Evervigilant 50

<Vigilant_GM> IT IS THE 41ST MILLENNIUM...
<Vigilant_GM> The familiar setting of the safehouse briefing room has Kaytian Nils, Oath-Captain of the Purity Gate garrison, enter in the non-descript clothing of a mid-hive civilian.
<Vigilant_GM> The otherwise spartan demeanor of the captain changes visible for a moment, as she sees you - faces she had all the reason to believe had disappeared from her life for good.
<Vigilant_GM> "Interrogator," she bows her head as she correctly identifies your inquisitorial rank for the first time.
<Vigilant_GM> "Excuse me, but I was expecting Interrogator Kurst. I didn't think..." she interrupts herself, and takes a seat opposite Baird's.
<Baird> "Just Baird is fine Kaytian, I think after everything we're certainly on a first name basis."
<Vigilant_GM> "Very well. Baird," she says with a tone of unfamiliarity.
<Baird> "I am afraid your report for Kurst will need to wait unless it is particularly pressing. My cell needs your assistance."
<Vigilant_GM> "I come only to report on the narco-trade connections to the --" interrupting herself again, she asserts, "It can wait. I am here to serve."
<Baird> "I can't tell you the whole plan nor will I bandy words so I'll just cut to the heart of things. I'll need you to insure  that some unscrupulous types make it all the way uphive without Sanctionary intervention."
<Baird> "And then if necessary make sure they don't make it back downhive or get captured alive."
<Vigilant_GM> "Interrogator, as you know I only have that level of authority over the Purity Gate."
<Vigilant_GM> "Many unscrupulous elements operate well above my garrison."
<Baird> "You know the Sanctionaries, how they operate, how they think. I trust this is something you can accomplish."
<Vigilant_GM> Nils looks uneasy at this.
<Vigilant_GM> "Doing so would require me to burn through any authority I have left among my colleagues in the lower garrisons," she pauses for a moment to think.
<Vigilant_GM> "My oath to the Purity Gate would be unfulfilled, I would surely be removed from my post, or worse. I... I would become useless to the Inquisition, then."
<Baird> "Useless? Hardly. You could integrate into my cell. This work will take you off world and will certainly be dangerous but you can continue working for the Holy Ordos even after this event."
<Vigilant_GM> "I... I will do all I can, Interrogator."
<Baird> "I won't force you to join me, but after what you'd be sacrificing you'd have a place with us if you wish it. If you need anything to assist in your plan please don't hesitate to ask. I will provide specifics after my meeting with the unscrupulous types we discussed."
<Vigilant_GM> "I understand," she nods. "I will await your further instructions."
* Baird nods and rises from his seat and walks past where Nils is sitting laying a hand on her shoulder briefly. "And despite the unpleasantness of what I am asking it is good to see you Kaytian." Baird removes his hand and begins to leave the briefing room.
* Reclaimator_Almarax tears the brazier off the flak helmet crushing it in the process.
* Thesse screams and starts yelling at Almarax.
<Vigilant_GM> "Brings me back to the schola days," Kurst comments as he walks past the sister. "Do you have everything you need?"
<Reclaimator_Almarax> "Seems it was mis-calibrated..."
<Thesse> "I think I have everything. Thank you, Interrogator Kurst."
<Baird> "For the meeting at Gantry we do. This shouldn't take long..depending on what Vornas asks for as payment. It can be fixed Thesse, grab your gear ad let's go."
<Vigilant_GM> "You know your way around that cesspit better than I. I'll leave you to it."
* Thesse tries to slap Almarax at the back of his head.
* Karpath checks his equipment, only bringing for weapons his bolt pistol and shock maul while wearing his light carapace armor.
* Reclaimator_Almarax idly swipes the hand away with his ultility mechandrite, no other part of him reacts.
<Tony> "Going back to Gantry... Well this will be a bit nostalgic."
<Nitrous> "Hopefully I don't lose more limbs."
<Vigilant_GM> Driven by a deep and overwhelming case of the homesick, the Throne-Agents begin their descent to the dark, damp depths of Hive Desoleum.
