[DW] Blackthorn/Swordhand: Episode III - The Sundered House

[Mazer Rackham]

Akkad tapped his fist against his chest in approval at a job well done, then took his leave, donning his helmet once more, he made his way down the steps to the outside of the tower, where he found Vaidan and returned the Sergeant's Flamer, with words of thanks.  He quickly reported their discovery upstairs and unslung Cadence.

 

+I shall wait here with Atratus should you wish to go in My Sergeant.  The Astropath was wounded, but is under Solastion's care.+

 

He stood braced and ready, noting carefully the position of the Raptor and ready to cover him at the merest need.

 

MR.

[Slips]

Forgot to update once home yesterday sooo uuhhh another work post!

 

As he attempted to cut away the robe surrounding the abdominal wound, the..young?...Astropath made weak attempts at protesting, he placed a firm hand upon her wrist and spoke.

++My Lady, as distasteful as it might be for you, I have sworn the Apocryphon Oath so your health and safety are of a greater concern than your personal comfort in this moment. You can either attempt to resist - at which point I will be forced to have one of my brothers restrain you - or, you can cooperate and make this task all the easier for me to accomplish. The choice is yours.++ he said to her, waiting to see what she decide to do.

Edited December 6, 2018 by Slips

[Commissar Molotov]

GM: The astropath will continue to attempt to struggle against any attempt for you to tend to her (apparently quite serious) injuries, and especially for you to remove her robe.

[Slips]

++My Lady doth protest to much. So be it. Do not dare say that a Son of Sanguinius did not give you the chance to comply willingly.++ He shrugged as the hand currently gripping her wrist tightened down on it just a fraction to immobilize her.

 

++Brother Sabaan? If you would be so kind as to make sure our young Astropath here cooperates?++ he motioned with the other hand to indicate to the Techmarine to assist and promptly getting to work on her.

[Commissar Molotov]

GM: Feel free to roll your medicae tests then... 

[Slips]

GM: Feel free to roll your medicae tests then... 

Edit: I forgot I had my dice on me because I have a Kill-Team game tonight after work >_>

 

Medicae 75 +/- whatever makes the operation harder/easier.

 

First Result: rolled a 100; so imma go ahead and FP that; whether or not that is a Demeanor FP is up to Mol

 

FP Reroll: 33 vs 75 for 4 DoS; 1d5 for enhanced healing = 1 extra wound healed for a total of 9 wounds unless shes critically wounded in which case its 1 wound healed per DoS iirc.

Edited December 6, 2018 by Slips
I forgot I had my physical dice with me.

[Xin Ceithan]

A pneumatic grunt issued from his respirator grill as the Techmarine turned in fluid motion and strode towards the Apothecary and the struggling human.

+Cover us+ He voxed at Tyber. He felt irritatied, having to pass something so obvious in crude audio form.

He stored his combat knife, ignoring the angry howl of his Armour at such carelessness and reached across the astropath's torso from her left, gripping her right wrist. He pushed the human down, bringing the weight of his warplate and his augmented body to bear across her upper body with just enough weight to not immediately harm the frail human, making sure the brittle thing was able to breathe. Then he bodily pushed her right arm down using the weight of his own, armored left. Here, the sheer weight immobilized the mortal limb. His left hand, gleaming in the silver livery of the Deathwatch still held his bolter, pointed behind the Apothecary 's back. This close, the mortal stank of fear and frailty. Sabaan fought down his unease at the unfamiliar physical closeness to something so pitifully organic.

+Brother Apothecary. Begin.+

[Commissar Molotov]

GM: A very hard (-30) Medicae skill and your roll of 33 makes it a 63/75. Still a pass.

 

The Techmarine's weight is more than sufficient to hold the astropath down and to overpower her, allowing Solastion to proceed. The illumination from his diagnosticator helm provides him with enough light to work, though this is a far cry from the gene-hanced physiology of the Astartes; bodies designed to absorb horrendous punishment without succumbing to death. Bodies that can sustain trauma and the crude ministrations of battlefield surgery. Even as the Apothecary delves within her abdomen, his armoured fingers seem crude and clumsy, nowhere near fine enough. 

 

Thankfully the girl passes out in short order - thankfully for her, at least. Slowly, carefully, the Sanguinary Priest is able to extract the bullet fragment that have splintered through the girl's abdomen. Unburdened by having to tend to her needs, Solastion is able to cauterise and suture as he goes, preventing any further damage from being inflicted.

 

Finally, the surgery is complete. A success. It will not take long before you can use stimulants to rouse her and question her. 

