Chapter 1: Into the wild black yonder IC

Torian let loose another stream of plasma, the harsh white light illuminating the battlefield like an extended bolt of lightning. His nostrils hurt with the stench of ozone and the singed hair of his own body, such was the unbearable heat of the melta weapon. The exhaustion of battle began to overtake him, his arms shaking lightly and the pistol feeling heavy in his hand. His aim was not true, but nonetheless the beam sunk deep into the xenos behemoth.

The shot tore through its thorax, with several sections of armor fusing under the effect.

Lethia cursed under her breath. Some of the attendants were affected by her lidless stare, but the real threat was completely blind, immune to her most potent weapon. She wraps her golden silk scarf over her third eye, before retrieving her helpistol and firing off a well placed shot, which unfortunately glanced off the beast's armor.

Roderick took aim at the same xenos he had unloaded on before. Though he failed to do visible damage, his Imperial training told him that anything was achievable if the right amount of brute force was applied. He needed to keep the flanks of the squad secure until they could recover and take the fight back to the alpha creature.

The creature flinched, though it didnt stop.

"If application of melta fire does not solve the problem, apply more melta fire." Ignatio intoned in an ancient rite taught to guardsmen. "There Is No Problem That Cannot Be Solved by the Application of a Sufficient Quantity of melta fire."
These words were barely audible above the blazing furnace of superheated gas that streamed from the barrel of his melta gun as he held down the trigger, seemingly unfazed by the acid eating away at his vehicle and body.

The melta-beams liquefied the armor near the creature's right manupilator limbs, and it howled in anger vomiting a thick, silvery-black fluid as the limbs hung limp at their side. It seemed stunned as it kept vomiting - clearly critical damage had been done.

While the alpha sat there unmoving, the creatures at your flanks started acting with more urgency. The two large creatures charged blindly at the centaur, while the lesser creatures fire uselessly at its armor. They where blind, but the vehicle was large; its blades, similar to its master's found easy purchase in the vehicle's flanks.

The rest of the enemy also seemed to become more agitated; they had started attacking your armsmen more wildly, and with less organization.

Alexium strained to maintain his focus on the vast alien minds.

Roderick took aim at the same xenos he had unloaded on before. Though he failed to do visible damage, his Imperial training told him that anything was achievable if the right amount of brute force was applied. He needed to keep the flanks of the squad secure until they could recover and take the fight back to the alpha creature.

He did some minor damage to the lesser monsters, managing to discourage one from approaching the vehicle.

Torian let loose another stream of plasma, the harsh white light illuminating the battlefield like an extended bolt of lightning. His nostrils hurt with the stench of ozone and the singed hair of his own body, such was the unbearable heat of the melta weapon. The exhaustion of battle began to overtake him, his arms shaking lightly and the pistol feeling heavy in his hand. His aim was not true, but nonetheless the beam sunk deep into the xenos behemoth.

The creature became increasingly unsteady on its left limbs that shook but somehow remained standing. Its blood was boiling, exploding in gooey pustule releasing toxic gas, yet it still stood. Even an astartes couldnt withstand this kind of punishment!

Lethia grimaced. She was woefully under-armed to deal with the heavily armed, blind xenos. Only a lucky hit would do anything and she doubted she would get one. Instead, she decided to take out her frustration on the nearest attendant.
She takes aim with the Hellpistol and takes 2 shots in rapid succession. unfortunately She had no prior experience shooting from a moving vehicle and a sudden lurch threw her aim off, scoring marks in the floor grating.

The Magos finished his litany as the great beast seemed to stagger under the inferno, Tactical Cogitation determining that Torian was likely to eliminate the largest Xeno threat. Instead he responded to the medium-sized monsters, turning his melta to the one tearing into the right side.

++Your alert has been noted,++ he spoke to appease the machine spirit of the Centaur, as its complaints about the damage from the Xeno's spit and claws flooded before him. ++I am purging the infestation.++

With that, he pulled the trigger again and sent a new stream of fire out to cleanse these xenos so foul they would insult his steel with their flesh. The monster dodged most of the flame by ducking close to the vehicle, but a little superheated gas went a long way.

