Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Tue Nov 15, 2011 9:46 am

Rajender, having spent his time alternating between between going over the ork logs, whatever scraps of legends he could find on the Righteous Path and praying for guidance, was almost thankful for the new developments. There was little doubt in his mind what the lance strike had been for; a strike against the Eye, the intent behind it being to deny him what was rightfully his. It was the only possible explanation. The distress signal was a curiosity he'd indulge later. For now he needed to stop whoever this thief was and, to do that, he would have to test his faith, and not just his faith in the Emperor.

He summoned the captain of the Glory and laid out the man's duty, telling himself all the while that these were fundamentally God-fearing people who would do as he asked. A nagging doubt plagued him as he spoke, undermining his confidence as it tried to convince him that the fundamental nature of man was not as he wished it to be.

"The enemy vessel," the unidentified ship clearly of hostile intent in his mind, "makes to escape. She is quick and nimble, but the Emperor saw that our purposes were united for this reason. The Glory can catch her and force her to turn and do battle. She bears a lance weapon but, since she is small enough to escape the Satisfaction, it is unlikely that she shall be large enough to mount such a weapon in anything other than a spinal configuration. Beware her prow arc and do what damage you can, but remember that your objective is to slow her long enough for the Satisfaction to bring her armaments to bear."

He left his words hanging in the air before continuing, hoping to impress the gravity of the situation upon the man. "Should this interloper escape we risk losing all that we journeyed here for. Stop her and we shall have fame and fortune. Those of the Glory proved their skill and tenacity when they raised arms against me. I know that you will show similar resolve in this task."

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:16 pm

Vipsanius had merely returned to his laboratories, regret washing over him that he had allowed such petty emotions to get the better of him. Had he been in charge, matters would've been settled on quickly and easily, the Adeptus Mechanicus having no room for this kind of brazen tomfoolery. So for the remainder of this trip, he spent his time with the dead greenskin and his trusted assistant-servitors.

It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it. He learned many fascinating thing, one of which was the necessary temperature to incinerate an ork spore.

"Oho, sending the usurpers to serve penance for their sins... this shall turn out interesting, I believe..."

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:50 am

Glory swiftly pulled away from Satisfaction, engines glowing brightly. From then, it was a matter of waiting to see what consequence the decision would have. It took some eight hours for the Glory to overhaul the fleeing enemy. At last though she entered extreme gunnery range, the telemetry feed displaying an opening volley of bright sparks against the void.

Rather than continue to sustain fire without reply, the target began to turn, slowly shedding some of her momentum. Glory continued to barrel in, her own accumulated velocity bringing her in close for another strike. Her batteries hammered through the target's void shields, punching holes in the hull and inflicting some damage. Perhaps more importantly, the bridge crew were able to use relayed augur data to find a match for the ship in the cogitator banks. To the surprise of few, it was the Fel Hand, a solidly built and well-equipped frigate under the command of Hadarak Fel. Glory might well be outmatched, but then, her orders were to delay, not defeat the target.

The Hand unleashed an inconclusive volley at Glory as the smaller ship overshot, then came about to face the enemy head-on. Space between the two vessels lit up with munition fire, Glory emerging decisively worse off from the exchange. Battery fire had wrecked her laser battery, while a lance strike ignited a fire amongst the macrocannons. With her weapons disabled, Captain Bair nevertheless continued to fight his ship, an order for ramming speed crackling across the vox link. At such speeds, it was a tricky maoeuvre, requiring pinpoint timing, and ultimately the ship's pilot was not up to the task, Glory sailing past the Fel Hand with considerable clearance to spare.

Now, at last, a vox channel was opened between the duelling vessels, a voice positively oozing arrogance and condescencion echoing through the link, "Well, my good captain, our dance is at an end. We can't have two of Hakon's ships flitting about the system. It simply wouldn't be sporting." With that, the ship began to come about, dorsal batteries lashing out at Glory, thankfully accomplishing nothing more than bringing down the ship's void shields. If she were to complete the turn however, those fearsome lance batteries would be a severe threat to the damaged ship's very survival. Before the Fel Hand could complete her turn though, Satisfaction at last reached extreme weapons range.

Race had arrived on the bridge some hours previously, and had spent his time in practice at operating the weapons station with a single hand. Now he was making those final fine adjustments which made him the best shot on the ship. All across the bridge and throughout the ship, the crew stood ready to avenge Glory's mangling under the Fel Hand's guns.

