Deathwatch 3

WatchCaptain	The skitarii do their best to return the aggressions of the marines but they're mechanical might abandons them. The burning servitor swipes ineffectually, having difficulty seeing through the flames at all, while it's brother strikes Pyrius with its talons. Although it pierces his armour, little lasting damage is done.
12:40	Tarcain	Tarcain dashes to get an angle on the ranged unit.
12:53	Tensai	Continuing the melee against the machine, Tensai attempts to stun the burning skitarii, but his might does not avail him.  The machine does not falter.  Tensai's next attack also does not score against the machine.
13:09		*** Ulrichus quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
13:13		*** Ulrichus joined #watchstation
13:23	Ulrichus	strikes again into the machine, with renewed fury, he strikes it, and again, and again. He continues slashing and hacking until the machine is nothing nothing but debris. He mutters a chant to the Emperor.
13:23	WatchCaptain	On the other side of the room, Tensai finally feels the strength in the metal limbs of the burning machine man. Its weaponised hands slam into his armoured body and send him back several steps.
13:44	Tensai	Noticing Pyrius and Tarcain taking their positions to fire, Tensai takes an inspired assault on the machine...and fails once more.
14:01	Ulrichus	doesn't wish to risk Tensai by shooting at the Bolter wielding machine, instead, he takes his bolter and sheats his chainsword, and aims at the creature's head, waiting for the moment to fire.
14:09	Tarcain	Tarcain attempts once more to conjure holy avengers forth, but fails again.
14:16	Tensai	Following the common trend the last two attacks made, Tensai's next attack fails again
14:29	Ulrichus	fires his bolter, risking hitting his battle brother, he fails, but thankfully, he doesn't hit Tensai.
14:37	WatchCaptain	The final Skitarii seems to suddenly change tack, surging forward and trying to knock Brother Tensai down. With practised ease, the white scar twists free of the machine's arms and leaps back. Not a second too soon either, as the skitarii's eyes begin to flicker and flash, before it explodes. A wash of flame passes over the squad but does no damage.
14:38	Tensai	"This....this is definitely no ordinary machine...
14:38	Ulrichus	looks to Tarcain, expecting new commands.
14:42	Tarcain	"Indeed. Still, we have work to do. Pyrius, use this and breach the floor."
14:42	Tensai	"But now I want to know just what it is that has him so defensive...."
14:42	Ulrichus	((test))
14:42	Tarcain	Tarcain hands the Salamander his breaching charge.
14:43	Tarcain	"Truly these machines are fearsome. I can see why the Inquisition wants the designs."
14:43	Ulrichus	decides to stick with Tensai.
14:43	WatchCaptain	Grim and silent as ever, Pyrius primes the charge on the floor, in the middle of the rows of work tables.
14:43	Tarcain	"Now lets hope they haven't been sullied by the foul touch of the ruinous powers."
14:43	WatchCaptain	He then looks to his leader for the signal to detonate.
14:44	Tensai	"And if these designs are the non-heretical ones, then whatever he has in store..."
14:44	Tensai	Shudders at the thought
14:44	Ulrichus	Moves to a safe distance.
14:44	Tarcain	Moves back as well.
14:44	Tensai	Falls back
14:46	Tarcain	"Keep your weapons ready. We don't know what's down there. Now breach."
14:47	Tarcain	knods sagely.
14:47	Tensai	\k 5
14:48	WatchCaptain	The breaching charge goes off with a sharp crack, sending shards of rockrete into the air. A thick cloud of dust gathers in the air, before settling back to reveal a hole considerably smaller than an astartes warrior.
14:48	WatchCaptain	Pyrius waves the others away and takes a step forward.
14:48	Tensai	"Hm... This hole looks like it would not fit us."
14:49	Ulrichus	"We can always break it."
14:49	WatchCaptain	Using his servo arm, he tears at the edge of the hole and manages to widen it a little.
14:49	Tensai	"Perhaps..."  He casts a glance at the skitarii on the floor, "We can force them through."
14:49	WatchCaptain	It now might admit an unarmoured astartes.
14:49	Tensai	"If there is a trap, then they would only capture the dead"
14:50	Tarcain	"I must admit, I expected more from the charges. Perhaps the techpriest simply had quality flooring."
14:50	Tarcain	"I doubt there'd be a trap, as we made the hole ourselves just now. If they did have one set up that wouldn't be alerted by the breach, then we're dealing with entities with precognitive abilities."
