The rain fell down hard on the towering ruins of the massive spires of the fallen city.
None knew what civilization build these cities or landmarks. Even the statues which would've shown the race which created this marvel were nearly all destroyed beyond recognition nor were there any datapads left behind.
A mysterious city left behind a mysterious people, as if they never truly existed.
That was why the Tau were there on Persi Prime as the planet was called, to find out what happened and possibly recolonize it. A young and curious race with alien allies and the technology to compete with the other more hostile alien species in the universe. Such as the Gua'la, or the humans as they were called in their own tongue, the vile Orks or the swarming Tyranids...but that day, the Tau fought a more devious foe.
Today they fought the Necrons, a mockery of life and a affront to the Greater Good. The Ethereals believed that a short life could be a productive life, a sad truth for nearly all Tau who have short life spans, but these Necrons escaped death.
They were walking skeletons, covered with a unknown metal alloy which drank nearly all light sources around them. A sickly green glow came from around them and their weapons.
They only seemed to be for one thing...to destroy the living.
A colony by the Bor'kan Sept came under attack a week ago by the Necrons. No warning, no mercy. It was only thanks to the efforts of a single Air Caste member who broke orbit through the Necron blockade and send the SOS signal before her vessel got destroyed.
Bor'kan was the first to reply and quickly send most of it's fleet and forces to help.
Fal'shia was to follow when the word came out how dangerous the foe was, even now reinforcements from Tau itself were on their way.
The forces from Quartz under the leadership of Commander Shash'O Kais Quartz'Shi just arrived when the fighting got worse.
The assignment was easy enough, drop in, create a defensive position and evacuate as many survivors as possible.
[Keep firing!] the Shash'O cried out.[ Show the enemy why they should fear the Greater Good!]
His Firewarriors kept firing at the incoming blackness which was the Necron Horde. Their pulse rifles did not seem to dent the incoming tide. True one or two fell down after a few shots, but a dozen more kept coming every time one did fall.
A silent moving tide of death.
The Shash'O raised his Ion Blaster attacked on his battle suit's right arm and his pulse rifle on his right. Via his internal systems which connected his mind to his suit, he send co-ordinates throughout his cadre to where they should focus their army.
[Var'o!] he called for his bodyguard.[Fire with your rocket pod at the western spires, block those paths!]
[Affirmative.] his bodyguard replied and fired several missiles at the towers ahead.
The explosion rocked the battlefield heavily as the debris of the large sky reaching spires exploded, it's debris falling down upon the Necron horde. As the dust cloud washed over the Quartz Cadre, Kais could not help but grin a little. True it was a affront to the Greater Good for enjoying the death of an enemy, but to Kais and most of his cadre they were allowed. The Necrons were dead, not alive. They craved destruction, they killed the innocent and the guilty alike. He saw the vid-logs, the families slaughtered at the hands of these...monsters. Men, women, children...the cries of the children were the hardest to hear, or forget for that matter.
Kais made a promise to himself and his Cadre they would not rest until the last of the colonists made it of this planet.
[Stingray Squad, can you hear me? Has the enemy stopped moving?] The Commander asked his stealth squad which was positioned close to the tower nearby. He awaited a few moments for the squad to reply...but received no answer. [ Stingray, this is Shas'O Kais, respond!]
His bodyguard shook his head as the commander looked over, as he didn't wish to believe it himself that the worst may have happened.
[My Vespid brethren, do you read?] the Shash'O asked as he ordered a quick ceasefire so his cadre could reload.
The Vespid Strain leader was several stores up the nearest large tower, keeping an eye from above. Although the normal Vespid had by no means any better eyesight like the Tau, their strainleaders had a Communion Helm which not only allowed the Vespid to communicate with the Tau and Kroot, but also allowed for it's wearer to peer from afar.
'I read you Sha'O.' the strain leader clicked.' What is it you ask of us?'
[We lost contact with Stingray, we need you to re-establish contact and find out if the Necrons have any difficulty with the structure we just took down.]
'Understood, click click.' The strain leader replied and nodded at his fellow Vespid warriors. The Vespid jumped down several stores, blasting a lone Necron warrior who survived the wave from before.
'Move fast.' The Strain Leader said in his native tongue.' These walking dead are more dangerous then the monsters back on Quartz.'
