Imperator Non Inridetur

[GoodDocJones]

Kestrel goes without a fuss, but grins back at the priest. It's almost as if something is going exactly according to the madman's plan, and the priest has just delivered him something he very much couldn't have gotten without him. He smiles widely, even as he's marched off, electing not to wave at his comrades. No need for them to get arrested to. Besides, Kestrel works best when he's on his own.

That was the whole point, no? Honestly, the hunting party can handle their own business, but Kestrel was just too curious about goings on to give it up. It was time for an interrogation; Just the way Teacher had taught him. Poor Arbites wouldn't know what hit them.

[ArcturusV]

Quint sighed softly, "... if you refer to the powers of the Immaterium, I could, if I touched one of them, make it quite easy to track them for days. Should you seek my council due to my experience upon stations like this? Try not to look too interested in things. Everything is routine, the excitement of something new has passed, maybe something you shall discus in your hab later tonight over rations with the family. Try to look like you just came off an honest work shift, shuffle along a bit, head down, walking a path that you've walked thousands and thousands of times before."

Quint himself did a fair approximation of it, having lived what he was talking about for countless decades, using his staff as a prop, keeping his old bones only slightly hunched, rather than doubled over, trudging along in the direction that Annie seemed interested in.

[Vexing]

Spoiler: Annie and Quint

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The followed individual (a short, stocky woman with closely cropped blue hair) wanders purposefully through the crowd. Given the turn of speed she puts on when the distant shuttle to Platform Trifectus flashes its boarding lights, it's not hard to guess her destination. You can see other arrow-wearing souls wandering towards the two remaining shuttles for the other platforms, but the vast majority are on the same trajectory as your current suspect--slipping on board in small groups, welcoming each other with little smiles and greetings.

Spoiler: Akadia

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"Ohhh. You took stiff?" He snorts, shaking his head. "Liable to blind you, that stuff. Don't touch it myself; they make it in old chem vats, you know!" He begins assembling the beginnings of a work uniform, a little worn but still useful. "You'd be working under the Magos, then. Erm...don't say 'cogger' around him or his, it's disrespectful. Emperor knows he's had enough trouble keeping everyone alive on these floating pans, so don't you let anyone sass him."

Spoiler: Office of the Arbites

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Spoiler: Idares

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The second thug is much more collected, and wonder of wonders, arrogant! He raises a single eyebrow at Idares in challenge and maintains his silence. Other than that, his face is as expressive as a corpse; clearly born and accustomed to the metal walls of his home, he's pale and somewhat scrawny by comparison to the Officer.

Spoiler: Kestrel

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The two Arbites shuffle Kestrel along dutifully into their headquarters, a set of armored offices built into the structure of the Gate's walls themselves. Without ceremony, he's pushed into a cell and the mag-lock is reapplied to the metal plating of the wall to further restrict the feral worlder's movement. As they wander away, you can hear them discussing how "Yosuun" is going to give you hell for this.

[GoodDocJones]

The two Arbites shuffle Kestrel along dutifully into their headquarters, a set of armored offices built into the structure of the Gate's walls themselves. Without ceremony, he's pushed into a cell and the mag-lock is reapplied to the metal plating of the wall to further restrict the feral worlder's movement. As they wander away, you can hear them discussing how "Yosuun" is going to give you hell for this.

Kestrel grins, and starts tugging at the maglock. He has to make it look good, and he even tries a bit to see if it gives. That, and it's to give him something to do while he waits for "Yosuun" to show their face. Kestrel assumes he's either bald and grouchy, or shapely and alluring. The first is easier to deal with than the second. There's always a spot on that pasty bald head that gets so red when they realize what's going on.

Spoiler

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Strength check!
(d100)[49]

[qechua]

Spoiler: Clothes shop

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Thanks for the warning, I'll remember that in future, I like being able to see, it really helps me do my job! Akadia laughed for a second before settling down again, smile fading into concern But what do you mean by he has trouble keeping everyone alive? I know there is a bit of a food shortage, I've already blown the secret, it's why I'm here, but is there really that little to go around? I haven't the usually associated unrest here, besides my lackluster liaison.

