Rogue Trader; Season One
Episode two: A Psysker on the Run
This is cozy. Though hopefully it will work, Ni-Fang though to herself, her first time actually alone in her captains quarters. Five mutants, one of them tainted not by the warp or radition leaks, but by Dread Chaos itself. Now all we have to do is find a way to sell our wares. She smiled then, the Ore would be perfect, almost every ship relied on that stuff. She went down to the cargo bay area and noticed several things, one of which was one fo the five mutant crew members had parked him/herself there at the door standing like a sentry of sorts. without a sound the door opened for the white haired captain. She started going through the items on the cargo menifest listing, making sure everything was there.
"Hieden, head us toewards Holy Terra, but don;t stop int hat system, instead head us another quarter dayp ast it, there is a remote isolated system there called Kath. We will reach it soon." She said over the comm system. though the ship was huge, ti wasl arge enough to commondate the nine person crew, though several said it impossible.
"Aye Captain," Hieden turned towards Linelle, and nodded to her, repeating what Ni-Fang had said to do. Linelle found the system of kath on the data screen and nodded, the coruse was set.
A few minutes passed before things begain to pick up, one of them was one fo their crew was keeping himself locked up in his room, working on something, not allowing anyone near him, only the captain herself he had said, could enter his room without hinderance. Ni-Fang opened the door to the TechPriests room. the inside of which was a total mess. "You are doing well with getting things the way you like them are you not?" She asked ducking her head as a chainsword was thrown her way, denting the steel door. But ther man said nothing
Ni-Fang spoke again, "We have left Port Wander, when you are ready to talk I will see you again" She said, right now all the man seemed to care about eas getting as far as he could from civilization. But the only problem was, they were going directly for the dead center of the Imperium itself! Ni-Fang turned and left the man, locking the dfoor behind her as he did so. heading for the bridge.
Captain Starfire indeed. He was dead, but alive now, how to tell father when I see him at Kath? Or shall Hieden remain on the ship when we land to take on cargo? Ni-Fang wondered, she haded for the bridge, her mind going over the thoughts calmly. she noticed something beggining to beep an d spoke into her radio system. "Hieden?"
"We are being hailed ma'am, Imperium ship apparently." Came the reply. "Ye best get up here."
Great, if the day could get any worse. Ni-fang muttered. She went to the bridge, speaking as she arrived. "I'm here, where's the Imperium ship?" Hieden pointed, there was another Dauntless Class frighter out there, dead in space. "Did you send a reply?" Hiden nodded, "Did anyone respond?"
"No ma'am, it repeates itself over and over." The pair listened as the seven notes rang through again. "A code of sorts?"
Ni-Fang shook her head. "When a merchant ship is left for a dead a transmission is sent out from the ship to locate it in darkspace when outside of the Warp, but that is not the three note teir beep that merchants use, that's Imperium, but if it is abandoned, there may be somethingu seful aboard. Dock us with it." Ni-Fang said. at Hidens confused look Ni-Fang smiled. "Did you not forget that you signed on to follow my orders..... Starfire?" That got him moving. "Dock us with that ship, and have Gun Master Theta's report to the armoury to get everyone fit for battle, if there is something on that ship, be it living or otherwise, there may be something of value on it."
There came a few thuds as the Spirit of Silence docked gentley against the Imperium vessel, the pinging noise of the radio system rang in Ni-Fangs ears. Whoever had attacked the vessel or owned it left in a hurry. Taking the light bolter from Pratas she entered first, peeking out of the hatchway, looking in all driections, even up to the second level of the docking lobby. "Nobody here, move in, Linelle, keep the ship, Hieden watch the back door. Everyone else, spread out, whatever you find be it bodies, weapons or whatever, use the darkspace transporter to move it to SoS. lets go." Once the orders were given ewveryone began moving around the ship Imperium ship.
"I do not like this." Came Pratas voice over the vox. "it feels, as if I have been here before. on this very vessel" His voice was lost with wonder and confusion, but then turned to hate when he saw the famailar signs of plasma weaponsx use on the wall, along with two dead Space Marines. "Two dead, bolters taken, Chainswords left. Meeting up with her Majasty Ni-Fang." he reported into his vox.
"Understood." Hiden said, he did not trust the TechPriest. The man was always off on a limb or even worse, never on blanace whatsoever much of the time. Hieden reported in. "Docking lobby Armoury seems to have been sacked of ranged weapons, dozen bolters are left, no powerpaks though." He reported.
"I made it to the bridge" Came Ni-Fangs voice. "There was a fight here. all klersteel void shields are raised. many dead." She stopped over another techpriest. this one a woman. Bearing a famailar mark. MerTelCom. She bent down and began shearching the woman. Finding only the embelem, but nothing more of MerTelCom on the ship. "This might be a MerTelCom vessel, everyone search for MerTelCom signs or marks on all weapons." She said into her vox.
"Nothing here. Space Marines, Seventh Calvary, that's all I got" Hieden replied.
"Dark Sisters of Luna here, one of them still alive." Came the rapsy voice of Cirir. "Portside Engine room. Top level."
"On my way" Ni-Fang said, leaving the bridge, as she heard the tech priest shout something.
"I am not going ot be seen by that woman!" Pratas yelled out.
"You are with me and therefor following orders, or do you want to be left for dead here Pratas?" Ni-Fang said calmly, moving to the room where Cirir was located, a woman lay on the ground, barely moving, yet still breathing. When Ni-Fang arrived the woman stared for a moment. "What happened to the crew of this ship?" Ni-Fang asked her.
"They're all dead." Came the reply.
"Who?" asked Pratas, already dreading the answer.
"They never said their name." The woman replied, struiggling to breath. "Soldiers, dressed in white armor, Xenos. Commsiar Gretau fought one fo them, but was lain when his chainsword was severd." The woman then breathed her last as Ni-Fang nodded.
So there was someone else they had to worry about in the darkness out of the warp. She looked ot Pratas, Just wonderful, she thought while activating her vox, "The crew of the ship is dead, there was fighting within it. Find all usible weapons and transport them to the SoS, then make ready to leave the area."
Out in space:...
Unseen by anyone on either ship, another shpi floated watching everything. Two men stood at the bridge of the ship, the The Lineshire, watching everything of the two ships. "You scanned it?" Said one. The other nodded, "How many on board?" The other man quircked an eyebrow and answered. "Nine." The first was at first taken aback. "Nine for a ship that size? It is easliy several times the size of one of our Javlin crusiers." The other man nodded. "More of a Aoura clas? Shall we fire?" The first man shook his head no. "No, let them be, it is a merchant vessel, look at the cargo of it, see the cargo areas of the ship? it is not a war vessel, but that of a merchants vessel. Ready the ship for departure to home."
***
Hieden got tired of holding the door, nothing moved here, he cast around his lamp at the huge area in front of him, checked the vox, the Captain was still busy up forward. He looked briefly behind him to see Linelle watching his back as always. She leaned casually against the bulkhead honing her rapier, and smiled at him. Hieden hand signed to her that he was going for a look, and Linelle signed him back "Go ahead I'll be here."
The big man withdrew his Light bolter, he disdained the energy side arms, though he did have a Power sword on his back in place of his short sword. He made a circuit of the place and found nothing remarkable, bodies of course and evidence of a savage fire fight.
Hieden was about to return to his post when something caught his eye in the glow of his lamp. The boots of one of the dead, were out of place, not Imperium issue, he'd seen these before, in another time and place. He walked over to the body, a guard for all appearances, he reached down carefully and turned the corpse over, there on the neck, the infinity symbol tatooed on the man's neck.
Images swirled through Hiedens mind, only hear he was himself, Hammer Starfire, ships Captain for MerTelCom, answerable only to Johen, the company owner. Another image, Johen was giving Hammer last minute instructions on the latest crisis.
"Hammer, those Laraxan cut throats have blockaded Cirritae, we need that ore. Do what you can to protect the fleet at all costs, the Red Dawn is yours to command."
