Dark Heresy: Illumination

[Aaron]

1006 Day 2

Aristarchus takes the offered slate and reads the contents on the screen, his eyebrows raise slightly and he hands it back. He picks up a small vox set from his table and walks into one of the corners, you can hear the slightly muffled sound of the vox being keyed and then a murmuring as he speaks into it. He finishes his task quickly and returns to the table.

"Worry no more my friends, the information is troubling and odd but I have informed the local Enforcers, this outposts version of the hallowed Arbites and they have agreed to look into the matter. Most likely it is just a local superstition taken to seriously. Still it would not help matters to thwart one heresy and leave another."

He looks at each of you in turn and then wets his lips.

"Now if there are no more questions or issues you may retire for the day, consider yourself free to roam the city, though kindly return by dawn. I would like to set out at first light. If you wish to acquire anything before we leave, you may wish to consult Naja. I understand he has been...sampling some of the outposts wares."

He reaches into the recesses of his robes and pulls out a small cloth bag and sets it on the table with a jingle.

"Please, take this and replenish your spent ammunition. You may have need of more during the journey to Stern Hope."

[Tsukiyumi]

10:06 - day two

Pahr took his portion of the stipend and bowed to Aristarchus; he closed his eyes afterward, and said a silent prayer of thanks to the God-Emperor for the bounty.

He then turned toward the tech-priestess, Haxta, and bowed deeply, "May I?" he whispered, pointing at the data slate. He needed a few things done, and he figured that drawing it would take less time than summoning the will to speak it.

[Lighthawk]

1006

" Of course," Haxta replied, offering over the slate. " Just as long as I get it back in the same condition."

[Mikey]

1008, Day Two

"Thank you, Seer," Milo said, taking his share of the stipend in turn and following the rest of the group out of the room. As Phebia filed out with the others, Milo grabbed her arm. She turned and gave him an icy glare, but he spoke before she could either escape or perform some violence. "Wait a moment. You need to hear this," he said with a heavy air of gravity in his tone.

"You're right. You're right about many things. You don't even know how right you are," he went on. Phebia's jaw dropped slightly and he quickly continued. "There are witches and heretics and sorcerers, and you are correct to hate and fear them; and there are worse things between the Materium and the Immaterium, of which you luckily know little, if anything at all." Milo's eyes narrowed and he leaned closer. She could see the angry color of the scarring on his sanctioning brand as he spoke. "But I am not one of those things! I have been gifted with a miniscule, dim reflection of the Emperor's own gift, and I made my choice how to use it. I knew what I was doing when I volunteered myself to be taken aboard the Black Ship that brought me to Terra."

Despite herself, Phebia's jaw dropped again when Milo said the word "volunteered." "Yes, that's right. I chose to subject myself to that hell of abject despair. I came to know what was out there when I heard the excuse used for murdering my father by that damned Capt-" Milo cut himself off just as his voice was rising in volume, then went on more quietly. "Anyway, I would have rather died in the hold of that hell-ship, or have been sacrificed to fuel the soul of the Emperor, then to be without the direction and protection of the Emperor and the sanctioning of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica."

"I don't need you to like me," he said, recovering himself. "I honestly don't care at all how you feel about me. But at least now you know the truth of the matter. Believe you me, if I fall prey to the evils of the Warp, and if I'm somehow prevented from falling on my own mercy blade, I'd expect - I'd demand - you to do the job. Until that time, Sister, watch how you think of a true servant of the Golden Throne."

Milo only then released her arm and strode off before she could comment, calling for Naja to show him the weaponsmith he'd found and inviting anyone who wanted to come along.

[Monroe]

1009 Day Two

Octavian walked up to the group, "So I'm a fucking tourist guide now? Ain't that an amicable way to spend my day. Since I be such a pious fellow I'll bring you forth to the best weapon making cocksucker in town. He's a shit of a man but he knows his goods."

[Mikey]

1042, Day Two

Milo was engaged with the owner of the smithy while the others grew slightly impatient. "...and I've always seen the same thing - guardsmen mean good business - and bad." The shopkeeper laughed and Milo said, "Listen - while I'm here, how about a reading? Let's see," he said, snatching a sheet of paper and a pencil from behind the counter and quickly scratching a few symbols from the Emperor's Tarot. Trask produced the knife he'd taken from the dead cultist and held it to dangle over the paper, letting it sway for a bit before dropping it point downwards. Peering intently at the symbol which the knife had penetrated, Milo gasped and said, "Hmmm... the Emperor's gaze is upon you, friend. The new cathedral will open - and throngs of pilgrims will need your goods to protect them on the trip from Port Suffering."

