Rogue Trader: The Hand of Fortune

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:26 am

The Illumination of Glory pressed through the Immaterium like a gilded shark. The light cruiser was swift and mighty. For more than a thousand years it had been one of the chief vessels of the Karakan dynasty, pushing forward the boarders of the Imperium and the frontiers of wealth and trade while leaving behind a long wake of broken heretic and xenos vessels. It was a great and noble heritage and even the decline of Karakan fortunes, brought about by a century of bloody war and strife and another century of misfortune and reversals, could not mar the ship's fame.

A ship this size had more than one officer's lounge, but only one frequented by bridge officers. The room was well illuminated by lumen globes and paneled in rich maple wood. Trophies, mostly weapons and banners, covered three of the walls and an enormous tapestry star map covered the fourth. One half of the room was given over to dining room tables of hand carved wood and the other to smaller round tables, chairs, and reclining couches for officers to gather around for games of cards, dice, and regicide as well as other entertainments. Last month three of Lieutenant Haruko's concubines had danced on those tables while slowly shedding their clothing. The highest bidders had taken one to their quarter's that night, a situation brought about by the lieutenant's catastrophic gambling loses.

A young ensign crossed the room. That in itself meant nothing, but his stiff bearing and lack of beverage indicated that he was on duty. He approached a particular set of tables occupied by a small company of no small fame (or infamy) and extended a white rectangular box.

"Lieutenant Karakan sir. This is from the captain."

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:40 am

Ravion looked up at the ensign and away from his company. With eyebrow raised, he stood to accept the package. "Thank you ensign," He looked at the box and started to open it, wondering what his Uncle had in mind this time. "Stay for just a moment ensign, I may have a response for the Captain to follow."

He looked to his fellows, he knew whatever the task was, he had a group that was capable of handling it, and if they weren't, well, hopefully he wouldn't find out at the worst time.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 10:20 am

The box contained a scroll written in the elegant hand of the Umbrius Karakan's favorite auto-quill.

Dear boy,

An event of some importance has occurred and it rather directly affects your future. Join me for dinner in the captain's mess at 1800 with your chosen men.

Your Not Quite Senile Uncle

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 10:30 am

The note elicited a smile from younger of the family, though by no means was he wet behind the ears. He looked at the ensign that had brought the message and nodded. "Tell the Captain I will be there, ensign. You are dismissed." Once the ensign was gone, he turned to his group and raised a glass. "Well my boys, the Captain wishes our company for dinner. Make sure you dress accordingly, and make sure your things are ready. I have a feeling that our collective skills will once again be of great use. To our continual profit!"

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 10:54 am

Graylen's bald, crater-pocked visage twists around to look up at the package in Ravion's hands with a curious look, the gold coin flipping across his fingers stopping in mid-motion. "So," he begins, his voice rough and gravelly, "Another milk run, or something worth doing?" He shrugs his broad shoulders and grins toothily, "Milk does not sell so well."

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:25 am

Steel permits himself a hearty chuckle as he brushes his shoulder length hair from his eyes, "it is tasty though."

fgalkin · Post by **fgalkin** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:22 pm

Berenice looks up from the nearly empty glass in her gloved hand and absently strokes the left epaulet on her navy greatcoat .

"I do not think this will be a milk run," she says.

-------------------------------
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Karrick · Post by **Karrick** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:14 pm

Ever working, Valther did not look up from his dataslate. "I have been unable to cultivate any sources in our esteemed lord's inner circle. I have... no idea what this could be." The admission troubled him, but the only sign he gave was a momentary grimace. He muttered quietly to himself as he began calculating potential profit margins on milk shipments.

fgalkin · Post by **fgalkin** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:30 pm

"Do you ever stop working?" Berenice asked, setting the glass on the table and turning to face the seneschal. "Some days, I think you are a servitor. Just what are you working on now that can't wait?" she said with a smile.

------------------
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Karrick · Post by **Karrick** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:51 pm

Valther place his dataslate on the table, and took a sip from his own beverage.

"I should think you, of all people, should recognize the need for vigilance, my lady. I think if Lord Umbrias is going to be dispatching us on 'errands', it would pay to have some idea what we are going to be asked to do. One cannot be too careful."

"That said," he swirled the beverage in his glass, "I am only human."

fgalkin · Post by **fgalkin** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 3:10 pm

"I'll drink to that," Berenice said, grinning, and raised her glass.

"As for knowing what the Captain wants," she said after a pause, "I imagine he'll tell us over dinner."

--------------
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:49 pm

Having sat quietly this whole time, Magnus stared into his glass of water, turning it slowly with his hands as he half-listened to the others. A new journey, a new mission, a new task, in the same galaxy. He would deal with it appropriately, as he had the others before this.

However, he couldn't let the "only human" comment from Valther go. To Magnus, this was edging dangerously into the territory of xeno-sympathy, and such transgressions had a way of hurting humanity. "Saying we are 'only human' is akin to saying we are 'only' the best, which is true."

"However," he said, looking up into Valther's eyes with his own eye sockets devoid of they once contained, which were a mark of an astropath, "'only' the best-suited will survive these galactic struggles. Other peoples follow gods imposed on them, a human reached for greatness and became one. One should take that fact as encouragement, and a warning."

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:58 pm

"Must you always be so pious Magnus?" Steel asks, shooting a mischievous glance at the others. "Can you not allow the old man his modesty?"