[Mazer Rackham]

The Devastator stood stock still in the pouring rain, the odd bloom of an explosion in the distance.  Somewhere men were dying.  He hoped - if such a thing existed here on Syndalla any more - he reflected bitterly, that it was the enemy.  He watched as the Raptor hunched against the bleak wet, occasionally sweeping the night-shrouded rooftops with his rifle.

+Atratus, do you see anything worthy of your skill?+  He beckoned to Greysight and the two Marines wandered towards each other.  His next words were for the Storm Son.

 

+How many of them do you think escaped through this hatch?+

 

MR.

[A.T.]

Atratus swept his scope across the ground, the powerful augers penetrating the uppermost layer but the sewers beyond stretched for countless miles, "Nothing brother, they hide from our gaze and await or next move."

 

The xenos seemed oddly reluctant to commit themselves in force, or perhaps unable. Hunting them beneath the surface could take days but if their next move could be predicted or induced... The raptor glanced up towards space, little enough time for even that. The head must be severed if the wider Imperium was to be warned of the threat approaching.

[Steel Company]

As the girl passed out from the pain, Tyber removed his helm and spoke, “Huh, she stayed awake longer than I thought she would…. Will she live brother? But more importantly, how long before she is strong enough to send a message out?”

 

He paced about the room, still looking for any signs of how many had gotten in, where they might have come from or where their foe might have gone.

[Slips]

++ She will live. Now, whether or not she'll be in a state to use her gifts - a taxing process on the body for even the simplest task - upon awakening...I would not recommend it. She is frail and came close to joining the Emperors side in a more literal manner. I would begrudgingly have to say that she would require at least a few hours of proper rest once awake before attempting anything. As it stands, she is currently our only link off-world and we cant risk jeopardizing her. But all of this is a guess, Brother Tyber, I know not how the gifts of the Astropaths affect their bodies.++ he said as he wiped down and sterilized his equipment.

 

++Well, Brother-Sergeant, we've secured An Astropath, what would you have us do now?++

[Steel Company]

Tyber rubbed his left hand against the back of his bare head, with his eyes closed before he spoke, "At least we have an advantage at the moment, our foe thinks they killed the Astropaths... I'm not sure if we should hold up here for now, or be mobile. Being mobile could put strain on her and your work, brother. Strain that could prove fatal for her... yet the longer we linger in this place, the greater the chance our foe will notice and mount a second attack."

[Mazer Rackham]

Greysight knelt as he considered the query, gently pressing fingers into soil to measure the depth of the tread and the spacing, he was obviously doing by eye.  Akkad let him work as he considered Atratus' words.  Correct in every sense.  He voxed in reply.

+Perhaps we may now act, as opposed to reacting.+

 

They needed to. He locked Cadence off, to his backpack, easing his bolt pistol ready in his palm.  Kneeling over the hatch, he carefully looked up and down the ladder for more tripwires, pressure plates, tilt switches.  People who laid traps like that generally liked to lay more.  He slowly and warily eased the top of his head into the hatch, just enough to let his eyes roam the darkness below, looking around.

 

Perception Test:

Target: 50 + 10 (HS) + 10 (Autosenses) = 70

D100 Roll: 006 Pass 6 DoS

 

OOC: Auspex is good, but Akkad's Mk II Eyeball is better.

 

MR.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[Commissar Molotov]

GM: To clarify, it would appear at the moment that we have: 

 

- Akkad, Atratus and Greysight outside (with Varvost?)

- Solastion, Sabaan, Tyber inside (with Vaidan entering?) 

 

 

Inside the Tower: 

With the surgery completed to Solastion's satisfaction, it is a few minutes before the Astropath begins to stir. Her face tightens at her pain, although the stimulants and suppressants designed for transhuman physiologies are working well to quell the worst of it. She opens her eyes, squinting at the light and the bulk of the Astartes warriors gathered around her despite her empty eye sockets.

 

"I had hoped this was a nightmare."  She groans to herself. "Once, on the throneworld, I saw one of Lord Dorn's warriors from a distance. I never thought I would see more of your ilk." 

 

Outside the Tower: 

As Akkad kneels down he sees the sewer-way is much as Atratus had reported; far below you can hear rushing water, but no signs of any traps. The access-way itself is too narrow for an Astartes to fit through in his armour; you will not be able to track the Cult any further in this manner.  

