Xenos Hunters Session 26

#XenosHunters
	-->|	YOU (antoine) have joined #XenosHunters
	-->|	Sinbad (chatzilla@sux-3EA967AA.bootp.virginia.edu) has joined #XenosHunters
	-->|	Omniel (Scoops@33D98D9E.C66052A.A1A45B54.IP) has joined #XenosHunters
	antoine	As a portion of the wall comes crumbling down to form a small pile on the desert floor the dust settles to reveal the interior of the building. It is analogous to a warehouse of some kind, with a domed ceiling, a wide open entrance to the left and Tau designed cargo containers strewn across the ground. On the opposite side of the building there is a second floor that can be walked up to via...
	antoine	...a staircase hugging the opposite curved wall, the second floor and the bulbous containers resting on it are clearly visible with no walls surrounding them. However the most pressing concern is the battle taking place. Directly in front of you is a motley band of human fighters hiding behind cargo crates and to the left are Tau warriors hiding behind their own defensive line of cover.
	antoine	The humans are led by a man dressed as a colonel, an unconscious Tau ethereal lies at his feet. Oriel with Decimus close on his heels dash to the human controlled side to link up with these kidnappers.
	=-=	antoine has changed the topic to “Sinbad, Omniel, NPC's, Navarre, NPC's, Balmung, NPC's, Belle, NPC's”
	Sinbad	does a jump pack hop over to the human colonel
	Sinbad	"Mortal man, are you Loyalist, or Xenophilious?"
	antoine	The Colonel fires his plasma pistol at the Tau forces before turning, straight backed his ice blue eyes are framed by a face covered by a disdainful sneer, "I serve the Immortal Throne."
	Sinbad	"Then I shall protect you and your quarry."
	Sinbad	raises his Stalker bolter and raises it at the Tau, acting as a giant man-shield for the advance of his allies
	Sinbad	issues a blaring call through his helmet speakers in a strange language
	Bellerophon	++Good news, Brothers! The Emperor has graced us with a bounty of targets!++
	Balmung	laughs over the vox
	Navarre	++Well then, we should best get too it before the mortals finish them++
	Omniel	dispenses with chatter entirely, simply bringing up his bolter and loosing a stream of automatic fire towards the Tau.
	antoine	A portion of one of the two Tau groups is removed by Omniel's bolter fire.
	antoine	Patriclus, leaps over the rubble and into cover with the other humans before blind firing a shot at the Tau with his bolter.
	Balmung	returns to the rest of the squad in the building ++There are multiple battlesuits APCs and tanks out there++
	=-=	antoine has changed the topic to “Sinbad, Omniel, NPC's, Balmung, NPC's, Navarre, NPC's, Belle, NPC's”
	antoine	Decimus sprays the enemy with his bolter from beside Oriel.
	antoine	He clips one of the enemy warriors but does little damage overall.
	antoine	A group of drones buzz as they flit around, diving through the wide door opposite of the Imperial lines.
	Navarre	will do likewise as the rest, switching to metal storm rounds and peppering the tau lines!
	antoine	The shattering rounds tear down a whole section of the Tau warrior's line.
	antoine	Soon after two groups of insectoid flyers follow the drones in before landing to join the Tau lines.
	antoine	The tribal warriors Sinbad brought with him start to slink into the room, trying to stick to cover and hide their approach but they are soon spotted by the enemy
	antoine	The Tau squad that had been harassed by the Kill Team start to fall back, obviously cowed by superior Imperial weaponry.
	antoine	The Tau turn their rifles on the tribal humans soon to flank their position, the ignorant brutes wear little more than hides and are no match for the technologically advanced weapons, losing a several score of their men and women to enemy fire.
	antoine	Oriel shouts over the battle noise "Colonel, well done. Friendly forces are on their way, we must hold until they arrive and we can safely extract the prize."
	antoine	"Understood Inquisitor." the Colonel nods and calls out to his men, "Ox, Brains, Grease Monkey and Scope focus on the fire warriors. Rocket girl and fingers get ready for armour."
	antoine	Fingers*
	Bellerophon	++Pay attention, Brothers. This is how you use a weapon.++
	Bellerophon	lowers himself and his exquisite heavy bolter into his firing stance, spends a few seconds letting his autosenses aquire the 5 squads worth of targets, and opens fire.
