The Infiltration of the Dreadnought (plus an introduction)

Kaid had finally finished his work upon our new secret language, which would make it slightly safer to communicate by astropath and vox. I requested a report from Scarlet on Malfi. The results weren't very satisfactory, so after a brief consideration I decided to terminate further activity. Instead, I'd go to Malfi myself to establish official contact with Pontius Belasco, with Scarlet as my middleman.

In short, this went well. Pontius is not a very forthcoming man, but acceded to my wishes of a cooperation between myself and him. It remains to be seen how fruitful this will be for me. For Scarlet, however, I expect the liason with the Belasco family to be more productive. When I departed Malfi, she stayed behind to cultivate her new network here. Hopefully this will be an in for her to learn more about the Masqued operation. I will leave it to her or Sham to detail the happenings on Malfi previous to my arrival.

I brough Sham and Dekko back with me to Bastion. I had decided that we needed to follow the information Kaid, Xanthis and Scab discovered on the unknown jungle planet with regards to the Dreadnought. The main objective would be to discover if the ship was to fly to the unknown planet where Varaak suspected the Tyrant Star was constructed. If so, the cadre was to either stay on the Dreadnought or follow it in another ship to confirm the location of this planet. This would be a significant victory for our cause. In addition, any other clues or information must obviously be followed as deemed relevant by the team leader. Although I was slightly hesitant to do so, I put Sham in charge. Hopefully he will prove worthy of the trust and not end up charging the assembled crew of the Dreadnought...

The following is based on the notes of Xanthis, so might require some interpretation...


Inquisitor Khan told me I was to obey the commands of the one called Sham. He's scary and has very long arms. We were taken to the room with the cryo chambers. I operated the machinery (such wonderfully strange machine spirits! But nauseating too) and away we go!

We arrived in an alley on the main base on Planet Weird (my private name, tehe). We had chosen three aliases each, so we could more easily infiltrate the big ship. I was to play the role of Farius Daim, a sage of some importance working for the Administratum aboard the ship. Poor Farius had a troubled childhood, abandoned by his parents and taken in by his cruel uncle who used him as a slave on his Goryx farm. His main job consisted of shoveling the huge amounts of dung the vicious animals produced. When he was 10, he....eh. Right.

We all entered the Big Ship without any problems. After a few days of research (I catalogued a lot, it's pretty fun!), we had discovered a few things:

• The ship was not an official part of 'the fleet'
• Parts of the ship is off-limits to personell without the required security clearance
• There is an Inquisitor on board :O :O
• The Commisars are really evil and abduct anyone who asks any questions (any questions? Like, where the toilet is?)

I came up with a delicious idea: we should abduct a tech-priest with access to the restricted area, so I can mind probe him. I have never mind probed a tech-priest before, so that should be fun and very interesting. Luckily everyone agreed, yay.

The mind of the tech-priest was very weird. Rigid and compartmentalized, but with lots of knowledge. Very easy to probe, from now on they will be my favorite target for gaining information. So wonderful to dissect a mind like this.

I discovered the following:

• The poor fellow was forced to be a tech-priest. So strange, I thought they all chose this. 
• The ship is searching for xeno artifacts, especially Eldar artifacts. They have been doing this for a long time. 
• The restricted area consists of a large workshop where they are analyzing stuff + a scanner to find stuff. 
• On Planet Weird they are searching for an Eldar portal [of the type that we found earlier]. They have found one and brought it to the ship. 
• The captain's name is Tycho
• The Inquisitor (!!) is called Madak Caragere
• The tech-priest doesn't like the tech-priest leader. He is a very bad man! Called Epatus, and he's a Magos. 
• Does not like what they are doing entirely, thinks it's fishy

Afterwards we disposed of the body to make it look like an accident, hehe.

Next, we decided we needed to gain entry to the restricted area. As an Administratum official, I had access to the ship's blueprints. I found a storage room where we could try. Myself, Sham and Scab entered. There was some security, so we called the rest. Kaid was offended by Sham's jokes, which were very funny! I laughed a lot, which seemed to upset Kaid. Isn't that the point of jokes, to laugh? But everyone knows tech-priests are weird.

We made our way in and wandered along till we found a place to spy. I used my Far Sight to watch the room. In it, a very scary Magos with CLEAR warp taint (lots and lots!) guided the work of 7 other tech-priests. They were analyzing parts of the portal (they had broken it into pieces). The next room was huge with lots of TPs (not toilet paper, hehe) running around and the big portal.

