[The Lord Inquisitor]

Scene: The Hive streets, level 47, still in the mid-rise. Looking for elevators to sub-level 64 (will need to be repaired), and comms-points. (Hint: You won't find either on this level).

Streets here are quieter than at the port, run-down and smoggy. Shapes dart through alleys, as speeders rush just meters overhead. About a hundred people per street, but this is considered 'quiet' for the mid-rise.
Few remnants of local law-enforcement around, but also less beggars, more thieves.

Go! (This bit is just walking, feel free to inquire to Alens about things, and talk amongst yourselves, until I get the PMs sorted, but it's pretty self-explanatory what you're doing).



Alens was leading the group, his coat donned and las-carbine hidden inside. The heat wasn't that great, but it was humid and noxious. It would only get worse as they descended, he knew. Starsearch wasn't happy about being relegated like this, and Alens swore he could feel the man's eyes boring holes in his back. He'd also just been rebuffed by Raqeulia, after attempting to establish a position of dominance. Hopefully the man wasn't a total idiot...

"Come on, this way everyone..." he said as they turned down yet another street. The group formed up at the entrance, then he set out, ahead once more.

[Travaz Malakai]

"Do you know what I miss most?" The rasping drone drifted in the ear of the ratling as they set off down the street after the Inquisitor's man. The abhuman continued to ignore it, preferring to scowl at the others from his diminuative height. "I miss my eyebrows. Odd, I know, but they are very convenient for communicating outside the order. There's a science to the ways people talk to each other, of which eyebrows are a vital part, and it's a surprisingly large nuisance to get your point across in such debates tactfullly without them as tools. It's almost a shame it's a science the Mechanicus have neglected, but I imagine there are more appropriate branches for its study - the Adminstratum, perhaps. Still, they were a sacrifice I was willing to make and am still perfectly willing to have made for the Omnissiah..."

As the recording continued to play from the speaker grill situated above his rebreather, Travaz continued scanning the crowd and surroundings and blessed the Machine God for his foresight in recording even the most appalling drivel from his stay on the 8106th's troopship. A simple mental command and he could subvocalize orders and sentences through his vox while seeming to any outside influence to be a harmlessly selfabsorbed techpriest, walking with an odd crowd to be sure, but there were odder sights on the streets as they passed. Travaz just wished he'd remembered to delete the eyebrow monologue beforehand, on reflection the inanity of it hardly gave the best impression. Pity.

As they advanced down the street, the crowds seemed to thin out beyond the usual thin scattering of passers by. Cutting the recording at a suitable pausing point, and giving the kitbag a quick but gentle shake to familiarize himself with its heft, Travaz turned to Alens. More for the others' benefit - he wasn't sure if any of them had bothered reading what blueprints were available of the sub-levels - he inquired, "So, where next?"

[The Lord Inquisitor]

Alens nodded respectfully to the enginseer. "Descent, enginseer, to level 38 at least, to find the nearest viable comm-relay. The elevators are about two blocks from here. Then, we shall have to go as far as we can into the sub-levels...which is where your expertise will be required again." Rather deliberately, he gave a little raise of his eyebrows to accompany the dry statement.

Examining the three dimensional map of the hive on his data-slate, Alens made a few more turns down the winding alleyway. The crowds were fast reducing - alarmingly so. "Unfortunately for your brother-priest, Travaz, our assignment is going to take us through gang territory, I believe. We may see more combat than his blessed optics could want, eh?"

[Talic Starsearch]

Talic allowed himself to be lead forward. Irritated as he was, he wasn't about to wander this hive aimlessly.

Talic put his hand on his gun holster, forcing the gun to be noticed. The last thing they wanted was to be robbed by a gang.

