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This story is one that I've been working on for quite some time now on Advanced Tau Tactica. It follows several characters in a Tau Hunter Cadre based on a frontier world as they encounter various threats, from the planet and beyond. I heavily draw from a few Tau Alien Auxiliary races I cooked up on ATT, namely the Arthropod B'Tavi, the floating Gepidi, and the reptilian Askari.

If you want a better sense of what these Auxiliaries are, here is a few paragraphs of background for the B'Tavi and Gepidi:





The Tau codex makes reference to a client race called the Anthrazopods. Although the race is described as being a bit slow, I was quickly inspired to create an auxiliary force of insectoid warriors to fight along side my fire warriors. I also drew from a picture from the BRB in the xenos threat section, which is displayed on the warhammer wikia xenos page.

I've elected to name these guys the B'Tavi, a separate race from the anthrazopods entirely. It makes more sense this way and gives me a little more latitude for cool features like the new fluff section I've written up.



B’Tavi Background

The arthropod race of the B’Tavi are one of the most dedicated member races of the Tau Empire. Their species evolved in an sulfur-rich atmosphere that is toxic to most higher life forms in the Galaxy, and they are often called upon to colonize worlds that the Tau and many other races find inhospitable. Some of these worlds are eventually terraformed to become more agreeable to the Tau, but the B’Tavi retain several colonies for their own development. They have not always contributed auxiliary troops to the Tau military, but now small units B’Tavi auxiliaries are being called upon for missions in hostile environments in the Third Sphere of Expansion.

The B’Tavi were not incorporated in the Tau Empire in the normal fashion. Their civilization had in fact self-destructed centuries before the arrival of Tau survey ships early in the second sphere of expansion. Their homeworld lay in ruins, ravaged by extreme environmental damage, nuclear and biological warfare. Pockets of B’Tavi survived, but lived in superstition and ignorance of the circumstances that had brought their people so low.

The planet was not a high priority for the Tau. Although it possessed significant mineral deposits, it was too dangerous an environment for personnel to operate in. The atmosphere was toxic, and there were significant radiation and biohazards remaining from the War. Automated mining operations were established on particularly rich mineral deposits, but for the large part the world was left to itself. Later, archaeological studies were conducted on the planet by Tau scholars interested in the alien civilization’s downfall, and found similar themes to their own brush with self-destruction. B’Tavi art and literature were discovered, along with scientific and social achievements that impressed the Tau archaeologists.

The B’Tavi reincarnation project began not long after the archaeologists presented their findings. It was an ambitious project undertaken primarily by the Fio and Por castes, with guidance from the Ethereals. Fio bio-engineers were given the task of restoring the B’Tavi species, using a nearby world similar to the B’Tavi homeworld as a nursery. The B’Tavi race was to be resurrected, using surviving individuals and artificial breeding technology to replenish the B’Tavi’s numbers. B’Tavi civilization was also given new life, but given new direction by the philosophy of the Greater Good, a transition facilitated by the Por caste. The reincarnation project was not without its difficulties; B’Tavi survivors often resisted the Tau violently. But by the end of the second sphere of expansion, the B’Tavi race had been restored.

B’Tavi colonists spread to many inhospitable worlds throughout the Empire, terraforming many, but retaining several for their own use. B’Tavi culture is deeply grateful to the Tau Empire for having helped them back from the brink of extinction; a feeling that the Por caste exploits to solidify B’Tavi loyalty to the Empire and the Greater Good. The B’Tavi are such loyal and firm believers in the Empire that they are almost always left to manage their own colonies.

The B’Tavi are genderless, reproducing asexually or through mutual exchange of genetic information. They weigh slightly more than a typical member of the Fire Caste, and their bodies are protected by a rigid exoskeleton, which has energy-ablative properties evolved in the harsh climate of the B’Tavi homeworld. They have six limbs, four of which are used for locomotion, and two of which are used for manipulation. Heavy lifting is usually performed with large mandibles on the B’Tavi’s head. The B’Tavi have large compound eyes that incorporate detection of a broad range of wavelengths, from microwaves to ultraviolet. Electrosensory, aural and chemosensory bristles can be found all over the exoskeleton. B’Tavi communicate primarily through radio signals produced with organs that run along the top of their torso. This unusual capability made communication with the Tau difficult during first contact.



The Invasion of N'Tar III

During the War of confederation, several Ork warbands attacked the planet of N'tar III, an inconspicuous agricultural colony in the Bork'an sept. The world was lightly defended; much of its Fire Caste garrison had been withdrawn to assist other systems already under attack. Before long, N'Tar III was being evacuated, but none of the ships were equipped to carry so many passengers between systems. Instead, the refugees were taken to N'Tar III's moon, site of a thriving B'Tavi colony. The Orks had detected the settlements during their initial attack, but opted to fight on the "less smelly place" first.

The B'Tavi administration had been making preparations for defense of their colony ever since the start of the war, but their preparations nonetheless fell short when confronted with the Ork threat at their doorstep. The settlements had been fortified; minefields, walls and defense towers had sprouted up across the colony. But combat projections were dire, and the remnant of the Fire Caste garrison prepared themselves for a last stand, in the hope that reinforcements would arrive sooner than anticipated.

As the Orks completed the pillage of the planet below, B'Tavi and Fio technicians worked frantically to bolster the defenses, with little hope. There were simply not enough defenders to repel the Orks. Faced with the prospect of the Ork assault, the B'tavi technicians decided to take matters into their own hands, and began modifying construction harnesses for combat. Welding and lifting arms were replaced with crude plasma induction weapons and targeting sensors. B'Tavi had not borne arms since they had been reincarnated; the shame of their civilization's self-destruction weighed heavily on them. Now, faced with not only their own deaths but those of the Tau refugees, B'Tavi volunteers were more plentiful than weapons.

When the roks fell on the moon's surface, they were greeted by concentrated pulse fire from teams of B'Tavi militia led by Fire Warriors. Countless greenskins were mown down under the weight of fire, their bodies tumbling from their crude vessels. Far from dismayed, the Orks were overjoyed to have a real fight on their hands, and charged towards the defenders with great enthusiasm.

The militia fell back immediately, climbing onto waiting transports as the Be'gel invaders gave pursuit in ramshackle contraptions that coughed black smoke and seemed more likely to fall apart than not. The transports used by the B'Tavi were civilian models ill suited to combat; the militia fired from open cargo holds at their pursuers with little luck as their vehicles skimmed over the fields, quickly losing ground to the Ork machines. Fearsome cries of excitement bellowed by the Orks were audible over the whine of engines, but the Fire Warriors kept their B'Tavi squads calm and kept up their fire even as the Orks closed. Then, the lead trukk was engulfed in a brilliant explosion. More explosions followed as the orks plowed into the crude minefield, the militia avoiding destruction by virtue of their skimmer technology.

The militia continued to harass the Orks as they landed, baiting many more Orks into hastily-prepared traps, but the Orks were far too numerous to be broken by such harassment. Their Warboss, a monstrous greenskin named Rognuruk, covered in scars and crude armor and wielding a powerklaw alongside a looted burst cannon in a crude bionic hand directed his warband to "quit fightin' the floatin' gits an' krump da gits behin' da wall!". The Orks redirected their attacks to the fortified settlements, and the militia redeployed to meet them.

The B'Tavi and Tau refugees were quickly surrounded, and the Orks attacked savagely. Fierce battles broke out as the Orks attempted to break the B'Tavi defenses. Several smaller settlements were overrun before a plan of action was devised. Over loudspeakers on the walls of each settlement, insults were leveled at Rognuruk, calling him weak, toothless, uncommonly stupid, and most importantly of all, afraid of a good fight. Meanwhile, the strength and prowess of Fortan, a B'Tavi warrior was announced, along with a challenge to the massive Ork.

The Warboss' response was quick. Fighting came to a standstill across the planet and the Warboss demanded that Fortan show himself, so he "could get a right propa' stompin'". Fortan was the first B'Tavi to have his harness modified to bear weapons, but he eschewed his plasma inductor for the original lifting and welding arms for his combat with Rognuruk. The B'Tavi announced Fortan with great displays and stories of his victories against countless enemies - all false, of course. The combat was initiated by a fierce roar from Rognuruk, but Fortan was undaunted and charged forward. Rognuruk met him, snatching the relatively tiny B'Tavi off the ground in his massive power klaw, and crushing the life out of him in what must have been a great disappointment for the great Ork warrior. He was not confused for long, for no sooner than Fortan had died, the improvised plasma detonator in his harness exploded, leaving only a few charred cinders where the massive Ork had once been.

It was months before the Orks managed to reorganize themselves under a new Warboss, just enough time for reinforcements to arrive from Bork'an and rout the invaders.


The subsequent liberation of N'Tar III saw the deployment of the first B'Tavi sentinel Auxilia, and it continues to be a training site for new recruits, who are responsible for the suppression of the feral Ork population that now exists there. Equipped with modern war harnesses and trained in auxilia academies across the Empire, B'Tavi have joined Auxilia units in great numbers, and fight with distinction in the Third Sphere of Expansion.




Gepidi Background:

Physiology and Natural History

The Gepidi evolved on a relatively low-gravity world, where many animals are capable of limited or full-fledged flight. Some spend their entire lives in the air, using lighter-than-air gases for lift. The Gepidi are evolved to spend most of their lives airborne, touching down only to feed or shelter from violent wind-storms. The Gepidi have four main buoyancy chambers: two on the sides and one on the front of their body, and a larger one running along the central axis of their body. Thrusters are attached to the small buoyancy chambers,and are the primary source of natural locomotion for the Gepidi. These thrusters are also used for communication, and are capable of trumpeting as loud as 200 decibels (to the chagrin of any non-Gepidi in the area).

The Gepidi use several tentacles dangling from the front of their body to manipulate food and tools, the majority of which are delicate and thin, and one of which is relatively strong. They are excellent toolmakers, using their many thin tentacles for fine adjustment and control. The Gepidi also have excellent reflexes and depth perception, evolved in the unforgiving aerial environment of their homeworld. They excell at maneuvering through dizzying mazes of obstacles, and react very quickly to incoming threats. Their skills translate well to piloting ships as well as marksmanship on the battlefield.

