Rogue Trader - Angstrom IC

[DrK]

The Angstrom System


https://i.imgur.com/Igq2K0E.jpg

The Turbulent class escort hangs in orbit above the spinning magma covered ball that us Angstrom XIII. Below them no the planets molten surface the massive dark age of technology leviathans hover, crawl or float over the glowing metal rich streams. Orbit is busy with two system freighters in orbit above one of the docking stations. Cargo lifters moving up from the planet's surface bringing up refined metals for trade even as water and foods are transferred down from the neighboring planets to feed the millions of worker-serfs in the Volcanic Baron's archaic techno-feudal society. It had been a simple transport for the Interesting Times" as Lady Captain Vain had delivered some much needed "luxury goods" to one of the Barons and now the frigate was ready to leave orbit.

Aboard the baroque bridge most of the command crew were gathered around the hololith, a cloaked figure flickering on the panel inviting them to a meeting at the L3 point of Angstrom XI with an offer of trading some knowledge of xeno artifacts. THe message had been cryptic, merely the co-ordinates and a time - 8 days hence to cross the interplanetary void towards the core of the system. Even as you begin to discuss the offer and alarm rings - the auspex and communcation team looking towards you. "Lady Captain. We are receiving a distress call from the Chartist Pilgrim ship "Her lady of the Holy Rosarious". She is under attack by forces unknown and is fleeing towards the relative shelter of Angstrom XII. THey request urgent assistance...."

[Toxic Mind]

Lydia looks up from her position. A pilgrim ship? So far out? Lydia absentmindedly tucks a lock of pale white hair behind an ear. She cuts an impressive, if somewhat diminutive, figure in her flak armor. Chainsword at her side, and incinerator safely stowed, she gathers up the robes that hang easily around her frame, and presses her hand against the Rosarius hanging from her neck.

"Lady-Captain." she says from her post, turning to face the command throne. "We must assist that ship - those men and women do the God-Emperor's work. It is our duty to help them, particularly against those who would prey upon helpless pilgrims. This insult cannot stand!"

[YossarianLives]

Stepping forward from her place near the bridge's rear, Cerran lowers the hood of her red robe to reveal a stern face covered with decades of scars and burns, topped with an untidy mop of graying hair. "If I may be so bold, Mistress," she says in rasp, resting both hands on her hips, fingers brushing the sheathed power sword on her belt. "I agree with Lydia." She flashes the fellow priest a small smile. "It is our duty to protect the people of the Imperium."

[dojango]

Gerald looks up from his workstation in an alcove of the bridge, where he was enjoying his morning meal of soy nutra-bar and a cup of strong recaf. "Indeed. It is every void-farer's sacred duty to lend aid to his fellow travelers. This... businessman can wait, I am sure. We're ready to break orbit on your command." A long pause, as he turns back to his work. "Uh, Sir. I mean Ma'am."

[PossiblyInsane]

The servo skull currently serving as Serafina-Cort's primary visual analysis unit turned its gaze towards the auspex team, a cybernetic linkage cable idly twitching aside to allow unimpeded passage over the bolter embedded in their shoulder.

Odd. Rather far from Angstrom III for an Ecclesiarchy mission.

Agreed. A trap?

Possibly. On the other hand, perhaps they merely felt XIII required the more personal attentions of their preachers. Perhaps they were attempting colonization of XII again. They do quite like throwing bodies at a problem rather than spare a moment of consideration.

Another debate upon the merits of various aspects of the Emperor-Omnissiah aside-

I still have trouble believing you can think that with a straight face.

There is merit to their teachings, as with all aspects of the Omnissiah. It is merely a pity they are so often layered with such self contradictory, hypocritical dross.

A Grox's digestive process has merit. That does not mean I relish sifting through the result. Or condone its improper handling when it sets something on fire.

Accurate an analogy as that may be, it is tangential to the matter at hand. Responding to this distress call is unproductive, even if we were not in the middle of arranging a contradictory engagement. In the less than likely event it is not a trap, I doubt a pilgrim vessel would be heavily armed enough to fend off a dedicated attacker until our arrival.

Your otherwise habitual parsimony surprises me, Siegmund. I would have thought you'd relish the chance for theological debate with some of the God-Emperor's faithful.

My academic interests are of secondary concern to the continued well being of this vessel and everyone on it. As does the faint prospect of moral righteousness in the event that we are able help them without significant loss of life. We are agreed, then?

Of course not. Didn't you hear our lovely Lydia? Or the noble Cerran? It is our duty to help those poor, helpless, somewhat suspicious pilgrims!

Our duty is to the Omnissiah and the Imperium at large! Throwing more of its resources at what is likely a lost cause is unproductive...Besides, were you not previously enamored of the prospect of finding xenos artifacts? I am certain we could have supplied that water shipment to Angstrom II if we had not spent the time finding at least a slightly reputable contact for this Cold-Trader.

Yes, but that was before some poor, defenseless lambs of the Imperial flock far from their proper home sent out a distress call, indicating a possibly even more interesting pursuer. If they are pirates, it would bring me no small amount of pleasure to see them blown into the void. If they are xenos, they shall make for interesting objects of study. If they are heretics, it is our duty to the Imperium to make sure they are shown the error of their ways and their taint prevented from spreading further. Besides, you saw that Cold-Trader. Never trust a dark, suspicious cloaked figure that refuses to show their face.

Cort, a dark red robed, suspicious cloaked figure with a face obscured by a myriad of lenses, vox-implants, and respiratory units, gave a brief chitter of binary that could be interpreted as a snort.

You sound positively predatory. I hope such tones are directed at the pirates, rather than any poor, defenseless lambs we might encounter.

My beloved Siegmund, whatever could you mean? Those self-sacrificing, well conditioned members of the Sororitas are excellent examples of the human machine. I would find a well maintained Leman Russ to be just as absorbing an object of study.

My dearest Serafina, you seem to spend an equivalent amount of time reviewing their Rituals of Cleansing as you do maintenance lexica. For one supposedly freed from the distractions of flesh, I am surprised you appear so enamored by them.

For one so comparatively immersed in the distractions of flesh, I am continually surprised you are so apathetic towards them. At least one of us should properly regard them as the temptations they are. Besides...

The thoughts of Serafina became rather more subdued for a moment.

...I wonder, sometimes, if I might have borne them for a little longer.

The thoughts of Siegmund remained quiet. The body of Cort turned from the main cogitator bank to face the command throne.

