We All Fall Down (Dark Heresy IC)

[Kaptin Keen]

Speaking of informed decisions, I should drop by the armory. I need to see a man about a gun.

Spoiler: OOC

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Clavius will go see if he can borrow that hunting rifle.

[Destro_Yersul]

Clavius went off to get the hunting rifle he had been promised by the Arbites, while Osmund settled in to work on the Magos' notes. The Magos had, he recalled, been a botanist sort rather than a practicing doctor, and may have missed a few things. The vaccine seemed promising, based on a combination of protein strings and chemical binders, half derived from local plants Osmund had never heard of. The Magos had everything to make it in his lab, but the doctor could already see a few ways to improve the formula using additives he'd learned of here and there. Finding them here might be a challenge, but perhaps... In any case, he wouldn't be able to make it immediately. It would require some time mixing and waiting in order to be at maximum effectiveness. While he was at it, he compared the formula that caused enhanced progression speed with one that didn't, and found a few possible reasons why. If they found Sakharov, they'd have to compare notes.

Clavius returned with a somewhat-used-looking rifle, on loan from the arbites armoury. He'd had to sign a few papers to get hold of it, but they had eventually given him the thing. With everyone ready, the party set off again.

---

Travelling up towards the noble areas, the road traffic thinned out and the number of PDF troopers patrolling the streets increased. Barriers had been erected on some streets to keep plague victims out, and here and there a door was marked with the red X, but by and large these districts seemed to be least hit by the plague so far. The manor houses were each like their own little fortress, with gatehouses, high walls topped with spikes, private guards armed with lasguns and huge, heavy doors. Canals ran off the river, providing access for shipments to private cellars, though Savvius noticed that many of these had been recently boarded up. The shops had some of the finest goods they'd seen, rich clothing and gilded baubles. The place they were looking for was located off a small square, the sign above the door declaring this to be "Maywell's Armoury." Inside were cases filled with pistols and swords, a rack of knives, and assorted discrete armour, designed to be unnoticed when worn under clothing. Behind the counter, Mr. Maywell was polishing the firing mechanism on an old duelling pistol.

"Good evening," he said. "What can I do for you?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Greetings, Master Maywell, Clavius begins when no one more qualified in the ancient art of diplomacy hurries to precede him, we are Imperial Tithe Inspectors, he says in that tone of voice that's meant to convey 'do you really think that's what we are', and we are concerned about one and only one out of two possible things:

We would very much like:

A: A very in-depth and detailed perusal of who has purchased from you a quite specific type of ammo, or,
B: A very in-depth and detailed perusal of your books, tax and tithe reports, customer database, transaction history and pretty much everything else our function as Imperial Tithe Inspectors entitles us to look at.

Of these two, he says with a giant, radiant smile, which would you prefer, pray tell?

[Bowerbird]

Osmund takes a little extra time putting through the proper forms at the Administratum offices to requisition as much of the cure as he can, better to get the wheels of bureaucracy turning early. He spends most of the walk making notes about his observations on the Magos' research on his dataslate, and as such misses his queue to speak up and looks on in horror as Clavvius attempts to communicate with someone civilised. In the brief silence that follows this outburst from Clavvius, whom he shoots a dirty look, he interjects, "Now now Clavvius, there's no need for that, we are all civilised here," he pauses a moment, "Well most of us are," he adds with a pained look to Mr. Maywell, "Good evening sir, what my colleague here meant to say, is that as members of the Imperial Tithe Inspection Team," at this he flashes the credentials provided by the Administratum, "We are investigating all interruptions in this planet's tithe caused by this unfortunate situation. We have reason to believe that certain agitators of the peace have been active in the city and are investigating all possible sources of supply that they might have sought. Now, we by no means suspect you of anything, but we would appreciate a list of customers who have purchased the following munitions in recent days, just so we can make our report more complete." At this he hands over a list he had prepared earlier of a few rare and expensive types of ammunition, including the needle rounds. "Also, you wouldn't happen to have any spare air filters that would fit this particular model of respirator, would you?" he asks, indicating the respirator apparatus on his suit.

