Dominik's light slowly uncovers a hatch, and with a little effort, the group gets it open.
You are in the guts of the ship, the chutes must have their own gravity field, taking you through to the back of the ship, rather than what you woulod think of as down. You are not far from the reactor room, and main engine deck.
This part of the ship looks to be in reasonable repair, it hasn't seen fighting, and it is better lit than previous corridors have been.
"Where would the armories and small arms lockers have been on a ship like this sir? I only have so many flame charges, and if we run into some more resistance, we'll need a bit more...firepower..."
This is a merchant ship, not a military one so there won't be that much fire-power. That said, this is the 41st century, and the dangers of deep space are rife.
There would be a cache on the bridge (of course ;) ) but probably also one in the main engineering section, where there should always be people stationed.
Absolutely, and I know that is my fault in a big way. To be honest I've had difficulty splitting my head between sci-fi, fantasy and reading Wuthering Heights. Not that that's any real excuse.
I want to see this through to the end, and I should be able to post more often for the next few days, but, I'm going to be compleatly off line for next weekend, from Friday until late Monday, as I'm taking the family camping. Then at the end of the week after, I'm going to france and posting will be sporadic at best for two weeks.....
So, we can either finish with a big push, or call it a day.
"Access the schematics of the ship, Nathan. And show us the location of the armory."
"Hmm? Oh, sorry sir, I wasn't paying enough attention. I'll get right on it." Nathan walks over to the terminal and begins to work.
btw, are you picking Rogue Trader up after this is over? Cuz I'd love to continue the game.[/ooc]
"Hmm? Oh, sorry sir, I wasn't paying enough attention. I'll get right on it." Nathan walks over to the terminal and begins to work.
Nothing on the panel allows access to a specific location for a weapons locker, but the Nathan does stumble upon a live map of the ship. This is quite detailed, and covered in red runes, showing vital damage to the various parts of the ship.
From here, it would appear that there is exactly one clear route back to the main bridge, via the engine room, and back up to the head of the ship. Assuming the structural integrety holds, you should be able to make that trip. Just after the engine room, you would also meet where you own ship is docked.
As you stand having this discussion, the corridor you are in brefly flares with light, for a few moments the main lights ignited, before failing back to emergency only.
Brother Malakai looks to the flaring lights, "That's not a good sign, Emperor preserve us..."
"No, no it isn't. Most of the ship's too damaged to risk going through, but there's still one safe route, relatively speaking. We go to the engine room, take a different hall to get to the cutter, get the explosives, then blow that warp-addled idiot into the void. So, everyone got the plan?" Nathan says as he shows the map to any who are interested.
1d100=74
The group moves through the corridor with surprisingly little resistance, none in fact. after a few tens of minutes, and a dozen or so corridors, you enter into a room that is a large as a cargo hold would be expected to be, but more sperical in shape. As you step into the room the lights flare again, this time staying bright.
The room is large and spherical with the reactor core making up the bulk of the center of it, it's immense shaft going through the floor right up to the roof 200 meters overhead. Steam and gases hiss out from the shaft at semi regular intervals.
As the lights go up, you hear a ragged cheer from the distance, past some crates and other obstructions, on the other side of the reactor core.
"I agree, we should be cautious, but not aggressive. Remember, those zombie creatures the psyker was controlling were not particularly vocal. Maybe there are still survivors on this ship, Emperor willing. Regardless, well done, Nathan."
Pulls his shotgun out and prepares to move out before stopping to look back.
"Maybe we should not surprise whoever it is. If it is survivors, they are probably more than a little jumpy and may shoot first and ask questions later. Rather than startle them, maybe some of us should hide, while one of us calls them out."
As you move forward and around, you see a ragged group of people, clapping and talking amongst themselves avidly, they haven't noticed you yet.
The people are emaciated, and weak looking, they have obviously suffered terribly over the time since the ship became stranded, and if anything, they look less human than the diabolic creatures you encountered before.
In a whisper, Dominik will say, "Well, I think we should introduce ourselves. My guess is that these people probably have had encounters with those creatures as well, and may be able to help us figure out what happened here. Even if they do not, we cannot just let them stay here to die. Plus," Dominik will add with a grin, "if they really are survivors, they might know where the valuable salvage is..."
As the party delays, waiting on the captains word, they hear a clink as of something metallic falling behind them. Looking up, a small boy is seen "running" through the mechanism's about 25ft up, making his way back to the other group, he is obviously spooked. He glances back, and seeing he's been noticed, gives a shout of warning to the others "Erart! Intruders! Real men, not puppets." , and continues his headlong scramble.
The lights went up, and stayed up at a normal level just as you entered, that caused the ragged cheer from the group of people the child is fleeing back towards and just warned fo your presence...
Call it like daylight...
"Greetings, people, we come to claim this vessel in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind so if you have objections to the contrary, keep them to yourselves. But we also have a functioning ship that can transport all of you from this derelict to any part of the Imperium you wish, subject of course to the usual caveat that arrival to said destination depends on the exigencies of the service, mine of course, and business, again mine."
"Now all who wish to serve the God-Emperor of Mankind by explaining what the frak is that thing that has taken over your bridge is, we shall be happy to reward him with an extra round of amasec from the holds of my ship. Any takers?"
"Greetings, people, we come to claim this vessel in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind so if you have objections to the contrary, keep them to yourselves. But we also have a functioning ship that can transport all of you from this derelict to any part of the Imperium you wish, subject of course to the usual caveat that arrival to said destination depends on the exigencies of the service, mine of course, and business, again mine."
"Now all who wish to serve the God-Emperor of Mankind by explaining what the frak is that thing that has taken over your bridge is, we shall be happy to reward him with an extra round of amasec from the holds of my ship. Any takers?"
As the group moves towards the civilians, they mostly shrink back, moving behind bulkheads and crates. All except one, an older man, graying, and with rapidly receding hair, who steps forward. "Men of the imperium. The Emperor has heard our prayers at last! Your news is well received my friends, but I am afraid we have a rather difficult problem to solve before we can seek the safety of your ship. Please, put down your weapons, and sit for a drink under the new light, and we can discuss the abomination above, and how, with your help, it may be destroyed.
Obviously unarmed, the man holds his hands wide, and indicates a set of crates off to one side, with a small work lamp sat on it. The others remain at a distance, obviously not as trusting as this man.