Red Dawn, the companies newest battle class frigate, fast, heavily armed. Hammer was pleased for the moment.
Another image came into his mind, five year old Ni-Fang waited for him near the door leading to the landing stages. She held out her tiny arms to him and Hammer lifted her up.
"You will come back uncle Hammer, I demand it!" She said in her typical way.
"Of course I will, I still have a story to finish haven't I?"
"Yes, of olden days, and me as a Princess, please come back." There was a tear in her eye.
Hammer kissed her gently on the cheek and promised her his return, placed her down and proceeded to the landing bays and joined the Red Dawn.
The colours of his mind whirled, he was with his crew, a longe range scout had just returned and informed him privately that the Laraxans had Cirritae blockaded with 17 warships, to the fleet's twelve, and only three of those capable of putting up a decent fight. "Bad odds."
Hammer thought to himself, he dismissed the scout and told him to return to the fleet. Now the captain needed an exit plan and he had one.
Starfire had the fleet divert to Sorastus on the excuse that they were picking up extra crew and provisions. On arrival at Linelle's homeworld, he had his own crew stand down for a bit of leave, he accompanied his navigator to her home, and then left abruptly in the night. In the early hours Linelle turned in her bed, only to discover him gone.
She raced back to the landing grid, the other crew were already there, the fleet had gone, leaving them behind, Starfire was on a suicide mission of this Linelle was sure, she wiped a tear from her cheek, and tugged heavily at her braid as she looked toward the stars.
At five hours away from Cirritae, Starfire ordered the fleet to pause, he gave the command to the other Captains, to await his signal, then proceed. He set the Red Dawn to full auto defence, and sped toward what he knew was his certain doom.
Coming out of the planets Sun, he pressed full on down to the Laraxan fleet. The ships were in two lines, nine and eight. Hammer went straight through the middle of the lines and broadsided as many of the ships as he could, and in doing so, tore four of them apart. He jumped to warp, and doubled back for a second run, seeing his initial success he got cocky. Only this time they were more prepared.
Six of the Laraxan captains turned their ships about, waiting for their prey, Hammer came in again and at the last, saw the disposition had changed, he arced the Red Dawn over the leading ships and gave them a volley from his lower guns. They were heavily damaged but not out of it. He turned again and headed straight for the final six, it was now or never as the Red Dawn began to suffer daunting hits to her hull, three gun turrets already out of action. His last piece of defiance, he came under the front two of the six, and released his entire missile battery at them, taking two out of action but not destroyed. He then limped as best as possible in the opposite direction forcing the Laraxans to give chase. "Now that's evened the odds." He said to himself and called the fleet in as two heavy Laraxan destroyers closing on him by the minute. For three hours it lasted until finally he was boarded. The next twelve years he spent in a stinking hell hole of a prison , seeing that infinity tatoo on the necks of every guard and soldier there. Until the day one laxed guard alowed Hammer to get behind him with an iron bar he had pried from his bunk. Four dead guards later he was hidden in the cargo hold of a transport, two years later, he was back on Sorastus, then home, as Hieden Hieldenhammer, an out of work first mate.
He shook his head from the memory, and clicked on his vox, "Captain, there is something you should know!"
***
3 days ago...
Night fell on Port Wander as various ships moved in and out of the massive space port, the stars being blotted out by the light of the space port. A shuttle landed on one of the landing platforms, its lights glinting off the wings of the shuttle as people filed out of the craft. A man in a rumpled robe walked out, carrying a staff and a duffel bag. He looked around warily and exited with caution, for he was no ordinary passanger. He looked out at the busy starport, the dust settled as the engines on the shuttle finally shut off. The man had dark hair and pale skin, though his hair was slightly getting lighter as the years wore on. He was Pretas, formally a Enginseer in the Imperial guard, now a fugative from Imperial justice. He had evaded capture for more than a year thanks to his innate technological knowledge and innovation in hiding, but his time was running out. Several Sisters of Battle squads were but a day or two from the planet maximum. They were closing in on the now discovered pskyer running fast. He knew the fate of unsanctioned pskyers, which was death. He was determined to not let that happen ever since he broke out of the prison compound he was in the year before. No one realized he was that powerful of a psyker, let alone a A+ pskyer rating, the most powerful rating in the Imperium of Man.
Pretas winced slightly as he walked into the terminal to be processed. His knowledge of technology allowed him to forge several fake identities and plant them in the Mechanium databases that were everywhere in the Imperium. A clerk stamped his visa and passed him through, the presence of the plasma pistol in his bag was easy to explain to a tired clerk; a mere relic and a defensive tool used in his duties as a former Guardsmen and an agent of the Inquisition, which was his supposed business on Port Wander. An easy smile and a wave allowed the clerk to buy the story with credibility as Pretas passed through Customs without question. Here was a man who was unofficially part of the Inquisition, let him be. Do not arouse his wrath and irritate him, he might shoot us for impeding him and whatever he was investigating, so the clerk thought. Pretas smiled as he passed by people in his simple black robe, but on the inside he was nervous. It was getting harder to evade the Sisters of Battle as they relentlessly hunted him down. He needed to find passage off this world, and soon, otherwise he would be stuck here and they would hunt him down. He asked a middle aged men where the nearest hotel might be. The man smiled.
"It is the Golden Throne a few blocks that way. It is used frequently by the traders here. You might consider looking in the bar there for employment opportunities if you are looking for work."
"Thank you, sir. You are most kind. May the God Emperor bless you."
Pretas nodded and walked off. He found the hotel easily and reserved a single room for himself. It would be an interesting day tommorow.
A day later...
Pretas sat in the hotel bar, drinking slightly as the ruckus of the drunk traders echoed throughout the bar. Shouts of laughter and boasting were heard occassionally, with a fistfight or two breaking out. He sat alone, brooding slightly over his situation. Two women entered the bar and he tensed instantly, recognizing them as hunters. They were Sisters of Battle, he could tell based on the individual sisters hunting him. He knew they were scout elements of the company after him. He was nervous, but fairly confident in his disguise as a trader. Earlier that day, he dyed his hair ash blond and rubbed some dirt on his face to fool the descriptions of him that were now everywhere in the sector. A simple contact lens was sufficient to change his eye color from green to blue. The change turned him from a rather pale man with dark hair to a grimy and dirty blond haired trader with the wrong eye color. A simple purchase also gained him the clothes he was wearing now, the dark leather jackets and boots that were virtually the same as everyone else's clothing in the room. Now he looked like any ordinary trader out there, rather than the striking and handsome Techpriest that was being sought after by the Sisters of Battle.
The Sisters walked out of the bar, having not spotted their quarry. Pretas sighed with relief and ordered another drink, he was looking to buy passage off the planet and he had let the word be spread that he was looking for a new crew to hire on with. It was not long before a woman walked over to him and made an offer he could not refuse. Pretas signed on with Ni-Feng and her ship the Spirit of Silence and was to report to her the next morning at Port 94
So, they were all set then. Ni-Fang turned to Pretas, "I think we should leave this ship, pick up what weapons you can, and take them back to the Spirit of Silence, soon as we have all weapons onboard, we leave. Get moving." At that order Pretas nodded and left the engine room, Ni-Fang looked to Cirir, who also nodded and begain gathing weapons, loading therm on a cart of some sort that seemed to hover, stacking unused bolters, both light and heavy on the thing.
Ni-Fang watched the mutant crewman work. a soft smile on her face as she noted the man working with jerky movements, like any tainted either by ther EWarp itself or the radiation of being on a ship for too long. Her smile faded as she heard Hiedens call come over the vox. "Yes Hieden what is it?"
"This is a Laraxan ship, I recognize the soldiers in te docking space lobby, we best be hurrying before whatever attack em comes back." Hieden said.
"Very well, whatever weapons you find be they empty or full, take them to the Spirit of Silence and stow them in the armoury. I am heading back to the cargo area. something feels funny for a ship like this to be sending out a stress signal." Ni-Fang said.
