The Great Price (Game Thread)

[cross_grave]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

"This is weird." I've replied to the group's opinions, frowning. "I find it unlikely we wouldn't have been briefed about Astartes presence on the planet if they are truly operating here. Something seems amiss." I pondered this for a moment before picking up the vox. "Still, perhaps our superiors found it unnecessary for us to know. I agree that we should investigate the location, but let us be cautious. We can't afford to fall into a trap, or to scare away the priest. We will contact command on the move, as you've suggested." I nodded in the psykers direction. "I am ready to go." I've said as I readied myself to set out, dividing part of my attention to the vox I was operating even now.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Mallia held her tongue about her opinion on the necessities for the Ecclessiarchy to keep its low level acolytes informed about all forces deployed in the quelling of a hive riot. She also was not sure that the mysterious and legendary Adeptus Astartes would be required to inform her Inquisitorial superiors of their comings and goings, being that they were a separate and independent entity.

Of the details of the legendary space marines, Mallia knew precious little. Yet, there were not many clerics of the Imperial Creed that would double as a powerful psyker, being that even the savant militants and schola psykanas were not fully appreciated by the more puritanical practitioners of the faith. It stood to reason that she had therefore been in contact with a real, live member of the Adeptus Astartes. The realization hung on her like a lead weight. Such powerful men did not sully themselves with quelling hive riots. What indeed was awaiting for them on this world?

With the other members of the party ready to move out, Mallia marched in the direction that the map indicated, hoping that her fellow acolytes would keep up with her. She switched her staff to her left hand and pulled out her compact las pistol, knowing full well that she may need it and the Emperor's guidance very soon.

 

[lurker]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

As much as Seraph wished to correct them on the factor of the marine's operation being here may not have been known to even the superiors, the fact of the matter is she couldn't prove one way or another herself. Still, the thought of the possibility of Space Marine support was much appreciated.

Unlike some of her fellow cell members, she knew that the Marines weren't truly warrior gods, having witnessed them fall and break in her time on the front. Even men transformed to the durability of Ogryns and armed with the best ceramite equipment has failing moments. Even still, the Space Marines often at the very least were open-minded, strong warriors, and more than willing to push themselves to ensure a world's safety no matter the cost. This clearly was qualities that Seraph didn't mind in general.

But that was a warm fuzzy feeling she didn't have time to savor. For the most part, Seraph moved forward with Malia, her eyes watching the street and weapon held in one arm, the other constantly consulting the datapad as they moved onward. She was moving as fast as her armor's servos would allow without flat-out running, more than likely outpacing the unaugmented psyker occasionally.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

With a satisfied grunt, I finally managed to get the vox to cooperate and open the right channel. For some reason, it took me way more time than I should have, not that I'd admit it. I resolved to leave operating the damn box to the techpriest in the future. "This is Enforcer Markus, hailing Implacable Dawn." I've called the ship, waiting a bit before repeating my calls until someone answered. That someone being our superiors, preferably. Or at least someone from the ship.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Though Mallia was a milky-skinned, spindly void-born, she had not been given the gift of idleness during her time of trials on Holy Terra. In the Black Ships she had learned to survive, enduring both the battle inside her mind, and the endless physical traumas the bald women in the flowing black robes had subjected her to. She had learned to run, to push her body to its extremes, to build her musculature in spite of all that had been thrown at her. She was by no means a professional soldier, but neither was she the weakling that some psykers tended to be. She chose to clutch at her staff because it was a psychological comfort to her, not because she needed it to keep her upright.

If she fell behind Seraph, it was more likely to be due to her impatience and need to look back over her shoulder at Markus as he waited for a response from the vox receiver.

"If you get no response, just speak out the relevant information, Arbitrator Markus. Those vox channels are encrypted and specific to our mission. You can rest assured that the information will get directly to our superiors."

