Arbites Strike Team (DH1) IC

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

Spoiler: OoC

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Will test, target 41
(1d100)[13]
I have a Charm (skull).

[dojango]

Penny stared at the thing in the darkness. It was just a starship. A home. A new gift? She started walking towards it. "Wow! This is pretty cool! Hey, you there!
What are these awful people doing to you? Where's the on button for this thing!?"

[Kaptin Keen]

The proboscis-slash-gangplank beckons invitingly. It's just a few meters from where the tables are. Looking closer, you realise it's lighted - little globes on the wall providing a soft sort of halflight.

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"Penny! Child, come back to us! That's obvious xeno heresy! And parked illegally, to boot!" Dan calls out. He reaches a hand out to the the Martian Priestess of Technology.

[Kaptin Keen]

It also looks quite a lot like a lamprey - or a cross between a lamprey and some deep-sea dwelling, bioluminescent type of fish. The lights inside it's maw glide slowly backwards, pulsing and undulating.

It doesn't actually look like the opening itself is dangerous. But it's certainly alien, and scary.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega attempts to restrain Penny
Fight it. Do not become an accomplice.

Spoiler: OOC

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Str Check?
(1d100)[41] Base 26

[dojango]

The others grab Penny, and she tries to take a few more steps before being stopped. "C'mon, what's the worst that could happen? It seems OK... We should go collect evidence..."

Spoiler: OOC

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Got an epic fail on the will test, by the way...

[Kaptin Keen]

Despite her feeble protests, you drag Penny - along with the data slates and cogitators - back to the speeder. It's the work of a few minutes to get everything ready, and then you're off. The speeder easily accelerates to ten times the speed of your patrol vehicle, and blasts down Shaft 51, back towards the colony. The kilometers long tunnel flashes by in moments.

As you fly past the gates and into the access tunnel, you immediately spot flashing emergency lights, and what appears to be a road block - about where your friendly collaborators had their baracks.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can tell even at a glance that this is likely the famous Special Branch, come to arrest their seditious colleagues. You have just a sliver of a moment to decide how to proceed, before they notice you. That is, unless you want them to notice you.

You cannot really see what's going on. There are shadows moving, blurred and confused by the flashing lights. Your auspex could tell you more, but you don't really have time - and auspex is an active sensor, so theirs will pick up your attempt to scan them. That is, if they have one - of course.

[DrK]

Plex

Plex, shivered, the thing in the shaft had been alien, a xeno of vile influence. The whispering in his mind had been so seductive he shuddered now, vowing to spend some time in the chapel when he got back to the Gavel. Seeing the trouble ahead he looked to the others. "Slow here down, turn into another tunnel. Best to remain unobtrusive. It is imperative we return to the Gavel and seek assistance for such a huge xeno thing." What he doesn't say is the obvious "its well above our pay grade".

Seeing the barracks and trouble he shrugs, "They'll have to fend for themselves. Emperor will shield the innocent."

[dojango]

"What other assistance do we need? I say we just go to the bossman's office, beat a confession outta him, and then work our way down the ladder. Figure out who's been mistreating that poor beastie down there."

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega
Obviously the xeno needs to be destroyed. We will need the ship for that.

[Kaptin Keen]

Had your craft been going full tilt, the roar of the engines would instantly have given you away. As it is, you kill the headlights and quickly swing into the abandoned storage space through which you entered, and park the transport there.

Sure, you could have confronted the Special Branch, and possibly kept intel about yourselves from them - but on what grounds. The guards who helped you were obviously betraying the trust of their superiors and the rule of the local Imperial representatives, and the Special Branch officers are making an entirely legal and legitimate arrest. Lex Imperialis - justice has been served!

From here though, you can bypass the guards and security just as you did coming in, and make your way back on foot. Or commandeer a vehicle somewhere.

Spoiler: OOC

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Seriously tho - what's the plan from here?

[dojango]

"Alright, then, we'll vox the ship and tell the Tech-priests to tap into the station's comms. Figure out what they're up to. Maybe have a couple of crews do an EVA back at the exit of that mining shaft to see what they can see. Meanwhile, let's go to the station manager's office and arrest him and seize all his files so'z we can figure out precisely whose guilty.
It' be a shame to waste a perfectly good mining station over this."

