Onsite munitions inspection

[Jara Hellhammer]

The Terminator's gaze never left the captain as he spilled the information. As always, Hellhammer attempted to search for signs of deceit, scanning his body language, facial expressions and the inflection of his voice. Finding none, Jara's posture shifted subtly, becoming much more open and approachable then before.

The situation had seemingly taken a rather interesting turn, one that the Salamander hadn't fully anticipated. Yet, he found it rather welcome.

Once the captain finished speaking, he glanced over at the Krieger, curious as to his reaction to the information. He pondered whether his previous mercy was going to extend to the captain now that the new info had been divulged.

Turning back to the captain, the Terminator let out a sigh and leaned slightly closer.

"So, you believe that there's a saboteur here, misplacing your resources..."

Another pause, this one being accompanied by a shake of the head form the Terminator. His voice lowered to a more accommodating baritone.

"You're exceptionally fortunate that I am the one that came and not one of the others... Lying in the reports was a very foolish thing to do, even if your intentions were pure."

Once again he glanced between the captain and Krost, gauging the reactions from both men.

"I am willing to co-operate. If we were to locate and deal with this saboteur then perhaps, we can sweep this whole ordeal under the rug... Maybe."

Jara took no enjoyment in being involved with punishment. If there was a solution that didn't involve harming allies, he would always prefer it to being the one to have blood on his hands.

[Tetradymite]

From their position loitering outside the command tent, Tetradymite watched and listened as undue mercy was shown. The tale of heresy was sure to be true. It had started with a Chain of Command whom would persecute over address their frontline officers concerns.

Those were matters outside of their meticulous crafted steel hands. What was within their purview were the missing munitions, the lack of maintenance, the persons responsible for these sins against the noble machine spirits of the artillery pieces and lastly the divine judgement on those responsible. They'd issued many judgements such as these before, and considered the most merciful would be to inter the merely negligent into the poorly maintained artillery. Serving Penance less wasteful than liquidation, and were there sign of the great enemy they'd come prepared. With faith, righteousness of purpose and most importantly purging flame.

Thinking of the more immediate matters, what was needed to uncover the saboteur. First data, it was always data, normally in crass Gothic, but preferably in raw binary. The ones and zeros always providing guidance and the right path. Tetradymite course set they headed into the command tent.

With flaps parted by utility Mechadendrites, a vox-servo skull leading the way. The lit interior showing the puny baselines dwarfed by Brother Jara. The vox-servo making it's introduction.

"Presenting Tectotum Cognistigon Tetradymite Factotum Grade LXXVIII of the Adeptus Mechanicus, Savant Grade XIX of the Inquisition".

It being waved out of the way by the bulky Tech-Priests arm.

"Request - Data for all munition shortfalls & maintenance shortfalls. All personnel records predating, by 6 months of the start of these instances. Your direct chain of command, and specific officers whom would further imperil this post.
Order - Your most trusted officer will, posthaste, compile a full list of requirements to address the current non-compliance and a munitions list to ensure the guns that can fire have the tools to do so.
Question - ETA for compliance?"

The silence that followed only broken by the crackle of the ignited power axe.

[Krost Cabur]

The Captain seemed to put himself at ease for a moment as he let out a sigh of relief, although not in the clear completely just yet. He shifted around the room till he came to his command table, which was a large console-like table that projected data, information, and orders being sent and received around the battlefield. He put his hands in the table and looked over the screen and projection of data that was being shown. Then the man’s hands swiftly went down to press some of the buttons to the console. A file of data appeared and it was a log of missing equipment and ammunition from the present to the start of the incident. He then stood up straight and looked to the rest.

“This is what-“

It was then that the Tech priest had entered, the Captain had listened to the whole spiel and demands from the tech priest. Which he gladly agreed to these terms.

“Of course, I’ll hand all of that over immediately.”

Said the man as he started to press a few buttons on the console, preparing the data that was requested of him to be transferred to the Tech Priest.

“I must warn you, I believe this plot runs deep. Any number of my men could be a traitor, I’m not sure who I can and can’t trust. Which is why this has been kept a secret for a while…”

He said as he glanced around the room at his command staff, his trust didn’t extend to anyone in that room except for the newcomers. All of the men from his unit could be suspects, or perhaps he was growing paranoid. His eyes then trailed back to the tech priest in which he handed him a data slate with all of the relevant information that had been requested as well as his own personal findings and investigations.

“It’s not much, but I believe that these efforts to steal equipment and ammo has all been focused on smuggling it to Cornithe. Possible to the Kavala hive. I’m not sure, but it’s not on this planet anymore. I’ll complete everything else requested of me soon, but I have matters to attend to.”

Seems the Captain had come clean, handing over all the relevant data and information that had been asked of him. He’d also given them a good lead to uncover more, the Kavala hive. There was more about it on the data slate, but it gave them a good direction to go to find out where all this stuff had gone and who might be behind it.

The Krieger shifted a bit, looking around at all the staff in the room. He’d grown unsettled by their presence. Any one of them could be a traitor working against them, and yet they had no idea as to who it could be. This uncertainty gnawed at Krost as he seemed to be slightly paranoid about it himself.

“My lord, I believe our visit here is coming to an end.”

He said, his eyes shifting around the room, feeling as if there were ears in every corner listening to them. 

[Jara Hellhammer]

As the Captain's demeanour shifted to somewhat more at ease, Jara allowed a lopsided smile to appear on his face. His gentle approach had seemingly worked and in a sense, it made him relieved. He welcomed any excuse to not get too heavy handed and violent, even if the situation would generally call for it.

