VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:05:40 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 03/05/2004 12:57:37 Message:
As they entered the complex, mutants standing on gantries looked down upon the guests, some with awe, and some with disdain. The only non-twists that the majority had seen before were soldiers they had fought outside Gretius hive. The men and women entering now were actually talking without aggrevation towards the Reclaimant and the Reclaimant seemed happy to talk with them. An odd sight indeed to see their leader having a conversation with an outsider.
Ashwyn lead them to a group of ramshackle huts; obviously the workers quarters as lines of rags were hung out to dry between the buildings. Ela and Eswt lay Voke down in a simple cot, and Ashwyn sent one of the mutants to the water still to fetch refreshment for their guests. He returned a few minutes later with a plastic drum filled with cloudy water. Quirrick almost spat out his mouthful, such was the foulness of the taste. He swallowed grimacing.
'I take it that the emissaries have not visited recently then?' Van Helser asked Ashwyn. The mutant shook his head.
'Not since after our failed attack,' he replied sorrowfully, 'one came to tell us that the Prophet was displeased and that he would no longer call upon us and that I would no longer be a champion.'
'But you are a champion, Ashwyn,' Van Helser said, trying to raise the mutant's spirits. 'You are the leader of all these Emperor worshippers; they all look to you for guidance. Just because the Prophet says he is displeased with you does not mean that the Emperor is. This is a test of your faith. Do you want the Emperor to become angry with you?'
'No! The Emperor is all we have.'
'Then stop sulking! Rise up again and prove to the Prophet that you are a worthy champion! Make the Emperor proud of you and your people! Storm the cities, end this war and bring Messalon back into the arms of the Emperor!'
The rousing speech brought cheers from some of the mutants in the quarters. A smile spread across Ashwyn's distorted features.
'Thank you man of the Emperor,' he said, grabbing Van Helser's hand and shaking it vigorously, 'we will rise again. In the name of the Emperor we will fight against our masters, and end this battle. The Emperor will be pleased again!' More mutants had appeared at the windows and doorway by this time, and they all cheered as Ashwyn proclaimed the Emperor's coming triumph; the mutants psychic powers no doubt contributing to the elation. _____________________________________________________________________
Van Helser, Quirrick and Ela looked around the weaponsmith's workshop with some glee. There was a large selection of effective, if basic weaponry to choose from. The weaponsmith himself was a burly mutant, with large powerful shoulders and a hunched back. He wore a heat retardent tunic, and a welder's mask was perched on his head, flipped up to reveal a blunt, squashed face.
'The Reclaimant sent you?' he asked, wary of the newcomers.
'Yes, your leader is working with us,' Van Helser answered, 'we are from the Inquisition, we are men of the Emperor, and we are pleased with all your work here.'
The weaponsmith shuddered at the mention of the Inquisition, but seemed happy to show them around his collection. The smithy was underground, based in an abandoned shaft below the main gun factories. It was small, but the weaponsmith enjoyed the freedom he had down here to work on what he wanted to build. It was lit only by the flames from the furnace, casting everything in a deep red glow. Two small mutants, either children or dwarves worked on the bellows, keeping the flames hot and the lead in the cauldron molten.
Van Helser picked out a tough looking short barrelled laspistol. A durable back up weapon should his lasgun run out of ammo. He also took a hammer from a rack of brutal hand weapons. With a smile he thought of his former Ordo, Malleus, and their affinity for such weapons.
Quirrick found a stubber that was to his liking. It was a lot less elegant than his own, but the weight was nearly the same. Unfortunately, its clip only took eight rounds; he'd have to remember this.
Ela selected two matched autopistols, both with magazines built into the central grip, obviously stolen from a richer owner. They would provide a high rate of fire, making up for the comparitive lack of penetrating power she was so used to with her boltpistols. She also begged the weaponsmith to release to her his only frag grenade. With reluctance he handed it over. Ela said that she would try to make it up to him. As she walked out she grabbed a couple of smoke bombs too.
Upon returning to the residencies, they were pleased to see Voke sitting up in bed, looking much healthier. He, Ewst and Luthwye were going over what had happened since they had made planetfall. Ashwyn entered after them.
'I have spread the word that you are looking for a ship. Hopefully one of my brothers knows something.' Voke smiled, he'd be happy to get all this sorted out properly. Including Van Helser's proposed meeting with Jaekomus. He had a bad feeling about that.
In an hour of darkness the blind man is the best guide. In an age of insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 03/05/2004 13:28:21 Message:
"Good, good. I should be able to get upto the Stellar Web without too many problems." Ela walked over to Voke; showing off her new auto pistols. Atleast they would make some noise, oppossed to the two las pistols she was carrying. The auto guns for sound and rate of fire, the las pistols for accuracy and sniping. Ela was practicaly jumping for joy, just because she had a gun which had kick back! Voke handed his own las pistols over to Ela and all the clip he had brought with him. 'Just in case'.
Voke looked towards Van Helser. Voke gestured for Van Helser to come over to him. "I will try and get the assault under away as soon as possible. My own forces will be here soon, as will IG and Navy forces. As soon as a blockade is set up I will start the assault. I will lead my own forces to try and find you, and Jaekomus. I have a feeling this man is dangerous and will not take to you as a friend instantly. I want to be there to help you. You should try and get hold of a good communication system, so when the assault start to can let me know where you are. You won't have to worry about Jaekomus going into hiding or running away. There will be a space blockade, and I will use my own troops to help catch him in a smaller net. I will also bring down supplies and weapons. I'm sure that at the end our best weapons might be needed." Voke saw Van Helser take this in. Voke also the unspoken question on Van Helsers face.
"Don't worry. What happened today has passed, for the moment. We will discuse it later and find a lasting solution at some other point; for the time being we don't have to worry about it. One last thing Van Helser; do you want to keep my Inquisitorial Rosset?"
(OOC: the seal thingy, i don't think i spelt it right)
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 03/05/2004 21:18:51 Message:
'I think the rosette will be a good idea,' Van Helser said, taking it from Voke's outstretched palm, 'you just never know when the authorities are going to get in your way. I hope your return to orbit will be simple.'
'Shoot him with that laspistol! Crush his skull with the hammer Mikael, watch his blood flow across the ground! Turn upon Quirrick, kill him, kill him! You know that you're going to, why not just do it now? Take his skull for the skull throne!'
'Be quiet!' Van Helser yelled, much to the shock of everyone present.
'I didn't say anything,' Voke said quietly, 'are you alright?' he asked.
Van Helser rubbed his forehead. 'Sorry, I thought...' he trailed off, 'sorry.'
'Anger is good, yes, anger leads to rage, and rage leads to the spilling of blood!'
'Alexei, fetch me some water would you?' Quirrick followed Van Helser's command and brought the drum across to the Inquisitor. He took two large gulps. Quirrick was looking concerned. 'I'm fine Alexei, stop fretting. I've been worse off than this before.'
'Yeah, I guess,' Quirrick answered half-heartedly, taking the water-drum back off Van Helser.
'Ashwyn, any news on a craft for Voke?' Van Helser asked the mutant, 'are your people willing to go back to battle?' Hopefully he would receive two positive answers.
In an hour of darkness the blind man is the best guide. In an age of insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:06:01 GMT -5
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 03/05/2004 22:32:43 Message:
"We will always be ready to fight. Now my kind has had a taste for freedom we won't go back to the mines. And I'm not ready to give up on the fate of our world yet. As for your craft, I have sent out my agents and spies. I have my suspicions of who would possess such things, but I must be sure. We should hear back from them before the dawn."
It was only now that Van Helser realised the sky was darkening. The thick purple fog was growing heavier, and becoming a viscous layer that covered the ground and water. Lightning could be seen among the rolling clouds, and thunder heard, mixing with the rumbles of the ongoing fighting on the mainland.
"Come, men of the Emperor. Rest for the night among my kind. We would consider it an honour." Van Helser smiled. "Of course, Reclaimant. We would be honoured ourselves to accept your offer." Ashwyn looked pleased, and led them to a great hall filled with dirty cots and blankets. A space was found for the group, and beds provided. They thanked Ashwyn, and the mutant leader left
---
A restless night followed. Lying on an alien world, the terrible thunder shook through their bones every few moments, something the mutants seemed to ignore. Voke did his best to calm the remainders of the fire he felt inside him, but he could not sleep. Quirrick jumped at every rumble, and eyed the mutants carefully, noting that a few of them cast displeased looks in the group's direction with the psychic manipulation of Ashwyn gone. Ela and Eswt were similarly alert.
Van Helser was plagued by thoughts. He thought of the dreams of Quirrick. Of the man Jaekomus, that he had risked so much to find, yet knew next to nothing about. And he thought of the daemons. Their images haunted his mind. It was strange, because the faces he saw were no longer those of the hosts back on Voke's ship. Nor were they the new vessels that were tied up at the foot of his bed. Perhaps through contact with these unbound elements of the daemons he was drawing closer to their true essence. Would he be able to clean himself of that taint when he returned to his tools of daemonology? Would he want to?
The voice of Ranchak had remained strangely silent while he struggled to rest. But he could feel him. Watching his dreams. An insufferable presence that almost choked him, constantly growing and drawing closer.
And the thunder rumbled on.
---
In the morning, the group was awoken to find the camp in an uproar. At first, they thought the complex was under attack, and grabbed for their weapons. But a mutant with scrawny limbs and red, skinles claws ran up to them, meeting their gaze with large, bulbous eyes. "There is bad news from the mainlands. The Reclaimant wishes to speak with you."
Gathering their things, Van Helser, Voke and Elafollowed the small wide-eyed mutant. Quirrick and Eswt stayed behind to guard the daemonvessels. The Inquisitors moved up through the decks of the sprawling industrial building to a room where Ashwyn was arguing loudly with other mutants, who cowered in fear as the thick waves of the Reclaimant's mind flowed outwards.
"What's happening, Ashwyn?" asked Van Helser. The mutant looked round at the Inquisitor's voice. There was none of the smile that had been so prevalent the day before.
"Socrus is being culled!" roared Ashwyn. His deep, rumbling voice was mightily impressive at such a high volume, and it was clear he didn't need to rely on his latent psyonic powers to keep his troops in line. "The Trade Enforcement has called for a worldwide crusade against our kind! They have sent an army into the western slums of subhive Socrus! The agents I sent to find you a craft have been killed on the street! All of the masters have increased their killings!"
He picked up the table with drinks and mining equipment on and threw it against the wall.
"Reclaimant!" shouted Van Helser, and grabbed hold of the giant mutant. He felt fear for a moment, as he realised just how strong a creature he was trying to pacify. If he failed, he could be smashed against the wall like the mining equipment. "Reclaimant! Calm yourself! The Emperor needs men of action, not of anger!"
Ashwyn stopped and looked at Van Helser. His brown eyes flared, and the Inquisitor could feel the anger flow out of the mutant's mind and into his.
"Ohh, doesn't that feel good, Mikael? Go on, don't fight it. Join with his anger! Kill him, Mikael! Kill him!"
Voke stepped forward, and Van Helser felt his friend's mine push into his own, slipping a psychic barrier around him to defend against Ashwyn's subconscious psyonics.
"No! Kill Voke! Voke is the enemy! Rip his throat out! Rip it out with your teeth! Break his body and drink his blood! Then move on to Quirrick..."
"Reclaimant," began Van Helser again, pushing away the anger, pushing away Ranchak. "The masters are fighting you because they are scared. They've seen what you tried to do at Gretius, and they want to stop you trying again! They are afraid of you, Servant Of The Emperor. They are afraid of your power."
Ashwyn calmed at Van Helser's words. "Yes. You speak sense, man of the Emperor." He began to smile slightly again. "We must give them something further to fear."
"Yes," said Van Helser, releasing his grip on the mutant's arm. "But first, have you learnt anything of a craft for us?"
Ashwyn nodded, and turned back to the reports on the table that still stood upright. "Many of my agents reported back before their deaths. There are two craft nearby that would fit your uses, I think. There is one at the airdock of subhive Platonus. That is the city you no doubt saw when you crashed into the sea. And there is one currently landed at the Balaeha monastery just north of here. The monks are unlikely to let you take their shuttle. It is the only craft belonging to the monastic orders, and is a holy symbol of the Emperor, used by the prophet's emissaries. The Platonus airdock is owned by House Fehrwar. We have been planning an assault on that part of Platonus for some time, and have detailed intelligence. We could strike there, if you wish. Kill the masters and get you your craft."
