Chapter 1: Coraxa Minor
Coraxa Minor was an in peculiar planet on the furthest most fringe of the Reductus sector of the Segmentum Solar. It was a sand washed planet with no vegetation until approximately one year ago when a twitcher of life started the itch on the surface of the scorched planet.
The land burnt with the heat of the furthest most sun in the segmentum to which it orbited. Far too close to sustain its own life forms the planet was situated just far enough for visitors to survive on the tinged planes, provided they were accompanied by the appropriate life preserving and anti- radiation apparatus.
The sky of Coraxa Minor was awash with steam clouds as rivers from an age long past boiled deep below the crust of the planet where they had struggled for millennia to fight their way into the atmosphere where they would explode into monumental eruptions which showered the sand only to evaporate and fizzle into the atmosphere the instant it made contact with the heated granules of the land. This caused a thick mist to hang over the dunes of Coraxa Minor and super charged the humidity of the planet turning its atmosphere into something akin to a 'green house' as recorded in the ancient chronicles of Terra.
The twitching of activity on the surface of Coraxa Minor that had been taking place one year leading to the activities about to unfold was hostile in its nature. An enemy of humanity had deemed the planet perfect for its operations and had since commenced to establish a base hidden deep at the bottom of the largest dune on the planet which the new inhabitants referred to as "Delvus Coraxa." Roughly translated as "The deepest part of Coraxa" as the dune formed a colossal mountain over the horizon which, when viewed from a low lying plane, kissed the bottom of the sun in the midday heat as it cast a shadow kilometres wide and effectively hid any activity from prying eyes and orbital scanners.
The new inhabitants, were the Tau.
The Tau were a relatively new humanoid species which only recently had attracted the attention of the Imperial Inquisitors. Like most species in the galaxy fighting for dominance, they possessed a head, torso and limbs. Their skin was of a blue/ grey tinge which contrasted against the light colours of the Coraxa Minor backdrop, though their armour was suited accordingly to the back drop to offer a degree of camouflage. Their expelled no moisture through their skin. Where humans would perspire the Tau did not and it was unknown if they retained their fluids to keep their core temperature cool or if all their fluids were expelled as waste. They were either well adapted for the sands of Coraxa Minor, or very poorly. A test they would soon face.
They had made leaps and bounds in their grasp of technology and their spiritual maturity was still catching up to that of mankind. They battled for what they called 'The Greater Good," an ideal that all members of the species contributed to the sum of the larger mass. They often offered peace and voluntary absorption into their ever expanding attempt to conquer the galaxy though when the offer was refused death usually followed, sometimes at a great cost for the Tau baseline physiology was subtly weaker to that of humanities due to a slightly lower level of gravity on the home worlds where the Tau broke free to undertake their conquest of the stars. What the Tau lacked in strength though they made up for in vision. Theirs being slightly greater to that of mankind's but they had trouble with depth perception. Their weapons were largely pulse and plasma based. Relying on the manipulation of energy more so than the manipulation of projectiles. Their arsenal was large and varied, as was their force.
"How goes the progress Fio'el Kariq?" Asked Shas'el Rigel.
The 'El were the second highest military authority in the Tau social caste system. Shas'el Rigel's status and rank was that similar to the 'knights' of ancient Terran historical texts. He was a member of the 'Fire Caste', the warriors of the Tau Empire. He was broad and strong and his strength measured even greater than most humans. Muscular and toned from many years of hard, physical exertion and training which had elevated him to his rank Shas'el. His jaw was broad as was his brow line. The opening on his forehead which lead down to where a human's nose would be was more pronounced than that of most Tau. The Imperial Inquisitors had yet to ascertain what the purpose of the orifice in the Tau physiology had been evolved for and to this juncture in time viewed it with suspicion and erred on the side of caution when analysing it.
Shas'el Rigel wore the standard fire caste body armour. The Imperium's remeberancers often likened the design of the armour to that of the ancient Terran Sumurati warriors of the Asiatic planes. How their armour had come to bare such a resemblance was the course of much debate around the tables of intellectuals in those factions of the Imperium at war with the Tau.
