Ok, we've hit the second chapter and I should open by addressing a couple of points raised in my reviews (and may I say I'm pleasantly surprised at how quickly this story seems to be catching on!).

Firstly, the Catachans will not be featuring in the main body of the story for the reasons I outlined at the foot of Chapter One. They will, however, be referred to by characters and I intend to feature them briefly at the end of the story.

Secondly, as we are assuming that the events of Avatar have not occurred, the human characters of the film will not be making an appearance as this is clearly set in the 41st millennium. There will also not be any equivalent to the Avatar Project because aside from arguably some very radical faction of the Ordo Xenos, I doubt the Imperium would take too kindly to the suggestion of merging human and alien DNA. As a result, the most heavily featured characters of the Na'vi will be Eytukan, Tsu'Tey and Neytiri.

Thank you if you are one of those who have placed this fic on Story Watch. It's pleasing to know that my work has caught interest.

Chapter Two: First Impressions

Tory felt the potent aroma of Recaff overwhelming his senses as the scalding liquid flooded down his throat. Of course after years of this daily practice he made no visible reaction to the numbing pain it inflicted on his tongue. Having seemingly experienced every level of Hell the Known Universe had to offer in his time with the Navy, such trivialities could only grow ever paltrier. The gradually reddening Sun on the horizon indicated the hour was late, but there was still work to be done before it set. Leaning against his parked Valkyrie, Tory lazily studied the bustling scene around him. Sentinel Powerlifters were placing the last temporary ramparts around the compound. The bulky, green constructs of plasteel and ceramite were moderately high and a small ledge ran along the inside, creating a walkway from which the parapets could be defended by the garrison. Guardsmen hurried to and fro with sandbags slung across their shoulders, stacking them round the various dugouts they had completed. It was truly a testament to Imperial discipline and the dedication of the Machine Cult to have such a herculean task nearing completion in less than a day. Tory finally snapped out of his semi-dormant state as he noticed a tall shape approach him from the right in his peripheral vision.

'So Tory, enjoying the scenery?'

Tory cracked a smile as he heard those gruff, familiar tones. 'Yeah, nice view. Hell of a wild place they've brought us to. Pity our Catachan friends couldn't stick around. Bet they'd have loved to see this. Just like home to them!'

The scarred and pitted face of Kasrkin Sergeant Edwin Korrus lit up as he allowed Tory's mirth to melt away his usually serious demeanour. 'I suppose so. Don't worry – they'll be joining the party soon enough. Word from higher-up says the other ships have received our message and a couple are setting course towards us. For the next couple of the days though, it's up to us to hold the fort. Still, if you think you've got an impressive setup here, wait till you see what the Mechanicus have got going at the main landing site. Whatever's so special about this mineral they're getting worked up about, they seem Hell-bent on keeping this area in Imperial hands!'

'Hmm, looks that way from here. Natives given you any trouble yet, Eddie, or…?'

'Not a sign of 'em, mate. Can't say I blame 'em for keeping away though. I'd want to stay out of reach of this thing if I were in their place.' Gesturing to the weighty Hellpistol in the holster on his left thigh, he continued 'Of course, I'm hardly one to talk. I think I'd wet myself if I were holding nothing but a spear with one of those things staring down at me.'

Tory gave a small chuckle at his friend's just admiration of his gunship. Not only had Tory piloted the gutsy aircraft into the jaws of death so many times it was a small wonder he was still here to tell the tale, but it had served as the primary means of transport for Korrus' squad throughout their campaign, deep striking behind enemy lines to unload Cadia's finest into the thick of the action. Although he had known the Kasrkin for less than a Terran year, Tory had developed a peculiar camaraderie with the shock trooper in spite of the traditional rivalry between the Guard and Navy. Although it was hardly necessary, Korrus had expressed his gratitude at several instances for all the times Tory had lent his squad the support of a missile strike or two whenever he had requested it. This was to say nothing of all the times they had needed just as rapid extraction from these battlefield hotspots he had initially shuttled them to, but Tory noticed his comrade seldom mentioned that part of their missions when bragging at the mess hall table.

