Theater 3, chapter 7.1

Yep, you got what you asked for! More from Mark!

Season Three, Chapter Seven 
Shades of Grey - Part Five "Tell them what ?” came a voice from behind Nathan at the top of the stairs. It was Jed. Carolynn looked at Nathan, his face a plea of what to do next. Jed however was not in a patient mood, they had clearly crossed some line with him that he was not best pleased about. “So, do we tell our friend’s WHAT exactly ?” he repeated, but more firmly this time, an edge to his voice. Jed’s tone clearly crossed a line with Carolynn, for eyes afire, he rounded on him !
 "Let me get this straight before it goes any further. Are you questioning my judgement, based upon you hearing my indecision as to whether or not I mention something to our hosts, the importance or the lack of, you have absolutely no idea about ?”
All the confidence and bravado visibly drained from Jed and pale faced he sat, rather upon the low wall that bordered Martin‘s roof, harder than he‘d probably intended. “When, I suppose that I…what I meant was,….if they are our friends, shouldn’t’t we,. not….try….no. No, I’m sorry alright !” Jed turned his face away, unable to look at the two of them, Carolynn in particular. He could not quite remember the last time he had heard that tone in Carolynn’s voice, but someone had died soon after. He remembered that, for it had been the very first time he had seen a dead person."Carolynn !” broached Nathan, with a look that said “Kell man, that was a bit harsh“, but Carolynn was having none of it, and turning to Jed said,

"Nathan and I have a few things to discuss, we will meet you downstairs. Shortly !” And with that terse remark, Jed was summarily dismissed.
When he’d gone Nathan, clearly less than happy with how thing’s had been dealt with, turned to him. “Was that really necessary to speak to him like that ?”
“You’d prefer I do it when the shell’s are flying and people are dying and he chooses that moment to question your or my integrity ? I gave him the benefit of the doubt for this trip, after the way he handled himself in the passage in the Mountains, and because I saw the man he was becoming. Today I saw the boy he was, a boy who has no place doing what we do ! There will be a time and a place to talk with Martin and it isn’t here or now. “
“You maybe right, but your people skills suck.” Nathan laughed, infectiously and the grim resolve Carolynn had been carrying for longer than he thought snapped, as his face broke into a grin, then he too was laughing.
“You are right as well I will apologise, didn’t realise how strung out I was. Thanks’ Nate for once again being my social compass, I do so easily lose my way. All those years looking after number one I suppose.”
“You don’t have to remind me, you gave my Bella and me a run for our money when we took you in. Poor woman had that many sleepless darks she swore she’d become nocturnal !” at which there was more laughter with a good deep sound, the sound of shared friendship. Carolynn flopped down with a deep sigh against the rail of the balcony, Nathan doing likewise. After a few moments to appreciate the slightly more pleasant night air, Nathan pulling back from his deeper thoughts said what they both were thinking
“We really need some time to think, so how about we give ourselves until after the Trades. I’m betting they still need time and the Trades going smoothly will give them that and get all the delegates out of Grey and out of their way“
“It also gives us a very strong hand at the negotiations.” Carolynn remarked as the pieces of what Nathan had said fell into place and a scheme germinated !
“What we need to do is ….” and so it was they plotted away the last of the quiet Dark, on the roof of the Inn with the remaining half bottle of Sallowclh to ease their conspiracy.“
As the light broke, they called down to breakfast and ate well to soak up the last of the Sallowclh, along with a few glasses of Martins cure-all, which as well as washing out the taste of Grey’s air, they were assured was good also for hangovers !
Grey used standard Terra time, so it was by 10 GST (Grey Standard Time), Nathan and Carolynn had found their place at the Trade-Talk and business commenced. The deal they sealed for Bronze Hearth was a good one, certainly better than folk back home would expect, but the two of them did not exploit their advantage of their hosts being pressed for time to the degree they could have, believing it unwise to attract to much attention. The Trade Hall’s proximity to the smelting hall also did not make staying around a welcome prospect besides, they also had other far more pressing matters to discuss before their departure from this City but even so they were not back at the inn until gone 22.30 GST

Upon their return, they were offered dinner and with the younger children in bed, they sat down to eat with Martin, Hannah and Jed and talked of their relative days. The PDF had called at “The Gallery” earlier, in a rouse of questioning everyone about last darks riots and the arson that took place. What they actually did was to out stay their welcome, drink as many free drinks as possible and get rowdy and abusive, scaring off the only 2 paying customers he’d had all light. Martin said such things were becoming too frequent and not just for him, it was the experience of many of the local retailers to have PDF Troopers turn up and help themselves to merchandise. The worst thing you could do then, as some found to their cost, was to complain, for this attracted severe retaliation in the form of damage to themselves and their premises and a marked increase in future payments. Martin had avoided this so far, but it had cost him a small fortune in free drink’s ! Again the Sallowclh came out and tales began to flow, with Martin telling them how before becoming an Inn keeper he was a metal worker by trade and it was these skill’s that had first got him work here in Grey. The plan had been to take the place on so he could work the metal shops by light, then help his Gloria, his wife in the Inn come dark until the Inn began to pay its way. Gloria’s illness and sudden death had put pay to all that though and he’d been managing the “The Gallery” ever since he first came here. Now he just wanted out, the place had overgrown itself and it was going to get a whole lot worse before it got any better. 
Carolynn told of how he remembered City life, how it had been almost 60 cycles now since he had left behind the stench of the rotting Hives, and not once had he wished to return. Life in the Ceramite Cites could be harsh, but the air was clear and the dangers too, tending not to be the kind that stabbed you in the back or smothered you in your sleep. Jed had happier tales of a life in Bronze Hearth, open to the elements yet free of the smog and smell of too many people into small a space.
After a few more rounds of Sallowclh, sensing the time was as right as it would ever be, Carolynnand Nathan told of what they knew about the Baron’s plan’s and their development, taking Martin and Hannah to the roof so they could see for themselves the work that was underway. The remainder of the meal passed in virtual silence. Hannah eventually excused herself and left the Courtyard where they were seated, following which Jed announced he was tired and was going to turn in, and hurried after her. 
“Any idea’s gentlemen, would be greatly appreciated, for I’m all out !“ said Martin, with a little mania in the giggle that followed the remark, as he poured himself another , the other two declining a refill by politely sitting a hand over their glasses.
“Here’s to the Baron’s, “ Martin rose unsteadily, raising his glass, arm fully outstretched to the heavens, “Who as they are not part of the solution, must be part of the problem !“
“I’ll drink to that,” said Carolynn, raising his glass too.
“Seconded !” replied Nathan, doing likewise.
“The Baron’s,” toasted Martin, “May they rot in a hell of their own choosing !“
a sentiment echoed by his two companion’s.
Carolynn glanced at Nathan, who nodded in acknowledgment.
“Alright to get some caffeine on Martin.” said Carolynn, “We have a long day tomorrow.”
“Of course my friends, be my guest, but you are, aren’t you, my guests !”, Martin laughed hollowly at his own pun and the air of maudlin upon him was thick and heavy.
“You had any offers on this place even ?” asked Nathan, whilst Carolynn could be heard clunking about in the kitchen .
“One !” Martin scoffed, but it was way too little.
“What about renting the place ?”
“Wouldn’t give me sufficient capital to get somewhere to go. Even with another job on the side and Hannah earning I couldn’t afford somewhere to go too !”
Carolynn returned with three mugs and put them down on the table, “Have a little Martin, the herbs I’ve added will take the edge off !”“Thanks‘. I’m sorry, I’m not good company when I‘ve sunk a few.”
“Get that down you,” said Nathan, “we need you sober.”
“Why ?” he asked.
“Because we have an proposition for you.”
Sipping their caffeine, Carolynn and Nathan explained.
In Bronze Hearth, Old Man Orsan, one of the village Elder’s was bedridden and so living with his son and daughter-in-law and had been for some time, being unlikely he‘d return home. In short, his “pod ” was empty. If Martin could rent out “The Gallery”, he could rent the old man’s place and still have a few Rad Bonds* spare. 