	Navarre	++Impressive.++
	antoine	Bellerophon's wild spray catches a few of each enemy group visible to the squad, pitching drones and Vespid from the air, and pulverising Tau on the ground.
	antoine	The avian Kroot rush through the wide opening to join the Tau Warriors while a group of five battlesuits hop into the room, each wielding an oval shield on their left arm and a sword on their right. Each of them are also followed by a field projecting drone.
	antoine	The Colonel's men's shooting is way off, the heavy stubber fire goes wide and lasgun shots hit cover instead of enemies.
	antoine	A hammerhead gunship lowers itself down to less than a meter off of the floor as it pushes its nose into the room.
	antoine	The turrent turns to track the Kill Team.
	antoine	turret*
	antoine	A high penetration round flies out of the elongated barrel to speed towards Navarre, the Imperial Fist barely rolls his shoulder back in time and the shot smashes through the wall behind him.
	Sinbad	takes off helmet and yells to the men behind him
	Sinbad	"FAITH IN THE THRONE! KILL THE XENOS! GLORY TO THE MARTYRED SOULS!"
	Sinbad	raises his Stalker slightly to fire at one of the shield drones
	Bellerophon	++Balmung, Omniel, focus on their skimmer-tank. I will engage their battlesuits and avenge my earlier setback. Brother-Apothecary, ensure the kroot met their end at your hands and bolter.++
	Balmung	++Good of you to get a leg up on the situation++
	Bellerophon	++Sinbad, ensure the survival of the captured tau and do what you can in regards to their tank.++
	Sinbad	++Oh /my/.++
	Navarre	++Consider them dead, then.++ One Imperial Fist against a bunch of Kroo? Easy.
	Omniel	changes tactics, switching to the missile launcher to engage the skimmertank. ++Target acquiered.++
	antoine	The missile flies true but bounces off the vehicle's front armour, spiraling up into the roof, blasting a chunk of it away.
	antoine	Patriclus grips his votive covered bolter, spraying his weapon at the target his master was unable to hit, continuing the misfortune by missing as well.
	Omniel	++Brothers, my sensors are picking up a considerable amount of interference. I believe there may be stealth units operating nearby.++
	Sinbad	++Good notice, Brother Techamarine.++
	Bellerophon	++Verily.++
	Navarre	++More goodnews.++
	Balmung	jumps on a hammerhead and attempts to pry one of the hatches open
	antoine	Slowly but surely the grunting Space Wolf peels back one of the hatches, the twisted metal being discarded to reveal a pilot and gunner sitting inside the vehicle, eyes bulging at the seemingly impossible happening before them.
	antoine	Decimus pokes out of cover to spray an enemy shield drone
	antoine	A blue light flickers around it briefly but is brushed aside as the bolts slam home and destroy it.
	Navarre	takes aim at the Kroot squad and opens fire, as commanded!
	antoine	The Kroot lose almost a third of their numbers to Navarre's fire, the metal storm rounds continuing their heavy toll on the enemy.
	antoine	The insectoid xenos leap up and swarm down onto the ethereal, multiple creatures picking up the body and preparing to retreat while the others engage those nearby with their weapons.
	Sinbad	flies back into the path of the Vespid creatures, overtaking them and brandishing his fists before them and their quarry
	antoine	Sinbad's tribal warriors break from their cover and charge into the Kroot and Tau warriors, they do poorly against the Kroot but mop up the remaining fire warriors easily. Hammers rise and fall to pulverise while swords flash and primitive arrows puncture soft spots in the xeno's armour.
	antoine	Oriel takes a hit from the strange insectoid spiecies weapons, almost knocking him to the ground.
	antoine	Oriel snarls, drawing a rod from his belt from which a sharp steel tip extends. "Know your place foul xenos!" The leader of the vespids flies over to Oriel before impaling itself on the weapon in the Inquisitor's hand.
	Sinbad	looks and gapes inside of his helmet
	Sinbad	++They actually know their place!++
	antoine	The Kroot manage to hold the hide covered warriors in combat but make little headway against their superior numbers.
	antoine	Xavier and the other human fighters engage the insects in melee but don't kill many. The colonel, locked in mortal combat, calls out "Rocket Girl, hit that tank!"
