Port of Call - Landing

Port of Call - Landing

by DM B

Timestamp: 7.280.996.M41

Location: Hive Primus, Corax Secundus, K4 V 'OCG-001671A' system

Situation: Guests of the First Speaker of Hive Primus, with Xerza acting the part of Rogue Trader

Body: The trip down to the planet was uneventful - you passed the great moon and made your way to the planet without being detected by the Ork warship in high orbit over Corax - and there was time to ready equipment, make plans, and rest. Vern revealed that the orks had destroyed outlying settlements and landed ground troops. He also pointed to a shielded valley as a likely point of human resistance.

As soon as you broke the atmosphere Odessa and Haxtes jumped out while the lander continued on a high-speed/high-altitude vector that would periodically bring it into vox-range of the selected landing site. Both infiltrated successfully and Odessa even made her way out from under the shield to make an extensive report - a large semi-abandoned human city protected by the mountains and the energy shield. A city apparently built on top of a massive subterranean Hive City.

Meanwhile Haxtes made contact with a local woman - Minerva Eiden - that turned out to be very well connected. Posing to be an agent of the Rogue Trader Xerza, Haxtes was able to elicit some aid from her - despite a reluctance to get involved in Hive politics. As the wife of late Speaker Robute Eiden she was able to provide Haxtes with a letter of introduction - to see Madame Eolia Xolix, the First Speaker of Corax.

Acting upon this Haxtes made his way towards the city where he soon came into contact with one Mr. Finn of the Security Police. The letter did the trick and soon Xerza was on the ground and on her way to meet with the First Speaker (taking with her the retinue, save Haxtes and Odessa). What wonders and horrors await in this place of unbelief?

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58 comments

Comment from:

More later

01/01/10 @ 13:50

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While Xerza and the rest of the team goes to see the First Speaker, Haxtes meets up with Odessa and they make their way into the Hive, pretending to be refugees. The two refugees get assigned a small cubicle in a hab-stack in one of the lower levels. The rest of you get opulent quarters in the same layer as the nobles and other up-hivers. After liberating some security passes and uniforms Odessa and Haxtes go exploring, eventually making contact with Maxi as he stands on a balcony with his drink (acting as escort for Xerza during one of her meetings). Maxi relays this info to Xerza. Odessa and Haxtes split up. Odessa go down below again, but Haxtes leaves the Hive - he's going back to Minerva to try and enlist her aid (and if that fails intimidated her with the Rosette Xerza has given him). After a very long jog (imagine Haxtes in sneakers etc :) Haxtes arrives to find her house empty, but not abandoned. While waiting for her to return some orks infiltrators show up (not so dumb after all, eh?) and Haxtes makes good his escape. A little applied logic takes him to a path that leads to a lake, a boathouse - and Minerva Eiden. Barely making good their escape with orks in pursuit, they race across the lake aboard the boat, 'borrow' a ground vehicle and head towards the hive, even as the orks are detected and attacked by the milita... Haxtes tries to get Minerva's aid, but is eventually forced to admit his Inquisitorial ties and show the Roesette - Minerva is nobody's fool! In the end she agrees to help, not because she care much about the =][=, but because there is a mystery here that has stirred something in her...why would there be ANOTHER Inquisitor here at the very moment the orks threaten to overrun the planet?

01/01/10 @ 23:12

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Haxtes and Minerva heads to the Hive; the guards don't even try to check her credentials or ask about Haxtes. The wife of the late former First Speaker is a well-known figure around these parts... Not long after you're installed in a very nice room within her palatial estate in the Hive. She's pulling strings to get you an ID and access pass, but it will take a short while.

01/01/10 @ 23:14

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Untill Haxtes gets a working pass he will remain hiden. when he gets a pass he will atemt a contact with Xerza if possible. Haxtes will try and find out about the other inquisitor too

01/01/10 @ 23:26

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A while later you're taken the see the Guild of Armsmen. Half an hour later you're a guild member - a licensed bodyguard. You can even carry a sidearm if you want to (but if you use it without good reason the Guild won't be happy). You also get an ID tag and a security pass that should allow you access to any non-restricted and non-private area. Minerva tells you that the Inquisitor is called Soldevan. Ordo Xenos if that means anything to you. He's here with a team of operatives. If you want to make contact she could arrange for a meeting with one of his aides.