“Part one, getting you all a house.” summed up Nathan.
 *Rad Bonds - Local Space Sector currency and the most stable form of plastic-money on Zalthar and its neighbouring Planets.

They went on, suggesting to Martin he set himself up as the “metal-smith” to Bronze Hearth, he had the skill’s and as they had not had one for some time, all their work had to go to Ridge or Blue Slide,* both of which were a light and a darks journey at the least.

*Ridge and Blue Side, the nearest two Cities to Bronze Hearth.
Blue Side is a permanent City, carved into the softer rocks of the Aspine’s, a smaller range of Mountains than runs off the Worldspine Range about 40 miles to the south-West of Bronze Hearth. Set in a steep-sided valley, the City rises almost vertically up a long single South-facing cliff accessible only via climb-ways and a series of elevators.

Ridge is Bronze Hearths closest neighbouring Ceramite City during the High Grazing, lying some 50 miles North in a “V” shaped valley that cuts into Mount Lamina, 7^th highest Peak in the Worldspine Mountains at 26, 752 ft.

They also explained to Martin there was the Caravan work, they often needed repairs and provisions to sell were always top of their list. Plus there was other passing trade and the fishers when the snows came and they went to the low grazing valley’s. If that was not steady enough, they explained he could always find a high herder shift or two.  

“Part two, helping find employment !” said Nathan.

Nathan explained that Carolynn and he would be leaving on the light and the herd would leave at the end of the cycle for the low grazing. They would help him set up shop and as for Hannah, she could get work easily and the younger kids could go to the school during the snows and there were odd jobs around the herd in high grazing. They would also be a lot safer there than in Grey with it approaching melt-down.
“We know it’s a lot to think about, and we will help all we can. I think you would like Bronze Hearth, I know the kids would. And we get a metal-smith out of it, means no more sharpening my own tools again !” Carolynn laughed and slapped Martin’s shoulder, but the mans face seemed miles away.
“The people are a good crowd,“ added Nathan, “You would be an object of curiosity for a while, till something new comes along, then you are straight back to old news I’m afraid !“
“You’re right, it’s a lot to take in”, said Martin, “but we all know the clock here’s ticking and I’m not stuck with choices really am I. We have about a week, maybe two before those fortifications are complete, which ties in with the Trades being completed. Face it, Grey’s not a place you visit is it, it’s a place you come to cos you have too, so once the Trades are gone, there’ll be no more outside interference and the Baron’s will then do as they please. With the snow’s only just over a cycle off, no-one will be that anxious to leave so..”
“So ?” asked Carolynn.
“So you’ve got yourselves a metal-smith, provided the kid’s don’t have a problem !”

Dawn on the 3^rd light in Grey was the same sickly and pallid affair with the senses, Carolynn and Nathan having sat up most of the dark again talking, for the longest time with Martin, but also between themselves, running over again when and how they could help Martin. They had not foreseen however, how this might play out.
They were down for breakfast early, Nathan with a fold of Rad Bonds to settle their bill. The family were already up, and judging by the strange look on their faces, Martin had already discussed thing’s with his children
“Did you hear, we are to have a new life where you live.” Smiled Joseph, a warm smile matched by that of his younger sister.
“Thank you for offering us this,” said Hannah, “I know Dad’s been trying to get us out for some time, but we had nowhere to go !”
“Guess it’s a hit then Martin,” said Nathan, “Sounds like everyone’s in agreement, you will be in touch soon as the rental’s arranged I take it ?”
“Actually, I have a bigger favour to ask,” said Martin, and all of a sudden, the room seemed deathly quiet.
“I would like you to take Joseph and Mariah with you today !”
“OKaay - “ said Carolynn, “You….”
“Sure I’m sure, and so are they. I think our time-table of one to two weeks was, optimistic to say the least !” Throwing down a hard copy of the local news onto the table as he spoke. Carolynn picked it up. On the front page the headline read “Protesters killed during “Slum-clearance“ programme.” Some 40+ “protesters”
Had been gunned down complaining about one of the “dead-zone‘s” being bulldozed through their homes, as was their right. The PDF allege they were fired on first, but no fire-arms could later be found amongst the dead. Over 100 more were wounded, as apparently something somewhere went wrong, leading to a Heavy Weapon Remote being turned on the crowd for less than 2 seconds. Less than 2 seconds for a chain gun was a lifetime, or in this case, 40+ lifetimes !
“OK, better get them ready, they’ll need good thick clothes, especially long pants as we’ll be riding, and I don’t want them getting grazed legs now ! Journey’s 2 days, but we’ll need food for 3, and plenty of that magic potion of yours t…”
Martin placed all the items Carolynn had rattled off on the table, and when the kids stood up, it was clear both were dressed for the occasion. Nathan and Jed smiled as Carolynn nodded his approval.
“Right then, Jed, Nate, grab your kit, Nathan and I will take one of you each and Jed will distribute your kit about his horse, you OK with that ?”
“Yes Mr Carolynn”, snapped Joseph “Can I ride with y…”
“That’s Carolynn to many and Car to my friend’s of which I thought you were one ? And yes, long as Nathan doesn’t mind, you can ride with me for now.”

It took what felt like an age with the arranging and rearranging of kit and supplies and small children, but eventually the goodbyes and see-you-soon’s had all been said and they began on foot, the hoses picking their way slowly up through the meandering streets and levels that lead up the cliff face that was Grey. By midlight, they had reached the top, and were now able to ride through the smog bound lunar landscape of the suburbs, putting appreciated distance between them and this shite-hole.
“What’s your house like Carol..Car ?” asked Joseph, the first of a hundred more questions about Bronze Hearth and “his” Mountains you’d expect from one as young and bursting with curiosity.
“This is gonna be one long journey.” Carolynn thought to himself !

End of Part 5

Mk 

Theatre 3, chapter 7

Season Three, Chapter Seven 

Shades of Grey - Part Four
Back on the roof, Nathan hastily replaced the panel they accessed the shaft through before the two of them, discarding the last two screws and then they were up, running zigzagged at a crouch back to the edge where the funicular cars left the smelting plant. As soon as the next empty wagon cleared the concrete lip, they jumped, the entire thing rocking so unsteadily as they landed it felt like it was about to part company with the cable. They ducked down beneath its riveted sides, trying to remain unseen, for there was no sign that their presence had been detected and they were anxious it should remain so.
“U 22/23 !”, Carolynn chanced a quick note of the stage number and crouched back into the wagon, They got on at 16, for he remembered the strange configuration of spars beneath the bridge from which the number hung and where this escapade had begun. He was as confident as he could be that those same spars would be accessible for a jump clear on the way back up and so would need to be ready by U 16/23 then. What was less certain was whether they could do so unseen by anyone, especially the PDF, for there was no way if they were caught in the wagon even Carolynn could talk his way out ! Sorry officer, my mate slipped and fell and I was helping him out just wouldn’t cut it,
“U 20/23 ! ”, Carolynn patted his holster to ensure the snap was shut, just heightened anxiety given what they had found and at the prospect of what they now needed to do, even without this jump. It was also the first time he had seen Nathan like that. His solid friend, never phased by the shite happening around them, calm, logical ! Kell, he’d almost been in bits, not good. It would be like losing his right arm in the field, and as friends went he didn’t even want to contemplate it

