Brother Librarian Artenius held his position in the archway of the door for several moments. Pondering just what he had done in a past existence to be stuck in such a position as this, with barely tempered anger on one side, and a building practically stinking of warp taint. “Emperor preserve me...” He muttered as he stood up and advanced into the building with a stoic yet methodical march that he fully intended to keep up. The silence grew awkward, however, as no one spoke yet the tension mounted, it was almost as though the air itself could be cut with a knife such was the pressure. That was, until Brother Moros finally spoke up, probing about the nature of the orbital guns.

“Yes, we shall. Even if the Inquisition does not wish it from us, the Greater forces of the Imperium will do. If anything, I'd say we are duty bound to destroy or at least incapacitate them in some manner.” He spoke in a deliberate tone, he recognised that questioning the inquisition was a swift way to end up being a lobotomized slave or some manner of erstwhile blackshield, Artenius was keen on neither of those fates. Recollecting himself, he continued walking only to stop and raise his hand swiftly, baying his comrades to remain quiet...

In the background, a rough gnawing could be heard, but yet it was not the meaty snaps of bone nor flesh, nor even the squealing of battle-suit alloys. It sounded almost as though the creature was nearby, perhaps in the vents... gnawing on the electronics of this installation.... Perhaps it is local flora? Perhaps it is something worse... The grunting is unclear, yet perhaps those with an intellectual streak would do their best to identify it...and quick.

Brother Fellwalker gave a drawn out sigh under his matte black helmet. His expression was a pale, sullen mask akin to that of a marble statue yet oddly animated in its nature. He stood there motionless for several moments before outright shrugging and just walking off to follow the Librarian. Petty squabbles were beneath him entirely, especially if they involved chapters that were so petty as to allow them in the first place. “Onwards brothers, lest this tainted place be our resting ground forever more!” His voice boomed and croaked with its mutated genes, yet his words and intention were clear. “Unless, that is, you do wish to die here. I am sure the enemy arrange that....”

Laughing to himself, Kaerell proceeded forwards with a gait so oddly nimble for someone in power armour, yet not unnatural. He managed to get himself between the Librarian and Brother Moros, positioned between the two so that he may protect those behind him. His breathing was audible however, deep laboured breaths as though he was becoming imbued with unbridled rage at...something. He snarled to himself, baring his teeth under his helmet yet not harming those battle brothers near him. His chain-axe was already in hand where he first heard the sounds of the gnawing monster that lurked about the place, though he paid it little heed. There was something else in this place scratching like a million needles upon polished glass and it seemed like only he could hear it.

“Damnable creature...damnable place...we do well to torch this world...”

"Onwards brothers, we near the hive of this alien tyrant...his reign shall be ended here and now, provided that the warp-taint of this place hath not done our job for us already." Librarian Artenius stomped forward, his midnight black power armour casting immense shadows across the dimly lit walls of the alien fortress. He casually ground an alien helmet into dust under his heel, such was his vile contempt for the creatures that once dwelt within this place of war. They had themselves to blame for their mere crime of living, and it was the eternal duty of the Space Marines to end their loathsome existence. His robes swirled in the soft currents of unnatural air that seeped from every nook and cranny in this place, filling the void with their presence and carrying the faintest traces of the souls of the lost and damned upon their howls.

"An oath of an indomitable will to you all, brothers" The Librarian spoke before silently mouthing the words to himself. The litany of purity and protection was perhaps better serving as that of raw hatred against the confusing nature of Chaos and its servants, yet it did as it must and steeled the Librarian's mind, focusing him further on the task at hand. With an impetuous stride did the Librarian lean forth like a looming spectre of death into a blackened room. His helmeted senses made piercing the blackness that much easier, yet even now it proved difficult despite the lack of a tangible source of the corruption.

"It will be said as before we know it so, these Tau hold no presence in the Warping heresy of chaos, yet the corruption managed to target even them? Something tells me that they held humans here, likely untrained...unskilled, psykers... Be ever vigilant, lest they become the undoing of even more of our team..." His words had suddenly become icy, his dour and melancholic tone replaced by something not dissimilar to carefully controlled fear, though he sooner laid a hand upon the Aquila on his chest than upon any material forces.