Spoiler

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Charm test to smooth over Clavvius' threat and make nice with the proprietor: (1d100)[36] vs 66

[Kaptin Keen]

In case there was any confusion: He's the good cop.

Clavius shares this information with a dismissive tone - as to say, sure he's much nicer than me, but he doesn't outrank me, so think before you speak.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Well, I can't say as I have much to do with the tithe..." Maywell trailed off, looking over the list. "But I certainly wouldn't want to go supplying any agitators, either. I'd have to go digging in the back for air filters. Wasn't a lot of demand until recent, so I might still have a few somewhere. The list, though, that I can get for you. Might take a bit."

Moving behind the counter, he produced a large leather-bound ledger. "Most of those are special order only. No sense stocking them permanently, with how little I sell." He proceeded to run down the list, providing interesting bits of commentary on some of the names. Buyers of odd ammunition included such notables as Acting-Governor Chavarin, who had recently filled an order for executioner rounds, some lord named Wulfric Shaw, an Admiral named Slattery, whom Maywell remarked had been recently discharged from service, and an assortment of nobles and bodyguards. It was rather widely scattered as to who had bought what, and Stefan Koraki was conspicuously absent in the days after the death of the governor, though he had shown up on a few occassions before. He had never previously bought the needle rounds. Not as far as Maywell's ledgers showed, in any case. Rather oddly, one person who had was the High Ecclesiarch.

[Kaptin Keen]

This is going to sound needlessly paranoid ... but do we have positive gene id of all the murder victims?

[Bowerbird]

Osmund spends some time copying the relevant contents of the ledger over to his data-slate, "Interesting. What would you say is the usual method these orders were completed? Were the goods delivered to the customer, or did the customer or a representative pick them up from the premises?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Clavius makes sure to check precisely when the High Ecclesiarch's order was placed - relative to when he was actually alive. Could someone have used his credentials?

[Destro_Yersul]

"Often it's a representative, but ocassionally the client will come in themselves. Acting Governor Chavarin makes a point of it, usually. I'm not sure he trusts anyone else with his ammunition."

The order Clavius was looking at had been made, and filled, about a week before the High Ecclesiarch died.

[Bowerbird]

Osmund makes a show of writing down more notes, "Fascinating. I notice this one here is for the former High Ecclesiarch himself, may he rest in peace. What can you tell me about this one? Surely he didn't come in here himself?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Actually, why do all these high-ups buy needle ammo? Is there some sort of assasination craze on this world ... I mean, well, clearly there is, but ... did they all know it was going to go viral, and wanted to get in before the rush?

Explain this to me, man! I command you by ... the power of the Tithe Inspection!

[Bowerbird]

Osmund rounds on Clavvius looking annoyed, "They didn't all buy needle ammunition you dolt, pay attention. If you're going to keep interrupting with this nonsense I will have Savvius escort you outside." He takes a moment to recompose himself before giving the shopkeeper a long suffering look, "Now then, sir, where were we?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Clavius, well aware that he hasn't been paying attention and in no way about to acknowledge it, growls Grah! This kitten play drives me nuts. What is the point of having unlimited ... powers of ... accounting if we're not prepared to use them?

I shall wait outside, and prepare the scorn I shall heap upon you should you fail to produce meaningful results.

And so he stomps outside, finds a place to sit and light up a pipe, and glowers angrily at the world.

[Destro_Yersul]

Maywell laughed nervously after Clavius left, loosening his shirt collar. "You have unique colleagues, sir," he said. "No, no, the High Ecclesiarch didn't come here himself. It was one of the brothers who came to pick the order up. I gathered that the Ecclesiarch was quite nervous, and wanted the items for personal protection. Sadly, it seems, too little was done, though to be honest with you I haven't the faintest idea how the assassin managed to get into the Cathedral without being seen."

