At the top of the keep I had another map I managed to pry from the Duke and knowledge what little he or anyone else knew... I have the location vaguely. Trade district which would make some form of sense as it would allow the prince's perversion to spread fast... and I have a rough idea of who long it has been present this cult in specific is only two months old... but some think that an nation only a few nations over is controlled by them.

Gritting my teeth, I look over towards the west, where the trade district laid... I could see that an area roughly from here is almost carved out full of little tents of different from different cities, villages within the Dukedom, or independent merchants from other nations. That cult has to be removed before they can do anything to drastic... from my limited info I got just being here for my third day is that the former betrothal of Marina was to my knowledge the highest ranked noble that has been found to have attended the club...

Sparkling Moon

From the sound of it seems to be a kind of underground sort of thing... but based off the reputation that it or what those have founded the place have done. I am expecting to deal with a shit ton of drugs, whores and maybe a few demons playing mistress to mortals... but that last part is only if I am unlucky.

"Joseph, the skull has something interesting... and yet worrying." Hannah said to my side, we had both agreed that removing the cult will come first before seeing the AI.

I didn't say anything other then gave her a brief look, "It saw several of the district guard entering and leaving within the last two hours... number from time of start and end is thirty." Her voice was a little grave as within two FUCKING hours thirty of the hundred-fifty within the west side for internal patrols... but what we are more concerned is that we have no idea if it is the whole of the internal western guard are corrupted? Is it just the grunts or is the duke's own lieutenants have fallen...

"And that isn't the last of it." She continued, "I am aware of at least one minor demon." Despite my standing posture I nearly fell onto the battlements as if the floor became ice. 

Turning my wings and eyes showed without me wanting. "Where did it spot the demon? It is mid day!" I asked flabbergasted, all she does is nod to me... with a breath I pull in my emotions, looking behind me at the battlements they have a very faint scorch mark where my wings touched. She was standing ram rod straight a posture you don't normally see any tech-adept in but the way she stood with the servo-skull in her hands said she was thinking about having a joke.

She replied in a calm way, "It snuck out of the back door just before getting dragged back in... and unless that it's a half naked woman with three tits and a crab claw then I have no idea what it is." She had described the demon with a sarcastic tone and a little light hearted. But I could still hear the seriousness within.

 With Hannah's direction I drew a oval near the corner of the trade district which according to the map held at least four dozen buildings let alone that many are storage warehouses and as it is near the corner there was a guard station... why did I keep getting teased like this. First planning for demons was different to actually fighting them, now there is a threat of local city guard acting as meat shields.

Limited manpower, with only my and Hannah's command teams being combat worthy and you'd have to half that against the demon, not counting the demonic bullshit that happens to mortals when around demons leaving myself and Hannah possibly the only ones that could remotely fight it without long term effects... but our minds sets are open and we know more about the four then even what an Inquisitor alone would know.

With my pencil I place a X over the guard post, and add a legend that starts with phase one; seize local military control (Kill or Incapacitate guards within)

Phase two; unknown. Needed resources: An additional three squads with maybe a heavy weapon or two... or a Baneblade. At least a reassurance from the Duke or using my "Wife" to get the local guards from neighboring districts to form a perimeter so that we could search the area... unlikely.

Phase three; unknown. But systematic searches which has it's own issues onto themselves with unruly populous having unknown armored men and women entering your homes and tossing shit around looking for anything that looks Slaaneshy and put it to the touch.

Phase four: ???

Hannah reads over what was written, but had nothing to say about it.

"If phase two to work we will have to pull the Heiress and that would mean Mary as well." She said, along with her words she released the Servo-Orc-Skull back to resume it's duty. 

With a sigh I rolled up the map, and we started walking back down stairs... Hannah throw her arm around my shoulder and gave me a little comforting as we both knew how much the stakes have increased, a few dozen cultists? Fine. Over a hundred? Harder but do able. A fucking demon? That is going to make it damn near impossible, without either a lot of civilian losses, heavy causalities or it managing to escape. 

No I don't even what to entertain the idea that it could escape and what would happen during the following insanity.

"What do you think?" I asked the System as he had been rather silent within the last day and so.

 

[Based off available data which is limited I have three outlooks that could help with your decision and I have ranked them from least risky to most.

One: Postpone your attack until you have the numbers or Joseph upgrade the HQ again so that you could gain a new set of units. Also it would give you the time to see that AI that is still expecting you within the next 4 days. 

Two: Use your extensive knowledge and convince the Duke to take action and use his men to do those searches for the place and so they are the first to take losses if the demon is released.

Three: I do not recommend this what so ever; infiltrate the place and destroy it from within but that would allow the demon to be in close proximity to either one of you and once that is done Slaanesh would know that you are there and could have the demon attack you at once]

 

The text remained allowing us to see the three options... but there weren't good either and all had there down sides. One allowed the cult to expand, the next one boiled down to an argument that may go no where and if anyone of the staff are apart of the cult hear about it they could report it back... and yes the last one is the riskiest and dangerous.

"I have an idea, lets see what the cadets are up too?" Hannah suggested, "You know give us a little time to think."

I almost want to shake my head in refusal but nah, I want to see what the fuck those cadets are up to... more so I want to see want see what the trio is up too and make sure that within a day they haven't drove my Aid to murder.

Though my mind is still on the demon if it managed to escape from the cult that summoned it then will it escape again and this time not stopped before being seen by the general public. But knowing what kind of sick shit that demon of it's patron god could do if it came out into the market square.

"Sure...lets see if Felica has killed anyone yet, let alone Marcus."