<Velam>  "Well I certainly didn't miss this part of the hive." The savant curls his nose at the stench.
* Nitrous put's on his respirator
* Tony puts on his Respirator seeing Nitrous doing so
<Vigilant_GM> Along the main courseway into the Mortruarium houses, a blockade is set up, guarded by some two dozen men in dark uniform attire. Several armored vehicles block the main passes, floodlights assaulting the senses of anyone who would approach.
* Baird unclips the respirator from his belt and straps it on.
* Thesse puts on her respirator.
* Karpath puts on his rebreather.
* Velam follows suit, at the end of the group, respirator firmly on his face.
<Vigilant_GM> Shouts and calls rally the Special Concerns operatives after your weapons are spotted.
<Vigilant_GM> "THIS AREA IS BLOCKADED BY ORDER OF THE SPECIAL CONCERNS OFFICE!"
<Vigilant_GM> "MAINTAIN YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR WEAPONS AND IDENTIFY YOURSELVES!"
<Vigilant_GM> Two targetting laser dots paint Nitrous and Almarax on the chest.
* Baird slowly raises his hands into the air. "Is there an alternate route into Gantry? We have business there. We are not looking to break your blockade."
* Nitrous freezes in place and slowly raises his hands
* Thesse slowly raises her hands as well.
<Vigilant_GM> "Gantry? What business do you have in that waste?"
<Baird> "Trade with a man named Endish. Otherwise I wouldn't venture into that shithole."
<Vigilant_GM> "YOU WILL BACKTRACK TO THE COLLAPSED LEVATUS SHAFT, AND DESCEND AROUND OUR POSITION FROM THERE! MAINTAIN YOUR DISTANCE AT ALL TIMES!"
<Baird> "Understood. We will do so!" Baird slowly backs away and turns telling the other to do the same.
<Vigilant_GM> Muffled gunfire from within one of the Morturarium Houses grabs their attention, and they reposition.
* Nitrous follows suit.
* Karpath follows.
* Reclaimator_Almarax follows, arms crossed.
<Baird> "Find us that alternate path Tony."
<Tony> "Was considering it seeing the barricade to be fair, alright follow me."
<Velam> "Well, that could have gone worse."
<Vigilant_GM> The path takes you through the tightly packed confines where the Mortuarium workers reside. Dreadful hovels made of discarded containers of all kinds. Soon, the familiar path is taken through the tunnels, until the Purity Gate stands before you.
<Baird> "Much worse." Baird nods emphatically in response to Velam's comment.
<Vigilant_GM> The Sanctionary garrison looks depleted. Either by need of deployment elsewhere, or as further testament of the Oath-Captain predicament while a central authority continues to ignore her post.
<Vigilant_GM> A patrol of four sanctionaries approach you, a relaxed demeanour about them, despite them holding weapons.
<Vigilant_GM> "This about the narco-trade?"
<Baird> "Trade with Endish."
<Vigilant_GM> "You know what you're doing?"
<Vigilant_GM> "We don't operate below the Gate. You're on your own out there, no matter how fucked things get."
* Baird takes a moment to look at his companions. "Good thing we're armed then." He let's out a light chuckle.
<Vigilant_GM> One of the Sanctionaries turns and nods to the tower. The gate begins to shift open.
<Velam> "Thank you kindly, sirs."
* Baird nods in thanks and heads through the gate once it's open.
* Karpath makes his way forward.
<Vigilant_GM> Somehow, the stench gets significantly worse in the next 200 meters. The sump's particular mix of smells fills this section, every corner mercilessly engulfed in it.
* Tony continues to take point leading the party though the shithole that is Gantry
* Velam follows along, keeping his weapon close. No telling how much worse it's gotten since.
* Nitrous prepares for combat just in case.
<Vigilant_GM> The Gallowsway opens up to a vast open void. Ahead, the Rust Raceway stretches out some 200 meters. Above its only entrance, a twin-linked heavy stubber is mounted, facing outwards towards a line of merchants and other would-be visitors to the Gantry.
<Vigilant_GM> From here, you can just make out the words, "NO GUNS ALLOWED" posted above the gate.