"Progress is moving at an expediential rate Shas'el Rigel. I trust soon we will be able to carry out our first tests." Replied Fio'el Kariq. A high ranking engineer of the Earth caste of the Tau's system of social ranking. His ranking in the Earth caste was the same as 'El Rigel's was in the fire caste. Each was almost at the highest ranking of their caste's and had been awarded the project by their superiors so that the broader Tau campaign could be choreographed. Fio'el Kariq was much more stout in his body structure compared to Shas'el Rigel. This was partially due to the difference in their castes and the work each undertook. The Earth Caste dedicated their lives to labour and toil, making sure the Tau empire had the resources it needed to reach its ideal of the 'Greater Good' whilst the Fire Caste dedicated their life to combat. Making sure nothing stood in the way of that greater good.
'El Kariq clasped his three fingers around a tool not too dissimilar to that of a soldering iron used by the old Terran technicians but burning with a hot blue heat that radiated off the rod. He lowered his goggles, thick and rubbery and began to laminate what resembled some kind of control panel to the side of the construct that Shas'el Rigel had enquired about.
"Our progress is occasionally hindered by your Kroot contractors. They often disturb my workers with inquiry. They are easily fascinated." Said Fio'el Kariq as blue sparks spluttered from the two surfaces becoming one.
"My sincerest apologies 'El Kariq. I will remind them of the terms of their contract." Insured Shas'el Rigel as he placed his hand to the centre of his chest and offered a subtle bowl.
Fio'el Kariq nodded in acknowledgement. 'El Rigel turned and walked away.
"Kedar!" He called out into the room. "Kedar I require your presence."
A tall, lanky creature bent its head in the door space and egressed into the corridor of the bunker which 'El Rigel was standing in. The creature was also humanoid in nature but had a distinctive avian quality about it. Where humans had hair, this species had long, sharp quills. Where humans had a mouth and jaw this creature had a distended beak. Its skin colour was green. It could have almost been mistaken for a green skin, another xenos species the Imperium of Man was violently eradicating from existence in the galaxy. The quills made Kedar look a bit like a plucked fowl that had gone sour in the sun. He had a pot belly and his legs bent in the opposite direction to that which a human's normally would. All these traits were handed over genetically from his ancestry and finely evolved to what currently stood before Shas'el Rigel. Kedar was a Kroot.
The Kroot were another alien species the Tau had encountered on their crusade amongst the stars. They appeared primitive and lacked all but basic technology. They wore no armour and dressed in nothing but a loin cloth. This was to save the sensibilities of Tau whose intergalactic crusade they had voluntarily joined with, at a cost.
The Kroot were contracted mercenaries. Their lack of influence from technology made their reliance on it minimal which gave them an advantage in terrains such as that of Coraxa Minor. But for a few trinkets of technological knowledge from the Tau, the Kroot were primitive but intelligent. Where the green skinned Ork's were brutes and charged blindly into battle, the Kroot's took a much more methodical approach. Where Ork's were a flood against the forces of the Imperium, Kroot's were more a well-positioned sharp shooting force.
"Shas'el Rigel, my lord. How may I be of service?" Said Kedar, both bowing in abidance and ducking to exit the room at the same time.
"Your men are hindering the process of our workers." Said 'El Rigel with thick undertone of frustration in his pronunciation.
"Have them stop pestering us. We pay you to keep us safe and to hide the fact that we are here. Not to learn our secrets."
"Of course my lord." Replied Kedar and 'El Rigel could tell by the way in which he presented his courtesy that beneath the politeness lay a bitter distain between the two. Kedar was always civil to Shas'el Rigel but only because he had to be. 'El Rigel was the one with the authority. Kedar had to only outwardly show respect for the position, not the Tau who held it.
"We only endeavour to do our part… For the Greater Good." He added with a pause to add a hint of sarcasm to his words. He wanted 'El Rigel to know that the members of his contingency cared naught for the 'Greater Good.' They were there for a promised reward. That's all they cared for. Everyone inside the Tau empire knew the reality of the arrangement though it was improper to voice opinion to it or to make it known. The public face of the Tau was very different to what transpired behind closed doors. Being stationed at Coraxa Minor was a testament to that.
"I will, double. No. Triple the guard duties." Promised Kedar.
