"I have it. Do you have my money?"
Aubrey stayed near the door in case he needed to fight his way back out. He didn't want to get trapped in here with these people.
"Show me the thrones and I'll show you the box."
The leader holds up a dataslate showing the rest of the promised thrones listed on it.
"The box?"
The tension in the air is so high that you can almost feel the electricity flowing as all eyes are on you three as you exchange words.
Aubrey holds up the box.
"Chopper, wait here."
Aubrey walks over, holding the box out in one hand and taking the thrones with the other, his head on a swivel as he is prepared for a betrayal at any moment.
Chopper waits at the door, axe in hand, making sure that their way out remains clear.
She hands you the slate with the throne information and takes the box.
"So tell me, did you have any trouble retrieving this item? You were rather fast with the process."
"Your boy Sketch betrayed us, and by extension you. First he tried to lead us on a wild rak chase. When I called him on it, he admitted that the reason the Babyfaces had your box is because he owed them money. I bet he stole it to pay off the debt. I finally convinced him to take us to the right place, and then he bolted on us. Fortunately, this guy came along and gave us a hand. Otherwise, you would not have gotten your trinket back. Fortunately for you, I don't believe Sketch was acting under your orders, so we can still do business. By the way, the Babyfaces went up in a ball of fire. That tends to happen when you walk around with a tank of promethium on your back."
Aubrey told the whole story while looking around the room. He still expected betrayal, even though things seemed amicable at the moment.
Cw winks and blow a kiss at the woman giving the rub down mouthing the words me next to her
"it was rather easy obtaining the trinket. The babyfaces have a weakness which i have simply exploited.
cw moves about the place as if he owns it. Admiring the decoration
"I dont know what that trinket is worth nor what agreement you to agreed upon. But if you have any work that needs to be done please give me the magnificent Cringeworth a ring and a few thrones would be nice if you can spare. Smokes and libation funds are drying up. "
The gangers eye CW as he prances about but don't say anything to him.
The lady boss chuckles. "I'll deal with sketch when I find him. How did you get the trinket in one piece if you blew up the Babyfaces? Did they have it on them? Why you in such a rush to leave please have a seat lets chat a while perhaps we could use your service more in the future and even this other fool Cringeworth."
Aubrey nodded to Chopper before sitting down across from the lady boss.
"They didn't have it. Someone else had it and was using it. Chopper and I eliminated them before they could finish. The Babyfaces showed up as we were leaving and tried to stop us. Cringeworth put a stop to that. Unfortunately, our chance to scavenge them was lost in the conflict."
Aubrey leaned back, crossing one leg over the other at the knee.
"Babyfaces burn up real good."
The boss lady chuckles as Aubrey describes the events.
"If the Babyfaces didn't have it who did?"
She eyes CW as he makes his way around her room.
"My intel told me they had it and they did show up so something strange is going on. Sketch gonna pay good when I find him."
She pauses for a moment "What did you mean by they were using it?"
Aubrey eyes the woman carefully.
"I was hoping you could tell me."
He looks around, pointedly. He knew there had to be at least one more traitor here. Sketch wasn't smart enough to be working on his own.
"Anything else about it should probably be discussed in private."
The boss lady eyes Aubrey curiously.
"Not sure I understand what you mean but we can have a chat privately if you think it's that important."
She gets up and walks over to a door and walks into another room motioning for Aubrey to follow.
"Leave your muscle here. As for that scum bag over there he can come in if he's not to busy poking around and annoying my boys."
Aubrey signals Chopper to wait for him before following the boss lady into another room.
"I'm not Cringeworth's CO. He does what he does. If you think you can trust him with what I'm about to tell you, then it's fine by me."
After ensuring none of her gangers can hear, he continues.
"The guys I took your trinket from were summoning some kind of monster from the warp. Fortunately, Chopper and I put them to an end before they could finish and the creature went back to whatever hell it crawled out of."
She listens intently as Aubrey describes what happened.
"Who were the men that were trying to call forth whatever it was you saw? Are you sure it was something from the warp? I heard that's mostly just fiction and rumors about creatures out there and why would this group try to do something so foolish."
"I have no idea who they were, but they weren't Babyfaces. And since Sketch bailed, he couldn't tell me."
Aubrey frowns at the next question.
"Let's just say that I have seen things."
"Did your friend know who they were?"
She holds up the object in her hand and examines it.
"Very interesting they were using this to try to do something as you describe. How do you think it works?"
She puts it down on a little table in front of her and rubs the side of it trying to see if she can feel something out of place.
"If I were you, I would not ask such questions. There are those who hunt the seekers of such knowledge with a ruthlessness and tenacity that rivals the vaunted Space Marines. You do not have enough men to protect you from them, and they do not hear pleas for mercy. If I were you, I would lock that thing away and never let it see the light of day again. It would be a shame to watch such a profitable associate be burned to death."
Aubrey turned and headed for the door.
"Do you know where I can find a decent cartographer? If I'm going to be here, I need to learn this hive."
CW strolls in a moment later hearing lowered voices about wanting to know how to summon things from the warp and walks out
"You people are crazy, keep the money better if you dont pay me. I'll see myself out
The two of you leave the hang out without any trouble Chopper following behind like a good soldier. The atmosphere in there leaves a bad taste in your mouth, dealing with artifacts that somehow have a connection with dark entities never bodes well. Is your conscious clear though? Handing such an object to a group of misfits without really knowing what it's true purpose is?