<Velam> "Think they'll let us keep ours this time?"
<Nitrous> "Maybe."
* Baird steps into line. "I think we'll get a pass since we saved the city and all. We had our guns then after all."
<Karpath> "Hopefully."
* Nitrous follows Baird.
* Velam joins the group as they get in the line
<Tony> "Alot can happen in just a year."
* Thesse follows along as well.
* Karpath jumps in line with the group.
<Vigilant_GM> The procession of visitors passes through, one by one, until you face the end of the double-barrel stubber. "Next," a man in a brown jacket and red waistband calls out.
<Thesse> "What happened to this place?"
* Baird steps forward. "Vornas still in charge I assume?"
<Vigilant_GM> "If you can call it that," the man replies.
<Vigilant_GM> "Hand over any firearms."
* Baird raises an eyebrow. "Explain."
<Vigilant_GM> "Look, I'm not about to mouth off here. Everyone knows Endish is pulling the strings now."
* Baird massages the bridge of his nose. "That works too I guess. Send a runner and tell him the men who saved his life during the dead invasion of Gantry are here and need to speak with him. And that we are to be given a pass to keep our weapons."
<Vigilant_GM> "It'd be a dumb thing to lie about," he says looking up at the stubber.
<Vigilant_GM> "Tex, cross the raceway."
<Vigilant_GM> A lanky ganger nods and takes off towards Gantry.
<Baird> "It's not a lie." Baird just gestures towards the Endish shock spear on his back.
* Thesse asks to the group "An invasion of the dead...?"
<Vigilant_GM> Across the raceway, overlooking the pass through the chasm, Endish Manor stands proud. Somehow more visible than before, as a crown atop Gantry's head.
<Nitrous> "Heresy that happened a year ago."
<Nitrous> "Killed a lot of things."
<Thesse> "Daemonic related I assumed?"
<Nitrous> "Also lost my legs."
<Baird> "Contain that kind of talk.
<Karpath> "Yea it was good times I guess, he missed the ladder half of it though."
<Velam> "You could say that. More importantly though, it brought people together."
<Vigilant_GM> As you wait, others are allowed to pass the checkpoint, until the young ganger returns, a well-maintained servitor behind him.
<Thesse> "I understand. Weird things.... seem to happen around us."
<Vigilant_GM> The servitor approaches, its upper-body rising to eye-level as its pupils begin to glow blue.
* Nitrous just stares at the servitor.
<Vigilant_GM> A thin line of blue light scans up and down several times.
* Baird waits patiently for the servitor to finish it's work.
<Vigilant_GM> ++Lord Endish will see you++ a mechanical voice invites through the servitor's vox-grill.
<Baird> ++Lead on.++
<Vigilant_GM> At this, the guards stand down.
* Baird steps through the checkpoint and follows the servitor.
* Nitrous follows suit.
* Thesse follows the group.
* Karpath follows the group as well.
<Vigilant_GM> You are lead across the Raceway, to a guarded pulley-lift on the other side.
<Velam> "Hmmmm upgrades." Velam notes as he takes his dataslate out and taps on it as he follows the group.
<Tony> "He currently has been busy."
<Vigilant_GM> Once on the platform, it rises directly to Endish Manor's back courtyard.
<Vigilant_GM> Here you can see Endish's attempts to filter out the sump, with many a flowered plant lining the courtyard.
<Vigilant_GM> The low hum of generators is a constant feature, and as you near the entrance to the manor itself, the whirring of gears takes over. The doors are opened to reveal Omar Endish, the disgraced Apex Noble.
<Vigilant_GM> "You yet live."
<Baird> "As do you, the surgeons were still unsure of your full recovery at the time we parted."
<Vigilant_GM> "I died, you know. Twice."
<Vigilant_GM> He knocks on his chest, the sound as though knocking on a wall.
<Nitrous> "Ypu got better."
<Vigilant_GM> "Come in."
* Baird raises his eyebrows in surprise and nods in thanks. "Thank you Lord Endish."