Shas'el Rigel looked at him suspiciously. "You are dismissed." He said and walked off. Kedar bowed his head as 'El Rigel left, muttering obscenities under his breath. He stayed bowed until his superior was out of sight. The quills on his head brushing against the top of the door frame. He finally arose and went back into the room, slamming the door behind him. He was inside for barely a moment when he re-emerged with a weapon. It was a Kroot rifle. A primitive looking weapon that looked a bit like a las gun made of sticks. It had fabric wrapped around it to make gripping it easier and launched a chemical compound. Kedar was still mumbling in his native tongue when he emerged as he lurched out of the compound.
After a short, brisk walk in the searing heat, Kedar had reached his destination. A tent town set up around the base of the dune which housed the Kroot troops under his command. Small, one and two man sized tents dotted the sunny side of the Delvus Coraxa dune. Kedar found his war band lounging in what little shade they could muster. "Kedar!" They shouted as he arrived. He was well respected by his mercenaries but, at this moment Kedar was less than impressed with the actions of his team after the scolding he had received on behalf of them.
"What is this?" He asked with anger. "We are to triple our patrols! The Tau are unpleased with our performance and are saying we ask too many questions. From now on there is to be no conversing with the Tau!"
They looked at him befuddled.
"But Kedar!" One shouted.
"No buts Jebiah!" He rebutted.
"They blame us interfering for their lack of progress. They say we distract their precious, Fio'la."
"Kedar." Jebiah said, in a soft, saddened tone. Jebiah was Kedar's best warrior. A master of bladed weapons and more than capable with a Kroot rifle. The sadness in his voice was because as an underling, Jebiah already understood the hardships the Kroot's present on site were suffering at the hands of their Tau authority under this project. It was hard enough being subject to the Coraxa Minor environment with as little luxuries as possible to look as though they were native to the planet so that any prying eyes would not suspect the true nature of what was taking place, however, it was even harder to stay alert in the Coraxa Minor environment and now they were being asked to do so for trice as long. More crew, longer shifts, more discomfort.
"I know Jebiah. Fear not. There is a clause in the contract for circumstances such as this. Whether the Tau are aware of this clause is un known to me but they have their seal on it. You will be compensated for your hardships." Insured Kedar. "I will take the first shift with you."
The mark of a true leader. Kedar never asked anything of his mercenaries that he himself would never undertake and at that moment he once again earned the respect and adulation of his team.
Jebiah nodded his head and as one they touched their chests and bowed slightly. Kedar returned the gesture and headed back to the compound.
If the days on Coraxa Minor were difficult, the nights were treacherous. As was common on desert planets, the temperature dropped dramatically on Coraxa Minor. Where air conditioning units ran nonstop and threatened the integrity of power generators in the day, the same power was consumed to heat the compound at night, though the Kroot knew none of these luxuries in their tent city and had to cope as best they could with the physiology evolution had provided for them.
Though the hum of the generators was low, it emitted a massive electromagnetic signature, both to power the compound and the operation of the project being undertaken at the compound.
When the third moon of Coraxa Minor was in full eclipse the generators would turn off for one night for maintenance and to cool them down. This was always timed meticulously so that anyone observing from an orbital distance would associate the drop in the electromagnetic field with the passing of the moon and its gravitational influence on the planet in conjunction with the influence of the suns radiation on the planet and it's positioning at the time. For one night a month Coraxa Minor was quiet. Dead quiet. Dead cold. Dead dark.
The Kroot lit fires outside of their tents in the night to stay warm. The Tau allowed this, but on this one night of the month even the Kroot had to observe silence as the Tau used this time to reflect and pray to a Aun'la. A prince of the Ethereal Caste allowed to observe the clandestine mission the Tau had embarked on at Coraxa Minor.
Delvus Coraxa was dead quiet but for the crackling of fire as Kedar stalked the dunes with fifteen of his contingent. He paced back and forth looking across the horizon and up at the stars, occasionally flexing the minuscule muscles in the soles of his feet to feel for subtle vibrations under the sands caused by the many creatures that used the land as a bunker during the day and emerged as terrifying menaces in the night. They varied in size. Coraxa Minor was a small planet so to have gigantic creatures living beneath the land would be impractical from an evolutionary standpoint. The general consensus was though, that the creatures communicated through vibrations and listening to the tremble of these vibrations in the sand was the key to pinpointing their locations.