"With all due respect, Lady Captain, such a venture would be unwise. A pilgrim signal this far from Angstrom III is more likely to be a trap than a wayward vessel. Assuming the signal is genuine, it is uncertain that we would even arrive in time to provide assistance, or that this hostile unknown quantity would not cost more lives and resources to fend off than we would be able to salvage. Given the current secular flux of Angstrom III, any political sympathy gained by the gesture may very well be ephemeral. The opportunity presented by these xenos artifacts may very well have dissipated by the time our efforts have concluded."

Saaaaay it.

Serafina-Cort sighed. "Nevertheless, our consensus remains in support of the good Lydia, Cerran, and...Gerald."

Saaaaaaaaaay iiiiiiiiiiiit.

Cort let of an exasperated burst of static under his breath. "...It is, after all...our duty."

BUAHAHAHAHAHA!

You derive far too much pleasure from thinking you've won. thought Siegmund, though without any particular resentment.

Not at all. My thoughts had merely gone back to the Grox digestive product.

Sigh. And here was I, convinced for a few moments that I hadn't coupled myself to a giggling toddler.

[dojango]

"A trap? A fake distress call? What void-farer would stoop to such a thing? That would be a... well, a sin worse than anything! Well, most things," Gerald says, looking quickly at the priests. "If it is, well, we should put a stop to that. Been hoping to try out the new configurations on the laser batteries. I know it ain't strictly speaking approved, but I had some of the work crews reconfigure the power cabling of the batteries. Saved about 500 meters of the good Alpha-grade power cabling. That stuff doesn't come cheap out here, you know. And if it is a genuine distress call, well, whoever the attackers are, we can strip their ship bare. Can't imagine any void-scum out there can stand up to our ship."

[Retias]

Stood nearby, the Kroot named Augustus had formed a human like stance for at rest, claws hands behind his back and legs straight. It.. was not a comfortable position for him, but it was needed. Discomfort could and would be overcome to correct some of the flaws of his nature. His bond to humanity was evident, his eyes a pale blue and so close to human, while his skin was tinged with a pink shade suggesting hints of their skin colouring.

He kept in a protective fashion near Alexia, prepared for threat or challenge as always. Any danger to the figure who had effectively raised him from infancy always tended to arouse a killing rage in him, something he had not yet mastered.

He spoke after a moment, words fervent.

"Either they have struck at a ship of the Emperor's holy pilgrims, or they use such to lure the good hearted in." He let out a low, rumbling snarl. "They must be taught, taken, hunted down." His eyes go to Alexia. "We are punishment. We are here, Captain. In time to hear this distress call, in time to know of the insult to the God Emperor by striking at or imitating the faithful."

His eyes go to the priests, seeking their insight. "Is this not His will, to have us placed here and ready to respond?"

[Chivy]

From a dark corner Dracon Aesriza Kyrakras listened to the chatter of the Humans inhabiting the bridge. It seemed to be somesort of ritual where they all agreed with each other, but used as many different words as possible to convey the agreement. Some of them were even able to use contradictory reasons to arrive at the same conclusion, something which often annoyed those with other views. When she had first arived, she had hoped those disagrements would evolve into something more entertaining, but Aesriza quickly learned that the Trader-Human-Captain disliked eviscerations or even any type of bloodsport on the bridge. A waste of potentially highly entertaining methods of advancement, but only a minor loss for the Dark Eldar's sensibilities compared to what else the voidship held.

Elsewhere on the voidship thousands of the human-crew-scum weren't so tediously coddled. Aesriza spent much of her time prowling the bowels of the human vessel, enjoying the effect the overseers whips had on the chaingangs feeding the reactor, or arming the cannons, or... well, anything that happens on the voidship came with a fair degree of physical motivation. It was delicious. She also enjoyed the despair of these lesser humans, many had simply been pressganged into service when they were in the wrong place at the right time, ripped away from whatever they loved because somebody with more power needed bodies. Their loss, despair and hatred for their overlords was a pleasant miasma filling the compartmengs and passageways of the voidship.

Of course eventually everything, even the despair and suffering of thousands, becomes bland to a refined pallet. Aesriza prowled the lower decks in search of prey at those times. The Trader-Human-Captain was clear that even the lowliest crew-scum were protected by her hand, but the humans in the lower bowels which had been deformed by the warp were anathema to the unchanged humans, removing them was seen as a possitive thing. Aesriza didn't understand, but she didn't argue either. She enjoyed the prowl, the hunt and the artistry that came after.

She had only just returned from the lower bowels after feeling the urge to hunt pieking the day before and was well sated as she listened to the bridge crew. She stood just over two meters tall and had the typical body shape of race. She wore voidblack ghost armour, which covered her from neck to toe, her helmet removed and hanging from her hip while not hunting. This allowed her long dark hair to cascade down her back, framing her alabaster face and accentuating it's paleness. Dark calculating eyes looked out from a chiseled face, her elongated features looking strange to humans, but she had been considered beautifull by her peers. Now, she would be considered deformed.

One of the crude human implants, an electoo, glowed under the almost transluscent skin above her right cheek. It showed the crude sanctioning sigil to which she had consented. Truthfully she had possibly even guided the Trader-Human-Captain to suggesting it. The sigil, along with the sigil of the Trader-Human Dynasty also defaced her armour. An abomination which should not be... but could be endured. It allowed her more freedom of movement within the human worlds. Allowed her to plan, plot and deal. It was needed for her to achieve what she wanted, so it could be endured.

The Dark Elder Warrior shifted from the dark and moved more into the light with a disturbingly fluid, predatory gait. She felt some satisfaction as some of the crew jumped slightly when she moved. She had either been forgotten or they hadn't noticed her at all. Both deadly mistakes to make, but again she did not capitalize. She needed them and their good will for at least a few decades more.

"Trader-Human-Captain Alexia Vain," Aesriza's inhuman voice cut through the air like a monomolecular edged blade. It wasn't completely unheard of for her to speak on the bridge, but it was unusual. She usually quietly prowled. Except when the posibility of killing pirates came up.
"We should hunt down the attackers."

[RedComet]

Paz lounged against one of the bridge's support pillars as the discussion between the Interesting Times' senior officers shifted from the potential trade offer to the distress call. As usual, she was dressed in a no-nonsense black bodyglove under her battered flak armour and brown flight jacket, with a heavy gunbelt supporting her bolt pistol on one side and power sword on the other and a handful of grenades on both sides while her larger boltgun was propped up against the same pillar as her. Her calm and relaxed demeanor meant little, as the others knew full well it was more or less her default expression. Little ever seemed to pass her notice, and she could shift to action or violence in the blink of an eye when the situation called for it.

