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Very good, nice to see my favourite aliens appear in this thread. I take it the craft was a manta.

Now waiting on the eldar, there missing as I think, grey knights, terminus decree, how the astronium is still running?

Lots to cover :-)

Having decided it was unseemly and beyond reproach for Tau to see their betters squabble and snipe like gutter-pikes, Aun’Ui Ene’wii had firmly requested the gathered dignitaries retire to the upper command-levels of the bunker to save further embarrassment and dishonour. An icy atmosphere had settled over the group as they shuffled like scolded children into the upper level, a wide open-domed space dominated by a circular briefing table. Another grand holographic display shimmered above them, outlining the encroachment of the Empire upon the world, mimicking the information from the level below. They gathered around the table, seating themselves below the holographic globe. Gru’shu sat noticeably separate from A’Halbiim and his commanders, glowering darkly. A’Halbiim kept his focus off his fellow Shas’O and looked to Ene’wii whom was the last to be seated, shuffling sorely, gripping his high staff for support. He lowered his ancient frame into his seat, and leaning back audibly began to speak.

“My friends, whilst you all have my highest esteem and I would say are the prime examples of what it is to serve the Tau’va, the behaviour you just displayed in front of your subordinates was unacceptable. Such bickering is the province of the small-species, not subjects of the Empire. I expect better from all of you!”

Looking from Tau to Tau, the gathered commanders sat silently like scolded whelps. Even the reprehensible Gru’shu looked away, suitably chastised. Such is the power of the ethereal caste over their fellows. They were the voice of parental calm over their unruly charges, and upon the worlds of the Empire their words while gentle were iron-clad and law. Nodding to himself, Ene’wii continued.
“Regardless of individual pride, the Greater Good has failed to take root on this world. Whether this is a failing on a military or diplomatic level is yet to be decided, however a change is required if we are to successfully bring Hul’shadaam into the fold. I have invited two guest speakers here today, two that have been in this campaign from the beginning to provide their thoughts on the matter, and see if we can garner a suitable route forward…my friends, please enter”

The entrance to the chamber opened with a hushed sigh of advanced hydraulics and two new figures entered, one marching briskly, the other loping like a predatory animal. They approached the round table, standing either side of Ene’wii. They bowed to the ancient ethereal and took their seats next to him as he introduced them to the group.

“Friends, may I introduce Pketh, Shaper and Kin-Commander of our Kroot auxiliaries here on Hul’shadaam, and Shas’vre Asha. She is primary commander of our Scout & Intelligence forces on-world.”

A’Halbiim sized up the new arrivals as the old Tau spoke, instantly recognising that both were hardened veterans of the campaign, and a million parsecs removed from the arrogance of Gru’shu.

Pketh was a tall and wiry slab of muscle and quills, his near-lupine body clothed in heavy desert robes of leather and chainmail, his belts and bandoliers heavily hung with ammunition and tribal adornments. His skin was a deep, tropical green and boasted dozens of scars and wounds, physical testimonies to his prowess in battle. His head was clothed with a semi-hood of blackened animal hide stitched with thick wire which covered most of his head, leaving his eyes and beak open to the world. As with most of his kind, Pketh’s beak was bone-ash and scarred, and looked razor-sharp. It clicked reflexively and unbidden, and Pketh scanned the room with pale, sharp eyes. His head and upper back were covered in quills, a dizzying field of thin spikes and spines and in his gnarled claws he held a long rifle, doubling as a ceremonial staff, its length adorned with fetishes and trinkets. Pketh was a shamanistic warlord from a different time and A’Halbiim was immensely grateful that such warriors were with the Empire and not against.

The second figure could not be any more far removed from her colleague. She was clothed in dark fatigues and darkened plates of armour, their shape and stamping marking them as advanced stealth suit plating. She carried her helmet, a black XV15 prototype, under the crook of her arm leaving her head unadorned. She wore a braid, tightly bound at the side of her head, and her skin was a tanned, deep blue, her life under numerous suns evident upon her skin. A thin, messy scar ran down the side of her right cheek, a blade wound that had healed long ago. Her eyes were bright and intelligent, and considered the room with hardened stare.

A’Halbiim had heard stories about the elusive Scout & Intelligence forces, a shadowy, highly trained group that orbited outside the usual Fire Caste hierarchy. Such arrangements usually galled the deeply hierarchal Tau, but these deep cover agents reported straight to the Ethereals on all matters, secretive and stealthy, not only on the enemies of the Empire but also on the Empire itself. He knew that their formation came soon after the Farsight debacle, and knew that any failing in any campaign would be noted down and passed to the betters of the Tau. They were the cloaked dagger at the backs of the enemies of the Empire, both without and within. A’Halbiim knew it was unbecoming of someone of his rank, but he instantly distrusted this shadowy agent. His focus returned to Ene’wii as he explained their inclusion in this briefing.

“Both of our comrades here have made great strides upon this world which our military forces have utterly failed to emulate.”

The Ethereal gestured to the holographic dome, which highlight in green and azure the operations both commanders had prosecuted. From the images, A’Halbiim could see their success rate was in the high tiers, almost perfect in fact. Ene’wii continued.

