And so we're here. Unfortunately, there will probably be a much longer delay between this chapter and the next because I've now started my Master's. I have, however, got the last part of the story planned out, so I should be able to make up for lost time easily enough.

Chapter Six: Empires at War

When he was first informed of his mission, General Dayvis had no idea what to feel. Now, standing upon the Pandoran surface itself, his uncertainty could only strengthen. In every direction, all the Cadian officer could see was rockrete and plasteel: a far cry from the untamed jungles he remembered from all those years before. It was hard to believe that under Dayvis' feet was the very spot where the Imperial compound had stood when the Emperor's servants first came to Pandora. That was over a century ago, but even now Dayvis could see it all: the endless tide of blue fur; the beating of hellish wings; the constant rain of arrows. His bionic arm twitched at the memory of that final duel which had nearly cost him his life. Lying upon the surgical bed, he could not have predicted how much of his ageing body would come to be replaced by steel and circuitry.

Still, Dayvis could not complain: his role in the conquest of this Emperor-forsaken place had earned him the personal gratitude of Arch-Magos Dante. Every now and then, Dayvis and his Cadians would find themselves being deployed to protect the Machine Cult's interests against the Emperor's enemies. With his reputation amongst the Mechanicum's higher-ups had come ready access to bionics and juvenat treatments as the effects of old age finally took their toll. Now, here he was, fighting on for the Imperium decades past a natural lifespan. Yet even with his close ties to the Priesthood of Mars, it had never occurred to Dayvis that his service to the Emperor would one day lead him back to Pandora. Once again, mankind's rightful claim to this savage moon was facing an alien threat, only this time the threat was far graver than the horde of tribal primitives he had stood against before. Now, here he was - tasked with defending Danteus from the Tau interlopers.

'Danteus'? Dayvis mused to himself as Magos Augustus and Colonel Viktor continued to provide him with strategic information. Guess the old cogboy finally had something named after him! Upon being given command of the relief force, the Cadian had been pleased to discover that it was considerably larger than the battle-weary pair of regiments who had fought here before. Especially reassuring was the fitting presence of a regiment from Armageddon. The only things Dayvis honestly wished he could add to the force were a few Astartes and a certain colonel.

Augustus and Viktor did not notice the sudden look of sadness Dayvis gave at the thought of his old comrade. In vivid detail, he could recall the last time he and Vek had met. It was when the 92nd Cadian had been called to the defence of some outlying world against the Greenskin menace; whether by pure chance or the Emperor's will, the 19th Armageddon were also present. After celebrating their victory over the xeno hordes, the regiments went their separate ways. It was only a few years later that Dayvis learned of Vek's untimely passing. At least you went out fighting, old friend.

Suppressing the bitter memory to give the figures before him his full attention, Dayvis waited for Augustus to complete his report before speaking. 'Your Tech Guard have held this city admirably, Magos. My Cadians will be honoured to fight alongside them. Have your remaining armour and infantry standing by. I've had most of my Kasrkin and veteran squads deep-strike into the forward sectors from which the main Tau force retreated. They've already taken several strategic positions and mopped up most of the xeno stragglers, but we need to get the bulk of our forces moving before the Tau finish regrouping.'

'Understood, General', came the mechanical grate of Augustus' voice. 'The command centre here is at your complete disposal. My remaining Earthshakers should provide sufficient cover until your main force has finished deploying.'

'Very good, Magos. Admiral Isaac's flyboys should keep xeno air support on their toes...which reminds me: Colonel Viktor - are these all of the troops you have with you?'

'Yes, General', replied Viktor, who glanced around at his battered Pandorans. Despite looking even worse for wear than usual, and how the already small task force had been noticeably reduced in size, their zeal and resolve shone brightly. 'The rest of my forces are advancing on Benevolence.'

'I am aware of their position, Colonel - as it happens, I've had the 105th Catachan deploy in that region. With luck, they will have already joined up with your lot and engaged the enemy. Still, I would much rather have your Pandorans led by their own Colonel and I'm sure your Guardsmen here would feel more at home back in the wilderness! I have two free Valkyries with me: can I have you all set to redeploy to the Benevolence trail within the hour?'

'Yes, sir!' came the response in chorus.

'Very good, but remember – it's not easy to gain respect from Colonel Trasseus' Catachans! You'd better give them the best show you can! Anyway, Magos - take me to the command centre. I'd like to see how the 10th Elysian and 39th Armageddon are doing on the Tekhryon Plains.'

Shas'el Vral was relieved that within his battlesuit, nobody could see him grimace. Although the thick canopies above shielded most of the scene from view, he could hear the fighting overhead in vivid detail. For all their ungainliness, Vral knew from experience not to underestimate gue'la aircraft. Still, the battle for the skies was for the Air Caste to deal with: here beneath the trees, the battle for the forest floor would come down to the Fire Caste and their newfound allies. As he ordered his Crisis team to move forward, a familiar comm channel opened. 'Shas'el Vral? Do you read me?'

'I read you, Aun.'

'What is your status, Shas'el?'

'Cadre Mal'caor are continuing their counterattack, Aun. All units have now engaged the gue'la, but their landers have reached the surface: enemy reinforcements should be inbound shortly.'

'A lamentable state of affairs, Shas'el. The gue'la reinforcements are already causing major disruptions across the moon's surface and Shas'o Shi'ur has been killed in action.'

'I am very sorry to hear that, Aun. The Shas'o was an exemplary warrior.'

'That he was, Shas'el, but it has left my ground forces without a commander. I have chosen to leave this task to you, Shas'o. I am sure this promotion will serve the Tau'va well.'

'It is an honour to serve, Aun.'

'Very good, Shas'o. I have ordered the nearest Cadres to reinforce you. The remainder of our forces are regrouping in the gue'la settlement: I have no doubt that they intend to bring the fight here.'

'Understood, Aun. We shall double our efforts.' With that, Vral switched the comm channel to address his Cadre. 'All forces - form up and resume the offensive. We must press our advantage before their reinforcements arrive!'

