dataslate again, he studied it for a moment. The, very deliberately, he turned it 90 degrees to the left.

Kurem pointed to the northeast. "We need to go this way."

[Rhazbis]

Giaus rode at the back of the group, struggling to keep his "steed" pointed in one direction and at a consistent speed that didn't see him thrown into rock formations or so slow as not to be making any pace. Taking a swig from his canteen, he was thankful for the new hat, he could almost feel his skin burning to a crisp beneath the sun. The only thing missing, apart from not being out in a dust bowl, was decent company. Playing one man mental eye spy in a barren waste land got very dull, very quickly.

"So comrads, seeing as we're going to be spending sometime together, I'm curious as to what brought you all to the embrace of our faceless employer. Why do you each serve the Inquisition?"

[Caimheul]

Urania rides along in uncomfortable silence, her legs unused to this form of locomotion.

[garter_snake]

"One day I woke up to find my regiment dead and no memory of the past month, with an inquisitor standing over me. I count myself fortunate that he only wished to offer me employment. As for the how, why, and what of that month... " Kurem shrugged. "I know enough to know it it is better not to know, yes?

[LazyNinja]

Flavia nods her approval. "Better to be ignorant than damned."

[Rhazbis]

"Are you not curious Kureem? Do you not wish to know more of your employer, why he choose you, why he was there? Do you not find it odd that he would appear so soon after such tragic circumstances?"

[Caimheul]

"Learning such information would likely cause him to follow in the footsteps of the rest of his regiment. As he has no memory of the event, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that all were recruited following a memory wipe, or that such a procedure is why Kurem has no memory of that time. Better not to dig too deep, lest something be uncovered that is best left unknown."

[Revanus]

As you trudge about in the dusty heat, the sun glints off your metallic steeds--casting dancing sparkles across the parched earth.

In the distance, you begin to make out a shimmering set of shapes. As you draw closer, the shapes resolve into recognizable items--trees. The bark is black, as are the leaves--but their rich foliage casts shadows on the ground and promises some relief from the harsh sun.

Nearby, is a large, black pool of water. It shimmers as the light reflects off its glassy surface. There are no animals to be seen.

[Rhazbis]

Giaus chuckled to himself.

"In this world, information is power friend. To fear it is to fear the unknown. It leaves you vulnerable and is it a weakness others will exploit."

By people like him, Giaus did not have to add.

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr did not add to conversation; although
their subject of choice did make her think of
her own shaded past and wonder if perhaps
she would be damned in their eyes. She felt
that was probably how the overly pious one
probably would feel.

Her hand never left the trigger guard of Harbinger
and she kept a eye on the horizon, she had a
job to do and she was uninterested in small
talk.

[Revanus]

Out of nowhere, there is a distinctive snap and hiss as beams of red light lance towards you.

Las fire. From nearby dunes. Not good.

The beams are well aimed, impacting not against flesh but metal. Thick black smoke fills the air, as two of the robopods have their coal-burning reactors cored. The poor metal beasts sway unsteadily on their metal legs, gyroscopes struggling to compensate for the battle damage. It is a losing battle. Urania and Giaus are deposited on the floor in an unceremonious heap, as their mounts crumple--nose down--into the dust.

In the distance, a cloud of dust begins to form, as the dunes begin to move. Whooping and hollering is audible, and as the dust settles a number of figures are visible--mounted riders. Five in number.

They don't seem friendly.

[Jyssika]

Five targets ahead, those dunes are artificial.

Vailkyr drops from her mount, so it is between her and the incomming fire.
In one swift motion she is braced behind the machine-horse, Harbinger
has been raised, the optical mechadendrite snaking up along her arm and
down the sight of the angry looking autogun.

She takes a good look at her targets through the telescopic sight, attempting
to estabilish their weapons and whether any target is a priority.

Half Action Aim

[LazyNinja]

Flavia sees movement in the dunes ahead and nudges her pod to the side as streaks of lasfire strike behind her. She turns to see Urania and Giaus hit the dirt. Bookworms are down.

As her training takes over, her breathing slows, and she takes in the fullness of the scene before her. Someone's going to die today. Sitrep.

Two pods down, but they're good cover. Water's a bad place to make a stand, but trees are a decent option. Bookworms can't get there quickly, though. Enemy can hit us, but by my count, only two of us can hit them. Are they going to close the gap?

We could circle the wagons, but then we're just waiting for them to pick us off, and they have more useful firepower.