((Did she answer my question about the cartographer?))
She seemed to enthralled in the box examining it she ignores your request but CW seems like a good source as he's from this area to use for getting a layout of the underhive.
"Hey CW. Wait up. I have a question for you."
CW pauses for a moment to address aubrey
"Are you trying to incur the wrath of the EMPEROR HIMSELF! messing with the likes of these goons and their ... "
cw looks around suspiciously and whispers "warp dabbling artifacts i have to get away since my name is in connection to this ordeal. "
cw withdraws both pistols
"I should go back and take it from them by force"
"If you want to, go right ahead. I have no loyalty to them. I did what I was paid for. They didn't pay for my continued loyalty. If you pay me, I might even help you."
Aubrey lets his statement sink in before continuing.
"But before we do that, do you know where I can buy my buddy a decent chain-axe?"
streetwise for axe
CW thinks gor a moment
"hmmm a chain axe, a chain axe..."
There isn't that much activity hanging out not far from the painted thongs hangout.
"Follow me I can take you to a place where you maybe able to find One"
CW leads the way towards the cogheads location
"now that your mission is over whats next for you?
"Totally depends on who pays me next for what. I did my time for Emperor and Imperium. I'm on my own now and I got to see to me and mine."
Aubrey nods at Chopper and they follow CW.
CW takes the 2 ex military goons through the hab and about 20 minutes later you come to a scrap metal type building that looks like it's barely able to stay standing. Inside you see a few server skulls floating around tinkering with gadgets and a man (if you could call it that now) in dark robes with 2 mechendrites attached to his back and a face that looks more insect like than human look up at you when you enter. There are lots of different type of gadgets and odd things scattered about. Possibly some that isn't approved by the Imperium.
"What do you want!" you hear the scratch robotic vox sound come from the cogheads head as his mechendrites continue to work on something.
Aubrey steps forward.
"Magos, I want to purchase a chain axe for my large and very strong friend."
The cogheads body twitches and spazms as Aubrey talks to him as if uncomfortable dealing with those of the flesh. His glowing eyes move toward the Ogryn and back to Aubrey.
"Abhuman Gigantacus. Do not see many of them down here."
He moves closer to chopper with a mechendrite moving into closer that has a needle attached to it.
Chopper twitches and slaps it away and the coghead backs up.
"Interesting."
He moves around a bit and then turns back to Aubrey.
"Chain weapons yes, I can make them. Not cheap down here."
Aubrey chuckles.
He must like you. Normally he just rips them off. How much?
CW just moves about picking up random gadgets examining them.
"you have quite the collection of dodads and gizmos anything ground breaking?"
The magos stands still for a few moments and appears to be thinking then replies in his mechanical voice "600 thrones for a chain axe."
He turns his gaze to CW swinging his mechendrite to stop him from touching any of this things. "Ground breaking?" he makes a sound that you could only assume is a laugh. "Why yes this thermal psychic neurological detonator over here can make anyone mind into jelly!" he says with some excitement.
Aubrey smiles.
"What do you say to 500?"
"600 thrones. You should know haggling with a Magos won't get you know where."
Aubrey looks at the Magos. His eyes wander over his form curiously.
"How long would I have to wait?"
"Jelly you say....if it detonates tell me more and how much... can a smaller version be fitted to bullet size for my twin pistols here. Just think a bullet that does damage but stuns the witch mind from healing or casting and further abilities.
The Coghead insect like eyes twitch between the 3 before him.
"2 weeks to construct such a weapon for your big friend."
He turns back to CW.
"Bullets would be to small to fit such a complex construction." He lifts the object in his mechandrite and it's about 2 times the size of a normal grenade. "Oh it will work would you like me to demonstrate on your big friend here?"
"Harm my friend and I'll let him rip you into pieces. I'll do it myself if he can't. Nobody messes with my buddy and lives to talk about it. Understood?"
Aubrey steps in front of Chopper protectively. His hand rests on his laspistol and his eyes take on a deadly gleam.
"You don't want to test this. It would be bad for business."
When Chopper sees Aubrey move, he hefts his axe in one hand, ready to strike.
The coghead does a shrug like motion and puts the grenade like object back where he grabbed it and moves back to where he was when you first entered working on some things.
"Do you want the chain axe in 2 weeks time yes or no?"
"Half now. Half when I pick it up and check the craftsmanship. I don't pay for shoddy work."
If the Magos agrees, he pays the man/machine.
The Magos nods and one of his flying servo skulls moves over opening a port jack with some cords to plug in your thrones.
"If there is nothing else be gone then I have work to do."
Aubrey pays before looking towards C.W.
"What now?"
"We could get drunk I guess, I did hear there might be work around here. Protection work from elites around here. It appears the violence has gotten out of hand lately. Gangs rivaling for territory. "
"What happened to wanting to get that artifact back?"
As you both make your way through the hive chit chatting make an awareness check please.
Aubrey:
Chopper:
Exploding wild die for Aubrey:
Total for Aubrey: 19
Aubrey you see a skinny person, probably female dressed all in black watching you three and appears to be following. The face and whole body is covered in a long flowing cloak.
(Is there a place where we can turn a corner and be waiting when she chases us? If so, that's what I want to do.)
The three of you make your way through the hive and cut down a corner into a darker alley. The figure you noticed following you turns the corner where you made your way.