War for the Syndraxi System (IC)

[Cogsrow]

http://www.manbattlestations.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/bfg-graphic.jpg
Regiment: Elysian 501st
Status: In transit
Location: Aboard Troop Transport, _Litany of Hope_



It is the dark days of the 41st Millennium, mankind's reach has far exceeded its grasp. This is no more obvious than the thousands of wars that stretch across the entirety of the gargantuan empire. Each theater a great conflict, where millions are sent off to die, the nameless throng of the imperial guard. These honored men and women, the saviors and defenders of mankind.

It is in this dark hour that you find yourself aboard the Litany of hope. The vast and ancient troop transport soars through the warp with the omega squadron of Battlefleet Phyre. As grunts of the imperial guard, you were only Vaguely aware you were due to drop out of the warp tomorrow over the planet Syndraxi Primaris. There orders would come from high command for regimental deployment along the system.So for now, you, Squad Omega of the 501st, has a rare treat. Today was the day of prayer and respite, a day meant to be dedicated to observation of the Emperor's magnificence, and for one to come to terms with their role in the great machine of the Imperium.

Aboard a vessel in space time was relative, there was no sun to judge moments by. The only measure of time was the eternal vox clarions and messages. Of which this one was louder than the others, signifying it was time to wake up. #It is now the 7th bell of the 32nd day of the 12th month of the God-Emperor of mankind. Work groups Beta, Delta, and Zeta are to end their shifts, Work groups Alpha, Epsilon, and Theta, report to your stations. Additional reports: Elysian 501st, today is the day of prayer and respite, the hour of reflection and litanies will come at the 8th bell, the emperor smiles on those that are punctual and praise him. The Litany of the day is, Fear not the Xenos, for they are a loathsome species. Forever shall they walk in shadow, deprived of the Emperor's golden light. Praise be unto him.#

With the Vox clarion's chime of its message ending, the room's lights would come on. It was cramped, dirty, and barely had enough room for the Soldiers of Squad Omega, but it was at least theirs for now. It had been for the last 3 months as they traveled from Elysia straight to an Imperial mustering point, where they had then gotten onto this vessel. They at least got their own semi private quarter, sharing only with other squadmates, this was mostly due to their distinguished career while their required first tour of duty through the Elysian system. However, despite their pleasant one member would feel a strange sensation over her body. She has been having strange dreams, strange.....thoughts, she could feel it, the great dark maw they were flying into. The very air clinging to her lungs. A great sense of foreboding filling her mind.

[Idares]

Sgt Tristan Dowling

Tristan hunches down next to the now bleak Psycker, handing her half a tincup of warm Recaf:

"Bad omens Lady Psycker?" He inquires. "Never the kind of thing I want the rest of the unit to know." He glances to the sides then back to her. "Or is it something that I should know?"

He then stands up offering her a hand and as slight grin: "You know how I operate, I dont pretend to understand the things you see and trust you to keep whatever it is from harming the men."

[ArcturusV]

Private Cort Thale

Things had been going badly, over the past few months. And he knew it well. First he got transferred to a new squad. Then his connections dried up for some necessary distractions on a long, long boat ride to the Emperor Knows Where, leaving him without any entertainment or distractions after the last Commissariat Shakedown Inspection. Then he found his new squad harbored a wyrd-kin and a magician.

He had not been pleasant company over these past few months, a bit tense and on edge, being crammed into small quarters with such strange people. With little to do other than strip, clean, and appease his gear over and over. Warp knows at this point he'd even have accepted drill drops into live fire ranges, just for the chance to be in an open space and feel some clean air against his face.

And so, just like many, many other days he sat around, pondering what to do for an extended period of time, trying to find something, anything else. Wishing the Commissariat boys at least left him his data-slate, or if he could even scavenge up a well worn, dogeared dreadful at this point. But entertainment was at a premium on a long voyage.

With a heavy sigh, he broke out his tool kit again. Might as well work over the pistol this time. The Machine Spirit was probably growing fat and lazy with all this treatment. He wondered as he started cleaning and chanting litanies of the las, if he was perhaps going to take the Anger from his Machine Spirit, and render it unable to fire with all this maintenance.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

Drenched in sweat and with her laspistol still clutched in a vicelike grip, Reva blearily looked at the squad's Sergeant. It took a moment and a few deep breaths for her to re-orient herself into the here and now. When she finally did she holstered her laspistol and gratefully took the cup of recaf, acting as if it was perfectly normal for her to wake up still shaking with the aftereffects of a nightmare and clutching her sidearm for dear life.

Reva then took the Sarge's offered hand, a crooked smile of her own answering his. It was a good feeling knowing that the leader of the squad she had been assigned to trusted her to do her job and keep them safe from things they shouldn't be worrying about. Now she had to make sure that they didn't worry too much about a screaming psyker.
Sorry about the screams Sarge. Just your garden variety nightmares about Harek running around without clothes. Nothing to be worried about, but Emperor it'll take some doing for me to forget that horror. She said loudly enough to be easily heard by the rest of the squad in the cramped quarters. She then gave Harek a grin showing it was just some good natured ribbing.

Reva then debated with herself for a few seconds while sipping the almost palatable recaff. The urge to tell the sergeant to be careful, make sure the squad was ready, that the drop was going to be bad or any of another half a dozen useless warnings was very strong. But she knew him well enough to know that it'd just annoy him, he'd want facts and all she could give was vague feelings. So she kept her worries unspoken and went through her morning rituals, resolving to keep her own eyes and senses open for something concrete.

[Q'telun]

Specialist Roland Harek

Roland looks up from the piece of his lasgun he was polishing, a look of mock offense plastered on his face. "Hey now. How do you know what I look like naked, witch-girl? 'Sides, I'm incredibly attractive, ain't I Bauer."

The guardsman turns to his quiet companion, who doesn't bother responding to the nonsense. Roland shrugs, and slides the last piece of his meticulously cleaned gun into its rightful spot. Returning the grin to Reva, he stands and slings his rifle over his shoulder. No sense in letting her know she'd woken him up midway between the sixth and seventh bell.

"Sarge, with your permission, I'm going to the range to drill some more."

[pvi212]

Marcus wiped the sleep from his eyes as he dangled his legs over the edge of his bunk, and glanced over at the Psyker as she spoke, with a slight frown on his face before dropping to the floor. The journey had been interesting since orders had come from on high to split up the Regiment's Stormtrooper unit and assign the troopers to augment the regular line squads. He was pretty sure that his assignment hadn't been completely random since the squad was also assigned one of the Regiment's sanctioned pyskers, but he kept those thoughts to himself as he automatically moved to check his gear starting with his grav-chut, moving to his weapons, and than finally his armor and other gear. "A trip this long wears on everyone's nerves," he said in his slight upper class accent that even the Progenium hadn't been able to get rid of, "Tomorrow we should be dropping out of warp and hopefully getting some fresh air and open sky."

[Idares]

Sgt Tristan Dowling

The sergeant kept his grin at the Weapon Specialist's jest, he always has a way of keeping things light.

"Alright boy, I'm not one to stand in the way of training. Just keep your comms open and be ready to sprint back if you get called."

He then looks over the rest of the group: "I have reason to believe something will happen soon. So get your gear in order." glancing briefly at Reva.

His stare stops at the Storm Trooper: "Eager for the meat grinder, lad? I just hope you realise we grunts are not afforded any special treatment. There is no crying to Command for an emergency evacuation, you just sit tight and pray to the Emperor."

He then looks away and starts to fix his gear: "Welcome to the front lines lad."