Flavia hunches over in her saddle, shielding as much of her body behind the neck of her robopod as she can. Charging in headfirst is never my first choice. It's just usually the best one. She turns to the others. "Some cover fire, please."

She draws her chainsword with a flourish and urges her pod forward as quickly as she can manage.

Free action: draw chainsword (Quick Draw)
Half action x2: move robopod forward (24 meters)

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr didn't need any invitation, a red dot flickered
over the chest of one of the probable-heretics holding
a las rifle as its machine spirit hummed to life and
aided her in delivering death.

[roll0] 45+10RedDot+10MIU+10Aim+10Standard Attack. =85
[roll1] Damage if hits.


With an angry bark the first shot found its mark in
her opponants left arm. She was unhappy, clearly
her lack of practice aboard their transport had hindered
her ability to shoot.

Two rifles, three pistols and swords.
Im prioritizing the rifles.

[Caimheul]

"Try not to hit their robopods, likely good money in reselling them. That said, clear the lanes of fire so I can suppress them," Urania says as she fires wildly in the general direction of the enemy.

If it is determined there is a 30 degree arc from where Urania is lying on the ground where most/many of the enemies are in that arc and few/none of her allies are in it, then Suppressing Fire. Otherwise Half action aim, and fire at a rife wielding enemy.
BS test: [roll0] TN -17/13 (33 -30 Long Range -20 Suppressing fire Or +10 Half action aim) If suppressing fire, then everything in 30 degree arc has to take a Willpower test at -10 or become stunned.
Damage if single shot miraculously hits: [roll1]
Edit: 0.o srsly?

[Rhazbis]

Gaius hit the dirt hard, the machine convulsing in its death throes several metres behind him. It took a few more seconds for his mind to register the las fire ripping around him and another few seconds to register that the las fire was directed at him. Wasn't the point of his new well armed friends to spot situations like this before they were shot to pieces?

From somewhere nearby he heard shouting drowned out in the chaos followed by bullets spraying. At least someone had starting firing back.

Seeing the ruins of his mount behind him, it would at least give him some protection in the ensuing fire fight. Gathering his wits, he jumped into the air and threw himself behind the still whirring metal corpse.

Half Action: stand
Half Action: Move into cover

[Revanus]

The middle rider doesn't flinch as Flavia comes barreling towards his group with his chainsword. He wears a black hat, and a red bandana covers the lower part of his face. The rest of his clothing is a mix of backwater rags and patchwork armor, crudely painted in drab colors.

He calls out to Flavia in a low gothic drawl.
"Ya know, Missy--usually this works the other way 'round. Why don'cha put down th' blade and we c'n have a chat?"

The masked man cooly levels his laspistol at Flavia. It's a long-range shot, but he seems undeterred by the sword-waving Sororitas. He squeezes the trigger, and lets out a long stream of curses as the gun fails to fire.

[garter_snake]

Kurem started from the hiss and acrid smoke of lasbeams hitting metal. His head whipped left and right before finding the source. Five of the dunes in the horizon were moving, and Kurem could make out riders on their backs.

As Sister Flavia spurred her mount onward, towards their assailants, Kurem restrained himself from joining her. Five to two were not good odds in a melee, even less so when you were charging cavalry, and not infantry. "Never charge what you cannot trample." - the second lesson he had repeated to green Rough Riders, newly shipped up to replace the regiment's casualties. Those who failed to take it to heart never lived long.

Instead, he raised his long-las from his shoulder, and sighted down its length. The first lesson: "Try not to get your horse shot from under you."


Taking a shot at Frank's mount.
Half action aim
Half action Standard attack w/ Long Lass on Overcharge
[roll0] TN 34 + 20(aim w/ accurate) + 20 (Enormous target)
Damage [roll1]
extra d10s for each 2 degrees of sux, prerolled:
[roll2]
Reduce Unnatural Toughness by 4 due to felling

edit: pen is 1

[Revanus]

The middle pistoleer turns to his two companions.

"What're you dolts waiting for? Get 'em!"

At that, the other two pistol-wielding banditos spur their mounts forward at a gallup, whooping and hollering as they waive their blades in the sun.

On the flanks, Kurem's shot clearly impacts Frank's mount, with the angry red lasbolt leaving a smoking smudge upon the mount's left shoulder. The mount remains standing, however.