[Kaptin Keen]

It takes no more than a quick call to the Mechanicus shrine on-board the Gavel to gain full access to the station comms network. Minutes later, your own vox is fed a steady stream of vox chatter - stuff the station clearly thinks is secret. It's pretty clear the colony administration has branded you as imposters - fake Arbites sent to infiltrate the station. It's also clear that you've been accused of attacking an innocent guard station near Shaft 51, and gunning down the enforcers there.

The Special Branch have their own channel, and their comms are invariably brief, businesslike and militaristic.

The channel reserved for the ordinary law enforcement personnel is more confused, buzzing with questions concerning credentials, and asking for clear orders and directives.

Spoiler: OOC

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It will take the Gavel a little time to lift off and travel around the asteriod. Also, there are still station defences. Not that The Gavel might not be a match for those - but it's a consideration. Said consideration might be worded as 'if the Gavel has the firepower to destroy the asteroid, and the colony has the firepower to destroy the Gavel - what then is the wisest course of action, and from where would a wise man chose to watch, once the sparks start flying?!'

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"Forgive my impertinence, brothers, but I feel we should shut down this Special Force before we do anything else. They appear to be a significant paramilitary unit with the upper level support to kill at whim and pin it on whomever they choose." He quickly returns to his quieter position leaning against a strut.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega
The xeno must be destroyed, but perhaps we should press the guard into our service, and cease the colony defenses so that they will not interfer with the xeno's destruction.

[DrK]

Plex

Plex looks at the others and nods in agreement. "Shall we ask the Gavel to launch and withdraw and we can try and take care of these special traitors. The most important thing is to get the Gavel launched and safe to support any Ordos interdiction." He looks to the others and if the agree voxes the Gavel to ask them to launch and withdraw to a safe location within the system.

Checking the load on the shotgun he nods. "Lets see if we can shut down this place, if we deactivate the defence systems then the safety of the Gavel is assured."

[dojango]

Penny looks around and says, "I know we're supposed to be invincible agents of retribution and all that, but perhaps we can go talk to the Mechanicus enclave on this station. Their loyalties are to the machine spirits of the station itself, and they may be willing to help us in exchange for not using our ship to bombard the station into custody."

[Kaptin Keen]

The Mechanicus enclave isn't big, but it's impressive none the less. It's actually almost a separate colony, a tall arcology standing off the main surface city. It is both temple to the Machine God, home and quarters for the tech priests and their menial slaves, and production facility, churning out most of the tech and machinery the colony needs - among other things, the massive crawler-tunnelers that dug Shaft 51.

To get there you need either void suits or a void vehicle.

You sneak back from Shaft 51 the way you came in, going through service tunnels and disused spaces, until you arrive back at the patrol vehicle. It remains where you left it, and seems to not have been found. Luckily, you parked it discreetly.

When you enter it, however, you see a small note stuck to the windshield. It reads:

BE CAREFUL - THEY WATCH AND MONITOR EVERYTHING!

The streets are patrolled by both enforcers and Special Branch, but with a bit of cleverness and awareness, you should be able to navigate the colony without being spotted.

Spoiler: OOC

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Any sort of Navigation skill, Tracking, or the like may be rolled to avoid detection. Drive (ground or air, as applicable*) will serve to shake off pursuit if you're spotted. Awareness may be used as a reroll if spotted - sort of to see them before they see you.

Let me know how you want to proceed. A few rolls will get you safely to the Mechanicus enclave.

[dojango]

Penny picks up the note and shows it to the others. "Looks like we still got friends here! It's good to have friends. We should head to the Mechanicus enclave and get some more friends! Who wants to drive? I never quite learnt the trick of it."

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

"I suppose I'll take the wheel." The priest moves to the pilot's seat. "Next stop, the front door." He kicks the transmission into gear and grinds forward. "Hold on to your faith!"