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

He hadn't slept again. His body didn't need sleep in the same manner as the rest of his squad, he did need to shut down parts of his body though which sometimes was as close to sleep as he got. Sometimes he closed his eyes and thought of anything he could, just to remind himself he is still human. Last night though he had spent his time cleaning the squads weapons, the entire night in the armoury. Each had been cleaned, checked, and calibrated with the care only an Enginseer could give. Had had heard the vox chatter, and seen the Noo-Sphere data flying around, they were due for deployment and that meant they had to be ready.

The call for prayer day didn't apply to Rook, the Ominisiah was praised through work and maintenance. He still made his way to the squads quarters ready to meet them and take part in their rituals. Waiting outside for them to emerge he busied himself with straightening his robes.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt. Colt Thale

The Red Mage. Honored, but feared. Least that's how he saw it when the Red Robed Enginseer walked in. Of course there were orders and regulations to protect the Red Robes, and to do what they say... but those things were practically witches themselves. He'd seen some of the strange things they do, the odd noises they make, the puffs of smoke, the blinding flashes of deadly light coming from nowhere, etc. Not someone he necessarily wanted to get entangled with if he could help it.

He finished cleaning the contacts plates on his lasgun, slamming the charge pack back in, getting an appreciative hum from the Machine Spirit of good contact and readiness as he raised the rifle towards a nearby bulkhead, aiming down the sights, muttering litanies to the machine spirit within to make sure all was as it should be, full combat readiness.

"You learn what sort of man you really are, after a deep strike drop," Colt chimed in a few moments after the Sergeant finished talking. "Just you, your gear, maybe a couple of your buddies who landed nearby enough to form up, and a few thousand enemies all hunting you down." He set down his lasrifle, and went to start attuning and appeasing the Machine Spirit of his squad heavy weapon. "Hard choices." He said, and fell silent after that, as he started murmuring the appeasements to the Machine Spirit, begging forgiveness for intrusion, before he started to work on the missile launcher.

[Q'telun]

Specialist Roland Harek

Roland salutes the sergeant on his way out the door, nearly running into Rook when he steps out. He twists past the red robed priest with a chagrined look on his face. "Sorry 'bout that Rook. You looking for the sarge?"

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook nodded to Roland as he squeezed past, "Not in particular, just showing my face for the litanies." he noticed that Roland had his rifle with him, alot of the squad kept their main weapons ready at all times. Good practice but a nightmare for Rook to keep track of them for maintenance. "You know where to find me if you ever need to give that thing a proper clean" he adds with a straight face. It was always hard to tell if he was joking or not, he tried, but had never mastered the tone of voice and facial expressions needed.

Once inside he stood to the side of the door and waited, noting their new arrival had both his main weapon and heavy weapon with him. It explained why they were missing from the armoury, but he was eager to give them a thorough check before deployment.

[pvi212]

Marcus Kenton

"If a Stormtrooper squad doesn't land within a twenty meter drop zone they'll never graduate," Marcus responded, glancing over at the squad's heavy weapon trooper, as he finished the last rites of maintenance on his grav chute and moving on to his hot-shot lasgun. "Tech-priest," he said in a nod of greeting as the man entered the room. Practiced hands dissembled the weapon as he returned his full concentration to weapon his hand, lovingly cleaning the working parts.

[Cogsrow]

As they talk and speak and all are about to go their seperate ways. Their resident psyker would feel a chill. It was hard to describe the sensation, it was a chill up her spine like a brick to the face thrown by an ork was a booboo. She'd feel herself begin to shake uncontrollably, and then the lights, the power, even the all to familiar constant thrum of the engines of the vessel, ceased.

It was dark as night, darker even, darker than the deepest abyss from which the legions of chaos spring forth. Rook would know such a total system failure was not naturally possible. The Plasma drives of a ship going offline was not something that just happened. No they had either been sabotaged or were deactivated manually. Emergency lights would come on, and backup reserves of air begin to flow. A distressing development. Their squad vox would spring to life.

#All Squads to battlestations, we are being boarded, repeat we are being boarded. Squad Alpha, Beta, Sigma, and Zeta report to the plasma core. Squad Omega, report to the command quarters. Squad Charon report to the warp drives. Squad Malta report to the Gellar field. Squad Lambda report to the Navigator towers. All other squads begin a shipwide sweep#

The Vox would suddenly spark and cut out. This was Also not normal, and was a cause for rather great concern. They were adrift in the void, without any of the mighty technology of mankind to hold back the sure death that lay beyond the adamantium hull. No life support, no void shields, no gellar field, no power whatsoever, however figuring out how to solve this issue was not their job. Their orders were clear, report to the command quarters. No doubt to protect some captain or Commissar who is paranoid enough to think this is an assassination attempt.

[pvi212]

Marcus Kenton

Marcus snapped his head around as he felt the drives cut off, and the squad bay go to darkness, before emergency lighting came on. He started pulling on his carapace armour as the vox started to issue orders. Fully gearing up he stepped over to the psyker and knelt down, blocking the view of her shaking from the rest of the squad, whispering, "Are you alright?"

[Q'telun]

Roland Harek

Roland immediately takes up a defensive position in the open door, eyes straining to see in the dark. "Bauer, photovisor and respirator."

The two pieces of equipment are handed over are handed over without a word, and Roland slips them on quietly as he can while Bauer covers the door. The two trade places without a word once Roland is done, stacking up behind the door like they've practiced so many times before.

"Hallway looks clear Sarge. By the numbers?"

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook's eyes adjusted immediately, the optical mechandrite taking over his vision so that he could see clearly. The lamp pack attached to his mechandrite also lit up a soft orange, bright enough to light up sections of the room, but soft enough not to dazzle his squads eyes in the gloom. "This is not good, the main drives have shut down. This is an internal attack, I need a maintenance dataport for more Intel." he said calmly. Having left his main weapon in the armoury he grabbed his backpack, including the lascutter and combi-tool before pulling out his Las pistol and knife.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

The Emperor was a right bastard some times. You ask for entertainment, you ask for something different... and you get what you asked for in the worst way possible. He felt his heart hammering in his chest, the primal fear of darkness, true and utter darkness, and the isolation coming with it dropping over him. The crackle of the vox, and the distant echo of his squad's somewhat familiar voices reminded him he wasn't alone. That there was a job to do.

A job to do. Focus. Focus on the simple things. He could hear the crazy bastard Keeghan chanting a prayer to the Emperor as he donned his battle gear. It was as good an idea as anything else. He felt out for where his kit bag was stowed, working in the dark, fumbling, offering some quietly whispered prayers to the Emperor for guidance and protection, before he found his photo-visor, and the dark of the night turned into the familiar glow of the Emperor's all seeing vision.

With that, it went much quicker, he was hustling to catch up, ignoring some 'unnecessary' gear, quickly donning his flak armor, making sure he had his lasgun, pistol, and knife with him. Respirator was fixed on, as the God Emperor only knew what toxic effects might build up in this crate with nothing working. His micro-bead put on just so he could possibly pick up nearby friendlies trying to rally or give orders, and finally slapping on his helmet.

All in all, it took perhaps a couple of minutes to get battle ready in the dark. Not terrible readiness all said and done. Leave the missile launcher behind, Coggers probably wouldn't like him dropping Frag Missiles in the middle of the ship. Same with the Grenades for him, he didn't want to be the one who filled some magical cogitator bank of irreplaceable status with flechettes.

Tapping on his micro-bead he looked over himself and Keeghan, "Thale and Keeghan, ready." He reported over it, and loud enough that those nearby in the room would hear him too, mostly to test the resilience of the machine spirits of his comms before it was needed and unavailable.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

Reva was just finishing her recaff when the warpsurge hit her. She spasmed forward, her spine trying to snap itself with just the backwash of what was happening to the ship. A gasp of pain escaped her lips as she rode the residue of whatever was being done to the voidship. It was one of the strongest backwashes she had ever felt and it took her a moment before she had enough control and presence of mind to ride the spasms and fall forward to grasp sergeant Dowling around the neck.
Warpcraft... very... strong. Reva whispered for his ears only. She then let go of the Sergeant, he had people to get ready, and slipped to her knees to ride out the rest of the spasm.

