Arbites Strike Team (DH1) IC

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"The Emperor protects from many hazards, yes. He loves those who ease that burden as well, particularly if they intend to garner greater hazards."

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega is moved to awkwardly ask
Would you be willing to help me find some armor as well?

[DrK]

Trooper Plex

Trooper Plex nods to the others, "Aye sure. I know they say Gavel is a small ship but still a maze of plasteel. I found the armoury on the trip so I'll show you down" He joins the others heading down to the armoury to collect shotguns, traditional black carapace armour and a solid looking shock maul.

Spoiler: @GM

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Can we get some form of manacles?

Hanging the helmet from his waist he looks around, "Ready to see what this mining station holds?" he offer to the rest of the team as he trots back upstairs and slowly makes his way to the airlock. With a heavy trench coat over the carapace body armour and a shotgun slung over his shoulder he and the rest of the team no doubt present a grim picture!

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: Manacles

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The ship has several types, in near-infinite supply. From zip solutions, over hardened steel, to straitjackets, and so on. There are explosive collars.

[Kaptin Keen]

It is a tense last few minutes as the Gavel decelerates towards the docking bay. Great pillars of atomic fire slow the ship to an elegant halt, touching down with barely a tremor. Seems your pilot has been practicing. You sit there a little while, while ground crew work to secure the ship, connect refuelling lines and so on.

Then it's time to disembark. The main airlock cycles, the ramp descends, and you step off board.

A small group of officials are gathered to greet you: Some type of administrator in an expensive corporate suit, a couple of lower ranked officials, and four armed and armored guards, sporting void-capable autorifles and standard flak armor.

The man in the expensive suit speaks up:

Welcome to Weber, Arbites. Your arrival is unexpected, but agents of the Imperium are always received with open arms. May I inquire as to your business here? We will of course provide anything we're capable of.

Spoiler: OOC

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Roll any rolls you feel appropriate.

The dock you're in is predictably huge - built to receive ships larger than the Gavel by orders of magnitude. There are people working, doing all manner of tasks - also some lounging in the back, among cargo crates and machinery.

If you want measurements ... well, just think huge. Obviously, the truly enormous chartist vessels don't dock, as such - but fleets of giant transports are still used to haul cargo from planetside to the ships holds. Giant transports that are still tiny beside their chartist motherships.

There is a small cluster of electric cars to transport you from the dock to the colony proper.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega's eyes scan across the officials, particularly their clothes an emblems. Then he take a few moments to listens to the ambient psionic noise. He is mildly distracted by the hasily donned armor.I need to practice wearing this more, until it becomes a second skin.

Spoiler: OOC

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Awareness (1d100)[55] Base 41
Common Lore [Imperium] (1d100)[75] Base 44

Psycognicience (1d100)[77] Base 41

[dojango]

Penny grabs a shock maul and some 'official arbites carapace armor' from the ship's lockers. She forgoes the traditional shotgun for her trusty las carbine. Using chemical propellent and bits of metal? So uncivilized. But she gathers her things and goes to meet the others in the docking bay. To the man in the fancy coat, she says, "I tell ya. I like the cut of your jib. Jib is an old Mechanicus word for jacket, did you know? You got a nice jacket. And I figure, a man with a jacket that fancy knows why we're here, he just doesn't want to admit it. At least, not in public. So why don't we go somewhere private and you can tell us all about why we're here, eh?"

[Kaptin Keen]

The man in the expensive suit looks annoyed at the impolite reply - but determined, none the less.

Like I said: We will provide whatever we can. You need simply ask. If you prefer a private setting, we can of course provide you with that.

His four guards for their part look tense, alert.

Spoiler: Phil

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Awareness: Well, here's the thing. You guys are standing outside your landed space ship, pretty exposed. The men opposite you have cover in the form of blast barriers - meant to direct the engine fire away from the facilities. And those men in the background? Well, you cannot see, but there are a few really choice sniper positions back there.

So if this was an ambush, it would be a good one.

CL, Imperium: This type of greeting is nothing out of the ordinary, nor is the docking space anything other than bog standard. If you had to guess, the man doing the talking is assistant to the Colony Administrator.

