《Ignis》Chapter 4: Leaving Port
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Eating alone has little appeal for you, but you have little hope of companionship in the Officer's mess. Being a Navigator is oft a lonely experience, but this should let you gauge the Officer's morale at least. You leave your quarters and lock your door.
Twenty minutes later you enter the mess and collect a tray of fresh food. The servers are courteous and professional enough, despite their obvious discomfort at having a Navigator in the room. But you don't notice any outright fear or disgust. Professional standards would mask that, but It also may indicate that other psykers use this mess on a semi-regular basis. You pick a table slightly away from the other diners, all mid-to-upper ranks, all off-duty, to give them a bit of distance. They would probably instinctively move away anyway, but this also makes it clear that anyone sitting closer to you wants to be there.
You eat slowly, knowing you have several hours yet before the translation, listening to the hum of conversation. Morale seems very good, and discipline tight. You wouldn't expect any less from Faunia, particularly not if the Ignis is indeed a covert transport for the Deathwatch. You finish your food and head back to your quarters to relieve yourself in private.
Upon approaching them, it is clear that someone tried to enter. Scratch-marks around the lock indicate a rather pathetic attempt at picking it. Still you examine the doorway closely, looking for any other signs of disturbances, tripwires, that sort of thing. Finding nothing, you unlock the door and enter your quarters. You shut and lock the door behind yourself and stand in the doorway. Examining the room shows no disturbances, and all of your things are in their proper places. Glancing at the clock, you quickly attend to your business and make for the bridge.
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Leaving your quarters (after locking them of course), you begin making your way towards the bride with three hours to spare before the translation. One of the Bishops servants tries to follow you unobtrusively, but his cassock is not meant for blending in among crewmen or shadows. Three feet from the bridge door, in full sight of the armsmen guarding it, you turn to confront your trail. "I see you preacher. Head back to your room and prepare your soul, we will be entering the Warp soon."
The priest blanches in fear and turns to flee.
Shaking your head you turn back to enter the bridge. "Navigator Dannan reporting to the bridge."
The armsmen stand aside and you enter the bridge for the first time, and it exceeds your expectations. The Kukri was a warship and boasted an impressive targeting array, and the Megatherium was uncompromisingly merchant design, with her bridge was built around maximizing every possible Throne out of a given cargo.
But the Ignis' bridge is a wonder. Built to an older pattern, and with Archmagos Explorator Echo's touch tweaking the performance to the maximum, it positively thrums with purposeful activity. Every line of sight is clear, every communications interlink is active and ready for use. The sensor display is displaying its results clearly, without the usual wash of false returns or interference. Even the servitors hard-wired into their stations are acting with clear purpose.
Faunia acknowledges your presence, and motions towards the Navigator's Vestibule at the rear of the bridge. You enter and take your place on the throne within. The fixtures and interfaces are all top-notch, even better than that perhaps. You pull open a set of Astrographic maps and start considering what course to take.
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