"my friends, some of you have yet to introduce yourselves...this is fine. But i suggest you do your best to appear menacing. These hive worlds are dens of criminality." Turning to cimsran. "Did i hear right that you have dealt with gangs before?" Before giving him time to answer Talic continued "We have 17 levels to cross, most likely they will be controlled by several different gangs. It would be best to find out which gang has the most presence here, contact them and pay them to give us an escort. Perhaps we should go to a local inn to talk with the patrons, maybe get a feel for this hive?" not to mention that after spending so much time next to a Pariah he could use the drink.

[The Lord Inquisitor]

"And here I was thinking you were familiar with this world..." he muttered. Checking left and right, then stepping clear of the alley, Alens replied over his shoulder, "Unfortunately, Talic, His most Holy Inquisition is not in the practice of paying gangs, let alone trusting them to protect us. More likely, they would follow us away from the mid-rise and then turn on us for whatever we have left in our wallets. No, we will do this carefully, and I certainly want to know who is who down here, but I'd rather fight than pay. There's an inn just short of the elevator we can check out. This way."

[Travaz Malakai]

"I don't even remember the last time I entered a bar. Or had some good amasec. Or some amasec." Travaz considered going into the inn to find a tarot game - he had no tell (lacking both random nerve impluses and a traitorous face) and a literally photographic memory, which meant he was inevitably banned from every single match once they'd cottoned on to his winning streaks - but alas, that would have garnered a bit too much interest in why a techpriest would be in the area. "I'm afraid I'll have to wait outside for you, gentlemen. If the later stages of our journey are going to be as memorable as you suggest, I'll need some preparation that isn't on the run. Haste and precision do not go well together."

[Talic Starsearch]

Talic ignored the sarcasm for now. He wasn't about to get dragged into a conversation with a subordinate. This mission was turning into such a chore...

All of a sudden a womans scream is heard, cut of mid way to a wet gurgling noise.

"Friendly neighborhood."

The buildings around them start to show some kind of uniformed markings. A painted symbol of two circles of red and green. The smaller red circle, inside the larger green circle.

Many of the people in the street are wearing this symbol, and people were starting to stare at Talics group.

"Carefully now. Unless I'm mistaken we have just entered into someones territory, look threatening if you can. How far to that inn you mentioned?"

[The Lord Inquisitor]

The two guardsmen were silent, but clearly on edge - they knew the dangers of a place like this. "Not far." Sure enough, another bend brought them within sight of the elevator. This street was deserted, one man shuffling into an alley at their approach, and the only items of note were a pair of landspeeders, painted with that same Emperor-damned symbol parked across from the small inn.

Approaching, Alens became increasingly unhappy with the location - poor cover on this side of the street, and too-clear sight lines along the whole damn thing. Windows, boarded up and smashed out in seemingly equal numbers, all looming ominously above. "We had best make our stay in here quick. Talic, you're with me. Stumpy," He said, indicating the ratling, "and Cimsran, remain here with the Enginseer and guard our exit. The vox-code for troube inside is three short bursts of static, or the code-word 'mulcher'. You understand?" He made it clear that they were not to follow them inside, and if there was trouble, to establish a position across the street if they could.

Turning to the captain, he calmly surveyed the man's attire. "We are in quick, and out again. I want to find the best info we can in there without getting ourselves shot to pieces, and I expect you to do your part to minimize that threat. If something goes wrong, we retreat out the front door, and make for the elevator, ok?"

After Talic's response he voxed Raquelia with an overview, kept in code. "Star heading in amasec, expect brief maneuvers, casting net."

Seconds later, the reply came. "Solaris acknowledges, pending recourse." Alens nodded to himself, and headed for the door.

[Talic Starsearch]

Talic saw someone dart into an ally, running away. so much for entering unobserved...Proberbly a runner for whoever owns this territory.

"I understand Alens."

They walk inside the inn, a dimly lit seedy nest of a place. The tables are dirty and the floor unswept and sticky underfoot. The walls are garishly painted with the two circle symbol repeatidly shown.

Talic strides to the bar and smiles at the barkeep, A fat balding man with a huge bulbious nose, His arms covered in hair which is only broken up by several deep looking scars.

