Dark Heresy.

A Frigid Beginning.

Hoyland's Hope
Hive-World: Segmentum Ultra

Chapter 2;

NPC: The Bouncer with a Compact Autogun looked at Rat with Brutilla behind her. "Wass goin on? Only the deepest pound beat on the mutie circuit. But do you have the 'entry fee'" He said with a highly suggestive wink with a hint that there were more than one... 'entrance fees'.

Cybil "Rat" Threxis : Rat's lips spread into a bemused beam as she laughs before adding in gutter tongue,

Brutilla von Solarus : She walked right behind Rat, content with letting her speak to... these people she just smiled, wondering what exactly this man meant with such a tone of suggestion about the entrance fee.

Cybil "Rat" Threxis : <"Baby, you couldn't afford my prices.">

She pauses for a moment before leaning in conspiratorily, <"Besides, the cleric here already paid me for my services.">

NPC: The bouncer cocked an eyebrow at Rat. "Girl, selling you wouldn't give a mundane enough cred to buy entrance."

Brutilla von Solarus : She took a few steps forwards and looked the bouncer straight in the eye. "What is the entrance fee then."

NPC: The Bouncer looks at Brutilla and straight to the vestments and Aquila around her neck. "My apologies priestess, the servants of the Cathedral are always welcome with their pages." He bowed and waved Brutilla, and reluctantly, Rat, inside.

Brutilla von Solarus : She didn't even blink, just smiled and nodded. "Thank you, oh just to remind me, who of the cathedral had been here before, I was meant to look it up, to continue where he had left off, but not enough time you see."

NPC: The Bouncer looks at Brutilla with a sudden expression of suspicion. "It is not my place to question the Priests and Priestesses. Only admit them when they wish." He said. The other three also looking at Brutilla with some degree of suspicion, but they don't seem inclined to keep her out.

Brutilla von Solarus : She narrowed her eyes, "Perfectly understandable but if I go in there and only repeat myself with things the one before me already did I will find you." She then stepped aside, "Come along." She said to Rat as she went inside.

NPC: Once inside Brutilla and Rat are assaulted by a wall of sound. On a stage in a back corner a band is playing away on some tune that it'd take severe chaos mutation to call music, hundreds of club-goers danced and more on the club floor with several hooded figures moving amongst the crowd. To their immediate left three more bouncers guard what appears to be the way deeper into the Phoenix. Two guard what must be the secure room where weapons and other valuables are kept safe and the other guarding a pair of double-doors.

Meanwhile Cortez and Hal, waiting a short time before trying their entrance spot the Bouncer that Rat had started to speak to communicating on a microbead, his finger pressed to his ear to hear better as he spoke into the device.

Though Cain and Fenrila also notice it as they move up to try their hand.

Cain tries to listen in as the bouncer reports in while he saunters up casually.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain frowned, 'Sir, a lady of the cloth just made an entrance with a street urchin, she isn't what she seems to be, she lacked knowledge we all share.' Cain made no sign that he understood. But this was not a good sign.

Fenrila Wishes to know how creeped out she is 13%

Narrator: Fenrila can feel the chill fingers of an alien feeling creeping up her spine the closer she gets to the club. Something... wrong... is in there.

Fenrila : She shudders but keeps a, hopefully, brave face, looking to Cain on what to do next to get past these people.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain grins at the Bouncers. "Ey boys, i'm just out taking my lass on a night on the town." He carefully put an arm protectively around Fenrila so as to not spook her and hopefully reassure them. "I heard your join was burning the hive to the ground with some good pound beat so here we are. Whassay you let us in?"

Cain "Grim" Callidon Inquiry -40%

NPC: "You don't look like you're the sort man enough for this." The Bouncer remarked with a dismissive grunt.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain grabbed them man's collar with his Cybernetic Arm. "Look here you piss-weak excuse for an underhive maggot, if you want to disrespect me in front of my girl you damned well better be ready to back it up."

Cain "Grim" Callidon Intimidate 38%

Fenrila looked wide eyed at what Cain was doing, on one level she felt that she should be horrified but for some reason... she kinda felt rather warm and flushed seeing Cain do this on her behalf, it was acting but still....

NPC: The Bouncer whines as he felt his shoulder being squeezed by the Cybernetic limb. "DAMN DAMN DAMN LEGGO I'm sorry, sorry man, go in go in!"