01/02/10 @ 14:37

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A meeting with the others is good,

01/02/10 @ 16:00

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A meeting is arranged, to take place six hours from now (she's arranged for one of her men to meet with one of the =][= men, she hasn't told anyone that you're with the Inquisition). Since its in the middle of the day you have some time to kill before that. And since you have your papers you might as well go check up on Odessa - at least get within vox range. Agreeable?

01/05/10 @ 12:41

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Thats agreeable, but contact is made thrue coded vox, its good for others too know that there is more than one of us but nothing more.

01/05/10 @ 15:47

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Odessa indicated (through a prearranged code) that you need to meet. There has been a development.

01/05/10 @ 21:36

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Haxtes meet her but he takes every precotion when going down there. he will hide and lay in ambush too make shure he is not folowed.

01/05/10 @ 21:58

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Of course you are followed. By what looks to be at least two different parties. But you slip away from them - confrontation is not an option since it will accomplish nothing be grounding you again. Odessa contacts you by telepathic messaging once you get near; telling you to avoid the vox at all cost. After meeting up she takes you to see the room when you killed the security troopers - there is no sign of them. And she can tel you that their unit is looking for them, but hasn't found them. So who took the bodies and cleaned up the place? She suggests that there might be someone or something hiding down here - this layer is never in use save for drills and - very rarely - major evacuations like this. And she thinks that it might be related to those that were here before the Founding Fathers came.

01/05/10 @ 22:23

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Good lets follow up on that, after we turn and ambush the two parties folowing us. We need to find out who they are and keep them away will we investigate the hiden ones

01/05/10 @ 22:37

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You already lost your pursuers, but you could always pick them up again later if you want to talk or shoot. Odessa suggest going down one layer; it doesn't seem to be in use even during the evacuation. Perhaps there might be answers there. She also suggests that you get intimate before heading down. She's not sure about vox ranges here, and if you've been 'close' she can more easily mind-talk to you. Could be you could even 'reply' by her reading your surface thoughts from a distance.

01/05/10 @ 22:55

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Sounds like a good idea, all of them. "just close your Eys and think of the throne my love "

01/05/10 @ 23:04

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It's quite pleasant. Apparently the Fervious clans train their killers in a variety of courtly skills as well. Then you head down; Odessa has scouted a possible way down, so you head there...into the derelict dark... OOC: And I head for bed...

01/05/10 @ 23:36

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The Veiled Hand does the same.
GM Edit: DID the same ;-)

01/05/10 @ 23:38

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Once into the next lower layer you become aware of something, but that something is elusive and you must proceed if you are to learn more - but if you do you are passing the 'point of no return' after which you cannot be sure of making it back if something were to happen...

01/06/10 @ 16:50

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Mummy wanted info, so of we go the get it

01/06/10 @ 22:19

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Unsurprisingly you are eventually confronted; by what can only be the descendants of those that lived her originally... Ratlings. The unused layer is crawling with the little abhumans. And they are armed and look like they can use their guns; actually its a bit creepy. They haven't started shooting though, which is probably a good thing. So, what are you doing?

01/07/10 @ 09:15

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we pull out, there is no need too start a fight now. we were after info we now have some, when we need more we will try and take one runt prisoner.

01/07/10 @ 11:04

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You beat a hasty retreat, returning to the higher hab-layer. Odessa returns to her cover while Haxtes goes up-hive for his meeting with the hallowed Inquisition.

01/07/10 @ 13:30

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At the appointed hour the meeting takes place; its a quite somber affair - a grey-robed gentleman with a Rosette on display sitting behind a large desk, a large soldier-type - obviously a bodyguard - menacingly competent, and another robed man with a bald head and visible cranial augmentation (you guess him to be an Interrogator or something like that). You are given a cool but quite polite welcome by the Interrogator - Trempan is his name - and presented to Inquisitior Soldevan, Ordo Xenos.