The Gepidi see through a series of sensors running along the center frontal bouyancy chamber, which operate on similar principles to normal eyes, but are not easily recognized as such. The frontal buoyancy chamber is often mistaken for a Gepidi’s head, but the Gepidi have no structure that other species would consider a head. Their central nervous system is centralized in their body; a configuration the Gepidi consider natural and superior to the relatively exposed brains of other species. The Gepidi’s eyesight is largely dependant on a narrow band of Ultraviolet light that is abundant on their homeworld but is usually scarce on other planets, and they often require special illumination to navigate other environments.

The Gepidi have male and female sexes roughly analogous to those of other species. The proportion of males to females in a typical Gepidi population is 1:10. Males are usually smaller than females, with relatively long pelvic talons. Females lay naturally buoyant eggs, which they anchor to the males. Eggs are laid one at a time, but can be laid up to four times a year. Hatchlings are mature one year after birth, learning language skills very quickly. Gepidi have a relatively short lifespan however, usually only living half as long as a typical Tau.


Culture

Gepidi trace descent patrilineally, and the primary social unit is an extended clan. The eldest male ancestor is the nominal head of each clan, with subgroups headed by males beneath him. Males traditionally held leadership roles in early Gepidi cities and Nations until the Gepidi industrial age, during which female Gepidi won equal standing. Consequently, most Gepidi currently in leadership positions are female.

Many species find the Gepidi difficult to converse with, even though they are able to speak in a variety of languages including Tau. Gepidi think, act and speak more quickly than most species, and both sides often end up frustrated; the Gepidi for having to wait for other species to catch up with them, while other species find it difficult to keep up with the Gepidi. The Tau water case are notable exceptions in this regard.


History

The Gepidi were relatively advanced when first contact was made with the Tau empire. Their planet was controlled by three political alliances, each of which was vying for control of the planet. They had expanded to several other planets in their solar system, and had established rival colonies, scientific outposts and military installations.

The Tau Empire made contact with the Gepidi late in the First Sphere of Expansion, and at first, the Water caste was optimistic about the peaceful incorporation of the Gepidi people into the Tau Empire. On an individual basis, the Gepidi seemed to be excellent candidates for citizenship, but negotiations were extremely strained by the need to deal with three different nations of Gepidi. At one point during negotiations, a Tau envoy vessel was attacked and destroyed by a Gepidi ship. The Water caste was able to hold the Fire caste at bay, attempting to prevent an all-out war they thought was unnecessary, but within a day of the attack, the three Gepidi nations were at war with each other after a brief period of accusation and recrimination.

The Water caste reluctantly stood aside as the Fire Caste began operations attempting to end the Gepidi conflict. But after only a few strikes in the Gepidi system and on their homeworld, the Fire caste discovered that the Gepidi had stopped fighting each other far sooner than they had expected: they had in fact united against the Tau. The Water caste, who had become used to the capricious Gepidi, were disappointed but not surprised.

The resultant war of conquest was hard-fought. The Tau had a significant technological advantage but found fighting in the alien environment of the Gepidi homeworld disorienting. The Fire caste forces fighting in the Gepidi system had only been issued a few modern battlesuits, and were still using V-series and even a few T-series battlesuits, which struggled against the highly mobile Gepidi. Eventually, the Tau defeated the militaries of the Gepidi nations and wrestled control of the system away from the defiant Gepidi.

The Gepidi, as they are prone to do, adapted quickly to life in the Tau Empire. Within a few generations, all traces of resistance had disappeared from the Gepidi and they became content, productive members of the Tau Empire. Within a few more generations, Gepidi were serving alongside the Tau as auxiliaries.

In the Empire

The Gepidi home system is part of the Dal’yth sept, but Gepidi colonists have spread throughout the empire. The Gepidi are often found among Air caste orbital stations, where they enjoy a gravity similar to their own world’s. Gepidi working alongside Tau wear gravitic harnesses developed by the Earth caste, which act against local gravity to allow the Gepidi to move naturally. The harness is also used to augment movement, which the Gepidi enjoy greatly.

Gepidi often serve in the Tau military as pilots, scouts and sharpshooters. Their highly honed reflexes and natural dexterity are their best assets.







I hope some of you enjoy these stories!

Tales from the 31st


MAKE THE FIRST SHOT COUNT

Crisp, green grasses crunched under the feet of Shas’O Bork’an Ven’tua’s crisis suit as he touched down. The whine of his jetpack dropped an octave, before cutting out altogether.

Black, greasy smoke was rising from several points in and around the small farming community. Bitterwind could see from his vantage point above the cluster of buildings where the energy weapons of the enemy had carved into the simple civilian structures. He clenched his hands in anger inside the pilot’s cradle of the suit, not caring that the suit’s hands followed suit in an overt display of emotion.

There were no dead bodies in the town. He had expected that; none of the other raids had left anyone behind, living or dead. This time had been different, though.

“Shas’O, we’ve found the la’rua,” Shas’Ui Melen reported. From the tone of her voice, Bitterwind had already confirmed his suspicion by the time Melan continued: “they’re dead.”



Twenty-five Rai’kor Earlier:


I don’t know. What’s left? B’Tavi’La Krennel asked, tapping at a surveillance drone controller’s interface screen.

Grath root stew, of course, and a plainswalker pie. Tan answered, peering into the nearly empty rations crate.

Krennel let her midlegs hang loose from her body in a show of irritation.

Whose idea was it to make Grath stew one of the basic rations, anyway? That stuff…

Wretched, I know. Tan replied. Want one anyway? She picked one of the stew packs out of the crate with the small graspers on her midlegs and held it up.

Oh, put it back. I’ll just have a double portion when we get back tonight.

Don’t want the pie, either? Tan eyed the other ration pack.

It’s Marnan’s. Forget it, I'm not hungry. Krennel said, turning back to the drone interface. Tan dipped her body in a shrug, and turned to her own meal.

She didn’t mind the Tau imitation of Grath stew too much, she decided as she opened the semi-rigid package and activated the heating element. The spices were off, and the texture was too soft, but it was edible if you were hungry enough. She propped the package of stew against the dug-out wall of the observation post, to let it heat up.

It was a bright, warm day, with a steady breeze that made the long grasses ripple in waves, like an ocean. The concealment netting stretched over their heads swayed as a strong gust blew over the OP, and Tan took care to cover her package of stew, so that no dirt blew into it.

What are you going to do when we get back to Knuckle base? Krennel asked, looking down through the netting at the farming community. Krennel had already asked Tan the same question at the beginning of their shift, but Tan pretended not to remember.

Well, first thing: I’m going to the scrubbers.

I would trade a short leg for a good scrub right about now, Krennel replied. But I’m looking forward to a decent night’s sleep in my hammock. After a decent meal, of course.

Scrubbers first for me, I think. Living in a hole for a week has gotten dirt into places I didn’t know existed.

Krennel snorted in amusement. Then, after a long pause, she put down her drone controller and stepped over to the rations crate and pulled out a package of stew.

Don’t remind me, she said, seeing that Tan was about to say something. She pulled the pack open and grimaced at the contents. Her midlegs drooped sarcastically, and she started to say something, when the alarm sounded.

Krennel and Tan jerked upright on all four legs, and there was a brief moment of hesitation before Tan slapped the alarm off with her front leg. Krennel dropped the stew on the ground, and pulled up her displays again, as Tan switched on the stealth field generator and sent the emergency signal to the farmers.

Marnan and Fornax emerged from the sleeping den, pulling their equipment on as they came.

Report! Tan ordered, as she booted up the long-range communication antenna.

Energy spike; identical signature to previous raids. No visual yet, but… Krennel let the obvious remain unsaid. There was no chance this was anything but one of the mysterious and powerful raiders that had been plaguing the planet for months.

Prime everything, but don’t power anything else up until we see what we’re dealing with. Tan said. Her legs felt like an electric current was running through them. She hadn’t been this nervous since the final field test at the auxilia academy.

Marnan and Fornax took their posts in the dugout, all signs of fatigue wiped clean in the excitement of the moment.

Visual! Fornax hissed, pointing to the East. Tan followed his outstretched leg, but couldn’t see what he was pointing at.

Got it on a drone, Krennel said, holding out the display for them to see. Icy fear crept along Krennel’s dorsal ridge as four dark, cruelly angular shapes came into focus, moving blindingly fast over peaceful rows of crops. Any doubts about what was happening quickly evaporated.

That’s too many for us, Marnan said, unnecessarily.

Tau’va… raise the base immediately! Tan ordered. Fornax dropped down from the wall and started tapping out a message. She stood at the edge of the dugout and watched as the farmers spilled out of their buildings and rushed toward the center of the settlement. Four tiny discs zipped outwards towards the oncoming raiders: the settlement’s defense drone attachment.

Ink-black beams lanced out from the speeding raiders, swatting the drones out of the sky before they could fire a shot.

I can’t get through to base! Fornax shouted.

What?! Tan demanded. She stepped beside Fornax and watched her try the communication set again. Error text appeared on the screen:



Signal interference, unknown origin


They’re jamming our signal. Fornax realized.

They’re hitting the settlement! Krennel growled.

Keep trying! Tan shouted at Fornax. She turned back to the wall of the dugout, and watched as black beams raked through the gentle curves of the settlement. Ceramic and metal were sheared violently apart whenever a beam passed through them. The four vessels; dark angular hovercraft, circled the settlement, firing their weapons indiscriminately into the buildings. The farmers were still streaming into the emergency bunker in the center of town, but the raiders weren’t firing into the throng of bodies massed at the bunker entrance.

What are they doing? Marnan wondered aloud.

What are we doing? Tan demanded, mainly to herself. She gave Fornax a stern glare, but he was too busy trying to get a signal through to notice.

Wait, they’re slowing down. Krennel said.

The attackers were circling more slowly now, pulling in closer to the center of the settlement. They made low, sweeping passes over the last farmers as they piled into the bunker and sealed the entrance, and watching through the surveillance drone’s high-resolution feed, she saw slender, pale figures moving on the decks of the hovercraft.

They herded them into the bunker. Krennel said, grimly. They jammed the settlement’s comms and they are going to peel that bunker open like a piece of damned fruit.

They watched as the raiders slowed to a gentle halt over the bunker. Figures leapt down from the craft, carrying elaborate, cruel weapons. After a brief inspection of the bunker, they began carving into the thick plating with energy weapons – carefully, as though they were concerned about harming the trapped farmers inside.

