As my past idea ran into the dirt... not to mention the fact that despite my initial prod, Inquisitorial Roleplay was entirely dreamed up by players in the end. SO!

A multiple-choice questionnaire for our initial prod, and then I would advocate an RP that's a little more tightly moderated(not by a tyrannical DM, but agreed upon by a small group) in terms of what enemies come at us, but otherwise largely determined by the players. Without further ado:

1. What faction shall the party be? Guard is right out as they've been roleplayed to DEATH. Spess Mari
A: A Chaos cult. Could be a cult on the battlefield or a more complex urban RP.
B: Orks. Would be brutally simple.
C: Eldar... pirates? Naval RP with boarding actions?
D: A Rogue Trader and his band. Visit a variety of exotic worlds, new Xenos to meet and treasures to battle for. Some potential for naval RP again?
E: Write in!

2. What should our goals be in the roleplay?
A. Adventure/searching for a treasure or relic.
B. Glorious battle! Saturate our roleplay with gory, brutal action writing.
C. Mystery/espionage, potentially competitive. Two teams/factions working against each other under the watchful eye of a small council of DMs that feeds them challenges.

3. How much prep/framework do we need?
A. None. Let the story write itself.
B. Some. Let's at least know our first goal.
C. Lots. Let's frame out a large portion of the story and fill it with roleplay.

In the spirit of splitting moderatory duties, a DM Council will be chosen once we get ready to roll.

1.D (as long as i can be one of those xeno's)
2.C (these kind of RP are the only ones i play, mostly because of the pain i can inflict)
3.B (because its more fun like this)

1. B (Orks)
2. A
3. A

But I'll go along with anything...

1. D (if I can be a friendly Xenos*)
2. A
3. B

*No Reese's Pieces though

Winner so far is rogue trader, adventuring format, with a basic plan to start. I'd like to get some more of the RP regulars(thanks for showing so soon, n0t_u) in here if they're interested.

With luck and good planning, we can make this the SECOND(woo!) RP we finish.

I used to do a lot of Freeform RP when I was in University, though we mostly did chatroom RP as board RP can go pretty slow. I also do a lot of tabletop RP at the moment, mixture of D&D, Vampire and Zombies. I'd be up for this if I felt the storyline was right/interested, so my vote would be:

1. D.
2. C.
3. B/C (depending on the group)

Orky-Kowboy wrote:1. B (Orks)
2. A
3. A

But I'll go along with anything...

I like this idea But I'll join in if it's something else.

1.D
2.A
3.B

I like that this will be removed from the normal Inquisition/guard(No offense meant they were good RPs)role plays. Seems to have generated quiet a bit of interest already, can't wait to see what you come up with Owain.

D.
C.
C.

D
C
B

D
A
B

Oh, wow! I'm glad the nature of my tag post has attracted some fresh interest. Let me tally the votes.

1: Two for B, a commanding seven for D. Looks like it's a rogue trader party.
2: A winning by one. We're hunting for treasure! I'm getting some good ideas; fun scenarios where we can still include everyone.
3: Two for A, Six for B, One for C. I counted BishopGore as B as he expressed a desire to go with the group and B was already a fair majority.



Now, I'm going to bump a few participants of roleplays past to make sure they're not interested. I'd like to proof this RP from unexpected jump-ins to some degree. Also, if this many people really want to play(and that's great!), it might be in the group's best interests to establish an order of appearance; we could start with 4 or 5 in the band and have the remaining characters rise to significance or be encountered by the party over the next few scens. I feel like a starting group of ten or more will lead to much confusion of names and identities.

i'll be happy with what ever you give me, im just glad to be here.

This has me interested, depending on the story/goals.

1: No strong opinion, I feel that Chaos Cultists in an urban environment could be quite intriguing.

2: strongly C.

3: I'd prefer C, though I'd participate in C. A doesn't interest me.

Owain wrote:Oh, wow! I'm glad the nature of my tag post has attracted some fresh interest. Let me tally the votes.

1: Two for B, a commanding seven for D. Looks like it's a rogue trader party.
2: A winning by one. We're hunting for treasure! I'm getting some good ideas; fun scenarios where we can still include everyone.
3: Two for A, Six for B, One for C. I counted BishopGore as B as he expressed a desire to go with the group and B was already a fair majority.



Now, I'm going to bump a few participants of roleplays past to make sure they're not interested. I'd like to proof this RP from unexpected jump-ins to some degree. Also, if this many people really want to play(and that's great!), it might be in the group's best interests to establish an order of appearance; we could start with 4 or 5 in the band and have the remaining characters rise to significance or be encountered by the party over the next few scens. I feel like a starting group of ten or more will lead to much confusion of names and identities.

Oooo, even better! I'm not really sure where I should fit in though, or what kind of character I should insert into this crew

well seeing as i am new to forum rp i would like to join.

my votes are
D
A
and B

ok ill throw my lot in

D
A
B

and if were' having xenos, could we have like a mercanray world? ive awlays thought a planet that lets any race in, would be especially cool for an RP gives the chance to have a band of people to form, by meeting each other....

Alright, the whole crew's her except for those who haven't responded since last night. Let's start with setup.

I suggest that the first scene take place on the rogue trader's ship. Anyone who can provide a convincing argument otherwise is welcome to the trader's role, but I think it might be a good position for me as I can organize introductions and use his authority to keep the plot moving.

Yeah it does sound like a good idea for you to be the Trader. Keeps it organized and moving smoothly.

can my character be called leroy jenkins?

Do you have any character design parameters?

@Shas'O: No pun or humour names. This is serious thread.

@RustyKnight: Yes, I suppose it's time for that spiel.

Technical parameters: No Space Marines, Inquisitors, high-ranking officers, characters that would have trouble communicating or can't talk, or psykers above Gamma. Psykers who are at higher levels should have some physical/mental weakness to compensate lest they become OP. No insane powers/weapons that are ungrounded in fluff. If your character is going to be of immense phsyical strength, he can't have ninja-like agility(and vice versa). Powerful heavy weapons are okay as long as you operate them realistically; in other words, you can carry a heavy bolter as long as your character's big enough and you acknowledge that he's carrying a lot of heavy ammo. Likewise with armour, though that's unlikely to be a problem. Lastly, don't give your character anything that their financial means, race, class or circumstances wouldn't reasonably allow them to obtain. Later I'll go over the equipment the Rogue Trader is willing to issue his party, but until then, be reasonable; a hive-ganger can't afford a lascannon, nor would he have the means to find one.

I will join soon, count me in.

I'd like a list of names of people who are willing to post regularly for the first couple days to get us started. Newer players, be aware that this IS somewhat of a commitment. If you start in the core group and then decide you don't like it, you'll tear the fabric of the story. That said, if you feel like you can handle it, go ahead. Ah, and one last rule...

USE PROPER SPELLING, GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION. I have a BIG problem with chatspeak or lack of capitalization/periods in a roleplay. It can really flatten the mood.

g0t 1t 0wa1n.

Lord-Loss wrote:g0t 1t 0wa1n.

arrrggghhhhhhh!!!! too, much, bad, grammer, it burns

Lord-Loss wrote:g0t 1t 0wa1n.

I lol'd. Now, as I've been keeping up with n0t_u's fantastic CYOA, I think I'll add an element of that while simultaneously streamlining for roleplay. At certain points of the story where voting wouldn't work in-game, I'll put up polls and let the players decide what comes at us.... it retains that external DM element and eliminates spontaneous appearances of new combatants in-game.

Damn double post.

You can put me down as a regular poster. Also, I was thinking of reviving Erik, from the Tyranid role play we did. Come on, you know you need a bumbling drunkard on the team .

I'd be good with that... and I know your writing's pretty ace. We can say we picked him up as the last survivor on a drifting shuttle and that he picked up some weapons skills(your choice) during the invasion.

I think the first wave should be myself, Deff Dread, n0t_u, ghosty and Lord Loss. All of you check in and provide a brief character profile, then I'll write the first narrative post.

Right.

If this isnt ok then i can make another but...

Id like to be a kroot shaper if thats ok with a pet hound...

So yeah
Name: Kharror
Physical Description: Taller and leaner than other kroot, grey skin colour pigmented with patches of dark blue. Quills are about arm length and decorated with feathers, beads and small animal skulls. Pale belly and beak
Equipment: Leather harness, Cowl, Pair of scalping knives, krot pistol and kroot rifle. Hound has harness and leesh.
Personality: Hired by the Rogue trader for his tracking skills, Kharror has been with the trader for more years than any other companion. A venerable Shaper, Kharror has carefully chosen over the years of his life what attributes from other races he absorbs, and what not too. Because of this, Kharror has the ability to leap great distances with ease, but due to this, he isnt as bulky as other kroot. Kharror is also able to speak fluent english, kroot and Orkish.

Ok if you dont want this guy ill cry inside, but ill make another instead
but i wanna be kroot >.>

I like it, Ghosty! The Kroot are reknowned mercenaries and I was hoping to get some interesting xenos in the part. I think you've captured a Kroot well; I'm looking forward to having you aboard.