The melta-shot reacted with some of the toxic gas coming off the creature and ignited, and the fire gradually spread across the monsters. Some parts melted, some parts burned, others seemed to expand and contort under the heat, as a powerful, oddly melodic screech which all the other foes reproduced in a choir. As more black fluid streamed out of the large monster's body and spread around it, the other enemies started convulsing, before they themselves started dissolving into a similar black goo. Quickly the large corpse fell motionless, its flames put out by the black goo the corpse was slowly turning into.

Lethia jumps from the hatch of the Centurion and slowly approaches the mess of a leader.
She wondered how the blind leader commanded its minions, or coordinated attacks, or any of the other things a leader needed sight for....

It was then that she noticed the steaming pile of goo was smoking where it met the xenos decking. Her eyes widen as she start to realize whats going on.

"Its eating through the deck. Check the others! Is this the only one? Find out!"

The black goo seemed to be slowly spreading, eating away at the decking. The transformation had spread, like a wave, to the bodies of all foes, including those already-dead.

It took a few seconds, as if something was spreading from the core of these beings to their skin. This made it appear as if their bodies where "popping" like a bubble, into a pile of black goo that had a volume smaller than that of the body. It must have been something inside them, as amputated limbs did not go through the same process.

The goo itself was...bizarre it at through the metal decking, but also any glass, ceramic and organic matter it came across. Its surface was smooth and far more absorbent of light than any typical similar fluid-almost "ultrablack", a term used to describe those rare materials that absorbed more than 99% of all light. It moved slowly-spreading a few mm per second, or about 5 km/h-easily outrunnable, but still fast for a free-moving fluid.

As these observation where made, you started getting reports. A few seconds after you, the enemies trying to retake the bridge has simillarly transformed. A few seconds later, reports from slightly further away. Phenomenon was spreading!

Roderick's last bolt caused his foe to pop and turn to sludge. It may have been the Emperor rewarding his steadfastness in the face of the enemy, but if he were a betting man it was more likely to do with luck and the timely death of the Alpha. He holstered his bolt pistol and sheathed his powersword before straightening his uniform. He would not look disheveled and unruly in front of the men. Or her....
He took in the scene of other bodies going through the same melting process. I'm not an expert on xenos biology, but could this be useful to your studies Magos? Are you able to take a sample to replicate? It would be a hell of boon if we could have a warhead or two tipped with this substance for the troop's armoury. He peered down at one particular pile in fascination, imagining the possibilities. It was also disgusting that these creatures would impregnate their bodies with it...

"It seems highly corrosive," Ignatio said, as his servo-skull emerged from the centaur and flew down toward the nearest pile of goo. The skull ejected a syringe into it's manipulators, and pressed the needle into the goo, pulling it back and observing the reaction, both to see if any sample could be collected by conventional means and to measure the danger the substance posed.

The parts of the syringe that touched the goo were quickly eaten away, and the servo-skull ejected what was left of it and put more distance above the slurry.

"This substance will consume the hull. We have approximately thirty minutes before the first hull breaches appear, with a probability curve approaching certainty at approximately fifty-seven minutes. I believe I can obtain a sample." He began fiddling with his combi-tool and a few spare parts he carried, making a little container that thrummed at just barely above subsonic.

"Options: Neutralize the xeno substance: no known method, Probability of success indeterminate; Abandon Xeno vessel; probability of success high with an ordered retreat, with risks increasing to the degree that salvage is attempted. In either scenario I reccomend that the boarding crew return to the Anatem immediately."

As he gathered his dangerous sample, he turned to Torian as he made his way toward the Centaur.

Lethia took a cautious step back. She was no warrior and was already out of her bounds again, but she was not upset by her performance today. She only regretted that this xenos ship had attacked them out of the warp translation to begin with.

"Roderick, I dont suppose you'd be willing to see if your weapon's power field obliterates this....goo before it can eat at the blade? Curiosity. Otherwise, I suggest we egress from the ship and take our men with us. We cannot neutralize this quick enough with it being so wide spread over the ship. Ignacio, can we neutralize it at all? I know Chymistry is not your specialty, but do you have some unguent or compound that would be considered a basic substance? Something that might lessen the acidity of this stuff?"

The Magos answered "Analysis of the substance may reveal a countermeasure, however it will require specialized equipment on the Anatem. Likelihood of devising a method while it may still be usefully applied unknown."