Meanwhile, Urania's wild shot somehow manages to find a target--a puff of dust goes up as the round impacts against Frank's chest. He bucks in his saddle, but rights himself just in time to have Vaikyr's shot collide in almost the same spot. The autogun round makes an audible ping and spark, though--and Frank seems no worse for the wear.

The two riflemen level their guns--taking careful aim. Bob squeezes the trigger, intending to send a shot at Vaikyr. The result is...unexpected. The weapon emits strange whining sound and a puff of white smoke, while Vaikyr's chest plate is briefly illuminated by a rainbow-hued flash that feels like a gentle warm breeze and leaves no trace of damage.

Frank's shot is less friendly. The lasbolt arcs out, speeding for Kurem's position. It impacts center mass, despite Kurem's best efforts to steer his mount out of the path of the shot. Though the high-intensity beam could easily cut a man down, Kurem's Imperial Guard Flak Armor does a good job of diffusing much of the heat and punch. There'll be some heavy bruising and a bit of a nasty burn, but it's not life-threatening.

[Rhazbis]

Gaius cowered behind the remains of his now still mount. He had no idea how much protection it would actually give him more shoots started coming his way, however the comfort of knowing that was at least something solid between him and the lasfire gave him some peace of mind, or at least enough to gather his wits and try to get a shot off. Pulling the stub automatic from its holster, he quickly fired off a tentative shot at the closest charging marauder's mount. Knowing it was't charging toward him and that he might be able to knock them into the dirt would definitely give him more breathing space.

How effective the shot would be, he had no idea and reminded himself for future "outings" he might need something with more stopping power.

Half Action: Ready weapon
Half Action: Attack pistoler mount, standard attack

[roll0] vs 53 (BS 33 - 10 Long range + 10 ordinary shot+20 enormous size)

Well, that's what you get for being cautious with your first shot! Will roll damage in OOC to keep it clear and stop double posts.

[Jyssika]

Second riflemans weapon jammed,
take out the first!

Vaikyr released the machine spirit of Harbinger,
opening the single shot inhibitor and allowing it
to roar with Mechanicus wrath.

Still aiming at the one she did not know was Frank.

[roll0] 45+10MIU+10Aim+0 Semi-Auto 65

DMG rolls in OOC.

So thats three hits;
LArm 5+8 and Body 11.

[Caimheul]

"Well, THAT was statistically unlikely, Urania mutters to herself, as she fires two blind shots at the rifleman with a still functional weapon, simply trying to keep his head down.

Suppressing fire on rifleman with functional gun, [roll0] TN 13 (33 -20 Suppressing Fire) Since untargeted, I don't think I take range penalties? But if roll a hit, then random target in cone takes the hit.

Damage just in case: [roll1]

Edit: Regardless, anyone in the cone still has to pass a -10 WP test or be Pinned.

[LazyNinja]

Lasfire and bullets erupt behind Flavia, raining down on the enemy. First blood to us, a good omen? They return fire, targeting her comrades. Two of the pistoleers ride out to confront her.

She continues to spur her mount forward, calling out to the man who seems to be in charge, his lasgun still smoking in his hands, useless. "We'll take better care of your gear once we've removed it from your corpses!"

Half action x2: move robopod 12 meters forward (24 total)

New location: 28 meters from pistoleers

[garter_snake]

"Emperor's Bowels!" Kurem swore, clutching his chest. The impact of the lasbeam had left a circular brown burn on the flak, and sweat drenched his his face as his body reacted to the heat of the shot. Controlling his bobbing and weaving mount with his legs, he brought it to a stop perpendicular to the shooters, and slid off the side, putting the body of the machine between himself and them. Using it to brace, he sights down the length of the barrel and fires.



Using the robohorse as cover. Let's see, can probably cover body and legs, since their at a higher elevation. Head and arms uncovered.

As for target... hmm... I think I'll go for Frank, actually. If he's wearing armor, he's probably not dead yet. Plus, the bastard shot me. If he already dies, retarget to Bob.

Free action dismount. Mount positioning is without movement.
Half action aim
Half action Standard attack w/ Long Lass on Overcharge
[roll0] TN 54 = 34 + 20(aim w/ accurate)
Damage [roll1]
possible hammer of the emperor reroll on a 1:
[roll2]
extra d10s for each 2 degrees of sux, prerolled:
[roll3]
Reduce Unnatural Toughness by 4 due to felling

Pen is 1

[Revanus]

Spurred forward, the two pistoleers continue towards Flavia. Ted pulls up short on Flavia's left, leveling his pistol and firing a careful shot from the saddle. It goes wide, pinging off a rock near Giaus' head, kicking up some dust but harming not one soul.

