Warhammer 40,000: Chapter Five
Standoff
Landing back on the tarmac inside the hanger bay, Gibbla looked around. Pulling
the canopy back, he ordered a Gretchin to mark his plane. Proving he was an ace, Gibbla
managed to down four of the Tau aircraft with his guns, and only took slight damage
himself. Wheeling the Fighta to an elevator, he awaited the Gretchin with the white paint
can to hurry up. Already, Ork Meks were gearing up more aircraft, refueling those that
returned, repairing damaged parts, or cutting up the ones that just barely made it. On the
Command center, a dark skinned Ork was looking on the progress via electro monitors.
Listening to loud music (most likely captured Imperial recordings, as Orks can't exactly
sing), Warboss Grutsnikk snickered. "Ha! Deys don't knaw wat Good Ol' Grutsnikk is
upto!" Bellowing at a nearby Red Gretchin, he ordered for the Fighta Bombas to soften
up the planetary defenses. "Dem skinnies are gunna luve wats next!"
Onboard the Tau flagship, Kor'o T'cea was in a pickle. During the Ork wave, he
had sent a distress signal to the nearby fleet command of another Tau Expeditionary fleet.
With only three small escorts and this vessel, they stood no chance against the full might
an Ork Space Hulk could bear. But if his Distress signal could bring the fleet here, they
stood a chance. Checking the statistics from data gathered after the initial battle, only
12 casualties from the Barracuda Fighters, many able to use the escape pods down to
the surface. Orks casualties were reported at 50, but with such a massive vessel in front
of them, Kor'o T'cea knew there would always be more. What was puzzling, was the fact
that it was unusual for the Orks to send in their warriors piecemeal. If they had, they
could have swamped the ground forces and the flagship with numbers alone. Yet, they
hadn't. Was this Ork leader an incomprehensible moron? Or did he have something up
his sleeve. As Kor'o T'cea pondered, a small blip was emerging in space, close to the
Northern Pole of the planet. Was it the Expedition Fleet he had asked for assistance?
Peering into a view screen, he could tell it wasn't. It was a Warp Hole alright, but it
wasn't as defined as the Tau use. Expecting the worse, Kor'o T'cea watched as several
White prow vessels emerged from the Immaterium. The Imperium of Humanity had
arrived. Calling for the aid of a Por Caste Diplomat, Kor'o T'cea hoped to reach the
Gue'la for their assistance.
Sipping Valhallan Tanna Tea from his favorite mug, Admiral Joseph Geer
watched out the viewport at the planetary system they had just arrived near. According to
the Navigator of the Gleaming Arrestor, they had arrived precisely above the hospitable
world. Standing up from his ornate command chair, he watched as tech servitors did
their duties, as an Adept from the Machine cult made sure they were all in working order.
Another Tech Priest came up from behind and bowed his head towards the Admiral.
"What news do you bring me?" he asked quizzically. "the Entire fleet is here, Admiral.
Our grand vessel of the Imperium, four cruisers, and several fleets of escorts await your
orders." Sipping from his mug, Geer peered out at the small flotilla guarding what Tech
Priests had named Eagea IV. "We shall wait here. No doubt that the Tau will try to
weasel their way out of an all out conflict. And should they refuse the Emperor's gracious
offer to back off, they will be exterminated like the pests they are."
Kor'o T'cea tuned on to the frequency channel that the Diplomat was using to
contact the Imperium fleet. The diplomat started off welcoming them to Tau space, but
this form of negotiations apparently didn't suite the commander. Instead of talking
peacefully, he openly stated why he was here. "The Holy Emperor has decided to spare
your pitiful fleet and all that accompany you, if you leave by 1500, Imperial time." The
Diplomat protested, saying that an Ork Space fleet was here. The Admiral laughed.
"Your fleet and ours are the ONLY ones in this vicinity, and we detect no signs of Ork
activity for light years." Kor'o T'cea was flustered. There was an Ork held space hulk in
the faces of the Imperial Navy, yet they denounce their own sight and follow the will of
statistics. Still, open hostility was not a good plan, as it was neither apart of the teachings
of the Greater Good or a tactical option. Luckily for the Tau, the Imperial Navy was
going to pay for their stupidity.
"OI! Deyz ain't supposed to be der!" Yelled Warboss Grutsnikk. Standing a few
feet behind him was an equally built Ork, with a full metal mask with the shape of a skull
on the front. Due to the blue paint on the mask and some of the other daggs and
markings, it was a Loota Mek. Gutsnikk's Big Mek, in fact. " Boss, dem stinkin' humies
atta be reel gewd fightin for da boyz." Gutsnikk nodded, "Am glad I thunk it up."
Another Klaxon rang throughout the hanger, this time it was a bright yellow light,
telling the Deff Sqwadron to take up Fighta Bombas and the like for battle in space.
Downing some grog, Gibbla ran to the lot where his Fighta Bomba was parked.
Emblazoned with red paint in a fire style across the front, Gibbla's black "DundaBoyd
Spevul" was loaded with rokkits, and the Red Gretchin Neb was already in the rear
gunner seat, anxious to pull the trigger of his gun at any enemy. After hopping in, Gibbla
wheeled the craft to the elevator for launch.
Onboard the Gleaming Arrestor,Admiral Joseph Geer was content with the
ultimatum he had sent the Tau. Watching out the viewports, he saw what first appeared as
small pieces of debris being jettisoned out of the nearest moon. As he looked closer, he
could see afterburners coming from those craft. "Apparently the Tau plan to fight us.
