h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*Dharackni stands outside the bar wondering what to do, when the drunken man runs out the door and shouts...*
OI! YOU COME BACK 'ERE! WHY'D YOU SET MY BEER ON FIRE!?
*Dharackni shrugs*
I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN PEOPLE SET MY BEER ON FIRE!
*With this the man pulls a length of the guttering off the side of the bar and swings it at Dharackni, hitting him in the stomach and winding him. Dharackni leans forward clutching his chest as the man draws back for another swing, but Dharackni's chain falls from under his cloak and the man stops...*
Oh! I'm sorry master, I'm so sorry!
*With this the man runs off too fast for Dharackni to catch up. He tucks the chain back into his top and goes to get a room over the bar.*

[Nesal] S-sorry. I've been sent to find a man named Recrash. I... um... was told he may need a sniper.
*She guestures to her rifle, a VIPER SP-66; a large, bulky, high calibre pistol that can be modified into a powerful sniping weapon. It is currently folded up into a pistol holster on her right thigh.*

*The next morning Dharackni awakes from his slumber and sets off into the street, there is an eery silence and no-one is wandering the streets. All of a sudden a P.A. system bursts into life round the corner. In the park there is a stage constructed which is surrounded by the local residence. A speaker appears on stage...*
"My friends, many of you know of the actions of the Imperial Government on this planet...high taxes and a failure to keep our streets safe! Well I for one am fed up with this..."
*With this the local Imperial Guard burst into the park and shoot the speaker, and turn their guns onto the speaker's body guards and a gun-fight erupts, people flee from the park area and Dharackni stands to see what was going on...*

[Tessek] Hello Brother.
*Dharackni turns. The figure was human once, but now has been altered. Feathers sprout from his body, and his eyes are bird-like. A mark of Tzeench is burned into his forhead.*
[Tessek] Mourn with me Brother, for our uninlightened brethren are dying...
*Visions of conflict fill Dharackni's mind. He sees the VIPER Temple under seige. He sees his comrades die one by one. He sees his own death, being psychically torn to pieces by an unseen power.*
[Tessek] It need not be, Brother. Join with us. Join the Enlightened.

"Shhh..."

He motions her to be quiet as he listens closely to his wrist comm. Takes on a deep frown of concentration as he takes in the news. It doesn't look like he likes it.

"We'd better be going, I think. The HQ is under attack. We've got to get back there."

He gets off the wall, hoist up his weapon, and in a quick motion-

K-CHAK! cocks it a second time.

Recrash grins sheepishly as he picks up the ejected shotgun shell.

[I think that was just a vision of what MIGHT happen.]

[Tessek] Well, brother... will you join me? Or go to your death with your false comrades?

[Dharackni] I do not know, I have been betrayed by the weaver of fates before...give me 24 hours. I will meet you here tommorow.
[Tessek] Very well, I know you wish to join me, but you fear the one you call "Pestilence." 24 hours!
*With this Tessek disappears round the corner away from Dharackni, who goes to find Marshall...*

[Marshal]Dharackni! You've gotta' see this! It's JACKAL... and they've got a lot of hel#########ere. I think we sh#####g on. Give me a minute...
*More crackling. Then Marshal returns.*
Right. Sorry. Inteference from the comm's tower. Dharackni. JACKAL have massed here. There's Raven, Incubus and the rest of the psychos. Worse yet, they've amassed a damn nasty army. They look ready to fight... Any idea where they're going!? I've been trying to tell Fester, but long range comms are out.

[Dharackni] Just a guess, but I'm thinking their going to gatecrash our HQ! I met this bloke Tessek, he's a worshipper of Tzeentch, he's tried to get me to join his cult. I don't know what to do! The Great Weaver of Fates has deceived me before, though I do miss the power I get from him. But at the same time I have grown to find your faith in the God-Emperor respectful, and am starting to beleive in him myself... Dharackni Out!
*waits for Marshal's wisdom*

[Marshal]Ha! God-Emperor!? I don't follow him, the Imperium do, but I follow my own path... Anyway. Don't listen to this guy! Dharackni, we're on your side...
*Dharackni remembers Marshal's words: "Everyone else is expendible"...*
...so whatever you do, don't trust that Chaos psycho! Take him!

[Tessek] Isn't he friendly. I wouldn't trust him, Brother. Listen how he insults your power. Chaos gives us all the power of the Psyker. If he would let your comrades die, then what would he do with you? We would respect your skill, Brother. Join me.

(over the comm> This is me here, I'm at the base right now and can't quite make it, a lot of people need patching up. However, that experimental servo-droid I was working on? She needs some real-world experience. I'm sending her over with your sniper girlfriend.

*Dharackni looks around, now even more confused as to what to do.*
"I've gotta get outta here!"
*He mutters something and disappears.*

[Tessek] What!? This was not meant to be!! You haven't seen the last of me, Dharackni! And next time I will not be so lenient!!

*Dharackni reappears down the track...Tessek turns as Dharackni speaks...*

"I've made my decision, I may worship the Changer of Ways and the Weaver Of Fates, but I am not a revolutionary! I am a VIPER and will never join you!"
*With this he bolts a shot from his auto-pistol at Tessek, the shot misses him but has enough effect to knock him to the ground, Dharackni runs.*

[Tessek] Argh! Damn you traitor! I'll find you... Some day...

*Dharackni turns the corner to find Marshal stood next to a window listening in...*
"What you doing?"
"Listening for clues..."
"Well, I think that VIPER HQ is under threat, Tessek communicated it to me in a vision. We need to either stop Tessek or get back to HQ to defend it."
"You think he is a threat?"
"Yes, he is very powerful. To underestimate him would be the end of VIPER."

*Marshal nods*
[Marshal] There was some trouble at the HQ. JACKAL attacked, but were repelled. We've got them on the defence now, but we don't know if they have any additional strengths hidden away somewhere... Tessek's a priority now, especially with his old man... never mind.

"Old Man?"

[Marshal] Well, I may as well tell you... Well, you know the Black Widow, leader of JACKAL? He was Tessek's father. We killed him, but he came back at the Shrineworld so we killed him again! Tessek seemed trustworthy, but it seems we were mistaken...
Anyway, we need to find and eliminate Tessek, and then get to the Shrineworld...

There's a link to it on the VIPER main page, and on my homepage.