Liberation of Nova Spera Session 9

	CawklesGM	IT IS THE 41st MILLENNIUM...
	CawklesGM	The comrades of Snow Squad pace about the room, tense. The swirling pools of light emanating from the holographic set ups the Tau have constructed bathe the room in a soft orange glow, limning their nervousness in unsure lighting. The quivering forms of the Tau huddle in the pools of darkness. Terror grips them, the night swallowing whatever screams or protests that might burble from between their parched blue lips. Kahina, Jurdik, and Abbass, desperate for some distraction, wrangle the prisoners in the room, dragging their forms into the corner so that they can be better policed. The medicae auxilia hands off one of the pilfered pulse pistols to Jurdik; both seems entirely unsure about how such a disgusting weapon is operated. Nevertheless, the humming piece of alien technology motivates the gaggle of stout xenos to cooperate. Those left try to make themselves useful; Iqbal watches the door whilst Tali sorts through stacks upon stacks of alien data-slates, looking for something (ANYTHING) useful. Muffin, ever the helpful loon, busies herself by investigating the holographic displays fluttering all about the room. With a probing hand she forces herself through one such hologram, watching it dissipate into millions of disjointed pixels before reforming around her. Her face lights up with delight, and she violently waves her arms about the room, giggling madly whilst holo after holo fractures. Kahina gives her a mean look, her frayed nerves most certainly not in the mood for shenanigans. With a swift adjustment to her helmet and a guttural growl, she stomps towards the remainder of the squad. "What is our next move?" She demands. "I mean, I MEAN, what are we going to do with this information now that we have it? How are we going to escape with said information without perishing? There are many an unanswered question here and I *intend* to see that they are resolved. Izem, please tell me you have some form of plan?"
	CawklesGM	Abbass clicks his tongue. "Kahina, panicking will not help us."
	CawklesGM	"Do I look like I'm panicking, ra'iib?"
	XMB-173	        "Wait, Abbass is a foreigner like me?"
	CawklesGM	"You're getting all flustered, kinwoman. It's kinda cute." Jurdik bellows, trying to diffuse the situation with some humor.  Kahina turns to the tech priest, nodding. "He is from across the Burning Sea. He is Ra'iib."
	XMB-173	        "But he's from your planet."
	Roland	        "We need to find our friend and leave," Roland says.
	XMB-173	        shrugs metallically and gets back to browsing the vast amounts of Tau data.
	CawklesGM	"OI! Cannae weh step tah argy bargy fer wunce? TISSA GETTIN' US NEHWER IN A 'URRY!" Muffin stamps her feet, marching over to the squad. She pats Roland on the back. "Seh, misser gloo lips hassa tah roight bren tink!"
	Ace_Nerat	"Let's form up and leave before we meet our two friends."
	CawklesGM	The squad continues to bicker, their voices mingling together in a flurry of many languages. The tau watch on, bemused.
	Ishmael	        "I still say we grab our boss and get out. Kill our pursuers if we run into them. Then we take things up with our other boss."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	puts a reassuring hand onto Kahina's shoulder. "For now we need to get out of here. All I know is that the snake in our home needs to die."
	XMB-173	        stands up straight, as if he just noticed something.
	XMB-173	        "I just remembered."
	CawklesGM	Tali, hands on her hips, struts up to the squad, waving her arms. "Hello? Hello? Can the grown ups listen to me? I've been trying to get your attention!"
	Rajh_Tara	is clearly uncomfortable holding a Ripper Pistol.
	XMB-173	        "I smuggled in a pistol." he produces a compact laspistol from his robes. "Anyone want it?"
	Ace_Nerat	"What is it Tali?"
	Rajh_Tara	"Sure."
	Ishmael	        looks at Tali.
	XMB-173	        hands it to him, then turns to Tali.
	CawklesGM	"DO you hear that? The animal noises. What's making those?" She asks, tilting her head. Her brother turns around, utter confusion writ large across his features.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Tali, are you feeling okay?"
	Ishmael	        tries to listen.
	Rajh_Tara	takes the laspistol.
	Ace_Nerat	"I don't hear anything girl."
	XMB-173	        "Of course there are animal noises." He gestures at the Tau.
	Rajh_Tara	starts laughing.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Heh." Rubs his face.
	XMB-173	        "What?"
	CawklesGM	Muffin snorts.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"So we need to plan our escape. Speaking of which, what do we do with these?" Izem gestures at the Tau prisoners.
	CawklesGM	Tali folds her arms, stomping her feet. "How? How can you not hear them? It sounds like a pack of grox is like...right below us!"
	Ishmael	        "Doc, check on her, please."
	Ishmael	        "Anyways, everyone agree on my suggestion or...?"
	CawklesGM	Tali's face turns pale, and she holds up her hand. "Hold onto something. Get under a table. Right now."
	XMB-173	        "Kill them all?"
	Roland	        checks over his ripper pistol.
	XMB-173	        grabs a console with his mechadendrite.
	Ace_Nerat	"Grab cover!" he yells to the squad
	Rajh_Tara	dives for cover.
	XMB-173	        takes cover
	Roland	        takes cover
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	goes prone, dragging Kahina down with him.
	Ace_Nerat	grabs the girl and grabs the nearest cover
	XMB-173	        tells the servitor to take cover as well
	Ishmael	        goes for cover
	CawklesGM	Then it starts. Slowly at first. A few pebbles fall from the roof before beginning in earnest. The shaking. All of the world suddenly becomes a blur as groaning earth grips the temple and flings it about violently. God-Emperor, the noise! It's like being right underneath a land train as it roars by. Lights wink out one by on as cogitators and holo-displays and wall lights violently rip themselves free from their power cables. There is great crash as more heavy furniture fall about, sending a hurricane of loose papers into the air. And then, but a moment later, it ends. The terrified screams in the room subside, and the comrades of Snow Squad rise to their feet.
	CawklesGM	"Wassa 'ell tatta beh?!" Muffin screeches. "All Papi meh tink meh genna parsh!"
	CawklesGM	The hacked tau comm, suddenly leaps alive.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"A quake of some sort?"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	picks himself up and dusts his armor off.
	CawklesGM	[Tau]+CP here! Damage report now! Are we under attack?+
	CawklesGM	The flurry of communications confirm that there is no attack. This was a seismic event of unprecedented scale, that appeared and left with terrifying suddenness. A team of Earth Caste scientists, however, are completely mystified by this. Qalyat is nowhere near a fault line.
	CawklesGM	Another report catches the attention of the squad....