He looked at Van Helser and Voke. "It is your choice, men of the Emperor."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 03/05/2004 22:51:18 Message:
'I leave the choice to you Voke; it is you who wishes to return to the Stellar Web,' said Van Helser to his fellow Inquisitor. 'But I do recommend we go for the monastery.'
'How so?' Voke asked.
'If what the Reclaimant says is true and the shuttle belongs to the Prophet, then we may be able to kill two birds with one stone. I believe the prophet to be Jaekomus, or someone who works for him. If we go for this shuttle then we may find out where Jaekomus is, aswell as getting you back up into orbit. This is the toughest of our two options. Even if we get the mutants to make a push for the other shuttle as a distraction. It's your call.'
In an hour of darkness the blind man is the best guide. In an age of insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 04/05/2004 18:34:37 Message:
"I believe that the mutants should attack. I chance to attack the masters and teach them fear. Also if they can capture a shuttle for their own use then that can be useful for their war effort. At the same time we go for the monastary; I might be able to persuade them that the Emperor calls for them to give the shuttle to me; being an Inquisitor and therefore the Emepror's hand and the usual puritan bable. And as you said we might be able to get two birds with one stone. And if worse comes to worse I think we can handle ourselves against a couple of priests!" Voke smilled. "Just make sure you get hold of a good transmitter; i want to be able to keep track of you!"
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 04/05/2004 19:46:03 Message:
Luthwye appeared almost from nowhere, having spent the night with the mutants gathering data.
"I belive I should point out, Inquisitor, that these are Battle Monks. They are all highly trained close combat specialists, whose teachings decree that they never let their weapons leave their hands or sight. They are also the spiritual guidance for the whole of the world. Messalon was once a Cardinal World, you know, ruled by the Ecclesiarchy. Though it was never particularly orthodox in its methods. It was the Ruling Council of Six that overthrew them, and the monasteries are all that is left, now barred from any direct political or military power."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 04/05/2004 20:07:33 Message:
"A should have guessed! And Luthwye don't you recognise a joke or moral booster when it leaps up and bits you on the nose?", Voke paused and sighed, "of course you don't. But you do talk too much for your own good at times! And way I don't think those priest will be any worse than those cultists we faught against in Club Hex huh?" Voke smilled again. Him and Van Helser had not been in each other company for all that long, especially when compared with Ela or Eswt; and yet they had been through so much.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:06:24 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 04/05/2004 21:23:19 Message:
'Actually,' Van Helser said to Voke, 'I am finding Luthwye's input very helpful.' The savant looked abashed; it was not often that he received any praise. 'We don't need to go in all gung-ho on these monks, we can work an angle on them.'
'Go on,' said Voke.
'We can ally with these monks - there will still be resentment at the ruling council for overthrowing their rights. All we need to do is talk to them, convince them that we are men of the Emperor, and get them on our side.'
'We don't know that they will listen to us though...'
'This Inquisitorial Rosette should be proof enough,' Van Helser said, pulling it from his pocket, 'these warrior monks sound like powerful allies, just like these mutants. We will be helping them, and helping the planet regain some of its stability - isn't that what you want? And if the worst comes to the worst we can still give them a lesson in how we did things on Denopsis.'
Voke pondered for a second.
'No, Mikael don't talk with them, kill them! Use the element of surprise! Think of the blood, think of the blood! Blood for the blood god!'
Van Helser shook his head. Ranchak's words were getting more frequent, and increasing in anger. The sooner he was back on the Stellar Web, the better.
In an hour of darkness the blind man is the best guide. In an age of insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 05/05/2004 19:39:12 Message:
"I guess that makes more sense; the more allies for the Emepror and the less of his faithful killed the better. I'll leave the any details planning the attack to you; I am still recovering and having to spend most of my energies looking inwards, I might make a mistake."
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 05/05/2004 20:47:14 Message:
'We are decided then.' Van Helser replaced the rosette in his pocket. 'Luthwye, we are heading for the monastery. What is the best line of approach?' The savant checked through his data-slates, and Van Helser turned towards the Reclaimant. 'Ashwyn, we are going to start off towards the monastery, but I could still use your help. If your people could provide a distraction, by attacking the air dock, it would be much appreciated. Anything to have the military off our backs. You never know, the attack may go well and you might even hijack the shuttle there; that would boost your war effort.' The mutant didn't look over enthusiastic. 'It is a big ask, I know, and it is likely that many of your followers will die. I will not think ill of you if you decline. I shall say my goodbyes, the Emperor watches over you.'
In an hour of darkness the blind man is the best guide. In an age of insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 06/05/2004 12:50:21 Message:
"I must head for Socrus. My kind have need of me there. The masters will not fight upon the monasteries. They are holy ground. You will be safe from them there."
The Reclaimant bellowed to his subordinates to prepare a boat.
"I bid you farewell, Men of the Emperor. May He watch over you. We may yet meet again before the wars are over."
He slipped his aquila pendant off his neck, and held it out to Van Helser. Scratched and chipped, and marked with oils from the mines, it dangled from the mutant's brown leathery skin.
Van Helser took it, and bowed his head in thanks.
--
The mutant with the skinless claws led them back to the habitation chamber. They found Eswt sitting silently watching Quirrick shout at the daemonvessels - a conversation they could only hear one side of. The daemons' words were being transmitted directly into his head.
"Enough, Alexei!" said Van Helser. "We're leaving. Get them on their feet."
--
Down at the dock, they found their boat waiting. It was large and sleek, with a flat, featureless deck. They found the stairs below deck and closed the hatch.
Two mutants were waiting for them. One was short with a flat hairless head and pinkish skin. The other was of fairly normal build, but with eyes that glinted unnaturally.
"We're here to guide your boat," said the short one. "But we won't go with you into the monastery. Our kind are not allowed on sacred ground."
The group sat down in the dim interior, and listened to the sounds outside as the morrings were cast off, and their vessel began to move.
Van Helser turned the aquila pendant round in his fingers, the black mineral-rich oils failing to come off on his fingers as he rubbed it. He thought about whether he should wear it or put it into his pocket. It was quite definitely an ugly thing, despite being a symbol of mankind and the Emperor.
Luthwye looked up from his research, obviously troubled. "Are you really going to reveal yourselves as Inquisitors to these monks? Using the respect you command with mutant underclasses is one thing, but with a respected institution that has dealings with the entire world is another. You won't be able to hide your status after that. Everyone will know you're here."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 06/05/2004 19:17:40 Message:
Voke turned towards Van Helser. "I believe he has a point. You don't want Jaekomus to know were here; it will likely cause him to go into even deeper hiding. Certainly it should not be known that you are here. Perhaps we can persuade them to take a vow a silence to the Emepror? Or we could go along the lines an Iquisitor", Voke pointed to himself, "was hurt after his ship was damaged by a engine malfunction, causing his ship to crash. He know wishes to leave the planet and continue with his journey, none the wiser that there is a rebellion here; or that he is an Ivisstann and believes in strength through adversity and is pleased to see this open rebellion? We could try one of those."
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 06/05/2004 21:14:11 Message:
'Perhaps the best card to play is to pretend we are Rogue Traders all over again,' Van Helser proffered. 'We still have the clothes, and the monks are likely to take better to the notion that we are marooned noblemen.'
'True,' agreed Voke, 'but how much respect are the monks likely to have for a couple of traders? Not much - our alter ego's aren't exactly the most pious of people.'
'I see your point,' Van Helser conceded.
'Kill the monks Mikael, kill them all!'
'We should try to pass me off as an Inquisitor that needs off the planet,' Voke extended his hand, 'give me back my rosette for the time being.' Van Helser handed it to him.
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.'
'I will pose as a puritan,' Voke continued, 'you can be one of my warband. We are on the planet to capture rogue psykers, those two,' Voke pointed at the bound daemonhosts, 'and as we were leaving, our shuttle crashed, killing the majority of my warband. We were the lucky survivors. We might even gain a sympathy vote.'
'Kill the insufferable fool now before he ruins everything - his planet cannot work!'
'I am still not convinced that this plan can work Dauphan,' said Van Helser, his hand unconsciously clasping the aquila.
'These monks are disrespected by the ruling council; the message probably won't even reach Jaekomus. They do seem a pretty isolated bunch.'
'Alright, we'll go with that. Call me Heinrich though, my identity needs to remain secret, even if yours does not.' Van Helser sat back down on the deck, turning the aquila over and over in his hands.
In an hour of darkness the blind man is the best guide. In an age of insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:06:56 GMT -5
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 07/05/2004 17:24:50 Message:
"Relax Mikael; I've seen enough of those arrogant, pompus, Puritans, I know how to sound like one of them! I may change how my voice sounds as well; make it younger and make sure it echoes around the place, that should help. And i think I will not use my own name; I will use the name of another, but it has to be someone they are not likely to be familer with; in fact it would be best to create a name. Mathlann should serfice."
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 07/05/2004 23:37:55 Message:
There was a great lurch as one of the piloting mutants pulled back on some levers. "What's that?" said the one with the unnatural eyes. He peered through the viewing port at a murky object in the water nearby.
"It's a mine." said the flatheaded one. "The masters' navies are here."
The first mutant moved to the periscope and peered ahead. "You're right. I can make out a silhouette up ahead. About where the transport came down. One of their warships."
The flatheaded mutant sneered. "Thank the Emperor for this thick fog today, or they'd have spotted us. Head around."
They began the spinning of wheels and pulling levers, and the boat lurhed into movement again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 08/05/2004 12:22:04 Message:
'Well, if they didn't know we were here before, they certainly do now,' Van Helser said to Voke.
'When we make it to the monastery and explain who we are, or aren't as the case may be, it might allude any fears that the monks may have over who exactly was in that shuttle, it should coroborate our story,' Voke said back.
'I don't mean to be a party-pooper guys,' Quirrick interrupted, 'but we came down in a military transport, a local military transport. Not a private Inquisitorial shuttle.'
'He's got a point,' Voke sighed.
'He does have a point,' concurred Van Helser. 'It might work to our advantage though; the navy will be looking for deserters, not Inquisitors. This is actually a fortunate turn of events come to think of it.' Van Helser smiled.
'Voke's a fool; kill him and throw him over board! He doesn't want you to meet Jaekomus, he wants you to be captured. Kill him now!'
Van Helser stared at Voke.
'What is it?' Voke asked as he met Van Helser's gaze.
'You tell me,' he growled.
'What are you talking about?' said Voke, quite confused by Van Helser's sudden attitude change.
'What's on your mind?' Van Helser pushed.
'Nothing. Mikael, is something wrong?'
'Put the hammer through his face!'
'Oh no, everything is quite fine.' ___________________________________________________________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 08/05/2004 13:49:26 Message:
Something was wrong with Van Helser; and Voke didn't like it, but there wasn't much he could do. All Voke could do is tell Ela and Eswt of his fears and get them to keep a close eye on Van Helser. Voke had made sure that their minds were closed and locked; which was alot easier to do with Eswt, obviously her race was also begining to become resistant to psychers naturally. One day Voke would have to get Eswt to let him travel to her planet, her race would be a powerful tool for the Imperialum; but that was irrelivent for the time being.
Voke leaned towards one of the mutants. "How much longer until we reach the monastary?"
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 08/05/2004 15:24:28 Message:
The response was another hideous lurching of the boat as it hit the shore. "We are here, Inquisitors," said the man with the twinkling eyes. "The monastery of Balaeha. We will stay here for a day, in case your request of the monks fails. Then we must go. We have no want to be discovered by the masters when the fog falls at dusk."
Eswt opened the hatch, and the group stepped out. The difference in the air was remarkable. There was no foul taste on their toungues, there was no purple fog surrounding them. Grass grew underneath tall trees with their branches spread wide. Miniature birds with loud, musical voices swooped around them.
Looking upward, the sky was obscured by an orange fuzz - an incorporeal dome that filtered the air and produced an all-pervading warmth. This was a holy place, protected by mystical powers from the Dark Age.
Ahead was the monastery itself. Made of interlocking arches and spires, Voke recognised the pattern. It was a mathematical shape, made of the curving lines and empty spaces. It displayed the aquila, in a way that only the most intelligent and abstract-minded observer would see.
They climbed down off the deck of the boat, and Quirrick dragged the daemonvessels along. The woman gave the minimum of reistance to retain its dignity, and kept its hooded face pointed at Van Helser at all times. The child was strangely quiet, and limp.