Owain wrote:Now, as I've been keeping up with n0t_u's fantastic CYOA

Thanks

So does this mean I should keep it going? I thought it had died
I supose the vote limit of it needs to be moved around as well a little more.
The other one that I've been working on has been stuck in a tie for about 12-15 days as well now


Anyway getting back on topic..
I've been thinking about doing a new character instead of just using the same one I have been for all of them.

Name: Mael Dannan
Race: Eldar
Physical Description: Taller and thinner than most humans, light pale skin and long ears like all Eldar. Armour is a dark blue colour with the details picked out in a bone colour. Doesn't wear a helmet. Has long silver hair.
Equipment: Avenger Shurikan Catapult, Shurikan Pistol, Powersword and Eldar Armour.
Personality: Mael left his craftworld years ago to explore the universe by himself. He was once a Dire Avenger, but has been off that path and away from the Craftworld for around 150-200 years. The Rouge Trader and his crew found the Eldar's small ship drifting through space, a small battle with the Dark Eldar had left the craft useless and it's pilot unconcious and drifting through space. When he had left the Craftworld he had become a pirate, raiding small fleets from every race except the Necrons, Orks and Tyranids and even then only because it would be too much of a risk and not have any treasure worth his time. He's a treasure hunter that values friendship higly and is more fast than he is strong easily able to dodge around most opponents and strike at their weakest point.


If we end up with too many xenos I might change the character to balance it out a bit more.

Name:Erik

Physical description: Tall and thin, his hair is a dark black, yet is starting to grey. His light body armour is faded red.
Equipment: Las-carbine, small dagger, light body armour(comprising of only a protective vest and armour around the knees).
Personality: Survivor of a terrible event, Erik is scarred and suffers from post traumatic stress disorder. He drinks heavily to, as he describes it," keep his demons quiet." He rarely speaks of his past life and all but refuses to yield in a fire fight. He was brought on board when a rogue trader found him in a small escape capsule drifting through space and hired him after he proved a competent gunslinger.

Name: Henrik

Physical description: Tall, very dark hair but wears a hood most of the time. Wears ancient robes, with small dagger that are attached to his wrists by special machinery (Basically looks like the dude from AC2)

Personality: Friendly, constantly battling his demons and goes beserk in the battlefield. He is a death cult assassin.

Ooh, shiny. I'm interested to see how a Rogue Trader met up with a Death Cult assassin. First plot post coming soon.

I can post often and would enjoy jumping in when you see a good chance to add a Magos Biologis adept.

Roleplaying etiquette is now in effect. Please use proper spelling, grammar in punctuation when in character. If you need to speak out of character, use "OOC:".

OOC: Alright. I'll let you into just a little late; hop in when you can.

Rogue Trader captain Lyas Angall adjusted his ornate cuirass as he stepped onto the bridge of Perina. She was a Carronade-class frigate, a long-lost design hailing from the outer reaches of Imperial space. More sleekly built than a ship of the Imperial Navy, the shorter-ranged plasma batteries along her hull were indicative of the fact that the ship was intended for short-range combat. The exotic sensor arrays and large tractor beam were decidedly non-standard additions.

Servitors and exotic computer systems hummed and whirred as they carried out the immense task of keeping Perina spaceworthy. As he settled into the captain's chair and inserted a bundle of data-cables into the base of his skull, one of the machine-men trundled over and wordlessly handed over a status printout. All systems were in good shape save for the cargo bay, which was conspicuously empty... something Lyas intended to remedy soon enough.

The data-cables slithered back into the chair's headrest as Lyas stood up and sauntered over to the hologram projector. Kharror was field-stripping his rifle while Erik and Henrik stood deep in conversation. He cleared his throat, causing the party to look up. "It seems that the good Magos had declined to join us; no matter. I've gathered you here to discuss our next destination. Our pockets are nicely lined with gold. Our next stop could be the agri-world of Kuusan, or the Imperial mining station on Vorth. If we're going to begin exploring the Galactic Fringe at the Magos' request, we ought to stop at one or the other to pick up supplies."

OOC: Ah, silly me! I've forgotten to provide my OWN character profile.

Name: Lyas Angall
Physical Appearance: Relatively tall and somewhat stocky. Dark hair, blue eyes, and a measured, educated voice.
Equipment: Heavy laspistol, power-rapier, and in some situations a worn but well maintained breech-loading grenade launcher. Wears an expensive shadow-grey tailcoat under carapace cuirass, vambraces and gauntlets. Also known to carry an old necklace of Terran make that incorporates a simple refractor field.

Mael walked into the bridge, looking disappointed. "Following orders from one of the Robo-Monkeighs... *sigh* Well as long as we're getting paid I suppose I could stay awake and help out for this one" said Mael. The Eldar looked out the window at the stars. "I guess it beats drifting around here all the time, there hasn't been any good ships passing by for ages. It's kind of starting to get boring" said Mael. He looked around and noticed that Lyas was in the middle of briefing the group. "Oh? No need to wait for me I see.. Well continue on with your plan" said Mael.

Henrik's hands curled into fists as Mael stepped onto the bridge, his nostrils flared and a haze of blood covered his vision illustrating the graceful eldar face, so it looked dark and menacing. As quickly as it had began, it ended. "Henrik are you alright?" asked Erik placing a reasuring hand on Henriks shoulder. "Yes, Im fine" Mumbled Henrik "Just got lost in my thoughts there"

OOC: Something interesting I came across when looking for a name for my character.
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Eldar_Lexicon

"I need a fething drink,"Erik mumbled as he slid away from the wall,"the briefings go more 'smoothly' when I am only slightly there."

He wiped at his brow giving long striding steps as he sauntered. He stopped at a small counter, usually used as a space to review documents and such, it had become a rather strange mish-mash of glasses, bottles and small patches of what might or might not be sick. His hand darted swiftly, scooping up a bottle of whiskey which was rather light by this time, for it had indeed been ravaged by his before supper drink. He turned on his heels taking a generous swig, before lazily walking back to the rest of the group.

He half heartedly offered the bottle to his fellow company, receiving only hands waving it off or shakes of the head to indicate refusal.

"Have it your way then." Erik said, before walking toward the back of a small couch. Where upon he put his hand and quickly vaulted over it's top and landing rather haphazardly sending a small scatter cushion up in the air and half way across the room.

"You know lyas, anymore of those damn things and you would be decorating just like my mum." Erik chuckled throwing his head back to take another swig.

"So, off to Kuusan then!" He said loudly, waving his hand toward the viewing portal and motioning as if to indicate which star system he thought it was in.

Sorry about the double post.

OOC: No one else expressed any preference, so Kuusan it is.

OOC: I thought you were going to decide, you are the Rouge Trader after all. I thought this was just the initial character interraction to help everyone get a basic look at what the characters will be like.

Besides and Agri-world sounds much nicer than a mining world, unless we want to eat rocks

Kharror absent mindedly fiddled with the muzzle flash as the conversation wore on. It was becoming apparent that the humans were in favor of Kuusan, probably because of its change in scenery.
"Kuusan had a drought recently, and the crop yield was low. Are you sure it would be wise to head there? The supplies would be relatively expensive. Plus the imperials may frown on me... I'd hate for them to end up like that commissar on Augustus Prime."
Erik’s eyes briefly flicked to the large gangly Hound sitting next to Kharror. It lazily gnawed on a bone.
“I believe," Kharror continued "that our best bet is the Mining world." With that, Kharror settled back down and resumed his Field strip. Next to him the Hound yawned lazily, its sharp beak dripping thick ropes of drool.

Lyas chuckled. "True, Kharror, but a mining world won't be able to spare any produce at all. Besides, we're a good way from Terra. I doubt that a xenos in the party will be a problem." He indicated the holo-display.


Without waiting for a response, he turned to the Navigator's station. "It's settled, then! Set a course for Kuusan."

OOC:You know the drill. Let's get some steady interactions going and build character relationships. Warp jump is imminent.

"Empty, fething empty." Mused Erik with a forlorn sigh before placing the bottle at his feet.

He stretched and gave a loud yawn, "I hate these long space journeys," he sighed as he cast his gaze down at the bottle by his feet and then to the counter which his drinks stood on,"Not even any bloody booze left."

"Not any good booze anyway." He said, he then turned to cast his gaze upon his fellow companions. The shaper, sat as he cleaned and stripped his weapon, the eldar, far removed from the rest stood with a distasteful look adorning his face as he looked upon the group.

"Fething pointy ears." He mumbled under his breath, then continued his observations. He then came upon Henrik, that man could drink anyone under the table he chuckled to himself. However he was a crazy one, quick to spring into action or to jump into a fight with no provocation.

Was this really his life now, he thought, questing through the stars, never resting. Better then your old one, something inside him said, his heart started to be all the faster. He needn't remember did he, did he? No, no back there was just, nothing. Only memories of suffering and heart ache of friends lost and comrades dead of his lost love...

"Erik, oi you there?" Said a loud voice as he felt flick on the nose.
"Wha.."Erik managed as he snapped back into the realm of the there and the now, to see Henrick standing in front of him proffering him a small flask.
"Here, have it." He said tossing the flask and quickly then after spinning on his heels and walking away. He always fething did that, just as I wanted to say thank you to, thought Erik as he unscrewed the lid.

