Investigating Empirica: Fharad Delah [IC]

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Outside the Parliment Buildings

The sky is grey today, and the wind is strong but warm. Derrick hands Kira a pair of tickets.
"I'm sorry, but we don't have any more car's free. These are for the transit train, it's faster than a taxi. There's a station just down the street. Take it to Vasna station, and then go down to High Court. The address is 687 High Court, the Restam Building, Apartment 435. You should be able to find it alright. I've contacted the owner's of the building, they have been instructed to let you in. If you need anything, contact me."
You can see the transit station he mentioned a little way away. The building is tall and thin, and at the top, a set of long metal rails extends out over the city. As you watch, a sleek metal bullet of a train comes speeding towards the station. It seems to stop almost instantly as it enters the station.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Kira looks to the station with a small smile. This was what she had been after, a chance to get a feel for the streets of the city. She did not mind that there was no car, but saw no reason to highlight the fact.

Taking the tickets with a nod, she looks back to Nolt. "Is there anything else you need, or shall we go?"

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt shook his head. "Na, I'm good. Lets go." He then started walking to the transit station slow enough for Kira to catch up.

Sorry for disappearing for so long. Mass Effect, the most awesome game ever, has dominated my life for the past three days. I'll be in and out for a while, as I am now definitely addicted to it.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

She falls into step beside him, handing over one of the tickets, and speaks quietly.
"I know you don't seem to like being subtle, but I think we should at least take a look around the place when we get there."

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Transit Station

The transit station entrance opens directly onto a lift, which goes up to the actual station high above. The walls and floor of the station are old hardwood. The room is small, most of it being taken up with the rails. There is a bored looking man in a green uniform behind the counter at one end, and benches along the walls. A dark skinned man in a navy blue suit sits on one of the benches, a carry case in one hand.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt nodded. "I never said we shouldn't snoop around, I just said I didn't like it. I mean come on, do I look like the sneaky type?" As he said this, he made a flourish, showing off his armor and powerpack. "I stick out like a sore Ork thumb." He then approached the man behind the counter. "Your the ticket handler right? Here you go." He placed his ticket on the counter.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Transit Station

The ticket handler's voice is a monotonous drone. "Thank you sir," he says, then he takes the ticket, rips the stub off, flashes it in front of some machine, and hands it back. "Have an enjoyable ride."

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Kira hands her ticket to be checked, too, then heads out to the platform for the Vansa train.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt quickly followed Kira onto the train after he grabbed his ticket stub. He sat down as comfortably as he could with his powerpack on and looked around the train car.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Transit Station

The train car is crowded and small, the press of people tight. After a few minutes of waiting, the train takes off, accelerating quickly but quietly. The city flies by, as the train passes through the air. It seems almost like it's floating.
The train stops a couple of times, and people get and off. After about ten minutes, it reaches Vasna station. Vasna is slightly larger than the station you got on at. Instead of the old wood, Vasna is made of cold ceramic and metal. More people get off here than at the other stations.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt stepped off the station and waited for Kira. "Fancy." He said as he looked around at the architecture.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Kira is distracted by the bustle of the station, briefly disturbed by the sudden rise in the urgency of the thoughts around her as the train stops.

I'm late...

So good to be home...

Where is she...?

She focuses, looking around, then nods to Nolt. "The company must be important. Or Mister Delah is more important than I would have expected." Following him down onto the High Court, she blocks out the distracting emotions of the people around her, while trying to stay alert for any threats.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, High Court

High court is a busy street, filled with people and cars. Women in light flowing silk robes pass by in groups, men in suits strut past, and well dressed children walk on, packs on their backs. The area seems quite affluent. The Restam building is a large skyscraper, not the tallest in the area, but still formidable. There is a doorman standing just outside the revolving doors, a tall dark skinned man in red uniform. He stops you as you approach the doors, asking "What is your business in the Restam Apartment Complex today, Sir and Madam?"
Sorry about the slow posting. I really have no excuse.:smallredface:

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt


Nolt looked around at the vast difference in apparel between the people here and his combat gear. "...Ork thumb." He muttered to himself. He then looked at the doorman, and glanced back at Kira. Subtlety, right. He decided that it would be better if he didn't say anything, so he waited for Kira to talk first.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

With only a brief hesitation as she considers using a cover story, Kira shows her identity card, with a friendly smile, but speaking in a clipped formal voice. "We are here as instructed by Inquisitor Auriga. Please allow us to enter."

