21
The trading hub was full of activity. All around deals were being cut to exchange archeotech found around the Blackstone for whatever currency the archeotech holder desired. Syra was watching a particular Piscean argue with one of the traders. The muscular shark man seemed more agitated than most as he argued.
The Piscean eventually came away from the seller looking at his haul of Proctor Credits disapprovingly. From what Syra had heard the Piscean was a skilled sniper. He still wasn't sure of the Piscean's name however. His sources kept insisting the Piscean went by Bob. Despite how ridiculous this seemed every source corroborated it. Syra still refused that the shark man creature actually called himself Bob.
Syra nodded at Twocaste signalling that he wanted to approach the Piscean. Syra and Twocaste caught up to the Piscean still pondering the money. Syra interrupted the shark man's worrying over his currency.
Syra asked "I need a sniper for a team I am putting together. I hear you are a skilled shot." The Piscean stared at Syra for a moment. Finally the Piscean "I would be willing to join your team, but I want to talk to the Tau woman alone first." The Piscean spoke with an accent but Syra had trouble understanding him. Twocaste shrugged and allowed the Piscean to lead her to an area behind the trading tents where they had some privacy.
When they were alone Twocaste asked the Piscean "What did you want?" The Piscean hesitated for a moment and at last spoke "There's a group of humans who have a…." The Piscean hesitated, it was clear he didn't mean to but the hesitation was still there "friend of mine hostage. They are threatening to sell her to some Drukhari."
Twocaste caught the pause, gently she finally asked "This person is more than a friend isn't she?" The Piscean's shoulders slumped in gesture Twocaste assumed was the equivalent of a sigh. "This person is also male" the Piscean said. "From what I understand relations like ours are commonly looked down upon among humans. Please keep our relationship from your human companion."
Twocaste smiled at the Piscean "Syra has been going through some personal changes. I think he's more willing to listen to you than you think." The Piscean stared at her after a brief hesitation he spoke, "We shall see. I'll show you the ship where she is being held."
Twocaste and the Piscean returned to Syra. "He's willing to work with us we just need to rescue his lover. His lover is also male I trust that's not a problem." Piscean's natural features lent them to wear a permanent smile. Still something in the Piscean's stare told Twocaste he was annoyed. Syra shrugged "I don't care who he loves as long as he is willing to fight for me."
The Piscean seemed stunned by Syra's statement. After a pause Syra broke the silence "I am sorry in all my looking into you the only name I could find for you was Bob. What name do you really go by?" "Bob is fine, I've worked for humans a lot. I use a human name" the Piscean responded.
Syra seemed startled by this response "Very well." Syra paused "Forgive me it's just that Bob is an unusual name even amongst humans." Bob shrugged "I like Bob, it's a good name." Syra gave Bob a searching look. The Alien's natural features tended towards a permanent toothy grin. Still the grin he wore now seemed particularly amused by this exchange.
Bob nodded "All right, if you're ready I can show you where my love is being held." Bob studied Twocaste for a while "Before we go, I want to try talking to some of my people first."
Bob led them to a rusting Imperial ship. Bob approached the group. The some of the other Pisceans seemed unhappy to see Bob. One in the unhappy group shouted at Bob in Piscean language while gesturing him to go away. Bob responded in Gothic "You've heard of the Tau woman, Twocaste? I know some of you were interested in joining her crew. She wants to help me rescue Fred. If you help me, I think she might be willing to give you a good contract."
Bob gave Twocaste a look that was simultaneously pleading and apologetic. Twocaste accepted the gesture, stepping forward she addressed the group. "For every platoon of thirty who joins this mission three percent of the profits of my team's operations will be divided between you."
There were murmurs of discussion among the Pisceans. Before any could make a decision one of their number wearing an Imperial navy uniform over his water tanks stepped forward.
"Fred isn't worth even that." The uniformed Piscean seemed to be their leader. Bob exploded angrily "Jim everyone in the crew talks about how things were better under Fred behind your back!" Jim turned back to his crew "You want to be lead by someone like Fred?"
Many of the Pisceans nodded agreement a few didn't. The air was thick with unease. Jim seemed unstable, the body language of the Pisceans told Twocaste his leadership had not gone well. "Three percent divided between thirty, and you wont have to work for this lunatic" Twocaste said.