	Balmung	"YOU HIT ME WITH THAT ROCKET AND I WILL RIP OFF YOUR HEAD MORTAL!"
	antoine	The woman lies up the shot, the missile hits the vehicle, bouncing off into the ground and shaking it but doing little else.
	antoine	lines up*
	antoine	"Damnit" she curses, "Fingers, fill my hole with another of your special loads."
	Bellerophon	turns his hateful glare towards the battlesuits and kills 'em all
	antoine	Four of the Tau battlesuits are blown to pieces, the heavy bolter making a mockery of the heavy armoured suit. The remaining drones congregate on the survivor who fire his jets and charges into Bellerophon.
	Bellerophon	tucks and combat rolls out of the way deftly
	antoine	The hammerhead fires wildly with its burst cannon and railgun, smashing more of the walls behind the Imperial lines to pieces.
	Sinbad	slides over to the Vespid xenos, grabbing one, then with a series of lightning slaps and claps in the eyes of his opponents, replaces the Ethereal with one of their own
	Omniel	frowns, realizing how thick the tank's armour must be. Scanning the area, he decides to obtain the high ground, launching his grapnel to lift himself up above the war machine before loosing a second missile towards what he hopes is a more vulnerable spot.
	antoine	The backwash from the missile stirs up dust and debris but it does not flow as it should, it flows around something, like the air is being displaced by something.
	Omniel	++The dust reveals their treachery.++
	Bellerophon	++I am otherwise occupied, Brother. The others must heed your call, for now.++
	Navarre	++I will take the cowards.++
	antoine	From this displacement of air four cannons roar a rain of shells at the Techmarine's back while another rifle fires a slug that goes wide.
	antoine	Patriclus slings his bolter over his shoulder and draws one of Sinbad's old combat knives, he begins to cut his way towards his master in a desperate assault.
	Balmung	balmung drops a frag grenade down the newly created door on the take and leaps off with his jump pack blasting away towards the stealth suits
	Balmung	a loud bang can be heard from inside the tank and smoke rises out of the hole
	antoine	Decimus moves to place himself between Oriel and the insect warriors, his powerblade cutting down several of the beasts
	-->|	Staffen (Anselm@sux-B6870B50.hsd1.il.comcast.net) has joined #XenosHunters
	=-=	Staffen is now known as Anselm
	antoine	A squad of rag tag fighters emerge from a hole blow by the railgun in the wall behind your lines. They carry missile launchers and lasguns but wear civilian clothes over bulky underclothes or armour of some kind. The humans sprint towards the nearest cover, setting up a new line of defense behind your lines.
	antoine	blown open*
	=-=	antoine has changed the topic to “Sinbad, Anselm, Omniel, NPC's, Balmung, NPC's, Navarre, NPC's, Belle, NPC's”
	antoine	Without their commander the insects go crazy, half of them start to dig into the desert floor, diving beneath the sands and burrowing into the earth. The others begin attacking each other, the flutter of wings and slash of claws coming to your ears in a frenzy of battle.
	antoine	The Promen gain an advantage and drive off most of the Kroot.
	antoine	Oriel clutches his side as he uses his weapon to stay upright.
	antoine	The original human fighters fall back from the melee to link up with Sinbad and cover the prize they have fought so hard for.
	antoine	The Colonel shouts "Last Chancers to me! Let the aliens destroy themselves.
	antoine	"
	Bellerophon	clips his heavy bolter to his chest in less time than it takes an eye to blink, and fluidly draws his combat knife and bolt pistol. He crashes into the battlesuit, trying to pin one of its servo-feet with his good foot as he tries to drive his combat knife into an arm to lock it up as he shoves the barrel of his bolt pistol into the tau's face, and fires.
	antoine	The knife is turned aside by a shimmering blue protective shield but the mighty thrust still overloads the xenos device, the bolt pistol rattles off a group of shots that take off the head of the crisis battlesuit and leave a gaping wound in its chest. The walker falls to its knees before keeling over and collapsing into the sand covered floor.
	Sinbad	looks about the crazed xenos insect-men about him, then kicks a few over in his way to make his way over to Patriclus, going to a kneel and flying his camo cloak
	Anselm	dives through an opening in the dome's ceiling, pitching himself to curve his flight path -- he outstretches his power sword and rockets for the stealth suit grouping.
	Anselm	runs a Tau through his blade and crashes through him, pulping the xeno before rolling to safety on his landing.
