Dark Heresy - Wisdom is the beginning of fear.

[Kelne]

"I was questioning a prisoner," Cryvus said, "He didn't last long, unfortunately; somebody didn't want him talking." He shook his head, clearly reluctant to say much more before the others had been assembled.

[Christian]

Mithras grimaced at the words from the old man. "I wanted to do the same, but..." he gave Xerxes a look and a frown knitted itself on his brow, "...the Emperor did not will it."

He shifted slightly, looking to where Crisis and Mikolas had gone, "his wounds were bad, Xerxes... perhaps it is to the best that he gets them treated."

He took a few breaths and continued, "Cryvus, we are being consciously kept in the dark about our mission here, there are too many things we are not told about. I have no doubt that this attack was the work of..." he searched for words, "...traitors, heretics... but even if the light of the Emperor was scorned by them, it would be the task of a madman to throw yourself against this settlement in broad daylight. They should have known they were walking into certain death, and unless they have a commander willing to sacrifice his men to potentially cause lasting damage to us..."

He gave up trying to continue that train of thought and instead just sighed, "We must speak with the woman who travelled with those warriors. She knows about this."

[Jak Snide]

"He's had worse." the arbitrator said gruffly. "The man said we need to talk, and we'll talk now before shit gets any stranger. Then we can figure out what to do."

He tapped his vox again and spoke into it. "You both get that? Bottom of the slope, right now. Sound off."

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis' eyes narrowed, and he found himself growing further irritated. He had more important things to do. Much more.

However, the discussion can perhaps wait.

Perhaps.


The assassin pressed down the button on his vox, and tapped it twice with the back of his hand, before releasing it...heading back out of the Clota, writing tools in hand, scrawling angrily as he headed for the Cathedral.

Only one thought was in his mind at this point:

This had better be good...

[Capntastic]

Mik grunted into the vox. And began to march towards the appointed spot, doing his best to ignore the pain.

[Jak Snide]

The Cathedral now stood silent atop the hill, polished black stonework glistening in the morning sun. The people of Stern Hope were busy burying the dead, tending to the wounded and ensuring that this disruption would not prevent the consecration.

The acolytes met in the shadow of the edifice to Saint Drusus. Xerxes back was to the steep rise, rolling his injured arm and wincing with the effort. Both he and the other two with him read Crisis' note, the assassin holding it up for all to see, his expression inscrutable behind the gas mask that covered his face. Mikolas close behind him, both his armour and flesh scorched by numerous las-shots from the battle.

(Everyone's here. Whatever you've got to say, now is the time. Ben will also be stepping into Xerxes' shoes here.)

[Christian]

Mithras had his arms folded, thick weave of his uniform under the carapace of his armour blocking the point where he had been shot. He thought for a moment to inspect it, his mind fresh with memories of the battle and of Aristarchus, the seer.

He watched the others and then sighed, drawing a gloved hand over his face and the stubble of his chin.

"A miracle..." he muttered as his thoughts came back to what had happened at the cathedral, "Aristarchus spoke about a miracle... and that woman... the one who had been with the outsiders who helped us... she spoke of unclean forces."

He looked around and gave a roll of his shoulders, cracking his neck as he continued, "I think it's obvious there's a lot more to all of this than what we've been told, and... I doubt we can trust anyone here to tell us more. I don't know what you all have heard from those living here, but if there's anything any of you know about this attack, or what kind of miracle that was supposed to happen here..."

[Kelne]

"There will be no miracles," Cryvus said, "Not while His will is obstructed and fear and doubt cloud the minds of the Faithful." Cryvus looked distinctly haggard, but he pulled himself together, "We have a name. This bloodshed was perpetrated by a 'Voicer' named Seth, a whisperer of lies and conduit for something far worse. We have seen its works. Heard its name spoken by one thought mad."

His voice dropped low, eyes darting about as if seeking hidden listeners, "The Crow Father."

[Ben Smash]

"What was that?!" barked Xerxes, "If there are any Aliases for this voicer you speak; utter them now. Seeking this person may be our only lead to clearing this cloud over His will... as you so aptly said, Cyrvus."

With that he loosed an officious grunt and went about checking his various weapons and accoutrements.

[Capntastic]

Mik looked around, letting the others argue. He was content to dab his wounds with a rag, and wait for a proper course of action to be laid out.

[Kelne]

"No aliases," Cryvus said, "Or none of which I am aware. You spoke of an incident at the cathedral. Could you tell me more?"