Narrator: Now within the club Fenrila and Cain would see much the same thing that Rat and Brutilla did.

Fenrila : She felt her skin crawl and resisted the urge to scratch it, fearing she might scratch her entire skin off if she started. The sensation was worse inside, she now not only felt sick but that also eyes were watching her, studying her, this was not a safe place, not at all.

Cortez Sigismund: Cortez approached the bouncers with a jovial step, he'd left his helmet behind at the Bishop along with his lasgun and shotgun, he still wore his greatcoat of course, after all it had been made with careful attention to detail as more than just protective armour, with what he had paid for it the coat was a fashion statement as well. Bloodletter also adorned his hip, as much a statement itself as a weapon while his boltpistol and chain knife were under the folds of the greatcoat, not that it did much to hide the presence of the bolt pistol.

Cortez smiled like someone that had had a bit to drink already before he spoke to the bouncers.” Evening fellows, word around Hoyland's Hope is that this is the place to come for some pound, I've just come on leave from Fydae and I tell you, I could do with the distraction.”

Hal: Hal shuffled in Cortez's wake, his boltgun back at the rooms would be missed but he had 99.9% trust in K-9, which would have to make up for the only 43% he had in his mostly organic allies, Cain was excluded from that naturally at a 93% trust. He let his Medicae arm twitch, hovering it close to Cortez. He looked at the entrance of the club, a strange concept, 'club' why would organics gather packed tight in these places, wouldn't they exchange germs and other bacteria easier this way, or was this another of those curious mating rituals, some things sadly could never be explained by holy science.

NPC: The Bouncers looked from Cortez to the K-9 and Hal before turning to Cortez. "Uhm, no Servitors. Sorry. Club policy."

Cortez Sigismund: Cortez quikly held up a hand to forstall Hal.

Hal: Hal reared up, but saw the hand of Cortez blocking him and reluctantly decided not to deliver some wrath.

Muttering in binary, <"Idiotic organic meatbag waste, not recognizing a priest of the Omnisiah.">

Cortez Sigismund: "As you might have noted from... his ... reaction, he's not a servitor, one of those tech preists from up at the enclave, I dropped in there to get some of my equipment serviced and deliver a letter from another of them that was serving with my unit, this one heard i was going out on the town and decided it wanted to tag along. Don't ask me about the mutt, that I have no idea." The next part cortez leaned in closser to the bouncer and spoke in a low voice. "Besides have you ever seen a member of the mechanicus drunk, I haven't, figured this was the best shot i was going to get at seeing it in my life since he told me he wanted to have the 'full experience' as it were." he said to the bouncer as he tried unsuccessfully to suppress a grin.

"Come on, I'm sure you can bend the rules a little for this once in a lifetime chance right?" Cortez said as he offered the bouncer a 100 thron coin.

NPC: The bouncer pocketed the coin with a practised deftness, evidence alone of a great skill in bribe-taking. "Sure why not, but the dog stays outside it's got teeth bigger than my.... bullets..." He changed the word he'd clearly been thinking at the last second.

Cortez Sigismund: "My thanks, I'll be sure to let you know when my task is complete so that you too can see this rare opportunity." Cortez replied as he clapped the bouncer on the shoulder Cain had grabbed earlier. "Come then comrade." He then said to Hal, "Tell pet to stay and lets go get you that experience you wanted."

Hal: He let out a mechanical snort and turned to K-9, speaking in low gothic. "Stay with the nice men with guns." Then through his implant gave his mastiff a command, bite the man who insulted us.

The hound made an attempt for the Bouncer but failed to connect. His quick reaction equally missing the hound. The other three turned their weapons on Hal fingers now in the trigger guard.

Hal: Seeing K-9 bite the air, Hal let out a seemingly shocked sound. "K-9! Bad boy, apologies sentient." He turned to the dog and waggled a finger. Ignoring the raised weapons. "Bad dog! Return to the lodgings!"

NPC: The K-9 whines and bounds back for the Bellowing Bishop. "What in the Emperors name was that you fucking coghead?" The one it nearly bit shouted at Hal turning his own weapon on the Tech-priest.