[LeSwordfish]

"You follow those ones on that shuttle," Annie muttered, "I'll take the one with the big group. I want to know if they meet up again."

[ArcturusV]

Trifectus. Quint nodded, and before Annie shot off to follow them dropped a little advice, "... I have a contact on that platform, in the Moratorium. A young novice named Anna Trager, if you need her help, just tell her that I had sent you, in the name of the Emperor. I am sure she would be most obliged to lend any assistance."

With that covered, and Annie going off to Platform Trifectus, Quint shuffled off with his staff for the shuttle bound to Platform Secundus (If I remember my Faux Latin for 2), in the wake of another group of odd conspirators. He moved with some haste, which he felt was warranted towards the guise of someone looking to catch a shuttle that might soon be departing without him.

He was huffing and puffing as he reached the shuttle's docking port, gasping for air as he ducked inside and made a good show of being exactly what he actually was... a somewhat out of shape old man struggling to get his heart and lungs back under control now that he was safely aboard, and looking for a seat.

[Vexing]

Spoiler: Shuttles to Secundus and Trifectus

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Spoiler: Annie

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As Annie piles into the shuttle for Trifectus, seats and rails almost completely filled, the plasteel doors slam shut behind her. A windowless ovoid container, the shuttle slowly lifts from the ground as great sheets of metal slam behind it. The only sound for quite some time is the shuffling of other passengers, the whirring and buzzing of the ship's mechanics, and the chatter of the other two hundred-odd passengers. It's going to be a trip of an hour or more from the Gate to Trifectus, and everyone is settling in for the journey.

Spoiler: Quint

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"'Ere." Quint is quickly pulled down into an open seat as a massive bear of a man stands up to allow the elder his space. Fortunately for the psyker, this allows him a brief moment to settle just before the grav kicks in and the shuttle lifts, gates slamming shut behind it before it kisses the void. Filled with a couple hundred laborers and technicians, the crowd is almost like a great animal murmuring to itself inside a steel womb as they pass through space to Secundus. Obviously from a less civilized planet of origin based on his facial scarring and crude tattoos, the man who gave up his seat is clad in worker garb and bears an arrow charm; an uncommon stroke of luck.

Spoiler: Akadia

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"Well, we're already down to half rations as it is. The Magos and his lot produce most of the food for the platforms, but with all the rioting going on they can't seem to get distribution right. That's my thought." He shrugs, placing a bundle of clothing nearby Akadia. "Blasphemy, I know, I know. But it sure seems that way! Goltos put in for the ration, but they're a scummy bunch anyhow...let's talk price, hm?"

Spoiler: Kestrel

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You're left to languish for quite some time before Yosuun comes by your cell. Unfortunately, he's not portly, and he certainly isn't shapely and alluring; he's far too grizzled. Salt-and-pepper hair is tied loosely in a knot atop his head, complementing the silvered hairs of a thick mustache on his upper lip. His skin is slightly wrinkled and his form is rather spare, but his eyes seem to take you in at a glance almost mechanically as he marches in perfect step to the front of your holding pen. "The crime for striking a member of the Ministrorum is precinct interrogation for three months, followed by discretionary judgement." He leans in, folding his arms across his crisp Arbites uniform. "You will explain in full the Why. I know everything else."

[ArcturusV]

"Ah, thank you lad, the poor old bones are not quite what they used to be," Quint thanked the man as he took his seat. He took a look over his benefactor, making the sign of the aquila, as the faithful pilgrim he probably looked like at the moment as the shuttle lifted off.

Despite having a seat, he still almost fell out of it during the initial jerk, as he wasn't used to this particular launch. His hands gripped his staff tightly, twisting slowly as he got his 'void legs' under him for the shuttle launch, and seemed to be going quite well. He was frowning, pondering what bit of luck had taken him from conversing with learned, faithful holy novices to being crammed in a heavy crowd of large, smelly, uneducated workers.