	CawklesGM	[Tau]+By T'au...! It's Oshi! We found him! He's been b-butchered! SOUND THE ALARM!+
	CawklesGM	[Tau]+ALL FIRE TEAMS! THIS IS CP! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK, GET TO COMBAT POSITIONS!+
	Rajh_Tara	"Well... Fuck."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	[Bazir] "Looks like our party has just started."
	Ishmael	        "Alright, that's our cue. Tin man, find us a way out."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"What about the prisoners?"
	CawklesGM	And with that, the long wail of the klaxon starts to howl throughout the base, strobing red lights filling the hallways with dancing colors. There is a sudden uproar as the entire base explodes into motion.
	Roland	        gets up from his cover and gets ready by the door.
	XMB-173	        tries to find a map and security access
	Rajh_Tara	follows Roland to reinforce the door.
	CawklesGM	Abbass swears. "When it rains it pours, hm?"
	XMB-173	        "Can't find a map. Force one of the Tau to access it."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"And it pours and pours."
	Roland	        "Yes, yes it does."
	CawklesGM	Kahina slaps her pulse pistol. [Qom]"The water is broken by the peaks of the mountains."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"What if we use the prisoners as a mobile shield as we ex-filtrate?"
	CawklesGM	Jurdik and Iqbal rush down the access hallway, feebly banging against the bulkhead. Tali in practically insensate, wandering about as if in a drunken haze. She mumbles something all too familiar...
	Ace_Nerat	"Tali? can you describe the sounds?"
	CawklesGM	"It's a-coming...It's a-coming..."
	CawklesGM	She feebly beats her fists against her temples. "Ashura preserve me...shut up! Shut up!"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Guys, I think it's imperative that we move....now." Izem emphasizes the now with his pistol.
	Roland	        looks at the door, "Well shit."
	Rajh_Tara	"Why are we defending a locked door?"
	Roland	        "I though it was unlocked
	Roland	        looks around for an exit.
	CawklesGM	Kahina scoops up the child. "Looks like the lockdown has caged us in."
	Ace_Nerat	"Kahina, I could take her if you want."
	Ishmael	        looks at Izem. "Think you could give Tali something?"
	CawklesGM	Kahina shakes her head. "Caring for children is a woman's work."
	Roland	        "Well shit we could use that console there though it looks like there are people outside."
	Ishmael	        tries to help XMB.
	XMB-173	        does the thing.
	XMB-173	        "All right, it's done."
	Ace_Nerat	"Let's go."
	Roland	        readies himself by the door again to leave.
	Rajh_Tara	readies his Pulse Rifle.
	Ishmael	        "I'll take one of those pistols."
	Ace_Nerat	cautiously makes his way out of the door, scouting ahead
	CawklesGM	The Tech-Priest's ministrations coax the alien door to cooperate. It slides open, revealing a plaza area in utter ruin. The delicate statuary, thousands of years old, lay strewn about, the fountain work within them spraying water to and fro. Several piles of rubble have Tau corpses crushed underneath. Some seem to be alive, as evidenced by their pitiful screams.
	XMB-173	        "Look at them, they can't get out. I find that quite pleasing."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	points his Boog Ranger at the door as it opens, he doesn't lower it, keeping it up and ready, sweeping.
	Ishmael	        "By Ashura... what did we miss?"
	Ace_Nerat	"Hell and destruction probably."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"This place is old, and the quake did not treat it kindly."
	Rajh_Tara	"What's the plan?"
	CawklesGM	Suddenly, your microbeads ping. +Aquila. Now. See you top-+ The feed suddenly cuts. Looks like Mr. Rose has found trouble all on his own.
	Ishmael	        "You heard the boss, folks!"
	Ace_Nerat	"You heard him, MOVE YOUR ASSES!."
	Roland	        "Well that solves part A, now to part B."
	Ace_Nerat	"SHUT UP AND MOVE!"
	XMB-173	        moves.
	Roland	        moves.
	Rajh_Tara	covers the rear as the squad moves forward.
	Ishmael	        moves, making sure to keep Tali close.
	Ace_Nerat	"Anyone know the way out?"
	CawklesGM	Muffin busies herself looting the trapped corpses. She straightens as there is a slight tremor beneath all of your feet...somewhere there is a loud boom. Contenting herself with a pilfered pendant, she hurries after the squad. "Weht op!" She yells
	Ishmael	        "I mostly do, assuming no closed doors and such."
	Ace_Nerat	"Lead on!"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Lead on, Ish."
	CawklesGM	Tali looks like she's in bad shape. She is looking pale and sickly, trails of spittle marring her girlish face as she incoherently vocalizes. "Why won't he be quiet?" She gurgles. "It's..it's so loud."
	Roland	        looks at Tali, "Who is being loud?"
	Ishmael	        "Izem, give something to calm her down. I'll carry her."
	Ace_Nerat	"Muffin, you're gonna lose your fingers if you start looting again."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Kahina will carry her, and I don't exactly have my kit..."
	Ishmael	        leads the way back.
	Roland	        follows Ishmael.
	Rajh_Tara	still covering the rear.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	falls in, located in the middle of the squad.
	Rajh_Tara	motioning Muffin to hurry.
	Ace_Nerat	draws his knife and stays near the front
	CawklesGM	The rushing crowd mosies forward, reaching an abandoned security checkpoint. A slight tremor speeds their steps as they pass through a stone archway. And then...
	Roland	        keeps his ripper pistol ta the ready.
	CawklesGM	Two bulkheads nestled within the archway slam down with a crunch! Kahina, Tali, Muffin, and Rajh slam into the door as the rest of the squad pass through to the other side. The two teams stop.
	Roland	        "Oh shit"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	[Bazir] "Dammit!" Izem slams the butt of his pistol into the bulkhead.
	Rajh_Tara	"Fuck."
	Ishmael	        looks around the room. "Guns up! Scan for targets!"
	Rajh_Tara	hands Muffin his Ripper Pistol.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	+Are you all fine on the other side?+ Izem says quickly over his comm-bead.
	Ace_Nerat	"Soren, get on that console."
	Rajh_Tara	"Kahina, find cover."
	XMB-173	        "I am on it."
	XMB-173	        heads to the console and starts typing
	Ace_Nerat	runs and grabs cover near one of the pillars
	CawklesGM	Kahina sets the child down near the right pillar and takes cover herself. Muffin dives behind the low wall. The thunder of boots echo from all around...
	CawklesGM	"ISSA COMIN'!" Muffin screams. "TEK CUBBER!"
	Ishmael	        takes cover behind a chest high wall.
