41K RPG : Into the Eye.

[Cynical Cat]

Change here, at least on the surface. Jolan nodded. The years had taken their own toll on him. On the surface, the scar on his face had faded and he had put on a little more muscle mass. But the easy smile and casual good will he had once displayed were now an act, not his natural state. "Shall we see what event commands the presence of multiple inquisitors?"

[Josh]

He nodded. Two of them accounted for. That left Pater, Raul, and Xavier.

When last they met, two worlds had burned, billions had died.

He expected no less this time, and faced the expectation without flinching.

[SirNitram]

Some ways from the standoff of powerful Inquisitors and Comissionars, a lone Space Marine was surrounded, unarmed, and held at bay. The nets had proven unable to hold him back, but graviton guns held on him were more than enough to slow him to near-motionless.

Two Sororita had tried to close in with batons, but strength-boosting armour was one thing; when the man you're trying to subdue has boosted reaction speeds, he's quite capable of blocking attacks from what are, at their base, glorified sticks. Worse is when he grabs them and uses the considerable stability provided by being held by graviton guns to wrest them away and toss them aside.

"If I meant any harm, I think there'd be a bit more damage, don't you?" He snapped, likely eliciting an autogun aimed at him. "What a damn day.. The Emperor clearly didn't like my morning prayer." He grumbled. Now, honestly, could this get worse? Well, without involving some damnfool scheme to 'interrogate' him.

[Pcm979]

Another voice crackled over his intercom. The A.I.'s musical tones wafted over the airwaves. "My lord, Saint Novidlorian has been positively identified as en-situ. In addition, 2 exemplar-level clearances have entered the datastream in the past few moments. Preliminary scans indicate a seventy percent positive identification of the entities Inquisitor Jolan Gix and Guardsman Hethor Deckor." Byron abruptly dropped his formal tone. "In short, sir, the game is up, the cats are no longer in the bag, and if you head there now you'll be there just in time to be fashionably late."

Pater ignored the little robot's tendancy to wax lyrical, and replied. "I agree. We're going to announce ourselves to the Saint. Pattern Impervious, deployment immediate."

The A.I. broke into verse, as was his wont.
"Huzza! Hodgson, we are going,
Our embargo's off at last;
Favourable breezes blowing
Bend the canvass o'er the mast.
From aloft the signal's streaming,
Hark! the farewell gun is fir'd;
Women screeching, tars blaspheming,
Tell us that our time's expir'd."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A minute later, Pater left a Militiaman looking seriously ill as he processed his third Rosette that day, and strode towards Gix and Ristani.

In the 50 years since their last meeting, Pater had changed a great deal. He was not taller or significantly bulkier, for he had always kept himself in good shape, but he left a bigger impact on his surroundings. He moved with long, easy strides; Not hurrying, but simply moving from point A to point B in the most efficient manner possible. The hair on his organic temple was shot through with grey, and when his gaze flashed on someone, they had the distinct feeling that they were being analysed and mentally dissected, catagorised in the terms of their use to the Inquisitor. Those who didn't meet his exacting standards, and there were many such, were dismissed and forgotten instantly.

He stopped in front of the small group. "Inquisitors. It has been a long time."

[Josh]

Paternoster Novum.

That left two of the Adraxis/Cyrus Gamma survivors, then. Raul Adivan, and Xavier Varian.

His warp senses were not finely tuned. More in the fashion of a Jolan Gix, they were brute instruments.

And yet...

As Pater arrived, it felt as if something was clicking into place in the lines of fate, even to one so blunt in the arts of divination as he.

"Pater," he said, nodding. He gestured at the courtyard, where a Sororitas was gracefully sailing through the air, hitting the ground and rolling through the impact. He pointed. "Did you bring an Astartes?"

[Pcm979]

Pater glanced over his shoulder, and looked at the struggle. The Sororitas were overwhelming the Marine through sheer numbers at this point.

"I did, but not that one. Is it alone? How intriguing." Pater muttered, as though he were discussing the weather.

[Cynical Cat]

Jolan walked forward. Time had left its mark on Pater and his body langauge screamed the answers to anyone who could read it. Five decades of Inquisitional service left men with mental and physical scars. When they had left Adraxis, there had been something of the callow youth about Pater. There was none of that now and something other, something primordial and deadly about him.