After a pause, a large group of the Pisceans moved to stand next to Twocaste. Jim raged at them "You're going to risk your necks for that" he paused his rage building. He gestured in a direction Twocaste assumed was towards the slavers ship "Thing!" One of the Pisceans meekly replied "We didn't want to be led by one like Fred. But we didn't agree to you selling Fred to those slavers. Besides Bob is right, things were better under Fred."
Twocaste made a wide grin and waved at Jim. She then turned and left with her new squad. Jim cursed at his leaving soldiers in Piscean. Jim seemed to grow more and more unhinged the farther they got away.
Bob lead them down the causeway to a smaller mooring spar some difference away. As they made their way Syra and Twocaste became aware of a group of Tarellians following them. The dog humanoid Tarellians were known for their hatred of humans. Twocaste was worried that as Syra was the only human in their group, the Tarellians wrongly assumed it was a good chance to jump Syra.
Twocaste eyed the leader of the Tarellian group, he was tall for a member of their species. The Tarellian leader stood over two meters tall. He had a scar tracing from between his eyes to the bottom of his snout.
Twocaste tried to lose the Tarellians by diving into the crowd. After a dodging through the crowd for a few minutes they checked if they had lost their tail. With no sign of the Tarellians they continued to follow Bob towards the slavers.
Bob lead them to a rusting Imperial cruiser. Seeing a few Drukhari out front Bob seemed to get agitated. Bob spoke quietly "If the Drukhari are here we don't have much time."
Twocaste nodded "Syra, I think you and Bob should go check out the ship. When you're ready, give me a signal and I'll come in with the rest of the group."
Bob readied his long las. Syra and Bob left the group, Bob lead Syra to a rear entrance to the ship. There were only two human guards guarding the rear entrance. Syra whispered to Bob "I'm going to approach them. When you see I'm in position, take out the guard farthest our position. I'll take out the other."
Syra crept as close as he could without the guards noticing. When Syra was in position he signalled Bob. Bob raised his pulse rifle to his shoulder. He breathed for a moment and took off the guard's head. Before the other guard could raise the alarm Syra burst from cover. The guard tried to turn his weapon on Syra. Syra was too fast, Syra closed the gap and hacked the guard down.
The two of them then slipped inside the cargo hold of the ship. They hid behind some crates as they observed the hold. The layout of the hold presented the slavers a problem. Owning slaves was a complicated situation. When slaves outnumber their masters it is always a powder keg.
The hold was packed with slaves mostly human, but with a small group of the rat like Norven race. The slaves heavily outnumbered their masters. Bob scanned the slaves who were chained in groups to the floor. Fred, or any other Piscean for that matter, weren't among them. Syra tapped Bob on the shoulder when he noticed a moderately sized cage being loaded onto a dolly. In the corner of the cage was a Piscean.
Syra brought up a Tau comm device "Twocaste I think I have a way to make this work. When you start hearing commotion from the hold move in." Syra turned to Bob "I'm going to release some of the Slaves. When I do make your move on the cage" Bob nodded.
Syra rushed out relying more on speed then stealth. He found his power swords cut the chains holding the slaves easily. The alarm was raised and two of the human guards rushed to stop Syra. Syra ducked autogun fire without braking his stride. He slashed one guard then back-spun around the dying guard. The spun led into another slash that decapitated the second guard.
Syra continued to free slaves as he ran. There was brief pause and then the hold descended into chaos. The slavers hold over their chattel broke.
As the slaves were freed many of the slavers found themselves surrounded. Gangs of slaves pulled down their former keepers using their broken chains as weapons. Taking weapons off the slavers they overpowered, the slaves armed themselves. There were now slaves running in all directions many of them armed. For a brief moment the slavers tried to retake control of the situation. When they found themselves overrun they ran as well.
Bob got up on a crate to get a better vantage point over the guards who were still trying to push the cage his love was inside. Bob shot one of the guards still trying to push the cage out of the hold. The other guard searched around dumbly looking for where the fire was coming from. The guard managed to look in Bob's direction, only moments before Bob blasted his head off.
Twocaste and the other Pisceans blasted their way in adding to the chaos. Before Bob could reach the cage some Drukhari came into the hold near the cage. The Drukhari took a moment to take in the scene before grabbing the cage and trying to push it outside as fast as they could.
Bob somehow managed to get Syra attention across the hanger by gesturing wildly. After getting Syra's attention Bob pointed towards the cage. Getting the hint Syra stopped freeing slaves and rushed towards the cage with Bob following.