[Drunedale]

Savvius, having been fully engrossed in inventorying the contents of the shop, returned to Osmund. "Inspection of the Cathedral for methods of ingress falls to the Arbites, we have not attended that site. You do provide a previously lacking insight. Did the High Ecclesiarch and Acting Governor buy their Needler Sidearms from you as well? If so, Savvius would like to see those as well."

[Bowerbird]

Osmund sighs, "Like I told Clavvius, the Acting-Governor didn't buy- oh you know what, here, read the list yourself," he says irritably, handing Savvius the notes he had made from the shop's ledger, before turning back to Mr Maywell, "Nobody listens anymore. Now, just so I can fill out some extra paperwork at the office, did you happen to get proof of identity from the Brother who picked up the High Ecclesiarch's order? Also has there been many unusual purchases lately not on the list I gave you? Anything that stands out? I like to be thorough with my reports you see."

[Kaptin Keen]

Bored, Clavius fishes out his com bead, switches it to the public channel he gave to Geoffrey, and opens: Hey Crow. I hear your mother is so dirty she lost her job in the Recycling Pits for sanitary reasons.

[Destro_Yersul]

"The needler was purchased from here at the same time as the ammunition, yes." Maywell pointed to a display case on one side of the shop, in which rested a needle pistol of a very old design. "This isn't the same one, of course, but it's a very similar model. If you wish to inspect it I can get it out. The fellow who picked it up... oh, what was his name..." Slipping back behind his desk, the shopkeeper went digging under the counter. He found another ledger, this one much larger than the one he had showed them, and thumbed through it.

"Brother Otto. He provided a letter signed by the High Ecclesiarch stating he was authorised to pick up the order."

---

Outside, the only answer CLavius got on the commbead was static. The channel worked, but nobody was there.

[Bowerbird]

Osmund makes a few more notes for himself, "A Brother... Otto, was it? Do you recall anything about his appearance, we'll just be wanting to follow this up as quickly is possible so that we can move on to more pressing matters. While I am on this subject, does the needler ammunition come pre-loaded with drugs or toxin, or must that be purchased from a separate establishment?"

[Destro_Yersul]

Maywell shrugged. "He looked like a cleric. As for the needler, mine come unloaded. You have to get your own stuff to put in 'em."

[Bowerbird]

"Like a cleric..." Osmund mutters to himself absent-mindedly, making a small notation on his notes before looking up and smiling at the shopkeeper, "Very well, I believe that should be enough to be going on with. If the air filter is a bother to find, you can just set one aside for me when you have the chance, I should be able to stop by tomorrow to pick one up, always handy to have spares! Thank you very much for your assistance, Mister Maywell" he looks over to Savvius, his earlier irritation completely forgotten after some blessed Clavvius-free time, "Shall we go, Savvius?" he gestures for the Tech-Priest to follow, and mentally bracing himself, steps outside to find Clavvius. "Now then, I more than anyone want to find the Magos as soon as possible, but I'm not sure we want to brave a plague district at night, and it is getting rather late is it not? Perhaps we should hunker down back at the Administratum compound for the night, so that I can go over some of these notes?" he asks, checking his chrono, "Alternatively we could stop by the Ecclesiarchy offices to check on the credentials of one 'Brother Otto' as he was the man who picked up the weapon for the High Ecclesiarch?"

[Drunedale]

"It does appear that the natural light is diminishing. Perhaps we should go to interview Brother Otto briefly before we return to our quarters and spend the evening reviewing the data that has been collected. There is much data to ingest, especially as we require a full debrief from Clavius. Savvius is also willing to debrief Clavius prior to the end of the evening."

[Kaptin Keen]

Uh - a debriefing, yea. Look, I don't much pay attention to all the chatter. I'll wager I can give you a full debriefing by the end of the next sentence: I got a rifle, put a bunch of pencil pushers working for the Verispex, asked about the bodyguard, his habits, associates, preferred weapons and so on - and kinda-sorta established a spread pattern of the disease.

See?