<Vigilant_GM> "Some new faces, I see. Why would a group of off-worlders wander down here again? Especially considering the circumstances of your last visit? I hope your arrival doesn't signal yet another imminent catastrophe."
<Vigilant_GM> He takes a seat in a comfortable chair and beckons you do the same, as a servitor enters the chamber with a tray of refreshments.
* Nitrous takes a seat
* Tony takes a seat and nods in thanks
<Baird> "No imminent catastrophe but I once again found myself on Desoleum and this time I am in need of your help." Baird takes a seat in another of the chairs, positioning himself across from Endish, looking over the refreshment tray and taking a glass of amasec if available.
* Karpath nods and takes a seat as well\
<Vigilant_GM> "Perfectly safe to eat, I assure you," he says pointing to the tray of fruits. "I have mastered the art of filtration and irrigation."
* Nitrous picks up a piece of fruit and eats it.
<Vigilant_GM> "Now. What is it you are in need of this time?"
<Baird> "Impressive."
<Baird> "First things first. Word is the power structure has flipped since last we were here. I heard you hold the reigns nowadays."
<Vigilant_GM> "Vornas has come to... understand things."
<Velam> "Fascinating." Velam quips as he starts to take notes and explore the many paths that might have lead to this change in the power structure of the Gantry.
* Baird smiles. "Well in that case I've come to ask for two things. Firstly I would like for two of my associates to have access to your Oath Cog for study. Under supervision of course."
<Vigilant_GM> Seeing Velam's interest, Endish goes on. "Emboldened by events after your visit, he challenged the Purity Gate garrison directly. The war that followed was devastating. He couldn't possibly negotiate a cessation to hostilities, so I did. A comprehensive agreement with the sanctionaries later, and the poor fallen noble sitting before you became the link between two worlds, and the
<Vigilant_GM> guarantor of lasting peace."
<Vigilant_GM> "You will understand that this newfound position makes me rather more visible to the powers that be above. As such, details of my oath-cog are a rather sensitive matter. So tell me, what do you want with it?"
<Baird> "All I can say is that I need my two associates to become familiar with how a nobles Oath Cog looks and functions. You are the noble I know and we have rapport. So here I am."
<Velam> "Ahhhhh a very common tale. He paid for his hubris." Velam finishes that with several more taps on his dataslate.
<Baird> "It would just be the two of them and of course under supervision."
<Vigilant_GM> "You give a fair amount less than you take, I must say."
<Baird> "Well after we come to the second matter I am hoping I will be able to give plenty."
<Vigilant_GM> "Though I am not a greedy man, I find myself responsible for creating something out of this place now. So go on, what is the second matter?"
<Baird> "Well now that you speak for the Red Walk I need a few of them for a job. From which they will most likely not return."
<Vigilant_GM> "You seem to have capable enough killers with you," he observes.
* Baird spreads his hands and shakes his head. "None of us can be tied to the killings. Hence the need for the unscrupulous types."
* Reclaimator_Almarax 's opictal mechadendrite twitches at the word "killer"
<Vigilant_GM> "My Oath-Cog, and my dogs, then. What am I receive in return?"
<Baird> "You know of House Guljian?"
<Vigilant_GM> "Yes. Of course."
<Vigilant_GM> "I was a casualty of their rise," he says taking a long drink from his cup.
<Baird> "This should allow for some sweet revenge as well then. Their on planet estates, businesses, land, trade deals and any physical property I do not need to take with me off world."
<Vigilant_GM> He puts down his cup, and sits back for a moment.
<Vigilant_GM> "What are you saying?"
* Baird also leans back and steeples his fingers. "I'm saying for the cost of a glimpse at an Oath Cog and a few of your expendable hounds you can be free of this...place..once more."
<Vigilant_GM> "Who would make such a trade? How do I know you can pull this off? Are you related to that snake?"
<Baird> "I would make the trade." Baird replies simply. "As for the second question the success honestly depends on your hounds so if you're confident then so am I. As for relation as of this exact moment? No. But who can say what records will come to light once your hounds are finished."
<Vigilant_GM> He pauses for a long while, his eyes restless. Finally, he takes a deep breath. "Under my supervision at all times, and the Cog is returned to me without damage or disrepair... who are the Red Walk targetting?"
