It's a vile process. Sirus hates that he has to maintain his feeble flesh, but such is his life. For now.
He hands over the credits and, still limping slightly, takes up his burden to go report to his employer.
Josiah stops suddenly in his tracks. stares ahead with a haunted face as if he has seen something astounding and terrifying, and then faints and falls.
shaken and takes all tests with a –10 penalty until the end of the encounter.
walks out of the medical facility trying his hardest not to touch anything or anyone. Hiding his nose and mouth into his elbow til he reaches the outside. Inhaling the harsh scent of the underhive not really sure if the air is that much less volatile on the outside of the facility than was inside.
"Whew glad to be out of there. So whats next for the dynamic duo? "
For the first time Sirus actually grins.
"Credits, my newfound companion. Credits."
Lazlo draws his chainsword and waits for the attack, if none comes imminently h pokes Josiah with his boot. "Damn uphivers,"
Josiah Graves & Lil Lazlo
After a few moments Josiah snaps out of whatever made him drop to the ground. He looks a bit unhinged as if he saw a ghost or something worse...
Sirus Mechanicus & Shakes
The two of you finally make it to the shop in which Sirus first made contact with the dealer. There is no one here when you enter but the shop owner. He looks up from his work and eyes you both cautiously.
"Who's that with you there? pointing to shakes.
An associate. You never said I had to do this alone, after all.
Sirus plops the ore down onto the floor.
Your shortage is being caused by some kind of mutant infestation as far as I can tell. We got attacked while we were down there as well. I recommend a heavily armed, and armored, sweep of your operational area.
Josiah wakes, not noticing any sting or the dust on him.
He looks at Lazlo aa he gets up, starting to sputter out words.
"I saw a..a, place. Open, no ceiling, it went on and on.. No men made it, no men at all, it wasn't right!"
Lazlo shrugs "Maybe it is drugs, wrap it back up and we head to this fence of yours. Maybe you use it by touching it." He looks down at his own hand and sniffs his fingers that had touched it.
"But I'm a lot bigger, I wont go touching it again. No point both of us standing around seeing a 'place' waiting to be robbed or shanked."
Josiah seems to be calming down a bit.
Don't go back to the wrong place. Don't look, don't see.
His speech is still a little shaky.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll do that. Wrap it up, wrap it away. You don't touch it, watch my back."
He tries to work out if this is drugs.
Josiah Graves & Lil Lazlo
There doesn't appear to be anything physically wrong with Josiah...
The both of you make your way to the location as quickly as possibly tucking the object away securely wrapped in whatever extra cloth you have on you without touching it.
You finally make it to the location. Compared to the rest of the locations in the area it's in rather good shape. Must be doing good for a place in the underhive. Upon entering you see what could only be a tech-adept based on the robes and mechendrite on his back and and another underhiver talking to the shop owner.
There are a lot of random items scattered throughout the store. No weapons though.
Sirus Mechanicus & Shakes
Before the store owner can respond the door behind you opens and in walks two men. One looks like a brute, definitely underhiver, the other looks like he may have crawled out of the sewers from the spire.
The owner looks to the new comers and then to the ore and grins.
Josiah is by now a lot calmer.
We'll sell this thing off, get some cred. Then maybe a nice bottle or patch in the nearest bar...
Josiah will gauge the current patrons, whether they look likely to wrap up their business quickly or not. He's torn between wanting to be rid of the goods and fear of drawing attention to them.
Lazlo was a lot more confident that the enforcers wouldn't be showing up anytime too soon and they'd be rid of the curious orb by then. Let any repercussions fall on it's new owner and them have a few credits to spend.It had been an odd few days.
He strode confidently beside Josiah hoping to demand a higher price.
Sirus glances at the pair and sizes them up out of habit.
I could probably take the smaller one. That brute though...
He turns back to the shop keeper.
Friends of yours?
Psyninscience vs 66
Fear check vs 42
As soon as the two strangers walk into the building you can smell the stink of the warp on them.
Suddenly you experiences a brief vision, like a waking dream, of a vast and barren alien landscape, studded with massive and bizarre structures.
And then you snap out of it...
######################################
The owner shakes his head to Sirus. "Negative"
"I'll be with you two in a moment!" the owner yells to the 2 newcomers as he begins to count the ore provided by Sirus.
Shakes stares in wonder of the alien structure. Such shape and geometry which the mind can barely comprehend.
"What in thrones name happened here ?!!"
Shakes returns to the present moment as the ether washes over him and dissipates slowly. Shaking the intrusion of uncall warp energy shake focuses on the counting of the ore but keeps in mind thebpresent of the 2 new comers
"Sure thing!"
Josiah tries to sound confident and calm.
He does his best to be patient.
Lazlo wanders about looking at whatever wares or curios he can spot... perhaps if they can sell the strange orb for a decent amount he might find something of use here.
If required, sirus helps count the ore. If not, he keeps both eyes on the merchant and counts the ore anyway. Gotta make sure it's right, after all.
The owner finishes his counting and looks at Sirus noticing the blood on his clothing.
"You look like you need some help." and then grunts pulling out his data slate.
"50 credits for it all. Deal?"
