Soon after the astropaths report the success of the mission, messages of congratulations begin streaming into the Pious Lament, there are queries and requests for information from dozens of agencies, some of which many of the crew have never heard of.

Over thee next two months the ships begin to arrive, first fast ships of the Imperial Navy, followed by an Adeptus Ministorum vessel that was neer by, smaller craft of the Adeptus Mechanicus precede a vast vessel that rivals the manufactorum in scale, these are followed by ships from Adeptus Administratum, larger ships of the Imperial Navy and all kinds of other authorities. Among them are ships and representatives of House Velspar, House Saoirse and House Shiraishi. The icing on the cake though, is when the sector governor arrives baring dispatches and instructions from Adeptus Terra.

I’m posting this passage now, ahead of the restart, so that you might make more informed decisions, more details will follow.

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A reception is held for the captains and senior officers of each visiting vessels of significant importance including those of the Navy, Ministorum, & Administratum.

The greetings for representatives of Velspar, Shiraishi, and most importantly her Uncle Aiden onboard of the Lann Onóra, the small corvette often used to scout newly established systems. The largest ceremony she has is when the system governor arrives themselves bearing important dispatches, which she takes and looks over at her own time.

It's hard to tell who has the toughest assignment for the receptions; the High Factotum, for issuing invitations and arranging for catering, or the Master of the Vox, for managing an endless series of communications, the Lady-Captain herself, being that the rarefied circles of high society are every bit as lethal a battlefield as the plains of Gelron Prime, or any of her many, many servants who are working to not disgrace the name of House Saoirse and its scion.

However, Gregory is pretty sure his job ranks up there with the hardest and most vital of them all; after all, he's in charge of managing security arrangements, liaising with the retinues and security chiefs of the guests, getting clearances and authorizations sorted (Throne forbid you should prevent a high muckety-muck from going where he pleases... or allowing a silver-tongued charlatan to inconvenience the same!). And as though the task wasn't challenging enough, he needs to navigate the... tense relationship between the Enginseer Prime and the High Factotum (both of whom outrank him too)

They say the Emperor gives His mightiest soldiers His toughest battles... But Gregory can't help but wonder if perhaps Him-On-Earth thinks a little too highly of him.

Currently, the security layout/rules of engagement are as thus; the areas in the ship are labelled Green, Yellow and Red, radiating out from the docking bays and the reception halls. Green areas are freely traversable by guests and no permission is needed to enter them. This naturally covers the guest quarters, the reception areas and the corridors immediately adjoining them, as well as the landing bays. Yellow areas are nominally off-limits, mundane guests who wish to enter them are politely but firmly advised to leave, while more important guests will be escorted to wherever they wish to go and then out again. Red zones are completely off-limits and nobody is to enter them without express permission from the Lord-Captain or at least two of the three Rank Two senior officers. Naturally, lethal force is authorized for defending such areas. Given the exceptionally high density of VIPs present, Gregory's proposal of "have the reception in the landing bays and airlock the lot of them if anything funny happens" was immediately shot down, hence this compromise.

After the usual meet and greet with the security details of the other VIPs, complete with exchange of vox-codes and a gift of complimentary fruit baskets freshly harvested from Gelron, Gregory finds himself in the heart of the ops room, surrounded by security staffers observing spy-picters and listening to reports from patrols assigned to watch the green/yellow/red area interfaces and the men attached to the various security details. The hololithic map before him shows a rough indication of all points as he silently prays for the festivities to end soon.

It was not so much an amendment as an additional set of considerations that would find their way to Master Asgard once the office of the Navis Nobilis was made aware of a delegation of their own would be in attendance at the recognition of the Rogue Trader's victory over both the fickle whims of the Immaterium and the malcontents of Gelron. It was a credit to his skill and understanding of the parameters of his guests and the... allowances that had to be made for so many people of standing that these considerations were not overly disruptive to the over all strategy put forth, merely a means to provide a thoroughfare of sorts to the Navigator's sanctum from the main reception halls where those dignitaries of House Shirashi could then be surrendered over to the care of the contingent of House Guard that had accompanied Cennet and her cousins aboard the Pious Lament. That the area was contained, well provisioned to suit the tastes of her kin folk, and well staffed with those accustomed to the... oddities of the Navis Nobilis alongside being formally sanctioned to tend to their needs helped to ease some of the burden and considerations all it's own.

