"Laughter of a Dying Man" - IC

[Vizzi]

The Choice of Life

The ship seems to fly without much direction close to the Space Hulk, its hull ruptured and blasted, its armour melted and cratered, its atmosphere venting in blasts of air filled with the corpses of the crew, sometimes a smaller explosion sends a new wave of bodies towards the cold embrace of space.

All across the ship the moans of the dying and wounded, the lamentations of the crew and soldiers of the vessel are heard. The medics move across where they can reach, sometimes stopping to help, sometimes stopping to give the emperors blessing, more often than not it is the second.

As for the Lord-Captain, the infamous Rogue Trader. He lies dead at the bridge speared by a shaft of gleaming metal, the Magos of the ship also dead by the explosion of a secondary reactor. What remains of the Commanders sits around a makeshift table. Deciding on the next course of action. They know that the ship is dying, damage reports constantly incoming, giving them an appreciation of their doom if they do not find something. They know they will not have much time before the atmosphere vents completely or they are too far away from the Hulk to reach it.

They scour what sensor readings they recovered from before the crippling and almost complete wrecking of the ship, and they would have to make a decision and hope for the Grace of the Emperor in their choice.

Sensors read that in the vicinity of the ship there should be Five large bay door's and Eleven smaller ones. Entering should be possible nearby. The Choice is theirs.

Spoiler

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Lets play a game of chance. 16 Choices some places are empty others hold rewards, some interesting some regular. Some with hidden dangers others completely safe.

OOC

[SlyJohnny]

Sellus clanks forward into the command room, garbed in his distinctive Selenite void suit. It's obviously him; apart from the distinctive design of the ancient armor, noone else on board has a void suit where the helmet incorporates two metal shutters on the forehead, artificial eyelids ready to click open should he need to employ his warp eye while space walking. Behind him trails his bodyguard servitor, an imposing wall of metal and flesh that follows him around like a loyal pet, it's dead eyes impassively scanning the occupants of the room, recognizing you all from images previously obtained, and therefore categorizing your threat level as low-medium. The servitor is dragging a stretcher behind it, on which a wounded crewmen is strapped, struggling to free himself. Or possibly just writhing around in pain: he's suffering severe promethium burns all over his torso.

Sellus is speaking on an open vox channel as he reaches up to twist his helmet off.

"-and a new checkpoint for the wounded from crew quarters to be established on Deck 11, service junction 17A. And please visually confirm that everyone has been evacuated from the forward observation wing; tech-priest Mallius advises that a hull breach in that sector is imminent due to continued strain on the super structure."

The helmet breaks away from the suit with a hiss of escaping air, revealing Sellus' familiar veiled face. He's sweating against the fine red fabric. His third eye seems to flicker underneath it's covering, a nervous tic of his. He removes a bottle of counterseptic from the medkit at his side, and starts to pour it generously onto the fresh burns of the wounded man beneath him. The man screams, almost inaudibly muffled against a medical mask that seems to double as a ball gag. Sellus begins to apply a layer of synthskin as the man struggles desperately.

"Commissar. Master Caius. Apologies. Didn't want to let this man die just to attend a staff meeting, but I've run out of anesthetic and we wouldn't be able to talk over his screaming. Gagged him and brought him here. So it seems to me that the ship is lost. We're all thinking it; if salvation is to be had, it's on that damn hulk. We should send teams over to see if there are enough supplies that we could wait for rescue, or even a ship that could take us back."

Sellus frowns down at the man, seeing a bit of shrapnel he missed before. He removes a nasty-looking surgical tool from his kit, and works on extracting it.

"Do we know if any of the sensors are online? Do we have guncutters left, or must we drift over with-" he is interrupted by a voice calling on his vox bead. He frowns, and yells back at the voice.

"What do you mean, there are still people tending injured there? Damnation, get them out! Order them to evacuate. Requisition more deck hands to assist the walking wounded and carry stretchers. Tell the medics to administer the Emperor's Grace to anyone that wouldn't survive being moved, or that are going to die anyway. You have less then five minutes to clear that entire wing, Larn. Move."

Sellus painstakingly removes the shrapnel and cleans the wound, but the man finally expires after a series of shudders that look like a seizure. Sellus looks at him for just a moment, and then pushes the stretcher into a corner, out of the way. "Couldn't save this one. Casualties below decks have been truly murderous."

Spoiler

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Medicae Test: Triage (1d100)[69] Target result 46, -10 Difficult, +20 Medikit = 56

[bluntpencil]

Commissar Mendel frowns, watching the man die, then coldly nods at the Navigator.