They carved tunnels under the land which created channels and a water vein system which sustained them and allowed the liquid to rise to the surface and create the ever present mist that hung over the planet. Some dwelled solely in the waters where it was always dark. Others survived in the air pockets created by erosion and millennia of water rising and recessing to and from the surface, fishing for those who survived in the water. The lack of soil on the planet and the separation of water and light meant that not much plant life grew on Coraxa Minor. Occasionally, if an animal died on the surface its corpse could provide nutrients for the Tau called 'Planas.' A sour, fern like plant that would germinate inside the rotting corpse of the dead animal. The seed would be ingested by another animal feasting on the scavenge and then germinate inside that animal when it died. They offered no nourishment. They grew far and few between and would die before they reached more than a few feet high. Because of the lack of flora on Coraxa Minor, almost all of the animals were carnivorous.
As he shifted the muscles in his feet, Kedar felt a subtle vibration. He slowly knelt down closer to its source. He could judge the size of the creature by the tremble it made in the sand. As he got closer, as quick as lightning he punched the ground. When his fist emerged he was holding a small creature. A baby creature. It was a mammalian creature though it had very little hair. Possibly because of its lack of maturity. It had no eyes but still had eye sockets and eye lids. Living in the darkness had rendered the creatures eyes useless and so evolution had grown their eye lids closed.
It was roughly the size of Kedar's palm and squirmed in his fist. It had four feed with tiny little paws and ringlets of baby fat that if allowed to mature, would turn into thick muscle. It had a small snout that it used to sculpt the sand with as it made trails through the planet. It was not a rare animal. Quite common to find on night shift. If you knew how to look for them it was almost guaranteed you would find one as they lived close to the surface. Adults grew to be about the size of a human and burrowed a little deeper due to their size. The adults posed a significant threat and if their vibrations were felt, Kroot often moved on. The Kroot called them, 'Lemblets.'
Kedar held the squirming lemlet in his hand and examined it quickly. When he was satisfied with the being he opened his beak and clamped down hard on the back of its head, crushing it and stabbing deep into the back of its brain. It cried out for a brief moment as the living parts of its brain registered the pain for the duration of the last of its signals it was to receive in its short life span. Being so young its cry was no louder than an inconspicuous movement of a natural occurrence in the night sands. Kedar was satisfied as his beak filled with blood and organs as he consumed the baby lemlet, crunching the bones on the corner of his beak and separating the flesh from them as he clamped down and drew them across the razor sharp edges. He was satisfied, though only mildly.
Almost instantly after Kedar finished swallowing the baby lemlet he felt more tremors beneath his avian styled feet.
"More lemlets." He thought. The new tremor was no more or less as subtle as that which the lemlet he'd just eaten had made. His belly full, he ignored it and continued his patrol.
He made a noise. A hissing whisper noise which travelled across the air at a high frequency. It was tuned to travel. At a low volume it could travel a large distance without causing too much disturbance and be heard by those listening for such a sound, provided no constructs stood in the path the sound was travelling in to diffuse its trajectory. Across the plane's, at the base of Delvus Coraxa, the dunes stood shorter than that of the average Kroot and so nothing stood in the way of their communications.
There was no response so Kedar made the noise again.
Over the horizon a light flashed. A green one. Small, tiny. It had a rhythm to it. It was Jebiah. He'd heard the sound and was signalling back to Kedar. He placed his thumb over a glow stick and held it up. From his position Jebiah could see the green dot just on the horizon just as Kedar could see his. They would cover and expose the light at intervals, the timing of which they would associate to certain commands, words or letters.
"Are you ok Jebiah?" Signalled Kedar.
"Yes." Replied Jebiah.
"The lemlet's are good tonight." He coded.
Light, followed by darkness, followed by prolonged light, followed by two short bursts of dark and light, followed by an extended darkness and four more short bursts was the response, which meant "Delicious."
Kedar then coded to Jebiah to ask if he'd eaten any that evening and waited for a response.
The response came. One small burst. Another. One more would signify yes or no. Kedar waited.
He waited a moment and signalled again.
Again. One small burst. Another. One more would signify yes or… The third burst came about.