He kept his eyes on his benefactor, even as part of his mind tried to escape his surroundings, focusing on his teachings of the Imperial Creed, pondering if there was some local significance to the Arrow Charm that he might have picked up somewhere.

Spoiler: Mechanics, ho!

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Testing Common Lore (Imperial Creed) in relation to the Arrow Charms:
(1d100)[32] vs 44 Int trained in Common Lore (Imperial Creed).

[Idares]

Spoiler: Office of the Arbites

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Spoiler: Idares

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The second thug is much more collected, and wonder of wonders, arrogant! He raises a single eyebrow at Idares in challenge and maintains his silence. Other than that, his face is as expressive as a corpse; clearly born and accustomed to the metal walls of his home, he's pale and somewhat scrawny by comparison to the Officer.

Tirantine's face forms a deep scowl at the thug's arrogance. "I am talking to you Rat! If it is your lips that are shut I'd be more than willing to assist you by getting an Irrigation Servo Skull to cut them apart. After you lay there choking on the blood of your own flayed lips, I will pull strings to make sure you end up on the front lines as part of the Penal Legion and be the first to meet some badly sadistic and overly sexual Chaos Marine!"

Spoiler

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(1d100)[21] vs 38 Intimidation +10 Peer Underworld

[LeSwordfish]

Annie settled in for the journey, hooking an arm around a stanchion for support and closing her eyes. As far as anyone could tell, she was resting on her commute.

She was as close as she could conspire to the arrowhead people, and listening intently to their conversation.

[qechua]

Spoiler: Clothes shop

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Thanks, I'm sure I'll get a proper briefing anyway, put it's always nice to know the actual situation, if you get my drift Akadia responded, smile in full effect How much does all this come to? I'm a little short on coin, Adeptus insists on paying me after I do my work, but I never like to see a hard working, honest merchant such as yourself suffer

[GoodDocJones]

You're left to languish for quite some time before Yosuun comes by your cell. Unfortunately, he's not portly, and he certainly isn't shapely and alluring; he's far too grizzled. Salt-and-pepper hair is tied loosely in a knot atop his head, complementing the silvered hairs of a thick mustache on his upper lip. His skin is slightly wrinkled and his form is rather spare, but his eyes seem to take you in at a glance almost mechanically as he marches in perfect step to the front of your holding pen. "The crime for striking a member of the Ministrorum is precinct interrogation for three months, followed by discretionary judgement." He leans in, folding his arms across his crisp Arbites uniform. "You will explain in full the Why. I know everything else."

"Suuure you do." Kestrel said, grinning as he winked at the Arbite. This might be more fun, though it would have been more advantageous if he was a she, instead. "Look, I was just told to start a scene so they wouldn't get caught, alright? Besides, I was hungry, and they offered me food if I did. Still haven't gotten any, by the way…"

[Vexing]

Spoiler: Shuttles

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Spoiler: Quint

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As the great brute of a fellow shifts and jostles with the other passengers for precious breathing space, something tickles at the back of your mind. While deemed non-heretical and therefore compatible with the Imperial Creed, the arrowhead charms are peculiar to many Feral Worlds where the Emperor is worshiped as a god-like archer or spearman, dealing death worlds away to the unfaithful. Wearing the charm is supposed to guarantee protection from that same doom, proving that your soul is loyal to the Emperor in this life and the next. Thinking it over provides a reasonable distraction for the better part of the flight, and the interior lighting begins to flash a warning for docking.

Spoiler: Annie

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Unfortunately, the vast majority of the arrow folk's conversation is...boring. Simple things like ration distribution, discussion of shift hours, and where the next game of proscribed Tarot might be picking up in the habs later in the cycle. It carries on like this for much of the flight; if they're Heretics, they're especially tame or cautions ones. Soon enough, the lights begin to flare for docking procedure, and the restless crowd shifts in anticipation. As they're grouping up and waiting for the doors to open, you can hear the Arrow's discussion shift to something called the 'Goltos'.