Roderick activated his powersword's field and looked at Lethia with his eyebrows raised. I'll give it a go, but I'm not sure we'll get the answer we're looking for. He lowered the tip of the blade towards the goo, trying to get as close as possible to it without physically touching it, in the hopes the powerfield would have an effect on it. When nothing happens, he lowers it further to see if it remains intact. I agree with Ignatio. Let's get everyone back to our ship and abandon this hulk as quick as we can. No sense in sticking around to loot something if it costs us our lives.

Hydrako wrote:

Roderick activated his powersword's field and looked at Lethia with his eyebrows raised. I'll give it a go, but I'm not sure we'll get the answer we're looking for. He lowered the tip of the blade towards the goo, trying to get as close as possible to it without physically touching it, in the hopes the powerfield would have an effect on it. When nothing happens, he lowers it further to see if it remains intact. I agree with Ignatio. Let's get everyone back to our ship and abandon this hulk as quick as we can. No sense in sticking around to loot something if it costs us our lives.

While the goo, at first, seemed to shy away from the power field. But after a few seconds, the goo simply went around it, staying just out of range of the field. It seemed to react intelligently to the stimuli.

Ignatio, come see this. The way the substance reacts and evades the powerfield is odd. He keeps moving the sword tip through and around the goo making it react and move.

"Yes, Lord MacCoinneach," The Magos answered, as he stepped over to observe the reactions of the substance to the power field, going still as his eyes focused tightly on the pheonomenon.

"'01: Life is directed motion.' This substance is alive." He turned back to Torian. "This observation offers no solutions, and adds further urgency and less predictable safety to my prior conclusions."

For good measure and to satisfy her own curiosity, Lethia fires a helpistol shot at it.

Torian watched the team work, staring at the black goo in disdain. His initial thought of jettisoning the bridge to preserve the rest of the ship was invalidated by the incoming flood of reports of similar situations around the ship. He hoped to find some method of scrubbing this filth off his salvage, but knew the chances were remote. Internally he sighed. He should've had this ship destroyed from a thousand kilometers away.

He pinged his combead, speaking calmly, "Immediate full retreat, maximal speed." and then shifting to the high command channel, "station a contingent to supervise quarantine at sites of boarding. No one touched with this substance is to enter our ship. Use full prejudice." He hoped the voidsmen were smart enough to avoid the substance.

Torian turned, then, to Lethia. "What does your eye see when you look at this substance? I suspect the influence of the warp here. I am considering the prospect of engaging our gellar field in an attempt to wipe this filth off of our salvage."

Sylphilis wrote:

For good measure and to satisfy her own curiosity, Lethia fires a helpistol shot at it.

You're unable to identify where exactly the shot hit, as it seemed to be absorbed by the goo in a zone that appeared a slightly redder black at the time you shot. That zone also seemed to accelerate its expasion for a short duration.

With the result somewhat inconclusive, Lethia sighs and then removes her golden silk scarf. Beneath it was her third eye, the warp eye.

The mutation could see beyond the physical into the ether, if this goo had some connection to the warp she would be able to see it.

"I suggest no one look at my eye unless you want your soul cast to the warp." She warns.

Your third eye's vision was odd...usually it would get a faint response from most surfaces due to the small amounts of bacteria on most surfaces. But from the black goo you got nothing-no life, no soul, no connection to the warp. It wasn't the "anti-warp" of a blank. The utter absence reminded you of the raw void-an intense, uncomfortable absence.

Your armsmen quickly worked to evacuate the ship. It was somewhat rushed, with many armsmen stacking above the armor in the transports. Nobody was too bothered by the hull breaches, as all had brought some void-gear. Within 30 minutes, your group was back on the bridge; 30 minutes more, and all the armsmen where off the enemy ship save a handfull that had been devoured by the goo. Valry Mace gave you update from her sensor station.

From what I'm sensing, 35% of the enemy ship's superstructure is gone. We've got maybe 30 minutes before the goo reaches us, and we still remain locked with the enemy ship. What are your orders?

The Magos quickly got everyone loaded back into the Centaur and drove them back to the Anatem, removing and discarding any piece of it that had any trace of the xeno goo attached to it. He quickly went to secure the Xeno sample he'd taken with a more permanent power supply and monitoring before making his way to the bridge.