Quirrick looked at the child as he dropped the two on the grass. The vessel of Voor'acht lay in an awkward position, and didn't seem to be breathing. He was going to reach out his hands to remove the hood when Voke gently pulled him back. "It's a daemon trick, Alexei. Pay it no heed. The daemon is still there, and still plotting. I can feel it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 08/05/2004 17:36:13 Message:
'On your feet,' Quirrick instructed the Voor'acht-child, it just lay there silent and still. 'I said get up!' Quirrick yelled, moving in to kick the vessel.
'Stop Alexei!' Van Helser yelled, running over to him. 'Leave it be. If Voor'acht doesn't want to find Jaekomus then that is fine. Leave it to sulk here for as long as it wants.'
The child just lay on the floor.
'No rebuttal Voor'acht? No last words?' goaded Van Helser; the child remained mute. 'Alexei, stay here with these two, and keep your pistol to hand. Everyone else, lets get moving.'
The group started up the shore, joining a path up to the entrance of the monastery. It was indeed a grand sight, if a little imposing. Van Helser again found himself touching the aquila in his pocket. He jerked his hand from the pocket. He didn't need weakness now.
'I'll do the talking,' Voke said, increasing his pace to the front of the column. The great doors loomed above them.
______________________________________________________________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 09/05/2004 10:11:13 Message:
It was a impressive sight. Voke was impressed by how they had hidden the aquila so well. Most would have been impressed by the sheer size of the place. Voke strode ahead of the rest of the group; his body had recovered from what had happened yesterday at the crash site of the shuttle. Voke marched up to the great doors. Command and nobility oozed out of Voke; he had been forced to listen to enough of those pompus puritans, now he would have to try and copy one of them! How irronic. Voke looked left and right, he did not see anyone. This surpirsed Voke; he was expecting some sort of welcome or confrentation; where was everyone? As Voke reached the great doors he was unsure of what he was about to find inside.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:07:11 GMT -5
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 09/05/2004 17:32:13 Message:
The doors opened as they aproached. Ancient gears clacking loudly as they slowly exerted the forces necessary to push apart the immense marble slabs.
Inside wsas a courtyard. Multiple arches led off into further courtyards. Intricate patterns were carved into the dusty yello flagstones that made up the floor. Voke recognised the same abstract mathematical expressions of the aquila embedded into every design, and every aspect of the place's construction.
A single woman knelt in the middle of the courtyard. She wore a right-fitting brown robe, and held a long straight knife out in front of her with both hands. She had deeply tanned skin, no doubt from the orange light burning down from above. She had been staring at the knife in some kind of meditation, but blinked and looked up when the doors opened. She got quickly to her feet with an odd movement of her legs. She began walking across the courtyard with a smile, the knife still held out in front, as if ready stab someone.
"Welcome, pilgrims!" she said, loudly, and then frowned as she observed their unusual clothes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 11/05/2004 18:53:51 Message:
Voke used the warp to manipulate his voice; make it younger and make it echo around the room. Voke's stance and his voice oozed comand and arrogance.
"I wish to be take to the head abbot; imeadiatly!" The girl started to say something, probably protest and Voke quickly flashed her his rosette.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 11/05/2004 20:27:39 Message:
The woman looked at the rosette for several moments, her mouth still hanging open. Slowly, her gaze returned to her blade, her head bowed.
"At once," she said, then turned and strode, almost running, through the next archway.
The group followed her through several more archways. They saw more of the brown-clothed monks, who stoppe to look at them as they passed. Each of them held some kind of weapon readied out in front of them, as if ready to attack the party at any moment.
Eventually, they came to what seemed to be the closest the complex came to an indoor hall. It had a roof, and shining marble columns around the edge.
In the center of the room, what was clearly an old man sat cross-legged within a circle of candles and incense burners. A long grey beard flowed out from underneath a yellow cloth face-mask. The marble underneath him glowed slightly, and shifted in colour. He didn't seem to notice their approach.
The woman monk turned to Voke and the group sa they reached the edge of the hall, but kept her face bowed and lookig toward her blade. "This is High Augur Qutii, my lord," she said quietly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 12/05/2004 20:41:00 Message:
Voke stepped past the woman and towards the High Augur. "High Augur Qutii I am an Inquisitor working in the name of our most holy Emperor, I walk in His light and I defend His glorious Imperiulm from the horrors he warned us of, I am purger of the heretic, I am cleanser of the Xenos, I am banisher of daemons. I do all this for the God-Emperor and He watches me and He guides my actions. For me to serve the holy God-Emeperor as best I can I require use of your shuttle. I must leave this planet with all haste for the Emperor guides me away from this place, His holy disign requires me far from here and with all speed."
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 17/05/2004 20:14:16 Message:
The man sitting in the middle of the hall didn't move. his eyes remained closed. "The Inquisition. Yes. I have been expecting you. All that happens on this world is revealed to me. Know this: those that claim to govern this world are not the true rulers of Messalon."
He opens his eyes and looks at Voke. The Inquisitor realises that the leader of the monks carries no weapon. For some reason, in this madhouse of blade fetishists, that makes Voke uneasy. But his mental discipline keeps his doubts quiet. His facial expression doesn't flinch.
"The entire world is waiting for you, Inquisitor. It is destroying itself over what will happen when the Inquisition comes back to us. You come, and do nothing, and the people will lose faith in the Imperium. They may even lose faith in the Emperor. No one wants an Exterminatus. But they will want an end to the war."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 17/05/2004 20:58:16 Message:
"High Augur I am in no state to end a war. You are strong with devotion for the Emperor, you concern for this world from a point of view of the Imperiulm shows this. I will not let this world fall from the Emperors light, His Will demands no less than a stop to this war and the returning of this planet to his full light. As you strongly devout towards the Emperor I shall tell of what you need to know to be best able to carry out His will and help in the following of His plan as best you can. My ship was carrying rouge psychers from a far away world to be tried and excercuted, abamanations as they were. My ship encountered a warp storm, causing an overload in the main plasma drive. The ship was able to come out of the warp and I was able to escape in a shuttle before the plasma engine went critical. Unfortunalty my shuttle was still close and badly damaged; me and my retinue made the best landing we could but it was still very rough. Those you see here are the survivers, only one more and two of the psychers remain. My ship had an escort, they will be waiting in orbit for us. I need to use your shuttle to get abord the ship, I will them send the psychers to be exercuted and call for aid from the Navy and Guard if my escort captain has not already done so. I will then lead the armies of His glorious Imperialum and with a lance of purity and on wings of fire I will purge the unclean from this planet, in His name. Also i believe there to be a greater evil here; possible a servant of choas behind this war. He must remain unaware of what will happen untill he hears my voice revelaing his damned soul; then he will know fear as the Emepror guides my killing blow and my force hammer into his skull. For you to follow His plan and allow me to carry out His will He requires you to allow me to use your shuttle and to let none know about my passing."
Voke hoped this gambit would work; if it didn't then the only other thing he could think of was to try and kill this High Augur and hope that the others would fall in line. He sent a psychic message to Ela, Mikael and Eswt, telling them to be ready.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 18/05/2004 17:57:30 Message:
Many monks were now gathering at the edges of the hall, a variety of weapons held outsretched, in positions as if ready to lunge forward at any moment. Word had clearly spread of their arrival.
The High Augur remained cross-legged on the floor in the centre of the glowing marble floor, looking intently at the Inquisitor standing several feet in front of him.
He stayed silent for several moments, clearly passing over Voke's word in his mind. More monks were gathering around them.
"You are no Inquisitor." It was not said with a hint of judgement or revelation. It was as if the High Augur was merely reminding Voke of something that he should already know.
"There is always Chaos on Messalon. There always has been. It ebbs and flows and changes, but it is always present, and is always being fought. That there are those of heretical teachings with a hand in this war is evident. It is so with all wars. The psykers that you carry with you are Messalon's own. They wear the robes of the western psychic choir. I remind you that it is folly to attempt to decieve an Augur of the Emperor. The shuttle that crashed south of here, the one you supposedly used to escape your vessel's destruction, was a local transport, of the Fehrwaran military. The ancient star fort of Messalon fell yesterday, of a plasma reactor detonation, at the time you say your ship died. Either you had no ship, or it was you who caused the destruction of Messalon's greatest economical asset. You are clearly not of this world, but your intent and actions are still shrouded. You attempt to feed a holy man of the Emperor utmost falsities. You have yet to even give a name. I fear I shall have to order a public execution to allay the populace's fears and prove to them that the Inquisition has not come, for rumours will surely spread."
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:07:32 GMT -5
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 18/05/2004 19:34:53 Message:
Voke would have a hard time trying to block this mans sharp wit without him noticing; but he might be able to do it with some facts.
"You are clearly high in the Emperor's favor. I mearly told you what I would have told most; that was a mistake. As you said you are a High Augur and deserve more respcet, I intend to set that right."
Voke's eyes flickered towards Mikael; Mikael was not going to like what he was about to do. Mikael seemed to sense this; for an instant his eyes went wide with fear and disbelief, thankfully no one noticed.
"I am Inquisitor Voke, of the Ordos Xenos. I have served the Emperor as a member of His Inquisitoin for over 550 years. I shall spare you a list of my achievments in His name and for the cause of His glorious plan. Those two psychers are parts of daemon hosts; I wish to take them to my ship in orbit to banish them. Also I am chasing a particular servent of choas who has knowlage which none should have; i have chased him through death and many years to this place. That is why he must not know that I am here, or he will flea before I can capture him and bring him to justice before the Holy light of the Emperor. I was under cover on the fort when it came under attack. I was unaware of what was happening on this planet but the Emperor has decided that I shall have an oppertunity to serve him by purging this planet, so that it may find it's place in His Imperiulm. If you agree to help me I will go into orbit and call for aid from the Navy and Guard. I will then lead an assault and purge through this world, leaving the cleansed. At the same time I will capture this servant of choas. While I organise the assault what's left of my retinue will try and hunt him down; but all of this will be in vain if my pressence here escapes these walls."
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 18/05/2004 21:15:10 Message:
'What the hell are you playing at Voke?' Van Helser mind-spoke to Voke, 'are you absolutely insane? You've just admitted the presence of daemonhosts to a holy man! He's already threatened to execute us - you think admitting to perceived heresy will help?'
'Be quiet Mikael,' Voke responded telepathically, 'I'm doing the talking, and you know as well as I do that honesty is the best policy.'
'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Van Helser stared at Voke, 'this is going to get us killed!'
'Well, what would you suggest we do? Any ideas?'
'No,' Van Helser answered after a brief pause, 'but mark my words; should we get out of this alive, I want to discuss this, properly.'
Van Helser couldn't get over what Voke had said about Jaekomus. Calling him a servant of Chaos was not part of his cover - Voke actually felt that Jaekomus was a heretic to be hunted down and burnt! It was just aswell that Voke would not be on the planet when he found him. It was crazy, but Voke was having puritan, witch-hunting thoughts. And if he was having them about Jaekomus, what was stopping Voke having them about him? Nothing.
It seemed that Ranchak had been right all along.
________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 19/05/2004 18:11:56 Message:
"Finally, you begin to speak some truths. There is but one more proof that I shall require."
Voke knew what the Augur meant. He slipped the Inquisitorial seal out of his pocket and displayed it for all to see.
"Thank you," said the old masked man, and waved his hand to icidcate Voke should put it away.
"The shuttle shall be yours to command, Inquisitor, but it must be given the respect it deserves. You must return it to us in its rightful condition. You can depend on your mission's secrecy, Inquisitor. The monks of Balaeha are no strangers to vows of silence."
The High Augur motioned to the monk who showed them in. "Adept Tae will take you to the shuttle when you are ready,"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 19/05/2004 19:32:23 Message:
Voke saw the worried look on Mikael's face, felt it flowing from his mind. Don't worry Mikael; I'm not a bombastic witch hunter of a puritan, I just do a good job of acting like one! Voke added I wink to try and calm Mikael down.
"Thank you for your lending of the shuttle; as soon as local space is safe I will have my best pilot fly it back to you. May the Emperor's light shine on you and may you forever walk along His path and in the glory of His light as long as you remain pure."
Ela, Eswt; Mikael I belive is starting to fall under Ranchak's sway; personally my money would have been on Voor'acht. He has been listening to the words of the daemonhost too closly. When you find Jaekomus I want you to subdue him and Mikael if Mikael starts to appear that this knew knowlage he will gain effects him. I hope that Jaekomus isn't damned, or I want you to make sure that Mikael stays like that. Reaching this goal is starting to have an effect on Mikael; he is getting too close to the thoughts of 'the ends justify the means' and that's dangerous. I will try and deal with the orignal daemon hosts and will start the assault A.S.A.P. I will also make sure that your psychic defences are extra strong; don't want those daemonhosts causing many problems.