	Ace_Nerat	+Muffin, stay smart girl.+
	Ishmael	        "Soren... think you can deal with the doors?"
	XMB-173	        "I can try."
	CawklesGM	Kahina hugs the pillar, pointing her pistol down the hallway. The thudding of boots is getting closer...
	Rajh_Tara	"Stay Low."
	Roland	        finds cover.
	Ishmael	        tries to hide and gets on overwatch on the direction of the steps.
	CawklesGM	Several Kroot rush ahead of the marching guards, crazed war cries burbling from their beaks!
	Ishmael	        opens fires as soon as the Kroot gets in his sights.
	Ishmael	        +We got company!+
	CawklesGM	The Kroot's headless corpse tumbles to the floor, it's momentum carrying it forward. "COME ON!" Jurdik screams. "KEEP COMIN' YOU FETHIN' DEGENERATE BASTARDS!"
	CawklesGM	The sound of a firefight erupts on Rajh's side of the bulkhead; no doubt he is visiting fury upon the terrible xenos!
	CawklesGM	+HAAAA MEH GIT WUN!+ Muffinw hoops over the microbead.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	carefully aims his bulky pistol and pulls the trigger, a loud crack resounds throughout the chamber, but alas, Izem somehow misses his target. "Shit."
	Ace_Nerat	chuckles quietly +That's my girl.+
	XMB-173	        "Aaaalmost..."
	Rajh_Tara	"Good job, Muffin."
	Roland	        With the assistance of Abbass, Roland shots at the Tau carrying several grenades, hitting the grenades causing them to go off, killing most of the squad and wounding the other three Tau badly.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"By Ashura, what was that?"
	Roland	        "Shot the Tau with the grenades."
	CawklesGM	+They really have it out for me!+ Kahina screams over the microbead as the sound of two Tau unloading  into her position resounds.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Give a little more warning next time." Izem huffs, "good shooting."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	+Soren is getting the door open, we're not leaving you behind. Just hold out.+
	Ace_Nerat	charges the Tau, driving the knife into his eye and scooping it out.
	CawklesGM	The tau crumbles to the floor, choking on its own blood. In the mean time, a Kroot charges into combat swinging its stave in a downward arc. Muffin deftly dodges, but being unarmed means she's in a terrible position!
	Rajh_Tara	blasts 2 Tau Fire Warriors and killing them on the spot.
	XMB-173	        +Almost there.+
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	tries his luck again with his pistol. Another mighty crack resounds and is rewarded with a meaty thud, gibbing the other Tau Fire Warrior.
	Roland	        shoots at the other Tau, taking him out.
	CawklesGM	And then it appears, from the west hallway. A resplendent Tau battlesuit turns the corner, trudging over the corpses, its hissing weapons raised. To the east, an eight strong squad of tau fire warriors press in on the beleaguered defenders!
	CawklesGM	+OH SHIT!+ Jurdik yells. +BATTLESUIT! IT'S A FETHIN' BATTLESUIT!+
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	audibly groans. "There's no end to them!"
	Roland	        "Well shit
	XMB-173	        +That's not good.+
	CawklesGM	The Tau fire warriors take a knee...
	CawklesGM	[Tau]"Open fire!" The Shas'ui screams...
	CawklesGM	Iqbal, terrified and confused, pokes his head over the cover...
	CawklesGM	The sizzling roar of the pulse rifles erupt into a horrendous sizzling cacophony of death. Rajh eats it first, so overwhelmed by plasma fire he's forced to the floor as his doughty armor fails to stop all the damage. But Iqbal...Iqbal's eyes widen. His world slows to a crawl as a starry sheet of blue bolts inches every closer to his face. He scarcely even registers the first bolt pushing through his chest. The next one, that tears off his arm, does register for but a moment. His face contorts in animal agony, tears welling up in his eyes before another bolt tears off his face, his eyes sizzling out of their sockets before a fourth bolt ends his misery, blowing his head clean off. His cooked, mutilated corpse falls to the floor with a thud. Kahina, mouthlessly screams, rushing forward to save the child. But she only exposes herself to the tau squad. A bolt catches her square in her belly. Gutshot, she heaves forward, screaming in pain over the vox before another shot pitches her straight into her chest. Her screaming stops.
	XMB-173	        +...that's even worse.+
	CawklesGM	Tali, in a foetal ball on the floor, watches helplessly. But when she sees her brother tumble to the floor, something ignites in her eyes. A wave of torment, pain, and anger washes over her as she unfurls herself like a blooming flower. She stands up, and presents herself to the Tau team. Their firing stops. Even their munitions suddenly start to slow down, before lazily drifting through the air at a snail's pace. They dissipate impotently. The tau squad lower their aim, too confused to think. Tali stares them down...and suddenly breaks free of oppressive gravity. Her feet serenely peel themselves off the cold stone floor. Her eyes...they roll back into her skull, and torrents of blood rain from her mouth and ears. The combat between Muffin and the Kroot suddenly ceases.
	CawklesGM	All on the east side watch as the unearthly spectacle begins to gather steam.
	CawklesGM	There is a perfect point of quiet. Time stops, rolls backwards before stumbling forward once more. And then there's the scream. It doesn't come from Tali's mouth, but her soul.
	CawklesGM	The xenos, aghast, clutch their helmets. Their pitiful screams last but a moment before they implode, one by one, like gory overripe fruit. The battlesuit slowly falls limp, an odd spectacle to be sure. What exactly happens becomes more apparent as a slick gory soup begins to pour out of the cracks and crevices in the armor. With a crash, it tips over like a puppet bereft of its string. Then the screaming stops. And all is quiet again.
	CawklesGM	Muffin blinks, covered in the gore of near a dozen imploded aliens. Her chest heaves...and she vomits all over the floor, before collapsing.
	Roland	        looks at the fallen battle suit. "What the Fuck."
	Ishmael	        blinks and slowly lowers his pistol. "What..." He then shakes his head... "XMB... need you to use that suit's cannon on the door. Might get through."
	Roland	        "This is very odd."
	Ace_Nerat	stops and stares.
	Ace_Nerat	"What."
	Rajh_Tara	"What... what happened?"
	Rajh_Tara	tries to stand up.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Who was screaming over the vox?"
	CawklesGM	+'elp...+ Muffin weezes. +...'elp pless...+
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	Izem feels a chill pass over him, no please Ashura no.
	Roland	        gets up from cover and slowly approaches the battle suit.
	CawklesGM	+Kahina...sheila...seh...+ The sound of Muffin becoming violently ill once again emits over the vox.
