Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

"Tell us what you saw, or what you know."

"where is the mine situated?"

Chazzick stepped up, "Why don't we just start off how Var started. Instead of bombarding them with questions. First, with your names please." Chazzick smiled as reassuringly as he could to the tech-priests.

"We will get straight to the point." The Tech-priests begin their story.

"It all started about 3 terran months ago. One of the junior tech priests was running Auspex tests on the lower levels of the Mechanium quarter - just below the areas that are still in use - when they picked up some unusual energy readings. They were deemed to be siginals that were originating from a relic of dark age technology buried deep in the catacombs of the hive. We began to search downwards, but as time wore on the signals began to get fainter. We sped up our search, cutting back on safety procedures in our search for the technology. Our superiors became almost fanatical about finding the source of the signal. It was probably this that caused the mine collapses - we often had to tunnel through feet of decayed ceramite and adamantanium at a time - and that sort of digging causes vibrations.

At last we reached a place near to where we thought the signal was originating from, and tunneled into it. We had to get through 13 feet of the debris of millenia, but we got through. It turned out the signal that we thought was a relic of the Golden Age was in fact a cavern of xenos technology - the waste of transgressors of Imperial space left untouched in the conquest of Laskin. It should have been destroyed there and then, with cleansing flame and blessed gunfire, but the upper council chose to experiment with it, to adapt it to Imperial use. After all - they reasoned - they had spent large amounts of time and effort to reach the place, so why not use it to compensate the effort involved by re-making it in the Imperial image? We faked a tunnel collapse near the site of the technology and found our way to the Ecclesiarcy Quarter, where they alerted the Inquisiton immediately.

Now we come to today, and you are faced with only one option - you must take proof of these accusations to your masters, and have them send a liberating army to destroy the traitors."

"I'm sorry, but we will need to see more, or know much more that just that. What you've told us is very serious information, but a LOT more is needed if we are to get a army here. Is there anyway you can get us visual evidence?"

"We can give you pict-scans of the inside of the chamber that contains the Xenos technology. We cannot do more as we did not think to take scans of the journey there. It will be up to you to find and provide proof to your masters." The Tech-priest holds out a mechandrite towards the group. "If any of you possess a suitable data-slate I can transfer what images we have onto it via this"

"Those will be most helpful thank you. Now, if we are to get our own evidence, we are going to need any and all kinds of blueprints of the mines that you can get. We would need to know every possible way in or out. Even little holes that seem insignificant." Chazzick's eyes scanned the group of Tech-priests, "Would that be possible?"

The tech-priests make a noise that passes for laughter among the Adeptus Mechanicus - this man has clearly never been into the bowels of a hive world before.

"The Nature of a hive city is that it is a mess. Unmappable, uncountable. Every denizen walks on but the latest level of the shops, cathedrals and living quarters of the generations that came before him. As each new generation builds up, the levels beneath him crumble into decay and disuse - stalked by mutants, gangs and other assorted filth. To live in a hive city is to live on the leavings of those that have gone before. It is to live on 10 millenia of pure history - none of which is documented, remembered or needed.

To put it simply - there are no maps."

Zek looks around at the room in more detail, not sure on what he should be doing.

Chazzick sighed, "So then that leaves us with finding a way in all on our own." Chazzick placed his hand on his chin, thinking about options. "Well would you be able to map our the general area of the tunnel?"

"Can you tell us more about the xenos items? What were they? What kind of tests were done to them? Who was in charge of testing them? What kind of energy readings did you get?"

" indeed..." Felix mutters. unconsciously palming his knife.
" me and var grew up in the under hive, this is our element."

"Felix is right. We can get you there, if we have an energy signature to follow."

The Tech Priests motion towards the data-slate in Isaac's hand. "Unfortunately, the signal was ceased shortly after the cavern was discovered. However, We have included a rough direction indicator that should point you towards the general area of the cavern. It is still maze-like in the underhive, so you must be careful of getting lost.

We are afraid that we cannot give you the specifics of what and who - we do not know ourselves as we left soon after the cavern was discovered. We do know however that we are the only protesters. No-one else has left that we know of, and if there were any more voices of dissent, they will have been silenced by now."

(Also, just in case anyone has missed it - http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/316758.page - Comments thread. All you lurkers, we want to see you!)

Isaac looks throught his Data-slate at the new information. He could glean almost nothing from the blurry pict-capts. All he can see is a medium sized hive cavern covered in ancient artefacts and dimly lit consoles.
Isaac intensly tries to make out stuff from the pict-screen
He sees what could be a group of Tech-priests stand in the corner working on one of the consoles.
He can't tell the Hight of the tech=priests?