(Okay, a bit of an ASCII style map to outline the situation. Satisfaction has just completed her movement for the turn, and has the option of turning to bring her broadside to bear on Fel Hand. The two ships are separated by 12 VUs, with Glory between them. Both Satisfaction and Glory are carrying a bit of extra velocity relative to Fel Hand and will be moving 2 VUs north on their turn before any other actions.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Fri Nov 25, 2011 6:39 am

Dauphin had been busy doing whatever it was he was paid to do. He had been in his quarters, sipping a cocktail and delegating hundreds of sundry tasks to his hundreds of underlings via comms. Hundreds of results and extra data were bubbling up from his hundreds of informants. Keeping the ship running smoothly involved, in metaphor Dauphin could relate, running a hand across a silk garment and smoothing its wrinkles. Of course, every breath of, no matter how demure, could warrant more caresses. It took dedication. In this focused work so prescribed by his Lord Captain, he found himself distracted from his dissatisfaction at the way their meeting had ended. Not that it had ended in verbal sparring, no, but simply that he could not accurately predict the motions of all of the pieces in play. As he had told the Lord-Captain, from here on out, no outcome could be wholly assured.

Upon hearing that there was trouble afoot, he emerged from his seclusion, onto the bridge. Upon hearing the voice of the enemy pour into that bridge, Dauphin raised a finger to the corner of his shades.

"I believe I may be of assistance here, Rajender, if you see fit. My analysis of the situation indicates, as before, that your decisions alone decide who takes the prize this day."

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:02 am

Rajender watched, enraptured, as the dance played out, a performance already prone to protraction given a stuttering element as data bursts were received and incorporated into hololithic displays. A scant few weeks ago the men of the Glory had been lawless reavers, preying on a pilgrim vessel as it passed through the Maw, and yet they now flung themselves against a superior foe on the command of a man who had once sought their destruction. They had sworn themselves to the dynasty, yes, but until this moment those oaths had gone untested. Though he would never openly admit it the Lord-Captain had harboured doubt in his heart. To have that doubt banished so absolutely, and to see those who had once called themselves "pirate" redeemed in the fires of battle, was more than he could endure while remaining composed. He wept tears of joy, the power of the Emperor manifest before him. Faith truly did conquer all.

The notion that their loyalty had been inspired by the occasional mention of material rewards was, of course, entirely alien to him.

"Helm!" he yelled, his voice jubilant and Dauphin's assessment only reinforcing his conviction, "Come about to starboard and bring the guns to bear! I want hard locks on that perfidious vessel! By the Emperor, he'll rue the day he meddled with the divinely ordained!" He managed to compose himself enough to issue his next order with a measure of restraint. "And open a channel to the Glory and Captain Bair."

He went on to commend the man on his valorous conduct, along with that of all his men, promising them assistance once Fel was dealt with. For now he ordered them to disengage, their immediate duty done. After forcing composure upon himself once again he turned to Dauphin. "My friend, the time of reckoning shall soon be upon the would-be thief. Convey a request to Magos Rook for me; I wish for him to fully awaken the Satisfaction's spirit, so that she may peer with unclouded eyes at our foe and bring about his absolute destruction. After that," he paused to smile wryly, "feel free to convey the imminent and absolute nature of Fel's doom to him. You do have such a way with words."

(Here's the initial setup, if I'm not mistaken. Satisfaction will turn 45 degrees to starboard so that her port guns come to bear. Rajender will spend his action on the vox to the Glory telling it to scurry off before it shares the fate of its sister ship and attempting to mitigate whatever morale losses he can while standing on his own ship. He's also requesting that Vipsanius Aids The Machine Spirit to boost detection so that the crew's Lock-On attempts are more likely to bear fruit. Finally, with all that done, the barrage will begin and the Fel Hand will hopefully be sufficiently mauled. This, in graphical terms. I'm assuming that diagonal movement counts as 1.5 VUs.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:25 pm

Dauphin was at the comms in a flash. Indeed, he had anticipated this and was moving there casually as the Lord-Captain spoke. His message to the Magos was terse and without the usual pleasure.

"Direct the augurs onto the Fel Hand, Vispanius. Direct order from the L-C."

He then began to activate his custom message transmitter, directed by the subtle gestures and tonal interludes only he could fully comprehend. He weaved a simple image and began broadcasting to Fel a screen of Dauphin facing head on, a blank field of silvery grey to one side of him and a brazen field of gold to the other. He spoke.

