System Zeta Tau 44947 Omega.

“By the Emperor ….” whispered Aronvold as he gazed out at the vast debris field. 

“Scans have identified warp fields and construction corresponding with ships of the Xenos Eldar.” Said a senior Magos. “But a number of vessels exhibit no signatures and are of unknown configuration.”

“A new space fairing Xenos race?” said Brother Captain Celar

“It appears so” said Arland.

“They could be another branch of the Eldar” said Aronvold.

“Exhibiting no trace of a warp signature?” said Arland “Unlikely”. “No, this is something new”

“The Ordos Xenos will be pleased” commented Mercy.

“How do they travel through space for any distance without warp capability? Are they that advanced they have another alternative?” asked Aronvold

“Who said they do” said Mercy. “They may be a localised race. If they could travel vast distances the Empire would have encountered them before now”

Another probe communication appeared in Arland’s feed. “Drone B769 has entered orbit around its target planet.” said Arland “It has encountered more debris and has identified structures on the planet’s surface”.

Mercy said “I’d like to send out some servitors to recover some of the bodies we have identified in the debris field.” “This could help us to understand what we are dealing with”

“Arrange it” said Arland “and let me know when you commence your examinations”

Arland looked over at Aronvold who was still staring at the display of smashed ships. “Captain arrange for the picket drones to fly wider patrols out from the fleet. I don’t want any surprises”.

Aronvold finally shifting his gaze back to Arland “It has already been done my lord”

Some hours later - Laboratory Magos Biologis,

“Is the pale blue it’s natural colouring or is it due to its exposure to vacuum” Arland’s voice questioned in Mercy’s ear.

“Natural” commented Mercy.

The thin, fine boned alien was laid out on one of Mercy’s tables in the middle of the room. Around her flitted a number of servo skulls, recording the procedure from various constantly moving angles. Arland and a number of other senior members of the exploration fleet watched from the viewing window and on monitors screens around the room.

“Its internal physiology does not appear, overall, that different from our own, function wise” observed the Datasmith Sylus Molt. “Is that a lung?”

Mercy stopped and looked up at the observation window.

Molt said “I apologise for the interruption Magos, I will refrain from making further comment”

“Yes” Mercy said simply

.

After Mercy had finished her autopsies, she met with Van Eck on the command deck.

“So what is your considered opinion of the new xenos?” asked Arland.

“Sylus was correct, all three that I dissected were much the same from an overall anatomical perspective. However, there were two "genders" represented in the sample and until I know otherwise, I’ll refer to them as male and female. Their olfactory organs are located inside their mouths and I believe they see in both the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum. Their blood, like ours carries oxygen through their system, but where ours is high in iron, theirs contain a high proportion of Cobalt which is why their blood is a bluish purple. I think judging from their physic, all three have spent the vast proportion of their life in space.”Mercy surmised.

“How old where they?” asked Arland

“Impossible to tell” said Mercy. “They could have been twenty or two hundred”

And the other Xenos, any surprises?

"None, it or should I say she, hit all the DNA and physiological markers we have on file relating to the Eldar." said Mercy

“Aronvold has the fleet skirting the debris field and moving towards the first planet.” Said Arland “I also have several Tech-priests working through the data being relayed by the observation drones. The structures have been mostly destroyed but the few that remain, to some degree intact, are of a geometric style similar to the ships of the new Xenos. Once we reach a stable orbit around the planet, I’ll take some units of Skitarii down to the surface and obtain some first hand data from one of the  more intact sites.

“You will? Isn’t that a task for one of the senior adepts?”asked Mercy.

“And miss out on the possibility of first contact with a new sentient race?” said Arland “I think not”