They’re going to capture every last Tau in that bunker, and drag them away, to wherever they go. Krennel continued.

Get me the markerlight, Marnan. Tan said. Marnan hesitated a moment, before ducking into the underground section of the dugout where their supplies were.

We can’t win, Tan. Krennel said. It wasn’t a protest.

Fornax, you keep trying to get that signal out. Krennel, get ready to power up the rack.

Already on it. Krennel replied, showing Tan the interface. Four missiles, Tan.

I better not miss, eh? She tried to say it in a joking tone, but didn’t quite succeed.

Marnan emerged, carrying the markerlight attachment. Tan detached the pulse carbine from her combat harness, and Marnan clipped the markerlight into place.

Get set. Fornax- if you’re going to have a chance this will be it. OK?

Fornax nodded, poised over her controls.

Tan peered over the edge of the dugout and sighted the markerlight onto one of the hovercraft, as it drifted lazily next to the bunker.

Krennel, now. She said, in a whisper.

Power up…. Missile away!

They saw the seeker missile before they heard the scream of its rocket engine; a plume of pale white smoke shot out across the grass, snaking with unreal speed toward the hovercraft.

Tan watched through her helmet’s sensor array as the missile impacted the craft squarely in the center. A brief flash of light from the explosion, then smoke and debris shot out in all directions. Tan pointed the markerlight at the next closest raider.

Fire! She shouted.

Another missile blasted off the seeker missile rack and over the grass, even as the crack of the first missile’s explosion reached Tan and the other B’Tavi. This time, the hovercraft saw the missile coming, but too late. Tan tracked the markerlight with the hovercraft as it veered away, and the missile crashed into the rear end, sending the ruined craft end over end with the force of the explosion. It cartwheeled through the air, to crash among the humble dwellings of the settlement and burn.

Signal! Fornax shouted. Message away!

By the Greater Good! Marnan cheered.

Krennel and Tan exchanged brief glances. Tan couldn’t see Krennel’s face, but the B’Tavi’s body language spoke volumes. She knew this wasn’t over. Tan snapped her head back around at the settlement. The last two raiding craft were accelerating fast, whipping around to follow the markerlight plumes back to their source. The seeker rack was unshielded. Easy prey. Tan sighted the markerlight onto one of the speeding raiders, and Krennel fired the second to last missile. The enemy pilot saw it coming, and darted out of the way at the last second, and Tan lost her markerlight lock. The missile blasted past the enemy craft, arcing down into the grass and exploding harmlessly.

Tan cursed, and tried to track her markerlight back onto the craft, but it was too late. The black beams reached out for the missile rack, wrecking it effortlessly.

Tan turned to Fornax. Well?

Our message went out, Tan. They got it, but the jamming went back up almost immediately. We didn’t get a reply back. I’m sorry.

The response team must be on their way, Marnan said. It’s only a matter of time, now.

True, Marnan. Good work, Fornax. Krennel said, giving Tan another grim look. What now?

Sit tight. Tan said, and peered down into the settlement again.

The raiders’ wickedly curved craft were circling like wary predators now. The stealth field was still working, Tan knew, or they would have descended on their little outpost immediately. Smoke was billowing up from the two ruined hovercraft in the settlement, and Tan felt a grim satisfaction in her team’s work. The enemy had finally paid a price for these raids – she could be proud of that.

There was a flash or light at the center of the settlement. Tan turned to watch as Krennel trained a drone on the bunker. Through the drone feed, she watched as one of the raiders resumed their work of carving into the bunker’s wall, and this time she could see the cold fury in the figure’s stance.

That’s a fusion-grade weapon. Krennel said. It won’t take long to-

I know. Tan snapped. She unclipped the markerlight from her harness, and re-attached the pulse carbine. Everyone on the wall. She said, quietly.

What? Marnan asked. She sounded confused.

Got an itch under your shell? Move! Fornax, you too. The message got out.

Krennel and Fornax stepped up and sighted their guns toward the settlement. Marnan followed, more slowly.

The farmers need just a little more time. Tan said. Make the first shot count.

Krennel nodded, and they turned their carbines toward the distant raiders together.





Shas’O Bitterwind jumped gracefully on his repulsorjets over the burning wreck of one of the raiding craft. It had taken a glancing hit from one of the Manta’s pulse weapons and had careened into the neat rows of crops. There was a long scar of plowed earth trailing out from behind the wreck, and smoldering debris stretching in the other direction. The Firewarrior team was picking through the wreckage, looking for anything intact among the ruined craft, their tan camouflage making them easy to see among the green crops. Shas’Ui Melen stood in the knee-high crops out in front of the wreck, flanked by three other Firewarriors, and waved Bitterwind down.

“They’re here, sir.” Melen said. She kneeled, and spread the broad leaves of the crops aside. One of the B’Tavi’La was sprawled out in the dirt, harness gone, blood pooled underneath her. Cruel restraints bound her legs together, and there were unusual cuts and other marks in her marbled-blue carapace.

“The others are in the crops around us. It’s hard to say, with the crash, when they died.” Melen paused, and Bitterwind turned his sensor array to stare at her until she spoke again. “There are indications the B’Tavi’La may have been… tortured. We arrived twenty rai’kor after their distress signal was transmitted. There is clear evidence that they fought the raiders from their observation post, and killed several raiders in the town with seeker missiles… but the unusual nature of the damage to their bodies, and the fact that they were aboard the raider’s craft when we arrived… I do not understand, Shas’O.”

Bitterwind nodded.

“Collect what you can. Ensure that the bodies of our warriors are given every respect.”

“Of course, Shas’O.” Melen said, almost insulted.

“All of the farmers survive, Shas’Ui. All of the raiders lie dead. Even if they have compatriots, I doubt they will trouble us again. Only cowards attack the defenseless, and cowards do not return to ground that has tasted their blood. Our warriors can rest peacefully.” He stood over the broken body, his sensor array fixed on it, and Melen thought that he had not finished speaking. But he said nothing, and after a long moment, he turned to leave.

“Yes, Shas’O.” ‘Ui Melen said, as Bitterwind rose up on his repulsorjets towards the Manta looming overhead.

Seems like a promising story so far, I don't see enough Tau stuff on here. I would suggest giving us more description for the alien allies so we know what we're a reading about. I was a little confused on what they were when I was reading this.

I really like this, and there are some bits of extra data in the first post, links to the modelling aspect.

Tales from the 31st

THE ABYSS


“They should be here.” Shas’Ui Melen said, looking around at the rough, barren canyon walls.

“No tracks, but they could have been washed away by the rain two days ago.” Shas’La Beren said, studying the fine red sand that covered the canyon floor.

“True. Sweep the area for any sign of the survey team.” Melen said.

Beren and the other ten Shas’La in the team formed a line across the narrow canyon floor and began inching forward, inspecting anything even slightly interesting among the dark red rocks and sand of the canyon floor.

Melen looked in both directions along the canyon. The light was dim, even though it was only a few hours past midday. She compensated with her helmet’s light-amplifying sensor, dialing it up for the third time that day. The narrow, snaking walls of the canyon rose for hundreds of meters above her and the rest of the team, blocking almost all sunlight. Only when the sun was directly overhead was the canyon floor well-illuminated.

“Why did the Fio survey team bother coming down here in the first place?” One of her Shas’La asked. “Aren’t asteroid-mining operations preferable to terrestrial mines?”

“Most of the time,” Melen said. “The Fio were here looking for something they don’t find a lot in space,” Melen consulted the mission briefing. “Ore AKN-23-D. Don’t ask me what that’s supposed to be. They usually just send me when they need something shot.”

Some of the Shas’La laughed, but there were more that didn’t. Almost all of them resented being sent on this mission in the first place, Melen knew. It was one step up from playing nursemaid, they reckoned. There was no indication of any hostiles in the canyon, just a Fio team that had failed to make contact, in a canyon that was extremely difficult to establish a com-link.

There was also the issue of the missing drone that had been sent to find the Fio team, though. One overdue Fio survey team was worrisome, but the loss of the drone sent to investigate had alarmed the Fio enough to ask the 31st to send a team to investigate.

So here they were. It had taken a day’s march to reach the last known location of the survey team, since they couldn’t safely bring the Devilfish straight down with the canyon walls so narrow. Her Shas’La team had descended in another section of the canyon network that criss-crossed this part of the continent, and made the rest of the trip on foot.

But they weren’t alone. She changed her comms channel, linking to the gun drone pacing the team from the top of the canyon, acting as the Firewarrior team’s transceiver.

“Askari 2, Fire Team 2.” She said, looking up through the canyon walls at the tiny sliver of sky, looking for the relay drone.
“Askari 2 leader here.” Askari’Ui Trando’s voice sounded smooth and melodic even through the poor connection.

“We’re at the day fifteen site. No sign of the Fio team yet. Any luck with the drone?”

“Negative. As expected. We will continue our search for another Dec at minimum. Where should we meet you to set up camp?”

“Wait one.” Melen pulled up her map of the canyon, and picked a point another six kilometers away, deeper into the canyon, and read off the coordinates to ‘Ui Trando.

“Acknowledged. We will meet you there if we receive no further communication.”

Melen acknowledged and cut the link. Her Firewarrior team was passing by her now, still strung out along the canyon floor, and still finding nothing.

“No sign of the drone, either.” She informed the rest of the team. No one seemed surprised.

Five Rai’Kor later, they were on the move again, moving through the canyon in a tactical column. It was slow and tedious. When they had first landed in the canyon, it had seemed surreal and beautiful. The roughly carved canyon walls were nearly vertical, and the deep red banding patterns that ran along them seemed to flow like water along the walls.

A Por artist would probably have spent days, weeks or months recording the natural beauty of the scene, but Melen and her team were warriors, and while they appreciated the scenery it did not hold their interest very long.

Small, hardy plants grew in the crevices of the wall, dangling dark leafy vines below them. They had seen several small climbing creatures as well, but nothing larger than a few handspans across. They scurried out of sight as soon as they saw the approaching Firewarriors, and Melen hadn’t had a good look at one yet. Nothing dangerous, but her team kept their pulse carbines at full charge anyway.