"What is the difference between fate and fact, Fel? Is one simply the other from a different perspective? Let it be known that you are at your end. Do your witches foresee this as well as my mind knows it? Can fate be altered? Can fact be distorted? This I intend to see. But you are a man of more practical matters, like our own Captain Rajender Hakon. Indeed it is your very similarities which bring you to face him today, as much as neither of you would be likely to admit. You are aware that the prize you both seek is immense in chronological value as well as material size. This is a fact. The ability for the victor here to transport it back to 'safe ground'...well, that is a matter that is up to fate. I propose that no more capable vessels be slain needlessly, to do so would bring meaningless collateral damage to the victor. I propose a more clean solution to this conflict. I propose you stake your victory and pride on your skill and honor. I propose you and Rajender meet face to face in the ancient archetype of glory- The Duel. Indeed, our crippled ship, The Glory, would serve fabulously as neutral ground for this, though if you have objections you may choose a location. I know that the Hakon Dynasty will not turn down this opportunity, so all that remains is for you to accept."

A small grin had begun to emerge from beneath his shades.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Mon Nov 28, 2011 7:39 pm

Rajender listened to Dauphin with amusement, followed by curiosity and, in turn, a cold and absolute fury. Had the wretch just compared him to Fel!? He was half way across the bridge, hand on the hilt of his sword when the his seneschal spoke the magic word and brought a smile back to his face. A duel. He could think of no better way to resolve this matter and, more importantly, no other way which he'd relish as much. To confront the blackguard face to face and best him in personal combat? It's all that the spire brat he once was could dream of, more so to the master of an entire dynasty. Dauphin had chosen his words carefully, false as they were, in an attempt to make this ideal a reality. He remained silent and out of sight of Fel, though he studied the man's reaction carefully.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:54 pm

Fel's image appeared on the pict-screen, revealing him to be an impeccably groomed moustached man of indeterminate age, garbed in an dark, opaque aethyr weave ornamented by the bright sparks of a naval engagement set against a backdrop of stars. Fel clearly kept himself abreast of Scintillan fashions. By contrast to Dauphin, Fel was content with the backdrop of his ship's bridge, seated as he was in an ornate command throne with various banners depicting his dynastic and personal triumphs decorating the far bulkhead.

Fel chuckled, "So, finding himself losing the duel of ships, Hakon seeks to alter the battlegound, does he?" he asked, "An admiable ploy in its way, but the young trader will find that it is victory which counts in the Expanse, not its manner nor the personal honour accrued. A swift but uncetain resolution where patience would provide a far better chance of victory has little to reccommend it. Still, I am not averse to negotiation. What other incentives can you provide to tempt me into accepting this duel of yours?"

Fel seemed more amused by the proposal than anything, and confident enough in his ship and crew to see the naval engagement through. What manner of incentives might tempt him into accepting a personal duel was an open question.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:05 pm

Rook had remained in his lab, cooing and cackling as his experiments showed great promise. Why... if his calculations were correct, merely a few spores from a single ork would be enough to, given enough time, doom an entire world. What an unconventional, but amusing, thought. He would certainly store as many of the little things he could, permitting of course only a select few to grow into maturity for further study in his sterile, safe and heavily guarded laboratories. He had read some reports, scattered findings, but he was a man of personal belief above anything else, and no discovery made by anyone but Vipsanius Rook would be sorely tested before taken as a truth.

As the order came from Dauphin, Rook casually strolled over to the elevator that would bring him directly to the machinarium, his throne of power, with hobbled steps, leaning on his staff for support. Omnissiah damn void combat. It brought on nothing but trouble, but he had no doubt the young Hakon knew what he was doing.

As soon as he stepped out into the livid machinery, the very heart of the ship, Vipsanius began to issue strings of orders to servitors and lesser priests, rapid chatter of binary without pausing to breathe, his lungs bypassing his usual airways and allowing only a small portion of air through his still human larynx.

[Doing as the good captain requested]

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:41 am

Dauphin tapped his forehead. "Information."

He paused just long enough to let that word sink in. "Information that stretches beyond the furthest horizons of your comprehension. If your witches chanced to scan my mind back at Port Wander, then you might have the smallest, most naive idea of the truth I am telling here. If not, suffice it to say that my contacts, my knowledge, my talents, my experiences...they put me in a wholly unique position in this universe of ours. If it's wealth you seek, I can say which fields to tend and which crops to sow, so to speak. Fame, or justice? I know which beasts need slaying and where they make their lairs. Power?... Have I not brought myself out of nothing to my current position with unrivalled velocity? Should you best Rajender here in single combat, you will get the I in Information. I will be at your service.