[Christian]

(Err... I'll explain then...? Sorry, I thought the question was left open. :( )

Mithras shook his head and unbuttoned the side-pocket of his uniform under the flak armor, fishing up his battered cigarette pack and grunting. "We managed to get one of them alive. For questioning." He shot a glance at the others, "that's what I figured we'd use him for anyway. Seems like the Abbot had a different idea."

"He was executed at the cathedral. By Aristarchus. The woman with the riders... She spoke about unclean spirits. Said he didn't know who we were. Our seer didn't seem to agree with her..." He glanced down at the healed wound in his chest with a disapproving look on his face.

"This whole attack was a joke. We're dug in and ready for an assault. The best they could've done was to besiege us, starve us out and send in teams to try to cripple us. Not throw themselves against us like greenskins."

[Ben Smash]

"Behavior of crazed zealots, if we're submitting our rutting opinions." Xerxes spat, "But if we're being active I say we get a scout on a high point while we tend to our wounds and try and comb the area for evidence. The bodies of the fallen have stories, we must coax them out."

Xerxes began patting himself down looking for anything resembling a bag or loose cloth, but seemed perplexed and began to march off towards Mik and help him patch up.

[Kelne]

"The enemy does not want to kill us," Cryvus said, "It wants us to kill each other. A task we have succeeded at admirably. These men did not begin as heretics. They believed in the Emperor, but that belief was taken and twisted until they believed also that we were the enemy, and must be struck down in His name. I doubt it could have sustained such control over the course of a prolonged siege."

"With every day that passes, it will spread its influence, corrupting individuals or groups, until none know friend from foe. I have felt the briefest of touches upon my own mind - a moment's fear of the consequences of doing His will. Believe me when I say that nobody is safe."

"Heavy is the hand of darkness upon Iocanthos, and few are the candles. The door swings open, to be closed only by death. Tithe not to the King of the Blind."

Cryvus's stern gaze swept across each of the acolytes in turn, though what they were meant to make of his pronouncements was unclear.

[Capntastic]

Mik spent a moment digesting Cryvus's words.

"..Yeah? So, what're we gonna do about it?"

[Ben Smash]

"Do!?" Xerxes seemed startled, he briefly looked up from tending to his own and Mik's wounds. "We can't be passing out this kind of forgiveness. If they are attacking servants of the Holy Inquisition, true servants to Him-on-Earth, they are Heretics. Fated to Be Heretics. Forever Heretics. They shall all receive the same treatment. Forgiveness by fire, that's what we'll do."

Xerxes coughed and spat blood, wiping his mouth he looked at Mikolas, "We'll find everyone related to this, extract whatever knowledge we can, then burn the lot. This is what we'll do."

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis cocked an eyebrow beneath the gas mask. He was not interested in committing to any more battle until he had confirmed two things...and was writing accordingly, before showing it to those who can read.

'We don't even have any knowledge of our current targets outside of this "voicer". And even that is an unknown outside of what Cryvus has said. In addition, I would note that we have limited resources to work with, and are currently less than liked by the locals. We do not want to waste more ammunition than we have.


That aside, there are a few other matters of concern. We do not know how to locate the threats that our mission directive dictates us to eliminate--including the source of the "warp-related incidents". Prior to further investigation, I would prefer to have someone literate or well-spoken to accompany myself to the workshops, in order to hopefully secure repairs on our only transportation here that SOMEONE whose name shall not be mentioned decided to gleefully commandeer into battle and get disabled in the process. It is only thankful that there may be a chance it has not been completely destroyed. After that, I have to confer with Aristarchus personally on matters which I do not wish to disclose here.'

...Mikolas could feel Crisis glaring at him from behind the gas mask.

[Kelne]

"I intend to speak with Aristachus myself," Cryvus said, without mentioning what about, "I imagine Mikolas is capable of getting the truck repaired without our meddling, however. The abbot will surely be aware of rival sects," he said to Xerxes, "So that would seem the logical place to begin."

[NamagomiMk0]

'I would imagine he is not, personally. I would much prefer a professional to handle the job.' Crisis writes and shows in response.

[Capntastic]

"I dunno, if the tire's all shot out I dunno if I can get more air in it without proper tools."

He wiped some blood drips from his arm.

"I really want to see about their vehicle, though. Big thing like that.... might even be some sorta clue there, as to what they're up to."

[Ben Smash]

"Well, Crisis, I can accompany you to whatever repair facility we might find. On the grounds that you," Xerxes points to Cryvus "collar Aristachus, in proper restraints, and leave the torture to me. Whatever shite-storm is incoming I want to know well in advance what we're dealing with. I want to be well prepared, too. However, I may just opt for well armed." Xerxes had a fatally serious look about his face as he cinched up the last of his bandages and took Crisis by the shoulder, in a firm manner

"Lead the way."