'Fair enough, mate. Of course that's assuming I'm kind enough to give them time to wet themselves before I thumb the trigger. Anyway, how are your lot getting on with our friends from Armageddon?'

The two took a couple of seconds to observe the bustle around them, glancing at the curiously dressed Guardsmen to whom he referred. Unlike the various beige and mustard yellow colours Tory usually associated with the Steel Legion, the uniforms worn by the 92nd Armageddon featured a comparatively subdued scheme of dull green trench coats over brown fatigues. Perhaps they had been drawn from the more forested regions of their home planet? Korrus entertained himself with a few more notions before shifting focus back to his friend's unanswered question.

'Well, they're not the most talkative bunch, but once they're mounted up in those tanks of theirs and charging flat out across the battlefield with all guns blazing, you'll be thanking the Emperor they've got our backs. Anyway I can't stick around much longer. I need to brief the squad in 15 about our latest assignment. Can't tell you too much, you understand, but it turns out the Mechanicus isn't going to be wasting time on the native issue.'

Tory gave only a nod of acknowledgement as his Cadian friend casually departed, making his way towards the outpost's command centre. Downing his still-hot Recaff in one final gulp, he turned around to face his craft and continued his daily routine. Yes, thought Tory, things are certainly going to get interesting round here.

When Tsu'Tey had first spotted the strange contraption, he had questioned if it was an alien life-form brought by the Sky People rather than another of their damnable non-creatures. While all of their terrestrial transports he had seen thus far had been inelegant, boxy things that crawled along the ground in an unnatural fashion, this one walked upon two legs like an oversized, flightless bird. Closer inspection revealed all the hallmarks he had come to recognise of the Sky People's abominable creations. He was unsure if the alien thing was yet aware of his presence in the deep undergrowth, but he had been continuously tracking it for a considerable amount of time now. It appeared to be following some sort of patrol route around their outlying landing site and evidently had either failed to notice Tsu'Tey or was purposefully ignoring him as it attended to its objectives. Having come to accept he was not going to gain any particularly valuable intelligence from observing the walker, Tsu'Tey finally decided to break away and return to the sacred grove that presently served as his base. Although he remained stunned at how he had achieve such a diplomatic feat to begin with, Eytukan was soon to commence his first council with the other chieftains and it was essential for him to be at his leader's side for such a potentially dangerous event. Never averting his eyes from the walking non-creature, he swiftly backed behind the safety of the nearest tree base before scurrying away through the greenery as prey would from predator.

'Xenos scout has broken surveillance and is falling back. Should I pursue target and terminate?'

'Negative, Sentinel 1. Continue your patrol. The Mechanicus has expressed it imperative that we are not to provoke native hostility before we fully establish our defences. We simply cannot risk being overrun at such a premature stage or the entire operation could collapse. Don't worry, you'll get your chance to bring death to the Emperor's enemies soon enough. For now, can you send us your current position and the target's direction of movement? And those of any other native scouts you encounter? We require further intelligence to determine the location of their immediate base of operations.'

'Understood HQ, transmitting co-ordinates now' and with that the Steel Legion Sentinel pressed on along the jungle path, the pilot's eyes remaining on the auspex at all times.

Colonel Dayvis' eyes required a few seconds to readjust to the dim light as he strode out of the morning sun into the main site's command bunker. Although he would not openly admit it to the Arch-Magos, the progress they had shown thus far was nothing short of astonishing. Not only had the Mechanicus already set up the defensive walls around the landing site, but trenches and foxholes were beginning to appear throughout the clearing, ready to be manned by his men and artillery when the time came. Suppressing his inner awe to attend to his duties, he noticed Colonel Vek standing over by the tactical display. As Dayvis approached it became clear his fellow officer was conversing with one of the vox operators. After waiting for the opportune moment to enter the discussion, Dayvis finally spoke.

'Any news you have to speak of, Colonel?'

