Discovering the Sein'Hae [IC - Open]

The snipers would likely have a hard time eliminating many of the Vinecrawlers, for even when mounted upon insects they were well hidden,  and skilled in concealment. They began to relocate and launch occasional shots down toward the Invaders. A few noted Sigma's presence on the battlefield, and believing her to be a commander of sorts, they began to fire shots down on her from their hiding places.

Down on the ground, a number of Vinecrawlers started to pick up discarded Drathian weapons, hoping that they could put some of them to use against the Invaders. As for the Bloodbeaks, most of them had been taken out from above, though one scarred and bloodied individual was still standing. He couldn't safely reach the Vinecrawlers above, lest he be gunned down, so he turned his attention toward the Drathian lines, letting out a shrill cry before grabbing the nearest pair of Invaders, intent on dragging them off into the jungle to try and flank the Drathians.

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Close to the battlefield, a lumbering giant had stirred, attracted by the large scale battle occurring. Walking on four legs,mand covered in bone-like plates, the beast was huge, so much so that it could easily tower over the rees should it stand upright. Unlike most creatures of Endovul II, it did notnhave any camouflage, for it did not need it. It was also rather slow, though could speed up into a sprint for a short time, smashing anything in its path with its six large horns. Unfortunately for the battlefield, it began windig up for a sprint, for it smelled many smells, all rather meaty and delicious-smelling. And it was hungry.

The obsevant on the battlefield might hear its rumbling footsteps as it began to approach.

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Ahana took Rafael's hand gingerly, leading the Jupiterran away into the jungle to hunt. They left quietly, so as to not draw attention, though a solitary figure followed them out, staying far back enough that it wouldn't be detected.

As they travelled, Rafael might notice the smell of flowers constantly lingering, most likely emitting from Ahuna, though she made no comments during their journey thus far, staying quiet and alert.

She declined water for now, as she had hydrated herself well before the hunt, though she happily answered his question.

"This is the scent of a Vori flower, known even amongst beasts for being deadly to consume. Though, we're the only ones who use it to ward off predators, save for a few herbivores that use it too. Look, we're here now. A nest of Wairan."

She gestured toward a cave nearby, surrounded by about six small shelled creatures, insect-like in their appearance. They were rather small, and would make a great practice run for the two would-be hunters.

Ahuna was equally efficient in her attacks, immediately pouncing to spear one through the side, where a weak point in its shell was located. Hefting the spear to the side, she used the. corpse to slam another one to the ground. The third she turned her attention to, evading its sharp pincers and stabbing it in the face, sending it toppling down. She then turned and launched her spear at the third as it got back up, impaling it through the back of the head. And with that, their little hunt was a success.

"I am glad to have you hunt with me too, Rafael..."

She spoke with a bright smile, a rarity for her, before she turned her attention to the kills.

"These are a tricky case to eat, but we're going to want to tak- ah!"

Ahuna jumped as she felt a sharp pain in her neck, but before she could react she collapsed into unconciousness. A close inspection reveals some form of dart in the back of her neck, yet its shooter remains hidden for now.

The figure followed him back to the village, once again at a distance, keeping itself hidden from Rafael. Whatever it was, it wasn't going to attack just yet. As he made it back to the village, the figure stopped following, vanishing into the village itself. Whoever it was, it was amongst the Sein'Hae, though no-one was aware of their identity.

Upon reaching the village, the partygoers stir as Rafael emerged with Ahuna. Their medical experts quickly rushed over to take Ahuna off Rafael and figure out her injuries. As for Rafael, a few hunters blocked him off to lead him aside, so they could ask what happened. He'd be taken to a small hut for this interrogation.

Ahuna was being looked after, the dart mark being found quickly by the Sein'Hae. They soon discovered it to be a sleeping serum, intended to make her sleep for a long while, and so all they could do for her was let her rest. Naturally, the party was soured, and so people were soon returning to their duties, the lesser tribes returning to their villages, not wanting to be a part of the whole mess.

