You add Yasha to the short list of people that you are bringing along. Mu'randa contacts the Tau, and arranges the meeting location and time. Dawn tomorrow, local time, at the same place you met the Eldar.

You get an itch between your shoulder blades. Out of an entire planet, the Tau pick the exact same location as the Eldar? You are fairly sure that this isn't a coincidence. But without a concrete reason to give the Tau, changing the meeting location isn't reasonable.

You check your weapons and spend a few hours at drill before turning in for the night.

Your sleep is troubled, but you cannot remember anything of your dreams upon waking.

Just before dawn, you land the Sparrow and everyone disembarks. Elena stands fingering the handles of her bolt pistols, Yasha and Adam are both muttering prayers against the darkness, and you are left to contemplate your ragged band of misfits while the Tau dropship starts its approach.

It doesn't land, instead hovering above the ground. A large figure jumps out of the back of the dropship to the ground, is knees hardly flexing under the impact.

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The dropship's engines switch from idle to full power, and it heads back to orbit as the figure approaches. As the dust settles out of the air, you note that this is no Tau. The descriptions you have of them paint them a blue-skinned humanoids with black eyes, three fingered hands, and hooves for feet.

It stands at least as tall as Lord Pyrus in full armor, despite being hunched forward slightly. Its head is adorned with quills instead of hair, and a beak dominates its face. It holds a long, primitive-looking firearm, adorned with blades at both muzzle and butt.

It stalks forward, stopping a dozen feet away, nodding in greeting, "Von Sebastion? Shaper Monat. You are my backup?"

You pause for a heartbeat, adjusting to the chirp-buzz accented Gothic, "We are. I was expecting..."

Monat makes a clicking sound, "more warriors? I'm the only combat-capable Facilitator available." It cocks its head left and right, scenting, "discord on the air. The Tau team went to investigate the ruins exposed in the nearby crater after they were pointed out by a mr. Pierre. They descended into the ruins, and never emerged."

Underground ruins means tight quarters, so you adjust your usual party ordering. Shrugging, you look at Monat, "you can track them? Then we'll stay behind you. Adam and Yasha follow up, then myself, then Elena. Yasha, senses open. If there is anything Other in these ruins, we need to know about it before it starts killing."

Monat is already halfway to the center of the crater before you are finished speaking. You and your party hustle to catch up. You think you see a glint at the far edge of the crater, but it is gone before you can blink.