Editing Skyburners

{{Cabal Legion infobox
|nameBG=#59B1BA
|BG=#59B1BA
|sectionBG=#59B1BA
|lineBG=#59B1BA
|image= [[File:SkyburnersBannerHeader.png|300px]]
|name= Skyburners
|objectives= Celestial Demolitions <br> Reserve Shock Fleet
|Commander(s)= [[Primus Ta'aun]] <br> [[Valus Tlu'urn]] <br> [[Valus Mau'ual]]
|Keep(s)= [[Fleetbase Korus]] <br> [[Dantalion Exodus VI]]
|deployed= [[Mercury]] <br> [[Phobos]] <br> [[Dreadnaught]]
|war= [[Vanguard]] <br> [[Virgo Prohibition]] <br> [[Blood of Oryx]] <br> [[Taken]]
|ally= [[Dust Giants]] <br> [[Siege Dancers]] <br> [[Ice Reapers]]
}}
{{Quote|The second fleet will wait no longer. Commencement will begin on their arrival.|[[Cryptarch]] translation of Skyburner chatter}}
The '''Skyburners''' are the "celestial demolitions" fleet of the [[Cabal]] legions on [[Mars]]. They are mainly based around [[Phobos]], with limited deployment on [[Mars]]. 

In the base game, they are only encountered during the final phase of the [[Cerberus Vae III]] and [[Dust Palace]] strikes. The Skyburners play a larger role in ''[[The Taken King]]'' expansion.

==History==
===Early campaigns===
{{Quote|The fate of the Cabal is as mysterious as Vertigo itself– the Guardians detected no catastrophic malfunction, no disease, and no bodies aboard any of the fully-supplied ships.|[[Vertigo]]}}

Initially the Skyburners were fought sparingly in the base game, only found guarding high value Cabal Commanders. When [[Valus Ta'aurc]] dispatches the elite [[Ice Reapers]] to hunt down [[Rasputin]], the Skyburners accompany them as well. The Valus himself even used Skyburner soldiers as his personal guard until his assassination. In both cases however the Skyburners suffer total casualties.

As a Scout Legion, the Skyburners once sent a expedition to Mercury on the Crucible map [[Vertigo]], but later abandoned it for unknown reasons.

===Attack on Phobos===
[[File:CabalTaken.gif|thumb|300px|A Skyburner getting Taken]]
{{quote|Whatever it was, it turned Cabal against Cabal, wiped out their base in minutes. How long would we last?|[[Commander Zavala]]}}

When Oryx began blighting the system, the Skyburners were the first Cabal units to encounter the [[Taken]] after noticing strange activity. Shortly after, huge numbers of Skyburners were Taken and made to fight their comrades forcing Legion commander, [[Primus Ta'aun]] to order a mass evacuation.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Ghost Scans]]: DNT-DE6-1''</ref><ref>'''Bungie (2015-9-15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[The Coming War]]''</ref>

Ta'aun then sent a report written by his intelligence officers on the ineffectiveness of conventional Cabal forces against the [[Guardian]]s and suggested that the technology aboard Oryx's [[Dreadnaught]] might be co-opted by the Cabal to nullify Guardian [[Ghost]] regeneration.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal#Ghost_Fragment:_Cabal_4|Ghost Fragment: Cabal 4]]''</ref> He also delivered reports of the massive casualties suffered [[Dust Giants]], [[Blind Legion]], and [[Sand Eaters]] Legions on [[Mars]]. This prompted the Cabal [[Dominus Ghaul|Emperor]] himself to order Primus Ta'aun and his [[Shield Brothers|bond brothers]] to board the Dreadnaught and kill [[Oryx, the Taken King]], by any means necessary.<ref name="GFC3">'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/Cabal#Ghost_Fragment:_Cabal_3|Ghost Fragment: Cabal 3]]''</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YClPCoRGeL8 '''Youtube''': Destiny The Taken King Reveal Livestream Tower Tour]</ref>

===Battle of Mars===
{{quote|"Mutiny," Tlu'urn whispers. "You should mutiny."<br>"No," Ta'aun says. Duty is victory. Mutiny is worse than death. Even if death seems certain.|Primus Ta'aun and Valus Tlu'urn}}

