Quincus turns back around from the threshold of the next room and looks at Johnnie, bafflement and anger beginning to well up on her face in a bright flush of crimson to her alabaster features. She is about to yell something at Rico when she hears the word 'rosette' and the color just as quickly drains from her visage, making her seem even more pale than normal.
"Rico...who...who are these people?"
"You do not seem to understand. My life is the Emperor's and has been since the Black Ship and my sanctioning at Holy Terra. I am alive because of his will. I am what I am because of his will, but I was given to the Master by His comand. My life is the Emperor's to use in his wisdom and his wisdom is that I work his Holy work as commanded by our Master, his Voice. If the time comes, I will fully expect to die. May the Emperor grant me the strength to do it by my own hand. For now I accept your oath as it is. But remember, I am but a tool in the God-emperor's hand and therefore his Voice's hand, our Master. It is not self-importance that made me call you to task, but the fact you endangered us by your words and refusal to work as a unit with the rest of us. I am trying to correct that which should have already been part of your being after our two years together."
I put away my laspistol, and turn to the arbitor.
"As to who we are, we are acolytes of Master Ahmazzi who ordered us to come here and meet with Desius Krade. I Apologize for my manners, a problem had to be dealt with, before we could continue. My name is Uriah Trantor and it seems we have to help each other before we can continue our mission. As I stated earlier, if the number of rogues were four, than they were dealt with. I do not know if the pilot was one yours, but there was something extremely distubing about him, and he was acting as if under some sort of control."
Seeing the dispute between Uriah and Ishmael at least temporarily resolved. I release the grip from my autopistol. Looking over toward Quincus. "Well Sunshine. I really appreciate you helping us out. You have Johnnie's trust so you got mine as well. Names Savalos." I crack a smile. Trying to show good will. Not that I expect it to go far since she is a Arbite, and I am a obvious Ganger. "By giving us aid I fear it put a mark on your pretty little head. Same with your Ogyrn friend outside. Won't take them long to track us by camera, or saw who allowed us to land via I.D. codes. So hope you have a back way out of here."
"It is not self-importance that made me call you to task, but the fact you endangered us by your words and refusal to work as a unit with the rest of us. I am trying to correct that which should have already been part of your being after our two years together."
Ishmael's eyes narrow slightly as Uriah makes his impassioned speech and some of the cleric's arrogant, mocking, ire falters somewhat. Although you doubt he has been shamed, it appears some measure of reason has returned to his demeanor. Looking away from the psyker, he begins to gather his own weapons, re-holstering them methodically.
Without looking directly at Uriah, the cleric addresses him as he re-holsters his heirloom revolver.
"Within Infernis, the lowest hives of Gunmetal City, my birthplace, there is an expression:
'Until the gun is forged, there is no sense trying to kill anyone with it; you will only burn your hand.'
...I concede you are correct in this...we have a duty to attend to."
"As to who we are, we are acolytes of Master Ahmazzi who ordered us to come here and meet with Desius Krade."
Quincus seems dumbstruck upon hearing this. She looks to Johnnie, uncharacteristic shock making her mouth an oval of surprise. A dawning understanding, almost embarrassing for the self-confident, intelligent woman now that the truth of the situation is so obviously evident, causes this shocking realization to swiftly change to angry outrage.
"Rico...you, you serve an Inquisitor now!?!"
"Well Sunshine. I really appreciate you helping us out. You have Johnnie's trust so you got mine as well. Name's Savalos." I crack a smile. Trying to show good will. Not that I expect it to go far since she is a Arbite, and I am a obvious Ganger. "By giving us aid I fear it put a mark on your pretty little head. Same with your Ogyrn friend outside. Won't take them long to track us by camera, or saw who allowed us to land via I.D. codes. So hope you have a back way out of here."
Quincus, getting no response forthcoming from Johnnie, turns on Savalos like a serpent snapping at a wayward hand.
