Xenos Hunters Session 36

#XenosHunters
	-->|	YOU (antoine) have joined #XenosHunters
	-->|	Sinbad (chatzilla@B2BE788C.78F245EF.69A6B287.IP) has joined #XenosHunters
	-->|	Anselm (Staffen@sux-B2FD55E1.sub-75-205-157.myvzw.com) has joined #XenosHunters
	-->|	Markleton_Whaleburg (MarkyMark@sux-1F7F76A7.san.res.rr.com) has joined #XenosHunters
	=-=	Markleton_Whaleburg is now known as Bellerophon
	-->|	Navarre (bejammin20@sux-2391CC65.washdc.fios.verizon.net) has joined #XenosHunters
	|<--	Navarre has left irc.thisisnotatrueending.com (Ping timeout)
	-->|	Navarre (bejammin20@sux-2391CC65.washdc.fios.verizon.net) has joined #XenosHunters
	antoine	A short week after the disastrous trial of Inquisitor Hardgrave you have arrived at Succundus Prime. The volcanic hell pit dominates the system, which has a weak sun and is surrounded by celestial dust clouds. You stand in the hangar as you are to do before a mission, your land raider being attached to a bulk hauler. As you wait you see a squadron of fury interceptors with the Space Wolf...
	antoine	...emblem emblazoned on their sides roll past.
	Sinbad	does squats to stretch his legs as his ancient jump pack whirls gently on his back
	Balmung	grins at the pilots
	Anselm	stands, arms crossed, and stairs at Sinbad's... armament.
	Anselm	"That is... an interesting piece of wargear, Brother."
	Bellerophon	loiters around with the others
	Sinbad	"IT I...oh I can't lie to myself. It's...yes. It is what it is. But it's powerful in its own right."
	Sinbad	stares at his feet, and redoubles his squats in shame
	Balmung	puts his wolf helm on
	Sinbad	floats gently in the air, propeller lifting him up by his back like a demented helicopter
	antoine	The slight figured scholar from Tellions acolyte team idly runs off a list of names as she tells you the her most recent findings. "Still narrowing down possible leads elsewhere, 'Sons of the Asp', 'Red Asp Guild', 'The Seven Asps', 'Aspholes'." She looks up at you and grins momentarily before continuing, "The bulk lander should place you close to where Oeris' mission report stated his...
	antoine	...arrival, hopefully more will be apparent on the ground, the magnetics disrupt the ship's sensor machine spirits."
	Sinbad	"The oddest thing is is how quiet it is comparatively..."
	Navarre	"If we're using a land raider, why don't we have terminator armor?"
	Anselm	"Aspholes," Anselm echoes.
	Sinbad	"Aspholes."
	Bellerophon	"The motor pool is still displeased about the loss of the land speeder."
	Sinbad	"...I figured. It is simply too bad. Decimus holds mighty grudges."
	Bellerophon	"One would imagine destroying a greater daemon and banishing it for a millenia would warm his heart."
	Sinbad	circles the team, hanging limp in the air as his jump pack warms its machine spirits awakening
	antoine	Decimus looks over at you from where he attaches a clamp to the side of the land raider. His concealed face invisible but likely suspicious about the possible loss of a land raider.
	Sinbad	"He...he still finds reasons to beat me. I don't think it would warmed by much less than the love of the Emperor."
	Balmung	"Don't worry we'll bring it back....... probably"
	Sinbad	"How do I make this stop rotating?"
	Bellerophon	beams at Decimus
	antoine	Finally with a clang of metal on metal the clamps are secured the buzz of Omniel in your ear confirms the machine spirit has given you permission to embark. The front ramp descends for you to enter.
	Navarre	"About time..."
	Balmung	steps inside the tank
	Bellerophon	steps inside and takes his place at the gunnery consoles
	Navarre	will go up the ramp and find a place to seat himself.
	Sinbad	falls to the ground abruptly once he discovers how to turn off his jump pack, recovers himself, and follows the others
	Anselm	enters the Land Raider and straps in.
	antoine	When everyone was embarked the ramp would slowly raise to seal you in the gloomy compartment bathed in red light. As you secure yourself in the seats available the bulk hauler's engines reach a fevered pitch before you are launched into the void once more.
	Anselm	"Nomine Imperator, my fury be thy weapon..."