“Asha has several sleeper agents inserted deep within the Gue’la command structure, and her information has led to many of our more successful operations, many times completed by her own Stealth-Teams. She and her cadre should be lauded. Likewise, my learned friend Pketh and his kindred have led a successful guerrilla campaign across the jungle and arboreal regions of the planet. Our Kroot allies have successfully held them for the Greater Good, and they go unchallenged in these theatres…why we cannot seem to emulate these successes eludes me, so I have asked them to come and speak, hopefully they can shed some light on our lack of luck in this venture…”

Gru’shu rankled at the implied insult, but held his tongue. The first to speak was Pketh, who spoke T’au exceedingly well except for it was laden with involuntary clicks and a peculiar flanging of the vocals common to all Kroot. His voice was deep and gruff, and his words were steady and deliberate.

“We have been here for several cycles, enough for the seasons to come and go. We have faced the pale-ones in the towers and spires of the green places, and we have turned them away each time with fire, tooth and claw. We have fed well and often. The prey are strong, but we are stronger. Without open plains and fields, they cannot bring their strength to bear.”

Whilst he spoke, Pketh gestured wide with his claws, the fetishes attached to his rifle clinking softly with his movements. The symbols representing his kindred upon the dome moved across the green plains like snakes, forming complex trails and overlapping walls. It was brilliant planning in motion.

“To strike and move and strike again, this is how we have hunted them. They have tried to pull us out of the woods, into the open, but we see through their ruse and fade again. We see you have strength too, but not of the same kind. You are drawn to their battlefields like an insect to flame. They overwhelm you with numbers and armour that you cannot match. We see this. We know this”

Gru’shu puffed his chest like an alpha animal, clearly about to explode into another tirade when A’Halbiim cut him off.

“Your campaign has been successful as you have maintained a position that denies the Gue’la access to their armour and numbers?”

Pketh nodded, his manner confident without arrogance.

“This is the way of it. The machines of the Gue’la are their strength. The masters of the Gue’la are their strength. We deny them this, we take their strength from them. This is why we have victory but honoured Gru’shu lacks it…”

Pketh looked to Gru’shu, a look of challenge in his eyes, daring the commander to correct him. A stony silence settled on the delegation, which was quickly filled by Asha. She placed her helm on the table before speaking, and her accent was light and fluid, common among members of the southern tips of the Empire.

“We have seen similar to Pketh in our operations also. We are not equipped to take on the Imperial’s war-machines head on, or their overwhelming numbers, but we’ve found other forces have much improved odds of victory when we are inserted to eliminate the commanders of the Gue’la. We have advised Gru’shu of such things before, however our advice has fallen on deaf ears many times. You wish to face them in massed, honourable combat as our ancestors did. This is madness, and has led to the defeat and embarrassment of the Empire on this world.”

Gru’shu rose sharply to his feet, slamming his fists upon the table and pushing his seat back with a harsh scrape. This was seemingly more than he could take. He bellowed, spittle leaving his mouth in a harsh tirade. He blushed a deep blue in anger, and his eyes hardened to the point of fury.

“I will not sit here and be lectured by cowards and savages! You both would slink in the shadows, hiding like whelps and beasts in the mud! You dare question my authority! We are the Empire, there is no foe we cannot face down! You would have me creep like an assassin across this world? Or daub myself in filth and howl at the moon like a best?? I am a warrior! I am a commander! I am…”

Ene’wii raised his hand sharply, and immediately there was silence in the chamber, galling in its immediacy. The Ethereal looked from each leader to the next, before settling on Gru’shu, his eyes like ice. The old master usually exuded the air of a patient teacher or parent, but now he was like stone, dominating strength radiating from him like heat. When he spoke, it was with cold calm and power.

“We are more than aware of who and what you are Gru’shu: a failure, long passed his prime. You have tried to meet the Imperium of Man in open battle, and when that has failed you have then drip-fed your forces into hopeless engagements hoping to buy yourself time from judgement. This is why I have call A’Halbiim and his cadre here” he gestured directly to A’Halbiim and his lieutenants, “to replace you and remove this stain on the Empire’s honour. I strip you of your title and rank. You are an embarrassment to the ideals of the Tau’va. Take him away…”

Where there had been nothing two armoured warriors suddenly appeared, flanking Gru’shu. Their armour hazed and shifted, before snapping into a deep black and crimson. The suits were top-heavy, contoured and fully sealed, glittering beady optics set into their emotionless facemasks. XV25 Stealth suits, they had evidently been in the chamber the whole time, out of sight, waiting for the signal from the Ethereal. More members of Scout & Intelligence, thought A’Halbiim, under the direct command of Ene’wii. This was exceptionally well planned and deliberate: making an example of Gru’shu to all in attendance. How much like a teacher Ene’wii was, even in these harsher moments. Always a lesson to impart. Always a veiled threat behind it. The two warriors trained their heavy, underslung weapons at Gru’shu and gestured wordlessly for him to accompany them.