They moved at a brisk pace the rest of the distance to the rendezvous point, a slightly wider stretch of the canyon, and started setting up camp. They set up their small tents along the edge of the canyon wall, dug a shallow slit latrine, set up a pair of floodlights and warmed up field rations. Most of the Firewarriors set down their combat packs next to their tents, and placed their helmets on top of the packs to keep them out of the sand. Although many removed pieces of their armor, all of them carried their carbines with them at all times, Melen noted approvingly.

Melen watched the canyon walls as her field rations warmed up. What little light there was on the canyon floor was waning fast, and the Askari team had still not arrived. She looked upwards, for the gun drone acting as their comm relay, and activated the link.

“Askari 2, Fire Team 2.” She said into the link. After a long moment passed without a reply, she repeated herself. But no reply came.

“No contact?” Beren, sitting nearby, asked. “Practical joke?”

“Surely not,” Melen said, but was less confident than she might have been about her answer.

“Ten days ago, one of them messed with my comm unit at the base. I couldn’t get it to stop whispering… immature phrases in my ear for an entire training exercise.”

“They put a sandcrawler in my helmet,” Said another Firewarrior.

“Two weeks ago one of them took my armor and-“

“Has any of them done anything on a mission?” Melen interrupted before her whole team chimed in.

Beren shrugged. “Not that I know. This mission isn’t very dangerous; maybe they felt like they could get away with something.”

Melen shook her head, but Beren did have a point.

“Run a diagnostic on the comms. Send a report back to Knuckle base.” She said to Beren. He nodded, and pulled out his digital workpad. While he checked the comms, Melen took a bite of her ration and looked up at the canyon walls again.

“Something’s wrong,” Beren said. “No link.”

“To the base?” Melen asked.

“To the drone. Maybe it’s out of position.” He suggested, also looking skywards now. “In any case that must be why we can’t raise the Askari team.”

Melen nodded silently. It explained the lack of communication, but there was no reason the drone should have been out of position. It had been specifically instructed to follow them along the canyon floor.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Melen said. “We should send a party to-“ she stopped mid-sentence as loud echoes flooded through the camp – echoes of pulse fire.

She exchanged a brief glance with Beren, before they sprang into action. Across the camp, Firewarriors scrambled to pull on their armor and reform themselves. Melen pulled her helmet and tried to get a fix on the origin of the pulse fire, but the canyon walls made it impossible to get a good idea of where the sounds were coming from.

“Lights off!” She said, turning off one of the floodlights herself. One of her firewarriors switched off the other floodlight. With the lights out, and her light amplifier at high power, she could see a brief flash of light from one end of the canyon.

“They’re this way.” She pointed deeper into the canyon. “Squads check in, get ready to move. Leave the camp, we can break it down later.”

The Firewarriors moved quickly in the dark, forming themselves into squads of four and re-forming the tactical column.

Silently, Melen gave the signal to move, and set out at a brisk jog; as fast a pace they could maintain without exhausting themselves before they reached the other team.

The flashes of light grew stronger as the moved down the canyon, but after a few turns, the echoes and flashes suddenly ceased. It could mean two things, she knew. Either the Askari had defeated whatever or whoever they had encountered, or it had defeated them. She didn’t like not knowing.

After keeping their pace for another rai’kor, she slowed the team down with another hand signal. They fanned out along the canyon floor, constantly scanning the walls above them for signs of danger.

“Beren, keep trying to hail them. And keep trying the base.”

“Yes sir,”

“Keep your eyes up. Whatever happened to the Askari probably happened up there.” Melen said, taking her own advice and scanning the canyon wall as they turned another bend in the canyon.

“Shas’Ui!” Shas’La Vrai almost shouted.

“Volume.” Melen scolded. “What is it?”

More quietly, Vrai continued “There’s a body here. It’s Tau.”

Melen’s chest flushed with anger. “What?” she hissed. Vrai beckoned her further around the corner and pointed.

It was one of the Fio survey team members, dressed in simple work clothes, with the typical Earth caste gadgetry attached in several places.

“Check him for injuries. I want to know how he died.” Melen looked up and down the canyon. “We can’t stay long. Hurry.”

The Shas’La examined the body while the rest of the team formed a hasty perimeter. Melen looked at Beren, but he shook his head. No contact.

“Shas’Ui, his legs are broken, and probably his back. I think he fell a long distance…” Vrai said.

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would he be up on the canyon wall, without at least a climbing harness?”

Vrai shook her head.

“Very well.” Melen marked coordinates of the body in her helmet’s HUD. “Get moving. We’ll have to come back.”

The team started moving again, now with a deadly professionalism. Carbines were constantly up and ready, and constant 360 degree awareness was maintained as they moved down the canyon.

“Shas’Ui, I have a signal. But it’s just the drone, no connection to the base or the Askari team.”

Melen waved Beren over, signaling the team to keep moving ahead.

“But it should have a clear line back to the base, at least.”

“Yes.” Beren said. “If it’s still up there, anyway.” He pointed upwards.

“What is the drone’s location? And altitude.” Melen asked.

“It’s close, a hundred meters North-West along the canyon, and the altitude… it says it’s negative 323 meters. That’s almost our altitude.”

“It’s on the canyon floor.” Melen concluded. “The question is why. Everyone stay alert around these next few bends.” Melen said, although it was probably unnecessary. Everyone was on edge as it was.

The rounded two more bends without incident, and found the gun drone at the floor of the canyon, drive unit shattered and carbines lying in pieces all around it. Melen motioned the team towards the drone.

“Movement!” Vrai shouted. “Up high, right side!” Melen tensed and scanned the canyon wall in that section and giving the signal to halt.

“I don’t see it,” She said. “Keep awareness in all directions.” She reminded her team. It was too easy for everyone to fixate on the point of action, and neglect the rear.

There was low-pitched hooting noise, and two more Shas’La shouted out: “Movement!” But Melen didn’t see anything.

A rock tumbled down from above, cracking it’s way noisily down the canyon wall.

The hooting intensified. Another rock came tumbling down.

“It must be a native,” Beren said. “Hostile?”

“That Fio didn’t kill himself.” Vrai said. The hooting intensified.

“I think there’s more than one,” Melen said. “give me a box in the-“

She was interrupted by an incredibly loud screeching noise that rattled her teeth inside her helmet. The canyon flashed and the sound of pulse carbines being fired echoed wildly in the confines of the narrow rocky walls.

Melen turned to see the rear squad scattered across the canyon floor, firing wildly at fast-moving, furred figures in the dark as they leaped down from the canyon walls.

“Supporting fire!” She ordered. Then she let rip with a burst of carbine fire, carving a line across the canyon floor, taking care to give the Firewarriors on the ground a wide margin of safety, and blasting apart two of the creatures as they charged.

“Ahh! Help!” Someone cried, and there was carbine fire behind her. Beren was face down on the canyon floor, being pulled rapidly across the rocky floor of the canyon by two of the creatures, trying desperately to get a clean shot with a pulse pistol, his carbine gone.

Melen swore aloud, and took careful aim with her carbine. The creatures yanked Beren up onto the wall and started climbing unbelievably fast, too fast for a clean shot. Beren fired with his pistol and missed, and the creatures slammed him violently into a rocky outcropping. The pistol tumbled from his grasp.

“Take the shot!” he screamed. Melen growled, and did as he asked. She ripped off a burst, aiming high. Dust and rock fragments exploded from the line she traced in the rock face, and at least one hairy arm dropped to the canyon floor. Before the dust cleared, Beren followed the arm down, tumbling down the canyon wall and slamming into the floor.

“They’re moving off!” Vrai called from behind her.

“Get everyone back on their feet!” Melen barked. “I want everyone in a defensive formation along the wall there, right now!”

The other two Firewarriors still with her followed her to Beren, who laid still on the rocky floor.

“Don’t move him, he might have broken bones,” Melen said, kneeling next to Beren. It had beena long drop, over ten meters.

Beren groaned as she took off his helmet. Melen sighed in relief; at least he was still alive.

“What were they?” he sputtered.

“Pack animal. Big. Not in the briefing.” Melen growled. She didn’t add ‘dangerous’ to the description. “Can you feel your feet?”

“Yeah. Leg is broken. I feel my hoof moving.” Beren hissed through gritted teeth. His breathing was heavy. One of the Firewarriors picked up his pistol and put it into his hand.

“We’re going to move you to the wall.” Melen motioned to the other two warriors. Not waiting for Beren to react, they lifted him up and carried him over to the semicircle of firewarriors at the edge of the wall. Beren gritted his teeth through the pain, but didn’t make a noise as they placed him in the middle of the formation.

“Injuries?” Melen asked.

“Arm. Might be broken. I can still shoot my pistol.”

“Hand. I can still shoot.”

No one else spoke up, but Melen knew there were more of them that had gotten roughed up. No one was missing, though.

“All right. We’re going to carry Beren back out the way we came. Shoot any of those things on sight. Take it slow, and…”

The hooting started up again.

“Scratch that. They’re coming again. Keep it tight. I want every third one in the line looking straight up. Don’t shoot the wall out on us, I don’t want us to get buried.”

The hooting intensified. Melen scanned the walls, trying to keep calm.

Then, the screech came again. Someone fired at the far wall, and a hail of pulse fire followed their shots, blasting out a huge section of the wall with their combined fire. Melen saw a creature scrambling around the bend, halfway up the rock wall, moving at an incredible pace in spite of the vertical face. She could see now that it had four long arms, and a barrel-like torso with a short-necked, fur-covered head. Coldly, she triggered a burst from her carbine that punched through the creature and tore it in two.

“Look out!” someone shouted. One of the creatures dropped into the middle of the semicircle, knocking over two Firewarriors as it landed. It lashed out with long arms, knocking another warrior four meters, into the middle of the canyon floor.

Too close to shoot with her carbine, Melen swung her weapon like a club, catching the creature on one of it’s arms. It’s counterblow sent Melen crashing into the wall face-first, smashing the faceplate of her helmet. Dazed, Melen rolled over and pulled off the ruined helmet. Without the light amp, the darkness was complete, interrupted only by the flashes of pulse fire.

In the flashes, she saw the creature that had thrown her reach for her again, and Melen realized her carbine was gone. As the long arms hauled her up from the ground and in front of the creature’s face, there was a flash of pulse fire and Melen could feel the impact of the plasma round through the creature’s grip.

Beren’s teeth were bared as he shot two more times, tearing out huge hunks of meat from the creature’s body with each shot. Melen dropped to the ground as its arms went limp.