"Wadda ya want here, fop?"

Talic smiled at the man "For now two amasecs." He pulled out a small amount of currency. "Tell me friend, in what state of repairs are the lifts in this area?"

"ya think ya allowed to y'use our lifts, outworlder?"

"I'm sure that we can come to an arrangement that allows us access" Talic holds his hands infront of him, making a fist over his left index finger and pulling, mimicking the action of having his left index finger removed. An old Pirate sign to show he was not to be messed with.

"Im not here to force my way through, I just want access to the lifts. How much?"

[Travaz Malakai]

Loosen a few straps there, set the fuel cells on a charge up cycle, move this to the top of the kitbag, and there. Prepared.

Malakai straightened, one hand grasping his kitbag and another locked around the grip of a long, metal handle sticking out of it. Hopefully this, combined with the general fear the average ganger would have for the Adeptus Mechanicus would mean he could scare any off before resorting to combat or gunfire. He doubted these would be average gangers, though. Turning around to face outwards with the guardsmen, he glanced around the street, looked up at the buildings, then started racking his recent memory for the sound of a couple of boards falling down and not finding it. Keying his vox, he subvocalised to the others, "The building directly opposite the inn, fifth floor, second window from the right. There are two boards missing from it that were there when we arrived, and must have been removed within the last minute or two." Looking to Stumpy (what an appropriate name) and Cimsran, he continued, "We're ready out here, Alens. Let us know when we need to move."

[The Lord Inquisitor]

OOC: I'm going to wait for our two fellows to get on before we move any further - so far they've been shifted out of the cutter, down several streets, to the exterior of an inn, so I think it's high time they had at least a BIT of interaction, hehe. If nothing within the next four hours though, I'll double-post and advance the plot.

[Cimsran]

OOC: *indicates thought btw

the place was familliar, the cultist hunts had lead to simmilar places back on merridian... well lots of cover...

*well going to a pub is always nice. it has been a while*

OOC out for ca 50 min

[Cimsran]

OOC:Back

[The Lord Inquisitor]

Alens shot Talic a dark look, but the barman was simply scowling, and nodded his head a far table in the back corner. The pair then headed off to the table to exchange words with a man who looked like he might be a mutant, or possibly just seriously malformed based on the burn marks across his entire face and also visible on his hands - he was a wearing threadbare but formerly impressive suit, with the recurring pair of circles sewn as a patch onto the left breast.

On the way, his vox murmured with the Enginseer's comment, and he acknowledged silently with a single pulse of static by triggering the unit with a brush of his hand. "Would you please stop offering to pay people unless its necessary, Talic?" He shot when they were just a few feet from the table, leaving the man no chance to reply. The man with the burns didn't turn to look at them when they sat down, his attention focused rather on the piece of paper in his hands, but it was clear his associates around the room were keeping a close watch on the whole thing.

Alens cleared his throat, and the man finally folded, what he presumed was a missive, tucking it away in the suit.

"What d'you want, off-worlders?" The man ground out between clenched jaws - no doubt a side effect of the burns.

[Cimsran]

Cimsran had never been in situations like this before and the idea of not having the lasgun in his hands while waiting for a ambush

the sweet in his palms was getting anoying, and to reach for the kife belt was a bit obvius and not a smart gesture.

all the looks from the other patrons was disconcerning, they all looked like they would like a brawl, and the scars bore testemony of a combat pragmatismim that said "*kifes are nice, fists are pissed*"

[Talic Starsearch]

As he headed to wards the far table he heard Alens say "Would you please stop offering to pay people unless its necessary, Talic?"

Talic almost laughed allowed, as long as the Inquisition was paying the bill he'd be far more free with his purse.

Damn Inquisition, these gang members are forced into this life, and I'm not going to begin a bloodbath to control a lift that in all likelihood is broken.