Hal: Hal looked at the weapon, "Fascinating, compact auto-gun, yes? No known pattern to me, locally made. How fascinating, this excursion to a club has been most enlightening already." He then reared back up, still ignoring the weapons and tried to move past them after Cortez, oblivious it seems to the threat.

Narrator: Hal pauses at the sound of both Autogunners drawing the cocking handles and the pistol carrying bouncers flicking off safeties.

"You owe a little more if you're still hoping to get in after that stunt cog-cunt." The offended Bouncer remarked.

Hal: He fixed the bouncer with a stare and then shrugged. "I see, I know when a Tech-Priest of the Omnisiah is not wanted, I shall make my leave." With that he turned around and strutted off, humming a binary tone to himself. When he believed out of earshot he spoke in the commbead in acolyte cant. <"Would stand out in there, proceed, I shall return to offer support if needed."> He muttered quickly and then decided to return to the hotel, grab his boltgun and perhaps any weaponry the others left behind and wait outside the premises ,waiting for a sign of trouble.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain got on the microbead. "Hold your cogs. The windows have been spot welded over. Why not see if you can find one, carve it open and get in that way?"

Hal: <"Negative, do not have the correct tools, proceed, I shall emerge later. May the Omnisiah be with you Cain... oh and the Emperor wit hthe rest of you, naturally."

Cybil "Rat" Threxis : Rat hesitates at those words chattering into her ears and winces. Who the hell cared if some ancient dead guy was with them? It wasn't like he could -help- them.

Brutilla von Solarus : She frowned at Hal's words, what had been going on outside? She had no idea but turned to Rat. "Could you assist me? I wish to ask around about this underboss who supposedly owns the club and where to find him. We could do this together or each on their own, what do you suggest?"

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain kept his arm protectively around Fenrila. <"What say we just poke around with some general questions, try and avoid any sensitive subjects."> He spoke loud enough into her ear to be heard over the music in the acolytes tongue. <"One of the Bouncer's made Brutilla's cover as a phoney, so we might want to keep eyes open.">

Fenrila : She nodded, still resisting the urge to scratch, shivering. <"This place feels wrong... it's not safe here. For any of us, I feel like I am being watched... by hungry eyes.">

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain cursed for a moment in the acolytes tongue as he carefully surveyed the room.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain noticed that there were a number of robed figures moving amongst the crowd, and that no less than three of them were watching he and Fenrila at any one time.

Fenrila : She was oblivious about anything, seeming to instead edge closer towards Cain. "I shouldn't have come here... brought us all into danger."

Narrator: Cortez can see that thought the guards are just keeping a careful eye there are a number of figures in the crowd watching Cain and Fenrila as they move around the room. Though he would also notice that one of the Bartenders, and a guard, are watching Brutilla without so much as blinking. A sight that Brutilla herself notices though her watchers try and avoid it.

Rat notices other things as well, while she notices much the same, she also sees a suspicious lack of thrones and recreational drugs changing hands on the dance floor, and as the tune changes to a heavier beat all those present seem to change their dance in a scarily synchronous moment, except for a dozen or so who seem to be out of time to the change, reacting because their partners are.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain 'danced' a little closer to Fenrila. "You know darling, I'm not blaming you, but I really am coming to think that we made a mistake coming here. You're not just feeling things. We're being watched by creeper of the year candidates."

Cybil "Rat" Threxis : Rat tenses and calls over her commbead, <"This isn't right... I think we might have just jumped clear into the forge here, people..."> She tries to act inconspicuous as she moves, acting as if she was in it with the dancing, <"This isn't your usual coverup... Too clean for some hive-gang... and everyone is too... It seems like this is all rehearsed.">

Cortez Sigismund: Without Hal at his side, Cortez was left to improvise. watching the others was one thing, but if he just stood about his cover was likely to be blown in short order. Instead he kept his eyes open and made his way over to the bar and ordered a drink, trying to look like he was just out for a good time.

Narrator: The Bartender was busy and slid a drink over Cortez's way accepting five thrones in exchange as he moved onto another customer.

He noticed then how conversation seemed to dry up around him, people moving subtly out of the way. The words 'Outsider Unclean' flitting through his mind as a stray thought carrying a lot of resentment. Whether it was a thought of Cortez's or some strange psychic impulse powerful enough for even him to sense was another question.