	Ishmael	        "Someone open the door!"
	Rajh_Tara	says "Mother Ashura..." and coughs up blood.
	XMB-173	        gets the door open
	XMB-173	        "What happened?"
	Ishmael	        rushes past the door and falls to his knees at the sight, speechless.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	When the doors are open enough for Izem to slip through he does so as quickly as his frame can carry him.
	Rajh_Tara	heavily coughing and still on the ground.
	XMB-173	        "This..."
	XMB-173	        "Witchcraft. Warp sorcery.", he says, disgusted.
	CawklesGM	The sordid scene before you steals the breath from your lungs. Iqbal lays dead, his dainty little naval uniform covered in cooked organs and wet blood. He's so badly mutilated he's not even recognizable. Kahina is not much better. Her chest and stomach are burnt ruin, and she looks still...dreadfully still. Muffin is lying on the floor near the bulkhead, bathed in blood not her own. And in the middle of this catatrosphe, surrounded by a perfect sphere of cleanliness, is the unconscious form of Tali. Hunks of meat and shattered armor swim around in the air near her.
	CawklesGM	Abbass' jaw drops. "Oh God-Emperor no. No!"
	Ace_Nerat	runs over to muffin to check on her
	XMB-173	        checks the Battlesuit and secures the perimeter.
	CawklesGM	Jurdik rushes to Iqbal's side, fruitlessly pounding his chest. "FETHIN' GOD DAMMIT KID! YOU STILL BREATHIN'? COME ON KID! COME ON! COME ON!"
	Ishmael	        slowly and in a somewhat confused state moves up to check on Tali, not entirely there.
	CawklesGM	Muffin stares up at Ace, looking like she's stared right at hell and it stared back at her. "Boss..." She soughs. "Meh ded?"
	Rajh_Tara	"Ishmael... You heard the Metal Priest...It's witchcraft...."
	XMB-173	        "We need to dispose of her. If she is not sanctioned, it is only a matter of time until she is possessed or worse."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	falls to his knees next to Kahina, checking her for a pulse, for any source of life. A torrent of "no's" flood out of Izem's form as tears well up in his eyes and cascade down his face.
	Roland	        looks over the battle siut.
	XMB-173	        "And there are no Black Ships coming anytime soon."
	Rajh_Tara	[Mahdi] "Don't touch her. She's some kind of a... I dunno."
	Ishmael	        lightly shakes Tali. "T-Tali...?"
	Roland	        turns and walks into the room. After entering, he stops and his jaw drops at the sight he sees.
	Roland	        "What in the name of the God Emperor happened?"
	Ace_Nerat	"You're fine, safe, it's all okay." he says hurriedly to muffin, holding her close and sighing in relief
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	suddenly stops. A pulse. A PULSE. "She's still alive!"
	Rajh_Tara	still breathing heavily and says "..witch."
	XMB-173	        "She's a witch."
	CawklesGM	Tali yawns and curls into a ball. She looks so peaceful...like she's asleep.
	XMB-173	        approaches her and raises his staff over her head.
	Ishmael	        tries to scoop her up. He then stares at XMB.
	XMB-173	        "Suffer not the witch to live. It is the Emperor's teaching."
	Roland	        gets on his comms +Mr. Rose if you hear this, we have a problem.+
	CawklesGM	Abbass sidles over to Izem, helping him with the first aid. [Bazir]"She's alive? Hot damn Kahina! Fighter 'till the end."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	dashes back to the checkpoint, looking for anything that resembles a first-aid kit. Knocking things over in his made search to save his assistant.
	Ishmael	        tries to shield her. "This ain't the Imperium..."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Does anyone see a medkit? Anything, anything, anything?" His words stumble over each other as his fears take the better of him.
	Rajh_Tara	struggles to stand up and leans on the debris.
	XMB-173	        "Do not speak such heresy."
	XMB-173	        "And it does not matter where we are!"
	XMB-173	        "At any moment, she could be overtaken by demons and become a portal to hell!"
	Ishmael	        ignores XMB and just carries her to the way out.
	Rajh_Tara	points to what appears to be medkits.
	XMB-173	        "Her life isn't just a danger to the squad! It's a danger to the entire planet!"
	Roland	        looks at XMB "Can this wait till later XMB?"
	XMB-173	        "DON'T WALK AWAY, YOU IGNORANT YOKEL!"
	XMB-173	        "Do you realize what the implications of this are?!"
	CawklesGM	Meanwhile, Mr. Rose finally gets on the comms. +YOU have problems?!+ He huffs. +I get told my bodyguard stabbed three Tau minders...with Divine Cohort curved daggers. What the hell were you thinking, Roland?! I trusted you to keep these di-+ Mr. Rose huffs. Is he...dragging something? +Gentlemen in line. I mean, what does this look like to the Tau? Hmmm, maybe it looks like we're a bunch of Emperor Damned infiltrators working with a known insurgent group? Throne's teeth I expected you guys to act like professionals, not a bunch of amateur knicker raiders! I-I...I...+
	CawklesGM	+I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped. THis really is all my fault. God-Emperor...this is a mess. How far out are you from the aquila? The hospitality here is really getting sour, ya know.+
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	admonishes himself for not seeing it earlier and practically rips the kit off the wall and dashes back over to his near dead comrade. [Bazir] "Abbass help me."
	Ace_Nerat	+We have casualties, and a demon little girl.+
	CawklesGM	Abbass assents, crowding around Kahina's injured form.  Jurdik, the big man, is still fruitlessly pounding the dead child's chest before finally giving up. He walks over to Rajh, trying to help him out.
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose grunts. There is a meaty, slapping sound. +Throne's teeth, of course. And by demon little girls do you mean 'daemon' little girl or a girl that's gigantic asshole? One can be dealt with and other should be bedded. Be more specific.+
	Roland	        +Its fine Mr. Rose. Though we were separated at one of the checkpoints as a door cut half of us off. Then we got ambushed by several tau and a battle suit. We lost one of the kids, and Kahina and Raja are both down but look to be still alive, although Kahina is badly wounded. Also seems like the other kid is some sort of witch cording to are tech priest. We will be on our way in a moment.+
	Rajh_Tara	+The Witchcraft sort.+
	Rajh_Tara	"Thanks Jurdik."
	XMB-173	        +She must be terminated before she becomes a living conduit to the Warp!+
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	With deft, trained hands Izem goes to work in stabilizing his assistant, and the only woman he's ever loved as such. He thanks Ashura and the Emperor above that she still lives and that he can still try and save her.