14:50	Ulrichus	"I believe we can still widen it more" Ulrichus nods at Tarcain, waiting for his veredict.
14:51	Tarcain	"Make it happen."
14:52	Tensai	"Emperor grace you, brother Ulrichus."
14:52	Ulrichus	opens fire with his bolter at the ground surrouding the hole.
14:54	WatchCaptain	The bolts blow chunks of the floor away, finally making the hole large enough for a space marine.
14:54	Ulrichus	"Tarcain, if I may, I believe it is for the best if I were to throw a grenade."
14:55	Tarcain	"The hole is wide enough as it is. Let's save the explosives just in case."
14:57	Ulrichus	"I meant to throw it through the hole, only the Emperor knows what is down there, waiting for us."
14:58	Tarcain	looks in the hole to see if he can see anything, ready to jump back.
15:01	WatchCaptain	The level below is shadowy, but nothing is visibly moving down there.
15:02	Tensai	"Well, Librarian?  What is our next move?"
15:03	Tarcain	"Frag down the hole followed by Pyrius after detonation. Then Ul, then myself, then Tensai."
15:04	Ulrichus	nods sagely, and throws a grenade through the hole.
15:05	Tensai	"Very well."
15:06	Tarcain	"Once we've completed this mission we should see about obtaining an Apothecary. We're under strength by Deathwatch standards as it is."
15:07	WatchCaptain	Each of the squad lands without indecent, one after the other.
15:07	Ulrichus	inspects his surroundings.
15:07	WatchCaptain	The lower level is dark and dank, with little of the mechanically precise cleanliness of the previous two levels. The lamps are all shattered and the debris from their destruction untouched. Some of the rubble is clearly weeks old, the layer of dust attesting to this, while some was evidently caused by the grenade. But the thing that irresistibly draws the ey
15:08	WatchCaptain	But the thing that irresistibly draws the eye to it is the wreckage of a huge Skitarii. Whereas the ones one the previous level were about the same size as an astartes, this one is easily as large as a dreadnaught. It hands sport both meltas and sharp looking claws, while its torso is a mess of ruined armour plating.
15:08	WatchCaptain	Some of the plates have melded together and some are simply torn apart. Curiously, some of the undamaged plates are covered in arcane runes and twisting sigils.
15:08	Tarcain	reaches out and feels the warp for disturbances, and then attempts to id the runes/sigils.
15:08	Tensai	"...Does anyone understand these runes?"
15:09	Ulrichus	mutters. "Heresy..." He aims his bolter at the runes, and waits for Tarcain's command.
15:09	Ulrichus	"Tarcain, we do not know if this still works, we should make sure of it."
15:10	Tarcain	"One moment..."
15:10	Tarcain	inspects the runes.
15:15	Tarcain	"I can't make these out. But yes, let's take measures to make sure this doesn't get up again. Techmarine, locate this thing's core and apply kraks."
15:15	Tarcain	"I still can't sense anything active in the warp, but be alert."
15:16	WatchCaptain	The voice from the vox now issues form the dark corners of the level, now unmarred by the static of the communication device. "Now you see my failure. Do you see what it is, librarian? It is what happens when we try to control the madness of the warp.
15:16	WatchCaptain	"I tried to use it to power a creature of meat and metal, thinking that the things mangled brain would be unable to rebel. Clearly, I was wrong. Whatever foul daemon was captured there sought to destroy me and all that I had wrought.
15:16	WatchCaptain	"It took all of my children of iron and most of my strength to fell it. There, my great heresy is laid bare before you. Judge me, true servants of the emperor"
15:17	WatchCaptain	A misshapen figure covered in the red robe of the mechanicum emerges into your line of sight. From beneath his hood you can see green glowing eyes.
15:18	Ulrichus	"To end his life would be an act of mercy, Tarcain." Ulrichus says in their private channel.
15:18	Tensai	The speech weighs upon Tensai.  True, this confirms his suspicions of the techpriest as a heretek, but is this truly a beg for redemption?
15:19	Tarcain	"Mistakes were made techpriest, but I understand more than you think. The warp is a wild thing, but you are not the only one to attempt to bind it. I myself tap into the powers everyday, and it is not always a smooth action. Tell me, have you yourself been affected?"
15:20	Tarcain	"[on private channel]Play along. Honeyed words bring the cattle to the slaughter house."