[Kaptin Keen]

You skillfully maneuver through the colony, avoiding patrols and dodging traffic jams, until you roll through the outer airlock of the Mechanicus enclave. Beyond is a docking area (or parking lot, if you will), and a grand entry hall where numerous servitors roll busily to and fro. You are approached by a servo skull - a protocol model - which bobs softly before you, and intones in a voice entirely artificial:

++ GREETINGS AND WELCOME, ADEPTUS ARBITES AGENTS ++
++ HOW MAY THE ADEPTUS MECHANICUS ASSIST YOU ON THIS CYCLE ++

[dojango]

"Hey! All blessings to the Omnissiah! I hope you are keeping up his sacred tools and rites! Because it concerns me that some of his sacred machinery seems to be moldering in a forgotten tomb next to some weird xeno thing! Anyway, can we talk to the Magos in charge to find out why this station is a den of heresy and iniquity and how you plan to help us remove it?" says Penny.

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

The large man of the cloth takes a position flanking Penny's right side. His hands remain clasped in front of his, giving him the appearance of a patient man.

[Kaptin Keen]

The skull floats a moment, clicking and buzzing sounds issuing as it's cogitator spins.

++ PROCESSING - PLEASE STAND BY ++

For a little while, it seems to be chattering to itself as it processes the input it received.

++ INFORMATION DISSEMINATED -- ORDERS RECEIVED ++
++ A CONFERENCE ROOM HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR YOU -- PLEASE FOLLOW THIS UNIT -- CHIEF ENGINSEER COGNATUS SHALL JOIN US FORTHWITH ++

The skull flots off, trailing a tail of printout, towards a bank of elevators.

[dojango]

"Yes! We're in!" Penny punches De'Lion's arm in a friendly manner and then winces as she hits his armor. "Just let me do the talking, eh? We all know that the Emperor is the one true avatar of the Omnissiah, but let's not get too involved in theology with them and focus on getting them helping us arrest these law-breakers. If we need it, I guess you can be the bad Arbite this time, OK?" With that, she marches forward, following the bobbing skull as it led them into the facility.

[LairdMaon]

Priest Dan De'Lion

Dan De'Lion follows Penny closely, failing to hide the humor in his eyes and the smile on his lips. Perhaps he'll pull her side later on and commend her for her faith and her efforts at bringing them closer together.

[Kaptin Keen]

You enter the elevator, and it ascends the arcology swiftly. It rides the outside of the building, and offers a view of the rest of the colony to one side, and the massive construction yards to the other. Various things seem to be taking shape in those yards - one looks like a lance battery, another could be an automated tug. There's a couple of fliers under construction, sturdy work craft for the mines.

You also see one of the giant crawlers that carve out the main tunnels of the mining colony. Possibly it's a replacement until the one you saw below can be recovered.

As you reach the top, the little servo skull bobs along a corridor and up some stairs into a large, vaulted space. You are at the very tip of the arcology. All around you see the colony, the asteroid, and the cold, hard void of space. It is a round room, with massive beams along the wall. A holo projector fills the center of the room, with rows of chairs surrounding it. Along the wall to the north are cabinets with all manner of paraphernalia for refreshments and other luxuries during meetings. Opposite, south, are shelves with data slates, pict and voice recorders, and more.

The tech priest - presumably the ranking enginseer of the colony - enters via another opening, a separate elevator straight to this room. With him are two guards, obviously cybernetically enhanced.

Enginseer Cognatus is a tall and imposing man. Draped in the red robes of the mechanicus, with mechadendrites held close to his body, and his face studded with sensor arrays, a rebreather and various whirring lneses. He is very tall, almost enough to make you wonder if he was a small man, once, before.

When he speaks, it's not in the droning monotone you've come to expect. Rather, it's like he has penetrated the mechanicus style, and punched through to the other side. His voice is beautiful, like a chorus of angels:

Welcome, agents. Little NX-415 here, he reaches out a 'dendrite to pat the servo skull informs me my colony is a 'den of heresy and iniquity'. I'm surprised, of course, but those are serious words to start a conversation with.

Please, tell me what you've been able to uncover.

[Novabomb]

Phil Vega nods and stays 2 steps behind Penny on her left.
He keeps his mind on the immaterium, any compromised priests could prove to be very problematic.

Spoiler: OOC

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Psycognicience: (1d100)[59] Base 41

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: The Immaterium

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The Ether is strange here. It's hard to say precisely how (ie. you rolled too low), it's kinda mesh like? The two guards are visibly connected to strands of psionic power.