The distinctly thoughtful, careful hand of the Lady Cennet Melek Shiraishi writ large across all of it with a deliberate and careful consideration towards propriety, duty, and other matters of the insular culture of her nomadic house.

Privately, there was no small anxiety over the matter as the arrival of others of her house brought with it a complicated sequence of emotions. Her fall from grace due to the expression of her genetic imperfections was hardly an unknown quantity among her peers. She had, in her youth, represented a new chapter... A possible future where the fickleness of their flawed genetics might be finally conquered all for that house to come crashing down. The purest of silver linings being that, to date, her navigational skills were beyond reproach so that at least their reputation and honour as natives of the Stars and Endless Sea beyond them could not be questioned. This informed, in kind, the extensive efforts that the Navigatrix pushed herself to with the staff and provisions afforded to her to ensure every comfort possible to the delegation.

It was perhaps in these moments of dutiful and frenetic activity that she was, perhaps, at her most comfortable if only because her mind could not be allowed to wander with vengeful recrimination over her perceived failures for things that had never once been within her control... Nor to pull and pick at the wounded pride and vanity that she had nursed these past few decades even with each step towards an acceptance of her diminished self. A fact her cousins, Lady Sheridan and Lord Levi, had not doubt become acquainted with. Not that she was so unaware of herself that her choice of... modification and hiding of all that she now was didn't scream that loudly enough for anyone to pick up upon.

3.281.103.M41 and there is great excitement on the Planet Gelron and within the twenty or so capital ships that now hang in orbit around it, Sector Governor, Marius Hax is due to arrive in person within the next two days, his ship ‘Destiny of Drusus’ has left the warp but is far to close to the Sink Hole and is struggling to get clear, some of the smaller escort vestless have already entered orbit and his personnel are making preparations dirt side for his accommodation in the Governor’s Palace.

With so many ships in orbit the capital city is stuffed beyond capacity with the high and mighty trying to retain some semblance of dignity and gravitas while ‘slumming it’ on a ‘backward and primitive planet’. Actually, the planet is neither of those things, it just lacks the infrastructure to cater for such a large number of the sector’s ruling classes.

A lot of the visitors have chosen to remain on their ships and visit each other in orbit but trips dirt side to the governor’s palace are required for time to time and Lady Anastasia MaCregge, the reinstated Governor General is doing her best to cope. Until now she had been the biggest fish in a fairly small pond now, the pond is the same but a lot of much bigger fish have moved in and all are waiting for the biggest fish of all.

Meanwhile, it is known that the Pious Lament is to be handed over to Lady Captain Searlait Saoirse, however, Lady Marilyn Velspar, sister of Lord Harington, the previous Captain, is not happy, she has come to oversee the transfer of the ship but has made it clear that all of the crew, from lowliest servitor to the first officer have sworn allegiance to House Velspar and all of the mechanicus on board are subject to an ancient contract between the Lords of Mars and House Velspar while much the same applies to the Astral Quire and the House Shiraishi of the Navigators. This ship was the founding vestal of House Velspar dynasty since she was decommissioned from the Navy and gifted to Admiral Gabriel Velspar along with Traders Charter in recognition of his services in the Imperial Navy during the Ophidian Campaign in 605.M39. The ship is also packed with treasure, art work and trophies accumulated by the Velspars over the centauries, all with great meaning and relevance to the family and none of which they wish to ‘let go’.

One of the ships in orbit is Iolar Neamhni, an Exorcist class grand cruiser captained by Lord Cormac, current patriarch of House Saoirse, come to visit his daughter in her hour of triumph, he has already classed on more than one occasion, with Lady Marilyn. The Cruiser is escorted by the corvette Lann Onora.

There are two ships of the Mechanicus in orbit, (both docked at the manufactorum), but the Magos who has just arrived on the Pious Lament has travelled on the Iolar Neamhni. ‘Harrow of Laith’ has presented his credentials to Jak and informed him that he has been tasked by Lord Cormac, patriarch of house Saoirse, to take technical control of this vestal and Jak is welcome to stay and assist if he does not have other commitments to house Velspar.