Further, I am prepared to deliver an added bonus: An esteemed Magos of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Vispanius Rook. He sups little, and he makes his worth more than readily apparent should one need their shoes polished or their machine spirits pacified. I assure you, he comes highly recommended."

(CHARM)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Sat Dec 10, 2011 11:26 pm

"Ah, but if you are so certain of Hakon's triumph, then this is a bargain you never expect to have to fulfil," Fel said, leaning back comfortably in his chair, "Who can truly say how you will react if I confound your expectations? And would I truly want the services of somebody who would lead his master to defeat and then transfer his loyalties to the victor? No, Dauphin, regardless of your talents, you are not so attractive an inducement as you think yourself. Nor am I so sure that your Magos Rook would appreciate being so blithely offered as a bargaining chip."

Abandoning his faintly mocking tone, Fel leaned forwards once more, regarding Dauphin seriously, "As it happens, there is perhaps something which would interest me. Your dynasty has holdings on Sepheris Secundus, through a client family. Transfer their debts to me and I will consent to your duel."

From memory, the dynasty's holdings on Sepheris Secundus were reasonably minor, consisting of a handful of mines producing a small but steady revenue stream. Valuable, certainly, but nothing compared to the riches of the Righteous Path. It was difficult to see what Fel could want with them.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Tue Dec 13, 2011 2:22 pm

Rajender was displeased with Dauphin's offer. Not that he believed it to be sincere, of course, but it was lacked any worth. Anyone so willing to change sides was clearly untrustworthy and any information they might provide circumspect. As Fel had deduced, all the deal could be taken for was the wrangling of an unfaithful lackey (which Dauphin was obviously not) or a trick. Still, he remained willing to let Dauphin speak for the dynasty. Until the mention of Sepheris Secundus.

"Enough of your wrangling, Fel!" he boomed, stepping up behind Dauphin and trusting the technology to convey his image to the thief. "I'll see you grovelling at my feet before the day is out and I'll gladly carve my way through your hull to see it done. You can face me now or you can cower until I seek you out, it matters not. I simply present you with the opportunity to ensure that loyal men do not die pointless deaths in service of an unworthy, craven master."

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Sun Dec 18, 2011 7:30 pm

"Wrangling, is it? Unworthy and craven, am I?" Fel seemed amused once more, "You've a lot to learn about manipulating people, young Hakon. About your fellow Traders too, I suspect. Any one of us who would offer you a fair fight is lying through their teeth. They will always have an edge they intend to exploit. Callow as you are, I must still assume you believe you have some edge in a duel, and therefore decline your oh-so-gracious offer. Let us see on whose side the casualties fall, hm?" With that, Fel cut the transmission.

With Glory maneouvring out of the line of fire, Satisfaction's guns lashed out across the void. Despite a weapons lock, the broadside merely succeeded in bringing down Fel Hand's void shields. The lances, however, were more successful, punching deep into the hull. Undaunted by the punishment, the smaller ship came about, setting up for an attack run on Satisfaction. Space around the cruiser lit up as Fel's ship opened fire, likewise bringing the shields down and punching into the hull with lance fire. It was a battle which would inflict significant damage of both ships, but Satisfaction was larger and better able to weather the storm of fire. Very soon now the two ships would enter close range and the matter would be decided.

(Fel Hand is now at O16 on the map, facing south. It has taken ten points of damage, while Satisfaction has taken eight.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Sun Dec 25, 2011 6:47 pm

Rajender seethed at Fel's response. The words he'd used meant little. He had declined, implying that he was truly a coward or, worse still, that he considered such a challenge beneath him. That the thief portrayed his own words as manipulation added insult to injury.

"A wicked piece of work." he remarked with disdain, casting a glance at Dauphin, expecting some alternative insight into the man.

He felt the exchange of fire as it shook the ship, both the outbound barrage and the sustained damage. Loyal men died for the dynasty, as they did for Fel, as was the way of things. It was deeply unsatisfactory. The Fel Hand passed close enough to be glimpsed with the naked eye, or so the Rogue Trader swore, and he longed to face down his enemy at sword's length, and he barely resisted the urge to charge down to the hanger bay and muster a boarding team. He would have Fel brought before him in due course. For now, he would punish his ship for its master's impudence.

"Magos Rook, our nemesis believes that he can slip past us and remain intact. Be so kind as to show this fool what the Satisfaction is capable of." He strode towards the helm, trusting that his orders would be conveyed to Vipsanius as he goaded the ship to burn a little harder and come about. If the machine spirit was willing he'd be in an ideal position to unleash a devastating broadside on the frigate while forcing Fel to choose whether to come about to keep his lance on target or turn and flee.