Now far more reserved in his actions, the Librarian did set foot forwards once more, only hoping that those among his did not slay each other due to some pettiness of history, none of them knew the real pain, the sorrow, the abject misery and knowing of weakness that came from losing their primarch properly. One sat on a rock, combing his hair like a dainty model and the other sat in a mead hall drinking away his usefulness into a blind stupour. They didn't know what it was like to know deep within that their flesh was the reason they have failed in so many myriad ways and have had their honour tested like no other hath before. Sighing, Librarian Artenius simply spoke some words of proposed valour "Whatever our fates, the Imperium will rule this world once more, even if our deaths should occur and the lives of so many be lost into the void. Know it that our success does not have the fate of a world on its shoulders, for once. Take that smallest of victories away, I do suppose and we shall find that victory no longer becomes such a struggle. At least, hopefully."

Turning himself to face those three remaining squad mates that had survived, the three veterans that had seen brothers die due to alien savagery and had seen firsthand the nature of the warp. He wanted to speak, to say but a word before a twisted amalgamation of flesh was seen, floating eerily behind Brother Dominous as it was the harbinger of his demise. The Librarian watched as the creature seemed to smile, its grimaced face a contrast to the humanity it surely must of once known... Such was not the time for quandary, as Brother Dominous' now lifeless corpse planted itself breastplate first into the grating of the floor. The creature simply seemed to give a silent, malicious, laughter, the sort that had a spite which was palpable to those around.

"Kill the mutant! Slay the heretic!" Artenius cried out to Brothers Kaerell and Moros, though even now more mutants surrounded them on all sides.

Moros knew the nature of the warp was not to be underestimated. As soon as that thought crossed his mind and they entered the tainted space he saw a child like abomination silent with a murderous look about its eyes and smile. Dominus was devoured and destroyed his lifeless body fell to the floor pale and empty a husk lifeless and barren of whatever had once inhabited him. It was as if the light of the emperor itself that burned within him had been extinguished this was not just death it was a destruction of soul.

The alien savages of this planet had taken so many brothers so many lives. Moros now questioned what had they done how had they been so forsaken and so unlucky at every turn. It was hard to imagine after all this that victory could be achieved yet they would go on they would fight and die they would avenge their brothers. Moros readied his blade and let out a war cry of terrifying strength and began to pound his chest in a rhythmic pattern that echoed through the halls about them.

Brother Kaerell roared in animalistic fury, his rage enveloping his physical form causing him to snarl under his helmet and leapt into the midst of the nearest bundle of mutated humans. His wrath was made manifest in how his blade made such a bloody dance about his foes, flaying flesh from bones and ripping limbs from their bodies. Blood was spattered all about his midnight black armour, spraying the walls with blackened lifeblood. "SLAY THE HERETIC! BURN THE MUTANT!" He bellowed, his voice echoing across the walls of the alien citadel, assailing the ears of all those about him.

Moving like a bloody butcher of death, Kaerell struck out four times rending limbs and flesh like it was wet paper. He felled three mutants with his mighty blows, their bodies rendered into unrecognisable mush. The first had the least painful of demises, as it's head was crushed into a paste by a power-armoured fist striking it, the bones cracking and the brain turning into literal jelly. The second was brought low by a kick to the chest, having its ribs demolished into nothingness before a boot crushed its skull. The last had the worst, as both its arms were literally ripped out from the sheer force of the blade striking it.

"By the might of the Emperor! We will eradicate you!"

Moros yelled at the horrors that had surrounded them. He rushed for the one that loomed over another fallen brother. His blade trailed along the ground creating a disturbed scraping sound. Within an instant it stopped as the blade was swung in an upward arch towards the creatures abdomen cutting into its flesh and spilling whatever vile liquids rest within such an abomination.

"We stand together to slay the unholy." Moros screamed at the rest of these creatures caring little if they understood him only to give a verbal confirmation of what was well known. He would fight all who stood in their path till his dying breath.