Voke turned to Mikael. "I don't belive you need transport do you?"
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 20/05/2004 00:02:25 Message:
'You're right, I don't need a transport,' Van Helser said firmly to Voke. In all honesty he would almost certainly need transport to find Jaekomus - he didn't even know his location and it was unlikely that it would be anywhere near here - but he didn't want to spend any more time with Voke than was necessary. The man was becoming exceptionally odd and seemed ever more distrustful of Van Helser. Which did not please Mikael one bit - the last thing he needed was yet more opposition to his beliefs, especially from one he had considered until very recently as a friend, however odd the situations they had found themselves in had been.
One of the monks, weapon still drawn, beckoned for them to follow him to the shuttle. The group dropped into line behind them, Voke at the front. Van Helser noticed that Ela and Eswt did not move until he did; they were obviously not going to let him out of their sight, not now and especially not when he was closing in on Jaekomus. It was so obvious why Dauphan had recommended that they would accompany him - not as bodyguards but as spies for him. The bastard. Perhaps he could arrange an accident for them with the daemonhosts, or with Alexei. Anything to get them out of his way. If Voke was thinking that Jaekomus was dangerous, then Ela and Eswt certainly would too. Yes, he would have to dispose of them if he wanted to meet Jaekomus, and get him on to his side - the puritan pregnant doges wouldn't stand for anything other than putting a bullet in Jaekomus's skull the moment they encountered him. And Van Helser wasn't going to allow that to happen.
They stepped out onto a windy platform, where the monastery's shuttle sat, engines already cycling over as a group of servitors fussed over it.
'Goodbye Voke,' said Van Helser, his eyes narrowed.
________________________________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 21/05/2004 20:51:32 Message:
"Goodbye," said Voke simply, and climbed aboard the shuttle. He found two techpriests waiting for him, who started the launch sequence without a word.
Van Helser, Luthwye, Ela and Eswt watched the craft lift vertically off the pad, speed out over the sea, and then jet up into the clouds.
Aboard the shuttle, Voke was strapped in behind the techpriests. He watched the thick ochre clouds rush past the reinforced window at the front of the cabin, then they fell away to be replaced with a blue sky, and stars slowly pushing their light through the atmosphere.
Squinting slightly, he caught sight of his ship as it passed in front of the stars. It was moving, fairly quickly.
"Can we get a voxlink to the ship?" he asked the techpriests. Wordlessly, one tapped a few runes above her, then slowly nodded back at Voke.
"Stellar Web, this is Inquisitor Voke. I am approachig from the atmosphere in a local transport, bearing the signature of the Messalonian monasteries."
Navalis' voice crackled in response. "It's good to hear from you, sir. We were worried. We've had an interesting time up here, ourselves. There'a another ship. Somewhere. We can talk more when you're on board, I'll have the flight bay prepared."
The vox-link crackled out, and the ship seen out the window turned towards them. As it loomed above, filling their view, Voke thought about the daemons. Navalis hadn't mentioned them, so he could assume they hadn't run amok. Yet.
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:07:49 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 21/05/2004 21:43:27 Message:
'Ask him Alexei, just ask him when he comes back.'
'Get out of my head!' Quirrick bawled at the Voor'acht child in distress.
'But it's all true Alexei, all of it. Just ask Mikael; he knows as well as I do. I mean it is going to be him that kills you, not me.' Voor'acht said with cold brutality.
'Shut the hell up!' Quirrick said as he kicked the child's body repeatedly.
'I'm only telling the truth,' it mind spoke quietly, 'don't harm the messenger Alexei, it said with venom, 'you never know what that messenger might be capable of!'
Quirrick bent over double and cried out in pain, clasping the sides of his head.
'Don't kick me again Alexei, or I will make sure that you don't ever have the use of your legs again,' the child mind spoke as it climbed steadily to its feet, 'understand?' Quirrick spasmed with pain.
'Yes,' he whimpered, tears in his eyes, 'please stop, please!'
The Voor'acht child leaned over him. 'This is nothing,' it said through its mouth, bending down to put its face in Quirricks, 'just wait til I get back into my usual body. Then I'll show you pain, you miserable little worm. Now what I told you was true. Mikael will kill you. He's seen it, I've seen it. There's nothing you can do about it.' It began laughing the high pitched chortle that its body used. It abrubtly stopped. 'Unless you kill him first of course.'
Van Helser stormed back down the slope to the beach. He was surprised to find Quirrick sitting with the daemonhosts, as if he was chatting with them. Well, at least Voor'acht had stopped sulking, he thought. Their next plan of action though wasn't so obvious, he still had no idea where Jaekomus would be found. He needed more information. He needed to head for a city. He turned to Luthwye for advice.
_________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 09:56:02 Message:
Luthwye turned his head to Van Helser, but his eyes were firmly on the scene taking place down by the water. He spoke clearly and competently, but there was fear underneath the surface. Luthwye was becoming increasingly uneasy in the presence of the daemons.
"The nearest city is Platonus. It's just on the shore. From there, we can use the public rail transports to reach any other part of the world. But there will be beaurocracy, there wil be questions. We'll need a cover story again. Inquisitors would not be welcome, but we can't fit in as locals. You could return to the Rogue Trader guise, you do still have the clothes and I still have the paperwork. We would attract a lot of attention, but we would also have a lot of power. And would probably have a greater chance of gaining an audience with the prophet."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 22/05/2004 10:32:42 Message:
Ela and Eswt sat silently wtaching Van Helser and the daemonhosts. Dauphan had given them their orders; they were to make sure Mikael returned safe and sound; both in body and mind. Ela cleaned her three master crafted las pistols and her two auto pistols; making sure they would work as well as possible. Her weapons lacked the power of her bolt pistols but made up with it in sheer number. Eswt sat make sure she was familiar with her two swords. One was one she normally carried, but the other was a replacement for her power sword. She tested the weight of the sword, finding it's balance, finding how it moved in the air, how it reacted to this thrust, to that riposte. To nearly all swordsmen these details would go unoticed, let alone be of any use; but all of these details were picked up by Eswt and allowed her to be as deadly as she could be. Although both remained silent they talked alot; using the sign languge they had created centuries ago. It was impossible to break, and with Voke's shielding their thoughts and feelings were safe, even from daemonhosts. They talked about their fears and how they wished that Voke could hurry with dealing of the daemonhosts, and hopefully return soon; with proper weapons of course. _____________________________________________________________________
The shuttle roared into the landing bay. The shuttle's landing ramp was still lowering as Voke decended. Navalis and his command training squad marched in through the door. Voke quickly marched through the door towards his quaters, he intended to change into his more usual cloths. Navalis and the squad fell in step behind him, Navalis had done a good job with these green soldiers.
"Navalis! Report" Navalis increased his pace and started to walk along side Voke. "When we lost contact with you I took command of the ship in all affairs that would lead to your rescue. I sent a transmission to your nearest base and a regiment of our forces will be here within a day." "Which regiment?" "The Voke 1st" "Good, we will need their expertise and equipment. They have been through many a scrap and my training of them will have prepared them for what we might face.Continue" "I also alearted the nearest full guard regiment and Navy fleet. They are ready to leave and join us. The Navy fleet is of considerable size, I do not yet have the full details of what ships the fleet contains though or the Captains, I have also failed to find out who the Admiral is." "That is all unimportant. Just send a transmission to them; have them here A.S.A.P. We're going to be doing a plantery assualt, the world below us in open rebellion, and we're gonna put a stop to it. Also prepare The Rouge Star and the shuttles. When the assault begins me and all our forces will be on a special mission. I want our forces to be able to be planet side within 10 minutes of the bombardment beggining. Understood?" "Yes sir, I'll start having the ships and men prepared. Where are the others sir?" "They are planet side, Mikael has a person quest to complete, the reason we are here in the first place. I sent Ela and Eswt to keep and eye on him and watch his back. When the assualt begins we will join them and provide them with their normal weaponry."
"What are you doing now sir?" "I'm getting changed, collecting Nul'Ra and then I'm going to sort a problem out. Get yourself and these men ready for a fight. I want you fully combat ready and proparly armed in 5 minutes." "Yes sir!" Voke strode off towards his quaters. "Right you heard him you misserable lot! I want you outside his quaters and fully combat ready in 3 minutes! And that means armour, weapons and full field fit!" ____________________________________________________________________
Clothed in his usual black leather Voke marched out of his quaters. Voke's black cloak billowing behind him. Voke's gloved hand flexed as it reached for Nul'Ra s hilt. Navalis and the other 9 soldiers were ready and behind him. They were fully equipment with standard Storm Trooper equipment. Two were armed with flamers and the others had hell guns and shotguns for ship fighting. Navalis' power crackled; all in the squad had a small power knief if they were forced to engage in hand to hand. Voke touched each man and gave him a strong psychich shield to ward off warp powers and daemons. Voke unsheathed Nul'Ra and held it before him. At his request a large container of silver nitrate was being carried by two servitors. Voke stood outside the door and looked at the fading wards and symbols; fading and burnt out, stretched to over use; attmepting to contain the daemonhosts in their proper host bodies. Voke did not know how much of them had been transfered but he hoped they were still tied to these hosts; that way they could feel all the pain. Voke's gloved hand flexed once more on Nul'Ra s hilt.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:08:10 GMT -5
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 13:07:05 Message:
At Voke's order, the override code was given and the doors were opened. He stepped in. All around him, the wards and symbols painted on to the metal surfaces showed signs of slowly peeling themselves away, though the lines were not yet broken. The two daemonhosts lay on the floor at opposite sides of the room, the heavy chains wrapped around them caked in bubbling rust.
Then Voke saw it. He had thought the growing power of the daemons was merely a reflection of the weakening of Van Helser's mind. But there on the floor, was evidence of something else. The main hexagram around Ranchak's position was broken. One of the lines painted in blessed red oils had been deliberately scratched through. By figernails by the look of it. That would have started the process. With that small opening, Ranchak had begun to attack the rest of his bindings. And Voor'acht's too.
Had Van Helser done this? If so, did he even realise? Had he begun to lose his mind so much listening to the enemy that he was no longer in control of his own actions?
One of the daemonhosts stirred. "Hello, Dauphan," said Voor'acht. "It's good to see you again."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 22/05/2004 15:19:37 Message:
"So you are still in this body as well? Good." Voke turned from Voor'acht towards the still open door. Navalis and his squad were still there, weapons aimed at Voor'acht. "Navalis, I believe I have set up a room containing all things used in the control and banishment of the daemonic. I will need them to refresh these bonds and runes. Have your men back from the door but keep guard on it, from things comming from the inside." Navalis understood. His troops backed down the corridoor, weapons aimed at the door ready to fire. The two flammers were at the front. All their weapons had been blessed as normal but these two flammers had had themselves, their tanks and their fuel blessed very carefully. If anything happened inside and something daemonic came out; it would be hosed down with holy fuel and very unlikely to survive.
The door slammed shut.
"Jussst the two of ussss now Dauphan, just asss it wasss alwaysss ment to be." "Silence." Voke's voice could only just be heard and lacked any form of threat. Voor'acht would have laughed had Voke not added to the command a cup full of silver nitrate into Voor'acht's face. The daemon sreemed in agony. Quickly the silver nitrate had been used up. Voor'acht's face had nearly been completely dissolved away. "This entire tank is full of that." "I should have guessed you weren't quite so stupid to come in here without some leverage. But your still stupid enough to...." Voor'acht never finished what he was going to say. Voke dipped the cup into the tank that had been brought in by the servitor. As Voor'acht saw this he had stopped speaking.
Behind Voke the door opened. Navalis come in carrying a crate. Voke didn't turn away from the daemonhosts. Navalis placed the crate at the edge of the door and retreated again.
The door slammed shut behind him.
"Do you know what's in there Voor'acht?" Voke's tone suggested to Voor'acht that to speak would be to invite more silver nitrate. Voor'acht kept what was left of his mouth firmly shut. "In this crate is all I need to stop your and Ranchak's wispers. I will not let you pull Mikael into damnation."
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 16:27:58 Message:
Voor'acht licked his jaw with a burnt toungue. The teeth came away with no gums left to hold them in. They clattered on the floor.
"You know what that will mean, though, don't you, Dauphan? We will be bound to you, and not Mikael. We will be yoursss. Yourss to command, your obeying ssservants. We would even kill Mikael if you assked. Ela and Eswt, too. I was ssso disappointed when Mikael ssstopped me before..."