(Asking Vipsanius to Aid the Machine Spirit to boost Detection, then Rajander will Adjust Speed at Full Speed, trying to speed the ship up by 1 VU as it turns to port. Ideally it will end up in Q20 after drift, facing North, perfectly positioned to rake the Fel Hand with fire. Crew Actions will be spent on Lock-Ons, as before. This is how things should look pre-movement and pre-drift, I think. If Rajender's capable he'll give his Exceptional Leader bonus to the lance attack roll.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:27 pm

Dauphin shrugged at the Captain's glance.

This was not a satisfying outcome of course, but Dauphin had done what he could. He got on the comms and relayed orders about the ship.

"You've been given ample opportunity to get full sight of our foe here, men. Do not waste it. Know their location, so that our weapons will be brought unto them fierce and true."

(Put Your Backs Into It, aiding in the lock-ons)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:13 am

Vipsanius tsk'ed at the conversation he was overhearing. Being an officer aboard the ship, he'd of course had access to the communications channel, and the offer to trade the Explorator to Fel passed him by without anger. The man was making ridiculous promises and he knew for certain that the Captain, should he even remotely consider the option, did not have the leverage to conduct such a blatant breach of protocol.

In either case, he hummed rhythmically in binary as he set to work, letting the gnarled amalgam of hands and machines that were his work the ship's machinery skillfully, his command to his inferiors curt and to the point. He didn't dislike working with machines, but he found the intricacies of the human body and psyche to be so much more rewarding to study. That expertise, he mused as he ceremoniously diverted energy to the Augers, was something the good Captain may one day ask of him... but not now. He was too naive.

"It has been done, Lord Captain..." he spoke through the vox, a click as his artificial vocal-chords changed frequency, "The Satisfaction longs for battle..."

(Welp... Sorry for the absence... I was in Slovenia and forgot to mention... ._.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:24 am

(I read the rules as allowing extended actions only in space combat, which the Exceptional Leader ability doesn't count as. On the bright side, Fel doesn't get to use it either.)

As Satisfaction closed the distance, her instruments reached out across the void, bracketing the smaller ship squarely. Her guns spoke, bringing [Fel Hand[/i]'s void shields down and allowing the lances to score another deep wound. By contrast to Satisfaction's manoeuvre, Fel Hand cut back her speed drastically, turning her prow towards the passing ship's bloadside before unleashing the full fury of her guns. For the batteries, this didn't amount to much, flares of light erupting around the larger ship without actually striking home. The lances accomplished more, the first shot collapsing Satisfaction's shields, while the second sliced through an important cluster of manoeuvring thrusters, a blow which could only help Fel press home his mobility advantage.

A final, unexpected blow came in the form of an assault boat. Evading all defensive fire, the boat punched a hole in the outer hull and disgorged its cargo. Frantic chatter over the vox-channels pointed towards a vicious mob of murder-servitors. Despite concerted efforts to repel them, the servitors cut a path to the prow lance batteries, leaving promethium charges scattered along their line of advance. With their detonation, fire soon took hold within the compartment. If left unchecked, it would engulf Emperor alone knew how many crewmen.

Glory had, by now, brought her own fires under control, and the ship was coming about, preparing to rejoin the batle.

(Satisfaction has taken a critical hit, suffering 11 damage total and -20 to manoeuvrability. The hit and run attack has started a fire in the lance battery. If not brought under control by a successful command check at -10, it will consume the component, dealing further damage to the crew. Fel Hand is at Q18, facing east. Glory is now at X9, facing southeast.)

(Ship status update: Fel Hand is at 13/33 hull integrity, Glory is at 7/30 and Satisfaction is at 34/60, with crew population of 62/92 and morale of 80/103)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Thu Jan 12, 2012 8:45 am

The loss of loyal men and the damage to the Satisfaction were lamentable occurrences in and of themselves, but the threat that they represented was far worse. With their manoeuvring thrusters damaged there was a possibility that Fel might actually escape.

"Bring us about to port! Fire as she bears! A thousand gelt to the gunner who lands the killing blow!" He strode away from the bridge as he bellowed, mentally preparing himself for what was about to come.

"Dauphin, there's a fire to be fought. Hold the bridge until I return, and ask that damned Magos to fix the thrusters! I expect to hear news of Fel's demise within the hour!"