"Crazy fether." He mumbled.

OOC: Just out of curiosity, as a venerable Shaper does Kharror come with a brood of Carnivores? That would definitely influence the outcome of the next scene I have planned.

"Old drunk, these ears do more than just decorate my face. Although I too hate these long boring trips. All the fun is when we get o wherever it is we're going and even then it doesn't last long enough" said Mael. "Curious bunch these Monkeighs always concerned about the here and now, never looking to where it is we're going. But, the most interesting is probably the Kroot. Though I think you're probably here for much the same reason as me, when I think about it I think we're all here for the same reason; we want adventure and treasure" continued Mael.

"Lyas the only problem we'll probably have is with the Kroot, I haven't been to Kuusan, but depending on how much contact they've had with the rest of the universe they may see me as just a human. But, they might panic if they see Kharror; should at least make it more interesting" he continued.

"Going planetside to purchase supplies? Tsk,tsk. I thought you all knew me better than that." He pulled up a tactical readout on the holoprojector. "Kuusan considers itself an independent trade world, not bound by Imperial law; what's stopping us from taking what we want?"

"They use servitor-driven barges to ferry supplies from the service. All we have to do is be in and out with our prize before they can coordinate their defense fleet."

The Eldar pirate nodded approvingly. "Not bad. Even should they rally, said defensive fleet shouldn't give us too much trouble."

"Lets do this one quickly" Henrik cast a nasty glance at Kharror "We wouldnt need your puppies on this one"

"You dare disrespect me and my pack!?" Yelled Kharror, getting to his feet. "What Im saying is that we dont want you and your dogs" Henrick snarled the last word "messing up this mission, like the just one"

"PEACE!" shouted Lyas "Henrik has a point Kharror.. While your Hounds are a important aspect of our team there can be times they are.." Lyas paused as if looking for the right word. "Less then stealthy?"

"So be it, but the next time this assassin disrespects me" Snarled Kharror "It will be solved by the blade" Kharror stormed off the bridge.

Lyas sighed. With luck, the two would calm down before they actually had to work with each other. He returned to his command chair and keyed the ship-wide voxponder system. +Captain Angall here. Transition to warp will take place in ten minutes.+ He buckled his acceleration harness and settled back into velvet cushions torn from the throne of a Dark Eldar prince. He sighed and looked at the trophies that adorned the walls of the Perina's bridge. This year would make a half-century of trading and privateering in the void... there were certainly worse ways to make a living.

OOC: yes, he has a groomed squad of carnivores...why?

OOC: Just making sure. I'll need to make space for them in the shuttles when we leave the ship, but I didn't want to create a shuttle full of troops that didn't exist.

Kharror stalked down a metal corridor, every sense in his body burning with anger. The kroot are silent hunters, their hounds even more so than themselves. How could Henrick insinuate that his hounds are loud?
Kharror knew better, but for a moment he longed for an oppertunity to 'accidently' leave a hound un leeshed at the next meeting.

Kharror stooped as he stepped through the threshold into his brood den. Straightening, he silently padded his way past his sleeping brethren, before taking a sharp left and heading over to Krarhor, the Squad krootox. Its huge mass rose and fell softly as it snored quietly. Touching its leathery hide, Kharror felt its heart beat. Kharror smiled, and krooned to his sleeping mount. To think, that every creature from pech, every ox, hound and gnarloc, was once, millions of generations ago, a kroot like him. The thought left him strangely humbled. Climbing up onto the shoulder of Krarhor, he crouched and watched his brood sleep peacefully around him. His faithful hound nuzzled against him, and he idly stroked its spines, causing it to emit low revibrating noises. He picked up distant wafting scents in the air. Testorarone. It seems the youngblood Kraal was coming into season. He had been eyeing up the female, Kaila for some time now. He chuckled deeply in his throat. Oh to be young and foolish.

OOC: anyone wanna come into the nest may do so ^^ would be fun conversation.....just cant see henrick doing it. Lyas maybe though or Mael. and would it be too far if i had a greater gnarloc? ^^

OOC: Nah, you hit the scale just right with one krootox for now. Also, odd coincidence... a Kroot nest built into a section of the ship is EXACTLY as I imagined. Also, I rather like Kharror. I'm going to assume he and Lyas have been working together for some time now.

Lyas walked down the poorly lit corridor. Bay 2C had been the domain of Kharror and his kindred for some time now, so to him it was no surprise to find the tunnel narrowing where the Kroot had begun to build onto the walls of the ship. He had ordered the rich, dark clay that had used brought from the surface of some now-forgotten planet. Ducking through the portal at the end of the hallway, he found the Shaper perched on the shoulder of a slumbering Krootox. "Hello, old friend. I'd been meaning to speak to you about our plans at Kuusan, if you've got a moment..."

OOC: ver. long time ^^ i said in my post hes the first that joined you either way, i like kroot ^^

oh and just on a general note. for those who cant imagine a female kroot, imagine a normal kroot, but less....spiky....u know a softer image...maybe shorter quills...possibly boobs...dunno use your imagination.

IC: Kharror vaulted of Krarhor and landed silently on the groun, making particular effort not to awaken any of his brood. Rising, he moved across the room, indicating for Lyas to follow. They moved away from the pack, and down another tunnel, to a small Ante-chamber. The inside ws decorated with trophies of various adventures Kharror has undertaken with Lyas. A tyranid gaunt head pinned to the wall, a Bugbear paw, even a trylobyte antennae. Kharror settled down on a small, polished rock, and Lyas sat onto a chair, that, in the clay walled enviroment, amongst the trophies of various xenos, looked totally alien.

"Well Lyas, what is it you want?" said Kharror. he had removed from his belt a quill he had recantly shed, and began to absent mindedly fiddle with it.

"I've heard news that Kuusan is currently in the sights of the T'au Empire; the barges may be more heavily guarded than we expected. One battleship and some lighter escorts. I'd like you to make sure that your kin are prepared to fight a boarding action. Scents can get confused by ventilation systems, corridors turned to killing zones; I'd hate to see your less-experienced warriors die needlessly."

Lyas then pulled out a freshly printed schematic, still warm from the auto-scribe. He spread it on the table with the specially oversized letters and symbols facing Kharror. "Here's a schematic of the Gal'leath-class battleship we'll likely be facing, along with the current boarding plan. If you'd like to propose a better course for your own forces, don't hesitate to let me know."

With that, Lyas stood and bowed. "Feast on your enemies, old friend." With that, he strode out of the chamber to continue preparing the crew for the impending battle...

OOC: Sourced from Lexicanum, a Gal'leath-class battleship is several times Perina's tonnage, but poorly armed and ponderous. Most of its bulk consists of cargo space, presumably to carry troops and supplies for trade. I believe an unusually heavily-armed frigate shouldn't have too much trouble taking one on.

"Tau, huh. I guess we'll need your pack after all Kharror. Tau are crappy at hand to hand combat and I suspect that they would restrict their ranged weaponry as they don't want to risk piercing their hull in the event of a raid on them. I guess they'll be using pistols mostly, most likely set to a very low output, but still able to do some damage. I say we race in there slaughter them, take the shiny stuff and get out of there.. Or even use their ship to slip past any baracade near the planet" said Mael, standing in the hallway. "Are you following me now?" asked Lyas. "Nah. I just saw a ship of in the distance and came to let you know it was kind of heading in our direction, but when I got here it sounded like you already knew about it" replied Mael.

Lyas rushed to the bridge. When had they dropped out of warp? He certainly hadn't felt it. He hastily seated himself on the command throne and spoke into the intercom; "Status report." The vox crackled to life.

"Contact, captain. Likely T'au in origin; scans lead us to believe it's an escort. They're hailing us now."

"Delightful. Main screen turn on." The holo-screen obediently blinked into life, showing the pallid skin and leering red eyes of the T'au escort's captain. He spoke in broken Gothic;

"How are you gentlemen!! All this system are belong to us. We have targeting solution on your vessel. You are on the way to destruction."

Mischievous even in the face of danger, Lyas imitated the xenos' outlandish accent. "What you say!?"

"You have no chance to survive make your time."

At this, the captain casually turned the holo-screen off. A tactical holodisplay materialized in front of him, showing the names and position of the two vessels.

"Engage the tractor beam; get them within range, and begin priming the starboard battery. I want a firing solution on Great Justice in two minutes' time."

------

The engagement was short-lived; railgun fire spattered against Perina's void shields and several shots spanged against her hull, marring the smooth black paint and the sleek hull underneath. Great Justice suffered far worse; caught in the rogue trader's tractor beam, the escort was pulled in close to the larger ship. Sensor arrays were whited out by the sun-bright flash of plasma fire as bolts of white-hot gas slammed into the T'au ship's flank, reducing it to a cloud of debris.

OOC: I see what you did there

OOC: Don't forget that was just an escort. The big prize is probably on the other side of the planet.