Shortly after receiving those orders, Ta'aun commanded the defense of one of the Cabal frontlines on [[Mars]] alongside one of his bond brothers, [[Valus Tlu'urn]]. Together they went from bunker to bunker to motivate their soldiers and call artillery fire upon the advancing [[Vex]]. As they took cover behind a destroyed [[Interceptor]] and fired upon their foes, Tlu'urn questioned if Ta'aun intended to follow through on his orders, arguing it was madness and suicide. As he pulled his bond brother out of the line of fire of several [[Hobgoblin]]s and back into cover, Ta'aun revealed to him that Ghaul himself had approved the order, shocking Tlu'urn. As a [[Minotaur]] breached their lines, Ta'aun unloaded his [[Heavy Slug Thrower|weapon]] onto it, screaming a war cry as he poured out his fears and concerns over the upcoming mission. As his legionnaires cheered the machine's destruction, Tlu'urn noted that they were only scouting legions and did not have the numbers for such a mission before suggesting that they mutiny. Although the prospect of doing so appealed to Ta'aun, he felt that ignoring his duty would be worse than death and refused.<ref name="GFC3"/>

===Battle of the Dreadnaught===
[[File:TakenTaaun1.jpg|thumb|300px|Primus Ta'aun Taken]]
{{quote|It came from the Emperor Himself. I'm ordered to board and capture the Hive flagship. At any cost.|Primus Ta'aun}}

After the calamity of the [[Battle of Saturn]], the Skyburners crashed their warship, [[Dantalion Exodus VI]], into the Dreadnaught's hull and protracted war of attrition deep behind enemy lines against the [[Hive]]. By establishing a beachhead, the Cabal were able to move deeper into the Dreadnaught and soon learned that Oryx could only be reached through a portal they called a "Rupture". Primus Ta'aun decided to lead a team to the coordinates. As the Primus pushed near the portal entrance, his team was assaulted by Oryx's forces and the Primus himself was Taken.<ref>'''Bungie (2015-9-15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], PlayStation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Enemy of My Enemy]]''</ref>

The [[Darkness]] spoke to Ta'aun during the Taking process, declaring that he was free now of his duties and noting that his code and valor had not been enough. It offered him a "knife" to cut away his bonds of duty and love to stand on his own.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]] Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Grimoire]]: [[Grimoire:Enemies/The_Taken#Primus_Ta.27aun|Primus Ta'aun]]''</ref> Now transformed into a Hand of Oryx, Ta'aun was paired with another Hand, the [[Taken Ogre]] [[Baxx, Hand of Oryx|Baxx]], and placed by Oryx to guard the Rupture that led to him. Later Ta'aun was slain by the Guardians, freeing him of the Taken King's control.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Regicide]]''</ref>

===The Shield Brothers===
[[File:Shield Brothers.jpg|300px|thumb|The Shield Brothers enter the core of the Dreadnaught.]]
{{quote|So the Centurion's bond brothers are pretty angry they lost their commander. They're leading a team to blow up the Dreadnaught's core. Core goes... most of the system goes with it. You're going to make sure that doesn't happen.|[[Cayde-6]]}}

The Skyburners Legion continued to fight a hopeless war of survival aboard the Dreadnaught, all in the name of their mission that their Emperor placed upon them. The fate of Ta'aun was unknown to his Bond Brothers. Growing desperate, Ta'aun's chief lieutenants and Bond Brothers, [[Valus Mau'ual]] and [[Valus Tlu'urn]], launched an extreme plan to destroy the Hive and Taken by placing explosives on the Dreadnaught's power core. Whether to force the Hive into submission or to retrieve their lost Primus, the Brothers' plan of destruction would be strong enough to create a blast capable of wiping out half the Solar System. Wishing to avoid this, the Guardians formed a strike team to disable explosives before they could detonate. Reaching the core, the Guardians faced off against both of the brothers, who were determined to finish their mission and avenge their Primus. Despite their firepower and formidable tag teamwork, the Guardians prevailed against the Valuses and saved the System.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [[Shield Brothers]]''</ref>