(Rajender is hurrying to the prow lance battery and getting stuck in fighting the fire there. Spend a fate point if he fails the test. Beyond that Dauphin has the bridge. What Rajender would like to happen is this, a half speed, a turn and another volley of fire. Whether that happens, along with his request to kick Vipsanius into gear and what Crew Actions are assigned, is up to the seneschal.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Fri Jan 13, 2012 9:54 pm

"Right on, Hakon." Dauphin said. He spun, surveying the bridge in full, and letting his neurons do their thing. He lifted his vox to his face, and began dispensing orders, switching channels rapidly.

Click. Into the domain of the gunnery crew his voice flowed like a waterfall tinged with honey perfume. It was not a natural sound to fill those areas, but this merely reinforced its importance.

"You are to destroy our foe as the LC has asked. I do not think I need to make his position on the matter more clear than it is, but let me remind you that as we take damage, the chances of food and water and other sundy but vital supplies being damaged by spoilage, or the mere vacuum of space taking them, increases. Each blow we take puts pressure on us now, and in the future. They are one. So, I should not have to explain what that means. And that, when we come out of this, the divvying up of those things required for life will tend towards those who have proven themselves. Even if we retrieve untold treasure, and manage to shepherd it back to safe harbor..., well, dead men need no shares of profit, do they? So, loose the deadly weaponry upon our foe, clean and true, and make it perfect."

[Dauphin's personal action: Put Yer Backs Into It, aiding the Ballistic Test. If he hits the three degrees of success, put it into ballistics again.]


Click. "And you, Vipsanius, are directed by the LC to handle the thruster repairs as quickly as mechanically possible. Of course, you knew that. I'll send staff to support you in this." He clicked away before any response could be given. Time was important, here. He glanced at his silver chrono. Moments were ticking away, and each one was infinitely precious.

[Crew action 1: Emergency Repairs]

Click click click. He paused, thinking. He needed more data. The gunners needed more data.

Click. "Bring our array to bear upon the enemy vessel, let no detail of their pattern escape our seething glare. The LC commands it. Relay this data to the gunners, so that they may bring our enemy low. This information is vital, extrapolate all that you can."

Click. "Gunnery crew, this is Your Dauphin, again. Good news! The augur teams have a fire within them, a burning hunger, and they do not wish to be left unfulfilled after this battle. They wish to sink their teeth into both the throat of our enemy and a delicious meal afterwards. But fear not, for this is no zero-sum game! I would not pit my beloved crewmembers against each other- to do so is to sew inefficiency. No, you see, you are working together, as are we all. They are the eyes. You are the hands. Without them, our weapons are blind and cold. Together, well,... you can visualize the perfect blast of searing energy, ripping through all matter in its path. You must dream of it. Your work, made golden by skill and desire. Now, through the combination of sight and touch, we can experience that dream in the real. Make it happen. Bring some small mote of perfection to this cold void of space."

Click. The waterfall of precisely modulated notes, words, and symbols halted. Dauphin was on the bridge, and had little more to do than to await the outcome of his attempts. He gazed into the holotank, thought better of himself, and then turned to the viewscreen, to watch the battle play out.

[Crew action 2 and 3: Lock On]

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:11 pm

"Insolent wretch..." Vipsanius mumbled for himself as with a sweep of his stained and matted robes he descended through the bowels of the ship to reach the sacred temple of the rear thrusters. Immediately he set to work, establishing what had already been done through a sharp and quick report in binary.

His private assistants, skilled tech-priests in their own rights, took over command of the different stations and soon had established an efficient and coordinated structure out of the chaos they had arrived at. Vipsanius felt no joy, after all this was what he expected from his subordinates, at all times, but there was a smug contentment knowing that the priests of the machine were loyal to him as a manifestation of the being closest to the Machine God amongst them.

"Decrease pressure in valves Alpha through Gamma, apply the sacred unguents and pray my brothers as the repair cement dries and the rewiring of the spark of life is done. Pray, and praise the Omnissiah for his glory!"

[Trying to repair!]

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Sat Jan 21, 2012 9:12 pm

Rajender's passage to the lance batteries was swift, the spinal conveyor depositing him close to his destination. Gathering together a large mass of crewmen, the trader pressed on into the furnace heat of the blaze, directing hose crews and establishing firebreaks to bring the blaze under control. All was very nearly lost when one of the power cells for the main battery caught light, volatile chemicals within blazing up, but the crew rallied to the location, dousing this new blaze in suppressants. Although the battery carried a powerful stench of smoke, and small hotspots continued to be damped down, the battery itself remained intact.

Vipsanius had less luck with the manoeuvring thrusters. Some vital control node had been compromised, and he would need further time to isolate and replace it before the systems would once more respond as they should.