Narrator: Fenrila is overwhelmed mentally by the thought 'OUTCAST UNCLEAN!' as it hammers into her mind, seemingly from every direction at once. From the entire crowd of people present. A single omnipresent manifest mind. A gestalt and connective intelligence. And then the worlds. >A beautiful sun child. I can sense you bright as a noonday sun amongst the dim lanterns of humanities morass. Come to the broodfather and learn true love.< the thought carrying massive, and alien psychic weight.

Fenrila : She gasped and shuddered, grabbing Cain's arm, the flesh and blood one, and probably squeezing a bit too hard for comfort. "It knows... it knows I am here... and it has send something to come for me, it wants me." She looked wide-eyed, fearful. "Get me out of here."

Narrator: Cain keyed his Microbead and reached for his flame pistol beneath his cloak. <"Guys... I think we overstayed our welcome. Fenrila says something's coming...">

Cortez Sigismund: <"Hal, get your metal but back here. Now."> Cortez said into his microbead as surreptitiously as he could. <"Everyone be ready, Even I felt something earlier."> he then said to the rest of the Team.

Hal: Hal stops and frowns. "Oh? What is the nature of your distress?" He said as he turned around ,snapping his fingers for K-9 to follow.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: <"This place was a thrice-damned hive of them. Hal. And I don't think we're getting o..."> Cain sent in Acolyte's Cant over the microbead before pausing.

Hal: He continued, moving a bit faster at this news. "I suggest withdrawal then, or is that impossible, you have cut off, have you been tending to the machine spirit of your commbead properly?"

Brutilla von Solarus : She looked around warily, making eye-contact with Rat, gesturing back to the entrance as she turned around to make her way back. to regroup.

Narrator: It enters from the south entrance of the building six limbs concealed beneath a thick cloak, but the way the crowd began to part for it. The Genestealer was recognisable.

And then...

With a resounding bang.

Portcullises dropped over the entrances blocking them for quick exit.

Cain "Grim" Callidon: "Join the inquisition they said. Meet new aliens they said. Kill them they said." Cain thought aloud to himself as the few normal people in the crowd began to panic.

Fenrila : Fenrila shuddered, "Hal... they are coming for us... for me... get back here!"

Hal: Hal paused, "Is the situation dire?"

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain meanwhile began looking for a way out. <"Dire enough to near a full spin cycle on our underwear once we get out of here. Purestrain. There is a purestrain here."

Cybil "Rat" Threxis : <"Yes it is, you fething rusted bunch of cogs! A genestealer just appeared!">

Hal: "I see." He calmly replied. "One moment." He moved to a nearby terminal, plugging in and attempting to contact the Mechanicus enclave.

NPC: "Congratulations. You have reached the Adeptus Mechanicus Enclave. Please hold. There are 44'924'292 people in the queue ahead of you. Expected time to get through. 21 Terran Standard Hours. Thankyou for your patience."

The machine returned an automated response.

Hal: When he senses he got a connection he quickly spoke in binary.

"Engineer Hal for the Magos, urgent communication required, assistance required, Mechanicus only imperial forces on planet that can be trusted."

NPC: "Processing request." The communique froze for a moment.

"Hal of the Legio Cybernetica. I am R4j3sh R4m4y44n K00thr4pp4L1 how can I help you?" The voice came through, apparently a minor adept.

Hal: "Requesting direct datafeed to the Magos, pertaining earlier conversation, threat to Mechanicus found and assistance required. Not main objective as stated but dire enough and Cult Mechanicus only force present on surface that are not afflicted and can be contacted. Humbly request Skitarii defenders to protect Mechanicus interests of this world."

NPC: "I am terribly sorry. But the Skitaari are not available for petty disputes." The communication on the line paused. "However the Magos has decided to sent a pair of Praetorian Battle Servitors to assist. Time to arrival. 45 minutes. Thank you please come again." The line went dead.

Hal: "It will have to do." Hal muttered and termianted the connection, the exchange had lasted only a few seconds since it was binary. "Reinforcements arriving, 45 minutes, I continue on the way as well, see you soon, or whatever parts are left of you all, I would do my best to stitch you all back together."

Cortez Sigismund: <"Hal, wheres a emporer damned purestrain here, get back outside the club and use the beacon the inquisitor gave you. We don't have time to waste."> Cortez said quickly in response

Hal: "Is this the main nest?" Hal asked.

