++ S19 - Into The Breach (Part 2) ++

"Scoop" Yurik, freelance News-agent

The conclusion to the account of The Breach follows. -"Scoop"
Wasting no time, Get Right cycled the action on his autopistol and sighted on one of the large vermin below him. The juve loosed a quick burst at the rat, which would have proven quite messy, but the rodent dodged the shot with a burst of speed that seemed impossibly for such a massive animal. Unfortunately for the rat, its speed exceeded its sense of self-preservation, as the quick movement had carried it past the edge of the platform and into the abyss. The plaintive squeals of the rat were drowned out by guffaws from Get Right, who was nearly doubled over with laughter.

Still unhindered by any carriers, Tex ran further into the depths in search of the supplies crate he had spotted. Leader Orion, meanwhile, had managed to spot a carrier across a gap on the remains of a former hab-floor. The Van Saar leader drew his shotgun and cycled the action, then took aim and blasted the zombie with a man-stopper round, severing its arm completely and dropping it to the floor. Unfortunately the powerful round had fouled the action and despite his best attempts to clear the jam, Orion was forced to retire his scattergun for the duration of the scavenging mission.

Get Right, determined to explore the air-filtration tower, took aim at the remaining Necromundan Rat, but his aim was off, and the creature defiantly hissed at the trenchcoated juve.

Pius's booted footsteps echoed loudly as the juve continued toward the remains of the central tower, but no targets presented themselves.

Similarly, Tex finally reached the crate he had noticed and busied himself with finding replacement ammunition for his pistol. The sounds of clattering metal and dropped brass cartridges continued for several minutes, along with the occasional exasperated sigh.

Tired of trying to exterminate the final rat, Get Right wheeled about and slid down a nearby ladder, landing at the platform below. He spotted a catwalk as he turned, and jogged quickly along the metal plating only to be smashed to the ground by the rate he had chosen to leave alive. Again, the speed of the huge rats had taken the juve by surprise, but Get Right utterly failed to see the humor in this turn of events. The Delaque juve grabbed the rat by the throat as its snapping jaws flung bits of frothy saliva all around, and moved to draw his knife. For several tense seconds, the man and rodent strained for superiority, when suddenly a flash of sharpened steel signaled the end of the combat. The blade of Get Right's knife had punched up through the rat's maw and out the top of its head. Get Right pulled the knife free and with a grunt, rolled the corpse over the edge of the gantry. Thus freed of the mangy burden, Get Right got to his feet and happened to notice Pius as the NMI juve ran for the central tower platforms. The Delaque juve stealthily followed the crimson figure through the darkness, readying his pistol.

Meanwhile, Tex had finally found the proper ammunition for his pistol and slammed a magazine into the grip, then chambered the first round. As he glanced around for any curious zombies or rats, the Van Saar juve happened to spot a glint of light off of an ancient-looking box, and trotted over to pick it up. Unfortunately, this swag was apparently much heavier than it looked, as Tex could be observed leaning heavily to his right as he jogged along, obviously counterbalancing his cargo. The juve would likely need to return to his comrades and deposit the haul before venturing out again, or be unable to maneuver safely whilst laden with loot.

As the unwitting Pius made for an access ladder at the base of the central tower, Get Right took aim with his pistol and at nearly point-blank range fired a single shot aimed at the NMI juve's hooded head. Amazingly the shot missed Pius and ricocheted wildly off a rung on the ladder. Pius, surprisingly level-headed under such pressure, shoved the Delaque away from the tower's shaft and scrambled madly up the ladder, climbing up two stories to the top of the tower. As he reached the peak of the shaft, Pius was rewarded with what appeared to be a very solidly-built lockbox, featuring a Spyre crest of some sort.

Get Right had clearly not expected his shot to miss, and so was caught off guard by the Cawdor's defensive moves and sudden burst of speed, and so decided to wait at the very base of the ladder for his quarry to return. The juve could be seen reloading his pistol and unsheathing his knife, preparing to ambush Pius when he descended.

During the altercation at the base of the tower, Tex had made the short journey back to the 7th AWR staging area, handing over his prize to Orion. We observed Orion tucking the box into his pack, and with a series of efficient gestures, the Van Saar leader ordered the juve back into the darkness to try his luck once more.

The old seals on the storage box were entirely beyond the Cawdor's ability to breach, so Pius tucked the box under one arm and steeled himself for what he knew was to be a dangerous fight. Our group watched with bated breath as he slid down the ladder, attempting to break past Get Right with his prize. As he landed, Pius was surprised to see no sign of his opponent, and he began to run toward his scav-team.

Get Right suddenly and silently emerged from the shadows behind the ladder and in keeping with the Delaque ethos, clamped a hand over Pius's mouth, then expertly stabbed the Cawdor in the back. Get Right dropped the wounded man and sheathed the blade. He paused to retrieve the lockbox, and only after the package was secure did we observe the goggled juve firing three carefully aimed rounds to finish Pius off. With a flutter of coattails, the lockbox was gone and Pius lay dead on the decking.

In the meantime, Tex had encountered another zombie as he hurriedly scoured The Breach for more riches. This time, the Rifles juve was careful to take precise aim, and after lining up a shot on the carrier's head, pulled the trigger only once. The shot boomed out with surprising volume, simultaneously exploding the carrier's head and forcing the gun to recoil back into the juve's face. Our guides chuckled, explaining that the ammo Tex had found was most likely loaded by an amateur hand, and with a faulty gunpowder. The Van Saar fell in a heap, bloodied and unconscious.

Bound by the rules of the parlay, the scav-teams of the 7th Ash Wastes Rifles and Nex Manus Imperator called out several times to their respective juves, and hearing no answer, were permitted (under close watch and at gunpoint) to locate their comrades and take them back to their hideouts, leaving the rest of the loot to the Voodoo Posse. The taunts and jeers of the Delaque gang echoed within the ancient walls of The Breach, only fading as our party emerged from the entry tunnel into the relatively bright lights of the surrounding clearing.

Once again, the cost had been high for Benedictus and his crusading brethren, and despite a strong showing, the Van Saar leader Orion was frustrated by yet another close loss to his rivals. Both gangs made their way back to what they called home, most likely cursing their foes and vowing revenge.

As I said before dear readers, the Underhive houses incredible wonder alongside terrible violence. By the end of this day-cycle, this reporter had begun to feel the strain of witnessing the seemingly endless clashes. I do not know how much more I wish to know about this place.

-Yurik out.

++ S19 - Into The Breach ++

"Scoop" Yurik, freelance News-agent

I humbly present my second part of the story of The Breach. -"Scoop"
The three days leading up to the return of the gangs' scav-teams passed without major incident. I say "major incident" as there was a particularly spirited (and inebriated) display of ignited flatulence that resulted in superficial burns to the posterior regions of juve Angus, but I digress.

It will suffice to say that before we knew it, Liam's keen eye had spotted the three parties on approach to the gates of The Breach. The groups clustered together at Parlay Crossing and quickly drew their lot to determine who had first choice among the four entry portals. The Voodoo Posse scav-team drew the fortunes of the first choice, and set out to the portal on the northwest quarter of the former hab dome. The second choice went to the 7th Ash Waste Rifles, who moved to the southwest door, and finally the Nex Manus Imperator gangers headed to the northeast entry. Such was our luck that the door nearest to our observation point, and camp, was the door passed over by each gang's scav-team!