It took her a while to come back to herself and when she did the others around her were already getting ready. Nathan, her handler, had pulled on his own gear and was now matter-of-factly forcing her into her flak armor, muttering obscenities while he worked in the dim light provided by their cogboy.

I’m good. Reva said, pushing Nathan away and forcing herself to her feet. The squad would need her on her feet and protecting them from whatever had attacked the voidship as soon as they were geared up, so she gritted her teeth and started pulling on her gear with Nathan’s help.

When Kenton asked if she was ok, she gave him a nod and a smile, indicating that she was good to go and that she appreciated his concern. Before she gave her ready sign, she took a moment to check she had all her combat equipment. She made sure that she had her gear equipped and stowed in her webbing. She wasn’t going to skimp on anything which might be used to stop whatever had attacked the ship, even if she had to do some damage to it in the process.

[Idares]

Sgt Tristan Dowling

Tristan was still tucking at his uniform when Reva started to wrack in pain. Whilst considering if he should to try and push her down she lunged at him, not even his renowned composure could hold back his eyes from widening like saucers.

He was quiet for a second just staring at the ground, fortunatly it was dark and the rest wouldn't be able to see his shock from what he heard. He than snapped out of it: "Pvt Gerlad, I want us back on comms with command as soon as possible. If need be, ask the Priest to assist in persuading the Vox-spirit to make greater effort in reestablishing comms."

After donning his photo-visor, he touches his micro-bead: "Special Pvt Harrek, hold the portal as you and Pvt Bauer are, we will join you soon to make our way to command. I will send you some company" He looks at Kenton and makes two pointing motions towards the entrance.

"The rest of the squad, rally on my position at the bunks. We will move out in 5 minutes. Grab as much gear as you can, I doubt we will be coming back here. We are a Drop regiment, no asking for a minute, when command says drop, we drop."

He looks over to the Engineseer: "You seem to be missing some gear Priest?" He unbuckles his rifle and offers it. "If you would take it Priest? I am more accustomed to the blade than a Lasgun."

He pauses for the comms to go silent for a second, then says soothingly.

"Remember Gentlemen, the Darkness can not dissuade you, your eyes might be blinded, but the Light of the Emperor will be you guide."

Command (Inspire) vs TN 54 [roll0]

[pvi212]

Marcus reached out and gave a squeeze to Reva's shoulder before turning and taking up position guarding the portal, flicking his photo-visor down he kept his hot-shot lasgun at the ready, weary about unleashing the powerful weapon in a starship. "We haven't even exited the warp, Sargeant," Marcus said softly over his comm-bead, "No where to drop to, carrying everything will just slow us down, in a CQB environment."

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

He grunted in agreement with Marcus, being laden down with full kit, particularly with how heavy HIS full kit actually was, would turn him into a non-combatant pretty quickly. "Plus the Cog Boys probably don't want me firin' missiles around all their Cogitators and Coolant Tubes and Machine Oil Censers," he added in. His eyes flicked over towards the Red Robe, to see if he was going to have any reaction to the sheer idea, see if maybe he was going to curse him and his weapon for even suggesting it, or bless it for the restraint being shown.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

Shifting slightly to settle her grav chute's bulk, Reva doggedly finished filling her backpack with the few items that she hadn't kept stowed away in it. Her meskit, blanket and dataslate were packet away by practised hands. Just before she closed the pack her eye caught the tin cup the sarge had given her a few minutes before. She quickly snagged it and stuffed it in with the rest of her gear, no use loosing it in the bustle. She'd get it back to him later. With Nathan's help she secured the backpack in it's position and then returned the favor for him.

Fully packed and ready to move out Reva then frowned at the chatter she was hearing from her squadmates. It wasn't as if they hadn't trained and practiced with full loads at least half of their military careers, so while dropping her backpack felt good, she also knew this voidship was under attack from something very nasty and who knew what they'd need to survive.

Truth be told, it also rankled her a bit that the squad was questioning their Sarge's orders. It wasn't just that she respected the man, it was probably mostly that she and the cogboy were the only ones who didn't have a military rank and she took that to mean that they were outside the chain of command. Questioning the Sarge and pestering him with advice was her job, and maybe Rook's about cogboy things, but definitely not an enlisted's. Well maybe Kenton about stormtrooper things. She allowed her mind to ramble a bit, it calmed her down after the warpcraft backwash, before she said

Sarge is right, we don't know what's happening, what we'll meet up ahead or where we are going to go after this. Better we take what we can and find out we've been lugging a few extra kilo's, than that we need what we leave behind. Or have to explain to the commisariat why we left the Emperor's equipment behind...

Using her best imitation of one of the companies drill-priests she then said
'Sides, 'f tha Sarge wants ya ta hump tha load ya hump tha load. 'f Him 'n Terra didn't bless ya with m'sls ya get yur squad ta help.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook snorted at Reva's attempt at a joke, he might not be able to get his own body to show he was joking, but he could express his appreciation for bad jokes and imitations. He then nodded to the heavy weapons team, Thale, that was his name. "Might not be a good idea shooting your load in such a small place. Wouldn't want to take a swim in the void. However, we don't know what is going to happen from now on, we might not be able to get back here."

With that said he thanked the Sarge and cocked the Lasgun after stowing his own personal side arms.

[Idares]

Sgt. Tristan Dowling

One is a nuisance, two is an upstart. One could expect this from the Storm Trooper, he have never known his place, but the gunner as well brought concern.

"Gentlemen, listen well: To leave gear behind without proper threat is to imply the outfit the good Adeptus Munitorum has seen fit to entrust us with as being "unnecessary". "

He pauses and says sternly as his voice rises steadily "How do you expect me to respond to this statement when we reach command with equipment in shortcoming? I for one take little pleasure from a Bolt in my skull.

I have learned through my years as a slave to the chain of command that I do not question the decision of my officer in command, because I like my body parts intact. That is a piece of wisdom I will share with you, I advise you to consider it."

As his speaks he drops his grav chute over his comrade's shoulders, "The Emperor has graced us the gift of camaraderie and to each a pair of hands, do not view this opportunity with idleness.

I do not expect you to fling yourself at the enemy overburdened, carry your non-combatant equipment loosely and release it when you are engaged."

He puts his pistol in one hand and the Chain Sword in the other: "Well lads, in the defiance of the silent Vox-box, let's move out." He revs the Chain Sword as he makes his way to the entrance and the command room.

"Special Pvt Harrek and Trooper Kenton take the front."

Tristan has his comrade carry his grav chute, making him encumbered but leaving the sergeant not so.

Command (Inspire) vs TN 54 [roll0]

[Q'telun]

"Sir. Advancing." And then Roland is through the portal into the unknown. He creeps slowly down the hallway, alert for the slightest of noises, stopping once he gets to the next opening in the wall where he pauses to check for hostiles.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

Well, orders are orders. He took the extra time to strap on the last of his gear, sling pack and all, feeling like he'd handicapped himself if they get in trouble. Choice of Damnations, summary execution for leaving something behind, or killed in combat because he couldn't scurry to cover fast enough? Life of the Guard he supposed. All the Emperor asked was that he die on his feet, after all.

Once he's stowed and secure, he takes up his position as instructed in the marching line, staggering a bit at first under his burdens, his Lasgun being held at the ready with his other weapons stowed at the moment. Launcher strapped to his pack, pistol and knife on his hip. He couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this.