	Anselm	++Honoriae omnius vincitus!++
	Balmung	++Nice of you to join us++
	Anselm	snorts over the vox. ++I have prevented xeno-artillery from entering the fray. Be grateful!++
	Omniel	shifts the weight of his launcher to one arm while drawing his bolter with the other, spraying a burst of return fire at one of the indistinct figures.
	Balmung	++Why is it that the young ones never learn of sarcasm?++
	antoine	A hazy shape leaps from the second story, briefly revealing its shape, a tall suit with a circular shield and a strange rifle on either arm. It lands in the sand next to the vespid, suddenly some kind of grenade is released by several hatches embedded in its armour.
	Navarre	++Perhaps because they believe they already know everything?++
	Balmung	grunts ++Sounds about right++
	antoine	The grenades scatter over the area nearby with no visible explosion occuring.
	antoine	The other stealth suits turn and fire on Anselm
	antoine	Anselm is too quick however and the shots go wide.
	antoine	As Sinbad dodges away from a grenade he reveals Patriclus and the Ethereal
	antoine	herp derp retcon (Sinbad took the blast, no reveal)
	antoine	Sinbad and Navarre are blasted by the EMP grenades, their armour goes dead and the heavy weight bears down on their superhuman physiques.
	Balmung	fires his melta at the new figure in the room
	antoine	Decimus takes his powersword in a two handed grip and charges the oversized battlesuit, scoring a solid hit on the Tau.
	Navarre	finds everything going dark. No communications. No nothing. Except some fierce and furious swearing from the Imperial Fist.
	Navarre	Which is finally heard as he manages to remove his helmet. For the sake of younger attendees, the swearing will not be repeated.
	antoine	The vespid warriors continue to fight amoungst themselves, their numbers thinning.
	antoine	The human squad behind your lines charge forwards towards the Kill Team, their two missile launchers fire krak missiles at Omniel which corkscrew and miss. The other run towards you, their shirts being torn off and detonators linked to the explosives on their chests are gripped tightly in their hands.
	Balmung	growls and snarls
	antoine	The men detonate themselves when they close on your lines, promethium, shrapnel and melta charges splash the floor with flame and death. The one who approaches Oriel however stops in his tracks, his begins to bleed from his eyes, mouth, nose and ears before falling face down into the hot sandy floor.
	antoine	Even the Tau commander battlesuit is rocked back by the unexpected blast
	Bellerophon	is rocked by explosions, although his armor seems to be sealed yet
	antoine	The Colonel and his men are hit by one of the blast, most of them are knocked out or burned, the survivors including the Colonel and a big brute called Ox pull the others to safety.
	Balmung	roars as someone explodes next to him
	Navarre	takes a bit of shrapnel, cutting across his forehead.
	antoine	Xavier moves back to the Inquisitor, where the ground isn't covered in burning promethium and the Promen wail in surprise at the massive explosions rocking the building, the last of the Kroot lie dead at their feet.
	Bellerophon	slots his hand weapons back into their protective coverings as the machine spirit of the heavy bolter unclips itself, falling into Bellerophon's waiting hands. Walking towards the crisis suit, firing all the while, each step a labor as the punishing recoil of the heavy bolter tries to slam him back
	antoine	The force field is torn asunder as is the physical shield that the commander move up to cover his body. The left arm is ripped off before he raises his right arm to fire back, the continuous peppering of rounds throw that arm back and the advanced battlesuit is thrown back into the sand, a high pitched whine is heard before the suit detonates in a massive explosion.
	antoine	Decimus is thrown backwards by the blast, he crashes into a pile of cargo containers, displacing them across the room.
	Sinbad	is on his hands and knees, holding the edges of his much-abused camo-cloak to the ground with what mobility still remains in his armor
	antoine	Decimus lies prone on the ground, not moving.
	Sinbad	"Patriclus! Cover behind me!"
	antoine	The sound of the second skimmer is curiously absent now.
	Anselm	opens up on the stealth suits with the aim of ending them and moving to other tasks.
	antoine	Anselm terribly wounds two but they still stand
	Omniel	revs up his drill and wades in, not wanting to risk a friendly fire incident with so few opponents remaining.
	antoine	The remaining stealth suits haze disappears as they likely retreat out of a hole blow in the side of the building. You were victorious but the domed building looks like it has been subject to a cataclysmic event. Not surprising considering wherever your Kill Team goes, destruction follows. The building crumbles around you, burning promethium covers much of the ground, the dead and dying are...
	antoine	...retrieved by comrades and brought to relative safety.