Predictably the Steel Legionary remained true to his stern self and continued to study the figures and markers on the screen before them.

'Vek! I asked you a question!'

'Apologies, Colonel. I was just calibrating the latest data fed into the cogitators. If our calculations are correct, then I believe we have narrowed the source of local native activity to this subsector.' He gestured to the highlighted square on the grid in front of them.

'Excellent.' The grating utterance caught Dayvis by surprise. He immediately turned around to face Arch-Magos Dante. How the graceless cyborg had managed to approach them unnoticed was beyond him, but Dayvis pushed the trivial question from his mind to listen to what the Tech-Adept had to comment on.

'Captain Faucon informs me that his Scouts are still in the vicinity. Tell me, Colonel Vek, if your men can spare a Chimera? I intend on personally leading my retinue into the area to establish communication with the natives.'

'Are you sure that's wise, Arch-Magos?' Dayvis meekly enquired.

'May I remind you, Colonel, that although your presence is essential to our designs, this operation is ultimately that of the Mechanicus. As such we must be in absolute control of such matters and I insist on my physical presence to ensure the natives do not interfere with our schemes. We have even equipped one of our Servitors with the best translating technology available to the Omnissiah's servants in order to quicken our diplomatic efforts.'

'And if I may be so bold, Arch-Magos, will Captain Faucon be joining us down here anytime soon?'

'Fear not, Colonel. The Captain has insisted on monitoring his Scouts' progress from the Winged Vengeance for the time being, but has assured me he will be gracing us with his presence soon enough.'

Dayvis decided against enquiring any further. Dante's keenness to attend to his affairs was self-evident and he was presently in no position to question the operations of either the Astartes or the Mechanicus. Vek then took the opportunity to answer the Tech-Priest's earlier question.

'I can have that Chimera ready for you at the main embarking point in half a Terran hour, Arch-Magos. Should I assume you do not wish for me to provide an armed escort?'

'No, Colonel. That will not be necessary. I insist that we limit the entourage's strength as to avoid giving the wrong impression to the xenos we seek to contact. While I am sure my retinue is more than capable of fending for itself, I have already spoken with Captain Faucon in regard to providing additional security. It would seem wise, however, to have your mobile units on standby in case we require immediate assistance.'

'Brothers, it fills my heart with joy to see you all here at such short notice.' While keenly aware of his intentionally flattering tone, Eytukan was indeed overjoyed to know his messages had not fallen on deaf ears. There were a number of tribes who were yet to respond, but representatives from the Horse and Ikran Clans were already present. Such enthusiastic co-operation amongst such distant tribes was truly an exemplary statement of Na'vi kinship. Unsurprisingly, the other chiefs had insisted against holding their session within the Omaticaya Hometree itself. Instead they had agreed to gather at a secluded, ancient place of worship that lay some miles away from the Hometree, complete with rudimentary sleeping arrangements for the ambassadorial parties and their bodyguards. It was here at this unimaginably old stone circle that Eytukan addressed the gathered council, the representatives' various retinues forming a small army around them. It was Chief Huasabi of the Tipani Clan who was first to answer.

'Great Eytukan, your wisdom is known to all of the Na'vi people and we do not question the reasoning behind your idea. We would not all be here if we thought otherwise, but the Tipani would still appreciate some reassurance on these matters. After all, what you ask of us has not come to pass for generations. Even if these developments were not so utterly unprecedented, may I remind you that you ask of us to commit all our available forces into battle with an enemy that came down from the Heavens themselves. You have seen what they have at their disposal with your own eyes! They command unnatural monstrosities that crush the very forest underfoot! How can you be so certain such a foe can be overcome by the hands of mere mortals?'

'Brother Huasabi, if it becomes apparent that they seek to destroy us anyway, our doom is made certain through inaction. Under normal circumstances you would all be perfectly right to regard this as a fool's errand. Perhaps you could even question my sanity. Yet as it happens, present circumstances are anything but normal and though we will extend the hand of peace to these visitors from the stars, we must be prepared for the worst should they brush it aside.'

