In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war.
On the eastern fringes of the Galaxy, just before the borders of the Farsight Enclaves, an Eldar Craftworld Ship suddenly crash landed on Planet Xi.
Although there are likely no survivors, the Imperium does know that the planet is a documented and dormant Necron Tomb World and sent an army to eliminate the potential uprising.
Due to its close proximity to the Tau Empire, the Tau have sent forces of their own to hold off this retched threat.
Oh how they didn't know what horrors lied below the tombs themselves.
[hr]
Location: Planet Xi, Eastern Galaxy.
Time: 945M41, Local Time Unknown.
This is the journal of Inquisitor Hiram Karos of the Ordo Xenos.
I'm have been given a mission from my superior to investigate reports of an Eldar ship crash and check to confirm Necron awakening. They told me that the Tau would likely go straight to the site and recruit any survivors to perform their 'greater good.'
All nonsense to myself. The Eldar are a race of condescending hypocrites who are dying off. Still, their weaponry does pose a threat if the Tau would somehow reverse-engineer it. As such, my mission is now clear.
Hold off the Necron attack. Afterwards, check the ship for survivors, then kill them if necessary. Destroy the ship afterwards, then escape via Warp travel.
May the Emperor protect, for my mission is a holy one, and may he bless me, for I stay true to his teachings.
Karos closed the book and pocketed it. He looked to the Navigator and asked him,
"How much longer until we reach Xi?"
"We are almost there. I must say, Inquisitor, your mission is a peculiar one. After all, do we not just say the Eldar are not worth our time?"
"That is only what the mindless masses believe. The Eldar's weapons are amongst some of the most dangerous we've ever seen. If the Tau were to gain them, we might suffer terrible losses in the future if we were to skirmish against them."
The Navigator hummed in response.
"If that is true then... We're here."
Karos nodded then checked his Bolt Pistol. 8 rounds, fully loaded. Perfect for what he was going to do.
[hr]
Shas'Ui Kais handled his plasma gun and gave it another once-over. He always found himself willing to fight for any reason he saw fit. The Greater Good would see fit to allow him to succeed in his new mission.
"Shas'Ui Kais, we are approaching the crash site. Prepare for anything." The Shas'Vre said.
"Of course."
The ship lowered itself, and the soldiers stormed out in an orderly fashion.
The Fire Caste squadron looked over the crashed ship.
"I've seen one of these before, they're beautiful... It is a shame that it has to be as such."
"Indeed. I have encountered the Eldar myself. Though self-righteous, the Eldar are nonetheless a race beyond all we've ever seen." Kais said, before sighing. "If only I actually talk to one outside of battle."
"You always had an unhealthy obsession with knives. Shas'Vre."
Kais glared at the Shas'La, though not obvious in his armor.
Looking around, the group noticed the Imperium ship. The Water Caste representative nodded and took to the front of the group. When the ship landed, the hatch doors opened, and out came an army of Imperial Guards, Inquisitors, and Space Marines of various chapters. The Lead Inquisitor approached the Tau force.
[hr]
"Bloody Xenos." Karos muttered.
"Indeed, but we must cooperate if the Necrons are to destroyed." His assistant said.
"I know." Karos said with disgust evident. He approached the Tau and went up to the Water Caste Tau.
"Are you the Tau forces that proposed the temporary alliance?"
"Yes, we are." The Tau said. "If the Necrons are indeed awakening, we'll need to work together and eliminate the leader."
"The Necron Lords. We've dealt with these machines before. The Lychguards are especially difficult to defeat, hence why we had brought in our Imperium's Finest."
"...Quite." The Water Caste said, looking over the Imperium's forces.
The two groups then heard groaning as they looked to see someone digging themself out of the debris.
[hr]
Skuld awoke, looking around the ship's wreckage.
One cursory look showed a very horrifying sight.
No one survived. She was the only one left.
Curse She Who Thirsts. Skuld thought to herself. To her relief, her fellow Craftworlders' Soul Stones were still intact.
Loud whirring roared outside. Skuld scowled in anger as she armed herself with shuriken weapons in both hands, and ran out through a hull breach. She found debris in the way, and began to dig her way out. She heard another sound, roaring beyond anything she heard. She dug faster, blood nearly boiling in rage.
Freedom!
[hr]
A lone Eldar Exarch, whose armor was damaged from behind, got onto her feet quickly, then aimed her Shuriken Catapult and Shuriken Pistol at the two forces.
The Water Caste Tau quickly got in between her and the others, and began to speak in the Eldar's tongue.
The Eldar, mildly impressed, replied in kind.