"You are correct. We need to take that hulk, immediately. The Emperor smiles upon the bold, after all.

If we move to the torpedo deck, I may be able to lead an attack, using boarding torpedoes, since I don't think we plan on returning here. Technical crews can board shuttles and remain on the opposite side of our vessel from the hulk, until we have taken and secured the enemy ship: We can't risk losing any surviving experts in a boarding action; armsmen, however, are somewhat expendable."

It is clear, from his tone, that Mendel considers himself one of the 'armsmen', and more expendable than the likes of Sellus, who, as a Navigator, cannot simply be replaced by another man toting a bolter.

He stops for a second, before contacting the medics, his voice somewhat resigned.

"Ammunition and medicines are currently at a premium and must not be wasted. Do not use firearms or drugs to administer the Emperor's Mercy to the dying. Blades and exposure to vacuum only. The Emperor Protects."

He then opens a channel to the leaders of the various armsmen under his command.

"Requesting sitrep of torpedo decks and boarding torpedoes, ladies and gentlemen!"

He did not mention, however, that the hulk they were facing was the very ship he was hunting. He was not letting the 'Now, Diabolical' escape him. He would purge it if it cost him his life.

[Goodwin]

I-786

The skitarii stands at attention when Commissar Mendel mentions boarding the hulk. The shoulder mounted hellgun giving a twitch of anticipation, followed by his metallic arm flexing. He remained silent and at the ready, assuming he too would be summoned to the boarding action.

His eyes look over the information presented at the senior officer's table, but his thoughts or suggestions remain irrelevent. He is there to follow and to fight.

[Krieg]

Caius sits impassively at the improvised command table, idly toying with the old token around his neck.

"I don't know how bold it is to flee one tomb for the safety of another, but that does seem to be our only means of survival."

He begins to sift through sensor readings and reports, trying to get a realistic count of the number and locations of remaining functional shuttles and assault boats.

[Krieg]

Spoiler

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Scrutiny, target 30: (1d100)[68]

[SlyJohnny]

Sellus nods, agreeing to the plan. "I could leave with the second wave, if I'm needed. I've heard grim tales of hulks such as these. Infestations of orks and the like, of course, but sometimes worse. Second to yourself or the skitaari, I'm probably our best chance of combatting any warp horrors the boarding party encounters. My warp eye can arrest a daemon in it's tracks... or so I'm told, I've never actually been face to face with one."

[SlyJohnny]

He turns away, speaking into his communicator.

"Mallius. We're going to evacuate the ship to the space hulk, but we're floating away from it. You need to get some of the maneuvering thrusters online to halt our drift, or we likely won't be able to get everyone off in time. I'll be down to assist you with the necessary rites once I'm finished here. Also, our primary reactor is too ancient and valuable to be allowed to destroy itself. You are to secure eight volunteers ranked adept-enginseer or higher who will remain behind on this ship to protect the reactor and shut it down, so it can be recovered later."

He wanders towards the window, staring out impassively over the space hulk.

"Do we know if any of our foes escaped? In pods, or craft?" he murmurs.

He peers into the void, and then slowly lifts his veil, revealing his ugly, swollen third eye. It opens just a little, revealing a narrow slit which glows in the dim light. He's looking to see where the chaos ship originally came from, but mainly the movements of any smaller craft, that may have come in or out of the landing bays. His eyes flick this way and that, as if reading from a novel printed on the stars, or maybe admiring the strands of a complex surrealist painting.

Spoiler

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Tracks in the Stars: (1d100)[27], Target number 50 plus or minus difficulty. I presume it's a fairly easy task as the 'tracks' are fresh and the distances involved are minimal.

[Vizzi]

Commissar Mendel

Aboard the ship while the Commanders are gathered the symphony of pain and death continues, countless die each moment as the medics do what they can to save them or grant them an easy death. When the order from Commissar Mendel to not expend more ammo, all the medics pause briefly before bitterly using their scalpels.

At almost the same time the Armsmen receive an order for a sitrep of the torpedo decks and boarding torpedoes, they travel the length of the ship checking each and everyone, some die in secondary explosions or when they make a error in judgement for the ship's very hull is warped and blasted open to space. But in the end Tor contacts their Commissar and report's "Torpedo Decks and boarding torpedoes inoperable. Repair unlikely".