Fred, being the more brazen of the two, continues his gallup on Flavia's right. Giaus' shot pings off the steel horse, adding drama and flair to the occasion without seemingly slowing down his charge. At 16 meters from Flavia, he fires off a shot from the hip. The revolver bucks like in those old pict-vids about frontier heroes, and Fred can't help but grin at just how cool he is at this moment.

Fred's shot also misses, though his poor marksmanship does little to dim his self-esteem.

Meanwhile, at the rear, the lone pistoleer in black glances towards his two riflemen. With a quick nod, he begins to have his steed trot back the way they came.

Bob, being possessed of a jammed rifle, quickly follows suit. Kurem takes that moment to line up a careful shot on the other rifleman, but the overcharged lasbolt is mere inches off-target, sailing past the rifleman's nose and leaving the air smelling of ozone. Though it's a miss, it causes the rifleman to hesitate. That moment of doubt makes all the difference.

Vaikyr's aim is more true. Her rifle barks out three loud shots. Each finds their mark against the other rifleman. Two rounds pummel the rifleman's left arm, forcing him to drop his weapon. The third takes him in the belly--a red spurt coating the steel horse and providing visual confirmation of the hit. The rifleman slowly slides down off his horse, impacting the ground with a dull thud. As the blood begins to pool around him, only a coroner could tell if it was the shot or the fall that killed Frank.

Actions:

Pistoleer (Ted): 28 Meters from Flavia, 76 meters from Group. Aimed Shot--miss.
Pistoleer (Fred): 16 Meters from Flavia--Standard Shot--miss.
Rifleman (Frank): Dead
Rifleman (Bob): 124 meters from group, 76 meters from Flavia
Pistoleer (Ned): 124 Meters from Group, 76 Meters from Flavia

[LazyNinja]

The Emperor is with us. Most of their enemies' shots had missed their marks, and most of her companions had aimed true, despite the odds.

"Cowards!" Flavia shouts as the ambushers began to break ranks. She spurs her mount forward once again, but brings it to a halt before reaching the lone pistoleer. With her chainsword clutched in her right fist and her knees squeezing her mount to steady herself, her small flamer springs into her left hand and a searing arc of promethium bathes both the pistoleer and his mount.

Half action: move forward 12 meters (4 meters from Fred)
Free action: draw hand flamer (Quick Draw)
Half action: hand flamer. 10m range, 30 degree spray. Agility test or [roll0]damage. If hit, another agility test or catch on fire.

Edit: hand flamer has Pen 2.

[Jyssika]

Primum Mortem ad Harbinger.

Four shots fired, Twenty Four remaining.

Vaikyr was already searching for a new target,
there had not been anymore rifle fire so it was
her assumption the simpleton did not know how
to sooth the machine spirits of his weapon.

Flavia had two closing with her, and was probably
the most capable of chasing the retreating gangers
at the back.

[roll0] 45+10MIU+10Aim+0 Semi-Auto 65

DMG rolls in OOC.

Carefully aiming she places the red dot over the
ganger she did now know was named Ted and
three shots skipped gleefully into the sky above
his head. As if to taunt her the machine steed
let out a single.

"Nay"

[Rhazbis]

Gaius was shocked to see he had actually hit something, even if it wasn't quite what he had been aiming for. The raider looked equally as shocked by the shot, right before he jilted back in a shower of red and collapsed to the ground, more than likely dead. He would have cheered if a stray shot hadn't just ricocheted a few feet away from him, making him dive back into cover and remind him he was still in a firefight.

Peering back out, he saw two of the pistol wielders closing in on Flavia. She was already turning to take down one and would leave that one to her, hoping she was as fierce as she looked. Taking careful aim on the other trying to flank her, he let out another shot in an effort to bring him down or at least distract him to give Flavia a chance to bring her down.

Half Action: Aim
Half Action: Ordinary attack

[roll0] vs 43 (BS33 + +10 ordinary+ 10aim - 10 long range)

[garter_snake]

As two of their assailants broke and ran, Kurem turned his attention to the two that remained. As Vaikyr opened fire on one of the pistoler's, he followed up with a las-shot of his own.



