W40k: Rosette's path [exalted]

[Phoenixcz]

Continued from viewtopic.php?f=25&t=8150&p=659646#p658356
Character: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8079#p634600

Reynard himself doesn't react to her words, but stands up and offers you a hand to help you stand before you rise to confront the nosey sister (Nika, you believe, when you can see her clearly, but it's hard to say, as always). She grins, obviously pleased by your reaction, but when you get up, her expression shows a hint of panic as she backs away from you. "Ah... I have urgent message for brother Reynard. I had no idea you two were... busy." Her smile returns for a moment before Reynard steps up to her. "Show me, then." Gauntlets of his power armor prevents him from operating the dataslate sized for normal humans himself, and the sister promptly obliges, though she does grimaces at you few times when she's safe from your wrath with Reynard standing between you two and focusing on the dataslate to pay any attention to her. Or at least when she thinks so, it's hard to say what does he look at with his helmet on. Next few minutes are quiet, interrupted only by Reynard's occassional "Next" as he instructs the sister to show him another part of whatever is on the dataslate. Then, finally, he turns to you and speak. "Well, novice Rosette, it seems there are traitors and heretics aboard this ship."

[exalted]

Rosette shook with rage as the nosy little cretin of a dialogus weaselled her way out of rightful retributions, intricately miming the punishment she would inflict upon the Novice when she thought Reynard wasn't looking, and playing innocent when he did.

"H-Heretics? H-here?" she gasped as he made his announcement, wringing her hands nervously as she searched for the answer she knew the Brother was looking for from her.

Was this all really happening? Now? So quickly? She was still just a novice, she'd never...

"Faith and Fire, Brother," she offered, nervously, "I-its is our duty to give them Faith and Fire."

[Phoenixcz]

Reynard nods, his armor making a quiet mechanical noise as his helmet moves. "Your zeal does you credit, but it won't be necessary. Remember the other planned thing I've mentioned before we started our session? Father Grigori and the captain planned a training excercise for us and some of the ship's armsmen. The armsmen will represent the hostile force, traitors and heretics. Our mission is to escort a VIP, sister...?" He turns toward the scribe, who confirms your suspicion she's indeed Nika. "Sister Nika through the approved route to the shuttle in one of the bow hangars. The enemy's mission is to stop us and shoot her before we do so." Nika looks surprised, apparently nobody mentioned this part to her, and she pales when Reynard mentions shooting her and stutters: "Wait, what? Shoot me? They can't..."

Reynard ignores her protests and continues: "We'll have limited time to do so, and the route the Captain has approved is limiting, giving the advantage to the opposing force. They'll also be more numerous. You will be in command for the duration of the excercise, I'm not a part of the Ecclesiarchal structure and I've heard a rumor that your performance will be closely watched and may play a role in you being raised to a full sister status. But don't tell anyone who you've heard this from." Nika still looks worried, but perks up when she hears the last part. It seems like she hasn't heard this rumor yet.

"Do you think you're ready?"

[exalted]

Rosette quickly stopped miming smothering Nika with a pillow as Reynard looked up.

"So we're meant to stop Sister Nika being shot," she smiled serenely at Nika, her head cocked to the side.

Her own face grew pale at Reynard's next words. In charge? She was in charge? And a test? No no no no no no no no, this wasn't happening, her heart pounded in her chest.

"Y-yes, Brother Reynard," she lied, "I am ready"

[Phoenixcz]

While Nika still seems to be distracted by the idea of being shot at soon, Reynard seems to notice your hesitation and tries to reassure you. "Don't worry, it's a simple excercise, and I'll give you tactical advice, should you ask. Your combat skills and situation awareness will be more important than leadership this time, and I'm sure you're good in both. I'm well aware your training focused more on purging the heretics than on a bodyguard duty. You'll have to identify threats and deal with them while I'll stand between you two and incoming fire." With that, Reynard moves towards the stored equipment, leaving you alone with worried-looking Nika.

"You know that was just a joke, right? You'll still do your best to protect me, won't you? I mean, you'll fail if you don't...." It seems she's more worried about you using the opportunity to take revenge on her for her comments than what the "enemy" could do, but she's right. Your performance will be evaluated, and it would be unbecoming of a Sororita to put personal issues above your duty. Still, the idea seems tempting, and if nothing else, you could use the situation to turn the tables on Nika for a while, even if you'll decide to do your best during the actual excercise. And Reynard is busy and out of hearing range... you hope... for a while, you may not get another chance anytime soon...