The agreed-upon signal from each party was shown; a member from each team set alight a signal flare and allowed its smoke to drift above the dome, and then the teams disappeared into the yawning mouths of the portals. This reporter quickly gathered my pictographist along with Liam, Cillian, and Ugly Sean of the OI-FU, and we moved quickly from our camp to the unused southeast door of the hab dome.

Both my pictographist and I have procured a firearm during our travels (at the insistence of our bodyguard), and now we carried them in shoulder holsters as we entered The Breach. The unfamiliar weight of my Necromunda-pattern laspistol was admittedly welcome as the light quickly faded away and the sounds of creaking metal and scrambling feet echoed in the treacherous darkness. As we emerged into the dome, our progress was halted suddenly by Liam, on point at the front of our train. He whispered quickly for the group to move up and as we did, I was astonished to see just how this place had gotten its name.

The Breach was once a fairly typical hab-dome, as I mentioned, but one thing had set this place apart from so many thousands like it; the utility systems (power, water, air-handling) were all contained in heavily reinforced and shielded conduit housings roughly 4.5 meters in diameter with ceramite walls nearly 90 centimeters thick. It is not known exactly why such extensive structural reinforcement was provided to the utility systems, but it had obviously been done with great care of craftsmanship. These shielded system conduits still link the various towers and buildings within the dome below what had once been the ground floor, and remain there, suspending the structures in midair, over what appears to be a very long drop indeed. This "floating city" is apparently a unique occurrence in this sector at least, and indeed none of our escort from the OI-FU (emigrants from Sector N-UH-847) could recall a similar encounter
during their escapades.

However, our speculation and wonder was soon forgotten as the sound of shouts and stomping boots echoed through the still air of the darkened hab-dome. My pictographist's night-filter lenses were employed once more, and ultimately showed the flared tails of a trench coat, as Posse juve Get Right, via low-burning flare light, made his way quickly across a catwalk, unfazed by the immense depth of the drop below him. His sure-footed progress seemed unlikely until this reporter considered his heritage in House Delaque; his sensitive eyes must have been a boon in such ghastly darkness.

In the adjacent corner, Rifles juve Tex advanced at a noticeably slower pace, due partially to the darkness, but also the presence of two plague carriers, which lurched out of the shadows just at the edge of the circle of flickering flare-light. Thankfully for the young fighter, his more experienced team-mates quickly spotted the ambulatory corpses. An intensely bright ball of energy lit up the dome like a day-cycle as leader Orion took a full-power shot with his plasma pistol, but the blast went wide, slagging a length of handrail nearby. Orion's pistol vented steam as the older Van Saar cursed his poor luck, but this did not stop ganger Lazarus from taking aim at the carrier. The las-bolt zipped across the gap and impacted the carrier in the shoulder, spinning it like a child's top back and off the edge of the platform. The zombie disappeared instantly from view as it plunged to its doom. Forewarned by his team, young Tex raised his autopistol and opened fire on the remaining carrier. Several shots struck the zombie and carried it backwards off the ledge, trailing bits of flesh and thick threads of coagulated blood. Tex's victory cry was cut short as he realized he had entirely used up his ammunition whilst dispatching the creature, and the juve quietly holstered his useless firearm, drawing his knife in its place.

At the opposite end of The Breach, NMI juve Pius set out, running along a catwalk towards what was hoped to be the central tower of the former hab-dome. As the juve carried his home-made torch deeper into the dome, another carrier was revealed by the light. Ganger Urbanus quickly took aim and fired off a burst from his autopistol, missing the zombie completely, earning only a seemingly-irritated moan from the undead abomination.

Posse heavy Replay suddenly opened fire with his massive stubber with an uncharacteristic yelp of surprise: a movement in the shadows had spooked the normally stoic man. Much to Replay's embarrassment (and to the great amusement of both the Rifles's and the NMI's teams), his long burst of fire yielded no kills of any sort, and the heavy could be overheard muttering about "...a fraggin' sticky trigger needs lookin' at."

After verifying the cease-fire from Replay, Get Right ran ahead once more, moving onto the upper platform of an air-filtration tower and spotting two massive rats on the story below. The rodents had caught the juve's scent and snuffled hungrily at the air as they turned toward the walking meal above.

Despite his desperate ammo situation, Rifles juve Tex found himself snickering at the panicked reflexes of the Posse team. As he advanced, text found himself utterly without opposition, and quickly made his way across a connecting platform and onto another dark catwalk, heading toward what appeared to be a stash of supplies in a crumbling hab-unit.

Determined to shame the other scav teams, Pius scrambled up a nearby ladder, glancing at the plague zombie staggering about on a nearby tower. Fortunately for the Cawdor juve, the creature was entirely too stupid to find a connecting walkway and was forced to merely moan hungrily as his intended quarry scampered past. Taking advantage of the zombie's distracted attentions, Urbanus opened fire and once again missed his target with a growling curse. Encouraging his fellow crusader to remain faithful, ganger Vigilius raised his trusty autogun and snapped off two quick bursts at the undead creature. Nearly all the rounds punched into the zombie's chest and neck, bursting out its back and tumbling the creature to the floor with a wheezing gurgle. The walking corpse was dead once again.

Due to the complicated nature of this particular battle, I will present the third and final part of this account in a separate report. Thanks for your patience, dear readers.

-Yurik out.

++ S19 - The Breach ++

"Scoop" Yurik, freelance News-agent

Hello, dear readers. Continuing with my back-log of stories, I present the first part of the tale of The Breach.

-"Scoop"

+++ ARCHIVAL ENTRY FOLLOWS +++

Through the past several months spent below the walls of Sector 855, this reporter has seen things that have defied simple description. The abject barbarism, violence, and cruelty made infamous by explorers' tales and gang legends is indeed founded in truth (although it is also apparent that a penchant for exaggeration is shared by many an old-timer), as many of my reports have shown.

Something that many denizens of Necromunda do not realize, however, is that outstanding examples of pure wonder and awe exist in the depths of Subsector 19 (and elsewhere in the reaches of the hive, I'm sure), and these unusual sights are perhaps more fantastic than the feats of battle and daring-do, if less widely-known.

Today I bring you a tale of both intense wonder and terrible violence. In my last report I remarked upon the possible outcomes of the rivalries between several gangs within the subsector. KFC's Voodoo Posse, the 7th Ash Waste Rifles, and Nex Manus Imperator have all found their way into numerous battles, and no gang has seen fit to call truce or to lay down arms in the face of opposition.

This is not surprising given the fierce pride that accompanies the gang lifestyle, but as our caravan followed the paths of these three groups we were surprised to find all three gathered in what seemed to be a flag of parlay. Father Benedictus of NMI, Orion of the 7th AWR, and KFC, leader of his Voodoo Posse, had traveled with a single bodyguard from their gang under a cease-fire agreement to an old roadway junction, bounded on all sides by a wide clearing which precluded ambush or covert aggression. As this reporter observed from a distance thanks to an amplified tele-vox receiver, the leaders worked out the terms of a ganger's agreement. The terms of this agreement followed the discovery of a former settlement known only as "The Breach," and the rumored riches housed within its borders.

The final terms were as follows: each faction would furnish a scav-team of no more than four fighters, who would arrive at the walls of The Breach at an agreed-upon day-cycle and hour. At this point, each team would enter the area via one of the four gates, with no team using the same entrance. Each group was then honor-bound to dispatch one juve (a member of the scavenger party) into the heart of the old settlement in search of the treasure within, while the other three gangers remained at the entry points, safeguarding the portal for the juve's return. The juve would be allowed to defend himself against any and all threats, including the juves of the other gangs, but the support team would serve only to protect the loot and perhaps help to clear the way if the local flora or fauna proved insurmountable.