Half-action aim
Half-action Standard Attack w/ Long Las on overcharge @ Ted

[roll0] TN 64 = 34 + 20(aim w/ accurate) + 10 (Standard Attack)
[roll1]
Hammer of the Emperor potential reroll
[roll2]
extra d10s for each 2 degrees of sux, prerolled:
[rollv]2d10[rollv]
Hammer of the Emperor potential reroll
[rollv]2d10[rollv]
Reduce Unnatural Toughness by 4 due to felling

edit: pen is 1

[Caimheul]

Urania targets the leftmost pistol wielding bandit, hesitating to aim her shot since it is such a relatively long distance for her pistol. Unfortunately, forgetting her pistol instructor's lessons, she pulls the trigger rather than squeeze, and the shot buries itself in the sand long before reaching her target. "Feth."

[roll0] TN 43 (33 + 10 Standard Attack +10 Half Action Aim -10 Long Range)

Damage: [roll1]

[Revanus]

The sight of a bandit going up in flames is not one soon to be forgotten. The unlucky pistoleer shrieks and screams as the fire engulfs his frail body. He slips from his steel horse, bits of flesh clinging to the metal mount. Hitting the ground with a dull thud and a muffled crack, he hardly moves as his screams echo across the empty valley.

Deciding that discretion is truly the better part of valor, the two farther riflemen spur their mounts into a mechanized gallop, putting significant distance between themselves and the ill-reasoned combat.

The closer pistoleer glances down at his revolver and then back to Flavia and her handheld incinerator. Coming to a quick decision, he quickly turns his mount around and sets off in the direction of his compatriots at breakneck speeds.

In other news, the accuracy of the Inquisition could use some work.

Actions:
Pistoleer (Ted): Run 72 meters. Shots to hit are at -20 BS. 88 meters from Flavia, 148 meters from Group.
Pistoleer (Ned): Run 72 meters. Shots to hit are at -20 BS. 136 meters from Flavia, 196 meters from Group.
Rifleman (Bob):Run 72 meters. Shots to hit are at -20 BS. 136 meters from Flavia, 196 meters from Group.

Pistoleer (Flamin' Fred): Prone (-10 BS, +10 WS to hit), Stunned (+20 to hit), On Fire. Not dead yet.

[LazyNinja]

Flavia watches the cowards turn tail. She’d never catch them now and would trust to her companions’ aim. A heretic on the ground is worth two on the run, as the Sisters say.

She slithers gracefully to the ground, her carapace gliding smoothly against the sun-baked metal of her steed. She lands in a crouch and launches in a run toward the burning pistoleer, kicking up sand in her wake and hefting her chainsword in a sweeping arc.

Free action: dismount. She is four meters from Fred.
Full action: charge. [roll0] vs 97 (Weapon Skill 37+10 best quality+20 Charge+10 prone+20 stunned)
Damage: take best result (pen 2)— [roll1] or [roll2] rending damage
Potential Righteous Fury [roll3]

8 rending to Body, pen 2

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr sighs, the zealot did not apparently appreciate
the fine arts of interrogation or questioning. It would
have alteast been nice to have one to left alive to answer
a few questions.

Frustration would not guide her aim, she scolded herself
for becoming distracted. Quickly throwing her weapon
back towards the now fleeing bandit she did not know
was named Ted as she places single shot into his weapon
arm.

[roll0] BS 45 +10 MIU +10 Red Dot +20 Standard = 85. (no aim)
[roll1] Dmg Pen 0
Then Aim Half Action for next round.


WHY! Do I not get these rolls with Semi-Auto!
Gonna spend a fate point to Add degrees of Success to dmg... so thats... 19 dmg.. to the right arm...
For 1 Fate Point and shes aiming at a new mook for next round.

Hopefully he just falls off his horse screaming in mind shattering pain with
his arm missing and we can then QUESTION him later on! :)

[Rhazbis]

Gaius's heart lifted as he saw the raiders fleeing and the feeling of safety began to creep back in. His stub pistol was next to useless trying to hit the dust clouds now on the horizon and Flavia looked like she had the downed pistoler in hand. Obviously she had missed the memo on why you might take an enemy combatant alive. That or she was working through some serious issues. Or maybe just both. Either way, he didn't care and the raider wasn't likely to enjoy the last moments of his shortened life span.

With the fighting more or less over, his first port of call was secure a new stead and see if he could scavenge anything. Preferably something that could shoot further than his face. Pulling himself out of cover and dusting himself off, he made for a careful jog across the open with his pistol still drawn. No point in taking chances.