"Pater Novum," said Jolan Gix. "It is good to see you again. I have been following your reports on your campaign against the Tyranids. Your accomplishments are impressive. Very impressive."

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

Entourage in tow, Lena wandered over to the small cluster or inquisitors who’d used their rank to avoid the dubious joys (though some particular heretics and heathens, she reflected, would enjoy it) of a Soroitas administered beating. “Well,â€Â

[Pcm979]

Pater recognised that the Saint was in a playful mood, and adjusted his tone thusly. It had been so long since he'd been able to let his hair down, so to speak, that it was somewhat like changing gears in a poorly-maintained groundcar.

He glanced around, as though noticing the riot for the first time. "Even going by our track record, it would be highly improbable for a coincidence of that magnitude to occur."

[Bratty]

Zala has been informed what the Saint is. She is as the one who embodied Yar until that embodiment became corrupt. Zala drops to a knee, where she remains respectfully. Only the most observant would realize she is not fully on her knee. Her weight rests on the ball of her toes. The lessons of her world are still fresh. Even the most holy can become corrupt. She has learned to be ready for anything.

[Josh]

"I dislike the exposure," he replied. "We should be moving to more secured quarters."

Her joke had sailed right by him, as did most humor. It wasn't to say he didn't have a sense of humor, as such, but it ran more toward wry revelations in the word of the Emperor, hidden meanings and transcendental pieces of wisdom.

He made no comment on Zala's obeisance. Were he still a mere commissar, he would have likely been inspired to kneel before Lena. But Inquisitors knelt before the Emperor alone.

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

She looked to Pater, “I suppose not, and I agree,â€Â

[Pcm979]

"I have six operatives in the field." Pater's organic eye rolled slightly to the right for a few seconds, and his lips moved slightly as he subvocalised. "They'll be here shortly."

[SirNitram]

"Thank you. Was that so very much?" The Astartes, apparently, was not pleased about the assault he had suffered, but seemed none the worse for wear for the brief assailant, gasing, netting, gravitoning, and attempting beating. Pulling his cloak around him like a mere pilgrim again(Granted, a pilgrim of extreme size and bulk), he approached the gathering of Inquisitors and.. Sororitas?

"Greetings, to the mighty Militia and Adepta." He muttered as he found himself free and, well, given firm questions. "Exile Tech-Captain Malkamar. Just here trying to seek guidance from the Emperor's Light. My time away from Humanity's embrace has left me deep in thought." Even as he answered his questions, he carefully manipulated his senses to screen out background noise, trying to pick out what the Inquisitors were up to.

[Bratty]

Zala moves up from the Saint's blessing. Yar's blessing has been received, and contrition has been paid. The inkling of a smile laces her mouth, a gesture so foreign it brings discomfort and leaves Zala touching her lips in a brush of fingertips. She can feel the Yar's presence. She now fades back into the scenery, more appropriately, to the side of Prius, as she listens, and observes.

[Josh]

"I bring only my retainer Zala," he said, not gesturing to the huntress, as she was already in the process of fading into the background.

He turned as the Astartes approached.

Ex-Tech-Captain?

A rare creature indeed.

[Cynical Cat]

Gix gestured to his people. "You know Sergeant D'eckor, of course. These is my agents Melina Sevall and Danell Keys, my astropath Iriza Vess, formerly of the Imperial Navy," they bowed deeply to Lena, "my Interrogator Lydia Meradin," a curt bow, "and Domina of the Adeptus Sororitas."

Domina spoke. "Nathan sends his greetings and affection, lady."

"Her history is rather interesting," interjected Jolan, "and should be discussed under different circumstances."

[Pcm979]

Pater's group filtered through the crowds in dribs and drabs. He made the introductions.

"You all know Gyllia and Lillith. This is Deuce, from Niner's Assassinoum Ordo, and Anghel Mandruleanu, my Sage. Joritu Aeseli of the Hospitaliers. The sixth member of my group... Well, that's also a tale to be told under different circumstances."