Rumors flew freely between the leaders regarding not only the riches, but the threats that might lay in wait for the scav-teams. Orion, as if briefing his rivals, spoke of the large, violently hungry rats that had been spotted by his reconnaissance men; KFC's hushed voice made mention of unusually mobile plant life and fungus capable of ensnaring a full-grown man; Father Benedictus's scathing sermon of damnation was aimed at the plague carriers his crusade had burned down outside the ancient walls. Each leader tested the mettle of his opponents, whilst carefully weighing the conceivable benefits of a successful excursion with the potentially ruinous consequences of a botched raid.

Finally, it seemed that all were satisfied, and each man made a point of sealing his end of the agreement in a fashion common to the Underhive. A flask of Wildsnake was produced by each man present, and passed to their counterpart on the left. Each man then drank deeply of the liquor, ensuring that trust had been given and that none would attempt to double cross any of the others. The flasks were returned and each delegation retired to their respective hideouts; teams to be chosen and preparations to be made.

It would be three days before the scav-teams traveled to The Breach, and after the gangers departed, our caravan determined the location of all four entrances, determined to follow the action via the fourth, unused entrance upon the return of the three rival gangs.

-Yurik out.

++ S19 - New Conflict ++

"Scoop" Yurik, Freelance News-agent

Please note, dear readers, that our pict-link is experiencing interference. We will supply picts when possible. - "Scoop"

As we trudged along a catwalk several meters above the grasping hands of several carriers, we were surprised to find the air becoming dark with small flakes of sooty ash. A quick glance towards the dome roof revealed an old forge-waste duct that had long ago ruptured in catastrophic fashion. The hole in this waste duct now deposited forge-waste directly into an air supply, distributing a thick layer of gray-black ash across the floor of the dome and further impeding the clumsy pursuit of the carriers. Fortunately the path ahead of our caravan had been kept clear thanks to the stronger air currents through the various gantries and structures.

Suddenly my pictographist, who had been snapping picts of the phenomenon, called out that he had seen movement far below in the drifting ash. Almost as one, our group dropped to the deck and I edged forward, spying the distinctive violet fatigues of the 7th Ash Waste Rifles gang. Seamus nudged my shoulder and pointed out another group, clad in long white coats, struggling through the waist-deep soot - KFC's Voodoo Posse.

Lending credence to the rumors of their past as ash wastes reconnaissance soldiers, the Rifles seemed less affected by the ash. Several members managed to find a way through the black drifts and onto the cleared platforms above the floor. This attracted the attention of nine carriers that had followed us to the dome, and they moaned hungrily as they traipsed towards the bright purple figures.

The distinctive sound of bolt weapons ripped through the air as Rifles members Laertes and Lazarus attempted to remove a carrier from their path. Perhaps unnerved by the sight of the shambling creature, Lazarus' aim was off, and the bolt round scythed through the ash and blew up a plume of black dust. Laertes carefully braced his arms in a firing stance and his pistol bucked in his grip. Heedless of the smoking ruin that had been its ribcage, the corpse continued to advance with a disturbing groan of hunger. Spotting another shuffling form in the midst of a black drift, Rifles heavy Zeke unslung his autogun from his back, preferring mobility to firepower as he made his way through the shifting ash and scrambled up a ladder to the platform above. Shots rang out and the carrier's moan cut off midway, the diseased form dropping in a cloud of swirling black.

Several meters across the dome, KFC's Voodoo Posse struggled to make headway against the thick layer of soot, the pockets and pouches of their long coats filling with ash and greatly hindering their progress. Despite their handicap, Posse gangers Bad Mojo and Prince both managed a shot at a pair of carriers, but to no avail. Their shots ricocheted harmlessly away into the ash and their intended targets lurched forward.

Suddenly a bright burst of blue-white fire lit the dome's ceiling and the stink of ozone was heavy in the air, as Orion, the leader of the Rifles, let fly with a fully-charged shot from his plasma pistol. The shot ripped savagely across the torso of a nearby carrier, tumbling the foul creature into the dust with its left arm missing below the shoulder. Seeing this, Laertes attempted once again to put down his target, this time deciding that quantity superseded quality when it came to the undead. This time the carrier fell, and despite the distance between us, this reporter could clearly hear the CLICK of a dry chamber. Laertes was out of ammo and now had only his blade to defend himself from the teeth of the relentless carriers. Nearby, Zeke swapped his autogun for his trusty stubber as he spotted the flash of a Posse member's bright coat near a tower. The Rifles heavy let fly with an impressive burst of fire, forcing the Delaque to scramble for cover, but suddenly the barrage was cut short with an extensive outpouring of profanity from Zeke - it would seem some inner mechanism of the weapon had failed, rendering it useless for at least this fight.

Burning promethium flared near the base of a refinery tower - a sign of KFC's entry into the fracas. The spear of flame reached up to a catwalk, engulfing a carrier plodding towards several Posse members. The uniform of a former Necromundan PDF sergeant caught alight, but the carrier showed no sign that it was aware of the flames, as it continued relentlessly across the catwalk. Fortunately for the Voodoo Posse, heavy Replay braced himself against the recoil and opened fire with his heavy stubber, messily punching the undead PDF man into several burning bits. Despite his ruthless domination of the ghoul, the heavy’s mood was sour – his heavy stubber had overheated during the long burst and fouled the action of the massive weapon.

In cover atop an adjacent tower, Visili, one of the Van Saar lasgunners neatly obliterated the knee of a plague carrier, toppling it comically onto its face. A path thus cleared, his fellow lasgunner Vincent sprinted out across a catwalk to scoop up a glittering hunk of metal. It seemed this was indeed another battle over forgotten archeotech, as multi-colored wires and myriad buttons could be seen protruding from the object as it was tucked into a pocket on the ganger's tunic. Meanwhile at the base of a distant filtration structure, juve Tex let loose with a short burst from an autopistol, erasing the face from another carrier's skull and dropping the creature in an instant. A fierce grin flashed across the young man's face as he continued forward through the soot in search of other targets.

A brief instance of quiet settled over the field as the Delaque struggled through ash drifts towards the open ground of the gantries and catwalks overhead. A few of the goggled fighters had already made it to high ground, and now warily advanced across catwalks with eyes peeled for carriers or members of the Rifles amongst the rusting buildings and equipment. Taking advantage of the quiet, Rifles autogunner Judd seated his weapon against his shoulder - readying himself for a quick shot should any of the Delaques be foolish enough to cross his path. Similarly, Zeke cycled the action of his backup autogun and pushed his senses to their limit, waiting for the opportune moment to cut down an unsuspecting trench-coated figure.

The lull in combat did not last long, however; Orion once more unleashed a full charge from his pistol and cursed as the targeted zombie continued towards him, its dead nerves impervious to the otherwise searing pain of plasma burns in its flesh. Nearby, Tex’s grin grew even wider as the juve’s autopistol blasted a line of bloody craters across yet another carrier’s torso and head. Smoke curled up from the barrel of the pistol as the Rifles juve worked the action to clear a jammed shell casing, eventually sending the brass spinning into the ash.

Nearby, Prince's gray trenchcoat appeared at the top of a platform, as the Delaque ganger made a run for what appeared to be an old collection of dataslates. As soon as the man was visible atop the platform, Judd and Zeke opened fire, liberally hosing the area with autogun rounds. Despite standing amidst a literal rain of gunfire, Prince was unharmed and held tight to his loot, although he was quick to dive for cover.