Behind the dead creature’s body, the scene was chaos. Melen watched in the strobing light of pulse fire as one of her warriors was yanked up into the air by two of the creatures and hauled up the canyon wall, and another was thrown clear across the canyon by another creature as it hooted wildly.

Melen pulled her own Pulse pistol from its holster and put a shot through the length of that creature’s body, dropping it instantly. But she knew they were done. There were too many of them, they were too fast and too strong, and they seemed determined to kill the whole team. She screamed, in anger and pain as she fired wildly into another creature looming over Beren.

A shrill battle cry broke through the sounds of pulse fire and the wild hooting of the creatures. Long and warbling, it was unmistakable, and when Melen screamed again, it was just as savage as before, but also hopeful.

Pulse fire sizzled through the air, this time coming from above, and Melen saw the forms of four creatures come crashing down the sides of the canyon and smash into the floor lifelessly. The hooting faltered and failed, and the creatures on the canyon floor fled before the onslaught of the Askari.

Without her helmet’s sensor array, Melen couldn’t see much in the darkness, but she could track the progress of the Askari warriors as they scrambled across the walls by following the muzzle flashes of their pulse pistols. They couldn’t climb as fast as the creatures, and they weren’t as physically powerful. But the pulse pistols more than evened the odds, and as quickly as they had come, the creatures were gone again.

Melen drew herself to her feet, still shaky from being thrown against the wall. A slender figure dropped from the wall, landing deftly on the sand in front of Melen.

“Askarai’Ui?” She asked.

“Shas’Ui Melen,” ‘Ui Trando replied. “We were too slow in coming to your aid.”

“Don’t ruin the moment, Trando.” Melen said. “We have wounded. Probably dead.” She looked around uselessly in the dark.

“My warriors will assist you, of course.”

Melen nodded. “How many more of them are there? Did you see?”

“A handful. Four or five, I think. We were able to count them as we made our approach. Your team killed most of them. We will guard against the survivors, but I think they are done fighting.”

“They attacked you before. And our drones.” Melen said.

“They did. We lost a warrior, and have four wounded that we have evacuated out of the canyon. We also established a link back to Knuckle base; they are sending the response team to help.”

Melen smiled thinly in the dark. “The fight’s already over. They can help us clean up though.”

Still reading the background section but wanted to jump ahead and say you've got some pretty cool ideas here. Fantastic stuff.

Thanks guys, glad you like it!

There is quite a bit more of this to come; I've got 6 entries, with a total of 24.5k words so far.

This last piece has been the best, the horror and tension did a good job of keeping my attention.

 Mr Nobody wrote:
This last piece has been the best, the horror and tension did a good job of keeping my attention.

I had a lot of fun writing that nighttime Canyon attack scene. Probably the best combat scene out of what I've written so far.

Tales From the 31st
War Game


Trellig lined up across the pickup circle from Polto, planting her feet firmly into the grass and tensing her muscles up for the start signal. She could see Polto digging and flexing with all four legs, her midleg graspers opening and closing in a steady beat. Trellig felt lithe and quick without her combat harness. The light weight of the sulfur rebreather unit on her back was only a slight nuisance, and she forgot about it entirely now as she focused on the stick at the center of the circle.

Hann, Dac, you’re too close. B’Tavi’Ui Banto said, her tone indistinguishable from the one she used giving orders in combat.

Trellig saw her two teammates move apart at the corner of her vision, and then the Crack! of the starting signal came, and she was bounding across the bright green grass, towards the stick. Polto was throwing up clods of dirt and grass as she tore across the field, straight for the stick - and straight for Trellig. There was no time for thought, only action and reaction.

Trellig dove for the stick, reaching out with her forelegs and tucking her head in, even as Polto mirrored her move. They collided spectacularly with an audible smacking of carapace-on-carapace, sending dirt and dust into the air. Trellig ignored the pain of the impact and flailed around in the dirt, looking for the stick. But Polto found it first, snatching it up with her midlegs and tucking it close under her chest. As Trellig cursed, Polto bolted up and out of the circle with her prize.

Move! Banto shouted, even as Trellig was hauling herself to her feet to give chase.

At the edge of the circle, two pairs of B’Tavi battered each other for position to intercept or protect Polto as she ran across the circle’s edge. Trellig’s teammates grappled with Polto’s but neither group made progress, and Polto only had to make a minor detour to avoid the tangle of blue bodies.

But that detour brought her a little close to Trellig.

B’Tavi rushed in from both sides, Trellig’s team galloping in like missiles at Polto and her stick, while Polto’s team blocked and ran interference for her. Trellig closed the gap a little more with each turn Polto took to avoid a tangled pair, and soon she was almost in reach.

When Polto pivoted away from another pair of scrabbling players she presented her flank to Trellig, and she made her move. She lunged for Polto, tucking her head in and turning herself into a missile.

There was a solid cracking noise as the carapaces collided, and Trellig was on the ground again, sprawled across the grass. The impact had been brief and jarring; violent enough so that Trellig almost didn’t realize that it came from the wrong direction. Another B’tavi from Polto’s team was recovering from the tackle, lying on the ground next to Trellig. She watched with unfocused eyes as Polto dove into the goal ring, scoring for her team.

The round was over. She raised herself up off the grass and back onto her feet, the dull pain from the impacts throbbing inwards from her torso.

Good hit, She said to Polto’s teammate, who inclined her head in thanks.

Banto did not look pleased. She was conferring with the other team’s leader, ‘Ui Kendo, who held a chrono in her midlegs. Banto knocked her foreleg against Kendo’s in respect, and called out: Game’s over, everyone. Good job, team 1. Team 2, remember the equipment check tonight. Until then you’re free.

It wasn’t hard to detect the disappointment in Banto’s tone. The game was just a friendly one, but it would have been good to win something.

Trellig waited for Dac, meeting her in the middle of the game field with a friendly stomp of a leg. Dac returned the gesture, and the two waited for the rest of the two squads of B’Tavi to filter off of the field, leaving them alone in the park.

I almost had Polto, you know. Trellig said, as they started walking, taking a path into the trees instead of towards the hatchway along the cavern wall nearby.

I saw. Bad turn. She got lucky on the pickup.

Trellig didn’t agree, but let the implicit compliment go for politeness’ sake. They moved into the trees, a low-branching variety that had long, drooping branches with a deep green color that contrasted with their bright yellow leaves. They were a local species that had been brought into Knuckle base’s park just after it had been constructed two tau’cyr ago.

We’ve got the Firewarriors tomorrow, you know. Trellig said, as they crossed a stream trickling through the trees, stepping into the soft mud of the streambed as they crossed and leaving swirls of muddy water.

And this week was going so well, Dac said, dangling her midlegs sarcastically.

Last time we were up against the Firewarriors I had three legs blown off. I maxed out the pain cues in the scenario. Trellig said. If it weren’t for the aversion suppressor meds I would probably have nightmares for a ‘cyr just about that.

Good training. Dac quipped. Trellig didn’t laugh.

The trees thinned out, and the park opened to another small field, where the grasses and other plants had been left to grow more wildly, as opposed to the sports field they had just left where the grasses were cropped close to the ground. False sunlight shined convincingly on the field from projectors in the cavern ceiling, and small insects flew through the air.

They were not alone in the field; there were a trio of Tau Fio sitting on portable stools and enjoying a meal in the field, and an Askari male and female couple was walking through the field, paying little attention to anything except each other. Trellig and Dac watched them with a special fascination.

Askari males were significantly smaller than their female counterparts; almost half their size in fact, with a pale gray-blue skin that contrasted with the dark blue of the females. Females were strong, with thick hides and intimidating bony crests on their heads. If Trellig hadn’t been told that they belonged to the same species, he would never have guessed it. To other species, it was odd enough. But to B’Tavi like Trellig and Dac, it was deeply fascinating, since B’Tavi had only one gender to begin with. It was unsettling enough to think about the Tau’s two genders, but to have such wildly different body types in one species was truly strange.
They were so focused on the reptilian Askari that they didn’t notice the Gepidi floating towards them until she announced herself with a shrill trumpeting noise and drifted down to eye-level with the two B’Tavi.

Here we go, Dac said, before she switched her voice unit on and greeted the Gepidi.

The Gepidi spread it’s grasping tentacles apart in a deferent greeting, curling the thickest one close to its body.

“My condolences, for your team’s recent loss.” The Gepidi said, rapidly pronouncing the words through an incomprehensible series of trumpet-like air nozzles protruding from its three gas sacs. Trellig guessed from the size of the Gepidi’s talons that it was female, but wasn’t entirely sure.

Trellig and Dac inclined their heads solemnly, quickly realizing that the Gepidi was speaking about the death of B’Tavi’La Tan’s surveillance squad to raiders fifteen days ago, and not their match with ‘Ui Kendo’s team five rai’kor ago.

“They died saving others. It was for the Greater Good.” Dac said.

“High praise, dearly earned.” The Gepidi said, the words spilling out almost too quickly to understand. “My name is Shriwoo.”

“Dac, and this is Trellig.” Dac said.

“You face Firewarrior Team Two tomorrow in a sim battle, don’t you?”

Trellig tried to not allow the rapid change of subject disturb her, and simply said, “Yes.”

“Shas’Ui Melen’s team has an excellent reputation. I would be very anxious about facing them even in a sim battle. Are you?”

“A little,” Trellig began, but the Gepidi spoke before she could finish the thought.

“I often wonder how the Tau ever had difficulty defeating the forces of my ancestors. You know, they took several years to conquer my people, despite a significant technological advantage.”

“I’ve heard that,” Dac said, as the Gepidi spoke over her.

“They say that the Firewarriors had difficulty anticipating our attacks because we could move in three dimensions while they were stuck on the ground. This was before modern battlesuit technology, you understand. I often wonder what it was like in those wild days when Gepidi fought Tau. And before that, each other.”

“Our own species,”

“Oh yes! I have of course read the history, such as we understand it, of your species. Tragic that the Empire did not bring the philosophy of the Greater Good to your people sooner. Many millions of lives would be saved.”

“There are still some of us living there,”

“On your homeworld? I had not heard! Please tell me more.” The Gepidi was practically shaking with excitement, and Trellig fought a shameful, involuntary wave of repulsion as the Gepidi’s tentacles quivered.