Gru’shu stood motionless for what seemed like an age, his face grim and his eyes furious. Then in a fluid movement he withdrew his Bonding Knife from its scabbard across his chest. Both the XV25 warriors immediately readied their weapons, and even Pketh raised his rifle in a snap-movement. Gru’shu ignored them and brought his blade down flat against his knee sharply, snapping the blade in two. The symbolism was clear. Silently he tossed the blades two halves across the table to lie in front of Ene’wii with a noisy clatter and marched silently from the chamber, flanked by the dark-armoured agents. A calm descended on the room, and Ene’wii began again, his voice returning to that of a thoughtful parent.

“Thus is the fate of all who consider themselves above others...now that that minor bit of unpleasantness is over, we can return to the matter at hand. Shas’O A’Halbiim as you all know has been successfully persecuting the Outer-Sphere campaigns these past cycles, and I feel he is best equipped to solve our little issue here. Shas’O, please, enlighten us as to how we should proceed. What would you do to fix your forebears mistakes?”

All eyes turned to A’Halbiim, and a shiver ran down his spine to be the centre of such attention. Clearing his throat, and opening his hands wide, A’Halbiim outlined an audacious plan to bring Hul’shadaam into the fold of the greater Good.

OH, wow, if you ever thought of it, in my subscribed threads, there is another story called Thunderhawk Down. You could mix the two stories, as it's about the last surviving Space Marine on a Tau world.

The plan outlined by A’Halbiim was indeed audacious, his detractors would say overly bold and foolhardy, but it is also brilliant in its design and intent. He lays his plan out in detail to his colleagues, with embellishments provided by his lieutenants, and by the end of the briefing the commanders leave with a new sense of purpose. The operation is set to begin within the next three cycles, and wheels are set in motion within the myriad military forces of the Tau on Hul’shadaam. The recently leaderless forces of Gru’shu are adopted by A’Halbiim and his Mau’d Heriim with little friction, the Fire Caste being a fluid and professional caste and surprisingly open to change. Information is passed between the Mau’d Heriim, the stealth forces of Shas’vre Asha and the orbital network of the Tau Fleets, and support from Pketh and his auxiliaries across the span of the arboreal zones.

The sun rose on the third day in the southern hemisphere of Hul’shadaam and Operation Ahsudagu’Wah launched. The operation was a multi-tiered assault, designed to confuse and pick apart the bloated Imperial war machine, denying them their overwhelming strength and forcing them into battles that the Tau Forces could both control and dominate.

It began as many battle had before on the world, suggesting to the Imperials that nothing awry was afoot. A strong host of Tau forces deployed outside one of the major Imperial-held zones, composed of a strong grav-tank contingent boasting seven Sky Ray Missile Carriers. They approached the Imperial trench line just as dawn was piercing the horizon, casting the filed into stark monochrome and blinding much of the Imperial armour temporarily. Energy pulse and missiles rained from the tau forces upon the Gue’la lines, pillars of debris and broken bodies fountaining in all directions. Fire Warriors formed a thin gun line before their vehicles, lending a withering covering fire to delay the Imperial response. To the second, data was fed from the orbiting fleet to the warriors below, the Tau punishing the entrenched enemy, dozens of the Imperium’s warriors dying every second.

Such losses are naught to the monolithic Empire of mankind, and with slow and deliberate purpose, they reacted to their alien enemy. Commands came thick and fast from far behind the front line, fire patterns and assault vectors filtering down into the companies of the Imperial war machine. Stocky, smoke belching tanks revved from behind the entrenchments, firing shells and heavy flack at their distant foe. Monstrous artillery raised their heavy heads to the sky and vomited explosives and shrapnel at the alien invaders. Under the deluge of hot flak and steel came the hordes of Gue’la infantry, laser weapons buzzing and snapping like angry insects, super heating the air between the two warring forces. A handful of Fire Warriors met their end with smoking laser holes burned in their armour, and many more died under the barrage of Imperial fire. The Imperials pressed forward, hammering the enemy with overwhelming firepower.

But before the Imperials could truly begin the battle, the Tau broke. Moving with fluid efficiency, the xenos host pulled back, overlapping lines of retreat and covering fire providing safety for the fleeing elements of the Mau’d Heriim. Fire Warriors retreated smartly under covering fire of grav-tanks and sniper drone teams, then the vehicles themselves crested gently backwards, firing even as they drifted from danger, further ruining the enemy battle lines before them.

The initial engagement lasted less than twelve minutes.

The Imperials, well known for their ‘salt the earth’ and 'leave none alive' approach to warfare, gunned forward after the fleeing Tau, confident that they could annihilate them in the field. Leman Russ and Malcador pattern tanks ground forward speedily on heavy tracks, their turrets and sponsons firing relentlessly after their fleeing foe, stitching the ground with bullet holes and muddy wounds. Infantry rushed forward after their heavily armoured comrades, keen to whet their weapons on the blood of the cowardly aliens.

The pursuit ticked over into the fifteen minute mark.

