Black Crusade: Heralds of Damnation [IC]

[Col.Straken]

Mordechai laughed, "I am far from old enough to remember the Emperor when he was alive. I only saw him once, and he robbed me of my sight, but there is no joy in destroying a ruined and rotting corpse. So, I do not blame him, I just seek to show others the true image of the Emperor as his rotting body sits upon its throne of lies."

[Emperor Ing]

I confess I am not blessed with such age either, though I have been tutored by many sorcerers with experiences that date back to the Burning of Prospero, where the still-living Emperor sent the Space Wolves, the Sisters of Silence, and the Legio Custodes to exterminate my Legion. Sevanix continues, a slight smile appearing on his features. I am afraid we are going to have to agree to disagree on this. I am curious, however, if you are willing to stand with me against tyranny, whether it be the servants of the Corpse Emperor, or however you wish to call him, or...others.

[BananaPhone]

Amara

Amara watched the conversation between the blind one and the Chaos-tainted sorcerer with almost coerced interest. All this talk of a tyrant and corpses sitting upon chairs, and other such silly flights of fantasy. It was almost embarrassing to listen to - the very notion that a species such as this had clamored its way to dominance over the galaxy was a notion that filled with Eldar with shame as to how far her people had fallen.

In all her many centuries of life, she never imagined she would be in this position. Desperate times indeed.

Turning to the others that weren't talking, "We launch within one of the clean shuttles, assimilate ourselves into local traffic, land upon the planet, find a way to quietly silence the astropath, leave the planet for the space station, cripple it from within, then return to our ship and depart?"

[ArcturusV]

"Probably a plunder and looting step in there that you forgot," Talan pointed out, but in general the Eldar seemed to have the grasp of it. He felt his wings flexing again as he was quite eager to get out of the meagerly appointed, cramped ship, get to some place where he could really stretch out.

"After all, why just leave when we can leave with prizes?" he shrugged and turned to his Boyz, giving them a cold once over inspection. Most everything seemed in order, "... I believe I'm good to go, if anyone else is. Clearly I cannot be part of the urban assault team. My... mutation would give us away. As would her status as Xenos," he cocked his head over towards Amara. "Probably will take a shuttle dirt side, maybe see about that tribe and what use they might be, and ready ourselves for the assault on the station when we hear of your success."

[Rising Chaos]

As Sevanix contacts Akardus the vox crackles for around twenty seconds before the First Officer's voice comes back through the amplifiers.
"Sir, designation comes back as a Dauntless class light cruiser, ship name unknown to our databanks. This either means the ship is too new to have been encountered by our fleets or that it is in a different segmentum"

[Emperor Ing]

That will work. Thank you, Officer. Certainly an unknown vessel to the Voice would more likely than not mean it is an unknown vessel to this station. He looks back to the group.

Obviously I would stick out rather easily. As such I propose that myself, Talan and his crew, Amara, and Slathissin make up the force to go towards the station, where our presence would cause less alarm among the Imperial citizenry and therefore could be more easily masked.

[Col.Straken]

Mordechai straightens, his face almost lighting up. "I have had a sudden idea which could either throw an Aquilla in the works, or slot the cog in the right spot. My mutations will be easily recognised as that of an Astropath. While I wouldn't be able to be heavily armed, I could act as though I was a new Astropath being delivered to the Choir."

Shrugging again he adds, "I would obviously need a guard, maybe an Astartes or two as Astropaths are a valuable resource. Plus it lets someone carry my weapons incase I need them."

[Brox]

"It is probably for the best that I do not accompany Mordechai. I cannot come out of this armor safely (even for those assembled here) and these legs are just a dead giveaway..."

[Bladehunter217]

"I apologize for my absence, I was busy revealing the wonders of Slannesh to some volunteers, I was resonably brought up to speed during pillow talk." In the doorway is what appears to be a masculine woman, or perhaps its a feminine man. She runs a hand through her dark hair, spinning a few strands around a finger. On her hips are a laspistol and an ornamental sword.

[Brox]

"I apologize for my absence, I was busy revealing the wonders of Slannesh to some volunteers, I was resonably brought up to speed during pillow talk."