There are three high ranking members of House Shiraishi in attendance on Gelron, Lord Malferon Shiraishi, an ancient navigator who never leaves his sedan chair, caried by twenty servitors, (although it actually hovers on gravity plates) and attended by house juniors, many servants and two tech priests. Among these is another, young Navigator Philipus, and Gregory Bevrett, the house Auditor.

Sister-Chatelain Delores, of the Orders Famulous specifically wants to see Harmonia as she has heard tell of the miracle Emperor’s face. Bishop Lasherat has been sent by Cardinal Ignatio himself as Adeptus Ministorum representative.

Shipboard meetings with these people are mostly one or two at a time and they leave so security is manageable for Gregory. Bigger meetings mostly take place on the planet and he only has to provide security for ships personnel, unless Searlait is hosting. A big problem is discipline, troop, the ship flown by s planet and crew planet side have been fighting with their opposite numbers from other ships, especially the Iolar Neamhni Searlait’s father and the Lann Onora, the small corvette flown by her uncle Aiden

Point to note that all of the players owe allegiance to the Velspar family in one form or another.
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 Two solid months in orbit, buoyed by the extensive reengineering of the Manufactorum's purpose which he engineered - one which prioritises long-term operations, and so can be stretched to the upkeep of the local supply chain, and so can provide some modest amount of spare components and repair facilities - is Jak's variation upon the theme of silicon heaven.

 He's a little distracted - and entirely absent for a day or so - around the time that the Inquisitorial Retinue depart, but beyond that there's little time to be found when he isn't leading repair and exploration parties around the ship, reciting catechisms to the laity as they labour upon great refits and vast acts of preventative maintenance or forming a key part of the developing network of supply-and-demand that's reviving itself around the newly awakened economy of Gelron... Well, except for when the Ark Mechanicus turns up. That is cause for an entire day of 'pious reflection' to be declared for the Mechanicus population of the Pious Lament (which fortunately seems to involve a lot of small-scale maintenance anyway, so while not a lot gets done on the big projects, a positive swarm of smaller repair tasks get expedited in amongst the chanting, incense-wafting and praying).

 He does make some time for Archmilitant Asgard during this period, presenting him with the work of his extremely limited leisure time in the form of a sealed case large enough to fit a (slightly trimmed) human body in, festooned with assorted purity seals and glyphs of protection and restraint, presumably it's important to at least one of them. Navigator Melek-Shiraishi has attention proffered to her as well, with her and the Engineseer often being seen together plotting some project or other, with whatever it is seemingly important or prestigious enough for him to be seen at her little social gathering, a small tray of dainties clutched in the fine brass manipulators of one mechandrite and a complete lack of expression upon his aquiline faceplate - although he does at least make an effort at 'small talk' in the course of his doing so, an endeavour every bit as horrifying as one might expect - more or less regardless of what situations unfold before him. He's attentive however, and seemingly prepared to speak well of the piety and diligence of the Navigator of the Pious Lament so all in all he's probably a net benefit to things.

 Much to do then, and much to be done...

 And then Magos Harrow of Laith shows up.

 Jak is of course, a loyal (if distant) son of Mars and accepts the data he's offered without initial complaint, instead taking a good hour or more to high-band relate the details of the ongoing refit and repair plans to the Magos, ensuring that - should the transfer go through - as seamless as possible a transition of authority and subservience to the needs of the great ship-shrine can be achieved.

 Actually assimilating that mass of data is likely to take a good few hours - or days - and it leaves Jak able to secure assorted data-vaults of his own personal information (armour schematics, some genetic information and the like) and go looking for The Captain, since he's rather curious about what's going on.

Searlait's time is spent coordinating meetings with the various arriving personnel, whether on the Pious Lament, the planetary surface and very rarely she would visit on their vessel, the most notable was when she went back to her childhood home the Iolar Neamhni which was a shock since she and her father were not on the best of terms, so his arrival was the most shocking.

The arrival of Lady Marilyn Velspar, the sister of Lord Harington, and her attempt expropriate the entire ships contents in a less then friendly manner has he contacting Vormav, Finnigan & Emerson to search over the official transfer that gave her dominion over the vessel to find some way to confirm her command of the vessel and all of its assets including any information from the High Lords that she has. The Mechanicus members she sends a missive to Magos Tesla to see if he can confirm if individual Mechancicus personnel were subject to subservience to House Velspar or if the compact referred to just manning of vessels with appropriate skilled staff. She would ensure that he knew she was more then pleased with his service and would greatly prefer if he stayed aboard in his capacity to restore the grand vessel to its full functionality.

