"If you would be so inclined to explain why it is you haven't been, as you seem to put it, keeping up with information from the world below for nigh on a decade now if you had beforehand?"
As you ask the question the man's face turns from a smile to a slight frown, your years as an interrogator allowing you to notice the tinge of sadness about his expression and the look of weariness in his eyes. Clearing his throat the man replies,
"I've been commander of this station for fifty-five years now, and my father was commander of it before me, and his father commander of it before him and yet in my family's long service over this planet we've always found the surface below more than friendly to our cause. When at times supplies on the station ran low, or we were short men to resupply a Navy vessel we've looked to the cities of Marasen to provide able-bodied men, food, or even metals and tools to repair ships. However a little over ten years ago the rumors of xeno sightings in the polar regions of Marasen began to spread along with tales of once loyal servants of the Imperium who now aided them offering shelter or aid to support them.
It wasn't long after that the groups of armsmen I sent down to bring me the latest news, gossip, and rumors of the planet began to return bearing nothing of import, with information that contradicted itself, or .... or they never returned at all. I now dread sending my men down to the surface with the fear that they may never return at all, the first time I grew tired and angry at these disappearances I sent down fifty men with orders to find the perpetrators and bring me there heads. Not a single one returned.
Now I send my men only to Navy compounds on the surface, and order those stationed in those same compounds to lock them down to keep contact with the outside minimal for those strongholds are few enough as is. Something is afoot I know, some xenos taint has began to worm its way onto my homeworld and yet all I can do is hide on my station, and behind my garrison walls lest I march all my men to their death leaving no one to hold out in a dire emergency.
You probably think I'm a coward, feth I'm almost obliged to agree with you on that part, but I can't willingly send my men to their death knowing it might doom an entire world of billions to their death ..."
You contemplate what Helk said as you think of what more you must ask of him, after what seems like an hour of silence with you deep in thought you finally manage to speak up.
"Do you know anything of this xenos taint? Perhaps where I might be able to start my investigation? Aside from that I need to know if you've noticed any officials acting oddly, and ... and I need to know what support you can give me for my operation."
The man nods slightly before pulling opening a small box on his desk, a container of lho sticks
1 and a lighter in it, taking one he lights it up and takes a long drag from the smoldering narcotic.
"To be fully honest I have no fething clue what this taint might even be, the only real information I have about them is ten years old, and that was simply that they were supposedly in some towns in the polar regions. They've probably long since spread to the rest. As for where to start I'd recommend you start your investigations in Marasen's planetary capital, Wallden which aspires to be a hive though its still got many decades by my estimations before it reaches that point. The only other place I'd suggest is Custen in the southern arctic regions, one of the places these xenos were supposedly, and both of these locations have a Navy base in them so you'll have capable bases if need be not to mention forces to barge in and save you should things go south.
On the topic of support, the Navy garrisons and their forces are at your disposal along with two dozen of my best armsmen on board this station and assisting aerial transports. That's about as much as I can offer you since the rest will be needed should any enemy fleet elements appear in orbit around this planet, I'll need every man I can get then to throw them back, even if that isn't likely one has to always be prepared..."
Condition: Perfect
Ordo: Ordo Xenos
Alignment: Mostly Puritan
Bank Account: 800 Thrones
Possessions:LaspistolLongswordInquisitor's Rosette Eomann, Deathwatch Tactical MarineCondition: Perfect
Loyalty: Unwavering
Possessions:Sanctified BolterTwin ChainswordsMk. 8 "Errant" Power ArmorRodrick, Captain of the Crimson SonCondition: Perfect
Loyalty: Steadfast
Crimson Son
Condition: Perfect
Weapons:
- 2x Voidsunder Lances [High Power, Slow Firing, Lance, Dorsal Mounted]
- 'Pounder' Heavy Gun Battery [Medium Power, Fast Firing, Prow Mounted]
Crew:
- 84 Crewmen
- Navigator
- Astropath
- 12 Armsmen (6 Las-Carbines, 6 Shotcannons)
1: A Lho stick is a fairly common narcotic that is rather popular in PDF, and Imperial Guard regiments as a type of relaxation method. Only really outlawed in certain systems and planets which are far, and few between.