Crew Logs:  Greenskins!

Draconis Log entry 1

I know not why I have not written my exploits til now but recent events dictate otherwise. If I happen to share a fate that of my uncle, who will know what I've achieved, what span my empire has become, and the wonders I discover for the Emperor and all Mankind.

As I entered the bridge, ROLAND the void master turned and gazed upon me as I have never before seen him. It was a pale haunted look that caught my eye. Roland has always been a fickle one but that look....

I've seen that look Hundreds of times while in service within the Emperors Grand navy. The fear one has as if they know they are going to die quite soon, or the unholy sight of of a corrupted starship. Yet it was more than that. What, I do not know but by the Emperor I intend to find out.

Furthermore my chair seems to have been refurbished. Here and there near the bridge bulkheads and blast doors seem to have a sheen about them like they have been replaced, yet I was not informed of such repairs and why they were needed?

Maybe I am letting my paranoia get the better of me but it has not failed me in the past. Best not to ignore that which has kept me alive thus far

CHAPTER 2

Upon leaving the Immaterium and entering the outer edge of the Foulstone system we detected A small ship leaving orbit of Foulstone 2 with all haste. I ordered
the crew to give chase. the ship then dissapered behind foulstone 3, a large gas giant with many moons. no imperial star ship would have fled in such a manor. I ordered the ships weapon crews on stand by and silent running to try and sneak upon the unknown ship.

AMBUSH-ORKS

How could I have been so foolish as to fall for this simple maneuver. First thing in the academy that one is taught.

Two Ork war ships awaited us behind Foulstone 3. The following battle lasted for hours putting immense strain on the crew. Their armor was thick, yet ours was thicker and their weapons lacking while ours found purchase.

After all that was done, two ork ships lie as hulks. Our ship remains intact thanks to the Emperor and our thick armor. Scanning the wreckage of the two hulks one only one ship held anything worth value.

Strange that I had not noticed until the battle had concluded But Roland was nowhere to be found amidst the battle and that shall not be a common occurrence on my ship. Roland and I will have words and the optimum effective range for an excuse is zero meters, barring grave illness.

Alberecht's Journal

Dearest,

                We are become a crew! I have at times despaired of us ever working in concert until we meet some unpleasant end. But this day we have been flung upon the forge and emerged unscathed – nay, tempered!

Upon arrival at Foulstone, our captain gave chance to a scoundrel which fled from us behind Foulstone 3. On rounding the rock, we were set upon by it and a companion in ambush.

The scene, for your dead eyes, were two fearsome Onslaught class raiders: Much lesser in stature than our Frieze, yet comparably armed. Each had two batteries in their prow, and another dorsal. But their guns were likely the least to be feared; Those vast gleaming prows painted in gruesome reds and blacks and fashioned like great sets of teeth - hinting of a terrible strength which could rip our Frize wide to a horde of merciless demons; and yet more hideous demons seeking to assault us in boarding craft.

Against the pair, it would have been folly to stand toe-to-toe and let our broadsides alone speak for us. We engaged in a long drawn battle of maneuver. Keeping clear of their prows and giving their guns and craft only fleeting target. Meanwhile our chief gunner and Draconis himself manned our batteries. The distance and maneuver gave our shots small chance of scoring as well, but in time they gained fearful purchase on first one foe then the other.

At one crucial moment, it seemed to me that we might snatch defeat from the jaws of victory…

We had greatly crippled one of the raiders, and were wearing away at the other, when Draconis flung us between them and directly into the path of the cripple. Those teeth grew suddenly vast, and my knuckles white, but our stern cleared their prow by what seemed inches, leaving those teeth gnashing.

Draconis certainly does not lack courage.

A few more sharp turns, with our guns raking the cripple, rendered it a flaming hulk.

The remaining foe continued to resist, but our guns soon found its vitals. And by stroke of luck, her treasury was left intact.

Throughout all, the crew of the Frieze acquitted themselves with distinction. Against two creditable enemies, only the merest damage reached her worthy hull; just enough scar to signal her victory.

And now, she calls me back to duty … though I remains yours first, forever,

Alberecht

Roland's log

Entry:  Saving my world, losing my soul

After the battle with the orcs, we safely delivered the "archeologists" to Foulstone.   Foulstone makes me feel queasy.  Maybe it's just the normal distate for planetary life, but something feels wrong about Foulstone.  But, we're not the inquisition.  One large box of gems for safe passage, that's it.  Maybe the next group will have the wits to spring for better protection.

A thankfully uneventful trip through the warp, interrupted with an uneventful stop at a world split in two, and we've made our desination to start reclaiming Lord Draconis's interests.  Handily enough, a pair of frigates claiming dominion over the world means no long bothersome investigation to find out who is behind it.

The battle goes badly.  My world hungers for battle, but the pirates were lucky and struck it blind on the first exchange.  Without sensors, our world goes from threat to target and the enemy fire is merciless.  A weapon battery catches on fire from the pirates seemingly pinpoint accuracy, and we are obligated to quit the field.  Despite my world's reluctance, I urge it to speed away from the battle.  The pirates mock and berate us, but do not follow.

Unfortunately,  Lord Draconis mistakes their mocking attitude for complacency, and has us stay in the asteroid field, rather than leave system for repairs.  Did he command a much smaller vehicle in the navy, perhaps a frigate?   These tactics would work for a craft that could be mistake for another piece of rock, but nothing will hide the enormous silver plating of the frieze.  The exploritors manage to get the sensors back in working order just in time to watch the frigates approach to finish us.

Their first barrage hurtles directly towards the bridge, signaling both the death of the command crew, and the death of my world.  Lilitha stops the flow of time again, and offers her aid to me again.  The cost is even higher this time, but it means the enemy's death instead of ours.  The battle resumes with one light cruiser versus one frigate.

Our captain things this is the perfect time to demonstrate his practice with piloting, and tries to demonstrate hit and run tactics with a small craft, personally.  Regrettably, all he manages to demonstrate is how to get shot down in a space battle.  He is most likely dead, and with him, our charter.  We pursue and finish off the pirates as a matter of course, but the real question is what will we do now?

My soul is most likely forfeit, as is our charter.  Piracy or heresy seem to be our future.  How could have things gone so wrong?