You are Elesh Phryx, rogue techpriest and captain of the Sword class frigate 'Sword of the Omnissiah'. Your escape from the Dark Eldar raid upon the pleasure world of Aquari was nearly complete, until a final ambush by xenos warriors caught you inspecting your repairs of a heavy lift shuttle. Though your group managed to cut down the offending xenos, you were quickly sedated due to the severity of your wounds and the xenos toxins coursing thru your body.

Your retinas ache as your eyelids slowly part, the blinding white of a sterile room flooding thru your flesh eyes and coursing along your nerves into the recesses of your flesh brain. Heavy weights press down on your body as your cogitators and flesh brain struggle to claim dominance over the flood of sensations that race up your spine. Soft sheets tease your flesh as your legs slowly flex and extend in a typical flesh diagnostic that slowly moves up your body. Your hips shift slowly, pressing your cool, metallic true flesh against a portion of your weaker flesh as your cogitators register your mechadendrites as disabled. The unexpected state of your mechadendrites causes a momentary panic as you try to lift yourself with your arms. Pain overwhelms your mind as the nub of your left arm presses against your bed. Dazed by the intense pain, you are barely able to register a soft, soothing voice and a small, sharp pain in your right arm. The world soon seems dull to your senses as you drift back into a light sleep.

Hey this looks kinda coo-
>not in the wing commander universe
All interest lost.

"Captain Phryx? Can you hear my voice?" A dreamless sleep ends when a sister hospitallar rouses you from forced sleep, "You're in the Azure Aegis Order's medicae facility, Captain. Your crew brought you from Aquari, where you were wounded. That was nearly three weeks ago." You spend the next hour speaking with the sister about your wounds, learning that your wounds will require an additional month's time before your body can safely accept a bionic replacement. Before excusing herself, the sister aids you in removing the physical keys that have disabled your mechadendrites, though she insists that you not allow your medicae mechadendrite to interact with your wounds.

Athe slips into your room, sporting some form of semi-formal sororitas garb. Your cogitators detect a slight hint of flak armor within the outfit's decorative corset, though your flesh brain is just as smug with the fact that your flesh would strain the bust of such clothing in a superior fashion. "I'm glad you're awake, Elesh. The xenos raid on the Labado system has caused some problems that really need your attention." Studying Athe's face, you note that she doesn't appear to have slept in some time.

>Reports to choose from
>Quein's adventures in orbit
>Planetary loot list
>Magos Grumman's list of rewards to choose from
>other

>>18758431

Incoming skipper torpedo!

>>18758449
We need to find out what state out ship is in.

Let's go with the orbital report first.

Previous Thread:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/18686323/

Archived Threads:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=privateer

>>18758479
*our ship

Damn my drunkenness and general lack of spelling skills.

Yay, privateer quest is back!
>mfw

Let's hear Quein's report on the orbital battle first, followed by loot.

We'll have plenty of time to consider our rewards later, since it sounds like we'll be stuck here recovering for a while.

Nice to see this back.
Get some reports from orbit first

"Quein managed to get 'Sword of the Omnissiah' underway quickly and managed to rally four other ships into a squadron, including Enshrouded Sire and Domum Emendationem. They chased off a pair of xenos ships that had masked themselves as freighters while eight other xenos vessels struck the remainder of the system's shipping. When the xenos made a run to recover their planetary forces, 'Sword of the Omnissiah' became entangled with one of the xenos vessels. The fight was bloody, but Quein and a supporting raider were able to cripple the xenos ship and she fell into Aquari's atmosphere. You'll have to speak with Quein for more specifics, but he doesn't seem too thrilled about being man of the hour." Athe hesitates before handing you a small list, glancing about the room nervously. "We secured our more exotic cargos from the xenos boarding parties, Captain."

LOOT:
~1,000 assorted Xenos weapons
200 xenos armor recovered
1 Xenos shuttle (damaged, emergency landing)
1,300 slaves recovered (700 sick/wounded, rest able-bodied)
26 Eldar warriors recovered
1 Eldar leader recovered, mortal wounds (deceased)

LOSSES:
20% Crew (18% lost during dock destruction)
10 hull integrity
1 arvus lighter DESTROYED
1 arvus lighter damaged

Armsmen Numbers:
Company A: 100 souls (Carapace, Veteran ++)
Company B: 240 souls (Carapace, Veteran ++)
Company C: 290 souls (Carapace, Veteran ++)
Company D: 390 souls (Carapace, Veteran ++)
(2,410 armsmen were killed or lost to the void)

>>18758753
That's a lot of losses, but quein did a good job, we will have to commend his efforts later.

