IC: DH The Purity of Sacrifice

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


Marcella watched from the door way, her hand gripping her las-pistol around the frame and out of view of their "guest". Her eyes were narrowed into suspicious slits, and she perked and eyebrow at the suggestion that other guilders had been here. Had they also come with ulterior motives?

Stretching her mind out, Marcella looked beyond the front door of their habitat to ensure that this fellow had not brought more friends along with him.

[Wyndeward]

Arl made a smile that did not reach his eyes and holstered the stub revolver. Looking at his fellow Acolytes, he shrugs himself into a top and pulls on his cloak.

[Bennosuke]

We've been here less than a day, and we've been bitten by rats, attacked by Clan Tora and worst of all, unable to get a decent drink. If Boss Half Face has some better ale, we'll go chat with him most happily."

The thug spits on the ground at the mention of Clan Tora and says, "No good grock brains. They's was stupid enough to attack Guilders?" The question is equal parts surprise and disbelief.

"Request: Elaboration is required. Specification: Last group of guilders?"

Zig seems confused by the question. His reply is delivered with a slow choppy manner, as if he were talking to a child or someone with a brain injury. "Yes, the last group. You know, the Guilders who have been doing business with The Boss," he says, looking at the Tech Priest with utter disbelief and a hint of frustration.

It takes several frustrating moments before Marcella is able to successfully make her connection with the Warp; perhaps it was the lack of sleep. She reached her senses out throughout the nearby hab-block, but wasn't picking up anything more than the occasional pedestrian. No one nearby, no one staying still or getting close as if they were listening in or preparing for an ambush.

[Wyndeward]

The thug spits on the ground at the mention of Clan Tora and says, "No good grock brains. They's was stupid enough to attack Guilders?" The question is equal parts surprise and disbelief.



Zig seems confused by the question. His reply is delivered with a slow choppy manner, as if he were talking to a child or someone with a brain injury. "Yes, the last group. You know, the Guilders who have been doing business with The Boss," he says, looking at the Tech Priest with utter disbelief and a hint of frustration.

It takes several frustrating moments before Marcella is able to successfully make her connection with the Warp; perhaps it was the lack of sleep. She reached her senses out throughout the nearby hab-block, but wasn't picking up anything more than the occasional pedestrian. No one nearby, no one staying still or getting close as if they were listening in or preparing for an ambush.

"I suspect the business with Clan Tora was a case of mistaken identity... no matter."

With that, Arl sits to wait for his compatriots to prepare.

[Morovir]

Xerros-926 tapped the side of his head, as if in a mea culpa:

"Apology: A minor lapse on my part - so much data to inload, so little cogitator space to store it. Statement: The Omnissiah giveth, but he taketh also."

[Bennosuke]

The thug raises an eye at the tech priest's words and replies, "Ya, uh, sure I guess." He looks at the others, Marcella and Luis and asks, "So, we ready to go or what?"

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Satisfied that no one was waiting in ambush outside, Marcella nodded silently, her eyes still staring suspiciously at the ganger.

Behind the door-frame, Marcella holstered her pistol.

[dojango]

"Of course, friend," Luis says, throwing an arm around the ganger, "As representative's o' the Credit Guild we got lots o' stuff to do and not much time to do it in."

[Bennosuke]

Zig nods his head and says, "Great. I'll just wait till you get your things together, and then lets go. Best to not keep the boss waitin'"

The acolytes gather whatever gear and weapons they wish to bring and then follow the Sabay member out into the frigid smog filled air (OOC: Please specify what gear you are bringing... same concealment rules apply as before). As the thug leads the group out of the residential neighborhood and into a labyrinthine series of well lit passages, he attempts to make some small talk. "The name's Zig," he repeats, clapping a hand to the chest of his moldering leather jacket, "What should I call you when I introduce ya to the boss?" He seems cheery enough, perhaps too naive to be weary of the new Guild Members.

[Wyndeward]

Arl is carrying his new-acquired stub pistol and his sword, along with a conceal knife at the small of his back.

[dojango]

"Luis. Client Care specialist." He has his axe and pistol. He looks at the bow, shrugs, and slings it over his shoulder as well. "Might see another of those ryders. There's good eatin' on them things."

[Morovir]

"Introduction: Xerros-926, Mechanicus-assigned support auxiliary and researcher."

As before, he takes his lascarbine, laspistol and staff, making little attempt at concealment.

[Wyndeward]

"Arl. Security"

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

When the time to speak fell upon Marcella, the ostensibly youngest of the group uttered a single word with a soft voice.

