An ancient Quest

[A.T.]

(OOC - for the purposes of the game is it suitable for all members to head down or only combat/exploration types with others guiding from the ship, etc?)

[Black Cohort]

Whatever works for you guys.

[A.T.]

Victris was hesitant to descend to the surface, but no other amongst the group would know how to identify navigational charts or markings.

 

And should this find be as significant as believed no-one would remember those who did not set foot below.

[Xin Ceithan]

Thane bows, forming the sign of Omnissiah across his chest then turns and makes his way towards the sanctum. On his way, he opens a vox channel to the bridge:

"Master of the Watch, this is Explorator Thane. Requesting an update on Sensorium data regarding the crash site in preparation of the orbital descent. Any geographical or climate issues to consider? Any changes to the data we have received?"

[Black Cohort]

The team launches and on the way down is informed that 2 ships have been detected exiting warp about the same distance away you did.  So far they are too far away to identify.

 

You clear through security channels with no issues as your friends smooth the way and you quickly find the shuttle under the cloud cover rushing towards the crash site.  As you approach you can see a cordon has been established by the local pdf.  A clear landing area has been identified about 200 meters from the site.

[A.T.]

Sensing the arrival before the comm message arrives Victris allows himself a moment of satisfaction that, allowing for transit from the port, his vessel had arrived before that of any other navigator.

Perhaps good that it was a close run thing though as he wouldn't have wanted to raise expectations he could not meet in the future.

 

Pulling his hood down over his forehead he awaits the landing.

[Slips]

"Alright, standard procedure with this stuff once we get there: the Tech-Priest is the only one actually allowed to touch anything, consider us to be in hostile territory; other factions might not be all too happy that we got here first and might come in guns blazing. Otherwise, you all have your own skillsets so put em to good use. If we split up, remain in constant contact and alert, at the very least, me if you notice anything suspicious. I'll be meeting with whoevers in charge of the PDF first if there are any present to try and get a lay of the land." Romelia states as they start their final descent towards their landing zone.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

"Perhaps I should go with you to speak with the PDF," Ethan says. "I do have some experience with these types and, well, sometimes a lighter touch helps in these situations."

[Slips]

"By all means, be my guest." she replies.

[Black Cohort]

As you exit the shuttle, a junior officer sees you and heads your way.

 

"I am sorry, this area is restricted.  All non-approved personnel must immediately vacate the area by order of the planetary governor."

 

You can see a low level priest of mars is looking at the shuttle from at least 40 feet away from it.  There is no one closer.

[Xin Ceithan]

Thane steps forward, straightening to full height. After forming the sign of the Omnissiah, he extends his left hand forward, activating an electoo rune.

" I am Magos Explorator Ydras Thane. You will not stand in the way of Understanding. We are here by authority of the Emperor of Man, blessed vessel of the Union of Earth and Mars, who has granted the Warrant of Trade. These fine people will fill you in on the details." Thane motions to towards the group coming from the lander. "First, however, you will summon the Adept in charge. I am eager to see the initial data on this craft."

[A.T.]

As the magos pulled rank Victris held back amongst the guards, watching keenly for any sign of psychic or warp activity.

[Black Cohort]

"I am sorry Magos, I was explicitly instructed that Rogue Traders and their staff are not allowed access to the site."

 

The navigator can almost physically taste the warp in the air coming from the shuttle.  It is clear to him that it drifted for many years through the warp.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

[ooc - again, not getting notifications of new posts. I'm on my way to bed but will get something up tomorrow]

[Xin Ceithan]

"Your ignorance is laudable but unacceptable." Thane squirts out a binaries curse, then vents excess vapor for added effect. Never a cybernetica cohort around when you need one. Well, the faithful do the great work with the tools at hand. Boosting his vocalizer, Thane continues.

"The warrant of trade conveys the will of the Emperor manifest and thus synerges with will of the Omnissiah. The great work must continue. The cog that does not turn according to His divine plan turns away from His light!? Who would ask you to turn from His path? Allow the work of the Omnissiah to advance or choose the path of heresy at best, the path of the traitor at worst."

Another vapor venting, "Choose, little cog and choose wisely."

[Slips]

As the Explorator starts getting dogmatic on the poor Junior PDF Officer, Romelia decides to step in after dropping off the crate of gear she was carrying out of the shuttle.