In a low murmur: "I hope you've left a reasonable quantity of the nero-lock serum? I'd hate to run low in the middle of a session..."

Calna should go with the Astropath party. (S)he sohould be able to talk you through any difficult questions. @Calna: You should raise your voice 1 octave for this, my dear...

[BananaPhone]

Amara


It didn't take a Farseer to predict that they would soon be heading into the maelstrom of battle. As such, the eldar beheld her visage and decided that she was a little under-dressed for such an activity.

Furthermore, the new arrival reeked of She Who Thirsts. That made two of their accursed number present in the same room - a regrettable situation to be sure. Steeling her will, Amara repressed a shudder that would have otherwise quivered her soft skin. Filthy, degenerate perverts. Bastard children that they were: greedy piglets suckling at the teat of a entity until its multitudinous nipples were chaffed and bloody.

"Allow the team heading planet-side more leeway. They should decide their best course of action once they are immersed in local activity.

As for our access to the station, we can claim to the administrators that our transponder is malfunctioning and broadcasting incorrect vessel classification, and that to remedy the defect we will have to land aboard to commence minor repairs. That should grant us the opening we require."

[ArcturusV]

"Honestly, I don't think it matters. As long as we get on the station somehow. Maybe they want to arrest and interrogate us. Maybe they welcome us with open arms, perhaps they think we had some emergency and need medicae care... either way, we're going to be causing some carnage from the first moment we step on that station. No two ways about it, with our obvious differences."

Talan smiled, and looked over his Boys, Amara and Argus, "Either way, we should probably take about 30 minutes to... secure... some items from the ship's stores. Extra ammo, grenades, armor, gear, anything you think can be useful for an assault. There's no going back, no resupply, if you think there's even an outside chance you'd need it? Now is the time to get it."

[Emperor Ing]

Sevanix thinks for a moment. All things considered, I would like to propose group compositions: Talan, his crew, Amara, Argus, and the Night Lord on to the station while myself, Mordechai, and Calna will infiltrate the colony and liberate its slaves from the chains of the Corpse Tyrant.

Is this agreeable?

[BananaPhone]

Amara


"I am of no objection." Amara spoke out.

"The ship stores?"

The Eldar seemed to let out a soft, annoyed sigh.

"Attempting to pry an item out of that filthy brokerage-house-for-the-sleazy forces one to endure the tedious and mind-draining excuses of the custodians. Boring, stupid, ignorant windbags...if only their talent for acquisition matched that of their skill at excuses, then I would have no further need to sully my time with their pestiferous company."

Amara sighed again as she shook her head, her bewitching eyes gazing off at something only she could see.

"My procurement for particular items proceeds at a glacial pace; I am constantly mired in the swamp of their mewling, pithy evasions, of which I am growing intolerant. Hideous fools. Were I to say that their ineptitude was uncharacteristic of the equipment depots then salvation may lay in the assistance of another. But fate has lost none of its sting. All goods dwell within the machine of corruption whose gears are greased with the empty promises of wretches too spineless to occupy any other position of worth."

[ArcturusV]

Talan turned, and made his way to walk out, along with Walker leading the way as point man, Duke nearby, circling around him as he shuffled along, Helki and Silias flanking either side of him, "... well that won't do. You run an operation with me, you'll be prepared one way or another. Come on... I got some things to get anyway. Maybe I'll have the right touch. What was it you wanted again?" he looked back over his wing at Amara, seeing if she was following along as he left.

Either way, he was glad to be on the move, and away from some of the beings there that made him a little uneasy for various reasons. "How long has it been since you've been on a proper assault like this?" he asked, making small conversation with the Xenos as they went on their merry way to the storerooms, cargo holds, armories, etc, to find everything they'd need.

[Bladehunter217]

Calna licked her teeth, thinking. "Indeed, I hope I can find some halucinagens in the stores." She closed her eyes and breathed in before raising her voice just a little. "Much better."

[BananaPhone]

Amara

When Talan came alongside Amara, she was already walking out the door. Privately the Eldar was all-too-pleased to be vacant of that room and its grisly decorations. Such an...unnecessary display.