"So, tell me, what would one such as you even know of sunshine, ganger? Please, tell me, how did being born and raised in the the deepest recesses of this hive's bowels like my mute friend here prepare you to be the authority on what the sun looks like anyway? Hmm? Please excuse me my requisite suspension of disbelief that an Inquisitor of the Holy Ordos would take as retainers a pair of low-born hivers, a religious fanatic, and a penal colony Guardsman. What are you, voidborn, their personal astropath for calling home to master?"
Taking a breath, the outraged Quincus turns back to Johnnie.
"Lest your friend think I am a fool, I made certain that one of Krade's servants disabled the pict-corders for the landing pad. His bodyguard, seemed to catch wind of your arrival soon after Rico here contacted me, and I have an inkling how."
At this, Quincus stares pointedly at the seemingly oblivious Kalaziel.
"Iacton insisted that I take you to meet him in Krade's offices as soon as the last of the Arbites investigators clear out of for the night. He made an assurance to me that my authorization codes would be stricken from the vox-records. I am not sure how he intends to do it, but he has a reputation for getting things done for Krade."
She catches her breath and calms slightly.
"That is not to say that someone will not be very interested in that shuttle when they realize who it really belongs to. Something about two of Krade's personal aides and a pilot being found splattered all over a rooftop two-hundred and ninety levels down-hive from the Spire #17's landing pad. So, how about filling in the foolish clerk who saved your skins?"
She gives Rico a more than perturbed look, the flush still high in her cheeks.
Quincus, getting no response forthcoming from Johnnie, turns on Savalos like a serpent snapping at a wayward hand.
"So, tell me, what would one such as you even know of sunshine, ganger? Please, tell me, how did being born and raised in the the deepest recesses of this hive's bowels like my mute friend here prepare you to be the authority on what the sun looks like anyway?
I give a good natured laugh. "Well coming from the deepest recesses... I know Sunshine is something rare and should be appreciated."
"I figured you covered the security camera's at the landing pad and all the access codes. My concern is the camera's in the hallways and those covering the lifts."
"We do not know what happened. We were getting ready to enter the shuttle bay, when we were attacked by your rogues. They were planning to kill us in an ambush. They failed. They paid for it with their lives. We took the shuttle and flew it to here. We knew something was wrong with master Krade, because Kalaziel told us.
As for being an astropath, do I look blind? I am no telepath. I have not recieved my Discipline yet. Do not insult our group. We all have our place in our Master's plans. He picked all of us for a reason, although we nor anyone else knows what that is. Please keep a civil tongue, as I said earlier, we are willing to exchange information and work together if we are to succeed.
"Dove, listen. The one we serve sees things for what they really and not as others see it. He looks past our backgrounds and judges every man for what he does and chooses to do. I would think that as an arbitrator you would appreciate such a sentiment."
"But enough for the moment. All will be revealed in the proper time."
Johnnie looks into the eyes of Quincus like the limpid pools of time, trying to divine the woman he once knew.
"Dove, trust me in this: you will not be harmed. I swear it."
"I forgot to mention. Lifts are monitored by sensors. So it keeps track of what floors it goes to. What floor its resting on, etc. So if you did knock out all the camera's on the level with the landing pad. The Authorization codes are wiped. So monitors have no idea who went up this way. A red flag is going to go up. We are living on burrowed time. It will be a matter of moments before a squad of Shock Troops starts scanning this floor from door to door."
"Now if you managed to cover all of that. Then Johnnie you better get on your knee's and beg for her to take you back. Cause she is a keeper."
"And you...Little Miss Sunshine. Quit posturing and bragging how well you have done without him since he left. Smack him for leaving you. Kiss him because you love him. And then lets move. We have alot to do." I just shake my head in disbelief. I swear the higher up people live in the Spires the less common sense they have. Must be the lack of breathable air. My mind is spinning with what to do next. What we know, and what we need to find out. It reminds me when I was with the Duct Wolves and a deal with a rival gang went bad. You don't know where the pieces are falling, but you have to try to stay a step or two ahead. Keep your head down and move fast.
I watch as personal affairs are sorted out. Between Quincus and Johnnie, and Uriah and Ishmael. They have to be cleared here or none of us are going to live past today. I give a look to Albrek to be ready to move soon. I already have the next moves planned.