The shopkeeper's eyes widened, then his whole face broke into a broad grin. "You know what? I think I can help you and your friends."

[Tyyr]

1008
Before he slipped too far away Phebia grabbed Milo by the collar and quickly hauled him back. "Very well psyker, but if you ever question my sisters or I's devotion ever again I will kill you where you stand." With that she pushed him on his way before wiping her hand on the nearest piece of cloth she could find. Turning back to the table she scooped up the bag of coins and headed out looking for a general good store.

[Tyyr]

1043

Phebia watched as Milo performed his "reading" for the shop keeper. Her training had taught her never to discount what a witch could manage but her time in the orphanage had taught her to spot a con. She let him play his game with the shopkeeper and the others make their purchases before she put a new pair of magnoculars, a data-slate, and a glow lamp on the counter. "I'll take this and a las pack," she said. "Will a hundred thrones cover it?" When the shop keeper nodded she tossed him the pouch the Seer had given her, visibly happy to be rid of it. After she wiped her hand on the counter she quickly stuffed her purchases in her pack and belt.

[Tsukiyumi]

10:44 - day two

Pahr carefully slid Haxta's data slate across the counter to the shopkeeper; he waited for the man to read it before removing six of his throwing knives and his utility knife from their sheaths, and placing them on the counter as well.

"How much?" he hissed.

The merchant glanced at him crookedly, then carefully scooped up the knives, " Since I'm cutting you all a break? 21 thrones."

Pahr's face tightened, his mouth compressed into a tight squiggle as he slid the data slate back over, and hurriedly scribbled a new set of pictures. He handed it back to the shopkeep, and waited.

The man clucked his tongue, " Yeah, I've got the stub auto and the silencer right here. 55 thrones. I'll throw in two boxes of ammo on the house. As for the molecular work on your sword, that might take some effort."

Trask coughed loudly; Pahr's eyebrow arched into a sharp peak. The man's eyes darted around the room at the group.

" I can get it done; I just meant it'll take some time. And 40 thrones."

Pahr tossed out the money, and made a rolling "get-on-with-it" gesture with his hand before swiping the data slate back. He paused to carefully wipe away the smudges from the shopkeep's dirty fingers before handing it back to Haxta. Pahr bowed again to her in thanks, then turned back to the shopkeeper.

The man reached under the counter, and produced the pistol, silencer, and two boxes of ammunition.

"As for the sword," he paused, glancing around at the others, " I'll need it now, and those of anyone else who want the same modification."

Pahr unsheathed his sword, and passed it over the counter.

[Tyyr]

1045
As Phebia walked out she spotted Haxta loaning Pahr her data-slate. She pulled her newly purchased out of her pocket and flashed it at the tech-priestess. "I have my own now, I won't have to bother you for yours again."

[Lighthawk]

1044 day 2

Haxta returned Pahr's bow, grateful for his consideration of her property. As she was storing the slate away, Phebia approached her, pulling a data-slate of her own out.
"I have my own now, I won't have to bother you for yours again," she told Haxta.
The tech-priest regarded the battle sister for a second, before replying in a false would be casual tone. " Oh, well...I guess that ends my usefulness to the group."

[Tsukiyumi]

10:45 - day two

Pahr's eyebrows furled, and he turned back to the merchant.

"Data-slate?" he growled.

"20 thrones for my, ah, good friends," the man responded with a nervous shrug.

Pahr tossed down 20 more of the tiny gold coins, and the man sighed, reaching behind one of the many cluttered shelves. He passed a rather worn, but perfectly usable slate to Pahr.

Pahr slipped the slate into his belt and sent a passable smile in Haxta's direction. He spared Phebia a perfectly blank glance before heading out the door.

[Lighthawk]

Once Pahr finished, she took his place at the counter.
" I would like to trade this in for a full sized model please," she told the shop keep, passing over her las carbine, after stripping the laser sight from it. A few moments and some thrones later, and Haxta was examining her new(ish) weapon, nodding to herself as she murmered prayers of ritual under her breath, feeling the spirit of the weapon within.

[Tyyr]

1044
"Oh, well...I guess that ends my usefulness to the group," Haxta said.
Phebia grinned. "Don't worry, so long as my guns need looking after there will be a spot for you." She held her data-slate out towards the cowled woman. "I will need a copy of that heretics ramblings though."

[Lighthawk]

1044

" Of course," Haxta agreed, taking the slate from Phebia and pulling out her own. She quickly linked the two devices together and copied the ramblings to the other slate before handing it back. " Here you are," she said, handing it back. She then took the laser sight she had removed from her carbine and began to afix it to her laspistol.

" Do you think we need to worry about those lunatics again?" she asked Phebia as she worked.