The consoles are black and organic looking, almost like they have been moulded out of molten black glass. A greenish light glows from the various holes dotted on the consoles, as well as from the round screen at the top. You can't make it out very well though.

"Interesting. A minor Xenos race then. Or the possible owners of the planent before human colonisation..." Isaac muses mostly to himself.

"Now then. To the shuttle, I wish to see this with my real eyes."

After writing the last bits of notes on a piece of paper, he thanked the junior tech-priest and followed Issac out. However... "I do not think we should be so rash about this. We have little to no information, and under equipped if we're just going to storm in. At least give it a day or two."

"Our time is now."

"We cannont garrantee that the Mechanicum here would not just collapse the dig site to hide the evidence."

"The sooner we get there the better. Move"

You take your leave of the Confessor and head for the nearest Grav-Shuttle terminal. You get on, considering the problems that may lie ahead. The Shuttle is packed full of people and you end up sitting in two groups, one at the front end and one at the back. You strap yourselves in and the grav-clamps are released, the metal cylinder hurtling sideways in it's fall.

After about 10 minutes of continuous freefall, the glow-strips at the top of the shuttle flicker, and fail. The room goes pitch black and the murmering of the other passengers takes on a worried tone. Suddenly you feel the grav-clamps activate again, and your stomach lurches downwards into the pit of your chest. With an almighty screech the shuttle slides to a halt. As you are collecting your wits you hear the bang of explosive lock-bolts detonating and the reek of smoke fills your nostrils. There is a scream from one of the other passengers and you hear the hiss of gass as a debilitating nerve agent is sprayed into the room. The last thing you remember before blacking out is a light from a handheld torch illuminating the unconsious group of your fellow acolytes at the other side of the Shuttle, and a group of figures advancing through the blown hatch...

(No posting until I give the word please)

(also, for anyone who's watching this and hasn't found the comments thread, it can be found here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/316758.page )

You wake up on a comfortable bed and look around. You are in the middle of a clean room in the local Arbites facility. Two guards are standing by the opening in the side and you can see smartly dressed officers going up and down the corridor next to the room. Upon seeing that you are awake, an important looking Arbite approaches you and questions you on the incident, leaving you no time to take stock of the situation. After discovering that you know nothing, you are all escorted to the main entrance, you are left to go about your business.

The people left after the ambush are Isaac, Felix, Chazzic and Uriah.

Uirah rubbed the side of his heard, a splitting headache from whatever it is that those men used to knock them out. "Frak, my head hurts" Uriah said out loud. However, that did not distracted him from staring at Issac with the focus and intensity of a lascannon. "The time is now, you said. Well guess what, now we're lost half our team! The inquisitor is going to rip us a new one when she finds this out!" The strong words only continued to worsen his headache, Uriah now clutching his forehead with his hands. Did they even have a clue who the culprits were, or why they attacked. Uriah didn't know, and really didn't care at that exact moment, he just wanted someone to vent on.

"So you blame me for this?"

He put his head in his hand "Why oh why did I leave my simple profession in the Mechanicum for this."

"Fine if you blame me then then I shall leave."

Uriah sighed, shaking his head. As tempting as it was, they needed him. "No, no, don't go. I was just so pissed off, and lets face it we didn't start off on the right foot. But we can't quit now. We need to find who did this, and where the others are."

"Yes. I didn't see what happened. Did any of you? Don't talk now, let's move to somewhere else 1st."

You leave the Arbites facility and enter into the bustling streets of the middle Market Quarter.

felix rushes after them having regained consciousness as they were leaving.

"Well, now we know that we can't trust the local arbites."

Uriah rose an eyebrow at Chazzick's comment. "What do you mean we can't trust the local arbites?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm going to ever fully trust someone after they've gassed me for no reason. Then, threw me into the streets dazed and confused. Would you?"

"I'm with Chazzick on this one, they're up to something, not sure what it is yet but I'll figure it out. as soon as this damn headache wares off." Felix groans as he staggers onward.

"We have no way of communicating with them or retreiving them as it is. They are MIA and there is nothing we can do right now. My only suggestion is to request for a heriticus cell to check out the Arbites here."

His face fell, a small showing of regret flickered across his features for the breifest of moments.

"I would like there to be something we could do to retrieve them but we have no leads. The only thing we can do is carry on mission. These are the facts and I feel I must state them."

Chazzick looked at Isaac incredibly confused. Only when he looked around at the group did he realize that he was talking about the other members of the team.
"Right, the mission. Let us at least complete it before anything else happens."