So as not to interfere with day to day operations of the ship Harmonia holds her meeting with Sister-Chatelain Delores in her most private office that looks out over the Temple shrine to the God Emperor at the stern of the ship.  Very few have ever been invited into what is intended to be a place of personal reflection and thought, but in chaotic times like this it is often best to share such a sanctuary than to hoard it's use for one's self.

As soon as Searlait gets a whiff of the political manoeuvring of both her father and Lady Marilyn Velspar she orders a meeting of all senior personnel to a conference in her private quarters at 1900h ship time. Those that arrive will notice that its the guard squad she took with her that patrol the deck and all are fully armed and armoured, each has a mix of melee and ranged weapons ranging from brutal shock mauls and shields to heavy combat shotguns and hellguns. No one who isn't supposed to be here will get unto this level and meeting each officer as they get off the lift is Órlaith Ita, the massive icebear pelt cloak across her back and vanaheim shotgun in hand as she offers greetings.

She leads each of you to Searlait's private study, a well appointed room with an actual fireplace, polished dark grey ouslite tile around the fireplace leading to rich oak wood planks and a 20 seat table with various hors d'oeuvres spread around. Searlait is, like the the guards fully armoured and pacing around the room.

When the last officer arrives Órlaith locks the door and waits outside and Searlait says "Delightful everyone has arrived, as many of you may well be aware with the arrival of My father, Lord Cormac Soairse and Lady Marilyn Velspar there is a contest being had with the Pious Lament and all of her crew as the battleground. One wishes to assert there dominion over what he sees as his latest acquisition, a vessel of rare age and vintage to his diminished fleet since the disappearance of my elder brother and the Stríocóir Réalta he seeks to keep potential enemies at bay, and Lady Velspar's anger at losing her family's ancestral flagship, a great disaster to any dynasty and one usually accompanied by the destruction of the Dynasty. As each tries to assert their dominance attempting to install their own puppets, supplanting your positions with their own choices or attempting to remove things from this ship. As of now I officially order you all, should you wish to remain at your post here. Your services here have all been exemplary and I could not have wished for a more capable crew. Any requests or demands for crew changes from either is denied, any request or demand for removal of property is denied, if they try to get pushy kindly remind them they have no authority on this ship, if they still get push, have security escort them to the airlock. All shore leave is hereby revoked until this matter is settled. Are there any questions or concerns?"

"Just a question of vernacular mi'lady. Is the airlock they are being escorted to intended to have a vessel waiting on the other side?"

He rests his hand near his side arm suggestively.

"Further might I suggest, as the officer responsible for finances, that escorting them to the brig and ransoming these presumably capable officers back to their respective vessels might be worth while. If we can get away with it."

Gregory raises an eyebrow. Looks like the Lady-Captain is marking her territory.

"Clear as a bell, ma'am," he smiles. Then he turns to Ravandio. "I believe getting us away with it is Mr. Rathnyr's job."

 Jak manages to dress for the occasion, the usual scorch marks and oil-spatter visible on the edges of his robes replaced by fine-woven new garments of deep Adeptus Mechanicus Red and he's even buffed his augmetics for the occasion - something which his particular aesthetic taste for a refractory alloy that's a deep bronze goes especially well with. The fact that the impressive metal talons on his augmetic feet have a tendency to draw curls from the oaken flooring is unfortunate of course, but when you're a bloody great cybernetic Explorator a certain amount of eccentricity is probably to be expected.

 What is likely less expected is for him to signify regretful rejection of the order in descending binaric tones, explaining (for those of the crew not packed with micro-cogitators and artificial neural tissue) "Unfortunately, this request is not within your authority to make, Lady Captain. Archmagos Dorth has the final decision upon the identity of the Magos who will serve the Pious Lament, in keeping with the treaties between your Dynasty and the Adeptus Mechanicus. At the current time, the position of Engineseer Prime has been assigned to Magos Harrow of Laith, under the request of Lord Cormac Saoirse but this is by no means finalised and ultimately the decision rests with the Archmagos who is, in the aftermath of our recovery of the Manufactorum, well-disposed towards this crew. Whether this is sufficient to sway his final decision has yet to be determined."*

 ---

 * Because I'm waiting on a GM reply. ^_^

The tension of the situation was hardly lost on Cennet as power plays like this were not uncommon among the scions of her own house when it came to the coveted positions and titles of any Navigator family. All of which were things she had once aspired to but since tempered her ambitions with the perceived loss of her perfection of form. What remained, as a consequence of such a blow to pride and vanity, was an intensely dutiful nature and as the Lady Captain had proven herself capable against these unknowns... and was still in command of the vessel that she presently resided upon... There were a few avenues of persuasion that could be explored.