	Bellerophon	++Navarre, tend to Decimus.++
	Sinbad	, in several more seconds, begins to recover the machine spirits of his armor and stands, testing his joints, then applies his restraints to the Ethereal creature
	Anselm	kicks over the stealth suit he killed on entry, examining it. ++Not much worth taking as a trophy on this one...++
	Omniel	swoops down on his grapnel to assist Sinbad and Navarre.
	Sinbad	walks over to Patriclus, then regroups with Omniel to walk to Navarre
	Balmung	checks for any more Tau hiding the building
	Bellerophon	checks in with Oriel, for he was visibly in pain
	antoine	Oriel uses his spiked weapon as a crutch, he holds his side as he raises himself to his feet.
	Bellerophon	and/or pulls him up
	Anselm	steps up to Sinbad. ++Brother,++ he says, noting the Ethereal. ++This is the target?++
	antoine	The Colonel calls out to him "Inquisitor, my men are hurt, they and the prisoner need to be extracted."
	Sinbad	nods
	Sinbad	"Surprisingly, this weakling thing slept through all the violence. We should regroup our wounds and make haste from here, Brother."
	Navarre	lurches slowly to the rest. "Walking in this unpowered dross is trying! Omniel! I need to see if you can restart my power pack..." He has helmet in hand. "I cannot treat anyone until I am powered again."
	Anselm	grumbles in acknowledgement.
	Balmung	++The Tau won't take kindly to us kidnapping their leader we should leave before they return in greater number++
	Bellerophon	++Yes. Tend to our numbers; we must make haste before the news of this skirmish reaches Tau command.++
	antoine	A small framed vox operator with the Colonel remarks, "That is because I gave him enough sedative to take down a ogyrn."
	Balmung	++Ironleg contact the Watch Captain and request a thunderhawk or valkyrie++
	antoine	Oriel, stumbles forward to the suicide bomber he killed, he leans down and places a hand on the mans head.
	Sinbad	"Is good. I find it so easy to keep this thing restrained."
	Bellerophon	changes his vox frequency to the command channel
	Bellerophon	++Captain, this is Bellerophon. We have met with Oriel and the other human elements and successfully fended off their assault. The tau leader is in our position and lives yet. We need immediate extraction before they return.++
	Navarre	soon powers up and places on his helmet. Time to treat the wounded.
	Anselm	++How, pray-tell, are we to be extracted from this pit? Our way here is likely on the currents of the Warp as we speak...++
	antoine	"These were chaos worshipers..." Oriel remarks in a troubled tone.
	Omniel	begins to dig through some of the wreckage, hoping to add a shield drone to his collection of Xenos artifacts.
	Anselm	sharply turns his head to the Inquisitor.
	Anselm	"What did you just say?..."
	Bellerophon	++I thought we had eliminated them all.++
	Bellerophon	++Clearly the corruption runs deeper than I had thought.++
	Bellerophon	++Perhaps, Omniel, the larger suit possesses more valuable secrets.++
	Omniel	++If we could transport it, of course.++
	Balmung	++We need to get the xenos clear then we come back and purge the traitors++
	Bellerophon	++Then maybe only the choice peices of its armor can be retrieved.++
	Anselm	++No,++ Anselm snaps. ++There will be no more of that. I will stay here and look into this immediately. It cannot be ignored.++
	Bellerophon	++A ship is inbound for our extraction.++
	Bellerophon	announces to everyone
	antoine	Oriel stands, leaving the body to the desert floor.
	Anselm	immediately bursts into a sprint, kicking up dust and dirt behind him.
	Bellerophon	retuns his vox
	Balmung	cocks his head and looks at Anselm
	Balmung	++What are you doing?++
	Navarre	is busily treating Decimus, as the marine seems to be the most injured.
	antoine	Oriel blurts out an answer as the pain of his wounds weaken him, "Those missile soldiers escaped."
	antoine	He points to the rear of the building, where several holes are present.
	Navarre	would notice said wounds and as soon as he was done with Decimus, would move along to Oriel. ++Inquisitor, if I may.++
	Anselm	is already off in that direction...