Spoiler: Akadia

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"Well...the clothes come to twelve throne, but I've made a couple allowances for you." Turning the coveralls over to show her the seat, it's apparent that they have extra padding. The knees have received similar treatment. "You're going to be around hot pipes and hard edges, after all. You can cover this, surely?" He peers at Akadia much like a wide-eyed bird of some kind, tilting his head this way and that. "If you can't, we can always barter."

Spoiler: Office of the Arbites

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Spoiler: Idares

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The facade cracks as Idares rails out his threat; by the end of it, the thug looks thoroughly shaken. At any rate, he certainly seems to believe every word that came out of the officer's mouth. "I'll-I'll talk--I dun want the collar. The charms keeps us safe from the ghosts; the Goltos said they'd protect us, they did, and it works! No one wearin' them vanishes. I jes talk to my crew-boys at the Felid and in the habs, an they get rowdy on shift. I ain't telling 'em to do it."

Spoiler: Kestrel

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"You won't be receiving any food at all if you talk cheek to me, boy. Are you aware that I could have had you executed in the Gate for what you pulled?" He scowls, giving a slight shake of his head. "It's bad times already. So. You started a distraction for...who, exactly? Name names, gutterjack."

[ArcturusV]

The significance was... intriguing. Warding off death from afar. Who did they think was bringing death to cling to these charms so much? A stranger to the area, someone new to the station. Their gathering around the Father was an interesting, odd omen.

He noticed the docking procedures starting, and reached out, touching the sleeve of the man who had given up his seat for Quint, "Ah, please, mind helping me? I know most are eager to get off, and I would rather not be trampled in the melee. The bones are brittle and the joints no longer move as nimbly, I fear I am not up to the task."

Quint gave a wane smile to the man, using his staff to lever himself up onto his feet with a great show of age and exhaustion. He had the hunch of someone who had spent a great many years of his life scrubbing deck plating and doing other menial labor. Without waiting for an answer Quint thanked the man with a simple, "The Emperor bless you."

[runestone]

The shrine

Since the others left, Gaius had been praying and contemplating their situation. Kestrel had been arrested, and that could hardly be good, but at least the others seemed to be making progress.

He rises and makes a deep bow and the aquila towards the image of Drusus before straightening his robes. He hadn't thought about it before, but the shrine doesn't seem to see much use. Apart from the father, Quint, and himself, no one had come to pray since they arrived. Shouldn't at least some of the workers come here after their shift? But perhaps they prefer to go home to the other platforms first
-- it was a very small shrine, after all.

[LeSwordfish]

Annie fell in behind the group, waiting for the doors to open with a bored expression as she strained to hear what they were talking about.

[qechua]

Spoiler: Clothes shop

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The smile faded slightly from Akadia's face as the number hit home It's not that I don't appreciate the work, but as I said, I'm a little short. I can do you 8, and give you the other 4 when I get paid for my work? Failing that, I'm an experienced copy-scribe, if you have any quick work needs doing

Spoiler: Rolling

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Barter
(1d100)[1] vs 36 Fellowship (plus possibly a Charm bonus)

[GoodDocJones]

"You won't be receiving any food at all if you talk cheek to me, boy. Are you aware that I could have had you executed in the Gate for what you pulled?" He scowls, giving a slight shake of his head. "It's bad times already. So. You started a distraction for...who, exactly? Name names, gutterjack."

"Someone hasn't had their eight hours," Kestrel murmured, raising an eyebrow. "Wish I knew more about what was going on. This whole thing seemed so exciting. 'Go get experience', my parents said," He said, rolling his eyes, 'This'll build character', they said." He huffed. "So far, I've been tricked out of my food by someone with a little arrowhead, and arrested." His eyes few distant, and he frowned a little. "So much for character."

[Vexing]

Spoiler: Platforms

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Spoiler: Quint

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"Be 'appy to." The big man grins and effectively tucks you against his side, pushing you both through the crowd like a queerly cheerful Titan engine amongst light infantry. "Going to the 'abs? I ken 'elp you along, if ya like." In no time at all you and your 'guide' have negotiated the crowd and popped out of the shuttle, exiting into a wide room with many twisting passages filtering out in every direction--some angling up and down as well. Fortunately, there's a map of the Platform close at hand near the shuttle dock.

