Whatever gear you had ordered repaired/modified is now ready for action: So Haxtes has his armour back, only this time with a power field attachment. As Azhmut said - its not made for stealth, but for combat. It comes with a sleek power pack clipped to the back of the armour - giving it enough power to actually last a while in passive mode or absorb multiple hits and keep working. Much better than those pendant-types favored by rogues and nobles. Just try and not overload it - the power supply could explode... Jeb has his heavy stubber back. Only now with a suspensor mount, thermomass-targeting system and dual ammo feed. That tech-priest is a wizard when it comes to guns!

Maxi has really put his soul into the security detachment task and used the extra time to good effect. The three guard shifts are now in decent shape and the special detachment is actually looking pretty lethal. He has also learnt a thing or two about both orks and eldar...and something about the slaught as well (Forbidden Lore, xenos). The latter is a foul breed, capable of warping flesh and combining it with their own corrupt technology. The Ordo Xenos has suspected their hand in various incidents among fringe colonies in the past, but Acreage is the largest and most overt SUBSTANTIATED attack so far. The slaught appear to feed on the brain matter of dying or recently dead humans...seemingly deriving power or pleasure from the the feeding...beyond that little concrete is known...at least that is so until the Acreage data can be processed. Maxi is also pretty sure that the Maiden and Venus are more closely linked that anyone else suspects.

Parsifal is taking his new position aboard the Maiden very seriously. He's holding regular sermons - and the armsmen are taking the names of those not attending...names that keep getting rubbish posting, extra brig time or just a good hiding. Attendance is on the increase.

Haxtes will dye hes hair black and assume the style and title of rouge trader Jax Guiliman for the action. The rest of the team will go as the ground crew of the rough trader. apart from that the team are free too make there own covers.

Maxi is dressed in Orlankan fashion except all his clothes is some number to large so his armor fits under. His shaven head wears an Orlankan white wig. He also talked to Azhmut about having his helmet painted in same colour style as his uniform without affecting its spirit. His boot boy is keeping it spitshine perfect. Maxi sports as Master of arms on the Maiden reminding Haxtes that he has a too high profile on The Maiden to dress as anything less. His razzia has rooted out any Xeno equipment and substance among the crew (all finding has been given to the R-T and his brother) so they will recognice him as a part of the ship security. (They are crew not stupids.) He brings up in meetings with ]I[ that any response fighting force on ground, must either be brought as personal escort or smugled man by man and assembled in a week time. Any such dropship would immidiatly be destroyed by planet and/or Hive defence. Venus / Maiden tech-herecy is no more than Haxtes / Jeb Xeno-herecy (they use xeno-equipment), so Maxi at the moment is only keeping tabs for later reports. But Maxi is frequently at Parsifals sermons and talk more with Azhmut than Venus as he equip the sec-teams. (OOC: As I`m at the holy city of Trond my writing may have more spellling error than usual. And the machine spirit is not alerting me about new posts.)

As he goes over the things with the team, Jebediah offers to go for a bit more stylish look (with the help of people who actually know something about style) and pass himself of as one of those posh bodyguard-types that follow the rich and wealthy around in black suits and with menacing expressions. That way he can not only stay near Haxtes and help him give of the presence of someone who has enough cash, friends and enemies to need constant protection - it'll also provide him with an excuse to carry a sidearm to the auction... just in case. "It'll have the added benefit of me not needing to act or speak all that much," he remarks with a grin "I'm good with guns, but rubbish with people..."

What IS of grave concern is that the auction is starting in just three days. In that time you have to locate Marr and arrange for access to the House of Dust and Ash. There is no time to loose. "May I suggest to the Explicator that the R-T should have at least one escort." "Agent-Venus is problaly also most useful in this subterfuge mission. And that will leave Azhmut to front the repair / uppgrade cover." "Which leave A-Jebediah, A-Parsifal and ME as your primarly escort. Do you want us to work in multiple teams or as one?" "A-Jebediah and A-Venus are better used with you. Do you want A-Parsifal and/or ME to supervise the cargo shift while you contact first target? Maybe smuggle in backup and establish strongpoint." "I have to point out that ME are the one who are most at home in big Hives so I must note this as a resource."

