"Iron rusts. Flesh falters. Deeds Endure."
- Common Serrato motto

CALIGO GAMUT SECTOR
PORT KOSHIBA, PLANETSIDE STARPORT
DRYDOCK GAMMA-12 (OCCUPIED: CRUISER-CLASS WARSHIP "KAAL-KAAZ")

Begin a Session Begin a Session(87)Peril lies ahead or lurks just out of view Tybalt held his head high as he suffered nobly through the unrelenting mockery of his Serrato kinfolk (of both the Kaal-Kaaz and Clarion Call), the latest blow being Jeek-Harper sharing his real-time monitoring of Koshiban social media after he betrayed his Reaver-Chief by sharing a personally edited clip of the former's appearance on official news channels, where Tybalt's voice was auto-tuned for comical effect. The great warrior mastered himself as the laughter on the comms redoubled when the public's comments on it passed a thousand within the last hour. He had already dispensed monetary compensation, billed to his family holdings via the Courier Guild and thus honour was satisfied for the mess he had made, but there yet remained the taunting judgement of his peers.

He would most certainly dispense harsh punishments for this betrayal, because he definitely wasn't laughing with them, Epathus included. Likely(47)Yes Develop Your Relationship Find where he stands with Epathus +1 (3/10)

But there yet remained the matter of their prisoner, whom he and Paxel were dragging back to the Kaal-Kaaz for interrogation.

Was this attack ordered by an important local? Likely(6)Yes

Did the local law enforcement (A rabble of Audun-born musclemen and two-credit mercenaries hiding from the consequences of past deeds in Terminus, who primarily exist to protect the interests of their disparate patrons) try to stop them, presumably to stop Tybalt from finding out some inconvenient truth?

Yes.

Compel(Iron)—9 vs 6|7 But were they paid enough to tell a Serrato Bannersworn in full warplate that he couldn’t do what he wanted?

No.

But once they were within the ship, Paxel (who was the one dragging the body, leaving Tybalt to be the one doing any potential fighting) stops in his tracks, and feels for a pulse.

“What the-” He starts in confusion, because prior examination showed no signs of (lethal) internal damage, before rapidly shifting to crisis response “Tybalt, get the sawbones, prick just stopped breathing!”

Just as Tybalt was about to turn and do so, he sees Paxel jump away from the body he was setting down to try and resuscitate. And before the two men the assassin rights himself in all the wrong ways. Straightening not like a man trying to regain his footing, but a marionette on strings, twisting and turning in ways that human muscles do not enable lest they damage themselves in the exertion, all without even a single breath save for a death rattle. For example, by the time Paxel levels his mag-rifle at the body, it elicits sickening cracks from its own spine from trying to far quicker than its lower half could keep up.

And right then, Tybalt puts a hand on the barrel and forces it down, and the lizard mutant realises that his bloodthirsty superior somehow wasn’t flying off the handle at it.

“Tybalt, what are doing?! Rip this thing apart, it’s-“

“A medium of communication, at present.” Tybalt interrupts, even if his voice is rich with discomfort, before turning to the risen corpse. “What do you seek from Household Serrato, that you would call upon the services of a First Light corpse-witch?”

Descriptor(131)Exotic The jerkiness begins to recede, and the corpse more readily assumes the straight-backed posture of a Terminus socialite as it removed its mask, to show that the dead man’s dusky features wore another person’s smile.

“Only to help, Tybalt-Yhen.” Said the stranger with all the glee of a shameless liar “We have a common enemy at the moment, who has taken umbrage with your questions.” As if to clarify, they gestures loosely at the body they had puppeted.

Is it part of the Risen Union? 50/50(43)Yes
Character Goal(197)Action + Theme, Establish reputation Action + Theme(41)Journey Debt Type(250)▶Data Harvesters - Keepers of knowledge Data Harvesters Role(86)Surveillance experts

"Have you noticed the Risen Union showing up more and more lately? There's nothing special at first glance, just another conglomerate charging whole limbs for their goods, in their case mass-produced goods. Even having whole production lines of gunpowder munitions fit only for hardscrabble colonist militias.

This, of course, is a farce. The real heart of the group, whether it was always there or just hollowed out an existing group fit for purpose, are infobrokers. Spies and the like, who seem very good at their job. Why, they've managed the good fortune of steering clear of any sort of trouble from the Ascendancy, and so their star is in ascendance here in Port Koshiba and beyond. This one was merely a chess piece moved by their hand, who got his ambitions stoked by a sizeable payout and the potential fame of taking the head of a Serrato captain.”