Spoiler: Annie

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"But when's the next meeting?" A woefully short fellow clad in rags scampers just in front of a small group of Arrows (four in total), turning back every now and again as the crowd pours out of your shuttle. "Two full cycles, Kline. Same answer I gave you an hour ago," one of the void-born laborers offers as they duck into one of the many passages near the dock. According to the nearby map that you spy, they're heading towards the Goltos growing lots.

Spoiler: At the Shrine

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Minutes pass in the lull before new spacers arrive to thank the Emperor for safe passage, and it's almost another hour before any great crowd of laborers make their devotions. Among them are two men who appear to be mirror images of each other, a mother with a young daughter and an infant, and an elderly soul being guided along by an adolescent boy. While the shrine itself is small, the platform dwellers don't seem to mind being tightly packed as they approach the icons and scrolls for prayer. While much of the group remains for blessings or confession (to be taken at your leisure!) the mother begs that you bless her infant first. After all, she has to be back to Platform Primus on the next shuttle.

Spoiler: Akadia

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The shopkeep sighs, glances one way and then another, before leaning in to whisper. "I'll take two thrones, and we'll talk about anything you need to pay back after you're on your feet, alright? Figure you can spare that much for now? You're gonna have a hard enough time settling in to be worrying about paying off some clothes on your first day. Just don't tell anyone, hm?"

Spoiler: Office of the Arbites

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Investigator Yosuun's eyes narrow immediately. "You've lost your food, boy. I told you to give me names and Why's, nothing else. No backtalk; don't act like you're clever. You wouldn't be in here if you had half the brain a drain-servitor has. Who put you up to assault the Father? That's conspiracy for assault, and punishable by imprisonment or execution at my discretion. The more you give me, the more likely it is you'll only serve hard labor before being set free. Describe this fellow with the arrow. Where did you meet him? Who are you, and why are you berthed at NDo?"

[ArcturusV]

Quint nodded, "Yes... yes... part of a sacred pilgrimage, off to the holy shrines of the Calixis Sector. I had been informed a member of the faithful would put me up on the stop here... a brother..." he paused as he made a moment of seeking the name in his old memory, "Hastus. Yes, that was it. A scribe of some sort here I believe. Do you know where he lives?" Quint asked, perfectly innocent, looking up at his titanic benefactor.

[qechua]

Spoiler: Clothes Shop

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The shop keeper barely finished talking when the beeming smile returned to Akadia's face Thank you, thank you so much! I'll repay you as soon as I can, you have my word. Handing over the two thrones and packing the gear into her backpack, she continued Divine smile on you, wherever you go, kind sir. And if you ever need an extra pair of hands, consider me in your debt.

Akadia left, half heading for the meeting point at the shrine and half looking for somewhere to change. She still felt vulnerable wearing her robes, even though she knew very few people here would have a reason to know who they represented. She lost herself in thoughts of home and reason, and before she knew it, she had arrived at the shrine. She paused, studying it. Very different to the familiar temples, no drums or bright lights, just slowly dwindling candles, large metal symbols and a strange, but very pleasant, smell in the air. She knew she would be standing out by simply watching and studying, but she would be even more obvious by her lack of knowledge in there.

[runestone]

The shrine

Luckily, Gaius sees Akadia enter just as he is about to tend to the mother and her baby. He tenses for a moment, fearful that some danger is threatening their mission, but relaxes when he sees that she looks calm. Still, he has to make sure that nothing is wrong "I will be right with you, dear lady"

When he reaches Akadia, he makes the aquila and gives her a small bow "Welcome, pilgrim" Close enough that the other worshippers cannot hear him, he continues in a whisper "Is it urgent? If not, then you can just choose an icon -- Drusus for instance -- and kneel there. I will be taking confessions in moment. Then we can talk privately"

Returning to the mother, he touches the baby's forehead with the middle and index fingers of his right hand while clutching his aquila charm in the left. "Your children are fortunate to have a devoted and faithful mother, dear lady. Children are the future of the imperium, and the Emperor smiles on the golden throne whenever a baby is brought before him. Do you seek a particular kind of guidance or protection for the little one?"