From high above, in the atmosphere, a grand and elegant Manta flew at sub-sonic speed to its targets below. Bypassing the advancing Imperial army and the battle unfolding beneath it, the Manta dove toward an Imperial Base, one of many command hubs squatting on the surface of Hul’shadaam. It descended like a colossal bird of prey, its great bay doors lowering like talons ready to pounce. From within descended several teams of elite Crisis Suits, leaping into the rushing air as the Manta banked and flew back toward the atmosphere once more. The final suit to descend was the colossal form of A’Halbiim piloting the pride of the Mau’d Heriim, The Strong Right Arm, a monstrous XV104 Riptide Armoured Suit.

Even amongst the advanced technologies of the Tau, the XV104 is a miracle of mechanised warfare. Standing near five times the height of Fire Warrior, the immense machine utilised all the advanced craft and theory that the Fio Caste could bend into a single machine. It strode like demi-god clothed in metals and advanced shielding, and each of its monstrous fists carried energy weapons of staggering potency. Engines powerful enough to hurl craft into orbit adorned its broad shoulders and curved back, and every plate, every joint and every seam was craft to perfection. Complex countermeasures, AI-shielding, Viral Warfare Suites and defence pods filled its armour and made it impregnable to all but the most hardened assaults. Compared to the lumbering machines of the Gue’la, the XV104 was almost biological in its movements and will.

The immense war-suit shadowed its smaller kin, colossal engines on its back roaring to slow its descent. The smaller members of its cadre zipped to and fro like birds circling a parent, all descending at blistering speed toward the enemy encampment. Alarms and sirens rose from the human positions below, keen-eyed lookouts spotting the descending assault as it dropped below the cloud line. Hydra batteries chattered into life, attempting to smite the foe from the skies in a blaze of bullets and hellfire. The descending Tau however were veterans of the descending assault, named the Heriim’vas in the Fire Caste academies, and they jinked and boosted around the rising fire. The XV104 simply shrugged the abuse off, its powerful armour and energy-shields making a mockery of the Imperial fury. It was like a god descending from upon high with its vengeful children, coloured scarlet and gold and armed with the full panoply of advanced warfare.

The Crisis Suits touched down on the sixteenth minute, with direct engagement following thirty seconds after.

The Imperials reacted as had been expected: with overwhelming firepower and infantry assault. Much of their armour had given chase to the initial ground assault by the Tau and only a small percentage of their infantry remained behind with static defences. These proved near laughably inept at the descent of the Crisis Teams, blue and green energy pulses sizzling through the air leaving ruined, steaming holes in bodies and buildings. Lasers and high-frequency heat beams linked the Tau Weapons to their targets, causing outrageous destruction in a dazzlingly short amount of time. Explosions rocked the earth and the air above shimmered with intense heat haze. The Imperials threw themselves at the advanced armour of the Empire, and they were found wanting.

But they were not the true target.

Once the Crisis Teams had begun their descent, the commanders based there had ordered a full-repulsion and requested immediate reinforcement from the frontline. However, much of the Imperial Force was chasing the mobile Tau retreat across the plains and could not aid their erstwhile commanders. The Imperials hunger for battle and brutality had effectively split their host in twain. The commanders, seeing this, responded exactly how Scout & Intelligence had predicted: they retreated in armoured transports away from the battle, leaving their men to cover them. A cowardly tactic, but one that had proven effective against Gru’shu and his static tactics.

Not so with this new plan. On the seventeenth minute of the assault, the Empire struck its concealed blow.

Once the clumsy, armoured carriers had distanced themselves enough from the Crisis Teams and the warring Gue’la, far enough to be beyond any further human intervention, the final strike occurred. Stealth teams linked to Asha’s Scout & Intelligence deactivated their cloaking fields before and within the vehicles, their placement the result of meticulous planning and intelligence. The faded into view like wraiths unleashing a shockingly close firefight upon the fleeing commanders, rending and melting any form of coherent response in seconds. Caught off-guard and unaware, the humans were slain brutally and efficiently, the smoking hulks of the vehicles left as testament to the Tau assault.

Leaving the wreckage and fading away back into the smoke, the Scout & Intelligence vanished as ghosts out of sight. The Crisis teams slew their remaining targets and jetted far into the sky once more, swallowing the land below in great leaps and bounds. The grand Manta returned below, lending its fire in a colossal bombing run between the pursuing Imperials and the retreating Tau.

The firestorm that remained halted the pursuit, and the Gue’la fund themselves without targets once more. When they returned to their forward positions, they were shocked at what they had found. Anarchy erupted, power struggles for who was in command after the slaughtering of the local commanders leading to violence and bitter feeling between the human forces. The Tau slipped away into the growing morning forgotten now by the anarchic humans, having slit the throat of their enemy and now waited patiently for the body to die.

The full assault had lasted no more than twenty three terran minutes. The Empire had suffered minimal casualties. The Imperials had lost the battle, their commanders and the desire to fight on.

The Victory on Hul’shadaam had begun.

sneaky Tau, don't know how to fight a proper meat grinder war, they insist on tactics and not sacrificing millions of lives and thousands of tanks to gain victory, how heretical.

very nice, great bit of writing, and the Tau's unconventional warfare vs the Imperial Goliath of steel, tubes and men.