On hearing that the ships were still interlocked, Ignatio immediately knelt in prayer to the machine spirit and plugged his MIU into the damage control cogitator, bringing up a holotank image of the area of the ship interlocked with the alien vessel.

"The Anatem and the Xeno vessel are not attached by matter, but by the bonds of gravity. An equal and opposite force will be required to separate. I must go input the necessary calculations."

With that, he ran from the bridge, making his way to the Omega cogitator's secret compartment to run the numbers, while his servo-skull remained on the bridge to feed what he found to the crew.

Lethia reports her findings to Torian.

"I see nothing captain. No connection to the warp, not even residual bacterial returns. My guess is that this thing is mindless fauna, but is so corrosive that nothing can live on it."

With nothing else to try, she turns and follows the others back to the ship.

Seeing their probes and inspections yield little, Roderick was keen to get back to the bridge and get away from the soon to be husk. OK Gentlemen, I think it's time we left. He turned on his heel and walked to the transport.

Back on the bridge, he was more comfortable. The smell of the recycled air and scent of human activity usually put people off, but to Roderick it was home. Home...he thought. He was greeted by Haast perched above his throne and was momentarily transported to the high peaks of Dalmore. He could almost feel the frozen bite of the wind on his cheeks and the smell of the heather. His hand absent mindedly reached for his breast pocket before he was jolted back to the present. His other hand physically swatted its twin away from the flask and he briskly walked to take his station, hoping no one saw the lapse. Bruce, cede controls to me. Let's get away from that hulk and out into open space. His hands worked the controls imperceptibly as he woke the Mundus up and connected to its will. Let's go, he murmured to no one.

With the proper fire and proper shift in attitude, you easily detached from the dying hulk that started moving further in-system.

Finally, some peace. I'll start scanning the nearby hulks.

Data started coming in about the hulks.

Typical terran designs. I see the remains of 2 frigates and a light cruiser. The light cruiser seems to be built along Dauntless lines. I'm telling this mostly from the debris mind you, its completely shattered. The prow must have been reinforced for ramming, cause its the only part in one piece.

Dauntless Light Cruiser:

As for the first frigate, seems a typical sword-type, a lot of damage, split into two large parts. Oh shit, this might be something, there seems to be an opus machina. This might be a mechanicus ship.

Sword Frigate:

And the final one...seems to have been made of sterner stuff. Unusual frigate design Heavy damage, most of the superstructure is gutted. But there seems to be a weapon battery still in one piece. Seems to be a...shark sigil?

Bizarre frigate:

Lethia watches from her perch on the command deck. She was tired, exhausted really, but she was determined to finish this duty. She was particularly pleased when the xenos ship was forecfully detached. Now they had a graveyard to explore.

She examines the debris carefully, before making her own inquisition.
"Ive provided service to many fleets. These ships I recognize, but that last one is unknown to me. Does it appear to be imperial?"

Torian sat encased in his command throne, watching the data-feeds and listening to the com chatter. He saw the potential in this graveyard, although they would need to move quickly. He quickly called for in-depth scans of the debris and particularly the third ship. "Find out if there's any life on that vessel before we get in there. Prep all scavenging teams, with relief support from the armsmen as needed. I want non-stop work, so set up a system of shifts to keep it going constantly. We need to strip this down to bolts and then get out of here as quickly as possible. Send a message to our magii contingent, get them looking at the sword frigate. Once scans come back clear, I want our main focus on retrieving that weapons battery from the frigate. Cousin, let's bring our salvage clamps to bear on the frigate hulk once we clear it. Valry, get me updated long-range scans of this system every 4 hours. If there is anything out there but us and debris, I want to know about it before it becomes a problem."

I'll keep scanning. Do you want to get the magos on the station involved? Doubling up our efforts could speed things up.

Drivesmaster Rankin sent a message up following the order.

Sirs, might we disconnect the station first? We wont be able to maneuver to the wrek with it still hanging one.


Mechanicus liaison Sidonia Tolan messaged next:

Not quite sure if this my department, but I've got Evangel breathing down my neck about joining one of the salvage teams.

Torian responded to the messages as they came in, flicking between private comm channels and issues corresponding logistical orders to provide the needed auxiliary support. "Good. Split the station Magii between supporting the salvage operations and continuing immediate repairs to the station that can't take place under warp transit. Let's make use of the void-time we have available.