01/07/10 @ 14:45

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Haxtes is keeping hes guard up now, he has full focus on hes mental defences, if they try too read him they will only see a wall of blood and fell constant pain and hatred. Smiling Haxtes greets the Inquisitor. " Greetings noble Inquisitor, I believe your time is best spent on other matters, so I will get to the point. My master have myself and a number of associates here on a Ordo Hereticus mater. Investigating the many crimes against the throne being committed here past and present. We see no reason to interfere with your shadow games here, as all will be settled in the end. We only ask that you and your fine servants refrain from trying to follow or interfere in Ordo Hereticus business, I'm convinced that you your self had no knowledge of this, and that it will not happen again. Now if there is everything our Ordo can do to aid you against the foul xeno threat here please don't hesitate too ask, we will do our very best to aid our brethren in our hour of need.

01/07/10 @ 14:59

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There is a faint smile. Soldevan: "Yes. Let us dispense with the pleasantries and cut to business. I know who you are and who you work for...the good Tancred, is it not? A fine one - Xerza as Rogue Trader - it really made my day hearing that. Almost made me miss her. Now, the man we took in for questioning as quite adept at resisting interrogation. My man Trempan here is a fine interrogator, but without going beyond level 4 he could not break him down. So I know that you are here. But I will admit to not knowing WHY. From the interrogation of Maximilian I almost got the impression he did not know. Or that there was no deeper reason. But it seems a bit strange for you to have arrived her at this particular juncture...too much to be chance alone...for Tancred's get are always trying to peer into the future and act upon what they see there. So I will simply ask you what Xerza is doing here acting the Rogue Trader. If you tell me, than I will be in a position to decide if her presence her is jeopardizing my operation or not." (you don't think Soldevan has any psykers around - actually you're pretty sure he - and his two aides - have psi-shielding).

01/07/10 @ 18:21

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"I'm sure that my lord Tancred has good and throne fearing reasons for sending hes get as you say tear-assing across the realm of Him on Earth." "I'm equally sure that the rouge trader's operation won't interfere with yours if you tell me what you are up to here, I will make sure she keeps that fine nose of hers out of your business." "As for me and my team we will receive our target through our astropath when, as you say, my lord Tancred has finished his game of chance."

01/07/10 @ 18:41

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Soldenvan appears to consider your insolence for a moment - behind you you can feel the thug tensing (a sign that he's been with his master for quite some time, to read his body-language so well) - but then decides to let it pass. He looks at you, his very dark sin offset by his equally pale hair and beard: "I'm not really that interrested in what you're doing here. I just don't want you to ruin my operation. If you will give your word, as Tancred's acolyte, that you'll stay out of my affairs - and inform my men if there looks to be any conflict of interest - then I will tell you what we are here for. If not I will pull seniority on Xerza and ask her to confine herself and her acolytes for the duration. Will you give your word?"

01/07/10 @ 19:05

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"Yes you have my word upon my honor that I'll stay out of your affairs" "and I will inform your men if we cross paths so that we can work out a civil solution to any problems."

01/07/10 @ 19:13

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"Good. My Trempan will give you what details you need. Send you master my regards." You are excused. Trempan tells you what they are after; Soldevan has worked extensively with the Ordo Xenos for the past decade, helping destroy the Veiled Hand - a xenos death cult that had taken root in Calixis sector. Most of the cult, including the higher management, was destroyed in a strike not too long ago. Coordinated attacks elsewhere took care of lesser branches and chapter houses. But with filth such as this one can never be sure. Soldevan is her on behalf on the Ordo Xenos, looking for members of the Veiled Hand that may have gotten away during the pruges. Nothing to do with Tancred, Xerza (though he knows she was present during the assault), or this Rogue Trader business of yours.