'Come in, Column Two - this is Colonel Xaius. What's your status? Over.'

'We read you, Colonel. We're advancing under cover along the left flank. Doesn't seem to be much enemy fire coming our way - just the occasional artillery missile. Over.'

'I guess the cogboys still have most of their attention! Can't say I'm surprised. Continue your advance and report once you have visual. Colonel Xaius, over and out.' After a moment to hear his order's acknowledgment, Xaius opened the hatch overhead, hauling his upper torso into the humid air. Beneath his feet, the mighty Leman Russ thundered across the Pandoran landscape, clouds of dust billowing behind it. Further back, another pair of Russ tanks completed the spearhead. Glancing over his shoulder, Xaius could not help but crack a smile. There, in all its majesty, was the armoured column of the 39th Armageddon, fully deployed and roaring across the battered plains, eager to bring the xeno filth their overdue destruction.

Satisfied that the column was accounted for, the Steel Legionary's hand returned to the vox control. 'Come in, Colonel Zyphen - this is Colonel Xaius. Over.'

'Reading you loud and clear, Xaius, but speak up - these xeno bastards are making a lot of noise! Over.'

Xaius suppressed a small chuckle before continuing. 'Good to know you're in one piece, Zyphen! What's your regiment's status? Over.'

'We've lost a couple of Valkyries to xeno anti-aircraft fire, a few who dropped in by grav-chute weren't quite on target, and we've got some dead and wounded here from clearing the buildings, but we're still going according to plan. I reckon we'll have this outpost secured within the hour and I'm getting similar reports from the other companies. Over.'

'Knowing you Elysian types, you'll have the place mopped up in 15 minutes! Try to leave a few aliens alive for us!'

'I can always try, Xaius! Colonel Zyphen, over and out.' It was just as the vox channel closed that Xaius felt a sudden shudder beneath him. The Russ crawled onwards, finally coming to the top of the ridge before the column. What Xaius saw next nearly knocked the breath from his lungs. There in the distance, he could see the amassed forces of Tau and Skitarii locked in combat across the plains. The multitude of tanks and war machines before him would have been impressive in its own right, but what fixed Xaius to the spot were the figures that towered above them. On one side, he could see two god-machines of the Adeptus Mechanicus, standing proudly upon their legs as streams of death spat from their arms. From what little experience Xaius had with the Collegia Titanica, these were Titans of the Warlord class, rightly feared by all who dared test the might of Mars.

On the other side, Xaius could see a pair of the largest Tau skimmers he had ever witnessed, their looming forms casting shadows across half of the battlefield. Their elegant curves stood in sharp contrast with the towering Warlords. Peering more closely, Xaius realised that one of the xeno craft had already been downed, its lifeless form sprawled across the Tau line, smoke billowing from its underside. Yes, these giants of the skies could only be the renowned Manta Missile Destroyers of the Tau Empire. Still, Xaius had the utmost faith that they would stand no chance against the blessed weapons of the Emperor's servants. Tearing his eyes from the scene to make one last check behind him, Xaius spurred the column into an urgent advance. Soon the Steel Legion would be leaving its own mark on the battlefield.

Rey'kan felt her heart skip a beat as her feet left the ground. Behind her, the sudden blast rocked the forest, blowing apart the undergrowth with a power beyond Na'vi comprehension. Despite the wash of heat and tremors from behind, Reykan regained her footing. She gave only a cursory glance back to see the explosion's results. None of her kinsmen had been caught in the blast zone; several Kroot and Tau warriors were not so fortunate. Ignoring the twist in her stomach and the odour of charred corpses, Rey'kan turned her head skyward to see the ominous non-creature speeding into the distance. Relieved that the unnatural construct was not coming round for a second strike, she darted for the fallen tree ahead. Several Na'vi had taken cover behind it, along with a group of Kroot carnivores headed by a figure Rey'kan recognised as their shayper: 'Tharok Ahl', if she recalled correctly. Overhead, non-creatures circled and clashed like duelling Ikran, lighting the skies with their hellish weapons. Ducking her head as projectiles scraped the top of the fallen tree, Rey'kan turned to the Kroot leader. 'What is our next move?'

The Kroot gave her a curious glance before pointing his blade over the tree. Cautiously raising her head, Rey'kan saw that he was pointing to a nearby formation of Sky People lying prone behind an undulation in the ground. A quick hacking motion with the weapon made his meaning clear. It was only then that Rey'kan noticed that there was no Tau translator drone present. How the avian figure had understood her question, she did not know, but she could only assume that it resulted from some curious feature of Kroot anatomy.

Moving her spear into a charge position, Rey'kan patiently waited for Tharok Ahl's signal. Moments later, a sharp cry sprang from his mouth. Urging the group with one of his blades, he leapt to the side of the fallen tree, crouching into a low run as Kroot warriors fell in behind him. With her own cry, Rey'kan followed suit, unwilling to let her brethren be overshadowed. The infernal arms of the Sky People barked in their direction, spitting rounds too swift to see. One or two Kroot were cut down ahead; to Rey'kan left, a Na'vi tribesman was downed by a shot to the stomach. Still, the writhing mass surged forward, a chorus of battle cries filling the air as they approached. Realising that they could not stem the tide, the Sky People rose to their feet, bracing themselves for the sudden impact.

Then they struck. All along the infantry line, the Kroot and Na'vi slammed into the Sky People. Some were downed immediately; others held firm, striking and slashing at the hybrid force. Spear and Kroot rifle met bayonet and chainsword as the battle lines descended into a furious melee. To Rey'kan's right, a Na'vi fell to a well-placed bayonet strike. Within moments, his killer joined him on the forest floor, a snarling Kroot hound sinking its teeth into the Sky Person's arm. To the other side, a Sky Person levelled his bulky weapon towards an exposed pair of Kroot. Rey'kan's eyes widened as a fiery stream spat from its mouth, dousing the Kroot in noxious flames. The carnivores had barely begun to scream before a Na'vi spear point bit into the Sky Person's leg.