Further from our position, another of the Voodoo Posse was in motion. Get Right ran across a gantry towards a pile of ancient knick-knacks and scraps of paper; the white square shapes brilliant amongst the small piles of ash. While he ran, his fellow gangers opened fire to cover the movement. Little Caesar took aim at Rifles member Judd, but the shot went wild, sparking harmlessly off the structure above the purple-clad man. Nearby, Bad Mojo fantastically lived up to his name by firing a blistering fusillade of shots, none of which found their way to the shambling plague carriers that were the intended targets. Fortunately for the Voodoo Posse, Grease Job's aim proved true and the cold body of one carrier slumped below the ash drifts with a series of large-caliber holes in its rotting frame.

Voodoo Posse leader KFC made a move out from the relative shelter of the tower, searching either for new targets or for the precious loot sought on both sides of the conflict. The fluttering of the leader's coat did not go unnoticed, however. Determined to make up for his previously poor marksmanship, Rifles heavy Zeke tucked the battered stock of his autogun into his shoulder and carefully loosed a tight burst of shots that connected solidly with KFC's arm and torso. With a defiant growl, the Delaque slumped to the ground, then rolled onto his back as the pain of his wounds overtook his consciousness.

From a raised vantage point not far from his comrade, Van Saar ganger Judas had carefully tracked the Voodoo Posse's shots, watching the muzzle flashes. His patience paid off with a clean shot at Little Caesar, which took the Delaque in the leg and flung him against a bulkhead. The trench-coated man shouted a curse at his assailant, but fell on his face as his wounded leg gave out. Taken completely by surprise as his fellow ganger was hit, Bad Mojo's unfortunate moniker came true once more; the second ganger's nerve fled and he bolted for cover. Less fortunate still for Bad Mojo, his hasty retreat was taken up by the rest of his gang. Flurries of soot marked the paths of the retiring Delaque gang. The field of battle and the victory belonged to the 7th Ash Wastes Rifles, along with perhaps a couple of plague zombies.

As we left the blackened field behind us, this reporter could not help but wonder what this new rivalry between the 7th AWR and KFC's Voodoo Posse might mean. Between this new battle and those fought against their common enemy of the Cawdor gang Nex Manus Imperator, perhaps new alliances might soon take shape. More likely, no such allegiances might take form and the spoils of Subsector 19 would only be claimed by the last gang standing.

++ S19 - Death and Undeath ++

"Scoop" Yurik, Freelance News-Agent

Once again, I must apologize for my lengthy absence from the news-channels. The subsectors below Sump's Drift have been treacherous. We have made our way deep into the immediate vicinity of The Collapse, and our caravan have been forced to slow our pace due to a significant threat of plague carriers, unimaginable creatures, and the incredible instability of the structures that surround us.

Nevertheless, I humbly submit this reporter's account of the events of day-cycle 20080906.

+++ARCHIVAL ENTRY FOLLOWS+++

Our party's travels into the depths of Subsector 19 were once more punctuated by violence as the OI-FU led us into an exceptionally gloomy dome. As we started into the darkened ruins of the Underhive, we noticed that almost without exception the light-panels in the area had failed from what seemed to be an electrical fire of some sort. We had little time to discern the true cause of the light-system failure, however, because within moments of our arrival, ganger "Ugly" Sean emerged from the murky shadows with grim news. The scars on his face twitched as he spoke.

"Mínádúrtha. In the ruins ahead."

Although this reporter had seen no evidence of plague carriers in the area, the last weeks have served as an intensive education in the true nature of the Underhive, and our party quickly moved to high ground, picking our way across gantry and platform to avoid the majority of the carriers. Despite the rather arduous task of climbing and descending various ladders and stairs, the moans of the plague victims were enough to remind this reporter that it was all indeed worth the effort.

Finally locating a suitably defensible location atop a series of mechanical platforms, our group began to make camp. As portable shelters were opened and cooking coils lit, we heard shots ring out in the darkness.

Without pause, the carriers below us began to lurch into the deep shadows of the hive, heading for easier prey. As the threat of the mínádúrtha eased, this reporter made ready to seek out the nearby battle. In spite of the relative safety afforded us by the sudden absence of undead, my pictographist was exceptionally reluctant to leave camp; his sentiment was shared by the OI-FU. Indeed, Seamus expressed his incredulity at my proposal in words that are quite unfit to report here.

After a great deal of negotiation and a few harsh words from both sides, this reporter was able to convince not only my pictographist, but gangers Liam and Murphy and even stalwart juve Michael from the OI-FU to brave the dark and fulfill our role as journalists (and mercenary bodyguards) by reporting the events unfolding below the Drift.

Thankfully, we observed the strobing effect of multiple muzzle flash-patterns in the gloom, and moved quickly across the dome towards the light-show. Where we could not negotiate a high road, we hastened across rubble-strewn floors in what the OI-FU call the "roadie run" - essentially a crouching trot named after the sound technicians of synth-grind musical groups. The undertaking of this method of motion would be utterly ridiculous were it not so effective in avoiding incoming fire (or in this case the attentions of any lurking mínádúrtha). But I digress.

Liam led us to the base of a large refinery tower that had long ago suffered a cataclysmic explosion, and we clambered up after him to a steel deck nearly ten meters above the dome floor. From here we could easily follow the pict-bulb flashes of gunfire and the streaking sparks of richoceting solid-stub rounds back and forth across the battlegrounds.

Thanks to the light-sensitive night-cycle lenses provided by my pictographist was this reporter and able to determine that the Delaque leader King and his crew had once more found themselves in conflict with the notorious Nex Manus Imperator of House Cawdor. As we clambered up to a suitable observation post, we were greeted by the sharp report of a shotgun blast, fired from a bridge by one Caius of the NMI. The shot narrowly missed its target as it staggered through the dusky gloom of the hive. While the Cawdor ganger’s missed shot drew the attention of the undead in the area, sneaky Delaque fighters took the opportunity to advance quickly through the dark shadows of the ruins, holding fire until valid targets presented themselves in the piercing blackness.

The members of Nex Manus Imperator matched this advance, although their movements were joined with a great deal of devout battle cries and gunfire. Caius, seemingly unfazed by his previous miss, bellowed an oath of “Purgatus!” and let fly with a Man-stopper round, taking down his target in a spray of coagulated blood. Nearby, heavy Callixtus drew his batterd shotgun from its carrying straps on his pack, and blasted the legs out from beneath another of the carriers, howling a victory cry as the miserable creature flailed in confusion on the ground.

However, it would seem that these cries of celebration were premature, as a sudden scream of terror pierced the air. My pictographist panned his lens across the battlefield just in time to capture the last mortal moments of Cawdor ganger Conon as he was dragged to the ground by a carrier, its jaws locked on his neck. The cry of pain and fear was suddenly cut off in a gurgling rasp, and the red-robed ganger ceased his struggles. Once more the Voodoo Posse took advantage of their adversaries’ misfortunes; their gray coats could be spotted flitting between cover, across gantry and gravel alike. Their weapons stayed silent; only the occasional crunch of grit under running boots could be heard as they moved forward.