"I forgot to mention. Lifts are monitored by sensors. So it keeps track of what floors it goes to. What floor its resting on, etc. So if you did knock out all the camera's on the level with the landing pad. The Authorization codes are wiped. So monitors have no idea who went up this way. A red flag is going to go up. We are living on borrowed time. It will be a matter of moments before a squad of Shock Troops starts scanning this floor from door to door."
"Now if you managed to cover all of that. Then Johnnie you better get on your knee's and beg for her to take you back. Cause she is a keeper."
Quincus goes slightly pale as you say this, some of the anger dissipating from her, replaced by fear.
"Krade's servants, Iacton and Ivaanov, assured me your arrival would be concealed to the best of their abilities, but from what you are saying there truly can be no guarantees."
"Do not insult our group. We all have our place in our Master's plans. He picked all of us for a reason, although we nor anyone else knows what that is. Please keep a civil tongue, as I said earlier, we are willing to exchange information and work together if we are to succeed."
Now the Judicium clerk's anger begins to wilt in earnest, and her eyes begin to look downcast.
"I...I... you have my apologies. I meant no disrespect. It is just too much to comprehend right now. Yesterdays events have everyone on edge. It is not often that a High Arbiter of the Judicium is kidnapped from his offices in one of the most secure spires in Orcut VII. Couple this with a friend returning after two years without any contact...as an acolyte of the Inquisition..."
"Dove, listen. The one we serve sees things for what they really and not as others see it. He looks past our backgrounds and judges every man for what he does and chooses to do. I would think that as an arbitrator you would appreciate such a sentiment."
Listening to Johnnie speak, Quincus' features soften somewhat, her eyes filling with moisture, but never does she shed so much as a solitary tear. It almost seems a mirage for how quickly this moment of vulnerability passes. As her features harden once again, resolve fills her voice.
"I understand. Or at least, I will try to. I will do everything in my power to aid you all. Rico, you have my trust and always will. While I am confident your master's rosette could extricate you from any complications that your arrival might make, especially considering your purpose for coming here in the first place, I suspect a lengthy stay answering the questions of the Judicium's Arbites will only let the trail grow cold. We must hurry."
"Dove, trust me in this: you will not be harmed. I swear it."
"Dove" steps closer to Rico, taking his offered hand for a moment, and whispers under her breath so the others will not hear.
"I was already hurt, Rico. I have been hurting since the day you left. Enough of this, though. Perhaps we will have time to speak of it later, too much is at stake now to be mired in sentiment."
"Apologies accepted. I appreciate that you are beginning to understand the circumstances we are in. Our contact is kidnapped before he can brief us on our mission, and before we can get our cover information. We have to hope that the two you are talking about either have the information we need or can point us in the right direction."
Johnnie's eyes soften a bit as he listen for words he has longed to hear. He clear his throat for a moment, "We shall continue this conversation later, Dove."
My expression softens a bit as I see Quincus drop her facade. "Brek, can you write down the numbers and symbols of where those penal guardmen came from? If we are lucky we can find there transfer orders to this spire, or at least records of which penal camp they came from. Then we can go from there."
I give Quincus a few moments sharing her private words with Johnnie before I speak. "Sunshine, can you get us in contact with Krades Acolytes, Iacton and Ivaanov? If they could bring there Masters Itinerary. We may have to retrace his lines of investigation to find the reason why he had us summoned here in the first place. If needed I can supply a meeting place for them to meet us in the Under Hive."
"Kalaziel, do you have a copy of your Masters Itinerary or notes of his recent investigations?"
"Uriah did our Master give you a code word to send through channels to inform him of complications? If so then we need to find ourselves an Astropath. Lets grab what we can and move quickly."
"Ishmael... How do you feel about listening to confessions from the condemned?"
"Through an astropath I can contact our Master, no matter where he is. We can get new orders then."
|
"Apologies accepted. I appreciate that you are beginning to understand the circumstances we are in. Our contact is kidnapped before he can brief us on our mission, and before we can get our cover information. We have to hope that the two you are talking about either have the information we need or can point us in the right direction."