"Yes." Kedar ascertained but the light did not go out as anticipated. It made a trail.
Jebiah's height with his arm extended was approximately nine feet. For nine feet Kedar saw the glow stick fall on the horizon before it became invisible. Kedar's sensors became inquisitive. Instinctively he primed his Kroot rifle and sent out a different sound across the horizon. Similar to the first but more rounded. It alerted all his guards on watch and on patrols to be alert as something had changed in the scenery. But what? Kedar couldn't see anything. The stars and moon added a level of visibility to the landscape but as Kedar scoped it out he could see nothing due to the consistent mist of the atmosphere. Then he felt it.
It took him a moment to register the trembling. It had grown, ever so slightly. He held his glow stick in the air knowing all those in the perimeter were now focussing on his signal. The tremble grew.
Before he could add any addition to the code he wanted to send it was on him. A full grown mature lemlet. It leapt from the sands and pounced on him gnawing violently at his chest with its snout.
Adult lemlets possessed four rows of razor sharp teeth in their snouts which they used to crack through the exoskeletons of subterranean insectoid creatures that they preyed on when no surface meat could be found. Those same teeth were used to tear apart exposed animals with no exterior armour and could chew through flesh like a heated dagger cutting through the most tender of meats.
It pinned him down and he wrestled with it, his Kroot gun just out of his reach. It wasn't too large a creature but the ferocity it possessed was remarkable. Kedar noticed the animal had nipples on its underbelly.
"The mother maybe?" He thought as he struggled with the beast. He managed to lift his left ankle approximately to the height of his elbow. From there he removed a dagger he had strapped to his leg. He closed his leg around the rib cage of the beast and squeezed hard to keep it in place. His left arm dove under the left leg of the animal and he was able to pin its head to his chest using its shoulder and the compression he had placed on it to stop the animal from gnawing at him any further. Then, he stabbed at the beast! Short, direct stabs into the side of the lemlets neck. Blood gushed from its artery. It couldn't cry out, it couldn't move but Kedar could feel it die. He relished the feeling. It died slowly in his arms as more and more blood gushed out of the wound in its neck as he smothered and squeezed it. A smile took over his face. One of satisfaction. Knowing he'd beat the beast Kedar went through the motions to make certain it was dead. He stabbed again and when he couldn't feel the animal kick and squirm anymore he drew a deep line across the back of the animal's neck. He touched the nerve that ran along the beast's spinal cord. It didn't kick or move when he did. Brain processing had ceased in the animal and it was dead. He was certain. He threw the creature off his chest and retrieved his glow stick.
"Crisis averted." He signalled. "We eat well in the morning."
Multiple lights flashed to recognise his success. Like stars they twinkled for brief moments. Kedar was pleased with himself. Very pleased. He turned around and found Shas'el Rigel standing before him.
"My lord." He went to bow in ceremonial recognition of his master's authority.
"Idiot." 'El Rigel said as he placed his hand on the earth.
"Do you feel that?"
The ground was positively rumbling now with variations in the rumbles. There were tremors between tremors. Long deep ones that were spaced far apart, short quick ones that seemed to hum on the surface and then, the screams came.
He panned the permitter, no green lights. Where was his team?
A deep, throaty gurgle noise broke through the tremors. It sounded like a lemlet. Thud, thud, thud. Every time it placed its paw down the surface shook like an earthquake and then, it was visible. Very visible. It was gaining speed, fast. It was the largest lemlet they'd ever seen followed by a whole array of both baby and adult lemlets. Thousands of them.
Shas'el Rigel raised his hand.
"Fire!" He screamed and a massive volley of pulse blasts fired from behind Kedar and into the stampede. They kept coming.
"How did you…?" Kedar didn't get to finish his question.
"We'll discuss this later. Just fight and protect the compound!"
More pulse blasts fired from the compound. Each shot seared through the Coraxa Minor mist, burning the air before it hit its target. Some found their mark but many did not. The speed of the stampede was immense. Kedar picked up his Kroot rifle and began firing. He shouted for his comrades to do the same though they needed no instruction.
The sky lit up like a concert with pulse blasts and chemical propellants illuminating the air with a mixture of hyper processed particles and molecular interactions designed solely for one purpose. Maximum damage.