	CawklesGM	There is a breathy sigh from Mr. Rose. +Figures. Wrangle the kid, she's House property. Please, for the love of all that is holy, haul ass. If the thing I think is going on is going on, we're short on time. Real short.+
	Roland  	"Guys lets pack it up once Izem takes care of Kahina and lets move it to the Aquila, we can all figure out how to deal with the girl later once we are all safe from the Tau."
	XMB-173	        grabs a Pulse Rifle and stands expectantly
	Ishmael	        "Somone take... Iqbal along..."
	Ace_Nerat	grabs muffin and throws her over his shoulder "WE ARE MOVING NOW."
	CawklesGM	Muffin squeaks. Looks like the motion knocked some sense into her, because she starts to act like her old self. "My my, seh bricky~" She coos, kicking her legs and squirming on Ace's shoulder.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Fuck me this is the best I can do." With the help of Abbass Izem makes a makeshift stretcher and falls in. Tears still stain Izem's face, but they aren't of sorrow, but of joy.
	CawklesGM	Jurdik shakes his head. "Have some respect woman."
	Roland	        +Mr. Rose we will be there soon.+
	Rajh_Tara	"Leave it."
	Rajh_Tara	"Leave the body."
	Rajh_Tara	[Mahdi] "The living are more important."
	Ishmael	        [Mahdi]"We shouldn't just leave him like that..."
	Rajh_Tara	[Mahdi] "We will become him if we stay."
	CawklesGM	The alarums keep blaring, as does the soft tremors in ground. There is some screaming off in the distance and...laughter?
	Ishmael	keeps moving, looking down at Tali.
	Rajh_Tara	is assisted by Jurdik.
	CawklesGM	The progress is slower...much slower. But the chaos of earth quake has completely shattered any semblance of resistance. ALl that is left is clambering over rubble, broken bodies, shattered defenses. The procession has the sombreness of a funeral, a silent line of traumatized figures bearing their burdens as best they can. Kahina's burnt and battered form stirs with the slightest sparks of life. Tali, serene as always, stays asleep like the child she is. As the squad continues on, they get the impression that something must be happening in some other part of the fortress...something that is diverting all the tau that would be hunting them down. Not to complain though; miracles are just what this squad needs.
	CawklesGM	Soon enough, the squad makes it to the entrance of the landing pad. Standing there, already waiting, is Maurice Rose. Bundled in his arms is the writhing form of Por'El Sa'Cea Ya'Mamoto. Mr. Rose has what looks like a thin, crackling power sword clamped to his throat. Juding by the hilt of the blade, it looks like Mr. Rose's cane wasn't purely for show. He whistles as you all approach.
	Roland	        makes his way over to Mr. Rose.
	CawklesGM	"Ah, the desert flower has wilted. Poor girl. Wait...she is dead yeah?" Mr. Rose whacks Ya'Mamoto, who squirms just a little too violently. "Don't make me hit you again Ya'Mamoto. I like you. I don't want to hurt your poor little skull, buddy."
	Ace_Nerat	"Not dead."
	Ishmael	        makes his way to the Aquila. "The other two goons around?"
	CawklesGM	"C-C-Curse you human! The Greater Good could have uplifted you all!" The water caste screeches. Mr. Rose rolls his eyes. "Blah blah blah blah blah...Oh! Not dead! Incredible!" He says, sounding only half interested.
	Roland	"We are ready to leave when you are Mr. Rose."
	XMB-173	"I want to hurt his skull."
	CawklesGM	"You mean those two thugs? No they aren't around. They're on their way. Apparently they found something incredibly fethed up and they need to show me some of the picts they took. But if they aren't here in like...two minutes, we're leaving without them."
	XMB-173	        gives the Tau a creepy gaze.
	Ishmael	        "We are leaving. Your other contact gave them orders to kill us."
	CawklesGM	Abbass walks up to Mr. Rose and snatches a lho stick sticking out of one of his many great coat pockets. He lights it as Mr. Rose looks mortified.
	Ace_Nerat	"Turns out they were sent to eliminate snow squad, and mister De frank is some kind of traitor or something."
	XMB-173	        "I have recordings of the evidence.
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose mulls over the situation carefully. "Alright get on board. Any excuse to get out of this pile of rocks and aliens is fine by me."
	Roland	        nods and boards the Aquila and waits by the boarding ramp for everyone else to board.
	Ishmael	        gets on the shuttle, Tali in his arms.
	Ace_Nerat	drops muffin with a strict order not to move, and heads to the aquila to gear up
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose shoves Ya'Mamoto out of his arms, poking his sword at the Xenos' back. "And we're walking...and we're walking...very good Ya'Mamoto. Have you ever been on a human ship? I think you're gonna like it buddy."
	CawklesGM	"And take off that armor!" He calls to the troops boarding the ship. "Please!"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	brings his wounded assistant aboard the Aquila as delicately as possible.
	Ishmael	        gives Mr. Rose the 1000 yard stare.
	Ace_Nerat	"But you promised me some storm trooper armor."
	Roland	        begins getting out of the armor and back into his own.
	XMB-173	        gets on the aquilla
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	quickly changes out of his armor and back into his BT clothing and armor. He chucks the carapace into one of the holds and straps Kahina's prone form in.
	Roland	        hands Mr. Rose his Ripper pistol back to him.
	Rajh_Tara	switches back into his old gear.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	before allowing Rajh to get back into his armor Izem sees to his wounds.
	Roland	        grabs the rest of his equipment quickly checks it over before getting ready for take off.
	Rajh_Tara	"Thanks, Doc."
	XMB-173	        "We must dispose of the witch."
	Ishmael	        "Also, your blue friends wanted to interrogate us..." Ishmael comments neutraly, watching over Tali.
	Ace_Nerat	"SHE SAVED OUR LIVES SOREN."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	nods to Rajh silently. He then straps in next to Kahina. Slowly stroking her hair fondly. He sends a quick prayer to Ashura and the Emperor for their mercy.
	Ace_Nerat	"One more word about killing tali and i'll unplug you."
	Roland	        "She now belongs to the Rook Dynasty, XMB."
	Rajh_Tara	sits down and lights a lho-stick.
	XMB-173	        glares at Ace.