Talic and Alens sat at the table, both studying the poor man sitting down in front of them. At first Talic thought it was a mutant, but no mutant would of ever owned a suit half as formal as this person owned, and by the fit of the jacket it was obviously custom designed just for him, though it had seen better times.

At the burned mans comment Talic sighed as if tired and pinched the bridge of his nose, activating his thermal lie detector lens.

"Well met friend, I will not beat about the bush and waste your time.For while your presence here is obviously because of the fine amasec and not due to any illegal tolls your associates may charge on this level, I believe you may be of some use in contacting someone who may help us.

My name is Captain Bildgor, of the pirate ship Pestilence Found." nodding to wards Alens "This is my first mate, Cannanarist. Mayhap you have heard of us"

The burned man gave the barest of nods,but Talic knew for certain that half the goods smuggled into the hives 12 and 9 on this world came on the Pestilence Found, every gang worth the name would have attempted to trade with him. Though Talic didn't no why, Bidlgor was a truly odious little man, how his own crew could stand him was beyond Talic. He'd once joined in a raid planned by Bildgor, and the man was despicable.

"First off, I wish access to your lift."

"Its Broken" Mumbled the man.

"I have a tech priest on my crew, Ill have him attend to it"

"Then It will cost you at least..." Before the Burn Victim could finish Talic Interrupted him sharply.

"It will cost us nothing."Talic growled "you get a usable lift, which you can place a toll on, and you pay us for the repairs by allowing us complete and indefinite access to it, whenever we wish it, whilst on this planet."

"No more than five times a year..."

"Five times a day more likely!"

"6 months!

"5 times week, take it or we Will find another lift."

The man grumbled his reluctant acceptance

"Good. Secondly, we have recently come across certain items. Very specialized and expensive items. Only certain markets will have demand for these things, and I am hearing that a certain specialist market has just opened up here in this hive.

I want any information your....organisation may have that will help me locate a buyer. What say you?"

There was a flicker of some malice behind the burned mans eyes as he replied.

"What goods are you selling?"

"That is none of your concern. And do not waste my time with questions about what you cannot afford."

"If you don't tell me what your selling, how can i find y'all a buyer?"

Talic looked at Alens, then leaned in to wards the disfigured man.

"It is said that there are those here who....no longer look to wards the emperor. We wish to find them."

The Scarred man started to rise.

"Fix that bloody lift and get gone! There be no such scum here, and if they do be here I have no knowledge of them. Now get out of here before I 'ave ya damned fools torn into shreds!"

His heat signature spiked. The burned man was definitely lying.

[Cimsran]

*well first part went ''Smothly'', we got the lift but angerd the client, i hope he have a plan, as fighting out of this is going to be hard*

Cimsran tried to get Talic's eye but the argument with the client was to intense.

as things seemed to defuse Talic suddenly asked about any heritc presence and theclient shouted at us to get out, not a bad idea

[Travaz Malakai]

Travaz wasn't entirely sure why Cimsran had entered the inn after Alens and Talic, but certainly wasn't going to bother with questions as another three boarded up windows quietly unboarded themselves. He didn't need maximum magnification to make out the shapes of gangers just visible in the rooms beyond, either. What he did want, was a resolution to whatever negotiations the good Captain was ruining in there. A metallic scratching noise caught his attention. "Stumpy, the left!"

This post has been edited by Travaz Malakai: 07 December 2010 - 04:48 PM

[Cimsran]

As cimsran and Talic walked out of the bar they suddenly heard a scraching noise acompanied by Travaz unhurryed monotone caling stumpy to get to the left

Reacting mostly on instinct Cimsran quickly moved to the right geting partial cover from some trash bins standing just outside the bar

[The Lord Inquisitor]

OOC: Alright, so two things come to mind. Firstly, why was Cimsran in the bar, when he was specifically ordered not to, and second, why are he and Talic *out* of the bar, when clearly the interactions inside were not over? >.>