What IS of grave concern is that the auction is starting in just three days. In that time you have to locate Marr and arrange for access to the House of Dust and Ash. There is no time to loose. OOC: As soon as details are given from ordo xenos on where and when, Haxtes will contact him. As for the suggestions, as soon I have spoken to our contact I will inform you about our plan of action. Until then I'm sure you have a cover to work on, troops to train, temples to attend to and a crew to molest. You must understand Maxi that I love suggestions AFTER I have made our plan known to you. Unless off course it's vital information that you think I need to know - my door is always open for that :)

Following the contact protocol - which amounts to little more than logging your ship's arrival and it's interesting in picking up a trade contract with a certain merchant house - you are soon in contact with Marr's people. The first step is a meeting with a trade delegate. He passes you on to a senior advocate with the Chancellery Court. Only after that are you taken to see the Inquisitor. Paranoid bugger. Catch: Whomever is to go to the House of Dust and Ash MUST meet with Marr. He insists on looking you over in person. So that means Haxtes, but who else is going? Marr indicates that you should keep the entourage relatively small, 4-5 people maybe.

All agents will go to the meet.

Your Aquila lander (recently gifted to the Maiden by the Imperial Navy - another small favor owed Soldevan) takes you all down from orbit towards the Chancellery Court. After a half-hour flight along carefully monitored access corridors over Hive Gloriana you arrive at the Court building. It is a massive square pillar of black that rises from the depths of the Hive and into the smoggy clouds above. Unlike the jagged spire towers surrounding the Chancellery Court is utterly without ornamentation save four a great golden Aquila on each side. You can feel the weight of tradition and procedure like a physical force, and aura aura that extends well beyond the walls of the building. As you approach you are guided towards a dimly lit landing slit - heavy blast doors open to let you in, then slam shut behind you with great finality. There is no leaving unless granted that right. Welcome to the supreme citadel of pencil-pushers and naysayers!

"Lets get going, must not keep the bureaucrats waiting." Haxtes walks out of the shuttle, and attempts to locate Marr's people.

You are led by Rogue Trader Jax Guilliman (that being Haxtes impersonating his brother - Rogue Traders do that). He is accompanied by his imposing Ship-Magos (Azhmut), his personal bonded bodyguard (Jeb in a sleek black armor-suit; a product of the minifac no doubt :-), the Armsmaster of the Maiden (Maxi, in a white-powdered wig and archaic clothes), the Ships's Preacher (Parsifal). Rounding out the party is the Rogue Trader's personal valet (Venus), who undoubtedly also serves in a carnal capacity when needed. You are greeted by your contact, the advocate you met with earlier (his name is Dunn-something, he's not important).

Haxtes looking quit bored and sleey drawls out: " Excellent , now lets get this done mr. Dunn, we are short on time "

Dunn expertly guides you through the physical and bureaucratic barriers that make up the mammoth structure. You could not have done it without him...even an invader would have been bogged down for years by red tape alone :-P Finally you arrive in some dark and forgotten section of the Chancellery Court. You are repeatedly scanned as you approach - so sayeth your Magos. He also confirms the existence of potent automated defenses concealed in the structure. Welcome to the domain Inquisitor Silas Marr. Eventually you pass through a shield portal and enter what amounts to a small front desk office, complete with a secretary and all (not much to look at through, just a wizened old servitor). Dunn leaves you there. The servitor rises and opens a heavy door for you. You pass into a crowded study that would have fitted the purposes of an old eccentric scholar quite well. The oddest thing is a real fireplace burning real logs... The Inquisitor is sitting in a heavy leather chair facing the fire, so that the firelight plays across his old, craggy features. Behind him stands a very tall, very regal-looking woman in a splendidly expensive high-necked lace gown. Azhmut coolly announced that you have entered a cursed jinx zone - which amounts to any hi-tech gear simply ceasing to work as machine-spirits go dormant. The psykers among you feel vaguely nauseous - the woman in the gown is radiating an anti-psionic effect like none you've felt before. You don't want to go near her - it might be harmful, even fatal to do so. "I am Inquisition Silas Marr. Welcome to my humble abode." He doesn't get up to greet you.

