Fifty Third Volume, Chapter Twenty Nine
In the previous chapter I described the return to the market place of the Fall of Dorn and of the discovery that the Hull Rats had been expelled from that place by Captain Jalasas. The forces of Talis Saro were determined to go to the Leader of the Hull Rats Von Hells and attempt to prevent any reprisals.
It took half an hour for a replacement for Aescepulas to arrive at the market place to relieve him, half an hour the Officers of the Seleucaemi Treasurer spent organising their trade goods for the tolls they expected to pay on their journey through the bilges. When his replacement arrived it also brought five of the Tick-tock men guards they had taken with them to the Light Eyes. Along with some of their own Ratings this was a not inconsiderable force, but knowing the state the bilges were likely to be in the hoped it would be up to the task. They also took with them a bulkhead cutting Saw at Aescepulas' urging as the bilges regularly shifted and passageways might occasionally collapse.
Finally he gave them a warning, the territories they would be moving through to get to the Hull rats territory consisted of those factions strong enough to hold off the Hull rats. As such they would be both powerful and likely highly militaristic. Although Aescepulas and the Techguard would be covered by the immunity granted to the Tick tock men, the officers of the Treasurer would not be so covered. This warning in their ears they set off out of the market and towards the great Service elevator they had taken previously.
Instead of ascending however this time they plunged into the depths of the fall of Dorn's bilges. As any Void born can tell you it is the nature of a vessels bilges to be dank and unpleasant places, however the Bilges of the Fall of Dorn were considerably worse, having not been properly repaired in over ten years. The walls were streaked with grime and worse chemicals, and parts of the wall had been melted by the passage of the liquids. Here and there large pieces of metal had been jammed under sagging decks, desperately holding back the inevitable decay of the ship. The air stank, even through the rebreathers they had brought with them, their lungs laboured to pull the hot close air in and glean the small amount of oxygen from it. Combat in such an environment was almost unthinkable, even one of the treasurers ratings would be fatigued after a minute in such an environment. Yet Von Hells had forged an empire here by his force of arms. The realisation of this gave them new respect for the Problematic faction leader.
An additional problem also presented itself. The officers were formed in combat formation as they expected that the bilges of the Fall of Dorn might well also harbour Xenos creatures, another sad truth of Space travel. However Aescepulas was quick to point out that the heavy use of Firearms was to be avoided lest they ignite some of the more volatile chemicals that gathered this deep within the belly of the ship. The Officers and their Armsmen quickly switched to their close combat weaponry unwilling to risk death at the whim of the sickening effluvia.
After a considerable time spent slogging through the bowels of the ship they came to a region that had obviously recently been inhabited. Indeed Aescepulas expected to have to pay toll to pass through it, but the section was silent, and no sign of the previous inhabitants could they find apart from disturbed bedrolls and the odd ominous spatter of blood. However there were very few signs of combat, as if they had been taken unawares. It was obvious this was originally a large camp, taking such a camp without combat would have been a difficult prospect. The firepit which was covered in a fine mesh to prevent explosions still had some warmth in it. Finding the Guard posts empty as well they left the area behind them pushing on towards the Hull Rats territory and hoping that whatever had happened to the previous camp would not affect them.
The area they passed into had obviously borne the brunt of various collisions, the corridors smashed into crazed shapes, and the floor only occasionally level. Some attempts had obviously been made to shore the roof up in places, and the larger debris had been cleared however the creak of Iron and Steel under terrible pressure was all around them. Added to this was a far more ominous sound, the sound of Luna's Auspex reporting that some form of large lifeform was shadowing their progress. Unable to fix it's location they were unable to drive it off, but it obviously knew either where they where or their destination. Soon the way ahead of them opened slightly and clearer if not better smelling air could be felt wafting from ahead.
Here was another of the territories of the Bilge Factions. The Shaft Sifters had sited their home near to one of the great waste shafts that lead down to the Waste facility at the bottom of the ship. Here they set their nets to catch items of worth from the waterfall of cess from above. Not a profession for those of weak constitution but lucrative in the low resource areas of the bilges. Aescepulas was quick to point out that usually there would have been a guard post here, a small group to exact tithe as travellers passed through the Shaft, but as before there was no sign of them.
An alarm began to shrill from Luna’s Auspex as the Life sign they had been tracking starting coming directly towards them down one of the tunnels off the shaft. Knowing that they had to cross the shaft, and not willing to risk combat on the rickety looking platform that wound round the outside of the shaft, Luna deployed her servoskull floating it out into the centre of the shaft and aiming it at the corridor. Through the Waterfall of filth is spotted a Hulking figure somewhat bigger than a person but bent over and stooping. It’s hands were thick bony claws, and two huge mandibles extended down from it’s face. It did not tarry long however turning to the bulkhead closest to them and tearing it asunder with a grinding shriek.
It did not take long for the Officers of the Treasurer to realise that the creature whatever it was would soon burst from the bulkhead next to them, and with the admonition of Aescepulas against excessive gunfire still ringing in their ears they began to ready their Close combat weapons. As Aescepulas and the Techguard moved to guard the Toll goods, Omar the Astropath suggested that they link arms and cross the Shaft as quickly as possible. However with the possibility of a beast erupting in their midst, Ichigo instead suggested that He and the toll goods moved to the tunnel opposite, placing themselves furthest from the creature, and then he and a couple of people would form a rearguard. As there were no dissenting voices this plan was put into effect, but Omar had only just finished his circuit and the toll goods were moving past when the Wall next to Luna was first pierced and then torn aside by huge claws.