"It would be... untoward for my peers and I to become directly involved but as our reputation and prosperity has flourished under your command there are some subtler leverages we might be able to apply as representatives of the Navis Nobilis. Such a change, after all, could provoke re-negotiations of the agreements already established between House Shiraishi and House Saoirse. There is an accounting under way in either case with the presence of the Clan's Auditor." the Navigatrix offered politely from her seated place at the table. The staff held in hand and her attendants, out of respect, left to wait beyond the chamber doors. Records of such conversations complicated things and whilst she trusted Master Grund implicitly... It was a kindness to shield him from such as this.

"Best to ensure there is a shuttle attached to the airlock for now, depending on how the next few days and weeks turn out we may advance to pointed sticks and empty airlocks."

"As for hostages, I will not be ransoming my father's people back to him and hope to maintain at least cordial relations with the Velspar's. If we need to keep them under arms then we do it in a better situation then most."

"I am aware of the warring politics within the various separate entities within the Imperium, whether its the Adeptus Mechanicus and the Navis Nobilite and that I have not direct control over either organization's deployments of personnel, but as stated I would prefer to keep personnel assignments if not completely by my sole choice, then at least those I know will be loyal to this vessel and its crew. If we have any sympathy from the Archmagos for our actions I would prefer you as this vessel's Magos."

"As well Navigatrix Shiraishi, should you wish to remain I will endorse any efforts you may make to ensure as smooth a transition of this time as we can. Any pressures that could ensure mutually beneficial relations as we can would be greatly appreciated."

 "As would I Lady Captain, I have certain obligations here in addition to my hope for the opportunity to spend the next eighty-four years restoring the Pious Lament. Let it suffice to say that what can be done is being done, at least upon my part but that I am confident of the capabilities of Magos Harrow of Laith should the worst come to pass." Jak answers calmly - demonstrating not for the first time the sheer freedom from emotionality which lies at the core of the thought-processes of someone as heavily augmented as the Explorator - while nodding to both Cenet and Gregory in the process, seemingly indicating that some part of his obligations takes in them as well.

"I'm rather familiar with the great spirit of the vessel and don't care to perform the rituals of attunement again so soon, Lady Captain. I'll speak with my peers as to what might be done to ensure the continuation of our arrangement." the Navigatrix offered politely whilst ignoring those parts of her mind that would question what influence she might even command in the face of her elders. It was a problem for later and she would do as she said in either case. Her talents, regardless, were better served aboard a vessel like this than the stale and well worn routes of the major lanes of the Imperium.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:03, Sat 20 Jan.

"Excellent, I am happy to know that you wish to maintain your posts as they currently stand and that you will support me in this. I unfortunately must report that our Master of Whispers will be departing as his current oaths are not breakable and he must remain in the employ of House Velspar. His replacement is Hadrian Herric" she says pointing to a figure at the back of the room who had yet to introduce himself. "If there are any questions to be asked, please state them now to whomever you have them for."

When Hadrian was introduced he gave a small bow from the back. He was dressed well enough to be presentable but not well enough it wouldn't pass for common staff if he had to get overlooked. He looked even more the part of the staff as he had been deep diving through a data slate trying to play catch up with all the data, and passenger logs, There was an ocean of text to dig through and he had a row boat.

He still smiled, "Hadrian Herric, it is my hope that outside of a good glass of liquor with a comrade, you barely know I am around. Though it seems like excitement is the order of the day."

The Navigatrix turned with an meticulous and precise care of someone whose body has long betrayed them. The familiar agonies running up through back and spine as withered muscles sought to move her frame. Her weight made not inconsiderable by the steps taken to preserve vanity and maintain the appearances of her vaunted station. Her head tilted delicately then in acknowledgement of the new master of whispers. A position and title that seemed to come with shocking volatility in recent memory.