“I will,” Dac said, firmly. “Just let me finish a sentence or two, OK?”

The Gepidi curled and twisted its tentacles together. Trellig thought she recognized it as a gesture of apology and deference.

“Only a small group of B’Tavi were taken for the Resurrection Project. A few thousand out of a global population of a few million. After we were on our feet as a species again, one of the most noble callings among us were those who scoured our homeworld for more survivors, and brought them into the fold.” Dac said.

“It wasn’t easy. They almost never came willingly. Everyone living on that planet lived in the harshest conditions, and competition for scarce resources was all too common. Paranoia was as dangerous as radiation or bio-toxins from the End-War. Many of those that we sent to rescue these people were killed or maimed by the ones they were trying to save.” Trellig said.

“How many were left when these rescues began?” Shriwoo asked, at a more normal speed. She was being slow and deliberate for their benefit.

“I don’t know. Fewer than before; only a few hundred thousand. A million at the most, I think.” Dac said, and Trellig twitched her head in agreement. “Only about two hundred thousand have ever been brought off world since we started, all those years ago. Nobody knows how many are left today, but the rescue teams always seem to be finding another small pocket of survivors.”

“How terrible to imagine that some of your people still live in such frightful conditions!” Shriwoo said, in a shrill voice.

“Yes. Speaking of terrible condition, Dac and I are on our way to work in the garden, care to join us?” Trellig asked, already having a good idea of what the answer would be.

For the first time in the conversation, the Gepidi did not answer instantly, and there was the briefest pause as she thought about her answer.
“All that digging in the ground, I can’t say I’ve ever found it appealing. A good spire tree garden, that would be something, but in this gravity…” The Gepidi’s tentacles hung loose in a shrug-like gesture.

“That’s too bad. We should be on our way, Shriwoo,”

“It’s been a pleasure speaking with you.” She spread her tentacles and tilted back and forth genially before drifting upwards again.

Switching her voice unit off again, Trellig told Dac, I can’t believe we strung more than two sentences together. I think that may be a new record for the whole base.

Oh, I think they let the Commander get up to three sentences every once in a while. Dac joked. I bet we sound like simpletons every time we speak to them. You know she was speaking about ten times slower than she would with one of her own.

Probably. She seemed to enjoy it; gregarious little guys, aren’t they? Eh, let’s go. Trellig said, waving a foreleg.

The garden was at the far end of the indoor park, running along the rocky walls, which sloped inwards to form the cavern’s broad ceiling. Behind a simple wire fence, there were an eclectic variety of plants growing. Leaves of almost every color and shape grew in orderly rows, diligently tended by the different species that called Knuckle base home. Many showed fruit in various stages of development, a few of which were almost ready to pick and beginning to show vivid colors of ripeness.

There were a few Tau moving through the garden, wearing loose tunics and wielding rugged gardening tools as Dac and Trellig opened the gate, and the Tau smiled warmly at their arrival. Dac and Trellig knew better than to try to imitate the gesture with their mandibles (such attempts usually unsettled other species), and instead waved awkwardly with their forelegs. The Firewarriors had been friendly ever since Tan’s team had been lost protecting a farming settlement. Before that, for almost a Tau’cyr, they had been polite but standoffish.

They’re in Fire Team 2, Dac said, as they passed by the Tau, and Trellig gave them a second look. They were preparing a new row for planting, one digging in a precise row, and the others following behind to plant small white tubers. Without the armor, Trellig almost didn’t recognize them as Firewarriors.

“See you in the sims tomorrow,” Dac said as they passed.

“We look forward to it,” One of the Tau said.

I’d look forward to it too, if I knew I was going to win, Dac said.

We don’t know who’s going to win. Trellig said as they stepped into the rows of plants. Dac dangled her legs emphatically. OK, we don’t know for sure who’s going to win. Probably them.

Only if the trend keeps up. 11-0 is a pretty good record.

Trellig thought about her legs being shot out from under her, with only a small twinge of false pain. She opted not to respond to Dac.

Dac and Trellig went to work pulling up weeds that were growing among the orderly rows of plants. They moved with legs spread wide to allow their bodies to hang close to the ground, and used their midlegs to pull up the weeds as they walked.

Almost like my mother’s garden. Trellig said, wistfully. Like most of the other B’Tavi at the base, Trellig had grown up in a well-planned but crowded city, surrounded by farmland and natural spaces. Her mother had kept a small rooftop garden, and entrusted its care to Trellig as she matured.

Trellig heard the brief squawk of a communicator, and looked up to see one of the Firewarriors answer. After a very brief conversation, the Tau packed up their tools hurriedly. One of them trotted over to the two B’Tavi.

“We’ve been called on a mission; would you mind finishing the planting for us?”

Trellig nodded. “It is no problem. Dac and I will handle it. Good luck on your mission, Shas’La...”

“Beren. Thank you.” The Firewarrior gave her a quick nod of respect.

“Good luck on your mission, Shas’La Beren,” Trellig said as he turned to leave.

“Thanks. It’s nothing to worry about. We just have to find a Fio survey team that got lost in the West canyon network.”

“Well, good luck anyway.” Trellig said, and after another quick nod, the Firewarrior trotted off with his team-mates.

I guess that means we’re off the hook tomorrow, Dac said, watching them go.

Sure. I bet ‘Ui Banto is just going to give us the morning off. She definitely won’t run us through a Y’he sim instead. Trellig dangled her midlegs for sarcastic emphasis.

Interesting to see what B'tavi do when off mission. Though I wonder if fire warriors would tend gardens, that seems like an earth caste past-time to me.

 Mr Nobody wrote:
Interesting to see what B'tavi do when off mission. Though I wonder if fire warriors would tend gardens, that seems like an earth caste past-time to me.

Yeah, normally I'd agree. In this case, the entire cadre base is actually underground, so in order to avoid claustrophobia and cabin fever all base personnel spend time in the base's indoor green spaces. Tending the garden is a shared task. But yeah, in hindsight it may have been better to even have had the fire warriors playing the sports game with the B'tavi.

 babaganoosh wrote:

 Mr Nobody wrote:
Interesting to see what B'tavi do when off mission. Though I wonder if fire warriors would tend gardens, that seems like an earth caste past-time to me.

Yeah, normally I'd agree. In this case, the entire cadre base is actually underground, so in order to avoid claustrophobia and cabin fever all base personnel spend time in the base's indoor green spaces. Tending the garden is a shared task. But yeah, in hindsight it may have been better to even have had the fire warriors playing the sports game with the B'tavi.

As an argument for fire caste gardening (sounds like a weird paper) you've mentioned in other stories that this isn't exactly the front line. The fire caste aren't veteran troopers either, so perhaps there's a little shifting between the divisions of responsibilities. Not all humans in the imperium are devout fallowers of the faith and perhaps not all Tau adhere to the caste system as strictly as others.

Tales from the 31st
The Green Pebble

“It’s a dangerous area, Shri. That’s why they sent the drone in the first place, isn’t it?”

Shriwoo twined her tentacles around her main grasper in annoyance. “It’s a dangerous area because it’s infested with black reedstalkers. They don’t attack drones, and more importantly they don’t use energy weapons, Blara.”

“That reading could be in error.” Blarash blared dismissively, and the Tau Pathfinder team they were sharing the Orca with sent Blarash a variety of annoyed looks.

“You’re being obtuse.” She said.

“We’ll see.” Blarash said. Her irritation showed as her three buoyancy chambers strained with pressure. The colorful banding patterns playing across the sacs flashed a deep red.

“What do you think, Hara?”

Harawanoo, a smaller female than either Blara or Shri, was holding onto a handhold and re-reading the mission briefing, short as it was. Hara let out a long raspberry in a dismissive reply.

“You’ve been reading that thing for the whole flight, I don’t think you need more time.”

“We’ll have to see.” Hara said. Shriwoo twined her tentacles together again, but let the matter drop.

It was dawn when they arrived at the impact site. The three Gepidi jetted out of the Orca’s open hatch as it made its approach, cushioning their fall expertly with their gravitic harnesses and natural air jets.

They dropped down into an arid landscape; rocky, dry, and cold. Tall stands of dark reeds rose up from the largely barren ground, reaching straight up towards the Gepidi as they fell.

The Orca made one quick circuit of the landing site, about 150 meters away from Shriwoo and dropped to the ground, bringing its ramp only centimeters from the sand. The four Pathfinders hopped gracefully from the ramp and instinctively adopted a defensive formation as the Orca blasted back into the sky, scattering pebbles and dust in its wake.

“Area looks clear.” Shriwoo commed, as Hara and Blara gave her “all-clear” whipping gestures with their tentacles.

“Move to the impact site then. Give us a perimeter around the site first; 100 meters.” Shas’La Shien ordered.

“Acknowledged.” Shriwoo commed, already moving.

The three Gepidi moved carefully among the rocks and reeds toward the impact site, keeping relatively close to the ground to stay concealed. They trained their weapons on potential ambushes as they moved. The area was dangerous; that much was known for certain. The black reedstalkers – apex predators of this ecosystem, had a well-deserved reputation for aggression and were primarily ambush predators.

Shriwoo had confidence in her reflexes and in the stopping power of her longshot pulse rifle, though. With constant vigilance and her team, she knew the reedstalkers weren’t a dire threat; more of an annoyance, albeit a potentially deadly one.

The impact site was close by, a circular patch of charred ground, still smoldering. The Gepidi posted themselves in a rough perimeter around the crater, checking for threats, natural or otherwise, as they went. The Pathfinders followed close behind, forming a closer perimeter around the impact site.

“All clear,” Shriwoo commed again, after she was satisfied with the safety of the local area.

“Acknowleged.” Shien commed back. “Keep a roving patrol.”

Blara and Hara clicked an acknowledgement. Shriwoo bristled slightly, though. She was a team leader, a trained hunter and infiltrator of the same caliber as Shien. Shien was in command, but their positions were nearly equal.

“Shas’La Shien, perhaps I can be of use at the crash site.” She suggested, adding “Blara and Hara can handle a perimeter of this size with no difficulty.”

Shriwoo felt a pause before Shien responded in the affirmative.

"Thinking with his head," Blara quipped in Gepidi. Shri blatted at Blara half-heartedly. Shien was being a little standoffish, but there was no reason to make fun of him.