[pvi212]

Trooper Marcus Kenton

Marcus rolled his eyes behind the tint of his photo-visor as he pulled on his pack, trying to settle it as best he could on his shoulders, and not tip over backwards from the awkward load. He muttered under his breath about straight and narrow NCOs, and all the humorless, commonsense lacking Commissars the Progium turned out. Being a Stormtrooper cadet had separated him from the Commissar cadets, while he appreciated their role, he hated their straight and unbending application of Imperial doctrine. He moved back to the front of the unit, cursing silently as he tried to maintain some semblance of stealth while lugging the overloaded pack thru a ship's corridors.

[Iron Warlord]

Trooper Sebastion "Bass" Yorke

Trooper Yorke had been only half listening to everything that had been going on around him since the ship's vox had so rudely awakened him from what had barely been an adequate amount of sleep. As he had halfheartedly gone through the motions of getting ready for yet another mindless day of warp travel he was shaken from his daze by all the lights suddenly going out. The announcement that the ship was being boarded had hit his system like a dozen cups of extra-strength recaf, today was going to be far from boring. Painful, bloody, possibly even terrifying, but not boring. As he finished prepping for combat in the dim emergency lighting Bass thumbed the power switch on his plasma gun, and the familiar thrumming buzz of it took the sharp edge off the panic that had roused him so thoroughly.

"Ready for anything Sarge." he said as he stepped forward to join the rest of the squad.

"Well, almost anything." Cynthia adds unhelpfully from over his shoulder.

[Cogsrow]

In the dark of the ship the once glorious and glittering golden effigies of the emperor that adorn the inner walls of the cruiser have taken on a sinister tone. Every corner, every passageway, and every vent all seem to radiate some sort of deep inner malice. You all noticed the air had begun to cool. A normal occurrence when life support suddenly go dark, the chemical processes draw a lot of the heat out of the air. Fortunately though, the gellar fields were still active. At least you think so, it was hard to tell, but you weren't' currently being attacked by daemons.

This could mean one of two things. Either A. They had left the warp and were now in real space, or B. the gellar fields were still active on backup supply. That also means they didn't have time for an emergency warp exit. That was a bad thing considering without power they couldn't tear a hole into the materium and out of the warp.

As frost and water condense onto the metal grating as the squadron works its way up, moving to report to the berths of their commanding officers. They'd pass a soldier on the ground, he was in fully armor but it hadn't mattered, his chest was just a hole of liquid mush. As if not only his armor, but his entire chest cavity had suddenly been pulverized into nothing. His face was hidden behind his carapace helm, and his hellgun hung at his side. The gun was cold, it hadn't been fired, and yet the attack had come from his front.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

Reva had taken her position in the middle of the squad. Here she could concentrate on sensing any warpcraft while the rest kept an eye out for more mundane threats. When they found the slaughtered soldier she redoubled her efforts, casting her senses far and wide to see if anything was using warpcraft to hide.

psyniscience roll - t/n 36 - [roll0]
Posible Awareness roll - t/n 36 (or 46 if hearing plays a factor) - [roll1]

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling

Tristan moves closer and looks over the body, neck outstretched like someone looking over a cliff.

With a sneer on his face he says: "I appreciate your are not a Surgeon Adept, but tell me Lady Psycker from a medicae point of view, what in all Imperium happened to this poor lad?

And what kind of shot pierced this man's armour good Priest Rook? "

He looks up at Harrek and Marcus: "Keep your eyes on the corridors while we are having a look here. Last thing we want is to be caught offguard whilst gawking at this fellow guardsmen"

He then faces Bass and the heavy gunner: "Cover our rear as well."

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

The Sarge's question brought her back from trying to sense any warpcraft. She didn't sense any and that at least calmed her nerves a bit. She gave a quick nod and started going over the soldier's corpse methodologically. She ignored the gaping wound, but started by removing his carapace helm and taking a good look at his eyes, mouth, nose and ears.

She then turned to the crater that used to be his chest and checked the edges for burning, mutation or anything else which could do this.

Finally she simply shook her head and said I think the gaping hole in his chest killed him, Sarge. But Emperor knows what kind of weapon did it. I can't sense any warpcraft though, so maybe Rook can tell us more.

Medicae is rolled here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20542976&postcount=114)

[pvi212]

Marcus took a knee by the body of the soldier and reached under his chin to give a tug on the chain holding onto his dog tags, placing them pouch on his combat webbing. "Just one second Sergeant,"he said taking the time to unstrap the hellgun from the man running a careful eye over it and the charge source, "You might want to hand back the Sergeant his lasgun tech-priest, think this might serve you better in the mean time." Resting a hand on the dead's man shoulder, he said a quick prayer to the poor man's soul running an eye over the wound and noting the penetration of his armor, before moving ahead, his mind racing on what he saw.


Medica Test TN33 [roll0]
Scholastic Lore (Tactica Imperium), or maybe just knowledge to him about what can punch a hole thru the armor he wears, also have Tech-Use if that works, TN33 [roll1]
OOC: Thought the squad could use someone else besides the Pysker with Medica so with the increased XP I picked it up.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook waited his turn as everyone examined the body, in the mean time he took the offered Hellgun and passed over the lasgun back to the Sergeant, "Thank you." he said simply. Once he had room to work he knelt infront of the body, his optical mechandrite darting around close to the armour edges. He saw the torn edges of the armour at great magnification, trying to see if he could determine a pattern of weapon, or ammunition that would cause such a wound. Next it shrunk to a small point, and wormed its way inside the body, assessing the internal damage, he was checking to see what organs had been damaged and if the wound was an entry wound or exit wound, lastly he pushed the mechandrite as deep through the wound as he could to see if it appeared on the other side. With his checks complete the snake like appendage retracted back over his shoulder allowing him to see clearly in the dark again. He turned his shoulder mounted lamp up, and cycled through the spectrum, first brilliant white, so he could see the body in all its bloody glory, then ultra violet, tracing the specs of blood along the walls, more clues to what weapon could have caused the damage.

Finally he stood up again, his lamp switching back to a dull orange lighting the groups surroundings just enough not to interfere with their photo-visors. "I will need a moment to assess what I have found." and he stood, staring blankly at the wall infront of him, his mind racing, the cogno-implants assisting his already great intelligence.


Well I don't really know what to roll here, but I will throw them all out!
Forbidden Lore (Xeno) TN:43 [roll0] (To see if this was an alien weapon, or worse, a Xenomorph chest buster)
Forbidden Lore (Mutants) TN:43 [roll1] (To check this wasn't caused by mutation of the body, unlikely but best to check)
Common Lore (Tech)/Tech-Use? TN: 43/53 [roll2] (Not sure if this is even applicable, but checking for If I can tell what weapon caused this)
Logic TN:63 [roll3] (To determine if this is an entry or exit wound, angle of the shot, approximate range and caliber of weapon.)

EDIT: Also, I have Unnatural Intelligence (2)

[Q'telun]

Specialist Roland Harek

Roland takes a brief moment to kiss the Cross of Pius around his neck and murmur a short prayer for the departed guardsman, then turns his attention back to the corridor. He tightens his grip on the lasgun, and tries to calm down. Sarge'll know what to do.

Going on Overwatch. If anything comes down the hall that isn't human, firing a Semi-Auto Burst.

[Cogsrow]

Fortunately for them, as they took positions around the corpse nothing came.