Now Kedar's men were dying. He could hear them cry out amongst the slaughter. The lemlet's were getting closer and the big one leading the charge was almost at the permitter line. Soon it's hulking body mass would be on them. A mass moving at that speed would surely have enough energy to crash through the compound. Suddenly a roar of jets snuck its way through the sound of the onslaught and without any warning two Tau fire caste in battle suits appeared before Kedar and Shas'el Rigel. They said nothing. Kedar was in awe, 'El Rigel nodded as if giving them authority to undertake what was to come next.
"XV88 battle suit." Kedar mumbled in awe as he watched the Tau's weapons fire up.
"On three" said the battle member on the right.
"One. Two."
'Fwoosh!' Both warriors fired their mighty rail guns at the same time. The range was much too close for the limits of a rail gun. All the better to take this mighty beast down. The volley travelled and travelled and then found its mark! The gigantic lemlet groaned as it went down, struck right above the snout. It got knocked off to one side and crushed a number of the smaller adult and baby lemlets as it toppled clumsily to the ground. With the alpha down the rest seemed to slow. A massive volley of rounds from Kroot rifles, pulse rifles and carbines fired indiscriminately into all the remaining lemlets. The stampede had halted and a roar of waling burst into the air as a mass cull ensued.
Shas'el Rigel looked to Kedar with resentment.
"Remind me what my masters pay you for Kedar."
Kedar snarled, unable to wear the façade of politeness, courtesy and obedience on his face after this newest embarrassment. He wouldn't bowl to 'El Rigel and beg forgiveness. Both the xenos warriors were un easy with each other and in a way, it made their situation less awkward. They knew what each thought of the other now. Though they wouldn't like it, they'd need to learn to work together to avoid such instances from happening again.
"Get this cleaned up. At least we'll have food for a while now." Ordered 'El Rigel.
Kedar snarled again and grabbed the adult lemlet he'd killed earlier with the knife by one of its feet and walked off dragging it behind him. He wouldn't feast on any of the other decimated lemlets. Only the one he'd killed up and close and personal.
'El Rigel took off in the opposite direction filled with rage.
Shas'el Rigel took the long walk around the Delvus Coraxa, examining everything a long his way including the tent base of the Kroot. "Just to be sure." He told himself. His eyes were fixed on the ground and the tent and all the security measures of the compound but it was a quick glance at the sky that captured his suspicion.
The mist was thicker than usual. It filled with all the mixed decomposition gasses of the lemlets. It was putrid. 'El Rigel stopped. He paused and placed a hand on the side of the compound and began to dry reach. He wanted it gone. All of it. "Just put a torch to it." He thought, but he knew the Kroot would harvest the meat in their tent city and that it would sustain them for a long time. For 'El Rigel the events that had just passed were a massive security breach. For the Kroot, it meant a feast.
He heaved and huffed and spat. Water. He was desperate for water. He had to maintain his integrity. "Thank the 'O it's night." He thought, hoping no one had seen him in his moment of weakness. He wiped his hand over his face and stretched out his lower back, arching it as he arose from the slumped position he'd dry reached in. This is when he noticed it. The thick mist, the smoke of the carcasses and their gasses, lights would normally be very faint. Not this one. It moved across the sky then stopped.
'El Rigel straightened up as he observed the star and went to radio in its coordinates.
"That is no star." He thought. As he keyed the sender he remembered the base had powered down for the night. He prayed in himself that it wasn't something to worry about. He'd check it out in the morning and hoped it could wait.
He rose the next morning before the heat had started searing the surface. It was there, present but the cold, crisp air of the night before had yet to dissipate. The mist was low for the time being and the sand was at its best temperature. Soon the bases generators would initiate again and before long the air conditioning would be working overtime. He hoped they would be operational again before the heat set in. Though they came on always at the same time, the sun of Coraxa Minor was unpredictable in its discipline of heat.
He walked the same path he'd walked the night before after the incident. He found the Kroot guards and mercenaries asleep in their tent base on the other side of the Delvus Coraxa dune. Their fires were smoking and the corpses of lemlets littered the campsite. They'd had a feast after stampede. He wouldn't be able to ask anything extenuating of them today. He hoped nothing major would happen.