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt nodded behind Kira and did his best to look profesional.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Restam Building

"Ah, the Inquisitor's investigators. Come right in." He walks through the doors and up to the desk. The room has a soft red carpet and red walls. There aren't any people around, except for the woman behind the desk and the doorman. The doorman walks up to the desk and quietly asks the woman a question. She answers him, handing him a key, and he walks back.
"Mr. Delah's room is number 435, on the fourth floor. Would you like me to take you there, or shall I just give you the key?"

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

"You will take us there." She studies the man a moment, then asks, "Are all visitors registered?"

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Restam Building

"No, visitors are not registered. However, we only let in people who live here and their invited guests." he says. He walks over to the lift, pressing a button to open it and another to make it go to the fourth floor. The doors close after you enter (I'm assuming you follow him, so we don't have to wait for you to say so) and your stomach jerks as the lift starts moving. After a few seconds, it stops and the doors open. The doorman leads you down the hall, stopping in front of a door with the number 435 on it.
"This is the room," he says, inserting the key. The door opens quietly on well oiled hinges.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

"Okay, you may leave now. Thank you for your cooperation." Nolt made no move to enter the door, instead waiting for the doorman to pass out of sight. As he waited he put a cautionary hand on Kira's arm.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

She nods, waiting. She could usually tell when trouble was about to hit. Most people described it as setting the hairs on the back of their neck on end, but to her, it seemed almost like a scent... one that made her gut twist.

Extending her senses, she concentrates, attempting to tell if they are in danger here.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Restam Building

Are you using that Intuition power, Kira? It seems like you are, but you haven't said for sure.
The doorman bows and walks off. The front room is small and full of various furniture. There are three brown leather couches along the beige walls. In the centre of the room is a low coffee table. There are two open doorways into what looks like a kitchen and a bedroom. Along one wall is a large bookcase. The room is very clean and orderly.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

After the doorman was gone, he turned and peered through the doorway. "Kira, maybe I'm just being paranoid, but... is it just me or did they expect us? Did the inquisitor call ahead of us?" He didn't un-holster his lasgun, but he kept a hand on its handgrip all the same.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Ghal, this is from the first post in this thread.
I've contacted the owner's of the building, they have been instructed to let you in. If you need anything, contact me.
It's easy to miss.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

She nods, scanning the room, speaking in barely more than a whisper.
"He did, but there's more than that going on. Something feels wrong here."

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt was dumbfounded for a second or two, but he quickly recovered. "Wow, that was very idiotic of me. I guess I should have known that huh? Also, I guess my suspicions of the bell boy were unfounded. On to other matters, what’s wrong? Did you use your witchcraft to see the future or something?" Nolt un-holstered his lasgun and covered the doorway.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Her eyes narrow as she looks at him. "It is not witchcraft, and if you wish my help, you will refrain from calling it that."

She looks around, trying to see anything out of place, any clue as to what is wrong. Her hand grips the hilt of the knife at her belt.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Restam Building

Kira finds nothing strange in the main room. One of the doorways out leads to a small kitchen. The kitchen is furnished in stainless steel, or some similar-looking metal. There is a window over the clean sink, looking out onto the street below. The food storage areas are also immaculate, and mostly empty. A few loaves of bread and some packages of generic nut-spread are all that's left.
The other way from the entrance room goes to a bedroom. The massive bed nearly fills the whole room, leaving little floor space for a thin wardrobe and side table. There are two doors from this area. Unlike the other openings, these doorways actually have doors in them. A strange sort of soft, melodic noise can be heard from behind the door on the right side of the room.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt carefully stepped into the appartment, keeping his lasgun raised and ready. Taking in the scenery, he turned and aimed at the door the mysterious sound was coming from. He turned his head to make eyecontact with Kira, and motioned that he was going to approach the door. He tip towed his way to the door and waited for Kira.

((Move Silently is 3.))

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Are you going to open the door, or wait for Stormkitten to post?

[Ghal Marak]

Well, I was going to wait. But now that I think about it, you did say she was still gone. So I guess I could open the door. No wait. I'll put my ear to it to try and hear what is going on in the other room.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

You hear a faint music, possibly with a violin or similar instrument.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Kira moves closer, too, just making out the faint sounds beyond the door. Motioning Nolt back, since he has the gun, she moves quietly to stand against the wall by the door.