The mutant tide before you begins to waver, their numbers now diminishing rapidly. Those more compassionate of brothers would note that each mutant was markedly human in features, and all bore faces echoing an immense pain. The experiments upon them by the Tau clearly showing through as their heretic technology was affixed to the fleshy body of each mutant, the insidious mark of their xenos empire clearly shown upon each piece of damning technology.

"We fight in the name of the Emperor!" Artenius bellowed out, culling another small swath of mutated humans from about himself with the flame-wreathed edge of his glowing force sword, the light emanating around itself forming a corona of bright blue light in the darkened corridors and hallways. Despite their easy success over the horde of enemies and the fact none of them took any damage, he could not help himself but feel some manner of betrayal that they had just shot or slashed sentience that once worshipped the Emperor as they do now.

Composing himself, Artenius looks to his fellows and simply says the words, "Onwards, to the commander of this vilest of places." He stomped off further, his rudimentary knowledge of the Tau lexicon aiding him as he progressed up to the commander's office, which so happened to also be the situation room for the whole fortress. "If our mark is anywhere, he lurks within here. Be ready brothers, for vigilance, is key amongst areas as such."

With effort, the Iron Hand shoved open the alien door with a dull clang. The interior was brightly lit by a multitude of alien terminals, each casting a sickly green glow into the room. In the other side of the room, stood several huge battlesuits, one of which bearing the colours you all recognise as those reserved for Tau officers. The suit is completely motionless, though, the lights that normally indicate operation are devoid of illumination, and the whole armoured suit simply stands there. This room. It does not feel right on the basest of levels. Even those of you without the psyker senses of the Librarian or the heightened senses of the Sons of Russ know that this place is tainted beyond all repair. Faint whispers can be heard to each of you, promising you all eternal glory and life...but only if you pledge yourselves over to the Ruinous Powers.

"This is a damned place, brothers" The librarian began, his words becoming more impassioned with every passing moment. "It is our duty as Space Marines to wipe out this wretched taint, even if it doesn't fall under our role as the Ordo Xenos chamber militant." He stopped himself for a moment, allowing those few words - which more conservative inquisitors may even consider heresy - to fully sink in. "I propose we purge this place through holy fire, each of you has melta grenades, yes? Use them in this place, purge it in a burst of atomic flame for there is no redemption."

Moros without hesitation followed Brother Artenious. He moved through the hellish place of nightmares and whispers fighting back all he could that crept in his mind. The mark upon this place was the most unholy of things it corroded any sense of redemption for this wretched place. As this thought grew in his mind more true and more evident the librarian spoke it aloud. He suggested they burn and purge the damned place be done with it and all it stood for it was their duty to stop all incursions that would harm the Emperor and his citizens.

"You are right. While it may not be the duty we were given it is that which is thrust upon us and we must accept and fulfill it all the same if not with more vigor and resolve cause we are those who solely bear this burden. To fight and be in the places no other soul could dare to go. We are the emperors fury and might." Moros spoke holding his head high and began to pull a belt of three grenades from his suit.

He held them aloft and screamed "Step back brothers. For the Emperor!" before tossing one at the suit which sat so prominently and unnervingly empty in this room.

Brother Fellwalker was not bothered in the least by the deaths of the former humans. He saw them as utterly devoid of the Emperor's light and as such must be purged with all the ferocity afforded to the heretics and xenos of this world. Hefting his immense chain axe, he simply began to wipe the blood from across it's huge, jagged teeth whilst following the Librarian and Assault Marine. "I don't remember the Tau being so...aggressive, in their indoctrination. Current information suggests they normally go the slow brain-washing side of things..." His speech was slow and considerate, one moment of laxity could condemn them all to a lifetime of suffering for their heresy.

Kaerell marched alongside his brothers into the command room of the Tau fortress, he didn't falter in the least when he saw the imposing stature of the Tau battlesuit, however. No, instead he hurled his axe with all his might into the battlesuit, causing a huge rent in the armour and surely splattering any unfortunate that piloted it...

No screams of agony came, though. Just damning silence as the suit stood there, the teeth of the chain axe ground into the composite sides of the armour. "By the throne, what is this madness?!" He raged, pulling the axe from the suit with a fluid motion before simply walking away like nothing had even occurred. "Purge this place..."