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose enters last, shoving Ya'Mamoto into the hold. "Strap in and behave," he barks before thumbing his microbead. "Hey. Yeah it's me O'Res'Tanaka. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah I know you're mad. Look...look shoosh. Shoosh. I got your man on my ship. Yeah that's right. He's here. Wanna say hello?" Ya'Mamoto screams his lungs off. "He says hi. So yeah babe, maybe we should both cool off and restart talks. Well yeah but they had no choice, my guys said they were dragging them off into interrogation. The knives? Trophies. Your boys aren't the only ones that kill Divine Cohort you know, haw haw. Okay. Okay. Stop screaming. I'll talk to you later, babe. Ciao." Mr. Rose thumbs his microbead.
	XMB-173	        "Good luck ripping out my Potential Coil, weakling."
	CawklesGM	"I think she's mad at me."
	XMB-173	        turns to the rest of Snow Squad. "Look, I understand that you do not know of what lies beyond this world, but hear me out."
	Roland	        "You think." Roland says to Mr. Rose.
	XMB-173	        "The forces of the Warp, a hellish realm, are barely held in check by the almighty Emperor. Psykers like her are ways for the Warp to infiltrate our realm."
	Ace_Nerat	"I'm warning you robot...."
	XMB-173	        "Unless you can take her to Terra, it's only a time until she becomes overcome and creates a portal to the Warp."
	XMB-173	        "This entire world could be corrupted!"
	Ishmael	        "SHUT UP, SOREN!"
	Ishmael	        "JUST SHUT UP!"
	XMB-173 	"You are being irrational, Ishmael."
	Roland	        "Look can we just deal this with later XMB?"
	Ishmael	        shuts up and just holds onto Tali.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	practically collapses against his seat, exhaustion setting in.
	Rajh_Tara	tunes out all the commotion to enjoy his narcotics.
	CawklesGM	Cynthia sits numbly in the corner as the Aquila rumbles to life, taking off. From this view in the clouds, you see the devestation that has been wrought upon poor Qalyat. The Tareb Gate District, weakened as it is, looks like a pile of rubble and ashe. The other districts don't look like much better. Furrows, like ruptured blood veins, send spider web tendrils throughout the builidings, weaving paths of horrendous destruction. Contrails of fire and smoke fill the sky with dark clouds, shileding the writhing crowds below from being spotted. The Blazing Trail forces must be in full retreat after something like this...at least the Argo looks okay!
	CawklesGM	The ship continues to thunder into the sky, causing Muffin to look rather whoozy. The rest of the squad begins to decompress; Abbass puffs on a lho, chatting absent mindedly with Cynthia. Jurdik...Jurdik starts to weep. This mountain of muscle and anger starts to cry, his face becoming clogged with mucus and tears. Mr. Rose looks calm, cool, collected; does anything effective. He clicks his tongue, getting Cynthia's attention.
	Ace_Nerat	pats Jurdik on the back "He was brave."
	Ishmael	        changes into his armor before moving to try and support Jurdik.
	CawklesGM	"Get Dafiyyd on the horn, tell him to get the Mentirosa in General Quarters. Also, Tell Magos Jan that we got a likely onboard and we need a medicae team waiting for us in the hangar. And...and tell Lillian we got ourselves a little witch-lady. Alpha level maybe. Definitely strong as feth." Cynthia scribbles down all of these things on a notepad, nodding all the while.
	Roland	        looks over at Mr. Rose.
	XMB-173	        "A Magos?"
	XMB-173	        "Shit."
	Rajh_Tara	"Someone you know?"
	XMB-173	        "No."
	Rajh_Tara	"Then why are you upset?"
	XMB-173	        "Not your problem."
	CawklesGM	"Oh...and tell the kitchen to bring the aquila three bottles of Llewyn M38. We're not gonna be here long and we're all parched. Thanks darling, what would I do without you?" Cynthia blushes before voxing in all of these things. Minutes later, there is a violent shudder in the aquila's hold as the thing slides into a boarding tube. Before the squad knows it, there is a violent crash as the aquila reaches the floor. The Boarding ramp clamps down, and before the squad there is a veritible sea of humanity.
	CawklesGM	The gleaming, almost cathedral like hangar of the Mentirosa is breathtaking, its Imperial Gothic architecture pristine and undamaged. Flight suit adorned figures swarm the hull of the Aquila, refueling it and cleaning whatever specks might have marred its surface. Mr. Rose motions for everybody to stay strapped in.
	Ishmael	        pats Jurdik in the back and gives him a brotherly shake before looking at Rose. "Are we to stay here?"
	Roland	        "That would be a yes Ishmael."
	CawklesGM	A white clad team of beautiful nurses storm aboard almost immeidately after landing. Without a word they take Kahina's form and hustle it off the aquila, speeding it towards the sick bay.  "Yeah, we'll only be here a few minutes. We're going to be picking up and dropping off some...guests."
	Ishmael	        "What next, then?"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Where are you taking her?!" Izem yells as he hits the release on his straps.
	Ishmael	        "Because this is getting a bit too much."
	Ishmael	        then tries to stand up in support of Izem.
	Roland	        "Izem sit down."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	ignores the sharpshooter. "Where the hell are you taking her, damn you!"
	CawklesGM	A red clad figure, its face a featureless mask of silver, hovers near the boarding ramp. Rook House Guards, clad in the storm trooper armor Snow Squad just sripped off, forcefully (but respectfully) take Ya'Mamoto away. Mr. Rose sighs. The red robed figure suddenly explodes into motion, a sea of mechendentrie tentacles erupting from its robes. They probe Izem's form, their servo-skull like appendages beeping as they take all sorts of scans.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	A look of bewilderment crosses Izem's face as the storm of appendages assualts Izem's form.
	CawklesGM	[Techna-Lingua]"Male. Human. Age...thirties? Healthy. Significant mental trauma. Testerone levels unusual."
	Ace_Nerat	strides forward and pushes the figure away "...Tentacles off!"
	CawklesGM	Magos Jan looks into the hull, and spots his Mechanicus brother. A mechanical chirp warbles from...somewhere, getting XMB's attention. [Techna-Lingua] "What is this unit's disfunction?"
	CawklesGM	The Magos tries his best to ignore Ace. [Techna-Lingua]"The Woman-unit, I mean. What is her disfucntion? Aside from the superficial facial scarring and ovulation?"
	XMB-173	[Techna-Lingua] "Severe plasma scarring in the torso."
	XMB-173	[Techna-Lingua] "This unit is not knowledgeable of biological damage, and suggests asking the squad's medical specialist instead."