After much back and forth banter, the Water Caste nodded, and turned to the others.
"This is Exarch Skuld. She is the sole survivor of her Craftworld. She has agreed to join us in this battle against the Necrons on the condition that she be sent to another Craftworld with all of the objects of her choosing."
"And why should we let someone like her join us?" Karos replied bitterly.
"Because, Mon-keigh, like it or not, I am in no position to oppose you in my current state, and of course, there is the matter of this being a Tomb World." The Eldar spat back.
"You know Gothic?"
"But of course. Your kind has opposed us before. We had all the time in the Galaxy to learn."
The Inquisitor walked up to the Eldar. "Maybe you should've died during our battles. Then I wouldn't be speaking to you at all."
"Enough!" The Tau said. "We do not need to argue when the Necrons are potentially a threat."
Karos looked to the Tau, then the Eldar, and then sneered.
"Very well. May I hope you fight to your end, Eldar."
"Likewise."
The two walked away from each other. Kais internally sighed at the sight. Those two were likely to kill each other before the Necrons organized.
Did his planet lie to him?
[hr]
Tu'Tak Kamun awoke with a low drone. He rose from his resting place and saw his Lord raise up.
"Master." Tu'Tak kneeled.
"Raise, my protector. The battle has yet to come. We shall destroy Chaos, by killing all life in the Galaxy, starting with those on the surface." The Lord said with a hint of pride.
"Of course." Tu'Tak said, raising up. The Lychguard grabbed his sword and shield and went to his Lord's side, waiting for the attack to begin.
Unbeknownst to them, something near the entrance was also waking up. Rotted to the bone, glowing eyes of yellow-orange, the beasts that awoke banged against their own tomb, screaming and wailing as they tried to escape their prison.
*CRACK*
The majority of the forces looked towards the hands that broke through the floors, and entered battle poses as the hordes of the undead dug their way to the Tomb World.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
A Gauss Flayer hit the screaming zombie, destroying the flesh on it. The zombie, however ignored the attack and charged forward.
The Necrons began to attack the sudden forces as more of the undead, seemingly endless began to flood in.
Tu'Tak looked at the forces and then raised his scythe.
"My Lord, these things shall not end us so easily."
"Indeed, they shouldn't. This I shall make su-"
*BANG*
Tu'Tak looked in horror as the Lord's head blew up. He looked towards the source of the attack and charged at the Space Marine Scouts that attacked the Lord. Despite firing at him with their weaponry, Tu'Tak, in one great swing, decapitated the entire group. Watching the corpses fall to the ground, he saw two Scouts run towards the exit.
His Lord was likely sent to another Hive World, but for now, he had a battle to fight. He stomped on a black box and ran towards the surprise attack.
*SKRR SKRR*
"Doctor, are you sure of this?"
"I must..." The doctor when in a massive coughing fit. "I cannot live in this condition for much longer. Seal me in cryogenic freezing, so that I may return home, and be cured of my disease."
"...As you wish. Preparing cryogenic freezing."
The doctor's glass casing closed itself, growing colder as time went on.
"Estimated freezing time, 20 seconds. Safe transfer allowed in 45 seconds."
"THE TEST SUBJECTS! THEY'VE ESCAPED!"
"What! Arm the troops! Hold off the-"
*CRACK*
"Dammit! They've broken through!"
"Stay back. GO AWAY! NOOOOOOOO!"
*SKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR*
[hr]
"Prepare the troops. Send more Commissars to the defence line by the ridge over there. Check to see if the Tau line by the ship are well armed... Ensure that our Eldar guest is the first into battle." Karos grinned.
"Of course, Inquisitor. I will admit this however, the Eldar does seem eager for battle."
"All the more likely that she'll listen to this order." Karos got out of his tent and looked over the defensive line.
Perfect.
A group of Scouts approached the Inquisitor.
"Karos, the Necrons are indeed awakening... but that is the least of our problems."
"...Pardon?"
"We have discovered a threat attacking the Necrons themselves. Plague Zombies."
"The majority of the Ordo Sepulturum are currently preoccupied in the Western Fringes of the Imperium. May the Emperor have mercy upon us. Tell the Imperial Troops..." Kalos paused, then smiled maliciously. "Send in the Xenos first instead."
"Of course. We shall-"
*CRACK*
"RAAA RAA! RAAAAAAAAAHHHHHG!"
"No!"
The Scout stomped the zombie's head, right before noticing that the Necron horde was retreating from an even larger horde.
Karos stepped forward with a look of disbelief. The horde of zombies coming from the Tomb was beyond anything he'd ever seen. Upon closer analysis, it appeared that the majority of the horde chasing the Necrons were human.
