"So you are going down there eh? Well don't let me stop you, not that I could if I wanted to, but just remember t'ain't no reds or yellows down there at all. Not that there are many up here, well 'cept you and yours on occasion of course. I'd reconsider though if'in I were you. I'm old as you know, and not ever seen one return once they gone down, not even a yellow. But you know you so i'll be me and stay out of it. Just don't you be sayin' I didn' warn you. As Old Man Remus speaks over the sounds of the gangs fighting in the distance you can not decide what is worse, his low gothic grammar or his breath, but he has been a sold contact in the past and true to the Imperial cause so you forgive him minor transgressions, though calling Adeptus Arbites "reds" and Imperial Fist Astartes "yellows" would at the very least be grounds for a stern lecture and perhaps a flogging at this particular moment you have urgent business so you pretend not to hear it.
Velatinius Caericius turns to face Ol'Man Remus, his near-black clothing accentuated with gold and purple elements. At first glance, he appears quite average physically, in build and height. A fierce gouge starts on the back of his left hand, and extends up the arm, on flak-shielded flesh. A boltgun is slung across his back, a knife-sheath at his waist, and an auspex is in his right hand.
The former arbitrator is silently amused at Remus' comments.
Before service with the Inquisitor, I would have had him dragged to the nearest stocks. Thankfully, I have a broader perspective now.
He then notices the man's own knife, and speaks in a cadence which speaks of upper hive elocution and underhive necessity.
"Remus, I do believe that knife is new. Where did you pick it up?", he asks in a nonchalant manner.
"Oh, yes a good bit of stabby metal this one. Found it on one of 'dem ol'blackboys left to rot by an Orlok attack on the Wildsnake brewery down the ally aways. Ifin' you be interested could probably let it go for say 100 Guilders.?" Remus displays the blade. It is a wicked thing, curved and meant to be held in a reverse grip.
Velatinius tries to hide his interest.
"That sounds a fair price, Remus. Sold."
I will tell the others when we are away from these ears.
Lacking the tact and discretion of his non-orky acquaintance, the sneakakilla asks his questions right away.
"Oi Oi now. Why ya want dat bugeyez boyz stabby bit fer? Not even a proppa choppa now. Maybe tie it to a shoota an make it hurtier, but it jus one spiky bit den."
Velatinius smiles.
"That is a matter for a little later, my large companion. Do not be concerned."
The Remus gives "Normal Human" and odd look and scratches his head. And they say my low gothic is bad He thinks to himself. "Now that's a deal!" He accepts the guilders and bites them and smells them to verify authenticity. He smiles in approval.
"So as I was sayin', careful down there gents." When he says gents, it is almost a question as glances at "Normal Human" there seems to be a flash of surprise for a split second in his eyes before he diverts them and decides not to press the issue. He walks away with his currency behind a pile of rubble.
Once Remus has shuffled away, Velatinius turns to the others, showing his purchase.
"As Normal Human here has surmised, this blade is normally used by low-ranking members of a cult or gang loyal to genestealers. It may be useful for infiltration, or simply for stabbing more effectively. Shall we proceed? Time is not on our side."
"A useful insight Caericus. The Old Wildsnake Brewery would be worth checking out. If any taint lingers it would be best to deal with it sooner rather than later... it the Orlok's expunged it very well. Our contacts are expecting urgent contact however. A short delay on investigating the brewery might be best after we ascertain our current primary mission."
Your contacts gave you instructions for accessing the underhive using an old dig site recently rediscovered that had been used by the Techonobility that once ruled the planet. It had been built over through the millennia, only rediscovered after a gang of House Van Saar detonated an experimental explosive device destroying an entire hab block. The Arbites have it blocked off, but that shouldn't be a problem for you...
"Halt! Present your papers and stat your purpose." A voice emits from a floating servo skull just above you. In the distance you can see Arbites repressors and rhinos blocking off the street. Occasionally you hear a heavy bolter kick off from one of the vehicles tearing into a non-compliant individual.
Rann looked down at the guard and presented his identification. "We are authorized to proceed through this area into the underhive." He added matter of factly.
"That we are. Here, my papers."
Velatinius draws the necessary documents from his storm coat.
"Scanning...The floating metallic skull announces as a green beam comes out of one its eye sockets and hits the papers produced by Velatinius, then over the faces of each of you.
"Identities confirmed. Proceed ahead with caution. My the God Emperor be with you loyal citizens and honored Astartes. " The skull floats away back towards the blockade.
As you get closer the already barely breathable air becomes even more toxic.
"The environmental hazards will not hamper me. I will move ahead of the group to check for potential ambushes and ascertain the best means of descent." Markov readies his shotgun before ranging a little ahead of the group. It can be disconcerting to see such a large figure thread so lightly as he moves through the ruins and rubble.
6 icons generated on survival.