01/07/10 @ 19:22

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Too the big I "Thank you my Lord, I will give my lord Tancred your regards in my next astro msg" ---------------------------- To the Interrogator: "Noble mission indeed, the xeno worshipers must taken out before they can rally, If I can help with them I'll be glad to I have crossed swords with them before" "But we are here on other business, so our paths may not cross at all. Best of luck to you Trempan, the Emperor protects."

01/07/10 @ 19:31

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Trempan: "We've already rounded up most of those that fled here, but we think that one or more may have fled into the underhive. But there is no getting out for them, so the Emperor will have his justice."

01/07/10 @ 20:02

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"Indeed they will, they always do in the end." Haxtes takes his leave and moves on to his apartments, he then as expected goes to see Xerza.

01/08/10 @ 00:44

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Xerza is working out with the others - Ignace, Jarra and Maxi. They are no slouches in unarmed combat, especially not the last two, but Ignace is also pretty quick on his feet and has a fierce cross. But they haven't got a chance - not in the slightest. She's too fast, too strong, too fit, too controlled for them to get her. And whenever they go two or three against one she always manages to use their numbers against them...its not only impressive, it is so close to perfection as to evoke emotions in the viewer - its art. And that's without using her psychic powers - but you've already seen her use them. You're left wondering if breaking full-grown Astartes warriors to the floor and making flying leaps are the limit of her powers, or if she has a yet unseen reserves. At any rate you ponder how many hours of training has gone into that body and mind to be able to do this. Certainly much more than one normal human lifetime...she signals an end to the training. The other acolytes flop to the floor panting. You see Maxi is sporting a full set of facial coloration - pink, blue, green - sickly yellow. Someone gave him a fine beating not too long ago. "Haxtes. Report."

01/08/10 @ 10:32

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"Mistress" Haxtes steps out of the shadows and walks over to the others. "My lady, The Inquisitor says he's here on other business. They are here hunting, something foul called the Veiled Hand. The inquisitor is particular good at spotting the bastards he claims. But until I can confirm from their files that they are indeed here hunting..." "One or more of the speakers are working with the orks/Inquisitor/Hand. Likely to bring the planet/hive under control of Speaker/Hand - or Speaker as planet governor if its the Inquisitor." "The hive has a population from old, ratlings in the lower hive, not clear if they are worshipers of Throne or not." "There is a lot more so if I may borrow a savant or Vern we can try and put more of this in order." "If You can find the time to scan the lady Minerva Eiden we can cross her of the list as a potential agent of others."

01/08/10 @ 11:46

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Xersa will have team Vern (including the other three savants) focus more on Soldevan and his associates. in addition to their other data-processing duties. She wants team Maxi (which includes Ignace and Jarra) to continue investigations into hive society and the Speakers, using whatever angles that can think up. She wants Odessa to relay information gathered from the lower hive levels - the refugees may have angles not yet covered. If possible she also wants more intel on the sub-layer 'native' ratling. She wants Haxtes top-side. She wants to know how the ork war is going, if Mr. Bork makes contact (unlikely, but still) and most importantly - if there is word from the Maiden. Since Haxtes has free access into and out of the hive thanks to Minerva Eiden, he's the natural choice for this task. Meanwhile Xersa and Anna will continue their investigations into the upper levels of hive society (what a pretty couple they make - the whore and the Interrogator). Objections not welcome, but questions/additions are.

01/11/10 @ 13:31

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No objections from Haxtes. Haxtes puts his gear together, including rifle and armour, but will not put it on until he is past the town. Haxtes first stop is with his drinking buddies in the militia. Haxtes will try and get info from them first and then move towards the old house and see how far the orks have come. In the long run Haxtes will get to the front and report from there.

01/11/10 @ 14:19

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"I don't see that a planetary R%R is out of order. M'lady, I'll bring back information if our thrones are any good on this planet. And if some information on social unrest and popularity contest among the speakers happens to drop by, so be it." Maxi looks at Jarra and Ignace. "I believe Jarra and I are easily marked as our Lady's brutes, so I'm not offended if you want to do some more stealthy cloak and pistol stuff." Maxi looks at Jarra. "If you don't have other plans, may I indulge you in drinks and boasting."