This graceful advance was further aided by Urbanus, his autopistol illuminating his cowled face along with the decaying features of yet another odorous carrier. The numerous auto-rounds ripped gaping wounds into the creature’s torso and dropped it to the ground as bones shattered beneath the fusillade. Before any other members of the Cawdor gang found other targets, Delaque weapons fired for the first time, a burst of fire from an autogun driving Caius into cover. A burst of heavy stubber fire from Posse heavy Replay found a target, but unfortunately for the Delaques, said target was not in fact a carrier, but Posse juve Sweet Tooth, who was shot several times before staggering in pain off of a platform edge to the ground several stories below. The young man lay still, quickly soaking the floor with his blood. Las- and auto-fire also clipped Cawdor Juves Pius and Innocent, sending the former sprawling at the base of a processing tower and the latter tumbling into the dirt mid-stride. Both promised retribution in terms that would have seemed incredibly vulgar for supposed holy men, had they not been uttered by members of the NMI “crusade.”

Seeing the juves of his brotherhood wounded by the brazen Delaques, Caius steeled his nerves and sprang up from cover, leveling his shotgun at Replay and letting fly with a shot that wounded the heavy and knocked him to the floor in pain and confusion. Unfortunately, this last spectacular shot not only wounded his opponent but spectacularly backfired, wounding Caius and blasting him off his perch to the floor below and rendering the crusader unconscious in the dust. Above the battlefield, Father Benedictus opened fire for the first time in the engagement, using his elevated position to his advantage as his bolt pistol sent a powerful round streaking into the trenchcoated form of Posse ganger Tom Tom, taking the man down hard.

Meanwhile, Posse ganger Prince took careful aim with his trusty shotgun and caught NMI ganger Urbanus full in the center of mass with what must have been a Man-stopper; the crimson-clad man dropped like a slag deposit and laid still as a stone. Nearby, NMI ganger Vigilius spotted one of the vile mínádúrtha moving hungrily towards his downed comrade. The ganger raised his autogun and neatly put a round through the walking corpse’s head, ending its unlife. Unfortunately, as this threat to Urbanus was dispatched, another plague zombie had fallen upon juve Innocent, wounding the young man severely before it wandered back into the shadows.

As the Voodoo Posse positioned themselves for a final assault, Father Benedictus’s voice rang out, reciting a chant which called for, and I quote, the “…most valiant of the Emperor’s servants to praise His name in the act of humble retreat…” The Cawdor pulled their wounded to safety and faded quickly into the darkness, leaving the Voodoo Posse victorious.

Immediately before our group made to leave for camp, Liam grabbed hold of my sleeve and pointed to Conon’s corpse. The ganger was on his feet, his bolter forgotten. The mínádúrtha groaned plaintively as its dead eyes met mine, and then it turned and staggered clumsily into the darkness.

++ S19 - Situation Report ++

"Scoop" Yurik, Freelance News-Agent

First and foremost I must apologize for my absence and any upset it may or may not have caused. A great deal has transpired during the past week-cycles, and I have found myself beleaguered by poor transmission conditions, inquisitive (and sometimes kleptomaniacal) wildlife, undead plague carriers, and gang battles.

Rest assured I am still very much alive along with the rest of my party and I shall endeavor to deliver more reports as soon as the hive quiets a bit.

Yurik out.

++ S19 - Fierce Gunfight in the Ruins ++

"Scoop" Yurik, Freelance News-agent

At around mid-day-cycle, as our party emerged from yet another dank and odorous access tunnel into another gloomy and cavernous dome, we were greeted by shouts and the unmistakable sounds of gunfire. Under the watchful protection of both Liam and Seamus himself, this reporter and his pictographist moved within sight of the fierce battle. Once more we were able to make out the regal violet uniform of the 7th Ash Waste Rifles moving into cover amongst the seemingly skeletal remnants of clustered hab-units and air-processing systems. Not surprisingly given their rather enthusiastic approach to "exploration," the Nex Manus Imperator were spotted across the ad-hoc battlefield, their crimson robes standing out against dull, gray and brown debris.


Father Benedictus and juve Pius run toward their opponents

It seemed that the infamous Cawdor gang had once more seized the initiative, as several of their fighters moved swiftly towards the Rifles' positions, shouting battle-prayers and promises of retribution. Only a select few of the NMI elected to stay behind, selecting elevated positions. Not to be outdone, the Rifles moved carefully across the ground upon sighting the NMI advances, dispersing their numbers laterally and vertically, with several fighters scrambling up ladders to obtain superior firing positions. Most notably, 7th AWR heavy "Zeke" was spotted lugging a rather large stubber to the top of an air-filtration tower, scanning the field below for targets.

Nex Manus Imperator fighters were quick to take cover from the potentially lethal heavy stubber, but in doing so were forced to halt their advances, leaving NMI heavy Callixtus exposed along a catwalk. While other members of the Cawdor gang moved beneath catwalks and through cover to flank the Rifles' firing positions, Callixtus was cut down by a burst of stubber fire and sprawled awkwardly on the metal decking before his flamer could flush out the Van Saar fighters in the lower levels of the air-filtration tower.

Despite the loss of their heavy, the NMI returned fire from cover, forcing several purple-clad Rifles to dive for cover and wounding a few others. NMI ganger Donus fired on Rifles juve Tex, resulting in a display of violence so spectacular it forced Rifles leader Orion to flee whilst wiping his face clean of the juve's blood. Unfortunately, as Donus took aim for this shot, it allowed Zeke sufficient time to unleash a long burst of stubber fire, punching into the Cawdor ganger and throwing him bodily off the platform to the ground below.


Rifles heavy Zeke takes aim as ganger Visili looks on

Father Benedictus' considerable skill with threats of "PURGATUS!!!" inspired the NMI to fight on, even as juve Innocent was wounded by autogun fire from the 7th AWR. The Cawdor zealots leapt forth from cover, with a small assault element flanking right, hoping to scale the tower and silence the Van Saar heavy stubber for good. Before the group could reach the tower, they spotted Rifles ganger Old Chester and opened fire, and allowing Cawdor ganger Caius to subdue the Van Saar in a swift melee action. As the other NMI fighters prepared to open fire once more, the panicked Orion ordered the 7th Ash Waste rifles to retreat.

The Nex Manus Imperator had brutally fought their way to another victory, but the cost this time was indeed high - Donus, who might otherwise have survived his light stubber wound, had broken his neck as he struck the concrete floor of the dome. In an unusually somber act, the other members of Nex Manus Imperator prepared a pyre for the body of their fallen comrade, and after a brief ceremony, Father Benedictus set the platform alight with his own hand flamer, and led the Cawdor gang away into the shadows in silence. As the group departed, our party spotted a flash of purple amongst the crimson robes - Old Chester was now a captive of the Nex Manus Imperator.

Yurik out.

++ S19 - The Unnatural ++

"Scoop" Yurik, Freelance News-agent

The old domes of Subsector 19 have been strangely still for several day-cycles as our expedition has made its way towards The Collapse. The day- and night-cycles have started to blur together as the light systems here are intermittent at best, but by this reporter's reckoning, it has been nearly one week since our last dispatch from below Sump's Drift. The OI-FU has reported hearing odd moans or cries throughout the last several nights and remain wary of unseen dangers. While Necromunda is host to all manner of unpleasant surprises, the OI-FU are concerned that our party may encounter the shambling victims of Necromundan Plague. Since boyhood, their leader Seamus has heard tales of the "Plague Zombie":

"...under'ivers laid low and eventually killed by tha' unnatural tinneas, that 'orrible sickness, only to rise again as an empty shell of the person they'ad once been. Those abominations roam the darkest depths o' the 'ive, seekin' only to feed 'pon the flesh of the living. Back in the oul' settlements, we called them poor unfortunates mínádúrtha. The unnatural."

Needless to say, this reporter has been just a bit jumpy during the late hours.