Voor'acht raised his arms to shield himself as Voke threw another cup of nitrate. He screamed again, and clawed at the burning flesh, stretching his infernally rusting chains with the movement.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 22/05/2004 16:54:18 Message:
"Watch your tongue daemon, or it will get you banished." At the mention of another daemon being banished Nul'Ra's normal purring increased to a hungry growl. "You remain unbanished because you are Mikael's tools, weapons of his. If you become mine, Nul'Ra gets to banish you. Get Ranchak here. If I don't get some co-operation out of you two, and very soon, I'm going cast what Mikaels will think into the warp and banish you anyway!"
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 17:01:44 Message:
Voor'acht's eyes lit up, and he floated off the ground, his arms still smouldering.
"Oh yesss, Voke. Banish uss. Free uss to the warp so that we might build our empiresss and wage war againsst mankind again. Let uss kill and burn and corrupt whole worldsss again. I would love nothing better."
The daemon gave a shudder of pleasure, and floated toward Voke, only stoppin when its chains became taut.
"Go on, Voke. Please. The temporary pain would be nothing to the wondrousss freedom that would follow."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 22/05/2004 17:39:39 Message:
Van Helser weighed things over in his mind. Going back undercover as a Rogue Trader again seemed like the only viable option. 'Luthwye, get everybody ready. We're Rogue Traders again. Let's make a start for Platonus.' Luthwye scampered off to speak to Ela and Eswt, before turning his attention to Quirrick and the daemonhosts. Something definetly wasn't right with Quirrick. The way he was just sitting there with the daemonhosts, completely open to them was not how the Alexei Quirrick he knew acted. He'd spent enough time around the daemonhosts to know that they would attack him without a moments notice. Van Helser walked down the beach towards the trio. Quirrick looked up at him while he approched. Van Helser found himself the victim of a cold stare. 'What is it Quirrick?' Van Helser asked.
'Time to move out is it?' asked Quirrick dejectedly.
'Yes. Is that a problem for you?'
'Nope.' Quirrick got to his feet and hefted the Voor'acht-child with him on board the boat, and then returned to drag the Ranchak-woman on board too. Van Helser got aboard too, and Ela and Eswt hopped aboard soon after, their eyes never wandering from the Inquisitor. Van Helser nodded to the mutants, and soon the boat was back out in the open water.
'Do you know what Voke's doing up here to us?' Ranchak spoke inside Van Helser's head, 'he's going to bind us to him. Steal us from you, and then banish us.' Van Helser stared at Ranchak in disbelief.
'It's true, he's been assaulting me with silver nitrate,' added Voor'acht almost jovally. 'It's a pity that he learnt that trick isn't it? I don't have a face left anymore! You should have listened to Ranchak earlier, and killed off Voke before he could do this to us.'
'You should take some revenge on those two pregnant doges,' the Ranchak-woman turned towards Ela and Eswt, who were watching Van Helser intently from the other end of the boat. 'They're plotting to do away with you, so that Voke won't have any problem destroying us.'
'It's odd how you haven't acted on this before Mikael; we've been warning you about Dauphan for months and months.'
Van Helser slid his hand towards the laspistol. Two swift shots would be enough to knock them both overboard, to dissolve in the chemical sea.
'That's it Mikael, blow them away!'
'Do it! Do it for us, do it for yourself.
Van Helser closed his eyes and balled up his fist, tearing it away from the laspistol. He couldn't kill them now - Voke would be expecting communications from them. He needed to wait, and get something else to finish them off. Emperor knows how much Van Helser wanted to pull the trigger, but he wasn't about to jeopardise everything through stupidity. There would be plenty of opportunities to rid himself of the unwanted assistance.
____________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
Keep your profile on the IC board up to date - it benefits us all!
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:08:28 GMT -5
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 18:09:02 Message:
Luthwye had slumped into a corner, and was whimpering loudly. Nobody paid him any heed. Quirrick was in a daze after his conversation with Voor'acht, and the pain in his head was still fresh. Ela and Eswt's attention was on Van Helser alone, even when they weren't looking his direction. And Van Helser was listening to his daemons.
Wiping away some tears, the little savant began reading his notes again for important information on Platonus. But he couldn't concentrate. He kept glancing up at Van Helser and Ranchak.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 19:16:43 Message:
As the boat appraoched teh city, Van Helser looked out the periscope at the sprawling factories the and chemical fumes they were pumping out into the sky.
"I.."Luthwye began, "I recommend we tell the truth in the majority. We went aboar the Star Fort as guests, then fled and crashed when it was attacked.It has the least chance of being disproved by conflicting evidence."
Van Helser nodded, and continued watching the city.
The mutants piloted the boat to an area on the edge of the city, where the docks bordered the slums. They were worried the boat would be sunk before it got anywhere near the land if they had driven straight into the Fehrwar enclave.
The group dismounted, Quirrick dragging the daemonhosts. But gently, this time, taking care not to anger them. The mutants sped off in the boat, eager to leave before they were discovered.
They stood on the last paved portion of the city-wide dock. To the north was the slums,inhabited by the human workers for the factories. Beyond them was the subslums, the domain of the mutants, marked by tall wooden towers. To the south was the main city. The warships of the Fehwaran navy sat in the docks. The bronze factories belched out more sickly purple smoke. A fortress could be seen to the west, clearly at one point plated in gold, but now pockmarked with battle scars.
It was then that Van Helser remembered the war the planet was in. Cannon fire could be clearly heard on the wind, carried from the west side of the city. An air war could be seen through the fog to the east. Missiles streaked over the sea, and dark shapes went tumbling to the corrosive waters.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 22/05/2004 19:55:13 Message:
"You really think i'm that stupid Voor'acht?! It is really a choice between two evils, banish the daemon but give them the oppertunity to return to this universe free of bonds, or keep them safish, in bonds, but run the risk of the bonds disolving and the daemon being free in this universe, do all the hard work for it." Voke saw Voor'acht's head twitch, he would have been smiling had Voke not so badly destroyed his face.
"A life task, and then some. Finding a way to either destroy choas or change it into a perfectly safe form; both considered impossible by most. But then I can just settle for banishing the daemon, and keep it banished. Daemons are not a problem if they are not in our universe." Now it was Voke's turn to smile.
"Get Ranchak here!Now!"
Voke threw several cups at Ranchak's sleeping form, great gurges formed in Ranchak's host. Voke threw another cup at Voor'acht's chest for good messure!
"Fine. I will have to talk to Mikael about what to do with you; but for the time being I can draw your full essence back here, into these bodies; and I can put the strongest bindings on you and this room you are contained. That way Van Helser can keep his daemonhosts but you will no longer whisper lies in his ear."
Navalis, find out how long it will be before the forces arrive,or if you know just think of it. Awnser formed in Navalis' mind which Voke quickly read. His own forces would be on board in a couple of hours, Navalis having sent the message to them instantly. Navalis did not know how long the navy and guard would be but knew that a reply had been recieved. Well find out the reply, I want to know how long.
As Voke set about refreshing the runes, wards and bonds on the daemonhosts and in the room he focused and with refinement which should have been beyond him, and was untill recently touched Ela's and Eswt's mind.
I should have the daemonhosts sorted soon, be wary they may be desperate and try something. Don't focus on Van Helser, watch them. Remeber your task is not to watch his every move, just keep him safe and make sure he doesn't get drawn into damnation.
Voke looked up as he started to refresh the main ward infront of Ranchak that had been scratched and compramissed. Voke saw Voor'acht not at all pleased, he obviously didn't like the idea of not being able to lie to Van Helser any more.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 20:36:14 Message:
Voor'acht gasped and choked as the nitrate burned through to his lungs. The host body was nearly dead.
"If you're going to keep usss here, Dauphan, you're going to have to use your own mind to enforce the bindingsss. No matter what you ssay, we will be partially yourss. When Van Helsser attackss you, and he will, believe me, you will be able to take control. Your will iss greater than hiss. You will win, and we will kill him for you."
Voek paid no attention. He was rebuilding the bindings, and wouldn't let Voor'acht distract him.
---
As the group stood on the docks, the mutant's boat purring into the distance, the new vessel of Ranchak made its move.
With inhuman strength, the bonds around its hands were broken, snapped with a single jerk of the vessel's limbs. It slashed at Quirrick, its sharp nails striking with the force of bony claws, cutting deep into the man's back. Van Helser turned as Alexei cried out and fell to the ground.
Then the daemon grabbed hold of Voor'acht's vessel. The child didn't resist as it was torn in two, head forcibly ripped from its body and thrown into the sea.
---
On the ship, Voor'acht's true host sighed as the free, unbound portion of its essence was returned to it. It watched Voke knelt on the floor, reapplying the markings to the wards around Ranchak.
"Of coursse, Mikael doesn't want that. He'd rather I kill you, now. In fact, that'ss what he's jusst assked me to do."
Before Voke had even the chance to look up, the daemon struck with the power of the warp. Voke was thrown against the wall, his head colliding with the metal with a sickening crack.
The exultant daemon floated off the ground triumphantly, the chains tying it down dissolving into dust. "You're going to die now, Voke. At your friend'ss desire."
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:08:49 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 22/05/2004 22:07:55 Message:
The speed at which Ranchak had escaped and destroyed Voor'acht's host was shocking, and Van Helser found himself frozen as the Ranchak-woman began roaring and laughing in triumph. Ela was not so slow. She snapped the autopistols up into her grasp and opened fire on the host form, catching it at least twice in the body before it darted behind a pile of crates on the dock.
'In the name of the Emperor don't kill it!' Van Helser shouted at Ela, the gunfire bringing him out of the trance like state, 'I need it to find Jaekomus!'
'Are you nuts?' she shouted back at him, 'it just attacked Alexei and killed the child!'
'Without Ranchak we can't find Jaekomus. It's simple! Luthwye, stay with Quirrick, you two with me,' he instructed Ela and Eswt, 'but don't kill it! Restrain it only.'
Van Helser sped off after the host form. It was heading north, into the slums. Van Helser cringed at the thought of the havoc it could reek amongst the unarmed populous. He noticed a trail of blood on the ground and followed it at pace. The host couldn't be too far ahead. He unslung the hammer from his belt. ______________________________________________________________________
Voor'acht bathed in the power rippling through its body. It hadn't felt this good since underneath Club Hex back on Denopsis. Oh it had such fun that day. Voor'acht heard cries of anger from the outside of the chamber, no doubt the guardsmen returning post haste to finish them off. Voor'acht didn't even point a finger; the heads of four guardsmen just exploded like overripe fruit all on their own. The one metre thick adamantium door sealed itself at Voor'acht's silent request. Nothing short of a melta torpedo would breach the chamber and stop Voor'acht now.
Voke hung up against the wall nearly powerless. His head spun from the impact, and he barely had enough willpower left to throw up his usually impermeable mind barriers. The only thing stopping his head exploding like the poor guardsmen outside was the fact that he was still conscious, however barely.
'Dauphan, Dauphan, Dauphan,' Voor'acht chortled as he hovered over to the wall from which Voke dangled, 'you're my prisssoner now, and I can do whatever I want to repay you for the damage you did to my hosst'ss body. Do you know how much that hurt Dauphan?' Voor'acht spat, 'that hurt a lot, asss much asss thiss.' Voor'acht grabbed Voke's left ankle and began wrenching it. Voke cried out in pain, desperately trying to stay awake. Voor'acht kept twisting the ankle, until the bones gave way with an almighty snap, leaving Voke gasping in agony. 'Oh, did I break it? I'm sso ssorry!' Voor'acht exclaimed sarcastically, 'perhapsss Ranchak will kisss it better? Would you like that Dauphan, hmmm, would you like Ranchak to fix it?' Voke shook his head desperately, causing Voor'acht to laugh again in sick delight. 'Oh Ranchak,' it called out.
The screeching sound of straining metal filled the chamber as Ranchak heaved on his chains. Two satisfying pings sounded out as Ranchak broke free of his shackles. The hulking daemonhost stepped into the half light before Voke, white fangs glistening with saliva.
'I knew you weren't on Van Helser's side Voke,' growled Ranchak, 'I knew how you were against his search for Jaekomus, that's why I destroyed Voor'acht's host down on the planet, allowing his whole essence to come back here. That dumb sleeper of yours just shot my host down there, you'd better hope it doesn't die, because then I'll be able to concentrate all my efforts on hurting you. And believe me, I know the meaning of pain.' Ranchak stepped forward and viciously plunged a taloned hand through Voke's right shoulder, cutting through muscle, tendon, bone and even into the surface of the wall behind. Voke grimaced and cried out, his head becoming heavy on his shoulders. Voor'acht slapped him in the face.