She flicked the tip of her tightly braided hair back over her shoulder and busied herself with fishing a pack of lho-sticks out of her flight jacket's pocket and lighting one of the pungent-smelling paper cylinders as an excuse to wait and listen to the others, mildly amused that all of them for once seemed to be in agreement to aid the beleaguered ship, if rather reluctantly on the part of her much more devout fellow worshipper of the Omnissiah. As it happened, she agreed as well, if for reasons other than saving a bunch of religious idiots who should never have come this far out system in the first place. She finally spoke up with a small smile on her tattooed face.

"Well, it seems we have a clear consensus here, Captain: go be heroes and save the poor, God-Emperor worshipping souls on board that ship. We should be cautious of course. This far out, with the SDF presence so low, we could be dealing with almost any threat. Pirates, xenos raiders, or even full-blown heretics. Wouldn't do to rush in only to end up in trouble ourselves."

Though if it WAS pirates, as she secretly hoped, she'd relish the chance to kill as many of the scum as possible, regardless of the cost.

[Mr Adventurer]

Servos hiss as Balar's cyber-chassis whirrs into animation. Sitting inside the sarcophagus, the Navigator had been still except for his eyes darting from one person to the next as each spoke in turn. Now he deigns to enter the conversation, the bulky machine leaning forward so that his pale and withered face is illuminated from below.

"Hardly a consensus," he challenges in a voice at once grating and modulated.

"Were you to ask me, Lord-Captain," he addresses Vain directly, "I would advise that the information we have on the... potential artefacts is more likely to bring great reward. Whatever it is that we find there, there will always be more capital in mystery than in mere rescue." He speaks with a voice of authority, and it's easy to believe he thinks so - the man is marinated in mystery, from the secret ways of the Navis Nobilite to the forbidden, eddying currents of the Warp from which he has plucked countless visions.

"Given the attitude of the bridge crew and our... special guests," he continues, a slight whine of mechanical effort tilting his chassis toward the assembled greats, "My advice would be to conclude the rescue of the pilgrims as quickly as possible so that our business is not too delayed. Should the pilgrims' plight turn out to contain its own mystery, it will be one that is more easily returned to.

"As such, I would advise seeking assistance in the collection of the pilgrims. In this way, our... duty can be met all the more efficiently..."

The Baba Yaga clanks back, as he leans back in his seat. He addresses all his comrades, "Do any here have contacts in this system on which we may draw? I may have one or two suggestions of my own - of course." He looks at the others expectantly.

[PossiblyInsane]

With a shocked bust of static at Gerald's borderline heretekal utterance, Cort hurriedly turned back to the main cogitator to check the state of the battery power systems, only relaxing slightly after confirming the man's untutored fumbling wouldn't send them all to the void with a cataclysmic plasma drive detonation. For the moment, at least.

"...Triple redundancy in the wiring systems are Template standard for a reason, Gerald. Without them, a system-frying feedback loop due to overloading the charging mechanism is an full order of magnitude more likely to occur."

You mean, from the infinitesimal one in ten million chance to the marginally less infinitesimal one in one million chance? The man has at least some idea of what he is doing, you know.

It is a non-negligible drop in sustainability. And do not encourage that madman. Because of his arrogance, we shall have to schedule an extra capacitor check per maintenance cycle to ensure there is no corrosion or deleterious charge build up in the main battery systems.

Oh no, how terrible. That's almost an extra three minutes. Whatever shall we do about such a terrible, cost saving tragedy?

Every extra required check is another chance for an inattentive or apathetic Voidsman to damage this vessel through ignorance or negligence. The recitation chant should be kept as simple as possible for their dull little minds.

That is a gross generalization. From what I have seen, some of the maintenance crew are quite intelligent.

All the more dangerous for the temptation it brings to those poor souls not privy to the Omnissiah's grace.

Letting the comments of the sanctioned xenos pass unremarked, he spared a nod towards Serafina's fellow Forge-worlder, before turning his attention to the at least marginally sensible Balar.

"A suitably cautionary amendment, Navigator. Unfortunately, time limits any aid we shall be able to call. I suspect only ships the Volcanic League has allowed in orbit here could be relied upon to arrive in a suitable time frame, barring any other vessels happening to pass by Armstrong XII. The closest significant Mechanicus presence I am aware of is the Explorator fleet on Angstrom IV. They could not be relied upon to arrive before events had already been resolved."

Or relied upon at all, for that matter.

[Cilvyn]

Alexia Vain

Alexia hears the suggestions of the senior officers. She sits quietly

Agreed, miss Lydia, we should. We cannot abandon our own.. She nods ar Cerran in agreement and pulls her hair behind her ear and seems to be lost in thought untill she hears to voice of Balar. I see your point. Bring the ship close enough to inspect the situation and ready the crew. a distress signal can be anything,
a trap perhaps. she glances over at Serafina-Cort or no, we at least to be alert and prepared for whatever happens..

Mr. Gerald ready the weapons, if they indeed would commit such a sin, we must be ready to retalliate.

Alexia seems to agree with the crew. She knows everyone is experienced enough to know what they should do, so further orders are left out. She waits for everything to procede untill her imediate orders are needed again.

[Mr Adventurer]

Balar, too, seems to be holding back from engagement with the Xenos. The Kroot was one thing - though some saw it at Alexia's pet, Balar knew it was more than a mere trained beast as some gossipped. The Eldar was another matter; Balar, as were most of House Visscher, was acutely aware that even the most skilled voidsman can only prosper in their political context. Balar didn't yet fully understand Kyrakas' own political position amongst her own kind - her motivation - and so treated her circumspectly.


Letting the comments of the sanctioned xenos pass unremarked, he spared a nod towards Serafina's fellow Forge-worlder, before turning his attention to the at least marginally sensible Balar.


"A suitably cautionary amendment, Navigator. Unfortunately, time limits any aid we shall be able to call. I suspect only ships the Volcanic League has allowed in orbit here could be relied upon to arrive in a suitable time frame, barring any other vessels happening to pass by Armstrong XII. The closest significant Mechanicus presence I am aware of is the Explorator fleet on Angstrom IV. They could not be relied upon to arrive before events had already been resolved."

"I trust the Magos does not seek to lecture the Navis Nobilite on the nature of time, out here in the void," Balar replies. Although it is a challenge, it is a gentle one, without ill humour. Inside his golden device, Balar's eyebrow raises wryly.

"I would welcome the opportunity to put your supposition to the test, Magi," he nods to Serafina-Cort, the golden machine under him clanking in sympathy.