Caius

Caius sifts through sensor readings and reports, but quickly realizes that there are some correct ones for what he wants but most of them are from the ships galley, it seems he missed a particularly delicious goulash the chef was famous for.

Sellus

Sellus piers into the void he sees the faint trail, the lingering shadow of its warp drive, a shimmering globe of energy faint and translucent to his sight at its very centre would have stood the ship. He follows it as it passes the hulk and sees two faint flickers in the globe, two shuttles disrupted the energy slightly and for a while he sees no more. As he prepares to close his third eye he sees something.

Spoiler

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Roll Willpower.

[SlyJohnny]

"Confirmed. Two ships left from the enemy vessel before it's destruction. They look like... shuttles, yes. They headed towards the bay over t- ARRGHHH! WHY IS IT HERE??"

Spoiler

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(1d100)[21] Target number of 60, +10 resistance (Fear) if it applies here, for target number of 70

[Vizzi]

Sellus

As you were preparing to close your third eye, you see a glowing figure, and you feel without meaning to an awe inspiring presence, it seemingly approaches every step brings further details and arousing thoughts.

One step the bounce on curls of its hair.
Two steps the shining, translucent colour and perplexing motion of its hair.
Three steps the bounce of its breasts as it moves drawing your attention to their perfection.
Four steps the sweet fragrance that emanates from her so intoxicating so alluring,
Five steps the warmth of her body as it approaches igniting a fire in you.
Six steps its hand reaches to touch you, so close... so perfect.. and at the last moment your mind gathers what strength it has and you close your third eye with such force it bleeds.

[SlyJohnny]

Sellus composes himself. "Ahh... false alarm. I thought another heretic ship was warping in to finish us, but... it was just the imprint of the one we already destroyed. Heh."

He rubs his third eye, the eyelid appearing to be seeping and red now.

"I can't directly track vessels without warp drives, but as I know when they were launched, perhaps I can track which bays they went into from our previous sensor readings."

He leans over the table, trying to make head or tail of the readings.

"Caius, which of these are the chemical distribution graphs?"

[SlyJohnny]

Spoiler

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Untrained Scrutiny: (1d100)[75], target number 30, -1 difficulty and +1 degree of success from Gaius' aid.

[Krieg]

Caius reaches across the table and sweeps up the stack of readouts and statreps from in front of Sellus, shuffling through them quickly and tossing about half of them aside. As he tosses the sorted pile of charts and graphs back down in front of the Navigator, he gets up and saunters to the door, seeming distressingly unhurried.

"Well, I may as well make sure there's a way for us to get to the hulk other than crashing into it."

As he makes his way to the main bays, he taps his microbead and opens a channel.

"All hands in shuttle bays, ready all functional craft for sortie. Prepare reports on maximum passenger capacity ignoring safety regulations, as well as an analysis of probability of arrival to the hulk for all damaged but operational craft. All nonzero percentages are relevant."

[bluntpencil]

"It is decided then. Caius, Korlen, you're with me.

Sellus, you have command of the ship unless you wish to join us. A Navigator may be of use in fighting the Daemonic, but it is a large risk."

The Commissar knows better than to order around Navigators. Like it or not, they were ranking individuals in the Imperium, and were exempt from many of its rules.

[SlyJohnny]

Sellus nods. "Keep an open vox channel. I'll speak to the tech-priests, try to stop the ship from drifting further away. I can't tell which bay the enemy shuttles went towards, but as their vessel was completely destroyed and ours was not, the pilots might have been unsure exactly how damaged we were. They would likely have feared being shot down by us. In that situation, I would guess they just headed straight for the nearest bays.

The two bays nearest to the last position of the enemy ship were this one-" he says, pointing to the display, "And then this one. You are the archmilitant; I'll leave it up to you whether to seek to avoid contact with the enemy, or whether to attack them as soon as possible before they find something useful."

Sellus looks out the window, glancing once more at the bays. He wonders if he recognises what design or era they're from, whether they're human in origin; whether the boarding party will need to wear void suits the whole time, or whether bulkheads or forcefields seal in an atmosphere. Or anything else he can notice that will help the others.

Then he turns, heading below decks. He seeks out Mallius, and tries to assist with the operation to get the maneuvering thrusters online and prepare the evacuation.

Spoiler

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Common Lore: Tech to identify the types of bays available, and anything useful about them. (1d100)[24] vs 46 Int.

