Entering the ground floor of the warehouse, Vizelle sees a great empty space, with stairs leading up to the higher, and down into a basement level. Reaching out, she feels that the psionic energy is residual, not enough to be anything that could harm her or the admiral.
The lieutenant nods. "They've been going on since this planet was colonised, further back than anyone here can remember, but yes, in the last year or so, they've gotten worse." Yannika notes that the overthrow of the bishop occured 6 months ago.
Elena sends out her messages, knowing it will take a few days for her order's forces to assemble. There are ample troop transports available that she could requisition, and she checks what Imperial Army troops are available. Spoiler: NPC Roll 27 Unfortunately, though there are several legions presently on the capital, all are already assigned to missions. She manages to snag a lone special ops squad, but little else.
"Around the time the mage, Xenephon, arrived." She phrased her statement as a question and gave the assembled men a moment to realize what she implied. "I submit that Xenephon has been in league with the pirates. He had them intensify their attacks until he seized power. He knows the people wouldn't follow him, but they would unquestioningly submit to one of their beloved own. So he summoned a demon to possess your priestess and convinced you to follow her. Now that he has what he wants your people mine; Not ore for shipments, which the empire needs and would fuel the economy of your world and keep the empire strong, but rather for his own designs." Her tone grew compassionate. "Your world has been deceived. You have been deceived. I am here to show you that the Emperor and the Church have not abandoned you. As a servant of the Sapphire Hearth I submit my mind, soul, and body to you wayward men in hope you will return to the warm embrace of the gods. I offer you loyal men of the Emperor my mind, soul, and body in whatever way you need as evidence of the gods' will, trust, and love." Yannika stepped around to every one of the men gathered, rested a hand gently on them in turn, and locked eyes with them. When she completed her circle, she stood in front of the lieutenant, took his hands in hers and brought his fingertips to the tied strings of her bodice. She moved back from him ever-so-slightly and the two watched the silk string pull at the knot of her dress, implying an action he'd be allowed to take. She once again addressed the group. "I promise you, if there is even the most remote chance, we will save your priestess. I will save your priestess. Such is the will of the gods. I ask you all now. Will you return to their embrace? Will you worship them with me? Will you then help me save your world from damnation?"
Spoiler: Seduction Roll D100: 70+15 (Seduction Skill)=85 (Pass) Yannika feels the eyes of every man in the room on her. The lieutenant's hands grip her bodice strings tightly, and he looks at her with a lustful gaze, before undoing the strings and letting her dress slip from her shoulders, revealing her curvy body. The soldiers gawk at her, all seemingly unable to believe that they have such a beauty offering herself to them. Looking down, Yannika sees that their uniform trousers utterly fail to disguise the prominent bulges they're all sporting. Spoiler: Persuasion Roll D100: 52+10 (Religious Skill)+ 15 (Diplomacy Skill) + 15 (Successful Seduction)= 92 (Crit) The lieutenant reluctantly pulls his gaze from Yannika's breasts up to meet her eyes. "I-... I don't know... Your evidence is circumstantial, but it's hard to believe that someone like you could be a liar..." He gulps, and looks back at his men, who look to him for leadership, as conflicted as he is. "I'm not denying the Mother's divinity, but Xenephon does seem shady. If what you're saying is true, she's in trouble. If she's in trouble, then we have to help her..." He bites his lip. "We're with you, at least until the Mother herself tells us otherwise."
Seeing how the residual psionic energies were harmless, Vizelle sends Xavier a telepathic message. "Admiral, the interior is safe. I'll continue on with my investigation, feel free to join me when you can." She said as she heads down the basement, thinking it would be the obvious place to hide anything.
