<Architect>

Planet Xe'vis, once a rising Hive Planet under the Imperium of man, then a major Tau world that was planned to be the center for a new Sept, was now seemingly a dark, deserted planet. One side of the planet had been developed by the Imperium for Hive cities, then repurposed by the Tau for similar purposes, the other side a combination of jungle and ocean full of Feral Orks and ancient ruins. Even after only a week of the strange disappearance of the cities' former owners, the jungle has already begun to creep back into them, and the outskirts have started being reclaimed by nature.

The only sign of life around the planet is the Lar'shi Class Cruiser Khas'atah, which holds the entirety of Hunter Cadre Shi'ur inside it. The ship is buzzing with activity as the Hunter Cadre prepares to make landfall within an hour. The few drones that returned from the planet's surface contained information relating to a large object, believed to be a derelict ship or an asteroid, that had mysteriously appeared and crashed into the planet's jungles. Other reports contained information about large numbers of Gue'la rebels that survived in these jungles, performing guerilla warfare against the Tau while fending off the Orks. The reports indicate a lack of rebellious activity in the two weeks preceding the beginning of the strange occurences, at first thought to be a buildup for a large-scale assault, but now perhaps a more sinister forewarning, whatever befell the Tau on Xe'vis may have also claimed the lives of the Gue'la rebels.

<Commander Halefire>

The Commander was in the hangar bay, watching as his Cadre boarded their Mantas. They would be landing at the main Fire Caste headquarters in the largest of the three population centers, and use that location as a staging area for their investigations. He and his bodyguards, Shas'vre Myar and Shas'vre N'rok, would be joining Myar's former unit in the first Manta, which contained 3 Fire Warrior teams, and a Pathfinder team, all from Fal'Shia, along with their respective Devilfish and the Ethereal Aun'Zil, who was officially in charge of the investigation.

<Shas'Ui'Fal'shia'Monty - Squad La'rua'Fal'shia'Var>

"You know the drill. Shas'Ui Se'hen will lead her Pathfinder team in advance and we give cover from a distance. So that we are actually watching the Pathfinder. Each of you picks someone else from the Pathfinder team to watch them, while two of us, one on each side stays alert. If you notice anything out of place or dangerous, you are to report it immediately."

Monty simply instructed, like for the third time by now as his Pulse Rifle was readied and then leaned against his shoulder. He looked through his Fire Warrior team, still feeling the heavy burden of leadership on his shoulders, but being glad about the respect and expectation Halefire, Myar and the Ethereal Caste put in him to allow him such position. It was a true honor to serve the Tau'va and the Cadre Shi'ur.

<Shas'Ui'Fal'shia'Se'hen - Squad La'rua'Fal'shia'Tak>

"We will touch down soon. And when we do, we'll form the vanguard. You know the drill, men. We're the ones at the front, behind us, the Fire Warriors will give us covering fire. We will have to trust in the three Warrior squads, since we won't really know what we're dealing with down there. Eyes peeled and carbines at the ready people, as always, we are the only squad gutsy enough to be the Pathfinders and damn it if we haven't always been!"

Se'hen smiled as she talked to her squad, standing tall atop a munitions crate, her own pulse carbine slung at her hip by its mag-lock. One hoof placed on her own helm below her, the scarred Shas'Ui had developed a sense for dramatics after her promotion, even letting her hair grow out so it would sway in the wind. Internally, she trusted Monty blindly; she knew he'd cover them. A much bigger problem was that she still didn't believe herself cut out for this, but just as she said before - the Greater Good thought it was a good idea to promote her, so it prolly was.

<Shas'Ui'Fal'Shia'Mal'caor - Squad La'rua'Fal'shia'Tak>

Mal'caor appeared to only give half of his attention to his honored squad leader, smirking as the lines of troops funneled into their respective transports. Each one a proud warrior of the Fire Caste - Pathfinders included, yet he knew soon their boots and hooves would hit the dirt and their mettle would be tested. For this particular Pathfinder, the thought of finally breathing in the atmosphere of a new world in place of the constantly recycled air of the Khas'atah. Mal'caor turned to give a nod of affirmation to Se'hen, what hair he had bound tightly to his scalp in locks. In many ways, it looked as if the Pathfinder had attempted to parrot the appearance of the Kroot with their sensory quills. Truthfully, the Pathfinder admired their honored allies and found their craft a great inspiration to his own. You know. Minus the eating of their foes.

<Architect>

The Mantas dropped through the sky, and within moments they were through the cloud cover, with the expanse of the main city beneath them. It was raining, hard, and the city was dark, no signs of any sort of power running through the city. That did not bode well, as their power generators were designed to be self-sufficient without user input for up to two years, and the planet had only been quiet for a month. The first three Mantas to land contained the Cadre's stealth teams, some Crisis suits (including Commander + bodyguard), the Fire Warrior/Pathfinder teams with their devilfish, and the Gue'vesa teams. The landing zone was dark, lit only by the external lights of the Mantas and the Devilfish as they disembarked. Immediately upon exiting, every member would feel as if they were being watched, and a sinister chill down their spine. As the soldiers moved forward, strange shapes appear in the corner of their eyes, and as they approach the darkness, strange, malicious laughter is heard as strange creatures armed with various weapons charge into the Tau lines from the darkness. A blast of purple fire lances through a Fire Warrior team, nearly incinerating every member. Even stranger beasts swooping down upon the Cadre, dragging unfortunate soldiers to their deaths.