	Balmung	follows Anselm
	antoine	Oriel nods to Navarre in thanks
	antoine	Anselm and Balmung exit the rear of the building, the two men have dropped their missile launchers and are running but you soon overtake one each.
	antoine	Oriel gasps, a mask of horror crossing his face, he turns to Brains the vox operator "Pattern Obsidian, NOW!"
	Sinbad	flies over to Oriel in a flash, still carrying the xenos leader
	Sinbad	"What is that, and what must we do, Lord Inquisitor?"
	Sinbad	issues a blurt to the air to the natives
	antoine	Brains calls out over the vox "Pattern Obsidian confirmed, the Inquisitor wants him now."
	Omniel	++What is the ETA on our extraction, Brothers?++
	antoine	Oriel clutches his head in pain, "Chaos is here, a frigate is close, I can feel the disturbance."
	Bellerophon	++Captain Oeris moves with a captured Tau transport. His arrival is iminent.++
	antoine	The Promen recover their dead and wounded and form up around them.
	antoine	Balmung and Anselm capture the two men, easily restraining them.
	antoine	Brains calls out to the Inquisitor, "The Rogue Trader's fleet is on its way at best speed."
	Omniel	++Is there room on the transport for our spoils? I will prepare the battlesuit if possible.++
	Bellerophon	++The Captain said it was one of their larger, boxy transports.++
	Anselm	++Damn your filthy xeno-tech!++ Anselm barks, coming back with a man clutched in his hand by the waist. ++There are far more severe things at work here!++
	Bellerophon	++I am unaware of its cargo capacity, if any at all.++
	Navarre	++I am unaware that the tau have a boxy transport.++
	Navarre	++Unless it is an orca...++
	Omniel	++I appreciate your input, Brother Anselm, but I have duties to uphold as well.++
	Omniel	gets to work on pulling the battlesuit out of the rubble and preparing it to be loaded.
	Bellerophon	++In his words, "large and rectangular."++
	Anselm	holds out the man to Oriel. "What would you have of this one?"
	antoine	Oriel shakes his head clear of his pain and takes the man's head in his hand.
	Omniel	stops what he's doing. ++Brothers, I don't mean to alarm you, but I've intercepted a vox transmission regarding a lance strike. I cannot say as to its origin, but perhaps finding cover would be a prudent decision.++
	antoine	He grips tightly before suddenly his hands fly off, "Argh, his mind has been conditioned."
	Balmung	++We should probably leave++
	antoine	Oriel turns to Omniel, "That would be prudent." before he starts to limp out the way you originally came from
	Bellerophon	++I agree.++
	antoine	The penal legionnaires group around his and follow
	Omniel	++...Am I to assume the lance strike has to do with Pattern Obsidian?++
	Omniel	looks askance at the fallen battlesuit before following along.
	antoine	"They have not arrived yet, it must by the chaos frigate."
	antoine	"Hence my fear."
	Navarre	++Cover for a lance strike? You ever see one from the ground? That's several kilometer's blown away in an instant. We will have to hope that the orca arrives in time.++
	Balmung	++Aye++
	Balmung	++I have witnessed many from the ground and orbit but I do not wish to witness one from the epicenter++
	Omniel	++Agreed.++
	Navarre	++What is the captain's ETA?++
	Sinbad	walks over to Oriel
	antoine	Suddenly a bright light eclipses all else, over 5 km away in the middle of the desert a lance strike hits, obliterating huge chunks of earth and turning 1 square kilometer of sand into glass.
	Sinbad	"Is there nothing we can do? Or may we simply stand and await their targeting array to close in on us?"
	Omniel	++Their aim appears to be poor.++
	Sinbad	yells another stream of strange language
	antoine	The sound hits you a moment later, a keening and a rush of wind before a roar of sounds that almost deafens you.
	Omniel	braces himself with his servo-arm.
	antoine	A rolling cloud of sand is sent out towards you.