Disconnect the station immediately after the next long-range scan is complete. I want nothing sneaking up on us, particularly if we're leaving the station void-floating.

Tolan, shunt that comm channel to me.

Evangel, I understand you desire to accompany a salvage team. Granted. You will accompany Magos Ignatio as his subordinate, to the salvage site of his choosing. You will follow his orders without question. Any deviation from this will be met with restrictions to your experimentation.

I will be overseeing these operations, both station repairs and salvaging. Send data feeds to me as they come in. Begin sending teams immediately once ready. I want to leave this system in 5 days. Make it happen."

Alexium was exhausted. The non-binary astropath had spent the battle essentially denying the enemy, as was their primary goal in large engagements. And they had done so with exceptional success; however, they had also realized the absolute futility of their weapons systems in response to large threats.

There was a long sigh as they made their way back to the ship. Part of them had desperately wanted to search for xenos tech that could prove fruitful to the team, but another part felt unfulfilled.

Things were buzzing. People were moving. Everyone had performed exceptionally well, from the most basic armsperson to Torian. All experts. All disciplined. All working together for the glory of the Mundus.

So why in the Emperor's golden nutsack do I feel like such grox-shit?"

They made sure that when there was time, they would get a long cuddle with their fluffalo. But now, they needed to speak with Ignatio.

"Magus, I know that you are incredibly busy - especially now - but I would ask a favor of you if I may. It seems that a las pistol - even one as badass as this with a fuckin' flamethrower on the bottom - is not up to the task of dealing with heavy threats. Do we have anything in the armory that may pack more of a punch? Something you could train me in, perhaps. Or Valry. Someone."

Alexium didn't outright say it, but they were feeling less than useful at the present.

thepooreconomist wrote:

Torian responded to the messages as they came in, flicking between private comm channels and issues corresponding logistical orders to provide the needed auxiliary support. "Good. Split the station Magii between supporting the salvage operations and continuing immediate repairs to the station that can't take place under warp transit. Let's make use of the void-time we have available.

Disconnect the station immediately after the next long-range scan is complete. I want nothing sneaking up on us, particularly if we're leaving the station void-floating.

I'll coordinate with the crew on the station to ensure we overlay our sensors to avoid redundant scans.


We will detach the station, though adding effort to repair it will divert resources needed for the salvages. Do you want equal distribution or do you have a priority?

thepooreconomist wrote:

Tolan, shunt that comm channel to me.

Evangel, I understand you desire to accompany a salvage team. Granted. You will accompany Magos Ignatio as his subordinate, to the salvage site of his choosing. You will follow his orders without question. Any deviation from this will be met with restrictions to your experimentation.

It shall be done as you ask.

thepooreconomist wrote:

I will be overseeing these operations, both station repairs and salvaging. Send data feeds to me as they come in. Begin sending teams immediately once ready. I want to leave this system in 5 days. Make it happen."

Victoria commed you in:

Milord, might we have a 24h delay on that order? The armsmen needed for the work, as well as the shuttle crews are exhausted from the combat. If they dont rest problems will only compound with time.

When they have a moment, Alexium finds Torian to offer an alternative. "Good show down there eradicating those goo filled shit-bugs. Nasty business, but fun, am I right?" Alexium looked around the bridge, making sure it was just him and the Captain.

"Been thinkin' that since we seem to have three pretty prizes in front of us and have more than two months standard before the flood gates open into this system, that we should extend our stay here. That shark vessel really intrigues me. And I know that Ignatio's titanium rod is as hard as... well, titanium... to get on that Ad-Mech ship. Given how shite our last planetary landing was, and not being able to salvage that xenos ship, we might not get a score like this for some time."

They waited patiently for a response with a charming look on their face that said, "I mean... right?"

The Magos had been caught by Alexium in the hallway with his question, which had made him freeze in place as his cybernetic mind flashed over the known arsenal available and the possibilities that he might be able to put together on short notice from available materials. When he refocused on the present, he heard himself being referred to and responded.

"I do not believe that the titanium rods reinforcing my spine and attaching my cyber-mantle have changed in hardness. Is there reason to be concerned that their properties may have changed?"