"Aye lass, something is mighty pecuiar about this ship." Hieden replied. Though he said nothing more.
Ni-Fang headed for the next room from the engine areas, nearly dropping to her knees at the stench of dead bodies in the room. apparently the men within had been driven mad, but she could feel no sign of Dread Chaos, only total madness. OK, moving on. She thought before seeing something of a memory, a memory she hated time again when she saw it.
It was as if she herself was watching it, like on a datascreen. A child, no older then six years of age by Holy Terra reckoning, hair white as snow, dressed in black, apparently in mourning of someone lost. She sat alone on a ship or at Port Wander, it was not easy to tell with the rooms walls being slate gray in color. But she could tel lthe child was sad about something.
Then she noticed another enter the room and kneel down next to the child. It looked like a woman, the child was hugged by the older woman, apparently their sadness was justified and was also mistaken, for Uncle Hammer (at the time) had died. And he had promised her he would return. Gone.
The memory changed again. This time jumping to days forwards, her father, Johen pacing, looking miserable. It was the day before Ni-Fangs seventh birthday, And Captain Starfire was gone, dead. "You are sure?" Johen was saying into a vox. "The red Dawn is gone, captive or blown apart?... I understand, it went down with all hands... The finest ship in trhe fleet." Unseen by her father, yet seen by Ni-Fang watching the memory, the six year old Ni-Fang stood at her fatrhers door peeking through the crak. hearing everything.
Then the memory faded back to the presnt, Ni-Fang found herself sitting on a barrel thinknig. no doubt unseen by any of her crew as a single tear slid down her cheek. thirteen years had passed. And now her uncle hammer was alive and well again. With a deep breath she move about the cabin she had found herself in. It was the captains cabin no doubt, the man dead at his desk. Moving him aside she nioticed there was no dmage to the room, his chest burned away by something unseen. No doubt a plasma weapon.
She moved the man aside, the dead body falling with a dull thud to the floor, moving a few items on the desk she found a vox recorder, along with a vox vid linkup system and secured both on her belt, before finding a data vox, one that many kept data within. Not exactly a dataring, she mused. But then these men knew their jobs. She took also the vox databank before searching for weapons, finding a bright green chainsword in the closet, untouched. With a smile she broke the fastening holding the weapon to the wall and tested its power, a full charge. Perfect. She turned and elft the cabin, making am ental note to speak to Hieden about why he did not return when hwe could to her father.
As she entered the hallway of the dead ship Hiedens voice rang on the Vox. "Cap'n, we have an incoming Imperium ship in sights, should we hail?"
Great, Imperium vessel, no doubt going to jail us. "Get back to the Spirit of Silence, but maintain present unarmed systems, we dont want to raise alarm. Anything found place on the Spirit of Silence out of sight of prying eyes. I'm heading back, everyone fall back to Spirit of Silence and the docking lobby, I will meet you all there." Ni-Fang said into her vox first addressing Hieden then the whole crew. As she walked her mind wandered to how they had hired Linelle, their navigator.
"Now that your appointment is settled Mr Hieldenhammer, we need a navigator as a priority, do you know of one?"
"Aye indeed I believe I do lass, how do ye feel about the half eldar?"
"Oh, I have worked with some before, my old blade master was one, they can be a bit twitchy at times though."
"Yes that be true enough. If you'll trust me judgement on this one, I think I may have the perfect candidate for the Spirit."
"Hmm, trust, yes well, that has to be earned in my command, but there is something familiar about you, as if I know you already. So lead on."
Hieden burst out laughing, a rich tone. "Oh lass if you only knew the half of it. Come on then I'll rent an air glider and we'll be off, it's about an hour out into the bayou's, on the north arm of the bay."
"That's alligator swamps...someone lives there?"
"Yes." He said simply.
The two of them left the tavern and a air glider was rented. Hieden had little in the way of luggage, just a sea bag, the clothes he wore, and a wicked ancient short sword hanging from his -Fang watched as he primed the starter,and the glider kicked into life, his broad back showing despite his age, would endure many a hard labour. He helped her board the craft and they set off for the swam lands, the glider making good speed.
They reached a small cove amongst the dark waters, in front of them a huge Bay Beech tree stood, soaring into the airs some sixty paces, it's trunk perhpaps eight paces in diameter. Above them more than half way, a cabin was built into the branches, not hidden but most likely well defended. Ni-Fang's new first mate, brought the glider up level with the verandah that circumnavigated the house.
"Wait here if you would lass."
Ni-Fang looks over the side of the glider at the stirring shapes in the water, and notices a hammock on the verandah. "I think I will take my leasure over there Hieden."
"Suit yourself, but block yer ears, this may....be difficult."
"I see, not trouble for the Spirit I hope sir?"
"No, just a prickly eldar!" And he laughed again.
Hieden walked in through the open door. The large open room was darkened slightly, pottery, paintings and crab pots lay scattered everywhere. The smell of fish cooking wafted from the back kitchen. "Hello, Lin you there girl?" He called.
Suddenly a shape appeared from nowhere and a knife whizzed past his ear. "You, you lionfish, you dare to foul my abode once again!" A half eldar woman as tall as Hieden himself now stood before him, long dark auburn braid hanging to her waist, brown britches and knee high boots and an all to revealing light blouse.
"As I remember lass, this was our abode. And yes I come looking for a navigator if you would like to work again"
"I would not work with you Starfire, if you were the last Captain in the galaxy!" She threw back at him and slapped him hard across the face.
Ni-Fang's ears pricked up at the mention of 'Starfire', "Could it be true, my fathers old captain, but he's been dead almost twelve years?" She was tempted to walk in but stayed her place, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
"If you think I deserted you and the crew Lin, you're wrong lass. I ran the blockade so you could escape remember, that is why I had to leave you all behind on Soratus and you know it!"
Linelle sobbed a little and fell into his arms. "I know Star, you saved us and the fleet, but I woulld rather have died with you, than live this torment without you, not knowing whether, you were dead or alive."
He held her for a moment and wiped away the tears. "Lin, it would never have worked for us anyway, you know that. You're what already one hundred and fifty something, and still look as you did at twenty. And look at me, almost sixty and I bloody well look it. Besides I would not have you share a Laraxan prison with me for twleve years, you would not have survived."
"Liar!" She was herself again. "Prove it!"
He removed his jacket and shirt, then turned about for her to see his back. Criss crossed with scars from the lash and a number tatooed upon his right shoulder.
"Oh Star, I'm so sorry." She ran her fingers across the number, then stepped back. "You escaped, how? No one escapes the Laraxans. And your tatoo has a subcutaneous transmitter, you're a fugitive Star, you'll damn anyone who comes near you." She turned and began to sob again. "Go away, leave me."
"Hey Lin, do ye think ah'd come all this way lass if ah were a danger to ye? I escaped yes, an ah killed a few guards yes. But the transmitter is gone, courtesy of your people on Soratus. Check it, get your scanner if ye don believe me." He was a little angry himself now.
"No, I believe you....so you have a ship?" Linelle said hesitatingly.
"No not mine First Mate for a young captain. Captain lass ye can come in now."
Ni-Fang walked in with an air of confidence, Linelle marked her youth but did mention it. The young captain took note of the tall half-eldar and especially the long braid, and more so the fine rapier hanging from her belt.
"So I have a navigator then?"
"Yes Captain you do, if only to keep an eye on your First Mate."
"Agreed." And the two women embraced and shook hands warmly. Then Ni-Fang turned on Hieden and slapped him hard on the other side of his face. "And don't you ever lie to me again. I should have known those steel blue eyes 'Captain Starfire'. You lost one of my fathers finest frigates in running that blockade, he never quite forgave you, even though you saved the fleet."
Hieden rubbed the other side of his face and laughed once more. "You were only five lass, I did nae think you'd miss me. Am I forgiven by you?"
"For now, but you are no longer Captain, you will stay first mate, until I can find away to tell my father of this. Linelle pack your gear we're off."