'Eytukan's words are wise as always', began Chief Akwey of the Horse Clan, 'and should the worst occur I shall gladly ride into battle alongside you, but I cannot help but question whether our actions are premature. After all you talk of the possibility of peace, but to my understanding none of us have actually approached the Sky People to reach any kind of understanding with them. How can we be speaking of counteroffensive measures before any physical interaction, let alone bloodshed, has even occurred?'

'Patience, Great Akwey' answered Mo'at on her mate's behalf. 'As we speak the Omaticaya are preparing to make contact, but we feel the correct opportunity is yet to present itself.'

At that moment Tsu'Tey burst into the circle from the surrounding crowd, stumbling as he came to an abrupt halt. Composing himself, he looked up towards Eytukan upon his stone seat and hurriedly spat out 'Chief Eytukan! Our scout party was approached by a transport of the Sky People. Their knowledge of the Na'vi tongue is extremely basic, but we believe they wish to meet with you. As we speak Neytiri is attempting to converse with them and should all go as planned, the scout party should lead their delegates here very shortly.'

'Well', uttered Chief Ilisha of the Ikran People to break the stunned silence, 'it appears the correct opportunity has presented itself.'

Neytiri could not help the gnawing sensation inside her as she listened attentively to the alien party's message. While these Sky People had forces at their command that went beyond any understanding of nature she possessed, the foreign beings themselves that she had previously observed were little more than fleshy things with pink skin. Yet the Sky People to whom she was attempting to speak appeared radically different. Their physical forms were like those of the Sky People she had already seen, but they also sported ungainly features that were unmistakeably composed of the same abnormal material that made up their non-creatures. Perhaps most unsettling was the freakish thing that served as their translator. Its functions were almost entirely of non-organic origin, but its body was constructed around what revoltingly appeared to be a Sky Person's corpse. Such utter disrespect for the dead was unheard of to Neytiri. She had to hold back her rising disgust as she looked the thing in its grey, blank-eyed face, taking mental note of the grinding syllables it churned out from the boxy device located where there should have been a mouth. The message was very crude, poorly pronounced with numerous syntax errors, yet its meaning was crystal clear and the language seemed to improve as their dialogue continued. Their leader – the most heavily augmented of the group, evidently known in the Sky People's tongue as an Archmaygos – was requesting audience with the chief to discuss his terms for a non-aggression pact. While Neytiri remained cautiously aware of the bulky, rod-like objects carried by the head figure's retinue, she saw little reason to doubt his sincerity and any chance her father had to avoid bloodshed needed to be taken. Through the morbid non-creature she was able to make an arrangement. She would lead their transport through the forest to the grove so long as they dismounted when she instructed and entered the council's presence under constant watch.

'If you so much as raise your weapons', she added in a calculated, menacing tone, 'we will kill you without hesitation.'

The Sky People seemed to get the point quickly enough and agreed to her conditions. Soon enough her scout party was swiftly making its way across the wild landscape on either side of the track, directing the transport non-creature that noisily charged along the jungle path.

Eywa, she prayed silently as she strode through the undergrowth, give my father strength. Let him find a way through this.

'This is Scout Sergeant Darius reporting, sir. The xenos appear to have agreed to host the meeting. We are following some distance away from the Chimera, but we still have visual. The xenos don't seem to have detected us yet.'

'Let's hope it stays that way, Sergeant' crackled Captain Faucon's voice from the Winged Vengeance command deck 'Continue to trail them until you reach the meeting point. Be prepared to provide covering fire should the Arch-Magos come under threat, but do not engage beforehand. I'm as sceptical as you are about the Arch-Magos' approach, but we must allow him to attempt his negotiations first.'

'Understood, Captain', Darius replied as he pushed aside another branch of the wild undergrowth, 'the transport is coming to a halt now. We shall continue to trail them and report back when we are in firing position.'