"A pleasure to make the acquaintance, Master Herric. More excitement than one can typically foretell, if we're to be honest." the doll-like Navigatrix agreed with a touch of pointed irony given the nature of some of her gifts and abilities. The immediate future was but a concerted effort of will away... and then all was left to chance by how fickle those observations and echoes of possibility might have truly been.

With no questions or comments forthcoming Searlait says "Mistress Shiraishi, Magos Tesla, please advise your superiors of my preference of yourselves remaining in your respective positions ongoing and apply as much pressure as you feel comfortable."

"Mistress Faith, if the choir could attempt to screen messages going on in the system to determine any information being sent, Yorick, do the same with the vox system. Paklor Ank keep the auspex active and track any launches that launch and give us warning of any movement towards the ship. Mister Rathnyr keep two fighters on launch alert at all times. Vormav continue resupply going as if everything is normal. Asgard, heighten security and train trusted crew as secondary combatants in case someone tries to take the ship by force. Confessor try to glean the crews temperament about the whole ordeal."

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
OOC: if I missed anyone please let me know

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With the plan set Harmonia gets going on her part of the plan, starting off on her way to the depths of the ship, the most ignored part, the places with the members of the crew least likely to have had interaction with anyone else in this meeting.  From there she can start to collect entirely new information about what they have experienced and if possible provide them some comfort in what are no doubt the more dismal parts of the ship.

Faith had not really been expecting to be called out directly, so she has a bit of a deer-in-headlights expression when Searlait addresses her. Fortunately, she recovers quickly enough and nods in response.

"Will do, ma'am," she says.

Once that's done, she heads over to the astropathic cloister, where she quickly briefs her brethren on the task assigned to them. "It seems the Lady-Captain wants to monitor any transmissiosn coming in and out for funny business because of politics."
This message was last updated by the player at 21:11, Wed 31 Jan.

Fortunately, the Lament has plenty of secondary combatants as it is, but Gregory notes the part about "taking the ship by force" and spends the better part of a week discussing how to properly secure the various critical parts of the vessel against hostile takeover and sabotage. There is also a brief exchange with Magos Tesla about the proper procedure for securing the Enginarium, which largely amounts to "the armsmen only enter in when you want them to and under your supervision", though Gregory does try to figure out who among the Tech-Guard will be liaison points during an emergency.

The men are already on high alert from the volatile security situation on the Lament, so having them walk extra, shorter patrols isn't a big hardship.

 The instruction earns the Lady Captain a small bow of the head, although since the matter is already - he hopes - in hand there is little else to report, which leaves Jak free to return to his duties, most of which involve ensuring continuity of repairs should he be replaced, tapping the other Magos's expertise while he can should he not* and working with Archmilitant Asgard (amongst others) on matters of organisation.

 The ships security forces are of course, outnumbered by the Cult Mechanicus... But they in turn massively outnumber that part of the Cult which is actually martial in duty, and - with due consideration and consultation, training routines are implemented which allow groups such as the Cult Militia (basically a slightly better armed than average 'home guard' led by the Magos Lachrimallus) and the Cult Guard (the equivalent of his own security forces but only a few hundred strong, led by the Magos Malagra) to work with patrols from the far larger forces of the Archmilitant on patrols, drills and training exercises - looking to reduce potential causes of friction and difficulty while the chance exists. They allude to a superior - other than Jak - but they're not generally spoken of and there's little mention of the tiny force of Hypaspists and Classiarii whose duties will always involve defence of the most sanctified spaces.

 ---

 * Much in keeping with his established goals, Jak approaches Harrow of Laith with the simple proposition that - during the functional interregnum caused by the politics of less enlightened minds - there is absolutely no reason that the sudden and unlooked-for boon of two fully qualified Exploritors being available to The Pious Lament should not be exploited and proposes a division of labour on the ongoing refit and repair efforts, with each contributing to the best of their ability to honour the ancient and mighty shrine-ship, who should of course come before them both.