"Regarding your question about higher impact armament, your personnel file indicates that you are qualified for a variety of pistols. Given your light frame and the recoil of bolt weaponry, I would recommend a hellpistol or inferno pistol. Unfortunately such armaments are not in common supply, though I will note that Lord Captain Torian has an inferno pistol as well as an ancient laspistol which is capable of similar destructive potential as a standard hellpistol. Given that he does not commonly wield both at once, perhaps he might allow you the use of one or the other."

The derelicts were of little interest to Roderick, but the lines of the shark ship intrigued him to no end. It was a fine vessel, made for hunting and killing. If he were at the helm, he'd spend his waking hours in a constant state of semi-mast, to use an old Kintail term.

As Torian gave curt orders, Roderick spun his throne around with a serious look on his face. Lord Captain, permission to go aboard that shark ship and search for...survivors. Or anything of use to to the Mundus.

Torian listened to the input. It made good sense. This is why you promote based on efficiency, he reflected. A captain is only as good as the advice he receives from his officer corps.

"Drive Master, priority primus is the retrieval of the macrobattery system. Priority secondus remains the repair of the station and preparation for leaving as a functional colony when such opportunity presents itself.

Victoria, delay granted. Give extra rations to those who saw combat today, get them rested and ready."

He swept the datascreens away to lean down to listen at Alexium's ear level. "I find it difficult to see this field as more than a component and a series of scrap metals - I am not a sentimental man. But you are right, the potential for archeotech hidden in this field is high. Perhaps this could be the place to leave our station to repair and our secondary colony to begin growing." Torian listened to Ignatio comment, and added in a whisper to Alexium "I see what you mean." before raising his voice again and responding "I could be convinced to temporarily part ways with one of my weapons. What's mine is yours. Shall I arrange a ballistics training course to be reserved for our use?"

Torian glanced downwards to the piloting station and noticed Rod standing at attention. "Granted, Cousin. I may join you. Victoria, prep us a small immediate reconnaiscance landing party from those troops who were kept in reserve today. Let us go inspect our prize once the short-range scans confirm it is truly void of life." He turned to an attendant and ordered his core officers informed of his intent and given an invitation to join. He additionally gave heightened clearance to the officer corps to order surveillance and scavenging expeditions on their own authority.

You approached the strike frigate in the aquila landa. This wasnt going to be a typical exploration-there was no gravity, no atmosphere, and no shuttle bay. Most of what remained was reinforced superstructure-no chambers remained in the entire front/port side of the ship. The largest remaining segment could be found at the "core" of the ship under the fin-like bridge; it had been protected by the now-destroyed side panels.

As you approached, it became clear that easy access to the bridge was impossible; every hatch was sealed, and even the bridge's windows where covered in thick adamantine. Even on the broken section, revealing bisected corridors and barracks, it seemed like almost every door had been sealed. There was one however that was half-open and seemed stuck in place...

Torian was combat ready in voidsuit, xeno-mesh, and camo-cloak. He wore archeotech goggles on under his voidsuit helmet, the telemetry and vision systems working in congruence. He called for the aquila to hold, floodlights centered on the half-open bridge door. "Prep a demolitions charge to get that open, and a larger series of charges if we need to blast larger doors open for lander entry. I'm going to look inside - be ready for immediate response."

Torian calmly went through the airlock and pushed himself off the wing of the lander, gliding through the void and easily breaking and catching himself near the door. He peered inside.

[Back Aboard the Mundus]

Alexium bowed. This was the best case scenario: a breather, training with a weapon that didn't patter off enemy armor like a soft fart, and good old fashioned looting.

"That would be extremely generous. Thank you. Emperor above us, I cannot wait for some good old-fashioned looting. Ignatio, I apologize. Your titanium rod is of the exact level of hardness it should be, no doubt. One thing I've been meaning to ask," they put their finger to their mouth as if in deep thought.

"My gifts in battle have always been as support. I excel in it. I excelled in this battle for all intents and purposes, but the main xenos seemed hardly fazed by it. I'd like your thoughts as to what was happening there. Was it simply just as adept with its other senses to not need its sight?"

Alexium didn't expect anyone to be experts in unknown xenos biology, but was genuinely curious what they thought.

++++++++

Alexium was clad in their expedition robes - tougher, more durable affairs - under their armor, over which was the exosuit. The bulbous reinforced head offered little in the terms of "viewports," but they weren't necessary at all.