Nice! I really appreciate how you wrote this, although from a tactical standpoint, wouldn't there be static guns to shoot the Manta, a contingent to protect the commanders, and a reserve force? Also, if either the first assault or the manta had been destroyed, the plan would have crumpled.

Either way, this is a fantastic piece. It's strategy is genuine, though risky. This, I believe, is how Tau really fight. Great job!

It was a daring gamble, and very good contrast to impiriral guards massive bulk and firepower it relies upon to win.

It makes them stand out and is quite fitting. A huge force was beaten by a much smaller force, with far less firepower.

A persistent, staccato beeping dragged A’Halbiim from the warmth of sleep, and dreams of older times and gentler places were replaced by the aches and responsibilities of the waking world. His eyes opened groggily, and immediately a myriad array of small miseries and pains crept across his body: the outcome of many weeks spent in unceasing, mobile war. When his eyes finally came into focus and adjusted to the darkness around him, A’Halbiim sat slowly upward on his cot, rubbing his eyes to chase away the last dregs of sleep. His bunk was as he had left it the night before, his fatigues cast on the floor and neural vestments hung on a rack in the corner. His personal armour hung locked away in an arming crate. A small, yellow light was blinking above the door to his room and the beeping was issuing from it.

Someone was wanting to speak with him, urgently by the sounds of it. Rising from his low bunk, A’Halbiim rubbed an ache at the base of his spine, his arms protesting at the forced movement. The lights in the bunk registered his movement and a gentle, pale glow filled the small chamber causing the commander to squint.

He felt old, very, very old.

The war on Hul’shadaam had been a great success since he and his cadre had taken over from the woefully inept Gru’shu. The first strike of his plan had been a monumental success and the following seven cycles had been equally victorious. Utilizing the advanced speed and flexibility of the Tau Military, the cadres of the Empire had struck numerous points around the globe in quick succession. The armies of the Gue’la were powerful, worthy adversaries, but achingly slow to respond and the superior momentum and speed of the Empire’s forces had seen the enemy washed away in a tide of flame and victory.

A’Halbiim, as was his want, had lead a prong of each assault personally from his Crisis Suit. He believed fundamentally that you could not give an order unless you were willing to enact it yourself, and this had garnered him the trust and love of his warriors and his people. He had led his elite crisis suits into six full battles now, and had been present on dozens of small screening and recon missions, waylaying and delaying the human military on all fronts. He had personally scored twelve direct armour kills, and he had lost count of the number of infantry he had slain in the short bloody conflict. He had thankfully not been wounded in the conflict, however the constant needs of battle and the strain of battle suit piloting left him tense and aching, and the only respite was the cool mattress of his cot. His cadre had known better than to wake him before, unless in the direst circumstance, and the repeated beeping from his door could only bode ill.

Pulling on his fatigues, still crumpled and sweat-stained from the previous days conflict, he keyed open his door with a gentle gasp of released air. A member of his Cadre, U’hull, stood at the door still in his reddened armour. It was muddy and soot stained, but all intact. U’hull immediately went to his knees in respect, his head touching the floor and spoke in a hurried, polite tone.

“Greatest pardons commander, I am sorry I had to interrupt your sleep. You have a communique from Shas’vre Emiit of an urgent nature. Addressed to you and all the upper command staff. There has been a…development. His scout squadrons are already on scene. Glass-Shark Carriers have been mobilized to carry you. Your presence is urgently requested…”

A’Halbiim nodded at his subordinate, taking the communications wafer from him. Scanning the small document, he thanked the warrior for the message and bid him to return to his duties. A Glass-Shark was waiting to carry him to one of the Gue’la fronts, and several battle groups had been rerouted to the area. Further information could not be provided at this time, but A’Halbiim’s presence was urgently requested. His and the presence of much of the Command Staff. A’Halbiim didn’t like it. His plan had been progressing smoothly, and he didn’t like sudden changes or unexplained events.

Closing the door, A’Halbiim moved to put on his armour.

-----------------------------------------------------

The world sped by below in a swirl of greens, blues and browns, the voracious speed of the Glass-Shark carrier consuming the distance at a breath-taking pace. The open-sided craft blitzed across the open plains and river deltas of Hul’shadaam, the glorious sunlight above gleaming of the crafts short wings and hull. A’Halbiim stood at the open side panel, his feet planted firmly on the metallic floor. One hand was raised above him, holding onto chain-linked support handle, the other hand resting on his belt. He wore a standard suit of Fire Warrior armour, painted a deep brown, its markings subtly revealing his rank. He chose to not wear the wide, domed helm that was the norm of his caste, instead it hung from the rear of his belt on a tough, fabric loop. He carried no weapons barring his Bonding Blade, but he still radiated easy and natural authority and power. Several warriors of his caste had been drawn as a bodyguard, and sat in the two bonded benches at the centre of the craft. On the opposite door of the Glass-shark, a gun-pod had been attached with jointed mechanical arms, a single warrior in the same coloured armour as the ship manning a long heavy rail-gun. The commander could hear intercom chatter between the gunner and the Air Caste pilot, but chose to ignore it.