She jetted back to the impact site, where Shien was crouched close to the edge of the smoldering earth, his pathfinders searching the ground nearby.

The impact site was about four meters across; not small, and the ground was blackened in an almost perfect circle, concaved in the center. There were small pieces of still-cooling metallic ore strewn about the area. Tall stands of reeds stood to either side of the crater.

“Looks like a meteorite. Exploded on impact or just before.” Shien said, picking up a hot fragment with a gloved hand.

“I agree.” Shriwoo said, drifting low over the crater, scanning it closely with her vision crests. “The meteorology department sent a drone to investigate this impact, though. It didn’t match the standard profile, and the satellite that tracked it did not register an explosion.”

“These fragments suggest otherwise,” Shien said, but he sounded unsure. He looked around the edge of the crater, stood and paced around it once.

“It’s very circular; is that normal?”

“I don’t know.” Shriwoo admitted. She jetted away from the crater, and steadied herself on a stand of reeds, holding them with her trunk.

Shien walked around the crater again, crouching and resting his pulse carbine on his knees.

A light breeze played over them, and Shriwoo had to thrust forward slightly to stay in position as the reeds swayed.

Shien looked up at her as the breeze blew.

“These reeds – they don’t seem very well-anchored.” Shien said, watching her sway in the breeze.

Shriwoo picked up on his tone right away.

“But they’re so close to this crater, and still standing.” Shriwoo let go of the reeds, and jetted to another stand nearby. This time she pulled back on a reed, and with only a little effort, it cracked and bent.

“These reeds would have been knocked over.” Shien said. “I don’t think that drone was brought down by a reedstalker.”

“Agreed.” Shriwoo said, her tail stiffening in excitement. “This feels wrong.”

“Shien, Shri, I have something over here!” Harawanoo called over the comms.

When Shien and Shriwoo found her, she was hovering close to the ground, next to a barrel-stump plant bristling with sharp spines. On the ground, there was a small piece of fio-tak paneling, slightly charred on one side.

“That’s scoring from an energy weapon. Crude plasma design, perhaps.” Shien said
slowly, picking up the debris and inspecting it. “That settles it. This is an incursion.”
Shriwoo’s tentacles tingled with dread at the realization.

“I agree, but if this is an incursion, where are the intruders? Did they not leave tracks for us to find? Perhaps they move like we do, without touching the ground.”

“Perhaps.” Shien said, carefully laying the drone fragment back on the sandy ground.

“Specialized scanning equipment could trace the path of a crude anti-gravity drive. The required level of technology would be close to that of the plasma weapon that destroyed the drone.”

“Correct, but they could also have simply been proficient in covering their tracks.” Shien said. “I’m going to send the Orca back for scanning equipment. I’m also alerting command, of course. In the meantime we shall search for tracks.”

“They may have taken greater care close to the impact site and become more lax in their concealment with some distance between them and their infiltration point.” Shriwoo finished the thought for him. Shien paused noticeably, and although she could not read his face behind the sensor-studded faceplate of the pathfinder’s helmet, Shriwoo could sense the irritation.

Silently, Shriwoo chided herself for interrupting. It was a universal impulse for Gepidi conversing with almost any other species to ‘speed ahead’ in the conversation. Gepidi speaking amongst each other spoke quickly and loudly by other species’ standards.

“Correct. I want your team to spiral out. Move quickly and cover more area, while my team performs a more thorough search behind you.” Shien ordered.

“Yes, Shas’la.”

Shriwoo jetted away from the impact site, the tingling sensation of dread lingering in the tips of her tentacles as she plotted out the search pattern for her and her two teammates.

They set out in a twisting spiral pattern away from the crash site, looking for disturbed ground or plantlife, floating a few meters above the ground, hopefully out of reach for any black reedstalkers that may have been lurking nearby.

“Who do you think it was, Shri?” Blara asked, over their comm-link.

“This level of technology rules out a few possibilities,” Shri said, as she passed over a cluster of dry, red-tipped bushes. “Certainly not the Y’he. It’s also unlike the raiders that plagued us so recently; too crude for them. It’s possible that this is the work of Gue’la, or Gue’ron’sha even.”

“I hope not,” Blara said quickly. “If that’s so then we could be drifting into a hurricane.”

“There are other powers nearby. The Elengil Protecterate, or the Yearning Assembly perhaps. Their technology would be up to the task for this infiltration.”

“They’re our trading partners.” Harawanoo cut in. “Why would they bother?”

“They may perceive weakness. They may be feeling pressure from others on their borders. They may be possessed of an over-enthusiastic curiosity. Was our species not so before the Tau came?” Blara said.

“Maybe.” Hara admitted. “But why wouldn’t they just enter through the spaceport?”

“They would have to get past security there.” Blara said. But she didn’t sound very confident.

Hara sputtered dismissively over the link. “Breaching that security would be much easier than faking a meteorite impact.”

“That’s enough banter, you two.” Shriwoo scolded. “Focus on your task.”

Clicks of acknowledgement came over the link, and there was silence again. But Shriwoo’s mind was distracted nonetheless, and she found herself wondering, speculating wildly about the mysterious invaders.

There wasn’t very much on the planet to even scout. Knuckle Base was thousands of kilometers away. There were vast stretches of farmland spreading across the Northern continent, where they were now, interrupted by a few small settlements and some larger spaces left to the indigenous wildlife. The only population center of note was Lon’Ra’Fal city, which had been built around the spaceport.

The spaceport wasn’t far away, she realized. She paused in her search for a moment to call up a map and plot the distance – less than two hundred kilometers. She triggered her comlink almost immediately.

“Shas’La Shien,” She said, feeling that tingling sensation in her tentacles again. “No tracks, but I may have something else.”



When the Orca transport arrived, the sun was beginning to set, slipping below the horizon in a wash of deep orange and purpling sky. The Orca carried a full load this time, bringing two Piranha speeders and the cadre’s only Vespid squad in addition to a pair of Fio’La fussing over a collection of bulky, but portable scanners. The overhead drone rack was filled with drones, half of them modified to carry scanners instead of dual pulse carbines.

As the new search team disembarked, Shriwoo and the other Gepidi jetted back onto the Orca.

Shien hadn’t been as receptive to the Gepidi’s ‘guesswork’ as Shri had hoped he would be. He had finally agreed to let them take the Orca back to the spaceport, and only because Shri had pointed out that the type of scanners that the Fio were bringing were to heavy for Gepidi to wield. Even considering that, she suspected Shien had agreed to let them go in order to be rid of them.

Shien was watching them as the Orca’s door closed and they lifted off, his irritation even more apparent than before. Shriwoo wondered if her own irritation was as easy to read. Individuals of other species varied dramatically in their ability to read Gepidi body language. Most could not decipher the movement of tentacles and the flashing of colors across the buoyancy sacs. Many had natural aversions to Gepidi biology, even. With the exception of the Tau water caste, it was a safe bet that any given individual was incapable of interpreting Gepidi emotion. But Shien could easily have guessed at her emotions, with or without the help of body language.

Shien disappeared as the doors shut, and the Orca’s acceleration pulled at Shriwoo as she gripped the overhead railing.

“The Spaceport itself is the most sensitive installation on the planet. We’ll start there.” Shriwoo told Blara and Hara. “Assuming that the intruders are performing a reconnaissance mission, what information about the spaceport would they be after, and how would they pursue it?”

“Hard to say without knowing who they are,” Hara observed. “Reconnaissance techniques vary greatly among species, and even within species. We also don’t know what their motives are.”

“Or if they are even going to be at the spaceport in the first place.” Blarash snorted.

“This is not the time for your sarcasm, Blarash.” Shriwoo scolded sharply. Blarash flashed a pinkish hue of embarrassment, and spread her tentacles in apology.

“We should investigate any sources that could yield sensitive information. Anything that could give the intruders information on security, shipping schedules or manifests, communications, or access to landed vessels.” Blara said.

“Better. The spaceport’s control room would be the most obvious target. But wouldn’t it be the most heavily defended? Surely they wouldn’t target the control room directly.” Shri said.

“Directly or indirectly, it’s the most obvious target.” Blara said.

“True. We’ll start there.” Shriwoo said. “I’ll raise them from the cockpit and let them know we’re on the way.”

She made her way to the front of the Orca, fighting against the pull of the acceleration the whole way. She opened the cockpit hatch and pulled herself through with her trunk, bracing with her other tentacles along the cabin walls against the turbulence. The Air caste pilot didn’t spare her even a glance over the shoulder, focusing intensely on the controls and readouts playing across the canopy. But he must have known that she was there, because he quickly said,

“What is it, Gepidi’La?” His tone implicitly chided her for intruding into the cockpit.

“I need to raise the spaceport control tower. We’re heading there first and we want priority approach. We also want to alert the control room to be on alert for intruders.”

“We already have priority approach. I’ll relay the rest of your message to the control room.” The pilot said, in a slightly less hostile tone.

“Thanks.” Shriwoo said. The pilot nodded almost imperceptibly, and Shriwoo retreated back into the main cabin of the Orca.


Night had fallen when they arrived at the spaceport control tower, and as the Orca descended, Shriwoo was treated to a view of the tall, gracefully curving buildings of the city as the ramp of the Orca lowered. Well-illuminated by many lights, rising up around the spaceport in all directions, the buildings framed the circular spaceport, which was largely an open space. It was circular, like a wheel with spokes radiating out from one central hub and leading to landing platforms, with a tower at the center that rose above all other structures in the spaceport: the control tower.

The pilot dropped the Orca onto a smaller platform in an abrupt but calculated maneuver, bringing the lowered door within a few centimeters of the platform edge. The Gepidi jetted out quickly, and the Orca blasted off almost before they were out the door, off to fetch more equipment and personnel for the expanding search.

As the noise of the Orca’s engines was beginning to fade, a door slid open where the platform met the spoke structure of the spaceport, and a stocky Tau male wearing a well-worn work tunic stepped out. He froze when he saw the three Gepidi jetting toward him, and Shriwoo recognized a look of shock on the Tau’s face.

“Never seen a Gepidi before,” Blara observed, whistling in their own language.

“I think I reacted the same way the first time I saw a biped.” Shri said, then, switching to T’au, “Greetings, I’m Gepidi’La Shriwoo, from the 31st. Spaceport control should have been notified of our arrival.