	Navarre	++They missed. As for what we could do, we could try and run. Could we cover the ground needed with wounded? Or we could try and go down, but as it is... this is a particularily terrible position to withstand a siege from a lance.++
	Sinbad	stands before Oriel from the sandblast
	=-=	Bellerophon is now known as Mark|Out
	Sinbad	++We could not cover enough ground. If a single lance hits this dome, then we will still be too close to the epicenter.++
	Omniel	++There is a second shot incoming...++
	Omniel	++And they are targeting us, specifically.++
	Balmung	++Omniel can you get the train working?++
	Anselm	++Joy.++
	Navarre	++Well, gentlemen. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve beside you.++
	Balmung	++We're not dead yet old man!++
	Omniel	++The question is whether I can have the train operational in time. Let us hope so.++
	Omniel	hurries to the train, prepping his tools on the way.
	Anselm	++I, for one, refuse to be killed by an enemy I never saw. You had best get that damnable machine operating.++
	Navarre	++Is there enough room for everyone?+
	antoine	The humans do the best that can to keep up as the sand storm closes rapidly.
	antoine	In the distance you see several dropships but they are all headed up towards the sky.
	antoine	As the sun breaks the horizon and dawn is made present the flash of weapons fire being exchanged between the Tau and the chaos frigate continue.
	Balmung	++Well they're handling the frigate problem
	antoine	The brief flashes of light, and afterglow reaching down is all that can be seen of the titanic battle.
	Navarre	++Better they to be targets of the lance then us.++
	Balmung	++Aye++
	Sinbad	++We stay here, or leave?++
	antoine	The set of stairs leading down to the train sit in the middle of a courtyard, you hurry down with the Promen picking up wounded off worlders to assist them to the escape route.
	antoine	Another lance strike comes down on the other side of the city, creating a second sun for a brief moment. A thunderous applause greets you on the wind to marks its presence.
	Omniel	breaks into a sprint at sight of the stairs.
	antoine	mark*
	antoine	The humans hurry onto the train, several of them blind from the unexpected lance strike. The Promen continue to spend an entire day confounded and confused about what is happening, the sky-gods are being smited from the sky. An ill omen to be sure.
	antoine	Omniel breaks into the main generator and overcharges the grav rail to excessive speeds before slamming the access panel shut
	NickServ	Password accepted - you are now recognized.
	Omniel	++The train is operational. Make haste.++
	Omniel	gets behind the controls and prepares to embark.
	Anselm	"Joffery!" the Knight-Brother barks.
	antoine	The Arbite emerges, he places a wounded Promen warrior down on a seat before approaching Anselm, breathlessly responding "Yes, My Lord?"
	Navarre	will make sure that everyone gets aboard. ++Move it!++ He is probably the last to step on.
	Anselm	"Good. You have survived." Anselm eyes the savage. "Impressive, these natives. Get that one back up and aboard, we need to leave."
	antoine	You feel the rumble of another lance strike in the distance.
	antoine	right in your very bones
	antoine	The last of the humans are brought aboard.
	antoine	The doors shut with a hiss
	Balmung	++Let's get going!++
	antoine	Omniel pushes the throttle forward and the grav train lurches forward, it is no where near as smooth but it is much faster, soon reaching break neck speeds.
	antoine	The strobe-like effect occurs again but is soon overcome by a brilliant white light reflecting down the tunnel you race along.
	Sinbad	++We drove several hours to get here, now we drive /back/. We've been on this planet for less than a hand of days, and it already feels worse than an extended campaign.++
	Anselm	++Events have unfolded quickly, and quite precariously.++
	antoine	The roar of what sounds like a huge beast echos down the tunnel from behind you before a rush of heat screams in towards you.
	Balmung	++Would you rather be killed by the lance Sinbad, I'm sure Omniel can turn this around++
	Omniel	++Actually, it would be exceedingly difficult to turn the train around.++
	Sinbad	++Well, the Throne decides where I go. Suddenly, upon coming, it seems so much more convoluted.++
	Balmung	sighs remembering the Dark Angel takes everything literally
	Sinbad	++/Why/ are there heretic cultists here?++
	Omniel	++That is an excellent question.++
	Navarre	++Welcome to the Deathwatch, Brother Sinbad.++ He finally gets a look at the final marine. ++A Storm Crusader? I do not suppose that you have been to the Feast of Blades, have you? As for your question, who can tell. The bastards come and go as they please, like bandits in the night. At least they are not allied with the xenos.++
	Anselm	++Why are there cultists anywhere?++ Anselm shrugs. ++Man is weak. These things are prone to pop up, but their repercussions can be devastating. This threat should never have been ignored.++
	antoine	The tunnel above you collapses and a fireball reaches out after you along the tunnel before Omniel releases all safety protocols and the train shoots out of the strike area leaving rubble and certain death behind.
	antoine	A whisper comes across the vox ++Goodbye blinkered fools.++
	antoine	The channel is cut
	Sinbad	++What's a blinker?++
	Anselm	looks around. ++What channel did that come in from?...++
	Navarre	++And now he thinks we are dead.++
	Sinbad	++Brother-Techmarine! Drive faster!++
	Balmung	laughs ++He's in for a surprise when I shove my foot up his ass!++
	antoine	The train slows as it brings itself into the other station.