“And we're supposed to just believe you?" Paxel interjects, waving his gun at the reanimated corpse in flagrant violation of gun safety, and Tybalt nods in the scavenger's direction

"And that is just the most relevant thing. Why should I care what skeletons the Risen Union keep in their closet? Knowledge is power in the Forge, of course it is hoarded. Why should they distract from my Iron Vow?"

Has the Risen Union done anything that affected Household Serrato? 50/50(50)Yes

The corpse makes Tybalt want to bisect it by dramatically feigning shock for its puppeteer. “Oh my Stars! And here I thought the Serrato prized family?”

In the blink of an eye, the persona of an irritating trust-fundee gives way to the cold glare of a blood-drenched spymaster, as he coldly dispels Tybalt’s confusion.

“What if your father's corpse was in that closet? Literally, not merely in metaphor.”

A minute of stunned silence passes before either responds. “Bullshit” Tybalt tries to declare, horrified by how weak he sounded. “He was fighting near the e-drive of the Hermes when it self-destructed. The battle-reports confirm it.”

“They confirm his warplate was detected the e-drive. But can you say he was seen alive and fighting, or was it simply hacked to declare as much?” The corpse suggests.

“But to what end?” Tybalt asks in a low growl, confusion fermenting into blood-red fury in his breast as the concept took root in his mind.

The corpse shrugs. “That remains to be discovered. This isn’t a holodrama, Tybalt-Yhen, I do not inexplicably have all the answers for you. What I can tell you is that the trail leads to the Risen Union’s planetary holdings on Audun.”

“How convenient.” Paxel comments dryly, his obvious disbelief pulling Tybalt out of his singular train of thought. “”OooOh, there’s good stuff right here, just over this ledge, go on take a look.” You think I haven’t pulled that trick on someone? Maybe put something on the line that actually means something, if you’re not just trying to get us to wipe out your competition free of charge.”

Determine if the Ascendancy attacked Helia-36, and destroy them if they did +1 (1/10) Swear an Iron Vow(Heart)—3 vs 3|9 bonds +1 (1/10) Momentum:2 → 4

Annoyance was writ clear upon the stolen face of their guest, but he ultimately sighs and gestures to Shattersky. Understanding the implication, Tybalt holds out the axe to him, black iron head first, which he lays a stolen hand on.

“Though it serves my purposes that you follow my suggestion, I swear to you, On Iron, that what I have said about your father’s fate, and the involvement of the Risen Union, is true. Let this axe taste my lifesblood if I have spoken false.”

Through all this, Tybalt and Paxel search for any trace of falsehood in the vow…and finds none.
Raze the RU Offices in Port Koshiba to the ground

“How much is there to kill?” Tybalt says at last. Gather Information(Wits)—3 vs 5|5match

Without prompting, data filters onto his HUD, and though he expects little will come of it Tybalt makes a mental note to overhaul his armor’s digital defences “They’ve a factory in the underground sections, but leaving that intact to be taken over by their rivals will make it easier for you to leave Port Koshiba unchallenged.

No, the greater issue for you is that the administrative centre of the RU is in the Oldtown district: The original settlement before they had to expand. Luxurious apartments, garden-domes, regular patrols of law enforcement, it is Audun’s little slice of Sirona. Which is to say, barging in with mag-cannons firing will alienate all those who matter in Port Koshiba.”

As if sensing that Tybalt’s current solution to this conundrum was “Not Caring”, he then adds “And to cause the havoc that comes with a full assault would be disruptive to Port Koshiba, and would harm the interests of the Circle of the Elder Stars. And the Serrato are loyal to the Circle and Conclave, are they not?“

Many commanders from other houses (and in fact many from House Serrato as well) would rage and rail at the insinuation, whether true or otherwise. Tybalt recoiled as if physically struck.

“You do not need to lecture me like some unruly cargo-loader. If the Conclave wishes the indolence of Port Koshiba’s highest undisturbed, then none will note my passage. Will we meet again, after they are dealt with?”

Make a Connection(Heart)—5 vs 1|1match Does the new contact reside on Reck? 50/50(9)Yes Callsign(126)Darkwing Role(98)Scientist, Action + Theme Action(233)Expose Theme(49)Knowledge Revealed Character Aspect(131)Dynamic Rank(84)Extreme NPC:Telrai Telemachon First Look(176)Prim Dr. Telrai's Bizarre Company

“No.” He says with the surety of one saying that water is wet. “But now that I have your measure…I think there is someone you should meet.”