Returning her focus to the fight before her, Rey'kan's own spear lunged at the Sky Person directly ahead. Her opponent deflected the strike with his side-arm, replying with a thrust of his bayonet. With predatory swiftness, Rey'kan sidestepped the blow for a second strike. This time the spear point slashed into the Sky Person's arm. The Sky Person staggered back as the poisons took their toll. Rey'kan wasted no time watching his collapse: instead, she sprang at her next opponent, driving the spear into his unprotected stomach. It was at that moment that the Sky People began to turn and run. Some were able to narrowly escape; others were cut down in mid-stride by their pursuers.

Glancing through the thick of the combat, Rey'kan realised why their foes had retreated: surrounded by his fallen brethren, Tharok Ahl stood before the remains of the enemy leader, his blades still slick with blood. Letting loose a victory call, the Kroot knelt to the ground, bringing the fresh cadaver to his jaws. Rey'kan fought the urge to retch as she turned away. She immediately regretted doing so. All around her, the other Kroot were following their shayper's lead. Here and there, she could see them feasting on the remains of fallen Na'vi. To her kinsmen's credit, they remained still despite their obvious disgust at this desecration of the dead. As much an affront to Eywa as it was, a clash with their allies would not be conducive to Tau-Na'vi relations. Perhaps Chief Menaka can persuade their Aun to arrange some…restraint from the Kroot.

All at once, the Kroot sprang to attention, hands shifting from the half-consumed remains to their rifles. It took only a moment to notice why. Through the dense trees, Rey'kan began to make out the unmistakeable shapes of approaching Sky People. Here and there, they brought their side-arms to bear. The Kroot and Na'vi responded in kind, firing rifles and loosing arrows at the new attackers. The thick trees and undergrowth provided ample cover, however, and the Sky People pressed their advance. Exposed in the open, the Kroot and Na'vi began to fall one at a time. Realising that they could gain no advantage from continuing this exchange, Rey'kan raised her voice above the din of battle. 'Fall back!'

Tharok Ahl nodded in agreement, adding to the order with a series of chirps and whistles. Soon the Kroot and Na'vi were in full retreat, heading for the nearest source of Tau support they knew of. It was as she ducked to avoid a shot to her head that Rey'kan noticed something peculiar about these Sky People. Unlike those she had faced thus far, their weapons spat hellish beams of light, just like those in the elders' tales of her people's last stand. Rey'kan felt a twist in her stomach at the recollection of how close her kin had come to extermination. For now, she could only hope that Eywa would not let the Na'vi face such a fate again.

'That's it, men – keep those xeno buggers running!' Colonel Trasseus grinned as the las-fire cracked around him. Some shots found their mark, downing the fleeing aliens as they ran. With the last xenogen dead or out of sight, Trasseus leapt into the open, holding his chainsword aloft in encouragement. The platoon followed with enthusiasm, taking defensive positions as they awaited the arrival of their tanks and Sentinels. Once every trooper was in place, Trasseus turned to his command squad's vox operator. 'Any news on the local officers?'

'Yes, Sir. General Dayvis reports from Danteus that Colonel Viktor of the 1st Pandoran is alive and well. The Pandoran forces in this region are being led by a "Captain Thrace": Colonel Viktor has given us his vox channel.'

'Then get him on right away!'

'Yes, Sir! Doing so now.' As the words left the Guardsman's lips, Trasseus grabbed the mouthpiece of his back-mounted vox unit. 'Captain Thrace – do you read me? This is Colonel Trasseus of the 105th Catachan.'

'Reading you loud and clear, Colonel, and if I may speak for the entire 1st Pandoran, we're very glad you're here!'

'Glad to hear we're appreciated, Captain.' As he spoke, Trasseus began to step around the xeno remains below him, his eyes focussing on one in particular. 'I hope you don't mind us killing our share of aliens! We're yet to run into the Tau bastards themselves though: just encountered a unit of Kroot carnivores and…actually, you could help me out with this. Some of these xenos don't look like any I've ever seen fighting with the Tau: what are they?'

Trasseus could feel the discomfort in the captain's hesitance. After a short pause, Thrace answered. 'Those…would be natives, Colonel.'

'Natives? But there's been no xeno civilisation on this moon for generations! General Dayvis told us himself!'

'I'm afraid our earlier conclusions may have been premature…hang on, did you say "General Dayvis"?'

'I did – of the 92nd Cadian, to be precise.'

The Pandoran officer gave another pause before replying. 'In that case, Colonel, I suggest you inform General Dayvis that this visit to Pandora may not be so different from his last...'

Dayvis gave a second glance over the hololithic display before zooming in on one particular section. All across the city, the Tau were rapidly losing ground. The deep-strikes had heavily disrupted the enemy retreat and much of the main advance had now caught up. Of course, their initial momentum could only last so long: here and there, the Tau lines had finished regrouping and were launching their counteroffensive. The zoomed-in area before him was one such position. Deep patches of red and blue dotted the sector, indicating dense formations of Guard and Tau. Here the fight had reached its thickest: in all directions, the once proud buildings of the city centre were being levelled to rubble as the deadly stalemate intensified. For every tank or walker the Imperials threw into the fray, a skimmer or battlesuit appeared in the xeno ranks. Still, the 92nd Cadian had faced more tenacious foes: no matter how long it took, the alien line would break.

Zooming back out, Dayvis was satisfied to see the Cadians and Skitarii throwing every bit of weight at the enemy. It had become starkly apparent that there was only way to win back Danteus: street by street. Squads of infantry rapidly transformed the hab blocks and refineries into improvised bunkers. Entire streets became lethal corridors of las and pulse fire. Dayvis was just about to order his second wave forward when his vox came to life. 'Come in, General Dayvis - this is Colonel Trasseus.'

'I read you, Colonel. What is it?'

'Sir, we have fully deployed and joined forces with the Pandorans in this area. We're advancing on the occupied jungle town, but facing heavy resistance.'

'Then we're proceeding as planned.'