The Drukhari managed to get the cage out of the hold just before Bob and Syra reached them. Bob and Syra rushed through the door behind them. They came upon a large area covered in walkways and machinery.
There were also a squad of Kabalite warriors. Bob and Syra ducked behind some machinery just before the Drukhari opened fire at them. While some of the Drukhari kept Bob and Syra pinned down some others pushed the cage off the railing. The cage crashed down on a lower railing. Those who had pushed the cage jumped down after the cage.
Bob and Syra were looking for a way past when a female Norven appeared on a walkway above the Drukhari. Syra wondered who's side the Norven was on. The question was answered when the Norven climbed down the side of one of the devices and plunged a knife into one of the Kabalite Warrior's neck. Another male Norven picked off another Drukhari from a higher vantage point.
Bob began adding his fire to the Norven's. He had seen ample proof of Syra's impressive physical abilities. Yet the human managed to surprise him again. He burst from cover and jumped up against the side panel of the machinery they had been covering behind. He managed to run on the wall of the machinery for a short distance.
Syra leapt from the machinery twisting through the air. He slashed at one of the Drukhari. The Drukhari dodged, Syra transferred the motion of the slash into a sweep kick. The Drukhari leapt out of the way of this as well.
The female Norven dove into combat with the Drukhari. Dodging and parrying Drukhari blades the Norven and Syra fought back to back. "Human do you want to die die?" the female Norven spat at Syra. Norvens had a tendency to repeat certain words when they spoke. It was a disconcerting tendency.
Norvens were notoriously selfish, the Norvens were certainly not helping him out of the goodness of their hearts. Still Syra had no time to worry about the Norven's interest in him. He found himself pinned with Kabalite warriors on either side of him. Syra ducked a blade slash behind him. As he ducked he slashed the belly of the Drukhari in front of him. As the Drukhari collapsed he leapt, spun, and hooked his heel into the temple of the warrior behind him.
He looked up to see the Drukhari warriors parting to make way for their Archon. The Archon was preternaturally beautiful as Aeldari women often were. Cruel black eyes took in Syra for a moment before she charged him.
It was only because due to his exceptional training that he could go toe to toe with the Kabalite warriors. Against an Archon Syra was outclassed. She was faster and more skilled than he was. He dodged and parried as best he could. The Archon kept Syra on his back-foot, always retreating.
The Norven female was also barely holding on. Norvens were not known as exceptional warriors. Norvens usually relied on numbers to overwhelm their enemies. Yet these two Norvens seemed especially skilled for members of their race.
Against Drukhari however and with Bob helping the two Norvens were unable to contain the Drukhari. Above them Syra noticed Twocaste and the other Pisceans enter the area from a higher vantage point. She seemed to be struggling to get a clear shot at the Archon.
Twocaste surveyed the situation unsure what to do. She began rushing around the walkways looking for a way down to Syra and the others. As she was doing this the big scarred Tarellian entered from behind the Drukhari. She still wasn't sure what he wanted, the Tarellian nodded up at her.
Twocaste decided to believe the Tarellian was here to help so she let him. The Tarellian was carrying a storm shield and a power maul. His power maul looked like scrap metal with a power field.
The Tarellian raised his shield and began running towards the Drukhari. He charged through the group of Drukhari sending some of them flying. The male Norven took the opportunity to shoot at some of the stunned Drukhari. The male Norven managed to put a round through the eye of one of the Drukhari. Another Drukhari, who had been knocked over, had his throat opened by the female Norven.
The Tarellian continued to run forward towards the Archon. The Archon was having so much fun toying with Syra that she didn't notice the massive Tarellian behind her. The Tarellian smashed into the Archon, pinning her against the railing. She tried to turn around to deal with the Tarellian but was distracted as she noticed Bob pointing his pulse rifle at her.
Bob took the barest of moments to enjoy the look of panic in the cruel Drukhari's eyes before squeezing the trigger. As the Archon's headless body fell Bob took the opportunity to charge at the railing that over looked the cage.
Bob pulled out a pulse pistol, with his pulse rifle wielded one handed, and his pulse pistol in the other he leapt over the railing. As he fell towards the cage he made a battle cry, to Syra it sounded like "Eim ah serk suge mah diiiich!" Bob fired both weapons simultaneously taking out two Drukhari.