'Don't paass out Dauphan, we want to have our fun,' said Voor'acht, leaning into Voke's face, 'if you passs out, we'll get bored quickly, and we'll kill you!' Both daemonhosts erupted into an unholy cacophony of laughter.
______________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 22/05/2004 22:55:17 Message:
Van Helser dived into the slums, landing on his feet and then weaving through the temporary abodes, with Ela and Eswt close behind. There was already a trail of victims.
A woman in dirty grey clothes lay wounded and crying, her belly split open, and her guts spilled across the dusty ground. Van Helser stepped over her. Around the corner, two teenage boys were slumped against a wooden shack, their throats expertly slit. Van Helser ran past them. A washing line, clothes sprayed with blood, hung above a selection of limbs. Van Helser charged through them. Further up the street, a lake of blood pooled above a blocked drain, the bodies that sourced it nowhere to be seen. Van Helser turned the corner.
He caught sight of the woman as it ripped a man's ribcage apart and tossed him aside. The creature had shed its hood and gag. The eyes that had been hit by shrapnel in the fight aboard the star fort were now freely flowing blood. More than a normal human body should carry. Its hair was matted and its robes were torn and wet with blood, clinging to the host's now surprisingly muscular figure.
The monster began to run again, and Ela fired off a burst of shots from one of her autopistols. At the same moment, the daemon grabbed a young child from its mother and threw it behind, catching the bullets in midair with a soft human shield. the child landed in a ragged lump by the side of the path.
"No, Ela!" shouted Van Helser "Don't shoot until I say!" he told her. He told himself that it was to prevent any more casualties, but he knew all he wanted was to keep Ranchak alive.
The slums were a twisting mass of people and buildings. Every few steps was another corner, another victim, another casualty, another just-caught glimpse of the daemon. They hadn't a hope of actually catching the monster in this. But they wouldn't lose it either.
Unexpectedly, they came to the stone wall of the city. There was no exit and no daemon. Just a growing pool of blood. Van Helser looked up.
There was Ranchak, scaling the wall with surprising speed, bony claws slamming into the rock. A streak of blood trickled down the stone surface behind it. It gave a raucous laugh.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 23/05/2004 18:27:36 Message:
Voke couldn't focus, he couldn't think. His mind was too clouded to be able to start to regenerate. He knew it. He was going to die. Possible from the blood loss. Voke could feel two certres of very slight warmth in his head and heart. 'Atleast I won't have to worry about that any more' Those two points of warmth seemed to clear Voke's mind slightly. This daemon prince would kill, could eat him alive; but Voke would make sure he choked.
"I'd be carefull if I were you you two. There are alot of things you don't know about me."
"Defiant wordssssss...." Voor'acht didn't finish his reply. Using powers which had only developed recently, which the daemons had no knowlage of, Voke hurled Nul'Ra from where it lay on the floor at Ranchak's host. The daemon easily dodged the slow moving blade but it distracted them and gave Voke a psychic breather. Their powers relaxed as they watched this slannesh daemon blade fly around the room when it should not. Voor'acht quickly realised.
"Very impressssssive Voke, I had no idea you had telekinetic powersssss. You may be of some amusssssment after all. But I'm tired of that joke."
Nul'Ra clatered to the floor, Voke's link with it broken. But Voke had got his opertunity. When the psychic pressure relaxed he started regenerating. By the time Voor'acht had realised Voke had fully healed himself, and removed allcloudyness from his mind. The only signs of wounds were small pink marks where damage had been done to him. Not only that but it had allowed Voke to set up his full psychich barriers. Now he had a chance. Now when they hurt him, he could make it dissapear.
Voke smiled in defiance. "Game on." The aquila sign was suddenly created out of flames between them. "And I'm the one with the surprises!" ____________________________________________________________________
They saw Ranchak climbing up the wall. "Can I shoot him yet?" Ela had both auto pistols trained on him. Eswt shot Ela a glance and with a blur of her hands told Ela to stay with Van Helser.
Eswt lept up, 6 or 7 feet into the air. Digging one of her sword inbetween a gap in the stone wall where two stones met, Eswt used her sword as a temporary hook. Using the sword as a pivot point she hurled herself another 6 or 7 feet up the wall. Her movements quick, fluid and graceful; and should have been impossible for a normal human. Eswt was quickly gaining on the daemonhost. Eswt would be able to hold off the daemon but she'd prefer if Ela was aloud to keep shooting it.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:09:06 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 23/05/2004 21:35:54 Message:
Ranchak recoiled, covering his face, as the aquila erupted before him. Voor'acht just looked mildly annoyed.
'Oh pleasse Dauphan, do you actually consssider me to be that pathetic?' The flaming symbol dissipated harmlessly as Voor'acht exerted some will on it. 'Your little pyromaniac trick won't work on me. Ranchak yess, but he'ss not all here, I'm fully concentrated in thiss chamber Dauphan, don't forget that.' Voor'acht tried to probe into Voke's mind to give his head a good going over. He was annoyed when he discovered that his shields had been risen again. 'Oh I ssee Dauphan, that trick wass a little disstraction. You're quite a little tricksster aren't you? Got your mind shieldss back up again. Well we can't have that, it sspoilss our fun. Ranchak get back over here now!' The Khornate daemonhost responded sluggishly, the sign of Imperial faith obviously having affected him. Ranchak stepped up to beside Voke's still suspended body. 'Ranchak,' Voor'acht commanded, 'eat hiss leg.'
Voke began struggling furiously, and tried to throw up a ward around his body. The combination of Voor'acht's powers and Ranchak's natural magical absorbtion blocked the attempts with ease. Ranchak seized Voke's left leg in both his hands and bit through the calf. Voke screamed in agony, barely able to concentrate on keeping his mind shields in place. Ranchak chewed on the meat and swallowed it, warm blood pouring from his gaping mouth. Ranchak took another bite, crunching through the bone underneath the muscle. Voke fought desperately to hang onto his consciousness, spitting obscenities at the daemonhosts.
'Doess that hurt Dauphan?' Voor'acht said playing with Voke, 'are we sapping your energy?' Voor'acht reached down and ripped a hunk of meat from the wound in Voke's leg. 'You need to keep your strength up.' Voor'acht forced the gobbet of flesh into Voke's mouth, causing him to retch. 'Eat it Voke, go on eat it! It tasstess good, ssso warm and moisst.' Voke tried to spit it out the meat, but Voor'acht held his jaw in an iron grip. Voke locked eyes with the daemonhosts, soundless screams coming from his mouth. 'Doessn't tasste nice? Sso ssorry.' Voor'acht released Voke's face and he spat the flesh out into Voor'acht's face. The daemonhost just laughed. Ranchak took another bite.
____________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 24/05/2004 17:31:47 Message:
Voke had known it to start with; even with his increased powers Voor'acht was way too powerful for him; the daemonhost would eat him up and spit him out totally lifless. But the warmth in his head and heart remained; giving him strength, clearing his mind and amking sure you kept going.
"The aquila wasn't suppost to hurt you Voor'acht; it was a jesture of defiance!" There was surprise on Voor'acht's face. He knew Voke had an iron will but this was rediculos.
"You make jokessss and jessstssss assss your death aprouchesss?"
"Yes; and here's another jest!" Voke lifted his middle fingure at Voor'acht, created yet another aquila in flames next to Ranchak. Voor'acht would make it disapear soon but it slowed Ranchak for just long enough. The two centres of warmth speeding up the process, providing and refining the powers of the warp for him allowed him to regenerate his entire leg in a couple of seconds. As Ranchak had been eating his leg this regeneration ment that Ranchak was kicked in the face by Voke's new leg. Voor'acht was clearly surprised by these turn of events.
"Impressssive Voke. Perhapsss I will have to put sssome effort into your death" Voor'acht waved his hand and focused on dispealing Voke's flaming aquila. "That'ssssss getting borring"
As Voor'acht spoke and dispealed the aquila Voke used his telekinetic powers to cause the crate of silver nitrate to spill on the floor and flood the room. Ranchak was still slightly distracted from being kicked and only just noticed the silver nitrate before it was on him. Voke saw anger grow in Voor'acht's eyes. The silver nitarte might cause him pain but it certainly wouldn't stop him. The same could not be said for Ranchak and it wouldn't take much strain to whip small amounts of the silver nitrate around the chamber.
These centers of warmth, with their guidence through the warp, and the refinement of it's powers was what was allowing him to survive. He might not be able to beat Voor'acht; certainly not at the moment, but he might just live.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 24/05/2004 18:50:15 Message:
Leaving the first sword embedded in the stonework, Eswt leapt up again. The daemon was just climbing over the top of the wall onto the pavement of the main city, when a blade impaled the flesh of his thigh, leaving Eswt dangling over the edge.
Ranchak screamed. He screamed with rage at the sword through his leg, and the pain of the silver nitrate flowing over his body in the chamber up above.
With a powerful, unstoppable motion, the blood-soaked woman grabbed Eswt by the shoulder and threw her over his head, onto the hard pavement of the city at the top of the wall. With a thud, all the breath was forced out of Eswt. She spat out blood, and slowly rolled over. She could feel one of her ribs were broken.
The daemonvessel climbed to its feet, standing at the edge of the wall. It looked down at the sword protruding from its leg. Ranchak wrenched it from his flesh, and looked at it. "A sword. Too long... too long have I gone without a weapon," said the filthy, blind psyker-woman with her strangely fragile voice, Ranchak hiding within.
He gave the blade a few experimental swings in the air, much like Eswt had done on the shore of Balaeha. But Ranchak was a daemon of Khorne, and he could feel the essence of the weapon instinctively. He was more familiar with it than any mortal could ever be. Satisfied with his new acquisition, he seemed to notice Eswt again, lying a few metres away from the unguarded edge.
The sun disappeared behind the fortress, quickly putting an end to the bright golden streets of the city. The fog of the sea shrank down and became heavy. The daemon and Eswt were bathed in darkness. "I don't think I've any reason to let you live, have I, little thing?"
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:09:30 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 24/05/2004 21:48:03 Message:
Van Helser and Ela ran along the street at the base of the wall. Ela had spotted a flight of stairs to the top a couple of hundred yards away and had made for it with all haste. She turned her head as she heard the Ranchak-woman cry out in pain as Eswt stabbed it in the leg. She felt relief for a second, before she saw Eswt being hurled to the top of the wall. Realising the grave danger her old friend was in, she put her head down and pounded up the stone steps.
The Ranchak-woman paced around Eswt's prone form as she groaned on the ground. The daemonvessel limped slightly as it circled; muscles and tendons had been cut by the sword wound, but it retained a warriors stance. The stance of one of Khorne's chosen, standing resplendent on a blood soaked plane, after a mighty victory. It had indeed been centuries since Ranchak had spilt as much blood as he had done in the last few minutes. 'Blood for the Blood God!' the woman bellowed in a voice obviously not its own. 'Skulls for the skull throne!' it said, completing the prayer to Khorne. Skulls. Ranchak had collected no skulls in its rampage, no heads to please Khorne. The woman stopped pacing and prodded the tip of the sword into Eswt's neck. Eswt looked up at the womans ruined face. It was smiling. 'Skulls for the skull throne!' it repeated and raised the sword up into the air.
A half dozen autopistol rounds exploded its good knee, and the Ranchak-woman went down like a sack of potatoes, the sword clattering out of its reach. Ela re-adjusted her aim and prepared to finish off the blasphemy. Van Helser barrelled into her and her shots went wild.
'That's enough!' he shouted at her, before carrying on to the injured daemonhost. Ela let loose a stream of unpleasant prophanities and pointed the guns at the back of Van Helser's head. Fortunately for him, her calm returned and she lowered the guns, still swearing.
The daemonvessel turned its head towards Van Helser and bared its teeth in a bloody snarl, and tried to launch itself at him. Its broken form left Ranchak fuming as he found he could not stand up on the host's ruined legs.
'It was a good attempt Ranchak,' Van Helser said to the woman, 'but your escape ends here. Now turn over on to your back.'
'You'll have to shoot me Mikael - I'm not listening to you anymore,' the vessel said back to him.
'No, you want to meet Jaekomus as much as I do, don't try and play me for a fool. Now turn over!'
Ranchak yielded. He did indeed need to introduce Van Helser to Jaekomus, and be able to feel the man's thirst again. Jaekomus was favoured by Khorne, whether or not the man understood it or indeed knew it.
