The first mission

Helmetless, Stein adds a few words, "Before touching ground, I suggest you let me and Cloten drop down. Don't forget some of the xenos have chameleonic scales, but they can't hide from my nose...

Once the aerial reconnaissance has been completed, Cloten and Stein jump from the Lander. Both Space Marine free fall to their position, activate the jump pack just before reaching the ground to land safely. They rapidly circle the designated position scanning for any sign of threats. Stein smells the air carefully and sense nothing but the smell of a dying land. Satisfied that the landing zone is secure, they signal the rest of the team to come.

Elyas direct the lander to the landing spot, making sure to avoid any places susceptible to create a sink hole from the weakened soil. The team quickly set up camp and, a few minutes later, the kill-team is hidden in half trenches, concealing bushes and barricade of fallen trees.

Except for you, the place is still and silent. You have eyes on the crevasse that lead inside the montain, it is impossible to see how far they go from your position. While Petrix communicate with the command HQ through the pilot vox link to verify his deployment options, the rest of the team keep watch and operate the auspex.

@Petrix Unsatisfied with the coverage situation, you communicate with the pilot and the Imperial command for an alternative. They offer you to outfit a second Aquila with a resupply pod and sent it to refuel yours. It would arrive in 24 hour, spent 1 hour to refuel and then stay for 5 if requested. This would allow your current lander to stay as air support for the next 42 hour, possibly stretching to 48 before having to head back, with a 5h with 2 Aquial Lander as support. @The team While you keep watch, everybody has its turn to use the auspex.The place stays quiet until you decide to move, no matter how long you wait.

Ar'Mat does not use the auspex. He stands vigilantly, watching the camp's surroundings without a moment's pause, flamer in hand. He does not waver or tire, or allow boredom to gain hold of his mind. Instead, he watches the mountain and what lies between him and his target. He believed they were being too cautious, and voiced his mind.

"Brother, Perhaps we should not wait for the shuttle. As we delay, more of the foul xenos will spawn. Our departure should not be our primary concern."

"Personnaly, I think we should go explore now. It's not like we're easily scared imperial infantry, we're bloody space marines !! It'll take more than a few bug to take us down, but we might be enough to hurt them real bad ..."

"We owe our lives to the Emperor. If he should see fit to begrudge me these few hours for my concern for my brothers' lives, I shall pay. We wait." Petrix kept an eye on the chronometer and the sky. He had warned them. It was not his way or his Chapter's way to plunge in blindly without a plan to fall back - a lesson hard learned on Istvaan IV. He was not confident enough in his squad's fieldcraft to count melting into the surrounding terrain as an escape route.

He instructed his Squad to take up positions around the crevasse, monitor it, take readings with the auspex. But he did not order them to move until the shuttle arrived for it's second shift.

He nodded as he saw the distant contrails, motioning to his teams. The vanguard in front, support at the rear, and the line holding the center. A flamer at the front and the back of the formation.

He suppsessed an unpleasant grumble as he eyes the rocky incline. He knew how treacherous tunnels could be.

Some of the battle-brothers were getting restless, but the Storm Warden had taken his defensive combat position and remained silently focused upon the mission in progress. The vox chatter was background, tuned low in his helmet, as the standard sensors swept and his focus extended out across the range. His heavy bolter braced upon cover, Ken was ready to move when Brother Petrix made the call. It was now passed the time in which to question the leader, his brothers should do well to remember. This was the Emperor's glorious will. Hurry up and Wait. Everlasting patience until merciless bloodied action. They would find themselves sated soon enough. Peace Brothers, Peace... Thought, but unspoken, Ken remained stone-still, like a gargoyle thirsty for leave to move.

The long hours trickle down as the shuttle does its back and forth voyage around the planet. The silence is punctuated by the intermittent whistling of the wind in the mountains and the occasional static in the vox communications as the nearby star continues its millennia long death throes.

As the new pilot signal its imminent arrival, you get ready to move.

Stein leads the way, looking for signs of passage as much as signs of presence...

Petrix fell near to the rear of the formation, walking in a silent roll-step, bolter swivelling at the tunnel behind them, wary of ambush from burrowing predators...

Kenshen moves to center with Brother Elyas.

Ar'Mat mulled over the situation as he tirelessly scanned his surroundings, with eyes and mind. He was not in favor of the chosen tactic. Retreat meant failure. To prepare to retreat meant to prepare for failure. Even if it had to be taken into account and their forces had to be preserved, Ar'Mat would have preferred fighting clear of the enemy and marching away from it to a point where a shuttle could pick up the squad, rather then waste precious time. Their squad leader had shown ill judgement in the Librarian's eyes. Had he misjudged his choice? Time would tell. In the fire of battle his squad leader's mettle would be proven..

Elyas had set up in a position to scan his surroundings as he thought back to his experiences with the Tyranids but also his experiences with Orks so as not to be caught of guard. The annihilation of the first company was weighing on his mind, a testament to just how deadly a large number of these creatures could be.

The kill-team enters the largest crevasse. Using the auspex as a guide, you employ the largest tunnels to steadily go deeper into the mountains. After about a mile of travel, Ar'Mat notice a faint trace of psychic emanation from below. The shadow of the warp is subtle from this distance, but it is confirmed : The Tyranids are here.

It takes an extra half a mile of going around in tunnel heading lower in the underground complex before starting to see physical signs of their presence. Stein start to point out marking in the tunnels exterior, to the untrained eye they would seem natural, however they are trace of Rippers going through the rocks in their quest for biomass. The farther down you go, the more frequent they becomes, until they are almost everywhere.

As the auspex indicate a series of bigger caves in front of your position. Stein make a silent gesture, he can smell the Tyranids in the following caves.

You turn into the first cave, which is roughly 20 meters in diameter. At the other end, 6 stand up from their slumber in front of the only other path continuing deeper.

You act first.