The concealed Eldar rangers, secure in their hidden position spied on the human newcomers. The men they surveyed were the monkeigh’s elite, their very best warriors…they were Space Marines. From behind a smooth and cold wraithbone guard-rail the Eldar xenos carefully watched and waited for what these humans would do next…

Neophyte Hector scanned the alien surroundings with a mix of awe and revulsion. Nowhere were the hard, solid and trustworthy buildings made by the Imperium of man, but instead were the delicate, smooth and seamless architecture of some damnable Xenos. Given the corpses that littered the gate to this place this well could be a hive of the Eldar. The very walls were inlaid with elegant carvings of inhuman scenes and the entire place was curved in graceful arcs making the place seem organic as well as artificial. And over all of this his skin crawled, not from fear, but from the feeling he was being watched. Hector’s shotgun was held ready.

The two Black Templar squads gathered near a vast opening in the floor that was barred by a chest high guard-rail. Beneath this level of the opening the area remained clear for innumerable levels that were crisscrossed by bridges. The levels below seemed to go on and on into an endless, alien abyss. It would take years to explore this place and yet there was a distinct and unnerving lack of life. It was barren, cold and silent like a crypt.

Initiate Cyrano placed his power armoured hand on Hector’s shoulder guard to reassure the inexperienced neophyte. “We are in our enemy’s home Hector. We bring His light and His wrath to the heart of darkness. Be resolute.” The other Black Templars spoke about plans of action and direction but it was clear the Marines were out of their element. They had no link to their leaders and were far from any support. Still they were the Emperor’s finest and they would not buckle under this pressure. Even as the brothers conversed about their next course, they all remained alert and battle-ready.

It was sword brethren Thanos that first noticed the Eldar rangers across the vast expanse that divided the alien hall. His lighting claws crackled to life and he thrust them towards the xenos position almost directly across the artificial chasm from the Black Templars. The Marines of crusader squad Baptiste took cover at the guard-rail and levelled their weapons at the aliens, Hector was no exception. The Terminators of squad Apollon kneeled to gain almost complete cover from the bone-like guard-rail and prepared their assault weaponry of thunder hammers and lightning claws should the battle come to close quarters. The Black Templars were ready for blood.

Strangely, one of the Eldar snipers raised his arm and open hand in a sign of non-hostility. The Black Templars responded with the clicks and clanks of loaded bolters at the ready. Initiate Erebus braced his heavy bolter on the guard rail. “I have him.” Was the only thing the Space Marine said as he prepared to unload death on the sinister Eldar. Hector crouched low and turned to his squad. “Hold a moment. We have no idea where we are or where to go. I know the Eldar are notorious deceivers, but let us try to glean our own truth from what they may tell us and then we can bring them low. They did have the drop on us but did not attack or flee. If we can get any information before we destroy them it would be best…yes?” Hector realized that all the Marines of both squads now looked hard on him in a moment of silent scrutiny. The neophyte did not flinch, but held to his idea and conviction.

It was sword brethren Damocles who next spoke. “Cyrano, call out to them and see what they want. Give away nothing of us or our origins. Erebus, kill them all when the moment is right.” The Black Templars went back to their guarded positions while Cyrano stood tall and raised his open hand in response to the Eldar motion. The Xenos leader called out to Cyrano, his melodic voice echoing through the colossal openness of the hall. It was hard for Hector to hear the holy language of mankind spoken by this alien but he kept a steady guard. An uneasy parley began across the two covered positions of the Black Templars and the Eldar rangers.

It was discovered that the Eldar were just a scouting force from a distant craftworld, here to find out what had happened to this place. The xenos spoke of a great betrayal and the ultimate enemy of both their kinds…the ruinous power of chaos. This power had taken control of craftworld Saaremaa and plagued the entire sector with its evil. The location to the heart of this corruption was revealed to the Space Marines and was not far from their current location. But it was guarded by all manner of warp-spawned horrors. Before anything else could be gleaned, one of the aliens shifted suddenly reacting to a distant sound and Erebus levelled and fired his heavy bolter in thunderous bursts at the aliens. In a moment all the members of squad Baptiste were firing their weapons, destroying the covered position of the Eldar only to find that there was no sign of the xenos at all…it was like they were never there.