Once Nolt is ready, she reaches for the handle, trying to open the door quickly but quietly.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt backed away like Kira motioned for him to, holding his gun pointed at the door. He didn't know what to expect on the other side, it may even be a civilian, so Nolt decided that he would hold his fire untill there were confirmed hostiles in the area.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

The door slides open onto a small bathroom. A waterproofed speaker plays pleasant classical string music. The fixtures are all in white porcelain, and the walls are painted a dull brown. The floor is tiled and very clean.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Fearing a trap or ruse, Nolt spun around, expecting wild eyed attackers to leap out from hidden spaces. Pulse pounding, he felt like he was back on one of the many warzones of his past. "...Damn Ork Snipaz..." He said under his breath.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

She gives a thin smile at the outburst, returning to the main room of the small apartment. Staying alert, she begins looking for any papers or similar things that might help their investigation.

Search check: [roll0]

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Kira's search is not especially fruitful. The apartment does not seem to contain any area's to store papers of the sort that might be important. There are some recipe cards in the kitchen, many books on the shelf in the main room, most either on the history of Empirica or on business topics, and a collection of rules for various versions of solitare on the table. However, there is a grey metal lockbox underneath the bed. Strangely, the key hangs from a cord attached to the box.
I should probably note that I did not include the area behind the as-yet unopened other door from the bedroom in the search.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt, who had been guarding Kira's back during her search, eyed the box suspisiously. "Not very secure, or smart, leaving the key practicaly in the lock." Nolt shook his head. "This guy must have been an idiot."

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

"All right, let's see what we have." She tries the key in the lock, opening the case up if it fits.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

The key fits and turns easily. Inside the box is a small pile of documents. A birth certificate, a degree from the University of Empirica, a legal will leaving everthing to the Garrison Corporation, and some investment bonds.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt looked up from the papers and at the only closed door left. "While your goin' through that, I'll go check out this last room." Nolt walked over and slowly oppened the door.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

The door is locked.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt stepped back from the door and glared at it. "Hmm..." He then turned to look at Kira. "Hey, can you pick a lock? 'Cause this door is locked and I don't want to kick it."

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Kira drops the papers neatly back into the case. "Nothing here."

Standing smoothly, she tugs a slim case from her pack, walking over to study the lock.

Electronic or physical lock? Which skill?

[Rigel Cyrosea]

It's a mechanical lock. To pick it, you need a lockpicking kit, and then you have to roll disable device.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt watched Kira work. "So? How does it look?"

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

"Seems too strong for a normal interior lock." She frowns slightly, closing the case again. "I'd need better tools. If it's a standard fitting, the manager here may have a master key. Otherwise, we'll need a locksmith."

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt nodded. "I'll go call them up." Nolt turned and started looking for a vox.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

Nolt finds a Vox, and beside it a list of important contacts. Apartment services is one of them. Assuming he calls them, a polite female voice answers "Hello, how may I help you, Mr. Delah?"

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

"Eh? Oh... uh... yeah send up the Manager if you would. I've locked myself out of a room in my appartment." Nolt hoped that she didn't care if he actualy sounded like Delah or not, though really it didn't matter. He didn't have to explain anything to her.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

"You've locked yourself out? I'll send the superindendant, he can open it for you."
After a few minutes, a pudgey man carrying a toolbox walks into the apartment. When he sees Nolt and Kira, a look of suprise covers his face. "Who are you? Where's Mr. Delah? What's going on here?!"

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt crossed his arms and looked over the superindendant. "Sorry for the lie, but Mr. Delah is not here. We are here on official Inqisitorial buisness, investigating Mr. Delah's recent activities." Nolt turned and pointed at the locked door. "We need you to open this door for us." He turned back to the superindendant and smiled. "If you don't believe us, you could always talk to the Inquisitor himself."

Would that be indimidation? I'm not too sure.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah

"Really? What's happened to Mr. Delah?" The superintendant asks, looking genuinely concerned. He takes his toolbox over to the door, and sets it down on the floor. Then he pulls a key out of his pocket and tries it, but it won't fit. "Hmmm. This must be something he installed himself. That key is supposed to open anything in the building." He kneels down, grabs a tiny flashlight from the box, and looks into the lock. "Bugger, that looks like a tough one. Might be easier to just break it. Is it important that it be undamaged?"