Alexia Vain

Alexia hears the suggestions of the senior officers. She sits quietly

Agreed, miss Lydia, we should. We cannot abandon our own.. She nods ar Cerran in agreement and pulls her hair behind her ear and seems to be lost in thought untill she hears to voice of Balar. I see your point. Bring the ship close enough to inspect the situation and ready the crew. a distress signal can be anything,
a trap perhaps. she glances over at Serafina-Cort or no, we at least to be alert and prepared for whatever happens..

Mr. Gerald ready the weapons, if they indeed would commit such a sin, we must be ready to retalliate.

Alexia seems to agree with the crew. She knows everyone is experienced enough to know what they should do, so further orders are left out. She waits for everything to procede untill her imediate orders are needed again.

Balar takes Alexia's orders to proceed to include his suggestion. The Baba Yaga rears up as the conference disperses, carrying him along with Alexia and most of the others to the command deck of the Bridge. There, it stamps over to the master Vox-stations. The crew are used to the Baba Yaga and make room for its bulk without ceasing their duties. The machine settles down, the golden wings of the armoured cherubs embossed into its casing folding closed over the cockpit to give Balar the privacy he needs to make vox contact. A mechanical tendril jets from his golden housing and interfaces with the Vox-command console, putting Balar into neural link with the device.

Inside the Baba Yaga, Balar sits in isolated silence. The fuzz of the activated vox-cast fills his mind through the neural link. He mentally flicks through a series of numbers until he finds the one he's looking for. He inputs the numbers, and attempts to raise a call...

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

"Got the reactor core's runnin' hot. Mistress Helms, you're free to take us out." Gerald pulls down a speaking tube and shouts into it. "Weapons crews, to your stations! This is not a drill!" On the vid-screens of his workstation, Gerald sees the feral tribesmen of the batteries start to pour out of their huts and begin whooping and dancing at the news. They daub their faces and the massive batteries with warpaint and blood, shriek prayers to the Emperor, the Omnisiah, and the weapons themselves. Their tekno-shamans haul out the massive cables that link the batteries to the mega-capacitators and begin the rites to awaken the weapons. As the sacred runes begin to glow in the holy patterns of readiness, they begin to shriek and dance with joy. Gerald double-checks to make sure the speaking tube is off before muttering, "Thrice-damned savages. Still, they do love those laser batteries. Weapons systems are coming online, Ma'am."

[DrK]

In the Auspex and Vox Station

The massive machine like throne carrying the wizened navigator lowers itself into the vox pit and connects itself to the vox systems on the frigate. Tight beam transmissions stab out in multiple directions as the Navis sends a brief series of communications. Waiting for the light-speed communications takes half an hour so before the various contacts manage to ring back in. The Mechanicus of one of the large Leviathans from the volcanic world rapidly vanishing behind the frigate is very accommodating but sadly cannot offer any help as relatively isolated from either of the Mechanicus forces in the system he/it cannot help with the location of the ships. THe Ma'Kao dynsaty and House Cassini are both far more helpful - but sadly not in a way that offer help. The Arbite Cruiser currently on the other side of the star escorting a water shipment to the smog shrouded Froge world whilst the Oni herself is in orbit of Ang VI but with half of the crew ashore enjoying some shore leave. Neither are able to aid the "Intresting times" as she streaks towards the isolated Angstrom XII

Orbital Space of Angstrom XII

WIth the distance between ANgstrom XII and XIII being relatively short its a matter of 6-8 hours before the first flicker on the auspexs pick up some faint whispers and energy spikes that may or may not be weapons fire or explosions....


Still waiting to know if you are approaching fast/slow, Noisy or quiet
Detection rolls


Currently something like 50VU from the planet to help align the difficulty of any detection rolls from this distance. Assuming you are SPeed 7 as that's standard speed

[Mr Adventurer]

In the Auspex and Vox Station

The massive machine like throne carrying the wizened navigator lowers itself into the vox pit and connects itself to the vox systems on the frigate. Tight beam transmissions stab out in multiple directions as the Navis sends a brief series of communications. Waiting for the light-speed communications takes half an hour so before the various contacts manage to ring back in. The Mechanicus of one of the large Leviathans from the volcanic world rapidly vanishing behind the frigate is very accommodating but sadly cannot offer any help as relatively isolated from either of the Mechanicus forces in the system he/it cannot help with the location of the ships. THe Ma'Kao dynasty and House Cassini are both far more helpful - but sadly not in a way that offer help. The Arbite Cruiser currently on the other side of the star escorting a water shipment to the smog shrouded Forge world whilst the Oni herself is in orbit of Ang VI but with half of the crew ashore enjoying some shore leave. Neither are able to aid the "Intresting times" as she streaks towards the isolated Angstrom XII

Safely within his golden chair, Balar disconnects from the vox systems, the mechanised tendril withdrawing from the console. He meditates for a few minutes. Although the Astropathic chambers do have to administer sedatives to some of their junior acolytes.

The Baba Yaga rises from the vox-pit and clanks back toward the command deck, the armoured cherub wings folding back to reveal Balar's underlit visage. "Lord-Captain," he grates, "I have made several useful discoveries. I can report that the Adeptus Mechanicus operating the Leviathans here are not well-connected to the rest of the Adeptus forces in the system. The Oni is currently laid up for crew shore leave, and so is indisposed. And the Adeptus Arbites cruiser is across the system, escorting a water shipment to Angstrom II. They are all in a position of weakness, and therefore unable to help us." The Baba Yaga gives what could be construed as a contrite bow, although within his casket Balar remains ramrod-stiff.

"I will return to the navigation instruments."

[DrK]

Over the next few hours the Interesting Times comes to battle stations. In the below decks damage control teams are assembled. Boarding teams and ship board troopers and house troops don their flak vests and are issued their las carbines and boarding shotguns whilst the hapless gun crews man the winches that rotate the massive laser barrels and the teams of slave servitors and serf crewmen stand ready to change out the fuses and capacitors of the Sunsear power banks.

Blazing towards the small and desolate planetoid the Cort connects with the massive and regal machine spirits powering the ship's plasma drive. Like the heart of a miniature sun he speaks ancient mechanitrix words of command and worship pleasing the plasma drive as the drives burn hotter and the ship veritably leaps forwards on a colossal plasma flare burning like a comet. Even as he coax's more power from the engines Balar examines the gravity eddies and swirling clouds of dust plotting a cunning course to surf near the cover of the weak planetary magnetosphere to come up behind the duelling ships.