The Spirit of Silence rtemained docked with the dead ship, the weapons had been koed from the Imperium vessel over to the SoS and stowed away in the various armouries onboard. Though the Spirit remained docked it recived the hail as Ni-Fang arrived at the docking bay lobby. The hail was short and simple on the vox. "This is MerTelCom vessel Necross Hearts, we recived a stree signal."
Ni-Fang traded a look with Hieden. She shook her head when he was about to respond and spoke into her vox. "This is Captain Ni-Fang, Daughter of Merchants, onboard a dead Imperium ship, captain of the Spirit of Silence, to whom am I speaking?"
"Daughter?" Came the voice of Johen.
"Father?" She replied just as confused, she shook her head again to Hieden, best her father not yet know until they spoke either at Holy Terra or at Port Wander. "What brings the Necross Hearts, a luxary ship of al lthings, out here?"
"Stress signal, we recived it just as you did." Came the reply. "We were on our way to Holy Terra to begin the pleasure cruise from there to Kath and back when we recived the signal."
"I see, my ship has docked with the Imperium vessel, everyone onboard is dead. Several of them looking like a Daemon had come through" Ni-Fang replied. "None survived the fight. Save for one who died shortly after we arrived. Not exactly the best way to go, I doubt it would be Orks."
"Haven't heard a peep from the greenskins ion a long time, not since that odd happening at Telsis IX" came the reply, before her father finally said. "Where will I see you again?"
"At Kath, or Holy Terra, call me when you reach Kath system." EWith that she disconnected her Vox and motioned to continue taking the weapons from the fallen and moving them to the Spirit of Silence.
After ten minutes the Necross Hearts lefty the area, jumping back to the Warp when the ship was confirmed gone Hieden spoke first. "Ye did not tell him?"
"No, I did not." Ni-Fang replied.
"Why?" Hieden pressed.
"Had I told father what happened and that you are still alive working for me, he would have fired upon us and disabled our own defenses, luxary ship or no, all ships of MerTelCom have a weapon onboard. For now it is best you remain dead to my fathers eyes. Should anyone hail us, and you ansswer, say your name, Hieldenhammer, first mate. If Father finds out you live still he would hunt for you." She said nothing of Pretas' outburst of the sister of battle he said he would not see mom ents before.
Hieden and Ni-Fang walked togther back to the bridge, Linelle was already there, Pretas was eyeing the half-eldar with suspicion, though he said nothing. Hieden spoke low to Ni-Fang before they reached the others.
"I would nae worry too much aboot yer da, lass. Sure for certain he'll be annoyed with me fer not comin straight back after ah escpaped, but ah had t' set m'self up again, ah could nae come back to Port Wander a pauper, and mudrat. Let him know easy lass and tell him ah know where the Red Dawn is if he wants it back."
"You do Hammer?"
"Aye lass, the Laraxans were to afraid to use it. Superstious lot those. They sold her t' a merchant on Anath 20, but he could nae sell it cause it has the company mark on it, an he's too fearful to scap her, a fearin' the eldar have put a curse on it. So there it sits, yours fer the takin lass."
"Well 'uncle', this does change things somewhat, but I have not heard of Anath 20, how do we find it."
"Linelle knows where it is, and Pretas has been there....but he may not wish to return to swiftly lass."
"Hmmm, I must think how to approach this, maybe my fathers chief clerk will know."
"Not old Fenstin Bucksten is it?"
"Yes why, he still serves."
"Oh lass, this could nae be better, that old fox owes me large, we'll do well Captain." With that he roared laughing, seem to stun the others somewhat, until it became infectious and they joined with him, even though they did not know why.
Ni-Fang held the emerald colored chainsword in one hand, using it more like a cane then an blade, the chain of it shining bright silver, everyone had returned to their duties and the weapons from the fallen on the other ship had been moved, atl east those they could find, to the various holds for weapons on the Spirit of Silence. Now to get out of here. Ni-Fang turned to Hieden. "Disconnect the Spirit of Silence from the othership, let it drift, lifeless." She said. "We in turn will head for Kath."
"Aye Cap'n" Hieden said, using the offical term for who was in charge, even though he knew for a fact he should be giving a few pointers, but then it was her ship, not his. A few minutes passed before the Spierit of Silence left the dead ship and began to pull away. A few minutes more and the rest of the crew had left the bridge, leaving Ni-Fang and Hieden alone.
After a moment Ni-Fang spoke. "Where is the shipyard?"
"Wha's that lass?" Hieden asked.
Ni-Fang turned to him. "Where is the shipyard where the Red Dawn is berthed, if it is not to be scrapped then we can take it as our own and return it to Father. If the ship is not scrapped then one can use it, all we have to do is prove that it is our ship."
"Aye, but saying is far easier then doing cap'n" Hieden replied steering the Spirit of Silence and then activating the warp drives. the autopilot system took over as the ship left deep space into the darkness of the warp.
"You forget what I am Hieden?" Ni-Fang said calmly, her tone icey.
"No lass, I do not forget wha ye are. I only mention the fact that 'tis goin' be harder then expecting to get the Dawn back to your father." Hieden replied.
"I will handle that, you only get us there...... " She smiled then, her eyes seeming to shine a bit with mirth. "..... Uncle Hammer" She turned and left the bridge, heading for her chambers. Leaving Hieden alone on the Bridge.
Hieden scratched his chin, "bugger he thought, needs a shavin'". He checked the auto pilot once more and headed for the accomodation level. "So ma little Snow Leopard wants the Dawn, fer herself, well ah'll do me best." He reached Linelle's cabin and knocked softly.
"Who is it?" came the reply.
"The bloody Green god, now open up Lin!" He said a little impatiently as the door slid open, revealing Linelle only barely clothed. She grabbed him by the neck and pulled him inside, hitting the close panel as she did so. She kissed him hard then physically threw him on the bed.
"It's about bloody time Star, we've been on this ship for almost two weeks and this is the first you come to me?" She thumped him hard in the ribs as she leaned over him.
"Well ah would hae come sooner lass, but, this beast is a handful, as you know, she's new to both of us, and a sight big to get to know quickly. Anyway..." He pushed himself up, but she just planted both hands on his chest and he was flat on his back again.
"Don't you dare tell me this is business Hammer Starfire, I've waited too long to be with you again." A small tear dropped from he eye.
"Yes, afraid it is lass, but I'll deal with you, I'll stay the night if ye, accept my offer."
"What? You think I'm some cheap tavern harlot that can be bought? I should space you right now mister."
"No, ye know me better Lin." He reached up and kissed her softly.
She settled some and lay beside him, snuggled into his neck. "Alright tell me but this better be good."
Hieden drew his breath. "Ye remember when we were freelancing before the Company, we hit Anath 20, and met that merchant Suldown?"
"Yes, I do, he owes me large for a reading I did for him, never paid me either, as we had to leave rather hurridly as I recall, seems you got into a fight...again."
He laughed quietly. "Yes but tha's all good lass, the Marshall is a good man, he be not a holding that over me der twenty years. How you'd like to get paid, after all this time, with a bonus?"
"Bonus?"
"The Red Dawn, Suldown has her, but the Laraxans are close by, ye willing to try."
"By the Gods yes, but we'll need Pretas, he has some more knowledge there than us."
"Yes lass, unfortunatley he does, but the Sisters have a base there, you know what he is don' ye?"
"Yes, no less than I am myself, I will talk to him on equal terms, and we'll let Ni-fang know together."
"Good lass, I knew you were game."
She slapped him hard, just for pleasure, then turned out the light.
Ni-Fang was within her quarters on the Spirit of Silence, having no idea whatsoever of her plans the First Mate was making for her. Piecing together the vox recorded information, what had happened on that ship, there was databoxs of old shipments, a notice fo a runaway Psyker, and even more so. She disregarded that and searched through the vox vid. Nothing came to be normal looking, other then a sudden shot of startling whiteness and the vox dying right then and there. Replaying the scene over while slower Ni-Fang noticed a word mouth. "Who are?!" The man had tried to say before his heart was burned away.
