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Whilst the crew of the Awakened gave Natalia Periwinkle permission to dock, Laverna’s gaze wandered, deliberately over those that had gathered in Krynne’s lounge. 

Towering brutes, pestilent horrors, riddled with rot. Colossal astartes, a porcelain beauty, and some kind of...gunslinger? 

She turned her attention back to Euromulus Kryne. 

Once the merchant had pulled his lips away from the hand of the lithe one who had introduced herself as [i]Lady Kotys[/i], he addressed the room. 

“I thank you all for answering my summons,” he began, pulling himself up onto his feet “I am glad that word managed to reach you all…”

Kryne cast a quick glance over to the putrid goliath, and its noxious pet. 

“One way, or another.” 

Kryne strode into the center of the room, and within seconds Laverna had slid off of the sette, and was standing by his side. 

“My intention in coming to Skubberrima, as I’m sure you are all aware, is to recover an artifact of [i]substantial[/i] value: the [i]Gauntlet of Myreena[/i]. Help me to claim this prize, and you shall each be rewarded with a bountiful trove of souls, to do with as you see fit. My fleet is home to innumerable slaves, and you shall all be given your pick.”

 Kryne took another step forwards, with Laverna moving softly behind him. 

“I have a contact on the surface, who is awaiting you arrival. Laverna will be in-charge of getting you to them. Aid me in this task, and you will come to find that there was never a more beneficial ally than Euromulus Kryne.” 

[hr]

Rhaat and Rhaad crouched in the darkness, peering up at the night sky above. 

All around them, the charred bones of Skubberima littered the wasteland. Even now, these many years after the bloody battle between Queen Myreena and King Eliphane, the planet ached from those old wounds. 

Squinting through his telescope, Rhaat spotted a speck of light, darting through the blackness of the heavens. 

“Fresh meat,” Rhaat grinned, turning to Rhaad “tell the family to [i]fire[/i].” 

[hr] 

Laverna and the coterie were bundled into one of Kryne’s many shuttlecrafts, as it sped towards [i]Gossameter[/i], a trading outpost, which had sprung up out of the ruins of the ravaged city of the same name. 

She had serious reservations about trying to control a rabble of warriors so varied, and utterly psychotic in nature, but she was counting on their love of riches and extended slaughter outweighing their want of quick, immediate bloodshed. 

To begin with, all she had to do was guide them through [i]New Gossameter[/i], to Kryne’s contact. So long as she could keep them from straying into the perilous, mutant-ridden ruins of [i]the Old City[/i], they should be fine. 

Suddenly, a world sundering blast rocked the shuttlecraft. 

Laverna yelped in shock, as she was flung across the cramped metal container. She smashed into the wall, her head spinning, and the wind knocked out of her. 

The shuttlecraft was spiraling round, and round, and round, as emergency sirens screeched in her ears. 

“What in the warp..?!” she wheezed, gasping for breath. 

[hr] 

Rhaat and Rhaad giggled with perverse glee, watching the smoldering speck veer off course, and plummet down towards them. 

“Come to us, pretty one,” Rhaad tittered, hunched down behind a cracked pillar “it's time to [i]feast[/i].”