	Sinbad	prays into the vox network in his incomprehensible home language, crozius before his eyes
	antoine	As you approach the planet you can feel the subtle shifts in gravity the closer and closer you get, the unsettling feeling also affecting your equipment as frag grenade pins start hovering up and down.
	Sinbad	"Al-malik ackbar, amen," Sinbad finishes.
	Anselm	absent-mindedly says, "Amen."
	Bellerophon	++I am uncomfortable with the fact that the pins on my grenades are sliding in and out.++
	Anselm	++Check your wargear, Brother. They are only rattling.++
	antoine	The turbulence reaches ever greater levels, your body shaking in its straps before you clear the storm wracked lower atmosphere and level out over the barren volcanic plains.
	antoine	You slow before a *clunk* is heard and your vehicle drops a meter onto the blackened rocky desert that covers most of the planet.
	Anselm	grunts in contentment. ++I have to question the danger of this gravitational flux.++
	Navarre	"So who's driving?"
	Balmung	"Omniell"
	antoine	++Successful landing brothers++ you hear from Omniel, ++I have a structure in the distance, the land raiders machine spirit cannot make it out but it does not appear to be a natural formation.++
	Sinbad	unclips his restraints, and mag-walks over to the exit as his jump pack revs
	Sinbad	++Open the hatch, Brother-Forge Master!++
	Anselm	makes sure to keep a distance from Sinbad.
	Bellerophon	++Stay in the Land Raider until we reach the structure.++
	Bellerophon	++From there we will investigate under the cover of the machine spirit.++
	Sinbad	grumbles, and stands there in front of the hatch as his pack powers down
	antoine	The ramp unseals, the rush of hot air moving inside as the air recyclers strain to clear it out. A bleak world leads out in all directions, lava flows, high crags and low valleys disturbing the level plain of rocks and solidified lava that you stand upon.
	Navarre	++I thought we were staying in?++
	Anselm	++You are, we're scouting ahead.++
	Balmung	++I think he just wants a peak++
	Sinbad	jumps out and flies nearby the lander
	antoine	You spot in the far distance the structure Omniel referenced, 4 thin spikes thrust into the sky. Between you and them is a pass through a set of crags reaching upwards before curving downwards, the hard rock jagged and dark.
	Anselm	follows Sinbad out.
	Bellerophon	++Proceed. We will follow.++
	Sinbad	++Acknowledged. We shall send our information.++
	Sinbad	falls to the planet surface, then makes low jump-bounds forwards to the structure
	antoine	The Land Raiders engine rumbles to life, the hatch closing after anyone else had decided to leave the vehicle. The tracks crush rock like a mining production line as they drag the heavy vehicle forward.
	Anselm	fires his jump pack's thrusters to clear some distance forward.
	Bellerophon	observes the dead world through the auspexes of the war machine
	Navarre	++Not a very fast machine, are they?++
	Anselm	++The Land Raider is a sturdy design. Speed is a sacrifice for its superior survivability.++
	antoine	The implacable land raider continues to forge ahead as the two agile marines bound ahead.
	Navarre	++Just a notion, brother.++
	Sinbad	++It is also comfortable. The seats are even padded, for what little we can feel through our armor.++
	Anselm	++I'm hearing some activity from ahead, Brothers. Sounds like... common beasts. Interesting.++
	Bellerophon	++Forwarning, Brothers. I saw movement in the shadows of the crags.++
	Bellerophon	++We are not alone.++
	Anselm	++Evidently.++
	Anselm	draws his blades.
	Sinbad	prepares his bolt pistol and crozius in hands
	=-=	antoine has changed the topic to “Sinbad, Anselm, NPC, Balmung, NPC, Belle”
	antoine	As the Land Raider closes to the crags with the scouts ranging ahead the flap of wings are heard, a flurry of leathery wings beasts flooding out of hidden alcoves to rush towards you. The dark tide of screeching meter long animals gnashing their teeth as the close on you.
	Navarre	++Fantastic. And I left my metal storm rounds at home.++
	Sinbad	pulls back to the Land Raider
	Sinbad	++Open up.++
	antoine	The hatch lurches open for the propeller equipped marine to enter.