We needed to get a look at the log of the Dark One. So we got access through one of the smaller rooms to the intranet and then Kaid just bamboozled the security! He understands the machine spirit like no one else, he is very awesome. This is what we discovered:

• The captain is part of the Amalanthine Syndicate
• Epatus is not part of the Tyrant Star thingy, hired as an expert. Has other interests. 
• Purpose of research: discover how the portal works, so they can recreate it. 
• Epatus is skeptical of the Inquisitor, suspects he was sent to infiltrate the mission by the Inquisition
• If the research meets with success, they are too meet with 'the main vessel' [the Armageddon probably]. 
• They also meet with this vessel regularly. Next time: 2 months from now. 
• All the higher ranked officers are part of the conspiracy 
• They have found another of the Eldar portals

After this we discussed what we should do. This Epatus is clearly a VERY BAD MAN and should be purged. Everyone agreed, but Sham tried to pretend he was Khan and decided we couldn't attack because of the greater good. I think we should smite him (Emperor will be pleased!) but I have been told that greater good is important.

We decided to retreat and try to discover more on the Captain and the Inquisitor. So basically we snuck into their cabins, I transformed myself with my newly remembered powers and snuck in and out as a slug, then a monkey, then a slug. I like being a slug, they're all slimy and tiny.

We discovered the following in the Inquisitor's room:

• The Inquisitor is from another sector. 
• He is part of 'the Brotherhood of [???]'. These are a part of the Tyrant Star conspiracy too. 
• He was sent in part to supervise the dark Magos, which is not considered trustworthy. 
• He is following some prophecy [bad guys like prophecies] which is linked to the Tyrant Star
• Inquisitor Astrid Skane is part of this Brotherhood 
• The Inquisitor on the Drusus is called Jagatei
• The conspiracy is planning to ressurect the Magos the cadre found the body of on Phagir :O :O. This will take place on a shrine world called Orelendel's Tomb. They think it's funny that they will perform such an unholy ritual will take place on a holy world. Yes hahaha bad guys, SUPERFUNNY. 

The captain's log revealed the following:

• He was pushed into the Amalthine Syndicate unwillingly
• Is troubled by participating in the operations of the conspiracy
• Been on the Dreadnought 5 years 
• The Nebula Bounty was tracked on orders of Ferran Ghast
• Does not like the Inquisitior, thinks he has betrayed a very important cause (I AGREE!!!)
• Views the Dark Magos as a pure fiend (I AGREE!!!)
• The other officers are part of the conspiracy voluntarily 

After I did the slug-monkey-slug thing, we discussed our path going forwards. In the end, it was decided we couldn't attack the Dark Magos because of the greater good (The Emperor, I think). So we basically would wait for a chance to get on the Armageddon. And possibly talk to the captain, which seems like a nice and god-fearing man.

But that was not to be! After a few days, we were woken in the middle of the night by a blaring alarm (annoying sound). Apparently we were under attack. We met up, and Kaid hacked into the security systems and found out what was happening. Eldar capital ships were attacking us! Oh my! Obviously we would shortly be blown to smithereens, so it was time to evacuate. We briefly discussed going after the Dark Magos in the confusion, but then we would die so we didn't do it.

We bullied our way (hehe) onto an escape pod and dropped into the atmosphere. All around us other pods were dropping from the sky, some crashing, some burning up and some (like ours) going straight down. That is, until we glanced another pod and went careening down, out of control. We crashed heavily, and I broke my arm in a very nasty way. I am very thankful I've remembered the bio powers, so I could heal everyone. Unfortunately the other guys on the pod were dead. Oh well.

We looked up into the sky, and saw lots of blasts, as well as the Dreadnought falling down towards us. Or well, falling around 500 miles from us. Kind of sad, but I was mostly happy that they couldn't abuse the GREAT ONE's stuff like that anymore. The 5000 crew and soldiers were unfortunate victims, but such is life (or death rather, hehe).

We discussed some more. What should we do? Well, we could go home, since we wouldn't get on the Armageddon now. But first, let's investigate some. Like for example, try to find a pod with a working vox (ours was destroyed) and see who was winning in the space war. I flew up and found someone had a fire going not far away from us. Away we go.

Dekko snuck up on the fire, and discovered it was no one other than the Inquisitor from the Dreadnought and his crew! Wow, what are the odds of that. Given that there were 100 pods with 10 guys in each who escaped, and the area they could spread out over was probably 1000 km x 1000 km...I'd say around 1 in 400,000. I am pretty sure the True One was guiding us, that is way too random.

We discussed even more. Everyone agreed we should try to capture the baddie, so we could interrogate him. Kill everyone else (SINNERS!!).