"Not long enough," the Eldar answered Talan's question, her voice carrying that patient, melodic tune as it always did. As they were now beside each other, the height difference was rather apparent as was the grace with which she moved.

"The depot, however, have been placing every obstacle before me to prevent my ascertaining the true source of their delays in facilitating my demands for a particular staff."

Glancing down at the human and then drifting her gaze over his assembled meneagerie, "I conjecture that supplying such a cohort requires frequent contact with the dregs that await our arrival?"

[ArcturusV]

Talan nodded as they walked, "Good, you never know with some of these 'heretical warlords' and the like. Either the Gods must favor them truly, or they're setting them up for some hilarious fall. Counting too much on their luck, or their tendency to be the biggest and baddest thing in the room." Talan chuckled a bit, a chuckle that echoed through his 'menagerie' except Walker, "... but you can't always count on that."

His hand unconsciously pet the head of Duke Talbot as he scampered along side him, Talan's own object lesson in that regard. Duke had been proud, cocky, and trusted in his ability to take down anything he came across. And now he was turned into effectively a sub-human for all his pride and prowess. That was the real reason Talan kept him around, well that and his loyalty. But it was always good to have that little humble reminder.

"For the most part I have my own logistical chain. I have people elsewhere who toil in my name. Trading, crafting, labors like that. It's where I got my gear you see now. It's really quite nice to have that steady flow of material on hand, you should consider getting an outside source yourself."

Oh, he was fine rambling on like this as they walked, speaking with all the air of just pleasant conversation and friendship, rather than some heretical warlord looking to gain the upper hand. He'd never match the grace or the fluidity of the Eldar's movements and words, but there seemed to be an attempt at civility, culture and refinement. Barbaric still probably to Amara's senses, but perhaps less so than the others, if not due to his own strange charisma then at least due to a slightly more 'even' personality less prone to extremism.

"But time to time, things like this tend to happen. At the very least the men down there may respond better to a more.... familiar seeming visage," he added, not exactly the most subtle but at least avoiding outright saying it was because she had pointy ears and lived freakin' forever. "Of course knowing how to play the game helps. Supply clerks be them Imperials, Mechanicus, heretical, independent, pirates... they all still tend to be bureaucrats. Petty kingdom building ones at that. They're used to people treating them poorly, breaking arms, threatening them, yelling... ah... one moment."

He stopped, stepping inside his quarters quickly on the way, grabbing a small box, about 3" by 5" by 3". Wooden it seemed, clear lacquered. "Box of Argavian Tea," he explained, "Fairly good stuff, but of a luxury that the average rating in this area is unlikely to find."

"Anyway, as I was saying... petty bureaucrats. The one thing they want most? Respect. In the Imperium that might be recognizing that they are 'In Charge' and giving them their due deference. Other places? A bribe. But either way, let them know they have a measure of respect, a little cheap token that costs you nothing like this? You get better results than all the screaming about torture, rape, and whipping that the... creatures back there would have relied upon."

Spoiler: Stuff

Show

Basically the Tea is Recaff. Which since I'd have an effective Over 100 to Acquisition it, it's just presumed "I have it". And it's a narrative tool to show how Talan likes to roll. Less MAIM BURN KILL and more "Won't you be my neighbor?" as he fleeces a supply clerk. Also sorry for the length, just padding things out, getting some characterization on the way before Rising just say "Alright you two, move along!"

[BananaPhone]

Amara

"A philosophy of an era long gone would disagree with you," Amara returned. Her height advantage allowed her to steala glances over at the curious item that the human held in his hands, her mistrustful mind not believing him at first when he offered an explanation for its purpose.

"He championed a proposition that respect was a secondary desire next to the generation of fear itself. He posited that though it is better to be both respected and feared, one would ultimately give way to the other, and of those two fear is the most desirable inspiration within ones underlings.

Fear halts most thoughts of treachery or any other action that could evoke ones ire. This is, of course, assuming that one remains feared and does not become hated via meddling and heavy-handed overbearing tactics."