'Yes, Strain Leader.' One of the Vespid replied.
The battle punctured several holes into the tower, the team was last seen there, so the insectoids jumped through quickly. The Vespid did not have a better eyesight then the Tau, but they could see in the dark better. Save for a few pieces of debris, there was no sign of the lost team.
'Stingray?' The Strain Leader cried out.' Can you hear us?' There was no reply.' Stingray, can you hear us, brothers?'
Still no reply.
The Strain Leader spoke quickly in his native tongue which send the other Vespid searching over the room.' Shash'O this is Strainleader Thespa, so far no sign of Stingray.'
'Strain Leader!' one of the vespid cried out.' I found something, plasma hole burns!'
'Standbye.' The leader said as he flew over to the location the one vespid cried out.
He blinked as his eyes gazed over the wall. Plasma hole burns, which were still scorching, indicated the holes were made recently, as were the other signs of battle.
'Strain Leader...blood, Tau.' Another warrior pointed to a large red smear on the wall. Long, deep slashes also coated the floor, it didn't take a genius to find out what happened.
'Everyone out, now!' The strain leader jumped out just as a loud terrified screech came from his own men downstairs.
'Shash'O, we found traces of the Stealth team...' the Vespid leader said over the intercom as Kais checked his suit's systems.
[Speak.]
'We think they have been taken by the Necrons, we moved out as soon as we did, I lost contact with one of my own just now.'
This was the last the Commander wanted to hear. Some of his most experienced men were in that squad.
[Regroup with the Kroot at the second drop off point, tell Bo'aob and Skrii to prepare. We're pulling back to the overgrown area, make haste.]
'Our wings will take us to you swiftly, Brother.' The Strain leader said as he ended contact.
[Commander, the dust cloud cleared up...we got company.]
The Commander peered through his optical enhancers...and his blood ran cold at the sight.
The normal Necron warriors were the stuff of nightmares already...but these...
They were monsters, countless waves of monsters. They adorned themselves with still wet pieces of blue skin and hide from their latest victims, his Fire Warriors.
Already he heard gasps from the battle net, his warriors were losing morale.
[Stay focused, pick your targets and fire at my command. We still have colonists to think of.]
He charged up his weapon systems and took aim.
[No-one retreats until I say so. Give them hell my brothers and sisters, for the Aun'va!']
'For the Greater Good!' his warriors replied as one and took aim at the monstrosities. They were one cog separately, but one machine as a whole. It was his job to keep the machine working.
The tide of death marched forward, their talons covered in blood and their bodies covered in blue skin. Frightening still...until the first pulse rifle bolt blew one apart.
Horror turned to anger, to revenge. It took the Tau down to a dark path, that the Shash'O knew, but if it meant more colonists being saved, so be it.
[Fire.]
As if the gates of chaos themselves opened, the volley of pulse rifles tore through the ranks of the skin covered Necrons. As the Necrons neared however, they do finally returned fire. Green bolts flew toward the Tau forces. Tau Fire Warriors fell down just as their Kroot brothers. Gue'vesa died next to Vespid. But they fought on, for the Greater Good.
[Commander, watch ou-] Var'o shouted before a large explosion threw Kais of the building he was stood on. His suit went dark and silent, but he felt falling. He braced for the impact he knew was coming. The ground felt hard and threw him around in his suit.
Kais panted for air as he franticly searched for the eject button.
He slammed his hand down hard when he found it. The doorway jumped open as he kicked it away and crawled out. The rain that poured down on his face seemed to shake the commander from his groggyness and the sudden disconnect he had with his suit.
Large green bolts flew overhead and made large craters on the ground and the buildings, throwing more of his men away like ragdolls.
'Commander!' one of his Firewarriors ran to him.' Sir, we're being hammered, what will we do?'
The Commander glanced at the remains of his suit, and was grateful that the ore gained from Quartz saved him from the lethal blow his suit took, but still claimed his bodyguard's suit and life, for nothing could survive the blow taken by it as was evidence by it's burning carcas.
The Commander glared and took the pulse rifle of a dead Fire Warrior.' We hold the line.' He cocked the gun.' Let this day be known that the Tau of Quartz will have stood their ground to save the lives of thousands.'
He moved back toward the battle, followed by his loyal warriors. The Necrons consumed this planet, but by the Path Kais will make certain the colonists are spared.