Edited December 10, 2018 by Commissar Molotov

[Mazer Rackham]

//Access:Squad Vox//

++My Savant, I am above a hatch to the sewerage system that runs beneath the city.  There is no entry large enough to accommodate our harness, but the enemy use it freely.  Are there any others like this in the immediate area?++

 

Akkad stood, searched and found a spar of wood from the doors that would serve as a stake.  He hammered it into the ground beside the hatch, then as Greysight watched, covering him, he closed the heavy trapdoor.  He smiled and huffed a small laugh under his steel face-plate.  How ironic.  A large chunk of masonry was added to weigh it down - it would take a heave stronger than a single human arm to push it open more than needed.

 

Two large and partially smashed bricks from the garden walls were then laid in front of the hatch.  Greysight's helmet canted slightly until the Astral Claw drew out one of his captured grenades.  He carefully tied the length of wire to the stake, traced it over the larger stone and finally, tied it to the pin.  He clicked the lever to set it for three seconds and tucked it carefully under the heavier of the bricks.  Standing up, he moved back slowly, satisfied.

 

Any filthy heretic or stupid human coming through that hatch now would have a nice surprise.  They would be unable to open it a fraction to see, would be forced to heave it open, view mostly blocked by the broken bricks.  Just enough to pull the grenade out, arm it and drop into the sill of the hatch.  Conveniently closing it after.

 

He thought for a moment about loyalist survivors.  They would have to take their chances, as Blackthorn did.  He marked the trap for the Squad so they would not fall foul of it.  If there were any more of these hatches, he had two more surprises he could use.  The resulting smile under his helm was not pleasant.

 

MR.

[Steel Company]

Satisfied that their position was secure for the moment, Tyber relaxed, studding the Astropath, it seemed so weak of body and strange. For the briefest of moments he could’ve sworn he saw Faith’s face in the Astropath’s own, blinking it away and re-focusing his mind in time to hear her say, ever so softly and strained “… saw one of Lord Dorn's warriors from a distance. I never thought I would see more of your ilk."

 

Tyber chuckled slightly, “To be fair, you’ve not seen another son of the Praetorian of Terra again, with you at the moment are sons of The Lion, The Angel and The Gorgon, I would think most of us would be of better humors than one of their ilk.” Shifting around slightly, while he stretched, before speaking again; “Or was it that you meant Astartes in general? If that is the case, well, now you know just how bad things truly are. If it had not been for my brother Apothecary, you were bound for a slow, painful lonely death in that wall…. As it stands our Sargent will wish to speak with you, don’t worry, he is not one of that ilk either.” He finished with a little wink of his left eye to her.

 

Pulling his helm back on, Tyber sent an alter to Vaidan that their prize was awake, but weak.

Edited December 9, 2018 by Steel Company

[Reyner]

++Well, Brother-Sergeant, we've secured An Astropath, what would you have us do now?++

 

Vaidan also received an alert from Brother Tyber that the Astropath was awake but weak. They needed to send a message to the Deathwatch and wider Imperium about the threat on Syndulla and the Tyranid Bio ships that were somewhere in the system. He walked through the shattered remains of the tower doors to find the Astropath and Solastion.

 

++Squad, form a defensive perimeter around the tower - I am not sure how long it will take the Astropath to send a message, we will not be found wanting if the Genestealers launch another attack. Brother Sabaan get to the Chimera and ensure its weapons are ready for action, it would also make an excellent barricade for the doorway and give its weapons a good firing location. Brother Tyber your strength will likely aid us inside the tower if the grox muck hits the fan again.++

 

The room was like a butchers shop, the slaughtered Astropaths were scattered around covering in wounds but it looked like their deaths were quick at least. Vaidan saw Solastion over his patient who now stirred as he approached them.

 

++Brother Solastion keep an eye on her, if the psychic backlash is too great or she loses control you may have to grant her the Emperors Mercy.++

 

"Greetings little one, I am Vaidan of the Novamarines and the Deathwatch. I need you to send a message to our Brothers at Watch-Station Azurea - Watch Captain Diocles must know that we have made contact with a large Genestealer Cult, the planetary governor has been killed, we have found no sign of Inquisitrix Lythea, Brother Thorvald has been lost and the vessel Voice of Thunder has been destroyed by Tyranid bio ships. With bio ships in the system the situation has changed we will need reinforcements possibly from the Watch-Station and the Imperial Navy. When I list it all out like that it does sound like we haven't been doing very well on your world."

 

Vaidan chuckled trying to make his message not sound so bleak to the Astropath she was so small compared to the Space Marines and looked like she needed a decent meal. The girl nodded but looked very frail.

 

"If you need some time before sending the message we can fortify this position but we cannot linger more than a couple of hours. I have another task for you aswell - the leader of this Cult uprising is a large Genestealer that will have a very strong psychic presence are you able to sense it and lead us to it? If we can find it, we can kill it and end this cult uprising."