As soon as Velantinius' auspex begins to note the presence of significant quantities of toxins in the air, he opens his periculum kit and withdraws a respirator. Affixing it to his face, he conveys via microbead:
"I am ready to proceed."
The scout scouts ahead with plenty of rubble and destruction from the aforementioned explosion to keep him well in cover and concealment. He manages to sneak up on an Arbites sentry. Startled he says."By the God Emperor I am glad it is you. We have servo-skulls and cherubs deployed in the area to detect any movement towards this breach. We would be honored if you could point out any flaws in our cordon honored Imperial Fist. "
"Normal Human" seems unaffected by the toxic air.
Velantinius dons his respirator and is ready for action.
Velatinius approaches, informed of the Arbites cordon. He seeks any gaps that he can point out, in genuine interest in aiding members of his former organisation. He does this with a detached view on how an intruder might attempt to breach this perimeter.
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This small part of the hive is quieter than the rest, but occasionally gunfire or screams are heard as a common backdrop. Other than the huge crater surrounded by Adeptus Arbites and House PDF forces, and the aforementioned stench/toxic air, it looks like any other hab-block of Hive Primus.
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Markov takes the earnest request perhaps a bit more seriously than he should... but its a bit too mich like a siege set up for a son of Dorn not to consider. "You overall cordone is executed well but if a few sentries are redeployed you should be able to maintain that integrity and have a greater degree of line of sight with each other. Trust in the skill of another loyal warrior in service of the Emperor before servitors but they have their uses."
"What is the current nature of entities seeking to breach your perimeter, gangers?"
Velatinius feels quite pleased that he is finally able to directly assist a member of the Adeptus Astartes - even a scout in training.
He awaits the reply of the arbitrator with interest.
The arbitrator nods "Yes Honored Astartes, the gangers of the hive are constantly looking for ways to and from the underhive. We must maintain this cordon for a few more days until servitors can be re-tasked with filling this hole with ceramite. "
The arbitrator gives his orders to redistribute his men.
"May the God-Emperor watch over you. We must move on."
"Agreed, we should proceed with no further delay." Markov begins moving out.
The path to the underhive is precarious at best and treacherous mostly as you make your way down broken drain pipes and debris fields.
The stench gets stronger at first, then gradually gets back to the usual disgusting and toxic air, but not the extra toxic air from what ever the explosion released.
Occasionally you disturb a rodent or insect that has taken interest in the rubble hoping to find some form of sustenance usually lacking in the underhive as a general rule. The closer you get to the ground floor the louder the sounds of anarchy and chaos get. The Rathole Jokers of House Orlok are trying to make a name for themselves by going after the Blackhearts of House Delaque.
Velatinius keeps his gasmask firmly affixed while the stench remains, and whispers a prayer of thanks to any hint of a forge spirit that may linger within it. He only removes it when the air clears down to containing merely lingering hazards.
Velatinius quietly speaks over the microbead as the group moves in relative surety.
"House Orlok's ore foundry has been damaged, apparently by House Delaque saboteurs. It seen as retaliation for the Orlok's winning Great House contracts over the spies. With recent escalation into all-out gang war, Houses Escher and Goliath nibble easy pieces of turf, while House Van Saar waits and House Cawdor recruit fanatics. The Great Houses will only intervene after careful thought. They need both Orlok ore and Delaque intelligence gathering."
4 Icons on Athletics
4 Icons Scholar
"Oi, der loss are gain boyz."
Velatinius deftly moves about the debris and does so with great speed, however his verbose explanation of the current conflict eats any time gained by his athletic prowess.
Normal Human succeeds at the task with no complications.
When you make it down, Brother Orson is waiting for you. He has a storm bolter in one hand an a siege auspex in the other.
"You are late marine." The gruff Astartes says as he extends his hand to Markov Rann." Sister Agnes had to leave. Brother Gathrix here decided to stay. " He points to an older man in green robes, which indicates he is of the Jade Spire Cathedral sect. One of the larger Cathedral Spires in Hive Primus with known ties to fanatical redemptionists.
"Follow me to the bunker, we have much to discuss. Lt. Weis of the Necromunda 8th is waiting for us there. Here Brother Markov, monitor the auspex while I take point. " He hands Markov the siege auspex which indicates local threats.
"Greetings, scout sergeant, Brother Gathrix. I regret the delay but we are here now and eager to assust. Please, lead on."
Markov finds the path down more challenging than expected. "Understood." Markov took the rebuke stoically and offered no excuse. He would have to be more mindful in future.
Markov relayed pertinent information from the siege auspex as he fell into line at the back of the group.
Brother Orson tactically moves ahead bounding from cover to cover and waving you all to move when it is safe to do so. "Any reading on that auspex yet Brother?" He calls to Markov.
Father Gathrix is slower than the rest of the party, but keeps up surprisingly well for a man his age. "The God Emperor truly blesses us to have his chosen join us in this endeavor. " He says as he breaths deeply keeping the pace.
