<Feron> "Ever onward and upward Brothers and Sister, Zeth I want you to scale this with us first and take up a firing position at this vessel's peak and provide over-watch for our closing journey if conditions are favorable to long range fire, otherwise delve back down and pursue secondary objective and keep in supporting range of Ixtab. " Feron hoisted himself up through the hull hole, drawing his knees up and planting his feet against part of the extended metal to vault himself upward and spare several more seconds of action to resume his climb, mind ever on the ticking chrono counting down how long they had left in the operation, not forgetting to consider travel time back.
+ @High_Adept_Zeth <Renate Walburga Brandt> Having heard 'Sister Zeth' instead of separated she simply had to laugh out loud and continued the climbing, following Feron, since like a proper leader he shall lead with an example. Renate imitated the climbing style a bit, but was slightly slower at the climbing process. The aid that Draconion supported was more Astartes sized rather than human sized, forcing her to stretch further. And without the Power Armor actually giving her the full input as with the Astartes, it was a harder effort for her.
<Planet Team> The column of men slowly began moving down the wide desert road, while members of the Team followed. Other than curious glances and occasional angry look, everything went fine. It would seem that these natives weren't that culturally behind despite them being behind technologically. But that wasn't really anything new, for many worlds in the Imperium itself shared similar fate - feral worlds of all kind proved that you can survive like that out there in the galaxy, you just had to worship the proper deity. Soon, the image of the city dawned on the horizon. High walls greeted the newcomers as they approached it, many towers serving as watch positions and guardians of what lied inside. As they passed the gates and the symbol of a sun which was the most dominant image spread around this city of Alexandria, they were welcomed by a number of locals, every eye set upon them as they moved through the wide streets. Various houses, fish markets, inns and other similar stuff was just a part of it what they saw inside the walls, besides the huge golden pyramid that was located in the Alexandria's center, definitely dominating the landscape. For most of their part, every human they came across was dressed in long robes, despite some having weapons at their hips as well. The slave column went their way, leaving the Team guarded by only two dozen of old guards who were reinforced by a number of others, similarly dressed members of the city's force. Hoga Nar stayed with them however, up to a point when they reached a large estate within the city with its own small walls around it. "This is the house we prepared for your staying. Inside, you'll find food, drinks, clothing and hot water if you need to take a bath," Nar said, somewhere along the way exchanging his beastly mount for a normal, six-legged "horse". "The Council of Elders, who is our ruling caste, whishes to greet you in the proper way and has organized a great feast inside of the Emperor's holy temple, the great golden pyramid of Kol. When you are ready, my men will lead you to it. Also, some of you spoke of some legends and I said I don't know the answer but might know somebody who does. We have a great library here and many scholars and historians who study such things, so perhaps you should go and see them as well. In any case, I'll see you later. Goodbye," the man bowed and left them to rest inside of their estate, while a number of guards stood around the walls, doing their task, awaiting for the time when the newcomers were ready to move forward. <Melgator Zeth> As he reached the end of the staircase, before climbing on top the Ranger was greeted by a long corridor filled with skeletons of the dead. Their bodies were burned beyond recognition however they were definitely human, possibly the crew members of the ship who died in the crash. At the end of the corridor, there was another staircase that led further upward and hopefully allowing him to reach his comrades once again. Other than the dead, Zeth couldn't make out anything else in the darkness (which his eyes pierced through of course), other than it would make him significantly open if something was to happen, since there was pretty much no cover whatsoever to be found. <Ixtab> Pushing deeper into the darkness of the broken vessel, Ixtab also came across first dead crew member, his body completely carbonized by extreme heat it was subjected to. After first came another and another. Soon, Skitarii saw many human husks filling the corridors while the stench of death, at least in its psychological shape, was ever present which of course, didn't bother Skitarii much. Since the craft was of Imperial origin, Ixtab had no problem navigating it and finding the way towards the bridge. However, once he reached the open bulkhead guarding the place he saw first movement in a long time. Besides the broken cogitators and dead officers clogging the floors of the wide chamber, there was an actual servitor there who was in the process of trying to move from one side of the bridge to another but in its way was standing a big block of ruined metal, preventing it from accomplishing its goal. Therefore, the only thing servitor did was hitting the metal over and over again, locked in some loop for all eternity. Half of its body was burned out but it still held some semblance of composure, although it goes without saying that it didn't notice Ixtab at all. <Sirius> This time before words, Apothecary heard distinctive laughter. "Oh please, playing on the faith card? You are just hiding what everyone can see, little Son of broken Guilliman. You are alone. You have no friends. Don't you get it? Marmaroth kept you alive and keeps you around because he is sorry for you, to see a former Brother fallen so low. You tried