Ensign, order the fleet to fire at will." In a few minutes, the motionless fleet began
moving into action. Marauder and lightning interceptor aircraft were being launched to
intercept the oncoming mass of fighters.
Gibbla looked around, seeing that the human warships were preparing to engage.
Hitting a small red button that said "Dun't Hit", he accelerated his craft with afterburners,
and noticed that the lads who had joined him did the same. Picking out a target amongst
the cruisers, he pitched his craft into a turn towards the top most section of the chosen
ship. Aiming through a small bull's eye, he pulls back on a lever and a bomb the size of
an Ork separates from the undercarriage, straight at the conning tower of the Cruiser.
With a muffled THUD, the bomb detonated off target, but defiantly shook up the crew
and systems. Gibbla looked around, and saw that the Imperium wasn't going to take that
sitting down. To the Right of him, squadrons of Marauders were off to intercept him.
Grinning, he dived to the right, knowing that the Marauder fighter wasn't as adept to the
G's that he was. Seeing the Marauders break off to engage the main element, Gibbla spun
his craft around, and was able to get onto a Marauder's six. With mighty roar, his guns
opened up onto the fighter, and blew the stabilization tail clean off. Switching to a new
target, he hit a bright blue button, and launched a rokkit from the right tip of the wing. It
spiraled off towards the enemy, but instead of going straight, it veered off, smashing into
the solid structure of an Escort.
The space battle raged on between the Imperial Fleet and the Orks, with the Tau
in total awe. Not to be outdone, the lone Flagship of the Tau fleet opened up on the Ork
Hulk, hoping to hit a vital point on the structure, whilst launching Manta Missile
Destroyers to take out the Ork Conning Tower and hopefully, the Ork launch bays. With
its escorts picking off enemy bombers as they approached, it appeared the combined
might of the Tau and Imperium might stave off the Orks. However, when the Imperial
Navy neared too close to the behemoth, it revealed its hidden cache of Ork boarding
ships. Launching from a hidden crevasse underneath the Hulk, dozens of boarding
rockets smashed into several of the ships in the fleet, including the Capital ship Gleaming
Arrestor.
Atop the tower of the Ork Hulk, Warboss Grutsnikk was laughing at his mad
genius. "Bet dey didn't see dat comin!" Laughing manically, he never fully saw the chain
axe hack into his neck, and sheer his head off in one blow. "You's didn't either," replied
the Nob behind him. With a huge metal skull over his face, Warboss Gizzla looked over
what was now his. Leaving a small supa bomb, he sealed his former leader's tomb, and
went down to properly lead the boyz. Grabbing the nearest Mek who was tough, he said
"yous now gotta lead this 'fing while Wes go killy dem stinkin 'humies." With a nod, the
Mekboy began bossing his new subordinates to follow the boss's orders, while Warboss
Gizzla went to show the Humans what up close and personal meant.
Chaos was breaking out onboard the command deck of the Gleaming
Arrestor as crewmen armed up to face the oncoming Orks. "Blast! I should have seen it
coming, Tau hiring Orks as mercenaries to fight us off!" Admiral Geer felt the hilt of his
blade in his hand, as his ancestral sword was passed down from father to son.Again, it
would taste the blood of enemies, it would drink upon the blackened blood of the
accursed Orks. Finally drawing the saber from its scabbard, he readied his laspistol and
sword in each hand, and stood aside his command chair, knowing the Orks were on their
way. He could hear them, as crackles from lasguns fired off, and the solid caliber of the
Ork guns returned fire. Eventually, he could hear them right outside the bulkhead.
Everyone left on the command deck readied themselves, when all of a sudden a loud
shockwave hit them from the Ork Hulk. Turning to gaze so slightly, Admiral Geer could
see the top of a tower on the hulk blew away into nothingness. He consented himself that
his men had at least fought bravely against such overwhelming odds. Back at the door,
the smell of welding could be smelt, as the Orks cut their way into the command center.
As soon as the door fell, the yells of the Ork WAAAGH! met the cries and shouts as the
Admiral yelled out "For The Emperor!" First through the breach were a few Gretchin,
armed with lead pipes. The men inside easily picked them off, just as a great green hulk
entered the doorway. Without a word, it revved up its weapon, and attacked. Geer ducked
under the first series of blows, and with his saber, struck the Warboss in the chest, only to
have the sword shatter in two! Looking at the base of the hilt, it read Made in Ovila, toy
should not be used by unattended children. "Oh Frag."
With the battle raging, the Orks had managed to latch huge metal cables onto
three Naval ships in total, with a majority being latched onto the Flagship as the Ork
boarding rokkits sunk into the hulls. With no clear end in site, yet another mysterious
circumstance was developing. Unlike the technology of other races, Space hulks aren't
100 controllable. Unfortunately for the Orks, it was developing another warp rift. Orks
and humans alike piloted back to their vessels which launched them, hoping to not get
sucked into the warp, for without the void shields, they were easy prey for the monsters
within. The Imperial Navy withdrew from the engagement, just as the Hulk entered back
into the abyss with its quarry.
Shortly after the engagement, Kor'o T'cea opened up diplomatic channels again,
and was able to convince the Imperial Fleet that war was not necessary. Also, should any
of the Human survivors who managed to crash land on the jungles wish to "return" to
active duty, the Tau would readily return them to the Navy. However, no such flights
ever happened, and the crews were reported as Missing In Action. As soon as the Fleet
left, the Tau allowed the Humans who wished to stay as Human Helpers, and were
allowed to help colonize the planet in the name of the Greater Good. Unfortunately,
Kor'o T'cea knew there was never truly peace, in a galaxy at war.