'Not entirely, General.'

Dayvis tilted his head in curiosity before replying. 'What exactly do you mean, Colonel?'

'We've encountered an...anomaly, General. It turns out that the Tau are being supported by a new ally.'

'A new ally? You mean local traitors?'

'No, Sir - I mean a xeno species.'

'A xeno species?' Dayvis grimaced as the words left his lips. 'No doubt a product of their empire's unholy expansion.'

'Perhaps so, General, but the things about these aliens is...well...I'm sending a holo-recording so you can see for yourself.'

At that moment, Dayvis saw a blinking light on the hololith. Pressing the activation rune, the tactical display flickered from sight and a new image materialised. It was then that Dayvis froze. 'No', he whispered as much to himself as to Trasseus. 'No, it can't be - it has to be some xeno trick!'

'I'm afraid it's no trick, General. We've already encountered them personally and inspected the bodies. It's the natives all right.'

From deep within, Dayvis could feel a boiling fury rising to the surface. Through clenched fists and gritted teeth, he chose his next words. 'You mean to tell me that those...things, those Na'vi, have been alive all this time? That to this day they have walked upon the very soil that Guardsmen gave their lives to bring under the Emperor's protection?'

'I'm afraid I can see no other explanation.'

'Then let's finish what we started! Find them, Colonel - find every Na'vi still breathing on this Emperor-forsaken rock and let them know the price of spilling Cadian blood! For every Imperial soul they take, we'll send ten of theirs screaming into the Warp!'

'With pleasure, General!' The vox channel promptly closed, leaving Dayvis to gaze upon the repeating image. It was as if some ghost of his past had dragged itself across time and space to haunt him. Pressing the activation rune once more, the familiar vision vanished and the tactical display returned. Dayvis knew that he had to resume command of the battle: too much was at stake in the capital to allow this unforeseen development to side-track him. Still, within his mind, the Cadian officer could see only one small moment from the holo-recording: a close-up of a Na'vi tribesman falling back from a shot through the chest. Every time the image played, the same words formed in Dayvis' thoughts. That one's for Eddie Korrus, you xeno bastard!

'Pandorans - to me!' As another xeno fell with a squeeze of his trigger, Lieutenant Ukter urged the platoon onward. The Pandorans may have already suffered losses, but it would take more than a xeno counterattack to prevent them from reaching Benevolence. The junior officer had to admit that the day had been full of surprises. First, they had discovered that the enemy force contained members of a xeno menace thought dead for about a century. Whilst Ukter embraced any opportunity to kill the alien in His Holy Name, the idea that he was at this moment driving back the very xenogens that the Emperor's servants had purged from his homeland before the first colonists had even settled on Pandora was nothing short of mind-boggling.

Thankfully, the second surprise of the day had been altogether more welcome. On each side of his platoon, Ukter could see their long-waited reinforcements falling into position. The reputation of the Catachan Jungle Fighters was strong throughout the Imperium and, from the scene before him, Ukter could rest assured it was deserved. Catachan las-fire mixed with Pandoran auto-fire, driving back the first waves of xenos. Nonetheless, the number of battlesuits and Fire Warriors had begun to increase, and even with the cacophony around him, Ukter could make out the approaching hum of xeno skimmers.

Up ahead, he sighted a squad of Pandorans at the head of the Imperial forces. They had already been reduced to half-strength and all around them, the regrouped Tau and other xenos were mounting their pressure. Soon they could hold the line no more. Under the weight of arrows and pulse fire, they broke from cover and fell back. Ukter was about to call the squad to regroup when a voice rang out ahead. 'Stand and fight, you cowards!' Ukter grimaced at the words. Glancing around for the source of the voice, Ukter found exactly what he had dreaded: a Commissar running towards the retreating Pandorans, madly waving his sword and bolt pistol. 'I said stand and fight!'

As he bellowed the order, he levelled his pistol at the nearest Guardsman. Ukter gazed in horror as the trooper toppled backwards, the bolt round detonating against his flak armour and tearing into his torso. Just as Ukter was rushing forward to diffuse the situation, a crimson beam struck the Commissar from behind. Seconds later, his body slumped across the ground. Turning his head, Ukter saw the source of the shot: the barrel of a Catachan lasgun. Prodding the Commissar's corpse with his bayonet, the trooper's eyes met Ukter's. 'Remember – you didn't see anything.' Ukter could not help but flash a smile as he responded. 'Didn't see what?'

'Seh'sha – in here!' The Tsawke tribesman followed Har'at's lead into the undergrowth, staying behind the dense leaves at all times. Despite their initial success, the Tau and Na'vi were rapidly taking losses from the reinforced Sky People. Avoiding a line of bipedal non-creatures moving to engage the Tau's own constructs, Seh'sha surveyed the surrounding landscape, desperate to form a plan. Just then, he noticed unusual movements further down the forest trail. It was an approaching Direhorse, guided by a mounted Sky Person in silent mockery of the Na'vi's ancient ways. Glancing upwards, a sudden thought came to Seh'sha.

Finding handholds on the nearest tree, Seh'sha began to crawl upwards, keeping on the side opposite the Sky Person. 'What are you doing?' Har'at whispered as Seh'sha leapt from the trunk to the first branch thick enough to hold his weight. Seh'sha did not respond: at that moment, he could only focus on the hunt. With feline grace, he ran along the branch, taking him out above the trail. Once he was directly over the Direhorse, he drew his knife and dropped onto its back. The Sky Person could barely react before Seh'sha sliced the blade across his throat and pushed him from the mount.

The startled Direhorse bucked wildly under Seh'sha. Gripping the saddle with one hand, he grabbed the great steed's tswin and pulled it towards his own neural queue. Hoping dearly that there remained enough of Eywa's light for his dangerous manoeuvre to work, Seh'sha brought the queues together. All at once, a cold darkness crashed in around him. Even as the waves of despair threatened to overwhelm him, Seh'sha mentally forced his way through, reaching out to the Direhorse until he made the link. So much had Eywa's presence faded that the connection felt like it would break at any moment, but through sheer discipline and willpower, Seh'sha was able to calm the mighty creature.

