The two Por explorers entered the cavern, their slim forms moving quietly, a pale blue glow from their lamps shedding an eerie light. The chamber long abandoned was now cloaked in a mist of fine dust particles, which had built up over the long centuries. The dust caused the first explorer to cough,
“Damm this dusty place it gives me the creeps in here, how much more of these caverns are there?”
“Scans indicate several miles, anyway you know we must prepare any arena that the Aun’kius may visit, this site holds great archaeological interest and may give us many insights for the greater good”.
“Hmm as if we will get the chance to see the Aun. Por’Vre ‘ Duysus will see to that after we damaged those samples we were studying”
“I would so like to see the Aun, still our surveys serve him and the greater good, let us not forget that”
“I wonder what this place is anyway”
The cavern was not large a central stone plinth sat menacingly in the middle, ancient burial caskets lined the walls their decayed inhabitants showing through a few broken ones. Withered forms partially mummified wrapped in fading rags, hollow eye sockets staring out into eternity.
Por Van’esh stepped forward to one of the corpses, he peered into the empty face and wiped almost gently like a father wiping his child face, the fine dust from the angular skull.
“I wonder who these were to be mummified such, guards for some long dead lord? De’Shan get me a sample of that ones rags we can analyse the cloth”
“Erg they’re just creepy are you sure this serves the greater good?”
Por Van’esh still face to face with the warrior glared back
“Okay, okay I’m sampling”
As De’shan gained a sample a sharp metallic barb under the rags pricked his skin, a drop of the Tau’s blood dropped onto the corpses chest and immediately disappeared into the dust. Looking down to read his analyser he did not see the dull reddish glow in the creatures eye sockets start. The long steel talons in each hand slowly and silently extending.
“You’re not going to believe this these rags aren’t cloth they are” A sickening wet sucking sound cut off his sentence as the talons slid under his rib cage and up into the soft vital organs of his chest. Van’esh turned to see his friend held a foot off the ground his chest pierced by three metal talons now covered in gore. The creature looked across, hissed and with a quick movement inserted a second taloned hand into the thankfully now dead Por’s body and parting his hands he split the Tau in two, a shower of blood covering the room and Van’esh. Van’esh started to scream and continued to do so until a second creature wrapped his arms around his and crushed his rib cage like eggs. His last sight was of the first creature skinning his comrade and covering his ‘rags’ with strips of flesh, as his spirit finally fled his body his last thought was that the question of the rags origin was answered after all.
Level 2 Vival site archaeological dig…1410 hrs
“As you can see Aun’kius, the site is fascinating, early study indicates a burial site of some ancient indigoes race, long dead I’m afraid”
“Disappointed Por’Vre ‘ Duysus? Long dead means no one to trade with?”
“Trade is always good my lord, for the greater good, but information is also useful and study unlocks many secrets”
A low rumble, maybe just a barely perceptible vibration, alerted the Aun, his graceful form more attuned to such vibrations. His air caste pilot had also noticed the change his enhanced sense of balance and evolved feel for air currents even finer than his ethereal masters
“It seems Por’Vre , not a s long dead as you had first thought”
The tomb system rumbled to life, long dark corridors were suddenly lit by a sickly green glow, a low hum built up as long silent machinery came to life shaking off the shackles of dust and time. The outer doors many levels above slammed shut, excavation teams outside the tomb started to panic cut off from the reassuring presence of the Aun far below, long dormant automated defence systems hosed down the Tau camp at the foot of the cavern system, stripping the Tau down to there atoms in a flash, earth, water and fire caste united as one in death.
A new strangling menacing sound reached the chamber where the Ethereal now stood bathed in a dull green light, a tingling, chitterling sound from below the floor, down the corridor the floor seemed ripple and become fluid, a dull silver wave rolled towards the party. The air caste pilot reacted with the instincts of a combat veteran, sending bolt after bolt of energy from his pulse pistol into the approaching wave to little effect.
“Flee my lord”
The wave hit him a chattering mass of tiny beetle like creatures, which with incredible speed stripped his flesh from his bones working up him from his feet, the pilot seemed to drown in the metal wave of creatures. Por’Vre ‘ Duysus was still screaming when the wave came for him.
Emissary Class Warship in orbit Vival Fire Caste Training Hall 1520 hrs
The Shas’el entered the training hall, a lithe but well built fire caste was engaged in unarmed combat with 4 other fire caste and he was winning. A chokehold rendered the last of his foes still standing unconscious and he gently caught his victim and lowered him to the training mat. Seeing the Commander he turned and bowed low.
“Shas’ui Kauyon Mal’Caor, forgive my interruption of your training, you are needed, gather your team”
Mal’Caor turned and smiling gestured to the four unconscious Tau,
“As soon as they wake up, we are yours to command”
__________________
"It matters not how you die,
If you have lived well"