[exalted]

"Of course I'll protect you," Rosette smiled, flicking her hair back over her shoulder as she turned to pickup the stun batons, "How else would your Ordo survive if you had to protect yourselves."

Clipping the baton to her belt she moved to Reynard to finish gearing up, looking over what was available for use.

[Phoenixcz]

Nika just smiles back, not answering. Perhaps she doesn't want to provoke you into into some act of vengeance later, like getting her shot during the excercise, regardless of consequences to yourself?

Meanwhile, Reynard took two boxes out of the stored equipment. One looks like a standard box used to store and transport weapons, the other is smaller. He opens the larger box just as you get to him. Inside, resting in a black padding shaped to accomodate them, are multiple weapons. They look like lasguns and laspistols, though they belong to a pattern you're not familiar with. They are stockier than the model the ship's armsmen use, though still less than a boltgun you're trained to use. They are also painted bright yellow. In the other box, there are multiple curious objects, smaller boxes on a strap, with the same bright yellow color as the weapons, and adjustable headbands with what looks like small pic-recorder. Reynard takes one of each and shows them to you.

"We'll all wear these. The headband will record what are we looking at and send the visuals to the control, to review our actions during the excercise. The wristband works with the weapons." He presses a small rune on the side of the box, a green light starts glowing on its face. "We can't use real weapon on the ship, but the captain has provided us with some training weapons." He gestures you to grab one from the box, when you look at it from up close, you notice some differences from a las weapons you've trained in in the Schola. The power pack doesn't seem detachable, and the apperture at the end of the barrel looks different. Reynard continues his explanaition. "When you shoot and hit someone wearing the wristband with one of these weapons, it can detect how dangerous the hit would be, and the light will turn red if it would be enough to kill, or yellow if it was just a wound. We can continue with wounds, but they'll be considered when the excercise's over. If we get killed, our weapons turns off, and the excercise if over for us. We can also use stun batons for melee combat, though the wristbands don't react to that, we'll have to disable our foes the usual way. There are also blind grenades in one of the other boxes. Any questions so far?"

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Yes, it's the las equivalent of a nerfgun/laser tag/paintball. As if that was needed.

[exalted]

(sorry for delay, life got crazy for a bit)

Rosette tried to hide her initial confusion and then glee when she saw the training tools displayed. No more bruising from rubber bullets or dodging real rounds like back at the convent.

Quickly strapping herself into the weird harness thing, she donned her helmet before loading up, the training las feeling light in her hands compared to a bolter.

Finished, she turned to help Nika with her harness, explaining as she went it was unsurprising that a scribe would struggle with such things... as she made sure to over tighten certain straps so that they would be uncomfortable in sensitive areas.

Finished, she strode confidently to the elevator, waiting for Reynard as her mind ticked over the tactical conundrum to come.

"This system does take into account our power armour, right?" she asked.

[Phoenixcz]

While you equip yourself, Reynard goes to bring the grenades. You shouldn't have problems using the lasgun, though the trigger guard wasn't designed with power armor in mind. While you can still use the weapon, it's a bit tight and you'll need to be more careful. Nika yelps in protest when you tighten the straps on her gear and assures you she's perfectly capable of dressing herself without help, and if she wasn't, she would've asked Reynard. She starts fiddling with them the moment you leave her alone. When Reynard returns with the grenades, he asks for help with his own device, and Nika seems eager to provide it, if you don't do it first. No matter which of you help him, he takes few grenades. He doesn't take the lasgun... it would be even harder to use for him than for you. Instead, he supplement the baton he used in your previous training with a shield, huge, rectangular piece of metal with Imperial aquilla embossed on its face. Nika grabs a laspistol for herself. Even though she's a poor warrior compared to yourself, all Sororitas have combat training, and she and her sister have their own weapons and carapace armor... though, unlike yours, theirs is still locked.

As you ready yourself to exit the storeroom, Reynard answers your question. "It should, though I haven't tested it. The excercise starts when we leave this room, you may want to decide on a plan first."