 

"Alright, look...uh...Lieutenant? Yeah, for all of our sakes, just show our explorator here to your most senior Mechanicum Adept and they'll sort their whole deal out. As for the rest of us, we'd like to see who's in charge here and if that's you, well, come on over so we can have a little chat. As he just said, we're here under the rights and liberties afforded a bearer of a Warrant of Trade."

 

"I'm Arch-Militant Jome, by the way." and she waits to see what the Explorator or anyone else for that matter does.

[Black Cohort]

I will wait a bit longer for Kage to post.

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Sorry guys, I was going to do it tonight (Sunday) after a family get together and while that was happening I found out a friend's mother passed. Go ahead and progress from here. 

[Black Cohort]

"I am sorry arch-militant, but my orders come direct from the Planetary Governor." The officer produces a gilded scroll that has hand written orders on it.  The scroll is a work of art, presumably made by a servitor-scribe.  "As you can see I have no latitude in this situation, only those in the direct employ of the Planetary Governor are to be allowed access to this site.  Nothing in a Warrant of Trade allows you to ignore the orders of a Peer of the Imperium."  He turns slightly.  "Sgt, anyone who crosses the barricade is in direct violation of an order from the Planetary Governor and are to be shot."

 

----

 

The Mechanicum priest leaves the secure area and heads to a large tent erected nearby.

[A.T.]

Watching the tech priest move away Victris extends his senses once more, peering keenly at the tent.

 

The warp taint on the pod was a concern perhaps best not raised publicly, but also an opportunity to track anything that might have been taken from it.

[Slips]

Rebuffed by standard Imperial Bureaucracy, Romelia just sucks her teeth and utters an "Uh-huh." before taking a step back to speak with the rest of the team.

 

"So, looks like the Planetary Governor here is officially laying claim to this and will, as they are wont to do, try to make a profit off of it or use it to get him name out there. Nothing out of the ordinary so far especially since that's more or less what we're trying to do. But, we've got a job to do here. Explorator, is there a Adeptus Mechanicus-only frequency you could get on to try and speak with your peers/lessers? Also, Seneschal, you know anyone with pull on this rock? I'd rather get in on this thing in an official capacity. As much as I enjoy violence and gunning down enemies of the Imperium, these people aren't that so far as I can tell."

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Ethan is already typing furiously on his dataslate. "Working on it, arch-militant."

 

[Ethan has Peer Academics for the High Gothic translation mentioned in the original meeting as well as Peer Military, Nobility, Administratum, and Underworld that may work in this situation, whichever the GM thinks is the better fit]

[Xin Ceithan]

With a last, extended venting of his potentia coil's cooling unit, the Explorator turns away from the barricade and returns to his companions.

"I agree that initiating hostilities is inefficient at this point. I will attempt to contact the adept on site and see if he ranks a local bureaucrat above service to the Ohmnissiah."

Thane begins cycling his vox unit through the channels commonly used by the Mechanicu, iniating the the protocols of sacred vox communion.

[Black Cohort]

Watching the tech priest move away Victris extends his senses once more, peering keenly at the tent.

 

The warp taint on the pod was a concern perhaps best not raised publicly, but also an opportunity to track anything that might have been taken from it.

 

Once the navigator concentrates on the tents he can sense several small objects have been removed.

 

Ethan is already typing furiously on his dataslate. "Working on it, arch-militant."

 

[Ethan has Peer Academics for the High Gothic translation mentioned in the original meeting as well as Peer Military, Nobility, Administratum, and Underworld that may work in this situation, whichever the GM thinks is the better fit]

 

Ethan contacts the Planetary governor's staff to try to smooth things over.  They suggest that things could work favorably for your house if certain concessions are made to the governor.  The governor wants 10% of the value of all goods recovered as a result of using the shuttle.

 

With a last, extended venting of his potentia coil's cooling unit, the Explorator turns away from the barricade and returns to his companions.

"I agree that initiating hostilities is inefficient at this point. I will attempt to contact the adept on site and see if he ranks a local bureaucrat above service to the Ohmnissiah."

Thane begins cycling his vox unit through the channels commonly used by the Mechanicu, iniating the the protocols of sacred vox communion.

 

"Acknowledged explorator, let the flesh-units fight over petty issues."

[A.T.]

Victris moves to the explorators side as Ethan works, motioning towards the tent. "The pod is no longer intact, the tech priest has removed items from the secure area".