Dayvis kept his eyes fixed on the display screen, studying the scene before him. Evidently the Arch-Magos had not been foolish enough to allow their progress to go unmonitored. Through a live pict-feed augmented into the optics of the Skitarii squad leader escorting Dante's party, Dayvis watched the distant events unfold from inside the command bunker. While he had seen still picts and even a few recordings taken by overhead Valkyries during the session aboard the Righteous Fury, viewing them in such an up-close fashion was different experience altogether. He could now see clearly that these blue, furry creatures could rival a Space Marine in height, though they were considerably slimmer in build. Their physique remained impressive in spite of this and though he knew the primitive spears they held amounted to practically nothing against Imperial might, Dayvis could not help but be slightly intimidated as rank after rank of the imposing xenos appeared on both sides of their advancing field of vision, presumably as the crowd parted to form a clear path for the Mechanicus retinue. Having fought such horrors as the Orks, Tyranids and even the forces of Chaos in his time, Dayvis' initial unease was quickly replaced by the iron will of a true Cadian officer. Nevertheless he could not help but admire this Tech Guard's tenacity, never once faltering even as the alien throng enveloped the small group. This was, of course, before he remembered that his Tech Adept masters had probably removed his capacity to experience fear long ago. At last the crowd was breached and Dayvis gazed for the first time upon the face of their xenos counterparts. The elaborately decorated characters that could only be the natives' patriarchs were perched around the clearing upon a circular formation of stone outcroppings. Only one of the aliens was not seated and Dayvis looked on as the Arch-Magos and Servitor approached the proud figure, the Skitarii unit falling in around them in a tight formation. The presumably female native that had led their entourage quickly stepped ahead, gesturing to the Arch-Magos while exchanging a couple of incomprehensible alien sentences with the standing chieftain. Dayvis watched him nod in acknowledgment before turning to face Dante, continuing in his alien tongue with a dramatic flair in his voice. The Arch-Magos responded in kind, his Servitor automatically translating his words into the language of the xenos.

'Can we get a translation of this?' Davis whispered to the vox-operator beside him.

'No sir. We don't have enough of their language on our databanks for the cogitators to achieve that' was the equally hushed response.

'Then can you isolate and amplify the conversation between the Arch-Magos and their chief?'

'Attempting now, sir'

Roughly thirty seconds later the requested dialogue came to prominence over the display's vox-set, slightly distorted but still perfectly understandable. Dayvis leaned closer as the Arch-Magos continued to outline his terms.

'…and because of the unfortunate circumstance that your people are located directly upon the most prospective of these deposits, it is imperative that you leave the area as soon as practically feasible. The Mechanicus would rather not expend avoidable effort, so we will be willing to spare the lives of your people, but be warned. The Imperium will show you no mercy should you choose to reject our peaceful offering.'

Eytukan had to restrain his fury as the Servitor came to the end of its translation. His voice underlined with anger, he spat out in response. 'You would so readily drive innocents from their homes to satisfy your material greed? And threaten my people with annihilation should they as much as refuse? Such disregard of life is nothing short of deplorable!'

His words were met with a chorus of cheers from the gathered tribesmen. Yet the Arch-Magos remained unfazed. Instead he continued in his usual monotone, the Servitor working rapidly to make the translation. 'If I were you, alien, I would reconsider my position. You know you cannot hope to wage war against our forces. Our blessed machines will crush you beneath their treads and rain death upon you from above. It is foolish to believe you can resist. If you accept our terms, you will be free to go with your lives. You do not realise how unusual it is to offer even that much to those who obstruct our designs. Accept and you live. Decline and you die. That is the simple choice before you.'

'Then we choose to die with honour!'

With that the entire crowd erupted in spirited approval, forming a cacophony of various battle cries as they held their spears and bows aloft. Chief Huasabi's voice was the next to fill the grove.

'I stand by Brother Eytukan! You have heard with your own ears that they would not hesitate to destroy us! The Tipani will fight and die alongside the Omaticaya to overcome these devils!'

'As will the Horse Clan!'

'And my Ikran Riders will shield you from above!'

