Archeval Zaeus
Archeval Zaeus was a Techmarine of the Deathwatch, originally hailing from the Brazen Minotaurs Chapter.[1]
Zaeus was part of a Kill-Team led by Captain Polino that was sent to a Desert World contested between the Imperium and the Tau Empire. The kill-team found that the Kroot reinforcing the Tau soliders on the planet had developed traits indicating that they had undergone hybridisation with Tyranid genes; in an engagement with the hybrids, Polino was severely injured and Festaron was killed.[1]
Making their way back to their Thunderhawk to make a stand in a defenceable position, the kill-team was surrounded and attacked by the hybrids. Zaeus's kill-teammates entrenched themselves in the canyon sheltering the gunship while he investigated an Adeptus Astartes signal emanating from nearby with hopes of bringing reinforcements. During the fighting, Polino succumbed to a sus-anic coma, while Ar'gan and Vortan holed up inside the Thunderhawk. Although the outpost was no longer manned, Zaeus was able to return with a small army of Servitors that cleared out the majority of the hybrids with missile strikes.[1]
The surviving members of the kill-team were able to repair the Thunderhawk and extract themselves to report to Inquisitor Vaskiel, expecting that her response would be to subject the planet to Exterminatus.[1]