Rook's investigation would turn up a few realizations in his mind. First and foremost this was an entry wound, from a weapon that had placed against the stormtrooper's sternum, he was very obviously caught unaware, and the weapon had gone off and liquefied his entire chest cavity. Indeed it was only the fact the back plate of his carapace armor was still intact, that he even had a chest to speak of currently. However a bit of examination, and a little knowledge of technical weaponry, would let Rook figure out just what he was looking at here. It wasn't some chemical agent, or high impact weapon. It had been as if a million monomolecular blades had sliced through the stormtrooper's body. Rook knew not what weapon did this, but he knew the race that wielded armaments like this. The terrifying forces, of the craftworld Eldar.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

When the order came, he took up position without any other word. Down on one knee he had his Lasgun pulled tight against his shoulder, sighting down the corridor along with his fellow. His breathing was steady and slow, feeling without really seeing that Keeghan had followed suit, a mirror of his boss. He could have held this position for hours, or at least so he felt, with the well worn, comfortable grip of the gun, his eagle eyes sighting downrange for the first sign of unknowns.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook's eyes finally snapped back into focus, "Eldar. This was caused by an Eldar weapon. Close range, possibly even directly presed against the body. I assume they are utilising some form of stealth technology, the wound is consistent with monofilament weaponry. You can tell by the way the innards have been liquified, it expands and twists rapidly which shreds any living tissue and light armour into such small sections they appear to flow." perhaps they didn't need the details, but knowledge was power and all that. He then checked over the weapon he had been passed, never know what these sneaky Eldar will do.

"I suggest we move quickly to the Captains quarters, the Eldar clearly have the advantage at the moment."

[Idares]

Sgt Tristan Dowling

The grimace has not left his face, of not worsened by the explicit description handed down by Rook.

"Well... thank you Priest, most informative.

Indeed, we move on. There is nothing more we can do for this soul.

He might not have been able to defend himself, but he died whilst dedicating himself to the Imperial Cause.

A noble death none the less, Im certain his name will be spoken by the Ecclesiarchy. "

Sgt Dowling indicates with his pointing finger to the vanguard to press on.

[pvi212]

Marcus Kenton

Marcus keyed his comm bead to the Navy vox frequency, "Trooper Kenton, to Naval Armsmen, be advised we have evidence of Eldar boarders." Tuning his bead to the frequency the other Storm Troopers used and repeated his warnings about the Eldar. Glancing back at the Sergeant as he motioned forward for them to start again, he pushed himself off the wall he had been using to take the weight of his pack off him. Holding his hot-shot lasgun at the ready, he advanced down the hall, his weapon tracking as his eyes shifted back and forth.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

He kept his eyes towards the rear as they moved on. Eldar. He heard those mutterings over his micro-bead. Eldar is something he had never faced. Only heard boogey stories about magic xenos who could appear out of anywhere and phase right through lasbolts unharmed. Nightmare tales designed to scare the conscripts. But he had been around JUST long enough to know that sometimes even in the most wild of Veteran's tales there was some nugget of truth.

Looked like his armor wouldn't do jack for him. Looked like he'd get gutted by what, a single shot from what they were muttering about? Stealth Technology as well? He found himself muttering the Catechism of Vigilance, trying to hone his senses with the Emperor's benediction, keeping his lasgun pointed wherever his eyes were focusing, always sweeping, always moving. As the Sarge moved the squad out he walked backwards, keeping watch for those ghosts.

[Cogsrow]

It started small and simple, the vox box began to hiss. A normal noise for a vox box currently unable to receive a signal. A sign of the Xenos jamming techniques, however as the hiss began to grow louder. It also, grew far far more clear. There was an ethereal and enchanting humming coming through it, a feminine voice carrying a tune that none of them have ever head before. She would speak, with an accent none of them could place, in a way that could be described as sing song. She emphasized and played with every word, as if her sentences were dancers, twirling through the air with a grace that the collected soldiers had never heard in a woman's voice before. She would speak simple.

"I, do not wish to kill you Mon'keighs. Merely stand aside, and you will live. This has nothing, to concern you" she'd continue the humming, "We have seized control of your .....primitive... communication devices. We have silenced your" she'd chuckle mockingly "Great ships, and we stand poised to slaughter you all. Merely stand aside, and allow us to do what we have come for, and you will live. Stand in our way however and...." she'd begin to laugh as a horrible, horrible, screaming emerged from the vox. "I am capable of making your soul sing the greatest agonies, and I will do so with such speed, you will scarcely know i have begun until it is to late."

There was a clattering sound, and the screams continue, horrified, gut churning, and frantic screams. There were several voices, men and women, undoubtedly either guardsmen or crew. They were screaming in the echoing wails of someone on the verge of death, and wishing it would come.

Roll WP to save against shock. No negatives, and you all are currently inspired from your sergeants first successful inspire attempt.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

"Hold fast," he spoke softly, steeling Keeghan against the attempt for the enemy to rattle them. Eldar? It sounded... alien. An abomination against the Emperor. He clenched his jaw tighter. Ghost Stories were one thing. This was something else. Heresy, Abomination, an enemy. Enemies could be killed, after all. The Emperor protects, the machine spirits smite.

He actually cracked a small smirk. The Eldar Ghost had harmed her cause so much more by speaking to him. Time to smite, in His name.

[Q'telun]

Specialist Roland Harek

Roland grits his teeth with righteous rage. These damned xenos, thinking that the ship will just roll over and die for them. In the end, there's only one thing to do. He roars his defiance, faith, and hope so that those suffering might know peace in their souls. "FOR THE EMPEROR!

[pvi212]

"Keep quiet, screaming just gives away our position," Marcus growled at Roland as he shouted out loud, his eyes never leaving the corridor ahead of him, the screams not even seeming to faze him in the least. "We need to move faster, we're running out of time," reaching up he unstrapped his pack letting it drop to the ground, "Much faster, if those screams are anything to go by."

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling

Tristan staggers back as the blood flushes from his face clearly moving away from the Vox-Tech. He freezes for a few seconds eyes wide.

"Gerald, move that... that box away from us. Clearly the machine spirit has been corrupted but whoever that was."

He composes himself straightening his uniform and brushing his fringe back with his hand trying to save face.

"I think for the sake of the squad you should fall back to rear guard, we would not want to effect the unit any further"

Tristan knew this was slightly selfish, but the squad needed their sergeant to be composed more than Gerald needed to be safe.

"And for Emperor's-sake put that heretical thing off!"

A bleak sergeant looks ahead at the two vanguard: "whoevere she is, the Xeno-bitch knows we are here, the damn vox box made enough noise".

"Your concern for those men is admirable Trooper, but they are with the Golden Throne now, there fate is sealed.

We press on steadily, but not so that we tire when we meet our foe. If we are in a proper condition, we can defeat any foe"

Proceed! "

Command Inspire [roll0] vs 51

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook shivered and stepped away from the Vox. He had heard people screaming in pain before, he had done so himself in the past. This was different, it was like their very souls were being tortured and slowly ripped out of their bodies. Still shaking he nodded as the sergeant moved them on, his grip tight onto the hellgun as he walked on.

[Iron Warlord]

Trooper Sebastion "Bass" Yorke

When Bass heard the voice of the Eldar through the vox he felt a chill run down his spine. As the voice began delivering its threat that chill turned into a shiver, and by the time the voice went silent that shiver had turned into a constant shaking. He wanted nothing more than to suggest that they follow the voice's advice and just stay out of this fight, but he knew that was just the fear talking. There was no way in hell he was going to let that Eldar bitch convince him to run away and hide, he was going to stand and fight. Now he just needed to convince his hands to stop shaking.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

The Eldar female's voice sounded so at odds with the horror she was inflicting on the sources of the screams. Reva swallowed down the bile which threatened to come spewing forth with an effort. Whatever was being done to those men and women, it was affecting everybody in the squad to some degree or another.

When the Sarge ordered the vox unit to be turned off, Reva remembered another communication device they all carried.
Best turn off the 'beads, we don't want the xeno's listening in on us while we secure the brass. she said while turning off her own.