Syra ran after Bob, a Drukhari broke from fighting the Norven to try to stop Syra. Syra leapt into the air avoiding fire from the Drukhari's splinter rifle. Syra landed right in front of the Drukhari he spun and ducked a power knife slash from the Drukhari. As Syra spun and ducked, he brought his leg up. Syra kicked the Drukhari in the neck with his heel. There was a sickening crunch from the Drukhari's neck.
One of the Drukhari was distracted by the death of his compatriot. The Norven female leapt on the distracted Kabalite warrior's back and plunged her knife into his neck. A Drukhari behind her tried to plunge his blade into her back. Before the Drukhari could stab her, the Norven caught his foot with her tail. She pulled the Drukhari off his feet and opened his throat with her knife.
The Norven female joined Syra in rushing towards the railing. Both the Norven and Syra leapt over the rail at the two remaining Drukhari fighting over the cage with Bob. The Norven landed on one Drukhari's chest burying her knife in his throat. Syra landed and slashed at the Drukhari down with the cage. The Drukhari dodged but broke from where she was covering behind the cage. The Drukhari had no time to react before Bob took her head off.
The last of the Drukhari appeared on the railing above the cage, about to fire on Bob, Syra, and the Norven. The Drukhari seemed to have forgotten about the other Norven. There was a crack as the male Norven shot the Drukhari through the neck.
There was a brief moment were they checked if there were any more enemies. The Tarellian stayed on the upper railing seemingly waiting for Twocaste to come down and meet him. The male Norven made his way down and waited with the Tarellian.
Bob opened the cage, it seemed the majority of the cages occupants were human. The human occupants didn't wait to see what Syra and his group wanted, they all began fleeing as soon as the door was open. Somehow the fall seemed to not have too seriously injured the cages occupants. Only a few seemed to limp, and most were able to run.
With all the humans gone only Fred remained. Bob helped his lover out of the cage. Syra asked Bob "Is he all right." "Looks like he's fine" Bob responded still helping Fred out.
Syra turned to the female Norven "I doubt you did this out of the kindness of your heart, what do you want." "We want join join Twocaste" the Norven responded. Syra took off his mask and arched an eyebrow "Why?" The Norven seemed uncomfortable with the simple question "We need off off Precipice. We fight for you that all you need to know know." Feeling this was the only answer he would get, he dropped the subject. "Is it just you two, or are the other Norvens in the hold joining as well?" Syra asked. The Norven nodded vigorously at him "We all want join join."
Syra turned back to Bob and Fred. "That battle cry, is it Piscean, what does it mean?" Syra asked. Bob only answered his questions by staring at Syra in silence. The Pisceans natural features caused him to wear a toothy grin at a resting state. Still there seemed be something about the Piscean's reaction that made Syra think his questions amused Bob.
Syra and the others on the lower railing found a ladder up to the railing they had entered on. They returned to the others as Twocaste and the rest of the Pisceans also joined the group.
As Twocaste arrived the Tarellian kneeled in front of her. "I am Dochan of clan Fellia we are pledged to your service" the big Tarellian said in Tau. Twocaste jerked her head towards Syra "I welcome the help, but you do need to know, I have humans in my force." The Tarellian gave Syra a cold glare before responding to Twocaste. "Despite my displeasure with your choice of companions we are honour bound to your service. My clan owe their lives to you due to your actions on Adrand's Citadel. We heard you were looking for soldiers for a small mercenary band. We wish to join your band as payment for your actions."
They made their way back to the hold to see if the Norvens were still there. Dochan said he believed the rest of his clan were probably in the hold as well. Dochan had left his team trying to out flank the Drukhari.
As they walked Syra asked the Norvens "You didn't give me your names." The male spoke first "I am Ieklaw Itch and and this is my sister Syeklaw."
When they re-entered the hold they found the Tarellians and Norvens eyeing each other suspiciously. One of the Norvens ran up to Ieklaw "Did you ask ask." Ieklaw answered "The Tau Tau will bring us with her if we fight fight."
When they came to the Tarellians Dochan rejoined his group. The Tarellians kneeled before Twocaste. Dochan repeated his oath to Twocaste "Clan Fellia swears itself to your service, Twocaste of sept Fu."
From there Twocaste and her new soldiers made there way back to her ship the "Indefatigable." Danger, and productivity had seemed to always be the two main forces in Twocaste's life. Still she had managed to acquire three new platoons in one day. Counting the "Indefatigable's" crew that brought her force to over five hundred.