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From the heart of asteroid Somata 24BB three cloaked figures rise via hydraulic lift. Tech Priest Vickal Flanked by Datasmiths Waltin and Voltis.
The Tech Priest wields an ornate eradication ray as he supports himself with a mighty power axe, which has become more of a cane
than an axe as the centuries have passed. The Datasmiths check their gamma pistols as they chant psalms in the Omnissiah name.
They exit the the lift to the processing structure, to enter a massive ventilation chamber. The ground in front of them opens.
Kastelan Robots rise from their storage covered in dust, each with a shoulder mounted heavy phosphor blaster the massive claws
of two replaced with even more blasters.
To the south large blast doors leading to the docking bay, sit shrouded in the steam rising from ventilation shafts .The cohort
begins to move their way around the large processing structure. Servitors quickly retreat from the relay pump station to the
west taking the lift that had just carried the Techpriest, back down into the heart of the asteroid. A distant explosion echos,
through the chamber.
“Do you know who they are?”
“Who or what they are I can’t discern. But i know what they are after. They have been extracting all the data on the Composite Gel”
“14456 Seal the processing structure and wipe this terminal. Datasmith 14489, with me, we must reach the pump relay console and
shut it down, and then the storage console on the east side. They are extracting our data in search of something and whatever it is we
must not allow it to fall into their hands.”
A massive explosion rips through the chamber, the sound of the blast doors collapsing
“We must reach the consoles before the enemy.”
+Data tether established,Long range communications offline+
+No assistance will come. Advance the Kastelans, march onward to the pump relay+
The Cohort walked out into the open, through the steam they could see the blown apart blast doors on the far side of the chamber, along with the pump relay console.
+Halt+ The order came from the Tech Priest, he stood silently surveying the steam,+They should have been on us already. Activate Aegis Protocol+
His vision turned to the pump as the Kastelans began to hum to life Then he saw the twin blue glow from the corner of his vision.
It was observing them from the steam +A trap... Open Fire on the steam vents+
Phosphoro Blasters erupted as they passed into the the dark silhouettes emerged behind the green phosphor glow, they stood unmoving, untouched by the Kastelans Salvo.
With a horrid sound of metal being ripped apart in an instant a hole was punched clean through one Kastelan, yet still it remained standing. The Kastelans continued firing
hitting only wisps of steam.
Battle data streamed through the three members of the Mechanicus
+Charge the pump relay+ DataSmith Waltin proposed this course of action +they are after the data, if we shut down the pump relay console we can lock them out of the system.+
+It’s clearly a trap they will surround us,+Datasmith Voltis echoed the Techpriest's initial assessment
+You are right 14456 the data shows a 76% of it being a trap. We shall head for the Storage Tank’s console,+The Tech Priest’s voice was highly calculated +we can lock down the
system from there. 22% chance they will reach the console before us+
+Their weapons are clearly powerful, but with Aegis protocol we can spring their trap and destroy them in close quarters with the chant of the remorseless fist combined with
Conquror protocol+ Waltin offered one final protest against the Tech Priest’s decision
+To willingly walk into a trap takes far too great a risk, we retreat toward the Storage tanks.+
Tech Priest Vickal, and Datasmith Waltin began retreating back behind the Processing structure.
+I have sealed the Structure, and wiped the console+ Voltis reported
Tech Priest Vickal sent a salute through the data tether as he moved into cover well behind the the structure.
He peered through the Kastelans as they retreated through the robotic viewports they finally became could identify their enemy. A small hovering disk floated in front of the relay
pump console sporting two strange guns. Three xenos standing on hooved feet carrying long rifles of blasphemous design, lightly covered sleek blue and red armour emerged
from behind the Console. A fourth one emerged sporting a shorter gun and various markings on his armour. A red beam flies from his weapon, some sort of targeting system,
and fixes it self squarely on the Kastelan. The Kastelan following the imperatives of the Tech Priest runs for cover but as it reaches the Structure its leg is ripped from its body
by two chunks of high velocity metal. The robot sputters on the wet metallic floor, sparks flying as its systems fail.
The pump relay was in the hands of the xenos but it wouldn’t matter so long as the Tech Priest could reach the Storage Tank console.
Around the other side of the Processing structure the Tech Priest sees the enemy with his own eyes as he skitters into the open.
Three hulking suits the size of a Kastelan stand on the shattered remains of the blast doors. They hold giant rifles similar to the ones
held the smaller scouting party along with a missile array on their back and one massive missile on the other side a cluster of missile laden
drones hovering around them. More of the smaller scouts stand in the Steam vents identical to the other squad.