Now, planetary loot list

>>18758753
Oh my... most impressive. We'll have to make a point of keeping the existence of those eldar captives a secret from the Sisters.

The idea of interrogating them and then either conducting experiments on them or selling them off to an unscrupulous magos biologis sounds lovely.

"As for our own adventure, we managed to escape with both of our transports and a small armory's worth of las weaponry."

LOOT:
1 Heavy Lift Shuttle (atmospheric version of current void shuttle)
1 Xenos raider
1 near-pristine xenos corpse (in stasis)
10 xenos splinter pistols
100 assorted las weapons

Casualties:
Elesh's Left Arm

Additional Personel:
Kelly - pleasure yacht server

>Continue to Magos Grumman's list?
>investigate list entry?

>>18758857
investigate list entry
and, what happened to the second eldar transport, did we have to leave it behind?

well, at least our only loss planet side was part of our weak fleshy bits... the important fleshy part is.... have we checked the important fleshy part?

>>18758905
Investigate what list entry?

The second xenos raider was claimed by Magos Taylor. Your crew managed to argue that you wouldn't have been wounded if a certain someone had been properly keeping watch, so you got to keep the heavy lift shuttle

>>18758932
Are you inquiring into the status of Elesh's penis?

There is no penis.

>1 near-pristine xenos corpse (in stasis)
What lead our men to preserve that corpse in particular? Was this the eldar who shot off our arm?

>>18758905
I assume we could only fit one aboard the shuttle.

>>18758932
But sir, we are a techpriestess. What fleshy bit could possibly be important to a devotee of the Machine God?

Also, how did our arvus lighters get destroyed/damaged?

>>18758977
"They were transfering slaves from the xenos ship to 'Sword'. I don't know the specifics."

>>18758972
you decided to save the corpse for some reason, since you'd killed it with a clean knife to the throat.

>>18758977
most likely through ship to ship combat and boarding...

>continue to Magos Grumman's list?
> additional inqueries?

>>18759088
I can't really think of anything else to ask about just now.

Let's see what Magos Grumman is offering.

>>18759088
go on to Grumman's list

>>18759088
Was the deceased Eldar leader we got in the orbital battle carrying any interesting weapons/armor/artifacts?

Otherwise, on to Magos Grumman's list.

once we start prepairing for the cybernetic arm, we should see if we could get an auger array implant as well...

>>18759129

"The recovered Cargo were imprisoned within the spike-covered Cargo. From the strange stones they carry, I believe they are either from a finely crafted world or perhaps a skilled feral world." Athe is clearly suspicious of unwanted eavesdroppers in this medicae room.

[Translation: the recovered Eldar are likely craftworld eldar, not Dark Eldar]

>>18759194
Interesting. So normal eldar corsairs were cooperating with the Dark Eldar? I wonder what they were after on that world that would lead to such an alliance...

In any case, on to Magos Grumman's list.

"I'm afraid I don't know much about Magos Grumman's list. You'll have to look to your own knowledge or ask him later, Captain."

Starting Requisition: 60

Claymore-class Corvette 'Epimeliad' : 53 (Former system defense ship)
Essential Components: (Request specifics)
Supplemental Components: (Request specifics)
Industrial Starter Kit: 19 (Planetary, Asteroid, Station)
Small Arms: (Request specifics)
Complement of Sentinel Powerlifters: 7 (for 100 units)
Mothballed Factory Ship: 10 (Stripped of useful components, this ship has long sat idle)
Mothballed Jericho-class: 18 (Essential components only)
Mothballed Vagabond-class: 19 (Essential components only)
Precision Machine Tools: 27 (Rare, Industrial, LARGE CARGO, +craftmanship)
Artisan Trials: 30 Requisition (Test of skill)
Other: ???

>list info?
>fuck that I've been in bed too long! ONWARD TO ???

"very well. we shall have to inspect the cargo once i have recovered enough."

continue onto magos grummans list.

>>18759194
Now we need to find a craftworld willing to buy them for enormous amounts of money. Or something valuable.

>>18759227
>imprisoned
>not free
>enslaved
>toys
>receivers of pain

>>18759245
Considering we've lost so many men, I'm not sure claiming another vessel just now would be a good idea.

The thought of the Industrial Starter Kit appeals to me, though. A nice hidden asteroid base would be soooo cash.

