Core Health Restored
Rebooting Core Systems
3… 2.. 1. .
Reboot Successful
Core Integrity 92.5%
The Core slowly came back to its senses, feeling as if it had been drugged and kidnapped. Looking around, it wasn’t far off.
“What the Hell? How did I end up here?”
The Core was sitting on a display Plinth, spotlights shining down on it from every angle. At the base of it’s display case was a sign embossed on copper plating.
Damaged Probe
Found Oreon Asteroid Field CC 2539
Origin Race Unknown
Around the Core were many other Display Plinths, stretching off until it vanished into the darkness. Pieces of Wreckage, artifacts of every variety, even a few stuffed corpses of Monsters were all on Display.
Hue’la Hive Drone
Killed Battle of Saythe IV
Slain by Lord Moxdiermus of the XI Legion
Legionary Battle Scepter
Wielded by Lord Moxdiermus of the XII Legion
Recovered from the Battle of Saythe V
Tricorne of Admiral Speers
Recovered from the Wreck HMS Jackson
Scuttled during the Madrigal Campaign
Looking around, the Core Imagined that if it wanted anything, it could probably be found here. The only thing it couldn’t find however, was an Explanation on to how exactly It had gotten there. Or how exactly it could escape, because when the Core tried to boost itself out of there, all it got was an Error Message from its internal Circuits.
SYSTEM ERROR
MOVEMENT SYSTEMS DISABLED
SYSTEM ERROR
“What? What is going on?”
The Core struggled with its internal systems, trying to get them to respond to its commands. The Error screen just kept flashing until it stopped, as it heard footsteps and laughter coming from down the Gallery.
The Core panicked, its lights flashing as it realized the voices were coming closer. Coming to a decision, it played dead, its lights shutting off, until it looked exactly like it did before it woke back up. It was still able to see however, as the voices came closer and closer until it could see them in the Distance.
There were four of them, a large white haired man wearing a furred coat, whose long hair stuck up like a stalactite, and whose coat looked to be made from a white coated creature. He was escorting another man, severe looking and dressed in a sharp black suit, holding a top hat with his cane. Flanking the both of them were a pair of large brutes, wearing cut off white shirts and covering their bald heads with red bandannas.
The Fur Coated man lead the small party, his arms wildly gesturing around as he gushed about all the Artifacts around him.
“Look here, this one is a gem, I bought it from a trader, Says it came from the hand of Emperor Joseph himself, a proper Artifact that it. I’ve got several offers from Popes and Bishops of the Imperial Faith, not that I’m going to sell something as Rare as this!”
He gushed as he pointed out a Display, its lights shining on a single pale finger, preserved well enough that its withered finger still had skin. He then pointed at another Display, showing off an ancient device, whose function the Core could not determine.
“This one, I dug this one up myself, with an Ark Mechanik expedition a generation ago, found it on a Tomb World. Don’t know what it does, but its pretty shiny right?”
The Stern Gentleman simply stared at him, his face not changing in the slightest. He spoke in a slow, stern manner to the excited Gallery Tender as they walked.
“Horace, I understand that you have many Artifacts, I only seek one from your Gallery for the Lord Doctor. You do remember the Agreement do you?”
The Gentleman glared at the Gallery Tender as he said that, and as he finished one of his Brutes cracked his large hands threateningly. The Gallery Master stopped gushing at that, and gulped instead before continuing, his intimidation evident in his voice.
“Well… uh, yes… we do have the Artifacts you are looking for. The Vengeance brought them back with its expedition to recover the Grey Pearl. We weren’t able to acquire the Pearl, her being seized by the Obsidian Fleet and all, but her cargo of salvage we managed to acquire quite handily. It is just on display over here.”
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
They walked past the Core, not noticing it beyond a casual glance by one of the Thugs. They stopped fourth Plinths down, in front of a display holding a black crystal with green lines covering it like a circuit. The Gallery Tender touched the side of the Display Plinth, and the Spotlights turned off, leaving a small light illuminating it from above.
