The Sal's Ford Connection - Finale

Free for All

***File J86-Vox/Pic Capture--SOURCE: Classified--SECURITAS: Adeptus Maxima-INQ:Quintus Severus***

My Lord, the situation down at the Sulfured Quays has changed, dramatically I would say. It took me some time, but here is what I've managed to piece together. About 5 cycles ago, in the early hours, it transpired that the sump schooner of the Scuttlers had lifted anchor during the light-off period, but rumours persisted that a small number of them were holed up in the Rad-Cliff Zone. Magister Silas hastly put together a party and took us there to investigate and possibly capture one of the elusive creepers.

Magister Silas was leading some of us in a search at ground level. The remaining Brothers were on the higher levels to provide cover.

We were turning any possible hiding spot upside down, but up to that point had no luck. Suddenly, gun fire rung as the brothers on the gantries pinned down a small group of Skinnymen. Apparently they had had the same idea as Magister Silas, but like us had found nothing.

The Merkzy Banda also showed up, levelling their guns at us on ground level.

Silas order us to keep our ground and repell the Merkzy Banda. Please, my Lord, note how all the vid-captures I managed to take of the Magister show him slightly blurred. I fear that, whatever he seized after our latest engagement with the other gangs, must be some sort of device interfeering with my recording devices.

Brother Jude pushed himself to the edge of the gantry, continuing to fire against the approaching Skinnymen. The return fire sent him plummeting down.

The Merkzy Banda recovered from our initial attack and their heavy fire forced us to duck for cover.

The situation had become untenable, so we slinked away. As we were leaving the area we realised both the Skinnymen and the Merkzy Banda had come under attack from the Scuttlers. However, while the Van Saar retreated, the Merkzy Banda hold their ground. Since then, a sort of peace has come to the Sulfured Quays and nobody, not even Pa'smond Massoonan has challenged the Merkzy Banda hold on the Rad-Cliff Zone. Of the Scuttlers, their sump schooner and cargo nothing has been heard. I await further instructions. Agent LVC, end of report.

[ADDENDA: I must have misinterpreted the Tarots, it is clear that the new comer shown there were not simply the Scuttlers, but the Merkzy Banda also. I have to know if the two groups came to some sort of alliance. The deart of reports about the Guardian and the simultaneous silence from Pa'smond Massoonan also suggest there might be a link between the two. Finally, I've run the blurry vid-captures of Silas through some spectrum scanning. Indeed the Magister is surrounded by unusual light frequencies, but they do not match those of even the most esoteric, Mechanicus-approved devices. This new situation will require a closer investigation. Thanks to the Emperor, I've fully recoverd and I'll be able to carry it out personally. INQ: QS]

The Sal's Ford Connection - 4

Grabbing and Chasing

***File J85-Vox/Pic Capture--SOURCE: Classified--SECURITAS: Adeptus Maxima-INQ:Quintus Severus***

My Lord, as you orderded I haven't conducted any direct investigation into the movements of the Scuttlers but rather continued my under-cover engagement with the Cult of the Divine Illumination. However, rumours reached us that a load of unknown origin had appeared, from one cycle to the other, in Sump Crawl and that it was the infamous cargo of the Scuttlers. Magister Silas immediately mustered a raiding party and we moved into the area. As we approached, Brother Thomas was sniped at from extreme range.

Merkzy Banda and the Skinnymen were also converging on the area, moving on the upper levels. The Van Saars let loose a few granades and halted the Merkzy Banda's advance.

As if a silent pact had been signed, the Cult concentrated their fire on the Merkzy Banda. It's not the first time I saw that happening, established gangs dealing with pretentious newcomers before sorting their own rivalries. Some Brother went down, both to return and inaccurate friendly fire from those behind them.

The Skinnymen continued to rain grenades on the Merkzy Banda closer to the stash. As the cloacked outsiders finally legged it, a close-range fire-fight broke between the Cult and the Skinnymen. It looked as if we were having the upper hand, but then Newton Heat sprung up after getting a glancing hit and put his power sword to good use.

Magister Silas saw there was no point in continuing the engagement and instead ordered to follow the Merkzy Banda. Battered as they were, chances were we could relieve them of some of the caches they had managed to steal. We quickly caught up with them and Brother Thomas, although still shacken by the hit he'd taken, pinned a few forcing them to drop their cargo.

We rushed to grab what we could, but the superior weapons of the few remaining Merkzy Banda stopped us from reaching them and claiming the rest of the loot.

Magister Silas took the little loot me managed to recover to the Cult's base, claming it was nothing more than techscrap. I suspect he was keeping something hidden from the rest of us. I shall look into this, even if it means infiltrating the Magister's private quartes. Agent LVC, end of report.

The Sal's Ford Connection - 3

Of rescuers and creepers

***File J84-Vox/Pic Capture--SOURCE: Classified--SECURITAS: Adeptus Maxima-INQ:Quintus Severus***

My Lord, I have to report some serious developments from Mancunius Dome. It seems that not only the Scuttlers are moving, but that colleagues of yours have taken an interest in the area. But let me proceed with order. After the Span Yarders' attack against the Cult of the Divine Illumination, Magister Silas' managed, I don't know how, to locate the captured members of the Cult in Rank Oats, on the way to the Pit. The Span Yarders had put up a well patrolled perimeter.

We approached in two groups, taking what little cover the crumbling manufactorum walls could offer. Two of us mugged a first sentinel, while Deacon Steven freed Brother Peter.

The two moved forward, preparing to fall on the sentinel watching Nobody from his back. We duck back into cover, and from there shot down the Span Yarder patrolling the walkway above.

That was the signal for Deacon Steven. He bathed the other sentinel in prometheum, finished him off with his knife and freed Nobody. But the commotion was too much and Span Yarder reinforcements moved in, their boltguns blazing.

Steven and Peter went down but managed to crawl in cover. Nobody, with typical Ratskin's skill, legged it putting as much distance between him and the pursuers as he could.

We also started to backtrack, bolt fire raining on us from the gantries above.

Then we found we'd been surrounded as the Span Yarders' leader and his personal bodyguard emerged from a derelict hab-block along our escape route.

Yago summoned his wyrd-fire and blasted the bodyguard, but he left himself open to the leader charge. He must have had some sort of anti-wyrd, psy-weaponry because Yago turned into a bubbling idiot and we were overcome by an unnatural dread and had to fall back.

[ADDENDA: This is indeed Inquisitor Faziel. What in the Emperor's Name is he looking for in Mancunius Dome? INQ QS]

Nobody was still pursued, but he spotted a safe path around a huge industrial vehicle. Magister Silas immediately followed the Ratskin.

The Span Yarders couldn't catch him but in running after him they gave us wounded a chance to sneak away safely.

My Lord, I'm sure the Span Yarder leader is an Inquisitor. I've seen the effects of your gear, and the ones he was carrying did exactly the same. How am I to act if we run into him again? Please instruct me. There's more I'm worried about and on which I'll need your orders. It seems that, as the Skinnymen and Merkzy Banda met to exchange prisoners, they then clashed over some pieces of discarded tech scattered in the area.

That would be nothing special in Mancunius Dome, if it was not that the Skinnymen, even if having the upper hand, had to retreat as, apaarently, they were attacked by shadowy figures moving on spider-like mechanical limbs.

These can only be the Scuttlers. They are moving, my Lord, but it is still not clear if they've the permission of Pa'smond Massoonan to operate in the Sulfured Quays. Agent LVC, end of report.