Edited December 10, 2018 by Reyner

[Xin Ceithan]

-Placeholder-

 

In which Sabaan makes his way to the Chimera and attempts to turn it into as Roadblock ...Doorblock?

 

Unless there is a a dramatic turn events that would prevent him from doing so

[A.T.]

"Brother, forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but were our own astropaths not blocked during approach to this world? What has changed that might allow this one to succeed?" inquired Atratus.

[Steel Company]

At hearing Atratus question over the vox network, Tyber offered up a suggestion, +I would say the death of the Voice of Thunder, likely had something to do with us having this chance, she killed or crippled the two bio-ships that were in system brother. I am willing to put thrones on the fact that we will be able to get a message out, thanks to that sacrifice... I make that guess based on the fact that we were not followed by spores from those bio-ships landing bio-forms on world.+

[Commissar Molotov]

Vaidan, Solastion, Tyber:

 

As the Watch-Sergeant questions the Astropath, he receives the vox-click acknowledgements as the Kill-Team moves to enact his orders around the astropathic tower. Solastion and Tyber remain ready in the vicinity, should circumstances alter for the worse.

 

The Astropath listens as Vaidan outlines the situation facing Syndalla, nodding to herself. 

 

"Dybus - Choirmaster Dybus - warned us of a veil being drawn about this world, engulfing astropathic communication. He described it as shouting into the wind. And that was conducting all of us together in harmony. Doing it alone...?" 

 

She sits, wincing as she does so. Still, it seems she is moving through what pain lingers in her body. 

 

 

"I will do as you ask, Vaidan of the Novamarines. It will take time to complete the necessary meditations. You will also need to supply me with the necessary ciphers and code-strains so that I can contact your Captain."

 

She gestures around the chamber around her. 

 

"Please, you must aid in the rituals. The candles in this room must be lit. If you can, please remove the bodies of my choir. Their pain hangs heavy here." 

 

 

Akkad, Greysight, Sabaan, Atratus, Varvost:

 

Taking up positions as the Watch-Sergeant ordered, it is not long before your vox-links click. 

 

Atratus sees them first; a column of five vehicles grinding along the nearest roadway to the tower. Three are cargo-sixes, heavy trucks with canvas covers, whilst two of them are smaller, rugged vehicles.

 

As the Raptor pans his rifle scope across these new arrivals, it takes him seconds to capture a still-image of the insignia emblazoned on their chassis; the upward-facing pitchfork and the rampant bull-grox of House Qurn.

 

it is clear that they will be at the tower plaza within a matter of minutes. 

[Mazer Rackham]

"Five vehicles inbound, infantry transports and industrial vehicles." he glances down towards the grate, "likely supported from below. Estimated arrival seven minutes".

 

The sharp-eyed Raptor had given them time.  Knowing it might take the enemy minutes, it took Akkad long seconds to accomplish his task.

 

Exploding into action the Devastator sought higher ground, his legs pumping up the stairs, carrying him in moments to a second story.  Taking his point of reference from the staircase, he drew his combat knife and holstered his pistol.  He punched firmly forward, the pommel driving like a piston, thump, thump, thump.  Plaster and brickwork began to loosen as his elbow crushed the carefully laid, interlaced bones of the building and he worked the blade in the bricks and mortar, pulling out chunks of masonry.  He kicked at the widening hole, dust and grit flying from the vigorous pummelling.  Fragments of stone flew out harmlessly to tumble onto the Chimera hatch and larger stones shot out like mortar rounds, careening into the darkness, clipping off the fronts and cornices of buildings. Rubble pieces crunched to power under his feet and soon his armour was grey from the ruminating particulates.

 

After a minute, he had a hole large enough to look and aim the heavy bolter through.  He finished his work by bevelling the edge facing him, allowing him to traverse the weapon across a wide arc in front of the building.  A long boulevard stretched out before him, the exhaust gases of the haulers and buggies coming closer.  He stowed the knife and hefted the huge gun.  Soon, they would be in range...

 

++This is Akkad.  Standing by.++  He signal-pinged his position and angles of fire to the squad.  Below him, the Chimera 2-12 sat chugging happily under Sabaan's control.  Now it would get to fight with them.

 

MR.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Mazer Rackham

[A.T.]

"Five vehicles inbound, infantry transports and industrial vehicles." he glances down towards the grate, "likely supported from below. Estimated arrival seven minutes".

[Slips]

++Markings? Heraldry? Can we confirm that these are indeed hostiles?++ asked the Apothecary as he unceremoniously dumped the last of the slain Choir members outside of the Astropathic Chamber.