Reva, like most of the squad, had never faced the Eldar before. All she knew was what was in the Uplifting Primer and what she had been tought on the black ship. They had advanced, but cowardly technology and their warp-witches were very powerful. She didn't relish the thought of matching her gifts against the xenos', but this was why the emperor had gifted her with warp-powers. She wanted to say something inspiring about how she would protect them from the eldar witch, but nothing came to mind, so she simply took her position in the squad's lose formation and extended her senses for warpcraft again.

[Q'telun]

Roland Harek

Roland ignores the stormtrooper, shifts his pack with his shoulders, and presses forward like his Sergeant ordered. There would be hell to pay, and if he was the one to meet that xeno bitch, he would drag the price out of her ragged hide.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

He seemed in control, handling it a bit better than most. The request to turn off the comm beads was met with just a simple press on the headset to let the machine spirit slumber once more. Keeghan was a bit more high strung than his fellow Heavy Weapons Trooper, currently counting out his footsteps as they walked, his lips moving in silence as he marked them out. A simple little tradition he did, if they went 100 steps after "First Contact" with hostiles, and no one was dead, it meant the mission would go well. If someone was dead? It would be an ignoble defeat. At least so he thought.

Colt kept his eyes up, still walking back, ears pricked to keep track of the squad, eyes vigilant. It was going to wear him down eventually he knew. You couldn't remain "on alert" forever. But if the Witchkin were going to strike, should it not be now when the squad was 'rattled' by their trickery?

[pvi212]

"Let's hope we're not too late," Marcus grumbled as he pushed forward as fast a he could hoping to force the rest of the squad to pick up the pace as much as he dared.

[Cogsrow]

Heading towards the command berths was a long walk. Their bunks had been over 2 kilometers away horizontally, and then 30 decks up. This meant they had two options, they could take the steps, or they could take the elevator. The elevator seemed to still functioning on auxiliary power. However it would be loud and noticeable. On the other hand, the stairwells were narrow and cramped. It would appear that some of your fellow guardsmen were not so lucky, a half dozen soldiers lay dead, their bodies showing the same level of damage as the corpse you found before. Total liquification of the chest cavity. Save for one tech priest, a series of monomolecular shuriken embedded into his face.

There are various crates and boxes waiting to be loaded onto the elevator. They could be moved to provide cover if necessary. The crates themselves seemed to contain the Command's ration of amnesac, fine foods, and other amenities. The corpses were an obvious sign, time was of the essence.

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling

It takes Tristan a few minutes to decide what option, taking into consideration everyone's suggestions.

"Very well gentlemen, we will rely on the good willed machine spirit of the lifting platform.

Gather a few boxes of the supplies into platform. Pvt Gunner Thale, as a heavy gunner I believe you are familiar with setting up gun nests. I leave the duty of setting one up inside the platform for all of us to you.

Priest, if there are any hatches to this platform's roof I required you to weld it shut. I don't want nasty surprises from above.

The Lady Psycker and I will open with two frag grenades if we observe any enemy, do not wait for my command, you have leave to fire at will. Becareful of any friendlies, I would not be surprised if those Xeno-scum held hostage as later playthings. Sick frags!

If you have any other ideas, I'm open to any."

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

"Well Keeghan, you heard the man," Colt said as he went over towards the lift. The two of them were checking the boxes, making sure they'd be sturdy enough. An empty crate wasn't going to stop jack, particularly with the devastation of the weaponry they had seen. If need be he'd start repacking things, condensing things down to make fewer crates, but much, much more ablative when it came to taking fire. If he found any bottles of decent hootch, a few would go into his pack. Just in case, always nice to have something to unwind with after a brush with death after all.

He set up his nests as best he could, with one on each side of the lift, giving a wider field of fire into the room, leaving the entrance and the middle relatively clear, making it easier to assault out of the position as the need might be.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

A quick glance at the dead troopers told Reva that there was nothing she could do for them except murmur a prayer that their souls be welcomed by the Emperor. With a quick check she found nothing she could use on their corpses, which wouldn't slow her down too much.

Reva then made sure that her frag grenades were clear, so she could easily reach them before she took up a defensive position to watch over her squadmates while the gunner's nest was built inside the elevator.

[Q'telun]

Roland Harek

Roland slings his gun over his shoulder, and starts helping with the gun nest. Anything flammable gets put out of the line of fire, and anything padded gets added to the front of pile. Once everything is ready, he takes up position behind the fortification with Bauer and readies himself to unleash lasfire into whatever awaits them at the top of the lift.

[pvi212]

"If power flickers like it did before we could be trapped like rats in the elevator," Marcus pointed out watching as they started to fortify an elevator, "Far better to send a fireteam up the stairs as well as the elevator, force them to divide there forces between two approaches, rather than gang up on one."

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook jumped at the Sergeants order, looking for any access points that needed sealing other than the main door. "I may be able to jury rig the elevator to continue working without power, not sure without inspecting cabling and such. Perhaps we could send the elevator up jury rigged with grenades, set to explode when the door opens. We then take the stairs and the enemy by surprise."

He shrugged then set to sealing any hatches he could find.


Awareness for hatches TN: 44 [roll0]

[Iron Warlord]

Trooper Sebastion 'Bass' Yorke

"No way anyone on the stairs gets up there at the same time as the lift. If any of us are on that lift we all need to be on it. Splitting up against unknown numbers is just an exercise in suicide by incompetence." Bass supplied with no small amount of condescension.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

Colt remained quiet against all the tactical discussion. **** rolled downhill and soon enough he'd have some **** to do. Instead he busied himself at making sure he'd actually survive said crap. He grabbed up two extra charge packs from the pile that was salvaged, stowing them where they could be quickly retrieved. He pulled out his discovered cache of Frag Grenades, taking one for himself, and leaving 3 others up on the makeshift barricades he had set up, where they'd be in quick reach for someone, unless they decided to take it before hand.

Pulling Keeghan along, they knelt down behind their little barricade, making sure it was a comfortable firing position, and the lines of sight looked clear, making some minute adjustments as need be.

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling

He ramained silent during all the troop's discussions, listening to every tactic. He breaks the silence: "I have considered all your ideas.

I had the same idea as the Priest, to send up a charge of explosives, however we the lifting platform will give us the advantage of a little rest whilst we move. That is if all goes well. As he has mentioned in all likelihood we have some control over the lift as long as we have power."

He then glances at the Stormtrooper: "I know the Militarum Tempestus might use more tactical approaches like splitting up and I might even have considered it, but our squad comms are corrupted, so we will not be able to communicate rendering our simultaneous breach impossible.

Our course remains true, everyone get behind a crate and hold-on. Rifles at the ready"

Tristan takes cover behind a crate, grenade and pistol in hand

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

Reva took her place behind one of the crates on the other side of the elevator from the Sarge. That way they could both keep an eye out on the area outside the immidiate killzone to throw a grenade at if need be. She slung her lasgun and took her laspistol and a frag grenade in hand, copying the Sarge, ready to use either.

Another steadying breath later and she extended her senses again. If the xeno witches were going to use warpcraft when they reached the command level, she'd try and counter it or, failing that shoot the witch. A lasbolt between the eyes would make warpcraft difficult for anybody.

psyniscience for when the elevator get's close to the command level -tn 36 -
-edit: whoooohooo!! I made a roll :)

[pvi212]

Marcus rolled his eyes behind his tinted photo-visor and took up position in the elevator with the rest of the squad, hot-shot lasgun at the ready to deal with the greatest threat.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook grabbed the Bolt Pistol from the remains of the Commissar, uncaring for the masses of blood flowing from the liquified body. He then took his place opposite Marcus, his newly acquired Hellgun held at the ready. Wouldn't it be funny if we arrived and all the officers were sat around unharmed after all this. he thought to himself.

