M40.560 - 127 Standard
Since Galloxix, Lucien and his crew have spent the past week on-board an Imperial trade vessel travelling throughout the sector. Since coming aboard they have found themselves confined to quarters with very little in the way of answers given to their ever mounting list of questions. All they have managed to gather from the few sparse meetings with other people on-board (normally only to drop off the days ration packs), is that they are heading towards the planet Gledd, a large hive world in the Rubicon System.
A few days into the voyage the ship drops out of the warp and moves into anchor around the planet (a troubling affair for Lucien, unaccustomed to warp travel as he is). Hours later a squad of troopers, all armed in black carapace armour complete with full-face helmets and sporting auto-guns, hustle the party from their quarters to a waiting jet-black gun-cutter in the ship's hangar. During the descent through the Gleddian stratosphere, the crew notice the thick smog that engulfs the entire planet - like a layer of dark cloud that spans as far as the eye can see, the only distinguishing features the hulking spires of the Upper Hive piercing through the smokey veil towards the stars.
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After what seems like an hour after first passing the highest point of the hive, descending into the ever thickening smog, the pilot turns the cutter sharply into a thin slit-like opening in the side of the vast structure. Travelling through a series of metallic tunnels for some minutes, ever turning and winding upwards, the cutter exits into a vast open space littered with similar craft in various states of loading and unloading. The cutter swiftly falls in line over an empty pad and proceeds to begin landing procedures. The craft touches down with a deep
THUD as the ship's landing gear makes contact with the metal decking of the hangar. The men escorting you have been silent and stoic the entire journey, with few words spoken other than pilots brief vox chatter with what you assume must be aerial command. Once the ship touches down the men begin to move with purpose, disembarking from the ship with little heed of Lucien or his strange companions, though they do give you a wide berth when exiting the vessel.
One of the black-clad men turns to address you just before disembarking, as if seemingly just remembering your existence. He grunts at you in a deep commanding voice, with a thick accent that is unfamiliar to any of your party:
"Your kit and gear is in those storage containers." he spits, gesturing to two dingy trunks in the corner.
"Along with your instructions. I want you off my ship in 10 minutes flat, no exceptions." With that he turns away and heads down the ramp, leaving you alone in the ship, save for the two pilots, and the two guards who's eyes haven't left you since you boarded.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:33, Fri 05 Oct 2018.