"Marcella."

[Bennosuke]

"Nice to meet ya's," Zig says with a grin. He continued to lead the group, at one point muttering to himself, "Talkative bunch these is," and not seeming to care if anyone overhears.

Eventually the tunnels lead out into what appears to be a dilapidated and abandoned hab block, where it appears a level of the ceiling has collapsed in on the area. Stone bricks, rebar, and ferocrete chunks litter the ground, and create hills up to two stories high. Several of the hab structures have been knocked over or blown out by the sky falling event, and all structures are covered in a thick layer of dust that hangs in the frigid air. All the ceiling glo-lights, and street lamps are dead, but several blocks down is a single brick building with the lights on. It looks like it's ceiling previously collapsed and instead has been replaced with a tent like quilt, made of patches of hide, tarp, and shredded cloth. "That's where we be headed," Zig says, pointing out the building.

As the acolytes get closer, it is clear that Sabay gang members are camped out and hidden in the skeletal remains of the nearby buildings. Thugs, some no older than eight or nine years old, peer out of windows or from behind doors. Some clutch autopistols, or rusted knives, though some even hold different makes of automatic rifles. Zig waves these thugs off, shouting out as he goes, "It's okay. Just me. These are guests of The Boss. It's okay!"

But as the acolytes get close to the big structure, the two Sabay gangers guarding the door, each holding what look like disused military grade las rifles, step aside. A massive and well muscled bare chested man steps through the door. His head is hooded behind a patchwork leather respirator mask, with big reflective black bug-eye goggles, and a pair of long tubes that come from the mouth opening and feed out into a pack on the man's back. Despite the cold, he wears little more than a pair of canvas slacks, and a regal fur coat that hands over the man's breathing pack. In his hands is a finely crafted and well maintained flamer, it's blocky chromed steel body connected by a long hose to the same pack as the man's respirator.

Zig brings both forearms in a cross in front of his face in salute and says, "Boss Half Face, I bring you the Credit Guilders as you requested." He finishes his salute, and turning to the group points out each acolyte individually and says, "This is Loose... he's a specialist at caring. This is Xerox... he's the tech researcher. This 'un is Snarl, he's security. She's called Mark... even though she's a she. And the last one is Sevora, she's got a head wound."

Boss Sabay makes not a single move. He does not speak, though his breathing comes out in rhythmic rasping machine like noises as he appraises the group. Finally he says, "These are not the same Guilders as before,"

Zig looks to the group nervously, hoping one of them will speak up and explain themselves.

[Morovir]

Seeing as nobody was speaking up, Xerros-926 inclined his head, making the sign of the Cog on his chest.

"Explanation: Sometimes teams are recalled, reassigned, replaced for reasons unknown - we are all just cogs in a greater machine by the will of the Omnissiah."

[Bennosuke]

Half Face turns his masked ominous stare on the tech priest and it brings to mind the expression, if looks were las beams. When he speaks, Boss Half Face's voice is raspy and mechanical. "Then you are aware of my business, and have a message for me... Xerox?"

[dojango]

"Yeah, the cog-boys heard you might have some interesting, valuable stuff down here. Stuff with a high profit margin. Stuff that might be worth something to some ambitious Credit Guilders who are willin' to take risks. Might be lookin' to make an... investment..."

[BananaPhone]

Marcella


Marcella was characteristically quiet, but alert, her green eyes darting about he environment the group followed this scruffy fellow to his boss. As usual, her mind-radar was active, her growing suspicion that they were being followed not having abated since the day prior when there was something up in the ventilation duct.

Passing through the shabby shantytown, Marcella eyed the child soldiers that needed to be waved away, her tongue clicking at the sight of it. Such a wasteland of lawlessness and despair.

Finally, however, they were presented with the Big Kahuna - literally - who looked like he just finished a round of pumping weights at the gym.

Mark. That was her name in this cretins mind.

Saying nothing, Marcella hangs in the background and watches the actions of boss Half Face.

[Wyndeward]

Marking the exits in his mind, Arl sought to appear as nothing more than a bored security officer.

Arl looked around, trying not to wince at Luis' patter.

[Bennosuke]

"Yeah, the cog-boys heard you might have some interesting, valuable stuff down here. Stuff with a high profit margin. Stuff that might be worth something to some ambitious Credit Guilders who are willin' to take risks. Might be lookin' to make an... investment..."

The masked gang boss turns his attention quickly to Luis, his reflective black lenses focusing in on the man. "I do not understand what you mean," Boss Half Face rasps, a hint of irritation crawling into his voice, "What are you talking about? Are you not hear for the arrangement?"