Henrik ripped apart another training Servator, Lyas was not going to be happy with this mess, but Henrik needed to vent his rage at something. He stopped himself before he went into a "Beserk Rage" as Lyas called them. He opened the mesh door of the training room and recalled the moment on the bridge where the Blood God had called for him. He shudded at the thought of serving the Skull Champion and the conquesences for his teamates.

Back on Xarviss IIV he had vowed to never answer the call of the Lord of Blood again. Twenty years has past since then and not once has Henrik answered the calls.

Kharror waited until the eldar and Lyas had gone. He then carefully stood up, and walked out into the cavernous chamber where his brood slept.

He moved over to his equipment, and carefully donned it, taking special care on each strap, buckle and harness. Soon he was kitted out. He then pulled both his short, wedge shaped knives from his belt and released a high frequency screech.

All around him, everything exploded into life.

Kroot hounds, instantly awake leapt forward, as far as there leashes could let them, and snapped their jaws viciously at anything that came close. Krarhor awoke and stood on its back legs, pounding its chest with its arms, like some huge ape, lending its roar to the rising din of the kindred roused for war. The Kroot were alert instantly, moving quickly and preparing for combat. Small groups of the younger Kroot milled around, unsure of what to do, or helping each other into their armor. The matured Kroot were already tooled up and moving, calming the hounds and harnessing them. A pair of muscular twins, Tarka and Arrk sprinted over to Krarhor, vaulted onto his back and began to subdue him. The Ox bucked and resisted for a few minutes, before they calmed it.

Kharror watched as his brood gathered for war. He felt the ship rock from a blast from a weapon, but cared not, the void shields would hold.

"Move out Carnivores, Move out!" Kharror yelled as he directed his force forward. Soon they weren’t running on soft clay ground, but cold metal walkways. The twins had to battle to keep Krarhor under control, whilst even in this time of anticipation Kraal was trying to woo Kaila, flexing his muscles and displaying his quills.

The carnivores moved down the corridors for several minutes before they came out in a great landing bay. Lyas was waiting for them.

“Ahh Kharror, just in time. Have you prepared the Kroot for combat?” said Lyas, his eyes straying on the cluster of Youngblood’s.
“Yes old friend, we are ready for war.” The elder shaper leaned in close, so that only Lyas could here. “The Youngblood’s haven’t yet the confidence that war brings. Some still flinch at the sight of their own muzzle flash. So I propose this, I take my Matures in first, and hit the defense parties, soften them up, The Youngblood’s come in and finish them off. However, they must not learn im protecting them; otherwise they’ll feel cheated of true glory, so they have to be on a different boarding vessel, so they won’t recognize they’re being pushed to the back. They’ll be lead by a Youngblood, so they can learn to trust each other and not just the shaper.”

“Very good. Can I suggest they’re sent in maybe a minute after you? To give you that much time to weaken the enemy?” asked Lyas, smiling at the brutal simplicity and cunning of the shaper.

Kharror nodded, and turned back to his kindred. “Brothers! Sisters! The time for war is upon us! Youngblood’s, move over to the left Shuttle, Matures to the right. Tarka, Arrk, take the OX and put the gun on the back you will be leading the assault.”

“At once Venerable shaper.”

Kharror then turned and grabbed Kraal by the arm as he stalked past. The Youngblood bowed deeply and cast his eyes down; aware he was in the prescience of a superior.
“Yes Venerable Shaper?”
Kharror snapped his beak, causing the young male to flinch.
“I was like you a long time ago, courting a female even amongst the carnage of a war.”

Kraal looked up, astonished
“How did you know?”

Kharror smiled, before continuing.
“In this war, my Shaper died, shot through the chest. The kindred were in disarray, we had no leader. So I took up the post, and lead my brethren to victory. And that night, the female I longed for, ate the flesh of my kill with me. We were mated not long after.
The point is, it is time for you to take that path, and you will lead your brothers and sisters into combat today, and tonight you will have what you desire.”

With that, Kharror turned to leave, but just before he went the Youngblood asked.

“Where is your mate now?”

Kraal realized what he had done when he saw his shapers eyes. They were full of sorrow, and Kraal thought he saw a tear welling up.

“She was taken from me, not long after I met Lyas.” Kharror said shortly. “Do not let the same happen to Kaila.”

With that he strode away, leaving the dumbfounded youth alone.

Henrik already had his equipment ready when the sirens of war were sounded down the ship. He hurried out of his quarters and procceded to the bridge where he knew Lyas was already at work. Planning and coordinating there small army. Henrik slipped quitely onto the bridge, noone noticed his arrival save Lyas who gave him a swift nod before returning to briefing his commanders.

Suddenly the ship was rocked by a large explosion from the close quarter's space fight that was taking space outside the ship.

The waiting was what got to him most, damn it to hell. Erik sat, bolt upright as his head darted from side to side scanning the upper deck.

He checked the straps on his body armour with a nervous shaking hand. It was true that he was an ok shot or rather, he was much less inclined to nick things then his predecessor while being an ok shot. So he had been told, he mused as he fiddled with the dial on his las-carbine.

"Got the fething job because I don't nick an extra bit of cargo now and then." He whispered. In all truth he hated being a mercenary for the captain, those damn foul kroot, would go in and slaughter an entire flipping ship. Now mind you, this wasn't at all too bad, it didn't leave much of anything that would want to take pot shots at him or beat him over the head with a large haddock...

"Damn that sous-chef....bloody under head of the kitchen, who knew he had so much fight left in him?" Erik mused to the world in general as he squirmed in his seat.

Getting back on track with his original line of thought he continued to muse on the distasteful job he was always saddled with. Now, slaughtering an entire ship he had no problems with, that sort of emotional detachment was most common he thought for all men of rather otherwise inclined origins and shady military careers. However, he was the clean up guy. He never had to mop or clean much however, which was a fact he was grateful for. No, he was the one whom picked off stragglers. Those wretched half-dead moaners whom either were too tenacious or stupid to die...You'd choose to wouldn't you something at the back of his mind said.

"Captain, this damn back and forth fire fight almost done then?" He roared, wondering why it had indeed occurred. Surely the ship could have been bypassed, he thought.

Mael sat on a seat near the window, his feet up on a small ledge. He had his weapons on him at all times, ready for combat, being away from the craftworld had taught him that. He looked out at the other ship, bored. "So how long do you think until we can board them? Can't be much longer" said Mael staring blankly out the window at the enemy ship.

Lyas was cackling maniacally at the destruction Perina has wrought as she neared the T'au battleship. Everyone had assembled in the launch bay now; Erik, Henrik, Mael and Kharror's warriors were all boarding their respective shuttles. In tight formation around the captain was a quartet of combat servitors, slaved to their master by direct neuro-link. They followed him up the boarding plank, integrated hellguns and pneumatic shears gleaming dully in the light of the bay. The fourth drone moved with a limping gait, somewhat hindered by the multi-laser attached where its right arm should have been and the weight of its accompanying power-cells.

As the shuttles limbered up and prepared to take off, Lyas pulled the heavy laspistol prom his belt, inspecting the old stains and scratches on its plasteel casing. His motions quick and practiced, he checked the lens and power pack before putting back in its place. His weapons were in order; everything else was in the hands of fate.

Mael checked the systems inside the shuttle, checking how the machine spirit would handle the approach to the enemy ship. Although Mael didn't really trust the technology of the humans. Sure this autopilot would navigate along its path to the target, but would it take into consideration any quick changes. He climbed into the pilot's seat and switched the auto-pilot off, as he always did. After deciding what enterance to approach he was ready to launch. Mael took a deep breath. "Shea nudh Asuryanish ereintha Asuryanat" said Mael as the shuttle took off and approached the enemy ship. It darted around the few lasers shot at him by the remaining defensive weapons that hadn't been destroyed yet. The shuttle slammed into the side of the ship. The shuttle's cutting tools started their work and soon the shuttle was attached to the ship safely. Mael could board the ship now, he decided to take his Shuriken Pistol and Avenger Shuriken Catapult with him as always, but decided he wouldn't fire them as they could possibly tear a hole through the ship's hull. Instead he held his power sword ready. He now waited for Lyas' signal to enter the ship and begin the attack. If it took too long though a security team would probably cut into the shuttle and the fun would begin early.

Kharror yelled aboce the din inside his ship
"Remeber your training and you will survive this day!"
He fought down nausia as the ship bucked from a nearby explosion. Arrk was already standing on the haunches of the kroot, its massive rifle strapped in place. His brother was nearby, ready to pass up shells, and defend his brother to the death. Around him the matures were ready, grim and determined. A few were straining to keep a pack of incredibly riled hounds in check, but there was little they could do. Kharror noted, that all around him pheramiones of anticipation was seeping out of every Kroot inside the vessel. He smiled.

Kraal fought to keep his Kroot under control. Without the withering gazes of the the older kroot to keep them in their place, many were arguing, almost at the point of taking up arms. Some were shaking, as this was their first engagement. In all honesty, it was the first space battle Kraal had been on himself, and he was begginning to worry.

Lyas' shuttle slammed into the T'au craft with bone-shattering force. Metal screeched in protest as the melta-cutters did their work. The captain turned on the vox.