	Sinbad	literally drops in front and is swallowed up by the still-moving vehicle
	Sinbad	++Coming, Brother Champion? Or do you desire to wet your blade before we get to the infidels?++
	Anselm	++I've got a duty to stay out here.++
	Anselm	waves his swords menacingly and shouts aggressively through his vocalizer grille at the creatures.
	antoine	The leathery winged creatures surround Anselm in a black mass attacking and hissing, his body completely gone from your sight.
	antoine	As the black mass continues to roil and coil around Anselm, either alive enough to keep their attention or dead and being eaten, ten more dark shapes descend from above, like spears thrown from the heavens, these large beasts swoop down towards the melee and you.
	antoine	Five split off to hunt their prey around anselm, snapping up portions of the horde in elongated, teeth filled mouths.
	Global	[LordLicorice] EVOLVER ON THE STREAM ERRYONE IN
	antoine	The other five snap at the land raider, unable to break through the tough metal hide.
	Sinbad	++...They're eating the small vermin. Perhaps we should leave them alone? Las or cannon fire may attract attention we do not need.++
	Bellerophon	++I can shoot them down easily, but we may be next.++
	Bellerophon	++It seems they are unable to damage the Land Raider, however.++
	Bellerophon	++It may be prudent to leave them be, for now.++
	Bellerophon	++But what of Anselm?++
	Anselm	++I'm fine!++
	Sinbad	++Want to rejoin us in the Land Raider? I am trying to prepare tea.++
	Bellerophon	++I am going to delay firing until they pose a threat.++
	Anselm	++I need a warm-up anyway!++
	Anselm	laughs with amusement and cuts into the blackness surrounding him.
	antoine	Black shapes begin to fall from the feeding frenzy, limbs and bodies hacked apart by razor sharp blades crashing into the rocky floor with sickening crunches.
	Balmung	shoots out of the front of the land raider and into the swarm of beasts
	antoine	The axe wielding berserker smashes a part of the flock from the skies before the five creatures that were hammering on your hull turn and rush after him.
	antoine	The flock starts to dwindling at a frightening rate and begins to retreat back to the safety of the crags, the land raider continuing on heedless to the beasts fear.
	antoine	The larger beasts that are more mouths with wings than true birds of prey continue to snap at balmung.
	Anselm	clicks his tongue irritably and turns to strike on the larger bird-abominations.
	Anselm	cuts one of the flying-things in half with a crescent-strike, using his attacks inertia.
	Anselm	...
	antoine	Three of the larger predators fall, adding to the pile of dead below the warriors.
	Anselm	To strike another, before finishing with a stab of his off-hand weapon.
	antoine	The Land Raider leaves the two marines behind as it reaches the crags and starts to navigate into its dark depths.
	antoine	Before it stops in the cover of the crags
	Sinbad	++We have stopped and await you, Brothers.++
	Anselm	eyes the vehicle leaving them behind, and resolves to finish up quickly.
	antoine	Anselm and Balmung cut down a majority of the fliers before the others flap their wings vigorously to escape and head to the storms clouds above.
	Bellerophon	++Return to the Land Raider. We must press forward.++
	Balmung	jumps back to the land raider ++Navarre can you tend to my wounds?++
	Sinbad	opens a cupola, and tosses out a handful of tea leaves in silent rage before slamming it shut
	Anselm	fires his jump pack and returns to the fore of the Land Raider.
	Bellerophon	++Let us not leave its protection this time.++
	Anselm	++It's best I remain ahead. A pathfinder. I will save us the waste of ammunition.++
	Sinbad	++I HATE TEA. I too am going.++
	Sinbad	grumbles and exits the Land Raider to join the vanguard
	antoine	With the scouts returned the Land Raider rumbles through the echoing open air tunnel created by the overarching crags. The crack of red coloured lightening is a prelude to the thunder and storms rolling overhead.