Nika hands you the dataslate she brought earlier. It's a plan of the Just Reward, with a route highlighted. It goes from the storeroom you're in to one of the bow hangars. There's only one route, though it will take you through the corridors leading through the whole ship, multiple levels.... though you notice the elevators you should use to travel between them aren't highlighted... and even several rooms, propably to diversify "the terrain" a bit. Nika shows you the rune to press for additional instructions: the opposition includes ten armsmen, who may ambush or intercept you at any point on your route, you should keep to the route, but you're allowed to use various rooms alongside it for cover in a firefight. There will be also other members of the crew going on their usual duties, you should look for the devices and weapons to identify opposition. Shooting "civilians" isn't forbidden, but you should avoid it, and it would influence your success.

[exalted]

(sorry, life got away from me again)

Rosette rolled her eyes as Nika tried to claim she was competent - if she was then she would have been part of the Ordo Militant - and frowned when she started talking about Reynard, cinching a strap tighter again to make her stop talking about him.

When he returned she quickly moved to help him before Nika, tossing a death stare over shoulder at the scribe to make sure she knew her place. Reynard was her... training... partner... whatever, Nika had to back off.

Filling the pouches on her belt that would normally hold the magazines for her bolter with grenades, she bounced up and down several times to make sure everything was fastened and secured. Her mind raced as she strode towards the elevator, this was her assessment for the Ordo and that meant there was only one way to approach the scenario - forward with faith, and fire - the Ordo Militant would accept nothing less.

[Phoenixcz]

Soon after you leave the storeroom, ship's internal vox sounds an announcement: "Attention to all crew members and passengers: a training excercise will commence in the next two hours in the following areas:" What follow is a long list of numbers and letters that presumably mean something to the crew. You know some of them are painted on the walls, but you had no reason to pay attention to them before. "Do not be alarmed by an appearance of armed individuals in the listed areas and continue with your duties as normal, there will be no live ammo used in the excercise, and you're in no danger, but avoid interfering with the participants. Captain Blaque out." Well, that's it. The game is on.

Reynards moves to the front, his shield held ready, even though it is unlikely you'll encounter opposition so soon. He takes enough space to serve as a cover for either of you two, though you notice Nika tends to walk more to the side of him, exposed to enemy fire, just so she could see what's going on around you better. She seems nervous and wary, gripping her "laspistol" in both hands. You may assume any position in your little formation you want, and as you're supposed to be in charge, you may also order them around as you wish.

You meet few crewmembers going about their duties, but none of them seems armed or equiped with the devices that marks them as the enemy force. Generally, they look at you with curiosity, but quickly scramble out of your way, perhaps thanks to your and Reynard's intimidating presence, perhaps because Nika has a tendency to point her weapon vaguely in the direction of anyone you meet, though she doesn't take aim or point directly at them. In some way, it's encouraging, it looks like she takes the matter seriously even after the assurance no hurt will come to her.

Soon, you arrive to elevators connecting various levels of the ship. They aren't actually highlighted on the map, but you have to get to the next level *somehow*, right? And this looks like the only place where the highlighted levels overlap. Before you could take the elevator, however, you remember your tactical training and realize one thing: It's almost perfect trap. It's a chokepoint you'll have to travel through, the elevator will anounce your arrival to anyone waiting on the other level, and you'll be clustered and have no cover or space to move as you arrive. If the opposition is at least a bit competent, they'll know this too, and they'll wait for you in ambush on the other side. Reynard's shield and your armor may provide protection, but you still don't know how will the scoring system reacts, and if all ten opponents waits there, it wouldn't be enough against real lasguns and grenades. Unfortunately, you're not familiar enough with combat aboard voidships to know what is the standard procedure in such situations... you imagine expendable gun-servitors and explosives sent ahead of the boarding party, or cutting through the floors, neither of which is an option here. However, the elevator isn't the only way between the levels... there are vents and maintenance shafts all through the ship, some could be close enough not to leave the allowed area, if you take them... but you're unsure how to get there, or if they'll be spacious enough for Reynard... or even your much slimmer armor.

Meanwhile, Reynard and Nika move towards the elevator, seemingly oblivious of the possible danger.

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

I won't be showing rolls, but I may say you've aced the check to notice the danger and possible solution.

[exalted]

Rosette sighed as saw Nika keep straying from the protective area created by Reynard, constantly dragging her back in until she got fed up with it. Grabbing her hand, she placed it on the back on her of her webbing belt and instructed the errant scribe not to let go of the idiot handle, or else.