[Morovir]

Seeing the situation seem to be slipping away from them, Xerros-926 tries to rectify it:

"Apology: I believe I may have misspoke in my explanation prior, owing to my unfamiliarity with communicating in Low Gothic rather than binary. Explanation: The previous group of Credit Guilders sent to treat with you never returned and ceased all communications - we are their replacements. Assurance: We will endeavour to honour any arrangements made with our predecessors."

[Bennosuke]

"Very well," the boss says after a moment's hesitation, his voice trailing off for a moment, before falling into a fit of hacking coughs that causes him to double over. When Half Face has finally gotten control of himself, he continues, "You will have to inform... our patron that we unfortunately do not have his purchase. Please let him know that the exchange was interrupted, but that I am working on recovering the purchase." Despite the computerized monotone of Boss Half Face's voice, there is a growing anxiety in his words as he explains himself. "I promise we will have the purchase... as promised."

[dojango]

Luis waved a hand dismissively. "The Credit Guild knows yer good for it. Yer success is our success. The other team... maybe they didn't have the chops to survive down here. Prolly why we was sent. What're yer leads on the stuff?"

[Bennosuke]

Boss Half Face stiffens, both hands tightening around his flamer, which moves from his shoulder to in front of his chest. "The Credit Guild?" he growls with both confusion and slowly boiling anger, "What about Lord Durchess?"

It was clear that the boss was becoming suspicious of the group, and the acolytes were going to have to start treading very carefully.

[Morovir]

Xerros-926 cuffs Luis on the back of the head with one hand, uttering a curse of unintelligible but clearly irritated binary.

++01010011 01101000 01110101 01110100 00100000 01110101 01110000 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 00100000 01101100 01101001 01110100 01110100 01101100 01100101 00100000 01110011 01100011 01110010 01100001 01110000 01110011 01101000 01110101 01101110 01110100 00100001++

Turning back to Boss Half-Face, he bows, hands spread wide.

"Apology: Forgive the words of the imbecile. Explanation: He is a feral-worlder, valued for muscle, not thinking. Addendum: He is easily confused, and it is simpler for him to latch onto one idea than get entangled in the murkier politics of our actions. Assurance: You will have the time you need, and you will be rewarded once the exchange is made and the purchase is recovered. Repetition: Once again, humblest apologies from this simple factotum."

He cuffs Luis again for good measure, hoping that this gesture is enough to allay the suspicions of the volatile boss.

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Marcella felt her skin tighten as the boss started to sound suspicious of their actions, his growing agitation prompting him to bring his flamethrower about and bare it in their direction.

Was he planning to use that thing in here? The walls didn't seem particularly fireproof....would he burn his whole base down in a fit of paranoid rage?

Towards the back of the group, Marcella readied herself as surreptitiously as she could, hoping that one of the others would take the brute out of his mistrust...

[dojango]

Luis accepts the blows meekly enough, before grinning. "Sure gave them ryders a good thumping! They's good eating."

[Bennosuke]

Boss Half Face watches the ongoing communication, his hooded face belying no emotion. After Luis has spoken up he takes a single step backwards, lowering his flamer so that the gunmetal perforated nozzle is pointed at the group of acolytes. From this proximity it was possible that a single shot would catch the entire group in a single gout of flame. "I'm sorry," Half Face's mechanical voice says flatly, "but I think there has been some misunderstanding. I don't know who you are, but you are clearly uninformed of my current dealings with the prior group of Credit Guilders... though I suppose that is for the best. Now unless you can prove me wrong, I am going to ask that you all turn around and leave, and I'd suggest you think very hard about coming back... or lying again."

Boss Half Face's reaction causes every nearby member of Clan Sabay to draw their weapon, and those with firearms to aim it at the acolytes. Credit Guilders were supposed to be protected by a law that even the underhivers respected, but it certainly seemed like now was not the time to push that protection.

(OOC: So the acolytes have said enough things that even despite a good deception roll, show Half Face they are unaware of what is actually happening, or what The Credit Guild was doing with him. Rather than just have this end very very poorly, I am giving the acolytes a chance to just walk away... though I guess they don't HAVE TO.)

[BananaPhone]

Marcella

Well, this had gone pear-shaped quickly.

Pursing her lips, Marcella took a step backwards, her gait slow and deliberate, as if to encourage the others to withdraw with her.

They couldn't talk their way out. They certainly couldn't shoot their way out. The only option was a tactical retreat.