 

[Caulder]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Drake follows the rest of the group, his respiration unit gurgling and wheezing every so often, having taken his lascarbine off his back when the Psyker drew her weapon, holding it tightly in his hands as he observes his surroundings, his vox speaker crackling to life. "I assume I am the only one who feels we may be walking into a fight we may not wish to engage in. I also assume that I am the only one who feels there is too much circumstance surrounding this entire debacle." he says, his respiration unit emitting what can only be assumed as a mechanical snort.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

"Ours is not to question, Red Priest, but to serve the God Emperor and his righteous servants. Our mission is to bring the priest to the Inquistors, no more, and no less. If we are in need of martial aid, we have allies and a communicator with which to designate our coordinates." She paused, and then slid her eyes over to meet with the 'face' of the techpriest. "We are all to die. I pray only that I shall die in service to the Emperor."

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

In response to Markus' call, the voice of the Primaris that had arrived with Mallia was heard. "One moment..." followed by a quieter, as if he'd turned away, "Varnias! The new cell is reporting."

Faintly, the named Inquisitor's voice could be heard. "Alright, Hastus, I..." Suddenly, Varnias' reply was interrupted by a groan. "Grim, take the call in my place, I've got to run interference. She's up."

A similar groan seemed to come from the Primaris, then his voice returned. "Alright, looks like I'll have to relay your report to the Inquisitor in a bit. What's the situation?"

 

[cross_grave]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

"You're not the only one, priest." I muttered while the voices on the other side of the vox sorted their business out. I suspected I had a decent idea what said business was, too. "But the psyker is right." I added, nodding at her zeal in approval, before focusing back at the call. "We've discovered the remains of the cell that was in charge of transporting priest Uriah Praetus, as well as the remains of the Battle Sisters protecting them. They've been all slaughtered, altough the priest managed to flee the scene." I took a breath. "The sisters were gunned down by some kind of bolt weaponry, but the rest of the cell... Judging by the state they're in, they've been most likely driven mad and killed by some form of warp sorcery. From what we gathered, they didn't even have a chance to defend themselves."

I paused a moment to consider how to deliver the rest of the news before continuing. "As we were inspecting the site, our psyker was contacted by someone she believes to be a Librarian, Brother Heidar. He gave us a possible location where the priest might be hiding, as well as a vox frequency we can use to contact him and his unit. We're currently en route to investigate the site. That concludes the report on our current situation." I finished the sitrep, mentally debating whether to add a note on our suspicions. I decided against it, though - the report itself spoke volumes.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

There was a slight pause, then the contact spoke again. "Brother Hreidar... Ah, yes. Part of one of the Deathwatch Kill-teams that Inquisitor Klightus called in to check on the odd reports from the PDF... Understood, on the situation with the cell. Continue tracking the Priest, he is believed to have insight into what's going on at this planet. We'll send someone down to recover the bodies and vehicle."

 

[cross_grave]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

"Understood. Enforcer Markus, out." I finished the call and stashed the vox away after I made sure it was properly turned off. "The vehicle and bodies will be recovered... What worries me is that they have Deathwatch kill teams on the planet." I ran the sentence through my head once more. Deathwatch. Only the best were chosen to become a part of the legendary kill teams - veterans capable of dealing with any threat, no matter how difficult or deadly. They were the absolute best at what they did that humanity had to offer. And their mere presence alone suggested this was something far bigger than the group had suspected. "We will definitely have the best support possible, but... What could possibly warrant the attention of several kill teams?"

 

[lurker]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

A dark hiss left Seraph. So it was them...

"Deathwatch... Whatever has sent them here, they must be worried about Xeno interference. I served alongside them long ago, so I am comforted with the support, but yes, it creates even more concern. Caution should be in our step from this point on."

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

As the discussion shifted towards the Deathwatch, a feeling of unease would settle across the cell... Yet it would be too weak to be felt over the mission's concerns. Save for Mallia. In addition to the unusual additional unease, the faintest beginnings of a headache would begin to form.


As the cell passed towards the point indicated by the Librarian, the sound of some manner of flying craft, perhaps an Arvus lighter, could be heard taking off nearby... Yet the buildings around them would make it difficult to see where it was.

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Mallia began to massage her temple. She did NOT like headaches like this. They reminded her too much of the after effects she had felt in her most trying nights on the Black Ships. Those catatonic cycles of darkness, fear, and cold sweat, when IT had made a final clawing assault to claim her soul before leaving her weakened but unbroken mind behind. She knew the entity lurked still beyond the shut gateway in her subconscious, in the depths of the Empyrean that she baited and dared every time she called upon her psyker abilities.