Quincus nods, and releases Johnnie's hand.
"Iacton contacted me by my personal vox within moments of Rico's landing request, as if he was aware of your imminent arrival. I suspect he knows much of the information you seek. I will take you to Krade's offices where he and the tech priest await you as soon as I receive word from him that the Arbites investigators have vacated the premises. Iacton has assured me that he will use his influence to engineer their departure before the hour is done."
Johnnie's eyes soften a bit as he listen for words he has longed to hear. He clear his throat for a moment, "We shall continue this conversation later, Dove."
Quincus releases your hand to answer Uriah, but not before whispering,
"I hope so."
"Through an astropath I can contact our Master, no matter where he is. We can get new orders then."
"Good. We need to make him aware that there has been complications."
Looking over to Quincus. "Thank you"
My expression softens a bit as I see Quincus drop her facade. "Brek, can you write down the numbers and symbols of where those penal guardmen came from? If we are lucky we can find there transfer orders to this spire, or at least records of which penal camp they came from. Then we can go from there."
Albrek shifts his attention to Savalos from where he was standing vigilant by the suite's doors, peering out of the flanking windows into the adjoining corridor.
"There is no need to to transcribe it, Sav."
Albrek rolls back his sleeve to show the inside of his right forearm, where a nearly identical tattoo is inked, only with the number '7' above the double-headed scythe instead.
"The symbol is a chit-sickle, when paired with a High Gothic numeral it represents the service-tattoo of one of the Oremor Penal Legions. In the case of our deaders on the Void Needle, they belonged to the 6th Legion. They were our neighbors where I was stationed on Unduz II, farming the flood plains of the continent's eastern coast from their claustrum. Some of their number even assisted some seasons on our plantation during harvest time."
"I agree, so as soon as possible we will need to contact an astropath."
"Sunshine, can you get us in contact with Krades Acolytes, Iacton and Ivaanov? If they could bring there Masters Itinerary. We may have to retrace his lines of investigation to find the reason why he had us summoned here in the first place. If needed I can supply a meeting place for them to meet us in the Under Hive."
"As I told Uriah, they requested your audience as soon as possible in Krade's quarters. Do you think it would be more prudent to meet elsewhere?"
Quincus looks from Savalos to Uriah and then back Johnnie, looking for an answer.
"Kalaziel, do you have a copy of your Masters Itinerary or notes of his recent investigations?"
Kalaziel stares, impassively, straight ahead. 'She' says nothing in response to your query, the fluttering of her wings keeping her aloft the only noise she makes.
"Ishmael... How do you feel about listening to confessions from the condemned?"
Ishmael's mouth creases into a half-grin.
"I will take any man's plea of penance, and gladly administer absolution or purge and cauterize the transgressor's sins my own way if the Emperor finds his faith lacking."
"Of whom do you speak?"
"High Arbiter Krade was kidnapped out of that office. Unless we can find something the arbiters did not, I do think it would be prudent to meet somewhere else. It feels like walking into a predator's den. Like Savalos said, if we had a copy of his intinerary or notes would be helpful."
"As I told Uriah, they requested your audience as soon as possible in Krade's quarters. Do you think it would be more prudent to meet elsewhere?"
I am quiet for a minute as I organize my thoughts. "I think so. The Spire's security is compromised. First Krades kidnapping, and now the death of the shuttle crew. That lead to the attempt on our lives on the Void Needle." I pace back and forth as I talk. Like a duct wolf when it's agitated. "Whoever attacked us knew we were coming to Oremor even before we did. A threat serious enough for Krade to ask for outside assistance."
"The only advantage we have is whoever it is doesn't know our faces yet. Otherwise the attack would have been planetside. If I was them the first thing I would do is set a tail on Krades people. See if they lead to us. So we set a tail further back and see who is following Ivaanov and Iacton. Do you guys concur? Or do you want to handle things differently?" I continue pacing. The more I think about what has transpired the more it frags me off.