01/11/10 @ 14:50

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Haxtes goes top-side and gathers his gear. He quickly figures no major ork assault has taken place yet, but on a few occasions distant gun (artillery?) fire can be heard (definitely from under the shield somewhere - but the shielded valley is a big place). And there are gunships in the air at all times. So definitely high alert. He hen heads out to find his militia contacts. They largely confirm his suspicions. There have been ork infiltration attempts, but the army is chasing them around. But no major attacks yet. The house is burnt-out ruin. There are no ork corpses, only scorched patches of ground where they fell. Haxtes recalls there being feral orks on this planet as well, so presumably the locals know why they should burn the dead. Haxtes heads into the mountains to get a better look. First of all the defenses are pretty decent. Up here its impossible to get a major army, so what they have should be able to hold just about any army at bay. You've got a strong feeling that some ork will take the high route over the peaks, despite the danger involved - but they won't amount to an army, won't have heavy weapons or supplies. It will be a nuisance, but not a major threat. No, the major blow must come up the valley - there is no other way of doing it. A couple of days into the mission Haxtes gets a coded call from Mr. Bork.

01/11/10 @ 15:16

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"Mister Bork, I did not expect to hear from my eloquent friend so soon. Do you have something for us my friend?"

01/11/10 @ 15:33

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Indeed he does. A meeting is arranged - its a huge risk of course, but what else is there to do? If you say no, the Bork lead goes dead. As it is the first meeting doesn't happen at all. A few days later, however, Mr. Bork reappears on the vox. Explaining that he could not get away. Another meeting is arranged. Days roll by while all of this is happening. But finally you meet him. The news is that his 'Warlord' is paid through a mercenary factor, which is quite normal, since there are many who hiring parties who'd rather not have their names publicly proclaimed. But Bork has done a little digging around, and found that the hirer has sent some liaisons with the fleet - liaisons that are looking a lot like those tech-priests of the Mechanicus. So, what is this worth to Haxtes?

01/11/10 @ 20:09

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Without some form of proof, like a contract or a live member of the mech cult, its worth the full price of a rumor started by xeno orks. Haxtes needs more than that. But hey old Bork has done good so far, and a few nice words and a pat on the back he can have.

01/11/10 @ 20:16

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During the week that Haxtes spends alone in the cold and forlorn mountains things move forward in Hive Primus. Jarra and Maxi have a few drinks while Ignace scums around. Then they do some more strolling and grab a bit to eat. Then they go see their contacts (such as they are); i.e. Maxi tries to talk some more to Finn, while Jarra tries the military establishment again. It goes on for days - hopefully it all allows Ignace to operate without interference (one can always hope). One interesting piece of info does appear out of Vern's work one of those days - the good Captain Aizdar did not carry Soldavan and his team here. No, Aizdar came here from Malfi with an altogether different cargo. Apparently he's been carrying what amounts to heretics fleeing Imperial justice - some sort of outlawed Death Cult Assassins. Soldevan's prey. The Inquisitor must have come with another vessel. And placed Aizdar under Inquisition 'protection' to prevent him from moving the fleeing assassins again.

01/11/10 @ 20:20

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Unfortunately Bork isn't in a position to procure any proof. He's not xactly an ork in good standing after the Maiden debacle. He's seen one of the tech-priests with his own eyes though - he's in main camp north of Hive Primus. So if you want to have a look he suggest binoculars and a climb to that jagged 6000+ meters peak overlooking the plains (unfortunately Haxtes isn't THAT good a climber). Without further incentives Bork's interest in the matter seems to be diminishing.

01/11/10 @ 20:33

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If he can't bring one of the priests, or proof then Haxtes interest in the matter is diminishing too. Bork is smart for a ork and he can dress up a human to look like fuck-all from 6000+ meters. If he cant help Haxtes then Haxtes cant help him with maps of the hive, info on the new ships they are getting. If this is as far as this will go Haxtes, goes back too report his meager findings to Xerza.