"Kharror, you've landed near the troop compartment; attack swiftly and you shouldn't have too much trouble. You remember how weak the T'au are in a real fight."

"Mael, you're near the high-security storage area as planned. Take out the guards and retrieve the artifact as quickly as possible."

He turned to Erik and Henrik. "We're going to have some real fun; the bridge is just a few compartments ahead. Let's hurry before they can dig in."

OOC: If your character's mission has been left somewhat vague, that means you're free to fill it in however you want.

Henrik smiled as the Combat Servitors walked out of the shuttle, spreading into attack formation and opened fired on the Tau troops waiting outside.

Lyas strode forward, his blood singing with the thrill of combat. His rapier was drawn, but he favoured his left side as he blasted away at one of the white-armoured T'au who had been guarding the corridor. Laughing triumphantly as the angry red-orange bolt punched through the poor xenos' head, rewarding him with a spray of dark ichor which quickly flashed to steam. As Erik despatched the last of the naval guards with his lascarbine, the door at the of the hallway slid open to reveal a team of Fire Warriors in bright yellow armour. At a flicker of thought from Lyas, the neuro-linked servitors opened fire. One was lit up and damaged by pulse-carbine fire, but the T'au were doomed by their poor allocation of fire when they were cut down by multilaser fire from the largest of the combat-drones. As more warriors poured into the corridor, it was obvious that they were at risk of being decimated by the enemy's superior rate of fire.

Though they could lay down plenty of firepower, the aliens were utterly unprepared for what happened next. Lyas holstered his pistol and fastened a small power-buckler to his forearm. Henrik flicked his wrists, causing needle-sharp combat blades to snicker into place. All around them, combat servitors engaged their heavy pneumatic shears and formed into a line in front of the humans, their refractor fields holding firm as they shielded their master.

The shuttle door opened as two nearby Tau approached it with their cutting tools ready. They peered inside to see that it was empty. Mael was hanging on to the ceiling above the doorway. The Tau casually walked into the shuttle looked around then radioed that there wasn't a problem. After the finished and started to leave Mael droped down and with one swift movement he cut off both of their heads with his sword. "Looks like they made a mess in here *sigh*" said Mael, he ran out of the shuttle and down the halway. He had the map memorised and followed the quickest path as he ran silently down the hallway. He would stop when he would spot the occassional security camera and sneak under it while it was facing away and they quickly pass underneath it unseen. He eventually came to the door of the storage room. He looked around a bit and then stabbed the control panel with his power sword causing it to short-out and release the locks. The door swung open and Mael slipped inside before closing the door behind him. "Lyas seems they're distracted by you and the others, it was fairly easy to sneak past them and I'm currently in the artifact room now" said Mael over the vox.

He approached it slowly and then noticed something. "Lyas we have a problem, there are sensors around it and on the walls it looks like there are some devices that can fire lasers. I'm sure they'll be able to fill the entire room with cutting lasers, I doubt it will go through the case protecting the artifact though. But that's the problem, I can't get into it. Like all Eldar I have some mild psychic powers I can use, but I wasn't on the path of the Farseer so they woun't be strong enought to smash through it. Maybe good eneough to pull a few cables out or allow me to move small objects but I doubt that would work without setting off some alarms here" said Mael.

Lyas deftly batted aside a T'au's clumsy swing and imbedded his blade in the alien's breastplate with a casual flick of his wrist. Wrenching the power-sword from his dying foe's chest cavity, he keyed to vox on his collar.

"Understood, Mael. Hold your position; once we approach the bridge, we should be able to take hostages. That'll convince them to deactivate the field for you.... before we kill the rest of them, of course."

The line of Combat Servitors advanced slowly. Henrik could see a firewarrior down the corrider, babbling away into a headpeice. Henrik made out the words "suit support" before two of the combat servitors exploded and ten foot tall giant battlesuits walked into there sight.

"Take Cover!" Yelled Lyas as another combat Servitor exploded. "I can take them out!" shouted Henrik over the sounds of explosion and the pow pow of lazer fire. "How!?" Lyas shouted back, looking relieved. "Get Combat Servitor BE41 to aim for there eyes" Replied Henrik. "They cant pentrate there helmets" Said Lyas looking doubtful. "I know, I know.."

"Gooo!" Yelled Henrik and charged down the corrider dispatching suprised Fire Warriors as he ran with his bolt pistol. Lazor fire rippled overhead and smashed into the Battle Suit's almost toppling them over.

Henrik launched himself upone one battlesuit. With a flick of his wrist's two small blades crackling with energy emerged from his sleeves. He swung his fist at the helmet of the Suit but dug the small blade of his right hand at the base of the helmet then pushed upwards with all his might. The helmet came flying off, knocking over some firewarriors behind the Suits.

The other suit was desperately trying to knock Henrik off by smashing Henrik off with his arms but Henrik wasnt going anywhere. Now the head of the Battle Suit was revealed, Henrik stuck a frag grenade into the poor Tau's mouth. He launched himself off the suit and rolled away, the force of the explosion pushing him onwards. Into he was sprawled on the floor infront of Lyas, who was laughing and cheering.

OOC: ....maybe just a LITTLE too Force Unleashed? .__.

Kharror waited until he was quite sure that the Tau forces were lined up outside, prepared to fire. It would make it all the easier, he mused. Sparing a glance into each of his kindred’s eyes, and uttering "They aren’t strong; we shall not eat their corpses."

Kal'thea knelt in the front rank of fire warriors, his rest of his squad standing behind. A glimmering line of Pulse carbines on the front rank and the sophisticated rifles on the second rank were displayed around him. He couldn’t help but smile. Anything the came through the door would be massacred.

Kharror licked his beak and prepared for combat, crouching low, so that his leap would traverse the entire shuttle, and then clean into the awaiting fire warriors. Around him the brood did the same. Kroot handlers loosened their grip on the hounds' leashes, and the twins loaded a shell into the breach of the large gun on the krootox. Soon. The Tau were impatient. Very soon.

Kal'thea shifted uneasily. Whoever was inside were obviously not coming out. With a flick of his wrist, two earth caste drones floated down and began to laser cut through the door. Then his whole world exploded around him.

Arrk had fired the gun straight through the door of the shuttle, which not only devastated the drones, but also carried on going through the fire warriors, bringing the shuttle doors with it. As one Every Kroot inside leapt forward, into the shell-shocked Tau.

Kal'thea looked around blearily; his entire squad was in disarray. He himself had been knocked to the ground by a huge metal sheet and around him Tau were picking themselves off the floor. He noticed three of his men were no more, large bloody chunks of flesh and scrapped armour were all that remained. Then he felt brief pain. Looking back down he saw Kroot leap out of the threshold into his men, screeching on the top of their lungs. He felt another brief snap of pain. It was then he realised his arm was missing at the elbow. A few feet away a hound was ripping into something. Kal'thea went pale.

Kharror landed amongst the second rank, and decapitated a fire warrior with a flick of his blades, spinning round; keeping low to the ground he severed another Tau's legs at the knee. The stricken warrior fell to the ground, before being pounced on by a hound. Kharror then leapt, and landed on another, pinning him to the ground. He felt bloodlust and tore into the fire warrior’s mask with his beak, rewarding himself with the taste of Tau ichor. All around he saw them dying. He saw a torso being fought over by a pair of hounds, its arms, legs and head already ripped off. He saw another kneeling clutching at its throat as blood poured out between his fingers. Another was being pummelled into the deck by the Ox. War had begun.

Kraals ship opened a fraction of a second after Kharror’s, and his brood leapt into another fire warrior squad. The Tau managed to get a volley off into the Kroot before they were charged. Kharror watched in horror as many of the Youngblood’s fell. Releasing a berserk screech, he leapt the distance easily and landed next to kraal who was fighting off the blows of two fire warriors. The fighting went on, as more hastily dressed Tau entered the scene in groups of one or two.

Lyas and his party had managed to fight their way to the end of the corridor, where the T'au had managed to seal the blast doors leading to the bridge. The Rogue Trader took a moment to smirk at Henrik. "No chance of fighting through this one, nay?" At that, he reached into the worn leather satchel at his side and produced a tube charge. He fixed the magnetic clamp to the center of the door and twisted the detonation timer.

"Thirty seconds."

The other two humans in the party fled to the back of the corridor; Lyas and the two remaining servitors stood there calmly as the charge went off and burned a neat hole in the door's locking mechanism, allowing the servitors to pry it open with their augmented strength. Lyas looked back and tutted disapprovingly. "Unidirectional melta-charge.... you give me so little credit." Any further sarcasm was drowned out as the combat-drones began pouring fire into the bridge of the Tau ship, their refractor fields struggling to contain a volley of pulse-rifle fire. Lyas drew his rapier. "Come! They won't hold for much longer."

The three of them rushed onto the bridge, catching the T'au off guard before they could unleash another volley. They vaulted over a row of control stations, firing as they went. Henrik struck the enemy like a vengeful meteor, landing daggers-first on a hapless alien and executing a fluid spin-kick which connected with another foe's face with a sickening crunch.