Gerald's hands play across the sensor controls as the hololith springs into life displaying the rocky ball of Angstrom XII and it two tiny moonlets. Just on the verge of sensor range as the ship hurtles towards the planet the view slowly begins to sharpen up as the ships auspexes can begin to see the details and sensor details of the ships battling on the far side of the planet. The sensor pick up for the ship in distress becomes clearer as pilgrim vessel "Her lady of the Holy Rosarious" is picked out, the vessel based upon an old jericho class freighter packed with anywhere from 50-100,000 witless pilgrims searching out the ancient systems where St Drusus or his adherents may have once have stood. Although still at over 30 VU's its hard to make out if she's been damaged or not. The other ship is a different matter - a squat brute of a ship sensors record the radiation spiking in massive levels from the ship in levels that would be lethal to a human. The vessel itself clearly of xeno origin as it assails the pilgrim vessel with a hail of lethal fire.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9pgeQDAzrw8/T0deZQhQe1I/AAAAAAAAAWg/03OdnXddGbA/s1600/Rogue+Trader+-+Battlefleet+Koronus.bmp




At Speed 14 VU this round from the FLank speed you close on the situation: Currently you are occulded from LoS by the cunning piloting coming in behind the planet

Planet: Occupies around a 2x2x2 cube in 3D space: Is 28VU away
Pilgrim vessel is 33 VU away looking like its trapped between the planet's gravity well and the xeno vessel
Xeno vessel: closing on the pilgrim ship - currently 43 VU from you

[YossarianLives]

Cerran strides onto the bridge in her full panoply of war: her flowing robes exchanged for trousers and beige flak armour, a bolt pistol and power sword at her hip, a flamer slung over her shoulder. She gives Captain Vain a deep curtsy, acknowledges the bridge crew with an austere inclination of the head, and takes up position a respectable distance behind the rogue trader's seat, back straight. Cerran has spent enough time aboard void-ships to know that the position of preacher must be carefully balanced. One must be wise, dutiful, pious, a perfect servant of the God-Emperor. And, when necessary, one must show no hesitation in administering justice. But become overbearing, and no one will mind when you mysteriously disappear into the ship's vast underbelly. Cerran didn't like the way many of the crewmen looked at her - those fellows with the tattooed faces and ritual knives. Their fervor was to be admired, of course, but she had seen even the most faithful descend into heresy under the 'guidance' of radical sects.

As the damaged pilgrim ship drew closer, Cerran's gaze drifts to the xenos vessel. Her brief stay aboard the Interesting Times had reinforced her belief that, perhaps, friendly relations with the alien could come to good - hearing the kroot, Augustus, praise the Emperor's name still sent her reeling - but such deeds as this reminded her that such sentimentality was foolish, at best. She turns to Aesriza. "Eldar. One of your kind's? I have not seen its like before..."

[RedComet]

With the decision made to aid the pilgrims, Paz excused herself and headed for the helm at the front of the bridge. If a fight with one or more enemy voidships was on their hands, she trusted no one in the crew to handle the ship's movements better than herself. She approached the junior officer currently manning the station, who gave a prompt salute upon noticing her without, to Paz's approval, taking his eyes away from the main display. No matter the formalities required, for a helmsman to take their eyes away from their duties for even a moment was a potential disaster waiting to happen. She made a brief incantation to the helm's machine spirits as she reached for a link cable from the helm and plugged it into the MIU port hidden under her braid at the base of her skull. Once she confirmed she was receiving and transmitting data properly, she began the Rite of Watch Turnover with the helmsman, questioning and receiving answers as to the ship's speed, heading, engine status, and several dozen other lesser details, all of it blinding fast thanks to her MIU link. Satisfied that everything was as it should be with the ship, she finished the ritual with a simple verbal command to the subordinate officer.

"I have the helm, you are relieved. Carry on, Lieutenant."

His head bobbed obediently before he picked himself out of the lavishly-padded chair (a perk that Paz definitely enjoyed compared to her previous vessel) recessed into the floor of the bridge, and Paz lowered herself down into a comfortable position with her hands hovering over the control yokes until confirming the ship was maintaining its previously designated course through the turnover and she could relax slightly. The presence of the ship and the machine-spirits through her MIU felt as familiar as a well-worn glove. Though she'd never voice any such thought in the presence of Cort or any of the ship's other Tech-Priests onboard (or even think it, for that matter, if linked to the same system as one of them) it was moments like this that left her actually believing in the power of the Omnissiah just a bit more than the lip service she normally paid to such beliefs.

The moment passed, and she straightened up and refocused on her displays. She keyed the voxcaster to Alexia's personal frequency.

"Helm is ready to proceed, Lady Captain. Your orders on our speed and approach?"

If we're voting on it, I'll stand by what my character said earlier and say we take the more cautious approach coming in slow and quiet.

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

"Look at these readings. If it weren't for the pilgrim ship, I'd say we just wait a few months and let radiation sickness do the work for us." Gerald moves over to the weapon console, activates it, and begins studying the display. "If we can encourage the pilgrim ship to break towards us, it will draw them into weapon range that much more quickly. But how to do it without alerting the enemy... Hey, spooky, can you, I don't know, beam a message directly into someone's head?"

[Chivy]

Aesriza watched the humans bustle around her while she casualy leant against one of the bulkheads. Somehow the almost lazy slouch conveyed that the woman was taking her ease, but also coiling up like a spring to pounce on whatever she felt like hunting. It was clear that a predator stood amongs them.

Her gaze swung to the human female who had approached her. It didn't happen often, most of them rightly feared her presence, but it wasn't as if she actively discouraged it. Most interactions had been mindbogglingly dull though, but these ones with their religious zeal for their Emperor-God were different. They almost reeked of their hate for what they called heretics and often for any 'xenos' as well. It almost made her feel like home, if the hate hadn't been so muted. Still, there was always the chance for mildly stimulating conversation or justifiable bloodshed.

"No, Converter-Human-Cerran-Fleik," she answered the Missionary of the Human-Emperor-God, her name interwoven together with what the Dark Eldar believed her role to be. When she first boarded the shop it had been hard keeping most of these Humans apart from one another the way they all looked so much alike, so she had taken to adding what job they fulfilled to their names, which made it far easier to differentiate them from each other. She simply hadn't considered it necessary to change her method of adressing them since then.
"The vessel is far too crude to be mistaken for anything of my brethren. I have never encountered it's like before."
She finished in what might of been reluctance. The Kabalite Warrior did not like being ignorant of things, and the Converter had honed in on that flaw and stuck her words where it would hurt. A subtle strike, but worthy of a flinter of respect. The corner of Aesriza's lips twitched in amusement, this might be an interesting day even if there is only a little killing.

