[center][h2] - K'Vari, Saint's Chapel Battleship - [/h2][/center]

K'Vari had, quite plainly, bought his way on board the ship. His ships brought with them secrets, techniques and weapons that were vital to the survival of the Gregori Imperium, and that had bought him a place with Gregori's council. Although K'Vari tended to be an apolitical fellow he would be forced by circumstance to remain here for quite some time, and he wished to have his hands at the ready in both the highest and lowest strata of society. He brooked no surprises, nor betrayals, and already he was investing heavily into his influence in this little corner of the galaxy. In fact he might just turn accident into fortune and make this a permanent base of operations, a little safe haven from which he could conduct business all over the galaxy. Although Gregori would no doubt dislike him dealing with what the simpleminded human would consider rivals or enemies K'Vari had planned for such things, and once he was done here the 'Emperor' would be of no consequence. As always, anything opposing his plans was to be wiped aside without mercy. And as always, they would never see it coming.

As the diminutive figure strode into the conference room he turned a number of heads. He was clad only in a ragged brown robe which hid most of his features, and held a long twisted staff which twitched as though alive. The creature shuffled forward, and although at first glance it appeared like something of a beggar, a second glance would identify many of the small trinkets hanging from his cloaks as priceless artifacts. Fuel cells for plasma weapons hung alongside ancient digital weapons and shards of ceramite armour. His face was only glimpsed, but it was repulsive to say the least, pale wet skin glistening as two beady black eyes eagerly examined all that the room had to offer, paying as much attention to the furnishings as the people.

More imposing were the two creatures who followed quickly behind. In stature and musculature these creatures were similar to one of the Adeptus Astartes, but none would confuse them for such. A mask of flesh without features sat where the face would be, and the creatures bore no distinguishing marks whatsoever, like a mannequin formed from flesh. These were Vat-Brutes, living war machines developed by the Stryxis as both guards and product, and previously illegal across the Imperium. Each clasped a long machete-like blade of gleaming silver, the grace of it's design suggesting a nearly monomolecular edge. Such a weapon would make short work of the carapace armour that protected most of the attendants, and might make its way through even the tough Power Armour worn by Space Marines when combined with the inhuman strength of their wielders. It was clear that K'Vari would not be threatened here, although the relaxed stance of his bodyguards indicated he was not expecting a fight.

Looking around at those attendant the tiny trader judged each of them in turn.

The mercenary woman sat relaxed, but with the telltale slightly twitchy stance of someone using some form of drug. K'Vari had spent too long among the drug-addled lords of the southern Imperiums to whom he had marketed his own wide assortment of narcotics to miss the little signals that marked an addict. It appeared his informants had been correct. More importantly that her being a potential client, however, was her stance, the underlying tenseness of the seemingly relaxed pose. This was a warrior, no doubt, but beyond that it was someone who loved war. An obsessive student of combat, much like the twisted Space Marine troupes who even now either sold their services or simply took what they needed from the worlds they came across. This woman harboured no loyalty to Gregori, or at least no greater than the loyalty of an addict to the supplier. And drugs were not her only addiction, judging from the reports he had received of her exploits in various combat scenarios. She was a soldier of the highest calibre, but no threat. A tool, to be used by the most capable employer, and even now he considered how he would purchase her loyalty.

The Inquisitor was an oddity indeed. According to the stories his men told they had emerged from some sort of temporal anomaly, transported from a period long before the failing of the Golden Throne and subsequent destruction of the Imperium. Thus he had expected a figure similar to the Inquisitors of legend, a xenophobic and paranoid murderer, whom's trigger-happiness was outdone only by their blind devotion to their Emperor. Instead this figure appeared oddly accepting of other races, and instead wished only for a title and a service. He did not know what this strange figure's plan was, but anything he did not understand was a threat. He would need to keep his eye on this human, although already his servants were gathering more information.

Considering that the Gregori Empirium had displayed itself a rarity in terms of tolerance it was no surprise to see a xenos in attendance, although he had not expected an Eldar. No knowledge of such an individual existed within his database, and there was no doubt that this figure's existence was a closely guarded secret. Anyone who had managed to keep their presence a secret from K'Vari's investigation was a threat, and his surprising species made him doubly so. The Eldar K'Vari had met on his treck across the galaxy had universally despised the Imperium, willing to deal with him only because of necessity, and because of his neutrality in such matters. Both the outcasts and the insane followers of Biel'Tan slaughtered humans almost as a matter of principle, and it would be an interesting tale indeed that had brought this individual to Gregori's service.

The Sister of Battle formed no surprise. A most zealous woman, as all of the order were, this creature would be no exception to the hundreds he had already spotted across the galaxy. If he intended to move against Gregori directly he would need to do so over this woman's corpse, which was one of the main reasons he had decided to work in the shadows. Should the 'Emperor' move against him he would need plans in place, but for the moment he would need to placate figures such as this woman. He would be the Xenos trader, the greedy but mostly harmless figure that many had mistaken him for. Until the very moment he was certain of how to deal with this woman and her sizeable combat forces he would need to act the part of a meek businessman with no ambition. Not that this would give him much trouble. Although it might also be interesting to see if some conflict could be sowed between the Cannoness and the others, perhaps the mercenary woman, or the Eldar operative. It would prove most advantageous if he could weaken Gregori's defences, not enough that this little Imperium would fall, but enough that the human would come to rely more on vat-grown reinforcements. And thereby grow more reliant on K'Vari.