"This is not right. The zombies would not be able to infect the Necrons. Why are they attacking them and not us? Why!?"
"You just had to ask, didn't you?" The scout said, pointing as the hordes began to spread out and attack the lines of defence.
"Damn you, Diseased One. Tell the Salamanders stationed here to rush into battle and use their flamers to their fullest extent. Our mission has changed from suppressing Necrons to suppressing Chaos."
"Yes, Inquisitor. Emperor protects!" The scout charged away. Karos took out his bolter and slapped an anti-daemonic seal on it, then switched out the ammunition for specialty ammo for destroying Chaos spawn.
"If only we had brought Grey Knights." Karos mused before charging into the fray.
[hr]
Kais gritted his teeth as he noticed that an unusual force charged against them.
"Troops, aim your weapons."
The Tau in an orderly fashion went into firing positions and aimed their plasma weaponry.
"Steady... FIRE!"
The Tau fired upon the horde, wiping out a vast majority of the force. A sizable chunk remained however, quickly approaching.
"Once more, aim!"
More dropped, but Kais felt that something's wrong.
He looked over to the Ethereal residing over the battle.
From below his spot, the ground began to displace.
"FIRE!"
The last of the horde was felled, but Kais finally realized what was happening.
"Below us!"
The troops looked at Kais with confusion, right before large, meaty arms broke through the ground and grabbed the Ethereal. The troops went into shock, a shock that Kais quickly broke out of.
He found that the hands were grabbing his fellow troops. With horror on his face, he ran away, fearing his life.
He quickly found the Inquisitor, shooting the undead with a scowl on his face.
"Tau, if you can understand me, listen carefully. We need to seal the inflow of the wretched hordes." Karos yelled.
Kais nodded, and quickly ran up to Karos.
*SCREEEEEEEEE*
The two turned to see the Eldar, having driven a Necron sword though its chest.
"And here I thought you were already bloody dead."
"Not the time, Mon-keigh."
*SAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaa-*
The three turned to see a Necron Lychguard and a zombie cut in half. The green electricity flowing around it clearly meant that it was alive.
"It seems we're at an impasse." The Necron said. "Better cannon fodder than my own kind."
"As much as I hate to admit, I agree." Karos said as he put a bolt through a turned Guard's head.
"Hold on." Skuld said. "Are only the mon-keighs turning?"
"No, I think I saw... Ork... hands." Kais' eyes widened in shock as the group turned towards the craftworld.
Skuld could only watch in horror as her fellow Eldar crawled out of the ship, eyes glowing like the rest of the undead."
"NO!"
"Oh good. And here I thought I was only killing zombies of my own kind." Karos said in a sarcastic tone.
"I like your tone, Inquisitor. It's suiting of this situation."
Karos rolled his eyes.
"Into the tomb! I see no undead running out anymore!" Skuld shouted.
The others, having no reason to disagree, followed Skuld toward the entrance of the tomb.
The group fire in all directions, killing various undead soldiers of a mix of Man, Tau and Eldar. They quickly hid in an alcove, which revealed a lift of some sort. Not wanting to question it, they got on and hit a random button. The doors closed and the four were suddenly alone with each other.
After a few moments, Karos pointed his bolt pistol at Tu'Tak.
"You, did you do this?"
"As if I would even know about these things. They were attacking us too. I knew you existed when your so called Space Marines killed my Lord."
Karos gritted his teeth.
Skuld was quick to point her shuriken weapons at the two.
"These were human zombies, humans that infected my fellow battle brothers."
"It matters not who infected who, or who is responsible." Kais said. "What we know is that we're in a deathzone. We will have to work together to survive."
"Work... together... with a filthy Eldar?!"
"Silence, detestable machine!"
"Silence! All of you!" Kais yelled.
The Eldar looked with shock at the Tau. Even though he was clad heavily in armor, she could tell that he was frustrated.
"We need to work together. No backstabbing. No grudges. Just cooperation."
Karos sighed.
"He is correct, as much as I hate to admit. But I propose this. When this is over, we are enemies once more. Understand?"
The other three nodded, though Kais was more reluctant.
"Good... how deep does this lift go?"
*DING*
"Guess, we now know, Inquisitor." Tu'Tak said, walking out with the others. The colors quickly faded out, replaced with a heavily black and white Imperial propaganda comic coloring. Kalos groaned as the others reacted with shock.
He knew what was going on now.
"The taint of Chaos befalls this place. Damn the ruinous powers for making our lives a living hell..."