Crystal
Origin Unknown
See Owner for Information
The Core could read the Displays information board from where it was laying, and the lack of information compared to every other display made it unique. The Core listened as the Gallery Tender started his speech to the Gentleman.
“This is another fine example of Architect Technology, It, along with a quarter ton of containment material, were recovered from the Oreon Asteroid Field by the Vengeance. The captain and crew had no knowledge of the Architects, and it was believed simply to be just another piece of Wreckage by the crew. Our Buyers purchased it along with another ton of wreckage to disguise its acquisition by our Gallery. We are willing to lease its use to your organization for our normal fee’s, a yearly sum of a Million DoubleBloons, and first purchase of whatever discoveries come as a result of its exploitation.”
The Core listened as the group started debating on how much the Gentlemans group would be paying for the Artifact. It wasn’t listening to them, it was more interested in the Artifact itself. Activating its sensor Package, it started analyzing everything around it, looking at the Artifact First.
Analysis Failed
The Core mentally blinked at the Error Message, and tried again.
Analysis Failed
It tried to analyze the Hat laying next to the Crystal
Used Tricorne
Bad Condition (Blood Stained)
“What the fuck is going on here? Do I just need a better Sensor System to analyze this crystal they are talking about?”
The Cores confusion was stopped when the Gallery Tenders yell reached its sensors.
“NO NO NO, Im sorry sir but I must deal with this”
The Gallery Tender rushed over to the Core, and began running his hands on the Cores Frame.
“We accept your offer and you can expect delivery within the day, now if you can see yourself out, I must deal with this.. this TRAVESTY”
The Core watched as the Gallery Tender fuzzed his hands on the Frame, rubbing the area where there used to be a hole ripped by the Pirates Harpoon. The Core didn’t know this, leaving it extremely confused at the Mans reaction. Behind the Gallery Tender, the Stern Gentlemen and his two Thugs carefully walked away, a small smirk the only sign of emotion on the Stern Mans Face.
“No No No, this has been Labelled Improperly, This will NOT do, JOSEH!!!!!”
The Gallery Tender started screaming for Joseh as he stepped back looked around. Putting his hands on his Hips he glared at the Core while still ranting and screaming for Joseh. Soon enough a short man wearing a strange combination of Janitor and Pirate outfit came waddling up. Breathing heavily from the exhertation, the short fat man wearing a jumpsuit and pirate coat looked up from where he was gasping for breath.
“Yes… Gasp… Mr. Denovitch… What… Can… I.. Do for you?”
The Gallery Tender glared at his minion and pointed at the Core.
“THIS, Look AT THIS! READ THE LABEL!”
Damaged Probe
Found Oreon Asteroid Field CC 2539
Origin Race Unknown
“Does this LOOK LIKE A DAMAGED PROBE?”
The Fat Janitor looked at the Core, his piggy eyes straining in the near Darkness.
“No?”
His response, phrased more like a question set off the Gallery Tender. His face growing red as a tomato as he went off at the Minion.
“THIS IS NOT A DAMAGED ARTIFACT! YOU MISLABELLED A DISPLAY! IF THE LORD HAD NOTICED HE WOULD KILL US ALL. FIX THIS NOW!”
Still ranting, the Gallery Tender stomped off, arms waving wildly as he vividly described the many vicious and brutal ways this “Lord” would kill the Janitor for mislabeling the Display. The short Piggy Man stared at the Probe, his eyes bulging as he listened to the distant ranting. The sweat building on his forehead as the Tenders voice grew quiet as he went into the distance. The Man licked his lips as he stared at the Core, and seeming to come to a decision, he walked into the darkness himself.
The Core sat there, unable to move, confused beyond belief at what had just happened.
Task(s) Assigned – Recover Artifacts, Escape, Biological Samples
“Okay, what the hell happened while I was out?”