“They’re quite gentle really, unless you do something like threaten their calves, but I learnt how to behave around them from Nathan right since I was little and Carolynn has shown me stuff too. He can sort of talk to them somehow, I know that sounds daft, but some of the low herders, the ones that work in with them can move so as to calm them if they get spooked and they know these songs that can even stop them from stampeding !” Jed was telling Hannah about life with the herd, with those of the Lead Lands, and she was fascinated. Her father had locked up a while back, things out in the streets were deteriorating still further and a couple of buildings were burning. The night air was full of smoke, mixing to a soup with the smog, punctuated now and then by the scream of sirens as a second tender, flanked by several PDF vehicles arrived. The first had foolishly come unaccompanied and been driven off, its crew injured by home-made promethium bombs, rocks and a couple of slugs from black market firearms. The PDF responded with baton rounds at first, then live firing from their “Marksmen” on roof-tops or custom built VTOL’s with sponson mounted “sniper seats” ! Shops had shut, windows were being boarded-up and most of the good folk of down town Grey imposed their own voluntary curfew, so it was all too easy to see why the pastoral life of a Herder might seem so attractive, yet Hannah seemed genuinely captivated. Jed told her the tales from his part of the World Spines, of High Valley, of Bright River Falls and as she found it so entrancing, he had to tell her the tale of the Shadowfin’s twice !
“You will be able to swim with them ?” she questioned in awe.
“Well I will have to see, but that’s what the fishing-folk hope will happen now the river is cleaner. They say they used to help them by herding the fish into the shallows, right into their nets.”
“It’s hard here to remember even clean air !” she sighed, everything is so filthy and polluted and they have cleared the woods and forests for miles around to burn in the mines and for furl for the smelting ovens where they cast the lead into blocks to sell”
“Can I get you another drink Sir.. I’m sorry, another drink Jed, and Hannah, how about you ?”
“Sure !” said Jed, “Thanks, I will be back in a moment, I’d just like to go to the roof for a moment if that’s OK, see if I can catch sight of my friends as they should be done with the sight-seeing by now.”
"I’ll take you,” said Hannah, come on it‘s this way.”

“U 17/23 ! You ready Nate ? We‘ve got to go at 15/23!”
“As I’ll ever be,” said Nate, “You could count us down my friend, lessen the shock !” he joked.
“Remember it’s a jump and grab, the bridge has several spars across the track, all only about one and a half meters above us, so don’t jump to hard or you’ll hit one and the closer we can get to the back of the bridge, the less chance we’ll be seen !” The wagon clunked over the next set of rails that had not been laid that evenly. “Probably hard to find anyone with experience in such archaic transport this day and age.” thought Nathan to himself. It was certainly the first one he had ever seen in all his years in the mountains !
“U 16/23“, whispered Carolynn, “time to get ready for that jump!”
The funicular ground an creaked its way up at what now seemed a maddeningly slow pace, gears grinding as cogs’ so worn they should have been replaced struggled to gain traction on one another, when slowly the outline of the bridge began to materialise. Carolynn could not see anyone from where he stood, but then the bridge blocked most of their line of sight and even if they did spot someone, it was not as if there was much they could do about it anyhow, for they had no choice but to take the jump.
“U 15/23, let‘s go !”
Carolynn and Nathan launched themselves into the air, arms outstretched, hands grasping for the cast iron spars beneath the bridge, praying that it shielded them from prying eyes on the road above. Carolynn’s hands grabbed a section of cold iron work and closed around it, clinging on for dear life. Swinging his legs sideways, he was able to pull himself up until he sat cleanly upon the cross-member, immediately turning to see that much to his relief, Nathan was completing a similar manoeuvre. Climbing up through the spars, Carolynn was eventually in a position to swing out and steal a glance at the road, which by the luck of Kell, appeared to be empty both ways. Not wanting to pass-up this chance, he signalled to Nathan the way seemed clear and they both scrambled the last few feet up the bridges wrought iron scroll work and dropped down as nonchalantly as possible onto the road.
Carolynn had just straightened up and as Nathan, was about to walk off in the direction of the inn when a voice challenged them from in the smog at the far end of the bridge.
“Freeze you two !”
Carolynn did not quite halt but slowed to an almost imperceptible pace, gently attempting to turn, as he heard the gun chamber a round and stopped. “Stay where you are and don’t move !”
There was the sound of the same hard-soled boots on tarmac as Nathan had heard on the roof of the smelting plant down below and he guessed they were uniform, standard issue, making this one PDF too. Standard Autogun too then, capable of a burst tight enough to fell them both even if the person on the other end wasn’t particularly good, so not much “wiggle-room” then, great !
“PDF shut this bridge and the road back to the Centre, why are you here ?” exclaimed a rough voice. “
That was good “ thought Carolynn, “for if he was asking that, he’d not seen them climb up from below.”
“We’re not from Grey” he answered, his Herder accent almost imperceptible at times now thick and rural “My friend and I were trying to find the inn where we were staying and seem to have got ourselves lost !”
“You maybe lost, but you aint deaf and there are patrol’s both ends turning people back from here, how’d you miss them ?”
The footsteps behind Nathan were getting closer as the Trooper crossed to their side of the bridge,
“You must have passed one of them, why did they let you through then eh ? I don’t think you could have passed them, in which case what have you been up to ?“
“I think there was some trouble, that’s why we left. Maybe they were dealing with those causing the disturbance, we saw…”
“Bollocks ! There was any agro down the East End they would have alerted me, told me to stop any that as tried to make a run for it, which is a more likely reason for you being here !”
Nathan could sense the Trooper just to his rear right, smell the alcohol on his breath and the sweat and smoke of his clothes, hear the slight breathlessness of someone not it the peak of fitness and the faint slur to his speech.
“Better and better“, thought Nathan, probably unfit, maybe carrying a few extra pounds and he‘s had a few glasses of Sallowclh to boot.*

*Sallowclh - pronounced sal - ok. An ancient and traditional strong spirit drink, brewed from fermented Snowberries, Morac milk and a secret plant extract that allows the successful blending of the two. Without this extract, you get a really, really bad alcoholic drink that is actually poisonous in large quantities, known as Sank.