@unisol_gr44 Outside the warehouse, Xavier hears Vizelle's message. Spoiler: Awareness Roll 64 (Pass) Heading into the basement level, Vizelle finds a cavernous room filled with shelves, and once she takes a few steps away from the light shining down the stairs from ground level, she's in complete darkness. After using magic to illuminate her surroundings, the sorceress goes on a long and fruitless journey, finding little but webs and old industrial goods, until she stumbles upon a section of wall slightly less covered in dust than the rest, a perfect rectangle, in fact, like a door. The door stands a good foot taller than Vizelle, and is wide enough to fit several grown men walking abreast. Feeling her way along the wall, she finds creases, indicating where the hidden door's rim and hinges are. Still, there's no visible way of opening it. She could potentially smash it open with her powers, but it's concrete, meaning that she'll have to use a powerful spell, and will likely make a lot of noise.
Elena sighed. It was truly a pity that she could not gain more ground forces. Spec ops and her volunteers would have to do. Out of the two, she preferred to have air superiority, then ground forces with no fleet. She could work with that. Now, she only had to work gathering her forces. The next three days, Elena spends gathering volunteers for both, naval forces and the ground army...
Three days later, Elena recieves a message from the admiral of the 3rd Fleet, offering his own cruiser, the Savitus, to be made her flagship. Looking out at the drydock where her forces have been stationed, she sees her force arrayed. The ships out ahead of her are mostly from the Third Fleet, but a few are from the Order of the Jade Rose. There are no big capital ships, but a number of powerful and speedy cruisers, surrounded by frigates, destroyers and troop transports. All in all, there are about thirty ships at the priestess' command. Aboard them, she has about a thousand militia, their armour and training varying from good to non-existent, about the same number of Jade Rose marines, (The Jade Rose marines have religious iconography on their armour), and about thirty Terran spec ops troops.
Unless he tells them not to, the Centauri marines follow Xavier. Heading down into the warehouse and down the stairs, he finds Vizelle examining a wall, magical light illuminating her in the darkness.
"Interesting." Vizelle cooed, "Admiral, do be prepared. I am about to destroy this wall. Unless you can find another way to open it?" She said as she hears her companions approach. Vizelle starts channeling her psionic energies in an attempt to destory the door, giving Xavier some time to find a switch if he can.
Spoiler: Awareness Roll 28+15 (Bionic Eye)=43 (Fail) @asddas193 Unfortunately, having to switch his bionic eye to night vision mode makes it harder for Xavier to identify the hidden door's opening mechanism, and he doesn't find anything.
Elena shook her head - the forces were far smaller than what she hoped for. "Thank you, Vice Admiral Arminius Thrax. I gratefully accept your offer." Elena nodded. "I shall leave the military command of our forces during the battles to you." She said as she nodded. She had no experience and had no intention of losing all of the forces at once. It was also a show of thrust into admiral and his subordinate. "Take us to Ierta system, Vice-admiral." She commanded, when everything was prepared for departure.
@unisol_gr44 Spoiler: Combat Psionics Roll D100: 51+15 (Order of Sorcerers)=66 Gathering up her psionic strength, Vizelle unleashes a blast of pure kinetic energy at the false wall, and it collapses in a spray of broken rock. As the dust clears, and Vizelle brings her magic light up to face where the wall once stood, they see a rocky tunnel filled with webbing, but not the same type of webbing that was in the basement. This is larger, and tougher looking. At the edge of the light, they spot a small white spider-like creature, which scurries off into the dark.
"Hmm? I take it that was the insect that tried to destroy the station?" Vizelle asked as she watched the spider-like creature scurry off. "Well, Admiral. I think it would be best if you called for this area to be locked down, along with reinforcements." She said as she tries to burn off the webbings.
Thrax thanks her, before sending a shuttle over to ferry her to his flag ship. Inside the Savitus, she finds that the Vice Admiral has relinquished the captain's bed chamber, the largest and nicest aboard the vessel, to the priestess. The assembled force leaves the system, and travels through a warp gate, beginning a several week journey to the Ietra System. Halfway through the journey, Elena is in her cabin one night when Thrax knocks on her door.