The Navigatrix inclined her own head in a stately gesture towards the Lady Captain. The motion simple but suffused with an impression of deliberate consideration, calculation and conservation of her always taxed and waning strength. With the meeting concluded, there was now also the task of rising to her feet to depart towards the intended errand which brought with it yet more reminders of the wretched and wasted nature of her physical condition. The rich stellar cartography of her robes and the various adornments of her station doing little to mask that all encompassing betrayal of her once proclaimed perfect genetics. She leaned heavily then on her staff as she departed at that same stately, calculated pace. The familiar agony rising up through hips, spine, neck and crawling around to her temples as wretched, wasting musculature continued to torment her but there was a solution on the horizon for that and her will and ability to act would never be found wanting.

It was such duty in mind that saw her approach her cousins in the Navigator's sanctum and then the most honored representatives of her clan with the Lady Captain's request and some consideration for the now presented charts that she had so meticulously crafted. After all, this representative of the dynasty had already proven herself bold and shrewd in equal measure and with such came the opportunity for yet more knowledge of the ways between to be committed to sacred charts and enshrined within the most enviable cartographical vaults aboard crown jewel of their migrant fleet, The Empyrean Wanderer. If nothing else, the 'failed' experiment that was her previously vaunted genetic stability... continued to provide most valuable data points so far from the beacon of His Light upon Holy Terra. Allowing the most esteemed Magos of the Clan's home fleet to continue to build upon the experimentations enacted and pursued by her father. One more duty by which to prove she was not the failure that her treacherous flash had made her in the eyes of blood kin.

A missive is published by Archmagos Dorth and disseminated to all of ‘rank and influence’ whether they are interested parties or not, it is a long document, the majority of which would only be understood by others in the cult or those versed in higher mathematics but the piece is summed up in the final paragraph. Basically, he has calculated that the Pious Lament would be best served by keeping it’s incumbent Enginseer, the rest of the document is just his’ workings out’.

There is a footnote here, the essence of which is that he understands there are political interests in this placement, but he doesn’t give a monkey’s.
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In about a weeks’ time there is to be a grand ceremony in the hall of St Gothren during which the ownership of the Pious Lament will be transferred and fresh oaths sworn to the new captain, hundreds of VIPs will be in attendance the event will be broadcast to the rest of the ship, all the ships in orbit and the planet below.

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 The overwhelming majority of the members of the Cult Mechanicus on-board ship are of course, fully utilising the apparently happy services of Harrow of Laith, who while not in command of them and not a member of the crew, has nonetheless been roundly embraced for his profound skills and given every possible courtesy as the work of restoring the great old shrine-vessel continues... But the Hall of St Gothren is nonetheless swarmed by low-ranking technomats and domestic Servitors who spend several days oiling the bearings on folding seats, replacing lumen tubes, checking and updating purity seals and generally giving the entire vast space a thorough-going techno-renovation (actually cleaning up after them is a job for housekeeping of course, but at least no-one ought to be embarrassed by a failed pict-repeater or a malfunctioning camera-skull.

Archmagos Dorth arrives on the Pious Lament in a small lander with a large bulbus nose that seemed to be made of mostly brass, tubes, pipes and beams pierced with large holes run along the outside for no discernible reason and the large, curved fins on the back seemed out of place on a vestal that otherwise lacked streamlining. The nose is dominated by a Cog Mechanicus though, so all of that must have meaning to the Omnissiah.

The Archmagos descends from the vestal on a platform that is lowered from its belly, he is seated in what appears to be a command chair and quite alone. He stands looks round at the assembled honour guards from at least four different factions aboard the ship, he moves forward with a pronounced limp towards the Lord Captain and the gathering senior officers and says, ”hello, if I’d known this was a formal occasion I would have put on my best robe.”

Archmagos Dorth still retains his humanoid form though how much of it remains flesh is hard to decern under his trailing red robe. There is a large pack on his back on top of which is a glowing blue energy coil of some sort and from it hang a score or more of assorted cables and pipes, his head is entirely brass with two lenses and a grill where eyes and a mouth should be, but occasional puffs of vapour seem to suggest he is breathing from his neck somewhere.

”Captain, you honour me with this reception but I had just hoped to take a look at this fine vestal of your and not intended any disruption.”

” Jak Tesla, I have something for you here,” an elaborate looking brass cylinder had floated out of the ship on its anti grav, field generator, it hangs vertically in the air about three foot tall and eighteen inches in radius, it is widest at the bottom end and flat underneath while the top is an elaborate cone with a complex curved shape and pointed finial. The upper half of this cylinder has six long, oval windows and a soft white light emanates from them, also illuminating the tiny, sixty day old fetus, floating in the clear fluids within and attached to somewhere below by an umbilical cord. ”Your daughter, though goodness knows what you want with it.”
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Gregory's eyes go wide, but he politely says nothing.