“Kneel down arsehole !” he bellowed at Nathan, who felt the spray of spittle against his neck just before the Trooper kicked him savagely in the back of his right knee so he dropped to the floor hard.
“And stay down. You ! You come here.” he yelled at Carolynn. “And quick about it, I aint got all dark !” Carolynn did as he was told and turned and hurried over to where Nathan knelt in front of the Trooper, who was looking a little unsteady now, his gun shaking ever so slightly in his hands as he waved it about precariously.
“Oh that’s great,” though Carolynn, “Get through all that only to be shot accidentally by some pissed PDF bully boy,” for in the 12 paces it took him to get there, Carolynn arrived at a similar conclusion as to the state of their new friend as Nathan had. “Over the limit and over weight, that’s handy.” he thought to himself, making sure he presented himself as awkwardly as possible to the man as he reached him..
“You, on your knees too ! The Trooper yelled, showering Carolynn this time
“Yes Sir !” he toadied, dropping smartly to his knees, pretending to almost unbalance as he did so, which made the Trooper scoff at his clumsiness, and as he reached eye level with Nathan, for a moment he could have sworn he saw his friend wink ?
“Now you two sacks of shite, I wanna know when you came here, where you’re staying and exactly what you think you are doing littering the streets of my City ! And if I think, just for one moment, you are not being straight with me, if I think you‘re jerking me around, you are gonna find your sorry arses in a whole world of hurt, capiche !”
“ Yes Sir !” Carolynn and Nathan responded, and sensing he had these two out-of-towners beat, the trooper went for the cuffs on his belt. He dropped his eyes for just a moment, but that’s all it took Carolynn to grab the end of his Autogun and rotate it 180° until the muzzle contacted the Trooper’s midriff and his finger having located the trigger, fire it twice. With two muffled ”chumph” sounds the rounds blasted two fist sized holes in the Troopers middle, collapsing him across Carolynn as he stood into the Trooper’s fall, barrelling him sideways in a rugby tackle toward the side rail of the bridge. The wrought iron fret-work scroll’s slowed him briefly, but then the Trooper was gone, spiralling away into the dark, his tumbling form swallowed by the smog long before it’s inevitable convergence with the roof of the smelting hall far below !
“Phew.“ Carolynn gasped from the adrenaline spike rather than the exertion of the whole thing.
“Come on Nate, time to make ourselves very scarce I think !” and the two turned for the Centre, Carolynn briefly inspecting the front of his cape for any signs of the altercation with the Trooper, though in the dark, smog draped street he could see no obvious marks nor traces of blood. They needed to get as far from here as possible and off the streets though, to avoid getting drawn into this any further by the Authorities for there would be some trace. He had worked with death enough to know that no kill is ever clean, there is always a little tell tale evidence passed on. They walked as brusquely as they dare, for to run, here at this time of the dark would be little short of a confession to some deviancy, unless you were being pursued by someone. By now he guessed they were little more than 2 or 3 levels over from the “Gallery”, the name he now remembered, of Joseph’s father’s inn. His thoughts strayed to Jed, what would they tell the lad ? Knowing things was about to become a liability and he was not a practiced liar.
“Time enough with us two,” he mused, “and that’ll all change !” He afforded himself a quick glance at Nathan and straight way slowed them down, for if he too looked that purposeful then guilty was not a that much of a long shot for anyone else who cared to take note of the two outsiders who “Went that way officer.” The buildings about them reared up and the alley’s narrowed, too far up-hill, those about the central plaza were more evenly spaced, so they hung left, Nathan then noticing one of the self-aggrandising bas relief’s that stood several meters high and a as a tribute to ready money. It had probably looked grander in its day, for the chemical soup that passed for air here had begun to dissolve the layers at a rate that in a few more cycles would have the carving look like a map of the lower World Spine Mountains and the seemingly random peaks and troughs of nature.
“This way”, Nathan took them sharply left, then into a street that rose at a silly angle to the right and they were then in front of two substantial corrugated iron clad gates that were beginning to swing open.

“Guys, guy’s, sorry about the gates, but its been mad here tonight ! There were riots down the street and then scores of …” the Eldest daughter moved the babbling Jed aside.
“Let me get your friends something to freshen them, enough of the questioning for now !” Hannah prised the two of them from the attentions of a relieved Jed and sat them down at one of the courtyard tables, whilst Jed turned his attention to helping Martin close-up again, rolling the massive gates back and dropping their wood block latches firmly in place. Hannah handed them each a glass of the same clear drink as they had upon their arrival and it was just as cleansing and equally appreciated.
“Some Sallowclh !” proposed Nathan, which took Carolynn by surprise, but remembering Jed’s enthusiastic curiosity at such times and the need now more than usual for “normality“, he saw where he was going with this, so added, “Bring the bottle, it is after all our 1^st night in Grey !”
Martin disappeared for a moment, hurriedly reappearing with a slightly dusty bottle and was soon charging glasses. “Don’t forget yourself Martin“, Nathan added, “And for your eldest ?” the later a polite question as ever with him.
“To our new friend’s, said Carolynn, raising his glass to Martin, “and your family for saving us in this City !”, which made Joseph blush and hurry away to do ‘something’, whilst waiting for his excitement to subside.
Soon in an atmosphere so relaxed it was hard to connect the goings on at the smelting hall and the dead Trooper with the same dark for Carolynn. Joseph and his younger sister had retired and the rest were sat in a group, discussing Martins business opportunities or the lack thereof in a very animated way, having put more than a dent in a second bottle of Sallowclh. Carolynn had laid of the liquor as he felt to tense and appreciated and had the whole train of today’s events on permanent loop in his head, looking for any mistakes, which he appreciated was not helping himself or anyone. So, as he did at times like this, he slipped away, taking the stairs two at a time until he was on the roof with it’s panoramic views of Grey.

What were they going to do, go to Lord Samuel ? And what would he do, send in the PDF ? Hardly a plan, the Inquisition ? It was not until after, until he’d had a chance to reflect upon it all that he realised just what that could mean to the people of Grey, Kell the people of Zalthar, because there was no telling where the Inquisition would stop, or even if the Inquisition would stop. They were not renowned for their moderation and as this would be the 2^nd time they would have been called here, they would not go easy on folk. Their displeasure would be made only too clear. 
Looking to the East, it seemed that the PDF still had the area of the bridge and the levels leading to and through the district locked down, with Heavy Weapon Remotes and their crew’s deployed at all the major intersections Carolynn could see. They were formidable pieces of kit these remotely operated vehicles, they were tracked with heavily armoured chassis and often had a twin chain gun or heavy bolter load out. Whilst they would be sitting ducks in an open war, they excelled in urban pacification, their bulk and soulless cybernetic menace, often enhanced by painted-on teeth and eyes was usually enough to deter all but the most fool hardy rioters. Here in Grey they sat dominating the junctions of roads and levels, stabiliser’s deployed to support their armoured bulk with the ferocious recoil of their weaponry, whilst their crews sat in the comparative safety of an adjacent building directing their every move.

Then it suddenly struck Carolynn what was happening, shapes began to form across the cityscape, linking what at first had appeared to be random locations. There was a ring, all though he could not determine all the positions along its length it was big and as he looked he could make out more and more elements, way more than just security measures for the Trades ! In some places, whole gangs of labourers were out in force along with a lot of Heavy Plant, diggers and dozers, even one or two anti-grav lifters hauling plasti-crete could be seen in the little “diorama’s” formed by the Arc lights. Illuminated industrious “bubbles” in the dark ! Seemed though the Baron’s were aware of their unpopularity after all, for down town Grey was becoming “Fortress-Grey“ at an alarming rate. In some places, whole swathes of shanty‘s had been raised, to create twenty, some thirty yard wide “dead-zones“ for free fire, dotted with steel spikes strung with razor wire! They were probably soon to be mined with hundreds of those little anti-personnel spring mines,* if they had not done so already on the QT.

*Spring Mines - Often small, spring launched air-blast anti-personnel weapons. Cheap and effective, they have left horrendous legacies of indiscriminate carnage and mutilation on millions of Planets for thousands of Years, often long after hostilities had ceased.