When he approached the sector from the night before where he'd seen the light he looked up again, sure to double check if the light had been nothing to worry about. But there it was again.
He sighed. He didn't want to have to do anything today but this warranted attention.
"Fio'el Kariq do you recieve?" He pressed the key on his communicator.
"Fio'el Kariq receiving." He replied.
"Brother, in the night of last I spotted in the sky a bright light that cut through the mist. A dot in the clouds. I thought nothing of it but this morning as I patrol the light is still present. It shines bright enough still to be seen in the morning light. Do you have intel?" He asked 'El Kariq.
"Can you provide a course on the sky map brother?" Asked Fio'el Kariq.
"Of course."
'El Rigel pulled out a map from a pouch in his armour. He took a compass and placed the northern needle in the direction of the sun. From that, in conjunction with the time in relation to the trajectory of the sun, compared to the placement of the un known light, he was able to plot its course in a short amount of time.
"Kariq." He keyed. "The position is A37Y09."
"The other side of the dune." Said 'El Kariq. There was a short pause. "A moment please brother."
'El Rigel waited patiently as he kept an eye on the light.
"Confirmed 'El Rigel. We do plot an unknown craft in the atmos-space of those coordinates."
"Unknown." He said to no one in particular.
"We are scanning the object now."
'El Rigel looked up and saw a dish in the centre of the base begin to creak and groan as it re-directed itself to receive information from the section of the sky he'd directed it to.
"Confirming elevation." Came over the communicator as 'El Rigel noticed the dish was now aimed at the light. "Elevation confirmed." Suddenly he heard a beeping noise. "Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep." It had a regulated timing to it.
"Un known object confirmed." 'El Kariq said. His voice with a new energy. An urgency.
"Object confirmed as non-friendly, I repeat, object confirmed as non-friendly!"
'El Rigel didn't even bother to respond to 'El Kariq's information. He changed frequencies to one that the whole base could hear and with utmost authority ordered everyone to take up battle stations.
"Enemy incoming!" He said, as speakers everywhere relayed his anxious voice.
"Take up defensive positions!" He pressed a key on his communicator and a warning siren began to the whir throughout the base. It woke the Kroot. They were not pleased. They began to crawl to their feet in a hung over stupor, cradling their heads and bellies. Before long some began to empty their stomach contents into the embers of the previous night's fires. None aware of the situation unfolding.
'El Rigel changed his frequency again.
"Initiate the project." He said. A voice crackled back.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." He replied. "Aim it at these coordinates…"
He began to tell the voice the same coordinates he'd given Fio'el Kariq.
"Hold off until I give the word, but begin the charge."
"Understood." And with that a low level hum began to emit over the sound of the already humming generators. It started low and high pitched but began to get louder and louder.
'El Rigel got 'El Kariq back on the comms.
"Kariq. Do you have any confirmation as to who this enemy is?"
"I do brother Rigel. They are Imperial. Possibly Astarte's."
"Astarte's?" He questioned. "How could they have known?"
"I have contacted the superiors off world and requested permission on your behalf to engage if necessary and it has been approved." Said 'El Kariq.
"Thank you." Said 'El Rigel. "The weapon is already generating."
"Aim well brother." Said 'El Kariq.
No sooner had Fio'el Kariq ended his words than the un known voice arming the weapon voiced over the communicator to 'El Rigel.
"Weapon armed and primed." It said.
'El Rigel turned his head in the direction of the star. Now, a big cannon barrel was pointing out of the ground aimed directly at the light. It hummed and crackled with energy.
"Let me get to a safe zone." He said back to the voice on the other end of the receiver, already running away from the base.
"Fire!" He said into the communicator and no sooner had he said it that the humming ceased and a massive blue ray of light cut through the sky in a dead straight line starting from the cannon and ending at the light in the sky.
The ground and base rumbled as the energy being released by the weapons ignition shook the foundations and kicked back hard into the earth. A moment later, the beam finished leaving the barrel of the weapon. The voice came through again.
"Weapon discharge successful." It said.
"Good." Said 'El Rigel and keyed back to Fio'el Kariq's frequency.
"Brother Kariq… Can you confirm the kill?"
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