White garbed soldiers, none in the Imperium wear white if anything remotely that color, mostly blue or green, or at best anything that acts as armor. Ni-Fang thought to herself. she then erased al lthe data she had come across and threw the vox recorder aside. Things had to be done she knew that for sure.
Picking up the emerald green chainsword she was amazed that she could hold such a weapon, normally the really large weapons of the same type only the Space Marines used, rarely did anyone else use it. Heck rarer still was a space marine seen outside of his armor. Pretas would know, she thought, activating her voxto his channel. "Pretas, to my cabin, now" she said to him.
A minute later he knocked on the door, a heartbeat later he was in her cabin. "You wished to see me?"
"What do you know of these, white garbed soldiers? Apparently the capotain of that ship had been slain, I caught something in refelction, a person in white, clearly a Xeno, but i am unsure at this point. Take a look yourself." She activated the vox recored image one last time. Allowing Pretas to see the refelction. "Look at the ewindow behind the captain just before being fired upon." A being in white armor fired something at the man, thus ending the vox recording.
"I know nothing" Pretas said aftyer getting a good look at the man in white, if it was am an. "It is possible the being was a Dark Eldar, knowing that race like I do, i would not put much faith in your navigator." Did he know something about Linelle?
"I can understand your concerns Pretas" Ni-Fang replied calmly, her voice icey. "I run this ship, and my crew I pick myself, trusting the words of my firstm ate. Tomorrow when we reach Kath Station we will pick up our TechMedic. I want you on hand for that." She gave him a sdharp look. "You are my techpriest, and as such you do as ordered, wont you?" At the mans hesitant figiting she pressured him. "Or should I turn you in at the nearst port?"
That got his attention. He gave her a sharp look, how did she know? "How did you?"
"Call it my sixth sense TechPriest. You are on the run from someone, and as such you take gace by joining my crew. In such a case I am hard on such things. But in your case I make an exception, I am not a luxary captain, instead I am more of the merchant that takes a job, no passangers. So I ask you tech Priest. Are you a passanger, or are you part of my crew?"
A minute passed before Pretas answered, "I am part of your crew, and as such I follow orders given. May I go?" Ni-Fang nodded, he left. Atl east the inner peace was still there. the man was an odd one, constnatly working with his hands. He will be useful, she mused as her door slid shut behind Pretas as he left the cabin.
Pretas sweated slightly as he stepped outside the captain's quarters. He was really uneasy, now she knew he was on the run from the law, but thankfully she did not connect him with the psyker fugative notice that was bound to be circulating in this sector of space. And that is what Pretas was, an Alpha plus psyker. There was a price on his head so large that every bounty hunter in the galaxy was bound to be on the lookout for him. Thankfully he had gotten good at disguises to fool most of the descriptions given of him. Also the stress of the past year had given him a few lines in his face. Even though he was only 32, he looked 40 with his dark hair starting to grey a little bit. He gripped his staff tightly as he walked. He was tired enough to be 80+, and scared enough to be 5-. More than anything, he just wanted to be safe and away from the relentless hunters that pursued him halfway across the galaxy. Alpha plus psykers were hunted constantly, shot on sight by the Inquisition unless he could be captured and modified to be their servant. He didn't want to be that, so he fled as far as he could.
He entered his quarters and activated the safety net he put on just in case the crew found out about him and decided to turn him in at the nearest port while he was sleeping. 2 plasma cannons of his invention were mounted on tripods and were facing the door in case anyone barged in without authorization. He told anyone to never enter while he was sleeping, and that if he needed to be contacted, to use the vox system only. He fell asleep quickly, the stress of the past few days wearing on him. He was alone and did not trust any of the crew at all. IF they knew what he was, he knew they would probably turn him in for the reward money, which was in the millions for A + psykers.
Ni-Fang stayed awake for another few minutes or so before nodding off in her bunk, much like the rest of the ship, the rooms were al lthe same, the captains cabin was not any different in size nor was it brightly lit. Ni-Fang slept a fitful sleep. her memories flooding back once more.
She watched it all again. Watching Hieden leave for the battle and never resturn. locking herself in her room for three days while in mounring the loss of such a good man and friend. Once she was with more then her father.
She watched herself grow up, the years passing within a sngle night of time before she woke up in a cold sweat watching Pretas leave the cabin a second time. Something was wrong. her father had always said she was important and that a secret should never be told to anyone. Which was one fo the reason she had such a good crew. people who could follow orders with the proper leverage.
She got up and dressed in clean black clothing, they were near to Kath station now, but still a day from Holy Terra itself. the bridge, she thought, I have to get to the bridge, i have to talk to Hieden. She left her cabin, locking the door behind her.
When she arrived at the bridge it was empty, none in sight. OK now what do I do? She wondered, she wouldn't dare go to Hiedens cabin and knock on his door. She smiled, she would steer them the rest of the way. She went to the helm station and disengaged the autopilot and took control. On her own things were different. Focused soley on navigating the asteroid belt of Holy Terra taking far too many risks as it were she never noticed Hieden and Linelle enter the bridge wondering why they were out of warp. Ni-Fang then noticed something else.
"we are being tracked. I am unsure of by whom, ready arms. Linelle, get everyones weapons, take thesem, get my chainsword from my cabin, the green one you saw me with earlier. Go" Hieden take tactical station. That is normally Pretas station, for now you man it, i'll keep us moving. She hit a few keys, locking the speed at seventy twpo percent power, the rest to weapons. the lurch in the ship caused a stir on Holy Terra, the movement now noticed by everyone, what was a merchants ship doing armed and ready for combat?
Ni-Fang activated her vox, wakening Pretas. "TechPriest", she said calmly. "Man your station at the bridge now. We are being tracked by another. We are near to Holy Terra, yet are on course for Kath Station, we are being tracked. Get up here." She turned off her vox, her orders were given, noew to see if he would follow them.
Pretas awoke, instantly awake at the news of the ship being tracked. He started to panic slightly before he calmed himself with a splash of water on his face. He deactivated the security to his quarters and threw on a red robe and hurried to the bridge. He entered rubbing his eyes as he walked to his station. He tried his best to appear calm, but it was clear he was nervous. "We are being tracked? I will trace it. Standby."
He punched in a few numbers and he ran the traces of the various scans from all of the vessels within range. He paled as he located the specific ship that was tracking them. He whispered in fear. "That ship.....Inquisition.....Ordos Hereticus.....oh dear Emperor......" He looked at Ni Fang in fear. "You have to lose them. I will try to build something to jam their signal and boost our engine output. We have to do something!"
Pretas was on the verge of hysteria and panic. It was clear the man was deathly afraid of the Inquisition and Ordos Malleus in particular. Indeed most Imperium citizens were, but his fear was even more so.
Ni-Fang noticed his panic and her own face paled. The nshe did something totally unrealistic to the event at hand, she started laughing as she spun the wheel the Spirit of Silence lurched downwards, gravity system sending everything not nailed down or properly stowed flying everywhere, nearly sending Hieden himself flying. and no doubt sending Linelle to the floor as well.
"Alright, if it is Inqusition, well then, we'll give them a run for their credit" she said, clearly knowing what she was doing she steered the Spirit of Silence back twoards mars, she knew of a MerTelCom station there that defends its own even against the Inquis, but an Ordos Mallus ship.
What do they want? Well, whatever they are after they aren't getting! not if I can help it! Ni-Fang spoke to Hieden, "lock down all arms, all power to the engines and aft void shields. everyone hold on this is going to get a little bumpy." She said steering the ship towards what appeared to be a tunnel of sorts on the surface of Mars, clearly a hold large enough to allow ships ot land within. But the speed alone they were going made things far worse.
"Hieden, on my mark activate the warp drive!" Ni-Fang said calmly. a heartbeat late after she saw him nod and hover his hand over the activate key she said "NOW!" Hieden pressed the button and the Spirit of Silence jumped to Warp, disappearing in a tearing of light and arkness at once.