[Mr Adventurer]

Presuming Balar can get a crewman to assist him, a Navigate (stellar) roll to plot a course for the pilgrim vessel, target 74: [roll0]

With the Baba Yaga squatting in the command deck of the bridge, Balar's pale face scowls. The mecha-panoply rotates with a whirr and positions him at one of the subsidiary stellar nav-stations. Like some kind of metal ogre, it leans forward as Balar reaches out with his own hands to manipulate the cogitator interface, snapping commands at the under-cartographer.

After several minutes, he gestures to a nearby crewman, "Open communications with the pilgrim vessel at once."

The man scurries about, directing the vox-crew, then holds a large baroque handset out for Balar to take. Balar grimaces, and the golden arms of the Baba Yaga pluck the device away from the crewman with surprising delicacy.

Balar takes the vox-set into his own hands and rasps into it, "This is the Navigator Primaris of the warship Interesting Times, under the glorious leadership of Lord-Captain Vain. We received your distress call. You are about to receive a new heading from us. Follow it, and bring the xenos into our wrathful gaze!"

The pilgrim ship's reply, if any, is hailed across the command deck for all to hear, and Balar tosses the vox-set back to the crewman.

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

Once Gerald verifies that the weapon systems are ready, but out of range, he walks back to his console to pick up another mug of recaf. That done, he wanders over to the auspex crew-pit and begins looking over the shoulders of the crew there. As they focus their efforts on examining the enemy vessel, Gerald offers a few helpful pointers to help speed things along. Soon enough, they have a decent amount of data regarding the strange ship. "Send the raw data over to the main command consoles," Gerald orders. "Let's see what this hostile is made of."

[YossarianLives]

Lacking any real skill in the piloting of a voidship, Cerran contents herself to stand on the bridge, watching her fellow crew members bustle about. Though maintaining outward composure, she is ready to spring into action at any moment.

[DrK]

The "Interesting Times" continues to burn in as the Mechanicus burns holy ungents and servitors and other engineering teams service the city tower sized plasma drive. The ship screaming through the void accelerating towards the small rocky planetoid. In the bridge the navigator plots a suggested course and beams it across space to the beleaguered transport being hounded by the unknown xeno vessel. The pilgrim vessel is almost incoherent on the vox, screams from the Ecclesiarchy on the bridge of the vessel drowning out the more precise shouts and requests for aid from the better trained Chartist Captain. The course to slinghsot around the planet and pull the xeno vessel out into the arcs of the INteresting Times a solid one and one that if the voice of the 1st Officer can be heard they'll try and execute.

Watching the scene play out Gerald focuses the massive high powered augers onto the xeno vessel. He maps out the enemy vessel picking out torpedo launchers on the prow and large turrets sporting macrocannon-like structures on the dorsal tops of the enemy ship. With a mass similar to their own it seems much like a frigate sized vessel. The Radiation readings from the drive likely giving a lethal level within the enemy ship but its deliberate rather than a fault.


PC's --> 17VU --> Planet (2x2x2 cube) --> (+1 VU) Pilgrim --> (+2 VU) Xeno


Watching the battle play out you can see the pilgrim vessel botching any course corrections, the vessel just drifting closer to the planet trapped in the gravity well. Macrocacanno fire is exchanegd as the xeno drifts badly towards the pilgrim vessel but the ships seems to survive the macrocannon fire. The torpedoes are another matter and on the auger screens impacts can be seena lthough no explosions. The alarms over the vox as boarding claxons sound and screams of "they are slaughtering everyone in the hold" begin.

[Mr Adventurer]

Growling as the pilgrim vessel's vox-link returns a cacophony of voices, Balar indicates to the vox-crew to increase the bandwidth.

Aboard the pilgrom bridge, the visage of the angry Navigator appears on the pict-screen, the armoured iris in his forehead thrown into sharp relief by the lights inside the Baba Yaga, his eyes twin pits sunk into glinting flesh. In a voice that grinds like the sound of bones in the Warp itself, his voice shears through the panic-babble of the undisciplined void-pilgrims, "Stay your babbling tongues! The Emperor welcomes those who serve, not those who lose their minds when they should respect the chain of command!"

Since the pilgrim vessel seems to be having some... conflicts of command, Balar will lose patience with them and attempt to Intimidate the unruly elements of the pilgrim bridge crew into serving the Captain of the ship properly - or at least, getting out of the way of proper void operations.

With Disturbing Voice, he rolls Intimidate (Fel) vs 52: [roll0]

I guess, if the roll is successful, and the pilgrim vessel isn't suffering any specific penalties due to the panic, it could count as a Put Your Backs Into It for their next relevant Test?

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

Gerald carefully lines up the targeting reticule up on the distant ship. He takes a deep breath, says a brief prayer to the Emperor, watches the laser turret make its tiny micro-adjustments, and squeezes the activation rune. And then curses as the first salvo goes awry. Behind him, he can hear the priest offering words of encouragement. But also he can hear the screams coming from the vox of the stricken ship. He lines up the target again, fires... and another miss! The massive laser blast brackets the enemy vessel, but doesn't hit. Gerald flips the all-clear switch on the console, letting the distant crewmen know that it is safe to reconnect the batteries to the power grid, to begin recharging them. "I need to get closer, helms! They won't escape our reach."

[YossarianLives]

Cerran has had enough of waiting. As she stands comfortably on the Interesting Time's bridge, noble servants of the Emperor are being slaughtered - in such circumstances, there can be no slacking. After quietly gaining permission from Captain Vain, she adopts her very best death-glare and descends to the floor, where the non-commissioned officers and orderlies toil to keep the vessel running. Wielding her staff like a scepter, she stalks the deck, dishing out opprobrium to anyone found neglecting their duties.

[DrK]

The battle continues to rage in deep space as the Turbulent on a colossal plume of plasma leaps into battle at speeds one would expect from a Cobra raider than the aging heavy frigate. With planet approaching rapidly as they zoom towards it order are barked and the sunsear batteries are manned as the void is filled laser discharges, unfortunately the massed batteries mostly hit empty void, the gravity well of the planet interfering with the shots, a few being adsorbed by the xeno vessel's shields in a brilliant flash.

The navigator continues to shout down he vix but in the confusion aboard the Pilgrim he cannot cut through the chaos aboard their ship as they battle the xeno boarding party.