Psyniscience: You don't even really need to open your mind to the immaterium - you can feel it even without trying. There is something here, maybe not something so discreet as an 'entity' - but the ether is thick with activity. You've felt something slightly similar, once, when you visited an Adeptus Astra Telepathica Choir. Many minds, somehow connected.

[DrK]

Trooper Plex

Plex pauses, eyes scanning the area as he opens the air lock, trying not to show surprise at the massive size of the hangar bay. He knew that they must be massive but experiencing it is another thing entirely. He nods to the man in the suit with a curt greeting. "I am Trooper Plex. Your identity please?" He advances towards the man, a hand outstretched to see the man's identity chit...
"We are here to investigate some irregularities. Your co operation is expected. Please have hab quarters and ground transport made available." His voice was hard and flat, in contrast to Penny's more relaxed tone.

[Kaptin Keen]

My name is Garven Baal, I'm assistant Colonial Manager.

Quarters and transportation will of course be made available. We've taken the liberty of booking rooms at the Weber Arms, the finest logding on the colony. If you'd like something more .. 'official' .. we can find quarters at the local barracks, but you'll be more comfortable at the hotel, certainly.

Is there anything else I can assist you with?

The man seems relieved that someone is being at least civil, and also gives of an honest vibe of wanting to help.

[Janwin]

Following Plex is Fenria, a set of Arbites carapace showing somewhat under the red robes of the Adeptus Mechanicus. At her heel is her large mechanical hound, appearing to be obedient and perfectly trained--though in reality it's simply good programming.

As they walk out into the hangar, she slowly scans the area with her eyes. The cyber-mastiff also performs a scan of the area--a not very subtle thing since she had uploaded the "Vanes Out" Alpha command to her companion before departing the vessel, which meant that in addition to its glowing eyes, its "ears" (in reality a sound sensor and an auspex receiver) were up and swiveling constantly.

She turns her attention to Penny briefly, and quietly lets out a series of chirps, trills and warbles--each representing an audio conversion of binary code.

[In Secret Tongue (Tech)] "Unit designated Pensacola 43b, we should allow official representative of Arbites to communicate with non-Cult of Mars personnel. It ensures a higher likelihood of positive results from interaction due to authority wielded by office."

Spoiler: OOC

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Fenria's Awareness Test: (1d100)[67] vs TN 59 (69 if Heightened Senses (Smell) applies) (Awareness 39, using Hound's Auspex with Pack Hunter)
Tech-Use Test: (1d100)[60] vs TN 55 to use Auspex to spot things like nearby bio-signs that may not be spotted by human senses (up to 50m)

Hound's Awareness Test: (1d100)[57] vs TN 85 (95 if Heightened Senses (Smell) applies) (Awareness 55, +10 from "Vanes Out" Alpha command, +20 from Auspex)

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"If no one objects, I think I'd prefer to stay in the barracks." The priest nods his bare head to the assistant colony manager, I was never all that comfortable surrounded by niceties. Monastery life taught me flexibility. And may I tax your hospitality just a step further by requesting a tour of your shrines?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"If no one objects, I think I'd prefer to stay in the barracks." The priest nods his bare head to the assistant colony manager, I was never all that comfortable surrounded by niceties. Monastery life taught me flexibility. And may I tax your hospitality just a step further by requesting a tour of your shrines?"

Your choice of accomodation is entirely up to you. I would recommend you all agree though - the hotel and the barracks are not adjacent by any means.

There is only one large shrine, which you're welcome to visit. Otherwise, the spiritual needs of the workforce are met by autoshrines located at all major intersections.

Following Plex is Fenria, a set of Arbites carapace showing somewhat under the red robes of the Adeptus Mechanicus. At her heel is her large mechanical hound, appearing to be obedient and perfectly trained--though in reality it's simply good programming.

As they walk out into the hangar, she slowly scans the area with her eyes. The cyber-mastiff also performs a scan of the area--a not very subtle thing since she had uploaded the "Vanes Out" Alpha command to her companion before departing the vessel, which meant that in addition to its glowing eyes, its "ears" (in reality a sound sensor and an auspex receiver) were up and swiveling constantly.