His focus had been on the data that the Captain was presenting when the Tech Priest made their entrance.

The appearance of the Priest caused Hellhammer to let out a sigh of frustration and he turned to them.

"Your assistance was unnecessary, I had everything under control. The Captain was already showing us the data."

The Terminator shook his head, he disliked the threatening tone that was used by the Priest.

"Sometimes, a softer approach works better than violence. Not everything can be solved through threats."

The Salamander then turned back to the data, scanning over it with an intensity that was palpable. Jara then nodded as it seemed like the Captain had done all he could as far as aiding the investigation up to this point and he felt a sense of empathy for the man as well as a sense of pity as he did not envy the man's current position.

Moving around the room, the hulking figure of the Terminator made sure to look into the eyes of every figure currently present in the room. He studied everyone present intently for a good few moments before pointing a finger in the air.

"We have a lead to follow. If we find out that the one responsible is in this command centre, know that the consequences will be severe. Make no mistake, we will get to the bottom of this, one way or another."

Upon having said his piece, he approached the Krieger and nodded.

"Affirmative. We have our next move, let us proceed with caution."

With that, he took one last glance around the place before heading towards the exit.

[Tetradymite]

Pausing to add a note to the Inquisitorial Report of both of their compadres lackadaisical attitude to the sin committed at this firebase. They moved out with the pair, shifting their focus to data analysis. This would write the Sanction Extremis list, and those to have been been in; Word, Action and Deed to have betrayed the Golden Throne of the Imperial Majesty.

"Statement - I attend as a requirement of duty. Only in death will that end, and even then I may yet serve" There's a pause, gesturing to the small cloud of servo-skulls.

"Addendum" and Tetradymite waves at the ever present vox-servo.

"Do you wish to witness the... data transfer?" a mechanical version of Battle Brother Jara voice rings out, lacking the warmth & richness of the Salamanders tones.


Tetradymite kept moving and started contacting the local Space-Port, ensuring their transport would be ready for their arrival, and immediate departure. They examined what they could tell of the information in such short order. Wanting to narrowed down their search to the possible landing locations for such a large amount of materials.

It took less than half their journey to the Space-Port to narrow the locations down. The reasoning simple to Tetradymite, a welcome gift from the Omnissiah guidance.

"Briefing - Potential locations: Landing Pad U Nine Seven Eight - Alpha - Upper Spire, likelihood - 16.445%. Landing Pad L Eight Eight Two - Lower Spire, likelihood - 68.991%. Landing Pad L Six One Mine - Lower Spore, likelihood - 68.847%." Drones the Tech-Priests voice over the Vox.

[Krost Cabur]

The Captain was left with his business, continuing to look over his projected data and maps of the battlefield. Something in him seemed defeated, as if his little secret had been let out and that there would be dire consequences for such actions. Standing there motionless for a moment before continuing with his work.

Krost then looked to the terminator and continued to walk, there wasn’t much else that needed to be addressed by him. At that point he was just there to follow orders and do what was orders of him. He strode along with the men and put his left hand up in the air and waved it around in a circular motion, his men then promptly formed up behind him and they continued to press on.

“That went better than expected.”

He half muttered to himself as he followed along with the other two, ready to embark on the next stage of this journey.

[Jara Hellhammer]

The Terminator let out a sigh that seemed to transform into a low growl-like sound as his eyes fell upon the Tech Priest.

"Attend and Witness means just that, like I stated I was in the process of extracting the data without having to threaten the poor men..."

The Salamander shook his head and left the words hanging in the air for a moment as his gaze shifted to look forward.

"Not that I expect one such as yourself to understand..."

Those last words came out like a mumble, as if he was merely speaking to himself.

He offered Krost a glance and a slight nod as he had caught the half mutter that the Krieg spoke.

[Tetradymite]

The Terminator continued to behave unexpectedly, it seems their lessons and inductions into the Inquisition had landed adrift from their obvious attention to war.

"Reminder - The rewards of tolerance are treachery and betrayal.
Additional - The seed of heresy rests in the minds of reasonable men." Came from the hooded Tech-Priest, spoken into the air for once, the same tone but softer in volume.

Tetradymite had never once doubted those alongside them, nor the Angels of Death, would hesitate to pull the trigger. Not once till now. They saw mercy, forgiveness but not weakness in the two accompanying them on this foray, not yet.

Next on their mission would be to find a lead in the lower hives, most would turn their nasal orifices up at such things. Tetradymite knew that in the deepest filth one could find the brightest diamonds. With due misfortune only the Ministorum held any kind of consistent presence in such deprived parts of any Hive. The organization bring their own light unto the citizens of the Imperium, it was lamentable that they had drifted so far from knowledge and into superstition.

With these troubles aside they consider it would be best that were the Captain to be servitorized, that they'd best serve far from the Astartes sight.

[Krost Cabur]

The Watchmaster simply listened in on the conversations that went on around him, or if you could even call it a conversation. Talking to tech priests always felt like talking to a chain of sentient text rather than a living being with thoughts. Not to say that they weren’t living beings, just that it felt like he spoke to more of a machine than he did a man. The words spoken by the Tech Priest were certainly something to think on and philosophize over but not Krost’s place to comment or say anything.

“Wise words, sir.”

Krost commented simply on the words of advice that the Tech Priest had offered them, digesting it and thinking it over for a second. He almost second guessed the idea of sparring the Captain earlier, for a moment he considered the idea of executing the Captain for what he’d done. But that thought was quickly shaken out of his mind, ignoring it and thinking back on his own morals. Now, they were on their way…

[Tetradymite]

Read the thrilling adventures as we dive into the under hives ... Here