She grabbed my hand and started pulling me along for the ride until we eventually managed to find the room... the word eventually means she had to ask one of the house servants and to my surprise it wasn't the same one we have seen thus far. It was a menial pushing a crate of crap around... the cargo was interesting and I snatched a piece for myself after I had told him that I was here to reform the military and wanted to know the most up to day weapons.

And once we do arrive, there we are. A Tech-adept with a green with red trimmings that goes from her head to her toes, and a chuckle fuck looking Cadian dress Major that needs some recaf, with a short chainsword on my left hip a las-pistol on my right and not one but two rifles slung over my back.

Upon our entry the two Imperial Guard bowed and oddly the old-Psyker gave what amounted to a "I am to old to bow have this." As he lowered his head only as far as it could humanly go at his age. And another one of the adventurers gave a more simpler salute were he took off his hat briefly off his head and put it back on.

"At ease, we'll be in the corner." I said and pointed at an empty table.

Once there I place down both rifles I had slung over my shoulders. One was my autogun it's design was a mix of a American M4 and a French FAMAS... the autogun was basically the stock and trigger that of the FAMAS but the rest looked like a M4, then was the weapon I got from that poor menial. The weapon I had nicked looks to be a a bolt-action with a five round internal magazine... I think from pulling back the bolt I would need to see the round, but whatever this is this weapon will revolutionize warfare.

"Does it have one?" I asked.

"No it is to simplistic to have a machine spirit." She said without needing to lay a hand near it. It is almost creepy to think about that if she was seen by a normal person talking to a weapon they may think that she was insane or something... but to think that each sprits personality is based around the weapon...

But what is the difference I wondered. One is made in a Manufactorum and this? Some hand made shit... but no, that menial had a crate that had at least fifty of them... these are made somewhere, but from the top of the keep I couldn't see any ability to make this unless it is underground. No.

I check the weapon again looking for any seal of manufacture or a company logo or something... and after pulling the bolt back far enough I found what looked like a serial number near the top of the internal magazine.

I can't understand the writing but it is a five digit number; #50001.

Showing Hannah she gave me a grimace, but what almost seemed to be perfect knowledge disassembled it and it only had two dozen parts...

"These are all from different places." She said cryptically.

"Which means?" To my question she shifted the parts into four piles and each showed their serials. And each pile had different lettering with one behind in a mix of high gothic, which in of itself is off but also some letters from romantical Latin.

"These ones, what is with the lettering, both High Gothic and Latin, it's it?"

She nodded and started reassembling the weapon but stopped briefly... "According the system I need some of my blood." Her face was a little pale at the idea.

"Why?" I asked, as her tail moved close to her index finger tip.

But in her stead the System answered.

[It is an older practice that predates the time were Mars wasn't apart of the Imperium were a Tech-Priest blesses an item with their Holy blood, and due to her status as the successor her blood is the Holist of them all... it is a cruder method to grant said item a machine spirit.]

I remember that behind talked about on the forums where an acolyte on Mars asked the Magus he was studying under and asked, "Where to the machine spirts came from."

The answer he was told "It is young one, that the blood, sweat, tears and oil of any anointed Tech-Priest could within time could cultivate an item's essence into a mature spirt." Then using one of a Titan nearby explained that the more it is maintained the more of a personality it develops, but then pointed out the weapons of the Skitarii and since they are made a dime a dozen their spirts are effectively newborns children and so complain the most or the most needy.

Hannah gave a sharp breath before slicing the tip of her finger and dropped a drip onto the bolt and trigger, which almost marked the parts. With that done she finished reassembling the rifle, it shook ever so slightly.

[Mistress Hannah this weapon now has a machine spirit congratulations for your first miracle, minor as it was but still an achievement since, and I can say this thankfully to have been the one to "Birth" the first machine spirit of this world] The System said in a upbeat jovial tone.

So this counts as a miracle for her and mine was purifying a soul and destroying it? If this what passed as a minor one I wonder what she could do on the scale of a saint.

Just to test it she asked if she could do maintenance and it at first slowly but sped up... until it had returned to it's respective parts again.

 

(Hannah POV)

It was fascinating, to think I would do an ancient ritual... looking down at the machine spirit as it took form, and to say the least it was like seeing a newborn trying to figure out how to walk. Or what amounted to it, the spirit looked around with a child like yet alerted way, it's head constantly moving from left to right, up and down until it had seen me.

Lowing my head ending up nearly eye to eye with the 35 or 40 cm tall spirit, but unlike the rest this one was more reserved, curious... 'odd.' I thought, compared to mine or Joseph's spirits this one is different.

"Hello little one." I said to it.

It looked up and gave a little wave, and sat down into the wooden stock and kicked it's feet. "Hello daughter." It replied, "No... mother." I chocked on my spit at that, and Joseph saw my shocked face and asked.

"What?" He asked, and looked down at where I had been looking though I doubt he could see the spirit.

I gave him an honest answer and he barked a laugh, with a pout I punch his shoulder but he just laughed even more. This had the advent of alerting the class of cadets.

With a smirk that borderline evil grin I grabbed the wooden stock and as if in response it reassembled as I pulled it back to hit him with the stock, but stopped as his face showed surprise, and it was only then that it had remade itself...

"Holy shit." Joseph said, "I didn't know you could do that."

"Neither did I." I replied.

[Answer: the spirit is bonded to you akin to a extension of yourself, reason would dictate any machine spirit you "birth" would be linked to you in a mother/daughter way]

I groan at the answer and again Joseph laugh, this time I hit him, but he was still laughing.

Grabbing his collar I dragged him back to the room we're staying in.