Eytukan smiled in overwhelming mirth as the Na'vi around him shook off their personal allegiances in the name of brotherhood. He had only just turned round to command the Arch-Magos out of his presence when he noticed one member of his entourage raising his held device towards him. Time seemed to slow down as he witnessed Tsu'Tey swiftly raising his bow beside him while Neytiri pulled him back behind the stone outcropping. While he fell he could just make out Tsu'Tey's loosened arrow striking against his would-be assassin's hand, the lost momentum granting enough time for the other chieftains to roll away from their exposed positions and draw their own weapons. It was then that pandemonium came crashing in.

Tribune Octavius swiftly raised his lasgun as his comrade ahead was struck by a fusillade of arrows, thudding harmlessly in some places against his bionics while finding their mark in others. Yet right now he could not be overly concerned with the wounded Hypaspist. All around him crude projectiles were thudding into the ground and the enraged mob of xenos warriors was bearing down on all sides, clutching their spears with murderous intent. Right now there was only one objective that mattered: protect the Arch-Magos. Calculating a firing arc with his enhanced optics, he held down his lasgun's trigger as he strode towards Dante, cutting down several assailing Na'vi in a hail of crimson rapid-fire. He saw that the Servitor had placed itself between the Arch-Magos and the oncoming horde, its bulk already skewered by spears and arrows. Maintaining a low profile as he continued to gun down approaching Na'vi, Octavius finally reached Dante's side as his men lay down streams of las-fire in all directions, struggling to keep the xenos at bay. 'Arch-Magos, it is urgent that you are evacuated. We must fall back to the Chimera.'

With that the Skitarii formation began to back down along the path they had taken to arrive, the Hypaspists providing covering fire at all times as the Arch-Magos took urgent strides towards their transport. Octavius remained at Dante's side at all times, squeezing off opportune bursts wherever possible. Despite their best efforts the aliens proved relentless in their pursuit and soon enough were upon the squad in close quarters. As he shot down another approaching Na'vi, Octavius noticed a pair of Hyspaspists fail to hold back a wave of aliens assaulting from the right flank, forcing them to engage the xenos in hand-to-hand. While their augmentations allowed them to slow down the assailants long enough for the Arch-Magos to make further progress towards safety, even bringing down a couple with their bayonets and rifle butts, the towering xenos proved too much for the servants of the Machine God and overran them. Reacting to a spear-wielding warrior bearing down on him from the other flank, Octavius squeezed his trigger once again, only to be greeted by the familiar click of a drained power pack. Without time to reload Octavius brought the lasgun up and thrust it forward with all his bionic might. The adamantium bayonet slammed straight between its ribs, right where Octavius surmised its vital organs to be. His reasoning proved sound as the giant form slumped dead at his feet. Swiftly withdrawing the bayonet, he snatched a fresh power pack from his utility belt and snapped it into the lasgun. This window of time proved all that was needed for another fearless warrior to close the gap, spear poised to strike down into the Tribune's skull. Octavius wondered if here and now his mortal service to the Omnissiah was to reach its end. Yet just as the Na'vi appeared certain to confirm this notion, the alien's head was blown back in a sudden explosion, falling back spectacularly with a gaping hole in its cranium. In the following few seconds, more Na'vi were struck down where they stood by the invisible forces. Not allowing himself to be distracted by this turn of events, Octavius raised the lasgun once again and pressed on towards the nearing Chimera.

'Scout Sergeant Darius to Winged Vengeance; we have engaged the enemy. I repeat: we have engaged the enemy.'

'Good work, Sergeant. Is the Arch-Magos approaching his transport?'

'Yes, Captain. We should only need to provide covering fire for a few more minutes.'

'Sergeant, our sensors detect multiple contacts coming towards your position at unusually high speed. We suspect cavalry units. Can you provide visual confirmation?'

Darius raised his magnoculars to his eyes and zoomed in on the back of the path. While the approaching shapes remained somewhat vague, their identity was unmistakeable.