>>18759245

i'm thinking that if we get the Industrial Starter Kit, we could set up a base which we could use to preform various work in, such as an augmentation workshop, a munitiorium, maybe even a dry dock at some stage...
is this a good/valid idea?

>>18759269
Oh, I see. I thought they were combatants captured during the battle, not slaves recovered from the DE. Good to know.

>Claymore-class Corvette 'Epimeliad' : 53 (Former system defense ship)

This interests me, is it warp capable?

Either way, we will have to talk to Grumman about this in more detail later.

How is elesh feeling right now? Can she walk around and give orders?

>>18759299

You suspect that Magos Grumman and the Sororitas wouldn't mind if you left one of the mothballed ships laying around for a while longer, perhaps they'll even let the corvette linger for a while, too.

if we're going for hidden asteroid base, then what we would want is:
Industrial Starter Kit: 19 - Asteroid [41 left]
Complement of Sentinel Powerlifters: 7 (for 100 units) [34 left]
Precision Machine Tools: 27 (Rare, Industrial, LARGE CARGO, +craftmanship) [7 left]
and use the remaining 7 to get Essential and Supplemental Components.

>>18759339
With that in mind, the mothballed factory ship plus either the industrial starter kit or the precision machine tools could be very interesting.

>>18759317

Industrial starter kits generally contain the basics for setting up an industrial operation such as mining, refining, or something of that nature, though they could be re purposed for setting up a base of operations as well. A drydock would be difficult to conceal within any sort of populated system, though.

>>18759335
You imagine that Magos Grumman wouldn't be so petty as to sell you such an expensive ship without a warp drive and gellar field, though it wouldn't hurt to be sure...

You estimate that you are currently at a 78% efficiency level, with roughly 18% of that lost efficiency due to the loss of your favored hand.

>>18759379

you note that 'Sword of the Omnissiah' lacks any dedicated cargo space, and as such is unable to haul LARGE cargos due to their bulk.

>>18759406
>you are currently at a 78% efficiency level
Not bad for losing a hand. I'm worse off than that with just a hangover or the flu.

Elesh is a fucking badass.

>>18759406
then we create a hidden dry dock 'inside' a really large asteroid....
assuming we can find an asteroid large enough to hide a ship in...
either that or just put it in an uninhabited system... is there an uninhabited system nearby?

>>18759441

Mechadendrites!

How much requisition for a warpsbane hull upgrade?
Right now, I'm interested in taking the claymore and adding wapsbane hulls to it and our sword frigate

About the base: I can see the appeal, but I would rather stay mobile for now. I would rather get the factory ship and put it to work then make a base, actually.

The tradeship and pilgrim ship are not very interesting to me.

>>18759450
There are currently no truely uninhabited systems known to exist within the Corgus Sector.

There are several systems with little to no human presence, but there are often xenos ships spotted within...

>>18759462
I figure a factory ship would be a great acquisition, along with whatever components were needed to make it fully functional again.

Having our own manufacturing facilities would give us so much more freedom, since we wouldn't have to make port every time we needed to repair or upgrade our ship. A little more opportunity for piracy and so forth.

>>18759462

unfortunately, a warpsbane hull can only be applied to a ship during it's construction or if it is stripped down to the hull. The latter process may take the better part of a year on even the smallest ships.

>locate additional information from [suggest] while you contemplate purchases?
>other actions?

Oh, right, just remembered, how much requisition for holy prometheum?
We still have to pay that debt.

>>18759423

hmm, well then, minor alterations...

Mothballed Factory Ship: 10 [50 left]
Precision Machine Tools: 27 [23 left]
Essential and Supplemental Components to repair our ship and bring the factory ship up to, at least, working order. the more of it we can fix and repair/replace, the better.

>>18759562
seconding this

>>18759560
I'd imagine we can renegotiate that debt considering they'd probably be dead if we hadn't helped them escape the DE attack on the yacht.

Anyway, wouldn't holy promethium be something we'd need to ask the Sisters for, not Magos Grumman?

>>18759560
You have not received a list of any possible services or items for your reward from the sisters

What, exactly are the artisan trials? And, what skill do we test with them and how?

>>18759617
Seconding this question.

>>18758955
I laughed at this far, far more than I should have.

>>18759379
Seconding this, might need to spend some requisition to get the Machine tools to our new base, in light of >>18759423

>>18759617

probably for crafting augmentations...

>>18759617
>>18759635

The Artisan Trials are a test of your accumulated skill in your chosen specialty. You will be required to craft something that represents your accumulated learning in your specialty. Success would result in your promotion to a low-ranked position of leadership in the AdMech proper, while failure will likely result in a loss of time and requisition. There is no guarantee that you will pass, and many techpriests are known to fail several times before earning the rank of Artisan.