OOC: They are daemons, your characters won't know that, even the Commander does not know them, but so that you can properly roleplay, I am informing you, the daemons are of Tzeentch and Slaanesh. Nothing horrendous yet though.

<Commander Halefire>

The Commander reacts immediately, he hadn't survived for this long in the Fire Caste without being able to quickly think on his feet. He and his guard open up on the oncoming horde, devastating their lines, before leaping away to assist a Fire Warrior team.

"Khas'atah, we have come under assault from the enemy on the ground, enemy identity unknown, but incredibly hostile. Mantas are returning to retrieve the rest, priority to the Hammerheads, loaded with submunition rounds, and the Kroot."

"Hunter Cadre Shi'ur, hold the line, our foe has made our job easier by making themselves known, and now we will drive them back."

<Shas'Ui'Fal'shia'Monty - Squad La'rua'Fal'shia'Var>

"Stay on duty! Guard the Pathfinders and those next to you! Controlled Salvos, cover one another reloading, just as trained!" Monty demanded from his team. The shooting was easy. One half shoots first, the other one makes out the targets and calls them and provides fire the moment the first half started reloading.

Though fear was creeping upon him, his desire to protect Se'hens squad as per prior order, also because he cared for her and wouldn't let her die as long as he would be able to fire his rifle. "Concentrate, don't lose focus! Remember your training!" He yelled as he primed his rifle and fired a burst into the darkness where the enemy hid, their shapes awkward and unfamiliar. Perhaps another species that lived here even before the Imperium and awoke from their industrial offensive?

<Shas'Ui'Fal'shia'Se'hen - Squad La'rua'Fal'shia'Tak>

"THIS IS THE MOMENT OF TRUTH, MEN! MOVE FROM COVER TO COVER! SHOW THESE ALIENS THE POWER OF UNITY!", Se'hen yelled over the imaginary din of war, something not actually necessary, as the voxes of the Tau were quite sophisticated. Still, it helped her shake off this unnatural paranoia. Really rustled her jimmies.

"MOVE FORWARD PEOPLE!"
Of course, Se'hen did this in part to inspire courage in her men. The tau female wasn't blind, she had seen the incineration of her comrades, had seen how they perished within seconds. She swallowed her own fear for the Pathfinders' sake though, and charged forward, towards the blackness, towards the nearest cover. No matter what these strange creatures were, it was the Tau'va that mattered, and above all, she was confident Monty would protect her men.
Her pulse carbine in one hand, the other arm stretched skywards, her hand a fist, she did not stop moving even if there was a definite shiver running down her spine.

<Shas'La'Fal'Shia'Mal'caor - Squad La'rua'Fal'shia'Tak>

To be aware of the field was a necessity for his chosen path. The moments alone and far ahead of the Cadre were the ones that Mal'caor treasured most, where it came down to his own sphere of awareness. His own senses and skills. No matter how sharp his senses or advanced his helmet, there was no way to catch every minor detail in open conflict. To be taken by surprise was an even greater level of impossibility. So the Pathfinder did as any warrior would do, he followed orders and kept his senses sharp. Mal'caor remained crouched as he advanced alongside the other Pathfinders, eyes flickering between the skies and the shadows of their bizarre opponents. His pulse carbine began to spit plasma as he shrugged off the chill upon his soul, "At once, Shas'Ui!"

<Architect>

The Daemons came at the Tau as relentlessly as the falling rain, which only served to make the combat even worse for the Tau. No foe they had fought before was like this, so completely horrifying to behold and fight. Their mere presence was enough to cause the majority of the Gue'vesa to unwillingly cower in fear.

One of the Mantas was brought down during its attempt to return for reinforcements. The other two successfully returned to the Khas'atah, but would be a while before they could return. The air wing from the Khas'atah passed them halfway, and provided much needed air support for the embattled Cadre on the ground.

Their strange foes continued on, but the heavy firepower of the Cadre began to tell on their foes.

OOC: Drive them back Fire Caste!

@Casavay @Skarboy @EvicusDasan1 (Reminders for the Greater Good!)

Monty gritted his teeth beneath his helmet. "Grenades!" He roared and as he rose from the cover to throw one of his Photon Grenades into the dark, four others joined him to throw theirs, the others of the squad used the moment of light emit by the grenades to fire into the targets.

"Keep them pinned!" He roared, aiming his rifle once more, shooting now in faster and wider salvos as the amount of enemies became more clear.


OOC: @MetalDog4
Going to retcon my other gal as Pathfinder under Se'hen; will edit eventually... ^^