The Baron’s were clearly preparing to hold on to what they’d got, no matter what the cost. A fortified Palace, deals with the Dark-Gods, as Carolynn could see it, the only thing they were short were Soldiers. Sure there were these “PDF” types about, but from what Nathan and he had seen so far they were not Lord Samuel’s PDF, they fell well short of that bar, these were just hired Goon’s in PDF uniforms and would not be much use against an enemy that fired back. They were fine for shake-downs and as pseudo-police at times of civil unrest, but against an organised revolt, or intervention from the Governor and the “Real PDF” or the Guard Unit’s of the Inquisition, even with Fortress-Grey and it’s minefields, their Heavy Weapon Remotes and Sniper VTOL’s, they would be as much use as a chocolate fire-guard ! What was clear, packed like sardines in their flimsy shanty‘s, the civilian population of Grey would be massacred, caught like “Human shields” between the Baron’s Feudal Levy and whomever was sent to bring them back in-line, they would stand little chance. Getting out would not be an option either, for the Baron’s would not willingly let folk go and forsake their protection and even if they did, where would they go to? Many were dispossessed, having little beyond what they had invested in Grey itself, and with the snows soon to wrap the World Spines in their icy grasp, just wandering off and trusting in providence was not an option. In the valley’s the temperature often dipped to - 10° C or lower, up here in the Mountains it sometimes got to - 30° C which with no cover would be lethal. No, the people of Grey were not going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

What Carolynn could not understand, was that if he and Nathan had found these Cultists so relatively easily, all be it with a little bit of luck, and spotted the growing defensive perimeter, how come the Imperial Authorities seemed so blissfully unawares ? They were infamous for poking their noses in everywhere, a finger in every pie. The Inquisition would not have deemed Zalthar free from Chaos, then packed up shop and left, that much was certain. They would leave an Agent or ten, ticked away, waiting for someone somewhere to screw-up and they’d be right back, righteous indignation glowing, torches and pitchforks ready to hand out to the mob so they could go and hunt them a heretic ! So where were they then ? Why was Grey not crawling with Imperial Spies or disciples of the Officio Assassinorum ready to pop a cap in the first Baron that forgot to praise the Emperor after a particularly satisfying dump ?
Something was either very wrong, or he was missing something desperately obvious and he did not find either appealing. What to do, what to do ?
“Come on oh smart mind, come on, if your so smart, you figure things out, its what you do, have always done so don’t fail me now !” He was walking in tight little circles, oblivious to his surroundings, when…..
“Penny for them ?” Carolynn sun at the sound of Nathan’s voice.
“You are letting down our hosts my friend. What is it up here that has you so totally captivated that light is almost upon us and yet you stand alone, as if all the troubles of the world were yours and yours alone ?”
“I, I am sorry. Look !” Carolynn took Nathans arm and turned him towards the site of the construction of the nearest redoubt. “They are preparing for War, a long and bloody one from what we have seen. What should we do Nathan ? Who do we tell of what we have seen, do we tell our friend’s first. Do we tell Martin and his Family ?”

End of Part Four

Mk 

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Theater three, chapter 6 cont 2

Season Three, Chapter Six

Shades of Grey - Part Two
　

Carolynn and Nathan had moved as one, a symbiosis of action that had prevented the pair coming to harm on many an occasion, now saw them through another impetuous and fool hardy action that was likely to get them killed.“Or worse”, realised Carolynn, for the PDF could be found riding shotgun for most of Zalthar’s nefarious low-life’s with high ambitions, and that would certainly include the Lead Barons of Grey. New money with old habits, gambling, protection rackets, prostitution, narcotics and people trafficking to name but a few. He knew they should leave it alone, that the two, rather thee of them should make the Trades and go. Anything suspect going down here could, should be left for the Agents of the Imperium to deal with, after all that’s what they got paid for wasn’t it ? Trouble was, if whatever was going down, used the Baron’s private funicular in plain sight with apparent impunity, chances were the PDF locally anyhow, were either involved or had be persuaded to turn a blind eye and look the other way!
Still, whatever was or was not going on, the fact was they were committed, the strong smell of fresh blood alone told them something was wrong here in the heart of the Capital of those with whom the herders were about to trade a considerable stake of their livelihood ! As a result, Carolynn and Nathan now found themselves with two semi-conscious women and a young man, the later of whom looked like he’d been trampled by a Morac, in a private freight funicular under a sheet of canvas late in the dark. It would not look good if they were found out.
“What are we doing ?” hissed Nathan , “We are supposed to be here to trade peacefully with these folk !”
“Don’t know about you,” replied Carolynn, “But if we are trading a sizeable sum of Bronze Hearths hard earned for necessary supplies to last out the snows, I’d like to understand a little more about our ‘partners’ practices and from what I’ve seen so far, those leave a bit to be desired ?” Replied Carolynn, then, “She dead ?“ Gesturing to the woman Nathan had just finished examining.
“Fraid so, and for some time.” 
"This one isn’t but she don’t feel to bright. !” Carolynn added, taking his hand off the dark haired woman’s neck having felt for a weak carotid pulse. “How’s he ?” He then asked Nathan as he was beginning checking over the guy.
“Not good either. Pulse is low and his breathing’s kind of raspy. If he won the fight, then the losers in a bad way ! These two should be on their way to an Apothecary, not chucked into a fright car. How far we got to go ?” 
“The point marker we just passed was 17/23, and as the numbers are going down, I’d say 5 or 6, so we need to be looking for a place to get of before we reach the terminus.” Answered Carolynn, peering out into the dark. They both fumbled with their capes, releasing their Bolt Pistols from holsters, checking the load-outs and thumbing off the safety’s, before sliding them back again. Nathan also pulled out some ‘smart’ grenades, handing a couple to Carolynn. “Work just fine without the Launcher, just tap the base and throw. Can’t set the time without the tube is all !” Carolynn continued to stare out into the dark and the smog. What earlier had been a serious irritant, now looked like being their best friend.
“That was 21, only 4 more to go and I can’t see shite, just the sides of this channel, which are way too steep or to far off to reach here !”
“Well you had better get us off this thing soon, or we’ll be star guests at a party we weren’t invited to !” Nathan looked a little worried.
“Come on then, stand-up Nate as we won’t get a second go at this !” Carolynn helped him to his feet as the wagon lurched on downwards to the sound of creaky gears and the whine of taught cables and to make matters worse, water still dripped out into the cut in places, making everything damp and slippery with algae. As the wagon dropped past 22, Carolynn suddenly spied their way out, for the track dipped as it entered the terminal, the roof about 2” clear, an easy jump so long as they timed it right and that was,
“ Now !” at which they both leapt clear, landing crouched then running stooped until they were in the cover of several ventilator outlets and large fan housings that were, that were chanting ?