The Tech Priest’s vitals spike, as he sees through a gap in the steam a 4th Large suit. Structurally identical to the others only lacking the
shoulder mounted missile array, in its stead another strange pair of guns. The suit is painted black and red, with apparent writing covering the
beast in yellow.
+Xenos Identified:Tau+
Waltin thinks he detects fear in the Tech Priest, as he sends the order to run.
As the Cohort breaks into a sprint, the black clad broadside follows suit rushing into the steam. Sparks light up the mist as the Broadside grinds
to a halt on the vents, leveling its gun squarely in line with the Tech Priest.
+We must reach the tank. The Kastelans can hold here and rain down upon the xenos. Initialize Protector Protoc...+
Time seems to slow, a vast array of proximity warning come alive as the Kastelans Repulsor Grids activate attempting to slow the coming projectile.
The Tech Priest’s refractor flield flickers as it shatters. A line of vapor trails from the Tech Priest’s head back to the Barrel of the Black Armoured Broadside.
Vickals skull is turned inside out, before vaporizing into a mist of blood, brain matter and metal powder. The Kastelans halt as they process the
Tech Priest’s final order, and their Protector Protocol comes online.
The datasmiths slide behind the storage tanks, the shock of what has happened paralysizes Voltis for 2.7 seconds before the chant of the
Benediction of Omniscience from Waltin stirs him back into the fight. Together they Override the Kastealns targeting. Waltin targets the squad near the relay pump.
He sees them blast apart the console with grenades +They have finished extracting data from the relay pump+ Waltin declared, recieving an +understood+ from Voltis.
Waltin then proceeds to gundown 3 of the pathfinders. The pathfinders near the vents immediately return fire in one synchronized volley, that all strike the Kastelans'
Repulsor grid and scatter wildly, one shot reflects back at a pathfinder tearing into his torso leaving him maimed on the ground. The three remaining Kastelans light up
the vents, as gun drones rush forwards protecting the remaining pathfinders, The gun drones are destroyed outright and the recon drone heavily damaged.
With Haste Waltin Switches the Protocols back to Aegis, just as the Black Clad Tau unleashes a volley which cuts through the standard protection but is stopped by the Aegis Protocols.
A red beam emerges from the vents, as the Pathfinder Shas ‘ui locks onto the Kastelans.
Taking this as their signal the three Broadsides at the end of the chamber level off their rifles, and let loose. With a rip of sound and 3 massive eruptions of sparks the rail rifles
find their mark, As the sparks fade to show glowing repulsor grid and a single ball of red hot metal sitting lodged in the grid before being flung back towards the broadsides, ripping
into a missile drone sheering it in half. The broadsides look to one another, then focus back at the Kastelans. In unison the Seeker misles fly straight towards the Kastelans whose
repulsor grids shimer and stop all the missiles midflight. Two detonate but one careens back towards the broadsides detonating on their armor leaving only a scratch.
The remnants of the Cohort move fully behind the Storage Tanks, still able to see the pump relay and the one remaining pathfinder there, The Kastelans open fire forcing the Shas Ui
to jump to the ground narrowly surviving the onslaught with one drone. With the Storage control console in sight, pays little mind to the xenos drone floating near him, until the damned t
hing begins accessing the console. He sets his sight on the drone and the remaing pathfinders until the thunderous steps of the Black Clad Broadside catch his attention
+focus on the greatest threat+ orders Waltin.
+Affirmative+
Voltis fires his pistol in line with Waltin, targeting the Broadside, as the Kastelans destroy his two drones. The Broadside returns fire, marching forwards, his rail rifle misses wildly,
while his plasma finds its mark, but is absorbed by the Datasmith’s refractor field. Voltis’s shot misses narrowly, but Waltin’s shot flies true, damaging the mighty Battlesuit.
The Datasmith reloads his pistol hastily, as he can hear the broadsides gun charging up to fire. His attention is broken as the gundrone fries the console. The Broadsides Gun winds down,
as he drops his gun slightly and nods. In perfect high gothic “Well fought” comes from the broadside
A small disk flung by the pathfinder shas ui erupts into blinding light. “I eagerly await our next engagement young mechanicus.” The sound of the rail rifle firing is followed quickly by the
Datasmith unleashing his pistol blindly. “I advise you get off this rock as hastily as possible.” Waltin’s vision returns, the Ground one step in front of Waltin is a mess of molten metal the tau are gone.
Had the tau intentionally missed? A massive explosion brings him to his knees.
+They’ve sabotaged the station+
+Run!+
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