Tech-Use to repair and fire enough maneuvering thrusters to stop us from drifting further away from the hulk, preferably without crashing into it; if Mallius has a better modifier than me, I'll instead Aid him, rather than making the roll myself. I assume his total modifier is better, unless he's going to lend me his combi-tool. (1d100)[16] vs 46 Int

[bluntpencil]

"The last of the crew to leave the ship can detonate the torpedoes we still have on board, in order to take out any boarders...

...however, one wonders why the Enemy has bothered boarding. This ship is dead in the water..."

Mendel is slightly worried that the heretics on the hulk have the exact same plan that they do.

[Vizzi]

Caius

Upon the orders of Caius a mad rush to prepare the shuttles and bay's for evacuation occurs, a flurry of activity to prepare everything many were sent towards the ship for what supplies they could find and the flight crew prepares and repairs what damaged shuttles there are. Its with some joy that their expected chances of survival are good, although its probable at least some shuttles will not make it due to micro-fractures in the ensuing trips.

Expected crew transfer ability available is around 25% on one trip, complete transfer in four trips. Expected time remaining until the shuttles cant reach the hulk to transfer crew 23 hours due to distance involved. Estimate of all the trips is 26 hours.

Sellus

Sellus can see three distinct areas.

Spoiler

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One protruding zone nearest to them has 5 bay doors. 2 Large doors and 3 Smaller ones. He designates them 1-L to 2-L and the smaller ones 1-S to 3-S.

Another area below and some distance away has the disposition of an internal semi-circle it has 7 bay doors. 2 Large doors and 5 Smaller ones. He designates them 3-L to 4-L and he smaller ones 4-S to 8-S.

And the last area even farther away is where the shuttles where headed and has just 4 bay doors. 1 Larger door and 3 Smaller ones. He designates them 5-L and The smaller ones 9-S to 11-S.

From what he can understand they are of human origin and a mixture of ancient and newer ages, although he cant see any junctions, they seemingly shift from one to the other. He thinks the bulkheads should seal the atmosphere in, but if there is one or not he does not know. The Larger doors look significantly older. The smaller ones vary somewhat from size to size but they likely only hold ships up to a Light Cruiser.

After his careful examinations he heads down bellow the decks seeking out Mallius, together you coax the damaged the manoeuvring thrusters to slow the ship down enough for an extra 4 hours. The force the thrusters apply twists the hull even further, and several explosions occur on the more damaged areas, but the Machine Spirits sacrifice themselves to save their crew, with one last sputtering gasp they fail completely.

Expected time remaining until the shuttles cant reach the hulk 27 hours.

[Goodwin]

I-786 bows his head in respect and falls behind the commisar. His shoulder-mounted hellgun shifting to and fro, unconciouslly ensuring its movement was working properly after being jarred repeatedly from explosions.

He falls into step behind Mendel while they move through the ship, but is equally used to taking point when they enter the hostile territory of the hulk.

[SlyJohnny]

"Mendel, the thrusters decelerated us, but we're still drifting too far away. We bought ourselves some time, but in 27 hours, evacuation by shuttle won't be an option any more. Caius, how long would it take to get everyone off?"

[Krieg]

"Twenty-six hours. Four waves. Absolute minimum. Boarding party will need to secure the LZ quickly, because we'll have no choice but to drop them hot, then turn right back around for the second wave."

He pauses momentarily as he takes a set of shuttle damage reports from a foreman and hands them back with a nod.

"Some of the fleet is in bad shape, but we have to throw everything out the dock and hope they all make it."

He pauses again. He's always hated the part that comes next, but there isn't time for anything else.

"Mendel, I-786, I'll leave it to you to prioritize vital assets for the first wave. The damage reports are waiting for you. Ready your men quickly; time will kill us all with even less reservation or remorse than anything that awaits us on the hulk."

He then goes to work assessing the combat capabilities to the remaining shuttle fleet. It would be best if the vanguard could bring some firepower to bear on the interior of whatever bay they breach.

[bluntpencil]

"First wave, fighters and bombers, take out any remaining point defences and fighter craft, especially those near our landing point.

Second wave: Armsmen in boarding shuttles.

Third wave: Support staff. Support staff does not include Ministorum preachers; they will be accompanying the armsmen to provide spiritual guidance in the likely event of the presence of the Unclean.

Any objections, gentlemen?"

Commissar Mendel is not best pleased to be thrust into command like this, but he reasons that nobody else is trained for this.