He had the following crew with him:

• 5 Commisar security guys as guards
• A probable death cult assassin
• Ranged assassin (not vindicare)
• A psyker of about equal power level to me
• A stormtrooper with an autocannon
• Himself with two power swords and other fun stuff

We devised a plan of attack, and engaged. Luckily Dekko and Scab were able to kill the ranged assassin and the psyker right away, whew! The rest of the battle was fairly easy, although I forgot that Inquisitors can make my head hurt if I try to attack them psychically :(

In the end, we killed everyone and the Inquisitor fled into the jungle. We gave chase!

--------------------------- FORTSETTELSE FRA SIST --------------------------------

The chase was exciting! I sprouted wings so I would have a chance of catching up. Predictably, Kaid and  [Ane, husker ikke navnet på figuren, sorry] were slow as molasses (not sure what molasses are), while I and Dekko were the fastest. The Inquisitor tried to use his name and standing to dissuade us from attacking, but he can't fool us - he's a FILTHY HERETIC.

I caught up with him first, and used my newly remembered power to make his blood boil. It's pretty funny when the blood starts to actually boil and their heads pop off, hehe. But this time I had to control myself so he didn't die. Unfortunately I controlled too much, he didn't pass out and shot me pretty badly. I had to retreat a bit. Meanwhile, Dekko came charging into the clearing and tried grappling him. After healing I make the HERETIC'S blood boil again and this time it works and he faints. Go me!

The rest arrive after a while, and we tie the dirty bastard up. We discuss a bit what we should do now. In the end, we all agree that we need to get back to Bastion to report and surrender the HERETIC into the loving arms of Inquisitor Khan. So we move back towards the clearing so I can get a proper place to perform the ritual.

After a while, Scabalicious (funny) discovers we are being followed. Of course, it's the dirty Eldar, those damn heretics! We move faster, but more and more Xeno bastards arrive. We run to the escape pod, and I start performing the ritual. After a while, some sort of super Eldar woman arrives, crackling lightning all over her body (heretical). She walks towards us followed by some wicked looking guards.

She demands we surrender the Inquisitor, since he has lots of knowledge that is dangerous for the Eldar (if the Empire learns it of course). Sham and everyone else tries to stall for time (they suck a bit), and after a while she gets suspicious and notices Warp emanations from the pod. Too late, ritual is completed and we're back on Bastion!

We quickly give notice to Inquisitior Khan that we have arrived.


------------ mr Khan logger herfra og ut -----------------------

Thank you Xanthis for that...interesting report.

Naturally, I was slightly surprised that my cadre returned with an Inquisitor as a captive. I say 'slightly', since sadly it's not too surprising that other Inquisitors are involved in this heresy.

While the cadre was away, I managed to solidify my relationship with Inquisitor Al-Zubai. I now trust him pretty far, and we have shared a lot of information that could have us both killed if revealed to others. And I most definitely need some allies in the Cabal as well, I cannot do this alone.

So naturally, when my cadre dumped the heretic Inquisitor in my lap, I contacted Al-Zubai. After some discussion, we agreed that we would interrogate him according to Inquisitorial procedure on one of my holdings on Scintilla. I won't go into detail on how the interrogation is conducted, suffice to say it starts out rather mild and gets increasingly shall we say, more unfriendly.

As befits a traitor and heretic, Inquisitor Caragere cracked after a relatively short while, during stage 3 of 9. Naturally, my supreme interrogation techniques certainly helped as well. We learned quite a bit from the broken man:

• Caragere was recruited by Ferran Ghast
• Caragere himself recruited Inquisitor Jagatai (the one on the Drusus)
• Is an Istaavian
• The Brotherhood and the Istaavians involved in the heresy views the Tyrant Star as the greatest trial ever to face the Empire, and thus also the greatest opportunity ever. 
• The heresy is building a star portal, with the intent of gating the Tyrant Star into our world. 
• Eldar technology is needed for the portal, particularly their gates
• The portal is constructed on a populated planet in the Halo Stars
• The Tyrant Star is a big forge world, populated by 'an ancient race'. It resides in the Warp.
• The leadership of the Heresy consists of 4 Inquisitors (Skane, Caragere, Jagatai and Ghast), plus Vestra (the cleric) and Cinderfell (the fallen Noble)
• They plan to gate the Tyrant Star into real space next to Scintilla
• The Amaranthine Syndicate is controlled by an "entity" - the Heresy is not sure what, but they believe it to be a Slaught (same race as Bron)
• They do not trust the Logicians, but are reliant on their knowledge. They seek to ressurect the Dark Magos found on Phagir to avoid working further with the Logicians. 
• The ressurection will take place underground on Orelendel's Tomb. They need the body of a strong Tech-Priest to put the soul of the Dark Magos into.