In the distance A’Halbiim could make out other craft similar to his, some with Sun-shark squadron cover and some alone. Below as well, he could see the dusty cloud of speeding vehicles heading to the same destination. Every so often a Gue’la vehicle, seemingly abandoned, shot by. On several occasions they passed Cadre battlegroups surrounding Gue’la positions, but he could not make out the familiar whine and crack of massed gunfire he expected. A’Halbiim tried to shake the disquiet from his mind and focussed on their destination: a Gue’la military complex dubbed E’She’hain by Empire Command.


The craft landed at E’She’hain several minutes later, the Glass-Shark descending on a gentle repulsor field and coming to rest amid a verdant grassland. The Gue’la buildings and walls stood as an ugly blotch upon the green plains, angular and clumsy compared to the flowing lines and gentle winds of the world. Trench lines several miles wide scarred the surrounding terrain, crowning the complex like a halo of earth works. Several thousand troops of the empire stood around and within the complex, Crisis Suits and heavier vehicles manning several higher positions. Farther back sat the majestic form of a Manta Carrier, steam and heat haze clouding beneath it. It was a rarity to see the great craft on the ground so colossal were they in size and scale, and A’Halbiim found his disquiet increasing. He approached several Fire Warriors guarding an entrance to the human Trench Systems dug in around the complex, nodding a greeting as he passed them.

Rounding a corner formed of dirt-filled sacks, A’Halbiim halted in surprise.

Gue’la warriors lined the trenches, all unarmed, some curled into balls, most weeping. Some simply stood and stared, their expressions one of intense loss or confusion. One was pulling at his own hair in frustration, whilst another threw up violently into his helm which he held in trembling hands. Warriors of the Empire stood amongst them forming a guard, most were the subordinates of Gru'shu, but none of the humans raised arms against their gaolers. Some clutched at the armour of the Tau, weeping and begging in their guttural tongue, with the Fire Warriors looking about themselves uneasily at the peculiar turn of events.

Moving through the peculiar crowds, A’Halbiim and his guard frequently had to sidestep crying men and women. Some implored at him in their foreign languages, most simply ignored him, their eyes weary, red and haggard. Many times, they passed a Gue’la corpse, its still-smoking weapon in its hand, a single round disintegrating their head.

What could have caused such a sudden outpouring of sorrow? What malady had befallen these aliens? Was it a sickness? An illness? A’Halbiim knew that the human race dabbled in mind-trickery that they Empire had deemed unwholesome and unintelligible. Was this the price they paid as a species for such thing?

------------------------------------------------------


Coming out of the trench network, the commander and his warriors finally entered E’She’hain proper, and the same scenes of disarray and despair met them. Marching through the weeping Gue’la and their Tau guards, A’Halbiim entered the central square of the complex. Before him was a concreted expanse, manned by squads of Crisis Suits (again, noticeably pulled from Gru'shu's forces) and a whole host of Kroot Carnivore’s. A platform had been cleared, and several humans kneeled with their heads down, with many of them seemingly lost in personal despair. The commander nodded toward Emiit, who leaned against his personal Piranha vehicle, his arms folded and his face set in a hard scowl. A’Halbiim approached him and spoke quietly.

“What’s happening here Emiit? What devilry is this?”

His lieutenant shrugged his armoured shoulders, his eyes moving slowly across the gathered humans and Tau.

“I know not Shas’O. We were scouting out their trench lines, three teams, to gauge their strength for the next strike and we found them like this. Wailing like children, wandering aimlessly. Every single one. It’s as if some great tragedy has befallen them all simultaneously, but we can make heed of it. Por’El Ui’Aa’Mai and her ambassadorial corps are here translating, they’re over there with the beloved Aun’Ui.”

A’Halbiim stared in surprise and concern.

“The Ethereal is here? This is a hot zone! It is not safe!”

Emiit gestured around them, his armour creaking slightly.

“Look around you Shas’O, it’s not a hot zone anymore…”

Looking at the Gue’la, in their foetal positions and weeping openly, A’Halbiim had to agree. A small commotion attracted both the veteran warrior’s attention. A group of Fire Warriors, led by the revered Ene’wii, accompanied by Ui’Aa’Mai and her delegation, a sizable black-armoured squad of Scout & Intelligence agents led by the implacable Shas’vre Asha and the Kroot Shaper Pketh.

Alongside them shuffled a robed human, who gesticulated passionately at the Tau delegation. The human did not appear to be of any military rank that A’Halbiim, but instead appeared to be one of the Imperium’s fanatical religious class. He bore a great book in his right hand, and gestured randomly with the left. He appeared old (it was hard to tell with humans) and his eyes and voice showed the same recent trauma as his kin. A’Halbiim approached the group, with Emiit falling in behind his commander. The Shas’O raised his armoured hand in greeting.

“The Tau’va smile upon you honoured Aun’Ui. I must admit to being slightly surprised by your present…company? I was hoping you could explain”

Honoured Ene’wii smiled in his fatherly way and gestured with his head to the human alongside them.