(bogged down for years by red tape alone, I think not - we have Maxi and he would point out too them that the tape was put up wrong, and when they started re-taping we just walk inn :-) "Thank you Inquisitor, we are all weary happy to be here, it is my humble understanding that you wanted to look the team over, here we are for your viewing pleasure."

Extremely uncomfortable around pencil-pushers, Jebediah simply resolves to giving a menacing stare to anyone coming too close. He's clearly taking some perverse joy in the effect his scarred and ugly features have on push-over bureaucrats as he tails his "boss" through the building. As they are brought before Silar, Jebediah gives a sour expression at the notion that there's anything cursed or jinxed about the immediate surroundings, and quickly makes the sign of the aquila in front of him to ward of any evil. Then, with others looking to the seated inquisitor, he instead focuses on his surroundings and the odd girl, noticing with curiosity the effect she seems to have on some people. With a shrug and a smug grin he resolves to wink at her, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

(Well red tape should always have the sticky side down. Or else all kind of dirt would get stuck on it and thats counter produtive. Wait I ment the other way round.) Maxi salute in Orlankan style to the Inquisitor (Lt. Rabalias has learned Maxi the most essential etiquet) and ignore the Witch err.. Lady.

Well, then we know that Maxi can be used to clear red tape - much like you can use a ratling for detecting traps...just roll the bugger down the corridor! More later...

(Not to make a topic of it but every planet and subcultures has their own custom protocol. Most of them follows along these lines. 1: Is their papers valid? 2: Does the paper state that they are important? 3: Can the combination of the paper and bearer of paper get me into trouble? 4: Do I have any personal problems or any reason to live? The fourth point is of course the one most bureaucrats fail to handle. (No is of course the correct answer for any good bureaucrat.) )

The old Inquisitor remains seated and after a small coughing fit he speaks to Haxtes: "So you would be Haxtes Guilliman - Explicator and brother to the real Rogue Trader? Interesting. We have something in common you and I - the planet of our birth for one. Protasia. Been a long time since I was there though. And I did know your grandfather fairly well - as I should - he served me well when I was a young Inquisitor. I recall meeting his family once...your father included...and at least one brat...must have been Jax...small world, eh?"

It impossible to tell if the old geezer is just lying through his teeth or if any or all of this is actually true.

The woman in the uncomfortable-looking gown ignores your attempts to establish contact; she just keeps an eye on your movements. She also no witch; quite the opposite. She's like Silon, a blank - only several orders of magnitude more potent than him. Even you non-psykers are ill at ease when in the same room as her.

Jeb notices that both tech-priests are having some issues; Azhmut is the most heavily augmented of the two and is moving sluggishly and clearly having a bad time, but it is actually Venus who looks worse for wear - she looks like she's about to collapse.

"Indeed Inquisitor, something in common is always a good place to start in my book."

Observing that the conversation borders on polite/civil and anecdotal, Maxi stiffens down and starts moving and looks around the chamber. (People observing him will notice that he change stances and is moving his head a bit. NOT actually running around the room and touching stuff.) He still ignore the mutant...err...Lady to the best of his ability. (He likes her better than Xerza though. Maxi is more at home around persons who makes him feel ill than around "nice" persons. A side effect of his upbringing and later his career with Haxtes perhaps.)