to make peace with Draconion and he did that, but not because he likes you, but because he respects his Commander. Don't tell me you didn't see the murderous looks in his eyes when he shook your hand? I bet he would have ripped you apart right then and there, if not for the Chaplain. So you got lucky once again." Slowly but surely, Sirius approached the entrance to another cave, where he almost failed to notice some moss-like plant around the walls. But despite finding what he searched for, the voice kept on taunting him. "And all that talk with you being reborn...I should've thought about that as well! A foolish attempt at hiding your past transgressions by trying to become something else, as if everyone would forget just what kind of a failure you were, Sirius. Lost and all alone. Why do you think Feron let you go on this errand? He wishes for you to never return, so you stop corrupting everyone else with your presence and this seemed like the best way to do it....You are alone Sirius and sooner you accept it faster you'll get what's coming to you." <Feron, Draconion, Brandt, Volorox, Dorallius> After not much interesting start, the five remaining warriors reached the top of the Imperial vessel. Much to their surprise, they saw that they wouldn't have much problem with the descent - the other side of the ship (OOC the one parallel with the one you scaled) was actually rammed into a small hill from where a steep slope led way straight to their objective, which was now revealed to them. A Space Marine Battle Barge spread all around the base of the hill, the parts jutting out which Draconion saw earlier looking much taller now, with various Fenrisian runes stretched across its venerable hull. The ship was damaged in many places, giant hole marks where the enemy's weapons hit it made it lose its structure and fall around it many different pieces. Despite that, the main bulk of the ship still remained in one part and they now knew that the signal was coming from somewhere inside of it. Besides traversing the slope which was filled with many broken parts of the vessel, creating a small maze of jagged metal, the only thing they had to do is reach the Barge and complete their objective while somewhere far far on the horizon, first rays of the sun could be seen, an ill omen to what will eventually happen with this place.
"Commander, I can be on-site in minutes," says Draconion, envisioning his flight path downslope towards the upper reaches of the main fragment, "Recommend that only the highest-mobility team members continue the search while the rest seek shelter from the sun."
"thank you" as carlarth spoke she climbed off the dreadnaught arm and walked into the housing "armaphel id like to ask if youd take the first watch, i dont trust these people" as she spoke she turned to tempestus "if that is ok with our team leadr that is" as she spoke she smiled and then walked away "she is right, marines sort out who will take the first watch, armaphel your in charge of the other two, inquisitor vulpin id like to ask if youd keep an eye on carlarth and the other normal humans and abhumans in our group" as the dreadnaught spoke he moved to a open area in the housing "il be seeing if i can sense anything"
<The Apothecary> "And yet I am important enough for you to haunt me. You tell me how unimportant I am, what a failure I am, how everyone denounces me. Yet. You are here. And you want to know why? Because you see me as much as a threat as Marmaroth himself. If he is to fail, you know the only one ready to pick up his torch and carry on is myself. So show yourself and let us bring this to an end!" He replied in an unnatural calm voice, either to hide his true emotion or because he was just that sure of the voice being nothing but a manipulator in the dark, while extracting the moss from the wall. <Renate Walburga Brandt> "Do you always put awkward non-gothic letters on your spaceships?" The Canoness asked Feron curiously, waiting for him to start marching so she could follow him at his right side. Though she was irritated what those awkward symbols could mean and where they come from. OOC: I go here by DW Rules which makes 'Chapter Ciphers' it's own languages which are usually various runes or other symbols that are used within a chapter for various reasons and our lady sister canoness only knows Low and High Gothic
Volorox- Volorox added in on the vox conversation. "Possibly under the hill were the cruiser has a part of it embedded into that hill It may possibly shelter under the hill and in that part of the cruiser. Since it may be shielded by the sun from the hill." Volorox added. Vulpin- "I Can do that." Vulpin said as he looked at Tempatus. Vulpins eyes trailed around the room then to Carlarth and the others. "So think that library they have here could have the information we need?" Vulpin asked Carlarth as he put a hand on the bottom of his helmet.
"Understood", Amraphel replied to the team leader. Temvoro and Satoshi follow me, we will stand a bit apart from the main crowd and maybe find a higher position. I take it both of you are armed with precise ranged weapons so follow me now and we will find a good viewing spot. While the others talk with this cities elders, we will be vigilant and make sure they don't get killed." That being said, Amraphel started to move, gesturing for the two others to follow. @WanderingJester @BadDo9
After some more searching around, Ixtab moved to the stuck servitor. At first he was planning to ask for any and all information it could provide, but then it occurred to him that it was 'stuck' and could probably answer more valuable question if he let it proceed. With his metal bionic arms, he lifted the servitor from its position and placed it to the side to see where it would travel. If that yielded no results, his next step was to ask some basic question. Such as: its purpose, the name of the ship, last time it had received an order, and if it even knew the ship has been grounded and its crew gone with it.