Velatinius keeps an eye on his own more general-function auspex before Father Gathrix speaks.
"Indeed, Father. His foes shall fall."
"Oi, ya humies gotz da roigh cunnin. Proppa sneaky gitz aint ya. I likez tha bout ya." The "perfectly" normal human remarks as he follows along with the marines.
"Three hostiles approaching quickly via the road. Most likely using bikes or similar sized vehicles. Recommend we take up positions in cover to hamper their assault, setting up overlapping fields of fire. Convert their tactical advantages to weakness." The pause before responding as to confirm the number. He let his elder make the call but eyed up positions and pointed them out to the non astrates for defendable positions for an ambush.
"Understood, Brother Markov.", Velatinius replies as he puts away his auspex and grasps his boltgun firmly in both hands.
"We will be ready."
The acolyte seeks a suitable position in which to conceal himself and to spray bolt rounds upon the oncoming hostiles.
6 icons and a exalted icon, shifting the exalted icon for better quality and setting up an ambush with da shoota.
The bikers approach completely unaware of your ambush. They appear to be from house Escher, they are dragging bodies of unidentifiable male gangers. "We will take this territory sister! Follow me!" One shouts as she leads her gang straight through your line of fire.
Father Gathrix draws his pistol and stays low under cover trying his best to follow the Imperial Fist's orders.
Velatinius aims his boltgun at the lead gang biker and squeezes the trigger.
The Eschers were far less dangerous foes than he had been concerned about but they had been engaged now. He leveled his shotgun at another biker and let off a controlled burst at their center mass.
Sneakakilla pops up from his impossible hiding place and whispers "dakadakadaka" His large gun seeming to magically contain its own sound to a dull chuff as metal fills the air.
Your ambush worked and left the gangers drowning in their own blood.
"Good job Brother Markov, but we must hurry. This is only going to escalate tonight." He starts down a tight alley where you can only walk in a single file, stuck between the mountain of rubble and an old dilapidated building. "I suggest we stagger and spread. This was Van Saar territory before they caused this crater. Might be traps or mines, but we can't go the way we came from. The gangs are swarming to claim this area now. "
Markov moves to follow Orson's instructions. He quickly picks up the frag grenade, laspistol and bludgeon handing them out to members of the expedition. He keeps an eye on the siege auspex to help them stay alert for traps and hazards.
Velatinius moves to rejoin the pair of Astartes.
Putting his boltgun on his back, he says:
"I could use a laspistol. As a backup firearm."
He keeps an eye out for the traps that Brother Orson mentioned.
Brother Orson puts a finger to his lips to hush you before he sneaks ahead and quietly guts a drunk ganger pissing in the rubble up ahead mumbling to himself. He wipes his combat knife clean before motioning you to come to him.
Velatinius notices a pair of wires deceptively hidden amongst some weeds along the edge of the wall where the party his walking. Markov is able to disable the demo charge placed there. You are able to recover it.
Father Gathrix whispers prays to the emperor as he follows the party. "The Emperor Protects, true followers need not fear for he is the light that guides my path. Blessed is he who follows the path blindly and without question. Only the faithful will survive. The Emperor Protects."
Velatinius motions to Normal Human.
"You may find a use for this." he says, offering the cloaked figure the explosive.
"Onwards then."
He does not drop his guard.
Markkov moves from cover to cover checking the siege auspex eager to not delay the group any further.
You continue onward to the back of some ancient building that probably predates the first war of Araneus. Brother Orson wipes away dirt and grime around a 10' section of the ground revealing an Imperial Aquila. "Bunkers like these are rare and unreliable. Built in the ancient times. Stand close." He waits for you all to gather around him and he activates the right eye of the aquila. It spins, and you all with it and slowly drops down into the earth creating a cylinder into the ground about 12' deep. Suddenly a field is created above your heads and the cylinder moves rapidly down and suddenly stops.
The cylinder wall around you goes from being of earth to a transparent field. Out side of it you see inside an Imperial Bunker. There is some very old monitors and computer stations that seem to no longer be functioning. "We keep the systems powered down incase some lucky ganger should stumble upon this. The Van Saar came close, but the Delaque were paid to keep them occupied. You won't find much in the way of supplies here, they were seized long ago, but this is a rare spot where we can meet without being constantly harassed by lasfire."
"I hate comeing down here, but once I am here I enjoy the quiet." Father Gathrix says as he steps out of the translucent field into the bunker. "Allow me to introduce myself officially. I am Father Gathrix, we have a friend in common." The last part he says to Velatinius and he flashes an Inquisitional rosarius under his robes.
The first room of this bunker is 20'x20' in a octagon shape. There is a large table and chairs around it. There is several door ways leading out of the main room.
Velatinius quietly takes note of the ancient technology all around. He shows significantly more reaction to Father Gathrix's revelation.
"It would appear so, Father. I take it this is how I came to be sent to this world? Regardless, what would you have of us?"