Spoiler: On luck

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I allowed Gaius to talk to Akadia first to give qechua an opportunity to act while Gaius takes care of the baby situation. I guess it's a slight break from continuity, but it seemed harmless.

[Idares]

Spoiler: Office of the Arbites

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Spoiler: Idares

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The facade cracks as Idares rails out his threat; by the end of it, the thug looks thoroughly shaken. At any rate, he certainly seems to believe every word that came out of the officer's mouth. "I'll-I'll talk--I dun want the collar. The charms keeps us safe from the ghosts; the Goltos said they'd protect us, they did, and it works! No one wearin' them vanishes. I jes talk to my crew-boys at the Felid and in the habs, an they get rowdy on shift. I ain't telling 'em to do it."

Spoiler: Kestrel

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"You won't be receiving any food at all if you talk cheek to me, boy. Are you aware that I could have had you executed in the Gate for what you pulled?" He scowls, giving a slight shake of his head. "It's bad times already. So. You started a distraction for...who, exactly? Name names, gutterjack."

Tirantine dorns his cloak and fixes his gloves onto his hands, say whilst doing so: "You see now rat, we could have gotten his far had you just been open from the onset. My offer has now fallen away, but Im a man of the Emperor and I keep my word, so you wont be seeing the front lines any time soon." He snatches the charm from the suspect. "I'll take that, calling it evidence. Trooper, Im done with these ruffians."

He makes his way out of the station only to notice the lumbering Dusk Worlder under interrogation. Oh by the Emperor. He leans over to the Arbite guarding the interrogation room, asks what this is about, then proceeds to knock lightly at the door.

"Investigator Yosuun. May I have a word? It concerns the men I interrogated and might even include this oaf that is under your custody."

[Vexing]

Spoiler: Platform Secundus

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Like spit on a heating pipe, the man's smile slowly wanes before vanishing entirely. He puts a hand on Quint's shoulder, guiding the aged man over to a passage wall out of the way of the main rush. "Gaffer? Did no one tell you?" Taking a knee to get down to the psyker's level, the laborer's face twists in unhappiness. "'Astus got spaced almost two months ago. E's gone now, and...well, things are bad 'ere." Somberly, he peers over the assumed pilgrim with great sad eyes. "Sorry."

Spoiler: At the Shrine

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"I...I only plead that the Emperor will watch his growth, and see him strong and healthy before the Throne. Serving in the Guard would be better than living in this place, but he needs be fit to do it." Her eyes are dull and she has tear-tracks left on each of her cheeks, as she gestures towards her other child. "I'd also like a small blessing for Wilda, if you could. Her sick hasn't gotten any better at all." As if on cue, the little girl cough convincingly into her palm.

Spoiler: Office of the Arbites

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The door to the interrogation chamber slides open smoothly, and shuts before Kestrel can get a clean look outside of it. Yosuun fumes, staring down Tirantine. "I respect your mission, Officer, but it's against protocol to interrupt an interrogation in progress. He's being a cheeky bastard, to boot. A week or five in a box will cool him out, on a quarter ration. If you've got any more information, quick, out with it. The man in there assaulted Father Schaff, and I would know why sooner rather than later."

[ArcturusV]

Quint's hands gripped his staff tightly, and his face went a little wane as he wobbled, seemingly about to lose his strength as the news about Hastus was broke to him. He shook his head slowly, "... tragic. Kind man, I hear. Had offered without hesitation to put up a wayward pilgrim. Real man of faith and fervor."

He swayed a bit, letting out a heavy sigh as he seemed to get past the shock, "Then I am a man without home," he said softly, as if the realization just happened, "Where would I go here? Who would put me up until my ship comes?" his hands wrung slowly on his staff as the 'nerves' built up. He glanced up to see the large man's arrow charm, and his eyes went wide as if he noticed it for the first time.