Ni-Fang laughed again as the Spirit of Silence disappeared into the warp, another day of steering, things seemed different when she drove the ship instead of Hieden. She cast a look to her TechPriest. "We will be at Kath Station inside the hour. Any idea of what they wanted?" She asked, but her question was not aimed at Pretas, it was aimed at everyone on the crew.
"Nae idea Cap'n." Hieden said, Linelle also shook her head. that left Cirir and the TechPriest, so she turned to them.
"Well?" She said calmly. Apparently only Hiden knew exactly what she was. How dangerous she was to anyone in the Imperium itself.
"It is posible we were tracked upon entry to Holy Terras syastem." Cirir said in his raspy voice, he was one of those mutant types onboard. Only his mutation was barely any voice, and four feet.
"Yes" Ni-Fang replied, "What I want to know is, why? What would the Inquisition want with my ship?" Answer that, she mused, and you're kind for a day.
"It is possible that they wanted not your ship but one upon it." Cirir replied, did he knew about Pretas? Most likley not.
She turned towards Pretas, the question hang in the air until he looked her way.
Pretas swallowed slightly before replying to her. "I cannot be certain. I was in the Imperial Guards before I left the service. It is possible the Inquisition might be hunting me for my desertion. I was an officer after all, not enlisted."
He sighed. "I got tired of seeing the things I saw in the various battles. Horrible things. Daemonic things. I grew tired of commanding men and women to die. I will not command more men and women to die at the hands of the foul xenos and daemons." He turned back to his station, sighing with relief as the rest of the crew bought it. Except for Ni-Fang. She was not entirely convinced of his explanation. Her sixth sense told her he was hiding something else.
The next day....
Pretas was asleep in his quarters, trying to make up for the deprivation of sleep last night, when his vox chirped loudly. He winced as Ni-Fang's voice echoed.
"Techpriest Pretas, report to the embarkation deck. We are docked with the station and I want you to oversee the scanning equipment on our new TechMedic. She will be arriving on board in 10 minutes. Snap to it!"
Pretas groaned as he hurriedly got dressed in his carapace armor and donned his green cloak. He holstered his plasma pistol and grabbed his force staff. He walked toward the embarkation deck quickly. Pretas was uneasy as he got closer to the embarkation deck, he didn't know why, but he was. He took a lift and it shot downward 10 decks, he arrived within 15 seconds and saw the figures in the distance waiting for him. He walked off the lift and went to the scanning station to scan the woman with Ni-Fang. After a few minutes, the scanners reported her clean of all weapons save a laspistol stored in her bag, which was standard for most crewmen to carry. He sighed with relief as he headed toward the pair 200 meters away. He noticed the pale, dark haired woman almost immediately and frowned. He glanced at her as Ni Fang spoke.
"This is our new TechMedic, Pretas. Her name is Hieronyma Galayxa. Hieronyma, this is TechPriest and Gunmaster Pretas."
The woman stared at them both blankly, not saying a word. She had dull, pale gray eyes and most of her black hair hung limply in her face. Taking a quick glance at her, many would think she was sickly. She looked up at Pretas briefly and gave him a short nod.
Pretas looked at her closer and was surprised. His eyes went wide. He could not sense her at all with his psyker powers. He paled as he looked at her. The woman was a null-psyker! She was more than likely a Sister of Battle assassin or operative! She cannot be permitted to be on the same ship as him or he could be killed or captured. He looked at Ni-Fang.
"Don't admit this woman as part of the crew!"
The woman flinched as he said that, staring at the ground. She fidgeted back and forth on her feet, staring at her hands. But still she didn't say a word, but the hurt in her eyes was evident. Ni-Fang looked at him coldly.
"She is part of the crew. Her experience as a Tech Medic has been verified and this ship needs her. Get used to her, Pretas. I run this ship, not you."
Pretas rubbed his head as a massive headache overcame him with the presence of the null-psyker. He stepped away from her quickly to avoid further pain. Ni-Fang paused a moment before continuing.
"If you don't like that, you can get off here."
Pretas flinched as his headache intensified.
"I understand.......excuse me."
He clutched his head and walked off really fast, his head was threatening to split open. Ni-Fang watched him go coldly.
"I will deal with him later. Your quarters are on deck 2. Report to the bridge, 800 hours."
Ni-Fang growled as she went after the fleeing TechPriest. She was going to give him a piece of her mind and demand an explanation. Now was not the time for any secrets or friction among the crew. Hieronyma nodded at Ni-Fang's retreating form. She picked up the small bag she had, and walked into the ship, looking around warily. She headed toward her quarters and collapsed in the bed, worn out from the journey to get there.
Ni-Fasng entered the Spirit of Silence after PRetas did rather quickly. "Pretas! Stop Right there!" She called after him, not seven meters into the docklobby of the ship, She turned the man arund. "Look at me!" Her eyes were of dark fury. "What happens on my ship is my problem, what is wrong with you man? You spoke of the inquisition ship, why would they be after my ship, what have you done before to desert your post?"
"It is too much to explain, but that woman can't be here!" Preta's replied
"This is my ship, i make crew choices. You are my TechPriest, and as such if you think that way I'll make sure you make a choice, you either stay on my crew, or I turn you in at Holy Terra to the Inqui! Maske your choice TechPriest. What are you running from?! Tell me!" Ni-Fang had a dark look, a.... tainted daemonic look in her eyes. Sure she was drop dead beautiful, but she was tainted directly by Dread Chaos itself. For all she cared she just opened her self up to her own techpriest.
So she calmed herself. "What would you rather have happen to yourself PRetas, caught by those that seek you for your fleeing battle, or will you put up Galayxa? Your choice."
Pretas shrank at her words before he closed his eyes in pain. "It doesn't matter anyway....I am dead even if I tell you the truth. If you only knew what I was, you would turn me in anyway, if that witch of a woman you let on board doesn't kill me first. The price on my head is in the millions. Whatever.....I am done running. I am tired of running for my life, of changing disguises and appearances. I am simply too tired and worn out to keep dodging assassins and the Inquisition. If I die, I die with my head held high, not cowering in some corner. Very well, "captain". You want to know the truth? Do you honestly want to know what I am running from? I run from Ordos Hereticus for a very good reason."
He paused before continuing. "I run not because I was a coward. I was never that. I never ran from battle. I saved my own men from the daemons on Gorash V! I stood between them and the daemons that wanted to consume their flesh and their souls! And for it, I was held at gunpoint by my own men and informed that I was going to be purged by the Inquisition! All because I am a psyker! Thankfully I broke free from them before the Sisters of Battle came for me and I have been running the past year from them and their hunter squads. You think they would allow an Alpha plus psyker to live? I could wipe an entire planet clean of all life by accident, destroy an entire host of greater daemons, and snap a Titan as easily as it were a toothpick! They are going to kill me on sight, they will not capture me unless I am taken either asleep or wounded severely, and only to be interrogated and tortured until I am enslaved to them!"
He leaned against his staff that he carried. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "I want to live. But I know that my life is over. I am dead no matter what now. Either you turn me in after I refuse to be part of your crew, or you turn me in anyway regardless. The reward as I said is in the millions. I will not run anymore. I am tired of running, tired of being afraid to walk in the street or into a place for fear it will be my last moment. Tired of fleeing from world to world with no home and no hope of ever losing anyone after me. No family, no friends, no wife or children, no safe haven for me. There is only a nightmarish maze in which one wrong turn ends with me dead. The maze is run out now. The wolf has caught its prey."
He pointed toward her holstered laspistol. "Grant me one last favor. Kill me before you turn my body in, your reward will be the same. It will be the merciful thing to do for me, since if I am taken alive, I will be tortured and killed anyway. This way, its quicker."
Ni-Fangs eyes widened as her TechPriest told her his story. So the Inqui were not after her? finally she spoke. "That is the truth then?" At his nod she started to laugh. he started at her. Was she mad? She looked at him. "No, reward or not you are on my crew, I would have to seek a new techpriest, I do not plan on doing that, you are under my command, speak to noone about what you have told me, purge it from your mond. And never forget who is charge of this ship, Never!" her eyes weredark again.