Ishmael's mouth creases into a half-grin.
"I will take any man's plea of penance, and gladly administer absolution or purge and cauterize the transgressor's sins my own way if the Emperor finds his faith lacking."
"Of whom do you speak?"
"Well I think a trip to the sixth penal camp for starters. Men confess things to Priests which otherwise they would take to the grave. If were lucky one of the prisnors will know those stiffs on the Void Needle, and more of the picture of whats going on."
"Well I think a trip to the sixth penal camp for starters. Men confess things to Priests which otherwise they would take to the grave. If were lucky one of the prisoners will know those stiffs on the Void Needle, and more of the picture of whats going on."
Albrek's eyes scan back and forth, watching Savalos pace as the hiver thinks out loud. He coughs quietly into his hand, clearing his throat.
"What troubles me the most, Sav, is that those guardsmen weren't old enough to have been mustered out. They were either active duty or AWOL deserters, and I can count on one hand the number of times that I remember enlisted grunts being allowed to take their leave six thousand miles away in one of the hives. They would have needed authorization from someone high up on the food chain."
Albrek shivers slightly, the chill seeming to come from an unbidden memory of the eerie taint that seemed to cling to your ambushers on the Void Needle.
"The only thing more rare in the Oremor Guard's Penal Legions are deserters. I never knew of a one that lived long enough to get off their claustrum's plantation, never mind escape one of the southern continents."
"I think so. The Spire's security is compromised. First Krades kidnapping, and now the death of the shuttle crew. That lead to the attempt on our lives on the Void Needle. Whoever attacked us knew we were coming to Oremor even before we did. A threat serious enough for Krade to ask for outside assistance."
"The only advantage we have is whoever it is doesn't know our faces yet. Otherwise the attack would have been planetside. If I was them the first thing I would do is set a tail on Krades people. See if they lead to us. So we set a tail further back and see who is following Ivaanov and Iacton. Do you guys concur? Or do you want to handle things differently?"
"I agree. Those rogues were not expecting us to fight back. Let us see if we can turn it back on them. They are too disturbingly focused to expect that, if they are like the other ones were."
Some twenty minutes pass as you discuss potential courses of action, making use of a gargantuan conference table in an adjoining room that contains shelf upon shelf full of legal documents, antique auto-scribing equipment, and more gold-plated aquila busts than you have ever seen in one chamber.
The relative quiet during a pause in your dialogue is abruptly punctuated by the soft chime of Quincus' vox. She passes her hand in front of it to accept the communique, and sits listening through her auditory implant, the entire room fixated upon her intently.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, yes, I understand. I will explain to them your request."
She waves her hand back in front of the vox, ending the signal.
Looking over everyone in the room, she seems to consider her words carefully.
"Iacton has contacted me. He requests your presence in Desius Krade's offices as soon as you are ready."
"I know some of you preferred to rendezvous with Krade's retainers at some other, clandestine location, but he assures me that the Arbites investigators have departed and the area is secure."
Quincus tries to gauge your collective reaction, and then forges ahead, as if wanting to relate the final portion of the message as quickly as possible to free herself of the burden.
"It seems that they wish for you to come for another reason as well. They have found...something...they would not say what, only that it is vital that you should have the opportunity to examine it."
"As I said before, if they found something that the Arbites missed, we need to see it. We must be cautious on how we approach, so that we do not fall into any traps laid by our enemies. We must discover if anyone is watching out for us before they discover us and take care of them."
I listen as Quincus relays the message from Krades men. I stretch by back and crack my neck. Ah that feels alot better. Then I lean across the conference table, and look her square in the eye. "Well Sunshine, what do your insticts tell you? You know these men. If that little voice in your head is screaming duck. Then I suggest we move the meeting to someplace to our liking. Which I prefer. You all know my head when it comes to staying here, and I have more than said my piece."
I pause for a minute looking around the table. "If you all have your heart on meeting Krades men here. Then I suggest we split into two teams. One to go to the meeting. Second group into the Underhive. Group that goes to the meeting disappears, the the others can relay a message to our Master. Will also give the second group a chance to set up and see if your getting tailed."