	Bellerophon	++I have enough ammunition to destroy a small world. That will not be an issue.++
	Bellerophon	++The lascannons do not even require ammunition.++
	Anselm	laughs amid the storming. ++Try not to scurry off this time, Brother-Chaplain!++
	Balmung	++They do eat up power cells though++
	Bellerophon	executes another Land Raider auspex-sensorium scan
	Anselm	++An obstruction. An endangerment.++
	Anselm	++I cannot advise bringing the vehicle further along this path.++
	Bellerophon	++Indeed. It appears visibly distressed and near breaking.++
	Bellerophon	++A simple fix. Remove yourself from the immediate area. I shall bring it down with lascannon fire.++
	Bellerophon	brings the lascannons to bear on the rock formation, and attempts to surgically cut them down
	antoine	The crag in danger of falling is larger than the land raider in size and sits above the path you must take to continue onwards via tracked vehicle
	Bellerophon	spends time aiming in contemplation
	Bellerophon	fires
	Anselm	puts a gauntlet to his helm.
	antoine	The pairs of lascannons strike the rock, cutting like mining laser through the dense material. The surgical strikes cut away some of the rock but they also send a shiver of a vibration through it, causing more cracks to appear and increasing the swaying.
	Anselm	++Do not do that again, please.++
	Anselm	++Brother Sinbad, with me.++
	Sinbad	nods and follows
	Anselm	leaps into the air and approaches the dangerous rock.
	Anselm	++Brother Sinbad and I shall hold it steady. Gun the Land Raider and pass through while we hold it.++
	Bellerophon	++That was not the intent, brothers.++
	Bellerophon	++Give me some time.++
	Bellerophon	++I shall have it cut down in due time.++
	Bellerophon	++If only your patience matched your valor.++
	Bellerophon	retargets the lascannons on his computed cutting path and keeps firing
	Anselm	++Don't!++
	Anselm	++Brother Sinbad, get clear!++
	Sinbad	flies back
	Anselm	flies past to the other side of the rock.
	Sinbad	++Damn! Give us more warning!!++
	Bellerophon	++I fail to see the nature of the objections. I was very clear.++
	antoine	The lascannons shear off another section before the cracks complete their circuit of the rock and it falls onto the path. Sinbad and Anselm scrambling away from it with their flying devices
	Anselm	++You contemptible lummox!++
	Balmung	looks at Bellerophon
	Anselm	++What part of "don't" do you not understand?! You nearly killed the both of us!++
	Balmung	++Don't you think that firing the lascannons will draw attention?++
	Bellerophon	++What part of "remove yourself from the immediate area," is unclear, brothers?++
	Anselm	++You gave us no time, and now you've blocked the path!++
	Bellerophon	++We are in a land raider. I will destroy it or it will crush it.++
	Anselm	swears, and flies on ahead down the tunnel path. ++Wasted time is what it amounts to!++
	Bellerophon	++"Wasted," time?++
	Bellerophon	++We have nothing but time, brother.++
	Balmung	++Aye and the noise could draw unwanted attention++
	Bellerophon	++More attention than the potential rock slide? I am willing to take that risk.++
	Balmung	++I have a feeling a rock slide will be the least of our worries++
	Sinbad	looks on at the melting process, then flies after Anselm
	antoine	As the rock settles, throwing up red and brown dust, the skittering of animals is heard echoing through the wind swept crags
	Anselm	makes his blades ready.
	antoine	The Land Raider begins the long task of melting away sections of rock to clear the pass, shot by shot reducing the size of the massive rock.
	Bellerophon	continues to cut down the formations until it is safe to pass, or able to be passed
	Bellerophon	hums
	Anselm	++Structure located. Investigating.++
	Balmung	starts counting rivets
	antoine	Finally the rock is obliterated or seperated into enough small chunks that you may try to traverse it but it will be risky to do it too soon.
	antoine	If you continue to finish the job the way will be clear
	Bellerophon	++Understood. We will be free soon.++
	Bellerophon	continues until it is safe
	antoine	Finally the pass is clear for travel, Omniel guns the engines as the whine of the lascannons slowly subsides from the last shot. The rough rock is traversed with some rocking back and forth but soon the vehicle is underway.
	antoine	As you leave the crags you find yourself moving past sulfuric bogs, the yellow pools steaming as you pass them. The structure you forge ahead to comes into view soon, like a cathedral or basilica with four spires at each corner and a central wide and low nave.
	antoine	The dark foreboding structure sits on a even elevated plateau above the rock strewn plains, a wide and shallow elevated ramp leading up to it.