"If I am to explain myself to you when taking on another crewman, I will kill you myself where you stand! Soon as the ore is onloaded to the Spirit of Silence, we make for Holy Terra to sell our wares, When that happens I want you to be at the bridge at all times, if the Inqui are after you, I want them to know they are not to mess with my ship. Understand?" At his nod she smiled.
But he was confused, "You plan on turnein g me in?"
"No, I have a better plan, you are part of my crew and as such you will remain so, consider my ship as your home, all you have to do in this bargin is provide your skills as a techpriest, maybe as a Psyker, but only if I say so for the latter. until that time I want you to act as normal TechPriest, i'll speak with Galayxa. When we return to Holy Terra to sell the ore, I want you to jam all vox transmissions from any inqui ship. Got that?" at his nod she smiled again ,her eyes chagining back to their normal light brown, clearly she was something else. But then again would he confront her about herself? Did Hieden tell the others?
Pretas nodded numbly. "Understood, but your new crewman is a null-psyker. It pains me mentally and physically to be around her. And she is a strong one, it is likely she is a Sister of Battle operative or assassin sent after me. Why else would there just happen to be a null psyker that just happens to be a TechMedic that you need? You will not turn me in, but she still might come after me and kill me."
He sighed "I will double the security measures on my quarters and make sure my Rosarius is working at all times. The force field will save my life if she tries to kill me. I will go to my quarters first and collect what I need to ensure my safety. Ok?"
Ni-Fang nodded, "granted, do what you must, then get to your station before we leave Kath system. i'll talk with Galayxa and find out her true intentions, until I speak with you again on this matter, you will have to learn to deal with her being on this ship." he nodded and elft. She watched him go. So she had a crewman with a past similar to her own. At least he does not have a daemon within himself. she thought. Yet he is hunted by the Inquisition.
She turned and headed for the bridge, she knew her uncle would be there. When she arrived Hieden was waiting. "All is well lass, one thing is for certain, the way our techpriest left ya in ah hurry something must be happenin' Ah take it?"
"Yes, something of personal matters, none of your concern Hieden. are we stocked and loaded?"
"Aye" Hieden replied.
"We leave in four hours for Holy Terra to sell the ore to several spaces there."
"Aye cap'n ah, Captain, we have a ship on sights. Inquisition class warship to be exact. They're hailing us."
"Put it on speaker." Ni-Fang said, once Hieden had done so the voice that came on the speakers was gruff.
"This is the Inquisition ship Peacemaker, we are tracking your vessel for a known alpha plus Psyker on the run, he is wanted for termination by order for the God Emperor. PRepare for boarding of your vessel at once."
Ni-Fang smiled. then ketyed the vox. "This is Ni-Fang captin of the Spirit of Silence leased by MerTelCom, invasion of a merchant vessel would be seen as treachary on your hands Inquisitor would it not?"
"I care not who you are woman I want that Psyker! PRepare for boarding party to come aboard and take him" The vox died. Ni-Fang started laughing. Then keyed pretas channel.
"TechPriest, don't worry of those coming on board looking for you. I'll handle them, all I ask is that you seal yourself in your chambers. and not to worry." Ni-Fang then waited for the Inqui ship to dock with her own vessel. They want a battle, so they will get it. She thought darkly as she stalked towards thedocking ring area. Emerald chainsword in one hand.
A minute passed and the door slid open. Seven men dressed in heavy powered armor entered the area, their weapons ready. "Heya fellas." Ni-Fang said calmly.
"is it her?" One asked.
"Yes, the alpha plus psyker" The other said, getting the details of who was what ttoalyl wrong
"orders?" Said another
"Total termination" said the one in cvharge
"She is still...." Said a nother
"only human" The seventh said swining his chainsword, only to have it kicked away, and sent flying backwards in a heap.
Ni-Fang looked from the man to the others. "Hmm. advanced training." She said ,then they all ran forwards, she ducked a swing, and tore out a mans heart, flipping upwards she grabbed a fallen chainsword, activating both she shortly became a whirlwinsd of motion. Three men dead, their powered armor in shards, broken.
The rest backed up, one fo them hissed out a word, Loud enough to be heard by all ibn the room. "She's a daemon!!" He was mostly right, Ni-Fang had changed, slightly. Spinning with unnatural speed she caught another soldier in the jaw, sending him flying back int his own ship, she looked to the others, the three men left. As if daring them. "You invaded my ship, and I wanred you of who I was, yet your commander did not listen. Know this, if you survive your encounter with one tainted by the warp, good luck on surviving trhe God Emperor himself."
"HERETIC!" the lead soldier shouted running forwards, his huge cvhainsword in constant motion, Ni-Fang ducked and flipped backwards, drawing her twin blades, both of them another mans weapons. to defend herself.
Ten minutes later it was over. The other ship was now a dead ship no doubt, self destructed no doubt as Ni-Fang had fought her way into the core of the vessel and activated said codec before returnnig to her own, no ship that knew of what she was survived her wrath. Ever. The God Emperor himself knew what she was, and allowed her to do as she pleased. Because of the total control of her inner daemon no doubt. But the men were stupid. Sealing the ring for docking she told Hieden via vox. "Disengage us, and meet me at my chambers." Two heartbeats later she hit the deckplates, surrounded by a dozen dead men, and a bad cut in the base of her spine.
Ni-Fang barely moved as she lay on the deck, Hieden waited a moment, then screamed quickly. "TECHMEDIC!"
Hieronyma was there within a minute. "What happened?" she said, the first time anyone had heard her voice. It was barely above a whisper. She knelt down next to Ni-Fang, checking her over.
Hieden ran around the corner a moment later. "She is hurt badly. Looks like one of them nicked her with a blade."
Hieronyma rolled her over gently, checking the wound on her back. "It is deep," she said quietly. She took out the small med kit she had with her, and then looked up at Hieden. "I need someone to help me move her."
Hieden nodded. "I will carry her. To the medical bay?"
Hieronyma nodded and motioned for Hieden to follow her. She gathered her kit and stood up, walking briskly to the medical bay. "Hurry." She was so quiet, Hieden had barely heard her.
Hieden carried Ni-Fang quickly, knowing every second counted in saving her life.
Hieronyma ran into the medical bay, and started gathering supplies. She motioned for Hieden to set Ni-Fang on one of the beds closest to her.
Hieden did as he was told. The off-duty crew arrived in the medical bay a few moments later, having heard the news. Pretas was one of the last to arrive, still afraid of Hieronyma.
Hieronyma didn't look up, she was too busy trying to stop the bleeding from Ni-Fang's wound. "I need someone to help me with her," she said. Everyone strained to hear her.
Hieden volunteered as he strode forward. "What do you need me to do?"
Hieronyma stepped back, one hand pressed to the wound on Ni-Fang's back. "Apply pressure to the wound," she intstructed.
Hieden put both his hands on Ni-Fang's back, putting pressure on it.
Hieronyma moved aside quickly, gathering a few things, before running back over. She motioned for Hieden to move aside, and then quickly applied a salve to the wound, and then quickly began to bandage it, motioning for Hieden to move back and help her.
Hieden moved back. "What should I do now?"
"Help me bandage the wound," the medic instructed. She pressed a bandage to the wound, motioning for Hieden to help her secure it in place. She took some more bandaging and secured the bandage in place. After the bandage was secured, she got a needle and injected Ni-Fang with a sedative.
"She will be fine," Hieronyma said quietly. "She should sleep for a few hours."
Hieden nodded. "I will take her command place on the bridge until she is recovered. How long till she can move around?"
"A day or so, if she rests." Hieronyma covered Ni-Fang with a blanket, then turned towards the other crew members. "I will stay here and watch over her."
Hieden nodded. "Very well then. Alright people, back to your posts if you were on duty. Off-duty people go back to your quarters."