Never one for flashy displays, Erik fought with restrained efficiency, parrying a naval guard's swing with his forearm and mechanically tearing out the T'au's windpipe with his knife.

Lyas had singled out the captain of the battleship, and the T'au captain had been ill-prepared to fight a trained duelist in hand-to-hand combat. Ducking a clumsy swing from the enemy captain's staff, Lyas laughed disdainfully as he appeared almost phantom-like behind the blueskin and casually swept his head from his shoulders. The battle was going well so far...

Meanwhile Mael had been walking around the room, careful not to set off any alarms or fall for their primitive traps. No Tau had come into the room, it seemed that Lyas had attracted all of their attention, that would change as soon as Mael would be able to get the artifact. Around the room were crates, probably containing more treasure or maybe supplies. Peering into them he found a few replica Lasguns, he knew they weren't the same because they lacked the Aquila the Imperium loved to spam all over all the equipment. "Lyas, I've descovered some weapons in here. It looks like this ship is carrying supplies to one of their fights somewhere. I would suggest that we try to get away from this ship fairly quickly after this otherwise we might be fighting a small fleet" said Mael.

Looking into the other boxes were things like Frag Grenades, the Tau Plasma Grenades and various other explosives used by the Tau and their Human allies. Mael had an idea about how to deal with any problems that may happen later, but it would cost a shuttle.


OOC (kind of): If they do send a ship to check on the ship they're in, we could take hostages, then send them some "hostages" in a Tau escape pod later if they come up with a deal. Ie. let's make some extra cash

He was lost, lost in a sea of violence and madness. He blocked a hefty blow with the body of his rifle and stepped forward elbowing his foe, with some zeal he might add, in the head. Erik hated all of this,"close combat," business. Due to the fact that, he was indeed getting on in years. His back ached, his hands weren't as steady as they used to be and was that...yes..he was actually tired. The scale of the slaughter was immense, he having only killed 3 tau, wonder how indeed it had become so.

He shouted to Lyas, and over the din of battle,"Good Emperor man, you've been busy."

With a chuckle born of madness Lyas yelled," I get up really early, do squats and all, it keeps me fit."

'Crazy fether." Erik mumbled under his breath as drew his knife from it's sheath with a quickness born of muscle memory.

This indeed was going to be a long, long day...

Henrik vaulted over a control station and slashed one of his wrist knives across the throat of a terrified Tau. Ducking a punch from a large Fire Warrior, Henrik stepped back drawed his custom bolt pistol and blew the Fire Warrior's head off.

Henrik glanced around and saw the battle way going well. The Bridge wasnt well protected and they had suprised them.

Henrik cursed as a group of Kroot entered the Bridge, Henrik sighed before launching himself across the bridge at them

Kharror hacked his knife into a Fire warrior, and felt the tendons snap in the Tau's neck. He was rewarded with a spray of ichor. The fight was all but over; any fire warriors still in their bunks had the sense to not come out. His Kroot had murdered everyone and were now busily dragging their fallen back to the ships. Kraal limped up to him.
"Master Kharror, have you seen Kialla?"
Kharror hadn’t seen her since the first volley of plasma fire hit the Youngblood’s. This didn’t look good.

"Im sorry Kraal, but i promise you i will look for her."

But he didn’t see her amongst the dead. Around him his brood mourned the loss of Arrk, who had been decapitated by a Rail rifle shot. He had no time to mourn, he needed to find her. Eventually, a Youngblood by the name of Aka'roa came to him and told him unsettling news.

"Master shaper, a contingent of my brethren chased a group of fleeing Tau down a corridor towards the bridge; I believe the one you seek was amongst their number.”

Kraal heard this as well. Both exchanging a glance they turned and sprinted down the corridor the Youngblood had pointed out…

OOC: I'm a little short on time to write, but that doesn't mean this thread has to stop. I've been in almost every other post if you average in occasional DPs to push the story along...surely Henrik can react, Erik can involve himself in the situation, or Mael can check in. Or BishopGore's as-yet-unnamed character could jump in and introduce himself before Mael bumps into him....

OOC: Would you be willing to let another player join?

Description: Name Karick, Tall 6' 2", Blue eyes, Broad shoulders, equipped with auto pistol as well as a combat war axe he had created from a Ork boys concept of a weapon. While he wears his flak jacket and khaki pants.

Karick was born of a hive world that came under attack of orks and survived the attack and fought off a small wave of Orks before his family was butchered and he was rendered unconscious. So he has a hatred of orks, but is not loyal to anyone but himself, and relies only on himself, he was not in the initial wave of the Tau boarding action, he was requested to stay on the ship in case of a counter boarding action.

OOC: Sorry I haven't been able to add that player you asked me to sooner Owain. PC died so I had to switch to a netbook Finally finished configuring it to run way better than it did so I'll be able to do it now. I guess I could also do the above one as well to keep the game moving smoothly.


IC: Mael was rather board and walking around the room, waiting for the security to be disabled. Suddenly the sounds of gunfire echoed through the closed door. It flew open and two humans ran in followed by blue flashes of Tau pulse weapons. Mael was ready to strike and silence these two intruders, but he recognized them. They were recent additions to the crew. He might have seen them once or twice, they however weren't comfortable being around the xenos yet. But, they guessed he must be friendly otherwise he wouldn't still be with the crew, unless this was the Eldar's trick.

Such paranoia towrds the Eldar was common, Mael had learnt to live with it and in turn be slightly suspicious himself, least the Monkiegh panic and fire their weapons wildly at him.

One of them looked slightly stronger than the other, he had an axe in his hand and a pistol in the other. Mael had heard his name mentioned a few times; Karick. He was hired after his apparent encounter with the Orks, leading to the weapons he prefered to carry. The only armour he wore was a Flak jacket. The other was wearing dirty ripped clothing, as if he lived on the street. Mal noticed the odd angles the clothes sat at suggesting that he wore armour underneath, Flak armour. A small sparkle of light came from his neck, Mael noticd he was wearing various jewels, if he died Mael wanted to be near the corpse so as to loot it first.

He had a knife in each hand, a bit over half the length of each arm. Mael noticed he had a pistol in a holster. Though he didn't have it out, either he was worried about making a hole in the hull of the ship or simply didn't like to shoot. He was a little shorter than the first and didn't look as strong. He probably preferred to close in quickly with the enemy and delivery death with the knives.

It wouldn't be long before the Tau chasing them would open the door, perhaps they had reinforcements on the way to secure their treasures. Either way Mael as disappointed that all his effort spent avoiding detection was wasted. That didn't matter now, the enemy woud have to be held off and once the security was disabled they coud grab the artifact and be on their way. Or they could grab it anyway and take their chances with the cutting lasers in the walls.

A flickering glance around the room gave him the layout and the cover. Leaping for the crates he saw that actually these were not cover, but a deathtrap, boxes of grenades and guns, hiding behind these would be suicide if a spare round hit them. Grabbing a handful of the frags he clipped them quickly to his belt and then picked up both knives and slammed against the wall, his teeth showing as he grinned wildly at Mael and Karick.

"Sime soo mek death or be dead..." On speaking he revealed the cleft in his tongue, split like a snake's, the two tips twitching independantly as the combat stims sped through his system, making his blood boil and his eyes wide.

"Come soo me... come quick on wings of fire..."

"What are you blabbering bout you druged out little ape?" asked Mael, obviously not quite catching what he had just said. The door opened. "No matter, we have no time unless you too can maintain an adequate conversation while fighting these near sighted marksmen, if you could call them that. *sigh* I honestly don't get why they insist on using ranged weaons when their very genetic make up fights against it. Do they really feel too high and mighty for the elegant dance of melee?" said Mael, while he was taking several Fire Warriors had ran into the room.

The first was cut down quickly by Mael as he spoke, his power sword easily slicing through the warrior. The remaining two were taken down by the still nameless warrior with the knives. As he ran for the second one, he sliced clean through the first's neck. The warrior dropped his weapon and his hands were rised to feel his neck. Blue-coloured blood was flowing out, choking on his blood the warrior tried to scoop it back into his neck as if it would keep him living. The second was shocked by the horror of his two friends being cut down and turned to flee. The nameless crew member tackled him and repeatively stabed him with the knives, a sadistic laughter acompanied the sound of knives crashing through the Fire Warriors armour and the spraying of his blood. The first hit probably killed him, passing through the top of the helmet, the rest was probably the effects of the combat drugs.

Mael's kill was less spectacular, as the blade of the power sword cauterized the wounds, leaving no bleeding. The warrior's head had detached from it's body and span through the air. The body fired it's gun once as it tripped, it's running no longer being directed by the warrior's brain, the shot hit the warrior's lifeless corse in the chest, leaving a smoking hole in the chest of the headless corpse, laying on it's back.