PC's --> 2VU --> Planet (2x2x2 cube)
PC's --> 3VU --> Pilgrim and Xeno (adjacent to planet)


As the Interesting times almost reaches Angstrom XII the Pilgrim and Xeno spear from around the bulk of the planet at near point blank range. Strange macrocannons aboard the xeno vessel release massed fire but most shots streak past the speedy frigate

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

Gerald leaned back in the console chair, apparently taking his ease, as the laser batteries recharged. The enemy vessel grew larger and larger in the command screens. It fired at the hapless pilgrim ship. "Poor bastards," said Gerald, "But look! There's where the enemy's batteries are." Glowing amber lights flashed on the display. Gerald moved the targeting reticule over the enemy vessel, and waited. The ship grew larger. Finally, just as they swung past the planet, and were free of the gravitational well that fouled the last shots, Gerald grabbed the controls and fired quickly. The laser beams struck squarely on the enemy vessel, right on its weapons system. Gerald remained quiet, but a cheer went up from the bridge crew as the damage became visible on the ship's auspex.

[DrK]

At near point blank range Gerald targets the sunsear laser batteries and the frigate shudders from the recoil as the batteries slam into the hulking xeno frigate. Laser beams plunge deep into the enemy vessel as the torpedo tubes are exposed to space as dozens of xeno's are dragged into the void. The enemy macrobatteries are hit worse as flames spread and shells cook off as dozens of explosions leaving the enemy batteries flaming in dangerous radioactive flames.

Even as the xeno ship appears to lose control starting a slow ventral roll in the void trailing smoke the vox crackles into life from the belaguered transport - "Emperor be praised! You have saved us. Can you help us, we still have enemy troops aboard, they have slaughtered dozens but we are starting to hold them. Can you spare us troops?"

[Toxic Mind]

"I will go, Lady-Captain. And I will take any who will volunteer to join me. These foul xenos must be cleansed." Lydia says, hefting her incinerator in one hand, chainsword in the other.

[Mr Adventurer]

Mighty golden servos whirr as the Baba Yaga turns and Balar addresses the command crew.

He grates out, "I have a different suggestion. The pilgrims are holding their attackers by their own admission. Meanwhile -" he gestures at the void-screen with a thin arm and the massive golden pincers of his chassis mimic the motion, "- there are many for whom the crippled xenos vessel is a rich prize indeed. Grant the pilgrims the troops they need. But allow us to board the enemy vessel, in your name, and secure greater fortunes still."

His voice, always harsh-sounding and oddly modulated, takes on a strange timbre, "Long have I followed the strange weft and weave of our fate beyond the veil of stars," he chants. "Mystery unraveled stitches a better purse than cleaving to the ramrod of expectation..."

[Chivy]

Aesriza Kyrakras
Wounds: 10/10
Fate: 1/1
Pain tokens: 0/8
Temporary fate: 0


"I suggest you send some of your lessers into the enemy ship first, while some of us deal with the boarders." Aesriza's inhuman voice cut across the bridge.

She had unslung her splinter rifle and was checking it with practiced motions, seemingly uninterested in the decision of where to strike. But those who had known her preparing for personal combat from previous occasions could tell she was almost thrumming with anticipation. Her attention completely focused on the conversation among the bridge crew. A Predator about to hunt and kill, all she required was knowing where she was to kill.
"Then we both know what manner of creature we are dealing with and if there are radiations aboard their ship which melt flesh from bones, we will be forewarned." She finished simply.

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

"The prize is crippled. We can sit athwart its stern and blast it if it appears to be causing trouble. Let's send some armsmen to the pilgrim ship while we inspect it in person. So we can see how best to help them repair the damage done to them. Our prize can wait a few more hours. Gives us some time to get some rad protection set up, too."

[Chivy]

Aesriza Kyrakras
Wounds: 10/10
Fate: 1/1
Pain tokens: 0/8
Temporary fate: 0


"Gunner-Human-Gerald-Riggs' reasoning is sound. The vessel is aflame and it's weapons disabled. It would be foolishness to board into a conflagration in which we were burned to cinders.They will most likely be focussing their attention on those fires. Allow them the time to sacrifyce themselves to get it under control. If the ship is able to try to flee, we shall simply fire upon them again." Aesriza's voice once again cut across the bridge. She had a way of pitching her voice that allowed it to cut through the background noises and be heard clearly in every corner of the room. Or it might not have been a conscious effort at all, the xenos voice had a natural eerie and theatening quality which made sure people listened to it.
"It matters not if we are forced to destroy the ship. Even hulked it will provide us with sufficient salvagable riches. Greed is a poor reason to act without forethought, Warpseer-Human-Balar-Tritherion-Visscher."
The Dark Eldar concluded, before focussing her complete attention on the young rogue trader. There had been no more malice, challenge or belittling in the sound of her voice than there there usually was, even if she considered rash actions to be the hight of folley, but when she continued there was an edge of eagernesss in her.
"With your permission Trader-Human-Alexia-Vain, which when spoken by Aesriza sounded less like asking permission and more like telling people what was going to happen. Again it might have been a quirk of her voice; she had never balked at an order or taken matters into her own hands in all the time she had been aboard, but she had also never showed herself as submissive. She followed orders as if they were suggestions, always doing what was required, but from an attitude of equality not subordinate.
"there are sufficient volunteers to board the Pilgrim-Human vessel and learn more of what we are hunting. We should do so. Now.

[Mr Adventurer]

The Baba Yaga thuds over the deck plating to bring Balar closer to the Eldar. A large golden pincer waves dismissively, "Do not ever presume to know the inner paths of my mind, Kyrakras," he admonishes, "It is a place even your accursed kind would find... unpleasant."

With a mechanical whine he turns back to address the Captain, "I will overlook the insult, of course, Lord-Captain," he nods. "Kyrakras cannot be expected to appreciate true ambition.

"The suggestion we would step into the flaming gun decks is preposterous, of course. We knew the Eldar held humanity in low regard, but perhaps given the circumstances such assumptions can be better kept to one's own council." You might think all humans are idiots, but given you're in a human crew you might try keeping that to yourself more often.

[YossarianLives]

Her work finished below, Cerran returns to the bridge just as the current discussion begins. She stands near the back, hands on hips, listening politely, but steps forward when the others have made their arguments. "The enemy vessel is crippled. Let them stew while we rescue the pilgrims. If we board them now, the fire will do as much damage to us as to the xenos." Despite a stern expression, her eyes glitter playfully. "Dying to destroy Mankind's enemies is laudable; throwing your life away in a pointless display of strength is selfish." She hesitates, on the verge of saying something more, before deciding against it. She is only a priest, not a commander.