“Now that doesn’t sound too reassuring.” Whispered Nathan, as they slid themselves closer to get a better listening position, but they still did not recognise any of the words.
“I Know several languages, but that’s none of them.” Said Carolyn. “There are sounds of High Gothic, but just sounds, not words, could be its one of the foundation languages it is derived from, but its lost on me.”
“In that case we are going to need to get a look see, I’ll check these vents aren’t alarmed, then see if I can get a panel off and have a poke about inside. Cover me !”
“No problem !” With which Carolynn moved closer to the central vent nearest the rungs of what looked like a maintenance ladder and the only visible access to the roof he could make out. Bolt Pistol in hand he pulled up his cape, smoothing his outline to blend with the already cluttered roof furniture of vents, tanks and the large fan-housings of cooling systems. In their lea, the two of them were also partially covered from the rest of Grey, rising on the cliff before them like a vast curtain of scrap vanishing into the darkness and ever present yellow smog that clung to the place like mould. Nathan finished testing resistance across the various components of the buildings vents and having also given them a thorough visual inspection, signalled to Carolynn he was satisfied the place was not wired, and began removing a 2” square section to gain entry. The whir of the huge fans and the mounting dirge-like chanting from within obscured Nathan’s nevertheless stealthy use of his ever present tool kit to remove the plate and surreptitious entry to what proved to be part cooling duct, part maintenance shaft. With a central access ladder, the shaft was clearly designed to afford access to long runs of bundled cabling and equally complex pipe-work junctions that along with the cabling, disappeared into a number of horizontal crawl spaces that lead off at about 12” intervals. Pleased to have secured such an ideal entry, Nathan swung his light about the space, scarcely able to believe how easy this had been, until the beam came to rest on a socket wrench, snipped wire ends and pair of discarded work gloves that finally made the connection. Added to the lack of dust and dirt that would rapidly accumulate in such a place, it became immediately apparent that this construction had been recently re-fitted, and in all probability, whatever security it may warrant had yet to be installed. Satisfied he was not leading them into a trap, he climbed back to the opening to wave Carolynn over, when he froze, as he was suddenly made out the sound of footfalls over the chanting and mechanical throb of the fans on the roof behind the vent in which he crouched. Nathan desperately scanned the section of roof where Carolynn was keeping watch, but of there was no sign of him. 

“He must have had to relocate.“ Nathan reassured himself, slowing his breathing, and listening intently, trying to make out further sounds that would give away the position of the intruder, for an intruder it most certainly was. The boots that had made those first tell tale sounds he could tell had hard soles, not made from Morac Hide as were those of Carolynn’s, for they would have made scarcely a sound at all ! The quiet of the Mountains taught those who chose to make them their home the true value that could be found in a sound. Nathan gently slid his hand up inside his cape, reaching the holster and sliding out his Bolt Pistol, his thumb quietly releasing the safety as he did so. Then, from the dark somewhere behind him came a muffled sound, followed by a sharp exhalation and the noise of something settling on the roof. Moments later, Carolynn’s face appeared at the opening, “All clear Nate, come and give me a hand shifting our guest will you ?”
Sliding out of the vent, Nathan helped Carolynn pick up someone in a PDF uniform and bundle them into the now somewhat cramped space at the top of the shaft he had opened up. 
“Handy !” Exclaimed Carolynn, peering down at the central ladder and crawl spaces, clearly impressed with the entrance Nathan had secured, “You certainly know how to pick them, anyone ever tell you that if you ever felt like quitting herding, you’d make a great burglar.” “Yeah, you, last time you dragged me into some crazy stunt of yours !”
“Dragged ? Don’t remember ‘dragging you’ onto that lead wagon. Can’t take credit for that, I…”
“You jumped first and you knew I’d have no choice but to follow, just to haul your sorry arse out of the next disaster !”
“You do have a point I suppose, but we have no time to debate the rights and wrongs now, this body is gonna be missed by someone at some point in the not too distant future, so we have to get a move on.”
“Unless …” Mused Nathan.
“Unless what ?”
“How did you kill them ?”
“Neck as…”
“Great, in that case we can have a good look see around the edge of this roof top, I mean its probably 60” to 70” in places, then there are parts where the cliff naturally drops away. It was an industrial accident waiting to happen !”
“Make that a really sinister, creepy burglar Nate !”

Having found a section of roof that dropped away to a side of sheer, empty cliff, they had disposed of one problem, but Carolynn and Nathan were still up against the clock, for the intruder had taken up time they did not have to spare. Back inside the cowling at the top of the shaft it was time to make a hard call, continue this dark, or risk it and try a return run the next ? But that was when a change in the monotonous chanting rising from deep within the structure intervened and swayed their hand !
 
Mk 

A treasure from mark!

A short synopsis on the Politics of the Herders
 
The Herder Clans of Zalthar were first united by the formation of the “Council of 5”, formed from the 5 Elders from the 5 largest Clans, to save the Morac Herds during the time of the Tyranid Invasion of the Planet. It was retained after the Invasion, as a tool to represent what at the time was a threatened and declining society.

By the time of the 1^st Chaos Incursion, the Council of 5 had become an elected body, representing the Herder Nation. It had bought about many improvements and the Herder life-style had ceased to decline, bolstered in part by disillusioned escapees from the Hives and large Mining Conglomerates and Corporations

After the 2^nd Incursion, the Council of 5 was quick to act. In each Ceramite City, it formed the impromptu “Listening-Councils”. These consisted of 13 Men and Women from all groups, with all but 3 over and over the age of 18 Grand Cycles, elected by the entire population. It was the role of these “Listening-Councils” to hear all local civil and legal matters, especially accusation of collaboration after the incursion, keeping record of accused and accuser for 6 cycles after. The Council would then put its findings to the Population for their decision. Most saw innocent people free to carry on with their daily lives, whereas the guilty soon came to light and were often handed to the “Council of 5” for final Judgement. Thus “Witch hunts” and panic were avoided.

Despite its popularity and the improvements it bought about, the Council of 5 itself was not felt to be as representative of the individual Clans. Therefore, it was reformed as the Council of 50, anelected Ruling Council of representatives from the Listening-Councils of the 49 Ceramite Cities of Zalthar, the Head of the Council and its 50^th member with right of veto, was an honorary position offered to is the Governor as a sign of respect and as an acknowledgement of his Imperial Position and Title. 

The 3^rd and final change was one necessitated by the need to simplify the situation of the unnecessarily large “Listening-Councils“. Each City replaced its Listening-Councils with a smaller “Council of 7”, run on the same lines, though reduced to 7 Men and Women from all groups, with all but 3 over and over the age of 18 and all but 1 over the age of 16 and all over 10 Grand Cycles of age. The 7^th member was also elected as the Cities representative on the Council of 50, in addition to their place on the Council of 7. 

The Councils political creed is “Illegitimi non carborundum”, "Don't let the bastards grind you down".

Theater 3, Chapter 6 cont.

Season Three, Chapter Six

Shades of Grey - Part Three
“For it is Father Nurgle to whom we give praise, for it is he will claim us all !
When the puppet pretender falls from the gate, and the path of the four is open, the Father will come to collect us, rid us of these forms that bind us, unite us all through decay, dissolve us all till we are one !”

“Who in Kell’s name is Father Nurgle ?” Whispered Carolynn, though a sideway’s glance at the whitening face of Nathan told him he probably could live a long and fulfilling life without knowing the answer.
“All I know,” said Nathan, “Is what I heard from Jahicham, the old Seer of the Herders of the Lead Lands. He was the longest lived of us, but kept himself to himself, ling in a hut at the entrance to a small cave way up just above where the trees climb. People say he could see things that are yet to pass, and so people would take him gifts in return for his ‘Seeing’. That is how he lived, though he was sleeping with the stones before you ever came to Bronze Hearth. Folk say he warned of Dark Gods, four of them, who he said commanded ’Ruinous Powers’. Power to corrupt men through their base desires, their fate, anger, lust and despair. The God of despair they also referred to as Grandfather or Father, for he was the eldest and the bringer of pestilence, disease and decay, so was one of the most terrible, for he could strike all things down. It is said that there were some debased tribes on Zalthar that used to worship him for the power he could give men, but power with a cost, a power that could destroy a mans mind. There were many terrible tales told around the fires during the long darks. Ben may know some, for he has a mind for such things, I preferred to forget them.”
“What would the Lead Barons want to evoke such madness for ?” asked Carolynn
“The power I suppose.” said Nathan,” They may not know of the madness, such things’ tend to be overlooked by those power hungry individuals, especially those who know their power will not last. Zalthar will again become mined out, and they know that, and so even the thought of pacts with these Dark Gods may seem better to them than losing their power!” 

