Amongst the dusty spires of Yamham-Mavit our intrepid crew look for work. But have they bitten off more than they can chew?

Chapter 1 - Drusaal United Mining

Yamham-Mavit city, the largest city on Drusaal, was a sprawl of slums that had built itself on other slums so often that it was an imposing spire away from being a proper Hive City. Captain Tareefa el-Khatib’s first impressions of it were immediately soured by the appearance of an Administratum adept in an ill-fitting robe. No sooner had they alighted the gun-cutter that had taken her retinue to the surface they were accosted for a fee to have the The Glorious Endeavour in orbit. While not extortionate it stretched their already meagre funds further than Tareefa would have liked. Likewise funds were allocated to pay both the crew and towards the repair of the warp drive. 

With the coffers drained, the Rogue Trader set about looking for work. If they were going to be stuck in Arccan for a while they may as well try and make some credits. Tracking down some leads she found herself at the rundown offices of Drusaal United Mining. On the top floor with a view that looked out on some foetid remains of what used to be coastline before the sea had dried up, a board member in a creased suit offered the Captain a measure of amasec, which she gladly accepted. He was busy explaining the conundrum that she was here to solve. It seems one of their rivals, Intrepid Depth Industries, had muscled in on one of United Mining’s claims with the help of some hired thugs. The company simply wanted to eliminate one of those muscles for hire. How or why this would help United Mining get their claim back the board member didn’t say and Tareefa wisely didn’t ask. Instead she made a note of the target’s face, name and location, drained the fiery amasec and left the offices without further word. 

Rendezvousing back at the gun-cutter with the rest of her retinue, the Rogue Trader was pleased to see they had success in their own tasks. Armsman Solis had traded some of the Endeavour’s cargo for a bounty of Militarum-grade Promethium fuel cells, which would make leaving Drusaal all the easier. Armsman Duke meanwhile had explored the western edges of the city and found a broken Auspex Servo-Skull. Crusader Nightdall and Shai, acolyte of The Blind Divine Death Cult, had remained on the shuttle and opted to hone their skills instead. 

Those skills might sorely be required as the Captain began to outline the details of the job they had been offered. It seemed simple enough, the target would be in some ruins on the outskirts of the city at dusk and all they needed to do was to put a bullet through their head. There were only two complications; firstly that the dust on Drusaal was reflective and had a habit of interfering with las weaponry. And secondly, to minimise the chance of discovery they would only take a small fireteam of four. 

Mission 1 - Rumble in the Ruins

The enemy encampment was right where it was supposed to be, just outside the crumbling ruins of an old shrine. The once shining white stone now yellowed by dust and time, the only thing marking it as a place of worship was the wooden scaffolding of the bell tower. 

The Lord Captain and her crew advanced cautiously through the ruins, the enemy almost certainly knew they were coming after all. The Armsmen made for the shell of the Munitorum building, hoping the upper floor would allow them to leverage the full use of their larger calibre Hunting Rifles. Shai meanwhile kept to the shadows of the ground floor, her sword drawn and ready for anything that came within striking distance. 

The hired muscle of Intrepid Depth Industries were quick to react, clanking out of the dust in their crude armour they wasted no time in opening fire on the Rogue Trader and her crew. Hard rounds ricochet off masonry as Tareefa throws herself behind an ancient pillar. Armsman Duke returns fire while Armsman Solis makes his way to the upper floor. Out of the shadows of the ruined shrine Kilgore moved toward the bell tower, his armour a rustic gold compared to the dirty white of the mercenaries. 

Gunfire erupts from both sides, the Captain and Armsman Duke letting loose salvos with pistol and rifle. One mercenary opens fire with their Heavy Stubber, ripping great chunks out of the walls. In the hail of gunfire one of the mercenaries manages to land a hit on the Shipmistress, causing her to stumble back as her armour absorbs the impact. Sensing a lull in the gunfire Shai charged forward swinging her mono-molecular edged katana at the mercency wielding the Heavy Stubber, unfortunately Shai failed to bring the lumbering brute down. Having made his way to the top of the scaffolding the gold-plated Bounty Hunter Kilgore unhooked his long rifle. 

The mercenaries pour fire into the Munitorum building as they advance, even Tareefa is unable to get a shot off with her exquisitely detailed duelling pistol the volume of fire is so great. As if to solidify their apparent supremacy the brutish mercenary with the Heavy Stubber manages to catch Shai with his fists and smashes her to the ground. Hope prevails though as Armsman Solis catches Kilgore in his sights and blasts him off the bell tower. 

Capitalising on regaining the momentum, the Captain takes aim at the mercenary in charge and puts a bullet right between his eyes. Armsman Solis cycles the Hunting Rifle and puts a round into the mercenary that Drusaal United Mining have marked for death, unfortunately her bulky armour easily turns the bullet away. 

And with that all the momentum that the Rogue Trader’s crew had gained was lost. The mercenary that Armsman Solis had shot turned on instinct and doused his position with a barrage of gunfire. The Armsman jerked and screamed as at least one round struck true and knocked him out of the fight. 

Incensed by the wounding of his brother-in-arms, Armsman Duke fires wildly at the mercenary that shot Finn but the round goes wide.The mercenary is quick to capitalise on the Armsman’s mistake and in a flurry of rounds, Armsman Bron Duke also falls in a crumpled heap. Tareefa attempts to repay the mercenaries in kind for wounding her Armsmen, and while her shots do not miss they fail to penetrate the heavy armour. She begins to understand why Drusaal United Mining wants them dead. 

Buoyed by their success the remaining two mercenaries round on the Captain with guns blazing. One of them, the one they have been sent to kill, is brazen enough to step out into the open as she fires. Such audacity is rewarded as a one round strikes home and knocks the Rogue Trader from her feet. By the grace of the Emperor the wound is not fatal. Spitting blood Tareefa el-Khatib levels her pistol and shoots the mercenary dead. 

Aftermath

Back aboard the Stormspite in its rudimentary medicae chamber Tareefa took stock of the situation. The job had been completed, they had been paid and gained Drusaal United Mining’s patronage, but it had cost them equally. 

Armsman Solis had escaped with minor injuries thankfully, but Armsman Duke and Shai’s wounds would take time to heal. They had been outgunned and out-fought by some backwater hillbilly mercenaries. It grated on the Captain to have been so close to failure. She considering voxing up to the Endeavour for some replacement Armsmen as well as getting Bron and Shai some better medicae treatment than would be available on the gun-cutter. But admitting to anything other than overwhelming success would be a weakness. Besides she was a Rogue Trader and answerable to no one save the Emperor Himself. 

Instead she had contacted a local arms dealer for some extra firepower. A couple of combat shotguns would be more suited to the twisted slums and ruins of Yamham-Mavit than the hunting rifles.