“Honoured Commander, glad you could join us. Please allow me to introduce Rubious Maxstead, the religious hierarch of the Imperium forces here. He has offered us humanities immediate and unwavering surrender on Hul’shadaam”

A cheer went up from the gathered Tau, causing many of the distraught humans to flinch and gaze warily at the sudden outburst. A’Halbiim was stunned.

“Surrender? That is unlike any human force I have ever faced! What is the cause?”

Ene’wii smiled patiently, as if addressing a student.

“Through the lovely Ui’Aa’Mai and translators, it seems the human forces of this world have unanimously thrown down their arms. As to what we cannot identify, but Rubious here has begged the sudden mercy of the Tau’va. He cannot identify why he and his fellows have had this sudden change of heart…but their supplication is total”

A’Halbiim gestured to the priest, who continued to talk animatedly to the Ui’Aa’Mai, who conversed in the human tongue skillfully and with far more grace than any Gue’la.

“Surrender, whilst preferable to wholesale slaughter, must be verified Aun’Ui. Allow my troops to take the humans into custody, allow us to verify this story…and if it proves false then we can act. We came to this world to secure the bounty of the planet, not to slaughter indiscriminately”

Shas’vre Asha stepped forward from her black-armoured agents and nodded in agreement.

“I concur with the commander. This sudden surrender is most unlike the human Imperium, however it is preferable to open, unnecessary bloodshed. We must verify the surrender before any further action can be taken. This cease fire should be used wisely”

A’Halbiim nodded his thanks to the Intelligence Commander, warming to her. He could see Pketh nodding behind the Ethereal in agreement. Ene’wii maintained his smiling, warm demeanor, but his eyes spoke entirely differently. There was something cold and calculating in his eyes, something that spoke of another plan. He turned to the graceful figure of Ui’Aa’Mai questioningly.

“My dear, verify with our friend here that his people will not raise any arms against us upon this world. We have their complete surrender”

Ui’Aa’Mai lilting voice sounded again in the human tongue, strangely exotic from Tau lips, and the priest nodded fervently in response. He compounded his point in his strange dialect before Ui’Aa’Mai nodded her assent.

“We have complete surrender Honoured One. The Imperium will raise no arms against us this day”

Ene’wii nodded his understanding, and in an firm, commanding voice spoke one thing to the gathered Tau.


“Kill them all”



Before any word of correction or query could be raised, the gathered members of the Fire Caste turned their weapons upon the defenceless humans. A’halbiim roared in shock, but his protests came too late. Pulse Rifles coughed and whined as thousands of the Gue’la lost their lives in a barbaric cull. Many were slain by bonding blades, most by ion pulses or laser shots to the head. None resisted, and many seemed willing to be slain. A’halbiim stood in stunned silence, as did Asha. To slay the unarmed was beyond dishonour, to slay those that had already surrendered was doubly so. Even the outwardly barbaric Pketh looked disgusted with the command. A’halbiim did not blame his warriors: who were they to counter the command of the Ethereal. But still, he felt sick to his stomach.

Ene’wii cast one last haughty look at his disciples, before turning on his heels and marching toward his waiting transport. The delegation from the water caste followed him, visibly shaken by the sudden, barbaric violence. The corpses of the humans lay where they had fallen, and already Fire Warriors started to look uneasy with their sudden actions. Ene’wii entered his transport, and before the armoured screens closed A’halbiim noticed a figure within, tall, taller than any Tau, dressed in robes and pale armour plates that were almost biological in form. A’halbiim saw the Ethereal speak to this figure, and the figure bow in kind before the screens snapped shut and the craft rose on pillars of anti-gravity into the air.

What lesson Ene’wii had sought to impart upon the bloody soil this day was lost upon A’halbiim, who shouldered his way grimly past the warriors of his caste back to his ship. The Ethereal, and the Empire it seemed, had other plans for Hul’shadaam, plans that did not allow for the survival of any humans on the world. And whatever these plans were, for the first time in his long, violent life, A’halbiim wanted no part of them.

Ugh, Eldar.

Do any of their plans not involve killing humans?

The Eldar had to come in somewhere. They have been missing of late.

Tricksey slender space elves!

 Mr Nobody wrote:
Ugh, Eldar.

Do any of their plans not involve killing humans?

What?! Where are the Eldar? These were Tau, last time I checked.

Tall, pale robes and form fitting armour that's organic in design, Eldar seems a good bet.

Who else could it be?

[redacted]

YES YES YES!!!!!

Oooh...