The head bounced twice and stopped at the feet of the Fire Warrior that attempted to run. Meanwhile Karick had been reloading and checking his gun. But soon more would likely show up. Time was against the Rouge Trader's crew. When the combat drugs wear off it is likey that the nameless warrior would lose conciousness and become an additional weight. That is if he hadn't taken too much of the drug which would result in a messy death as his heart, and main arteries explode leaving a corpse that appears to be crying blood, in addition to it also coming out of the ears and mouth. Mael knew humans could become addicted to the drug, sometimes it could even make them as insane as a warrior of Khorne. He would have to keep a close eye on the human, just in case he fell to the power of the blood god while in combat. But then again he had to do that to all humans he encountered, until he could trust them. The chance to take out an Eldar, who mostly looked down on them, sometimes too much for them to resist.

(OOC: Um, no, I'm on a cocktail of stims that will speed up reactions and make me a bit quicker on reflex, but I'm not a sadistic butcher. I appreciate that you're building your own story here, but you're putting too much of my character into your posts, which you don't know yet)

With a whispered prayer on his lips the first had gone down, blood pouring out, and with a spring he was onto the next, looking for all the world like the charge of a kroot warrior, but without the graceful finish, as the second kill took him down too, the body of the Tau on top of him. Shoving it off and wiping the Tau blood from his face, he smiled sadly.

"Gone to grace are they."

Spinning around he resumed his place against the wall, not wanting to re-enter the long corridor outside, a death trap for a close combat orientated warrior. The drugs would wear off in about twenty minutes, when he would become almost useless in combat, but if it wasn't over by then, there would be a lot more trouble than he could handle anyway.

OOC: Sorry about that. I guess I just saw them as something similar to the drugs that the Eversor Assassins take, which basically does that. I guess it can just be how Mael saw the combat unfold, him assuming the warrior as brutish.

OOC: No worries, everyone has different styles of playing these games, I like to have control of myself. More than happy for you to think I'm brutish (I am), but not a sadistic psycho. I've got depth

OOC; Love the character development here.

IC; As Karick sliced the neck of the next tau entering the room he notices the crew member Mael, one of a very few Eldar he had ever seen in his life, amazed at his grace with his weapon in combat he had always wished to ask where he had learned that style of combat. Karick saw the other member of the crew who he was unfamiliar with role the dead Tau off of him, always shocking to see just how affective that human could be.

Karick had seen the next wave of Tau down the corridor before they had entered this room so as he checked is auto pistol and holstered it, he sighed in relief to see just how sharp his axe was. As Karick mentioned the news of the next wave of reinforcements to his comrades the bright blue flash of the Tau guns came screaming into the room as he saw the other human just step aside into cover, he looked around for Mael, and to his very little surprise he had no idea where he was. Karick knew that the eldar was in the room but didn't give it a second thought, as the first of the Firewarriors stepped through the doorway in a sweeping motion Karick came from just below the knee completely removing the leg of the xenos. No sooner had the Tau cried out in pain the Firewarrior behind him found himself with the head of an axe the size of his entire torso embedded in his chest.

Henrik jumped to the nearest control panel, now more and more tau troops were pooring through the door and onto the bridge. Henrik searched frantically for a button to close the main door of the bridge. Moving from control panel to control panel, weaving around the small group of fighters, into he finally found the main door control. Shouting in joy he smashed his hand down on the button and whirled around to see the large, steel doors slam shut.

Panting, Henrik turned around to see a battle scarred Kroot shaper standing less then two feet infront of him. Henrik had time to gasp in suprise before the kroot shaper lent forward and head butted Henrik, who went flying across the bridge with blood pouring from his nose.

OOC: I'm going to issue an executive order here; I specifically didn't want to have enemy Kroot onboard because there's no reliable info I could find on Kroot fighting each other; from what I can tell Henrik and the errant Youngbloods have just run into each other.

Lyas hastily stepped in between Kharror and Erik; the heat of the battle had gotten to them. "Peace, friends! We have been granted a moment's respite." He sheathed his rapier and crossed his arms as he inspected the panels Henrik had been fooling with.

"It seems that you've inadvertently knocked out the security system... good. Mael should be able to carry out his part of the mission, now. Let's rally Kharror's kin and prepare to disembark before things get any hairier. I'll go ahead and set the plasma generators to overload in a few hours' time; we should have plenty of time to get back to the Perina, after which we can enter orbit and resupply unmolested.

As Karick and his comrades finished the rest of the second security team, he waves over to Mael to let him know that the security systems are down, however he suspected that the eldar already knew. With the security system down Karick knew that the way to the artifact would be clear to go and collect it, he also knew full well that it was not part of his mission to collect it so he told the Mael that he could provide cover from the end of the corridor.

As the team moved towards the vault Karick sensed something on a psychic level, he knew he was a slight pyrotechnic, although when using his abilities is basically debilitating which drains him, he knew that Mael was probably the only one of the crew who knew almost completely that he had psychic powers of minimal abilities. Now comes the time of the mission that Karick hated most, he always felt as though there was this high probability of failure right before the mission was completed and it always got on his nerves. Maybe it was that time of the mission or maybe it was something on a psychic level that was disturbing him.

As soon Mael was aware of the security system's deactivation he quickly and carefully opened the case holding the Artifact with his power sword. He had no time to carefully open it so as not to leave any traces of tampering. He grabbed the artifact, but wasn't exactly sure of what it was. Perhaps it was an ancient wepon, maybe even a power source or some ancient religious symbol of some long lost civilisation. There was no time to think about it, he quickly searched through the crates and found a few med packs. Their hard metal case would be perfect for protecting the treasure, he made sure to keep a fair few as well for the crew.

The inside of the case was covered with soft foam to protect the more delicate devices inside the med pack, he tipped it out and put the artifact inside. It just managed to fit inside the case, it was a little bit bigger than both of his fists put next to each other.

"Lyas I've got the artifact, plus some medical supplies, it's time to leave this ship. But, should we leave it with a bang or quietly?" asked Mael over the vox. He marked the case with his power sword carefully with some Eldar word.

As the warrior with the axe dealt with the first two aliens, Fieval leapt over him and against the opposite wall, a blast of plasma singing his heels as he did so. The fire warrior, thinking he had killed something, entered the room too quickly and a long knife handle sprouted suddenly from his face plate. As quickly as the throwing knife had left his hand, another was in it, but no more warriors appeared.

Behind him he heard the case opening, though he could not sense the Eldar. No worries. Maybe time for more... no, heavy feeling in his nose. Putting his hand to his face he felt sticky blood. The stims were burning out and his body was paying for it. Time to get back to the ship before his legs became leaden and he needed a few hours rest to even be able to stand without shaking.

Carefully retrieving his knife and cleansing it of the alien's blood, Fieval ghosted away towards the pod he'd arrived in. The killing time was over, back to base again.

The battle for the most part was over, endless streams of the Tau lay strewn around the bridge of the ship. The messy close quarter combat being their bane and downfall. The stench, a smell which Erik had come to know all to well over his years fighting for the captain, it was the unmistakable smell of death. He scanned the room for signs of life, and his eyes quickly fell on a fire warrior crawling his way to the now closed bridge doors.

Erik sauntered toward him and unholstered his knife, with a sigh. Hearing the footsteps the fire warrior crawled with ever increasing speed in some foolish hope of escape. He stepped on the warrior's body, kicking him in the stomach causing him to flip over onto his back.
"Rest now." Erik mumbled before rather unceremoniously plunging the knife deep into the warriors chest. He drew it out quickly and wiping the blade off on his pants leg he re-holstered it and peered around the room once again.

Suddenly the vox sprang into life as the Mael communicated that he had recovered a treasure of importance and with a grin spreading across his face Lyas rubbed his hands together and said quickly," Erik you know what to do?"

Erik nodded and turning on his heels walked right up to one of the near by control panels. It was a most beautiful piece of technology and he was rather unhappy about what he would have to do next. As you see, control panel delta-4569 was the ships security camera control center, and having lived a relatively long life in service of the Tau's greater good. Its service ended at the end of the butt of a rifle as its internal systems were damaged heavily by the blows which were struck upon it.

"There,"Erik said with a look of disgust on his face, he hated being a lackey,"so we getting out of here or what?"

Lyas nodded, satisfied. "Right, then. Back to the shuttles. We'll debrief in four hours."

Once the Artifact was secure the team moved out back to the shuttle that Mael had arrived on. As they were moving out Karick thought to himself about picking up a trophy on the way out, a nice little habit of his, weapons, tech, stuff people value, on the way to the shuttle he noticed a firewarriors ceremonial knife which he very casually bent down and tucked into his belt to be placed with his other collector items, and off to the shuttle the group of them went.

Mael had ran ahead of the others and arrived at the shuttle first. Inside he found a team of three Tau engineers examining the shuttle. Their eyes lit up in horror when they saw the annoyed Eldar standing in the doorway. One ran down the hallway and was killed by a single shot from Mael's Shuriken Pistol. The second dropped a tool on his foot, it landed with a loud thud. The last seemed to be soiling himself. He was imediately grabbed by Mael and thrown out of the shuttle, he landed on his head with a sickening cracking sound. The last Tau started hopping down the halway, but was quickly hit in the back of the head as Mael had thrown the tool at him. He tripped and started crawling away from the Eldar who was wlking towards him. Mael was soon standing in front and the Tau was backing up into the wall.