	CawklesGM	A servant scurries aboard, bearing a bucket of ice and several glasses, plopping it before Mr. Rose. He graciously bows and takes his leave. Magos Jan nods, gliding away. [Techna Lingua]"Tell the man unit his incubator will be well cared for, and he need not strain his frail constitution worrying about her well being. The chance of her vital functions arresting is precisely 18.53%, repeating of course. She's lucky. Any later and her chance of survival would have dropped exponentially." And without even a goodbye, Magos Jan hovers away to deal with his charge. The movements around the hangar continue for a few more minutes: minders gently take Tali's unconscious body away from the ship...and Sergeant Pounder appears with his crack squad of stormtroopers, loading in silently into the aquila.
	Ishmael	        asks Rose. "What's going to happen to her, Rose?"
	CawklesGM	"You said it was an emergency?" Sergeant Pounder asks, sounding uncharateristically proffessional. Mr. Rose waves Ishamael off dismissively."
	Roland	        "She is being taken to the medical ward Ishmael."
	XMB-173	        "She will live."
	XMB-173	        "Well, a 81.47% chance of living."
	XMB-173	        "Also, she is ovulating. I would strongly advise against copulating with her for another week or so."
	CawklesGM	"Daemons. Or xenos. Probably former. Maybe latter. Actually, to be honest, I don't know. Hence General Quarters." Mr. Rose takes one of the bottles of Llewyn M38 amasec, cracks it open, and drinks it straight. "Snow Squad is coming with us."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	Izem's hands ball into fists, a slight blush forming on his face despite his anger.
	Ishmael	        fumes as he sits back down. "It'd be nice if you acted as if this was actually a two-way street.."
	CawklesGM	The assembled black clad storm troopers glare at Ishmael; Specialist Brinden especially. "Chuka", the sharpshooter, spits. She speaks in her heavy accent.
	CawklesGM	"You haven't been officially hired. Until then, need to know."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	slams one of his balled fists into the wall near the doorway. As if all energy has left him he slumps into a chair.
	Roland	        "Don't worry Izem, she is in good hands."
	CawklesGM	With all of the people aboard, the Aquila tears away back into the void with a thrust and roar.
	Ishmael	        stares back at the storm troopers. "Hey, listen!" He stands once more. "I lost a lad down there. Had a trooper wounded and just gave away a kid to you assholes! The least you can do is offer some damned honesty!"
	Ishmael	        "Besides, I fucking bet I know more than you fucking lot."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"I appreciate the sentiment, Roland, but that's not helping."
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose takes another swig. He kicks the bucket over to Snow Squad, motioning for them to drink. "This Amasec is near three thousand years old and is probably worth more than your entire family. Drink it. You'll feel better Ishmael."
	Ace_Nerat	grabs a bottle and begins to chug
	CawklesGM	Sergeant Pounder snorts. "Kid, we tell you precisely because we care. If you knew what we knew, you're little bumpkin brain would probably explode."
	Roland	        takes a glass and fills it with some Amasec.
	CawklesGM	Muffin steals the bottle from Ace's hand. "Meh wenna sum, boss! Gib!"
	Ace_Nerat	"Fuck off meatstick." he says betweens swigs
	Rajh_Tara	[Mahdi] "I have my sticks. I'm fine."
	Roland	        looks at Sergeant Pounder and nods to him.
	Ishmael	        "I've had my fair share of headaches trying to piece this mess together. I think having the full picture would be nowhere as bad."
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose suddenly looks severe. He watches as the planet gets closer and closer...
	CawklesGM	"You'll see soon enough, Master Rashingh. If De Frank is running with Inquisitor Dietrich, then fecal matter is very soon going to hit the fan. That guy is radical. Use the weapons of the enemy against them type of men. The little philosophy club he called himself a member of, something called the 'Maiden Listeners'...they were all put the torch because of how insane their beliefs were. That should tell you how bad things are about to get."
	CawklesGM	Sergeant Pounder smiles and nods at the Guardsman before him. "Mr. Rose is right. We're going in, guns up. Keep your head on straight and listen to EVERYTHING Mr. Rose says and maybe we'll all make it outta here alive."
	Roland	        "its good to see you too Pounder." Roland says as he takes a sip from his glass of Amasec
	CawklesGM	Abbass looks askance at Roland. "You, you uh...nevermind."
	Rajh_Tara	[Mahdi] "An Inquisitor?"
	Ishmael	        "Where are we even heading down to? The place where that snake made whatever caused the earthquake and released something?"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"Out of the pot..." Izem comments glumly.
	Ace_Nerat	"And into the flame."
	Ace_Nerat	takes the bottle for another swig.
	CawklesGM	The ship rumbles as it begins to break atmosphere, reentering the planet violently. Mr. Rose takes another swig. "No, we're heading down into the mountains, towards that temple De Frank mentioned. I don't think that earthquake was related to what's going on with Dietrich...maybe tangentally but..."
	Roland	        "Yes Abbass?"
	Ishmael	        "I think it might be. Blood sacrifices and all....guessing to Niassi and his shadow beings."
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose just shrugs. "We'll see."
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	motions for one of the two bottles of amasec.
	Ishmael	        "Don't you think we should reach the other BTs? In case we need more than two squads worth of men? Besides, I bet they'd love to catch De Frank."
	Roland	        passes the bottle over to Izem.
	Roland	        looks over at Abbass, "was there something you needed?"
	CawklesGM	"Time is of the essence," Mr. Rose chides. "Besides, we're already here." With a thump, the Aquila hits the ground. Abbass just nervously shakes his head.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz starts chugging the amasec, coughing up some of it as some of it goes down the wrong tube, but he continues chugging.
	XMB-173	        tentatively puts some of the amasec down his fluid processor
	CawklesGM	Cynthia, almost invisible in her little corner, chimes in. "Before you risk your life, milord, do you have any parting things you wish to ask and/or say? Final remarks in case you do not return?"
	Ishmael	        loads his launcher and then readies his rifle as he walks to where the ramp is.
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose scratches his chin. "Tell Lillian that when she gets done with that girl, I want her eyeless ass in my chamber when I get back. With lots of alcohol. And some obscura. And a good book. Don't forget the book." Mr. Rose taps the boarding ramp with the tip of his cane. moments later, the ramp begins to lower...
	Roland	        gets out of his seat.
	Ishmael	        takes aim, in case something is waiting on the other side.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	drops the near empty bottle back into the bucket and belches loudly before donning the rest of his gear.
	Ace_Nerat	grabs his gear and prepares "lets go then."
	Rajh_Tara	brings his equipment and follows.
