The Lost (30k Primarch Quest)

Spoiler

Psyker children

III. Beyond the Pale

For a moment, you're silent. Caihong's fists are clenched. Something in the boat creaks as the light above you sways back and forth.

"… say that again?"

She's silent.

"Caihong…… show me."

-

The cargo hold is full of cages.

They're made of some strange black material you don't recognize, and staring at any one cage for too long makes your skin crawl; it's disconcertingly dark, like it absorbs all the light that hits it.

The children are from all walks of life from what you can tell. Some of them are wearing some massive metal hood that has iron pins poking right into their skulls; it looks almost like a torture device. That one has the rich finery of a noble house, albeit dirty and ruined from the horrific conditions he's in. He's probably the oldest one among them all, but he still looks no older than twelve. Another has the dusky skin of a sailor, or maybe someone on a farm. His eyes are midnight black, and you can see the suckers of an octopus on his fingers. He's muttering, though you can't hear what through his helmet.

Caihong has her hand over her nose and eyes watering. Either from the horror or the smell, you're not sure. You've never had a problem breathing anywhere, and you still don't, but you know what neglect and poor hygiene smell like. Even for a ship this is disgusting.

One child is alone, tied between two cages instead of in either of them. She has blonde hair, a rarity on Tabgach, and couldn't have been older than six. Each arm is out, chains stretched taut. Her eyes are blindfolded, her legs are tied, and a gag is in her mouth. You notice that the other children are actively avoiding her or even where her chains grab the cage. It's not until you start moving towards her that you understand why.

As you step closer, the air grows… you're not sure what. Ill. Sticky. Dead. Like walking into a room and finding out you just missed a murder. The feeling of the storm starts to fade from your senses.

Every eye in the room is on you.

You take the rope off her mouth, ignoring the scared gasps and whispers around you. "What's your name?"

She coughs, and you can hear the dry rasp that comes with dehydration in her voice. "Fan."

You draw your new sword and cut both of the chains, catching her before she falls. Her legs are weak and far too skinny; it's been a long time since she was allowed to walk. You take a moment to untie her, ignoring the revulsion filling you to stand so close. You can't feel the wind as much as you usually do down here.

"Fan. I need you to stay down here with this nice lady a little longer. You'll be leaving soon. Okay?"

Caihong looks like she's taken ill but doesn't argue. Fan whimpers.

-

You return to the deck, and to the surprise of everyone but you, a storm has begun to gather overhead.

"Mei, get some fresh water below decks. Immediately. Ping, food." You stalk towards the former first mate. "I'm done being patient. Your name or your head."

The former first mate raises an eyebrow at you, surprised by the sudden change in your attitude. "Yingyue."

"Okay Yingyue. Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you and your crew with my bare hands."

The first mate's eyes narrow. "What, does my cargo disturb you, pirate?"

"Children aren't cargo." You note mentally which members of your crew rightly react with horror and which have enough discipline to maintain their posture. You're not entirely sure which is better.

"They are, all of them, witches." She says, speaking a bit louder to make sure both crews hear. "Youth does not prevent the danger they pose."

You raise an eyebrow, unsure if she's trying to justify it to you or herself. There are many who would rightly call you a witch, too. Han's eyesight borders on magical. And while Caihong is tight-lipped about it, you know she's had run-ins with genuine witches in the past.

"What are those metal things some of them are wearing?"

"Neural dampeners, for the more potent. It prevents them from manifesting their powers."

"You have a child in there tied between two cages. Why?"

The woman looks up at the darkening clouds. "The hoods are good at what they do, but they are rare, imperfect and expensive. The blonde muffles the witches with her presence alone. Quite remarkable, really. She was a temporary solution; we were taking them somewhere safe for their kind."

"A safe place, huh? And where is that?"

"Oh for the love of- Shanwei," the woman says, her voice urgent, "There's a storm coming, surely you can see that. We don't have time for-"

"Han."

Your crewmate pulls one of his own guns (wood and bone with Truth scrimshawed into the side, as he'll gladly tell you or anyone else who didn't ask) puts it against the new shanwei's head, and she stops talking.

"It'll break when I'm good and ready, not before." You say, blue eyes piercing her very soul. "As far as you're concerned, I am the storm."

She looks at you like you're crazy. Which, to be fair, she has every reason to think you are.

"Talk, slaver. Where were you taking them?"

Still, she says nothing.

"Fine. Kill her."

Han pulls the trigger, and there's a wet click.

"… Oh. Right." You mutter. "You fell into the water."

"… yessir."

You punch the shanwei in the face.

"Get your navigator out here," You growl, letting her body crumple to the ground. She might be dead, you don't know or care. "Now."

A small man with spectacles larger than a palm comes to the front, hunched over and eyes wide with fear. "Jiang Wei, sir."

"Good. Get your maps, Eun will escort you. I want to know where this ship was heading and why."

Eun grabs the man by the arm and leads him back towards the stern of the ship, a grave look in her eyes. You look over the remaining crew. Most of them aren't worth the trouble, really. You were feeling generous when you offered them all jobs in the fleet. Now… you'd rather be generous to the sharks.

"Crew!" You shout, wiping some blood off your collar. "What do you think?"

-

Voting (Crew)

This time, you'll be voting as the crew. What you write in is what they suggest to Sun-Sin.

Ching Sun-Sin is angry. Fighting back against pirates is one thing, but trafficking children is low even for the life he leads. Even if you could ignore the trap, this cannot stand. He won't let them go free or untouched, and would rather just kill them all with his bare hands and not waste the ammo.

However, Sun-Sin values the input of his crew, and he's willing to hear what they have to say on their punishment.

[] – Write in a punishment or suggestion from the crew. Preferably something horrific.

NOTE: I'm trying to keep this list up to date. Key word: trying. I gotta sleep sometime.

Submitted by @Parzival95
[] Death by keelhauling

Submitted by @Tabascoheath
[] - Bullets and blades are to good a fate for them. Tie their hands and feet and let'em drop, one by one, slavers deserve nothing more than the cold depths of the sea. Let the captain be the last, let her watch what happens to man-catchers and flesh peddlers.

Submitted by @Makie
[]-tie them naked to the side of our boat and leave them be. let them die from dehydration, drowning or being cut to shreds through a combo of the barnacles and the sea

Submitted by @yacov
[] These people steal the sense of thought of children? Then steal their senses right back. Take their eyes and tongues and leave them on the life boats. Let them experience the clouding of senses they inflicted in their last moments.

Submitted by @Haruhi is Waifu
[] A form of decimation with their own hands (literally)! They were so eager to shackle children, executing adults should be no problem! Declare that they shall fight amongst themselves and the last alive shall be given freedom (by being tossed overboard to die in the storm)!

Submitted by @KnightDisciple
[] Hang them, bury their bodies in the ocean.

Submitted by @NinetyNineLies
[] Split their heads in two, straight down the middle, between their eyes. Fast and certain to be dead.

Submitted by @ConfusedPotato
[] Supposedly witches float in water. 'Check' that none of the crew are witches. Throw them overboard, if they float or resurface, shoot them for 'hypocrisy'.

Submitted by @SpacePaladin
[] Nail helmets onto their skulls like the children, stuff them in the cages (break bones to make them fit), give them no food or water and leave them to die in the hold.