	Bellerophon	++The presence of such a large structure is concerning. The report specifically mentioned that there was no permanent human colony on this planet. From whence did this building come?++
	Balmung	++Who says it's humans++
	Bellerophon	++I'd rather not consider the alternatives.++
	Balmung	grunts
	antoine	As you leave the crags and bogs behind a deeper rumble that the land raider is heard, three nearby volcanoes nearby each send a plume of smoke into the sky. From the smoke comes spears of red and yellow that arcs up high before splashing down on the plain you drive across the roar of the eruptions grow more frequent and louder as you move.
	Anselm	++What was that?++
	Bellerophon	++Volcanoes.++
	Bellerophon	++What see you from inside the building?++
	antoine	The lava spurts soon land closer and closer to the Land Raider as the effusive eruptions begin to spread lava down the mountain side towards you.
	antoine	Smoke and ash soon mingle with the storm clouds overhead, red lightening and weak sunlight your only illumination.
	Balmung	opens the top hatch and pops his head out for a second
	antoine	As Balmung hangs out the top hatch Omniel swerves violently to avoid a splash of lava descending upon you.
	Balmung	++Nothing but animal tracks++
	Balmung	ducks back into the tank and closes the hatch
	antoine	suddenly a slap is heard and the heat in the internal compartment slowly rises. Omniel calls through the vox ++We are hit.++
	Sinbad	++...Decimus will be more angry now.++
	Balmung	++What hit us?++
	Bellerophon	++Hit by what?++
	antoine	++Lava spurt, they are increasing in frequency++
	Bellerophon	++Take us closer to the building. We must find cover.++
	antoine	Omniel guns the engines, roaring forward as more lava spurts fall on the vehicle. It holds together but the outer surface is likely scarred by the hits.
	Navarre	has been sitting in his seat the whole time. ... ... ... he might actually be asleep.
	Balmung	nudges Navarre
	Navarre	++We there yet?++
	Balmung	++Not yet but we're getting pelted by lava++
	antoine	Navarre is answered by the bump of the land raider hitting the ramp and continuing up to the cathedral-like structure.
	antoine	The wide opening is large enough to fit the vehicle
	antoine	Inside is dark by the Land Raider lights pick out two deathwatch marines inside, deep in the structure. The ground is smooth, obsidian coloured and the tracks spin on it every now and then.
	antoine	dark but*
	Anselm	++Brother Omniel, reduce speed. The floor is slick.++
	antoine	The raider slows, the inertia finally giving in as it screeches to a halt nearby.
	Navarre	++Not yet?++
	Anselm	++I suspect we've found some form of covering. A paneling in the floor. I'm not fully convinced that this is the only one, however.++
	Bellerophon	++Interesting.++
	Anselm	looks to Sinbad. ++Let's look further ahead. Brother Omniel, shine the Land Raider's stab-lights.++
	Sinbad	++Agreed.++
	Sinbad	makes a jump-leap, moving deeper into the building
	antoine	The lights shift in focus to the floor in front of the land raider.
	Anselm	follows Sinbad.
	Balmung	gets out of the land raider to stretch his legs
	antoine	++I am detecting several caverns just beneath the surface.++ Omniel informs you from the drivers seat
	Anselm	++Unsurprising.++
	Balmung	++Want me to make a hole for us?++
	Balmung	draws an inferno pistol
	Sinbad	++What if there is more lava?++
	Balmung	shrugs ++Just a suggestion++
	Bellerophon	++I could simply lascannon out a path for us.++
	Bellerophon	++Perhaps a combination of melta and las fire. But yours is limited and the lascannons are not.++
	Bellerophon	++We will explore the structure that is above ground before we delve underneath it.++
	Bellerophon	dismounts from the land raider
	Sinbad	++...What if...we find /a door/ that takes us /lower/?++
	Bellerophon	++Then we shall note it and return once we've seen what there is to be seen.+
	Navarre	++one step at a time?++
	-->|	Staffen (Staffen@sux-127EB86B.sub-75-205-38.myvzw.com) has joined #XenosHunters
	|<--	Anselm has left irc.thisisnotatrueending.com (Ping timeout)
	=-=	Staffen is now known as Anselm
	Anselm	++Even larger panel. I am beginning to suspect we're sitting atop something... perhaps a hangar of some sort.++
	Bellerophon	++Intriguing.++
	Bellerophon	++It stands to reason there would be a command center. Or, at the least, a control panel of some sort.++