[Kelne]

"I will do what needs to be done," Cryvus said firmly, "But torture would be an act of sheerest folly. Nor am I certain he is yet lost to us. I will use my own judgement in this matter."

Judging from Cryvus's tone of voice, he was not going to brook argument. He held Xerxes' gaze for a few moments to be certain that the arbitrator understood.

"Mithras, with me," he said finally.

[Christian]

Mithras had observed the ensuing discussion with a tired expression on his face, lit tabak-roll in his mouth trailing a thin, white line of smoke as he watched their ever-silent assassin write like as if possessed.

As usual, the scrawny void-born seemed as pissy as a hiver in a snow-storm, no surprise there, but he had to raise an eyebrow at Xerxes, who had up to now remained fairly neutral in their dealings. Well, the battle had affected them all, he supposed.

So, he and Cryvus was going off to fetch Aristarchus? He had no problems with that. "Understood." he muttered as he fell in line with the old man.

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis raised an eyebrow at Xerxes' latest shift. There was something wrong here. Something particularly wrong. What the arbitrator was doing was nigh-unto...no, there was no nigh. He was suggesting torturing someone who they had been given explicit orders to treat as if that person had all the authority of Inquisitor Skane herself.

That alone could be considered treason. What he was intending to do was clearly treason...and he would have none of it.

Nevertheless, punishment for this intent of treason could wait. Noticing the hand falling on his cloaked shoulder, and the order of "lead the way", he started on the path down to the workshops on the south-to-southeast side of Stern Hope, along the path to the generators that not too long ago, he defended with deadly accurate rifle fire...

[Ben Smash]

"I know what you're thinking, Crisis," muttered Xerxes, "You're thinking I've taken one too many shells, too many clocks to the chin... Something's changed Void-Born, I want this over with. The torture is a scare tactic, do you have any idea the red tape I'd be into from the Adeptus Arbites? I wanted them to know I meant business. I want this whole Emperor-Forsaken planet to know."

Xerxes rumbled up a colourful string of curses as he spat out what appeared to be blood and shrapnel. He laughed grimly: "Seems like those ... shells I was talking about, made it to my lungs." With that he tightened his bandages and mused "Where's Mik?"

[Capntastic]

"Uh, I'm right here.

You alright, man?"

Mik approached him, trying to assess his wounds.

[Ben Smash]

Xerxes fumbled noticeably, "Rutting hell, must have a concussion... glad you're well, boy. Let's get this vehicle working right again, 'eh?"

[Kelne]

Cryvus talked as he led the way towards Aristachus' lodgings, "I'll do the talking," he said, "The intent is to gather information, and ensure that Aristachus is not undermining our purpose. If it comes to violence, then we have failed."

[Christian]

Mithras had come to something like the same realization as Crisis, ignited by Xerxes response to the look the silent assassin had given him. He didn't like the Seer at all, but their briefing had been very precise on the matter of how they would treat the man.

"Don't worry," he grumbled, spitting out the remaining butt of the lho-leaf cig and reshouldering his backback, "If our patron has enough faith in him to place him as our superior, I'm not going to go take a swing at him for the heck of it."

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis, in the meanwhile, simply nodded in response to Xerxes' last statement...and continued toward the workshops. If anyone was going to fix the damned thing, than a professional was.

[Jak Snide]

East Gates

Mikolas, still feeling the pain of his wounds, got his first good look at the vehicle the raiders had used to breach the gates. It was bigger than their truck, that was plain to see. The thing had a wide-bladed metal plough attached to its front, though a quick look around the sides told him that this wasn't a built in feature. The vehicle itself neared 5 meters in width and around twice that in length. Four wheels half his own height elevated the chassis from the ground, the cab at the front missing it's glass and the large, flat area at the back reminding him of their own transport. He'd seen something like this before; a mass conveyor, used to haul goods or large amounts of earth. Slow, but sturdy and powerful, and a quick inspection of the driver's seat revealed that the controls conformed to Imperial standards. The only problem was that the thing seemed to be lodged in place.

The Generatoria and Workshops.

Crisis and Xerxes got their first sight of what powered the Cathedral; a cable as thick as a thigh snaked from a thrumming machine easily twice their height, running up the side of the hill and disappearing over the top towards the black stone structure. The workshops stood nearby, four ramshackle buildings encircled by a wooden wall. A smaller cable ran across the ground and into two of the structures. Neither of them were craftsmen, but they could tell what some of the workshops were; a metalworkers and a stonemasons, the former designated by an anvil sat outside and the other by several blocks of black stone that lay nearby. The other two were a mystery, though one did have a cog symbol stamped onto a plate mounted near its door.

