They Mostly Come Out Of Cargo Containers...Mostly
Michael’s team clear a cargo ship of a genestealer infestation.
Briefing
>>>PRIORITY MESSAGE INCOMING
+++TO: OBELISK
+++FROM: HARBOURMASTER'S OFFICE, CETUS MAJOR
+++SUBJECT: QUARANTINED VESSEL
To whoever shall receive this message within the Obelisk, please see attached transcripts. If we do not receive a response or acknowledgement of this communication within 15 minutes, we will initiate verbal communication. If we cannot attain verbal communication, we will instead relay this message to Naval Intelligence.
Sincerely,
Engretta Strund
Harbourmaster, Cetus Major
>INLOADING TRANSCRIPT 1_
>SOURCE TYPE: AUDIO
>INLOAD COMPLETE
>OPENING TRANSCRIPT_
+VOICE: MALE
This is Captain Jaimon Pretorius aboard bulk hauler Eisen, Saedran vessel registry one theta four three nine dash eight. There is a xenos life form aboard the ship. Two crew slain. It's still alive, but we can't find the bastard thing.
We've locked out escape pods and shuttle bays per quarantine regulations. Request immediate assistance. We only have a skeleton crew, and the servitors are no bloody use. Over.
>TRANSCRIPT ENDS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
>INLOADING TRANSCRIPT 2_
>SOURCE TYPE: VID DESCRIPTION
>INLOAD COMPLETE
>OPENING TRANSCRIPT_
Helmet cam footage shows wearer (A) approaching cargo container.
(A): Fine Jai, two more, but then that's my shift.
JAI: Fine.
(A) presses access rune on cargo container.
A: Fancy that, more fucking box- what the fuck is--
Xenos creature illuminated by (A)'s torch. Dark brown-black exoskeleton, glossy. Bulbous head, long tongue. Creature unfolds from corner revealing two legs and four arms ending in claws.
JAI: The fuck are you doing? Shoot it!
(A): non-responsive
Xenos creature approaches slowy, looking directly at (A)
JAI: Shoot, you dumb bastard!
Helmet cam shakes; assumed (A) is shaking head as if disoriented. View steadies; looks up at creature. It is now within approx 1.29m. End of tongue splits to reveal small toothed orifice; continues to approach (A).
JAI: Shoot!
(A) sluggishly raises shotgun into view; creature accelerates. Grabs shotgun muzzle, twists gun out of (A)'s hand. View changes angle; looks up at ceiling.
(A): Screams for 0.89 seconds.
View moves to deck level as (A) falls. View jerks a few times, then shows signal loss.
>TRANSCRIPT ENDS
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
>INLOADING TRANSCRIPT 3_
>SOURCE TYPE: VESSEL DETAILS FOR BULK HAULER EISEN, SAEDRA SYSTEM REGISTRY 1θ439-8
>INLOAD COMPLETE
>OPENING TRANSCRIPT_
VESSEL TYPE: CIVILIAN
KEEL: 6.73KM
COMPLIMENT: 21 HUMAN, 73 SERVITORS
WEAPONRY: POINT DEFENCE TURRETS ONLY
REGISTERED CARGO: FOODSTUFFS, APPROX 1.58 MILLION TONS
DESTINATION: BAETEN SYSTEM, CETUS SUB-SECTOR, ACHERNAR SECTOR, SEGMENTUM PACIFICUS
POINT OF ORIGIN: SYPHAX SYSTEM, MASSYLEAN SUB-SECTOR, ERIDANI SECTOR, SEGMENTUM PACIFICUS
>TRANSCRIPT ENDS
+++FROM: Inquisitor Michael
+++SUBJECT: Quick briefing note for equipment selection.
The vid description appears to be of a genestealer, although that is unconfirmed at this time.
Genestealers are an extremely hazardous sub-species of Tyranid. They are tough, their hardened carapace is resistant to firearms. They are fast and have lethally sharp claws that rip through armour and slice off limbs. Flamers will be useful for clearing vents but aren’t terribly effective at killing them outright and would mean getting dangerously close. Boltguns will be best if you can keep them at long range, but in close confines hellguns may be better. Do anything you can to avoid letting them get close.
They climb on walls and crawl through vents at full speed. They are hard to detect, even with scanning equipment. They are highly mobile and have group telepathy. Assume that anything one genestealer sees is seen by all. Expect traps and ambushes. We may also face armed human or hybrid enemies as well as genestealer so don’t overlook the possibility of ranged opponents. We may also face psychic hybrid “Magi” or even a “Broodlord” alpha genestealer which is a psychic monster and utterly lethal, however this latter is highly unlikely, as far as we know Broodlords do not leave planets.
Equip yourself accordingly.
+++MESSAGE ENDS
+++FROM: Ekaterin Malo
+++TO: Benedikt Kantner
+++SUBJECT: Genestealers
WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON. WHY HAS NOBODY EVER MENTIONED THESE THINGS BEFORE?????
Is it too early to start drinking?
(That’s a joke, I’d never drink before a mission but THE POINT STILL STANDS WHAT THE FUCK.)
+++MESSAGE ENDS
+++FROM: Benedikt Kantner
+++TO: Ekaterin Malo
+++SUBJECT: I know right?
The sun is always over the yardarm somewhere...
Seriously considering self prescribing some calming pharmaceuticals.
I honestly used to think the Imperium was strong.
Emperor walk with us I guess...
+++MESSAGE ENDS
The Mission
The team proceeded with an extremely high level of paranoia and caution. They removed the surviving crew, under armed escort, for isolation and testing. They then tracked down the information about where the cargo containing the Genestealer had come from, and determined the source of origin was Syphax and the cargo had not been opened since then. This information was vital in determining the extent of the possible Genestealer infestation.
Having narrowed down exactly what areas the Genestealer had access to, the PDF was called in to search all remaining areas of the ship as a precaution. On the suggestion of Benedikt the Inquisition then travelled with the infected cargo to it’s destination so they could continue to search for Genestealers without delaying it beyond the point where people on Baeten would starve.
Eventually there was only one Genestealer found. It was destroyed with poisonous gas and helgun fire. Michael has preserved what little remained for genetic testing to help identify what strain it may be and contribute to mapping the galactic spread of Genestealers.
Communications
+++FROM: Inquisitor Michael
+++TO: Benedikt Kantner
+++SUBJECT: Good work
Benedikt,
I’ve been too entangled with the politicians and authorities to catch up with you in person, and I don’t know when I’ll get free of them, but I did not want this to go unsaid for too long. Well done. Your idea to travel with the cargo as we clear it has saved lives. I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to say exactly how many, but I suspect it will have been in the region of tens of thousands. The people of Beaten will never know how great a debt they owe you. With a few words in the right place you have changed a world.
Sincerely,
Gregory Michael
+++MESSAGE ENDS