The appearance of the creature was terrifying. Almost as large and well muscled as an Ork the hulking creature was covered in a thick carapace and its huge mandibles reached for the High Enginseer. Despite the overwhelming flood of information that her Techpriest nature assailed her with, staggering her slightly, Luna was swift to attempts to stab it her weapon screeching down the creatures carapace, scoring a line in it but not piercing it. Ichigo also leapt towards the beast plunging his Sword through the thick carapace, but being rewarded with only a small trickle of Ichor. Seeing the lack of effect that the weapons of his compatriots were having against the beast Loka attempted to shoot it with his Helpistol, thinking it better to risk the uncertain ignition of the fetid gasses than the certain dismemberment at the claws of the Beast. Unfortunately firing into the melee around the creature he was unable to get a clear shot, hitting instead the bulkhead nearby. Luna hammered her weapon into the beast again, this time piercing the armour but with no discernable effect, and in return the beast clamped one claw down up her shoulder and began to crush it.
A normal persons shoulder would have been crushed to paste, but the adherents of the Machine god are made of stronger materials. Some damage was caused, but far less that would have occurred had it chosen another target. Ichigo seeing it trying to tear the Enginseers arm of brought his sword down towards the creatures wrist, but its other claw warded him off. Macharius had by now completed moving the toll and leaving the Astropath glaring at the creature and mumbling to himself he set off back towards the fight. It began to seem to the officers that they could not harm the creature, when with a roar of an engine, Aescepulas slammed a huge chainsword into the beast, ripping of shards of carapace from it as it struck. The sword seemed have been hidden as components in his Steam powered Legs and was considerably effective, ripping a huge gouge in the creature that spewed clear looking ichor. Loka once again fired at the creature, striking it but again not causing it any damage. Then as Luna struck it once more with her weapon, the creature turned and with a roar charged directly at the concentrating Astropath, smashing Macharius and Ichigo out of the way in it's need to destroy him. With the shaft between it and him however the charge was foreshortened by it's plummet into the depths.
The creature gone, Aescepulas suggested that they push on to the Hull Rats holdings as quickly as possible, a plan to which the Officers of the Treasurer heartily agreed with.
After another hour or so slogging through the foetid air of the bilges they came to the borders of the Hull Rats territory. However as before the border posts were empty, ominously deserted in such a dangerous region. The Officers pressed on and soon they were approaching one of the main wastewater tanks which Aescepulas told them was the site of the Hull Rats main settlement. Previously the tank would have held huge quantities of the waste of the ship, but it had been emptied, and instead in the base of the tank was a shanty town made of the junk of the bilges. The entry way had originally been the Inlet valve, and below them leading down towards the bottom of the tank was a rickety looking set of stairs. Risking the structure the officers made their way down towards the town, looking out over the throng of people below. The majority of the town was actually made of tents with an occasional ramshackle hut leaning drunkenly out of the mass. The town was also thronged with people Hull Rats making up the majority, but over in one corner there was a corral made of girders and heavily guarded that seemed to contain a large number of dejected looking people, almost certainly the final resting place of the other Bilge factions.
Reaching the bottom of the rickety stairwell, they found themselves stopped by a number of armed Hullrats. Their Leader a large man with a number of orange dreadlocks that had been smeared with some form of axle grease, moved to block their way with an axe made from a fan blade.
“What are you doing here, what do you want?” he asked in a peremptory manner.
“We are here to see Von Hells” Macharius responded expecting to be taken directly to the man's leader, he certainly did not expect the response he received.
“Oh yes? Does he know you are coming? He is a very important man, and probably cannot spare you the time. Why would he need to talk to you?”
Before Macharius could respond however one of Von Hells two wiry guardians appeared from the crowd, stepped up behind the guard leader, and plunged a wicked looking stiletto into the back of his head. Macharius watched the man slump, with the spike now protruding through his left eye, before the Wiry man bowed low.
“I will bring you to the Master who will see you now.” he said in a sepulchral voice.
The officers and Aescepulas followed him down into the throng of Hull Rats, but very soon it became very obvious that the people were not pleased to see them. The force of their angry glares was almost palpable, and an aura of Silence seemed to spread out from their group, leaving only the sound of Aescepulas' legs to accompany them. If the Hull Rats so chose they could have wiped out the entire group of the Officers , their guards, and the tick Tock men with ease, however they contented themselves with projecting their hatred towards them. The thought that this settlement was only the largest of the Hull Rats holdings finally allowed the officers to realise why Captain Jalasas was so worried by the Hull Rats. In the centre of the settlement was a large area of cleared ground which had been covered in cinders. In the centre of this area stood an imperial guard tent of the sort used on ground assault missions as a command tent. Around this stood a number of guards in cinder black enforcer armour, carrying shotguns. It seemed that none of the Hull Rats were allowed to step upon the cinder covered section without permission, and the guards were swift to punish those who transgressed. The man leading them moved to mirror his compatriot who stood by the entrance, they motioned the officers to enter. As they did however Omar leaned over and whispered to Macharius that he sensed the presence of Psykers within the tent.
In the next Chapter I will discuss the meeting with Von Hells and the unforeseen results that came from it.
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