Below, a mournful chanting had begun again, it was clear whatever was going on was far from over.
“If we believe that the Barons or others are seeking such pacts, we need to see what is happening. We cannot go to the Council without more than just some overheard chanting by persons unknown Nate ? Trust me, from what you have said, I’d rather not know, but we have to do some very serious business with these people, trade that will affect how, Kell even if some of us get through the snows !”
“I know, and you are right, but that certainty does not change the fear of these Gods I learnt from those tales all those cycles ago. They are entities that cannot be trusted and want no less than to enslave all men to their cause !”
“Well they shall not have you, me, Jed nor any of our people, but I cannot sit by and risk their interference in matters upon which all of the Herders of the Lead Lands may soon depend !”

“Don’t get me wrong my friend,” said Nathan, “I will do all I can, but you need to know how deep the fear runs in me and a great many others who can remember darker times on Zalthar. Bronze Hearth was not always the place of light and laughter it has become, for many cycles it was beset by darkness and surrounded by enemies. Have you never wondered why we still have a twelve strong team of high herders out dark and light, with enough firepower to start a small war ?. When was the last time you saw any of those herders firing so much as a single round to do anything more than scare-off a pack of Lope-Cats ? I can assure you though it was not always so, I can still remember the relief of counting in the night shift at light break and realising we had only lost one that dark. What was worse still is that sometimes we never did find their bodies ! It was only the coming of Lord Samuel that saw the end of such things. 
He formed the first Company of the PDF, the Zalthar Defence League, real fine troops they were, not these goons you see here today, they are a disgrace to the uniform.
The Hives knew nothing of the struggles in the wilder places of Zalthar. That is one of the reasons why, despite so much space, the early Governors’ positively encouraged that form of Imperial expansion, keeping people in spaces that could be more readily defended and controlled. When we return to Bronze Hearth I will ask Ben to tell you more of the Civil War here and the Wars of the Wilds that followed for many years after ! But enough now of my warbling, you are right we must go and I will follow you into the worst this world can throw our way, you should know that by now my friend !”
“I know, and you are right. There is much of this world I do not understand, not meant to understand or even know of, for as you say the Hives were designed as much to keep things in as keep them out !” and with that Carolynn clasped a rung and swung himself out over the central ladder, swiftly followed by Nathan, and together they began their decent.

Jed on the other hand was getting a very different introduction to Grey, courtesy of Josephs elder sister, Hannah, however even she could not disguise a town, become city that was close to boiling point. Twice since dark Martin, Hannah’s father, had needed to close the thick planked and corrugated iron clad outer gates to his inn due to hostile mobs coming to blows in the streets nearby, wrecking havoc in their wakes whilst the PDF struggled to keep a semblance of order beyond the city centre. That they had tied down tighter than a drum and folk that attempted to interfere with that paid heavily for their folly. Hannah had taken Jed up to the third floor roof for a grandstand view of Grey and he had gazed out over a central district that from above looked more like a fortress. In the back of his mind was the silent prayer that Carolynn and Nathan were keeping out of trouble, though part of him was very doubtful. Hannah had also explained to Jed that more and more mines were failing in Grey as seams were depleted , which in turn had made competition for profitable shafts so fierce and violence such a common occurrence, the Baron’s were drafting in more and more PDF every light. Even with such measures in place Jed could see this was a city fast coming to an end as one. Soon there would not be the wealth to sustain it, at which point it would begin to shrink, or explode and all he was seeing pointed to the later. Hannah’s father Martin explained later that he was desperate to get his family clear, but everything they owned was tied up in the Inn which he was finding impossible to sell, no-one was buying at this time of uncertainty and he was struggling keeping his family safe ! It was increasingly clear the PDF’s priority was not protecting the masses, but keeping the Baron’s safe in their ivory towers, clear and distinct form the experiences of the many. Jed made a note to pick Carolynn’s brains when he returned, surely he would have some suggestions.
 As Carolynn and Nathan penetrated deeper into the structure, not only did the chanting became louder, but they began to detect an awful smell that grew along with the noise, and at first, neither could place it. It was not until they had climbed down about five stories, that Nathan reminded Carolynn about the time after the Sigma Mine explosion, the Morac that stampeded and were found dead several days later that he recognised what it was. It was the air of decay, the stench of death. Within that stench though was also the stink of neglect and despair that had permeated his entire childhood in the Hive, a sickly odour as foreboding now to him as an adult as it had been then to a child. It was the scent of his nightmares, his sleepless nights and of all the bad things that had ever happened in his life. it made his stomach heave, leaving a bitter acid taste of bile in his throat and beads of sweat across his brow. It was hot and clammy this far down in the draft of smelters’ and hot lead, so he signalled to Nathan that he needed to take five, try and clear.., to. A flurry of morbid thoughts crossed his mind, petty worries, childhood concerns, things many of which he thought he had forgotten, like breaking Ms Kalenski’s window. Where had that come from, there wasn’t even an association for…But there didn’t need to be did there
“Nate, you feel OK ?” he asked.
“Yeah, fine considering it stinks and is hot as Hades in this shite-hole !” came Nathan‘s whispered reply, followed by equal concern.
“Why‘s that, you not feeling to bright ?”
“I think something or someone down here is trying to f%$k with my head. Well not my head in particular, just altering thoughts, the bad ones ! It’s trying to increase feelings of fear and fuelling anxiety by messing with memories, so given how you feel about this you need be wary Nate. I may be able to fight it, but you won’t and try as I might I cannot use what witch sight I have to help, so if you begin to feel things are getting worse than they should, tell me and we’ll get out, try another approach yes ?”
“Sure, but you looked worse than I feel, so if you’re good to go I guess I am.” and with that they continued on their way down.

The access shaft was older where they‘d paused and narrower, the walls covered with a thick dust in ochre streaked hues the colour of Grey’s smog. The cable bundles were loose in places, new wires strung covering gaps in the old and the pipe work was no longer separate but intermingled and leaking, turquoise scabs of verdigris clustered around the joints and the smell was cloying. From the next horizontal crawlspace, the chanting was loudest yet, so with just a moments hesitation, Carolynn slid in and was staring down through a vent into the cavernous space of a smelting hall, filled with row upon row of robed figures, all facing a hooded and similarly robed figure who stood facing them, arms outstretched, flanked by two initially indistinguishable shapes. Carefully, Carolynn ran his finger up the right hand seam of his cape until it rested against the flap of a pocket, from which quietly withdrew his monocular, an object of rare quality * he had won from some fur-traders on their way through Bronze Hearth several cycles past now. 

* It was engineered on Athemar, a Forge World renown for the quality of the Lenses and Prisms in the Optical Instruments it produces. The method used to manufacture Athemarian lenses is known only to a select cadre of Tech Priests, with each only ever being instructed in one stage of the process by their predecessor. A victim of its own paranoid secrecy and greed, Athemar also used to manufacture several ranges of high quality precision weapons, but unforeseen deaths and accidents broke the chains of knowledge and so the skills were lost !

Carolynn’s monocular used Prisms, and so was smaller and weighed but a fraction of conventional binoculars or telescopes with the same optical properties, perfect for when his kit was just what he could carry !
What he saw almost lost him his grip on it as the indistinguishable shapes became distinguished before him.
“Kell !” his stomach heaved again and he rolled onto his side hand across his mouth, stifling the risk he may cry-out or vomit.

