The clomping of each large armored boot against metal rang down the dark corridor with a regular rhythm that was eerily human. Closer and closer it came, eventually becoming impossible to ignore and causing Joran to halt his party in an effort not to have to face the source of the following sounds alone. But as he stopped, the clomping... suddenly stopped. The coincidence was eerie as well, yet just as the animalistic anxiety that it had incurred began to wane, even before they began to move, the clomping started up again. It was coming. 

The urge to run was burning at the pit of their stomachs, yet the group huddled together, immobilized until the oncoming threat could be identified and dealt with. Finally, as if to pierce their hearts with a blade of adrenaline, two specs of red light confirmed the existance of eyes in the darkness an instant before the rest of the astartes was revealed. 

The space marine again stopped, this time in view, allowing their hearts to settle momentarily while they assessed him. The mechanical arms folded behind his back were the last to be noticed after his bolter, his black and red plate, and his size. A machina opus was easily visible on his waist as was a huge Omnissian power axe mounted behind him. 

Xepherial was assessing the strange group before him just as they were inspecting him. He had never before seen nor heard of a Tau or an Eldar, yet it was clear that the strange aliens were calmly in the company of regular humans. Their meeting would be interrupted however, as the rush of yet another alien race that was unknown to Xepherial rushed in from the shadows to attack.  
The Tyranid were clearly adversarial, and without too much time to think about it, Xepherial had already reacted instinctively to protect the humans before him. He opened fire on the insect-like creatures, each well-placed shot equating to a kill. The not so well-placed shots, and there were a number of them, still splattered enough tyranid blood to make them think twice about continuing forward. The sound of bolter fire was brutal and solid and jolted the nerves with every round spent. The resistance was wholly unexpected and soon the enemy eventually retreated as abruptly as they had appeared. 

Xepherial searched his data logs for anything resembling the enemies he had just seen, yet found nothing. He had no time to dwell on it however. His initial target had been acquired, and he turned to face them, lowering his weapon. None of them looked like a brother of his, unfortunately.

Normally, he would have identified himself. Yet things had been strange since Caliban. He decided to remain silent and gauge these mercenaries by their reactions.