>seek Quein
>seek Magos Grumman
>seek other
>ignore people, pet your ship
>ignore people, start planning your new arm
>I want to be sedated
>other

>>18759743
Considering our specialty is in augmentation (it is, isn't it?) and we need to make a flawless, beautiful crafted bionic limb right about now, that sounds like it just might be a good use of our time.

>>18759743
Right, this is what I want, but we will have to prepare before we take the test.

If we took the factory ship and the artisan exam, would we have enough requisition to make the ship capable of mining and manufacturing?

First, look for quein and talk to him about what happened in the battle, how our transport was destryed etc.
Commend him for quick action.
And, ask him if he got that list of trade goods

>>18759798
Let's go see Magos Grumman, and plan our new arm. Always be planning our new arm. Oh yes, what an arm it will be. A veritable monument to the glory of the Omnissiah.

>>18759798

firstly we should return to our ship as soon as we are able to, then we should hear quins story from the orbital battle and events. then we should hold a officer meeting and discuss the potential for getting the factory ship as a mobile base of operations. then we can plan our new arm, in METICULAS DETAIL!!! NO SCREW, SEAL OR BOLT MUST BE OVERLOOKED IN WHAT WILL BE OUR GREATEST PIECE OF WORK... for now at least.

>>18759805

Most likely. You can inspect the ships on the list, if you wish.

Do note that taking a legitimate position in the AdMech hierarchy will make you subject to a command structure. There will be benefits as well, but you'll no longer be your own master by default.

>>18759805

i still think that the precision machine tools are too good an offer to turn down... would there be anyway to make up the diffrence with thrones maybe?

>>18759869
>There will be benefits as well, but you'll no longer be your own master by default.
aaand, that killed my interest right there. We can take the exam when we reach 80 years of age and get bored of pirating.

Right now, go talk to quein

>>18759869
Well shit. That simply will not do. We are a great and terrible space pirate (even if the rest of the galaxy doesn't know it yet) and we know no master.

I suppose we'll have to teach ourselves the arts of finely crafted bionics, then. Perhaps experiment on some of the wounded slaves.

>>18759910
yes lets go talk to quein

Augmentation Philosophy!
Every craftsman has their own philosophy on how things should be done. Augmentation is no different!

POWER: Power-focused augmentations are exceptionally good at narrowly focused, coarse actions. They are often quite bulky and heavy, but this bulk allows for easy addition of extra side-function gadgets. These augmentations often strain the user's potentia coil due to massive power consumption.

EFFICIENCY: Efficiency-focused augmentations focus primarily on minimizing energy use in all forms. They often include intricate devices meant to recycle motion and energy for minimal drain upon the user, without concern for form or function. They can vary greatly in size.

STYLE: Style-focused augmentations throw all function to the winds, only form matters. Some believe this philosophy to be a pox, while others see it as a means of expressing the Omnissiah's will thru the form of their True Flesh.

Natural: Natural-focused augmentations are often viewed as inferior to all other philosophies of augmentation, though to a craftsman that believes their original flesh to be true to the Omnissiah's ideal form tends to scoft at such an idea. Many claim that this philosophy best embodies the nature of the alliance between the Imperium and the Ad Mech, citing the Emperor as a messenger of the Omnissiah in human form.

>I'm sorry folks, a bit of a family issue is occuring. I'll be able to linger and respond a bit longer, but continuing the quest tonight isn't going to be possible with the current events going on.

>Next thread will be on Thursday @ 8:00 PM EST

>I'll archive the thread shortly.

good night, good luck with whatever it is you are dealing with-

>>18760165
Alas, I just barely notice the thread and it's already over.

See you on Thursday, OP.

>>18760165

oh, and if you guys could come to a consensus on which augmentation philosophy (or your two favorites) you like, that would be helpful for Thursday.

again, apologies for this bullshit.

I say we go for Efficiency.

>>18760165
My vote goes to style.

We're pirate captain and aspiring rogue trader, we have people for heavy labor, and efficiency would be common and vulgar. As for a natural looking hand, we've already been freed of our organic hand, why would we want to go back to that?

>>18760285
yeah going to have to agree with efficiency to

>>18760248
Emphasis on style, with a little focus on efficiency.

>>18760423
This.

Style and efficiency are not mutually exclusive.

>>18760165
Casting my vote for Natural.