[The Necrontyr at Uni]

Domina’s words broke Lena’s usual composure for a moment, but there was no outward sign of it. Lena nodded, surprised, somewhat, that Prius had picked up any retunite at all, and shared his assessment of the rarity of this strange being. She’d heard, now and then, of certain deviant chapters having ‘tech-captains’ but this was the first time she’d seen such a creature, let alone an ex one. “Tell me,â€Â

[Josh]

Astartes were not conditioned to function on their own for long periods of time. The entire function of a Chapter of the Astartes was to subordinate the individual into the union of the whole.

Battle Brothers. Brother Sergeant. Brother Captain. The honor of the Chapter. Every ritual, every title designed to reinforce the supremacy of the group, to deny the sort of hubris that afflicted the traitor Primarchs and their Legions.

As such, it was with no small amount of trepidation that he watched the Saint approach the Marine. He made a signal to Zala in their shared, incredibly subtle sign language.

If need be, she would hurl herself at the Marine. She would die in a second or less, of course, but the distraction would give him and the others time to engage and hopefully defeat him, should he show hostile intentions towards Lena Novidlorian.

[Pcm979]

An attentive viewer might have noticed that Pater's group's disposition was no accident; They were arranged to provide maximum covering fire on any target that attacked the Saint. Even the Astartes would fall to half a dozen Servo Skulls filling him with bolts of coherent light.

[SirNitram]

The shamed Marine couldn't help but notice the defensive postures. He opened the cloak.. Showing no weapons on him. His hands were open and empty. "I will not harm anyone." He spoke softly, glancing at the Inquisitors. "I am merely hear to seek inspiration on what the Emperor and His Holy Primarchs would have me do."

Lena was turned to, and the sound of the Rhino simply screened from his mind; it was a familiar sound. Perhaps it was that which visibly soothed the massive superhuman. Or perhaps, despite not knowing the woman's signifigance, it was the Saint. "Some fifty years now I have been exiled due to... Violations of the laws of Mars. I seek only redemption in His eyes, and to regain my place in His plan. There is naught for me in the darkness beyond our borders, nor is there a place for me to occupy in the citizenry who would wish one such as I near."

In short, there was no brotherhood out there. Even with Servo-Skulls ready to fry him, this felt more like home than he had seen in several decades of Xenos, Rogue Traders, and criminal scum.

[Bratty]

Astartes were not conditioned to function on their own for long periods of time. The entire function of a Chapter of the Astartes was to subordinate the individual into the union of the whole.

Battle Brothers. Brother Sergeant. Brother Captain. The honor of the Chapter. Every ritual, every title designed to reinforce the supremacy of the group, to deny the sort of hubris that afflicted the traitor Primarchs and their Legions.

As such, it was with no small amount of trepidation that he watched the Saint approach the Marine. He made a signal to Zala in their shared, incredibly subtle sign language.

If need be, she would hurl herself at the Marine. She would die in a second or less, of course, but the distraction would give him and the others time to engage and hopefully defeat him, should he show hostile intentions towards Lena Novidlorian.

The signal given, Zala has a different mindset on what it means to "be ready". Sacrifice is given freely, and her own life is nothing, but wasted resources, including one's own person, is a travesty to Yar. This is a test, whether it is realized or not.

She takes advantage of the approaching Saint to the 'ex tech' to move without a sound. Judging exactly the time frame that it would take if this one was to attack, verses the time frame needed so that she can remain subtle and forgotten.

She has gotten behind corrupted embodiments of Yar before. This "ex tech" soldier does not pose much of a threat.

She encircles with the same subtlty she 'dissapearred' with. This creature is not as sensitive or fast as a bak bak bird.

[Pcm979]

Pater recieved the Auspex information from the floating servo-skulls. No sign of treachery, or lies. No sign of anger, either. With a thought, they all 'holstered' their armaments quite visibly, but stayed in their defensive postures. Pater glanced at the figure, automatically identifying its' weak spots.

"An exiled Captain in service to the Machine God? The presence of such a... Celebrity usually causes quite a buzz on the Inquisitorial channels."

That 'buzz' usually consisted of a physical description, a list of crimes, and strict orders to provide no assistance whatsoever.

[The Necrontyr Messenger]

"Exiled by the Cult Mechanicus?" Lena asked, "Sounds quite, quite forgiveable. I think you may be able to find a place among us in our work at some point..." she glanced at Pater and then the others for confirmation.