Candlemass Guard Duty [Closed][Imperium][Semi-Canon]

The barrier going up might have startled Trooper Dekker a bit but nothing the hardened Steel Legionnaire was cool and brusque as she ordered the first person to come forward. Both Dekker and Specialist Treston would see there were about 10 people in a rough line. The first person was the smelly brown robed man who looked a bit startled at being called out by Dekker. After him was a clump of 3 or 4 with two children, a man and woman pair, a woman that Trestan could spy a symbol of the Administratum on them semi-hidden in their robes, then a man and child. They all seemed to feel the cold a bit but the last two, the man and child, seemed a bit worse for wear for they were in bundles of rags and the man was visibly shivering.

Once he gathered his wits the first man in the line would walk up to Dekker. Reaching into his robe very deliberately he pulled out a green ID card. It identified him as Karl Bushman, his residence addressed in the middle ring, and his employer/sponsor was Levman Monvinik. The ID showed a light skinned man in his thirties with close brown hair on his top, thick beard, and blue eyes. The man before the Trooper had a scragglier beard, the top of his head was covered by his hood, what little skin that showed had smudges, but he had the same blue eyes. He looked both ways before settling on Dekker, remaining silent as he seemed to put effort in trying to look indifferent.

---

Private Cudjal developed sharp eyes for seeing details hidden in rubbish, and he has seen a Guardsman’s ID before. The off-white ID card presented to him was similar to the PDF Trooper’s own with the rank Sergeant, name Kari Ramzi, regiment Tallarn 165th Armored, and date of issue being 1.87 HCM.M42 with a renewal date two years later. On the back was the stamp of an officer, commissar, and Administratum personnel verifying its authenticity. The woman in the truck indeed looked like the one on the ID, though in the picture she wasn’t wearing a shemagh but instead showing her wavy chestnut hair cut into a jawline length bob. He’d notice that unlike his own it lacked an address; however, he knew most Guard IDs didn’t have one since they technically don’t live here like he does. All and all, it looked like a valid ID and didn't spot any discrepancies.

In response to his question the driver would point to the back and say, “The rest of my squad. We’re returning from a recon.”

There was a pause before she asked, “Do you know if the party started yet?”

Treston catches Cudjal’s signal and shouts, “Stand Back everyone, Vehicle coming through.”

She heads back inside and presses the button to lower the barricade again.

The barrier went down in about the same speed it went up and finished with a loud “thump” which startled the few too slow to heed Specialist Treston’s warning. Sergeant Ramzi would give Private Cudjal a brief smile. “Thanks,” she said, taking her card back, “Take care, and stay sharp. Emperor watch over you all.”

With the lane unobstructed and given the go-ahead the truck went forward into the city.




Once held up his eyes were drawn to the card until Trooper Dekker spoke. The man claiming to be Karl Bushman would nod at the beginning before being caught off-guard by the question. “What? Upper ring?” he said, “If only. Would have been nice to have for making me work overtime. No, just going home. Enough of their lot for one day anyway, let alone a holiday.”

---

((All can see this))

A wooden wagon pulled by a pair of cows with bright orange, long haired fur that seemed to almost cover their eyes was coming toward the checkpoint. Driving it was a cold looking man and woman. The Guardsmen saw the wagon had cargo, and as they got closer it seemed to be kegs. Before they could reach the checkpoint, however, there was the sound of an engine and a car swerved around them at fast speed. The ferocity startled the beasts, and, in the chaos, the front right wheel of the wagon crumpled, causing the man to fall off the seat and onto the ground with a thud. He was slow to get up as the woman went to try and calm the beasts.

The car that cut them off was more like a carriage with its large and ornate passenger cab that seemed almost like black wood. The windows were blackened so no prying eyes could see inside. The tires were large, meant for all terrain, yet had a shine to them as if meticulously cleaned. The driver’s cab was much shorter with clear windows so they could see the panicky looking driver inside. Somehow the driver managed to bring the car from speeding to a stop in a safe time between them passing the carriage and reaching the gate.

Treston is shocked to see this strange vehicle approach, nearly running through the gate. She quickly hits the button, yet again, to bring the barrier back up.

LanternO'Red Request: [4df+2] Roll: [+, , -, -] Result: 1

After bringing the barrier up, Treston heads back outside the guard house, running past the strange vehicle without a glance and heading for the damaged cart.

That’s enough for Dekker, due diligence satisfied she waves the robed man through. She’s about to gesture the next pedestrian forward when the groundcar zooms up. 
With a shout of alarm, muffled by the mask, she tries to push the civilians back and out of the way, then brings up her lascarbine, crouched down but with nowhere to cover behind. 

Vernard hated this.

He hated being in this situation, the potential start of another fight for his life. He hated being above ground, where a threat could get him from any direction. He hated that they had stopped right in front of the barrier, since if this was a vehicle mounted improvised bomb he would be dead soon. He hated that although he was behind the barrier, it just didn't feel as safe with his previous thoughts.

This, a myriad of other thoughts and the simple fact that he had barely any control over this situation made him hate it all. Though at the very least, all this hate made him focus.

Cudjal was going at picking up things below in the tunnels, now he pressed hard to pick up anything and everything. Even the slightest detail. Just something to get him out of this fraked situation or get things to move on to the inevitable part of this stand off.

[[Roll to be careful in observation = 5]]