===Legacy===
The Guardians also disposed of their champion [[Valus Tau'ugh]]. The remaining Skyburners, in desperation, sent a distress call directed to the head of the Cabal Empire, [[Dominus Ghaul]], to inform him of their casualties and findings. Although the Guardians intercepted the signal, the message had already been received by the Cabal Empire.<ref>'''Bungie (2015/9/15)''', ''[[Destiny]]: [[The Taken King]], Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard, [https://www.ishtar-collective.net/transcripts/outbound-signal Outbound Signal]''</ref>

Years later, the Cabal would ultimately answer the signal, leading to the beginning of the [[Red War]]. While severely diminished, the Skyburners survived long enough to see [[Ghaul]] and his [[Red Legion]] arrive in the system. What became of them is unknown, but they considered their survival "victory enough."<ref>'''Bungie (2017/9/6)''', ''[[Destiny 2]]: Playstation 4, Activision Blizzard,[[Skyburner's Oath]]''</ref>

==Appearance==
Skyburners can be identified by their teal and red armor. The legion's most unique feature is the crest on their helmets. They also possess the unique Psion Burner units, which feature red armor and a curved spike on their helmets.

==Notable members==
[[File:SkyBurnersGrimoire.jpg|thumb|200px|The Skyburners]]

'''Leadership'''
*'''[[Ta'aun, Hand of Oryx|Primus Ta'aun]]''' <small>(formerly)</small>

'''Valus'''
*[[Valus Tlu'urn]]
*[[Valus Mau'ual]]
*[[Valus Tau'ugh]]
*[[Valus Gho'ourn]]

'''Bracus'''
*[[Bracus Dra'usk]]
*[[Bracus Thra'aurg]]
*[[Bracus Ma'aulh]]

'''Centurion'''
*[[Ve'ength]]  

'''Lost to Taken'''
*[[Vro'ourn, Fist of Oryx|Vro'ourn]]
*[[Bracus Horu'usk]]

==Unique forces==
*[[Psion]] variants 
**[[Psion Burner]]

==Gallery==
<gallery perrow=3>
TakenTaaun.jpg|Primus Ta'aun, Lost to Oryx
Shieldbrother.jpg|Valus Mau'ual, one of the Shield Brothers
ValusBlue.jpg|Valus Tlu'urn, the other Shield Brother

ValusTauugh3.jpg|Valus Tau'ugh, the Skyburner Champion
ValusTauugh2.png|Valus Tau'ugh blasting off to space
SkyburnerShip.jpg|A Skyburner Harvester

SkyburnerLogo1.jpg|A Skyburner flag
SkyburnersLogo2.jpg|Another Skyburner logo
OutboundSignal.jpg|Skyburner signal sent to the Red Legion and Cabal Emperor.

File:Ta'aun.jpg|Primus Ta'aun, Commander of the Skyburners
File:Colossus (Sb).jpg| A Skyburners Colossus.
File:Centurion (Sb).jpg|A Skyburners Centurion.

File:Legionary (Sb).jpg|A Skyburners Legionary.
File:Phalanx (Sb).jpg|A Skyburners Phalanx.
File:Psion (Sb).jpg|A Skyburners Psion.

Phobos Cabal transport ship by Dorje Bellbrook.jpg|Concept art of the Skyburner base
Fleetbase.gif|Skyburner Fleetbase under Taken attack
D1Vertigo.jpg|Vertigo abandoned by the Skyburners
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*The Skyburners were the Cabal Legion that abandoned the [[Vertigo]] crucible map as their logos can be seen around the map.
*The killcams spell the Legion's name as "Sky Burners" while the Grimoire cards and dialogue state the proper name as Skyburners. This could be a developer oversight.
*The Skyburners symbol is used for the first tier of [[The Inverted Spire]] [[Nightfall]] emblem in ''[[Destiny 2]]''.
*Before Oryx's arrival, it was rumored the Skyburners were to be part of a "second fleet" meant to attack [[Earth]]. However with the [[Taken War]], this campaign was put on hold as they were redeployed to attack the Dreadnaught.

==List of appearances==
*''[[Destiny]]'' {{1st}}
**''[[The Taken King]]''
**''[[Rise of Iron]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Destiny 2]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Forsaken]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[Season of the Chosen]]'' {{Mo}}

==References==
<references/>

{{Cabal}}
{{Enemy factions}}

[[Category:Cabal]]
[[Category:Cabal legions]]