'Confirmed, sir. They appear to be responding to our fire. Should we switch to close-combat gear?'

'Negative, Sergeant. You are to continue sniping and raise the signal at the appropriate moment as planned. Is that understood?'

'Yes, Captain' and with that Darius brought his sniper rifle up once more to meet this new threat.

'With me, brothers!' screamed Chief Akwey as he led his small band of Horse Clansmen into the thick of the action. 'You six drive those marksmen from their hiding places. The rest of you come with me after their Archmaygos. He cannot be allowed to make his escape.'

This was exhilarating. Nothing compared to the thrill of the hunt. He could almost taste the blood of his foes on the air as the riders bore down on the Sky People. As instructed the formation broke in two, with half charging towards the thick undergrowth where the sniper fire must be coming from, intent on rooting out the invisible assailants and cutting the cowards down where they kneeled. His own group made for the retreating infantry along the path. The Archmaygos' retinue turned to face them, firing their alien weapons in their direction, but they were nearly upon them nonetheless. This was it. This could be the defining moment of the entire conflict. Nothing could possibly deny this to him now. It was then that the dark shape smashed into him from above and Akwey's fiery passion subsided into peaceful oblivion.

Sergeant Mattheus' Lightning Claws tore the lead figure and his mount asunder in a matter of seconds. The rest of the xenos cavalry formation quickly followed suit under the whirring teeth of the Assault Squad's chainswords. He glanced to the side to see the other half of his squad had similarly eviscerated the riders threatening the Scout Marines. Rallying the unit around him, he took to the air once again to crash headlong into the nearest cluster of xenos infantry. The shocked Na'vi barely had a chance to react before they were spectacularly cut down where they stood. The rest of the tribesmen fared better in responding to the new threat, unleashing volleys of arrows and spears towards them. The crude weapons proved utterly ineffective, but keen to avenge the fallen Akley, the natives charged into the Marines with all their might. Mattheus soon found his squad swamped on all sides by the enraged creatures, striking and clawing at the Astartes in desperate fury. For every one Mattheus cut down, another two seemed to take their place, but the Assault Marine persevered. Through his open channel to the Winged Vengeance, he asked 'Captain, has the Arch-Magos evacuated the area?'

'Indeed, Sergeant, and the Scouts have fallen back to the extraction point. You are to pull out of combat as soon as possible to follow suit, understood?'

'Yes, Captain, but will all due respect we should have most of these xenos taken care of in little time.'

'I understand your sentiments entirely, Sergeant, but remember we are considerably below strength at present and as such cannot risk becoming bogged down in a war of attrition. We will engage the xenos in full-scale combat, I promise, but when the Raven Guard strike it must serve as the killing blow. It is only fitting for the sons of Corax.'

'Understood. We shall withdraw in a moment. Over'

With that, Mattheus thrust his powerful claws into yet another foolhardy Na'vi before abruptly triggering his Jump Pack, tearing his body out of the fray to land some distance away. Over the next few seconds the rest of his squad appeared beside him, all of whom had their previously brilliant black armour slicked from head to toe in fresh xenos blood. Yes, thought Mattheus, we will finish this in an execution worthy of Lord Corax's legacy.