<Baird> "Who else? The head and his spawn. There will be a business deal made to gather them. The head and spawn are the primary but the others at the meet will be a bonus if they can also be removed. But the primaries above all else."
<Vigilant_GM> "Even if these animals could pull it off, there's no way they will make it up-hive."
<Baird> "I have set wheels in motion to ensure they do."
<Vigilant_GM> Endish pushes a rune on the side of his arm rest.
<Vigilant_GM> The captain of the Manor guard enters moments later.
<Vigilant_GM> "Send word to Vornas. Tell him I am prepared to support him and return things to the pre-war status quo."
<Vigilant_GM> "My Lord, I--"
<Vigilant_GM> "Do as I ask."
<Vigilant_GM> Saluting, the captain exits.
<Vigilant_GM> "Now, which of you will be joining me in my vault?"
* Reclaimator_Almarax steps forward.
* Baird getures towards Velam and Almarax.
* Velam stands along with the Tech-Priest. "Thank you for your help in this endeavour."
<Vigilant_GM> "Before we begin, I will insist you leave your weapons here. To the contrary, you will be scorched by the security systems."
<Baird> "We'll hold onto them while you're in the vault."
<Vigilant_GM> Rising to his feet, he unclips his sidearm from his belt, and leaves it on the table to his right.
<Reclaimator_Almarax> "Of course" states Rax, removing his shock maul and combat knife for good measure, placing them next to the pistol.
<Vigilant_GM> He nods, "Follow me."
* Velam leaves his weapons and his servoskulls with the party.
* Reclaimator_Almarax follows a few paces behind. "I look forward to being able to examine something so intricate."
<Vigilant_GM> You follow Endish down a set of stairs, through several heavy mechanical doors before you reach a long corridor along which pairs of spear-armed guards keep watch every five meters.
<Vigilant_GM> At the end of this corridor, Endish leans forward on a scanner.
<Vigilant_GM> With a series of whirring and clicking, the heavy vault doors open.
<Velam> "As do I, I've always wanted to examine such a curious piece of tech."
<Vigilant_GM> "I certainly hope you have disarmed, gentlemen," he says as the smell of promethium finds your nostrils.
<Reclaimator_Almarax> "How does your system react to cybernetics?" states Almarax, gesturing with one of his mechandrites.
<Velam> "The only thing I cannot disarm, is perhaps the most dangerous weapon of all." He waits a moment to see if the punchline lands. "My brain of course." He chuckles to himself, no doubt making the guards nearby cringe.
<Vigilant_GM> "A man of the red priesthood should know I am little different then he. You will be safe." He steps forward, and into the vault, inviting you to do the same.
<Reclaimator_Almarax> "Just indicating that it could be argued these are more dangerous than any I left behind."
* Reclaimator_Almarax follows.
<Velam> The savant follows as well, taking mental notes as he goes along.
<Vigilant_GM> In a stasis field in the center of the room, a dish-sized clockwork oath-cog floats, slowly rotating by the force of the clicking orbits on its surface.
<Vigilant_GM> "Very well. Study away."
<Velam> "By Saint Cordius' balls."
<Velam> "Sir, it's magnificent."
<Vigilant_GM> Endish nods, "Yes, it is. Do be careful."
<Velam> "But of course, I wouldn't dream of harming such a magnificent piece of art."
<Vigilant_GM> With the Oath-Cog replica finished, an exquisite mechanical forgery, the Throne Cell reorganizes up-hive as Crimson, Endish, and Nils, coordinate the movement of gangers for the assassination.
<Vigilant_GM> While matters are in motion, the forged introduction letter is sent to the Guljian Estate.
<Vigilant_GM> An Oath-Cog, however, must be backed by records from the Administratum. To this end, Baird, Velam, and Almarax do their best to forge these, in less-than perfect fashion.
<Vigilant_GM> With these preparations underway, the cell awaits as reply from the Guljians to proceed to the next step.
* Velam apologizes after they're safely on their way back to the safehouse. He should have done better research about the records.