The indistinguishable shapes were what had been the young man and sole surviving woman from the lead wagon, or at least they had been, and the remaining resemblance was ebbing fast. Their already beaten and broken bodies were now strapped to tubular metal frames, the only thing holding them up, each frame anchored in the centre of a circular steel “dish“. Their faces bore rictus grins, eyes wide and lost in madness as their flesh seemed to roil pulsate from within. Their arms and legs seemed to be decaying before Carolynn’s eyes, streaks of grey green discolourment spreading inwards to claim any patches of remaining healthy flesh. Sliding back along the crawl space, in hushed tones he gave Nathan a brisk explanation of what he had witnessed, how the two were paraded, their accelerated decay part of some grotesque “ritual” or something of the like.
“You could just end it, two shots and…” began Nathan, but Carolynn lifted a finger to his lips to silence him.
“I feel exactly the same way, for Kell’s sake I was in there with a gun at my side and what would have been a clean shot. And yeah, it would end it for them, but also for Jed, you, me, probably that guy Martin at the Inn and his three kids for sheltering Terrorists. Then there would be some kind of diplomatic incident with Bronze Hearth that would see them slapped with reparations for sending assassins to Grey and so it would go on.!”
“Yes, I know how it goes, it’s just..
“That being able to do nothing makes you feel like shite,” offered Carolynn. “But they will not get away with it, not so long as we can get word to Lord Samuel. Their tune will change once the Inquisition gets its hands on them !“

The chanting began to rise in fervour, their diabolic ceremony headed towards its inevitable conclusion and Carolynn knew they needed more if they were going to sink this disgusting cabal of heretics.
“Pass me that monocular of yours will you ?“ asked Nathan, at which Carolynn must have looked concerned, for he explained “I couldn’t look, but I might be able to help our case, look !”
Nathan took out his ever present tool kit and did what he did so well. Using some of the off-cuts of wire he had picked up from where the work had been going on at the top of the shaft, wire most wouldn’t even notice, he was able to connect a digital picter to the digital display of Carolynn’s monocular, set it to record and Carolynn slid back into the crawl space to get the evidence they needed.

The ceremony moved on, becoming ever more frenzied, until the chanting was little more than individuals hysterically ranting as they swayed drunkenly in exhaustion. Their “High-Priest” stood motionless, arms reaching for the stars rambling incoherently through the froth and bubbles of foam flecking his lips as the ruinous powers left him.
By his side, the racks were empty, the straps hung loose and the dishes were full with purification. In each there had formed strange shapes, both human in aspect but twisted, malformed with pale green mottled and diseased skin, cruelly clawed limbs, wide tooth filled maws and a single milky white eye in the centre of their foreheads below one, the other two’s upwardly curving horns ! They were not creatures of Zalthar, but foul things in league with Jahicham the Seer’s Dark Gods, and as the ceremony reached its fanatical climax, both approached the High-Priest from whom they took a piece of parchment, before disappearing off through a hitherto unnoticed door at the back of the Hall. To have communed with such “Daemon’s” was true Heresy indeed ! Carolynn needed no more, so secreting the modified monocular, he crawled back out of the side shaft. The two of them then rapidly ran through a well practiced drill, checking their weapons and kit, ensuring all was present and correctly stowed away for the journey back, for there could be no delays or hesitation if they were to succeed. “Ready ?” said Nathan.
“Ready !” confirmed Carolynn, and they were off !

End of Part Three

Mk

7th edition woes

With 7th edition on its way, and whilst also undergoing primarch rules testing which is now complete and will be posted soon, we are taking a brief hiatus from the campaign. It will continue when 7th rolls around and we are all used to its rules. Many of you will also notice Mark has taken an indefinite Hiatus to gaming, as you have noticed. Reasons for this are unknown, but we hope he joins us again soon. Until then he continues to write fluff for our campaign whenever able. But to celebrate our campaign and the new edition, a the campaign will finally exit the eye of terror... but everyone will be changed....

Connor:
A Tau expeditionary force into the eye of terror came out corrupted by the whispers of chaos. The combined arms of the Tau and Chaos forces have lead them to be a true fear in the warp. But now, as a warp gate opens, they make there move....

Luke:
The dragon-kin have come through the warp changed. There mutations had developed to a worrying degree, and in there darkest time when they were about to forsake the emperor for the quick release of death, vulkan came to them. Whilst any other chapter would see him as a psychic projection of tremendous magnitude, the dragon-kin see him as there salvation. It is unknown what created the representation, whether the machinations of chaos or the emperors will, but what is known is there veneration of the emperor is back with holy vigour, with the giant man at the forefront of every battle.

Peter:
A shadow in the warp was alerted by a sudden tear in the fabric of reality.... curious, the shadow hurries towards the warp gate, like a moth drawn to a flame... and a mysterious world looking strangely familiar....

Chris and Dave:
After the fateful events on Zalthar, the Terra Templars refused to follow into the eye of terror, and instead followed with Lord Rex. Along the way they picked up a contingent of Raven Guard under shadow captain Shrike, waiting for the moment they get to strike out against the powers of chaos....

Oli:
Whilst the PDF, now drafted into Lord Rexs' retinue, prepare for war against the forces that erupt from the warp gate, another force of evil lies in wait, out of sight....




The next stage of the campaign will deal with this new planet. What is it? Who is on there? And why is it strangely familiar?
I have prepared LOTS of awesome stuff for this. I also have a few plans:

1) Population Control.
This planet has a population... however it will not be loyal to the emperor we know, or to chaos. But there will be ways and options to sway populations and gain them in battles. This will be represented by a squad of acolytes for players.

2) City Control.
You will be able to control cities and towns. This will result in bonuses to players.

3) New phases.
To do a game it will be less of me saying "you vs you". Instead there will be a planning phase. At the start each player will have a landing point on this planet. It will have stats etc BUT wont be able to be destroyed. A landing point will have rules like this:
Hold:
Influence:
Defense:
Relic:
Offense:

Each of this will have something next to it, representing special rules. You will get a stat sheet like this on every province you try to destroy, gain or take over.

4) Influence.
Influence is gained when you take over a populated area. Population will have 1 of 3 viewpoints:
Reluctant
Aggressive
Defensive
Reluctant people can not be gained by simply taking over, only by fighting someone else for the land. The fear of two armies clashing makes them fight for the winning side. Aggressive will fight for whoever takes up the land in either a battle or simply taking over. Defensive can only be taken over by people who take over the land, seeing two armies fight is likely to have them somewhere in the thick of it being killed themselves.
After a set amount of infuence is gained it grants you access to acolyte squads.

5) Followers battles
When you reach a certain amount of influence, you can send your followers to battle for you. This will be done using the game Dystopian Wars. A standard match of just 500pts will cover most battles. With the apoc idea of 1000pts being available too.

6) Limited Resources
You will start the game with 2000pts. When you take over a land, your 2000pts is moved there etc. You can opt to place any of your force in previous places of land you have taken over. For example, if a player has 4 pieces of land owned, he can place 200pts of his army in one piece of land, another 200pts in another piece of land, and 800pts in each of the other two pieces of land. This results in a lot of smaller scale battles, to try help the newer members. It also means NO FORCE ORG CHART bellow 500pts.


As stated, WIP. Will be completed in time for 7th.... keep reading ;)
Oli