Tears were flowing down the Tau's face. "Stand up" said Mael solemly, he had a plan. The Tau slowly rose to his feet. "D-Don't kill me?" begged the Tau. "On one condition" replied Mael. "A-A-Anything!" replied the Tau, Mael could hear how desperate the engineer sounded; it was perfect. "If anyone asks, this was a Dark Eldar raid" said Mael. "O-ok.. Is that it?" asked the Tau. "No. I want you to take this gift from the Eldar race. It represents a glowing and bright future" said Mael, he handed the Engineer a round object roughly the size of his fist. The engineer looked at it in awe. "Just remember, you are safe now, the Eldr have saved you" said Mael. Then entire time he had been talking to the Tau he hadn't broken eye contact. The Tau wiped away his tears, and ran off to find the other Tau.

"Everyone! The Dark Eldar who attacked us have been driven back by the Eldar, we have been saved and have recieved a gift from their leader! He said it signifies a bright future, they have forseen the Greater Good coming to join the universe together" echoed the Tau's joyful voice down the hallway. Mael laughed loudly. "Everyone, do not kill anymore Tau. It's extremely important, if you kill any it will completely undo the illusion I have made" he said over the vox.

He laughed loudly again and stepped into the shuttle, it hadn't been tampered with. He was glad he was able to fool the Tau so easily, not being a Farseer made it extremely difficult without extreme damage to their mind first. The Tau probably excepted it as it was a good alternative to death, that would have made it easier. Mael continued to laugh, the object he had given the Tau was infact a Plasma Grenade; set to detonate remotely with the others he had hidden in the crates of grenades before leaving. He had made sure to wait until after the two humans looked at the crates, just in case it would back fire.

Fieval watched the Eldar from a darkened alcove. He had decided not to kill the Tau in the shuttle, being unarmed non combatents, deciding to wait until others came, but the Eldar obviously had no time... or simply didn't care. No matter, what was done was done and he wanted back in the shuttle. Standing at the entrance to the shuttle he hissed

"Permissun to enter the ssip, sir"

He knew the Eldar had come alone and may plan to leave alone, but there was plenty of room for other crew members. Fieval was tired and didn't want to walk back to his own shuttle, but was unwilling to barge in with the cold calculating alien without invitation.

Kharrors kroot assembled within the hanger. Their seemed alot less now. Many were cradling their dead brethren between them and Kharror looked incredibly mournful. They entered their respective shuttles, and blasted off back to the Rogue traders ship. Too many had died.

Henrik entered the Hanger with Lyas. The short journey through the ship had been strange, many Tau had muttered there thanks and had looked up at Henrik and Lyas with hopeful eyes.

Henrik didnt like the mind tricks the Eldar used, he would rather have fought his way out then be followed by the blood stained thankful Tau.

He entered the shuttle and secured the harness. He sighed, the battle had only just began.

"It's fine, you may enter. I have to wait for Karick anyway" said Mael. The shuttle was ready for launch and as soon as Karick arrived he woud return to the ship. Mael was sitting the way he usually did, legs up on a nearby ledge. He looked at a small screen near the contro panel which allowed him to see behind the shuttle. Nothing was realy happening outside, no one had come to the aid of the Tau ship. Nothing but darkness and stars, Lyas' ship was drifting around somewhere.

As Karick approached the shuttle that he could only assume Mael had arrived on he picked up the pace and double timed it into the passenger area of the shuttle, strapped himself in and started to get ready for the return to the ship, as he looked around he saw Mael and Fieval nod at him as he looked around the ship in a welcoming but abrupt manner of body language, he knew they weren't friends but he would have liked it if they were. Then he thought to himself if he wanted another ork invasion incident where all his friends where lost, but he decided not to dwell on it much gave him burning headaches when he did.

Mael closed the door as Karick entered the shuttle. "Lyas, I'm heading back to the ship now. Shuttle 3 launching" said Mael over the vox, with the artifact off the ship the others could freely leave without hesitation. Mael didn't like the artifact, it was metalic, smooth, cold to the touch and had ancient symbols spread over it's rectangular surface. It left him with an uneasy feeling whenever he saw it. The sooner they sold it off the better, but Mael feared that Lyas might have plans for it.

The shuttle arrived back at the Rouge Trader's ship. They left the cramped shuttle, glad to be off the Tau ship. A maintenance Servitor moved towards the ship and began it's work. Mael was sitting in the bridge in his usual spot watching out the window. The artifact was in it's box on Lyas' chair. All there was to do now was wait for everyone to return.

As the shuttle landed back on the ship, Karrick had seen Mael head off towards the bridge and he had lost sight of his other comrade, whatever the case he needed to drop off the few meaningless trophies he had collected from the random Tau on the ship. When he entered his room and placed everything where he thought it should be, he had placed his axe down in its rack and was no looking at it with dullness in his eyes, maybe next run out of the ship he would find a more suitable weapon which was how he worked, never spent too long on one weapon. As he snapped back to reality he realized that he would probably be required on the Bridge soon.

When he left the room and b-lined it for the bridge and arrived he noticed that Mael was still there just waiting, seemed like something that was out of a mosaic in a museum back on his homeworld. Nothing seemed out of place for him, he walked over to a stack of crates and climbed onto one of the bigger ones.

"Your weapon choice is pretty ironic" said Mael, still looking out the window. There was no more exposions in the distance, the Tau ship floated slowly beside them as if it were a dead fish. Bored of staring at it, Mael turned away from the window. He saw the box and shuddered at the thought of the artifact.

"For some reason I just needed a change of pace, if you would" said Karrick in response to the Eldar, the Tau knife that was resting in its sheath had been the only weapon that Karrick had wanted to bring to the bridge, as he turned his head to look at the artifact he wondered just what was in the box. "So what do you think this will run for on the market?" asked "Karrick studying the outside of the box from a distance.

The Combat drugs had leeched from his system and he had fallen into a deep sleep by the time the shuttle docked with the Rogue Trader ship. He barely moved as the servitor picked him up and carried him back to his quarters. He'd picked up the Servitor a year earlier, when he'd woken up in a bar with no knowledge of how he'd got there. It had cost a fair bit and had no uses outside of carrying him around onboard the ship, but it was worth having around.

He'd be out for a fair few more hours, but he was very little use outside of combat anyway. His attention wandered faster than a Hevan Scuttlebug, so people tended to leave him out of anything which did not involve battles or intrigue.

"Depends on how stupid the person we sell it to is" laughed Mael. He started to clean his power sword. "So are those Tau knives even good for combat? I thought they were simply just a ceremonial thing. Just like the Imperium's Aquilla on everything. But, I was commenting on the axe. If you really want a change of pace you need to get a powered weapon. But, it was a Tau ship after all" said Mael, he had finished cleaning the sword and looked over the Shuriken Pistol and Catapult. His weapons were always with him, no matter what.

"One thing I know, is that I hate that artifact. Just a feeling about it, but it seems ominous" said Mael.

"These blades have no use but decoration on my wall, it is simply a personal thing that i do, and yes my need of a powered weapon is dire, i have been looking for one for quite some time, but i have yet to find someone with it that i could persuade to let me keep it, if you know what i mean." As Karrick laughed in reply at Maels remark, he could tell that the Eldar was honest in his words and he felt as though he could get to know this Eldar alittle in hopes to be a friend in one day.

"Trophies are always nice. It's good to celebrate ones achievements, but not too much. For if you start believing you are the best you can possibly be, your skills will either never improve or start to fall... The life span of the Eldar make our trophies even more important to us, for if we gathered one in every fight we would run out of walls. Such is the fate of my race... To be forever fighting for life until the last life fades into darkness and the Eldar fade into memory..." said Mael. Since he had joined the Rouge Trader's crew his view on Humanity had changed. Before he met them, he thought of the race as nothing more than screaming monkeys with sharp sticks clubbing each other. Though to an extent he realised that was indeed true, they seemed to just need to be guided.

"My Trophies are more of a proof of my life I take trophies from every battle that i have lived through. I have survived many that i thought was my last time being part of this universe. I have learned much from watching your combat, i have learned much in the way of death. I am fascinated by the thought that your species sees this as an art, How i would love to be taught these arts, however i cannot, not because i only live for a possible 80 years if i am lucky but i also am not one of your own kind. I have thought long and hard about what i where i can go to train, i have been all over the galaxy, i have trained for 15 years, since i can remember i have been learning different arts and styles of fighting and none have come close to what i see in the art of your death. You have mastered it to a point where all death is elegant but at the same time not an enjoyable slaughter. This art, this emotion during the fight is what i have desired to accomplish with my life. Maybe i just won't get there." As Karrick admired the eldar in his elegance, he realizes that he may just have a chance to watch him fight again. "What an honor it is to fight along one's side such as yourself. As Karrick bows he notices that the Artifact cast a small light, he brushed it off as something his mind was doing, but he swore something psychic had just tried to awaken, or start, or something he had no idea. As he continued to talk with the eldar he would have to keep a more keen eye on what exactly this "Artifact" was.


OOC. My character, is not a very big man, just under 6'2" which makes him tall but he is not some beast of a man, just want to let you guys know. Love the story line by the way.