She turns her attention to Penny briefly, and quietly lets out a series of chirps, trills and warbles--each representing an audio conversion of binary code.

[In Secret Tongue (Tech)] "Unit designated Pensacola 43b, we should allow official representative of Arbites to communicate with non-Cult of Mars personnel. It ensures a higher likelihood of positive results from interaction due to authority wielded by office."

Spoiler: OOC

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Fenria's Awareness Test: [roll0] vs TN 59 (69 if Heightened Senses (Smell) applies) (Awareness 39, using Hound's Auspex with Pack Hunter)
Tech-Use Test: [roll1] vs TN 55 to use Auspex to spot things like nearby bio-signs that may not be spotted by human senses (up to 50m)

Hound's Awareness Test: [roll2] vs TN 85 (95 if Heightened Senses (Smell) applies) (Awareness 55, +10 from "Vanes Out" Alpha command, +20 from Auspex)

Spoiler: OOC

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Auspex range is .... almost entirely irrelevant in this space. The furthest corners of the dock are more than 1000m away. But inside range, there is nothing hidden or out-of-sight.

[boj0]

Jarn immediately gets an itch in the back of his skull when offered the hotel room, his time on Serena, a pleasure world, flashed in his memory; wonderful weather, excellent food, complete and utter boredom.

"We'll take the barracks, you see, being offered unofficial lodging could be considered a push for...bias in our findings; and we can have none of that."

[Kaptin Keen]

Barracks it shall be then. If you'll kindly step aboard these transports, they will take you straight there.

Without further ado, you board the ground cars, and they zoom along on autopilot. Travel in this part of the colony (the parts that's on the surface of the asteroid) is through armaglass tunnels. There doesn't seem to be particularly many of these - if you had to guess, they're laid out in a criss-cross pattern, providing surface access to all the topside colony sectors.

As the spaceport fades in the background, you quickly approach the 'city' proper. While on a much smaller scale, it imitates the concentric rings of true hive cities. Soon, it's towers surround you, and the ground car stops at a typically blocky, gothic Imperial building: The Barracks.

Here dwell the local enforcers, local PDF, and various branches of private security have offices here too.

You are assigned rooms on level 42. It seems this level has been out of use for a while. It's squeaky clean, yet ghostly empty.

Spoiler: OOC

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The assistant admin went in a different transport, to another location, so you're on your own. You can reach him by vox, of course.

The rooms you've been given are predictably sparse, with bunk beds and footlockers.

[dojango]

Penny replies to Fenia and says, in Low Gothic, "We're all arbites now!"

When they get to the barracks, Penny shouts, "Top bunk!" and climbs up. Reclining on the bunk, she says, "What say we tell them we need a few hours of rest, and we sneak out? Take a look at this mystery shaft ourselves?"

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega managed to hold his tongue until they were alone again.
Before we continue, you should know there is something deeply unnatural on the station. I felt it the moment we came out of the ship. It might be a bunch of psykers, or perhaps something Xeno.

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

Dan addresses Phil and Penny with a solemn demeanor, "I think, then, a sneak into the facility might be very wise. I'll begin prayers and supplications for our success and safety."

[DrK]

Plex

Plex nods to the others, "I agree. If we inform the Colonial SDF that we are investigating the location of the one of the more recent murders - but one near Shaft51, we can then travel there openly" he nods to the others, "Then as you say we can assess if we are under surveillance and move to Shaft 51 to investigate what we suspect to be the true source of the problmes here." He glances at the psyker, "Master Vega. If you detect anything unatural please warn us all immediately."

Letting one of the others inform the barracks command of the need for a ground car he checks the magazines of the shotgun and then pats the reassuring weight of the handcannon on his belt and checks that the shock maul is fully charged.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega
Sounds like a plan.

He goes over to the priest.
May I join you?