01/11/10 @ 20:43

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The mistress and the whore also bring back some data, so of it quite interesting. The reason Ibhram Johammod is 'weird-looking' is because he's one of the voidborn. And he's not alone - the reason you haven't seen a lot of voidborn around is simple; few of them are actually on Corax. Which implies a fairly large fleet. Lately there has been unusual tension between Johammod and the First Speaker - Madame Eoila Xolix has somehow managed to procure assets that has let her faction break the Johammond monopoly on space trade. Xolix is also under a lot of pressure from other Speakers, but the web of alliances and deceptions have so far kept Xerza from mapping who is supporting who. One last thing; the astute observer has of course noticed that Minerva EIDEN doesn't share a last name with ANY of the Speakers, despite her late husband having been First Speaker in his heyday. That's because her husband Mario HOLT divorced her in favor of young Kimberly HOLT (she's not THAT young either, she only looks that way) more than six years ago.

01/11/10 @ 20:44

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Bork agrees to try to at least get some pics of the priests. Provided you can provide him with a pict-corder or something like that.

01/11/10 @ 20:46

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"Now my friend Bork, that I can do."

01/11/10 @ 20:47

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Bork buggers of with his new shiny pict-device (and instructions). Trekking back Haxtes finally gets the Maiden on-line (he sets up his long-range vox set a few times each day to try and raise her).

01/11/10 @ 20:58

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"Maiden-Haxtes. Glad to see you all on line, give me a sitrep. Over"

01/11/10 @ 21:11

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"Haxtes-Silon. Good to finally hear from someone. The Maiden is parked somewhere relatively safe and she's more or less full operational. Could not bring her in too close though, so its just me down here."

01/12/10 @ 14:56

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Vern is slowly piecing together a political overview; one indicating that First Speaker Eolia Xolix is increasingly alienated from her fellow Speakers, who are instead (reluctantly) flocking around the banner of Charles de Motaguinne. Xolix has some sort of new ally that's upsetting the power balance in Hive Primus, causing the others to rally against her. The First Speaker, however, is just fanning the flames - speaking about progress, change, and other weirdness.

01/12/10 @ 15:25

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"Silon-Haxtes, if you whant I`l come pick you up and get you into the hive, I`m shure the misstress will hear of your adventures"

01/12/10 @ 15:54

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"Afraid not. I'm the only link back to the Maiden, so I better stay evasive. Not much to the story anyway - we survived and now were here. I'm planet-side with the remaining Thunderbolt. If you really need me I can move to support you, but the area around you is crawling with hostiles, so I might not be able to accomplish much."

01/12/10 @ 19:04

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A couple days later Bork calls in again. He's got the pics - and more. Haxtes has been out 10 days now, so its probably time to be moving back soon.

01/12/10 @ 19:06

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Haxtes instructs Silon to have the Maiden make some fake astropathic relays to Xerza; encrypted transmissions meant to look like they are messages from the Haegum indicating ETA for 'the Package'. No luck with Bork though. He's getting bored, Haxtes is just generally getting fed up. Haxtes wants something tangible, Bork hasn't seen any rewards for a while and his focus is slipping. He does claim that the pics were quite interesting. That some hummies - Imperial-looking to Bork, not just locals - came out to speak with the mech-boys and the Warlord. There was much commotion and screaming, but very little killing. Haxtes heads back to the hive to link up with the rest of the team.

01/12/10 @ 19:45

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You get a final message from Silon before you go back under (the shield) - he confirms that the messages are being set up and that Venus will transmit them shortly. He also asks if he should continue to monitor Bork's frequency in case he comes up with something (he's out here anyway), or if you think its a dead end.

01/13/10 @ 21:43

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"Nothing is a dead end until its dead" "keep monitoring old Bork he may get off his ass and get us something we can use. You never know."

01/13/10 @ 21:55

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Haxtes reaches the hive without further incident.

01/14/10 @ 15:49

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Then Haxtes goes to report, after that he intends too go hunting after xeno cult assassins:)

01/14/10 @ 15:56

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