"I am in agreement with Uriah. We have little to nothing to go on at this point, save that our contact has been kidnapped and we were almost killed by some rogue guardsmen. If his retainers were the ones to betray him, they could have easily arranged for a cadre of arbitrators to meet us on the landing pad instead of Quincus, here. Or worse, had the spire gunners blast us out of the sky."
Albrek looks across the table to Savalos, raising one eyebrow.
"Just the same, we should be proceed with caution."
Ishmael waits for Albrek to finish before steepling his hands upon the table, and closing his eyes, speaking slowly and thoughtfully as he does so.
"The way is not clear in my heart. I disagree with Uriah, but not for the reasons you all would assume. The longer we remain here, the sooner we will be discovered by our hidden adversaries. We will then cede whatever small advantage we still possess. We do not know these men. Even if they are loyal to Krade, who is to say they will not be the next to feel the wrath of his enemies?"
Ishmael turns to Johnnie, opening his eyes and brazenly grinning his rictus of a smile.
"It seems we are divided, I believe your vote will decide the plurality, arbitrator."
"I agree we should divide into two teams, but not to hide out. First team meets with the High Arbitor's men, the second team to cover them and be prepared to strike against our enemies. Then either way we then will go to ground at that time until we can plan our next move."
"We are in the field, gentlemen. This is no democracy. That being said, we must be guided by sense and reason, and of course the Emperor's righteous plan."
"Being familiar with Arbites protocols, I volunteer for the first team."
"Alright. Its settled. Sunshine would be kind enough to lead team two out in advance. Johnnie if your willing to lead them down the Grey Way. I will be part of team two to shadow you. We can meet up at the Gear Box if all is clear for food and drinks. Then we can grab ourselves a quiet corner to talk."
"Ishmael, Albrek and Salvalos go on team 2. Team one will be just Rico and I. The Emperor has granted me new knowledge that will help me avoid being a target, and Rico's knowledge of the place will serve him well. You three are the best shots so more likely to take out our enemy. The four of you should be enough to defeat any opponents and the two of us will hold our own."
I hand Albrek a slip of paper with the necessary codes to contact and tell him, "Look at this only if something happens to me. Use it to contact our Master. Memorize it and destroy it afterwards."
Johnie reloads all his weapons: naval shotgun, shotgun and handcannon. "I could use a grenade if anyone has a spare."
"Dove, by the numbers. You're my backup."
Albrek nods, taking the scrip of parchment before placing it almost reverentially in one of the many utility pockets covering his flak vest.
"Be wary."
"I could use a grenade if anyone has a spare."
"I am ready."
Ishmael pointedly ignores Rico's request, but for the sake of maintaining the tenuous harmony no one sees fit to force this issue at present.
"Dove, by the numbers. You're my backup."
Quincus can't help but grin.
"Just like old times, then. Hopefully your knack for finding trouble left you during your Ordos training, Raptor."
Johnnie chambers a round.
"Let's go team."
After some final preparations and contingency planning, the two groups diverge upon exiting High Arbiter Halleon's offices. With no further conversation necessary, they depart with grim resolve in accordance with the agreed upon plan.
Savalos, Ishmael, and Albrek, led by Quincus and her lumbering ogryn bodyguard, Druuther, make their way to the nearest maintenance lift, the senior clerk's override code providing quick access.
The cherubim, Kalaziel hovers patiently beside Savalos, while Albrek and Ishmael warily eye the rapidly diminishing floor readout above the battered duralloy doors. The only sound is the cleric's quiet chuckle when the glowing red lights begin to display negative numbers, finally settling on 'minus 31'.
When the doors slide open, the relatively antiseptic smell of cleaning agents is abruptly replaced by the dank smell of mould and mildew. A wide corridor, filled with dank, crumbling stonework in Oremor's old colonial-era Gothic style is revealed beyond, dimly lit a sickly green by the few sputtering glow globes still operational along its length. Storage chambers filled with all manner of broken furnishings, old industrial grade cleaning equipment, and outmoded construction materials sit forgotten and forlorn, visible behind massive overhead doors of rusting wire mesh bound with massive padlocks. The passageway continues as far as the eye can see into the distance, with huge pipes hanging from corroding iron brackets set high overhead on either side, swollen with whatever unknown effluvia they convey.