Yurik out.

++ ENFORCER BLOTTER ++

++ Sector N-UH-855, "Sump's Drift," Precinct 08, Marshal H. Turterra cmdg. ++

- Patrol dispatched to 100 block of hab-units in response to reports of an individual believed to have succumbed to Necromundan Plague. Upon arrival, officers in full riot protection gear established a secure perimeter around the hab-block and ordered said individual to surrender. The individual complied and was taken into custody for medical screening. Upon receiving a physical examination it was revealed that the individual was not infected with any disease but instead suffering the effects of exposure to a mildly hallucinogenic fungus. The individual was released and officers returned to the scene with flamers to destroy the fungus.

- Precinct 08 received reports of no less than 4 missing persons, all of whom had previously traveled to Sector N-UH-853 to scavenge amongst the ruins of the algae-processing plant and storage facility in that sector. Descriptions of these missing individuals are being compared to those of the reported plague victims in that sector. Patrols in Sump's Drift have thus far failed to locate these individuals.

- Orlock gang known as "OI-FU" sighted in Sump's Drift in the company of reporter "Scoop" Yurik. Enforcer patrols observed no illicit activity. OI-FU and Yurik have since vanished from Sump's Drift and are believed to have entered Subsector 19.

- Patrol dispatched to Last Stop Inn in response to reports of gang violence. Upon arriving at the establishment, officers were unable to locate offenders, instead finding local citizen Augustus Chiggins (aka "Old Prospector" aka "Gus" Chiggins) unconscious atop the bar with a minor gunshot wound. Officers revived Chiggins and treated his wound, and took a statement from Chiggins which suggested that local gangs Nex Manus Imperator and the 7th Ash Waste Rifles were involved in a combined gunfight/brawl in the area. Patrols have been increased near the Last Stop Inn.

- Enforcer jurisdiction has been suspended below Sector 855 until further notice from Marshal Turterra.

++ SECTOR-WIDE ALERT: PLAGUE VICTIMS SPOTTED ++

Sector N-UH-855 Enforcer Precinct 08, Marshal Turterra cmdg.

Threat Level: High
Threat Direction: Sectors N-UH-850 through N-UH-857 [inclusive; all associated Subsectors].
Threat Summary: Individuals suffering symptoms of "zombie plague" spotted in Sectors N-UH-853, N-UH-853-S12 following disturbance of Necromundan rat nests.

All citizens of Necromunda are hereby advised that confirmed sightings of Necromundan Plague carriers, more commonly known as "plague zombies," have been reported in Sector N-UH-853 near the ruins of that sector's algae-processing plant and storage facility.

Additionally, Necromundan rats are still prevalent through the area, and in light of these reports, are most likely vectors for the Necromundan Plague.

Citizens are reminded that any persons suffering bites or wounds from either Necromundan rats or from plague victims are to report or be brought immediately to Enforcer Precinct 08, any Enforcer officer or magistrate, or any Guild representative for quarantine procedures.

If plague victims are spotted, inform an Enforcer officer or magistrate, or Guild representative immediately.

Any potential exposure to plague victims is to be minimized. Secure all hab-units or other shelters, ensuring all doors, hatches, windows, or other openings are closed and locked, or barricaded if necessary. Stay indoors unless absolutely necessary for survival, and be sure that provisions have been laid for several days within your shelter. Avoid contact with plague victims when at all possible, and avoid attracting the attention of plague victims (bright lights, open flames, unnecessary/excessive gunfire, loud noises, etc.).

Any citizens who own weapons are advised to ensure that these are in working order and that plenty of compatible ammunition is at hand in the event that contact with a plague victim cannot be avoided. If leaving your shelter is unavoidable, ensure that every member of your party is armed if possible, and seek new shelter as quickly as possible.

++ END ALERT ++

++ S19 - Blood for Tech ++

Members of King's Voodoo Posse take aim at Cawdor fighters

"Scoop" Yurik, Freelance News-agent
Since arriving in the largely anarchic zones of Subsector 19 only two day-cycles ago, our party has been on alert as the unmistakable sounds of gunfire and battlecries echo in the dusty gloom. We made camp in the runs of an old Imperial chapel - our guides, the gang representatives of the Orlock Iron-Forge Union, are a superstitious lot - and until this evening we had found little of note to report.

All that changed in a matter of seconds, as an autogun round ricocheted off of the chapel's old stonework and neatly disintegrated this reporter's bottle of prized amasec as it sat upon a camp stool. Our Orlock protectors immediately moved to the perimeter of the camp, where their guard, one Liam "the Shootist," a former PDF trooper, announced the beginnings of a major skirmish amongst nearby industrial ruins.

Against the urging of our guides, this reporter and over-eager pictographist picked our way through dozens of meters of rubble-strewn dome floor until we emerged into the midst of a pitched firefight. Through further creeping and careful navigation, we were able to work our way along the outer edges of the conflict, where we discerned the identity of the combatants.

Initial observation via a tele-pict lens revealed that the persistent crusade of Nex Manus Imperator, the Cawdor gang, was still in full swing, and their most recent "infidel heretic" opponents were identified as members of King's Voodoo Posse, a group of Delaque agents with unusually dark complexion. Observations were rudely interrupted as King, the leader of the Delaque gang, was struck directly in the center of mass by a speeding bolt round and collapsed, plunging several meters to the ground. As the bald man fell it was all too apparent that this wound would claim his life, and indeed before this reporter quit the field, the Voodoo Posse had become leaderless.

Despite their loss (or perhaps because their leader had fallen so suddenly) the Voodoo Posse fighters were quick to react, swiftly moving across gantries and amongst ancient metal bulkheads, until they were able to close with their red-hooded antagonists.


Nex Manus Imperator heavy advances through the ruins of a factory yard.

One of the Cawdor, a grim figure clutching an assault-pattern lasgun and perched atop a staggeringly-tall tower, was caught in a burst of stubber fire and plunged, howling in fury and pain, a full three stories to the hard concrete floor of the dome. His moaned prayers of retribution were quickly swallowed up in a rasp of flamer fire courtesy of the second Delaque heavy.

As the struggle continued, the Nex Manus Imperator warriors seemed to gain the upper hand, gradually dispatching no less than three more of the gray-trench-coated Posse. An attempted flanking maneuver by King's Voodoo Posse was thwarted by none other than the Cawdor leader Father Benedictus and juve Pius. In the aftermath of the truly brutal close-quarters melee, Posse juve Get Right was lightly wounded, and Posse ganger Bad Mojo lived up to his moniker as he was expertly downed by Benedictus.

Finally, despite a truly grueling attempt to stand their ground, the Delaques melted into the shadows, leaving behind only spent ammunition casings and the body of their former leader.

Carefully avoiding the attentions of the chanting, victorious Cawdor, this reporter was shocked to realize that this monumental, callous brutality had been exacted for the sake of only a few technological trinkets.

We returned to our camp with Liam, and I soon retired for the evening in the grip of a strange depression at that days events.

Yurik out.

++ Chiggins to Explore Downhive ++

++ For Immediate Release ++

"Scoop" Yurik, Staff Writer
In the wake of recent events in Sump's Drift, many Underhivers have been left feeling quite uneasy, including a rather familiar character by the name of "Old Prospector" Gus Chiggins. The grizzled old drunk was observed following this reporter on the journey to Subsector 19, and only after being supplied a rather copious amount of liquor did he offer any reason for his sudden departure from his longtime haunt, the Last Stop Inn.