[Cogsrow]

Stepping onto the elevator, the ancient machine spirit would stir to life and they begin ascending very noisily. The gnashing, gnawing, and grinding of gears echo throughout the shaft, as the open platform slowly ascends higher into the upper decks of the vessel. Fortunately, they did not have any ambushes taking pot shots at them as they passed open passageways. Unfortunately it was very obvious that the Eldar had been this way. Each deck and floor revealed a new macabre scene of soldiers massacred and their blood smeared across the walls.

Reaching the top deck, they would be in a far more opulent hallway. Gentle velvet tapestries of the emperor's many victories, vox speakers constantly playing soft hymnals. Even the smell of blood,sweat, and despair was no longer hanging in the air. This was the officers quarters, and was clearly a far better standard of living than any of you had ever known. It also could easily be a deathtrap, the numerous pillars could hide all sorts of dangers.

Whether through a combination of sharp eyes, or sheer dumb luck, the two of you would spot strange devices clipped to each tapestry. They would line the hall and don't seem to be human in origin.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

Well this was what he did. He tried to keep that in mind, to help steady his nerves on the long ride through carnage and damnation that was flashing by on every deck that they passed. He settled back in a comfortable position, keeping his lasgun trained downrange, his eyes moving left and right steadily, the aim of his lasgun following his eyes as he readied himself to smite whatever heretical abominations jumped out. Keeghan nearby was echoing Colt's behavior, though not quite as relaxed as the heavy gunner seemingly was, tapping out the rhythm of an old marching hymn on his lasgun.

Colt is still on Overwatch with his Lasgun. Keeghan doing a Ranged Volley with Colt when his Overwatch is triggered.

Overwatch Trigger is "Presence of Non-Humans moving". Arc is the forward arc out of the elevator. Would inflict a +0 Pinning Test on enemy targets. And of course the Acctran Pattern Lasgun gives me a +10 to Opposed Tests to see who acts first on Overwatch. Course this test only applies if they have the same Agility as me (38). Otherwise whoever has the higher agility goes first.

And my Overwatch Action is going to be a Semi-Auto Burst.

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling

Tristan glares at the all too quiet halls, the silence is almost unbearing even though there was music playing.

"Keep it steady lads, no need to get jumpy.

Special Private York and Trooper Kenton, you take scout, quietly. See what is ahead, the rest of us will cover you.

The Priest and Psycker will scan as much of this hall as they can from cover.

These are the commander's halls men, bask in the glory and favour that lingers here. No vile act can vere the gaze of the God Emperor from us!"


Command (Inspire) vs 54 [roll0] as a half action since I have a talent that allows it to be half actions

I dont have my books, but if I can do something like dnd and ready an action to shoot any Xeno otherwise I will do the same as Arc. If I can't I'll put away the grenade since I dont want to blow up my scouts and draw the chain sword

[Chivy]

Reva Abathur

With her nerves rattelling and her senses stretched to their limit Reva watche the elevator doors slide open. There was no warpcraft and surprisingly no ambush. She took her time to scan the area in front of the elevator anyway, her inate paranoia or self preservation telling her something her conscious mind had not registerred.

Sarge hold up. she whispered furiously, while placing her hand on the closest squadmate to restrain them from moving.
There things attached to the tapestries... Wait, i'll show you.
She then holstered her sidearm and stowed the grenade she had kept ready to throw, before she unslung her lasgun.
A quick flick of a switch combined with a short prayer to the weapon's machine spirit brought a tiny red dot laser to life which she used to highlight the area around xeno devices attached to the talestries in the hallway.

Want me to shoot them? She finished with a cocksure grin as soon as she was sure the squad had seen the devices.

[Q'telun]

Specialist Roland Harek

"I wouldn't. Its too empty in this hall for my liking. Feels like a trap. And if I was going to set up a trap like this, I'd use lots of explosives to take out any attackers that I missed in an initial sweep." Roland readjusts his grip on the trigger of his gun.

"No need to keep watch on the hall since the explosion takes out enemies while letting you know people are coming."

[Idares]

Sgt dowling

"Halt!"

Tristand utters as soon as Reva points out the alien objects to him. he rubs his chin as he listens to his two squad mates comment.

"Priest, can you tell us what that blasphemous objects are? Or how we can get around them? Are they even explosives at all?"

[Iron Warlord]

Trooper Sebastion 'Bass' Yorke
"Best case scenario is that they're alarms that will alert the enemy to our approach and we'll be ambushed before we reach the end of the hall." Bass theorized.

"Worst case scenario there's enough explosive in 'em to blow a hole through the nearest bulkhead and we'll all get sucked out into the inky blackness." Finished Cynthia.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook lowered his Hellgun slightly and the mechandrite snaked over his shoulder stretching towards the odd device pointed out to him magnifying it in much greater detail than any of his compatriots eyes could manage.
"I'm not sure. I would need to disect one to give solid information in regards to it's capabilities. However I shall try to recall any information which may have been processed about similar devices."


The usual stuff:
Forbidden Lore (Xeno) TN: 43 [roll0]
Tech-Use TN: 53 [roll1]

Edit: And I have Unnatural Intelligence (2) for an extra 2 DoS

[Cogsrow]

To rook's trained eyes the device were not craftworld in origin, nor Harlequin. No, this was an insidious Dark Eldar motion activated trip mine. Once activated it would release clouds of crystallized toxins that would cause those afflicted to collapse in agony as their internal organs melt and leak out of their bodies.

The hallway was silent, the air still....it was at that point you realize it was too still, the very air seeming to take on the effect of water. Your voices are muffled, your heartbeats ring in your ears. Your breathing a cacophonous racket that doesn't leave you. Something had changed in the last few seconds and its effects were increasing. You could all still hear each other talk for now, but it was difficult to make out.

[pvi212]

Marcus shook his head as the air became still, "This doesn't feel right," he said softly his eyes and hellgun darting from side to side down a corridor ready to fire the moment he picked up Xenos movement.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

Keeghan was tapping out his little marching rhythm faster as things turned, strange. The only thing that Colt could think to compare it to was during one hot drop that resulted in him landing inside a small lake. Just that feeling of something surrounding you as you were dropped down. He didn't need to look around to know at least half the squad was likely getting on edge due to... whatever witchcraft this was. Least so he imagined.

Colt just tried to control his breathing, his lips moving slowly as he ran the Litanies of the Lasgun and the Oaths of Smiting through his mind, keeping his eyes out, trying not to focus too much on the devices that the Psyker had pointed out. Enough people were looking at it, including the Red Robed Sorcerer after all. Make sure it wasn't a distraction, make sure that something wasn't going to come from another vector.

Where were the witches?

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook studied the object and noticed a few oddities but nothing that really helped right now. "Hmm, it lacks the bone craft of the Craftworld Eldar but has all the sharpness of their even more sadistic kin. It appears that it has vents suggesting that it is some sort of gas based toxin, I would not like to imagine the effects of such a sadistic races weapons. It will be something vile and extremely painful however, they appear to be motion activated but that is hard to confirm without closer inspection and reverse engineering." he then reached back and unslung his backpack. He rummaged around for a second before digging out his respirator and fixing into place. "I suggest we take precautions" he says in a now muffled voice.


I left out the effects of said gas as I am not sure how Rook would know what it will do without knowing what the device is. I can't read apparently, and completely miss read the spoiler

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

When Reva noticed what felt like the pressure was starting to rise, she almost instinctively tried to determine if it was warp-related or not. It sort of reminded her of the feeling she got when a Valkyrie accelerated to launch, but different... The others were also twitching and expressing their concern, so it wasn't just her.