Now that he had a weak degree of control, Seh'sha urged his new steed towards the nearest pocket of fighting. Ahead he sighted a team of Sky People cornering a formation of Na'vi against a dense part of the undergrowth, their brutal weapons roaring with every step. Guiding the Direhorse into a charge, Seh'sha strung an arrow to his bow and took aim. Some of the Sky People turned at the sound of thundering hooves, redirecting their fire in a hasty defence. It was too little too late. The first Sky Person fell screaming as the loosed arrow skewered his leg. Those who were not thrown back by the sudden impact found themselves being crushed underfoot. Feeling their spirits soar at this sight from ancient memory, the Na'vi flung themselves back into combat, striking and slashing at any Sky Person who failed to keep his distance. Holding his bow aloft, Seh'sha gave a mighty battle cry, guiding the Direhorse forward as his clansmen answered in chorus. Yes, whispered the voice in his head, let us spill more blood!

Areus braced himself for dear life. All around him, he could feel the Valkyrie gunship descending amidst the xeno fire, hurtling towards the landing zone. Inwardly reflecting to distract his mind from the shuddering passenger hold, the junior officer had to admit that he could scarcely believe the chain of events which had led him here. First, he had awoken one night to discover his homeworld under attack for the first time in Imperial history. After that, he had found himself personally mounting the last ditch defence of the capital, outnumbered and outgunned by the xeno invaders. To top it all off, he had just been redeployed to take back his jungle home by a Cadian officer he had last seen in the picts within the Benevolence schola-house. It was not every day one could boast of serving under a historical figure, let alone one so firmly embedded in Pandoran legend.

'Ok, lads!' the Valkyrie pilot barked over the vox-caster. 'We're coming in to land now – get ready to move!' Snapped back to full attention, Areus' hand instinctively went to his autorifle. In less than a Terran minute, the aircraft slowed to a halt. Pandoran light steadily seeped into the compartment as the rear hatch began to open. The ramp had barely finished lowering when Areus sprang from his seat, bringing his rifle to bear as he leapt from the gunship. A rush of happiness came as his feet touched the familiar floor of the forest.

Already the air around him was filled with pulse fire. Urging his squad into cover, Areus ducked to one knee behind the nearest outcropping of rock. Bringing the sights to his eye, he let his rifle bark in reply, driving a slug straight through an alien's neck. Behind the deployed squad, the Valkyrie was already ascending. Before it sped across the treetops, it brought its nose to face the xenogens below, the mounted multi-laser spitting crimson death from above. Within seconds, the path before Areus was clear.

'Onward, men!' Taking long strides, the Pandoran lieutenant led his men towards the battle ahead. Already he could make out squads of Pandorans and Catachans trading shots with Tau Fire Warriors. Here and there was the smouldering wreck of a xeno vehicle or battlesuit, still pitted with las or auto-fire. Still, the battle was far from won: as more Imperial tanks and walkers made their presence felt, the emboldened Tau and their xeno allies were throwing everything into their counteroffensive. There was not a single unit of Guardsmen in sight that was still at full strength.

'Captain Thrace!' Areus called over the vox as the squad took up firing positions. 'We've been deployed along the left flank. Where are you?'

'Good to hear from you, Lieutenant!' came the mirthful response. 'I'm holding the centre with Colonel Trasseus.'

'What's the situation, Sir?'

'Mixed bag, Lieutenant – our reinforcements have thrown the Tau off-balance, but they're still fighting hard and they've got reinforcements of their own. Speaking of which, there's something you need to know about our xeno friends.'

'What's that?' Areus asked, ducking to avoid a Tau pulse shot.

'Take a good look at the xeno lines and you'll see for yourself.'

Confused by the officer's words, Areus brought up his rifle sights once more, taking aim at a group of Kroot carnivores moving through the undergrowth to ambush a Catachan heavy bolter team. It was then that Areus saw it. A rush of blue amongst the green mass. At first, Areus wondered if it was a Vespid or even an unarmoured Tau. A closer inspection sent the air rushing from his lungs. Standing at a colossal height was a figure covered in thin fur, its catlike eyes and long tail at odds with its humanoid body. Clutching a primitive spear, it was charging towards the Imperial forces alongside the Kroot and several other creatures like it. As much as his mind fought to reject the horrific sight, Areus knew that no Pandoran could mistake the figure's identity.

A foul taste rose at the back of Areus' mouth. Not only had these xenogens survived the Emperor's wrath, but they had been here all this time, tainting Pandora's soil with every passing second. The sudden knowledge that, for his entire life, he had actually shared his home with these aliens – these Na'vi – was too much for Areus to bear. In a blind rage, he sprang from cover and held down his trigger, screaming at the top of his voice as he tore through the magazine. The slugs bit into alien flesh, mowing down Kroot and Na'vi alike. Bows and rifles turned towards him, but Areus did not falter: snapping a fresh clip into his autogun, he charged directly at the enemy, spraying bullets every step of the way. It did not matter that arrows and pulse shots came flying towards him, missing him by inches: all that mattered was killing every Na'vi in sight. Only then could he earn redemption for having allowed the alien to live alongside him, whether it was by purging this forest of Na'vi filth or by giving his life in the Emperor's service.

That's it! Areus mentally screamed, quickening his frenzied advance. Die! Alerted to the xenos' presence, the Catachan team turned the heavy bolter upon the approaching Kroot and Na'vi. The combined weight of fire was too much for the aliens to endure. One by one, they turned and fled, some falling to the hail of slugs and bolter shells. Never taking his eyes off the retreating xenos, Areus barely registered the Catachans' nods of gratitude or his squad-mates catching up behind him: all he could think of was the holy task before him. Suffer not the alien to live.