Pretas looked at Hieronyma, studying her carefully. He was trying to see if she was a Sister of Battle operative or not. He turned to leave.
Hieronyma sat down at a desk across the room. She glanced curiously at Pretas. He didn't like her. Most of the other crew was fine with her, but he had a problem with her. She wasn't really that surprised. Most people didn't like her, even those she passed on the streets.
Pretas walked out of the room. He was not sure what to make of her, but he was still convinced she was a Sister of Battle.
Hieronyma stayed where she was, and watched Ni-Fang for most of the night.
Several hours later...
Heironyma yawned and went back to her quarters, instructing one of the medical Servitors to watch over Ni-Fang while she slept. Several minutes later, a shimmering was seen as Pretas disengaged his cloaking device. He had rigged it up during the night and was pleased to find it was effective against the visible eye, though he was still detectable by thermal optics. He shrugged at the time, figuring he could always rig something else up to fool them as well. He took out a teleport flare and threw it at one of the stasis tubes, it glowed brightly for a second before it disappeared. Pretas also gathered equipment he needed quickly and placed a second teleport flare on the pile of equipment. It also shimmered away as well. Satisfied, he walked over to the unconscious Ni-Fang and placed a hand on hers. He spoke hesitantly.
"I am glad and thankful for your sacrifice on my behalf. Not many would have done the same. I thank you."
Pretas nodded slightly and walked away. He was heading toward Cargo Bay 13, an unused cargo bay that was in the bowels of the ship. Nevertheless, he would have to work quickly if all of the equipment he stole was to be put toward good use. He entered the cargo bay and spotted the equipment in the corner of the cargo bay. He smiled as he started assembling the portable genetics lab and setting up the stasis tube to the power generation system present in the cargo bay itself. 10 years of being an officer in an Enginseer detachment of the Imperial Guards paid off with his vast knowledge of technology. He learned far more quickly than his peers in the Guard, and it helped him to survive as long as he had from Imperial Justice. He smiled as he started splicing DNA and enhancing the genetic material he had taken from the others to create a random clone. The small fetus was placed in the stasis tube. It would mature in a few days, utterly programmed to be loyal to Pretas and doubling as a formidable soldier. Pretas was not going to take any chances with the Sister of Battle. If she tried to harm him, she would find a surprise. For Pretas was remaking one of the oldest of the old Imperial Army regiments, possibly one of the most formidable soldiers and assassins in the Unification Wars of Terra and the subsequent Great Crusade. Pretas was a student of history and knew the Lucifer Blacks were some of the best non-marine soldiers ever to have lived. They also made for great bodyguards. Starting tonight, the Lucifer Blacks would be reborn.
A few hours later, Hieronyma walked back in to check on Ni-Fang. She turned her on her back, checking the wound. It was healing quite nicely, but she applied more salve to it just to make sure, and changed the bandages. When she was finished, she turned Ni-Fang back over and made sure the other woman was comfortable, and turned to walk out.
Right as she turned around, Hieronyma stopped, something odd catching her eye.
Some of the equipment was missing. One of the stasis tubes, a genetic kit, and a few other assorted supplies were gone. Hieronyma frowned in confusion. Surely none of the crew members would steal from the ship...unless they had ill intentions. She didn't really know everyone on the ship to be a good judge of character of them yet, though.
"Hieden to the medical bay," Hieronyma said softly into the vox.
Hieden arrived a few minutes later. His eyes immediately went to Ni-Fang, checking for any signs of distress in her. "Aye, is there something you need?"
Hieronyma simply pointed to the empty spot where the stasis tube was. And it was also apparent to anyone that there were other supplies missing. She wasn't much for words.
"I don't see-" Hieden stopped, finally noticing the missing supplies. "Aye, I see what you mean. Do ya think a member of the crew stole them?"
Hieronyma merely shrugged.
She woke up, slowly. First came the pain. Searing pain at the base of her back, then nothing. opening her eyes slowly she noticed first two things, ther first was she was not in her cabin, and she was under a sheet. And not exactly dressed. Great. Just great. She thought darkly. Then she rolled over and threw up. Gah! what was I given?
She made to sit up. Noticing first and formost her dark bacl top was removed and laying (thankfully) within reach, but that wasn't the half of it, Hieden and Galayxa were also there, only steps away, looknig directluy at her. "Well?" She asked, holding the sheet in a modest manner.
"Ye' awake lass." Hieden replied. "'Tis a good thing, ye had me worried."
"I am not dead yet, it will take more then a chainsword to kill me and the daemon within." She winced as she moved to stand up. Now thankful that Galayxa was helpful enough to leave the dark offwhite undress still on her. That helped, somewhat. The pain lasted but a moment before it passed, she lurched to her feet. Somewhat unsteady. "How long was I asleep? What happened?"
"Ye was injured from something, I'm thinkin' a chainswrod or the like, a pistola would have done more damage, ye shouldn't be walking this soon, you need rest." Hieden said.
Ni-Fang gave him a dark look, her light brown eyes going totally black for but a moment before she spoke. "I am fine Hieden. tell me truthfully, what system are we in?"
"We are still in the kath system, I thought it best we remain here until you woke, Linelle is up on the bridge awaiting your orders to get us going." Hiden replied.
"And Pretas?" Ni-Fang asked, she thought she had heard him in her sleep. he had said thank you to her. But why did he do such a thing?
"In his chambers I think." came the answer.
"Anything else I am to know?" Ni-Fang asked replacing her dark black top. She looked to Hieden
"Aye, one other, someone has made off with a stasis tube" Hieden replied.
"Until I speak to the crewmen myself, keep this between us only. head us out of the system at halfspeed, I need to think." Ni-Fang said. Hieden nodded.
When Ni-Fang had mentioned daemons, a brief look for fear and absolute horror had flashed across Hieronyma's face, but she quickly hid it, knowing they would question her if they saw. The shy woman walked over to Ni-Fang, and gently pushed her back until she was sitting on the bed again. "You shouldn't be moving yet," she said in her shy little voice. "You need rest."
Ni-Fang glared at her. "I'm fine, I need to watch over my crew and my ship, and solve this problem."
The timid medic met her glare with a fierceness that Ni-Fang had not expected. "You just has a severe back injury, you could be up on your feet in a few hours if you just rested." Ni-Fang was stubborn, she had to give her that. But for such a shy woman, Hieronyma could be stubborn as well.
Ni-Fang smiled thinly. "I said it before, it will take more then a chainsword to take me down, i have had worse as a child, and even though I look weak. I am far from such." She said calmly. "if you not believe my word, ask my first mate, no doubt he will tell you of the nail bomb I was playing with fourteen years ago" She was smiling at that memory.
But Hieden stared, how could she remember such a memory? He bareluy remembered it himself! Then he refelcted on it slightly. Ni-Fang was only four at the time, a child. She was always getting into trouble on every ship she took a trip on or was able to get near enough to explore. The nail bomb was something a young man from Holy Terra had dreamed up. A bomb to scare rather then outright destroy. Sending nails, brand new and used, and rusted as well. In every direction when set off.
She had found the tiny bomb and was trying to figure out how the thing worked, when it went off, sending nails in all directions in that cabin, even into her, two nails right into her heart and out the other side, which healed remarkably faster then expected. Her parents thought her dead when she didn't react to anything for two days after the incident.
But back to the present, when Galayxa looked his way Hieden nodded. "Aye, 'twas a nail bomb of ready manufacture, for use on planets or in urban warfare. She was four at the time, did not wake up for two days, scared her Da somethin fierce from what I recall, two nails right through the heart."
And there she was, still standing. Still breathing. Still alive. "Get us moving Hieden. I want to put many miles between kath Station and us before more Inqui ships arrive, if any more come, Kath has standing orders to keep them away. The inquisition are seeking an alpha plus pskyer, if we are boarded, we don;t have one aboard, just a normal Techpriest. Understood." At their nods she smiled. "I am in need of a drink."