	Omniel	++Our destination, Brothers.++
	antoine	Oriel coughs out "Brains, The fleets status?"
	antoine	The small man adjusts his vox set before responding, "They have destroyed the Tau ship, the chaos frigate has disengaged and headed for the edge of the system, elements are in pursuit."
	Anselm	is taken aback. "How did a frigate outdo a cruiser-weight vessel?"
	antoine	Oriel sighs in relief "Give Arcturus my best."
	Navarre	++Chaos?++
	Balmung	++Omniel is the channel secure now?++
	Omniel	++I cannot say for sure.++
	Balmung	++Find out then contact the Watch Captain and alert him to the change in plans++
	Balmung	++Hold that last part++
	Sinbad	++...Is...is such wise?++
	Balmung	++No
	Balmung	++Don't tell the Watch Captain++
	Sinbad	nods from his place in the train
	antoine	The doors hiss open, the bodies of the Tau still lie across the station's platform.
	Navarre	++Do you think that it was the Captain that sent us that cryptic message?++
	Anselm	++No... it can't be...++
	Balmung	++Possibly something happened on the hiveship++
	Anselm	The Knight-Brother's voice grows agitated suddenly. ++Do not say such things!++
	Omniel	++The matter of our extraction still pressed.++
	Omniel	presses.*
	Balmung	turns to Oriel ++Find us transport off the planet++
	Navarre	++Watch your tongue, whelp. I am only applying a razor of logic to our current situation.++
	Anselm	++What you say is little better than treachery, and it is a dire insult to a man who far outclasses you... all of us!++
	antoine	Oriel looks up from where he is sitting, "The orbital lander outside is available."
	Balmung	++Heresy can come from anywhere++
	antoine	Oriel is looking at Balmung*
	Navarre	++You are still young, boy. When you get my age and campaign against several forces of Chaos, you can tell me where or where not heresy abides."
	Balmung	"We shall be requresitioning it"
	antoine	Oriel nods, "we can link up with the Arcturus in orbit."
	Anselm	snarls inwardly, and moves along.
	Balmung	"The kill team was wiped out in the lance strike is that clear?"
	antoine	Oriel leans heavily on his weapon to get up, "I better than anyone understand the usefulness of a faked death." he smile is genuine and pure this time.
	Balmung	nods to Oriel
	Anselm	turns his head to Sinbad in a fluid motion before looking to Oriel.
	Navarre	++Let us hope, brother, that this subterfuge is successful.++
	Anselm	++I do not approve of this. This behavior defies duty and process.++
	Omniel	"I suggest refraining from the use of our vox channel until such time as I can take proper steps to secure it once more."
	Balmung	grunts ++I thought you wanted to hunt some heretics pup++
	Balmung	"Very well"
	Navarre	"Like wise. As for duty and process, do you not think that it was rather convienent that the Watch Captain was not at the dome with us?"
	Anselm	balls his fist. "Inquisitor, where was Oeris sent off to while you did your work?"
	antoine	"He was organising resistance cells."
	antoine	Oriel calls to his Colonel, "Colonel Schaeffer, take the men and the prize to the lander I will be along shortly."
	Balmung	"How convenient maybe they were those same troops who attacked us"
	Navarre	"What are our orders, Inquisitor?"
	antoine	Oriel gets up, nodding to Decimus who also gets up.
	Anselm	"And how do you plan to demonstrate that?"
	antoine	"We take the Orbital lander to meet the rogue trader Navarre."
	Balmung	"Can we borrow some of your men Inquisitor?"
	antoine	"First, to the lander, I must make contact with my allies."
	antoine	Oriel gets up and leaves, Decimus at his side.
	Navarre	"Of course."