Eytukan's eyes studied the scene before him with a heavy heart. Although several Sky People had been slain by their hands, the carnage had left Na'vi bodies strewn across the forest path. Some were simply shot or stabbed by the weapons the Archmaygos' entourage had carried. Others had been brutally disembowelled in manners too horrific to contemplate. Yes, the Na'vi people were truly entering the darkest chapter in their history. One of their greatest leaders, Akwey of the Horse Clan, had already joined the dead. The pain of his loss would remain in the hearts of all those present. Yet the situation could easily have been direr. All of the tribes had taken casualties, but they had successfully driven their foes away. Most important was the secure knowledge that no matter what unearthly realm these travellers from beyond the stars had come from, they were neither immortal nor invincible. They could level arcane forces against their enemies that lay beyond his comprehension, but they bled and died like any other mortal. As such, they could be beaten. There was, of course, one exception to this. Looking around at the expressions upon everyone's faces, he knew their minds dwelt on the same thought. What of those other Sky People who had shown themselves today for the first time? The ones who fell upon them from the skies to sow death and destruction in their wake? These were no ordinary men. These were the spirits of war in physical form. They had thrown their unrestrained fury against the monstrous beings yet their skin proved to be impenetrable. They had simply brushed aside their attacks and continued their onslaught. Eytukan had to thank Eywa with all his heart that they had chosen to withdraw when they did. Yet these details of the immediate past were almost irrelevant now. They were now completely open to the Sky People's wrath. No matter the outcome, conflict with the invaders was unavoidable and preparations needed to be made if they were going to make the final, defiant stand he had promised. He owed that much to Akwey. The messengers were already en route to their respective Hometrees to bring them the tragic news. If all went as planned, he would witness the single largest wartime gathering of the Na'vi in their people's entire history. Although he had not tamed one of the mighty Toruk as his distant ancestor, Eytukan was now in the same position that he had been all those years in the past. For the time being though, Eytukan could only pray that he could lead his people through the darkness as his forefather had done.

Despite his injuries, Arch-Magos Dante entered the field command with powerful strides. In the bunker's main room he found Colonel Dayvis waiting at the officers' table studying various picts and data printouts spread before him while Colonel Vek was occupied at the tactical display behind, apparently examining the recorded footage of their escape from Tribune Octavius' pict-feed. Approaching the table, Dayvis' remaining natural eye rose to greet him. As he sat down the Cadian broke the silence.

'It would appear that the xenos did not care much for your offer, Arch-Magos. I suppose the good to come out of this is that matters are now far simpler. We will mount our forces and crush the aliens underfoot in His Glorious Name. In other words, we'll do what the Guard does best.'

'I am appreciative of your eagerness to make the xenos pay for their lack of judgement, but as we speak their clans gather to oppose us. If this is allowed to continue, we may find ourselves outnumbered to a point where even our faith and technology will be insufficient to hold this outpost. Have you been in contact with Captain Josef about the possibility of orbital support?'

'Yes, Arch-Magos, I contacted him barely half an hour ago. It is as we expected. Both the Righteous Fury and Winged Vengeance are running extremely low on ammunition after extensive use of their bombardment capabilities against the Tyranids. Josef and Faucon concur that they have enough between them to provide one orbital bombardment covering a relatively small area, but no more. As such its target and moment of use should be chosen wisely.'

'I see. So we shall have to destroy the xenos through ground and aerial combat. In light of this, the need for an early show of strength becomes even more urgent. It is obvious the aliens are using the grove where we encountered them as their gathering point, so we should take the initiative and break them before they reach full strength. How long will it take for your troops to be able to stage an assault, Colonel?'

'Trouble is, Arch-Magos, that I'd deployed my forces in anticipation of a defensive conflict. We are at present firmly entrenched around the two compounds and may need a short while to redeploy for mobile warfare. I do, however, still have a reasonable amount of armour and my finest men are already prepared for such a mission over at the other outpost.'

'Gentlemen, if I may be so bold.'

Both figures immediately turned at Vek's sudden contribution to the conversation. With their attention gained, the officer from Armageddon continued.

'I'd keep your forces positioned as they currently are, Colonel, though if you can spare a few rapid assault units to provide support it would be greatly appreciated. You should not compromise your defensive layout to stage an offensive, for it will prove essential very shortly. On the other hand, I have transports available for practically all of my squads and a plethora of tank crews itching for a piece of the action. If you want a swift, crushing blow against the xenos, the Steel Legion will be more than happy to provide it.'

And there we have it! I personally think that Skitarii are a rather underexposed part of 40K lore. I mean, what's not to love about an armed force of zealous cyborgs that worship technology itself?

Anyway, reviews are welcome as always and I hope you've enjoyed our journey so far! Now, if you don't mind, I have a squad of base-coated Kasrkin and an unassembled Hellhound to attend to. ;)