The Mesme Shi lurched beneath Kor'o Aloh. Steadying his hooves through the violent shakes, he turned his attention to the tactical display. Reports were flooding in from all sections of the ship: their forward and starboard shields were down to 70%. Judging from the number of incoming broadsides, that percentage would soon be even lower. Aloh knew that they could not afford to keep fighting at such short ranges. Not only were the gue'la taking full advantage of their raw firepower, but by forcing the Tau vessels into individual shootouts, Aloh's flotilla was swiftly breaking formation. To launch any kind of counterattack, the Mesme Shi and its sister ships would need to gain some distance from the Imperials. Realising he had little time to lose, Aloh resumed his orders. 'Forward batteries – stand by to fire on my mark. Helm – bring us around to face the portside ship. Keep diverting power to the front deflectors.'

A string of acknowledgments came in reply. Aloh took steady, meditative breaths as the Or'es El'leath-class battleship veered to one side, enemy shots glancing off its armoured prow. To Aloh's relief, the deflectors held true. Soon the monstrous form of the nearest Imperial vessel loomed ahead. As ungainly as gue'la designs were, Aloh knew from experience how utterly devastating such ships could be. The craft before them had taken numerous ion and railgun hits, yet it continued to lash out with primal fury. Still, even the formidable ships of the gue'la had their limits. From the Mesme Shi's sensor readings, Aloh could see that its starboard shields were on the brink of collapse. With the grace of the Path and a little luck, this manoeuvre might just work. 'Forward railguns – fire!'

The words had barely left Aloh's lips when the first shots smashed into the enemy vessel. The gue'la construct's shields flickered before failing altogether. Moments later, the second shots struck. This time the mighty hull buckled under the super-accelerated rounds. Seeing the tears appearing across the vessel's starboard, Aloh seized his opening. 'All batteries – fire at will!' Railgun rounds and ion blasts peppered the wounded ship. With its starboard hull completely exposed, the gue'la vessel stood no chance. Its bulky form crumbled before breaking in two, explosions ripping through its armoured hide. Before the gue'la forces could reform, Aloh urged the Mesme Shi into the newly formed gap, hailing the nearest Tau vessels as the flagship cleared the Imperial line. 'All units – follow my lead and regroup!' With the great ship turning around to face the enemy once more, Aloh took a moment to steel his nerves. They may have gained some breathing space, but the battle was far from over.

Seh'sha held on for dear life as the ground shook beneath his steed. Infernal energies filled the air as the exchange of fire intensified. On every side, the Tau non-creatures descended to meet their foes head-on. Next to the Sky People's boxy contraptions, the Tau craft reminded Seh'sha of the great toruk, riding the winds with dainty grace, but striking with brutal force. Though several had fallen to their grounded counterparts, the beguiling constructs were making their presence felt. Seh'sha could already see the enemy's thrust losing momentum. Exerting whatever effort he could to guide his Direhorse between the trees, Seh'sha continued surveying the landscape.

It was then that he snapped into place. Through the leaves and tree trunks ahead, Seh'sha could make out a small column of Sky People moving along a jungle trail. They were advancing on foot save for one pair mounted on Direhorses. Seh'sha could only suppose that they were moving to bolster their advancing comrades. For the time being, however, their lack of non-creature escorts was an opportunity too good to waste. On the other side of the trail, Seh'sha's keen eyes snapped to focus once more: there, approaching through the unforgiving terrain, was a second party of Na'vi. It took only a moment to realise who was leading it.

'Har'at!' Seh'sha loudly whispered to his kinsman. 'It's Rey'kan!'

'Yes, I see her. What do you suggest?'

Careful not to draw too much attention, Seh'sha gestured towards the Sky People with his spear. Once he was certain that Rey'kan had caught the signal, Seh'sha called the group to attention. 'Brothers! Prepare to charge!' All around him, the Na'vi positioned themselves to spring into action, spears ready to draw blood. After one last glance around, Seh'sha lowered his own spear and urged the Direhorse forward. 'With me!'

The Direhorse lurched into a charge. Behind him, his kinsmen leapt forward, battle cries filling the air. In a furious mass, they burst into the open ground just as Rey'kan's party emerged on the other side of the trail. All at once, the Sky People turned their weapons outwards, laying down defensive fire as the mounted troopers ordered them into formation. Several Na'vi were cut down in mid-charge, but it was too late. On both sides, the tribal warriors smashed into the barely-ordered column. Any semblance of organisation quickly dissipated as spear-point clashed with bayonet.

Steering his Direhorse as best he could through his diverted focus, Seh'sha aimed for the mounted trooper whose own steed had joined the fray. Levelling his spear, he rushed at his target with almost reckless abandon, spurred on by the Sky Person's sheer gall in thinking himself worthy of such a revered mount. Just as Seh'sha was in striking distance, the Sky Person reached for his belt and drew his knife. With a sudden slash, he deflected Seh'sha's spear, slicing the tip clean off. Seh'sha eyes widened as the Sky Person's other hand found the grip of his pistol. With desperate speed, Seh'sha thrust the severed spear towards the trooper, throwing him off-balance. Before the Sky Person could recover, Seh'sha mustered all of his strength into a second blow. This time, Seh'sha's opponent was knocked from his saddle.

Although the move had given him the upper hand, the shift in attention was too much for Seh'sha's fragile link with his steed. He felt a sudden rush of coldness as the connection flickered away. Within moments, the Tsawke clansman found himself falling to the forest floor. Ignoring the frantic footfalls of his fleeing Direhorse, Seh'sha cast aside his broken spear and drew his knife. Ducking past a beam from the Sky Person's pistol, he tackled his opponent to the ground. His surroundings washed away as the deadly struggle continued. Finding a gap in his defences, Seh'sha lunged at the Sky Person's throat. At the last second, the trooper's knife swept up, locking the two blades in place.