Why have weak points in a helmet when you didn't need eyes to see?

Underneath the sightless helmet, the astropath wore a white and blue silk sash around their eyes.

And still, they could see everything.

Alexium steadied themselves, ready to boost the abilities of their comrades, or diminish those of their enemies.

Ignatio gave a shrug, not seeming to catch the significance of Alexium's double-entendre.

"My study of immaterial phenomenon has been limited, however it has been my observation that larger creatures and warp entities often seem to have greater degrees of power over the warp. Perhaps simply possessing a larger brain allowed the xeno to dedicate more mental resources to counter-acting your abilities."

Eyes scanning over Alexium's face, the tech-priest abruptly changed the subject.

"Alexium, you appear to be suffering from minor rad burns and the initial stages of rad sickness. I will retrieve my medikit and address this before we embark, as well as for the rest of the command crew."

++++++++

Indeed, as the crew had suited up, Ignatio rendered first aid to each of them, spraying an analgesic aerosol over the skin that had been exposed to radium damage while his servo-skull injected each of them with potassium iodide. He processed through the task with assembly-line efficiency, before anointing the seals of their void suits.

On the shuttle ride over, the Magos' cybernetic mind accessed old memories and compared them to the ruined ship before him. The iron law had been left in similar condition, though only for years rather than what looked like millenium. His body produced hormonal responses which he kept at bay with quiet prayer.

"Bless us, O Machine god, for we do your labors.
Omnissiah, Emperor, Master of Mankind, with your help, we will purge the Xeno, the Heretic, and the Mutant.
With your help, we will perfect our bodies and our minds from the corruption that would ruin us.
With your help, we will build and restore your Imperium to reach for the glory of your perfect vision..."

The lander would need to float in the void, as whatever landing bays there might have been where long gone.

The open door loomed in front of your team. The door itself was nearly six inches thick-anything short of a melta-drill or a breaching auger would have struggled to cut through. A number of large metal shards where in the doorjamb and appeared to have blocked the door.

Through it lied a fairly non-descript corridor, though some features where telling. The corridors showed extreme reinforcement, as expected from a military ship. Small particles floated in the void, the typical dust that accumulated in ancient wrecks.

Deftly moving through the microgravity space, Magos Pulsanus approached the door and scanned over it with his combi-tool, analyzing the readings mathmatically.

"These fragments are composed of adamantine. The probability of this arrangement having come about through the unintentional pseudorandom motion of debris is infinitesimal. Much more likely, this door was intentionally kept from closing with these shards," he pointed out the ones actually doing the work, "and these were placed to create the illusion of randomness."

He turned back to the rest of the crew. "Someone intended to keep this door open, but make it look unintentional. I am not an expert at speculating about the motive of unknown actors, however some form of trap seems likely."

[Aboard the Mundus]

Alexium hadn't really noticed the rad-burns, but that was likely why they were filling so shit post-fight. They bowed and thanked the Magos. There was a special place in the small astropath's heart for healers like Ignatio.

+++++++

"If they wanted to make it look unintentional, it may have been the former occupants only avenue of ingress or egress... alas, let's treat it like it exists explicitly to kill us. That always seems to work out better in the long run."

Alexium clicked back and then allowed the air to clear. They focused on steadying their breathing. If the crew needed to be at peak performance, they would ensure the power of the Emperor filled their minds and souls.

Lethia drifted effortlessly to end next to Ignacio. Even with the bulky void suit, she moved with a grace and agility here than seemed uncanny given her build. In reality, it was a life born among the stars, lived among the starts, and most likely, ended among the stars.

"Such and ancient and beauteous thing. Like walking into a very dangerous painting from a master painter. How should we proceed? Besides carefully."

"You would do well to watch your footing in this place, humans," came a voice from the darkness, "although one cannot help but wonder why you would come to such a place at all."

The elegance of the voice was matched by the figure it came from. From what appeared to be a crevice in a nearby wall came forward a slender figure in a kind of advanced, skin-tight void suit. Perhaps most telling as to the voice's identity, however, was the xenos weapon that the figure had trained on the boarding party--it was as slender as its wielder, but its beauty seemed to bely a certain...lethality.

"Why are you here?" the figure asked calmly yet firmly.

-------

https://playbypostgaming.forumotion.com/viewtopic.php?t=726