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"Of course, Phil. The Emperor welcomes the voices of all of his children. Even those of you who are, hm, differently blessed." Dan puts on a beatific smile and begins a quiet prayer such that none outside the room may hear it.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega does his best to replicate Priest De'Lion. This guy is way nicer than the ship's chapline

[dojango]

Penny made the sign of the cog and recited one of the simple psalms of the Mechanicus. "The Omnissiah speaketh unto the enduser, and sayeth, 'have you tried turning it off and then turning it on again?' and the enduser did, and it was good." Climbing down from her bed, she turned to the others and says, "Great! Come up with some excuse to get us driving around. Maybe tell em' were getting some food or summat. Be nice to see what flavors of nutrient paste they serve at the cafeteria."

[Kaptin Keen]

Getting a groundcar is but a moments work. You call Garven, and he provides you with the activation code for one of the lightly armored patrol units in the barracks garage. When you inform him of your intention of investigating the site of a past murder - near, but not suspiciously near Shaft 51 - he commends your efforts, and sends over data relevant to that crime.

The surface area of the colony is almost entirely the realm of corporate arcologies, high-price housing, Imperial installations - and so on. Workers obviously live underground, and when you head into the tunnels that honeycomb the asteroid, it's quickly clear that their warrens are less luxurious and spacious than the above-ground areas.

A quick recon reveals that there seems to be no way to reach Shaft 51. The area around it are all one-way streets, roadblocks and guarded checkpoints.

Spoiler: A note on gravity

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I wanted to get this out of the way, so you're not surprised by it later on:

This asteroid has a gravitational pull, at the surface, of around 0.1G. Gravplates compensate for that, everywhere gravplates seem sensible - so for all intents and purposes, the populated parts of the colony have 1G gravity.

Mining shafts, however, do not - and are not at the surface. Hence, they won't have much in the way of gravity.

This, in a way, is a good thing. Your patrol vehicle is designed to be able to get around everywhere, so it's equipped with a small anti-grav engine, allowing a rather sedate flightspeed.

If you leave the vehicle in a low-grav area, you will be at a significant disadvantage.

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

Dan looks over the list of obstacles preventing a sneaky approach to the shaft and shakes his head. "I think they were prepared for inspection by external sources."

[dojango]

"Psh. Obstacles are for other people. Let's see if we can find a maintenance tunnel in. There's always a way for a clever coggirl to get where she's going. Penny sidles over to find a maintenance terminal or something and tries to coax the machine spirits to reveal some of the secrets of the local Mars priests. There's always a maintenance shaft so they can carry out their rituals without having to answer a lot of annoying questions like 'where are you going', and 'do you really need that many high explosives' and 'why does that servitor look like ol' Jim?'

Spoiler

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(1d100)[100] v. 51. Tech use to download local Mechanicus schematics that might be more informative... or to see if there's any maintenance access to the shaft that aren't on the normal map.

[Kaptin Keen]

Penny quickly locates an access node, connects her mind to the machine spirit, and gets to work.

It's not easy. Security is tight, and there are many little hoops to jump through - but eventually, she's succesful, hopefully without triggering any alarms. The path is simple, and well out of sight. You can enter a warehouse to the 'east' (actually, it's spinward), climb through some ventilation shafts, pass through a service tunnel, enter an abandoned processing plant on the other side of the roadblock - and from there, it's a straight path into Shaft 51.

Spoiler: OOC

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Lemme know if there are any special precautions you want to take - or other actions you want to perform along the way.

It will take you a couple of hours to get there.

[DrK]

Plex

Plex grins at claps Penny on the shoulder, "Good work. Now we can begin to investigate properly." He pulls out a glow lamp and carefully shines it ahead of them holding by the barrel of his combat shotgun as he carefully watches the path ahead through the narrow ducts. He speaks out to the group at large, "Better than the tunnels of Volg where I was raised. Less toxic sludge in these tunnels."

He is happy to follow Penny as she guides them through the underground cave of plasteel and wires watchful for trouble.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega keeps tabs on the immaterium, he does not one of those nodes sneaking up on us.

[Kaptin Keen]

Phil Vega keeps tabs on the immaterium, he does not one of those nodes sneaking up on us.

Spoiler: OOC

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Whatever it is that permeates the immaterium of this place, it's stronger here. But ... to get any real information - you'll need to roll Psyniscience =)

There isn't a set difficulty. Better rolls get more information.