I'm really expecting the Verispex to provide any actually useful information. It feels like the judge, while not unfriendly, isn't exactly ... I dunno ... doing much? Does anyone get that sense? That everyone on this planet is sorta puttering about, going through the motions without much actual work being done?

Actually, I get the same sense from you guys. How'd it go, once you purred harmlessly at the shopkeeper and politely asked him to reveal all his dirty laundry?

Clavius flashes his most brilliant smile at the rest of the group.

[Drunedale]

Savvius blinked slowly... twice... processing the information that Clavius had given them. After a pause he realized that Clavius had finished passing information and had begun deflecting blame so his further statements were tabulated as developer comments and dismissed. "A gun was requisitioned, which is likely due to an oversight on Clavius' part before he was deployed. Clavius authorized the Verispex to task the Administratum with your power as a tithe collector? Clavius inquired regarding a bodyguard which he has provided no answers for, resulting in expended time with no validated data. Clavius has developed an incomplete spread pattern of the disease which he is unable to provide. Savvius is at this time unable to establish a vocabulary standard for Clavius' definition of 'puttering about', assuming that Clavius doesn't include himself in that standard."

[Kaptin Keen]

Clavius engages in halfway friendly bickering with the techpriest, having obviously no interest in a point-by-point discussion of who did what when and why. He does state one thing very clearly: In my experience, no one lies around a mouthful of shotgun!

Chuckling mostly to himself, he also mumbles about shotgun Russian roulette.

[Bowerbird]

Osmund just starts leading the group towards the cathedral district, "So let me get this straight, the only thing you've really done is pick a suspect, based on reasoning you haven't adequately explained, some fool gave you a gun, and the you've spent the rest of your time faffing about, making threats, pretending to work, and trying to blow our cover as tithe collectors? Stellar work, really exceeding my expectations of you, Clavius." He sifts through his data pad for a moment, "Meanwhile, we have a line on a possible preventative for the plague, leads on our actual suspect, someone to question, and a reasonable idea how the plague works. We are currently going to the Ecclesiarchy to ask about the man sent to pick up the needle gun in the High Ecclesiarch's name, after which we really need to get a good grounding in research. Connections between assassination victims, list of people who have disappeared rather than turn up dead, an actual mapping of the disease's spread pattern. Not to mention try and locate the Magos as soon as possible so that we can do something about this plague." he walks on in silence for a moment, "Oh, and while Mister Maywell sells Needle ammunition, he doesn't sell the drugs to fill them with. Savvius, did we get an ID yet on what exactly the spent ammunition contained?"

[Kaptin Keen]

So many words, just to say 'we got nothing solid'.

Here, let me give you an example: Tell me again how the shop keeper described Brother Otto - appearance, clothing, any recognizable traits, was he armed?

[Destro_Yersul]

It wasn't far from Maywell's shop to the cathedral, but it was getting late. As the sun dropped in the sky, they saw more soldiers and fewer civilians. The cathedral was at the far end of Crusader's Plaza, the open space lined with statues of Imperial heroes. A large statue of General Holgar stood in the centre of the plaza, but even that was dwarfed by the statues of the Emperor that fronted the cathedral. Each statue had a spotlight at its base, the stern stone faces made even moreso by underlighting. Three large spotlights placed across the plaza lit the front of the cathedral, white stone columns and a huge gold aquila all shining in the dark, a symbol of Imperial power even in dark times. Unlike the Administratum and Arbites complexes, located in areas hit harder by the plague, the grand cathedral had not shuttered its doors. They stood open, though a nearby sign informed the acolytes that the cathedral would soon be closing for the night.

[Drunedale]

Savvius finished finding the appropriate annotation on his datapad and informed Osmund that the drug was Morphia V. Savvius made a note that a expert on the local economic status would be a valuable asset on their next deployment. Lacking that current skillset, they should ask their planetside contacts regarding the availability of this drug.

---------

Arriving at the cathedral Savvius immediately removed his auspex and began doing a rapid scan of the nearby rooftops, just in case the Crow was once again watching the church from the rooftops.