Van Helser tore off his shirt sleeves and tied off the host's wrists with one of them, he gagged it with the other. 'Since you did this to the vessel, you can carry it,' he informed Ela as he made his way back to the steps. She disdainfully obeyed Van Helser and hefted the Ranchak-woman over her shoulder. __________________
'How is he?' Van Helser asked Luthwye back at the dockside. Quirrick was propped up against a wall, a makeshift bandage tied round his abdomen.
'He lost a dangerous amount of blood,' Luthwye responded, his voice filled with concern, 'you can't expect him to follow you anymore on this mission.'
Van Helser nodded his agreement. He turned and walked over to Eswt.
'And how are you feeling?' he asked her, his voice showing little concern.
'Fine, I've had worse,' she replied calmly.
'Maybe so, but you're wounded, and I'm leaving you here' Van Helser said, she burst out in protest, Van Helser raised his hand to silence her. 'Alexei is injured, and someone needs to stay here with him. You too are injured, therefore it makes most sense that you stay with him until you both can get medical assistance.'
'Leave Luthwye then,' she argued, 'I am a fighter, not a nurse.'
'Luthwye knows a lot more than you on the layout and history of this world. He is a lot more use to me right now than an injured warrior. You are staying with Alexei.' Van Helser turned his back on Eswt and prowled over towards the bloodied daemonvessel. 'Ranchak, where do we find Jaekomus?' he demanded of the beast.
_________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 24/05/2004 23:01:20 Message:
Ranchak's vessel shook its matted, filthy hair back and looked at Van Helser. "Mmhmffhh, fhfhmmm, ffeh,"
"I'm not taking that gag off, Ranchak. Emperor knows what damage you could do with your teeth if you got the chance."
I'll kill you, Mikael. I'll take your skull, and the skull of everyone you've ever known, said the voice of Ranchak forcing its way into Van Helser's mind.
"Where do we find Jaekomus?" repeated the Inquisitor.
Aren't you the least bit afraid of inviting a daemon inside your head like this? A verbal discussion would be so much less damaging to your sanity.
"Tell me where we can find Jaekomus," commanded Van Helser.
There was a bestial growl that echoed around Van Helser's head. Where the defeated Gods of War stand ready, Waiting for the second coming of their final hour. Underneath ancient spirits of death and bloodshed What fought with iron strength to the end, And then died for their mighty sins.
Van Helser's eyes narrowed. "It's not like you to talk in riddles, Ranchak."
The psyker-woman flexed her muscles against the bonds, testing them. I know only what I take from Jaekomus' mind. The place I describe is important to him. He respects it. It awes him.
Van Helser turned, and was about to call Luthwye over and repeat Ranchak's words to him, but the savant was already there, standing behind him, shaking in fear.
"I... I heard it. I think I know where it is. But... I don't think we should go there."
Throwing his arms wide in exacerbation, Van Helser raised his voice. "We've come all this way, Luthwye. We're going to find Jaekomus. Tell me! Where..."
But he was interrupted by a shout from Ela. She pointed down the docks at a troop of military personnel transports rumbling down towards the group and the slums where Ranchak had slipped loose.
"Eswt and I will get into hiding," said Quirrick before Van Helser could tell him. "We'll try and meet up with Voke. You guys get out of here."
Van Helser span round to Luthwye again. The savant almost began to cry. "We... we'll need to take a train," he said.
Ela, Van Helser and Luthwye darted down an alley out of sight, and towards the mighty train docks the other side of the fortres. Quirrick and Eswt disappeared into the nighttime docks.
Taking a viewing lens from his pocket, Quirrick flicked on its nightvision mode and looked over the military group passing them by. More Fehrwaran military, carrying lasguns. Probably responding to calls of distress after Ranchak's rampage.
Their leader rode from the front, leaning out the hatch atop the lead personnel carrier. Quirrick focused in on her, and swore.
She was mostly bald, what hair she had left being badly burnt. Fresh scarring covered her left hand and most of her face. Her right hand was shod with a golden armoured gauntlet, and much of the right hand side of her body was replaced with new bionics that reflected the starlight. But it was the bionics on her face that Quirrick had recognised. An eye, with a green laser that flicked across the docks.
It was the Noble from the star fort. She could recognise any of them, including the corpse of the Voor'acht child in the water. She knew they were not Rogue Traders. And if any of the people in the slums gave her Van Helser's description, then things could become difficult for the Inquisitor.
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:09:53 GMT -5
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 25/05/2004 13:50:45 Message:
The journey to the train docks was undertaken with much caution. Luthwye lead them through dark, winding back alleys, the group keeping to the shadows wherever possible. Van Helser hung off Luthwye's shoulder with his hammer drawn, while Ela carried the Ranchak-woman over her shoulder at the rear. Occasionally they would come across some locals - tramps, drunks and prostitutes - but quick telepathic distractions from Van Helser kept them for the most part unseen.
They heard the train docks a long time before they saw them. A great thundering noise sounded out into the night air as the almighty locomotives heaved their cargoes in and out of the docks. The group crested a rise, and were finally able to look down upon the noisy metal beasts. Though upset by the voice of Ranchak in his head, Luthwye couldn't help but feel a little excited at getting an opportunity to look upon the mega trains of Messalon IV.
'Luthwye,' Van Helser whispered, 'any ideas as to which direction we need to get a train in?'
The savant fumbled through his data-slates. 'Yes, follow me.' Luthwye set off down the hill, leading Van Helser, Ela and the Ranchak-vessel into the gigantic depot. ________________________________________
Ranchak bellowed in fury as the silver nitrate ate into his feet. He ran at Voke and punched his talons through his gut. Voke gasped again at the renewed agony.
'Sssilly little man,' Voor'acht cooed, 'sshouldn't have done that, look how angry you've made Ranchak.' The Khornate daemonhost withdrew its talons and licked them clean of blood, before stabbing one threw the left of Voke's chest, and then the other through the right. He withdrew them slowly. 'Lookss like he punctured both your lungsss Dauphan,' Voor'acht said softly, 'can you regenerate them before you die of oxygen lossss? I give you thirty ssecondss before you fall unconssciouss, after that, your body iss mine.' Voke stared questioningly at Voor'acht as he gasped for breath. 'That'ss right Dauphan, I'm going to possesss your body, and use itsss incredible link to the warp for my own doing. You sssee Dauphan, I know what happened to you on Denopssiss, I know what you've become, and I want it. Goodnight.'
Voke's eyelids became exceedingly heavy, but the warmth in his head and chest still remained.
_____________________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 26/05/2004 20:38:02 Message:
OOC: Eswt more cold and emotion tight than that; she would protest but not overly, and she would protest because of her mission, could you please edit? I'll send you an e-mail and discuse the Voke/Voor'acht thingy tommorrow probably.
IC: The warmth became a guiding light. Voke heard whispers in his head; not daemonic, but not right. They were voices of those very wise, clearly, but they spoke as if dead. Voke could barley hear what they said but they guided him and allowed him to regenerate himself fully; once more. The door exploded inward. Voke saw Navalis at the door, the remaining 6 guadrsmen behind him. Voke would have to do something to stop them all getting killed.
Voke created another flamming aquila infront of Ranchak. At the same time Voke hurled Nul'Ra at Voor'acht. Also Voke decided to go on the offensive. Voke launched a full psychic assault on Voor'acht's mind. Voor'acht was very surprised by these quick turn of events, he had let himself be drawn into Voke. Voor'acht realed from Voke's asault and the assault of Nul'Ra hurtleing through the air. This was time Navalis used to great effect.
Navalis was armed with a webber, a variation on one Voke had taken from the fallen body of a Eldar, following the aspect of the warp spider. The others were armed with autoguns. All were laden with a rediclious number of holy symbols of the god emperor; but it worked. The guardsmen were using ammunition which Voke kept incase he expected to fight the daemonic. The bullets were silver and had etched into them a basic prayer to the Emperor and a small symbol of banishment. Man hours of larbor had gone into doing such a thing but Voke had the resources to make it happen. Ranchak never stood a chance and was quickly contained. With a combination of surprise, the guardsmens weapons and Voke's guided assault Voor'acht was also over come, barly. Voke quickly set about making the room as daemon proof as possible. He ordered masses of servitors down and withing 2 minutes the entire chamber had been covered in runes and wards and silver symbols. It would not trap the daemons into hosts or keep them uner a masters control; but it would keep them in that chamber for the forseeable future.
Navalis helped Voke stagger out of the chamber once his task had been done. "Navalis prepare The Rouge Star. I have a feeling that I should return to the surface. Continue to prepare my forces to follow me in. How much longer before the Navy and guard arrive? How much longer before the assault can begine?"
OOC: roBurky you should answer that
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 28/05/2004 14:39:17 Message:
'Come back here Dauphan, come back here right now!' Voor'acht mind spoke to Voke. 'You stupid man, you bastard! Do you know what happens to people who try to fight daemons? They die Dauphan; they die slow, horrible deaths. I'm going to kill you Dauphan! Your soul is mine! As are those other things you've got in your body. I don't know which I'm going to enjoy gorging myself on most!'
Voke ignored the daemonhost's intrusive cries, and felt relieved as a void shield the guardsmen had rigged up sprang up to cover the doorway. It was disconcerting though how Voor'acht had known about his secret, no one knew, even he wasn't entirely sure what had happened to him. He pondered over what course of action to take with the daemonhosts.
_____________
'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 28/05/2004 16:57:50 Message:
Van Helser was gone. Either he was damned and a servent of choas or he had lost control of his daemonhosts; completely. And now those daemonhosts had a grip on Van Helser, so even if poor Mikael wasn't already damned then he soon would be!
These thoughts rolled around Voke's mind as he waited for a second for Navalis' reply. He would need outisde help either way, he'd have to treat Van Heleser as damned for the time being, worst case. He would need help from outside, from a fellow Inquisitor. It would have to be someone who suspected Van Helser but it couldn't be a puritan, Voke couldn't work with one of those pompus idiots. A thought shot through Voke's mind.
Stryde!
She knew about Van Helser and Voke believed that she suspected him. They had worked well together in the past, in a way. Once Navalis had answered and while Voke was waiting for The Rogue Starto be prepped for taking him back down he would try and contact Stryde. Depending on where she was she might even be able to arrive with the Navy and guardsmen and be here to help with Van Helser on the spot.
Voke only hopped that Mikael wasn't damned yet, that he still could be saved from the daemons and that when Voke reached him Ela and Eswt had managed to keep him uncorrupted by the daemonhosts touch.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 01/06/2004 13:46:37 Message:
Quirrick ducked painfully behind some pipes in the docklands, while Eswt limped along behind. The docks were dead, but there could only be a couple of hours before the sun would come up and the workers would come back.
'We need to find somewhere to rest up during the day,' Quirrick said to Eswt, 'and I need to find something to use as fresh bandages.'
'Agreed,' Eswt answered bluntly, 'some food and water would be much appreciated too.'
'We'll need to find somewhere where no one will come across us - especially not that woman from the Starfort. We'll be in the crap if she finds us.'
'Yes, we will,' Eswt concurred with the point of Quirrick's sentence, if not the way he had said it. They did indeed need to avoid the security forces in the area. 'We'll head for one of the warehouses. Hopefully we'll find one with a fresh shipment of foodstuffs.'
'Good call,' Quirrick answered with a smile, 'perhaps we'll find one with the food that was up on the Starfort, that stuff was good!'
'Uh-hu,' Eswt answered without any of Quirrick's enthusiasm.
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:10:13 GMT -5
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 01/06/2004 15:51:45 Message:
Eswt just looked at Quirrick coldly.
What was it with people who liked guns and always being so emotional. It didn't really have a place in combat. It was a cold blooded affair combat, no place for emotions.
Eswt couldn't understand it, but she was slowly loosing her tight emotional control and steely heart as a result of centuries with Ela. On Eswt planet they had to think like that. They were always at war with Orks, and without a decent level of technology they needed every bit of help they could manage. It hadn't taken too long before Ela had her effect and Eswt only remained frozen when in combat, or when there was potential. Voke had often difussed resitance from some leader just by meeting them with this beutiful, emotionless women. Alot of pompus leaders jumped to the conclusion that they were so important it had to be an assassin, and they would set about licking Voke's shoes in any way they could; which Eswt always found amussing to watch.
Eswt used her remaining sword as a crutch, supporting her and allowing her to remain upright despite her broken ribs and the ache in her chest. Eswt and Quirrick slowly walked towards the warehouse, the walking wounded. Quirrick was alot worse off then Eswt, both trying to make sure it wasn't too apparent they were injured.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 02/06/2004 17:48:57 Message:
Van Helser, Ela, and Luthwye looked down at the train docks.