"Them dere Red Ridin' 'oods and dem Seb'n Wasted Rifles showed up at th'Las'Stop a couple days 'go, and let me tell you there, news-man, they raised some 'ell." Chiggins reported amidst a flow of ramblings and stories about "cinnamon an' gravy," telling a tale of violence, retribution, and much broken furniture.

"Seein' them stupid young'ns tearin' up that bar was 'bout all a man kin bear,"said Gus, sliding a battered shotgun from his substantial collection of jangling accoutrements. "I din't see no choice but ta show dem boys a fella means business when it come ta his booze."

Chiggins went on to verify previously sketchy witness reports stating that the cantankerous old man attempted a defense of the bar. His first shot managed to clip one "Tex," a juve from the 7th AWR gang, rendering the youth unconscious and tumbling across the bar floor where he remained for the duration of the battle.

Unfortunately for the Last Stop Inn's stalwart defender, whilst attempting to reload his old shotgun, Chiggins suffered a minor setback.

"Well, I was standin' up on the bar after one'a dem bastards put some buckshot inta me shoulder and knocked me about a meter back trew th'air. I broke the breech open and load a'coupla shells up in it, slam it shut and I'll be a sump-rat's next-door neighbor if'n BOTH'a them dam-ned shells didn't go off."

Chiggins said that although he was rendered unconscious by his wounds, he was astonished to wake up and find his right leg and foot still largely undamaged. This reporter suspects Chiggins's home-made ammunition to be the only reason that the "Old Prospector" is still drawing breath, but Gus swears upon the God-Emperor's Holy Throne that he was blessed with a miracle that day, and has made it his mission to pursue the area's feuding gangs into Subsector 19 and administer the "workin' man's justice unto them stupid, air-ra-gint boys."

Out of concern for Mr. Chiggins's well-being (and quite honestly the safety of our party), the OI-FU have taken on the old character as a fellow traveler as we wind our way down to The Collapse. As always, this reporter will bring you up-to-the-minute developments in this story as they take place.

++ NMI Clashes with Unknown Opponents ++

++ For Immediate Release ++

"Scoop" Yurik, staff writer
Once again the Nex Manus Imperator has made bold moves toward fulfilling their self-proclaimed crusade, as they engaged their purple-clad adversaries in combat. This skirmish was ended with another brutally hard-fought defeat for the group, alleged to be the 7th Ash Waste Rifles, a gang composed primarily of remnants of the eponymous Necromunda Planetary Defense Force regiment. These former soldiers, recruited from House Van Saar, have been hell-bent on enacting justice against the hive for the events of more than five planetary cycles ago, when an unusually hellish ash storm claimed the lives of nearly 80 percent of the regiment.

This grim determination has so far served the 7th AWR quite well in their battles in Sump's Drift, and despite their losses to the Cawdor zealots they remain a truly intimidating force.

Many Drifters have expressed their concern over the escalating feud between the two houses. Among their concerns was the very real fear that the already-strained Enforcer patrols could easily be over-powered or eliminated by an ambitious gang, leaving Sump's Drift as easy prey for Scavvies or other undesirables. Marshal Hadrian Turterra of Enforcer Precinct 08 was unavailable for comment, but his previous statements leave little doubt that all efforts are being made to protect the citizens of Sector 855.

In related news, this reporter has managed to find a security detail for a journey into Subsector 19 and The Collapse. The Orlock Iron-Forge Union has offered their services as bodyguards to myself and my pictographist for the duration of our in-depth reports from The Collapse. Rest assured we will do our utmost to provide you, the citizens of Sump's Drift (and indeed all of Necromunda), with the latest details of what may prove to be the greatest saga to emerge from Sector N-UH-855.

May the Emperor protect us. "Scoop" Yurik out.

++ Commercia Guild Market: One-Stop Shopping ++

++ Paid Advertisement ++

While living in the Underhive can be challenging, recent events have made life in Sump's Drift especially harrowing. Recent Scavvy attacks, the death of Guilder Kurt Gupta and news of the riches beyond The Collapse, and the impending plague of Necromundan rats have all conspired to create a rather dangerous time for all Drifters.

The Merchant Guild of Necromunda at Sump's Drift reminds all citizens of Sump's Drift that the Commercia Guild Market is still the place to meet all of your self-defense needs. We deal in everything from compact stub-guns to full-auto heavy bolters, and just about anything in between. We are always interested in your business as a trader or seller as well as a buyer, and while the Merchant Guild does not endorse illegal salvage operations, we are always happy to appraise and purchase archeotech or other gear that may find its way to any Commercia stall.

So please visit the Commerica Market for reliable and affordable weaponry, equipment, and to trade any rare or unusual items that you may find. Remember, until Enforcer Marshal Turterra has re-established Enforcer jurisdiction in Subsector 19 or The Collapse, you will only find our services and products in Sump's Drift.

++ End Advertisement ++

++ HEALTH HAZARD: RAT SWARM ++

*****SECTOR WARNING*****
Sector N-UH-855 Enforcer Precinct 08, Marshal Turterra cmdg.

Threat Level: Moderate
Threat Direction: Sectors N-UH-853:854 to 855 [traveling uphive]
Threat Summary: Large swarms of Necromundan rats reported moving uphive fleeing fire in Sector N-UH-853

Citizens are hereby warned that large swarms of Necromundan rats have been reported in Sector 853 and 854, and are expected to continue through 855. Sector N-UH-853 reported a total plasma core failure within an algae processing plant at approximately 17:15 yesterday, with extensive fire damage and several uncontrolled blazes. Fire spread to a neighboring paint factory which housed improperly sealed containers (model GW-CB "flip tops" and GW-SW "twist tops", both recalled by Guild Edict- the plant has been fined 500 credits). The resulting explosion collapsed nearly a quarter of the sector and exposed a hidden rat hive-nest. The massive hive contained at least seven rat colonies with conservative estimates at around 1,000 rats total.

Rats should be considered extremely dangerous and killed on sight by legally sanctioned Enforcers of the Imperium. Citizens are ordered to avoid the rats and remain indoors until the threat passes. Citizens are reminded that Necromundan rats act as vectors for the "zombie plague" and that there is no known treatment or cure. Citizens with rat bites are required by law to report to a magistrate or Guilder for quarantine.

ADDENDUM, Marshal Turterra - While it is generally advised that citizens take all precautions to avoid contact with dangerous wildlife, Enforcer Precinct 08 is still experiencing a manpower shortage and is seeking healthy, strong men and women to report as part of Exterminatus teams. Weapons will be provided on a first-come first-served basis, but it is strongly encouraged that volunteers bring weapons and ammunition in sufficient supply to hunt several dozen rats.

*****END WARNING*****

+++++Paid Advertisement Follows+++++
Rats got you down? Lost your job to a factory fire? Remember, Friends- Uncle Benso pays Good Hard Credits for rat meat, so grab your stubber and bring 'em on in!

Benso's SecondHand Pizza: Always Hot... And Sometimes It's Even Fresh!
+++++End Advertisement+++++

++ Local Inebriate: 'dem Boys Shot m'Bottle! ++

Breaking news:

"Scoop" Yurik, staff writer
The quiet night-cycle air of Sump's Drift was rudely disturbed by gunfire as two local gangs met up in the ruins of an old algae-processing plant at the edge of town. Earlier that evening on my way to the Last Stop Inn, I was accosted by "Ol' Prospector" Gus Chiggins, a well-known drinking enthusiast, who had this to say:

"Hey there, mister newsman, there - I seen sommat you might'a wanna seen! Them gangers is havin' themselves a tussle an' I only juss' got out after they shot my bottl'a'Wildsnake clean outta my 'and! They're goin' plain crazy at each other! C'mon, c'mon! Yer' gon' miss the whol' thing!"