15:20	Ulrichus	nods to Tarcain, he doesn't remove his finger from the trigger.
15:20	WatchCaptain	The unseen head seems to shake uncertainly. "I heard the insidious voice of the daemon... it made such promises... but I remained strong and ended its presence in this universe"
15:21	Tensai	Draws his melee weapons.
15:24	Tarcain	"You have repented for your crimes. Come out to us techpriest, as it is not for us or yourself to judge your fate."
15:25	Tarcain	"[private vox] Take him alive, he may be valuable. The inquisition will judge his worth."
15:26	WatchCaptain	The figure jerks and stumbles towards you, until it stands directly in front of Tarcain. A strange ichor drips from under the robe, leaving a trail across the dusty floor. Suddenly it crumples into a pathetic heap and manages to say "End me... I am unworthy"
15:26	Ulrichus	looks with a mixture of disgust and pity at the tech priest.
15:27	Tarcain	"Your worthiness will be judged by those fit to do so. Your time may not yet be here."
15:28	Tensai	Switches the tulwar so that the blade is facing backward.
15:28	WatchCaptain	The pile is motionless, staying on the floor and making no sound.
15:28	Tarcain	holsters his weapon and picks us the techpriest in one arm, leaving the other free for power use.
15:29	Tensai	"Pardon me for being a bit late, but...where are the lift controls?"
15:29	WatchCaptain	Pyrius strides towards the lift. "I believe we will be able to use it to ascend, the programs will no longer be shutting it down."
15:29	Ulrichus	places himself behind the Techpriest, he motions for Tensai to take the lead.
15:30	Tarcain	"Move out Ignis. But first, Pyrius, make sure that thing doesn't get up again. Put krak grenades in the joint of each limb, leave it a torso.
15:31	Tensai	" I have four."
15:31	WatchCaptain	Pyrius nods and goes about his task. The signature cracks of the grenades heralds the severing of each limb.
15:32	Tarcain	ah, thanks
15:33	WatchCaptain	He then walks to the lift controls, which are laid out precisely like those above. After a few seconds, the familiar clanking of the lift rings out and it arrives on the level.
15:33	Tensai	As Pyrius returns to the lift, Tensai hands over two of his krak grenades to the Techmarine.
15:35	Ulrichus	looks back from time to time, to make sure to ambush is in place.
15:38	Tarcain	"Into the lift and up to the surface."
15:40	WatchCaptain	The pulls away, slowly climbing to the surface. The techpriest sends out a string of binary to the systems and the lift instantly picks up in speed. It soon arrives at the surface.
15:41	Tarcain	opens a channel to the captain, but keeps it on squad vox.
15:44		*** Ulrichus quit (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
15:46	Tarcain	"We've secured the techpriest and require extraction. He has admitted to tech heresy, and I can feel the warp on him, but my own abilites are insufficient to get a full understanding. It seems best to let the Inquisitor decide his fate."
15:47	WatchCaptain	"Your judgement must serve you in this, Squad leader, but there will be a reckoning if you bring a heretek onto my ship to infect the vessel" Comes the gruff reply.
15:49		*** Ulrichus joined #watchstation
15:49	WatchCaptain	"Bring him if you believe him clean, on your own heads".
15:49	Tarcain	"I am admittedly unfamiliar with the Inquisition's ways, but wouldn't they have facilities to deal with this kind of situation?"
15:51	Ulrichus	stays silent.
15:54	Tarcain	closes the channel to command.
15:54	Tarcain	[Squad Vox]"What do you all think?"
15:55	WatchCaptain	"I do not have any facilities on this thunderhawk or the battle barge above, so be sure that he is clean before you bring him in. The Emperor protects" The line dies.
15:56	Tarcain	[Squad Vox]"What do you all think?"
15:58	Tensai	"I am hesitant to bring him on board.  He has admitted to consorting with daemons once before.  They will no doubt follow him."
16:00	Ulrichus	"I agree with Tensai, we is a danger to us."
16:00	Ulrichus	((he*))
16:06	Tensai	"It hinges on you then, Techmarine.  What is your opinion?"
16:06	Ulrichus	"He is of no use to us tainted, and the Captain himself denies him now, we have the schematics and we did everything at our disposal to bring him. I volunteer to deliver the final blow."
