You want to make noise? Okay, lets make some noise. I roar back at it directly into its ear, but my focus is on maintaining a solid grip and staying mounted, because I know it's going to be trying to get me off of it soon.
Following the Eldar's footsteps in intentionally antagonizing your mount, you scream in the poor beasts ear (or what you assume to be its ear. It is hard to tell with dinos). As with the Eldar this encourages it to buck you off. While you lack the grace of the Eldar you go for a more strength-based approach that is probably closer to what the locals do. Holding on for dear life your body crashes several times into the Raptor's back as it desperately hops around attempting to remove you. It goes into a spin as if chasing its own tail trying to get its mouth on you.
But for now you remain seated thanks to your death-grip.
Well then, I guess let's just stay on.
With a final splash of energy, the dragon makes swift erratic movements to get rid of you. With no rhyme or reason it twists around like a hurricane, destroying nearby plants with its claws as it does so. You continue to bounce with a sword in one hand, the sword often catching on the jungle's trees and the thicker undergrowth making the ride more difficult than it needs to be. It slumps to the ground exhausted. Breathing heavily, you now rise and fall with the steady motion of its lungs. You've successfully broken the dragon's will!
"With the Maw closed off, it was but bad fortune that both of you ended up in the same side of the passage. I have heard you are a talented pilot yourself; I steered the Ark Royal through the Warp myself this last trip, but I admit to not being a particularly talented pilot or helmsman. What about your recent accomplishments?"
Maybe the fact they were both pilots and the fact the Lord-Captain had just safely steered the cruiser through the lightless Warp would spark the desire to boast about his own achievements and adventures on Guest Rouri.
Other things:
1) Order more thorough (focused) auguries of the planet, avoiding the fortress complex itself for obvious etiquette. It's also a great excuse to scan the area indicated to us by the Eldar.
2) Spend free time watching the troop movements to learn about a bit more about combined arms warfare.
3) See if we can establish a private comms channel with Governor-General so we can talk about more sensitive things. Like whether his daughter is currently in danger.
As for Symonne, "Look into these talented locals the Traders have recruited, and/or see if any of the Traders have any close allies or lovers, old or new. The Governor's daughter might be disguised."
"I'm sure I'd be happy to tell you all about that when you arrive for your formal debriefing and integration with my forces. I don't want to get carried away with that topic when we should be discussing the terms of our coalition. For example, I can offer you ⅔ ownership of any spoil you take, with the rest going to the war chest."
1) Order more thorough (focused) auguries of the planet, avoiding the fortress complex itself for obvious etiquette. It's also a great excuse to scan the area indicated to us by the Eldar.
I'm still not sure what else you're expecting to find. The area indicated by the Eldar is within the fortress complex, making this order impossible to carry out.
Presumably this means you're finally leaving the Genetor's landing zone and returning to the ship.
2) Spend free time watching the troop movements to learn about a bit more about combined arms warfare.
There is little troop movement you can see from space and just as little you can see from the air. Still the frequencies you where given earlier contain a good many military drama, historic documentaries, and apparently tactically accurate fiction. The historic documentaries are the most dry, but the most informative with the basics being explained like you where a small child. Probably because they're meant for small children. The military drama tend to be set in historic wars with some obvious liberties taken, unless the God Emperor physically showed up in the Governor-General's room and whispered the path to victory in his ear in reality. Still they are more entertaining then the documentaries while covering much of the same material, albeit in a way that assumes you're familiar with the local history and culture. You notice that some shows tend to be aimed at the fortress audience, while others tend be be aimed at the warriors. This isn't necessarily based on the content of the shows but rather the values of the characters. It is particularly obvious when the content overlap. For example in the fortress version of a famous last stand where a group of soldiers held a gate against overwhelming firepower, they where motivated by a strong sense of duty on the orders of their superior officer. In the warrior version the officer died before giving the order and the soldiers are the ones who decide to hold out of bravery and honor. Spreading out further most fiction on the planet is violent or military in nature, as one would expect from a people who's lives revolve around the military. Even the children's shows have propaganda and tactics - for example the most popular local cartoon is about a clever little Dino who outsmarts bumbling Eldar invaders with strategies and traps that seem to be practically useful - though their wounds are comical rather than deadly.
Of course there is only so much you can gain by watching vids in your ship. Your seneschal has recently uncovered contacts for one the top military academy, if you truly want to learn about combined arms warfare that would be the likely place to go.
3) See if we can establish a private comms channel with Governor-General so we can talk about more sensitive things. Like whether his daughter is currently in danger.
You set up communication with the Governor-General. Presumably well after you're done talking to the rogue trader.
As the Captain orders! Look into that talented swordfighter and skilled pilot that the two traders have hired, get identities and whatever can be found about their histories. Do a bit of probing into the traders' known associates both professional and personal.
The swordfighter goes by the name Swatzer, said to be a powerfully built man who wields a two handed chain sword. He was adopted by a Colonel after his parents died protecting that Colonel's life, and as a result ended up being apprenticed to a famous swordmaster. He learned well and was considered a peachkeeper candidate until his name was quietly removed from the candidate list for unknown reasons.
The pilot is named Barl, currently active duty in the PDF's aerospace force. Compared to the others he lived a relatively normal life as a Warrior in the colder portion of the planet. When he came of age he responded to the draft and it was determined he had the aptitude to be a pilot. So he was put through training and put in the sky. He clearly still has a warrior's heart despite being in a profession mostly filled with fortress dwellers, as can be attested by the fact he's fighting for the Trader despite still being technically employed by Rook's Crown. His own crowning achievement is likely his involvement in striking at the rival's ship.
Both traders have few known associates outside of the upper echelons they casually mingled with before the fighting broke out. They where simply here too short a time to make any meaningful connections outside of those who are currently supporting them directly, and there remains little way to get reliable information from off-world.
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Topic: Rogue Trader: Laughing Gold (IC) (Read 40582 times)