A magnificent sight. Metal planks etched with gold leaf stretched out before them. There was a single train in the dock, but it was still enough to create a pulsing throng of activity.
The train was a wheeled city. Carriages of mansion-like status, fulfilling a multitude of tasks. An airstrip sat atop the closest, the last in the line, but still it looked to have room for cargo and passengers in the lower decks. To the northwest, the other carriages were laid out in a line. Several had mighty cannons protruding from the side. All had gun emplacements manned by servitors clamped onto the side like barnacles.
Luthwye glanced at the daemonvessel's ruined leg and smiled briefly. Seeing the once malevolent thing being carried like an invalid seemed to have improved his nerves slightly. "I'll go down and secure us passage," he said.
"On your own?" said Ela.
Luthwye gave her a tired look, "Yes, Ela," he said patronisngly, "You are both clearly offworlders, dressed in unusual clothes. I, however, am a clone. There will likely be thousands just like me on this world. I'll go down there and bribe an official to smuggle you on board with no questions asked or any offical documentation." The savant looked to be returning to the overly confident creture he had been back on the Stellar Web. "Messalon is heavily corrupt, and I made sure to bring ample credit tiles for any purpose."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 03/06/2004 18:44:06 Message:
Voke sat in his quaters pondering his next move. He needed to get back down to the planet, and he couldn't wait for the guard or the navy to arrive before he did so. He would go down alone, flying The Rogue Star himself. Althought it had been along time since Voke had flown he should be able to land in a remote area and not get shot at. He would take as many supplies with him as he could, including Mikael's daemon sword. Voke would go down to the planet, find his friends and re-unite them with their proper weaponry. He would have to check Mikael before he did that. Needed to make sure that the daemons had got a complete grip on him and then Voke could do his best to make sure his friend kept walking in the Emperor's light. But Voke also realised that he may have to kill Van Helser.
On the subject of Van Helser Voke felt he would need help to deal with him. There was only one person Voke could call for help. Stryde. Voke just hoped she would be able to arrive soon.
+++Sending Message+++ +++Message Author: Inquisitor Voke+++ +++Intended Recipent: Inquisitor Stryde+++ +++Astropathic channel: 3xcm/ghj4/f3856/fn96m +++Message Title: Mikael Van Helser+++ +++Thought for the day:No man that died in the Emperor's service died in vain+++ +++Message Body+++ Inquisitor Stryde, I call for your help and services. You are the only person I can call for aid in this matter and hope that you can respond to my plea for aid quickly and journey here with all haste (locastion of transmission:see sebdocument 4XT5bn/9AS1fg). The reason for my plea is a grave one indeed. I have reasons to suspect that Inquisitor Van Helser may be falling under the sway of choas. I am not sure if you are aware of Mikael's personal goals but on this planet is an Inquisitor who is likely to bring Mikael alot closer to his goals. I will speak in more detail of this if you choose to assist me. I believe Mikael has fallen under the sway of his daemonhosts. There bonds have weakened and they were able to partially escape their host bodies. I have Voor'acht fully contained in a void shield and Ranchak's original host is there also. I will speak to you in much more detail if you arrive. If my fears are true then I will need your help to deal with Van Helser. If my fears are unfounded your assisstance will still be useful with helpign Van Helser with his goals, handeling the information he is about to gain and in any action taken with his daemonhosts. May the Emperor's light shine down on you, may you tread his path firmly and may you make full speed here imeadiatly. +++Message body ends+++ +++Classified Access+++ +++Encrypting Message:Encryption Gamma5/7HA/9fn+++ +++Sending Message+++
Voke turned the computer off. The Rogue Star should be ready soon. The navy and the guard should arrive soon enough to make a difference. If he was lucky Stryde could be here very quickly. Her help would be very useful. Voke would go down to the planet, try and find his friends and give them weapons and any aid they need. Voke had the feeling that they would need his help. Just before he landed Voke would try and locate the group psychichly; somehow Voke doubted that Van Helser had a locating device on like Voke had asked, but if he was lucky Ela or Eswt may have found one.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 03/06/2004 22:53:06 Message:
'Sounds like a good plan Luthwye,' Van Helser said to the savant who promptly disappeared into the mob of activity before them. 'You can set Ranchak down now,' Van Helser said to Ela, who rather unceremoniously dumped Ranchak's vessel onto the ground.
'You're not going to let her get away with that are you?' the daemon's voice once again flaring inside Van Helser's mind. 'What if the woman's body dies? You'll never find Jaekomus then, and you'll go mad without his knowledge. You'll fail Mikael, fail like a warrior with no sword in battle.'
'Hold your tongue!' Van Helser shouted. Ela looked at him quizzically.
'I didn't say anything,' she answered, a little consternated with what Van Helser had just said.
'Not you,' Van Helser spat, clearly agitated, 'that beast on the ground.' He pointed at the Ranchak-woman. Ela considered saying to Van Helser that Ranchak had not spoken either - the thing was gagged for Emperor's sake - but she kept it to herself. This was more evidence that the Inquisitor had well and truly lost it. All this time spent around the daemons had finally got to him. She loosened the restraints on her holsters slightly.
'She's going to kill you Mikael. She thinks your mad. She's going to shoot you before you have a chance to meet Jaekomus. You'll bleed out while all you desire lies just outside your reach. You should just kill her now - get her out of the way. Just say you ran into trouble. Luthwye might speak out against you, but you could quite easily wring his neck. You are a warrior Mikael, like I. You command the lives of all those around you. They only survive because you let them. Just butcher them all. You only need me. Kill. Kill. Kill!'
Van Helser glanced up at Ela, sweat pouring freely from his brow. The daemon was right - Ela was in the way, she was a threat to the mission. It would just take one swing with the hammer. Just one skull shattering impact. But he was too exposed here. He needed to wait. He'd kill her once they were on the train.
Van Helser's eyes narrowed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 'Rid yourself of the aquila too Mikael; we both know you don't believe in what it represents anymore.' - Ranchak to Van Helser on Messalon IV
|
|
VanHelser
Junior Member
Second Archivist
Busy little bee.
Posts: 199
|
Post by VanHelser on Jun 10, 2005 9:10:35 GMT -5
Reply author: Inquistitor Voke Replied on: 04/06/2004 12:06:05 Message:
Ela hoped it wouldn't come to having to fight Van Helser; if that happened then she had pretty much failed her mission. She had rearranged the clips for her autopistol. One clip used up by each, she had another 3 for each. She still had the three laspistols from The Stellar Web. Each laspistol had 4 clips, each clip good for 30 shots. If Van Helser attacked her she would use those, they wouldn't go right through Van Helser ,to start with anyway, and would cauterise the wound unlike the auto pistols. They would allow her to stop Van Helser and hopefully avoid killing him. _____________________________________________________________________
Voke sat in his chambers, waiting for The Rogue Star to be fully readied. He sat in a trance, trying to find Ela and Eswt's minds below. The two centres of warmth helped and guided him yet again. He couldn't pinpoint there location but there were not together. Voke wanted to make this as short as possible, he didn't want to draw the daemons with a large use of warp power. He touched Ela and Eswt's minds, renforcing their psychich shield he had placed around them and placing into their minds the knowlage that he would be comming down soon, with weapons and equipment. And that they had to find some form of communication system so he could locate them.
______________________________________________________________________
As they made their way into the warehouse Eswt turned to Quirrick. "We need to find a communication system soon. Voke will be comming down planet side soon with equipment and weapons and we need to be able to tell him where we are." Quirrick gave Eswt a slightly uneasy glance. "Why should he find us? We're out of the action" Eswt clipped the side of his face with a open hand. "Because if he finds us he can get us back into the action you hair brained twerp! And we'll get our proper weapons back! But first we need to get a communication system and not get spotted by these guys" Eswt gestured to those roaming around, those they had come into the warehouse to avoid. ______________________________________________________________________
Ela picked up Voke's message and his intent. He was needed with Van Helser, and soon. At the very least to help take him out. Ela needed to reach a communication system. She didn't inform Van Helser of this. Somehow, she got the impression that telling him that Voke would come down to them, if they got a communication system, was just more insentive for Van Helser to smear her brains across the wall with that large hammer of his.
No one is truley sane; we are all just different levels of insanity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Stryde Replied on: 04/06/2004 13:26:05 Message:
+++Outgoing Transmission+++ +++Classification: Magenta+++ +++Author: Inquisitor Jenna Stryde, Ordo Xenos+++ +++Recipient: Inquisitor Voke, Ordo Xenos+++ +++Astropathic Channel Via Dracos II+++ +++Subject: Allies Remembered+++ +++Thought for the day: Justice Preserves, Faith Empowers+++
Greetings Brother Voke,
I only wish I might have received this news sooner, or not at all. Damnation! It saddens me to hear the fall of one appointed to our high status. I hear your words plainly brother, and trust your urgency. For I have been keeping an eye on our Horusian Brother ever since our awkward seperation, and have grown quite suspicious of his activities.
Ah, Mikael, Mikael. Such a powerful man with such a demanding drive. To what end?
Presently I am engaged on a grevious mission. I know not the duration required as of yet, nor if I shall even walk away. All my resources have been pulled on this one, and I fear for our Brother. Should I complete my current operation, I shall embark on said coordinates to your location.
All I can offer is some advice. Inform the Ordo Malleus on your findings. I'm certain they will hold great interest in the banishment of his daemonic creations. Good luck Inquisitor. Keep me posted.
The Emperor Protects,
Jenna Stryde
+++End Transmission+++
Jenna handed the completed message to Savant Mosk. "Send it immediately. I was afraid something like this would happen. His aura...dark."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: roBurky Replied on: 04/06/2004 13:50:49 Message:
Quirrick and Eswt were now sitting by a grime-caked window on one of the inner balconies of the warehouse. The cavernous interior was packed full of foul-smelling grain stacks.
Quirrick looked out at the guards outside, shouting at the civilians and taking reports. "I reckon one of them would have a vox-set, don't you?" he said.
Eswt looked dismayed. "Are you crazy? We have to avoid detection, not go killing soldiers for the sake of it," she said.
Quirrick looked at Eswt, "They're going to come in here at some point. Even if it's just a cursory glance round. Probably just one or two of them. Easy pickings."
Eswt shook her head.
---
Van Helser and Ela stood at the edge of another of the city's walls. The train docks were below them, a guarded and seperate dwelling from the hab-lands around it.
Van Helser put his hand to his side to check his weapons were still there. His hand brushed agaisnt something heavy in his pocket. He reached in, and gasped as he touched the cold metal of Ashwyn's aquila. The metal it was made from seemed to have bled all its heat in the night. He took his fingers away from the chilled pendant and closed the button on the pocket. "It doesn't like you anymore, does it, Mikael?"
---
When Luthwye returned, he was running. "Quick! We have to move, now!"
"Why?" said Ela.
The savant began stammering excitedly. "I didn't bribe the official. I've found something else. Something that's much less likely to compromise our secrecy."
He pointed down the road. "In a few minutes, an ex-officer of the arbites is going to come down here in a personal car, with no escort. He's recently left the adeptus and is taking the train to the Orstilla mountains to join the monastery there. He's an offworlder with many legitimate papers and uniforms that will get him past all security, and I can easily forge them towards our own uses. If we kill him before he reaches the docks, you can take his place. "
Ela looked at the savant, shocked. "Are you insane? We're not here to kill servants of the Imperium!"
The savant scowled. "This is the best way to move unchallenged across the world. Van Helser understands," He looked to the Inquisitor, "... don't you?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply author: Van Helser Replied on: 04/06/2004 14:22:54 Message:
'Oh yes, I understand,' Van Helser answered in monotone, 'we will kill him and take his place. It won't compromise our secrecy.'
'But he's a loyal Imperial servant!' Ela protested, 'an ex-arbite for Emperor's sake, he's becoming a monk!'
Van Helser's gaze fixed itself on Ela. 'The end justifies the means.'
'Yes Mikael, oh yes! Kill the arbite! Shed his blood and take his skull. I can feel the rage inside you, the longing to swing that hammer; release it on the arbite! He's a symbol of the Imperium, just like that aquila in your pocket, and both despise you now. But you don't need them, you're strong, you only need yourself.'
'Show me where we can ambush him Luthwye,' Van Helser said to the savant. Ela screamed out against the madness, but Mikael didn't hear her words.
|
|