Indeed. It seemed that Mr. Chiggins had scarcely avoided becoming collateral damage in the savage skirmish, and this reporter had little choice but to follow the source's weaving footsteps back to the fracas.

At the plant, the fighting was indeed just as fierce as described, and the air was criss-crossed with fire from all manner of weapons. Though the field was liberally covered in gun-smoke, two distinct parties could be made out, and while their militaristic, violet-clad opponents remain unidentified, this reporter conclusively witnessed the brethren of the Nex Manus Imperator enacting their "holy war."

While most events of the skirmish were difficult to perceive from a safe distance, the fighting was prolonged, brutal, and decidedly loud. In the end, red-swathed forms emerged from the haze, an eerie chant of victory issuing from the Cawdor gang as this reporter made his way back to civilization. While their opponents were unquestionably tenacious, Nex Manus Imperator has certainly forged a dangerous reputation for themselves.

++ ENFORCER BLOTTER ++

++ Sector N-UH-855, "Sump's Drift," Precinct 08, Marshal H. Turterra cmdg. ++

- Patrol dispatched to Last Stop Inn in response to reports of violent inebriates. Upon arrival officers dispersed the patrons of the establishment and arrested four individuals who were in the midst of a brawl. All four individuals were incarcerated overnight in a detox cell, fined 10 Credits apiece, and released.

- Six juves apprehended whilst attempting to vandalize Enforcer property. The individuals are believed to be part of a group seeking admission to one or more local gangs, but it is unknown at this time which groups sponsored the vandals. Juves were released with written warning.

- Patrol dispatched to Benso's Second-Hand Pizza in response to reports of indecent exposure. Upon arrival officers were unable to locate reported individual but took statements from 10 (ten) witnesses. Sketch artists have begun compiling a probable image of the alleged offender.

- Gunfire reported near collapse in Subsector 19. Enforcer jurisdiction has been suspended below Sector 855 until further notice from Marshal Turterra.

++ Reputable Guide for Hire ++

Public Notice:

Damien Walks-in-Shadow of Sump's Drift, Ratskin Scout. Offering services as a tracker, guide, and if needed, a fighter for any parties headed to The Collapse. Has knowledge of Subsector 19 and many years experience in the service of many Guilders and gangers alike.

Will supply weapons and skills given a hiring fee of no less than 15 Credits per day.

Interested parties may leave word here or find Damien at Fuller Grim's "Last Stop Inn" at Sump's Drift. Any and all future notices of availability will be posted here.

++ Manpower Crunch means no Enforcers ++

"Scoop" Yurik, staff writer
Enforcer Marshal Hadrian Turterra has issued a warning to any member of the public considering the journey downhive to search for riches:

"All citizens of Sump's Drift must be advised that, following a recent string of surprise raids and ambushes by Scavvy gangs on local settlements and travellers, Enforcer casualties have been severe. The deaths and medical retirements of so many officers means that there are not enough patrols in place to allow an adequate Enforcer presence in the collapse site or immediate vicinities.

Citizens are strongly advised to avoid these areas until such time as an Enforcer patrol can be dedicated full-time to these areas. Should any citizen venture outside Sector 855, they must be prepared to defend themselves and their property, and must realize there is a very real risk of bodily harm or even death."

Despite the very real presence of dangerous persons, this reporter is preparing to venture into what is commonly being called "The Collapse" in the next week-cycle. Reports will be issued directly from Subsector 19, provided a suitable security detail can be found and hired.

++ House Cawdor announces "Holy Crusade" ++

*******CONFIRMED REPORT*******
For Immediate Release:

"Scoop" Yurik, staff reporter
According to House Cawdor contacts within Sump's Drift, the following statement was released to the general public:

"In the name of beloved GOD-EMPEROR and his Righteous and All-Encompassing Fury, local acolytes and brothers of the Almighty House Cawdor have been summoned by their True Unyielding Faith to seek out any and all Holy Relics and eliminate all Unclean and Unfaithful that may jeopardize PURITY in Sump's Drift and all territories nearby.

The Crusading Gang of NEX MANUS IMPERATOR has been blessed and ordained to fulfill their Most Holy of Duties and shall not fail in their role as a Tool of the GOD-EMPEROR."

Crusade Patron Father Benedictus released the following decree before his brethren:
"We shall leave no dome untouched in our great task. The mutant shall burn; the wych shall burn; the heretic shall burn. We shall embody the Purgatus in our work. Let no man stand before us with defiance in his soul; he shall be set alight with the purging flame of the God-Emperor's divine wrath."

When pressed for further comment, Benedictus threatened this reporter with "a bit of personal penitence" and ignited the pilot light on a compact flame pistol. From the shelter of a local holestead's refuse bin, this reporter observed no less than eleven red-robed fanatics including the Father engage in a brief yet violently passionate observance of faith, then quickly mobilized, leaving Sump's Drift via the main roadway toward's Benso's Second-Hand Pizza stand.

Suffice to say, there is no further information at this time, and this reporter advises extreme caution if the Nex Manus Imperator are sighted.

++ Benso: "Guilder shot in Gang Fight" ++

*******UNCONFIRMED REPORT*******

For Immediate Release:

Stehfan R., staff writer
Hiver Benso Felohm reports that while on a routine harvesting expedition for Sump consumables for his bio-recycling restaurant "Benso's Second-Hand Pizza" he encountered a minor skirmish between rival Cawdor and Delaque gangs. Gang markings were unclear and the fighting fierce with at least one ganger reported dead. Benso claims to have seen Kurt Gupta caught in the firefight while trying to loot a fallen Cawdor. Gupta may have taken a round from stray crossfire and fled the scene. Benso soon followed but reported that the gang fight was likely a draw and that the Cawdor Juves were "the bravest, dumbest bastards in the Hive."
This reporter feels that, given Benso's reputation, this information should be considered reliable.

++MISSING GUILDER CONFIRMED DEAD++

++ SUMP'S DRIFT, Sector N-UH-855 ++

0403 cycle hours

Merchant Guild confirms death of Kurt Gupta, Representative 5086 following his disappearance and subsequent discovery near access tunnels believed to lead past a previously impregnable dome collapse. Gupta received grievous lacerations and puncture wounds which proved terminal.

Local rumor indicates Gupta delirious and raving immediately before death; reported discovery of new route through collapsed areas. Sump's Drift Enforcer Precinct unable to confirm nor deny location or route of supposed access.

Remaining Guild Representatives instructed to actively suppress rumors, mobilize scavenger teams; probability of containment expected to be very low.

++ WANTED: SALVAGE GANGS ++

+ ATTENTION ALL CITIZENS OF SUMP'S DRIFT!!! +

All Central House Representatives are seeking good men and women to confirm existence of alleged access routes to the lost domes.

Items retrieved from Guilder Gupta's person before his death believed to be archeotech - practically unheard of in Sump's Drift. Maps provided by Ratskins seem to indicate possible workshop or storehouse housing machinery or technology.

Houses shall organize gangs to report downhive to SECTOR N-UH-856-S19. Advise long-term provisions and durable equipment. Strongly advise highly reliable weaponry and ammunition - Enforcer jurisdiction has not been established.

All interested House members shall furnish rosters of salvage gangs and local House holdings. Gangs shall be compensated financially.