She did this for the Emperor. All things for He who had stood between humanity and the ruinous powers - He who had defeated them at the cost of his mortal shell, but not his immortal spirit.

The headache hammered her, and she knew that it was a bad omen.

"Something wicked is near. We must take utmost care," she cautioned, though she knew that it was unnecessary. They were servants of the Inquisition. They would always be in danger. But such danger that she feared... if only her faith were stronger, she might conquer it. She knew she must steel herself in an armor of dedication to the Emperor, but to do so in the face of the unrelenting Warp, with the burden of forbidden knowledge of the daemon. God Emperor help her, for she knew not if her mind could muster such spiritual resistance.

"More than our bodies may be at risk."

The sound of the Arvus Lighter - or some similar flying craft - drew her attention. Friend or foe? The source of her headaches? She pressed onward to the location that Brother Hreidar had indicated, with the hope that her heart would still its rapid palpitations for a blessed moment and this mystery be further revealed.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

I threw a glance in the psyker's direction when she suddenly spoke up. Personally I felt nothing aside of a sense of concern, completely normal in our situation. On the other hand, I was not a beacon for the Warp, nor did I have her unusual abilities. With a grunt of affirmation, I moved my hands to quickly check my weapons, keeping my right hand on the gun as I followed her. If she truly felt some evil was lying in wait for us, then I had to be ready to greet it the way it deserved, whatever it was. As a servant of the Emperor, I had a duty to uphold, and I would not falter.

The sound of an aircraft taking off made me switch tracks for a brief moment. An Arvus, I wagered, and one that was fairly close. Sadly, I could not confirm it's position due to the buildings around us. I wondered why it was here. Who was using it? Why were they here? What were their intentions? So many questions, and no time or means to answer them. I sighed and focused back on my objective. Unless it somehow became a concern, I had no business thinking on it.

 

[ShadowWolfSBI]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Once the cell reached the location provided by the Librarian, some questions were answered.

There was a clear path from the ground, through the buildings, to the open sky. And it was large enough for an Arvus.

The "clearing" they'd reached contained a number of burnt bodies, what little remained of their clothing appearing to be that of the PDF's uniforms.

There was also an unburnt body lying there, clearly having been killed by some manner of large weapon, judging by the distinct lack of head. Although not charred like the other bodies, much of its possessions and clothes were gone as well.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

"Crap." From the looks of it, it seemed that the Arvus would soon become my problem. Unfortunately, it was quite likely that the aircraft was used to bring in (and out) whoever was responsible for this. This was the second major loss of life among people of the Imperium I witnessed on this world, and it was beginning to grate on me. It had to be stopped, before more innocent lives were claimed. But first, I needed a trail to follow and unfortunately it was unlikely I'd find one here. The burnt bodies were likely useless and the only corpse that did not get turned into charcoal would be difficult to identify without a head or the victim's possessions. Still, I cautiously moved over to it, looking around for possible traps, to investigate it in hopes of finding something.

 

[Caulder]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

"This does not bode well." Drake's vox speaker crackles to life, as the mechanicus makes his way towards the unburnt body, squatting down to examine what was left of his or her neck, trying to determine what manner of weapon had removed their cranium. "I estimate a seventy-two point 7 percent probability that whatever did this is likely the leader of whatever scum we have been tracking." the Mechanicus makes offhand, his eyes focusing on the headless neck and resuming his examinations

 

[BlueSlime]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Mallia tapped the transmit switch on her microbead.

"Headquarters, this is Sanctionite Mallia Caid. See if you can track an Arvus lander within the vicinity of my location. The craft may well be carrying heretical forces and possibly contains my cell's priority target. We are unable to pursue and are investigating on the ground."

She took her hand off the transmit switch and then took out her laspistol from its holster. Holding her staff in her off hand, she approached the door to the nearby building and stopped before it, stretching out her mind to see if anything was giving off a psychic residue beyond it.

 

[lurker]

Re: The Great Price (Game Thread)

Seraph cursed under her breath as they rounded the corner, gripping her weapon tighter. "Just what we need..." she mutters, giving a quick sweep with her weapon.

Moving to the headless corpse, Seraph moved to one knee, and while she kept listening for trouble, she quietly started to dig through it's possessions, seeking any form of truths or leads...