[ArcturusV]

"Ah, but that's always the trick isn't it? How do you become Feared, but not Hated?" Talan asked as they walked. "Fear is a 30 lbs sledge. Yes you use it while you build, but more often than not it destroys what it hits."

"At the very least, if people fear you? They only do the minimal that they can get away with. They wait for the day that someone will put you down. And when you're down, out, and you need them? Well... they'll savor the moment to kick you in the eye."

"Don't get me wrong. It's useful. Fear can make a man do something he never would for any other reason. But I look towards the long term, and Fear is best in the short. Long term, if they love you, if they respect and admire you?" he glanced over to his minions, with the exception of Walker it seemed to be the truth. Helki and Silias were hanging on his every word, rapt attention. Duke Talbot following close by, eager and affectionate, "When you really need it, they're not the ones putting a knife into you."

He chuckled once, and looked over to Amara, "Take this situation, right here? Now... I could be like most of those we left behind. Try to convince you that I am some terrible, all powerful figure. That if you come up against me... I'll hammer you down and leave you broken and shattered, dedicating your soul to Chaos."

He didn't say it as a threat, not even a subtle one, just an assessment of how most Heretics tend to behave in his experience, alliances through Fear and Brute Force, threats, and application of power.

"I could try to break you. You'd try to break me. Each of us will spend the rest of this mission looking over our shoulder, wondering if the other is going to make a move. Or?" His wings fluttered a bit, a strange translation of a shrug, "Or I help you become more powerful. It's more likely to make the mission successful, and everyone come back alive. I give you a measure of aid and trust. You can take it or you can abuse it."

"In the end though? I'm more likely to come out ahead if we can play nice. Both of us really. Less likely to get harmed by the Imperials because we're too busy covering our own asses. More effective as an assault force, able to work together to be greater than the sum of our parts."

"... or we can try to terrify one another, and see if a stray grenade just happens to 'scatter' in appropriately during the confusion of battle. I prefer the former myself. It's a bit less hard on the equipment, you know?"

[BananaPhone]

Amara


This mon'keigh talks a lot...Amara found herself thinking half-way through Talans conversation. Outside of the agony that elicited the choirs of the screaming and impaired upon the ship, the Eldars ears were the most likely candidate for abuse aboard the vessel. She found it interesting that he stressed to her the value in monopolising love with his constant chatter...perhaps he was insecure in his beliefs? Interesting.

"Only a cynical man would call what these things have for you as "love"," she spoke plainly to Talan as they continued their navigation through the hallways of the Chaos frigate.

For a brief moment Amara's mind flew back to when she lived upon her Craftworld and the communual identity she and all the others of her naturally psychic race exhibited. Being exiled was like losing a limb, and its powerful impact belied her peoples impassioned connections.

"However, to draw upon your species idiomatic history a second time, I too have little need to beat my chest in aggressive displays, when I can instead walk softly and carrying an imposing stick. You yourself seemed to have done well in your endeavors," Amara noted, gesturing to the collection of gimps and deformity-stricken hunchbacks that clung to Talans shadow, "to insulate your person with a protective barrier against the knives of conspirators."

[ArcturusV]

Talan laughed a little, "Oh, I don't pretend it's love. I don't know what is. That's fodder for philosophers and poets to wax and wane about. I'm neither, of course."

He did that strange wing shrug again, "Well... that's one way to put it I suppose. It's a strange philosophy even among the followers of the Dark Gods, who are relatively open minded among Men. The people who find religion among them? Well... I hear them say that it's all about Number one, fight for the fittest, scrambling for the favors of the Gods, things like that. You get ahead by cutting someone else's throat."

"... but look where that has gotten them. In 10,000 years or so they haven't gotten any closer to kicking down the Imperium. Hell, they've LOST ground. Even on the micro scale... this whole battle group. I wonder how much of the mishaps are due to the excellence of our enemy over people too distracted about eliminating rivals and making themselves look good doing it."

He shrugged again, "... I have my own thoughts. I need decent soldiers. Some of the excesses of the people here... rankle me. Needless violence. Oh, I know sometimes you have to. By why kill a perfectly useful figure for some momentary lapse? Such a waste."