	CawklesGM	The entire army procession files out quickly. By the looks of it, you are all too late. Three slick landers of unidentifiable origins are nestled in the clearing that your aquila landed. It seems like you really have landed in the middle of the Chahanda; the towering mountain range of sparse grasses and snow capped peaks stretching off into the distance as far as the eye can see. The objective is clear as day; a short trail leading up into a mountain terrace, where the crumbling facade of a monolithic shrine sits silently in the cold, biting wind of these hight mountains. Light shines from the entrance, a lone star  in the growing darkness. Mr. Rose swears profusely.
	CawklesGM	"We gotta hustle people. It's starting!" Mr. Rose takes off towards the entrance up the hill, huffing and puffing all the way. Pounder's squad follows suit as fast as it can.
	Ishmael	        hustles, rifle at the ready. "What is?!"
	Ishmael	        "Can't we just blast the place?"
	CawklesGM	Snow Squad follows suit. Soon enough, they enter the shrine. The hallway is cavernous, a steep slope downwards towards the heart of the complex. The moldy, lichen strewn steps are lined by statues...very familiar statues. Statues of a muscular man with the head of a roaring grox and curling horns. Mr. Rose huffs his words as he jogs with his soldiers.
	CawklesGM	"I don't know what this is...*huff*...and that's why we can't blow it up. Very unstable technology might be buried in this temple, and blowing it up would be an incredibly bad idea!"
	Ishmael	        "This doesn't look like technology to me."
	XMB-173	        "Oh no."
	XMB-173	        "It's that heathen god again."
	Rajh_Tara	readies his pulse rifle.
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	runs along, in the middle of the squad, his BR Pistol at the ready.
	Roland	        readies his Triplex Patttern Lasgun.
	Roland	        moves up along side Mr. Rose.
	CawklesGM	And so the squad rushes down the stairs, deeper into the cloying darkness. The star of light shining from within the shrine grows brighter as the ranks of serried Al-Qaumite statues fly past. When they all reach the bottom, the last pair of statures are...turned away from the portal to the main shrine. Wasting no time, everybody rushes inside, into the light...and they are all greeted by over a dozen hellgun barrels.
	CawklesGM	The main shrine is a rather bare affair. A circular room large enough to contain an entire platoon, there are only three distinguishing features: Two massive, bony arches blackened to the point of becoming almost as dark as the void itself. 10m away from this portal is a pedestal, a simple little mechanism with a slit chiselled into the top. It's *covered* with runes of alien origin. The third distinguishing thing is the massive crowd of people within the chambber itself. Two dozen storm troopers, their chiselled armor bedecked with purity seals and Inquisitorial heraldry, crowd around the pedestal. Mingling among them are the haggard and fearful faces of the people Snow Squad secured from that fateful refugee camp.  And standing nearest to the pedestal is the baby faced Oliver De Frank...and a withered man in archaic looking armor and robes, his craggy faced dominated by the breathing apparatus bolted to his face. Inscrutable dark panes of glass sit on his eyes, and wispy white hairs droop from his liver spotted scalp. De Frank's mouth drops to the floor.
	CawklesGM	"You...you're not supposed to be here!" De Frank cries. The man beside him, Dietrich presumably, looks remote. Mr. Rose strides to the fore with Snow Squad as Pounder and his fan out, their ewapons raised.
	CawklesGM	"How did they know?" Wheezes the Inquisitor. "To be honest, I'm impressed."
	CawklesGM	Dietrich turns to De Frank. "Do it."
	CawklesGM	De Frank, without hesitation, draws the alien dagger from his coat...and shoves it into the slit on the pedestal.
	CawklesGM	There is a click...and the pedestal's runes suddenly blaze, shining with a murky green light.
	Ishmael	        immediately draws his launcher and fires at De Frank and the other figure.
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose can scarecely voice his protest before the missile streaks into the air, flying furiously towards De Frank and the pedestral. He and the Inquisitor dive out of the way, but to no avail; they are both thrown bodily by the explosion several meters, impacting painfully into the stone floor. The Explosion rips the screaming civilains apart, their blood and gore staining the room as they come apart like poorly made dolls. Men, women, children...their bones and organs carpet the ground. But what's worse is what happens when the rocket slams into the pedestal. The entire thing comes apart in a pulse of sickly green energy.The wave enevelops the inquisitoral stormtroopers, distorted screams erupting from their throats as they all melt into pools of black sludge. The comrades of Snow Squad start back in horror at the spectacle. Sickly green energy crackles all around the room...
	Roland	"Oh shit, this is not good at all."
	CawklesGM	A hole of complete darkness forms within the two bony arches before coalescing into a rippling portal of dark green energy. It pulses and ripples like a pool of incandescent liquid. Mr. Rose is beside himself.
	CawklesGM	"We're dead! We're dead!"
	Ace_Nerat	"Mind elaborating?"
	Rajh_Tara	[Mahdi] "What the hell, Ishmael?"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	[Bazir] "Does it never end?!"
	CawklesGM	The portal finally stabilizes...and figures can be seen on the otherside. Dozens of them. They begin to push against the energy barrier...
	XMB-173	        "Emperor damn it! Ishmael, you IDIOT!"
	CawklesGM	The first one passes through. A tall, withered looking creature steps out. His armor is black like tar, angular, bedecked with painful spikes, rumbles as his confident stride carries him forward. His features are completely obscured by his pointed, impassive helmet but his fluid and graceful movements are completely inhuman. A handsome cloak of pink human skin trails behind him as weapons of heinous make rattle at his hip. Following this handsome, almost regal dark figure is a clearer picture of what you are up against. A woman, darkly beautiful and swarthed in black robes and skin tight underarmor, struts foward almost sensually. Her movements are so titillating...the sashay of her hips, the tone of her muscle, she's like a predator. As she becomes more clear, it becomes obvious that her skin is covered in blood and painful looking piercings, her dark mane of hair covering only some of the gruesome injuries she has inflicted upon herself. The third figure of the triumvurate emerges...a hovering, skinless corpse, bedekced in a shiny black costume, the figure is terrifying misshappen and disfigured, like a child's conception of the bogeyman. Its fingers are like claws, its teeth needles, its neck unanturally elongated to accomadte the gruesome slit build into its neck. Following these figures are more inhumanly graceful creatures, clad in chitin like black armor. Strange armaments are cradled in their arms. All said, when the figures finish emerging, it looks like an alien warhost numbering nearly thirty.
	CawklesGM	Mr. Rose turns pale. "You've gotta be kidding me."
	Ace_Nerat	"Kill?"
	Izem_abn_Anaruz	"What are those abominations?"
	Rajh_Tara	"With fire."
	Ishmael	        "Yeah, kill."
	Roland	        "I don't have the flamer."