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt pondered this for a moment, then shrugged. "Well... I could have busted it myself. Oh well. Nah, it's not important. Go ahead and bust it. And for your earlier question, I can't answer that. When this is all over, I'm sure you'll hear about it." Nolt didn't like this man. He was getting a bad feeling off of him. But then again, he also suspected the bellboy of treachery.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

The superintendent nods, then turns to the door. He sizes it up for a second, and then goes back to his toolbox. He grabs hammer, extends the grip to sledgehammer length, and then takes aim at the lock area. He then hits it three times, each hit creating a resounding boom. On the third hit, part of the door splinters, and the lock comes free of the wall. "So what's in here anyway?" the superintendent asks, starting to push the door open.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt raised his hand in caution. "Hold on there. Don't open that door. We don't know whats on the other side. Here, let me see your hammer." Nolt walks over to stand to the left of the doorframe, and holds out his hand for the hammer. "Also, you might want to stand away from the door."

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

The superintendent looks at Nolt strangely for a second. "What do you mean, it might be dangerous? It's just a closet." However, he obediently hands Nolt the hammer and takes a few steps back.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt grabbed the hammer, but refrained from doing what he intended. Instead, he looked at the superintendent. "En? A closet? I didn't know... well never mind. It was still locked and we still need to know what's inside." Using the head of the hammer, he nudged the door open and peered around the doorframe.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

The door swings slowly open, revealing a short hallway with a corner turning left at end. A lurid orange glow comes from beyond the corner. The superindendent stares suprisedly down the hallway. "It's a closet in all the other apartments..."

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

"That would definitely explain why things felt off." Kira whispers dryly to Nolt.

Turning to the man, she nods. "We'll take this from here. Thank you." Taking a half-pace forward toward the doorway, she thumbs her vox on, trying the inquistor's number. Getting no response, she shrugs, sending a brief written message.

Glancing back to make sure the superintendent had left, she looks to Nolt. "Looks like we're on our own. How do you want to handle this?"

Made a couple of assumptions about the vox, I'm happy to rewrite if needed.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt handed the hammer back to the superintendent and quietly thanked him, then turned back to the situation at hand. "I dunno, we could just walk over and check it out." He whispered to Kira, then held up his index finger. "But, paranoia hasn't let me down often enough to rule out anything else. If anyone is back there, they definitely know we are here now." He chewed on his thumb nail as he thought, then looked back up at her. "Do you have any ideas?" He whispered to her.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirca City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

"Uh, so... I'll just be going then..." The superintendent says, glancing quickly at Nolt, as he folds his hammer back into it's smaller shape and puts it away.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt waved him away. "Sure, go. It could get dangerous in a second." Drawing his Lasgun, he moved as silently as he could down the hallway, poking his head around the corner.

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

Kira studies the hallway, unable to shake her feeling of unease. Drawing her blade, she settles the well-worn grip comfortably in her hand.

"No sense waiting around if they know we're coming anyway."

With that, she takes the first step beyond where the end of the closet should have been.

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

The Superintendent leaves in a hurry, shutting the door on his way out.
As you round the corner, you are met with a horrible sight. The corridor opens onto a circular room, it's floor covered by the eight-pointed Star of Chaos. There are blotches of what looks like dried blood on the floor and walls, and a small altar set with a grinning skull leers at you from the other side of the room.
This picture seemed highly appropriate- it's basically what the floor of the room looks like.
http://www.blacklibrary.com/images/merchandise_medium/starofchaos-mousemat.jpg

[Stormkitten]

Kira Danusku

"I guess that's the proof we were looking for." Kira remarks, dryly. Her stance belies her easy speech, the tension obvious as she studies the room.

[Ghal Marak]

Nolt

Nolt cursed and averted his eyes from the scene. "This needs to be burned. We should notify the Inquisitor of this." Putting away his lasgun, Nolt turned and went back into the appartment proper. Nolt brought out his vox and keyed in on the Inquisitor's frequency. "Sir? Do you read me?"

((I just realized that I have a vox of my own.:smallredface:))

[Rigel Cyrosea]

Empirica City, Fharad Delah's Apartment

Nolt gets no answer on the vox. While he is out of the room, Kira hears something drop lightly behind her. A soft female voice whispers by her ear, "Where is Fharad?"