Sweet, I was thinking that the he whole tau part didn't really have much to do with Big E's death, besides the fact that the eldar are there, which could point to something that they need the tau for now that humanity is weak, or its just the eldar being eldar and are just screwing everyone else over because they can, one of the two. Knowing that this is about the Death of the Emprah, I would go with the former. This new bit with the Blood Angels seems more directly involved with Big E (being spehss mehrines) , but no matter what you've written so far I've been a big fan of it

 2BlackJack1 wrote:
Sweet, I was thinking that the he whole tau part didn't really have much to do with Big E's death, besides the fact that the eldar are there, which could point to something that they need the tau for now that humanity is weak, or its just the eldar being eldar and are just screwing everyone else over because they can, one of the two. Knowing that this is about the Death of the Emprah, I would go with the former. This new bit with the Blood Angels seems more directly involved with Big E (being spehss mehrines) , but no matter what you've written so far I've been a big fan of it

I know I rarely respond to queries and stuff regarding the story, but you're right about the Tau section. I wanted to show that despite the Emperor's death, life continued uninterupted for many denizens of the universe, especially the non-warp sensitive Tau. Was probably the most difficult (and in some ways the most fun) section written so far.

Although the Emperor's death did have an effect on humanity on Hul'shadaam (when most of them collapsed into hysteria and sorrow) I wanted to show it was just the humans that were suffering, in the greater schemes of the other species the Emperor's death would not hold as large an impact.

I'm going to develop this more as we go on, especialy with the Orks and in a HUGE way with everyone's favourite gribblies, the Tyranids.

Ok, that clears things up. Thank you, and I can't wait for this here nids and ork's section.

[redacted]

Top quality as ever, a master of tension and when and how to leave a cliffhanger :-)

I'm guessing this Tyranid is taking xenomorph approach and using bodies as hosts. It also looks like the tyranids are using a microbial form of warfare as well.

Really? I'm guessing that the Blood Angel has regressed and is moving through systems. If so, when the Deathwatch capture it, there will be some conflict between the Watch and the Sons of Sanguinus...

[redacted]

Wow, that was incredible. I loved the systematic killing of the Brothers, and it was all so gruesome. Very well done, this was fantastic. It's a little frightening to see how fast the virus takes effect.

Someone call the grey knights, or a extermitus strike.

Great writing, such good pacing and descriptions :-)

Feth, I didn't expect it to be that powerful!
That was intense, brilliantly written!

EXTERMINATUS! IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE SURE!

Human flesh is but another form of steel, and like steel it can be tempered and moulded in the heat of the flame. This is a truth known to all Sons and Daughters of the Fire World.

The heat of the inferno has power to both destroy and nurture, to destroy and protect. The same is true of flesh and bone. This is a truth known to all Sons and Daughters of the Fire World.

When fire and steel meet, when will and want combine, then the greatest deeds and the greatest evils are sown, ready to spring hopeful fruit or bitter poison. With this meeting comes responsibility, this is a truth known to all Sons and Daughters of the Fire World.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The chamber is dark, the fires burning in pits along the walls doing more to accentuate the darkness than dispel it. Tumultuous shadows dance across the bare, rock walls in patterns of black, orange and red, the visions in the blackness differing for every eye that looks upon them. The ground below is blackened sand, fine granules of dirt and fused glass that cut my skin as I kneel on the floor. I am naked, my form open to the harsh heat and galling smoke that billows through the small chamber. My eyes sting and water, but not enough for me to blink the pain away. My skin blisters slightly, its already blackened form darkening under the scalding air. My breathing is shallow and sore, but each painful breath is a reminder that life is trial and suffering, and that I am very much alive.

Before me stand three of my kin: giants all, obsidian skinned and eyes like flaming coals. They look down upon me with no malice, but brotherly understanding. They are dressed in scaled robes of the deepest green, hewn from the hides of great reptilian beasts that are endemic to our home world. They stand before me, intoning words written by our Father and his Father many moons ago. The words have meaning, the words have purpose. And in the reading of them they pass this purpose to me.

They dowse me with boiling oil, the liquid hanging to my skin in painful runnels, searing new meanings and marks into my flesh. This is no ritual, such witchery is the purview of many of our brothers across the stars, but this is simply a reminder. Of who we are and what we must do. This is a truth known to all Sons and Daughters of the Fire World.

And none more so than my brotherhood - The auld XVIII.

The burns and blisters heal almost as soon as they occur, my flesh being that of our Grandfather on auld earth. We are blessed and cursed, to be the bringers of peace and protection, but also the stealers of life and diversity in an uncaring cosmos. We are humble in our task, and we are chided for this. We take pride in who we are and what we do, but it is a different pride from our cousins, it is a pride borne of the Fire World.

I stand at the end, my form ravaged by heat but my soul shining. My brothers approach and wrap a deep green hide around my blistered shoulders. The cool inside feels like a blessing against my skin, the flexible scales of the outer layer blocking the relentless heat. We join hands in a martial clasp, and they wish me luck upon my journey. Nocturne go with you, they say for they know this might be the last time I ever see the home world.

I march from the blackened cave, the smoke and flames at my back. I march, strength in my steps and purpose in my eyes. I know my task and I will give my life to it if I must.

My name is a blessed name, one passed to me by one who also bore that name. And it was passed to him by another bearer of the same name, and so on.

I share the same name as the one who sired me in the light of the true Emperor.

My name is He’stan, but my brothers know me as Vulkan.

And this is the story of how I sailed the stars beyond the Fire World, the story of how I found my Father and his dreadful forgings and the story of how I died…

Cool, Salamanders are taking part, but this doesn't sound like it's going to be a happy reunion