Her heart started to race as they neared the elevator, knowing danger was close. The list of possibilities ran through her mind, churning her stomach but she tried to calm herself, keeping her breathing steady. There were many unknowns, many doubts and that was why her purpose could not waiver, why the Ordo Militant did not waiver, they would take the elevator up and punish the wicked if they dared to show their face.

Edging into the elevator first, she checked it was clear, lifting up the access hatches at the top to make sure no sneaky git had hidden on top of the elevator before ushering the others in. Positioning Reynard at the doors with his shield, she made sure the Nikka was fully behind them before hitting the button to go up. Slinging her lasgun, she bulled two stun grenades from her pouches and readied to throw them over or around Reynard once the doors opened. If there was a threat she would then be ready to peer around the Safety of Reynard and engage with the las.

OOC:

https://youtu.be/U77ELo4zpNc?t=34s

[Phoenixcz]

Nika pouts when you put her in her place, but instead of expected protests and backtalk, all she says is sheepish "Sorry, I just wanted to see what's going on. I'll be careful".

The elevator seems safe on your end, and though you can't tell what Reynard thinks of your plan, he assumes his place, dropping on one knee to be better covered behind his shield, with Nika cowering behind him in the corner of the elevator, doing her best to be as small as possible. The elevator rises slowly, and you may imagine how the "enemy" on the other side prepares to greet you with fire.

The moment the door starts opening, you take glance beyond to notice a makeshift barricade with few figures behind it. Just as you throw your grenades, you notice the flashes at the ends of their barrels, though no beams accompanying them, and you hear beeps from the devices both you and Reynard wear. Then the grenades detonate and drown every other sound in their loud bang, even with the noise filters of your helmet. You notice the armsmen behind the barricade dropping on the ground, and Nika besides you falling to her knees. Without a helmet, stun grenades in this confined area must be brutal. Reynard stands firm, and you straighten up to aim your lasgun over the upper edge of his shield, but it takes a while before one man behind the barricade scrambles on his feet. The shots are strange. No beam, no smoke, no noise, no recoil... only the flashing light at the end of your barrel indicates you're actually "shooting". You can't tell if you've actually "hit", but you can easily tell your opponents are in no shape to fight.

You hear Nika utter a profanity that would be better suited for a mouth of underhive ganger or guard veteran than a sister of the Ordo, and she's using the backpack of Reynard's power armor as a handhold to get back on her feet. She's obviously shaken, but not as much as the men on the recieving end, and she remembers herserf quckly and squats to hide again. Their devices emit a steady red glow and annoying buzzing noise. You remember the "hits" you've heard just before the grenades and glance at your own device, but the light is still green... on all three of you. To your disappointment, there were only four enemies waiting for you, and not the whole opposing force, but it still means almost half of your opposition removed in the first engagement. Reynards stands up, still holding the shield to block any shots from the front, and moves towards the barrier. It's mixture of crates, boxes and overturned table, crude, but potentially effective... if you've tried shooting instead of grenades. You notice the shell of one of your grenades in front of the barrier, but the other flew right over it and landed just between the men waiting behind it.

The men themselves look in pretty bad shape, you notice at least two of them bleeding from their ears, while one, seemingly oblivious to your presense, shouts loudly "WHAT KIND OF EMPEROR-DAMNED IDIOT USES STUN GRENADES IN A HALLWAY? SHIT, MY EARS!". But the only answer he gets from his comrades is equaly loud "WHAT? I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

Spoiler (click to show/hide):

Reynard's shield has eaten most of the shots, but you've got 2 glancing hits that failed to do anything through your armor. All enemies killed by the grenades, one of them couldn't get any shot off. Without power armor, the shots would've been enough to "hurt" you, but you'd have better initiative and act before one of the armsmen.

[exalted]

Rosette smiled inside her helmet, well pleased with how everything had went.

They had made a statement, as she intended, the surviving enemy would know that they were not playing games.

Putting Nika back on her belt, she chided the scribe for not wearing a helmet, and reminded her that having a look without one was how you got shot in the head.

She examined the barricade as they past, smirking at how little it would have protected the men if she had her bolter. She giggled silently within her helm as heard the men whine and complain, until one took the Emperor's name in vain and her nostrils flared.