To Haxtes: "Yes it is, isn't it. Makes us feel like we have a common purpose. And men with a common purpose will stick with it for much longer than those that are strangers. Did you get away before the war or did you live through it? The dossier Soldevan sent me speaks little of you past, only of your current skills. If you did live through it, that will work to your advantage. Because the mission you are now embarking on will be most dangerous. You are being sent into a nest of vipers to see what happens. I do not really expect any of you to survive...but perhaps...seeing you now...perhaps some of you will make it out alive."

"All men die some day, if this is our time then so be it, but just because one has to die does not mean one intends to go down easy Inquisitor."

Maxi: The room is filled with all sorts of odd bits and ends - and an endless clutter of books, scrolls and dataslates. He seems to have a very wide area of study - there are things here about many subjects. On one wall there are several diplomas, medals and honors - all of them look pretty old, like he either stopped receiving them at some point or simply didn't bother anymore. One diploma marks Silas Marr as the top graduate of his class - astrography - from the Protasian Planetary University. There is also a honorary professorate from Archaos, for his efforts in mapping the Adranti Nebula. Archaos is where Vern is from.

To Haxtes: "Yes, all men die. Such is their right and their reward. To die...knowing that duty has been fulfilled and the God-Emperor awaits. Truly we men are blessed! But there are those that would deny death. Some give their blood and souls to dark powers - but in doing so they loose themselves. Others traffic with xenos powers or hunger for the dark lore of the Age of Technology - and in doing so they damn their souls to oblivion and mark themselves for destruction by the Holy Ordos. But there is a man, one man, who did all of this and still was not content. His name was Erasmus Haarlock, and he sought to master time itself! There were rumors in his lifetime...but the heresies the Calixian Conclave has uncovered over the centuries... He is long gone now. Some say dead while others claim he lies in stasis somewhere, biding his time. But his legacy lives on, whether or not he is actually dead. It is a legacy that we understand little off, save that every time we learn something new or do something to counteract his works, it feels like we are just being drawn deeper into some infernal plot. So we have concluded that he has, at the very least, operatives still following his orders from beyond the grave...and that some of them are most likely highly respected Inquisitors. We do not know who or why - but we have decided it is time to stop being led by the nose. So we bring in new blood - you - to see if that will reveal something new."

Parsifal helps Venus leave the chamber - better that than have her faint. The woman looks on with cold eyes.

Azhmut has resumed a more relaxed pose now; he doesn't speak or do anything, but he doesn't appear to be so affected by the jinx field as before.

"Yes men are truly blessed and we will endeavor to live (or die) up to your high expectations of our at best humble abilities Inquisitor, and in time may we all come to that blessed state. (Haxtes' team sucks :), one is pilfering the room for loot, one is fainting, one helps the weak fainting woman, and one makes rude moves and looks at the fine Inquisitor's blank "friend" hoping to get friendly or more, this bodes well)

Noticing how the tech-jinx affects the Tech-Adept - apparently she has a pacemaker that's not working - Jeb discards his attempts to unnerve the blank with his obvious lewd suggestions. Instead he gives her a toothy grin, and turns his attention on to the Inquisitors room like Maxi - listening to Marr's words half-mindedly, while he purses his lips in thought and glances about, seeking out all the protective sigils, scrolls and holy symbols he has become used to from living close to a Emperor-botherer as Parsifal. Goes to figure that with both mechanics and psychic powers being nullified in this room, Silar would employ a similar thing to battle the effects of a corrupted and heretical mindset. As Haxtes and Silas continue their witty banter about death and the glory that awaits at the end of the tunnel, he edges closer to Azhmut with a wistful , leaning in to talk with him in a hushed whisper while still looking about the room. "So... this tech null-field... does it work on Xenos stuff too, you reckon, or is it merely Imperial hi-tech stuff - like ours - that ceases to function?"

(So we bring in new blood - you - to see if that will reveal something new.) (New blood, the old man should use it true name, decoys. Maxi thinks.) "Rouge Trader Guiliman." Maxi interrupts. "Do you want a stronger escort with your valet?"