Quincus waves her hand in front of her theatrically before speaking.
“Spire #16 sub-basement maintenance and storage accessway number 232. Abandoned. It runs for approximately one kilometer before ending in a collapsed loading dock where you can find a single, intact, reinforced bulkhead door that exits into old connecting passageways that link to the Grey Way of the Underhive. She hands Savalos a yellowing plastic pass-card marked by a faded Oremor Arbites logo and some illegible numbers. According to Iacton this still works and will get us outside.”
Rico and Uriah, following the directions provided by "Dove", set off down the dimly-lit, curving corridor, their destination a nearby ancillary service skybridge that connects to Arbites Judicium Spire #17. They walk with haste, in silence, focused upon reaching Krade's chambers without being observed.
Fortuitously, the passageway is unoccupied and all of the offices in the corridor that they pass seem dark and vacant, as the hour has grown late while the acolytes conversed. Upon reaching the skybridge, Johnnie taps in Quincus’ override code into a small panel with deft efficiency, before pulling open a heavy hatch door. The pair then enter a wide, windowless, pipe-like passageway illuminated only by faint-red emergency lighting with such poor ventilation there is no question it possesses ‘amenities’ fit only for the comfort of the cleaning servitors that frequent it.
Opening the door on the far side, the pair make certain that none observe their sudden appearance, prior to stepping out and securing the hatch behind them. The corridor revealed beyond could be the mirror-image of the one they just left in Spire #16, were it not for the ponderous, desk-like bulk of a broken auto-scribing servitor sitting outside of one of the doorways. As they pass, the stripped brass bearings and the spidery script writ upon the parchment note adhered to its pasty forehead reinforces the obvious, that it is awaiting repair.
A short distance past the main lift, is another richly appointed corridor, like the one entering Halleon’s suites the walls are paneled in native wood polished to a mirror-like shine, with various artifacts and objets d’art of the Judicium’s history decorating its length. The passageway ends in another, towering, Unduz shellwood door but the name on the carved stone lintle above this one reads, “Krade”.
After glancing at one another to ascertain their readiness, Uriah pulls upon the massive portal, finding it unlocked. Stepping into the darkened foyer beyond, the acolytes immediately can see that they are not alone in the gloom. Behind the receiving clerk’s imposing desk hunches the first figure, who raises his head upon hearing the door open, lambent blue lines briefly flaring on his face as he adjusts his goggles to observe your arrival. The second figure, gangly and lithe, seems to materialize directly out of the darkness, silently stepping out from behind the two of you like a shadow that has disembodied itself from the very wall.
A pleasantly modulated, but sinisterly sibilant voice utters,
“Welcome, acolytes…”
I accept the pass card from Quincus with a smile. "Okay keep your eyes and ears open. Never expect any place in the Underhive to be vacant. Just means you haven't found whats been lurken there yet."
"Lets make some speed and get in position."
"Greetings, I assume you are the two we are suppose to meet. There have been complications, so excuse us if we are cautious. We were told you have something to show us. Let us see it and let us get a move on. Staying in one place is dangerous at this moment."
“Welcome, acolytes…”
"...I am Iacton, aide to Arbitrator Krade. This is Ivaanov. Come, we have much to discuss." Iacton walks out into the room, speaking as he goes. "I know of your troubles. Master Krade sent me to investigate what happened to your contacts after they were killed. When I returned, he was gone. No sign of a struggle, no sign of forced entry, even the pictcorders revealed nothing. As you know, the arbiters say they found no evidence. However, they did remove something." Iacton stops and points at an empty section of floor.
"There used to be a full length mirror here. Archeotech. It would take at least two people to move it safely. As odd as it would be for the arbiters to take only the mirror as evidence, that is not the strangest thing. Ivaanov, tell them what you've found."