[Chivy]

Aesriza Kyrakras
Wounds: 10/10
Fate: 1/1
Pain tokens: 0/8
Temporary fate: 0


The Kabalite bared her teeth when the Navigator closed on her, her eyes widened slightly when he used the single form of her name. She shifted slightly, her balance becoming slightly better should the Human decide to try and attack her. She would not strike first, no matter how insulting this creature was trying to be, she needed the humans too much, but the effort not to eviscerate him was almost unbearable.
"Do not speak of things you have no understanding of Warpling," she hissed before she achieved control over her voice again.
"I have no interest in what crawls within your warp stained mind. I presume to understand the meaning of the words you utter. Words like ‘rich prize’ and ‘greater fortune’. Words of greed, not ambition."
Aesriza was already regaining control of her emotions, a little wonder emerged at why she had allowed this being to anger her. She needed to kill something, or at least hurt it badly.. It had been too long. She continued, still waiting for the creature to strike.
"I also do not consider all of humanity fools, even if many humans do go out of their way to prove that they are. Nor do I suggest willingly entering the weapons decks would be the reason why you would be burned asunder, as any true Warrior would understand."

Again she bared her teeth, this time it might even have been seen as some sort of smile
"I will take your willful display of ignorance as a request to be taught. Very well."
"Flames move inside a voidship Warpling, burning all it can. Especially if many of the crew have been killed by explosions, fire and even more have boarded another vessel. If what is left cannot drive back the fire or expose it to the void, the fire will spread across the ship turning it into an inferno. This could happen almost instantaneously if the fire reaches even more ammunition reserves. Combined with the unknown effects of the very large doses of radiation on board means the risk would be too great to board them now. In a few hours, the fires will either be under control or the ship will have been gutted. We also will of given the medicea and techpriests time to study the radiation and possibly come up with a solution. Boarding them now would show a lack of foresight."
Any Eldar seeing the look on her face would say she looked a combination of angry, eager for combat and smug shen she continued. Anybody else would say she looks normal.
"You need not take my word for it of course. You could lead a boarding party yourself and we shall see who is right. I do request you take a few of your skull-flyers with pict casters with you though. Your eventual incineration, dismemberment at the hands of the crew or slow disintegration of your flesh due to the radiations onboard would be an entertaining lesson for those who follow."

[Toxic Mind]

Lydia almost audibly sighs. Mutants and xenos, arguing over who was the greater intellect. She was perpetually disappointed with their lack of understanding of their place in the universe. They were useful tools, nothing more. Faith in the God-Emperor was the only constant.

At the words of Cerran, she smiles at the other priest. "The more lives we save, the greater our devotion to Him radiates through the stars. This system should speak our names with reverence and respect. The words of pilgrims rescued by our blades and our fire speak louder than coin in that theatre.""

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

"Fear not, Balar! We'll make sure those xenos get what they deserve soon enough. I'll fly us over to the pilgrim ship. And lemme look over the specs for the Baba. We might need to harden her against radiation, you know? It looks real nice, and hard to fix. I'd hate to have it break down on us so far out here. With your permission, Lady Vain?" Gerald summons a few senior officers and orders them to bring the Interesting Times over into the xeno ship's blind spot and to shoot it again if it starts acting funny.

[DrK]

It's a long wait as the shuttle pre flight checks are performed and from the bridge analysis you are told that both the Pilgrim ship and the xeno ship are in terminal orbits around the planet and without engines will not be long for the void.

The senior team with a combat team pile onto a shuttle and an hour later you are flying over the hull of the Jericho class vessel now pock marked with holes and damage with a cloud of debris around it. The ship opens up the hangar bay and your pilot brings you in sharply.

With a soft hiss of air the doors open and you can see the small shuttle hangar. A collection of gowned priests are ready with minor monks bearing scrolls and incense burners filling the air with smoke. The highest ranking sub-abbot advances, a massive bearded priest festooned in fine robes and gold "I am sub Abbot Calcius of the Drusian adherents. I demand you take me and my attendants to safety!" . Behind him you note his attendants are mostly young men and women of remarkable beauty wearing diaphanous robes.

In amongs the collection of priests you see an armoured figure with a carapace chest piece and a still smoking incinerator. He salutes, "Missionary Major Actonius. We have the xeno boarders confined to 3 sectors now. But one is main engineering. Could you help us roust them out to slow repairs."

[Chivy]

Aesriza Kyrakras unfolded herself from the uncomfortable Human shuttle’s grav seats, like most things the Humans used and prized so much; they were crude. But effective enough. She drew her Ghostplate’s helmet over her head and locked the seals in place, the lenses of her faceplate glowing red slightly. She readied her Shardcarbine and followed the other command staff out.

Pain and terror washed over her from the huddled masses around them and it was… titillating. Delicious. The bearded religious parasite both annoyed her with its demands and forced a little smile out of her. It was about to die horribly, and was begging to be saved, but somehow demanded from his betters that he be saved.
"This abbot reeks of fear. After knowing Converter-Human-Cerran-Fleik and Converter-Human-Lydia I had expected something more formidable from your leaders." She half-scoffed, half-mused into her microbead.
"We should not waste time with those not willing or able to raise arms to protect themselves and concentrate on making sure this vessel is not destroyed with us on it."

[YossarianLives]

Pointedly ignoring Aesriza's comments, Cerran approaches the Sub-Abbot, maintaining a respectable distance, and drops a curtsy. Missionary Cerran Fleik, your grace. It is an honour." She straightens up, not looking the Abbot in the eye. She had learned long ago to tiptoe around high ranking priests. Not that they often deserved respect, but it was a necessary measure. "We will provide what assistance we can, but for now your staff can shelter in our shuttle. I can promise two of our best armsmen to ensure your safety." And make sure he doesn't bail on us, of course. "We will cleanse this ship of the xenos raiders. Emperor guide you."

Stepping away from the Abbot, she raises a hand to the other Missionary, Actonius. "Hail. We will be happy to help you in purging the ship - but first, what can you tell me of these xenos? I do not recognize their ship. Anything you are able to tell us could mean the difference between life and death."

[dojango]

Gerald Riggs

On the voyage over to the pilgrim vessel, Gerald reviews the telemetry data. He voxes back to the Interesting Times, "You know, this could be good for us! The impact should clear out most of the xenos, and also remove the source of the radiation. Then we can pick over the wreck to see if there's anything immediately salvable, and then sell the salvage rights to someone back on thirteen. Tell the lads in gunnery control this is their chance for some target practice; put a few shots in their engines to keep them from escaping gravity's hold."

Once he's landed the shuttle, Gerald watches the pilgrims make their requests. As the abbot and his staff approach, Gerald quickly double-checks that the shuttle's controls are locked and secured. It wouldn't do for someone... unauthorized to try to use it. As they board, Gerald turns to the warrior-priest and asks, "What's the damage to the engines? Going to want to get those fixed as soon as we can, I reckon. Can finish clearing out the infestation once we've secured the enginarium"