“Uh, yes. Gepidi’La.” The Tau stammered, staring at them as they came to a halt a few meters away from the door. Then, he seemed to regain his composure. “I was sent here to greet the team from the 31st. My name is Fio’La Mei’ken”

“No one told him that team would be floating tentacled air sacs,” Blara joked, again in their own language.

“Please take us to the control room, ‘La Mei’ken.” Shriwoo said, ignoring Blara.

Mei’Ken led them through a service corridor to a lift, which brought them to the top of the central tower. That entire floor was given over to the control room, and was packed with displays and work terminals. The walls were enormous windows overlooking the spaceport, with a stunning view of the brightly lit city surrounding them as an added bonus. Another Tau met them at the lift doors, and unlike his subordinate, did not show any surprise when three Gepidi jetted out of the lift. Many of the other Tau at work in the tower did stare up at them from their work stations, though.

“Welcome to Kai’ren spaceport, warriors.” The Tau said, respectfully. “I am Por’Ui Len’res, the acting administrator of this installation. I understand there is a security concern.” He invited them to follow him as he walked to a nearby work terminal.

“We’ve notified all ships currently docked to be on alert. We have two Elengil freighters, three Bork’an trade vessels of varying sizes, and one emissary-class ship from T’au. All have sealed their ships and have alerted their own security detachments.” He showed them holographic displays of each ship in turn.

“Our own security force; a squad of drones, has been activated and is currently performing randomized sweeps of sensitive areas of the spaceport.” He showed them a schematic of the spaceport, with six pairs of green blips moving in various directions among the spokes of the facility.

“Finally, the emergency courier drone is now ready for immediate launch, and a backup is on standby.” He showed them a readout confirming the courier drone’s state of readiness.

“All according to protocol.” He finished, pleasantly. “It is a drill my team has run several times, especially since the unfortunate series of attacks this season. My congratulations for your cadre’s success in stymieing those vicious attacks.”

“Thank you, Por’Ui.” Shriwoo said. “It is reassuring to see that the situation is being taken so seriously by you and your staff.”

“Of course.” The Por’Ui nodded respectfully to them. “How may I aid your mission here?”

“We came to make sure that the facility remains secure, and to counter any incursion.” Shriwoo said. “Your state of alert seems prudent; perhaps my team should remain here with your control staff until the search teams have more information about the incursion.”

“Of course. You have complete access to the facility. If you need assistance from any member of my staff, they have been instructed to aid you. Mei’ken will stay with you during your visit.” He nodded to them again. “I will return to my duties now. Please feel free to use this work station in the meantime. Hopefully, this matter will be concluded before it disrupts our schedule significantly.” He left the three Gepidi and returned to his work station at the center of the tower.

“Looks like they have things under control here.” Blarash said, browsing through the displays.

“Por’Ui Len’res takes security matters very seriously.” Mei’ken said, timidly. “He lost a friend to one of the raids he spoke about.”

Shriwoo looked at Len’res again, with a pang of guilt. There wasn’t a warrior in the 31st that didn’t feel personally responsible for any of the civilians lost during those raids. Each life lost under their watch was a badge of shame for the entire unit.

They waited. Tedium and boredom were things that all warriors become well-acquainted with, and the matter was especially bad for a trio of restless Gepidi. They scanned the security feeds, followed the drones as they raced throughout the facility, and double-checked the docked ships’ lockdowns. Everything was in order.

“It’s very possible the spaceport wasn’t the target after all,” Blara said, browsing through the security feeds robotically. “there are other strategic targets here. The administration center, for example.”

“Maybe.” Shriwoo admitted. “But this is where one could cause the most damage. We're not chasing a cloud, here.”

“True.” Blara said. “But they may not know that. We don’t even know the nature of these intruders. They may not even be hostile, for all we know.”

“Well, we assume hostility in the case of covert arrival. I think that’s a prudent policy, don’t you?” Hara said, her tone condescending.

“Of course.’ Blara said. “But I don’t think that every case of –“ She stopped mid-sentence, and went back one screen on the display. “What’s that?” She indicated a small vehicle at the edge of one of the wide-view screens of the spaceport.

“Some sort of skimmer, not like any design I’ve ever seen.” Mei’ken said, breaking a silence he had been keeping for some time.

“Let’s send a drone pair to investigate,” Shriwoo said, her tentacles tingling again. She rose from the console to ask the Por’Ui to send the drones, but never had the chance to ask.

There was a bright flash of light on the security feed, and at the windows of the control room. Shriwoo saw the explosion under the Emissary-class ship on the screen a tangible moment before it rocked the control room.

The control room, which had seemed so calm only a moment before, was a frantic hive of activity immediately. ‘Ui Len’res shouted orders to his team in rapid succession, initiating a full lockdown of the facility, calling for reinforcements, and ordering the launch of the courier drone.

“Stay calm.” She told Hara and Blara. “Tactical reaction without consideration is the mark of a fighter, not a warrior.” She took over the work station from Blara, and tracked the camera onto the skimmer they had found moments before. It was headed straight for the Emissary-class.

“That’s our target. Blara, send a message to the cadre, tell them we’re engaging the suspected intruders here.” Blara waggled her talons in acknowledgment. Shriwoo quickly jetted over to ‘Ui Len’res.

“Por’Ui, we’re moving to the Emissary, we think that ship is the target.” She reported.

“Wait,” Len’res said, as she began to jet away. “the explosion compromised the transport system in that area of the facility. The lift will not take you there, not with safety protocols in effect.”

“We’re here to defend that ship,” Shriwoo said, trying to make her tone firm; something she found difficult to do while speaking T’au.

“Of course. Of course.” The Tau studied his display. Then he looked up at Shriwoo. “That’s a gravitic motor you’re wearing, isn’t it?”


Moments later, far below the tower, a wide window pane crashed down onto one of the superstructure of one of the spaceport spokes, cracking and splitting into two ruined pieces before sliding down to the ground below.

Only seconds behind the ruined window came the three Gepidi, their gravitic harnesses working at full capacity, straining as they fell. Hara and Shri managed to stay up in the air,but Blara collided with the superstructure, gently thumping against it before rising back up.

“Come on! Swallow a rock.” Shri said, jetting as fast as she could along the spoke towards the Emissary, keeping her own advice and flying low. Hara and Blara followed close behind. The Emissary-class ship loomed large at the end of the spoke, framed by a billowing cloud of smoke rising from the stern of the ship, brightly lit by the lights of the spaceport.

"Here they come!" Hara shouted.

The smoke twisted and split as the skimmer passed through. Trailing wisps of smoke, it whipped around the wing of the Emissary and angled in to land just above and behind the Emissary’s bridge. The skimmer itself seemed flimsy; a skeleton craft that hardly seemed like a combat vehicle.

"That must be what they used after their landing, to make their way here."

Shriwoo used the structure of the spaceport to conceal their approach, putting it between herself and the skimmer, jetting laterally in order to keep the Emissary in her vision.

"Hara, stay here. Blara, I want you about 100 meters farther down." Shri spoke quietly and gestured with her trunk. She put herself halfway between Hara and Blara, and sighted in.

Four thick-bodied bipeds emerged from the skimmer, each obviously equipped for battle. They wore bulky-looking body armor, but their movements were fluid. Shriwoo couldn’t see much of the intruders beneath their armor, but their faces – strangely small and ending in a wickedly split beak, were exposed. They moved aggressively along the hull of the ship, wielding unnervingly large weapons. Shriwoo wondered how many kilos those weapons weighed; probably more than all three Gepidi put together.

She waited until they had strayed a good distance from the cover that their skimmer may have provided, lined up her shot, and gave the signal to open fire.

Her first shot hit her target in its midsection, staggering it, but not knocking it down. Shriwoo snapped off two more shots and dropped out of sight behind the spoke before the enemy had a chance to return fire, and without waiting to see the effect of her shots. She heard Hara and Blara take their shots, only two or three each before dropping out of sight like Shriwoo had.

“One down,” Hara commed. “One wounded. They’re tough, aren’t they?”

“Too tough. I don’t like it.” Shriwoo replied. “Reposition and keep up your fire until they’re neutralized.”

Shriwoo took her own advice, shifting laterally and popping up over the spoke to snap off another shot. One of the intruders was wielding a cutting torch, trying to get through the Emissary’s hull. The other two that were still moving had their weapons up. Shriwoo lined up her shot, but before she took it, a burst of pulse fire stitched amongst the intruders, raining down from above. Two pairs of drones zipped past, their pulse carbines cycling rapidly and raining pulse fire down on the intruders.

Shriwoo watched each intruder take multiple hits from the drones and stay on their feet. One even managed to return fire, its weapon discharging bursts of plasma into the air, tracing after the drones and catching one, exploding it in a shower of sparks and debris. She admired them grudgingly, even as she sent a longshot pulse through one of their heads, exploding it in a gory spray of flesh.

The last two intruders fought as long as they could; only a matter of moments as it turned out. Their bodies were riddled with pulse fire, their armor was blasted apart; red-hot and ruined. The whole firefight had lasted less than a minute.

As she jetted among the dead intruders, Shriwoo supposed that she should have felt proud. Proud of her team, and herself. She should have felt vindicated. But instead, she felt cold, even numb. She didn’t like it.



The planet seemed small at this distance; a little green pebble among the blackness of space. Qialpak passed the time by wondering how lush it must be, how unspoiled, how new. The Tau had only built a handful of structures across the entire planet. Barely a few million of them and their allies inhabited it. An entire world for only a few million! The idea was almost inconceivable to Qialpak. His homeworld was home to nearly forty billion individuals, if one included the Krenn slave population along with his fellow Barghesi. Every inch of the planet was given over to a utilitarian purpose. The only plants that grew were crops, the few animals that existed were raised for consumption. On this planet, land, light, water; all were wasted extravagantly, frivolously.

It angered him, and that anger sustained him through his mission.

When the signal finally reached his ship from the surface, it was good news. The mission had been a success. The courier drones had been located, and the reconnaissance team had sent word that they would be able to cover their tracks, probably at the cost of their lives, but their intent would be concealed convincingly.

The attack would proceed as planned. Qialpak lingered a moment longer, looking for that green pebble one more time before he returned to Barghesi space to make his report. Finding it, he found that his anger was gone, replaced now by a hungry eagerness.