16:06	WatchCaptain	Across the vox, the tech marine mutters "I am as uncomfortable as you with heresy, but tech heresy disgusts me more. Let us be done with him here."
16:06	Tarcain	sighs.
16:07	Tarcain	[at the tech priest]"And it would seem I have been made a liar of. They will not risk the chance of taint, citing a lack of preparations."
16:08	Tensai	"If we are to purge him here," Tensai admits, "Then at least let him die with dignity."
16:08	WatchCaptain	The tech priest remains motionless, bundled as he is under Tarcain's arm.
16:08	Tensai	Offers Chainsword
16:09	Tarcain	"I doubt he could even hold it now."
16:10	Tarcain	sets the techpriest on the ground, handing him his bolt pistol.
16:10	Tensai	"In Death, there is Redemption"
16:10	Tensai	"In Death, there is a mercy"
16:10	Tarcain	nods sagely.
16:10	Ulrichus	watches his silently, waiting for the order to fire.
16:10	Tarcain	"Do you have anything to say before going to join him?"
16:11	Tensai	"May your soul be guarded by the Emperor, so that your soul may join the winds of your world."
16:12	WatchCaptain	The tech priest struggles to his feet, or whatever mechanical replacements he has now, and takes the pistol. "Had I the courage to take my own life, I would have done so already" So saying, he drops the heavy bolt pistol and stands erect and looks into the eye pieces of Tarcain.
16:12	Tarcain	takes his pistol and aims it at the techpriest's head.
16:13	Tarcain	"May you find salvation in his presence."
16:13	Tarcain	fires, the techpriest falling to the ground, decapitated.
16:13	Ulrichus	turns to Tarcain. "What now?"
16:14	Tensai	"We return, I suppose."
16:14	Tarcain	holsters his pistol. "We have what we came for. Let us go."
16:14	WatchCaptain	"We should call for extraction" Says Pyrius.
16:14	Tarcain	calls in for Thunderhawk extraction.
16:14	Ulrichus	looks into the sky, looking for signs of Tyranids.
16:15	Tarcain	spends his time tooking at the techpriest's body.
16:15	Tensai	"Brother... no, Tarcain, we do not blame you for the oath.  This circumstance was something none of us could have expected."
16:18	Tarcain	"I understand. I merely wish I were great enough a librarian to know for sure if he had been beyond help."
16:19	Ulrichus	face twist into disgust with the mention of librarians, he continues to examine their surroundings.
16:19	Tarcain	"Many of my brothers have called me overly sentimental, but were we not created mankind's protectors? Did the Emperor not launch his great crusade to save mankind from the horrors that plague it?"
16:20	WatchCaptain	The tech priest has several strange pieces of machinery on his body, but all seem strange even to Pyrius's eyes. Perhaps his dabbling went beyond daemon worship.
16:22	Tensai	"It is, but there is always going to be a cost to it.  Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment, after all."
16:23	Tensai	"A Protector is not infallible.  But our duty is to ever reach there."
16:23	Tarcain	"Of course, the blood of martyrs is the mortar the Imperium is built with."
16:24	Tarcain	"Let us leave this place."
16:24	WatchCaptain	After some minutes, the black shape of the thunderhawk appears in the sky with its front door gaping open. It slams down to reveal the helmetless figure of the captain. “Get in, we need to move. We need to extract the other two squads now, before the scout ships arrive”
16:24	Ulrichus	quickly moves in the thunderhawk.
16:24	Tensai	Jumps in
16:25	Tarcain	hops in.
16:25	Tarcain	"What's the status on the other killteams?"
16:25	WatchCaptain	Pyrius steps in the ramp slams shut, momentarily plunging the interior into darkness.
16:27	WatchCaptain	"The closest is ready for extraction but the third has run into complications. We may be forced to either land and get them out or abandon them. I have no wish to lose a full kill team but we have a duty to retrieve what we were sent for.
16:27	WatchCaptain	*"
16:27	Tensai	"How much of a complication?"
16:27	Ulrichus	nods towards the Captain. "I am eager to battle alongside our brothers, my liege."
16:28	WatchCaptain	"Undetermined. They are experiencing vox difficulties but we gather that something has them under fire"
16:29	Ulrichus	first thought is Tyranids.
16:29	Tarcain	"Tyranids don't jam transmissions, it may be corrupted admech.
16:29	Tarcain	:
16:29	Tarcain	"
16:29	Tensai	"Traitors Legions in our midst?"