Scattered across there room are many symbols of piety and devotion, arranged in a haphazard manner that is perhaps no coincidence. The floor is carpeted - but here and there the stones beneath show, revealing silvery lines and runes drawn upon it. Azhmut, speaking silently: "This field is an abomination - it stills whatever machine spirits enters it, be they blessed STC entities or otherwise. In other words; if the xenos stuff has a machine spirit of some sort, however corrupt, it would be affected. But I would not count on it when it comes to really esoteric stuff, like the Slaught heretek that we saw for example. And there are ways around; I have rewired several of my systems and rerouted to tertiary backups - those are simple systems, and not so easily disrupted. A bolter will not fire here, but a simple stub revolver will."

Azhmut continues: "Which is why Venus is so badly affected I think; her systems are far more venerable than mine - especially that cortex of hers...a marvelous artifact from a forgotten age."

(when Haxtes puts it like that the team does perhaps not give the best of impressions - but then again the Inquisitor is talking only to you and he DID say he was sending you to the slaughterhouse, with a faint hope that YOU might survive ;-)

To Maxi: "No my sweetest friend. If I want my arms masters attention on something other than the safety of my own mortal flesh, then you my arms master will by default be the first to know, for now just keep browsing the antiques that seem to amuse you so, and I think its only proper that a man has a sound hobby...antiques being sound if you wondered."

( Now that is true, he did say that and Haxtes is at best concerned with his own life, you know the old Horus take the hindmost and all that ) To Inquisitor: "Thank you for your kind and uplifting words, I will keep them in my heart to comfort my soul in dark and perilous moments."

"Yes, G-T. Since your valet is carrying your mortal credentials and document I thought you were concerned for their safety."

Haxtes gives Maxi a look that in some cases can burn flesh and says nothing

"Thank you, that's most enlightening," Jebediah remarks silently to Azhmut, heartened by the fact that his sidearm at least might work in a pinch. "Though it does seem odd to install something that primarily focuses against Imperial tech." He glances to Haxtes and Maxi, giving a wry grin at their antics while watching the Inquisitor for signs of how he takes the display in front of him, before remarking once more to the tech-priest. "Do you know anything about those odd lines in the floor below us? Some protective runes?"

From the tight jaw and blood vessels trying to burst on Haxtes face, Jeb can see that the antics amuses him too!

Marr does at no point reveal that he is dissatisfied with you or reveal any hint that he disapproves of your actions. But maybe he doesn't care since he's sending you to your death - he's just tried to make sure you're properly motivated before going in. When it comes to the more practical aspects of the mission he provides you with a short briefing - a more comprehensive brief can be found in the dataslate the secretary-servitor will hand you upon leaving (Jeb can see Azhmut looking over the room again after this comment, noting the numerous dataslates scattered around the jinxed study - clearly the effect is not maintained at all times, just when he has visitors). In short you'll board the skyship the Cygnan Marty. Skyships - which are basically large aerial vessels kept aloft by repulsors - is a preferred method of travel on Solomon as it avoids the decaying hives and industrial areas and bypasses the often atrocious terrain of the wastelands. Skyships are also relatively lowflying, as Solomon is known for its fierce and unpredictable high-altitude jetstorms. At any rate the House of Dust and Ash is on an island far from shore - and security here is very tight, so sneaking in is not a good option (maybe for a lone assassin, but not for a trader delegation at any rate). You will go there as Rogue Trade Jax Guilliman and entourage - you will not betray your affiliation with the Inquisition to anyone, other Inquisition agents you might meet included. The secretary will provide you with tickets and Munitorum pass-tokens that will allow you both a place on the skyship and the clearance to get through skyquay security. You are to attend the auction and observe. If you survive you are expected to report your findings. If you die that won't be neccessary - there are other observers in place. You (meaning Jax) will be set up with a credit line of 40 million Thrones, with the ability to call upon 20 more if needed. These are Tricorn money, so try not to waste them - but do not fear to bid on stuff either. You are rogue traders after all, just not very rich ones...