A certain grim determination suffused the gunnery crews, who intended to see the Fel Hand removed from their sky for its affront to their ship and dynasty. macrocannon shells burst in a concentrated pattern right on top of the enemy vessel, overloading her shields and opening great rents in her hull. Neither the lance crews nor the gunners of Glory, firing at long range, could add to the destruction, but the ship had sustained heavy damage, and with a second ship returning to the fray, the ship's master must have weighed the odds and decided to break off the engagement. Engines at full burn, the frigate pulled away from the engagement zone, altering her heading to ensure she would be very difficult indeed to catch. A final volley from Glory chased her on her way, but the ship broke off the pursuit. With only one battery functional, she was unlikely to destroy the Fel hand, and her own damage was sufficient that if the other ship were to turn, she might well be destroyed by another barrage.

Ultimately, the Satisfaction had won the engagement, and while Fel might have escaped, his ship was in little condition for another battle. Whether this would allow the dynasty to claim their prise unopposed remained to be seen.

(Rajender spends a fate point to bring the fire under control, and Fel Hand, at 5/33 hull integrity, breaks off the fight. Satisfaction's heading and condition are such that there's no chance of a last barrage before Fel escapes.)

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:03 pm

Dauphin spun on his heels, placing the vox to his face. He hailed the Fel Hand. He hailed the Glory. He hailed The Satisfaction's own internal channels. He broadcast in all directions, filling the empty void.

"They run! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA*thunk*!"

He let the vox drop to his feet. It was still switched on. He spoke to those few bridge officers remaining.

"When our Hakon returns, tell him I've stepped out for something. I think this victory deserves a special toast. I just happen to have something stashed away..."

Footsteps receded away, followed by palpable silence, and a few muffled throats being cleared. It was almost a minute before someone had the sense to switch the vox off.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Wed Jan 25, 2012 10:53 am

Rajender returned to the bridge, face blackened and clothing signed and soot-coated. He didn't share the elation that others did, even if the day was theirs. Fel had escaped, maimed by intact, slipping off to lick his wounds and scheme. They had gained nothing from the battle, save rent hulls and thousands of the freshly dead, having been denied both information and satisfaction. It was a miracle that the lances hadn't joined the lost of casualties. He slammed a fist down as he watched the Fel Hand slip away on the hololithic augur display, the projected image wavering as his anger boiled over.

"I'll get you next time, Fel." He muttered, glaring at the icon that represented his nemesis as if it would carry his proclamation to him. "Next time."

He needed to compose himself, to take stock of how things stood and to make plans. Fel wouldn't flee the system now, not after speaking such words and trading such blows. He'd remain a thorn in his side until the day he died, or at least until the Righteous Path was located. He spoke slowly to his officers, never taking his eyes of the augur display, demanding an assessment of the damage both ships had suffered and the course the Fel Hand had set.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:02 pm

Vipsanius couldn't be bothered to celebrate anything, he was far too busy placating the ship's furious spirit and not researching his specimen. This brought on a subtle, but sharp, edge to his tone as he reported in a drone-like manner the damages to the systems. Someone would probably inform Rajender of all the dead, Vipsanius cared little for casualties of the flesh.

"Inadvisable to begin with. The man Fel's karma is strong, he is of a dynasty, groomed for power. But such is the hot tempers of flesh, I doubt we could have bargained our way out of this with our..." he glanced at Rajender and Dauphin and there was a slight hint of scorn in his next word, "honor unsullied. These are the repairs that need to be done, categorized by sector and urgency. I require a redistribution of working staff, overtime for 68 per cent of the ship's crew while we work on the repairs. Placate them however you see fit captain, but if you want your ship in working order as soon as possible these are the requirements."

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:43 am

"They understand the urgency of our work." The Rogue Trader responded, glancing over Vipsanius' report before handing it to Dauphin. "What of the Glory? Is she fit to tail Fel? He found something on that world, something that he saw fit to destroy. He's acting from a position of enlightenment and until we can attain a similar state he must be monitored." He rose to his full height, no longer looming over the tactical display, and looked to the Explorator.

"The Satisfaction shall be voidworthy within the hour. I trust that your mastery of the arcane arts of technology shall overcome all obstacles. Then we shall see what Fel found on that world, and if whoever was transmitting that distress signal survived. Emperor willing we'll find something of use. Meanwhile the Glory shall ensure that he doesn't slip away." Whether the smaller ship would be dispatched with orders to engage or stand off depended on how badly it had suffered at the hand of Fel.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:25 pm

Dauphin had returned from his quarters with some finely aged contraband liquor, just exquisite enough to signify something out of the ordinary. The bottle was crystal, shot through with threads of silvery metal. Ignoring the report for the moment, he poured it into a lasciviously curved decanter, and offered glasses around. In times of celebration he was not typically in the habit of being stingy with his habits.

