[@jbeil][@Andreyich][@BCTheEntity][@Kratesis]


Kliment could certainly not fault the intelligence of his protectors, or of the Confessor with fabulous sideburns, a number of them asking pertinent questions – questions he had not wished to answer, but would have to now that they had been asked. He would answer them all in a single statement, clutching and releasing his fingers and giving off a smile that showed they had gained his respect.

“Relevant questions all,” he said with a slight nod, “and I shall answer now that Von Behner and his family have [b]not[/b] been investigated. As you can probably imagine, such a thing would be looked upon with some disgruntlement from a Governor, and may sour relations between the Inquisition and Athega Tertius.”

As the ship passed through the planets infamous smog, a thick atmospheric layer made from thousands of constantly mass producing factorums and the necessary vehicles and labour, there was a slight shuddering of the vessel. After said turbulence, and a confirmation that it was such from the servitor slaved to the pilot console, the ship went only moments later into horizontal hovering mode above a platform wide enough to contain numerous vessels.

Sat as it was atop one of the tallest spires, the smog swirling about them as they landed, there was very little to see from either within the Lander or without it...

“Let us try to retain an air of simple visitation,” he bade them as he stood up from his landing-throne, glancing briefly at Horacio and those Sisters that had spoken, “but I assure you that even they shall be investigated, covertly or no, once our time here is through.”

With no further words to speak and a short command to the servitor, the ship thudding down onto the platform with a hiss of gasses and a slow silencing of the engines, Kliment replaced his helmet and strode forward as the landing ramp was lowered on its pistons to the rockcrete below.



[hr]



Ashen black soot and dust whirled around the platform like some form of vortex, impenetrable but for a few feet in front of oneself, but from what the Inquisitor could make out as he took his first steps down the ramp and onto the platform his shuttle was the only vessel on the expansive platform...and it was quiet...[i]too[/i] quiet.

“I don't like this,” came a muffled and muttered note to himself, his photo-visors helping to pierce the darkness of the cloud around him as he moved to the foot of the ramp. Yet it wasn't the prick of the suits electro-muscle fibres that made the skin of his body crawl, nor the sense of unease that had built up within the pit of his stomach, it was that most primal fear of the unknown.

[i]One breath....two breath...three breath...there![/i]

Something or someone moved in the cloud, a human-like figure from the shape of them, the sound of a doorway hissing open being picked up by his helmets auditory receptors from some distance away – likely the only way on and off of the landing platform, leading into a lift shaft no doubt. More footsteps could be heard, heavy breathing, grunts and hisses of displeasure, and finally the racking back of an autogun bolt.

[i]Frak.[/i]

Before he had a chance to move back into the Lander, his only source of cover being the thick girth of one of the pistons from which it hinged, Kliment went into a half-crouch as the first solid-slug projectiles chipped flecks of outer golden paint and grey ceramite from his power armour; in three fluid motions he had plucked his bolt-pistol from where it was mag-locked to his thigh, loaded a magazine into it, and now returned fire toward where he believed his enemy dwelt.

From time-to-time he could see them shifting positions, the dust clearing momentarily to allow a half-decent shot in his own defence, and even spotted the symbol of the Athega Tertius PDF upon the sleeve of a rust-brown uniform jacket – the cog of the Omnissiah overlaid by a crimson III numeral – suggesting a deeper heresy than he had first suspected.

Allowing himself a mere fraction of a minute to look away from his enemy (or enemies) he amplified his voice and shouted back to the interior of the Aquila Lander.

“Now would be a good time, Sisters. To arms!”