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:30 pm

"Actually," replied Magnus following a sip of his water, his facial expression unchanged but for the bare hint of a smile, "it was a complement. Being human is nothing to be ashamed of."

fgalkin · Post by **fgalkin** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:45 pm

"Hear, hear, I'll drink to that," Berenice said, pouring herself another drink. "To Mankind," she raised her voice over the din in the officers' lounge, turning peoples' heads towards their table, "to the Emperor, and may all his enemies die screaming!"

-----------------------------------
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:47 pm

"Aye and a good portion by our hands!"

Steel, raises his glass to his comrades and downs it in a single gulp.

Karrick · Post by **Karrick** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 8:54 pm

Valther cocked an eyebrow at the navigator in amusement. "The Emperor and Mankind!" he chimed in and downed the rest of his glass.

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:05 pm

Though he smiled, Magnus continued to only drink water, despite the revelry of his companions. It was by the Emperor's will that the strong senses of Magnus' mind were kept in balance, and it would edge dangerously into ungratefulness to endanger that control.

Even so, he saluted with the others, raising his glass in salute. "The true place of humanity is to make all others gasp in wonder or fear, it matters not which. Long may the Emperor shepherd this troubled galaxy!"

Marcao · Post by **Marcao** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:36 pm

His eyes slithered from form to form as he quietly observed the men and women around him. The glass which was held in his left hand was light even if it was nearly completely full. His eyes settled on the contents of the glass, a deep amber colored liquid which swirled and clung to the edges beneath his steady coaxing.

His eyes settled on Ravion taking the measure of the man once more. He was a noble and his reputation preceded him. Their lives had intersected on more than one occasion in the past, but it had never been for long. Still, Ravion presented himself as one of those rare humans beneath in the Emperor's domain. His star certainly seemed to be on the rise, and under those circumstances he wanted to be alongside. Maybe he himself would be able to catch some star light.

His own star had stopped ascending after his last assignment. Being the sole survivor of a vessel tended to have a chilling effect on one's career. His arm moved in a surprisingly graceful gesture for someone of his size and the glass was brought to his lips. The contents therein where examined, rolled against his tongue before he allowed himself to swallow. It was not the best he had ever had, but it was far from the worst.

"To Mankind" He repeated alongside some of the others. Nothing more needed to be added.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 12:55 am

"To Mankind, when it can be bothered to shine," Graylen embellishes with a wry smirk, taking a deep swallow from his own glass and setting it down, empty. He's seen far too much of the bottom of the Imperium to speak of the Glory of Man with a straight face. He waves away the server who starts to move over with a tray full of glasses, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the edge of the table and letting our a rough grunt of laughter, "So, who's running the pool on just what the Old Man wants this time?"

He rolls the solid gold coin over his fingers again, setting it to spinning across the table's surface with a twitch of his hand, "I'm in for, hmm... an art 'acquisition' for the new gallery on Sextus Deck."

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 2:42 pm

"To the Emperor, and to the glory we might do by his leave," Ravion nodded, taking a quick sip from his goblet. "As far as the task, we will find out at dinner. Of course, I will broker all wagers, to ensure fair payment." His bearing was both regal and roguish as he spoke, the look of a man always planning his next five moves ahead and how to always make it work to his profit. His free hand rested idly next to his power sword, a habit from many years of dangerous activities. Mentally, he was keeping track of the various wagers his group made. Once they had all been made, he smiled. "Very well, my friends, I am going to get ready for the dinner. As I said, get your things ready so that we can move as needed. I will see you at the Captain's table. Let's stave the drunken revelry until after we know what we are setting out to do, of course." Ravion's final note was with a bit of a smile, it was well known that he was extremely capable of consuming fine and potent beverages with little ill effect.

fgalkin · Post by **fgalkin** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 8:26 pm

As always, Berenice stayed silent while the wagers were made, nursing her drink with an absent smile, ignoring them as all things beneath her attention. Her companions, used to the strangeness of her behavior made no comment.

She waited until Ravion disappeared from sight and got up as well. The last toast was a mistake, she could tell. When she was younger, she had pict-recorders installed all over the estate, and practiced for hours imitating the movements of the serving staff and her family members. Eventually, she managed to mimic them almost exactly, hiding her shame from prying eyes, but it depended on precise control of her inhuman limbs. Now, she felt that control slipping away. Sliently, she asked the Emperor to give her strength and wrapped her greatcoat tighter around her.

"Do try not to drink yourselves under the table, it would be a chore to drag you back out" she told the men in lieu of a goodbye, and set off for the exit, effecting an air of haughty uninhibitedness, praying silently that no one was watching her too closely.

-------------------------------
Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:03 pm

Graylen leaves the coin where it fell on the table to be collected by whoever finally decides to run the pool. He stands up and stretches his arms out, "On the chance that we're not being sent to find a mate for the Captain's pet microgrox or some such, I'm for the range. Anyone care to try their aim against mine to pass the time?"

Karrick · Post by **Karrick** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:25 am

"That sounds like an excellent idea. Practice never hurts." Valther stood and motioned for Graylen to lead the way.

Cpl Kendall · Post by **Cpl Kendall** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:50 am

"I'll join you shortly, I wish to check over my kit before dinner."

Steel stands from the table and strides from the room, headed towards his quarters.

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Rogue Trader: The Hand of Fortune

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