"Lord Captain, I propose a toast." He raised his glass. "To the Glory, The Satisfaction, and the future they bring to us."

This moment of levity was a balancing act for him-- it was an ongoing choice to not think about what Fel had wanted with those holdings he wished relinquished unto him. He'd delve into that when the time came.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Fri Jan 27, 2012 6:49 am

Rajender stared at the drink for a moment, as if puzzled by its presence, before his mood transformed. A smile spread across his face as he plucked the glass up, his worries forgotten, and joined Dauphin in his toast.

"A glorious and profitable one, no doubt!" he added as he raised the glass and drank.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Wed Feb 01, 2012 3:42 pm

Vipsanius nodded at the Captain's request. An hour, surely the man was a fool.

None the less, the ship was, legally, his, and the Explorator could do naught but comply to the best of his abilities, as were the ancient dictates. It did not force him to particularly like the company.

He did not join in the toast, but rather waited patiently until it had been done before he nodded. "I shall take my leave then... ha ha ha," the laugh was entirely mirthless, "it should never be said that Vipsanius Rook takes his duties lightly. Use this hour to recuperate and rejoice in our victory for now, until more pressing matters demand our... aha, attention."

He strode away to the Machinarium, quietly mumbling to himself.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Kelne » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:00 pm

A brief conference with Captain Bair of the Glory soon revealed that he was not confident of victory in a return engagement with the Fel Hand. Both ships had taken a mauling, but Fel's unquestionably remained the more dangerous of the two. He would willingly shadow the other ship, and would engage if favourable circumstances presented themselves, but did not believe a direct engagement would serve Rajender's cause well. For now, Fel's course seemed to have been charted with an eye to carrying him away from the battlefield rather than towards any of the system's planets. The minute that changed, Glory would inform them.

Vipsanius, meanwhile, was able to put together a functional work-around for the damaged manoeuvring thrusters within the hour specified. To properly restore the systems would require considerable time, but the ship was again fighting fit, which was an acceptable starting point.

With Glory dispatched to shadow Fel, Satisfaction set course for the second planet, arriving after a day's travel. One transmission from Glory revealed that Fel Hand had gone to silent running, seemingly unaware she could be tracked by Vipsanius' technique of watching for reflected radiation from the pulsar. Bair doubted a ship could close to engagement range without Fel Hand spotting them well in advance, but being able to track Fel's movements without him being aware could still be very useful. Fel Hand had altered course, beginning a series of semi-random manoeuvres designed to shed any pursuit. As yet, her ultimate destination remained shrouded.

Orbital scans of the second planet revealed a small, burnt cinder of a world, scoured by periodic blasts of hard radiation from the pulsar. The site of the lance strike was readily apparent, still glowing with residual heat on the scopes, but whatever the strike had been directed at had seemingly been small enough that no trace of it remained visible from orbit.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Jak Snide » Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:17 am

Rajender stared at the augur returns, index fingers steepled and pressed against his forehead. Lances were awesomely powerful weapons, unable to saturate the same volume of space as macrocannon shells but striking with enough force to annihilate virtually anything it struck. The chance of anything surviving Fel's attack was next to nothing. This is what his head told him. His gut told him otherwise.

"Ready an away team." He ordered, fully intending to join it himself. "Emperor willing, we'll find something down there."

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby Capntastic » Fri Mar 02, 2012 4:44 am

Dauphin finished his drink, and began his preparations. With Fel being chased by radio laughter, things should go smooth. So long as that broken star stayed out of his way.

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Re: Rogue Trader - Greed is Eternal

Unread postby ChristianC » Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:54 pm

Vipsanius sighed deeply, the sound like the rustling of an old filtering unit.

"I will follow down this time, if it will save us from the time it takes to conclude that my expertise is needed and you need to call upon me again." He spider-like fingers drummed slowly on the body of his symbol of status. "If we are lucky, Fel will assume our common sense drove us to cut off the pursue." The click-click-click of mechanical fingertips against the grip was broken off with a short, raspy laugh.

"My apologies dear captain, I seem to be getting rather... foul-mooded with my age. Proceed as you see fit, I will aid you in what ways I can and the Machine God wills."

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