The Crying Clotta

Cryvus and Mithras made their way inside and upstairs, though not before they had been stopped by a sole woman. Cryvus recognised her from earlier and, before he could say a thing, she pressed something into his hands, muttered a thank you and quickly made her way out.

Cryvus:

Spoiler:

You now hold an amulet of polished flint with an Aquila engraved upon it.

Moments later they stood before Aristarchus' door. His voice called out for them to enter before they had a chance to knock. Inside they found him seated upon his bed, a date-slate lying next to him and an expression approaching peace worn upon his face.

[Christian]

The guardsman gave the woman a surprised look, but figured the old man had helped her in some way either before or during the raid upon the settlement. He gave an approving nod to Cryvus, he hadn't thought about it but he had been forced to face the threat alone, and had managed admirably.

As the voice of Aristarchus cried out, the stubbed face of Mits turned into a look of mild annoyance, memories still fresh of the witchcraft having been done to him. He just didn't like seeing it...

Mithras stepped in first, his weapons holstered and his lasgun strapped over his shoulder, hooked into the cranny formed by the shoulder-plate of his flak. He tried to give an imposing air, but not threatening. He gave a curt nod to the Seer and stepped aside to let Cryvus enter as well, keeping his eyes on the man on the bed.

[Kelne]

Bestowing a smile upon the woman, Cryvus promptly hung the amulet around his neck. An icon of faith, freely given. Surely a good omen, if there were any to be had in these dark times. His mood was somewhat soured by the sight of Aristachus. It was the peaceful expression that did it; so far as Cryvus was concerned, there was no time for peace.

"We have... concerns, Aristachus," he said after taking in the scene for a few moments, "I understand you have slain a prisoner with no effort at interrogation." His voice was stern, bordering on judgemental, but he gave no sign of anger, waiting on the seer's response.

[Jak Snide]

The seer looked at them, his expression that of someone who'd been slapped in the face. He calmed himself after a moment though, nodding his head in recognition of Cryvus unspoken point.

"I admit that I had lost my temper. The audacity of such an attack..." his words trailed off, the memory of the battle rekindling his anger momentarily. "I acted in haste, but there was no taint in the Voicer, only sunburned madness."

[Kelne]

"I would disagree," Cryvus said, "Given that my own captive's eyes exploded before I could extract more than a bare minimum of information from him. We sensed no taint in the birds either, if you recall, yet I am certain that they act as our enemy's eyes. Nor for that matter, did we sense taint in the eyeless corpse Mithras shot."

He paused for a few moments, to allow Aristachus to work through the facts for himself.

[Jak Snide]

It didn't take the seer long to do so. The mention of ruptured eyeballs brought about an sudden change in his disposition, surprise registering on his face before shifting to a troubled brow.

"Avelock, secure the door. Ensure that no one is eavesdropping. Rastin, if what you say is true then we may be blind a taint that extends beyond than a few zealots and crows. Now recount to me exactly what this man told you."

[Christian]

Mithras blinked at the sudden change in the Seer and nodded grimly. No matter his own personal dislike of mutants, the man was still their superior and she trusted him.

He stepped over to the door and threw it open, peered outside and then closed it, keeping it only a hairwidth open, hopefully fooling anyone coming upon it that it was closed, yet still remaining able to see any movement outside.

The door would most likely muffle the sound.

He turned his eyes to Cryvus and Aristarchus and nodded, "It's clear."

[Kelne]

"Little enough," Cryvus said, "He claimed amnesia at first, until I confronted him with the truth of his acts. Then he said that 'the voicer', Seth, sent them a strange voice, filled with the Emperor's wrath, which told them the heretics planned to summon..." he shrugged, "I do not know what. He was silenced before he could speak further."

[Capntastic]

Mik examined the interior, doing what could be done to ensure it wasn't rigged with a bomb, or full of rats, or had some sort of evidence inside.

[NamagomiMk0]

Crisis examined the workshops present, noting an irritating lack of clear notation. A stonemason would not help at all, and a metalworker, while at least getting close to a truck's components, may not be able to deal with the issue at hand.

Damnable idiot feral, trying to strand the whole cell here by destroying their only transport...

Looking between the two workshops left, the one with the cog symbol denoting it seemed like it would be a start...

And so he headed that way, expecting Xerxes to follow