In Orbit
The crew of the Drathian Murderer watched in horror as the Invader's new black ship began to mobilize, sending more reinforcements to the ground. While they knew the Drathians down there could handle themselves, they needed to stop that thing from destroying their friends above. Xikcha sighed in frusturation. Damn him, giving his life for the Fylkirate. He pointed forward, speaking loudly with a voice unshaken by fear, even as the shadows of madness began to swarm the back of his vision. "Full speed ahead towards that ship! Focus all fire on those landing craft! Do not let them get to the surface!" The Murderer, damaged as it was, began to fire at the Invader landing craft, hopefully taking out a few before they could get to the surface. The ship itself though, went towards the black base.

It tried to latch onto the bottom of the ship, hanging on with its teeth and claws in a desperate gamble to turn the tide of the battle. Xikcha winced as another weapon impact rocked his ship. They wouldn't last much longer. He turned to an ensign, who saluted him shakily. The boys eyes were wild with madness, a result of the black marker. His hand was visibly shaking, as if he could barely make it to stand. "Are the FTL drives ready yet!?" Xikcha demanded. His subordinate nodded. "Good."

The Iron IIs were surrounded, taking fire from all sides. The Invaders seemingly decided it would not be in their best interest to let the ships escape. Luckily, the Iron IIs were much more durable than the Murderer, with stronger shields and plating, if at the expense of mobility. They both focused all fire on a single Invader Base, hoping that their combined salvos of torpedoes and batteries would be enough to break the circle and allow them to begin retreating. High Command, though, seemed not to leave anything to chance. Two more Murderers, previously stationed at the Trifexian System, came into orbit. They both opened fire on the ring of Invader bases, trying to distract them long enough to give the Iron IIs a chance to escape.

Planetside
Meanwhile, on the ground, things were not as fortunate. No reinforcements were coming, it would seem. The Drathians, though, were not so easily beaten. They had been born for forest combat. They thrived in it, their very civilization only existed because of their proficiency in the woods, much to the woe of the Keltakens. They had beaten their ancient foes with spears and slings, and this time, they had guns and bombs. Many Invader snipers found themselves missing their shots, and falling under counter fire from Drathian snipers, who did not have the disadvantage of having pale white skin that would give away their location. Theirs was green, and as such, perfectly blended in with their surroundings.

The rest of the troops found, though, the devesation of artillery firing on their positions. Luckily for them, they were still under the cover of the forest, and the enemy shells oft got themselves snagged in branches, or simply inaccurate. Still, the Drathians took losses, but those losses were countered by the relief fire granted by their new Sein'Hae allies. They dared not advance, especially now that the enemy was diggin in, instead they began preparing their defenses, namely in the form of deployable energy shields that would offer some protection against the enemy artillery barrage.

Commander Krix, however, was in a sour spot. He was forced to leap backwards, wincing as one of the chains scrapped against his thigh. His armour took the brunt of the blow, but it left a large gash in the plating. He just managed to avoid Sigma's sure death blow, landing now ever closer to the Drathian line. With a pant, he straighetned himself, swinging his staff experimentally in the air. "You sure do mouth off a lot for a commander. I wonder, do you have any skill at all? You seem to be depending solely on the powers that your markers are granting you." He crouched, grinning. "And even then, you can't kill me." It was an obvious taunt, directed at what he hoped was Sigma's superiority complex, if she had one. It might send her in a reckless rage that would bring her directly into the Drathian line of fire. Otherwise, he was just being a dick.

Still, Krix was no fool. If Sigma did get angry with him, the resulting flurry of blows would be too much for him to handle, especially in his tired state. "Activate stim level 1." He said, seemingly to himself. Within his armour, needles injected themselves into his shoulders, pumping his body full of a syrum that would enhance his ability for a few minutes. It was a potent chemical, which had the potential to kill its user. That's why it was only given to commanders such as Krix.