"The arrival of such an esteemed member of the Adeptus Mechanicus as yourself deserves at least an honour guard Archmagos" She says making the cog mechanicus by intermeshing her knuckles. "Please inspect the vessel, Magos Tesla I'm sure has already designated work crews enough for the visit." she adds and as the Archmagos brought out the artificial womb she stands agog, she always assumed the Mechanicus just took promising individuals they came across not cultured up babies to grow up.

 "This was taken into consideration." Explorator Tesla states with binaric threaded through his speech indicative of cost-benefit calculation and personnel requirements, making it plain that this guard force was carefully selected to balance a minimum of disruption to shipboard affairs while also providing a respectable honour guard to the Archmagos.

 Under that relatively surface level of assessment there are of course deeper currents - indications of threat-assessment routines which postulate political moves by assorted local factions figuring in to the force on-hand, far less than an accusation of any sort but assurance of a kind that the gesture is not an empty one.

 And then the artificial womb is decanted and for a moment, even Jak seems startled but he rallies rapidly and moves forward to perform basic safety-tests on the floating cannister, making several small gestures of biomedical blessing and gene-assurance in the process as he explains "Unusually for one of the Adeptus Mechanicus of my station, I am the product of unmonitored reproduction rather than carefully cultivated genetic assessment and recombination. My genetic lineage hails from the fabrication halls of Vaxanide and there is a small, but non-zero possibility that it will be of utility should my talents prove hereditary. You have my appreciation and thanks, Archmagos. I shall endeavour to see the biological specimen properly trained when it is ready to be decanted."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:45, Mon 04 Mar.

The announcement of children in such a fashion was... Perhaps... not so outlandish a thing to Cennet's own experiences and cultural norms but whether she was surprised or not would have been difficult to determine through the aegis of her ever present mask and the not inconsiderable social conditioning she had been through to date. Still, she couldn't help but feel a kinship of sorts with the child in the womb. It was not a hard leap of imagination to contemplate the same circumstances surrounding her own birth; surrounded by magos and the elders of the clan learned in the arts of genetic manipulation from decades of experience guiding the bloodlines of the Shiraishi.

Her own greeting was an unspoken one punctuated by a deep and gracious bow by any measure that one might have held the stately Navigatrix to. There was no lack of respect or regard in the gesture but with the focus of the conversation, it had felt far too rude to intervene.

Archmagos Dorth, having been suitably honoured and having spent a suitable amount of time thanking those who so honoured him, departs with Jak and the Mechanicus contingent for his inspection of the ship. Jak’s daughter, or at least the ornate brass cylinder that contains her, seems to have imprinted on Jak and it purrs happily as it floats along behind him.

Meanwhile everybody else goes about their business, which for the most part is preparing the ship for the arrival of Marious Hax, the sector governor.

If you don’t hear from me directly, please remind me of what your character is up to.
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Eventually, Marious Hax, the sector governor arrives accompanied by a large retinue, and a large military guard and there is celebration and feasting on the Pious Lament, some of the other ships in orbit, on the planet below and even on the manufactorum.

In the Hall of St Gotheren there is a great ceremony to formalises all that has previously been put in place which all goes very smoothly, Lady Marilyn Velspar hands the ship and all it’s remaining contents over to Searlait Saoirse, declares the new treaty between the new Captain and house Velspar and transfers all oaths and allegiances from her house to Arch Bishop Charleteros in person while Lord Cormac Saoirse, sits in the corner quietly fuming. The ceremony ends with Arch Bishop Charleteros, who is visiting with the Governor, leading the entire ships crew in swearing a new oath to the Rogue Trader Lady Searlait Saoirse, everybody cheers and two days of partying ensue.

Eventually things quieten down, visitors leave orbit one by one, or in small convoys, the Imperial Navy leaves with the Governor to escort him back to Scintilla, the Grand Magos departs and a quiet descends on the Pious Lament, she is fully provisioned, has recruited fresh crew to replace those lost in the recent fighting and is ready go.

There are still some unfinished events but I’ll deal with those off in private. I’ll be posting a new thread for Chapter 8 later today.
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