Cortez Sigismund: <"Main nest be damned, Follow your orders.">

Cain "Grim" Callidon: Cain just groaned. <"Hal, I don't think the Inquisitor is going to be too concerned about the semantics yet. There is a good two hundred plus cultists in here and a purestrain Genestealer. The situation is certainly dire enough.">

Hal: "I am following my orders sargeant Cortez, the inquisitor explicitly said, only to deploy the beacon when the main nest was located. If this is not the case. I cannot be of assistance with your request."

Cortez Sigismund: <"I'll take full responsibility if he's pissed at us, now do it."> Cortez added

Brutilla von Solarus : Brutila got on the comms. <"Hal, as Cortez ordered and now I... do as the man says!">

Hal: Hal sighed. "Very well, I shall deploy the beacon when I see the front entrance of the club." Silly organics, what could be so bad?

The Genestealer spots Fenrila effortlessly and begins to gesticulate to the human, or apparently human, guards of the club who begin to ready themselves to attempt to capture the team of acolytes who had so deliciously stumbled into the clutches of the brood.

Cybil "Rat" Threxis : Rat quickly backpedals several steps, towards the entrance they came through, leveling her carnodon and snapping a fire off at the closest hooded figure, "Tilly, back now! We need to get with the others!"

NPC: The hooded figure took the round with a degree of surprise as it was trying to draw a laspistol concealed within its robes.

Fenrila : She shuddered, "No, no, no, no, no!" She muttered to herself and then, for the first time, on this world at least, decided to activate her warp abilities to perhaps inspire her allies facing this kind of horror.

NPC: A faint stink fills the air around Octia smelling something like acrid burning metal.

Fenrila : She ignored the smell, feeling that the aura was taking effect however, hopefully embolden her allies.

NPC: Cain stepped up next to Fenrila and winked at her. "Let's play." He levels the flame pistol and fires at the enemy behind them before they can get organised. The intense flame leaping out to touch the heretics, and a dozen other petty genestealer cultists in the way the layer being slain outright.

The four guards struck by the flames writhed in agony before being incinerated by the Destroyer Flame pistols devastating breath.

The fire suppression system kicked on suppressing all but the most stubborn flames.

Brutilla von Solarus : She moved quickly after Rat, her fate bringer in her hand, seeing rat fire she too turned and fired a snapshot at the same robed figure.

NPC: Brutilla's shot is however collected by the neck of a poor young woman who looks terrified and simply out of place. Her screaming whimper as she drops dribbling away as her carotid artery pumps all her blood onto the dance floor.

Cortez Sigismund: With everything going to hell Cortez did the natural thing, reinforced by his training. He drew his bolt pistol flicked on the red dot sight and took a moment to aim at the bartender that was now reaching for a weapon, then pulled the trigger

NPC: Unfortunately at the very moment Cortez pulled the trigger the Bartender leaned just that little bit further over and the bolt passed into the floor ten feet away.

The two Bouncers with Compact autoguns at the entrance the team came through moved up in front of the Portcullis and took aim at Cortez as the easiest target.

The dozen rounds or so sent Cortez's way spattered into the generic members of the brood scything them, instead of the Guardsman down.

Meanwhile the Bartender turns his Webber on Cortez, the only target in easy range.

But the sticky goop fires early striking the good liquors cabinet.

The two bouncers guarding the bar flicked their weapons to full auto and attempted to gun down Brutilla, hoping to catch Rat in the crossfire.

But the bullets continued to just scythe apart defenceless brood members instead from the careless fire.

NPC: Meanwhile one of the robed figures charges Cortez through the recently 'cleared' zone.

But his knife fails to find a mark.

Another of them draws a laspistol from his robs and snaps off a shot at Rat.

The lasbolt landing in the forehead of a brood member next to Rat that didn't look much older than fifteen.

NPC: The robed figure that Rat had nearly killed wasn't done carefully aiming and firing a shot at her.

The shot however is deflected by the mesh armour, preventing it from making a nasty hole in her head.

More robed figures are forcing themselves through the crowd as well as the Bouncer protecting the Purestrain shoving and ordering more of the crowd out of its way. It wanted a clear path to the Bright one. It had a kiss to bestow upon her.