When Rook said the device looked like it would spew gas, she checked that her own respirator was correctly in place and securely strapped on.

psyniscience roll to see if the watering effect is an ungoing psychic effect and if so to hopefully pinpoint it's source
- perception - 36 - [roll0]
Forbidden lore psyker roll to see if reva has ever heard of any psyker powers like this and the best way to survive them: aka run for the hills?
- intelligence 40 - 5 blessed ignorance - tn 35 - [roll1]

edit - killed the rebreather and changed it to respirator.

[pvi212]

Marcus Kenton

As the tech-priest spoke about the mines releasing gas, Marcus reached down to the pouch at his side and pulled out his respirator quickly sealing it to his face with practiced hands, before returning to scanning the area.

Awareness test: TN 33 [roll0]
Chivy we don't have rebreather's any longer regiment comes with a respirator instead.

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling

Tristan clears his throught: "We have little choice then, but to proceed. How we proceed forward is the question.

Shooting it will release the gass either way. Our best option is to enable the Priest to have a closer look at it to see if we can disable it. Worst case the gass will be released as it would have been had we proceeded through it. "

He remains silent for a few seconds: "If there aren't any objections we move on, masks equipped.

Give the priest some space to conduct his work, but keep him covered.

Be ready for my command to run forward out of these corridors if it starts to fill with gas. I'm not keen on such a radical approach, but as our Enginseer said, one should fear what gas might be contained in these heretical artifacts.

Emperor be will you all men! "

[Iron Warlord]

Trooper Sebastion 'Bass' Yorke

Bass and Cynthia both started pulling on their respirator the moment that Rook supplied the detail about gas. Now all they could do was hope that they hadn't already inhaled a dangerous amount.

[Q'telun]

Roland Harek

Roland and Bauer both tug on their respirators to check the seal, then give the OK sign.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook rolled his eyes, he always ended up with the dangerous jobs, the price he paid for being so invested in technology he guessed. Slinging his hellgun and pulling out his laspistol and combi-tool he left his backpack on the left hand side just next to the lift entrance resting against the halls wall. How he wished they had time to get their survival suits on but he knew that time was essential, clipping his combi-tool onto his belt he dug out the re-chargable lamp pack and threw it underhand towards the closest tapestry on his left hand side hoping to either activate the device or to check if it was approachable from a low angle avoiding the front area. He waited for a second to ensure that nothing jumped out at him before moving along the wall to the left hand corner, keeping low he waited to check if the device was activated.

I know I am moving slowly, but I didn't want to check if it activated and then ignore the results by just moving in and messing with it. Plus I have no idea how effective our respirators will be against the toxins.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

Respirators on, NBC drills came to mind as Colt and Keeghan donned their masks with the routine precision that came from hours and hours at the camp grounds of doing exactly this thing. Snug and secure, he didn't quite like the narrowing of his field of vision, but he had learned to cope it with well enough over the years.

With the Tech-Priest going out to deal with the Mines, his eyes and his lasgun scanned around the corridor. The Imperial Infantryman's Uplifting Primer after all often suggested to start an ambush with this exact same set up, with tripwire and possibly delayed explosives or chemical weapons. It seemed logical that the witches they were dealing with might think of a similar tact.

Where would the Witches be hiding? Where would they be preparing their field of fire to take advantage of their explosives, or at the very least to shoot someone who was trying to disable the device?

Well, probably to judge the thing, two roll types would be called for. Depending on what you want to use, I'll throw them both.

One is Common Lore (War), going off dictates of battle, theory crafting, etc, using reason and deduction.

Common Lore (War): [roll0] vs 33 Intelligence, +0 Training, Baseline Mark before Conditional Test Difficulty Modifiers of 33.

Second would be Awareness, since you're actually looking for a tell tale sign of an ambush after all.

Awareness: [roll1] vs 38 Perception, -20 Untrained, Baseline Mark before Conditional Test Difficulty Modifiers of 18.

[Cogsrow]

As the small globe flies into the air, there would be a momentary whine, and then a sudden series of thumps. Crystallized poisons explode out from each mind as they trigger, embedding thick shards of corrosive toxins in the walls along the hallway. Metal and cloth begin to melt from the caustic touch of the dangerous substances.

Fortunately this does mean all the mines had been triggered. Unfortunately, they had 5 minutes before the crystallized toins begin melting and saturating the air. At which point this entire hallway will be filled with a cloud of death.

[Idares]

Sgt Dowling.

Tristan stares at the crystals after realizing he hasn't been blown to pieces. Frown on his face thinking to himself: Not really what I had in mind Priest.

His eyebrow lifts high up on his forehead as hy sees the metal of the hull being eaten away and a sickly vapour form.

"By the Emperor... run. Ruuunnn!"

He sprints forward in a hope that there is some sort of cover ahead.

"Drop anything that slows you down! "

It will be easier to explain missing equipment than corpses to command.

[Chivy]

Psyker Reva Abathur

While her guard training was excedingly short compared to her training in the Black Ship, it had imprinted a certain set of reactions into the squad's Psyker. These reactions were further honed in her first deployment with the 501st.
Duck! Down! Behind You! Run! Fire!
With a certain tone of voice they illicited an almost instinctual reaction in most guardsmen and those seconded to the guard. Or at least they did in those that lived longer than their first few engagements.

Reva was already running in the Sarge's wake by the time he had cleared their makeshift baracade. By her second step she had pulled her grav-shute's quick-release and shifted her shoulders sending the aparatus crashing down behind their baricade where she had just been standing, while she swung herself over it. Without pause she ran down the hallway in the Sarge's wake, her eyes darting up and down, left and right.
She was simultaneously trying not to step onto any of the smoking shards, trying to keep an eye out for the ambush they were probably running into and pumping her legs as fast as they would carry her.

[pvi212]

Marcus Kenton

Having already dropped his pack by the downed Storm Trooper, Marcus didn't hesitate taking off down the corridor as the gas started to build up, and eat away at the metal and surrounding environment. Keeping his weapon at the ready he kept up a scan of the area, ready to respond to any approaching threats.

[ArcturusV]

Pvt Colt Thale

Haste wasn't his bag really. But he wasn't going to get left alone. Hitting the snaps he let the grav chutes and his non-essential gear pack drop off, along with the heavy bulk of the missile launcher. Keeghan followed suit, and the two men took their strides in tandem, following the Forward Retreat of their sergeant. Keeghan and Colt both keeping their lasguns up, sweeping the area. The enemy likely was immune to the gas. Least so he figured. Just like they wouldn't deploy a gas weapon that their gear couldn't protect against. So the presence of all these crystals still didn't negate the possibility of ambush.

[Col.Straken]

Rook Ossian 497

Rook reached back and grabbed his rucksack as he made his way back to the centre of the hall and chased after his squad mates. The Sergeant may have told them to leave behind anything that would slow them down, but the contents of that backpack could mean the difference between standing at a locked command deck and actually being able to help. He prayed quietly to the Omnissiah and the Emperor alike that he was quick enough to escape the toxins flooding the air.

[Q'telun]

Roland Harek

Roland and Bauer spring down the hall behind the others, keeping the gear they brought with them. Even with the rebreather on, Roland holds his breath for as long as he can to avoid breathing in any of the gas. The two don't stop running until the Sergeant does, or until they've cleared the gas.

[Iron Warlord]

Trooper Sebastion 'Bass' Yorke

Bass took off running after the Sarge as quick as he could. He didn't bother to take the time to drop his gear, the parts that would slow him down the most were also the best secured and would have taken more time to leave behind. Cynthia followed his lead and bolted down the gas filled hall with her full pack.