The blood is clearly visible on the tech-adepts robes from all angles. He looks like he had a pretty rough time wherever he came from.
75 to cover medical expenses incurred as a direct result of the job. Sirus counters.
Josiah tries to figure out how seriously wounded Sirius actually is. While trying not to peer into any open wounds.
Don't look in. Something might look out.
Josiah speaks up, mainly to the store owner.
"I've had first aid training. The tech adept is clearly badly injured. Extra for medical expenses is more than fair!"
Hopefully I can angle for patching him up in exchange for medical expenses. Or tech rites.
Lazlo stands aside and keeps an eye on Josiah's back... they haven't made any credits yet. He looks at the blood stained coggie suspiciously.
Stands there shaking. Listening to the negotiations and eyeing the newcomers as they attempt to assist.
The shop owner eyes Josiah as he speaks and then back to Sirus looking at the blood on his robes.
"Deal then."
He flips a few dials on his dataslate and the credits are transferred.
He turns back to Josiah "What do you two goons want?"
As Josiah steps forward, he quietly remarks to the tech adept in the remnants of his spire-born accent:
"I have first aid training. Wait a bit and we can deal."
He keeps moving until he is at the counter, facing the store owner.
Here goes nothing.
"We have something to trade, and I'd be well surprised if you had seen many like it. Something spire-born *will* want."
And with that, he draws out the cloth-covered item and places it on the table.
Don't touch it, don't look inside.
If not interrupted, he will proceed to unwrap it carefully. Taking pains to avoid touching the object himself.
"If you can't afford the price we will find someone who can, it shouldn't take long." Lazlo adds hoping to get a good price for the mysterious piece of contraband.
Lazlo looms in the background while leving Josiah to do the majority of the talking.
Sirus takes the credits and stands back. He was curious what the two characters wanted, and besides, they had watched him deal. Turn about's fair trade.
Shakes watches the deal traspiring before him with much interest
Yes what you felt is definitely coming from the object he just placed on the table.
The shop keepers eyes widen when Josiah unwrapped the object on the table.
"Where the hell did you get this!" he yells!
"And why the hell would you bring it here!" he yells again!
He slams his fist on the table.
"You planning on taking me out! I THINK NOT!"
He reaches under the desk for something.
Josiah twitches a little as the shopkeeper starts yelling and thumping.
And then he sees him reach down.
NONONONONONONONONONONO
Josiah's autopistol in in his hand.
NONONONONONONOOOOOOOOO
Josiah squeezes the trigger, the selector already at full auto.
The autopistol cooperates, all six rounds on target.
The Acolyte’s keen eye ensures he can spot soft points even in the
most impregnable of protective cover. When he damages cover
(see page 229), the character adds his degrees of success from
the attack to the reduction of the cover’s Armour value. If using a
weapon that does not require a skill test, he adds 1 instead.
Sirus is taken completely of guards as things devolve from a normal transaction to shots fired in less than ten seconds!
Lazlo is completely taken by surprise as things take such an unexpected turn for the worse.
vs 65
The shopkeeper moves quicker than any of you would think possible at his age dodging the first 3 of the burst of bullets fired by Josiah! The 4th and 6th bullets draw blood, he obviously appears to be wearing some form of armor under his cloths.
He pulls out a combat shotgun from under the counter and fires at Josiah who is right in front of him!
vs 80 (Semi-Auto -10, point blank +40)
Lazlo watches in horror as the supposed shopkeeper dodge all the bullets and expertly begin unloading his gun against Josiah. After a heart beat he moves up and tries to grab the trigger happy shopkeeper. "Just say you're not interested you mad fragger!"
"What in thrones name ??!!"
Shakes ducks for cover drawing his pistol. Shakened up shake looks like he was having a seizure try to avoid gun fire
Sirius ducks behind the nearest cover and brings his weapon online.
Wha- Who shot first? Why?
Fatigue
Knockback
The shots ring out from the shopkeepers shotgun and the blood spray from Josiah is both marvelous and frightening and he gets knocked backwards and down to the ground from the impact!
################
Lazlo misses the grab as both Shakes and Sirus look for cover.
Josiah your out for this round being stunned.
The shopkeeper turns his attention to Lazlo and attempts to move back from him so he can get off a shot.
vs 40
He's not able to maneuver properly so swings the butt at Lazlo!
vs 55
Big miss!
Josiah slams into the ground, hammered back by the shotgun blasts.
He hears the remaining confusion as if underwater.
[i}Ah, the Marquis' swimming pool. That was a *fun* party...[/i]
Josiah's mind temporarily retreats from reality.
"You're going to shoot me for trying to stop those trigger happy fingers! Well you'll regret that." Lazlo decides to take the gloves off and teach the twitchy shopkeep some manners.
The old man is able to side step the downward thrust from Lazlo's chainsword!
Sirus and Shakes up! They in Melee so if you shoot into it you got some penalties.
Shakes closes his eyes and begins muttering some ancient or dark incantation pulling fourth the energies of a Dark malignant Realm. suddenly around him becomes a void of coldness and in his palm looks to be a blur reality resembling fire. Collapse in his hand shakes tries to blast the shopkeeper with a burst of warp fire.
vs 47
Fate point. 2 of 3 used
vs 47