[Bladehunter217]

"Now, now children, play nice. Arguing isn't going to get us anywhere, not at the moment at least, later it could prove just right."

[Emperor Ing]

Perhaps but Talan does speak truth. Sevanix offers. We cannot justify bringing good, decent people into the embrace of Chaos if our alternative to the Imperium is just as horrible, if not worse. Trading one tyrant for another, as it were.

For what it is worth, since I know how trustworthy followers of Tzeentch such as myself are known for being, I wish to make you all a promise: I will never seek to deceive you. The knife in the shadows will never be held by my hand, and so long as our goals are aligned, I will stand with you. I swear to you all this on my word. A click is heard, with the faint sliding of metal against metal, like the sliding of a clip out from a bolter. Such is actually being done, as Sevanix eyes his firearm, switching between clips reasons unknown.

[BananaPhone]

Amara


Amara remained quiet and contemplative as Talan summarised his view on the current political climate of the galaxy, as far as the confines of the Eye of Terror and Humanities Imperium were concerned. For the most part he was right, from his perspective. For a human the last ten thousand years was one of constant struggle, but only along the boarders of its domain - occassional penetrations not withstanding. For the Eldar, however, the Eye of Terror represented a far greater shame than any other species could know. Their hedonsim, their self-indulgence at lifes friviloties had manifested a metaphysical wound near the centre of the galaxy as they had birthed that...thing. Theirs had been an Empire that had accomplished wonders, now they were nomads and the entire galaxy was threatened by their most awful creation. Briefly, Amara wondered how much of this history Talan or, indeed, the humans knew. Very little she'd imagine...but she had been incorrect before as to the scope of information the creatures were capable of unearthing.

The prism of emotions, shame, regret, anger, vengeance...the spectrum was too small to contain the enormity of their resulting rumination.

"Yes, very little has been gained by the maligned powers in ten millennium. But remember - the gods are eternal and flesh is transient."

A grim, if nihilistic thought.

Then the other Slaaneshi thing spoke from behind.

The tips of Amara's keen ears twitched slightly as she turned her head to look over once her shoulder at the androgynous creature.

"And to what part of the ship is your refreshing brand of charm being delivered?"

[ArcturusV]

"Maybe. Seen enough of the Galaxy, it's hard to believe that anything is really eternal. The boundaries of what I've thought was Impossible have been pushed back so often..." he shook his head a little, "Next thing I'll hear some Tech-Priest will go figure out Tzeentch's domain and beat him at chess."

He turned, looking back to the Fat Boy and the he/she, "Thought you all were still back in the amphitheater, bickering out details?" he shrugged a little, "Doesn't matter. I take it you all have had supply chain issues as well?"

[BananaPhone]

Amara


The Eldar listened to Sevanix's pledge with an abundance of cynicism. Sure, she'll trust the follower of Tzeentch to keep his word and restrain himself from self-serving betrayal. She'd also trust a Tyranid to guard an orphanage.

"Your sincerity is touching." Amara said to the terminator-armor clad sorcerer, her tone dry and flat. It was almost impossible to tell if she was being sarcastic, or just her usual self.

"I shall remember your pledge of companionship when placed in the most perilous of situations."

She also wouldn't forget it.

[Bladehunter217]

"My current destination is to get some hallucinagens. Afterwards, it does not matter so much, unless you have a few ideas." She winkeed and continued past.

[Emperor Ing]

I am where I need to be. He pockets the previous clip of bolt shells. If all goes well I may not need them but I find an additional one or two clips of bolt rounds are always useful. They should not be difficult to get. Despite the stagnant levels of innovation present in the Dark Mechanicus, the relative abundance of ammunition was something Sevanix always appreciated. Just what is it that prevents the Dark Mechanicus from building truly wondrous devices anyways? Surely the forces of Chaos could do better than wielding hand-me-downs and replicas thereof from the Great Crusade.

[BananaPhone]

"My current destination is to get some hallucinagens. Afterwards, it does not matter so much, unless you have a few ideas." She winkeed and continued past.

Amara shuddered.

Once she had composed herself, the Eldar continued to the armory.