Suddenly, Seh'sha felt a searing pain. Glancing down, he saw that his opponent had fired a shot and grazed his lower torso. That moment of inattention was all the trooper needed. Before he could react, Seh'sha found himself pushed onto his back. He looked upwards to see a barrel turning towards his face. Forgive me, Eywa, the Na'vi prayed as his eyes closed in acceptance, I have failed you. A shot rang out, but he felt nothing. Opening his eyes, Seh'sha saw a rush of blue colliding against the Sky Person. His heart leapt when he realised who it was. Knocking the pistol from the trooper's hand, Har'at stood above the would-be killer, his spear posed for the final strike. That was when Seh'sha saw it: a sudden burst of crimson across his kinsman's back. Seh'sha shouted at the top of lungs, but it was too late. Har'at fell in mid-strike, his lifeless body slumping to the ground.

A wordless scream left Seh'sha's lips. The Na'vi threw himself at the closest Sky Person, plunging his knife into the trooper's neck. The world around him slipped away as the knife found another mark, then another. Yes! Hissed the voice in Seh'sha's mind. Kill them! Kill them all! Seh'sha needed no urging. All he could see through his hate-filled frenzy was a blood red hue. Soon he had even lost awareness of each knife-strike. He did not know how long had passed before he felt a pull on his shoulder. His surroundings slowly reappeared as a familiar voice pleaded in his ear. 'Seh'sha! There are too many of them! We have to fall back!'

Seh'sha halted at Rey'kan's words, finally regaining control of himself. Glancing around, he saw that she spoke the truth: the Sky People's reinforcements had tipped the balance too far in their favour. Already the Na'vi were breaking away from combat, darting for the relative safety of the main Tau lines. Pushing past his bloodlust and dull ache of his cauterised wound, Seh'sha nodded his acknowledgment. As they sprinted back to the undergrowth, Seh'sha suppressed his horror at the mass of Na'vi dead strewn across the jungle trail. What little comfort he could gain was from the number of Sky People who joined them on the forest floor, many of whom Seh'sha realised to be those he had slain in his frenzied state. Yet it was not enough: as long as the Sky People still drew breath on this world, his fallen kin could never be avenged. That's right, Seh'sha, came the inner voice as he finally reached the undergrowth. Make them bleed!

With a single shot to the temple, Areus finished off the final xenogen. The column had taken quite a beating when his platoon arrived, but with their regained numbers and righteous wrath, the aliens had stood no chance. Those still breathing were now in full retreat. Forming the sign of the Aquila, Areus gave his honours to the Pandoran souls whose service to the Emperor had been abruptly ended. The number of alien dead at his feet spoke volumes of their bravery. Satisfied that the regrouping was complete, Areus made his way over to one particular officer slowly remounting his Direhorse. 'Sergeant! Good to see you're still in one piece!'

Lucan gave a small laugh as he found his place upon the saddle. 'I suppose I have you to thank for it, Lieutenant!' Keeping one hand on the reigns of his steed, the Rough Rider gestured towards the alien body at their feet, its bullet hole gaping widely. 'If you hadn't taken that shot, the xeno bugger might have actually got me!'

'Not to worry, Sergeant', Areus replied as he prodded the corpse with his bayonet. 'Remember that Kroot you saved me from when we ambushed those Tau on the way to Arborville? I was just returning the favour!'

Just then, the pair heard the familiar churn of approaching tank treads. They turned their heads to see a Salamander Scout Vehicle coming towards them. Alongside it were a number of Chimeras and Sentinels, as well as several Rough Riders who Areus recognised as the remainder of Lucas' squad. The most welcoming sight, however, was the figure seated in the Salamander. 'Lieutenant!' shouted Colonel Viktor as he leapt from the halted vehicle. 'Good news! We've successfully outflanked the Tau forces and the Navy boys say they've gained air supremacy. The path to Benevolence is clear. Come on, men! It's time to head home!'

Xeno missiles punched the ground, rocking the Leman Russ' hull. Still, the sturdy tank hurtled onwards. Up ahead, Xaius could already see the looming silhouette of the alien outpost. True to the Tau's fluid style of combat, it featured little in the way of walls or other fortifications. Here and there, a pillar of black smoke rose towards the war-torn skies. As the column approached, Xaius began to make out flashes of pulse and las-fire. Evidently Zyphen's Elysians had made quite an entrance. Still, it would take more than that to outshine the Steel Legion. Quickly checking that the column was fully accounted for, the Armaggedon officer gave the command. 'All units – move to engage!'

With swiftness born only from experience, the column parted, each squadron forming up to advance. Soon the outpost was well within range. Taking up positions, the Russ tanks levelled their cannons towards the Tau defences. As the storm of fire battered the enemy lines, the Chimeras darted between their larger counterparts, multi-lasers blazing all the way. On the left flank, one Russ went up in a sudden blast. Peering through the cross-fire, Xaius found the source of its demise: the railgun of a Hammerhead skimmer tank. Before he could order his own Russ to neutralise it, a shot rang out from behind, striking the enemy craft head-on. The shell tore through its alien armour, setting the skimmer ablaze. The sudden crack of a lascannon put the dying vehicle out of its misery.

Turning around in the open hatch, Xaius sighted a Leman Russ Vanquisher moving up to support the spearhead. Its long barrel was still smoking from its shot against the xeno skimmer. The Armageddon colonel gave a silent gesture of gratitude before turning his attention to the battle ahead. The Chimeras were grinding to a halt, their rear hatches hissing open as the Russ tanks pounded away. From their adamantium hides, the Armoured Fist squads burst into action, lasguns spitting crimson death as they ran for cover. Now that they had entered the outpost itself, Xaius could finally make out the Elysians. Most of them had taken positions atop or within the larger buildings, disrupting the Tau defences from within. Every so often, a Tarantula sentry gun entered Xaius' sight, its twin heavy bolters mowing down the thinning xenos in all directions.

As the Tau lines parted to meet the multi-pronged assault, Xaius heard a familiar hum approaching from above. With a deafening roar, a dark shape burst overhead, dust clouds whirling in its wake. The searing light that raked the Tau positions confirmed Xaius' guess: it was a Vendetta gunship. Wheeling around for a second run, the Imperial craft swooped towards the xeno forces closest to Xaius' column. Its lascannons blazed away, striking a skimmer tank in its rear armour. The Tau construct went up in a fireball, taking several Tau troopers with it. As the gunship swept above, Xaius realised that the landed Elysians had leapt into action. Seizing the moment of disorder brought by the aerial run, the troopers were rapidly descending to meet their foes. Fire-teams burst from ground floor doors and windows, laying down suppressing fire as their comrades rappelled from the rooftops.