"The kind who doesn't take his name in vain!" she snapped, hitting him with the stun rod even though she knew none of them would hear her

[Phoenixcz]

The man didn't know what hit him when you swung your baton and he collapsed on the ground. The others look at you in surprise, one starting to shout "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU BIT..." but stops himself before finishing the sentence. All of them quickly scramble out of your way and drag their companion, now groaning in pain on the floor, with them. They pierce you with hostile stares, but you aren't here to make friends with the crew. You continue further down the corridor, when Nika, still holding onto your belt, notes "That was a bit excessive, wasn't it?"

[exalted]

Rosette smirked to herself under her helmet as the man dropped, continuing down the corridor in formation. They had sent a message with that last attempt, perhaps the next group would think twice before attacking them once word had spread.

"You would rather let him profane his name?' she questioned Nika as the Scribe complained again, switching the tone of her vox caster to deeper, rasping tone before continuing, "I find you lack of faith... disturbing"

[Phoenixcz]

As Nika walks behind you, you can't actually see her expression, but she answers. "No, but he's just an guardsman... or former guardsman. He may be just as faithful as you... well, maybe not as much as you... but he lacks the reverence we've been taught. And he was deaf, he doesn't even know why you hit him. He propably thinks it was because he called you an idiot, not because he sullied the Emperor's name. Now they all may be thinking you're just a crazy bitch. I don't think you've done yourself, the Adepta, or the Emperor any favor by just hitting him."

As you talk, you reach a junction. The map shows three different routes that converge again after a while. You may choose which one to use. It's unlikely you'll face the enemy in any of them, they'd have to spread to make sure you don't take a different route. However, they may use them to surround you and attack you from all sides at the next junction. If that's the case, you'd find out some ambushers, but the others could still be waiting for you. Reynard stops, watching all three corridors for enemies, and awaits your decision.

[exalted]

"You see, this is why the Ordo Dialogous is never put in charge," Rosette rolled her eyes as Nika kept whinging. The whole point was to prove the unswerving fanaticism, the truest dedication, that no one was crazier than an pissed off Sister of Battle with a bolter and anyone standing in her way was forfeit.

Looking at the corridors, she chose the middle one again, straight ahead, without flinching from the path. She primed the next stun grenade, ready to toss it should any of the other attackers be foolish enough to have a crack after witnessing what had already happened.

[Phoenixcz]

Hard to say if it was your earlier deed, or if they weren't there from the start, but the corridor is empty. No ambush, surprisingly not even regular crewmembers, only you three, erratically blinking lights... not an uncommon sight on Imperial ships, though you have little comparison... and the ambient noise of running ship. Even Nika stays quiet and in her place. There are some doors linning the corridor, but you do not have time to check them all, and Nika breaks the silence by offering to watch your six, just in case someone tried to get you from behind, so you don't have to turn around all the time.

That doesn't happen, however, and the next people you meet are at the next intersection. There's a figure in red robes, judging by the lack of visible augmentations, likely junior Mechanicus adept, doing something in an open panel in the wall. Next to him stand two other men, a single voidsman holding some tool and a man in ship's armsmen's jacket carrying small crate, propably a toolbox. They look like they assist the techpriest, and talk to each other quietly. You don't see the device or any weapon on either of them. Alerted by Reynard's heavy steps, they turn their head towards your group and watch you for a moment before returning to their conversation. The techpriest doesn't react.

They are in your corridor, the intersection is beyond them. The ambushers could still wait in either of the side corridors, of course, but you don't see into them from your vantage point. You'd have to get closer to the group. They do look harmless, and the briefing mentioned few armsmen, not techpriests or other members of the crew being a part of the excercise.

[exalted]

Rosette strolled smugly down the corridor as there was no ambush, shaking her ass back and forth in celebration at having being right and Nika being wrong. Her mood soured when they turned the corner and spotted the nigh-on-but-not-quite-heretical Admech. Ugh, there would have to be some of 'those' in her way, she thought.

Smiling cheekily inside her helmet, she lined up a shot on the Tech Priest. If she was wrong and they weren't part of the task she'd make some excuse about trigger jarring on her finger - this weapon wasn't designed for use in power armour after all so it couldn't be her fault - and if she was right there would be no problem - the Sister Superior couldn't complain about her shooting a Admech if it was part of the exercise and it turned out he was a threat as well.... right?