Full Action: Move towards the mechanical horses/bodies

[Caimheul]

Urania gets up, dusts herself off, and begins gathering her belongings from the downed robotic beast that once carried her.

[garter_snake]

Kurem clicked his tongue. They were getting away. Sighting down his rifle, he gauged the distance. At their speed he could make, perhaps, two more shots before he would need to mount up and give chase. However...

Kurem lined up his rifle to the lone remaining rifleman's mount.

There was always the first lesson...


Half action aim
half action standard attack w/ Long Lass on Overcharge at Bob's mount.

[roll0] TN 64 = 34 + 20(aim w/ accurate) + 10(standard attack) + 20(enormous creature bonus) - 20(running penalty)
Damage [roll1]
extra d10s for each 2 degrees of sux, prerolled:
[roll2]
Reduce Unnatural Toughness by 4 due to felling
Pen is 1

[Revanus]

Flavia's chainsword screams as it neatly slices through Fred's burning body, bisecting his torso into two equal halves and abruptly cutting short his shrieking agony.

Gaius homes in on the site of Flavia's flaming massacre--from his position, anything worth salvaging on the dead bandit's person has been either charred beyond recognition or reduced to gloop. The bandit did drop a pistol in the thin sand, though...

Kurem's long shot impacts the distant mount's "head." The shot clearly reflects off into the sky from the beast's metal skin. A shot like that might have blinded an organic, but the effect on the robotic walker is indeterminate.

Meanwhile, Vaikyr's shot finds purchase on the fleeing pistoleer's outstretched gun arm. The pistol goes flying off into the dirt, while the gunman is forced to cling to the handlebars and slow his mount to a stop to keep from falling off from the pain of his damaged limb. (Stunned-1 round--+20 to shoot)

The other two distant riders continue their flight from the scene. The two horsemen are rapidly approaching a craggy valley wall--if they reach it, they will disappear from sight as they enter one of its many nooks and crannies. At their current speed, the bandits will be out of sight within seconds.

Actions:

Fred--Dead.
Pistoleer (Ted): Stunned-1 Round. Shots to hit are at -20 BS. 84 meters from Flavia, 82 meters from Gaius, 148 meters from Group.
Pistoleer (Ned): Run 72 meters. Shots to hit are at -20 BS. 204 meters from Flavia, 202 meters from Gaius, 268 meters from Group.
Rifleman (Bob):Run 72 meters. Shots to hit are at -20 BS. 204 meters from Flavia, 202 meters from Gaius, 268 meters from Group.

Note: Once bandits hit 300 meters, they are no longer visible to the party.

[Jyssika]

Vaikyr places one more shot at the retreating crippled rider, now
stunned in his saddle... It was a shame to fire at capturable targets
but it seemed none of her team were capable or much interested
in chasing to capture him alive.

[roll0] BS 45 +10 MIU +10 Red Dot +20 Standard+20 for Stunned+10 Aim = 115.

Vaikyr wispers softly to Harbinger, clearly its Machine spirit is irritable
from the gorey wounds it has torn into the fleeing raider.

[Rhazbis]

Gaius looked on as Flavia gutted the burning raider. He made a mental note never to upset her, unless of course he decided that he no longer needed his limbs. He also didn't want to be the one to tell her that you can't get answers from corpse. Wasteful and unnecessary, but yet brutally effective.

Noting the downed pistol to one side, he saw the remaining raiders riding hard into the distance. Taking aim with his pistol once more, he might as well try to take out the injured raider. A few more bullets might knock him off the machine and give them something to work with. Plus what better way to get an in with the locals than bringing in a felon?


Half Action: Aim
Half Action: Semi-Auto Attack vs. 53 (BS 33+ 10 Aim + 20 Prone - 10 Long Range)
[roll0]

[Caimheul]

Urania begins to walk towards the rest of the group, refusing to be hurried.

[garter_snake]

Kurem clicked his tongue as his shot failed to fell the bandit's ride in one. Taking aim again, he snapped off another shot..


Half action aim
half action standard attack w/ Long Lass on Overcharge at Bob's mount.

[roll0] TN 64 = 34 + 20(aim w/ accurate) + 10(standard attack) + 20(enormous creature bonus) - 20(running penalty)
Damage [roll1]
extra d10s for each 2 degrees of sux, prerolled:
[roll2]
Reduce Unnatural Toughness by 4 due to felling
Pen is 1