Caught between the two Imperial forces, the Tau defenders finally broke. Fire Warriors hurried towards the remaining carriers as the Elysians and Steel Legionaries brought their carbines to bear. Most of the accursed aliens fell as they ran, caught in the deadly cross of las-fire. As the final skimmer sped into the distance, a hearty cheer rose from the battered Guardsmen. Ordering his tanks to fan out and secure the area, Xaius caught sight of a figure urging the Elysians into defensive positions. Instructing the Russ driver to edge forward, Xaius stood upright in the tank hatch to greet the fellow officer. 'Zyphen! It's good to see you in one piece. Got to admit – your boys had me worried when they pulled that little stunt down the side of the building!'

The Elysian colonel chuckled before tilting his head up to answer. 'Well, Xaius – when you spend your life diving out of Valkyries with nothing but a grav-chute and a lasgun, everything else isn't quite so intimidating!'

Before Xaius could crack a response, a hellish glow flooded the outpost, followed by a thunderous boom. The officers fought to stay on their feet as the ground shuddered beneath them. Turning towards the source of the blast, their faces froze in place. There, against the horizon, a mighty Warlord Titan fell before their eyes, strewing the plains with ancient metal. Before the proud symbol of the Adeptus Mechanicus was the burning hulk of a Manta Missile Destroyer, grinding along the ground until it went up in a brilliant burst as well. Pushing past his state of shock, Xaius brought his hand to the Russ' vox unit, finding the channel for General Dayvis.

Dayvis paced back and forth across the floor, his eyes glancing every so often towards the hololith. Across the board, the Cadian line was edging forward, but more and more sections of the city had ground the assault to a standstill. With the Tau counteroffensive in full effect, Dayvis knew that that the Guard advance was in danger of losing its momentum entirely. Surveying the emerging pockets of heavy fighting, Dayvis began to mentally shift the positions of his remaining forces, finding the best manner of breaking the Tau resistance. Just as he was reaching for the vox unit, it hummed to life with an incoming communication. 'Colonel Xaius to General Dayvis. Do you read me? Over.'

'I read you, Colonel. Over.'

'Sir, we've neutralised most of the Tau outposts along the Tekhryon Plains, but the Mechanicus forces have just lost a Titan. Over.'

Dayvis grimaced at the report. The loss of such an ancient and powerful war machine would be felt not only by their task force, but by the Imperium as a whole. 'Very well, Colonel. Prepare to execute the flanking manoeuvre on my command. Over.'

'Understood, General. Colonel Xaius, over and out.' Thumbing a rune on the control before him, the hololith flickered from a tactical overview of the city to a strategic display of the entire moon. Before he could issue further orders, a grinding scream burst from his side. 'You mean to tell me the xeno filth actually destroyed a Warlord? That they dared to desecrate a sacred symbol of the Omnissiah? They must pay for this blasphemy!'

Magos Augustus' emotional inhibitors shot into full drive, but it was not enough to restrain his fury. Raising a calming hand, Dayvis gestured towards the strategic readouts before them and answered. 'And pay they shall, Magos, but rest assured – as grave a loss as we may have suffered, the xenos have felt our righteous wrath. See? All across the moon, they are losing ground. The Pandorans and Catachans have even reached Benevolence! It is only a matter of time until the alien filth is driven from Pandora altogether.'

As the words left Dayvis' lips, a second vox channel opened to him. 'Come in General Dayvis! This Admiral Isaac.'

'General Dayvis, here', the Cadian officer replied, noting the urgency in Isaac's tones with a certain unease. 'What's the problem, Admiral?'

'General – multiple ships have appeared in the system. They are closing on our position!'

Dayvis winced at the admiral's words, closing his remaining eye before responding. 'Enemy reinforcements, I assume?'

'Not exactly, General.'

'What do you mean, "not exactly"?'

'They're enemy vessels all right, but….they're not Tau…'

Maliz Seerah grinned maniacally at the sight before them. All around the Soul Reaper, the raiding force was dropping out of the Warp while dead ahead, the Tau and Imperial ships were locked in brutal combat. Yes, he internally whispered as the Chaos fleet hurtled towards the battle zone, the aliens and the corpse-worshippers will give their souls to the Dark Gods!

Author's Notes: And there we have it! The climax of the story is finally underway! As for my choice of Guard regiments, the Cadians and Steel Legion are here for the sake of continuity, the Catachans are here because they're jungle warfare specialists and I wanted to give them a more substantial role than their cameo at the end of The Pandora Incident, and the Elysians are here because I love their models (not that I don't love the other regiments' models, of course!).

To answer some potential queries, the reason Seh'sha was able to bond with the Direhorse is that, although the neural network has been heavily disrupted, it has not been destroyed altogether: this is why the Na'vi describe Eywa's light as 'weak' or 'faded' rather than 'vanished'. Na'vi are therefore still able to use the fauna as mounts, but this (a) is extremely difficult because of the network's disruption and (b) was hitherto forbidden because of Clan Tsawke's need to keep a low profile. Also, did anyone notice that, despite being the closest thing to a main character this story has, only two sections in this chapter are from Areus' point of view?

I will now take the opportunity to thank everybody for their reviews, favourites and story alerts: it's very pleasing to know that there is still an interest in this story despite the months that pass between updates and I apologise in advance for the long wait there will be until the next chapter. My habit of ending on cliff-hangers probably doesn't help matters much!

Lastly, it's come to my attention that The Pandora Incident has a TV Tropes page. As a frequenter of that website, I feel incredibly honoured that someone had the time and interest to make a page for one of my works, especially one as amateur in nature as a crossover fanfic!