[SlyJohnny]

"I will go in the first shuttle run, and disembark just after your armsmen. If I were to wait here on the ship, then I wouldn't be able to reinforce you in good time if you ran into trouble. While I appreciate your concern for my safety, I'm likely as safe in a moving shuttle as I am waiting on this disintegrating wreck; and we're going to have to evacuate to the hulk quickly no matter how dangerous it turns out to be."

Sellus supervises the transportation of the wounded to the shuttle bay, wishing he could've done more, wishing his triage procedures had been more efficient. So many more people could I have saved.

"And though I understand your desire that the first landing team should consist primarily of armsmen, I must insist there be at least one or two tech-priests with the initial boarding party. Taking control of the docking bay's systems will be just as much of a priority as creating a secure perimeter, and they'll be able to alert you of any technical hazards your men might otherwise run afoul of."

He draws his hell-pistol from the shoulder holster underneath his cloak, disengaging the safety and checking the charge on it as he walks.

"Ready to leave, here. Have you made a decision about whether we should attack the heretic's landing site, or avoid the bays they went to?"

[bluntpencil]

"Agreed,"

says the Commissar. Several ideas run through his head.

"Can we have servitors move a torpedo to that section of the ship and detonate it? We can afford to lose a section of hull, after all, for it is already lost. How quickly can we do this?

Can we overload plasma batteries nearby? Can we ignite fuel lines?

We can't afford to risk crew, we can afford to destroy areas of the ship."

[Krieg]

"I'm afraid there is no time to dedicate to fighters and bombers alone. No less than four full waves of shuttles will bring the crew to safety, and we've barely time for that. If the first wave don't go in hot, the last will simply never make it. 'The Emperor favors the bold,' right, Commissar?"

[Goodwin]

"I will go with the Lord Navigator. It may be dangerous aboard the hulk. Sir, permission to accompany you for your safety?"

The skitarii looks between them. Deciding between them, which was the more important figure to protect should they split up.

[bluntpencil]

"Damn. Fighters on escort duty for bombers and shuttles, bombers on point defence detail. Do not bother conserving fuel. Have as much extra fuel loaded onto the bombers as possible, and burn it off as quickly as the pilots can to achieve as much speed as possible for their bombing runs. Have them fire off a volley of torpedoes very early, so that they fly on their own fuel, allowing the bombers to fly with less mass."

Mendel then points at the Skitarii and says,

"You're with me, soldier. Once the Navigator lands on the hulk, leave me and rendezvous with him. We need you to assist in taking the enemy vessel. You're wasted in a shuttle."

[SlyJohnny]

The navigator shrugs as he regards the commissar.

"Perhaps. The section of the hulk the shuttles flew towards has only four bays, one large and three smaller, that they could have landed in. We're not sure which of those bays they're in, though. If we picked one of the bays in that section that they hadn't occupied, you might be able to perform some kind of sabotage without flying directly at them. But you'd still need to choose to fly for that section rather than the other two to plant your torpedo or cut nearby plasma lines."

He turns to I-786, sizing him up, eyes flicking over his gear, his cybernetic enhancements..

"Hm. Skitarii. My house has quite a few of you, serving as our guards... or perhaps guarding us, I was never quite sure. It can be a subtle distinction. But you are formidable, efficient warriors. Especially you, 786. I've seen your service record. I wish we had fifty more of you with us now. I would be pleased to have you at my side, after you've assisted Mendel in securing our landing zone."

[Goodwin]

I-786 bows his head in acknowledgement to Mendel. "As you command, Commissar."

He watches Sellus as the navigator speaks, at first uncertain where the conversation would lead; he cants his had to the side at the compliment. "I thank you, Lord Navigator. You honor me. When Commissar Mendel and I are finished I will make haste to your location. I shall be your shield."

[Krieg]

"First wave is ready to launch. Hearing no objections, we'll breach one of the small bays in the nearest cluster. I'm sure we're agreed that the survival of the crew is the top priority, so there's no time to evacuate any further than that."

Caius finishes preparations on his favored gun-cutter, which has fortunately survived the firefight. One of his more trusted assistants straps into the copilot seat, as someone will need to fly the damn thing back for the second wave.

"We've run the numbers on a bombing run, and we simply can't afford to dedicate launch space to the bombers. We need all the time we've got just to get the crew to the hulk. Between our gun-cutters and heavy shuttles, we should have sufficient fire support for whatever we find beyond those bay doors. In any case, divide amongst the gun-cutters. We don't need one stray shot eliminating the command."

His boldness belies his typical passivity, but Caius has no intention of letting a second crew die under his watch.