"You're a proper, Throne fearing member of the faith, are you not?" he gestured towards the charm the man wore, "You've been so kind, perhaps you can help me in this time?"

[qechua]

Spoiler: Shrine

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Akadia gives a gentle nod to Gaius, then moves slowly over to one of the idols. She approached, lifting her head to view it with puzzlement. The head was right, but the rest of the status looked taller than she was used to, the proportion seemed wrong. Little matter, she was starting to stand out again. Figuring her usual form of worship would be frowned upon (not to mention the lack of drum beat), she followed the crowd, slipping her backpack off and kneeling before the icon.

[runestone]

The shrine

"A truly pious and commendable wish, lady, but tell me first, what is the boy's name and where do the three of you live?"

Then he touches the forehead of the baby lightly with his aquila charm before proceeding to use it to trace out an aquila in the air "Saint Macharius, most holy knight and crusader of the faith, please hear my prayer. Bless this boy with the strength and constitution of a warrior, make him fearless and loyal, and let him prosper so that he may grow up to proudly serve the Emperor in your image"

Then he turns to the girl, Wilda "How long has she been sick? Is it a common thing here?" He brushes the hair away from her forehead -- trying to check for a fever -- before touching it with the aquila charm "Saint Josaphine, most holy sister, protector and healer of the faithful, please hear my prayer. Let your healing hands touch this poor child. Cure her and give her strength. Drive away the sickness that plagues her, so that she may live long and well as a faithful servant of the Emperor"

When he is done with the kids, he looks intensely into the eyes of their mother "Always remember the names of these two saints that I have asked to intercede on behalf of your children. There is a storm brewing, and you may be tested in the coming days or weeks. If someone comes to you asking for help in the names of these two saints, then you must do everything in your power to aid them. Do you understand? The Emperor protects his loyal subjects, and in turn, we must all serve the Emperor to the best of our ability"

"I know that things have been tough here, but the Emperor has heard the prayers of the faithful on these stations, and your deliverance is near. At this very moment, a stranger walks among you who will set things right. Remember that, and let your faith and hope guide you"

"Now, go to your home, pray, and do your utmost to be a good mother and a productive servant of the one true Emperor. And remember always that the true strength of the warriors and servants of the Emperor lies in their undying faith and devotion"

"Ave Imperator"

[Vexing]

Spoiler: Platform Secundus

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"Well, gaffer, could always stay wit me and my 'abmates. No 'arm in it." Discreetly tucking his arrow charm back into the recesses of his shirt, he shakes his head at you again. "Gaffer, dun talk about the arrows. Leastways, until we get to the 'ab? We'll figure it out soonlike." Standing, he begins to forge a path towards one of the passages. "C'mon, and keep close so's you dun get lost."

Spoiler: At the Shrine

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"Natan. We live on Primus, with their father. Wilda's been ill for a few weeks now, Father." As you continue your blessings and offer your warning, her eyes widen in shock. "I will do as you say, and hold to your word. The eye of the Emperor will not find us wanting, your grace." After a slight hesitation, perhaps expecting a little something more from you, she tugs on Wilda's shoulder and drifts off with her newly blessed infant.

The other pair hobbles closer to you--the old man is being supported by the little girl. She stares at you almost grimly before she nods, lifting up the fellow's hand to touch yours. As his face lifts up to yours, you note that he's stone blind. "Throne bless and keep you, sir, but you're not usually here. Has young Trager gone away too?"

As for Akadia? Perhaps a minute passes before the two twins kneel on either side of her, heads bowed in prayer. The one on her left glances up to wink at her slightly before attending to the serious business of contemplation.

[ArcturusV]

Well now... this was one of those times where he wished he had taken a few Astropathy lessons, and could reach through the warp to talk to his fellow acolytes. Alas, being too old and too different to be taken into that path. Though he supposed it was good that he kept his eyes.

He followed closely after the large man, hobbling along with his staff, hood up, discretely checking the situation that the man was leading him into. "Thank you kindly, sir. The Emperor smiles upon souls like you." That was all he said unless the man sparked more conversation, or they got to the Hab in question.